Chapter 12

Axel woke up to a shoe in his gut. Sora loomed over him, massaging his abdomen with his foot, rocking him awake. The redhead grunted at the boy which made Sora smile and nudge him harder. Axel's wrists were still in his shackles and he could barely feel his hands anymore. Once he was able to think through his grogginess he spoke.

"What?"

"Come with me," Sora said, smiling with a key dangling from his finger. In his other hand he had a pair of handcuffs.

"I suppose you're going to tase me if I don't?"

"That or stomp on your nads. Your choice, but I should warn you that I have huge feet."

"Fine," Axel moved to sit up. It took a lot of energy that he didn't have, and in the end Sora needed to help him. The brunette moved behind him and clicked the handcuffs on him above the shackles before unlocking them and letting them clank to the floor. Axel immediately tried to use his wrists which sent bolts of pain through his arms and made him hiss through his teeth.

Sora helped him up and they exited Axel's concrete box in silence. They wandered through a series of stone hallways and eventually came to a metal door with a keypad next to it. Sora punched a series of numbers into the pad before the door clicked open and they were presented with a staircase. Once they reached the top, Axel was assaulted with daylight. He stopped at the top of the staircase to get his bearings and let his eyes adjust. Sora grew impatient quickly and started to nudge him along.

The part of the building they were in had many windows but not much else. For the most part, it was made of concrete. Sora led him down another series of hallways, passing door after door after door. They stopped by one and Sora opened it, shoved Axel inside and closed it again before he could react. A key was shoved under the door afterward.

The room was huge and void of windows. Half of the flooring was a soft carpet while the other half was mirrored glass. On the side with the carpet was a large bed but not much else. The most important part of this room though was sitting on the bed wearing an oversized cotton t-shirt and a look of disbelief.

"Axel!" Roxas yelped as he clumsily threw himself off the bed and ran to him with a limp. Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel's torso and laughed breathlessly into his chest. "I thought Riku had killed you."

Axel was happy to see the blonde but he couldn't help but be reminded of his session with Riku on the ceiling of his concrete box. Before he could say anything to the other boy Roxas left him and retrieved the key from the door and freed his hands. For the first time, Axel was able to assess the damage. His arms were bruised, cut up and smeared with dried blood, he saw it, but he didn't register it. He was numb both mentally and physically.

"I…" Axel started, but then stopped. Roxas watched him with worried eyes, waiting patiently for Axel to gather himself together. "I don't understand what's happening here, Roxas."

"I'm not a hundred percent yet either, honestly. But let's get you cleaned up first." Roxas took his hands gingerly before leading Axel across the room to a door he hadn't noticed. Behind the door was a toilet and a shower with a bar of soap, nothing else and without separation between the two. "I'll be right out here if you need me," Roxas said before closing the door behind him.

Axel stood in the tiny room for a long while, trying to comprehend what was happening. He was locked away by himself with nothing to keep him preoccupied but his own broken psyche long enough that everything else seemed surreal. He must have been standing around too long because Roxas knocked on the door to check and make sure he was alright.

"I'm having a hard time remembering how to function," Axel admitted.

Roxas looked thoughtful for a minute. "I can understand that. You were locked away far longer than I had been. Plus you were by yourself, which made it harder, I'm sure."

"But I wasn't raped," Axel blurted. His bleary mind didn't allow for his mental filter to work. Roxas took a step back and looked away.

"True, but at least I had human interaction to some degree. Sora was with me a lot. Leon as well."

"Oh…"

"Well, I'll let you ge—"

"Don't leave me," Axel interrupted. Roxas looked at him with sad eyes which surprised him. He had never seen the look of sadness in Roxas' face. It broke his heart. Before he could think about it he reached out and pulled Roxas to him, smashing the blonde into his chest to smother the look away. Roxas clung to him wordlessly.

After standing together for a long minute, Axel reached across the tiny space and turned the shower on. He spun them around so he could back into the water; completely ignoring the fact that he still had pants on. He gave Roxas the opportunity to pull away but when the blonde didn't he kept backing up until he hit the wall and slid down to sit under the spray with him. Roxas sat in between Axel's legs and up against his chest letting his giant t-shirt get soaked. Axel kept his arms wrapped around the other boy, feeling the water peel away the dried on filth from his skin.

Eventually Roxas reached around the redhead and worked the bar of soap between his hands before starting to rub at his sides, washing away what was left of Selphie's blood. Even underneath the pattering of the water Axel could feel his skin react to Roxas' touch. The tingling sensation mingled with the synapses in Axel's clouded brain and started to bring everything together, making it real. He let his head rest against the wall, and watched the water drop from the ceiling. He took a deep soothing breath.

Roxas was busy working away the grime, and shoved Axel around so he could wash the redheads back. "You never told me you had more tattoos," the blonde noted, breaking the silence. He was referring to the infinity sign made of flames that spanned Axel's shoulder blades.

Axel let out a light laugh, "yeah, that one in particular is a mystery to me. It must've sounded like a good idea when I was wasted."

"Interesting…"

"Yeah I know, it's not my best."

"You have more?"

"Yeah, they're on my thighs though, oh and on my foot. Here," Axel pushed his right leg out and pulled up his dripping pant leg a little. There, on the crook of his foot where the foot itself meets the ankle was a small eight, no bigger than a quarter.

"Why eight and also, why there?"

"Things seem to happen in sets of eight around me. My birthday is on an eighth, I was eight when my dad died, I had eight goldfish before Gerard, I used to be able to chug eight beers before I had to throw up but that one's less important. As for the placement? I have no idea. Once again it probably seemed like a really good idea when I was wasted."

Roxas stifled a laugh, making a small snort before he put his forehead against Axel's shoulder and shaking his head in disbelief. The blonde finished cleaning his back before smoothing his hands down Axel's arms with the soap a few times. He moved back around to the front and sat quietly, examining the redhead's wrists. Roxas himself had marks left by the shackles but nothing near the severity of Axel's.

Axel took the soap from the blonde and wiped at his wrists as lightly as he could. "I guess I should've listened when you said not to struggle, huh?"

"Why would you struggle to begin with? There wasn't anyone in the room with you."

"When I saw what Riku was doing to you, I couldn't help myself."

"You saw that? Of course you did. Riku made a point to tell me it was one-way glass," Roxas said, looking distant.

"I saw what happened to Leon, too."

Roxas heaved a heavy sigh, "Leon was working for Riku up until he tried to help me. Apparently he didn't know what Riku was like with me and once he figured it out he attacked Riku. So, once he was able to recover, Riku shot him."

"Shit."

"I agree."

"What's Sora's deal?"

"Sora is dependant on Riku for some reason. He'd do anything for him."

"Like kill his sister."

"Exactly."

"So what, Selphie served as a loyalty pledge or something?"

"It must have been."

"That's disgusting."

"I agree," Roxas' expression was blank, his eyes distant. Axel reached up and cupped a hand to blonde's face. Roxas jolted a little, pulling back into reality before leaning into the touch. Axel gave him a faltering smile.

"I'm more concerned about you though. Are you okay?" Axel asked quietly.

"I'll be fine. Are you?"

"I'm… alive."

"Good," Roxas gave Axel a weak smile. The redhead leaned forward and planted a kiss on Roxas' nose. Roxas raised a brow. "What was that for?"

"Testing you," Axel said simply.

"Should I have studied?"

Axel laughed, "you study too much as it is. You're doing fine just winging it."

"I try," Roxas quipped with a smirk. Axel smiled and pulled the other boy to him; the blonde's arms wrapped around his neck and he rested his head in the crook of Axel's collar bone. They both heaved a heavy, comforting sigh together.

"Hey Roxas?"

"Hmm?"

"This is real right? Everything?"

"I'm afraid it is."

"Okay, good."

"You're okay with all of this?"

"Well, most of it sucks but this? This right now? It's okay."

"I agree."

"Let's do this again when we get out."

"Sounds good."

Those words hung in the air for a period before they blended with the silence. Axel's stomach let out a low growl. "Sorry," he said quickly. "That sort of ruined it."

"I'm right there with you," Roxas looked at him with a weak smile.

"How long have we been here do you think?"

"Two? Three days maybe? I honestly don't know."

"I thought you couldn't live without water for more than three days?"

"You start to fall pretty quickly after two I think. So maybe it hasn't been that long."

"Well I dunno, I had a conversation with Selphie, does that count as falling?"

"…Did she talk back?"

"Yeah."

"I'd say you were pretty close."

Axel looked Roxas over for a minute. "I didn't realize your hair was so long," he said simply, running his fingers through the heavy blonde curls. He was referring to the way it laid flat against Roxas' head and hung down almost past his eyebrows. Roxas started to laugh.

"Is it that important?"

"I'm easily amused, remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

Before they could go any further, there was a banging on the door. They both flinched in surprise. The door flew open and Axel pulled his legs up to cross behind Roxas and wrapped his arms around the boy protectively. A man who Axel had never seen before poked his head in and looked down at them; he pointed a finger at Axel.

"You. With me," he said in a low voice. When Axel didn't move, the man squinted at him with beady eyes and reached behind his back and produced a hang gun and trained it on Roxas' back. "Or I can just shoot him." Axel froze. He felt Roxas' arms tighten around him. His eyes flicked between the gun and Roxas before he tried to pry the boy off of him.

"Roxas, let go."

"No."

"Let go, come on."

"No."

"Roxas! Please!" He grabbed the blonde's arms and tried to pull him off but his battered wrists made his effort half of what he wanted.

"I don't want to lose you again, Axel."

"I don't want to lose you either but if you don't let go, he's going to kill you and I'll lose you anyway, so please," the redhead pleaded. Roxas eventually let him go and sat back. Axel hobbled to his feet. When he looked down at the blonde he had pulled his knees to his chest and was hiding his face in his arms. The man ushered Axel out of the room, gun to his back.

As they walked along the man gave him verbal commands on where to go. He wrung the water out his hair and tried to comb some of the tangles out without much success. His dripping pants were beginning to chafe as they neared a door that Axel was told to go in. The man closed it behind him.

The room was barren save for a small kitchen area, a dining table, and a television that was on and tuned to the news. Hanging on the wall behind the television was a tapestry with an all too familiar tree and bird combination that made Axel shudder. Sitting peacefully at the table and eating a sandwich was Sora. His back was to Axel, watching the television.

"Oh hi," the brunette said. Axel gave him a wary look. "Riku had to leave, so you're free to go." Axel stared at him in shock.

"Wait what?"

"You heard me," Sora responded around a mouthful of sandwich. He held it out to the redhead with a smile, "hungry?"

Axel glared at him, confused. "What do mean? He just up and left?"

"Yep. His dad called and so he's on a plane to go meet with him." The television flicked to a spry looking female reporter. A picture from a surveillance camera popped onto the screen of Axel and Roxas sitting at the blackjack table together with the older couple from Santa Monica and the two girls who were fawning over Roxas. The headline read 'MISSING MILLION-HEIR' but the reporter's commentary was muted. Sora took another bite of his sandwich, watching carefully.

Axel's mind was a mess; he couldn't comprehend what was happening. Riku had locked him away for at least two days and abused Roxas to no end and for what? To play a game? To satisfy his own disgusting lust? This didn't sit well with Axel. "Why?"

Sora looked to him, "why what?"

"Why did he do this?"

"Do what? Keep you? Or let you go?"

"Everything," Axel's breathing was starting to pick up as he got angrier at the brunette.

"Well he had other plans for you but his dad called him away to somewhere. I don't think his dad knows what Riku does so he couldn't really refuse. I dunno, I'm just an innocent bystander."

"Innocent!?" Axel screamed. Sora just blinked at him and took another bite.

"Yeah. All I know is I have a plane to catch in the morning to go with him. So seriously, get out of my house."

"Your… house?" What?

"Or you can stay if you really want to. I'm going to destroy it when I leave so you may want to go. Riku doesn't really want either of you dead so I might get in trouble if you stay."

"He doesn't want us dead?" This isn't making any sense.

"Nope. He wants to play with you more, but he needs Roxas the most. You're just collateral."

"How can you be so calm!?" Axel bellowed. "I thought Roxas was your friend!"

"Roxas stopped being my friend after my parents were killed."

"Wait what?"

"Yeah, when I told you the breakup of our families' partnership was messy, it really was. My parents got into too much debt to Roxas' family and they ended up being shipped back to our house in boxes after they went on a trip to Europe. See that tree? Yeah they had that on them," Sora pointed to the tapestry, and Axel's blood ran cold. "Then Xemnas came along and paid off their debt and saved my siblings and me. So we became like a part of their family."

Axel was feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't understand. His heart started to race and he was feeling lightheaded. All he could think about was Bill, the investigator's voice.

"Your parents are not special cases here, there have been others killed by this particular branch."

Branch? Branch of what? The mafia? The military? He held a hand to his forehead to try and steady himself and his thoughts. Did Roxas' family kill his parents as well? Roxas seemed pretty important to the company even before his birthday, so did he orchestrate this? Axel hadn't realized but Sora was walking towards him, sandwich still in his hand.

"Confused?" The brunette asked.

"Y-yeah…"

"Riku wants Roxas. He wants what Roxas has. He can't get everything through Namine so he needs Roxas alive, get it?" Axel didn't respond. He just waited for Sora to continue. The brunette shoved the last piece of his sandwich in his mouth before continuing. "Riku is greedy."

"I know that."

"Your dad had a lot of debt to our casino, back when my family and Roxas' family were together. A lot of people did, really. A lot of people in this town have a lot of debt that we've had to collect on."

"By collection you mean…?"

"Of course. We give them a reasonable time to pay back the money or we take what is worth the most to them. Usually, they pay with their lives because they have nothing else to give, or they don't want their families involved," Sora explained calmly before leaving Axel where he stood and walking to the television. "It's merciful. We spare their families out of compassion."

"How is that mercy!?" Axel spat. He stalked across the room and prepared to grab onto Sora's skinny neck but the brunette continued.

"Your case is different, though," Axel froze. "You got in Riku's way. Once Namine told Riku about you getting close to her brother, everything changed. So, he made you pay in the only way Riku knows how."

"My mother."

"You're a quick study."

"So wait…" Axel rubbed his face. "Did Roxas' family kill my father?"

"Well it was my family's casino, we simply shared the name," Axel grit his teeth before lunging at the boy. Sora was quick to react and moved back before pressing the button on his taser. The barbs hit Axel in the chest and fifty thousand volts shot through his body, causing him to fall to the ground and retract to the fetal position. Once Sora released him of the jolt, he lay on the floor panting. "You're stupid. Did you think I would just let you attack me?" Axel didn't answer, his muscles twitched involuntarily. In retrospect, it probably wasn't his best idea.

"Anyway, you need to leave. I have to pack," Sora stepped over Axel and made his way to the door.

"…Just like that?"

"Just like that. I wouldn't stand in Riku's way though, he will kill you."

***

Roxas let out a sigh of relief when Axel walked back into their room. Roxas approached him and ran a timid finger over the burns on his chest, causing Axel to flinch. Axel's mind was in a fog, there was too much to comprehend, Roxas noticed the confusion in his face.

"What happened?" he asked in a meek voice.

"Sora said we're free to go." Roxas looked up at him with the same look of shock that he had given Sora.

"What? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

Roxas gaped at him. "Did he give a reason?"

"Xemnas called Riku away to somewhere. So we're free to go."

"Riku left Sora behind?"

"He said he had a plane ticket for the morning."

"But he didn't say where?"

"No."

Roxas' eyes were frantic with confusion. He stood in front of the redhead a while trying to mash his thoughts together into something cohesive but he eventually gave up. "I can't even fathom this."

"I know, lets just leave. There's a lot to talk about and neither of us is in any condition to think anymore," Roxas nodded in agreement. Axel figured they had time to talk later, he just wanted a bed and something to eat.

"We don't know where we are, though. It's cold outside too and we don't have any clothes."

"Sora said we're in his house."

"His... house? As in, down the street from mine? I thought we were in another city!" Roxas yelped.

"Must've been fucking with us."

The two of them linked hands and left the room together. The house itself had been turned into a sort of maze of concrete halls. They wandered their way along without any assistance, looking for a door that lead out. Eventually they came across Sora who was leaving another door and hefting a suitcase. He waved at them with a smile and Axel shoved Roxas behind himself. Sora started to laugh at his protective gesture and walked away, the door opened again as the man from before exited and followed after the brunette. Axel and Roxas waited until they couldn't see either of them anymore before continuing.

"Wait," Roxas said stopping by the door. He opened it and peeked inside before heading in. The room was a bedroom. It was decorated and carpeted and fully furnished. Roxas started going through drawers.

"What are you looking for?" Axel asked.

"Sora and I wear the same size."

"Oh. Well that's not cool, I don't get any?"

"Never mind, I found our things," Roxas said, pulling out Axel's jeans and shirt. He tossed them on the bed for the redhead before going back to the drawers. He found everything save for their shoes and the contents of their pockets, which meant no Blackberry and no car keys.

After they got dressed they were walking along again in attempts to find the exit. Sora was nowhere to be seen for the entirety of their journey. Eventually they started to pass a series of windows that seemed familiar to Axel and he stopped. Roxas watched with a curious look as Axel went and knocked on the glass. The redhead backed away and steadied himself before rearing back and putting a foot through the window. He immediately pulled it back before too much damage could be done to him, trying his best to ignore the pain.

"Found the door," he said with a smirk as he stripped off his shirt and wrapped his hand. He started to knock away the broken shards with his fist to make a hole big enough for them to get through. He laid his shirt over the windowsill and hefted Roxas out before climbing out himself. He quickly made a grab for the shirt and pulled it on, getting cut by a few stray pieces of glass.

In front of them loomed the same sandstone mansion that Selphie had waved to the day Axel played baseball with everyone. The outside was completely normal, the landscaping was well taken care of, and there was nothing out of place. It was unsettling to think that this normal looking, albeit luxury, home had such a madhouse inside complete with its own dungeon. Axel wondered how long it was like that or if it had ever been a normal home.

"That was… effective."

"Thank you," Axel said. A gust of cold wind shook through them and they both shivered. They made their way for the sidewalk and Axel noticed Roxas' limping again. Without saying a word he nudged Roxas and stopped to stoop so he could climb on his back. Roxas looked at him questioningly.

"I'll be fi—"

"Just get on."

Roxas huffed before draping himself onto the redhead's back and wrapping his arms around his neck. Axel's wrists were screaming as he carried Roxas but he didn't care. He was just relieved that they were out of there and on their way home. Roxas nuzzled his face in Axel's hair.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"You can pay me back by never leaving me alone ever again."

"Okay. That sounds fair."

***

Alabaster was the first to find them when Axel stumbled through the front door. He was barking and jumping around excitedly and started to lick Axel's face when the redhead dropped to his knees and let Roxas climb off him. He was exhausted from the walk home, and from hunger. Roxas was shoving the giant animal out of his way before he sat in front of the redhead and pulled him down into his arms. Axel sighed into the blonde's chest, too tired to hug him back.

Xigbar rounded the corner and dropped his mug of coffee at the sight of them creating a small explosion of ceramic and liquid. He rushed over and fell to the ground by them before pulling them both into his huge arms and crushing them against his chest. Roxas yelped but Axel didn't have the energy to do anything and simply let it happen.

"Xigbar, you're crushing me," Roxas choked out.

"I don't care just shut up and let me make sure you're real," Xigbar said, squeezing harder, Axel thought his neck was going to snap and he let out a pained groan in protest. Xigbar released them at the noise and looked Roxas over before looking at Axel. "Holy shit, Axel you need a hospital."

"Bed first please," Axel croaked as he lowered himself to the marble.

"Axel had it a little worse than I did, Xigbar. He needs a bed and some food," Roxas said, his stomach growled just as he finished his sentence. "Okay maybe I need it too."

"Okay, let me take him up to his room first then—" Roxas held up a hand to stop him.

"We're going together. I told him I wouldn't leave him again," Roxas said simply. Xigbar gave him a confused look before backing away and hoisting Axel up and carrying him to the stairs. Roxas followed quietly behind them.

***

Axel tried his best to close his eyes and sleep. Every time he did, scenes would replay themselves and he was forced to open his eyes to make them stop. He hated it. Roxas was helping by running his hands through his fiery hair but try as he might, Axel just couldn't fall asleep. The blonde watched him carefully, his eyes full of worry.

"Do you want to take something to help you sleep?"

Axel tried to think about it but his groggy mind wouldn't let him formulate the thoughts. His vision was blurry and he was fading fast but he managed to shake his head before his mind slipped away and everything went black.

***

Roxas closed the door behind him gently. Xigbar was waiting for him outside of Axel's room. "Mind telling me what happened?" the older man asked.

"There's too much to say."

"Was it him?"

Roxas nodded, "he's getting serious about this. I refused his proposal and I suppose that was my fist mistake."

"Well you don't want to fall back into old habits do you?"

"No. My grandfather's ways died with him."

"Glad to hear it."

***

Axel was awake. He didn't know how long he was out but he also didn't care. His eyes opened slowly and he saw that it was daylight out. He felt rested. Hungry, but rested. It was a relatively pleasant feeling until he tried to move. Every muscle and every piece of connective tissue on his body was screaming in resistance as he tried to roll himself over.

His wrists were the worst; he could barely move his hands. The bruises stood stark against his pale complexion but the cuts had already scabbed over which was a good thing. He looked around and didn't see Roxas. Before he could get cynical about it, the door opened and the blonde stepped inside with a mug and a newspaper, he was dressed in silk pajamas and had his glasses on his nose. He looked like nothing had happened. Axel was more than a little envious.

"That's not fair, you look fine," Axel said which made Roxas startle and look at him.

"Good lord you scared me," Roxas said as he set his mug on the table next to the bed. "I thought you would still be sleeping. You've been out for two days."

"Yeah well my statement still stands. What gives?"

"I told you that you had it worse than I did. You believe me now?"

"Yeah…"

"If you're ready to get up, don't go outside."

"Why not?"

"The media is swarming the manor. You'll never get through."

"Oh. We have food though, right?"

"Thankfully."

"That's all I care about," Axel said, trying to push himself up. His arms were shaky but he tried his best to use his elbows and finagle his way to sitting. Roxas set his newspaper down and helped him. "I feel so heavy."

"You'll have that. Did you need help into the bathroom?"

"I think I can walk okay, it's just my upper body that's the problem."

"Okay, you go ahead and I'll call Demyx and have him bring you some breakfast."

Axel staggered his way into the bathroom and relieved himself before he moved to see himself in the mirror. He looked gaunt, with papery skin and bags under his eyes. He lifted his shirt and examined the burn on his chest. It had scabbed over but was still tender. His leg wasn't too bad either, some cuts here and there but mostly fine. He sighed and looked at the shower. He thought of the bed. Then he thought of food and decided that was his next mission. He splashed some water on his face before trying to rake his fingers through his hair. He gave up quickly at the hopeless endeavor and exited the bathroom. Demyx was with Roxas, setting a plate of food on a tray they had set up.

"Axel!" Demyx said happily before skipping over to him and wrapping his arms around the redhead and squeezing the life from him.

"Oh my god you're going to kill me," Axel grunted in one breath. Demyx released him.

"I'm sorry!" he said quickly. "Well… I'm happy you're safe. You need to eat slowly otherwise you'll distend your stomach and cause a whole bunch of problems. So, little bites, lots of chewing and stop when you're full, don't stuff yourself."

Axel nodded, rubbing at his rib cage absently. Demyx smiled happily and left. He sat on the bed and pulled the plate to himself. Roxas lay himself out at the foot of his bed and was reading his newspaper, watching Axel eat every now and again from the corner of his eye. Once Axel had had his fill, he set the plate down and flopped back onto the bed. His stomach gurgled and twisted uncomfortably as it forced itself into action again.

"I had the same problem," Roxas said without looking over.

"I had it once when I was younger. I had been doing something that kept me so blasted that I had forgotten to eat for like… four days. I didn't understand at the time though that you just can't scarf down what you want once you remember to eat. That was messy."

"Wonderful visuals, thank you," Roxas retorted.

"No problem," Axel smiled. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Axel winced a few times as his stomach gurgled unhappily but it eventually quieted. "I need to change," he thought aloud.

"Did you want me to leave?"

"Did you want to watch?"

Roxas smiled and chuckled a little, "I don't have to; I can keep my eyes on my newspaper."

"Okay," Axel moved off the bed and went to his dresser and pulled out a pair of pajama bottoms before changing. He watched Roxas the entire time and noticed that the blonde stayed true to his word and didn't gawk at him. Axel retrieved his hairbrush from the bathroom and tossed it on the bed next to Roxas. The blonde quirked a brow at it before looking at Axel.

"Thank you?" he questioned. Axel smiled and held out his wrists.

"I can't brush my hair. Mind giving me a hand?"

Roxas looked thoughtful for a moment before taking his glasses off his face and giving him a harsh look. "You're so needy," he whined dramatically.

"Was… was that sarcasm?" Axel asked with a grin.

"Indeed it was."

"That's new."

"Well, nothing like going through a traumatic week with someone to make you feel a little closer, yes? Maybe I'm just taking your advice to heart and loosening up."

"Awesome," Axel quipped happily. He sat on the bed and Roxas moved behind him on his knees and proceeded to try his best to get a brush through his mane. It took the blonde over twenty minutes to get all the tangles and knots out, but when he did he ran fingers through it and Axel sighed happily at the feeling.

"There. Nice and smooth," Roxas said before reaching around and setting the brush on the nightstand. Axel slid himself under the covers again and watched Roxas go back to his newspaper. After a long pause, he spoke.

"Hey Roxas?"

"Yes?"

"Did you tell Xigbar everything?"

"Yes."

"Everything?"

"I'm not sure what you're getting at."

"Well you weren't going to tell him when Riku attacked you in front of me, remember? I just want to make sure he knows."

"He does."

"Okay good. I have another question."

"Hmm?"

"Did your family kill Sora's parents?" Roxas stopped halfway through turning the page. He didn't look at Axel.

"Did Sora say that?"

"Yeah."

Roxas sighed. He pulled his glasses off again and set them aside before moving next to Axel and looking him directly in the eyes with a serious face. "I want you to know that those ways are of the past. My grandfather was a harsh man and did many unforgivable things to the people that owed him money."

Axel looked away, "so it's true."

"I'm not going to deny it, no. But like I said, those are ways of the past. I'm not going to continue that legacy, Axel. I hope you believe me."

"I'm trying to, but I'm confused. Sora said his family killed my father and that Riku took my mother," he stopped, feeling a lump in his throat start to form, "but they copied the way your family does it?"

"Did it. Past tense. But yes."

"So the tree and the bird pattern?"

"Was our company logo before the partnership split apart. We've adapted the one from my grandfather's ring in place of it. The tree was supposed to die with all of that horrid past."

"Which is why you and Namine were in the line-up," the pieces were starting to click for Axel. If only a little.

"Excuse me?"

Oh yeah, "when I talked to the police about my mom, they had me pick out some people from a lineup. You, Namine, Selphie, and Riku were all there."

"Oh… I didn't know that."

"I didn't say anything because I didn't know if I was supposed to."

"I understand. It makes sense though. It's not like the tree was some secret symbol that we were trying to cover up. It was on the signs for the hotels and in the public eye a lot."

Axel looked thoughtful for a moment. He was considering how to regard Roxas after confirming the misdeeds his family had done before him. Axel hadn't thought about his father and the things surrounding that event in a long time. He didn't see any reason to dredge it all up again even with this new information, either. As long as Roxas didn't give him any indication that he was doing anything like that currently with his company, he could live with it, he supposed.

"Have you heard from Namine?" the redhead asked after his internal banter with himself.

"I saw her. She didn't say much."

"Do you think she gets it yet?"

"I have no idea."

"I hope she doesn't marry Riku. That would be bad."

"It would be bad."

Axel threw his hands up to his face to clear a sudden visual, "Oh god could you imagine Riku-Namine spawns? Ugh!"

"Perish the thought," Roxas furrowed his brows.

"What would you do if she did show up pregnant?"

"By Riku? Disown her and take her off my will."

"You have a will already?"

"With as much money as I have under my hands, I almost have to."

"Good point. Seems like a morbid thing though at your age," Axel said before letting out a yawn.

"A necessary evil. Are you tired still?"

"Not really sleepy tired, but my body is just… dead."

"I can set up an appointment with Marluxia if you want."

"I may take you up on that one, but for now I think I'll just take a nap."

"I'll be here if you need me."