Precipice
Before Roxas came, Axel's no. 1 favourite activity was to stand on the edge of a tall skyscraper. It was, when he really got down and thought about it, rather pointless. But somehow, standing on the edge, a few thousand feet up with barely anything to support him, gave him this rush of excitement, and he coveted the slight emotion's he got in his not-life.
On many occasions he would stretch his arms out at each side and grin up to the night sky (he always came at night, or just after sunset, for those were the only times he could sneak away from the watchful eye of the Organization) and rock back and forward slightly on his heels, tempting the wind to blow just right, and push him off. It never did, but he still hoped.
Tonight, he was in a place called New York. It was his favourite, for the buildings were high and glittered like diamonds with the glowing street lights. Even the loud noise of traffic and the ever-active street's did little to hinder his enjoyment. On a rare occasion he would change into some more 'civilian' looking clothes and wander along the bright streets and dark alley's that made up his favourite city.
But he was not in the mood to waltz around, and he immediately started to look for high points. The Empire State Building was a thought but he decided that tonight, he wanted to watch the water. So in the next second he summoned a portal and was at the top of one of the towers of The Brooklyn Bridge. One of the redhead's favourite points.
He found a spot near the edge and slipped into a crouch before sitting on the edge with his legs dangling off. The first time he had done this, he had been worried that someone might see him, but after no one spotting him on his 5th time, Axel stopped worrying.
He let out a deep sigh and stretched, then pulled his coat tighter round himself. He wished, now, that he had brought a scarf with him. It was freezing! And, to make thing's worse, it had started to snow very lightly.
The redhead sighed again and got to his feet, before shuffling as close to the edge as he could get. He stared down at the black abyss of water and smiled slightly, feeling the excitement begin to coil in his stomach. His other had been ever so slightly scared of heights, so it made it even more exciting to face his fear, even if it wasn't really his.
He dragged his eyes away from the water and stretched his arms out. He stared up at the twinkling stars and realized they were the same ones he saw from the roof-top's of The World That Never Was.
He smiled contentedly and closed his eyes.
Days later, a new member was introduced to the Organization. Blonde, Blue eyed. Roxas. Axel payed no attention to him. He returned to New York later that night and stared at the black water for hours.
Axel was paired with Roxas for a mission, the first of the blonde's missions actually. They were to view Twilight Town. Which, neither of the two could really see the point of, but agreed nonetheless. Axel subtly suggested they sit on top of the towns Clock Tower since he hadn't been able to visit his high place last night. Roxas, surprisingly, agreed but only on the condition that the redhead treat him to ice-cream. The two had sat on the clock tower for the rest of the day.
Axel was perched yet again on Brooklyn Bridge, when he heard a portal open up behind him. He turned his head and saw Roxas, frowning creasing his brows, staring over the edge. Unwillingly to be ignored any longer, Axel finally spoke.
"Yes? Would you like something, Blondie?"
The boy in question glared, but stayed silent. With a sigh, Axel turned back to the water.
Minutes later a soft voice spoke, "Do you always come here?"
Axel turned and saw the blond shuffling slightly and looking like he would rather face an army of Heartless than be standing miles above the water.
The redhead reached over and grasped Roxas' hand and pulled him to the edge to sit down with him.
Which seemed to be a bad idea, since Roxas squeaked and gripped Axel's hand like a lifeline, which, for him, it was.
"Don't worry, I won't let you fall..."
Roxas looked up at him and squeezed his hand tighter.
"I.. you never answered my question..." Roxas mumbled, staring at the abyss below him.
Axel frowned and mumbled a yeah, most of the time then jumped when he felt a head on his shoulder. Roxas had fallen asleep, and Axel couldn't help smiling at the peaceful look on that usually frowning face.
The redhead slipped his hand out of the boy's, and then reached round his waist to get a better grip.
...
Hours later, anyone who watched would have seen the look on number VIII's face when he tucked number XIII into the blonde's bed. It was as happy as it had been since he found his bizarre hobby.
The next day, while training, Axel got one of the biggest shocks in his not-life.
He had been practicing with Demyx (since water-boy was such a lousy fighter he needed all the extra-help he could get) and because of that, he had got drenched and steamed. So, angrily, he took off his dripping coat and the vest under it. He couldn't go back to his room, since he had set it on fire again (accident! Honestly!), so all he could do was go outside and wait for his clothes to dry off in the artificial sun, courtesy of Zexion.
So he was just lying back, quite content, when something lay on top of him.
Now, when something just lays down on you, that's something to be worried about. And there are two ways to deal with a situation like that:
1. Just wrap your arms around whatever-it-is and snuggle up or
2. Push them off, jump up and start swearing at them.
As it happens, Axel picked choice number two. So, without opening his eyes to find out who or what it was, he pushed them off and leaped up. This didn't quite work as it should of. He tried to push them off, but they had their arms round his neck and instead of jumping up, he just rolled over, pinning said thing to the ground.
When he opened his eyes, Roxas' shocked face greeted him.
Many words could have been soaring through his head, but at the moment the only one he could really understand was 'WTF?!'.
He struggled for words for a minute, to Roxas' amusement, then finally settled on, "Umm... hi."
The blond grinned up at him (and Axel could swear his non-heart exploded) then cheerfully said "Hello!"
The redhead took a few moments to recover and said "What the hell are y'doing?"
Roxas looked round him and said, "Lying down!"
Axel's eye twitched, smart ass, then he finally uttered "No, I mean, why did you sit on me?"
"You looked comfy!"
"I'm not a freakin' couch!"
The blond, though, still grinned.
"Oh! I have a present for you!"
Axel's face morphed into suspicion at that, "What kinda present?"
"A nice one!"
Then Roxas leaned up and pressed his lips to Axel's.
The blond pulled away after a moment, flush staining his cheeks.
Axel, not one to let an opportunity fly past, leaned down and captured Roxas' lips again.
By the time they had finished, Axel's clothes were dry as a bone.
Although he liked to visit his favourite places alone, Axel did let Roxas come along when the boy asked. Many times though, when the boy did come, the blond would distract him in some way or another. Tonight, the redhead chose the Empire State Building, and sat with Roxas tucked under his arm. The blond was quite content with playing with his fingers and it gave Axel time to hope that he could exist in this perfect moment forever.
They were curled up in Axel's bed, Roxas tracing his tattoos while the redhead pretended to sleep, until the blond interrupted the silence.
"I.. I'm going to leave..."
"C'mon Rox', stay a bit longer. It's still early."
Axel opened his eyes and felt fear start to slip through his veins, Roxas looked dead serious.
"No, I mean, I'm going to leave the Organization. I need to know who my Other is and why I have this power."
Axel reached out and gripped the boy's shoulders.
"Don't go... please! I'm begging you, I know I can't offer you anything and I know you deserve so much better but please! You make this existence so much brighter..."
Roxas looked into the redheads eyes and saw the sincerity. He shuffled closer and wrapped his arms around Axel.
The redhead made the mistake of thinking he had won the blond over.
"...I'm sorry..."
Axel swore he felt his non-heart break and shatter into a million pieces.
Axel, once again stood at the top of the Empire State building, but on the top spire. Arms out and eyes closed he looked like a twisted version of Christ.
The rain splashed at is cheeks but he preferred it that way as it hid the tears he shouldn't be able to cry.
Roxas had just left. And had sliced and diced Axel's non-heart so many times that it was beyond repair.
He rocked back and forward on his heels and wished the wind would blow just right and push him off.
Because a life without Roxas, wasn't a life at all.