A/N: This was just something I threw together. I've been listening to too much Evanescence when I play Kingdom Hearts so shit like this happens. In any case, I absolutely hope you guys (and gals) will like this. It has some implied yaoi which means Axel wants to fuck Roxas senseless! Okay, that not what it means per se, but...we all know he's thinking it. So anywayz...

Yeah, I'm not stupid. There's alot of fanfics about Roxas leaving the Organization and Axel getting all emo about it. Well, I just figured I should keep up with the times. Yet I also hope mine stands out a bit from the rest and that you'll notice the flavor that is me (dunno what I taste like though...-.- -licks self-)

Enjoy.

DICLAIMER: I own neither this song nor Kingdom Hearts, even though I'd like to glomp Axel to bits and wish I could meet Amy Lee -.-

Now, onward!

PS, Edited version. I decided I had way too many mistakes in here, plus I wanted to tweak a few things since I've played 358/2 Days. :3

4x3L: +4K!uG 0^3R M3 (Axel: Taking Over Me)

It was always him.

You don't remember me

But I remember you

I'm doing this for Roxas. It's all just so he won't be killed to nothing. So he can stay safe... So I won't have kill him...

Those were words I've repeated to myself ever since Xemnas - that bastard of a leader - suggested that I go after and do away with the Key of Destiny, aka my best friend, Roxas. Or rather, formerly known as - as in he wasn't my best friend anymore. Hell, the beautiful blonde didn't even know of my existence until two days ago, when I interrupted his little Struggle Tournament.

When I came back from that, all I could remember was the disbelief in his eyes, the empty way he echoed my name.

"You really don't remember?" I asked, wondering if perhaps it was all a joke. Perhaps maybe even if he had forgotten, there was a chance he'd come with me willingly and want to remember? Not likely.

"It's me," I told him, waiting for a response in the affirmative. "You know, Axel?" I pulled back my hood, thinking maybe my neon-green eyes and spiky cherry-red hair might trigger something inside him. Would he recognize my usual lop-sided grin? Would he recall the affectionate look in my eyes I only gave him?

"Axel?" he repeated dumbly.

Apparently not.

I lie awake and try so hard

Not to think of you

Xemnas' eyes glared at me beneath the darkness of his hood. As I arrived from the mission, he was obviously displeased to find me empty-handed.

"You couldn't bring him back?" he demanded, amber eyes hard. Without even saying anything, I knew what he was thinking. About how it was so risky to have an Organization member about unsupervised. Roxas' memories were gone, but to the Superior's eyes, it was like the blonde could blab at any moment.

I scowled. "I had no choice," I argued, which was true enough. When your best friend leaves even after you warn them multiple times of what would happen if he did, and he forgets everything...Well, you tend to think to want to let him be. At least for a bit until you can think of a better plan to get him back. "He's...forgotten everything!"

Xaldin smirked, toying with one of his seven sharpened lances. "Are you sure? It'd be a pain for him to suddenly have recurrences of his time as one of our own."

I glared daggers at him, but kept my posture relaxed, leaning back on my pure white throne with my arms crossed. "Who would he have to tell?" I retorted, my gaze defiant at the Whirlwind Lancer. "Even if his memories came back out of the blue - as you're so anxious about - it doesn't look like he could pose a threat."

"Even so, you should've captured him," Saïx's cool voice put in. "It's better safe than sorry, don't you agree? It makes perfect sense...I wonder, Axel," he glanced at over at the other remaining five members before fixating onto me, "are you truly sure you're acting in our best interests? Or your disillusioned 'feelings'?"

I resisted the urge to snarl. I need Roxas back now - for real. They'll really kill him...! And I do need their trust on this..

"I need more time," I finally rasped out.

"Time is something we do not have." Xemnas looked at me, his luminous orbs as serious as I've ever seen them. His next sentence nearly seemed to turn the literal fire that ran through my veins into ice,

"If you can't bring him back, then destroy him."

But who can decide what they dream?

And dream I do

Roxas was always attractive to me, but so were a few others in the Organization. He made no difference to me, was nothing more than another member with a more unique weapon (though I thought it was just an over-sized key; nothing to be excited for). But Hell, you can only spend so much time with a person and not grow to be friends with them at some point. And boy, Roxas was really hard not to like.

It all starts with an attraction. Within months, I was head-over-heels for the blonde. I fell for him so fast that I got scared shitless...

I mean, I was a Nobody. Didn't Saïx tell me that I couldn't feel? That anything I experience is but a shadow of what I want it to be? I didn't get it. It became a lie.

Why didn't I ever notice how blue his eyes are, like they could drag me right into the deepest depths of the ocean? It would only make sense because sometimes I feel like I can't breathe around him. When was it that the littlest thing he did would make me chuckle and want to see the adorable scowl on his face after I did that? When was I so desperate to have your skin touching mine, your body writhing under me as your delicious-looking lips parted and made so many sweet sounds? When did it all happen? Why didn't I see it before?

Supposedly, love is the one emotion that actually requires a heart - or so Vexen theorized to me one day. Most to any emotion can be faked, but love is just so hard to mean with all your heart without a...well, you get the picture.

So, what is it exactly I feel for Roxas?

I'm doing this for him.

I believe in you

I'll give up everything just to find you

I've never kissed the boy, mind you. But there have been one or a few times when I really felt like losing it - especially when we were alone in our rooms. It wouldn't be hard to reach out - he was less than an arm's length away - grab him by his collar and crush his lips onto mine.

Oh, and I've seen him plenty of times eating that goddamned Sea-Salt bar, so I have more than a good idea of what his tongue is like and his mouth's actions. I trust I don't have to inform you of where I'd like that fucking mouth sometimes...

Whatever; I digress. Those kinda thoughts occur alot when I'm in my room alone.

When I'm alone. Argh.

I hate it like that, especially when I could be spending my time better. Like being with Roxas - only I can't 'cause he's on a stupid mission.

When we're together, we can talk about anything and everything. And it's enough for me I can just stare at his gorgeous face for so long (I'd pass it off as me listening to him. Though I admit, sometimes he's had to have to snap me out of my dazes.).

Everything was fine. Everything was perfect.

Until he brought up Sora.

I have to be with you

To live, to breathe

You're taking over me

I gazed over at the blonde in wonder. "Dreams?" I asked, raising a brow. Now this was interesting - Nobodies weren't supposed to dream. So what is it that's been bothering Roxas at night?

He nodded, his sapphire eyes more distant than I ever saw them. "Yeah, about a boy my age," he explained, hugging his knees to his chest, leaning on the pillows of my bed. "He...he also has a Keyblade. His name is..."

"What?"

"...Sora," he replied, the name fascinating him.

I widened my eyes. Sora? Sora? No - no, no, no. No. Roxas could not dream about Sora - this was fucking not allowed! Naminé told me about this when I was sent to Castle Oblivion. Since the original Keyblade Wielder had not turned into a Heartless like most Others, he retained both his heart and his body. And after the events at Castle Oblivion about a year ago, Naminé began to chain his memories back together.

And as Sora got closer to being awake - with his regained memories - the more his existence would affect Roxas. Moreover, he'd come to need Roxas more as well in order to be fully awake.

Sora was waking up.

I blinked out of my state, smiling in a way that I hoped to Roxas was reassuring. "Don't worry about it," I said. "Let's go get some of that salty ice stuff you love so much and you can sleep over in my room. How's that sound?"

I could tell he wasn't particularly distracted, but he grinned a bit for my sake. "Sure. Fine."

The next day when I woke up and found myself looking straight at Roxas's sleeping face, I nearly jumped out of my skin. but then I remembered why he was there and simmered down. Okay Axel, you have Roxas right where you want him with the entire castle empty and your door locked. What're you gonna do?

My eyes fell to his plump, rose-bud lips, parted slightly with an even breathing. Roxas was so close...so touchable and soft-looking...and he was asleep...

I licked my lips hungrily, inching closer to him as I stared at his smooth, tanned skin, his clothed chest rising and sinking and of course his mouth... Desire stronger than I ever knew I possessed pulsed through my body. I wanted Roxas, I wanted him so bad, I wanted him to fulfill every fantasy I've had about him.

But even one kiss would be just fine... He wouldn't even know…

Just one kiss...

It wasn't until a few nights later that I wasn't able to find Roxas anywhere.

Have you forgotten all I know?

And all we've had?

I don't really remember why it happened. I can't recall why Roxas left. Something happened between us, though. I get a notion that I did something wrong; something that changed things between me and the blonde. But every time I try to remember what I did, my memories fuzz, teasing me in the back of my mind. This is all I can recall, though:

I had my arms crossed, my back against one of the black, dank buildings that made up the World That Never Was. Through the darkness, one determined blonde stood out. I exhaled deeply through my nose, not tearing my eyes from him.

"Your mind's made up?" I asked steadily.

Roxas stopped, glancing over his shoulder at me. "Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know."

You're throwing me away and risking your life just for a goddamn KEY?! I dug my nails through my palms, feeling the sting even with the thick black barrier of my gloves. I wretched my head toward him anger. "You can't turn against the Organization!"

False justification, that's all this was, but it didn't matter. If not stay for me, then stay for your life. I breathed harshly, and hung my head to calm myself. Roxas didn't move, but the longer he stood there like an idiot, the more likely it was that I'd go on my hands and knees to fucking beg him not to go. Did he realize that he was the only person I gave a damn about anymore? Did he know that he was the one to change me? - that I was a different person than when I first joined this group?

Saïx's words echoed in my mind: "You've changed, Lea."

"You...you get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!" I went on.

"..."

I took his silence as him listening to me, so I continued hurriedly. "Alright, obviously you know what happens if you go - yet you're still planning to leave?"

Immediate response this time. "No one would miss me...right?"

I froze.

"We're Nobodies," he progressed, a more hollow tone in his voice. "We don't feel happiness or sadness. Even though we want to...we have no heart."

And just like that, he walked on, catching me off guard.

"Hey!" I shouted, almost reaching out a hand, but he disappeared into the waiting shadows of our world before I could. I stared into the oblivion alley, my insides twisted and my breathing had slowed severely.

This, I knew, was hopelessness.

"That's not true…" I murmured at the empty air. "I'll...miss you."

You saw me mourning my love for you

And touched my hand

I knew you loved me then

I have to get him back...

It was now the day after Xemnas gave his orders for me to eliminate Roxas. As I appeared from my swirling portal of darkness, I tried to appear casual, as if the situation didn't faze me.

We were outside his alley - the "Usual Spot" - Dusks and other lesser Nobodies swaying near him drunkenly. He looked scared, confused, and close to tears as I found him, the sapphire eyes glassy.

Roxas turned upon my arrival.

"Look at what its come to," I sighed. "I've been given these icky orders to do away with you...if you refuse to come back with me."

His eyes widened as he took a step back. "You mean...kill me?" he clarified, appalled.

I lowered my gaze. "I don't like the idea, either," I agreed grimly, setting my lips into a thin line. But all you have to do is remember...All you have to do is just come with me...

Roxas's voice got softer and desperate. "But I thought we were...best friends...right?"

I was so distracted with my own thoughts, I almost hadn't caught what he said.

I rubbed the back of my neck anxiously. "Sure, but I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for..." I began to murmur, but then I perked up, a smile on my face for the first time in days. "What a sec! You telling me you remember now?" I stepped closer, excitement on my face and in my eyes - I was so close to squeezing the boy to death!

He stared at me in a freaked out way, but managed a small grin. "Y...eah."

"Great! Man, you had me worried for a minute there!" I exclaimed, nearly jumping in my boots. Realizing I was spooking the poor blonde though, I composed myself. "Ah, but, you know, gotta make sure and all, so...ah, um...What's our boss's name?"

"..."

C'mon, Roxy, this isn't hard; ANSWER!

"..." He seemed a little uneasy now, shuffling his feet and taking wary glances at the Dusks and Assassins around us. It was too obvious he didn't know.

I sighed again, deflated and wrecked. "I can't believe this..." I muttered, shaking my head. I looked up at him, a dark humor traced upon my countenance. "You had me going for a second there..."

This is final, all I have to do is take him. But will Xemnas still want him when he finds out Roxas still hasn't remembered anything? ...Or will he just sacrifice Roxas so Sora can pick up the slack?

The Nobodies dipped up and down, wriggling from side-to-side idly, desiring a fight. I ordered them to settle down, wanting more time with the Key of Destiny - I needed to convince him...

"So you really did lose all your memory," I said conversationally. "I actually envy you."

I could sense his tension, wondering if I really did used to be his best friend.

But what kind of 'friend' is about to kill me?, he probably wondered.

No - I'm not doing it. I still want to help you. I still want you. I can still have you come with me willingly...by first taking away everything you have.

I beckoned him to follow me into he and his "friends'" hideout. Slowly, hesitantly, he complied, and I told those heartless, soulless Nobodies to guard outside.

"Roxas, let me let you in on a little secret," I began as I held out my hands and summoned up my blazing red chakrams in a burst of flame. Without turning to face him, I tossed on of them to a nearby sofa, which ripped apart in a flawless motion. With my other hand, I threw the second one to my left - a dartboard and a box crushing down.

Roxas gaped.

"This town is a fake!" I told him as my weapons returned to me. I turned to him, tossing the spiked chakrams again as they slashed at brick, fabric and paper. "DiZ created it! All of it - fake!"

"H-Hey, stop it!" Roxas rasped out, running over to a place where pictures and paper littered the floor. He picked one particular picture up, where shock flashed across his countenance.

I cocked my head over to him. "C'mon, Roxas, try to remember," I implored sternly, my eyes hard. "You can do it."

He stood rigid for a moment, but when he turned around, the unmistakable shape of the Kingdom Key was held in his hand. I almost laughed out loud, but I knew Roxas wasn't kidding around. He didn't remember and he wasn't coming with me. This was it. I ignored the painful knot in my chest, instead furrowing my brows in frustration.

"You idiot," I said, getting my weapons ready. I could've saved you. I clenched my chakrams tighter and ran over at him, ready to strike.

You could've saved me.

"You're going to regret this!" And that was the last thing I roared before time froze. Literally. And it wasn't until later, after I could move again, clarity hit me harder than any physical blow could ever do to me.

I stared ahead at the empty, wrecked hideout. With no Roxas. Just me. Staring at nothingness.

Why was this picture so goddamn familiar?

"The Roxas that I knew is long gone," I whispered, my voice beginning to shatter. No, I can't give up now. Under no goddamn circumstances am I going to let him join Sora again...

"Fine, I see how it is."

I believe in you

I'll give up everything just to find you

Roxas had just finished getting rid of my last Assassin by the time I arrived in the basement of the Old Mansion. He huffed, slightly worn as I strode parallel from him, arms bent in front of my chest once more.

"Simply amazing, Roxas," I sneered, shaking my head.

He stopped panting, seeing me and straightening up. "Axel," he said softly.

I smirked, turning to him. "You really do remember me this time?" I asked sardonically. Then suddenly, all my rage, all my regret, sadness and whatever else feelings Saïx claims to be 'illusioned' came bubbling up inside of me. I could feel my anger bending the matter around me, making it hotter. Sparks flashed across the empty atmosphere.

"I'm so flattered!" I shouted, a high ring of fire suddenly surrounding us. Roxas jumped, looking at the cackling flames in shock.

"But you're too late!" I bellowed.

Roxas, meanwhile, sensed I was ready to fight.

"That's why I warned you..." I said to him, my weapons up as I prowled towards him.

His eyes widened into some kind of realization, as if he understood what I was saying. But I was blind now, and didn't care if he remembered everything down to what happened the morning I woke up next to him.

"But if I let you go, I'm a dead man," I went on, raising a chakram to strike. "That's why I have to finish you off, right here." As I got ready to slash his head open, he looked up with a renewed light in his eyes, making me freeze.

"I'm not going down without a fight," he said to me, in one of his hands a giant key clad in black with a chained length. In the other, a pure white one with the end as some kind of star. I blinked - these Keyblades weren't familiar to me. I had only seen Roxas fight with one weapon before, and it was the Kingdom Key.

Why did the Keyblade…split in two? I wondered. A weird image - was it a memory? - flashed through my mind then. Eyes…eyes blue like Roxas', but the shape…was more feminine. Wait, was that black hair-?

"Heehee, I'd like to dedicate this Keyblade summoning to my best friends, Roxas and Axel."

"Pfft, me? What did I do?"

My weird daydreaming nearly had me killed as Roxas took a powerful lunge at me, but I quickly blocked with my flames and jumped away just in time. My defense didn't seem to faze him as he slashed through with the black blade. I couldn't stifle my laugh.

"HA! That's more like it!" I exclaimed, tossing my chakrams over to him, missing by a hair.

He made a stabbing motion toward me, and I put my weapon out to slash his white, star-pointed blade away. I smirked.

"Just like the good ol' days!" I jeered, attempting to burn him, but in a movement faster than I could register, he was behind me.

His voice was chilling, in a tone I never heard before. "We can't go back," he said in my ear with his warm breath.

I turned but noticed his attack too late as he swiped across my chest, ripping open my cloak and cutting my skin harshly. I hissed, dropping to the floor.

I huffed, as slowly the flames died down, the smoke rising and disappearing in the air. Roxas, a few feet away, stared down at me with his blank look. As the rest of my fire diminished, I chuckled, clutching my wound. Damn, of all days not to pack a Potion…

"Ow...that was a good shot," I rasped, offering him a smile. He blinked, appearing slightly fazed, but stood still. Darkness began to form around me, crawling up my body, begging me to surrender to it as I was so weak...

"Axel..." he said my name with feeling, back when he addressed me as...a friend...

Quickly, I snapped my head toward him. "Let's meet again, in the next life," I declared softly, still smiling.

For a minute, he stopped looking so frozen, and his eyes returned to a familiar warmness. "Yeah, I'll be waiting," he replied, the tiniest of grins breaking across his countenance.

I closed my eyes. "Silly," I murmured humorously, adding, "Just because you have a next life..." And I faded.

But I'm not gone - not yet. I'm not going to welcome oblivion having done nothing. There was something there in your eyes...you know me. There's still a chance.

I have to be with you

To live, to breathe

You're taking over me

I can't go back to the Organization. Not now - not with another failure to bring back yet again. Nuh-uh. I'm playing this game my way now.

First, how to get Roxas back now that he's going back to Sora? How would I be able to retrieve what is slowly beginning to fade away? Surely there was someone… I thought, standing atop a pointed roof of a tower. Below me, all of Twilight Town glowed.

...There has to be someone Sora values above all else. I've been through this before. I'd know what it's like to have someone important taken from you. I remember what Sora's memories were like so who...? I blinked at the realization, and at the same time felt the need to burst out laughing the answer was so obvious.

"Alright, I know how to do this," I said to myself, a smirk on my face. "I know exactly how to do this."

I looked about the quiet town - with its friendly people, its peaceful, homey feeling and its beautiful sunsets... I helped take all this away from Roxas. Now that he finally met Sora, he's had his fun, so now I want him back. I've waited long enough, although...

Its only been a week. A week since he left... It can't have been that short. No way. Its been an empty eternity. Geez, one week?

I shook my head. "...Time passes," I said absentmindedly. The wind picked up, whispering through my hair and through the rip in my cloak. I shivered at the cold contact with the air, looking down at my tear and tugging at it.

"Ah man," I groaned. "I'm gonna need a new outfit..."

I look in the mirror

And see your face

She looked ahead at the calm ocean, the waves licking the sand around her feet. Her cranberry hair whipped across her gentle face at the faint breeze. A look of longing was swimming in her dark blue gaze, drenching her face in mourn.

"Maybe...waiting isn't good enough," she said softly, her pink mini-dress swaying on her thighs. The foam of the ocean spray lapped at her ankles, trying to soothe her.

Kairi, I thought, smiling. "My thoughts exactly," I interjected lightly. "If you have a dream, don't wait. Act. One of life's little rules. Got it memorized?"

I appeared through the haze of my black mist, my portal vanishing into the sandy shore. Kairi turned to look at me, to the ground where the darkness faded, her eyes wide.

"Who're...you?" she asked tentatively, a guarded look in her azure eyes.

"Axel," I replied simply. "I happen to be an acquaintance of Sora's. Why don't we go see him?" I offered, reaching my hand out to her, palm up.

This plan couldn't fail. Kairi wants nothing more than to be reunited with Riku and her precious Sora. The same was likewise for the Keyblade Wielder himself.

Kairi's lips parted in an awed gasp. She looked back over to the ocean hopefully. "Sora...?"

I nodded encouragingly, stretching my arm out to her a bit more. She began to turn back to me when a sharp bark came from beside us. Kairi blinked in surprise, turning her attention to a slender golden-yellow dog running up to her energetically. About the same time she bent down to examine the canine, Dusks made themselves known, surrounding them both.

Good, they should keep her at bay so that she won't be lured out, I thought. I continued before she got too distracted. Opposite me, I conjured up another portal, Pluto growling at it suspiciously.

"You and I have something in common, Kairi," I pointed out, withdrawing my hand. "We both miss someone we care about..." I beamed at her, grinning hugely. "Hey, I feel like we're friends already."

Kairi paused, then looked over her shoulder, scowling before running into the portal after the dog before her.

"You're not acting very friendly!" she exclaimed, her body swallowed into the swirling darkness which quickly vanished as soon as she stepped into it. Around me, the Dusks' bodies sagged a bit more - drooping in disappointment with another battle was denied them. Others wiggled in frustration.

I rolled my eyes. "C'mon, guys. The plan hasn't even been completed yet," I said to them, a hand on my hip. "Simmer down a bit, yeah?"

They twitched, reluctant to obey me, but obey they did nonetheless. I frowned. I'm losing their control. Do they know I'm turning? Well...they are always observant, even if they are lesser....

Glancing back to where Kairi previously stood, I smirked. "I tell you, Kairi," I began, an amused look on my face. "You've got alot of guts - jumping right into the darkness like that."

So blindly...do you even know where you're going?

I scoffed, looking at the sun kissed ocean emptily. Like I'm one to talk...

The Dusks danced in bored, drunken circles.

If I look deep enough

So many things inside that look just like you

Are taking over

It failed. It was all ruined. Fuck.

Dammit, Saix. He had to interfere. But I wasn't careful. Now there's no way that I could get her back. There's no way I can get him back! Which is probably why I'm looking down at the ground as Sora asks me where his little girlfriend is. To think, Roxas was right there - right there, in front of me, and I couldn't do anything about it.

"Please, just tell me!" the Keybearer exclaimed desperately.

I sighed when he pleaded once more, turning my face to the sky. "Look, about Kairi...I'm sorry," I apologized boredly, giving him an apathetic stare.

Sora widened his eyes, but didn't have enough to say anything before a cold, dreaded voice snapped, "Axel!"

I jumped as a portal summoned up between me and Sora, a man with long, light-blue hair and fierce amber eyes emerging from it. I backed away.

"Uh-oh!" I gasped, hastily bringing up my own portal to disappear into.

Sora tensed, running over to me, but Saix's outstretched arm blocked him from going further. As the last of the darkness I made disappeared, I heard the my former friend promise, "We'll ensure he receives the maximum punishment..."

Once I came out of my portal, I found myself in the last place I thought I'd end up - my room in the Castle That Never Was. It was pretty much vacant now that I rarely occupied it anymore - I've been so busy with Roxas and my plans to have bothered with anything else. How long has it even been since I slept...?

I swept my eyes across th white room, some of the walls scorched with random nothings at times when me or Roxas or the both of us had gotten bored (Saïx used to get so pissed, ha-ha). From time to time I smiled when I saw something familiar on the wall, like the tic-tac-toe tournament we had, even though we knew we had pencils and paper somewhere; or when I signed our names in attempted cursive writing.

On my window sill was the envelope that contained a bare ice-cream stick. On it was the word 'WINNER'. I found the envelope when I had finally decided to come back to my room the day Roxas left. I fiddled with the stick daily for the past week, like it was my one last connection to my lost friend. Maybe it is.

I shook my head. Too many memories… I looked away from my sill and up towards the ceiling where a few black, ashy stars littered it. In the center of them was a coal-outlined crescent moon. Faintly, I remembered burning them there the time Roxas had come to sleep with me.

The smile I had suddenly turned into a frown.

I believe in you

I'll give up everything just to find you

"Axel," he whispered, tugging on one of my cherry spikes.

I blinked, yawning a bit before turning to him. "Yeah? What's up, Roxy?"

He flushed, cheeks a bright pink color. "I...I can't sleep in the rain," he explained quietly, looking down, the rapping drops pounding against the window.

I smirked in surprise. "What? Are you scared of the rain?" I prompted, raising a brow. "This is a surprise..."

Roxas made his famous pout, furrowing his brows and sticking out his bottom lip. "I am not afraid of some damn water falling from the sky!" he defended. "And anyways, we're Nobodies - we can't even -"

A roaring clap echoed in the empty room, as a bright light flashed through the blinded windows - the thunder and lightening making themselves known. Roxas jumped, whimpering and closing his eyes as he flung himself onto me - arms across my torso and head on my chest.

I lay rigid for a moment, and sat up as I was caught off guard. Nothing inside me stirred, but I felt my stomach do flip-flops and I could've sworn a warm chill ran down my spine.

"Roxas...?"

He held me tighter and I knew he was scowling. "Like I said, water from the sky isn't the big deal..." he murmured and I tried to suppress a shudder when his lips rubbed against my bare skin as he spoke.

We lay like that for awhile, and I relaxed, sliding back down to a lying position with Roxas still clinging to me. The tapping of the rain, and the continuous booming thunder was all we heard, until...

thumpthumpthumpthump...

I blinked, looking down at Roxas who was still.

thumpthumpthumpthumpthump...

Heart...beat? I thought, frowning. Heartbeat? My breath hitched. Roxas's heartbeat...Roxas's...Its so fast...Why's it so fast? Such a...nice sound... How can I even hear it under all this noise...? Roxas...

"Roxas?"

He shifted to look at me. "Yeah?"

"It's not raining anymore," I said, cocking my head.

The Key of Destiny stared at me as if I was crazy. He shifted his eyes over to the window, which was soaked from the precipitation and then looked back at me.

"What're you talking about, Axel? Yes it is," he corrected. "If you're trying to make me feel better, I appreciate it, but..." He shook his head and rolled off me, curling into a ball. "Forget it; go to bed, Axel."

I tsked, and pointed my finger to the ceiling, my arm outstretched. Immediately, a small, thin strip of fire emitted from my finger to the top wall. Using the finger as a pointer, I etched a few shapes, smiling. Roxas turned over, frowning.

"Axel, what're you...?"

I stopped, proud of my work as I sat back, hands behind my head and a pleased expression on my face. "No, its not raining," I corrected. "The clear night sky is obviously not being clouded. Got it memorized?"

He looked up, following my gaze to the glowing coal stars and moon I burned into the ceiling. As the small embers danced across the black outline, the display really did look like twinkling stars. I smirked, and Roxas rolled his eyes.

"You are such an idiot."

I have to be with you

"You really did fall asleep after that, and didn't wake up again," I recalled, looking down at the floor. As I wheeled around to leave, I noticed the single piece of white paper on my bed.

Curious, I went over, and as I got closer, I noticed something drawn on it. I picked it up. On the white drawing paper were four figures - two close and two to the distance. The two figures closest had messy black bodies with no feet, as if they were ghosts. One had wild, spiky red hair while the other had yellow locks that stuck up on one side. The figures in the distance had the same black bodies but their faces were non-existent beneath coal-black hoods. My eyes widened.

"Naminé...?" I turned the paper over, and found neat, cursive hand-writing bare,

Remember what you're fighting for.

To live, to breathe

You're taking over me

The Dusks were everywhere now, my own lesser Nobodies turned against me. Heartless may side with whoever was the strongest, but Nobodies shunned against a traitor - which, incidentally, was me.

I jumped away as a Dusk slashed for my chest, landing next to Sora, who I was fighting alongside. Any other time, this would've been unacceptable, but now I needed to survive. And anyways, if Sora dies...

...so does Roxas.

I huffed, all of us - me, Sora, and his companions Donald and Goofy - completely surrounded by a ring of Nobodies.

"...I think I liked it better when they were on my side," I commented, staring at the amounts of Dusks.

Sora turned, raising a brow. "Feeling a little...regret?"

I smirked, rolling my eyes. "Nah, I can handle these punks," I assured and gestured over to a bald spot in the crowd. "Watch this!"

I leapt over to the spot, tossing out my chakrams to either side of me, my weapons hovering at my sides in midair. I wrapped my arms around myself and loosely tucked my legs in as I summoned up every bit of fire that coursed through me, all the matter I could condense to heat...I felt the sensation build inside that burned even me.

Stop, my body warned, Stop you stupid idiot! Can't you see that you cant take it? Your fire burns! That's not normal, stop it! As if emphasizing that statement, I gasped when the hot matter touched me, but I kept gathering energy..

You know what'll happen, my mind cut in, if you keep doing this. You'll lose everything, don't you see? I thought you were going to save Roxas! Don't you want to do that?

I opened my previously shut eyes. I smirked inwardly - time for my final dance, huh?

I am saving Roxas, another, unknown part of me replied.

"Aaaaargh...GEAAAHHHH!" I bellowed, releasing all my flame, all my heat...

...all my life.

I believe in you...

Sora looked about the passage to Never Was, Betwixt and Between, and widened his summer eyes.

"Whoa...!" he exclaimed in awe. His companions echoed his astonishment. No Dusk, or any other Nobody, was left in sight.

Including this one, as I lay on the ground, unable to move.

Sora ran over to me, peering at me as me crouched next to my body. His eyes searched my face, a worried - why would he be worried about me? - expression on his face.

I felt the darkness return, rising up to take me piece by piece. This time, for real. Oddly, I didn't find it to hurt.

"You're...fading away!" Sora exclaimed, staring at me in shock.

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. As if you care; you're the bastard that takes what you will from everyone, not even caring about what they think. Pure irony I'm dying right in front of him. Fuck, I'm dying because of him - to protect him.

I shrugged. "Well, that's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack - you know what I mean?" I then chuckled humorlessly at my accidental joke. "Not that Nobodies actually have beings, right?"

The darkness glided past me, its nails digging into me, ordering me to fade alongside it. And right now the offer didn't seem too bad...and I feel so tired. All this plotting to not let go, all this looking and saving Roxas...I just can't seem to muster any energy to anything anymore. I shook those thoughts out of me.

"Anyway, I digress," I said. "Go - find Kairi." I already told him earlier about how I kidnapped her, though when she ran away, it was the Luna Diviner that caught her.

"Oh, almost forgot," I added, "Sorry for what I did to her." And like Hell I mean it.

I wonder... Hey, Roxas, I wonder...was all this trouble I went through and created just to find you... Are you upset by it? Do you not like what I did? You say we don't have hearts but I heard you that day...I heard your heartbeat...

...I'll give up everything just to find you...

I wonder...

"When we find her, you can tell her that yourself!" Sora insisted, eyes and voice firm.

I turned away from him, looking up at the topless abyss of the tunnel. "Think I'll pass," I replied honestly. "My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one. Ha-ha-ha..."

The darkness changed its course of action, approaching quicker, taking me faster. I winced.

Roxas...I'm stupid. Stupid for pursuing something that was so one-sided...Something maybe even I knew didn't exist...

"Axel...What were you trying to do?" Sora asked, a sympathetic look in his eyes.

I shifted my gaze back down.

...I have to be with you...

"I wanted to see Roxas..." I responded quietly as Sora blinked in surprise.

So stupid...

...To live...

"He...was the only one I liked," I went on grimly. But, you know...we had fun. We had no hearts, but we had fun, didn't we, Roxas? Going on missions, my teaching you...Heck, even the ice cream...It was... the two of us for awhile...

...To breathe...

More darkness, I'll be gone soon.

"He made me feel..." I hesitated. "Made me feel...like I had a heart."

Would I be weak...would I be disillusioned...Tell me, Roxas, what would I be...who am I to say...

"I love you"...?

...You're taking over me...

I looked back at Sora, and wondered how could two people have so very similar eyes - the one I most hated and most loved. And they were technically the same person. But it wasn't just color, but...something...something...

Something flashed in those eyes, but it happened so fast I couldn't register what it was.

"It's...sorta...funny," I began, a small smile crossing me. "You make me feel..." I stopped, my breath becoming lost to me. I tried again. "...feel...the same..." The darkness swirled about, building and strained to keep it at bay.

Can't waste anymore time...

...TaKiNg OvEr Me...

Guess I couldn't save you after all... Maybe, if I had been stronger...

"Go on, you just keep on running! But I'll always be there to bring you back!"

Did I…say that? I…said that to someone. Was it Roxas?

I shrugged off my last comment, a serious expression on my face now. "Kairi's in the castle dungeon," I informed the Keybearer quickly. I turned and raised my hand, in the back of my mind wondering why the fuck I was helping the guy that took my world. Maybe because Roxas would be happier this way? Heh, good ol' me to handle Roxas' well-being above mine...

...You're taking over me...

"Now go!" I exclaimed, and a large, swirling portal appeared on our far right.

Roxas, I wish I could've seen you again. I wish you could've stayed. You and...

Xi...on? The name was a question, a name that felt right, even though I had no idea who that was. I didn't know why this name seemed so important to me. It teased the back of my mind, but I couldn't even summon the strength to reach for this little piece of memory. For now...I knew I was ending.

...tAkInG oVeR mE...

I closed my eyes, prepared to welcome oblivion, though I knew I'd never see Roxas. Roxas wouldn't fade away like this - he'd live. He'd go on without me.

I offered a weak smile, wishing I could die suffocating in Roxas's ocean eyes...

...instead of choking on the darkness all around me.

...taking over me...

Me: I always felt bad that I didn't give Xion a larger role in this. Thus, I added a few parts. I also added in all the contractions I never put in. THAT bothered me a lot. I basically put a whole bunch of unnecessary stuff in there… But, whatever.

MAY YOU LIVE ON XION! -tears up- (Why am I saying this in an AkuRoku fic…?) Actually, I don't even know the whole controversy with Xion breaking up AkuRoku. Personally, I think it's stupid when people fight over that; it's just a pairing. Just…don't expect me to write anything other than AkuRoku xD but I frickin' LOVE Xion; she is my fave character next to Axel and Naminé!

And in case it wasn't obvious…I fucking hate Sora. A lot of times its hard to hate him, but when it comes to Xion, Roxas, and Axel's friendship (and Naminé)…HE DIES!