The next morning when Roxas got to the square Axel was already there, sitting on the fountain edge. He was wearing a tight black sweater with high neck and tight black jeans. Roxas smiled and ran towards the redhead who waved casually. When he reached the fountain Roxas sat down beside him and placed a quick kiss on Axel's lips.
Axel smiled and pulled the blonde closer in a warm embrace while placing a kiss on his forehead. "G'mornin'." he murmured against the soft skin.
Roxas shivered as he heard the gentle voice and lifted his head to look into the emerald eyes. But Axel didn't look back, he was looking straight through him with a blank stare.
"Axel? What's wrong?" Roxas asked and Axel blinked two times before meeting the blonde's sapphire gaze.
"What? Oh, nothin'." he said, smiling again, but Roxas could see the smile didn't reach his eyes.
"You sure?" he asked.
"Yeah, really, it's nothing." Axel smiled and got up. "We're running late. Let's go."
Roxas stood beside him and the redhead placed his arm around his shoulders and they walked towards school, just as they always did, but Roxas knew something was wrong.
He didn't say anything though, and as Axel walked off to class Roxas stood silent and watched the redhead round a corner. I wonder what's up with him. Roxas thought and didn't even notice the flock of students crowding around him. I'll have to ask him later.
"You are...a real pain...as a friend." Riku panted when they finally got away from the crowd.
"I wonder what was wrong." Roxas said to himself.
"Why don't you just give up on 'im?" asked Riku.
"He sure was acting strange." Roxas continued, not aware of Riku talking to him.
"Roxas!" Riku said angrily, tapping on Roxas' head with his fist.
"Ow, what'd you do that for?" Roxas said and rubbed the spot where Riku's fist made contact with his head.
"Good, you are awake." Riku grinned. "I thought ya' were asleep."
"What?" Roxas asked, confused.
Riku sighed. "Just forget it." He turned his head and watched as Sora came running towards them.
"They're gone." the brunette reported.
"Good." Riku sighed with relief and leaned against the wall.
"They all went to class as the bell rang." Sora continued.
"What?" Riku yelled. "You mean class's already started? God, teach'll kill us!"
They all started running towards their classroom, quietly slipping inside and sighing with relief as the teacher wasn't there yet.
They all took their seats, Riku in front of Roxas and Sora beside Riku.
"Man, that was a close one." Riku said, panting a bit after the long run. He turned in his chair to look at Roxas. "What were you thinking about earlier?" he asked.
Roxas looked down, not knowing if he should tell them about Axel's odd behavior.
"It's about Axel." Sora said, and Roxas looked up at him in surprise.
"How'd you know?"
"'Cause the only reason I know would make you act like that is if something happened to Axel." Sora smiled.
"Well, I'm not sure if it's that big a deal, but..." Roxas started, but stopped.
"But...?" Sora and Riku asked.
"I mean, he's always quite carefree, but today..." Roxas stopped again.
"For the love of God, you gonna tell us or not?" Riku asked, growing impatient.
"Riku, you don't need to get so mad." Sora said, trying to calm the silverette down.
Riku took a deep breath and turned his aquamarine eyes to look at Roxas, who slowly started talking.
"Well, he was acting really strange this morning. He was staring blankly in front of him, as if he was thinking of something else, something that seemed to be bothering him."
"That's exactly what you've been doin' all morning." Riku sighed.
"I have?" Roxas asked.
"Yeah, ya' didn't notice it yourself?"
"Actually, no."
Riku slammed his head in Roxas' desk with a deep sigh.
Sora smiled patting the back of the silverettes head. "I think you should talk to him 'bout it." he said to Roxas.
"I'm not sure he'll give me an honest answer." Roxas sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"Then you'll just have to force it out of him." Sora smirked, and Roxas looked at him, surprised at his sudden change of attitude. "Right, Riku?" Sora smiled at his silver haired friend who, still resting his head on Roxas' desk, waved a hand as confirmation.
Roxas looked from Riku to Sora, watched Sora's hand gently stroking Riku's hair, and Riku placing his hand on Sora's back. Then Riku tilted his head a little and Roxas saw a slight blush on Sora's cheeks as their eyes met. Oh. Roxas thought, smiling. I see...
I'll do it. Roxas thought as he walked towards the school gate. I'll talk to Axel, and I wont give up 'til he answers. He quickened his pace as he spotted the intense red hair in front of the gates. I'll do it.
"Yo, Rox, what took ya' so long?" Axel said and flashed off a smile and for a couple of seconds Roxas completely forgot what he was going to ask the redhead.
He shook his head to clear his mind and opened his mouth, only to find Axel's lips pressing against his and his tongue sliding inside his mouth.
Caught off guard a loud moan escaped his parted lips, causing him to blush as some other students turned to look at them.
Axel pulled away and smirked down at him, ignoring the jealous glares from the other students as he placed a warm kiss on Roxas' forehead.
Roxas took a deep breath and met Axel's emerald gaze. "I need to talk to you." he said.
"You are talkin' to me." Axel smirked and wrapped his arms around Roxas pulling him closer, pressing his lips against the blonde's.
Roxas pulled away, a serious look on his face. "I need to talk to you alone." he said, grabbing the redhead's hand and dragging him along.
"Hey, what's up with you all of a sudden?" Axel asked, but followed as Roxas dragged him past the square and towards his house.
Axel let himself be led up the stairs to Roxas' apartment, but hesitated as Roxas opened the apartment door, remembering the warm welcome the blonde's mum had given him last time.
"It's okay, no one's home." Roxas said, grabbing his hand again as he stepped inside.
After removing their shoes, they both walked inside Roxas' room and curled up in his bed, Axel with his back against the wall and Roxas sitting between Axel's legs, leaning against the redhead's chest.
"So, what was it you wanted to talk 'bout?" Axel asked, putting his arms around the bloinde's waist.
Roxas took a deep breath and turned his head so he could meet Axel's gaze. "I wanna know what's wrong." he said.
"Whaddaya mean?" Axel smiled and kissed Roxas on the neck, breaking the eyecontact.
"You've been acting weird since this morning." Roxas said and stood up, facing the surprised redhead. "And it's seriously creeping me out, so fucking tell me what's wrong!"
Axel stared at him in surprise, and then lowered his emerald eyes.
"If you won't tell me, then I just might follow you home one day and find out for myself." Roxas said and winced as Axel suddenly was standing in front of him, his emerald eyes glowing dangerously.
"Never come to my place! Got it memorized?" he growled, and Roxas stared at him, unable to move.
Axel then lowered his eyes again and hid his face in his hands while slumping down onto the bed. "Sorry." he whispered in a broken voice. "I'm sorry."
Roxas looked at the redhead, confused by his sudden outburst. Then his face softened and he slowly walked up to the bed, stopping in front of Axel.
He sat down in Axel's lap and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug.
Axel didn't move, and continued hiding his face in his hands.
Roxas grabbed the redhead's wrists, gently but firmly, and pulled away the older teen's hands from his face. He gently took Axel's face in his hands and wiped away a tear from the other's cheek with his thumb.
"Don't cry." he said and pressed his lips against Axel's gingerly.
"I'm not crying." Axel muttered, wrapping his arms around the blonde.
"'Course not." Roxas smiled, patting the red spikes.
Axel took a deep breath. "You really wanna know?" he asked.
Roxas instantly knew what he meant. He looked straight into the redhead's cat like eyes. "Yes. I wanna know."
"Okay then." Axel said. "I'll tell you." He took another deep breath and slowly moved Roxas from his lap. He got up and stood in front of the bed, back facing the blonde who looked at him with wide blue eyes as the redhead slowly pulled the black sweater over his head.
Roxas gasped at what he saw. Axel's whole back was filled with bruises, cuts and scratches, all the way up on the neck.
Axel turned around, exposing his front, also covered in bruises and cuts. He glansed at Roxas and after seeing the sapphire eyes wide in shock, he looked down at the floor. I knew it. he thought, silently cursing himself. I scared him.
He jumped as he suddenly felt a pair of hands on his bruised shoulders and, looking up from the floor, he met the gaze of Roxas' sapphire eyes. He felt his own eyes widen as a pair of lips pressed against his, a tongue sliding inside his mouth. He hesitantly put his arms around the smaller blonde and responded to the kiss, his confused thoughts racing as fast as his heart.
After a while, Roxas broke the kiss, his arms still wrapped around the skinny redhead. "Who did this to you?" he asked, almost whispering, stroking Axel's back gently.
Axel took a deep breath and looked Roxas straight in the eyes. "My parents."
"Your parents?" Roxas asked, his eyes growing wide.
"Yeah." Axel said, pulling away and picking up his sweater. "'S not like it's the first time or anything." he continued while putting the sweater on again, covering his bruised body.
"You mean it's happened before?" Roxas stared at him.
"Yeah, once or twice every three weeks or so, depending on how drunk my parents are. They were pretty drunk yesterday, and I got home at the wrong time." Axel shrugged.
"But that's... You can't just let them do that!" Roxas said, clenching his fists in anger. "I won't let them do that!"
Axel smiled and got close to the blonde again, wrapping his arms around him. "It's okay, I can handle it." he said, his usual smirk on his lips. "Got it memorized?" He then pressed his lips against the other's and Roxas immediately parted his lips, alloving the redhead's tongue to slip inside his mouth. Closing his eyes he pressed his body against Axel's responding to the kiss.
Getting turned on by the eager blonde, Axel slowly backed Roxas towards the bed and gently pushed him down sitting on the light blue sheets, not breaking the kiss. Roxas didn't resist as the redhead climbed on top of him, straddling his legs, nor as he pushed him down lying on the bed.
Now Axel almost lay on top of Roxas, and the blonde wrapped his arms even tighter around him, causing the redhead to crash down on top of him.
After a while Axel broke the kiss, a huge grin on his face. "Well, I don't know 'bout you, but I'm kinda enjoying this."
"Yeah, it is quite the amusing sight."
They both turned their heads towards the door at the sound of the new voice, and Roxas' face turned bright red as he saw the man with blonde spiky hair leaning casually against the door frame.
"W-what're you doin' here?" Roxas asked, pushing Axel off of him and sitting up.
"Well, unless you missed it, I live here." the man answered smirking.
"But I thought you worked 'til late." Roxas said, looking down at the floor in front of the man.
"Yeah, I was, but the boss let me go earlier." the new blonde smirked. "Oh yeah, almost forgot." he said looking at Axel. "I'm Cloud Strife, Rox' dad. And you kid, are a lucky bastard." He winked at Axel, who already took a liking to him.
"Yeah, I know." he said, placing a kiss on Roxas' cheek. Both him and Cloud laughed as Roxas' face turned even redder.
"So Rox, you gonna introduce 'im to me?" Cloud smiled.
"The name's Axel." Axel responded, knowing Roxas was too embarressed to speak.
"Axel, huh?" Cloud said. "Wanna stay and have dinner with us?"
"I'd better not, but thanks anyway." Axel said.
"No, stay." Roxas said, grabbing the redhead's hand.
Axel looked at him in surprise, but his face was soon covered with a teasing grin. "Oh right, we have some unfinished business." he said and waggled his eyebrows.
"That's not what I meant." Roxas said and punched Axel's upper arm, not very hard though.
"Oh really?" Axel asked and pulled Roxas into his lap. "Cause I wouldn't mind if ya' did." He kissed Roxas on the neck and a low moan escaped the blonde.
"I'll go prepare the food, try not to overdo it." Cloud smirked from his place at the door.
"Daad..." Roxas whined, and Axel saw his chance and bit the off guard blonde's neck, making him moan loudly. Roxas blushed again and Cloud simply smiled and exited the room, closing the door behind him.
"Well that's kind of 'im." Axel said, turning to Roxas. "Now, where were we again?"
Axel stared down at his plate, trying to ignore the burning grey eyes that seemed to pierce his head. He glanced across the table without lifting his head, quickly turning his gaze towards the plate again after seeing the stern look on Roxas' mum's face. He felt something pressing against his leg and glanced to the side to meet Roxas' sapphire eyes.
"You done?" Roxas asked.
Axel nodded and got up, eager to leave the kitchen and the blonde woman.
They both hurried into Roxas' room, where they sat down on the bed, Roxas curling up in Axel's lap.
"You know, I really hate her sometimes." Roxas muttered, leaning his head against the redhead's shoulder.
Axel didn't respond, he just smiled and kissed the blonde's forehead.
They heard steps outside the door and quickly pushed away from each other, sitting in each end of the bed as Cloud peeked inside the room.
"Calm down, it's just me." he said laughing. "Trisha told me to keep an eye on you, whatever that's supposed to mean." He looked at them and grinned. "Did I interrupt something? I could leave again if you want me to."
"Nah, 's time for me to head back home anyway." Axel said and rose from the bed and exited the room.
Roxas followed and they left the apartment together, almost running down the stairs. They pushed the door open and stepped outside, taking a deep breath of relief.
"Finally alone again." Axel murmured and wrapped his arms around Roxas, pressing the blonde's back against his chest.
Roxas tilted his head back and to the side looking into the redhead's emerald eyes, reaching up and letting their lips meet.
Axel hugged him tighter and then turned the blonde to face him, feeling Roxas' arms wrapping around his neck as the kiss got more intense.
After a while they both pulled away, and Axel smirked down at the slightly panting Roxas, placing a kiss on the blonde's forehead.
"Axel? I just thought of something." Roxas said.
"What?"
"I don't know your phone number."
Axel smiled. "Do you need to?" he asked.
"Well, yeah." Roxas said, blushing a little.
"Man, you're so cute when you do that." Axel smirked and kissed Roxas on the lips. Then he laughed a little and pulled a black and red phone out of his pocket.
How is he able to keep a phone in those pants? Roxas thought, glansing down at the redhead's tight fitting, black jeans.
"Just gimme yours." Axel said and they swapped cellphones, inserting the correct numbers before returning them.
"I think I better go before mum freaks out." Roxas sighed and hugged Axel tightly, brushing his lips against the taller teen's before running back inside the apartment house.
Axel sighed too and after a last glance at the house he turned to walk home, once again his steps felt heavy, and his stomach twisted by the thought of the smelly apartment that awaited him.