Serve Me, Love Me – Part 2

Roxas initially thought it had all been a terrible nightmare but when he opened his eyes he knew it was true. He woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom somewhere snuggly fit in Axel's home. All he could ask himself over and over was how… how had this happened? How had it come to this? He had been traded like some object for the use of some stranger! It was an outrage. Still laying in bed he forced himself to take deep breathes until he calmed down.

All of this… horror… it was just temporary. The more he thought about it the more he wondered how long it could last. How long could his master, Riku, put up with a servant as useless as Sora? That boy was the epitome of accidents. Riku was a sacrosanct man. He needed everything to be precise and proper, neat and clean and in its place. He liked things on a schedule. Sora wouldn't even last an hour before he fell apart. Even now he was probably tripping over himself to destroy Riku's perfectly organized life.

Roxas had tried his best to explain Riku's schedule in the short amount of time he had to show him the house. Sora had been so frightened he hadn't offered Roxas the same courtesy. But Roxas had himself to worry about now…

It was still early. The sun hadn't risen yet but Roxas was use to getting up early and he planned on keeping a timely schedule. He dressed in his nicely ironed outfit, standing in front of the mirror to adjust his tie until it was perfect. The mirror disagreed with him as always. His blonde hair was just too messy and it didn't go with his need to be prim and proper. Still, he couldn't do anything about it. After a good stretch to wake up his limbs and a few slaps to his cheeks he felt ready for whatever was to come. With a sigh he left his room.

Compared to what he was use to, Axel had a modest home. It was smaller than Riku's but still quite nice. Much easier to clean he imagined. The night before when they had arrived it was dinner time and Axel had been scarce the rest of the evening. It gave the boy time to look around and familiarize himself with the house. Not that he would be there long… but he liked to do his job right.

Roxas took it upon himself to make sure breakfast was prepared on time and the day was planned before heading to Axel's bedroom. The kitchen staff seemed confused but went along with his instructions. He walked upstairs feeling like he had a handle on the day.

If this redhead was anything like Riku he might already be awake. He hesitated at the bedroom door. He straightened his tie again before he knocked. Waiting for a moment there was no answer so he let himself in.

Inside was so dark he could hardly see. When his eyes managed to adjust he was horrified by the sight of the room. It was so dirty he wanted to start cleaning at that very moment, but he resisted. It gave him the shivers. Clothing was piled up all over the place. Random things were throw here and there. And… was that a plate of half eaten food? He shivered again and made a face as he tried to find a clear spot to step and cross the room. When he was sure he wouldn't stumble and fall over debris he looked over at the bed. It was empty.

"Hm." He let out a little smile without intending to. Perhaps Axel was already awake. He almost felt bad about his original impression of the redhead, but only a little. He made his way towards the curtains and pulled them open, letting the sun inside. Tying the curtains into submission he unlocked the windows and opened them for his own relief. It was already warm outside and a gentle breeze wafted in, beginning to air out the room.

There was a loud groan from the other side of the room and the blonde jumped. He looked around but there was no one there. Then after a moment the red hair popped up. Axel leaned against the bed and covered his face. "It's too bright. Close the curtains." His voice was deep and groggy.

Roxas let out a little peep but cleared his throat. "Why are you on the floor?" Of course he ignored the man's request and finished opening the windows.

Axel ignored the boy and disappeared beyond the edge of the bed, trying to hide from the sunlight.

For a long moment Roxas didn't move. He blinked several times in confusion. Usually at a moment like this Riku would have gotten out of bed on his own and headed to the shower. Axel was still laying on the floor trying to sleep. The fact that he was on the floor was baffling enough.

With the sunlight leaking in at least his path was illuminated. He dared venturing over to the other man. He rounded the bed to find Axel buried beneath a blanket, only his hair sticking out from the top. It looked like he was curled up among a mess of pillows. Ready to take whatever consequences might come from his decision, Roxas pulled the blanket away in one quick motion.

The redhead groaned and hugged his pillow, but ignored the missing blanket.

His new servant screamed in surprise and nearly fell over trying to cover him up again. "You're naked!" He just saw everything! His cheeks were on fire as he struggled to ball up the blanket around Axel's waist as if that might blur the memory out of his mind.

More interested in sleep than listening the redhead padded the blankets mindless while he tried to register what had happened. He didn't seem to care. "I was sleeping..." He mumbled to explain away his nudity.

With his hand in front of his face to block his view Roxas found his determination once more. It was his job to wake this man up. He couldn't be nervous just because he was sleeping in the nude. The blonde sighed loudly hoping it would arouse attention but again, it was ignored.

He didn't want to cross his boundaries by touching him, something Riku would never allow, but what else could he do? He huffed again and stomped over to him, "Axel, it's time to get up." He touched his shoulder. He had been scolded about calling him sir the night before but saying his name was still strange.

The redhead groaned loudly, "Noooo." He pulled away from the hand but didn't fight much.

Roxas persisted. "Come now. It's time to get up." Roxas grabbed his arm and shook him, but it had the same result. Finally the blonde took the pillow the man cuddled and the redhead thumped onto the ground. He threw the pillow onto the bed. "You need to take a shower. Come on."

Finally Axel opened his eyes into tiny slits, fighting to keep out the bright light. "I don't wanna get up." He looked at Roxas as if realizing who he was for the first time.

Roxas ignored his sleepy arguments. "A shower will help you wake up." He walked away expecting his master had nowhere to run now.

He was mistaken. Axel had no intention of getting up. He managed to stand but crawled right back into bed, rolling up in his blankets and melting into his pillow once more.

The little servant disappeared into the bathroom without noticing his Master's change of heart. He turned on the shower and adjusted the temperature expecting the man to walk through the door at any moment. He lost patience when more than a moment passed. He let out a huff when he stepped back into the room and Axel was still in bed.

Is this what Sora had to deal with every morning? Attempting to walk across the room Roxas stumbled over a pair of shoes and nearly fell, but caught himself on the bedpost. It was officially the most frustrating morning of his life. "Sir, please get up. You have things to do today. Meetings." He tried to pull off the blanket but Axel was so wrapped up in it the weight of his body kept it in place.

"Meetings?" Curiosity helped Axel unroll himself from his cocoon. "I thought I canceled those…" He rubbed his eyes and stretched as Roxas pulled on him, unable to move him on his own. The blankets fell around his waist as he sat up. He didn't understand why a man so skinny was so damn heavy. Of course he was abnormally tall and that was most of the weight he assumed… Then again… without that suit on he was surprisingly toned. He never noticed that before. When the redhead finally stopped resisting the blonde pulled on his arm hoping to haul him to his feet by force. He nearly toppled over until Axel stood on his own, saving them both from a meeting with the carpet. They hobbled over to the bathroom, a sheet wrapped firmly around the man's middle, before Roxas released him, pushing him through the doorway. He still saw him scratch his butt without a care as he disappeared beyond the doorway… a sight he could have gone without. He shook the thoughts out of his head so he didn't think all the nakedness by accident.

Roxas cleared his throat and assumed his voice would carry into the bathroom since the shower was already running. "You're just groggy. Like I said, a shower will help you wake up." It was true, Axel had canceled most of his appointments… but Roxas had reestablished them without telling him. Roxas shook his head, not sure what to think anymore. This man was just… so beyond any strangeness he'd ever seen before.

With the bathroom door wide open he could hear Axel slide the shower curtain aside and the sound of the water change as he stepped into the stream. He turned to move towards the closest and was assaulted with the terrifying sight of the room again. It was just so disgusting. Trying to control his need to clean until later he moved towards the closet. He always gathered clothes for Riku to change into after his shower so the task was automatic. Half the clothing was probably on the floor… but that didn't stop his from finding a decent looking suit and tie. There was even a pair of shoes still sitting on the shoe rack rather than buried in the mess on the floor. He grabbed each article of clothing and when he was satisfied he carried them into the bathroom.

With a disapproving sigh Roxas ignored the blanket that had been thrown on the floor. The man honestly had no sense of shame.

He hung up the shirt and jacket on the back of the door. "Why is your room such a mess? Doesn't anyone clean it?"

Axel grabbed the shower curtain. "What are you doing in here!?" The redhead assumed the boy had left the room. Normally Sora would be downstairs doing who knows what. Whatever he was doing at least he was somewhere else. He usually woke him up but he definitely didn't come into the bathroom. He hardly even entered his bedroom unless he was given permission. Usually that was just to pick up after the hurricane known as Axel and he knew that all too well. The mess making was impossible to keep up with.

Startled by the surprise in his voice Roxas looked at the confused man peaking his head out from behind the frosted curtain. "I was just bringing you your clothes." If only he had the same reaction earlier. Apparently he really had been asleep.

Axel waved his hand, unsure of how to deal with the situation. "Take them out there…"

Without another word Roxas removed the outfit and took it back into the bedroom. Looking around for where to hang the clothing he couldn't bring himself to put it down among the junk. With the shower still running Roxas made the bed, fluffing the pillows and folding down the comforter. When he finished it looked half decent and he smiled at his handy work. He wondered how long it had been since it had been made. Worse… how long had it been since the room had been cleaned? And how old was that food? He didn't want to know.

The young man carried the ironed suit to the bed and laid it down to be ready when Axel finished his shower. There was a mirror but it was so covered in junk with clothing hanging all over it, it was hardly recognizable. He waited patiently for at least ten minutes, still hearing the water. When Axel didn't seem to be getting out any time soon he began cleaning, unable to resist any longer.

The bed was made and the curtains were open... that was a start. He trudged over to the closet and grabbed the empty laundry basket. He picked up a shirt and threw it in, realizing the task ahead was a bit daunting. There was more clothing in the room than the basket would hold… Several minutes passed while he picked up clothes and created an overflowing nightmarish pile of dirty wrinkled fabric.

Eventually the water stopped and Axel stepped out of the bathroom. He didn't notice Roxas cleaning, but he did notice his presence, something he didn't expect. He didn't know what to say. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and another on his head as he attempted to dry his hair. He looked at Roxas, frozen with his hands on his head.

The blonde noticed his hesitation and pointed towards the bed. "I prepared your clothes."

He glanced towards the bed. "Oh." He moved towards the outfit, confused at why his bed looked so strange.

As he reached for the shirt Roxas was on him in an instant. "You're still wet. Don't touch it." The redhead, unable to react to being reprimanded, allowed the boy to take the towel from his hair. He grabbed at the towel around his waist like he might steal that one too. Instead the blonde pulled up a chair after throwing all of the junk piled on it onto the floor. "Sit down. I'll help you."

Unable to resist, Axel sat down, resting his elbows on his knees as Roxas dried his hair. For a long moment they were both silent. The redhead was almost soothed by the surprisingly gentle hands. For some reason he felt comfortable but he didn't know why. Soon the towel moved across his back, removing the water droplets that always seemed to get away. Then the blonde was in front of him, lifting his chin and wiping the water away from his face, the soft towel guided by the two hands down to his neck and finally over his chest. He was almost excited about the attention…

Until Roxas opened his mouth. "Who cleans your room?"

Axel grabbed the towel just to stop the hands. "I do."

With a sigh the boy threw the towel on his head and walked away. "Why didn't Sora clean it? Why don't you have someone else clean? It's a mess in here."

"Sora tries." The answer was obvious and Axel stood, pulling the towel off his head and draping it around his neck. He didn't like defending himself like this. "No one's allowed in my room."

"What?" The answer confused him.

As if to fuel the fire, unintentional on Axel's part, he tossed the wet towel on the floor.

"What is wrong with you!?" Roxas yelled as he grabbed the damp thing off of the floor. The question came out of his mouth before he could stop himself. Axel looked stunned and Roxas decided to take his leave before he could collect himself. Of course he had time to throw the towel on the giant pile of laundry. "I'll let you get dressed. If you need me I'll be just outside the door." He scurried away and closed the door behind him.

Closed inside the room and all alone Axel took a breath and tried to figure out what just happened. Did he just get yelled at? By his servant? That had never happened before. Sora was too meek to even speak up half the time. And yet here he was... awake on time. Sora struggled to wake him up most days but Roxas had managed to get him in the shower before lunch. That was impressive. He even laid out his clothes. He dropped his second towel on the floor and dressed himself.

Just outside the door Roxas stressed, rubbing his hands together and clenching his fists trying to figure out how his mouth had gotten the better of him. He had never yelled like that before. Generally he kept his feelings inside, even if he was angry or irritated. Never in his life had he yelled at Riku. That man had little patience for others and who knew what punishment would have waited. He wasn't cruel, but that action wouldn't go unpunished. Now Axel was in there brooding about what had just happened. He didn't know what to do.

And then the door opened.

Axel stood in the doorway half dressed and holding his tie. "Can you help me?"

Roxas blinked, but gathered himself. "Of course." He followed him into the bedroom. The redhead moved towards the window for more light and handed the boy the tie. The blonde reached up to slip it around his neck and the other man leaned forward to help him since he was so tall. The servant resisted staring at him and even more so he held his breath so the scent of his shampoo wouldn't attack him. It would probably smell nice… and he didn't want to know that.

Focusing on the tie he ignored his surroundings and finished in a few seconds. He immediately moved onto straightening his collar and helping him put on his jacket.

Axel watched the boy with unwavering eyes. He was so different than Sora. The other boy always had a little smile but this blonde had a stern frown as he concentrated. There was a little crease between his eyebrows as they pinched together and his hands were less gentle as he jerked and prodded the fabric into submission. It was a quality Axel didn't realize he was attracted to. He was fun to watch and his serious expressions were kind of cute.

Roxas moved to grab his suit jacket and the redhead reached for it. "I can do it."

The boy just slapped his hands away. "Don't be silly." He held in the thought he wanted to say out loud. Isn't this why I'm here? He shouldn't talk back so much. He shouldn't talk back at all. But he didn't want to apologize either.

Axel was too lenient as usual. His mind was already elsewhere. "I wonder if Riku is treating Sora properly."

The blonde was already in front of him, buttoning the jacket without looking up at him. "I'm sure he's fine. Riku goes about his day without much input from others." Roxas clamped his mouth shut when he realized what he'd just said. Was that appropriate to admit to Axel? He'd probably get in trouble if he let any of Riku's personal life slip into conversation.

The taller man didn't seem to notice. "That's so like him. Always busy just like when we first met. He doesn't know how to loosen up."

He had to admit that was still true. When he finished dressing they headed down for breakfast. It started and ended with another awkward argument. Axel was never awake early enough for breakfast. Most of the staff couldn't mask their surprise at his appearance at the table. They secretly gawked at the fact that he was awake, not only up but dressed and groomed nicely. It was nearly unheard of. Of course the redhead argued he wasn't hungry but somehow Roxas managed to convince him breakfast was important and he gave in.

With the blonde so determined Axel ate most of his meal and two cups of coffee before he left the table. "Alright, I'm leaving. Today you can stay home. I won't be gone long."

"Yes, sir." Roxas bowed politely.

"Be good…" Axel eyed him suspiciously after the strange morning he'd had.

The blonde smiled a little and followed him to the front door without a word. That is… until he stepped outside. "Axel…?"

The voice was so hesitant and quiet the Master of the house couldn't resist turning around. "What is it?"

Clearing his throat Roxas couldn't resist asking. "Would you mind if I clean your room while you're away?"

Deflating, Axel groans but agreed before walking away. "Fine, just don't go crazy."

He had no clue what he meant… but he felt an evil little grin rising up from the inside. He didn't hide it as he headed back inside.

Axel returned home long before Roxas finished cleaning. He was too afraid of getting in the boy's way so he stayed downstairs and tried to occupy himself while he worried over nothing. Roxas on the other hand was like a tornado. He picked up all the clothing scattered across the floor and carried it to the laundry room. One of the maids was less than pleased about the sudden mountain of work she had ahead of her. With that out of the way he disposed of the food he was sure had been in there for more than a day or two. He recruited someone to clean the bathroom while someone else dusted and he tried to make sense of everything on the floor. Most of the things he found, books, pictures, decorative things… they obviously had a place, but he wasn't sure where that place might have been. Several things emerged from beneath heaps of clothing including the mirror, several pairs of shoes, a few books, two pairs of headphones, an entire game system, and a couple suggestive magazines he was sure he wasn't supposed to find. He was still looking for whatever the headphones attached to. There was also a couch he never would have realized was there which scared him even more. After a few hours and a round of vacuuming the area was almost recognizable as a bedroom.

The night ended with Roxas falling into bed and sleeping quite well after working so hard all day.

The next morning was much easier to start. When the blonde knocked on the bedroom door and walked in, he didn't kill himself on junk. This time Axel was even asleep in the bed, buried under the blankets but apparently too good for the pillows since those had been thrown to the floor.

Just like the day before he opened the curtains and Axel protested, turning over only once. Tying back the curtains he moved towards the bed. "Good morning. Time to get up." Leaning closer with one hand on the bed he reached for the blankets. The idea was to pull them off like before. That seemed to help. He just hoped he was wearing something this time.

It had very different results. The moment he touched the blankets Axel turned over, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him onto the bed. When the larger man turned over he had absolutely no way to resist, completely overpowered, and wound up on his back snuggled into the bed on top of the blankets. "Hit the snooze button."

Recovering from the attack Roxas sat up, struggling against the arms, but he wouldn't lose just because of this. "I am not the snooze button. Don't you dare go back to sleep."

Since his first attempt didn't help Axel turned over again, away from him and towards the light he so hated in the morning. "Let me sleep Roxas."

For some reason the boy's heart gave an unusual flutter when he heard him say his name for the first time. A ridiculous reaction that he tried to shake off and forget about. "Time to get up I said!" This time he got out of the bed and left the room, closing the doors behind him. He listened at the door to see if the idea worked. Within minutes he heard the water turn on in the shower and smiled. So something finally worked. This wasn't so hard after all.

At least that's what he thought until he found out the rest of the day would be full of people parading around the house because Axel couldn't resist a party. The redhead spent hours just talking to people and laughing, always with a full glass of something in his hand. It was a new experience for Roxas. He only observed for most of the day until the crowd dispersed and Axel took himself to bed, passing out without even saying goodnight.

The boy didn't know what to think as he headed to his own bedroom, hoping he could sleep too. It was a restless night.

As to be expected, Axel was so sick the next day he could hardly bring himself to get out of bed. He couldn't eat anything and keep it down. Roxas spent most of the day trying to comfort him even though there was nothing he could do. Finally just after dinner he managed to eat a few crackers and drink some water.

Worried for the entire day Roxas didn't think twice about sitting on the bed beside him. He had been told to keep the door closed all day so no one else could see him while he was sick and he'd been adamant about it. He even told all the other staff to stay downstairs. Now that his master was getting a bit of color back and didn't look like a ghost, he was relieved, but only a little. Without asking he placed his hand on his forehead, sweeping the damp hair out of the way. If he hadn't been sweating from being sick, he was drenched from being bundled up in too many blankets for more than half the day. "I hope you didn't catch a cold." He didn't feel hot, not more than usual, but it was hard to tell.

"I didn't…" Axel moped, but his pathetic act was hardly believable after how he'd acted half dead all day. "I feel better." His eye drifted closed far too often, like he might fall asleep.

"I can't tell." With a frown Roxas leaned in, nearly climbing onto the bed to reach him. He brushed his own hair out of the way and placed his forehead against Axel's. The redhead stared with wide eyes but Roxas was too focused on feeling his temperature. He sat up a moment later. "No, I think you're okay. I'm glad you didn't get a cold form being so sick and dehydrated today. I'll go get you some more water." He smiled genuinely for the first time and it was a bit startling. Taking the glass from the nightstand he left the room.

Axel stared at nothing for a long moment before placing his hand on his chest. In all honesty he felt pretty good compared to how terrible he'd felt all day. He hadn't thrown up in hours and he finally managed to eat. His stomach was finally agreeing with him. But now his heart was pounding so fast he didn't understand why.

There was something different about Roxas this time. He was gentle and caring… a side the redhead didn't expect to see. That smile was so sweet it was almost strange. Axel still felt sluggish but he enjoyed being taken care of by the younger man. His hand was so refreshing against his forehead. And then he was suddenly so close. For an instant he thought he might kiss him, which startled him, but when he realized what was happening that didn't calm him down.

What was this? Feelings? He nearly forgot what that would feel like. Was he developing feelings for him? It had only been a few days. Was that even possible? He never had this feeling with Sora around. Or was it the sickness? He drank so much last night and was so close to death all day, or so it seemed, that he was hallucinating.

Before he could make a concrete decision the blonde returned. He was holding a glass of water and sat down on the bed without hesitation. "Can you drink?"

Clearing his throat Axel pushed himself up and leaned against the headboard. He took the glass in surprisingly shaky hands and took a sip. He wanted to down the whole glass, he was so thirsty, but he resisted assuming it would make him sick again. There was no telling with his stomach. He took a few slow sips before returning the glass. Roxas took it and placed it on the table.

Axel watched him in silence, noticing him for the first time. He was petite, more than he had realized, and he had a steady gaze. There was a determination in his eyes that captured Axel like a spell. His smile was hard to catch but when he showed his true feelings it was captivating. When he looked up Axel accidentally lifted his hand, touching his cheek and moving across his jaw until he pulled away. He shook himself out of the enchantment.

Roxas cleared his throat, embarrassed by the sudden touch. "You should rest. Do you need anything else?"

He nearly said, I need you to stay, but he managed to keep it in. Where had that come from? "No, I think I'll be fine. Thank you." That would be completely inappropriate.

"I'll leave your water here in case you need it in the middle of the night." The blonde reassured.

"Thank you."

"Feel better."

"I'm sure I will… after some rest."

"Of course." Roxas was slowly backing out of the room. "Good night." It was so hard to leave him, but rest would do him good.

"Good night." He nearly whispered. The door closed and darkness took over the room. It didn't take him long to fall asleep.

The next day was filled with nothing but awkward encounters. Axel tried his hardest to keep Roxas at a distance, still unsure of his feelings. Roxas didn't take long to figure out he was being pushed aside and went through every phase of emotion. He was angry at first, confused for a while, and distraught for an hour or two, but at the end of the day he was nervous and distressed.

Laying awake in bed for hours Roxas finally lulled off far too early in the morning.

A new day and a new determination. Getting up bright and early Roxas was dressed and knocking on Axel's door before sunrise. The other man had planned on continuing the difficult task of avoiding his little servant, but he was still in bed when the knocking started.

Biting his lip and taking a deep breath the blonde entered the room without containing himself any longer. It was a new day and he was determined to go all out. If Axel was ignoring him, he would be around the corner every time he turned around. Mind you, that was way more energy than he was usually willing to put into his work… but for some reason the current situation was special. He had to take another deep breath when he closed the door behind him.

As usual he opened the curtain but the moment Axel sat up in bed he knelt in front of him. The redhead threw his legs over the edge and realized the boy was unusually close to him. He was too sleepy to fight back just yet.

Roxas pulled out his big guns. He gave his best smile and batted his eyelashes, bowing with his hand on his chest. "Good morning, Master."

Startled awake Axel tried not to over-react. In fact, he tried to ignore it. But then it just continued to happen. When he got out of the shower: "Here's your towel, Master." When he was getting dressed: "Let me fix your tie, Master." When he ate breakfast: "Be careful. It's quite hot, Master."

Within the hour he was overwhelmed. He had just finished breakfast when Roxas was at his side again. He was awkwardly close and Axel cleared his throat in frustration. "I told you, just call me Axel." He couldn't handle being called Master so much. It gave him the shivers. And honestly it made him unusually aware of the blonde when they were close to each other.

Feeling firm it seemed the servant ignored the master for the first time. Or had it been more than once at this point? He didn't know…

The day continued much the same and Roxas was persistent in calling Axel Master, sticking unusually close to him, and bringing him things he really didn't need help with. This included just about any item or idea Axel accidentally mentioned out loud. It was a tiring but eventful day in his opinion. At this rate Roxas wouldn't go home filled with disappointment.

As the day persisted the redhead felt worse and worse. He noticed things he shouldn't each time his little servant was close to him. The way he said 'master' and fluttered his eyelashes was to die for. More than once Axel swallowed the knot in his throat when the boy accidentally touched him with his arm or hand. It seemed like every time he tried to escape he ran into him again. He couldn't get away.

It didn't take him long until he was at his limit.

He was trapped in the bedroom once again and Roxas was offering him a book this time. He didn't care. Taking the book he set it on the bedside table. He couldn't take it anymore. "Roxas."

The blonde looked up at him because he sounded so tense all of a sudden. "Yes?"

"Get out of my sight this instant." The redhead covered his face with a hand so he wouldn't give his feelings away. "Otherwise I'll…" He raised his hand half-heartedly. He couldn't bring himself to lie. 'I'll hit you'. It was a trick. He couldn't say it at all. It was all wrong.

Fearful, Roxas ran from the room but the moment he stepped outside he stopped. He couldn't bring himself to leave. He was scared, but he didn't know what to do.

Thinking the blonde ran off Axel sighed and finished his sentence. "Otherwise I'll… kiss you." His knees were suddenly weak for no reason. How long had he been pretending? He ran a hand through his hair and turned towards the window with a pathetic sigh. "Am I a complete idiot?" It was painful just to look at his own reflection so he flicked off the table light and stared out at the darkness feeling torn inside. He was losing his mind.

Just outside the door Roxas could hear everything. He was having a hard time controlling himself. He had his hands over his mouth to keep himself quiet. I was just so hard to remain silent.

Axel just blabbered on, thinking out loud. "I'm sorry Roxas. I can't take it anymore. First thing tomorrow I have to take you back to Riku or I might not be able to part with you ever again…"

His voice was so sad and his words were so sweet, Roxas couldn't keep himself from charging back inside. He closed the door to make sure their conversation wouldn't be heard downstairs. "No! You can't!"

The older man didn't move from his sulking spot at the window. "Roxas?"

The blonde was relieved the lights were out. It was so dark… but if the lights were on he'd lose his nerve for sure. "Don't take me back." He was getting closer and closer, one step at a time until he was within arm's reach. Axel felt the confusion racking his nerves. "Please, Axel."

Suddenly they were so close. Only a few inches apart, Roxas lost his nerve. He reached out to touch Axel but he hesitated until he couldn't move. Pulling away he looked out the window too, his hands balling into fists on the windowsill. There had been a plan. He wanted to… do… well now he was too embarrassed to remember. Roxas squeezed his eyes shut, his cheeks painfully burning with embarrassment. "Please don't throw me away."

Axel stared at the dark shadowed form of the man beside him and struggled to control himself. It was difficult. "I told you to leave."

"I can't! You've been avoiding me!" At least he still had a bit of courage. "I won't leave."

For some reason he couldn't contain the need to touch him. Reaching out he let his right hand caress his cheek which seemed to startle the boy. "I told you…" They turned towards each other without realizing it. Axel's hand continued to caress the soft pale skin before stepping closer, closing the few feet between them. Leaning in without thinking he didn't resist when he kissed him. It tasted better than he expected. Soft. His lips were definitely soft and warm. He tasted like strawberries? Did he eat those recently? It tasted good. He felt small hands whisper across his wrists before pulling away like he was afraid to get in trouble.

When they parted there was a long silence before Axel let out a sigh. His insides were swimming with butterflies but he felt happy. By the smile on the other boy's face he felt the same. Just for fun he thought he'd try something new. "Roxas." He waited for the boy's full attention.

He was already overly aware of him so it wasn't hard to meet his gaze. Roxas tried to answer naturally but he felt a strange sensation all of a sudden. "Yes?" It almost felt like he was shy. That was odd.

Axel didn't notice, he was too wrapped up in his own head. "You're my servant, correct."

Calming down a little the blonde straightened up, "Yes, sir."

He smiled too sweetly. "Then I'd like you to sleep with me tonight."

Roxas turned bright red. "What!?" Surely he'd never order him to do something like that! He bashfully pushed against his chest to move them further apart but as usual, the redhead wouldn't be moved.

Practically able the read his mind, Axel laughed, grabbing the hands touching him. "Just sleeping, nothing else. I promise."

Still the color of cherries he tried to answer properly. After all this was technically an order, wasn't it? Why else would he ask in such a confusing way? If it was just normal… just sleeping, he supposed it would be okay. "Of course… sir." Even though he felt confident that nothing would happen, his voice still gave away his nervousness.

It was obvious and Axel could tell, but he pretended not to notice. As usual. He liked the embarrassed side of the blonde more than he expected and he didn't want to give him any reason to hide it. "Well then, let's change."

Unable to fight him the younger man was practically swept off his feet in the whirlwind that could only be Axel. He was gently pushed towards the closet with big sturdy hands on his back. With a sudden wave of bashfulness Roxas desperately cleared his throat, remember his first morning. "Please..." The rest of the sentence came out as mumbling because he couldn't raise his voice.

Axel hovered in the closet doorway. "I can't hear you."

Trying to raise his voice without blushing again all he could do was cover his mouth. "Please... can you... wear something to bed..." He was rewarded with an unusually sensual sounding laugh which set his mind spinning with shy worry.

Thankfully the redhead let him wait outside the closet while he changed and Roxas made sure to have his back flat against the wall outside so he wouldn't accidentally peak in. Once a newly bare-chested Master emerged he looked to the floor.

A few articles of clothing were stuffed into his hands. "Here, just wear something of mine tonight." He turned and walked towards the bed before the boy could protest.

Nerves were getting the better of Roxas. He couldn't really figure out what was going on. At this point there was little choice. He didn't really want to leave… and it would be harmless. Just sleeping. If he went downstairs to get his own clothes someone would surely see him and terrible rumors were sure to start. Really this was the easiest way.

Swallowing the knot in his throat the blonde ducked into the closet, much to Axel's amusement, and closed the door. He wanted to change in privacy! He took off his own clothes and folded them nicely into a little pile. They'd go straight to the laundry but he didn't want to throw them on the floor. Without examining the clothes in hand he slid them on and exited the closet.

The long sleeved shirt was far too big on him and the pants pooled up around his ankles in an adorable way. When he realized it he felt even more embarrassed but Axel just bit down his laughter. He looked so cute it was hard to control himself.

Turning on the side table light Axel climbed under the blankets and pulled them down, inviting him in.

He cleared his throat and clutched his hands, desperately shy, but in the end Roxas climbed under the blankets too. His Master flipped the thick comforter over him and laid down too. When the older man laid on his back he kept some distance between them and it helped Roxas calm down. He was so nervous at first he felt like he must be vibrating the entire bed. Any minute Axel would reach over and tell him to stop freaking out. But nothing happened. It was so silent all he could hear was the sound of his breathing. With the light still on he even chanced looking over at the redhead, surprised to find his eyes already closed.

He looked enchanting… even more handsome than he remembered. It was strange, for so long Roxas thought this man next to him the strangest person he'd ever met. Over time he found him quite enthralling and even funny sometimes. He had even kissed him…

He could still feel the sensation on his lips. Roxas let out a little smile for once, feeling relaxed again. He even found his voice. "Shall I turn out the light?"

Without opening his eyes, Axel smiled. "Please." He felt the bed shift as the little one sat up and the darkness took over. He waited until he settled in again to look over at him. His eyes adjusted easily and it was obvious Roxas was laying with his back to him. He decided to turn on his side too, but facing him instead. Even though he was quiet for a long time he knew the boy was still awake. "I'm supposed to take you back to Riku soon."

The truth was… he didn't want to. He didn't want to let him go back. He liked having him around. He liked the way he got him out of bed and the way he yelled at him when he was being lazy. He liked that he treated him like a person and not some rich robot like the others. But… he didn't want to force him to stay…

Roxas stared into the dark silently for a while. "I know."

He couldn't gauge his reaction so he continued probing for an answer. "I'm sure Riku will ask how you did. He'll want the full report."

"Maybe…" The thought of leaving made him feel uneasy. He didn't want to think about it at all.

With a smile Axel let a bit of honesty slip out. "You'll have to tell him you're the only one that can keep me in shape. I can't survive without you." The boy never made a sound so he leaned over and brushed his hair aside. "Goodnight." He gave him a soft kiss on the temple before turning over. It wouldn't take him long to fall asleep.

At that point Roxas knew it would be impossible to sleep…

The next morning was warm. So warm. Roxas woke but didn't want to open his eyes. He felt safe and so comfortable in the warmth. He even snuggled into the blanket trying to pull it closer. It was the groan that let him know it wasn't a blanket behind him. For a moment he was so comfy it seemed like there was no feeling in his body. The groan was too close and all the nerves in his body came back to life. The blanket around him was too heavy and seemed to radiate its own heat like a living thing.

He opened his eyes but it was too dark to see even though the sun thought about rising outside. He touched whatever was around him and froze. Of course it was heavy, it wasn't a blanket at all… it was an arm. Axel's arm. He accidentally pulled on him and it dragged a noise from the other man but it didn't sound like he woke up.

Gently the smaller boy tried to pull away but the grip around him was too strong and he only stirred the man behind him. He was pulled even closer to the amazingly warm body as Axel curved his legs against him like they fit just right. His heart raced when he felt the warm breath on his neck on top of all the other sensations. It was too much. He shouldn't be there.

It would be so easy to get nervous but he tried to control him emotions. Taking a deep breath Roxas was wide awake after doing nothing more than panicking for several minutes. As gently as he could manage he tried to lift the arm from around him and slide out from under its grasp.

It only brought the voice to life. The redhead's groggy morning voice was surprisingly cute. "Don't leave yet. Go back to sleep, Roxas." He pulled him back under the blankets even though he hadn't made it out yet.

But there it was… he said his name. He wasn't dreaming or talking in his sleep. He knew what was going on… even Roxas couldn't tell himself he was dreaming anymore. "We should wake up." If he couldn't pretend any longer he could try to escape.

Like it was effortless Axel turned the blonde over so they faced each other. "Convince me." He seemed surprisingly awake too and a little playful. He pulled the blankets over their heads to hide them from the light. Without warning a hot burning hand grabbed Roxas by the back of the neck and pulled them together. They had kissed already so this time he was less gentle and more hungry. His lips moved against his over and over and the sounds in the silence of the morning were embarrassing. Roxas couldn't decide if he liked it or if he didn't know what to do. He tried to follow the lead of the lips giving him feelings he shouldn't have in the morning. Or was it feelings he shouldn't have at all?

It was when the hand moved to pull at the bottom of his shirt that he desperately tried not to pull away. The instant those long fingers touched his skin a weird sound came out of his mouth and Axel relented. He smiled and kissed him one last time before pulling the blankets down.

"I'll go take a shower." Another kiss on the forehead. "Want to join?"

"What?" Roxas peeped. He felt more shy than he'd ever experienced in his entire life.

"Just kidding." The redhead jumped out of bed with extra pep in his step. The moment the bathroom door closed Axel let out a sigh. He checked his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't stop smiling.

He hadn't been this happy in a long time. It was nice being able to wake up with someone in his arms. It felt amazing. Pulling off his clothes he started the shower and waited for it to warm.

Outside Roxas hadn't moved from the bed. His face was burning and he hugged Axel's pillow as if that would help him calm down. It just made it worse. He pulled the blanket over his head when he realized he didn't want to leave. He didn't want to admit it before but now it was unavoidable.

What was he suppose to do?

It was all wrong.

He worried himself back to sleep.

Clean and feeling fresh Axel dried his hair and left the bathroom in a towel. Instantly he knew Roxas was asleep when he entered the room. He was snuggled up in bed. If he was awake he'd be dressed and bossing him around.

He dressed himself and struggled with his tie. More than once he nearly woke the boy to ask for help, but he decided against it. There was one thing on his schedule today and he planned on doing it alone. He would charge over to Riku's house and tell the man he wouldn't be returning Roxas. In fact if he was upset he'd fight him if he had to. Though Riku… was really muscular. Actually… didn't he box or something like that? He struggled even more with his tie. Well, he'd just pretend that he didn't know that and hope for the best.

He didn't want to stir the blonde so he left without saying goodbye.

At Riku's home it started normal. He knocked on the door and a maid answered. As usual she invited him in. With a polite bow she left him at the entrance and went off to search for her Master. It always took a few minutes. Apparently no one ever knew where he was…

It was when the maid returned that things went backwards.

First of all she looked confused and she hesitated to talk again. Eventually she did spit it out and Axel couldn't believe what he was hearing. She even cleared her throat. "I'm sorry sir, but I have to ask you to leave."

He stared for a long moment. "What?"

She was actually embarrassed to say it twice. "You have to leave, Master Axel. I'm sorry, but please." She moved around him to open the door.

Determined and suddenly angry Axel charged into the house. He walked in the general direction she had walked. It took her a moment to actually follow but she called after him the entire way. "Where is he!? Where is he right now?" Axel opened two doors without finding Riku. Where could he even be right now? He was probably reading… or maybe eating. No, he never ate half the time. He was probably in one of these stupid rooms. After yelling for a few minutes he opened the right door and walked into what he could only call the gym.

Riku stopped whatever he was doing and turned to face Axel in the doorway. He was covered in sweat and to Axel's surprised Sora was in the room with him. In fact they were unusually close together and for a second he wondered if he interrupted something.

The maid's voice echoed into the room beside him. "I'm so sorry! I couldn't stop him."

He shoved her back out the door before she could say anything else. Turning towards his friend with determination he started his onslaught. "I just came here to tell you that I'm going to keep Roxas. I didn't even bring him with me so you wouldn't be able to argue."

The silver haired man smirked, pushing the smaller man behind him and turned to face Axel. For a moment it almost looked like he smiled, but his straight face returned. "That's fine."

Axel argued with no one for a moment before he realized Riku had agreed. That was so easy he didn't believe his own ears. "Wait… you agree?"

He seemed firm on what he wanted. "Yes, you can keep Roxas and I'll keep Sora."

Axel cleared his throat, a little embarrassed he'd barged in planning to fight. Honestly he was relieved they didn't have to. "Oh… well… I guess I'll get going then." He stumbled back out the door in a wave of confusion.

That went better than he planned. Actually he almost wasn't sure what happened. Heading home he was lost in a daze.

Axel hadn't been gone long but when he walked into the bedroom the bed was empty. The curtains were open and the bed was already made. Roxas was missing.

As if summoned the boy appeared in the doorway just behind him. He was dressed nicely in a new clean outfit for the day. "Where did you go all by yourself?"

Turning to the man, Axel's elation overflowed. He grabbed him so suddenly they both gasped and Roxas was in the air, spinning in circles, grasping onto the redheads shoulders to steady himself. When the spinning stopped and he slid down to the ground again Axel was wearing a gorgeous smile, bigger than he'd ever seen. "I went to see Riku."

Instantly the blonde stiffened. "Oh?"

"I told him I plan to keep you." In less elegant words of course, but the boy didn't need to know that.

Biting his bottom lip the answer was obvious but he needed to hear him say it. He was almost afraid to hear the outcome... "And… what did he say?"

With both hands on his cheeks he kissed him hard on the mouth. "He agreed. Why else would I be smiling?" Axel actually laughed.

A shiver rippled through his body and brought a smile to his face. Roxas even clutched at Axel's jacket without meaning to. "He agreed!?" Even worse he was so happy he hugged him, nuzzling his face into his chest.

The redhead had only a moment to enjoy the reaction before he pulled away.

Roxas cleared his throat, blushing brightly. "I'm sorry…" He didn't understand why he always reacted like that with Axel. It was annoying really. He couldn't control his body at all. He was just lucky no one else was around to see.

"Don't apologize. You have plenty of time to get use to it." He pulled him back into his arms. "After all, you'll be by my side from now on."

Roxas blushed again. "Yes, sir." He had a feeling Axel wasn't just talking about work this time. Only the future would tell…