A/N: Hey, hey, I think you want another update, right? (cues readers to cheer) Good!! So here we go!! And this is dedicated to Pride1289, whose birthday is today!! (Or at least that's what you said!! Woo!!) Yay!! (cheers and throws party hats to everyone) Happy birthday!!

Love is Blind

Chapter Eleven: Breathing Deep, Knowing Nothing Of

Rikku sighed deeply, nervous. Roxas could tell she was shaking, and it seemed unnatural on her, such an uneasy tremble. He waited until finally, she spoke.

"You don't remember me, do you?"

"I know who you are." He was emotionless in his words, his head down. He was still listening to her, her anxious, quiet breathing, her slow, uncomfortable wringing of her hands.

"You know what happened, then…?"

"From Axel. Yes." Roxas frowned, "What do you want to say to me?"

"I don't know," she said honestly, "That I'm sorry?"

"How old are you now? Or how old were you then?"

"Seven," she replied softly, "I'm nineteen now…"

"Then you grew up, right? And there's Axel, who I grew up with, you, who I'm talking to, and still there's Kadaj, whose run away, right?"

"No," she said cautiously.

"No?"

"Kadaj was killed. His mother poisoned him and his brothers. He didn't come from a good life, Roxas. I guess that's why he was so quick to run away that day. If he didn't, his mother would have just killed him sooner. I wanted to talk to you, though. Not talk about late friends' pasts."

"Then talk."

"Listen, I… I want to apologize. For what I did. For what we all did. It's late. I know. But I still want to say it."

"…yeah. But I'm not mad. Not anymore." Roxas stretched out his broken arm and shook his head, "Not anymore…"

"You're hurt. I heard what happened. That's how I found you. It was in the papers." Rikku chuckled softly, "It hurts, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. It does. But I was hit by a car. It only makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Do you know who did it?"

"A woman. I don't know her name. I told my mom not to press charges." Roxas winced and brought his hand up to his shoulder, "She came and talked to me. Just once, while I was in the hospital still."

"Just once?"

"I don't think she could have come back anymore if she wanted to. She cried a lot. I can understand why, though." Roxas sighed, but raised his head when he heard the familiar shuffle of Axel's footsteps.

"Roxas, I got the blue kind…" he trailed off slightly when he approached, "…Rikku…?"

"H-hey, Axel…" Rikku stood and hesitantly took a step towards him, "H-haven't talked for awhile, have we?"

"…no. We haven't." Axel handed the ice cream to Roxas and waited for Rikku to speak.

"I wanted to talk to Roxas."

"I see that," he growled protectively, "And have you told him what you wanted?"

"You told him what I wanted. And I wanted to apologize. For myself, and you, and Kadaj."

"Kadaj." Axel said the name bitterly, and yet still sadly, "He can't apologize for himself, now can he?"

"You know he can't. And even if he could…"

"He wouldn't." Axel said simply. He put a hand on Roxas's shoulder, "Do you want to leave, Roxas?"

"No, it's fine. I just don't know what you want, Rikku." He said it quietly, softly, so as not to sound hostile.

"I told you. I just wanted to talk, Roxas. To apologize. I just… wanted to, you know…? I am sorry…"

"I believe you, Rikku. I just don't know what you really want to say now…" He shook his head and lapped lazily at his ice cream, "And no offense, but you really don't seem to know either. I don't want to brush you off, but I just… don't know what you want to say."

Rikku was breathing hard, angry, "You're a little brat, you know that? I wanted to apologize―"

"And you did."

"Well you're just a―"

"That's enough," Axel snapped, "Roxas come on. Rikku, if you want to talk, do it late, when you're not about to cry and when Roxas can move, got it memorized?" He had a short temper, Roxas knew, but why was he reacting so badly?

Roxas shrugged and slowly stood, "Whatever. See you, Rikku."

She made a short "humph" noise and stalked away.

"Roxas…"

"What?" His voice was sharp, but he clung awkwardly to Axel to avoid falling.

"Don't snap at Rikku, please…?"

"I didn't want to. She was lying, though. There was something else. And she wouldn't say it."

Axel sighed and lifted Roxas up, bridal style this time, "Rox… Just don't do that to her, okay? She didn't mean anything by it."

"You know it looks weird for you to carry me like this," he licked his ice cream absentmindedly, one arm around Axel's neck for balance.

"No one's out here," Axel responded softly, "and it's starting to get dark anyway."

"Axel…?"

"What?"

"Can you tell me the sunset? Everything you see?" the boy's voice was no longer snappish, but soft, almost begging, "I don't remember them, at all, Axel… But everyone says that they're beautiful…"

"I see… Gold. All over the sky. To one side it turns purple… blues and stuff… like the ink of a pen when you get it wet… but by the sun its pink and red. Like a soft fire around the sun. And all around are clouds, like candy… Like pillow fluff scattered across the sky." He chuckled nervously, "I'm sorry, I couldn't get rid of the colors…"

"No," Roxas murmured, "It's fine…" Slowly, he brought his lips up to Axel's, not angry or begging or lustful this time, simply asking. Simply tempting Axel.

He obeyed Roxas's crude signal and lowered his head to brush his lips against the others, "Roxas, listen…"

"Axel… You know that I love you, right…? Not like a brother or anything… You… you know?"

"I know," he whispered softly, "And as much as I don't want to, Roxas… I love you too…"

The younger boy gently leaned forward, capturing the hesitant lips with his own.

Axel complied, but couldn't help the nagging thought at the back of his mind…

…What if I hurt him again…?

END CHAPTER ELEVEN

A/N: Hey, you. I'm on a roll aren't I? Heh, well see, I know this was short, but I wanted to make a great scene, but I also wanted to update for pride, because of the whole birthday thing!! (happy cheer) So expect an update soon. Hopefully.

Much Love—the Prince—Riku

Pickup line #6:

"Good evening. May a thorn sit amongst the roses?"