Hello my lovely readers! Sorry for the... what was it, close to two months?... without updates. With final exams and all this stress it was kind of hard for me to sit down at a computer and get anything done without thinking 'I should really be studying right now'. I had the chapter in my brain, but sadly that's where it stayed until just recently.

I will be updating less after this because… well, it would take forever to explain and I know you're here for the chapter so just go to my profile if you want to know why. It's at the top in big bold letters. I doubt anyone wants to hear about how I fucked up the best friendship I ever had because I'm a jealous heinous bitch who doesn't think before she talks. But if you want to… go right ahead.

Once again, just in case you happened to have forgotten because it's been a long time since I wrote a flashback or had a song stuck in the story, song lyrics are in bold and flashbacks are in bold italics! And the song 'The Boys of Summer' belongs to The Ataris – I flipping adore that song, even if I don't really know why!

I have a present for the best reviewer for this chapter!!! I'm so not telling you what it is, but believe me when I say you'll like it. So without further ado, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Chapter 10

Sunlight outside the paned window streamed in, bouncing off the course surface of the rug as the birds chirped sweetly from the trees.

Roxas smiled as he flipped over in his sleep, his dreams for once happy and carefree rather than the scenes of death and misery he was becoming accustomed to having ever since his brother's car crash. He stretched his arms wide as he yawned, his eyes opening slowly when his hand ran into something warm and oddly familiar in a comforting way. Looking down beside him he smiled lovingly as his gaze fell on Axel's messy red hair bunched up on his pillow beside him.

"The poor thing, he looks so tired. I can't believe he sat in that hallway holding me asleep in his arms so long in case Sora woke up just for me." Roxas whispered, softly stroking Axel's hair. Axel groaned and pushed his face farther into the pillow, otherwise not waking up. Roxas bit his lower lip, afraid for a moment he might have woken his exhausted companion. Placing a chaste kiss on Axel's forehead, he slipped silently out of his bed before creeping stealthily across his room and out into the hall.

"Oh Roxas dear, I didn't know you were even awake yet!" His mother yawned sliding her feet into the pair of pink bunny slippers she kept outside of her bedroom door. "Where's Axel darling, is he still asleep? I might be wrong but I could have sworn he came back from to the house with you from the hospital, but I was partially asleep."

"Yeah Mother, Axel came back with me and he's still asleep in my room. I figured I'd make us some breakfast so he could sleep a little longer." Roxas smiled walking down the stairs with his mother just behind. "He takes such good care of me I can't help but feel like I owe him ever so much. Breakfast isn't much, but it's a start. It's the least I can do for him as far as starting to repay him for everything he's done for me. This gives me a chance to take care of him for a change instead of the other way around like always."

"I'll just stay out of your way this morning then shall I?" She smiled tiredly, and kissed him on the forehead maternally before turning and trudging back up the stairs to get ready for work.

Whistling a nameless tune as it came to mind, Roxas entered the kitchen he knew so well and crossed to the cabinets, looking through the numerous cardboard boxes.

"I think I want pancakes for breakfast today." Roxas said to himself in a sing-song voice as he selected a large yellow box from the array and went off in search of a skillet.

"Zexion, I'm here! And guess what, I brought a pizza! Your favorite kind too, vegetarian pizza with extra cheese and light on the tomato sauce!" The pounding on the front door went unanswered. "Zexion, it's me Demyx. Please open the door; it's kinda cold out here! The food is gotten get all cold and nobody likes cold pizza!"

Still nothing, but Demyx however would not be turned away from his attempts to enter the small apartment where his best friend and boyfriend lived. He turned the door handle only to find it was locked as expected. Pressing his ear against the door Demyx concentrated hard, trying to listen for any sound coming from the room behind the door. A loud scuffling met his ears, followed by a crashing sound that sounded like the entire contents of the china cupboard hitting the stone kitchen floor.

"Zexion, are you alright, what's going on in there?" Demyx called, pulling at the doorknob yet again in vain. The sounds of a fierce struggle reached his ears.

"Shut up! Shut up you wretched thing!" Demyx eyes widened, the pizza box slipping from his fingers. "Stop wiggling you little – OUCH! You bit me!"

"DEMYX… help… me!" Zexion's voice reached his eyes sounding distressed. Demyx panicked and all reasonable thoughts set aside Demyx did the only thing he could think of at the moment – kick the door in.

"Zexion, where are you?" Demyx rushed inside, stepping over the splintered door to look around for Zexion. The door of the bedroom creaked and Demyx ran to it wrenching it open. "Where – Zexion!"

A bleeding and bruised Zexion was kneeling in the middle of the room, apparently beaten to submission by the person just behind him holding a knife to his throat. He looked up at Demyx through a blackened eye, tears sliding down his face.

"Let Zexion go God damn you!" Demyx made to rush forward, but the gagging noise Zexion made as the knife was pressed further against his throat stopped Demyx dead in his tracks. "Okay, okay I get it, I get it! What do you want from me? I'll do anything you ask, just don't hurt Zexion any more!"

"I need information."

"What kind of information?" Demyx asked sounding scared. Zexion swayed slightly from where he knelt looking as though he was about to pass out any given second.

"Tell me then Demyx…" Sephiroth stepped into the light, his hold on Zexion tightening as Demyx gulped audibly. "You wouldn't happen to know where my son gone to, would you?"

"I love you, Sora."

"Mm, so soft..." Riku murmured in his sleep pulling the warm body next to him into his arms with a soft sigh. It was only after the person lying in his arms snuggled closer to him and put their arms around his neck in an attempt to get him closer that the realization of the situation dawned on him. He was in a bed – not even his own bed for that matter – holding onto someone whose name didn't come to mind. Unable to force his eyes to open Riku tensed, releasing the body in his arms.

"What's wrong Riku?" Riku's eyes opened of their own accord. He knew that voice.

"Sora," Riku whispered sending chills down the said boy's spine, a wide smile breaking out across both faces. Once again Riku draped his arms around Sora's waist pulling him closer so that Sora was lying on top of him, his spiky brown haired head resting on Riku's chest. "I guess I must have forgotten where I was for a second. Sorry I panicked Sora."

"Oh, it's fine Riku. I still have you after all." Sora smiled, stifling a yawn as he nuzzled his head under Riku's chin.

"Stop that Sora, your hair tickles!" Riku softly pulled away from his lovely little brunette, laughing. Sora smiled briefly, a conniving gleam in his sapphire blue orbs, before pouncing on Riku. Riku gasped in surprise as Sora climbed slowly on top of him, a strange glittering in his eyes. Devilish fingers slid their way down Riku's chest and danced playfully over his sides. Riku burst out laughing, rolling and flailing around trying to push Sora off him without hurting him.

"Say I win and I promise I'll stop Riku. Just admit defeat for once in your life." Sora giggled, continuing his assault on Riku's extremely ticklish sides.

"Not – a chance Sora – you know I never lose!" Sora had a fraction of a second in which to take in the competitive sparkle in Riku's eyes before he was forcibly if not gently pushed back onto the bed, Riku quickly jumping on top of him tickling him senseless. "Now who's winning Sora? Give it up, you know I win!"

"Alright… YOU WIN!" Sora snickered, breathing hard. Riku clambered off him, flattening his hair vainly under his hands as Sora watched, still lying breathless and panting back against the bed. "Riku, can I ask you something?"

"Whatever you want Sora, what is it?" Riku looked down at the brunette still lying sprawled atop the sheets, wishing instantly that he had stayed on top him. Not to childishly tickle him, but to kiss him deeply, passionately, to leave him even more breathless than he was now.

"Do you think my Mother…" Sora cut off looking worried, apprehension evident in his voice. "Do you think she'll still accept me? Will she understand about me – about us?"

"Sora…" Riku's smiled faded. He looked away, afraid of Sora's reaction. "Your Mother already knows about us Sora."

"…What?" Sora asked quietly, hoping her had heard wrong.

"She already knows about us Sora, she knows." Sora turned pale, his mouth hanging open slightly.

"How, Riku?" Sora asked his panic rising. Riku stayed silent still not looking at him. "Answer me, how does my Mother know about this?"

"It's a long story Sora." Riku sighed finally looking at him. Sora's lips were shut, closed to white lines of sad frustration. 'This is going to take a lot of explaining,' Riku thought with another exasperated sigh. "But long story short… I told her."

Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer's out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I'm drivin' by your house
Though I know you're not at home

I can see you
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

"What the hell?" Axel moaned, jerking the blankets up over his head, his face pressing down almost painfully into the soft pillows. When the music continued to blast obnoxiously loud around him Axel gave up on returning to sleep anything soon and instead reached out to pull Roxas closer to him – only to find an empty bed. Jerking awake at once Axel frantically looked around for the blonde in whose bed he was currently residing. "Roxas, where are you?"

I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy?
Remember how I made you scream?
I don't understand what happened to our love
But baby when I get you back
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of

I can see you
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
I see you walkin' real slow and you're smilin' at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

When he received no reply, Axel leapt up fro the bed and scurried frantically around the room for Roxas even checking the small attached bathroom before collapsing on his back on the bed as his crazy paranoid mind took over his body. Unreasonable plots in which his father somehow found Roxas' house and kidnapped him so that he could use his love as bait to get Axel to come home and play the part of the punching bag chased themselves around his head as tears made their way to his eyes.

Out on the road today
I saw a BLACK FLAG sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back."
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but

I can see you
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

"I gotta find Roxas!" Axel shouted his voice breaking, falling off the bed in his haste to rescue his lover from the father he feared above all else. Stumbling all the while Axel raced down the stairs and into the kitchen where the music seemed to be coming from. What he saw nearly knocked him flat.

I can see you
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone!

There was a shirtless Roxas, his too large baggy pajama pants barely hanging onto his hips, dancing around the dimly lit kitchen with his eyes closed playing air guitar with a large metal spatula as he sang along with the song blasting from his Ipod's speaker system.

"Roxas, you're okay!" Axel shouted in relief over the music as he ran forward, hugging Roxas tightly around the waist from behind.

Roxas screamed in surprise, accidentally hitting Axel in the stomach with said spatula-air guitar combination so that his 'attacker' let go of him immediately.

"Jesus, Roxas what was that for?" Axel cursed loudly as he held his stomach doubted over in pain. "Damn, for someone so small you can really pack a punch when you want to."

"Oh my God, Axle I am so sorry!" Roxas bit his lower lip, kneeling down so he could look into Axel's face, seeing as Axel was still doubled over in pain. "You startled me is all; I didn't hear you over my Ipod. I always do this when I cook, I didn't even stop to think if it would wake you. Axel, I really am sorry but I really couldn't hear you over the Ipod."

"More like you couldn't hear me over you're skilled air guitar. Don't blame the Ipod." Axel smiled as he straightened up, Roxas' blushing as he hurried to do the same. "You sing well Roxas, really. How come I've never heard you sing before just now?"

"Because in my own opinion I suck at singing, that's why. Move over, you're in the way." Roxas said firmly, pushing Axel away from in front of the stove where he was standing so that he could flip the golden brown pancakes so they wouldn't burn. Switching off his Ipod, Roxas turned back to continue the current conversation. "I sing for fun or because I really like the song Axel, not because I'm good at it. You made a career out of it, and that's awesome for you, but I'm a little less sure of my vocal styling thank you very much."

"Like I just said, I think your singing is great Roxas." Axel smiled wrapping his arms around Roxas' waist again, only thins time the touch was gentle, reassuringly tender as kissed the hollow between Roxas' neck and shoulder. "You know what I think Roxas? I think you should come perform with us sometimes, you know, me and the rest of the band. We could sing together sometime."

"You like pancakes right?" Roxas asked in a slightly strangled voice, trying to recover from the pleasurable shock of having Axel's bare chest pressed against his back that was momentarily stunning him. Having Axel so close to him, their bare skin touching even ever so lightly sent Roxas' mind reeling in complicated circles. Even though he loved Axel more than life itself and loved having him close more than anything else in the world, that didn't stop Roxas from experiencing a single moment of terror in Axel's arms that made his heart stop with just the thought of that one mere memory of a so long ago night.

"I only like pancakes… a whole lot." Axel joked, letting do of Roxas as he moved to flip another pancake. "I feel kind of useless just sitting here you know, do you need any help with those pancakes?"

"No, I can make breakfast on my own Axel. Thanks for the offer though, I really do appreciate it." Roxas smiled over his shoulder, watching as his boyfriend took a seat at the table giving him a good view to inspect Axel's bruises. The nastier bruises were still visible, creeping up his chest, heaviest around his neck and collar bone where he had been strangled. "Your bruises are starting what look better, I think they're healing."

"Good, it's about time." Axel smiled, looking down at his chest. Running his hands over his abs, he looked up in time to see Roxas blush and look quickly at the stovetop where the pancakes were cooking. "If you see something you like Roxas, go right ahead and look. Personally the sight of black and purple bruises doesn't turn me on but if that's what you like…"

"Can it Axel, quit making fun of me." Roxas sputtered glaring at Axel, whose broad grin only infuriated him more. "And to think I wanted to come down here and make you special pancakes while you slept in. This is what I get for trying to be nice is it? Fine, I see how it is Axel."

"Come on Rox, you know I was just kidding around with you." Axel smiled, yawning widely, his arms stretched out above his head.

"…Axel?" Roxas murmured feebly, his eyes wide.

"Yeah Roxas, what is it?" Axel asked his arms stretched out above his head.

"What's that on both your wrists?"

"So that's how my Mother knows about us…" Sora sighed leaning back against his pillows feeling a little better know that he knew the whole story behind why Riku told his Mother.

"Yes," Riku said softly.

"I guess I don't mind really." Sora smiled lightly reaching out a hand to squeeze Riku's gently. "It's kind of a relief actually now that I think about it. I mean, now I don't have to tell her I guess."

"Good," Riku said simply, getting up from his place in the chair beside Sora's bed. Sora made sounds of protest as Riku headed out into the hallway, making to climb out of bed and follow Riku. "No Sora, you stay here and rest some more. I won't take too long, and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Where are you going Riku?" Riku sighed. Sora was getting all emotional again like he had the night before. Sora began to sob much as he had the night before when Riku made to leave him alone, only this time is was worse, Sora' tears punctuated with small hiccups as Sora went into a small fit of hysterics. "Why are you leaving me here alone? Please don't go Riku!"

"I have to Sora, but don't worry I'll be right back as soon as I make a call down in the lobby. I promised your poor Mother I'd call her and the others as soon as you woke up so they could come see you." Riku explained quickly. When Sora continued to be stubborn he sighed in defeat, turning swiftly into the hall and shutting the door behind him. Just as Riku reached the end of the hallway Yuna turned the corner with a tray containing Sora's breakfast and medication. "Hello Yuna, good morning."

"Oh, hello Riku, it's good to see you up and about. They released you did they?" Yuna smiled gleefully as Riku nodded. "On your way to see Sora are we?"

"That's where I just was actually. I need to make a call just now you see, to Sora's mother. I promised her I'd call if he was awake so she could see him." Riku said. Yuna nodded in understanding and made to continue on her way. "Oh Yuna, one thing before you go in Sora's room so you're prepared to deal with Sora's crazy antics. Sora's having a bit of a hissy fit right now, crying and such. He didn't want me to leave him even for a minute to call his Mother so I just kind of walked out on him. It seems mean I know, but it's meaner to his poor Mother."

"I understand Riku, I can handle Sora don't worry about it." Yuna nodded, and then added with a smile, "I'll try and calm the baby down while you're gone."

"Thanks Yuna, I appreciate it. Tell Sora I'll be right back please!" Riku smiled as he continued down the hallway towards the lobby. Reaching into his pocket he fished out a quarter, dialing the familiar numbers.

"You've reached the Nuage residence. Sorry to tell you but we aren't home right now! Leave a message and we'll get back to you."

"Huh, not home." Riku waited for the beep so he could leave his message. "Hey Mrs. Nuage, this is Riku. I just wanted to tell you that Sora woke up. That's all I had to say really so I guess I'll see you and Roxas later."

Hanging up the phone Riku started to walk back across the lobby whistling as he went. A flash of silver caught his eye and he turned looking into the window of the small hospital gift shop. Smiling, Riku set a new course.

"I guess a few more minutes away from Sora couldn't hurt. I think I'll surprise him with a little something special…"

Well there you have it, chapter 10 is all done!!! I hope you liked it. And just so everyone knows, if I start getting more reviews, I've decided I'll make it so 'On Moving, Friends, and Making-Out' listed as In-Progress and add more chapters. I have the chapters in mind… now you've all got to review!

Feel free to send me any comments, suggestions, questions… anything of that general nature ya know?