Flowers didn't keep very long, even refrigerated, so Axel needed to take the flowers to the graveyard sooner than later. But before he did, he decided it was time for something else.
"Hey, Roxas, come here." Roxas blinked but obediently went to the redhead. Then he started in surprise as Axel did something to the collar and it came free with a click. "There's some good snow out there now, so I don't think you need this anymore. You do know there's no chance you could hike back to civilization this time of year, right?" Axel sounded slightly worried, and Roxas nodded.
"I get it Axel." He hated the truth of it, but he knew it was true. Axel smiled, a touch relieved.
"Good, because if you took off into the wild I'd have to try to track you, and that would probably get us both killed." Axel shook his head. "I'm good but not that good." Axel knew his limits and while he was fairly good at survival, winter camping in this forest required very careful planning and good equipment. Most of which he didn't have. Leaving the house to go camping in the woods wasn't his idea of a good time. Of course, the sensible thing to do if Roxas took off would be to just let him die. But Axel couldn't imagine doing that anymore. It would haunt him forever if he let something happen to the blonde when he could have prevented it.
"I said I get it, Axel." Roxas sounded irritated now, and Axel grinned.
"Sorry." He said contritely and Roxas glowered at him.
"No, you're not. Are you going to show me this graveyard or not?" That wiped the grin off Axel's face, and he went to grab the bundle of roses he'd saved for this. They were still in good shape, beautiful and red.
The corner of the property Axel brought him to was past where the collar would have reached, a sunny little clearing filled with dying wildflowers under a light coating of snow. Roxas stared at the little white crosses that had been erected in the clearing. It looked like someone had been carefully maintaining the crosses, keeping the paint fresh. They were scattered haphazardly over the clearing, rather than arrayed in rows. Roxas thought there were perhaps a dozen of them. Axel wordlessly handed him half the flowers, and began placing the roses at the base of the crosses. Roxas hesitated, then followed his lead until the flowers were gone.
"Why an elephant's graveyard?" Roxas said for something to say, something to get Axel talking. Axel sighed, his breath visible in the cold air.
"It's an old myth, that elephants go to the elephant's graveyard to die. Means any collection of similar objects. It's also from the Lion King movie." Axel ran a finger over one of the crosses. "You remember those movie tapes you found? Did you notice that some of them had other names?" Roxas swallowed and nodded. Axel gestured slowly at the graveyard. "They're all here." Roxas paled as he understood Axel's meaning.
"Axel. Are you saying your father was a serial killer?"
"Yup." Axel just sounded slightly sad, as he looked over the crosses with their red roses and dead wildflowers. "Astrid and I were his main toys, but whenever he was bored or just wanted to kill someone, he'd kidnap some kid. I think the youngest was twelve, the oldest was your age." Axel glanced over at Roxas thoughtfully. "You would have been just his type. He didn't care how old they were, just that they looked like teenagers." Roxas looked over the graves, feeling like he might throw up. How could Axel take it so calmly? "You know the worst part? Astrid and I didn't care." Roxas stared at Axel, catching the quiet sadness in his eyes. "We were just glad it wouldn't be us for a while. Whenever he had a new toy, he'd leave us alone until he broke it. We only really cared after he was dead. Is that horrible or what?"
"You were just kids, Axel. And there was nothing you could do." Roxas looked over the graves and shook his head. "I can't believe the police didn't catch him." Axel suddenly laughed and Roxas looked at him questioningly.
"The police aren't god, Roxas. These kids were all strays, runaways, and it's harder when a serial killer has the money for a private chopper." Axel stared at the crosses blankly for a moment, then shook his head. "It doesn't matter. It's over, he died of a heart attack and I hope he burns in Hell." Axel stepped close, putting his arms around Roxas. The blonde hesitated a moment before letting Axel hold him.
"You should tell the police, Axel. Maybe they could identify them." Roxas finally said, and Axel shook his head.
"It might get Astrid and me in trouble, and the elephants don't care Roxas." Axel really didn't want to go anywhere near the police, and not just because he'd kidnapped Roxas. The incest and the fact that he and Astrid had obeyed all of their father's orders made him very nervous about that. Axel swallowed, thinking about it. There had been no choice at all if they wanted to keep each other alive, but he didn't trust anyone to understand that. Not even Roxas, if he saw a few of those tapes.
"Their families might." Axel winced. Roxas was right.
"Well, I'll think about it." He wasn't going to promise anything, but maybe sending the tapes and a detailed explanation would be what to do when- Axel shut down that train of thought firmly. "Anyway, now you know the worst of it, pretty much."
"You mean there's more?" Roxas said with morbid curiosity, and Axel laughed.
"Not really. Just what's in the attic, and you can probably skip it. It was dad's workroom." Roxas winced at the thought. That explained why Axel had said he might lose his lunch if he was sensitive.
Axel, meanwhile, was feeling rather relieved. Roxas knew practically everything now. There wouldn't be anymore horrible revelations after this, not really. Maybe just a few minor ones about his uncle and the family business, but that wasn't much. It was a weight off his shoulders.
"Well, we should go back." Roxas finally said, and Axel nodded, letting go of the blonde.
"Right." Axel glanced over the elephant's graveyard for a moment, noting the crosses that needed some painting. He would take care of that soon. He always took good care of the graveyard for Astrid.
After that, time passed without any real events. Fall began to turn into winter, the snow falling heavily over the pine forest. Axel and Roxas went hunting and managed to catch several deer, as well as a bear that decided Roxas looked tasty. That part had been hair-raising, but Axel had taken it down as calmly as if it was another deer.
At the moment, though, Roxas couldn't find Axel. He'd looked everywhere in the house except the basement and attic, and he just couldn't find the redhead. Now he was exploring the outside of the house, puzzled.
"Did he go on a hike?" That seemed unlikely though. Unless Axel was upset or mad at him, which had happened only once or twice, Axel would at least tell him he was going on a hike. Usually he would ask if Roxas wanted to come. Then he blinked as he heard a cheerful voice raised in song.
"I am a lumberjack and I'm okay! I sleep all night and I work all day." Roxas turned the corner and stared as he saw Axel. He was just wearing a flannel shirt, ignoring the snow blowing through the air as he chopped wood. There was a tidy pile of wood beside him, and as Roxas watched he neatly bisected another piece, tossing it into the pile. "I cut down trees, I skip and I jump, I like to press wildflowers, I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars." Roxas grinned as he recognized the song. Monty Python was full of win.
"You know, your sister was right." Roxas commented as Axel killed another log just to see it die. "You're really sexy in flannel, sweaty and chopping wood." Axel looked up, his green eyes full of laughter, and Roxas smiled. I've got it bad. He wasn't sure if this was Stockholm syndrome or just simple lust with a bit of love thrown in, but whatever it was he had a bad case of it. "You look good enough to eat."
"Keep talking Roxy, and you might have to." Roxas grinned and shook his head. Axel was just kidding, he could tell. The redhead grabbed another log, setting it in front of him and chopping it easily. "I was thinking we could have a fire tonight and make some s'mores."
"Sounds great!" There was a fireplace in the cabin, a nice big one, and it was cold enough that the warmth would be welcome. Not to mention the opportunity to burn some marshmallows. "Hey, can we make hot dogs too?" Axel looked thoughtful at that.
"Sure." Axel thought that if he pulled out a packet of hot dogs now and put them in cool water, they would be unthawed enough for supper. They didn't have any hot dog buns out, but regular bread would do. And it would be fun to roast wieners over the fire too. "Grab that wheelbarrow for me?" Roxas nodded and pulled over the wheelbarrow as Axel gathered up several of the pieces of wood and started loading it. Working together, they had it filled and back at the house in no time.
Later, they had a ton of fun roasting hot dogs and marshmallows in the fireplace. They had the graham crackers and plenty of chocolate, and Axel found a bottle of caramel syrup. Drizzled on top of the s'mores, it was delicious. Soon they were curled up comfortably on the couch, just enjoying the fire.
"Axel?" Roxas murmured sleepily, curled up against the redhead's side. "Just hold me?" He smiled as he felt warm lips against his forehead for a moment, before Axel slipped an arm around him.
"Love to." And they fell asleep in front of the fire, just being together.
Roxas looked up from the movie he was watching. Axel was doing something in the kitchen and it had been going on all morning. He'd smelled some baking, but now there were just a lot of whirring sounds and some swearing. Was Axel making another cake? Finally letting curiosity get the better of him, Roxas walked into the kitchen and blinked.
"Axel, what are you doing?" He said after a moment of staring. The redhead looked up from where he was blending together some black frosting and grinned. There was a bit of frosting smearing on his cheek
"I'm making a cake for the Threadless competition. Have you heard of threadcakes?" Roxas shook his head.
"No. I've heard of Threadless though, Sora ordered some t-shirts from them." Roxas had to admit they were funny, although he still thought it was a waste of money. "Let me guess, there's a prize."
"Got it in one. And it's good for my portfolio." Axel said cheerfully and Roxas blinked, wondering if he was joking. But he and Astrid had dreamed of opening a bakery, so maybe not. "And this!" Axel scooped up a blob of black icing with his finger and pointed dramatically at the main cake. It had been carefully sculpted and supported, then fondanted. It looked like a bird wearing a bandanna. "It's going to be ninja bird! Doesn't he look neat?"
"Mmm hmm." Roxas privately though that he'd look a lot better when he was colored, but another thought had occurred to him. He stepped forward, grabbing Axel's hand and making the redhead blink at him. He smiled sweetly up into confused green eyes, then slowly licked away the icing from his finger.
"…" Green eyes widened as Roxas' tongue darted out, and Axel swallowed as his pants suddenly seemed far too tight. Leaning down, he caught the blonde's lips in a gentle kiss, tasting the icing on soft, warm lips. The kiss was slow and sensuous, and Roxas slid his hands behind Axel's head, tangling his fingers in red spikes before deepening the kiss.
"Axel." Roxas murmured as they separated, looking up into stunned green eyes. He vaguely wondered what had come over him. This was the first time he'd really come onto the redhead after his kidnapping, but it felt so right. "Do that again."
"S-Sure." Axel kissed Roxas again, cupping the blonde's face in his hands. The sweet taste of his lovers' lips was intoxicating, and Axel was vaguely aware that his half-done frosting was coming apart, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was Roxas.
Then the blonde was pulling him out of the room, towards the bedroom, and Axel swallowed again. He was astonished by what Roxas was doing. Could he really…? Axel shut down the thought. All that mattered was the moment, and he was incredibly turned on now.
"I want to be on top." Roxas said softly as he yanked at Axel's zipper, trying to get his pants off. Axel helped, groaning slightly as his erection was freed from the confining fabric. "I want to ride you." Axel hadn't thought he could get anymore hot and bothered, but he'd been wrong. That thought was too sexy for words.
"Anything you want, Roxas." Axel helped the blond out of his clothes, smiling as he saw Roxas was just as ready for this. Soon the redhead was flat on his back in the bed, watching with eyes full of desire as Roxas smiled and ran his hands over Axel's hard erection, lubing him up and gently squeezing him. "Wait, Roxas. The condom." Axel had almost forgotten, but Roxas snorted.
"Screw it." Roxas muttered as he ran his hand through Axel's curly red hair, making his cock jump and the redhead gasp. "I'm fine, you're fine and I don't want anyone else." Axel was too far gone to his desire to think about that, and his erection agreed with no interruptions. Axel bucked up into the blonde's hands, and groaned as Roxas squeezed him again.
"Stop teasing!" Axel reached up to grab Roxas, but the blonde easily avoided him before crawling up and positioning himself. Axel swallowed thickly and gripped the blankets as Roxas smiled, lowering himself onto the sexy redhead under him. Roxas closed his eyes for a moment, gasping at the feeling of being filled, the sudden sting and the pleasure under it. Then he moved his hips, and that was all the encouragement Axel needed to thrust up into that wet, tight heat over him. Roxas moaned as Axel wrapped a hand around him, stroking him as they moved together. It was so good, so right, so intense. Roxas set the pace, panting softly as he took the redhead faster and faster, the sound of their bodies slapping together echoing through the room. Roxas looked down into bright green eyes, and felt a warmth in his heart to match the pleasure in his body.
"Axel." He moaned the redhead's name as he started to reach his peak. "Axel!" Axel caught his hands, holding them in his larger ones as they moved together.
"Roxas." Roxas' breath caught in his throat at the intensity in Axel's voice. "God, Roxas, I-ah!" The redhead suddenly came and Roxas followed, releasing across his belly. They were both left panting, sweaty and satisfied. Roxas looked into Axel's face again, blue eyes meeting green, and saw something so intense, so painfully bright that it made him want to hold Axel forever and never let him go.
Is this love? Roxas wondered as he pulled himself free of the redhead. It seemed too soon, even if Axel hadn't kidnapped him. And how could he love someone who was keeping him against his will? But he isn't hurting me, and he's just so perfect. Axel seemed like everything Roxas could want in a lover. Could it be real? Could the redhead feel the same?
Finally deciding not to think about it, Roxas curled up beside Axel, letting the redhead hold him and murmur soft nothings in his ear.
If it wasn't real, he wanted to pretend.
Roxas woke up in the middle of the night. That wasn't unusual, he often did and went back to sleep. But tonight he felt strangely restless, and slipped away from Axel, throwing on a robe and walking through the house.
He wasn't sure why, but he went to the kitchen, turning on the light and looking over Axel's cake creation. The bird really was cute, although it would look much better painted. And Roxas wondered what the tiny katana drying nearby was for. Was the bird going to be holding it? That would explain ninja bird.
The board under the bird was already coated in fondant and black icing. Roxas stared at it, thinking, and reached out. He knew that Axel would have to take pictures of the bird for the competition. He could… could scrawl his name in the icing. If Axel didn't notice, maybe someone looking at the entries would. And Axel would have to give his PO Box for the prize. The trail would lead right back to him. Roxas started to write his name on the board, then stopped, the R barely finished.
If he did that and the police found him… what would happen to Axel and Astrid? Roxas bit his lip, then suddenly blotted out the letter. Axel would go to jail and Astrid would die, sooner rather than later without any treatment. He couldn't do that to them. Roxas walked away, feeling strangely at peace.
He had made a choice.
