Chapter 36
A week passed. Then another week. Axel lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling the immense size of the room and how cold the covers were. His hermit crabs clinked against the glass wall of their terrarium and he wondered if Robert E. Lee was finished molting yet so he can rejoin the group. He doubted it, it had only been a few days and the little guy kept himself buried still. Axel himself had finished molting his boring old skin away in favor of shiny and colorful new skin. He was thankful the scabs were gone but that meant Roxas probably wouldn't rub lotion on his back anymore. Not that the blonde was anywhere near him to ask.
Two weeks of hardly satisfying sex. Half the time he and Roxas tried anything the blonde would get a text from his not-girlfriend and they would skitter away to pretend being straight together in the next room or two over. Rikku's fake squealing cries of pleasure were funny though, he had to admit. Funnier still was the fact that Larxene was totally oblivious to the ruse but it meant that Axel was left with his hand most nights and he was growing tired of it. Old Righty and he were great pals back in middle school and the early part of high school but he and Axel had grown apart in the last few years, straining their relationship and his resolve to their limits.
He felt like Sora; yearning for the barest touch, a cuddle here, a hug there, maybe a kiss if he was lucky. The brunette had his own little posse going with Demyx and Zexion following him around and so long as the boy didn't have control over his own bladder functions it would stay that way. The new threat of kicking Sora in the pee bag was pretty entertaining enough on most days whenever he got too whiny around the redhead and Axel would miss it when he was able bodied again. He'd have to thank Namine for the weeks of fun though.
Namine had been held at bay for those two weeks as well. Her court date was fast approaching and Roxas had convinced Sora to press charges against her. She was definitely going down, which was bittersweet for them for obvious reasons. The girl wouldn't be around to raise her child, and her mother would have to pick up the brunt of the work but didn't see too off put by the idea of being a mother again. Larxene was still upset with Roxas but all the blonde would have to do is pass by her again holding Rikku's hand and the woman would melt away leaving a shell of her previous bitchy self. It was sad to think she was so stupid. So gullible. Luxord was in on it, keeping tabs on his ex-wife and texting Roxas whenever it looked like she was heading near Axel, much like Rikku would. The man could take a joke, to say the least.
Eventually the rest of the staff would figure it out. Most of them were confused as to why Roxas was hanging around Rikku so much and why Axel stayed in his room most of the day when he wasn't at school. But, like good little employees, they didn't ask, they simply did as they were told and everything was fine. The redhead tried to immerse himself in working around the manor when he ran out of schoolwork or couldn't stand to do anymore. He saw Vexen twice in this time span and still had yet to miss a visit to the clinic. Reno and Paine visited fairly frequently as well. He was busy, but not busy enough. There were still the times, like now, that kept his mind reeling about what he was missing from his blonde counterpart.
He looked at the clock. Eleven thirty. Neither he nor Roxas had school on Fridays and normally, he would be up and trying to get the boy to do something with him. Instead, he was laying by himself in the dark, staring up at the ceiling he couldn't actually see very well. Another clink from his hermit crabs. He needed a different pet, one that didn't remind him of the second hand clicking away when he was lonely. Maybe some sort of rodent. Possibly a Gherkin 2.0. The redhead smiled at himself when he remembered Olette and how nice she was. They really needed to bring her over here for a visit, or go back to Greece.
He looked at the clock. Eleven thirty-two. This was going to be a long night if he didn't entertain himself somehow. He threw the covers away and let his legs drape over the edge of the bed for a moment before heading out into the hallway. The house was cold when the people were sleeping. Xigbar was usually the last to bed and the first to rise but normally everyone was settled for the night by ten. Roxas' parents would be dead to the world at this point and everyone else would've gone home with the exception of Demyx and Zexion who dragged Sora off to bed around that time as well. It was too cold for a smoke and the redhead didn't feel like getting dressed so he could do so. He liked his pajama bottoms and shirtlessness but he felt he should probably invest in a pair of slippers.
He padded silently down the marble hallway and down the marble stairs though the marble entryway and towards the back of the marble house. His intention was to head to the theater and watch some television but he noticed a pale stream of light coming from the study and his heart skipped a beat knowing who would be inside and working away at his desk. Lo and behold once he pushed the door open, he could see the desk lamp illuminating a familiar head of blonde hair that was laid peacefully against a spread of papers. Alabaster lay off to the side asleep as well and Axel smiled at the scene.
He tip toed his way to the blonde and almost giggled stupidly when he rounded the desk to see the boy's face pushed up against his hand and his mouth hanging open lazily in his slumber. His glasses were tipped precariously in his free hand and a pen lay discarded just inches away. He was dressed in his pajamas already and no doubt promised himself that just another hour of work wouldn't hurt. Which it hadn't but would cause his cheek to have a strange imprint in it when he awoke. Alabaster let out a snort in his sleep and his feet started to twitch as he dreamt of chasing after glowing hares and the excitement of the hunt. Axel's smile was still affixed to his face.
The redhead leaned over Roxas and kissed his hair causing an upset in the smaller boy's breathing but not waking him. He reached over and pulled the gold frames from his hand and set them aside before rubbing his back, nudging him gently. The boy heaved a breath before his eyes slid open slowly, blinking a few times, trying to process where he was. He groaned and pushed himself back in his seat, rubbing his eyes.
"Axel?" he grumbled groggily. The redhead's smile persisted. "What time is it?"
"Eleven thirty something."
"Oh, well this is a little different. I don't remember the last time I slept in here," the blonde said and picked the sleep from the corners of his eyes. He yawned. "I'm sorry, you should sleep. Don't worry about me."
"I'm not worried. I just couldn't sleep so I went for a walk and found you by accident. I'm glad I did though, I've missed you." Roxas blinked against his bleariness a bit and smiled.
"I've missed you too," he said quietly. Seeing the blonde again and knowing no one was awake to disturb them made the moment a just a little bit sweeter for Axel. He lowered himself to his knees and pushed himself into Roxas' lap, weaving his arms around the blonde's waist and nuzzling his stomach. He closed his eyes when the comforting feeling of velvety fingers combed through his hair and he sighed. "I like your phoenix. This is the first I've seen it without the scabs. Even if it is upside down."
"Thanks."
"You seem upset. Are you alright?" the blonde asked. Axel shrugged.
"I've just missed you. My bed is cold."
"Well I'm here now, you've found me. No one else is awake right?"
"Not that I know of, anyway."
"Good," the smaller boy tapped the redhead's arm and Axel let him go reluctantly. Roxas wheeled his chair over to the lamp on his desk and clicked it off, plunging them into darkness. If it weren't for the moonlight coming through the oversized bay window, Axel would've protested that he couldn't see. The blonde stood from his chair and made his way to said window and it took a minute to register but the redhead followed. The view into the backyard was illuminated in a cerulean and violet glow, lighting up the snow and the trees in such a way that made it look surreal and unearthly. The overcast sky blotched the ground with odd pieces of shadow that danced along the white as the clouds drifted by overhead. Roxas climbed onto the cushioned ledge and folded his legs under himself, facing to the side. He patted the seat in front of him and Axel sat, imitating his position. The blonde reached forward and put a hand to the redhead's cheek. He ran his thumb under the taller boy's eyes, petting the ink that was to be found there. Jade eyes closed, leaning against his touch.
"I know it was my idea but I wish we could stop now," Axel said in a whisper. He didn't know why he had the feeling he should be talking in hushed tones. He attributed it to the silence around them and the atmosphere. He pressed his hand against the blonde's on his face.
"I know. You were right in assuming that it would help lighten the load my mother puts on me though and for that I thank you for your cleverness. We can stop after Namine's trail the week after next; I need you to have patience," Roxas mimicked his whispering. Axel opened his eyes again and turned his face to kiss the smaller boy's palm.
"I'm trying," he said as the hand settled on his jaw. Roxas' thumb smoothed over the redhead's bottom lip and he parted them the tiniest bit, pulling the tip between them gently. The blonde smiled as his expression softened to one of fondness and longing. Axel gave him a wavering smile in return and pulled his arm gently. The blonde obediently crawled his way into the redhead's lap, wrapping his legs around the taller boy's waist and hugging his neck, tugging his scent around his small frame like a security blanket. Axel held him close and laid his cheek on the blonde's shoulder, feeling how warm he was and wishing he could drag him upstairs so they could warm the blankets together. They sighed in tandem. A mournful sound.
"I believe the saying is 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' yes?" Roxas whispered. "I hope I got that right because that's what I'm working with here and I don't want to feel this much heartache without the proper euphemism." Axel let out an amused huff of air through his nose and smiled wryly.
"You're feeling that too, huh?" he asked. Roxas nodded.
"What do you suppose that means when we both feel it?"
"You said it yourself that it's a fondness," he said. The blonde nodded again and Axel sighed again, hugging him tighter. I really wish you weren't so emotionally dense sometimes, he thought to himself. Axel knew what it all meant but wanted the blonde to figure it out for himself instead of the redhead having to blurt it out for him and Roxas just accept it at face value. He pulled back from their embrace and pushed his forehead against the other's. The only thing he could see was a sea of glittering sapphires outlined in copper eyelashes. He was okay with that.
"I really like your eyes, did you know that?" Roxas asked. Axel smiled.
"Thanks, I grew them myself."
"Oh yeah? What kind of fertilizer did you use? I should get some; maybe it'd help be grow a few inches taller."
"I doubt that. But they're all natural, so sorry, no gardening tips for you."
"Oh. Well what do you have for me?"
"How about a pinch on the cheek?"
"I think I'll pass. Mine still hurt from when my grandmother was alive," the blonde said and furrowed his brows at the memories. Axel laughed. He slid his hands down and gave him a pinch on his rump.
"Your grandma was some kind of freaky if she did that to you. Gross," the redhead stuck out the tip of his tongue in teasing disgust. Roxas rolled his eyes and imitated his motion. Axel quirked a brow and stuck his out a little further and the blonde followed him, peeking the barbell out. The taller boy grinned. "It was cute until you showed that thing, now it's just sexy." Roxas shrugged and put it away. Axel pouted. "No fair."
"Get your own and you can look at it all you like."
"But I like yours," the redhead whined. He heaved a pathetic sob and rested his forehead on Roxas' shoulder again. The blonde laughed. "You still haven't given us a proper introduction, by the way," he said slyly and poked the smaller boy in the stomach. The blonde's laughing slowly dwindled and he blushed.
"Yeah I know. I've been holding out on you, I'm sorry."
"That's alright. I'm satisfied enough just like this," the taller boy squeezed him close again. Roxas pressed his ear against Axel's neck and could hear his pulse thrum and jerk against his skin. He closed his eyes and would have easily fallen sleep again had the redhead not gently nudged him out of his fuzziness by rubbing his back. "You should get to sleep, come on," he urged. The blonde didn't protest as Axel's hands slid underneath his butt and he pulled himself off the bench by his legs. The redhead stood easily and took a moment to balance the added weight before trudging off towards the door. As they neared the blonde's bedroom and Roxas knew he would have to say goodnight and be left alone, the feeling in his chest grew tighter and tighter until it was unbearable. Axel stooped over his bed and let his hands fall away so the smaller boy could lower himself to the mattress. Roxas clung to him.
"No," he protested with a displeased grunt. His left calf muscle wasn't exactly happy with the strain but he held tight, refusing to let go of the redhead. Axel tried to gently pry the blonde's limbs from him but he didn't get very far. He sighed and stood again.
"You need to sleep, don't make this any harder than it is," the redhead chastised and tried to pull him off again.
"No," the blonde said again. Axel sighed.
"Please Roxas, just let go."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"No. My Axel," he huffed, the redhead smiled. He turned and sat on the bed and held the blonde's face in his hands. Roxas's cheeks were pink and his eyes were watery and heartrendingly sad.
"You're breaking my heart here. You can't give me that look," he ran his fingers through the boy's downy hair and gave him a faltering smile. "It's not permanent and we're almost done. You said it was helping you even though it sucks," the blonde looked away and took a deep breath, thinking his words over carefully. He nodded gravely.
"I know. It is, I'm sorry," he gave the redhead one last chaste hug before pushing away and sitting on the bed. Axel reluctantly stood again and leaned over to give the boy a kiss on the forehead. He made his way towards the door but was stopped when he was about to leave. "Hey Axel?" He turned, doorknob in hand.
"Hmm?"
"What's love like?" Roxas asked with a confused tone. Axel blinked in surprise and swallowed thickly, looking at the carpet.
"You'll know it when you feel it," he said quietly. The blonde looked at his hands thoughtfully. The redhead waited to make sure there was nothing else the boy needed and stepped out into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him silently. He rubbed his face with his hands and suddenly felt extremely tired. His shoulders weighed fifteen tons as he wandered down the hall and into his bedroom. He fell face first into the comforter and heaved another sigh.
***
"Why is he here still?" Larxene demanded. Rikku turned another page of her book calmly while she sat across from Roxas' desk. The blonde himself was paying attention to his computer screen. He glanced at his mother and adjusted his glasses.
"Because he pulls his weight. Just because I'm not with him anymore doesn't mean I'll just toss him out to be homeless. So long as he's useful, he can stay."
"You'll let a disgusting fag stay here but you won't let your own sister stay? This is ridiculous," the woman huffed. Roxas shrugged.
"Namine needs to reap what she's sewn. She had a choice and she chose wrong. I've already explained this," he said in slight monotone. He turned back to his work effectively snuffing his mother from speaking to him any further. Larxene turned to Rikku.
"Rikku dear, surely you're bothered by this?" she pleaded. The girl shrugged.
"It's Roxas' choice," she said. Larxene sighed and slumped to the door. When it clicked shut behind her Roxas rubbed his eyes and sighed.
"At least she didn't start screaming," he said. Rikku nodded.
"I have a present for you," she twittered and grinned. Roxas' lifted a brow and watched her heft her book bag onto her lap and pull out several hardcover books. She pushed them onto his desk. They were year books from her years in elementary school up until early middle school. "You don't look very thrilled, and here I thought you wanted to know more about Axel," she said.
"Oh, I didn't even register that he would be in them, I'm sorry. I sometimes forget he had a childhood," he laughed. "Thank you." She smiled. He took the stack and put it on the floor under his desk just in case anyone came in and took up the one with the earliest date and opened it. Inside the front cover there were crude crayon drawings Rikku had obviously thought needed to be there when she was around six. He smiled and flipped through the first few pages, skipping over the table of contents and a few pages of the building they went to school in. He stopped when he reached the first page splattered with a large collage of the various things the children would do at Hollow Bastion Elementary. Even though the pages were in grayscale, everyone showed up clearly enough. In the middle of his game of 'Where's Axel?' the door to the study opened and a familiar tuft of red hair peeked through. Axel stepped in with a tray, carrying their lunch. He had his hair pulled back and it was obvious to the blonde that he had been working in the kitchen.
"Hey guys," he said as he approached. Rikku grinned at him.
"Nice apron," she giggled. Axel rolled his eyes.
"I blame Demyx for that one," he said and handed her a plate. He was about to hand Roxas his own dish when he saw the book. "Oh god is that what I think it is?" he asked. Rikku giggled again with a forkful of salad halfway to her mouth. When he turned to glare at her she quickly shoveled the foliage in so she didn't have to speak.
"I have an entire stack to look at," Roxas said smugly and took his plate. Axel sighed, defeated. He cleared the distance between them and gave the smaller boy a quick kiss in his hair.
"Have fun, I can't stick around," he said and headed for the door. Once he disappeared behind the wood, Rikku shifted her eyes to her not-boyfriend. He looked a little adrift in his own thoughts but he quickly recovered, blinking away the gloss in his eyes and taking up his fork to pick at his lunch. The blonde girl really hoped this whole charade was worth it to him, otherwise he would be even worse off once it was finished if he didn't have some sort of payoff to think back on. The boy settled back into his seat and flipped another page.
"Poor Axel," he said with a small smile, "his first school picture and he's missing some teeth." Rikku giggled. The redhead had an enormous crooked grin plastered across his face in his picture, with his two front teeth missing. His hair stuck up in twenty different directions and his eyes were too stark for his face, giving the illusion that he was actually a thirty year old trapped in a six year old body. Once the pages of class pictures were finished there was another collage labeled 'Open House.' Axel was in there this time, standing next to his mother and a man Roxas assumed was his father. His heart sunk at the sight of him. Roxas had never so much as seen a picture of him before and the blonde was quick to realize that he never really needed to. All he had to do was look at the current Axel and age him forward by about twenty-five years. The biggest difference between them though was the hair color. Even in grayscale it was obvious his hair was black or very close to it, Axel's shade matched his mother's. The resemblance was uncanny otherwise.
Through the next two books, it was more of the same. Occasionally Roxas would catch a picture of Axel laughing or playing with whatever children were around, sometimes it was obviously Rikku and sometimes it wasn't. He sang in the class choir, he played tee-ball and basketball. His hair gradually grew longer and longer and his eyes slowly started to fit his face. The youthful glow and happiness he extruded was refreshing and extremely cute. It made Roxas smile with a bittersweet feeling. He was happy that Axel had a nice school experience but he did it without the blonde being there. Two completely different worlds living in near tandem, a few miles apart, it was eerie. He set aside the current book and picked up the next expecting more of the same. Smiles, laughing, sparkling grayscale eyes that Roxas knew were really green. It was drastically different.
In the third grade, Axel changed. It took Roxas a moment to realize that this was around the time that Axel's father died. His expressions were hollow, heavy, and his eyes were empty. The blonde couldn't find pictures of him aside from the professional school portrait and even then the redhead gave the bare minimum. A forced smile, one without life in his eyes and teeth showing like they had been in the previous years. There were no more pictures of Axel playing at recess, no more pictures of Axel playing tee-ball or basketball, and no more pictures of him with his parents. Everything simply stopped. The next three books were the same. Only school portraits of a slowly aging redhead with dead eyes and taught skin, nothing else. When he reached the bottom of the stack, Roxas hadn't learned much that he didn't already know. The few tidbits of the brief happiness Axel had when he was younger didn't sate his curiosity. Rikku watched him carefully.
"Do you have the later ones?" he asked her earnestly. She shook her head.
"Not with me, no. I'm not sure you want to see them though," she said. Roxas handed the books back to her and she put them away. "I can bring them next time if you're really anxious but I think I should bring some extra albums to explain the back story, there isn't much in the year books. In high school he joined a couple clubs and there's some little stuff in there but not much that couldn't be seen with outside pictures. They're pretty rough though."
"He said he was near skeletal shortly before rehab, I assume that's true?"
"It is. If I were to bring the ones from high school, they'd be in color and you can really see how sickly he was and just how fucked up he looked. The albums I have only reinforce that. Did you really want to see?"
"I have a morbid curiosity, yes. I'm not sure what it would help or change anything if I saw them though, so I'll get back to you on that," he said and his mood dropped some. He picked at his lunch for a few more minutes before deciding he wasn't hungry anymore and pushing it aside. He turned to his computer screen and sighed before getting back to work.
***
"I'm scared in here, Roxxy. It's not even a real prison, either," Namine said. Her stomach stretched her gray jumpsuit considerably as she sat across the table from her brother who looked blank and tense. Her court date was still a week away and she had been in holding since she attacked Sora three weeks ago. She was officially almost six months along in her pregnancy.
"And? What are you wanting me to do about it?" he growled at her, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I don't suppose you'd believe me if I said I learned my lesson?"
"No."
"Well I have. Please drop the charges, I'll be a good girl, just let me come home."
"Is this why you begged me here? To ask me the same bullshit that you've been asking for the last five days? I've made my decision, it's final. I'm done," he said pushing his chair back and standing. She reached forward with both hands and grabbed his sleeve, her handcuffs jingled. The guard at the door made to pull her away but the blonde waved him off.
"Please Roxxy!" she pleaded, her eyes watering. "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to Sora! Please!"
"No."
"If Sora says it's okay, will you reconsider?"
"No."
"Why? It's his charges that would put me away," she asked, tears trickled down her cheeks and she made no move to wipe them away. She tugged on her brother's sleeve; he gave her a sideways glare.
"Why? Because it's my home and my responsibility to keep the people in it safe, that's why. You're the problem and I'm rectifying it. You can forget whatever kindness you think I have left for you, because there isn't any more Namine. Accept it and move on otherwise you'll destroy yourself. I hope for your sake you'll find something to help you find peace but it won't be me. I'm finished," he yanked the fabric from her clutching fingers and headed for the door. The last sound he heard from her was her hysteric sobs and the clinking of her handcuffs against the metal table.
***
"Has Xemnas made any moves yet?" Roxas asked. He stood at his bedroom window with his hands folded behind his back. Xigbar was looking through a small stack of papers with a grimace.
"Nothing that we can see," he said calmly.
"Damn," the blonde muttered. "Why is it so easy for him to not give a damn about his own children?"
"We don't know that he doesn't care, Rox. He just hasn't made a move yet is all. I'm sure we can figure out where he sends his child support from and get his attention that way if you really want to push it but I wouldn't recommend stirring the pot when it doesn't need to be," the older man warned. "He'll come to us eventually, I guarantee it."
"I don't want to wait. I need this to be over with. So many questions have been left unanswered and I want him, and Riku for that matter, to tell me everything."
"Well you need to be patient."
"I have been patient!" Roxas yelled. He immediately regretted it and took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry." Xigbar shrugged and went him, setting the papers aside and pulling the blonde into a firm fatherly hug. He sighed.
"Sometimes things don't always go the way you expect them or want them to, Roxas. You of all people should know that; it's part of growing up." Xigbar pulled back from the boy and patted him on the shoulder. "You're doing a great job holding it together so far; don't ruin it in the final stretch." Roxas took a deep breath and nodded.
"Have you heard anything from Cloud?"
"They're making progress," he said, taking up his papers again. "Xemnas has signed a contract with them and is letting them upgrade the security and surveillance in several of his important buildings. They also bought out some of the smaller ones just as you had asked."
"Good. Hopefully we can move forward a little. If we find anything incriminating the hard part will be making it seem legit so it's admissible in court, but we'll figure that out later," he said, thinking out loud. He waved a hand dismissively. "The best thing would to find the videos, but those are no doubt in his residence and we don't even know where that is."
"Right."
"Anything else?"
"Not on my docket," Xigbar said and turned to excuse himself.
"Xigbar?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"No problem."
***
Axel was starting to think his Composition professor was out to get him. He would catch golden eyes fixed on him every now and again like a tiger watching him through the bars of his cage. From what the redhead could gather, Saïx was a quiet man. He kept to himself and most class days were used to work on their papers that were due every week. He would answer questions simply and efficiently, giving very little room for confusion and future pestering. He reminded the redhead of Zexion in some ways but was more intimidating rather than silently docile.
Molly had asked to be Axel's partner for their critical thinking research paper assignment. She sat across from the redhead with a dreamy look in her eyes, watching him look through his library book and trying to ignore her googly eyes. She was nice, shy, and cute but seriously annoying in anything more than short doses because of her habit of staring. They sat in silence unlike the rest of the class in the research hall, which was full of quiet murmuring. Out the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of blonde and tried to figure out if it was Rikku or Roxas ducked behind the shelf. He couldn't tell.
"Hey Molly can I borrow your cell phone for a minute?" he asked. She nodded and readily handed the device over, with a shy smile. Her little pink phone was much less complicated than his Blackberry and he easily typed out a text message to the pair of blondes asking where they were. A few moments later get got his answer and he sent a reply before handing the phone back. "Thanks." Shortly after, Roxas rounded the shelving unit and smiled at him. He grinned back. Molly looked at him and then to Roxas. The blonde sat in the chair next to him.
"Hello there," the he said and waved at the mousy girl. She waved back.
"Hi…" she said quietly, her eyes glossing over and her cheeks blushing in the same way they did whenever she looked at Axel for too long. The redhead grinned.
"This is Molly; she's my partner for our paper. Molly, this is Roxas."
"Hi…" she repeated and it was obvious she was slowly drifting away from reality. Roxas quirked a brow.
"Is she okay?" he asked. Axel nodded.
"Yeah she does that; she'll wake up in a minute."
"Not the most efficient way of getting things done, I must say. Where's your professor?" he asked looking around. Axel shrugged.
"He's somewhere. Getting coffee maybe. Molly," he said and snapped his fingers in her face. She blinked and looked at him, her cheeks still rosy. "Where's Saïx?" Roxas raised a brow.
"Wait, who?"
"Saïx," Molly said. "He never gave us a last name to call him by. I dunno where he went, Axel. He should be back before the class period is over though," she offered.
"He usually is," the redhead said and reclined in his seat, folding his hands behind his head and letting his shirt slide up, watching as Molly's face drained of color before igniting into a bright crimson again. He fought the urge to laugh. Roxas didn't seem fazed and had his brows furrowed together in thought.
"This may seem odd, but can I ask what this Saïx looks like?" the blonde asked. It was Axel's turn to look confused. Molly's attention snapped to the blonde and she dug out her cell phone again, clicking a few buttons and holding it out to Roxas, showing him a picture of the professor.
"Why did you take his picture?" Axel asked with raised brows.
"No reason," she said quickly. Roxas made a surprised grunt and quickly closed the phone, his eyes darting around suspiciously. Axel touched his arm.
"Are you okay?" he asked. The blonde swallowed thickly and stood.
"Yes, I'm fine," he blurted. "I need to go, I'll see you at home Axel. Be safe," he said and gave the redhead a sudden kiss on the cheek before hurrying off. Molly's jaw dropped and she watched the blonde disappear around the corner again. Axel was thoroughly confused. He rubbed his cheek and looked to Molly whose face looked like someone had just stolen her bike. She looked to Axel suddenly.
"Is he…? Are you…?" she stuttered. Axel shrugged.
"Sorry."
***
Sora tapped his pencil against his desk. He pursed his lips and stared at the words that were flowing in front of him on his test. He hated reading comprehension. It wasn't like he couldn't read and had no comprehension; he just disliked the activity of combining the two. Worse still he hated having no choice in the matter. Taking a test where they force you to read things you don't give two shits about and then having you answer questions about it does not a fun afternoon make. Zexion sat patiently in the corner of the testing hall reading and the brunette was suddenly wishing he had had Demyx take him. At least the sandy blonde would wait around and make faces at him whenever Sora would look his way, Zexion tended to be too serious.
He sighed and filled in another bubble. He assumed he was only about halfway done with the packet of work and still had plenty of time to finish so he didn't feel rushed, just bored. He wondered if he would lose points if he was to draw inappropriate pictures of giant phalluses in the margins. Maybe make a flip book out of the corners of someone getting an enormous erection. That'd show those stuck up schoolmarms for making such a boring test. After he was finished, he had to go back to the doctors for a checkup. Hopefully, his urethra was healed enough to where they could remove the catheter and he could stand up to pee again instead of it just happening on its own. The anticipation did nothing to help time move along faster. He filled in another bubble and turned the page. He squinted at the paper and flipped another page, squinting at it again.
Oh. He was finished.
A/N : Sorry for the leaps, folks. This was meant as a time transitioning chapter so it's a little fast and jumpy. A little over three weeks was supposed to progress and I hope it wasn't too boring.