I Wish That You Were Only Mine
An AkuZeku story.
Summary: Zexion had no delusions about the nature of his relationship with Axel. That didn't stop him from wishing, however...
WARNINGS: An uncharacteristically cruel and jerkoffish Axel, an uncharacteristically passive and weak-willed Zexion, Master/Slave relationship, a hint of S&M, physical abuse, and above all Axel being a complete mothereffin' bastard. No sex, though.
Notes: An idea that just fell into my head one early morning, and I had to write it. Took me all day. Go figure. And yeah, it's very long-winded and kind of pointless and has lots of OOCness and utter weirdness, but still, there's not enough AkuZeku out there, so...there ya go. Also, I know I made a complete and rather abrupt POV switch in the middle of the story. Maybe I'll go back and fix it later? Not likely...bleh. But enjoy what there is.
"You've been avoiding me, haven't you?"
Zexion let out a fearful gasp as Axel came striding closer, and flattened himself against the wall--useless, since this just meant Axel had him cornered. He looked around desperately but there was no escape--no escape--he was trapped in this basement in Castle Oblivion, and Axel was only a few feet away from him and about to have his way again, like he always did...
"N-no, I haven't," Zexion protested, though of course this wasn't true.
"Liar," smirked Axel, though thankfully he made no move to come closer. Zexion trained his gaze on the floor, not wanting to look at Axel, but the next instant Axel's hand had shot out and grabbed Zexion by the chin, forcing his face upwards so that he was and Axel were eye-to-eye.
"No need to be so afraid of me, now, Zex," said Axel, almost playfully, almost jokingly. He tightened his grip on Zexion's chin, so that it became almost painful, but Zexion refused to let his pain show, and resisted the powerful urge to look away, look away from Axel's taunting smirk...
"Ah...Axel..." he stammered.
And the next instant Axel had released him and then hit him hard across the face, causing him to stagger and sway precariously, but he managed to lean on the wall for support so that he didn't fall. Zexion looked up at Axel, expecting to see anger on the other Nobody's face, but Axel was still smirking as he had been before.
"Hey, who gave you permission to use my name, eh, Zexion?" he said, still as lightly and playfully as he had been before, but with a dangerous edge to it. "Well?"
"N-no one," whispered Zexion in response, looking away from Axel, training his gaze diligently on the floor...
...causing him to get slapped one more time, harder than the first time. This time Zexion almost fell, but Axel had swooped in and caught him expertly by the wrists, pinning him to the wall, driving one knee painfully into Zexion's stomach. He was trapped, and he knew it, and stared fearfully up at Axel, the smirk now gone, replaced by a quiet disapproval. Zexion shuddered.
"Look me in the eyes when I'm speaking," he said, his tone soft and quiet but dangerous as well. "Otherwise that's just disrespectful, don't you agree?"
Zexion tried to speak but the words were stuck in his throat. Besides, he didn't know what to say...the correct response that Axel was looking for, that would cause the other Nobody to release his painful, pincer-tight grip on Zexion's wrists, get him to relieve the pressure he was applying on Zexion's stomach, for with each passing second he was pressing harder and harder, making it difficult for Zexion to draw breath, causing bile to rise in his throat.
"Zexion, I'm waiting," said Axel, a note of impatience creeping into his voice. Zexion realized that he had to answer, and fast, or else risk an even worse punishment than this.
And he knew Axel could do much worse than what he was doing now. He knew from past experience.
But he didn't know what to fucking say. Axel was tightening his grip on Zexion's wrists, almost cutting off the circulation, certainly leaving bruises. Zexion choked out, "Axel, please--"
Only to get slapped again, this time so hard that he would have fallen if it weren't for the fact that Axel was still holding on to one wrist as tightly as ever. Zexion winced and tasted something metallic and coppery in his mouth. He swallowed.
"Zexion, you're such a bad boy," sighed Axel, hauling Zexion up by wrist, dragging him to a standing position. Zexion stumbled as Axel dragged him to the center of the room. "Running from me all the time, and now you keep on calling me by name when I haven't told you that you could. Well, Zex? What do you have to say for yourself?"
God damn Axel, trying to coerce him into speaking, into saying the wrong thing so that he would have even more of an excuse to punish Zexion. Well, Zexion wasn't going to play Axel's game. He shook his head, refusing to reply to Axel's query verbally.
Axel yanked hard on Zexion's arm, making him stumble forward even more, but thankfully he didn't hit Zexion. "Sheesh, Zexion, you need to learn a bit of humility, don't you think?"
Zexion gave no reply, but concentrated hard on staring at the floor. He expected Axel to hit him for this, but no blow came. Instead, Axel went on, the playfulness all gone from his tone now, leaving nothing but a quiet disapproval. "Your behavior as of late has been quite awful, you know. You've been avoiding me, for one thing. Stupid, since you knew I would catch you eventually...and now that I've got you, all you're doing is acting flippant--"
"I am not," protested Zexion without thinking. He had only a fraction of a second to realize, mortified, what he'd just done, before Axel struck him again, almost knocking him to the floor, but again, Axel hauled him up with a painful jerk to his arm.
"Point proven," said Axel, satisfaction ringing in his voice. "You're being flippant and disobedient. Using my name when I haven't given you permission to. Not answering when I ask you questions. It's been a while since I've seen you, you know...perhaps you need to be re-educated?"
"No, no, I'm sorry, Axel, I'll be good--" stammered Zexion, desperate, remembering the last time Axel had "re-educated" him, not wanting that pain, that humiliation again...but too late, Axel had hauled him up by the front of his coat and slammed him hard into the nearest wall, causing stars to burst in his vision and pain to shoot up his spine.
"Zexion, dear Zexy," sighed Axel. "Just what am I going to do with you? How many times have you called me by name in these past few minutes, when I haven't given you my express permission to do so?"
Zexion said rather stupidly, "Y-you call me by name all the time..."
Axel tightened his grip on the front of Zexion's coat, grinding the smaller Nobody into the wall. "Don't be an idiot, Zex. We're not equals."
A protest half-formed in Zexion's mind but he bit it back, dreading the punishment he would get if he ever said it. Instead, he settled for stammering, "Could I--please--could you let me--"
"Nope," said Axel instantly, cutting in before Zexion could finish. Zexion swallowed back another protest and looked away from Axel, Axel who looked inordinately cheerful. Axel's good cheer didn't stop him, however, from seizing a fistful of Zexion's hair and tugging, forcing Zexion to look him in the eye again. Axel was smiling, but it was not a kind smile.
"You see, Zexion, I think you need to learn some humility first. And that starts with addressing me properly." With that, Axel released his hold on Zexion's coat, but not before grabbing Zexion by the wrist again and hauling him away from the wall, back to the center of the room. Zexion stumbled after Axel, head still throbbing from being slammed into the wall. He expected more pain coming, however--and worse pain. Encounters with Axel always ended with pain.
"Wh-what--what am I suppposed to--" protested Zexion, feeling somewhat indignant despite his fear. After all, Axel kept on saying that Zexion was not allowed to call him by name, but had given no alternative for Zexion to use. Maddeningly, Axel didn't respond to this, except by pulling on Zexion's hair.
"See? That kind of attitude's just what I've been talking about. Good Lord, Zex, what have you been up to all this time? I don't ever remember you being this defiant before." Zexion cringed, sensing the taut anger beneath Axel's good-natured tone.
"I..."
Slap. "I didn't say you could speak, did I?"
So now he apparently couldn't even speak without Axel's blessing. Nonetheless, he tried again, since Axel had asked him a question. "I'm sorry, but--"
"Zexion," said Axel, warningly. Zexion immediately fell silent, but Axel said nothing more.
They remained like this for some time, Axel holding tightly on to Zexion's wrist, Zexion staring in fear up at Axel, whose expression at the moment was ominously unreadable. In a sudden jerk of a motion, however, Axel tugged Zexion close to him, and Zexion cried out in surprise as Axel maneuvered his hand to the back of Zexion's head, digging his fingers into the hair, and pulled the smaller Nobody up into a kiss.
It was a brief kiss, barely a rough brushing of lips, but it sent a tingling, electrifying jolt of mingling sensations down Zexion's spine, sensations Zexion could not quite understand.
"Ah, Axel--" he said, forgetting that he had been forbidden from speaking, forgetting that he wasn't supposed to use Axel's name, forgetting everything--
But to Zexion's utter surprise Axel didn't punish him, but instead drew him closer, wrapping one arm tightly around Zexion's body, pulling Zexion into the warmth of his coat. The other hand was still firmly planted on the back of Zexion's head, though now it was stroking, almost gently, tugging on the strands of silvery-purple-blue hair. Zexion buried his face into the warm leather of Axel's coat, a bit confused but strangely satisfied as well.
"Mn...I am yours, aren't I?" he said softly, voice muffled slightly, as Axel continued to hold him and stroke his hair, strangely silent.
"Of course you are, Zex. Don't be silly," said Axel, drawing Zexion up into another brief kiss. Zexion leaned forward, wanting more, but Axel denied him.
"Then...if that's the case..." Zexion found himself saying, as he wrapped his arms around Axel as well, returning the hug, "Why can't you be mine, too?"
Zexion did not know what had prompted the question, but he regretted it the instant he said it--for Axel immediately yanked out of the hug, so quickly that Zexion had barely any time to register the sudden loss of contact before Axel had slapped him, hard, this time actually causing Zexion to fall to the floor in a crumpled heap. When Axel spoke his voice was rough with anger.
"Don't get any ridiculous ideas, Zexion. I don't belong to you."
"I--I--" Zexion did not want to look at Axel, so he averted his gaze, staring down at the floor. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I--"
"Ah, Zex, get up," sighed Axel. To Zexion's relief the anger was gone, replaced by an almost bored exasperation.
Cautiously, Zexion pulled himself to his feet, Axel offering no assistance. All of Axel's anger seemed to have dissipated, and he was now surveying Zexion with a faintly bored and helpless expression that Zexion found he did not quite like. For a moment he stood, nervously watching Axel, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say, and sensing that Axel probably didn't want him to talk anyway.
"Oh, Zexion, you disrespectful little twat," said Axel, shaking his head. "Just when are you ever going to learn your place?"
"I know my place," Zexion said in a small voice.
"I'm sure you do," replied Axel, sounding thoroughly unconvinced. "How about this. Bow."
"What?" Zexion stared blankly, uncomprehending, at Axel.
"I mean what I say. Bow," said Axel. "Get on your hands and knees and touch your forehead to the floor. And don't look up unless I tell you to. And no talking."
Zexion stood immobile for a second, mind racing. A vague part--a very small part of him--told him to not do this, to not humiliate himself in such a way, but most of him was paying attention to the way Axel was looking at him, not threateningly, but intently, and dangerously. Axel's intention couldn't be more clear--if he didn't obey Axel's order, the punishment he would receive would hurt far more than just his dignity, the small amount of dignity he had left, anyway.
So, taking a deep breath, the Cloaked Schemer threw aside whatever vestiges of dignity he had left and prostrated himself on to the floor before Axel. He couldn't see Axel now, since he was keeping his gaze on the floor as Axel had directed, but he was certain that other Nobody was smirking again, that horrible insidious taunting smirk of his.
"That's a good boy," said Axel encouragingly, now pacing around Zexion's prone form. Zexion held himself in this current humiliating position, pressing his forehead against the cold floor, and wondering, and fearing, what Axel would do next.
"Wh-what do you want, Axel--" he began.
"Hey! I didn't say you could talk," said Axel warningly, coming to a halt.
"I know, I'm sorry, Axel--sorry, sorry! I don't know what--what you want me to--to address you as--" Zexion stammered in one quick rush, knowing fully that he was going to get punished for this, somehow, perhaps Axel was going to step on him--
And Axel was, placing his foot on Zexion' head and pressing down, not roughly, but with a deliberate carefulness that was almost as bad as if Axel had simply stomped on his head. Zexion gasped as he felt the increasing pressure, felt his face being driven against the cold floor...
"I'm sorry, sorry--" he groaned. "Forgive me, I'm sorry--"
"Sir," cut in Axel flatly. "You may address me as Sir or Master, when you have permission to talk, anyhow."
"Yes, sir," gulped out Zexion, unable to hide his relief as Axel removed his foot from his head. He almost looked up, but remembered Axel's orders and kept his forehead pressed firmly against the floor.
"All right, then, Zex my dear, I'm going to ask you a few...questions," said Axel, resuming his pacing. "I want you to answer them as truthfully as possible. Don't worry about offending me. I just want the truth, okay?"
Axel was speaking gently now, but Axel's tenderness was almost as bad as his cruelty. Zexion squeezed his eyes shut, knowing that if Axel was talking to him that way, it meant that whatever he was going to ask was not going to be pleasant...
"First question, Zex. Don't speak except to answer it. Do you hate me?"
Zexion jerked and it took almost all of his self control to prevent from actually looking up. Axel had never asked him anything like that before, but then again, Axel had never interrogated him before, either. Nonetheless, Zexion knew the answer to the question the instant Axel asked it.
"N-no."
"What? I can't hear you," said Axel, drawing his words out in an exaggerated manner--but Zexion knew that Axel had most likely heard him. He was only doing this to torment Zexion, for his own sadistic purposes...
"No," repeated Zexion, somewhat louder. "I--I don't hate you. Master."
"Really?" Axel sounded genuinely surprised, which surprised Zexion as well. He longed to look up at Axel, but he was smart enough to know that the consequences of doing so would be most unpleasant.
"Really, I don't," agreed Zexion.
"What? Tell the truth, Zex. Look, I won't hold it against you. I won't punish you or anything for telling the truth. You don't have to just tell me what I want to hear, you know," insisted Axel, still gently. "I just want the truth, that's all."
"That is the truth," replied Zexion, feeling, despite himself, somewhat annoyed at Axel's stubbornness. "I don't hate you. I...I know I should but...but I don't. I don't..."
"Wow..." Axel sounded both impressed and a little dubious at the same time. "I haven't given you much reason to like me, you know, Zexion. You're really screwed up in the head, aren't you? Any sane person would hate my guts."
Zexion would normally have taken issue with what he thought was most likely an insult, but now he found that he really didn't mind. The truth was that he wanted this little interrogation of Axel's to be finished. His position on the floor was starting to become more and more uncomfortable with each passing second, but he knew that Axel wouldn't let him up until he was finished asking questions.
"Well, then...if you don't hate me, then, do you love me?"
This question startled Zexion even more than the first one had, and he actually looked up, startled, only to have Axel push his head back down with his foot. He obediently pressed his face back to the floor but couldn't stop the trembling throughout his entire body.
"So, Zexion? Do you love me?" A faint taunting note had slipped into Axel's voice. "Since you don't hate me, you must love me. Right?"
"No," Zexion elected to say, cautiously.
"What? Why's that?" Once more Axel sounded surprised. Apparently this interrogation wasn't going at all like he had wanted it to go...but Zexion was only doing what Axel had told him. Telling the truth.
"You know why," Zexion said in response, suppressing the wavering note that crept into his voice. "We are Nobodies. We don't have hearts. We can't feel emotions...and certainly not love."
A pause and a brief silence from Axel, and then Axel's foot was back, crushing Zexion's head into the cold floor, causing stars to burst in Zexion's vision, but then, thankfully, as quickly as it had happened it ended, and Axel began pacing back and forth before Zexion.
"Don't be such a smartass, Zex. Now tell me if you really love me or not. And don't try to be cute, or you'll get it a lot worse."
Zexion gulped but knew that Axel's threat was not an empty one. Axel never made empty threats if he could help it. "I'm sorry..."
"I didn't ask you to apologize," said Axel, shortly, and impatiently. "Just answer the goddamn question already."
Axel seemed to be incredibly impatient, but that was fine by Zexion. He too, wanted this to end soon, wanted to be able to get out of his current humiliating posture. And that would not happen if he dawdled. "I...I mean it. I don't love you."
"But you don't hate me, either." Zexion couldn't see Axel, but he was certain that Axel was scowling.
"N-no, I don't hate you, but...I don't...love you either..." stammered Zexion, and now he realized that he really didn't know what he felt about Axel. He prided himself on his prowess with words, but now found himself at a complete loss for putting his many swirling thoughts about Axel into concrete words. "I--I don't know...Axel, I don't--"
"Hey," cut in Axel, a warning hanging in that simple word.
"I mean, sir, I don't know, I don't...I don't know what I feel about you. Hell, I don't even know if I can feel, so there's no point to thi--agh!" This time, Axel had elected to grind his boot into the back of Zexion's neck, painfully. After Zexion let out a few more yelps of agony, Axel removed his foot and stood back. When he spoke he sounded satisfied.
"There you go. You felt that," he said. "So don't tell me you can't feel."
"Axel--I mean, Master--that's not what I meant," moaned Zexion.
"I know it isn't," said Axel, and the old playfulness was back. "But hey, two can play at the smart-aleck game, you know. Next question!"
A vague irreverent part of Zexion thought, About time. But still, his aching limbs would not support him in this position for much longer, not to mention how vulnerable he felt like this...his head was still hurting from where Axel had been stepping on him.
"How do you feel about the other residents of this castle?" said Axel, and Zexion was certain that he was smirking now.
"Wh--what do you mean?" he said blankly.
"I mean exactly what I say," replied Axel. "What do you think about everyone else here? Let's start with those two you're always hanging out with. Lexaeus and Vexen, you know."
"L-Lexaeus--" began Zexion, but Axel cut him off.
"Lexaeus...now that's a problem," he said musingly. "You guys are awfully...close...aren't you? From what I gathered, you spent most of your time avoiding me with him. Anything, oh, special, you'd like to admit to? Well, Zex?"
Zexion shuddered violently as Axel spoke in that horrible soft but accusing tone, and by the time Axel was finished he was shaking his head, desperate to make Axel understand. "No, no, no, no, you're wrong...we're friends, that's all! I'm yours, Axel, Master, only yours, Lexaeus and I are friends, we were friends when we were Aeleus and Ienzo too and we kept that when we became Nobodies, but there's nothing more to it than that! You're the only one for me! Please..." He descended into a pathetic whine, pressing his face against the floor and hoping, hoping that this was enough for Axel...
"Hmm, if you say so..." said Axel, even though he didn't sound convinced. "Continue, then. So you and Lexaeus are friends. What about you and Vexen?"
"Vexen is...we're colleagues is all," said Zexion softly. "Our relationship is strictly professional, that's all...I only associate with Lexaeus and Vexen because we're comrades in the Organization, you know that, Axel, I don't feel anything for them--"
"'Sir' or 'Master'," cut in Axel coldly. "Don't forget."
"You're right, I'm sorry, forgive me, Master--" he stammered.
"Oh, shut up," said Axel quite rudely. Zexion made to protest, but quickly quashed the protest in his throat. Axel already seemed angry enough at him, and he didn't want to risk upsetting Axel even more.
"Okay, next question--" Axel began, but Zexion, without thinking of what he was doing, cut him off.
"What about you? Sir. You keep asking me about everyone else--but what about you? You and--and...Roxas. Why are you accusing me of infidelity when it's plainly obvious that there's something between you two and--augh, Axel, that hurts--"
For Axel had stomped on Zexion's head again, harder than ever before, and stars swam in Zexion's vision as his forehead cracked against the floor. The pain wasn't over yet, for Axel was grinding now, moving his foot intently back and forth as he pressed harder, eliciting whimpers of pain from his victim. Zexion grimaced in pain as he felt something warm and wet trickle down his face.
"Shit, Zexion, you're a fucking masochist, you know!" Axel was shouting. "You like this or something? Do you actually like it when I hurt you, damn it? You like pain? If that's the case then I'll be more than happy to give you even more pain!"
"No, please, I'm sorry, please--" begged Zexion as Axel pushed his head back and forth, grinding his face into the floor.
"You stupid little boy Zexion, you really don't get it all, do you?" shouted Axel, but the next instant, feeling slightly sorry for his target, sprawled pitifully on the floor and whimpering in agony, removed his foot. Zexion gasped and shuddered like a man saved from drowning, but made no move to get up.
"Aah, Zexy," sighed Axel, running his hand through his hair, looking down at Zexion. Zexion slowly hauled himself to his feet, bruised and bleeding from the forehead. He was shaking violently and not looking directly at Axel, but Axel could see enough of Zexion's face to see that the other Nobody looked unnaturally pale and his mouth was trembling slightly, not to mention the unusual wetness that had gathered in his one visible eye...
"Hey, Zex," said Axel, walking cautiously over to Zexion. Zexion made no attempt at escaping, so Axel, feeling it was safe to do so, wrapped an arm around Zexion's trembling shoulders. Zexion stiffened a bit, but then relaxed, and cuddled against Axel's chest. Axel reached out an arm and wiped the blood off of Zexion's face with his sleeve.
"Sorry for making you bleed, Zexion," he said awkwardly, running one hand through Zexion's delicate hair. "Look...I'm sorry, okay? Don't cry. I was out of line..." He began to rock Zexion, gently, back and forth. Zexion buried his face into Axel's coat and said nothing, only occasionally letting out a small whimpering sound, but his shaking gradually subsided.
"It's...it's okay, I'm fine..." mumbled Zexion, looking back up at Axel. To Axel's relief, Zexion no longer appeared as though he was going to cry any time soon, though his voice had a strained edge to it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have--"
"No, no, it's okay," said Axel, hastily cutting Zexion off. "Just...be a good boy from now on, okay, Zex? I know you're a masochist but--"
"I'm not a masochist," said Zexion, still in a low mumble. He buried his face back into Axel's chest. Axel frowned at the smaller Nobody.
"Really, now," he said skeptically. "'Cause everything you've been doing so far points to you being a masochist."
"I'm not...I'm really not..." said Zexion softly. "I...I want to...to be good, but I..."
He cut off right then, but really didn't need to say anything more. Axel ran a hand through Zexion's hair again, affectionately tugging on a few strands, before tilting Zexion up by the chin and pulling him into a gentle kiss. Once more Zexion leaned closer, seemingly wanting more, but once more Axel pulled away before the kiss could progress into anything real.
"Say, Zex, I haven't finished asking you questions, have I?" said Axel playfully, unable to resist the urge to pull on Zexion's hair one final time.
"D-do I h-have to...to bow again?" said Zexion, a faint hint of reproach in his voice. The instant he'd spoken, he flinched and drew away slightly, as though expecting Axel to hit him. Axel, however, was still feeling unnaturally kind towards Zexion, and did no such thing, merely drawing the other Nobody closer to him.
"No, you don't," he said. Zexion looked at him, now looking slightly confused. Axel had never been this kind to him before, after all...even a part of Axel was somewhat confused as to why he was being so gentle with Zexion, but he told this part of him to shut up. He could be nice if he wanted to, after all...
"All right, let's review," he continued. "You don't hate me and you don't love me. You and Lexaeus are friends and you and Vexen are colleagues. You don't like Roxas. Got it. How about Marluxia and Larxene? Feel anything particular about them?"
Zexion shook his head instantly, making a small noise of distate. "Them? Those two neophytes that run around all the time, acting like they're in charge of this place without any respect for their elders or betters? Why would I care about them?"
Axel laughed and ruffled Zexion's hair a bit. Zexion shrunk back a little, obviously afraid that he had offended Axel somehow, though he had done no such thing. "Hey, you do know I'm one of those so-called 'neophytes' too."
"That's true..." said Zexion quietly. "But you're VIII, higher than them, and not much under me either...and you're also..." Suddenly he fell silent and looked away. Axel contemplated grabbing Zexion by the hair to force him to look at Axel, but decided against it. Right now he didn't feel like getting physical with Zexion unless he absolutely had to...
"Yeah? What?" Axel said coaxingly. Zexion, however, continued to look away from him, and Axel took him by the chin and tilted his face up so that they were eye-to-eye. Zexion, he noticed, was blushing furiously, two bright spots of red standing out on his cheeks.
"Hey, what's the matter, Zex?" said Axel, now somewhat concerned.
"It's nothing...only I..." Zexion tried to look away again, but Axel held tight, preventing Zexion from moving. "I...ah..."
"Yeah? Go on," said Axel, curious as to what Zexion considered him to be. He already knew from his previous questioning that Zexion apparently neither loved nor hated him, but aside from that, Zexion had to feel something about someone with as large of a presence in his life as Axel.
Zexion flushed even brighter, and seemed to be working very hard to speak--a bit surprising, since during most of this encounter Axel had been punishing Zexion primarily for his inability to shut his mouth. Still, he waited patiently for Zexion's answer.
"You...you're my master."
Axel jerked, surprised, and released his grip on Zexion's chin, and Zexion immediately looked away, still blushing ferociously. It took a moment for what Zexion had just said to fully register, but when it did, Axel couldn't help but unleash a little delighted laugh, and pulled Zexion close to him again, crushing him into a hug that was probably painful, but Axel didn't care.
"We-ell, that's a pleasant surprise, isn't it," he said, now grinning--not the smirk he usually put on around Zexion but a real, cheerful grin. "I thought it'd take you forever to realize, darling Zex!"
"N-no, I knew all along," said Zexion, voice slightly muffled since Axel was still holding him tight.
"You sure weren't acting like it," said Axel casually, and he felt Zexion tense under his grip, obviously expecting a punishment. Axel only laughed and ran a hand through Zexion's hair again. "Hey, don't be like that, Zex. You understand now, right? Then that's all that matters."
Zexion slowly unstiffened, and wrapped his own arms around Axel, hugging him, as they had hugged only a little while earlier. This time, however, Axel suspected that Zexion wasn't going to mouth off like he had the previous time, and even if he did, Axel was in no mood to punish Zexion.
"Say, Zex," said Axel softly, whispering into Zexion's ear, "why don't we go for now? This room isn't really suited for...amorous purposes...you know..."
"Mm, I know," replied Zexion. "Your room...master?"
"Sounds good," Axel agreed. "Let's go, then."
With that said, he gently pushing Zexion off of him, ignoring Zexion's whimpered protest, and took Zexion by the hand, leading him through a portal he opened. The portal, of course, led to Axel's bedroom.
Axel rolled over, tangling himself a bit more in the mess of blankets on the bed. Before he could complete the motion, however, a hand reached out and wrapped itself around Axel's arm, holding him tightly and preventing him from rolling away. Axel groaned and turned back around, to see Zexion, face buried in the pillows and tangled in the blankets like Axel was, one slim arm extended and hand closed tightly around Axel's forearm.
"Geez, Zexion, I'm not going to leave, you know," said Axel, but obligingly pulled closer to the other Nobody, wrapping his arms around Zexion's warmth and drawing him into an embrace. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I know you're not..." mumbled Zexion into Axel's chest.
"Then don't worry so much, Zex," sighed Axel, playing absently with a few strands of Zexion's hair. He looked out the window--it was the dead of night, and all was dark and silent in Castle Oblivion. The bed was completely disheveled due to Axel and Zexion's previous capers, and the Nobodies were tangled up in the blankets in a warm depression in the middle of the bed, and were now tightly clinging on to each other.
Axel stared up at the ceiling. He had been trying to sleep, but now didn't feel tired at all.
Zexion said something very softly, too low for Axel to hear. Axel jerked out of his reverie and turned to look at Zexion, cuddled tightly against him.
"Huh? What was that? I didn't catch it..." said Axel.
Zexion tightened his grip around Axel, and Axel, frowning, somewhat concerned now, responded by tightening his hug as well. Axel started to absently stroke Zexion's back, running his hands down the soft pale skin, wondering what it was that Zexion had just said. He didn't need to wonder for much longer, however, because Zexion spoke again, in a low voice aching with wistfulness and longing. "I wish that you were only mine."
Axel remained silent, because he had nothing to say to this. And he knew that nothing he could say, short of an outright lie, would ever placate or comfort Zexion. So Axel settled for holding Zexion tight, close enough to feel the tremors shaking the smaller Nobody's thin frame, while he gazed wordlessly out of the window, seeing no sign of the upcoming day--only the utter, infinite darkness of night.
Finis
Whoo hoo, the end of the first in (hopefully) a series of AkuZeku one shots. I know it's long and badly edited, but bleaaah...I only actually wrote this for the whole "bowing" scene, believe it or not...
Anyway, enjoy the angst and the effed up ness. I look forward to writing more angsty effed up AkuZeku stories.