Collapse

Summary: When my world collapses, will you be back to piece it together again? [Akuroku] //oneshot//

Disclaimer: I have not yet captured these characters and hidden them in my basement. I think Square Enix still has them captive and doesn't plan on releasing them to me any time soon. So, for now, I do not own.

Sort of fluffy towards the end, and a little weird, but I've never written a yaoi pairing before [and I discovered akuroku and loved it] so I figured I'd give it a try. I've had a couple ideas for stories lately, so there may be more stories in the near future.

Or maybe not. It depends.

Word Count: 1,804.

When Axel left, Roxas's world began to crumble.

"You're sure about this?" Roxas leaned against the door to Axel's truck as Axel loaded boxes into the flatbed. His parents had left for their new home almost an hour ago with the movers, but Axel had wanted to stick around and make sure he said goodbye to absolutely everyone.

He was just that kind of guy. Plus, if he didn't take his truck, then it would just get left behind. And there was no way Axel would stand for that.

And now, Roxas was the only one left. Axel dropped the last box into the truck and looked over sadly at Roxas.

"It's not like I really have a choice, is it?" He grimaced sadly. Roxas frowned, but it came out more like a pout.

"I'm gonna miss you," he muttered, and suddenly Axel was upon him, hugging him, as if if he let go he would be swept away.

In a way, he would.

Roxas clutched Axel just as tightly. "I'm gonna miss you too, Blondie,"

Roxas smirked into Axel's shirt. "Really, or are you just saying that?" Axel just sighed into Roxas's blonde locks.

"Really,"

The calling, texting and emailing lasted for a while, but eventually, they just lost track of each other. Different time zones and completely different lives.

But Roxas still missed him.

--

When Demyx and Zexion got together, Roxas could feel everything begin to drift.

Roxas stood in the door to Demyx's kitchen.

"You're sure about this?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"Completely," Demyx said, catching Roxas's gaze.

"Good," Roxas grinned, "I can tell you guys are in love… or something," Demyx just laughed.

"But really, good for you two. You guys deserve it."

Because, all though he was extremely, ridiculously happy for them, the PDA at lunch was a bit disgusting.

So he alienated himself, and spent many lunches alone in the library.

All alone, except for the silence. And his thoughts.

--

When Xemnas started bullying him, Roxas could only watch as his world deteriorated a little more.

"Get up and take it like a man!" Roxas staggered against the lockers. Xemnas and his cronies just laughed.

"Stop… please," He groaned, catching himself on the locker as Xemnas landed another blow to the back of his legs.

"Shut it, Blondie," one of Xem's friends said, smacking him.

The nickname hurt Roxas more than the slap.

Because it helped him remember who was no longer there.

And Roxas couldn't tell anyone. He was a skinny little thing, and couldn't stick up for himself. And Xemnas had promised that if he told anyone, they'd be punished too.

And Roxas knew it wasn't an empty threat. So he took it.

--

When Roxas's mom, Aerith, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Roxas felt his world slip as he struggled to stay grounded.

"It's gonna be alright, honey," she whispered from her perch in the hospital bed, stroking Roxas's golden hair softly.

"N-no, it's not," he sobbed, clutching his mom's hand for dear life.

"Have faith, hon. It'll get better, I promise," Roxas only cried harder. "I love you,"

"Love you too mom," Roxas cried, giving her hand one final squeeze before leaving the hospital room.

Roxas's love for his mother wasn't just unconditional. She was a caring mother, and had been there for Roxas at his worst and lifted him up so he could be at his best.

She understood. And Roxas couldn't lose that.

--

When Xigbar, Roxas's cousin, was killed in a drunk driving accident, Roxas's world collapsed.

Roxas stood on the sidewalk, and could only watch from the sidewalk as they laid Xiggy's body onto the gurney, spread a white sheet over it, and rolled it towards the ambulance.

He hadn't been there at the time of the accident, no, but his father had soon gotten the call. Now he stood beside his dad, Cloud, and found he could only watch.

Because there was nothing he could do. And it wasn't the first time either.

Xigbar had been there when no one else was. When he couldn't deal with the PDA or the silence, Xig welcomed him to sit with him and his friends at lunch. Roxas didn't want to be a bother, but every so often he took him up on his offer.

Xigbar, with his easy going ways and Cali-surfer attitude, lightened the mood, and helped Roxas forget his problems, even just for a little bit.

Losing him was a blow Roxas couldn't take.

--

The day Roxas stepped out in front of an oncoming car on Main Street, his world had already collapsed, and there was nothing left for him to hold onto.

Roxas stood at the cross walk, surveying the traffic spread out before him. All he had to do was let go and rush forward, and then it would all be gone.

It may have seemed a bit of a rash decision, but in reality, Roxas had been thinking on it a while. How easy it would be to just make all of his problems… go away.

He took a deep breath, took one last look around him, and stepped straight into the road.

The car whizzed toward him, and after impact, he didn't feel a thing.

Roxas awoke to white. Where am I? He hazily wondered. Am I dead?

But then he heard the beeping of a heart machine and wondered why God couldn't just take pity on him and let him die.

He raised his head experimentally, and found that despite the large amount of painkillers in his system, he was still in a heck of a lot of pain.

"Dammit," he muttered softly, trying to raise his arm, but finding it covered in a cast. He examined his other arm to find an IV in it. In an attempt to move his legs, he discovered they were both casted as well.

Then, the door clicked open. And Axel walked in.

And Roxas could only stare as Axel took a seat next to his bed.

"I drove for seven freaking hours straight to get here. What the hell were you thinking, Rox?" Axel sighed, dropping his head onto the bed and cushioning it with his arm, taking Roxas's hand with his free one.

Roxas just continued to stare dumbly at Axel. Was his world reconstructing around him? Or would Axel leave and take it all away again?

"You're here?" he finally whispered.

"Yes, idiot, your parents called me," Axel said, raising his head, "But answer me Roxas, why would you do something like that?"

"Because you weren't here," Roxas whispered brokenly, and Axel paled.

"Please tell me that's not it," Roxas shook his head lightly, ignoring the stiffness in his neck.

"But it is," he said softly.

And then suddenly Axel was bawling into the bedspread, gripping Roxas's hand with both of his, holding on for dear life.

"Shh... Axel… just listen," And as Axel peeked up at him, Roxas told him exactly how his world collapsed.

--

Hours later, Axel and Roxas had both fallen asleep, Roxas in the bed, with Axel, still clutching Rox's hand, slumped over onto the side of the bedspread.

Roxas had told his tale from start to finish, beginning with the day Axel left and ending with him stepping in front of the car. Axel had listened dutifully, just holding his hand and hanging onto every word.

When it was over, Axel's piercing green eyes met Roxas's bright blue ones, and told him he would never leave him again.

And Roxas had smiled for the first time in a long time.

Two weeks later, Roxas was allowed out of the hospital in a wheel chair, and he decided to go apartment shopping with Axel.

I'm moving back, the red-head had said, I'm never leaving you again.

And Roxas had wanted to argue, tell him he'd be fine, he could go back home, so long as he kept in touch he'd be fine.

He had wanted too, but he couldn't. Because he wouldn't be.

So now he was being wheeled around the downtown portion of the little city he resided in, searching for apartments with Axel.

Eventually they turned down a side street and into an apartment complex. Axel pressed the elevator button and when it dinged they both stepped inside.

"So, which one do you like so far?" Axel asked, leaning against the wall behind Roxas.

"Hmm… I dunno yet. But this isn't my apartment, now is it? You pick." Roxas responded jokingly.

Axel just grinned. "I'll pick after we see this one,"

Then the elevator dinged and reached their floor, and they lapsed into silence.

Axel wheeled Roxas down the hall, stopping in front of apartment 8 and knocking twice. A few seconds later a pink haired man-woman? - answered the door.

"Oh, right, you're here to look at the apartment! Come on in," he, Roxas decided, said. The door creaked open a little wider and Roxas and Axel rolled inside.

After showing them around the apartment a bit, the pink haired man left them to their own devices.

"I've got some stuff to take care of," he'd said, opening the door, "But you can stick around as long as you please. Just give me a call if you decide to take it,"

So now Axel was stretched across the demo couch in the living room and Roxas's chair was across from him.

"I think I kind of like this one," Axel muttered, looking up at the ceiling and tracing invisible patterns with his hand.

"Hmm, really?" Roxas mused, wheeling himself a bit closer and leaning over Axel's slight frame.

"Yeah. It's just got a nice feel to it, y'know?" Axel sat up and faced Roxas.

"Yeah, I do know. It feels like… home," Roxas stated, his eyes shutting sleepily. Axel just 'hmm'ed in response.

"Hey, Axel?" Roxas cracked one eye open. Axel 'hmm'ed again. "Why'd you come back?"

Axel's eyes shot open in surprise, "I told you, your parents called—"

"No, I mean, you told me that. I want to know why. You easily could have just stayed home and given me a call when I woke up. We hadn't seen each other in almost a year anyway…" Axel just smiled.

"I told you I'd miss you kid, and I did. And plus," he reached out and tapped Roxas on the nose "you're my responsibility, got it memorized?" Roxas gave a half smile in response, but then his face turned serious again.

"But why? And don't call me kid ever again,"

"Because, Roxas," he annunciated, leaning closer "I love you,"

And with that he pressed their lips together.

And Roxas wondered if it was possible for his world to reconstruct itself.

Because with Axel around, he felt like he might be okay.