With Honor - Chapter 5
The blow came out of nowhere. It took less than a second, and Roxas was down. Later, Axel would reflect on how stupid their attacker had been. By taking out Roxas first, Axel had much more time to react, not to mention that he was the main threat in the equation. Hadn’t the guy been told anything about what he was getting himself into? Not that it really mattered by now, the guy was dead. As was any chance Axel may have had with the blond.
Backtracking two hours would find the pair casually walking back towards the café where they had met, Axel with several shopping bags hanging from his arms, and a pleased smirk plastered across his face. They had just gone out for pizza dinner, and it was the elder’s birthday.
It was his birthday, which in itself should have been warning enough.
Every year for his birthday, Axel got the same gift from his father, but it was a gift that came in two parts. This particular year, he had somehow made the mistake of forgetting about the second part. First wave, huge check. Second wave, assassin.
The man had struck about two blocks from their goal, at which point they would have had to go their separate ways anyway. This was an important choice he had made, because it gave a lot away.
One, it meant that his father didn’t know about Roxas. Or he didn’t know enough. Either way, it proved that the assassin was either not counting on Roxas being there, or that he didn’t know that they would soon split up. Had he attacked after Roxas had gone home, he probably would have landed a solid blow to Axel’s head.
Second, it meant that his father was getting more and more nervous. Or perhaps he was just sentimental. Axel highly doubted it was the latter. Under normal circumstances, his father wouldn’t have been stupid enough to send someone in when Axel had company. It meant that there was a witness.
Third, spawning off of the second point, his father was ready to sink to new lows to get to his son. If he was willing to attack with a witness around, it also meant that he was willing to get rid of the witness. Cocky bastard, confident that he could pay off the appropriate authorities to make both murders disappear…
Lastly, it meant that Axel was in huge danger. The assassin hadn’t been particularly strong. Actually, compared to previous, he was pathetically weak. Cid hadn’t said anything recently about his physical condition changing any, so it wasn’t that he was just getting stronger… If his father had really sent such a pathetic specimen to deal with him, it meant that he wasn’t expecting this one to succeed. He was planning something.
Roxas was in danger.
The informant may be dead, but that meant nothing. Somehow, his father always got information from failed missions like this. That meant he knew about Roxas, which meant the kid was in danger. Shit. That meant Axel had to break off ties with him.
Well, it wasn’t like the kid would want to have anything to do with him after watching him kill a grown man.
“Shit! Roxas!” Axel barely had time to finish his sentence before another fist came for his face. He ducked, feeling the hand go through his hair. Wrenching his head to the side, he made sure his attacked couldn’t grab him by the hair.
Axel spun to face his enemy. Before him stood a large, black-clad man, holding in his right hand a short dagger. He panicked, looking back at Roxas for any signs of a stab wound. It was dark so he couldn’t be a hundred percent sure, but the kid looked clean.
From there, it was a short fight. The guy wasn’t very strong, and Axel had him down less than five minutes. Unfortunately, Roxas chose just such a time to wake up. Kid had the world’s shittiest timing.
“Axel! What’s going on?!” Axel growled a feral snarl in reply. He had to do something to get Roxas out of there, and quick. “Axel! Answer me-Oh my God! Is that… Axel, does that guy have a knife?” Axel shot the boy a quick look over his shoulder that screamed to shut. up.
“Ax-” Axel cut him off. “Dammit Rox, run!” That was when the guy slashed him across the thigh. Axel winced, not wanting to scare Roxas, but he realized he had to finish this, and fast. He delivered a swift punch to the man’s gut, hard enough to make him cough some blood onto Axel’s face.
He could hear Roxas’ retreating footsteps, but he wasn’t running. On the contrary, he only took a few paces back. Axel decided to ignore him. If the kid wasn’t going to listen, he could at least stay far enough back not to cause any trouble.
It ended half a minute later. Axel had snapped the assassin’s neck. He hadn’t seen it coming.
Axel lifted himself away from the body, and pulled the cellphone from his pocket, not yet turning to face Roxas. He dialed his father’s personal number, the one that only blood-related family members had the number to, and hung up as soon as it started ringing. The body would be gone by morning.
He turned towards Roxas, to make sure he was alright, but the second the blond saw him, his eyes widened and he dropped to his knees, shaking.
“Please… please, don’t…Axel… Why?” His voice echoed in the silence. Axel just stared back, blood dripping from his chin and thigh, bruises already shining on his exposed flesh.
“I…” He trailed off. He didn’t know what to say. “Come on Rox, I’ll bring you home. I… I’m sorry. I am.” He didn’t know what he was expecting the blond to do. He had never killed with an audience before. Damn his father for making this happen.
For the first time, Axel wondered if he was better off dead.
His eyes flashed back to the knife, still held tightly in the dead man’s hand. He figured it would be useless to try and get the weapon from him, rigor mortis would set in soon. Roxas seemed to read his thoughts though, because he lifted himself up on shaky legs, and started walking towards the café.
“Let’s go.” He whispered. It was said so softly that even Axel barely heard it. Slowly, the two walked back to the café. When they arrived, Roxas turned to go towards his house; the opposite way from Axel’s. The whole walk, the blond hadn’t so much as looked his way.
“Goodbye, Axel.” The way he said it, without turning around, made Axel feel like it carried more weight than it should have. It sounded final.
Which would lead one to Axel, sitting morosely in his room, surrounded by new clothes and books and CDs. Yes, Axel, sitting morosely in his room, pondering the most effective way to kill himself.
Backtracking two hours would find the pair casually walking back towards the café where they had met, Axel with several shopping bags hanging from his arms, and a pleased smirk plastered across his face. They had just gone out for pizza dinner, and it was the elder’s birthday.
It was his birthday, which in itself should have been warning enough.
Every year for his birthday, Axel got the same gift from his father, but it was a gift that came in two parts. This particular year, he had somehow made the mistake of forgetting about the second part. First wave, huge check. Second wave, assassin.
The man had struck about two blocks from their goal, at which point they would have had to go their separate ways anyway. This was an important choice he had made, because it gave a lot away.
One, it meant that his father didn’t know about Roxas. Or he didn’t know enough. Either way, it proved that the assassin was either not counting on Roxas being there, or that he didn’t know that they would soon split up. Had he attacked after Roxas had gone home, he probably would have landed a solid blow to Axel’s head.
Second, it meant that his father was getting more and more nervous. Or perhaps he was just sentimental. Axel highly doubted it was the latter. Under normal circumstances, his father wouldn’t have been stupid enough to send someone in when Axel had company. It meant that there was a witness.
Third, spawning off of the second point, his father was ready to sink to new lows to get to his son. If he was willing to attack with a witness around, it also meant that he was willing to get rid of the witness. Cocky bastard, confident that he could pay off the appropriate authorities to make both murders disappear…
Lastly, it meant that Axel was in huge danger. The assassin hadn’t been particularly strong. Actually, compared to previous, he was pathetically weak. Cid hadn’t said anything recently about his physical condition changing any, so it wasn’t that he was just getting stronger… If his father had really sent such a pathetic specimen to deal with him, it meant that he wasn’t expecting this one to succeed. He was planning something.
Roxas was in danger.
The informant may be dead, but that meant nothing. Somehow, his father always got information from failed missions like this. That meant he knew about Roxas, which meant the kid was in danger. Shit. That meant Axel had to break off ties with him.
Well, it wasn’t like the kid would want to have anything to do with him after watching him kill a grown man.
“Shit! Roxas!” Axel barely had time to finish his sentence before another fist came for his face. He ducked, feeling the hand go through his hair. Wrenching his head to the side, he made sure his attacked couldn’t grab him by the hair.
Axel spun to face his enemy. Before him stood a large, black-clad man, holding in his right hand a short dagger. He panicked, looking back at Roxas for any signs of a stab wound. It was dark so he couldn’t be a hundred percent sure, but the kid looked clean.
From there, it was a short fight. The guy wasn’t very strong, and Axel had him down less than five minutes. Unfortunately, Roxas chose just such a time to wake up. Kid had the world’s shittiest timing.
“Axel! What’s going on?!” Axel growled a feral snarl in reply. He had to do something to get Roxas out of there, and quick. “Axel! Answer me-Oh my God! Is that… Axel, does that guy have a knife?” Axel shot the boy a quick look over his shoulder that screamed to shut. up.
“Ax-” Axel cut him off. “Dammit Rox, run!” That was when the guy slashed him across the thigh. Axel winced, not wanting to scare Roxas, but he realized he had to finish this, and fast. He delivered a swift punch to the man’s gut, hard enough to make him cough some blood onto Axel’s face.
He could hear Roxas’ retreating footsteps, but he wasn’t running. On the contrary, he only took a few paces back. Axel decided to ignore him. If the kid wasn’t going to listen, he could at least stay far enough back not to cause any trouble.
It ended half a minute later. Axel had snapped the assassin’s neck. He hadn’t seen it coming.
Axel lifted himself away from the body, and pulled the cellphone from his pocket, not yet turning to face Roxas. He dialed his father’s personal number, the one that only blood-related family members had the number to, and hung up as soon as it started ringing. The body would be gone by morning.
He turned towards Roxas, to make sure he was alright, but the second the blond saw him, his eyes widened and he dropped to his knees, shaking.
“Please… please, don’t…Axel… Why?” His voice echoed in the silence. Axel just stared back, blood dripping from his chin and thigh, bruises already shining on his exposed flesh.
“I…” He trailed off. He didn’t know what to say. “Come on Rox, I’ll bring you home. I… I’m sorry. I am.” He didn’t know what he was expecting the blond to do. He had never killed with an audience before. Damn his father for making this happen.
For the first time, Axel wondered if he was better off dead.
His eyes flashed back to the knife, still held tightly in the dead man’s hand. He figured it would be useless to try and get the weapon from him, rigor mortis would set in soon. Roxas seemed to read his thoughts though, because he lifted himself up on shaky legs, and started walking towards the café.
“Let’s go.” He whispered. It was said so softly that even Axel barely heard it. Slowly, the two walked back to the café. When they arrived, Roxas turned to go towards his house; the opposite way from Axel’s. The whole walk, the blond hadn’t so much as looked his way.
“Goodbye, Axel.” The way he said it, without turning around, made Axel feel like it carried more weight than it should have. It sounded final.
Which would lead one to Axel, sitting morosely in his room, surrounded by new clothes and books and CDs. Yes, Axel, sitting morosely in his room, pondering the most effective way to kill himself.