I know it's been a little while, but hopefully not too long. I've been trying really hard, but I keep getting distracted by this akudem and I just can't.... concentrate. Anyway, here's the second chapter, featuring jealousy, pouting, gay men, and gay drinks. Happy not our 9 month anniversary as friends, sweety.
Warnings: Well, not much... Just lots of dialog, so...
Disclaimer: Yeah, I own nothing, though if I did.... Oh, if I did....
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It was really just another day in the coffee shop. Zexion was well into his third cup by the time Axel waltzed in.
"Roxas! Sora!" he bellowed.
Zexion, always up for the entertainment that Axel and the blonde, Roxas, provided him, watched from the corner of his eye.
"Good morning," the redhead chirped, sashaying up to the counter.
Roxas glared. "What?"
"You look more beautiful today than ever," Axel purred, batting his eyelashes.
"Thanks," the blonde grumbled. "Now order or I'll kick you out."
"Aw, Roxy, you're hurtin' me here," Axel said, sticking out his lip in a pout.
"Don't care. Order or leave."
Axel pouted some more, then looked up, casting his eyes across the menu. "Cinnamon Creme Brulee Latte, then."
Roxas sniggered a little, causing both Zexion and the brunette, Sora, to look over at him for a moment. "That's... manly," the blonde commented as he rung him up.
The taller man shrugged. "Soooo...."
"What?" Roxas was glaring again, warning in his eyes.
Axel leaned against the counter. "Got a girlfriend?"
Sora glanced over again.
"No," Roxas said blandly as he mixed Axel's drink. "Want whip?"
"Sure. Got a... boyfriend?"
Sora looked interested now.
Roxas furrowed his brow, pausing for a moment and flickering his eyes to Sora, then he frowned deeply. "No."
Zexion rose an eyebrow. No? He looked over for just a second, over the top of his book. Sora was glaring. Interesting development.
"Want one?" Axel asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Sora was really starting to look angry now. The boxes in his hands were going to get squished if he kept holding them like that.
Roxas continued to operate the machine smoothly. "I didn't say I was gay."
"You don't have a girlfriend," Axel pointed out. "A guy as cute as you without a girlfriend can only be gay!"
"Not having a girlfriend does notmake me gay." The barista sighed. "Go away, Axel."
Axel grasped his chest cheerfully. "You do know my name!"
"Yeah, yeah, now take your drink and go, before I spill it all over you." He shoved the Cinnamon Creme Brulee Latte toward Axel, his eyes slightly begging. "Please."
Axel widened his eyes, then looked at Zexion, whose own eyes were telling him run away now, like they did when Axel ate the ice cream he hid in the freezer. "Yeah... I have a class in twenty anyway. I should... get going..." Perhaps he had noticed Sora's anger himself as he sped out of the shop.
As soon as he was gone, Roxas sighed, turning to Sora. "Sora --"
The brunette glared viciously, looking hurt.
Roxas frowned as well. "Sora, I really don't think that you, of all people --"
"Not gay, huh?" Sora murmured. "Well. That's news." He whipped off his apron. "I'm taking my break."
"Sora --"
"My break, Roxas," the boy snapped, storming out of the shop.
Roxas watched him go, a bitter expression on his face. Then his eyes went to Zexion. "Sorry about that," he muttered.
"It's fine," Zexion said with a shrug, going back to his book.
The shop was quiet when, twenty minutes later, Sora did not return.
Slowly, Roxas slinked across the room and slid into the seat across from Zexion tentatively. "Um... I'm Roxas," he said. "Roxas Strife."
"Zexion Ihara," he replied, glancing at Roxas for a moment.
"Sorry to interrupt," Roxas immediately added, nodding to his book.
"It's fine," Zexion shrugged again. "I apologize for that red-haired bonehead. I must admit, unfortunately, that he's my roommate."
"I'm sorry," Roxas laughed. "No, I'm used to Axel. We have classes together. But to be his roommate... that must be terrible."
"It's alright. His finals are approaching and he spends more time in the library studying like a crazed person than at home. It's a nice change."
"Ugh, finals," Roxas groaned. "I'd almost forgotten. And I'm sure I'm gonna fail psychology at this rate. What about you?"
Zexion's lips twitched. "I'm fine. I'm actually a psychology major."
Roxas gaped, and then laughed weakly. "I... I'm not really sure I have any right to be surprised. I'm, um, an art major."
"Huh. Axel, too. I suppose that's how you know him?"
"Yeah. He's not so bad at school, but that's because -- Ugh. Never mind. Not important. Anyway, do you do tutoring? I seriously need to find someone." He chuckled, but Zexion just blinked.
"I... could certainly try to fit something into my schedule."
Roxas blinked rapidly. "Huh?"
"If you're serious," Zexion said slowly, looking amused, "I'll think about it."
"Whu -- Whu...?"
"I have no need to study, so I have plenty of free time. I've tutored people before, and I doubt this would be any different... Except perhaps for your level of intelligence. You seem smarter than those... delinquents." He wrinkled his nose.
"Yeah, that's what I go for," Roxas chuckled, then looked forlornly toward the door.
"You and the other one...?"
"Sora," Roxas sighed.
"Sora. Right. You and he seem rather close."
"He's my best friend," Roxas muttered. "We've known each other since we were little."
"Axel created a rough spot."
"Eh. Things'll work out. I'll talk to him.... Thanks, Zexion," Roxas added, face turning red. "For, um, the tutoring thing."
"Of course. No problem. I... don't have much else to do."
The little bell over the door rang and Sora stomped back in, looking sheepish and guilty. Roxas only smiled. "I should go take care of this," he whispered to Zexion.
"That's fine," Zexion said, closing his book. "I'm basically done here, anyhow. I have a class soon." He glanced at his watch. "I'll see you again tomorrow, Roxas."
"Goodbye, Zexion," Roxas returned, as he slipped back behind the counter and disappeared into the back to talk to Sora.
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So. Yeah. That's that, there. For now. Sorry, but I don't think Demmy-darling's even showing up til the Fourth chapter.... The plot's swallowing me!! But when he does... Oh, when he does!! The tutoring thing came up when I was thinking of a certain Aku-freak, who's name I don't want to type out. I love you.... I do.