Just One, Single Whisper

By: Hitokiri Musei

Rated: K+

Summary: "All he was able to offer was a single whisper of the man's name, one small whisper of what he was really screaming deep inside." Hinted AkuRoku, spoilers for KH2

Warnings: Spoilers for Axel's death in KH2. A little bit AU, cause it probably wasn't really Roxas that said Axel's name when he faded away. But we'd all like to think it was… Other than that, hints of yaoi, nothing serious. Rather short, nearly a drabble.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts 2. I cry.

Sora looked around him in shock, staring at the empty field around him. "Whoa!"

Inside, Roxas stared out through Sora's eyes, his mind denying what he knew to be true. Something like that could only have come from one type of attack; something that he had never seen Axel do before…

Sora turned, heading towards the still figure lying spread-eagled on the ground. He fell to one knee, staring in shock at Axel as bits of black floated away from his body. He wanted to touch the Organization member, but hesitated before his hand touched the black coat. "You're… fading away…"

Axel's lips turned up slightly, chuckling. "Yea… That's what happens when you put your whole being into an attack. You know what I mean? Not that Nobodies actually HAVE beings… right?"

Sora's eyes grew sad, his lips turning down in a frown. Roxas stared out through those blue eyes in shock, something…inside him wrenching painfully as he watched the only person he had ever trusted, the only man that had ever been his friend, been something more, dying before him.

And he could do nothing.

Nothing but watch helplessly through Sora's eyes.

Roxas stared into those beautiful icy green eyes as Axel told Sora to go find Kairi, that something in him clenching again. He could almost see the desperateness in Axel's eyes, as though he could stare through the façade of Sora and find Roxas buried inside the boy.

I'm here! Roxas screamed helplessly. I'm with you, Axel! Please, don't go! Don't leave me!

But Axel couldn't hear him, no matter how much he screamed and cried. He curled up in his corner of Sora's mind, staring out through the boy's eyes at the man he loved as he faded more and more into darkness. Tears poured down his cheeks, and ferverntly he wished that he could force those tears into physical form on Sora's cheeks. He wished that he could steal Sora's voice, Sora's body, hand, anything.

Anything at all to let Axel know that he was there, that he heard, and that he was sorry.

That he loved him.

Don't go, Axel!

The boy felt his chest ache as he heard Axel's next words, hearing the old bit of the man hidden beneath them; getting a glimpse at Axel's old attitude that had lessened with the disappearance of Roxas.

"Think I'll pass. My heart just wouldn't be in it, you know? Haven't got one." The man trailed off into weak chuckles, closing those beautiful fiery green eyes.

Sora tilted his head. "Axel… what were you trying to do?"

Axel was quiet for only an instant, barely hesitating to answer the question. "I wanted to see Roxas."

Roxas choked, his body shaking violently. See me? Oh Axel… I'm here, I haven't left you, I'm right here! Please don't leave me!

"He… was the only one I liked…"

Me too, Axel. You were my best friend… The closest person to me in the whole world… No one could measure up to you. I…

"He made me feel… like I had a heart."

You made me feel that way too… I… I love you, Axel. Don't go…

"It's kind of… funny…" Axel turned his head, and again those brilliantly green eyes met Sora's, staring through him and into Roxas's eyes. "You make me feel… the same…"

AXEL!

"Now go!"

Roxas watched in agony as Axel's arm fell back to the ground as he used the last of his strength to open a gateway for them. The redhead's eyelids fluttered, his body relaxing.

Roxas pulled and pushed for all he was worth, trying to make Sora's body do something, anything to tell Axel that he wasn't alone, that he was here.

Please! Just let me say goodbye!

He got one small thing, only one small, single thing.

"Axel…"

The word slipped from Sora's lips only a whisper as opposed to the screams that Roxas was voicing it in, but nonetheless he saw Axel's ice green eyes widen for an instant as he recognized the voice that came from Sora's throat.

Roxas clutched at his chest as he saw the glint of a single tear roll down Axel's cheek. "Rox…as…"

And then he was gone.

No… No, no, no, NO!

And finally the Nobody understood why he was in such pain, why something inside him was wrenching and pulling as Axel faded away.

His heart. His heart was breaking as he watched the man that he loved die. As a Nobody, he might not have a heart, but now he was one with his Somebody, and his Somebody certainly had a heart.

Angry, devastated, and lost, Roxas poured all of his heartache and emotion into Sora's heart, dumping all of what he felt for Axel into the other boy.

Tears exploded down Sora's cheeks, running like waterfalls to hit the place where Axel had been laying only moments before. The boy wiped at them frantically, but they came down nonetheless, cascading down his cheeks as evidence of his Nobody's own tears.

Roxas got his wish; he was able to show the pain that he felt from his prison within Sora's mind. But it was all too late; Axel was gone.

All he was able to offer was a single whisper of the man's name, one small whisper of what he was really screaming deep inside.

Just one, single whisper.

Just played that part of the game, and got the urge to write something about that scene, and this is what came of it. RIP Axel, we love you! -tear- Hope you guys liked it!