'Why am I still here?' Muttered Roxas, it had been a full week and he was sure everyone at North Terrace had been looking for him. Even if he wasn't the most friendly to get along with at times, he knew almost everyone in the city from jobs and things he'd been ordered to when he was a trainee. The words rang about in his head as he rolled over on his side on his bed. Better words probably should have been 'why am I still breathing?' but he didn't want to worry himself with such thoughts.

Glancing over at the candle he watched the flame flicker as his breath disturbed it. There was still a lot he didn't know, that Axel hadn't told him. Sighing he rolled back over staring at the ceiling that was covered almost completely in darkness. He figured it must be past midnight by now for the clock in the hallway had rung 12 chimes not too long ago. Oh joy, yet another night without sleep.

His thoughts were broken as a harsh rapping on his door sounded. "Its open!" he called out and his door was hurriedly thrown open. "Where's the fire?" he called at a very flustered Marie with a shocked look on his face.

"Come with me!" she said in a hushed voice literally going over to the bed and yanking him from it dragging him out the door hastily shutting the door behind them.

"What's going on?" he asked a little nervously.

"You don't want to see our annoying red head?" she asked turning to him as she glanced down both ways of the hallway.

"Well, yeah. There's still quite a bit I want to ask him since no one else seems to want to tell me." Roxas said matter-o-factily as Marie gave a small smile before yanking him down the hallway again.

"Good. Now quiet! I have a quite bad feeling about tonight so keep close to him when you go back to your own room. 'kay? More natural magic or no, you aren't supposed to be out here. Everyone is on edge because the attacks on the city above are getting more frequent." Marie explained which made Roxas's eyes widen. More attacks were going on?

During the week he'd been there Roxas had found out that the whole place he'd been staying in was underground! It was underneath Hollow Bastion though Marie had said Zexion's demon magic power helped keep the illusion that demons were still occupying the city that was slowly being destroyed above. "Alright, we're here." Marien's hushed voice was heard again as she opened a door which had the roman numerals VIII on it, or 8 from what Roxas could tell. Before he could thank her he was shoved inside with the hushed warning of, "Don't come out until the night guard goes past!"

As he was shoved in the door was hastily shut behind him. "Uh, thank you?" he muttered and heard a giggling noise from outside the door. Apparently he'd been heard. Sighing softly he called into the pitch black room, "Hello?"

A bright flare of light was soon visible as a small flicker of light which Roxas assumed to be fire lit up the candles that were in the room. It surprised him enough though that he immediately backed up into the door making it slam against the hinges a bit. A soft snickering could be heard and the blonde demanded, "What's so funny?!"

"You." Now that the room was almost fully lit up Roxas could see that Axel was on the other side of the room lounging in a chair with that cat-like smirk on his face. "So, we didn't get ot finish our chat, did we?"

"No...we didn't." Roxas finished lamely walking over to sit on the edge of the bed that was drastically unmade. The room was also quite messy, it kind of reminded Roxas of his own room back in North Terrace except opposite. Sora always didlike to have things where he could find them even if it did mean Roxas couldn't find anything in the cleanness. The brunette would always tease him about it and it made Roxas frown to think of his cousin.

"You alright?" The blonde hadn't noticed that the red head had come over to him and poked him in the forehead roughly.

"I'm fine!" Growled Roxas as he snapped out of his surprised state from the sharp prod to his forehead.

"You seemed a little spaced out there." Smirked Axel as he collapsed beside Roxas staring at him with his emerald green eyes curiously. "So, what else did you want to know?"

"Well...," Roxas thought a moment over what had happened to him in the past month. "You saved me from falling off the building, even though I wasn't Ven. Tell me why, the whole why."

"Wholewhy? Is there even such a thing?" Chuckled Axel before glancing at the blonde who looked unamused. "Fine, fine. Why? Hmm." He tapped his chin as if deep in thought. "Well, I'm not sure exactly." he slyly looked over at Roxas with a smirk, "Maybe its 'cause it'd be a shame to let a cute blondie like you fall off a building."

At that Roxas scooted away from the red head his cheeks tinged with a flush of color, but turned away as he felt them heating up. Growling he snapped, "Shut up you pervert."

"So now I'm a pervert?" Axel raised a thin eyebrow at this with a smirk which Roxas didn't see. If he had though, it would have been a warning.

"Yes." Roxas said finally turning towards him arms crossed.

"I'm hurt Roxy." The pyro answered with fake sadness, "You're killing me here."

"Good." Roxas said his stare unwavering. "Alright, why does everyone consist to keep me locked away in my room? And please don't answer with some remark."

"Alright, anything you wish Roxas." Smirked Axel. "Well, you're a Hunter aren't you? What demon wouldn't be scared that doesn't know how powerful you are. Plus you have quite a bit more natural magic than most humans, giving you some of our abilities. The higher ups are going to meet with you tomorrow, discussions and all that boring crap."

"They are?" Roxas felt a little nervous at that.

"Yep, Marie didn't tell you?" he sounded a bit surprised, but then shrugged. "Its no big deal, they'll probably just ask you a few questions and then do a test. You did tests during your Hunter training I'll bet."

Roxas nodded. "That still doesn't make me feel any better about it though. Why do you guys still keep me around? Wouldn't it just be easier to be rid of me?"

"Well, normally you'd be dead by now," Axel started which made Roxas feel sick to his stomach. "But, they think you'll help us."

"Why?" The blonde wanted to know.

"Because, some of us think you might agree to help us." Axel finished and Roxas angrily stood up from his sitting position on the bed.

"That's absurd! Why would I help you? A demon?" he snarled his blue eyes flashing.

The redhead only looked at him with a sad expression before standing up himself his eyes immediately flashing from that sad look to a furious and unmerciful one causing Roxas to instinctively back up as Axel came forward. "Is there something you see wrong with me? Do I look different to you?" his fangs in his mouth could be seen as he snarled the words.

Roxas said nothing, but kept backing up as the pyro spat at him, " Is it our fault we're like this, is it?" Again Roxas didn't answer so Axel answered for him, "No, its not and if you Hunters would get your damn minds straight for one second you'd realize that!" The fire on the candles flickered as they burned harder melting the wax they stood under faster.

Roxas suddenly realized this as his nervous gaze flickered around the room yet Axel continued his rampage forwards. The blonde felt himself hit the wall of the room and his heart sank. "Do you have anyidea of what its like on the recieving end?! Do you? No, you don't. Would you have dropped me if it was you who caught me instead of me catching you on the building?"

It was then that Roxas's mind snapped to that memory. He would. If it had been him, he'd have dropped Axel instantly without a second thought, but now...he wasn't so sure. "Y-yeah..." he stammered finding his throat dry and sore from hyperventilating, which he hadn't realized he'd been doing until now.

The demon's eyes widened a bit at the answer before sighing. "Maybe Ven is right," he turned away, "Maybe a Hunter will always be a Hunter." he walked off leaving Roxas still pressed up against the wall. "I'll fix your room tonight so no one will know you left."

Again Roxas said nothing as Axel left his room shutting the door quietly behind him. The blonde fearfully stayed put thinking maybe he'd come back in and start roaring his words at him, but no. After a few minutes of waiting he slumped tiredly to the floor. 'How do I get myself in these messes?' he wondered silently to himself feeling utterly tired. He felt his consciousness slipping and fell into the blackness of sleep thinking to himself, 'Maybe I was wrong to judge them?'

The next thing was warm, something so very, very warm. It felt so nice that he sub-consciously clung to it before settling back into the deep darkness that was sleep. No dreams for him tonight, that was for sure.

Axel had felt his temper slipping when he heard Roxas speak and knew he had to get out of the room, going back inwas another matter entirely. Heaving a shaky breath from his lungs he entered to see the blonde in a heap on the floor his back resting against the wall, fast asleep. 'Well, this is easier than expected...'he thought before walking silently over to Roxas.

"Hey Rox." he poked the blonde who shifted at his touch muttering something in his sleep. Smirking he crouched down next to him and whispered, "Fine, then I'll just have to move you myself. Never knew you were a sleep-talker." The redheaded demon chuckled to himself as he lifted the blonde up into his arms.

It surprised him when Roxas shifted again towards him curling up like a cat of some sort. He had to keep himself from chuckling as the blonde stirred a bit. Setting him down on his own bed he had enough nerve to sit next to him or something, but decided against it. 'What would he think to me being next to him when he woke up?' Axel inwardly laughed at that and took a spot on the couch that had been placed in his room. Turning over and settling himself down for sleep he heard then clearly the words of, "Maybe I can trust them, maybe I can trust Axel too."

As the redhead closed his eyes he thought then to himself privately, "Maybe they can trust you too."

A-N:

Nugh, this took a bit to write. I had nothing for this chapter almost. The one after it sure, but not this one. We get a little fluff out of it too! Yayz for teh fluff! -cheers- AkuRoku fluff is always good. -sighs-

Marie: Yeah! :3

Roxas: Don't I get any say in this?

Me 'n Marie(Hey that rhymes! :D): NOPE!

Welp, anyway I'm going to be starting the next one soon, but I must finish the chapter for Goal! first. Its on the top of my to-do list after I get this done. Curious, but what's on your to-do list Axel?

Axel: Me? Well...lets see.

1. Stay the hell away from you

and

2. Roxas

Roxas: -is not amused- Do you wish to have a slow and painful death Axel?

Ooh, I like that second one. XD If you catch the joke. Anyway, 'till next chapter then! -scurries off as Oathkeeper is thrown at me-

-Kiesha/Breadstick

(( Currently doesn't want to have her face eaten by a PMSing teenager like myself at the moment so really can't talk right now! -flees from Roxas- ))