So I want to apologize for this being short but I wanted to get something up for all my wonderful reviews!
Especially OneTooManyHeadAches! So here you go!
I was awoken by the light click of a door closing. I kept my eyes closed but tried to asses my surroundings. My back was still one big pulsing ache as were several other parts of me. I was laying on a mattress with out sheets, so probably my new bed. I was still in my shorts but no shirt. The lights were on in the room...
"How the hell did you let this happen Vincent?" Axel snarled from some where in my room. I didn't hear a response so he was probably on the phone. "Taking out the god damn trash? I cannot believe you failed me like this." There was a slight pause. "Regardless of how sorry you are Roxas is laying unconscious with a bullet graze across his back! You are to come back to the manor tonight." Another pause. "To hell with that plan! I allow you to be here, only because of the protection you offer! Why the hell should I allow you to be here any more? I want you at the manor tonight, no excuses." I rolled my head over and groaned as my back muscles were disturbed from the movement. I met acid green eyes and felt marginally better. "I have to go." he said into his phone before he hung up and placed the device on my dresser. He came over and knelt in front of me so I wouldn't have to strain to see his face. I gave a shaky smile.
"Welcome home." I said, my voice horse. He just stared at me and I closed my mouth. I felt as if he could see right through me.
"Vincent won't be coming back here any more." he said. The statement was so random to me that I didn't have time to school my face as the guilt and disappointment came over me. Axel's eyes went into slits and I could almost visibly see his anger rise as he read the emotions on my face. "And that upsets you." he said through his teeth. A knock at the door pulled his attention away from me but I still wanted to cry.
I had just fucked up. Bad.
"Come in." He said as he stood and faced the door. The door opened to find my brother and a man I had never met before.
"Doctor Yanc is here." Cloud said as he stepped to the side and allowed the other man to enter the room.
"Thank you Cloud." Axel said and Cloud left, closing the door. "Thank you Dr. Yanc for coming on such short notice." The doctor just gave a nod as his attention fell on me. "Roxas this is Dr. Yanc, he's going to take a look at your back." I gave the doctor a shaky smile as he placed his bag down next to the bed.
"Hello Roxas. As Axel has said my name is Dr. Yanc, as Axel has failed to say, I am his personal physician. You are in good hands." he said as he started to examine my back. "Axel will you help me move him, I need him to lay with his head here." Axel came around and slid his hands under my chest and the doctor grabbed my legs. On the count of three they lifted and I bit back a scream. They laid me gently back down in the position that the doctor said he needed me, with my head at the head board and my feet toward the end of the bed.
"Could I possibly have something for the pain?" I asked as I tried to breath around the searing pain that was tearing through my back. The doctor went to his bag and pulled out a prescription bottle and a water. He came and knelt down by my face.
"Open." he said and I opened my mouth. He placed two pills on my tongue and then placed the bottle at my lips and tilted it for me. I swallowed the pills and relaxed a little.
"Thanks." I said as he went back to his bag. Axel took his place, kneeling in front of me. I searched his face for some sign of our earlier conversation but found nothing but that cold, calculating mask he loved to wear.
"Alright Roxas. I'm going to have to wipe the wound with an antibiotic and clean it out to see how deep it is. This is going to sting a little..."
That was the understatement of the year. I screamed and withered under the doctors capable hands. And not in the pleasant way. Eventually when the withering became to much, reinforcements were called in to hold me down.
Pain pills? What fucking pain pills? Shit didn't work at allll. Axel was still kneeling in front of me, just watching. Cloud was pinning me down by my shoulders and Leon was sitting on my legs and pinning down my hips with his hands. All the while I was crying and sniveling like a child and staring into cold, calculating, acid green eyes.
"How many times have you slept with Vincent?" Axel asked, his voice as calm and cold as his eyes. I felt my heart stop for a moment and then the doctor swabbed a little to hard and I screamed. Cloud was frozen above me, the pressure on my shoulders and legs increased dramatically.
"Sir do you really think now is..." My brother asked and Axel's eyes left mine for a moment to glare at my brother, effectively silencing him.
"Well he won't be needing stitches." The doctor said. Axel continued to look at me for a moment before he stood and turned to the doctor. I closed my eyes and tried to calm my breathing, try to think around the pain.
Had Axel really just asked me that? Oh god I was in so much shit.
All at once the wait from my legs and shoulders were gone. I opened my eyes to find Cloud and Leon leaving the room. The doctor was still standing over me but I could feel him bandaging the wound now.
"The wound needs to be cleaned twice a day and the bandages changed just as often. I'll give you a prescription for pain pills and the antibiotic ointment." Doctor Yanc was saying once I tuned back in to what was going on.
"I'll make sure he has someone around to help him change the bandages." Axel said as he took a piece of paper from the other man.
"Axel..." I said, my voice horse. He looked at me over his shoulder and I quickly averted my eyes. Oh yes, he was pissed at me...
"Thank you for coming Dr. Yanc." he said as the doctor went to the door, bag in hand. Once the door was closed the silence was deafening. Axel went over to the dresser and picked up his phone but continued to ignore me. My heart was in my throat, I couldn't seem to get it to calm the hell down. Axel made his way over, never taking his eyes off his phone.
"Answer my question Roxas." he said and his voice scared me more then anything else. Calm, utterly calm.
"Axel..." I said. He looked up and I could almost visibly see the snap. His phone went flying and hit the wall, shattering.
"ANSWER THE QUESTION ROXAS!" he yelled. I tried to sit up but the pain knocked me back down.
"Three times." I whispered as I stared at the floor. He grabbed my face and forced me to meet his eyes.
"The least you can do is look me in the god damn eyes while your admiring to fucking my employee." he snarled at me. I couldn't help the tears that were over flowing now, but in my defense it was mostly out of pain because he was defiantly pissing me off now.
"Fine!" I said, glaring at him. "We've slept together three times." I hissed.
And just like that his anger was gone.
"Alright." he said as he stood and stepped away from the bed. I propped myself up on my elbows and ignored the pain that was searing through my back.
"Alright?" I asked, my eyebrows raised. I was getting that feeling again. That feeling that I was missing something.
"I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't lie to me." he said as he turned to go toward the door. I was gaping at him now.
"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, completely shocked and a little scared now. He turned around to look at me and his face was amused now.
"Did you really think you could sleep with my head assassin with out me knowing and approving?" he asked. My mind was in a jumbled mess, I just couldn't seem to process what the hell was going on. He must have seen the confusion because he chuckled. "I sent Vincent here, I told him to sleep with you. I knew you were going to try to sleep with someone else. I had planned to allow it to go for a while but seeing as Vincent failed in protecting you I just don't see any use in it any more."
"You...you..." I stuttered. I couldn't quite grasp it.
"You really can't blame me love." he said as he examined his finger nails. "Your the one who started making the threats. I was just manipulating the situation into my favor."
"You bastard." I managed to whisper before the tears won over. "You bastard." I cried as I buried my face into the mattress. "BASTARD!" I screamed into the soft fabric as I started to sob. I vaguely heard the door open after a knock.
"Cloud your brother is going to need your attention for the next few days. You and Leon switch off staying with him. Vincent, what the hell are you doing here?" Axel asked.
"I have some things here I need to obtain before returning to the manor." came the smooth voice of Vincent. I set up but kept my eyes glued to my head bored. I don't think I could handle seeing either or them right now.
"Get out." I whispered.
"Rox..." Cloud said but I cut him off.
"GET OUT!" I screamed as I finally looked over. Axel was watching me with carefully blank eyes but Vincent wasn't looking at me. And that for some reason really pissed me off. I pushed myself up into a sitting position, Cloud moved toward me but I glared at him. "Don't touch me!" I hissed as I shakily stood to my feet. Vincent still wasn't looking at me, his eyes were glued to the other side of the room. I took a shaky step toward him and Cloud came to hover beside me, ready to catch me if I fell. "Look at me you bastard." I snarled at the raven haired man.
"Vincent, he asked you to do something." Axel said, his voice perfectly calm.
And only then did he set his red eyes on me. Oh boy did that piss me off.
"NO!" I screamed and stomped my foot, sending shock waves of pain down my back. "NO! DO NOT LOOK AT ME BECAUSE HE TOLD YOU TOO DAMN IT!" I snarled but he just continued to stare at me with that blank, waiting expression. I stomped my foot again and my legs gave out from the pain. Cloud managed to keep me standing but it was enough to sweep away my anger. All it left behind was hurt. "Get out." I said as I looked him dead in the eyes. "You are so good at following instructions so here are some more for you: Get. Out. do. Not. Come. back. You are no longer welcomed here."
And just like that he turned on his heels and left the room. I collapsed against Cloud and he scooped me up into his arms. Axel opened his mouth to say something but the sound of a door banging opened had everyone on alert.
Faster then I could comprehend, I was back on the bed and both Axel and Cloud had guns out and trained on the door way.
"Where is my baby!" came the voice of my mother and everyone visibly relaxed and guns were put away. A low voice responded to her but I couldn't hear what was said. "Don't you dare try to tell me what I should do! My son has been shot you thick brained baboon, get the hell out of my way!" Cloud had to hold back a laugh.
"I'd better go stop her before she maims Vincent." he said as he exited the room. I sighed and buried my face in the mattress, trying desperately to ignore the red head.
"Roxas..." Axel started to say but I cut him off.
"Don't you have a pregnant wife to get home too?" I seethed at him. I watched as his face shut down on me.
"I see that your angry with me." he said and I had to laugh. The door opened to reveal my mother and brother but I kept my eyes on the red head.
"Mad at you Axel? Why the hell would I be mad at you? You just couldn't let me have another relationship could you? You get to be married and have a FUCKING family but poor Roxas is stuck on the side?" I said, still slightly laughing and probably sounding like a lunatic. My mother took a step toward me, her face worried.
"If you want to continue having a relationship with Vincent I might be able to consider it." he said and I screamed into the mattress before looking back at him.
"You just don't get it do you?" I asked, tears in my eyes now. Mom came and set next to me stroking my hair. "I will NOT be controlled by you!" I hissed at him.
"What did you expect me to do Roxas? You blatantly told me you were going to sleep with someone else and then you tried to take my brother home with you! I couldn't just sit around and let it happen!" he said, and finally his anger was rising. I felt my mother stiffen beside me at the brother comment but I'd deal with that later.
" I expect you to accept the fact that I will have other partners, just like you have another partner." I said and my voice was getting on the sobbing side now. Finally, having had enough, my mother stood up.
"Alright, thats enough." She snapped at Axel. "Thank you for having a doctor look at him Axel but I think it is time for you to go." Axel looked like he was ready to argue but held up his hands.
"You're absolutely right." he said and he handed her a piece of paper. "The prescriptions." he said before he turned to go but paused. "I do not have other partners Roxas. Larxene and I have only ever slept together on rare occasions and not once since you've been home. Which is why I told you that the child is not mine." He looked back over his shoulder at me and I saw past his mask for the first time.
And what I saw made my heart ache and my stomach clench.
"Get well soon." he said and then he was out the door. No one moved or said a word until the front door opened and closed. I let myself collapse into the bed and out right sob into my bare mattress.
My mother went into 'mommy' mode almost instantly. She sent both Cloud and Leon out to the store, one to fill the two prescriptions and another to buy a set of sheets for the bed. Not long after they left Sora and Riku showed up.
Sora was in my room sobbing all over me, saying how sorry he was and how scared he was when he heard I had been shot. I reassured him that I was going to be fine and that he was forgiven and finally Riku was able to convince him to get off his knees.
"So what did they want from you?" Sora asked, he and Riku were perched on the bed beside me so I wouldn't have to strain my head to see them. Mom was in the kitchen cooking.
"I have no idea." I said and I looked to Riku who was suddenly very interested in the wall.
"Riku?" Sora asked, turning his puppy dog eyes on the silvertte. "Why were they trying to hurt Roxas?" Riku glanced at Sora and his face fell.
"Sor, don't look at me like that. Axel has forbade us from telling him. The less he knows that safer he is." he said, almost pleading with his boyfriend to understand.
"Safer? Riku, in case you missed the news flash. I've been kidnapped and shot. I think my safety is not a big concern." I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster. Riku looked at me now and I wished I had kept my mouth shut.
"You're alive are you not?" he snapped. "If you wish to stay that way, stop asking questions." Then he stood and left the room. I sighed and closed my eyes.
"And we were getting along so well." I said wistfully. Sora chuckled and patted my head.
"Don't worry about it. He'll calm down and come back." he said as he lay down next to me but on his back, staring at the ceiling.
"Did you know about Vincent..." I asked as I stared at his arm, not wanting to see his face. He shifted slightly but didn't answer right away.
"No. I didn't even know you were sleeping with him. If I had I would have come straight over here and slapped you upside the head." he said, his voice perfectly serious. I looked at him then and gave him a questioning look. He sighed. "I know that you don't know Vincent all that well but to those of us who do, it would have been very obvious that he was acting on Axel's orders. Vincent only acts on Axel's orders. That's not to say that he doesn't have a personality or a mind of his own but he is intensely loyal."
I closed my eyes and had to bite my lip for a moment as my brothers warning came back to me from the day before.
"Cloud knew." I said as I fought back tears.
"Huh?" Sora asked.
"Cloud knew about Vincent, he tried to tell me the other day but I wouldn't listen. I didn't understand..." the tears finally won out. "God I'm so stupid." I moaned and buried my face into my arms. Sora patted my hair gently.
"Sssh, your not stupid Rox." he whispered. The bedroom door opened but I ignored it, keeping my face buried. "Hey Cloud." Sora said and I started to cry harder. I felt the bed dip slightly beside me.
"Hey." Cloud said as he touched my shoulder gently. I just shook my head and continued to cry. "I brought your pain meds. Mom says to wait to eat first and then you can drug your self to high heaven." he said as he rubbed my shoulder. I finally rolled my head over to look at him.
"I'm sorry Cloud." I whispered and he gave me a soft smile.
"For what Rox?" he asked.
"For not listening to you when you tried to tell me what was going on with Vincent. I should have seen it...So stupid." I said as I buried my face again.
"Rox, its not your fault. I wish you would have listened but whats done is done." he said as he stroked my hair. I just shook my head and continued to cry, nothing was going to make me feel better about myself.
How could I have not seen it?
"Dinner is ready!" Came my mom's voice. Cloud got up and a different weight took his place. "Come on dear, lets get some food in you and then get your meds down." My mom said as her fingers ran through my hair. I sniffed a little but turned my face toward her. She gave me a sad smile and whipped my face.
"Oh my love. It'll be alright. Here" She said as she held out a bowl of soup. I set up on my elbows and she placed the bowl on the bed and handed me a spoon. "Eat it all and then you can take your meds." I nodded and started in on the soup. Cloud gave me the pills once I finished the soup and I let myself collapse onto the bed while Sora, Cloud and Riku talked quietly, filling the silence.
Leon came back at some point and Mom wanted to put the sheets on but I was to far gone to protest. So they picked me up gently and Mom quickly put on the sheets and then my eyes fell closed and I was out.
I have some good and bad news (not pertaining to this story).
Good news! Be on the look out for a new story that I'll have posted up right after this new chapter.
Bad news... Too Much for One Boy to Handle will be no more. I am going to wrap it up in one more chapter and call it quits with that one. I've just lost way to much perspective with it and I can't seem to get it back, but hey! We live and we learn. Thank you all for reading this and I hope to have your continued support and motivation!
Review! You know you want toooo!