The Silence - Chapter III

Chapter III

Whilst I was listening to Axel ramble on and on about how much he wished he could hear me speak, I couldn't hear what Terra was saying to the class, not that I was actually paying much attention anyways as I was still getting over the fact that Axel had held my hand. I sighed loudly, making Axel finally shut up as he must have sensed my irritation levels hitting the roof and he smiled bashfully at me, I had to admit that he looked…cute when he was blushing.
"So that's settled then, you all know your partners for this assignment and I expect a report on updates of your project during the four week time period I'm giving you," Terra explained as he tapped the edge of a large textbook onto his shoulders, his eyes flickering to mine. Project? Partners? God DAMN it Axel why did you talk so much, I would at least some idea as to what on earth Terra was going on about if you had kept your trap shut!
"Project?" thankfully Axel and myself weren't the only ones who hadn't been listening and Terra looked to the blonde haired girl who was sitting behind us, her name was Namine, she was very beautiful, but she was also very shy and usually kept to herself and her best friend Kairi, who was sat next to her, Kairi was more confident than Namine and was usually chattering away freely, annoying me to death with her completely pointless infatuations with a brunette boy in her Science class, whining to Namine about how she knew that the boy was gay but yet she was still trying to get over him as she had been asked out by a boy named Bartz, I felt a little bad for Namine having to put up with her…but they were still friends.
"Yes, if you had been listening," Terra rolled his eyes and I heard Namine shuffle in her chair, "the project is to make a well informed report on how marriage has developed over the years through out history, going over various topics such as the marriage between a man and a woman and of course how gay marriages has developed, you are paired with Kairi as I know that you two work well together, Roxas and Ventus are paired together and Zexion and Axel are also paired together for the same reason, anybody else miss what the project is…for the third time?" Terra explained quickly as he looked at the class, I could see that he was possibly plotting to through the book in his hand at the next person who said they didn't know what was going on, so I kept quiet about my growing inside rage about being paired with an imbecile.
I flinched as Axel turned to me and I groaned inwardly as I noticed the sly smirk plastered across his face, his green eyes seemed to have a rather sexual look about them suddenly and I scowled darkly at him, shifting my body away from him and busying myself with my books and stuffing them into my black bag, I liked my bag, I had bought it at a convention that was dedicated to Games and Anime, two things in my life that I thoroughly enjoyed when I stowed away in my room for hours on end.
"Well how about that then," Axel chuckled and I shivered at how deep his voice had gone, knowing he was doing it to try and somehow turn me on, little did he know that he was actually creeping me out, I never knew why other guys thought that speaking in a deep, slow voice actually turned people on, because it didn't and I know from experience that it doesn't, Axel isn't the first person who's spoken to me like this, Demyx and Tidus had also had ago at the 'deep, slow voice', of course it didn't work, but it was very humorous to see them try to make work with me.
"So…my house or yours first?" I felt my eyes widen as realisation came crashing down on me like a tonne of bricks as I walked towards the door, Axel right by my side, I would have to bring him home at some point so we could work on this project, Vexen would get the shock of his life when I introduce those two to each other, my old, frail, scientific adopted father and my arrogant, sexual, cocky project partner who liked to think we were friends.
I cleared my throat, though there was no need to as I just shrugged my shoulders as if to say 'your choice', I then mentally slapped myself as I realised that I had basically given him a free pass to my home, but surprisingly he suggested his own house and I felt even more realisation smack me in the face, maybe going back to his house was actually worse than being at my own house with him, what if he tries something?
'Stop panicking, his parents will be there, calm down and breathe slowly, turn and then nod to confirm that you're okay with it' I wanted to argue with my own thoughts but I gave into them, looking up at Axel who grinned down at me and I nodded, gasping loudly as he ruffled my hair again. I slapped his hand away gently, blushing heavily as he then bumped his hip against me and I stumbled…a lot and crashed into the lockers, why do people think that bumping hips and being all over one another is fun? It is anything but fun I tell you, it's the most pointless thing to do in the world except from trying to break the world record for the highest amount of pegs attached to your face.
"Shit, sorry Zex!" Axel chuckled as he reached out to help me stand properly as I was still leaning against the lockers, but before his hand could get to me, another one grabbed my wrist sharply, pulling me up roughly, I let out a small whimper as I peered up at the offender and I was met by angry, arrogant blue eyes that belonged to my most persistent bully, Marluxia Clark, the man I only discovered was male a few years ago, when I had first entered high school, he had been with his 'friends' Larxene and Penelo, he had long pink hair and he always wore a flower on his bracelet, so I had thought he was a very flat chested female…that was until he had hit me, yelling threats in his frightening voice that defiantly showed that he was male.
"Finally decided to come into school huh?" he growled and I shrieked as his hand quickly moved from my wrist, to my hair, pulling roughly on it, "trying to escape me are we?" he laughed and tear stung the backs of my eyes as I noticed that Axel was watching me, a shocked and horrified expression on his face as he stood frozen in his place, his arm still outstretched to me, Marluxia slammed me back into the lockers and I screamed as he had deliberately made sure that my back would get cut from the sharp broken door of the lockers, his arm was pressed against my chest, my chin resting on it as I tried to breathe.
My eyes moved to Axel again, tears now falling down my cheeks, 'Axel…help me' I shouldn't wish for his help after thinking so badly of him, but I needed help, I didn't want to end up in hospital again, I cried out a panicked noise as I saw Marluxia raise his fist, my heart thudded against my chest hard and I shut my eyes tightly, turning my face to the side as I flinched, shaking in Marluxia's grip, I heard skin slap together but yet I wasn't feeling any pain…had I become immune?
'Wha…' I slowly opened my eyes and came face to face with the scene before me, Axel had his hand tightly around Marluxia's fist, his jade green eyes burning with anger and I stared at him in shock as he then twisted Marluxia's hand around his back, causing the pink haired boy to scream out in pain and his arm came away from me, Axel then grabbed my hand with his free one and pulled me gently by my hand behind him as if he was being a human shield.
"Don't touch him," Axel said firmly and I found myself gripping onto his arm, my fingers pinching at his sleeve as I peered around his thin body, I swallowed hard as I saw Marluxia throw his head back, laughter falling from his lips.
"Oh I can't believe this!" Marluxia roared, "the most pathetic kid in school has a protector," he cooed as he spun his arm back pulling Axel out of my hands and I whimpered as I saw Axel grit his teeth, the red head managing to set his feet on the floor so that he no longer was being spun around by Marluxia who raised an eyebrow at him, it was the wrong time to think about humour, but I couldn't help but find it a little funny how they were still holding hands.
"Says the guy with a gender complex," Axel replied and I put my hands over my mouth to try and stop a giggle from erupting, a few other students who were still going to their last class had stopped to watch, a few of them laughing at Axel's comment.
Marluxia hissed at Axel's comment and he then turned his head to me, making me feel as if my entire body would automatically freeze over with thick unbreakable ice and I averted my gaze to Axel who winked at me before he yanked Marluxia's arm and bending down, flinging Marluxia over his shoulder causing the boy to fall onto the floor on his back with Axel's foot pressed on his chest.
"Stay away from him," Axel snapped as he finally released his victim and turned to me, offering his hand to me and I surprised myself as my body seemed to be moving by itself and my hand reached out and took a hold of his, I noticed the smile that appeared on his lips as he felt my hand in his and he quickly made us walk around the corner and into the boys toilets, I suddenly felt very uncomfortable again and my tears hadn't even stopped falling yet, I must have looked weak…I'm a guy, I'm not supposed to be weak.
"Sit," Axel instructed and he pointed to the area where the sinks were and I shook my head, removing my hand from his warm one, squealing as Axel grunted and clamped his arms around my waist, picking me up and placing me on the part that was left for students to put their bags on whilst they washed their hands, he made sure I was sitting on my knees and his arms left me and I felt confused as to why I was facing away from him, my hands pressed flatly up against the wall with my cheek up against it as well, blushing heavily as I felt him lift my shirt, I whined and pulled it back down, I couldn't have him see the scars on my disgusting body. I heard him tut and he slapped my hands away with a childish noise fluttering passed his lips and he placed my hands back on the wall where my cheek was.
"I just want to make sure that it isn't bad," Axel explained and I shook my head, crying even more as he slowly lifted my shirt, my hands shook as they clenched into fists, I could almost feel my heart jump into my throat.
'No…please, don't look at me!' I felt his fingers trace around my fresh cut, it was sensitive as the bruising was still developing and I arched my back forwards a bit as I gasped, his hands were so gentle on my skin as I felt him place a folded tissue on my cut, the sound of sellotape, the sound of it snapping and then it was placed on both the tissue and my skin, 'he…he hasn't noticed my scars?' I quickly pulled my shirt down as his hands came around my waist again, spinning me around so that I was now facing him, and he pulled my legs out from under me so that they dangled.
"Man oh man, I thought I was gonna have to knock that dick out," Axel joked as he ruffled my hair once more, another tissue appearing in his other hand and he paced it to me, giving me a clear sign that I should wipe my tears away and I silently obeyed.
"Are you alright, you look pretty shaken up man," Axel asked and I wanted to scream in his face, why the fuck was this guy being so nice to me? Why the fuck did he stick up and protect me from Marluxia? Why was I more worried about him? Why the hell am I asking myself all of these questions?
"Zexion?" Axel waved his hand in front of my face and I moved my head back a bit, my eyes wide and I just nodded so that he would move his face away from mine, 'stupid idiot, don't stand so close to me!' I screamed inside my head and winced as my back stung, I hated being so close to someone, they could me, they could see my face properly, even see through or around my thick hair that hid my face.
"Ooo, hey, don't strain your back like that, it's going to be sore for a while, man," Axel reached his arm around my back and put a little pressure on it, making me arch forwards a bit and the pain eased a little bit.
I knew I had to thank him, I really wanted to tell him…but it had been so long since I had last spoken to anyone, I couldn't really figure out how to voice my words, it was strange, but I really wanted to actually talk to this guy, but that's probably because he just saved me from an ass kicking, but that didn't explain why I felt so heated and flushed around him, was that just a stage in the whole growing up process, I mean, it would go away…right?