"So it's feral?" Sora asked. He scrunched his nose up, flicked his soft brown ears, and followed Demyx and Axel down the long line of corridors. "That doesn't make sense. Why buy something that isn't broken?"

"Beats me," Demxy whispered, careful to keep his eyes on the floor.

It was dark outside and everyone had long ago taken to their beds, but as they wandered down the Kept Wing it was common habit that all eyes be lowered. They picked up their feet to avoid scuffing their shoes, eager to live in the silence that would protect them. At his side, his ears twitched outwards and his chin slightly raised but still dipped, Axel looked out the windows, staring into a dark abyss of nothing.

"You okay, Axel?" Sora chirped. His smile was bright and cheerful, completely fake upon his cracked lips. The brunette had a nasty set of fingerprints along his neck from his recent use; they were coloured a dark purple, and when he walked he winced low in his throat.

Neither Demyx or Axel mentioned it. It was an unspoken rule in the Kept Wing that they never talked about whatever activities they were taken to perform in; it was just too painful to recollect the monstrous thoughts, and in time it had become a mere act of acknowledged and mutualised respect left silent between them.

Axel turned a grin on the small brunette, nodding half-heartedly. "Sure. I'm just relieved to be taken off rota for a few weeks."

"Oh… So what did Master Xehanort say? I couldn't make it because…" He shuddered, his hands coming up to rub at his bruised throat. "I couldn't make it."

They stopped outside a door at the very end of the bare hall. Demyx pulled a key from his pocket, placing it into the lock and thinking.

"He said we're not to penetrate it under any circumstances. Just teach him."

"Him?" Sora blinked blankly, his ears twitching curiously. "It's another boy?"

"A wild one," Axel muttered, leaning by the frame. "He's already tried to escape."

"But why us? I would have thought-"

"You should probably go see him, Sora. Master Xehanort took Namine and Kairi to his chambers, but I'm sure he'd want you to interrupt. He said you had to go as soon as we found you."

Sora gulped, fear flooding into his chest like a bitter jug of icy water. "Was he mad?"

"A little."

"Oh no. I-I'd better go," he squeaked, his smile dead on his lips. Without another word, his mouth dry and his throat choked by a tight lump, Sora went back the way they had come, rubbing his hands up his arms and shivering from something other than the cold.

Axel watched him go, his mouth a tight line. "You think he'll be okay?"

"Let's hope so," Demyx whispered, and he twisted the key.

The lock clicked. Within the dusky chamber the walls were lit by the smouldering kisses of the starving torches, igniting shadows upon the walls and giving birth to an inner sunset. The window was barred by an iron grill, cutting out the small moon's shadow; a charming fireplace swathed infinite heat into the room, gorging on logs that crackled and spat and leaving the air stuffy and hot. The rug by the centre was dusty and patched, the walls were bare of all but stone, and in the corner of the room was a lush double bed (the only extravagant item to be found), the posters built high with the curtains draped back, the cushions plump and new, the quilt rolled over and folded by the end where a trunk of odd necessities waited to be tried, tested, used, and forced upon the room's only permanent occupant.

Upon the bed, his body lax and loose against his will, drugged so thickly he could scarce move a muscle, Roxas growled testily, his ears trying to twitch and only managing the faintest flicker. Only one of his arms had been chained to the bed, but his other limb remained uselessly limp and lifeless on the warm sheets; his body had been positioned in a wide, suggestive pose, his legs spread and his shirt ruffled up to reveal pasty skin and thin ribs. He ached, his tongue was so thick and sluggish it had fallen in on itself and rooted up to the top of his mouth, his lips cracked by the heat and his nose aflame from the unquenchable pain and the crusted blood left smudged on his face. He tried to sit up to force a defence out on the intruders, but all he could manage was a pathetic wriggle to which nothing could be made. He growled again, lower this time, his eyes closed lazily even though his mind sprang at him to wake and protect what they were trying to snatch; his heart so violent in his chest he was sure it was ready to implode within him.

Demyx handed Axel the key. "You sure you're going to be okay? I can stay if you want."

"I can handle a drugged thing like this, Dem. Look at it, skin and bones and not much more. I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Alright. You remember your instructions?"

He nodded solemnly, taking a deep breath at the weakened aggression lying wild and infuriated before him, thinking on the desperate want for freedom with an irritated twitch for the circulating growl. He wasn't prepared to face Master Xehanort's wrath for the Neko, even if he did sympathise with him; it would be too much, and he didn't think he had the strength to endure another punishment from his ultimate Master.

A shaky breath left him, he bit at his inner cheek and heard the door close behind his friend. The growl relaxed and softened, hanging as a hum for a moment before Axel walked forward. With the sound of his steps the blonde tried to tense, his muscles almost giving a twitch, his back arched up insufferably in a fit of nerves as he thrashed uselessly, the chains rustling against his weakened wrist and chaffing terribly.

Axel took his time walking, unused to the exhilarating rush of control that surged through his veins as if wildfire had been unleashed. The growls were harsh to hear and he gulped unevenly, unsure of how he was supposed to approach the subject without a Master commanding him on where to move his hands, or place lips, or use other areas of the body more intimate in sexual play.

He stood by the bed a moment, analysing every inch of the blonde; the boy bucked again – a desirable action he undoubtedly failed to recognise in his panicked fury – his waist was thin, so much so that it had Axel wincing to see the clothes slipping down over the bones to reveal bruises where the men had been too rough; the shirt riled further up and the snarls broke harder in Axel's ears, as if the blonde was accusing him of trying to touch what he only observed.

For another three minutes the boy huffed and growled and broke pitiful half-grunts under a slur of snarls until finally the drugs sapped the last of his strength and he was forced to stop, now a hyperventilating corpse of what had been so lively.

Roxas tried to overcome his faltering heart in an attempt to claim back his nervous system, but he still couldn't rationalise his body, and as he felt the bed dip beside him he could only try to force a further growl from his parched throat, the raw sound aching and blunt, burning his insides.

His warning was ignored. Instead a soft hand so unlike the scarred one he had felt earlier that day rested just beneath his jaw, his head was tipped back so he was forced to clench his teeth together, and there he was held; succumbing to the mercy of a mere thumb and finger pinching at his chin. He curled his nose up, trying to turn from the firm grip, but it was unrelenting and hard, pinning him still.

"Don't. You have to get used to it."

Roxas hissed inwards through his teeth, drawing in a breath and holding it tight to him in a possessive need to control some aspect of his body. With a burst of energy he dragged his head away, ripping free from the hand that held him.

A heavy sigh came from above and the bed dipped further.

"Open your eyes."

He didn't. They were shut against his will, so heavy only the darkness and his heightened senses could smother out or enwrap the voice above. The hand reached for him again, took him without question and dragged him back to where it wanted, holding him still.

"Open them. C'mon kid, I'm trying to do this the easy way, but you're making it hard."

A coarse growl set itself up to escape him, but instead Roxas swallowed it back with a dry gasp and an unwilling tremble. The fingers left his chin and instead the thumb smoothed softly over his right cheek, brushing the skin in such a delicate manner it was exquisite, completely unlike anything he had ever felt before. He dubbed his brain stooped and yanked away, frightened by the unknown touch and expecting the harsh beating to follow.

When it didn't come his ears managed the softest of dips and above him there came a deep chuckle.

"Open your eyes, kid. Come on, take your time."

For a moment he waited to try and catch out the caring tone, but when he could find nothing Roxas located only a burning curiosity surfacing within him. He wanted to see the owner of the voice, to know the face and place a name to the action. He wrestled with his heavy lids, scrunching them tight before he slowly pried them open, blinking at the fuzzy haze of the world and squinting through the dull colours. The heat magnified upon his chest, suffocating him, and in startled shock he tried to disappear into the depth of the covers beneath the intense jade stare.

Axel's canines flashed charmingly and he leaned over the blonde, taking extra care not to touch the timid flesh.

"There, not so hard was it?"

He received no answer. Instead sapphire eyes narrowed, the teeth barred down hard and the head turned, the body still slack.

"You have to stop that," the redhead frowned, his smile gone. "You were stupid to bite Master Xehanort today. I'm surprised he didn't… Never mind. I'm Axel. My Masters call me Eight. Do you have a name?"

As the seconds droned on Axel leaned back, his ears folded and his breath heavy.

"Fine, don't talk. They don't really want you to anyway." He shrugged and placed a hand softly on the blonde's bare side, brushing the top further up and frowning at a malicious bruise. "They really tore into you, huh?"

The skin trembled under his fingertips and he could hear the harsh inhalation of a dry breath. Unable to take his hand away he skipped and traced his thumb over the injury, ruffling the shirt up further and pressing lightly on the hardly breathing ribcage.

"You don't like this, do you? Don't like touch."

A snarl cut through the room and Axel spread his fingers over the small belly, catching his nails and sweeping over to the other side. A hum broke out from his throat and he frowned thoughtfully, catching the way the bones twitched and tried to jerk in an effort of repulsed revocation, wanting to withdraw into nothingness in order for the interaction to crumble off of his skin and leave him be.

"They want us to break you," he whispered, his voice so faint in the air the walls of the room absorbed it, transferring it to non-existence beneath the gasping heat. "They want us to teach you. You're scared, but everyone is at first. You'll get over it eventually."

Roxas broke. "Rephna esk," he hushed, the words so soft and pronounced with such a purr on the tongue they were thick and lost under his slurred speech. He swallowed desperately, closed his eyes tight and tensed, hating his very core as the thick accent rebounded with weight on his lips.

The hands curbed to his chin and the squeeze was painfully tight.

"What did you say?"

"R-rephna esk. Rephna."

"So you can speak. But I don't understand. Can you speak the common tongue, or…?"

"Nen."

"Guess that means no, huh? But you do understand me. I know you do." When the blonde's nose wrinkled Axel chuckled and swept his hand back over the cheek. "You opened your eyes when I told you to so you do understand. Don't act like you don't now."

"Sheska un'twa!"

Axel grunted at the harsh words. "There's no point being like that. I have you until morning, but…" He stopped to rub the back of his head, feeling nervous when wide blue eyes blinked up fearfully. "Look, I don't want to rush into anything. We have three weeks, so how about we take it slow? Do it like that? Demyx will take over tomorrow morning and Sora will get you tomorrow afternoon; I'll explain everything to them if you want but you have to meet me half way here. Trust me, there's no way for you to escape this. You have to accept it."

Blue eyes looked up uselessly to the chain biting down on his wrist and the ears managed the simplest of twitches. Worried eyes caught Axel in an anxious hold and the fire seemed to deepen its snake-like cackles.

"Rephna."

"Here, let me show you."

Axel turned into the blonde, still towering over him with a fixed shadow cast alongside the bed. He shushed Roxas when he tried to squirm, setting his fingers to work on the pale shirt. His heart jumped to hear the short snap and the gnashing of barred canines, but he had a job to do. The first button came away easily and the others dipped so fast they seemed to be hardly tied, giving him easy access to what he wanted, but it was short lived and Axel physically winced.

The men had most definitely not been gentle. Under the collar was a crusted gash that burned a shiny red, shortening the Neko's gasps when it tugged; over the side was a colourful array of butterfly bruises nimbly placed with added tenderness above the jutting bones, giving a sickly beaten look to pasty skin that had once been flawlessly smooth and utterly edible.

"Fuck… They really did have at you, didn't they? No wonder you don't want to talk… Damn, I can't leave you like that; that gash looks infected."

With a heavy sigh he stood from the bed and proceeded to the chest, opening the lid and rummaging inside. With a groan Roxas threw his head back in the overbearing heat, trying to kick out and biting on his tongue when his nerves continued to disobey him. When the lid of the chest slammed shut he expected the worst, flinching against the drum-like sound and attempting to still his erratic heart, but it was useless. His mind tumbled in fear when the bed dipped over and something popped, and he couldn't supress his urge to nibble at his inner cheek and glance over.

Axel threw a blue tub down to the end of the bed and rubbed his hands together, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth until he saw blue eyes staring. With an apologetic smile he explained.

"It's cold. I'm warming it up."

Roxas's mind jumped to the worst conclusion for what he could possibly be warming his hands for and he thrashed again, snarling mightily until his throat chaffed wickedly.

"Hey! Stop it or you're gonna hurt yourself."

He didn't listen. Instead he threw his head back and growled, the chains clinking manically when he bucked until a heavy weight settled over his legs and threw him upon the mattress.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Axel insisted. He pushed himself down harder on the blonde's waist, pinning him in on either side and delicately pulling the shirt away from the wounds. When his unwilling student held a tight breath within him Axel took his chance, placing his palms face down on the boy's belly and slowly moving the warm balm up from his fingers and rubbing it gently over the cuts and abrasions.

The effect was instantaneous. With the easing graduation of the flames in his gut Roxas calmed, his body stilling under the angelic touch to have something so simple and soft overpowering him with great mercy and gentle attention when he was chained and ready to be taken; completely defenceless and aching with no means to attack. It was odd, to be so helpless and yet cared for; to not have to fight the restraints for the cold and to accept the heat. The hands massaged over his stomach first, taking extra care to sweep and curve without pain and slipping onto his sides.

The fingers never scratched, instead they teased with tingling touches and an unusual absurdity for tending him. Roxas was unsure how to deal with it, but his instinct told him to tense so he listened, chewing on his lower lip and awaiting some form of punishment.

None came.

"Easy," Axel muttered, concentrating on moving his hands over the dull skin until it was shiny with ointment and perfect. "What did you think I was going to do? Take you?" He shook his head. "Master Xehanort told us not to. Besides, you're hurt. It wouldn't really be fair, would it?"

He smiled to think he saw Roxas relax. The blonde ears slowly dipped and drooped over, the eyes closed to feel the ache quenched under the special medicine until at long last the body stopped tensing. It was a small accomplishment on Axel's part, but he took great pride in it. When the cream dried beneath his hands he reached back for the tub and took another generous helping, warming it up again before he set his work to the Neko's chest and lightly drew his fingers up over the ribs and around the nipples to the sore cut on the neck. A wince was drawn from sweet lips and Axel almost drew back, but one look at the grievous wound had him determined to fix it.

Leaning over he carefully set his fingers to brushing the fragile skin, dabbing it tenderly with his chest mere centimetres above the panting torso that was ripped by clutched gasps. When he was done he refused to pull away, and instead set his arms up by the blonde's head and smiled.

"There. You should feel better soon."

"Enyoun es."

"En-you-n es?" Axel pronounced it slowly, the words uncomfortable but familiar on his tongue. "What does that mean?"

Roxas blinked. "Enyoun es."

"Yeah, but what's it mean?"

When no further indication was given Axel didn't push. Instead he gave a confident smile with his heart fluttering, his body unused to being so close to another but still untouched, and to have something before him still unravished went against all his training.

"You know, I still have to teach you something – anything – just so they can't say I slacked off. We don't have to do a lot, just a little."

"Nen."

"I wasn't exactly asking permission," Axel smiled. "But okay."

"Qua?"

Axel laughed, flicking his ears up and outwards. "I said okay. Here," he took his time to press his nose lightly to the blonde's, hearing the sharp inhalation of breath beneath him and pulling away with a smirk. "That'll do for today."

Still stiff and unable to move, Roxas could only blink. He refused to smile. "Enyoun es."

"Those words again," Axel muttered, lifting up so he was sat on Roxas's legs, his hands gripped to his hips. "What do they mean?" He shook his head. "I'll ask Sora later. He's a translator, you know? He can speak fluent Neko, so if you've said anything bad I'll soon know," he grinned, pushing off of the small Neko and stretching his arms up over his head.

Rubbing at his eyes he rested down beside the blonde, his arms behind his head with one knee up and the other pushed out. He yawned, flashed all his teeth, then closed his eyes and shuffled, releasing a heavy sigh with unappeased contentment.

"If anyone asks you'll have to tell 'em we did more. Say I taught you how to kiss right or something."

"Qua?"

"You know, how to know when to go soft or hard, when to fight back or just sit and take it. You have to get moaning right too; too high pitched and they'll be snarling before you can blink, but if you don't moan they can be cruel. And your tongue too; you never enter a Master's mouth, and you never bite unless he tells you to. You can get in serious trouble if you do. I knew a guy that lost his right testicle for biting a Master, and that was an accident. You do it on purpose and they'd just cut the whole thing off; they think it calms you down, you see. But I'm sure you'll get the hang of it sooner or later. Hopefully sooner. You've got three weeks to pick it all up; then again most of us get five, and we normally have a professional trainer with a set of Nekos to help him. You've only got three weeks, and you've only got three of us." He wrinkled his nose. "It's hot in here, isn't it? It's not just me, is it?"

Without waiting for an answer (mostly because he didn't expect one), he kicked his boots off and dragged his shirt up, revealing perfectly toned muscle and unblemished silk-like skin beneath. His top was thrown to the floor and he turned onto his side, his head on his pillow as he spilled an arm over Roxas's waist. A rich snarl caught him but Axel only clung tighter to him.

"Relax and go to sleep. I won't do anything."

"Drax."

"Just calm down," Axel grunted, cuddling further up to Roxas's side.

"Nen."

"If you don't calm down we will do something. You want that?"

"…Nen."

Axel squeezed him tighter, feeling the warm skin moist under his arm. "Then go to sleep. You'll need it for tomorrow, kid. You have a very busy day planned."

The cinders in the fire had died down around three am, and Roxas had finally surrendered to the drugs shortly after it. When he woke he was delighted to find he could move his hand up to beneath the cool pillow where he grasped it tight and buried his nose in it, wiggling softly. A thick blanket had been thrown over him at some point and the torches were dead, the sun outside providing only a fearful sliver of light that refused to illuminate the whole room. He cuddled further down, his groggy mind unable to pick up on anything other than immense comfort so rich he had never felt anything like it before.

His chest was painful and his neck ached from the terrible gash, his nose burning afresh. Under his eyes a symmetrical pair of purple bruises had spread from the broken nose, giving him a tint of colour other than sickly white, and it ached for him to scrunch it up like the previous night. He brought a hand up tentatively to stroke it, winced to catch the bridge freshly cleaned and bandaged and tried to shimmy back.

"Yeah, that looks like it'll sting."

Roxas bolted upright until his gut clenched hard and he sank back, a wince on his lips and his eyes a scolding blue. Across from him Axel leaned against the bed post with a coffee in hand, the corner of his mouth clamped in a crooked frown.

"You should take it easy. I fixed you up as best I could but I'm not a doctor, and until you're broken Master Xehanort won't pay for you one either."

Roxas swallowed a lump back down his raw throat, flicked his ears and slowly moved back, glancing around the room uncertainly but never truly taking his eyes away from Axel.

"We're alone," the redhead informed him. "It's only early, but Demyx will be here soon so I can go for breakfast. Speaking of which, yours is over there," he pointed the cup in the direction of a small table Roxas hadn't seen the night before where, sat upon it, there was a small bowl of soggy cereal.

Axel shrugged at the blonde's questioning stare. "I didn't think you'd fancy anything solid and you really look like you need a meal. You'll get food tokens while you're here so you're kept a desirable weight. At the minute you're about two stone under what they want. If you're over your desired weight they'll starve you, if you're under they feed you up. You'll be getting meals frequently, and with what they have planned for you I'd eat as much as possible to keep your strength up. They're not gentle."

Roxas looked at the breakfast long and hard before he shook his head.

Axel's ears wilted atop his head and he lowered his coffee. "Come on, kid, you have to eat. Look," he walked to the table, set his coffee down and picked up a spoonful of sodden cereal, taking a bite. He swallowed and let the spoon drop, wiping his mouth. "Yuck. Nasty stuff, but it's good for you I guess. Make sure you eat something, alright? I'll see you later on."

He picked up his coffee, gave the blonde a quick wink and left, locking the door on his way out. With a sigh he dropped the key into his pocket, took a heavy swig of the lukewarm drink and proceeded down the empty hall to the canteen. His tokens rattled in his pockets and he basked in the silence. Most of the other Nekos were either set to work or recovering from their previous nights, meaning that the large hall with row upon row of oak seats and the breakfast selection was practically empty.

He found the two Nekos he was looking for at the end of the right row. There were only five other Nekos in the room, but they sat alone and looked down morbidly at their breakfasts, playing with their food with dry sobs and quiet shivers. Axel sat by Demyx, opposite Sora, taking the key from his pocket and dropping it on the table.

"Tag. You're it."

With a mouthful of toast Demyx turned the brass key over and spat crumbs onto the wood. "What's it like? Did it listen?"

Axel shrugged again. "Didn't argue."

"Can it speak?" Sora asked, nursing a glass of orange juice as if it were a human baby. "I thought it might have been mute."

"It can speak," Axel confirmed. "Speaks Neko though. I didn't understand much of it, but I started to pick some bits up. Nen means no, right?"

Sora smiled softly, remembering his home language with distaste for himself. "Right."

"And qua is what."

"What?"

"Yeah I know," Axel laughed, gulping down his coffee. "There were some other ones too. Think you can help me out with them?"

"Why does it matter?" Demyx asked. "The thing's gotta learn the common tongue sooner or later."

"I don't think it'll bother Master Xehanort so long as its voice is pretty."

"Is it pretty?" Sora wondered, drinking slowly, his eyes alight with curiosity.

"I think it is. I couldn't understand what it was saying, but it sounded nice enough."

"Well what did it say?"

"Er…" He mushed up his face in thought. "Nen, which is no. Qua, which is what. But the others were confusing. What's Drax?"

Sora trailed a finger down the cool glass. "Liar."

"Typical. Okay, what does Rephna esk mean? The kid said it once or twice. Said it real soft like."

Sora's smile fell and he took his time drinking, downing his juice and folding his arms. "Rephna means please. Esk is don't. Rephna esk is please don't. He wanted you to stop whatever you were doing."

"Oh… So, Sheska un'twa, what's that? It sounded nasty."

"It's supposed to," Sora informed them. "Sheska un'twa is Neko for fuck you."

Axel scowled. "And I got the kid his breakfast too. Kinda regretting that now. Okay, last one. What's Enyoun es?"

Sora's startled eyes broke away from the table to stare up at him, the eyebrows raised in mass confusion. "You sure it said enyoun es?"

"Pretty sure. Why?"

"What's it mean, Sora?" Demyx asked, now interested in what had the brunette leaning back in astonishment.

"Enyoun es means thank you. You actually got an unbroken Neko to thank you?"

Axel smirked confidently, leaning back with a puffed out chest. "Guess so."

"Bet you're glad you got its breakfast now, huh?" Demyx laughed, jabbing Axel playfully in the ribs while the redhead finished off his coffee. "So what did you teach it? Anything useful?"

"A couple of basics," he murmured. "You should go careful with it. The drugs have worn off and I wouldn't put it passed it to attack."

"Did it attack you?"

"Not yet but they had it drugged pretty damn hard again. They really laid into it, too. The kid's a mess. Seriously, Dem," he turned to his friend when the blonde tried to stand, "go easy on it. It's hurting and afraid. Just go slow, okay?"

"We haven't exactly got time to go slow, Axel. Don't worry, I'll be fine. The thing's chained, right?"

"Only one arm."

"Still chained. I'll see you both later, okay? Save me some lunch. You know how busy this place gets."

Axel watched him go for a moment, swirling the dregs in his cup before he turned back to see Sora grimacing. The brunette shuffled in his seat and winced, staring holes into the table.

"Sora, you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Fine."

"You sure? What did Master Xehanort say?"

Sora flinched, curling further around the glass in a fearful and bashful response, his smile gone. "He wasn't happy."

"Did you tell him you was with his colleagues?"

"He didn't care. I shouldn't have been late," he whispered, trailing his finger around the top of the glass and gulping. "He wants to see me later."

"Later?"

"Y-yeah. He said he wants to show me what it means to be late."

Axel looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. "You gonna go?"

"Can't not go, can I?"

"Guess not. I'm sure it won't be that bad. He'll probably just give you a quick go and let you off. You know he likes you-"

"He wants to show me off to someone," Sora muttered, his voice a thin wisp of air. "I think he meant buyers."

"What?" Axel's eyes snapped back to him, completely wide and shocked. "No, that can't be right. He wants you to train-"

"The new Neko," Sora said, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hands and shaking. "I've seen it, Axel. You think it's a coincidence it looks like me?"

"You think he's replacing you? Sora, that's…" He stopped himself, unable to lie to his friend. There was a striking resemblance between the two Nekos, uncanny almost. When Sora had first come to Eventh Estate he had been fresh like Axel, unwilling to be tamed and completely feral, but in time he had grown obedient and calm; Xehanort hated that.

The brunette rubbed fiercely at his eyes. "He wants me to teach it what I know and then he's gonna sell me. I'm not dumb, Axel, I know what he's doing. I just thought he was paying attention to the others, I didn't think he was bored of me-"

"He isn't bored of you-"

"He is, Axel. What am I gonna do? You've seen the buyers that come here; they're worse than Master Xehanort."

"You'll just have to prove that you've still got more to offer. Don't give up yet. This new kid isn't even broken, you've still got three weeks to turn this around. Otherwise…"

"Otherwise I leave Eventh Estate for one of the southern mansions," Sora cried.

They both fell silent. The southern mansions were the worst to be sold to; down in the south there were no rules. Anything could happen, and although Eventh estate was bad it at least treated them with the dignity of what few laws the Neko people had protecting them; they were fed regularly and fairly, given medicine, treatment, hygiene, a place to socialise, and a warm bed. Down in the south such luxuries were unheard of, and Axel had yet to hear of a Neko that had come back alive.

"I have to go," Sora whispered. "I'm not going to be able to take my timeslot with the Neko today. Could you fill in?"

"And do a double shift?"

"Please. Master Xehanort has double booked me and I don't want to make him angrier."

Sympathy, and something akin to deep sorrow, crept up Axel and he nodded, a small smile on his face. "Okay. But you have to do one of mine next time. I'm gonna miss out on lunch for this."

"Thanks. I'll make it up to you, I swear. I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Yeah. Good luck."

Sora nodded, left his glass on the table and almost ran from the room. With a heavy breath Axel emptied his pockets and counted the small blue chips. They didn't mean anything outside of Eventh Estate, but they were valuable to the Nekos within. He had taken the food rations the guards had brought for the new Neko, and as he counted them he muttered under his breath in envy; he himself had four – one for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a drink other than water (which he'd already used) – the blonde had been given seven. But as he thought on it he understood why, and he gave one of his own tokens up as well, separating them in his pockets so the boy would have plenty to eat. He figured he could skip one meal, and all the while the blonde was wasting food he would have to keep shelling out for the tokens (seeing as he had the morning shift it was him the tokens were given to).

Flicking one of his tokens up into the air he caught it and proceeded to join the growing queue, wondering if he was going to miss lunch or dinner.

At three pm Axel made his way back down the Kept Wing. Life had slowly returned and sallow faces looked to the ground in great dismay, separated by the occasional guard shoving them aside and striding through. Axel was always left untouched because he was Saix's favourite. It was almost like special treatment, but he couldn't rejoiced in it as his mind wandered back to what Sora had said. He had yet to see the brunette again, and the thought of Xehanort having a clear out of his stock was beyond troubling. Although he knew his own position was safe, Axel couldn't help but worry for his friends.

He came to the end of the hall and knocked once on the door, another coffee in hand (he had decided he wouldn't be eating later). When a heavy curse came from within he stepped inside and shut the door, taking care to notice the smoking fire and the flaming torches upon the walls. The air was still stuffy and warm, but not so hot as it had once been.

Upon the bed the blonde Neko's other arm had been restrained to a different pole. He snarled in complete rage and Demyx jumped from the bed, holding his hand to him and cuddling it with a seared yelp and stressed shoulders. He turned to the door, spotted Axel's raised eyebrow, and gave a roll of his eyes.

"Alright, maybe I should have listened. But look!" He held his hand out as an offering and Axel paled to see a deep bite upon the wrist that swam with black clots of blood. "It fucking attacked me!"

"I told you to go easy. How bad is it?" He set the coffee down and took Demyx's hand, turning it over and wincing. "Looks deep. You'd best go get it cleaned and wrapped. It'll mean you'll miss lunch though."

Demyx groaned, casting a sour look Roxas's way. "You couldn't have bitten me after lunch?"

The blonde snarled, his trousers unzipped and almost undone. Axel took hold of his coffee and sat on the table, taking a quick glance at the untouched cereal that was now a useless brown mush. "He hasn't eaten?"

"It didn't want to," Demyx muttered. "What was I supposed to do? Force feed it?"

"No. Do me a favour?"

"Do I look like I'm in a position to be doing favours? I need to go find a guard so I can go to the Hospital Wing."

"Well when you're done will you get me a glass of juice? Weak though, not strong. Here," he gave up a token. "I'd appreciate it if you got it sooner rather than later."

"Since when did you start taking juice?" Demyx asked, pocketing the token with a grimace. "Don't get me wrong it's better than coffee, but still…"

Axel laughed and kicked his legs out beneath him. "Whatever. So what did you do? Anything I should know about?"

"The thing's as frigid as they come. I don't know what Master Xehanort expects us to do with it."

"I guess we'll just have to keep trying. Go on, you'd best go get cleaned up."

A heavy grunt was Axel's answer before his friend passed him, patted him once on the shoulder with a wary glance for the snarling blonde, and left. Axel took another large swig of his drink, feeling the warmth hit his chest and rolling his shoulders back.

"So, you learn anything useful while I was away?"

"Sheska un'twa!"

"That's not very nice. I know what that means now, and it's very rude. You could get in a lot of trouble for saying things like that."

The blonde's eyes hardened and Axel walked over to the bed, standing over the smaller Neko with his ears twitching.

"Trust Demyx to jump right in. You'll have to forgive him, he has a habit of going for what he knows best first. Unfortunately I don't think oral would have been the best place to start. I'll make sure to let him know. But for now…"

He set his coffee down on the floor and sat back on the bed. The Neko shuffled from him, but the chains restrained it close to the wall, now tightened for maximum discomfort and obedience. With a click of his tongue Axel reached up and slackened them slightly, giving the Neko back his arms (to an extent) and smirking to see them reach straight to the trousers, buttoning them back up.

With a gleaming twinkle in his eyes Axel lolled back, running a hand through his hair. It was hard to think that the Neko in front of him could be replacing his friend – incredibly hard – but he couldn't hold the blonde responsible for it. Guilt swelled within him and he couldn't quite place it. Although he would love to undue the chains and let the Neko go the boy would be destroyed before he could even get to the grounds, and he didn't have the key for the locks on the chains. It was a painful situation to be placed in, and he found it beyond uncomfortable.

"Why didn't you eat your breakfast?"

Roxas looked to the soggy cereal, blinked, and gave no answer.

"You know you have plenty of tokens to get through. They have to be used by the end of the day. If you don't feel like eating you should at least let me know what you want and I can go get you a drink instead. What is it you're after?"

Again the boy blinked, tightened his mouth to a firm line, and said nothing.

"Bet your throat's hurting, huh? Try this." He picked the coffee up from the floor and held it out handle first. When the blonde looked at it apprehensively, his ears folded back, Axel only pushed it out a little further and waited. "You've seen me drink some. There's nothing in it; it's not drugged."

Carefully, as if still afraid it was some harsh degrading trick he hadn't sussed, Roxas reached out for the cup. When he had a light squeeze on the handle Axel let it go, letting the blonde hold it for a moment and brush his fingers over the warm sides. The eyebrows dipped to see the inside a dark brown but with the patient redhead waiting and his throat wickedly sore he found a need to at least try it. He raised it slowly to his lips, waited a moment, then tipped it back, tasting a little bit before he pulled the mug away and scrunched his face up, sticking out his tongue in protest and handing the mug back.

"Yuck!"

"So you do speak the common tongue," Axel laughed, taking the coffee away and stealing a long gulp. When he set it down again he couldn't help but chortle to see the tip of the blonde's tongue poking out, as if he thought it too disgusting to have in his mouth. "Sorry about that, I like it bitter. I probably should have warned you."

Roxas glared at him and Axel smiled thoughtfully.

"You know there's a way to get rid of the taste. Want me to show you?"

He expected the blank stare and scooted closer, pulling the blonde into his open legs and brushing aside the feral growl. His hands met the boy's shoulders and he slowly stroked them, itching the fabric with his fingers and bringing his palm around the boy's neck, tangling his fingers in the fluffy hair.

Roxas pulled back, his heart racing to be trapped. His hands clenched and he yanked on the chains, breathing heavy to see they were too short. He went to turn his head but the hand on his neck held him firm, his chin was propped up and suddenly hungry green eyes were upon him, looking him up and down with a simmer of burning energy.

Used lips kissed at his lower jaw and Roxas cried out, taking his tongue back inside his mouth and flinching, turning away and trying to struggle.

"Nen! Nen!"

"Easy," Axel whispered, his hand tightening in the hair ever so slightly, his other hand stroking the jaw. "Calm down."

"Nen! Rephna esk! Rephna-"

"Easy. I won't hurt you."

"Rephna." Roxas hated to think he was begging, but the lips only placed another kiss by the corner of his mouth. "Nen-"

"Hush. Take it easy, alright? Take a big deep breath and calm down. It'll be over in seconds."

"Drax!"

"I'm not lying. Easy…"

Axel took his time and shifted over the warm skin, feeling wet tears drop down onto his fingers with regret sparking in his heart. The chin was lifted, his fingers pulled lightly and played in the hair and he ghosted his lips over the blonde's, feeling frightened blue eyes staring and hating himself completely.

"Easy," he shushed again, wiping away a tear. "Just close your eyes and it'll feel better."

"Nen…" was the whispered reply, shaky and pained with restraint for his slipping dignity.

"Shhh. Easy."

Axel pressed his lips to the blonde's and saw the boy's eyes close in crushed defeat as fresh tears were wept; the ears flew back in dismal regret and the shoulders became unbearably tight. The tingle was a whole new sensation for Roxas, and he hated the ache in his gut for throbbing upwards and downwards and stuttering his heartbeat into a mangled mess of glassy shards. The kiss was softly driven and lightly pressed, waiting for him to respond, and with a deep inner instinct that his mind didn't comprehend until it was too late Roxas pressed back ever so faintly, his heart floating upwards and shredding itself for what he'd given in to.

When Axel pulled away he stayed close, refusing to give up the intimacy he had worked so hard for and brushing a hand over the wet cheeks. "Shhh. Good boy. See? Not so bad, right?"

Roxas hiccupped and shook his head. "Nen."

In the tenderness of their world both whispered, unwilling to break the spell and almost fearful to do so, as if they thought that if they should some wild and chaotic force would drive them apart and rip them in two. The redhead swept the tears away with disgust for himself and what he was beginning to chip away at, but he forced himself on, wanting something deeper than just fulfilment of his job.

"Okay, you did well for a first kiss, but you've got to get better. I'll show you."

"N-nen-"

"We can take it slow until you feel comfortable. We've got all night."

Blue eyes widened at the very thought and the chains clinked in an effort to drag and force his hands to him for protection. Axel took his chance and forced a harder kiss on the taken lips, abandoning the blonde's neck to trail his hands upwards through the hair and tug sharply. Roxas yanked his head back and jolted, crushed under the powerful kiss, but Axel brought him back to it, refusing to let him go and scattering darker kisses upon his mouth until he was made to surrender. When Roxas finally kissed back clumsily Axel didn't laugh or raise his hand, instead he moved his lips in adjustment and stroked further along the jaw, delving up into the hairline and moving Roxas where he wanted him, leading him beyond the initial innocence of a first kiss and into something unknown.

The door behind them clicked open and Axel could feel the tingling vibrations of the blonde's growl ripping over him. There came a violent jerk and the redhead released him, looking over to the door instead with twitching ears and a small, irritated quirk of a smile for the untimely interruption.

Demyx had an ear flopped, one arm bandaged loosely and the other holding a glass. He walked nervously, brought the drink to the table and held his wounded arm close to his chest.

"You didn't muck around, did you? I was only gone twenty minutes."

"Is your arm okay?"

"It hurts. I'm going back there now to see the doctor. Hopefully I won't need a shot or anything."

"I'm sure you won't."

"Mm. Anyway, I better go. Nice work though," he dared a wink and a twitchy smile. "I'll see you later, yeah?"

"Be tomorrow now. I'm here through the night, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Well, tomorrow then."

With a final wave of farewell Demyx left the room with an anxious stare at the corridor. Releasing a groan Axel pushed from the bed and locked the door, leaving the key in the latch, his hands in his pocket as he turned back to the growling Neko. The fight had returned and the shields were up, the cheeks still wet and the nose red beneath the pale white bandage. Eyes down, Axel ran his fingers along the table, picking up the cold glass and sitting back down on the bed a decent distance from the wild Neko. He held the glass out and waited patiently, smiling to see blonde ears flop and blue eyes narrow accusingly.

"It's okay," he said. "It's perfectly safe." To prove his point he took a light swig and wrinkled his nose. "Too sweet for me, even if it is watered down. Here, I promise this will taste better than the coffee."

Roxas's throat ached and he timidly reached his fingers out, still wary of the last trick. His fingers recoiled for a moment, and he flinched, fighting with himself and the cold glass before finally his body got the better of him and he took it. Their fingers crossed for a moment, both holding it, and when Roxas pulled Axel retracted his hand and rested on his elbows, watching the Neko turn the cold juice anxiously before he slowly raised it to his lips and tested it.

The drink was sweet and weak, more water than orange but still giving it a perfect taste. After a small mouthful Roxas pulled it away, blinked at it curiously and then over to Axel. Green eyes glimmered, teasing him under a passive stare.

"It's okay. You can finish it."

Roxas downed it, wincing when it caught the back of his throat and stung the dry passage. When he lowered the glass down he hiccupped, his chest burning at the action and his throat soothed.

"Enyoun es."

"You're welcome." He took the glass from the blonde and rested a hand by the boy's lower calf, catching the heavy tension stringing its way through him. "Do you want another one?"

"Qua?"

"Another one. Do you want another drink? You can have a few more if you want but after that you'll have to have water; I still want you to eat something. It's lunch now. You feel up to eating?"

"Nen."

Axe smiled. "Drax."

Roxas jerked his head upwards, his eyes wide. "Es sesh Neko?"

"Er…" he rubbed the back of his head. "Es means you, right? And Neko is Neko… You something Neko. If that's not an insult you've confused me."

Roxas shuffled, biting at his lip and battling with himself for a moment before he dipped his head, shut his eyes tight, and grabbed the sheets. "Es sesh Neko? You… speak Neko?"

The words were slow and lolled off the tongue, heavily accented under a rough scratch of what was once a smooth voice. Roxas peeked an eye open, his heart heavy in his chest until he saw the astonished grin plastered over the redhead's lips.

"I knew you could speak the common tongue! But sorry, I don't speak Neko."

"A Neko gan esk sesh Neko?" Roxas shook his head.

"Er… yeah. Do you want another drink or not?"

Roxas looked down to the glass and nodded sheepishly, feeling foolish at having to ask for something so simple.

"Right. And if I bring you something to eat will you eat it? I don't want to waste anymore tokens."

"Nen."

Axel rolled his eyes and stood. "What if I get something light? Something easy? Fruit, maybe. You want that?"

"Ebnan?"

Standing by the post Axel looked back with a shrug. "If that means fruit then yeah. I can bring you something like that. I won't be long."

Axel left. For a moment Roxas sat with baited breath, sucking the oxygen into his lungs and clinging to it possessively before he finally trusted that the door was locked. In the cold bareness of the empty room he shivered, gripping and scrunching the sheets until his knuckles turned white, unsure of what was happening to him and completely petrified for the eroding beat of his beaten heart.

Author's Notes:

I am so sorry it has been such a long time since I updated, guys. I got so wrapped up in My Neko that everything else got side-swept. Anyway, just a gentle chapter to ease Roxas into things, I think, but things get a little more forceful and a little bit harsher next time. After all, they only have three weeks, and Xehanort is not a patient man.

Stalker - I'm glad you think that they fit! And I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to update ^_^' I feel so bad about it. I hope you enjoy this chapter!