Rainy Day

Axel and Roxas jumped out of the cherry red Firebird, and quickly ran into the restaurant to keep from getting drenched. They found an empty booth far in the back and sat opposite each other. Axel was still a bit shaken up about the incident that had just taken place back at their apartment. Roxas on the other hand, seemed to be completely oblivious to the fact that his best friend had practically confessed his love for him not moments ago. He sat looking over the menu, just like he always did when they came here. Axel tried to do the same, but was still a bit flustered. He set his menu down on the table and rubbed the back of his neck, looking once again at the pouring rain out the window.

"So, whatcha gonna order?" Roxas asked nonchalantly.

"Roxas, look, about this whole...thing...I just..."

Roxas cut him off, "Look Axel, I told you it's fine. When it first hit me, I felt a little sick, but it's cool now."

Axel's face suddenly looked hurt, "You felt sick?"

"Wait! No, no! That's not what I meant!," Roxas slapped his forehead, "I meant, I got that feeling you get when you dream that you're falling. You know, where your stomach feels like it's coming up your throat. Huh, I'm not explaining this right. It just, you know, shocked me, but it's completely fine now. Seriously!"

Axel grabbed the salt shaker, and started to fiddle with it, "So, you were just shocked, right? But you didn't like want to hurl and run away, right?"

Roxas frowned, "Axel, uh...well, ok look, my first reaction was to run away, yes, but I know better than that. What kind of friend would do that? Besides, I mean," Roxas leaned over the table and whispered to Axel, while glancing around to see if anyone was listening in, "it's not like you're gonna try hitting on me or anything. Yeah, you admitted you liked me, but I know you'll respect the fact I don't feel the same, so I've got nothing to worry about," Roxas sat back down in his seat and started to look over the menu again.

Axel still didn't feel any better. None of this was making him lose that "out of body" feeling he was having right now. He just wished he could erase everything that had happened in the last half hour or so, and make everything normal again. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt like, even though his best friend was saying it was ok, that secretly his friend hated him now, and would never talk to him anymore. Dammit! Why'd he have to go and admit his feelings anyway? Because he thought Roxas would return them. But he hadn't and now everything was weird. God he should have just denied everything. Maybe he could still get away with saying it was merely a joke. No, Roxas wasn't that stupid. Man, why couldn't Roxas have just felt the same? Damn him. Things would have been so much easier. But he couldn't blame Roxas. Roxas could no more have feelings for Axel, then Axel could get rid of his. No, he was gonna have to suck it up, and forget about it all. Just go on like nothing had happened, just like Roxas was doing. Huh?

As Axel was thinking, he had quickly glanced up to look at Roxas, only to notice that Roxas was pretending to look at his menu, but really staring at Axel. When Axel had looked up, Roxas had quickly diverted his eyes back to the menu.

What was that? Damn, I knew it. He's totally uncomfortable with all this, and he's just pretending to be ok. Dammit Roxas, why don't you just admit it?

"Roxas, just admit it," Axel said setting the salt shaker down.

Roxas's cheeks flushed, "What? Admit what?"

"Just admit that you're uncomfortable being around me now," Axel didn't look up.

"Axel! How many times do I have to say it? I. Am. Fine. With. It."

"Yeah right, then why the Hell were you staring at me like I'm some sort of mutant?!" Axel growled.
Roxas didn't say anything.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Your silence says everything. Look, I'm gonna go back to the apartment," Axel dug around in his pocket and pulled out the car keys, "I'll just walk and you can have the car so you don't have to get soaked," he said as he put the keys down on the table."

Roxas grabbed his arm as he started to get up from the table. In a harsh whisper, Roxas yelled, "Would you sit back down. Let me explain, gees."

Axel sighed with annoyance, but sat back down, "Make it quick, I'd really rather not talk about this right now," he said looking out the window.
Roxas took a breathe, "Ok look, yeah I was staring at you just now, but not because I think you're a freak. I was looking up at you, and I was thinking about how you like me and stuff, and uh," Roxas rubbed the back of his neck and took a deep breathe, "and then I got to looking at you, and I don't know. Weird thoughts started to come into my head and stuff..." Roxas looked at the floor to his right.

Axel was a bit confused and shocked at the same time, "Ok, Roxas that didn't make any sense. What the Hell are you trying to say? 'Weird thoughts started to come into my head and stuff?' What's that? You mean like wishing I'd never have said what I did to you? Wishing I'd just go away?"

Roxas snapped his head back to face Axel, "No, you moron!" he shouted, "I thought about kissing you again, ok?!" He let out an irritated sigh and turned back to the floor, crossing his arms over his chest. Man was his face hot.

Axel sat stunned for a moment, "What? Are you fucking with me Roxas, 'cause it's not funny," Axel eyed Roxas, trying to read his body language.

Roxas, still not looking up, continued, "No Axel, I'm not making fun of you...it's just, well you asked me if I liked you back, and I told you I'd have to think about it. Well, I've been thinking about it."

Axel still in shock asked, "So...what have you decided?"

Roxas, huffy again, said, "I don't know. I mean, huh, I mean I guess I do kind of like you back, but isn't that wrong? I mean, isn't this whole thing messed up?"

Axel chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" Roxas demanded.

"Oh, sorry, it's just that I was having those exact same thoughts. When I started to realize how I really felt about you, I told myself it was weird and wrong."

Roxas finally looked up at Axel, "Really?"

Axel half-heartedly grinned, "Yeah."

"So, what do you think this means?"

"Look, Roxas, I can only tell you what I feel. You've got to decide what you feel for yourself. As corny as that sounds."

"I know, I know, ugh!" Roxas wiped his face with his hand and slouched back in his seat. He thought for some time as Axel just watched his friend analyze the situation, "Fine. I say we do this."

"Do what?" Axel asked, sort of already knowing.

"Let's you know, date, I guess. Or whatever. I mean, if you want to. Oh, this is so freakin' awkward."

"You really sure you want to? I mean, I wouldn't want this to ruin our friendship. I'd rather you be my friend, than not here at all."

"Yeah, I know. I was thinking the same thing, but with you confessing, it's occurred to me that I've been having the same feelings. When you first asked me, I said I didn't know, 'cause I was shocked by the whole situation, but if I were to be completely truthful, I've been thinking the same things as you. I mean, come on, who kisses their best friend as a joke, unless secretly he really likes him?"

"This is awkward," Axel agreed, "Why's it have to be so awkward? I mean, I'm like relieved that you feel the same, but yet, it just feels wrong."

"I guess that's society for you. They tell you something's wrong long enough and you start to believe it, even when you decide it's society that's wrong. But I mean, you do want to do this right?"

"Yeah!" Axel shouted out without thinking, "Eheh, I mean, yeah, of course I do."

"Well, then, that's that. Like you said, only I can tell myself what I feel, and frankly, I'm feeling pretty good. At this moment, I could really care less what others think."

"Really?" Axel asked with a sort of sly grin on his face.

"Yeah, why?" Roxas asked cautiously.

"Would you be brave enough to kiss me again? Here. In front of all these people."

"Uh..." Roxas hesitated, "You know what, screw them. If they don't like it, that's their problem," and with that Roxas leaned across the table, grabbed the neck of Axel's shirt and gave him a long, deep kiss, with a bit of tongue. Roxas let go of Axel's shirt and plopped back in his seat, smiling widely at Axel. Suddenly they noticed the waitress standing next to their table. Apparently she had walked up right as Roxas had sprang across the table. They both looked up sheepishly at her. She rolled her eyes and pulled out her notebook.

"Can I take your order, or would you like some more time, to, uh...decide?"

Roxas stifled his laugh as Axel looked up at the waitress, "Uh, heh, no, we've decided."