Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. Sigh. Sad day. I hate reminding myself :(
Yay! Chapter 2! This one was decidedly easier than the last one. And I think I have decided on a format. Each story will start with Axel, and Axel will alternate with other POVs, and the other POV will end the chapter. It was originally going to be just Roxas and Axel, but….Roxas doesn't have much of a role right now, lol. Um, I think my stipulation will be that Sora is never the narrator. I don't know. We'll see how it plays out. Anyway. Here is chapter two!
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"Sora?" He pays attention.
"Yes, Axel?"
"Do people like you?" He smiles.
"Some of them. Everyone's different. Everyone likes different people."
Think about that. "Did I do something to Roxas?"
A shadow on that bright face. "No, Axel. But he thinks you did."
"What does he think I did?"
"He thinks you got away with things you shouldn't have, and is taking it personally."
"Do you think I got away with things I shouldn't have?"
He pauses. "Well, Axel, to be honest, I'm not sure. But I'm here to help you figure it out."
"Does it make you angry? That I…did what I did?" The fire smolders.
He smiles an un-smile. "No, Axel."
"It makes me angry." A little laugh. Stand up. "It makes me so angry. And all I can feel is the fire. So much fire. So much heat!"
"Why does it make you angry?" He's still calm. Cool, like the ocean. The far off ocean.
"It's just like what happened to…to her."
"To who, Axel?"
"The little girl. She….She didn't deserve it. But it happened. It happened, anyway. Even though she didn't deserve it. And I did it, too."
"What happened?" His voice whisks through the fire.
"She…burned, Sora. She burned. Even though she didn't deserve it. The fire ate her like it does everything else. Like I tried to make it eat everything else."
No response. Then: "What was her name, Axel?"
Shake head. "I…don't want to remember."
"Okay," he answers, and the fire drowns.
He is my ocean.
****
About the sixth time it went off, I decided that cell phones were the worst invention ever.
"Hello?"
"You were ignoring me."
"Yes."
"Having a bad day?"
"What do you need, Sora?"
He paused. "Is there something you'd like to talk to me about?"
Why? Why did he always insist on badgering me? "No, Sora. It was just a rough day at work. As usual."
"Right. Well, might I interest you in going out for a cup of coffee?"
"Will he be there?"
Another pause. "Of course."
"Then, no. I'd rather—"
"Roxas. Don't bother finishing that sentence. Look. I know that you'll fight to keep yourself angry over this. But though he is many things, he is also one deserving a second chance. He feels regret, Roxas. I don't know yet that he's actively seeking forgiveness, but he's looking for acceptance."
"Sora, I—"
"Besides me, you're the only one he's talked to since the fire. And you immediately rejected him."
"I rejected him because I already know all I need to know. I did research on him for months. There's nothing that he can show me to change my mind."
"I will make you face him eventually. You both need to face each other."
I scoffed. I couldn't help it. "There is nothing to face."
"And it is exactly because you think that that I will make it happen. I hope your day gets better, Rox." And then I heard a click.
Cell phones were the worst invention ever.
****
"So, would you tell me why you didn't want to go to lunch?" He sounds disappointed.
"I don't like Riku." Simple.
"But, Axel, you don't know Riku."
"Roxas doesn't know me."
He pauses. "But you're not as pigheaded as Roxas. You don't have to be like him." He's confused now.
"What if I want to be?"
"You don't know Roxas, either, Axel." So confused.
"I know. Are you disappointed?"
"No. Why would I be?"
Shrug.
He waits. Always waits. Then: "Axel, how do you feel about yourself?"
Abrupt. "I'm…heartless." Feel the fire?
"Why do you think that?"
"Because I…." Don't say it. Don't think it.
"Do you ever find yourself wishing you were someone else?"
"No." Whisper. Feel the fire.
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes. I…don't want to talk anymore." Kindling fire. So much fire.
"She was your sister. Wasn't she?" Exploding fire.
"Don't talk about her!" Calming ocean, so far away, far away below.
"Axel. Please sit down. Please tell me." Lash out!
"Don't talk about her anymore!" He stares, hand on face.
My ocean walks away.
I drown in flames.
****
"I'm so close. But he's closed off. He trusts me, but….Not with this."
"Give him time, Sora," I answer. "Ow!"
"What did you do?"
"Just missed the carrot."
"Oh. Are you cooking?"
"Yes, Sora, but this is hardly relevant."
"Right. Time. I know. He's hung up on Roxas's behavior. It's affecting everything he does. I'm so close to seeing how everything fits together. I just want to help him."
"Since when are you so impatient?"
"Since I know that I can do something. He hit me today."
I drop the knife. "He hit you?" My voice is about two octaves higher than necessary. I clear my throat. "Why?"
Sora sighs. "I pushed him too far. I should've known better. It was my fault."
I almost choke. On air. Peachy. "Sora, how long have you been doing this?"
"Pushing him too far?"
"No, this job. Isn't that your biggest no-no? Testing the patience of an insane—"
"Traumatized."
"—patient?"
"Yes, Riku. I know. But I've never had a patient live in my home before. It's just…different. He's so close, all the time. It makes it easier, and harder."
"Are you going to be able to handle it?" I regret this question almost immediately.
"Yeah. I'll be fine." I can hear the doubt in his voice. I hate it when I cause that doubt.
"I'm sorry. I know you'll be fine. Just…don't make a habit out of getting punched, okay?"
"Okay. But I should go now. It's time for me to dig up some food."
I smile. "Good luck. I'll try to make dinner for you guys sometime next week. Maybe Axel'll get over his Roxas Complex long enough to let me feed you. You're probably emaciated by now."
I can hear him stick his tongue out at me. "Maybe. Thanks, Riku."
"Anytime. Talk to you later."
"Of course."
****
The end! Of the chapter, of course. Feel free to leave comments, question, criticisms, etc. Thanks for reading!