"I've got something to show you!"
Roxas loved it when Axel took him on missions. They always had fun together, unlike other times when Roxas went on missions with other organization members like Vexen or Xigbar. This time, Axel had just gotten back from an exploratory mission of a new world that the Organization hadn't been to yet. It was called the Hundred Acre Wood and it sounded like it was probably really awesome.
Before Axel had gone on his mission, the two talked about what kind of place it might be and if was going to be any use to the organization. Roxas imagined a dark forest with heartless lurking in every corner. Axel imagined a never-ending sea of evergreen trees that trapped you so you couldn't get out. Either way, they both thought that it was going to be dangerously awesome.
That's why when Axel got back from the mission and told Roxas that there was something he needed to show him in the Hundred Acre Wood, Roxas couldn't help but show enthusiasm.
"What was it like? Was it full of swamps and monsters? Or was if cold and covered in snow? I wanna know everything!" Roxas was practically bouncing with excitement.
"It wasn't quite like we'd imagined..." Axel admitted, opening the portal to the new world. "It's not really scary at all. Well, most parts at least. I'll let you be the judge."
Without another word, both Axel and Roxas entered the portal to the Hundred Acre Wood. The smell of fresh air with a hint of pollen and honey filled their noses as they stepped on to the soft, clean grass. Roxas looked around and took in the new place.
Everything was bright, and the sun shined hot above the beautiful green trees. Birds sang merrily all around them and the clouds in the sky moved lazily along. It wasn't anything like either of them had pictured, but it was still quite a sight.
"Wow!" Exclaimed Roxas, "what a pretty place!" He looked over at his crimson haired partner. "I'm glad that you wanted to show me this, it's really nice. But im sure that the organization doesn't have any use for it."
"You're right about that Roxas, the organization won't find anything of use here. But this isn't what I wanted to show you. That comes later. For now, let's have a look around. I think you'll get a kick out of the locals here." Axel was wearing his usual sly smile and his emerald eyes gazed at Roxas with the loving affection that they always did. Roxas found comfort in that. He found comfort in Axel.
They began their exploration by taking a leisurely stroll through the woods. "So what exactly is it about these locals that you think will amuse me so much?" Roxas asked as he dragged his feet along the dusty dirt road.
"That's a surprise." Axel reached out and put his gloved hand on Roxas' shoulder. "Ah, here we are. There's a local now!"
Roxas turned his head in the direction that Axel was looking and saw one of the silliest creatures he'd ever seen. Walking towards them was the shortest, fattest, and most yellow bear that Roxas had ever seen. Of course, he hadn't seen many bears at all, but he knew that they weren't supposed to be short or yellow (the fat part was a maybe, he actually wasn't sure). And most of all, he knew that bears didn't walk on two legs.
"Oh hello friends..." Said the bear in a tired voice "I'm sorry to be a bother but I was wondering...if perhaps, you could spare a spot of honey?" His black eyes looked up at Roxas hopefully.
"Uh..." Roxas looked at Axel "what?"
"I was wondering" repeated the bear in the same gentle, tired tone, "if you could spare a spot of honey? I've got quite the rumbly in my tumbly..." The bear placed his stubby arms on it's round stomach.
"Sorry, we don't have any honey..." Roxas replied, looking curiously at the creature in front of him.
"Oh bother..." Sighed the bear. "If you'll excuse me I need to be on my way, I have to find my honey pot..." And with that, the bear waddled away.
When the bear was out of sight Axel burst out in laughter. "You should have seen the look on your face!"
"Yeah, yeah. Very funny." Replied Roxas, laughing along. "This place is really strange."
"Wait until you meet the tiger that bounces on its tail like a spring."
"Can we not?"
"What's wrong Roxas? Scared of a few talking animals?" Axel teased.
"No, it's just starting to get dark so we should probably go."
"Not yet. Come on, I have to show you something."
Axel led Roxas through the forest as the sun set in the sky. It was dark by the time they reached the clearing. "Here." Axel said and he grabbed Roxas' hand. "You're going to love this..."
"Love wha-" Roxas stopped talking and looked around him. In the meadow where they were standing were thousands of tiny little lights floating all around them. "Wow..."
He stared with amazement as the tiny lights flickered on and off all around them. The lights danced and floated through the night's air.
"Are they stars?" Roxas asked, his voice full of awe.
"They're called fireflies." Axel answered, squeezing Roxas' hand tightly.
"Are they dangerous?"
"Not at all."
Roxas lightly pulled his hand from Axel's grip. He reached out and cupped them around one of the tiny lights. When he opened them to peak at the creature, he saw a tiny black bug crawling curiously around his palm.
"It's so small..." He smiled "I know that we aren't supposed to have feelings because we don't have hearts, but if I could feel I think I'd be happy." Roxas admitted, looking up at Axel with his wide blue eyes.
"I think I'd be happy any time I was with you." Axel said, touching Roxas' face with his hand.
"Me too."
Axel and Roxas spent the next few hours laying in the meadow watching the fireflies float through the air. At some point, Axel's hand met Roxas' and their fingers intertwined. Soon after that, though neither of them were sure how it happened, Roxas was laying on Axel with his head snuggled up on Axel's shoulder.
The warmth of the other man was incredibly comforting. His body felt light, as if he could float away. He knew that nobodies couldn't feel love, but he was sure that what he was feeling at that moment was some form of nobody love. A form of love that maybe those without hearts were the only ones that could understand it. Because love was a powerful force that didn't need a heart to exist.
And it was this feeling, the feeling of love and comfort that prompted Roxas to lift his head and kiss Axel lightly on the lips. When he pulled away, Axel's grip was tighter.
"Do that again." He pleaded, his emerald eyes narrowed.
So Roxas did. But this time it was a real kiss. A passionate, hard kiss. The two men became briefly lost, because for the moment everything around them vanished; there was only Axel and Roxas, and there was only love. Beneath the fireflies, Axel and Roxas experienced what it was like to feel complete, and the crickets around them sang in a deafening symphony.