A/N: I finally finished this chapter :3 the end slacked off a bit... well a lot, but I really wanted to update before I go into no-life mode for a few days while I draft out my Speech Final... Anyway... :D Axel and Roxas :) Asdfjkl;ljdsafdlk, I am actually starting to LOVE this pairing. I seriously hope I did them both justice... Nervous as Hell -_- Okay, please R&R and tell me how I did .-. If I may be a son of a bitch and impose upon you, my unknown readers, could I have... erhm... 5 reviews before I update again :o? I'm just not very confident about how well I am able to write this pairing; I'm soooo used to Naruto xD. As always, if you have any suggestions you can leave them in a review, and, if you are confused about something, PM :D I respond :3.
Light
White… Always white… It didn't make any sense. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, the furniture were white—even the crystalline windows that offered a view of the heavens above were translucent shades of the color. Roxas didn't like it. All the white; it hurt his head, made him feel empty, his mind going as blank as the walls around him.
It was as if he was fading away into the white…
Roxas felt this urgency, a small reminder lingering in the back of his head, telling him to open his eyes, but this only made his head hurt more. His eyes were open. Why was his telling him otherwise? It didn't make sense… why couldn't he just sleep…? It was just so inviting—why should he fight it?
Roxas finally acquiesced, his mind going completely blank as he let the numbing embrace of slumber envelop him…
"Roxas… ROXAS! You have to get up…" Axel's voice was insistent, a desperation rising up into his voice as Roxas didn't respond, his hands gripping his shoulders, trying to shake the blonde into consciousness, "you must keep fighting… Roxas… Roxas? Please… don't leave me all alone…"
Roxas was confused. Now his mind wanted him to get up…? Wait, isn't that what it wanted before—for him to open his eyes…? But, his eyes were open… His eyes were open and all he saw was white… sweet, comforting, welcoming white…
His eyes slowly flicked closed…
"Forget about him," the voice was cold and so… familiar, the harshness of the words forcing him awake again. He couldn't place his finger on it, but Roxas knew that the voice belonged to someone he knew… someone he knew all too well.
"Damn it Naminé," Axel snarled, and Roxas winced, his mind finally forcing him back from unconsciousness, as piercing heat flickered near his skin. He saw two people, both of them mere fuzzy outlines. One was a short, petite blonde girl… Blonde… Roxas liked blonde; it was his hair color after all, but, he liked red much better. Red was just so… comforting to him. Roxas' eyes refocused, his gaze flickering toward the other outline. A very tall man, his slender figure leading up to broad shoulders, his head crowned in a mane of flaming red hair… Red… Roxas liked red. He liked it much better than blonde. He liked this man better. Roxas nodded to himself—this man was much nicer than the blonde girl. "Why isn't he getting up? What did you do to him?"
The pale blonde giggled darkly in response, the whites of her eyes threaded with black veins that were slowly coiling their way into her crystalline iris, and Axel growled as he threw a chakram straight at the teen, the barbed disc spinning wickedly as it closed the distance between himself and the witch at an alarming rate. However, the instant before the bladed wheel met the pale flesh of the petite girl, it rebounded sharply as if it had slammed against an invisible wall of force.
"Really?" Naminé asked in disbelief, "Oh Axel, I'm hurt. Did you really think something as simple as that would even have a chance of hurting me? You don't give me enough credit."
The throw should have impaled her; he had calculated perfectly—Axel doubted even Larxene could have managed to dodge it, but, somehow, in the last moment before the chakram had pierced Naminé's flesh, she had been able to construct some sort of barrier. It didn't help that Roxas, the boy he had sworn to throw down his life for if need dictated, was slipping in and out of consciousness on the floor next to him.
"Now I will show you the differences in our strength." Naminé hissed darkly, a macabre smile spreading across her lips. There was the buzzing of power in the air, and then the white was swallowed by darkness…
"Roxas! Please… I love you… I don't want to lose you… Not like this… Roxas… WAKE. UP!"
Roxas woke with a start, sitting up much faster than he should have, his mind washing blank as the blood was suddenly drained away from it.
"Crap," Roxas massaged his temples slowly—that was the last time he ever stayed awake past 3; he could feel the heaviness in his eyelids, a laden exhaustion weighing his entire body down.
"Roxassss," his mother's voice cheerfully rang out, sending another wave of sickening nausea passing through his sleep-deprived self. "You need to get up if you want to eat breakfast before school"
Roxas rolled onto his stomach, slamming his face into his pillow, the fluffy cloud of white the most welcoming feeling anyone could ask for this early in the morning.
Roxas felt his eyes flutter shut, the world flickering, the whole of reality passing by in a time-lapse as the blonde drifted in and out of slumber.
"Roxas, wake up honey. You are going to be late." His mother's voice was practically the exact opposite of a siren's song… her banshee wail did nothing to help lull him back into much-needed sleep.
Why should he have to wake up anyway? It's not like they were going to be doing anything important at school; the day would go by the same as always: wake up, survive the first four morning classes, lunch, survive athletics and the following three classes, walk home, do homework, crash, rinse and repeat.
Roxas groaned at the thought. He was so tired of the same old thing, but here in Twilight Town, what else was there to expect—it wasn't like some miraculous force would take pity on him and send down a ray of unanticipated change. Nope, Roxas was resigned to his fate.
Twilight Town was going to stay the same.
"Roxas! Do not make me come in there and drag you out of bed! I will not ask you again…"
"Coming Mom," Roxas rolled his eyes, quickly grasping a clean black shirt on his dresser as he rolled out of bed. Tugging the shirt over his head, the mass of his blonde spikes snapping right back up as it slipped to his neck, Roxas slowly trudged to his closet to pick out a pair of pants.
Roxas had long ago lost count of the number of times people at the school had asked him about his hair's secret. He had enough to deal with without people constantly bugging him about his "mystical" hair rituals—he had finally settled on telling everyone that it simply defied gravity.
Wriggling into his pants, black skinny jeans that were about two inches below his belly button, Roxas slipped on his black and white checkered wristband, his eyes tearing up as he saw the traceries of scars still visible, each one representing a painful time in his life; he didn't really mind them though—each scar stood for something, each scar had made him stronger.
Sighing as he tugged on his converse, Roxas snaked a checkered belt through his pants' loops and slipped his white hoodie on—the jacket big on his slender body even though it was a small.
Roxas could never leave the house without his trusty hoodie. For some reason that he could not even begin to fathom, Roxas felt the urge to always wear something white. He just felt lost without the color gracing his body.
White was just so… soothing.
Gazing into his mirror one last time, his hands quickly running through his hair to achieve maximum spikiness, Roxas grabbed his backpack with a sigh and headed for the kitchen, his bed seeming to be heartbroken with the sudden absence of the one that slept with it every night.
I'm sorry my sweet, sweet bed… We part only to meet again… Roxas mimed wiping a tear from his eye, smiling at his own thought, savoring what would probably be the only time he smiled the entire day.
Lack of sleep, plus irritating people, plus school equals one unhappy Roxas.
Roxas sulked into the kitchen, his mother immediately taking notice of her son's sour mood as he sat down heavily in the chair and began to half-heartedly pick at his pancakes. She was already dressed for work, heels clicking sharply against the tile floor as she walked over to investigate the cause of her son's irritation.
"Is everything okay Roxas?" his mother asked curiously, causing Roxas to sigh. Of course she would notice when something is up, her and those accursed motherly intuitions.
"Yeah Mom," Roxas feigned a smile, the expression almost appearing genuine, "I'm just a little tired. Late night studying and all." The corner of her eyes crinkled, her expression tightening with worry, and Roxas abstained from sighing again as his mother placed a hand—neat, manicured nails pressing gently against his face—on his cheek.
"Alright," she finally conceded, satisfied that Roxas was simply tired and nothing else, "Eat your breakfast, I have to leave for work in five minutes. Think you can finish by then? If you can, you won't have to take the bus; I can give you a ride."
Roxas regarded her words for a moment. Not having to take the bus was, after all, very appealing. However, even less appealing than the arduous bus ride would be the car ride over to the school with his mother interrogating him all the while. Deciding that the bus was the lesser of the two evils, Roxas firmly shook his head.
"It's okay Mom," he smiled as he shoved a bite of pancakes into his mouth. The food was delicious, the sweet syrup and deliciously warm pancakes a miniature heaven in his mouth, but Roxas frankly didn't have an appetite. He swallowed quietly before continuing, "I don't mind riding the bus. Besides, I can always just talk with my friend…" If I had any... Roxas paused, forcing another bite of pancakes into his mouth. "The pancakes are delicious by the way."
"I'm glad you like them," his mother smiled, brightening upon hearing the small gratitude. "I'm off to work then. Have fun at school."
Umm yeah… I'd have more fun taking a bath in acid and then jumping into a tub of Germ-X… "Will do," Roxas called after his mother, who was already almost out the door, heels clicking loudly against the cement driveway.
Roxas took one more bite of pancakes before he dropped the leftovers into the trashcan, quickly washing his dish and placing it out to dry as he heard the bus pull up.
Roxas cursed under his breath, slung his back over his shoulder, and raced outside, praying to every deity his mind could think of to save him from the embarrassment of tripping in his haste.
His prayers were answered… for once, as he made it onto the bus unscathed, and Roxas brightened a little.
Maybe today won't be so bad… maybe…
"Well, isn't this a surprise?" A male voice mocked, "I didn't think they allowed emos to use public transportation. You know, wouldn't want you bleeding all over the seats now would we?"
And maybe hell will free over. Roxas withered visibly as his gaze met his infernal tormentor's, the fiery redhead known as Axel smirking to himself, clearly pleased at the insult he had just fired off.
Roxas lipped the words "fuck you" and, his face burning with shame, slowly dragged himself to the back of the bus.
Roxas felt miserable; if he would've known Axel, of all people, was going to be on the bus, he would have suffered through his mom's inquiries. Axel had never ridden the bus before, but, considering Roxas' luck, he wasn't surprised. It was only suiting that his tormentor get an early start the one day Roxas was already mentally done with the entire day.
He isn't here… he is way up there… he…
"So, my little blonde wrist-slitter," Axel cooed as he slid down in the seat next to Roxas, "To whom do I owe this honor? I didn't expect I'd get to see you this early in the morning. Are you bright and cheerful I hope?" Axel paused, clearly waiting for the blonde to retaliate in some way, but there was only silence.
Ignore him… and he will go away… ignore him… and he will go away…
"I take that as a no?" The redhead said slowly. Roxas flashed him a withering look, which he regretted instantly; he was only added fuel to the fire—and with Axel, the flames spiraled out of control all too often. "Aren't you happy to see me? I would be happy to see me… You know, when you aren't in your gym clothes, you can almost hide the fact that you are a scrawny little weakling… but you and I both know you can't fool me… you—"
"—piss off fire crotch," Roxas snapped, his anger finally bubbling over. The bus grew silent, every single occupant staring openmouthed, waiting for the result of the harsh exchange between the blonde and redhead. Axel was stunned, his eyes fixing Roxas with an incredulous gaze. The tension could have been cut with a snowflake.
"What was that…?" Axel finally said, each word slow and clear; he obviously wanted Roxas to get the message: 'Don't. Fuck. With. Me.'
"Did I stutter?" Axel's mouth dropped open, his face showing no thought but disbelief. Roxas was asking for it. Bigtime. But he couldn't stop now. It wasn't often he got to see Axel speechless.
Axel suddenly shook his head, reining his composure back in, and he fixed Roxas with a stony glare, fire lighting up in his acid green eyes. Axel leaned in close, his lips practically grazing Roxas' ears.
"You just wait until athletics, punk," Axel growled, each word like a razor knife to the heart, "It's funny, actually, the things the coaches will let slide in the locker room. I hope your used to it, little emo bitch, because I'm going make more blood come out of your body than you and your little razor would have ever dreamed possible."
Axel stood up, leaving Roxas—now stunned and silent—cursing himself for his stupidity.
Why couldn't you keep your mouth shut, idiot. Now you are royally fucked. Ten points for the guy who just signed his own death warrant.
Roxas leaned his head against the window, the lonesome trees passing by in a blur, and Roxas felt a pit of dread form in his stomach.
He had finally got what he wanted; an unexpected change…
"So you really said that to Axel…?" The raven-haired teen asked the blonde, who responded with a miserable nod. "Of all the people to insult Roxas, he his pretty high up on the 'Talk Shit To Me And You're Fucked' list. You couldn't have just… oh, I don't know… kept your mouth shut?"
Roxas sighed, eyes glancing at Xion as she mimed the multiple ways Axel could maim, eviscerate, and dismember him, but her humor didn't help him any, seeing as she was probably not too far off.
The worst part of the whole mess Roxas had got himself into was the little fact that Axel was in every single class he had—he even sat right next to Roxas in 3rd period English and 7th period Theater. It was mortifying.
"Xion," Roxas grumbled, eyes narrowing as the black haired girl mimed her head being dismembered from her body by a guillotine, "no offense, but your whole idea of acting out the numerous ways I could die today isn't exactly fitting…" Or helping… bitch…
"Oh, you are so right," Xion exclaimed, her eyes widening as an idea blossomed in her mind. Roxas' eyes narrowed in suspicion, his gaze slowly sweeping up the pale girl, searching for some hint to just what exactly she had planned. "I will just save this for Theater; it's perfect. Axel sits next to you… oh wait… athletics is 5th period… huh…?"
Roxas nodded slowly, his heart sinking at the thought. Great… like I needed you to remind me…
"Oops… my bad dude," Xion paused, her brows knitting together as she sunk deep in thought. Roxas gazed at her with a puzzled look, his eyes widening as a huge grin spread across her face.
"And what, if I may ask, is making you so happy?" Roxas mumbled.
"Oh nothing…" Xion said slyly, "I was just going to say if you survive athletics, Theater will be even more interesting. After all, today is the day where we get to volunteer people to perform…" Xion paused, her eyebrows wiggling. "You and Axel would make such a cute stage couple."
"Shut. Up." Roxas hissed, Xion's laughter bubbling out as he tried to place a hand over her mouth. "Look, I had a crush on him once… that was a long time ago… You need to stop bringing that shit up…" Roxas paused, eyes narrowing, his gaze fixated on the still giggling Xion. "I. Mean. It."
Xion sighed, rolling her eyes as she turned to face the front of the room. "You are no fun… you realize this? What is the point of having a gay best friend if you don't abuse the privilege from time to time?"
Xion yelped as Roxas swatted her with his hand. "For the last time I'm bi. Hear this…" Do. You. Understand? Bi, bisexual, b-i-s-e-x-u-a-l. Do I need to slow down for you?"
"No, no, no…" Xion pouted, her eyes tightening as a frown spread across her lips, "You've ruined my fun long enough, Blondie."
"Whatever Blackie," Roxas teased, ruffling his hand through Xion's hair, "Let's just get the ever-horrible Economics out of the way."
Xion eyed Roxas evenly, a small smile replacing the frown on the teen's lips. "Agreed."
The class went by painlessly, the teacher droning on about how the different economies in other parts of the world directly affected Twilight Town's; the very fact that Roxas managed to keep his eyes open was enough of an accomplishment.
The bell rang and the order of the class room all but fell into chaos. In mere moments, Roxas was alone in the room.
Slinging his schoolbag over his shoulder with a sigh, Roxas headed for the exit, his exhaustion catching up with him as he slowly trudged toward the door.
Suddenly, a hand grasped his shoulder, whirling him around, and, much to his dismay, Roxas found himself gazing up at Axel, the tall redhead towering above him.
Staring at Axel like this, Roxas couldn't help but take note of the redhead's lithe, athletic build. He wore a black V-neck, the shirt hugging his chest, hinting at the muscles beneath, slim-fitting grey jeans and bright red Vans covering his lower body. With a sly grin, Axel chuckled, his eyes taking note of where the blonde's gaze had drifted.
"Eyes up here," Axel laughed. Roxas snapped his head up as the words registered in his mind, his cheeks burning.
"I was just looking at your shoes." Roxas said lamely, which wasn't entire untruthful. Roxas hadn't been looking there; he was just taking note of what the redhead was wearing. Axel rolled his eyes, his mouth opening as if to retort, but, whether he thought better of it or just didn't want to make the blonde suffer anymore, he kept it to himself.
"Four more periods, my little emo," Axel smirked, his vivid green eyes boring into Roxas. "You scared? Terrified? Good, you should be…" With the last word he gave Roxas a shove, and, as he began to fall backwards, Roxas threw himself forward, his momentum continuing and causing him to fall on Axel, the redhead's arms instinctively catching Roxas.
Roxas swallowed hard, Axel's arms were enveloping him in a tight yet warm embrace—who knew tormentors gave such comforting hugs? After a moment's passing, Axel seemed to realize that his arms were still wrapped around the blonde.
"Get off me emo creep," Axel growled, promptly giving Roxas another shove, this time much sharper than the first. Roxas fell to his knees, his bright azure eyes glaring up at the redhead's green.
"Oh Axel, you hurt me so much. I might have to go cut myself to sleep," Roxas mocked, his eyes not flickering away from Axel's.
Axel snorted, picking up his bag, and, as he headed for the exit he paused. "You know, I would help you up, but I'm pretty sure you're used to being on your knees. It suits you, slit-wrist."
Axel chuckled as he walked out the door, clearly amused by his own joke, but Roxas just stayed on the ground, his mind still reeling in shock… had Axel just…
No, no… he hates you, you hate him. That's how it works. Forget any crush you may have had on him; that doesn't matter anymore.
The 2nd period late bell rang, Roxas cursing as he slung his bag over his shoulder and took off for the classroom.
I just have to make it past 5th period… I just have to make it past 5th period… I just have to… fuck… I'm so dead.
Aside from entering the classroom nearly 5 minutes after the late bell had sounded, 2nd period AP Chemistry had gone relatively smoothly. Axel hadn't said a word to Roxas throughout the entirety of the class, which wasn't saying much due to the fact that he sat next to his actual friends in that class—Roxas could always count on Chemistry to provide a 45 minute ceasefire.
3rd period, however, was a completely different matter altogether. Axel was right on Roxas' left, and, with the even more contemptuous Marluxia on his right, Roxas had long ago resigned himself to the fact that he had no chance of salvation during English—he didn't even have Xion or Zexion to help him through this hour of hell.
"Alright students," the elderly teacher, Mrs. Crumplebottom said brightly as she smoothed a crease in her ashen dress, her cheap eye shadow pooling around her eyelids in pools of Black Death, "I am going to assign you all a group project today. You partners will be determined by…" Mrs. Crumplebottom paused, her eyes fluttering closed, and, much to both the amusement and confusion of the entire class, humming loudly, she began to twirl around enthusiastically until she was a blur of gray.
She's… insane… not a shocker… The elderly woman stopped suddenly, her humming reaching a new height of volume. "RAANNNNDOMM SELECTION!" She screamed, Roxas' eyes widening as her finger was leveled at him.
"Roxasss," Mrs. Crumplebottom said, any trace of her sudden outburst dissipating, "You shall be paired with Axel. Because I said so…"
No. Fucking. Way. Roxas felt his heart begin to beat rapidly. There was no way he was going to be stuck in a group with Axel of all people.
"Umm, can I maybe switch—"
"—I AM YOUR TEACHER! You shall heed my words… or suffer direly," she raised her purse menacingly into the air, her eyes fixating Roxas with a steely glare.
"Okay…" Roxas said quickly, a frown forming on his face as Axel snickered beside him.
"Wow, today just isn't your day, is it?" Axel smirked, earning a deadpan from Roxas. "Well, I suppose I can't kill you now… if you are going to be in my group and all…" Axel paused, leaning in close. "But don't think for a minute you have escaped me…"
"Axelll," Mrs. Crumplebottom called out airily, "I understand you are eager to explore the wonders of English, but patience is a virtue that will NEVER hurt you."
Why couldn't Roxas' teacher just be… normal? It didn't make sense… everything was normal in Twilight Town, but, for whatever reason, his dynamic English teacher wasn't about to conform to standards.
"Sorry my lady," Axel said as he stood up and took a mock bow, "It won't happen again…
Great… So Axel's is my partner for English, I am probably going to be beaten an inch from death during athletics, and I will actually have to spend time with my literal worst enemy… my life's fucking perfect…
