Role Reversal
xxx Disclaimer:
Summary: Axel Rayward thinks he's the unrivalled top dog, until his new History teacher arrives and rightly puts him in his place. Things are going to get heated. Akuroku. Axel/Roxas. 813.
xxx1.
Bastion Academy had a very prison-esque vibe issuing from its physical appearance. From the cold and intimidating towering school fence to the miserable school grounds consisting of little more than some trees, grass and the remnants of what seemed to be some picnic tables. Indeed, for a private school it really went against the whole ostentatious stereotype Axel Rayward had pinned in his head. He would've tried to burn it down to show his disappointment, had it not been made the inflammable, depressing material so fittingly named bluestone.
Indoors, the school had a slightly more inviting atmosphere, what with the past year of student fees having solely been spent on having the wooden floors repaired and polished, repainting the halls and decorating the corridors with the school's academic achievements. It was so egotistic that it made Axel cringe – hence his constant vandalism of the Academy, just to reinforce that he was truly in control.
To be perfectly honest, Axel wasn't entirely sure how he had managed to get himself into such a swanky upper class school. Sure, the facilities weren't fabulous but Axel was still bewildered as to how he was attending a private school nonetheless. He supposed he could rely upon his ridiculously large and temperamental vocabulary for having gotten him the English scholarship. He always knew being good with words, or 'talking shit' as he friends would call it, would come in handy at some point. It had freed him from quite an amount of tight spots over his teenage years.
If anything really grated Axel's nerves concerning Bastion Academy, the teenager would have to grudgingly deny it being the condition of the school or its narcissistic attitude. The correct answer was the teachers. The teachers at Bastion Academy were the sort that (had you been at any normal school) you prayed you wouldn't get the lone one at beginning of each academic year. They were narrow-minded and only believed in their own opinions and answers being the only correct opinions and answers. Along with this, they each had monumental superiority complexes which ensured you could more often than not find yourself being yelled at for giving 'cheek' via simply asking them to repeat themselves. This is why it would appear seemingly ironic that a young teacher, above all else, would really influence Axel. Even the redhead himself would have previously thought that an impossible feat.
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Everyone was referred to by their last names at the Academy, even the students. By having a student use the surname of a teacher, it was a sign of respect; however by either fellow students or teachers using the surname of another student, it was a sign of detachment and distancing. Depersonalisation, if you will. Three of the few people Axel addressed via their first names were his three close friends; Demyx, Riku and Larxene. It worked in the reverse as well, as Axel only let those who he deemed 'worthy' of knowing him address him by his first name too. If any other student or teacher within the vicinity so much as uttered Axel by his first name, they would receive a well aimed fist to the face. Did Axel mention he was easily provoked and prone to violence?
Riku had been friends with Axel the longest. It had been nearly two years. Axel had instantaneously befriended Riku when he came to the Academy and noted they had a similar attitude towards the school. The silver-haired teen was by far the calmest of the group, what with cool and collected exterior. Despite this, one had to often keep in mind Riku's hidden strong competitive streak and his uncanny ability to easily become jealous. Axel and Riku had come to the sacred point in their friendship when they were able to avoid preventable fights with each other by knowing what to and what to not say to each other.
Then there was Larxene, who to anybody else in the Academy would be described by the same two words: resident bitch. Axel could confidently claim she was easily the strongest-willed female in the Academy – thereby making her a great ally. The blonde was friendly enough when you were on her good side but could be undoubtedly cold, ruthless, and uncaring, appearing to love nothing more than to bring other people down. The two had become friends since Axel had decided he'd rather be on her good side to avoid unnecessary conflict. At the end of the previous year, Axel had befriended Larxene by whispering comments in class and soon after the two would draw gruesome drawings in classes they hated which more often than not involved the decapitation of their crazy math teacher, Vexen.
And who could forget Demyx? The fourth and final member of their group of friends. What with his casual, lazy attitude and dislike of work, he wriggled his way into the group most recently based off mutual interests. Although, now Axel thought about it, he was unable to really recall when or how Demyx had become part of their clan... it was as if he'd simply appeared there sometimes. The main distinguishing factor about Demyx was his lethargic disposition towards school and any form of work that required an input of effort. This was why he could be often be found dumping his homework on the notorious nerds (if he could be bothered) or others if working on group project.
They say that in order to truly reflect upon oneself, you should look at those who you willingly surround yourself with. Axel, with this in mind, would probably consider himself an absolute idiot.
xxx
"Rayward, here in my hand is your permanent schooling record."
Axel smirked smugly. If anything, the fact that the thick manila folder in his principle's hand was barely able and straining to withhold its contents made Axel that much prouder of the quantity of classic shenanigans he'd gotten up to in his few years at this posh private school.
"You really are skating on thin ice, I must say." Principle Ansem muttered, flicking through the pages within the folder and stopping at a select point, "You have committed no less than twenty five acts of vandalism against the school..."
Impressive... but could be slightly higher.
"... We will not tolerate such behaviour and condone –" Ansem squinted and read aloud from Axel's file, "- the destruction of the male lavatory facilities or defacement of school property - in particular Ms. Namine White's classroom door."
Axel feigned what he knew was a convincing politely confused and puzzled expression. He wasn't going to admit to committing such damage; however that didn't necessarily mean he hadn't blown a hole in the wall of the boy's toilets nor had spontaneously sprayed some graffiti on the Ms. White's classroom door.
She's an art teacher anyway, Axel inwardly snorted but passed it off as a violent cough in front of Ansem, she should be able to understand that I was simply visually 'expressing' myself.
"So, Rayward, I really hope that you'll truly think about the ramifications of your actions the next time you feel the need to ... do anything reckless. You are here on an English scholarship after all, and I can easily take away that privilege."
You wouldn't have the gonads.
The office door situated behind Axel then gave an ominous creak as it opened and Ansem's timid looking receptionist peered in, "I hope I'm not interrupting," she meekly said, "But Mr. Ansem, sir, the newly appointed History teacher's arrived. He said you were to give him a brief tour of the school."
"Ah, yes," Ansem cleared his throat in an immensely professional manner and straightened his already straightened tie; everything was based on appearances at the Academy, which probably explained why Axel was so often obtaining detentions because of his messy attire, "He's early. That's a good sign... all things considered..."
Axel rolled his eyes at Ansem's final comment as he departed. Rumours had spread amongst the hordes of Academy students that since their previous history teacher, Mr. Leonhart, had been fired, finding a suitable replacement had been quite difficult. Apparently the Academy, all haughtiness aside, had resorted to giving the job to some fresh out of college young teacher. Such a well-deliberated decision had led to the discontent of many more experienced teachers presuming that the school had hired some untried and ill-equipped child for the job.
Axel rarely put in any effort, but considering he was talking to the Principle of the school, he had decided to at least wait until Ansem came back into his office to give him permission to leave. However, if he wasn't going to demonstrate the common courtesy and return any time soon, then it wasn't like Axel had any obligations to remain bound to his chair.
Smoothly rising from his cheap chair, Axel tore a hand through his hair and spun around, swiftly straight out of the door behind him, only to find Ansem right outside his office, talking to, whom Axel could only assume, was the new History teacher. The loud clicking of Ansem's office door snapping shut gained the principle's attention, and drew his eyes to the student.
Strangely enough, a flicker of a smile etched its way upon Ansem's face, as he said to the History teacher, "Ah, speaking of which, this is one of those delinquents I was telling you about."
"I assumed so." Came the short, curt reply.
It wasn't so much the words as it was the indifferent tone that pissed Axel off, causing him to turn his attention to the teacher standing to Ansem. The first thing Axel noted was that he had to crane his neck to a downward angle as the guy was so short, with the tips of his blonde hair barely reaching up to Axel's shoulders. How old was this guy? He looked younger than Axel, which made the thought of their reversed roles of superiority seem utterly ludicrous. The blonde's expression was completely blank – as if nothing he had experienced was worth his display of emotions. It wasn't until the guy allowed his gaze to momentarily flicker to meet Axel's that he saw a spark of something behind the pair of blue eyes... A sort of flash of slight curiosity. Within seconds it had vanished though, leaving Axel wondering if it had been there at all.
Overall though, Axel was quite unimpressed. This guy may have been much closer to the students' ages than any other of the Academy's teachers, but somehow seemed just as brutal as the rest of them, if not more so. The conforming clothing of suit and tie did nothing to aid in the improvement of Axel's first impression of him.
He's just another one of them... how boring.
xxx A/N:
It was intended as a oneshot but, well ... you know us fanfic writers ... our words get away from us.
Enjoy!