Paper Bullets

Overall Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, Shakespeare, or any of the books, movies and/or songs that may be mentioned in this story.
Rating: T for Needless Unnecessary Swearing.
Genre: Romance/Drama/Humour/Angst
Pairings: Akuroku, Soriku, Zemyx, Cleon, in order from Major Minor. Cleon is super minor, because I can't write it well.
Note: This story is loosely based off Much Ado About Nothing, by Shakespeare. Keywords; Loosely Based. That means I didn't take Much Ado and simply replace all the names. I hate it when people do that.

Full Summary: It's not that Roxas didn't like Axel, it's just that he'd rather stick a fork in his eye than spend time with him. Axel, however, likes hanging out with Roxas-- it proves that there are people out there that were bigger jerks than him.
Every two months, Axel, Riku and Leon come to Twilight Town to visit the Strife family, and they always stirring trouble in Roxas's otherwise monotonous life. To make matters worse, this month is October, which meant only one thing; Halloween. And to make matters even worse, Riku's psycho relatives have decided to gate-crash Twilight Town. And to make matters even worse than that, Everybody's screwing with everybody else's heads. It's all just one big game of mindfuckery, a game Roxas wished he wasn't a part of. And to make matters even worse that it is after all of that-- oh wait, we've hit rock bottom.

Author's Note: I probably shouldn't start anything new, but this story has been holding my mind hostage until I agreed to write it, and what with exams next term...
it kinda bugs me how Akuroku keeps popping up in my mind when we go over Much Ado About Nothing at school... at the english exam, I'm just gunna be like "akuroku akuroku akuroku...". Anyway, in the beginning this story follows Much Ado quite well, but later on, where Much Ado takes a right, my story will take a left, if you catch my drift.

I'm sorry for my obsession with dark angsty pasts and italics. I know, it's overrated. And I'm sorry this chapter has so much explaining, but it's the first chapter, I can't stop the urge to explain everything.

R & R, Enjoy,
V. Plum.

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Act I: Scene I

"Oh, you guys are coming to visit again? That's great!"

Roxas padded towards the kitchen. Why was Cloud on the phone so late at night?

"Haha, no, it's no trouble at all, we have plenty of room for you!"

Oh, God, don't tell me it's him… Roxas frowned as he pulled the fridge open.

"No, no, Axel or Riku can sleep on the pull out sofa if they want to, no problem!"

Axel…

Roxas glared viciously at the fridge, slamming the door, no longer hungry, and storming back upstairs loudly.

"No, it's just Roxas. You know how he is…"

---

Twilight Town was a small and quaint town in the highlands, situated not far from Hollow Bastion, and just a few kilometres from the beach. People passed through it every week by the hundreds on their way to Hollow Bastion. The townspeople never left as they were quite narrow-minded, and never really liked to change. Despite its flaws, it was still a very sweet town, and it did get the occasional tourists.

In the heart of Twilight Town, near Sandlot Square, lived a boy named Roxas. He had lived in Twilight Town his whole life, and had never left the town's borders any further than the beach. Roxas lived with his uncle, Cloud, and his cousin, Sora, but his life was more or less monotonous. He would go to university on weekdays, and hang out with his best friends on weekends, and holidays were really just an extended version of weekends.

Nothing really fluctuated his weekly routine, except for when they came to town.

Or more specifically, when he came.

Roxas glared up at the ceiling of his messy room. Whenever they came, Roxas never got any time to hang out with his friends. He never got any homework done and never had fun. They just brought unnecessary misery into his life, and Roxas was always praying for them to leave after the first day. And whenever they came, the whole town would burst into anticipation and excitement. Roxas couldn't walk down the street without a, 'I'm so jealous, Rox, I wish they were staying at my house!' or a 'Oh wow, did you see them on the news last week?!'

It was frustrating. None of them were pleasurable company at all!

But perhaps, if he didn't come at all, or better yet, didn't even exist at all, Roxas would probably enjoy their bimonthly visits more. He was an arrogant, self-absorbed, stupid, annoying, shameless, son of a—

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Speak of the devil. Roxas thought bitterly.

"Oh my GAWD, coming!!" Roxas heard Sora shout from downstairs, imagining the huge grin that must be on Sora's face right now. At least somebody enjoyed their visits.

There was the fast paced thumping of Sora's feet down the hallway, and then a loud noise of the front door being ripped open.

Roxas sighed, rolling over in this bed wearily. He sat up slowly and stared down onto the street through his bedroom window.

Sora was standing outside with three other men, surrounded by huge designer brand luggage. Roxas never understood why they had to bring so much stuff when they were only staying for, what, fortnight? Sometimes more. Roxas shuddered. Sighing again loudly, Roxas propped his forearms on the open windowsill, and rested his head on top of them, still watching the people down in the street.

"Leon! How have you been?" Cloud emerged from the house with a smile. Roxas flicked his eyes over to Leon. He was still average height, and he was still as stern as ever. His frown wrinkled the long scar that dragged itself down the middle of his face, between his deep cerulean blue eyes. He wore a smart crisp suit, probably Armani, and a pair of expensive looking shoes.

Roxas rolled his eyes. Leon never used to dress like that before he became 'super powerful businessman Leon'. Back then it was S&M style belts, leather jackets and ripped jeans. Roxas smirked lightly to himself.

"It's good to be back in Twilight Town again. I've been as busy as ever." Leon gave a weak smile.

"Oh, really? How's the company been going?" Cloud asked, running a hand through his gravity-defying blond spikes, and shifting his azure blue eyes a little nervously.

Cloud and Leon, sitting in a tree… Roxas sang to himself in his head.

"Shinra's as powerful as ever. Shares are as strong as ever too, and the CEO of one of the biggest—"

Roxas grew bored of Leon and Cloud's conversation and flicked his eyes to Sora.

"Riku, we have to go to the beach! It's as beautiful as ever!" Sora grinned broadly. Riku nodded in calm agreement, his silver bangs falling onto his eyes slightly. He'd grown his hair out since his last visit to Twilight Town. A pair of sunglasses hid his sea-green eyes, and he wore a dark suit much like Leon's. He took his body guarding job very seriously.

"Maybe tomorrow arvo we can go to the mall or something and meet up with the others? I've become really good friends with two of Axel's friends, so has Roxas!" Sora suggested, still excited. He jumped up and down, his soft brown spikes bobbing. He wore a white t-shirt with a picture of a paopu fruit on it, and a pair of black and red board shorts with yellow belts. He always did have an interesting taste in fashion.

Roxas felt like someone was watching him, and flicked his eyes over to the source. His eyes narrowed instantly.

Axel…Axel the arrogant, self-absorbed, stupid, annoying, shameless, son of a bitch…

Axel's smirk widened, and he saluted him with two fingers cockily. Roxas flipped him off, sticking his tongue out. Unlike the others, Axel was wearing a pair of grey skinny jeans, a red band tee shirt and a black blazer over the top, as well as a pair of flame printed converses. And unlike Riku, Axel didn't really take his job as Leon's lawyer very seriously, but that didn't seem to matter anyway, because he was still the best (and youngest) lawyer in Hollow Bastion.

Axel ran a hand through his bright red spikes before scratching one of the upside down teardrop tattoos under his eyes, chuckling softly to himself. He tilted his head down a little, but his bright emerald eyes were still staring up at Roxas, laughing at him, smirking, teasing, mesmerising…

Roxas' eyes widened at his own thoughts, and he ducked down quickly, shutting the window behind him and blushing furiously.

He heard Axel laugh from the street.

"Anyway!" Cloud shouted over Sora's rambling, "Lets get everything inside, shall we? I'll call Roxas down from his room…"

Oh, God no…

---

"So, how've you been, Roxas?" Axel smirked from across the coffee table. Sora and Riku were sharing a loveseat, talking about Destiny Islands, and Cloud and Leon were in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Roxas was stuck with Axel until dinner was ready. It had taken them a good portion of the afternoon to settle down. Leon took the spare room at the end of the hall next to the bathroom, Axel took the spare room opposite Roxas' room, much to Roxas' delight, and Riku took the couch like the gentleman that he kind of was.

"I was doing great until you got here." Roxas hissed. Axel's eye twitched slightly, but otherwise, he was unfazed.

"You're as cute as ever." Axel retorted back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're as annoying as ever." Roxas shot back quickly with no hesitation.

"I've heard that one before." Axel smirked.

"Well sometimes you have to repeat things so that people as stupid as you understand." Roxas smirked, his eyes vicious, satisfied with his retort. Axel wasn't impressed.

"Roxas, stop being so hostile. It hasn't been a whole day, and you're already like an angsty PMS'ing teenager." Cloud called from the kitchen and Roxas glared. He was so not PMS'ing! Sora snickered as he and Riku had stopped talking, finding more entertainment in watching Roxas and Axel at each others throats.

"How is this my fault? He's provoking me!" Roxas called back to Cloud.

"I haven't said anything mean to you Rox, you're pretty self sufficient by yourself." Axel said innocently, leaning back in his chair. Rox spun his head back to Axel.

"You don't have to do anything to fuel my anger. Your presence is more than enough."

"My job here is done then."

"Oh good, so you can leave now?" Roxas said hopefully, sitting up straighter and clasping his hands together. His sarcastic pose lasted for three seconds before he dropped back into his chair, frown already back in place.

"If you frown like that all the time, you'll get premature wrinkles."

"I can't help but frown when you're around," Roxas waved off Axel's comment, before adding innocently, "Weren't you just leaving?"

"Har, har." Axel laughed, clearly not amused.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit."

"I guess that makes two of us."

"Puh-lease, you wish you were at the same level as me."

"Hah! And you call me egoistic!"

"Would both of you STOP IT?! I swear I'll put an electric collar on the both of you, and zap you for every insult you throw! I'm serious!" Cloud threatened, sticking his head into the living room. Silence weighed down onto the living room. Cloud smirked as if to say 'yeah, that's what I thought, bitches', before ducking back into the kitchen.

"Electric… collars…?" Riku's eye twitched.

"…Kinky." Axel quipped offhandedly. Another awkward silence fell over the living room.

"…You are so low." Roxas rolled his eyes, breaking the silence.

"You were thinking it too, babe." Axel smirked again. Roxas' eyes narrowed to slits.

"Don't call me that, you sonnova—!"

"ROXAS!"

---

Twilight Town was famous for its beautiful sunsets, which lasted extra long because the town was situated on the top of a very large hill. But in Axel's opinion, it wasn't the time where the sun kissed the earth that was beautiful. It was just after that. Axel smiled genuinely up at the sky as he sat on the roof of Cloud's house. The sky was a beautiful gold at the horizon, and it slowly blended up from orange to purple, to a perfect deep azure blue… like Roxas' eyes. The sky was dusted lightly with stars, and a small flock of birds in a triangle formation flew by.

Mum, I'm home! The bills are piling up again...

In Hollow Bastion, he worked in the highest skyscraper there, and he'd snuck up onto the roof to look at the sky once. But the light pollution had obscured the sunset, and because of the building's needlessly enormous height, it was freezing and windy. Nothing really beat Twilight Town. It was a beautiful town. Axel really wished he still lived here with Demyx…

MUM! Wha-- you're bleeding!

Axel sighed, shaking his memory away lightly. Okay, so maybe it brought back a couple bad memories, but Axel still loved sunsets, they were peaceful and beautiful, but... he supposed he should hate them, any normal person would hate them after a dark childhood like his... perhaps he liked sunsets because he was a masochist? What with all the pain they brought...

Where is he? I'll-- I'll kill him for doing this! Where is he, mum?!

N-no... d-don't... hospi...

...Mum...? Mum?! Shit! Shit!

"Wow," A voice said from the ladder, pulling Axel from his angsty daze. Riku smiled as he climbed up onto the roof, and sat down next to him. Axel smiled back, he was glad Riku was here to distract him from his memories.

"That's really something, isn't it?" Riku stared out to the dying sunset.

"It really is…" Axel murmured back. The two sat in a comfortable silence.

"So, you and Roxas were really hostile today." Riku commented, sounding a little hesitant.

"When are we not?" Axel snorted, smirking wistfully.

"Boys always tease the girls they like," Riku smiled knowingly, "or in your case, boys always bully the boys they like." Axel barked out a laugh.

"You know, if he wasn't so feisty, I'd actually try dating him. But no…" Axel looked down at his converse, still smiling sadly.

"Hah! So I was right!" Riku teased.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up will you? Roxas hates me. And he's too feisty." Axel punched Riku lightly on the arm.

"I thought 'feisty' was your type?" Riku smirked. Axel narrowed his eyes for a split second before deciding to change topics.

"So, you and Sora…?" Axel mimicked Riku's knowing smirk. Riku dropped his smirk instantly.

"That's none of your business." Riku said rather smoothly.

"Come on man, I'm you best friend." Axel prodded, still smirking. He poked Riku for a minute or so before Riku finally caved.

"Okay, fine. Stop it, keep your hands to yourself." Riku snapped. Axel pulled his fingers back.

"Alright, alright, don't bite my finger off," Axel chuckled, "So? You and Sora, huh?" Axel turned back to the sky. It was now just purples and blues. Still beautiful, though.

"Yeah, so I like Sora. So what? He's cute." Riku said, a little embarrassed.

"Hmm." Axel replied.

"What, you don't think he's cute?"

"Well, he's pretty cute, I guess." Axel commented lightly, treading carefully around his best friend.

"What? No, seriously, be honest, what do you think?" Riku asked curiously.

"You probably don't wanna know what I think."

"So you think he's ugly?" Riku narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"No, no, I never said that!" Axel held up his hands defensively, "I just think he's a little average…"

"And…?" Riku asked. Axel suddenly felt annoyed at Riku. Fine, if he wants honest, I'll give him honest.

"His skin is too tanned, and I'm not one for brunettes," Axel said bluntly, "Now Roxas, on the other hand…" Riku narrowed his eyes even further, before brushing Axel's judgement away like a pesky fly.

"Pfft, fine. It's better you're not interested in Sora anyway, being the flirt that you are." Riku teased slyly. Axel blew off Riku's comment as nonchalantly as Riku himself did.

"Are you serious about Sora?" Axel raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious about Roxas?" Riku retorted.

"No. I'm not," Axel said frankly, "he'd never take me seriously, so why should I? But you're avoiding the point. If you wanna go out with Sora, then ask him out."

"Hahaha, I don't think so." Riku muttered, blushing slightly.

"Whatever. Relationships are a risky business anyway," Axel advised gravely, standing up to leave. The sky was already a dark navy, and studded with a huge array of stars.

"What do you mean 'risky business'?" Riku stood up to leave as well.

"Love and betrayal go hand in hand," Axel said dismissively and began climbing down the ladder, "See ya tomorrow."

"…'Night."

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I can hear the chinese satellite tv yelling "Jya! Jya! JYA! Jya! Jya!" from the living room. Weird.

15.03.09