Title: Somebody Like Me

Rating: NC17 eventually

Photo Credit: art/Axel-And-Reno-Final-Fantasy-And-Kingdom-Hearts-575175198

Summary: Reno is Axel's somebody. Reno struggles between his love for Rude and a newfound sense of completion when being with Axel.

AN: Hi! This is just another one of those Reno is Axel's somebody stories. I love Reno and Nomura did say that Axel was an attempt to take a familiar character and place it in a different world. I'm having a lot of fun writing this story, and for once I actually have a plan for each chapter, it's just a matter of writing them. So enjoy!

The sun was setting but Reno's job was just beginning. It was how he preferred it: the way the eyes of the monsters he was sent to kill glowed in the darkness and added that extra spark of fear that really got his adrenaline pumping. Rude, on the other hand, thrived in the sunlight, for at nighttime his sunglasses made it harder to see. Reno would tease Rude: "Just take them off yo." And Rude would shake his head every time, saying nothing, but Reno heard him loud and clear all the same. They were partners. Nothing could tear them apart.

Then one day they were sent out to investigate an exploding building. Things that exploded were Reno and Rude's specialty. The fact that the building was on fire and chucks of cinderblock were raining down only made the thrill better.

"So," Reno yelled over the noise of falling rubble. "What are we looking for again?"

Rude tilted his head and looked over his sunglasses into Reno's eyes.

"Right yo. This place used to be a Shinra lab. Retrieve files from a filing cabinet on the top floor. Only there is no top floor anymore!"

Reno animatedly argued with Rude, not paying attention to where he was going. Rude suddenly grabbed Reno by the back of his neck and pulled him back.

"What was that for—"

And a chuck of ceiling fell in front of Reno.

"Hey thanks partner!"

Rude grunted.

They back tracked and made it up four more floors. Things were falling apart and it was hard to see. They had to dodge and maneuver the further into the building they went. Finally they came to two rooms that were somehow intact and filled with filling cabinets.

"You start with this one, and I'll hit the next one."

Reno made his way into the farther room and started yanking open drawers.

"Sector 14 research…sector 5, sector 6…" Reno mumbled to himself. "Where the fuck is sector 14!"

The building gave a lurch.

"Reno!"

All at once the roof above Rude caved in.

"Rude! Are you ok yo?"

"Yeah. You?"

"M'fine. But uh, I'm trapped. You gotta way out?"

"Yeah. I'll get—"

"—your latest? Should do the trick."

"I'll be back."

Reno turned himself again to looking through filing cabinets.

"Well looks like I've got time."

"And I'll keep you company," a voice said from the shadows.

Reno jumped, putting his back to the wall. "Who's there?"

A man in a long black trench coat stepped out. He was wearing a hood that covered his face.

"Ok Mr. tall dark and mysterious. Got something to hide? How're you supposed to keep me company if I can't see your face?"

The man lowerd his hood. He had flaming red hair that sprung free from his hood and stuck up. His eyes were bright green and he had tear drop tattoos under them. Reno lowered his EMR.

"Why the fuck do you look like me?"

"Heh, it's a long story."

"Well in case you haven't noticed, we've got time yo."

"Oh no, you have time. I can get out of here any time I want."

"Oh? Enlighten me jackoff."

The man waved his hand behind him and opened up a dark corridor.

"What the fuck is that?"

"You're just full of questions aren't you? How about we start with the important ones. Name's Axel. Got it memorized? Reno."

"Ok how the fuck do you know my name?"

"I know a lot about you as a matter of fact. For example: I'd say about a year ago you got yourself into some kind of experiment and blacked out. You woke up feeling…different. Like something was missing. No?"

Reno's eyes narrowed. "You know Hojo?"

"I know of him. And the experiment he was running, you ever find out what it did?"

"No. Boss kinda left that out. Said I was ta report ta the lab, keep my mouth shut, and thank gaia he was letting me off easy."

"You botched a job?"

"Yeah yo. Pretty badly. What's it to ya?"

"Well, considering I know what was done to you, you had to have fucked up royally."

"What did he do?"

Axel looked thoughtful for a minute. "He ripped out your heart."

"He what?"

"Oh don't worry. He put it back. But in the process, you lost something."

"Son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill Tseng. Why the fuck would he want my heart ripped out?"

"Me."

"You."

"Mhmm."

"Who—what the fuck are you?"

Axel grinned. "I'm your nobody."

"Ok you—"

"Axel."

"—whatever yo, stop being so fuckin criptic. Give me some answers!"

"A nobody is the chaotic side of a person. Unbridled passion and power."

"Fuck that. I'm already chaotic!"

"Ah, but I have power you don't."

Reno rushed into Axel's space. "Prove it."

The perimeter of the room burst into flames.

Reno looked around. "You got a materia?"

"Materia? No, this is all me. I play with fire. Say it with me: Magic." And with a twirl of his wrists, he summoned two weapons. They looked dangerous. Reno jumped back into a defensive position and readied his EMR.

"Cool weapons yo."

"And what do you carry? Looks like a stick."

"It an electric stick."

"Electricity eh? I know someone who gets off on that. Name's Larxene. She's a bitch. You a bitch Reno?"

"I'd like to see you with my stick up your ass."

"Oh we'll get to that."

Reno's eyes widened. "How much like me are you?"

"Well, I know that you'd rather be playing with fire than electricity for one thing. And I don't have to look down to know my little show has you excited."

This Axel character was either extraordinarily perceptive or he was telling the truth.

"Ok explain this nobody thing to me more."

"We're not supposed to exist. A nobody is incomplete. We're a by product of someone loosing their heart. Most people though, don't get it back. We nobody's are looking for a way to get out hearts back."

"So you've come to take mine?"

"If I did I would already have it. It doesn't work that way. I'm here to offer you a deal."

"I don't need you to save me yo. My partner's coming back."

"Is he?"

"Of-what have you done to him!"

"Oh nothing. And I won't. But how long is he gonna be there for you? All you have is yourself."

"Not true. And you're not part of me!"

"But I was. And I want to be again."

Reno was confused. This whole nobody business was hard to believe, even if he knew how fucked up Hojo's experiments were.

"And what would I get out of this yo? Still haven't heard that part."

"You'll be yourself again. Simple. I'm sure some things have changed that you'd like back. Like your stamina for instance?"

Reno's mouth fell open. "YOU TOOK THAT FROM ME!"

Reno had had enough. Throwing caution to the wind as he often did, and with no Rude to stop him, he flung himself at Axel. Axel expected this. Planed it even. Using Reno's momentum against him, Axel threw Reno into the opposite wall, making sure to quell the fire on that side of the room.

"I know all your moves Reno. I do your moves better than you. You can't win this fight."

"If you think that's gonna stop me then you know nothing about me!"

And as Reno tried to stand up and charge again, the room shook. Rude had arrived and was blowing up a wall. Axel walked over to Reno, still on the ground, and offered his hand.

Reno looked into Axel's eyes. What he saw surprised him. There, if he looked hard enough, he saw hope. A distant hope that Reno would take his hand. For a second he seriously considered taking that hand, and then he heard Rude's voice.

"Come on partner. The building's collapsing. I got the files."

Reno looked back to where Axel was, but he was gone.