Axel didn't really remember how the subject came up or why he ended up agreeing to it, but he was regretting his lapse in judgment already. As if admitting his defeat with a fake-as-cubic-zirconium smile hadn't been bad enough, he was being forced to carry out this sick, undeserved punishment on his own. He exhaled slowly and readjusted his grip on the steering wheel; of course, this mission had to reinforce his immense distaste for driving. He only did so willingly for extreme emergencies. Like Roxas getting kidnapped and being held hostage—that was a perfectly acceptable excuse for resorting to getting behind the wheel.

Picking up Sora to take him home was not on that same list.

"What's up with these seats being so tough?" he inquired from the backseat, and Axel bristled at the sound of Sora picking at the leather interior with his nail. He'd been designated the duty of driver to, as Roxas had put it, make Sora more comfortable. They didn't want to overwhelm him with too many luxuries, and since Sora was at least familiar with Axel, it'd be best if he drove rather than the family's chauffeur. "Shouldn't they be super comfy or something? And why are the windows so dark? Is there even a point to that?"

"Sora, slow down!" Roxas laughed, and the beautiful, rich sound made Axel both smile fondly and grip the wheel even tighter. "The windows are tinted for privacy. You know how influential Axel's family is. The press follow them all the time. As for the leather, I think it's nice. It's desirable because it's durable and…"

On the conversation went, without even a hint of either of them wanting Axel to join in. They'd been huddled back there ever since leaving Rochester, and it'd be a bold lie for Axel to claim their closeness didn't bother him at all. He was proud of Roxas for being able to introduce Sora so comfortably into his new world, and so far, not a word of what he'd told Sora was wrong. Axel really was proud, and so happy that his dear lover was so enthusiastic about the life they'd been building together.

But regardless of Roxas' wishes to have his best friend back, Axel wasn't ready for someone else to enter the small realm they'd created together. Just the two of them. Axel liked being blindly in love, lost in paradise, no matter how fairy tale or storybook it seemed.

That's what the media had been saying at least. The attention the Heart family had been receiving since all the drama with Saix had hardly diminished. Rather, it seemed as though there was nothing the city was more interested in. And according to the press, Axel and Roxas' story was only getting more interesting as time moved on.

After Axel's full recovery, he'd discussed with his father and the board of the industry what they would do with the mess Saix had left behind. Together, they decided to pick up the pieces. Not only would the investment improve all the orphans' lives, but charitable acts were great for business.

So, piece by piece, the revised version of Saix's activities came out. About how Roxas, a poor orphan, had escaped a slave house—which the Heart family had known nothing of—and had hitched a ride in a delivery truck, arriving in the city undiscovered. Axel found the boy and selflessly took him in, giving him everything he'd never had, and the two had fallen in love. Which is why, after unveiling the truth, the Heart family was going to restore and refurnish Destiny Orphanage, and begin a series of fundraisers and benefits to assist the children and their futures.

As the project—dubbed Project Destiny by the public—gained immediate popularity, so did the youngest Heart face and his new boyfriend. Roxas' story was tragic, but Axel had made it beautiful. Movie-worthy, so they'd been hearing. Not to mention, their gay relationship was breaking ground for a whole new population in New York already. Not only were the New York Times , Forbes, and Time interested in their news, but now they were getting interview requests from magazines like People and Elle.

Upon Axel's suggestion, Roxas had become a spokesman for Destiny Orphanage and the project to get it running again. People were fascinated by him, and requests for exclusive inside stories, full photo shoots, and even appearances on talk shows, all for Roxas, had filled the Heart's mailbox. Eventually, Axel had convinced Roxas to accept the official position. And after that, the public adored him. He was dragged, curious and modest, into the limelight of being a mini-celebrity. And together, they were a celebrity couple.

"Really, my favorite is silk," Roxas was saying, sounding far-off and breathy, as if fantasizing about the soft fabric slipping between his fingers. "It's a little girly, I guess, but it feels so nice. Unlike anything else."

"Silk, huh?" Sora repeated, a touch of quiet laughter in his words. "Guess you've changed quite a bit."

"Oh, stop saying that!" he exclaimed, unperturbed by the sadness Axel had picked up in Sora's voice. In the days Roxas had spent with Sora since helping the orphanage, Sora had repeated those words quite often. But Roxas always shrugged them off, as he did now. "I'm just the same old Roxas."

"Are not," Sora laughed, and for the first time, Axel could agree. No, Roxas wasn't the same person he used to be at all.

He was confident now, comfortable with his new lifestyle. He met new faces with modest, polite smiles rather than abashed blushes and wary gazes. He could look people in the eye, speak his mind, and tell the world what Heart's plans were for helping children all around the world. He was the one who suggested starting an entirely new branch in the organization to Xemnas. He'd brought it up over dinner one night, hardly blinking as he laid out his ideas and discussed with Axel's father—who he'd once been terrified of—the new charity that had now launched with much success. He'd become a public advocate against human trafficking—an ironic title considering the Heart family was still flourishing in the black market. Even so, Roxas was no longer fearful of cameras or audiences. He maintained his sweetness, his kindness, his bigger-than-life heart, but Roxas had grown into himself. He'd become, despite his petite size and tenor chime, a man.

A man Axel adored.

"What's with the gates?" Sora snorted as the heavy iron doors swung open for their arrival. Axel bit down on the inside of his cheek as Roxas laughed. They were almost home.

"Privacy, silly," he reminded him as Axel pulled up to the front of the long, swooping drive. "Lots of nosy people try talking to Axel and his family every day about stuff. They want peace and quiet, too. And so do I."

"Sure is a damn big house," Sora muttered sourly, peering out of the windows. "Seems kind of luxurious."

"Oh, it is!" Roxas gushed, beaming, either oblivious to Sora's intended insult or pretending to be clueless with superb acting ability that impressed even Axel. "I can't wait to show you the gardens. They're huge! And your room, Sora! You get your own room!"

"Don't you think it's a waste?" Sora questioned just as Roxas was pushing open his door. He paused, and turned back to look at Sora, who remained in his seat, in no hurry to get out. The look on Roxas' face broke Axel's heart: lost, uncertain, hurt. Axel was no fan of Sora's, but he couldn't let Roxas flounder in such an unfamiliar circumstance as this. From what Axel had gathered, Sora and Roxas had always been together, and had never fought or disagreed on anything. So, Axel cleared his throat to break the silence and eyed Sora in the mirror as he opened his own door.

"It's extravagant, yes," he answered, shrugging. "But this home has been standing for generations. It's a part of our family's history. Most of the general rooms are used daily, and many of the other rooms and bedrooms are put to good use when we host large-scale events that require the space we have here. It's not such a waste."

"While children starve in cardboard boxes?" Sora scoffed, and Axel had to bite his tongue and clench his jaw to keep from snapping back.

"Sora, please don't be rude," Roxas murmured, his big, blue eyes pleading softly and calmly with Sora. The brunette caught one glimpse of Roxas' expression and immediately seemed to deflate. "Axel and his family have been very kind to me, and they are now being very kind to you as well."

There was a fair amount of silence between the two that Axel watched from a far distance he resented more with every passing second. Whatever was transpiring between Roxas and Sora was private, and possible due to the unbreakable bond the two boys held. They spoke without words, without language or movement. Only their eyes. Axel envied such a connection; he wanted that with Roxas, and he wanted to be the only one.

"I guess I just have to get used to it," Sora finally muttered in defeat, very quietly, but convincingly enough to make Roxas smile.

"You will," Roxas assured him. "I did. It might take a while, but it'll all be fine once you give it a chance."

"Let's go inside, then, shall we?" Axel suggested with a tense smile. They all climbed out, and Axel and Roxas began moving to the house, while Sora hesitated.

"Shouldn't I…?" he began, motioning to the trunk of the car, but house servants were already on the move to collect what few belongings he'd brought with him.

"They'll take everything to your room for you," Roxas giggled, and reached out to snag Sora's arm and pull him along. "Come on. I want to show you everything."

"Where did you want to start?" Axel asked, trying to keep his smile plastered on his face as they entered their home. Roxas hesitated as they passed the threshold, enough to make Axel pause himself.

"Wait here," Roxas told Sora, then motioned for Axel to come with him a good distance away. As they walked, Axel made sure to place a protective hand on the dip of his lover's back.

"What is it?" he asked, forcing a convincing smile—the kind he often gave the press—as they came to a stop. Roxas rubbed his neck and glanced at the floor.

"I really want you and Sora to get to know each other… " he began, chewing on his lip. "But…maybe I can show Sora around on my own? He's already a little uncertain about coming here, and I want to ease him in slowly. With just the two of us, he might feel more comfortable… That's okay, right?"

"Um…" Axel wasn't quite sure how to respond, but the hope on Roxas' face was enough to outweigh Axel's jealousy. He smiled. "Sure."

"Oh, really?" Roxas breathed, like a huge sigh of relief. His whole, bright little face lit up, just like Axel knew it would. The younger of the two bounced up and down a little, grabbed Axel's arms in his excitement. "You're positive you're okay?"

"If that's how you want to do this, it's absolutely fine," Axel promised, touching Roxas' cheek gently and leaning down for a kiss. Roxas' lips were warm, sweet, and moist—perfect, as always. He bumped their foreheads together and brushed their noises as their kiss ended. "We can all get to know each other at dinner tonight?"

"Of course!" Roxas agreed, entirely delighted. Such joy was plenty for Axel, at least for now.

"What should I ask them to fix?" he asked. "Does Sora have any favorites?"

"Oh, nothing close to what we eat here," Roxas dismissed, shaking his head. "Don't worry about that. Anything will be great."

"Alright, Roxas," he murmured, caressing his cheek affectionately. He bent for one more kiss, and then let him go. "Have fun."

"Oh, I will," Roxas giggled, kissed the side of his mouth, and then off he went.

Sora was standing where they'd left him, staring after them with that same expression he'd given them often. Since Saix died, Axel and Roxas had visited Destiny Orphanage many times—whether on business or simply so Roxas could see his best friend. And Axel had caught Sora staring at them like that more than a couple of times. A mix of bitterness, impatience, and envy. It was the look that made Axel uncomfortable with agreeing to let Sora move in. Roxas always called Sora his brother—and it seemed he was always telling the truth on his own end. But Sora didn't look at Roxas like he was looking at his brother. Not at all.

He looked at him like Axel looked at him.

They all met up for dinner as the sun was setting. Roxas was beaming ear to ear, and though Sora still seemed reserved, he was laughing with Roxas as they entered the dining room. For a moment, they really, truly looked like brothers. Twins, even, with different colored hair. Axel greeted them as their first course was being placed on the table.

"Sounds like everything was a success?" he teased, smiling even as the unguarded happiness slipped from Sora's face. "Our home isn't so bad, huh?"

"It's alright, I guess," Sora answered, shrugging indifferently.

"Oh, you loved it," Roxas corrected, nudging his friend playfully. Sora only pursed his lips, and let Roxas turn to Axel to give him an affectionate kiss. "Dinner's ready?"

"It is," Axel replied, returning his beloved's kiss with one of his own, and ushering the two of them to the table. "My father had to attend a business meeting over dinner tonight, but he told me to tell you welcome, and make yourself at home."

"You guys have business meetings this late?" Sora asked, almost skeptically, as they sat.

"Sometimes later," Axel confirmed, just as Rikku entered the room and came to the table. He still walked with a light limp, but he carried himself so well with it, Axel sometimes forgot about his wound. "Depends on what the business is."

"No business talk, please," Roxas laughed, touching Axel's arm gently. Tonight, Axel sat at the head of the table, as he was expected in his father's absence. Roxas sat at his right, with Sora beside him, and Rikku at his left. Luxord was also absent, as he had accompanied Xemnas. "I want to have a nice dinner, just the four of us. Talking about us."

"Alright," Axel laughed. "Everyone, go on and dig in, I suppose."

Axel, Roxas, and Rikku moved like one as they unfolded their dining napkins and placed them on their laps. But Axel didn't fail to catch Sora's instinctive response to reach immediately for his spoon. He paused when he realized his mistake, and then again, even after the others began eating. He wasn't watching the others this time. He was staring at the table, where his hand hovered uncertainly. It took Axel a moment to recognize his dilemma. Roxas, too, had experienced the same confusion.

"It's the one on the right," he supplied quietly, smiling encouragingly and holding up his own spoon as Sora glanced at him, cheeks red. Axel didn't care for Sora—or more like, the feelings he "secretly" harbored for Roxas—but Axel sympathized with his awkward situation. It'd taken as much convincing on Sora's part to move in as it had Axel's. Everyone was bearing with the tension for Roxas' sake. Sora only clenched his jaw and snatched up his spoon with a bitter scowl.

"Does it even matter?" he grumbled, dunking his spoon into his soup and swirling it in a very undignified manner. "Why do you even need so many of everything?"

"I like it," Roxas contributed, again either clueless to Sora's irritation or choosing to ignore it. Axel still couldn't quite tell. His boy was sweet, and innocent in ways still, but he'd become deceptively clever, especially when it came to handling those around him. "Everything has a place and a purpose. It gives something as…basic as eating a whole new…meaning, I suppose. It makes it just a little bit more…"

"Pretentious?" Sora offered when Roxas paused, still not touching his soup. Roxas looked at him levelly.

"Gracious," he amended. "It makes me more grateful for what I've been given. Anyway, I like the tradition, the etiquette, the atmosphere of it all. Now eat. Don't play with it."

Axel said nothing as Sora pouted, but did as Roxas asked without further bickering. But Axel felt a certain pride as, when Sora stuck the first spoonful in his mouth, his eyes widened ever so slightly. Roxas had reacted with absolute delight the first time he'd eaten a first-class meal, and still did on occasion. It was adorable when they went out to eat, and Roxas had eaten a particularly delicious meal, and insisted on complimenting and thanking the chef. Roxas was quite a hit with most—if not all—of New York's upper class world.

"It's his special sweet potato soup," Roxas filled Sora in with a happy little smile. Axel couldn't help but smirk at Roxas' extensive knowledge of the chef's typical menu—the kitchen staff loved Roxas, as he was constantly keeping them company when Axel was at work, asking them questions and marveling at the simplest of dishes. They were always coming up with new snacks for him and the girls due to his fascination with their work. "With milk, brown sugar, and nutmeg. One of my favorites. It's certainly no Campbells, hm?"

"It's good," Sora consented, and took another spoonful. After a few minutes of spoons clinking, Axel spoke.

"So, Sora," he began, sipping from his glass as Sora met his gaze. He licked the wine from his bottom lip and continued, "Tell us about yourself. I'm dying to get to know you."

"What do you want to know?" Sora asked cautiously. Axel noticed that Roxas, too, was staring at him warily.

"Anything," Axel offered, trying to remain harmless .He didn't like the uncertain look Roxas was eyeing him with. "Do you have any hobbies or anything?"

"You don't get much free time as a slave," Sora responded, so harshly, Rikku choked a little on his wine. Face flaming, he bent his eyes to the floor—reminders of the ways he'd assisted Saix's evil deeds were still triggers of fresh guilt for him. "So unless you count cleaning all day and being forced to be a man's play thing at night, then no. I don't have any hobbies."

Axel was really grateful his father had missed this dinner.

"You like movies," Roxas suggested, as if Sora hadn't just exploded in an absolutely appalling manner. Even the brunette looked stunned at Roxas' ease. "You loved watching all the movies you could get a hold of."

"Maybe we could watch one," Axel said slowly, trying to follow Roxas' lead and dispel the looming awkward. "What do you like?"

"Uh…" Sora shrugged, not able to meet anyone's eyes. "Anything, I guess. But action mostly. Or…things that make you think."

"Have you seen The Adjustment Bureau?" Rikku asked suddenly, the first he'd said all night. Rikku was typically quiet anyway, so him speaking at all was more surprising than his silence. Sora blinked at him, as if just now noticing him, and shook his head slowly. Rikku turned back to his bowl and murmured, "You'd probably like it."

There was another period of silence, but it was at least well-timed, because the servants were coming out to take up their bowls and replace them with their second dish. Sora blinked at it, and Axel found himself desperately hoping he wasn't a damn vegetarian.

"It this, like…goose or something fancy like that?" he inquired curiously, lacking his typical hostility. Axel cleared his throat a little.

"Veal," he answered, and received a funny look from Sora.

"The hell is veal?" he questioned, and Roxas took over before Axel could reply.

"Just a fancy word for beef," he said, smiling, and while it wasn't quite a lie, Axel couldn't meet Sora's eyes. "It's delicious."

The first time Axel had explained what veal was to Roxas, the boy had cried.

Axel watched Sora as he cut into his steak and began to chew. The redhead followed suit, letting the tender meat melt, the sweet herbs flavoring it coating his mouth. Every taste was ultimately familiar to his palette, accustomed to such delicacies as most people might easily know the taste of popcorn or French fries. Again, he observed Sora's reaction to the taste, the texture, of an entirely new world. Roxas was already eating as well, and even now, his expression reflected Sora's more than it did Rikku's or Axel's.

"You guys eat like this every night?" Sora swallowed, directing his question incredulously at Roxas. The blonde smiled softly.

"We do," he replied, and his eyes slid right over to Axel's, warm and grateful and so full of love. Axel let his lips twitch up instinctively as his heart pounded for a moment in his chest. And then Roxas' attentions were on Sora once more. "I can't wait for you to try everything."

"You got a new favorite now?" Sora chuckled, with better nature, but Axel could hear the subtle sadness still lingering. "It used to be pizza."

"Oh, I don't know if I have a favorite anymore," Roxas laughed, shaking his head. "There are so many new things I've tried!"

"Lobster," Axel murmured absent-mindedly. "You seem to get rather excited over it when we have that."

"I do love lobster," Roxas replied, eyes bright and shiny at the thought of it.

They managed to chat like that for the rest of the dinner, and even on through dessert, which consisted of a slice of delectable three-layer chocolate hazelnut cake with a side of powdered, roasted pears. The conversation was relatively awkward all night, but there was significant effort from both sides to make it work. It was only as the servants came out and cleared the table that things seemed to go downhill. Rikku hurried off with a quiet parting, and Axel led Roxas and Sora from the dining room to the foyer.

"Are you tired yet?" Roxas joked with Sora, catching him mid-yawn. "I was exhausted my first day here."

"Sleep sounds pretty nice," Sora agreed, stretching as if to emphasize his weariness. Frankly, Axel was glad to hear it. He was ready to be rid of the rude brunette boy until he was fully recharged. But then Sora was turning expectantly toward Roxas. "You're gonna ask him, right?"

Roxas froze as if Sora had thrown a bucket of water in his face. Sora blinked, waiting, while Axel crossed his arms and raised a questioning eyebrow. Roxas turned his eyes to him warily… hesitantly… apologetically…

"Ask me what?" he urged, but when Roxas couldn't bring himself to answer, Sora did for him.

"Well, I figured it'd be fine if Roxas moved back into my room," he said, as if he was asking if they could go on a walk tomorrow. "That's the way it's always been, of course. I don't see why it would be a big deal or why he should have to ask anyway."

"Because Roxas sleeps with me," Axel replied through clenched teeth.

"Axel…" Roxas murmured, a plea for him to stay calm, but Axel wasn't having it. Not with this blatant challenge on his plate. He ignored Roxas, and looked right at Sora, who glared at him openly now.

"Look, we're going to get something very clear right now," Axel demanded, ignoring Roxas' disapproving stare. "This is my house, not your damn orphanage. Roxas is my boyfriend. Things are different now whether you like it or not, and you're going to have to get used to it if you're going to live here. Do you understand me?"

"I understand that things can just as easily go back to the way it used to be," Sora replied, rather cockily for someone so much shorter and smaller. "The way it should be."

"Please stop," Roxas said quietly, but it barely registered against Axel's growing anger.

"You think I'm going to let an ungrateful shit like you ruin this?" Axel retorted. "What Roxas and I have is good. And you can't touch that."

Sora leaned forward and sneered.

"I can touch it all I want."

Axel's fist popped out before he even saw red. One second, Sora was practically spitting in his face, and in the next, he was kneeling on the floor, holding his nose.

"Axel!" Roxas cried, and was crouching protectively at Sora's side in the next second. "Oh my goodness, he'd bleeding. Sara! Will you please bring a hot towel and some first aid supplies to Sora's room? Oh dear, I hope it's not broken. Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, it hurts," Sora muttered, and Axel could hear the drip of blood hitting the marble floor.

"Come on," Roxas urged, pulling on his arm until he stood. "We should get you to your room. We'll all just talk about this tomorrow."

"You're going with him?" Axel asked, astounded. Roxas cast an annoyed eye on him.

"Not now," he said, speaking low and more demandingly than Axel had ever heard.

"Fine," he snapped, tossing his hands in the air and storming for the stairs without looking back. "Do what you want, Roxas. I don't care."

"Some hothead you got there," Sora muttered as Roxas sat him down on his bed and held a cloth to his nose. He flinched, but Roxas merely pressed harder. "Easy, there."

"You don't have to be so rude to him," Roxas scolded calmly, digging into the first aid kit Sara had found him for anything useful. "Axel is a good man."

"That good man just punched me in the face," Sora growled, as if he had to remind Roxas, who only raised his brow with a sigh.

"Yeah, well, I think you deserved that one," he replied, lifting the towel and stepping back. Sora stared at him.

"I could sue him for this," he said. "Do you know how much money I could get from them?"

"Sora!" Roxas exclaimed, horrified, even as Sora stood and stepped closer. "Don't you dare even consider that! I could never forgive you for something so awful!"

"We could use that money, Rox," he insisted, suddenly urgent. Roxas only gaped at him. "We could go somewhere far away, some place quiet. Leave all this mess behind. Just the two of us."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas demanded, trying to move away as Sora reached out and grabbed his arms.

"Come with me," he murmured, but Roxas only tried to pull away.

"Stop it, Sora," he warned, but his brother wouldn't let go. "Let go. I'm staying here. Knock it off."

"I know it's the money," Sora hissed. A trickle of blood dripped from his nose as Roxas stilled, frowned, and listened. "It's okay. But you don't have to stay here with him. I can take care of you, too."

"How dare you!" Roxas yelled, shoving with all his might at Sora, who finally released him and toppled backward onto the bed. Roxas glowered at Sora, his brother, who stared up at him with wide eyes. "I love Axel. That is why I live here. Because Axel is my lover. You of all people would think me so horrible? You think I'm that selfish? That kind of a person? To use Axel for his money?"

"Rox…" Sora murmured, wide eyes defeated as he reached for the blonde helplessly.

"No!" Roxas cut him off, throwing the towel in Sora's lap. "I love both of you, and I will not have you bickering and arguing like children. So you two can yell and fight and punch each other all you want. But until you grow up and work it out like men, I'm not speaking to either of you!"

And with that, Roxas whirled around, stormed out of the door with his cheeks pink and his chin high, and slammed the door behind him.

The next morning, Sora wandered down to the dining room alone. Axel was already waiting, pacing alongside the table in an anxiety-producing mixture of what anger lingered from last night and the nauseating waves of regret and fear that had come as a result of it. He and Roxas rarely argued, but when they did, and it went unresolved, the result was a terribly painful ache that resided deeply in Axel's gut. He looked up at the sound of Sora's footsteps, but only frowned when he saw the boy had come alone. Before he could ask, Sora, with his arms crossed and lips held firmly in a pout, spoke up, refusing to meet Axel's gaze.

"Roxas didn't stay with me last night," he muttered under his breath. "I don't know where he is."

"What the hell do you mean?" Axel snapped, his rage beginning to overcome his worry again. Sora's eyes flashed to his as the towering redhead advanced a fair distance. "Where did he go?"

"I don't know," Sora bit back sharply. "It's your house."

"Jesus," he growled under his breath, pinching his nose and counting to ten slowly. Then he tried again, calmly as he could, "Did he say anything important at all?"

"Just that he wasn't gonna talk to either of us," Sora answered, deflating even as Axel felt his own heart sink. "'Til we stopped hating each other."

"Good lord, Roxas," Axel muttered, and then strode past Sora, who hesitated before following him.

"Where are we going?" he questioned, hurrying behind Axel uncertainly, but with undeniable curiosity.

"I'm going to talk some sense into Roxas," Axel replied.

"You know where he is?" The amount of incredulousness in the boy's voice was almost offensive. Axel snorted.

"Of course I do."

It was a short walk to the girls' main hall, the long one leading to their specially designed home-within-a-home. Axel didn't visit it much, especially since he no longer desired any of the girls' services. Xemnas had considered sending them away, but they had ultimately decided against it. From a business standpoint, they knew too much about the Heart family's affairs to be cast onto the streets. Word getting out about a secret harem was not an option, and it was easier to control the whereabouts of such information if they simply continued caring for the girls. As Xemnas said, every investment must be paid for and carried out in full, regardless of whether it was one good or bad.

From Roxas' point of view, and to the lesser extent, Axel's as well, it simply wasn't fair. Roxas had formed very special bonds with the girls, and considered some of them as close as sisters. To him, kicking them out was just plain wrong.

Axel banged on the door.

"Whose room is this?" Sora inquired, as though his interest had been genuinely piqued, but Axel hardly even looked over his shoulder at him.

"Shut up," he commanded, and a moment later, Kairi opened the door. She leaned against the door frame, somehow succeeding in blocking the entire entrance with her petite body, and gave Axel a cool, level gaze.

"Master Heart," she greeted calmly, crossing her arms. Axel took a breath to steady himself.

"Where is he, Kairi?" he asked, to which she frowned and tilted her head, playing dumb so obviously he almost wanted to smack her.

"Who, sir?"

"Kairi..." he growled lowly, in warning, but the fierce redhead only matched his disapproval with her own.

"Roxas made his wishes very clear," she said, with that motherly, no-bullshit expression she'd mastered at much too young an age. "You two play nice, or no more Roxas for either of you."

"Or I can come in and get him," Axel tested, but Kairi only raised her brows in a way that said she was very unimpressed by his threat. She nudged the door open further with her foot, and nodded as if to invite him inside.

"If you think that's a good idea," she replied, leaving plenty of room for him to come in, but her implications were very clear. "Your call."

He won't forgive you.

"God damn it," Axel cursed, spun around, and pushed past Sora to storm away. He heard the door shut, and didn't need to turn to know the boy was no doubt scurrying after him, questions hot on his trail as well.

"Who was that?" he asked once they'd arrived in the foyer, where Axel slowed his brisk walk to cool his head and evaluate his circumstances. "And why were there a ton of other girls in that room? I saw, like, four at least."

"Would you shut up?" Axel snapped. "I'm trying to think."

"Sorry," Sora snorted. "I find it strange you have a room full of women in your house."

"It's not a room," Axel huffed impatiently, just to satiate Sora's interest. "It's a section of the house specifically designed to mock a penthouse or suite, an apartment for them to live in."

"Why would—" Axel could actually see it hit Sora, like someone had slapped him hard in the head. He rolled his eyes as the younger boy recoiled, gaped, and then spluttered, "You have a harem?"

"You really should just not talk," Axel sighed, and lowered himself onto one of the steps of the grand staircase. Sora, still blinking in amazement, stared off, and then plopped down beside Axel. They stayed in silence for more than a minute before Axel asked, "What do we do?"

"Fuck if I know," Sora laughed bitterly, apparently coming down from his shock. "I guess Roxas wants us to get along."

"Well, that won't happen," Axel muttered, scoffing at the thought. As an afterthought, he added, "At least, not with you coming in here and trying to steal him from me. Don't think I don't know that's what you're really doing."

"I had him first, you know," Sora said quietly, so weakly Axel didn't get angry with him this time. He only looked at him.

"Roxas has never seen you like that," Axel told him, not gently nor cruelly, but firmly. "And he never will. You need to get over him and move on."

"Yeah, yeah," Sora muttered. "Easy for you to say. You're his hero. You were the one who saved him."

"I do have you to thank for that, I suppose," Axel admitted, and it was true. Without Sora's courage and selflessness, Axel could only imagine where his darling Roxas would be—or what he'd be doing. "I know if I was in your position...I'd hate it too. And I am sorry for that. But I love Roxas. I'm not just going to hand him over like you had first dibbs or something."

"Yeah, no shit," Sora snapped, but Axel could tell from the way he huffed out a breath that he was only frustrated. His next words came more carefully. "He's changed a lot, you know... I mean, he's still sweet little Roxas, but...this world..."

"It's not as terrible as you think," Axel sighed, but Sora shook his head and held up a hand as if to tell him to save his excuses.

"No, let me finish..." he said. "It's made him...stronger. Harder, in a way. Roxas never, not once, raised his voice to me back at the orphanage. And last night, he let me have it. Just like I deserved, I guess. He's different...in an extraordinary way. He's not...scared anymore."

"Or oblivious," Axel added quietly. "He is an amazing person."

"On that, we can agree," Sora consented, and met Axel's gaze with a certain conviction. "You make him happy. I see that. I do. Everyone can see that, plain as day. But it's hard accepting someone else might be better for the one you love most in the world. I can't just roll over and accept that now that it feels like I have a chance of winning him back."

"You never had him in the first place," Axel disagreed, locking Sora down with his eyes. "Not once have I ever heard Roxas refer to you as anything more than his brother. And for that, you should feel honored. Roxas loves and respects you. He counts on you, depends on you, looks at you in a light he doesn't see anyone else in, not even me."

"Would you feel honored if Roxas thought of you as his brother?" Sora said, scowling lightly. "You don't get it. Have you ever had anything taken away from you? Have you ever not gotten what you wanted?"

"You're more of a pretentious shit than I am if you think you can just walk in here and think you know everything about me," Axel retorted, keeping his voice even, but finding it hard to do. Some of Sora's remarks did hit sore spots for Axel. Feeling the need to defend himself, he cast his gaze elsewhere and said, "I didn't choose to be born into the Heart family any more than you chose to grow up in that orphanage. It's just the luck of the draw. But it's not like I don't work for it. Sure, I wouldn't have to if I decided I didn't feel like it...but I'm not a total prick, you know."

"I'm not saying you're a prick," Sora growled, his tone becoming more intensely frustrated every time he spoke. "My point is that you don't know what it's like."

"To what?" Axel snapped. "To be a poor orphan boy? No, I don't—"

"To be at the bottom!" Sora shouted. His words came with a resulting silence. He tsked and turned away, like Axel had. "Maybe I never had Roxas, but you'll never be able to understand him when he tells you what it was like. To wake up knowing you were abandoned. To feel loveless. To scrub the floors and wipe every window on every floor and turn down the beds and fold every damn piece of laundry. To share linens and rooms and germs and lice when it got bad enough. You say you work for what you have? Well, good for you for sitting in your pretty, air-conditioned office, with the city view and the state-of-the-art technology at your fingertips. Days off when you want them, vacations when you feel like it, underlings at your beck and call, a nice plushy seat to plant your ass in and a screen to study for eight hours. Maybe ten or twelve on a long day. I'm not stupid. There's a difference between work and labor. And you don't know the half of either."

"You don't think I fucking know that?" Axel snarled, pushing himself off the stairs and whirling to face the little twerp. He just couldn't remain sitting as all his energies stirred up inside his stomach. "You don't think I feel like a goddamn shit every time I'm reminded that no matter what I do, I'll never be able to take back all those things that Roxas had to go through?"

"You're not supposed to want to take them back!" Sora yelled, rising to his feet as well. He puffed up his chest pretty well for a boy so short of stature. "Taking it back doesn't do shit!"

"What the hell do you want from me, huh?" Axel breathed. "To say I'm sorry I didn't grow up the exact same way the two of you did? To say I'm sorry that Roxas loves me instead of you? To tell you that I'm fucking sorry when I'm not? Because I'm not, you self-righteous little fuck! I'm not sorry. Not for any of it. I wouldn't change anything if I could. I'm happy with the way things are now. This is all your problem."

"I want you to get the hell over yourself and stop using Roxas!" Sora shouted back. "You could have any guy you wanted. Hell, you have an entire harem! What do you need Rox for?"

"Because I love him!" Axel's words silenced Sora as if he'd punched him square in the stomach. He bit back his next words, hanging back hesitantly, unsure of his next move. Axel put his hand to his head and said quietly, "What about that is so hard for you to understand, huh? I'm not using him for anything. I love him, and would do anything for him if it was in his best interest."

"How do you know it's in his best interest to stay here with you?" Sora challenged, but he already knew the answer to that question, and Axel shook his head at him in pity.

"Here. You mean, where I can feed, clothe, shelter, and worship him?" Axel replied, regretful that it had come to this. To the money again. "My relationship with Roxas has nothing to do with my wealth, but I'm in a position where I can provide so many opportunities for him. He's been happy here, Sora. I'm not forcing him to stay here. I'm not forcing him to tell me he loves me either."

"Roxas is young," Sora argued. He was looking at the floor now, at the tips of his dirty, worn-out sneakers. "He doesn't know… He's vulnerable…"

"You think I'm taking advantage of him," Axel concluded with a scoff. "Or you're claiming that. Because I don't think you actually believe I'm doing anything harmful to Roxas at all. You know how happy we are together. You're just bitter and jealous."

"So what if I am?" Sora questioned, peering up at him with eyes tormented with loss and loneliness—emotions Axel couldn't fully comprehend yet. And it was like Sora could read his mind. "What would you know about it? What have you lost?"

"I almost lost Roxas," Axel said softly. "But I didn't. I almost died to keep him alive. I have the scar to prove it. In essence, you could very well say I've never gone without. I know that. I'm not stupid, and I don't take it for granted. Not anymore, at least. Sora…I don't know what you want me to say to you. Nothing is ever going to change between the three of us unless you swallow your pride and let Roxas be. Everything happened for a reason, and this is the way it is now. You can't erase what you did when you sent him to me… Would you if you could?"

"No!" Sora exclaimed, aghast at the thought. And that, strangely enough, made Axel absurdly happy. "I would never put Roxas through what would have happened if he'd stayed."

"Then you don't regret anything," Axel drew out, crossing his arms and pinning Sora with a hard look. Sora's lips pressed into a white line.

"I get what you're saying," he muttered, but the anger was starting to seep from his eyes. "And I do want Roxas happy. It's just hard seeing him with someone else. The entire time we knew each other, I was the only one he'd really talk to. And now, it's like I've been replaced. I don't like it."

"You won't for a long time," Axel agreed, nodding. "And it sucks. Change, sometimes, can be the hardest thing to accept. Because some changes are final, and this one is. Okay?"

"I… I know that already," Sora sighed, falling back onto the steps and burying his face into his hands with a trembling exhale. "Trust me, I already know."

"If you need time, I can be patient with you," Axel said quietly. He had to remind himself that Sora was nearly as young as Roxas, and though he was much quicker on his feet and less naïve than his beloved blonde, they shared a similar innocence about the world Axel sympathized with. While Axel had grown up to one day be an authoritative figure, and had never a day doubted anything in his life, Sora had grown up as a child. He was one of the ones at the bottom who struggled uselessly for the top. "Have you ever had a job?"

"What?" Sora questioned after a pause, lifting his head and squinting at Axel incredulously. Glad to see the boy hadn't been crying, Axel shrugged, leaving his question, unexplained, on the table. "Aside from orphanage chores, no…"

"Do you want one?" Axel asked, moving over to sit beside Sora's side again. "You already know that Roxas has become one of our supervisors for Project Destiny. It's what he does when I'm working, and he's really taken to liking it. I know you're a smart kid, and if you're anything like Roxas, you'll pick up really fast. If you want, I can have you work under him on the project. That way, you can spend time together without me in the picture, at least for a few hours."

"Why…" Sora was still staring at him like it was all a joke. Like Axel was dangling it in his face only to rip it away. "Why would you do that for me?"

"I'm not dumb either, Sora," Axel said, putting his chin in his hand. "I know you think I just sit around all day, but I do my best to make decisions that put my family's company ahead of the game, and that means using my brain a lot. There are lots of reasons why I'd hire you. Firstly, it's good business. Project Destiny is about bettering the lives of underprivileged children in New York. No offense, but that includes you, and if you can excel in this like I think you will, it will show how we're truly making an impact on you guys. Secondly, it would make Roxas happy, and that means the world to both of us if I'm not mistaken. Thirdly, you would have a shot at making your own money. Being able to work and be not only acknowledged for it, but rewarded as well, is something I think you need to experience. You'll learn good skills and improve your self-confidence. And that way, none of us will have to baby you, which would bother you more than it would any of us."

"You're pretty observant," Sora noted, still suspicious, but more subdued now. Like he was really giving it some thought.

"I have to be," Axel explained. "One of my biggest focuses in work is handling people. Besides, you're not that hard to read."

"Yeah, I guess not," Sora admitted with a hesitant chuckle.

"If you want the job, it's yours," Axel went on, gesturing with another general shrug. "But in return, I would expect you to approach me with more respect from now on, which means forgetting about your plans to steal Roxas from me. That includes trying to sleep with him, sexually or otherwise."

"I wasn't actually going to try anything," Sora muttered, having the decency to flush and look away hastily. "I was just really pissed, and I guess I'm still kind of immature in some ways…"

"You are what Roxas is not," Axel replied, making Sora look at him in surprise. "So what do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Sora stared long and hard at him for a moment. He inhaled slowly, then raised his hand and offered it to Axel.

"What would I need to do?"

It was both a familiar sight and a foreign one, somehow painful and warming at the same time. Two boys, so alike in features, teasing one another, as comfortable together as twin brothers. They laughed out loud in their play, oblivious to the cameramen lingering outside the shop exists. They were carefree, fulfilled, happy.

Axel watched from the corner of the store, listening with one ear to the shop owner, a familiar friend and business associate. His attention was more closely fixed to Roxas as he picked out one outfit after another, excitedly insisting Sora try on everything he chose. While the brunette always complied, he made a point of rolling his eyes and sighing in faked exasperation. But there was no denying the adoration he radiated.

It hadn't been easy, but they'd convinced Roxas they had made a truce and an agreement to help work things out between them. He'd been thrilled to learn Sora was now his personal assistant—though he'd been quick to change the title to consultant, a gesture that made Axel smile even so. They'd celebrated—a term Axel used loosely—with lunch at one of Roxas' favorite restaurants, and then went on a shopping spree—at Roxas' behest—to make sure Sora looked the part for his new job. For the most part, Axel kept his distance, letting his lover have his fun with his friend. Every so often, though, Roxas would look his way and beam, or scurry over to steal a kiss while Sora was changing clothes. Such moments lit up his world and reassured him he'd made the right decision, no matter how hard it'd been to make.

"Thank you," Roxas murmured later, as they were checking out, embracing him from the side and snuggling up to him. Axel smiled, handing the cashier his card and wrapping an arm around Roxas, squeezing his shoulders lovingly. Sora had excused himself to the bathroom for the time being.

"Of course," Axel dismissed, smiling down at him reassuringly, but those big blue eyes stared up at him knowingly.

"Not just for buying Sora new clothes," he said, taking in a deep breath and sighing serenely. "I know you don't like him—"

"No," Axel corrected, taking back his card quickly. "I just don't like that he likes you."

"That's why I'm so grateful you're making this work," Roxas told him, smiling softly despite his interruption. He tugged on his collar until Axel consented and leaned down for a kiss. "It must be hard for you. It's hard for both of you, but… Thank you. It really means a lot to me that you're working together like this just for me."

"Yeah, yeah." Axel returned Roxas' smile with his own crooked smirk. "What can I say? I love you."

"I love you, too, Axel," Roxas whispered. "And now everything's going to be okay. Everyone I care about is together now… Nothing could possibly go wrong with so many amazing people under one roof, all of them looking out for me. You'll see. What on earth could happen to ruin this?"

Ah, I couldn't let the story go. I promised it, and here it finally is. The beginning of my Drabble-sequel to Chains/Birth. I do so hope you enjoy. I have many other endeavors for this bunch to trek through. Trust me. Obviously, this had to be the first issue addressed. x) If anybody has an ideas/suggestions/requests for a drabble, feel free to run 'em by me; I'd more than love to experiment with this couple in this particular setting/story. :)

And yes, we are rated M for le future drabbles. ;)

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