CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
An hour later, Aerith came to check on him, and Roxas was glad they hadn't stayed out practicing. Her expression was already grim enough. Axel had, by this point, long fallen asleep. He'd only lasted about thirty minutes. Apparently, lying down with your eyes open didn't equate unless there was something physically distracting from the sleepiness.
Aerith opened the door quietly, saw Roxas' eyes open and watching, and gestured to him. He hesitated, wriggled out from under the long, lanky arm, skin brushing skin. Axel grunted, grabbed a handful of the sheet, nuzzled into the pillow.
The air cold was against his bare body. Roxas tucked his hands into his armpits, nervously not meeting the woman's gaze as he joined her in the corridor. She pulled the door gently shut. "How are you?" was the first question from her mouth. He grimaced.
"I'm fine," he said softly. "How's Zexion?"
She touched his arm, smiling gently. "He's fine, Roxas. It was a clean break; we were able to fix him up without trouble. To be honest, he's more concerned about you than himself. He's been asking after you."
Roxas sighed, dropping his hands to his hips, resting them towards the small of his back. "I – I'm really okay. I just – " He shook his head. "I'm still trying to… accept it all. I don't remember anything." He glanced over his shoulder at the closed door. "Axel told me it wasn't my fault, but I mean – it's just – it's kind of… scary, that I – I lost myself."
Aerith was sympathetic. "I know this is disturbing, but it won't happen again, Roxas – it was violent, but the last of your programming should have burnt out now."
"Should have," Roxas grunted. He shrugged. "Well, nothing we can do, I guess. How's the computer doing?"
"I haven't asked," she admitted, wrinkling her nose. "It's not really my department. I just came to make sure you were doing okay."
He nodded. "Thanks, Aerith. I'm – " He closed his eyes briefly, reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I'm causing. I know it's not my fault, but I still feel like this – gigantic pain in the ass."
She smiled, faintly exasperated. "Just be glad you're so loveable."
Roxas grinned. "I'll keep it in mind."
She patted his head. "Go back in and get some rest. You must be exhausted."
He shifted uneasily. "Yeah. I guess. I'll go – lie down some more."
"Don't roam around," she warned, fixing him with a hard look. "I want you in here until lunch is ready. If you sleep through, I'll keep something aside; you could do with the energy." She poked him. "And bring that Axel of yours, he's not eating enough with you around." She stuck her tongue out teasingly, winked. "Too busy staring at you to find his mouth."
Roxas chuckled, watched her go, pink skirt swirling with each steps, the sleeves of her denim jacket pulled over her hands. For a minute, he stood in the empty hall and stared, a tired, unseeing state. So, Zexion was okay, at least, and apparently not angry at him. That was good, if nothing else was working out. And no one had come to chew him out for being so destructive. Things were turning out decent.
Roxas heaved in a deep breath, holding it within his chest, turned and returned to the dimness of Axel's room. The redhead was stretched along the mattress, limbs messy, on his stomach without the blond to keep him propped up. An affectionate smile tugged at his mouth, coming despite the uncertainty churning in his gut. Somehow, Axel was good at making things better simply by being himself. He didn't even have to do anything but snort and snuffle against a pillow.
The smile remaining as a shadow, he avoided the bed, wary of the weariness working through his muscles. Now that he knew Zexion was going to be alright, there was a lot less tension, less guilt, relaxing him against his will. He preferred it when sleep was blocked indefinitely by his own feelings of regret and worry.
He lowered himself into the chair by the mattress, Aerith's default 'heal Roxas' location, and clasped his hands together, elbows on knees. He found a spot on the floor to frown at, and let his thoughts wander, rifling through the insane events that had brought him here, the remaining sensation of unreality. It was hard to go from one extreme to another and feel no sense of dislocation. He was starting to fit carefully into some part of the real world, but each bump in the road shook him, made him less inclined to let go. It was tough, going from knowing everything to knowing nothing. But he was trying. He would keep trying. And he would hope that sleep would never come, that no one else would need to be hurt because of him – including himself. He was ready for things to become easy.
As he picked moodily at the cuticle of his thumb, there was a light knock at the door. Eyebrows quirking, wondering if Aerith was back, he darted a glance at the stubbornly slumbering redhead, and rose, crossing the room, easing the door open a few inches. Demyx was on the other side, sending a jolt through the blond. He flushed guiltily, cringed slightly, even though the other man was smiling.
"Hiya, Rox," he said. Roxas slipped through. He figured that if Axel was going to stay up with him later, he'd need these next few hours to catch up on the loss of the last few days. Demyx peered over his shoulder curiously, then returned his eyes to Roxas as the door clicked shut.
He smiled in a strained fashion. "Hi, Dem. I'm – I'm sorry about Zexion."
And suddenly he was being hugged. Roxas blinked, hands hovering, unsure what to do with them. He ended up patting the man weakly on the shoulder, as Demyx embraced him tightly. "Don't worry about Zexy! He's had worse, Roxie darling. We were worried about you! The last Zexy knew, Axel was running off with you in his arms!"
Roxas winced. "Yeah. He was… scared. But I'm okay, now, really."
Demyx drew back, beaming. "I know that! Aerith told us. She's the coolest, isn't she? She and Zack set Zexy's arm in five minutes flat." He wrinkled his nose. "Though she did get mad at him when he wouldn't stop working on the mainframe." He smiled brightly again. "She came to see us just a minute ago, said you wanted to know how things were going."
Roxas nodded slowly. "I hope I didn't do too much damage."
Demyx rolled his eyes, snorted. "Course not, Rox. It's like my sitar. Steel-reinforced!" He formed a fist, looked fierce for a moment, then grinned. "You mangled up the backup circuits, and unsettled the core a little, but nothing that can't be repaired in a couple more hours. The whole castle's crawling with people trained to do just this." He ruffled the blond's spiky hair. "So don't you worry you're pretty little Roxie skull!" Roxas made a face, pulled away from the assault. "Also!" Demyx bent, grabbed Roxas' keyblades from where they leaned against the wall. Axel's chakrams were behind them. "I found these in the garden, next to a big puddle of sick. I figured you'd want them back!"
Roxas wore a pained expression as he took the keyblades. "You didn't tell Aerith, did you?"
Demyx laughed. "I prefer you living. Your spleen is very happy where it is, it doesn't need momma Aerith's claws pulling it out just to teach you a lesson."
A… gory image. And yet, Roxas could picture it. He tucked the blades under one arm, struggling to keep them from slipping as he took the chakrams.
"Where's Axel?" the older blond wondered. Roxas tossed his head.
"Sleeping."
Demyx nodded knowingly. "He always gets tired after he's been crying. He can sleep all day after being upset."
Roxas hesitated, an eyebrow cocking. "Does he – cry often?"
Demyx shook his head. "Naw. He's cried less the last couple years. It used to be when…" He paused, looking suddenly uncertain. "Well, you know about how he… slept around a little… you don't mind though, right? I mean – you don't seem to be mad at him…"
"He cried when he slept around?" Roxas asked sharply, picking up instantly on Demyx's uneasiness. Then his expression turned flat with understanding. "He cried because it wasn't me."
Demyx looked panicked. "I didn't tell you! I totally didn't tell you! Don't tell him I told you, coz I didn't!"
Roxas shook his head abruptly. "Dem, it's okay," he said gently. "Look, just relax. I'm not even going to tell him I know. It'd only embarrass him. And I don't mind it all. He's not doing it any more, that's all I care about."
The blond nodded unhappily. "Okay. But seriously, he'll come after me if you say anything…"
"You're safe with me, Dem," Roxas smiled. "Thanks for the keyblades. I'll go back in, in case he wakes and finds me gone."
Demyx hesitated, grabbed his arm. "Roxas? Do you – love him yet?"
Roxas lowered his face, was silent for a moment. "Don't push me, Dem," he said quietly at last. "I'm getting there. I know you're just worried about Axel getting what he's always wanted, what he was so – obsessed about, but… I'm getting there, Dem. It's happening."
Obviously not exactly what the man wanted to hear, judging from his expression. Roxas wondered what kind of romantic ideas he'd formed about their union, what he'd imagined Roxas should have done. But it seemed to be enough, at least, because he nodded with a small smile.
"Okay. You kids have fun in there. No loud moaning."
Roxas rolled his eyes. "He's asleep, Dem."
The man's eyes flashed wickedly. "I know a way you can wake him up – "
"Or maybe I like my eyes in their sockets," Roxas muttered. "Don't make me poke them out in horror, Dem. See you later, okay?"
His final view of Demyx was the pouting face. The door closed, and he was alone again with a snoring Axel. He looked over at the man, and felt a flutter, once again smiling as if it was the first time all day he was seeing him. Dem could have as many expectations as he wanted, but whatever he'd dreamed up for his red-haired friend, Roxas doubted it could compare to the real thing. This was just – great how it was. Nothing needed to speed up, nothing needed to change.
He took the weapons into the corner of the room, sitting down on the lumpy pile of soiled clothing, a soft seat on the otherwise stone floor, and set Axel's chakrams gently against the wall, making sure they didn't scratch. He drew his keyblades across his legs, fingers running slowly along the cold metal, feeling the chips in the paint, the tiny imperfections. His fingertips came to rest on the teeth, dragging slightly to test the edge. Sora had done a good job of sharpening them, but he wondered how long it would last. They weren't made to be weapons. The teeth weren't designed to hold an edge. He imagined they would blunt quite quickly. His nails picked absently at the pitted paint, gaze slipping from the room, finding somewhere in the distance to vaguely focus. Axel snorted, rolled over.
.o.O.o.
Roxas was sitting in the sand, running his fingers around in swirls, watching the patterns forming, only to slip back in on themselves like water. He was alone in the playground. There was no one about. The sun was as high as ever.
.o.O.o.
He opened his eyes as Axel groaned, hips bucking up into his own, skin hot on skin, the green eyes glazed with lust and something deeper. A small half-smile hovered around the man's lips, his hair crushed and messy. "Do that again," he breathed hoarsely, fingers weaving around the back of Roxas' neck, tugging his face down. Roxas' muscles stiffened, he resisted, panic filling every screaming instinct. His breaths stopped, Axel pausing uncertainly, a shadow flitting across his face. "Rox? What's wrong?"
Lips barely moving, Roxas whispered, "Let me go."
Axel released him instantly, hands dropping open on the bed next to his head, wary confusion in place. Roxas stayed where he was for a moment, before pushing slowly up, looking down at himself. Pants still on. That was good. Axel's were, too. But he was hard under the denim, and fear pumping made it a sickening sensation. He closed his eyes, shuddered, hands shaking up to his face, running through his hair. Axel lay still, watchful, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Okay… so, what just happened?" Roxas asked quietly, voice carefully lacking in accusation.
"Uh… You jumped me, Rox. And… uh… are you okay?"
"I wasn't here, Axel. I didn't jump you."
The redhead raised an eyebrow. "You weren't here?"
"I wasn't here!" He angrily punched the bed beside the man's shoulder, making him flinch away. "Fucking hell, Axel, don't you know when I'm inside my own head or not?" he snarled. Axel's eyes widened.
"Roxas, what are you talking about? If you weren't here, where the hell were you? I was just sleeping, and you were all over me. I didn't exactly take the time to ask your name and serial number, since I was pretty sure it was you."
"Well it wasn't!" Roxas climbed off the bed, hissing at the pressure in his groin, shifting his jeans. "Why is my body acting without me?"
"It's like puberty all over again," Axel said dryly. Roxas whirled around, pointing a sharp finger.
"Shut up. Now. This is far from funny, Axel."
The man sat up, adopted a patient tone as he crossed his ankles together. "Okay, why don't you tell me what happened?"
"I – I was…" Roxas slumped against the wall, scraped his hands through his spikes, grabbed handfuls and held on for support. "I was sitting in the corner. Dem brought our weapons from the garden. I had the keyblades, I was looking at them, I – I was just thinking…" His eyes found Axel's, filled with bewilderment. "And the next thing I knew, I was on top of you. Why's this happening? It's – it's just like when I went nuts at the computer. The exact same thing. Only this time I tried to rape you?"
"Can't rape the willing, baby," Axel said neutrally. "But it certainly would be nice if you remembered it afterwards. I have to agree, I'd quite like your brain to be in on the act as well as the rest of you." He took a breath, lifted his gaze to the ceiling in thought. "So you blacked out and your body, without your mind in the way telling it to be sensible, decided I was too sexy to pass up." He raised an eyebrow. "You know, maybe this is your sexual frustration taking the driver's seat."
Roxas glared. "I'm pretty sure I said this wasn't funny," he said through gritted teeth.
"I don't know, I'm finding it kind of amusing," the redhead confessed. "I certainly don't have any complaints. It was a hell of a way to wake up. However, I mean, I guess we got lucky. Good thing you didn't decide to crack me over the head or something instead of trying to get off on me."
Roxas started pacing, still holding his hair. "Did I say anything?"
"Uh…" His eyes rolled up. "I tried asking what you were doing, and you told me to shut the fuck up. That's basically it."
"So I spoke to you," the blond growled. "I have no memories at all, but it seems my body knows how to speak without me."
"Maybe you were sleep-walking?" Axel theorised, trying to calm him. "You wouldn't be the first around here. I mean, it can be caused by stress, right? Tell me, Rox, has this been a stressful week for you, or what?"
Roxas snorted, came to a halt, knuckles dropping to prop against his hips. "Yes, okay, so it's been stressful. But why now?"
The redhead shrugged. "You reached breaking point? That little turn you had earlier set you off, maybe? I don't know. But it's not like you did anything bad. It's not like in the computer lab, Roxie, because that was your leftover biological programming. It can't have been this time, because you're nowhere near the computer."
Roxas shot him an uncertain look. "You think I was sleep-walking?"
"Believe it or not, it's kind of common in you people." Axel unfolded his legs, shifted to the edge of the bed, lowered his feet to the ground. "You know how they told you Kairi does it when she's drunk? Well, it's because she gets so tired, and things sort of take over. Maybe it happened with you just now. You were so busy being too scared to sleep, even though you must have needed it, that you passed out without even knowing, and the stress of the past couple weeks got you moving on the somnambulism train."
Roxas hesitated, hands falling to his sides, flicking back and forth uneasily. "So you don't think this is something… bad?"
"Look, Roxas." Axel leaned forward good-naturedly. "It seems like you're having nightmares. Also to do with stress, right? Nightmares can do it, too, can get you walking around. This really isn't something to be frightened of. It probably freaks you out, but it's nothing bad, I promise. You're doing fine, you're just – burnt out, I guess."
The blond took a deep breath, held it for a moment before nodding and letting it out. "I guess – that makes sense. I mean… it's not like I've been all relaxed or anything…" He frowned. "I really don't know if I'm having nightmares, though. I'm not remembering anything."
Axel stood, shrugging. "Maybe you're brain's blocking them off. It could be why you're reacting so strongly by wandering around."
Roxas grimaced. "I'm… sorry for doing that to you… getting you worked up and then just about jumping across the room to get away…"
Axel laughed, walked to him, slid his arms around the teen and held him close, affectionately. "It's okay, Roxie. I sort of figured it had to be too good to be true, the way you were just crawling all over me."
Roxas scowled. "It wasn't too good to be true. It's not like I wouldn't have done anything last night, if you hadn't turned out to be such a goddamn prude."
Axel squawked, pulling back. "Prude? Me?"
"You heard me." He knocked his forehead into the redhead's sternum with a small, crooked smile. "I might start thinking you don't want me."
"Yeah, Roxie, my pants five minutes ago were saying otherwise."
Roxas scrunched up his eyes. "Sorry."
Axel kissed him gently. "How about we go get something to eat? You hungry?"
He nodded. "Aerith said she's save us some lunch if we missed it… I don't think I was out for more than five minutes… How long was I – you know – "
"About five minutes," Axel agreed. He sucked the lobe of Roxas' ear. "Best five minutes of my life, even if you weren't technically there."
"I'll have to remedy that," the blond replied dryly. "Can't have you wanting my body more than me."
"It's kind of a slut that way, you might have some competition," Axel warned. Roxas smirked, shoved him away.
"Put a damn shirt on." He went to his own, tugged it over his head, smoothed it down, turned and waited for Axel to do the same. The tall man came over, fully clothed, and slung an arm over his shoulder. "Let's get going. I feel like the whole day's passed. Sleep is so great."
"For you, maybe," Roxas grumbled. He grinned.
"Especially for me."
They left the room, wandered down the various hallways in the artificial light. Roxas was looking forward to feeling some sun on his face. His involuntary rest had left him feeling reluctantly fresher than before, brief though it might have been. God knew it had got his blood pumping faster.
They entered the dining hall, and for a long, disconcerting moment, Roxas couldn't figure out why everything seemed so wrong. Axel, too, hesitated, off-balance. "Roxas? Didn't you say it was, like… around lunch-time?"
Darkness clawed the windows, kept at bay by the blazing halogen lights throughout the room. The tables were mostly empty, only the stragglers of dinner remaining nursing drinks and third helpings, continuing discussions quietly. The day was over.
Roxas blinked. "Guess I was out for longer than I thought. It – it felt like only a couple minutes… really."
Axel nodded, rubbed his back soothingly. "It's okay. That just shows how deep you went. No wonder you were walking about. Like you say, you weren't even there, Roxie." He smiled. "When the cat's away, the mouse comes out to play."
Roxas frowned. "I'm hungry."
"Me, too. Not eating all day sucks."
They crossed to the cooking side, scraped together some leftovers, took their plates to their usual table, empty except for Larxene, who was bent over a small electronic device with a thin, delicate screwdriver. Her face was set in concentration, lips pursed as she worked. "Hey, Larx, what's happening?" Axel tugged Roxas into the seat beside him, their plates rattling against the surface, making her glance up irritably.
"My taser's being a bitch. Keeps spluttering out, then either not working or working too damn well. I nearly fried that friend of Cloud and Aerith's, and now people are pissed off with me."
Roxas gaped. "You shocked Zack with a taser? You have a taser?"
"No, I have a fairy wand, kid," she snapped sarcastically. "They live in the bottom of the fucking garden and tell Axel to burn things."
The redhead brought out his blowtorch. "It's why I carry this everywhere," he explained to Roxas. "You never know when a fairy's going to pop out of nowhere and tell you to burn shit." He clanked it down on the table, took a forkful of food and shovelled it in. "So you got the soldier?"
She shrugged sulkily. "I only meant to shock him a little. Make him squeal like a little girl, not so much like a pig that just got stabbed with a railway spike."
"Larxene is well-versed in how different screams sound," Axel added for the blond's benefit. He turned back to the woman. "So he made a pig-spike sound?"
"And then passed out," she confirmed. "I swear, his hair was smoking. I might have charred his insides."
"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Roxas said uncertainly, fork pausing halfway to his mouth. He glanced down at her dysfunctional weapon. "Right? I mean… that's not exactly a good thing."
Axel shrugged. "He's Zanarkand, Rox. It's really not a big deal."
The blond scowled as he ate. "He's nice," he mumbled. "And Aerith likes him. Why can't you leave him alone?"
Axel shook his head. "Let's agree to disagree," he muttered. "I think they're a bunch of fuckers, you think they're misunderstood, this conversation can only end in tears."
Roxas bit back his automatic urge to continue what was turning out to be an argument. He continued to eat in silence. After several minutes, Axel's hand found his thigh, a warm presence, displaying his lack of ire at the boy. Roxas nodded slightly, didn't push him away as he gently rubbed his knee. Larxene didn't speak again, just kept clattering away with the faulty device.
"Axel!" Both his and Roxas' heads rose at the summons, twisting in their chairs. Several tables over, Leon sat with the man from the other night, Vincent. Axel hissed out a curse, ducked his head sharply. "Come on over, Axel, we need to talk about it," Leon called.
"I'm bringing my food," the redhead pouted, grabbing up his plate as he stood. Roxas left his half-finished meal behind, appetite already sated, not interested in forcing too much into a stomach that had spent so much time rolling around in the last twenty-four hours. The pair went and joined the two men at their table, Axel clanking the enamel against the metal surface, sitting sharply, eyebrows drawn together into a scowl. "What?"
Leon fixed him with a tolerant look. "You know what. Vincent told me what you conveniently no doubt forgot to mention last night."
The long-haired man glanced over, eyes fixed on Roxas. When the blond met the amber eyes, he received a small smile. Surprised, Roxas smiled back uncertainly, huddling close to Axel. "Okay, so I maybe tried to burn them a little," Axel was saying, "doesn't mean I did anything wrong. They're the ones that started it."
"You want to give them an excuse to come up to castle?" Leon demanded shortly. "If you had burned any one of those men, they'd have had more than enough reason to make an official visit. That is the last thing we need, Axel. All they did was verbally provoke you."
"They were insulting Roxas," the redhead snarled back. "They deserved to be burnt."
"And by fighting back," Vincent interjected quietly, "you ended up drawing Roxas into the fight. He got hurt, didn't he? Better to have them speak lies, than to see your lover bruised all over."
Axel fumed, Roxas squirming slightly, uncomfortable. "It was my own fault that I got hurt," the blond said. "I attacked them. I'm the one that made it physical. I didn't know – not to. I mean… I guess it's obvious, but – "
"Yes, it is," Leon cut in dully. "We don't get into fights with soldiers, Roxas, not under any condition. There is one battleground, and it's inside this castle. The second they enter without permission, we get to kick their asses – and I know they're horrible, but you really need to learn how to restrain yourself." He glared faintly at Axel. "Both of you. Although you should know better."
"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah, does daddy have anything else to say to his useless, black-sheep son, or can I go lock myself in my room with the music up real loud now?"
"Get the fuck away," Leon dismissed, sounding bored. "You've got patrol soon. Don't be late."
"They're not going to try anything," Axel grumbled, standing, leaving his plate dirty on the table, pulling Roxas with him. "So, you want to take a shower?"
Roxas raised an eyebrow. "With you?"
The redhead grinned. "Well, not with Demyx, that's for sure."
Roxas rolled his eyes. "I think I'd like to shower alone."
"But you can't. They're communal."
"I've managed to avoid you so far," the blond pointed out. "I don't think I'm ready to be naked in front of you yet, Axel."
"So don't get naked," was the breathed reply. "I don't mind getting naked for the both of us."
Roxas shrugged quickly, fighting off the blush that threatened to sweep across his skin. "Do what you want, but I'm not going to look."
"That sounded like a challenge." Honestly, the Cheshire grin couldn't have been broader.
They returned to Axel's room, collected their clothing, Aerith having both restocked Axel's and added Roxas'. Axel hummed happily at the selection she had ordered for the blond. "The woman knows fashion," he muttered with admiration. "You're gonna be a hot Axel's Roxie."
They went down the corridor, entered the men's showers, one of the heads running, steam rolling around the ceiling. The faint smell of burnt hair filled the air. Roxas averted his eyes from Zack's body, giving the man his privacy. It's not like he was someone he'd toiled beside shirtless and dirty for several hours. Axel, on the other hand, whistled appreciatively. "Sure you're straight, soldier?" he called over the hissing. "Because that's a body I wouldn't mind dropping my Roxie off at daycare for."
Roxas gasped, punched him in the stomach. "You fucking asshole!"
Zack laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks, man. If I was going to swing that way, I'm serious, I'd go after Cloud. That I haven't after spending three years tramping mud beside him and curling up next to him in the same sleeping bag is a testament to my sexuality, if nothing else. Plus, considering how Roxas is glaring right now, I think we'd both wake up a little bit castrated if you tried it."
Axel glanced down, a grin in place. "Oh, come on, Rox, you know I was kidding."
"You really are a fucker," the blond said, displeased. "I'm showering in my boxers."
"You – " He burst into laughter. "You're going to shower in your boxers?"
"I'm not giving you a chance to make fun of my body," he muttered, dumping his clothes on the ground where it was dry, grabbing a towel from the pile by the door.
"Rox-as, I was joking."
Roxas ignored him, chose the shower furthest from the black-haired man, who finished up a minute later anyway. He turned on the water, standing sulkily under its flow, disliking the wrongness of washing with clothes on. He folded his hands against the sides of his ribcage and allowed himself to grow heavy with saturation. The silk clung to his skin uncomfortably. Axel followed him, sneering slightly at Zack's parting call. He stood, looking amused, on the edge of the tiles, towel wrapped around his waist. Roxas turned his back firmly, scowling deeply.
"Ya know," Axel said, voice raised over the noise, "you're one of the sexiest creatures I have ever had the pleasure of looking at. Can you really deny that you turn me on?" Roxas pointedly ignored, annoyed. He was short, he was undeveloped as far as muscles were concerned. He hadn't spent a life marching around killing people, he'd just played videogames and walked around Twilight Town. And eaten ice cream. So much ice cream! He doubted someone like Zack dared to break their precious diets to eat ice cream. Fuck, he was shapeless and loose-skinned. No wonder Axel's eyes shone when they fell on the man.
When Axel's hands touched him, he jumped, tugged away, walked over to the next shower, turned it on and used it instead. Axel followed, walking slowly, and when the touch came a second time, it suddenly occurred to the blond that the redhead was completely and utterly naked. Oh, fuck. Naked Axel, following him around the shower and touching him. Determinedly, he walked on to the next one, turned it on, the next one, Axel trailing the whole while, fingers sliding across his shoulders the moment he stopped moving.
"Running out of showers, Roxie," Axel breathed into his ear.
"Then I'll start again from the first one," the blond grated. Axel chuckled throatily.
"Or you could stop being stupid and just let me wash you. We can't take too long – got a shift in twenty minutes."
"I can wash myself," Roxas bit off, stalking to the next shower.
"I'm sure you can – hands as sexy as that, they can do anything."
"Too late." Roxas scrubbed at his hair in the brief moments he knew he had before Axel got to him again. "I belong in daycare, remember? So are you a paedophile now?"
"No, no." Axel's arms wrapped around Roxas' neck, his chin attempting to rest on the shorter boy's shoulder. "I just lie horribly and think I'm being funny."
"Your lies," Roxas grunted, tugging forward and being halted by the redhead's grip, "are awfully close to the truth."
"That's what you think." Axel scraped his teeth along the side of Roxas' throat, making the blond shudder.
"Mind getting the fuck off me?" he muttered.
"I don't mind getting you the fuck off," Axel offered as replacement.
"Axel, let me go."
"Nope." He licked the same area, tongue dragging deliberately slowly, bringing that same shiver of reaction from Roxas. The boy struggled half-heartedly.
"I'm really not happy," he said feebly. "You sent my self-esteem down, like, three pegs."
"Is there any way for me to raise it?" Axel murmured. "I mean, I'm sure I could find a way if I really tried…"
Roxas sighed. "Look, no, seriously, I – " He bit his lip sharply as Axel's hands slid across his wet stomach, plucking at the elastic of his clinging boxers. The man's teeth sank gently into his shoulder.
"Sh-shit! Axel! Um…" Roxas tried, he really, really tried to clutch the irritation, the vague stab of hurt, damn it, he tried so hard. But with Axel's fingers distracting him, teasing the skin along the line of his boxers, caressing upward, encircling a nipple, lips shifting ceaselessly along his jaw and up to his ear, it was getting difficult. His head lolled back against his will, losing the ability to hold itself, connecting sharply with Axel's collarbone.
"Hmmm, Roxie? Yes?"
He turned his head slightly, found the edge of Axel's jaw, started kissing it. The redhead chuckled quietly, nails scratching softly up the sides of Roxas' bare torso, making the boy shiver. "You're still… an asshole…"
"I do believe I am," Axel agreed, craning his neck to capture the blond's lips in a hard kiss. He brought his hips forward just the slightest amount, brushing against Roxas' boxers, tugging the boy back slightly to fit against his bare body. He swayed them faintly from side to side, intertwining the fingers of one hand with Roxas', the other continuing its way unimpeded along the planes of the teen's skin. "Hi," he breathed.
Roxas groaned. "Hi," he whispered. Axel grinded against him, making him choke and blink rapidly.
"You – are really fucking hot, like, permanently."
"A-am I?"
Axel's lips descended onto his shoulder, sucking, licking, nipping his way along to the join to his neck, free hand ever-roaming, sinking down the side of Roxas' boxers, sliding along the smooth flesh of his thigh. "Mmh." The hand travelled around slightly, touching the first few wiry hairs towards the front, making Roxas' knees fail entirely. He slumped, and Axel nearly dropped him. "Fuck!" He hauled the blond back up. "Warn me next time!"
"Sorry," Roxas said dazedly, trying to keep his feet from simply slipping away. Axel frowned.
"Are you still with me? That wasn't your brain slipping away again, was it?"
Roxas laughed suddenly. "I – I'm pretty sure it didn't. The – the fact I'm still coherent at all… is through supreme – brain power."
"I'll have to do something about that, then," the redhead growled, hitching him up, pressing against him again. "You going to turn around, Roxie?"
Roxas giggled hysterically. "You're naked."
Another grinding of hips, and both men moaned, Roxas' fingers grabbing at the air in an effort to remain upright, muscles instantly warm and liquefied. "Yep," Axel confirmed with a pant. "Very naked. Going to turn around, Roxas? Of course," his voice dropped an octave, "if you do, we'll have to get rid of these." He tugged on the boxer's, pulled them down dangerously low. Roxas sucked in sharply.
"I – um… Just… not – "
"Not here?"
Roxas nodded frantically. "Sh-shower fucking… not yet…"
"Who said anything about fucking?" Axel grabbed the front of the boxers suddenly, Roxas giving out a strangled yelp, bucking once. "There's a lot of things I could do to you in here…"
"P-people," Roxas whimpered. "People come in and out. People will see."
"Which people? What, you think someone paged Naminé?"
Roxas barked out a laugh, bit his lip. "Fucking hell, Axel."
"You see what you do to me?" the redhead murmured, licking the shell of his ear, pausing to nibble at it. "You – drive – me – crazy."
"Not here," Roxas breathed, eyes slipping shut. "We've… got to go patrol, and… and…"
"Okay."
Roxas blinked, was suddenly swaying alone, the redhead walking away, feet splashing through the many puddles. He turned, eyes going instantly to the bare ass, some part of him still giggling away like a schoolgirl at the fact that he was in the shower with naked Axel. "Wh-what?"
Axel reached the edge, bent to retrieve his towel, deliberately taking his time. He wrapped it slowly around his waist as he turned. "Okay, Roxas. We can go patrol." The bastard was smirking, Roxas looking lost and bewildered, half-drowned in water and lust. "Then, later… well, who knows what happens, walking around this big castle, all alone?"
Roxas shook himself mentally. "Uh – right. Okay. Patrolling. Patrolling is good."
"There's a lot of rooms that no one uses around here… and we've got all night…"
"Uh – what? But I thought we were meant to be… watching out for intruders?"
"Oh, we'll be watching. Or," he winked, "maybe it'll be them that watches."
Roxas blushed. "Or… maybe we could just patrol around."
Axel shrugged. "Either way. I'm easy." He grinned lecherously. "But then, sexy little beast that you are… it's hard to say exactly how I'll be able to keep my hands off you."
"But – " Roxas felt desperation swirl up. If he was stuck with Axel for the entire night – after this, he'd be lucky to escape the evening with his virginity intact. "I thought Demyx was going to be my – my buddy."
"Oh, sure – but that was before you broke Zexy's arm," Axel said smugly. "He'll be staying with Zex to make sure nothing happens to him. Which means…" He wandered around the edge of the room, to where the clean clothes were stacked together. "You and I will be pairing up… all night…"
"Oh." Roxas' voice was a faint squeak. "Oh. Right."
Axel nodded over at him, eyes darting around at the many showerheads. "You uh, might want to turn those off. Before we all get flooded." He flashed a grin, picking up his things, tightening the towel around his hips. "See you out there, Rox. Then it's keyblades, and prowling for a few hours. I'll make sure you don't fall asleep."
"Oh," said Roxas a third time. He was left alone in the room, sloshing unsteadily from tap to tap. All night. With Axel. Who would be naked under all those layers of fabric.
He paused, looked around hopelessly. "Oh, fuck."
