" What is love?" asked the blonde, chewing thoughtfully on the sea salt treat. Sitting atop the Station clocktower as usual, was the Organization XIII's infamous duo, Roxas and Axel. Missions done for the day, they took their typical break, and lately Roxas had been coming up with some pretty outlandish statements.

"What..?" Axel turned to face his apprentice, a bit confused.

"What is love, Axel. I've never felt it before...at least I don't think I have, and I'm curious to see what it is." Roxas stared at his feet, embarrassed at his personal question.

As much as he wanted to give a valuable explanation, Axel himself had no clue what love was. He had brief memories of it from when he truly existed, when he had a heart. But the physiological connection to those memories were long ago severed, he couldn't remember a thing about love, affection, anything.

"I think is exclusively for people with hearts, man, not us." Axel replied.

Roxas sighed, disappointed. " So for us, love isn't real, it's something we can never obtain?"

"Yeah..I guess. But what do you care, Rox, its just something we can't have, you might as well just drop the subject. Think about an issue thats a little more pressing, like the missions we've yet to complete." Axel murmured.

As Axel turned to smile at his apprentice, he found himself sitting alone.

Hm...he must've RTC'd early, and he didn't even finish his ice cream...

Axel polished off his Sea Salt ice cream, apparating back to the lobby of Organization XIII's mission area.

As Axel walked through the corridors, he mused over Roxas's statement. Axel never really gave love any thought, but when you get right down to it, lacking a heart and the ability to love, but still occupying a prolonged existence, wasn't fair.

As a Nobody, forever in a dark shadow of the light, we cannot feel love,

yet I can recall, in my past life as a human, love was always vital

to be loved, is to feel whole, and invigorates ones existence

and it makes life worth living

But as a Nobody, we're deprived of love

So what is this life worth if you can't really live it?

Axel continued to muse. He passed by the lobby room, stopping at Roxas's door. Carefully opening the door, he stepped in to see Roxas lying on his bed, staring outside into the bleak netherworldly space. His eyes were puffy, an obvious sign he'd been crying. Axel sat beside him, brushing the blond locks from the teen's face.

"You don't need to cry, Roxas." Axel whispered quietly.

Roxas slapped his hand away, casting him a icy glare.

"You don't need to bother me. You don't care, you're so aloof about everything, doesn't it bother you that we, as Nobodies, have no heart to love, have compassion, anything?!?" Roxas shouted angrily, tears trailing down his face, his hands balled into fists.

Axel lowered his head, hurt by the blonde teen's outrage. "It does, Roxas, but why should you be so concerned over something that doesn't apply to you. It makes no sense. It's not like you can even feel it."

Roxas met Axel's eyes fiercely. "I can." he retorted, wiping away teardrops furiously.

"But how is that even possible?" Axel asked, confused.

"Does it even matter to you? Just get out of my room, you're so insensitive and obnoxious." Roxas shouted aloud, pushing the older teen outside.

The door slammed behind him with a resounding *bang*. Axel sombered down the hallway, feeling more depressed by the moment. He had meant to comfort Roxas in his distress, not aggravate him. Now Roxas practically hated him.

He knocked on the door of the ever elusive Zexion, oping he could shed light on this subject. Plus he was somewhat of a friend to Axel, so this news would stay between the two of them.

"To what do I owe a visit from the resident loudmouth?" Zexon hissed, the door opening a crack's width.

"Please, Zexion listen, I need your advice. .It's...urgent." Axel sulked, staring at him pleadingly. The door opened to a small lab with low lights to conceal Zexion's scientific equipment, it was no doubt that he was inventing something to irk Xemnas.

"What can you tell me about love?" Axel asked uneasily, in hopes maybe the prodigy could shed light on his predicament. Zexion's eyes stopped examining the test tubes, darting to Axel, clapping his hand over Axel's mouth.

"Why are you speaking of something regarding hearts when you're well aware Kingdom Hearts isn't going well? Xemnas would KILL you!" Zexion hissed, clutching Axel's cloak.

"Because."

"Because why?" Zexion demanded, annoyed at the red head's stalling.

"Because Roxas can feel it. He can feel love, like a human can, apparently." Axel admitted, wincing at the flashback of the days argument with his blonde accomplice.

"So. Our little soldier of the keyblade feels something he shouldn't be." Zexion resolved, flipping through his lexicon for a reference. Axel looked on hopefully as he watched the dark prodigy research the topic feverishly. He stopped flipping the musty pages suddenly, closing the book confidently.

"Axel, did he happen to mention of what or whom he feels love for?" he asked curiously.

"No, he never did. Just sort of brought it up out of nowhere." Axel replied, sorting through his memory to recall what he'd said. "He just got mad when I tried to discuss and reason with him."

Zexion snorted. "You know, when you discuss anything with anyone, you always manage to say something stupid." he paused, laughing to himself with a small smile. "Axel, why do you think Roxas would ask you a question like that?"

Axel shrugged, he couldn't imagine why Roxas would. "He's usually so quiet and serious, occasionally jokes around, but overall never asked questions that personal."

"Did you ever consider that, maybe, Roxas is feeling this way, because of you? As unlikely as it seems.." Zexion inquired, placing his lexicon back on its shelf with a satisfactory smile.

Axel felt warmth rush to his cheeks, shaking his head. "No, that couldn't be the case. Open up that book of solutions, bookworm, find another possibility!" Axel joked, tousling Zexion's hair.

"Alright, alright then, don't listen to me. But don't come to me later crying because you screwed everything up." Zexion teased, smirking as he ushered the red haired idiot into the hallway.

Axel walked off to the Organization XIII lovvy, seating himself on a couch, now deep in thought. He'd never actually considered that Roxas's ailment involved himself in such a personal way.

He feels love for me?

I still don't understand...

what do I do?

He's so angry with me I can't even ask him what this all means...

A loud clatter awoke Axel from his introspection, Vexen rudely shoving his platter of food onto the glass table. Axel cast him a dirty look, he knew he'd have no peace with Vexen around. He'd get around to killing him eventually.

"So, red. Done anything useful lately? Besides pondering of your boy toy's predicaments." Vexen sneered, flipping his hair vainly.

Axel twitched, avoiding Vexen's condescending smirk.

How the hell did Vexen know about Roxas?

Or is he bluffing?

Zexion wouldn't tell Vexen, oh...this could be troublesome..

"For your information, Platinum Barbie, I've gathered more hearts on my missions than...oh wait, you don't do missions do you?" Axel shot back sarcastically.

Vexen glared at Axel, as he grabbed a fork and jabbed at the grey gunk on his plate.

"That may be, but difference between you and I, Xemnas trusts my capabilities as a scientist. I actually have skills, I don't spin bicycle wheels around like an idiot." Vexen smirked, he knew how to annoy Axel, it was practically a daily routine.

"Anyway, don't worry, Axel. I won't tell anyone here about Roxas's interesting little quirk." Vexen assured, taking a swig of Sangria daintily.

"A...and why wouldn't you tell, Vexen? What's in this for you?" Axel demanded, he didn't trust Vexen, he could cause major trouble and unwanted attention for Roxas.

"Because, unlike you, Roxas is already a valuable member of Organization XIII. His ability with the keyblade is astounding. If I spoke of his sudden emergence of emotions, he would be immediately taken off missions, and would be submitted as a lab rat for Xemnas's personal whims." Vexen replied simply, taking another greedy swig of the liquor.

"And besides...from that angry expression of yours, I think we both know you wouldn't want Xemnas to have such devious ways with your...apprentice." Vexen reasoned, cackling at his clever assumptions.

"So, what can I do about this? Since..you already seem well informed of Roxas's condition." Axel hesitated.

"Well, if I were a naive pyromaniac with absolutely no skills, and I had a simpering yet sexy blonde assistant lusting after me..."

"Get to the point." Axel snapped.

"...as I was saying, If I were in your place, I would pursue this matter further. Since you've already managed to infuriate him, I'd try to see him later, maybe make amends, but for gods sake bring a rubber.."

Axel roared loudly, tossing his flaming chakrams at a hysterically laughing Vexen.

"Good luck, you prude bastard!" Vexen grinned, apparating away with a *pop*.

Pacing in a huff, Axel contemplated his next move.