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Chapter Four

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Axel pulled into the parking lot, spying the large black truck in the back immediately. He'd been forgoing his normal spot lately to park even a little bit closer to the blond, always hoping that he might run into him on the way into the building.

But he wasn't prepared for what he saw when he pulled up this time… and that was the intern's arm handing out of the window casually with a cigarette between his fingers. He was honestly rather shocked. That wasn't something he'd expected from the kid at all.

Pretending to play around on his phone so he wouldn't look suspicious, Axel waited around for Roxas to get out of his truck. Though when he did, the redhead could barely tell that it was even him.

A dark black combat boot was the first thing Axel saw, crushing his discarded cigarette as he hopped down out of his truck. As the rest of the blond came into view, he knew immediately that something was wrong. Along with the combat boots, Roxas was wearing a pair of black jeans that fit him oh so very well. Traveling upwards was what worried Axel… the kid was wearing, in the middle of spring, a long sleeved shirt and a scarf. Even more unnerving… the usually clean-shaven kid was sporting a scruffy beard like he hadn't shaved in a few days.

Something was very, very wrong.

As the kid walked by, Axel scrambled out of his car and sprinted to catch up with him, "Hey, Rox… have a good weekend?"

"Sure…" the intern was barely audible, and his voice seemed rather hoarse.

"Th…that's good… Did you do anything interesting or…?"

Roxas started walking a little faster, though his legs were way too short to outrun Axel. He was already taking two strides for Axel's one. "No. I just stayed home."

"Ah… that's cool, I did too. So, uhm… I didn't know you smoked…" Axel finally just said it.

"Well, now you do…"

The actor couldn't believe how much Roxas was shutting him down. "Is everything okay…? I mean… aren't you a little warm in all of that?"

"I get cold easily."

Frustrated with how the conversation was going, Axel suddenly darted in front of Roxas, stopping him dead in his tracks. "I've only known you for like two weeks, but I can tell this isn't normal, Roxas. What's going on?"

"Axel… even if something was wrong, you said it yourself… I've known you for two weeks. Why the fuck would I tell you? If my smoking bothers you or something, then just leave me the hell alone."

With that, the blond ducked inside and left Axel standing there alone, dumbfounded. The kid was clearly hiding something… and as much as he tried not to care, he couldn't help but want to find out more.

…

Days had passed, and each one had Roxas looking more and more rundown. Axel tried as hard as he could to resist the urge to pry into the blond's life, but on Friday, he saw something that he couldn't ignore.

They were in the cafeteria, and Axel had been keeping an eye on the kid out of the corner of his eye. Roxas was wearing a scarf again, just like every other day of the week, and his beard was really starting to fill out from lack of shaving. However… Axel could tell he was way too hot underneath all of that. He was starting to fidget, trying to resist the urge to roll up his sleeves and take the damned scarf off.

Axel had all of his attention focused on the intern, just waiting for him to slip up… and he did. Roxas started to play with the scarf, pulling the fabric away from his skin in an attempt to cool down a little, but also flashing Axel a view of the huge blackened bruise in the shape of a handprint on his neck.

The redhead felt like someone had socked him in the gut. He didn't know who could possibly do that to somebody like Roxas, but if he ever found out…

"Roxas."

The blond nearly jumped out of his skin, straightening his scarf back out and looking up at Axel, "What?"

"I'm fully aware that you don't give two fucks about me, but ever since you showed up here, I've cared… I… I care about you. Not a lot of people can make it in this industry, and something about you just… ugh… nevermind… I saw the bruise, Roxas."

The kid just stared at him for a long moment, "I'm confused. You care about me? You hardly know me."

"Whatever. That's beside the point. I can't let this one go, Roxas. Come with me to my dressing room."

"Your dressing room…? Why?"

Axel narrowed his eyes on the kid, "I told you, I used to be a paramedic. You're going to let me look at that, or so help me…"

"Jesus, fine…" Roxas mumbled, shoving his phone into his pocket and standing up.

Axel led him to his dressing room, closing the door behind them and locking it. "Take off the scarf…"

"Axel, I don't understand why you care about this…" Roxas folded his arms over his chest, refusing to budge.

The actor rolled his eyes, "You know, I don't really understand it either. You've been nothing but a jerk to me since you got here, and yet I can't get you out of my fucking head. But that's beside the point. Take off the scarf and let me see."

Hesitantly, Roxas unfurled the scarf from around his neck, tossing it aside. "Happy?"

"Holy shit…" Axel couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was even worse than he thought. "Roxas, this looks… someone could have very easily killed you using this much pressure…"

Roxas just shrugged, "I guess so. I blacked out."

"Who did this to you…?" Axel reached out, ghosting his fingers lightly over the bruise to make sure it wasn't makeup or something.

"Nobody…"

The redhead snorted, "Right… you didn't do this to yourself, Roxas. Who was it? Family, friend?"

"It was my boyfriend…" Roxas whispered, "And I suppose as long as we're here and I can cool down for a moment…" he trailed off, rolling up his sleeves to reveal huge bruises on both of his wrists as well.

"Boyfriend…" Axel repeated, his heart sinking into his stomach. "Shit, Roxas… how long has he been abusing you?"

Roxas shook his head, "N…no… it was just an accident. He didn't mean to hurt me."

"Bullshit. It looks like he was trying to kill you, Roxas."

"He loves me… he's just having a rough time right now…"

It broke the actor's heart to head Roxas so far in denial, "Rox… this isn't something people do to the ones they love…"

And all at once, Roxas broke down. "Fuck, Axel, I know that… But it's not that simple with Vanitas…"

"What do you mean?"

"He's bipolar," Roxas sighed, sitting down on the couch in Axel's dressing room. "Most of the time he's wonderful… Hell, when he's on his meds he's the perfect boyfriend. But if he forgets them for even one day, he has these manic episodes and… that's when shit like this happens… He's been off of them for about a week…"

Axel sat down next to him, "Have you thought about taking him to the hospital? They can probably get him all straightened out…"

"I've tried that… it never works. They'll get him straight for a day and then send him home only to have it happen again. I wish… that I could get away for awhile. I missed him so much when he was gone on tour, but now that he's back…"

"Tour?"

Roxas looked over at him, "Yeah… He's Vanitas Allen, the lead singer of Feigning Destiny."

"Well shit… I definitely didn't expect that."

"Yeah, yeah… nobody ever believes that somebody like him could love a guy like me…"

"I believe it," Axel caught Roxas' eyes, "Why don't you come stay with me tonight? I've got like… four spare bedrooms. You can have your pick. Give him a chance to calm down?"

Roxas thought about it, "I don't know… If I don't come home, he'll worry…"

"So let him worry. Maybe he can use the time to think about what he did to you."

"That's the thing… when he's in his manic state, he doesn't realize that it's wrong. I really shouldn't leave him by himself…"

Axel patted him on the back, "It's one night… just tell him you'll be at a friend's and leave it at that."

The blond nodded, "Yeah… I suppose if I told him where I'd be, at least he wouldn't worry…"

"Good. So send him a text or something and let him know. I wouldn't feel right letting you go back there tonight."

Roxas pulled out his phone and sent Van a quick message, Staying at a friend's until you decide to take your meds again. …Please just take them. I love you.

"All right… Xigbar is probably looking for us. I've got to do another scene with that bitch Xion…"

The blond chuckled a little, "I have no idea how you do it… Sex on demand, I mean. Especially with someone you hate."

"It's truly an art, dear Roxas. …Thanks for opening up to me today. I just couldn't overlook that bruise…"

"I'm sorry I've been a jerk to you… I guess I just don't get why some famous pornstar is even remotely interested in my life."

Axel smirked, "You're a bit of a conundrum to me… I don't meet a lot of people like you in this industry."

"I'm just me. Average Roxas. I don't see what you find so special."

"Then just trust me on it. You're like a breath of fresh air around here. …And don't for a second think you're just average."

The blond sat there for a moment, wondering how a damned pornstar could be so …sweet. The guy was literally getting ready to fuck some ditzy chick while telling him how wonderful he thought he was. It didn't make sense... at all. But Roxas felt good about accepting Axel's offer to stay with him. Even if it was only a short reprieve from manic Vanitas, it would be a nice one. He hated that it had to be that way, but he was becoming more and more terrified of Van every day.

…

A/N: So only one person guessed, but they did get it right! Congrats, SapphireRayneStorm!

So Roxas finally decided to open up to Axel… though Axel didn't really give him much of a choice. Is anybody else trying frantically to picture Roxas with a beard? I think it'd be hot… but I love beards. If my fiance ever shaved, I'd kill him.

Don't forget to drop me a review!

Love alwaysss,

Simply Rexene