chapter eight!

Summary: When a disgruntled Sora lets his parents sign him up for a summer climbing camp, he's less than enthusiastic. But with some interesting new friends, crazy counselors, and a handsome, infuriating boy to deal with, this week might be more interesting than he thought...SoraxRiku, AxelxRoxas, AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. But that's ok. My wicked imagination will provide everything the real producers left out. –cough cough KISS cough cough--

Author's Note: 150! –SQUEE!—

I have to apologize for a couple things in advance for this one.

1) it might be lacking in its usual quality because I. Am. So. Freaking. Tired. sixteen screaming children can really drain you…sucking out all my fanfic energy! –shakes fist at my campers-

2) the fluff has died down a little. we had a mini-peak last time, and now we are going to steadily build…so please don't get impatient! IT COMES!

3) If you didn't already guess; I am a total rock climbing geek. I live it. I BREATHE it. So a lot of that is going to come through in this chapter. If you don't like rock climbing…well, that is just too bad.

ON THAT NOTE:

I realize not all of you climb, so here's a basic breakdown of terms:

Harness: Thing you wear around your waist to prevent you from falling to your doom.

Carabiner: clips into your harness and attaches you to the climbing rope, prevents you from falling to your doom.

Belayer: Person on the ground who controls the climbing rope, making sure the climber does not fall to their doom.

5.8 (etc.) rating: Rock walls are rated in difficulty from 5.1 to 5.14 or 5.15, depending on who you talk to. There is a really complex way of determining the rating, but for now all you need to know is 5.1 to around 5.5 is "this is so easy my eight year old cousin could do it", 5.6 to 5.9 is "wow I didn't realize this was going to be so difficult" and 5.10 to 5.15 is "let's make sure you have a last will and testament before we try this, shall we?"

In other geek news, I have recently watched FFVII: Advent Children. And OH MY GOD, is it pretty. Reno and Rude are love. My very favorite part ever? That little kid running at this huge-ass monster screaming, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

I laughed until I cried.

Reviewers: (I'm only gonna do a few as I only have like…half hour to make this ready BUT I LOVE YOU ALL.

The Queen of Hearts: Don't explode yet! FLUFF IS ON IT'S WAY. It just got stuck in traffic and took a wrong turn and got a flat tire…

AbnormallyWeirdPerson: Haha, if the characters were ready when the readers were, my story would go: Chapter One: Riku and Sora make out senselessly.

ChaosDreamer: OMG, I would love you FOREVER if you made me fanart. No joke.

Arika-of-the-Demons: Alysa is always, always, always plotting. She's just a plotter extraordinaire. As we will see.

Sekre: Riku is totally PMS'ing. I didn't even think of it that way, but that is SO PERFECT.

Llew Llaw Gyffes: Aww –blush- thank you and I will keep that in mind. Don't think I'll be going into closets anytime soon, anyways..

Yuki Kimagure: Aww, thank you. I was actually just worrying that I was making them to OOC, but you have reassured me. Thanks! (p.s- Tasmanian devil? Totally.)

Orangedcgirl: After reading that review, you are like my new favorite person. Ever. Yes.

LETS GO!

The birds woke Sora the next morning, snapping him out of an awful dream where silver-haired leprechauns had trapped him in a dungeon and then skipped away with pretty Irish girls, leaving him there to rot away in a rusty cell with mildew on the walls.

He lay in his tent for a moment, feeling relaxed and peaceful as he watched the summer sun cast his olive tent in a warm golden glow. Roxas was still sleeping next to him, his lazy breath audible in the woodsy silence, in and out and in again, a predictable pattern, and Sora was warm and comfortable and sleepy. Everything felt…right.

Until, of course, Alysa's voice called out (and far more loudly than necessary), "RIKU! AXEL! GET UP! GET UP NOWWWWWW!"

Riku. Axel. Last night. The lake.

Reality came crashing down around Sora's ears, and very suddenly all he wanted to do was bury his head inside his sleeping bag, fall asleep, and never, ever come out, leprechaun dreams be damned.

But Alysa wasn't going to have that.

"ROOOOOOXXXXASSSSS! SORRRAAAAAA!" she screaming, reminding Sora swiftly of that yodeling concert he saw once…or was it that Ricola commercial?

Roxas's eyes popped open with stunning swiftness, and he sat up so fast his tousled head slammed into the top of the tent, making it wobble on its foundations.

"Couldn't someone just….you know….shake me, next time?" he murmured, running a hand through his hair, but he froze at the sound of a new voice.

"Alysa! Riku's sleeping on my toothbrush. And he won't move."

"And exactly how old are you, Axel?"

An indecipherable murmur.

"That's far old enough to solve your own dentistry problems. Go poke him, or blast Britney Spears, or something. Always worked on my brother."

"Fine," came Axel's voice, and he stomped off, presumably to wake Riku up in devious ways.

Roxas's eyes, still bloodshot and sleepy, had narrowed at the sound of the other teen's voice, and presumably having the same thoughts as Sora, was just reaching for his pillow when…..

"What part of GET UP NOW are you having trouble with?"

"The part where it's six in the morning," Roxas murmured, cluthching his pillow to his face so hard it appareared he was eating it.

Alysa smiled. "Oh, so you are awake! Right then, I've done my job. Whether or not there's any breakfast left after the other ravenous wolves get to it…now, that one is all you."


Sora and Roxas were out of their tent in less than two minutes. Pulling on a shirt and running a careless hand through his hair, Sora buzzed by Alysa, intent on the smell of cooking bacon coming from behind her. As he passed his counselor, he could swear he heard her murmur, "Boys. Too predictable."

But he chose to ignore that.

He was just munching his way through his third round of bacon when the zipper on the other tent shot open, and Riku tumbled out, looking very annoyed and holding his hands over his ears as if in pain.

He looked up, and his eyes met Sora's. They flashed in the morning light, and then Riku looked away. Hurriedly, Sora did the same, a fresh scowl assuming its position over his features. If Riku wanted to play that game, so could he. From now on, he would have nothing to do with the silver-haired boy. No use in dealing with someone who blew so hot and cold Sora was wondering if the other boy was secretly a bipolar six year old.

At least, that was the plan.

Alysa, pulling her hair into a ponytail with a snap, was watching Sora's facial expressions go from hopeful to hurt to angry like an off-tempered traffic light, and she prided herself on her observation skills.

It also didn't hurt that she was a very light sleeper. And had excellent hearing.

All very useful qualities for a camp counselor.

At least, for her particular brand of camp counselor.

She smiled slowly and moved to sit down next to Doug, pretending to be interested as he scrawled busily on a legal notepad he had brought especially for this occasion.

"Alright, kids!" Doug called out cheerily. "I've been up for a while now trying to figure out the itinerary for this trip, and especially the pairing system we're going to use. As I'm sure you know, we'll be splitting into pairs of two for the duration of our climbing days, and I have carefully worked out strategic groups based on your questionnaires from the beginning of camp," he brandished a stack of maroon papers, on which Sora could vaguely remember stating that his favorite animal was a cockatoo, "what I have observed of your interactions between your peers, the group dynamics, your food preference, your Myers-Briggs personality type…."

He took a deep breath, rattling the mountain of paper before him in an authoritative way.

"Anyway, the first pairing- I thought we'd name you after colors, isn't that a great idea- is going to be the Fuchsia group, in which we have Sora and Ro—"

"Riku," Alysa finished swiftly, twirling a spare strand of hair around her finger. "Sora and Riku."

"Umm, Alysa, the group is actually…"

"But Doug, remember how we discussed the groups before this? And we decided that they would be Sora and Riku, Roxas and Axel, and Hayner and Kairi?"

"Refresh my memory," Doug growled, clutching his papers possessively.

Alysa smiled sweetly at the campers, four of whom were treating her with the iciest glares she had ever received. "Give us a counselor moment, dears."

She grabbed Doug by the collar and pulled him out of earshot, the legal pad shedding forms in their wake. Once she was sure no observant ears could pick up on their conversation, she whirled on him, using her five feet and six inches to their full advantage.

"Look, I know you've been working for hours on this personality-matchy thingy, and I appreciate that, really and truly, but just go with me on this one. Just once. Please."

"Alysa," Doug hissed, trying to look furious but summoning up more of a worried, puppy dog expression, "You put Riku and Sora together. AND Roxas and Axel. Do you want a casualty on this trip? Namely, a homicide?"

She couldn't help but snicker. "If I wanted that, I would have paired up Riku and Roxas."

"I don't get it. Why do you want them together?"

She sighed dramatically and draped a tanned arm over her co-counselor's shoulder. "Doug, Doug, Doug. Aren't you the one who is forever telling me that it is our job- nay, our duty- to bring our campers together into one, cohesive family? I'm just trying to spread unity where there is discord, extend the bounds of friendship with open arms…."

"Ok. Ok," Doug said, shrugged out of her clutches. "Stop it. You've never done anything but make fun of my methods. Why am I supposed to trust you now?"

"Doug." Alysa said, a hand over her heart. "Can't you just believe in me? Just this once?"

He stared into her honest face and broke. "I guess…I mean, of course. It's probably a good idea, anyway…just think," he said, a dreamy expression settling over his features, "leaving as enemies and returning as friends….it's every counselor's dream! Ok, kids, Alysa's groups stick!" he shouted jubilantly, running over to his despondent campers as if expecting high fives and cheers.

Alysa watched his retreating back and smiled, a different smile; shark-like and wicked. Her eyes traveled her campers, who had scooted to opposite sides of the campsite as if afraid the others might be rabid.

"Oh, silly Doug. Open your eyes."

She had barely taken two steps when something blond and vicious attached itself to her abdomen. Looking up, it met her translucent blue eyes with an anguished glare.

"Roxas. Remember the rules. No assaulting counselors. Do you need a time out, young man?"

"Alysa," he hissed under his breath and running a sweating palm through his already spiky hair, "you've got to change my group. Please. I am begging you."

"But Roxas, I would have thought you would enjoy being in the Marigolds…"

"It's not the name of the group," Roxas screeched under his breath, then looked about wildly, "and you know that full well. It's the…well, it's…."

"Axel?"

"Yes! You've got to switch me."

She shook her head sadly, feigning reluctance. "I'm sorry, Roxas, but it would simply break Doug's noble little heart. He spent so long on these groups…all that paperwork…"

Roxas' eyes narrowed at her, understanding sweeping across his features. "But you switched his groups."

"Nonsense! I simply had to refresh Doug's memory. He gets a little forgetful sometimes…remind me to tell you the story about the picnic basket, car keys, and kettle of green tea…"

"Look," Roxas said hurriedly under his breath, "I'm sure I could work out a deal with my parents…a generous tip, for a simple switch..."

Alysa had the audacity to look offended. "Roxas! I hope you're not implying what I think you're implying. Otherwise you would be in flagrant violation of camp ordinance number…" she thought fast, "Six hundred and seven."

"Alysa. Please."

She looked at him, pity crossing her features in one swift burst before disappearing behind the mask of her emotions. "Not unless you give me a legitimate reason."

"I….I…."

What could he say? I was almost molested by him last night? He won't leave me alone? I can't be around him long before getting that woozy feeling…like I'm drunk, or going to be very soon…

He glared at her, beaten. "You aren't very nice, you know."

"Get back to me on that one," Alysa said with a cheery wink, sweeping past her slumped camper.

She made it another three steps before she bumped straight into Riku, who glared down at her from his considerable height. He opened his mouth and said simply, "You're going to kill me, you know."

She smiled; sincerely, for once. "Depends on your definition of dead."

And linking her arms behind her back, she dodged smartly around him and shot into her tent. From within its safe confines, she couldn't help but laugh.

This is going to be fun.


Fifteen minutes later the group was all packed up and back within the vast gray confines of Velma the Van. The seating order was basically the same, except for the new foot or so of space between the middle and the back seats, seeing as Sora and Roxas had pushed themselves as far as humanly possible away from Riku and Axel, as if afraid the other boys might reach out and bite them if given half a chance.

"Welcome back, ducklings!" Alysa said merrily, sidling behind the wheel and starting down the road. "I hope you're as excited about today as I am!"

Mutters from the back, most of them containing bad words.

"I think Roxas just called you a bit— "

"Shut UP, AXEL!"

"The beginnings of a beautiful partnership," Alysa said happily from the front. "So, you guys are the Marigolds? What a sunny, happy…."

"I categorically refuse to be named after a flower that makes me sneeze."

"We could be the Sunflowers! Or the Poppies!"

Roxas turned to glare at Axel. "Gee, I didn't realize you were such a botany expert."

Axel shrugged sheepishly. "They make pretty colors when they burn."

Roxas stared at him hopelessly for a few seconds, then wailed, "ALYSSAA!"

"Legitimate reason!"

Roxas shut up.

"Doug…can we change our name?" Sora piped up hesitantly from the backseat.

"What's wrong with Fushia?" the counselor asked.

"Well…isn't that…you know…pink?"

"It's more like a light purple," Doug said delicately.

"Only real men wear light purple," Alysa asserted, staring at them in the rear-view mirror. "Right, Riku?"

Death Glare.

"I can see we're going to have a lovely time today."

They pulled into the parking lot after another half hour of crisp silence. They all bounded out of the car eagerly, looking forward to freedom and towering walls of stone. Sora was the first out, and he looked up toward the treetops, expecting to see majestic, sunlit cliffs…

And instead was faced with woods. Lots and lots of woods.

"Where the rocks?" he asked, confused. "Are we climbing trees? Why didn't anyone tell me we were climbing trees?"

"Woah. Take a chill pill. The cliffs are that-a-way." Alysa said, pointing off into the distance. Way off in the distance, a flock of birds took flight from the hillside, and if he squinted, he could make out faint gray blobs that he assumed were rocks. Hopefully. He rubbed his eyes.

"Well, we'd best get started. We've got a fair amount of walking to do," Doug said cheerily, taking a deep breath. "Ah, the fresh mountain air!"

All six of his campers simply stared at him.

He cleared his throat. "Eh…follow me."


Fifteen minutes later, the trail began to wind uphill, and Sora was running through the list of reasons why he should have barricaded himself in his room like he had planned, instead of coming on this trip.

One: My legs hurt.

Two: My feet hurt.

Three: I swear that chipmunk if glaring at me. Yeah. I see you.

Four: The trail goes uphill for the next mile and a half. Over boulders. And MY FEET HURT.

Five: I'm paired with Riku, who might toss me off a cliff.

Six: I'm paired with Riku, who might poison my peanut-butter sandwich.

Seven: I'm paired with Riku, who will kill me in various ways. And then laugh about it.

Eeep.

Roxas was walking beside him, uncharacteristically silent, and Riku and Axel were staying a safe distance back, talking about Axel's college roommate's eye patch, and the various pirate references that could stem from this. Kairi and Hayner were up ahead with Doug, who was (unsuccessfully, thank god) trying to start up a rousing chorus of campfire songs, and Alysa was all the way in the back. Sora had looked back at her once, and she had winked at him and smiled like a loon.

He was beginning to suspect he was in the hands of lunatics.

He gritted his teeth and tried to remind himself that all he was here to do was to climb. Climb, climb, climb. That was it. The End. Finito.

If they ever got to the stupid walls.

Unconsciously, Sora began to drag his feet more and more, until Roxas was plowing on alone a couple of feet behind him, humming (roaring) softly under his breath. The woods were silent, this early, except for the occasional cheep of a bird or rustle of a bush as one of their company crashed through it, cursing the burrs and thorns that inevitably followed.

The trail had defiantly taken on a vertical tilt now, and had become peppered with rocks and pebbles that they had to clamber over, which was not helped by the fact that Sora now had a backpack, helmet, harness, and coil of rope on his back.

So it was not a great surprise when he went to step over a root and his tired feet missed their mark. Instead of going over the obstruction, his foot tangled itself up in the root, twisting around and bringing him off balance, until he was falling, his hands extended, thinking sadly to himself...Oh, dammit. Goodbye, nose….

Until he mysteriously stopped, caught in midair with his face a mere two inches from the ground.

He twisted around, confused, and got one glimpse of two concerned aquamarine eyes before the hand that had grabbed his backpack thought better of itself and let it go.

Sora hit the ground with a thump as Riku walked by him, not even bothering to look back. Axel gave him a fleeting look, but didn't stop to help.

Sora was contemplating the possibility of staying there forever (would he get wet when it rained? what about winter?) when a strong hand lifted him up again, and Alysa was brushing him off briskly.

"You didn't twist your ankle, did you?"

He shook his head mutely.

"Alrighty then, let's go. Only another five minutes to go."

He shook himself off once more time, sighed, and continued on his way. His rock-climbing career was off to a great start; his partner had dropped him onto the ground within the first five minutes.

This time, three inches. Next time, forty feet.

Sora shuddered in spite of himself and vowed to cling to the cliffs for with monkey-like strength. I'm too young to die!


But when they rounded the bend…all of it became instantly, amazingly worth it.

They were on the top of the cliffs they would be climbing, all of Maine stretching out before them, a canvas in tattered saffron and green, rolling hills and, very far in the distance, the glittering strip of the ocean. The rocks beneath their feet rolled on for yards, smooth white stone smoothed by ages of weather and water.

Sora hesitantly crept over to the edge, looking down. Seemingly miles below, there was a small ledge; their new home for the day. He smiled, a pure smile of expectation and innocence.

"It's beautiful," he said, before he could help himself.

"Yeah. It is." said a quiet voice.

But when he turned around, startled, the group was walking away, meandering down the treacherous path they would have to follow to reach the ledge. He started, confused, and ran after them, trying the whole way to tell himself that it could not have been the voice he thought it was.

Perhaps he was going crazy, too.


"Alright. Raise your hand if you've done this before."

Everyone raised their hands toward the crystalline sky.

"That's good, very good. And you all know how to put on your harnesses? Belay checks? How to lock carabiners?"

Blank looks.

Alysa snorted. "Remind me to get you a subscription to REI. Field trip!"

Doug glared and pointed at his watch.

"Right. This," she held up a harness, a mess of ropes and straps, "is your new best friend. And if that is your best friend," she said, holding up a long length of diamond patterned rope, "you might as well be married to this."

She proceeded to give a long and lengthy description of harness checks, anchor knots, and CAM devices, leaving Sora feeling itching and impatient. Most of this stuff he had been taught on the few times he had managed to head over to his local rock gym, and the Internet was a beautiful thing. Instead, he couldn't take his gaze off the impressive height of the cliff, looming above him. He had never climbed outside before.

His toes were itching to try it out.

He tuned in again when he heard Alysa say, "So that's about it. Break up into pairs, try not to kill each other, please, don't pick your nose when you're supposed to be belaying, etc., etc. Got me?"

"Right," they chorused, not moving.

She gave them a glare. "Ok…do you need me to count it down? On the count of three you get in your groups, or you all have to scrub the bathrooms when we get back to camp ….One, Two…"

The broke apart, grumbling, and she smiled, finding a perch on a nearby rock.

Sora didn't look at Riku as he slipped his legs into the leg loops of his harness, struggling with the awkward twists of fabric.

"Axel. You have to wear the helmet." Alysa's voice swam over to meet his ears.

"But it makes me look like a tomato," Axel whined, brandishing the fire- engine-red helmet like a toddler handing over a hated toy.

"Do I need to spell it out for you? Helmet equals safety. No helmet equals punctured skull, and lots of blood. And the sight of blood makes me sick. You wouldn't want me to get sick, would you?"

"Besides," Roxas was saying, "how is that any different from your normal hair?"

"Why you!" Axel said playfully, punching him the shoulder, and Sora watched, interested, as Roxas made a fist as well, but then suddenly stopped, shying away from the other boy.

"Whatever. Let's just climb," Roxas muttered to the wall, not seeing Axel's shoulders slump dejectedly.

"You ready, and all that?"

"Sure," Axel said, grabbing fistfuls of rope and twining them into his belay device. "Ready to go!"

"Just don't drop me," Roxas said, glaring over his shoulder at Axel. "Or I swear; I will haunt you from the grave."

"Drop you? Never," Axel said, the sincerity in his voice painfully obvious.

Roxas stared at him for another long moment, then turned around quickly and began to climb, tackling the wall in long, sloping strides.

"Ready?"

Sora jumped at the sound of Riku's voice. "Umm….yeah, sure, right, fine," he babbled nervously, doing everything but meeting him in the eye. He set his jaw and said in what he hoped was an assertive voice, "I'm first."

Riku raised one delicate eyebrow. "Oh, are you?"

"Yeah," Sora said, flushing a little. Don't look him in the eye. Don't look him in the eye. For god's sake, don't…

Sora looked him in the eye. Riku had sneakily moved up until he was right in front of him, and Sora could see amusement in his turquoise eyes. It was that look; the look that alerted Sora that he was about to be mocked mercilessly. "What is it?" Sora said.

"Well…I might be wrong…but it's probably not the best idea to go climbing with a harness like this…" Riku said softly, reaching out toward Sora's waist. His hand paused halfway there, but then continued, reaching slyly for the waist loop of Sora's harness and pulling it outward.

The harness gave about two feet, and Sora flushed again. He could have easily slipped out. "Fine. I was going to tighten it. When, you know, I had a chance," he murmured defensively.

"I'm your partner. Let me," Riku said neutrally, and before Sora could even begin to think of stopping him his large hands had wandered over to Sora's sides, tickling the exposed skin of his waist as he pulled the small tabs to tighten the harness, pinching it around Sora's small waist in a tight embrace.

"Thanks," Sora said dizzily, then pulled away quickly and practically sprinted toward the wall.

Bad Riku. No Riku. Stay AWAY from Riku…

He was so occupied in his thoughts that it was a full minute before he realized he was five feet off the ground, and climbing steadily, and after that, he thought no more.

Climbing was…climbing was natural, easy, amazing. His feet wrapped tightly in leather climbing shoes, he pointed his foot and reached for a hard hold, his tanned fingers snaking around the tiny fissure of rock, using his legs to push himself up. His left foot snaked out and felt for a tiny bump in the surface, and he pushed off it mightily, propelling himself to another ledge, and another, and another, until he was nearly eighty feet off the ground.

And he forgot, as he climbed. About last night, about his anger, even about the fact that it was Riku who was keeping the rope tight around his waist, who would catch him if he fell. His mind was focused solely on the spinning sky above him, the feeling of warm rock beneath his chalky palms, the relief in a final finishing move, the comfortable tiredness he felt in his limbs as he was slowly lowered back to the ground, spinning softly like a top in the breeze.

But as soon as his feet touched ground again, and he could see Riku, tucking his silvery hair behind his eyes and smiling a little (that smile) all of it came crashing back down. Including the awkward, shivery feeling of being around him.

"You turn," Sora said deliberately, unclipping his carabiner and handing the apparatus to the other boy. "It's a good climb."

"Well, if you can do it…" Riku's low voice drawled, his fingers brushing over the other boys.

Sora's head snapped up. Was Riku teasing him?

But before he could read the other boy's face, he had turned and swiftly began to tackle the wall, practically leaping up the vertical surface so that Sora had to reel in the rope frantically to keep up.

With narrowed eyes, he watched Riku climb, and had to admit to himself the other boy was good. He had natural height and strength to his advantage, and he used it; extending one long leg to reach a hard hold, his arm muscles displayed prominently under his light-t-shirt, his hair in a loose ponytail down the curve of his back, his slender fingers reaching effortlessly up to grasp a ledge, his pretty features twisted in concentration…

Sora blinked.

Did I just use the words pretty and Riku in the same sentence?

He shook his head. No. The sun was just getting to him, that was all. Heatstroke. Sun spots. Sun poisoning. All of these could be the reason for this lunacy. He reminded himself sternly to put on more sunscreen at lunch, and then had to pay attention as Riku hollered to be let down.


It was much later in the afternoon when Axel, his fair legs scrabbling uselessly on the slick marble surface, fell off the wall for the sixteenth time in five minutes.

"I'm boreddddd," came Roxas's voice, from sixty feet below him. He could feel the tension in the rope around his middle and knew that Roxas was leaning on the rope to support his weight. Somehow, the idea that Roxas's hands were connected to this rope which was connected to Axel's waist was kind of exciting. If he removed the rope, and the mere pittance of sixty feet, Roxas was practically hugging him. Axel smiled giddily, clutching the rope in both hands.

"Axel. Are you trying to fuse with that rope, or something? Either go up or come down. There is no middle ground here. And I'm getting a rope burn!"

"Calm down for a second. I just want to take a break."

Roxas's tiny face looked exasperated, even from his height. "Axel. Breaks are for coffee or cigarettes. Breaks do not apply when you are dangling sixty feet in the air, and when your BELAYER'S HANDS ARE CHAFING. CHAFING!"

"Just give me one second to catch my breath," Axel said, willing to do anything to prolong his conversation with Roxas. Some distant corner of his mind reminded him that this obsession was unhealthy, but he shut it up vehemently. Fruit snacks were unhealthy. Skydiving was unhealthy. Roxas was the essence of healthiness, like a fresh-squeezed glass of pineapple juice, or that vitamin store he always saw at the mall…

"Axel. I am going to count to three."

Axel couldn't resists sticking out his tongue. "And then what, Mr. Smarty-Pants?"

Roxas looked at his hands, which were pink and bruised, then up at Axel, spinning like a flaming top sixty feet above him and….was he sticking out his tongue?

"Onetwothree," he whispered, and the let fly.

And suddenly, Axel's inner monologue about whether or not he could make another move on Roxas tonight was cut short by a strange realization.

He was falling. He was falling quite quickly, actually, toward a ground of unforgiving stone, and he was pretty sure that his unattractive helmet wouldn't do much to help him…it would save an earlobe, maybe

But then he stopped short, the straps of his harness cutting ruthlessly into his thighs. Roxas could hear the other boy yell something that sounded an awful lot like, "AHHOWWSGOD! ROXAS! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"

"It was an accident," Roxas said sweetly, summoning up his very best-I am merely an innocent cherub-expression. "I told you not to take a break. You sure are heavy, Axel."

Roxas is an evil demon from hell. Roxas is an evil blond demon from the very pits of the earth. Roxas is the spawn of Satan from the shadow realm…Roxas is…Roxas is…

Axel looked down at Roxas's smug face; sticky-outty hair, pouty lips, blue eyes, soft features….

Roxas is TOO DAMN HOT!

"I'll get you back for that…later." Axel murmured under his breath, so that the other boy couldn't hear him. "In more ways than one, you hot bastard."

Luckily, Alysa chose that moment to hop upon he rock and yell, in her very best – I am the counselor so shut the hell up and listen to me, children- voice, "TIME TO GO! BEFORE THE BEARS EAT OUR DINNER!"

And their first day of climbing was done.


End kind of rushed, I know. And more AkuRoku than RikuxSora moments. But they will come. They will bond. They will fight. They will make out. It will be very sexciting.

Next Chapter: Hide and seek, for real this time. And how in the world did Sora end up next to Axel? Will Roxas resists ripping Riku's hair out? Awkward conversations ahoy!

More reviews equals next chapter sooner equals we get to the chapter (and you know which one I'm talking about) more quickly. I'm not telling you which it is. But it is coming. So REVIEW!