Chapter two: Meetings
The bell chimed with a soullifting enthusiasm, while releasing it´s prisoners for the day. First day over.
Roxas hurled his backpack to the corner of his room, stomping his way to the bathroom. The bruise was slowly turning from red to a slight blue, making his chin appear bigger as the swelling had not gone down after the visit to the infirmary.
It wasnt unusual to get threats, being a schoolpaper editor sure helped getting the reputation up, but to actually get cornered about it, was one step further than usual.
"Roxas?" He peeked out the bathroom, checking which of his collective living partners wanted his attention.
"What is it, Sora?" He counted to three.
"Oh my god what is that?!" Sora squaked as he saw his friend´s face.
" A bruise?" He rubbed his neck as if he never would hear the end of it.
"No not that, the thing underneith!" A smirk grew on his features as the blonde lunged a shampoobottle through the door, and yelped when it hit his arm.
"I am kidding! But seriusly, what happened?" He rubbed the spot on his bicep and lunged down into the couch in the room, waiting for a reply.
"Seifer, figured he did not want his news about the doping on the football team published in the paper." He sighed and sat down in the opposing side of the couch.
Sora nodded slowly as he inspected his fingernails.
"I would not want that either, if I were him." A heavy moan followed in the room next door, and startled both of the boys.
"Is he home?" Roxas asked him, and looked toward the room left of his.
"It seems so."
Fifteen minutes and a shower later, Terra showed up in the door, towel around his waist and steam still slightly radiating as water tripled to the floor along his legs.
"Hey guys. Have anyone seen my-"
"Ladyfriend? Nope heard she was very pleased though." Sora teased and humped a little with his hips.
"Well what can I say. Nothing like some earthshaking action." He smirked as he pulled his fingers through wet hair. "But seriously, who took my aftershave?" Terra leaned his head against the doorframe, waiting for an answer.
"No idea, still can´t shave since-hey no beard. Checked your sportbag?" Sora nodded and went up to the pile of junk beside the door where the boys usually put their things after school. The dorms were close and a good substitute for the ones who did not live in the city, or moved away from home.
Terra tugged at his trunk and hauled up the bottle from the dirty clothes.
"Thanks, bro. " He took it and went into the bathroom with Roxas.
"Dude, what happened to you?" Roxas leered at him and had the "Who do you exactly think?" face on.
"For reals, took Seifer that long huh?" Terra took some after shave in his hands and patted his chin with the strong alchohol. Roxas turned at the mention and looked at him with a dissapointed face.
" You knew he was gonna do that? Totally not deserved to not be notified!" Stern he went out of the bathroom and lunged himself into the sofa, muttering under his breath.
" Well, I figured, if you would want to not reveal your amazing source for the football team, you would let it slip. And it is not as he would stab you or anything, still Seifer we are talking about." He flinched when the cologne pinched an open wound hed gotten from the shaving.
" You are evil." Sighing and falling back into the pillows of the rugged sofa, Roxas made his retreat for this time being.
"Sometimes."
Music pumped as the band practice kept on, and the smell of sweat and perfume was heavy in the air of the cellar turned studio.
Axels voice tuned in to Aquas guitar as the last refrain jumped through the walls and Xigbar gave his last on the Gretsch drums. Saix took the chance to try a new base riff, and the rockband was in their ace. A last whisper in the song and the crew relaxed for the first time in two hours.
"Well done guys, take ten." Axel took a deep breath and dried his forehead with the back of his hand. Everyone nodded and rushed to the fridge to get a beer. Saix brought one for the leadsinger and slouched down in the resting area in front of the studio and opened them up.
With slow steps Axel sat down in the couch, clunked three times and let out a relieved sigh.
"I really liked that thing you tried in the end, keep it, Saix." He nodded and took another sip of the cold beverage.
Saix looked slow at him, and then back to the base.
"I figured it out during the last two run throughs, so I thought I try it before we took a break."
Aqua sat down on the handle of the couch and nodded agreeingly.
"It was really nice! A true original sound from your way. But I think we need some finetuning with the second half still, and `Serenade´ have to get some other backing, the drums are okay, but what if we add a pace?" She ruffled her hair and wiped away the pearls of sweat from underneith her spiky bangs.
"I think you might got something there, could try to add up some speed in that one." Xigbar said leaned against the fridge.
"Though `Serenade´ is meant to be...you know, slow?" Axel smirked and thought about what their co-songwriter would say with their alterations.
"But it is too slow. Besides, does it have any aim? I know it is supposed to be a love song, but for whom? Dee will get all giddy if we do not stop it before it goes to far." The one eyed man said while grabbing his cigarette pack. " You want one?"
Axel got up and followed him to the door leading to the street.
"How´s school anyway? Heard the folks did not want you to kick it yet." He took up his lighter and flicked it on. Pearl grey smoke treaded the air as he dragged the scent in and exhaled.
" Interesting."