Who Do You Think You're Fooling
Chapter 21
Well I could say the past few months have been amazing! Besides all the crazy feelings beside my relationships, I say I have never had a better two months. Since September, I've raced through obstacles up and down and still have kept a friend for more than a week.
My parents slowly met my friends, although through Reno and Rude they have already met their parents. It was weird watching how they would play the new meeting card when Axel was around and if Reno hadn't spilled the beans then it would look even funnier in front of each other.
Yaag Rosch, come to find out was Zexion's father, never met my parents though. In fact I was never mentioned to him and that held my concern. I figured out through many hints that his father wanted nothing to do with him. How did he live!? Then again, Axel lived with having basically no one but Demyx and his family.
Other than taking our weekly turns there wasn't much to go off of. Zexion was first on the third then Larxene on the tenth. They were very enjoyable moments. Axel had also been taking me on some extra dates every now and then. I would tell my parents that they were just casual outings with a friend. Sadly I think my Mom saw right through this, and there was a hint that my Dad of all people knew too. I wasn't ready to tell them just yet though.
"I knew she would at least!" Axel laughed when I told him that we needed to be a bit more secretive. "Just let it happen man." He teased as he leaned back in our booth and sipped on his sugar water.
Ever since he told me a lot about his past he had been adding a bit more sugar to his diet. I guess he finally decided that the Jenova cells in his body needed more than he was providing. Yet he was still so skinny. I was always scared to hug him because I think he would snap right in two in my arms.
"Yeah, but what if they don't know. It would just make them concerned." I argued as I looked out the window.
We were at the Red Lobster that was in the second district. I watched as cars zoomed by. Sometimes I missed watching the water from the windows at restaurants in Radiant Gardens. The ocean was always ever so calming. His eyes resembled that though, so I turned to them hoping for the same effect.
"Have you asked?" He said in a duh like fashion. He put his glass down and leaned over the table. "I for one think they'll find me charming." He smirked with a wink.
"Ha!" I said loudly and earning a few quick stares. I lowered my voice as I pretended to look over his shoulder. "I for one find the guy behind you even more charming." I said with a grin.
He looked stunned and put his hand on the back of the booth as this helped him turn to see his challenger. It was a old woman and she gave him a glare as she noticed she was being stared at. He laughed awkwardly and did a two finger sign off and quickly turned around.
He gave me a fuck off look to which I started laughing my mouth off. "The look on your face!" I laughed out with a struggle.
"You're cute," he said as he rolled his eyes, "real cute." He was defeated and I won this round. This was the funniest moment for me during the whole entire meal.
"Besides, have you told Reno and Rude?" I invited the subject back up.
He dropped the noodles that were on his plate and scoffed. "You kidding me, I think it's plainly obvious they don't mind that."
"Oh, duh." I remembered that they were married. I dropped it quickly after that.
We talked more about me than we did him. Actually I believe it was all me, I kept asking him questions and while I felt the truth off of him they were short answers like yes or no. Something I expected from his life of torture. I did notice how he couldn't take his eyes off of me.
This was my fifth and first five dates of my life. I had girlfriends but I never got past the first invitation. They all seemed to just want to get in my pants. He was looking at the desert menu when I decided to make a move.
I placed my foot next to his inner thigh and didn't move it. Although when it connected to his pants he jolted from his seat.
He laughed and did something unexpected. "So is this what you want for desert?" It was more of a teasing feature than anything else. As he asked he grabbed my ankle, in a soft fashion, and didn't let go. He lifted it up slightly and my leg started to fall asleep fast.
"Geez Axel, you know I was playing, right?" I laughed kindly as I tried to move my leg from him. He didn't let go. I was really feeling tingly from my thigh down.
"Oh," he crudely said, "so you didn't want desert?" He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. He started to untie my shoe. What the hell was he planing now?
"What-"
He interrupted as he turned the menu to face me and pointed at a chocolate cheesecake. "I thought you might like this?" He smirked as he took my shoe off. Yeah, I was surprised I even felt that because I couldn't feel much else.
"Well, I uh-" I felt some pressure in the bottom of my foot. I was slouching in my side of the booth a little as I was trying to reach. It was a good kind of pressure. "Ah, what are you doing?"
He looked at me in a funny manner. "Massaging your foot, why?" I didn't have to answer as he asked hypothetically. "Can't feel it?" He knew what he was doing! That stupid head had it planned.
I blushed and hid my face with the desert menu quickly. "Can I have my leg back?" I said embarrassed. This whole thing would be so uncomfortable if I wasn't trying to mess with him.
"Next time we should wait for our desert, yes?" He teased as he laughed a little. He put my shoe back on and laced up the laces. He didn't shove my leg off of him like a rude person would but set it down slowly. He placed it back to were I had it though. I sighed as relief slowly tumbled back in.
"Ass." I said putting down the menu. Full feeling was in my leg when the waiter came by to pick up our empty plates. I huffed amusingly and he laughed.
"Can I get you all any deserts?" She asked politely. I had to wonder if she thought we were flat out weird or cute as she was nicer to us than a few other customers.
"Yes." Axel smiled brightly and pointed to the menu. "We would like- aw!" He quickly slammed his head down on the table which spooked our waitress. He was whining in pain.
Little did our waitress know I had nudged him hard in the groin and his pain was probably the kick to his balls. I smirked as his head connected to the table. I rubbed his head as I pulled the menu out from under him. "Yes." I said now the one smiling big. "The chocolate cheesecake, please."
She blinked a couple times before responding. "Oh, uh, of course." She took the menu from my hands. "Will he be alright?"
"No!" Axel said in a higher pitch, roughly into the table.
I waved him off as I placed my hand on his. "He'll be fine. He's survived worse." I winked at her and she took off to the kitchen with the plates.
Axel finally recovered and was breathing heavy. I'm assuming he was either holding back anger or cries of pain. He chuckled sarcastically. "I will get you back for that."
"Sure."
We walked out and I thanked him for the meal. When we got to his Fenrir he was very slow moving. I looked up to see him grimacing and clutching his head. As quick as it happened though he was fine. Well except for the fact he was breathing heavy and staring into space. He dropped to his knees and let the helmet in his hand roll across the ground.
"Axel!" Was my initiative response. He blinked back to reality as I knelt down to his leave and placed a hand on the small of his back. "What happened?"
He looked at me and blinked a few more times. "I'm," he pants, "I'm not sure." He rubbed the side of his head. "Another glimpse maybe..." He shook it off and looked around. "Gah, what am I doing."
I helped him onto his feet and he dusted off his pants. After he helped me onto the bike he swung his leg over and he drove me home. It was a good night, and it sucked that Axel's stupid memory busts would ruin that.
The good news is that he wasn't bothered by it. Even if I'd asked him about it, he probably wouldn't have a good answer. Glimpses were just colors whirled together, right? We made it to the door and we paused, just starring into each other's eyes and waiting for one person to make a move.
He would kiss me good night on the lips and I would leave him outside. That's what happened in the past for dates. I felt he was holding back something, scarred even. I knew he thought I would be offended if he tried.
"Hope you had a good night?" He asked as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. This made me blush and to which he chuckled. "I can't get enough of that."
"How's the ball I kicked?" I smirked and earned a blush from my tall red headed significant other. He laughed shyly and looked over the balcony to avoid my raised eyebrow.
"Fine." He teased. He then leaned in and kissed me on the lips. Before I could kiss back he retreated but this time was different. He lingered and more like hovered over my open lips. Our eyes were closed but I knew we both felt each other beg for more.
"You won't hurt me." I said plainly. As soon as I said those inviting words I felt a pair of hands embrace my head and he invaded my mouth.
It didn't taste revolting nor like a sweet treat. Although I could still taste the cheesecake we had not to long ago. Our tongues locked for a few seconds before he took a right in the teeth museum. I could tell he had definitely done this, or he was using another person's tactics.
I laced up the outside of his shirt with my right hand and stopped in the middle of his chest. Then it all went downhill.
A door opened. "Cloud, I'm taking the trash to the-" We turned to her and we didn't loose our placements. "Oh my." Her eyes were wide, but she smiled and chuckled sweetly.
Axel was the first to back up and quickly he did. "Eh, uh... haha." He rubbed the back of his head as my Mom stepped out and shut the door. "Evening, Mrs. Strife."
"Please," she placed a hand to her hip and let the trash hang from her left, "it's Tifa for you." She chuckled. She know turned to me. "How was it?"
I nodded my head and gave a thumbs up, still embarrassed about being caught in the moment. It was getting good too, I finally got Axel to hang loose. Somehow I felt we weren't moving anywhere much. Especially when Mom has decided to present herself. Ug... What has my life come to? She left down the steps and I left Axel at the door. In the cold Friday evening snow.
The next day was a Saturday of course. That means it was time for a break from school and just hang out with friends. Today was Marluxia's pick of events and being the gardening type person he would have made it so we hung out in the park. Well it would have been the same if not for his Football game. He was going to have all of us watch and then eat dinner with his team. Not with the team but he would leave them there and eat with us.
This game of football was an every other week event where the high schools from every sector of the island went against each other for the most points. Football was a first semester sport while I learned that basketball was second semester. Poor Larxene had both. I wanted to laugh at this but she didn't seem to mind the first semester all too much. She at least was down on the field to watch him.
Axel and I took this time to ourselves with Demyx and his mate to go walk through the snow in the park. A group of younger kids were hanging about and throwing snowballs. Zexion and Demyx were working together to build a snowman. We just sat on the wet picnic bench by the frozen pond and laughed when Demyx got pelted with a snowball.
Zexion was kind enough to take off his lilac and purple checkered scarf from his well-fitted, navy blue shirt, and olive, loose pants outfit to wipe the snow off of him. He looked at his watch shortly after and turned to us.
"If I'm not mistaken, Marluxia wanted us to call him around one, right?" Zexion said in his light tone.
I looked up to Axel and noticed his shocked expression. Air head of mine must have forgotten. "Oh, yeah." He tried to keep me leaning on him as he reached around to his back pocket by me. As he got it I reassured him I wasn't leaving by hugging his midriff section.
He placed the phone up to his ear and listened to the rings. Demyx and Zexion went back to building their snowman. They were too cute.
"Hey, Marly!" Axel shouted in a good friend like fashion. "'What's the plan, Stan!?'" Really, you had to go there? I chuckled and he gave me a squeeze.
There was inaudible mumbling past his phone and as hard my selective listening focused on it, it was nearly impossible to understand. "Oh yeah, us four are just hanging at the park."
He listened again and I closed my eyes as he hummed answers. The snow was making me drift off and I couldn't help but yawn. I felt the movements from my make shift bed and a pair of eyes rested on me. "No, Larxene isn't with us. She's probably practising for tonight, why?"
All of a sudden I felt a very cold leather glove slip into the side of my pants and stop at his thumb. This jolted my eyes open and I quickly looked down at it. Was he serious right now!? "Okay, I'll tell the guys then. Oh hey, I know you're busy but if we don't see you at the game before you start have a good time and good luck."
I took my right hand and tapped him playfully out of there. I got a good hearty chuckle from this as he was putting his phone away. He sighed before turning to the two. "Marluxia wants us to meet him at the front of the school at six thirty."
"Cool." Demyx replied. He finished patting down the head into a perfect circle. The next set of events were all too hilarious. As Demyx lifted the head he stretched upwards and realized he was a tad bit small. He huffed.
Small light chuckles were heard behind Zexion's scarf. "I told you we built everything in ovals. Now it's too tall." The last sentence was in huge laughing fits.
Demyx just smirked. "What if I meant to do that?" He looked down at his love with devilish eyes.
Axel and I started to laugh knowingly. Zexion stopped laughing as he too figured it out. Axel decided to be smart. "I think both of you together would do the trick."
Zexion opened his eyes wide. "Oh no you don't." He crossed his arms and looked the other way. "Ask Axel to do it."
"I think this is a Zemyx project." I teased. I thought it was a cute nickname to combine the pair. Demyx spread a wide grin at the mention of it. Zexion stared at me in betrayal.
His pressuring boyfriend pushed the head of snow into his hands and gave him a kiss on the cheek. This stunned Zexion to the point of Demyx secretly making his way behind his small other. Before Zexion turned around though, Demyx stuck his head under his legs.
I emedietly blushed at this action. Axel laughed his ass off. Zexion blushed too, you could tell he was over doing it though. His pale cold face was now red all over. He held onto the snowball though and us two on the bench laughed at the sight.
Demyx bent his knees and grabbed onto Zexion's. "Hang on." He announced.
"No, wait- Ah!" Zexion yelped as Demyx picked him up in one swift motion. "Demyx, get me down from here!" He hollered. I actually would have dropped the snowball on his head, but that's just me. I realized there weren't any kids around anymore. No wait, there were two.
"Just place it on the top and I will." He teased. He huffed as he adjusted Zexion on his shoulders. Zexion did as he was told.
"You know I hate heights!" Zexion said in plight. Demyx face changed to one of softness.
"Sorry." Demyx smiled as he looked up. This was stupid though. Didn't he know by looking up he shifted all his weight to the back? Apparently not as he could hold his balance. Axel and I were running over as soon as a foot left the ground. He let go of Zexion and he went flying.
He rolled a couple times before halting. I quickly ran over to him as Axel went to check on Demyx. "Zex, Zexion! You okay man?" He was laying down face first in the snow. Before I could act though Demyx was running over screaming his name. I backed off instantly. Axel helped me up and we gave each other a worried look.
Demyx rolled him over and we instantly heard laughing. "Ug..." he laughed sarcastically, "your such a tease!" Axel instantly burst into laughter as Zexion was the one to trick him now. Demyx checked Zexion up and down. "Does anything hurt?"
"No, silly." Zex finally said when he calmed his laughter. He just laid in the snow looking up at Demyx. He started to get up and instantly yelped as he threw a snowball in his face. "Got you!" He shot up and started running as Demyx chased him down.
"Two times, nice!" Axel whooped. I doubled over in tears and laughter. We started to follow them to Axel's car and and I stopped when Axel took off his scarf. "What's a snowman that isn't properly dressed for the snow."
"You know, you're going to catch a cold."
He was in fact just the right height for the snowman. A scarf of green was dropped onto its shoulders. He stepped back and shifted from leg to leg, holding his chin as he questioned his appearance. I saw Zexion be tackled down by Demyx and he screamed with a girly tone.
He snapped his fingers. "Can you hunt down eleven small rocks?" He shouted with joy as he looked at me. I was taken aback by his childish behavior but agreed to it. I didn't want to dampen his happiness right now. He did hate the snow. I walked over by the frozen pond scrounging for rocks. Soon I came across eleven brown and black usable rocks.
I was standing on the edge of the ice and I wanted to see how far the ice had frozen. It wasn't much as three steps forward and I had cracked the ice. I carefully walked backwards the way I came. I met up back at the snowman to see my boyfriend in red placing two twigs for arms.
"Here." I said with a smile. I opened my glove to show him the luck I had.
He plucked nine out and started to add them to the face. He was a happy snowman and proud of it. I added the three buttons. "There... Oh wait!" He said with a animated cheesy grin. He slid his gloves off and put them on the sticks. "Now! There's a snowman!" He laughed at his childish nature.
"You're gonna get a fever!" I said a bit irritated. I had a smile on though, it was more like I was teasing him. He pretended to shiver and mocked me. I laughed even harder.
"Race ya to the car?" He asked with a twinkle in his eyes. The green swirls in them really brought out the snow around us. It's hard to believe that he doesn't like snow.
"You're on!" I glared devilishly with a smile. I took off running and aimed for the car. I heard a 'hey' and a pair of quick feet. It wasn't long before he was neck and neck with me. I knew that he let me win though. I stuck my tongue out in a teasing fashion.
"Oh man!" Zexion said as he slammed his hands onto the red car to brace his stop.
"Hey dude, watch the car." Axel said as he laughed and shook his head. He was holding me to his chest and leaning up against the car door, both were trying to catch our breaths.
"Sorry." He gasped. "Demyx," he said breathing heavy and in gasps continued, "is... giving me... a run for... my munny." He bent over and looked around. "Think I... lost him..." He started to laugh as Demyx looked around after appearing behind a tree. "Ow..." Zexion quickly grabbed at his chest and clenched his fist around his shirt. His breathes were very irregular, short and raspy breathes.
"You alright?" Jinks personally jinks as Axel and I both asked our friend if he was alright.
He waved us off and stood up. "Yeah, fine." He took a deep breath and proceeded to take more short ones.
I looked up to Axel and his eyes seemed to focus on something. I looked back but nothing caught me as irregular. Demyx soon came up to him and hugged him. "You're quick!" He shouted.
Zexion laughed and returned the hug. I could really see the love between the two. "Roxas and I finished you're snowman." Axel interrupted their moment after he coughed awkwardly into his now cold hand.
"Really!?" Demyx shouted in astonishment. He turned around quickly and gaped at the now waving snowman. "Awesome! Zexion! Look at that!" He said pointing to the object in question.
Zexion nodded his head. Something must have clicked though as he now stared at us. He looked us up and down and cocked his head. "Well, that wasn't to smart, Axel."
Axel shushed him as he opened the passenger door for me. "Please, I can handle this weather." The next sentence was under his breath but it astounded me that he did say it. "Come on, I've survived in it before." Then my car door was pushed to.
As the two behind me pulled themselves into the car Axel was already fastening his seatbelt. "Okay kids," he teased. Demyx stuck his tongue out and Zexion giggled. I simple shook my head in my hands as Axel laughed and continued, "we've got four hours to kill. What do we do?" He turned to me and put an arm around my shoulder. I couldn't help but lean into him searching for warmth as the car heated up.
"Clock tower?" Demyx suggested.
Zexion looked to Axel and nodded his head in agreement. "Ah," he encouraged, "hot chocolate instead of ice cream." He smiled and sighed at the idea.
Axel looked to me and I felt a ping of worry off of him. It went away shortly after I placed a hand on his thigh and squeezed for reassurance. I smiled up at him and he nodded his head and smiled back. "Clock tower it is then." He cheered.
Zexion fell asleep in Demyx's lap shortly after we took off. I couldn't help but think that Zexion did in fact have something wrong with him. Then again, running that much would have me in stitches too. Demyx wasn't that tired though... Wait, he is a bit more physically fit for that stuff. It was a useless mind struggle this puzzle was.
When we finally arrived to the Clock Tower we stopped to admire the wonderful view. Blankets of white crystals littered the ground. To the skies pure white fluffy clouds sprinkled their sparkling glory down on everything that would allow it to stay. All the crooks and crannies of the tower were some of the many places that sheltered their beauty.
Demyx jumped from the car and ran to the other side as Zexion seemed to be struck by an angel. His boyfriend opened his door and they both now stood in the streets. While snow was indeed sticking to the ground, street sweepers were constantly roaming the roads looking for more snow to devour. We wouldn't be driving otherwise.
I sat in awestruck. The beach was a reason why I had never seen snow in a long time. It was too hot for it ever to show up, and I missed it. It brought out memories of when Kairi and I would play tag and hide deep under the snow till we were frozen. I quickly vanished those memories as my own love opened the door for me.
I hated myself for a brief second, wondering why the hell I was thinking of her at a time like this. These were the moments I wanted to spend with friends, not sluts. I had to wonder if my uncle and aunt actually let her walk around like that. Surely not.
Since this part of town was abandoned, along with the forest in the busy section, snow was up to our cafes once we got up there. It was indeed hard to walk, but to our luck, our favorite ice cream stand was by its usual corner. "I'm game!" Demyx shouted. He took off running towards the colorful stand.
"Ice cream, please Demyx!" Axel shouted from behind me
I turned fast on my feet. "Seriously?" I said with an eyebrow raised. I looked to Zexion who was walking beside me and he laughed silently. "Fucking thirty three degrees and this guy wants ice cream." I said with disbelief.
Axel gave me a playful shove in the shoulder. "I have my reasons, besides it is my munny he's using." He smirked. A deep breath from Zexion caught his attention. It was more of a painful breath, something of a hurtful nature. Axel and I stopped as Zexion kept going. Once out of ear shot he whispered down to me. "Why don't you help Demyx carry the hot chocolate. I'm going to talk to Zexion."
"Uh... Okay?" I said in a quizzical manner. Not that I didn't trust the guy, but I kind of wanted all his attention. I banged what I just though around in my head and mentally shot myself for being so selfish.
I watched as Axel dragged Zexion up the road. He looked like he was pulling him by the arm and I automatically knew that Zexion was hiding something. Axel only acted this way if he was going to pester people for the truth. I met up with Demyx and waved to the man behind the stand that I had seen now to many times to count. Some on Sundays with Kairi and I's families, others with Demyx when me and he came home from school with absolutely nothing to do. I had two sticks out of all the ice cream I had eaten. Axel had two left to go and of course the way he was, he refused mine.
"Need some help, Dem?" I asked. I was handed the ice cream bars as the man started to make up some hot chocolate.
"Where did they go?" He asked a bit upset as I was.
I answered right away so it didn't look suspicious. "They were going to meet us up the road." For a second I had hoped that that was where they were talking so I didn't just make a lie.
"Cool." He looked past me. It looked like he was thinking up some random stuff. "Well go ahead and take those. He's going to give me a cup holder for the four drinks, I'll meet up with you." He said with his casual cheesy grin. He even looked childish in his dark blue slogan shirt, blue slacks, and tennis shoes.
"Sure man?" I asked again. He just nodded and I turned to make my way up the road, running through the snow and slowing to a jog as the snow thickened.
It wasn't long before I made it to the entrance to the Clock Tower Plaza. The sound of raised voices caused me to stop and brush to the side of the wall. I slowly made my way closer until I could hear distinct voices.
"Axel! Just stop!" Zexion yelled. He sounded very aggravated. "Nothing is wrong with me."
"You're lying." Axel replied nonchalantly. "You're poker face isn't good, Zexion. I can tell that something is wrong, so spill it."
"Why!?" Zexion sighed. "What do you care!?" This shocked me. I never have heard him yell, let alone see him lose his temper with anyone. I didn't know what Axel was thinking letting himself pester someone with so much patience. "You've been at this for weeks now! What are you trying to accomplish?" He was now settling his voice but his breathing was becoming irregular again.
"I care about a friend of mine who will be very hurt if something happened to the one he loved." Axel breathed heavily. "Say you pass out on him, what's Demyx suppose to do?"
"No!" Zexion argued. "You want there to be a problem." He gasped. "Nothing will happen to Demyx, he'll be fine!"
Axel chuckled sarcastically. "What a great way to treat him. Don't even tell him, Zexion. Just die on him for all you care. Leave us to take care of the mess? Yeah! Great way to treat your friends."
Zexion was breathing too heavy from just yelling. I knew there was something up. "I just don't," Zexion paused for air, "he doesn't need to treat everyone how my father treats me. I don't want him-"
"Then tell him!" Axel hollered. "For fucking Fal'Cie's sake, look at yourself! You're on your knees clutching your chest! How can you possibly say nothing's wrong with you."
"Fine! You want me to say it," he gasped, "I'll say it! I have a weak heart! The doctors found it three months ago!" Zexion was in tears now. "I said it." He was breathing so hard.
I literally had to catch the ice cream packets as they fell from my hands. Zexion, our friend, took after his mother after all. Why hadn't he told anyone, and running like he did in the park to boot. He was just trying to pass it up as a bad dream, a nightmare. He was being so irresponsible.
"It's okay, I-"
"No, it's not okay, Axel." Zexion interrupted. Now I knew he was really upset as he never has interrupted anyone as far as I had seen. "Demyx just wants a happy life with someone. How could I possible be with him if I'm running the risk of dying on him. He doesn't deserve that, you of all people understand that."
Now that I knew Axel's short story of his life I could tell Zexion meant that personal attack. Axel didn't answer for a while. I just sat near the corner, continuing to listen. "Yeah, and I told Roxas my past. Well, what he needed to know. That way he knows that if I disappear on him he can help me bounce back."
"But, I-" Zexion tried to argue back.
"Demyx is smarter than you give him credit for and you know it." There was a brief silence as I took it Zexion was either nodding or shaking his head. "Tell Demyx! He can help you."
"He's done so much for me already. I can't ask anymore of him." Zexion sighed. His breathing was slowly making its way to a normal pace. "This would just break his heart."
"No. What would break his heart is if you died and left him wondering if you really loved him or not. That's what's going to kill him!" Axel's voice was getting close. I froze on the spot. I'm so caught.
"Axel," footsteps stopped as Zexion continued, "one of my worse fears is that he turns into my father." His voice was faltering as he said it. They sounded so sad and scared that I actually wanted to cry for him. It wasn't fair that this happened to him. It was true what Axel said though, if Demyx and Zexion were going to have a relationship pull through then they needed to be honest. I thought back to Axel and I from there, I had to question if it was even possible to bounce back from all the secrets I was keeping from him. I knew his past for fucks sake.
"I promise you as a friend that I will never let that happen." Axel's voice grew fainter and I breathed a sigh of relief that he didn't find me. "If you tell him or don't tell him, he will never hate you or anyone you die for. On my life and every one I care about I will not let that happen."
"Thank you." I heard Zexion respond with a brief feeling of relief.
I decided to get up and make an appearance. I pulled out my poker face and waited a minute before showing up. I decided to walk up when Axel stressed his alarm. "Where are they?"
"Hey guys, what you two up to?" I said with a smirk as I tossed a ice cream at my guy. The stunned look on his face was priceless. Another lie? Bring it.
Axel fell for my act as he looked to Zexion then back at me. "I was just trying to figure out why Zexion has been so moody lately." Okay, so it wasn't a lie.
I turned to Zexion and tossed him his ice cream. "You okay?" He really did look exhausted.
He merely nodded his head and smiled. "Yes. Ah, thanks for the ice cream but where's Demyx."
"My question exactly." Axel cocked his head and squinted his eyes.
I honestly felt bad for lying but I had to keep a straight face. "Demyx told me to go on up ahead."
"Hey!" Saved by the bell.
"See, here he comes." I laughed and turned to face him. Zexion walked over to where I was and passed me.
I still felt Axel's eyes bore into the back of my skull. He sighed and chuckled his careless way. He stood beside me now. Now that I thought about it, Axel was a supporter and helper in his own sort of way. What scared me though, was who would be there for him besides me? If something happened to me could everyone support him the way he needed it? Then I got a shiver. Could someone ever replace me if that happened? Would Axel completely fall apart? What did he mean that he told me what mattered in his past was explained to me? I wanted to know that way I could help him in ever twist and turn in his life.
"Roxas!"
"Wha- oh! Thanks." I had another awkward moment where I dozed off in my thoughts.
Axel and I turned around and followed the lovely couple with our eyes. Demyx had a warm arm wrapped around Zexion's winter coat, hugging him close. Zexion looked up to his warm blanket and nuzzled his head into Demyx's shoulder.
"Lets go!" I said excitedly to my favorite spiky friend. I started to walk towards the giant clock when I found a cold pale hand snag onto my shoulder.
"You heard our conversation."
The question hit me like a nail board. I slowly turned my head and found a single pair of looming eyes search mine. I knew he had caught me red handed. "I, I-" I studded.
Axel just smiled happily though. "Please, you act like you're the only one who's been eavesdropping before." He laughed as he walked past me. "I've had to act like I heard nothing when I run into Reno and Rude's conversation. I give you a c plus.
I exhaled a sigh of relief. For a second I thought he would yell at me. "I just didn't want Zexion to get hurt." I said defeatedly towards the snow. It was up to my knees in the spot we were in. It saddened me how nobody loved this place and left it to decay for the past eleven years.
Axel crossed his arms and turned to the left giving me a 'are you really serious right now look'. "You could have given me at least a small hint that you were listening." He sighed turning the rest of the way towards me and letting his arms fall to his sides. "Regardless, if you heard the conversation then you know how I feel. That's why I hinted to you what I was doing."
He wanted us to be completely honest. Didn't he know it was already too late to go down that road. I lied again anyway. "I'll start telling you the truth." I gave him a half smile. "I apologize."
Axel looked shocked and busted out laughing. "You don't ever have to apologize to me, okay?" He said wiping a tear away. My face dropped a little as his kindness made me feel like utter shit. "Hey, what's wrong?"
I looked up and saw he was walking closer to me. "It's nothing." I felt like he was trying to tear this wall down that I usually held up to protect how I felt. I was really good at hiding my feelings and making up false happiness for myself. The truth is, ever since my Uncle raped me I haven't ever been the same. I had changed, just like Kairi. I lost all my friends, lied to my parents, and created a false image to make others feel better. This one lonely person was crawling through a hole in my mundane dark dank barrier. I brought up Zexion again to push him back the way he came. "So Zexion, he's really sick then?"
Axel stopped walking and turned around. "Yeah, but I know he's strong enough to pull through anything."
We started walking to the Clock Tower together and watched as Axel undid his ice cream and start to work on it. "What do you mean?" I asked as we walked into the abandoned tower train station.
I watched as he focused on swallowing the chunk of frozen ice. He whirled it around in his mouth before doing so, hoping to lesson the cold no doubt. He licked the side as he answered. "Because, if Zexion's mother lived through hell and back to get to the moment in time of having Zexion, then Zexion can do the same."
I did a mental smack to the head. Oh! Of course that makes sense, yeah thanks for that answer. How did Axel even know she had a hard time with- oh... From the stories I heard of Yaag, she must have had a hard time trying to get him to see what she saw about Zexion.
"Hey!" Axel shouted all of a sudden. "I won!" He cheered throwing a fist into the air. Only one more away from winning that prize. I saw the stick disappear into his jacket pocket.
We walked up the stairs and eventually came to a few floors below Zexion and Demyx. "This isn't like you, come on Zexion let me carry you up there." We looked up and saw a panting lilac image of Zexion and a worried blue image of Demyx straight above us.
I was eating my ice cream but would have asked if everyone was okay if not for the cold ice cube floating in my mouth. Axel had me covered though. "Are you two okay up there!?"
Instead of giving a response, Zexion answered Demyx's question from earlier. "No, don't do that. I'm just exhausted, give me a minute... we're almost to the top, aren't we?" We heard Demyx sigh to this. It wasn't long till we got to where they were at.
Zexion helped himself up with the railing. "You shouldn't put all your weight on that Zexy, it could give." Demyx pleaded as he went to reach for his boyfriend's arm. Zexion just sighed as he leaned onto his boyfriend. I saw his fist clench and his nails dug into the palm of his hand. He was hurting because of all the stairs. His condition was really bad after all. Demyx bent low and forced Zexion onto his back.
"Thanks, I don't know what has gotten into me lately." Zexion contemplated. Demyx seemed fooled by this but Axel just scoffed. They both shared a look and Zexion sighed hesitant about what he needed to do.
"You're probably exhausted from running in the park." Demyx explained. "It's okay, nothing I can't help with." A friendly squeeze was given.
Before we followed them up a few more flights I heard Axel grunt with frustration. "Idiot is going to have them both killed." He took a few forceful steps forward and I grabbed his wrist self consciously.
I didn't want anyone having a problem with him. Axel was either looking for trouble or trying to play the role of Marluxia. "Please, Zexion knows what he's doing. He'll tell him when he can!" I had to make Axel see but what was that entailing. "You waited for me to tell you how I felt, Demyx can do the same."
He stopped fidgeting and pulling his arm away. "Ug..." He expressed his frustration. I could tell he was in no mood for this but he had to give in if he didn't want to ruin their relationship. "Why are you always right?" He chuckled to himself. He looked up to the floors above him. "Come on." He said looking to me with a smirk.
What was he planning? "What's the smirk for?" I chuckled awkwardly. I found myself blushing as he held my wrist now. He suddenly pulled and yanked hard as he flew me onto his back. "Axel! What are you doing?" I asked in pain. He started walking up the stairs. "For the love of Fal'Cie, please be careful!" I really didn't want to fall over the edge. It was a long way down.
"You're cute." He announced as he gently bounced me into a more comfortable position. He really was going to carry me. Fine then, burn more sugar. See if I care, but I did. I nuzzled my face into the back of his leather jacket, trying to find my warmth. When I did I felt safe, comfortable, let loose. I felt that barrier melt away and new this is where I truly belonged. In the back of his jacket searching for a warm spot to this cold caring creature.
Author's Quick Note:
Sorry for the late post up. With getting ready for school Monday, I have been extremely filled with my schedule and I'm finding it hard to find time to right. Man think what will happen when I finally get a part time job. Well, thanks for your patience and it's always appreciated. Thanks for the support and reviews as well. ;)