Rookie

Chapter Eightteen - Days One Hundred and Sixty

Sunday February 14

Day 160 - Morning

xXx

"Rox-as. Oh, Rox-as. Wake up, buddy."

Axel gently nudged the blonde, trying to prod him into waking. Roxas groaned, turning away from the redhead, shoving his face deeper into his pillow. With a smirk, Axel sat down next to his love, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

"Better hurry up and get ready, babe. We're meeting Xig and Dem for breakfast, so you gotta wake up." Again Roxas moaned, nosing his way away from the heat brushing against his ear.

"I dun wanna ge' up," he slurred, trying to shrug the redhead off of him.

"C'mon babe. Valentine's Day. Gotta get up for that, right? How can I get my romance on if you're stuck in bed all day?"

This easily caught the blonde's attention, forcing his cloudy cerulean orbs to blink into consciousness. Chuckling, Axel pressed his lips to those of the younger teen.

"Knew that'd work."

"Get your romance on now?"

Axel's chuckles escalated to a full-out laugh at his blonde as he grabbed him close in a hug. "Nope. Not yet. Maybe, if you're good, we can do a little something after."

"When's after?" the blonde whined, finding Axel's neck, flicking his tongue out to massage the warm skin there. Moving away slightly, the redhead left a soft kiss on Roxas' forehead, standing.

"After. I promise; you'll get something today."

"Not just chocolates?" Roxas let the sheets pool around his waist as he forced himself into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes groggily.

"No. But I did get you some of those too."

Roxas moaned in anticipation, following the redhead out of his room after grabbing a shirt, finding his boxers adequate 'move-around-the-house' wear. Axel was already mostly dressed, a clean, black, form-fitting shirt clinging to his body while stylishly torn jeans covered his long legs. Fishing for the pendent from beneath the cloth of the shirt, Roxas zombie-walked down the hall before bumping into the tall redhead.

"Hunh? Wha-? Axel, what're you- gah!" Roxas gasped as he was caught up in the redhead's embrace before Axel turned him around and pushed him lightly back down the hall. Confused, the blonde spun back around to face the redhead.

"Go get in the shower."

"I don't need one! I had one last night!"

"Of course you did." Axel rolled his eyes, moving closer, attempting to intimidate the blonde to no avail.

"I did! You were perving on me and everything!"

"I think you have your nights mixed up."

"So you aren't even gonna defend yourself?"

"From the truth? Nah. Just go, will you?"

"Why?"

"Because I want you to."

"I'm not taking a shower," Roxas pouted, crossing his arms in defiance as he glared at his love. Axel rolled his eyes once more, sighing as he did so. Inching closer to the blonde, Axel finally scooped the boy up in his arms, carrying him bridal-style towards the bathroom. "Ah! Axel, put me down! What are you doing?"

"You're taking a shower."

"I'm glad you think I'm so dirty." A scowl the only thing that Roxas could do to portray the mild anger he held as he wrapped his arms tightly around Axel's neck to keep him from falling out of his grasp, the blonde yelped as he was righted once more, staring at the mirror.

"I just wanted you in the bathroom. Go on, my little Roxy. Go find your present," Axel chuckled, leaving the blonde to stare at the note hanging on the reflective surface, confused fingers reaching out to take the Post-It.

"I-"

"Just do it. I need to go finish getting things ready."

"Things?"

"Yes, Rox, things. Hurry up though. I told them we'd meet them there in an hour."

"Wait! Before you go ... I ... just follow where it tells me to go?"

"Yup. You don't think I'd be so creative to think of something more difficult, do you?"

Before the blonde could interrupt his departure, Axel shifted down the hallway, down the stairs and into the kitchen, pouring himself a small glass of orange juice. He smiled to Yuna as she sipped on her coffee. She returned his smile but squinted her eyes in a playful glare.

"You aren't going to go back on your promise, are you, Axel?"

He smirked, cracking his back as he stretched. "Too early for that, Yuna. Don't worry. I'll be sure to ask your permission."

"So the two of you haven't gone behind my back while I've been out?"

Axel took on a mocked expression of shocked hurt. "What? No! We would never do such a despicable act!" He smirked, placing his emptied glass in the sink. "No, I would never do that to you. You've been a real life-saver." Reassured of her son's virginity, Yuna played into Axel's happy mood.

"Don't mention it. It was the least I could do."

xXx

What the hell? This doesn't even make any sense! Roxas thumbed through the notes. With this latest direction, Axel had neglected to give him the same hint as before. With every other location scattered around the house, it had just simply been wherever was stated. If the next note was on the couch, the one before would say 'couch'. This one, however, went completely against what the others showed.

"First time," he read aloud, standing in front of Axel's closet door. First time? First time doing what? "Ugh, Axel, you're a pain sometimes. I don't feel like doing this." Roxas gave up, almost tempted to toss the sheets of paper to the floor. But no. Axel obviously had some sort of plan for him. Maybe he would just have to bug the redhead about it on their way to breakfast.

Deciding to go get dressed, already having wasted three quarters of their precious hour, Roxas headed into his bedroom, surprised to see his redhead laid out on his bed. Axel smirked as he saw the confused expression on the blonde's face. "Here I was almost afraid you weren't gonna get it."

"I didn't," Roxas confessed, moving hesitantly towards the chuckling redhead.

"Then try it out. First time led you here. What do you think the first time was?"

Roxas pondered the question for a moment. He'd had a lot of firsts in this room. "Gimme a hint?"

"Aww, Rox, you're breakin' my heart here." Axel laid a pout over his lips as he reached out for his blonde, pulling the smaller boy close, toppling lightly onto the bed.

"Well, how am I supposed to know which one I'm supposed to say?"

"At least you know there is more than one right answer." Axel pressed his lips to the younger teen's briefly as a reward. "Fine, think of what today is."

"Uh, Valentine's Day?"

"Yes."

"And ... people have sex on Valentine's Day?"

Axel glowered at the blonde. "Some, maybe. Not us. But you've gotten close."

Roxas pouted, not wanting to play any guessing games. "Just tell me?"

"Nope. You gotta guess or else you don't get your present."

"Fine, fine. You always get your way, don't you? Hmm, let me think. First time ... and it's close to sex. So, the first time I felt you up?"

Axel snorted, shoving his nose playfully into the blonde spikes. "Well, I suppose I'd have to take that answer. But, it wasn't the one I was thinking of."

"Oh no?"

"No. But it does go along with that. It was the first time you said that you loved me. That's what I was getting at."

Roxas blushed, crinkling his nose, laughing lightly. "You're too mushy for your own good."

"I'm allowed to be. Because my mushiness normally ends up being something we both enjoy."

Roxas moaned lightly as he felt Axel's warm breath on his neck. "But not right now because we'll be late. But, I promise, we'll continue this after breakfast. I love you, Rox."

The blonde wrestled himself out of the redhead's arms before turning, moving back onto his bed by straddling those long legs. "I love you too, Axe." Brushing their lips together once more, the younger tried to press his luck, pushing the redhead back to lay on the mattress, but Axel held firm. "C'mon, please? Can't you feel how much I want you to touch me right now?" Roxas asked, pleading, pressing his hips into Axel's abdomen.

"No, Rox. After breakfast. Got it memorized? We've gotta after breakfast."

"Gotta?"

"Yeah. It'll be the last time for a little while."

That stopped the loving movement from the blonde as he fell back to kneel in the redhead's lap, shocked hurt crossing over his dusted-pink features. "Wh-What?"

Realizing that he had said something that he shouldn't have, Axel held panic in his emerald orbs, trying desperately to take back what had spewed from his mouth. "I-It's nothing bad. I swear; I'm not leaving or anything if that's what you're thinking. I'm just saying that I'll be sore for a little while."

"Why?"

"Can't tell ya. It's a surprise. But," the redhead glanced at the digital clock that sat on the bedside table. "We should have been gone five minutes ago. And you aren't even dressed."

"Okay, okay, fine. I'll go get dressed. Jeez. Just promise again. You aren't leaving."

"For an hour, max. You should see if Dem wants to hang out after."

"What about Xigbar?"

"He'll be with me."

Roxas sighed, forcing himself off of the redhead who proceeded to fall down to rest on the mattress to irritate the blonde. Glaring, Roxas decided that he would tease the redhead, dressing as seductively as he could. When he had finished, Axel almost looked unphased, although the bulging tent in his tight jeans screamed otherwise.

"You ready finally, babe?"

"I guess. Do I look okay?"

"Beautiful."

xXx

"Mmm, this place has such good food. Where'd you find it at, Axel?" Demyx moaned happily as he stabbed a harmless strawberry with his fork, shoving it in his mouth with a hum.

"Re's been talking about it a lot. So, it's all on him. 'Cause it's flippin' expensive here."

"Tell him I think he is the best! I never knew that French Toast could be so delicious!"

Xigbar had to force himself to look away from his blonde as he moaned at the taste once more. But he couldn't help but peek at the singer as the younger teen leaned closer to him. "Dembabe, ya need to cut out all that noise, please. Save it for later?" Demyx whimpered sadly before noticing the chuck of cinnamon bun on his lover's own fork. Without even the warning of a pleading glance, he leaned even closer to the black-haired teen, latching his mouth around the sweet delicacy before pulling back, the bun rolling around on his tongue. Xigbar glared at the blonde with his good eye before looking back across the table to the younger couple. "'S'cuse me a sec. Brat, that was mine!"

Pressing Demyx into the wall, he shielded them from the view of all but Axel and Roxas, eating their own meals.

"So, Rox, what's your favorite number?" Axel turned to the blonde that was sitting beside him, eating away at his chocolate-banana crepe in silence. Looking up into those emerald orbs, Roxas forgot that he had ever been even the slightest bit upset with the redhead. A blonde eyebrow was raised as Axel shot out his tongue, dipping into the chocolate sauce that had been supplied for their fresh fruits, manners leaving him for the moment. Not that there was anyone around to witness the barbarians. He had been sure to pick a booth in the back corner just in case any of them decided to do some things that might make people crave to hurt them - which prooved to be a good idea as Xigbar fished further for the lost cinnamon bun.

"Favorite number?"

"Yeah."

"That is the most random distracter question I've ever been asked."

Axel pouted, licking at his slightly chocolate-covered lips. "It isn't a distracter question. I really wanna know what it is." The redhead forced his eyes away from Xigbar as he gave a valiant effort to get his beloved cinnamon bun chunk back from his blonde, delving his tongue in to wrestle it back to freedom.

"Why?"

"'Cause. It's part of my surprise for later."

"What's the surprise?"

Unable to suppress a laugh, Axel placed the chocolate sauce back down on the table. "I ain't tellin' ya, Rox."

Pouting, the blonde sighed. "Thirteen. My favorite number is thirteen."

"Perfect. Thank you, babe." Axel leaned closer, giving his blonde a small peck on the forehead before turning back to the couple. "You think you guys could wait till after I'm done to give me a hard-on?"

Demyx's dusted cheeks grew a deeper shade of red as Xigbar reluctantly pulled away. "Hurry the hell up then. I'm done, Dembabe is done, Roxas is done. You're the slow poke." Axel glowered at the golden-eyed teen, picking up a slice of kiwi and shoving it in his awaiting mouth. "What're we gonna do first, anyway? Go back to your place or wha'?"

"Our place. And, ya'know, I think I'll just get this to go."

"Good idea. You get the bill?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"Great. Babe, Roxas, c'mon. Let's go wait in the car."

xXx

"Axe, what if Mom's home? We can't all just barge in if she's home!" Roxas whined in the passenger seat as the car rounded the corner, turning onto the blonde's street. Axel turned to him, smirking slightly.

"Don't worry about it, Rox. She isn't home."

"How do you know?"

"She told me this morning. Well, I asked her to go out, but she told me that she had already had plans. With some Tidus guy."

"A-A guy?"

"Yeah. Looks like Momma's got a boyfriend."

"B-But-"

"Ugh, just stop worryin' Rox. She's a grown woman. She can take care of herself, ya'know."

Roxas sighed, leaning over to rest his head on the redhead's shoulder, watching as his driveway approached, Axel slowing enough to swing the car in close to the house. As the four of them escaped the parked vehicle, Axel gave Xigbar a warning glance. "Take my room; it'll be better in there. Break anything and you're paying for it."

"Looks like I'll have to start savin', eh, Babe?" Xigbar snorted, smirking at his redheaded best friend while gripping his lover's hand tight. "Just kiddin' around with ya, man. No worries. You can trust us."

xXx

"Dem, you take good care of him for me, 'kay? Think, his life is in your hands."

Demyx smirked, glancing back at the sleeping teen that was draped across his own bed. "What did you do, break him?"

A wink from Axel was the only answer the blonde received as the redhead turned. Placing a soft kiss on his lover's lips, Xigbar skirted after the younger teen.

"Hurry home!"

xXx

Axel groaned as he moved through the front door hours later, Xigbar following behind him once more. Demyx sprang up from his spot on the couch with the younger blonde as they watched television, eating the chocolates given to them earlier. Forcing the semi-apparent pain away from his features, Axel smirked, moving up behind his little bombshell to pull him into a hug. Roxas pressed back into the embrace, smiling happily until he noticed the grimace that snuck onto the elder teen's face.

"Axe?"

"Surprise."

"You're hurt."

"I'm a big boy. I can take it."

"What'd you do? Xigbar, what did you let him do?"

Before the black-haired teen could respond, Axel stepped back, away from his Roxas, playing with the hem of his tee-shirt. Turning, the blonde watched as the redhead pulled the shirt up over his spikes, throwing it onto the couch. Roxas' eyes widened in fear as he noticed the two sets of taped-down gauze, one on each side of Axel's chest.

"Dude said that I should keep the bandages on until it's healed, but, I just can't wait to show ya, Rox." Winching slightly as the tape lifted his skin, Axel exposed the 'wounds' beneath the white gauze. At first, all Roxas could make out were the thick black lines running over his love's still-slightly-scarred chest. Upon closer inspection, however, he noticed that the lines formed letters.

"Ex, eye, eye, eye? And Vee, eye, eye, eye? Wha-?"

"Did you not learn Roman Numerals yet, Rox?"

Demyx gawked at the black letters. "That's really cute, Axel! And, yes, I was paying attention at the breakfast place." Roxas looked between the elder blonde and his redhead.

"Roman Numerals and breakfast? Oh! XIII is thirteen and VIII is eight, right?"

"Got it. I knew I could count on ya."

"Why eight then?"

"My favorite number, lil' buddy."

"Then, why numbers?"

"I always wanted Roman Numerals tattooed on my chest. What better ones to get than those that represented us?"

Xigbar made a faked gagging noise behind the redhead, laughing as Axel turned back and beat him lightly on the arm a couple of times. "Way to ruin the moment, jerkwad!"

"Sorry, man, jus' a lil' too mushy for ma' tastes."

"You don't still have to be here then." Axel pouted, replacing the bandages before grabbing his shirt and hauling it back on over his torso.

"Aww, Axe, you aren't kicking us out, are ya?"

"Not you Dem, just him." Axel gave a giant smirk as his black-haired best friend glowered playfully. "Nah, c'mon, guys. Let's have a movie-marathon!"

"And, if Momma Roxas comes home? I doubt she'd wanna be met with complete strangers." Roxas looked up at the black-haired teen, smiling happily.

"She doesn't mind if we have friends over, trust me. Besides, I think she wants to meet the two of you."

xXx

"Boys, are you still up?"

Roxas looked up over the edge of the couch, seeing his mother standing in the doorway, the door still standing open behind her. He glanced down at Axel. "I am. Axel fell asleep just a little while ago. Why?"

"Well, there's someone I want you two to meet."

"Who?"

"You'll see. Tidus, come in, come in. Make yourself at home. Don't worry."

Roxas disappeared behind the couch once more, trying to wake the redhead that was dozing in his lap. "Axe? Axe, c'mon, wake up. Mom's home."

"M-Mom?" Axel asked blurrily, jumping as he noticed where his head had fallen. "Oh God, she didn't see, did she?"

"You were sleeping. It's not like you were doing anything 'bad'. Just, c'mon. I think she brought that Tidus guy over."

Axel stretched, cracking his back and whimpering just a little at the pain in his chest. Both teens turned once more to see Yuna standing with a man with blonde spikes, shimmering blue eyes and a goofy smile on his lips.

"Boys, this is my boyfriend, Tidus. I work with him. Tidus, meet my boys."

"Axel, Roxas, it's nice to finally meet you."

xXx

To Be Continued

xXx

You have no idea how bad I wanna go get breakfast at that place again, since it was based off of a real place. :D

~xbuttonsx~