Chapter Twenty
It's interesting how easily Axel and I transitioned from whatever we were to whatever we are now. Neither of us have put a title or a label on our relationship and just let it stand as whatever it is. I assume this would bother anyone else in a normal situation, but given the oddity of ours, I find it a bit relieving. I don't feel stressed to say we're a couple since most people don't buy their significant others in a marketplace, but we're also not adhering to the master-servant norm. The entire thing is strange and unnerving, but I've decided to just go with the flow.
Through the rest of the winter, Axel and I mostly stay holed up in his house. Neither of us are huge fans of the cold weather, so this doesn't particularly bother us. We spend time watching movies, painting, and he occasionally sits and listens to me play the piano. I read in his office while he grumbles and swears over spreadsheets and portfolios.
Despite how comfortable we both are through the winter, I think we're both a bit relieved when it starts warming up at the beginning of spring. On a particularly warm day, I'm sitting in the dining room eating a bowl of cereal when I hear feet pounding down the stairs. Moments later, Axel bounds into the room in a blur, scoops me out of my chair, spins us around once, and places me on my feet. Laughter bursts from my lips at his behavior.
"Good morning!" he says in a sing-song voice before planting a kiss on my lips.
"Morning. Someone's chipper this morning," I reply, still smiling.
"Sure am. Want to know why?" He asks with a mysterious grin. I plop back down into my chair.
"Nope," I say teasingly before taking another bite of my cereal. He places his hands on my shoulders and leans down to pepper my cheek with kisses.
"Well too bad, because I'm gonna tell you anyway," he says. He straightens up and hops up to sit on the edge of the table.
"Course you are," I mumble light-heartedly, causing his smile to widen ever further.
"Of course I am! The sun is shining, the forecast calls for warm weather, and I am taking you out for the day," he says. I raise my eyebrows.
"Really? Last time we went out, I basically got into a bar fight," I say, tracing the scar on my cheek absentmindedly. His smile doesn't falter.
"Nothing like that. We're going somewhere very different. I was thinking lunch, shopping, maybe a movie before a nice dinner, and finish it off with some dessert at this awesome place I know. How's all that sound?" he asks. I bite my lip.
"Are there going to be a lot of …um…people like us there?" I ask, really not wanting a repeat of what happened on New Years. He frowns slightly before shaking his head.
"There might be a few, but it's not very common where we're going." I nod.
"Alright. Where are we going?" I finally ask. He grins and gets off the table.
"Twilight Town. Now hurry up and get ready. I want to leave within an hour," he says before picking up my now empty bowl and heading into the kitchen. I smile and shake my head slightly.
Upstairs, I take a quick shower, tie my hair up in a wavy ponytail with a few strands framing my face, and pull on a pair of dark flare jeans. I start thumbing through my tops and furrow my eyebrows.
"Hey, Axel!" I call.
"Yeah?" I hear him yell back.
"When you say it's going to be warm today, how warm are we talking?"
"Reasonably warm," his voice answers. I roll my eyes.
"Really?" I whisper to myself before shouting back. "Thanks! Your vagueness was super helpful!" I give a thumbs-up sign to the door even though I know he can't see me.
I'm debating between a bell sleeved violet sweater and a short sleeved green tee-shirt when my door swings open. I shriek and cover myself with the tops and swivel to glare at Axel. He's leaning in my door frame wearing black jeans, the boots he was wearing the day he bought me, and a red tee-shirt layered over a black long sleeved shirt. He seems unperturbed by the fact he's walked in on me getting dressed.
"What do you need me to be more specific about?" he asks.
"Don't you knock?" I shout. He shrugs.
"Not normally," he answers, a grin playing at his lips. "Is that specific enough?" I grab a pillow off my bed and throw it at him.
"Get out, get out, get out!" I yell. He chuckles before ducking out and shutting the door behind him. I let out an exasperated groan and plop down onto my bed. Well…he was wearing long sleeves… I almost laugh at the thought. I suppose him bursting in here was semi-helpful. I pull the sweater on over my head.
It takes about half an hour to get from Traverse Town to Twilight Town by train. I'm surprised by the stark contrast between the two towns. Twilight Town is bright, clean, and cheerful where Traverse Town has become grimy and sketchy in the past year and a half. It's as though Twilight Town remains untouched by all of the law changes that have occurred since…since the change of rulers... I push the bitter thought from my head and decide to focus on the day ahead of me. Luckily, a nearby shop immediately grabs my attention.
"Oh, my God," I say. I grab onto Axel's hand and hurriedly drag him over to where I'm looking, repeating the phrase over and over again. I drag him into the shoe store, girly excitement all over my face. I glace back at him and grin when I see his typical male reaction: eyes turned heavenward and a grimace marring his features. "Hey, this was all your idea, so you can't complain…got it memorized?" I ask, mocking him. He gives me a look like he's a wounded animal, and I can't help but laugh loudly.
A few hours later, we're sitting at a wrought iron table of a little sidewalk café. Countless shopping bags are crowded around Axel's feet and his facial expression makes him look as though he's just escaped a terrible war. I grin into my sandwich and he glares at me slightly.
"If I had known this would happen, we would've just stayed home," he says.
"Aw, what do you mean? Aren't you having fun?" I ask with a sickly sweet tone before taking another bite of my lunch.
"I hate you," he mumbles.
"No, you don't," I answer. He smiles slightly.
"Yeah…I don't… I'm pretty damn happy we're done with shopping, though," he says with an over-exaggerated sigh.
"This movie is absolutely awful," I whisper.
"I know! This was such a bad decision," he whispers back.
"Bet you miss the shopping now, huh?" I tease, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. His arm tightens around my shoulder.
"Maybe this movie isn't that bad. In fact, I might buy the DVD when it comes out." I laugh and throw a small handful of popcorn at his face.
"Did I mention you look really pretty today?" Axel asks during dinner. I look up at him and raise an eyebrow.
"Do I? I didn't exactly do anything special," I say. He shrugs.
"You always look pretty," he says while taking another bite of his steak. Without thinking about it, I reach a hand up to trace the scar on my face; it's become a habit ever since Zexion took the stitches out. "Yes, even with the scar," Axel says, watching my actions. I drop my hand and grimace.
"It's so ugly," I say quietly.
"Nah. I think it gives you an 'I'm a badass, don't mess with me' kinda look," he replies with a grin. I smile back since I know that's what he wants me to do. "How did your nose get crooked?" he asks. I tilt my head and look at him with a blank expression.
"Really? That's what you ask me right after I mention my ugly scar?" I say slightly incredulously. He chuckles and rubs the back of his head.
"It just kinda came out," he explains. I sigh.
"It got broken during my kidnapping," I say. Thankfully, he lets it drop at that when the waiter come over.
"Anything else for the lovely couple?" the waiter asks. I cringe slightly at his word choice, but don't say anything. Axel eyes me for a moment before shaking his head.
"No, just the check, thanks."
"Where are we going, Axel?" I ask with a small laugh. He has his hands over my eyes and has already taken me up an innumerable amount of stairs.
"Don't worry about it; we're almost there," his voice says quietly in my ear. A chill goes down my spine and I smile. He pauses before piping up again. "Uh…you're not afraid of heights, are you?" I laugh again.
"You've already taken me up an ungodly amount of stairs, and you just now think to ask me that?"
"Shut up. I didn't think about it. Just answer the question," he says with a laugh in his voice.
"No, I'm not," I respond.
"Good," he says. "Alright, I'm gonna move my hands, but you have to keep your eyes closed, okay?"
"'Kay."
"Promise?"
"Yes, Axel, I promise," I say with an edge of impatience. His hands lift from my eyes and I feel him wave one of them in front of my face to make sure my eyes are still closed. I smirk. A door opens and a gentle breeze caresses my face. His hands close around mine and he gently tugs me forward. After a few feet, he lets go and instructs me to open my eyes. I do.
I gasp. He's taken me to the top of the clock tower, and the view is spectacular. The sun is setting over the town, casting reds and pinks and oranges over the houses and buildings. I know there are people still walking on the street, but it feels as though we're the only two people left in the town from up here.
"It's beautiful up here, Axel. Thank you," I say in awe. He shrugs and sits down on the edge, patting the spot next to him. When I sit down, he hands me a pale blue popsicle. I smile and take a bite. It's sweet and salty and strange and wonderful. We watch the sky in silence for a few moments.
"Bet you don't know why the sun sets red," Axel suddenly says. I look over and he's grinning at me arrogantly.
"Light's made up of a bunch of colors. Of the ones we can see, red travels farthest," I answer, mirroring his grin. He starts, obviously taken aback.
"Well, geez, aren't you a know-it-all," he says, obviously a bit crestfallen. I bump him with my shoulder.
"You were going to say the same thing if I didn't know the answer, so look who's talking. So how do you know about getting up here? Are you from here or something?" I ask while taking another bite of my ice cream.
"Nah, but I did live here for a little while a few years back. I had a friend who brought me up here. We used to hang out up here sometimes." I raise my eyebrows.
"Really? Does he still live around here?" Axel shakes his head and he seems a little sad.
"I don't think so. We just sorta lost contact one day when…er…when things started changing," he says and I know what he means. "I don't know what happened to him. Guess he and his family just moved."
"What was his name?" I ask, curious since Axel never really talks about his past.
"Roxas," he answers, and I choke a little on my treat. I cough and sputter and he pats my back. "Hey, what's up? You alright?"
"R-Roxas? What did he look like?"
"Uh…kinda short. Spiky blonde hair, really blue eyes, kinda feminine looking. Why?" I groan and put a hand to my forehead. "Iris, what is it?" he asks, obviously confused and concerned by my behavior.
"I knew Roxas," I say quietly, not looking at him immediately. I glance up and see him looking at me questioningly. I look back down. "He was brought in to the breakers shortly after me."
"What happened to him?" Axel asks quietly. I shake my head.
"I shouldn't tell you." He grabs my hand, and I look up to his eyes, startled. They look like they've been set on fire.
"Tell me," he demands. I open my mouth and close it several times before finally answering.
"He…He strangled himself with a pair of shoelaces after a week." His eyes search mine, trying to see if I'm playing some sick joke. When he realizes I'm telling him the truth, he drops his face into my shoulder and sobs softly. I bring a hand up to stroke his hair and make quiet shushing sounds and repeat the only thing I can think to say: "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I don't know if I'm apologizing for the loss of his friend or apologizing because I didn't do anything about it.