New Beginnings - Part Three

Ever since bringing the redheaded child to the mansion, Roxas barely saw the human. He wasn't trying to hide from the boy, but the boy was hiding from him.

Walking through his house to get somewhere, the vampire sometimes heard the pattering footsteps running away from him. His heart clenched at it; he meant no harm to the child at all.

Knowing that the redhead was a human and regularly needed to eat and required basic necessities to continue living, Roxas travels down to the town at reasonable times with a suitable amount of money from his family's vault. He also made sure that when he did leave the house, his house guest was fully asleep; he didn't want to lose his little companion.

Knowing full well that the child wouldn't go near him, and he didn't want to scare the boy by forcing him, Roxas prepares the food, leaving it on the now clean dining room table. He would leave the room for a few hours, finding all plates and dishes empty of their contents when he returned to tidy up.

The blonde busies himself when staying away from the redhead by slowly tidying the house, room by room by room. Having a living person, especially a young one, they could easily die from how much dust had accumulated in many rooms over four hundred years. After the trouble he had gone through to ensure that the redhead lived, he didn't want something really simple to ruin all his efforts.

Four months after this continuous routine, Roxas was surprised by a sudden greeting from his small house guest.

- O -

Legs draped over an arm of a green chair in the bright library, thick book in his hands, cerulean eyes darted left and right, taking in the words on the paper.

Jumping slightly in his seat, the teen looked towards the door as small knocking sounds came from the other side of the wood.

"Come in," he called out, wide eyes watching as the redheaded boy tentively peeked around the door. Slowly putting his open book on his lap, he continued to stare curiously at his guest, eyes not moving off him as he slowly walked towards the blonde.

Stopping a few metres from the chair, the human child began to fidget, growing really nervous at how close he was to the blonde vampire. Taking a deep breath, he opened his mouth and whispered a very small, "Hello."

Silent for a few seconds, Roxas could only gaze at the small person in front of him before placing his feet onto the ground. "Hello to you too, little one."

Frightened emerald eyes shot up, but a small glimmer of curiosity could be seen in their depths. "Wh-what's your name, mister?" he inquired shyly, still staring at the blonde.

"My name," he began slowly, also curious, "is Roxas."

The redhead mouthed the name, trying to get a feel for it, before thrusting his left hand out. "Hello Roxas, my name is Axel Lea Martinaz. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Surprised at the openness of the child, Roxas took the offered hand, lightly clasping it in his own and giving it a small shake.

"Well Axel, is there any particular reason you have come, or is it just a social call?" the teen asked, blue eyes noticing how stiff Axel had gotten.

Shuffling his small feet against the carpet, head bowed down to hide his red face, the child mumbled soft words, causing Roxas to raise an eyebrow. "I'm sorry; I didn't quite catch that. Could you please repeat it louder?"

Trying to get smaller, the redhead cleared his throat. "I'm scared."

Shaking his head, the blonde 'tsk'ed. "Don't worry, I won't take offense to whatever you-"

"No. I'm scared. Of you."

An awkward silence followed his confession. He glanced up, afraid of what he might see, but turned concerned at the vampire's depressed expression.

Roxas froze, processing what his little guest had said. He was scaring the child. He was. Nothing else. He was. His heart squeezed at the realization of that.

"Ho-how do I scare you, little one?"

"You ate my brother and mother. I don't know when you'll eat me."

Gasping at the honest answer, the teen leaned forward, gently lifting Axel's chin to stare at him eye-to-eye. "Axel Martinaz, I promise you that will never happen. Something in here," he placed a hand over his heart, "tells me how horrible it would be if I were to do such a horrible act. Killing you is something I could not ever do."

Still staring into cerulean eyes, too entranced at their colour to look away, Axel asked, "If you won't eat me, then what are you going to do with me?"

"I am lonely, so very lonely. I greatly wish for a real friend. So many years without contact with anyone, I have relied on my books. But they do not respond to me. An actual friend is what I want. Will you be that friend?"

All fear gone, the redheaded child pondered the question, a finger against his temple and eyes on the ground.

He too had no friends; his only friends had been his brother Reno, who had protected him constantly from bullies, and his mother Tifa, who had adopted the two of them while Axel was still three.

But his family was gone, and he had no-one else to rely on; nobody liked him or his brother as they were too weird.

Why not be friends with someone like him?

"Okay Roxas. I'll be that friend."