please don't leave me
A/N:
Quick POV change, thought I'd do a bit of Roxas just to round out Axels' life a bit. This is a continuation from chapter five (where Roxy has an injured back) Might do this periodically, along with some Xion too, what say you?
Anyways, on with the dance!
The pain in Roxas's back had ebbed with the potion he'd taken, but it still felt strangely raw and loosewhich was probably from the fact that it the skin had been forcibly separated by one of those Orcus Heartless that honestly creeped the fuck out of Roxas.
"How're you holding up?" Axel breezed back into the room, holding a roll of Vexan's special elixir-soaked bandages.
Well, Vexan was dead now. So Xaldin made them. But Roxas couldn't help but think of them as Vexan's.
"Fine." Roxas made a face. "I would casually shrug right now but it feels…weird."
"I know the feeling." Axel grinned. "Pain's gone, but the gaping wound's still there, you know?"
"I do now."
Axel laughed. "Mind if I take off my coat, Roxas? I hate wearing this thing more than I have to."
Roxas nodded, feeling his face get weirdly hot. It happened sometimes when he was around Axel, or when Siax called him "fool", or when Xion teased him. He wasn't quite sure what it meant.
Axel stripped off the coat shamelessly, standing now in his skinny black pants and white undershirt. He kicked off his boots (without asking, and they smudged Roxas's floor with dirt which he didn't appreciate) and hopped onto Roxas's bed.
"Axel?" Roxas cocked his head. "What's on your foot?"
"Huh?" Axel looked down at his left foot, where a spiky black…thing was painted in dark ink. "Oh. It's a tattoo, Roxas."
"What's a tattoo?"
Axel laughed, unwinding the bandages. "It's like…well, a permanent drawing on your skin. It's hard to explain."
"What does it mean?" Roxas wanted to touch the thick black lines, but something stopped him.
"It's says 'VIII' which means 'eight'. My rank in the Organization."
"Oh."
Axel smiled wryly. "Xemnas was making them mandatory in the beginning. Stopped that before you came in."
"Oh."
"Turn around, stop gaping like a zombie." Axel laughed. "Let me help you."
Roxas liked those words letmehelpyouso he turned around and sat still as Axel slowly wound the bandages around Roxas's middle.
Roxas could feel Axel's crossed legs pressing into his lower back, his breath stirring Roxas's hair as he moved slightly with the bandages pattern. And Roxas could smellhim too—a mix of the leather coats they wore and something warm and sharp—smoke.
Leather and smoke. Such hardscents. That wasn't truly Axel, though. Roxas knew that much about his best friend. Axel was more like fire than ash—bright and energetic and warm, gentle and fierce all at the same time.
"All done." Axel sat back. "Those'll hold for a bit, unless you go fight like a Darkside tomorrow or something."
"Thanks, Axel." Roxas's face was hot again.
"No problem." He yawned. "I think I'll turn in now, Roxas, it's been another long day."
"Okay."
Axel peered around Roxas's shoulder to look at his face. "You don't look O-K-A-Y, you know. What's up?"
"Nothing."
"Roxas." Axel said warningly.
"Oh, I don't know." Roxas sighed. "I just…I don't know."
Axel was quite for a second before taking a deep breath. "Do you want me to stick around for a little while?"
Roxas's face was getting really hot. What was this? It was getting really annoying.
"Yes, please."