A bell chimes beside them as the front door creaks open, dragging Axel and Roxas' clouded minds back to a different feverish kiss at the top of a clock tower. For a moment they can feel the deafening clanging of a much larger bell vibrating through them, shaking their strong bodies like leaves in a rainstorm.

They slowly separate at the thump of heavy footsteps a few feet away and the neutral, slightly weary grunt that follows as Aeleus catches sight of them lip-locked. Aeleus does an about face and clomps away, toward the designated shelf where Axel and Roxas set aside materials made for the scientists and guards of the Radiant Garden castle.

Roxas carefully shifts himself into a more socially appropriate position on Axel's lap, and after a minute watching Aeleus loading items into his arms to heft out to his cart parked out front, Roxas pipes up, "Do you need help with those, man?"

Aeleus glances back to them warily, his lip lifting slightly upward at the more tender sight of Axel gently kissing the top of Roxas' head as Roxas tangles their fingers together in an unnecessarily intricate knot.

"Not just yet, Master Roxas," Aeleus rumbles in his deep bass, brushing his gloves together to release ashy residue from the crate he's just shifted. "Go about your business. I'll let you know."

"Go about your business," Axel echoes, as Aeleus returns to his. He turns his own attention back to Roxas, and chuckles, shaking his head. "Aeleus cracks me up."

Roxas blinks, miffed. "I don't think he was trying to be funny…"

"You haven't known him as long as I have," Axel argues airily. He shrugs when Roxas looks unconvinced and reaches for the bag of jalapeño poppers as Roxas sweeps it away, amusement and exasperation narrowing his eyes.

"Dude, your hands are filthy."

"Ordinarily, I'd take that as a compliment," Axel replies and offers an insinuating smirk which sinks into a pout, "but I'm starving."

Roxas snorts, but continues to hold the bag out of reach, as if this could actually stop Axel, who has nearly twice his wingspan.

"Hm." Axel contemplates his palms, blackened with ash and metal, until he catches hold of a better idea. "Well, then, Roxas, I guess you're just going to have to feed me or get up." He pats Roxas' thigh, all deceptively heavy, compact muscle, and Roxas groans in reply, clearly unwilling to move after his long morning skateboarding through half the kingdom running errands.

"Mine aren't much better." Roxas frowns, glancing at his own skin, sooty and damp from Axel's palms, clothes, sweat. After thinking for a second, he stretches them out over the floor and mumbles, "Water." A light spray appears from the ether to rinse them clean.

Axel hums, head cocking. "Now do the spell for soap."

Roxas makes a strangled sound in the back of his throat and then shakes the bag again emphatically. "Shut up, or I won't feed you."

It's Axel's turn to sound strangled, but then he pantomimes zipping his trap until Roxas nods, unloading a pair of bottles from a tote bag Aerith had helped him hand-sew in one of their classes, and handing them off to Axel to open, before lifting one of the heavenly smelling crescent wrapped rolls from the bag and brushing off the flaky, buttery crumbs.

Axel's brows rise as he twists the metal caps off the bottles and leans in to sniff them. "You didn't manage to get…?"

Roxas twists his head in the negative, smile wistful. "Cream soda. But Elrena made it herself."

"Ah," Axel nods seriously, as he pockets the bottle caps, "so it's probably poisoned cream soda."

"C'mon," Roxas chides, with that blink and you miss it smile, nudging him with his shoulder, "Elrena's so nice now."

"I know. Maybe I'm a hypocrite, but it creeps me out." Axel smiles back, conspiratorial, gesturing with both hands despite the bottles. "Keep waiting for her to snap." He watches Roxas steal the first bite of the jalapeño popper and his tongue fumbles, volume rising, "Babe, you might not want to take that big a bite of—"

Roxas meets Axel's gaze in a steady, playful challenge, starts to chew, and then his face contorts. "Aw, fug! Ax'l—!" His hands start flailing, eyes beginning to water. "My mouff's on fyre!"

"Shit." Axel's brows furrow with concern, as he lifts his hand to Roxas' mouth, though he can't quite subdue his smirk. "You've never eaten a jalapeño before, have you, darlin'?"

Roxas spits the food into Axel's outstretched palm without hesitation, and then Axel lifts one of the bottles to Roxas' mouth, and tips it back.

Roxas' pink cheeks fade, the tension pinching his nose lessening as he chugs it down. Axel finds himself distracted by the muscles in Roxas' neck working, swallowing, and the dribbles of frothy white foam spilling slowly out the sides of his mouth. As Roxas starts to cough, Axel scolds his mind for going somewhere indecent, and fumbles to help him right the bottle without dropping his own.

Axel sticks the unchewed half a jalapeño popper that had been in his boyfriend's mouth into his own to free his ash-stained hand, and uses it to better support Roxas, who is leaning forward, cringing in disapproval through a minor coughing spasm.

Which, Axel thinks, is a bit unfair, considering Roxas is the one with liquid sugar dripping tantalizingly down his face.

"Ugh." Roxas rubs at the liquid dripping down his jawline, as Axel chews, and the spices set his own mouth pleasantly ablaze. "How can you eat that?"

"If I was afraid of your germs, Roxas," Axel leans in, tone dropping into an intimate hiss, before his tongue stretches to lap at a drip Roxas missed. "I wouldn't have had my tongue down your throat two minutes ago."

Roxas shuts his eyes, works his jaw, and presses his fingertips to Axel's cheek, hand twitching as if unsure whether to pull him closer or push him off, as the sting of spice from Axel's tongue hits his skin. "I me'n' the jalapeños," he mumbles, too breathy to quite pull off indignant, neck arching just a bit as Axel's tongue traces cream soda further down his jawline. "They're definitely poisoned."

There's a bang of metal on metal as Aeleus works across the room, and Axel snickers, kissing Roxas' cheek one last time before pulling away. "They're an acquired taste. And, speaking of poison, there's definitely booze in this." He lifts the remaining bottle of cream soda to his lips, and Roxas watches, head shaking.

"I knew they'd be spicy. I like spicy, but," Roxas winces, his own tongue sticking out, "blegh. They're like if Firaga was a pastry. Yeah," he glances at the cream soda bottle, remembering the way Elrena had winked at him and told him to have fun when she handed them over, "I don't know how she got away with it, but," he tilts the bottle and watches the amber content slosh, "this has to be, like, half rum."

"You didn't think we were the only ones opening dark corridors when we're not supposed to, did you, Roxas? Where there's a will—" Axel's nose crinkles, laughing as Roxas takes another swig. "Whoa, you just chugged half a bottle. Slow down there, buddy."

"Trying to get the taste out of my mouff…"

Roxas has downed the entire bottle of soda before Axel finally persuades him it's not a form of manslaughter to feed him the other half of the first jalapeño popper. Axel chews with exaggerated relish, Roxas watching with a mix of awe, disgust, and apprehension.

"So, you got stuck talking to Xemnas earlier, huh?" Axel asks around another bite.

"Yeah." Roxas brushes crumbs from the back of his hand and the collar of Axel's tunic. "I think I accidentally agreed to Org family brunch next week." He pulls another pained face. "You have to help me get out of it. Isa will ask me if I've been applying myself."

Axel chuckles. "You have been applying yourself. Ansem said our science project showed 'great promise.' That's scientist speak for 'fucking awesome.'" He rubs Roxas' lower back in attempt to ease his concerns. "And Xemnas gave you full marks for your book report comparing The Lord of the Flies to current events in Neverland."

"I know," Roxas frowns and sets his bottle on the bench beside him with a clink, "but when Isa asks, I go brain-dead."

"He has that effect on people," Axel jabs fondly. "But don't forget, he's taking a few classes too. Xemnas didn't teach his employee of the month everything."

Roxas scowls, though it seems directed inward. "Talking about my education makes him so serious. He's easier to talk to over frisbee or construction work or guitar lessons with Demy." He shrugs. "I know he means well."

"Hm." Axel glances to the blur of the fire in the hearth in thought, swishing his palm to bring the blazes down as the heat of the jalapeños spreads through his throat. He swallows. "I'll see what I can do. We did just have them over for dinner. Speaking of," he fixes his eyes on Roxas again, "what the hell did you talk about? Xemnas just talked our ears off two days ago."

Roxas rolls his eyes. "You know Xemnas. Everything." He shifts his hand over the bottle at his side, murmurs again, and it starts to fill with water. "First, he talked about Isa and what a good job he's doing with HR and Staffing for the Restoration Committee and managing our community service hours, which, by the way, we're Thursday…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I pissed Leon off at the market yesterday when I got the last avocado, so I hope you're ready for some hard labor."

Roxas gives an exaggerated sigh and tries to cuff Axel's shoulder. Axel dodges, catching Roxas' hand in his wrist, and leaning to press his lips to Roxas' temple.

"So, we talked about Isa, for, like, fifteen minutes straight," Roxas continues, as if uninterrupted, twining their fingers together with one hand and sipping his rum and sugar flavored water with the other.

"Well," Axel considers evenly, "he and Isa are smushing face."

Water spurts from Roxas' nose and it takes him a moment to collect himself. He knows Isa and Xemnas are definitely and officially together, but out in public, they seem convinced that anything more than wrapping their arms around each other or standing with their shoulders touching is reprehensible PDA. Xemnas had pecked Isa on the cheek during dinner and Roxas' jaw had about dropped open.

When Roxas has collected himself, he continues again, "Then I made the mistake of asking what he's got planned for the next issue of The Radiant Garden Gazette."

"Oh, Roxas," Axel cringes sympathetically, "you didn't."

Roxas sets down his drink and begins ticking articles off on his fingers, "He's doing a review of Elrena's tavern, updates on Xigbar's appeal, a feature with Jiminy about some of the therapy techniques he's using with us former Org members, an 'illuminating' critique of Leon's work on the street lamps, or lack thereof… Oh! And he wants us to help with the tavern food reviews as our ELA assignment for the week. 'Dishing on the dishes,' I think he called it. Anyway, he'll text us the details."

"Gees," Axel whistles, "he didn't spare any of the details."

"I think he's just excited." Roxas shrugs. They can talk trash, but they both read Xemnas' paper together the day it comes out and revel in the drama for weeks after. "We all know how much work he puts into it."

"He makes sure of that," Axel bemoans, grin betraying his amusement. "He let you get a word in edgewise?"

"Oh. Yeah." Roxas winces, pushes back his bangs. He likes people, but making lengthy conversation is not his cup of tea, and Xemnas doesn't accept one-word answers without a fight.

"About?"

"He asked how we're settling into the apartment and how our other classes are going. Then he asked if we'd heard about Aeleus and Dilan's engagement. Then he asked if business has picked up, and if I like having Ven as my sponsor. Then," Roxas leans in, growing more animated, "he asked if it's true that your Sponsor of Light, Riku, thinks you and I should break up, and if I really told him he should go fuck himse—"

To Roxas' disappointment, Axel cuts off his blood-thirsty grin with a swipe of his hand, "Whoa there, Rox, back it up. Aeleus and Dilan got engaged?"

"Oh." Roxas blinks a couple times. "Yeah! He told me I should tell you about that, but then he said, never mind, you were probably the first to know, because something about a ring." They pass a couple seconds in steady silence, each waiting for the other to offer some kind of explanation. "Honestly, he kind of lost me, but he sounded pretty excited, so…" Roxas shrugs, open handed, earnest, "I think it's probably a good thing."

Axel mouths something wordlessly, his brows nearing his hairline, and then glances around the shop for Aeleus, who is no longer in it.

Roxas makes an agitated sound, and Axel finds his voice.

"The ring was—the ring was an engagement ring?"

"I mean," Roxas tilts his head, wondering what he's missing, "that's what Xemnas called it. Why? What's..."

Axel starts fumbling to put down the bottle and paper bag in his hands, so Roxas scooches off of his lap, starts to tuck the lunch items into his tote, and watches his slightly frantic, but grinning boyfriend with a growing frown. "Are you... okay?"

"Aeleus?" Axel calls, leaning half his frame out the window until he spots the man, loading armfuls of enormous iron hammers into his cart with ease. At the commotion, Aeleus brushes off his palms and steps their way. "Aeleus?" Axel calls more emphatically, yelling and waving for the man a few yards off. "That ring I made for Dilan, that was your engagement ring?"

Axel continues repeating his question as Aeleus walks up. By the time he arrives, and Roxas has joined Axel in leaning most of his body out the window to observe, Axel is a little breathless.

"I think," Aeleus' boots stop with a heavy thud, and his arms cross, contemplating them, "perhaps what you're trying to say to me is 'congratulations'?"

"Yeah," Axel pantomimes tossing confetti, flickering white sparks rising from his fingertips, and sweeps them away in quick succession. "I mean congratulations, obviously, but…"

Aeleus offers a rare quirk of his mouth that's as close to a smile as Axel has ever seen him get, and then nods. "Thank you, Lea."

Both Aeleus and Axel turn to Roxas, Aeleus' expression blank and expectant, Axel with one brow quirked, as if he's surprised Roxas hasn't done something, though Roxas can't think what.

"Congratulations?" Roxas echoes carefully. "Xemnas says this is very big and exciting news."

"Er," Aeleus' eyes narrow, another glimmer of an almost-smile appearing, as his chin juts in a nod, "yes. Quite." He waits another beat and when Roxas doesn't continue, glances to Axel and back. "Thank you, Master Roxas."

Axel frowns, his jade eyes shifting, raking over Roxas' face. Unsure what to think, he swiftly tucks his boyfriend under his arm, ruffling his hair to stifle his objections as he turns back to Aeleus, "He's so surprised he doesn't know what to say! He's just found out. We're over the moon for you both. Really."

With a huff, Roxas pushes his way out from Axel's solid grip and hoists himself up to sit on the window frame and glare at him.

Axel is oblivious, his frantic smile spreading into something more mocking. "So, have you lovebirds started making plans yet? Dates, colors, locales, flowers… bachelor parties?" Axel winks, and Roxas' intestines attempt to turn themselves inside out.

Aeleus' frown starts to slip into more of a glower, and Axel leans back, hands up in self-defense, expression softening. "Kidding… I'm kidding. You do you. No rush, obviously. It's just been a decade since I've seen a real Radiant Garden wedding… I mean. Fuck." He glances up to the faint puffs of clouds, and crosses his ankles, lost in a memory. "Gods," he mutters, shaking it off, and catching sight of Roxas, before turning back to the groom-to-be. "And Roxas, here, he's never seen one… I mean, I can't believe you didn't tell us! Look at Roxas, he's speechless." Axel gestures to him.

"Uh… yeah." Roxas crosses his arms, nose wrinkling like he can still taste the jalapeño in the corners of his mouth. "I'm speechless."

Aeleus offers his tiny, wry smile again. "I imagine Dilan thought you might read between the lines when he made such a specific request."

Axel nods, arms crossing as he considers this. "I did think it was odd that he wanted to start accessorizing at his age…"

Axel ignores Aeleus' displeased harrumph, and continues, "This does make more sense. I just wish he had told me." Axel gestures toward Aeleus' left hand, and he lifts his trunk-like arm to reveal a simple gold band on one of his beefy digits with a single twist in the metal. "I could have made something with, ya know, a little more pizzazz." Axel's fingertips release another round of sparks.

Aeleus nods, thoughtful as well, considering Axel's erratic, spiked hair and the smudge on his cheek like his old tattoo, and recalling a distant memory of a child sitting in the sunny town square of Radiant Garden painting grinning flames on his frisbees and flicking paint at his friends when they offered critique. "Perhaps 'pizzazz' was what he was trying to avoid? I rather appreciate it as is."

Axel, who is in the process of hoisting himself up to sit in the window frame beside Roxas finds his foot slipping as he tries to process these words, and he sits harder than he means to, landing on his ass with a thud. "Ah…" Axel blinks as the cloud of ash around him fades off, and frowns at the waiting Aeleus, who's chuckling at his missteps, a strange, deep, melodic sound.

"Maybe," Axel offers generously. "Whatever floats your boat, I guess." He rotates his wrist, making sure his hard landing didn't do any real damage. "Oh!" he glances up abruptly, as Aeleus' laughter tapers off. "Uh, but congratulations, all the same!" Again, he spares Roxas a side glance, but he remains silent, brow furrowed, watching them carefully.

"Thank you…" Aeleus nods, sparing Roxas a curious look as well, before glancing over his shoulder to the cart he was loading to take to the castle. "Although, I'd rather you both had heard it from us than from Xemnas… Perhaps I ought to go and tell some of the others… before the news hits publication, so to speak." He motions back the way he had come and takes a step back toward the road.

"Yeah, of course, man. Leave your cart here, we'll take care of it. This is a big deal! I'm sure the scientists will understand if the equipment's a day late." Axel nods enthusiastically until his neck feels a little sore.

Aeleus nods once in reply and then bids them a final farewell and starts off in the direction of the central town square. As he steps off, Axel calling well wishes to his back, he swears he sees the man's lips stretch into a full, genuine, toothy smile, and in the distance, he thinks he hears the large man begin to whistle a jaunty tune.

Roxas, silent and still, watches from beside him, the breeze pulling at his bangs, but Roxas does not smile.