Blue eyes flicked towards the clock on the wall: the not-so-subtle clock with ridiculously loud ticking. Blue eyes rolled and moved to stare at the watch on his wrist, hoping time might be just a little faster there. No luck.

Further tuning out the teacher's droning voice that was currently announcing the end of the final exams, the owner of those blue eyes turned his gaze upon his classmates, identifying every one of them and promptly deeming them unimportant enough to hold his attention.

Identify, reject. Identify, reject. Identify, reject. Identify, re- Wait. Roxas' mind stopped in mid-rejection mode, abruptly realizing this was the one person he most definitely wouldn't even consider placing in his mental rejection bin.

Seriously, reject Axel? The thought was laughable. The redhead was someone everyone wanted to be with, despite his obvious solo disposition. But of course, everyone knew why that was. Not that he was unpopular or such nonsense, but more of the sense that he simply didn't want the company.

Oh, he could have the company, the swooning groupies. All he had to do was beckon and an onslaught of squealing teenagers of both genders would come running to him. Still, Axel sat alone in classes, during breaks, free periods, and during lunch. He'd be constantly playing with his black and plainly expensive lighter that made a click that could get your attention from across the bustling cafeteria, if you were listening for it. And of course, everyone listened for it, didn't matter whether they realized it or not.

Everything about Axel seemed to call out to everybody with a brain and a heart. And that included Roxas, the only demerit-free, good boy in high school. Friendly, helpful, adored Roxas. Now he was definitely one of a kind. Much like Axel, only in a completely different sense. Roxas had the fans and groupies, not because he wanted them but just because people enjoyed being around him, teachers alike.

Unlike Axel, Roxas couldn't exude that amiable, yet obvious preference of being alone. Axel did that effortlessly, Roxas couldn't do it even with the effort. If he ever thought to try, that is. Needless to say, these two beacons of senior life have never spoken to each other, seemingly always apart and plainly unaware of one another.

For one of them anyway, or so they thought.

Axel, unsurprisingly, could sense when someone was watching him. The surprising bit was that he could sense exactly who was watching him. Mind coming back from wherever it had wandered beyond the window he was staring out of, he smirked briefly, knowing precisely who was currently staring at his profile so intently.

He shifted his head just a little to the left and met the thoughtful gaze of his classmate, saw the blue orbs widen slightly, heard a sharp breath, and watched as the blond angel's head whip to face the teacher, a blush starting to lightly color his visible right cheek.

It was Axel's turn to watch him now. Watch the good boy of the class. The boy who obliviously screamed innocence and most probably never had anyone have angry or disappointed thoughts about him. And really, why would they? There was nothing wrong with Roxas, in fact, everything was pretty damn wonderful about him, whether it was with looks or grades or relationships. Friendly ones, mind you.

Axel knew it wasn't his business whether Roxas had more-than-friendly relationships, it wasn't his business that Roxas had features seemingly sculpted to perfection, it wasn't his business that Roxas was so fascinatingly intriguing. Still, Axel made it his business.

It was the last day of their schooling year and that little fact seemed to hit them both at the same time; they sighed mildly. Not realizing that the other felt wistful for not grabbing a chance to know each other before the school year let out. They missed their chances and both were stuck pondering the possibilities of a last minute introduction before the chance completely disappeared. But now wasn't the time to ponder, teachers were making important announcements and as students, they were expected to listen, and listen they did.

"All students are required to attend the Motivational Talk at 1 o'clock sharp. Attendance is compulsory. Everyone needs motivation for your upcoming life out of school and the school has invited a motivational speaker. I repeat, attendance is compulsory."

The exam hall filled with groans as everyone got up to stretch kinks from cramping themselves for the last school examination they'd ever have to take. A babble of complaining immediately broke out and everyone began rudely accusing the teachers of spoiling their last day of school. Teachers, doing their job, tried to pacify students and point out the benefits of a wonderful motivational talk. But of course, the students weren't having any of that. They weren't idiots.

Roxas got up slowly, not liking the idea of a pointless motivational talk but knowing he'd attend anyway. The teachers did say it was compulsory. "Oh well," he mumbled as he packed up his stuff and got ready to go.

"Don't tell me you're actually going."

Roxas tried to analyze the voice behind him and realized it wasn't one he'd heard before. He'd definitely remember a voice like that. That was a voice that could issue any sort of command and one would gladly obey, regardless of the instruction. Roxas inexplicably envisioned black velvet with maroon satin ribbons strewn all over it. He shook his head and slung his bag over his shoulder.

"It's compulsory. Besides, the talk might help," Roxas answered easily, though he personally felt it was all-

"Bullshit."

Now, Roxas wouldn't mind listening to profanities if it was a voice like that doing the cussing. He laughed, "Honestly? Yeah, I think so too. I guess you won't be go-"

Blue eyes widened as he turned and faced the source of the voice. He stuttered and sat down abruptly.

"-ing? No, I'm not. I expect you will. Right?" A red eyebrow quirked in query.

Roxas shook his head dumbly. Two seconds passed and he recovered from the shock. "I mean, of course I'm going. You should be too," he said briskly, as if making up for the two seconds of moronic blankness he portrayed. His eyes narrowed onto the tattoos beneath Axel's eyes and unconsciously reached out to touch them.

A quiet laugh escaped Axel's mouth, freezing Roxas' hands and brought them down to his sides. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Just made me curious."

Axel laughed again walked away, beckoning Roxas to follow him. "Come on, time to go."

Roxas looked dumbfounded,"Where?"

A grin, "The teachers are waiting to lock up the exam hall and you're still hanging around."

The blonde looked sheepish and apologized to the teacher standing by the door while ducking his head.

"Right. I wouldn't have done that if you hadn't distracted me in the first place," Roxas hissed as they walked down the corridor together.

"Oh, I distracted you, did I? Sorry, didn't mean to," Axel said in a mildly mocking tone.

Roxas frowned as he felt his cheeks heat up and stalked down the hallway, promptly ignoring Axel as he went straight to the old cafeteria and sat down at a corner table. The old cafeteria was almost always empty; no one came here after the new one was built.

Axel slid into the seat across Roxas easily, with surprising grace, and grinned. "Are you really going to that ridiculous talk?"

"What part of the word "compulsory" do you not get?"

"Have you ever skipped class before? In your entire schooling life?"

Roxas thought for a second, "No."

"Even when the teacher was absent?"

"No."

"Ever skipped a school event? Speeches, competitions, debates?"

"No."

"How about-"

"Why are you asking? I don't skip school stuff because they're all deemed compulsory."

Axel snorted,"They say that to fool people like you. They need someone to show up, don't they?"

"Well, I don't mind showing up either way," Roxas replied shortly.

"You haven't finished high school properly if you've never done something wrong. You've got to have at least one bad boy high school experience."

"...If you're talking about smoking and drugs-"

"No, I meant stuff like cutting class and pointless motivational talks."

"Oh. Well. I haven't."

"Then this'll be your first and last. Last day of school and all," Axel said in a matter-of-fact tone. He looked at his watch and noted that they had about 15 minutes. He got up and walked off, knowing Roxas would follow after a bit.

Roxas sat there frowning, wondering whether he should follow the crazy redhead. He was still trying to get over the initial shock of Axel speaking to him after 3 years of no contact whatsoever. He hadn't even known what Axel sounded like, with much regret. He would've liked to be able to hear that voice much more often in the near future.

He twiddled his thumbs, wondering whether he should skip the seminar with Axel or attend it like he attended every other school event, thus completing his perfect attendance record which in turn entitled him to an extra certificate from the school later on. A cert was a tempting lure but seriously, how could one even bother to compare that with the pull of Axel?

Rolling his eyes, Roxas realized he made his decision the second Axel suggested a little escapade. He got up and followed the redhead with mild discomfort, already feeling mild but pricking twinges of fear at being caught or disappointing a teacher of his.

Axel grinned and led the way to a popular hang out spot where a large group of other students were, all obviously intent on not making at an appearance at the talk which was scheduled in 5 minutes. Everyone turned to greet Axel and abruptly gaped in shock upon seeing Roxas standing behind Axel. Almost as quick, everyone started commenting at once and jeering as they poked fun and congratulations on Roxas' becoming of age into the world of school event skippers.

For the first minute, Roxas stood there fidgeting and looking around for teachers, his eyes wide and mildly frightened. Everyone else seemed to find his behavior hilarious and immediately burst into loud laughter.

"There's so many people. The teachers are bound to find us," Roxas exclaimed anxiously, looking up at Axel, which resulted in Axel patting Roxas' shoulder and asking him not to worry. "Someone'll warn us when the discipline teacher makes an appearance, don't worry."

Roxas smiled weakly and sat down slowly next to Axel, letting himself relax while listening to the ongoing conversations between the large group of friends that huddled together. Just as Roxas was joining in the conversations, he heard a scream which was immediately followed by more screams as the girls began shrieking the discipline teacher's name.

He froze in horror and barely realized that he grabbed Axel's wrist and made a run for the bushes behind the school's workshop. He could hear the discipline teacher's footsteps catching up to them and he freaked out five levels more and crouched behind a bush.

There was silence except for the sound of Roxas fidgeting and beginning to hyperventilate.

"This isn't a good spot to hide, you know," Axel said conversationally. "It's an insanely popular hiding spot that teachers already know about." He squatted beside Roxas and tapped his shoulder. He frowned, seeing that Roxas was shaking and Axel could practically hear his heart pounding. "Roxas? You should breathe. We'll just find someplace else, come on."

Roxas shook his head and turned hysterical blue eyes to face Axel and choked, "If we leave now he'll see us and we're going to be in so much trouble. It's going to be horrible. He'll be so angry at me and- No, we're dead. Dead, dead, dead. Shit. Shit."

Axel was surprised at seeing this remarkably weird side of Roxas. He was pretty sure no one had ever seen this before. Then again, no one had ever seen Roxas in the range of school discipline action. He stifled a laugh and patted Roxas' shoulder, "Stop worrying, come on, let's go before he gets here."

A twig cracked behind them. Roxas turned around slowly and his jaw dropped open in horror. "Shit," he whispered. The teacher halted and gaped, "Roxas?" Surprised evolved to anger as he realized that Roxas was suddenly one of those wretched school kids that made his life difficult. The reason why he had to ruin his leather shoes walking on wet grass, looking for blasted hiding spots.

"Run!" Axel yanked Roxas' arm and began sprinting towards the tiny tool shed in the next block. If they were fast enough, the teacher wouldn't find out where they disappeared to and would then have to attend the seminar without them. With Axel's legs, running fast was really no problem. Roxas was so out of it that he just followed the direction of Axel's dash, obeying the tug on his arm mindlessly, all the while mouthing disbelief and exclamations of shit.

Reaching his favourite hiding spot, Axel hastily unlocked the door with the key he knew the gardener hides in the plant pot. He shoved Roxas inside and stumbled in after him, closing and locking the door silently, laughing quietly all the while.

They could clearly hear the teacher yelling their names as the bell rang, signaling the end of the hour and the beginning of the talk. A long, loud stream of profanity-filled cursing and footsteps stomping away could be heard from inside.

Axel counted to ten and burst out laughing, feeling the adrenaline in his veins slowly calm. He turned around to face Roxas, realizing three things with a jolt.

One, shock and horror was ebbing away from Roxas' features while a smile was making its way across his face. Two, they were standing approximately 4 inches apart. Axel had never shown anyone his favourite hiding spot before, hence the lack of knowledge of how small the shed really was. Three, Roxas smelled good. Very good.

He shook his head. "Hey, you alright?" Axel held Roxas' shoulder and noted that it was shaking in silent laughter. Roxas looked up and grinned. Axel laughed, "I'm glad you liked it, I thought you were going to pass out-"

"Thank you."

Axel looked at Roxas and raised an eyebrow.

"For this. I mean, helping me finish the aspects of school life and all."

"You know, people don't usually thank other people for nearly getting them in trouble."

Roxas smiled, "Yeah, but it was fun. I honestly can't think of anyone else I'd want to break school rules with. I didn't think it'd be so fun being…bad." Roxas' cheeks flamed and his eyes widened, "I mean-"

His lips were sealed off from further blathering as Axel leaned down to kiss him. His hands automatically reached up to press Axel closer. Axel moved his lips more urgently on Roxas' and slid his hands down Roxas back, feeling every curve, every angle.

Abruptly, he pulled away. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me, I just-" Roxas silenced him with a quick kiss and laughed softly.

"It's about time one of us did something. I thought I'd shoot myself if I didn't get to know you before we left school," Roxas murmured while tracing the black tattoos on Axel's face.

Green eyes widened and Axel inhaled sharply. "I've wanted to know you since-"

Roxas smiled against Axel's lips, "I've wanted to know you for a long time too. You're…something." He held Axel's cheek. "We'll talk later, we've got time."

Axel growled playfully and leaned down, "Let's break another school rule."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

And there's another drabbly oneshot. Partly based on my first school event cutting experience. Seriously, I very nearly had a coronary at the time. I would rather have had Axel take me around school, breaking the rules. Now, that'd be something worth getting in serious trouble for. Even a million times over.

Pardon the drabbliness and I hope it wasn't too bad to read, (Include painful laughter)

Please review and lemme know how it was. Popcorn for all!

Love,

Be