Disclaimer- I STILL own nothing sadly.
Warnings- The usual boy-love, some cursing, and a slightly annoying toddler.
A/N- I'm sooooooo sorry for taking so long. Things have happened and school was heavily on my mind. I never forgot about the story, I just had to prioritize. I was waiting for the summer to pick it up so it didn't interfere. Since I have nothing better to do this Summer, I guess I'll write. Enjoy and once again, I'm sorry!
Protecting Me
Chapter 5: Are we there yet?
Whenever, where ever baby
You'll protect me
No matter what
"Axel?"
The blond teens back turned stiffer than a board as he felt his own anxiousness rise. The quicker he formed the right words in his head, the faster they seemed to slip right out. His thoughts caused his breath to become suddenly uneven and a nervous sweat formed on his brow. The red head beside him visibly stiffened as well, just due to the strong vibes coming off of Roxas. He turned his head slightly, wondering why his best friend seemed so on edge.
"Yeah?"
Axel tried to move this clearly awkward conversation along. Roxas sighed and looked off into the horizon. The two of them sat there on the dock looking over the mainland of Destiny Island. It had been a favorite spot of theirs ever since they were assigned a mission there. It was just hitting sunset and the sky was turning a brilliant mix of purples and oranges. The sun was so low that it was almost perfectly aligned with Roxas's eyes. Roxas stalled for a second, knowing Axel was watching him, but refusing to meet his eyes. Instead he gazed into the crystal clear water as he swished his foot around to create a ripple effect. He swore he could have seen a few fish nip at his toes as well...
"A-Axel... can I uh," Roxas stuttered. "can you listen to everything I have to say before speaking?"
Axel raised an eyebrow, but nodded non-the less. The blond let out a sigh of relief. One hurdle jumped. "Well, we've been friends for a long time right?"
Axel let out a nervous laugh. "Since the very day you joined the Organization. Why?" Axel noticed Roxas biting his bottom lip.
"I really like being friends with you," the duel wielder finally turned to his friend so they were face to face. There was something new in Roxas's eyes. A new spark to them. "But, well... do you ever think we might be more than just-"
xXx
"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" A high-pitched voice sang. A heavy weight dropped straight down on Axel's stomach. He let out a sharp gasp as he was jolted awake from a sound sleep. The surprised look on Axel's face caused the tiny figure sitting on his stomach to burst out in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Axel looked down into the face of pure evil that woke him from his precious sleep time. Two huge ocean blue eyes gazed into his own. The boy giggled before he spoke again.
"You sleep funny, and dwool."
Axel glared at the energetic toddler before letting his head flop back down onto the pillow.
"That's right... you slept with me." Cause of the strange dream officially discovered. Still, the annoyance in Axel's voice was easy to pick up on. Roxas immediately ceased laughter. Axel didn't respond, acting almost as if he were trying to fall back asleep.
"Axel?" Roxas tried to gain his attention back.
No response.
"I'm sowwy." He began climbing up towards Axel's chest. "Awe you mad at me?" Roxas sat on Axel's chest, staring sadly into Axel's closed eyes.
"Axey... I didn't mean ta-ah!" Just as Roxas was reaching towards Axel's face, the redhead awoke from his fake slumber and scooped Roxas up into his arms. With Roxas safe in his arms, he flopped back down onto the pillow, holding the child close. Roxas let out another high-pitched giggle as he squirmed in Axel's arms.
"You are the biggest pain in my ass right now. You know that right?" Axel smirked at Roxas, who had rolled off Axel's chest to take a resting spot under his arm. He wasn't even paying attention to a thing his caretaker said. Instead, he took to playing with the collar of Axel's over sized shirt he was forced to wear. When the toddler felt Axel's eyes gazing at him, he looked up innocently.
"I'm hungwey."
Axel blinked. It seemed as though the toddler's stomach was a bottomless pit.
"You're always hungry." He tickled Roxas's stomach. The blond pushed Axel's hand away from his stomach through his laughter.
"Not a'ways!"
"Yes always."
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yea-" Axel paused, thinking logically about this whole situation. "I'm fighting with a toddler. I've sunken pretty low. What do you think Rox?" Roxas just continued his innocent stare, not understanding what Axel was going on about.
A loud, low-pitched bell went off in a nearby hallway. Roxas jumped at the sound, clutching at the blankets. Axel sighed and picked Roxas up as he got out of bed.
"It's only the bell Rox. It goes off every morning." Roxas, who had buried his face into Axel's neck over fear, peeked up. He nodded in reply, even though he still clung to Axel tightly.
All of the organization members were given one small closet with three racks in it. They were to keep seven black cloaks on the top rack. One for each day of the week. On the middle rack of the closet, they were to keep seven corresponding pairs of black pants and shirts to wear under their cloaks. Their black boots went with that as well. The only time they were allowed to wear clothes of their choice were on their days off. For that reason, they were given a small bottom rack for those days. Not having much of a choice in clothing, Axel threw on his Organization attire, the whole time being closely watched by a curious toddler.
This of course was the part that was rather odd to him. After all it wasn't everyday he was under examination as he got dressed.
The redhead looked over himself in the mirror one last time. He smoothed over his hair, making sure it stayed in place before turning back to Roxas.
"Ready for breakfast?"
xXx
"Zexion!"
The cloaked schemer looked up from his book, sitting up a little straighter in one of the dining hall chairs. Zexion rolled his eyes, recognizing the voice as Xigbar's. Abruptly following the voice, a long grey ponytail swung in front of the teens face as the freeshooter defied gravity to sit on the ceiling above him.
"After a while, antics like that grow increasingly annoying and childish." Zexion ignored his superior and went back to reading his book
"Oh really?" Xigbar disappeared into a dark portal, reappearing beside Zexion's chair. "And didn't Xemnas tell you last week that reading at the table was strictly prohibited shorty?" He rested a hand on Zexion's shoulder.
"Xigbar! That wasn't very nice now!" Demyx, who had been snooping around by the door, finally entered the room and put a hand on Zexion's other shoulder. "Zexion is very sensitive about his height issues. It's not his fault he's so short!"
"I'm sure Vexen has some sort of growth potion in his lab. I think Zexion just Prefers to stay short."
"Or maybe he'd rather be proud of who he is rather then changing himself Xiggy."
Zexion clenched his teeth together, slamming his book closed to shut the two of them up.
"Does ANYONE mind!" He turned to the both of them with frustration radiating off of his very being.
Xigbar laughed. "Well, I was going to stay just to see how far I could push you today, but I can already see that Demyx has that covered without even trying." He waved his hand behind him as he walked off. Demyx ignored Xigbar's comment as he sat down in the seat beside Zexion.
"Number Nine," The purple haired teen sighed at the same time trying to go back to reading his book. "You are already aware that seat belongs to Vexen."
Demyx shrugged. "So, he can have my seat then."
Zexion was trying to be calm with Demyx. At least as calm as he could possibly be with how infuriated and uncomfortable he felt with the other days events. After that stunt Demyx pulled on him the last thing he wanted was the boy to sit next to him. Besides, why would Vexen ever want to sit next to Axel?
"You already had the nerve to publicly assault and degrade me." His eyes drifted away from the book, his focus lost to looking at the ground. Now looking back at what happened - his mind lost on that- reading became uninteresting. He was already the backbone of all Xigbar's jokes, this was just fuel to his never-ending fire.
"Look Zexion, I didn't want to embarrass you. I had to do what I had to do to help Axel, that's all." Demyx admitted. "And besides, I just want to sit here."
"Number nine, back to your seat!" The low, yet powerful voice of their leader entered the hall, followed by Vexen and Xaldin. The musician promptly ran around the table to his seat. "Six, the book goes away. Now!"
"Yes sir." He nodded, shoving the book under his chair. Xemnas looked around the room, noticing Axel's absence yet again.
"And for the Millionth time, Number eight would be where now?"
"No clue." Marluxia didn't sound all too saddened by the lack of Axel.
As the Superior got settled down at the table, the talking among the members grew to a low whisper with those around them. They all were used to the fact that once Xemnas entered, he could care less about what they had to say unless it had something to do with their primary mission.
Luxord, who was sitting right beside Larxene, leaned over to her to whisper. "What do you make of this whole Axel/Roxas situation?"
Larxene shrugged. "Pretty entertaining if you ask me. I think it's only going to be a matter of time before Axel falls right on his ass."
Luxord smirked, tilting his head towards her. "What say you to making this into a little bet? Just a game really." Larxene perked up. "For everyday Axel survives, you give me one hundred munny."
"And how exactly does this benefit me?" She crossed her arms.
"Because when and if he crashes as you say he will, I'll pay you all that you gave me. Plus double."
"So I take it you're on the side that thinks Axel can actually take care of a kid?" She got a nod out of Luxord.
Larxene flashed him a grin as the door swung open. Axel entered carrying Roxas. He took his usual seat next to Demyx and already Larxene picked up on how frustrated Axel was to be in possession of Roxas.
"You have yourself a deal."
The top of Roxas' head just met the top of the table. If he strained his neck, he could see a fresh breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon being laid out in front of every member. Xigbar walked past Roxas, smiling as he watched the toddler bounce up and down on his bottom to try to see over the table.
"Easy pipsqueak." Xigbar ruffled the toddler's already messy blond hair, just throwing it even more out of place. Roxas glanced over his shoulder, pursing his lips together in a pout. "Keep it up Roxas. Someday that look will make you famous." The toddler just continued to stare until Xigbar sat back down on the other side of the table.
"He didn't mean anything by it." Axel said before he took a forkful of his eggs. Roxas nodded, watching Axel eat his food. His own batch of eggs and bacon sat in front of him, although they didn't look the least bit appealing... or sugary. Downright disgusting compared to some of the finer foods out there.
"Axel... Can I have some ice cweam?"
"Just eat what you have."
"No. Ice cweam." Roxas reached his hand up and pushed his plate away with his pinky finger.
"No. Now just eat already." The redhead began to raise his voice. Roxas looked straight into his eyes, a toddler persuasion method.
"Then can I sit on youw lap please?" The toddler put on a charming smile, a plan in his head. Axel took another bite, giving a defeated nod. After quickly climbing into Axel's lap he reached a tiny hand into his caretakers plate.
"Hey!" Axel slapped Roxas's hand.
"But I want it!" Roxas looked back at him with a pout.
"Eat yours!"
"Youws looks bettew!"
"They're the same thing!"
"Axel!" Xemnas screamed across the table at the two of them. The redhead rolled his eyes, pushing his plate toward Roxas. For the millionth time he had given in to Roxas will.
"Just take it..."
Roxas blinked, looking down into Axel's plate. For some reason the meal didn't look all that appealing anymore. Not as appealing as it did when he was stealing it anyway. He looked back up at Axel,
"I'm not hungwey anymowe." He kissed the tip of Axel's nose before he slid off his lap. The toddler ran happily out the door and into another part of the castle to play. Axel growled in frustration. On the other hand, Larxene had burst out laughing.
"Pathetic performance Axel." She said through the laughter.
"Shut your fucking mouth Larxene!"
"Hey!" Xemnas yelled above him. "One more senseless outburst from you and you'll be cleaning this place from top to bottom. Understood?" Axel threw him a glare before calming himself down mentally.
The room grew quiet again with the only sound being the clang of forks onto the dishes. Suddenly a high-pitched scream came in from down the hall, and in ran a terrified looking Roxas. He quickly ran to Axel's chair so he could latch onto his leg. Slowly a black shadow grew on the floor, rising up right beside Roxas. His eyes grew big and his breathing quickened as he let out another scream. Axel quickly picked Roxas up to hold him close.
"I-it was in my woom last night!" Roxas buried his face into Axel's neck as its bug-like eyes gazed at him. As Axel was trying to calm him, Demyx smiled.
"Don't be afraid Roxas." Demyx stood from his seat to kneel beside the heartless. Roxas tilted his head a bit so that he could see what Demyx was doing. The musician reached over, carefully stroking the creature's head. "They're on our side. They don't hurt us." Demyx gave Axel a signal to set Roxas down. He did as he was instructed, pushing a still very nervous Roxas towards Demyx.
Everyone in the hall was silent, all eyes focused on Demyx to see what he would do.
"Don't be afraid." He repeated in a softer, more musical voice. Surprisingly, his voice alone seemed to calm Roxas as he held his hand out towards the creature. The tiny hand came into contact with its head. At first he pulled away quickly when the heartless flinched, but after noticing the creature didn't try to attack him but was merely leaning towards him, he reached out again. Demyx overlapped his hand with the toddlers, showing him the correct way to pet it.
All of Roxas's fears washed away. Actually, he had started to laugh at how silly he acted the other night upon seeing the heartless.
"Can he come with me?" He looked up at Demyx, who nodded in reply. He happily ran off. The heartless sunk down into the floor, scrambling off after Roxas.
xXx
Roxas stepped carefully through the plain white halls off the castle. Occasionally he would look behind him to make sure his newfound friend was still following him. The halls all seemed very new to him. Most things seemed new to him, even though he had been throughout the whole castle and met all the people. He hummed lightly to himself as he began to ascend a set of stairs. His heartless follower rose up from the ground, moving quickly past him up the staircase.
"Eh... Hey!" Roxas quickened his pace as best he could. The heartless lead Roxas up into another similar looking hallway. Roxas bit his bottom lip, feeling a strange sense of nostalgia coming from this unexplored place. The hall only seemed to contain a single door and a set of stairs if you continued farther down. The heartless continued up the other set of stairs, but Roxas was more interested in the door. Curiously he pushed it open, poking his head through.
A delicate little girl sat at a long white table on the other side of the room. Her head was tilted downwards as she appeared to be working really hard on something. A piece of her golden hair fell into her face, her pale lips pursed together. The room seemed large, and contained only a few pieces of furniture. The room appeared as if the girl in it were being kept inside with no intent what so ever on leaving.
The girl didn't even seem to notice Roxas enter. He walked along the walls, admiring the well-drawn pictures scattered across them.
"You dwew these?" The girl let out a gasp, picking her head up from her work. Once she saw the source of the voice she gave a timid yet beautiful smile, she nodded.
"Yes, I did. And you...might... be?" She stood up to move closer to her visitor. Looking deep into his electric blue eyes she recognized him immediately. "Roxas?"
This time he nodded. Namines' smile grew larger. How one of her most frequent visitors came to be...well, so small, she did not know. It was pretty amusing though. Not to mention adorable. His face was much more chubbier than his older self, his voice was higher and his clothes hung from his body. She resisted the girlish urge to let out a high-pitched giggled and squeeze him to death.
"We'we you dwawing mowe pictuwes?" Roxas looked back up at her wall of art. She giggled at his mispronunciation of almost every word in that sentence.
"Yes I was." Namine looked over at the table where a large mess of pencils, markers and paper lay, just ready to be used. "Would you like to join me?"
xXx
The mass of nobodies sat high in their chairs located in the meeting hall. All ready for this weeks chore wheel to be spun, discuss current Organization problems, and prepare mission schedules. Marluxia was the only exception. He had taken off shortly after breakfast to take a shower, which of course now made him late for the meeting. Maybe that was one of the reason Xemnas didn't look very pleased. Of course another one could have been every ones frequent arguments and lack of effort lately.
"In response to recent events, you will all be getting eight mission this week instead of the usual four. Maybe keeping you all busy will exhaust you into a false sense of unity. That of course will mean double the training this week." A tired groan sounded throughout the room. "The only exception is Axel, who will be taking full responsibility for this latest mishap. Demyx is to assist when necessary. Speaking of which, I want this corrected immediately. Saix, Luxord, and Larxene, you are to report to every world Roxas has visited in the past week and report any abnormalities that could be the cause. Other-wise research will continue as usually with- "
"Xemnas!" A dark portal appeared below the high meeting chairs. Marluxia emerged wearing nothing but a towel around his waist and dripping wet pink hair hanging behind him. A chorus of gasps could be heard around the meeting hall, as well as a few sinking lower in their seats.
"Jeez Marly, what was your goal this time? Blind us all?" Axel smirked. Xemnas tilted his head back, trying his best not to have an outburst. How he got stuck with such a group of misfits was beyond his comprehension.
"What Number Eleven?" Irritation apparent in his voice.
"Are you aware that there is no shampoo left?" Marluxia's voice appeared deathly serious. A round of exasperated sighs sounded from the higher ups.
"No, I was not aw-"
"But now that you mention it," Larxene interrupted. Her reason wasn't just a complaint. With Luxords bet in place, the torture dealt out to Axel suddenly became a top priority. Larxene leaned forward with a sinister smirk. "We are running low on a lot of other things as well. Mouthwash for example. I believe that would be Zexion's fault."
Demyx slowly lifted his hood over his face.
Xigbar, who sat close to Zexion in the meeting room looked over with a sly smirk.
"Just say it already," Zexion snapped at the older man, "my dignity is obviously non-existent."
"Oh! But look at this! We are all going to be busy with extra missions today. That is, except for Axel of course." Larxene chimed in.
"There is no way I'm going on a lousy shopping mission! I'm strictly combat!" Axel shouted. Larxene ignored him and continued.
"He needs to get clothes for Roxas anyway. We can't have the poor thing running around in Axel's clearly unsuitable clothes now can we?"
Axel shook his head slowly, all his malice being thrown in Larxene's direction.
"Then it's settled." The superior spoke. "Axel is to do this weeks shopping duty. He is to take Roxas with him as well."
Demyx quickly raised his hands as if he were a student in school.
"Can I go too!" He didn't wait to be called on.
Axel slapped his own forehead. "I'm already taking one child. Why not just take the other one." His voice laced with bitterness to show his apparent sour mood.
"Shopping missions aren't THAT bad Axel… I go on them all the time!" Demyx's smile fell. Hurt by Axel's insult, he sat back in his seat.
The superior raised his hand to silence them.
"Demyx traveling with you is acceptable seeing as he still did not receive punishment for his earlier misconduct."
"Zexion." Xemnas looked over at the teen sitting in the seat beside him. Zexion was looking off to the side, trying desperately to block out every ones voice, especially after Larxene brought up his embarrassing moment with Demyx. Upon feeling his superiors gaze on him, he looked up. "If I'm not mistaken you were assigned a day off today after that brilliant report you presented to me, am I correct?"
"Correct." He sat up a straighter in his seat. Once again he began to feel confident with the subject moving to the strength of his work.
"I will try to schedule you another day off in the near future. I want you to accompany Axel, Roxas and Demyx on their trip." Zexion's eyes widened.
"What!" He gave Xemnas what appeared to be an are-you-completely-out-of-your-mind look. "This is absolutely absurd sir! I'm a higher up, this is menial work!" He looked to Axel, who was clearly smirking as a silent form of revenge for ruining his plan of hiding Roxas.
"I want a superior to go with them to keep order. We've already disgust the recent lack of discipline around this castle. Disobedience will be punished Zexion. Am I clear? Zexion, Axel, Roxas and Demyx. You are to take the gummi ship into town."
Axel raised his eyebrow. "The gummi ship? Why not a portal?"
"Portals are dangerous as is. Bringing a child through to the corridors of darkness wouldn't be very intelligent now would it?" Axel rolled his eyes when Xemnas turned his head. "Now Nine, you are to help Six prepare the ship, Eight, go fetch the child. As for the rest of you, we begin training."
xXx
Namine walked down the hall with Roxas, holding his tiny hand safely in her own. Roxas was going on about everything that had taken place over the past two days. Taking a long amount of time to put praise on Axel. In one hand Roxas held a picture he had drawn with Namine. Of course the girl had helped him a bit with the picture, Roxas was still very proud of how well it had turned out. Right in the middle of explaining what took place at dinner the past night, Roxas caught sight of Axel coming from the other side of the hall.
"Axey!" He slipped his hand away from Namine's grasp. Running at full speed, he flew right into Axel's arms. He nuzzled his face into Axel's hair, loving the familiar scent of his caretaker. Namine approached Axel as well.
"How did this happen?" She asked shyly. She wasn't used to talking to the Organization freely. If she did, they usually gave her some menial assignment or taunted her in someway.
Axel shrugged. "Shouldn't you be working on something?"
The redhead had always felt a jealously towards the fair-haired girl. As a teenager, Roxas would spend a lot of time with Namine. He was always going up to her room to keep her company. He would go on about how he thought the way Namine was treated sometimes was an injustice. A few times Roxas had even canceled plans with Axel to spend time with Namine.
He figured Roxas was probably nice enough to just pity Namine. She was the sort you just HAD to pity... Her and her somber face and lack of freedom. Roxas was just too nice, that was the problem. No matter where the problem lied, Axel was never comfortable with Namine. No matter how much Roxas would tell him to be kind to her, he couldn't bring himself to the level of friendship those two had.
He noticed Roxas smiling at Namine.
"We should go now." Axel turned sharply on the confused girl, walking down the hall with Roxas in his arms.
"Wait!" Namine ran to catch up with them quickly. While Axel tried his hardest to ignore her and keep up his pace, her persistence got the best of him.
"What do you want now?"
"I just wanted to say goodbye." The girl flinched. "You can come and visit me anytime you want, okay?" She reached up and affectionately ran her fingers through his delicate blond hair, a small wink in her eye. She didn't even get a passing glance from Axel as he picked back up with his walking.
"I can see him again, right?" She nervously shouted back at Axel. She got nothing in reply.
xXx
The Organization had one gummi ship that they rarely used. Why used something that took forever to drive when it was so much easier to portal directly there, right?
Zexion, being the one who knew how to actually drive the ship, sat in the front seat, his hands carefully on the steering wheel. He couldn't believe Xemnas would think so low of him as to send him on a useless shopping mission. Usually things like that were dumped on whomever Xemnas disliked most that week. He couldn't even come up with one good reason as to why he deserved punishment such as this. Why? He understood The Superior was getting fed up with the recent antics, and that someone needed to keep them in line, but Zexion was a scientist, not a babysitter.
But why with Demyx of all Nobodies! It was Xemnas who detested these displays of emotion and certainly Demyx wasn't going to stop at a simple kiss.
Axel sat beside Zexion in a front seat. In a bored, and slightly agitated state, Axel drummed his fingers on the armrest of his seat. His mind still weighted down with the annoyance that Roxas found Namine. He was hoping to avoid her, especially with Roxas in this state. Little girls and cute little kids went hand in hand. Axel shook his head. 'Why do I care?' he drummed his fingers harder against the armrest, watching Zexion flinch every time a soft tap echoed throughout the vessel. 'If Roxas cared for Namine... he should be allowed to right?' He let out a loud groan.
In the back seat, Demyx sat beside Roxas, Demyx stretched his legs against Zexion's seat to get comfortable, causing the cloaked schemer to grip the controls tighter to stop himself from being pushed right into the steering wheel.
In the seat beside him, Roxas gave a huff and crossed his pudgy little arms.
"Bored?" Demyx had a smirk on his face. Roxas nodded his head several times as if to confirm his boredom. "Wanna play the bug Axey and Zexy game?" Roxas's eyes grew big.
"How do you play?"
Demyx drew in a long breath before,
"Are we there yet?"
Roxas giggled, as Axel and Zexion both seemed to grow tense. Demyx smirked, knowing the exact sort of trouble he was about to start.
"Awe we thewe yet?" Roxas followed Demyx's lead. "Awe we thewe yet?...Awe we thewe yet?"
Axel slammed his fist on his armrest, turning to face the back seats. "Demyx!"
"I'm not even doing it anymore!" He laughed as he watched the toddler continue the work that he had started.
"Awe we thewe yet?"
A/N- Well, that's it for chapter five. Once again, sorry for the long wait. But schools done now.
Oh and when I was referring to Roxas' look He gave Xigbar. Remember the look Sora gave Xigbar and Xigbar said "That's right, He used to give me the same look." ?
Well... there it is :D