CHAPTER SIX
"Axel? Axel, where'd you go?"
Roxas spun in a slow circle, eyes wide. The redhead had just…disappeared. Roxas was alone.
"What…?" Eyes narrowing, he started back the way he'd come, only to be brought to a stop by a clatter in the opposite direction. He twisted on his heel, frowning. "Axel?" he murmured. No. Axel had been behind him, before he'd vanished virtually into the air. So then, who…?
"Hayner? You guys?" He took a few cautious steps forward. A shadow flickered in the corner of his eye as he reached the centre of the room, causing him to whip around. "Who's there?"
Still alone.
"Damn it," he muttered, a thread of nervousness encircling his heart. He stood his ground, head swivelling back and forth, some instinct within murmuring unease.
A footstep behind him.
He jerked around, cursing at the empty air. "This isn't funny!" he declared loudly. "Whoever's there – Axel? Is it you? I don't find this amusing!"
"Who's Axel?"
With a gasp, Roxas jumped around, shoes scuffing the cement as he took two quick steps back. The sound echoed in the hollow space. Seifer emerged from the shadows, an uneven smirk in place, eyes watchful and narrow. "Chicken-wuss?"
Roxas scowled. "Seifer? What're you doing here? Are you the one who's been – "
A sharp clatter from behind, Roxas whirled, growling at the emptiness, turned back to Seifer – "Seifer?"
The teen was gone.
"What the hell is going on?" Roxas wondered, bewildered.
"What's up, Roxie?"
"Jesus fucking damn it!" He turned, and Seifer was there again, small, inscrutable smile in place. "Since when do you call me Roxie? And – when did you get so fast?"
"What're you doing down here, Roxie?"
"Don't call me that," he said coldly. "I'm here for a school project. What the hell are you doing here?"
Seifer lowered his head, the smirk growing broader, his cheeks bowing out with it, a few strands of blond sliding from the front of the ever-present black beanie to spill over his eyes. He folded his hands behind his back and took a couple of shuffling steps back, the tails of his white trench-coat rustling. "Oh, me, I like to soak up the ambience."
Roxas felt unnerved. Seifer was acting weird. "Ambience? What kind of ambience is there to soak up down here?"
A gasp near his ear, loud enough to echo, bringing Roxas around with a fright, nobody there, turning back to Seifer, who was gone again. Roxas' heart pounded. "What's going on?" he whispered, eyebrows drawn together, eyes darting. He was breathing quickly, not willing to admit to himself that he was scared. He raised his voice. "Seifer?" There came no reply. Deciding to cut his losses and just leave, he headed back the way he'd come.
"Roxas!"
A low cry escaped his throat. He whirled, stumbling a step, to be caught by the tall blond, expression trapped in that hideous, mocking half-curve of the lips. "No!" He flung himself back, pulse throbbing in his throat as he hitched in each breath. He shouted, "You weren't there! Just a second ago, you weren't there!"
"Shut up, chicken-wuss!" Seifer shoved him back, sent him sprawling, elbows banging hard against the ground. "What do you think you're doing down here?"
"I told you," Roxas cried, scrambling back as the blond advanced, boots thudding dully against the concrete. He propped his feet under him and staggered up. "I'm just here for school!"
Seifer flickered, in and out, disappearing for a moment, reappearing several steps further back. Roxas backed away sharply, tongue numb, and hit a warm, broad chest, fingers wrapping instantly around his biceps, grip hard. A hot breath in his ear, "Don't walk away from me, Roxas, I want to know why you're here."
The first Seifer was gone again, Seifer's hold tightened until pain shot through Roxas, making him whimper and struggle. "Get off me."
He was thrust forward, found himself again on the ground, knuckles scraping, one knee tearing, bumping his cut chin. He was moving again instantly, not bothering to find his feet, crawling as fast as he could, eyes glued on the exit. A kick to the side of the head, Seifer was in his way, hadn't even run, hadn't even jumped, had just decided to exist in Roxas' path. Roxas fell to the side with a grunt, choking on the stars and cigarette-burn holes exploding in his vision. "Let me go," he begged.
"What was that, chicken-wuss?" Seifer stepped over his inert form, a leg either side of his waist, reached down to seize a handful of hair and drag the dazed boy's head up from the dust. He gave Roxas a hard shake, teeth clacking together, and demanded, "Repeat yourself!"
"Let me go, Seifer," Roxas cried, terrified. "Please!" He was pushed down, the older teen's hands firm into his shoulder-blades, mashing him against the cement, cold ground, warm blood.
"Why didn't you say so?" came the mocking sneer. The legs were gone, the pressure vanished. Seifer stood on the opposite side of the room, leaning against the side of the doorway. The smile was back in place, the eyes above it glittery and dead. "It's up to you now, Roxas. Just get up and leave. I won't stop you."
Beside him, crouched down onto one knee, a hand threading through his hair, soft at first, then gripping tight, nails into his scalp. "So you're crippled a little. So maybe you're hurting. Does that stop you from being able to leave? Are you trapped here because it hurts too bad to move?"
Behind him, the opposite end of the room, voice like water over stones. "You're not bound here, you know."
His shadow, towering over him, the sound of someone screaming through bubbles, the sound of someone drowning in an abyss. "Why are you still here? Just get out! If you stay, you'll die!"
A kick to the side of the head, just as he was struggling to lift his upper body from the floor, and everything went dark, the last sound in his ears Seifer's boots across stone, heading away, blond tormentor sighing, "I guess you're happy staying where you are…"
.o.O.o.
"Roxie! Roxie, open your eyes. Open your eyes…"
Blue eyes cracked open, to see green, glowing with concern, with fear. A mumbled, "Axel…?"
Hands, helping him to sit, brushing the dust and hair from his eyes. Voice, impossibly gentle, asking, "What happened? Did you forget to eat or something?"
Roxas stiffened, clutched the redhead. "Seifer! Seifer was here! He – he…" Impossible. Whatever had happened, it was impossible.
"I heard you… you were moaning, Roxas. I guess we solved this wonder, huh?"
Roxas sat up hurriedly, wincing in anticipation of the pain that never came, snapping, "It's not fucking funny! Something really weird is going on." Gingerly, he felt the sides of his head, fingers running through the hair in search of injury. There was none. He was unharmed. Utterly bewildered, he could only murmur, "Huh?"
Axel sank cross-legged across from him, frowning. "Roxie, what happened here? You look terrible." He reached out, pausing as Roxas flinched away from his touch, fear sparking in the blue eyes. Axel drew back sharply, stricken.
"What is it? Roxas?" He hesitated, then grabbed hold of the blond's hands, and tugged himself forwards, knees closer to Roxas'.
"Did you see Seifer around here?" the blond asked desperately. Dirt smudged his cheek, a streak of beige stretching along the sweep of the bone.
"I didn't see anyone but you," Axel said slowly. "You took a wrong turn when I wasn't looking. It's taken me twenty minutes to find you – I didn't realise this place was such a maze."
Roxas' fingers alternately tightened and slackened in Axel's grasp, muscles twitching, eyes darting around the room. "Axel – I'm scared," he breathlessly admitted. "Something – really freaky happened, and I don't know if it was real or not."
"Roxas," Axel said sternly, hands going firm around his. "We talked about this yesterday – you saw the wonder, didn't you? And now you don't know if it was all in your head."
"It wasn't a wonder," he cried. He yanked free, got to his feet, brushing away the dirt, anxiously seeking the cut knees, the torn elbows, all his flesh healthy and whole. "I don't get this," he exclaimed at last, distressed, straightening with a hand against his brow. Axel had already stood, had watched his frantic self-evaluation in silence. The blond paced in a short line, knuckles to his teeth, face furrowed in thought as his mind raced. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered at last, scraping his hands through his spikes.
"Roxie – relax." Axel spoke softly, cautiously, as if addressing a skittish animal. "Maybe you're right. Maybe these wonders aren't so great, after all." There was a long pause, as Roxas covered his face with his hands, taking deep, slow breaths in an attempt to calm himself, bring himself back to the present moment, out of his head where Seifer continued to hurt him. "Do you want to go find the others and just leave?"
The blood drained from his face, hands dropping. "The others! Oh, my God, Axel, he might be hurting them. We have to find them! We have to – "
Axel crossed the space between them in a heartbeat, frightening the blond with the suddenness of the motion, but he fell gratefully into the redhead's embrace.
"I don't understand," Axel muttered, the vibration in his chest from his deep voice soothing as it passed into Roxas. A hand rubbed absently along his back in a slow arc. "These things aren't meant to be dangerous at all. It wasn't supposed to be like this." He drew back gently, holding the upset blond at arm's length, expression concerned as he said, "We won't lose each other again, okay? I'm right here. We'll go find the others, and we'll go see the stupid bag on the hill, and see if the stupid train goes past, and then I'll take you home."
Roxas nodded numbly. "O-okay." He clutched at Axel's hand as they left the room, still trembling. "Imagine if… you'd left when your watch went off." The thought sent a spike of panic through his chest. Axel squeezed him reassuringly.
"Nothing happens without reason, right Roxie? I stayed because I was meant to stay. It wasn't supposed to frighten you, and you sure as hell weren't supposed to pass out."
Roxas nodded jerkily. "But – it didn't really happen. I… I'd be bleeding if it had…"
"Bleeding!" Axel turned to him with wide eyes, shocked. "Roxas, what happened back there?"
Roxas tightened his lips, pressing them firmly together as he shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it. Please."
Axel jerked to a halt, cupping his face in one hand, glaring intently. "Roxas, exactly how badly do you think you should be hurt? What did that Seifer guy do to you?"
"I don't know," Roxas whispered, battling tears all of a sudden. He clamped down on them, shook his head roughly. "No," he grated. "Look, it's fine. It didn't even happen. It was… part of the wonder. Or something. Seifer – wasn't even there."
Axel scowled, but allowed them to continue. They searched fruitlessly for a while, Roxas growing tenser by the minute, before deciding to head back to the entrance.
Everyone was waiting, Hayner steaming, getting ready to yell at them for taking so long, until he saw Roxas' expression and stopped. Eyes widening, he came over swiftly and grabbed hold of Roxas. "What the hell happened to you? You look like you got hit by a bus." He glared at Axel. "What did you do to him?"
"Nothing," Axel snarled, offended. "What do you think I did to him?"
"Honestly? I wouldn't put anything past you," replied Hayner coldly.
"Hayner, that's enough," Olette snapped, pulling her boyfriend away and taking charge of the situation. "Roxas, come on, let's go you some sunlight." She led the boy carefully out of the tunnel, back into the blessedly warm air, the light like some kind of nectar of the gods as it spilled across him. She found him somewhere to sit, crouched down to unlatch her satchel and pulled out her first-aid kit. "You look awful, Roxas," she stated bluntly, as the others gathered around. "What happened to you?"
"I – " The blond shook slightly, fingers jittering on his knees. "I forgot to eat this morning. And… I got a little claustrophobic, I guess."
No one could say that Roxas didn't think on his feet. Axel watched in faint, well-disguised admiration as the rest of the group swallowed this wholeheartedly, Hayner shooting the redhead an awkward, disgruntled glance. Olette pulled a miniature bottle with a dropper lid from her kit, unscrewing it and sucking the brown fluid inside into the narrow glass tube. "This is a herbal mixture, it helps with shock and nausea. Lift your tongue," she commanded. Roxas did so, catching Axel's smirk and glaring slightly, as the brunette let three drops pool into the scoop of his jaw beneath the muscle. She drew the tube out and twisted the lid back onto the bottle, as Roxas closed his mouth, screwing up his face at the bitter flavour.
"That'll get going in a few minutes. Until then, I have water." She rummaged through her pack and pulled out a plastic bottle, pushing it into his hands.
"Aren't you a regular old mother-hen," Axel observed, amused. Olette turned to him proudly.
"I take care of my boys." Her expression fell into a scowl, as Roxas feebly unscrewed the lid and took a small, obligatory mouthful under her watchful glare. "They certainly don't do it for themselves," she accused. Doing his best to appear shamefaced, Roxas drank until he was sure she was satisfied, then stuck the lid back on and passed it over. She straightened, clasping the flap of the satchel back in place, hooking it over her shoulder.
"Better?" she asked expectantly.
"Actually, yeah," he answered truthfully. "Thanks, 'Lette."
She nodded, pleased, and glanced over at the others. "I didn't think to bring any food, so we'll need to get Roxas something before we keep going."
No one argued, and the next hour was spent buying an impromptu lunch to share between them, Roxas being piled with the largest serving. He wasn't exactly hungry – after all, he actually had eaten breakfast – but in order to soothe the savage beast that was Olette if you refused her medical ministrations, he forced it all down.
By the time they walked to the station, caught the train around to the Sunset side, and climbed the long, winding trail leading to the peak of Sunset hill, the sun was beginning its early descent, bathing the world in golden-amber light. The closer to the top they got, the nearer to Axel Roxas stayed, grasping his hand tightly. The redhead kept casting warm, reassuring looks down at him, the catlike eyes crinkled at the corners from smiling so often. He hadn't mentioned the destruction of his watch, or his need to complete the deadline, not even once. Roxas appreciated his presence, the willingness he exhibited to protect him from whatever the next wonder had to offer.
Roxas felt safe, surrounded as he was. None of the others had seen anything odd going on, his three friends just thought of the last two days as a pleasant, if slightly boring, way to research a silly topic for a project.
Roxas knew better, and Axel believed him. That was, if nothing else, a comfort.
Sweaty and tired, they trekked past the last rise, muscles relaxing as the ground levelled out. Hayner and Olette were hand in hand, enjoying the view, while Pence had gone to the fence protecting visitors from simply tumbling down the other, steeper side, his beloved camera out and clicking away, capturing the colour-streaked sky as best as he was able.
Nervously, Roxas scanned the grassy, gravely area. Axel did the same, muttering, "Okay, I'm looking for a ghost bag…"
"God, I hope it's not," Roxas replied seriously, not loosening his grip for even a second. Axel sent him a worried, sympathetic look.
"We'd better check around… the others might see it first…"
"Hell, at least they'd know it was real," Roxas sighed. Together, they wandered the area, but nothing of the ghost-bag variety was leaping out. There was a garbage can to one side, a few sea-salt ice-cream sticks lying around its base. A lumpy Hessian sack sat beside it, neck tied, but it wasn't looking particularly haunted. Letting out a despondent breath, Axel went over and nudged it with his foot. "Feels solid," he mumbled. Then, "Holy freaking shit!"
The other three snapped around as Axel leapt back, Roxas letting out a strangled shriek as the sack suddenly blazed to life, bouncing and shifting, the sides punching out as if from some inside force.
"What the – !" Hayner came racing over, eyes wide, Olette and Pence only a few paces behind. Everyone let out simultaneously shouts as the bag lurched drunkenly, slamming noisily into the garbage can. Roxas grabbed onto Axel, heart hammering in his throat, as a mournful yowling issued forth from the creation. It reared back and fell sideways, growling and pulsating.
"What is it?" Olette cried, clinging to Hayner. Axel's eyes narrowed. Detaching Roxas too fast for the blond to object, he darted around to one side, motions fluid, a confidence to his step. He swept in from the side and gave the bag a medium-force kick. It snarled and punched towards the redhead, before letting out a series of barks.
"What…?" Pence looked at Hayner and Olette, puzzled. "It sounds like – a dog."
Olette let out a gasp. "Oh, my God, Pence! You're right! Hayner!" She whirled to her boyfriend. "Use your knife to cut open the bag!"
"Are you joking?" the blond demanded. "It'll tear me to pieces!"
"Give it to me, then," Axel commanded. "I'll get it out."
"Fine," agreed Hayner hurriedly, hooking out his butterfly knife and unclipping it, handing it over to the redhead.
Axel threw the knife from his left hand to his right, gripped it tight, circled the heaving sack. "Good dog," he said sweetly, making the viciousness abate slightly. "Good boy. You're a good dog, aren't you?" A stifled whimper came from within the bag. "You're not going to rip Uncle Axel's arm off, are you, you rabies-ridden mutt, huh?" He stepped closer, seized the top of the brown material and slashed it open before the animal within could react. With a growl and a yelp, the dog struggled free of the sack, Axel already jumping out of biting range. It was a mangy-looking beast, shaggy, unkempt from its time trapped away. As it shook itself violently, and ran off down the hill, Olette said, "Oh, the poor thing!" She had a hand hovering over her mouth, horrified. They all were, to varying degrees, shaken by the experience.
"What kind of person," asked Hayner slowly, with building rage, "ties a dog into a bag and leaves it next to a garbage can?"
"Some sick fucker," replied Axel coldly, gazing down the hill. He folded the blade of the knife back into its handle and tossed it to the blond, with nodded thanks.
"Wow," said Pence, frowning. "I mean – how long has that even been up here? We heard about these wonders the other day… How long has that dog been in there?"
They fell silent, appalled. "What a great finish to the day," Hayner said with a brittle laugh. "That's fucking gross."
"Wait, though," Axel said. "There's still another one left. The train, remember?"
Olette was uncertain. "I don't know, Axel… I'm kind of put off the wonders now. I don't really care about it anymore."
Axel groaned. "But the project! Come on, you guys, it's meant to pass by at around sunset – we do this, and we can go home, we're done. Don't blow it just yet, okay?"
They exchanged dubious glances. Roxas shook his head. "Well, I'm staying. That one was just – obviously something really sick. The others weren't; it's not like the wonders were set up by the same person who tied the dog up. Someone must've seen the bag and freaked out, thinking it was haunted." He turned to the others. "Axel's right, you guys, we need to just get this done, then all we have to do is visit the mansion on Tuesday after school, write it all up, and abandon it to our memories."
Unhappily, Olette nodded. "Well – alright. But only because it's for school."
They shifted reluctantly over to the fence overlooking the train line passing through the hill, leaning against it in the dwindling light, the sun casting golden streaks across their faces and hair. A cool wind blew, brushing Roxas' spikes around his cheeks.
Axel had his head turned sideways, studying him as he gripped the wooden bars, leaning over, peering intently downward. "How you feeling?" he asked quietly. Roxas flicked him a glance, pushing back slowly. He shrugged.
"I'm okay, I guess. I feel bad for the dog." He smiled faintly. "You did good, letting it out like that."
"Hey," Hayner complained from the other side of Olette, "I'd have done it if I didn't think it was going to maul me."
"Which is why I get to be the conquering hero, Blondie," Axel bragged. "Despite threat to life and limb, animal saver Axel leapt to the rescue!"
"Unbelievable douchebag Axel, more like," the taller blond muttered.
Roxas lowered himself to the grass, onto his stomach, propping his chin on his hands to watch for the train in a more comfortable position. Hayner and Olette started a murmured conversation, the girl leaning back against the fence, while Pence busied himself inserting a new roll of film into his camera. Axel laid on the ground beside Roxas, on his back, hands under his head to survey the dimming sky. Things were peaceful.
"You know," said Axel lazily, causing the blue-eyed teen to look over, "this is why I like this place. In Hollow Bastion, you could never find the time or a nice spot to just… sit and watch the sky at sunset. I'm looking at clouds, trying to figure out their shapes, and I'm pretty sure I haven't done this since I was a kid."
Roxas inched his elbows along the dirt, getting closer. "How come?"
Axel raised his eyebrows slowly, meeting his gaze. "Oh, well, there's just so much to do, I guess. And there's no grassy spots like this. Only rooftops. It's a real city."
Roxas hummed in understanding. "It's good that you came, then. It's a nice thing to be able to do."
Sudden concern laced the redhead's features as he stared at the blond. "You're not… thinking of changing your mind though, are you?"
Roxas glanced past him at the others, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "You mean about leaving?" he asked in a low voice.
"Yeah."
Roxas shook his head, and smiled. "I tell you what: when we do go, I'll make sure we find a place to watch the sunset. Even if it's on a rooftop. And we can watch the clouds and all." He shrugged, eyes drifting upward. "The sky's not going anywhere. It'll be the same wherever I go. This will be a nice thing to do in any town."
Axel beamed. "That sounds good to me."
"What sounds good?" Pence asked brightly, coming over to join them.
Awkwardly, they looked at each other. "Oh, well, you know, just – "
"Well, well, well." Roxas stiffened, eyes shooting wide. The group turned as one, to see Seifer and his fellow Disciplinary Committee members, Rai and Fuu, cresting the hill. Typically, the athletic blond didn't look at all tired out by the ascent, not having even broken a sweat. "What are you losers doing up here?"
Cocky swagger in place, he approached the wary teenagers. Roxas, feeling vulnerable on his stomach, twisted around and sat up against the fence, knees drawn against his chest, arms locked around them. Hayner, distastefully, greeted him. "Seifer, what do you want?"
"Nice to see you, too, chicken-wuss," came the sneered response.
"You're Seifer?" Axel had pushed himself up onto his hands, running an unconcerned, sceptical eye over the blond. "Huh."
Seifer's eyes narrowed. "Who the fuck are you?"
"The name's Axel," the redhead replied, chin rising, a smirk in place. "I'm new around town."
"I see. An outsider." The blond took a few menacing steps forward, Axel's smile growing all the while. "You better watch yourself, outsider," Seifer threatened. "I own this town, I run it, and if you step a toe out of line – "
"Oh, no, daddy, please don't ground me," Axel cried in a falsetto, girlish voice, eyelashes fluttering, unable to contain his laughter as he twirled his hands around his face.
Seifer's expression darkened. Rai stepped forward angrily. "Don't make fun of Seifer, y'know?" he warned. "He can make your life a misery."
"How?" asked Hayner, sounding bored. "It's not like we even go to the same school anymore."
"You think I need a playground to beat you up, loser?" Seifer jeered, momentarily forgetting the redhead.
"You might think you own this place," sighed Axel in a sing-song, "but you'd be wrong." He grinned. "Your delusions of grandeur are hilarious."
Seifer's eyes bulged. "I see we've got an outsider to teach the rules to," he snarled, hands forming fists. Rai and Fuu leapt into fighting stances either side of him, while Hayner bristled, and Axel giggled.
"Look!" yelled Roxas suddenly. Having Seifer so close after the earlier trauma in the tunnels had been too unnerving for him to remain looking at the older blond. He had long-since turned to gaze out at the tracks, gripping the bars of the fence, and now his shout interrupted the brewing fight, everyone swinging their heads around to frown at the excited boy. "It's the train!"
"A train?" Seifer raised a blond eyebrow.
"Oh!" Olette turned, leaning over the fence, Pence at her side, peering down at the tracks.
A small, midnight blue train was travelling along the line, only a few carriages connected. Roxas narrowed his eyes, squinting through the approaching driver's window, searching for signs of occupation.
"What the hell are you idiots doing?"
Just as it got close enough to see, the sun flashed off the front window, evoking cries from the other two as they were momentarily blinded. Roxas nearly fell forward, face just about squeezing through the bars in his efforts, saved from the flare by his lower angle. He gasped, and the train disappeared at high speed into the tunnel.
"Ahh," Olette whined, rubbing at her eyes and blinking. "I can hardly see!"
"I – I saw it," Roxas said, awed. "I…" He looked up at Axel. "There's no driver."
Axel smiled. "So this one was a wonder, then."
Roxas broke out into a smile. "I don't believe it! It's – it's like an actual ghost train! There was really no one driving it!"
"I don't believe what I'm hearing." Seifer's arms were crossed, his previous anger discarded in favour of scorn. "Are you telling me that you came up here looking for ghost trains?" He groaned. "You losers get more stupid every time I see you."
"Hey, shut up," snapped Roxas. "It really was a ghost train. There was no one in it, and no one driving it! What else could it be?"
"Uh, Roxas having a dick-wit attack?"
"Shut your face, pretty-boy," Axel said easily. "Roxas knows what he saw. He's the most open-eyed person on this hill. If he says it was there, then it was there."
"Well," the blond retorted wryly, "I can see outsiders' disease is contagious. Roxas, I thought I knew you better than this, but it looks like the red-haired freak has got to you." He shook his head disdainfully. "I don't have time for this. You idiots can drool over each other in search for a brain cell or two while you're busy looking for ghost trains. Me, I'm going to go find something better to do with my time." He turned, sauntered away, entourage trailing along behind, flicking a hand over his shoulder. "Catch you later, losers."
"Yeah, piss off," Hayner muttered. As they disappeared from view, he turned to Roxas doubtfully. "Was there really no one driving that train?"
"Really," said the blond earnestly. "I swear it, Hayner, it was totally empty."
His friend shrugged. "Well, we'll write it up in our report. Come on, you guys. That was kind of a sucky end to a sucky day. I feel like going home and eating junk food."
"You mean while you do your homework?" Olette said pointedly. Hayner groaned.
"'Lette, I've spent all day doing homework. I'm only one man!"
Axel pulled Roxas to his feet, the blond frowning as he watched his friends begin their descent of the hill, moving slowly to let Seifer get well enough ahead. "They didn't believe me."
Axel shrugged, casting an arm around his shoulders, tugging him close as they got walking. "It happens. Sometimes, people can't see what's right in front of their faces. No use having eyes if you keep them closed your whole life." He kissed the blond quickly on the cheek, before he could react, and said, "You know I believe you, Roxie. I'll always believe anything you tell me."
Blushing lightly, Roxas glanced up slyly. "What if I lie to you?"
"I'll still believe you," Axel admitted. "That's why you gotta always tell me the truth. It'd be too easy for you to manipulate me, if you wanted to."
The blond raised his eyebrows, curiously. "What, really? Isn't that kind of a risky thing to tell me?"
He smiled, gazing down fondly. "Not with you. I trust you, Rox. I know you won't let me down."
Roxas was silent as they trekked back down the hill, thinking about the redhead's words, the honesty of his faith in him. He liked the fact that he held so much power over someone, with the knowledge that he wasn't going to abuse it. It was an elating sensation, holding a heart in your palm. And what he said… that he knew Roxas wouldn't let him down… All Roxas had to do was tell the truth to keep that alive. He didn't have to pretend to be someone he wasn't, he didn't have to waste away, he didn't have to sacrifice himself for the love he held for others… He just had to not abuse this. He just had to be truthful, and Axel would never be disappointed in him.
It was nice, to have so little expectation from the one person that meant so much. It felt achievable, made him think that… maybe he wasn't such a failure at all this, after all.
They caught the train back to Central Station, and the group broke apart with various farewells and promises to meet up the next day at lunch. Axel again walked Roxas home, dim twilight swimming through the air.
"So, I'll see you tomorrow at school, I guess," Roxas said, smiling up at the redhead.
"You sure will, Roxie."
Axel bent down, face hovering near the blond's. When Roxas didn't pull away, he smiled, and placed a soft kiss on his lips. As he straightened, grinning broadly, Roxas coloured with an embarrassed flush, his mouth curved up at the corners. "Good-night, Roxie."
"Yeah," he muttered. "'Night."
With one last ruffling of the blond's hair, Axel backed away, then set off down the block, Roxas watching until the long crimson spikes were out of sight.
Axel disappeared, and wasn't seen again for nearly four days.
