~Axel POV~

"Oh come on Axel," Demyx sounded annoyed, but there was still a smile on his face. "We'll be back soon, we just have to set up our dorm, school doesn't even start yet."

"Nope, you guys are leaving me." I pouted. I was trying to joke around about them leaving, but it actually really bothered me.

"Hey," Zexion was carrying out another bag, hopefully the last one because I watched him try to cram it into their car and there was not room for another one. "Why don't you talk to that kid again?"

"I told you why," my glare was enough to push my point on its own, "The kids weird."

"So are we..." my blond friend added, a cheeky grin on his face.

I hadn't really thought about going back to see the brat. Demyx and Zexion were leaving so I wouldn't have anyone to go to the bar with, but then again, Demyx and Zexion were leaving. I'd be bored out of my mind if all I had to deal with was my family. That was a fucked up thought I was not ready to deal with.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know." The conversation we were having completely left my mind, so the smack I got, threw me off. "I love you Demyx," I mocked, it was a lot better than lying and apologizing. They knew they were weird, but no one was weird like that little brat. He was on a whole other level, in a whole other universe.

I waved to them as they pulled away, putting my hands in my pockets as I began to walk. It was never the same without Dem and Zex around, they were the best distraction I had from my life, and now, they were heading for another problem I was still encountering.

My father had been blowing up our house phone, wanting to talk to me. I told everyone to tell him I wasn't home, which I did even when I didn't have a good reason to be avoiding him. But now I had a good reason.

He'd be back in a few days, him and my mother, and then I'd have to confront him. The whole, calling a college thing, got put on the back burner. Since I never called them the morning I was supposed to, I just gave up. It was so late in the year, I wouldn't be able to get into a school unless I flashed some money. That's what my father was for. Since he wanted me to go to a specific set of schools, he could deal with the head ache, because I really did not care.

My mind wandered to my sister. Vanille never had any pressure put on her, because my father is pretty fucking sexist. All Vanille had to do was make sure she kept a good appearance, but she gets to do whatever she wants to. She won't even tell me what she's in college for, but whatever it is, Dad doesn't care either. Just as long as she gets good grades, he'll still pay for everything.

The more 'angelic' she acts, the more money he gives to her. Mean while, I'm constantly threatened that if I don't do this, or I don't do that, that I'll be cut off. Why the hell can't my father support my dreams? Or the future I want to have?

Oh, that's right, because I have to be the new cash cow so he can keep money even after his business sells out.

I'm just the ungrateful child that is always in trouble. My original plan was to tally up all the money he spent bailing me out of jail and paying all my fines and tickets, and use it against him. Telling him he could have saved all that money if he would just support my dream, instead of my 'bad reputation'.

I got carried away with it for a while, because it is really fun, but I did bring it up to him.

And you know his response?

"Every family has one bad egg."

Fuck that.

~Rox POV~

Apparently, I wasn't allowed to waste away to boredom. Riku threw me an apron and told me to get back to work, even though it was before my shift started.

He still seemed almost angry that I wasn't there before, even though he was the one who threw me away in the first place.

I didn't mind working, I really didn't. But if Riku hadn't demanded I get to work so early, I wouldn't be in my current predicament.

Looking down, I cursed the bald floor. The fine surface was smoother than a pick up line from a prostitute, and it had caused me to slip and spill a drink all over myself. And, oh, ha-ha-ha, everyone just thought that was oh-so-funny. Except Riku, who yelled at me for wasting 'liquid-gold'. But, Roxas doesn't sulk, Roxas doesn't cry over spilled milk. Or beer, or whatever it was. I smell fruity now.

Whatever. Point still stands, I plastered a smile on my face, and greeted another customer as the fruity concoction ran down my leg and into my shoe. Writing their order out on my handy dandy notebook, before disappearing again. Work wasn't something I had in mind, but I think Riku could smell the depressed stupor approaching as soon as I walked in the other day. That or maybe I'm not acting happy enough, he's giving me a weird look now.

Or maybe that's because I just spent the last minute staring at him like he just stole my first born.

Nope.

I stepped away, because nope. It was not time for another 'conversation' again.

Ever since I got back he's been nagging me about how it was hanging out with that punk kid. Like, every five minutes, he wants to know. The story hasn't changed since I first told him, and I'm pretty sure if I fabricated something just to get him to leave me alone, he'd be mad at me.

I don't understand why me hanging out with that punk was important. So what's his problem?

"Roxas," oh no. The dreaded name call and wave. My mind began to contemplate the idea of getting drunk from simply coming in contact with his 'liquid-gold'.

I'm sure it was possible to get drunk from just exposure, but I would think that would take a very large bucket, and a very copious amount of alcohol that I could never afford. Especially with Riku's prices. Then again, I could always go to a distillery and submerge myself in a barrel, but then again... that would kill me, not get me drunk.

So no, the plan of acting intoxicated went out the window.

"Yes sir?" I jumped up onto the counter, looking at him with my best puppy dog eyes.

I mean, they looked more like I was trying not to cry after having my face hit with a sauté pan, but it was the best I could do.

"Are you sure you're okay?" The dreaded raised eyebrow.

"Did you know they still don't know where the term 'okay' came from?" I knew he wasn't going to answer. "They tried to say it was first used in a presidential campaign, but then they found records of it being used that date further back and," he chose the perfect spot to cut me off.

"Roxas, I'm being serious." I was going to give my usual response, but he seemed to be running on a very short fuse. "You know what, just go upstairs."

"But it's only midnight," I pouted, without shame. I hadn't realized how quick time had flown by, apparent Father Time was a hare this evening.

"Don't care, I don't need you working the floor tonight, we're dead, and you're acting unusual."

"Why don't you love me?" Jumping off the counter only made me seem more unusual. My height is not as strong as Riku's, but even his isn't as strong as Axel's.

And of course, the little punk was back on my mind.

"Fine," I mumbled, hoping Riku wouldn't hear me. Even if he did, I turned too fast for him to call after me. Racing up the tongue, I didn't care but instead kind of hoped I would lose the battle. If the tongue flicked me back onto the bald floor, I wouldn't care, as long as it did some damage too.

My eyes did a roll, and thankfully no one was there to see it. Or I'd be getting even more questions.

I'm not in the mood to answer questions, I'm not in the mood to fight. I'm not in the mood to do anything except become a void blackhole.

Not really a blackhole though, because they suck things in, and I just want to push everything away.

So a white hole? Yeah, that's what I want to be, a void white hole.

That just sounds stupid.

I noticed then that I sat on the starving yellow couch, but, it could swallow me whole and I wouldn't care. Gobble me up and spit out my bones.

I'd be fine with that, I was fine with everything, always.

Wait, that was a lie.

I think it's bad to talk to yourself, I think it's even worse to lie to yourself...

I'm going insane.

~Axel POV~

I really wanted Demyx and Zexion there, it wouldn't be as fun with them gone. Yeah, they said they be back in no time, but that didn't fucking mean anything. They were gone not even five minutes and I was already bored out of my mind. I finally made it back to my house, back to my bed, but the boredom followed me. Staying there, I tried to wait it out, but it only last a few hours. So, I walked back to the bar.

Riku said I needed to take him out on ten dates, because his birthday was in ten weeks, but he didn't say I couldn't just bunch all the dates into a shorter span.

Demyx and Zexion would be back by the end, so it was a win. Boredom adverted.

When I stepped into the bar, a couple questions ran through my mind. One, being, how could Riku even maintain a place that fucking huge? The second being, are they always this dead? And finally, the third, where the hell is that little brat?

I wasn't left with much time to think, my arm was grabbed and I was yanked back outside with a very pissed off Riku. Some part of me just wishing the man would beat me to a bloody pulp, kill me, and save me from all my troubles.

Or at least put me in a coma till all my problems averted themselves.

"What did you do?"

"I don't know," he didn't enlighten me, so I adjusted my words. "I didn't do shit," I pushed him off of me. I don't give a damn who you think you are, don't fucking touch me like that, or at all. And if you do, make sure I can't get back up. Simple as that.

"Well, you must have done something!" He was like trying to yell at me, but trying to keep his voice down at the same time. Not threatening at all.

"I took him out, like you said."

"Something else must have happened, because Roxas has been acting weird since that night."

I couldn't help but smile, "Um, maybe because he is weird?"

He gave me a death stare, but it wasn't very effective.

"Anyway," I drew the word out, "He doesn't want to see me anymore, so I guess our little deal is done."

"Wait." This motherfucker grabbed me again, what the fuck! "What did he say to you, exactly."

With a deep breath, I rattled off a lie. "He said, and I quote, 'I don't want to hang out with you anymore'."

He did his own deep breath, and for a second I thought I was off the hook. "Bullshit."

"What?" I yelled, "What do you mean 'bullshit'?"

"Roxas cares too much about other's feelings to say it so bluntly."

I should've guessed that. Then again, I only knew a few facts about him, and some really useless knowledge about random shit now.

"Whatever," I tried to brush the guy away, but it didn't work like that. I mean, I kind of did want to check on the brat, but only because I didn't realize he was capable of having human emotions with his little robot ass.

"Go talk to him," I probably could have argued with the guy, but I shook my head and did just that, instead.

With an, obviously, annoyed sigh, I knocked on the door.

My life, including this moment, was always spent listening to people telling me what to do. Hell, even when I got in trouble, it was because someone said, "Oh, you know what would be awesome, if you," and then some bullshit idea that was completely stupid. But I got to take credit for doing it. Was I really that spineless, seriously?

~Rox POV~

Of course there was a knock on the door, my deep thinking had almost lead me to the purpose of life.

Probably not, but I can dream.

Unlocking the door, and peeking it open, I rolled my eyes. I was doing that a lot today. Walking away, I heard the door open and shut behind me.

"Please, let yourself in." My voice was loud enough for him to hear. Sitting on the couch again, I continued to not care about anything.

The redhead punk, labeled 'Axel', just stood in front of me, with his hands in his pockets. "Hey," he sounded annoyed even though I hadn't said anything yet, "Are you okay?"

"Did you know to origins of 'okay' are still unknown?" I started the same speech from before.

"I mean, did I piss you off or something?"

"Did you know, only 2% of the world's population has green eyes?" And I was avoiding his.

"He said you weren't acting right..."

"Did you know, smiling actually boosts your immune system?"

"What the fuck is your problem!" Even though I tried not to jump, I did. "Why the hell can't you just give me a straight answer?" His voice was echoing around the apartment, and I felt something behind my eyes. I was not about to cry though, I looked further away from him, like maybe that would help.

It didn't.

"You know what, fine." he put his hand on the door knob, "I try to make sure you're okay, and your being a little bitch, so fine. Fuck you!"

He slammed the walnut door shut behind him and I jumped again, tears trying to escape their prison.

Roxas doesn't cry, he doesn't.

Crying is an omission of human emotions. From the right eye first means it's tears of happiness and joy. From the left eye first, means pain and distress. Why did the tears never leave my right eye first? Was I not 'right' to be happy and joyful? Because, that's just not fair.

This is the simple reason 'Roxas' does not cry, because it's a tall tell sign for anyone to see. To see into my soul and read my emotions, and i prefer not to be an open book. My mind was racing around the facts. This is why I don't cry, this is why Roxas doesn't cry, he doesn't... he doesn't.

So why am I?

I think I'm used to writing short chapters now... :(

I was trying to have this up yesterday, but it was my fiancé's birthday (:D) and even though he wasn't home for most of it, I tried to surprise him with things. But I had to go to the store to get things, and well, I have a problem just walking, let alone trying to carry a 20 pound baby at the same time. Let's just say, I'm weak :c a 10 minute shopping trip drained all my energy. SO, I finished this chapter between my son's naps, and now, it is for your viewing eyes. Sorry it took so long to get working on it again.

If you didn't read TIDBD, I'll explain again. I have a 7 month old son, and I'm getting back into the swing of things, so in between nap times I'll be working on the new chapter and uploading it. I already have the whole story planned out, with what's going on in every chapter, so the lengths are going to vary. Okie done?

And it's bad timing because I know I won't have a chapter up tomorrow. I have disability appointments all dayyyyy, so I will have the next chapter up on the 10th :D

Uploaded: March 8th, 2017