Ikurx - Ch 43

Ikurx
By Kitteh and NeoFox
Rating: PG - 13
Warnings: Language, violence, romance
Pairings: Riku x Sora, Axel x Roxas
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and characters belong to Square Enix and Disney
Summary: After the defeat of Organization XIII, Sora and Riku find happiness in the simplicity of a normal life. A year later King Mickey sends a summons that the fight with the Organization isn't truly done yet. Light. Dark. As long as either exists the battle is never over.
Beta: NeoFox and Kitteh

Chapter 43

With hours of school and mountains of homework piled onto him Roxas didn't have a lot of time to go about his day searching for a friend that had been avoiding him like the plague. Even Pence and Olette hadn't seen Hayner except for brief moments in classes and small seconds in the halls. Other then that it was as if the other boy was hiding away in town where he could be far enough away from them all, especially Roxas.

It was after school Roxas would forget all about the heavy books in his bag, throwing the annoyance on the floor of his room just to quickly change into normal attire so he wouldn't be walking the streets in school clothes. It was up to Axel whether he wanted to come along to search for his missing friend, but mainly the Heartless stayed behind just in case he did manage to run into Hayner. Usually Roxas would come back just as empty feeling as he had going out and would just pick up his bag to start on his homework with a little try from Axel to cheer him up.

For once it wasn't the same old routine.

The door to Roxas' bedroom opened with a gust of air behind the force and closed with a rather loud sound of wood and creaking hinges. Roxas' whole body slumped against it as soon as it was slammed shut and his eyes stayed glued to the floor beneath his sneakers. It was just like everyday. The same cold shoulder at school and the same disappearing act around town. It was disappointing and overall aggravating and so completely childish. He couldn't help but scowl at the thought of how hard he was trying when Hayner didn't even seem to care.

Axel peered up from his note book, text books and reference books strewn around him on the bed he lounged on. His spiky red hair was tied back and he tilted a pencil this way and that way in his mouth. He had tried to keep himself busy with homework while Roxas was always out searching for Hayner. He could have just as easily let the computer do it for him, but he had little else to do when Roxas wasn't around. So he was stuck writing an essay for socials about the history of Twilight Town; which had amused him greatly since he knew the true origins of the town they currently resided in. He'd been tempted to write that the town was actually a program created by a man, who was constantly the victim of identity theft, to distract a local (which shall remain anonymous) for seven days while he was amalgamated into his true form. And for extra credit- he is the soul creator of the Twilight Town beach; created in loving memory for the local the program was originally made for. An 'F' would have been well worth the reactions.

Axel took the pencil from his mouth to tuck it behind an ear. Roxas looked in worse shape than all the times he'd seen him come home empty handed. Being a Heartless or not it wasn't hard to pick up on the frustration when it was so plainly there on Roxas' face. Axel clicked his tongue. "Looks like you've had about as much success as last time. Maybe you should give it a rest. Let him come to you. I mean, it's at least been a week or so. And you're both stubborn as all hell about this."

Roxas barely lifted his head at the words spoken and only glanced at Axel as best he could through his bangs. He almost forgot that the Heartless was in the same room with him until he had spoken up and because of his sudden bad mood it only had him narrowing his eyes even further. Just the mention of his own bad luck did nothing to really help him feel better and he quickly looked away towards his lamp instead. "I can't just give up. He's just being an ass about this. That's all." The words were spoken in a clipped tone as Roxas clenched his hands at his sides and finally moved away from the door.

"Won't argue with you there." Axel watched Roxas shuffle from the door. He pushed himself up to sit, crossing his legs. "But if he's going to be a bastard about it, why bother. No point in getting yourself worked up if he's just going to ignore you day in and day." He shrugged with an arm. "You've explained everything the best you could. There's not much more you can do. A 'family emergency' is a 'family emergency'. He makes it sound like you went away on purpose."

"I could tell he didn't believe me when I said that." The words left Roxas just as bitter as he stopped to stand in the middle of the room where his bag lay. "He wants answers. He wants me to tell him where exactly I've been and I can't tell him that! I can't sit there and say, 'Hey, Hayner, the reason I left in the first place so long ago is because I was never meant to exist in the first place and now I've been fighting tooth and nail to get a heart of my own.' he'd think I was crazy." Roxas kicked his bag and felt only a little satisfied when it fell over and skidded across the floor.

Axel narrowed his eyes on the bag. "If it startles him enough into talking to you, go for it." He pulled the pencil from behind his ear to twirl it effortlessly between his pointer and middle finger. "If he thinks you're at wits end, enough to be thrown into the loony bin, that might be enough to make him feel guilty for the B.S. he's putting you through." He twirled the pen to his ring finger and back again.

"That's the last thing I need." Roxas was quick to bite back without really noticing how his words sounded. He kept narrowed eyes on his bag even as he kept speaking. "I just can't get my mind off of this. I keep thinking it's my entire fault that he won't talk to me, but he's the one acting like a baby over it. All I did was talk to Pence and Olette about it. That's it. It was no reason to punch me and then disappear." One of his hands moved up to dig through his pocket and in a quick second he pulled out the red sphere he had been given which his gaze moved to. "So much for being friends. Such a joke." The scowl came back to his face.

"Relax, Roxas. It'll turn out if you just give it time." Axel held the pencil between either hand. "Any tenser and you seem like you'll-" Snap; his pencil broke in two. He blinked and just tossed the pieces aside with a sigh. "Eh, I didn't want to do the stupid homework anyway." He dusted his hands off. "Don't stress about it. You didn't come here to go grey in the span of just a few days."

Roxas stared at the jewel for a few more seconds with narrowed eyes before he tossed it aside near his bag much the same as Axel had done to his pencil. He took the last few steps towards his bed and sat down next to the Heartless, having to push a few books aside to get some room. As soon as he was comfortable his eyes were on the floor again. "I already feel like I'm about to snap. Between Hayner's jealousy issues and his stubborn attitude, I don't know which is worse."

Axel had watched the red bobble get tossed and roll aside with quite a lot of surprise. The friends here were something Roxas held sacred above all else, to watch Roxas toss the marble like it was something equally as worthless as a broken pencil left Axel in a bit of shock. He slowly looked to Roxas; he could feel the distraught ebbing from the boy's heart. Roxas was trying to compensate the hurt with his usual stubbornness but it was turning into anger. A rather dark anger.

"C'mon, relax. Screw Hayner and his bull headed coding." Axel reached out to brush his knuckle against Roxas' cheek. "He's not worth pouting over."

Roxas allowed the simple touch, but didn't do much about it. It was hard to take the advice given to him when all he wanted to do was give Hayner a black eye to match the one that had finally started to fade. It was those thoughts that had him gritting his teeth in annoyance for a few seconds until he finally gave Axel his full attention, turning his head to look at the Heartless. "I'm not pouting. I'm just frustrated."

Axel let his hand fall to Roxas' shoulder. "I know. And you're doing a very good job at scowling." He gave the boy a bit of a shake, trying to literally get the boy to loosen up. "But try not to let it bother you. Your emotions are going a mile a minute. I think you've experienced enough frustration and anger to last your heart a life time."

Roxas was easily shaken and looked away from Axel after the action. "I can't help that. I can't just brush everything off. It's not that easy anymore, you know. All of this is really bugging me." He lifted a hand to run it through his hair, making it look even more ragged then it normally did. "I'm not scowling either..." The words were mumbled as he narrowed his eyes on the floor once again.

Axel flopped back down on the bed. "Of course you aren't, sweety." He twirled a finger. "You've got everything under control as usual." His hand flopped back down to rest on his chest.

Roxas snapped his head up to look back at Axel with a slight glare for those words. They didn't help his mood very much and he could already feel his hands tightening around the sheets under him. He didn't snap back at Axel with any words, instead he moved across the bed to settle himself between the Heartless' legs. Soon enough he was moving up further until he was straddling Axel's lap and grabbed both his arms to pin him to the bed, making sure to dig nails into the tattoos that lay on skin. "You're not funny." The words were near whispered as he looked down at the Heartless.

Axel's fingers twitched at the nails digging into the place where he personally kept his weapons. Given the emotions that ebbed from Roxas' heart, the restrictive action and nails clicked something offensive in Axel. Still he kept his cool, trying to be patient since Roxas just needed to blow off some steam. "And you're not playing nice."

Roxas continued to keep his grip just as it was even after those words. For him it was only a small satisfaction to be in control of something after such an insane week so far. He wanted to keep it up for as long as he could and that thought came across perfectly clear by the determined look on his face. "Who said anything about playing nice?"

Axel narrowed his eyes as he kept quiet for a second. He wasn't amused at being the one to receive the brunt of Roxas' frustrations over his friend once more. "... Let go, Roxas," he calmly spoke each word.

Roxas seemed to ignore the demand since his eyes had strayed away from Axel's face and towards one of the Heartless' arms he had pinned instead. "You remember before?" His words started out quiet and in a steady voice. "Remember when we used to spar for whatever reason we wanted?" He blinked his eyes slowly as if in a daze and for a split second his grip tightened around the one arm he kept his attention on before going slack again. He finally looked back down at Axel with narrowed eyes. "What if I don't want to let go?" He finally spoke up against Axel's earlier words, dropping the subject he had just brought up entirely instead of waiting for an answer.

Axel blinked away his cold gaze as he just stared up at Roxas. He wasn't sure which subject he wanted to follow up on. Either way Roxas' attitude was rather alarming. "... Roxas." He was at a loss of what to do or say. Roxas was goading something he really shouldn't; crossing into dangerous territory.

"Hmm?" Roxas finally let a small grin slip past his lips, although his eyes still stayed narrowed. All day he had been afraid he would lash out at the first person he would see on the street and had even snapped at the ice cream vendor who had only said hello to him. He just couldn't help it. His frustration had reached its peak and he had no escape out of it until now. "I just want to have some fun, Axel." The words had left him quietly since he had leaned down to speak them near the Heartless' face while his hands finally loosened their tight hold somewhat.

Axel's fingers twitched again since he couldn't figure out any action that wouldn't have any negative results. "... The kind of fun you're thinking of we've left in the past." His eyes narrowed as his expression grew stoic. "You can't always solve everything by beating it senseless, Roxas. I've been nothing but patient with you. And given that I'm a Heartless, that's pretty damn good." His own voice fell quiet. "... We all have our breaking points. Don't push it, Roxas. Not with me."

The quiet threat seemed to be enough to finally detour Roxas. With a quick blink of his eyes he backed away and let go of Axel's arms completely as well. It was more then obvious he was still troubled by the expression that had settled itself back on his face, but he ignored his own thoughts for the moment. "I wasn't going to beat anything senseless. I'm just sick of feeling so messed up. I don't have any kind of escape." He stared at Axel for a few seconds before he finally moved off of the Heartless and got off the bed to grab his bag from the floor.

Axel immediately sat himself up when Roxas got off him. He rubbed his wrists, the little black chakram that had been dug into by nails. He then rested his hands down on the bed, when he did the human guise flitted away from him in a whoosh of dissipating pixels to reveal the pale Heartless form underneath. Axel moved to perch on the edge of the bed watching Roxas for but a moment but with the blink of an eye he was gone.

"You wanted this," the words were whispered darkly behind Roxas' ear. The boy's own wrist that had grabbed his back pack was caught in an unyielding hold. "... You have no idea what it's like to fight your own nature; the need to damage hearts right inside their ribcages where they stand." Roxas' other wrist was caught up. "And despite being in a populated town, each life is dead, hollowed inside... the only living heart you have to corrupt is the one you've given everything to breathe life into." Roxas' free hand was pulled back as the hand around his wrist tightened. "... You can't imagine that temptation." Axel's lips barely brushed with their cool breath against the rim of Roxas' ear. "The raw emotion it gives off beckoning you like a lover's touch in the most intimate of places... Remorse, regret, both are very easily forgotten in the heat of the moment." Roxas could feel the dark grin against the back of his ear. "So let’s not get dramatic about 'escape'."

Roxas swallowed hard after each word that had been spoken. The sudden tight grip that Axel had, had him easily startled. He didn't even see the Heartless move since he had been so preoccupied with his bag. The heavy item dropped to the floor with a loud noise as he let it slide from his fingers, which was difficult with the way Axel held onto him. He glanced to the side to try and get a better look at the Heartless, but he couldn't see that far back. Roxas twisted both his hands as best he could and scowled when he had no luck in really moving them much. "Whatever happened to not pushing it, Axel?"

Axel gave a 'heh' against Roxas' ear. "What's wrong, Roxas?" Without mercy he yanked Roxas' hands back to gather his wrists together in one hand. "Can't take what you dish out?" His free hand gripped the back of Roxas' neck, slipping around to run across the front of his throat. "I think you'll learn very quickly that Heartless are very different than Nobodies." His hand slipped down Roxas' chest. "We thrive on that aggression, frustration, anger." Dark fingers lingered over the boy's heart stirring the emotion that was there with just a few movements before his hand fell lower. "And I think you'll learn even more quickly," his fingers slipped under the hem of Roxas' shirt, "unlike Nobodies," Axel's touch invited itself across Roxas' skin under his shirt, "we make terrible emotional punching bags." He raked nails down Roxas' chest.

Roxas had sucked in a breath as soon as Axel's fingers lingered over his heart. His anger and annoyance made itself known more then ever in that one moment and he once again tried to fight against the hold Axel had on his hands. The struggling only had him flinching since the Heartless had his hands pulled back so far, but his mind was snapped out of it quick as soon as he felt Axel's other hand under his shirt. It wasn't like usual. Something about the touch felt vindictive and it caused Roxas to squirm as soon as he felt the nails. "Let me go, Axel." He spoke the words through gritted teeth. He knew the small demand more then likely wouldn't be enough, but it was the only thing he had after such words and the touches Axel had been giving.

Roxas didn't need to see the grin to feel it, without breath on his skin. Axel's voice was a mock echo of Roxas' previously spoken words. "What if I don't want to let go?" His lips brushed along the rim of Roxas' ear, the tip of tongue running along its edge. "I just want to have some fun, Roxas." He then playfully bit Roxas' ear much harder than he normally would.

At first Roxas had been fine with the simple lick, but it was the hard bite that had him letting out a quiet hiss. Whether it was playful of not, it still hurt, but he was sure at the moment that Axel probably didn't care much. Still, he played along with the mocking words while his eyes strayed to his bedroom door and narrowed. "So far I don't like your idea of fun as much as I usually do."

Axel ran his tongue over his own teeth, his grin spreading with interest. "No?" His hand smoothed over Roxas' chest, invading personal contact while keeping Roxas close. "Because I'm having one hell of a time. Very cathartic." He took the rim of Roxas' ear again, this time being much more gentle with his mouth, his tongue a thorough contrast to his fierce bite before.

The sudden change had Roxas tensing up for a split second. It wasn't long before he was letting out a low moan at how good the difference felt against the sensitive area. He tried to squirm once again, but the effort wasn't there half as much as last time. "Sadist..." The word slipped past his lips in response to Axel's own spoken words when he finally found the voice to speak again.

Axel let go of Roxas' ear. "Masochist," he countered expectantly. He blew cool air to the wet skin he'd previously sucked on. "You build yourself up... just to be knocked down. You fight so hard." Underneath Roxas' shirt he took one nub between two fingers. "But all you really want is to lose." He pinched hard. "You can't respect someone until they've beaten you down. Hard."

Roxas had been about to open his mouth to try and get a word in, but it was Axel's fingers that did him in and had him near squirming again. As much as he tried not to let out a sound it was no use as a louder moan left him in the form of Axel's name. He tried to yank his wrists free at the same time, suddenly hating the fact he was bound, but still getting nowhere.

The Heartless couldn't help but enjoy every bit of his captive; the writhing, the sound of his name in whining plea, but mostly that spike of hatred that nailed it altogether. "That's what I like to hear," Axel barely murmured the words below Roxas' ear near his neck. "I'm sure if I had you exactly like this years ago, you would never have left... Who needs 'love' when you have such powerful bonds like: possession and lust." Axel's hand splayed over where Roxas' heart lay underneath. He could feel the quick flutter of heart, delicate and fast like a bird caught in someone's hand. "Puts a new perspective on our 'could be', 'should be', 'what if's’, doesn't it?"

Roxas hated himself for the needy little whine that left his lips, but did his best to ignore it while he glared at the door once again. He chewed at his bottom lip for a few seconds while he tried to find his voice since it seemed to have left him. When he did it came out more then a little annoyed. "If you had me exactly like this years ago I probably would have punched you in the gut." His fingers twitched, but he made no other move to break free. "Besides, you're possessive enough already."

Axel smirked all the more. "Sorry, Roxas," his dark fingers traced over skin, it wasn't the anger nor the loathful emotions he toyed with this time, but the same ones that had that noise leaving Roxas' lips, "but those words don't match that needy sound." He traced around the nub there before trailing down, following down one side's set of ribs and around Roxas' belly button before skirting a little past waist line. "Say what matches your heart." Axel's hand slipped out from under Roxas' shirt only to grip the bottom of it. "Or don't say anything at all." He began to slowly drag the shirt up.

Roxas felt as if that one hand would be the death of him with just simple touches and nothing else. He could feel his heart quicken in his chest with just the play of emotions and what was stirred up caused him to let out a louder moan he just couldn't stop. His breath quickened when fingers traced lower down his skin and his eyes were soon dropping to watch when his shirt was moved up. He opened his mouth again to speak; making it obvious each word and touch was getting to him. "Damnit, Axel..."

Axel let a nail drag along skin as he dragged the shirt up. “‘Damnit, Axel' what?" He tucked the gathered up shirt under Roxas' neck and over his shoulders so it wouldn't fall. He let just his nails trail over the skin now exposed to the air. "And you better make it good." The Heartless nipped the lobe of Roxas' ear, speaking quite near in a hissed whisper after. "Because I know you want it bad."

Roxas was determined to try and keep his mouth clamped tight shut, but those nails were rather malicious. His head felt clouded and he couldn't bite back with any usual angered retort because of Axel's play on his emotions. His eyes fell half lidded and he soon found himself letting out a quiet hiss after the small bite to his ear. "Damnit, stop teasing me..." The words were spoken much quieter then last time and he finally tried once again to free his hands from the Heartless' grip.

Axel tightened his hold on Roxas' wrists, yanking his hands back as he kept him restrained. He nosed away Roxas' shirt from his shoulder so he could touch a possessive kiss against bare skin. "I bet you like this frustration much better." He gave a fierce love bite to Roxas' shoulder. "Because I know all you're thinking of is me. And each thought isn't all that chaste, dear Roxas." A few fingers brushed across Roxas' waist line and with a simple flick the top button of his skater shorts was undone. "... So give in." Axel cheated his murmur to Roxas but a deeper part, to the quick pounding in his chest.

Roxas gave another small whine in his frustration. The one bite and flick of a button already had him nearly crumbling as it was. The way Axel continued to play with his heart didn't help matters, but the quiet murmur of words that struck him much harder then any of the touches given so far seemed to push him much farther over the edge. He couldn't help the small clench of fists despite the hold the Heartless had on his wrists that had become more then a little painful. "Axel..." The name was spoken out in a low moan between teeth and short breath.

Axel pinched the metal pull to Roxas' shorts between two fingers and slowly drew the zipper down, slow enough so Roxas could feel each metal tooth part as it was pulled lower. “‘Axel’ what?" He stopped completely, never moving or taking a single breath as he waited for Roxas' answer. Sometimes nothing was the absolute torture.

Roxas groaned low in his throat as he felt the zipper move down inch by agonizing inch. It was hell and put his mind into even more of a daze then it was already in. When the movement stopped he couldn't help whining once again since his self control had left him long ago. For a few long seconds he stayed silent after Axel's words, but soon he answered in a shaky voice. "Don't stop..." They were the words that made it obvious the Heartless had won.

It was those two words that had Axel grinning once more, that was all he needed; for now. He continued to pull down the zipper, still pulling each metal tooth slowly apart as he dragged it down. He enjoyed each needy noise Roxas made to encourage him to hurry; if anything it only slowed his actions. Each second was so much more enjoyable when it was drawn out. "Tell me exactly what you want," Axel ordered in a low husky tone. His thumb pushed the corner of Roxas' undone pants down just a little before it stilled, waiting for the other's answer.

Roxas squirmed at the torture of having hands stop so abruptly once again. It was so aggravating and he felt like snapping at Axel for it, but the Heartless wouldn't even give him that satisfaction. He was toying with his feelings too well. In the small space of his room only his quick breath could be heard along with a few trembling whimpers until he decided to speak again. "You." Roxas swallowed hard after the one quiet word, frustrated that he was reduced to near begging. “God... Axel I want you, damnit." He continued in a whine.

"Beautiful." Axel's grin was nothing short of pleased. He granted Roxas the touch he wanted, slipping his thin fingers dangerously low beneath the boy's waist line. He traced the curves of hips, dragging nails across hip bone. But the touch didn't last long, not how Roxas wanted it. Axel pulled his hand back taking the shirt that was still around Roxas' shoulders. He pulled it over Roxas' head, down his arms, letting the tangle of shirts keep the boy's wrists restrained for him. Now with both hands free he placed either on Roxas' cheeks to tilt his head back to look at him, letting him see just who had him so mastered. Axel trailed one hand up and down the front of Roxas' throat while his other held tight to his chin. "How much?" Axel's eyes fell heavily lidded his normally brilliant green eyes now dull and glowing since he gave into his Heartless nature. But how he grinned; he wanted to see Roxas' face when he answered.

Roxas' eyes widened at the faint glow of Axel's own. It wasn't something he had ever seen before, but for some reason it didn't alarm him and his gaze fell half way once more. Only need and lust in his own eyes instead of the fear most people would have shown in the face of such a thing. "So much..." He breathed the words out in a near whisper and swallowed hard afterwards. The action only caused him to feel the fingers at his throat even more. "So bad..." He couldn't help but speak out in a whine again. Since his hands had more freedom, despite the binding shirts, he was able to reach a few fingers back to grab onto Axel. Satisfied at the fact he was finally able to touch the Heartless on his own.

Axel pursed his lips a little before he leaned down, tilting Roxas' head back just that much more. It seemed as if he'd touch his lips to Roxas' but he stopped suddenly. He let his tongue slip out and gave a slow lick across Roxas' lips. He lifted his head up before Roxas' tongue could join in the fun. "… By the time I'm done," he grinned teeth, "you won't remember your own name."

---

Darkness had taken over the small bedroom as evening had turned into night by just one long look out the large window. It was hard to tell what time it was though, since there was no clock. Books that had once been laid across the bed had been thrown aside wherever they would land on the floor along with clothes since that piece of furniture had long since become occupied. The once perfect sheets were no longer that and even suffered a few holes when the rough and tumble got particularly interesting in the way of a few burns.

Arms that had clearly suffered the brunt of such a session, from the obvious signs of branded hand prints on wrists, were the only thing that stuck out from beneath those same sheets. The rest of the small body was as covered as it could get, cocooned from the outside world and had been for a while. Only small twitches from fingers even signaled the body was remotely alive.

The Heartless responsible for the intense throes lay beside the unconscious human. He lay sprawled on his back; though the sheets did little to cover him since Roxas somehow greedily required them all. It was with the pooling of shadow around him that Axel finally let his eyes slip open; glowing yellow. The night there might have been farce, but in the real world where the computer that housed their program sat night had settled in at the same time. The computer itself was hidden away in that forsaken mansion, plunged in darkness thought to be broken and forgotten. It was easy to pull strength from that pitch blackness, replacing what had been spent exhausting Roxas' frustrations.

With a few blinks yellow dissipated to the normal green as Axel took in his surroundings with new consciousness. His head swam with the excess emotion Roxas' heart had given off, like a haunted echo of thoughts and passion that throbbed deep in his skull; best described as a 'Heartless hangover'. But the cool dark of night was soon mending all evidence of what had happened. The few deep bite marks that Roxas had managed to give him began to heal away along with the many ragged scratches along his arms over the tattoo that curled around them. The passionate scratches along such a personal place had been the cause for the burns in their fiery moment.

Axel gave a long unneeded breath, closing his eyes a moment as he gathered himself. When he opened his eyes again he glanced out the window and soon a crooked smirk crossed his lips. They didn't close the drapes again. Though he supposed he should have realized that when he had Roxas pressed up against it, but his mind had been on far more important things; even if it was perhaps exhibitions.

Axel turned his attention next on Roxas; who for the moment seemed as if he'd never find consciousness again. What a way to go. He reached over and pulled the sheet down from Roxas' head to check for life.

Roxas seemed to feel the sudden draft that the better part of the sheet had been keeping away from him. It had his brows lowering in annoyance, but the expression was weak at best. His hands twitched on top of the pillow his head rested on, trying to grab the blanket that had already been taken from him. When they met nothing but air he instantly gave up on it, too exhausted to really care much even if he had only moved his fingers an inch.

Axel was little more than amused looking over Roxas' state, had he known better he'd of thought the boy looked as if he'd been in a fight and lost horrible. The downfall with being human was how easily the soft skin was marred. The damage was greater than he thought, but he didn't feel any guilt for every scratch or bruise he'd marked Roxas' skin with. If anything he was proud; it only proved that every inch was his to keep, inside and out. He was sure Roxas wouldn't forget it now either.

The Heartless reached out to gently brush his knuckle against Roxas' cheek; a contrast to the roughness they'd indulged in prior that day.

A soft sigh left Roxas' lips at the simple touch and for a split second he moved his head towards it until the action had him flinching. His whole body ached from so much abuse and it was that which had him finally letting out some semblance of noise. It was only a small groan and in the end he turned his head to bury his face as far as he could into the pillow he rested on, hoping to be left alone for maybe a year or two, tops.

Axel gave a soft sound of amusement at Roxas' painful misfortunate. Since the boy turned his head he ran his fingers through Roxas' hair, still damp from sweat. He was sure that if let be Roxas would sleep through school, if not an entire grade if given the chance. He'd taken so much from Roxas, more than just physical, but mental and emotionally. He'd toyed and manipulated a side that Roxas had only just gotten. Axel wasn't entirely sure why he'd allowed his darker nature to get the better of him. Perhaps it was more than just a week's worth of frustrations, but a second life's worth as well. Either way it left him truly satisfied; it was well needed. A darker side of him mused that his Nobody would truly be impressed; if not shocked at what his Heartless had done.

Axel lazily turned his gaze back outside the window. The stars were watching the aftermath now that their neighbours were asleep; amusing, voyeuristic little dots of pixilated light. For all ironies he didn't have the heart to bother Roxas as he was. So with a raise of a few fingers and a weak gesture he made a shooting star go by, and made a small wish on it for something to preoccupy himself.

The shifts in the mattress did little to help Roxas rest not to mention he was losing air the way he had decided to bury himself. It wasn't long before he turned his head back to exactly how he had been resting it in the first place, but eyes had cracked open mere inches to peer over at the Heartless beside him. Although, his gaze seemed a little unfocused at best it was still one of the better signs of being alive that he had given so far.

Axel turned his head to look back at Roxas, surprised the teen still had enough energy to be conscious. "Hey," he quietly whispered, his voice just a little hoarse. "You live. Heh, barely." He reached out again to touch Roxas' cheek, brushing aside the blonde hair from those heavily lidded eyes. "You can go to sleep, y'know."

Roxas blinked his eyes slowly and the one action seemed to snap him out of the daze he was in for the time being, although his eyes never opened any wider. It took him a while to process what was said and when he spoke his voice was much worse then Axel's own, but still he managed. "M'fine." He turned his attention around the room, realizing just then how dark it was. "... Jus' can't get comfy. 'Sall." He swallowed thickly after just those few words and turned his attention back on Axel.

The Heartless turned on his side to face Roxas. He lifted up a corner of the sheets noticing a rather big burned hole. "Mostly my doing." He stuck a finger through the hole and wiggled it. "Hmm, I seemed to have ruined your sheets too." He dropped the sheet, amused. Axel turned his attention back onto Roxas. "After some rough fun, would some cuddling fix that?"

Roxas had given a small shiver when the sheet was lifted up, but still he watched Axel's every move. It was the Heartless' last few words that finally had a rather weak smile coming to his face. "I d'nno..." He tried his best to speak up once again and shrugged a shoulder as much as his body would allow. "Maybe."

That was enough for Axel and he returned Roxas' smile with a brief smirk, amused by Roxas' weak state, before he lifted the sheet up to scoot next to the boy. He slipped his arms around Roxas' middle minding the bruises at the teen's hips as he pulled him close. He pulled the sheet closer around them, ignoring the burn holes. Axel gave a small quiet laugh. "Mmm, sticky, how pleasant." Despite, Axel nuzzled Roxas' shoulder as he cuddled the poor sore, dazed Roxas. "Better?"

Roxas buried himself against Axel as soon as he was pulled near, ignoring every ache in his body to do so. He managed to move one arm away from the pillow to wrap it around the Heartless so fingers could tangle briefly in hair before falling back down around Axel's shoulders. "Mmm... much..." The words came out in a near purr and his next words made it obvious as to why. "You're so warm..."

It was nice to have some gentle touch and contact; it felt good in their drained state with languid motion, after such violent intimacies. Axel nuzzled Roxas' bed head, rightly comfortable now with the boy in his arms. "Fire Heartless, remember? It comes with the territory." He ran his hand lazily up and down Roxas' spine. "Mmm, this is nice."

Roxas hummed his agreement to the words and soon gave another soft sigh because of the hand moving along his back. "I like it... this." The words were still spoken just as quiet as usual expect this time around, a bit muffled. "You're better then a blanket anyway, Axel..." One of his fingers traced lazy circles on the Heartless' shoulder. His brow furrowed, but the usual look of annoyance that would come over his face just wasn't there. He seemed to be pouting more then anything. "You ruined my sheets..."

Axel let his eyes flutter shut, relaxed by the tracing easy, subdued by Roxas' docile behavour. "Hmm, no, we ruined your sheets. We tend to ruin your sheets anyway with 'winding down'." He distracted Roxas from the problem with a few affectionate kisses on his jaw and neck; making up for each mark he'd left there. "Besides, you just said I'm better than a blanket," he gave a playful whine as he kissed Roxas' ear.

Another small lazy smile made its way across Roxas' face because of the few kisses he received. The whine that Axel gave only had him letting out a quiet laugh that tickled the back of his sore throat, but he didn't really mind much. "You are." Just to prove his own words he cuddled even closer to the Heartless as best he could and finally turned his head enough to look Axel in the face. He seemed to stare at the Heartless for a few seconds and his smile grew a little as he moved his arm back to tap a finger on one tattoo under an eye. "Heh... not glowing no more."

Axel blinked and raised a hand instinctively to rub where Roxas tapped. "Glowing?"

Roxas dropped his hand when Axel had brought his own up. "Yeah..." His arm slipped back around Axel to bring more of the other's warmth close to him as he kept talking. "Eyes... they were glowing. The entire time. They're not anymore." He tried to shrug his shoulder again and kept his gaze on Axel's face until he suddenly let out a yawn that had him scrunching up his eyes.

"Oh. Glowing," Axel weakly echoed. "My eyes, right." He drew his legs up to curl near around Roxas, keeping that naturally warmer touch near. "I'm a Heartless, that'll happen." But a lazy smirk crossed his lips as other things crossed his mind with the subject. "Y'know, if it wasn't for the dark of night I'd be as out of it as you. I'm rested without the need for sleep. But Hell if I'm going to leave this bed. You're so cozy like this." Axel cuddled Roxas nearer to prove it.

Roxas let out a little noise with the movements if only for the fact his aches and pains were made worse since he wasn't ready for it. He kept near though, and even let out another small purr at having more warmth, letting it be known that he didn't mind the small discomfort. "That's cheating." Roxas teased with his words over the fact that the Heartless was so quick to be okay again. His hand fell down once more, but instead of pulling away it stopped on Axel's chest where it drew an invisible heart in lazy motions with one finger. "But you always cheat anyway..." The smile was back on his face.

Axel rested his hand over Roxas' after the heart was drawn. "God moding is what I do." He grinned some. "I enjoy it immensely. Or rather, I enjoyed it immensely." He gave a quiet chuckle. "You're acting rather cute right now. Like a kitten. An over sexed kitten." He gave a lazy laugh.

"Hmm... really?" Roxas seemed to actually think about the words spoken to him as his eyes stayed on their hands. "Maybe." It was the only conclusion he came to, but it seemed to satisfy him enough. He turned his gaze back on Axel's face while he rested his head down, pillowed on his other arm. "I never did my homework." His smile grew a little after those words and his amusement turned into a quiet laugh as he looked back at their hands.

Axel laughed with Roxas. "I never finished my essay." He rested his head on Roxas'. "Screw it. Let's play hooky tomorrow. You'll probably sleep through it anyway. And I'm sure it'll be very uncomfortable for you to sit in a hard chair all day." He nosed Roxas' cheek. "You can't say no, because if you do I'll just change your mind." With a sly grin he placed a slow kiss to Roxas' bruised lips.

Roxas gave a little whimper against the kiss, but still responded to it. It was with a few taps to Axel's chest that he pulled his lips away and let out a small drawn out whine as he licked at his lips. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'd much rather lay right here all day then go back to school." His eyes moved across Axel's face before he reached up to run fingers down the Heartless' cheek. "'Sides, if we stay here you don't have to change so quick for everyone. I get to look at you just like this." He rested his head back down on his arm after his words, but kept his hand right where it was, tracing down towards Axel's jaw.

Axel's eyes fell halfway shut as he watched Roxas with a soft gaze. "...Really?" His blink was lazy. "You don't mind it?" His smile was weak. "I thought appearance didn't matter to you." He couldn't help but feel a little touched, despite his original reasoning for letting the guise fall.

Roxas just barely shook his head before he answered. "It doesn't, but it's still just a disguise, right?" His hand finally fell away to rest back where it had been from the start, to rest near Axel's shoulder where he began to toy with a few strands of the spiky mess that was the Heartless' hair. "I miss the real you sometimes. The you that no one else gets to see." He leaned forward a bit to place a small kiss on Axel's arm before he continued speaking. "I don't want you to stay hidden from me all the time."

Axel let his eyes fall shut for a long moment. "…It won't be a disguise forever. Soon it'll be what I really look like." He looked down at Roxas, then to their hands. "We want a real life... to be normal. Heh, but I don't think we'll ever really be 'normal' even when I am human." He slipped his dark fingers between Roxas'. "We were made to live how we want. It isn't our fault that society wasn't made to fit our wild ways." Axel knew he was rambling, so to shut himself up he raised their hands and kissed the bruise that braceletted around the teen's hand. "... I miss you too."

Roxas smiled once again at just that one simple kiss and the words spoken after. It seemed to amuse him a little that Axel had gone off a bit, since he wasn't used to his friend rambling in such a way. "I think we'll be okay." The words were almost whispered as he wiggled his fingers playfully in Axel's hold. "Normal is so boring anyway. It's much more fun to just be ourselves." He kept quiet for a few seconds before he gave a small noise and asked a curious question. "Do you remember a lot about your Somebody... or... just your Other I suppose?"

Axel drew out a thoughtful noise. "My Somebody, huh? Mmm... no, I guess not. I think that knowledge was more my Nobody's department. He had all the memories of our former life. But even still, after he met you, I don't think he gave those a second thought." He looked down at their twined fingers; pale and black. "... He didn't lie, yknow. He may not have been able to love you, but I did." He made a soft sound. "I hate you so much, with such fervor, but... my better half loves you more. So, it makes me wonder what kind of person I'll end up as when so many disorganized pieces and emotions finally get glued back together." Axel slowly shook his head against the pillow. "I wish I could remember who I was and what I was like but... I don't remember much save for the moment I was born."

Roxas chewed at his lip when the word hate had come into play during the conversation. It was an expected thing, but it didn't make it hurt any less even with the words spoken afterwards. His attention turned back to their hands and he stared for a few seconds more before he was able to find words again to respond with. "You'll be just as much a good person when you become whole as you are now, Axel." His words were tired and sluggish, but he still continued to speak. "I still feel a lot of guilt, you know? All because of actually being able to feel at all since what happened. I didn't mean for things to get so out of hand, for things to hurt so much. I guess... I thought because of who or what we were... it would be so easy to snip that little thread we had connecting us. Guess I was wrong."

Axel gave a shrug that seemed weak and uninterested; but it was just to mask the usual hurt that came with the subject of the past. "Yeah, well, the word 'no' was never in my vocabulary. Heh...” He watched their hands longer. "... I think you're rather mislead about me being a 'good person'. Especially after that enthusiastic romp not long ago." The grin was hard to keep on his lips at that. "I'm vindictive, manipulative, and so much more selfish than my other half. Most of that will probably change." He rolled his eyes. "I'll probably be some butt luv'n hippie, professing love every few minutes. Lame." He scoffed.

Roxas let out a loud laugh at that which was much different from the thoughtful state he had just been in seconds ago. It was a painful action and he ended up coughing afterwards, but still didn't seem to mind very much. As soon as he was quiet again there was still the hint of a smile on his face while he started to speak up again. "I don't think you'll be anything that bad. You never know. Besides..." He finally untangled their hands so he could lift his own up as far as he could, staring at the hand print that was branded perfectly around his wrist. "Everything you've done still makes you a good person whether you think so or not. You can't help it if you have to just let go sometimes." He finally turned his attention back on Axel's face and gave the Heartless a weak smirk.

Axel looked at the same bruise around Roxas' wrist with a small bit of awe. His fingers drew up along the teen's arm, drawing goose bumps with the slow slight touch. When his fingers reached the bruise he wrapped his hand very loosely around Roxas' wrist, finding that his hand fit the darkened skin perfectly. "I guess if that's what you think, that's all that matters." He let go of the boy's wrist to slip his hand around so they were palm to palm; his hand was much longer than Roxas'. "But you're high as a kite right now, so I'm not sure how solid your opinions are right now." He gave a soft laugh.

"That's not a fair thing to say..." Roxas tried to defend himself, but the words were weak at best. His eyes had moved back to their hands as soon as Axel's fingers touched his wrist and his attention stayed there the entire time. He kept quiet again, only humming every few seconds to break the silence around them, until he gave a slow blink as he questioned their all around actions of earlier. "Mmm... mad at me?"

Axel pulled their hands back down to rest back down between them. He busied himself with running his fingertips over Roxas' knuckles. "Hm?" His brows rose a little at Roxas' question. "Mad?"

"Yeah, mad." Roxas repeated the word just as quietly as it had been spoken before. "Ya know, for making you snap like that. Just wondering if you were mad at me." His tongue peaked out from the corner of his lips as he tried to think carefully over his words in the fog that his memory was in. It was hard to point out the time between then and what seemed like hours before, and which more then likely was. "What you said about my heart being the only one around you, having to control yourself, that kind of thing. I guess I didn't help. Though, I don't think I regret it." He looked back at Axel and finally managed a small grin. "Was that solid enough?"

Axel quietly chuckled. "Yeah, solid enough." He gave a small sound. "Maybe I was. I guess I had enough of your usual attitude. You have a life, friends, everything, to come back to... and I was just an addition that already didn't fit. Everyone thinks I'm a no good punk. My real life here, just you, you're my life. And I was getting attitude for all my patience that's already against my dark nature." Axel blinked and gave a sad smirk. "... Guess we both got our frustrations out. Me more than any of us." He grinned some. "I put you in your place." He leaned forward and nipped at Roxas' ear. "Lesson learned," he murmured against the boy's ear.

Roxas let out another soft little purr at the small bite and words spoken. He squirmed just a little against Axel, but kept still just as quick when the movement caused him to flinch. "Yeah you did and it was a really fun lesson I'll admit." He freed his hand so he could curl it back around Axel once again, pulling the Heartless as close as he could to use him as a pillow as well as extra warmth. "Mmm... I love you, Axel. So glad I can tell you now." His voice grew quieter as he nuzzled his face against the Heartless' chest.

"Heh, well I'll admit I love making you beg and scream, especially like you did." Axel settled his arms back around Roxas to encase him in a warm embrace. "Even if you won't be walking straight for a year." He rested his head atop Roxas' and against the pillow. "Mmm, sappy cuddles and 'I love you's’ after angry sex, I love it." Axel nosed Roxas' hair with a nuzzle. "And you."

Roxas gave his own lazy 'heh' after such words. He was slowly drifting off since he had gotten comfortable enough to do so. He hadn't been lying when he said Axel was much better then a blanket. The Heartless was so much warmer then his ruined sheets and he easily took up all the warmth that he could since Axel had slipped his arms around him. In the span of only a few minutes his eyes had slipped shut and he fell into an easy sleep for the second time.