"Are you all done thinking aloud?" Axel asked, his hand proudly on his narrow hip.
"Ha, we're just giving you guys a hard time," Demyx waved it all off.
"Sure. Just try not to stare too long at me, Riku gets jealous," Axel winked before he took Riku's hand and guided him up to his door.
"That was so embarrassing." Riku swallowed his nerves.
"It wasn't so bad." Axel gave a small laugh after Riku shut his door.
"Alright, well as long as we stay in here and don't leave until we're unchained, then we should be ok." Riku said, mainly to himself.
"As you wish," Axel sat down after Riku walked to his bed.
"Great," Riku face palmed, causing Axel to raise a curious eyebrow.
"What is it this time?"
"How are we going to sleep?" Riku didn't want to know the answer, but he knew it had to be addressed.
"Well, I'm sure we can both fit on your bed." Axel shrugged indifferently.
"But what if one of us moves in our sleep?" Riku felt paranoid for asking, but he did anyway.
"Then we move." Axel didn't see the point of such a question. After a few more minutes of silence, Axel coughed.
"What time is it?" Axel asked, only to bring up a new topic.
"Five in the evening." Axel sighed, already bored.
"I have campaign work I need to do."
"Me too," Axel nodded.
"Well I can't work on my campaign in front of you." Riku sighed.
"Why? You afraid I'm going to use any information against you?" Axel chuckled.
"We are opponents." Riku reminded the redhead.
"Relax, I'd never cheat. Besides, I'm really not all that worried anymore." Axel yawned.
"Why not?" Riku asked curiously.
"Well, I'm confident that Roxas and I have done everything we can to ensure victory, and while you're a great president, I think this place could use some changes." Axel shrugged.
"Well, good luck then," Riku cleared his throat, not knowing what else to say.
Axel laughed, "Don't worry, one day without working wont ruin our campaigns. Besides, I really do believe that you need a break from all this work."
"I'm fine." Riku said reassuringly.
"Yeah, sure you are." Axel chuckled mockingly.
"Excuse me?"
"Prez, your room is a mess, as if you don't have any time to clean it. And I'm willing to bet that Sora ends up doing half the cleaning anyway. Your eyes have bags under them from a lack of sleep, and you look thinner than you did at the beginning of the season, which is from not eating enough." Axel nailed Riku on every level as the silverette gulped.
"I consider myself to be dedicated, to this Academy, and to my job. Would you prefer me to slack off in any way?" Riku asked a rhetorical question to prove his point.
"If it ensures your well-being, then yeah." Axel looked at Riku while the silverrete glanced away. "Prez, please, everyone has limitations. Acknowledge them."
"I will not use any excuses as a crutch for a poor performance." Riku gulped, trying to look as professional as he could.
"Who do you think you're fooling?" Axel asked, not wanting to sound so harsh, but Riku's stubbornness was getting to him.
"What?" Riku asked, caught off guard by such a question.
"No one is perfect. It's not fair if you live like you have to be." Axel shrugged to lighten the mood.
"I'm not trying to be perfect. I am striving to be my best."
"Even if it violates all health and safety common sense?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about." Riku coughed.
"Of course you don't," Axel sighed before his stomach rumbled loudly.
"Are you hungry?" Riku asked, so Axel rubbed his flat, well-toned stomach.
"I think so,"
"Maybe we can text Sora to bring us some food, so we don't have to leave without our shirts." Riku suggested.
"Yeah, I know Roxy would do it." Axel took out his phone and dialed his best friends number. "Roxy? Hey, Prez is paranoid about leaving his dorm since we don't have shirts on, so do you think and your boy can bring us some food? Really? Dude, I'll give you a hundred munny if you bring me a number eight, extra large coke, and an extra set of fries. I'm fucking starving." Axel laughed into the phone, leaving Riku to feel a bit jealous. It was apparent that Axel talked so freely and fluidly with the blonde, and as much as he hated to admit it, Riku wanted that. He wanted to talk to Axel without the tension, without the awkward silences, without the cursed emotional discomfort that the confessed emotions birthed.
"Prez, what do you want?" Axel moved the phone away from his face to ask. Riku looked away. Could he admit to having such desires? Would that make him look weak or foolish? Would that be a sign of his mental subordination to Axel's will?
"I'm not hungry," Riku's jealousy got the better of him as Axel shrugged.
"He said he's not hungry, but he looks like the kind of guy who prefers a number two, with ranch on the side. Hmm, a bottle of water. No wait, make it a sports drink; blue flavor. Yeah, good, sweet. Thanks Roxy, I owe you man. Love you too. Bye," Axel hung up the phone, and when he turned to face Riku, he was struck back by the silverette's big eyes.
"You ok?" Axel asked and Riku nodded. How could he tell Axel that hearing him tell Roxas that he loved him crushed him? He knew he couldn't even repeat such words to Axel, but he wanted to be the sole owner of the phrase from the redheads lips.
"Let me guess, you don't like ranch? I knew I should have gone with BBQ, but," Axel thought with a finger tapping his chin.
"No, it's fine, ranch will do," Riku gave a fake smile.
"Prez? You ok?" Axel asked, tilting his head, moving closer as Riku gulped.
"I just," Riku looked away, unsure of what to say.
"What is it? Tell me," Axel moved Riku's bangs out of his face.
"You are Roxas are close, aren't you?" Riku asked in hesitation, wondering if he was giving anything away by asking such a ridiculous and obvious question.
"Yeah, we've been best friends for a long time. I've known Demyx longer, but Roxy and I, we're like partners in crime. I couldn't pick a better vice president, except you of course," Axel shrugged light heartedly. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, cause, Sora and I are close too." Riku knew that he was making no sense, but he couldn't admit to having had such a jealous nature.
"Yeah, I can see that. You two work great together. He really looks up to you too. Everyone does."
"Do you?" Riku asked, to his own surprise.
"Well you are shorter than I am, but yes, I do see you as a role model in most ways."
"Most?"
"I still don't support your unhealthy obsession in attempting to be perfect, but I do admire your dedication and your intelligence and athleticism and your hard work."
"You're way more athletic than I am, and you have a dedication about you that is very raw and passionate." Riku said, a bit embarrassed to have shared his true deep feelings.
"Aww, that's so sweet of you to say. I have to admit, I love how you think I'm passionate. Truth is, I can't help how I feel sometimes. When I love something, or someone, I can't get them out of my head." Axel smiled as Riku gulped.
"A-Axel?" Riku's nerves were getting a hold of him one more.
"Yes my perfect Prez?" Axel asked with shining emerald eyes that hypnotized Riku.
"C-can you," Riku started, unsure of what it was that he really wanted to ask for.
"Can I?" Axel tried to help Riku spit out the words unsaid.
"Can you stand up, so I can grab a sweater? I'm cold." Riku swallowed down the words that he wanted to scream, and instead, offered the first lie that came to his mind.
"A sweater won't do you any good with the cuff. If you'd like, we can lay down and you can use the blanket." Axel offered, so Riku nodded to go along with his fib.
"Thank you," Riku whispered as he laid on his side, as did Axel, facing each other with their cuffed hands between their bodies on the narrow bed.
"Well, this is fun," Axel laughed sarcastically after an awkward silence.
"Do you think Roxas will be here soon?" Riku asked.
"Hopefully. I thought you weren't hungry?" Axel asked with a smirk.
"I'm not, it's just, you know, he's your best friend so I'm sure you miss him." Riku said before he realized how he gave himself away.
"What?" Axel asked in amusement.
"Nothing,"
"You, you're, you're jealous, aren't you?" Axel asked, wearing an honest grin while Riku's face flushed.
"N-no, why would you think that?"
"Cause I told Roxy that I loved him on the phone, and you asked if we were close. Prez, you're so adorable." Axel let his index finger tap the tip of Riku's nose, just as there was a knock on Riku's door.
"Food delivery!" Roxas hollered.
"Food!" Axel turned around on the bed and rushed to his feet, dragging Riku up and along with him.
"Oww!" Riku grunted.
"Woops, sorry!" Axel apologized before he hugged Riku quickly, yet the feeling of their bare skin touching seemed to last much longer to Riku.
"A number eight, extra large, and a number two; with drinks." Sora held up the food with a giant smile.
"Isn't he the most cutest delivery boy you've ever seen?" Roxas asked as he handed Axel the drinks.
"Sora, you're such a cutie pie. You two really are the sweetest couple at this academy." Axel said, just to see Sora blush.
"Axel," Sora hid in Roxas' chest.
"Aww, come on Sky. Don't hide; I love you and your gorgeous face." Roxas rubbed Sora's back, kissing his temple.
"Love you too Roxy," Sora closed his eyes with a relaxing smile.
"Yeah right, he's just saying he likes your face cause you're twins. Watch out Sora, I'm onto him." Axel winked playfully as Sora giggled.
"Is that so?" Sora played along as he asked Roxas.
"You're the hotter twin," Roxas said seductively.
"If he messes with you Sora, let me know. I'll beat him up." Axel pointed to himself proudly.
"Hehe, ok." Sora nodded.
"So how are you two holding up?" Roxas asked with an arm around Sora's waist.
"So far it's not so bad, eh Prez?" Axel asked and Riku nodded.
"I know you probably don't want to hear this, but Riku, you and Axel look really nice together, and I'm not just saying it cause you two are both super athletic and shirtless." Roxas winked.
"Hey, don't be getting in trouble with Sora," Axel joked to save Riku from the tension.
"Yeah!" Sora pouted.
"Aww, baby, you know you're the only one for me." Roxas said before he kissed Sora aggressively yet passionately.
"Well, thanks for the food you two," Axel coughed loudly to interrupt the kiss.
"Sorry, I get so carried away sometimes. I can't help it. It's what he does to me." Roxas put a hand on Sora's cheek and gave it a delicate kiss.
"You're so sweet Roxy," Sora held his hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Oh, here's the munny," Axel handed Roxas a wad of cash.
"This is way too much," Roxas was about to hand half of it back, but Axel put a hand up
"I'm paying you for the service of having left campus to get it for us. It should cover Prez's meal too."
"Thanks," Riku whispered.
"Yeah, thanks guys," Axel waved.
"Enjoy the food, and each other," Roxas winked before Axel slammed the door on him.
"Sorry about that," Axel apologized with slightly reddened cheeks.
"It's ok. And I was thanking you, by the way, for the food." Riku cleared his throat.
"Don't mention it." Axel waved it all off as he started walking slowly back to Riku's bed. "You don't mind if we eat here, do you?" He asked and Riku shook his head.
"It's fine."
"Sweet, cause I'm really hungry now that I can smell it." Axel laughed, digging into his hamburger while Riku slowly munched on his chicken sandwich.
"Hey Axel?" Riku asked, hoping to have a normal conversation with the redhead, for once.
"M?" Axel asked after he stuffed a fry in his mouth.
"How did you know that this if my favorite thing on their menu?"
"Really? It is? Huh, I was just guessing." Axel shrugged between bites.
"Yeah, I order it a lot." Riku smiled.
"Hey Prez," Axel swallowed down another fry while Riku looked at him. "You have a great smile. Someone as beautiful as you needs to be reminded of it." Axel said shyly before he filled his face with his hamburger.
Riku held his chicken sandwich, unsure of what he could possibly say to such a compliment. "T-thank you." Riku bit his lip.
"Prez, you know you're adorable, right?" Axel asked as he continued to eat.
"Axel," Riku had so much he wanted to say, and even more that he wanted to ask.
"I'm just saying," Axel shrugged.
"Axel," Riku repeated, as if the words in his mind were pressing their way through his lips.
"Hm?"
"If that's really how you feel," Riku didn't know where his words were taking him.
"Look, Prez, it's like I said. I do care about you, a lot. But I'm in no hurry to rush this. You can play the mouse to my cat but eventually what's meant to be will come to be. And in all honesty, I wouldn't dare try to force you to feel anything in return. I know you don't love me, and I know you aren't ready yet. You haven't bloomed, and I want to wait till it's your season before I try to do anything. So don't worry, all this teasing, it's just teasing, ok?" Axel said, trying to calm down the silverrete, but instead, his words only saddened him. Riku couldn't help but feel disappointed. Was that really all it was? Just a tease? Did he not mean it each time he told him that he loved him? And why did Axel sound so confident when he said that he knew that Riku didn't love him back?
"Ok," Riku gulped, finishing the rest of his food in silence while Axel did the same.
"Ok, now we just have to brush our teeth, and find a way to entertain ourselves until sleepy time," Axel stood up with a stretch.
"What if someone catches us on the way to the bathroom?" Riku wondered.
"Prez, relax, nothing's going to happen. We're brushing our teeth, not plotting some revolution to overthrow the Academy." Axel laughed it off. After finishing their task, Axel and Riku returned steathfully to Riku's dorm, where they were faced with sudden boredom.
"Now what?" Riku asked.
"I don't know." Axel fell on Riku's bed, forcing Riku to lie down next to him, cramped on the bed.
"I'm already tired." Riku closed his eyes.
"Go to sleep." Axel closed his eyes as well.
"It's not even eight at night." Riku groaned.
"So? You look like you could use the extra sleep. Come on." Axel got situated while Riku attempted to do the same.
"This isn't comfortable." Riku complained.
"What can I do to change that?" Axel asked, leaving Riku to wonder.
"I, I don't know." Riku gulped, hating how close their faces were, how synchronized their breath's had become.
"Well when you figure it out, let me know," Axel gave a deep sigh to relax his body.
"Ok," Riku said, keeping his back tight against the wall to give Axel as much space as he could.
"Night" Axel yawned.
"Night" Riku whispered. He didn't think he'd be able to catch any sleep, but when he woke up hours later, he was startled so see how dramatically the two bodies had shifted during the night.
"Morning sleepy head," Axel chuckled lightly, running a hand as soft as a shadow over Riku's back.
"What time is it?" Riku opened his eyes, realizing that he had used Axel's chest as a pillow the entire night, as far as he knew.
"It's nine in the morning," Axel moved his free hand to check his watch.
"Shit, already? I can't believe I slept that long," Riku let out a deep sigh.
"You needed it Prez," Axel smiled as he ran his palm in a timid circle over Riku's shoulder blade.
"I'm still tired," Riku closed his eyes again.
"Rest, you deserve it." Axel took a deep breath to compensate for Riku's weight on his body.
"Am I hurting you?" Riku asked, sitting up slowly.
"No, not at all." Axel gave a soft smile.
"I hope Luxord comes soon. I have to finish planning the soccer game and dance." Riku sighed.
"He left about thirty minutes ago with Sora, and they'll call me when they're on their way back." Axel updated the sleepy president.
"Oh good," Riku said quietly, still a bit shy.
"I'm sorry, for cuffing you. Even though it was an accident, I feel bad," Axel sat up next to Riku to relieve the strain caused by the handcuffs while he was lying down.
"It wasn't your fault." Riku responded just as Axel's phone went off.
"Hello? Really? Ok, good, thanks Sora. It was pretty good. Riku got a lot of rest. Yes, I did too, thanks for asking. How about you? Did Roxas keep you up all night long? Yeah? I'm sure you two had a really exciting night. Chocolate cake with whipped cream? Sounds kinky. Uh huh, sure Sora, whatever you say," Axel grinned into the phone. "Alright alright, no need to get all fussy. Come on, it was a joke, although I'm sure it was more than just that, wasn't it? What? Hello? Oh, hey Rox. Yeah, is he ok? Haha, he really is so fun to mess with, almost as fun as Riku. Haha, yeah I know right? Ok, see you soon. Same. You know what I mean. Well if I say it, …Ok, fine, I love you too," Axel quickly hung up his phone and closed his eyes.
"Are you ok?" Riku asked.
"Yeah. Luxord has the key and they'll be here within twenty minutes. Think you can survive that long?" Axel asked with a friendly smile.
"I'll try," Riku responded with a small feeling of disappointment.
"What's got you now?" Axel read Riku's discouraged face.
"Nothing," Riku lied.
"Prez," Axel wasn't satisfied, but Riku dodged him.
"I said it's nothing."
The two remained quiet until even Riku couldn't take it any longer.
"You ok?" Riku grew concerned by Axel's evident frustration. By then, the school president knew that Axel's silence was a form of showing his evident frustration.
"Nothing," Axel gave Riku a taste of his own medicine.
"Alright then," Riku sighed, seeing Axel's point.
The awkward silence continued for a short while more until there was a knock on Riku's door.
"Finally." Riku jumped off his bed, dragging Axel's body with him as the redhead rushed to keep up.
"Hey!" Axel chased after, watching as Riku opened the door.
"Here we are, one Master Key." Luxord held up Riku's silver shining savior.
"Thank you thank you thank you!" Riku bubbled up with excitement as he heard the locks tumble undone inside of the bulky cuff.
"So dramatic," Axel rolled his eyes.
"Free!" Riku held up his wrist proudly.
"Now what are you going to do?" Sora asked curiously.
"I need to shower, privately this time, then we have to get right to work! This game won't plan itself." Riku said sternly.
"Aye-aye captain!" Sora gave his best friend a formal salute.
"You're so sexy," Roxas chuckled as he attacked Sora's cheek for a kiss.
"Roxas!" Sora blushed, shying away as Luxord left the group inside of Riku's room.
"Alright, we'll see you guys later." Roxas waved as he took Sora's hand to leave.
"I'll be in your office!" Sora hollered over his shoulder to Riku as he walked side by side with Roxas down the hall. Axel ran his newly free hand through his hair before he too aimed for the door.
"Wait," Riku couldn't control his mouth as his heart spoke for him.
"Yes, my Prez?" Axel asked humbly.
"I, uh, I'm sorry, for making the last day seem worse than it really was." Riku hung his head, unsure of where to go next.
"Are you saying that being handcuffed to me for half a day wasn't torturous?" Axel couldn't hold back a smile.
"I, I guess," Riku admitted shyly.
"Well, I shall take it as a compliment. Get some rest Prez, I'll see you around." Axel left the room, leaving Riku all alone as he thought about everything that had run through his mind and heart within the past twenty four hours.
Author's Note: So classes will be starting soon for me, which means I need to update now while I can lol. I hope that everyone is doing good and that this chapter put a smile on your face ^_^ I'll admit, I really enjoyed working on this entire scene (which includes the last 2 chapters as well)!
Here we see Riku starting to accept some of his feelings for Axel, which appear to be harder to dismiss than he first assumed. However, real progress doesn't seem to have been made with Axel's comment of it all having been just a tease. Perhaps the dance will change things? The question is: How will it change things? Keep reading to find out!
To Kindofabadger: Glad you thought it was an awesome idea to handcuff them together! Lol, more shower scenes to come, don't worry ;) Thanks for reviewing!
To Keyblade Master13: All for a kiss? Sounds worth it to me lol. Oh yes, I should have explained! So I'm rewarding every 100th reviewer of A Taste of Loneliness with a chapter in this story, but one reader won twice, so I decided to just pick another reader (from random) and you won! So that was your chapter! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed it, and that you like Luxord because I love him too (despite how he's often the bad guy in my stories with Xigbar lol). It's been hard keeping track of the 100th reviewers though, since I forgot to write them down, so yeah, after trying to look back and figure it out, pretty sure it was the case that someone won twice, or it was an anon. So yeah, your chapter! Lol.
To Casper12: Hey! Congrats on the account!
To luckycat222: Lemons are amazing, glad you agree. And thanks, it was a fun scene to write! Glad to hear that you enjoyed reading it ^_^
To SitarLover: YAY! I'm happy to hear that you thought it was an enjoyable chapter! Dialogue is easier for me to write, and it felt appropriate lol. Thanks for reviewing.
To ZeltaFrost: Oh yeah, I'm sure Axel enjoyed himself ;) hehe. It seemed like a mix of good luck coming out of the 'bad' luck lol.
To Cirxe145: Haha, yes, very kinky, and that would be weird because I always pictured Axel topping lol, but it was fun to have the characters discuss their opinions in front of them! Thanks, glad to hear you liked it. Thank you for reviewing ^_^
To RoxasVentusHikari: I hope you are all settled in after your move, and don't worry, I completely understand. I visited the US and am now back in Japan so it was crazy having to switch dorms and unpack and all that not-so-fun orientation stuff. Yes, what a coincidence that the key goes missing, and wont be available until the next day! Haha, you're always so good with your predictions, it's scary! Lol. Aww, welcome to high school! How's it going so far? I'm about to start my last year of college in like…four days, so I'm kind of nervous. Based on my age, I'm supposed to be a second year college student, so its weird to be in classes with students over the age of twenty, who can drink and stuff lol. That's great! If you need help with your Japanese class, let me know lol.
To Rikuobsession: Handcuffs always make for a good story lol. Haha, those three at the end of the last chapter were just too much fun huh? Aww, thank you so much for all of your lovely compliments! They mean so very much!
To iythos: Hmm, perhaps it is rushed. I have a lot of scenes I want to get out and with my busy schedule, I'm taking a while to post, but since there is still so much to happen, I'll admit I'm quite anxious to post it all out there lol. Hahaha, seme Axel all the way! XD I'm glad to hear that you agree with Axel, and with me! Thanks for commenting!
To Xiola-Nobody: lol, as much as I would love to have had Riku pay Luxord and then let some sexy lemon-ness occur, it just wouldn't fit with the story :/ maybe one day lol. Hahaha, yes, poor Luxy, his punishment shall be in chapters to come…if I remember to write it . I'm so bad lol. Stupid college Hahaha, that sounds amusing! I'm not a magician, and now I don't think I want to be lmao!
Thank you everyone for reading and commenting and following!
Heart, Sarabellum