Ahahahaha.... Last Chapter.
Disclaimer: You've stuck by me for thirteen chapters. Ya'll should know I own nothing except my hopes and dreams.
The first new arrival came the Friday after Axel left.
A boy maybe a little bit older than Roxas himself. He was handsome enough, long silvery hair and clear sea-green eyes. That'd be gone soon.
The boy took his place in Axel's bed. Perhaps the nurses sensed it would be too soon to fill Demyx's bed. Too much like he was gone for good. Roxas shuttered. Either way the boy sat up straight in bed, looking dazed as his father and Dr. Lexaeus talked at him. Roxas recognized that look.
"Riku." The boy- Riku- looked up at his father, "Be good, and get better quickly." The silver haired man commanded.
"Alright, good-bye, Father."
The silver haired man nodded and glided out of the room. Roxas was chilled by the cold formality between the father and son.
Lexaeus lingered for a moment, perhaps sensing another Zexion-in-the-making, but left quietly, unwilling to overstep his boundaries with this particular patient.
"So... Riku." The boy looked up at Roxas, "That's your name, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, I'm Roxas, and that's Zexion." He motioned over to the quiet bookworm. Riku looked surprised as if this was the first time he'd noticed the boy.
Remembering the deck of cards Axel had left him, "Do you want to play cards or something?"
"No." The boy replied flately and rolled over, his back to Roxas.
XxX
A day went by, then two. A week fluttered by in such a manner. Riku's father, a lawyer named Sephiroth, came twice. Demyx's mother came to visit Zexion- and Roxas- a few times, while Zexion's own parents remained absent. There was talk of discharging Roxas and even a few hints at Zexion's own discharge. Riku's father attempted to bully the staff into giving Riku a private room. Larxene bitched. Zexion ran off to the roof. Cloud and Sephiroth nearly came to blows in the waiting room. And Dr. Marluxia conspired to take over the cancer ward from a Dr. Xehenort Xemnas. In the comfort of the staff lounge of course.
And still no Axel.
XxX
Watching his brother attempt to make friends with the newcomer Riku, Roxas decided he couldn't complain. He had Axel for a few wonderful months, that was good enough for him. He had all of them, Axel, Zexion, Dr. Lexaeus, Ms. Namine... and Demyx, for a few wonderful and horrible months. And he would have them forever in his memories. And that was good enough for him.
The blond smiled when he noticed Sora blushing. Riku grinned, slyly, secretly proud he had put that blush on Sora's face.
XxX
Three weeks later, Roxas sat alone in his hospital bed. Riku and Zexion were down for chemo. Roxas smiled, Zexion's last cycle of chemo. Hopefully, the last for the rest of his long, long life.
He'd have to evacuate to the day room soon. Roxas wondered if he should get a head start and take the good chair.
The good chair'd have to wait.
There was a rap at the door. Wondering who could possibly be up for a visit, Roxas watched the knob turn, and the door push open.
"Axel?"
Roxas nearly flew off the bed and tackled the red-head.
"Hey! Hey! Roxy, calm down! I promised I'd be back!"
"I know. It's just good to see you." Roxas nuzzled his face into Axel's chest, too happy to see Axel to be mad the red-head hadn't come up in three week.
"Well it's good to see my visits mean so much to you." The red-head replied. "Help me up. New leg still isn't corroperating."
Giddy almost, Roxas offered a hand to Axel. The red-head looked exactly like Roxas remembered him. Or at least the way he remembered him from his dream. Healthy, happy, mishievous, Roxas couldn't help himself, popping up on his tip-toes, he kissed Axel's lips. The red-head didn't seem to mind.
Without help, Axel maneuvered himself over to his old bed. He grinned at Roxas, lost in thought. Not able to contain it, Roxas grinned back.
Easily, the two talked for nearly half and hour, filling in each other about what was happening. Roxas had just finished reporting on Cloud and Sephiroth's almost fight when Riku stalked in.
"Who the hell are you?" Riku yelled, upset that someone else was sitting in his bed.
"Axel. You might have heard some of the nurses talkin' about me."
"No." Riku replied flately. The silver-haired teen crossed his arms.
Axel raised his hands, "Sorry, dude. This used to be my bed."
"Your bed." Disbelief layered Riku's voice.
"Yeah." He rolled up his pant leg revealing his prothetic leg, "Osteosarcoma. Had my leg amputated. What about you?"
"Um..." Riku faltered, "Leukemia..."
Standing, Axel stretched, "Dayroom time?"
Roxas nearly jumped off his bed at the idea, Riku was less enthused.
At the dayroom, Axel was attacked by children. Exited to see him again they swarmed over Roxas and Axel.
After a nearly endless parade of dolls and toy cars, the two were finally given their much deserved alone time.
"So..." Roxas mused over his next words, "Before you said you didn't have a girlfriend."
Axel grinned and pulled out a picture from his back pocket. Roxas remember that picture. It was from Axel's party.
Still grinning, Axel pointed to a small boy with thinning blond hair, and bright blue eyes, "I tell 'em, that's my boyfriend. Got it memorized?"
Roxas grinned and kissed Axel's cheek, "I'm going to need a copy of that."
"Already planned for that. Got one for Zexy, too."
Roxas grinned down at the picture. A dusty blond had his arm looped around the neck of a slate-haired teen. the blond was grinning like an absolute maniac, his deep blue eyes the only thing left alive of him. "I think he'll like this a lot."
XxX
Right now Roxas really regretted his choice in clothes involved dark colors. His t-shirt had nearly glued itself to his back from dried sweat. Swallowing, Roxas bounced the basketball once, twice. Tie game. He was on the foul line with two shots. They'd decide the game.
Raising the ball, he shot it at the basket. The orange ball made a beautiful arch before it slammed into the ground. Air-freakin'-ball.
Roxas was too short for basketball. He sighed as Cloud bounced the ball to him, his elder brother's face inscrutible.
Roxas glanced to his right. All eyes were on him now. Roxas felt the hair of the back of his neck rise. Did they have to stare at him?
Even Zexion was staring, his blue eyes turned away from his contraban book he'd smuggled along. He looked so much healthier than a few week ago. A bit happier too, although Roxas noted sadly his parents were nowhere in sight. Somethings never change.
Roxas let out another little sigh.
His eyes drifted past Zexion. Demyx's mother stood next, the little dusty haired woman was probably responisble for Zexion's attenion. Suddenly, Roxas disliked her. A clan of red-head's came next. Axel and Reno, along with their mother. The two were containing their enthusiasm, but twin green eyes glittered with manic excitement. The strife family stood next. Roxas' father while not saying anything aloud, looked as though he was willing athletic success for his son, his mom looked as though she'd be happy if the ball hit the rim. Not being able to help himself, Roxas rolled his eyes.
A little ways off Sora and Riku stood. Sora was cutting off the circulation in Riku's arm, obviously his twin didn't have much confidence in Roxas. Taking his eyes off the worst twin brother a guy could ever ask to trade in, Roxas looked at the newest member of the hodge-podge family, Riku. The silver-haired teen evidently inherited his father's debate skills and weasled his way into getting an hour off the ward, to come to the game. The hour almost up, he was the reason Roxas was being put on the spot.
Riku motioned with his hands, signifying Roxas to hurry it the hell up.
Roxas stopped. What an ass, Roxas though, serioiusly questioning his brother's taste in men.
The blond shook his head. No, basketball now, questioning Sora's sanity later.
Roxas bounced the ball once more, and lined up the shot like Axel had taught him to. Offering up a little prayer to the god of basketball, Roxas shot the ball.
The ball glided lazily towards the hoop. Roxas gulped, but the ball hit the backboard and dropped neatly into the hoop. The blond let out a breath he wasn't aware he'd taken, and was immediantly tackled to the ground.
Roxas stared up into Axel's vibrant green eyes. The red-head was grinning ear to ear, ecstatic to have won, and proud of his boyfriend. Still grinning, Axel leaned down and kissed Roxas. A tingling sensation passed through Roxas' body as he kissed Axel back.
Roxas shuttered.
Ack. It's done. Well this is you guys last chance to drop a review. Just kidding.
Anyway major thanks to all of you who favorited, added to their alerts, reviewed and generally motivated me to get off my lazy ass and type up this story. You helped bring about the gay, guys, and for that I am thankful.