{WELCOME TO THE SUMMER BALL}{Open to all}

[Joshua]

Smack!

Joshua might have dodged. He might have caught Neku's hand in his and twisted, or even planted a retaliating kiss on the palm--but he let it connect instead and stopped short, dropping his arms from around Neku to cup his cheek. "Why, Neku...how barbaric," he said mildly, but his tone of voice was almost self-deprecating--as though he were remarking on his own action. "If you didn't want to treat this as a date, you should have said something." He tilted his head downward, rolling his eyes back up to meet Neku's. "After that scene at the springs and this dress, well...I'm starting to think you're giving me mixed signals, Neku~."

It was amusing, to a degree--but also necessary. If Neku really was taking an interest of sorts, Joshua had to head that off right away. Even if that slap had hurt more than he wanted to admit.

[Roxas]

Roxas relaxed a little when he heard Axel say it wasn't that odd to him. After all, that was the only thing bothering him, really--that Axel might find it odd, despite the fact that it had been Axel's idea. Roxas, after all, had been the one to actually initiate it. He didn't have the same history with the others that he had with Axel; against them he had everything to gain and nothing to lose. But if he lost Axel out of his own stupidity again that would just be unbearable.

"It's...different," he admitted. "Not bad, though." Without really thinking about it he rested his head on Axel's shoulder, sighing across his neck. "Is this okay?" he asked belatedly, stiffening. It had just come naturally, more or less, once he'd felt more comfortable with Axel.

[Neku Sakuraba]

Neku growled softly, frowning as he glanced off. He half ignored what Joshua was saying. It was true, he was giving out mixed signals. It was only because he really didn't know what he wanted. And he knew, either way, he couldn't be Joshua. For more then the reason that he's male, and that he's annoying...

"I just don't know, okay?!" he snapped, gently touching his shoulders. He was too confused...and he just wanted to go home at this time. But yet...he knew he couldn't do that either.

[axeldangerflynn]

"Eh, why not?" Axel replied as the sigh tickled his neck and he moved his hand to the small of Roxas' back.

"Yeah, well, this whole, 'dancing' thing, I've never really done it, so. I mean, I've seen it, but this is usually stuff couples do. And I hardly doubt I'm squishy and or comfortable enough to lay on, huh?" He laughed, admiring the way their fingers laced together and he hoped to God his hands wouldn't get sweaty. "Not that I really have a problem with it. I mean, there's nothing about it that's reall ga--nevermind. It does look pretty gay," He laughed.

[Kaoru Hitachiin]

Long, graceful legs carried his body towards the ball. Red hair was in perfection. Golden eyes shone as he looked around at everyone dancing. Kaoru Hitachiin had come to the summer ball, but had no one to dance with. How embarassing for a host club member. Ah well. His attire was a simple white longsleeved button-up shirt with a loose, but flattering black coat over top. His pants were in perfect condition, black, with thin pinstripes to make the teen look taller. Shoes were simply black, and polished. His hair was parted to the left as usual, and a small yellow rose was pinned to his coat.

He glanced around seeing if he recognized anyone, and a slight smile appeared upon his features as he saw the 'King' Tamaki. So, this is where he is, it looks like he's having a good time so I won't bother him he thought, while sitting down lightly. Hikaru was once again no where to be seen,and Kaoru wasn't thoughtless enough to ask a lady to dance when someone already had a date. A soft sigh escaped him and he placed his hands on his lap lightly,watching everyone. Kaoru was a rather good dancer, but, he had no one to dance with, which, was rather irritating.

[Roxas]

Comfy wasn't completely what Roxas had expected, as it always seemed like Axel's skin was stretched so taut over his bones that there wasn't a gram of fat left on him, but the firm muscle under Axel's shirt was still reassuring in the strangest way. Not because Axel could protect him, or because Roxas needed protecting in the first place, but because it was there--Axel was there--if Roxas needed him.

At Axel's comment, a nasty little snicker bubbled up from his throat. "Yeah, we probably look like a regular couple of homos." That...probably came out a little harsher than he really intended. "...I don't mind if you don't, though."

He fell silent for a long moment, and then turned his head, drawing away from Axel's chest but not far, and rolling blue eyes up to meet green. "Axel...back at the ice cream shop...when you said you wouldn't be weirded out, does that. Mean. Nothing would change? Y'know, if..." A slightly bitter chuckle. "If I were kinda nutty like that."

[Joshua]

"You don't know~?"

If Neku was admitting that much, there was definitely something there.

Oh, dear.

"You don't know what?" he asked mildly, idly starting to circle Neku like a predator. "If you're interested~? If I'm interested? Whether or not this is a sin of some sort, or morally questionable overall? If either one of us is really dating material? Whether it'd work at all in the first place?"

A devilish smirk curled around his lips and he stopped in front of Neku, shooting him a coy look over his shoulder. "Let me put your fears to rest, then." In an abrupt movement he turned to face Neku full on again, tilting his chin up so he almost had to look down on the taller boy. "I am not interested in you, Neku Sakuraba, in any way, shape, or form that deviates from your position as my former proxy and charge."

He turned on his heel. "So. Don't bother~."

[axeldangerflynn]

"Mmm," Axel sniggered a little, hand on Roxas' lower back moving gently a little to wrap more around him, "Naw. I don't mind. No one knows the real us anyway," He said.

He looked down to meet Roxas' eyes as the other shifted, listening before he smiled a little, gently, "Was that a rhetorical question or a confession? Hm," He thought for a moment, looking off a little before looking back at him, "Some stuff might change. I wouldn't, like, reject you or anything. The last thing I want is more awkwardness, or any reason for us not to be friends. So whatever you decide," He said gently, looking off a little, "I'm not going to push you away. Ever. You're my best friend, and I'd rather have more than have less."

[Neku Sakuraba]

Neku growled a little, looking away from Joshua. Why did he have to talk so much? Why did he always have to be so...right? He bit his bottom lip. Joshua...he couldn't and he knew it. He just always thought the option was there if he ever wanted to do something with him...

His eyes widened slightly, "Asshole..." he hissed softly, taking off his high heels and just dropping them infront of Joshua, 'I'm going back to the doorms." Neku turned, storming off.

Neku Out.

[Roxas]

No one knows the real us...

Not even us, Roxas thought. Well, there was Sora--but after that display he really didn't want to be associated with his Other. At least for a while.

But his expression grew worried at what he was hearing from Axel, stomach flip-flopping when he wondered aloud if it was a confession or a rhetorical question. "Rhetorical," Roxas grumbled, tearing his eyes away to glare at the collapsed refreshments as if this were their fault. Trust Axel not to be sensitive about something like this...

...Nothing would really change? That was more or less the attitude Roxas had taken when he imagined--tried to imagine what it would be like to be with Axel romantically, for better or for worse. But Axel hadn't said that...he'd rather have more than less, but what did that mean?

"Stop being so vague!" Roxas raged suddenly, but quieted almost immediately, letting go of Axel's hand to seize hold of his collar and bring both of them to a stop. "What. What I meant, to ask...is." God, it had never been so hard to get words out before. "Would you...is there a snowball's chance in hell that you'd like me back?"

He was thrusting his own predicament on Axel and that wasn't fair--but Axel had already picked up on his strange actions. He'd already pointed out that it may as well have been a confession, and assured Roxas that this wasn't enough to drive them apart, so there was nothing left to lose except an unbroken heart he didn't have.

[axeldangerflynn]

Suddenly the movement and spinning of the world stopped, Axel's eyes meeting that of a very obviously frustrated Roxas's. "I'm not being vague," He snapped, taking hold on the hand that currently had a death grip on his choker, tearing it away gently as he held it still next to him, "You didn't get that at all?" He asked with a nervous laugh, his voice faltering a little bit, "I said. I wasn't going to reject you, right? I didn't mean I was going to pass off someone's feelings and forgot them and pretend like they don't and never existed."

Axel's attention went back to the hand he was holding, pushing up Roxas' fingers to lace them back together, "Something like this is not rhetorical, Roxas," He said as he gave him a serious look, "This is serious, and you know what? Yes, so what, maybe I would like you back. Maybe I've felt that way for a helluva a long time. You don't have to beat yourself up about this, okay? I said I wasn't going to leave you and I meant it. I am not," He said as he squeezed his hand, "Denying or rejecting anything you feel, no matter if you're unsure or not."

[Roxas]

Maybe I've fell that way for a helluva long time.

Roxas shook against him a little, both unable to maintain eye contact and unable to look away. Why didn't you tell me? he wanted to ask, but he knew the reason. Axel hadn't wanted to ruin this, just as Roxas hadn't, and there was a deep relief in that along with a deep-seated regret. Because that also meant Axel had been feeling--or not feeling, Roxas couldn't tell the difference--these things as he watched his best friend walk away from him. But that was dragging the past into it again and he and Axel had both already agreed to ignore that.

"Axel..." His voice sounded frail to him and he hated it, dropping the hand Axel wasn't gripping to his side. "...I didn't know." That seemed obvious, but it was all he could say.

[Joshua]

Joshua flicked a pale hair out of his eyes and glided away from the scene, passing smoothly between other ball-goers with all the grace and politeness of a gentlemen. Inside, though, his mind was a whirl of activity. There was something there. There was something in Neku's heart meant for him...unless it was only something in Neku's loins. Either way, it was a chance that on a very basic, human level, he hadn't wanted to give up.

But he had made sacrifices before. And he would make them again.

I'll talk to Sanae.

...No. No, he wouldn't. Sanae had proved himself a danger, and with Minamimoto around, Joshua might not be able to trust him. They definitely had some snapped rapports in their relationship that needed mending--far more important than Neku could ever be--and bringing this up would just put more stress on both of them. Especially since Sanae seemed to have a certain weakness for the boy.

He wanted...no, needed to address this with someone. He couldn't afford to have this negative energy clouding his mind.

But, for the first time, there was no one.

Joshua came to a stop.

He was weak here. Vulnerable. Minamimoto couldn't possibly guess the depth to which his powers shrank when he was this far from Shibuya, and he intended to keep it that way.

...But Sanae would know.

Without Sanae--without Megumi or the Officers or the Reapers or all of Shibuya or his allies in other grounds--without Neku--he was alone. Utterly. Completely. Alone.

And in that loneliness, there was terror.

His next breath rattled unsteadily, scaring him with the sound of it, and he put a hand to the fabric at his chest just to clench his fingers around something--like he was trying to grab hold of himself literally. Don't do this to me, Yoshiya.

No point in staying. Didn't want to go to the room. Couldn't go back to Shibuya just yet.

Another realm...just for a few hours, he thought, trying to keep his own inner monologue light and whimsical, and slipped sideways out of time and space.

Joshua out.

[Sho Minamimoto]

(lawd do I feel like a whole bundle of fail after reading Josh's epic post)

Sho offered no resistance to Sanae's tugging, and he followed without a fuss, only pausing now and then just to look back at where Joshua was. Eventually, he lost sight of him completely, and with a slightly frustrated sound he quickened his pace to catch up with Sanae, walking one step behind him, no less paranoid that there were eavesdroppers about. Even so, he started talking before they'd even come to a place to rest, keeping his voice low.

"I haven't given up, you know." It was something between a whisper and a growl, and he didn't make it sound like he was asking for permission. "I figured if we existed on the same domain it'd be easier to observe him, solve for x where x = weakness, but that radian's impossible. I've been up for nearly a week, and--"

He stumbled again, catching himself before he took another fall, but stopped walking in favor of sinking to the ground.

"...And look where that's gotten me. I'm the one out of my vector, here -- so you tell me. What do you make of this equation?"

[axeldangerflynn]

"Well of course you didn't know," Axel said quietly, trying to find something for his eyes to focus on before he got beyond the flustered he already was. He made a soft noise of frustration, "What would you have thought about it? I mean, now is now, and the past was the past but I'm not saying that my feelings have alternately changed..." He drew a sigh, his emerald gaze finally meeting that of blue.

" Ah shit. I mean...do you know what you feel yet?" Axel kicked himself mentally. Well just go ahead and confess while the kid is still utterly confused about his sexuality, He grumbled in his mind.

"Because, I'm not going to push anything on you...not until you know for sure everything. Just whatever you do, I couldn't stand it if you left me again."