Thanks to Redfaerie for beta-ing! I rewrote the beginning but it turned out too short I think, but I've been dying to get everything out.

There was a constant gnawing in the kid's stomach nowadays. He wasn't sure what caused it but it was easy enough to ignore. The minute he had told Axel the truth, sitting in that car, after the funeral, it had started. The words escaped his mouth. I like you too. And there was nothing he could do after that except lay against the other man's chest, listening to his controlled breathing. Roxas' stomach hadn't been completely calm since the day before the funeral. Maybe even before that, he couldn't recall anymore.

Axel hadn't said anything in reply. But the way he held him, the way he ran his thin fingers through his hair, it didn't change. He had no idea how much time passed in that car but he didn't care. It was nice. Two months had passed since he had said it and the stupid gnawing never quit. Summer ended, school restarted, Roxas slept with no one but Axel for two months. It was a seemingly incredible feat for him. He hadn't seen Leon in weeks, he hadn't seen basically anyone but Axel, Axel's friends, Axel's brother. Weirdly enough however, it seemed like enough for him. Roxas seemed happy with Axel, doing whatever it was they were doing. Boyfriend was still not in his vocabulary but he felt happy enough. If only he could officially get rid of the distressing, nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach.

~0~

"Doesn't it bug you?"

"Doesn't what bug me?"

"That he's so much older than you." The kid smirked at the blonde's question from the other line. She had no idea, they hadn't delved into his sexual history and he was hoping they wouldn't have to any time soon. He was kind of enjoying that his new friend thought he was at least semi-innocent.

"Not really. I'm honestly just...indifferent."

"Interesting," Namine said with a small sigh.

"But I have a question," he interrupted her thoughts. "I mean, don't be pissed or anything, but are you sure it's like ok that you're talking to me? You know, fraternizing with the enemy and what not?"

"You're the enemy?"

"Your cousins ex-boyfriends new sex person?"

"I don't...I don't really know how to explain it. I try not to think about it. I love Demyx, he was...amazing. Him and Zex kinda helped me but now you sort of help me? It's confusing but in a very strange way and if there had been other circumstances, I think Dem would've liked you. I think they would've approved of you. But if the first time Dem met you, you hadn't been blowing his boyfriend, it mighta been easier for him to like you."

"Makes sense. Damn me and my whorish nature." Namine smiled on the other end and Roxas could practically hear her lips turning up. The guilt he had been suppressing for quite a while now was somewhat alleviated, lifted out of him. He didn't know if it was because of Namine or Axel or anything but he was thankful. He did not enjoy that feeling.

"So are you happy Roxas?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you happy? It's a pretty simple question,"

"I think so? Why are you asking?"

"No reason I suppose,"

"Are you happy?" Silence was his response. "Nam?"

"I am happy, very happy." He was slightly surprised at such a sure answer. She was just so positive about it. "I didn't think I could be, but I am." She laughed gently. "Oh shit, I have to go. I'll talk to you later?"

"Yeah, sure. Bye Nam,"

"Bye Roxas,"

The kid sat quietly on his sofa, wondering why he wasn't as sure as she was. He had thought that he was happy, but being asked so forwardly had thrown him off. Had he been happy before everything with Axel? He couldn't remember now. And then his phone went off again.

I'll be off at nine, meet at Renos?

"Sure, why not?" He sighed out, trying to push all previous thoughts from his mind. Standing and looking around the empty living room, he decided he was lonely and hanging out with Reno for two hours had to be better than nothing.

~0~

"Yeah? Oh, hey kid." Roxas only rolled his eyes when he heard the nickname.

"You definitely don't have any right to call me that." He mumbled as he pushed his way past Zack in the doorway and plopped down onto the sofa. "Where's Reno?"

"Covering the early shift at the bar,"

"And why are you here?"

"I don't go to work until eleven."

"When will fire crotch be home?"

"You sure are full of questions tonight," The man said with a smile as he joined the kid on the couch. "I think I should be the one asking the questions. Why are you here?"

"I'm meeting Axel here, he gets off at nine sooo I'm just being patient."

"You realize it's like seven thirty? Why didn't you come by later?"

"I was lonely,"

"Aw poor baby," He smirked and chuckled. "So I heard you haven't seen Leon in a while."

"Why does that matter to you?"

"Just tryin' to make conversation, you know, be pleasant and all that?" Roxas only sighed and shifted in his seat. "So why not? I thought you and Leon were all tight knit and shit."

"I thought so too," he murmured but shook his head and sighed again. "I just haven't seen him around in a while, I think he's avoiding me. I think your boy toy roommate told him about me and Axel."

"You think Reno would do that?"

"I dunno, maybe. I just don't think Reno knows how to keep his mouth shut sometimes." Zack smirked as he recalled certain things that were never actually meant to be said, questions meant to remain unasked. 'Are you straight?' still rung through his head occasionally, making him grin at the image of Reno's surprised face still stuck in his mind.

"He doesn't have a filter," He scoffed as he rested his chin against his fist, staring down at the boy next to him. "Wanna watch a movie?"

"If it'll kill the time," he responded with yet another sigh. He couldn't get these annoying little thoughts out of his mind. Why am I not having sex with whoever I want? Why am I not positively happy? What the hell is being with Axel doing to me? Why am I changing? An hour passed quickly, whatever crap movie Zack had turned on was lost on him as he was drowning in his mind right now. And then the ultimate thought finally popped up. Zack is sexy. And he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering away from the screen to the man next to him. Buff, pretty face, nice hair. Then he couldn't stop his hands as they reached around his couch companions neck and pulled that pretty face closer, planting his lips firmly against the other pair. While at first, they eyes staring back at him were surprised, they almost immediately lightened up with a grin and gentle shrug, as if to say 'Why the hell not?' And so their lips met, tongues tangled, hands strongly swept over skin and just as Zack's fingers slipped under the waist of the kid's jeans, the door opened and a now slack-jawed redhead stood with wide eyes.

"H-Hey..." Reno stammered as he blindly pawed at the door, trying to close it with little success. Roxas pulled back abruptly and wiped the back of his hand across his lips, prompting Zack to look at him with an arched brow, simultaneously avoiding Reno's gawking.

"Tell Axel I waited, but I needed to get home." The kid said quietly as he left the apartment without another word or look at either of the men. "Shit," he couldn't help whispering once he was rushing down the hall. On one hand, that was fun. Zack was sexy and he had always known he was gay, despite Reno's constant yammering that his super fine roommate was a total breeder with no interest in dick. That was fun. This line of thought was heavy, but there was still a nagging in his stomach now. You shouldn't have done that. The previous gnawing that was elicited by some sort of enjoyment was now rapturously replaced by some sort of...guilt. Oh good, that lovely feeling he thought he'd gotten rid of.

Dun dun dun! I know, Roxas is a total whore. Didn't think he was gonna change that much did you? Anywho! One thing Redfaerie mentioned was Namine and Roxas' relationship being like BAM which in this, it totally is. Darlings, I am referring you to Goodbye Is Overrated, chapter 15 where Namine and Roxas meet and two months have passed since then and they've become close friends. I'm sorry, I'm totally redirecting you instead of adding more to this chapter, but I think you've gotten enough, don't you? xD