Fade Back Into Darkness

By Christine Lennoire

By: Christine Kii Lennoire

Type: One-shot

Game: Kingdom Hearts II

Genre: General/Romance

Pairings: Roxas/Axel, Sora/Kairi

Rating: T

Warnings: Rated for language and shounen-ai/Slash/MaleXmale relationship

Setting: Darkness, the end of Kingdom Hearts II with Riku and Sora on the beach of nothingness.

Summery: A little addition to the ending of Kingdom Hearts II, inspired by the statement, 'All Nobodies are destined to fade back into darkness.'

Author's Note: My first one-shot, really, so be gentle. I just had this idea in my head for the longest time and I decided to post it after I thought it was good enough. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!

Fade Back Into Darkness

"Where are we?"

This is darkness... no ending, and no beginning. It is all that exists here, and it is... nothing.

"We'll go together."

Look what it got us... We're lost, in the darkness... with no hope of returning to the light...

"If the world is made of light and darkness...

Then we'll be the darkness.

Riku reached out into the abyss and picked up the bottle that had landed gracefully at his left foot, drawn in by the slowly churning waters of darkness. He reached inside and pulled out a letter that looked old and worn. 'It must have come a long way to end up here on these shores with us...' Riku thought to himself as he pulled off the cap, pulling the letter out and beginning to read it quickly, skimming over the words and phrases written in a fine, beautiful girl's handwriting. Riku smiled...

Thinking of you, wherever you are -

"Sora?" Riku asked, pulling his young friend from his peaceful daze. "I think it's for you." he said, handing Sora the letter he just found. Sora took it, looking at the letter curiously and began to read it for himself, smiling as he read each word...

We pray for our sorrows to end

And hope that our hearts will blend

Now I will step forward to realize this wish

And who knows – starting a new journey

May not be so hard

Or maybe it has already begun

There are many worlds

But they share one sky,

One sky – one destiny

Sora clutched the letter tightly in his hands as another smile crept over his face and the sky ripped open to reveal the light shining ever so brightly in the distance. When they thought there was no hope, it was just hiding. And now – they could go home. He jumped to his feet in an instant, staring at the swirls of brilliant light before him. "Light." Riku said – almost in a trance. It had been so long for him, and now... Sora grinned at his best friend and reached out for him with his free hand, still clutching the letter tightly, as if it was his only hope – his only ticket home, and that if he lost it – there would be nothing left.

"The door to light... We'll go together!"

Yeah...

Riku nodded in a dazed fashion and took Sora's hand. On to better things. He was ready to leave the darkness behind. One step at a time, they slowly closed the distance. Riku was still injured and had to limp, but Sora held on to him and helped him all the way. Just as they were about to cross the final void – the threshold, and burn the bridge behind them, Sora felt a strange tugging at his heart – and stopped dead in his tracks, only inches away from his destination. He could feel the warmth radiating on his chest and the cold harsh wind blowing at his back, as he became lost – for just a moment.

Was it the wind? Or perhaps it was the ocean? No, Sora had heard something. He was sure of it. A silent tear streaked down Sora's face, and he couldn't say why, though there was this understanding deep within his head. "I... i just can't stop crying." Riku looked at him – a face mixed with confusion and worry. Maybe Sora had snapped. He hadn't heard anything. Riku looked from side to side, but all he saw was the water they were currently treading.

All nobodies are destined to fade back into darkness...

"Well... isn't this darkness?"

He couldn't help it. Part of him couldn't resist. He turned around to look for the source, leaving Riku to fend for himself for a while. Riku looked at him, lost and confused, unsure of what was stopping him. He could only watch as his friend turned around to stare back at the beach. It was the spot that they had been sitting in not so long ago. But it had been unoccupied then. Now someone stood there, watching them. He looked out of place – his green eyes were very lively but stained with the same tears that Sora had been unable to hold back.

Like best friends – reunited after so long

Sora wanted to run to him... remembering all those times, he just wanted to run to him and hold him tightly, without the intention of ever letting him go. The man muttered a small "Sorry..." and turn away as if it was the most painful thing he had ever had to do before in his life. Sora felt his heart jump and twist and turn with all these strange emotions, and before he knew what was happening, he could see himself running as fast as he could towards the man's retreating form...

No, not himself... Roxas.

Roxas forced himself straight through Sora's skin and ran blindly through the darkness and through the thick and heavy water and practically tackled the man before he could get too far. Tears streamed down his face. Clearly, the red-haired man hadn't expected this and stiffened. His red hair stood up on end, only slightly. He was too strong for that... this was Axel – 'Mr. Flurry of Dancing Flames' – Mr. "Got it memorized?" - he didn't want to appear needy. Things were bad enough already... weren't they? Axel sighed deeply.

"Sora..."

At first, his response was a tightening around his waist. For a moment, breathing was an issue. Roxas could feel his tears seeping through Axel's robe and for the first time, he realized all the things that he had been "feeling" all this time – once he remembered... once he knew that he probably wouldn't get another chance to see him... this was a true blue miracle to him. But Zexion always told him that everything had a reason. Now, it wasn't like Roxas to believe in the philosophical crap that boy spouted but... just this once, he decided that he could give in and let the boy win...

"No... It's Roxas..."

The last string snapped. Axel used all his strength to turn around in Roxas' arms out of shock and disbelief... hope and... happiness. "Roxas...?" he practically choked. This was the moment they had both been waiting for. Together, wrapped up in each other's arms, nobody could touch them. For the first time, the words 'true happiness' bled into their non-existent hearts. What was this feeling? It was like – the emotions were so powerful, that they didn't need a heart to communicate... to know... they just knew it and believed it, and went with it, because for once – it felt "right" to them.

"Damn you Axel!" Roxas said between choked sobs. He pounded on Axel's chest half-heartedly, stuck between joy and sorrow. "FUCK YOU!" he practically fainted on the spot from exhaustion as he continued to hit him with all he had left in his weakened emotional state. "You couldn't stay away, could you? You just HAD to come back!" he cried. Axel was now holding him in his arms, supporting him and watching his friend with pained eyes. The tears had dried, but Roxas' words left scars of sadness all over his body, invisible of course, but painful – as he began to doubt his decision. Was it worth it, just to be able to see Roxas one last time? He hadn't even known if it was possible... but...

Yes. It was worth it.

Axel just forced himself to hold Roxas tighter. "You just had to make it harder for both of us, didn't you?" Roxas asked, barely above a whisper now. He didn't even have the strength to continue crying. He looked up at Axel. That would prove to be his undoing. "Axel..." he said, looking at him sadly, but with a glint of something different...

Your eyes are so beautiful... so rare. They make me feel like I'm on fire...

It suits you

Roxas smiled, and without warning, kissed the redhead passionately – with all the days, years, and moments of a lost love – a lost romance.

You are the song in my heart

You are the flame raging in my soul

You are my one and only

And before I lose all sense of self...

Take me

And with my body

Use me

Then set me on fire like only you know how...

"I'm sorry." Roxas whispered to the silent red-head. Axel grinned and ruffled his hair. "But, Axel... you know I can't stay..." he glanced back at his patient other, Sora, who just stared with an 'I am happy for you' look on his face. "But... if I could..."

"I know. I know. You're off to save the world again... my hero." Axel laughed. Of course, he said it in his normal 'playful' – 'taunting' way, hugging him once more. "Just don't forget me, okay?" As long as he remembered, Axel was sure that he could handle it, as long as Roxas never let go. Even though he had to let go now... as long as one of them didn't... he would be alright.

"No..."

"No?"

Roxas shook his head. "Come with me. I know now that it's not true... not all nobodies fade back into darkness! I won't let you go, Axel... Sora may be my other, but you – you complete me!" he shouted, pulling Axel towards the light. Axel fought, only slightly. How could he not want something so wonderful? If he could...

"Maybe I can... if you complete me..." Axel said in a low voice. Roxas yelped as the boy let out all the passion that had been hiding inside himself for years. All the love that just waited for the moment they would meet again. This was the most amazing thing either of them had ever experienced. A battle of their lips and their tongues – a battle for completion. And neither would lose...

You two are two halves of the same whole...

"No..."

And all Sora had to say was - "We aren't that much alike... I thought they said we were completely alike... two halves of the same whole... but they were wrong more than once, I guess. Because Roxas loves Axel... and I love Kairi... how can that work? If we really were that much alike, I'd like Axel's other, or Roxas would be all over Namine'. Sora said triumphantly. Riku just laughed, listening to his friend rant.

"What else were they wrong about?" Riku asked curiously.

Sora grinned. "Not all nobodies fade back into darkness. Besides..." he said, looking back at Axel and Roxas, "they deserve happiness for once in their lives, don't you think?" he said, smiling warmly.

Once Roxas and Axel pulled apart, Roxas looked to Sora for some kind of sign. Sora grinned and held out his hand, motioning slightly for them to follow. Roxas led the way, with a slightly nervous Axel at his heels. Sora and Riku went through first. Finally Axel and Roxas turned to each other and grinned.

What will come of this?

Who knows?

"We'll go together..."

Here goes...

The distance was closed and the two faded away...

Back into the light...

End

Okay, this is my first one-shot, so I'd really like to know what you think. I'm really proud of it, so I hope you liked it to. Please review, and leave some sort of comment. No flames please... those are for Axel and Axel alone to control. Well, okay, I'm done!

Muffins and Cupcakes in the review lounge for anyone who leaves me a review!

Christine Lennoire