Title: Moped Romance [10/12]
Pairing: Axel/Roxas, background Riku/Sora

Warnings: Boys speaking Italian, language, Roxas being a whore, highly embarrassing moments, high-speed races through Roman traffic, Larxene, sexytimes, Demyx waxing philosophical, BROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS.
Rating: R
Beta: the BetaMistress alovelysilence
A/N: Inspired by experiences had by a good friend of mine while we were studying abroad in Rome, Italy, in the spring of 2009.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I do get a kick out of writing for the fandom. I also do not own any of the songs mentioned; they belong to their respective artists and labels. In this chapter, Lady GaGa.

Summary: Lost on the back alleys of Rome one night, Axel finds a savior in a young blond on a moped. A love story with subtitles.

In this chapter: After Roxas makes himself clear, Axel tries to finish up the semester strongly.

Author's Note 2: Here we are at Track 10. Holy crap Batman, only two more chapters to go! Thank you all for putting up with me being all over the place, and for everyone who's been sad about the last few chapters, there's a reward in this one!

Cultural notes:

Tabaccheria – a convenience store of sorts. Sells not only tobacco products but also stamps, cell phone cards, snacks, lottery tickets, cameras, and knick-knacks. Some will even carry school products and souvenirs.

Track 10 – Boys Boys Boys

Hey there sugar baby

Saw you twice at the pop show

You taste just like glitter

Mixed with rock and roll

I like you a lot lot

Think you're really hot hot

I know you think you're special

When we dance real crazy

Glamaphonic, electronic, disco baby

I like you a lot lot

All we want is hot hot

Spring finally descended in full force after the trip to Florence; the sun suddenly seemed to find its way to Rome, causing the city to brighten and the temperature to climb. Axel thought this rather abrupt change was particularly ironic given that only recently had his mood taken a deep nosedive. Everyone around him seemed to welcome the arrival of spring while Axel still felt caught in one of those extended Scandinavian winters. In Axel's mind, the world moved much faster than it did before; walking back to his apartment, to class, to the market - people moved around him in blurs, rushed forms of human beings while Axel felt like he was walking through gelatin, like his movements were slow and labored. The world carried on all around him, unheeding of his change of pace.

Axel had been heartbroken before, this isn't an entirely new thing. But Axel couldn't help but think in half-bitter thoughts that yes, he should have seen this coming from miles away. They weren't meant to be, he and Roxas – and though Axel had imagined a different ending, one significantly more amicable, really they all carried the same result. Still, Axel was the type to put his most neutral face forward and keep walking despite the irrational urge to punch random pedestrians in the face to deal with his anger. Chatting briefly with his parents had only served to exasperate him even more, with his mother prying about Roxas or what he'd been up to lately. His bitter mood only intensified.

Rather than think about Roxas, Axel tried to remove all traces of the blond from his vicinity. All of the pictures on his computer featuring him were hidden away beneath several layers of folders on his desktop (he didn't have the heart to delete them), which also made them unavailable for use in his ever-changing screensaver. Messages were deleted, songs were shuffled quickly before anything remotely Roxas-like began to play.

The Lady GaGa songs that had wormed their way onto his iTunes were a very prominent point of contention for him as well. While he had assumed a truce mentality with regard to her and her songs for the duration of his and Roxas' relationship, he'd also come to associate her songs with Roxas and many of their adventures together. Now however, Axel truly couldn't stand her and made no apologies for his feelings. She was all sparkle, glitz, and glamour – nothing substantial or resilient about her; a flash of glowing energy among established stars, doomed to fizzle out just like Roxas and Axel had.

Axel couldn't be content with just forgetting and relishing his bitterness, either; there were final projects to begin work on, sketches Axel needed to do and pretend as if he'd only forgotten them the day they were due, though the instructor clearly understood that "I forgot it at my apartment" meant "I'll do it last minute." She merely shrugged; half the students were giving her the same excuse now, and with little more than two weeks left to the semester she didn't seem to care as much anyway. Axel preferred to work alone as it was, to do things on his own schedule without someone looking over his shoulder every few minutes - so he took her reminder and pointed glare with a responding shrug.

Axel was doing one of his make-up sketches in his room when Demyx walked in, closing the door behind him quietly while Axel worked. So focused on his speed-sketching, Axel didn't bother to look up. "What's up, Dem?"

Axel heard rather than saw the rustling of fabric relaying a shrug before his best friend walked over and sat heavily on the bed behind Axel. "You doing ok?"

"Yeah," Axel answered distractedly, shading in the sketch where darkness fell on the pile of books at the end of his bed, his hastily-thrown-together study. "Yeah, I'm fine. What's going on?"

Demyx shrugged again. Why was he walking on eggshells? "Just, you know, checking. You seemed kind of out of it the last few days."

"I'm fine," Axel said carelessly. "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Right," Demyx snorted. "I've known you for three years, clearly I don't know a problem when I see it."

"I don't have a problem," Axel responded stiffly.

"Except you do," Demyx retorted. "Blond, petite, dancing queen, gayest little thing this side of the Tiber aside from you, responds to 'Roxas' - though I'm sure he answered to a few other choice nicknames when you two were together. That problem, Axel."

"I don't think that's really any of your business."

"He wouldn't let you talk, would he?"

"You know, I could have sworn I said something about it not being your business," Axel said sharply, turning around to glare at Demyx.

"Hey man, I'm just trying to let you know that I'm here for you, ok? No reason to get pissy with me."

"Of course he didn't let me talk," Axel seethed. "I'm the one who had to stand there while he went off on me."

"But were you listening?"

Axel faltered momentarily, his jaw clamping shut as he swallowed. "Yeah, of course I was. It was a little hard not to."

Demyx sighed and plopped down on the bed beside Axel's. He leaned over, tapping his fingers together. "You weren't supposed to go that far. It's not fair for either of you. When you couldn't remember what he looked like, or when you lost your phone, the best thing for you to do would have been to move on. To forget him. That's the logical thing anyway, but I know you never put stock in logic."

"You honestly think that? That I should have forgotten him in the beginning?"

"Objectively? Yes," Demyx answered frankly. "Or if anything, you should have kept it purely physical. Nobody expects anything – not from us, and vice versa. You really think that bartender Larxene went home with is going to be pining after her and getting all emotionally involved?"

Axel put his hand up to stop Demyx. "Too much. And ewww."

Demyx frowned. "Perhaps that was a bad example. He's probably too afraid to develop an emotional attachment to her."

Axel shuddered. Quite frankly Larxene with anyone was thoroughly disturbing. "Can we … not discuss that?"

"Ok, forget that. But you understand, right? It's self-defense. You put your heart into creating this relationship, and that's what it cost you."

"You know this whole pep talk thing? Really not your strongpoint," Axel sighed, turning back to the subject of his sketch.

"Yeah, yeah, what do you want from a lab rat? But the point, Axel – maybe you should have forgotten him, but the world isn't objective. It's hard enough as it is, finding someone in this crazy, fucked up world that can't get its priorities worked out. And you got lucky, I'm not going to dispute that. You're really, really fucking lucky, man," Demyx said, giving him what easily could have been one of the most serious expressions he'd ever seen on Demyx's face.

"You kidding?" Axel snorted. "I fucked everything up."

"The way things played out, maybe a little," Demyx allowed, nodding slightly. "We all do that. But in this situation, no matter how lucky you were, here's what I've got to say. You found something special. And I know you, when you find something worth holding on to you grab and don't let go. So what really happened?"

Axel put his charcoal down, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his clean hand. "He was with someone else," he admitted reluctantly. "We argued. I thought we were both going to start throwing punches at one point. And he didn't say we shouldn't have kept seeing each other – you remember, he wanted me there with them."

Demyx nodded in assent. "Yeah, you just had to be careful. So what did he say?"

"That it was fun before I said anything. But when I did, it went too far."

Demyx was silent for a few moments. "He's just as at fault as you are in this," he said seriously. "Roxas tried to walk the line there just as much as you."

"I know he felt the same."

"And I don't doubt you on that," Demyx replied. "But it doesn't sound like he's going to back down anytime soon."

Axel frowned. "You're probably right. I just feel the empty space, you know? Where he should be," he finished quietly.

Demyx fidgeted agitatedly for a moment, then grabbed Axel's wrist, pulling him up. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But you know what else I know? Our presence is ephemeral in the Eternal City – all of this," he said emphatically, waving his free arm towards the open window overlooking the city, "is going to end for us very soon. And I will not let you sit here moping and doing crappy still-lifes when you could be getting your macabre on with the Capuchins."

Axel raised a rather amused red eyebrow. "The monkeys?"

"The monks! The ones with the crypt decorated with thousands of other dead monks' bones! It's so eerie and creepy and now we totally have to go."

"I think that's more of Zexion's thing, with the dead people and all."

Demyx didn't falter. "Zexion wouldn't go with me. Let's go!" he announced, pulling Axel's arm.

In truth, Axel was pretty impressed by Demyx' use of words like 'ephemeral' and 'macabre' that they had declared useless outside of English 101 – and maybe, just maybe, he was spending too much time in his room. Maybe the pencils and charcoals he'd bought on an art supply excursion with Naminé needed to be dusted off and used on something worthwhile, as opposed to the plate and glasses he was working on. Maybe – ok, definitely – Demyx was right, and maybe – Axel figured he was about 79% sure – Demyx was trying to hide something as much as Axel was trying to forget. He considered asking him, knowing Demyx caved under the right amount of pressure to spill, but that wasn't how their friendship worked. They'd talk when the time was right.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Axel and Demyx headed out on their own crazy little adventure. They got lost for the hell of it on the way to the Capuchin crypt, ending up in a bar for coffee and nutella-filled cornetti (Axel prematurely mourned the loss of such an orgasmically delicious delicacy back in the states) before they managed to find their way to Piazza Barberini and into the crypt. They paid the small entrance fee, complained about the prohibition on cameras in the crypt, and headed in.

The setup, with each of the rooms decorated as Demyx described with thousands of human bones, was somewhere between morbidly fascinating and downright creepy. As Demyx marveled at the use of each and every single bone in the human body in the décor – from chandeliers made out of pelvic bones and ribs to the skulls adorning the walls to the full skeleton on the ceiling wielding both scythe and scale (also fashioned out of bone) – Axel was wishing for his camera. No one back home would believe such a thing existed without photographic evidence, and what better way to take a bit of revenge on Reno by grossing his girlfriends out with pictures of perverse home decorating?

"Where'd they get the bones?" Axel whispered, looking up the skulls lining the doorway.

"They brought their dead with them," Demyx answered. "There are four thousand people in here."

Axel shuddered. They stayed in the last room for a few minutes while other visitors came and went, looking up at the skeletons on the ceiling and the multi-lingual inscription that made Axel feel rather cold:

What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be.

Demyx shuddered beside him. "You know, I think carpe diem works just fine for me."

"I think there's something to say for both of them," Axel chuckled quietly. "Come on, let's go for a pizza or something."

"I can't believe you can talk about food in this place."

"Says the man who named his fetal pig 'Bacon' in Anatomy and Physiology."

"We're not talking about food here. Let's go, I know you want one of those postcard booklets with all the pictures of the crypt."

Multiple postcards later, they headed out bickering with each other and somewhere along the way Axel ended up carrying Demyx piggyback around the winding streets while the blond snapped pictures and made airplane sounds because too funny not to. Somehow they managed to wind up in a pizza place without being stopped by the carabinieri for possible drug use. Beer in hand and the cultural betrayal (for Axel's Chicago roots, anyway) known as traditional Italian thin crust in front of him, the world moved on and everything seemed alright, at least for the time being. Tomorrow would be spent finally wandering around the Vatican museums (easily an all-day affair) and possibly the Forum if there was time. With only a scant few weeks left to this incredible trip, Axel responded with renewed determination to enjoy the rest of the experience to the fullest.

The next morning Axel headed out early for what promised to be a full day of running around. His first stop was the Vatican museum which, as Naminé and his art professor had long been saying, was positively dumbfounding in its sheer size and number of collections. Arriving armed with pencils, charcoal, and an empty sketchbook early the next morning, within a few hours the pages were completely taken up with no room to spare – and judging by the extensive pull-out map/brochure. Axel had only made it to about four of the collections. The rest of the day was spent with camera in hand, trying to capture as much as he could before his memory card exploded. As it was his computer was in serious danger of filling up to the last gigabyte of memory – he feared he might have to invest in a second portable hard drive.

Axel just made it to the Forum before the person at the gate began barring admittance; it would soon be twilight, and after nightfall the park would have to be vacated. The sun falling behind the trees and ancient ruins of what was once the center of political life in Rome cast dramatic shadows across the well-worn stones and resilient columns, a sight that somehow gave Axel an intense feeling of extraordinary satisfaction with regard to two well-spent days. Not only had he managed to ward off the sometimes sudden and painful reminders of the lack of blond at his side, but Axel had also managed to get out and experience some of the more iconic and important destinations in Rome for many travelers. He'd been so distracted by glitter in the air, the smell of product in blond hair and the high-pitched roar of a moped engine that he'd almost forgotten the city around him. And now, surrounded by ancient stones and buildings that had stood the test of time (with a little help), he couldn't help but wonder how the two Romes coexisted. The ancient and the new stood side by side with very little guiding the transitions, with history sometimes long forgotten in its meaning held its own beside newer developments. The ancient aqueducts still brought water from the mountains to the city on a regular basis, as much to the happiness of travelers as city-dwellers. There was a constant struggle to find an acceptable common ground, but modernity always seemed to give way to antiquity; while all other things fell apart at the seams the most ancient of all remained. Broken and sometimes misunderstood, but still standing.

Axel suddenly remembered he hated all this philosophical stuff, and immediately cursed the crap out of Demyx for infecting him.

0o0

Class the next day was their absolute last; reminders were given out about exams, when and where to show up, what appointment you had, and so on. By luck of the draw, Axel was supposed to show up the next day at the art history professor's apartment for that final. The weekend was free, luckily, and he planned on spending it catching up on his grammar and often-neglected vocabulary. On the way from class to the Abbey for lunch, Axel realized that he had to make a quick stop in the tabaccheria nearby for some extra supplies. Demyx headed off with him, making small conversation as they went. Axel pulled off to the side of the tiny cobblestone street when he heard the dull roar of a moped, his heart beating a little faster at the sound. The rumble of the motor got closer until it overtook them; immediately all wishful thinking on Axel's part vanished – the moped was newer, looked like a rental, and was painted a vibrant, glossy red. There were two riders, a smaller and more spritely form perched behind the larger driver.

The driver pulled the vehicle to a stop right outside Cloud and Tifa's little bar, letting the motor wind down as his passenger pulled off his helmet, revealing a head of chestnut hair now unfortunately rather afflicted with hat-hair. He turned to the side, giving Axel pause when he recognized him in profile – but what was Sora doing in the city?

Roxas' brother was chatting animatedly with the driver, who didn't seem to share the brunet's enthusiasm for whatever they were up to. Eventually Sora pulled the driver off the moped and pulled his helmet off for him; long white-silver hair (Axel vaguely wondered about the cost of the color upkeep) tumbled out from underneath the helmet, held back in a now mostly destroyed ponytail that fell mid-shoulder. He was a good head and a half taller than Sora, broader and a bit more muscular. Both headed right into Cloud's bar, the little bell over the door chiming as they went in.

"Was that…?" Demyx prompted; having been the only other person (besides Zexion) who'd helped with the search for Roxas earlier in the semester, he too remembered seeing the picture of Roxas' brother show up on Facebook.

Axel nodded and shrugged, attempting to keep his heart in check as he recalled Roxas' story about his brother and what had happened between them. They went into the tabaccheria and found the few supplies they needed – another sketchbook for Axel's art class, graph paper among other things for Demyx's architecture one. Several Euros lighter and soon to be even more, the two of them headed out and back in the direction of the Abbey. Axel chanced a look into the bar as they passed it; Sora and his companion were chatting with Cloud, their backs safely turned. Then Tifa caught Axel's glance and made a face, and in confusion Sora turned and met Axel's gaze quizzically.

Axel looked away, disarmed by the similarity in their bright blue eyes, and quickened his pace. "Tifa's still out for blood," he muttered to Demyx in explanation.

"Wow, that woman's really protective," Demyx marveled, matching his pace. "Sheesh."

The doorbell chimed behind them, and was quickly followed by footsteps. "Shit," Axel hissed. Tifa had never come after him before – and while he didn't doubt her intent to eventually sic her and Cloud's dogs after him, he thought it would be seriously out of hand for her to start chasing him now.

"Hey! Stop!"

Axel came to a standstill seconds later; that was not the voice of an angry, homicidal Tifa, but of a teenage boy with an accent so very similar to Roxas'. He looked over his shoulder, eyebrows rising as Sora caught up to him, eyes alight with determination. "What?"

Sora put his hands on his hips, but the gesture didn't seem at all serious – more like he just had to do something with his hands. "You know Roxas?" he asked in his accented English.

"Hey man, I'm gonna go," Demyx said quietly, patting his jacket. "I think you can handle him."

"Yeah, sure, I'll be there in a bit," Axel nodded. Then he turned back to Sora and shrugged. "Maybe."

Sora's bright smile fell by a fraction. "Tifa … she said you were his boyfriend."

"'Were' is the operative word here," Axel muttered, a little bitterly. "She tell you she was going to set the dogs after me?"

Now it was Sora's turn to shrug. "She's like that sometimes. But you know him?"

Axel nodded briefly. "Yeah, I do."

Sora's smile returned hundredfold. "Good! Then you can tell me where he is!"

"Woooahh, hey now, I never said that. Why do you want to find him so badly?"

"He's my brother," Sora answered. "I just want to talk."

"And I'm pretty sure if I told you where to find him he'd kill me," Axel chuckled darkly. "Let's just pretend we never had this conversation, right?"

Sora pouted. Then he switched tactics. "What's your name?"

"Axel," he answered, eyeing the shorter brunet shrewdly. "And I know your name is Sora."

"He, ah, talked about me, huh," Sora said nervously, looking away and rubbing the back of his head.

"Just a bit," Axel responded, a little shortly.

Sora cursed under his breath, muttering what sounded suspiciously like he has no idea what it was like.

"He said you screwed him over," Axel said reluctantly, throwing the kid a bone.

"We were kids!" Sora protested.

"Somehow I don't think he's seeing it that way," Axel shrugged. "Look it's been nice chatting, but I've got someplace to be."

"It's not what you think!"

Axel looked at him sharply. "It's not my problem, man. Roxas and I are . . . we're done. So I really don't care what happened between you two – but I honestly think you'd be better off leaving him alone."

Sora paused, shifting on his feet and swallowing. "You really loved him?"

"What's it to you?" Axel said, a little waspishly.

"You are protecting him from the big bad me," Sora chuckled uneasily. "I know I fucked up. I know. But I think we are both old enough to work things out."

Axel noticed that the older teenager with the silver-white hair had left the bar, and was making his way towards them. "Maybe. I just don't want to be the one on the business end of his fist when he finds out I'm the one who sent you his way."

Sora snorted, sputtering and doubling over as he began to laugh. "I like you. You were probably very good for my brother."

"Tried to be," Axel conceded. "Your brother is kind of a bitch to please."

A broad, knowing smile spread over Sora's face. "I know, I grew up with him." Sora's companion arrived, his expression stony as he looked Axel over; the brunet turned and wrapped an arm around the other boy's broader waist, greeting him happily. This is Axel, Roxas' someone. "Axel, this is Riku."

"Your 'someone?' Axel teased. He nodded to the other boy, noticing the wariness in his gaze.

Sora chuckled, his cheeks reddening. "Something like that."

How did you two meet? Axel asked conversationally, switching to Italian since Sora had when talking to Riku.

I worked for Sora's family, Riku answered, pushing a strand of hair out of his eyes.

Axel suddenly remembered the conversation with Roxas on the beach, the bitterness in his tone when he said that his brother had developed a thing for the gardener's son. Where they still together?

And how did you and Roxas meet? Riku asked in return.

Axel paused, trying to figure out how to actually tell that story. It's kind of a funny story, actually.

Sora continued to smile knowingly. It always is.

That so? Axel raised an eyebrow at him, an inkling of interest forming in his mind. You must know all sorts of stories, then.

A few, Sora allowed coyly. Obviously I don't know any of Roxas' stories from living here.

I have a feeling ours was one of the more interesting ones, Axel snickered.

Roxas' stories were always entertaining, from what Sora used to tell me, Riku said through a slowly-spreading smirk. I think maybe we should hear this one sometime.

Sora nodded his approval of this idea. "Supper and drinks? Maybe tomorrow?"

Axel paused briefly, then mentally shrugged and said 'fuck it.' "Sure, why not. I have an exam tomorrow, how about after?"

Sora seemed rather excited about this prospect, and they quickly agreed to meet at Coming Out later the next night. Axel briefly wondered if doing so was a good idea or not, but given that he probably wouldn't be seeing much of Roxas at all before the end of his stay he figured 'why the fuck not?' Why not get a bit more information from the other side of the story, and maybe put a higher percentage of the pieces from the brothers' jigsaw puzzle together? What did he honestly have to lose?

0o0

The exam seemed silly to Axel; it was somehow supposed to be a combination of art history and Roman history, involving arranging pieces of paper with events or artistic trends in chronological order – while the professors watched him. All in all it was probably one of the most awkward and obnoxious exams he had ever been subjected to, and he couldn't wait to get out of there and get ready to head out later in the night.

It felt like it had been weeks, Axel thought as he moved through the crowded bar area in Coming Out, since he had gone to a club or a bar simply for his own enjoyment. The last time he had been to a club had been Qube to find Roxas, and he could hardly remember the last time he went to Coming Out. So he hardly blamed himself for wanting to go out and have a bit more fun before his semester came to an end. He found Sora and Riku sitting towards the back in the circle of couches he, Roxas, and Roxas' friends usually sat in.

The meeting wasn't nearly as comfortable or lively as they were with Roxas or his other friends, but he figured it went well enough for them getting to know each other. They ordered pizza and drinks, and had them fairly quickly given the pub's busyness. Having learned his lesson a few times over there was a fairly simple mojito in his hand rather than the pub's deadly Long Island Iced Tea. Sora appeared to have the same taste in liquor as his brother, sipping something powerfully fruity-smelling that might have been pineapple – while Riku preferred a kind of beer Axel hadn't heard of. The small talk Axel hated so much eventually dissipated as liquor loosened their tongues, making conversation much easier – even as Axel remembered part of his discussion with Roxas and brought it up to the other two. Sobriety might have gotten his question answered in an entirely different way.

Sora and Riku exchanged a long glance, as if communicating silently with the other, before the brunet nodded. "My father … doesn't know. Yet. He will, it is stupid to hide."

"It really is," Axel agreed. "I know your dad isn't the most forgiving or whatever, but lying is worse."

Sora nodded gravely, despite the light mood not moments before. "I would, honestly, still like to talk with him. There were things my father said and did that… that I do not agree with. That I wish I had done differently."

Axel accepted that; there were plenty of things he himself wished he had done better in retrospect, especially during his teenage years.

After much discussion and pleading Axel finally relayed how he and Roxas had met – him drunk and lost, Roxas merciful and later scandalized by Axel's treatment of his favorite boots; between bouts of endless laughter Sora admitted that theirs was the craziest he had heard.

They get better with age, I guess, Axel shrugged and chuckled, taking another sip of his drink.

Sora, on his third glass of whatever tropical concoction he was drinking, erupted into giggles and leaned against Axel's shoulder, lips curving in a mad grin against his collarbone. The younger brunet was still wrapped in Riku's arms, drink making him pliable and friendly like it did for Roxas. Axel chuckled at his antics and leaned forward to get his drink from the table in front of them. When he sat back, leaning back comfortably against the cushions Sora resumed his position snuggled at Axel's side.

Time and place had become such a complete nonissue that when an outraged sound burst through his happy bubble it took Axel a moment to figure out where he was and what exactly was going on. He looked up sharply, and took an even sharper breath.

Roxas, jaw hanging limply, was staring at the three of them blankly. What the fuck is this? he barked, clenching his jaw so hard it trembled under the stress.

Axel returned his wide stare, but Sora didn't quite see the problem. His smile brightened and he struggled to extricate himself from between Riku and Axel. "Roxas!" he called happily. You're here! Come sit with us!

I'd rather hang myself, Roxas snarled viciously. His gaze snapped to focus intently on Axel, piercing and accusing all at once. He was shaking with rage, all barely contained by the obvious tension throughout his body and his tightly clenched fists. "You," he uttered, the sound wretched and unbearable, somewhere between a growl and a hiss.

"Rox," Axel said carefully, pushing Sora away and back towards Riku, who was being rather silent.

"Don't," Roxas cut him off quickly, arm moving in a fierce cut in front of his body. "You… you fucking bastard."

Axel's eyes narrowed, and his mouth turned into a deep, angry frown. And you, hypocrite, he hissed in return. Don't you even start.

Roxas shook his head, face contorted, and turned on his heel towards the door. Shoving people aside as he went, Roxas disappeared into the crowd and out into the night.

Axel stared after him, heart still racing and stuck somewhere in his throat after the brief exchange. Sora and Riku were talking, maybe even talking to him, but Axel decided he'd had enough. He pulled out a bunch of bills and left them on the table, apologized to the brunet and his boyfriend, and followed in Roxas' footsteps out of the pub.

0o0

As Axel lay in bed the next morning, staring at the ceiling and trying to ignore Xigbar's god-awful snoring, he started to fully realize just how stupid this whole thing was. Whether it was just Roxas playing a game with him or they were both unwilling participants Axel was not sure, but something had to give in the end. Despite all the blond's protests about continuing their relationship, the look in his eyes that Axel had caught was strikingly familiar – when they were together Roxas had been rather protective and possessive of him, usually masked by a playful tone and not at all in a way that seemed alarming. But last night – was that jealousy? If his suspicions were correct and it was indeed jealousy, he was definitely right about there still being something there between them – maybe something they weren't ready face or thought it was easier to ignore, but something. Axel didn't want to hold out on hope, but it was still a tantalizing thought.

"Doesn't he still have your DVDs?" Demyx asked through a mouthful of toast, looking down at the redhead sitting solidly against the kitchen door. Another shout and series of pounding fists rattled the wooden portal, threats of dismemberment and the removal of certain fragile parts making their way through.

Axel took another bite of his apple and braced himself against the door once again. "Yeah. I should get them back before I forget."

"Come with me then when I leave – I have to go in for my exam in a bit, we can take the bus that way."

"Sure," Axel agreed, wondering how he was going to get by Xigbar.

"What'd you do, if you don't mind me asking?"

Axel took his time chewing the next bite, savoring the tart taste and relishing the memory of twenty minutes earlier, when Xigbar's snoring had gone to new levels of GOD-AWEFUL and resulted in Axel pitching shoes at the other man's head.

"Nothing," he said.

Demyx leveled a glare at him, though the corners of his mouth were twitching in mirth. "You're terrible."

"So's your face."

"Your levels of maturity astound me."

"As they should," Axel said, polishing off his toast. "So what are we gonna do about him?" he asked, nodding his head back to indicate the fairly irate man on the other side of the door.

"He's your problem," Demyx said with a shrug. "You're the one who threw shoes at him, I've already done my part protecting you for now."

"Think you can spare me a moment of your time to distract him while I make my escape?"

"Man, why do you always have to involve me in your crazy antics?" which in Demyx meant, 'of course.'

"Because if I didn't you'd complain about being left out of all the fun?" Axel pointed out; 'love you too, man.'

"Point," Demyx admitted, rising from his seat – 'Yeah, yeah.'

"So what's the plan?"

"I go in on the offensive. Barricade him in your room, maybe the bathroom."

"He's going to kill us later," Axel winced, standing as Demyx joined him at the door.

"If I die, I'm going to kill you," Demyx said threateningly. They waited for Xigbar to renew his fist-pounding against the door before pulling it open abruptly; Demyx caught the upper classman and redirected his momentum in a bear hug, shouting the other man's name as if he was the happiest clam in the ocean to see him. Xigbar, caught off guard in the middle of his rant, found himself shut in one of the bathrooms while Axel and Demyx gathered whatever they needed for the rest of the day. They made it out just as Lexaeus, returning from his own exam, released Xigbar from his prison; luckily for them Xigbar decided not to pursue, and they made it to the bus on time.

Axel left the bus after a few stops, then picked up another one that took him closer to Roxas' apartment building. Every step felt like a mile, like he'd never make it without his heart beating right out of his chest.

Miraculously someone was leaving the apartment building when Axel arrived, so he was able to catch the heavy door before it closed completely. He made his way into the courtyard, taking note of the presence of Roxas' white moped chained alongside other Vespas and bicycles owned by tenants. Axel vaulted the steps two at a time and found the door to Roxas' apartment moments later, knocking loudly. Then he began to pray silently that anyone but Roxas came to the door; it had been awkward enough seeing him the other night, and Axel was feeling a little apprehensive about talking with him one on one.

Axel heard shuffling and doors closing from within, and fisted his hands in his pockets nervously. Then the door swung open, and Axel blinked owlishly.

Roxas, usually so put together without a single hair or thread that could be found out of place, was standing on the other side of the portal looking rather disheveled, as though he didn't have the energy to really care about his appearance for the time being. His hair was devoid of product, falling limply and across his forehead in wispy strands, and he was dressed only in a grey shirt and dark blue sweat pants.

Axel had never seen Roxas wear sweatpants – ever. He'd been avid that Axel would never see him wearing them, since he saw them as 'lazy clothing,' and as a self-proclaimed fashionista would not be caught dead wearing them.

What do you want? the blond asked stonily, breaking the uncomfortable silence between them.

"Hi," Axel said, after recovering for a moment. "Uh, my DVDs," he responded, meeting Roxas' gaze fully. Hope it's not too much trouble, he added.

Roxas flinched ever so slightly at his icy tone but turned back into the apartment, granting Axel access.

Axel closed the door behind himself, watching Roxas' back as he moved through the kitchen; the sweat pants were slung low on the blond's hips, and each step revealed a sliver of skin to Axel. Where is everybody else? he asked, noticing the silence in the apartment.

Dancing, Roxas answered absently.

Why aren't you?

I didn't feel like it, Roxas answered wearily, as though he'd answered the same question dozens of times before.

Axel frowned. Are you feeling ok? he asked as Roxas opened the door to his room.

Mind your own business, Roxas snapped, disappearing into his dimly-lit room.

I was just asking, Axel growled, taking the defensive.

And I don't feel like answering, he said, voice muffled from the other side of the wall.

Axel sighed and didn't respond, shuffling around the little kitchen where they'd cooked together, played card games with Roxas' friends, even where they'd had sex once – Roxas perched on the edge of the counter, legs wrapped around Axel's waist, fingers scratching along his shoulder blades, lips at his ear moaning and demanding until he couldn't speak anymore.

Happier, more pleasant days (and nights).

There were dishes left undone, pots of food out on the stove and breakfast table, leaving Axel to wonder just how irate Olette was getting; she was the one who always rallied the troops when it came to keeping the kitchen and living area clean, and obviously someone hadn't been pulling their weight lately.

Roxas appeared a moment later, DVD case in his hand, just as Axel asked if everything was ok here in general. The blond gave him a disgusted look. Why do you care?

Will you stop that? Axel demanded, feeling exasperated now with Roxas' continued attitude. I'm just worried about you, none of this is like-

What do you know? Roxas snarled. I can act however I want. You think you understand me? You don't know the first thing about me!

Of course not, how could I? Axel responded in kind; then he sighed. Look. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about what happened, about last night-

I will never forgive you for that, Roxas whispered, the malice in his voice penetrating and resounding. You know what he did, I told you, I told you the one thing I never say – and you went out with him.

You know what, Roxas? I didn't see the fucking harm, Axel said, wondering how this could possibly end well. You didn't want me around anymore, and I was curious about him, alright?

Curious? Roxas asked, low and biting. I don't understand what possessed you to go along, being 'curious' won't cut it!

Why not, Roxas? Axel countered. They might as well have been screaming in each other's faces. What's got you so scared of him and I talking?

Because the last thing I want is him poisoning you against me! The words burst from Roxas' mouth like water from a dam until the blond stopped himself abruptly, vulnerability and fear flickering across his face for just a second – like he'd spilled a secret never meant for another's ears, or just opened himself to the potential for misery.

Axel stared; Sora? The younger boy had seemed honestly contrite as far as he could sense, and hadn't tried to fill Axel's ears with horrifying stories that could possibly blight his perception of the blond. Is that really what you think?

You idiot, Roxas raged, recovering from his momentary lapse. Of all the people, you had to go with my brother. My fucking brother. Anyone else, whatever. But him?

It wasn't like that! And hey, what the hell did I care, you didn't want me around anymore!

And can you see why now? he asked savagely. I'm sick of this.

Axel narrowed his eyes dangerously. You fucked this up just as much as me. Maybe I spoke too quickly, but I honestly . . . "damn it," he said, faltering. "I honestly, genuinely care about you. I don't expect anything, really. So I'm sorry." I'm really sorry.

Roxas looked like he was about to say something, but couldn't put the right words to his tongue; like he was somehow hovering back and forth between helpless rage and something softer Axel wasn't sure he wanted to try and name. Teeth worried at his lip, blue eyes wide and staring. Then he gave an abrupt noise of frustration and turned away, hands pointing vaguely and gesturing as he tried to voice his anger manually.

In a split second Roxas turned, dropped the DVD case on the counter and grabbed the front of Axel's shirt roughly, forcing him to Roxas' level and crushing their mouths together violently. The kiss was all teeth and tongue, and Axel swore he tasted copper when he responded just as desperately. Roxas' hand was fisted in the hair at the back of Axel's head and the boy twisted sharply, pulling a grunt from the redhead's mouth. Axel swore under his breath and quickly pushed Roxas back against the wall beside his door, pinning him there with his entire body. The blond scrabbled to push Axel away but he countered Roxas' movements, grabbing his wrists and capturing his mouth once more in a deep, possessive kiss.

Roxas hissed and arched into Axel's body, pressing firmly against him; Axel could barely contain his own arousal at the sensation of the blond's erection pressing against his hip. He tilted his head to gain access to Roxas' neck, groaning his name against the other boy's throat while he tongued at the extremely sensitive skin there.

Suddenly Roxas was doing a different kind of scrabbling, grasping at Axel's shoulders and lifting himself off the floor to wrap his legs around the redhead's waist. Axel licked a hot stripe up Roxas' neck and over his Adam's apple, shifting his stance rolling his hips ever so slightly. Roxas groaned and tilted his head back against the wall, granting Axel better access to the sensitive skin just at the junction of his shoulder and neck that was subsequently abused by the redhead's teeth and tongue.

Roxas shifted his hips again, his arm tightening around the back of Axel's neck to pull him closer; Axel refused to kiss him though, instead pressing in closer and sliding a hand down the blond's side, slipping fingers under the waistband of Roxas' sweat pants. The effect was instantaneous – Roxas arched into the anticipated touch, a barely-repressed whimper escaping his lips while his body practically screamed touch me touch me touch me and Axel was never really one to reject such an earnest request. His hand slipped further, finally wrapping around the blond's achingly hard shaft and Roxas hissed, thrusting up into Axel's hand.

Axel had mapped out the contours of Roxas' cock weeks, months beforehand, had noted just how to make the blond's breath catch and stutter in his throat, the strokes and touches that brought him to crushing orgasm; Axel decided to forgo them all, strokes quick and teasing. Roxas pressed their foreheads and noses together, short breaths ghosting over Axel's nose and lips even as the boy's smaller hands framed his cheeks in a surprisingly gentle, reverent gesture.

I don't want you gone, Roxas whispered, soft and Axel could hear the hurting in his voice as if it were direct from Roxas' heart.

Axel responded with a brief kiss, just pressing their lips together for a moment. I'll stay, he promised.

Roxas smacked his arm, blatantly ignoring Axel's murmured statement. "Down," he said thickly, and Axel moved away, giving him enough room. The blond immediately grabbed the front of Axel's shirt again and dragged him towards the sanctuary of his room.

It had been too long, Axel told himself, since he had held Roxas in his arms – since they had kissed, since they had touched. In reality they had only spent mere days apart, but their silence had stretched time disproportionately; though each motion, moan and sigh were familiar Axel couldn't help but feel as though it was the first time all over again – but this time instead of a black-lit room in a club it was Roxas' bed, the blanket kicked off somewhere on the floor, obsolete considering the warmth the two bodies on the bed were generating. Roxas was restless, constantly moving and shifting, pulling Axel deeper until there was no reason they couldn't have been one person. Axel had set a hard, brutal pace at the blond's urging, accepting that Roxas wanted to feel him inside for hours to come and on some level wanting Roxas to feel the way his muscles stretched around the redhead's cock.

Roxas came to his own shuddering climax face down on his bed, Axel thrusting stiffly until he stilled, lips moving apologetically over the developing hickey on Roxas' neck. They collapsed together, breathing heavily and refusing the notion of mobility until it became too uncomfortable to remain so intimately connected. Axel tossed the spent condom as quickly as he could and returned to Roxas' bed with the blanket in tow. Pulling the blanket over them, Axel pressed as close to the blond as he could, pressing a tender kiss between scratched and sweat-slick shoulder blades. Roxas shifted and grabbed Axel's hand briefly, scissoring their fingers and kissing his knuckle before letting him go again.

Despite the dimming light from Roxas' windows and the dark room, Axel's world felt infinitely brighter.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O

Yes. Yes I did.