Once the boys made it into the hotel room, Axel was quick to lay Riku down on the bed.
"Shh, just get some sleep." Axel said as he tucked Riku into the blankets.
"Goodnight." Riku said, his head aching slightly as the cold medicine he took on the way to the hotel began to kick in.
"Well at least you two aren't fighting anymore." Roxas shrugged after Riku began to breathe loudly in his sleep.
"Still, we have a lot to talk about when he wakes up." Axel sighed as he sat down on the bed on which Sora and Roxas were cuddling.
"I'm sure Riku will be open to hearing what you have to say on the matter." Sora said optimistically.
"I have so much to say, I just, I'm not sure how to say it." Axel shook his head.
"Don't stress over it man, I'm sure Riku's just happy that you two are on good terms again."
"Guess it's not use losing sleep over." Axel agreed before he tucked himself in next to Riku.
"Night guys." Roxas said as he turned off the TV.
"Goodnight." Sora said next.
"Night," Axel echoed before he fell asleep.
When Riku awoke, he found that Axel was not in bed, and neither was Roxas in bed next to Sora.
"Hey," Rikus at up slowly as Sora turned down the television he had been watching.
"Morning." Sora greeted with a yawn.
"Where are Roxas and Axel?" Riku asked, nervous at the idea of Axel being mad at him.
"I'm not sure. I just woke a bit before you did." Sora confessed before the missing two boys walked into the hotel room.
"Good morning." Roxas said before he sat down next to Sora and handed him a bag of food. He and Axel were already showered and dressed, ready for the day.
"Where'd you go?" Sora asked as he peeked into the bag.
"Bagels." Roxas answered as Axel handed Riku a similar bag.
"Thank you." Riku tried to smile as Axel sat next to him.
"You're welcome." Axel responded before it went quiet as the boys ate.
"So, what are the plans for today?" Sora asked to fill the silence.
"I was thinking we could go somewhere private, calm, and romantic." Roxas said as Axel shrugged.
"It's Christmas day. I thought we'd go somewhere festive and decorated."
"It doesn't matter to me, as long as we're all together." Riku added quietly.
"Is that really what you want?" Axel asked, causing Riku to gulp shyly.
"Yes." Riku answered shamefully. It went quiet before Roxas coughed.
"So,"
"Are you still feeling ill?" Axel turned to Riku, who shook his head.
"I had a good nights sleep." Riku said, doing his best to look positive.
"That's cause Axel was holding you all warm and snuggly." Sora giggled in amusement.
"Thank you." Riku looked up at Axel. "You're an amazing boyfriend."
"We're still together?" Axel asked, as if in shock.
"P-please?" Riku didn't care if he looked desperate in front of Sora and Roxas.
"Don't you ever, ever, make me question my physical safety. Ever." Axel said with a stiff finger. "If you're mad or angry, fine, but don't you dare try to tell my own fucking drive to run me over. Understand?" Axel said and Riku nodded like a small child to a parent.
"I'm sorry." Riku hung his head as he apologized.
"In return, I promise I won't ever belittle you, or your gifts ever again. I'm sorry I hurt you enough to drive you to do such a thing."
"It was my insecurities. I'm sorry." Riku said, wishing they had had the conversation in private, but thankful that it was only Sora and Roxas.
"I should have been more patient." Axel said as Riku remained still, not sure what else to say. He was too tired for words, too tired to argue. All he wanted was peace and a Christmas to smile about, unlike the many he experienced growing up.
"I just want to enjoy today. It is a special day." Riku said shyly.
"Well, why don't you two get ready and Roxas and I will brainstorm some appropriate Christmas activities?" Axel asked Sora and Riku before the two agreed.
Axel and Roxas waited in the hotel lobby as their boyfriends prepared for the day, doing their best to come up with ideas to truly celebrate the magic of Christmas, when Axel received a phone call. Roxas watched as Axel took his phone call in private, pacing the outdoor patio briskly with a hand to his head until he suddenly stopped walking, checked his phone, and then shook his head before re-entering the hotel.
"You okay?" Roxas asked, noticing how something was off about his best friend.
"It was my dad. I totally forgot that he was throwing a party yesterday, and I missed it." Axel sighed before he took a seat in one of the leather lobby chairs.
"Shit, is he upset?"
"Yep. I can't believe I forgot." Axel sighed loudly. "Now he wants me home to meet with his friends and make up for the lack of respect I showed by not showing up yesterday."
"I'm sure Riku will understand." Roxas said, knowing that Axel had to return home.
"I don't want to spend this day without him, but I wouldn't blame him if he never wanted to go to Lea Manor ever again. I don't know what to do." Axel shrugged.
"Well I'll be here to help, no matter what." Roxas gave Axel a pat on the back before their boyfriends joined them in the lobby.
"So what are the plans?" Sora asked casually.
"I have to go back home." Axel said straight to the point.
"Oh, okay." Riku responded, not knowing if he was invited or not.
"Aww, I wanted us all to spend Christmas together." Sora couldn't hide his disappointment.
"Well, I mean, you guys can come with me, but I'm not sure if you want to." Axel said shyly.
"Are you kidding me?!" Roxas said loudly. "Lea Manor has everything anyone could ever want and more! Let's go!" Roxas said, so all four boys began the drive back to Axel's house.
The boys went straight to Axel's room to settle down and play video games when Axel's Nanny entered his bedroom.
"Master Lea, your father would like a word with you." The woman said before Axel sighed.
"I knew this was coming." The redhead whispered before he asked his friends to wait patiently in his room until he returned.
"Man, it must suck to have such a strict parent." Roxas said as Riku nodded in agreement.
"I wish I could help him feel less stressed. It's definitely gotten worse since college." Riku added.
"He always seemed to have the perfect life at the Academy. I didn't realize his dad was so harsh." Sora said as the three continued to play video games.
"Hey," Roxas turned his head when Axel's bedroom door opened an hour later.
"Hey." Axel echoed quietly as he joined his friends on the comfortable gaming chairs facing the giant TV screen.
"Everything, ok?" Roxas asked cautiously.
"Well, I mean, nothing more than I expected." Axel shrugged. "He called me lazy and stupid, said I was unfit for his company, threatened to kick me out of the family, and once again commented about adopting Riku as his son so he'd have an heir that wouldn't fuck up his name."
"Damn, that's horrible." Roxas frowned.
"Still, at least he likes Riku. Maybe he'll be happy that you two are dating?" Sora said quietly.
"Yeah right." Axel shook his head. "He made it clear that I have to marry a woman, have a son, and follow the family tradition. Keep it in the blood, no broken lines." Axel sighed loudly. "Everything I do is the opposite of who he wants me to be." Axel said as he stared at the floor.
"Everything you do is just another reason I love you." Riku said as he put a hand on Axel's shoulder. Axel gave a small smile before he rested his head on Riku's shoulder.
"Thank you. I love you too." Axel said before he sat up straight.
"I'm surprised he doesn't have an arranged marriage all set up for you." Roxas said as Sora and Riku chuckled along.
"He, he does." Axel said quietly, immediately shutting up Sora and Riku's laughter.
"He what?" Riku asked with wide eyes.
"He has who he wants me to marry already picked out."
"When, when did you hear about this? Just now?" Riku asked, his mind racing with all sorts of fears and insecurities. Axel was quiet before he spoke.
"He told me when I was thirteen that I was to marry Xion once I graduated college."
"You never told me,"
Author's Note: Wow I don't think I've ever gone this long without updating I am SO SUPER SINCERELY SORRY (yay for alliteration though!) so now we see a twist! What do you think of this? How will this affect the relationship, and more broadly, the story? Predictions/thoughts?
So I just finished decided where I'm going with this story and all the major scenes and stuff, so hopefully now that I finally have more time I can update more. Thank you all for your patience!
Love, Sarabellum