Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ To Save a Life ❯ The 4th Day ( Chapter 4 )

To Save a Life

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters associated with Kingdom Hearts or Kingdom Hearts II. I'm merely borrowing them.

A/N: This is going to be an attempt to bridge together the events in this chapter with the events in the next chapter which also happens to be the last one. I hope everything goes all right…

The 4th Day

Roxas felt slightly nervous as he approached the café. He wasn't sure what to expect when he sat down to breakfast with Axel. The first surprise came relatively quickly; Axel wasn't alone. There were two others with him; Zexion and Demyx. Roxas stared at them as he sat down.

“Morning Roxas,” Demyx greeted him cheerfully.

“Hi Demyx,” Roxas said politely.

Zexion gave Roxas a cool look that he took as a `hello.”

“Mornin' sunshine,” Axel chirped.

“Hi Axel,” Roxas greeted the red head coolly.

“Aw, you give Demyx a warm greeting but you're cold to me?” Axel protested. He pouted. “You're sooo mean Roxie!”
“Don't call me that,” Roxas growled.

“Are you guys going to order?” Larxene snapped, coming over to the table.

“Roxas just got here Larx. Chill out.” Axel looked at Larxene sternly.
“It's okay,” Roxas said quietly. “I already know what I want.”

He ordered the same thing he always ordered at the café. Larxene took all their orders and left looking at least a little more satisfied.

“So, what are you planning to do today?” Axel asked Roxas curiously.

“Why do you care?” Roxas shot back.

“I was just wondering.” Axel shrugged.

“I don't know. I haven't heard from Hayner yet, but I'm not really surprised. He doesn't get up until after 11 usually.”
“Sounds like Axel,” Demyx said with a wicked grin.

Axel glared at him. “I'm NOT a morning person, okay? I'll shoot anyone who is.”

Demyx just laughed. “He can get very cranky before he has his first cup of coffee and if he's not had any caffeine in system for a while. He'll be back to his cheerful self after he's gotten some coffee in him.”

“Right…”

As if on cue, Larxene came out and distributed coffee. Zexion was the only one who refused. Roxas stared at him.

“I hate the taste of coffee,” Zexion mumbled.

“I see…”

They chatted for a while until the food came.

“Tell me a little about Organization XIII. Just a little bit,” Roxas pleaded. His curiosity was insatiable.

“Well, what can I say?” Axel asked.

“What is it?”

Axel had to think for a minute. “Organization XIII is…well it's a group that Xemnas…he's the leader…started. It's made up of twelve members. Don't ask me why we're called Organization XIII. I have no idea. Anyway, we're all a bunch of misfits. None of us fit in for…one reason or another. Our looks...our habits…hell even our sexual preferences alienate us from the rest of the group. So Xemnas started this group to give us a sanctuary where we wouldn't be taunted because we liked guys…” he glanced sadly at Demyx. “…or because we have a strange eye color...” he looked at Zexion. “…or because we liked to play with fire…or any other reason.”

The food arrived. Axel shoved food in his mouth, earning him a glare from Roxas. With caffeine in his system, Axel was well on his way back to his normal hyper self. He spent most of his free time (when he wasn't shoving food down his throat) trying to convince Zexion to eat something. Zexion continually shook his head, his eyes downcast. Roxas suspected something was going on, but kept his nose out of it. Instead, he chatted casually with Demyx. He didn't know the boy very well; they had been in the same school since kindergarten, but they had never talked. Never.

“So…um…you like to play the guitar?” Roxas asked, slightly embarrassed.

“Yeah.” Demyx nodded, equally embarrassed.

“That's…cool.”

Roxas didn't know what else to talk about. The conversation quickly died. Roxas turned back and watched Axel holding up a fork in front of Zexion's face with a bit of scrambled eggs on it, trying to get him to eat.

“Is he always like this?” Roxas asked Demyx in an undertone.

“You mean this motherly?” Demyx asked. “No.” He gave a soft sigh. “He hasn't always had to do this.”
“Really?” Roxas asked curiously.

“I…I can't really tell you a lot about what happened.”
“Because I'm not in the Organization?” Roxas asked quietly.

“No.” Demyx desperately shook his head. “It's a personal thing.”

“Oh.”

“But I can tell you a little bit. Zexion is…well he's an orphan. He's always had to fend for himself but he uh…did some things wrong and he got sick. Really sick. And since then, he's barely been able to take care of himself. He just recently got back on his feet and he's still trying to pull himself back together.”

“That bad?” Roxas whispered. He snuck a glance at Zexion. He looked like he was in one piece.

“Yeah. Axel and I have been taking care of him ever since…or at least trying to. I've never seen Axel be so protective of him before. But it's good. Zex needs him. He needs us.”

“Ah.”

Roxas was glad when his phone rang. It would give him the distraction he craved at that moment. However, he instantly regretted it. It was Hayner, but it wasn't a good thing.

“We. Need. To. Talk,” Hayner spat out.

“What? Why?”

“Now.”

“Are you mad at me Hayner?” Roxas asked meekly. Hayner's response was to hang up on him.

“I'll take that as a yes,” he mumbled. He put his phone away. Axel, Demyx, and Zexion stared at him. “I…I'm sorry. I have to go. My friend Hayner wants to have a chat with me.”
“Yeah, I guessed,” Axel said. Roxas glared at him. “No need to get bitchy on me Roxas. I was just concerned. It sounded like your friend was mad at you for some reason.”
“Way to pick up on the hidden signals Axel,” Zexion muttered.

Axel glared at him. “I'm just worried.”
“So we've established,” Roxas snapped. He got up.

“Roxas just...” Axel gave a soft sigh and looked up at Roxas with pleading emerald eyes. “If something happens, don't hesitate to call me, okay?”
Roxas was surprised. “That's…sweet. Thanks.”

Axel smiled. “No problem.”

He rose and walked over to Roxas, uncertainty reflecting in his green eyes. Roxas's expression mirrored his. Axel gently cupped Roxas's chin and brought his face closer. Before Roxas knew what he was doing, he was standing on his tiptoes to reach Axel's mouth. The kiss was much longer than last time. Roxas surprised himself by kissing Axel back. Axel deepened the kiss. Roxas went along with it. Demyx and Zexion stared at them, dumbfounded. So did everyone else sitting at the outdoor café. Roxas knew that the whole town was going to hear about this by sundown, but for some reason, it didn't bother him. Axel reluctantly broke off the kiss so they could breathe. Somehow, Axel's arms had become wrapped around Roxas's waist, but the blond-haired boy didn't even seem to care. He rested his head against Axel's chest. He was unexplainably scared. He knew he always had felt strongly about Axel, but he had always thought it was hate. Now, he wasn't so sure. What if, all this time, he was denying his feelings for Axel? What if, instead of hating Axel, it was love he was feeling for the redhead? The thought scared him. He felt safe in Axel's arms and let the redhead hold him.

Finally, he had the courage to pull away.

“I…have to go,” he said. “My friends are waiting for me.”

“Yeah.” Axel said softly.

“I'm sorry.”

“Hey, it's cool. I understand.” Axel smiled. “We'll have plenty of time later to talk.” Roxas looked at him curiously. Axel didn't elaborate. He simply smiled as Roxas left. When the blond had gone, he turned to look at his two friends.

“Demyx owes me ten bucks,” Zexion said smugly.

Axel blinked as he stared at his dark-haired friend. “You two had a bet going? About whether Roxas was going to kiss me or not?” He sat down.

“We have a bet about whether Roxas hates you or not.” Demyx gave Zexion a pointed look. “It's not over yet.”

“Whatever,” Zexion said in a bored tone. “Roxas made it pretty clear he didn't hate Axel when he was making out with him just now. Speaking of which, what do you plan to do, Axel? News travels fast around here. I don't doubt that half the town already knows what you've done. The Superior isn't going to be happy when he finds out…”
“Don't worry Zex,” Axel said nonchalantly. “I have that taken care of.”
“How? The only way to get Xemnas to agree to your relationship with Roxas.” He leaned forward and spoke in a low voice, “make him an offer he can't refuse.”

“I know Zex.” Axel's eyes glinted wickedly. “I know the one thing that Xemnas desires. Besides SaÏx, of course.”
Zexion shook his head. “You still going on your `Xemnas is fucking SaÏx' theory?”

“Yes. I'm pretty sure that those two are fucking around. Literally.”

“Axel, watch your language. Please. You too Zex,” Demyx pleaded, looking around. “There might be young children around.”
“You're way too sensitive Demy.” Axel rolled his eyes.

Zexion leaned forward and looked at Axel intently. “Do you know what will get Xemnas to agree to your relationship?”
“Oh I know Zex. I know full well what Xemnas wants.” Axel's eyes glittered.

He leaned forward and whispered something into Zexion's ear. Zexion's one visible eye widened considerably and he pushed himself backwards.

“How do you know about that?!” he hissed.

Axel's eyes glinted in the sun. “Oh, I have my ways Zex.”
“I know you like playing with fire Axel, but don't get in over your head,” Zexion warned. Axel made no response.

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Roxas could sense something was wrong from the moment he stepped into the Usual Spot. Hayner was glaring at him hard.

“I'll make this short and simple. What the hell were you thinking?!” he yelled.

“What? What are you talking about?” Roxas asked.

“I heard from…Kairi that you were going out partying with Axel from Organization XIII, doing drugs and stuff.”
“What?!” Roxas couldn't believe it. He had to sit down. “That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard! Why would I do drugs? I'm not going to trash my body.”
“You've been hanging out with Axel, haven't you?” Hayner's gaze was piercing.

“Yes,” Roxas admitted. “I met him for breakfast this morning.”
“Aha! I knew it!”

“What?”
“You were pretty chummy with Axel this morning, huh? Don't lie. You know what I'm talking about.”
“What are you talking about?” Roxas sighed softly.

“You kissed Axel this morning.”

Roxas stared at him. Had news traveled that fast about his kiss? “Yes I kissed him. So what?”
“It's disgusting. That's what. He's a guy like you, Roxas. Have you no shame?”

“What's that supposed to mean.”
“I should have known. Fucking queer.”

Roxas's eyes widened. Hayner's words hurt. He couldn't think of a response.
“Roxas are you really um…gay?” Naminé asked timidly, trying to start a conversation.

“No.” Roxas shook his head. “I don't know, okay? I'm so confused!” He put his hands in his face.

“It's okay.” Naminé patted him on the shoulder and smiled.

“I can't believe you will willingly touch that…that disgusting fag,” Hayner sneered. Naminé's eyes widened and a hurt expression crossed her face. Roxas's anger boiled over. He rose.

“So that's what I am to you? A disgusting fag? You were my best friend Hayner. And now you turn on me just because I kissed a guy?”

“You're supposed to hate Axel. You're supposed to hate all the guys from Organization XIII. They're bad people.” Hayner rose in his anger.

Only then did Roxas truly understand how judgmental he and everyone else had been of Axel and Organization XIII. He hated Axel and the Organization because everyone else did. He did it because he was told to.

“You're a fucking bastard, you know that?” he asked Hayner hotly. “You judged Axel…all of Organization XIII without knowing them. You immediately assumed that they were bad people.”
“That's what they are.”

“No. You're so wrong. I've hung out with Axel and some of his friends from Organization XIII okay? They're just like us.”

“They're strange. They're a bad group.”

Roxas thought back to the conversation he had had with Axel.

“Organization XIII is…well it's a group that Xemnas…he's the leader…started. It's made up of twelve members. Don't ask me why we're called Organization XIII. I have no idea. Anyway, we're all a bunch of misfits. None of us fit in for…one reason or another. Our looks...our habits…hell even our sexual preferences alienate us from the rest of the group. So Xemnas started this group to give us a sanctuary where we wouldn't be taunted because we liked guys…” he glanced sadly at Demyx. “…or because we have a strange eye color...” he looked at Zexion. “…or because we liked to play with fire…or any other reason.”

“They're a bunch of misfits,” Roxas whispered.

“What?” Hayner asked.

Roxas looked up at Hayner angrily. “They banded together because they didn't fit in. They feel alienated from everyone else. They came together to protect themselves. From narrow-minded jerks like you.”

“What a lame excuse.”

Roxas lost control. He stepped forward and hit Hayner as hard as he could. Hayner stumbled backwards. Naminé and Olette gasped. Pence stared. Hayner looked up at Roxas, his eyes smoldering.
“Get out,” he spat. “You're no friend of mine. You…you bastard! Get out of here!”

Roxas was startled. He hadn't meant to hit Hayner so hard…or had he? He wasn't sure anymore. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. It was like…he didn't even know himself. It scared him more than anything. He did the only thing he could do.

He ran from it all.

To be continued…

A/N: Wow I wasn't expecting to have a make-out scene between Axel and Roxas. Not that I'm really complaining. ^^ Okay, I REALLY wasn't expecting the make-out session to go the way it did. That seems to happen a lot to me. I'm sorry. Hayner and the others are probably really OOC. But I needed a reason for them to break away from Roxas. Besides, I kind of see Hayner as rather narrow-minded. Olette…eh…not so much. Definitely not Pence. Or Naminé. They just don't seem to be like that. Eh, maybe I'm just not a fan of Hayner. He's rather annoying. The next chapter will be the last. Sad, I know. It's going to be really long. I've started it already and it's already at about 3700 words. And I'm nowhere near finished with it. Because it's going to be so long, it may take me a little while to get it done. So please be patient. I'd really appreciate it.