A/N: hello!!! sorry this one took me awhile!!! but hey i't twice as long as my other ones, that makes up for it right?

Axel's POV

We decided it would be best to go to Sora's house for a little while. No idea why though…

"Cloud! I'm home! Friends are here!" Sora shouted. We had just walked in the door, immediately going to the living room while Sora went to go find his brother.

The differences between Cloud and Sora are amazing. One's short, the other's barely shorter than me, the glorified beanpole. One's blonde, the other's brunette. And one is so happy you have to wonder if he's high and the other could easily be mistaken for a zombie.

Said polar entities came in the room, the blonde taking in the now crowded living room. Riku had joined us on the way home and was now sitting on the ground, Demyx and Zexion had claimed the chair, Larxene was leaning against the wall, and I was on the couch, still holding Roxas. And, with the exception of Roxas, we were all pissed.

"I'm going to try and guess what happened." Cloud looked again, focusing on Roxas. "My aunt called Roxas, said or did something, and Roxas finally cracked right?"

"We don't know. He just came running out of the school, crying and now he's like…this." The boy against my chest was still shaking, albeit less violently. I go the feeling everything we were saying was passing right over his head.

Cloud nodded and sighed. "I take it you guys know about his mom?"

"Somewhat." That was Larxene, hissing. I resisted the urge to move ever so slightly back. I guess Larxene had taken a liking to the little blonde.

"And you guessed that much right?" We all nodded. "So you don't know exactly why she's a down right bitch who needs to jump out of a helicopter in Antarctica?" Hm. Very creative. Again, we all nodded.

"Sora? They're you're friends."

"But you know her better." Cloud sighed again.

"Fine. Gist of it is, she's the type of woman who had a kid by accident and now is doing her best to act like she hadn't. Get it?" With that he walked out. We heard something that sounded suspiciously like a phone being picked up.

"Roxas?" I whispered in his ear, just loud enough for him to hear if he could. He didn't react. Something in my chest was hurting. Like a giant hand had closed over my heart and wasn't about to let go.

And I think I could guess why…okay. Let's not go there shall we? All I know is that I have a mentally destroyed kid in my arms who really needed help.

Could I really…?

Roxas' POV

Minutes. Hours. I don't know. I don't remember anything except running. Then black.

Well. Take that back. I did remember something. Something warm, wrapped around me. Saying my name.

I shook my head. Must've been my imagination. Trying to make sense of the fact that I really was alone now…which reminds me.

Where the hell am I?

I took in what I was feeling. Soft. Warm. And something that I seriously suspected was a blanket and a pillow. I opened my eyes, instantly noticing my eyelids did not agree with that choice at all.

I was in a bed, like I had gathered. The window in the room cast a gold-ish light against the room, messing with the colors a bit. It was either evening or dawn.

I took a look around the room. The bed I was in was black with red sheets and one red pillow. The walls looked black as well. Clothes were thrown everywhere and the closet door was open with more clothes falling out. The walls were plastered with posters. Most of them bands. A computer sat in the corner.

Again. Where the hell am I?

I swung my feet around the edge of the bed, feeling for a clear spot on the floor. I wasn't in jeans and my shirt anymore either. A pair of sweats and a shirt that looked suspiciously like Sora's had replaced them.

I heard the door open but…I don't know why but…I couldn't react. Like my body just wouldn't respond.

That's when the floodgates opened I guess is the best way to describe it.

Mom's voice wormed its way into my head. Dad's face joined it. Every single thing they'd ever said. It all just…crashed.

Axel's POV

I opened the door as quietly as I could. Roxas was sitting up in my bed. He looked…amazing. The light in the room shot off him in such a way… we'll just say I forgot to breathe for a second.

And that's when he collapsed, falling off the bed. I ran in, picking him up as fast as I could. He'd started crying again and grasped onto my shirt.

I looked down at the boy and felt the hand crushing my heart again. No denying it I guess.

When I Roxas woke up…or at least opened his eyes, I explained to him where he was and basically what had happened. He didn't respond or move.

But when I got up to leave, I felt hands on my shirt, tugging me down. I looked down at him, my heart breaking at the look on his face. Fear. Pure fear. I don't know where it came from but I wasn't about to make it worse. I sat back down.

He curled into my side. "P…please do…don't leave…" I nodded, pulling him close.

"I'm right here Rox, I won't go anywhere. I promise." He looked up at me and my breath caught. He was so beautiful and seeing him so…broken…

And right now…he looked at me like I had just said the weirdest thing. The look passed and he snuggled back into my side.

"…Reno won't have your room set up for another day or so. He's lazy as hell. You could sleep on the couch or…in here, if you wanted." He nodded, so I'm going to assume he's staying in here.

"Roxas? I know you probably don't want to talk but…can I ask you something?" He nodded again after a second. "What happened up at Beck's?" He tensed and I feared I had gone too far. There's no way he should even be talking…

"I…I just got…confused I guess. And I still am…" I almost asked about what but he'd gone quiet again and I got the feeling he would've been more comfortable if it stayed that way.

He fell asleep around ten. Reno walked in about ten o' five and I had to glare and throw a shirt at him to keep him quiet. He motioned for me to come out, looking quickly at the blonde at my side.

I did my best to get out of the bed without moving it. I think it wouldn't have succeeded as well if he hadn't had a rough day.

"What do you want?" Yes I was miffed. I had been comfortable.

"Sora called and asked me to tell you to look through the stuff Roxas brought with him. He seems to think there's something that shouldn't be there." With that, Reno stalked back to his room in his pink sweat-panted glory. I mentally snickered remembering the story behind those.

Long story short, they had been gray and his favorite that he wore everywhere. I got annoyed at him for some reason and decided to test a theory. I had been right. He'd wear them no matter what color they were.

And he still thinks Sora did it.

Anyway…I walked to the living room where the box had been out for lack of better options.

It hadn't been all that heavy so when I opened it, I wasn't surprised that it was only half full. A few photos, papers…and switchblades. I'm going to assume that's what Sora was talking about.

I removed said weapons and was about to close it again when I saw something. It was hidden at the bottom of everything. I pulled it out. A journal. A plain black journal.

And I should probably put this away…So says the sensible part of my brain. That is always ignored. One little look won't hurt. I flipped it open.

The page was filled with what looked like random sentences. Why random? They didn't even fit on the lines.

Why can't mom say yes? Why won't she just admit it? When will I finally find someone?

The page was filled with things like that. As was the next page and the one before it. One page was just a bunch of "why"-s? Okay then. I set the journal back in the box and closed it. That was ever so slightly creepy…

I went back to my room, placing the knives on top of one of the many shelves in the room. The tallest one. Like hell I'd let Roxas get a hold of those.

Roxas was still sleeping when I walked in. Which gives me every right to stare alright? He really was beautiful. And I know I probably say that a lot but…is there any other word? I'd gladly use it.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw something blinking on the nightstand (or what used to be the nightstand…). His phone. I tiptoed across the room, for Roxas' sake and for the sake of my safety.

"Mom." Flashed in bright letters across the screen. Oh great. To answer or not to answer?...

Screw it. I flipped open the phone and put it against my ear. I made my way back across the room quickly. The second I closed the door was the second the person on the other end realized the phone wasn't ringing any more.

"Hello? Roxas?" The voice on the other end was high pitched and cold. Kinda reminded me of what I would assume a harpy would sound like…

"Uh…no." It took her a moment.

"Then who the hell is this?" Harpy.

"His friend." She laughed. It sounded like broken glass. On a chalk board. Or was that just my imagination?

"Roxas' friend? Well then you tell him to call me as soon as he can okay sweetie?" Her sickly sweet voice would've been funny if it had been anyone else but her…

You know those moments when you don't think, you just talk? Yeah… "Like hell I will, bitch." I hung up and turned it off. Into my pocket it went as I leaned back against my door.

Shit. What was Roxas gonna say if he found out?

Roxas' POV

"Like hell I will, bitch." Axel had just hung up.

Okay let's get this straight. Axel is not Riku and therefore, not a ninja. But anyway…why hadn't he just said "yes" or something? He'd almost sounded…pissed.

"No duh he's pissed! You're an idiot you know that? Give him a chance. It could be the one you've been waiting for." The little angel Axel had popped up again. And mini devil Roxas had tried to, only to be smacked on the head and knocked out.

Well…that was unexpected. Yes I am now completely comfortable with my little people living in my head. They were somewhat humorous if anything. Not that I felt like smiling…

Images came back, running through my head. I just sat back and watched each of them, looking for something. Don't really know what.

Axel taking me upstairs at Beck's

Axel holding me that night.

The feeling of warmth when everything else was a blank. Was that him? Just maybe?

And even now…me in his house.

I shook my head as he came back in the room. And hello pretending to sleep. He sat on the edge of the bed. I could feel his eyes staring at me.

"Roxas. I'm…I'm so sorry…" I had to strain to hear him. "I kn…know…I can nev…never really help…but…let me try?" It took all my will not to open my eyes and just stare at him.

I jumped lightly when he laid down next to me before giving over to the warmth. It felt so good. I finally felt like…like…I was…safe? Safe. I like that.

Mini Axel was now doing a victory dance while little devil Roxas was waving a white flag…

Disclaimer: yeah...still don't

A/N: hi again!!! see, i can write longer chapters sometimes!!! anyway thanx for the reviews guys! please do it again!!