A/N: Kingdom Hearts was never supposed to have an interludes series. That being said, once I started playing the game, it became somewhat inevitable. The characters were just as in-depth and thought provoking as their Final Fantasy peers and I knew I'd never be able to leave them alone. Now, getting that out of the way, I've decided to take each Interludes series and make them into one posted fanfiction, with the date stamp on each entry for its original publication date. I'll have to go download all my reviews for the original Final Fantasy Interludes, but that's okay. And I won't pull the old ones down for a few days, to give you all time to change your favorites.

With all that out of the way, I now proudly present the first in the Kingdom Hearts Interludes series: Axel. I knew that either he or Roxas would be first. Roxas' interlude is actually in the works, and should be up within the next few days.

Axel's Interlude

Written 10.31.2006

Published 11.5.2006

Being part of the Organization was so much easier before Roxas came along. Back when I could believe the lies that Xemnas told us about not feeling and not having hearts. Back before I remembered what it felt like to be alive.

Back before I knew what real love was.

He was the quietist of us, but he made everything so vibrant and alive. He made you remember what it was like to be Somebody.

I did love him. I'm not sure if it was romantic or not, but I would have died for him. If he had asked, I would have left the Organization with him, loyalty to Xemnas be damned.

In fact, I almost followed him a couple of times. But he didn't remember his time before Twilight Town, so that would have been worse than just watching from a distance. I presence would have over-complicated his life and I didn't want that. So, instead I watched and got to see him be happy.

Seeing him rejoined with Sora was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. At least when he was in Twilight Town, I had a hope of seeing my Roxas again.

Now, if I'm lucky, I'll just get to see him again after we die.

But I don't think Nobodies get afterlives. And that makes me wish I'd told him how I felt after all.

Maybe Xemnas has the right idea, pretending that we don't have feelings after all.