13.
The blond fell on his ass first then landed like a pancake. He pinched the tip of his nose, which was rapidly eliciting blood. "Oh shit," he heard someone say. A blunt sensation at the back of his head made him question if he landed like that or the fact that blood was dripping into his skull and making it heavier. He cracked an eye open, partially getting blinded by the 4 o'clock sun.
Riku, Xion, Axel and even Zexion were circled above him. "Ken-d sombwuan-d kwizth me in kaith I hafv a kunkusehon-d?"
He heard Xion. "Uhh… what are the six perfections that a Bodhisattva practices?"
That's easy. "Kifing, mowality, pascience, fikor, meditasehon-d and withdom-b." He answered immediately. "Ith dat wight?" Oh gross, he felt blood trickling into his ear.
"How should I know?" Roxas rolled his eyes at Xion. "I just told you we finished Islam!"
"You're fine." Zexion assured him, as he helped him up. The others remained crowding around him momentarily, as he made his way to the bleachers. He was vaguely aware of Axel's hand on his sweaty shoulder. Ew. Why did he have to touch him now? Thankfully, the blush on his face could be mistaken for blood.
Roxas sat little ways from a slumbering Demyx, Xion handing him a tissue. "Fank kew." After reassuring everyone that he was okay, Zexion returned to his reading, Axel and Riku decided to play a little one-on-one and he and Xion sat back to rest.
During their game, Xigbar had migrated to the bleachers three levels behind them, Lexaeus had silently gone home, and Larxene had fully woken up. Roxas noted the math textbook in her lap and the hastily written down answers in the adjacent notebook. Her other hand, surprisingly, was held onto by Marluxia, skilfully painting the white tipped fingernails (claws, whatever), and going over them in a pink/nude finish. Roxas momentarily questioned how he recognized that they were French tips.
As soon as he could somewhat breath through his nostrils again, he turned to Xion, who was watching the two boys on the court. "So what's been going on lately?"
"Nothing headline worthy." She replied impassively.
"Do you always hang out with…" Axel? "all the seniors?"
"Riku's not a senior." Miss.
"They all seem like really good friends." Roxas drawled.
"They are."
"So Marluxia and Larxene are together?"
"I wouldn't say 'together.' It's more like 'this is mine. And no one else can have any unless I get distribution rights.'" Yeah that sounded more like Larx.
"And Saix and Xemnas?"
"They don't show it, but you'd have to hang out with them a lot to know that they are."
"How long have Demyx and Zexion been together?"
Xion looked at him, with that knowing gaze. "Axel doesn't have a girlfriend or boyfriend. He has… dates. Escorts." Why was he not surprised? Of course Axel's that kind of guy. "Sorry, Rox." She added softly. "You're gonna have to do some serious digging before you can even see his heart." Sunk.
Roxas looked down in disappointment. Wait, why was he disappointed? He didn't want a boyfriend. "I'm not trying to make him mine." I think. "I just find him attractive… and,"
"And want to see if you can strike his fancy?" God Xi, do you know everything? He sighed. "Oh Roxas, You'd better be careful." Her petite arm made its way around his back.
Curiosity piqued within him. "Why?"
"Because you're not as opaque as you think you are. I mean, you look like you're falling."
"That's an aggressive assumption." He reasoned. "I've only known him for three days."
"Roxas." There's that knowing look again! Xion's eyes were so blue, so fixated on the truth in his eyes. Even if he was too blind to see it himself. "I know you. You're that kind of guy." What kind? "The kind that loves with all his heart. The kind that puts his everything into what's most important to him. The kind that's flattered by being noticed for being something special in a stranger's life."
Okay this was awkward. No one's ever analysed him like that. Is it really true?
"It's not a bad thing. But it might hurt you with these kinds of people. They believe in one-night-stands and friends with benefits and sleeping with a bunch of strangers at the same time." Roxas looked at her in shock.
"Then why do you hang out with them?" The abovementioned traits were against Xion's morals as well as Roxas'.
The black-haired girl smiled sweetly. "Because essentially, they're all good people. They just happen to have different beliefs as I do. I still like them all. Even Saix!" That's such a you-answer.
"Well, I don't know if I'm falling for Axel. I just find him interesting." Attractive. "He's not like other people." Dangerously attractive.
Xion laughed. "That's true. Axel is one of a kind." The pair watched as Axel held the basketball in the air, laughing, while Riku complained and tried to jump for it. "Maybe you guys'd make good friends. He does seem to have taken a liking towards you."
He inadvertently straightened up. "What? Did he say something?"
"Yeah." Roxas blinked, expectantly. "He asked you to play basketball." Roxas deflated.
"That's it? He asked you too, y'know."
"He asked you to come to this place and play in his court with his friends." She hinted the accentuation of 'his' in each point.
"That doesn't mean anything, Xi."
The girl looked at him with almost sad eyes. "Oh Roxas, you really are socially challenged." He narrowed his eyes. "Well, whatever. Play it by ear. Hang out with him once in a while." She fully turned to face him. "Maybe I'm wrong."
Well, that wasn't confusing. It takes a room full of scholars to figure out when Xion can be wrong. Axel and Riku approached the pair and Roxas' eyes widened at the sudden presence of the subject of their conversation. The two upperclassmen flopped down in exhaustion; Riku on the asphalt, Axel on the seat right next to Roxas.
Xion smiled slyly at the two in close contact. "Hey Riku," The silveret looked up from his bag. "I have to go to the bathroom. Will you come with me? Cid might not let me in the building without you." Bravo, Xion. Drag the school janitor into this.
"Sure." He straightened up and walked toward the red-bricked building, leaving Roxas… alone… with a sweaty Axel.
Once again, thank you to my betas: kelseywazhere and LalaHachi :D
Hope you liked this chapter ~
YHS
xDelfin
