Mockingbird Mockingbird

Hush little baby, don't you cry,

Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird,

But if that mockingbird don't sing,

Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring….

--

Axel turned in mild surprise, he had never heard Roxas sing before, it wasn't bad either, a little shaky maybe, but quite pretty in a quiet sort of way.

"Where'd you hear that rhyme?" he asked his black-cloaked companion.

Roxas' blond head bobbed, almost as if surprised by his voice himself.

"Um, I don't really know… I think someone sang that to me a long time ago…"

"Why a mockingbird though? There are other birds with much prettier songs." Unseen by Axel, Roxas' face darkened slightly and he turned away, gazing at the rainy sky.

"I can sort of sympathize with the mockingbird… It can only mimic the melodies of others, yet it still remains a cheap imitation of the original."

Axel shifted uncomfortably, this struck a chord with his – a Nobody's – situation.

"Yet it can still sing, right? It hasn't lost its voice."

"A caged bird cannot fly, it can only uselessly sing. There is no meaning unless it has its own melody," replied Roxas bitterly.

He turned again, blue eyes a shade dimmer than they had been a minute ago.

"A mockingbird cannot love."

Axel moved painfully, his empty chest writhing in anguish.

If that mockingbird don't sing –

"I need to find out why the keyblade chose me."

"Don't leave Roxas! You have no idea what the Organization will do."

Roxas turned, a sad smile on his perfect face.

"I have to fly if I'm going to learn how to sing."

Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring –

Axel gazed down at a photo of him and Roxas. The younger looked surprised, blue eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Axel had a big, cheesy grin on his face while he gave Roxas bunny ears as he waved at the camera.

His best friend was gone now, merged with Sora, existing, yet not truly there.

Heartless chest aching, Axel looked towards the sky. It was raining, just like the day when Roxas had sung to him.

Searching his memory, the redhead struggled to recall the words to the rhyme. Slowly he began, faltering at first, but then his murmured words grew to a soft croon as he shed tears for the lonely mockingbird that wanted to sing.

--

Hush little baby, don't you cry,

Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird,

But if that mockingbird don't sing,

Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring…

--

A/N: Oops, I broke my "mandatory kiss" rule… What a sad pairing (AkuRoku is always angsty), this drabble was supposed to be short, yet it grew and grew of its own accord. KH2 is a very confusing game, so many random cutscenes! Poor, lonely Axel. :(