Over time, many interesting things would happen. Luxord managed to have Axel's trust dissolved, giving him full control of his finances. That was investments to the tune of several million dollars. With that money Axel and Roxas were able to buy a house and take the family on very nice vacations, but that was the only change it made in their lifestyle.
The bakery turned out to be a stunning success, and it was eventually named The Sweet Spot. Things calmed down after the first week and Axel was able to sleep in a bit later and bake far less cupcakes, but the business was still booming. Axel managed to build a name for himself making excellent wedding and birthday cakes, and even began taking orders from Fairbanks and further. Although for further, he charged extra and flew the cakes in on his helicopter. Axel also expanded the business, hiring several employees to meet demand. Two of them worked out and became excellent cake decorators. The Sweet Spot would never be as good or successful as Charm City Cakes, but Axel didn't mind. He wasn't in that class. He did get invited once to a Food Network Challenge and didn't win, but that was fine too. It was enough to have been there. Roxas took online courses and eventually took over the bookkeeping and scheduling for the business. Axel wouldn't have known what to do without him.
Riku and Sora both went to University together, and decided to stay there, coming home to visit for Christmas and holidays. Riku had a good career in network support and Sora became a librarian. They eventually adopted a baby girl from China and named her Mia. Their mother doted on her and Axel and Roxas spoiled her rotten every chance they got.
Eventually, Roxas and Axel considered children, but Axel wanted to find an older child like himself. A child who just needed help to be successful in life. Roxas was unsure, since an older child could have plenty of problems, but he agreed to try…
"This is a group home?" Roxas looked around curiously and Axel nodded.
"Hmm hmm." It wasn't a very nice place, but it wasn't terrible either. The building looked a little run down but still serviceable and children were playing outside, throwing balls into a hoop. Several of them stopped and stared as Axel and Roxas went inside, but most just continued with their game.
"?!?" Roxas stared, a bit taken aback as the woman who ran the group home smiled and shook Axel's hand. He hadn't expected someone so… fat. Blushing lightly at his own reaction, Roxas gingerly took a seat. She had dark brown hair and seemed friendly, despite her alarming size.
"I'm Sheri Patterson. You would be Axel and Roxas? So I'm told the two of you are interested in adopting one of our children? I assume you've already been through the paperwork?" From her tone she assumed no such thing, but Axel nodded and brought out the forms. He'd consulted with Marly on what was involved in this sort of thing and gotten everything in order.
"Yeah, we're good to go. But the issue is picking the right one for us." Axel wasn't sure if he wanted a boy or a girl or what. He just knew that for Roxas sake, he didn't want a child with severe problems. Not that he wanted to deal with severe problems either. Axel had gotten a bit of therapy for his own childhood and it had helped, but the therapist had been amazed at how sane and well grounded he was despite the trauma. Axel more wanted a child like that, who had gone through something but managed to come out the other side intact.
"I can introduce you to them. You don't have to decide today." Sheri stood with a grunt and led them out of the office. She took them to a larger room where children were doing homework at tables, as well as other things. Roxas followed her closely, but Axel found himself distracted by a child sitting in the window.
He wasn't a very attractive child, except for his hair. But his hair was truly unusual, an odd shade silver. Axel had never seen anything quite like it and wondered if it was natural. It fell over one eye, and Axel saw the boy was intently reading a book. He had bright blue eyes and looked far too thin, too small for the baggy clothing he was wearing. Axel hesitated, then wandered over.
"Hey. What you reading?" The boy shot him an annoyed look and lifted the book so he could see the cover. Axel smiled as he recognized it. "The Honor of the Queen. That's a good book, I love the Honor Harrington series. What's your name?" A shared interest in sci-fi might not be the best place to start, but you had to start somewhere. The boy looked a little startled.
"I'm Zexion." The boy was silent for a moment, then asked. "Who are you?"
"I'm Axel. My partner and I are here to make an adoption." There was a flash of hostility in Zexion's eyes, and Axel lifted his eyebrows. "What, you don't want to get adopted?"
"No. I have a best friend here." There was a brief silence for a moment as Axel thought about that. He'd never thought of adopting two, but maybe… "Are you guys gay?"
"Yup. Does that bother you?" Axel asked, and Zexion looked thoughtful, then shrugged.
"Not really. I mean, it's kind of gross, but girls are gross too." Axel grinned, wondering how old Zexion was. He looked like he could be anywhere between seven and ten.
"How old are you, Zex? And how old's your friend?" Zexion frowned, a bit wary of all the questions, but answered.
"We're both eight. Why, you thinking of taking us?" Axel was about to answer when he was interrupted by Roxas.
"Axel, I like this kid named Demyx but he says he can't leave his best friend, a kid named Zexion." Axel grinned as Zexion blinked, taken aback, and then winced as Axel slapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Then I think we're in luck Roxas! This one is Zexion." Axel made his decision quickly. Why overthink things? Usually, the first decision was the right one. Besides, it had to mean something that they each liked one half of the pair. "And he's cool. Let's adopt them both."
"Two?" Roxas was thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. "Why not?" Axel's enthusiasm was infectious and after a moment, he liked the idea. It would probably be good for the boys, having a friend around when they had to go to an entirely new school and make new friends. Zexion looked like he distrusted the whole thing, but the boy beside Roxas squeed. He was a blond child with blue eyes and it looked like he'd really hit it off with Roxas.
"Let's get the paperwork filled out." Axel smiled at Zexion again before going with Roxas and Sheri to get things officially going. They would be foster parents for a time before finalizing the adoption, which would give them a bit of time to back out if things really weren't working. But Axel didn't think that would happen.
It felt like fate.
Things were not, of course, quite as easy as Axel thought they would be. Zexion in particular was more standoffish and distant, but that was partly why Axel had picked him. He reminded the redhead a little of Roxas. And Roxas found that Demyx's cheerful energy reminded him of Axel. But the adoption was finalized and both children relaxed a bit as they realized that these adults were not going to leave them. Roxas' mother was extremely pleased to have two children close by where she could really spoil them the way a grandmother should.
And now, for the last time…
~FIN~
