A Pond with Lilies
The sun was shining on a cloud-free sky. There was a breeze that touched the leaves on the trees and the birds were chirping in merry tunes. The marketplace was bustling with people. Some were jovial, some were carefree, some were in a hurry to go somewhere and some were just there to relax. It was a beautiful day and everyone was outside to enjoy it. At the edge of the town on top of a hill there was a great mansion where the head of Shinra Electric Power Company lived, together with his son. Said son was not out with others of his age and enjoying the day. He sat in the garden on a stone bench, dressed in a simple white yukata, staring at the lilies in the pond without actually seeing them as he did most of the days. There was a sound from behind him and the boy's father approached with his main bodyguard and another redhead that was not Reno but looked like him.
'Roxas' the father said but the boy did not react. 'Roxas, I'm going away for a few days' he gently took his son's hand in his so that he would turn towards him. 'It's for business but I have asked your uncle Cloud to come here and to keep an eye on you at times' he said while looking into his son's empty eyes and waited for a response that he knew would not come. 'This is Axel' he gestured to the redhead. 'He will be your new bodyguard and he has experience so I know you will be in safe hands. He may be young but he is reliable' he smiled gently, an expression that not many people would ever see, since it was reserved for his son.
Roxas did not move and he said nothing but Rufus Shinra did not expect him to. His son had been silent and unresponsive for almost two years, ever since the kidnapping, and he had begun losing what hope he had had about him waking up from the state he now was in. Rufus turned to Axel and told him to always stay by Roxas' side and never let him out of his sight before kissing Roxas on the forehead and left.
'Well, now that the Boss is gone, let me introduce myself properly: the name's Axel. Got it memorized?' he said tapping his temple, but of course Roxas did not respond. 'Man, you're a silent one' still no answer but Axel already knew of Roxas' condition.
Axel had read the files on Roxas Shinra and was actually sad that the smiling blond with the most shining and innocent eyes he had ever seen was now an empty shell of his former self. He ruffled his hair and sat down with him on the bench and closed his eyes and began talking about anything he could think of while Roxas gazed at the pond with the lilies without actually seeing them.
They spent most of their days by the pond with Axel talking and sometimes Axel got the feeling that Roxas was listening to him but he never got any acknowledgement to prove it. Cloud Strife, Roxas' self-appointed uncle, came by at times to visit and see how they were doing. But also to inform Axel of the things that happened on the outside that he might need to know to ensure Roxas' safety. Axel found it relaxing to be around Roxas and little by little he even talked about more personal things that one usually do not share with one's assignments. But Axel was never one for rules to begin with. He took Roxas with him into town, always with extra security, and showed him around to places where Axel used to be when he went to school. He introduced Roxas to sea-salt ice cream and took him up to the clock tower where they watched the sunset
'Hey, Roxas' Axel said and gazed at the flaming sky. 'Bet you don't know why the sun sets red. You see, light is made up of lots of colours, and out of all those colours, red is the one that travels the farthest' he smiled and turned to Roxas. Roxas was also gazing up at the sunset and his lips formed into a small smile. Axel stared and then ruffled his hair. 'Always knew that a smile suites you best' he said mostly to himself. 'C'mon it's time to go home' he took hold of Roxas' hand and helped him down the ledge and then lead him back to the mansion.
It was on the last day, the day before Rufus would be back that something changed. Axel had taken Roxas out for a walk in the forest because he seemed more at ease in the nature than he did around other people. As always Axel held his hand so he would not disappear and to always keep him close. Axel was talking about the new tournament that would be held at Olympus Coliseum when Roxas suddenly stopped.
'What's the matter Roxas' he asked as he looked at him but Roxas did not answer. He was about to question further when a shot rang through the air and grazed Axel's shoulder. He gripped it but stayed put so to not expose Roxas. He drew his weapon and swivelled around in time to see a man preparing to take another shot. He pushed Roxas behind a tree and threw his chakram and cut the direction of the incoming bullet then he threw the other one at the culprit, ignoring the slight pain in his shoulder. The man dodged and the chakrams returned to Axel. 'You think I will make it easy for you? You want Roxas well you can't have him. Get it memorized' Axel said and charged at the cloaked man.
'Are you sure you should leave him unattended' the smirk oozing from the man.
Axel turned around in time to see another man walking up from behind Roxas.
'Roxas!' Axel shouted.
Roxas twitched and just as the man meant to grab him Roxas wheeled around and smacked the man across his face with his arm, knocking him to the ground. Axel smirked and turned his attention towards his own opponent.
'Looks like your partner was no match for my little Roxy here,' Axel said with a hint of pride in his voice. 'He went down quite easy and I'm not one to be outdone so…' he trailed off and sprung towards the cloaked man.
Roxas hid himself behind a tree and watched as Axel fought. He moved as if he was dancing and Roxas was entranced. The assailant was fast and slippery and much more dangerous than the man attacking Roxas, because this one did not care if Axel died. Axel was not aware of how it happened but suddenly he found himself knocked to the ground and his chakrams were out of reach. The man laughed and pointed his gun at Axel. In the distance Cloud and Reno were approaching fast but they would be too late.
'Any last words?' a cruel smile graced his lips as Axel met his eyes with a glare. 'No? Suit yourself' he cocked his gun but paused as Roxas ran forward and placed himself between Axel and the assailant.
He was not completely aware of what was happening but he knew that Axel was hurt and he did not want that. Axel was his!
'How… touching' the man sneered. 'Well, if that is your choice I'll happily oblige.'
Axel stared fearfully at Roxas and forced himself to move as the man took aim. He was interrupted yet again as Cloud came charging through the forest with his sword raised in incomprehensible rage. Axel grabbed Roxas around the waist and forced him to the ground as shots sounded throughout the forest. The man fell to the ground and his head rolled off to the side. Axel breathed a sigh of relief as Cloud kneeled down beside them. Reno checked the body and called his partner and informed him of the situation. Axel moved off of Roxas who was staring unseeingly at the sky.
'Axel! You're bleeding!' Cloud exclaimed.
Axel stared down at his shirt and touched the place of the blood, but felt nothing. He shifted his gaze to Roxas side and stared in horror at the blood that was seeping from the shot wound. Cloud immediately tore of a part of his shirt and pressed it at the wound and called for Reno to get an ambulance as fast as he could.
'C'mon Roxas, look at me' Axel pleaded as he tried to keep him awake. 'Look at me with those pretty eyes' he cupped Roxas' cheek and turned his face towards him.
Roxas blinked but looked back into Axel's eyes causing him to smile.
'There you go.'
Roxas raised his hand and touched Axel's cheek with his fingertips.
'…Thank… you' Roxas whispered as his eyes slipped close and his hand fell limp to the ground.
'Roxas!' Axel called and shook his shoulder only to receive no response. 'Please' he whispered as he hugged him close. 'Don't leave.'
A month had passed and the trees had shifted in colours from green to the colours of red, orange and gold. The sky was clear and the birds were singing a merry tune. The marketplace was bustling with people. Some were jovial, some were carefree, some were in a hurry to go somewhere and some were just there to relax. It was a beautiful day and everyone was outside to enjoy it. On a stone bench by a pond filled with lilies still in bloom on the grounds of a mansion belonging to Rufus Shinra, sat a man with red hair dressed in black and watched the lilies in bloom.
'Axel!' called a voice similar to his own.
'Yes?' Axel replied and turned to his brother.
'It's time, yo.'
Axel took a deep breath and rose from the bench. Together they walked to the entrance of the mansion. Rufus Shinra stood there conversing with his bodyguard Tseng as Axel and Reno approached.
'You clean up well, Axel.' Axel turned to the voice and smirked.
'I'm Axel got it memorized' he said touching his temple 'Roxas?'
'Yes, yes, now help me. I'm tired' Roxas said with a tired smile.
'As you wish princess'
Roxas glared at Axel who only chuckled and gently helped him up the steps. Roxas was lucky to have survived but it would take some time before he had the energy to move as he used to.
'Should I be worried about your flirting with my son?' Rufus asked with a raised eyebrow. Axel paled but Roxas only scoffed.
'No worries father, he will have to marry me first.'
Axel nearly tripped and Reno laughed out loud. Rufus merely quirked an eyebrow but then nodded.
'Very well a spring wedding would be lovely. Perhaps in the garden by that pond you are so fond of?'
'That would be wonderful' Roxas eyes glittered in amusement and turned to Axel. 'I don't fancy any huge diamonds or anything of the sort. I prefer simple jewellery. Got it memorized?' he finished with a playful smirk.
Reno clapped Axel on his shoulders as Rufus led his son inside discussing wedding arrangements.
'Call me when you plan on searching for the ring to your future "bride" also I demand to be your best man' Reno winked and sauntered inside.
Axel was left standing on the veranda. The image of Roxas marrying him was etched into his mind. The image brought warmth to pass through his body and his lips turned upwards into a soft smile. He knew that to find the perfect ring that would adorn the pale fingers of Roxas he would have to design it himself. But with that ring he would prove to anyone that Roxas belonged to him and him only. Axel walked into the mansion and his eyes automatically sought out the eyes of Roxas, who stood by a grand piano while his father had moved to his office. Roxas cocked his head to the side and lowered his eyelids to half-mast.
'Took you long enough' Roxas commented.
'Yes, forgive me' Axel replied as he reached him.
Roxas smiled and Axel bent down and captured his lips in an electrifying kiss. Roxas moaned and backed into the piano. Roxas broke the kiss for air. His face was flushed and his body was tingling.
'I'll gladly await that ring' he panted.
Axel chuckled and nuzzled his neck and peppered it with kisses.
'I'll gladly give it to you'
'Perfect.'
At the edge of a town on top of a hill there was a great mansion where the head of Shinra Electric Power Company lived, together with his son. The son, Roxas, wore a simple yukata and sat on a bench staring with glittering eyes at a pond of lilies. Beside him sat a man with red hair and a black uniform, his name was Axel. Their hands were intertwined and in the inside pocket of Axel's jacket laid a box containing a ring. They first met by the pond of lilies and their new lives together would also begin there.
The End