Chapter two. Stay Tonight Don't Leave Me To Sleep Alone. This Is Axel's Story.

It was a dull click of the lock that caused Axel pain. Well, not the door lock specifically. It was more the fact that he just closed that door behind the love of his life as he left with another man. No, not a man. A boy. Was it a sign? An omen? No. Of course not, Axel wouldn't go that far. They had just met the kid less than fifteen minutes ago. But it sure did feel a hell of a lot longer. He chuckled lightly and tried to push the worries out of his mind.

I'm paranoid, that's what I am. Riku's been with me for four years. We moved in together. What makes me think that he would throw all of this away on a kid it'd be illegal for him to do anything with? Come on, Axel.

Still, when he walked into their bedroom which still held the powerful stench of sex and cigarettes, he couldn't stop thinking about Riku. To be honest, Axel hadn't stopped thinking about Riku since the day they met. He came to the realization that what he felt towards his partner was completely raw, honest love. He'd said it to Riku countless times, and Riku had always returned with the same. Riku wasn't the type to get seriously involved with someone. Before him and Axel got serious, he would always just have relationships for sex—most of them one night stands who he'd left behind and never recognize or acknowledge on the street. So there was no doubt in Axel's mind that Riku loved him.

The red head collapsed onto the unmade bed. He curled his arms under the pillow and buried his head into the sheets. A deep intake of breath and Riku's scent shot into his nostrils, causing Axel to smile a genuinely happy smile. Every inch of the apartment was drenched in his scent. So many memories. He could count all the stains of sweat, tears and cum that spotted all over their sheets. He could identify each one. He traced small circles around a faded blood stain. He went back to that stain often, staring at it in a daze. Whenever he felt sad or lonely he just stared at that stain and remembered the magic that went on that night. The feelings he'd experienced; fear, pain, extreme pleasure. Love.

That stain marked the night Axel lost his virginity to Riku. He memorized every word Riku said to him that night and the way he said it. He could still feel the pain, the pleasure—like nothing he'd ever imagined. Complete ecstasy. The feeling he felt as he laid on his new lover's chest and watched him sleep peacefully. During sleep, Riku didn't scowl or frown. He didn't look worried or agitated or intimidating. He looked like a young boy enjoying every inch of his candy covered dream. Sometimes he even smiled. Axel liked to think those were the dreams he occupied.

Riku still wasn't home when Axel awoke a few hours later. He knew that Riku worked later to make up for the hours he missed in the morning. Still, it was unsettling being in an empty house. Whether it was the heart-wrenching loneliness, or separation anxiety, Axel had to get out. So he dressed in a tight fitting, black shirt with long sleeves and baggy ripped jeans. The mix between tight fitting and baggy was incredibly sexy on him, if he did say so himself. Which he did.

Night had fallen upon Hallow Bastion and it was chilly, for summer. Not cold enough for jackets or even hoodies, but long sleeves and pants were a necessity. He walked with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped, head down. I guess that explains why he smacked right into the Item store.

"Shit!" Blushing fiercely and clutching his bleeding nose in his fingers, he looked around to see if anyone had seen what an idiot he was. As soon as he turned around to run from the scene of the crime, he almost bumped right into a cute, blond haired boy about Sora's age and height, whom he'd never seen before. At first he thought it could have been Sora's twin, but this kid was way too grumpy and had a very "anti-Sora" attitude. His hands were on his hips and he leaned in to stare at Axel's blushing face.

"Move your hand." His voice was commanding and typically boyish, his eyes hard and unforgiving. Axel complied out of fear. The hand pinching his nose was dropped to his side, bringing a long string of blood with it. Crimson drops splattered against the cobblestone floor. He stood straight as the boy moved this way and that, examining his nose carefully.

"It's not broken, you're lucky. What were thinking, running into walls like that? You should learn that the world around you is a hell of a lot more interesting than your shoes." He reached into the deep pockets of his cargo pants and pulled out some tissues. "Hold this under your nose, but don't pinch it or tip your head back. Those elementary school nurses who taught you to do that when you got your nose busted by the class bully were full of shit. It's best to just let the blood run its course than slip back into your nasal cavity."

Axel hadn't even gotten a word in since he met this kid. He didn't even know who he was! His eyes looked a lot like Sora's, except this kid's were a much lighter blue. Axel did as he was told, breathing through his mouth and licking up some stray drops of metallic red.

"I'm looking for someone, by the way," said the stranger. "He's my height and has brown hair and is about as flamboyantly gay as Carson What-The-Fuck. You know, that guy from Queer Eye…? The really really—you know what? Nevermind. Thanks anyway." And before Axel could even introduce himself, the boy had already turned a corner and was gone. Axel had no idea what "Queer Eye" was, but it didn't really matter. He knew exactly who he was describing.

"Sora…"