Ugh this took me forever to edit and I feel like I got a little too redundant at some parts. But we're well on our way to that update, so do try to enjoy! I tried to keep the basic gist of the chapter intact, but I did make some pretty big changes so make sure if you've been following this story since the start that you re-read! :D

Axel tried to take Roxas home, but no one answered the door. He looked up his number and tried calling his parents, but to no avail. In the end, he left a note on the front door that said Roxas would be staying with a friend and that he should be home by the beginning of the week.

It was well into the night when Roxas groaned and rolled over, nearly falling off the couch. His eyes shot open and the pain he had forgotten about in his slumber came rushing back to his face and his ribs and his stomach. He could feel a gauze taped to his jaw where he'd been kicked and small band-aid above his lip. A red blanket was draped over him, and, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness he pulled it tighter to himself because he had no idea where he was. Panic began to set in.

"Y-You're up?" somebody asked from the darkness, causing Roxas to let out a painful, frightened scream. "Oh, shit, I'm sorry!" they said, and Roxas could hear shuffling and a click coming from the foot of the couch. Suddenly, the room was filled with soft light and the face of voice was illuminated. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Professhur?" Roxas said, finding it hard to speak with his swollen jaw. "Where am I? What… happened?"

"Well, um…" Axel started, scratching his head nervously, "You're at my place, but I was hoping maybe you could tell me what happened? All I know is that some kid saw what happened and he found me and, well, here we are." He paused a moment, and then added, "I tried to take you home, first, but I couldn't get a hold of anyone. Nobody answered the door or phone…"

"Figuresh" Roxas grumbled, trying to sit up. Axel quickly stopped the action with a strong hand.

"No, don't get up. Just relax. You're going to be sore for a while, and I'd rather you not prolong that. Are you hungry? You can explain over a meal, if you'd like." He chuckled to himself, "I know it's a bit late but I figure you've not eaten since lunch." He headed toward the kitchen without waiting for an answer. Roxas couldn't help but stare after him. He was no longer in his uniform, but rather a form-fitting tank and baggy pajama bottoms. He looked so much younger than he did at school.

"Do you like soup? I've got some tomato… and chicken noodle. Heh." He poked his head into the living room, holding two cans of soup. "If you're not big on soup, I can make something else, but I don't want to make anything that might hurt your jaw any more than it already is."

"Tomato ish good." Roxas said, smiling as best he could.

"Grilled cheese with it? Can't have one without the other."

Roxas nodded and Axel went off to cook for him. It only took a second of thinking about it to bring tears to his eyes. Because his teacher was treating him better than his family ever had. His teacher had found him beaten up at the park and was kind enough to lend him his home and hospitality because his parents couldn't even offer that much. His teacher bandaged him up and was making him food and it was completely and utterly overwhelming. He tried to stifle his sobs but one slipped past his lips and quicker than a moth to flame, Axel was there.

"Woah, woah, what's the matter, Roxas?" He was asking, but Roxas pulled the blanket over his head and tried to be as small as possible because he realized that it was all very embarrassing that his teacher should treat him so kindly and see him sobbing and beaten up and such a mess. He would hear no end of it if anyone at school knew what happened. "Hang on, the food is almost ready. You just hang in there, okay?"

Roxas could hear the clang of pots and pans and dishes in the kitchen and he tried his best to stop crying because it was ridiculous and stupid and dumb to cry in front of his teacher. He was wiping his eyes with his sleeves when Axel reappeared with the food

They ate in silence, but in his head, Roxas was trying to figure out what to tell Axel. Because telling him that it was Seifer and Larxene was the farthest thing from his mind. If they knew he squealed- if they got any sort of punishment for kicking his ass- he'd be dead. It made his heart race just thinking about it. There was no way he'd ever tell anybody. Ever.

"So?" Axel inquired when he finished his soup, "Tell me what happened."

He said it so kindly. Roxas wasn't used to that.

" Well, I don't really 'member mush." He lied, "I wash drawing and I got hit in the faysh with a football and I shorta passhed out"

Axel looked at him hard for a few minutes, emerald eyes inspecting every inch of his face. Then, he laughed. "You are a horrible liar. I'm old enough to know a lie when I see it. But you're not going to tell me what really happened, are you? It was someone from school, wasn't it?" He said, crossing his arms over his chest. Roxas inhaled sharply. Damn he was good.

"I'd rather not shay anything right now." He replied. Axel stood to take the dishes to the kitchen, and Roxas quickly handed his over. As he watched the redhead disappear into the kitchen once more, he found himself wondering just how old he happened to be. Without thinking, he blurted out, "How old are you anywaysh?"

"I guess I can't blame you. I'll give you a little time to think it over, but I'd really like to know who did this to you. They almost broke your jaw and you're pretty bruised up everywhere else. That's not something to be taken lightly."

Reflexively, Roxas brought his hand up to the bandage on his jaw. His whole face hurt, a lot. His whole everything hurt a lot. His mind brushed over all the things that could happen to Seifer and Larxene if they got caught, but he shook the thought away.

"I suppose I should head to bed, and you should do the same." Axel said as he came back into the living room. He leaned down so his face was level with Roxas'. "I brought you an icepack. I recommend icing your jaw for a while before you sleep. Hopefully by morning the swelling will have gone down enough for you to stop slurring." He brought the pack up to Roxas' face and set it gently against the bandage. "We'll try to call your parents again in the morning, but if all else fails, I've at least secured the weekend for you. I don't want you to be home alone like this." He smiled, and pulled his hand away from the bandage. "Sleep well… or at least try."

With that, Axel started down the hall. He stopped halfway, though, and turned back toward Roxas.

"Ah, and I do believe you asked my age? Twenty-three."

A door creaked shut a few moments later.

The only thoughts in Roxas' head as he lay curled up on the couch, a red blanket draped over him, were:

Why does he care so much? Why is he so willing to help? Why is he so kind and gentle and thoughtful?

And

He's only four years older than me.