Disclaimer: I do not own KH. If I did, then I would've made a game with more yaoi action :P

Pairings: Akuroku, RikuSora

Author's Notes: I'm so tired. I hate high school. Someone kill it please? It's been killing me all week. I feel so dead. –sigh- What can I do, right? Well, enjoy this weak filler ;)


Roxas breathed heavily, staring at his hands. How could this have happened, he wondered. He wasn't supposed to have been so relieved that Axel showed up. He was supposed to feel nothing that related to thankfulness! He was supposed to hate Axel for the way he acted and thought! But... he didn't. He just couldn't bring himself to do that. It was hard and he didn't know why. Something inside told them that it wasn't meant to be that way. Something, deep down, told him not to force Axel away. Why was it talking to him like that? And what was so spectacular about the redhead? It wasn't like he was a messiah; he wasn't going to lead Roxas to the Promised Land or anything else to that extent.

Another thing bothered the teen; the memories. They weren't his. They were, but they seemed like that weren't really his. It was like looking at another's life and watching it go by, feeling all the pain of the person. Roxas was invading the life of a person who had his name and face. Was it fair of him, to view things he had done in another life? Who knew? Yet, those glimpses of a past life and different world were so interesting that Roxas couldn't help himself. All in all, he seemed so happy in those fragments. It seemed like happiness had been such a long time ago for the guy now. High school wasn't a walk in the park; it was a walk down the stairs to hell. He was always so close to depression that it didn't seem fair. He had the things he wanted and the things he needed, and still he wasn't as happy as he wanted to be. For the first time, Roxas had actually been able to smile warmly and his answer came with Axel, it seemed. Maybe things would get better. Maybe they'd get worse. Again, who knew?

Roxas sighed gingerly getting up, ignoring his body's complaints. He should be in bed, but since when did teenagers listen? The blond sat down with a grimace, trying hard to ignore the pain. Maybe he could get himself another pain pill, but that would require going down the stairs. If he attempted that, he'd probably pass out on the damn steps and just lie there until his dad came. That didn't sound all too nice. So, to try and get his mind off the annoying throbbing, Roxas booted up his computer, making sure that the sound was all the way down so that his parents wouldn't hear the start-up beep.

Then the phone suddenly rang, not the cell, but the house phone. Roxas let it ring, not ready to repeat the last time he had picked up the phone. He didn't want to listen to Sora right now; he was still pretty damn frosty with the guy. No one could blame him though; guys have to have their pride after all. After a few loud and obnoxious rings, the phone stopped and the woman downstairs answered, her voice muffled by floor and door. Then, her voice called out shrilly up the stairs. "Pick up the phone, Roxas!" So much for letting the poor kid rest. Roxas picked up the phone and placed the receiver to his ear.

"Hello?" he asked into the phone, uncertain as to who decided to call him.

"Roxas!" A familiar, yet strangely changed, voice said, which didn't answer the question that Roxas had. Who was calling him?

"Yeah... that's my name. Who is this?" There was some edge to his voice as his belly spasmed again, forcing him to wince as he spoke. The person on the other end sighed, clearly thinking their voice was recognizable.

"Roxas... I'd have thought you would recognize my voice. Seeing as you're currently handicapped, I'll be nice and tell you." Roxas tapped a pencil against the desk impatiently. Clearly this was taking too long for a damn name. "It's Axel." Roxas ceased his drumming and replied with a soft 'oh'.

"Right... Sorry. I must have hit my head or something..," the blond joked, chuckling in a guilty manner. Poor Axel; Roxas couldn't even figure out it was him on the phone.

"No, I think you were dropped on your head as a child," Axel responded, laughing.

"Hey!" Roxas didn't take kindly to that; once his baby sitter picked him up and was carrying him up the stairs and then the girl tripped and Roxas flew out of her arms and hit the wall right on his noggin. Of course, Roxas never told his parents that. What sane three year old was going to say that? Well, actually, Roxas had told his parents that he had hit his head, but they had merely assumed he had bumped it against a table or something. After all, three year olds have an easy time hitting things with their various body parts. "Passing over being dropped on my head, what did you call me about?" It was odd since it had been barely half an hour since the two had parted.

"Yeaaaaaaaah. You think whatever you want to think." Axel was stalling, it was obvious. It seemed that the redhead did this often. Was he so afraid of revealing things about himself? It seemed to be so, since he didn't like being to the point.

"Just spit it out already."

"Fine. I was thinking about treating you to a movie as a celebration of your ravaged body being healed." Axel sounded so casual about it. He was good. Very good. Roxas didn't say anything, letting the silence drag on a little bit. Was he being asked out on a date?! No! Not that. He shook his head a little, trying to convince himself that this was more of a pity thing than anything else. "Roxas?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I spaced out a little."

"Why, cus of you getting dropped on th-"

"Just drop it already!" Roxas whined, exasperated at the way that Axel was talking to him. Admittedly, it was similar to the way that Roxas talked with Sora. Such strange thoughts.

"Yeah, alrighty," complied the redhead, smirking into his phone. "How are you feeling?" There was sincere concern in that tone. Roxas was a bit surprised, even.

"I'm fine. Sore, but you know." Roxas shrugged, forgetting that he wasn't talking to Axel face-to-face. "I've seen better days." No kidding.

"Heh. I should probably go so you can rest your little damaged head. Feel better!"

"Wait!" Roxas called out, before Axel could hang up.

"Hmm?"

"What time is the movie?" Roxas asked, his computer all ready to be used.

"Whoops, my bad. It's on Saturday at..." A few clicking noises ensued on the other end. "Five. Is that alright?"

"Probably." Roxas laughed, bringing up the page that Axel was probably looking at. "I'll ask, but I'll probably be able to go." The blond smiled at the screen as he found out the movie was going to be a comedy.

"Great. I'll see you on Thursday then. Friday if you're smart." Now Roxas was confused. Why would he be gone on Thursday too?

"What...?"

Laughter came from the other end. "Oh man, you're serious? You should use this to your advantage! Take an extra day off!" Axel explained exuberantly. Of course! Why not? Only one day of school to bear and only one day of boredom, with most of his classes excused for the homework! Brilliant! Looks like Axel was smarter than he let on.

"Heh. Good idea. I'll try to pull it off. Thanks for the tip. And..-" Roxas paused, watching his screen flash with an instant message from Kairi. Looks like she was ready to bombard her friend with questions. "Thanks again. It means a lot to me that you helped me today."

Axel didn't respond right away, a soft sigh was easily heard. "Hey.. Don't worry about it." His voice was so soft that Roxas didn't know what to say. It seemed so gentle over the phone. Was that possible? "Now, go and rest or you'll worsen your injuries," He commanded. Roxas chuckled.

"Alrighty, mommy. Good night... Axel." Roxas clicked off the phone, gazing at the screen but not registering what any of it said. Such odd feelings. So new, but so familiar.


Axel woke the next morning the same as he always did. He dressed and ate, following the same routine. But when he went out to leave for school, he glanced over to his neighbor's front door. He expected the blond to run out and start walking, but Axel knew better. The blond was probably asleep; he deserved that rest. Axel sighed, his breath forming a cloud in front of his face. He put his hands in his pockets as he took off down the street, the snow crunching beneath his booted feet.

Passing by the alley, Axel gazed at the wall, remembering the two times he had talked with Roxas. Both days were so vividly different. The first time, Roxas had rescued Axel from Seifer's gang. The second time was when the redhead apologized and things started changing. He kept walking, trying to move on. Roxas wouldn't leave his mind at all. Why was he haunting him? Why was he such a familiar face? It shouldn't have to be that way. He should be able to move on and try to forget him. He couldn't. It was those damned memories again, forcing him to do things he didn't think he'd ever do. Again.

The day went by much like that, with Axel always wondering why the school felt emptier without Roxas. Everywhere that Axel knew Roxas to be, the redhead would look, feeling empty. It was so strange.

Sora seemed unabashed by his best friend's absence. However, everyone else seemed to notice. Everyone also seemed to know the reason for his missing presence. Seifer and Tidus weren't in school; they were suspended indefinitely and seeing therapists. It seemed that some very bad things had happened to Seifer. Tidus was just an ass. Enough said.

No matter what Axel tried to do, he kept thinking about that blond boy across the street. What was going on..?


Author's Notes: I know it's short guys, gomen! I tried my hardest to make it good, but you'll have to be happy with this 'filler' while I work on the next chapter. I promised double posts, and damnit, I'll do it. Promise!