A Summer Walk
A gift for ilyfromjess

I'd like to start by saying this fic is a gift to my friend Jess, featuring her character Relena (Larxene as a human). Her story which she's working on has Axel told to make someone he's fond of into a Nobody for the Org - a girl called Relena who he meets often in the park.
And enjoy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Axel/Lea, nor do I own Relena. They belong to their respective owners.

...

"Axel?"
"Hmm?"
Relena smiled softly. She still was trying to adjust to his name, the 'x' made it.. different. As she felt his bright eyes fall upon her, she bit her lip, her shyness kicking back in.
But he helped her not be so shy.
"Why do you.. look so different?"
He blinked, stopping midstride. "Different?"
"I mean.. your hair, the way you act.. It's all outgoing, noticeable," she twisted her fingers together nervously, ".. loud."

Axel grinned cheekily at her. "You're just too shy,"
Relena looked around the park, taking note of the amount of people who turned their heads to stare at the two; Axel's bright hair standing out against the soft colours of the summer day. She always felt small next to him, even now as she clutched her book to her chest and straightened her posture. His right hand was tucked into the front pocket of his hooded jacket, and he looked out at the scene before them. She felt a grin creep across her face, but before it could even make a dimple his eyes went back to her again.
"Is different bad?" His voice still had the playful hint to it, but his eyes looked at her with pure sincerity.
".. Not.. always. Not with you. Except for the fact that you wear a jacket in the summer~" Axel's face began to redden slightly, and Relena compared it to the shade of his hair. She was always comparing things, trying to sound like the imaginative authors of the books she read. She began to trail her eyes downwards before looking straight up towards her, blushing.

"Something bothering you?" She felt his hand touch her jaw lightly, sending nervous quivers up her body.
"Mmh, no." Realising he wasn't satisfied with just that, she looked to her feet. "I think.. I over think a lot. I describe things in my head.. sometimes I even think of myself in third person." She looked up at him, her eyes softening. It felt nice, telling someone these things without them judging.
"Describe something to me," Axel said.
"Oh.. um. Er.. What?"
"The weather." He smirked, and lightly nudged her with his free elbow. "Go on."
".. The sun fell on the trees that were scattered about the park - enough to provide fine scenery but somehow not enough for the birds which flew about. The river in the distance gleamed, visible even from such a length. It called to the more heated park visitors, promising a cool relief. But in the midst of the beauty walked two young.. erm.. people, one bright as day, the other dim as night."
"They needed no cool relief, only each other's company," Axel gently linked his fingers with Relena's, and gazed up at her. "You think you're dim?"
"..." She looked away. "Your turn. Describe a.. a person."
"I'm not very poetic," he said, mock ashamed.
"Do it," she tightened her hold of his hand for a brief moment. "Please." Her head was still turned away from him, and he stopped walking, tugging her back.

".. Her smile. It makes you feel as though she's proud of something special to her, and you want to be proud of her too. Golden hair barely brushing her shoulders often falls in the way of her eyes, which still shine even when she won't look at you, when she's off in her own world. She's young - too young to have grown so striking. Yes, even when she's submerged through to her ankles in a book, you can't help but notice her. And when you don't know her, you're missing out."

By now, Relena had shyly turned back, and inched closer to him. She knew his description was crude, as if he was looking straight at something rather than being creative and stepping back, imagining the more beautiful elements.
"Where'd you get that from? I can't see any striking looking women in the park," she joked weakly.
"Mmm. You wouldn't." She felt him tug at her once more, but why would he need her to stop again? She was close enough to him than was typically comfortable for her..
"Eh.. ?!" He pulled harder now, and she stopped, bumping against him. "What is it?" She looked up at him with curious eyes.

"I just.. don't want to walk any more."
"Why not?"
"Because then the walk will stop. But, I figure, maybe if I hold you," - he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest and causing her to drop her book - "Maybe you won't want to leave. And I'll be able to keep you here forever."
"We don't have forever," she mumbled. She rested her head against her chest, relaxing in the comfortable silence.
"Mmm. I might." He looked away, not to her notice, and a frown spread over his cheeky features.