S!CK
By Candied
Author's notes: Yes, I was totally guilt-tripped by you guys into writing two chapters. Well, here ya go. This one is a bit short, but no less important. Enjoy!
Chapter 14: A Dream, Discarded
I sat at the bar, one hand pusing its way through my spikey red locks, the other clasping my drink.
I sighed and looked to the woman beside me. It was Larxene.
"And then you sent him home, just like that?"
I nodded. "Option A was better than option B."
I downed my drink and slammed it one the counter, cueing the bartender to make me another.
The woman exhaled and rested her head on my shoulder as I lit up a cig.
"You're hopeless, Axel." she whispered to me.
I chuckled, before taking a sip of my refilled drink.
"You said you liked that about me." My green gaze looked down at her from the corner of my eye.
She slid her finger from the top of my stomache slowly up to my chest, and spoke into my neck.
"A boy like Roxas is sweet, and you can't help but be nice to him. But you know that I enjoy a real challenge, like yourself."
She bit at my neck and I smirked, slowly but surely getting to a drunken state.
I had resorted to bars, you see, because Demyx had been stealing my alcohol.
"Besides," she cooed into my ear, "You can take any mistreatment I give you."
She dug her nails into my back, and I could feel the pain even through my hoodie.
Again, I chuckled, "Remember where we are, Larxene."
Okay, so maybe I never properly introduced the blonde femme I was now drinking with.
Larxene was, well, if you must know, she was a friend-with-benefits of mine, always eager for the benefits.
Naturally, instead of coping with my pain like any normal human being, I was drowning my sorrows and letting out my frustrations by sleepin with said woman in a drunken state.
Don't you dare judge me.
"I haven't forgotten," she replied silkily.
She started to suck on and nibble at my tender neck, and I all but ignored her, choosing to be more focused on my alcohol consumption.
As I continued drinking, Larxene had rubbed her hands all over my upper body through my shirt, and teased me in every way she knew how. She had even poked her hands under my shirt a few times.
In all honesty, everyone in our circle of friends knew that Larxene had an unhealthy infatuation with me. Sober, I managed to keep her at bay. Drunk, I may have even provoked it.
Upset that I chose my liquor over kissing her lips, she crossed her arms and glared at me ever so slightly.
"Has he really got you so depressed?" Larxene asked me, almost angrily.
For some reason, I couldn't wipe that manic grin off my face.
"I love him." I admitted.
Scoff. "Love is for fairytales, Axel."
"Then where's my shining armor and hapy ending?"
Downed another drink.
"In a book somewhere, being read by a sap."
I turned to face her. "Even so, I kept it all a secret from him."
"You did what Hayner asked you, though. You found him to help with the situation."
"Then his mom found out I knew Hayner."
"Shit happens."
"Like that I fell for said subject?"
Rolled eyes.
"Don't do that, Larxene. It contorts your pretty face. I'd hate for it to stick that way."
"Well, who cares? It's not pretty enough to take your mind off of some boy."
I slammed my fist down on the table, and glared at her with fire in my eyes.
"Roxas is not 'some boy', and I'll tortch anyone who says otherwise!" I yelled, gaining the attention of everyone in the bar.
I slapped down the payment for the drinks and stormed out.
Larxene was a good friend, and wanted to help, I know, but I was drunken and angry. Now was not the time to be around her.
In the two weeks that had passed, I pretty much stayed intoxicated when I wasn't at work, and had started taking my medication again.
After all, what was the point of trying to co-exist with Riku without Roxas' smile there to cheer me on?
With Roxas gone, there was no light at the end of my tunnel. Said tunnel was now just damp, dark, and cold. I was a dreary existance, wandering though life.
Tripping, and falling off a cliff into the neverending abyss along the way.
Through the course of this two weeks, I can't remember a moment where I didn't think about Roxas.
His shining cerulean eyes, the way his smile warmed my heart, the way his skin felt against mine...
I guessed that by now his pain had turned to anger, and he hated me.
I shook my head and looked up at the night sky.
The thought tore me limb from limb. I was thankfull for the city being so large, not allowing me to bump into the blonde.
I wouldn't have lived through a hateful glare from him, I was sure of that.
The moon shined down on me like an old friend, comforting me with its reflected light as I mounted my bike.
"Roxas..." I whispered, "How can people keep me away from you?"
I never could have known that Hayner's last request would introduce me to the love of my life, or ultimately lead me to a broken heart.
Still, I couldn't bring myself to regret what we had.
Not one bit of it. From the moment I first held Roxas in my arms as he cried, I knew I was doomed. I'm not an oblivious guy, I knew that I had feelings for the boy.
I was about to put on my helmet, when I felt a vibration in my back pocket.
I pulled out my cell phone, and looked at the lighted screen.
Roxas.
I felt a pull at my heart, but refused to flip the phone open. He was better off without me, anyway.
It rang again, and it was even harder not to pick up.
When the third call he made to me came, my heart shattered for the millionth time in just over two weeks.
"Please," I begged in a hushed whisper, "I can't talk to you Roxas. Can't you see that I'm doing this for you?"
The calls stopped, and I returned the cell phone to my pocket, donning my protective gear and starting the engine.
"Axel, can you promise me something?
"Quick, Roxas is here!"
"You need to learn to let things go."
"If that's how you feel..."
"Like brothers?"
"I care about you a lot, y'know."
"Easy, Tiger, don't tortch the apartment!"
"Axel, the thing with my dad is no big deal."
"You're that twerp's brother?"
"Calling all pyros to the kitchen!"
"Axel?"
"Axel?"
"Axel?"
Hayner's voice rang through my head and I cringed, willing his voice away.
When I opened my eyes, I had to swerve to miss an oncoming car.
Fuck, and I'm in no position to take a pill.
One head-on collision, a three car pile-up, and a dead cat later (all cause by me though I somehow avoided getting myself into a collision), I arrived safely at my apartment complex.
I made my way into the building, stopping to throw my helmet into my own apartment, before entering Demyx's.
I shoved a pill in my mouth, shut the door, and swallowed.
"Taking those again, I see."
That was not Demyx's voice. Nor was it Zexions.
Taking a deep breath for strength, I moved to face the owner of the voice, ready for death.
But there was no glare, scowl, furrowed brow or anything of the sort.
Instead, mournful ocean eyes stared sadly at me under blonde whisps of unruly hair.
My heart melted, and I may as well have died.
"Why are you here?" I asked, suddenly becoming intriqued by the carpet.
"Demyx is still my friend," he answered plainly.
I could feel my hands shake, and made a concious effort to stop it.
Oh, look! A dust bunny!
"Right."
Talk about blank with a capital 'B'.
I stood there, wobbling drunkenly for a moment, trying to decide how to handle the situation at hand.
"You're wasted, aren't you?" he asked.
Drunken rage in 5, 4, 3, 2...
"I guess I understand."
Correction- utter confusion in 1...
"What?" my eyes moved to meet his.
"A lot of people crawl into a bottle when they're depressed. You are depressed, right?"
I sputtered for a moment, but Roxas didn't wait for an answer.
"I was leaving anyways. Later."
He stood, and walked past me, out the door.
Nice one, stud. There goes Blondie, the love of your life that you let slip away.
I slowly walked to the couch and slid into it.
"Why was he here?" I growled at my melodious friend.
"He wanted to talk."
"You can't just do that!"
"Did you want me to turn him away?"
"You could leave a note on the door or something!"
"Absolutely. Dear Axel, your true love that you let slip away is here. Turn tain now, before he hears you!"
"Prick." I mumbled.
"You did it to yourself," he retorted.
I staggered out of there and went into my own apartment. It looked like it had gone to hell, experienced a tornado, came back, and had a NASA launch inside it.
I slinkied over to my bed and eventually passed out, still drunk.
Damn Roxas and his pretty eyes.
Author's notes: By now, my precious viewers, you know the drill. Leave me some encouraging reviews to get the next chapter up, and your wish will be my command. Love you all sooooooo much! ((Also, check my profile for a teaser of the story to come after this, entitled Moonlight Shadow))