When I woke up, I immediately stiffened. Arms were around me, I could feel someone breathing on my cheek, and it was incredibly hot under my covers. I was about to throw the stranger when I noticed that it was just Sora. He was next to me, his arms wrapped tightly around me as he slept. He must've crawled into my bed sometime during the night. I peeked around, checking for Axel, and found him sitting at his desk. I could already hear the teasing from the current sleeping arrangement.

I gently shook my brother off, and he barely moved. Thank goodness he was a heavy sleeper.

The room smelled strangely of apples and cinnamon. Confused, I made my way to the bathroom, and spotted an air freshener next to Axel. I guess he sprayed it for me, since I never got to. Sora and I went to bed shortly after the other two had left—and I swear Sora had been in a sleeping bag on the floor when I last checked.

The shower was hot. I let the water pour over me, not caring that my skin was turning pink from the temperature. My mind was blank and slow as I woke up. I tried to think of ways to amuse Sora for the rest of the weekend. I tried to decide whether I wanted to date Naminé or not. Mostly, I just zoned out and washed all over. My body wash smelled like oranges—not my pick exactly, but my mom had given it to me and it did feel refreshing regardless.

I heard a strange noise. Huh?

I stopped rinsing my hair and listened.

It took a second, but I recognized the sound of the toilet flushing. I jumped back out of the water, but the temperature didn't change, thankfully.

"Sora?" I called.

"No, sorry."

"…Axel?" I asked, incredulous. "You did hear the shower, right?"

"Yeah..uh…I might be in here for a little while."

"Why? I need to get out!"

"Sorry…"

He sounded awfully embarrassed. Perhaps more than I did. "Can't you leave for a minute?"

"If I—" He broke off.

"Axel?"

There was no response. I turned off the shower, a dozen possibilities flying around my head, none of them good.

"Can you at least throw me a towel?" I tried.

A blur of green swished past me and I barely managed to grab it before it landed on the floor. I wrapped it around my waist, and stepped out.

Axel was bent over the toilet.

"Drank too much?" I asked.

"I never get this sick."

"Uh-huh." Like I believed that.

He looked up as I was grabbing my clothes—I'd rather get dressed out in the room with Sora than in here. "Hey," he said, flushing the toilet again.

"Are you drunk from last night?" His face was red and his hand was clutching his stomach. I had never seen him look so out of control and uncool.

Then again I had only known him for two weeks.

"Roxas…you're…" He bent over the toilet again.

"I'm going," I opened the door, rolling my eyes.

"Wait…I'm sorry and," he coughed, sitting up a bit. "You have a nice torso."

I blinked and scurried out of the room before he could say anything else. Seriously? I have a nice torso? What was that supposed to mean?

"Morning!" Sora was sitting on my bed, yawning.

"Hey." I started throwing clothes on while he was still only half conscious.

"Why are you dressing out here?" he finally asked.

I jerked a thumb at the bathroom door. "Occupied."

We decided to walk around town for the day, looking around at the shops. After we ate lunch at a sandwich shop, Sora was suddenly much quieter. I could tell he was thinking about something. Instead of exclaiming about this and that around him, he was looking at the sidewalk silently.

"How are you?" I asked casually, not wanting to pry. Demyx probably told him something weird last night.

"Good," he answered. "I was thinking…"

"About?" We entered a bookstore, which made me happy. My eyes scanned titles while we talked and the air was the sort of crisp, musky smell that could only be found in such places.

"Can I hang out by myself tonight?" he squeaked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Oh, you know! I wanted to go to the movies."

"By yourself?"

"Yeah."

I stopped and looked at him. "Why?" Sora never wanted to do anything by himself. He would follow you into the bathroom if he had the option!

"I never have, and it's a movie you don't wanna watch and—"

"Oh is it that new cartoon thing?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh ok. You know where the theater is?"

"Yes!" A large smile broke across his face. "So it's ok?!"

"Sure," I shrugged. "What time is it?"

"In a few hours." Sora hugged me and I laughed to myself. Maybe he was finally becoming more independent.

So later I found myself on my laptop doing some homework while Sora went to watch that movie. I finished what little I had, and closed my computer, ready to read my latest book. Axel was passed out on his bed, but I could see him stirring.

"Roxas…" he croaked.

"Wow, you sound like shit."

"I feel like shit. My stomach is doing, like, cartwheels."

"If you have to throw up more, go sleep in the bathroom."

"Thanks." He sat up, rubbing his eyes. His face was pale, and I noticed his hand shaking slightly.

"Are you ok?"

"After throwing up a bazillion times?" A weak smile. Then he tipped back over onto the bed like he had lost his balance.

I scurried over to him. "Are you dying?"

"Ha ha."

I put my hand on his forehead, and watched his eyes widen. Then he relaxed and closed his eyes like it was the nicest thing in the world. "You're burning up," I concluded. "I guess you're sick."

"I told you I never get that sick from drinking!"

"Doesn't mean you should drink," I muttered.

"I'll sleep it off."

"Shouldn't you go to the nurse?"

"Nah."

"Axel."

"What?!"

"You have a fever!"

"I'm fine."

"Have you been drinking water?!"

"Should I?"

"At least drink ginger ale!"

"I don't have any."

"Oh my god." I threw my hands up and strode out of the room before he could say anything.

He was asleep again when I got back. I had a plastic bag full of saltine crackers and ginger ale. One swift prod to the back, and Axel was awake.

"Huh?"

"Eat something."

His eyes widened at the bag. "You got all that?"

"Yeah."

"Well…thanks. Who taught you that?"

"My mom is a nurse. Well she was." I shrugged."But don't most people know to do this?"

"I dunno."

"Just eat it."

"Ok, Roxie."

He dug in while I finally got back to my book. Sora would be back any minute, and I wanted to seize the opportunity to get a chapter in with no distractions.

Axel cleared his throat again. "Sorry if I made you feel awkward."

"Alright," I said barely listening.

"You just looked good in that towel."

My neck snapped up. "What?"

He was grinning. "I'm kidding!"

I gave him a suspicious look, and turned back to my book. But now I couldn't concentrate. Is he trying to annoy me from every angle or something? Cause there's no way he's gay. And neither am I.

I guess there's no problem then. Axel is just being an asshole, like always. Teasing me with false compliments.

"And sorry again for yesterday."

"Stop apologizing, Axel."

"Something's just bothering me…"

"If it's your stomach, go to the bathroom."

"No, no, I'm feelin better."

"What is it then? I am trying to read, if you didn't notice."

"You don't like me, do you?"

"That's right."

"Wow." He sounded hurt, and I looked up in surprise.

"Axel, I'm kidding."

He waved me off but—shit—he was turning his head away from me and wiping at his face quickly. Was he crying? Joking, annoying Axel, crying?

"Really, Axel, I was kidding…" I tried. "Are you, uh, alright?"

"Yeah," he said looking at me. There were no tears on his face, so maybe I imagined it.

"Are you sure?"

"Being sick makes me weird," he grunted.

"Oh, ok." I turned back to my book.

"Roxas?"

Oh my god, I am never going to finish this book. "Yes?"

"I was talking to Sora last night and I was..kinda concerned..."

"What? What did you talk about?" I set my book aside. Who knows what had happened while I was gone; I should never have left them alone here. Sora knows everything about me, while Axel could easily corrupt him in less than two sentences. What if they swapped embarrassing stories or something?

"You know," he said finally.

"No, I don't."

"Never mind." He slouched over, nibbling on a cracker.

"No, tell me."

"Never mind, you probably didn't want me to know…"

I was about to burst with some kind of anger when my phone buzzed. Hey, what are you up to? Naminé was asking. Not now, I thought, putting it away.

"Axel," I started right as there was a knock. I opened the door and Sora hopped into the room. Damn it.

"Roxas! Axel!" He beamed at us. "I have some leftover popcorn!"

"None for me." Axel pointed at his stomach.

I didn't get a chance to ask either of them about what they had talked about until Monday.

A/N: What do you guys think so far? I haven't written for awhile, so sorry if I am a bit rusty. ^^' Thanks for reading!

~KeedaxEmry