Light Of
By Tyger.
Too little,
"Stop that," says Roxas, as Axel saunters in.
Axel blinks. "Stop what?" he asks, for once completely unaware of what he may or may not have done.
"That," says Roxas, waving a hand at him, almost irritable. If it was anyone else, Axel would know they were just trying to get a rise out of him, trying to get him to react. Only it's Roxas, who doesn't play those games, who doesn't remember being anything but a nobody.
"I really have no idea what you're talking about," he says, not quite amused, though objectively, he thinks it's rather funny.
"You're such an fucking asshole," says Roxas, and portals out.
.
Roxas is sitting on the castle roof, when he finds him again, looking out over the city. Demyx is out there, playing with the heartless with his dancers, so at least it's not a totally boring view.
Roxas doesn't say anything - seems to be trying to ignore him, as much as that's safe - so Axel just sprawls out beside him, pretending like he doesn't have a care in the world. Which is technically true, but it doesn't mean he's suicidal.
It's almost comfortable, for a time, even though Roxas is refusing to look at him. But even Roxas has a limit, and a drive to know just as bad as the worst of them, and eventually he snaps.
"Why do you all keep smiling at me?" he mutters, almost under his breath. Axel wouldn't've heard it, if he hadn't been listening.
"Huh?"
"You smile at me. All of you. Smile and stare," Roxas say, scowling. This is news to Axel, but he rolls with it.
"Maybe it's 'cause we like you," he says. Roxas gives him one of those looks, those 'did you leave your brain behind or are you just trying to piss me off' ones he so often gets.
"Well, okay, maybe not," he allows. Not like, exactly, anyway. He's pretty sure some of them wouldn't know what like was even if they did have hearts. But it's not like the don't like Roxas, either - and now that he's thinking about it, Axel kind of gets it. He knows why he can't stop smiling, anyway. Apart from the obvious.
"It makes no sense," says Roxas.
"Sure it does," he says, leaning up on an arm to grin at him. "You don't get it?"
"Would I be asking if I did?" Roxas says, eyes only just this side of lasers. Which is a fair enough point.
"Maybe you should figure it out," is all Axel says. There's time enough, and it'll be good, for him, right?
.
too late.
What is it, you're feeling, Roxas asks, thought sliding into his head unannounced; Other enough to not be his own, but not dark, either.
Huh?, he thinks back, confused.
You've lost Riku, Roxas says, bitterness tainting the name, and now Kairi's been kidnapped.
...yeah, I know, he says, though thinking about it like that kind of sucks.
But you're not all gloomy. And stuff. You're feeling all. Not happy but not miserable. Determined, too, yeah, I get that bit, but the other bit, it's all - I don't fucking know, that's why I'm asking.
Sora blinks. You don't know? he asks, and feels, as much as he ever does from Roxas unsurprise-not again-why me-miserable-incomprehension.
He waits 'till it's obvious Roxas isn't going to say anything, then says, It's hope.