Axel
The first time Axel had met Roxas had been unforgettable, to say the least.
The day that he first saw him had started a lot like any other day. He lay in bed asleep on a Saturday morning in spring. The sun's rays had started drifting in from the window, and when they threatened to rouse him, he'd pulled the covers up over his head. In the comfortable darkness he drifted back into a peaceful slumber.
His hazy mind vaguely registered the sound of his bedroom door opening after the morning had drifted on sometime later, but it was a kick to the bed that shook him to consciousness with the shake it caused, as well as the voice that came after it.
"Wake up."
The teen grunted in response under the blanket and attempted to burrow further into the dark warmth of the bed. The sheets were forcefully torn from him, earning the man who had disturbed his sleep a cry of protest and a glare.
His brother Reno stood above him, amusement sparkling in his eyes. He was already dressed for the day, wearing a crisp white shirt with the top few buttons open under his leather jacket, and a pair of jeans. Sunglasses sat on top of his head nestled in red hair, spiky where it wasn't long enough to go back into his ponytail. He tapped the knight stick he was holding lightly on the younger redhead's shoulder. "That wasn't a request."
"Buzz off, Reno," the teen responded, batting the knight stick away and closing his eyes against the too-bright sunlight. "It's Saturday."
"My apologies. I didn't realize that you don't work weekends."
Green eyes begrudgingly opened, meeting a face that looked so much like Axel's own. That is, aside from the tattoos across Reno's cheekbones. "Work?"
The man nodded. "We've got a situation. I need to head out now, but Cid's going to be meeting up with you in an hour at his place. Get dressed."
Axel would be the first to admit that sleeping was one of his favorite hobbies, and weekends were his opportunity to indulge. School had him waking up at five am, which Axel was pretty sure that it was inhumane torture to subdue the teenage masses. After school, he would spend his evenings with Cid, until he eventually came home to do enough homework to at least pass his classes. Sleep was hard to come by, and the teen lamented the loss of his precious Saturday morning snooze. But keeping Cid waiting wasn't an option, so he swung his legs over the side of the bed and planted them onto the floor. "Okay."
Reno strolled out of Axel's bedroom, with a "Later bro," closing the door behind him.
Axel stretched his arms up, yawning loudly, before reaching for his phone on his nightstand. It was already eleven o'clock. The teen stood, rubbing at his eyes as he groggily wandered from his bedroom into the hall towards the bathroom. Reno and Axel's apartment was a small, two-bedroom one bathroom flat. The finishes were nice enough for a rental, and for the pair of redheads it had been home for the past three years. Reno kept a relatively tidy home, with a little help from the younger redhead on occasion, and the furnishings were sleek and modern. Axel wandered into the bathroom, did his business, and brushed his teeth before stepping into the shower.
The warm water was soothing but helped ease the grogginess from the teen as he washed up. He stood in the shower after he had finished washing, enjoying the water pulsating against his skin in hot droplets. After a while, he turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around his waist to make his way back to his bedroom.
He towel dried his body and hair and pulled a band t-shirt, pair of jeans, socks, and underwear from his drawers. Once dressed, he grabbed a pair of black steel-toe boots from where they lay on the floor and thrust his feet into them, lacing them up. He slid his leather jacket over his arms, and grabbed his phone, checking the time.
When he saw that he was supposed to be at Cid's in five minutes, he hastily grabbed a pair of keys off his desk and his helmet off the chair and darted to the front door. He quickly locked the door and gave a courteous nod of hello to a neighbor who was returning to their own apartment. He ran into the adjacent garage and threw himself onto his motorcycle. In an instant he was off, the engine purring loudly as he made this way through the city.
When he was pulling into Cid's driveway, he saw the silhouette of the man already sitting in the car. His wince was hidden by his helmet as he parked behind Cid's bike. He quickly dismounted once the engine was off and removed his helmet, tossing it into the back seat of the vehicle before entering.
"You're late," the older man accused in monotone as Axel slid into his seat and buckled his seatbelt.
"I'm sorry, boss," the teen responded with guilt. "It won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't."
The vehicle roared to life, and soon they were backing out of the driveway. As they made their way down the street, Axel broke the silence.
"So, what's going on, boss?" He turned his eyes to the man, who was looking straight ahead at the road. His expression was serious but calm as usual. He watched as Cid took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"It seems one of our men is having doubts," came the simple reply. Axel lightly chewed on his lip, understanding the meaning behind the older man's words.
In his time at the Organization, Axel had never seen a member turn deserter. Usually when someone joined, they understood the ramifications, and that membership was lifelong. However, he had heard stories told by others about what happened to those who wanted out. They got out, alright.
Green eyes turned to watch the road ahead. "I see."
"This is going to be your job someday," the blonde explained with a soft affection in his voice that the teen noticed, "I need to prepare you for that."
Axel took a deep breath and nodded. This would not be the first time he had seen a man die, or one of their own. But it would be the first time he watched one of their own die by the Organization's hand. As they continued down the road, the redhead did his best to fix his expression to indifference. He wanted to be tough like Cid, able to make the hard choices that came with the job.
Eventually they drove down a long gravel path and parked in front of a grey warehouse. When the purr of the engine stopped after keys turned, Cid's eyes were on him. "You ready?"
Axel nodded, steeling himself for what awaited inside. "Yeah."
The duo exited the vehicle and made their way to the door. Cid entered first, Axel following close behind.
The inside of the warehouse was brightly lit with fluorescent lights hanging above, reflecting off the metal, windowless walls. Rows of shelving holding palettes the contents of which Axel wasn't sure of lined the large, single room, with a walkway between them. They walked toward the back where there was a bit of empty space, and he could see his brother standing with several other men, his trusty knight stick resting on his shoulder. As he and Cid approached, he could hear Reno talking.
"How far did you really think you'd make it, man? There's nowhere you could run that we wouldn't find you."
Cid placed a hand on the older redhead's shoulder, and their eyes met. "Hey, boss!" the man greeted.
"Thank you for your work, Reno. I'll take it from here," the blonde remarked, and Reno stepped aside to let the man pass. Axel followed.
Sitting on the floor with a bloodied, bruised face sat a man that Axel recognized but had never interacted with much. His clothes were disheveled and dirtied from the floor of the warehouse and what the redhead assumed was his own blood. He did not look up from the floor as Cid dropped to a knee to be eye level with the man.
"You put up a fight," Cid commented and rested his forearm on his other knee, appraising the man with his eyes. The man said nothing.
Blue eyes glanced at Reno over his shoulder, "Where did you find him?"
"Caught up to him on Route 15, had to run him off the road" the redhead replied.
A single laugh escaped Cid's lips. "Didn't try too hard, did you?" he directed at the man before returning his attention to Reno behind him. "Was there anyone with him? Any witnesses?"
The redhead shook his head. "He was alone."
Cid nodded, eyes on the man again. "Does your family know about your little vacation?"
This made the man find his voice, albeit shaky. "Please," he begged. "They have nothing to do with this!"
Cid snapped his tongue against his teeth, forming a 'tsk' sound, and shook his head, indifference dominating his expression. "Shame." He sighed and nodded to two men, who started to leave.
"No!" the man cried.
Although the red-haired teen kept his apathetic expression, a tightness pulled at his chest at Cid's single word sentencing of the man's family. He knew the reason; no loose ends, never leave behind someone who might seek revenge. It was one of many rules Cid had that kept him and the Organization in the good position they were in for so long. However, it wasn't often that Axel got one of these chilling reminders that for all Cid's fatherly gestures and good-hearted nature, he was ruthless. As much as Axel knew the blonde loved him like a son, he also knew Cid wouldn't hesitate to kill the redhead if it came down to it.
Cid stood, turning to the teen. "Axel, what is the sentence for desertion?"
The youth froze, not expecting the question. His breath hitched, but he turned and looked at the man on the floor, who had begun to cry. "The penalty for desertion… is death." He had wanted, hoped, that his tone would sound as unaffected as his expression looked. However, he'd been unable to hide his fear and sympathy, and it had infected his voice.
Cid reached behind himself and retrieved the Glock 22 tucked into his pants under his shirt. As he retrieved a suppressor from the pocket of his jeans and screwed it into the piston, the man on the floor began to shake from the strength of his sobs. He began an attempt to crawl away.
"That's right, Axel," breathed the blonde, his eyes fixed on what he was doing. "When one joins the Organization, they swear an oath to their fellow brothers and sisters. Did you forget that oath, Bill?" he asked the man, his tone cold and even as he finished his task.
The man's sobs got louder, and he stood, breaking out into a run. Where he thought he was going to run to, Axel wasn't sure.
The click of the safety being disabled felt deafening.
Axel watched the man, and Cid raising his gun to take aim in his peripheral. When Cid squeezed the trigger, the sound of the shot was muffled but not silent. The first bullet hit its mark, ripping through the man's skull in a spray of blood. A second ripped through the man's chest, turning his body as it started to fall, and a third went through the skull again, scattering brain and blood alike.
Eyes wide, the teen watched the body fall to the floor limp, holes releasing blood that began to pool on the ground. Heart racing, he felt the warmth of blood spray that had freckled his face. He turned to Cid, who was removing the suppressor from his pistol with calloused fingers, his face hard and emotionless. Some of the spray had gotten him as well, staining his face and a bit of his shirt.
"Clean this up," Cid ordered coolly, "and dispose of the body."
The men around him began to move and Cid tucked away his weapon, shrugged out of his jacket, and passed it to one of the men. He removed the white t-shirt he was wearing, balling it and tossing it in the direction of the body that lay on the floor before being handed a clean one. Axel eyed the shirt where it lay draped over the legs of the man, discarded as trash. Cid was given a moist towel to wipe his face with and did so before passing it to Axel. The teen wiped at his face while Cid slipped into his new shirt and was handed his jacket back, the leather wiped down. The man had gotten far enough away that the spray on them had been light, most of it a mist.
Axel's own jacket had been taken from him, but the only evidence on him had been the misting of his nose. Once inspected and found to be clean, Cid turned to him.
"Let's go, Axel."
The pair silently made their way toward the exit, the sounds of Cid's men cleaning up in the background. Once they were settled into the vehicle, Axel could feel the blonde studying his face, and turned to meet his eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked of the youth, concern in his voice.
Axel nodded.
The engine turned over, and Cid turned the car around to head back toward the road, gravel crunching under the wheels. "It's never easy to have to kill a friend. I didn't bring you here to watch a man die," he explained softly as he drove, "you're no stranger to that. I brought you here to see the harsh reality of the things you're going to have to do someday. To understand that it might be a friend of yours you have to sentence. Maybe innocent people."
"I understand," the redhead responded. The solemn tone of Axel's voice seemed to satisfy the man, and they spent the rest of the ride in silence.
The car pulled up to Cid's house, and the engine cut off. Both men opened their doors, and the sound of quick footsteps startled Axel as he exited the vehicle.
"Dad! Can we go to-"
His eyes snapped to the source of the voice as he stood with a hand still on the car door. A boy with blonde hair stood on the covered porch, gripping the railing. Axel could feel his eyes widen as the boy's blue eyes locked onto his, his sentence silenced and forgotten. Axel's eyes narrowed as he registered what the boy had said. His green eyes appraised the boy, who stood mouth agape and still.
"Go where?" he heard Cid ask.
The boy looked away from Axel and to the older man, the surprise not leaving his face. "Uh."
He watched the boy's eyes flit to his own again as Cid addressed him. "I'll see you later, Axel."
The redhead took that as his cue to leave and grabbed his helmet from Cid's backseat and slid it over his head. He straddled his bike and the engine came to life. He didn't look back toward the house, or the boy, and headed to the street.
It was past dinner when Reno came through the apartment door, smelling strongly like a bonfire. As he approached Axel who was sitting at the couch in front of the T.V. the teen looked up and found slate blue eyes staring down at him.
"Hey, about today. You alright?"
Axel nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."
The older brother eyed the younger for a few moments, lips a tight line. "You know, if you don't want to take over, you don't have to. You could just be like me, Cid would understand."
"I want to," Axel assured, "I want to more than anything. Nothing could change that."
Reno nodded, and started moving deeper into the apartment. "Okay. I should go take a shower."
Axel sat up and leaned forward on the couch. "Reno, wait."
The man paused in the doorway between the living room and kitchen and raised his eyebrows to the teen. "What's up?"
"Does Cid have a kid?" he asked, his mind wandering to the blonde boy from earlier. He wondered if he had really heard what he thought he did.
Reno laughed, "Other than us, his loveable delinquent foster children? No."
"Right. Yeah, of course," the youth responded. He remained unconvinced, but waived Reno off anyhow. "Go shower, you smell like a fire."
The thought continued to bother him well into the evening. He was certain he'd heard the blonde boy call Cid 'dad', but that couldn't be possible. Cid had never mentioned anything about having a kid, and when he and Reno lived with him it had been only ever been the three of them. The man couldn't even manage to hide his favorite snacks from them, how would he have hidden a person? And he was positive that he had never seen the boy before, anywhere. He definitely didn't go to Radiant Garden High, and he'd never been with the Organization either. How could he possibly be Cid's kid and not be involved with the Organization, when he himself had been involved since the young age of 13?
As he lay in bed that night, the image of the boy's face was burned into Axel's mind. His thoughts wandered to the possibility of Cid having a kid, and what that would mean for him. Did he stand to lose his position because of this? But no, of course that couldn't be it. Cid had been treating him normally. He wanted to talk to the boss as soon as possible, but didn't dare call. It was too late at night to call without an emergency.
He tossed and turned for hours before he managed to fall asleep.
"Axel!" chirped a voice the next morning, that the boy practically hissed at. "Get up!"
The redhead opened one green eye, and grunted at the teen leaning over him, his dirty blonde hair lighter in the sunlight streaming in through the window. "Who let you in here?" he accused groggily, squeezing his eyes shut tight again. "Get out, Demyx."
The boy, Demyx, pushed against Axel's shoulders. "Reno let us in, now get up!"
Disgruntled sounds escaped the redhead as he pushed the other teen away. "We?"
"Saix is in the kitchen."
Axel grimaced and cursed his bad luck for being forcefully roused from his sleep for both weekend days. "Ugh, what do you guys even want?"
Demyx grinned victoriously at his success in waking his friend and stood up straight. "I want to go hang out at the skatepark and get some practice. Saix said he would go, but only if we came and got you."
Axel rolled his sleepy eyes before rubbing them. "Some friend, Saix is. I'm going to find a new friend and replace him," he called out in hopes the man in the kitchen would hear him.
"Just get up, crybaby," Demyx insisted.
The redhead sat up in bed, resigning himself to his fate. He dropped his feet to the floor, and took off his pajama shirt, before getting up to stroll across the room. "I'm changing whether you're in here or not, Dem," he warned, and dropped his pajama bottoms.
Startled, the other teen turned and walked out the door with a quick, "I'll be in the kitchen with Saix!"
Axel made quick work of changing, dressing in a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt, finishing with his Organization jacket and a pair of black sneakers. He walked into the kitchen and smiled when the scent of coffee filled his nostrils. When the blue haired teen turned to him and held out a mug, the smile stretched into a whole-faced grin, and he took the offering. "I take everything back, you're my best friend. I love you, Saix."
Saix rolled his eyes and sat at the kitchen table next to Demyx. "And I barely tolerate you," he returned with the smallest of smiles.
Axel took a seat, sipping his black coffee, and the blonde leaned forward as he spoke. "Did you guys finish the Biology homework?" he asked.
Saix nodded silently, and Axel shrugged. "Mostly. Help me with mine after the skatepark?"
Both teens agreed to help, and they chatted while Axel drank his coffee. For as long as he'd lived in Radiant Garden, he'd been friends with Saix. They met in school when they were 9, when Saix had offered to share his lunch when Axel had lost the lunch money Cid had given him one day. Since that fateful day and ham sandwich, their dynamic of Saix's cool confidence and Axel's loud recklessness had worked effortlessly. It was as though they balanced each other, and Saix followed Axel into the Organization as soon as Cid would allow him. Demyx came to complete their circle of friendship in freshman year at Radiant High, after a brief dating stint with Axel. Demyx and Axel had bonded over their love of music, and although they loved each other platonically, romantically they weren't on the same page. Not that anyone ever was on the same page as Axel in that regard. The blonde was, self admittedly, unfit for being in a gang as he wasn't good under pressure and violence made him anxious. This never bothered the other two, as it gave them a reason to keep Organization talk to a minimum when Demyx was around and have a somewhat normal teenage experience.
With the coffee drank by Axel and cup placed in the dishwasher by Saix, the trio walked toward the skate park, happy chatter filling the space between. As soon as they were near the entrance, Demyx dropped his board to the ground and hopped on, heading towards the half-pipe. Axel and Saix trailed along behind and found a spot by the fence close enough to be able to talk to Demyx. The blue-haired teen dropped to take a seat, leaning against the fence, and Axel opted to stand.
It didn't take long for a flash of blonde to catch his eye. Green eyes watched the figure, that he was reasonably sure was the boy from the day before, skate for a while. He was practicing tricks, brow furrowed in concentration. If he hadn't been rehashing his thoughts from the night before, Axel might have been thinking about how cute it looked.
"Are you even paying attention?"
Saix's voice broke through Axel's thoughts, startling him a little. The redhead hadn't even realized the other had been talking.
"What? Yeah. No. No, I wasn't."
The blue haired youth sighed, following Axel's line of sight before murmuring a noise of frustration. "Please, not another blonde."
"What's that about?" the redhead questioned, furrowing his brows.
"Let's not play games, Axel. You have a type."
Axel folded his arms over his chest, shaking his head but not tearing his gaze away from the mystery boy. "You've got it all wrong, that's not it."
"Really?" Saix asked with apprehension. "Looks like your type to me."
The redhead smirked. "Well, you've got me there, but still that's not it."
The blonde stopped skating, wiping at his brow. His eyes locked with Axel's across the park and he shot him a scowl. The redhead raised his eyebrows as the blonde got back on his board, heading toward the exit, on their side of the park.
As soon as the boy was close enough, Axel called out to him. "Hey."
The mystery boy stopped in his tracks, eyeing him with malice. That didn't deter the redhead and he continued, "You Cid's kid?"
The boy's jaw clenched. "Yeah, what's it to you?"
Axel made a noise of disbelief, slowly shaking his head. "Gotta say, you don't look like you'd be Cid's kid." He could see some of Cid in the boy, mostly the eyes, now that he had a closer look. But he was too clean cut and had none of the hardness of his father. The boy still had some baby fat on his cheeks, and he almost looked feminine.
"I look more like my mom," the blonde countered, fists balled at his sides.
Axel stopped leaning against the fence and stood straight, towering over the blonde. "I can see that." He waived a hand dismissively. "But regardless, that's not what I meant." He let his eyes wander the boy, eyes to feet and back again. Definitely not what anyone would picture for the words 'Cid's son'. The redhead stepped forward toward the boy. "What's your name, kid?"
The boy leaned slightly back, looking unsure. "Roxas."
Axel let the name bounce around his mind for a moment. He wondered if the name had been Cid's choice, but decided that he liked the way it rolled off the tongue. "Roxas," he tested.
"What, you need me to write it down for you?"
The redhead gave a Cheshire grin. The boy was feisty. "No need," he assured, tapping an index finger to his temple. "Already memorized."
The blonde turned towards the exit, but Axel wasn't done with his questions. "Why is it," he questioned, raising a single eyebrow and crossing his arms, "that I've never heard of Cid having a kid."
That stopped the boy. He brought his blue gaze back to Axel, surprise quickly hidden under a glare. "Well I've never heard about you, either."
That hurt Axel more than he would have ever cared to admit. How could that be true? He was with Cid nearly every day, surely he deserved at least a passing mention. Even so, he wasn't about to let such feelings show to the blonde. He waived a hand in front of him, biting back with, "Guess you two aren't that close."
When he saw Roxas' fists clench and heard the tone in his voice, the redhead knew he had struck a nerve. "Say. That. Again."
Axel chuckled at the threat. As if this skinny, short kid could take him. "Guess you two aren't that-"
His vision went fuzzy, and his jaw groaned with pain to let him know he'd been struck. His eyes went wide as the pain stretched further across his face, and anger bubbled in his blood. Before he even knew what he was doing, he felt his fist collide hard with the blonde's stomach, doubling him over. In another flash, his arms were restrained and he was dangling like a scarecrow from the way Saix was holding him.
Demyx was between him and the other blonde, bending over to ask him if he was okay. Roxas muttered that he was fine but seemed out of breath.
Saix released him from his hold when he didn't fight against him, and Axel's feet fully touched the ground again. He rolled his jaw, testing it. It hurt pretty badly, but it wasn't broken. Green eyes caught the blue pair looking at him and he smiled widely, ignoring the pain that came with it. "Way to go, Roxas. Fight, fight, fight," he half praised, and half mocked, giving the boy a slow clap of his hands.
Saix rolled his eyes. "Lay off, Axel," he warned, "You want the boss to find out you're fighting his son?"
"Not sure you should have let him go, Saix," Demyx added, not wanting to bear witness to another altercation.
Axel watched as Roxas stared at Saix, before the other blonde interrupted.
"I'd run off if I were you," Demyx suggested to Roxas genuinely.
The boy gave one last look at the group before getting back on his board. He made for the exit, but the redhead could tell that the pain in his side was slowing him down some.
"I just want to clarify," Saix breathed as soon as the teen was out of earshot. "You said he was Cid's son?"
Axel nodded, spitting out a little blood from where his cheek had collided with his teeth. "Saw him at Cid's yesterday."
"Now that is curious," the blue haired teen commented.
"You're telling me."
It wasn't until Monday evening that Axel was finally alone with Cid. After school, he followed his boss as they went and did what they needed to, talked who they needed to, but with his mind on all of the questions he needed to ask. Once they were in his office at the garage, Axel closed the door behind him and immediately went into interrogation.
Cid sat down at the desk, and Axel leaned against it with his hands, staring at the older man. "Since when do you have a son?"
Blue eyes met his, the man's face cold and serious. "Since he showed up on my doorstep a few years back. Didn't know he existed before that."
Axel nodded. "OK, but why have I never seen him before? He doesn't go to Radiant High."
The man looked like he was deciding how much information to share, eyeing the teen. He must have decided that the teen was trustworthy enough, because he answered, "He goes to Kingdom High, and he lives with his mother out of town."
"Isn't Kingdom High that fancy private school?"
The blonde simply nodded in answer.
"Why isn't he in the Organization?" he tried, unsure if he would get a satisfying answer.
He wouldn't. "That's not important."
The redhead crossed his arms and his brow furrowed. When he spoke, it was with venom. "This kid is apparently too good for public school, to good for Radiant Garden, and even too good for the Organization. Seems like everything about Roxas must be very important," he argued.
Cid dropped a fist hard on his desk, startling Axel, his eyes shooting daggers. "Enough."
Axel fell silent, lips pressed into a thin line as he stared at the floor.
"How his mother and I choose to raise him is of no consequence to you, and not up for debate."
Although how differently Cid treated his son compared to Axel would spark jealousy and anger in him, he was never foolish enough to bring the boy up again. When he saw the blonde boy over the next few years, he simply gave an annoyed glare and left, having no desire to interact with the boy who was everything he wasn't.
The second time Axel interacted with Roxas was a very, very bad day.
He was with Reno, on their way to a supply pickup when he got the call.
The two were in a nondescript black vehicle, property of the Organization, driving in silence with Axel staring out at the empty road. Although they had only just left town, the road was empty, and the fields and houses they passed on the two-lane road gave Axel little to look at. It had been minutes at best, but he was thoroughly bored when he felt the buzzing in his pocket. He reached for his phone lazily, accepting the call without bothering to see who it was and bringing it to his ear.
"Yeah?" he asked it.
"Axel-" the voice belonged to Braig, a man with whom Axel was familiar but not too friendly. His voice sounded off, maybe even scared. "You have to come back, now! Cid's been shot!"
Panic shot through Axel like a jolt of electricity, and he turned to his brother, shouting "Turn around!"
Reno checked his rearview mirror quickly and found it empty. He slammed the brake and rubber scraped against asphalt, leaving light smoke and a heavy scent as he spun the wheel. Once they were facing the right direction, the older redhead slammed the gas, and they took off back the way they came as Axel spoke on the phone.
"Where is he?"
"At the garage. He was hit in the chest, but he's breathing. Should we call an ambulance?"
"No," Axel responded, forcing his voice to stay calm as his mind raced. "Can't risk it. We'll be there faster anyway. Can you move him?"
Braig seemed to consider the question for a moment. "I think so."
"Get one of the creepers and lay him on it. Roll him out to the front. We can lift him into the car on it. Find the shooter." he ordered, urgency in his voice.
"Understood."
Axel ended the call and turned to Reno, who had his eyes fixed on his task as he entered city limits and started needing to weave between other cars. "The garage," Axel ordered, his voice grave. "Cid's been shot."
The hands on the steering wheel gripped harder, knuckles going white as the duo raced toward their destination. Neither man spoke for the drive which seemed like an eternity, but only lasted a few more minutes. Tension hung thick in the air, both men's hearts in their tight stomachs.
When they arrived in front of the garage, Axel had jumped out of the car before it even stopped. He ran over to where Cid lay, the sight of the blood covering the man putting a lump in his throat. He told a man to call the hospital to let them know they were coming and helped get the injured man into the car. When the car was racing toward the hospital, Reno once again the driver, Axel sat in the backseat with Cid's head on his lap, holding a bloodied towel over the wound.
What he saw in Cid's blue eyes terrified him. Tears of pain spilled slowly from them, and for the first time since he had known him, Cid looked scared. He tried to speak a couple of times but found himself choking before he could utter a word.
"Hey," Axel muttered after the second attempt, around the huge lump in his dry throat. "Now's not the time for a conversation. You're going to be fine," he assured, perhaps trying to convince himself as well. His own vision seemed blurry, but no tears managed to fall. "We've got you, you're going to be just fine."
When they pulled up in front of the emergency room, there was a gurney with nurses and doctors already waiting for them. Both Reno and Axel watched helplessly as the only father figure they'd ever known was rolled away, not knowing for sure if he was going to be alright.
They waited in ugly blue chairs as Cid went into surgery. At one point, Axel went to the restroom and washed as much blood as he could off of himself. He stood for a moment, staring at the face that looked back at him in the mirror and gripping the sink. The upside-down teardrop tattoos under his eyes felt like a cruel joke he had played on himself as he stood here. The purple ink mocked him, the whites of his eyes red from the strain of tears held back. When he returned, Reno was answering questions from the police. He listened to Reno explain that it had been an accident; that the gun had dropped and fired. Neither his expression or tone revealed the lie, no matter how many questions he answered. The interrogation went on, with Axel occasionally adding to the conversation or agreeing. He knew that the cops didn't believe their story, as they were familiar with the Organization, but unless Cid died they couldn't do much about it.
When they eventually left the pair alone, Axel found himself with head in hands, praying. He'd never believed in God. Still, on the off chance he was listening, he begged for Cid's life. The thought that Cid might not make it tightened his insides and left a stinging sensation behind his eyes. He banished the thought, chewing his lower lip as he stared at the white tiles that made up the hospital's floor. He promised himself that Cid would be alright, if only because he wasn't ready for any other reality.
He felt the arm of his older brother wrap around his shoulder and instinctively leaned in to the comforting warmth. For a moment it felt like he was just a scared kid again, leaning into the protection and strength of his older brother. The sound of a single wet sniffle hit his ear, and he assumed it had come from Reno. He didn't lift his head to check.
After a while, other members of the Organization drifted in to sit with them, and he felt Reno's arm leave him. He lifted his head and nodded to the others as a replacement for a greeting when they approached. The figures of men and women in matching jackets lined the hall, filling the remaining blue chairs. He could feel their eyes on him as he stared at the floor, arms crossed and slumped in his own chair. He did his best to betray no emotion, and he thought to himself that it might be the hardest thing he'd ever done.
At some point, Saix approached and placed a helmet on the empty seat beside him and passed him a pair of keys. "I drove your motorcycle here for you," he told him, and Axel pocketed the keys with a murmured 'thanks'.
Everyone was silent until the surgeon came out. Axel and Reno sprung to their feet as he approached. "How's he look, doc?" Axel asked, hopefulness in his voice.
"The bullet missed his heart but the surrounding tissue was damaged. Recovery is going to take some time. You family?"
"His foster kids," Reno informed.
The doctor nodded. "Okay. We're transferring him to a room. He's awake and would probably feel better seeing you."
The boys visibly relaxed as the doctor left. When Axel turned around, all eyes were on him, as though they were waiting for him to say something. He blinked, and Reno nudged him in the side. Axel went to speak but coughed instead.
He cleared his throat. "Clear out, Cid's going to be alright. Get the gun and find out why it fired. Then get rid of it," he ordered, hoping that the group would understand his meaning. It seemed they did, as a series of nods and affirmative grunts followed. Then a sea of black Organization jackets began to file out of the hospital, the sound of heavy boots rumbling against the floor. Axel wasn't sure how many of them had come, but it had been more than enough to catch the attention of the hospital's other visitors and staff.
"Say what you want about the Organization," Axel mused, "these people are loyal."
Reno nodded.
As soon as they were able, the pair went to Cid's side. The man sat in bed with white gauze on his wound, a circle of red slowly forming on it. He smiled weakly at the two as they walked in.
The redhead did not like this look on the boss. Cid had always seemed larger than life, ever since he was a kid. Seeing him now, like this, made him too human. Too mortal. Superhumans weren't supposed to bleed like that.
Axel sat on the bed, putting a hand lightly on the blonde's. He surveyed the man's face, thinking he looked older today. His skin tone looked grey. His wrinkles seemed deeper. "You look like shit," he offered.
Cid laughed, then winced at the pain it caused.
"Sorry, boss."
The man shook his head, then whispered something. Axel leaned closer to hear him, and the man repeated himself, "So do you."
Axel cracked a smile, and heard Reno chuckle.
The older man's smile lasted only a moment longer, before becoming serious. "Axel," he tried to speak louder this time, but it caused him to cough. His face contorted in pain again.
Worry washed away Axel's own expression, and he squeezed the man's hand. "It's okay, boss. I'm taking care of everything. You just need to rest."
Cid's brow furrowed and he shook his head, his blue eyes pleading. He forced his voice louder, and breathed a single word, "Roxas."
The name surprised the redhead. He hadn't thought of the boy in a long time. "Do you want me to get him?"
"He'll worry," came the urgent whisper. The man spoke slowly, doing his best to minimize the pain talking caused so he could say what he needed to "He needs to see me. Then keep him away, it's not safe."
"I understand," Axel assured before turning to his brother. "I'm going to go get the kid, in the meantime I want you to make sure that there's someone outside the room at all times. Then go check in with everyone, make sure that everything hasn't dissolved into chaos. Keep me updated."
"Got it, little bro," Reno said with a smirk and two fingered salute. He turned to Cid then, "Try to relax, boss. The sooner you recover the sooner I can stop hearing this one bark orders." He pointed his thumb at his younger brother. He turned on his heels and stalked out of the room.
Axel went to stand up but Cid's hand covering his own stopped him in his tracks and green eyes met blue. "Axel," the other man whispered as a smile crept along his lips, "leadership looks good on you."
The redhead smiled and continued to stand up. "Do me a favor," he countered, "the next time you want a vacation, skip the drama and the flattery and just ask."
He left the room to the sound of soft chuckles.
The drive to Cid's house saw Axel gritting his teeth in irritation. Although it had been a long time since he'd seen more than a glimpse of Roxas, his opinion of the blonde hadn't improved, but had actually gotten worse. Axel wasn't sure what word he would use to describe his feelings toward him; hatred? Loathing? Abhorrence? That didn't matter so much, so long as he was certain that everything about Roxas grated on him. Seeing him in the uniform for his fancy school, or more recently, in expensive and pretentious clothing that offended Axel's eyes had helped to paint a picture of the now young man. The spoiled, ungrateful son who reaped the benefits of his father's work without ever lifting a finger. He imagined him parading around whatever university he went to now, with none of his pompous friends knowing that he was, in fact, and imposter in their world. The very idea of Roxas and his life was ridiculous to the redhead.
When the blue house came into view, Axel caught sight of the blonde rolling out the trash bin to the curb. He pulled the bike up in front of him, and removed his helmet, visibly startling the other man. Axel tossed him his helmet. "Get on."
Blue eyes scowled at him in disgust, as though Axel were nothing more than the dirt on his shoes. The boy held out the helmet to return it to him and breathed a "No, thanks."
The redhead rolled his eyes, already irritated in the five seconds and four words exchanged with the brat. If Cid weren't hurt, he might have stuffed him into that trash bin and drove off without another word. With venom in his voice, he spat the words "I'm not here to take you out for ice cream, you idiot. Cid's been hurt. Now get on the damn bike!"
He watched the blood drain from Roxas' face. "What?!" he cried out, "Is he okay!?"
The redhead's patience was wearing thin. "He will be, but if you don't get on the damn bike I'm not going to be able to say the same for you," he threatened.
To Axel's relief the blonde slid the helmet over his head and adjusted the strap, and he felt Roxas' body behind him a moment later. "Hold on," he advised, and when he felt Roxas' arms wrap around his waist, he took off toward the hospital.
Once Axel had pulled into a parking spot, Roxas was off like a bullet in a beeline towards the entrance. To Axel's surprise, he had to run after him despite having much longer legs. When he caught up, Roxas was making a scene with a secretary at the front desk. He approached and tapped the man on his shoulder, nodding down a hall. "Come on, I know the way."
He led the blonde down the too bright and too white hall, to an elevator, and stepped inside. He chose the floor, letting his hands rest in his pockets as they rode it up, eyes focused straight ahead. When the elevator chimed and the door opened, he strolled to the room he had been in earlier, and Roxas pushed past him, running to the side of the bed.
"Dad!"
He watched as Roxas examined his father and took a position to the side and slightly back of the blonde.
"Roxas," the older man breathed in greeting. It was soft, weak, like the smile he offered.
"What happened?" Roxas asked, concern lacing his tone.
Cid opened his mouth to speak, but Axel raised a hand and stopped him. He didn't want the man talking any more than necessary. "Don't, boss."
He turned to Roxas, who in turn stared at him with fearful blue eyes. For a moment, Axel felt sympathetic. "It hurts him to talk right now. Bullet to the chest, and although it missed his heart, it did some damage. He's already been in surgery and the bullet has been removed, but it's going to take some time to recover."
"S-shot?" Roxas repeated.
"I'm going to be fine," Cid managed as a whisper. He smiled reassuringly.
"He's not in any danger anymore," Axel interjected, "but he wanted to see you. Said you would worry if you didn't see him."
Roxas nodded, eyes trained on his father. "Does it hurt bad?" he asked softly.
"Like the Devil," the eldest man replied softly, smile never leaving his face.
"What can I do, can I get you anything?"
"No," Cid breathed. "No, nothing."
"He's going to need to stay here for a while," Axel interrupted, "the doc said recovery would take a week or so, then after some physical therapy he should be as good as new."
The older blonde removed his gaze from his son, turning to Axel. "I want you to look after Roxas. Stay with him," he whispered, wincing at the pain it caused.
Roxas' brow furrowed and he began to protest, "Dad, I don't need a-"
Axel paid no heed to the blonde's protests. "Got it. And surveillance?"
Cid nodded his head silently. When he did not speak again, Axel decided that the conversation was over, and it was time to get Roxas out. He grabbed the blonde by the shoulders and gripped, starting to push him towards the door with enough force that the man couldn't wriggle away. "I'll have Saix keep you updated," he directed to the injured man, and then to Roxas, "Come on, we need to let your dad rest."
"What? No I-!" the smaller man cried, struggling against Axel's grip unsuccessfully. "I love you, dad!" he called back.
Down the hallway a bit, Roxas managed to shrug out of Axel's grip, and barked "I can walk on my own, thanks!"
The redhead shrugged, tucking his hands into the pockets of his jacket as the pair walked down the hall toward the elevator. The silence between the two didn't last long, as it seemed Roxas was in the mood for interrogation.
"How did he get shot?" he asked, and the redhead felt the blonde's eyes on him.
Axel did not meet the blonde's eyes, staring straight ahead as he walked. "With a gun," he stated, his delivery deadpan.
He heard a noise of annoyance uttered from the other man. "Obviously. And not what I meant."
"Well I'm not going to be answering any questions until we're back at the house," Axel countered.
"At the house?" the other questioned as Axel stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to take them to the lobby. Roxas followed. "Wait- are you coming back to my house?!"
Axel finally brought his gaze to his blonde companion, unimpressed as he gave him a once over. Hadn't he heard his father? "Didn't you go to that fancy school out in Twilight Town? Why is this so hard for you?"
"Because I have no idea what's going on!"
Axel chuckled in disbelief as the elevator doors opened, a slight shake to his head. "Man, Cid really didn't get his money's worth paying for that education," he commented, and strolled out into the lobby. How was he going to make it through however long he was going to be with this blonde idiot when he couldn't even follow along with a simple conversation?
They made their way into the parking lot before Roxas spoke up again as the redhead was getting on his bike. "Why are you coming to my house?" he demanded.
A playful smirk crept onto Axel's features and he held a fist up to mimic holding up a microphone. "Thank you for choosing Axel's Radiant Garden Motorcycle Tours. We ask that you take a seat and keep arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. We also request that you hold all questions until the end of the tour."
The blonde rolled his eyes and put the helmet back on, sliding onto the seat behind Axel, and placing his arms around his waist again as the engine roared to life. "You are so lame."
Axel let out a laugh, and with that they took off.
When they finally got back to Roxas' house, the younger man slid the helmet off and started to the door. "I never locked up!" he called as he ran onto the porch and to the front door. Axel took his time, trailing slowly behind the other with hands in pockets.
"Relax," he reassured when he entered. "No one is stupid enough to rob this place." He chuckled to himself at the idea of Cid's place getting robbed. It was the kind of thing one only did if they were sick of having fingers.
"Got any beer?" he asked as he ventured further into the home.
"Uh, in the fridge," came a quiet answer. Axel strolled into the kitchen and removed a bottle from the refrigerator. He used the edge of the counter to pop the cap off, and brought the bottle to his lips. As the bubbles and taste hit his tongue he heard Roxas' footsteps, and a second later his voice.
"Hey, tour's over. I want some answers."
Green looked over to see blue eyes, and the man shrugged. "Shoot."
"Who shot my dad?" he asked.
Axel sighed and brought the bottle back to his lips. "He works for a rival, but we've got him in custody."
A nod of the head was given before he continued. "A rival? What do you mean, like the owner of another distribution company?"
Axel let out a bitter laugh, the words catching him off guard. A distribution company? Is that what Roxas told his friends? "I mean, that's one way to put it."
The questions persisted. "So, what exactly did my dad mean when he asked you to watch me?"
"Well," he responded with a smirk, deciding to speak slowly for the blonde so that he might be able to follow along, "pretty sure you can feed and walk yourself, so it sounded to me like he meant for protection. Looks like you and I are going to be roomies for a while."
He watched Roxas shake his head, waving his hands in front of him. "Oh no. No no no. Thanks for the offer Axel, but I don't think I need protection from anything. I can take care of myself."
Incredulous, the redhead gaped at the other man. He'd never spent a single day working with the Organization, and Axel was pretty sure he'd never even seen a real fight. "What are you going to do, throw textbooks at someone pointing a gun at you?"
"A gun?" Roxas questioned, looking at Axel like he had grown a second head. "Why on earth would anyone come at me with a gun? I still don't understand why someone shot my dad over a distribution business and a… mechanic shop!"
Axel's expression dropped, and for a moment he just stared in amazement. Was it possible? "Roxas… do you really not know what your dad does?"
"What do you mean?" asked Roxas, each word spoken slowly and softly. His blue eyes eyed him with apprehension.
"Oh boy," Axel murmured, shaking his head. Of all the things he had ever pictured himself doing, explaining the Organization to his boss's grown son was never one of them. He headed to the dining table and took a seat, motioning for Roxas to sit across from him. "You better sit down for this," he advised, and took another sip of his drink.
Roxas sank into the offered chair, and Axel took a moment to consider how to say what he needed to.
"Look, I don't know what his reason is for never telling you this, but given… ya know, everything," he waived his hands at their situation. "Let's agree that explaining it to you is the only way you're going to be cooperative."
"O..kay…"
"Have you ever heard of the Organization?" he asked leaning in and resting his arms on the table. He hoped that Roxas at least knew of it, and he could keep his explanation of today's events as brief as possible.
Roxas nodded slowly. "Yeah, they're a gang around here," he answered. "So wait, you and my dad are in that little gang?"
Axel smirked and sat up straight, surprised by the answer. Maybe Roxas really had no idea what his dad was up to. Ever. "Little? You must be joking. The Organization owns half of this city. It's tangled up in the politics around here, and what we don't own we get income from in exchange for our protection. We're everywhere."
"Okay but so, what? You're in a gang. That doesn't explain-"
"Not in a gang, Roxie," Axel interrupted. He spoke every word pointedly in his attempt to convey just how deep this ocean went. "Run a gang. Your dad's the boss. It's his gang. That little garage he owns? Money laundering. Your dad runs this city, and someone wants his turf and will do whatever it takes to get it. Got it memorized?"
Roxas went pale again. Axel watched as his eyes focused and unfocused, unsure whether the other man was going to faint or vomit. Or both.
"Hey, you okay? You look like you're going to be sick," he tried, ready to react if need be.
"Why would he keep this from me?" the blonde whispered, nearly inaudible.
"If I had to wager a guess, I'd say for the same reason I'm here right now." He met Roxas' gaze with a shrug. To be honest, he had no idea how or why Cid had kept this secret for so long, but there was only one reason that made any sense. "He was probably trying to protect you."
Roxas seemed to remember something, and another question popped out of his mouth. "Wait, so when you said that the shooter was in custody-"
"Now you're catching on," he praised. "He's with our guys, getting interrogated as we speak. Once we get what we want out of him, I've given the order to have him taken care of." He took the last sip of his beer and placed the empty bottle on the table.
Axel watched with interest as the expression on Roxas' face changed several times while he was lost in his own thoughts. He didn't interrupt, resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands in front of his lips. After a short amount of time passed, Roxas' eyes were trained on his own once again. He still looked like he might be sick.
"What else does the Organization do? I need to know."
At first, the redhead said nothing. He parted his lips to answer, but quickly changed his mind. Cid clearly didn't want the blonde knowing what was really going on. But it wasn't like he could have gotten Roxas to understand why he couldn't just leave him alone in this house. He considered his options, finding them to be few.
"I have a right to know," the younger man pressed.
Axel could tell this wasn't a subject the other man was willing to drop. He brought his eyes to the other man's, and answered. "Drug cartel, mostly."
Roxas slumped down in his chair, silent, as the other man watched him with curiosity. He hated to admit it, but he almost felt bad for him, with his whole world being turned upside down. But then again, how had he never seen this coming?
Axel's voice broke a long silence between the two. "I don't get you, Roxas. You're properly educated, yet somehow you thought your dad was able to pay for expensive schools and all the clothes and gadgets that would make you look like you belong, and you just… never questioned it? You do know the economy is terrible right now, right?"
Much to Axel's disappointment, there was no venomous reply. The blonde sat there, expression blank, as though he'd turned to stone.
Axel decided that it might be for the best to leave the blonde to his thoughts. He stood, the feet of his chair loudly scraping against the floor and pulled a phone from his pocket. He unlocked it and called Reno first, listening to the rings until-
"Hey little bro," came Reno's smooth tone. Axe heard various suspicious noises in the background.
"What can you tell me?"
"We got the guy," he replied, a familiar tone to his voice that Axel knew meant he was smiling. "But I've got to look into this incident a bit more. I've got a feeling that there's more to this story than I've been able to get out of him."
"Keep at it, then. Is everything in order?"
"Yeah, nothing to worry about. Word has spread that Cid's alright, and everyone seems to have calmed down and resumed normal business," Reno assured.
"Good," Axel breathed relief. "Keep me updated on what you find out."
Reno laughed, "Got it, mini boss."
Axel smiled. "Shut it."
He ended the call and hit the button to call Saix. After a moment, the man answered. "Axel," he greeted.
"Saix, is surveillance set up for Cid at the hospital?"
"Yes, it's been taken care of," came the relaxed response.
"Alright. I need surveillance on Cid's house also. I'm staying here, watching…" he chanced a glance to the other man, still motionless in his seat, "Roxas."
The other end of the line went silent, and if Axel couldn't hear Saix's breathing he would have thought that the call had dropped. After a few heartbeats, the man responded with a single word. "Understood."
"You're going to be Cid's connection to the world outside the hospital," he continued, "so check in with me and keep Cid updated."
"I'll make sure he stays informed."
He thanked Saix and they got off the phone. He tucked the phone back into his pocket and shot a hesitant look at the blonde.
"I want to see my dad," he said, seemingly recovered. He started to stand up, but Axel moved across the room quickly and placed a firm hand on his shoulder, keeping the blonde in his seat.
"No can do," Axel countered, his expression serious. "Direct orders. Cid doesn't want you at the hospital in case someone comes to finish the job."
"Finish the job?" the blonde questioned, fear displayed in his blue eyes.
Axel nodded. "It's unlikely," he admitted, "what with there being cameras, a hospital isn't the ideal place to murder someone. Not to mention that he's being watched by our guys. But he'd rather be safe than sorry, I guess."
"Will they be after you too, then?" Roxas' tone wasn't so much one of concern as it was curiosity, but it was soft, with a hint of defeat.
"Maybe," the redhead answered with a casual shrug. "But I'm basically untouchable. Your dad taught me well, and I've got the advantage if I'm expecting them. Trust me kid, being with me is the safest you could be." His confidence in himself was evident in his casual tone.
"Then how did they get my dad?"
Axel dropped his eyes to the floor, guilt stirring in the pit of his stomach. "I wasn't with him."
The redhead couldn't help but be upset about that fact. He was certain that if only he'd been there, as he almost always was, Cid would be fine. And he wouldn't be here, protecting a person he didn't even like. But Cid had said something about Axel needing to 'understand all aspects' of the work done by the Organization, and sent him off with Reno earlier that day, despite Axel's insistence that he already did.
A silence fell over the two while Axel's mind drifted. He wasn't sure how long he stood, green eyes staring out into the darkness past the window, but eventually he came back out of his thoughts and looked at the other man in the room.
"It's late," he murmured, an excuse to break the silence.
Roxas nodded, but continued to sit in silence. Axel wracked his mind, trying to come up with something else to say to break this awkward silence, but then-
"I'll sleep in my dad's room," he finally answered. "You can take mine. It's upstairs-"
"I know where it is," Axel interrupted. Unless Cid had done some major renovations, which certainly did not seem to be the case, he would have no problem finding what used to be his bedroom.
His answer gave the blonde pause, but no question came after. "Alright. I'm going to bed."
"I'm going to stay up for a bit," Axel replied. He removed his phone from his pocket, and glanced at the screen. There were no notifications. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He took a seat at the kitchen table once more as he listened to the sound of Roxas' footsteps ascend the stairs. He took a look around the room and sighed as his eyes wandered over things that hadn't changed, and the few that had. It was surreal, being in this house again. Without Cid here, it didn't feel like the warm, inviting home of his childhood. It felt cold, foreign, and he was fairly certain that part of the problem was the company that he did have.
Although the day had been long, Axel found that he wasn't tired. Was it stress? Adrenaline? He wasn't sure. He stayed in the kitchen late into the night. At one point he had grabbed himself another beer to nurse while he sat deep in his own thoughts. He placed his empty bottles in the recycling. He organized the mail on the counter by date. He flipped through a cookbook.
Eventually he ran out of these little tasks to occupy himself, and his mind, and somewhere around 2 in the morning he wandered upstairs toward the room he once shared with Reno.
When he opened the door, the feeling of being in a foreign place rose back into his chest. Green eyes slowly scanned the room as he stood in the doorway, over the pale blue walls that were once a light grey, and to where a 'Destati University' flag replaced what once was band posters.
He stepped in and closed the door softly behind him. Instead of two beds pushed against opposite sides of the wall there was only one, in the center of the room. There was a desk under the window, with pens neatly sorted into their cups and nothing else but a laptop littering the top. Everything in the room was light, bright, and organized.
To Axel, it was the visual equivalent of elevator music.
He looked over to see a bookshelf, with photos in frames nestled in with the various books. Pictures of Roxas, and people Axel assumed were his friends, filled most of them. In some, Roxas and crew were in their high school uniforms. In others, they were in casual wear.
It had been a long time since this had been Axel's room, but it still felt as though the blonde had intruded on his space. Like he had taken something that belonged to him.
But by now, Axel was too tired to feel angry about it. Instead, he slipped off his jacket to toss it on the desk chair and stripped himself of his t-shirt and pants. He hadn't brought himself any pajamas, and so resigned himself to sleeping in his underwear that night. He flicked off the lights and crawled into Roxas' bed, finding himself a little annoyed at the way it smelled of the same detergent that the blonde did. As he closed his eyes and let himself drift to sleep, he was at least thankful that they did seem to have one thing in common; they both liked soft beds.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
First of all, I want to give a huge shout out to FlyingFlapjack, as well as everyone who has followed or favorited! It feels awesome to know you guys are enjoying this, and gives me the energy to edit and get chapters out to you, so thank you so much! Keep the comments coming, I'd love to hear from you guys!
Anyway, it was tough to rewrite the conversations and try to keep them interesting, so let me know if I lost you at any point, or if you have any suggestions for how to make that flow better. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I don't plan to do this again in this fic, from here on out you can expect to get one version of events.
You can expect the next chapter to be out either at the end of the week, or at latest, early next week. I'd say to set your expectations to receive a chapter once a week, with the potential to get two in a week sometimes.