Challenge post

[chokethewind.livejournal.com]

 

Challenge: [150] Ink
Title:  The Difference Between Those With
Word Count: 413
Notes:  There was really only one thing to write about with a challenge like this, at least to me.  ^^

 

“Didn’t they hurt?  They’re on your face.”

 

For one second Demyx’s fingers wavered in the air, as though wanting to spring forward and touch, but a steely look stopped them in their tracks and he withdrew them, flustered.  There was quiet for a second, and then Roxas declared, “I think they hurt a lot.”

 

Axel smirked, and then lifted his hand and petted his own cheek.  The pair of them watched him slide his fingers over his pale skin delicately, before he tapped the mark under his left eye and said, “This one hurt.  It was the first one he did.”

 

“Where did you get these done?”  Roxas’s voice didn’t have any sympathy in it; he simply sounded curious.

 

Axel waved his arm vaguely.  “Shop around the corner, shop across the street, pick one, it doesn’t matter,” he answered, skirting the question because for some reason all he could remember about that night was naked women, alcohol, and Xigbar.  That man was a bad influence.  His good eye probably lived in absolute fear of sharing the same fate as its partner. 

 

“So the second one didn’t hurt?” 

 

Demyx and his sneaky little hand again, but Axel tilted his head away and beat him to it, rubbing the mark underneath his other eye.  “No,” he said, and this time he met Roxas’s eyes.  “This one didn’t hurt.  This one meant something.”

 

“So the other one is just pretty?”

 

Axel laughed, and reached out pinched Roxas’s cheek.  The blonde blinked, grew a bit red, and glared.  “Do you think it’s pretty?”

 

“You know what I meant,” Roxas muttered, looking darkly at the shape beneath Axel’s right eye.  “So what does it mean, oh deep one?”

 

“I can never tell,” Axel said, solemnly. 

 

Demyx sighed.  “You’re no fun, Axel.  Tell us!”  He waved his hands, as though yanking Axel’s explanation up from his very soul.  Not his heart, of course.

 

“I can’t tell.”

 

“Axel, you were drunk,” Roxas stated, calmly.  “You picked them off the wall because they mean strength and hope and they seemed very refined to you at the time and because someone at the shop said they would make you look manly.”

 

Axel glared while Demyx laughed.  “And when did Xigbar start reading you bedtime stories?”

 

“Oh, just the other night,” Roxas said, a hint of a smile on his face as he stood up.  “Don’t worry,” he said, reassuringly, that little light in his eye now, “I think you look very manly.” 

 

Comments

[obabscribbler.livejournal.com]

The character voices in this are just wonderful. *fans self*

[avalonestel.livejournal.com]

Great idea, and well-written. Had me laughing all the way through, especially:

That man was a bad influence. His good eye probably lived in absolute fear of sharing the same fate as its partner.

Great fic!

[masakomoonshade.livejournal.com]

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful. I was actually starting to wonder why there weren't more Axel-Tattoo entries.

This is all I hoped for and more.

[dreamer1789.livejournal.com]

XD So now we finally know. Great interaction between those three.