On to the next installment of the exciting new drama! Lol, no but really...drama...
I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Poo, right?
The next day I woke bright and early, determined to get my day started on the right note. I took a long shower and then got dressed before grabbing my phone and laptop bag. I headed for the kitchen and set at the kitchen table, setting up my laptop before picking up my cell.
I had made up my mind and now it was time to act.
I called Namine first, knowing it was going to probably be the worst. She picked up after a few rings.
"Hello Roxas." she said, her voice sounded normal but I wasn't fooled.
"Hi Nam," I said and couldn't help the slight quiver. There was a pause and I heard her sigh.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, her voice softer now then before. It was my turn to sigh.
"Better then I thought I would." I said, careful to keep my voice mild.
"How did your talk with Axel go?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
"I'm going to be coming back to London to get my things and sale the apartment and then I am coming home." I said, my voice firm but slightly shaking. For several minutes she didn't say anything, her gentle breathing the only noise on the other end of the line.
"If that's what you think is best." she finally said, her voice thick with emotions. "I hope he treats you well this time around." I closed my eyes and put my head in my hands.
"I'm more worried about how I'm going to treat him..." I whispered back. "I'll be flying in tomorrow. I have to wait till after we read my fathers will but then I'll be on the first plane out." I said.
"Is there anything you need me to do?" she asked, her voice casual again but with an edge. I sighed and rubbed my forehead.
"No Nam, not unless you know anyone looking for furniture." I said.
"I'll ask around. I'll call you if I hear anything." she said.
"Alright, thanks Namine." I said. "And I'm sorry." She gave a soft bitter laugh.
"Don't apologize Roxas. We can't help who we love. I'll talk to you tomorrow." she said. We said goodbye and I hung up. I let my head drop into my hands, at I felt like the shityess person in the world. The kitchen door swung open and I looked up to find my mom.
"Oh good morning Roxas!" She said, coming over and kissing the top of my head. "I hope you slept well?" she asked as she moved across the kitchen to the coffee maker.
"Yes I did. Did you?" I asked as I typed in the web address for the airlines and started searching for airline tickets to London.
"Yes," she said as she tinkered around with the coffee maker until the soft gurgling noise and the smell of coffee filled the kitchen. "I slept surprisingly well." she said. After a few moments of silence she came over and set a mug of coffee next to my laptop.
"Thanks," I said and took a tentative sip and clicked on a flight that left at 5 pm tomorrow.
"Your leaving tomorrow?" My mother asked from right behind me. I turned around in my seat to find her staring at me, her eyes filled with a soft sadness.
"Only for a few days. I have to go back to get my things and sale what I can't bring home." I said and watched as her eyes lit with understanding and then joy. She set her mug down and wrapped me tightly in her arms.
"Oh my little boy is coming home to stay!" she gushed as she squeezed me. I chuckled and tried to pry her arms off of me.
"Mom, can't breath." I said and she laughed and let me go. She took a seat at the table next to me and I turned my attention back to the airline tickets.
"And your girlfriend? Is she coming too?" she asked, defiantly on the happy side now. I flinched a little.
"No...she knows why I've decided to stay." I said. Mom took my hand and made me look at her, her soft blue eyes searching mine, a frown on her face.
"She knows about Axel?" she asked. I nodded and squeezed her hand.
"She's known about Axel since they day we met. Us dating was her idea, she said it would help me move on..." I trailed off for a moment and shook my head. "But it didn't." My eyes stunk from unshed tears but I shook them away and went back to my computer.
"So this means we're going to need to go apartment shopping and get you some new furniture, since I'm sure its much to expensive to bring what you have in London to the states." she said, after a moment of silence, babbling a little.
"Yeah I suppose. And Mom, could we not tell anyone?" I said and she gave me a strange look. "I just don't want Axel to know that I'm coming home for good just yet." She gave a small chuckle and did a pretend lock on her lips. "Thanks Mom." I said and then hit the buy button and bought the tickets. Mom got up and went to start breakfast.
"Cloud should be here soon, he said he would stop by this morning before work so he could talk to you about yesterday." Mom said as she opened the fridge and pulled out the eggs and milk.
"I thought he already talked to me about it." I said as I started a new game of solitaire on my computer. Just then we heard the front door open and close. I sighed and crossed my legs up on the chair with me just as Cloud came in the kitchen.
"Good morning dear." Mom said as she handed Cloud a cup of coffee, he kissed her cheek and took a seat at the table with me. I picked up my own mug and took a drink and made a move on the card game.
"So when are you going back?" Cloud asked.
"My flight leaves tomorrow at five." I said, not looking up from the computer. When Cloud didn't answer right away I looked up to find him staring at me, his mouth slightly opened in shock. "Why are you shocked, I thought this is what you wanted? You told me I needed to go back, and so I am." I said. He closed his mouth and glanced over to Mom but she was busy with breakfast.
"This is what I wanted...I just thought you were dead set on staying..." he said as he took a sip of coffee. I shrugged.
"When your right, your right." I mumbled. I felt terrible for lying to my brother but if he knew the truth and Axel asked him directly he would have to tell him. Cloud set back in his chair.
"Well...I guess thats that then." he said and stood, taking his cup with him. "I guess I'll be headed into work now." He gave Mom a hug as he went back out the door. Mom came over and set a plate of eggs beside me and kissed my forehead.
"I hate you lying to your brother." she said as she hugged my head to her chest. I sighed and hugged her back.
"I do too but now he can claim ignorance if Axel asks him directly." I said as I let go and she went back to get herself a plate.
We ate breakfast and then I helped Mom clean up the kitchen. I was drying the last pan when my cell rang. I dried my hands and grabbed it off the table and saw a local number flashing across the screen. My heart was in my throat as I hit accept.
"Hello?" I said, sitting down back at my laptop. For a moment there wasn't a response and I was about to hang up...
"Cloud tells me your leaving. Tomorrow." His voice was a deep growl that sent shivers down my spine. I gulped but managed to keep my voice level.
"Did you really expect me to stay?" I asked and he growled.
"Yes, that is exactly what I expected."
"Why?" I asked.
"Why what?" he snapped.
"Why should I stay." I asked, my voice snapping right back.
"Because I said so." he growled and I laughed, rolling my eyes. Just then the door to the kitchen opened and someone came in but I ignored it for the moment.
"Whatever Axel, say what you want but I'm leaving tomorrow. Plane leaves at 5." I said and hung up the phone. A small gasp came from the door way, making me finally turn to see who was in the kitchen with me. Sora and Riku were standing just inside the kitchen door. Sora face was blank but I could see the hurt in his eyes. I stood up and walked toward him.
"Sora.." I started to say but he turned and left through the door. "Sora!" I called out as I went for the door. I went to push past Riku but he grabbed my arm.
"Don't you think you've caused enough problems?" he asked, his voice cold. I glared at him and pulled free of his hand.
"Fuck off Riku." I snarled in his face and pushed him out of my way. He grabbed my arm again and I turned ready to scream at him when I saw his fist coming for my face. I managed to move but not enough, his fist collided with my jaw and I stumbled back into the door.
I clutched my jaw for a moment before I stood and spit on the ground.
"I can't wait to see Axel tomorrow." I said and watch Riku's face go pale before I turned and went out the door. I found Sora in the living room with Mom. "Sora!" I said, coming around the couch. The brunette's face was a mask of calm still. I set next to him on the couch.
"Sor, I'm only leaving for a few days." I said, my voice soft in case Riku came into the room. "I'm going back to settle out my things there and then I'm coming home. For good." I said. He looked at me for a moment before a huge grin split his face and he threw his arms around me.
"Oh Roxas! I was so afraid you were leaving us again!" he said and I chuckled but shushed him.
"Shh, I don't want Axel to know. The only two people who know are you and my mom." I said as I pried his arms off me. He frowned a little at that.
"But you'll tell him right?" he asked. "Before you leave?" I smiled and nodded but flinched as a sharp pain came to my jaw. Sora seemed to noticed and took my chin in his hand and turned my head so he could see my jaw. "Did Riku hit you?" He asked, his eyes on fire with some dark emotion. I chuckled nervously as my mom got up and looked at my jaw as well.
"Yeah, he was pretty pissed." I said
"Oh sweetie, let me go get you some ice for that." Mom said and headed for the kitchen. Sora stood up to follow her, his face set in worried lines. I grabbed his arm, slightly worried.
"Sora, its no big deal." I said, "I'm fine."
"I know Rox, the problem is..." he bit his lip and looked to the kitchen door. "The problem is..what will Axel do when he finds out?"
"It's no big deal Sora. I'll just tell him it was a miss understanding." I said, trying to calm my cousin. Just then Mom and Riku came back into the room. Mom came over and handed me the ice pack and I placed it against my jaw. Riku walked over, his face carefully blank, but before he could get much closer Sora reared back and slapped him across the face.
Riku stayed frozen, his face turned away from Sora. I stood and moved slightly closer in case I had to stop my cousin from beating the crap out of his boyfriend.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he said, his voice even. "When Axel see's the mark on Roxas's face he is going to be PISSED!" Sora said, screaming the last word. Riku didn't move.
"I'll tell him it was an accident." I said, my voice hesitant. Riku looked at me like he had never seen me before. I blushed a little. "Its not the best excuse but I'm not going to tell him you hit me Riku." Riku seemed to be shocked into speechlessness. Sora turned around and gave me a tight hug.
"Thanks Rox." he said before turning back to his boyfriend. "Let's go Riku, before you manage to cause any more trouble. I'll see you tomorrow Roxas, Bye Auntie." Sora said as he led Riku out of the living room. I relaxed into the couch and gently pressed the ice to my jaw. Mom set beside me and moved my hand.
"Oh dear Rox, that's going to be a nasty bruise." she said, her eyebrows drawn together. I groaned and sank back into couch.
"Great, just great." I said as I pressed the ice to my face again. The rest of the day was spent on the couch flipping through the T.v. and holding ice to my face. Mom came in later that evening and set beside me.
"Cloud and Leon are coming over to have dinner with us." she said as she checked my face again, frowning. "The swelling has gone down a little but it is defiantly starting to bruise. You want to take some ibuprofen?" she asked. I nodded and followed her into the kitchen. I took the pills and set at the dinning table while she started cooking. I started up my laptop and opened a game of solitaire again. "Also, Axel is joining us." Mom said from the stove, her voice perfectly nonchalant.
"What?" I asked, my heart in my throat. Mom turned around, a wooden spoon pointed at me threateningly.
"Yes, he is joining us for dinner and you will be civil! He asked and I was not going to tell him no." she said, her voice dangerously low. I dropped my head into my hands for a moment before standing and leaving the kitchen. I burst into the living room to find Leon and Cloud coming through the front door.
"Hey Rox." Cloud started to say but I stormed past him. "Guess Mom told you..." he said and I responded by slamming my bedroom door. I threw myself onto my bed and groaned a little as my face hit the pillow. Fuck! I don't want to deal with him yet! How am I suppose to hold out on telling him that I'm staying? And what about the damn bruise? A knock came to my door and I rolled onto my back.
"Go away!" I said but the door opened any way. I set up to find Leon closing the door as he came in.
"I said go away Leon." I snapped and pulled my knees up to my chest, my arms around my legs. He pulled my desk chair over and set down in front of me.
"Yeah I heard ya kid." he said with a grin. "What's with the tantrum?"
"I don't want to see him." I mumbled.
"Well your leaving tomorrow and he wants to spend more time with you before you go. And after last night I though you would be all sorts of willing to see him again." he said and I felt my cheeks flare in embarrassment. I looked up and glared at him. He frowned and reached out and grabbed my chin. I froze. "What happened to your jaw?" he asked. I pulled away and blushed some more.
"I fell." I mumbled. Leon burst out laughing and I jumped a little.
"I hope you got a better excuse then that for Axel." he said in between laughs. I rolled my eyes.
"I hope so too." came Axel's smooth, dangerous voice from the door way. I flinched a little and looked over to find Axel standing just in side my door. How he opened the door with out me noticing I'm not sure. Leon gave me a wink and then stood slowly and moved to the door, Axel stepped out of his way and then closed the door behind him. I stayed where I was, my arms around my knees.
"Hi." I said, my face partially hidden by my arms. He moved further into the room, his eyes looking around, but not like he was seeing anything, more like he was trying to keep his cool. He came around the bed and set in the chair Leon had been in and finally his eyes met mine. He was wearing dark jeans and a white shirt with a dark leather jacket on over the shirt...I was still in my pajamas. I sighed and leg go of my legs, crossing them instead.
"So what happened to your chin?" he asked, his voice a careful calm as his eyes scanned my face.
"Nothing Axel." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest. His eyes left my jaw and met mine.
"That doesn't look like nothing, that looks like a really nasty bruise the size of a fist." he said, his voice losing some of its calm. I shook my head.
"I tripped over the carpet in the living room and fell into the coffee table, ask Cloud." I said, as I looked away from his gaze. He stood up and grabbed my chin. I was forced to meet his eyes and was shocked to find them filled with a soft sadness, not anger.
"You are about to walk out of my life again. The least you could do is tell me the truth." he said, his voice soft and his eyes sincere. And I wasn't fooled, not for one minute. I pushed him away and laughed.
"Axel love that shit might work on a weaker soul but I am immune to your guilt trips. Always have been." I said. He smirked and crossed his arms.
"Was worth a shot. So no one hit you?" he asked, one of his eyebrows arched, clearly showing his skepticism of my weak excuse.
"The coffee table. But I don't think you'll get much satisfaction from beating it to death." I said with my own smirk. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine, if that's what you say happened." he said. "But I will find out, one way or the other."
"There is nothing to find out." I said wanting so badly to stick my tongue out at him. He stared at me for a moment and I knew the joking was over. I saw the switch in his face, he had made up his mind about something. I uncrossed my legs and let my feet touch the ground, preparing myself for whatever would come next.
He took a step toward me and I stood up to meet him. I threw my arms around his neck as he pressed his lips to mine. His arms around my waist were like steel bars keeping me pinned to him. I pulled away from his lips to breath and he pressed our foreheads together. We stood like that in silence for a moment, just our heavy breathing and our pounding hearts filling the silence.
"Why can't you stay for this?" he asked, as he took my hand from around his neck and pressed it to his pounding heart. "Why can't this be enough?" I closed my eyes for a moment and pushed away from him, wanting so bad to tell him that I wasn't leaving...but...not yet.
"Because it wasn't enough for you." I said, my eyes going cold as I stared at him. "Because if I stayed this" I took his hand and pressed it to my chest. "Wouldn't be enough to keep you with me and only me." I watched as the hurt flicked across his face and then was gone, replaced by that beautiful mask that was a stranger to me. His hand fell from my chest just as a soft knock came to the bedroom door.
"Boys, dinner is ready." Mom said, as she poked her head in, her face carefully friendly.
"Of course Mrs. Sky." Axel said. My mom smiled and disappeared out the door again. Axel went to the door and I followed him. I stopped to close the door behind him so I could change but he stopped in the doorway.
"I won't make some blind and irreversible promise and say that if you stay I'll be yours and only yours because that isn't possible." he said over his shoulder and I was frozen by the truth that stung me to my core. But I am staying. "But I can promise that if you stay.." and suddenly he turned around and grabbed my hand and pressed it to his chest again, his green eyes boring into mine. "This will be yours and only yours."
I stood stunned in the face of such honest emotion from him as he turned and left the room, my arm dropping back to my side. I slowly closed the door and leaned against it, my hand over my mouth.
Well if I wasn't staying already I probably would be now.
I quickly changed into light blue jeans and a white long sleeve shirt and headed to the kitchen. I came into the kitchen to find Cloud and Leon seated at the table while Axel was helping Mom at the stove.
"Yes, I know." Mom was saying as I took a seat at the table across from Cloud with my back to the two who were currently talking about me.
"It seems so soon, like we just got him back." Axel said to her. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at the table top.
"What happened to your cheek?" Cloud asked and my heart dropped. I knew Axel was glaring at the back of my head. FUCK. I put my head in my hands and groaned and the whole room fell silent.
"Yes Roxas, why don't you tell us what happened to your jaw?" Axel said, his voice low. I turned to look at Mom and she just nodded, her eyes worried.
"Fine! There was a misunderstanding between Sora and I. He got upset and Riku hit me." I said, my arms crossed. Clouds eyes went wide and he looked over to Axel. I turned in my seat slowly. Axel was standing by the counter still, but his entire body was ridged. I stood up slowly and moved toward him.
"Riku hit you?" he asked through clenched teeth, his green eyes burning with anger.
"Yes, but ask me what the misunderstanding was about." I said, keeping my voice calm, trying to distract him. He glared at me.
"It doesn't matter, he had no right to lay a hand on you!" he snarled and his hand went into his pocket and he pulled out a cell phone.
"Roxas stop him!" Cloud hissed from behind me. I lunged forward and snatched the phone away from him. He grabbed my arm and I gasped as he yanked me back towards him. His grip on my arm was painful but I managed to drop the phone and slide it away with my foot.
"What the hell?" He growled as he pulled me up to his eye level by my arms.
"I'm coming back, Axel." I said, tears in my eyes from the pain his hands were causing. He shook me a little, not hearing a word I was saying. I glanced over to find Cloud and Leon standing on either side of us, both ready to jump in if need be.
"Axel, you need to listen to what he is saying." Came my mothers voice from the other side of the room. Axel blinked and set me on my feet, his face still incredibly angry.
"Axel, I'm coming back." I said again, my eyes searching his. He blinked again, longer this time and the anger faded from his face. "I'm going to London to sale my things and bring with me what I can and then I'm coming home."
"You said you were leaving" he said.
"I am, but I'm coming back. You didn't ask if I was coming back." I said. Axel chuckled and hugged me to him so quickly I didn't have time to respond, then he was walking toward the table and everyone relaxed.
Thankfully the rest of dinner went smoothly, almost like old times. After we ate we hung around and helped mom with the clean up before going into the living room to watch a movie. Leon and Cloud took the big couch, leaving Axel and I with the love seat. Mom excused herself to her room, giving us all hugs goodnight (surprising Axel). Cloud put on some action movie and Leon hit the lights. I sighed but settled in any way.
I couldn't really tell you what the movie was about. I was much to distracted by the tension that seemed to be radiating from Axel almost as soon as the movie started. Several times I felt his phone vibrate and then watched him check the phone and each time he would frown and then send a message back before looking back to the Tv. Finally after a few more messages he leaned over and pressed his lips to my ear, his arm around my shoulders.
"I have to go." he whispered, his lips brushing along my injured jaw. I just nodded and followed him as he stood. He said a quick goodbye to Leon (Cloud was passed out in his lap) before we left the living room and went into the small foyer. I followed him out onto the porch and glanced to the street to see a sleek black Audi parked just at the end of our walkway.
"Nice car." I said, my hands in my pockets. Axel chuckled and shook his head.
"It's alright." he said as he leaned against the railing of the porch, his eyes on me. "So why did you decide to stay?" he asked, his arms crossed over his chest.
"I thought that's what you wanted?" I asked as I stared out over the yard. He chuckled.
"It is what I want, but I know damn well your not staying because of what I want." he said. I glanced over at him from the corner of my eye to find him still just staring at me and sighed.
"I'm staying because I'm tired of living an empty life." I said, my voice soft. I crossed my arms over my chest and finally looked directly at him. "I'm tried of hiding behind things that I should have, just because the things that I want hurt me once."
"And what should you have? And what do you want?" he asked, his face perfectly calm. I laughed and leaned against the front door.
"I should have a stable job and a healthy relationship. What I want is you." I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "Possibly the last thing on the earth that I should have is you, but Hades take me if it isn't the only thing I've ever wanted." I whispered as I watched him cross the porch to stand in front of me. I stared up into his green eyes and tried to see beyond them, tried to see if there was anything in there that would tell me no...
Because part of me wanted him too. Part of me wanted him to tell me to go to hell and to never come back, but there wasn't any resistance there.
"You're right." he said, his eyes locked on mine. "I am the worst thing for you. There is a good chance that staying here could put your life in danger and my own life in danger. If I were you I would run from me, far from me and never look back." He reached up and brushed my cheek with his hand.
"I did that once. It didn't work out too well." I said with a small smile. "Also, let me warn you that I am not going to go easy on you." He looked at me, his eyebrow raised.
"Oh?" he asked, his arms crossing over his chest.
"Indeed. I've lived with a broken heart for five years." I said and took a step toward him, putting me up close and personal with him. I stared up into his eyes and let him see in mine how serious I was. "I am not going to just roll over and let you do with me as you please. I am going to push you to edges you didn't even know you had." I said, my eyes glaring into his.
"What, pray-tell, does that mean?" he asked, his eyebrows pulled together and a slight frown on his face.
"It means that I will follow no rule that you won't also follow." I said my smile smug. I took a step back and leaned against the door again. Now he was looking a little angry.
"Like what?" he growled "And tread carefully here Roxas, because if you are implying what I think you are implying people are going to get hurt." His hands were balled into fist at his side.
"The only person who has to get hurt here is you, Axel." I said, giving him a very dark look. He took a few quick steps forward and slammed his hands on either side of my head, his very angry face inches from mine.
"Listen closely Roxas because I will only say this once. I will not share you. I will not tolerate you with anyone else and you are insane if you think I will allow it." he snarled in my face. I just looked at him, my face perfectly calm and I saw it all laid out before me like some kind of glimpse of the future...
Things were going to get painful and complicated very fast...
"But I have to allow you to be with someone else?" I asked, my voice very bland. He pushed away from me and gave a frustrated groan, his hands ripping threw his hair.
"There is nothing I can do about it Roxas!" He snapped as he turned back to me, his eyes flashing.
"Then there is nothing I can do about it either." I said, my arms crossed. I watched as he fought with himself for a moment, one emotion after another chasing each other across his face. Finally after a moment his face went blank.
"Fine. But what I said still stands. If you are going to do this then I suggest you keep it very down low because if I find out who..." a visible shiver ran down his spine and his hands clenched again. "Heads will roll." he hissed and it was my turn to shiver at the dark tone his voice had taken. He turned to walk down the steps but paused and looked at me over his shoulder, his green eyes still dark. "And Roxas, keep in mind. I don't make empty threats." he said before continuing down the steps and toward his car.
I pushed away from the door and stood at the edge of the porch and watched him get into his car.
Would I really be seeing other people once I got back? Did I really want to put us both through that?
The car started up with a gentle purr and pulled away from the curb before shooting down the street. I thought about the blond bitch that he was going home too.
Yes, yes I would.
So what do you think? Do you think Roxas is wrong? Reckless? When its obvious that Axel is willing to kill anyone he considers a threat?
Or is he right? Is it dumb of Axel to expect loyalty when he isn't willing to give it himself...or maybe not willing...but unable?
Tell me what you think. :3
Review!