Sincerely Yours:

Woot for the new fic. alright so half of this was written in art, math and history class. so it may very well suck. but i dont think so so please be nice.

Disclaimer: i own nothing!! i only barrow then and use them to do my bidding.

sorry the characters may seem a little OOC, i tried!! (kinda)

anyway, so this is a random oneshot of Demyx and Axel's last days at the Organization. Both of their deaths have been slightly modified to suit me so dont look at this like, oh, its just another retelling of the game... its not. so without further ado, please enjoy! or dont i cant stop you. just please read. XD

thank you to AkuDemyfan for finding the mistake in the note! this has been edited so THANK YOU!

"God Axel, can't you do anything right? Lets try this again. Come at me again, this time, try to be more precise in your attack, I was able to dodge your last one far to easily."

A frustrated shout rang through the training room and a wave of heat billowed out from it. The tall blonde walking up to the door gave a loud yelp before creating a bubble of water around him to protect himself from the intense heat. When the heat dissipated, a soaking wet and fuming Demyx barged through the door to the training arena and glared at the two fighters within.

"Will you two calm down!?"

The two inside, one a lithe red head with flames licking at his form the other a more muscular raven haired man with silver streaks sporting a few charred marks on his skin and clothes, turned to look at the man in the doorway.

"Axel, will you please try to keep your attacks within the walls of the training room. You almost fried me!"

The redhead put a hand to his neck and the flames dissipated. "Sorry 'bout that, Dem. The old man just got me really riled up." He glared at the mad nursing his burns at the other side of the arena. "Said I was a sloppy bag of wind with no real talent."

Ignoring Axel, Demyx sighed and walked into the room. He pushed the glaring man aside and walked over to Xigbar. "Give me your arm," he said gesturing to one of the more ugly burns. 'He must have used his arm to protect his face,' he thought. He extended his own hand over Xigbar's arm and a small sheen of water formed over it. As he continued his ministrations, he tried to ignore Axel's grumbles that he should just let the old coot be.

As he finished healing the burns, he stood and glared at Axel. "You may want to shut up, Axel. Or I may just have Xigbar shoot you. Anyway, I came here to tell Xigbar that Xaldin's looking for him. Something about trying out a new recipe."

"Alright. Axel looks like we're cutting this training session short. Thanks, Demyx," he said, nodding as he left the door. Demyx nodded back and stalked out the door. Axel sighed and ran after him.

"Demyx, yo Demyx wait up!"

"What do you want, Axel."

Axel shrugged and put a hand on Demyx shoulder. "I'm sorry. About the whole almost frying you thing. I thought I had it under control. And I didn't know you were right outside the door."

Demyx sighed. "It's okay. Just please don't do it again." Demyx's face quickly lit up in a smile. "After all, if you do, I may have to drown you and I'd really rather not."

Axel laughed along with Demyx, glad his friend was smiling again. 'Frowns just don't seem to suit him as much.'

"Why were you training with Xig anyway? I thought you were in top form? If that old man could beat you I think I should be worried about you," the blond smirked, poking his fiery friend in the ribs. "Jeez, how much do you not eat Ax? You're nothing but skin and bones."

"Eh, I guess I just burn it up real fast," he said, laughing silently at his own joke, lame as it was. "But, I was training with Xig because there are rumors that Xemnas is sending one of us out on a mission soon; something about trying to slow Sora down or something. Can't be too careful right? And speaking of that, shouldn't you be getting some training in soon?"

Demyx stopped in his tracks. "You're right. Hm, didn't think about that. Want to train with me?"

He turned his amazing sea green eyes on his taller friend. Axel could only stare into the eyes of the man he had grown to love so much, knowing there was no way he could fight them.

"Alright," he said, turning back the direction they came. "Lets get started."

Now, Axel had quite the predicament on his hands. See, he fell in love with his best friend. Demyx had been there through everything, offering his friendship and comfort in a way only he could. When their other friend, Roxas, number thirteen, had left to join with his Other, none other than the Illustrious Sora, Demyx had been a shoulder for Axel to cry on. When he got injured from training to hard, Demyx was there to patch him back up. Was it really so strange that he fell in love with the water wielder?

When they reached the arena, Axel stood back to let Demyx warm up, settling back to just watch the blonde. When he finished his quick warm up, Demyx turned to Axel with a grin.

"Ready?"

"Whenever you are."

The fight started out fast, each using their elements rather than hand-to-hand combat. Without summoning their weapons, they shaped both fire and water and sent it flying at the other. One would build a wall of fire and watch the water evaporate while the other vanquished the flames with a fountain of pure water. Then, at a seemingly unspoken command, each called their weapons and the fight turned deadly.

Axel sent burning metal soaring towards Demyx's head while the Nocturne sent a tsunami to envelope Axel. Back and forth they fought, each struggling to win. About twenty minutes into the session, however, fire began to dominate. Slowly but surely the crystal water was beaten back until a barrage of fire slammed into the blonde, sending him flying into the wall.

Axel called off his fire and banished his chakrams. He watched as Demyx's head lolled to the side and his sitar dissipated into a rush of bubbles. Axel frowned as the blonde remained still, not moving even and inch.

"Dem? Demyx? Demyx!" When the blonde remained silent, Axel, scared that he may have hurt his friend, ran to his side and took his head in his warm hands. "Demyx, wake up man!"

Demyx seemed to shudder and slowly foggy green eyes stared up into sharp malachite. He pressed his face farther into the warm hands holding his face. Axel felt something in his heart leap. 'Stop it you idiot. You know he sees you as a friend and that's all.' He admonished himself.

Axel pushed a few strands of loose dark blonde hair out of Demyx's face with his hand. "Demyx? Can you hear me?"

"M'pathetic, aren't I," Demyx mumbled into Axels hand. He closed his eyes and sighed, letting his whole body sink in defeat.

"What? Demyx you aren't pathetic. You just need some practice, that's all." He pulled Demyx to his feet, putting his arm around his shoulder to support him. "Come on. Lets get back to your room and see the damage."

Demyx nodded weakly against him and allowed Axel to carry him through a portal to his room. When they appeared outside the door embossed with a IX, Axel pushed the door open and half carried the blonde through and set him gently on the bed.

"Now," he said quietly, standing in front of the blonde, "lets get your shirt off and see what happened when you hit the wall."

Demyx nodded and began to unzip his coat, revealing a tight back shirt. Wincing, he pulled that off too, revealing a well-toned chest and stomach, all pleasantly tanned. He half turned on his bed so Axel could get a better look at his back.

Axel winced and berated himself when he saw what he had done. Discoloring the Demyx's normally smooth back was a large black bruise, still forming and slightly green around the edges. Small burns adorned the base of the other mans neck where the fire had licked at him before Axel had called it off.

"Damn Dem, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gone so hard on you." Axel sank to the floor and held his head in his hand. 'How could you have done that to him!' his mind yelled at him. 'You know he isn't the strongest fighter here.'

"Why? What happened?"

Raising his head, Axel looked his best friend in the eye. "Your back is basically one big bruise and you have some small burns on your neck."

"Oh, is that all. I've had worse."

'Yeah, but none of those injuries were dealt by your best friend, a guy who is supposed to love you,' Axel thought tersely.

"I'll just run down to Marluxia and see if he has any plants that can help me," Demyx said brightly, obviously trying to forget the pain he was in if the grimace and slight look of concentration in those bright eyes was any indication.

"No, absolutely not. You guys don't get along at all. I don't want to risk him giving you something poisonous instead. Let me go."

Strangely enough, Demyx couldn't use his water to heal himself when he was hurt. He could heal anyone else of any form of bodily injury, but oh no, not him. He had to rely on natural healing and herbs.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden."

"You could never be a burden, Dem. Just lay back and try to get comfortable. I'll be back soon."

With that, Axel walked out of the room; pausing only for a moment in the doorway to make sure Demyx truly was lying down. Shaking his head slightly, he created another portal and stepped through, not wanting to waste the time walking to Marluxia's greenhouse in the castle gardens.

As he appeared right outside the door, Axel took a deep breath to steady himself.

Marluxia truly was a force to be reckoned with. He tolerated few people and liked even fewer. Underneath the pink exterior was a fighting machine brimming with malice and malcontent. Axel was lucky enough –or unlucky enough, take your pick—to be one of the few nobodies the pink haired man could tolerate, the exact reason Axel had come in place of Demyx. Of course he wanted the blonde man to rest but he mostly just didn't want Marluxia to hurt the poor man. Demyx never was and never would be in Marluxia's good graces. The Assassin thought of the water wielder as a waste of space and organic matter.

Taking one more deep breath, Axel opened the door and stepped into the green house.

Marluxia was standing with his back to Axel, tending to some tropical looking flower. Slowly, Axel made his way over and was about to tap the other mans shoulder when a deep voice interrupted him.

"What are you doing here, Axel?"

Said red head jumped slightly and raised his eyes to peer into the hard blue eyes before him.

"Well?" Marluxia said, waving a small shovel around beside his head in impatience. "I know this isn't a courtesy visit so please do get on with whatever it is you want so I can return to my garden."

"Right," Axel said, clearing his throat. If there was one man that could intimidate the Flurry of Dancing Flames, it was this pink haired man in front of him, as strange as it may sound. "Well, see Demyx and I were training and he got banged up pretty bad and you know as well as I do that he can't heal himself so I came to see if you had anything that would help."

"Well, I would have to know what happened to the twerp before I could help. Certain herbs do certain things remember."

"Oh, right. He has a nasty bruise covering most of his back and small burns on his neck."

"Alright." Marluxia grabbed a few herbs and plants as well as a mortar and pestle. He mixed them together and ground them up, putting them in a small vial. He grabbed a few larger ones and ground them up as well, putting these in a bowl. Turning back to Axel, he handed them to him. "The bowl is for his back. Just spread it on once, use most of it, and have him lay on his stomach for an hour or so. The vial is for the burns. Just put a small dab on each one and make sure he keeps everything from touching it. They should be better by the morning." He stared into Axel's eyes, the blue turning malicious and vile. "I think the Superior should just send him off on a mission and tell him not to come back. He's not worthy to be in the Organization."

"Shut up, Marly. He's a damn good fighter and a nice guy. Something we don't seem to have enough of here."

A sinister laugh blew from Marluxia's lips. "A good fighter? Demyx? Please. If he were so good, why do you keep coming to me for remedies for the weakling." He turned away from Axel and returned to his plants. "Oh well. I wont have to worry about that for much longer. Seems like the Superior is finally taking my suggestion and sending him on a suicide mission. Word around the castle is that water boy is the one going up against Sora soon."

"You're lying!" Axel yelled, struggling to control his temper, which was a hot, and wild as his element.

"Oh yes," Marluxia practically purred as he turned to face Axe once again, his precious plants momentarily forgotten. His words dipped and flowed like an unholy song and they glided and slithered like a snake. "Xemnas has finally seen him as the weak link that he is, finally seen how he is weighing the Organization down and he has decided to do something about it. Enjoy what time you have left with your little best friend Axel; it may be short lived."

With that, Marluxia vanished in a cloud of darkness, his sinister smile and cold eyes forever etched into Axel's mind. He was gaping at the wall of the green house, unable to believe what he had just heard. They couldn't be sending Demyx on a mission to face Sora of all people!

Axel shook his head and walked smartly out of the green house. Once outside, he created another portal and stepped through to Demyx's room. Shaking himself and pasting a smile on his face, he pushed the door open and stepped inside to the peaceful blue room.

He was glad to see Demyx was still lying in bed with his injured back facing up.

"Dem? Hey, I brought you some medicine."

Demyx raised his head to look at the tithe man standing in front of him.

"Thanks Axel. Uh, do you think you can help me? I can't exactly reach my back," he giggled softly.

"Sure, Dem." Axel Settled next to the smaller man on the bed and with a gentle smile began applying the medicine to the bruise. After a few minutes of silence, Axel finished with the bruise and moved on to the burns. They were small but some of them looked nasty. Sighing, Axel reached for the vial of burn serum and spread it on the burns. Demyx hissed as the cool salve touched his damaged skin. A small tear slipped from his eyes though he hurriedly brushed it away; but not before his companion saw it.

"Demyx? Oh man, I'm so sorry! I never should have been that careless." He set the now empty vial on the ground and pulled Demyx into a hug, careful not to touch the bruise or burns.

"What? You're sorry?" Demyx pulled back slightly and stared into Axel's tortured eyes. "What do you have to be sorry for? You were just fighting like you would in a real battle. I'm just a bad fighter, can't hold my own. I'm honestly surprised the Superior hasn't sent me on a suicide mission or something just to be rid of me."

"Demyx! What are you talking about? He would never do that. You're a very valuable part of the Organization," Axel cried. He shook his head, the memories of his earlier conversation with Marluxia coming back.

"Don't Axel. We both know I'm not a good fighter and the only thing I'm good for is healing people and Marluxia can do that just as well."

"Shut it, Demyx. He wouldn't do that." He laughed weakly and patted the Nocturne's shoulder. "Come on, cheer up man. You're starting to creep me out here, what with you being all emo and all."

That made Demyx laugh. Axel smiled at the beautiful sound; he could listen to it forever.

"You're right. What was I thinking?" The sound of two stomachs rumbling broke through the sound of his laughter, causing Axel to laugh along with him. "Looks like someone's hungry. Lets go down to the kitchen and grab some food."

"Oh no," Axel said pushing Demyx back. "You just stay here and lay on your stomach while I go grab us some grub." Still laughing quietly, Demyx did as he was told and Axel walked out of the room. Opting for walking rather than creating a dark portal, Axel ventured down the disturbingly white halls. 'Someone aught to do something about that,' he thought, continuing on his way.

After a long minute of walking, Axel reached the, you guessed it, white kitchen. There was a pot of something on the large stove. It smelled delicious. As Axel found two bowls and began filling them, he looked around and saw that the room was empty save for one person. And it was not a person he wanted to deal with at that moment.

"Hello Axel."

"Hello, Larxene. Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh, I don't know," the Nymph said, pulling out one of her deadly kunai's and running a lethal hand down it's sharp length. "Marluxia told me you busted up Demyx pretty bad," she said, her voice as slippery as glass and as wicked as her element.

"Of course he did." Larxene was Marluxia's closest friend within the Organization, his partner in crime. "And what exactly did he tell you?"

"Oh just that Demyx lost miserably once again and that he is obviously not up to par with the rest of us. It's only a matter of time before the Superior does away with him."

Axel chose to ignore her as he continued to ready his and Demyx's meal. Undeterred, the savage blonde continued.

"And it's not like everyone doesn't know about it. The whole caste is talking about how Xemnas and Xigbar are planning on sending him on the next mission to face Sora. Not like he can beat the Keyblade Master. No, they're only sending him so we can be rid of him and doing it under the guise of slowing Sora down so the idiot can't guess what's going on."

"Shut up bitch! Shut up! He isn't worthless and he isn't an idiot! I'm tired of hearing that!" Flames erupted around his body; licking at anything they could get their greedy little hands on. Larxene smirked, her jade eyes turning dark. She had a foothold.

"He's just a weak link, Axel. He's slowing our whole plan down." She slinked closer to the enraged redhead and put a small hand under his chin, pulling it down so their eyes met. "What do you care if he dies? What is he to you?"

Axel jerked his head free but met her gaze. "Everything." Turning on his heel, he stalked out of the room and down the corridors back to Demyx's room, leaving the gloating woman in the kitchen.

He was still seething when he reached his friends room. He took a few shuddering breaths in an attempt to calm himself before pushing open the door.

"Foods here," he called. Demyx sat up from the bed where he had been dozing and rubbed his eyes cutely, making Axel smile for real.

"Wazzit?"

"Some stew, I think, that Xaldin made. Must have been what he needed Xigbar for." At the mention of the other man, Axel's face contorted slightly with rage as he set one of the bowls down on Demyx's bedside table. As he struggled to keep his face impassive, Demyx spoke up.

"Axel, what's wrong? You look like you're ready to kill someone?"

"It's nothing. Just thinking about some stupid rumors going around."

"You mean the one where Xemnas is going to send me to fight Sora?" Demyx asked calmly, taking a bite of the stew.

"What! Where did you hear that?"

"Someone was standing outside my door talking about it. They said I was a pushover and wasn't fit to be in the Organization." He shrugged and took another bite before continuing. "I don't really care what they think. I only care about what you think."

Axel set his own stew down and looked at the blonde. "Why would you care about what I think and no one else?"

"Well, I thought it was rather obvious. You're my best friend, my only friend really. I thought you knew that."

"Thanks Dem, that means a lot. And you're my best friend too. Trust me. I would never think you're a pushover or a waste of space. I don't know where they get these ideas."

"Thanks Ax." He smiled and put his now empty bowl down. He reached out and hugged the taller mad beside him. Axel sighed, put his bowl on the floor as well, and returned the embrace. He could feel Demyx's smile and felt his heart leap when Demyx snuggled his head into Axel's neck. He pulled the younger man closer, cherishing the moment.

Demyx pulled back a moment later and turned cloudy eyes on his companion. Once again, Axel felt a fire burning I his chest that had nothing to do with his element. He brought a hand up and cupped Demyx's cheek. Demyx pressed his face into the hand, as though seeking the warmth and protection radiating from it.

The sight was too much.

Before he could stop himself, Axel lifted Demyx's face to his and pressed his lips to the blonde's, so lightly, it was like a phantom kiss. Demyx's eyes grew wide before slowly sliding shut. Axel's own bright green eyes slid shut and he pressed his lips to Demyx's one last time, just to memorize the taste.

Then, hell broke out.

Demyx seemed to finally realize what was happening. His eyes flew open and he pushed back from Axel, trembling all over. Axel too, seemed to realize what he had done and stared at his friend in horror. 'What have I done!' Jerking to his feet, he slowly reached for Demyx, only to feel something in his chest twist painfully when Demyx scrambled backwards.

He retracted his hand and looked at the floor. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Then, before any more harm could be done, he summoned a portal and was gone.

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Demyx stared aghast at the place where Axel had stood a moment before. He fell of the bed and hit the floor, hanging his head in his hands. 'Why did you react like that?' he berated himself. 'You've been waiting for that for how long?'

He was ashamed of himself. Why had he pushed Axel away? Closing his eyes, his thoughts wandered back to what had happened.

Axel had kissed him. Axel kissed him. Axel. The man he had come to love more than existence itself, had kissed him; and Demyx pushed him away

With a strangled cry, Demyx punched the wall behind him, tears leaking from behind sandy lashes. How could he have been so stupid? He had only been shocked and now Axel probably thought he hated him and would never want to see him again. Demyx couldn't handle that. He couldn't live if he knew Axel hated him.

A knock sounded at his door. Demyx wiped the tears from his face and scrambled to the door. His chest was pounding and he was breathless. What if it was Axel behind that door? What should he say? How should he act?

Taking a deep breath and pushing all worries behind him, Demyx opened the door only to be disappointed.

It wasn't Axel standing behind the door. It was Xigbar. 'Well, at least he looks happy," Demyx thought sourly.

"What can I help you with, Xigbar?" he asked with false cheer.

"You have a mission. You are leading a Heartless attack in Hallow Bastion effective immediately. We have already readied your Gummie Ship."

"Understood," he said. He closed the door on Xigbar's eerily smiling face and leaned back against it. So it was really happening. They were finally sending him off on a mission that he could not complete. Demyx sighed once more and grabbed his shirt and coat, slipping them on, wincing as the fabric raked over his injuries.

Once dressed, Demyx left his room only to teleport to Axel's. He had to tell Axel how he felt before he left. Silence was not an option.

He knocked on the door once, twice, three times and got no response. He tried the handle and found the door unlocked. Slowly he pushed the door open a crack and peered inside. Empty. Opening the door the rest of the way, Demyx walked over to Axel's bed and sank onto it. He looked around the room in vain for the fiery man only to come up short. He had to tell Axel but he didn't have time to go and find him!

Demyx groaned and flopped backwards on the bed, wincing as he landed on his bruise. Once again, his eyes swept the room. His gaze landed on Axel's desk pushed into the far corner. Demyx stood and walked over to it, eyes lighting when he found a pad of paper and pen lying there.

Demyx ripped a page off and sat down to write. As he did, unbidden tears fell from his eyes, dotting the paper, but he couldn't stop. Axel had to know. Finishing it off with a flourish, Demyx folded the paper and wrote Axel's name across the front. He stood and set the letter on the bed and walked out, closing the door for the last time.

Slowly, Demyx trudged through the labyrinth of corridors heading for the front courtyard where his Gummie Ship would be waiting. He reached the wide door that led out of the castle and slowly pushed it open, walking out into the eternal darkness.

As usual, no one was there to see him off. Not even Axel. Without looking back, Demyx stepped into the ship and buckled himself in. He punched in the coordinates for Hallow Bastion and reclined in his seat, mentally prepping himself for what was to come.

A half an hour later, a beeping from the main controls alerted Demyx that they had reached their destination. He quickly opened up his instructions on the screen. Once he memorized where he was to meet Sora, Demyx stepped from the ship and unleashed the Heartless, setting them on their destructive route.

Smiling grimly, Demyx summoned a portal and stepped through to meet his fate.

Sure enough, when he stepped out, there was the Keyblade twit standing with his lackeys.

Pasting a fake smile on his face, he began his confrontation.

"Hey you guys are looking lively."

From there on out, Demyx pretty much zoned out. Speaking when he had to, just wanting to get this over with. His attention was recaptured, however, when Sora made a comment about them not having hearts.

"Oh, we do too have hearts, don't me mad." Of course they had hearts. How else could he explain loving Axel? They had to have hearts, they just had to!

Narrowing his eyes at Sora, he called his weapon, his beautiful sitar and faced Sora. The three across from him charged.

He smiled ruefully to himself. 'And so it begins.'

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Axel opened his eyes and sat up from where he had been lying on one of the highest towers in the Castle. He had come here after he had kissed Demyx to try and clear his head and think of a way to apologize to the other man. He couldn't stand not having Demyx as his best friend!

'I guess I better get back.' Stretching, Axel made a portal and slowly walked through, only to end up outside his room. Strange, he had wanted to go to Demyx's room.

Refusing to think on the matter anymore, Axel was about to summon another portal when he noticed that his door was opened slightly, as though someone had been there and not closed it all the way or didn't care to close it on the way out.

Axel glared at it. He hated when people went in his room without his permission. It was his sanctuary, a place where he could go and be alone to deal with his feelings. He pushed the door open, thinking he would wait a little while longer before heading to Demyx's room to apologize.

Slowly, he made his way to his bed. 'Why did I have to go and do that?' he thought for what felt like the thousandth time. 'What possessed you to kiss him?' Feeling his newly restored anger at himself bubbling up again, Axel lit his hand and punched it through the wall, sorry that Xemnas had fireproofed his walls.

Moaning in defeat, Axel fell back onto his bed and buried his face in his hands. 'I hope he doesn't hate me.' Axel threw one hand back, startled when it hit something on his pillow. He curled his hand around the paper and sat up. In his hand was a piece of paper from the pad on his desk that had his name written on it in a smooth handwriting Axel immediately recognized.

With something in his chest pounding, (his heart?) he unfolded the letter with trembling hands and began to read.

Dear Axel,

When you get this, I will most likely be gone, probably in both senses of the word. The Superior has sent me on a mission. Please don't try and find me; you and I both know this will be my last one; I'm useless and he has finally found a way to be rid of a nuisance like me. What can I say, it's been pointed out to me on multiple occasions by multiple people; I'm expendable.

'How dare he think he is useless!' Axel's heart (?) screamed. His breathing became erratic as he hurriedly read on.

I really didn't want it to end this way… you and me, alone and separate. I swear I will do everything in my power to come back to you. However, the chances of that are slim so I hope we can find each other in a new life where I can actually give you the love that you deserve but I can't give.

Sincerely Yours, your Demyx.

Axel gaped at the page before him, trying to make sense of the words he had just read. Two small diamond tears fell from his eyes and mixed with those already on the page left behind by the writer. Demyx loved him? He knew that he loved the blonde man and he knew Demyx saw him as his best friend, but love? He had only ever dared to dream that Demyx may have loved him back.

Time seemed to stand still as his thoughts wandered back to the kiss they had shared earlier that very same day and they way Demyx had pushed him off. 'How can he love me? He rejected me?'

In a state of utter shock, Axel re-read the letter, just making sure he had read it right the first time. The joy he felt when he finally understood his feelings were returned did not last long though. The true message of the letter finally registering in his brain.

Demyx was gone. Left on a mission, possibly never coming back. He still didn't know that Axel truly did love him, that the kiss wasn't just a meaningless gesture.

Dropping the letter on his bed, the red head bolted from the room and ran through the corridors to the Superiors office. He slid to a stop outside the door and, without bothering to knock, threw open the door and summoned his chakrams in a flash of fire.

Xemnas looked up from the reports he had been reading at his desk only to be grabbed around his neck and shoved against the wall with a painful crack. With death in his eyes, Axel lodged his one chakrams around the Superior's throat and pressed the spikes of the other against the silver haired mans stomach.

"Where. Is. He?" he ground out, locking his burning jade eyes on cool amber. "Where is he!"

Xemnas just stared back at Axel with an innocent smirk.

"I assure you, I have no idea who you mean."

"Demyx! Where did you send him!"

"I don't see how this concerns you number VIII."

Axel pressed his chakram harder against Xemnas' throat, the lethal spikes digging into the wall behind him and drawing small lines of blood along each side of his neck.

"Whether or not it concerns me is up to me. Please, just tell me where he is!" The initial anger in Axel's voice was fading and hysteria was beginning to flow out. He struggled to keep the dark glint sharp in his eyes, but against his will, they were widening with worry and pain.

Xemnas latched onto this weakness and chose his words carefully. "I have sent him to Hallow Bastion to face Sora." Axel' head dipped the barest margin and his grip on his weapons slackened. Smiling darkly, Xemnas continued. "You should probably get used to him not being here, Axel. For I fear, that after tonight, he may not e coming back."

Axel's head flew back up as fury welled up inside him. Fire began to dance around his feet, slowly growing in heat and power as he drew his face closer to the Superiors.

"Why. Why did you send him there if just to die!"

"Because he is expendable. We needed someone to weaken Sora without worrying about harm coming to our real fighters; fighters like you Axel."

Axel's fire burned out and his chakrams fell to the cold floor with a clang. His eyes were wide as he backed away.

"You're wrong. He isn't expendable and he is coming back!"

He dissipated his chakrams and ran for the door, vanishing through a dark portal before he even reached it.

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Demyx was losing, plain and simple. His breath was coming in shallow, uneven gasps and his water clones were becoming weaker and weaker, failing against Sora's powerful attacks. He didn't want to go yet, damn it! He had finally told Axel how and felt and he wanted to live. He wanted to be sure Axel loved him too.

'I hope he read the letter,' Demyx thought as he blocked a particularly nasty blow with a wall of water. 'I hope he finally sees.' The force however proved to be too much. He fell back and before he could even try to bring up his defenses, he felt the slash of a keyblade and he knew that was it. There would be no more fighting for him. The burning sensation he felt as he fell to his knees quickly vanished and he just felt empty, like a back hole, void of everything. With each passing second, he could feel a sliver of his being slip away.

He thought he heard Sora say something, but he couldn't be sure; the world was turning dark and silent. He pulled his eyes open a crack and saw the Key Bearer's departing figure. He looked down his body and wasn't shocked to see shadows floating away from it.

It was really happening. He was leaving.

A crystal tear leaked from the corner of his eyes and his head fell back. Why him?! Why now? Why now when everything was going to be so perfect between him and Axel.

Weakly, Demyx punched the ground. It was almost over, he could tell.

His eyes slid shut and darkness greeted him, caressing his fading being. Slowly, jade eyes and a fiery smirk danced behind his lids as Demyx thought of the man that had helped him find his heart. What better way to die than to see your loves face smiling down on you.

Just as Demyx was about to fade entirely, he heard a faint shout. It was the sound of an angel calling out his name, the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

"Demyx, no!"

Faint at first, then… gone. And so was he. All that remained was the memory of his final smile and the pure tear that danced to the ground.

The crisp air was silent for a moment before an anguished cry sliced through the sky.

… and somewhere, in a distant world, a newborn's shrill cries were heard for the first time.

---------------

Axel screamed, long and hard before sinking to his knees. He wanted to die, right then and there. He wanted to turn back time so he wouldn't have to watch his love die right in front of his eyes. He could do nothing to stop the tears from falling as he ran the scene through his mind's eye again. Demyx falling and fading away into nothing. Demyx leaving him forever. Demyx. Gone. And never coming back.

Standing slowly, Axel fell back into a portal and landed in his room. He fell to the floor, staring at his ceiling and trying to calm his raging emotions.

How was he supposed to live without Demyx. He closed his eyes. It didn't seem possible.

----------------------

Unfortunately, for Axel, it was possible, even if just barely.

In the month following Demyx's death, Axel ate, when he could, went on missions and interacted with those who spoke to him. He did everything but live.

Finally, he found his escape when Xemnas sent Axel on an emergency mission.

Sora had found the path to the World That Never Was and needed to be stopped. Axel immediately intercepted him and sided with him, helping his fend on the Nobodies attacking him. As much as it hurt to aid the very same person who had killed his love, it hurt more to live without him and he would do anything to be with him again.

They fought as hard as they could, but Axel knew they would get beaten. He wasn't as strong as he had been and there were simply to many Nobodies.

Axel knew what he had to do.

He jumped into the middle of a cluster of dusks and began the last attack of his existence.

The red head hunched over, pulling everything that he was to him and in a blast of fire, he released everything.

A wall of white-hot fire flew out from his body, incinerating anything it touched. The Nobodies fell, and so did Axel.

Axel fell flat on his back and felt his body slowly slipping away. Tendrils of darkness were spiraling away from his body. He closed his eyes. 'I'm coming Demyx. We'll be together soon.'

"Axel!" Sora cried as he ran up to the fading nobody. Axel opened his dulled malachite eyes and stared at the boy hovering above him. "Your fading away."

"Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack, you know what I mean," Axel replied, smirking even in the face of death. "Not that Nobodies even have beings, right?" He turned to face Sora. "Anyway, I digress. Go find Kairi." He paused for a second, "Oh, almost forgot. Sorry for what I did to her."

"When we find her, you can tell her that yourself."

Axel turned away and looked up into the nothingness that was encroaching on his vision. "Think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it you know?" 'Cuz it's with Demyx, wherever he may be,' he added to himself. "Haven't got one," he added aloud, chuckling.

"Axel, what were you trying to do?"

"I wanted to see Roxas," Axel said slowly, hating the way the rehearsed lines fell from his lips. "He, was the only one I liked. He made me feel, like I had a heart." Unbeknownst to Sora, the last part was aimed towards a much different person. Sure he had blonde hair as well, but he had the purest sea green eyes and a laugh and smile any person would kill to hear or see.

Axel mentally shook himself. He had a job to do. Again, the vile, memorized lines spilled from his mouth, claiming thoughts that weren't true. "You make me feel, the same… Kairi's in the castle dungeon. Now go!"

With the last bit of strength he had left, Axel summoned a portal for Sora to travel through, to save his friend.

That was it. The last of Axel's strength was gone. he closed his eyes one last time and saw Demyx's smiling face heralding him on. 'I'm coming Demyx. Wait for my, baby.'

With one final breath, Axel felt his body dissipate and fade into nothing.

He was gone.

---------------

A soft cry sliced through the air. The nurse picked up the newborn baby and cleaned him up before setting him in the tired mother's arms.

"Oh, isn't he the most precious thing you have ever seen?"

"Sure is Marcia. Have you figured out a name for him yet?"

"I was thinking of Axel. What do you think?"

"Seems to fit him."

"Do you think he and little Demyx will be good friends when they get older?"

"I hope so or they may just die what with the amount of time we spend with each other."

The two women laughed as the looked down at the tiny newborn. Slowly, he opened his eyes, revealing the greenest eyes either of them had ever seen. The boy's mother, Marcia, looked back up at her friend.

"Can you get Aaron in here? Tell him he needs to come meet his son not that the gruesome part is over."

The other woman laughed, and left the room to find the new father. While she was searching, Marcia looked down at her new little baby boy.

"Axel. Welcome home."

first let me say... this is a prequel to a much longer story so if it seems a little weird where it left off, dont be freaked out. The Sequel is titled The Price of Remembrance and is currently being written. i ill post the first chapter when i have about three or so actually written, which may be a while since i still have TRD to worry about.

so, any comments would be lovely as usual. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't like and if there is anything you want to see in TRoR, just tell me and i will see if i can squeeze it in somewhere. Flames are welcomed, i use them to bake with.

oh, hang on. Marcia and Aaron are my new OC's so dont go trying to find a face to put with the name, m'kay? Please Review my dears and make me a happy authoress!