Fame and Fortune

Chapter Two: World Famous

"You don't seem like a Twilight fan," Roxas began, leaning back in his chair to get a better look at the lone man now standing in his dressing room.

"Do you mean the book or the band?" Axel shot back, crossing his arms. "Because I'm neither, if you're wondering."

A light color eyebrow raised, and the blond let out an airy chuckle. "God you're more interesting than I'd think you'd be." The comment didn't faze Axel, and Roxas frowned. "Compliments aren't your thing, are they?"

"Not when they're from someone I'd just met, no," the redhead replied.

"But I'm famous, shouldn't that make your heart flutter?"

Axel put a hand to his chest, pausing a few seconds. "No, heart's beating normally."

The blond pouted. Just when he'd thought he'd found someone mildly interesting, this stranger turned out to be incredibly interesting. Friendship was at the top of his list for 'things to be with this guy'. "Anyway, if you're not a fan, then why are you here?"

"Demyx dragged me along. He had an extra ticket and apparently had ties with your bassist to get us back here. So I'm here against my will, essentially."

"And are you upset about that?"

A shrug answered Roxas' question. He bit his lip, and Axel noticed. "So...did you at least like our concert?" the band leader asked timidly, looking up from under his bangs.

Axel was taken aback. What happened to that confident young man he had just seen moments before? All he saw in front of him was an insecure teenager who wanted someone's attention. The redhead smiled softly, making sure that Roxas didn't see. "Surprisingly, yeah." The blond's head shot up, blue eyes wide with amazement. "However, I still think you could bump up the volume. It's hard to hear when the crowd is screaming your lyrics."

Roxas blinked, before reaching over and grabbing a nearby tablet, unlocking it and opening up the app that let him take notes. His fingers furiously typed out what Axel said, and he asked, "Okay, anything else?"

The older man took in the boy's apparel. Skinny jeans and a tee-shirt. Standard clothing. "Better wardrobe. Yes, you guys are hot, but you're a punk rock band. You need some leather, some rips in the pants—are you really writing this shit down?"

"Uh, yeah," Roxas replied, eyes not leaving the screen. "It's not everyday that I get a fan—oh, sorry, a not-fan telling me what I can improve on."

"I'm not going to help you get even more fame, Roxas." Axel sighed. "God, who would've thought that a week after moving to Twilight Town I'd be stuck in a dressing room with an egoistic jerk?"

"Oh, so I'm a jerk?"

"You're taking my fucking opinion and using it to make yourself look and sound better. Fuck this, I'm out of here. Where the fuck did Demyx go, he's my ride home," Axel grumbled as he walked out of the room, leaving Roxas in the dust. He sought out his only friend in the entire building, and literally dragged him out to the dark blue pickup, cursing the young blond singer to hell.

"If it makes you feel any better, which it won't, I know," Demyx began, pouring Axel a cup of coffee. "I've never met Roxas until today."

"Where'd you meet Zexion, or whatever his name is then?"

A goofy grin carved its way onto the blond's lips. "Around town a couple weeks ago. At first I didn't recognize him, but when I did, holy shit, I freaked out. He's my favorite member of the band. And I told him that. In the beginning he hated me, but then we started bumping into each other more, and soon he asked me out." Demyx shrugged. "He's kept it a secret from the press, wanting to secure my privacy and whatnot, and he promised me that I'd meet Roxas today. And I did! God, I love Twilight so much!"

Axel rolled his eyes. So far, he didn't really love the leader.

"So? What did Roxas have to talk to you about?"

"He asked if I was a fan."

"Which you're not because you lived under a rock for twenty one years and didn't even know the band existed."

"You said they were a local band."

Demyx froze. "Okay, maybe I lied so you would see them with me?"

"You mean they're famous?"

"World famous."

"You've gotta be shitting me." Axel buried his head in his hands. "I fucking told off the leader of a world famous band."

"You did what?!"

"He asked if I liked the concert, so I said yes, because, well, I did. And I pointed out some flaws, which he started writing down, and I got pissed off. Told him I wasn't about to help an egoistic jerk like him get even more famous, but apparently he doesn't need to get even more famous."

Demyx stared at Axel, mouth agape, and he shook his head. "I just hope whatever you told him doesn't get out on TV—oh my god, Zexy!" the blond jumped over the counter (as if it were an obstacle, which really, it wasn't) and ran to the person that walked through the door, hugging him tightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Roxas has a message for Axel, and I figured that you'd know where he was. Or, that he'd be here, since he's your friend," Zexion explained as the pair walked back up to where Axel was. The rest of the customers in the café went back to minding their own business. "Roxas wanted to apologize."

"Apologize to me? For what? Bothering to listen to what I had to say?"

"No, but he'd like to speak with you again."

"Again?" Demyx asked, shocked. "Axel, what did you do to get so cool with Roxas?"

Hey, so I got dumped today (hooray!) and was like, "oh yeah this gets updated today"

I have a few chapters already typed out and ready to go, so prepare for an update next Thursday!

-Eternal White Rose