A Flicker of the Flame
{Don't wake me up}
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Axel and Roxas started to spend more time together. Though somehow, Roxas' family had found out of Axel's return, and Sora had some choice words for Roxas.
"How do you know what that fuck has planned?" The Brunette said one day when Roxas stopped by to pick up a few things. Roxas was confused at Sora's reaction. He used to like hanging around Axel...but then again, He had stopped wanting to be around Roxas, so why would he care who Roxas hung around anyway.
But to call Axel a 'fuck' was a mistake. It caused a huge up roar in the end, which ended in Roxas' storming out.

Even his mom, who had claimed Axel was her third son, now said he was no good.
She even told Roxas that if Axel was going to be with him, he better not think of showing back up at her house.
"After all, he up and left!"
She argued.

Roxas had been walking out the his car when he turned to face his mom.
His look was stern, but at the same time hurt.
"He didn't mean too. Besides, he came back, didn't he?"

His mom shook her head, her hands on her hips.
"You talk about him as if you think he loves you! Have you up and gone queer on me?"
She asked, hissing the last.

Roxas frowned,
"It hurts that you see it that way mom, as a bad thing. I can't believe you!"
He felt the tears forming in his eyes.
"Well just so you know, I know for a fact that he cares about me! And oh yeah, I think I might just feel the same about him."
He said, from behind gritted teeth.

As he got into his car and started the engine,
he could hear his mom call out one last threat.
"If you go gay, don't come back! At least I had ONE good, straight, son!"

Roxas went straight to Axel's apartment after that. The Red-head was stil gone at work, but he had given Roxas' a spare key, should he need anything while he was gone.
When Axel got home that night, he found Roxas puffy-eyed and sniffling, curled up on his bed.

"Oh Rox..."
Axel said, looking concerned as he sat next to the still teary eyed blond.

"S-Sora and m-mom d-on't want me to b-be around you..."
Roxas said, his voice shaking as he moved into Axel's lap

Axel hushed him quietly,
"That doesn't matter what they think...did you forget that were not 17 anymore?"
He said, stroking Roxas' hair softly.

Roxas snuggled to the others chest.
"...I-I know...b-but...-"

"No buts."
Axel said firmly, lifting Roxas' head so to look at him.
"You do what you want, Roxas. If you want to listen to them, then fine."

Axel started to get up, but Roxas clinged to him.
"Axel...I-I'm not going to let them get to me."
Roxas' said, his voice pleading.
"Just please...don't be mad."

Axel settled back, shaking his head as he smiled softly.
"I could never be mad at you."
He said truthfully.

Roxas leaned up and slowly, a bit unsteadily, kissed him.
Axel was a bit surprised, but pleased none-the-less, kissing the blond back.
Roxas let out a small noise into the kiss, gripping the front of Axel's jacket tightly.

It was when Roxas started putting more force into the kiss that Axel pushed him away slightly.
Panting slightly,
Green eyes searched slightly clouded blue ones.

"Roxas, I don't want you to come to me just because your...frustrated."
Axel said, with a bit of regret.
If the blond was going to come onto him, he wanted it to be because of feelings he might have for him...
"I won't be used."

Roxas looked pained as he slowly backed off of Axel's lap.
He drew his knees up to his chest as Axel got up and left the room.
"...I'm so sorry..."
Roxas whispered brokenly, once the red-head was gone.

Axel sighed, slowly tucking his cigarette pack in his pocket.

After the small episode with Roxas, Axel had left to go to the store. He was glad when no one else seemed to be around other then the small store clerk, who happened to be an old friend of his.

Axel had started telling him what happened the moment he walked into the store.

"...So then I just left."
Axel concluded with a sigh, pulling out a single cigarette.

The usually happy store clerk, named Demyx, made a small thoughtful noise.
"Maybe you should have stayed and talked things over a little."
He suggested, leaning on the counter as Axel lit up his cigarette.
Even though the sign clearly stated that all smoking was to be done out side,
no one ever payed the slightest bit of attention to the would be rule.

Axel took a long drag off his cig, sighing as he blew out the smoke slowly.
"...There wasn't really anything to talk about. Other then his folks don't like me anymore."

This caught Demyx's attention.
"What did he tell you?"
He asked, climbing up to sit on the counter, listening intently

Axel shrugged,
"His brother called me a bum, and his mom told him it wasn't good to be around me."
He cocked an eyebrow at the mullet-hair styled energetic young man.
"Is that supposed to mean something in particular?"

"Only if he has selfesteam issues."
Demyx told him with a slight frown,
"And from what you tell me, he does."

Axel frowned,
taking another long drag.
"Are you telling me I should go back?"

"Only if you want to keep him from doing something drastic."
The blond on the counter told him,
"He must have argued back at them for you, fought for you. I'd feel pretty damn stupid if you had walked out on me after all that."

Axel finally had a look of realization on his face.
"SHIT."
He groaned, running out of the store.

Demyx had a point.
Roxas must have gotten into a fight with his folks over him...
they didn't like him,
but Roxas did.

The Axel just left like that.
He could only imagine what that did to Roxas.

As he quickly drove out of the parking lot,
Axel pleaded silently in his head that Roxas didn't hate him.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

When Roxas heard the front door close as Axel left, tears clouded his vision.
He got up and looked out the far window, watching the red-head pull out of the parking lot.

He rested his forehead on the glass, tears flowing steadily now as he whispered Axel's name.
He blamed himself for Axel leaving.
He blamed himself for his Mom's sudden turn against the boy she used to consider a third son.
He blamed himself for Sora hating not only Axel, but Roxas as well.

He should have listened to Axel those years ago, and hung out more with the brunette.

But at this point, it wouldn't have made a difference.
His own mother had shunned him away. Just because he thought he might be falling for his old best friend.

His brother too.
That had hurt more then anything. To be called 'queer' by his mom, like she thought it was a plague.

What hurt the most, is that fact that he was weak enough to let their words effect him so much.
He had barely been able to drive back to the apartments safely because he had been shaking so much.

Finally, Roxas slunk to the floor. His body shaking as his sobs rocked his body.
His own mother...He couldn't shake it from his mind. And then Axel...he had just left like that.
When Roxas most needed him. To feel needed. That was the only reason he had come onto Axel like that.
He wanted to feel wanted.

The blond could hardly breath as he felt his air-ways constricting.
...and he had left his asthma inhaler at his own apartment.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Killing the engine, Axel practically lept from the car, running to his apartment.
"Roxas?"
He called out, quickly opening the door as he found it still unlocked. When there was no answer, the red-head looked around.
Reaching his room, Axel gasped. He quickly made his way to Roxas' side.
The Blond was still breathing, but it was raspy and shallow. Axel picked him up and layed him on his bed.
"Oh god, Rox, just hold on...I'll get your medicine...shit..."
Axel mumbled, looking around wildly.

He grabbed his keys and ran to Roxas' place, thankfully only a few flights up from his own apartment.
Once inside, he ran to the cabinet beside Roxas' bed.
In it he found the blonde's inhaler.

"Oh thank god..."
Axel let out a breath, dashing back to his apartment with the much needed inhaler.
"Roxas don't you give up on me."

It gos without saying that Axel did his best to get back to Roxas as quickly as possible.
When he got back, he took the blond protectively into his arms, giving him his inhaler.

Roxas wheezed as he took his much needed dose, his face pretty pale as he had to hold in his breath for a few moments.
When he could finally let out the air, he coughed hard, clinging to Axel.

Axel held him close, rubbing his back. Trying his best to soothe him.
Roxas had had asthma all his life and Axel used to have to help him all the time with his inhaler.
But he hadn't had an attack sense a few years back.
Axel didn't even have to guess as to what brought this one on.

It was because he had screwed up and left Roxas when the blond obviously had needed him most.

"...Axel.."
Roxas said softly, sounding tearful.
He didn't even dare to look up at those green eyes...afraid what they might hold.

"Shhhh..."
Axel soothed, rubbing Roxas' back lightly.
"I shouldn't have left you like that."
He said firmly.
Noting the blonde's silence, Axel decided it would be good to get somethings straightened out.
"Look, Rox...what ever they said, you don't hav-"

Roxas looked up at him with hurt in his eyes.
"Axel, I don't want to feel like this anymore...I-...I think I love you."
He said shakily.

Axel stopped, his eyes glued on the others fully. Not even a crobar would pry his gaze away.
"...Rox- I don't want you to think you have to return my feelings..."

Roxas shook his head with a slight cough,
"No! You don't get it."
He said firmly, and he pulled back slightly.
"...They called you a-...a F-fuck...and I couldn't stand it. Mom even went so far as to tell me don't bother coming around if I was with you. She thought we might be together...and asked if I was...'queer'. I lost it.
But that was when I found out that I really did l-love you."
Roxas choked out, swallowing hard.

Axel knew now what had been causing Roxas so much pain.
"Oh Rox...Don't you ever listen to them, or that witch."
He said, pulling the blond to him tightly.

Roxas gave out a small whimper as he snuggled to the red-head.
"I'll protect you."
Axel stated firmly yet softly as the blond started to calm down.
"I love you, too...so much."
He whispered.

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That night, Roxas stayed over with Axel.
The pair stayed close, Watching movies and simply cuddling on Axel's small sofa.

So long had Axel wanted to hold Roxas, that now he was doing it, it seemed almost to good to be true.

The Blond was still fragile and sometimes Axel had to be wary of how he said something.
But never the less, Roxas felt safe in Axel's arms. Nothing his mother of brother could say would ever take him from his new love.

Axel even made them diner. Frankly, Roxas hadn't even known the red-head could cook.
It was a spicey posta like none Roxas had ever tasted.
Or course Axel would cook something spicy.

After a while, Axel couldn't help but smile at almost everything Roxas said or did.
Roxas was pretty much the same way.
And from that night, and many nights to come...
Axel held Roxas in his arms, safe from any nightmare or specter that could possible bother them.

And Roxas would snuggle down into the warm, cinnamon-smelling sheets and against /his/ Axel;
Sleeping soundly and contentedly.

Axel would lay awake a while longer, only watching his little blond sleeping.
It made him proud to know that he was the only one that could make Roxas feel so safe.