Hi! I'm Vehe, and I'm writing this story as part of XxCrimsonOblivion's "Mix and Match Challenge." Go check her out, guys! Not only is she a great writer, but she made up a really cool challenge.

This is my first foray into writing Larxene and Axel.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, or any of its franchise material. I do have a pretty big collection of Disney stuff, though.


"Larxene! Get down here now!"

I rolled my eyes at the sound of my stepfather's voice. Although he was undoubtedly calling me in order to scold me for something or another, his almost-liquid voice held no emotion. That was the kind of guy Marluxia was. Emotionless.

"Coming," I spat in return. My response held enough venom to make up for my stepfather's complete lack for any semblance of feeling.

"Jeez, Larxene, think you could be any more melodramatic?" the redhead in front of me teased, clearly amused at my evident disdain. He was leaning against the checkout counter of my stepfather's flower shop, The Graceful Dahlia, where I worked as a sales girl. It was my job to stay behind the register. Marluxia was incredibly paranoid about someone trying to steal from us.

"Shut up, Axel. Nobody asked you," I said, maintaining the same amount of so-called "melodrama."

Axel was undoubtedly what you would stereotype as a "bad boy," and he definitely dressed the part. He usually wore black - a black hoodie, a black jacket, a black tank top, black pants, whatever - and his dark clothing contrasted sharply against his unruly, flame-red hair which fell just to his shoulders, despite most of it being spiked back. He had ivory skin and emerald-green eyes that usually held a cocky stare. Our current conversation was no exception, and he gazed at me smugly, his lips turned up in a half-smile.

"You're right, I actually asked you a question, to which you still haven't responded. How about dinner on Friday night?"

I rolled my eyes again and scoffed. "In your dreams."

"You're always in my dreams, Larxene," he purred slyly. "Except in my dreams, you never say no..."

"Oh, Axel," I said breathily, the way an innocent schoolgirl might respond to her first crush. I reached my hand out as if I were planning to stroke his cheek. I paused a moment, batting my eyelashes. Axel looked surprised, caught off-guard by my compliance. Then I clawed my fingers, slowly raking three fingers lightly down his face and catching the scratchy bits of five o' clock shadow growing through his skin. My turned cold. "Only in your dreams would I ever go out with a loser like you."

Axel was unfazed. His cocky smirk widened as the redhead reached out, forest fire fast, grabbed me by the collar of my shirt, and yanked me towards him. I stumbled forward, my face inches from his. "We both know the only reason you're being a bitch is because you think it'll keep you from being hurt again," Axel said, his voice smooth and calm. I could feel his breath against my lips, which involuntarily parted. His gaze was too intense to hold, but much to Axel's amusement, I couldn't look away.

"What, have I shocked all the snark out of you, Larxene? It's unlike you not to have the last word," he mocked, his sly grin widening.

"Larxene!" my stepfather called again from the basement. His monotone contrasted sharply against Axel's fiery gaze. Speaking of the redhead, I suddenly realized I had yet to say anything.

"Let me go, you idiot," I sneered, pushing Axel away from me.

"Did you just call me an idiot?" Axel laughed, a genuine laugh, which pissed me off even more. "That's so...tame. In fact, it could be considered a compliment coming from you. I'm so flattered, Larxene."

"Get out of the shop, Axel. Before I turn you into fertilizer."

"There's the brat I know. Don't worry, folks!" he cupped a hand around his mouth, as if he were calling to an imaginary crowd. "Larxene, the master of mean, has got her feelings back!"

Oh, I wanted to kill him. "The only feeling I have is hatred," I spat at him.

I expected him to hurl another insult back at me, but instead, his features softened. "We both know that's not true," he said gently. His emerald eyes, which were usually so cocky and disgusting, suddenly looked genuine and concerned. "It's just that hatred is the only emotion you let yourself feel."

"I meant towards you," I said coolly.

"Of course you did," he said gently. Slowly, he reached up a hand to brush a strand of hair behind my ear, letting his fingers trail down my face. The action was disarming and maddening all at the same time.

That's kind of how Axel was, to be honest. Disarming and maddening. Standing the way we were, with his hand on my cheek and his eyes staring earnestly into mine, reminded me of another time we had stood this way, with the sunset in the background and the smell of the sea in the air...

I internally shook the memory off. I never let myself think about that stuff anymore. That memory was from a lifetime ago, involving two very different people than the two standing now in my stepfather's flower shop. Not that it mattered, anyway. I hate Axel, like I said.

"Don't touch me," I warned, going to slap his hand. Once again, he moved his arm to quickly, and I was left dumbly swatting at thin air. Axel laughed arrogantly.

"Larxene! Do not make me call you again!" my stepfather shouted from the basement.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back. "I have to close up the shop first, remember? I'm not allowed to leave the counter. Those are your stupid rules."

"Go play nicely with daddy," the redhead teased. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"What makes you think you'll be seeing me? I don't hang out with losers like you."

"You can't stay away from me," he replied. I wanted to wipe that cocky smirk off his face, but he had already turned to walk to the door.

"In your dreams, moron."

Axel turned to look at me, still walking backwards. "Like I said, you're always in my dreams." With an overly big wink and a flash of flame-red hair, he was gone.

Ugh.


Be sure to let me know what you think!