AN: Zomg! I have actually come out hiding! I don't know for how long, but damn I loved Kingdom Hearts 2 and I just loved Axel and Roxas so I had to write this.I love me some Axel, lol. This is a ONE SHOT! I'm sorry, but you know me and long length stories... I'm not inspired. However, there are SPOILERS! I don't know if they're major ones but they're spoilers none the less so don't say I didn't warn. Also, this should be familiar spoiler from the game. It seems that everyone used this one, lol. I've read a couple of fics already with this one. Still, I wanted to write my own version of that moment so the story line is mine. Wait, I'll save it for the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: Ok, better. I do not own Axel or Roxas, although if I did... well, you don't want to know that. I also don't own any other mentioned characters or whatever comes out from KH2. In fact the only thing I own is my story line and the title, lol... Tetsuya Nomura and all those other brilliant bastards own everything else.

A Parting Gift

"Something's wrong…" Roxas muttered more to himself than to his companion.

Axel gave him a side glance but remained silent. He'd rather not entertain Roxas' queries or concerns knowing it would only turn out for the worst. Instead he twirled his chakrams above his head and sent them back to oblivion, pretending he hadn't heard anything.

The clattering of Roxas' keyblade on the ground caught Axel's ears again, however.

"Roxas…" Axel started.

Roxas glanced up him with a look that was caught somewhere between pain and amazement. He held his hands up in front of him, staring at them as if this were the first time he had actually noticed he had any. And almost instantly the keyblade reappeared in his hand, much to Roxas' dismay.

"What is this thing?"

Axel moved towards the young boy, "Your weapon."

Roxas was about to shoot Axel an angry glance when the keyblade decided to disappear from Roxas' hands.

Roxas sighed deeply. He was used to that happening. The keyblade would always appear in his hands at the start of a battle and it would dismiss itself once it thought its job complete. Not that Roxas could complain because its strength was a great help in any fight. Still, it was unsettling to not know its origin and why it only worked for Roxas and no one else.

"Am I different?" Roxas asked after a brief silence.

Axel shrugged indifferently, obviously taking the question to mean something else. "We're nobodies. Of course we're different."

Axel's indifference annoyed Roxas more than his response.

"Forget it. I'll go find my own answers then." Roxas walked past Axel no bothering to meet his companion's eyes.

"Where are you going?" Axel asked in a hurry once he realized that Roxas was being serious.

"I'm going to find out what the hell's going on," Roxas tossed over his shoulder and continued to walk away.

"Hey, hey, hey we all have identity issues but you don't see us running off to--"

"Well, maybe you should." Roxas answered coldly as he turned to face Axel.

"Roxas, if you leave you're turning your back on the Organization. They would you down and not stop until they found you. And once they did find you they would--"

"Kill me?"

"Yeah, kill you." Axel answered hesitantly.

"They could try, yes, but they'd never succeed." Roxas grinned in that cocky manner he had whenever he was sure he could succeed at something.

Axel couldn't help but grin at the boy, "Well, yeah, I guess, but--"

"Besides, I'm not important here. No one would miss me in this dump."

Axel lowered his head and averted his eyes. "That's not true. I would." Axel had always acknowledged the fact that he was needier than Roxas when it came to their friendship. He always needed to be reassured that Roxas cared for him, because at times Roxas really did seem devoid of all feeling. And yes, of course they were, because their curse was to be shells devoid of any feeling since they were nobodies. But being around Roxas made Axel doubt that he really was a nobody because Roxas stirred within him memories of feelings that were too strong to be mere memories. Being with Roxas was like having his heart, and even if he didn't really have it Axel was content with believing he did. And that was good enough for him, just believing that he did have a heart to love Roxas with.

Roxas laughed. He didn't mean it in a cruel way, but it was just like Axel to say the most unexpected things. Axel looked up, his crimson brows furrowed in confusion. Roxas smiled shortly before walking in to his arms.

"That's true. You would miss me, just as I would miss you."

Axel couldn't believe his ears and maybe it was because he thought he hadn't heard right, that he hesitated to hug the blonde back. Still his arms worked on their own and wrapped around the smaller frame, and Axel snapped back into his senses soon enough. He hung his head low and rested it on top of Roxas' blonde spikes of hair.

"Stay, Roxas. We can be happy together here."

"No, you would be happy but I wouldn't. I want to know what's happening to me. I want an explanation to all of this."

If Axel was allowed to he would explain everything to him right at that spot just to have him stay, but he had orders from higher up and he knew that Roxas really did have to go find his own answers. Roxas had to leave and find out just who he was and why it was that the keyblade answered to him and only one other…

"Fine you can leave, but I'll come looking for you eventually and I'll drag you back to this hell hole again."

Roxas stepped back and smiled, "You could try, but I'll put up a fight."

Axel laughed, "I don't doubt it. Still, I'll do everything to bring you right back."

"I'll be waiting then." Roxas met Axel's challenge with a mischievous smile and met the man's sea foam green eyes. It was then that Roxas realized that this truly might be the last time he saw his other half. He was almost unsure of himself, but he was Roxas and that wasn't completely possible, so he shook his head and pushed the thought aside.

Axel had noted Roxas insecurity and had made a mental note of it since it would probably be the one and only time he would see that in Roxas.

"Then, allow me a parting gift," Axel spoke once again.

Roxas met his eyes in confusion but was too late in realizing what it was that Axel meant. Soon his lips were crushed by the older man's and his body clashed against the larger figure. Sure, Roxas was shocked and hardly knew how to react but that soon melted away into a new feeling. For once, he felt complete. More incredible than that, he actually felt. When was the last time he had actually felt anything? It had been far too long and the shell that was his being had forgotten how to feel anything. But now Axel's kiss had rekindled something he had long forgotten. He could actually feel Axel's fire burn within his veins and setting him ablaze.

Axel broke the kiss and looked at Roxas with an accomplished grin. "Just wanted to show you what you do to me."

Roxas smiled, "I never thought I could--"

"Yeah, well you ain't exactly tried before either." Axel raised a brow in an amused manner as he surveyed the still somewhat shocked Roxas.

"Do me a favor," Roxas met Axel's eyes, "when we do meet again, show me what it really means to play with fire and get burned."

Axel laughed, "Next time we meet I'll make you feel everything you're not supposed to feel."

"Still, if that day never comes, I want a memory of you to keep with me," Roxas suggested.

Axel grimaced and though to himself, 'funny that you should mention memories, Roxas.'

Roxas noticed Axel's expression and mistook it for something else. "Geez, I promise to react this time. I couldn't have been that bad."

Axel was about to speak when Roxas forcefully pulled him down and took control of the second kiss. Axel couldn't help but smile into the kiss. Roxas was the only one that Axel would ever bow for. No one could ever make fire be submissive, only Roxas, and that meant something to Axel since he had finally found his match. True to his word, Roxas was far more attentive in their second kiss, taking it one step further by slipping his tongue into Axel's mouth. Axel found this somewhat awkward since he had always thought that he would be the one to take control when it came to kisses, lovemaking, or anything of that sort. It's not like he minded, but he wasn't about make Roxas think that he would have all of the power in their relationship. Still, just for this time he would allow the young nobody a bit more freedom.

Axel broke free and gasped, "Whoa, take it easy. We have to save some for later so we have something to look forward to."

Roxas laughed, "Yeah, you're right. Well, then this is goodbye then. You'd better find me."

Axel crossed his arms over his chest and smirked. "Have I said any different?"

A pool of darkness opened behind Roxas and he began slowly slipping into it making sure to memorize every last detail of Axel before completely disappearing into the portal. Axel's grin faded as the portal disappeared into thin air. The taste or Roxas' lips still burned upon the fire wielder, and he could only rub his bottom lip with his thumb and smile. Roxas' distinct taste would soon fade and Axel relished in the thought that he would soon have to seek out Roxas and find out what every inch of him tasted like.