Not quite four months this time but still took a while for the update. Sorry about that. I'm officially finished college now but I'm not going to jynx writing more chapters, I usually tend to do the opposite. :/

Tily: You have been under a lot of stress lately.

Kit: Tell me about it.

Tily: But... I got you a present for passing your course and working so hard.

Kit: Wait, what?

Reno: Hiya! :)

Kit: ...

Reno: ...I think she stopped breathing.

Tily: I give it three seconds. 1.. 2..

Kit: RENO!

Reno: Holy shi-

Tily: Sorry for the long intro. While I try to pry Kit away from Reno you guys should read the chapter ^^ please enjoy. Kit owns the story but Square own the characters (though I fear they may have to pry Reno out of her cold dead hands if they want him back.)

After eight days of confining himself to his dark and depressing bedroom, Axel finally decided to open his curtains and let the place he was condemned to suffer in breath.

Sun light suddenly flooded his room, illuminating his possessions for the first time in days and though his room was bright –even the dust sparkling in the warmth- the heat that hit Axel's body didn't reach him. It was depressing to the redhead, knowing he was so numbed, but he wasn't expecting a miraculous recovery after he'd only resolved to be fairer to his friends. He sighed and walked over to his computer to write his usual good morning e-mail to Roxas and send it before standing from his chair as quickly as he could, knowing that if he stayed put any longer he'd regress and stay in his room.

When Axel opened his bedroom door he was greeted by the sound of silence, -something he wasn't particularly used to since he'd always managed to drag himself out of bed well after his friends (who would often spend time in the apartment now that school was out) - but he was glad. At least now he could shower and make himself look presentable for his roommates before he saw them, they deserved that much, and Axel doubted they'd want to be around him while he smelled like feet.

The redhead walked quietly over to the bathroom, picking up a bath towel as he went, and turned on the shower once he locked the bathroom door, trying his best not to think about how long it had been since he'd last washed and reminding himself he really needed to do some laundry.

As the soothing sound of hot water trickled down his body and hit the floor, Axel's melancholy set in and he stood under the shower head without moving. It had been over a week since he'd been in this shower, a horrible thought in itself, but not as bad as the reason why he'd stayed in his room. Once again he began to regress, but the water turned cold and the sudden shock had the redhead flinching, so he washed quickly and got out of the shower before his muscles could seize.

As he began to dry himself off, the sound of his roommates' quiet chatter became evident (what with the bathroom being situated beside said boy's bedroom) and Axel couldn't help the twist of nerves he felt in his stomach. What was he going to say to them anyway? 'Sorry for being a depressed recluse for over a week and worrying you all. I hope you'll forgive me'?

The redhead knew that no matter what he said, his friends would forgive him for his depression, but he'd been so cold and closed off that he couldn't find the right words to express how sorry he was. With a sigh, Axel finished shaving away his rough stubble and dressed himself, offering up the choice to just wing it and see what happens. It was the only choice he really had.

The redhead managed to leave the bathroom before the couple got up and he made his way to the kitchen, his stomach rumbling but his appetite less than willing to allow him to eat yet. Thus, he settled for setting everything he needed into the coffee maker and collecting a cup. As he stood there and waited to collect his coffee, his friends' chatter became louder as they exited their room and moved towards the kitchen. Axel's nerves suddenly twisted more knots in his stomach and he swallowed thickly.

"So Leon said Cloud's not returning his ca-" Sora stopped his explanation to his boyfriend once they both stepped into the kitchen and found Axel looking sheepish and shuffling on his feet.

Riku furrowed his brows at Sora's wide eyed and slack jawed expression and turned his attention to where the brunet was looking, surprised to see the taller body out of his room just as much as his boyfriend was.

"H-hey," Axel greeted them and had to clear his throat of the lump which had lodged itself there, breaking the stiflingly awkward silence as the pair stared at him, his gaze now settling to stare at the floor. 'Well… this is uncomfortable. What now Axel?'

Riku was the first to stop gawking and shifted his body to face the redhead fully. "Morning," he returned, the greeting still in some state of shock. Axel lifted his head to look at Riku with a lopsided smile of apology. He hadn't meant to start the day off with an awkward silence.

"I'm uh, just making some coffee. Do you guys want some?" Axel asked, trying his best to break the tension as the old coffee maker stopped rattling and came to a clunking stop.

"Sure," the silveret smiled. He was happy to see Axel after all, even if the redhead did look thoroughly undernourished and in need of a few days of sleep; it was Axel, and that's all that mattered.

Both boys then turned to look at Sora –who hadn't said anything since he'd entered the room— who was openly gawking at his friend, as if he were an illusion or some impostor. He then looked at Axel sceptically. Was it really him? He then turned to Riku who was giving him a critical look and registered just what the redhead had asked them.

"I'll pass, you made coffee for me once before and I'm not going through that trauma again," the brunet smirked, making Riku frown.

"Come again?" the silveret asked but Sora's cunning smile stayed on his face.

"I'm not getting you out of this one, you signed your own death wish," the brunet's voice was chipper and he skipped over to the cupboard for his Lucky Charms as Riku sat down at the table with a contemplative frown on his face as Axel grabbed another cup.

"Excuse me for not working in a coffee shop," Axel mumbled and took the jug from the machine to pour the black liquid into the cups.

Sora laughed happily and passed the milk to the redhead once he'd drown his cereal in it. "You live with three coffee critics, you've got a lot to live up to," he continued to grin until Riku corrected him.

"Two, Sora," he said and it dawned on the brunet what he'd just said as the awkward atmosphere settled itself once again.

Sora frowned and directed his attention to his feet. "Sorry," he mumbled, mentally beating himself for spoiling the good mood the trio had going.

"It's alright," Axel promised, taking the opportunity to give his own apology. "I'm sorry… for locking myself away. You guys didn't need that."

Both Sora and Riku shared a small smile and the brunet walked over to hug his redheaded best friend. "We're here for you Axel, day and night. We know it's not the same, but we just wanted you to know that."

The redhead returned the comforting gesture and Sora finally let go to sit beside his boyfriend and eat his cereal. He flicked a marshmallow rainbow at Riku as the boy sent a worried glare towards his coffee cup. The marshmallow fell into the cup with a resounding 'plop' and floated there for a little while. "Drink it," the brunet demanded, that mischievous grin never leaving his face and Riku braced himself as he lifted the cup to his lips, glancing over at Axel as he did so to find the boy staring at him expectantly.

Riku did as he was told and took a swig, the warm liquid running down his throat to settle with an unhappy gurgle in his stomach and the silveret held back the reflex to gag, putting on a brave face for the redhead. "It's not bad actually," Riku commented matter-of-factly and Axel smiled as Sora grimaced.

"I'll be in the living room if you guys need me," he said and walked away to leave the two lovers in the kitchen.

"How bad is it?" Sora whispered once Axel was gone and Riku wrinkled his nose.

"I think it's burning a hole through my stomach," the boy replied as the brunet snickered quietly and the silveret sent him a threatening glare. "I was trying to be civilised," he continued in his defence but Sora showed him no pity. "You could have warned me."

"Hell no, I wanted to see this; it's priceless," Sora's laughter became louder as he gasped and clutched at his stomach. Riku had had enough and with a cunning smirk, he began to exact his revenge. The silveret picked up his cup and –without any show of remorse- poured what was left of its contents into Sora's bowl with his Lucky Charms.

The brunet's laughter halted immediately and he frowned angrily at his lover. "This means war."

"Bring it on."

And bring it on Sora did, picking a few marshmallows out of his bowl and sprinkling them into Riku's hair. The silveret's glare was deadly and Sora began wishing he hadn't started anything at all.

As the day pressed on both Riku and Sora left the apartment for work and Axel lounged in the living room. The silence was not soothing, nor was it relieving, and the hole in the redhead's chest was opening itself wider again after having the distraction of Sora and Riku leave him.

As Axel sat back in his chair, he pulled his knees to his chest and stared around the still unfinished room. The picture he'd left was on the wall now, though it was the only wall completely painted. The others were still a mix of yellow close to the ceiling and floor, with a wide band of warm crème in the middle, ragged with paint roller strokes until the other boys could acquire some paint brushes for the rest.

Axel dragged his attention around the room and finally to the fireplace. It held a few picture frames each with photos: one on the left of Riku and Sora when they were in junior high, both beaming at the camera and Riku's hair was considerably shorter than it is now. They both held hands –a surprising sight for the time- and Axel couldn't help but smile a little at them.

But, it was the picture on the right which took most of the redhead's attention and made his heart squeeze uncomfortably with yearning. It was of himself and Roxas at the blonde's birthday. They were just talking, Sora had surprise attacked the boys with Roxas' camera and immediately after said blond had all but pummelled Sora's face in for taking the photo. Once Axel had seen it, however, he begged Roxas to promise not to delete it and the blond could only comply, thanks to the look Axel had given him.

The picture made that hole in the redhead's chest give a reminiscent shudder. That's where Roxas used to be and not even the memory of him could fill a gap this wide.

Axel hadn't even realised that he'd stood from his chair until he set the picture back down on the mantle and brushed his fingers over the glass cover of Roxas' happy face. He just wanted to see it again; instead the redhead had the blonde's teary eyed and torn apart look burned into his mind. The image hurt Axel; Roxas' smile was precious to him. Roxas was precious to him and he wasn't sure if he could do this after all. Without thinking, the redhead shut himself down and curled up on the sofa, willing this feeling of sadness to go away, but it didn't. And it wouldn't, not for a long time.

A/N: I feel bad for doing this to Axel, truely.

Tily: Did Riku find a sense of humour?

Kit: It's been dormant.

Reno: What was I doing when all of this emotional turmoil was going down?

Kit: ... I'll get back to you on that.

Tily: Please leave reviews, even if Kit can't reply she treasures each review she gets. Oh, and don't tell Reno but I actually tried to get Roxas for today's chapter but Square said we can't have him until the end.

Kit: Just say it Reno!

Reno: Alright fine. Tell Kit who you want as a guest in the next chapter and... if you review I'll bake you cookies.

C: I love my life.