That night at the party I had barely seen Axel. In fact, I'd seen pretty much everyone but Axel. Demyx had been the one to come and pick me up for the party and when I had asked where Axel was Demyx had tensed and made a face then said, "Uh, h-he's busy doing last minute checks on the party. You'll see him there though! I'm sure of it!" I, however, was not sure of it. A half hour into the party and I'd started to believe that Axel was avoiding me. An hour in and I hadn't even seen a flash of red hair once and I'd started to wonder if Axel had even come to the party at all. For most of the hour I'd been there I had been with Xion chatting, but I kept finding myself looking around the room. Xion had noticed and asked a couple times if I was okay, to which I had immediately told her that I was fine. Though that didn't settle Xion. She could tell I wasn't alright and that something was wrong.
"Roxas what's the matter? You keep looking around the room. It doesn't even seem as if your paying attention to the conversation." Xion said.
"Xion, I swear nothing is wrong." I said, though my mind screamed at me that I was a liar.
"Roxas." Xion said sternly, fixing me with her "don't you dare lie to me" look and putting her hands on her hips. I couldn't help but think of how much she reminded me of my mother in that moment. That was something she would always do whenever I had done wrong. With a sigh I began to tell her everything that had happened with Axel earlier that day and that I was distracted because I was looking for Axel. Xion nodded in understanding as she listened to me, then when I finished Xion stared at me for a moment, then slapped me on the back of the head.
"Ow! What was that for?!" I asked, rubbing my new found injury.
"That's for being a dummy! It would make complete sense if Axel was avoiding you! He told you not to leave Roxas, Axel knows what dangers are out there and you not listening and leaving the tree is not only disrespectful to Axel, but uncaring! Axel cares about you Roxas, and obviously he always has, but now he feels as though you don't care about him! You need to go apologize to him the very moment you see him!" Xion yelled.
I dropped my head and stared at my feet.
"I already know that. I've been wanting to tell him I'm sorry all day, but I've been stuck in my room since Axel brought me back. He... He said I would see him tonight, but..." I trailed off, still not looking at Xion. I could feel tears burning in my eyes. I wouldn't allow myself to cry. Not here. Not with all these faeries around. I heard a sigh come from Xion and she pulled me into a hug.
"It's gonna be okay Roxas. You'll definitely see him before the night is out." She said. I could tell from the tone of her voice that she was just trying to cheer me up, and she wasn't sure at all if I would see Axel.
"He said he should just get the queen to send me back home." I said after a moment of silence.
"Oh Roxy, I'm sure he didn't mean it. He was just upset. You just need to talk to him Roxas." Xion said. I nodded slightly, but I didn't agree with her.
"Hey, I think I just saw a spike of red go out on the balcony." Xion said excitedly. My head shot up and I looked over to the balcony, just in time to see the door close. I looked back to Xion and with a smile on her face she spun me around and pushed me toward the balcony. I couldn't help but chuckle at Xion's pushy nature.
I quickly made my way over to the balcony door. Taking a look out the window, I could definitely make out Axel's spiky red hair. I slowly opened the door and slipped out, but Axel didn't seem to notice another presence till I shut the door behind me. I quickly decided that was a horrible idea and that I should have closed the door more quietly. He glanced over his shoulder to look at me, but as he realized it was me he quickly turned his attention back to the sky. I moved a till I was about a foot away from him and stared down at the ground as I tried to think of how to start. Did I just immediately apologize to him? Should I explain things? No, that wouldn't be any good. All I'd be basically telling him is that I purposefully went against what he'd told me for entertainment. Somehow, I don't think that would end too well on my part. Maybe I should just start with the apology.
"Axel, I'm so sorry." I said. It was silent for a moment before Axel finally said anything.
"Why?" He asked. I looked at him in confusion.
"Why what?" I asked.
"Why did you leave? Why did you go outside after I've told you several times not to?" He asked. His voice was low and restrained anger was evident in his tone. I was at a loss for words. What was I supposed to tell him? I just decided that I didn't want to explain things to him! Now he's demanding an answer, and I can't not answer him! That will just upset him even more...
"I... I just wanted to..." I trailed off. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my nerves.
"I just wanted to know what was out there. You wouldn't tell me about it. You wouldn't tell me why it was dangerous, you wouldn't tell me anything. You just kept telling me not to leave. For all I knew it could be amazing out there." I said.
"Roxas, if I'm telling you not to do something, it's obviously to protect you! It's not to keep you from this supposed magnificent world outside the tree! There's dangerous things out there Roxas, I was protecting you from the chance of dying!" Axel yelled, though he still wouldn't turn and face me. I could feel tears burning in my eyes again, but this time I didn't try to will them away. I allowed them to gather slowly in my eyes.
"Look! I said I'm sorry Axel! I know it was wrong, I knew from the beginning that it was wrong, but I wanted to know! I wanted to experience it! Do you even know what it's like to just be stuck in a room all day with nothing to do but read books that you've already read over and over again! Or just sit there and stare outside the window and see everyone else zooming about and doing things! It's boring as hell in that room! I was sick of it, I'm still sick of it! I wanted to get out and explore! It's like being in a damn prison here! You won't even let me out of that damn room without supervision!" I yelled. My hands were now balled into fists and I felt lightheaded as blood rushed to my head in an angry blush. Axel was quiet again. He was shaking slightly and he was clutching the railing so hard his knuckles were turning white.
"Do you want to go home?" Axel asked, suddenly very calm, but his voice slightly tense.
"No..." I said quietly. I was looking at my feet again as the tears fell from my eyes.
"Why?" Axel asked.
"Because I just want to stay here with you!" I yelled.
"Why? All your family and friends are there so why stay here with me?" Axel said.
"I don't love and care about them as much as I do for you!" I yelled. My eyes grew wide in horror as I realized what I'd just said. It's not like it wasn't the truth, I did love Axel, with all my heart, but he wasn't supposed to know that! That caught his attention though. He turned his head slightly at first, then as it sunk in he slowly turned to face me. I was having trouble discerning the look on his face. I couldn't decide if it was confusion or something else. But that was the least of my concerns at this moment. I just told Axel I loved him. What if he was disgusted by me? What if he now wanted me to leave more than he did before? What would I even do without Axel?
Break down. I would definitely just completely break down without Axel. At least before he knew I got to see him a lot and I wasn't going to go home anytime soon with how stubborn I am and how I refuse to believe in faeries. Now there was a chance that he would get the queen to send me back.
"Roxas?" Axel said slowly.
"Y-yes?" I said, glancing up at him from under my eyelashes.
"Do you... Do you really love me?" He asked. I bit my lip and nodded slowly.
Suddenly I felt warm arms wrap around me and I could smell smoke, but there was also something warm and sweet behind it that was all Axel. His face was nuzzled atop my head and I could feel his warm breaths against my scalp.
"A-Axel?" I asked, confused by the embrace.
"I love you too Roxas... I have for a while now..." He said quietly against my head. I stood there for a moment, completely motionless, then finally I slowly wrapped my arms around his torso. More tears slipped from my eyes as I buried my face in his chest and I began to quietly sob.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, for everything." I said quietly.
"It's alright Roxas. Just promise me you won't do it again okay?" Axel said. I nodded into his chest.
"I promise Axel." It was silent for a moment longer then Axel broke the hug and looked down to me.
"Do you want to go somewhere a little more private?" He asked. I stared at him for a moment then slowly nodded. Axel smiled and grabbed my hand, then he lead me off the balcony and back to the housing department, though Axel didn't go to my room, in fact we weren't even near my room. He opened the door and revealed the room. The walls were a light orange and by the window, instead of a bed there was a hammock with many white pillows covering the whole thing that looked like they we're very squishy and comfortable. Off near the bathroom was a closet and by the entrance was a small book case, the top shelf was still empty. A couple feet in front of the book case was a small coffee table with four more squishy pillows around it.
"You like it?" He asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, it's nice." I said with a smile. Axel smiled back at me and after closing the door he lead me over to the bed. Axel sat me on the bed, then sat half on my lap, facing me.
"You don't know how long I've been wanting to do this." He said quietly as he leaned forward ever so slowly until our lips met in a soft kiss. The kiss was brief, and when he pulled away we stared at each other for a moment. I slipped my hand behind his head and pulled his mouth back to mine, this kiss more rough than the last. I could feel a small smile on his lips as they pressed into mine. Soon enough I felt Axel's tongue run along my bottom lip and I slowly opened my mouth to allow him access. His tongue was quick to dart into my mouth and I could feel it curiously exploring. The need for air soon became too much for us and we broke away from each other, panting heavily and staring into one another's half lidded eyes.
"Your a pretty good kisser." Axel panted out and I chuckled.
"I've had some practice." I said with a smirk. "You're not so bad yourself though."
"Thanks, I guess I'm just naturally good at everything." He said with a cheeky grin. I laughed and pushed him lightly, but he still fell over on the hammock and smiled at me happily.
"Lay down with me." He said, wrapping his arms around my waist. I smiled softly down at him and laid next to him. He pulled me closer to him then rested his head atop my own. We were quiet for a moment until Axel finally spoke up again.
"You know, I'm really glad your such a stubborn little punk." Axel said. I chuckled quietly.
"And why is that?" I asked.
"Because if you weren't, we wouldn't be here right now. If you weren't so stubborn, you'd be back with your friends and family right now and you wouldn't have been here through all the stuff that's happened." Axel said. I sat there for a moment as I allowed his words to seep in, then another soft smile came upon my face.
"I love you, Axel." I said as I nuzzled my face into his chest and took in his smokey sweet scent.
"I love you too, Roxas." He said and placed a kiss on the top of my head.
Sora was laying in his bed with the tiny form of Riku beside him as the fairy pushed buttons on Sora's phone to talk to him. This is what it had been like ever since Riku had come to Sora. They would stay awake into the late hours of the night just talking to each other. Well Sora talking and Riku typing. They had quickly become great friends, but recently Sora's been feeling something much strong for the little fairy than friendship, though he was scared to admit that to Riku. What if he didn't like him? Why was he even thinking about this? Riku was like five inches tall and Sora was five foot seven. He felt a tap on his forehead and, snapping out of his thoughts, looked up to see a slightly irritated Riku looking at him with his hands on his hips. He pointed down to the phone and Sora read the message that was asking if he was even paying attention to what Riku was saying. Sora laughed and nodded.
"Yeah, sorry Riku I was just thinking." Sora said quietly to the fairy. Not only was it to make sure that his parents didn't know he was still awake, but also to keep from hurting Riku's ears. Riku huffed and flew back over to the phone to type up another message.
"What are we doing tomorrow?" The message said and Sora thought for a moment. It was Saturday tomorrow, he hadn't made plans with any of his friends, so he'd probably stay home.
"Hang out in my room all day? Or did you want to go out and do something?" Sora said. Riku tapped his chin in thought for a moment. He didn't really have anywhere he wanted to go, and if they stayed in Sora's room all day it would be easy to talk to the brunette rather than if they went out somewhere. Riku nodded for a moment then went back to the phone and typed another message.
"Sounds good." It read. Sora nodded.
"Hey Riku?" Sora said. The fairy tilted his head to the side and looked at him questioningly.
"How much longer do you think you'll be here?" Sora asked. Riku shrugged then started to type again.
"Until your brother says he believes in faeries." Sora laughed.
"So forever?" He asked with a brilliant smile. Riku smiled as he turned back to the phone.
"Is your brother really that stubborn?" Riku asked.
"Yes." Sora said without missing a beat.
"Well, Axel's determined to keep him as long as it takes, but if the Queen sees no progress, then she might see it as hopeless and just send him back." Sora nodded and thought for a moment.
"Axel's the one that wants in his pants right?" Sora asked. Riku started laughing loudly, grabbing his stomach and curling his legs up slightly. His laugh was just a high pitched squeak to Sora's ears, but he couldn't help but think how cute it sounded. Riku nodded as he started to calm down and wiped at his eyes to rid himself of he tears that had formed there.
"Yes, Axel is the one that wants into your brother's pants." He said with a grin plastered on his face.
"Good to know. You'll have to tell me more about this Axel so I know if he's good enough for Roxas, seeing as I'll never meet him." Sora said with a playfully stern face. Riku chuckled and nodded.
"I'll tell you more about him tomorrow. But it's getting late so you should go to sleep young man. :)" Sora laughed at the teasing from the fairy.
"Okay mother." He said with a cheeky grin. Riku blushed and crossed his arms over his chest, stamping his foot on the bed.
"Oh what now?" Sora asked.
"Don't call me your mother that's gross!" Sora blinked a couple times at that message.
"Are you saying my mother is gross?" Sora asked. Riku's eyes widened and he put his hands up in defense as he shook his head vigorously.
"No! I was just saying... Gah! Never mind, just go to sleep!" Riku said. Sora chuckled and patted Riku's head gently with his pinky.
"Goodnight Riku." Sora said with a brilliant smile. Riku sighed and nodded, turning to the phone to type one more time.
"Goodnight Sora."
And that's all for now folks. Sorry this story takes so long to update. I've got so many other things I've got to do though. Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the next one will be full of fluff and more friendly banter between Sora and Riku :) tata for now folks!