Rating: M

How Long is Forever?

Chapter 25

A/n: Sorry to anyone who's been patiently waiting… oh and if anyone's interested in seeing what my little sweetheart looks like, my picture is –currently- of Avery (:

Warning: Rokuaku cos I love it.

Last time:

"Reno, no!"

"And I'm going to teach it that it shouldn't go around, trying to play 'hero'!" He hissed, sending the red to the ground. He spat on him then knelt down. "He should've remembered from last time; I don't like heroes."

"What are you going to do to him?" Vexen smiled wickedly.

"That's entirely up to you."

xXx

I woke up alone, but it wasn't long before Axel came into the room, humming to himself. I blinked at him. He seemed very happy. He glanced over at me and smiled a smile so beautiful that it took my breath away.

"Oh good, you're awake!" I blinked dumbly as he turned to leave, "Stay there!" I smiled as he left. When he returned, my eyes widened in surprise. Axel had, indeed, made me breakfast. He brought me a tray and there was bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, toast, waffles, pancakes, an orange, apple juice, coffee—"I didn't know what you wanted." My mouth fell open.

"So you made it all?" I asked, laughing. He shook his head.

"No, not everything," he said, laughing too, "but close enough."

"Thank you." He smiled, drinking the coffee as I ate some toast.

"Did you have fun last night?" I smiled back.

"I did." He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I've never slept out in my back yard before."

"I don't think I have either." Axel smiled and then leant closer, kissing me softly. He tasted like his coffee and I liked it. I kissed him back. "You taste like coffee," I whispered.

"You taste sweet, like strawberry jam," he whispered back. I laughed and so did he.

"What do you want to do today?"

"I don't know. But for now, I'm happy to eat breakfast with you."

"Good." Axel smiled, then suddenly, his eyes lit up. "What's up?" I asked, confusedly.

"I know what I want to do now." I laughed.

"What do you want to do?" He smiled widely. "You have to tell me," I said, suspiciously.

"No I don't."

"Axel!" I said, pouting. He laughed.

"Breakfast first." My pout deepened and he smiled. "Because whether you like it or not, I have a surprise for you."

"Why do you always try to surprise me?" I asked, smiling despite myself.

"Because it's fun." I laughed a little, shaking my head.

xXx

We didn't go anywhere until about four in the afternoon—an hour after we'd woken up. Even then, I wasn't allowed to see where we were going.

I laughed a little as he blindfolded me, smiling as he scooped me up into his arms, not having a care in the world as he carried me, setting out for our destination on foot.

Finally, after quite a while, he sat me down and covered my ears for a few minutes then gently pushed me forward.

I allowed myself to be led. "And… Stop," I was instructed. I stopped and the blindfold was removed, gasping as I covered my mouth. There were butterflies everywhere.

"Where are we?"

"Hollow Bastion's Butterfly Gardens." My eyes welled up with tears; it was so beautiful; there were flowers and butterflies everywhere. Arms wrapped around me from behind. "Do you like it?" I gasped as butterflies of all shades and sizes flew around us.

"I love it… It's beautiful…" Axel smiled as we walked in further, ignoring the other couples that were inside the domed building. I turned back to look at him and smiled. A bright green butterfly had landed on top of his head. None the wiser, he grasped my hand and we explored. I couldn't help but smile; it was so magical.

xXx

When we got home again Axel led me to the back yard. It was dark out, so I was curious as to what he was doing. Then, he plugged a cord into the side of the house and I gasped as the trees all along the fence lit up. He smiled then grasped my hand, leading me into the yard.

"You really planned out today, didn't you?" I asked as he led me to a black and white checkered blanket with a basket on it. Axel's smile widened as we sat.

"Maybe." I laughed.

"I love you." The red-head smiled, more to himself than to me, and opened up the basket.

"I love you too, Rox," he whispered, pulling out a chilled container of what appeared to be fruit. He opened it and ate a strawberry then glanced at me. "Don't eat this unless you want to get drunk." I stared at the fruit, remembering… We'd had a party once, here. We'd served fruit that'd soaked in alcohol overnight because Axel preferred it to drinking…

"Why do you want to get drunk?" Axel shrugged.

"I miss it now and then." I reached into the bowl, taking a piece of pineapple and eating it. Axel smiled at me before doing the same and the way he did made me glance away and bite my lower lip. He reminded me of Reno so much… I was certain that it didn't help that they'd been twins… and I really wished that I knew what to do... how to save him. I frowned, hating that I was remembering Reno now. We'd been having such a good time…

"Hey, what's the matter?" I shook my head.

"It's nothing."

"Don't you remember what I told you last night?" I shook my head again. "You," he said, brushing my hair out of my eyes, "are a bad liar." I closed my eyes.

"I don't want to worry you…"

"Nothing worries me more when I catch you lying to me." I sighed softly.

"Well then…" I said, staring up into his eyes, "Can I ask you for some advice?" The red-head looked surprised.

"Of course you can."

"If you… were terrified of something, would you still face it to help someone you cared about?"

"Well, of course I would… it's okay to be scared; it isn't okay to give up. You should always fight for what you feel is right." Axel smiled down at me. "I tell myself that all the time."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe, right?" I nodded.

"You seem so tough…" Axel laughed.

"I am tough," he replied, "but I still get scared. If that makes sense."

"Yeah." He scratched the back of his head, looking like he didn't know what to say.

"Was that helpful?"

"Yes, very much." He smiled then ate another piece of fruit.

"So tell me, who do you want to protect?" I blushed.

"Uhm… A friend…" He looked a little worried.

"Be careful, okay?"

"You aren't going to stop me?" Axel sighed then ate another, chewing slowly.

"I can tell you 'no' till I'm blue in the face, but you'll do it anyway." My face heated up and I looked away, biting my lower lip. Axel's fingers curled under my chin, raising it and our eyes met. "But… I know that you'll only do it because it's important to you. I can't run your life for you, Rox, no matter how much I want to protect you from every bad thing out there." I blinked back tears. He was so understanding… even though he only wanted the best for me… I hugged him.

"Thank you," I whispered. He hugged me back but said nothing for a long time.

xXx

Axel ate more fruit than I did, by far. He looked both lost in thought and unsettled.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, feeling tingly. He looked at me, grinning suddenly.

"Amazing." I smiled back. By his expression, I didn't doubt it.

"Hey, have you ever made a fort before, Roxy?" I blinked, a little surprised. Axel never called me 'Roxy'.

"A fort?" The red-head pouted a little.

"Yes, yes; it's like a tent." I smiled amusedly.

"…no."

"I haven't either. Let's do it!" I blinked.

"What?"

"C'mon it'll be fun!" He smiled goofily, pulling me along until we got to our bedroom. I laughed as he began to pull the blankets off of the bed, helping him make a 'fort' as he showed me how he thought we should. Then he grabbed our pillows and an extra blanket and clumsily crawled inside. "Well come in here!" I smiled and crawled inside.

As I came up to him, he hit me with a pillow, snickering as I pouted at him. My pout deepened and I grabbed my own, hitting him back. Laughing, he hit me again and tackled me to the floor. I smiled up at him as he held my hands above my head. I stared up at him, unable to stop myself as he loomed over me, his hair was pulled back, revealing his high, flushed, cheekbones. His thin, masculine, lips opened and he smiled at me broadly, revealing perfect white teeth as those beautiful green eyes stared into mine.

"You're so beautiful, Axel," I whispered. He blinked in surprise then smiled a little furtively.

"Good; that means you won't stop me."

"Stop you?" His body pressed flush against mine and I blushed deeply. His small smile widened.

"You're too cute, my darling," he whispered, pressing his lips to mine. My body heated up as he kissed me more deeply, more confidently. I smiled, liking this. He was being so open; showing me a side of him that I hadn't seen.

"I like it when you get drunk," I whispered against his lips. "I wish you could always be drunk." Axel smiled, looking like a satisfied cat.

"I like it when you're screaming in pleasure under me," he whispered back, his smirk widening as I blushed deeply, "but I can't always have that either, so I guess we're even." My mouth fell open and I stared up at him, trying to say something. My blush just deepened instead. Axel laughed a little. "Mmm I'm turning you on with such naughty words, Roxy." I moaned, unable to help myself as he rolled his hips into mine. I stared up at him, trying to catch my breath.

"You'd ah better not just leave me like this," I whispered. Axel smiled again before grinning widely.

"When have I ever not taken care of you," he whispered, pausing to bite my ear teasingly, "Roxy?" I gasped, moaning. His little pet name for me made my heart flutter. I bit my lower lip as he proceeded to explore my ear thoroughly.

He worked his way down my body and I covered my mouth with my hands in an attempt to be quiet, squeezing my eyes shut. Axel stopped and I peeked at him, gasping when he pulled my hands away from my mouth.

I swallowed as those burning eyes watched me, never wavering from my eyes, even as he went down and… I moaned as his hot mouth engulfed my bare erection, going insane when he sucked relentlessly. I moaned his name over and over and over, barely realizing that I was arching my back off the ground.

He held me down, coating my arousal with something as he pulled away. "What are you doing?" I asked, bewildered as he got on his knees. He stared at me levelly for a long moment.

"Do you want to see another way I masturbate?" I blushed darkly.

"Y-yes…" I watched him as he took off his clothes sensually, fascinated as he touched himself, his fingers entering his own body, plunging deeper and deeper, stretching himself out and…

"Do you know what I fanaticize about when I do this?" He whispered, his voice so hot that it made me melt.

"N-no…" I said weakly. He closed his eyes, moaning softly.

"That time that you were inside of me, fucking me from behind as I was gripping our couch, losing my mind." I turned crimson, envisioning the room next door, where we'd been. He frowned a little. "You never wanted to after that." My heart pounded as my face flushed even more deeply.

"Yes I did." I whispered without thinking. I swallowed when he gave me a heated gaze. Then he crawled over to me and straddled my hips, pressing his much larger erection against mine and grinding his hips into mine. I moaned and he leant down.

"Do you still?" He whispered into my ear. I nodded timidly.

"But I still don't know what I'm doing… You're the only one I've ever-" I started, getting cut off when his lips pressed flush against mine and he took my breath away. I closed my eyes, wrapping my arms around him, only opening them when he grasped my erection. I gasped into his mouth when he shifted and suddenly I was surrounded by the most amazing heat and tightness… I didn't even realize I was moaning until we were connected as completely as possible.

"God, Axel!" He shifted in a way that made him feel good and he moaned languidly. He looked so beautiful… so amazing… that I couldn't think. He smiled a sultry little smile that made my entire body burn and ache for him.

"Do you like being inside of me, my love?"

"No," I whispered back, my body trembling, "I love being inside of you." He leant down, kissing my lips.

"Then let me show you a good time," he whispered against them. My mouth opened but before I could say anything, he was moving up and down faster and faster and faster while all I could do was moan continuously and try to hold on to something. He felt so amazing… His eyes widened in surprise when I pulled him down hard, making our chests collide.

"Do you know how perfect you are?" I whispered into his ear. He gasped, moaning loudly as I thrust into him hard.

"Do that again… Please…" I gripped him tightly and then did as he asked, intoxicated by the delicious friction and by the sounds he was making. I gasped, moaning when he began to move with me, making our connection deeper and deeper with each thrust. I moaned his name and he kissed me deeply in response. "You're doing perfectly," he encouraged, moving faster as I moved faster.

"C-can I be on top?" I murmured against his lips. He stopped and blinked down at me in surprise.

"Okay." I gasped as he pulled away, watching as he lay down. I crawled over to him and he grasped his legs, pulling them up and apart for me, ready for us to become one once more. "Hurry," he whispered, his voice exuding urgency and I didn't hesitate. I closed my eyes, shuddering as that amazing heat and tightness surrounded me once again. It felt perfect. I thrust into him, hard.

"Ah!" I stared at his face, shuddering as he moaned. He was so entrancingly beautiful, so enticing as he came undone. It made me want to see what other expressions and sounds I could get him to make. I grasped his legs, throwing them over my shoulders and did it again and again, drinking in every response that I received. I moaned; I couldn't believe I'd been missing out on this. His mouth found mine as we moved together, each of getting lost in a kiss that continued on, even after we'd climaxed.

"Why do you like me better when I've had alcohol?" Axel asked, resting his head against my chest as we held each other after that.

"I just like it when you're more open and at ease." Axel's fingers ran along my stomach absentmindedly.

"Sorry… I still get nervous 'round you, y'know?" I stared down at his red spikes.

"Why?"

"I just… do. I don't want you do change your mind about me and leave. I've always done it." I ran my fingers through is hair as he bit his lower lip.

"I'm never going to stop loving you." Axel stared up at me, eyes wide. "Get it memorized." The red-head laughed then hugged me.

"You'd better not," he murmured.

xXx

-TBC-

A/n: Thanks for reading! Thoughs? Hope it's alright; insomnia's getting to me.