Chapter Five
Off to the Coast
Roxas, in all his years of knowing Kairi, had never once seen the woman's face so drained of colour as it was when he appeared at her dorm room with Axel and Riku in tow. When Roxas knocked on the woman's door, he felt slightly guilty for throwing all this upon her, especially in her busy university life, but only slightly. Sadly, Axel wasn't nearly as sympathetic. His large boot splintered the wood of her door when he barged in, kicking it open and sending the girl sprawling onto her back. Roxas was about to jump in, when Riku grabbed his arm in a grip that was painful enough for it to feel like his bone would snap if the man tightened his fingers any more. "Stay back," Riku hissed, reminding Roxas that the pathetic blonde was still in no place to make any of his own decisions. He was forced to watch as Axel tugged the tiny, redhead off the floor, her blue eyes round and filled with questions, which were all aimed at Roxas.
"Where's Sora?" Axel asked, shaking her roughly when she didn't respond, her lips a tight, defiant line. Roxas wished he could warn her, tell her to just comply and it would all be over soon. He didn't want her to have to suffer, but knowing his brother's girlfriend, she would not bend to please anyone. Suddenly, they were all staring in the direction of a shrill scream, both Kairi and Roxas' eyes widening in horror. Roxas didn't know why Kairi looked so scared, but he was terrified because there was a witness. He wasn't sure exactly what people like Axel and Riku did with witnesses but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Axel quickly pulled out his weapon, aiming it right at the screaming girl's head before snapping his eyes back onto Kairi's petrified face. "Shut the bitch up, or I'll blow her fucking brains out!" Axel made his point by jamming the gun under the woman's chin, her small body shaking in fear and Roxas felt his heart break. This was terrible, and it made him wonder if his abduction was anything close to this. Kairi just shook her head, causing Axel to snarl deep in his throat and push the gun just a little harder. Kairi shut her eyes tight looking like she might cry, her teeth clenching as Axel twisted the end of the silencer into her tender flesh.
"Fuck you…" The woman gritted through her teeth, seething and Axel's fingers tightened around the handle of his gun. Roxas felt fear coil in his stomach, watching the man's fingers inch closer to the trigger.
"Kairi, just please…listen!" Roxas shouted from his post and the woman opened her eyes just to glare at him as Axel turned to stare at the blonde, one eyebrow arched in question. "W-we just need to know where Sora is," Roxas hoped the redhead would listen to him, his eyes begging her and she seemed to realize he was just as scared as she was, and not at all to blame for the other man's violent behavior "We'll leave right after..."
The brunette in the hall went to scream again and everyone's skin prickled when Axel cocked the gun, his thin finger curling around the trigger. The blonde wasn't sure if the slight increase of pressure from the hold on his arm was Riku's excitement or anxiety. He hoped it was the former. Roxas wasn't ready to see someone's brains splatter against a wall; in fact he'd never be ready for such a gruesome sight. "Why should I tell you bastards anything?" Kairi spit venomously cutting off her friend. Axel tapped her cheek with the end of his gun, a faux-charming smile on his face.
"Because if you don't, they'll kill you!" Roxas yelled, trying to squirm out of Riku's grip but it was impossible. The silver haired man tugged him back, the presence of bruised skin slowly making itself known the more pain shot down Roxas' arm, his shoulder cracking loudly and making him cry out. Kairi seemed to consider this, sucking her lips into her mouth and staring at them all. Roxas knew she'd never been too fond of him, for reasons unknown to the blonde but still. He hoped the gun pointed at her friend's head was serious enough for her to take his word.
The girl screamed again and went to run, only to fall to the floor with an agonizing cry, blood oozing from a small hole in her knee. Kairi herself let out a cry, her whole body jerking in the direction of her injured friend. "Next time that fucking bitch screams…" Axel lowered his voice to a mere whisper, Roxas straining to hear as the man breathed the words into the redhead's ear. "Boom, headshot," Axel made the motion of shooting the gun again and laughed maniacally. Kairi just stared at him with watering eyes, anger and hatred etching themselves into her delicate features. Her friend writhed on the floor, hands cupping her injured leg as more and more blood poured onto the floor.
"Selphie…be quiet…s-stop screaming…" Kairi's voice wavered with unshed tears and the brunette weakly lifted her head to nod, her lips sealing shut as she laid there, helpless and in pain. Roxas chanced a glance upwards, trying to study Riku's hard expression but he found nothing. Not even a little sympathy for the two innocent girls.
"Riku, watch the door…Make sure no one heard the fuckin' banshee over there," Axel pushed Kairi towards the other girl; roughly moving her deeper into the small apartment and Roxas had to fight the urge to run right behind them. Not like he'd be able to go after them anyway, Riku was still holding him hard enough to fracture his bones.
"H-he's not…he wouldn't…" Roxas couldn't force the question past his lips and Riku scoffed, closing the broken door as much as possible before turning to stare at the blonde. They moved towards the loveseat and Riku pushed the man down before sitting beside him and getting comfortable, as if he was in his own home, his dirty boots resting on the clean coffee table. His eyes scanned all the pictures hung on the walls, some were of Sora and Kairi together and Roxas watched as a flicker of emotion passed over the other wise cold expression.
"He wouldn't what?" The man asked, his fingers tapping out an unknown beat and Roxas didn't know what he could say. He didn't want to even think of the things Axel could do to Kairi, the small woman just seemed so frail and unable to protect herself. He could hear the girl, Selphie, sobbing on the floor and he felt sick to his stomach. How could they just barge in here and do this to two innocent people? His anger slowly grew, the thought that this was all Sora's damn fault becoming the most prominent in his mind. Roxas had never been one to hit when angry, but right now, he just wanted to punch someone in the face. He didn't care if it was Axel, Riku or Sora. It would be even better if he could just beat all three.
"Hurt them?" Roxas squeaked out, Riku's cold tone scaring him just a little and the man laughed out, throwing his head back and looking at Roxas through his bangs.
"He just shot one of them, I think that counts for hurting them."
"B-but…I meant…as in…" Roxas didn't know what he meant, but Riku seemed to get the blonde's implications and he glared at him, pushing all the hair out of his face just to make sure the man got the full impact of his heated stare.
"We aren't some fucking sick rapists, if that's what you're getting at."
The apartment was strangely quiet after that and Roxas sat there, staring off into nothing and wondering just when he'd be able to go home again. He wondered just where Sora had run off to because it was clear that the brunette wasn't hiding in Kairi's apartment. Axel stormed out, scaring the crap out of Roxas as he kicked over the coffee table and stood there seething, Riku calmly lowered his feet, looking completely nonchalant. "The fucking guy's not here. She said he took off to the coast," the redhead paced like a caged animal and Roxas shriveled on the couch. Sora took off to the coast, but…who did he know that lived there? Suddenly, he remembered.
"I know where he might be…" Roxas' voice was quiet when he spoke and Axel turned on his heel to stare at him, his face told the blonde that he was no longer in the mood to joke around with anyone. Axel was seriously getting pissed off. With a very dry, painful swallow Roxas tried to speak, his words however kept failing him and he just couldn't squeeze the name out. As he was going to attempt for a third time, Kairi walked out and helped her friend stand. The brunette leaning heavily on the other female.
"If you're going to go look for him…go now before I call campus security. I don't ever want to see any of you again," Kairi looked at Roxas as she said this, her blue eyes cold and unforgiving as he tried not to look directly at her. Eye contact always made him feel uneasy and the way she was looking at him was not helping him feel at home at all. "Roxas…if you ever do find Sora, tell him we're through. After all the crap he put me through, I never want to see his face again." With that, Kairi led her friend away from everyone and into the rooms, the door slamming signaling their departure. Axel just threw his hands up before stomping over to the door, almost ripping it off its hinges when he tugged it open.
Slowly Riku got to his feet, Roxas figuring he might as well get up himself to avoid being squeezed and tugged painfully. The blonde awkwardly struggled to push himself off the couch, his arm throbbing and not really feeling too nice when used. When he was finally up, Riku shoved him towards the exit, making the man stumble. Roxas thought better about complaining and instead quickened his steps, hurrying to catch up with Axel before he decided to leave them behind and head to the coast without them in tow. "Do you know where he is? If you do, I suggest you start talking kid," Riku slid on his sunglasses, though Roxas didn't have any clue why. The sun was almost out of the sky, twilight taking over but not doing anything to cool off the over heated earth. It was still sweltering when they stepped outside, droplets of sweat seemed to just spontaneously erupt all over Roxas' skin and he really did not want to step into the cramped sports car.
"I think he's at a friend's house…the only person on the coast that I know was named Tidus," Roxas shrugged as they approached the car, Riku reiterating the information Roxas had just given him to Axel. The redhead pushed himself off the car and turned to stare at the blonde, his green eyes looking even greener in the outside lighting. He questioned him, asking if the information was true and Roxas nodded, scanning his brain for Tidus' last name.
"Fine…Riku, call Demyx and tell him to get us Tidus' address…what's his last name?" Roxas was again forcefully shoved into the tiny car, though he could have easily gotten in himself. It seemed that Axel just wanted to vent in some way and Roxas bit his tongue. The last thing he needed was to be shot in the head now, after struggling to stay alive all this time. The leather seats were on fire, the heat seeping into Roxas' clothes and making his entire body clammy as he told them Tidus' last name was Palmer. Riku groaned from the front seat, his fingers twisting and turning knobs in vain. Axel just did not have an AC. After giving up on ever cooling them off with an artificial breeze, Riku pivoted in his seat and looked at Roxas.
"Palmer?" there was suppressed laughter in his voice, a shit eating grin slowly spreading across his face the longer he stared at Roxas, who was sitting in the back completely serious. He hoped to God Axel would slam on the breaks and send Riku back first into the dashboard but he knew that wouldn't happen. They were leaving the campus and they hadn't picked up nearly enough speed to cause any damage.
"Yes, Palmer," Roxas crossed his arms over his chest, staring straight at the silver haired man as he burst out laughing, filling the car with the loud annoying sound. Everything the two men sitting in the front did bothered Roxas, everything they said grated on his nerves and made him feel like screaming his throat raw.
"Probably cock palmer," Axel said as he turned onto the main street, the university still in sight out the back window, Roxas casting one last look. He figured he'd never see the campus again, and felt no sadness at all. In all honesty this was his first time setting foot on the lush grasses that made up York University, and he didn't have any attachments to the place. He wondered if Sora would be upset when they found him and Roxas delivered Kairi's message. Then he figured the brunette backstabber had probably said his good-bye weeks ago.
The silence that filled the car after Axel's last comment stretched on for a few minutes, Roxas shifting and trying to feel the breeze that was blowing in through Axel's open window, enjoying the cooling effect it had as it hit his hot skin. The silence was broken when Riku held his phone up to his ear, calling who Roxas assumed was Demyx. The call didn't last long, the man asking for the information to be text to him as soon as possible, and just as quickly as it had started, it was over and Riku was putting his phone away. Roxas waited for Axel to say something as Riku propped his feet up on the dashboard, particles of mud falling and dirtying the nice interior. The redhead quickly glanced over, taking his eyes off the road long enough to smack Riku's feet down.
"Stop being a fucking idiot and sit normally," The redhead almost swerved into oncoming traffic when Riku pushed his head roughly, grumbling about overly sensitive redheaded men who needed to loosen up.
"You do realize this ride is going to be at least 3 days," Riku grumbled, grabbing a GPS system out of no where, his cell phone appearing in his hand. The man's source had probably already gotten the information. Roxas was semi-surprised to see it, and at the speed of the informant. He was glad however, that Axel wasn't that cheap and actually invested in a navigation system. They didn't have air conditioning but at least they knew where they were going.
"Yeah well, suck it up princess." Riku seemed to have to fight the urge to push Axel's head again and instead went on to typing out the address. When the system was set up and began to speak, telling Axel that he had to turn around, Roxas felt that same feeling of guilt. He was leading these two insane killers to another innocent person's house; he was going to cause unnecessary pain to someone who did not even expect it to be coming. Unless of course Tidus was hiding Sora, then he'd know there was going to be trouble. At this point, the blonde found himself not caring and just focused on the idea of finding his brother. He still wanted to confront his brother about all these lies; he still wanted to slap him across the face.
He didn't know if he'd eventually forgive his brother, and a voice deep down inside kept telling him he would but he just kept it quiet, deciding to leave that decision until the right time. They still had to find Sora, wherever he was.
A/N: Well, here is an update. It's not for Brotherly Love, but to be honest I'm rather stuck on that one. I hope to have the chapter out this weekend, but well with all this homework and actually APPLYING myself...well I don't have much time to write. Hopefully this let's you guys know I'm still alive and I plan on updating! Just...a lot slower than before. BARE WITH ME YOU GUYS!
I love you all. Very much. Mm MM MMM!
Thank you all for your wonderfulness.
-Sharmander.