Author's Note: This drabble commission for YukiKitty from dA is...loosely based on the song it is named after. ^^; I think the only recognizable influences, however, are the title and the lyrics, "People fall in love in mysterious ways" and "Maybe just the touch of a hand." If you find something else from the song in here, you're far more brilliant than me. XD

Thank you so much YukiKitty, hope you enjoy! :D

Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran

Axel's Tuesday evening routine of taking the trash out to the bins was interrupted by his sudden need to make an unusual phone call.

"Look, you guys are Animal Control, aren't you? Well you gotta come out here, then! There's an animal, and it's not being controlled, and that's your thing!"

"Sir, again, we only deal with domesticated animals that are loose, or possible cases of rabies. Is the animal a dog or a cat?"

"It's definitely not a dog or a cat, but…" Axel peeked out through his curtains at his back yard, wincing.

"Is it foaming at the mouth or showing signs of unwarranted aggression?"

Axel blinked a moment, thrown by what "unwarranted" might mean, until he remembered the thing hadn't come at him at all, so really… "No, no aggression, it's just rooting around my trash bins, but…"

"Then it's not our problem, sir."

"But it's some kind of animal and I definitely shouldn't be touching it, and…!"

"No, don't touch it, sir. Just call the zoo."

The line, quite rudely, went dead. Axel stared at the phone, mouth hanging open. "My fucking tax dollars hard at work…" he mumbled. Then, thinking, he added, "We don't have a fucking-fuckhouse zoo!"

Some quick local research later, Axel discovered that what his town did have in the way of wild animals was a small wildlife preserve about fifteen minutes out of town. He called. The sleepy voice that answered the phone was much nicer, but wanted to know all kinds of things about the animal in Axel's yard that he wasn't equipped to tell them. All he could reliably say was it was a thing, he'd thought it was a guinea pig or a rabbit, but then he got a little closer and it wasn't so he ran inside. The tired voice promised to send someone out.

It took twenty-five minutes, all of which Axel spent pacing from his back door – keeping an eye on the thing – to his front door – keeping an eye out for a helpful human. When an old, clunky, modified fifteen-passenger van finally pulled up and a young man got out and started fetching things from the back, Axel already had the door open to welcome him.

"Are you the one who called about a loose animal?" The guy barely had a chance to finish the question as he approached the front door before Axel interrupted.

"Yes, yes, it's in the back yard, I'll show you, this way!" He didn't hear the specifics of the calm, agreeable reply; he was too busy herding the shorter guy through his house and all but throwing him at the back door. "There! See it? It's right there."

The guy took a look, spotted the thing, made a hum of something like "Okay, let's see what we've got," and opened the door and went out. Axel hung back in the doorway as the guy slowly approached the bins. The critter crawled around the plastic and into plain sight.

"Fuck, it's a porcupine!" Axel exclaimed, ducking back inside in a panic. The guy reappeared, heading back to his van, and for a second Axel was wide-eyed and breathless, terrified that he was getting the brush-off again. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"Relax," the guy smiled gently. "I just need to get some stuff. Be right back."

"Oh. Right…" The reassuring words hadn't been the thing to puncture Axel's terror so much as…that smile. That was…a really pretty smile.

It was confirmed when the guy returned, and Axel noticed, for the first time, that he was young, blond, and kinda beautiful. Even in a bland-looking button down uniform shirt, there was no hiding that pretty face, or the slender but toned arms…carrying a bunch of stuff that scared Axel all over again.

"Um…oh my God, you need all that?" He followed the guy out the back door again – but not far out the back door. The guy set down an animal carrier and started to put on some heavy-duty gloves. "It's gonna kill you, isn't it?" he all but whispered.

"It's all right." That reassuring, lovely smile again. The guy picked up what looked like a sturdy net on a pole and opened and set up the carrier. "It's not a porcupine. You're safe. Just don't come too close or make any noise that'll scare her."

Axel dared to sneak just a little closer – as silently as a ninja. "What is it?" he whispered.

The guy was crouching, approaching with the net. "It's just a hedgehog," he answered softly, before moving with a quick and confident grace. The net caught the little thing, which hissed and scared Axel half to death. The guy didn't flinch, just herded the net into the carrier and snapped it shut, then stood in calm triumph with the animal secured.

Axel gaped. "Oh. A hedgehog? That? Aren't those, like, pets?" He scratched sheepishly at his hair.

"Some people keep them as pets," the guy answered, all friendly and informative as he removed his gloves. "But it's not legal in this state. And this one is wild, so you did the right thing to call us. She wouldn't hurt you if you left her alone, but she wouldn't like to be picked up either. And a suburban neighborhood isn't a good habitat for her. We'll take care of her."

Now that the critter was caged – out of sight, out of mind – Axel was much freer to appreciate the pretty wildlife guy in his back yard. "Oh, yeah?" He grinned a little, awkwardly. "Animal Control gave me the brush. I didn't know we even had a wildlife place around here."

"Yeah, we're just up route 17, really easy to find. We have a lot of local wildlife – and some not so local." He was still smiling and, though the gloves were off, he didn't seem in any rush to get back to his van.

"Got any lions or tigers or bears?" Axel grinned.

The guy snorted. "No, but there is a pair of bobcats, currently mated. No elephants or anything though. It's not a zoo."

"Huh…oh, um, I'm Axel, by the way." He stuck out his hand.

"Roxas." The guy smiled and took it, shaking with a firm grip.

"Thanks for…the help with this…" The words sort of…fumbled out of Axel's mouth. It had been the next thing on his mind to say, so it just came out, but really, his brain was already empty. He could have been mumbling gibberish for all he knew, because that warm, strong little hand was the only thing he could think about for like five solid seconds.

"No problem." Still smiling – but had Axel imagined that the pleasant voice was just a degree softer? "It's my job."

"Cool job," Axel offered awkwardly. He gave Roxas sheepish grin. "I mean, it means you get to save the day. You're basically my hero, right now."

It wasn't great flirting, but it got him a big, gorgeous grin. "Hero, huh? I like that. Usually the job isn't that glamorous." Axel chuckled. "So you'd be the…damsel in distress, right?"

Roxas was teasing, now, and Axel realized, all at once, that even most damsels in distress didn't squeal and hide and act as pathetic as he had. He blushed. "Ah, yeah. I fit that bill pretty damn well, I guess."

He got a laugh for an answer. "Don't worry. You thought it was a porcupine. Most people wouldn't act too brave around one of those."

"Yeah," Axel winced, "but do most people mistake a hedgehog for a porcupine?"

A faint roll of blue eyes, smiling, and a shrug. "Well…"

"That's what I thought," Axel deadpanned.

Roxas laughed again, then began to move past him, leading the way into the house with the carrier in tow. "I guess you're just not much of an animal guy."

"Oh, I can be an animal…" Axel felt his stomach drop the second he'd said it. His face went hot again. Oh my God, what a pathetic fucking line… It had been said under his breath, but Roxas stopped on his front stoop and looked back with raised eyebrows. Yeah, he heard that. Fuck fuck fuckity fuck. There was probably no way to recover from being that cheesy, sleazy, and all-around not subtle or even slightly appropriate.

And Roxas' expression showed very plainly that he recognized Axel's lame line for exactly what it was, and he didn't look like the kind of guy who was into trashy come-ons, so Axel was about to kiss his five-minute crush goodbye when Roxas answered, "That so? Hm." Smiling, matter-of-fact, and without repulsion, he shrugged. "Well, obviously, I like animals." He gestured to himself, in his wildlife shirt, and the carrier. Then, as if nothing major had just happened, he turned to the van. As if he hadn't just graciously shrugged off the most socially gross thing Axel could ever remember saying…since college…and while sober.

He followed.

Roxas put the carrier in the back of the van and was securing it as Axel's feet carried him down to the curb like a man hypnotized. He'd been forgiven for being yucky, true. But Roxas hadn't exactly answered the slutty tone, so there was no reason to think he was really interested, even if the words had been agreeable, he could have just missed the point, maybe…

All these things ran through Axel's head, but what came out of his mouth was, "Listen, I'd like to get your number." Then, when Roxas looked back at him again, eyebrows raised in surprise, he added, "I mean…sorry about that…comment. That was dumb. I'm not…not really like that. I'd, um, love to get your number and, and take you to dinner sometime."

"Are you asking me on a date?" It was a simple question, as judgement-free as his reaction to the line had been. Axel cleared his throat. It was definitely not healthy for him to be this scared twice in one night.

"Well…yes." Then, after a beat, "I'd be very interested…um…but sorry if you're not into…that." His eyes flicked down, probably way after they should have. No wedding ring. Well. There was that, at least.

"No, that's fine," Roxas answered quickly. "I mean…" He smiled. "I'd be fine with that."

Grinning broadly, Axel perked up. "Really?"

"Yeah…" Then Roxas' expression got a little sly. "I won't give you my number just yet though." Before Axel could wilt, he went on, "Why don't you come out to the wildlife preserve this Saturday? Any time on Saturday is fine. You can see how she's doing," he pointed to the caged hedgehog, "and I can…show you around and stuff."

"And then give me your number?" Axel prompted.

Roxas grinned. "Yeah. If you still want it then, yeah."

"See you Saturday," Axel promised, without one speck of hesitation. Roxas swung the van doors shut.

"Great. See you then."

~o~

A.N.: And then they got married at the wildlife preserve! :D

I mean, like, two years later. And grew old together and stuff. ;) (See, more of the song applies!)