Roxas was lying awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. For the first few seconds of waking, he had felt refreshed and happy. However, once the events of the night before had come flooding back to him, he had felt an overwhelming sadness settle in his chest. He wanted to go talk to Zexion. He wanted to try to fix things. But he knew Zexion and he knew that the other boy always needed time to think things through. Once he'd had adequate time to mull things over, then Roxas could go see him again. The next part of his problem was Axel. He really had been angry with Axel, but the more he thought about it, the harder it became to stay mad at him. His first stop in resolving all of this would have to be the redhead. Sure Axel liked to pretend as though he were tough and aloft, but it was all an act. Roxas knew if he went over there to talk, Axel would play like he was sore, but would of course let him in. As to what Roxas was actually going to say to him, he wasn't sure. But deciding that he'd figure it out on the way, he hopped out of bed and headed over to his best friend's house.

Axel awoke to the sound of his doorbell. There were only two reasons anyone ever rang his doorbell: they were someone he didn't know or he wasn't responding to the knocks of his friend. Guessing it was the latter; he crawled out of bed and made his way downstairs, not bothering to get dressed. He opened the front door to find Roxas standing on his porch; wearing the same clothes he had been the night before, "Roxas? Crap, did you ever go home? You didn't sleep on my porch did you?"

Roxas looked at his older friend like he was some kind of idiot, "What? Of course I went home."

"But you're wearing the same clothes."

"Oh," Roxas hadn't even realized he hadn't bothered to shower, "I was in a hurry."

Axel smirked playfully, "You were in a hurry to see me?"

Roxas rolled his eyes, "You know why I'm here."

Axel sighed and let the smirk disappear, "I know. That really hurt me Roxy. What you said last night."

Roxas looked away, "I know it did. That's why I said it. I was angry. But... but I'm sorry today. I didn't mean it."

Axel tried to stay stoic, but it wasn't working, "Aw, Roxy. It's ok. I forgive you." Giving up his stern act completely, he stepped forward, capturing Roxas in a bear hug.

Roxas shoved the redhead off him, "Axel, come on! Geez, at least put some pants on before you go throwing yourself at people."

Axel chuckled. He hadn't even noticed he was standing in his doorway in nothing but his boxers. He smirked, "But the outcome is much better when I throw myself at people half naked."

Roxas pushed his friend into the house and followed in after him, "Would you just get inside so we can talk already?"

The two boys made their way over to Axel's couch. Roxas sat down hesitantly, remembering that said couch was where all of this drama had spawned.

"So, have you been to talk to Zexion?" Axel asked quietly, trying his best to be a good friend.

"No, he likes to analyze things. I figured I'd give him some time to think, and who knows; maybe he'll fix this whole mess without me ever having to do anything."

Axel chuckled half-heartedly, "So, you really wanna get back with him, huh?"

Roxas frowned, "Axel..."

"I know, I know. But you can't blame a guy for hoping, right?"

Roxas looked away, "Why?" he paused and Axel tossed him a questioning look, "Why do you like me anyway?" The blonde could feel his cheeks tint ever so slightly.

Axel's expression softened and a genuine smile crept across his face, "Because, you're my best friend. I love being with you. Every time I see you my heart jumps. It's like, 'Hey! Roxy's here! Anything that was bugging me is gonna be ok now!'"

Roxas smiled meekly, "But, that doesn't mean you love me. I mean, I get that same way when I see you too."

Axel's eyes widened at Roxas's admission, "Uh, well, ok, but I think you're hot too. I just want to kiss you so much all the time."

Roxas blushed, "Well, I think you're hot too, but that doesn't mean I'm in love with you." Roxas looked away, knowing full well the dangerous territory he was treading on.

Axel was taken aback once again, "You think I'm hot?"

Roxas didn't look back, "Yeah. But, thinking someone's hot doesn't mean you love them."

"True, but you also said your heart does back flips every time you see me."

"I never said that," Roxas stated matter-of-factly.

"Uh huh, you said you get all happy and giddy when you see me," Axel leaned in a little closer, a sly smirk forming on his lips.

"I said I get happy when I see you. So what? Friends get happy when they see each other." the smaller boy crossed his arms over his chest, still not wanting to make eye contact with his friend.

Axel leaned up against Roxas, putting his lips by the other boy's ear, "Roxy," he whispered, "You love me, don't you?"

Roxas pulled away, trying to conceal his shiver as a startle, "I do not. I mean, as a friend I do, but that's all. I love Zexion. Period."

Axel sat back again, a thoughtful expression on his face, "Zexion's a good guy and all, but he left you for thinking about someone else. What kind of person does that?"

"No," Roxas corrected, "He left me for kissing someone else."

Axel sighed, "Potato, Potahto. Come on, you have to admit, his standards are pretty high. He was asking too much of you."

"How is asking me not to cheat on him, asking too much?"

"But you didn't cheat."

"I..." Roxas huffed. He wanted to dispute that, but deep down, he really felt like he hadn't cheated either. It had just been a kiss. Sure it was a hot, steamy kiss, but a kiss non-the-less. He hadn't professed his love for his best friend or anything. He'd made it clear to Axel that Zexion was his boyfriend and that they were only going to kiss in order to satisfy each other's curiosity. And he had even made that blatantly clear in his retelling to his boyfriend. But Zexion... Zexion had still left him. He hadn't even given Roxas a second chance. Just cut him loose.

Axel waved a hand in front of Roxas's face, "Hello. Earth to Roxas."

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and looked over at his friend. He really did love Axel. And if he was totally honest with himself, it was as more than a friend. His heart really did do back flips when he saw the redhead. He had told himself forever that it hadn't been true, but it was. "I didn't want to be gay."

Axel scrunched up his face, genuinely confused, "What?"

"I... I think I do like you Axel. No, I know I do. I have for a long time. But I didn't want to think about what that meant. So I just told myself that that's how friends feel about each other. Then Zexion and I got to know each other. He confessed his feelings to me and kissed me, and that's when I realized that being gay wasn't that bad. But there was nothing I could do for you and me anymore. Zexion had beaten both of us to the punch, and I couldn't just say, 'Oh hey, thanks for dragging me out of the closet, but I don't want to be with you, I want my best friend." And, it's not like I didn't have a crush on Zexy too. I really do love him. But now with all that's happened, I'm starting to think I don't love him the way I thought I did. I think... I think I just want to be his friend. And now I feel really fuckin' low, 'cause I feel like I just strung him along. And you too. I should have just told you the truth. Then maybe none of this drama would have ever happened. You'd be my boyfriend, Zexion would be my best friend. Everything wouldn't be so complicated." Roxas let the last sentence die off as he sat still trying to sort through his feelings.

Axel was staring slack jawed at his friend, "Did you just say... I mean, are you telling me?"

"Yes Axel. You're right. I'm in love with you. There, you happy?" The blonde boy pouted.

Axel grinned from ear to ear and threw himself at Roxas, "Hell yes! You have no idea how flippin' happy I am!"

Roxas repressed a grin and freed himself from the taller male, "Hold on, hold on. We can't be together though. Not 'til I sort things out with Zexion. He's still my friend."

Axel sat back and gave Roxas a serious look, "Do I have to sing 'Girlfriend?'" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"What?" Roxas tried his hardest to keep a blank stare focused on his friend, but it wasn't working. Axel had actually sung 'Girlfriend' to him before and the memory was too funny not to smile at. Although, knowing how Axel felt now gave whole new meaning to his memory. Axel hadn't just been goofing around; he'd been trying to hint his feelings to Roxas. Oh wow. "No Axel, that won't be necessary." Roxas had stopped trying to fight the grin that was now plastered on his face.

"You sure? 'Cause I'll do it. You know I will."

Roxas chuckled and stood, "Yes, I know you will. But I don't have time to sit around and listen to bad Avril impressions."

Axel sighed and gave his friend a compassionate look, "Hey. I'm sorry you have to do this on your own. If I could talk to Zexion for you, I would."

"Thanks," Roxas knew Axel really meant that, "But it'll be ok. I'll just tell him the truth for once and hope it doesn't hurt him too badly. What else can I do?"

Axel smiled sympathetically, "Good luck."

Roxas nodded at the redhead, then opened the front door and stepped out into the sun. This was going to be one of the worst things he'd ever had to do, but he had to do it. For everyone involved, he had to tell the truth.