Title: It's Finally Over, Got it Memorized?
Author: Izzy-Lawliet (Rin)
Disclaimer: Let's go over this slowly so you can understand what I'm saying. I do not own this. If I did, do you seriously think that I would be typing a poorly written story like this?
Pairings: Axel/Sora
Rating: M
Warnings: AU, yaoi and whatever comes along with it.
Summary: They met online, met in person, and became friends, what's stopping them from becoming more?
Author's Note: The words in bold are from a poem written by the lovely Yoshimara, who I'm trying to convince to be my lesbian lover. Anyways, the poem is called Love's Barrier and no one is allowed to use it without her permission. I'm sorry for any errors, I couldn't re-read. I...just couldn't. And you'll understand when you finish it...
xxx
Waking up had been hell, opening my eyes had been hell, and finding myself on a hospital bed had made the hell even more hellish. Yeah, as you can tell, I'm not in a good mood. I feel like shite and the lights are seriously hurting me. Then when everyone realized I was awake, they all started crowding me and I just wanted to tell them to back the fuck off. And that's when I remembered, I could talk. "Back up." I croaked out, making it seem like I just got my voice back.
"Sora…" Axel came forward when I nodded and pressed our lips together chastely, not pulling away until there was a throat clearing. I looked around Axel to see the same doctor that saw me last time standing there.
"Mr. Hikari," He greeted then looked around at everyone in the room. There was Axel and my mom, Roxas and Hayner, and even Seifer and Demyx was there. "Anyways…we may need to run some more tests, but I may know what your condition is. Now, tell me your symptoms from the last week."
He was about to hand me a pen and paper, but instead I started talking. "I've been coughing up blood, and it hurts every time I'm outside in the sun," I paused to think about it, and chuckled at the doctor's shocked face. "Uhm…before I…passed out(?) my wrist, from here," I pointed to the crease of my elbow to write before my hand, "to here, hurt like a freakin' mofo. And uhm…I've been getting lightheaded right after I get these really bad headaches."
"I'd like to run some tests to see if you are anemic, and if you are…I may know what your diagnosis is."
"Can you tell me?" Seriously, don't expect me not to ask.
"Systemic lupus erythematosis." And don't expect me to know what that means. Before I could ask, he left the room.
"Roxy?" I looked over at him, seeing that he had a black eye and a bruise on his jaw.
"Already on it," He had one of those…types of phones that had the keyboard and internet access and everything, "Got it! 'Systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. It may affect the skin, joints, kidneys, and other organs.' Uh…let's see…'The underlying cause of autoimmune diseases is not fully known. Some researchers think autoimmune diseases occur after infection with an organism that looks like certain proteins in the body. The proteins are later mistaken for the organism and wrongly targeted for attack by the body's immune system.'"
"What's the cure?" I asked, trying to take in what he was telling me…
"Oh…"
"Oh what?" Grr!
"Uhm…There is no cure for SLE…"
"Sora? Love, are you okay?" I shook my head and held my hand out for Axel. Once he took it, I pulled him so he was laying on the bed with me. "Shh, it'll all be okay." I shook my head again and curled into his chest, being careful of the IV in my arm. I heard the door open. "Hold out your arm, baby." I did, but I still didn't move my head out of Axel's chest. I barely felt the poke of the needle in my arm, but I did feel the blood being taken, I felt very lightheaded, and when I looked down to the tube she was filling up, I saw it wasn't even half-full.
She ended up having to do to more veins before the tube and a second one was full.
"Roxas? What are the symptoms to 'SLE'?" I finally asked, wondering how many I had.
"You sure you wanna know?" I nodded. I heard him typing on the keyboard on his phone before he started listing the symptoms. Turns out I had nine of those symptoms. Out of like twenty-seven. Not too bad. But before I freaked out even more, I was going to wait for the doctor to come back into the room.
"How many tests are they doing?" I asked, facing the room again.
"Well, when you were asleep, they did quite a few, but while you were out of it, the nurse said they were going to do a CBC – whatever that is – and an ESR. Again, I don't know what either of those tests do, so, sorry sweetie." I smiled at my mother, who was trying hard to stay calm through all this. I knew she was freaking, that's been the first thing she's said since I woke up.
There was a small knock on the door and everyone held their breath – and I mean quite literally.
"Mr. Hikari…" I sighed and knew that look, I saw that look on the doctor's face when he announced that our dad had an incurable disease, much like me… "I'm sorry to tell you," My eyes watered, and closing them did nothing to stop the tears. "But you have Systemic lupus erythematosis. It seems that when you got your voice back – you ruptured a vessel that needed certain proteins to heal, you're body must have confused them, leading to this diagnosis." And I balled, curled into Axel once again and cried like no freakin' tomorrow. "Sir, you probably know, it is incurable, but it's not completely hopeless. Not all cases end in death. If we can single out the symptoms and treat them individuality, you can live a semi normal life but you may have to come in every once a while for blood transfusions and you must take iron pills to make up for the blood you may lose.
"I will return later with your prescription and papers. You may go home when you wish once the papers are drawn up. I'm sorry." Then he left the room, leaving everyone – bar Demyx and Seifer – to break down into tears, as though I had already…died…
Oh my god…there's a chance I can die…a huge chance…I don't wanna die. I'm too young; I'm not even an adult yet.
"Honey, do you want to go home?" My mother asked, her voice clouded with tears.
"Yes." I said right before I started coughing, blood coming up with it. My right wrist hurt as I covered my mouth. Axel cleaned my hand with a wash cloth that appeared out of nowhere. "I'm sorry." Don't ask why I was apologizing, I just felt like I should.
"It's not your fault…and before you argue, let's just get you home." I closed my mouth and nodded. I did want to go home, sleep in my bed, Axel's arms wrapped around me. That sounds perfect just about now.
xxx
We had to stop by the pharmacy to drop off my prescriptions. There were four of them; one to bring up my iron; one for the headaches; one for the swelling and arthritis; and then the last one for the pain that the doctor was convinced was going to come soon. The medicine was expected to be ready the next day, but until then, everyone went home – my house, actually – and we all were around the TV, watching some random movie that I wasn't paying attention to.
Axel and I were laying on the only comfy couch and were taking up the whole thing. Demyx was sitting under Axel's big feet. Roxas was laying on both Seifer and Hayner, his head on Seifer's lap while Hayner was giving one of his orgasmically orgasmic foot massages. I'm jealous…
As I said before, I wasn't paying attention to the TV, I was more than out of it. Nothing seemed right anymore, I felt like I should be making a list about what I want to do before I die, like they did on The Bucket List – which was a freakin' awesome movie, by the way.
"I'm going to bed." I said, getting up and leaving, not looking at anyone. I ignored Axel's call of my name, and continued upstairs to my room. I sat on the bed, finding another blood-stained razor and holding it in my hands, flipping it over in my palm. It was tempting, but I know how much Axel and everyone would fight to keep me alive, and they'll continue to fight till the day I die of this deadly disease.
"Sora?" I didn't look up when Axel walked in. "Don't!" He fell forward and grabbed my wrist, making me drop the blade.
"I wasn't going to." And that's the truth. I wasn't. I was just thinking about.
"Just, please don't…" His voice was shaking and I saw him grab the razor off the floor and laid it on my dresser.
"I won't." I fell back on my bed a looked up, feeling my head start to pound and feel light at the same time. "I…just want to know why. Why me?"
"Baby," Axel got up and climbed on the bed with me, leaning partially over me as he brushed back my spiky hair. "I can't answer that for you. But I know that we're not going to give up, okay?" I nodded, feeling like I needed to cry, but not being able to. "Everything's gonna be fine. I promise you. You're not going anywh-" His phone started to ring. He smiled apologetically while answering it. "Zack! Hey! What's…oh my god…are you okay? I'd come…but Sora's uh, sick…Reno's there?" I blocked out the rest of the conversation, I really didn't care to eavesdrop on him, and so I simply focused on the ceiling.
"Sora?" I looked over to the door, and saw everyone standing there, all trying to look in. "Mom cooked dinner."
xxx
Mom made me go to school the next day. She started crying when she told me that I had to live my life like nothing happened. I ended up calming her down before leaving with Axel and Seifer to walk to school while Roxas and Hayner worked out their problems before driving to school. Seifer apparently lived right around the corner from where we did. And Hayner spent the night, sleeping down in the living room.
"Y'know, Christmas is next month." Seifer said, starting conversation.
"I know, and it's going to be Sora's and mine official Christmas together." I smiled as he bent to peck my cheek.
"Aww, aren't you two adorable." Seifer said in a sing-songy voice. "Well, I'm gonna wait for Hayn to drop Rox off. See ya later." He then walked toward the drop-off zone. Axel and I continued to our spot under the tree, sitting there in the cold, but huddled up together to keep warm.
"Sora, I love you." I smiled widely and kissed him softly, slowly and meaningfully.
"I love you too Axel." I don't think he could have smiled wider. "And…I'm still sorry about what happened with Zack…" Zack got into an accident – ending up being paralyzed waist down. He had wanted Axel there before he went into the surgery that was supposed to see if it was repairable. Zack went in this morning, about thirty minutes ago, giving Axel a call before he did.
"I just hope he isn't paralyzed for life…he said he'll call me in a few days after he recovers, but I'm thinking about calling Reno after school to see how it went." I nodded, staying silent when he mentioned his brother. "Hey, hey, hey," Axel lifted my chin so he could meet my gaze. "Stop feeling guilty about it. I don't care anymore; it's over and done with. Yeah, Reno and I will probably never be the same, but I'd choose you over anyone any day."
"Why are you so sweet?" I asked, smiling when he smiled. He leaned in for a kiss, but before we could, a purple folder with 'Zexion' written all over it with hearts surrounding the name was held between us. If I wasn't mistaken, that was a freshman who was obsessed with reading. I stopped smiling when said folder stopped our lips from going together.
"I'm not in the mood for gay porn," Demyx said, plopping down in my boyfriend's lap. "Hold me, Axey."
"What happened this time?" Axel softly said, petting Demyx's mullet.
"Ya know that freshman, Zexion, that I was telling you about? Well," He continued without waiting for a reply. "He turned me down again, I can't freaking believe it! He said, and I quote, 'Why would I want to date you; a badly dressed, immature child that doesn't know how to open a book without using it as a pillow.' And that's not it! Then he said that my mullet looked retarded and something about my hair relating to my IQ, but I didn't get what he meant…"
"He means that you're IQ is probably less than the year your hair was popular in, meaning you have an IQ of below eighties. He was clearly calling you stupid," Axel explained softly, like one would to a child. It made me smile, thinking how Ax would look and act like a father… "I'm sorry to say this, Dem, but he insulted you while he was turning you down. Maybe you should give up. You've been trying since August."
"But…I really like him. I mean, he's smart, witty, and sexy as hell! I want to go out with him…" Demyx's pout was sooo adorable.
"I know you do, but why don't you give him some space, he'll come around eventually, once he realizes what a great guy you are."
"Like you did?" Demyx said, laying his head under Axel's chin. I looked at Axel's eyes. He was avoiding eye contact with me.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Axel and I used to date!" Demyx said cheerily. "He was my first!" Wow, I don't think Demyx understood that this wasn't something you tell to said person's boyfriend.
"Really now?" I asked.
"Yeah!" He was still bouncy. "We were together until he met some kid online and then he wouldn't stop talking about him. I didn't mind, that was until I saw some of the text messages between them…those were-"
"Dem!" Axel snapped, pinching his thigh. "That kid was/is Sora!"
"Aw crap! Sorry, Ax, Sora…" I smiled and ignored it. I didn't really mind. I knew Axel was with someone, it just totally slipped my mind once we started to get close to each other and then I never even thought about it as we started to meet in person. "So, you stole my man? You homewrecker!" I would have taken it offensively if it wasn't for the smile that graced Demyx's lips in a playful manner.
"Demyx!" We all looked up to see some kid with slate-colored hair approach us. Most of his hair was thrown forward, covering one of his pale blue eyes and he was marching over here with a big book in his arms that were folded over his chest. "Did you put this note in my book?" He pulled out a lined paper that had calligraphic writing on it.
"Yeah, I know you like poems and reading and whatnot, so I wrote that for you." Demyx placed his hand on Axel's shoulder to use it as leverage to stand up. He walked over to Zexion and took one of his hands in his own.
"A simple kiss
Was all it took
Sending my heart aflutter"
I listened closely, smiling in awe as he continued through the poem, his eyes staying connected with Zexion's.
"'I love you...'
Whispers in the wind
Words falling faster
Than I can catch them
Sparks fly
Another kiss
And it starts again."
I looked to Axel for a moment, and that was all it took for Zexion to drop his big gimungo dictionary-type book and jump into Demyx's arms, kissing him. Deeply from what it looked like from here.
Axel turned my chin towards him and pressed our lips together, kissing me deeply, as well.
We were interrupted once again when Roxas smacked the back of my head. "What was that for?" I rubbed the spot and leaned against Axel's chest, his hand slowly running through my hair soothingly.
"Don't worry, I hit Dem too." I 'oh'ed and sat back up, forgetting it already. "So, Zexy, you took my advice?" Roxas asked, sitting down next to me, and leaning against Seifer – who I totally forgot was there.
"Advice? What?!" Demyx looked from his soon-to-be boyfriend and my brother.
"Yeah, yesterday when you talked about him nonstop, I had to text him and tell him. He told me that apparently you've been trying to get with him since the beginning of the year, so I told him to give you a chance, he may surprise you.
"That was after I found the poem Dem wrote for yZexy, and told him to give it to him. Obviously he did, see how well it worked out?"
"Yes, you're a natural." Seifer commented and wrapped his arms around Roxy. I rolled my eyes and stood only a second before the bell rang.
xxx
Christmas came and went, snow only barely falling, but not enough to build snowmen or anything. Axel had gotten me a ring box, but not with a ring in it, I knew it wouldn't have had one, inside was a paper with a promise that he was going to propose on my birthday.
New Year went by even faster, Axel and I sharing a kiss under mistletoe once the clock struck midnight. My birthday was tomorrow, and Axel had this whole evening planned out and I couldn't wait for it. He was going to propose, I knew it, and he said he would. And he never breaks his promises any more, making me trust him once again.
I still had headaches and coughed up blood, but the pills that the doctor gave me helped a lot. There would be some days that I couldn't and wouldn't be able to get out of bed. I'd just lay there, Axel holding me and singing me to sleep with his soft voice. It was so soothing at times, and at others it'd be the sexiest thing ever, making me want to make love to him right then and there. And sometimes we did, over. And over again. It was hot.
School was out for break still, and all six of us were closer than ever. Yeah, Dem and Zexion are dating and both joined our group. Seifer and Hayner were still pretty much fighting over Roxas since he couldn't choose between them. I think he was still fucking Hayn, but only making out with Seifer…I don't know, I didn't care, so I didn't know the whole story. I only knew what Axel knew, and he knew what he knew because Roxas confided in him.
Axel obviously only told me part of the story.
Right now, I was sitting in the living room, watching Seifer and Hayner battle on some game, both obviously trying to impress Roxas with their video game skills. Although, Roxas was currently in the kitchen, making dinner with mom, they were still trying to beat each other with an unnecessary rivalry. Demyx and Zexion were over, cuddling on the one-seater, kissing only occasionally.
"Yo! Guys! Dinner's ready!" He came into the living room with his hands behind his back. "But I wanted to know if Sora wanted to go outside first." Roxas suggested.
"Why would I want to go outside?" Roxas held out a ball of something and threw it at me. It hit my chest and was cold as hell. I looked down, and I swear, I felt my face light up. It was snow. And It was obviously enough to have a snowball fight! "Let's go!" I got up and grabbed my winter clothes, getting dressed in record time.
When everyone was ready, I ran outside, catching the snow on my tongue, laughing when it melted right away. I spun in a circle, but stopped when I saw everyone standing on the porch. "What?" I know I sounded childish, but I like snow.
"Nothing, my love." Axel said and walked out into the snow, the flakes landing on his bright red hair and making it look weird. "Let's start a snowball fight." He whispered when he bent to give me a hug.
"But, Ax…that's really immature."
"Says the person catching snowflakes on his tongue…" I slapped him on the arm and ran around, pretending to slip and fall, only to grab a ball of snow and chuck it at Axel when I turned around. "Sora!" I smiled and scooped up some more snow, dodging the snowball Axel threw at me. I saw out of the corner of my eye all the guys picking up their own snowballs. I knew who they were going to throw it at. I threw one at Roxas the snow falling on his blonde spikes.
"Snowball fight!" Demyx yelled, running over to me and standing by my side. We smiled at each other and started to team up on Zexion and Roxas who had formed their own alliance. While we were attacking them, Seifer, Hayner, and Axel were attacking us from behind – not a word…
Dem and I were back to back, our hands full with snowballs, only to lose them seconds later. I smiled and laughed happily, ignoring the oncoming headache and pain that hurt my arms. I looked up and saw the sun, it feeling like a sauna all of a sudden. Axel hit me with a snowball and I started to sway. I dropped the snow that I was holding and collapsed to the ground, holding my head in my hands.
"Sora!" Axel was next to me, gathering me in his arms. "Breathe, just relax. Roxas! Get his medicine!" The medicine he was talking about was supposed to calm my heart so I wouldn't go into cardiac arrest. It was an emergency type thing, fast-acting. Once I was injected with it, it was supposed to take immediate effect. Usually it did, but once I did go into cardiac arrest, easily making it through it because I was young and semi-healthy.
Axel took the clear thing off the needle and stuck it in my arm where he rolled up my sleeve. I could feel the medicine go through my veins, actually being able to hear the pounding in my ears start to slow. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and falling asleep, Axel's scent of green apple the last thing I was aware of. That and his soft words of, "That's it, my love, sleep."
xxx
I woke up to Axel whispering in my ear, his hand running along my completely bare skin in a slow manner. "Hey, love, I know you're awake. Come on, get up." He chuckled as he stroked my length.
"I am up." I mumbled tiredly, bucking my hips up into his hand when he wrapped it around me.
"I see, or shall I say feel?" I smiled and opened my eyes, looking into his dark emerald eyes.
"Why are you dressed?" I asked, noticing him in a really nice outfit. "You know the rules, no clothes are allowed to be worn on my bed, lest they be ripped in the process of removing them." He laughed at me, kissing me softly.
"But, we don't have time for that, we only have time for this," And he went down, taking me into my mouth without hesitating. I arched my back and ran my hands through his hair, gripping slightly when he moaned and sent vibrations straight to my core. His mouth was going at a tortuously slow pace while he sucked gently, knowing how to get me off in just the right way. Maybe a minute or two later, I was coming in his mouth, breathing his name out in a soft sigh.
When I tugged on his spikes, he let me go and crawled up beside me. "I love you," I whispered, noticing that his eyes still lit up when I said it.
"And I you, my love, now we have to go soon if we want to make the reservations. Roxas laid your clothes out, they're on your desk. I'll be waiting downstairs for you, so hurry. Oh, and happy eighteenth birthday!" Axel left me with a long loving kiss before leaving me with cold and lonely on the bed.
Sighing, I closed my eyes, feeling absolutely content. When I breathed out, I coughed, blood ending up on my sheets when I had leaned to the side. I growled and stood, taking a quick drink of water before looking over the outfit. It was an outfit that I had never seen before, the shirt was a pretty green color that matched Axel's eyes, and the pants were a simple black.
I got dressed and went downstairs, seeing Axel standing there with a white rose in his hand. I took it and blushed lightly when he kissed me on the lips in a totally sweet way.
"Hayner offered his car, but I know how much you love walking in the snow at night."
"Wait! It's night already? You mean I slept my whole birthday?" Axel nodded sadly. I should have known. That liquid usually kept me asleep for a few days, I probably only woke because Axel woke me up. "Okay…and yes, I would love to walk."
Roxas and my mom were all excited, along with Hayn and Seif. And Dem, and Zexy. They all knew what was going to happen, and they think they were happy? I was freakin' ecstatic! The love of my life was going to propose. Tonight! I could wait! Ignoring everyone, Axel took my hand in his, and led us outside, walking us to the main part of town. He led me into an expensive restaurant whose name I couldn't even pronounce. We were seated in a secluded area, candles were lit and red rose petals littered the tablecloth.
"Sorry, they didn't have any white roses…" Axel said, obviously embarrassed.
"That's okay, it's perfect," I smiled at him.
Dinner passed in silence, all but for the occasional, but meaningful 'I love you' that we whispered to each other in silence. Axel paid for the dinner, getting money from god knows where and laying it on the table before leading me outside to where it was snowing lightly. It was kind of cold outside, but Axel had given me his jacket to keep me warm. My hands were getting kind of cold, so I put them in the pockets, shocked to find a box shaped object. I pulled it out and looked to Axel. Before I could say anything, he took it from me and knelt to the ground, opening the box slowly to reveal a thin silver band that had words etched into it. "Sora Lee Hikari, will you do me the honor of marrying me?" I gasped and felt tears start to stream down my cheeks, not believing this was finally happening. I mean, I knew he would propose tonight, but now that the moment was here, I was speechless. I dumbly nodded my head, not being able to say anything at that moment.
Axel removed the ring from the box and slid it on my left ring finger.
"Perfect." He whispered before kissing me slowly. I don't know whether he was talking about the ring, or me. I just know that I felt everything he was feeling through that kiss. Everything felt intensified. My hearing caught his breathing hitch, my smelling caught the scent of salty tears and my hands felt even more perfect with the ring around my finger.
I pulled from the kiss, starting to feel lightheaded. It must have been from the rush of feelings that I was getting from all this. I smiled at Axel. He smiled back. We kissed once more, before everything was gone…
-The End-
Author's Note: Yeah, that's it…I'm serious this time. I did it, and I'm depressed. I'm crying, a lot. It's over…and he's gone…I'm sorry everyone. I hope this story was what you wanted. I thank everyone who took the time to read and review this story, and those of you who didn't, I just thank you for reading it and really hoped you enjoyed it.
Watch out for the epilogue, it'll clear everything up - or should.