Author Notes: Second chapter of Nobody's Loveletter, and I do hope all readers are enjoying it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters. Nor do I own any part of the Final Fantasy world and all the Square Enix blesses upon us poor mortals. I do however, own a replica of Edward Elric's pocket watch, so any evil doers must face my alchemy wrath! Also, any random, brand spankin' new, available only in this fanfic characters are devises of my muses and therefore, in some weird and twisted way, belong to me. I'm going to try and incorporate as many FF and KH characters as possible though, to minimize the use of strange and home-brewed stuff.
Story Notes: This is an AU with slash pairings, mature content, swearing and often random ramblings that make no sense whatsoever so don't worry too much. Sometimes in the AU-verse there will be little mentions of the games, including spoilers and what I would like to happen in KH3, because we all know that it'll happen! There may even be sexual scenes and what-not, so you have been warned. Now, prepare to read on!
Nobody's Loveletter
She took her time getting to him as he waited in a silence broken only by occasional words and the constant sound of rain hitting the plastic roof above the pair. Roxas took to drumming his fingers on the metal poles that were supposed to serve as a seat, only for it to annoy Axel enough for him to threaten the younger male to stop such an annoying thing. Axel's bruised body was starting to ache even more and he could no longer see out of his right eye. To add insult to injury, he could taste blood in his mouth as he licked at a cut on his lower lip.
This was defiantly no candy-canes and lollipops.
It made him feel sick.
When Roxas' aunt finally did arrive, the sweeping and squeaking noise of the windscreen wipers dancing over the front and rear wind shields adding to the noises around them both, she climbed out of the driver's seat, pulled open an umbrella and went to fuss over her nephew, until she saw the sorry state that Axel was in and turned her affection and sympathy upon the red head. She was oblivious to the things Axel did these days; the image of a sweet little boy with red hair playing ball with his dog on his front lawn and always being helpful and friendly was still imprinted in her mind. She even offered to give him a lift home. Roxas' aunt, much to the said teen's disapproval, even invited the older boy to join her for the dinner she was preparing at home, and despite Axel trying his best to politely turn down the generous offer, he was bundled into the back seat of the car and driven off to the home where Roxas lived.
Not to mention where gumdrop lived.
Which meant rainbow would be around somewhere, probably attached to the gumdrop in some shape or form.
Could he feel any worse?
From his seat behind Elra, green gaze moved to the back of the head of the blond who was trying to fix his hair in the mirror, and failing in the attempt. Roxas was Hayner's friend, maybe he knew something about this party of which the invite Axel had so rudely eaten.
"Roxas, how come Hayner's having a party?" he asked, watching as blue eyes flickered up in the mirror to watch the reflection that sat behind him.
"His parents are going away and said he could have a party," he explained simply, adding a slight shrug to show his disinterest. Sure, he was going to go, but he wasn't going to make much effort when he was there. He was going for his friends; Olette would be there all dressed up and worth taking a look at, and Pence had tried so hard to convince Roxas to go anyway, even when the blond had said that he really didn't feel like going. "Why, thinking of crashing it, Axel?"
Elra clicked her tongue. "Now Roxas, I'm sure Axel would do no such thing; such a sweetie like him. I mean, he even gets bullied and you don't stick up for him"
Axel beamed, while Roxas scowled in the mirror at the smug figure behind him. "Aunt Elra," he whined "I wasn't even able to get to the fight"
"Did you even try Roxas?" she asked as she turned the steering wheel to turn the corner and head into the more suburban area of the city.
His aunt sticking up for Axel was starting to get on Roxas' nerves, and he flipped up the mirror and glared out of the windscreen. He couldn't stand looking at the smug look any longer. Arms folded heavily across his chest, face set itself into a scowl and Roxas' retreated inside of himself all the way home.
Once the car turned into the drive, Roxas spotted His car and fell into an even worse mood than before. Arms were still folded as he headed up the driveway, haunched over against the biting cold and literally stalked towards the door. His mood declined even more when he saw just who was holding it open.
"I'm glad your safe home," he said brightly. "And who's the other guest?"
Roxas skulked past, ignoring the taller blond. He didn't even want to look at him.
Elra smiled and embraced the spiky haired male, then turned to introduce Axel who was standing and dripping in the doorway. "This is Axel. He lives three houses down. I've known him ever since he was little. Axel, this is Cloud"
Cloud detached himself from the woman and offered a hand to the sixteen year old with a slight, yet warm smile upon his face. "Nice to meet you Axel, although you do look a little rough,"
Taking the man's hand, Axel was amazed at how firm a grip this man had; especially for how casually dressed he was. A comfortable pair of black pants and a warm, almost snugly seeming navy sweater. He had blond spiky hair that looked to have more gel on it than both Sora and Roxas used combined, and a startling beautiful pair of blue eyes. "I got into a fight is all," Axel explained with a slight shrug of his shoulders.
"Yes, and we need to get some ice on that bruise. Honey, have you been keeping an eye on the chicken?" Elra asked the the dark haired woman bustled into the kitchen, Cloud following her like this place was as much his home as it was her's.
Axel knew about Elra's ex-husband. Infact, the whole block probably knew about it, especially those that were involved. The man had been caught having sex with several other women, and even using the family's funds to pay for sex. Axel was surprised that his own mother hadn't gotten herself involved, but then again his mother wasn't exactly the smartest woman on the planet, and obviously his almost none-existent father was good enough for her.
Elra had split up from him not long after taking in Roxas after both his parents died in a terrible car crash, so this Cloud fellow must have been relatively new, but then again Axel hadn't been around this home in a few years and wasn't keeping track of the local gossip to find out if Elra was in a relationship or not.
His own mother usually was a gold mine of local gossip, but the red head was doing his up-most to steer as clear from her as possibly.
Lost in his own thoughts, he almost didn't hear a shout from the kitchen beckoning him further in the cosy home.
Roxas' home was a family home, it looked lived in. There were family photos on the walls, and the hallway carpet looked nicely worn down by years of feet passing over it. There were several pairs of shoes scattered near the doorway where Axel discarded his own black pair. Even gumdrop's bright yellow pair were there that they boy had had for years and years.
Axel's own home seemed more like a show home. There were few photographs of the family, only one taken once a year attempting to portray them as a functional and normal family. The other pictures dotted around the home were of famous works of art, or of photographs of beauty and far away locations. It lacked any feeling of being a home where a family lived, but then again, Axel really didn't have much of a family.
It was more of a building in which he existed during certain portions of his life.
Heading into the quaint little kitchen, with the round and white wooden table with four chairs, there was a plastic bucket with some ice in waiting for him. Elra was fussing over the food that was cooking away merrily on the stove; Cloud was leaning in a very relaxing manner against the greyish fake marbled counter top, eyes directed to the small television set in the opposite corner; fingers curled around a large coffee mug.
"Do sit down Axel," Elra said, pulling the teen out a chair, in which he gratefully sat down in with a long and relaxed sigh. He could hear noise from elsewhere within the home. "There's an ice pack in the bucket for your eye. Do you have any other bruises? Oh, and I've sent Sora to go and find you a change of clothes. Don't want you sitting and shivering in those wet things now do we?"
Elra was what a real mother should be, always cheery and fussing over the little things and doing her best to make everyone feel at ease.
"Big fight was it?" Cloud asked from his perch in the kitchen before taking a long sip of his drink.
Axel shrugged. "The guy said I had it coming. He just doesn't like me is all"
"Mom, are these okay?" came a voice from the doorway of the kitchen. It was the gumdrop, and he was holding up a large t shirt and a pair of jeans that Axel thought might be a little tight on him. "Riku says that he should just go home and change if he only lives a few houses away"
"Nonsense Sora," chimed the boy's mother, waving a wooden spoon at him. "I'm not sending the poor boy home in wet clothes, and he's our dinner guest"
Sora seemed to make a whining noise and then pouted. "You mean another person is going to be eating here? There's no room at the table and I'd just set it"
"I'm sure Axel can squeeze in somewhere. Now, Axel, why don't you go and change while we try to get you a place at your table?" suggested Elra, brandishing her spoon like a weapon in a way that Axel didn't want to do or say the opposite of her suggestion out of fear of being mortally wounded by the spoon.
Rising from his seat, still holding the ice pack to his throbbing eye, the older teen moved towards the spiky haired brunet and took the clothes from him with his free hand. "Is the bathroom still upstairs?" he asked, and Elra nodded before turning back to her cooking.
- - -
Not only was He here, but Axel had to be here as well. To make this even more worse, she had to come with Him. Even Riku was here, being all cuddly-cuddly with Sora. His Aunt didn't even seem to mind that the two boys were going out and that most likely Riku was straddling Sora's hips and tonsil tasting with him.
It made him sick just thinking about it.
How could they do that, they were two guys! It just wasn't natural! Two guys snogging one another's brains out just wasn't supposed to happen. It was disgusting.
Growling, Roxas lifted his pillow and tossed it at the wall opposite his bed. Luckily, when Elra had first married she had hoped for a big family, so bought a four bedroomed home, but unfortunately she was only ever able to have Sora. Whether that was an unfortunate event or not, Roxas couldn't decide. Since she had but the one child, it meant that Roxas was able to have a room of his own, and there was still a room spare, which 'She' would be using.
Why did She have to come anyway? Couldn't She stay at her mother's or something and not act like her father's shadow?
Growling again, the youth rolled over onto his stomach and buried his head under another of the pillows on his bed. Roxas liked lots of pillows, even if he didn't use them all when he was sleeping. He had a big bed all to himself. Sora had one too, but it was doubtful he'd be using it alone anymore.
Urgh.
Horrible thoughts again, and Roxas nuzzled his head deeper into the pillow beneath his face. Maybe if he stayed in his room long enough all his problems would go away.
But problems don't just go away if one ignores them.
In fact, they come knocking at the door instead.
"Roxas? Hey, can I come in?"
'Piss off' he swore in his head. Throwing the cushion onto the floor, the teen sat up and glared at the door in hopes that would make the red head on the other side disappear. It didn't because he knocked again. "Yeah, its open..."
The dark room was slowly swept with light as Axel pushed open the door. Whenever Roxas retreated to his room to hide, he usually kept it dark. The only light making its way inside besides that flooding in from the hallway landing was the faint lights glowing on his radio the played faint background music and a few streams of street light from the world outside flooding through the gap between the curtains that reached the floor. Axel's shadow was cast long over the floor and the bed, and the teen stood waiting in the doorway; a shadowy figure with the light illuminating him from behind and casting his front in darkness.
"Hey, do you have any spare clothes?" he asked, tugging on what could be the hem of a t shirt that was a little too small for the tall, yet thin male. "Your mom made Sora get me some, but they're kinda tiny. Do you have anything a little bigger?"
Moving to switch on the bedside lap, Roxas was now able to see just what clothes his cousin had given to the annoyance that had been invited to his home. It was an old white t-shirt with a faded pattern on the front and was much on the small side, revealing a large amount of a somewhat toned and pale stomach. The old blue jeans were pretty much on the same size scale, clinging below slender hips and looking uncomfortably tight. Axel was constantly trying to pull the tee down over his stomach.
The blond forced down a snigger that was forming and slipped off his bed and headed to his closet. He couldn't decide whether the clothes Sora had picked out had been out of spite, if he wanted Axel to look completely ridiculous or that this was the boy's actual fashion sense these days. Whatever the reason, Roxas knew that his aunt wasn't going to allow Axel to remain within the ridiculous get-up. The only problem was that Axel was now going to be wearing some of his clothing, and the youth really didn't feel like sharing. Maybe he'd just burn the clothes when he got them back.
He'd have to give him something that he didn't want to keep any longer then.
- - -
He was used to clothes that were a little tight, but what Sora had given him was constrictingly tight. The clothes Roxas had given him however seemed to fit better. Looking at himself in the mirror as the old grey cargo pants were pulled up, a soft and saddened sigh left him.
He was looking very under-fed.
Standing up straight, delicate fingers traced over his body. Once he'd been an athletic child; a boy who hated being indoors and could never sit still. But now he was pale and currently looking very worn down. Fingers ghosted over his ribs that were showing themselves through his skin. He really needed to eat more, but other than school there were few places that he could get a decent meal. True, he could eat at home, but Axel was trying to avoid his mother at all costs, and she didn't even seem to care that she didn't see her son.
Why couldn't his mother be more like Elra? Maybe he wouldn't of turned out this way if she had been.
Forcing himself to look away from the mirror, the baggy black t-shirt was pulled on to hide the close to starving frame that Axel now sported. The fabric felt worn, and it seemed old. There was a tear at the seam on the side and the stitching on the left sleeve was coming apart considerably, but overall the shirt looked very well worn. Plus, whatever Elra used to wash her clothes in made the fabric feel soft and Axel hugged it close to his skin until he began to feel stupid for hugging an item of Roxas' clothing close to him.
He didn't like Roxas.
He didn't think Roxas was interesting and he wanted to know more about him.
He wasn't going to go all Candyland with the boy.
But the shirt felt so soft and warm and he could almost imagine the younger stroking it with his fingers as he sat wearing it.
Roxas surely wouldn't go for him, not with gumdrops and rainbows in the next room.
Luckily, whatever thoughts he was having, they were driven out be a grumble in his stomach and the scent of chicken drifted up his nose and he mouth began drooling as the thought of food removed all thoughts of Roxas.
"Boys, dinner!" came a shout from downstairs, and as his hand travelled to the door handle of the bathroom, outside there was a booming and repetitious 'thud, thud thud' as something thundered down the steps. Another set of footsteps, not as loud followed behind.
As he opened the door to the bathroom, green eyes spotted the blond skulking out of his room. Downstairs, there was a shout of "Not so loud Sora" and Roxas sighed heavily.
"Is he always that loud?" Axel asked as he made his way to the top of the stairwell. "Oh and thanks for the clothes"
Roxas shrugged, and without a word headed for the dinning room to eat.
- - -
It was like a family.
A family he never had.
A family he didn't know he wanted.
It was a large, polished mahogany table, long and large, with two matching chairs set at each of the sides. It looked like a banquet, Elra must of gone all night since she was having guests around as well as her new boyfriend and his daughter.
She was blonde and pale with big blue eyes. Whatever was the current female teenage fashion at the moment, she had missed the bus. A simple white t-shirt and a white skirt was all she wore, making her seem even paler than she actually was. Blue eyes were focused upon the little sketch pad that she was drawing on.
"Ah, Axel, this is Naminé," Elra said, introducing the little girl, who replied with a meek 'Hi' without looking up from her sketching.
Gumdrops and rainbows where sitting opposite him. Sora was jabbering on about something to Cloud who was seated at the far end opposite Naminé. It sounded like he was talking about the table not getting used much. Riku was smiling and from what Axel could tell, one hand must have been placed on Sora's thigh.
Did those pair have no shame?
"I see your wearing Roxas' shirt; he usually wears that for bed," Elra said, not expecting an answer. "I didn't know Sora asked Roxas for some spare clothes"
Axel nearly choked on his words. Roxas slept in this shirt? Looking down at it, he ran his fingers over the front. No wonder it felt so worn...
If he was embarrassed over it or not, Roxas merely sat down next to Axel and waited for Elra to serve the food. Sora was talking to Riku now while Cloud carved up the chicken. Naminé put away her book and waited patiently and silently.
Once food was dished up and Elra had seated herself next to Cloud they all began eating. Axel couldn't remember when he last had a home cooked meal, and this was welcomed by his stomach by the request of seconds. With a cheery smile, more was added to Axel's plate and Elra commented on how a growing boy should always eat his fill. If only she knew what a state his body was in and how little he actually ate she'd never let him go home and fatten him up.
When the gumdrops and rainbows had finished, they both rushed off somewhere together. Roxas shot them a glare while Axel barely registered them leaving. He was eating his third helping, his body feeling all warm and satisfied at having a proper cooked meal inside of it for once.
Maybe he should bother Roxas at the bus stop more often.
Speaking of the spiky blond, he was helping his aunt clear the table. Axel was still the only one left eating. When Elra headed from the dinning room, blue eyes were coldly set upon the redhead in a glare that could send shivers down the spine.
"Why don't you hurry up and go home?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Axel smiled as he finished up and set his fork down. "So desperate to get rid of me I see. I was thinking maybe we could hang out like the old days"
Roxas almost growled. "I was the one hanging out! Of my window telling you to stop throwing rocks!"
There was a smug grin on the red head's lips. "I can do that if you want, but what about your shirt getting wet?"
This time the blond really did growl. Roxas was really beginning to get very annoyed with Axel's presence. There were so many people in this house that he just wanted to scream and hide in his darkened room until they all went away. Blue eyes watched as a green set travelled towards the big clock that hung on the wall, happily ticking away the hours.
"I suppose I should," Axel said with a sigh. It was nearing half nine, his mother probably wasn't worried he was late home. Infact, he doubted she was even home herself. Pushing back the chair, the teen stood and made his way to the kitchen to find his wet clothes.
Elra was there, filling the dishwasher. Despite him complaining about giving her even more clothes to wash, the woman refused to let Axel have his clothes back. Instead, he was handed a large grey waterproof coat by the beaming woman and told to come around tomorrow to collect his clothes and return the one's he'd borrowed.
Whether Roxas was bothered about the other male keeping his clothes for the night he didn't show it.
With a smile and a wave, the coat was pulled on, the warm fake fur on the inside making the coat feel rather snuggable and Axel left the house to make the short journey to his own home. Which would be made longer by him taking a detour and not actually going to the house three doors down from Roxas'.
- - - - - - -
Author's Notes: Oooh, where could Axel be going? Well, y'all just have to wait nn
Riku: At least I got to feature in this one...
Sora: I'm STILL a gumdrop? OO;
r3: I think you make a very cute gumdrop. -coats Sora with sugary sprinkles-
I do hope that your enjoying this as much as I am. I do hope you'll be here for the next chapter!