"I want to go back to Dad's house.""WHAT?!" Axel was taken aback by this all of a sudden. It was the morning after Roxas' birthday and Roxas stood halfway down the stairs, Axel right at the bottom. Roxas had stopped and started to talk when Axel was about to turn into the kitchen."I wanna go back to Dad's house.""Why? You don't mean to stay there, do you?""Wh- No. I mean to get some of my belongings…they're still there after all." Roxas turned his head to the side slightly, his eyes were half-lidded. Dad wasn't at his house, he was at the police station, probably being questioned at that moment. Axel had finally had enough of keeping Dad a secret and made Demyx ring the police as well as an ambulance on… that saw the pained expression of Roxas' face and sighed, holding out a hand to help the blond down the stairs. "Alright, but I'm coming with you. I don't want you getting any bad ideas or anything." Roxas smiled and hugged Axel's middle."Thanks, Axel." The tall redhead rested a hand on the blond's head and smiled to two boys were walking down the road, both wearing shorts. It was summer now and just in the middle of a heat wave. Roxas wiped his forehead. Now even walking down the streets proved too much for his body to handle. Axel, however, loved the heat. He wore a pair of black knee-high shorts with a black tank top that had flames crawling from the bottom upwards. The tattooed boy wasn't wearing anything else apart from a black hat with the word "Hot" spread across the left side in fiery red and orange writing. Roxas was less… flamboyant, with a simple black zip-up top and black shorts that suddenly cut-off into beige. He also had his metal necklace on that Axel had given him the night before. He wasn't going to take it off until the day he died, he swore it."Nearly there… Thank God.""So what sort of stuff do you wanna get back?" Roxas blinked then thought about it. He couldn't actually remember, other than a few things, what was his anymore. "I'm not sure…I didn't own a lot of stuff…" He looked down at the floor. Axel rested a hand on his shoulder. The blond raised his head and smiled sweetly. When they reached the house, Roxas took out his old keys and opened the door. He needed to push it with some force as it was broken and hanging off of one hinge. Axel shut the door behind him and looked around. This was the first, and hopefully the last time he had been to Roxas' old house. Roxas walked in and looked around. Empty beer cans were spread around, all over the floor and on the furniture. The smell hung in the air and made the boys both want to cover their noses. The kitchen had no door leading to it, just a doorway with an old baby-gate in the way. There was a thick layer of dirt and grease on the floor and pieces of food that had started to rot. Roxas quickly scanned the room, not wanting to stay for long. Axel just stayed in the doorway, the smell keeping him away. "Anything?""No, let me check in Dad's room." Roxas came out of the room and started walking up the stairs. Axel followed closely. "Why would your stuff be in your Dad's room?"The blond didn't answer, just reached the top of the stairs and walked straight into the room on his left. The room was medium sized… and smell was of something different- fear and sex, if that was possible after nearly half a year of Roxas being in this room with his Dad. The bed covers were filthy, large blood stains and white drops were spread across it. A large blood stain was on the wall nearest the bed and the door was on the floor, broken in two. Axel frowned and watched the uke closely. Roxas seemed to know his way around the house so clearly, like the back of his hand- of course it had been HIS house but… this was no perfect home. Far from it. The blond wandered around, kicking beer can across the floor and looking under the bed. He pulled out a few belt and a towel absolutely covered in blood, an expressionless face. Then he blinked and smiled. Axel raised and eyebrow and wondered what he would pull out next."This is one of the things." He held out a small wooden box, decorated with engravings all around it. "What is it?" Axel knelt down next to the boy who sat with the box held closely to his chest."It's what mum gave me before she died. It's a music box. Listen." The blue-eyed boy blew dust off of the top of the box and opened it. Inside was a small wooden man who did a strange dance as the music played. It was a quiet, sad tune. Roxas watched the man in the box, who had a sad expression on his face and a big tear down one side of his face, his dance would end with him wiping his eyes, then slowly turning and waving goodbye. Roxas' eyes went half lidded as he concentrated on the dancing man, no smile on his face. Axel saw this and smiled. "It's such a nice tune." Roxas seemed to snap out of it and blinked. He closed it and blushed. "Uh… yeah. Mom called it Roxas' Tune…" There was a pause as Roxas stared at the box. Axel stood and held out his hand for Roxas to stand up."Come on, we should find the rest of your stuff and get out of here.""OK." Roxas took the redhead's hand and hoisted himself up, the music box still in his grasp, close to his chest. The two walked into the hallway again. There was a bathroom with an open door and another room with a hole through its door. Roxas headed towards this room and opened it. "What room is this?""Mine." The taller boy nodded as Roxas pushed the door open. As he did, Axel gasped. Roxas' room was the worst. The bed had been tipped over onto its side. All windows had been smashed, there was glass all over the floor, a huge blood stain on his wall and bed that ran down behind the bed. There were sharp objects all over the floor and holes in the wall. Axel paused and stayed in the doorway as Roxas wandered in, cautiously. This was normal to him; this used to be his way of life. It didn't bother him. The blond started to rummage through plastic bags and boxes scattered across the floor. The room was silent."Y-you used to live in these sort of conditions, Roxas?"Roxas didn't reply, just continued to search for whatever he was looking for, the music box beside him. Axel bowed his head and frowned." That bastard…" Still no reply. The redhead kept his head low as he slowly walked towards Roxas who was now facing away from him, on his knees, moving around small boxes and bags to find what he wanted. The tattooed boy fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Roxas' shoulders from behind, this made the younger boy stop. "I'm so sorry…""Axel-""I'm sorry I let you come back here." There was a pause. Roxas smiled as tears filled his eyes."It's not your fault…" Roxas turned around in Axel's arms to cuddle the redhead back. His body heat made the blond feel so warm, making Roxas want to sleep right there. But then reality kicked in, and Roxas opened his eyes and remembered where he was. "I found it." Roxas pulled away from Axel's grip and held up a simple black and white checkered wristband with two of his fingers. He immediately put it around his left wrist and smiled at Axel."It suits you.""Thanks…that's all I have worth taking back with me. We can leave now if you want to." Roxas quickly hugged Axel again and nuzzled his chest. "Yeah let's g-" He was interrupted by the sound of the front door downstairs opening. Roxas froze in shock, his eyes wide and his breathing erratic. "D-Dad?" His voice was shaky and quiet. Axel put a finger to his lips and looked around. "It's not your Dad, he's at the station remember?""But h-he's the on-only other one w-who has k-keys!" Roxas gripped Axel's arm tighter to the point where his nails dug into the other's arm. "Listen, I'll go down and see who it is, kay?" Axel gave the blond a reassuring smile and pulled his hands from his arm. "Sit there and listen to the music box." The redhead positioned the boy so he was sat with the music box in front of him, the tune playing. Before he left him alone, Axel gave the blue-eyed boy a kiss on the forehead and stood up, leaving the room. Roxas was alone in the one house he feared the most. He heard Axel's footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs and more tears forced themselves from Roxas' eyes. "Please don't be Dad… Please don't be Dad… Please don't be Dad…" He repeated these words to himself and squeezed his eyes shut. Downstairs, Axel walked into the living room, where he saw another man, Not Roxas' Dad. This man had blond, spiky hair that pointed in random directions. He had the same blue eyes as Roxas, and a striking resemblance in his facial features. Axel raised an eyebrow and took a step forward, avoiding an empty beer can by his foot."Who are you?""That's what I should be asking you… What are you doing in my house and where the hell is Roxas?" The blond man pushed past Axel and strode over to the stairs. He had seen Axel come down the stairs and so thought Roxas would be up there to. He rested a gloved hand on the banister and yelled up the stairs."Roxas!"Roxas' eyes widened again, this time even wider. His hearts seemed to skip a beat and he almost forgot to breathe."Cloud?"