(A/N): I tried to make up for taking so long to post last time by taking less than a week to bring you guys this chapter! And I succeeded!! Yayyy! Everyone clap for meeee. This chapter is also different from the ones at the beginning, but I really like it. I hope you guys do too. :D

As always THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY VERY VERYVERYVERYVERYVERY much to those who review my story and give me such kind, sweet, and beautiful words. You guys are amazing!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this jazz. You know the drill.

Enjoyyyy chapter SIX!!

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Life, Interrupted – Chapter 6

Axel and Roxas lay together beneath the stars all night until just before sunrise. They lay talking about everything they could think of from other patients…

"So what's really up with Demyx and Zexion? Demyx always tries to make it clear that they are just friends," Roxas asked Axel. They were both lying on their sides, facing each other. The space between them was so slight, Roxas could see every fleck of ice grey in Axel's jade green eyes, mirroring the twinkling in the vast night sky above them.

"Do you honestly believe him? They are way more than friends than you can imagine…" Axel answered, his fingers tangling themselves with Roxas's.

"Then why are they allowed to be together all the time? I thought the doctors hated that here."

"You don't think they didn't try to separate them? The truth is they're better around each other. Somehow, Zexy manages to get Demy to tell the truth…most of the time, and Demy makes Zexy more social. So the doctors just let them be best friends. Of course, that doesn't stop Demy from sneaking over to Zexy's room at night and they go at it like rabid hamsters on crack." Axel grinned at Roxas. As he winked, the familiar flames twirled in his eyes.

Roxas burst into giggles at Axel's colorful analogy. "How do you even know this?" he managed to wonder aloud between chuckles.

"I keep very…odd hours." Axel's smirk never left his face.

…to Roxas's past.

"Tell me something, Roxy. Was Riku always such a prick?" It was Axel's turn to pose the questions. Roxas had snuggled into the older boy. Axel was lying on his back cradling Roxas, who rested his head against the redhead's chest and encircled his arms around his waist. It didn't take him long to realize that Axel's heart never quite slowed to a normal pace, but like the heart of a delicate fawn, always kept fluttering lightly and quickly.

"Not exactly…I used to actually think he was one of the coolest boyfriends I've ever had," Roxas explained, feeling Axel's muscles tense beneath him. "But the fuck buddy relationship we had got real old, real quick. I don't even know why though…that's what I've always done with my boyfriends. I've never been in love; all we ever did is fuck. I guess I don't blame Riku for trying to rape me…sex is all we've ever had…"

"Hey! Look at me!" Axel exclaimed sternly, his grip on Roxas's shoulder tightening almost to the point of pain, but it comforted Roxas somehow. He lifted his head to glance up at Axel, ashamed. "Don't you ever say something like that again, okay? You did not deserve that. You deserve so much better, you understand me?"

All Roxas could do was provide a small, solemn nod. Axel's expression softened and he helped Roxas's head back down against his chest, which, despite his seemingly healthy disposition, was still somewhat straining to rise and fall in a normal manner.

They'd fallen asleep on the starry hill together. Axel gently woke Roxas just before the sun had peeked over the horizon. He led the groggy and half-asleep younger boy back to the ward and helped him back into his own bed. Roxas felt a feathery touch brush away a strand of his hair and eyelashes against his skin, as a tender kiss was placed on his cheek. Just before he sank back into slumber, he caught Axel looking back at him and then the flash of red exited through his door.

--

Now that Axel was back in the ward, he and Roxas spent most of their time together, despite the constant glares and warnings not to get too close they received from Dr. Vexen. Roxas was a lot happier to talk about his life in therapy, if only to avoid the constant questions Vexen had about his relationship with Axel. Vexen couldn't argue however, Roxas was doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing in therapy.

Demyx, ever the detective, also had incessant questions about he and Axel every night. Roxas finally got him to stop when he turned the tables on Demyx and began bugging him with questions about his relationship with Zexion. After that, Demyx was almost afraid to even open his mouth.

Every chance he got, Axel would steal kisses from Roxas when no one was watching. Each one was like a hot branding that sent shockwaves of pleasure down Roxas's spine. A couple of times, Axel managed to find a few moments to push Roxas into an empty room for a tongue dueling that left Roxas breathless, aroused, and pining for so much more.

Soon the time came for Xemnas to leave the ward, diagnosis: recovered. On the day before, all the patients were told to put on their coats and line up to go on a "special field trip" to celebrate Xemnas's recovery.

As Axel stood in line behind Roxas, slipping on his leather bomber jacket, he snorted. "I'm so glad we get to be led like cattle out from our pen to celebrate someone else's supposed recovery, who'll probably end up eating shit anyway, only to be herded with whips and chains back into our humble little PRISON."

There was a ripple of laughter throughout the entire line of patients. "You got that right, Ax," Demyx agreed from behind Axel. Though they had been told to line up single file, he was standing with his arm linked firmly with Zexion, who was smirking rather openly over Axel's comment.

The only person not laughing was, of course, Xemnas, who was standing in front of Roxas, at the head of the line. He snapped his head back to glare up at the tall redhead. "Maybe if you tried behaving like a normal human being," Xemnas spat viciously, "instead of attacking people left and right like some wild animal and torturing everyone in sight, maybe then they would consider letting you breath the same air that sane people, such as myself, do. Until then, you're stuck…because you're completely screwed up here." He touched his temple for emphasis.

Roxas watched as Axel's jaw clenched tighter and tighter and his eyes narrowed menacingly. He balled his fists before launching himself at the silver-haired boy. "I'll show you who's screwed, Xemmy, you incestuous piece of shit!" Roxas immediately grabbed Axel by the waist and attempted to push him back away from Xemnas. Demyx and Zexion also grabbed a hold of him, pulling him back with all of their power. Though he was as thin as a rail, his strength and momentum were surprisingly great.

As Aerith was walking down the hallway towards them, she caught sight of the scene and quickened her pace to reach them. "Axel! Axel! What did we talk about? Stop this at once!" she commanded.

Axel settled down, but anger still surged within him. "Fucking shit-face Xemmy over there started it!"

"No, you started it!" came Xemnas's shrieking argument.

Before Axel could turn to shoot another retort at Xemnas, Aerith caught his face sternly, but gently. "I don't care who started it. Axel, if you want to see the outside of this ward today, I suggest you cool it. This is Xemnas's last day. Please, just leave him alone."

Axel remained quiet, still fuming with his intense stare on Aerith.

Aerith softened her tone. "I'm only thinking of you," she half whispered so that Xemnas wouldn't hear. "I don't want this to escalate and have Dr. Vexen hear of it. I don't want you to have to face the consequences…"

This seemed to calm Axel down, at least for the time beginning. His shoulders relaxed and his seething breath returned to normal.

"Everything alright?" Aerith asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Axel replied shortly, but softly.

"Good." Aerith then directed her attention towards the entire line. "Alright everyone, Vexen and Yuffie shall be joining us in a second. When they do, we're all going to the park!"

Some of the patients cheered with joy, others provided half-hearted responses. Roxas remained silent, still reeling from the past few minutes. No matter what, when Axel reacted this way, Roxas couldn't help but feel uneasy…scared. It wasn't because Axel scared him, but he was more afraid of what would happen to Axel afterwards. It always seemed to gain the older boy some kind of consequence or "punishment", as Axel had put it. Roxas was greatly relieved Aerith had been able to pacify him.

"Alright, off to the park we go," Vexen announced as he approached them, followed closely by Yuffie.

As they set out walking, everyone shivering against the frigid winter air, Axel jumped up onto a low wall on the side of the courtyard, balancing himself as he trotted down its length next to the group.

"You know," he began, directing his words to no one in particular, "Taking us out to the park under grey skies and in the freezing weather, especially when we already have a courtyard, makes you wonder who the real wackjobs are…"

"Get down from there, Axel," Vexen groaned. "I am in no mood to deal with any injuries if you slip and fall."

Axel agilely leapt down and placed an arm around Vexen's shoulders. "Aww, Sexy Vexy's got his pretty pink panties all in a twirl with worry over little ol' me. That's sweet Vexy, c'mere…" He puckered his lips and attempted to direct Dr. Vexen's face towards him.

Vexen turned his face further away from the over-affectionate redhead and gently pushed him away. "Axel, you are breaching the line of the doctor-patient relationship. I suggest you step away from me immediately."

Axel let go and stuck out his bottom lip in a childish pout. He batted his eyelashes at Vexen. "I know it's hard to resist my lips, but you don't have to be so mean, Vexy… Fine! I'll just walk with my best friend Roxy, here." Axel slid next to Roxas and entwined his arm with Roxas's before bending down to lick the side of his face from jaw line to temple. "He loves me, dontcha Roxy?"

Roxas gasped, and then brought a hand up to playfully wipe off Axel's saliva. "Yeah sure, Axel, as long as you don't slobber on me again," he said, giggling.

"Anything you say, Roxy. My only purpose in life is to serve you." Even though Axel was saying this to Roxas, he was looking back at Vexen the entire time, daring him to say something.

Roxas could hear Vexen let out an infuriated exhale, but he ignored it as Axel took his hand and quickly led him to the front of the group. Axel was silent for the rest of the way there. He seemed lost in thought as they walked, their palms pressed together and their fingers laced. His gaze seemed far away and there was a small frown on his lips. Once in a while, Roxas would feel Axel's eyes on him and he would peer up to see the older boy looking down at him, still caught in his own mind, his brows slightly furrowing as if he were trying to figure something out. Roxas would smile up at him, and after a few moments, Axel would return it and shift his eyes back ahead of him. Just when Roxas would think there was something wrong between them, he would feel a tight little squeeze on his hand.

The park was almost deserted when the group reached their destination. "Alright, have fun guys," Aerith announced. "But stay within view. Dr. Vexen, Yuffie, and I will all be sitting right here at this bench."

For a while, everyone seemed to mill around, at a loss as to what to do. Roxas remained standing by Axel's side as the redhead surveyed the area. His eyes halted on something not too far away. Roxas followed his gaze and discovered an empty playground. A smirk began to twitch on Axel's lips. He looked down at Roxas. "Dare we?"

Roxas stifled a giggle. "Why not?"

Axel immediately began clapping his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alrighty, kids!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, and the entire group turned to look at him. "It seems our lovely shepherds have herded us here in order for us to have a good time before Xemmy leaves the nutcase nest, but it seems not a soul among us can find anything to do but walk around picking our asses. Well, the way I see it, the only way we're going to ever have any fun is if we decide to get in touch with our inner five-year-olds. And the only way we can do that is by getting our asses, that we've been busy picking, over to that there playground." He finished off his words with a wide grin and his hands on his hips.

There was a moment of silent before Marluxia spoke up. "Oh darling, what a marvelous idea!"

"Hell yeah, Ax!" Demyx cheered as Zexion showed his agreement by smiling ever so slightly.

The whole group spent the entirety of two hours having the time of their lives on the playground. For once in a very long while, all thoughts of psychiatric conditions, medication, therapy, recovery…all of it, were forgotten. Instead, for two hours, they were simply people…friends, having fun and enjoying the company of each other. Those who usually never interacted or got along seemed to behave as if they'd been acquainted for years. All because they just wanted to enjoy themselves…to forget.

The only person not joining the group was Saix. He sat all alone on one of the two swings off to the side of the playground. As Axel jumped down from a victorious battle on the monkey bars with Demyx, Saix's still figure caught his eye. He quietly strolled over to him and positioned himself behind the seated boy. Placing his hands on the chains of the swing on either side of Saix, he knelt so his face was close to Saix's ear. "Mind if I join ya, Sai?"

Roxas had watched this scene unfold and had now come to sit on the other swing. Saix didn't respond, keeping his gaze straight ahead of him as if he were still alone. Axel glanced over at Roxas and gave him a playful wink. He then took a few steps back from Saix and quickly jogged forward to push Saix with all his might.

Saix's eyes widened and he immediately grasped onto the chains by his sides. "You'll never have any fun on your own!" Axel exclaimed happily. "That's why Axel's here to help ya!"

Roxas chuckled at Saix's stiff and uncomfortable form. He remained with his muscles tense for quite a while, but after some time, he began to relax and just let Axel push him every time he swung back.

"You know," Axel began as he noticed that Saix was loosening up. "Despite what you may believe, we do like you, Sai. We just wish you'd leave that damn chair of yours in the corner of the rec room every once in a while and hang out with us more often. Am I right, Roxy?"

"Yeah!" Roxas replied excitedly, rocking himself backwards and forwards gently on the swing. "We don't like seeing you all by yourself all the time, Saix…"

Still no answer came from the blue-haired young man, but he'd completely relaxed. The three boys swung and pushed in silence for a few minutes before Saix held a palm out behind him, signaling to Axel he wanted to stop. Axel obliged and helped Saix come to a halt. Saix slipped off the swing onto his feet and began to walk away, but turned after he'd taken a few steps. His shocking golden eyes traveled from redhead to blonde. "Thank you," was all he spoke in his deep, thick voice, before turning and heading towards the nurses' bench.

"Well whaddaya know…he's not as scary as he looks after all," Axel stated, watching him go.

"I think he just needs the right people to open up to," Roxas mused. "Not unlike certain other people I know…"

Roxas and Axel locked eyes for a moment before Axel held out his hand. "Come," he told Roxas, who took the offered hand and Axel led him behind the jungle gym. "Sit with me."

They settled down on the dead grass together, the playground to their backs, obscuring them from the view of Dr. Vexen and the nurses. Axel placed his head in his hands tiredly, closing his eyes.

"You alright?" Roxas asked quietly, trying to not get or sound too worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Roxy, thanks. Just a dizzy spell. I get them sometimes. Nothing to worry about."

Roxas wasn't convinced, but decided to let it go for now. "If you say so…"

Axel lifted his head and smiled at Roxas in assurance. They sat in silence for a bit before Roxas spoke up again. "That was nice what you did back there for Saix."

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not all that bad," Axel replied jokingly.

"I never thought you were bad…"

"Not even when I jumped on you like a mad dog when we first met?"

"Well, that was a little scary, but I can't blame you. You thought Sor—" Roxas stopped himself here, afraid to go on.

Axel was watching the darkening sky with a sad little frown on his face. Before Roxas had a chance to fix his mistake, he suddenly felt a tiny prick of something cold on his nose. He rubbed it off to discover it was wet. More soon began fall in its place. Looking up, he realized that it had begun to snow.

Axel laughed in delight, holding out his hand to capture the descending flakes, all traces of sorrow erased from his features. "Roxy, it's the first snow of the season!"

Roxas was relieved to see such delight on Axel's face when the redhead turned to him, beaming. "Try catching them on your tongue," he suggested eagerly. "Come on, it's so much fun." Roxas watched as Axel led by example and situated his tongue out to capture the flecks of ice and let his thickly fringed lids slide closed. "Close your eyes, too. It will feel amazing."

Closing his eyes as well, Roxas followed Axel's behavior. Snowflakes landed on his tongue in pricks of invigoration. Having his eyes closed made Roxas completely unaware of when they were going to hit and just concentrate on the feeling.

Suddenly, something hot and moist engulfed his tongue. He opened his eyes to find Axel face upon his own, the fiery older boy's eyelids half closed in lust. Axel's tongue pushed and pulled with Roxas's. A blazing euphoric sensation spread throughout the smaller boy's body. He moaned softly in rapture, allowing Axel's tongue more access to the depths of his mouth. Roxas felt long fingers come to support the back of his head as he reached up to tangle his own in the wild mane of his sweet tormenter. Just as Axel began to let his other hand travel behind the hem of Roxas's jacket, he broke off their kiss.

Roxas's looked up at him, feeling completely heated and blushing despite the falling snow around them.

Axel's mischievous grin bared his rousingly sharp canines as he winked. "Told ya it would be amazing."

Roxas's blush morphed from a pink to a particularly bright shade of red.

--

That night, Roxas was sitting on his bed writing as usual with Axel lounging next to him, constantly stroking, tickling, and licking different parts of Roxas's body to get the blonde to pay more attention to him. They were in the middle of Roxas pushing Axel off after Axel had managed to stick his tongue in Roxas's ear when they heard the door burst open. Thinking it was Dr. Vexen or one of the nurses, Axel immediately proceeded to tumble off the bed in his hurry to disentangle himself from Roxas and landed hard on his backside.

"Oww…" came his painful moan as he sat up and they both looked towards the door. Demyx came rushing in, sobbing. He threw himself on his bed and emptied his tears into his pillow.

Axel looked to Roxas, who frowned and shrugged slightly, then back at the weeping boy. "Demy?" he asked gently, crouching by Demyx's bed. "Are you okay? What happened, kiddo?"

After gasping for air several times, Demyx lifted his head weakly to look at the two concerned boys in front of him and whimpered, "Zexion and I broke up."

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(A/N): See? I told ya it was different than other chapters. It also had a touch of the sweetness in it. WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO? I NEVER write sweet shit. Juuuust kidding. I really enjoyed this chapter. I needed to enforce the many sides to Axel. He's not just an asshole, I promise.

SO! The next chapter will definitely have oodles of Axel and Roxas but it will be kinda Zemyx-centric. Axel and Roxas are going to try to get them back together, and we all KNOW Axel will find quite a way to do it. :D

Until then....

xoxo

P.S. - Love you, Jess, my beta. I can't begin to thank you enough for everything.