Ch. 2 – Beaten to Submission
Roxas came home at the appropriate time and unlocked the door to the top floor. He figured out that everything would be normal when he got in the house to notify his caretakers that he was home. But when he walked into their room, he found them kissing passionately. The scene was enough to make Roxas's blood run cold. The two older men saw him and got so angry with him. They caught Roxas and Xemnas pinned him to the ground with a cold, angry look on his face. Roxas became so terrified at that point.
"What were you doing in our doorway?"
"I just wanted to tell you that I was home."
"You came at the wrong place at the wrong time. You miserable, ungrateful child!"
Xemnas slapped him in the face as Roxas fell to the ground and Saix took Roxas's school bag and threw it at his face, so hard that Roxas's face turned red. The blond started to cry as he became more frightened. He knew the most gruesome punishment for intruding in on their privacy: the older men would have their way with him. It had happened before several times in the past and at Roxas's unstable age, this was not a good time.
"I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again."
"Be sure that it doesn't. Dismissed."
"I understand."
Roxas ran to his room, thrust himself on his bed and spent the night crying, wishing for a better life. He didn't know what to do with his life anymore. But then he remembered something. Axel! He could go to his place. There was no other choice. Roxas sneaked out the back window with a small jacket on and ran into the rainy city. He searched for Axel's place until he collapsed on the cold wet ground just a block away from his destination. Axel had gone out to get more food until he found Roxas where he had collapsed. He was shocked to find Roxas's face red and bruised everywhere. So he took him in to his place and laid him on the couch with a blanket to warm him and a pillow to support his head. Roxas didn't wake till the next morning to find the sun in his eyes.
"Awake are ya?"
"Who's there?" He sat up slowly to find Axel next to him on a stool. Had Axel found him last night?
"Axel? Is that you?"
"Yeah. I found you outside last night in the street. Did you… want to see me last night?"
"Yeah. I was beaten by my two caretakers. I walked in on them… well… being busy."
"Are they both guys?"
"Mm-hmm. I just wish I could… leave and never come back."
"I don't think that would help at all. But until you get back on your feet, I'll let you stay here. Do you have school today?"
"No. It's Saturday."
"OK. Just stay in bed. I have morning patrol to do."
"Patrol?"
"I'm
what the locals call 'The Gunner.' I'm the most wanted criminal
in the city. And I have territory around the city. I have to go so
just stay in bed OK?"
"OK."
Axel then let go of the blonde's hand and walked upstairs and out the door. Roxas just looked up at the ceiling, wondering why such a criminal would take care of a boy 5 years younger than him, not to mention much weaker. Maybe it was just to be nice as a friend? Or something more?
Back outside, Axel walked around making sure nobody was crossing into his borders. Even though he looked tough on the outside, all Axel could think about was Roxas. He had never such a weak young boy in the city before. But he couldn't think about him right now. He climbed to the top of a building and looked over his territory. But he spotted a group of security guards. They seemed to be looking for someone, as they wore fancy suits. But then he remembered Roxas saying that he had rich caretakers and they had specific bodyguards to watch over him.
Roxas! They're looking for him! I have to get to him before they do.
Roxas slept for a while after Axel left. But he woke up to the sound of the door being burst open. Then he heard thundering footsteps down the staircase and got frightened. He saw the bodyguards that his caretakers hired.
"Roxas… your two guardians got extremely mad when they noticed you were gone. You will come home with us."
"No! He won't be!"
Just then, Axel crashed through the small window in time. He stood in front of Roxas and took a defensive stance.
"Roxas, are you OK?"
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"We have to get out of here. Come with me."
"OK."
