Riku woke up feeling more rested than usual, which led to him feeling a bit suspicious. He did his best to recall the events of the night before, but when all he could think about was Axel buying him at the auction, he grew scared. That's right, Axel was in his room and tucked him in bed. Man, he'd never let him live it down.
"Morning!" Sora waved with a cheerful smile as Riku walked into his office. That entire next week was considered a traditional holiday for TTA, as it encompassed the winter holidays. That meant that no committees were meeting, no classes were being held, and no campaign related meetings could be held between departments. Riku still reserved the right to meet informally with Sora, although he was thankful to have a week free of classes, homework, and all other meetings.
"Hello Sora. Enjoying your first day of holiday?"
"Oh yeah, Roxas and I are going to try to relax as much as we can while you and I continue working on the race." Sora smiled, but Riku only shook his head.
"Thanks Sora, but I think I'll give you the week off. You deserve it."
"Really?" Sora asked in unsure disbelief.
"Of course. Go on, have fun with Roxas." Riku winked as the brunette blushed in his innocence.
"Hehe, ok Riku." Sora rushed for the door, then paused. "Riku?"
"M?"
"Make sure you get some rest too, ok?" Sora smiled and Riku nodded.
"Now get going, don't keep your boy waiting." Riku smiled and Sora grinned ear to ear.
"Bye!"
Sora left and Riku did his best not to let his thoughts control his day.
For some reason, Riku felt angry, and he wasn't sure who was more deserving. He was mad at himself for letting himself look so vulnerable in front of Axel, but it was only natural for him to blame Axel for his brief moment of weakness. With a sigh, Riku tried to ignore it all away, which would have worked if that damn redhead didn't help himself inside Riku's office.
"Are you not familiar with the concept of knocking?" Riku scrutinized.
Axel shrugged, "I figured that for the week, I'm welcomed anywhere you are."
Riku growled. "And what irrational thought of yours gave you such a theory?"
"Well, you are mine now." Axel smiled and Riku could feel his face flush.
"No, I am," Riku began, but quickly silenced himself when he saw Axel raise the slip of paper that was physical proof that he had won Riku in the auction.
"So how did my Prez sleep?" Axel asked, the tone in his voice sounding sincerely curious, which encouraged Riku to answer despite the fact that Axel referenced him as his possessive.
"Good, thank you for asking. And yourself?" Riku asked as politely as he could, but when Axel started laughing at him, he grew impatient with frustration.
"You, you don't have to act all prim and proper on me, Prez. I know it must get old." Axel chuckled and Riku was about to nod in agreement when he raised his awareness and cleared his throat.
"I'm sure I do not know what you are referring to."
"Really? Cause you know, most teens just say, 'what the fuck', not 'I'm sure I do not know what you are referring to'." Axel mocked and Riku glared at him.
"If you are done belittling me, then I shall ask you to see yourself to the door."
"If you say it normally, maybe I'll leave." Axel smirked and Riku rolled his eyes.
"Go." Riku said simply, but Axel only shook his head.
"Don't act like you want me gone. You may find my company troubling in concern with your differing emotions, but that is not a fault that can be assumed to be mine." Axel said with a small yet powerful smile. Riku gulped, silent. "See, I can use big words too." Axel smiled and Riku cleared his throat.
"Have you nothing better to do with your time?" Riku pretended to be busy by looking at old documents before him.
"What more would I want to do with my time then spend it with the one I won?"
"Don't refer to me as just a mere prize." Riku finally said what had been on his mind from the start.
"Don't act like you don't enjoy it." Axel retorted, leaving Riku with that uneasy and unsure feeling that he was getting as of late.
"Like I said, I have not the slightest idea as to what you are talking about."
"Whatever you say, Prez. You're only lying to yourself." Axel stood right up to Riku's face, feeling every breath as Riku did so shakily. "I know that you like it, so quit the acting." Axel backed Riku up into his desk, with the silverrete's hands behind him to stabilize himself. His heart was beating so loud, he was sure that Axel could hear. His breathing was so wild, that he was sure that Axel could taste each time he exhaled, he was just that close.
"Am I, making you nervous, Prez?" Axel asked so dangerously slow as his moth was tantalizingly close to Riku's.
Riku couldn't move. He wanted to nod, but he just didn't know how.
"Do you want me to leave, Prez?" Axel smiled, knowing his victory was near. Once again, Riku was paralyzed to all movement. "No? Alright then." Axel put one hand on the back of Riku's neck, holding him firm in place. Riku's breaths became more sporadic as he panted, unsure of what he really wanted. Part of him wanted to deny Axel the right to his body, to his touch. At the same time, part of him was lusting for that warmth, that security, that illusion of love and trust.
"You're breathing like you just came off the field. What's the matter Prez?" Axel let his forehead touch Riku's, causing the silver haired teen to tremble. "Are you scared?" Axel asked, dropping the husky seductive voice for a concerned one.
Riku nodded. Part of him was scared that Axel actually might just kiss him. The other part, was scared that he wouldn't. He had this fear of himself, that if Axel pulled away, he just might reach out for him.
"Would you like me to leave, my Prez?" Axel titled his head slightly to the side, getting a better view of Riku's face.
"No." Riku said, so quietly that he almost didn't say anything at all.
"Alright." Axel smiled. He kept one hand at the back of Riku's neck, and he moved the other to the lowest part of Riku's side.
Riku's body continued to shake, his breathing tense and forced, and his heart was pounding. He wanted it to end, but he couldn't help but feel that if he did, then he'd been surrendering. Would that somehow have a relation to the race for presidency? What if Riku allowed Axel to kiss him? Would that give Axel extra confidence that he didn't need? Would he take it as a sign of subordination? But what if Axel didn't kiss him? Would he….would he be disappointed if Axel just left? All these thoughts bombarded Riku's overwhelmed mind as he tried to decipher his feelings from his desires.
"Prez, calm down. It's ok. I'm not going to do anything." Axel said, rubbing Riku's side, a bit uneasy by all the shaking and panting that Riku was doing.
"Head hurts." Riku kept his eyes closed. His head hurt, not so much physically, but more in the confused and full sense.
"I hope you feel better." Axel tilted Riku's head to the side and kissed his temple. Riku gulped. Axel's lips were warmer and softer than he could have ever guessed or remembered from that goodnight kiss he had just received the night before. "I'll catch you later Prez." Axel took his hands off of Riku and let one mess up Riku's hair before he turned and started walking towards the door.
"Wait!" Riku called, not seeming to have any control over his actions, or words. He didn't mean to extend his hand towards Axel; in fact, he didn't mean to say anything out loud either.
"Yes, my Prez?" Axel asked humbly.
"Where…where are you going?" Riku gulped. He didn't know why he was asking. He didn't seem to be sure of anything.
Axel smiled shyly. "I'm going to play some soccer with some of the boys. You should come, if you're not too busy for us." Axel shrugged.
"When?" Riku blushed.
"In an hour." Axel smiled.
"On the field?" Riku asked and Axel nodded.
"Will I see my Prez there?" Axel asked with a sly smile.
"If I go, are you going to grab my ass again?" Riku asked, his face emotionless as he tried to get a reading from Axel.
"That depends," Axel smirked and when Riku lifted an eyebrow, Axel continued. "On whether or not you wear those tight spandex again." Axel winked and Riku gulped.
"I'll see you on the field Prez." Axel waved before he left Riku's office.
Riku went back to his dorm to change into something he could play soccer in. Luckily for him, and sadly for Axel, his spandex were already in his pile of dirty clothes. When Riku noticed this, he also realized that most of his clothes were in the dirty pile. The past week had been crazy since he and Sora had worked so hard to get work done before the mandatory school-wide week off.
Riku sighed. He had forgotten to do laundry for the second week in a row. Sora usually stepped in if it got to the third week, but Riku only had twenty minutes before he was supposed to be on the field. With an out loud "You've got to be kidding me." Riku put on the shortest yet only clean pair of shorts that he owned and ran to the field.
"Hey Riku!" Sora waved, sitting on the bench to watch Roxas play.
"Hey Sora." Riku blushed, feeling uncomfortable in his shorts with nothing underneath them like he would have usually preferred.
"Cold yet?" Hayner asked, picking up the vibes of Riku's lack of comfort in such clothing.
"I guess he just wants to keep the game today extra short." Roxas joined in on the teasing. It wasn't often that Riku provided material that could be used in humor.
"Let me guess, still haven't done your laundry, eh?" Sora smiled and Riku hung his head in guilt.
"Alright, let's leave Prez alone. Come on, let's play." Axel said and Riku couldn't hold back his surprised demeanor. He certainly expected Axel to be the most trouble concerning his attire. Nonetheless, he agreed with Axel and began to divide the players up. Since they were on a week-long holiday, a formal practice could not be held, but if 10 players managed to find themselves on the field with a ball, they could host a friendly scrimmage. The game went great, as both sides played with equal talent.
"Good job Roxy!" Sora clapped when both sides called it quits.
"Thank you Sky." Roxas panted, going up to Sora and forcing him into a hug.
"Ewww! Sweaty!" Sora pushed Roxas away, even after Roxas got his hug.
"Good game boys. Same time tomorrow." Axel waved goodbye as everyone left, everyone save himself and Riku.
"Nice shorts." Axel said, untying the laces on his cleats.
Riku sighed. "They were the only clean pair I had." Riku defended himself.
"Oh? So it's not that you didn't want me to grab your ass then? It's only because you had nothing else to wear? I see." Axel grinned and Riku swallowed.
Riku looked away, having nothing to say.
"I love it when you go quiet. It's like you don't want to admit that I'm right, and yet, you finally realize that if you said no you'd be lying. I'm proud of you." Axel smiled and Riku felt his face flush. He was turning warm and his heartbeat was going up again.
"You know, you could say a little something, anything at all." Axel moved closer to Riku, but the silver haired teen shook his head.
"No? Ok. Well, like I said, good game." Axel held up a hand, asking for a high five. Riku complied, and just as his hand slapped Axels, Axel's other hand slapped his ass.
"Mphf." Riku let out a shy whimper with wide eyes.
"You like that Prez?" Axel asked, moving even closer. Riku's eyes froze and his breathing paused. "Don't be shy." Axel cooed, but Riku couldn't help but tense "This would be so much easier if you just told me how you really feel Prez." Axel gently put his hands on Riku's back. Riku gulped. He wanted it, he wanted more, but he was scared to say so. Did he want it because it was Axel, or because it was just a pair of hands? Riku was afraid to let himself discover the truth. If he liked it because it was just a pair of hands, then he'd be a slutty whore who's just taking advantage of a type of attention that he had never before received. And if he liked it just because it was Axel, then what would that really mean? Axel let his hands slowly lower, and once they were fully over Riku's ass, Riku closed his eyes.
"You want more?" Axel asked, but Riku couldn't bring himself to admit to such an offer. Axel took it upon himself to translate, so he gave his hands a light squeeze. Riku made a tiny yip sound which made Axel smile. "Do you get any cuter Prez?"
"I'm not a toy." Riku regained his composure and pushed Axel away, gasping to make up for the short shallow breaths he was limited to just seconds before.
"Oh I wouldn't dare make that mistake, Prez. But whether you like it or not, you are my prize for the week." Axel folded his arms and Riku looked away.
"So what do you want me to do? You can't make me do anything sexual!" Riku blurted and Riku chuckled.
"I didn't intend on having to make you." Axel raised a satisfied eyebrow and Riku gulped in terror. "You were the one panting over a little ass grab." Axel smirked as Riku looked away in embarrassment. "Come on, carry my shit to the locker room." Axel turned around, leaving Riku to carry his own sports bag and Axel's to the men's locker room.
"You can't carry this yourself?" Riku grunted, but Axel only shrugged.
"I have to make you do something. I fully support charities, but if I have a prize, why not enjoy it?"
"Call me a prize one more time and you can forget the auction." Riku glared up at Axel as the two walked side by side.
"Ah-ah-ah Prez. You may be high up in the ranks, but you have to uphold the code of conduct." Axel reminded Riku, who rolled his eyes.
"Where do you want your shit?" Riku let Axel's bag fall to the floor of the locker room.
"Over there." Axel pointed to the desired location, and once Riku kicked it where he was instructed to do so, he aimed for the exit.
He was nearly free when he felt arms around his waist and Axel's chest against his back.
"Thank you Prez." Axel whispered into the back of Riku's neck.
Riku closed his eyes; it tickled, and it felt good. The hot air sweeping against his skin like a timid ghost before the cold withdraws between breaths made him tremble.
Axel moved one hand up on Riku's chest and lowered his other to the hem of his shirt.
"Hey!" Riku panicked, but Axel remained silent as he let his lower hand trail up inside Riku's shirt, onto this chilled pale skin, still freshly moist from the sweat of an intense game.
"You're so cold, Prez." Axel whispered as he moved his hand over Riku's heart.
Riku's eyes locked closed, his mouth hanging open as he panted out and shuddered breaths inward.
"Let me warm you." Axel moved his other hand up inside Riku's shirt, allowing it to circle on his firm abs. "Excellent shape, as a captain should be." Axel continued to let his fingers roam wherever they pleased on Riku's abdominals, but when he swept past a perk nipple, Riku woke up from his trance.
"Stop!" Riku pulled himself away and turned to face Axel.
"Whoa, calm down Prez." Axel smiled but Riku shook his head.
"D-don't touch me." Riku couldn't look Axel in the eye in his nervous state.
"As you wish, my prize."
"I'm not your prize!" Riku yelled, which caused Axel to smirk.
"Whatever you say, my Prez."
"I'm not your anything!" Riku was getting fed up with the desires of his heart, which conflicted with his head.
"Whether you like it or not, I won you at the auction. If you don't care about me enough to want to spend time with me, then at least be the President you claim to be and suck it up for the sake of the auction." Axel said with as much seriousness as ever, and Riku felt guilty. "You brag about being willing and able to sacrifice food and sleep for the sake of this academy, but you can't uphold to the traditions that have existed before our time?" Axel put his hands on his curving hips and Riku frowned, looking at his shoes.
"I, I failed." He whispered, but Axel shook his head.
"I…I didn't mean it like that. Don't be so hard on yourself. You're a great President." Axel smiled, but Riku wouldn't hear it.
"Then why are you trying to take my job?" Riku couldn't help but ask.
"Now is not the time for that. Come on, I'm not done with your services." Axel waved to Riku, confident that the silverrete would follow. He smiled when he heard Riku's footsteps echoing behind his.
"What else do you want?" Riku asked, doing his best to be the president he aimed to be.
"Guess." Axel smirked as he started removing his shirt.
"No, no, no." Riku shook his head, already panting in a horrified fear. "No, I'm letting you inside me." Riku couldn't fight his subconscious actions to put his hands over his ass.
Axel chuckled and shook his head. "Silly Prez. I'm not asking for that. Not yet at least." Axel smirked and Riku could feel his eyes constricting with moisture. "Hey, calm down." Axel saw the fear in Riku's eyes and he walked over to hold him. "Shh, calm down Prez. I wouldn't soil a body this beautiful." Axel smiled, and when Riku saw the honest concern in Axel's smile, he nodded.
"What do you want?" Riku put his hands on Axel's biceps, looking away.
"I want to watch you shower." Axel whispered and Riku closed his eyes, aware that he was about to cry.
"Please, no?" Riku asked in a timid whisper.
"Are you refusing to uphold to your obligations as president?" Axel asked, rubbing Riku's back.
Riku clenched his eyes and let out some whimpers, before he shook his head. He couldn't be put in a state of begging, but he didn't want to give into such disgusting demands. Then again, his reputation as a leader was on the line, and Riku couldn't fail to be the perfect president that he had worked so hard to be.
"Shall we?" Axel lifted up Riku's chin and kissed the silverrete's nose as softly as he could. "No more whining Prez." Axel pressed his thumbs to Riku's cheeks and led him by the hand to the shower.
"If you let me go quietly, I'll pay you." Riku swallowed his nerves. If he was going to be reduced to a sexual object, then bribery shouldn't have been a surprise.
"Are you trying to bribe me Prez?" Axel asked, looking and sounding more pissed than he really was.
"Please." Riku gulped, shaking lightly.
"You can't put a price on what I'd want in payment." Axel smiled.
"Anything." Riku looked up with hopeful eyes.
"Your virginity. I can tell by the innocence in your eyes that you are pure." Axel named his price, which only disappointed Riku.
"I'm not giving the likes of you that!" Riku took a step back, away from Axel.
"The likes of me? And what is the likes of me? Eh Prez?" Axel put his hands on his hips.
"Scum! Cruel assholes who manipulate and use and," Riku started to yell, but Axel silenced him with the unexpected action of putting his shirt back on.
Riku stared at Axel in confusion.
"You thought I was serious?" Axel laughed and Riku closed his lips, still trying to figure out what was going on. Axel shook his head. "You really are just too damn cute Prez."
"What?" Riku asked, panting in a nervous fear.
"Man, I mean, Hayner said you would, but Roxas bet fifty munny that you wouldn't'." Axel chuckled. "It was just a joke; chill." Axel got out the last of his giggles.
"So…so you aren't going to make me shower?" Riku bit his lip.
"Of course not! I mean, I wouldn't object, but," Axel walked up to Riku and placed his thumb on the silver haired teens chin.
"I wouldn't dare pluck a flower before its bloomed." Axel kissed Riku's cheek with the sweetest and simplest kiss he could before he turned around and aimed for the door.
"Hayner and Roxas?" Riku asked in confusion, so Axel paused before he left.
"Look, they made a bet saying that I couldn't get you to do something sexual since I won you from the auction. Hayner said that you'd actually do it, but since Roxas convinced me that you wouldn't fall for it, I figured that I had nothing to lose. It's just a joke. You need to take that stick out of your ass and live a little." Axel shook his head playfully.
"That wasn't funny!" Riku yelled, angry.
"I'm sorry. If I would have known that you were so gullible, I wouldn't have done it. But it's like I said, I wouldn't dare pick a flower that hasn't fully bloomed yet." Axel smiled before he left the locker room.
Riku stood there, paralyzed, for a few minutes, even after Axel had left.
When Riku was able to shake it all off in his mind, he walked back to his dormitory, showered in the communal bathroom, since it was the only other place to shower other than the locker room.
During his shower, he couldn't stop thinking of what had happened. He could have been raped, or invaded at the very least! How could Axel joke so easily about such a topic? And how far was he going to take it if Riku didn't decide to protest? Was it a trick? Maybe it was a plan, for Axel to see if Riku really was interested. Well, Axel had him all wrong. Riku hated him. Riku wished the redhead dead; he couldn't care less about him.
Then, as Riku turned off the water and started to dry himself off, he started thinking more. True, he didn't want sex with the crazed redhead, but he did miss his touch. Riku let his hands explore his own chest in curiosity and frowned when he felt no heat, not pleasure, no satisfaction.
Dammit! He did crave Axel's touch. What else could explain the warm rush of nerves he gets whenever the redhead is around? Riku sighed before he gave up on trying to figure it all out, and once he was clothed, he returned to his dorm.
While walking down the hall, he couldn't get over that stupid prank. What kind of sick joke was that? He could have punished Axel for sexual harassment if he really wanted to! Then again, how far would he have gone? Obviously he wouldn't dare think about having sexual relations with someone he wasn't seriously dating, but he couldn't deny his eyes the luxury of seeing that beautiful body naked if Axel were to have joined him in the shower. But would it be worth risking his own comfort? Riku shook his head. The entire matter was only troubling his already troubled mind. What he needed was a long, good nights sleep to better prepare him for the rough day ahead. As Riku mentally declared that he would finally give his body rest, he made it to his dorm, unlocked the door, and screamed for his life at the image before him.
Author's Note: So I almost just uploaded this chapter without any author's note or responses to all of your comments! =O … that would have been awful! So here I am ^_^
Yes, I have left you on another cliffhanger, for which I apologize . My roommate thinks I'm evil because I do this so often to you all….you have her sympathy hehehe. Ok, so by now you're all probably tired of me advertising my other stories, so please check them out if you haven't already!
Ok, what did you think of this chapter? Pretty edgy! Axel, pulling a prank like that! Pretty balls-y if you ask me. Do you think it was 'just a prank'? Do you think Riku's thinking too much about it? And lastly, what are your predictions for the sight in Riku's dorm that caused him to scream? I love hearing your thoughts/predictions, so please share if you have the time ^_^
To Thekeyblademaster13: Awww, thank you for the multi-thumbs-up! Hahaha, yay! Glad I have started the conversion over to the Riku X Axel side lol Yay! Thank you! I'm so happy and I hope that I can do this story-line justice =)
To Legend of Zelda2: Yay, I love adorable chapters =) I completely agree. Actually, Riku in this story is modeled after someone I know…..ME! My friends/roommate/family all tell me that I work too hard because I sign up for leadership positions and take them so seriously. When I started writing this, I was really struggling to keep up with all my obligations, schoolwork, and maintaining friendships. So this story is actually pretty personal . YES! I heard about that! (nice guess, how did you know? Lol hehehehe, total Soriku fan here ^_^ ). Thank you for thinking of me, that's so sweet that you'd let me know!
To Kindofabadger: Hahaha, yes, the build-up is the worst, I agree! It's so hard to write it too, because it's extremely tough to find the balance of too much build-up, or not enough and it ends too soon to really have that same impact. To be honest I'm still trying to figure it all out as a writer lol. I know! Poor Riku! Axel is so sweet and so sexy, but after this shower prank, I'm sure things changed at least a little bit in Riku's mind. Yay, I'm glad that you like it!
To ZeltaFrost: Hmm, maybe this is a step back, would you say? Hahaha, yeah when I'm sleep deprived, I get a bit scary lol. Hahaha, nice sarcasm lol. Awww, that's so cool! Thank you so much for the support, it really does mean a lot to me. Stay smiling.
To KidaKama: Thanks, and I agree. If we don't put ourselves first sometimes, then no one will. Who knows us better than ourselves? You know? Thank you for understanding, and no, by all means, I love it when people ramble….makes me realize I'm not the only one lol. Hahaha, Axel is pretty witty ;)
To Cirxe145: Yes, this'll make for a good storyline I'm hoping. I'm also hopping that I can deliver it well enough! Hahaha, I like the idea of a private boarding school running itself on student power so lots of committee's helps lol.
To DH Knightly: My old roommate would LOVE your picture by the way! And thank you! I love your review ^_^
To Lukrecia: Hahaha, yes, Axel is a perv, but then again, Riku was checking him out Hahaha. Aww, yeah well I'm sure this chapter makes you double think that whole 'nice and cute' comment about Axel lol. Don't worry, I have some plans up this tricky sleeve of mine. Yay, glad you like it!
To Rikuobsession: Oh. My. God! I'm SO glad that I can finally write a review addressed to you because you've been commenting on EVERY chapter of A Taste of Loneliness and I wanted to thank you properly but couldn't send you a message because a)you don't have an account or b)you aren't logged in, which is totally cool but I felt bad for not having been able to contact you sooner to thank you. SO, without further waiting, THANK YOU! I really do appreciate every review that you left, and I appreciate all the support and time you put into reading my stories =) Also, you already noticed, but you're the 300th reviewer for A Taste of Loneliness, so you'll get a chapter named after your username in this story, which wont be hard to do since Riku is the protagonist hehehe. Ok, now to respond on your actual review teehee: Great! I'm glad to hear that you think it's epic! Wow, I am so happy to hear that other people love Akuriku, since I didn't think many people would be into this uncommon pairing. Yes, they are SO amazingly hot, and their dynamics work really well, at least I think so. Aww, thank you! That's so sweet! I hope I can continue to deliver this story in a likeable fashion =) Thank you for all the reviews and support.
Wow, ok, so after this long day, I'm finally ready to post this chapter and go to bed….after some more writing hehehe. Thank you all for the support and reviews. Going through some family health issues and it's really helping to read any little bit of encouragement. =)
P.S. please ignore all the random bolding/underlining. My ADHD calls for change/something new to look at and i'm bored with the regular formatting lol
Heart, with all of my Kingdom Heart, Sarabellum