Their apartment was located on the bad side of town and it didn't have any running water or heat. Their fridge barely had any food in it and someone with a lot of money would have said they had nothing in it, but a little was still some.

Roxas had just gotten home from his class and he frowned as he opened the door, feeling the cold air assault his face. It was winter and the apartment seemed to be colder than outside; perhaps it was because a home represented comfort and warmth, and this home held neither.

Shivering, Roxas put his bag down and curled up on Axel and his pull-out bed, making sure all the sheets and blankets were wrapped tightly around himself, ignoring the sounds his stomach was making.
"I hope Axel is able to sneak something from work ..."

Curling up, Roxas smiled at the thought of his long time boyfriend, Axel. He worked in a run down cafe not far from their apartment and would always try and sneak some food home for the two of them. Roxas felt reality slip away as sleep took over.

"Roxas? You home yet?"
Roxas opened his eyes to the sight of his boyfriends spikey red hair peeking into the living room.
"Here you are ... you alright ...?"
Axel frowned as he moved to sit beside his shivering boyfriend.
"Yeah, just cold."
Axel nodded in understanding, their apartment was very cold that evening, Axel would have guessed it to be -3.
"Yeah, I know, Rox."

Taking his coat off, which was now soaked from the rain that had started not five minutes before he got off work, Axel climbed onto the bed beside Roxas and wrapped his arms around the small, shaking bundle.
"Will things get better, Axel?"
"Truth or lie?"
"Truth first."
"I don't know if they will get better."
Axel felt Roxas nod, already knowing he didn't want the lie anymore.
"But if things don't get better, Rox, I'll love you just the same, and I'd understand if you went to live with someone else ... You don't deserve this shit."
Axel tightened his grip around his boyfriend, meaning every word he had just said.
"You don't deserve this either. And, I won't leave. It's cold now, but I have hope and we'll be okay. Plus, I'm with you, and I love you too much to let a cold apartment get in the way."

Looking down, Axel smiled at his boyfriend, still amazed at his hope and spirit.
"I brought home fries and a sandwich."
"Yum, what kind of sandwich?"
"Not sure, probably tuna."
"Awesome."

Roxas turned in Axel's arms and looked into his eyes, smiling at the love that reflected back. They had lost everything when they came out; their friends, their parents, their home ... But they hadn't lost each other and that was good enough for them.
"Get naked."
Axel blinked, shocked at his boyfriends sudden demand.
"Uh ... Naked? Rox, I love you, but is now the right time? I mean, I doubt I have the energy to even ge-"
"I've heard that it's warmer if you're naked."
Shrugging, Axel decided that his boyfriend probably knew best.

Standing up from the bed, Axel removed his long sleeve shirt and under shirt hesitantly, not enjoying the cold that seemed to hug his naked skin as soon as it appeared.
"Oh, Ax ..."
Roxas frowned as he took in the sight of Axel's body.
"You're so thin, babe ..."

Axel stopped with his hands on his jeans button, shifting slightly and becoming increasingly self-conscious.
"I've always been thin ..."
Axel wasn't sure why whether or not Roxas was still attracted to him was a main priority, but he had felt his body tense at the look Roxas had given him; a look Axel could only describe as disgust.

Roxas tilted his head, not sure why Axel was reacting the way he was, the only time he had seen these actions were ...
"Oh. Oh! No! I didn't mean it like that, Ax! You're still beautiful, I'm just worried about you."
Axel felt his body relax as Roxas made himself clear, feeling stupid for ever doubting Roxas' attraction to him.

Removing the last layer of clothing, Axel looked at his bundle and smiled.
"You going to get naked too, and maybe invite me into your cocoon?"
Axel watched as Roxas' face lit up with a huge smile.
"I'm one step ahead of you, babe."
Roxas unwrapped himself from his small furnace and pulled back the covers, exposing himself to both Axel and the cold. Axel let out a soft laugh as he crawled onto the couch with Roxas, nudging Roxas' clothing to the bottom, making a small hut for their feet.

"You're something else, you know that, right?"
"I know."
Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas again, smiling as their body heat mixed and made their cocoon comfortably warm.
"You know, I could be at someone else's house right now, in a soft, warm bed watching cartoons or a movie, and you know what?"
Axel bit his lip and looked into Roxas' eyes.
"No, what?"
"There is no place I'd rather be than here with you."
Feeling his chest tighten, Axel leaned closer and placed a kiss on his boyfriend's lips.
"Have I made you speechless?"
"Not possible. Got it memorized?"
Roxas snorted and rolled his eyes. Wrapping his arms around Axel and cuddling him closer, Roxas smiled as he felt Axel return the actions.

Their apartment was small, they had no running water or heat, barely any food in the fridge, and it was the middle of winter. But what they did have was love and hope and the most important thing they had was each other and that was enough for both of them.

AN: -3C is 26F.