Wow. It's been quite awhile since I've updated. Again. I'm sure most of you are used to my randomly spaced chapter posts by now, but I still feel bad and offer many apologies; but blame for most of it cuz they're server was being dumb :E
On another note, I have this Naruto fic that's been in my brain since last May; it's like an itch I can't scratch, what with refusing to write anything other than Cross My Heart until I finish it. EFF. Oh well, enjoy the chapter! I hope the wait was worth it ^_^. I adore your support and enthusiasm! Thanks, my luvs!
p.s. to Your Mum3: I scoured my computer and, unfortunately, couldn't find all of the original fic T_T My computer got infected awhile ago and when I got new security it wiped a bunch of "corrupted" files, so I suspect that's where they went…. Sorry!
Axel's hands nervously drummed on his steering wheel. He was parked outside the intimidating iron gates that guarded the girl's dorms at HBGC, clunk of metal puffing and wheezing in the faded twilight. It was seven o'clock. Sharp. The waif of a boy wiped his clammy hand on his jeans and reached for one of the worn-down knobs on what once looked like a radio. The music clicked on.
"Soooooooy un perdadooooooor, I'm a loser babyyyyyyyyyy so why don'tchya kill meeeeeeeeee?"
The redhead's palm came down so hard and fast on the knob that the car quaked, and silence followed. There's a good reason I don't listen to Beck, he thought, perturbed. Five minutes later Roxas opened the door to the car, making Axel jump in a start, and climbed into the vehicle, drawing the door shut behind him with a loud metallic slap.
Blinking was all Axel could do for a moment. Namine looked good, he mused; she couldn't hide her cuteness by any means, but he was a tad surprised… he'd sort of expected her to, say, dress up a bit? Instead, she looked more casual than he'd ever seen her. The small blonde next to him idly twirled a strand of hair around her finger as she waited for her date to shift gears and start driving. They'd figured everything out over text; that Axel would pick her up at seven and take her on a date. The content of the date, to Namine, would be a surprise.
Anyway, 'Namine' hadn't exactly tried to gussy up before leaving. His faded jeans were slouchy, the knees blown out, a checkered belt barely securing them to his narrow hips, some raggy converse on his feet, and a tight-fitting, quarter-sleeve band shirt hugged his chest and the foreign breasts protruding from it; his signature checkered messenger bag completing the ensemble. Little did Axel know, but Roxas had been asleep ten minutes prior, and was only late coming out because Larxene insisted he wear makeup. She, of course, had to put it on him.
It took him a minute, but Axel noticed the changes in the girl's appearance when she turned to him and questioned, "Are we going on a date, or should I be worried that you've been staring at me for two minutes now?"
Axel choked, barely catching himself and transitioning into a chuckle to cover up his slip. Roxas rolled his eyes and turned back to his window as the clicks of gears shifting and a snarl as gas was fed to the engine wordlessly answered his question. He pretended not to notice, but the redhead driving him was sneaking glances. It made him smile silently, and he was, in some ways, flattered by the gesture.
Roxas knew what he looked like with the make-up on. His lashes, naturally thick and dark without assistance, were now luscious and bold. They made his eyes look startlingly cobalt. His lips were pinker than usual, and glossy. He had to fight not to lick them; the sweet taste from the lip-gloss slipped into his mouth every so often as if to tease him, but Larxene had been very direct when ordering him not to lick it off. Long story short, he looked good. The clothes he was wearing, otherwise boyish and charming, were suddenly alluring and suggestive. Well, that's what Kairi had told him; whatever it actually meant didn't really matter to the boy.
"So where are we headed?" asked the small blonde after several minutes of quiet driving.
Axel had finally relaxed his nerves and perked up at the prospect of conversation, "Well, I had a really hard time thinking of a date. A movie is too cliché, fancy dinners are out of my league, and I didn't think you'd be up to my usual pizza-and-sex date," Roxas made an exasperated sound, triggering Axel's laughter as he continued, "So I thought I'd take you somewhere I'd enjoy going any time, with anyone."
The petite boy frowned his dissatisfaction, but when he tried to press it further Axel would just grin and say, "You'll see". Well, a few minutes later he did see. They turned in front of an old brick building, and the parking lot was surprisingly full for the look of the place. It seemed to have endured many a year and taken on much ware, but other from a grey metal door on the side, there was no indication that the structure was anything other than a pile of bricks. No signs, no directions, and they couldn't see inside from where they were standing.
Roxas swallowed and hesitated as he stepped out of the car, bag strap bunched into his fist. Larxene and Kairi wouldn't let him go on a date with Axel if he was going to end up getting forced into human trafficking or drug pushing, would they?
Axel came around the front of the car and closed Roxas' door for him, grinning wider than ever, and patiently presented his hand, "This is my favorite place in the whole world. Right here in Hollow Bastion."
The shorter boy scowled at the hand and retorted, "Is it a fight club? Because after I put you on your face in the music room I didn't think you'd be up for more fighting from me."
The redhead snorted and reached out further, grabbing Roxas' hand, and led him towards the door, "You caught me off guard, and even if you can throw a hell of a punch I'm not the type of guy who will just let you give it to me a second time." Roxas smirked; enjoying Axel's bruised ego, and not even minding that they were holding hands.
When they reached the door, Axel didn't pause before turning the handle and throwing it open. Roxas did see the smile on his face, somewhat relieved that there was no legitimate animosity between them over the aforementioned incident. Looking inside, Roxas was genuinely and pleasantly surprised. They were at an arcade. Not just any arcade, but one that stretched out for hundreds of square feet, offering every game imaginable and organized in rows by type of game: old school, fighters, shooters, racing games, etc… it stretched on past where the neon allowed his vision to make out.
"Well don't just stare at it, come on!" said the taller boy, resuming his task of leading Roxas by hand.
As it appeared, the place was fairly popular on Saturday nights. It was actually kind of perfect. There were loads of people in the facility, but not enough to fill all the games, so there were no lines and there was always something to do. As soon as they reached the coin for cash machine, and Axel had given him a few dollars, motioning for them to go play some joystick fighter, Roxas' eyes lit up. Axel was very pleased to notice this, glad that his date idea was going well, but the pleasantness of his feelings didn't last through the first match.
"Street Fighter 2" was their first destination. And, to put it bluntly, Roxas kicked his ass. Claiming that he'd gone easy on his date, having assumed she didn't play video games, the redhead demanded a rematch. Once again, Roxas won without difficulty, but not because Axel didn't try, which frustrated the redhead all the more. So they moved on to Tekken. Then to Guilty Gear. Then to Blazblue, Virtua Fighter, Mortal Combat, and by the time they'd made it to the end of the row of fighter games, Roxas was poking fun at Axel for losing, and he wasn't liking it. Of course, it didn't help that other guys were beginning to take notice, and started coming over to challenge Roxas to pvp matches.
"She's my date, piss off!" Axel finally erupted, faintly surprising Roxas and sending the prospectors off to brood amongst each other.
"It's okay Axel, you don't have to get mad at them," Roxas commented, calmly.
The taller boy looked down at his date and his face fell into sudden dread, "Oh, did you want to play them? I'm sorry I shouldn't have-"
"No. I don't want to play them," Roxas interrupted. Axel's mouth shut with a nearly audible click and the blonde continued, smiling kindly, "I came here with you, didn't I? That means it's going to be your ass alone that I kick for the rest of the night."
The two boys laughed and Axel challenged, "We'll see. Fighters were never really my thing; too many combos to memorize. They're a nerd's game for sure."
Roxas frowned, playfully, "Hey!"
"OOOOh! House of Dead! Let's go play that!" Axel interjected, ignoring Roxas' faux-offense. The smaller boy chuckled, hardly noticing Axel's hand once again leading him as they ran to the next game, blonde sheets of hair from his wig dancing behind him.
It was midnight and the arcade was closing by the time they finally left. Roxas and Axel had played every single game in the building, several of which multiple times. Rather than keeping track by individual wins, they scored each other based on who did the best at what kind of game. Roxas, obviously, got the point for fighting games, but Axel served him at shooters. The redhead also ended up taking the non-video games win (ski-ball, air hocky, etc…), but the smaller boy was an undisputed champ at the racing games. All in all they were tied, and each vowed to make the other cry in rematches next time as Axel swung open the door and they stepped outside.
Roxas gasped at the breeze that chilled him to the bone. Having been in a building filled with large electronics and people for several hours, he'd adjusted to the heat of indoors, and the cold night air outside had bumps rising on his arms and made him shiver.
"Here," Axel shrugged off the leather jacket he'd been wearing that night and draped it over the 'girl's' shoulders. Roxas mumbled a thank you, trying to look away so Axel wouldn't see him blush. The redhead didn't notice, and once he saw that his date wouldn't freeze to death began making his way for the car.
Roxas followed closely behind, inadvertently watching the other boy's hips swing as he walked. That sort of physique wasn't one he'd have expected to be attractive on guys, but now realized it was truly a gift. Axel was wearing jeans that looked like they were supposed to be skinny, but hung a bit loose and had some slight, unintentional sag to them. Roxas didn't mind; it was pretty hot, actually. The blond hadn't noticed earlier, but Axel's shirt was fairly tight-fitting too. It was purple, and stretched snuggly across his back and shoulders as he walked, emphasizing the lean muscles that clenched and relaxed as he moved.
Shaking his head to clear the scattered thoughts, Roxas caught up to Axel and climbed into the car once it was unlocked, franticly trying to discard the mental image he might as well have painted on the back of his eyelids. Attracted to Axel he was, fine. He could admit it, if only to himself. He'd had a great night, more fun than he'd had in months. Splendid. But he was still, well, a he, so whatever kind of camaraderie or friendship to Axel he might normally have allowed to developed, he instead stomped back into the pit it came from and prayed it would never grow back.
The car started and they pulled out of the now empty parking lot, a wave of exhaustion falling over the boys, like the feeling you get after you've laughed too hard for too long. They drove back in comfortable silence, neither really having the energy to think of something to say. Roxas distantly wished that the night could keep going, but didn't spare the brainpower to follow the thought anywhere.
"Namine?" Axel broke the silence, drawing a curious glance from Roxas, his mild voice continued but he kept his eyes on the road in front of him, "Thanks for coming out with me tonight. You're really… incredible".
Roxas' heart fluttered a bit. The pre-drowsy exhaustion was washed away and he sat up a little in his seat. Blushing furiously, he looked out the window, noticing that they were only a few minutes from the school as he hesitantly replied, "I think I should thank you. You're the one who did all the work to drag me out here tonight, and I had fun," blue met green as Roxas looked up to Axel, who was looking right back, "So… Thank you, I guess," he managed to say. His voice had sounded steady enough, but he didn't feel steady. Axel nodded, but had returned his gaze to the road, and the smaller boy let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Roxas felt something warm cross over his hand and looked down to see Axel's fingers lacing with his own. That was all it took to send his heart throbbing in his throat and make his stomach do flips, but at the same time he couldn't look away. He was entranced with the way their hands fit together, frighteningly perfect for each other.
The car came to a slow stop and Roxas looked up, seeing they were back in front of the dorms. He gently drew his hand out from Axel's and chuckled nervously, mumbling something about clammy hands as he slid his palm down the side of his jeans.
The two sat awkwardly for a few seconds before Roxas finally bit his lip and reached for his bag, motioning to open the door and get out of the car, but before he could really get anywhere an iron grip clenched around his arm. Roxas turned back, not sure what he expected to see, but didn't make out any clear images before Axel's lips crashed into his own and he felt the coolness of the glass window press up against the part of his neck that wasn't covered by Axel's jacket. His eyes fluttered shut, helplessly, and Axel was everything but gentle as one warm, strong hand clasped Roxas' face and the other explored his back, making him shiver, but not from cold.
Axel broke for breath, and Roxas looked to see a darkness in his eyes that wasn't bad, but certainly wasn't good. The smaller boy had a brief flash to the party; the dancing, the touching, and… the kiss. Roxas leaned forward this time, grabbing to pull Axel towards him, somehow managing to avoid the awkward complications cars tend to be in situations like this.
Axel climbed over the center console until his body was hovering over Roxas'. He didn't know what he was doing, and he really didn't care. Neither of them did. The redhead didn't hesitate to close the gap between them, sucking and licking and biting from either party increasingly encouraged the other. Tongues prodded each others' mouths, searching for the move that would set off sparks in the other person.
Roxas gasped as Axel leaned against him, thigh massaging his groin, and he could feel Axel's arrogant smirk through his lips. That wouldn't do. He wouldn't be outdone. Roxas parted from the kiss with Axel and lightly trailed his lips along the taller boy's jaw, moving down to the neck. Axel jerked momentarily, as if Roxas had hit a pressure point, and the blonde grinned with satisfaction as the redhead growled his approval. Wrapping his arms around Axel's narrow torso, he began kissing his neck. The pseudo-girl was pulling at the skin with his teeth, sucking on it at times, and the redhead tried and failed to cover up a moan.
Axel abruptly dug his leg in further between the blonde's, fingers lacing through the blond strands that fell around him, and Roxas' arched his back from the feeling. Colors burst behind his eyes, and he clung closer as a teasing hand ran down his hip, over his thigh, and then brushed the hem of his jeans. Roxas froze. What the hell was he doing!
Not sensing Roxas' discomfort, Axel's fingers started prying at button of his jeans, and Roxas panicked. Bucking his hips in one sharp motion Roxas knocked Axel's head into the roof of the car and rolled his weight to the side enough that he could grab his bag from the floor and throw the car door open.
Axel, eyes doubled in size from confusion, opened his mouth to tell him not to go, but Roxas was already out of the car and slamming the door back behind him as he ran through the iron gates, the line where, once crossed, he thought he'd feel safe. He didn't. So he kept running, sprinting across the grounds to the door to his building, up the stairs, and into his dorm. Even there, out of breath, leaning against the wooden door and confident that Axel hadn't followed him, he felt like a mouse that had just narrowly escaped a hawk. He felt vulnerable and scared.
And he was still wearing the bastard's jacket.
…Karma's a real bitch.
As his back slid down the painted wood of the door, slowing his way to the floor, Roxas felt a bit broken and cursed himself for it.
Gods help him, he'd fallen for Axel.
Yay! I sincerely hope you loved this. More to come soon, more to come soon. Reviews are appreciated! Thanks again for all of your lovely, lovely support!