Okay I'm playing off the fact that Axel resembles my absolute favorite FF7 character. So I cranked things up a notch and got them to meet. Flames will not be appreciated but they will be used to warm my soup so I can get over this cold.


Other-Half

The last thing I remember is the vibrant blue of his eyes before I faded away, back to where I belonged, back into the nothingness.

I don't know how long I floated in that abyss but it mustn't have been long. A few moments later I was opening my eyes to see a strange scene laid out before me.

My aching body lie on a bed, but not adorned in the common attire of Organization 13. As my vision clears I notice that my new attire consists of black jeans and a black shirt to match. The only thing that stayed was the boots that I had worn.

I run a hand through my mane of red spikes.

Where am I? How did I get here? Why was I brought here? Does that mean…I have a heart?

The creaking sound of a door opening catches my attention and I let my emerald eyes wander to the threshold.

In the doorway stands a woman in her 20s wearing a long pink dress with a pink ribbon tying back her long brown hair.

She smiles brightly, "It's good to see that you're awake. I was beginning to worry that you wouldn't wake up."

"Where am I? Who are you?" I question her, eager to know the answers.

With a small giggle she answers fairly quickly.

"My name is Aerith and you're in Radiant Gardens. Leon found you out in the cliffs and brought you back. If you want to thank him he'll be back soon. We've been looking for survivors of any worlds that happened to not make it back to them after Sora left."

"S-Sora?"

A smile lights up her face, "You know Sora?"

I could feel my cheeks warming, although that's not normal even for me. I may have a heart again but that doesn't mean I'm use to blushing.

"H-He…I knew his nobody…we were in the Organization together. I helped Sora get into where Organization 13 was staying. But…but by doing that I exhausted all my powers and…faded."

A smile that showed kindness and sadness shines off of her countenance like the white light that one should see when dying and going to heaven.

"Aerith is he awake yet?" a voice…male.

I turn to the sound and see a man in his 20s with shoulder length chocolate hair and stormy blue eyes. A scar cascades down from his right eyebrow to the bridge of his nose.

"Yes he's up Leon and he seems well." Aerith answers.

Before he can even ask I fill in the blanks for him.

"I use to be a Nobody that controlled fire and was pulled into the Organization 13. The name's Axel, got it memorized?"

He smiles at me, but only a little.

"Oh and thanks Leon." I add in at the last minute.

He gives a curt nod before turning to his heel. "Well come on then let's get you introduced to the city."

Surprisingly there is no pain that erupts throughout my stiff limbs as I stand and walk behind Leon.

The next person I get to encounter poufs up out of thin air. Wearing a long blue magician robe and hat while a long white beard and glasses attach to his face.

Leon introduces me to him.

"Merlin, this is Axel. Axel, Merlin."

I flash a smile that must have shown a slight sense of my cocky behavior.

"Don't seem to arrogant boy, I'll have you learning the basics the soonest Leon lets you out of his sights," the old man threatens.

I turn my attention away and to a blond man sitting at a very up-scaled computer. I stride over while Leon attempts to cool Merlin down. I heard Leon say something about him being too frightening to the newcomers.

The man glances up at me and takes the toothpick out of his mouth.

"Name's Cid, technician. Who are you?"

"Axel…pyro and lost."

He simply nods before turning back to his work, typing away on the oversized black keyboard.

Leon walks over and motions to the door, our escape from Loony Ville apparently. The brunet swings the door open and groans lightly.

"Hey Leon, got the last of the stuff done in town," says the way to perky voice of a female.

Her short black hair curls around her face with a ninja ribbon tied around her head. She fashions shorts and a tank top along with boots that run up to her knees. My eyes trail down to the weapon in her hand…shuriken…a big one.

She smiles up at me, "Oh and this must be that guy you found. My name's Yuffie, the Great Ninja Yuffie, to be exact."

"Axel, got it memorized?"

Yuffie nods and yet I can't figure out why. "I like your tattoos."

Instinctively my hand runs along one of the twin purple reverse teardrops under my eyes. I mutter a thank you back to her.

Noticing this Leon moves aside and leads me out the door around her. "Yuffie you stay here with Aerith and make sure Merlin and Cid don't destroy anything."

At the sound of a job to be done she sprints off into the odd looking house.

Leon guided me throughout the town introducing me to ducks, people, creatures, and all else, even the moogles.

He had just led me into the dead end of the town, a large circular area with stairs leading to shops that circle the circle. As if that made any sense.

The wisp of wind behind me catches my attention. Due to the fact that the Organization trained me, I spin around, chakrams in hand.

The metal from my red, white, and black "spiked" wheels and an oversized sword clash.

I smirk at my challenger, a man in his mid-twenties sporting spiked fair hair and piercing blue eyes. All this along with a simple attire of black; boots, pants, and shirt.

He challenges me back by reflecting my actions, but his grin holds more confidence.

…And I don't blame him. Anyone would be scared of a sword that huge…it's bigger than me!

Our weapons raise and go to connect again when another weapon enters, Leon. He holds a sword resembling a revolver…a Gunblade as they've become known as.

"Cloud…" his voice comes out as soft as a whisper yet holds the emotions of a lonely lover.

The blond, Cloud, lowers his sword, reflecting Leon's actions. To my shock they embrace.

Not a brotherly one either. I mean full-fledged "we're meant to be" hug.

Leon lets go of Cloud and turns back to me. "This is Cloud Strife…my boyfriend."

I nod, not surprised now that it had sunk in. Plus the fact that I was homosexual myself, or at least that I knew of.

Cloud rests his head on Leon's shoulder, "We need to hurry, and they'll be here soon. It's been a couple of years, I'm sure Sora hasn't changed though."

"Come Axel, I'm sure you'll want to see Sora again. We got word from Sora that his Nobody Roxas was separated from him, giving him his own life. But well they're dating now and when they put their power together they can teleport to anywhere in the worlds. Today they are coming here again." Leon kindly fills me in.

Once the two had arrived and I said hello to Sora, Roxas and I walked off to the side, neither one of us quite fitting in to the love fest.

Roxas runs a hand through his mangy spiky blond hair and raising his clear blue eyes up to my grassy green ones.

"So Axel…I'm glad you're okay. I thought you were gone forever."

"Me too, but…I don't know I still feel funny."

Thin blond eyebrow quirks up, "Funny as in what?"

I laugh at his attitude, same old Roxas. "Like half of me is missing. I know it sounds stupid and-"

"Axel, it's not stupid. That's how I felt when I went off to find Sora. Maybe…you're other half is out there somewhere."

I snort, "Yeah right. Who would want me for another half?"

"I would Axel!" says the kind voice of the brunet as I had remembered.

I turn to come face-to-face with Sora. His bright blue eyes filled with worry and his chestnut hair spiking out at all angles.

"That makes me feel a whole lot better!" I say sarcastically.

Sora only shakes his head, "Don't worry Axel, you'll find him…or even her, soon enough. One can't stay separated too long. Roxas knows that first hand."

A grim horror sails into my mind.

What if my stupid other half gets himself killed? It would be just my luck to end up dying too, since he's my "other half".

"Axel it's nothing like that. When I'm separated from Sora for more than a month I tend to feel as if I'm dying but you won't." Roxas was always good at noticing things.

Sora grabs a hold of the other's hand. "Come on Roxas we had better get going. Riku will be mad if we stay too late."


Before I could even say good-bye they disappear in a murky light, light and dark mixed into one for a safe travel, balance.

I on the other hand pick my way through the town and end up back at the house. But before I can enter Cid walks out.

"Look kid we want to be hospitable and all but we've got a crowded guest house. I bought you your own place. Now no need for thanks, it needed to be sold anyway. You're six houses that a way and here's your key."

The man hands me a ring with a single key on it while pointing off in a totally opposite direction of this cramped house.

I mutter out thanks before starting to walk again, enjoying my freedom.

But something at the back of my mind picks away at me, demanding that I turn around and barge into that house.

Either way I let it go, I don't want to have to go through Leon or Cloud anyway.


A rudely loud fist bangs on my front door, persisting that I awake. I roll onto my side, hoping that if I ignore it then it'll go away fairly quickly.

…Not…

The urgent knocks continue, driving me away from the alluring sleep. Letting a groan slip past my lips I trudge my way through the hall of the small two bed one bath house to the door, throwing it open.

I glare at the unknown person due to my still hazy vision. "What do you want? I was try-"

My mouth snaps shut automatically and I step aside, letting them into the house. I lead Cloud and Leon to my bedroom where they lay the figure down.

Unlike me, Leon has no trouble speaking. "We're not sure of his name. Cloud found him while we were in the cliffs training yesterday. But we can't keep him there with us…"

I turn toward him, "Why not? What do I have to give?"

Cloud snaps his gaze to me. "Apparently quite a lot. He keeps saying your name in his sleep."

Leon tugs at his lover's arm, showing themselves the exit.

All the while I stare down at the male lying on my regular sized bed. His body adorned in black slacks, white unbuttoned shirt, with a jacket over it. Curved line tattoos rest diagonally underneath each closed eye, complementing his long red hair that's pulled back into a ponytail.

I inhale sharply, "What am I going to do now? He…so similar."

Turning away I walk to the kitchen and grab a glass of water. When I return I see him sitting up in bed.

"You-Here drink this."

I hand him the drink and he generously gulps half of it down. The unknown male takes a deep breath, "Yo, the name's Reno."

"R…Reno? Have I met you before?"

"Maybe…but I know you. I've been looking for you, my other half. So what's your name?"

"Axel. A-X-E-L, got it memorized?"

Reno laughs, "Yeah I got it."

I take a seat on the edge of the bed, hoping maybe we can talk. But boy is he a person who gets to the point.

"You're my Nobody huh?"

"Yup."

"Well I know all about you Axel."

"How? We just met!"

Reno laughs at me. "You're a pyro, cocky, strategic, and determined. Your best friend was Roxas, a boy named Sora's nobody. When we got separated you were dragged into Organization 13 and turned against them. After fading you ended up here."

"B-but how do you know all of this? Yet I know nothing about you."

"For the past week I've been in a coma…living your life as a Nobody. It wasn't that great."

I chuckle lightly, "You're telling me…So what about you? Wait give me a sec."

I close my eyes tight and dig through my brain, hoping to come up with some recognition that I truly do know this man.

A light clicks on in my brain.

"You were a Turk for a company called Shinra and your main profession was…the helicopter and protection of a guy named Rufus."

"Axel…you're a smart one."

I lean back on my hand and gaze at Reno. "So what do we do now?"

What happened next happens so fast yet he moved toward me in slow motion, in my mind's eye.

Reno pushes me down onto the bed and lies on top of me. I stare up into his lavender eyes and my heart beats faster in my chest. Chills cascade up and down my spine making me twist further into his grasp.

"Axel…I've been looking for you," he says softly into my ear, "You've eluded me till now…I think- No I know that I love you."

A feeling of fullness rushes through me like adrenaline. This is what I've been lacking, his love, my other half and all of his love for me. Sora has Roxas and now I have Reno. I have a weakness, which I thought I only had for my dear friend Roxas, and I have for Reno as well. To others they would say it's too early to love someone. But I've known Reno my whole existence. Maybe not consciously but subconsciously and I realize now that I need his affection.

"I love you too." I murmur into his cheek before I place a ghostly kiss on it.

Reno pulls up, "I'm really glad to hear that, yo."

I can't help but laugh at his 'yo' at the end. My laughter ceases as his soft lips press against my own.

This is only the beginning to a new end and I get to share it all with my Other Half.