Well, back again. Again, not so long. Oddly enough, I wrote this chapter before Chapter 2. No, this will not contain any Roxion, by the by. Consider this any week after the first incident. Yeah, that's how I operate.
Warnings: just the usual man on man, etc.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, yo. Nothing. But I wish I did. But I don't.
The bell over the door rung early on a particularly sunny day.
"Oh, hey, Zexion. Good morning," the blonde barista, Roxas, said, grinning at his new tutor and frequent customer.
"Good morning, Roxas," Zexion returned, polite as ever.
The bell rung again as he came up to the counter. It was hard to fathom there was anyone he didn't know, so he wasn't surprised to see a familiar silver-haired second year enter the shop. He'd never been one for names -- he hadn't even remembered Roxas's until Axel had started rambling about him constantly. But still, he'd seen the tall silverette around campus. Catching his eye, they nodded to each other and the other student stood beside him by the counter, looking pointedly at Roxas. Zexion never missed anything, and so he watched the scene unfold around him.
Roxas's eyes narrowed when he saw the silver-haired teen. He didn't let him make a single sound. "Sora," he called for his brunette friend. "Umeda's here."
"Okie dokie!" the brunette, Sora, replied cheerfully from somewhere near the back. "Just give me a sec!" The hyperactive boy barely gave them a sec, appearing almost immediately, still fumbling with his black barista apron. "I'll be back later to pick you up, okay, Roxy?"
"Okay," Roxas sighed. He reached around Sora to undo the apron for him, and the two shared a small, but very tender kiss.
The silverette didn't seem too happy about it, as he looked away, irritated. However, he smirked when Sora jumped over the counter, beaming. "Riku!" The brunette laced their fingers together, chattering away as he dragged Riku out of the shop, leaving a glaring Roxas in their wake.
When they were gone, Roxas's eyes wandered back to Zexion waiting patiently to order. The slate-haired man was staring at him with an eyebrow raised in speculation. "Riku is Sora's boyfriend," he explained bitterly.
The eyebrow rose higher.
Roxas's face flushed. "He's my best friend, that's all..."
"Yes. Right." Most best friends act like newlyweds. But Zexion didn't have to say it. Roxas could practically read it in just those two words -- he'd always been good at expressing himself that way.
Roxas glared at the door again. "Sonnuva bitch. He's such an ass..."
"Will you need tutoring tomorrow? The usual, please. And, ah, Sora, is it? He seems to be happy with the other one. Riku Umeda, yes?"
"The usual, then. He treats me like crap 'cuz Sor and I are close. And yeah, that'd be great."
The shop was rather slow that day, empty and rather quiet -- Zexion thoroughly enjoyed it. Roxas finished a bit early, when the late afternoon workers, Kiara and Kovu, came in. He sighed long and deep, sinking into the seat across from where Zexion was reading his book. "I hope Sora gets here soon."
"Won't Umeda be with him?" Zexion asked absently, not looking up from his book.
"Well, yeah, but it's worse to go back alone. And anyway, he's got work down at the bar on 7th Street right after, so it's just me and Sora on the way home."
"You are both off tomorrow?"
Roxas's face twisted. "No. Just me. Sora doesn't have class 'til after four -- they've got a project coming up. Luckily, I don't have class, either, thanks to you, so if things go well, I can pick him up."
"Hmm..." Zexion hummed, looking at Roxas, speculating again.
Roxas blinked, a little uncomfortable under the stare. "What?"
"You love him."
"What?" he squeaked.
"You are in love with Sora," Zexion stated, returning to his book.
Roxas turned bright red. "N-no! No!"
"You kiss."
"We're friends! He's my best friend! I care about him, is all!"
"Yes. Right."
Roxas groaned, banging his head on the table. "I can't stand Riku! He's always in the way!"
"Some people are like that."
"And you saw how Sora was when that redheaded menace came onto me!" Roxas buried his fingers into his hair and pulled. "It's infuriating!"
"Sora is jealous."
"He can't have it both ways!" Roxas snapped. "It's not... It's not fair, Zexion! I love him -- not like that! -- but he can be so... so selfish. It drives me insane."
Zexion stared at him levelly. "Everyone is entitled to be a little selfish, Roxas. Look at you. Sora is happy with Umeda, but you wish that he was not in the picture. Does that not make you selfish?"
Roxas sighed, then sagged in his seat. "You freakin' psychology majors..."
"Yes, well," Zexion sighed, "that's what we're here for."
"Ah, that reminds me!" Roxas shot up. "We're having an open mic night tomorrow! But not until later that night. You wanna go with me after tutoring?"
"Hmm," Zexion responded thoughtfully. He wasn't much for crowds, though it couldn't possibly be that bad. "I... suppose that would be fine. You do realize Axel will find out about this?"
Roxas laughed. "Yeah. I know. It's okay. You know, he actually apologized for the other day. It was a strange, very Axel way of going about things, but... I got the picture."
"Don't underestimate that pervert, Roxas," Zexion said seriously.
Roxas just laughed again. "I would never do something that stupid."
"So long as you know."
The shop was peaceful until Sora came back to pick him up. There was a new hickey on his neck which he seemed oblivious to, or just didn't care, that made Roxas glare at the figure slouching outside by the door. Then he left with them, his arm around Sora's waist, Sora reflecting him. Riku moved to Sora's other side but didn't touch him, looking just faintly displeased as Zexion watched them walk away from the window.
He shook his head. Best friends. Right.
There. And Dem-dem's comin' up! I'm so excited! Though it'll cause me all sorts of anxiety and I don't think I can handle it!! Oh well. So, I guess I like Sora as kind of a whore of sorts.... Well, just this time. I actually kind of like this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it!!!