Purple. But it was dark, and Roxas' hand was shaking. He was terrified. In a few moments he would have to face the day had been haunting his dreams. The man that had torn apart his family, that thing that cursing and blaming for all that had gone wrong. It would be over soon though, all he had to do was say what he saw, what had happened and then he could leave. That was it. That's what he kept telling himself.
Naminé held his hand tight and leaned her head against his shoulder. "It'll be okay, right Nami?" She nodded on his shoulder and muttered a soft. "yes." Aeris sat across from them watching quietly. She had to be there to represent Roxas' temporary guardian, though she'd barely seen him twice in the past week. If anyone should have come it should have been Tifa, but technically she wasn't supposed to be watching Roxas. According to the court he was still living in Aeris' condo in the city. Naminé had insisted on going, seeing how nervous Roxas was in the morning. As soon as she suggested coming he calmed.
They sat outside the courtroom waiting for a bailiff to escort him in so he could testify. Roxas twisted his ring nervously; the color wasn't changing, if anything it was getting darker as the warm pads of his fingers ran over it nervously.
The doors that led from the courthouse jail opened and a dark raged figure stepped out into the synthetic lit room. Roxas stiffened and tried not to look, before he even let his eyes glance that way he knew what, or rather who was standing at the end of the hall.
The orange jumpsuit looked odd on Sephiroth's tall elegant frame, and his gaunt face looked even stranger. Being locked in a cell for the past months had given him dark circles under his eyes and the sure lack of nutrition from any prison meal had sunken his cheeks in. But Roxas recognized his crazed face and his knowing smirk. No doubt in his mind that this man was still something to fear. Naminé held to his hand tighter and tried to keep him calm. "Nothing to fear, it will very soon be a memory, and a memory cannot harm you." She whispered into his ear in her meek voice, never shaking or showing any doubt.
Sephiroth's head rose and he looked around the room, his maiko eyes scanning the room and resting on Roxas in the far corner. The escorts that were watching him were discussing something with the bailiff and didn't notice when he shuffled a few feet away to get closer to Roxas.
"Hello boy…" he said the words sounding weird coming from his chapped lips, in the same graceful voice that he had always held, nothing on the inside had changed. Roxas refused to look up. His body was shaking and his hand clenched Naminé's so tight that his ring was leaving a small indent in his skin. "Have you spoken to your Mother… because Mother talks to me." The corner of his lips upturned into a sadistic smirk as he let out a horrible laugh. "Mother loves me… not you."
Roxas looked up at him for the first time, his head was tilted to the side and his eyes wide with wonder. The long silver tresses that he had always taken pride in had fallen from his shoulder, and hung loosely almost to the floor. With his shoulders slumped he lost almost five inches from his towering height. "Did you hear me boy? Mother loves me…" his broken lips stretched across his teeth as he spoke.
"Shut up…" Roxas muttered under his breath, Naminé holding tighter to him.
"You hear me…" Sephiroth hissed out, "she loves me… not you, and not your stupid. Dead. Brother."
"You bastard!" he shouted standing up Naminé holding him back. The guards looked up at Roxas' outburst and ran to the other side of the room grabbing Sephiroth by the shoulders pulling him back. Sephiroth didn't struggle against their restraint but his body shook with wild laughter as they pulled him away. Roxas stood, still shaking with anger and fear he muttered every insult he could under his breath but nothing could even begin to compare to the hatred and anger that filled his veins.
Roxas feel to his knees and covered his face sobbing, Aeris and Naminé kneeling at his side both trying to calm him. Naminé's warm breath was in his ear again trying to console him with her strange words but no noise could over power Sephiroth's frantic laughter.
Then everything went black.
When Roxas woke up every muscle in his body ached, he sat up slowly. Failing the first time he tried again and looked around the room. Naminé was on the other side of the room looking at some of the books on Demyx's shelf. When she heard him groan softly she looked up and smiled, walking quickly to be at his side. She hugged him close and kissed his cheek, "oh Roxas…" she breathed out as she held him.
"What happened? I don't remember—" Roxas began to speak but Naminé hushed him and shook her head.
"You fainted after you saw…" she stopped seeing the panic to start to set into him again and pet his cheek. "you fainted." She said simply and continued to pet his cheeks, trying to warm him again, and make the color come back in his skin.
"So… no trial?" he said quietly.
"No, they let you leave. They are going to try and have the trial without you."
"So I have to stay here longer?" he asked sadness filling his eyes as he looked at his ring. It was a murky gray as he thought of being away from Sora for much longer.
"Would that be so bad?" she asked lifting his chin so he was looking into her eyes. Her sad expression made him realize what she clearly already had. Finally leaving would mean that he would leave her and Demyx as well. His ring turned black as he frowned, either way he would be separated from someone he loved.
Axel climbed clumsily over the ladder that led to Demyx's balcony and stumbled slightly. He waited a moment until he had gained good footing then strutted to the blonde's window. He pressed his face close to the dirty glass and looked in. No Demyx, but he opened the window anyway, he'd wait for him.
Axel didn't notice until he already somersaulted through the window and onto the floor that the blonde from before was sitting in his bed. He wasn't asleep though, in fact he was staring at Axel with some sort of shock. Flashing his normal cocky grin Axel got up and brushed some of the dirt from his jeans. "What no applause?" he said while walking over to Roxas's bed.
The blonde had asked Naminé to let him be alone for a while as he felt the feeling of depression creep upon him, and almost as soon as she left he was met with Demyx's friend.
"Where's the hick?" he asked pointing back to Demyx's bed.
"I don't know… I just woke up a little ago."
"Oh really? You have that ravished look about ya." He smiled ruffled Roxas' already messy hair. Axel sat down next to him and smiled, Roxas wasn't quite sure why, but he felt comfortable around Axel today more than he ever had been. Maybe it was because they were alone and he'd already met him once so they're was no pressure to talk or impress anyone, or maybe it was because the redhead was sober this time; either way Roxas was fine being around him. He twisted his mood ring and looked down, a shade of purpling blue filled it like he'd never seen before. A lighter blue meant calm, and a darker blue, like the color of Demyx's eyes meant happiness, but this was purple so that would mean one of those two would be mixed with a pink, love, or a red, passion, both of which Roxas was sure he was not feeling. He looked away from the ring and ignored it.
Axel watched him a moment then stood back up, "well if you don't mind, I'm gonna stand out for a smoke while I wait for blondie." Axel smirked at him and walked back out onto the roof, lighting a cigarette. Roxas looked down a moment then got from his bed and threw on his jacket. He slipped on his sneakers and stepped out onto the roof, Axel looked at him confused but didn't question him.
"That's supposed to relieve stress right?" he asked, gesturing to Axel's hand that held the cigarette loosely.
"Yeah, that's what they say." He smirked and held out his hand, "like to test the theory?"
Roxas nodded and took the cigarette from his hand, positioning it awkwardly between his fingers and then holding it to his lips. Trying his best to mock what he'd seen in movies Roxas took in a large breath his lungs filling with a burning smoke. He tried to let it out slowly but before he was done his body betrayed him and he let out a hacking cough. Axel laughed at him and took the cigarette back. "You don't always get it your first time, practice kid. Just like everything else." Roxas nodded held his hand out against despite the burning he still felt in his throat. "Take two." Axel chuckled handing it back to him.
The second time Roxas took a drag he didn't feel as bad a burn, though it was definitely still there. He closed his eyes and let the smoke slowly trail from his lips, not coughing at all this time. Roxas was finally content, he felt his shoulders slump and his muscles become less tense. His cheeks flushed with sudden warmth and he smiled, everything was getting a little better.
The serene moment to himself was ruined when he felt a something rough brush against his lips. Roxas opened his eyes, being met with a flash of bright green. He stepped back and covered his mouth. "What are you doing?" he asked frowning.
"Sorry, couldn't resist." Axel smiled and took back his cigarette.
"What about Demyx?"
Axel frowned, "we're not exclusive. Don't tell me you think I'm stupid enough to think he was faithful to me." He said with a harsh tone.
"Maybe he would be if you weren't such an asshole." Roxas hissed.
"Demyx ditched me years ago, ever since he got all warm and fuzzy for Xigbar." Axel glared at something in the distance and took a long drag from his cigarette.
"Demyx loves you; he'd do anything for you. What are you talking about?" Roxas looked at Axel confused, grabbing the cigarette again. Axel sighed and took out another from his pocket lighting it. Roxas smiled in triumph and took slow short drags.
"He takes care of me if I show up in his window, but if I got killed in and left in the gutter, he wouldn't notice." Axel choked slightly and shivered. "No ones ever stuck with me, why should he be any different."
Roxas frowned and tossed the butt of his cigarette to the ground. "Show me where you live." He said quietly looking up at Axel. The redhead looked at him surprised, his sparkling eyes wide. Roxas smiled and grabbed his hand walking him to the side of the roof, to where the ladder was.
When Demyx came back to the room, no one was there. He didn't really notice at first, assuming Roxas was at his trial, or in Naminé's room, but when the small girl came in with a tray of lunch for him and dropped it to the floor he had a feeling her should have noticed that Roxas was supposed to be home. "Where is he?" she gasped, her tiny voice scared.
"Roxas?" he asked, "he isn't with you?" Demyx scratched the back of his head confused.
"No… he was here an hour ago, I let him have some time to himself. What did you do?" she growled, showing anger for the first time that Demyx had ever seen.
"Nothing… I just got home." His voice was softer like he was trying to defend his explanation, almost cowering before her.
"Where is he? He wouldn't go anywhere alone." She bit her lip nervously, "I'll tell Tifa."
"No!" Demyx grabbed her quickly, "are you crazy, she'll kill us—er she'll kill me. Let's go look for him." Demyx grabbed his jacket again and started to put it on.
"No, I don't want to go anywhere with you." She muttered.
"Okay, I'll look for Roxas myself then."
"This is it?" Roxas looked around amazed, the way that Demyx had described Axel's situation Roxas was expecting some run down apartment that was barely standing. But Roxas was standing in a penthouse, the entire placed was furnished with expensive furniture and it was covered with plants. "You live here?" Roxas said amazed, Axel smirked and grabbed two beers handing one to the teen.
"No, not really. This is Marluxia's place, but he let's me crash here, see my own key and everything." He smiled swinging the small silver cut of metal around his finger.
"No shit." Roxas said under his breath sitting down on the couch and looking around. Axel smiled and sat next to him putting his around him on he back of the couch behind the smaller blonde.
"So… you're here, what did you want to do?"
"I have no idea." Roxas said, he cracked open his beer and took a sip grimicing. "How can you drink that?" he frowned.
"You get used to it." Axel mumbled and leaned over to kiss Roxas' neck softly. Roxas stiffened slightly and pulled back.
"Why do you keep doing that?"
"Doin' what?" he leaned over and stroked the blonde's cheek. Roxas shook his head softly forgetting his question as Axel's envy green eyes moved closer. "Tell me something Roxas…" the redhead's thin lips were moving dangerously close to Roxas's own, his warm breath hitting him and the taste of cigarettes and beer floated toward him. Roxas closed his mouth to block out the taste and licked his lips, just noticing now they were dry, "have you ever been… kissed?" the way Axel drew out the word it took him a moment to realize that it was a question, immediately the thought overtook him and he feel from the strange trance that he was under.
Blushing and muttering under his breath, Roxas pulled back slightly, only to sink into the couch cushions more. "W-well…" he stuttered. "On the balcony earlier…" he said quietly.
Axel immediately started to chuckle and pulled away, taking a swig of the beer. "Are you shitting me?" he let out another bark of laughter. "That wasn't even a fucking kiss, it was…" he paused contemplating what to call the act that they had committed earlier. "that was a peck, barely qualifies."
"Oh…" Roxas frowned and looked down, "no then."
"Mm…" the redhead smirked playing with one of the loose spikes that was hanging in front of his face. "wanna real one?" he smirked watching the other chew his plush pink lip with his teeth. Roxas fiddled with his ring and glanced down at the pink color. "That's pretty, what is it?" Axel took his hand and pressed his fingers against the ring to get a better look at it. He smiled at Roxas and when he pulled away there were definite dark red blotches were his fingers had touched.
"It's nothing… something I got from my cousin awhile back."
"Why did you want to come here?" Axel said, not really listening to his response.
"Because… I hate it there. It's so fucking, it's depressing. Especially when Dem isn't there." Axel nodded and smiled at him. Sliding one finger under his chin, Axel pulled Roxas closer and pressed their lips together. He held the others face in his hands gently and kissed him slowly pushing the others lips apart Axel deepened the kiss.
Roxas flinched slightly when he heard the front door open, Axel merely moved down to his neck placing small kisses down his collarbone. "Axel…" Roxas whispered, "Who's that?" Axel pulled back and looked up at the man standing above them watching with a sadistic smile across his lips.
"Marluxia, I brought a friend home, do you mind?"
AN: Hey guys, I know I haven't written, or really updated this forever! I'm so sorry but my life has ben crazy this year! I'm going to college can you believe that? Cause I can't. Anyway, hopefully because all the hard decision making is over and done with I'm going to have more time to write and I promise that this story will not get left in the dust, I am determined to finish it. Thanks everyone who was loyal enough to wait for this update, you get a special prize which is yet to be announced.
Preview for Next Chapter: Roxas can't handle Marluxia and Axel's relationship and Demyx continues his search.