DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Characters and locations (c) Square-Enix and Buena Vista. If I owned KH, it would be rated much higher than it is, and the fandom yaoi and shounen-ai pairings would be canon.
Warnings: Mentions of previous sexual activity, not explicet. OLD STORY.
This about what might have happened had Roxas remembered Axel during their first fight.
Drifting, floating… slowly falling into some warm and wet sensation. Blue eyes opened to find themselves staring at a familiar ceiling. The eyes softened strangely, as if saddened by the sight. The boy sat up in his bed, taking in his room, it was a mess, a large blue star shaped lamp stood near the door, a huge chain with a hook on the end attached itself to the right wall, a few other unimaginable things littered the floor and walls, the door had a pair of colorful stars plastered near the top.
Today was the Struggle. After Yesterday… did he really have the will to fight Hayner? No… he was still beating himself up over having seemed to have hung out with Seifer and them instead of his friends. And what was worse, he'd had another dream. Unlike the other ones, about that brunette boy and his two friends, the duck and the dog, it was about a man, no younger than 21 with long spiky-ish bright-red hair and warm emerald green eyes.
He vaguely took note that it was the first time in a long time that he'd had a dream from his own view… and none of his other dreams had seemed as real as the one he'd had last night…
He felt he should know the man, but the red head's name escaped him. And the warm sensation in the center of his chest was fallowing it.
Roxas sighed and slipped out of his pajamas and into a loose black shirt and his normal pants. He left his vest-jacket hanging near the door; he didn't feel he'd need it. Boy was he ever right.
The tall man let out a sigh of frustration, highly annoyed with this… Seifer person. The teen had no clue what Axel could possibly be going through right now, but even so, the Flurry of the Dancing Flames was surer than Hell that he was putting off 'Leave me the Hell alone' vibes. And damn this Somebody for not heeding those vibes. The boy's three friends weren't helping either… though that Vivi kid could come in handy…
Axel growled as the boy continued to badger him about showing up in a black cloak on the day of the 'Struggle' whatever the Hell that was. He was also badgering the pyro about his silent treatment to him. The red head found it hard not to laugh at the boy's stupidity. But then a blonde in black and white caught his eye in what he'd learned to be called 'The Sandlot'.
"R-Roxas?" he breathed, Seifer blinked at the sudden voice coming from the previously silent male.
"Hey, I'm talking to you. Look at me when I'm Lecturing you!" he demanded, before fallowing Axel's supposed gaze towards the short blonde. Axel briefly mentally thanked Xemnas for the standard issue Organization XIII cloaks, as the hood hid his overjoyed expression.
"Listen, as much as I enjoyed our one-sided chat… I've got a blonde I need to catch up with." Axel stated, he wouldn't have been surprised if it had come out a purr. He then started walking away, mentally tearing himself apart as he forced his gaze away from Roxas, who was oblivious because of the distance.
Roxas smiled happily, Hayner had forgiven him… now he could fight.
And fight he did, beating Hayner fairly easily, Hayner seemed disappointed at loosing, but still thanked his friend for the good fight. Roxas smiled; pleased with himself, Hayner was a good opponent.
He watched as Vivi broke out a can o' Whoop-ass on Seifer, and felt a strange tug when he and Vivi made eye contact afterwards. He felt a chill shoot down his spine when Seifer proclaimed that that couldn't be Vivi and left, Fuu and Rai fallowing like obedient puppies.
As Roxas stepped into the ring, he couldn't help but feel uneasy as he and Vivi stared each other down. As soon as the bell rang, Vivi was on him, attacking swiftly. Roxas didn't know how me managed to block every-blow, but he did. He wasn't entirely sure how he countered, either, only that he'd suddenly… wait a minute, where did the cheering go and why did his friends look like they'd been frozen mid-shout… Didn't that happen before? With Naminé?
He watched as the Dusks he'd sent jumped from their places, one from its possession of the small boy that was Vivi. He watched as Roxas made quick work of the aforementioned Nobodies, and decided to send in some Assassins to see how the blonde Nobody would react.
Roxas felt a sharp stab in his chest at the sight of these new White Creatures, they looked kind-of like birds only they moved through the ground. And they seemed… even more familiar than the other creatures… the name Assassin rang through his mind… and his heart. Something about fighting these specific Creatures seemed… wrong.
Ooh… so he had some recollection after all… Roxas had taken to attempting to dodge the swift attacks. Emerald eyes observed as Roxas managed to pull himself together enough to destroy two of the tree Assassins. The Emerald darkened.
And there went the third and Axel stepped out from the shadows, clapping and smiling behind his hood.
"You can't turn on the Organization!" You can't leave me all alone.
"No one would miss me." What other choice do I have?
"That's not true!" Please! Don't go… come back… Roxas… "I would…" What's this pain in my chest? Please Roxas… I can't… I'm not real without you there…
Roxas blinked and shot a confused look at the figure whom was applauding him.
"Roxas. Alright. Fight, Fight, Fight." The figure chanted, it almost sounded sarcastic. Had the voice behind it not sounded so familiar?
"You really don't remember?" the figure was walking towards him now. Stepping into the Struggle Arena. "It's me…" one of those hands reached for the hood and began to pull it off. "You know… Axel." He stated. Roxas blinked as that mess of fire-red hair was revealed, and the emerald eyes… and those strangely familiar black reverse-teardrop tattoos below the man's eyes.
"Axel?" he questioned. Somehow, he felt like he'd just betrayed the man. Then he saw the sharp pain shoot through the red head's eyes.
"Talk about blank with a capital 'B'. Not even the Dusks are gonna crack this one." The man stated like it was an observation. "Number thirteen. Roxas."
"No one would miss me." I'm so sorry Axel… I just can't take it anymore.
"Huh?" Roxas questioned. Again, that hurt look before Axel looked around.
"This town is his creation right? That means we don't have time for a Q & A." he stated, why was that voice so familiar? Wait… HOLY! This was the guy he'd dreamt about. And that dream was no illusion… that was part of the past he didn't remember… right? "You're coming with me, conscious or not."
Roxas looked at his Keyblade. Suddenly irritated with it.
"What's going on!" he demanded, lifting his blade and tossing it to the ground. Axel seemed amused. Were it not for that pain that still shone in his eyes. And then, the Keyblade faded into a flash of light and re-appeared in the same manner back in Roxas's right hand. "W-what?" he muttered before deciding he didn't want to deal with it and got into a fighting stance, he noted that the man had procured a pair of red and silver wheel-looking objects from somewhere and was in a strange fighting stance as well. "Let's go then!" he announced before launching himself at the tall red head.
They hurt, just like back when Roxas had left him to mend his broken heart on his own. The words, the fact that he no longer remembered him… it hurt. Hadn't they promised to never forget? Hadn't Roxas himself made Axel swear to his true name not to let his memory go? He noted the curiosity in the blonde's eyes now, the confusion. He knew he was forgetting something, something very important.
"Axel?" the small blonde voice sleepily from his place next to the red head, curled against the warmer body like a kitten.
"Hm?" Axel replied curiously, rolling over so that he was facing Roxas. "What's up, love?" he questioned.
"Axel… I know this might seem kind of… strange, but… do you think we have hearts?" the blonde asked, Axel felt a surge of pride that he could call this adorable boy his own, that no one else would ever be able to see this warm tender and… adorably smexy side of the blonde, who currently had pushed himself unto his palms so that his naked torso was fully exposed to the equally naked Axel. Only a pair of boxers and Axel's comforter covered his lower half.
The redhead smiled and lifted a hand lazily and pressed it against the blonde's chest right over where his heart would have been, he felt another surge of emotion when he felt the pulse under the boy's skin.
"Well, you have a pulse, and I have a pulse… how could we not have hearts if we have pulses?" he replied. "And… I know for a fact that Ale never felt half the things I've felt as a Nobody, most of those emotions were to intimate for him to come close to experiencing. So… how could I experience the ghosts of emotions my Somebody never felt?" he felt warmth spread through his body at Roxas's warm smile.
"Do you love me? As in… truly love me?" he questioned, Axel knew he just wanted to hear the words again.
"Yes Roxas. I love you…with all my heart and soul." He leaned up to nuzzle his nose against Roxas's cheek. "I didn't give you Bond of Flames for nothing. Nor did I teach you Fire magic simply because I thought you might need it… I did those things as a way to express how I feel for you… Roxas… if we really don't have hearts…" he paused to ponder his own words for a moment. "If we really don't have hearts… than you make me feel like I have one… and you're the only other person in the Organization that I've ever really opened up to." He admitted. Roxas grinned.
"I love you too Axel… for the same reason…and because you stand apart from the crowd… refusing to conform just because the rest of the world is bowing down to worship something/one or other." He purred.
There was silence for a moment when Roxas laid back down and snuggled ever closer to the pyro.
"Axel?"
"Yeah Roxas?"
"Let's make a promise."
"Sure, shoot."
"If for some reason we're ever separated, we will never forget each other. No matter what." Roxas stated. Axel blinked; he didn't think he'd ever be away from the small blonde but…
"Roxas…"
"We have to swear this by our True Names… by that which we hold most dear." Roxas informed. Axel stared at him for a moment. Roxas barely remembered ever being 'Sora'. But the name… to Roxas, that name was probably one of the most important things in all the worlds, next to Axel and Demyx.
"I swear by my True Name of Ale that if you and I are ever separated, that I will /never, ever/ forget you, Roxas, Number XIII, the Key of Destiny… and the love of my whole Existence and Non-Existence." He promised, making sure to pour all of his feelings into those words.
"And I, Roxas, swear by My True Name of Sora that if for some reason, I am ever parted from your presence, I will never forget you and the memories shared between us." He swore in reply, smiling before pressing his lips against Axel's to seal the pact.
The fight hadn't gone well, Axel had been distracted by his memories and had promptly had his ass handed to him on a silver platter by a blonde haired white-winged devil.
"You… you promised." Axel panted, confusing the Hell out of said blonde. "We promised that no matter what happened, we'd never forget each other." Axel felt like he was on the brink of tears, and Roxas's startled face didn't help. "Damn it Roxas! What the hell did they do to you!" he demanded. Roxas jumped back about a foot, startled by the outburst. Then HE just had to show up.
"Roxas, this man speaks only nonsense, ignore him." The red-bandaged man stated. Roxas jumped up a foot in the air and stepped away from him as well.
"So it was you." Axel droned, soundings almost bored before throwing his weapons at the man, said weapons were suddenly engulfed in flame. But disappeared before they hit him. Axel growled.
"See? He is violent and would only use you for his own gains." The man stated. Roxas stared at him. Who to trust, the red-haired man who he /knew/ that he knew, he just didn't know why or how. Or this new guy with the bandages. Or both… or neither even?
"Damn it! What are you trying to stuff his brain with? You lying bastard! You obviously know nothing about us!" Axel snapped.
Roxas blinked, 'us'. That word had a powerful affect on him. A sudden yank on his heart, a yank in Axel's direction.
00
"Pfft. He'll never fit in with us."
"Why don't you leave him the Hell alone Larxene!"
"Why should I? He's to cute not to torture."
Smack
"DAMNIT AXEL! What the Hell was that?"
"If you touch him… I'll kill you."
00
Axel. Protector… lover… The Promise…
"Axel!" Roxas exclaimed, rushing to the man's side, startling both of the older men out of their argument. "Axel… I'm so sorry… I'll never forget again, I swear…" wait… what he crying on the pyro's coat? Yes… he was sobbing, bawling even. "I'm so sorry… I-I d-d-don't know what happened… I left… next thing I know… I'm here and enjoying a Summer Vacation… but I don't remember anything before this summer in this world…"
Axel felt his heart flutter as he dropped into a kneel and pulled Roxas to himself, holding him, comforting him…
"Do you really remember?" he questioned, trying to be cautious. Roxas half-nodded.
"I… remember all about you, and a little about Demyx and Zexion… and a tiny, tiny bit about Larxene… but that's about it." He mumbled, burying his face into Axel's chest.
DiZ looked shocked and Axel fought back a smirk.
"Oh… Roxas…" Axel breath, now simply enjoying the feel of having the small teen in his arms again. Roxas lifted his head slightly, eyes slightly glazed as he remembered something else before turning and glaring heatedly at DiZ. This caught Axel's attention /fast/.
"You… you're the one who made me forget…" his lip curled up in a silent snarl and he fisted one of his small hands. "If it wasn't for you… I'd have my answers by now… I'd've never forgotten." He trembled from surprised rage.
"Does that really matter to me? Whether a Nobody hates me? You have no hearts, you have no emotion." DiZ snapped. Both Nobodies lost their tempers and lunged at the man. DiZ's eyes widened and he disappeared in a flurry of data. Roxas snarled something before calming down, shooting a shy glance at Axel. Axel took a moment longer to calm, but shot a pleading glance at the boy.
"Rox-" he started. Roxas cut him off.
"I'll come back with you. But…" he closed his eyes and seemed to wilt slightly.
"But…" Axel pressed.
"Let me stay until this competition is over… I want to say goodbye to Hayner, Pence, and Olette" He motioned to the trio, still frozen in time. Axel felt a stab at his heart.
"…You'll come with me after that?" he questioned. Roxas smiled and nodded.
"Just… let me give them… something to remember me by."
Roxas had done just that, he won his tournament thing… and fallowed his friends to the station with the Trophy in hand; casting frequent glances backwards to make sure Axel was still tailing him. The redhead hadn't stopped tailing the boy for more than a second to buy a couple sticks of Sea-salt ice cream.
Roxas had given each of the other teens one of the shiny orbs from the trophy, saving the red one for himself because it would remind him of Axel if they ever got separated again.
And then he stood and sighed.
"Guys… This'll probably be the last time we ever see each-other again." He said. He was almost casual about it.
"WHAT!" Hayner demanded. Roxas flinched.
"…I realized something during the Struggle… you know those weird dreams I've been having? I found out what they're about. You know the weird things that've been happening to me? I found out why… I… I'm gonna miss you guys… but there's someone miss even more… I'm sorry…" he started walking away, so that he could head back-downstairs… to Axel. But paused and turned around in time to see Olette start crying. He bit his lip regretfully, shooting Pence and Hayner a sad; 'Please, keep her happy' look before turning tail and running. The group watched him as he exited the station, watching from above as the blonde ran into the arms of a man with fire-red hair, who began moving around the boy as if comforting him. And then both disappeared into a strange cocoon of darkness.
And then… they were gone.