Moonlight Shadow

By Candied

Author's note: Man, I was going to update Error 404 before this, but then I realized that this one hadn't been updated in forver. Sorry for taking so long, by the way. I've been working double shifts and coming home to pass out, so that's why I haven't been updqating. I've got a couple days off though, so I should be able to update again soon. As soon as I post this, I'm going to reply to your reviews. Then, I'll start on the next chapter of Error 404. Anyway, without further ado, here is chapter five!

Chapter 5: Chemicals

Back at the house, Riku had grown slightly irritated at the current situation. Here he was, things going fine with Sora, when this demon just had to show up and start trouble. Even worse, now he was going to be staying with them for an indefinate length of time, for Riku knew that his 'fever' would not be subsiding any time soon.

In a fit of anger, Riku stormed off, up the stairs and into the room the three had been sharing. He did not want to display his discontent in front of the others, seeking the silence and seclusion of the bedroom, sitting on his bed and crossing his arms, closing his eyes.

He was taking deep breaths, in an attempt to calm himself down. This demon had gone too far for sure, and though he wasn't quite certain of his intentions, he was more than eager to rid the demon of his life. Unfourtunately, that was no longer in his job description. So far, he had done nothing to Sora, and so he could not-

"Ahrm." Someone quite close to him cleared their throat.

Riku opened his aquamarine eyes, startled by he blue ones he found directly before him, and moved back a bit in suprise.

Sora laughed, bent over at the waist in front of him. His smile was breathtaking, and Riku felt his heart quicken just the slightest bit.

"Why so blue?"

Blue? Blue like the oceans before him, peering down into his very soul. Riku felt a warm sensation creep up his chest, into his neck. Soon, the feeling was over his cheeks, and he was still silently peering into the saphires before him.

"Riku...?" The boy raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side a bit in question.

Riku snapped himself from his daze, averting his eyes. "I just... don't like that Axel guy."

Sora sighed and stood up straight. "He seems nice enough. Roxas likes him, and I guess that's good enough for me."

"He's a bad influence."

The brunette crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "So? Roxas isn't that easily manipulated. Trust me, I know. He's stubborn. He'll be fine."

Riku again chanced a glance at his charge. "I guess you're right."

"Of course I am."

Riku gave a half smile. Either Sora was kind hearted to a fault, or terribly naive. Perhaps both. Still, Riku could not find a reason for the way the boy made him feel as though he were glowing. What was that all about, anyway?

Meanwhile, in the living room, Roxas was peering down at Axel with an inquisitve eyebrow, arms crossed. "So, you didn't really try to fight back at my mother." He winced a bit, his teeth still in pain.

Axel spit the thermometer out onto the coffee table. "Why should I? This could be fun, us living together."

"Why's that?"

Axel stuck his tongue out playfully. "Please, like you don't want me around."

"And if I don't?"

"Then you're a liar."

Roxas laughed, plopping himself down next to the redhead. "Well, I guess it could be cool. Not sure my mother will be willing to let you out of bed much, though."

Axel seemed to ponder this fact for a moment, before nodding his head when he came to a conclusion. "Yeah, but she can't really stop me, can she?"

Roxas tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Axel stood, pulling the blanket off himself and letting the bag of ice drop to the floor. He turned to the blonde, his smirk playing gently across his lips. "C'mon, let's go have some fun."

When Sora and Riku came back downstairs, the two were already gone. Riku was sure, however, that they would be up to no good.

The two were zipping down the road in Axel's car now, Roxas starting to grow accustomed to the emerald eyed man's reckless driving. When they pulled up to a stop light, a car to their side revved their engine, and Axel grinned, revving his back.

Roxas turned to him, eyes wide. "Axel, what the hell are you doing?"

"Racing."

"But Axel-"

The light turned green, and the two cars flew down the road. Roxas again gripped his seat for dear life, finding himself voiceless. They were zig-zagging through traffic, cutting off countless other drivers. Axel was laughing like a maniac, and the blonde looked liable to burst into tears at any moment. He knew that Axel was a wild child, but this may just have been too much for the boy to handle. This was... suicide.

They had pulled ahead, and both their hearts were racing- Axel's with adrenaline, Roxas' with fear. It was only a few moments later when they heard a loud bang, and the blonde turned around to see that the other car had t-boned an innocent driver at the last intersection. He turned to Axel, fear finally consuming him enough to find his voice.

"STOP! NOW!"

Axel's face morphed into suprise, and he slowed the car down, pulling over into the emergency lane to stop. "What's wrong, Rox?"

The boy was shaking, but from fear or anger, one couldn't say. "You were going 120! We could have been killed! That other car could have killed who they hit!" His fists were clenched, face unbearably fearful.

Killed? Axel pondered the thought. He was a demon, and therefore he could not die, at least not by some silly car crash. But Roxas... He looked at the boy's face. Roxas was human, and therefore mortal. His face went somber, and he put a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "I'm... sorry."

The younger boy's breathing was still rapid, but he turned his head away from the demon. "It's... okay. Just don't do that again."

Axel nodded, suddenly feeling that emotion again; the one he couldn't explain. If he lost Roxas... what would he do? Roxas was his charge, his very reason for being on the above world. If Roxas were to die... what would happen to Axel?

Roxas turned to the redhead in suprise, his face mimicking the expression on the older boy's face. "Axel, why are you crying?"

The man looked at Roxas as though he'd asked to see his vagina. "What?"

Slowly, Roxas reached over, touching his fingers to the redhead's cheek, and showing Axel the liqui his fingers found there. "Are you okay?"

Seeing is believing, right? Axel stared at the water on the fingertips of the boy, before touching his own face to wipe the rest away. "I... don't know."

Truthfully, Axel really didn't have a clue where the tear had come from. He had never cried before, never felt sorrow. But there it was, physical evidence at his sadness at the thought of Roxas' life ending. How could it be, though? Why would Axel care? Axel didn't care, surely. He was a demon, his heart painted black. A figure of darkness created to be part of the nightmare of the afterlife for the reched and the heartless. At least, that's what he was telling himself.

He looked at the boy, who was still questioning him with those big blue orbs. He couldn't help but smile, and grinned even wider when the boy returned the lip-curling grin. It was then that he came to a terrifying realization: He actually cared about Roxas.

Back at the house Riku and Sora were in the yard, sitting on the porch, Sora explaining his school to the angel.

"Well, it's not very big, and we'll have the same classes, so you won't get lost."

Riku nodded, looking out at the horizon. "Sora?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are you religious?"

Sora made a weak smile, turning to the boy. "I never have been, but I guess I should be now, right?"

Riku turned to him, silver hair sparkling in the sunlight. "Well, now that you have evidence I suppose so."

The brunette held in a gasp at the sight of the angel. He looked so... beautiful with the rays of light shining over his pale hair and skin. Wait, wait. Boys are not beautiful.

Sora shook his head, looking away. "I guess... I do believe. I just don't understand why, if there is a God, why there are so many who are poor and starving."

Riku sighed, understanding. "It's sad, but without darkness, there is no light. You cannot have one without the other, and that's the depressing truth."

"I suppose you're right. I mean, you would know."

Riku nodded, his smile widening at the innocent that sat beside him. Somewhere, deep down, the angel knew that this was where he wanted to be forever. Here beside Sora. His Sora.

Turning his head to the sky, a sadness swept over him. Eventually, Sora would die, and Riku would live on. An immortal such as himself had forever, but at what expense? One day, he would lose any mortal he had any ties to, doomed to live on without them. It was a terrible fate, but Riku knew it was the way it was. Immortality was not as wonderful as one would think.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

The silver-haired boy was snapped from his daze, and turned to Sora with a fake smile. "Nothing, don't worry about it."

Axel and Roxas had made it to the mall without further incident. In fact, Roxas thought, it seemed as though the demon had been extra careful when he drove this time, as though he were afraid to upset the blonde.

The two were poking around various stores now, before they came to a small section of one in particular, where Axel looked over various earrings.

Picking out a pair, he held them up to Roxas' ear. He smiled, and nodded. "These would look good on you," he noted.

Roxas shook his head with an eyebrow raised and a grin. "You're crazy, Axel. I don't have my ears pierced."

"Not yet you don't."

"Huh?"

Axel looked around for a moment, before stuffing said earrings into his pocket. Roxas looked as though he would have a heart attack.

"You're going to steal those?" he hissed quietly at the man.

Axel smirked, and turned to exit the store. Roxas chased after him, eyes wide. They exited without problem, and Axel started into another.

"Axel, you'll get caught!" he whispered, eyes begging.

But the demon payed no attention. In fact, after stealing a few shirts and a pair of pants in Roxas' size, he walked casually out to his car again, as though nothing had happened. The blonde was amazed at the talent, though he wasn't sure what to do. When they got in the vehicle, Axel simply removed the items from his pockets, pants, and from under his hoodie.

"Those aren't even your size!" The younger boy commented, looking at the clothes.

Axel nodded. "I know, they're yours. You really needed some better clothes."

The blonde looked as though he'd somehow fall out of the car. Axel had stolen all this stuff for him? The hell?

But the green-orbed man payed no mind, instead reaching over the boy to open the glove compartment and rummage through it, hand eventually exiting with a safety pin.

"Sit still," he told the other.

Roxas shook his head, wide-eyed. "The hell are you going to do with that?"

"I'm going to pierce your ears."

"Hell no you're not!"

But Axel reached over, grabbed Roxas by the ear, and plunged the needle through his flesh. Roxas whimpered a bit, looking at the redhead with seemingly hurt eyes. As if his teeth weren't bad enough, now his ear was stinging.

Another moment passed, and Axel pulled the needle out, sticking in the earring. "There, that's better."

"My parents are going to kill me."

"Your dad had his ear pierced."

"Yeah, but that's my dad."

"Trust me, it will be fine."

"I'm going to get infected."

"No you won't."

With that, Axel turned his key, and they left the parking lot, on their way home.

Author's notes: So, there you have it! A little SoRiku, a little AkuRoku, and both fluffy and sweet. Roxas is learning to be a bad boy, and Sora's just cute and naive. Gotta love it. Don't forget to check out the other stories, and of course, review! If you don't review... Axel and Riku will go back to their respective homes! O.O So review!