A/N:Hey all you lovely people! An update so soon, I know, I spoil you guys rotten (not really though, I suck major buns with updates) but I didn't want to leave you hanging, especially since the last chapter was so short. But now my problem is…this chapter is too long. Well, it was too long, but I cut it. So the next chapter is basically done…basically? And I'll be posting it up, most probs tomorrow night. It was just seriously too long to put into one chapter. Just a fair warning, it gets a little dark here. Well, towards the end. And the next one is really sad, but it's good, so stay with me! I give you all permission to hate me if I don't have the next chap up some time tomorrow (don't hate me). Loves you all, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Haven't done one of these babies in a while. So yeah, the wonderful rights of Roxas and Axel and Kingdom Hearts shall soon belong to me. Jk, never in this lifetime.

Axel's POV

The school bell rang in my ears and I've never heard anything more beautiful. It signaled the end of this horrid school day, and the start of spending time with my Roxy.

It's been a week since he came over to my place. I can't really believe what happened. I mean, someone like him, with someone like me?

Pretty unbelievable.

I mean, personally, I don't think there's much wrong with me. Sure I'm a dramatic idiot, but I'm nice, loyal, funny as hell, and not too shabby looking if I do say so myself. Whoever I went out with, I would love them rotten and treat them like a treasure. I had never known the true feeling of "love", so the relationships I were in before were never real. Either they wanted me for sex or I did. It was always about that.

But not this time. This time, I wanted Roxas' everything. I wanted his heart, his mind, and his body. Boy did I want his body (I'm a dude, I can't help my physical needs). More than anything I wanted his company. I love being around him, he makes me smile and he's fun to hang out with. We've been hanging out every day after school (and by "we" I mean I've been type-stalking him and asking if he wants to go somewhere with me). I've been taking him to all my favorite places. Most have been hits, and I'm psyched he loves practically the same things I do.

I've also been surprising him at his classrooms and locker. I walk him to his classes and we chat and catch up. Even though I see him between the periods, 45 minutes is way too much time from him. I never even want to go home when we hang out after school!

…and it seems he's starting to feel the same way.

"Axel!" I turn to see my little blonde angel running towards me. Its lunch, and I've finally decided to let him meet my friends in person. I feared what they would do to him, or say to him. I didn't need them putting me five steps back in my progress. But he was adamant about it, and I didn't want to disappoint him. Besides the fact that I can't say "no" to him.

I really can't.

"Hey Roxy. You got your lunch already?" I say coolly.

He comes to a stop by my side with a slight pant. Did he run here? "Nope. Let's go stand in line together." He smiles and grabs my arm and pulls me along. I do mental backflips.

As soon as we walk into the cafeteria heads swivel. Roxas and I have become quite the spectacle over the past few weeks. The rumors have been both pleasant, and malicious. People have way too much time on their hands if they're all up in our business all the time. I mean granted, we are two of the most popular kids in school, and for the students that know about TLE this must seem like the biggest scandal. Xero, who specifically stated he wouldn't date (I still haven't found out what that's all about. Every time I ask he changes the topic. Or he smiles really brightly at me for no reason and I forget what I was even asking…wait a second). Anyway, speaking of Xero, there's a concert in X today. Roxas has agreed to come to my house again after we stop for food after the show.

While standing in line, I spot Marluxia and wave him over. I figure he'll cause the least amount damage. If anything he'll gently prepare Roxas for what he's in for.

"Well, well, well, it's so nice to finally meet you in person. I could only go on what I heard from this one," he says, pointing at me. I shrug with a smile. "And I have to say, you are much cuter up close."

"Um…thanks?" Roxas blushes slightly and looks away. I glare at Marluxia. Only I'm allowed to turn Roxy's cheeks that cute rosebud shade.

"I am Marluxia by the way. The sanest of the group," he says with a flourish.

"Roxas. But you've probably already heard from this one."

"Can we talk about how I am continuously being referred to as 'this one'?" They laugh with each other and move forward in the line. Well, at least they're getting along well. Roxy is in front of me and Marluxia is in front of him. Wait, how did he? Oh never mind. They get their food and step off the line to wait for me. As I pay for my burger, fries and Doctor Pepper, I can see Marluxia whispering in Roxas's ear. After a moment he nods and they put their hands together. Oh no he didn't.

"I know you didn't just make a bet with him," I growl at my so called friend.

Marluxia just grins evilly. "I assure you, I don't know what you're talking about." Before I can even respond he's already turned away and leads us to our table outside.

I walk a little ways back with Roxy next to me carrying a plate of carrots, a tuna sandwich and a water. What is he, a rabbit? Oh. You know what, that's actually kinda cute. "What did you bet with Marly?"

"How do you know it was a bet? We could have just been talking," he argued, but I knew better.

"You did the bet-shake. Like a high-five and a handshake in one," I explain.

"Oh, so that's what I was doing…"

"So what did you bet?" I ask while I open the door for him to go out. He thanks me and then goes on to ignore me as if I didn't say anything.

He's cute as hell, but I swear, sometimes I just wanna toss him on the floor and tickle him numb until he tells me what I want to know. Oh yeah, ever since I found out he's ticklish, I've been using it to my advantage. Score for the Ax man. "Roxy…" I prod on.

Before we get to the table he pulls me down by the collar of my faded-plaid button down that I left open to show my white tank.

Roxas seemed to appreciate the view before going on his toes to whisper in my ear (even though he pulled me down, he still had to go on his tip-aaaah, oh my god, what is he doing to me?)

"You'll have to wait and find out," he says in a manly sultry tone. Despite his few feminine features, he is still a man. And jesus, if I don't get him into bed soon, I'm going to tie him up and ravage him until he begs me to-

Whoa there nelly! Stop thinking about that right now! Remember what you said? Heart, then body. Got it? I shake off the mental image of Roxas tied to my bed post and I guide him to my group's usual table.

…where I see Marluxia collecting money from everyone.

"Are you serious? What did you bet on now?" I ask, exasperated.

"Don't even worry your pretty little head about it," Marluxia says sitting back down. From the sullen looks on everyone's faces and Marly's undoubtedly full wallet, he probably won. Again.

"Are you guys always making bets?" Roxas asks.

"Sort of? It's just a thing we do to keep track of time," Demyx explains. "If we don't have a bet going, there's probably something terribly wrong." Demyx laughs at that. I just roll my eyes at my best mate's antics.

"Oh, and something you should know. Marluxia always wins. I've never seen him lose," Leon states.

"Except that one time," I say, glancing over at Marly. He just glares at me and Leon laughs along. "Told you to count in interference time!"

"What? Which one are you guys talking about?" Demyx asks. Zexioin sits on the other side of him, seemingly engrossed in his book, but even I can see him look over with a glint of curiosity.

Not like I can tell them. The bet is about them. That's one of our rules, can't bet with or tell the people involved. "Don't worry about it Dem. Anyway," I continue, to get him off the topic, "if you haven't already met him, this is my friend, Roxas."

"Ooh, a friend," Demyx teases. I'll punch him for that later.

"Nice to meet you. I met Marluxia already, but the rest…" Roxas starts.

"I'm Demyx!" he cheers. Wow, this is some good acting from these two, since they have met. Just not above ground. "And this is Zexion, but you can call him Zexy! Actually, don't call him that, he gets mad if anyone but me calls him that."

"I get mad when you do it too, you moron," he responds smacking him on the head with his book. "It's nice to finally meet you. Neither idiot one or two can shut up about it."

"Hey!" Demyx and I shout in unison.

Roxas chuckles and looks up at me through his bangs. "You talk about me?"

"All good things, I promise," I say.

"I'm Leon. I'm surprised you put up with this buffoon, seeing how he's so lax in relationships."

These are my friends. Always have your back, but quick to throw you under a bus.

"I swear I'm past that now. I was going through…issues," I poorly explain.

"Rebellious stage?" Roxas states.

He just gets me, you know?

"Yeah." I smile at him and he smiles back.

"Oooh, what's goin' on there? Seems like Axel's got the hots for the blonde!" Demyx shouts.

"Indeed I do," I respond without hesitation. Everyone's shocked by my immediate truthful response while Roxy looks like he's about to combust. "Speaking of blondes, where's yours Leon?"

"Um, can we talk about how you guys are referring to blondes as possessions?" Roxy complains. I wink in response.

"Speak of the devil," Marluxia sings. Leon's face brightens as another member of our group comes up to us.

"Cloud!" Leon cheers.

"…Cloud?" Roxy questions.

"Leon's boyfriend. Hey Cloud," I say with a wave.

"What's up guys?" Cloud asks, but he stiffens once he gets close enough to see us all.

"…Roxas?" he questions, looking shocked.

"Cloud? What are you-…wait, boyfriend?" Roxas nearly shouts.

"Roxas-"

"Cloud, what the fuck?!"

"Why are you-…Axel. This is the guy you've been fan-girling about?"

I want to comment on his choice of words, but decide not to piss Cloud off any more than he already seems. "Um…yes?" I wasn't sure what the right answer was to this.

"The fuck Axel, no!" he shouts at me.

Apparently, that was not the correct answer.

"What do you mean no?" Roxy interrupts. "You're not the boss of me, and you sure as hell don't have any control over my life last time I checked!" Roxas yells in Cloud's face. Well, up to Cloud's face.

"Roxas, how was I supposed to know-"

"And now I hear you have a boyfriend? Are you fucking serious?"

"I didn't mean for…Rox, I-"

"Do you know what hell I had to go through? The shit I had to put up with, that I still deal with, because of my parents and yours? And you have the nerve to- Oooh!"

"Rox, I'm sorry-"

"Don't fucking apologize to me! And stop calling me Rox!" He runs away, with Cloud close on his heel. I can see them struggle, Cloud trying to hold Roxas by his arms. But he pushes Cloud back and slaps his face before running off.

My group as well as the other spectators eating outside for lunch can only stare.

I'm about to run off after them but Cloud is coming back, and I'd be a shitty friend for leaving right now. But at the same time, Roxas was my friend too, and no one was with him right now. But judging from what just happened, Roxas is more than ten levels of pissed the fuck off, and when he's mad, he isn't the most sharing person in the world.

"The fuck was that?" I ask incredulously when he reaches us.

Cloud rubbed the cheek where Roxas slapped him. I know it must be hurting. I was punched by the dude once.

Leon glares at me for my inconsideration and checks to see if Cloud is okay. He just shakes him off and looks down at the floor, distraught.

"Cloud, how do you know Roxas?" I implore, ignoring Leon's death glare.

"It would be weird if I didn't know him, seeing as how we're cousins," he answers, seething.

"What?!" everyone present shouts. But Cloud apparently isn't concerned with that right now.

"Roxas, Axel?"

"What?" I say.

"That's my baby cousin, that's 'what'! Fuck Axel!" he yells, getting up in my face.

Okay, I can definitely see the similarities.

"Don't 'fuck Axel' me. Last time I checked, which was a few seconds ago, you and Roxy were not on the best of terms," I counter.

Cloud makes a lunge for me that I was not prepared for, but Leon and Demyx get him before his fist connects with my face.

"Cloud, calm down," Leon shouts.

"Yeah man, we're all friends here!" Demyx attempts to smooth things over.

"Friends don't-! Oooh, I'm just-! He's too good for you!" he finally get out, and it stabs me straight in the heart.

After a pause, I answer. "I know."

"You son of a-"

"And that's why I'm going to be as good to him as I can possibly be. We're friends, I know you know me, and how I've treated people in the past. But I swear to you, it's different now. I will treasure Roxas like the jewel he is. And I know he's too good for a scumbag like me…but he's willing to give me a chance. I just hope you are too." With that, I side-step (large side-step) around them, grab my bag and Roxas', and run after him. There's only one place that I can think of that he would run off to for isolation.

I step up into the gazebo hidden within the trees. He's lying down with one leg settling on the floor, the other spread out along the bench. He has one arm slung over his eyes, but it's not really doing a good job of concealing the tears.

"Roxy…" He doesn't move. But his body relaxes from the stiff position it was in before.

"Sorry…you had to see that…" he says quietly, his voice a little hoarse.

"It's fine. I'm just worried. About you and Cloud." I go to grab his hand but he smacks it away.

"I can't believe you were friends with Cloud this whole time and didn't even tell me," he says, a bit of his anger returning.

"I hadn't even realized I didn't. Roxy I'm sorry, if I knew it was going to turn into this, I wouldn't have had you meet him."

He sighs loudly and sits up on the bench, leaning his head back on the rail. "It was bound to happen someday. We do go to the same school." He shifts both his legs so they're up on the bench. "But I guess I wouldn't have known about his…boyfriend…god, I can't fucking believe him," he mumbles.

"Roxy. I'm sorry if I don't understand, but what's wrong with Cloud having a boyfriend? Last time I checked, you were not a homophobe."

"Far fucking from it," he mumbles angrily.

"And aren't you gay?" I ask. I just realized that I'm not completely sure. I probably should have checked with this a long time ago.

"Of course. Why do you think I'm in this mess?" He brings his legs to his chest and rests his head on his knees. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I do know that Roxas looks really vulnerable and downright depressed right now, and I don't like this.

"What is 'this mess' and how can I help?" I pull his hands gently from wear he's gripping his hair and swathe them in my own. He looks up with red tear-brimmed eyes.

Before he can say anything his cellphone starts ringing. He makes no attempts to answer or even look at it (probable assuming it's Cloud). But it might be important, so I just take a glance at it from his bag. "It's Sora," I tell him.

"Great," he snorts. "Just what I fucking needed…" He looks at me while it continues to ring. "You wanted to help, right?"

"Yeah, uh, if I can," I say.

"Pick up."

"What?" I ask. "You want me to answer? What do you want me to say?"

"I don't know. But he won't stop calling if I ignore it and I can't talk to him right now. Just say…something. Anything." Roxy turns over on the bench to lay down. He seems so exhausted with all this.

Complying with his wishes, I answer his cell. "Hel-"

"ROX I HEARD WHAT HAPPENED ARE YOU OKAY WHERE ARE YOU?" I can hear Sora shout into the receiver. I have to pull the phone from my ear so I don't go deaf with this phone call.

"Um, this is Axel."

There's a pause. "What are you doing with Rox's phone? Where is he, WHERE IS HE?"

Roxas turns over and grits, "Do NOT tell him I'm here."

"Where should I say then?" I whisper, covering the receiver with my hand.

"ANYWHERE BUT HERE." He turns back over in a huff.

"Ummm…" Shit, what do I say? If I lie, and tell him he's somewhere he's not, Sora will go there, not see him, and just call again. And know that I lied. What to do, what to do…

"He's uh…preoccupied at the moment," I come up with.

"With what?" he immediately ask.

"Um…it's uncomfortable to say."

"What do you mean it's uncomfortable to-…oh. Oh. Is he…are you guys…?" he says slowly. What is he talking-

Oh.

"Yyyyeah," I finally answer. Technically, we were together, doing things, I guess. And he never specifically asked what we were doing (that would have been awkward. But I wouldn't put it past Sora. He's the King of not reading atmospheres). So yeah. Legit cover.

"Op, sorry to interrupt then! But I gotta talk to Rox. It's a family thing. Tell him to call me when you guys are…done?"

"Sure." With that, I hung up. As soon as I did so, it started to ring again. Roxas groans loudly. "It's Yuffie," I tell him. He sits up abruptly, takes his phone and pulls out the battery, tossing all the pieces in his bag and turning back over. I smile sadly and go to sit next to him. "Hey…"

"…hey," he says back. Turning over, he lays his head down in my lap. I stroke his hair, causing him to purr. So cute. "…Cloud and I…use to be very close." I keep silent, but rub his head for him to continue. "Until around the time that I…came out to my parents. They…didn't take it very well, to put it simply."

"They didn't…do anything to you, did they?" I ask cautiously. I won't want to overstep my bounds, but at the same time, if they hurt my Roxy…

"No, nothing like that. You see, my mother is a bit neurotic. Truly, diagnosed and everything. So when she… came about that I was gay, she kind of flipped. I had no longer fit her picture of "normal" and it sent her into a nervous breakdown, and…anyway, Dad blamed me and Sora was put in a really awkward position because he wanted to stay on my side, but if he did that, mom would have felt abandoned, and I guess she needed him more. It was 'unanimously' decided that I shouldn't be at home until Mom…could handle it. So they sent me to Mom's sister's place. She blamed me too." He said that last part with a laugh, but there was no humor in his voice. He had sat up at some point.

I slowly wrap my arm around his shoulders. I'm not trying to coddle him, but he needs to know that I'm here. He looks over at me and smiles in appreciation.

"Uh, yeah, so…while I was there, Cloud was really the one taking care of me. My Aunt didn't want to be anywhere near me, but they had agreed to keep me so…" he stops.

"You don't have to tell me any more," I say immediately. "If it makes you uncomfortable, you can stop." I rub his shoulder soothingly. I realize I'm being really touchy (as if I was his…you know) but I don't really care. He needs me, friend or whatever, and if he wants me to back off, I will.

"…mm," he hums. I nod and he just rest against my side. We sit in a quiet for a while, the breeze blowing around the gazebo. The sun, hiding behind the clouds, isn't coming into it today. The school bell rings and he sits back up. He looks at me and smiles sadly. I try to hold him back but stop. I don't think he should go to class when he's not feeling well. But I don't have the right to do that. I feel really helpless in this whole situation.

"You want to stay for a while, Roxy?" But that doesn't mean I'm not going to put in my two cents.

After a minute he answers "Can't."

"Can't risk it being an honors student?"

"Heh. You say that as if I haven't cut class before," he snorts.

I fake gasp. "Roxas Stryker, I am astonished. You are the role model of this school. Whatever will we poor lowly general students do now?"

Roxas laughs, and I feel like I haven't heard it in ages. "Please. Cutting does not signify the end of your honor status."

"How about secret unauthorized underground rock concerts?"

"Well…only if you get caught." We both laugh and make our way out of the trees. We go around the long way to the side entrance. Knowing our school, words probably out and around about Roxas' and Cloud's little tiff. Walking back through the cafeteria would not be the best idea.

Before we enter through the door he pulls me back by my shirt. "Hm? What's up?" I ask.

He looks down at the ground, shuffling his feet. "Um…thanks Axel."

"No problem, what are friends for?" I say smiling.

He doesn't answer and I can't read his face. It's so easy to tell when he's embarrassed, sad or angry, happy on occasion. But anything else? Total mystery. But I guess that's an appeal too. He's much deeper than just the honor student or the rock star. God, I love this man so much.

"Speaking of…the one thing you should know is why me and Cloud…aren't…"

"On the best of terms?" I say, repeating myself from earlier.

"Yeah…like I said earlier, me and Cloud were very close once upon a time. Even before I was living with him, he would visit us, and we would play a lot together. Don't tell Sora, but I was his favorite. You see, Cloud was also pretty neglected as a child growing up, so he felt a kindred-spirit with me, since my mom always favored Sora. None of this is Sora's fault, but as I child, you don't really understand that. After I was moved into Auntie's place, Cloud was there for me, and supported me, and didn't care what his parents said…but then one day, that changed. One day…he started ignoring me, treating me like Auntie did, calling me a faggot, saying there was something wrong with me…and then…and then I had no one."

I know it seems abrupt, but I had to end it there, it was apropro. Like I said, it gets a little dark, and the next chap will be up tomorrow, scouts honor.

Chriss-Meister~