I do not own KH or it's characters.

Mezzanine

Chapter Eight: Danger Keep Away

I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
But I'm addicted.
Now that you know I'm trapped
Sense of elation
You'd never dream of
Breaking this fixation.
You will squeeze the life out of me.

Time is Running out – Muse

"Keep going. Long hard strokes. Yes! Just like that! Now you've got it!" Demyx bubbly cheered on.

Xigbar ceased his arms from paddling and pulled his drenched body upright until he was straddling his surf board. He crossed his arms and gave his younger instructor a childish pout. Demyx laughed nervously and maneuvered his own board to where he was sitting aside Xigbar in the rolling ocean.

"Nice wording there, dear teacher of mine" Xigbar blanched.

"Oh umm... " Demyx's face went hot, despite the fact that the rest of his body was freezing cold. "Sorry. You were doing so great so I thought–"

He jumped lightly at the sudden bout of laughter from Xigbar. The dark haired man clutched at his well toned abdomen and his other hand pinched away happy tears at his one brown eye. Xigbar shook his head, sweetly saying "I was just joking, Demy. To tell you the truth, I ought to be thanking you. Sorry. If it weren't for you, my ass wouldn't be out here now would it? Thanks."

Demyx smiled reassuringly. "You're welcome."

It was peaceful at Twilight Beach. No one else but the two males took up its space. The fact that it was still dark could have been a reason why. It was dawn when they started their surfing lessons. Now, the morning's presence was clearly making itself known. The sun's faint glimmer of gold and scarlet trimmed the lining of the great big blue. Demyx sighed happily at the sight. Only for this breath taking view he'd wake early. Only for the melodious roaring clash of the waves as he rode them. His heart was content here. Completely content.

As the boy blissfully daydreamed away, his unofficial pupil watched on curiously. Xigbar chuckled deeply. This unwavering sound caught Demyx off guard. It sent chills rippling up and down his spine. His young eyes connected with a chocolate one. He found himself ensnared by the mere eye alone.

Not helping himself and being the bigmouth that Demyx knew he was, he innocently asked, "What happened to your eye?"

Xigbar's smile never left his features. It remained still, even broadened as he replied to the teenager. "A nasty accident. No jokes there. I won't go into the gory details. So to put this long story short, my right eye was extinguished so to speak. By a monster."

"Monster?" Demyx giggled. "Like an eye gouging bear or something?"

"Something like that" the man explained truthfully, lightly flicking at his leather eye patch. "But in a way, I never lost it."

Demyx felt himself shudder for some odd reason. "Oh. What do you mean by that?"

"When you lose things, kid. You tend to gain things that replace them."

Before Demyx had the time to contemplate what he had said, he noticed Xigbar had dived under, surf board and all. When he did that, the abrupt salty foam of a wave promptly enveloped Demyx. It knocked him off his board and sent him whirling in a spiral beneath the surface. The velcro restraint at his ankle tugged sideways, alerting Demyx that his board had reached above sea level.

Having not been prepared for the wave, Demyx hadn't held his breath. His throat tightened and his lungs ached. The dark blond swam for the top but another wave tossed him rolling even faster. This wave cast him to the sea floor, crashing him into stone hard coral. When Demyx felt the cord snap free from his ankle, it was then he knew he was in trouble. This was happening too fast for him to comprehend. Where was Xigbar? Where the hell...

Demyx's thoughts fuzzed and jumbled. He needed air. He needed air.

His lips opened and bubbles escaped. Before he sucked in water, he felt a great squeeze around his body, and then he sucked in air.

Demyx sputtered in shock. His eyes adjusted, realizing that his upper half was hunching over what seemed to be Xigbar's board.

A lithe finger touched his chin, lifting it up to meet his rescuers gaze. Demyx's heart drummed uncontrollably. What just happened?

"I thought you were the one who was supposed to be in control here. It looks like you might need my help with this, too." Xigbar cooed, leaning down to meet Demyx's astonished face. "Are you okay?"

Not sure how to respond, Demyx didn't answer. He looked around for his board and it didn't take long for him to find it bobbing about, scattered in huge shards all around him. The vicious surf must have demolished it. Mortified, Demyx frowned at the death of his long time beloved board and crawled up onto Xigbar's. They wordlessly straddled it together. Both facing one another.

"Did you hear me?" Xigbar neared the boy's face again. "I asked if you were hurt, little mermaid?"

Demyx quickly noticed just how close their faces were. He gulped and looked away, embarrassed at the lack of space. "N-no I don't think so– Ow!"

He clutched both hands around his neck. A stinging, throbbing pain became very apparent all of a sudden. Demyx whined a little and wanted to rub the sore spot but couldn't when he realized that it hurt him more when he touched whatever it was that pained him.

Stronger, larger hands took his own away. Xigbar eyed a reddening patch of irritated flesh on Demyx's throat. His sight was intimidating. It almost frightened the younger one. Almost.

"You must have brushed across the reef" Xigbar droned, his eye never blinking. "You should be fine. But here... let me make it all better."

Demyx peeped a whimper when a calloused hand snaked around the back of his neck, arching him backwards. Now what's happening?! he thought frantically. Demyx's thoughts diminished when he felt something nuzzle into him. It took a while for him to deduce that a pair of icy cold lips were languidly grazing all along his throat. It wasn't a kiss but it wasn't particularly anything else either. Whatever the hell it was, Demyx couldn't get enough of it. His eyes rolled back closed and a huff of air escaped his mouth. And before Demyx knew it, the amazing sensation was gone.

Teal eyes batted open and found that Xigbar was strangely facing the other direction. Demyx cocked his head curiously. The board hardly moved at all. How the hell did Xigbar manage turning the opposite way so stealthily? Something wasn't right. Something... wasn't...

"I shouldn't have done that" came the man's quivering voice. "Demyx... I'm sorry. We should get going. School starts in an hour any–"

"Thank you" Demyx said, his unsure and trembling arms curling around Xigbar's shoulders from behind. "Thank you for saving my life."

Following that, the dirty blond leaned forwards and gave his teacher's cheek a chaste kiss. Xigbar's breath hitched and he blinked, dumbfounded.

Then Demyx let his arms fall, agreeing also. "We should get going. We'll save our lesson for another day."

.

Thud, thud, thud, went Axel's forehead against his desk. It was too damn early in the morning and he was too damn tired to give a crap about history. His first class had already started and Roxas hadn't shown up yet. His chit chat vampire buddy wasn't there to wake him up in order to start off his day. It sucked, but he figured the immortal would only show up late again. For the past few days, he had done just this. It was mainly on the account that the night prowling father and son would spend their said nights scouring Twilight Town for their immortal follower.

As the vampires increased their search, results proved unsuccessful. Roxas would always inform Axel that little progress would be made. The only trail that the follower left behind was a slow increasing amount of heartless, which they took care of. They would scavenge for the whole night and stop in the mid-morning so Roxas could attend school. It was a tiresome task but Roxas endured without complaint.

Speak of the devil.

In mid thud, Axel raised his head when he caught a glimpse of dark clothes and yellow hair at the door. He smiled from ear to ear. Roxas entered the classroom with a lively expression. There was no trace or sign that he hadn't slept the entire night.

The vivacious vampire adjusted the sling of his checkered bag and crossed the front of the room and down the middle row. The girls giggled and whirred in secrecy, and the boys couldn't help but stir and gawk. Roxas' unnatural glowing presence seemed to irk everyone. Axel smirked at the boy and casually leaned back in his chair. He had Roxas closer to himself than any of his peers ever dreamed of. Aside Sora, who the hell else would know just how unique Roxas was? Axel clicked his tongue triumphantly. Only he was the wiser. Only he was the wiser.

In Axel's opinion, that was the icing on the cake. Now if he could only get a cherry for the top…

When Roxas took his seat, Axel smugly scooted his chair a little closer to the blond's. "Any luck finding your creepy peeping tom, Roxy-bear?" he whispered gently.

Roxas seethed at the teen who was too damn alert, too damn early in the morning for his taste. "No Axel. I know you want to help and all, but please do so more discretely. I can't risk anybody overhearing our conversations."

"You're right" Axel agreed devilishly, aimlessly flipping pages to his text book that made him appear obvious that he wasn't paying attention. "We should keep a distance from everybody. Maybe even run away. It'd be for the best if you think about it. You never know if the jocks might be scheming to keep me hostage and use me as bait to get to you. God knows what those sickos want with you."

The undead blond gawked in sheer disdain. "Please quit while you're ahead. You might hurt yourself."

"I'd be valuable collateral." Axel sarcastically proclaimed with a hand on his chest. "Don't believe me? How typical of a vampire. I'm ashamed."

Roxas shushed him, looking around nervously. "Quit it Axel, I'm serious. Need I remind you the promise you intend on keeping? Say anything and you'll be number one on Cloud's black list."

Axel shook his head and screwed a half grin on his lips. "You underestimate me far too much, Roxas. Now... say you join me at the movies later and I'll consider being a bit more quiet."

"You wouldn't" Roxas said dryly. "If you plan on blackmailing me, Axel Flurry, you better hope your legs run a hell of a lot faster than your mouth does."

"Roxas" the teacher's voice hissed sternly.

The two conversing males at the back froze and their attention drew to the tall tanned man up front. Xigbar looked extra temperamental today, Axel noted, and he couldn't exactly reason why. Roxas cleared his throat and answered his professor with a polite posture.

"Roxas, you can't as well come barging into my classroom late and act so defiantly as you're doing now. This has to be the fourth time this month that you've been tardy to class. I apologize for your inconvenience but I will not be so lenient anymore." Xigbar shook his head in disappointment.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again, Xigbar." Roxas explained from the back of the class.

"No, it won't…" the history teacher called out to a boy who was startled from a near asleep state. "Hayner. Gather your things. I want you to take Strife's seat. Apparently Flurry back there is having a negative influence on our star student. Come on Roxas, up front."

Axel nearly jumped out of his skin at his request. He had some very rebellious and very crude things to say to his teacher but the initial shock of Xigbar actually wanting to switch a student's seat had befuddled him silent. It appeared to have confused everyone else too, by the look of shock plastered on every students face. With the exception of Demyx. He looked strangely satisfied in fact. Axel's eyes narrowed at the white gauze on his neck. He decided he would ask about it later... if Demyx was willing to answer of course.

Roxas nodded and gave Axel a very weak shrug of the shoulders. His false brown eyes apologized and he began collecting his own things when Hayner impatiently waited for Roxas to leave his newly assigned seat.

Axel could only watch with a saddened face and an awful ache in his heart as Roxas took his new placement at the very very front of the classroom. When the rearrangement was made, Axel was furious with himself that he was so affected by it. It was just a seat switch. It wasn't like their friendship was being ripped from him. Right? Axel sulked as he took a glance at Hayner and grimaced. It simply wasn't the same.

So much for the damn cherry on top.

"You two are close huh?" came Hayner's obnoxious voice. At least to Axel it was.

Not giving the courtesy of responding, Axel cast a malicious glare at the new boy aside him. Hayner got the hint right away that he wasn't one to meddle with.

Axel returned to his work with a lingering anger boiling in his belly. During the session, he'd steal glances at Roxas, who looked too absorbed in his work to look back at his friend. This made matters awkward for him. It was more awkward when Axel looked at Roxas for another time. He found Demyx just in front of the vampire, this time glaring at the redhead with a leer that would do Roxas proud. Axel winced and began jotting notes.

He felt bad. Really bad. He felt like a friend who ditched his good friends kind of bad. Axel couldn't keep this front up for much longer. It was far too painful.

He grunted in annoyance. Why'd Xigbar have to switch up his lame upbeat teacher game at a time like this anyway? Axel scowled for not knowing.

.

Axel eyed his brown papered bag of lunch with distaste. He couldn't eat like this. Not when the things he had done unsettled him. Particularly because of his cold shoulder act towards his friends as of late. It wasn't like Axel intended to be this way. He just didn't know how else to avoid their constant questions about Roxas. He had to do something about it fast, otherwise he'd never forgive himself for such actions.

"Hey Roxas?" Axel perked.

The blond blinked at his human friend. He smiled, gesturing for him to continue as he set his school bag on the cafeteria floor next to his quiet cousin's feet. The vampire was sitting in between the two human boys and he was the only one that lacked food in front of him. Roxas was quite full in fact. Five iron pills in the morning did the trick. His animalistic appetite was well fed for now.

"Would you…" Axel started softly, not really knowing how to put his thoughts into words. "Do you think it would be okay if we had lunch with Demyx and Riku?"

Sora made a choking noise, startling the other two. The brunet made a fist and hit his chest a few times and his coughing eventually subsided. Roxas massaged the middle of his back and asked if he was alright. Sora stayed silent. He only nodded and continued to crank food into his mouth like nothing happened. Roxas could tell he wasn't okay with it. Regardless, he knew Axel wanted to make up for lost cause. He was a part of the reason why Axel was so off lately, why Axel was away from his former friends.

"Its okay with me if its okay with Sora" Roxas answered.

Sora froze in mid chew when he felt Axel's gaze on him. He put down his turkey sandwich and wiped the crumbs from his mouth and cheeks. Sora terribly wanted to get up and leave at Roxas' suggestion. He wasn't ready to face Riku. It would be a while before he had the courage to talk to his old companion again. Not after they spilled their feelings for each other. Not after he rejected Riku so horribly like that. He loathed himself for it. But he considered that family always came first. Sora was committed like that. He respected his older immortal cousin's wishes. After all, Roxas did the same for him.

Roxas gave his younger relative a reassuring gaze. "If you don't talk to him, that's fine. But ignoring Riku's existence won't help you cope with your feelings. If anything it'll make things worse, Sora. I think you need this."

"Hold on" Axel said, ignoring the surprised look on Roxas' face. "I've been pretty patient about this, Roxas. But this is getting a little too unbearable. Can't you just tell me why you won't consider one harmless little date? It must be something reasonable in order for Sora to do the same."

"Let's go see Demyx and Riku!" Sora suddenly cried out. He leapt from his seat and pulled an uneasy looking Roxas up onto his feet.

Sora took Roxas by the hand and dragged him off, leaving their lunch and Axel behind. It took the redhead a minute to compute what had just happened then he shook off the outburst and sprinted after them.

The cousins headed towards the back of the school where it was quiet and where few dared to trespass. At first, Axel wasn't too sure if they still had their lunches there but once they arrived, he was proved wrong. To his recognition, Riku and Demyx were sitting beside each other on the floor, eating their food with somber looks painted on their friendly faces. Axel felt like this was going to be one interesting confrontation.

Riku was the first to spot the intruders. He made it seem as if he didn't see them but Axel didn't need immortal empathy in order to tell that Riku was just ignoring him. Sora looked petrified and Roxas put a consoling hand onto his shoulder. They moved closer and Demyx took notice to the intruders too. He looked shocked, then pissed. The creases to his expressions faltered and the anger undoubtedly became melancholy.

Axel took a deep breath and walked forwards.

"There's no room for company," Riku spat out before Axel could say anything.

A red brow arched and the tallest male scoffed. There was nobody in the area except them. He shook his head and continued with determination. "Look, I came here to apologize. I'm not here just because I miss you guys. I do… but I'm here because I'm sorry. I'm an ass, I get that okay?"

"A jackass at that," Riku added.

"Yeah," the redhead laughed sadly. "That I am. It doesn't mean that this jackass doesn't know how to work things out with his friends though. I'm sorry. Forgiving me is entirely up to you guys. I just needed to let you two know that I didn't do this to you on purpose."

"Then why are you doing this to us exactly?" Demyx asked in a shaky voice. "You're a lot shadier than I ever thought you could be. You're a lot more than just a jackass. You… you're just a…"

"It's not his fault," Roxas interjected. "If you have nasty names, send them to me, not him."

Axel stared wide eyed at the floor. Somehow, he couldn't bring himself to look at the boy who was defending him.

"I'm not a people person," Roxas explained solemnly. "I don't like to socialize period. But Axel… he's changing that about me. I didn't see that our new friendship was unhooking him from you guys at first. But I see it now. I'm ashamed of that, which means that I'm the guilty one. Not him. I'm sorry. If you don't want me here, just say the word and I'm gone."

Axel's mouth dropped. The icing to his cake melted away. Roxas… gone? That can't happen. That won't happen. He wouldn't allow it.

Axel managed to look at Roxas and Sora, from them to Demyx and Riku. He felt like he had to choose between them. That was no good. He wouldn't do that. He couldn't do that. Axel couldn't even think about doing that to them. There were no favorites. One wasn't better than another. Sure, there was something special the immortal had that Riku and Demyx didn't have. That had only made Roxas different from them. It didn't mean that he was his favorite.

But… this was just what he had done. He had chosen one over another… and Roxas was defending him for his own selfish actions. Axel's chest throbbed in agony as he realized this.

"Please," Sora begged sheepishly, breaking the silence. "Please, don't be mad Riku. His intentions are only good. I want you guys to be okay. I want us to be okay."

Riku's stiff posture softened. His defensive demeanor dropped. His aquamarine eyes locked with sapphire blue ones. Sora smiled. Riku shivered delightedly, returning the smile back. He turned to Demyx and discovered that his demeanor had softened too. The silver haired teen stood and faced Axel. He looked at him carefully and searched for any hints of deceit or lies. He found nothing of the sort. But then again, he never found anything.

"I doubt I can hold a grudge against you," Riku sincerely told Axel. "You'd be a wreck without us anyway. Right Dem?"

Demyx sighed and nodded, getting himself onto his feet. "You're still a jackass though."

"Yeah…" Axel agreed.

Roxas stiffened at his response. The vampire sensed regret, sensed remorse, but moreover he sensed guilt. Axel had apologized. His shunned friends forgave him. And Axel put on a smile that Roxas knew all too well by now. A fake one.

Something wasn't in its rightful place…

…and Roxas would be damned if he didn't find out what it was.

Where is this curiosity coming from?

As things settled down and all five males got better acquainted, the lanky teen with red hair cleared his throat as softly as he was capable of doing. To the extent where only he and Roxas noticed. The vampire's ears twitched a little at the almost inaudible noise and blank brown eyes went for whatever Axel was motioning him for.

Reading thin pink lips, Axel soundlessly mouthed "Thank you".

Roxas grinned and nodded in acknowledgment.

.

The school day had long since passed and between passing periods while school was still in session, Axel had insisted for the blond to have a talk with him. It made Roxas a little nervous hearing that. Not very many things made him worry. He was a creature of the night. There was little to nothing that Roxas was afraid of. But lately... Axel seemed to break that notion. And that scared the daylights out of the elder.

They met each other in the student parking. Both of them waited for the packed lot to empty and when it nearly was, Roxas approached the said teen that unsettled him so.

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked.

"You said all that…" Axel incredulously said. "For me?"

Roxas fiddled with his bag and helmet, realizing that Axel was talking about what happened earlier that day. "Losing friends isn't fun. It'd tear me apart if that happened to you and I was the cause of it. I'm sorry I did that to you."

"Roxas," he said, making the vampire meet his glossy green gaze. "Let me…"

Blondie cocked his head. "Let you what?"

Axel shuffled closer, watching him with very eager eyes.

Oh shit.

Roxas backed up and faintly shook his head. The situation he didn't like was coming back into play. Roxas continued to back walk and looked over his shoulder to see if he might collide into anything. Damn, there was an empty Mercedes closing in. When he turned back, Axel took him by surprise and pulled him into a warm embrace. His eyelids fell and his face became close. Too close.

Brown contacts illuminated into a bright shade of burgundy. He blinked rapidly, putting his hands to the planes of Axel's chest and shoved him off. The redhead was thrust backwards and he fell to the floor, bewildered at the action. Roxas turned to leave briskly at that.

"Roxas," Axel called out. "If you didn't want me to do that, all you needed to do–"

"Look at me!" Roxas snarled. He turned back with his contacts removed. Red eyes were aflame, taunting the teenager. "I can't do this. I don't do this because of what I am. I won't risk either of us getting hurt. So I'm begging you with what little sanity I have right now… stay away from me."

Axel's eyes narrowed and he lifted himself from the floor. "That's your reason? You won't get close because you're afraid of getting hurt? Roxas, you can't live in a bubble for the rest of your life. Everybody gets hurt in relationships. It's something you have to learn to accept. Mortal or immortal, there's no difference. Why can't you just let me in?"

"You just don't get it, do you?" Roxas huffed.

"Obviously not. So help me to."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because…" Roxas responded. Blood red eyes glossed over tears and the vampire's shoulders drooped. "…I could kill you. The littlest thing could make me snap and you'd be gone in an instant. I'm a murderer Axel. I've killed before. I could do it again just as easily and… I care about you too much to do you harm. I won't ever let it come to that. I'm too dangerous and you're too fragile. We won't wor–"

Axel ceased Roxas' muffled words with his mouth. Roxas let his school things clatter to the concrete below. His immortal heart pounded wildly beneath his chest and he prayed that Axel hadn't heard it. The only thing he managed to comprehend now was the feeling of warm lips pressing against his cold ones. Shocked by what was happening, Roxas could do nothing else but let his eyes close and softly nip back at the mouth that had claimed his own.

After a few moments of sharing their first passionate kiss, the redhead parted from the affectionate gesture with reluctance and chuckled. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm still alive. Aren't I?"

A crimson blush crept along Roxas' pale cheeks and his eyes became the familiar electric cobalt. He licked his lips, feeling the unique heat and tasting the sweet essence that Axel had left behind. Looking lost in thought, a few tears trickled from his blue eyes. Roxas turned on his heel and continued to walk away. Stubborn, Axel pulled him back and made the vampire to face him. His emerald eyes requested, pleaded for an answer.

"I've hurt you before," Roxas managed to say. His leather gloved fingers lightly traced across the crook of Axel's neck. "I won't let that happen again."

Axel's hands held the immortal's face, brushing away tears with his thumbs. "You can't control everything around you, Roxas. Give me a chance. That's all I'm asking of you. Let me in and I promise to make my company the best you will ever know."

Roxas let his weak lips curve upwards. He didn't stop them from doing so either. No one has ever fought to be with him so badly as Axel was doing now. This made the immortal swell with encouraging feelings that he hadn't savored in decades. The most overwhelming feeling of all. Pure acceptance.

"You really don't care, do you? I mean, I could seriously harm you Axel and you just don't–"

"Roxas?"

Crystal blue eyes darted to the redhead. He scanned him carefully. The vampire sensed something. This time... he loathed whatever was coming.

"What is it?" he countered.

"Do you think that maybe..." Axel trailed off with a mock laugh. "Never mind it's a stupid suggestion."

"What is it?" Roxas repeated more assertively.

As quick as Roxas' happiness came, it left just as quickly. Axel took a few glances around them and sighed. "I understand what you mean. We have chemistry but we're not... compatible. You're inhuman, I'm human. It would never really work but Roxas... what would you say if I wanted to... become what you are, too?"

"I'd say you were right" Roxas snorted. "That was a stupid suggestion. Don't you ever ask me that again. Because if you do, I just might do it. Just to prove to you that what I told you before was true. Blooding a human is agony. It's death, Axel. Death. I doubt you that's what you want. Or is it?"

"No" Axel half smiled. "I think I can come to an agreement on that... as long as I'm with you."

Roxas looked at him skeptically. The cute expression on Axel's determined face couldn't keep Roxas mad for long. The blond's smile came back twice as big. "Okay. You win, Axel. I'll give you a chance."

Beaming with excitement, Axel flung his arms around Roxas' middle and lifted him off the ground, twirling them in numerous dizzying circles.

Roxas protested to be let down and he was.

"Sooo" Axel connived, slinking his arm around Roxas' wobbly waist. "You know Prom is coming up soon..."

"Keep your tights on, Romeo" Roxas shot back with a scoff.

They shared a laugh and traded small talk before collecting their things and started off leaving the parking lot hand in hand.

Roxas hummed for a moment, quirking a mischievous grin that made Axel curious as to what had caused it. The immortal shortly stopped their walk. Again, Axel was curious why. It didn't take long for him to wonder why Roxas was acting so strangely. Leather bound hands tightened an unearthly grip onto clammy human ones.

"Would you like for me to take you home?" Roxas asked in a lulling tone that Axel was sure would make Angels sing.

"Uh... sure."

Too fast for Axel's apple green eyes to make out, Roxas' slim body was pressed against his own in a blurry flash. It reminded Axel of the feud between Roxas and Cloud. Not wanting to take his chances, the taller one made sure that he did nothing to provoke the sly creature of the night.

"I would hold on tight if I were you" Roxas growled fervently into the redhead's ear.

Swallowing thickly, Axel did as he was told. His wiry arms slinked around the vampire, anxiously inquiring, "What for?"

"This." Roxas curtly replied.

Writhing ribbons of black shadows shot up from the base of Roxas' worn boots. Axel gaped in awe as a dark chilling whirlwind spiraled around their hugging forms. Faster and faster the blackness spun. After a faint murmur of shock from the human, the darkness erased them entirely. Materialized.

Nothing but a sifting cloud of ink black smoke was left behind.

Around the bend however, was somebody who caught the entire confrontation that seemed to be ripped clean out of a science fiction thriller. The utterly bewildered eavesdropper stood quivering behind his car, not sure whether to take in everything as reality or a dream. Roxas' hellish eyes and the irrevocable disappearing act sure as hell convinced the silver haired teenager that whatever they were talking about before, was inexplicably the truth. Riku sidestepped with caution and shakily grappled for the black door to his Mercedes.

As he did so, two soft hands clamped over his mouth. Riku muffled a startled whimper and went to attack whoever did this. He stopped immediately when he realized who's hands they belonged to.

Sora glanced at the lingering shadow in the distance and then towards Riku's trembling eyes. He sighed, whispering, "Can you keep a secret?"

.

I thought I'd like to share something funny with you guys. I'm a metal head so to speak and I've recently got back into my Rammstein phase. Well, as I was editing this chapter up the ass I've been listening to a song that I hadn't particularly favored until now. It's called "Mann gegen Mann". Yeah... that's German for "Man against Man". Listen to the song if you're a fan of metal and yaoi. SERIOUSLY. I was laughing so hard when I read the translation lyrics. Yup. "Man gay for Man" in other words. Very appropriate huh? Dammit, Rammstein has reached a whole other level of badass.

Boo me for not realizing that sooner. Oh well. Yay for AkuRoku-ness! I bet you're thinking 'Finally!'

Axel: Caaan you feeel the looooove tonight???

Roxas: Aaand there goes your chance out the window.

Axel: W-what?!