Yo. Been a minute. I don't want to put a giant AN here so hope you enjoy, I don't own Kingdom Hearts, and drink your water.

Roxas walked in to his first day at Twilight Town Academy with a resting bitch face that would make Regina George cry in fear.

His hair was perfectly spiked, ugly orange and white uniform in place and surprisingly flattering, and multiple rings were on his fingers. He had his schedule in his bag but that could wait. He was a man on a mission.

See, it was important to arrive early the first day to pick up your schedule and locker assignments. It was one of the few times every student from every grade had to be there. Roxas had long since noted where his locker was and glanced over his schedule. Now he was a man on a mission.

It was time to find Axel Sinclair.

As he walked through the throng students (all moving out of his way, his glare truly was a superpower), he saw slips of familiar faces but put that away for later. He was looking for a tall redhead, green eyes, and face tattoos. What kind of maniac high schooler gets face tattoos anyway?

There he was. Leaning against a tree talking to a few people. He recognized Naminé––weird to see her without the rest of her girl squad––but no one else. He couldn't help but think that of course the guy who broke his brother's heart has face tattoos and hangs out with kids rocking mullets. Roxas rolled his eyes.

Schooling his face into a more neutral expression, he approached Axel, and wished that his struggle bat wasn't stashed away at home.

Naminé noticed him first. "Roxas?" Her entire being embodied surprise. "Did you transfer here?" She stepped closer as if to hug him, but her arms never moved from her sketchbook. It was awkward.

"Yeah, thought I'd try the whole normal school thing. How are you?" He glanced between her and Axel, trying to line the pieces up. Nami was a sweetheart, Axel was a heartbreaker.

"Fine." She noticed his gaze and coughed slightly. "Uh, Axel, Demyx, this is Roxas. Ventus' younger brother, and a childhood friend."

Mullet's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't say anything. Roxas was looking straight at Axel. He extended a hand.

"Nice to finally meet you, Axel," he said, voice going saccharine.

Axel, to his merit, didn't break a sweat. Instead, he smirked. "Nice to put a face to the name. I heard you're great at singing in the shower."

Roxas scowled. "I'm damn good at struggling too."

"Is that a challenge?"

"It's a promise." His glare only intensified when Axel smirked.

"I look forward to it. Can I walk you to class?"

"No. Alleyway, afterschool. Bring a struggle bat." Roxas turned on his heel and walked away, feeling accomplished.

"He's feisty," Axel said, eyes following the blonde as he melted into the crowd.

"I don't think he likes you very much," Demyx said, frowning.

"Probably because Axel strung his brother along for the better part of a year and then broke his heart."

"Nami, I told him upfront, I'm–"

"A total jerk, I know," Naminé just huffed, pulling a bag of Cheetos out of her bag. "Still, you've done it to so many people, it's more like a game show than any sort of actual relationship."

Axel frowned. "Hey, it's not my fault if they fall head over heels for me and I can't return it. I don't owe them my love and affection."

"You could at least show some kindness. I have to go to the art room, I'll see you later," she said, walking into school.

Demyx hummed. "That Roxas guy really put her on edge huh?"

"Yeah." Axel of course, wouldn't mention how affected he was by the blonde's words. He checked his phone. "Let's get to homeroom. We're with Squall again."

Demyx snickered. "Another person who hates your guts."

"You put some office supplies in jello one time and he throws a fit. How was I supposed to know he had a jello allergy? I still don't think that's a thing."

The two make their way to homeroom joking and laughing, calling out to people they recognized and some they didn't. Axel was a senior this year, and totally on top of the world. Easy classes, easy hookups, and lots of parties. It was going to be great.

Then he walked into homeroom.

Fuck that, senior year was going to be awesome, because the fiesty little blonde was sitting right in his homeroom.

Sure, those pretty blue eyes shot him a glare that would re-freeze the North Pole, but he's always liked a challenge.

Roxas, on the other hand, was unsure about how he should feel. On one hand, it meant spending more time with Axel, which, ugh. On the other hand, plenty of opportunities to make the man fall to his knees in utter despair and misery. Oh the options he has there…

(Roxas would like to note: he is not a bully, just holds one hell of a grudge against assholes like Axel)

"Hiya Rox," Axel said, a cheery smile as he takes a seat next to the blonde.

Roxas ignored him. He didn't quite have a plan on how to approach Axel. Yet.

"Funny, you didn't strike me as the quiet type in the quad."

"I said what I needed to say, I'll see you after school."

Axel started to protest, tons of one-liners in his head, when Squall walked in and turned on the announcements. Damn, an opportunity missed.

Roxas hadn't seen Naminé in years, but some things never change. At lunch she was in the art room, working on a pencil sketch.

"Hi Roxas." She didn't look up.

"I didn't know you were friends with Axel."

"Are you mad at me for it?" She looked up, tilting her head to the side. That damn analytical look.

"Well I'm not happy." Roxas shrugged off his backpack and sat down across from her. "You know he screwed Ven over and you can still stand to be around him."

"I'm not always a fan of Axel's choices, but I wouldn't stop being kind to him because of a mistake." She went back to her drawing.

"A mistake–!"

"Stay still, I'm trying to angle your face correctly," she said, voice as soft and calm as ever. She held up her pencil to his face and closed an eye. "Yes, a mistake. He didn't make the right decision but I understand where he's coming from."

Roxas went still, holding back the urge to huff and puff and bitch and tell Naminé exactly how wrong she was. But old habits die hard, and it's like they're ten and in her living room again.

Naminé seemed satisfied with what she saw and continued. "Axel has plenty of time to grow up. If he wants to play his love life like a game and regret it later in life I can't do much to stop him."

Roxas frowned. "You're fine being friends with someone who acts like feelings are some kind of game?"

She shrugged. "He makes a point. They know who he is and what he's like. It's like going on a gameshow and getting upset with the game that you lost."

Roxas rolled that thought around in his head. "Like a gameshow, huh?"

Naminé just hummed, and the two ignored the chill of the art room.

Roxas tightened the grip on his struggle bat. The handle felt grounding, familiar. Most importantly, it was practically molded to his hand.

A small crowd had gathered, mostly the lot who spend their time hanging out in alleyways, like Seifer, but a few who went to the Academy were there too.

Roxas smirked. Unlike himself, who had warmed up and struggled for years before it got banned, Axel had no clue what to do. He was looking at the foam bat like as alien limb sprouting from his body.

Roxas took a couple swings, feeling his heartbeat rise and that familiar heat thrum under his skin. He was warming up with a smile on his face, lost in his movement.

"Rox?" It was Axel.

"My name is Roxas. What do you need?" He didn't stop the warm up. Swing, dodge, duck, swing, turn, swing.

"Wanted to wish you good luck," Axel said, easy smile as those wild eyes tracked his every move.

Roxas snorted. "You're going to need it more than I will."

Axel shrugged. "Maybe so." He held out his hand for a shake.

Roxas stopped. Took his hand.

"I'm gonna kick your ass." Blue eyes bright and mischievous––he loved this––staring right into bright green.

Axel blinked, a smile tugging at his lips. "You're cute."

Just like that, the smile turned into a scowl and Roxas smacked him with the bat. "Shut up. I'm not cute."

"Alright lamers, let's start the match already," Seifer said, stepping into the makeshift ring. He gestured for Axel and Roxas to join him.

They took their positions, Axel still wearing that stupid smile.

Seifer looked at both of them and nodded. "Alright, struggle!"

Roxas went right for the attack, a blonde, ferocious force hitting Axel with attack after attack. Axel, to his merit, was actually blocking them. They broke apart panting.

"You aren't bad."

"Aw, thanks Rox. You're making me feel warm on the inside."

Roxas growled and attacked again, the bat hitting Axel's side hard enough to make the redhead stumble.

In the crowd, people talked.

Kairi stepped up to Naminé. "Is this necessary?"

Naminé appeared to think for a moment. "I think it may be. It'll be good for Roxas to release his residual anger towards Axel."

She sighed. "Yeah, guess so. The cops are going to show up pretty soon though."

"How do you know?"

"Someone always freaks out and calls them. It's inevitable."

Naminé looked over her former friend. "Want a ride?"

Kairi looked surprised, but smiled. "Yeah, actually, that'd be great. Thanks."

Both girls turned when a shout was heard from the makeshift ring.

Roxas was growling, bat locked against Axel's as they tried to throw the other off. He stuck out a leg and tripped him, taking his chance to strike. Axel narrowly dodged the blow and pinned the blonde to the ground.

"Twilight Town Police! Stay where you are!"

Of course, no one was stupid enough to do that.

Roxas was being chased down by some beat cop, weaving through buildings. He didn't have to run far before he was pulled into an abandoned little area.

"What the–"

"Shh. You'll give us away."

It was Axel. With one one warm arm wrapped around his waist and his other hand seeping heat into his shoulder.

Roxas found it oddly calming for all of two seconds.

"Get off of me!"

Axel rolled his eyes but released him. "Why do you hate me so much?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

"Yeah, I am. I dated your brother and the breakup wasn't great but there's no reason for you to want to hunt me down like it's Axel season!"

"It wasn't just a bad breakup! You shattered him!" Roxas yelled, pushing him against the wall. "You played him, and he didn't fucking deserve it and that's why I hate you."

Axel blinked away his shock, instead smirking down at the blonde. "I told him what it was like upfront. I sincerely doubt I shattered Ven–"

"Don't say his name–"

"And you're right, it was an asshole move. But I'm a better person now. I just don't fall in love. It is what it is."

"You can take your fake bravado and shove it up your ass. Everyone loves something."

The redhead only raised an eyebrow, obviously amused.

"You know what? Why don't you and I go out? Why don't I hold your hand and listen to your problems, make you feel good, comfort you, make you fall for me, and then dump you like a piece of trash and see how you feel."

"It's not a surprise if you tell me upfront Rox," he chuckled.

"Well that's what you did for Ven right? Told him it was nothing? I'm giving you a warning label upfront too. You're going to learn you can't control what you feel."

Axel flipped them, pressing Roxas against the wall. Their breath mingled as their noses brushed. "Fine. Deal. I'll take your little challenge and show you logic trumps feelings every time."

Roxas glared. "Liar. I'm gonna make you love me."

Axel just grinned.

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