Hi there! I'm Blu Blade -applause from a live studio audience- and this is "Stages to a Crazy Great Love!"
Warnings: This story is GUARANTEED to have: yaoi pairings, straight pairings, sex, violence, drugs, cursing, italized words at the begining of each chapter representing a flashback, mystery, weird refrences, fluffiness at times and random ranting at the start and finish of each stage.
Rating: :announcer from video game commercials: "Rated M for Mature"
Disclaimer: :takes deep breath: I do not own: Square-Enix, Square-Soft, Kingdom Hearts 1 or 2, Victoria's Secret, Sailor Moon, James Bond, Harry Potter, Scholastic, Monopoly, Rachel Ray,Cooking Mama, DDR, KFC, Spy Kids or (for the quotes at the start of each stage)
Onward young literature seekers, your story awaits!
"It's me or them, Axel. It's always been me or them." He challenged, venom dripping from every word. The clouds above them promised rain, but it hadn't begun yet. It was almost as if it were too waiting for Axel's answer.
"Please...don't do this. They need me." Axel begged brokenly, grabbing hold of his lover's arm. He stared down at Axel, resolution already displaying on his features before he even said a word.
"Then you've made your decision."
"Wait! Please, come back! I need you! I LOVE YOU!"
"Goodbye."
Stage One: Friends
"I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends."
-Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
Axel Gauken stood in front of Namine's house that morning, armed with his trademark grin and the most comforting bouquet of flowers that money could buy. His weapons of choice however, were both disarmed at the sight of Namine standing in front of him in a pink lacy push-up bra and matching thong, her hair piled sexily on top of her head.
"Uh…did I miss something?" Axel asked, smirking hesitantly at his barely dressed best friend. He didn't know what was going on, but he knew one thing: Victoria had no secrets now.
"Do you think I'm…sexy?" Namine purred seductively, pulling him by his ipod cord into her house. The second the door was closed Namine's lips were on his and somehow her ass was in his hands. Uh...best friends didn't do this, did they?
Last time he checked they didn't.
"Namine, I'm Axel, remember? Your best friend…?" Axel reminded her, gently untangling her from his arms. Namine, her lips swollen and her eyes puffy, pouted pathetically.
"Do I look that bad? So bad you, nor any other guy, would touch me?" Namine made no attempt to hide the whimper that came with her words, immediately bursting into tears. The smirk that had been currently residing on his face instantly faded and was replaced by a comforting smile.
"You miss him, don't you?" Axel asked, placing an innocent kiss to the top of her head. There was a reason he changed the subject; Axel wouldn't have touched Namine to begin with. She was too passive and just too…yeah, passive.
Profile: Namine Houston
Age: 16
Aspiration: Artist
Really good at: Sailor Moon reenactments
Loves: James Bond
Hates: School uniforms
Best friend: Axel
"Miss who?" Namine wanted to know, sarcasm coating her words. They both knew full well who 'who' was. And that was Riku Toshiba, Namine's ex-boyfriend and the most popular boy on the island.
The funny thing about Riku was that he started their group of friends, but he never fully committed to them. He always kept himself guarded, or separated somehow. The friends consisted of Axel, Riku, Sora, Kairi and Namine. Sometimes Tidus, Wakka and Selphie were included, but it mostly remained just the five of them.
Namine became interested in Riku when they all first became friends, and went out for two years until yesterday, when Riku broke it off. This left Namine devastated and more than a little confused.
"We had our share of problems, but never severe enough to break up." Namine had told Axel after it had happened, in between huge sobs. Even despite his best friend's broken heart, Axel wasn't mad at Riku, nor planned to ignore him or not hang out with him, against Namine's requests.
"I'm not going to choose sides. This isn't kindergarten." Axel had replied to Namine's protests and screams for loyalty. And that was the end of that.
Besides, Axel knew that Namine didn't plan to stay away from everyone else in the group, and that meant facing Riku. They met up at Riku's house everyday at around five o'clock, and it was four o'clock now. Namine would have to make a choice.
…Her reputation or her friends.
And knowing Namine, she would make the right choice.
But in the meantime, Axel had to raise her spirits and her esteem, and there was only one way to do that.
"Get it all out of your system." Axel commanded quietly, waiting while Namine's sobs turned to hiccups. Finally, she took a deep breath and pulled away, gracing him with a watery smile.
"I'm fine." She assured him, taking one last sniff. Axel's grin suddenly came back.
"That's good, because there's a bouquet of roses and a free make-over with your name on it!" Axel announced, thrusting the flowers into her hands.
The beam that erupted on Namine was enough to power up Bill Gates' personal computer.
"Namine is going to hate me." Riku groaned from his position on the pure silk couch that accentuated the other numerous expensive pieces in his attic. Yes, his attic. It was the meeting place for him and his friends, and it was five o'clock. That's when they all met to hang out during the summer. But no one had showed so far.
Usually, they were at his house on the dot, but now, something had changed. Could it be everyone had taken sides and choose Namine's?
Sora too? His Sora? Sora, the most important thing in his life? Sora, whose name he couldn't stop saying?!
Profile: Riku Toshiba
Age: 17
Aspiration: Football player
Really good at: Everything! (Just about)
Loves: Flirting; attention
Hates: Fleece
Best friend: Sora
"What are you doing?" A very familiar and very important voice asked from behind him. Riku grinned and got up, preparing for the brunet boy to run into his arms like always, but after a second of hugging air, Riku noticed Sora wasn't paying any attention to him.
Instead he was engrossed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, talking to the piece of literature as if it were a person.
"Hmm…I guess the spoilers are wrong? That's not who I thought was going to die." Sora mumbled, absently sitting next to Riku. "You have so many secrets…how naughty!"
Profile: Sora Hasaba
Age: 15
Aspiration: Chef
Really good at: Monopoly (and he actually finishes it each time he plays!)
Loves: Rachel Ray
Hates: Riku being good at everything
Best friend: Riku
"You've been reading this thing for four days straight. Is it that good?" Riku demanded, huffing at the yellow-orange cover jacket.
"Are you mental? It's bloody brilliant!" Sora replied in a British accent. Riku rolled his eyes. Sora had been channeling his inner Ron Weasley from the second he picked up the book; now he wouldn't stop talking like him.
"Whatever. Where are the others?" Riku choose to ask instead, clamping his hands behind his head to avoid the temptation of throwing that book out the window.
"Axel called to tell me that he and Namine would be a little late, but everyone else should be here soon." Sora answered, his gorgeous blue eyes still glued firmly to the Webster sized book. Riku clenched his jaw. Sora was declaring war by spending all his time with that book instead of him. Fine…if it was a war he wanted... it was a war he would get.
"Sora…" Riku breathed huskily, letting his bangs fall in his aqua-marine eyes. Sora stiffened at the seductive tone, slowly peeling his eyes from the page.
"Huh...?" Sora blushed, clutching his book instinctively to his chest. Riku leaned over and ran his finger slowly down Sora's lower chest, careful not to startle him too much. It seemed to have the opposite effect on his friend, however. There was no mistaking the sudden tremble or the lidded eyes and parted lips. Not to mention the quiet moan in his throat.
"Sora." Riku sighed against Sora's neck, his lips brushing against a sensitive spot neither of them knew was there. This time Sora's moan was no longer quiet. No, it was loud, eager and demanding, demanding for more surges of pleasure.
But instead of giving Sora what he wanted, Riku pulled away, to both of their dismay.
If there was one thing Riku knew, it was that he had to build a bridge before he could get across an ocean. That ocean, unfortunately, was Sora's virginity.
And the bridge had to be a real relationship. And that meant taking things slow…and leaving Sora always wanting more.
Riku stole a glance at Sora and couldn't fight the smirk off his face. Sora just looked so adorably confused and so damned turned on, it nearly made Riku take him right then and there.
Luckily he was saved by a goddess, whose mere presence demanded to be acknowledged.
"What are you two doing up here? Don't you know the new kid is moving in today?" Kairi exclaimed, her long strawberry blond hair tumbling on her shoulders gracefully like a ray of sunshine.
Profile: Kairi Nabisco
Age: 15
Aspiration: Dancer
Really good at: Cooking Mama
Loves: Yaoi
Hates: Blood
Best friend: Selphie; Kairi usually ends up as the back-up best friend
"Kairi! Uh…um, we were just…ah, leaving! Yeah, so let's go get Axel and Namine and be on our way!" Sora cried, jumping up away from Riku and pulling Kairi back down the stairs that led to Riku's living room.
"So you're running away? I don't mind…for now." Riku murmured. Then, like a man harboring an intense secret, Riku plastered on a fake smile and followed his two fifteen year old friends out of his house.
"Is this really me?" Namine asked shyly, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Axel placed a careful kiss on her forehead, as to not smear her make-up.
"See, you don't need a man to be sexy. Just look at yourself." Axel whistled, shaking his head. "If I wasn't batting for the other team…man."
Axel, being the skilled hair dresser he was, had a field day with Namine's hair. It was so accessible! First he added honey and dirty blond highlights to her too blond hair and curled it in Shirley Temple curls. But they both decided it wasn't sexy enough on her. So he brushed out the curls and transformed them into silky waves worthy of a Treseme commercial.
He managed to convince Namine to wear the short white strapless dress and heels as well. It took a few blows to the stomach but he managed.
"Thank you so much Axel. What would I do without you?" Namine seemed on the verge of tears. Okaaaay….it was only a make-over.
"Oh, I don't know, live…?" Axel smirked, switching off the lights and heading down the stairs to the door. He didn't have to turn around to see that she was following him.
Back when she was a freshman, he couldn't go anywhere without her following him. Shy little Namine that wouldn't speak to anyone except Axel for some reason; it was beyond weird. He and Riku did everything in their power to get rid of her, but she wouldn't take a hint. But one day, they found Seifer and his gang picking on her…and they realized how much she was apart of their lives.
Still, even now, even as Seifer stopped picking on her and friends had been added to their trio, she followed him like a puppy.
It was…cute. But it wasn't cute when he was trying to flirt and she was right there.
"Don't say that Axel! What a loser!" or "Remember when you totally pissed on yourself that one time when you watched Hostel?" She always mumbled way too loudly to which the guy would break out in giggles and turn away. Grr…
"Axel? You're talking to yourself again. And open the door. Someone's pounding on it like a monster is chasing them." Namine broke him out of his past reverie.
The second he opened the door, Sora flew in, yanking Axel and Namine out the door and running back down the driveway.
"What're you doing?" Axel and Namine both asked at the same time, un-phased. Sora was like this all the time.
"Must get away from Riku…must not be alone with him…" Sora breathed out. Namine and Axel both stopped, staring at him like he was a lunatic.
"Isn't that a good thing? I mean, everyone knows you like him." Namine wanted to know, casually changing directions towards the growing crowd.
"NO! RIKU'S OVER THERE!" Sora shrieked, causing the majority of those in the crowd to look over at them. Axel conveniently stepped away from Sora. He did NOT know him….
"Well, luckily for you, we aren't going over there for Riku. We're going to see what the fuss is about." Namine told Sora seriously, flashing Axel a thumbs up sign behind her back. He smirked. That little sneak.
"O-okay…" Sora sniffed, taking Namine's hand like a little boy who wanted to try on his mom's dress and made a huge scene, but later was told he could.
...Wait what? Jeez, Axel had a vivid imagination.
"Axel!" A high pitched, cheerful voice squealed from somewhere in front of him. He knew that voice. And Sora knew that voice. This was why he hastily ducked under their feet and crawled deeper into the crowd.
"Selphie!" Namine squealed, throwing her arms around the younger girl. Sure enough, Kairi was right beside Selphie, and Riku was right beside Kairi.
And Sora figured all of that out just by seeing Selphie.
Profile: Selphie Tamaki
Age: 15
Aspiration: Model
Really good at: Dance Dance Revolution
Loves: Anything yellow
Hates: KFC Boneless Teriyaki Wings
Best friend: Kairi; Wakka and Tidus
"Axel, I forgot to tell you! Wakka and Tidus wanted to meet the new kid, and I just couldn't say no!" Selphie explained cheerfully. Tidus and Wakka suddenly appeared beside a bored looking Riku, both wearing happy smiles.
"He's here! Did you see him?!" Tidus exclaimed, tugging on Axel's sleeve.
"He was like royalty, ya?" Wakka added as he grabbed Axel's other arm.
Profile: Tidus Pecht
Age: 16
Aspiration: Undecided
Really good at: Blitzball
Loves: Different colored eyes
Hates: Camping
Best friend: Wakka; Selphie
"Yeah?" Axel asked, teasing Wakka.
"Ya." Obviously he didn't get it.
Profile: Wakka Tetsuga
Age: 17
Aspiration: Blitzball star
Really good at: Listening
Loves: Spy Kids
Hates: Homework
Best friend: Tidus; Selphie
"Royalty, you say? Let me see." Namine smirked, which was completely uncharacteristic of her. Axel helplessly followed her, being pushed to the front by Wakka and Tidus' insistent arms.
"You chased Sora away again? Man, what a monster." Kairi commented absently to Riku. He responded by turning to stare at her. A long pause followed and Kairi felt the silence begin to weigh on her. "What?!"
"So where is he? Oh, a limo. Well, a simple limo doesn't make him…" Namine's voice faded as she stared at the figure that was standing by the limo. "…Royalty."
"See, I told you Tidus, ya?" Wakka said proudly, letting go of Axel's arm. Tidus just shrugged, but he didn't take his eyes of his best friend. "…Royalty." He muttered.
"I don't see him." Axel pronounced lamely, wrenching his arm out of Tidus' grasp. Unfortunately it caused his arm to swing in Namine's direction, and she caught it without even looking. "What the heck!"
"Axel…the new kid…I think I love him." Namine quivered, clutching his arm like it was a pillow. She squealed.
"Namine get a hold of yourself!" Axel ordered uncomfortably. He'd never seen Namine like this. She was always so calm and collected…nothing like this. It freaked him out a little. Almost as if she heard his thoughts, Namine whipped around to face him, a serious look on her face.
"I'm acting like a horny school girl, aren't I?" She asked soberly. Axel, feeling quite helpless again, could only nod. Namine shut her eyes briefly before snapping them open and pointing them at him.
"I knew it. I'm in no condition to talk to him like this. I mean, he's not even real!" She laughed at this, tossing her head back and snorting.
They all stared at her. "Namine, he's real." Tidus said quietly, averting his eyes from Wakka's glance.
"No, you don't understand. That's my dream guy. He'll disappear if I talk to him!" She nearly shouted. Axel glanced around. People were beginning to stare at them.
"Axel! Why don't you go talk to him, you know, to check if he's real?" Kairi suggested as she caught up to them, Riku in tow. He didn't look very happy with her.
"Kairi-" Riku began but Namine interrupted him before he could say anything.
"That's a great idea! I'll give you a little boost!" Namine squealed again, but this time she abruptly let go of his arm and shoved him out towards the limo, and the figure.
"Whooooa!" Axel exclaimed as he slammed right into the figure, unconsciously grabbing his arm for balance.
And as he winced, his scrunched up eyes were able to see the figure clearly now.
Namine, Tidus, Wakka…all of them…were right.
He was royalty.
He was a dream guy.
But the most important adjective to describe him…what was it…it was on the tip of his tongue…
He was real.
Yay! I finished my first chapter of my first fanfic! Whoohoo! Did you like it? Are you going to continue reading? Am I being annoying? Is the sky blue? All this and more will be answered in Stage Two, if you're game enough to keep up!
Next Stage: A Good First Impression