Roxas begged his mom to let him stay home from school but no luck. She said it was too early in the school year to by playing hooky. Roxas sat in homeroom, dreading what was to come. Demyx and Zexion came in and completely ignored Roxas. But there was no Axel. He didn't show up for art class either. Roxas almost felt guilty for being so relieved. But he didn't want to see the red head. Parts of him felt bad for being to insensitive to Axel's pain but he the reminded himself how murder was one of the most unforgivable acts. "Alex" was lucky that Roxas hadn't reported him to the police.

The weekend passed.

Monday—no Axel.

Tuesday—no Axel.

Wednesday—no Axel.

He didn't show up all week and Demyx and Zexion continued to give Roxas the cold shoulder. It wasn't until Friday afternoon that Roxas was stopped on his was off campus. It was Demyx and he was alone. Roxas didn't think it was a good idea to stop, but something inside kept him from going home.

"You know," Demyx said. "Axel hasn't left his room since last week. He's barely been eating… and he hasn't said anything more to anyone than 'go away.'"

"And I care because?"

"Look, Roxas, we all trusted you enough to tell us our stories. It was hard for all of us, especially Axel. He was looking to you for companionship and you just left him."

"Yeah well, Axel's lucky he's not behind bars."

"He could have left that part out and not told you. But he decided to tell you the whole truth. Roxas, you don't understand what it's like to lose someone that you love and have dedicated everything to. What Axel did may be wrong, but he didn't know how else to react. He wasn't thinking straight. Please, just give him a chance. Zexion and I can't always be there for him. He needs you."

"Why isn't Zexion with you?"

"He doesn't really want to talk to you right now…. Just, please Roxas. Go talk to Axel. I convinced Cloud to let you back into his house. If Axel doesn't cheer up I don't know what will happen to us or, worse, him. Cloud, Zexion, and I will be leaving tomorrow around noon. It'd be great if you at least tried to talk to Axel."

Without saying another word, Demyx left.

~*~*~

It was Saturday afternoon and it had taken all of Roxas' will to get himself where he was. He stood at the gate for a good ten minutes just staring at the front door. All blinds were closed and the lights were off. Roxas finally made his way up the front step. The door was unlocked. A quick peek inside and Roxas was thankful that there was no one waiting for him in the living room. He had half expected an ambush. It then dawned on him that he had no idea where Axel's room was.

The staircase was easy enough to find. Roxas knocked on the door at the top of the stairs. No one answered so he took it upon himself to crack the door and peek inside. It was empty. The next room had a picture of Demyx and Zexion on the door so Roxas assumed that that wasn't Axel's room. The last door in the hallway was locked. Roxas ran a hand over the top ledge of the door frame searching the classic hiding place for a key. Success, one of the master keys were taped to the dusty ledge.

Roxas inserted the key as quietly as he could and unlocked the door, silently pushing it open. The room was empty but Axel's chain clad boots and jacket were on the floor so Roxas knew he was in the right place.

"A-Axel?" he called meekly. No answer but Demyx said that Axel hadn't left his room… so he had to be in here somewhere. But where was there to hide? "Axel are you in here?"

There was some audible splashing and Roxas turned to the door by the bed in time to see it open and Axel standing in the doorway of what seemed to be the bathroom, dripping wet with nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist. Roxas almost gasped when he saw the pink and white blotches of skin covering Axel's torso and reaching down under his towel. They looked like… burn scars. But beyond that, Roxas felt like turning around and running as he gazed at the red head's gleaming exposed skin

Axel stared at Roxas for less than a second before he muttered, "Go away," and slammed the bathroom door. Demyx wasn't kidding.

There was silence except for what sounded like a bathtub draining.

"Look, Axel, I over reacted. I don't know what it's like to lose someone like you did. You've had a hard life and you don't deserve it." Roxas felt bad for basically reiterating what Demyx had said but how would Axel find out. "Who knows, I might even have acted the same way you did were I put in the same situation."

There was no response from the bathroom.

"What I'm trying to say is… I'm sorry."

The door opened and Axel stood there, looking just slightly less miserable.

"You're…. sorry?"

Roxas opened his mouth to speak but decided to nod instead.

"Just like that? You completely let me down and you think that two words will make it all better?"

Not the reaction Roxas was hoping for.

"What else do you want me to say? 'I'm sorry' are the only words accepted in the English language as a peace offering. What else do you want me to do?"

Axel sighed in a rather defeated way. He sat next to Roxas, his knees bent and his head bowed. The thought crossed Roxas' mind that Axel was nude under the towel and were the blonde to stand in front of his opposite, everything would be in plain view…

"I miss him," Axel said, so quietly. "Every day, I miss him. I wonder what it would be like if he were still alive. Would we still be working for Xemnas? Would we be living on the streets? Or would he and I maybe have a place together?"

"Or maybe something would have gone wrong between you and you'd be alone. You'll never really know," Roxas murmured. "But at you know he left this world loving you with all of his heart."

Axel shoulders hunched—rather disconcerting Roxas by how the bones protruded. Axel then convulsed. Next came a miserable groan and the convulsing intensified. Roxas didn't have to see his face to know that the tears were falling. He hesitantly raised a hand over Axel's back and let it hover. He lightly put it down between Axel's shoulder blades in a comforting manor. Axel's shakes didn't lessen. Slowly, Roxas starting to soothingly rub Axel's still damp back. He then found himself whispering calming phrases into Axel's ear. Roxas didn't know why, but somehow Axel being so upset hurt him and he couldn't stop himself from wanting to fix it.

Axel's hand shot down and gripped Roxas' knee tightly, as though holding on for dear life. His nails dug so deep into Roxas' jeans that he could feel them in his skin. Suddenly, the grip released and Axel straightened.

"I can't keep doing this," he whispered wiping tears from his blushed cheeks. "It's been months… I need to let go. He… Riku… always told me not to cry for him. When he got hurt on the job, or that one time he even shattered his arm setting up the Ferris wheel, he told me not to cry. But I did. I couldn't see him in pain because I felt it to. When he died… I died too. That's the thing though—him telling me not to cry… I don't think he expected to… to die. Would he let my cry now?" Another tear rolled down his cheek. Roxas found himself reaching over to wipe it away.

"I think he'd let you cry." Roxas' voice was just as soft as Axel's. "Sadness… pain… it's natural. He wouldn't want you to be someone you're not…. But he would want you to get over it. He'd want you to keep living."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"…Roxas."

"Hm?"

Roxas turned his head to see Axel staring intently at him. Then, Axel's hand reached up and run over Roxas' neck. He wanted to move away but something was keeping him there. Axel's touch was like electricity. His hand made its way to the back of Roxas' neck and ran upwards over Roxas's scalp and through his blonde locks. A chill ran down Roxas' spine.

"What, Axel?" His voice was even lower than their previous whispers.

Axel's poison eyes never left Roxas'. His hand stopped on the back of Roxas' head.

"I—I want to get over him. I want to move on and live. And… I want you to help me do it."

Roxas wasn't sure how much Axel had to do with it. He felt little to no pressure on the back of his head. But somehow, this faces became closer and closer until Roxas could feel Axel's breath on his lips. He could taste it. They hovered like that for a moment. Then Axel's eyes opened and focused on Roxas and let go of his hair.

"I'm sorry," He said. "I don't know what came over—"

Roxas launched himself at the red head. There was no doubt about it. These feeling he'd had rushing through his veins in the weeks since Axel showed up into his boring life—they were attraction. They were lust. They were lo—no. Too soon.

A startled grunt escaped Axel as he fell backwards through the bathroom door and onto the cold tile floor. Roxas straddled his barely covered hips and crushed his mouth against Axel's. Axel was momentarily frozen but soon his lips were as needy as Roxas'. His long and nimble fingers found their way back into Roxas' hair. Roxas bit down hard on Axel's lower lip and he felt the fingers fist themselves and pull him back using his hair for a grip. Roxas looked into Axel's eyes for the first time since their lips had touched. They were no longer sad. They were animalistic. The pools of green seemed to be smoldering. A low growl emitted from Axel's throat and Roxas felt his insides churn.

"You don't bite," Axel said, his voice gruff. "That's my job. Got it memorized?"

Roxas simply nodded.

"Good."

Axel's lips once again connect with Roxas'. His tongue slipped his way into Roxas' mouth and he greeted it willingly.

"Axeeeelll!! We're hoooome!!" Came Demyx' voice from the hallway.

Before Roxas' could dismount Axel, Demyx was standing in the doorway. Mouth agape.

"Oh. Roxas. Hi. So you decided to come after all…"

Roxas scrambled off Axel as a furious shade of red spread over both of their faces. Axel stood and readjusted the towel around his waist.

"Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" he grumbled.

"The door was open, idiot." Demyx's eyes wandered a little lower. "Your erection is showing, Axel."

Axel's face turned as read as his hair. He grabbed a pair of jeans off the floor and rushed into the bathroom to change.

"Hey, Roxas," Demyx said quietly while Axel was in the bathroom. "Thanks. Even thought this isn't how I exactly pictured the situation playing out…. Thanks."

The bathroom door slammed open.

"Demyx. Out. Now."

"Righty-o, you flamer."

Demyx left the room, still smirking, most likely off to inform Zexion and Cloud of what he'd seen.

"I'm going to kill that kid…"

"Um, I've got to go." Roxas's cheeks had faded to a light pink. "Mom;s going to probably want me home to, uh, help with dinner or something."

"Or something." A small smile ghosted on Axel's face.