Title: Breaking Routine
Rating: T
Pairings, if any: Axel/Roxas, Riku/Sora, Demyx/Naminé
Summary: Axel, Roxas decided, was a life-screwing, chair-stealing, arrogant bastard and those librarians were utterly useless.
Word Count: 4092, for this part
Warnings: I attempted AU, lol. That alone should warn you.
A/N: This is only part one of two, though it might turn out to be 3 if it keeps growing. This thing is insane, in that it just won't end no matter how much I beg and plead and make sadfaces at the compute screen. It's given me so much trouble, and I hope I carried them over well. Thanks to chibi once more, for getting it done so fast! Also thanks to bittercrimson for the help on ages and advice on Axel.

Roxas sat at the same table in the library, at the same time, on the same three days of the week, every single week that he was able. If he, by some chance, was not able to sit at the exact table, at the exact time, on one of the exact three days that he set aside to come to the library-- well, it just didn't happen. He had a routine going, had something smooth and right and normal going around, a kind of system that he followed every week and it worked well for him. His food didn't touch at lunch or dinner (he never had breakfast, finding he couldn't eat that early in the morning; instead, he always had coffee with two teaspoons of sugar and no cream). He kept everything clean and neat, with the slightest tinge of possibly OCD showing through every time he made extra-sure to wipe things down a second (fourth, really, but who was counting, right?) time.

October 13 (Saturday), 2007

With the full intent of showing up at the library, combing through useless bits of information and then half-assing an attempt at a research paper, Roxas slipped in the door, hoisting his book bag up a little higher over his shoulder, then froze abruptly. There was someone at his table; and if that weren't enough (which really, his mind protested sharply, it was!), the person was also sitting in his chair.

Turning around in one smooth move, Roxas headed back out of the library, scowling at the ground. It was probably just a one-time thing, like chicken-pox or…the plague. That was one time too- you got it, and it was over for you (granted, if you got the plague, it was over- you were dead). Heading around another corner, Roxas nodded. That was what it was. The stupid redhead seated at his desk was like chicken pox and he'd be gone by Monday.

October 15 (Monday), 2007

Roxas marched in a little bit early (three minutes and forty one seconds, but he wasn't counting) intent on getting his seat back and keeping it because, really, why did people have to take his when he had been there for so long anyway?

Frowning, Roxas turned the corner again, scanning the tables and then gritting his teeth. An unwelcome splash of red hair was parked at his seat, at his table, on his day, and he was damned if he wasn't going to do something about it.

He ignored the telling look on the librarian's face, and the little whispers between her and her brunette friend who giggled at everything while they were supposed to be doing their job. Coming up to the man, Roxas tapped him on the shoulder sharply and then waited.

And waited.

And waited more, until the man finally flipped his book closed and looked up, a smirk on his lips. "Kinda readin' here," he said helpfully, voice a little low and rough; arrogance seemed to ooze from him. "Whatd'd'ya need, kid?"

Infuriated beyond all reason, Roxas huffed out a curse and turned on his heel, leaving the library with the echoing creak of the man leaning back on the chair, and the giggles of the librarians following him.

October 17 (Wednesday), 2007

Striding into the library with focus, with purpose, with a hint of anger, Roxas blew through the racks of books and when he came to the table (still occupied by that asshole), he stared. The man didn't seem to notice, or care, so Roxas reached out and yanked out the chair the man had been using as a foot rest, dropping his bookbag on it and scowling.

"S'Blondie again," the man said as a greeting, lips curling back up in that little smile. "Listen, I'm kind of busy right now, so…"

"I am, too," Roxas hissed out, hands on his hips and glaring as best as he knew how, and then some. "You're in my spot!"

Green eyes went a little wide at that, tattoos creeping up as his face twisted into something like surprise. "Your spot?" the man echoed questioningly, glancing around the spot and patting the chair. "I don't see a name on it."

"There's other chairs!" Roxas' voice was louder than a hiss now, but the librarians didn't bother to quiet him, the majority of them watched him and the newcomer. "Look! A library full of them! You don't have to take this one!"

Closing his book carefully after sticking a bookmark in-between the pages, Axel rolled his shoulders back and looked up again. "You're right," he said, shifting a little and looking around. He didn't miss the slightly relieved look on the blond's face at the move- no doubt he expected him to leave. "There are a lot. I'm sure you could have any pick you liked; I was generous and left you a pretty damn good selection" -a big, asshole-worthy grin- "Thank me later, Blondie."

Roxas made a noise, half strangled anger, half an attempt to just say something, and dropped down in the chair the man nudged out for him with his other foot. The blond got no work done, simply seething and staring at the words on the page in an attempt to read them, all too infuriated with the man who calmly went through his books, did whatever he was doing, packed up and then offered him a breezy goodbye. It was only when the man was gone that Roxas caught the last words. "See ya Saturday."

Blanching, Roxas dropped his head onto his books and the librarians went back to work, their source of entertainment gone.

October 20 (Saturday), 2007

Clutching his coffee to himself, Roxas stepped into the library, sipping at it somewhat calmly, though the mix of caffeine and the overwhelming question of 'is he going to be here again?' was running through his head.

To his dismay and annoyance the man was there, calmly flipping through pages and scratching down notes with a pencil that looked half-used and half-chewed on. Without having to even look up, the man nudged the free chair out to the blond and, glaring, Roxas sat down with a huff, getting out last week's reading, and not getting any of it until he buckled down and really tried.

A few hours later, the man packed his things up easily, throwing on his jacket, and then throwing a semi-mocking wave at the boy. "Later," he said, and headed out, leaving Roxas to glare a hole into his book. Glare he did, and the librarians milled about, pretending to do their jobs.

October 22 (Monday), 2007

A peace offering of sorts awaited Roxas on Monday. There was no offer of bribery, or anything else, just two chairs sitting at opposite ends of the tables, the man waiting in one of them, glancing up when Roxas approached. "What happened to my seat?" He asked, waving at the empty spot, trying to figure out why the chairs had been moved.

The man's grin was slow and wicked as he leaned back. "Figured I'd make it easier on you. Now you don't know which chair's yours, so you can pick one, or just sit there and suffer through thinking if it's really your chair or not." White teeth flashing in that wicked smile, the redhead waited, watching Roxas practically weight it out in front of him, trying to figure out if he might be sitting in 'his' chair or not. Another long moment of deliberation and Roxas finally plopped down in the other chair, finally starting to get some work done, relieved when Axel started to pick up a while later, his time ending at the library.

"Later Blondie," he called with a mock salute, pausing as though he had forgotten something. "By the way, you must be on to somethin'. Your chair's really comfortable."

Roxas was pretty sure he just suffered a miniature heart-attack of rage, if there were such a thing.

October 24 (Wednesday), 2007

On Wednesday, Kairi, a part-time librarian, had brought in a friend to keep her company. Selphie (the other part-time girl) was on vacation, leaving Riku to sit at the counter and attempt to do her job. Attempt meaning that Selphie did absolutely nothing save for gossip and read the Harlequin romance novels in the back right section, right where the creepy man with blond hair liked to stand.

Riku, to his credit, hadn't bitched once. He had helped her with organizing books and sorting them alphabetically, put up with that obnoxious kid who came in on Wednesdays and who had spilled a crumbled candy-bar all over a computer's keyboard. He was more than useful (even if he'd flat-out refused to wear a skirt like Selphie did, but Kairi had only been joking when she'd suggested it- Sora hadn't when he'd held up one of Kairi's and waved it at him, demanding it be worn since Riku had the hips to pull it off. Riku had only glared, and nothing more was suggested for fear of Riku's wrath).

"Okay, so," Kairi said softly, sitting beside the older boy with a soft sigh, eyes fixed on one particular table from all the rest. Humoring her, Riku sat in his own chair watching what went on, kind of making up words for what the blond and redhead said to each other, but then growing bored when the older one left, and the younger went back to homework.

"Exciting," Riku drawled when it was done, throwing an arm around her in boyishly good humor, squeezing once and then starting off to the exit once his volunteer hours were done. "Sora'll care more about Crankypants down there, Kairi."

October 27 (Saturday), 2007

Sora on the other hand, even with his copious amounts of energy and infectious smile, lacked the ability to do the job of a librarian. When asked to alphabetize, he started to sing the titles (loudly and off-key) which, Kairi figured, was fine if he was in his house, but after the third person glared, she smacked him on the head with a magazine and sent him to straighten isles. That had been a mistake too; the brunet was all too interested in staying in a particular section, a book in one hand, skimming through the parts, while his other ran about, attempting to look like he was being useful but really just looking like he was molesting the non-fiction section.

Finally, Kairi dragged him back and pushed him into a chair, watching as the redhead entered the library carrying two cups of coffee. She explained the story to Sora hurriedly, making him get up and switch chairs when she realized he was all too interested in spinning around in circles, humming. A few minutes after the redheaded newcomer had settled down, Roxas headed in, glancing at the two of them, eyebrow raising as Sora twirled the pens around in his fingers, and then sat down across from the man.

"He doesn't have a coffee," she pointed out helpfully, lowly. "Watch!"

Obeying, Sora watched the two, taking note of how their lips moved back and forth, and expressions changed. "Why of course I like lemons in my coffee! It's the only way to take it!" A pause and Sora threw his voice lower, clearly bored out of his mind and attempting to impersonate what the redhead man was saying. "Lemons in a coffee? You must be insane- only plums go good in coffee like this. Also. Bacon on my face."

"…What?" Kairi pinched the bridge of her nose and was all too glad when Axel left, Sora filling in bits of conversation himself, but for the most part amusing himself with inane things. "I'm never bringing you anywhere again," she mumbled.

October 29 (Monday), 2007

"So you should eventually tell me your name."

Roxas glanced up, eying the asshole of a man sitting in his chair, and then looked back down, blatantly ignoring him.

"'Cause, you know. You see me pretty often."

Another glance up, coupled with a glare. "Not by choice," he muttered, flipping the page and highlighting a section of his notes that corresponded with the text he was reading. Dragging his hand through his hair, Roxas sighed heavily and then looked fully at the man, shrugging. "Not telling you mine."

Axel's face fell, lips pursed in a slight, fake pout as he leaned across the table, elbows propping him up. "Why not, Blondie?" He drawled, voice low and slow, like honey, as if- if he were sweet enough- Roxas would take pity on him and tell him. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours?"

Roxas' eyes went narrow, glaring as he realized he'd get no homework done with this obnoxious man intent on screwing with every aspect of his life at the library. "Roxas," he muttered, and went back to work.

"Axel." Axel's lips twisted into that mocking little smirk, and Roxas glared, muttering a "didn't ask."

Back behind the counter, Kairi sorted books, head jerking up when Selphie flapped a hand under the countertop, trying to get her attention. "Look, look, look, look, Kairi, look!" she hissed, obviously not quite having mastered volume control yet. Pinching the bridge of her nose again, Kairi glanced up, watching the two males. "Think they're giving out phone numbers sometime soon?" She asked excitedly, watching the redhead girl pick up a stack of books.

They weren't, not with how Roxas was glaring, but she wasn't going to go and smash Selphie's romantic dreams. "Can't hurt to go check," Kairi answered, starting off to where the boys were, shamelessly listening in on their conversation while putting books away.

They were both still griping at each other like she suspected; or rather, Roxas was being a pain in the ass, and Axel was only furthering it by goading him on and then arguing right back. There wasn't as much venom in their voices anymore though; however, there was still the edge of snotty annoyance that Roxas got when he thought he was going to be bested. There was still that blatantly mocking tone that Axel got whenever he thought he was going to be bested, and really…Kairi couldn't help but think that it was much better than the two of them tearing apart her library at the seams and leaving her to clean up the mess like she had been afraid of. At least now they had a way to get their irritation out, and she and Selphie had some form of entertainment, no matter how pathetic it might be.

"Listen, Library Girl," Roxas finally broke in, cutting a sharp look to the redhead, frowning. "You're really obvious. Go away."

Had it been that obvious that she was eavesdropping on them? Really, she hadn't thought so, but judging by the vague smirk on Axel's lips and the way he jerked his head to the side (blatant, blatant signal she should so totally be gone), she really was obvious. "Selphie." She managed the word and felt vaguely proud for not simply sticking with an "I'msorryohman-" and bolting away. "Selphie wanted to have these books up. I'm, um, going. Bye!"

Watching the slow grin uncurl on Axel's lips (from behind where Kairi was subtly hiding at counter) and the way he ruffled Roxas' hair before leaving was worth the way Selphie had smacked her with a book when she scurried back, hissing out a "coward!" It was even more worth it when Roxas' eyes went wide, and his cheeks went the slightest bit pink before he chucked a book at Axel's head, evidently deciding he was done with the conversation as well.

October 31 (Wednesday), 2007

Roxas, in a hurry to finish up some Calculus homework since it was due his first class in the morning, and still needing to go to work before the day was over, had hurried into the library, plopped down into his seat and justfocused. He ignored the amused smirk of Axel, ignored what sounded like small children everywhere, up until he heard the ear-piercing, obnoxious chorus of "Trick or Treat!" and the sounds of hoards of small beasts shaking their bags for sugar they didn't need.

Muffling a low groan of displeasure, Roxas lifted bright blue eyes to meet those of Axel's and bashed his book against his face. "Happy Halloween," Axel said with a bright smirk, and tossed a piece of candy right at his forehead, cackling. The look of surprise on the man's face was worth it when he opened the chocolate bar and ate it in one bite, savoring the taste; he hadn't had chocolate in a while. It didn't come anywhere near ice-cream, but sometimes it did taste really good.

"Not gonna go trick-or-treat?" Axel asked a few moments later, munching on one of the suckers that the redheaded librarian had given him before Roxas had come. "You have to have at least a few years before you're fifteen and too old." He worked on undoing another sucker, and jammed it in Roxas' mouth before the boy could growl out a retort that wasn't fit for young kids' ears. "Language, Blondie. Gotta work on that, yeah?"

Leaning forward, Roxas glared hard, voice low. "It's not murder if I don't get caught, asshole," he bit out, smiling a moment later like nothing was wrong. "Stalking, harassing…I could at least make my cas-"

"Oh, cute. Little boy has a mouth on him, doesn't he?" Axel drawled it out around the sucker and watched the little kids mill about in the library, going to all the activities that the librarians had set up for them. The redhead was in a decidedly modest outfit (which Axel thought was really kind of a damn shame, but still) and the brunet she normally worked with looked like some kind of demented Belle: a huge yellow ball gown; it made her look like a lemon, he decided.

Roxas' look was positively evil now, as more kids wandered over toward them. Putting on his best horrified face, he packed up quickly and then smacked his hands down on the desk, acting shocked. "W-what do you mean that there's no Santa and no Easter Bunny! J-just because we Trick-or-Treat--" he cut off when a handful of heads turned to the blond and redhead, and made his escape when one little boy came over to Axel. The last thing he heard from behind him was the sound of sniffles followed by Axel slowly trying to escape the hoards of displeased children.

Serves the asshole right.

November 19 (Saturday) 2007

Axel had been there every day that Roxas had, breezily waving off the question (demand, really) about where he worked and if he worked, at that. "I set my own schedule for the most part," he explained, taking notes from what looked like a medical book, scratching out a line and then writing in tiny little letters above it. "There's a few certain days I want off during the week, and there's enough people to cover my shift, so…"

"…Great." Roxas couldn't help the glare that came from learning that. "So basically you just blow off all your coworkers and whoever else, to come and harass me at the library?"

A mock-hurt, shocked look appeared on Axel's face at the accusation that he was slacking. "C'mere, Rox," he ordered, leaning over and draping an arm around Roxas' shoulder, pulling him over even if he didn't want to be pulled. "See this? Can you even pronounce this word?"

Roxas glanced down, looking at the word, debating on if he wanted to make an idiot out of himself by trying to pronounce it. Lips pursing, he realized that he really didn't have anything to lose, so he tried. "Nu-ew-por…nevermind…" Scowling, realizing that he'd been beaten, he slouched back in his chair.

The man's look was more than amused as he let Roxas slide back to his side of the table, the word rolling off his tongue with ease. "Pneumoperitoneum; it's a disease that involves the fasciae," Axel explained, pointing out excerpts from parts of the book he was reading. Surprisingly there was no smug edge to his voice, just that little self-satisfied look in his eyes. "I come for the fun and at the same time, you're here so it's added fun." The blond looked even less pleased at that answer, but Axel didn't quite care as he went back to working on his questions for one of his classes. "You should probably get to working now, too, Blondie…"

Used to his particular way of being an asshole, Roxas only got on task once more, grunting a goodbye to the man when he left.

November 21 (Monday), 2007

"It's never gonna work," Kairi said, distracted, as she combed through a list of books that they had to place back on the shelves, ringing them in and marking the unlucky souls who had fines to pay. "This is a stupid idea."

Selphie only sniffed, adjusting her glasses on her nose, finger-combing her pigtails and then smoothing down her skirt. "Do I look okay?" she asked, preening in a small mirror a moment more while she waited. Kairi was just watching her, expression dry, holding a book on sex positions and another on religion; Selphie stifled a snicker, and smoothed her skirt one more time before waving. "Wish me luck!"

"You look like a floozy," Kairi said helpfully, just loud enough for Selphie to hear and in return she got a glare and a flounce. Oh well. The books could really wait; they only took maybe an hour or two to do, and the library didn't close for another four, so she had time to watch and wonder what it was that made Selphie her friend. The girl was practically certifiable, honestly. She pulled off the cute-almost-preppy-teenage-girl-look far better than she did imitation-librarian-from-a-porno. This, however, was far more amusing to watch.

Thankfully the library was mostly empty, save for a few of their other regulars, who sat in their regular seats, in their regular spots at their regular time. Selphie made her way to where Roxas and Axel sat, shirt unbuttoned to show the curves of her breasts, skirt revealing inches of thigh as she reached up to put a book away. She did all manners of things, and Kairi stifled snickers as neither male seemed to even notice, save for a raised eyebrow from Axel and a barely-hidden smirk from Roxas. It started to get painful to watch after a few minutes; Kairi amused herself with looking up book fines as she rang books up, again marking who had paid their fines and who hadn't. Almost five minutes later, Selphie came back pouting, pigtails less perky than before.

"I think they're gay for sure now," she muttered, crossing her arms after unfolding her skirt a little so it was more decent, and buttoning up her shirt. "That redhead was all "you should probably head back to the front of the library before you freeze- I'm sure your friend has a jacket."" She made a face at that, hands on her hips, slipping on the cute hooded jacket that went with her skirt. "Stupid men."

Thinking of her own two men, Kairi silently agreed.

On and on it went, from October to November, until just before exams. Roxas woke up bright and early like usual, performed his normal things, showering, eating, drinking, brushing his teeth, dressing and scrambling out the door, and made it to school a few minutes late because of some idiot who evidently forgot how to drive on the morning of Roxas' first two exams. Cursing his bad luck, he vaulted forward, hoping his first exam hadn't started yet, and that, even if it had, Miss Gainsborough would take pity on his sorry ass and let him take it anyway.

In such a hurry, he didn't even notice the slick spot on the stairs, nor did he remember anything other than the fact that flying face-first onto the ground hurt like a bitch.

There you have it. XD This fic is finished, at 10,000ish words, but I'm currently attempting to find a beta since break has a lot of people very busy. I had a bitch of a time doing this at one point, and really, this picks up on the second/last part.

And, before I forget- Double Forte, by The Glass Slipper, was updated not that long ago, and everyone should check that out. I'm going to try and make a rec for each fic I post now (lol we'll see how long it lasts, with my memory) and yes, this one is just amazing and deserves so much praise. The link, for those lazy, is in my profile.

As always, reviews are wonderful, especially if you have alerted this, or put it on your favs. It only takes a few seconds, and it honestly does give myself and other writers, more incentive to write. ♥ Happy Holidays!