I don't own :) But I hope you like it! The plot is MINE (mwahahahaha)


Axel groaned as he stepped through the portal and collapsed onto the floor in the Grey Area. Zexion and Roxas, who had previously been lounging and talking to each other, were instantly at his side, anxiously checking for wounds and breathing.

"Axel what happened?"

"VIII, how bad are your injuries?"

The redhead laughed weakly and clutched his stomach in pain, his knuckles turning white.

"Heh… just a couple… Heartless… no… big… DEAL," he winced as Zexion's hands roamed over several other wounds. Roxas looked anxious.

"You're gonna be alright… it'll be okay…" he kept whispering words like a mantra, but Zexion suspected that they were more to calm himself than Axel.

Unzipping VIII's cloak a little, Zexion took in a sharp breath as he saw just how deep the wounds were.

"Roxas!" he called out harshly. "Get me some Potions. Now."


Perfectly spiked red hair peeked out from behind the large armchair Axel was sitting in. Roxas had brought Potions, which Zexion used to heal Axel, but even they weren't enough. The remaining wounds were carefully bandaged by the two, as Axel did not want the Superior to know of the extent of his injuries.

So there he sat, a mug of hot tea in one hand and his head leaning into the other, with a face of pure boredom. Zexion had forbidden him to move out of the chair for more than twice in an hour, and Roxas was making sure of that. The Flurry of the Dancing Flames sighed dramatically. His little friend was instantly at his side.

"What's wrong, Axel?" he asked worriedly. The redhead shrugged and stared at the fireplace, wishing fire would appear to hungrily devour the logs waiting there, and cast its flickering shadows across the room.

"I can't summon my chakrams, and I can't control fire anymore," he murmured sadly. Roxas went pale.

"What? Why not? But—"

"I'm too… too… drained to control it, and I don't want to get in trouble with Marluxia or Xemnas…" he trailed off and glared at the wall, willing his body to heal faster. Roxas frowned and left, not knowing what to say and seeing that Axel was in no mood to talk anymore, bored though he was. He disappeared and went to find Zexion.


A steel-blue haired man stepped out of the dark portal and walked in steady strides towards the red armchair and crossed his arms once he was standing in front of VIII.

"Roxas tells me that you are bored, Axel," he began, but the redhead glared at him.

"D'you think? I mean, thank you for helping me, but still, telling me not to move is kind of restrictive, plus there's no fire in the fireplace!"

"And you can't put one there since you're too weak to at the moment, yes?" Axel winced at the word weak. He was not weak, and would try his hardest to never be weak.

"…yes…" Zexion smiled at his sulky friend before raising his hands.

A fire began crackling in the stone alcove, licking at the dry timber waiting there. Axel's attention was drawn to it as he stared happily at the flickering flames.

The two sat like that for some time, late into the night.

Once Zexion saw that Axel had fallen asleep, he lowered his hands and smirked.

"You're welcome," he whispered before falling asleep himself.