With his tumultuous first shift at Hot Topic at its end, Roxas allows himself to breathe a momentary sigh of relief before Axel sets a hand on his shoulder and begins to steer him past American Eagle, talking all the way.

"The icing on the cake," Axel announces grandly, "is an essential celebration of any job well done by consuming an excessive amount of sugar."

"Let them eat cake," Roxas quotes thoughtlessly.

Axel chuckles. "Marie Antoinette gets me, man."

Roxas blinks up at Axel, who walks beside him with sure, confident steps, as if he doesn't realize the stylized red spikes in his hair coupled with his six feet of height, multiple piercings, facial tattoos and the newest addition of a tiny blonde sidekick attract the stares of just about every single passerby.

"Wait, Axel," Roxas rolls his eyes, patting the hand on his shoulder, "you don't actually have to buy me cake."

Axel trips up a step and Roxas pauses for him. "Thank God," Axel grins, fixing him with green eyes and squeezing his shoulder before continuing to propel them on their merry way, "because the food court a thousand percent doesn't have that."

Roxas' chuckle doesn't sound as sincere as he'd like. He wonders exactly how much thought Axel has dedicated to the same cake promise that he himself had immediately dismissed as a joke.

As they continue on their path to the food court, past the JC Penney that used to be a Von Maur that used to be a JC Penney, Roxas tries again, "I meant, like, you don't have to do anything for me. You already saved me earlier." He glances up to meet Axel's eyes again, pocketing his hands and shrugging. "If anything, I owe you."

"Hey," Axel objects, bumping his shoulder into Roxas' and smirking as Roxas feels himself pull a face. "You deserve it. You survived me and Lex and Demyx and Saïx, and…" he tilts his head, "well, Luxord's pretty chill, but the rest is pretty damn impressive."

Roxas laughs. "You've clearly never seen Luxord and Demyx gossip in showtunes, then."

Axel groans and tosses his hair back, "Oh, my sweet, naïve little Roxas, we have all heard Luxord and Demyx gossip in showtunes. One time, Dem got pissed at me and it was "Cell Block Tango" from Chicago for a week." Axel's voice goes sweet and low, "'You know some men just can't hold their arsenic.' I was afraid to sleep at night."

Roxas giggles harder, Axel's raising brows prompting him to get it together. Roxas shakes his head. "You guys are too fucking much."

Axel offers another small smile and ruffles Roxas' golden, permanent bedhead, "Welcome to the family, kid."

Usually, Roxas doesn't respond well to anyone mussing his hair or calling him "kid" but the crinkles that appear beside Axel's eyes and the grin that scrunches the violet teardrops tattooed beneath them demand a smile in return. "Thanks, Axel."

They continue walking in companionable silence, dodging the occasional stroller, cluster of teenagers, and old person. When Axel begins to steer Roxas away from the food court and toward an escalator, Roxas halts, brows rising.

"How's ice cream sound?" Axel poses.

Even with the AC on full blast, Roxas can feel the island heat seeping down his neck and crawling up his skinny jeans. He's been regretting his clothing choices for hours but he was not going to dress like a beach bum on his first day at Hot Topic, god damn it.

Anyway, Axel must be feeling the same, clothed in tight, faded black denim straight legs and a snug long-sleeved, shredded, slate grey tee.

"Agh," Roxas clutches a hand to his chest as if wounded, "I don't know how to say no to ice cream." He steps onto the escalator under the direction of the hand on his shoulder and straining his neck to look up at his companion, now just, even more insanely tall as they descend. They were going to switch spots next time they rode an escalator together if Roxas had any say in the matter.

Axel chuckles and drops his hands to the railing, spreading his arms behind him. "Noted." Axel leans back and relaxes, eyes shutting and muscles stretching like a cat in the sun. Roxas thinks he could get used to that view and then he attempts to unthink it.

"I'm the same," Axel continues. "Will do anything for ice cream."

"I didn't say I'd do 'anything' for ice cream," Roxas argues, trying to purr the word like Axel had.

"For hot redheads and ice cream, then," Axel amends, without shame, without even looking at Roxas to see the (quickly rectified) drop of his jaw.

"Only when they're buying."

Their eyes meet then and Axel offers a quick, unexpected smile at the jab.

"Touché, Pop Rox."