~~Rox~~

Riku could tell something was wrong... and well, he could 'tell' all he wanted to, but I wasn't going to tell him anything...

This made the car ride back to the bar very, very, awkward. Especially because he knew I had left with Axel, and Axel had left me under a gazebo in the pouring rain with wet eyes. What was I supposed to tell Riku though, that I had fallen for the fiery redhead, only to be told it was all a set up... wait...

"What the," I turned to look at the surprised silver head, "You bribed Axel to take me out on dates?" It must have taken him a second to realize that it was in fact a question.

"What did Axel tell you?" Riku answered casually, adjusting himself to lean on the center console and grip the steering wheel tight with one hand.

"He told me you set this whole thing up, for him to keep taking me out, or else you'd call the cops on him for underage drinking..."

"Yeah..."

"Yeah? That's the only explanation I get?"

He looked over at me for a second, as if he didn't understand why I was so flustered. "I don't know what you want me to say Rox, yeah I told him to get you out of the house, and yes, he only originally did it because he didn't want me to call the cops on him," he looked at me briefly again. As if it made everything better, we pulled into the bar and parked.

I didn't want to be here...

Glancing at him quickly, I spoke, unable to hide my pain, "I thought you were done playing with me?" I ran before he could give me an answer, but i still caught a glimpse of a smirk.

I ran into our apartment.

In the end he's a sadist and I'm just his twisted little masochist. Where else was I supposed to run? It was down pouring rain, and the only other person I really knew was Axel... and, well, he had no plan to talk to me anymore...

Riku played with my head, and i fell for it, again...

~~Axel~~

My hands were ripping the hair out of my skull, no matter how fast I paced, I couldn't get ahold of my emotions. Roxas' face when I told him I couldn't ever see him again... I broke his heart. Why the fuck did I do that? I could have just told him I wasn't interested in romance, I could have lied and saved his fragile heart, what the Hell is wrong with me?

There's shouting downstairs, and of course, it's not between my mother and father, but rather my father yelling at Lea, because he's mad at me... He's mad at me so he takes it out on little me. Fucking ridiculous.

Slamming my door open, I bee line my way downstairs.

I'm so tired of this shit.

~~Rox~~

There's nothing that could make this better, unless Axel came back up those steps and talked to me once again.

I was wrong... Riku never changed... and I broke my heart because of it.

What if...

I sat up, and looked around, everything finally setting in.

Riku hadn't dated anyone since we broke up... and he'd never been okay with the idea of me dating before Axel came into the bar...

This whole time, Riku was still toying with me.

I'm so unbelievably blind!

Standing up, I marched around the living room.

Riku used to do the same thing all the time, he'd ask me what I was thinking, he wanted to hear what I was struggling with, but he never actually cared to fix me, to help me, to stop the pain...

And now... Riku had been watching me become more and more happy with Axel, only for Riku to push him away...

There was no way Riku didn't know I had drugs still, there was no way his first rational thought was to get me to work in this bar with him... Had he invited my father that one night?

Was he trying to cause me pain again? Has... has he been setting me up this whole time?

And... was I stupid enough to still want to stay here with him?

Quickly, I ran down the stairs, not afraid of breaking my butt on the way.

A shiver ran down my spine when I shared a brief look with Riku. It was that same cool, calm, and heartless look he used to give me all the time. Not a word slipped out of his mouth as I ran into the rain again. The car ride home reminded me of the old cold, and numb Riku that I knew, but... I didn't want to believe it...

I tried so hard to get over all the mental torture he put me though, and now I was raw and vulnerable to all of his torture.

His favorite place for me to be.

No, I shook my head as I ran, Riku didn't go back to that... he didn't...

Standing outside Axel's house, I took a second to compose myself before knocking.

A woman answered the door, one that was not his mother, but before she could say anything, his father was quickly in front of me.

~~Axel~~

"So what?" I yelled at my father, he was trying so hard to make my happiness seem like a damn curse.

"I will not have my son fraternizing with some gutter rat!" When the words slipped out of his mouth, I couldn't stop myself. Balling up my fist, I quickly punched a portrait the hung on the wall, the glass shattered as a few tiny pieces became imbedded in my knuckles.

"He's not a gutter rat! You don't even fucking know him!" I wanted the glass to be his face.

He turned away from me, and that's when I noticed the front door just barely open. My father closed it a bit more as he stuck his head out.

"Get off my property." He said, like he was saying 'No thank you,' to girl scouts. He shut the door just a fast and then locked it like he wanted to make it clear to our maid that there weren't going to be anymore visitors.

My father admired his finger nails, "He is trouble, he is a problem."

"You don't even know him!"

"He cares for you," his eyes shot up to stare me down, "He likes you... which means he's like you." Stepping out of the room, he carried on talking, leading me behind him. "I will not have a delinquent for a son, nor will I let him date a boy." He poured himself a drink, "Your girlfriend is a wonderful woman, to cheat on her with such..." he shook his head as he took a sip.

"I don't give a shit about her!" My hand slammed into the near by table.

"You should," he didn't move his cup from his lips. "I picked her for you. She'll improve your image-"

"I don't give a shit about you!"

"I gave you life," his voice was really beginning to piss me off, "You don't have to like me, but you do owe me."

I wanted so bad to punch him in the face.

"You know you do."

Seriously?

"Why else is it that you throw your tantrums, you throw your fits, but you still come back? You still think about what I'll think. Everything you do in your life, you do while thinking about me." He walked closer, "Why don't you just think for a moment... if you're going to be thinking about me, why not think of ways to appease me, to make me happy?"

"Does this make you fucking happy?" All I could do was shout, throwing the table over, shattering the picture frames on top. Glass shattered all around the room as I went on a stampede, the more he talked, the more I hated everything around me.

"Axel," he didn't even seem the least bit concerned, "You know I don't want you to do that. I want you to stop seeing that little blond boy."

"You know what? No! He's the only thing in this miserable world that's ever fucking made me happy! The only thing that makes me want to fucking stay alive in this bullshit ass world." I kicked the shit on the ground. "I am so fucking tired of your bullshit. I am so tired of all this fake smiles and the fucking lies you tell everyone! I should just go and tell everyone your dirty little secrets!" Finally he flinched, "Go and tell them about your loveless marriage!" I slammed something else, "Your three kids who don't want fucking shit to do with you!" I laughed, putting my head down as I thought a little harder, "I'll tell all your little golf buddies how you're flat fucking broke!"

He didn't reply as quickly as I wanted him to, he took his sweet ass time, and I think that made me even more mad.

"You will keep seeing Larxene, you will get over this little crush, you will go to college, and you will get over yourself!" He stomped out of the room, but before I could follow him, he was in front of me again. "Stop acting like a four year old, stop thinking the world revolves around you, you're being childish and I will not stand for it."

"Then take a seat," I gestured to the chair on the floor, my hands finally stopped shaking for a second.

"Always such a smart ass... The only thing you were ever good at."

"Seriously!" my heart raced, "I spent almost my whole fucking life bending over backwards for you! Doing whatever the Hell you wanted to make you happy! What about my happiness, huh? What about my constant urge to punch you in the face?"

"Do it," he spoke calmly, "If it will make you happy," he turned his face and showed me his cheek.

And I froze.

Was this really my chance to hit him? Was that really my goal in life, to punch him? Was he really going to let me? As I stood there, my head swirling around in confused circles, he started talking shit again.

"See, you can't do it. You're all talk and no bravo. That's why you need to get over yourself and stop this childish game."

All I ever do in life is a childish game, all of it...

Without thinking my fist bawled up and raised, almost as if in slow motion it grew closer and closer to his face.

"Fuck off!"

I did it, I actually hit my father in the face-

"That was your little friend who came to the door-"

"What'd he say?"

~~Rox~~

I can't to this... Riku was playing with my emotions... and Axel was doing it just the same...

I looked up, at the bridge above my head, the shade the bridge cast didn't stop my face from heating up. All I wanted to do was see Axel, all I wanted was to hear his voice.. to feel his green eyes on me as he smiled and his cheek tattoos curved. But...

I was happy, Now what? Where do I go now?

There were sirens in the distance, and once I had a view of the street i noticed the police cars heading towards Axel's house...

His father may have turned me away, but I hadn't managed to go very far. From a hidden distance, I caught a glimpse of Axel being pushed into the back of a squad car... I wanted to run out, say they were mistaken, but i listened instead...

~~Axel POV~~

Surprisingly, this piece of shit of a man could take a beating.

He wouldn't stop talking either.

I hit him the first time, then I pushed him, and then I landed another punch to his face while pushing him into a nearby wall.

As my fist drew back for another punch, I froze.

He was smiling.

Smiling with blood oozing over his fucking pretty white teeth.

My head shook, there was no fucking reason for him to be smiling, and then something felt.. funny. The dripping noise hit my ears, the warmth spread up my arm, but when I looked down all I felt was more anger. Glass from the broken picture frames was still in his hand, and during me kicking his ass, he managed to slash down my arm, elbow to wrist

"I can't fucking believe you!" He had antagonized me just so he could lock me up. How the Hell did he manage to call the cops?

Turning away from him, I attempted to run out the back door, but my father caught the back of my shirt.

This whole thing was planned.

My only chance at living a normal life now was if I ran. But he wouldn't let me go, his arms moved from the collar of my shirt to wrap around my waist. No mattered how I kicked and screamed he wasn't fucking letting go. This wasn't where all this bullshit was supposed to end up, he wasn't supposed to be getting away with this and if he locked me up nothing I ever say will ever fucking matter.

Hands shifted and now there were more.

"Calm down," a stranger spoke, a stranger that was holding me, pushing me to lie down on a fucking gurney. My father had a panicked look on his face, but his voice was still as calm as ever.

"I don't know," my father shook his head, "He started yelling, and throwing things, he said he had to kill himself..."

The police officer began to talk to my father and I watched as my mother's eyes began to tear up.

"Tell them!" I screamed at her, begging her to be my mother for once.

She shook her head as her mouth kept gasping like she didn't know what the hell to say, my father was staring her down.

"He," she wiped away tears. Come on woman, be on my side for once. "He's a very troubled teen..."

This fucking bitch.

They were wheeling me out of the house, I yelled every fucking curse word I knew, there was no fucking way he could get away with this, they were both lying out their ass and no one was batting an eye.

~~Rox POV~~

They closed Axel away in the ambulance and drove off, his parents were in tears. He'd tried to kill himself?

But... he wouldn't do that, he wasn't the type of person... I stared to walk towards the police, there were still writing so they needed to hear what I had to say, because Axel was not the suicidal type. When I tried taking a step forward, I was stopped.

"What..." Looking down I saw a hand very tightly holding my wrist.

It was Riku.

"Come on, let's go," his voice was quiet, and full of concern. Was he toying with me again?

He continued to gently nudge me, and I listened... What if it was true, what if Axel really did try to kill himself, and police try to blame it on me?

They could do that if they really wanted, and if they investigated me, Riku would be in serious trouble, all these lies would unfold and they wouldn't turn out good, for anyone...

Putting my head down, I followed Riku.

I don't know what's wrong with me, I always fall for his tricks, but what am I supposed to do?

Maybe it's nothing terrible and my mind is just going to the worst case scenario.

Climbing in the car with Riku was beyond awkward.

The man felt no remorse at all for toying with me... like the old days...

"You don't need to worry about that kid anyways," he said without looking at me. "It's just you and me like always."

Slowly I shook my head, "You and me?"

"Mom is so fucking annoying," he let out a chuckle, "Love her to death, but she doesn't understand how we work."

"We don't work." I couldn't believe it...

Raising an eyebrow, he gave me a look like he always does but this time it felt so much colder. "Course we do." Before I could question his sanity again, he spoke, "I do what I want, you do what you want, but," he pulled into the bar, "You always stay with me."

He left me in the car as he went to our apartment.

Had I been blinded this whole time?

~~Axel POV~~

They sat in front of me, trying to act like this was a civil conversation between friends and not a talk between patient and doctor, which pissed me off more. They had me wrapped up in a hospital bed, I gave up trying to wiggle away, but they took their sweet ass time to say anything to me. The 'doctor' stood at the end of the bed while a nurse was pretending to do work on the computer in the room.

"You've told us, and I will look into it..." the douche bag started, "We will talk to your father and mother... but, we weren't there, we don't know what happened. All we know is you have a suspicious cut on your arm and all witnesses say it's self inflicted."

He repeated it like I hadn't heard him say it fifty times in a row already.

"We have to follow protocol," that part was new. "Normal protocol would be we watch you for 72 hours... but, your father is paying for you to go to a psychiatric facility."

"How can you send me there if you're going to 'investigate'?"

"We won't be able to transport you till early tomorrow afternoon, by then the case will be closed..."

"Then let me the fuck out of this!" I didn't know what it was but it wrapped around my whole body and prevented me from moving.

"I would... but you attacked nurse, and that's not okay," he acted like he gave a damn.

"So I bit someone, it's no reason to keep me locked up!" I needed to get out, so I could run while it was still a possibility. They weren't going to find shit to make them let me go, they were going to side with my father and mother and that would be the end of it. I didn't need to wait around to find that shit out.

He left without giving me an answer, and then I stared at the nurse that was still pretending to work.

"So, do you think I tried to kill myself?"

He didn't give me an answer, probably still mad that I bit him.

~~Rox POV~~

Riku sat on the couch like it was any other time, maybe it was to him...

"Do you still think we're dating?" my voice was quiet, as quiet as it had been in a long time.

He didn't look up from what he was doing, he nodded his head like it was a stupid question to ask. When he realized I wanted a verbal answer he sighed rolled his eyes. "Of course, don't you?"

I wanted to answer, but nothing came out. All this time I had been afraid of the silence and it started to dawn on me as to why. With Riku, that's all there was, I was always so nervous of pushing him away that I took silence over standing up for myself and it was a kink I found it hard to climb out of, not when it turns out he's been playing me...

"See," he gestured to my everything. "If we weren't, you wouldn't still be here. You wouldn't be sharing a bed with me every night, or doing what I tell you..."

He stood up, slowly pacing over the dirt rug and stopped in front of me, his exhale tickled the hair on top my head, I couldn't face him, but he made me. Gently using his finger under my chin to tip my head up, he kissed my forehead, and smiled.

"I told you Roxas, I love you," he kissed my forehead again, "If you want to go out and see other people, like Axel, I won't stop you, I want you to be happy, as long as you come back to me."

My mouth opened but nothing came out, again. He smirked and spoke for me.

"I need to let you do your own thing, you and mom agreed. So, I am... and you've been the happiest I've seen you in a long time, but not really happy. I set that kid up with you, and he broke your heart, but that's okay, because I'm still right here." His hug burned, I wanted to push him away, I wanted to run and never look back, but where would I go? Axel turned me down... he didn't want to ever see me again. "If he cared he wouldn't have left."

Riku was reading my mind again... had it ever really stopped...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Wow... long time no update...

Life is hard sometimes :/

This story is almost overr, rrrrrrrrrrrr~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UPLOADED: FEBRURARY 18,2019