"Hey."

Roxas steeled himself. His heart beat erratically against his chest with such force that, for a second, Roxas pictured it wrenching itself from his ribs and landing on the floor, where it'd probably continue its erratic spasms because clearly Roxas's heart had its own mutinous agenda. (You know, to make Roxas miserable.) The thrum grew louder until his ears felt like they were brimming with thundering white noise. Determined to hear anything but the mocking sound of cardiac rebellion from within, he decided to speak.

"Um, hi," he mumbled.

"…Roxie? Is that your cute little introverted voice I hear?"

Roxas glowered.

"Roxas. It's Roxas," he said, albeit a little too forcefully. He furrowed his brow. The sound of his own voice sounded foreign in his ears. He wondered if Axel noticed.

"Well, Roxas, what brings you to call me this fine evening?"

In his heightened state of self-consciousness, he began to wonder if Axel could hear the erratic pace of his breathing over the phone. With his inner self-scrutiny spiraling to new heights, he decided to try to hold his breath. That's when he realized he was supposed to be responding. Fuck. Phone calls were way too much work.

"You gave me your phone number and wrote that I should call you," Roxas said flatly, thankful that he had an answer that didn't have to do with I couldn't stop thinking about you or I needed you to help remind me that I'm not gay. He thought it was sufficient to put the focus on Axel's written request and not his own inner demons.

"Do you always do what you're told, Roxas?" He all but purred, although Roxas got the distinct impression he was implying things far beyond a simple command on a crumpled piece of paper.

He chose not to reply, hoping the redhead got the message that he was not calling to engage in a flirtatious banter with some tattooed nobody. That was exactly the opposite of what he wanted to do.

"I can tell you haven't taken my advice," Axel replied, a bit more seriously. The sober tone struck Roxas and he felt a strange foreboding feeling wash over him.

"What advice?"

Roxas could've sworn he heard the distinct sound of Axel's widening grin through the phone's speakers.

"You know, that you could really use a hot date."

Roxas nearly choked. Determined to win the battle of composure, he retorted as quickly and as calmly as he could, despite the screaming and thrumming he felt from his insides.

"You call that advice? You are seriously misguided."

Axel's laugh came over the phone, sincere and slightly melodic. God, brain, shut up. He didn't need his brain and his heart mutinying.

"How do you know if it's good advice or not? You haven't even tried it."

"What constitutes as 'hot' to you anyway?"

"You really want me to answer that?"

Roxas flushed. His brain had definitely mutinied. He had not thought that through.

"No, actually, I'm good."

The sound of Axel's laugh came over the phone line again. For some strange reason, the sound was comforting to Roxas. It made the inside of his stomach warm momentarily. God, his whole body was mutinying.

"I'll tell you what, Rox. I'll allow you the honor of having me as your date," Axel replied.

Roxas wanted to laugh, but he had the distinct sinking feeling that Axel was being serious.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Not at all."

"Look, Axel, I don't know what kind of idea you've got about me in your head, but…I'm not gay."

"Never said you were," Axel sing-songed in reply.

"So. You don't think I'm gay. But you want to go on a date with me."

"Roxas, Roxas, Roxas." He soothed. "It's purely…scientific. I want to show you that my advice is worthwhile, you know? That you can trust me."

Roxas groaned. He searched his brain futilely, trying to come up with some kind of excuse or flaw in Axel's logic. His head hurt. He sighed.

"Okay, fine."

A pleased humming sound came over the line. Roxas frowned deeply at the involuntary reaction again permeating his body.

"Meet you at the crosswalk."

A click came over the phone. Roxas leaned back, peering at the phone screen. Call ended.

Roxas let out a huge breath of air he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

What had he gotten himself into?