"How the fuck did this happen?" Sora winced as Axel's fist pounded met the table. The reaction nearly caused his coffee to spill, and in the end, the redhead was cursing, having banged up his already injured hand.
"Axel, please calm down." No one was in the hospital cafeteria with them, but it was three in the morning. The woman on duty behind the counter fixed an irritated look their way, and much to the brunet's dismay, Axel flipped her off. As the woman turned away, offended, Sora sighed. "She's probably going to spit in your food now."
"I don't give a damn. What I want to know is how the fuck this happened, and who I need to kill to fix it." Lowering his elbows to the table, Axel put his head in his hands and groaned. "This is so fucked."
"I know what you mean, but getting all whipped out like this isn't going to help. The doctors are doing what they can."
"I know it's not their fault, but what the hell else am I supposed to do?" The house was gone. A fireman had come by the hospital to report that it had burned to the ground, despite their efforts. The only place they could really count themselves lucky was that no body had died, but Axel's hands were badly burned and Roxas had been taken to the emergency room, and had been there for some time. Everyone was worried that he hadn't regained consciousness by the time the ambulance had pulled in.
"Stay calm for Kairi's sake," Sora said firmly. He looked up as she and Riku entered the room. "Ah. They're back now."
Riku was carrying Kairi against his shoulder, her weird-looking plush doll clutched tightly in her little arms. Riku sighed as he reached the table.
"She broke down crying at the vending machine. I offered to get her some chocolate, but it didn't work." Axel stood up and took his little girl from him, noticing the little wet stains left on Riku's shirt. Looking down at her, he brushed the soft, red strands away from her face and rocked her slowly.
"Thanks for taking care of her while I wasn't there. I appreciate it."
Riku gave a muted smile, and Sora grasped his arm comfortingly. "It was the least we could do."
The group fell into silence then, as Axel's focus turned to Kairi, and Sora left the table to go make some calls. The tension in the air was thick, as the oldest at the table worried for his former boyfriend. Would Roxas be alright, or...would he die? Axel prayed the latter was unlikely, but... what if the smoke had gotten to him, or something like that? Hell, the redhead had no idea!
"Have some faith in him, Axel." The man looked up and blinked. Riku had read his mind. Not that it was that hard. "He'll pull through. He's a tougher kid than you realize."
It was just hard. Roxas had always been so sensitive and fragile in his eyes. Roxas was strong in a way, he supposed, and Axel felt in his heart the blonde would pull through. He hoped.
"The wedding's going to have to be put off for a while now," the silver-haired man continued glumly. Axel appreciated the opportunity to take his mind off of things. "We've got to find a new place, get all new furniture."
"Do you guys have insurance for the fire?"
"Yeah. Luckily, Sora harassed me into it." Riku's lips drew up in the corners, into a small smile. "Guess he was right."
Axel chuckled. "Maybe he's psychic or something." They fell into silence again, as a question worked its way into Axel's mind. "Roxas and Kairi can come live with me, if it's too much trouble."
"I think you should let them decide that," the other man replied, sighing heavily for a moment. "It would be less stressful. Plus I get the feeling Roxas won't want to trouble us anyway. But you guys did have a bit of a fight there."
The redhead looked down. "Why'd you have to remind me? I thought maybe with this tragedy we could get past that."
"You have to work for it, Axel. Forgiveness is best with an honest apology, not trying to pretend like a fight never happened."
Axel looked at him incredulously, and Riku frowned. "You don't still think he cheated on you, do you?"
"Well, how else was I supposed to take that? He was practically humping some other guy in this sleazy club!"
"What were you doing at a sleazy club?"
Axel paused. He didn't think of it like that. If Roxas was really innocent, if this was just some big misunderstanding, how would it look to him if he had seen Axel at some sleazy gay bar?
"We were..." Riku raised an eyebrow at him, impatient. "Aw, fuck it. Demyx, Zexion, and I were out looking for some place to hold your stag party."
The silver-haired man blinked at him. "That's what this was all about?"
"Yeah! I was at the bar, and I saw Roxas dancing all up against this tall, brawny, brown-haired guy! I tried to ask him why, but he was drunk off his ass and staring at me like I had two damn heads!"
Just as his friend opened his mouth to speak, Axel jumped as a door swung open loudly and Sora sprinted back into the room.
"Guys, he's awake! Come on!"
The two looked at each other for only a moment, then Axel passed his sleeping daughter to Riku, and followed Sora at a sprint, his frustration and betrayal momentarily forgotten. He was just so relieved, he couldn't think.
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The doctor had them wait outside for a moment, checking to make sure Roxas could handle visitors. The woman informed them that he had been taken off the ventilator moments ago, and seemed to be breathing normally. As she stepped in, Riku finally rejoined them. Kairi was still sleeping fitfully in his arms; not tossing much, but looking as though she might be having a nightmare. Axel gently woke her, and instantly she resumed crying.
"I-I dreamed that Daddy was gone! Th-The fire ate him up and he was gone!"
"Shhhhhh. It's alright, Kai." Axel took her from Riku and cuddled her close, whispering softly. "Daddy's not gone. Daddy's awake now. He's going to be just fine."
She sniffled into his shirt, slowly raising her teary blue eyes. "Really?"
He smiled. "Yeah. That fire was no match for your old man. He's just resting is all." With that, he set the girl on the floor. She hugged his leg just as the doctor came out again.
"He'll see you all now. His voice may be a little hoarse, but that's to be expected. Try not to cause a ruckus," she said sternly. "I'll be just outside the door."
The group nodded together, and Sora went in first, taking Kairi's little hand in his and bringing her along. Axel looked to Riku, who motioned him to go in first. He did so, entering a little white room with a bed and several machines in the corner beside it. Roxas laid propped up against a few pillows, smiling at the now ecstatic Kairi jumping in his lap.
"Oh, Daddy! I was so scared! I thought you were dead!" Her voice had lost some of its tremor, but she was still crying a little bit. Roxas hugged her gently.
"I'm proud of you for keeping it together, sweetie. You're my brave little girl."
Kairi whipped her eyes and smiled, snuggling close to him. Roxas laughed lightly as some of her hair tickled his neck.
"There's someone else here for you too," Sora said carefully. It was then that the blonde saw Axel, his eyes going wide but not in alarm.
The redhead smiled and stepped closer to the bed. "Hey, Blondie."
The tension in the room was so brief, it had hardly even been there at all. Roxas smiled, his eyes shimmering with affection.
"Axel..."
In a few easy steps, he had reached him. In another second, they were holding each other like a big happy family. It didn't take long for Axel to reach over Kairi carefully and kiss those soft lips he hadn't tasted in forever. God, he'd missed them so much.
They pulled away just as the door flew open.
"Roxas! Oh thank God, you're alright! I was so worried!" The person came up beside Axel and his eyes bugged.
This kid looked exactly like Roxas. Well, his hair was a bit longer, and looking between the two of them, Axel noticed that the newcomer was slightly younger. And suddenly there were so many questions...
The second blonde caught his gaze and his eyes widened.
"I remember you! You're that creep!"
"Me?"
Roxas looked between them, confused. "Ven, what's going on? Axel, how the heck did you two meet?"
For a moment no one spoke. Axel gaped at this man, now a confirmed stranger, and felt like the biggest idiot on the planet. It all made sense now...sort of.
"I-I was out drinking a while ago, and this guy was getting all up in my face! I was shit-faced at the time...That's right! You called me Roxas, didn't you?"
Axel swallowed nervously. "Yeah...Sorry, you look just like him."
"Everyone always says that!" Ven groaned, throwing up his arms. "Jeez, I don't see it at all but literally everyone says it! Like we're freaking twins!"
Roxas blinked at the two of them, then turned to Axel.
"So that was what it was all about? You saw my cousin and thought it was me?"
"He's your cousin?"
"Yes," Roxas and Ven said at the same time. It would have been hilarious if the redhead hadn't been so mortified.
"Then he...you...I..." he tried but quickly gave up, slumping forward slightly with a sheepish look. "Jeez, I'm sorry, Rox. I jumped all over you over something you had nothing to do with." Axel sighed. "I feel like a huge jerk."
"You should!" Ven snapped irritably. "After the scene you caused, Terra was so pissed he left! I didn't even get his number! And the rest of the night everybody was avoiding me like the goddamn plague!"
Roxas did something unexpected. He laughed, openly and honestly, like it was the funniest thing he's ever heard. It started soft but soon his eyes were tearing up, he's was laughing so hard. With his free hand, he motioned Axel back over.
"I probably should be pissed, but that's hilarious!" He began slowly trying to compose himself. "I-It's alright, Axel. I get it. Anyone would think the worst in a situation like that."
"No, it's not alright," the redhead urged. "I didn't trust you. I should have known you wouldn't lie to me. You're well within rights to hate my guts..."
The younger man smiled up at him, pulling him down for a light hug. "But I'm not. I get it, Axel. It's hard to fight what you've seen with your own eyes. Just believe me when I say I would never go behind your back like that. Not ever."
Axel kissed him softly, knowing full well he didn't deserve a man this wonderful. "I got it memorized," he said, grinning. Roxas punched his arm.
"Corny asshole..."
Ven just gaped at them. Roxas chuckled and sat back, motioning from Axel to Ven and back. "Ven, this is Axel, my boyfriend. Axel, this is my cousin Ventus."
"Whatever..." the kid mumbled, clearly still pouting. Sora chuckled.
"You two really do look like twins though." Before the angry blonde could retort, Sora turned to Axel. "Our dad had a brother with equally crazy hair as these two. I think it runs in that side of the family."
"Hey, it's not crazy!" Ven growled. "It's stylish!"
Axel snorted. "Sure it is." He didn't even flinch when Roxas whacked his arm in retaliation.
Soon, the doctor came in and politely asked if Ventus could leave, because he was making the most noise and the rooms adjacent to this one had other patients sleeping. Grudgingly, the blonde left, and everyone else got down to business. Sora and Riku were going to start their search for a new house, and after some debate, it was settled that Roxas and Kairi would stay with Axel.
"Either way, Rox, you're troubling someone," Axel pointed out.
"Great, cuz that makes me feel so much better." The blonde was pouty, but didn't seem opposed to the idea itself. Kairi had fallen asleep again by the time the talk was over, and Sora and Riku carried her to the taxi so that they could get settled in the hotel. Axel stayed behind, waiting for Roxas to be ready to go. The blonde sat on the edge of the hospital bed, lacing up his old, ratty tennis shoes. They looked even worse after the fire.
"I thought I'd lost you." The blonde looked up slightly with a soft expression.
"For a while there, I think you almost did," he said, shuffling his feet a bit as he finished the second shoe. There was an intensity in those deep blue eyes that ignited a fire in Axel. It urged him to run forward, take the blonde into his arms, and never let him go again. As their eyes met, Axel began to find the fire very hard to ignore.
The clock on the wall chimed. 4 o'clock.
"I missed you..."
What little patience Axel had left snapped in that instant. Just as Roxas moved to stand, the force slammed into him, pinning him back down on the bed and kissing him desperately, like a starving man. Roxas submitted to it easily, and as he wrapped his arms around his neck and drew him closer, the redhead saw tears starting to flow from his eyes.
"Are you alright?" He ran his hand over a smooth cheek, searching for a sign that he should walk away.
"I-I'm fine. I l-love you, Axel..."
For several more minutes, tongues and teeth lashed together, sealing off any words. There was no point to them now. Comforted, held, Axel let his worries melt away, and tried his best to give Roxas the same. When the doctor came in to take them to fill out paperwork, they were ready, and left together, hand in hand.