Small Favors

a/n: i had originally planned to write this all out at once and it be one chapter, but i got sleepy and split it.



part two of Small Favors



Cloud had always thought of himself as a patient man, calm and laid back, especially when it came to his ward. But Roxas had always been a good kid, no problems. So, almost-hysterical Roxas was something he wasn't used to. The poor kid wouldn't come out of his room, he'd had to bust the door in. But Roxas sat between his bed and the wall, huddled in his comforter, and refused to move.



Cloud sighed for about the hundredth time, "you can't stay there forever. Eventually, you'll get hungry."



A mumbled, muffled answer came, drawing Cloud to crouch down by the small pile of star-covered, blue blanket. He fought with it a moment until he found messy blond hair.



"What?"



"I want to go home," big broken blue eyes looked up at him from under a sad brow.



"You are home."



"No," a few more tears ran down in already wet cheeks, "back to Twilight Town."



Cloud sighed yet again and sat himself down next to the boy, sliding an arm over his shoulders, " look, Roxas, you're young, things like this are bound to happen. So, you went to party, got more than a little tipsy and went streaking through the Postern, so what? You made a mistake, yes, and I am very disappointed in you. But it's just high school."

Cloud made Roxas look at him, dabbing some of the tears away with the blanket, "your life isn't over."



Roxas's lip quivered as he very slowly shook his head, "I can't go back to school."



"You have to-"



"Please, please, please CLoud, I can't," he cried some more, trying to plead with those pretty blue eyes, ".....dad..."



"Oh, don't you pull that dad thing on me," Cloud forced himself to look away or he knew he'd give in. He took a deep breath before looking back down into the boy's hurt puppy expression.



"I'm going to go fix you something to eat,...son. We'll talk about it when I come back up. Now, if you're going to sit and mope, at least get off the floor," Cloud pulled Roxas up and put him on his bed, tucking the comforter around him the way it was before and kissing the top of his head.



"I'll be back up soon."



Roxas looked out his window at the fading light in Radiant Garden. He already knew Cloud wouldn't move them back to Twilight Town, babbling something about the dangers of big cities. But, at least he'd had friends in Twilight Town, not like here. All he had in Radient Garden was-



"Knock, knock."



Two light taps accompanied the familiar voice. Roxas turned his head, expecting to see Axel smiling at him, like always. He was, but was also sporting a bandage on his neck and a swollen jaw, making his smile lop-sided. His hair was no longer in a ponytail and his eyeliner was almost completely rubbed off.



"Fight not go well?"



"Oh, no, it did," Axel grinned as wide as he could, moving into the room to sit down by the bundled up blond, "trust me, Seifer looks a lot worse."



"How worse," Roxas asked quietly.



"Permanent damage worse," Axel winced, rethinking his decision to lean back. The fight had been pretty tough, but he'd managed to got in his fair share of hits before the gym teachers came and broke it up.



"Oh, I also got this," he pulled a small tape from his pocket, "no more videos for them. At least until Rai buys a new camera."



Roxas rubbed his cheeks, trying to get rid of his crying face. Axel's smile drooped as it rarely did and he put a hand on the boy's back, tilting his head to see him.



"Did they hurt you?"



He sniffed quietly and shook his head, pulling his blanket around him tighter, "thank you, Axel...for doing all that for me."



A soft smile came to the taller boy's lips and he ruffled already messy hair, "hey, don't mention it. What're best friends for?"



Roxas bit his lip, looking down at the floor, "I'm leaving Radient Garden, I'm going back to Twilight Town."



"What? You guys are moving again!?"



"No," he said quietly, "Cloud would never move back, he's too determined to get into Mr. Leonhart's pants."



Normally, Axel would have laughed at this remark, but what his friend was really saying was far from funny. "You're just going to leave? Where will you stay?"



"I have other friends," Roxas ruffled.



The red head looked pained, "yeah, but,...why?"



"I cannot go back to that damn school, Axel. I just can't."



"Oh, c'mo-"



"Axel, drop it. I've already made up my mind."



"I hope you two are hungry," Cloud stepped back into the room with a tray, carting a plate of sandwhiches and some cans of coke. "Axel have you eaten yet?"



Axel tore his eyes away from the blond and tried to fix his expression, "no, Mr. Strife."



"Eat up, then," Cloud put the tray down on Roxas's desk.



"I see you got into a fight, Axel."



"Yeah, suspended, too."



Cloud stood up straight, hands on his hips, "oh good, then you can hang around my drop-out son and discuss your future plans in the ditch digging business. I'm sure you two will soar. However, if you need me, I'll be downstairs, washing Roxas's clothes, for school."



Roxas grimaced but said nothing.









The Strife household quieted down when Axel left and Cloud finally decided to go to sleep. Roxas had stayed bundled up in his blanket until the house was dark and silent. Quietly, he crept out, emptying his duffel of a few forgotten items and shoving newly clean and folded clothes into it. In his pocket he made sure he had all the munny left over from his summer earnings. Pulling on his sneakers and hoodie, he silently crept out of a window into the night.



His skateboard easily got him to the train station, stearing clear of shadey weirdos. He bought a ticket for the midnight train, carrying his skateboard inside with him. It almost surprised him to see Axel waiting for him, leaning against the wall inside. But he walked right by without batting an eye.



"So, you've really made up your mind then?"



"I told you that earlier, didn't I?" the train whistled echoed it's call for final passangers, but Roxas spared a glance back at his friend, " besides, no one would miss me."



He turned back around and stepped into the empty train car. Just as the doors were about to close, he was stunned for a moment, almost knocked off his feet when he was grabbed from behind. The warmth of a hot body at his back, and a spikey red head on his shoulder.



"Axel, what the hell're you-"



"That's not true," Axel lifted his head a little to softly nuzzle the blond's warm neck, "I would miss you."



Roxas wasn't really sure what to say. The doors had closed and the train was pulling out of the station, he turned in the boy's arms to look up into earnest green eyes. Eyes that got closer before he realized Axel was leaning down. He was starting he get a little light headed and dizzyness made his eyes flutter shut when he felt the boy murmur just above his lips.



"I would miss you so much."



Almost magnetic, he felt himself closing that tiny distance before Axel could, pressing up against thin but soft lips. Axel let his surprise register for barely half a second before he tilted his head to kiss Roxas back harder. He tried to force every simple yet amazing feeling the boy had ever given him into that kiss, trying to convey the raw love he felt for him. Earnestly, desperately hoping he could make Roxas change his mind about leaving.



His thoughts had been wiped alarmingly blank at the pressure and gentle movements of Axel's lips. The red-head even pulled a soft gasp from him when teeth tugged carefully on his lower lip, a warm tongue touching his teeth with hesitation.



"Roxas..." it was uttered in a breathy sigh, making goosebumps and shivers break out along the blond's skin. His eyes cracked open, hazy and a bit unfocused.



"..Yes..."



"Please, don't leave, Roxas-" Axel was cut off by the boy kissing him again, an arm slipping over his shoulder and a soft hand touching his face. His own hands slid down a small back to a skinny waist. He let himself enjoy the kiss for a moment before pulling away.



"Rox-"



"It wasn't a question, I was saying yes," Roxas was smiling as he leaned in to place a few more soft kisses to Axel's lips. "Yes, to both questions."



"Both?"



Roxas looked Axel in the eyes, "yes, I'll stay. And yes,...I'll stay with you."



Axel was momentarily speechless, trying to catch up to what was happening. A smile, almost disblieving, broke out on his face as he searched blue eyes for anything other than the truth. Finding nothing, he practically attacked Roxas's mouth again. For a few moments, it was just them, wrapped up in each other. A rattling bump brought them down to earth, and back into the train car. Both smiled at each other and laughed softly.



"I...guess we're going to Twilight Town," Axel said as dark countryside zipped past the windows. He sat down properly in one of the seats, pulling Roxas along with him.



"I guesso," Roxas leaned into Axel's warmth when an arm went around his shoulders.



"How long does it take to get there?"



Roxas glanced at his watch, "a few hours. We'll get there before the sun rises."