Disclaimer- Guess who owns nothing? –Raises hand-

Warnings- those of the male gender at the mall... Nuff said.

A/N- Well, I've had an interesting week as far as writing goes. I keep getting interrupted right as I sit down to begin writing. It's like GAH! My moms all, "Let's watch a movie!" and then my friends were like "Let's throw a surprise party!" People don't like leaving me alone do they?... Well, here's chapter six! So far the LONGEST chapter yet. I was going to split it in two, but I decided against it.

Protecting Me

Chapter 6: Boys and Shopping Don't Mix

Hold me tight with all your might And you'll never let me go

Protecting me...

"I've never been to this mall before." Demyx gaped at the size.

The whole mall was much too overwhelming for Roxas's small eyes to take in all at once. His big cerulean blue eyes scanned every drop of it darting back and forth quickly. Florescent lights hung overhead to light the various displays and shops. All of which Roxas mumbled something about wanting to go in, even if the store held no interest to him. A Repetitive elevator music like tune played from almost every speaker. Slowly, it was driving the other three crazy. Roxas held tightly to Axel's shirt. All three older members changed out of their cloaks and into their street clothes so that they wouldn't get singled out in a public place. They looked the same as any normal citizen browsing the mall and less like members of a criminal organization. Mostly Roxas got to see the whole mall over Axel's shoulder, and past his crimson red hair. A bright blue flag hung down from the ceiling bearing in big letters:

T w i l i g h t. T o w n. M a l l.

His tiny chubby hand reached up to try to take hold of it, but just fell short of grabbing it.

"It's right here." The short purple haired teen, who had apparently made himself the groups self-appointed leader, pointed over to a large board in the middle of the malls courtyard. The board was scattered with color coded squares and circles that were Supposed to represent shops. "Four stories?" Zexion's visible eye widened. "It didn't look that big from the outside."

"So this is basically going to take forever." Demyx appeared beside Zexion. Axel pushed both of them aside so that he could see. He looked up at the directory with a serious expression. Roxas did the same.

"Let's go to that stowe!" Roxas outstretched his finger, pointing to a store colored in yellow, taking up the opinion of someone who changed their favorite color every twenty-four hours... Today's color being yellow apparently. Axel couldn't help but smirk, seeing as the store he pointed to was a ladies lingerie store.

"Let's not and say we did." He hugged Roxas tighter to his being.

Zexion came up next to Axel looking awfully offended about being shoved aside so carelessly. He pulled out the list of items they needed to buy from the pocket of his pants. His eyes quickly scanned the list and in his head he began to match them to their correct stores. Zexion's was a mastermind when it came to memorization. He was able to remember many tiny details and at the same time see a larger picture. It was only a matter of seconds before Zexion had memorized the list and the stores locations.

Demyx gave Zexion a confused look as he worked, looking over his shoulder at the lengthy list. He glanced up at a large Victorian style clock that hung over the directory reading 3pm.

"This is going to take forever! I'm going to miss my show…" The musician's eyes went back and forth between Zexion and Axel, waiting for someone to sympathies with him. Zexion looked up from the list to meet his gaze.

"Maybe it's for the best, too much television can have very negative effects."

Demyx laughed. "No it doesn't, I watch it all the time!"

"I rest my case." The illusionist mind went back to planning, failing to see the angry look Demyx cast him.

Demyx was starting to get sick of how often he was being insulted by everyone in the organization lately. Even more so, he hated how no one noticed how upset he became after these seemingly harmless cheap shots. Demyx wasn't dumb, far from it. If he was, then chances are he would have never been allowed in the Organization. He was just more carefree was all. He was all for lying back or joking casually to try to make someone laugh. He just didn't understand why everyone took that as 'Demyx is obviously dumb!'

Zexion took out a pen and began to write all over the list. Store locations and other important information next to the items they needed to buy. "To make everything much quicker I have written the corresponding stores next to the items." Zexion spoke up, tearing Demyx from his thoughts. He tore the list in half. "It would be much easier is we split up into pairs."

Axel smirked, patting Zexion on the head as if to award him a good job. His action did nothing more then help Zexion slip further into his cynical mood. "Since I obviously have Roxas, then I guess you and Demyx here are shopping buddies." He took his half of the list.

Much to Demyx's disappointment, Zexion's simple response was to turn and walk in the opposite direction.

Demyx turned to Axel, eyes focused dejectedly on his feet. He figured Zexion wouldn't want to go with the Organizations least intelligent member.

"I don't think he wants me to go wit-"

"Are you coming?"

Demyx looked up to see Zexion calling to him from over his shoulder. With his usual grin in place and his past anger gone, he went running after Zexion, waving a quick goodbye to Axel and Roxas. Axel shook his head. 'Demyx is going to drive poor Zexion up a wall, I just know it.'

xXx

Roxas held a look of pure enthusiasm now that him and Axel were alone. Not that he didn't enjoy the company of his other caretaker, but Axel was always a favorite. Finally getting to explore the mall on their own, Axel held his half of the list out in front of him. At the same time he was careful not to run into the other shoppers, all equally engrossed in their agendas.

"Let's see... We have to get shampoo for Marluxia, mouthwash, soda, ice cream for me, clothes for you." Axel finished up reading, not noticing that Roxas's eyes had gone wide and his mouth hung slightly open.

"Axey?" The redhead turned his head to Roxas leaning over his shoulder.

"What are you staring at?" His eyebrows rose as he tried to follow the direction of Roxas's eyes. His observations lead him to see that Roxas's eyes had landed on a large lite up sign that read:

A r c a d e

The high pitched bells and flashing lights of the machines inside, a giant rack full of stuffed animals being awarded to winners, and the smiling faces of the children inside all took hold of Roxas's attention. Axel pushed his mouth closed, knowing what was coming next. "That's the arcade, and no. We're not going in. We're to busy." He quickened his pace to get past it. Roxas crossed his arms, wearing an adorable pout, complete with watery eyes to match.

"'s not faiw..." His small voice spoke out, making Axel stop dead in his tracks. He clenched his teeth together, trying to keep his composure. He didn't know why it happened, but every time Roxas spoke in that small helpless voice, he crumbled inside. It happened before, and it was happening now. Looking at Roxas didn't help at all. The second he did, his tiny lip gave a quiver. Axel groaned loudly. Why did he have to be so easy when it came to Roxas?

"Do you really want to go in?" Roxas went into a fit of head nods.

Hesitantly, Axel carried Roxas into the noisy brightly colored room. "We probably have time. No doubt Demyx tied Zexion up with something senseless as well."

xXx

Demyx walked slowly and uncomfortably close to Zexion. This whole mall was driving Zexion's sensitive nose insane. The heavy scent of various foods mingling together and the smell of many people jammed into one area equaled one word: Sweat. It was beginning to make him dizzy. The odd thing was, the smell wasn't the thing that was really bothering Zexion. No, but what was bothering him was the fact that Demyx had fallen silent shortly after their departure from Axel. Not that Zexion didn't treasure this rare silence, but it was very uncharacteristic of Demyx to be this quiet.

The blond let out a loud sigh, watching his feet as they shuffled across the tiled floor of the mall. Sometimes he swore he got zero respect amongst his fellow Organization members. Maybe he wasn't as intelligent as Zexion, or as agile as Axel, but he certainly had his strong points that made him a valuable asset to the Organization. Insult upon insult was adding up, he really thought Zexion's cheap shot was the last straw.

"Zexion?" With a deep breath, he finally muttered his name. When Demyx heard a quick 'yeah' from Zexion, he continued. "I'm sorry about what I did to you the other day and I'm sure in a few days everyone will forget all about it, but that comment back there was uncalled for and I demand and apology."

"I'm not apologizing when I was merely stating the fact that too much television-"

"We're working for the same Organization. We're supposed to be friends!... Or at least get along."

"I don't have to get along with-" Zexion spoke before taking in what Demyx had said. When he finally realized it, he stopped walking. "We're not a part of the Organization to make "friends". We're colleagues. That's all. I have no friends."

"Well I consider you a friend. A stubborn, uptight pain, but still a friend."

Demyx continued speaking, venting his displeasure, but for Zexion it seemed to be going in one ear and out the other. Zexion's mind was still stuck on what Demyx had said. Had Demyx just called him a friend? Zexion was never one to get too close to anyone. He did have those he could turn to in need. Lexaeus, for example, was always like a mentor to him. But never before had anyone vocalized a declaration of friendship to him before.

"-And everyone keeps saying I'm dumb just because I like to joke every now and then! I just think you people need to lighten-" Zexion put a hand in the air to shut Demyx up.

"Apology accepted, Friendship is another thing entirely. I was publicly humiliated after all." Zexion smirked.

"Soooo," Demyx swept a hand across the back of his neck, "is that a yes? We're friends?"

"It's a maybe. A very slim maybe."

Demyx's mouth curled into a smile, apparently a maybe was all he needed, and in a matter of seconds he had his arms wrapped around Zexion. The cloaked Schemer could feel his face heat up below his hair as Demyx squeezed tighter.

"Do you really mean it?"

"Only if instances like this cease entirely." Zexion shuffled out of Demyxs' grip, walking fast in front of him to avoid his heated face from being seen. Of course the giggling girls, who spotted him while walking out of a nearby store could have clued Demyx in on what Zexion was hiding.

"Hey, by the way, I'm sorry for that kiss. You have to admit though, if you were more cooperative that kiss would have been a good one!"

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

xXx

"Gimme gimme gimme!" Roxas jumped up and down in front of Axel with his chubby hand outstretched. Axel dropped some golden tokens into it. As the toddler ran off to the skeeball table, he followed. It was really no surprise at all to him that Roxas was naturally attracted to the arcade. His teenage counterpart was highly competitive. Oddly enough, skeeball was what used to be Roxas' specialty. The blond used to be able to shame Axel at a game on a good day. Roxas turned to Axel with his tongue stuck out.

"Bettcha I can beat youw pants off Axey!" Axel raised his eyebrows, not expecting that one at all.

"Are you threatening me half pint?"

Roxas replied with a smirk of his own as he popped a token into the machine. Not one to turn down a challenge, Axel popped a token of his own in. The lights on the machine flashed as the game begun.

"Just don't cry when you lose Rox."

Perhaps it was teenage Roxas's highly competitive nature still somewhere in there that caused him to challenge Axel, but it certainly didn't help him win. After playing for several minutes, Roxas still hadn't gotten a single ball to go in. He jumped to try to sink a ball into the lowest hole, but once again, it rolled right back down into his hands, and once again Axel got another thousand point shot.

His short arms put him at a disadvantage. Where he would normally just reel his arm back and release, he now had to stretch and strain himself ,yet he still fell rather short.

"This is stupid!" Roxas threw the ball at the ground, going into sulk mode.

Axel on the other hand was too busy to notice. Right in the middle of a cheer, after beating his last games high score, the lights surrounding the game flickered off.

"Hey what-" Axel looked down to see Roxas's little fist smashing down the 'hold balls' button.

"Let's go some whewe else..." Roxas looked down at the ground.

Axel took a wild guess, thinking that Roxas seemed more embarrassed over his loss then upset. He used to be a kick ass video game player, or at least, much better then Axel ever was. Loosing seemed to strike a nerve in the blond, especially after his normal before game gloating.

"Rox..." Axel leaned down, pulling Roxas onto his lap. "I thought you wanted to play? You love this game." He noticed Roxas examining the machine. He really looked like he still wanted to play.

"I can't..."

Axel shook his head, scooping him up into his arms. The redhead stood Roxas right up on the alley of the skeeball table, slipping another token into the slot.

"It's all about focus Roxas. Mind over matter." Axel took a ball from the machine, putting it into Roxas's hand. He positioned his own hand under Roxas's, leaning his knees on the alley so he was pressed against Roxas tiny body. "Don't take your eyes off the hole your aiming for and put all your strength into it." Axel brought Roxas' hand back before thrusting it forward, causing him to release the ball.

A moment of silence between the two of them before suddenly the machine began to buzz and the lights flashed. The ball fell right into the five thousand-point hole. Roxas emitted a high-pitched giggle, turning to wrap his arms tightly around Axel's neck, who was just as equally surprised.

"Axey! Did you see it! Did you see that!" He jumped down from the table, grabbing the ribbon of tickets that came from his and Axel's game. Axel hadn't even aimed for the five thousand-point hole, that was entirely Roxas's doing.

'I was just beat at one of my favorite games by a toddler. ' The whole thing was laughable really. The redhead felt a tug at his jacket. He bent down once again to Roxas's level.

"Thank you Ax." The blond quickly pressed his lips to Axel's cheek.

With his eyes closed, Axel's mind couldn't help but deceive him once more. It was a strange, twisted illusion that disguised such an innocent kid into a tall slender being that just happened to be plaguing Axel's mind. The only problem was that it was all a hoax. The kid pulled away smiling innocently, and what was an ever so chaste kiss could have turned into a possible lawsuit if anyone had been allowed to look into Axel's mind.

'He's three! Not fifteen! Whose side are you on!' Axel stood up quickly, turning away from Roxas. 'Great, now I'm talking to myself... but if my mind would just work with me, I wouldn't be having this fight!' He smiled down at Roxas.

"Yeah. Any time."

Roxas blinked, not catching Axel's sudden change in composure. He grabbed hold of Axel's hand, pulling him in another direction.

"Can I go get a pwize now?"

"Yeah, go get your stupid prize you cheater."Axel laughed, pushing Roxas towards the table in front of a giant wall of stuffed animals. Roxas was greeted by the smiling face of a rather obese man, The prize man looked over the counter at Roxas.

"And what can I get for you today young man?"

Axel leaned against a wall nearby the prize counter, waiting for Roxas to finish up so they could finally leave to get their shopping done. He didn't even remember what was on his half of the list. His thoughts had all jumbled together inside his own mind. This sudden perception of Roxas... it wasn't right! But it wasn't going away either!

It needed to stop! The only way he could get it to stop was by telling the kid to knock off the cute three-year-old act! On the other hand, the kid was only three. He didn't know how to act any different.

That's when he heard said nobodies high-pitched voice below him. In Roxas's arms lay a small plushie shaped to look like a heartless, with its big round yellow button eyes. Roxas was busy fixing its movable antennas.

"Maybe you like those heartless a little too much Rox." Axel picked him up, seeing as Roxas was now satisfied with his arcade visit.

"Wanna know what I named him?"

"What?"

"His name is Sowa." Roxas rested his head on Axel's shoulder as he hugged Sora close.

Axel bit his bottom lips, now side glancing at Roxas. He found it incredibly awkward that of all names in the worlds, Roxas chose that of his other. A name Roxas wasn't even supposed to know of!

"And what made you name him Sora?" Axel's mind was in a slight panic. For if Roxas knew of Sora, then surely more questions would arrive pertaining to his existence. The more Roxas knew about Sora, Axel knew in the back of his mind, that he would detach himself from the Organization because of it. He got a shrug from Roxas.

"You don't like it?"

"Huh? No no I like it." Axel shook his head when he saw Roxas only had a look of distress on his face, only having wanted Axel's acceptance.

"I just thought of it. It's nice." Earning a smile from Roxas. Axel smiled back, just glad that the name wasn't sparked by memories. An uneasiness still came from the fact that he knew the name, but he supposed if that's really what Roxas wanted...

xXx

Demyx sat casually on a bench outside of a bath and beauty shop, sipping on a cherry soda that Zexion had bought for him to keep him occupied. The illusionist had decided that shopping would go by much quicker if Demyx waited outside, and so he did. Speaking of whom, Zexion exited said store carrying a large bag full of items Larxene requested in one hand. The other hand was feverishly scratching at his nose. All the different perfume and lotion smells in the store blended together to drive Zexion's heightened sense of smell up a wall. He held the bag out to Demyx.

"Here take it." He said before leaning the other way to sneeze.

"You know, I could have gone in there for you if the smell bothers you that much." Demyx hopped up from the bench, tossing his empty soda in the trash. He followed close behind to their next destination.

"No, I'm fine. It's something I've grown used to."

For the most part, the horrid smell was weakening enough so that Zexion's nose only occasionally twitched. He pulled the list from his pocket, crossing off Larxenes' body wash. "We have to go down to the first floor again. They have a plant store where we can pick up most of -"

Zexion looked beside him, thinking he was talking to Demyx, but the Melodious Nocturne was gone. "Nine!"

"Zexy! Over here!" He spotted the musician with his face pressed up against a display window. Right above the cheap store glass, a sign read:

S i t a r s 'R u s

"We have to go in!" Demyx looked into the store full of amazement. Never before had he seen so many in one place. Many different models of sitars were set up in the window, taunting Demyx from the inside.

"We have to finish shopping." Zexion tried to tug Demyx away from the store, but since Demyx was naturally taller, he was able to tug Zexion right into the store after him. Demyx pulled Zexion close enough so that they walked nearly arm in arm. It was at that point where Zexion was willing to take back his apology. Walking arm in arm with another man? Him being inexperience with this side of 'friendship', it seemed more degrading then pleasurable.

Some girls walking into the store nudged each other and began giggling wildly at the boys. This of course caused Zexion's mind to flash back wildly to the other morning, being pinned against his will to the back wall, Xigbar doubled over in laughter. His face heated in a blush. A barely noticeable one, but he knew his average facial temperature... This wasn't normal.

Demyx stopped in the middle of the store right in front of a sleek black sitar propped up for testing purposes. The Sitarist mouth grew wide, his fingers moving to touch the neck of the instrument.

"Do you know what this is?" He turned to Zexion, almost as if he expected to see the same enthusiasm. Musical appreciation was most wasted on the teen, seeing as most of it sounded like noise to him. Truthfully, Zexion really didn't care. He answered with a shrug. "This is the pro electric sitar two thousand! They only made about fifty of these! Have you ever played?"

"I'm not into music."

"Well, give it a try! Can't hurt ya!"

"I really can't play." As Zexion protested, Demyx picked up the sitar. He lifted it over Zexions' head, putting the strap over the shorter nobodies shoulder. The whole time, Zexion tried to back away to dismiss any embarrassment before it came.

"Oh come on! It'll be fun to try." Demyx pressed his body against Zexion from behind, wrapping his arms around his lithe form to help Zexion position his fingers. Their fingers slid perfectly together to rest on the strings.

Was there no end? Zexion could feel his face burn a deep crimson as his breathing grew shallow. Why every finger the blond touched suddenly began to tingle was beyond his comprehension. In an attempt to stop further embarrassment, Zexion moved his hips forward so they weren't touching. The girls in the store didn't help at all either. They turned to each other and began whispering something about "Cute couple."

Why did Demyx feel the need to put him in these compromising positions? It started out with an unnecessary kiss to pull his attention in a different direction. But now... there was no need for this! There was no distracting to be done, just Demyx and his need to invade the confines of people's personal space.

Demyx cupped Zexion's fingers as he moved them to play a few notes. The notes strung together to form a very novice song.

"See? Come on, how can you hate music." Demyx whispered into his ear, something completely unintentional. He was just in the musical zone. A shiver ran down Zexion's already tense spine. He pulled abruptly from the musicians grip.

"We have to be moving along." He pushed past Demyx, setting the sitar back down on its stand. "We have a lot to do. No more stalling."

"Fine." Demyx took in a deep breath, letting it out as a loud sigh that seemed to echo off the walls. "They've only made about fifty of these sitars," He dragged his feet along the carpeted floor. "and I will probably neeeeeever ever see another one like this again." He walked slower. "But here I go, following you out of the store."

The desperation in Demyx's voice caused Zexion to turn.

"Xemnas only gave me enough for what's on the list. The rest is from my paycheck and I'm using it to buy books. So we're leaving."

"But your books will always be there." A tanned, slightly muscular arms latched onto Zexion's. "They only made fifty of these sitars, and they're not making anymore Zex." Demyx's blue eyes looked up, burning a hole into the dark eyes he was staring into.

xXx

Sora happily rode on the top of Roxas's mop top head, trying to balance as his new owner followed closely after Axel.

"Hey, would you look who it is?" When Roxas looked up he saw a smirk wipe across Axel's confident face, his eyes locked on the others that were coming down the hall towards them.

Zexion, his sleek slate hair covered his normal unreadable expression, and Demyx, who was pulling along a large sitar shaped box behind him.

"We're done now right?" Demyx held a hopeful smile on his oblivious face.

"Haven't even started yet." Axel turned tentatively to the children's clothing store he was about to enter before seeing them, one hand brushing through his hair. Truthfully feeling completely averse to going in.

"What? My show will be on in five minutes!"

"I should have known you'd once again show incompetence ." Zexion strode past Axel, picking the list out of his pocket. "I'll finish both our lists and meet you back here." He turned, headed in the direction he had previously come from. Out of the corner of his visible eye he saw Demyx take a step forward. "Alone!"

Axel's pale hand appeared on the musicians shoulder to hold him back.

"There's an electronics store right across the hall. I'm sure they have a TV you can watch." His head perked up.

Demyx ran right into the store, his eyes growing large at the sight of a wall covered in big screen televisions. A mix of colors and channels washed over Demyx leaving him in awe. Using the sample remote the store was so generous at supplying to him, he switched the channel to his favorite music countdown. He settled down on the floor, experiencing the pure joy that came from watching his favorite show over the range of about forty big screens and surround sound speakers.

With way less enthusiasm, Axel disappeared into his own store.

Obnoxious didn't even begin to cover the interior appearance of this store. The walls were the strangest mesh of the brightest reds, yellows and blues that Axel had ever seen. Other noisy brats ran around the store since they were completely uninterested in the clothes their parents were picking out... not that Roxas was one of those brats. No, he was different from this bunch of riff-raff. Even if he screwed up big time, one of those adorable forgive me kisses easily shoved the mistake to the back of Axel's mind.

"Go play Rox. I'll only be a second." Axel set him down, nudging him to go play with the other kids. Roxas looked up at him with a nervous expression.

"I can't play with them!" He looked back over at the kids to see one boy shove another to the floor. Axel rolled his eyes. While Roxas was the same in a lot of ways, during his transformation he obviously lost his bravery.

"Well then try to stay out of my way for a few minutes." He ruffled Roxas's hair before turning to scan the store.

Looking through the clothes, they were just as bad as the walls. No wonder why none of the kids were interested in them. They caused Axel to wrinkle his nose in disgust. Even if Roxas was only a little kid, never would he disgrace his best friend so much as to dress him in such bubble gum pop clothes. Finally his eyes resisted on a rack in the back of the store that held black dress pants and white shirts. Good enough for him.

Axel started to sort through the rack of clothing with Roxas patiently by his side, pulling out only the clothes with muted colors and set them on the floor by his feet. He was so caught up in looking for clothes that he didn't realize Roxas crouching beside him, hanging up all the clothes he had picked out back on a different rack.

The toddler wrinkled his nose when he noticed his caretaker making even more of a mess of the stores floor.

When Axel thought he had enough, he leaned down to pick up the clothes, only to see Roxas hanging up the last shirt on the floor. All of them! Every single one was gone! Five perfectly good minutes of his life wasted because Roxas had suddenly turned into a neat freak.

"Roxas!" The toddler looked up, his head tilted to the side. "Did you just put all of those clothes back?"

"You wewe makin' a mess!"

"I needed somewhere to put them!" Axel slapped his hand to his face, his voice grew tired. He picked out the white shirt Roxas had put back onto the rack and dropped it into a heap on the floor. "I need to put these here!"

"NO!" Roxas grabbed the shirt again and put it back. "I need ta put it back!"

"Do you want to run around naked then?" Axel took the shirt out.

"NO!" And Roxas once again put the shirt back.

At this point Axel was at the end of his short fuse with Roxas. The day had already been unbearably long and dealing with a persistent toddler really wasn't helping. He picked up the blond, bringing him to the front entrance of the store.

"Demyx is just across the hall, go straight to him and stay there, you hear me?"

"I wanna help you!"

"Roxas," Axel held in any anger... This was getting difficult. "Go. to. Demyx."

Roxas didn't move.

"If you make me have to say it again Roxas, I swear!"

Roxas looked up with an angry pout before running off.

It was only about a half an hour later when Axel exited the store, carrying several bags of shirts, shoes, pants and socks all for Roxas. After listening to those horribly loud children, dealing with an annoying sales clerk on top of Roxas he was ready to collapse into bed.

"Ready?" A voice came from behind him

Axel turned slowly, his hand rubbing at his neck. Zexion stood behind him, carrying several bags of his own.

"If you mean ready to collapse, then yeah, I'm ready." The redhead shuffled into the electronics store, followed by Zexion. They found Demyx laying on the floor in front of the wall of big screen TV's, watching them all with fascination. Surprisingly he was alone.

"Where's Roxas, we're leaving."

Demyx twitched at Axel's voice. He pushed himself up on his elbows to see them better. "What do you mean where is Roxas? You took him in the store with you."

"I sent him in here for you to watch him."

"He never came in here." Demyx stood up and shrugged, worry apparent in his voice.

"Well he's gone then!"

"Calm down," Zexion hushed them before the both of them burst into some sort of panic. He thrust his nose into the air. "he did pass by here."

Roxas's scent was difficult to pinpoint since it required him zoning in on one specific scent while the mall was filled with so many different ones he had to try to ignore. Soon Roxas's familiar scent of chocolate and apple pie filled his nose. He stepped out into the hall, focusing intensely as Demyx and Axel followed close behind in a panic.

The searches lead them into a large square filled with a ton of people all waiting for the grand opening of a new store. Zexion bit his lip as many new smells mixed with Roxas's and overtook his senses.

"Lost it..." He tried to look for Roxas in the crowed.

"What do you mean? You can't tell me he's gone!" Axel took hold of Zexion's shoulders, shaking him lightly.

"He's not gone." Zexion hit his hands away.

"Well then find him!"

"There are too many smells."

"Try harder!"

"Axel..." A tug on his jacket came from the Melodious Nocturne, whose eyes were fixed on an ice cream shop across from them. "Isn't that Roxas in there with that girl?"

Indeed Demyx was right. Sitting in one of the chairs in the ice cream shop was a girl with curly brunette hair and a shy smile. She held out an ice cream to Roxas who quickly accepted. In one fluid motion, Axel ran into the shop, scooping Roxas up into his arms before he could take the ice cream.

"Roxas! What's the matter with you running off like that? I told you to go straight to Demyx!"

Roxas looked up at Axel with a guilty face. "'m sowwy! I didn't mean ta." He buried his face in Axel's neck. The redhead turned to the girl, who had stood up looking ready to protect the defenseless toddler should this man be a threat.

"And you!" He pointed accusingly. "Who do you think you are trying to kidnap him?"

"What? Kidnap!" The girl set her hands on her hips. "I found him standing in the middle of the mall crying. He was lost! I was only trying to help him find who he had lost!"

He felt a squeeze around his neck from Roxas, the toddler shook in his arms.

Axel's mouth formed an 'oh'. "Then what was the ice cream for?" His mind was still focused on accusations.

"How else was I supposed to calm him down? He was crying so hard I could barely understand him." She too was on her guard.

"Don't be mad at Olette Axey." As Roxas looked up, Axel noticed dried tear stains on his face. Apparently this girl, Olette's, story was true. Roxas smiled down at the girl, pointing to Axel. "This is who I was lookin' fow."

"We're so sorry about this." Zexion crossed his arms, one hand intelligently under his chin. "Axel likes to jump to conclusions."

Olette smiled as if she understood.

"Well I still don't appreciate being called a kidnapper." A light giggle escaped her lips as she moved closer to Axel. "But I think Roxas's description of you was pretty accurate." She winked. When Axel responded with a raised eyebrow, she elaborated. "Roxas told me to look for a pretty boy." She giggled harder, reaching up to ruffle Roxas's hair. She muttered a quick 'take care' to him, before turning to leave the group, and leave Axel with an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Can we go home now?" Demyx tugged on the back of Zexion's jacket, Roxas's melting ice cream cone in his opposite hand.

xXx

The halls of their castle were already dark by the time they arrived back, everyone else already fast asleep by now. Axel, Demyx, and Zexion parted ways at the front entrance to head to their separate rooms. Axel instead was headed to Roxas's room to lay him down in his own room. Roxas's had passed out from exhaustion on the ride home. Who could blame him? Even Axel was relieved at the thought of sleep. Axel stood over Roxas's bed, gently lowering him under the covers.

"Ax?" His tiny hand clung to Axel's shirt as his eyes blinked open. "Can I sleep with you?" His eyes blinked shut again.

He probably wouldn't even have noticed if Axel just set him down and left. Instead the redhead lifted Roxas back into his arms, carrying him off to share a bed for the second night in a row.

The blond snuggled safely under Axel's thick red quilt, purring softly at the natural warmth of the room. Axel turned to his closet, throwing off his shirt and stripping down to just his boxers. A relieved sigh escaped his mouth when he realized the day was finally over. So far he had survived two days with Roxas in his state. To him it seemed like one hell of an accomplishment. Two full days of caring for Roxas, and two full days of his mind deciding it was going to rebel against him.

A soft groan came from behind him. As soon as he turned around, his lips curled up into a smile. Roxas had pushed his blankets off with his feet, and his tiny thumb was tucked away in his mouth.

A/N- The next chapter will probably have a lot more fluff. But anyway, if you didn't catch any of the sexual innuendo I added into the part where Axel is helping Roxas to play skeeball... Maybe you should re-read that part…

Skee ball is VERY sexual if you ask me... Of course you shouldn't ask me about much.

Oh and about the Olette part. I just really like Olette and had to add her. She reminds me of my best friend since she's all "School work! Come on guys!" Haha, Yup, thats my best friend :D

One more note, for artspaz... The part about Roxas' scent being "Chocolate and Apple pie..." Haha Sorry! I just HAD to add it!

Review and Until next time!