Hahaha! Whoops! Forgot a disclaimer!
Roxas: Yeah, you're slacking...
Key: D= I try! Anyway! I don't own Kingdom hearts, and I didn't write this alone! Visit this LOVELY Axel's DA page! .com/
Please rate and comment! PLEEEAAASSEEEE? *bows deeply* Thank you! Oh, and if you don't like hardcore Akuroku, or Demyx bombing (I love the dude by the way) then please either keep the comments to yourself or just leave. Thanks!
Edit: I finally made it less cluttered! xD
Cold...It was cold...How? How was it cold? He wasn't... he couldn't... how? Resisting the urge to just lay there on the hard, cold ground in complete darkness, but he forced himself to move, putting black gloved hands on the cold ground and pushing himself into a sitting position. Slowly, glowing blue eyes opened at the world around him, blinking and shielding his face against the harsh light. Though... it wasn't that bright, it was just light. Why did it hurt? Almost expecting to see the pure white walls of Castle Oblivion, he sighed in disappointment, if only it was that easy. He had no clue where he was... taking a step forward, he frowned as he realized that there were no birds flying at his feet, not the Stain glass dream thing... Though that would've made life even easier... was that disappointment? Fake he reminded himself, flexing his hands to make sure this was really... real. Forcing himself to his feet and stumbling to regain balance, looking around in this night covered world. No one was around, there was no rain, no sun, and it just was. He was shaking slightly; the air was just as cold as the ground. "Hello...?" The voice came from his own mouth before he could stop it. Something was slamming into his rib cage hard, again and again and again. Fumbling, he put a gloved hand over it, those blue eyes widening in both shock and fear, with those... emotions... the beating increased in speed. It was impossible...A heart...
"HEY!" The blonde called out, still unable to see anyone around him. Maybe... maybe it wasn't real? Some weird dream he was having, or Sora was having... no... it had to be real. The fact he had a splitting headache made it too real. That's when the memories returned. Sora. He had returned to Sora, they became whole again... He remembered... going to the Islands, seeing through Sora's eyes, then nothing. There was nothing. So many questions, none of them being answered by just standing in place. Unsteadily, a hand running through his disarray of blonde hair, he began to stumble forward, taking one unsteady step after another. Why was it so hard to move now? It wasn't as if something as minor as a heart could throw him off balance so much. If Axel saw him right now... Axel! He stopped walking, remembering that the Fury of Dancing flames was dead, or had faded... or whatever it was called when a Nobody died. "So this is the next life..." Roxas muttered, staring up at the dark sky with little interest, the only curiosity he had for this place was finding out where he was. If this was the next life he wanted to go back to not being there at all. It was kinda boring here. The Key of Destiny pulled the hood of the back of the black coat over his head, engulfing his face in shadow, though somehow he could still see, strands of his sloppy hair sticking out of the hood. Maybe... Diz did this? Or Vexen... He was always experimenting on people's hearts... but the Chilly Academic was dead before Roxas joined the Organization.
Where? Where did he go now? If he returned, he was most likely going to be killed by the other members. Were they alive again too? That was something to worry about if they were still there. He had to warn someone... though if he just popped in front of someone through a dark portal dressed in the organization's coat, that'll be pretty hard to explain to them... But to who... that was the hard part. He didn't even know what world he was in! That's when a familiar post came out of nowhere, staring up at the very much changed castle.
Hollow Bastion. What happened here? It... looked better. Smiling slightly at how much this place was starting to come together. He frowned after a moment, the name was wrong he remembered after a few seconds of blank staring. Radiant Garden... that was it. Though, where he was standing there were no gardens... and it wasn't very radiant... Sighing, he held out an arm, calling out the darkness with more trouble than usual, the portal was small and wavering, blinking in and out of focus before disappearing. Roxas frowned at it, thrusting out his arm again. The darkness' hold on him was weakened, that was going to be a problem later on. Sighing in defeat about being left human, he jammed his hands in his pockets, the chains attached to the cloak swaying with every step he took. Almost tempted to summon either Oathkeeper or Oblivion to him for a crutch, he dismissed the idea. The heartless seeked the light from the keyblade, and now that he had a heart it made him a far larger target for them.
Sighing, he had no choice but to either move forward towards the town, or backwards towards the heartless scarred battleground. Making up his mind, he began to walk.
"Darkness, just darkness. It's surrounding me and my non-existent heart..."
Those were the last thoughts of Axel...
Darkness was everywhere, where was he? Axel tried to feel for a wall, but there were none.
Suddenly there was a bright light. Axel's eyes felt like they were on fire, he did like the fire but this was too much for him, the light was almost blinding!
The light dimmed down, he then looked in amazement to see that he was in space. He looked for the source of the blinding light, looking to his direct left, he saw a small star. Its light was dimming... But there were other stars, many of them going on for miles away.
He thought to himself. "Am I stuck here?"
His answer was granted when he heard a voice. "No, of course not. I am going to help you Axel."
He looked at a figure that was coming closer to him; it was wearing the Organization coat.
"Roxas? Is that you my friend?"
"No, I'm afraid not. I'm only a memory. I'm hear to say that you've been given a second chance."
Axel frowned. "Why? WHY ME?" He almost yelled.
The Roxas impersonator withdrew a brown bag, and put his hand into it. He was holding a sand-like substance. The throwing it at Axel.
Red flames engulfed Axel, licking at his skins. "NO! LEMMIE GO!" He yelled over the fire. Darkness soon engulfed him again.
Cool air... A hard ground. A tall man opened his eyes. "Huh?" He said as he rubbed them, taking in the sites. It was dark out, but not as dark as where he was before, "Where am I?" He said to himself. "Who am I? Most of all?" He looked down at himself. He was wearing dark jeans, a bottle green top and black combat boots. He looked around, he saw a figure quite near by, and he didn't know whether or not to go to them...
Glancing up after what seemed like years of walking in a very curved line, the cloaked figure half gasped at the sight before him. The head of spikes were unmistakable, even in the rapidly falling darkness. But... he wasn't there a second ago... "Axel!" Stopping himself from running over to his friend, though that's what his new heart commanded, he made himself think it through. Axel had faded... he saw that in Sora's memories that his friend was gone. Why was he here now...? Did it really matter? Still, best approach with caution. Seeing as he was still dizzy and the ground was spinning as if taunting him, the blonde slowly approached, trying to keep himself from falling over to the ground. Roxas' heart beating faster as he could tell from the closer distance that the spikes were the same vibrant red, he could even scarcely make out the dark tattoos under his eyes. "It is you..." He muttered, half in relief... what was the other half? Curiosity? Seemed to be the only word that fit it. He was curious as to why Axel was actually here now. Unable to keep himself from smiling under the darkness of his hood, the blonde waited for Axel to make a sarcastic remark, or joke around; not knowing the fate that had befallen him.
His bright green eyes seemed to glow in the dark light, but yet they were filled with worry and confusion. Those eyes looked at the cloaked figure, it seemed absurd. But he felt like he had seen him before, but yet felt uneasy. He ran his hands though his spiked flaming red hair...
He felt lost and confused, not knowing what to do. But he stepped forward, whilst reaching his hand to the figure. "I'm sorry to bother you... But where am I?" He questioned the mysterious cloaked figure.
Lowering his hood to his shoulders, the pale blond looked up at Axel, now confused. The wave of dizziness that overtook him made him close his eyes before looking up at him. "What are you talking about? You've been here bef-" He stopped when he realized that the old flurry of flames was holding a hand out to him... like they were strangers... light blue eyes widened as he tried to jokingly swat Axel's hand away, keeping the light smile over his face. This was probably his joke... "Radiant Gardens! Don't you remember? You've been to this world a lot more then I have!" How could he forget? Roxas even remembered the red-head had came many times before, through Sora's memories of course.
He watched as the figure lowered his dark hood, then a face appeared, it was of a maybe sixteen year old. He was quite handsome, with blond short spiked hair and blue sea eyes. He flinched when the blond swatted at his hand, then lowering his hand back to his side again. "Radiant Garden, you say?" He paused. "It looks nothing like a garden if you ask me... But I don't know what your talking about." He shook his head, and as he did so his flaming red hair swayed with him. And his green eyes bore into the teens.
"What are you talking about Axel...?" The smile was slowly fading as the reality slowly began to dawn on him. Axel... just didn't seem to... the blonde's heart was starting to hammer loudly into his chest, he didn't like that feeling. Looking up at his friend, he grabbed him by his shirt collar, having to reach up and drag the taller male so he could bring him down to his level. "What's my name! Tell me you remember my name!" He almost expected Axel to push him away, laugh it off and tell him to bugger off. Something about him was different... what was it?
He froze, what had the young male just called him? He felt himself being dragged down to the boy's level. He looked into the young lads eyes. They were studying him, as if looking for something...
"I'm sorry... I-I D-don't remember... Not anything..." He sighed. "Do you know me?" He asked hopefully, as his eyes looked at the blond as if a spark had gone off.
It kept all his willpower not to cry out, not to attack the older male with everything he had. How could he forget everything? So easily... "So you really don't remember..." Roxas muttered, putting a forced smile on his face. "Turning the tables around. We were... best friends..." He said slowly, trying to bring back a memory at least. "You don't remember a thing... nothing at all?" He asked; letting go of his shirt and letting his head sink. Now he was certain... he didn't like this next life...
His mind froze, his eyes closed. A memory... Like on a TV screen flickering and buzzing.
"Got it memorized?"
"Roxas, alright. Fight, fight, fight!" "I know why the sun sets red."
"You really don't remember..."
His eyes shot open, and his head hurt. He clasped his head in both hands. "Ahhh!" He fell to his knee's. His head felt like it was on fire. Everything about him felt like it was on fire. "SORA!" He yelled.
"Axel!" Dropping to his knees and putting both hands on his shoulders and trying to calm him down. The flames were back... he could feel the same burning heat as when they were in the organization together. Freezing at the name of his other. Without realizing it, he was angry that Sora was remembered first... why? Why was it always him! "No... I'm not Sora..." He muttered sadly.
At least he could remember that much...
"R-R?" He tried to get the name out, he tried hard as he could but his throat would not allow him to spit out the words. "Rox..." His head was burning. "I... I-g-got it..." He tried to say... He reached out his hand for Roxas.
Smiling now, the blonde let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. "Took you long enough..." He muttered, letting Axel take his hand as he let his head fall onto the red-head's warm shoulder, unable to stop the thoughts from taking over his mind. What would've happened if he hadn't remembered? What if his name never came? "Don't hurt yourself too much." he muttered into Axel's chest, trying to calm his annoyance of a heart down. "Memories hurt..."
"Yes... They do hurt... I never got to say goodbye to you..." He gasped as he took Roxas's hand, it was like a memory finally back to its owner. And his other arm wrapped around Roxas. He felt a beating of a heart inside Roxas...
"No point in that now, is there?" the blonde smiled slightly, not moving his head from his shoulder. "We're together now... that's all that counts, right?" He asked slowly, feeling Axel's arm holding him and taking his hand away from Axel, only to have both arms go around his neck tightly, as if holding onto something that could vanish. "Don't leave me again."
Axel closed his emerald eye's. "I wont leave you ever again. I promise..." He sighed into his ear.
There was a beating coming out of Roxas's chest... Thump... Thump... Thump. A heart? He opened at his eye's and frowned. Sitting up so he could looking to Roxas's eyes, he slowly put his hand on to Roxas's chest. "A heart?" He questioned.
Roxas suppressed a shiver as the warm breath ran over his ear, but Axel drew him back right as he was beginning to enjoy the contact. Lowering his head in something that resembled guilt, the blonde shrugged. "It's annoying actually..." He couldn't understand why the rest of the nobodies wanted one so badly now that it was there. He just felt weak... not stronger, and more incomplete then before. Like the endless chain of real emotions would end up killing him.
"Don't feel bad about it! I just don't understand why your annoyed about it!"
Axel smiled as he still had his hand over Roxas's heart, and was also looking into those blue eyes. He liked looking into them, he liked Roxas, and it made him feel like he was somebody.
Axel felt maybe if he had a heart, he'd know what love really felt like, he knew what it was. But couldn't feel it. It was like he was acting on false emotions. He still was a Nobody. Roxas was a Somebody.
Placing his hand over Axel's, the blonde sighed slightly, looking up into the red-head eyes. Had they always been that green? "You'll get it..." He said, there still had to be a way for him to have his own heart... wasn't there? There had to be a way... But now... he knew exactly what Axel had been talking about. He knew all the emotions... not by name, but they were there.
Looking up at the dark sky, he sighed slightly under his breath, trying to climb to his feet and pull Axel up with him. "We can't stay here..." He muttered, trying to keep his balance, having to bite his lip to keep from falling over.
Nodding as Roxas pulled Axel to his feet. "Your right..." He sighed. "But where to go?" He said into the night sky. It was a nice evening; the stars were out shining like a thousand suns. He saw Roxas look into the sky and he saw the stars reflected in his eyes.
Axel noted that Roxas seemed unstable; he wrapped his arm around his waist to support him. "Roxas... Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.
Thinking over Axel's question for several moments, he was drawing a blank. They couldn't just waltz into town... well, Axel probably could without the coat, but he couldn't, and there was no where but the old castle, and who knew how stable that place was. "Don't know that one." The blonde admitted, gratefully leaning into Axel's support.
"Dizzy... that's all..." Roxas glanced at his friend before offering a small smile to say he was fine, although the ground wouldn't sit still...
Frowning at the given answer. "We can't just stay here! Not with your heart!" He joked, as he mussed up Roxas's hair. "Why you so dizzy? Has something happened?" He asked worriedly, as he started to walk.
"Hey!" Roxas scowled as Axel messed with his hair, but didn't do anything further about it. Except perhaps to gently tug on one of the taller male's spikes, he had to reach up in order to do so. He knew that they couldn't stay there and nodded in agreement, following beside Axel as he started walking. Had anything happened?
"I dunno..." He answered dumbly, unable to remember anything after fading into Sora, and before waking up here with a splitting headache.
Axel laughed when Roxas attempted to reach up to pull on his hair. "Midget..." He laughed under his breath, but then his smile fading, looking at the blond. "I wonder what has happened... To everyone?" He bit his lip.
As the continued to walk, but he stopped when they came to an alleyway.
The smile from joking around slowly faded and Roxas lowered his gaze, staring at the ground. "I... I dunno...I know that Sora defeated most of them..." Even if there were some members left, they couldn't return to the organization, not after Axel had practically betrayed them and Roxas... well... his was a small step above betrayal.
Looking to where Axel had stopped as if had been stuck in a day dream the entire time, he raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"
"It's quiet... Almost to quiet..." He said in an almost whisper. Looking around the alleyway that seemed almost to dark.
"Roxas... Can you still call the Keyblade?" He then said quickly looking at Roxas.
"I'm not completely useless..." The blonde hesitated a moment before holding out his hand, having to call out to the blade with a little more force than usual, it appearing in a bright flash of white that cut through the darkness. Holding the silver key tightly in his hand, Roxas slowly edged forward towards the alleyway before looking back, as if making sure Axel was going to follow him.
"I know your not, you midget!" He joked nervously. Axel nodded to Roxas to say that he would follow him. He took a breath and called to his beloved chakrams, which appeared in a burst of fire, which brought a small amount of heat for a little bit. Axel smiled mischievously at them; it was like an old friend back. The heat of the chakrams warmed up his hands, which felt like life.
"Not a midget..." Roxas huffed loudly, feeling the warmth from the flames cut through his dark coat. Rolling his eyes at Axel's smile to his weapons, he slowly wandered into the alleyway.
"What did you see down here anyway...?" He asked, he could feel the darkness around him calling out to the keyblade, but he couldn't feel anything more then that.
He frowned into the darkness, he felt angry. "I feel a strange power of darkness... Its too dark!" He gritted his teeth. Axel flicked at his chakrams to set them alight, but it didn't work. "What?" He said confused under his breath.
Looking back at Axel, Roxas couldn't tell if he wanted to laugh at his friend's misfortune, or to freak out. He ended up doing neither and blinking at him before turning to his own keyblade and
swinging it experimentally at the darkness, feeling the resistance as thick as water.
Without a word, he began to walk into the shadows, all but disappearing into it. "It's really dark in here..." He called back in an attempt to ease the growing pit of fear that clenched at his chest.
Axel nodded, whilst gripping his weapon; even though it wouldn't alight he could still use it. He thought of the damage that could cause and smirked.
"Roxas? Do you see anything?" Axel replied while trying to make out his friend.
"No. I see the key, that's about it." Roxas called, jumping almost a foot in the air as he heard a hiss. "Heartless." He muttered, not as impressed as a normal person, having fought the heartless for the majority of his existence.
Swinging the keyblade at the little being, he jumped as the keyblade went through it, but no damage. "Too weak..." He muttered, turning on his heal and half bolting out of the alleyway.
He nodded bluntly at Roxas's reply. Looking at his direct left he noticed movement and readied his chakrams. A Heartless, swinging around the chakrams like a boomerang and aimed at the creature which was quickly annihilated, and then catching the chakrams which spun back around to the owner.
Axel looked up to see that Roxas was running off. "Hey! Wait up, what's the rush?" He called to him. And Axel ran towards him.
Skidding to a stop, the blonde had to resist the urge to toss the keyblade to the ground and forget about it; instead he gripped the weapon tightly and looked up to Axel, trying to smile. "Guess I am useless after all." It was an honest attempt at joking on his half, though his gaze went straight back to the dark alleyway. "It almost felt... like someone was in there..."
Axel smirked at him. "Your not worthless! Your just little blonde midget." He laughed then playfully hitting him around the head. His laughed faded when he saw Roxas look back at the dark alleyway. "What do you see?" He questioned his friend.
Stopping mid-complaint to rub his head, staring back at Axel with a slight pout on his face. Looking back into the darkness again, he shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno... I thought I saw-" he stopped as a tall, slender figure slowly took shape in the darkness, stopping right where the darkness covered him.
"Roxas~ Axel~!" It called out after a moment, running out of the darkness and half jumping on the two of them. He was a blond, his hair in an 80's style mullet while wearing blue jeans and a light blue shirt, his face in a giant grin as he looked them both up and down.
Roxas blinked at the now clinging to Axel blonde before looking back at the darkness. He hadn't been there a second ago...
Axel raised his chakrams when he heard his name being called out, and saw a figure appear out of the darkness, his eye's widened when the figure jumped up. Axel dropped his Chakrams to the floor when Demyx jumped on to his torso.
Axel's mouth dropped open, like a fish. "Whaaa? Dem. Dem? Is that really you?" He said surprised.
"One and only~!" Demyx grinned, trading hugging Axel to giving Roxas a very rough head noogie, the smaller blonde huffing loudly; once again giving up on trying to fix his hair and instead trying to regain balance after almost being knocked over.
"Man, I thought I'd NEVER find people here!" Demyx continued to grin before finally noticing the weapons he'd knocked out of Axel's hands and Roxas' keyblade. "Whatcha two up to anywho?"
Roxas simply shrugged, looking at Axel with raised eyebrows and huffing. He and Dem weren't the best of friends due to several occurrences on missions where he was stuck with the work while Dem played the sitar off in a corner.
"I was about to ask you the same question." Axel said coolly, whilst he picked up his chakrams and Roxas's keyblade and passed it back to him. He then crossed his arms.
Grabbing his keyblade gratefully from Axel, the small blonde let it vanish in a bright flash of light, seeing as it was useless at the moment anyway.
Noticing the ill intent directed towards him, Demyx took a half a step back and waved his hands quickly. "Nah, nah, nah! Don't worry dudes! I'm here cause I feel like it! I'm not with the org anymore!"
He continued to grin as he held out both hands to show he was unarmed, not like he could hide that giant Sitar anyway. "Really, would they re-recruit a weakling like me?" He asked.
Roxas looked up at Axel with a small smirk and shrugged, "He has a point..."
"Humm..." Axel thought, then looking at Roxas who was smirking at him. Axel couldn't help but smile. Axel then looked back at Demyx. "So what's happened to them?" He questioned to Demyx.
Demyx shrugged his shoulders, putting his hands into his back pockets. "I dunno. Poof, off the radar. haven't heard from them." Not in the least offended by them not trusting him at first. He'd do the same... nah, he wouldn't.
Roxas crossed his arms, shifting his position as he struggled with the decision of trusting the nobody again.
Axel leaned against the wall; it was cool against his body. "Aren't you meant to be dead?" Asked Axel, who looked at Demyx then at Roxas. He doubted that Demyx knew about Roxas's new organ.
"Thought I was..." Demyx said, looking down at himself as if seeing he was intact for the first time. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, the blonde offered a sheepish smile to Axel; "Then again, weren't you?" He then paused, grabbing his head, "Don't tell me I was the only one defeated by the key boy?"
Roxas held back his laughter and shook his head. "No, Sora got everyone." He then looked to Axel, raising an eyebrow as if wondering how HE got there.
Axel grinned at first but then it disappeared. It seemed he was holding something back, but then coughing then acted serious. he said. "He didn't... I kinda killed myself... I let him go." Then leaning again the wall, staring up into the dark night sky. Thinking to himself, he wondered if any other the other Nobody's survived, if Demyx and himself were, surely the others were?
Roxas blinked up at Axel, as if seeing him with horns or something. "You did what?"
Demyx only blinked before laughing, covering his mouth. "You let the kid go? Whatcha do that for?" the keyblade wielder present shot a look at the elder blond, telling him to be quiet. He and Sora have may not been on the best terms, but in a way Roxas grew to respect him.
Axel frowned at Demyx, and then looking at Roxas again. "I dunno, it's just he reminds me of you Roxas... Then again you are his Nobody..." He smiled and ruffled his hair.
Roxas huffed, looking up to Axel with a look that plainly stated: Do that again I'm going to pass out.
Demyx looked like he was attempting to think out what Axel said, "So... wait... Sora reminds you of Roxas, Sora technically existed first so that Roxas would remind you of him, but you met Rox first... ah my head..."
Axel smirked and let a little laugh out. Demyx and his little mind, who seemed couldn't think of 'big' idea's. "Don't think to hard. You don't want your head to explode." Axel said to the mohawk lover.
"Anyways we can't say here! With Roxas in his current situation we are most likely to be attacked!" He stated.
"Too late." Demyx griped, holding onto his head as he let it fall limply to his shoulder, and then perking up slightly in interest. "Situation... Wha...?" But he jumped up at the prospect of being attacked, still the same Dem... "Right! Um... This way, I've been staying at an inn last couple of days. Amazing how no one recognizes you out of uniform."
That may have been a silent hint to Roxas, who sighed and slowly took off his gloves and coat, throwing them into the dark alleyway, leaving him in the plain black sleeveless top with the shiriken zipper. He subconsciously stuck closer to Axel, the air slowly becoming colder as winter approached the world.
Axel nodded, and followed Demyx down the dark alleyway. He sighed and his breath came out as mist, due to the cold weather. He noticed that Roxas was pretty close to him. He had taken off his coat that allowed him to pass though the Corridors of Darkness unharmed.
Axel stared at his pale, creamy arms and nearly let a breath escapes, but caught it in time. He looked away almost embarrassed. Finally they reached a lit area with lampposts. "Where now Dem?" He inquired.
"Just follow me!" Demyx called back with a wide grin, "I've been staying at this old place for about a week, I know the way."
Roxas smiled slightly and shook his head. "Says the one who gets lost in the castle..." He stopped once he realized Axel had been looking at him and stopped, raising an eyebrow curiously. "What...?"
If Axel could blush, that's what he would be doing right now. Grinning Axel replied "Nothing!" Then looking at Demyx and back at Roxas, touching his arm he clasped it. It felt so cold in his hand, he shivered. Then snapping out of it he then dragged him to follow Demyx. "Come on slow poke!" Axel laughed.
Noting Axel shiver, the blonde lowered his head slowly, before jerking it up as he was dragged after Demyx by Axel, stumbling the first couple of steps. "Are you trying to kill me?" He asked slowly.
Demyx glanced back momentarily at them before putting his hands into his back pockets and whistling towards the blackened sky, stopping suddenly and doing a robotic like turn outside an old, run down motel that looked as if the owners just up and left everything there. "Heat don't work, but it has rooms." Dem smiled over at them before opening the door with a slight sarcastic bow for the two to go first.
Axel raised his eyebrows. "This" He paused "This is where your staying?" He mocked. Looking at the derelict motel. "Ahh well I guess this will have to do... At least I can sort out the heating problem." He muttered.
He still had held of Roxas's arm, it was cool in his warm hand. "After you Roxas." He said with a warm smile.
"Hey! Better then nothing." Demyx huffed, leaning against the open door but misjudging the light weight of the hinge, falling backwards and landing on the ground, the wooden door hitting the back of his head as it tried swinging shut. "Ow..." He swore several times to himself.
Roxas laughed quietly before smiling up at Axel, not taking his arm away and instead slipping his hand into the red-heads, walking inside the worn out lobby.
"Least the ceiling hasn't fallen..."
"Still the same Demyx, I see?" He falsely laughed. Axel froze when Roxas held his hand, and could see out of the corner of his eye he saw Roxas smiling up at him.
He smiled, but did not look down. No one knew he was gay, his other wasn't strangely enough.
He looked around and saw the lobby was nearly destroyed, tables and chairs over turned, blue wall paper had rips and tears in them as if a heartless had done it.
"Y'know that really hurt." Demyx laughed quietly, climbing to his feet and following after them only moments before slipping ahead, more interested in getting inside than noting that the two others were holding hands. "Grab a key, found a room. No worries bout the black critters, I got most of them." He chimed back, heading up the stairs two at a time. "Room numero NINE if you need me!"
Roxas glanced back up at Axel a moment more, silently deciding that the red-head disliked the motion and removed his hand, moving slowly over to where the teller would've stayed. "Where're the keys...?" He muttered, finding only a couple still on their rings.
Axel looked saddened when Roxas withdrew his hand, feeling more emptier that usual. He looked down at his empty hand, symbolizing his non existing heart. He heard Demyx leave but didn't watch him go. He frowned then looked back at Roxas.
"Roxas?" Axel asked hopefully.
After finally finding and snagging a key, the blonde turned and looked back over at Axel, feeling chilled without the red-head's warmth. Seeing Axel frowning made the blonde blink and look towards the ground. Had he done something wrong again? Finally building up the courage to look the red-head in the eyes and offer a small smile. "What?
Axel looked away from the blond, walking over to the front desk slowly and taking a key out of the cupboard.
He thought to himself. 'I like him... But I'm not meant to have emotions... Gaah!' He screwed up his face, then clenching his fists in to a ball until his nails and the key dug in to his hands cutting the soft flesh. 'I'm just scarred... Of rejection.' Looking back at Roxas and gave him a false smile. "It's nothing!" He said then waved his hand, and dropped his face. "I'll be in room eight if you need me...
What was he doing wrong? Axel was acting like... Finally sighing, Roxas crept forward slowly, letting his head drop again on Axel's chest, holding his own key tightly in his hand. "I thought I told you not to leave me again." He muttered, feeling his face get warm and no doubt red.
Would he be rejected? Would he be pushed away... but he had to try...
The strain on his heart wouldn't go away.
Axel sighed and closed his eyes slowly, as Roxas lead on to his chest. He dropped his own key and embraced Roxas in to his arms. He slowly leant down until his head was on the other male's head. He took a deep breath of Roxas's scent, and let it back out again.
"Roxas... I have a confession to make... I don't know how your going to take it though..." He whispered in to his ear.
Blue eyes flickered shut as warm arms wrapped around him, finding himself leaning into the touch, wrapping his own arms as best he could around Axel's own body. "I want to hear it..." His heart started beating faster again, but this time he kinda liked it. Still holding tightly onto his key to the point his knuckles were turning white. Please let it be the same confession he had to make...
Axel's mouth went dry. He was about to confess it...
"I-I..." Why did he feel so nervous? Taking a deep breath and then breathing out. He let go of Roxas and cupped his chin, so he could look into those blue eye's when he said it. "I think I've fallen for you." He muttered.
He had thought for the longest time that he'd loved Naminé... but realized that she was cold to him, fretting more over things to come more then what was going on around her. After she had returned to Kairi... he lost all feeling for her. Seeing Axel again brought that feeling back, but not to her. Reaching up, he placed his cold hand against the red-head's warm face, trying to smile up at him. Something told him to run, but he wouldn't. "And I you..."
He froze all over for a spilt second. Roxas has returned his feelings back! He felt as if he had emotions inside him swimming free!
Axel smiled, a true smile, whilst looking at the blond. "I've always said you've made me feel like I've had a heart... I truly like you." He smiled, and taking Roxas' hand away from his face and held his hand, and didn't want to let go.
At that, he could feel his face light up again, unsure as how to respond. He knew Axel had said that through Sora's memories, but now... he heard it for the first time... and was stuck. All he could do was smile up at him dully. "I... I know what love is now Axel..." He started, reviving the old conversation from on top the twilight tower. The red-head was first to say he didn't know what it was, leaving him with so many questions. But that emotion must be why his heart was beating so fast.
Axel looked at Roxas full of hope. "Really? Care to explain?" He said softly as he placed his hand over the other male's chest. Looking at those beautiful blue crystal eye's. With his other hand he placed on Roxas's toned arm. Remember when he first join he didn't have much strength, but being in the Organization soon build him up.
How to explain it... there was no way to define how it actually felt. He just ended standing still for several moments, trying to figure it out before smiling and shaking his head. "I can't explain it right..." He muttered, slowly creeping closer to Axel, taking in all the details of his face, letting his fingers trace the dark tattoos under his eyes and letting his other hand fall on his side.
Axel watched in silence as Roxas reached out to his face, and gasped when he traced his upside-down tear tattoos, with his fingers. He was mesmerized by the pure sight of it. He watched as Roxas dropped his other hand, but he reached out and took hold of it. Axel whispered to Roxas "Then show me."
His face remained that blushing red as he contemplated the many ways to go about showing him. As if drawn in to the fire like a curious child, Roxas shyly grabbed onto Axel's shirt, having to stand on his toes has he dragged the taller man to his height, a lot less shyly but still gently pressing his lips to the red-head's. Man, he hated being short... There it was, he broke the wall. Whether Axel accepted him now or not, there was no turning back.
Axel's eyes widened when Roxas pulled him to closer to him.
He watched as Roxas' face came closer to himself and finally his cool lips fell on to own warm ones... He closed his eyes and accepted the kiss, and kissed him back then drew him closer.
Letting out a muffled yelp of surprise being pulled closer, Roxas just accepted it and closed his eyes. His heart beating against the chest of someone who didn't have one felt odd, and the warmth cutting through him made him shiver. Gently, he nipped at Axel's lips, as if begging for more. The key still in his hand sliced at his skin, forming droplets of blood that fell to the hardwood floor.
Axel's breathing deepened, he enjoyed the way Roxas seemed to form against his body. He kissed him back, enjoying the taste of the blond. "Roxas." He sighed. Axel felt a banging against him 'Bump, bump, ba-dump.' It was Roxas's heart, beating faster. He didn't understand why, he thought something was wrong. His green eye's opened when his lip was bitten he pulled away.
He was confused to why Roxas bit his lip, did he do something wrong? Or was that something he wouldn't understand? He just smiled and took his hand that had the key in, but felt dampness. The spikey auburn hair male frowned when he saw blood. But took the hand to his mouth and planted a sweet kiss.
As Axel broke away, the blond all but stumbled back half a step, this did not help his dizziness in the least... He kept his head down at first, his face a bright red and almost positive he over did it. Only becoming redder as Axel kissed his hand, ashamed of himself for letting a key, of all things, injure him. "Tired..." He muttered, using that as an excuse to lay down and try to thwart the spinning.
His eye's widened as Roxas stumbled over. "Roxas? D-Do you want to carry you?" He said slightly embarrassed, then prying the key away from the other male.
And he cautiously put one arm around his shoulder.
Blushing every color imaginable, the blond slowly, nodded, having his weight supported by a table and Axel's arm. He didn't have to say anything he hoped, leaning into the touch and closing his eyes, the heat coming from the elder male made him only dizzier, finding it even harder to stand then before.
Axel chuckled. Slowly putting his arm under Roxas's back, then the other under his legs, gently lifting him into the air. He was surprised how light he was! The blond always acted so strong before, but he never realized how thin and fragile he actually was. He hummed to himself, and then asked Roxas quietly. "Maybe we should get some ice. To stop the dizziness... Should we go to Demyx?"
Wrapping his arms around Axel's neck and hiding his face in the spikes of red hair, the blond frowned slightly. "No... don't get Dem... I... I just need to lay down... I'll be fine, I promise." The heat was almost intoxicating; it drowned out all of Axel's scent... or was that his scent? The smell of fire...
Axel smiled. "Okay no Dem-Dem. Which way?" He asked Roxas softly, whilst cradling him to his chest, he felt so cool next to his heat. He looked almost like a small child in his arms, it made him smile more.
Trying to remember which key he grabbed, he pointed to a hallway up the stairs. "Twelve... I think..." Roxas muttered, the blush not leaving his face. Axel was the one with the key... The heat was making it harder to think... but he needed it. So cold... He couldn't tell if it was because he didn't have his coat or because he was afraid... but afraid of what?
Axel nodded. "Okay twelve it is..." He replied. The looked at the steps which looked pretty much damaged, he'd have to go slowly. He held Roxas's closer as he worked his way up to the steps carefully up the steps, so he wouldn't drop him. Axel was thankful he was able to carry Roxas's with no trouble. Finally reaching the next level, he saw a sign that read in italics 'Six-Twelve.' He nodded to himself. He carried on walking thought the corridor, looking left and right until he finally spotted number 'Twelve'. "We're here." He told the blond.
Squeezing his eyes shut as he was carried up the stairs, Roxas didn't way anything in response, more afraid of being dropped than anything. Finally, after what felt like only seconds, he opened a single eye to see the number twelve right in front of him. "Already...?" He muttered, trying to slip out of Axel's grip, but the moment he was on the ground he wished he hadn't, practically falling back wards into the red-head again.
He let Roxas out of his grip, but seeing as he fell back on to him again. He chuckled "Here lemme open this." Then putting the key that was already in his hand into the lock and attempted to open it. It didn't open. Axel screwed up his face. Letting go of Roxas for a second so he could force it open, he slammed into the door using his shoulder, it opened in a second. He was thankful he didn't fall over. Smiling he wrapped an arm around the blond.
Sighing in defeat, the blonde stood back as Axel opened the door, unable to stop from laughing. "What did it do to you, meanie." He joked, leaning into the touch again unsure he wanted to try and move on his own. Glancing up at the red-head, his face turned a shade redder as he looked at the full sized bed and otherwise furniture empty room. "Help...?" He muttered, seeing as he had nothing to help him get across the room.
"It wouldn't be a good door and open! Sometimes you just gotta use force!" He smirked.
Yawning and stretching his arms. He nodded to Roxas.
"Okay" He said as he picked Roxas up slowly in a bridal style and carried him to the bed.
When he finally reached the bed, slowly placed Roxas down on to the soft bedding. He hesitantly planted a kiss on Roxas's cool forehead. Then coughed nervously, and turned around to leave.
Laughing quietly at Axel, it turned to a gasp as he was picked up again. That wasn't exactly what he meant... but it worked. Feeling warm lips on his forehead, he smiled softly before grabbing at his arm. "Stay..." He muttered, face lighting up again, looking at the bed instead of at the red-head. "Please..."
He was about to leave when he felt a cool hand touch his arm he turned around facing Roxas. Axel felt his cheeks burn at the request.
Nodding he walked back over to the bed and sat down next to Roxas.
He smiled sweetly at the blond. "Better now?"
Moving slowly so he could prop himself up on the bed, the blond hesitated a split moment before reaching over and gently brushing a strand of Axel's hair out of his face before kissing him on his jaw-line. "Maybe." He muttered, smiling up at the red-head. He just couldn't believe that... He was here... they both were here.
His breathing was getting shallower, he slowly cupped Roxas's cheek and closed his eyes then kissed his pale lips, while his arm wrapped around his waist to pull him closer.
God how he love him, he made him feel like he was someone and not a no-one.
Without the smallest amount of hesitation, Roxas kissed the red-head back, feeling himself being pulled forward, starting to find it hard to breath himself as he was practically in Axel's lap while his hands ran through firey red spikes. A thought struck him for a split second: How far were they going to take this?
Axel loved the feeling of Roxas on his lap, it felt just right. His hands entwined into the blond locks of hair, he let out a small gasp. He needed air, and stopped and looked at Roxas.
"What's wrong?" He asked huskily as his fingers traced the younger males face.
Finally able to breathe again, Roxas rested his forehead against Axel's own, thinking how feverish it felt against how cold he was. Blushing slightly at the red-head's fingers, he tried to find the words he'd thought earlier. "H-how far...?" That's all he could manage, feeling insane light headed as if he'd fall over and pass out right there.
Axel chuckled whilst brushing away a few strands of hair out for Roxas's face, and then kissing his cool temple. He laid down stretching his arms, swinging one of them around Roxas and using that hand to rub his back. "What do you mean?" He asked slowly as he rubbed Roxas's back. .
Why was it so hard to put it in words? Being pulled back down to the bed and pressing his body against Axel's own, as if trying to steal whatever warmth he was willing to give. "How... How far are we going to take this...?" Roxas asked slowly, trying to focus through the warm circles being drawn on his back, resting his own head against Axel's chest to try and hide the blush as heat.
His breathing deepened, the closeness of the two of them intoxicated him.
Noticing that Roxas was cold he took hold of the duvet and wrapped it around them both, and then put both of his arms around the younger male. Axel listened to the male's question, two pink patches formed around his cheeks.
Coughing he replied. "Urm..." He gulped. "I'm new to this... I wanna take things slowly."
Sighing quietly in relief, the blond slowly reached up and kissed the red-head right on one of his tattoos, laying his head back on his collar bone with a small nod. He was probably newer to this then
Axel was, but he had memories to fall back on, even though they weren't his own. Finally feeling the heat engulfing him, he let his eyes close as he breathed in the red-head. "Thank you... for staying..." He muttered, slightly muffled into Axel's neck.
Smiling to himself, then sitting up and laid Roxas on the other side of the bed carefully. It was as if he was on fire, too hot. He quickly discarded his bottle green top and threw it to the side, it fell to the floor softly. Axel sighed, looking at the boy that lay next to him, he snuggled back down into the duvet and hugged Roxas.
Squeaking quietly at getting moved, the blond quickly huddled back up against Axel, noticing after a fraction of a second that he didn't have a shirt on. Trying to hide his blush, Roxas slowly let his fingers trace the outline of his slender chest before being tugged back into an embrace. Hearing the red-head sigh, he glanced up at him, offering a small smile. "Love you..."
As cool fingers traced his chest, he let a small moan but bit his lip to suppress it.
He smiled meekly, then kissing the top of Roxas's head. "I too". He replied. It was hard to say it, because he didn't understand it that well.
Taking his statement to be an affirmation, Roxas tried closing his eyes to fall asleep, but the hammering in his chest couldn't stop. He supposed that was supposed to be a good thing it didn't, but at the same time how was he supposed to deal with the constant hammering? Opening and shutting his hand several times, as if making sure it was really him laying there, trying to make the heat coming from Axel lure him to sleep.
He couldn't help but wonder, what happened to Sora...?
As Axel was about to close his eye's, he noticed Roxas opening and shutting his hand.
"Roxas? What's wrong?" He asked in a smooth voice, as he said so he put a hand on the teen's back and rubbed it to calm him down.
"Nothing..." the blond sighed, blushing softly that he was keeping the other male awake and shut his eyes, leaning into the touch slightly. Why was he so cold...? "Just thinking..." Roxas muttered drowsily, trying to make himself heard even though he felt his voice shutting down for the night. The elder male yawned; slowly he let his eye's drop. His forehead just touching Roxas's. He was at peace, and soon after he was in slumber land.
Listening to the slow breathing Axel had adopted, Roxas slowed his own breathing down to match it, his heart slowing down until it was barely noticeable. Huddled against Axel as if he was the only physical thing in the world as he slowly fell asleep.