I should've proudly claimed that my head's to blame

[memorizethefire]

Who: Axel and Roxas (and Sora and Riku)
When: Reset
Where: Their room, 16C
Summary: After dying a rather terrible death, Axel is back, only half healed.
Rating: PG-13 (or R depending)
Warnings: Pain, lots of pain, talk of death, guilt, married Nobodies.

Comments

[shardsofmemory]

It took Roxas more time than he wanted to get back to Axel. Upon realizing people were coming back at reset, in their rooms, hurt, he tried to get back, but there were people to heal. And they kept posting, and needing help, and it took him almost 20 minutes to get back to their room and Axel was probably lying there in pain, able to do nothing.

He shoved the door against the wall with a little too much force, but it was forgotten when he saw Axel. Not on the bed like he'd thought, but in the corner, against the wall.

He looked-- fine, actually, but Roxas was letting the door fall shut and rushing over before he even registered it, kneeling by Axel's side to mutter "Heal."

[memorizethefire]

It was hard for him to lift his head up and open his eyes when he heard the door. The spell flowed through him before he realized it, making it easier to breath. He raised a hand to ruffle Roxas' hair, grinning weakly at him.

"Thanks."

[shardsofmemory]

"Don't say that," Roxas instructed in a weary voice, "just-- let me check you. What did they do?"

He knew people were hurt. He knew people had died and he knew Axel had to have died. Blue eyes focused on his face, for just a moment, which looked... fine, next to everyone else. No visible cuts or bruises, not yet, but Roxas was already pulling the zipper down his husband's coat.

It was when he got it past Axel's sternum that Roxas had to choke on his breath and duck his head.

Because Axel's chest was nearly purple with bruises, and Roxas knew the kind. It wasn't from being hit. Those were surgical bruises, broken-bone bruises, and they kept going as he kept pulling at the zipper, down and the injuries extended all the way to his stomach. All the way down his ribcage.

"Axel," he breathed out, looking up with a broken expression. "What--?"

[memorizethefire]

Axel didn't even make a move to stop him. He didn't have the energy to.

"I'm fine... Okay, I will be fine. They just..." A hand gestured down at himself before falling limp at his side. "Thought it'd be a good idea to give me a reminder. At least they sewed me up nice, huh?"

He laughed shortly, wincing when it moved his ribs too much.

[skyofreverie]

Later in the afternoon there's a knock on Axel and Roxas' shared room before Sora just let himself in. He knew that Roxas was out healing people like he had been all morning long but there was one patient Sora hadn't seen yet. Waiting to be let in was ridiculous as most of the patients were too exhausted or injured to actually get up to answer the door which was why he just walked in.

"Hey there," came his greeting as he moved into the room to plop down in the desk chair almost instantly. Sure he was tired of running around and healing everyone but Sora wasn't nearly as exhausted as Roxas was who had probably spent the night looking after Axel. "How are you holding up?"

[memorizethefire]

Axel finally made it to the bed at some point since reset, just leaning against the pillows there. He chuckled as Sora entered. The kid was always too upbeat. "Fine, fine. I'm alive, aren't I? Nothing can go wrong now."

He even looks alright, if you ignore the bandages covering the bruising on his slightly misshapen chest.

[skyofreverie]

Sora scooted the chair across the room to properly sit next to the bed. "Right, nothing." Even though they both know that it's untrue. Still it's better to look on the optimistic side.

No way can he ignore it so have a healing spell, Axel. Plus he's reaching into his pocket for food and water.

[memorizethefire]

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks. So how about you? Healed up everyone?" He rolled his eyes, waving a hand at Sora. It did feel better, easier to breathe now that he'd been healed twice.

[shardsofmemory]

It was with heavy lids that Roxas dragged himself back to their room at the end of the day. His bandages were almost gone, which meant he would have to get new ones from Tsunade tomorrow before he started the rounds again, and he'd have to go ask Kurama for more antiseptic plants.

Magic nearly drained, Roxas only let the door fall shut behind him before he slid to the floor in front of the door. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he sat there for a moment, staring blankly.

[memorizethefire]

Axel jerked out of the half-asleep stupor he'd been in since Sora left earlier. "Roxas..?" He asked, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

[shardsofmemory]

"Yeah," came the blonde's voice, but it was tired and hollow and barely audible where he had his head buried in his knees. He curled up tightly for just another second, then let his arms fall from his knees and tried to gather the strength to stand

[memorizethefire]

Axel could only watch, and then bring his arms around Roxas as soon as he was close enough. He shifted, pain searing through his chest, so he could hold Roxas closer.

"Are you... is everything okay?" He murmured, stroking a hand through his hair.

Monday afternoon

[shardsofmemory]

There's a note in Roxas' hand as he opens the door, towel wrapped securely around his waist, and he's staring at it with a confused expression.

"Axel...?" His voice is distracted, soft, as he lets the door fall shut behind him and pads the few steps to the dresser to fetch clean clothes. "What's a 'pedo'?"

[memorizethefire]

Axel stops short from turning a page in the book he was barely reading, looking up at Roxas. "Where'd you hear that?"

[shardsofmemory]

Roxas drops the towel first, folding it over the back of the chair so he can pull on some soft pajama pants and a too-large t-shirt that looks like it was one of Axel's at one point. He picks the note up again on the way over to the bed and slides up next to Axel to show it to him.

"wow. your husband really is a pedo. cute, kid." it reads, and Roxas is obviously not pleased about it.

[memorizethefire]

Axel stares at it for a long moment before sighing and crumpling it up in his hand. "It's nothing. Where'd you find this?"

monday evening

[the_daybreak]

And somebody is slipping into the room, near-silent in bare feet on the linoleum. He's got one hand behind his back as he moves forward.

"Hey, Axel."

[memorizethefire]

Axel looks up from the 'berry this time, raising an eyebrow. "Come to visit the invalid, Riku?"

[the_daybreak]

"C'mon, buck up. I come bearing gifts," he replies with a little chuckle, settling on the bed beside him. "I'm sure you'll be excited."

[memorizethefire]

"Thrilled. Whaddaya have for me?" He crosses his arms carefully, grinning.