Disclaimer: How many times do I need to say this? D: I don't own.

Warning: swearing as always. mild sexual innuendos.

02 – Curious and Curiouser

He had been lying in bed for approximately 13 minutes and 8 seconds… not that he was counting or anything. Roxas just felt that there were some things in your world and certain times in your life where you just had to sit back, relax, and bask in it. Whatever it may be. It could be the warms colours that flash through the morning sky as the sun slowly shines its light on the world, maybe the consistent, rhythmic pattern of the rain on the roof as you curl up with a good book, or perhaps it could be just spending time with loved ones, simply cherishing every moment with each other.

As the sun gradually peeked out from the clouds and sunlight accumulated in his room, the blond's thoughts turned to his dream from before. It was different this time. Never in his ten years of dreaming about these things, whatever they were, had he remembered the name of the friend he seemed to always be with. But yesterday's dream was different. In both ambience and events, his dream seemed more… of a memory of something that actually happened to him. Alas, there was no substantial proof that it had though it sure felt like it. But nowhere in his memory did he remember being friends with someone who had more than a simple, innocent penchant for fires, who could make him so easily flustered and worried, who made him feel so alive. What exactly made yesterday so different that he would be able to remember every single detail of this particular dream?

Fuck if he knew.

His alarm went off, signalling that he had an hour to get ready. Another thing that was off. Wasn't he supposed to be waking up later than usual? Roxas's routine was starting to fall out of balance, something that he had wanted to occur since he was a child and he had the slightest suspicion of the reason why. He closed his eyes, breathing out the name etched into his mind by the dream, before getting up to prepare himself for another day, another memory.

"Axel."

"Axel? … As in like, Axel Maslanka?"

Roxas stared at his cousin, bemused. "…Wha- Who?"

"You just said his name," Sora replied, eyeing his cousin questioningly. "Like right now. While you were drifting off to, I dunno, Nowhere Land. And I presume that you meant the Axel in our class? You know the one who that girl –Lois Lagrange, I think– was rambling about because they had the 'exact same shade of eyes', or so she said," Sora made quotation marks with his hands, shrugging carelessly later. "But … I mean, it's not a very popular name and all so like… yeah. It's not like you know any other Axels do y-"

"Wait." Roxas turned to face the brunet beside him fully. "…We have an Axel in our class? And Lois? Lagrange? Who the hell's that? Is she in one of my classes?" The blond tilted his head to the side, musing over the many faces and names and voices that resided in his mind.

The boy's jaw dropped open as he gawked at his cousin. "Tell me you're joking. Seriously."

"… Is it a bad thing that I don't know all of our classmates' names?" Roxas asked tentatively, quirking an eyebrow at his friend, putting his mental search on hold.

Sora spluttered for a moment as his hands created extravagant motions. "Wha- I- Are you- YES. Roxas, we're seniors, we're graduating in like a month and a bit! How could you not know the people in your classes, let alone grade? Especially Lois! I'm pretty sure she had this huge crush on you junior year. Seriously? My God, this is-"

"What's going on?"

The two boys turned to their left and spotted Riku gazing at them amusedly, his textbooks under one arm. Sora's face immediately brightened and he abandoned conversing with Roxas to jump up and give his boyfriend his usual hugs.

"Riku!"

Roxas preferred the word, 'tackle'.

"Hey there Sora," Riku replied, already used to the force of Sora's 'hugs'. He gave a quick kiss on Sora's cheek before ruffling his hair fondly. Glancing back at Roxas, the silver-haired boy straightened up and crossed his arms over his chest leisurely, chin casually leaning on the edge of his books. "What did you do now to put Sora in such a frantic state?"

Roxas snorted, waving a hand lazily. "Apparently it's a bad thing that I don't know the people in twelth grade at Traverse Districts. Not like I remember the other younger kids."

"Really now?" Riku raised an amused eyebrow, turning to the brunet at his left. "Did you really expect anything else from Roxas? He hardly remembers his own birthday half the time. Probably would forget his schoolbag too if it wasn't for the fact that both you and the teachers would blow up at him. Face it Sora, Roxas isn't cut out to remember stuff. Anyway," The tall teen adjusted his grip on his bag and books before giving his boyfriend an affectionate kiss to his temple. "I gotta go, have some stuff I need to hand in for extra credit. See you soon okay?"

Sora nodded brightly, his face beaming with happiness. The brunet continued to watch as his boyfriend's back grew smaller and smaller. Roxas rolled his eyes skyward.

"I know you tend to disregard everything that occurs around you when you have recent Riku sightings or events but we kind of need to go to our lockers before the first bell rings in like, a minute."

Sora waved off his cousin's crabbiness airily. "You're such a grouch, Rox. You just need to fall in love, you know, find that right someone and I bet you'll be able to find that twinkling star in the night sky, the Sun on a gray day, and the silver lining in the clouds too. It'll be all good."

"Yeah well, good luck on finding that lining when the clouds are stormy and it starts to rain. Idiot." The blond scowled at his friend's dreamy tone.

But nothing could deter Sora. "Aw, it's okay Rox! You'll find the one soon enough. Hey! Maybe it could be that Axel dude you were talking about? It'd be like… fate, you know? The way they tell it in stories? With the-"

Tuning people out seemed to become some sort of habit to the short blond nowadays. He felt as if the pieces of his mind and his heart had been scattered precariously close to the edge of his breaking point. All by some unknown, outside force. And there was no way he wanted that to happen. Once was good enough for a lifetime.

"Roxas?" He could hear the sad, concerned tone to Sora's voice, something that only regularly appeared with him. He was always the clouds that blocked the Sun that was Sora Ventus.

And so shaking off his thoughts, Roxas plastered a fake smile. Fake enough for Sora to know that he wasn't all okay inside but real enough for him to also know that Roxas wasn't completely broken and gone. Not yet. "Sorry. Zoned out."

"You've been zoning out a lot lately. Something happen?" The brunet chewed on his bottom lip, a bad habit whenever he got too worried.

Something happen?

Oh, so many things have happened. The lack-lustre shine to his life, the new kids that he kind of knew but didn't –shouldn't– actually know know, the vivid, life-like dream from yesterday, his tendency to dream about alternate realities to his life that left him craving for something more, something more substantial. But that would be too much. For Sora to take in and for Roxas to explain. So he settled on something simpler, familiar, something he knew that Sora would already know the reason why he was so disconcerted.

"She came home yesterday."

When Roxas arrived at his locker, he wasn't ready to see this. He was prepared for the normal sights: the maroon lockers all settled together in long rows, some full lockers and some half-lockers; groups of students here and there, giggling together over the new, hot gossip concerning so and so; the regular jocks, pushing each other up the lockers playfully, as if they had to prove their strength to some unknown, all-seeing source; and recently Selphie, Kairi, Tidus, Wakka, and Xion. They were everywhere he turned ever since rumours had spread that Xion had a small (read: gigantic) crush on Roxas (not that he really cared. So she was kind of cute, was he supposed to throw himself at her and/or vice versa? Hell if he knew) as if to prove the rumours right.

He didn't come, expecting to see the two new kids at his locker, the redhead filling up the other half that Roxas so conveniently used for the rest of his stuff. Luckily, the blond had removed his books from that half of the locker the day before; it would have been embarrassing to explain to one of the new kids why exactly someone else's stuff was in their assigned locker.

"Looks like someone got assigned 1308-A. Too bad Rox, huh? But hey, look at that, it's Axel~ maybe you can go, ahem… bond."

Roxas rolled his eyes, knowing that Sora was just trying to tease him and get him flustered. "Shut up Sor," he replied, lightening his tone to ensure his cousin to not take it so seriously as he was sometimes known to do. As he approached his locker, he felt his usual self-confidence slowly dwindle away while getting closer and closer to the dirty blond and the redhead that had a striking resemblance to the man in his dream. But that was all it was. Just an uncanny likeness… right? Right. Deep breath, Roxas.

"'scuse me," the blond mumbled, trying to catch the attention of the two tall teens blocking his half of the locker.

Both of them turning slightly, the redhead flashed a smile and shifted over. "Oh! Sorry 'bout that. You have this locker too then?" The redhead asked, stuffing in some more books and pieces of paper into his bag.

Roxas bit his lip in order to prevent him from responding with an "Obviously" accompanied with an eye roll and his usual dripping sarcastic tones. He decided to settle on something friendlier. "Yeah."

Or unsocial.

Both worked, he guessed.

The redhead laughed amicably. "Well, the name's Axel. Axel Maslanka. Get it memorized 'cause we'll be sharing this locker for the rest of the year."

"Yeah. For the rest of the 40-ish days. A year is such a long time, isn't it?"

Axel laughed again, the other blond joining in with him. "I like your attitude man! Name's Demyx, what's yours kid?" The blond teen leaned in closer, the twinkle in his eye so familiar to Sora's that Roxas was rendered speechless for a couple of seconds.

Gathering himself together, the corners of his lips immediately turned down into a scowl. "'m not a kid." Slamming his door to the locker half shut, Roxas hefted his bag onto his shoulder, giving the other two a glare. "The name's Roxas and if I hear any variation of it coming from you two like Rox or Roxie or, heavens have mercy on me, Rocks-ass like those idiots over at the Struggle team, I will not hesitate to inflict bodily harm on you." Axel's eyebrows were raised, an entertained smirk playing on his lips while Demyx eyes were widened marginally. The short blond shrugged carelessly, feet already making their way towards Sora and Riku who were watching the scene with poorly concealed interest and amusement. "What can I say? I have a temper that's better left docile… but while the rest of the school might not have the same aggressive tendencies as me, don't think that you're safe with them either.

You've been warned."

"Well well well. What a surprise, seeing you here Roxie- ahem, Roxas

."

Said blond glanced up from his furious, whispered conversation with Sora and Zexion, his newly-acquired headache pounding with ferocity. "What do you want?"

Axel casually strode past the threesome and into his seat, dropping his bag carelessly onto the ground beside him. "Your harsh tones wound me Blondie. Didn't your mother ever tell you to be nice to the other kids? How disappointed she would be if she knew her blond angel acted like this. You're just a little two-faced kid aren't you?"

And although he knew that the redhead didn't know anything about his family life, Roxas still couldn't stop his shoulders from tensing and the way his whole body froze at the mention of his mother. His two friends shot him quick, worried glances, Roxas brushing them off, his lips turning down into their recent favourite direction: down. "Fuck off. You know nothing about my mother. Or me. So don't fucking act like you do."

Turning so that all he saw were the windows outside and nothing else, Roxas fisted his hands in his jeans, trying to cool his flaring temper. As if the redhead knew anything about his life. As if his mother would save time in her life so that she could bond with the son that had messed up everything up. As if she wasn't already disappointed enough with him. As fucking if.

He continued staring out the wide windows, shoulders painfully straight as Sora's voice floated in the air.

"Sorry bout that. …Rough night, you know?"

"Hmm. Yeah. Alright. But let Blondie do his own apologies yeah? Don't feel obliged to say sorry for the attitude problems he got there in his little emo corner where 'no one understands him' and whatnot. You listening Blondie?"

At the sound of Axel's derisive tone, his cooling temper burned up again. The flickering flames at the pit of his stomach burning the words in his throat before he could get them out, before he could scream at the redhead for pretending he knew anything about Roxas's catastrophic life.

He heard Sora's nervous chuckles and quick denial of doing anything out of obligation for Roxas. He heard Zexion's quiet, distasteful murmurs and the faint sliding of book pages. He heard the dirty blond from earlier –his name was Demyx?– come in, laughing with Sora and talking excitedly. He heard the teacher's demand for quiet and control in her classroom. But most of all, he took notice of the redhead's mocking tones as he talked and the careless way his eyes had observed Roxas as he sat in his seat. The way he was so detached from the blond even though he was friendly enough before.

This wasn't the Axel in his dreams. No, the Axel in his dreams was fun, caring, thoughtful, considerate, fond, affectionately sarcastic and loving. No. This Axel sitting behind him was not his Axel. Not the Axel Roxas found himself longing. Wasn't him, not him.

He took a huge breath of air and slowly released it, feeling the tension in his shoulders gradually leave. The blond took one more for good measure, confirming that, yes he was calm and yes, he had just ditched second period AP Calculus to take a walk in the nearby, isolated park. He didn't regret it. Sure, Mr. Evens hated him enough without the reason of him skipping class and sure, he had exams coming up but did he really need to understand calculus for his plans of a double major in psychology and theatre? Did he really need all his subjects, all this stress, all this pressure just so that he could do whatever he wanted to do with his life? Was he even sure that double majoring was what he wanted to do? Was this a time where one would listen to their heart instead of their brain, and vice versa? Decisions, decisions, decisions; there were so many of them to mull over and make. Couldn't things be simple for once?

Roxas decided to stop by the coffee shop across town and just spend the rest of the day there. He knew the owner; she was an old friend of Cloud who, he suspected, was asked to watch over him in his brother's absence. Not that any of them minded or anything. He and Tifa had developed a quick bond that was as close as it could possibly get with someone like him. She wouldn't be all over him, demanding why he was in her shop when he should be in school. She knew him, knew the way he could get when things got a bit too close to the edge. She wouldn't ask unnecessary questions because she knew. She understood him without him saying anything. The tall brunette was like the mother he always wished he had. The mother… he couldn't have. Because he wasn't meant for it, didn't deserve it. Roxas didn't deserve a lot of things in his life. And that's why he never got what he wanted, what he would love to have even if just for a moment.

Those things were always a bit out of his reach.

"Roxas? The school called me during work about twenty minutes ago. I'm really disappointed that I need to be called by your school; just how old do you plan on acting Roxas? … Never mind, they said that you skipped your second period class. Is this true? … What are you doing? Are you trying to cause more problems for your mother? You're in your senior year Roxas, this isn't the time for you to be slacking off on your studies. Just because you've got accepted to Twilight Heights Academy, Radiant Garden Institute, Bastion University and the Yensid School of Arts and Social Sciences doesn't mean that your life is set; they can easily revoke their acceptance if you don't meet all of their standards by the end of the year! Do you understand me Roxas? I was so proud when you showed me that you got accepted to all the universities you applied to, don't take that away from Mother alright? I need you to be good for me okay? I don't want to be disappointed in you. You were such a good boy before and--- Roxas? Roxas, are you even listening to me? Mother is talking to you. Roxas, are you listening? Why won't you answer me? I'm trying to-"

"Yeah. I'll go to school tomorrow. I'll see you at home maybe, bye."

"Rox-"

The blond ended the call, the dial tone ringing crisply in his ear. He shoved his cell into his jean pockets, his scowl deepening as he thought back to the phone call. He caught sight of the shop he was looking for after a while of walking and a tired smile replaced his scowl, the prospect of seeing Tifa again lightening his mood slightly. Finally. A little slice of heaven for his life in hell.

As soon as Roxas stepped foot into Coffee Heaven, his senses were swarmed with the warm scent of coffee and cookies, bright colours and quiet murmured conversations of the few customers in the café.

"Roxas!"

The blond glanced at the back of the café to see Tifa rush around the counter towards him, a surprised smile on her face.

"Hey Tifa," the blond mumbled, returning the hug she smothered him in. Although it could get overbearing at times, the teen could not deny the gratitude and warmth he felt whenever he was faced with her motherly instincts.

"What are you doing here?" The brunette drew back in order to get a good look of his face. Blond locks were carelessly swept to the side and barely-noticeable shadows lurked in his tired blue eyes. Full, pouty lips were curved into a poor semblance of the smile she caught glimpses of when he was a child. Brushing off her worry and concern for another time, she looped her arm around his and tugged him to an isolated table near the counter where she could keep an eye on him. "Aren't you supposed to be in school young man?"

She knew she failed to keep the smile off of her face and the solid proof of that was a slightly more cheerful grin on Roxas's face. "You don't seem to be too reprimanding," he said, leaning forward, an entertained eyebrow raised. "In fact, I'd say you seem to be more happy that I'm skipping school to be here than anything else."

Tifa scoffed and smacked his arm gently as he sat down. "Please, keep dreaming mister."

"Okay. Don't interrupt alright?"

She glanced down, stunned as the blond immediately laid his head on his arms, his body slightly curling to cultivate body heat. The brunette stood there watching with unadulterated astonishment, wondering if the younger boy had actually gone to sleep so that he could dream. "Jeez," she muttered under her breath, turning on her heel. "I didn't mean for him to take it seriously."

"Oops, sorry."

She whirled around again to find Roxas wide awake and smiling at her. "What happened to sleeping and dreaming?"

The blond laid his cheek against his right fist and closed his eyes. "Just kidding." Before she could help it, her lips curved to form a pout. "What time do you close today?"

The tall brunette huffed and went back to the café counter. "You've been here long enough to know when we open and close."

"Kay," Giving into his yawn, Roxas stretched and made himself comfortable with his head once again in his arms. "I think I'm gonna sleep here for a while. Wake me up when you close, Tifa?"

Said girl waved a careless hand in his direction, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see it. "Whatever. Go home and sleep, Blondie."

"Nah. S'always cold there."

Few hours passed before the café was crowded with the usual customers on lunch break and more. Casting one last look at the serenely slumbering blond, Tifa heaved a sigh and left her usual post at the counter and cashier to take orders and serve food. The faster the service, the faster the crowd would thin and the faster Roxas would get his rare moment of peace.

He was alone.

He sat at the top of a tower with a picture in his hands, unconsciously smoothing out the wrinkled edges of smiling faces and a beautiful sunny day. The mild breeze gently ruffled blond spikes, his body warmed by the dying rays of the setting sun. The sky divided into streaks of pinks and oranges, and blues and purples. It casted a soft, warm glow to the suburban life below where people stopped to chat with friends and families, all with a slight curvature to their lips. They all moved simply, elegantly, as if dancing on the very clouds that graced the colourful sky. It certainly would have made a pleasant picture. He could imagine it already; people of all ages and genders, frolicking to and fro with serene smiles adorning their faces, happily conversing with one another.

His lips curved up as he replayed that scene in his head. If only life was that carefree.

And that's when it happened.

The people vanished slowly, the plants withering away. The sky was no more the colourful canvas that invoked such pleasurable feelings within him, the scenery changing, shifting, darkening.

The dying warmth was replaced with a chillness that left him shuddering against the arms he hurriedly wrapped around himself. He found the once wide open space closed off, four walls enclosing him in whiteness. Whereas everything used to be colourful and cheery, this room was only dark and lifeless. The hard yet warm marble of the tower he was sitting in melded into a soft mattress, his feet on the ground as opposed to dangling off stone. The merry chatter of townspeople as they gossiped with each other faded into mere whispers outside the closed door. Careful not to make any noise, the boy slid off the bed, cringing slightly as the springs creaked with the movement. The whispers, however, didn't stop. Kneeling down, he peered through the thin crack between the door and the floor. Two pairs of feet passed by the door, obviously attempting to keep it down but not succeeding due to the excitement that ran through each voice, increasing their volume.

"Ssh, didn't you hear that?"

A feminine voice, husky with a slight lilt to it. Familiar indeed.

"Relax. He's probably just turning in his bed. Hardly anyone goes to bed in one position and stays like that the whole night. Know what I mean?"

Masculine, this time, though not as deep as his father's. Soft and seductive tones.

Giggles. "You're just a joker tonight aren't you?"

"Darling, I'm more than just your average joker. Let me come inside you and I'll show you what I mean."

He could just imagine the wink the man would have done along with his poorly concealed innuendo; he could hear the depths of that man's desire, see dark eyes glazed over with lust. Revolted, the boy sat back on his heels as the two outside the door pattered away. Should he be disgusted or ashamed? It was hard to choose when both feelings were coming at him with full force.

He turned around to observe the room. Drearily white with the only colour being the mahogany desk and wardrobe, and the blue sheets that adorned the now-empty bed. Were they his? He paced a little bit.

Yes. Yes, this was his room a couple of years ago. Before he and his mother moved to the First District, this was where he made himself at home. Everything was like it used to be: the books piled into a messy tall mound that seemed about to tumble down any minute, loose leaves of sheets were strewn across the floor, his clothes were a neat dump by the closet, and his pictures all where he had tenderly placed them.

Wait.

Pictures.

Was he not holding a picture before?

He jerked and ambled over to his nightstand, gathering up the several frames that garnished the surface. Zexion, Sora, and himself looking out at the sunset. Sora and himself throwing ice cream at each other outside of Uncle Scrooge's. Him and Zexion lost in a pair of books at the library. Cloud, Tifa, and himself all smiling at the camera in front of the same house, their arms around each other. Zexion, Sora and himself decked out in graduation attire right after graduating middle school. Tifa scolding Sora as he sneaked a glance at her cake, Zexion reading a book at the side. But no unfamiliar picture.

"Damn," he whispered. "Where could it be?"

He went over to his desk to find only three pictures pinned onto his message board above; one of Cloud and Tifa sitting on a bench, another of Zexion and Sora dozing off on his couch, and the other of all five of them together as kids, smiling with childish delight. But it wasn't what he was looking for. He swore quietly and moved to flop down onto the bed face-first, momentarily forgetting about not making noise. His hand brushed against something. His head rising, he reached for the edge of a photograph peeking out sneakily from under his pillow.

To the left of the photograph was a silver-haired man, a small smile on his angular face as he held a spiky brunet around the waist with a toned arm. His aquamarine eyes crinkled at the edges with pure happiness. The smaller brunet he held beside himself was laughing and flashing the camera a cheerful peace sign, one tanned hand resting on the arm around him, his cerulean eyes sparkling with joy. Sora and Riku, he concluded. At the centre beside them was a slate-haired man, short in stature and carrying a thick book under his right arm. He too was smiling though it was barely noticeable, just a twitch of his lips. Around his shoulder was an arm that linked back to a taller dirty-blond who had a mix of a mullet and Mohawk and twinkling bondi blue eyes. His smile was merry and quite infectious. Almost like Sora's. Hmm, Zexion and- Demyx he said his name was? Yeah, definitely those two. Demyx's other arm was around another shoulder, this one belonging to someone taller than him, who had Venetian red spikes and piercing green eyes, a dark indigo tattoo under each of them. His grin was wicked and familiar, and in his arms was a very recognizable blond who had azure eyes and blond spikes. The shorter blond had a smile on as well, though it was more toned down than the male holding him. His content clearly showed in both his eyes and posture. The boy realized with a shock that that was Axel and him.

Axel and Roxas.

Looking entirely content and satisfied with their lives. With each other.

And the lonely boy was swarmed with a feeling of want, heightened to the point where he knew that he never wanted anything more than what this picture in his hand depicted.

"Roxas!"

The blond's eyes fluttered open, hands already pushing him off the table with a big yawn. "Mm?"

Tifa shook her head at him. "Since when did you get to be such a deep sleeper? I called your name for practically ten minutes." The brunette wiped down her final table before moving around to stack the chairs on top of the table. While doing this, she continued, "I remember before, you used to snap awake as soon as I touched you or said your name." When no reply came, the girl turned her head to glance at Roxas who was sitting there, looking at her with a dazed gaze. Frowning, she twisted around fully. "Roxas?"

He sat there as if he never saw her before. "Yeah?" But before he gave her the chance to reply, he cut her off. "Hey Tif, didya know that you move really nicely? Really pretty." His speech was slurred with drowsiness.

She stared at him, blood travelling steadily to her cheeks. "What?"

The boy before her nodded slowly. "Yeah. You look as if you glide instead of walk. S'nice. Attractive."

The tall girl continued staring dumbly, completely thrown off at his comment. "If I didn't know better," she struggled for words that she could muster without stuttering. "I'd say you're on drugs. Or that you were hitting on me," she added. "You're… not right?"

He laughed, waving a hand lazily at her. "Riiiiight, because older women hold such a charm to me. Must be this mother complex I have."

She narrowed her eyes at him, feeling annoyed that she had even considered the possibility and that his sarcasm was so blatant to her. "Well, run along you. I'm closing up."

Roxas's eyes twinkled mischievously and somewhere inside the brunette for a split second, Tifa's heart leapt as she compared the almost-adult blond before her to the blond that was probably miles away from being close to her and loving her. "But what if someone decides to try something on you? Can't have that, now can we Tifa?"

"Pssh." She rolled her eyes and walked past him to the cash register with long strides. "I can take care of myself and you know that, Mister I-Used-To-Get-Beaten-By-Tifa-'Cause-I-Was-Jealous-Enough-To-Start-Fights-With-Her."

"Jealous only because Cloud had your attention and I didn't."

"Jesus Roxas! You were like, seven when Cloud and I first met. And I was, I don't know, thirteen."

"Hey, told you I liked my women older."

"You don't even like women."

"Mm, could be bi. I don't know. You think about my sexuality often Tif?"

"Okay!" Frustrated with his casual, amused tone, the brunette slammed the drawer to the register shut. "That's it!" Locking it, she turned to look at the smirking blond and huffed at the few strands that had gotten in her face. "Seriously Rox, you're driving me crazy here and don't take that the wrong way," she added at the sight of his smirk widening.

"Why Tifa, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"That's right. Keep up that attitude. If you make one more swipe at me, I'm going to show you exactly why I stopped fighting with you when I got my black belt."

"Hmm, belts. Kinky."

She didn't bother talking to him again as she drove him home.

Roxas went to school the next morning with a throbbing headache and no sleep whatsoever. Tifa had dropped him off at approximately 10 pm and when he had entered the house, his mother, surprisingly, was at the kitchen table waiting for him.

"Who was that? Your girlfriend? You should introduce us to each other."

Not even a 'Hello' or 'How've you been?', just a demand to be perfect and obedient. Something fierce in his stomach clawed at him. "Yeah 'cause I like them older."

"Don't give me that attitude Roxas. I am your mother."

"Hm." He pursed his lips as he took an apple from the refrigerator.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean Roxas?"

"Nothing. Just showing you that I'm listening. Sheesh."

"Don't you 'sheesh' me, young man. You just came home in an unknown vehicle with a woman I don-"

"You mean you forgot all about Tifa? Huh. Next thing you know, you'll be forgetting Cloud and me."

She had slapped him. Hard. It took her a second to recollect herself and see what she had just done. "Oh God. Oh—I'm so sorry Roxas. So so sorry. I- Are you alright dear? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

He had walked away in the middle of her sentence, cheek burning and fists clenched. Upon entering his room, he had resisted the urge to slam it, to show that she had indeed gotten to him once again. The blond hadn't even bother taking a bite out of the apple that he took, leaving it on his desk and proceeded to lie in bed. His mother hadn't even bother going up to check if he was okay. Physically or emotionally.

This was what made their relationship so hard. One moment she was an irritation just asking to be snapped at, the next she was a caring mother. But only for an instant. And it was those instants that made Roxas so reluctant to make her disappointed, to watch her frown at him. It was the reason why he tried so hard, why he pushed himself and applied to only the top universities. It was all for her. Never for him.

"R-Roxas?"

Snapped out of his thoughts, the blond turned his head wearily at the newcomer, only to blink surprisingly at who it was.

Axel was there, in all his redheaded glory with an uncertain look on his face.

"What." Not a question, just a tired demand to get this over with.

"Well umm," Roxas watched the tall, attractive male swallow nervously. "So… I uhh realized that I might have been a little bit out of line yesterday. I mean, you were technically telling me the truth and giving me a warning at the same time and everything. But then I thought you were just mocking me and so I got all offensive and then in class, I probably said some stuff th-that insulted you and all and I'm … sorry for that. I guess you can say that I umm kind of tend to jump to conclusions really quickly especially with people who I felt had like insulted me or something. I don't know. But then Demyx made friends with Sora and kind of with Zexion and at lunch, I… k-kind of said something offensive again and Zexion got pretty mad at me and though he didn't yell or anything, anyone could tell that he was majorly pissed. I mean, who wouldn't be? I just dissed one of his friends, who had probably been extraordinarily close to him. So yeah, he walked and Sora was all, 'Roxas is a good guy. A really good guy and when people can't see that and make conclusions about him, Zexion gets really mad.' And then his voice got all quiet and sad and he was like, 'They just don't stay long enough to get through that barrier of his.' And so, I started feeling really bad 'cause I was sort of like that a-and I decided that I wanted to apologize because I um realized that I was being kind of hypocritical 'cause I don't really like people who judged on appearances or whatever without getting to know the actual person but I went ahead and did that anyway a-and now I want us to be friends like-"

"You're rambling."

He watched, fascinated, as Axel started to blush and stutter even more. "Um uh y-yeah, I am a-aren't I? I-"

"Shut up." He waited until the redhead had efficiently stopped talking before continuing with a barely-there smirk. "You get bombarded by the girls and gay guys yet? Ah no, don't tell me. You did, didn't you?"

Axel laughed, obviously delighted at the topic change and for having been so easily forgiven. "Yeah. That's also when I realized that my sarcastic behaviour earlier was kind of uncalled for."

"Nah," the blond brushed past him, looking back when the taller senior didn't follow. A smile played on his lips. "Don't worry about it. You keep on hanging out with me and you'll see that sarcasm is my daily cloak; I wear it all the time. You get used to it after a while."

You get used to everything after a while.

So I've realized that this story has started to go off track a bit. But I think it'll be okay :/ it'll just have more chapters than I planned.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter (: read and review?