Nephilim

by Mynsii

Axel had been the Organizations prince; beautiful, deadly and utterly incredible. Flawless in every way. Nothing could mess him up. Then he met Roxas, and life came crashing to a stop. AkuRoku.

HAPPY AKUROKU DAY! (For Frozen-in-Tyme, who's friendship has made me smile from across the ocean.) This is my magnum opus – my grisly little baby. And I've been working on and off at her now for months re-writing, adding, tweaking. And it's not perfect, far from but I love it. It's just something that I've enjoyed writing, and which I will miss writing.

Rated M for a reason, insanity and violence is prevalent .

---

Nephilim; from the Hebrew meaning "those causing others to fall".

---

Axel had never been more aware of a gun in his entire life. His finger trembled on the trigger and he swallowed painfully hard. It's all part of the job he told himself. I've been on the firing and receiving end of a gun hundreds of times, this shouldn't be any different!

Of course, the sobbing blond quivering in front of him didn't help.

"Axel, please, don't do this." Roxas begged. Almost everyone begged. Begging didn't mean a thing. It was easy to desensitise yourself to begging. Axel knew it, Roxas knew it too. After all, how many times had he ignored the pleading victims and blew their brains out? "Don't I mean a thing to you?"

Axel felt deranged. Of course he didn't want to shoot Roxas, anything but. But, hell, Roxas had screwed up bad and he was left with no choice.

"Roxas, it's beyond my control now!"

"Please, Axe, I thought you loved me."

Axel hardened; it wasn't fair to play on his emotions. "You can't love when you don't have a heart" He cocked the gun.

"Axel, no!" Roxas was cut off by the guns boom.

The shot echoed thunderously in the now blood smeared room, and the magnum fell to the floor.

"What have I done?"

Bang, bang, that awful sound.

Bang, bang, my baby shot me down.

.::.

Everyone knew that Organization ruled New York. Even their rivals knew it. Every bar, club, strip joint and casino that was worth anything was in possession of their insanely rich leader; Xemnas. The Organization and its world were like a God Father movie. And Xemnas was their Michael Corleone.

Everyone knew every problem had a price, and for that said right price the Organization and one of its elitist thirteen members would 'take care of it', and for a lesser price, a lackey lower down the food chain would get the job done.

And, of course, everyone knew you didn't screw the Organization over.

Xemnas had spent 20 years developing the Organization to full power. Bringing in new members to extend his supremacy, but making sure there were few enough so that he could keep full control. Each member of the Organization was drafted in for their 'skills'. Something that Xemnas could see in them, and only them. He didn't do duplicates, each member had to be unique, and each member had to be useful.

Keep you're use, or be disposed of.

Each member was the perfect killing machine. So utterly flawless in their achievements that they would be classed as angles had they not had the blood of many of each hand.

Every angel had to fall though? Right

Axel was one of the Organizations 'elite'. Apart from his affections for best friend Demyx, he had no ties beyond that of work.. He'd spend every day since he was drafted in doing something of use that could benefit him. He was perfect; suave, smart, sexy, sarcastic and lethal. He had the striking good looks and silver tongue to charm his way into any man or women's pants, a flash of his evil smile enough to make them fall in love for a night. But he thought nothing of dragging a razor across their throat in the next instant if he had to.

Axel always played a game when he killed too. It was like a sport, one he excelled in and was dying to show off. He'd burn things with such delicacy that only the person in question would be scorched, and he had each bullet he owned engraved with his name. Of course, with Xemnas's connections the cops conveniently missed these bullets during inspection. Demyx swore Axel had lycanthropy. One minute he could be laughing, drinking, playing poker with friends; acting like any normal twenty something, the next minute he was a beast; pummelling a guy to death without batting an eyelash.

Axel was the Organizations prince.

He was untouchable; Nothing could mess Axel up.

Then he'd met Roxas.

.::.

"Roxas, get my gun" Axel adjusted his tie in the full length mirror and smiled whilst he caught a glimpse of Roxas reluctantly heaving himself from the plush sofa in Axels office. "Hmm, maybe the knuckle dusters. Xemmy said this guy really messed us around. Maybe we should mess him up before we finish him."

Roxas peered from the door way, pulling a glossy magnum from his blazer, a magnum that Axel had somewhat 'lovingly' christened Sasha, and tossing it at the redhead smirked. "Anything else I can get ya, hot stuff?"Roxas moved closer, his movements as fluent and silent as a cat. His lips moved to Axel's throat, nipping greedily at the skin.

"Yeah," Axel smirked. "You can get off. I've just put this tie on; I don't wanna have to take it off again before it gets all bloody."

"Oh," Roxas moaned, pouting and teasing Axel's hair between his forefinger and thumb. "You're no fun." More kisses trailing along Axels jawbone, a hint of tongue sweeping over receptive skin.

"Well, if we don't get this guy." The red head paused as Roxas began rubbing the sensitive spot behind his ear with his forefinger that normal had Axel purring like a cat. "The Superior's going to be on our ass."

"If it means we can do this," Roxas paused to nip the alabaster curve of Axels throat then grinned. "Screw the Superior."

Axel smirked and ducked down to kiss Roxas heavily, but tactfully unwinding the blond from him in the same instant. "We have time for that later, for now, lets just get this guy."

Roxas sighed but pulled out an old fashioned luger. He had a taste for old fashioned weaponry, thought it added a touch of class to the 'job' "Fine, do it your way. But sooner or later, you're gunna have to defy Xemnas."

"Yeah," Axel laughed pushing his lover in the direction of the door. "I'll do that when YOU do."

"Fine, like I said have it your way. You know now that sex is off the cards tonight, don't you?" Roxas' pout was almost irresistible, but Axel couldn't help but chuckle.

"Maybe for you. I, on the other hand, can get any guy or girl I want thank you very much." He looked into the mirror and frowned, fingers brushing over faint lines that were just beginning to show their presence around his eyes. "Actually, I'm getting old. Scratch that, no-one wants me."

He caught his lovers eye roll in the reflection, and felt the pads of two thumbs brush against the barely visible lines marking his skin. "You are beautiful. Don't you ever doubt that, someone will always want you. I will always want you. And you should never, ever forget that."

Axel smirked, and captured his lover in his arms, cradling him for a moment, the silence was only broken when Roxas, grin evident in his voice mumbled, "Sex is still off the cards."

.::.

There were very few things in the world that Axel could honestly say he loved. He liked alcohol, he liked drugs, he liked money, he liked most of his colleagues, he liked sex, and he liked designer clothes. But there were very few things he could say that he loved.

He loved fire. Loved its unpredictable, all consuming nature, it reminded him oddly of himself, thought it to be a perfect manifestation to the chaos in his mind.

He loved his shiny, black Bentley. Loved how it was sleek and beautiful, loved the rush of power it gave him. Loved how it was like his own, personal slice of heaven.

He loved Demyx, his only one true friend who he didn't regard as expendable, someone who genuinely had his back, and who he would protect in return.

And most of all, more than everything else he ever loved, and anything that he would ever love, Axel loved Roxas. He loved every fibre of him, every perfect strand of hair, every freckle, mole. Each little fleck of grey that invaded those bright blue eyes. Roxas was Axels everything, and he adored him.

.::.

"Urch, isn't this Turk territory?" Roxas wrinkled his nose as Axel slowed the sleek black car, through the tinted windows he could see how run down the area was, nothing like the usual higher class 'customers' he and Axel dealt with.

"Yeah, Might've been a former informant for us who leaked to the Turks." Axel grinned and pulled his brass knuckles from his pocket. "or better yet, we get to pop an actual Turk."

"Here's hoping. Maybe one day we get to have a go at Shinra himself."

"Haha doubt it thirteen. I might, but you probably wont, unless every other member pops their clogs." The red head smirked. "You're the lowest ranking member. How does that feel?"

"S'okay." Roxas grinned. "I have the eighth highest on my, er, back." Roxas licked his lips and Axel chuckled.

"Roxas you need to hone in those wild youngsters hormones..." Axel trailed off as he stopped the car completely. He checked the address Xemnas had gave him against where he was parked. "Looks like this is the place."

A shabby inn with a ship on its signpost and crumbling exterior didn't look like the usual spots that Xemnas' 'cliental' lived in.

"The Black Pearl inn?" Roxas quirked an eyebrow and frowned. "Doesn't that Sparrow guy run this joint?" Jack was a notorious crook; lovable but nonetheless untrustworthy. He was an alcoholic, go figure, and was infamous for doing just about anything in order to fund his business, as well as his own, private rum addiction.

"Yeah." Axel reached over for his phone and got out of the car. "But we aren't after him. We need some guy called Barbossa."

The file on this guy was minimal, only stating what he owned, and rough measurement's but Barbossa wasn't hard to find. The Organizations members were well known, their striking appearances making them easily noticed and infamous. One look at the wildly spiked red hair, and tattooed face was enough to have a scruffy, muddy blond with matted dreadlocks scrambling for the next nearest exit. Roxas snorted and rolled his eyes, but his skin seemed to radiate. Nothing was more exciting than a chase.

"Ooh, looks like we get to play hide and seek." He pulled out the luger in full view, causing several of the inns customers to shrink back in horror, mumbling at these strange, well dressed men. It didn't take long for Axel and Roxas to chase the grubby looking man out of the back entrance, and find him cowering in the alley.

"Nowhere to run Barby." Axels unusual twang, exuded a dangerous elegance. "You've been a bad boy."

The older man trembled, then tried to heave his weight over an at least seven foot high wall. When he failed, he and his bulk landed with a crash on the ground.

"Hey Barbossa" Roxas smirked as the bearded man squirmed. "Twenty five grand is a lot of money to owe the 'zation, especially when you refuse to pay it back."

"It 'twasnt me, it 'twas 'hat derty, ly'en Jack. 'ee's the one yer want."

"Yeah, well, unfortunately," Axel said, his voice bouncing with a playful, yet deadly harmony. "'Jack's' not the one who borrowed the money is he?"

"Yeah, but lad yer' have te give me 'nother chance. I get get t'eh money to ya' by next month."

Roxas snorted and neatly dodged a clumsy charge aimed at him. "According to our boss that's what you said last month, and the month before that, and the month before that."

"I jus' need a little time lads. I can deffinat-er-ly get t'eh money to ya' by the first."

Axel rolled his eyes and pulled out a cigarette, hanging it from the corner of his mouth, he pulled out a lighter and lit it, taking a long drag. Quickly he replaced the lighter with his gun and motioned Roxas to move towards him. "Come on Roxas. I'm bored."

Barbossa's eyes visibly brightened and he made a lunge for the closer Roxas, this time hitting his target and sending the young blond man crashing to the ground, face hitting the floor heavily and lip splitting, letting a slow, lone trickle of blood stream down Roxas' chin.

Axel snarled, low, guttural and utterly pissed off, he dragged the older man off Roxas, punching him as hard as he could in the gut, gun still in hand so the solid metal crashed into Barbossa's ribs. "You just made a big mistake Barbossa."

Axel took aim with the gun, Barbossa pleading, begging not to 'get t'eh bullet.' Axel yawned theatrically. "See ya in hell."

The trigger was pulled and the bullet whizzed straight into Barossa's throat, leaving the body to slump to the ground as Axel flicked his cigarette into the gutter, and hooked an arm under Roxas. Barbossa began to gurgle, blood trickling from the hole in his windpipe, and from the corner of his mouth.

"Dammit, I missed."

.::.

"Ahh," Roxas hissed through his teeth, sucking up air and scowling, as Axel dabbed a sterilized Q-tip against his split lip.

"Stop complaining. You saw how dirty that shit hole was, I don't want your beautiful little lip getting infected."

Roxas rolled his eyes, but secretly grinned. He adored Axel's soft side. How the red head would automatically turn human when it came to Roxas' safety. "I've had worse." He held out his arm, revealing a long since healed, white scar, dragging from halfway up his wrist to a good inch above his elbow.

"Yeah, well I wasn't there when you got that." Axels voice was like flat acid and his eyes narrowed. He could've easily killed Luxord for letting Roxas get that badly hurt.

Roxas had only been eighteen years old, a new draught-ee, entrusted into Axels care, and it didn't matter that they had only known each other for a few months, Axel had felt an almost instant urge to care for this odd blond boy several years his junior who had the ability to fight with two blades expertly and fire a gun without even breaking a sweat.

It had reminded him almost of himself.

He had been adamant to Xemnas that he and Roxas should go on 'missions' together, but at first the Superior had refused. "You and Roxas are too close, you'll slip up looking out for each other. Why do you think I won't let you and Demyx work together?"

Axel had been furious when Roxas had been placed with Luxord. He was even more furious when the alcoholic-gambling-addict had walked in chalky faced and explained to Axel that the guy they had been after together had not only gotten away, but also dragged a blade across Roxas' arm, cutting deep into the limb and landing the teenager in the hospital for the blood loss.

After spending an hour or so beating the shit into Luxord (stopping only when Demyx correctly pointed out he'd be in some serious shit with the Superior if he actually finished him off, and Luxord was already too close to death to continue) He'd traced Luxords records for information on the client.

The guy, a smart ass white-blond called Riku, had a slow death.

When the police found his body they had been appalled at the way the boy- no older than twenty- had be strapped to a chair, gagged and had several slashes ,each one deep enough to promote profuse bleeding, but none deep enough to cause a quick death. Around him, in a perfect ring, were the remnants of a fire, one the teenager must have been desperately fearful of. The leather belt that had bound his mouth shut had been chewed, almost all the way through.

Axel had thought nothing of inflicting an agonizing death on this boy. After all, he had harmed Roxas, and no-one was allowed to touch a hair on his head.

"Hey, Red, Wakey wakey!" Roxas roused Axel back into the current day and he smiled. I won't let anything or anyone hurt you Roxy. I promise. "Stop staring at my arm! Geeze you'd think I was made of glass or something the way you moon after me."

"Dammit Roxas, just stop squirming, then I can stop 'mooning' as you put it."

Roxas shifted himself onto Axels lap, wrapping his legs around the elders waist, and moved in so that they were only the Q-tips length apart. "Is this better?"

"Certainly," Axel dropped the bud and moved his lips, hovering them against the blonds cupids bow and teasing him. He rotated their bodies so that Roxas was now horizontal and beneath him, Axel straddling the younger mans hips. "Much, much better."

A hand snaked down to the hem of Roxas' shirt, resting warm fingers on the slither of revealed abdomen. A shiver jolted down his spine and Axel licked his lips, his tongue just skimming Roxas' lips. The blond returned the jester by tugging at the belt of Axel's pants, unclasping the heavy silver buckle.

"I thought you said sex was out of the question, Roxy?" Axels voice was smug as he moved his arms so that his shirt could be swiftly removed.

"I say a lot of things."

Roxas's hands were on the band of Axels pants and he grinned when Axel sighed theatrically. "Tut tut tut Roxy, bad things happen to those who tell untruths." The red head moved to ravage his lover's throat. "Very, very bad things."

The two men were interrupted when the door suddenly swung open, their bodies frozen, but their heads snapped up.

"Hey guys," The intruders voice was recognisable as Demyx and Axel groaned. "Me and Xiggy were going to have a game of poker and wondered if you wanted to join..." The muddy blonde imediatly stopped when he focused on the scene; Axel pinning an obviously flustered Roxas down, half of their clothes discarded on the floor and the blondes hands down his best friends pants. "Oh sorry." Demyx's tone was teasing. "I didn't know you guys were busy."

Roxas tried to scramble upright but Axel made no effort to move beyond sitting up straighter so he could do up his pants and spare Demyx the embarrassment of seeing more then either one would want. Roxas, completely unable to move, and still being straddled by Axel, simply sighed and gave up on squirming.

"Yeah Demyx." Axel's tone was poisonous. "We were busy. Until someone interrupted us."

Demyx laughed. "Well Sor-ree. I guess the only poker you guys'll be playing today is the strip variety." He backed towards the door and winked. "See you guys later, have fun."

Roxas groaned and tried to sit up, this time partially successful in that Axel shuffled his weight from off of his waist.

"Hang on a sec Demyx, I think the mood is almost completely killed now anyway." Roxas tried to be as collected as possible; given the situation. "Just let me and Axel get re-dressed and ...uh, 'finished up', and we'll join you downstairs."

Demyx held back a snort of laughter as Axel groaned. "So help me God Demyx, next time you're about to get laid, I'm going to burst in and play poker."

"Have fun 'clearing up' guys." Demyx chuckled, edging out of the door. "See you in ten."

"Roxas…please tell me that I did not just get cock-blocked by a card game?"

.::.

"Well, read 'em and weep." Axel laid down his hand of cards against the table, green eyes calculating Demyx, Axel's biggest threat in the poker match, trying to see whether would react or not. "Full house boys."

Roxas groaned and tossed down his hand, and Xigbar snorted in distaste. Demyx however remained unmoving, his eyes focused far from the small poker table, wandering to a far corner of the 'games room' in the Organizations building, and landing on a small slate haired man, who lazed casually on a battered sofa, heavy black coat tossed over the side of the couch,, body outstretched so that his shirt rode up further then his black jeans and exposed a slither of alabaster stomach. His lilac eyes were focused on a rather fat book, skimming the pages with seemingly no registration of the fact that nine other men and a woman were creating a loud chaos in the room. Xemnas had turned the skyscraper of a building into a selection of flats and offices where his minions lived and slept. But this strange, alluring man was the only one to live outside of the complex.

Axel clicked his fingers in front of Demyx's eyes, snapping the mulleted blond back to the game, so that he peeked at Axels hand, then his own. "Uh, sorry." He laid his cards face down on the table. "I'm out."

"Yeah, in more ways than one." Axel picked up his cigarette, which had been carefully balanced on the rim of a rather full ash tray and took a drag, skilfully blowing a series of smoke rings when he exhaled. "You've been somewhere else all day Dem." He made a small motion to the slate haired man with his head and sank deeper into his chair. "I did NOT give up sex just for you to salivate over an egotistical, aloof prick. Why don'tcha just tell Zexion how you feel? You've been after him for months Dem."

Demyx blushed, a red heat rising from his neck to his hairline and he let out a small awkward laugh. "Geeze Red, I'm twenty-six, I'm a big boy I don't need you treating me like I'm a teenager with a school girl crush."

Roxas snorted trying to hold back a laugh, and deftly took the cigarette from his boyfriend's mouth, inhaling deeply. "Stop acting like it then Demyx. Look at me and Axe, he didn't pussy-foot around and neither did I. We're the Organization for Christ's sake. We're all grown men, okay we seem to be all gay men, but still we're men. Stop acting like a kid and just go for it."

Demyx opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted when Saix slunk in, thick heavy hair swishing behind him and expression sombre. "XIII, VII the Superior requests your services."

"Oh don't I feel special." Axel mocked, his characteristic twang higher with curiosity. "I wonder what Xemmy wants."

Saix narrowed his eyes and grabbed Axel by the arm, dragging him up and out of his seat. "He is you're Superior, and you should address him as so!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared Saix." Axels' lips were up turned in a taunting grin, inviting Saix to retaliate. "Please don't hurt me. I'm so defenceless against your 'big sword'."

"You." Saix snarled tightening his grip on Axel's arm, to which the only response he got was the slight twitch of a muscle. "Don't forget that I am also your Superior."

Axel snatched his arm from Saix's grasp quickly and chuckled, eyes dancing from the satisfaction he was getting from angering the aqua haired male. "By one little rank. Don't forget you're the subordinate for half the people in this room Si, so climb out of Xemnas' ass and act your level. I think you also forget, that a long time ago, you and I used to be equal's. Isa or is that a chapter of your life you'd rather forget? "

Saix's jaw tightened at the long forgotten nickname, and his put down had drawn the attention, and hysterical laughs, of almost everyone in the room. Eventually he stalked out, and when he was at the door, with his back still to the room he hissed; "Just drag yourself and your little lover boy to the Superiors office now, you cocky pile of shit."

"Ooh," Axel raised his voice, his eyes sparkling with a defiant mischief. "Bitchy"

.::.

"Eight, Thirteen." Xemnas nodded in recognition behind his desk and slid a file towards the pair. "We've had a little trouble with a 'customer'. He borrowed fifteen-thousand dollars from us but seems to be reluctant to pay it back. I was hoping that you two could go and convince him that reimbursing us is in his best interests."

"Sure thing boss." Roxas' tone was flat, uncaring. Something Axel had become accustomed to. Roxas was compassionate, bubbly, outgoing – until he got to work. Then he dethatched himself until 'playtime.' "So, any information on this guy for us?"

Xemnas opened a file the lay in front of him on his desk, amber eyes focusing on the information. "Brunette, Male, stands at five foot five, a runner." He slid the sleeve towards Roxas and the blond opened it up for examination.

"Superior!" Roxas voice came in a wild gasp. "It says here that this boy is only fifteen."

Axel's brow furrowed and he took the file. "While I'll be damned, so he is. 'Sora Patters, Age fifteen.' What the hell does a fifteen year old need fifteen thousand dollars for? Drink? Drugs? Porn?"

Roxs narrowed his eyes and glared back and forth from his partner to his boss. "That isn't the issue Axel. Superior, how can you expect us to beat the crap out of a kid?"

Xemnas' snowy eyebrow quirked and his eyes narrowed. "A problem XIII?"

"Of course he hasn't got a problem!" Axel interjected quickly, dragging the blond to his feet, and giving his boss a quick flash of the brass knuckles in his chest pocket. "In fact, we're right on the case. Isn't that so Roxas?"

The fair haired man stiffened, jaw taunt, but managed to control himself in front of the gang leader. "Sure," his tone was sharp and dangerous. "I'm right on the case."

.::.

For a killer, Axel observed, Roxas made sure he always carried out his life with perfect manners and strange, perverted morals. Murder, violence and prostitutes = 'good', should they be used in essential situations, and should they be for a 'just cause', everything else fell under the category of 'bad'. Roxas' manners were impeccable; he made sure to always say please, thank you and your welcome. Because without manners and morals, we become brutes, he reasoned. Though he would never admit it to his blonde lover, never dare commit the ultimate blasphemy, Axel had found – and still continued to find- this awfully strange.

After all, a murderer couldn't argue that they were moral, right?

Not that he thought Roxas was bad, oh no, to Axel, Roxas was the epitome of everything that was good in the world. Hair as soft and beautiful as spun gold, eyes the most sincere shade of blue he'd ever seen, and when it came to others who he did not deem as unworthy scumbags, people who were not the low lives they were paid to destroy, Roxas was the most compassionate human Axel knew.

Axel's opinion of Roxas, he had deduced long ago, was an oxymoron. After all, how could he question his bizarre morals, yet still think him as the most considerate person he knew?

And that in itself was one of the reasons why the red head adored the blonde so much, because he was a puzzle, multilayered, a paradox.

Perfect.

.::.

Roxas was silent as Axel drove his beloved baby- a shiny black Bentley- through the evening streets. The red head could feel the tenseness vibrating off of his lover, the mood in the slick car was permanently sour. He'd tried in vain to postpone their trip, begging Axel to do other 'higher priority' jobs before that one, but he'd only managed to drag the inevitable out a month and half, before Axel had finally forced him to make the trip that would result in a child being beaten.

"Okay, this is the place." Axel began as they came to a steady stop in front of a small terraced house. The area looked homely, and the scarlet haired assassin couldn't help but wonder why this young boy had turned to organized gang crime.

"Looks...homey."

Axel grunted and got out of the car, swinging a baseball bat from the back of his seat. "Hmm, Knuckles or bat?" He frowned thinking the decision through, then tossed the bat back into his car. "Going to go with the knuckles, always more rewarding,"

Roxas sighed, and reached out for Axel, clamping his hand around Axels smooth bicep. "Axel, I don't like this. I don't give a shit when we're hurting – killing, even – adults who should know better, but this is a kid. We could just frighten him a little. No need to hu-"

"Roxas." Axel cut him off quickly, shaking his arm from his lovers grasp. "If we let him go, more people will find reasons to worm there way out of it. Then the reputation that Xemnas has built up, that we have built up will be ruined." With that, Axel all but sprinted up the path, and with a fist, drummed the door, when the door opened, and a child stood trembling on the other side, Axel pushed his way in, Roxas reluctantly following behind.

"We've come to collect a little debt you owe our boss, Sora."

The boy stood trembling, eyes huge with trepidation and hands rigid by his side. "Please, just give me a little longer, mom and the baby couldn't cope if I died now." Roxas could feel the sincerity and the fear in the teenagers words, how this young boy was actually afraid of death for not himself, but his family. And for the first time in Roxas' career, he felt sick with guilt and disgust.

"Well," Axel drawled, a deadly hunter's smile pulling up his features. "it'sa good thing that we aren't here to kill you, we only came to persuade you to ... give up what you owe."

Sora turned to Roxas, large bambi-like eyes, and the blonde tried with all of his strength not to gag. He could see his boyfriend slipping into a crouch, brass knuckles lining alabaster bones. He could almost hear the inevitable crunch of skin, and bones, and cartilage as the solid faux knuckle's hit the young boy's body. A young boy who was using his eyes to plead with Roxas for his safety.

"Please," Sora tried again. "My mom' just had a new baby and they're both very sick, I needed the money for hospital bills 'cause dad's not around, and then we needed to buy out our landlord for the rest of the lease, otherwise we'd be evicted and homeless. If you hurt me I won't be able to work, and if I can't work, I can't feed my family this week!"

"Boo –hoo" Axel mocked, but his body was slightly more relaxed, slightly less predatory. "Cry me a fucking river kid, I'm sorry and all, don't get me wrong, of course it's tough supporting a family at your age, but Geeze, that fifteen thousand dollars you borrowed comes outa our pay cheques." He motioned at his suit, exaggeratedly pulling out his sleeves so that they almost looked empty, leaving the one pocket that bulged with a blackberry, several fifties and the red heads car keys. "What are we supposed to do without fifteen grand?"

Axel slipped back into the crouch and raised his fist towards the boy, almost in a blur Roxas was in front of Sora, arms outstretched in protection, face defiant and stony.

"What the hell are you doing?" Axel was incredulous, his arm had swung down and barely missed Roxas, he could see the ruffle of his lovers hair as his fist whirled past him.

"I can't let you hit this kid Axel." Sora trembled, his eyes wide and frightened, but Roxas was motionless, strong and steady. "He needs that money, you can't ... we can't beat him for that."

"Roxas." Axel was impatient. "They all say they need the money. This could all be a pathetic sob-story, he could be the son of some rich-bitch mother, but has decided to play a hand at being a bad boy so he could buy his poppers in peace. Just move out'a the way. It's not like we've been ordered to kill him." The red head fought the urge to add 'yet' but seeing the blaze in Roxas' eyes decided against it.

"Do these look the eyes of a liar Axel? Does this place look like a rich families palace? Or a drug-nest? No. He's scared shitless, let's just leave. We've done our job, we've frightened him. Let's just go." Roxas snarled and curled his lip. "Besides, you know to do our job properly we leave the guys half dead."

"Roxas, get in the car."

"No, not on my own. Let's just go."

"I'm sorry Roxy." The red head kicked his lovers' legs from under him and scooped him up. Despite his best efforts and struggles, Roxas could not compete with the larger, stronger Axel. When they reached the door, the older assassin through him out, and before he could get back in, bolted the door.

"Axel! No!" Roxas hammered his fists against the thick wood, but it wouldn't give. When he heard the terrified screams and wails of the young boy trapped inside with his boyfriend, he reached over into the shrubbery and vomited.

.::.

Intense.

That was one word to describe their all consuming relationship. Since Axel and Roxas met, it had been an instantaneous explosion of lust, and heat and intense passion. But as well as this, there had also been so, so much emotion. Too much for Axel himself to ever fully comprehend. Relationships had never been like this for him before, not that he could really call any of his former trysts 'relationships.' Regardless, Axel had never felt such a concentrated longing to be with a single person so much before. He'd never wanted to care, and protect, and provide for someone who wasn't himself. His desire to always be close to Roxas smouldered under the surface of his skin constantly, and when they were together the passion was incomparable and to the extreme that it was almost violent. The arguments, just like their lust, were explosive, and they wore themselves with the abuse, angrily insulting each other, pushing, crying. Until the anger subsided and they fell into a apologetic embrace.

Yes, intense was a word that summed up their relationship quite well.

.::.

Axel had felt bad the entire drive home, Roxas had been silent and ash faced. The mood in the car was incredibly sour, and every time he caught a glimpse of his swollen fists Axel was reminded as to why his lover was soundless. "Look, Roxy." He sighed eventually, when the silence got to him too much. "I was just doing our job. It's either him or us you know."

Roxas' eyes snapped to Axels face and he glared. "I'd rather it be us then a child, Axel."

"Oh, Come on Roxas, he's hardly a child. At fifteen I'd lost my virginity, been smoking for two years, dabbled with drugs, gone from a B- grade student, to a D-grade, then back up to A. Fifteen is not a kid. Besides, anyone who's that young and knows how and where to get us, can't be naive. Or innocent as to what they're getting themselves into."

Axel stopped when he saw that Roxas' jaw was tightened to breaking point. For now, he'd have to be satisfied with being in the blondes bad books.

.::.

"Roxas, do you wanna go out for a bit?" Axel tried to slump over the still and silent blonde, who was yet to speak to him properly, since the incident with the young boy.

"Hmmm."

"There's a nice Italian joint that the Superior owns down town, I thought I'd spoil you." Axel couldn't stand Roxas' responding silence. "You know, cheer you up.."

"Mhhhm."

"Jesus Roxas, it's been over a week!" Axel slammed his fist on his desk and Roxas barely blinked. "What is your problem?"

"My problem?" Roxas's voice was venomous and he glared up at his lover. "My problem is you beat the crap outa' a kid. Drug dealers, and scumbags are one thing, but children are another."

"We've been through this! We didn't have a choice!"

"Wrong; there's ALWAYS a choice. We didn't have to hurt him. Why kind of people do that anyway?"

Axel smirked without humour and flicked his hair "The same kind of people who kill for a living."

"Yeah well, maybe it's about time we realised that those type of people are scum'"

Axel ground his teeth, holding back a biting comment before letting out a heavy sigh. "Fuck-ing-hell. Can't you just, I don't know get over it?"

"No, I can't!" His voice was a thick growl and Roxas's eyes snapped up and a chain of silver fell from his now unclenched fist and onto his lap.

They were silent for a moment as the atmosphere settled, and when the final crackle of tension had dispersed Roxas picked the chain back up.

"What's that?" Axel asked, studying Roxas as he fiddled with the delicate silver chain. Roxas took the necklace and held it up, a small heart shaped locket dangling from the end, tiny celtic swirls engraved on the jewel.

"It was my mothers, she died when I was very small, and she gave it to me just before she died. She told me to give it to the person I loved the very most if I ever had to 'go away', just like she was doing. Of course I didn't know what she meant at the time..."

"I…didn't know that." Axel moved forward, so that he was draped over Roxas' body and his chin rested on the blonds head. "What's in it?" his voice was quiet, gentle. Roxas didn't talk about his mother often, and he didn't want to upset his lover.

"A photo of my mom, and a photo of me." Roxas snapped the little adornment to reveal a fairly recent picture of Roxas, perhaps only a few years' old, a teenager with big blue eyes round and bright, cheeks pink and a soft, happy grin playing with his features. A Roxas Axel had never had the chance to meet. Opposite the photo, was the picture of a beautiful, very young, only about Axel's age, maybe younger. She looked almost exactly like Roxas, her azure orbs only slightly lighter, and her hair was a whiter blond.

"Your mother was very beautiful, and young."

"Yeah, she was only seventeen when she had me, and died when she was twenty-four. She had cancer." Roxas stroked the photo tenderly and his eyes seemed to fade into the distance. "I wasn't really old enough to fully understand, all I knew, is that her hair fell out, and she cried a lot. She drew the prettiest pictures you could ever imagine. Her imagination was limitless. She used to invent stories about a young boy who went about battling these shadow creatures with a key shaped sword, and she used to draw them out for me. Every night before bed she'd add a new part to the story then draw it out, of course the main character was supposed to be me. The bearer of the light, she used to call me."

Roxas trailed off and silently tucked the jewellery into his breast pocket. "She'd be so disappointed in me right now.

Axel looked at his lap and sighed. "She wouldn't. Not really." Axel cupped the side of Roxas's face in his palm and smiled. "You're so beautiful, and pure."

"Pure?" Roxas snorted, before laughing in a terribly hollow, bitter way. "I kill and beat the crap out'a people for a living. How the fuck can I be pure?"

"That's not strictly true." Axel tried feebly. "You do paper work too."

"Psh, yeah, that makes murder so much more acceptable."

"I... I don't know what you want me to say Roxas."

"Say, you've built a time machine, which we could go back four years and I won't ever meet the Superior, that I could be normal, that I wouldn't make my mom so ashamed of me."

"But then you and I would've never met." Axel felt stung. "Is that what you want?"

"I don't know... maybe I'm just being rash... maybe..." Roxas paused and sighed. "You know that you're the most important thing in my life right now, right?"

"I hope so."

"You are. I just gotta' go for a walk... clear my head ya'know?" Roxas kissed the mass of red hair and walked towards the door. "Just ... meet me on the tower roof at ten pm okay?"

The door was shut and Roxas was gone before Axel could even question his boyfriend's actions, or begin to protest. "Roxas, I wish you weren't so damn confusing... I really do."

.::.

Axel had been twenty-four, nearly twenty-five when he'd met the then eighteen year old Roxas. He'd already spent five years in the Organization, and due to it being over a year since Larxene had been recruited, he was surprised that Superior had decided to train up a new recruit.

He'd been even more surprised when the Superior asked him to train up Roxas.

He hadn't known what to expect if he was honest. Axel wasn't one for kids, in his opinion they were brats, and when he was told that the latest member to reach the 'elite' would be merely 18, a full 3 years younger than the current youngest member, Axel had expected the worse. Xemnas hadn't given him the kids file, and Axel really couldn't be bothered to dig up information himself.

So he'd turned to Demyx.

"Dem, what do you think the new kid will be like?"

"How should I know" Demyx had mumbled taking a long, experimental drag from one of Axels cigarettes then putting it back with a wrinkled nose. "What I wanna know is why the hell the Supe. handed him over to you."

"Fuck knows."

Axel hadn't been entirely sure what to expect when it came to this mysterious new recruitment. All that he knew was that this kid was eighteen and male. He didn't know what skills this kid had, or how 'experienced' he was. What Axel hadn't expected was Roxas.

When he'd first saw him, he was sure Xemnas must have been mistaken – that this boy in front of him could not be the latest in a long line of assassins. Roxas was breathtakingly beautiful, petite, but well muscled, with large cerulean eyes fanned by heavy black eyelashes, flawless peach skin and golden blond hair. Added with the fact he was completely at home to having a weapon in his hands, almost as if it were an extension of himself, Roxas seemed perfect.

It'd been lust at first sight.

It hadn't taken Axel long to make his introductions, then use his suave, irresistible charm to coax Roxas into being at ease around him.

It took just three weeks to coax Roxas into bed.

And so a very heated, and very passionate affair began. Sex was regular, anywhere, and everywhere. But it didn't take long for Axel to crave more than just sex, something he'd never felt before, and if they ever had to spend an overnight shift together, when they weren't having sex, Axel had taken to watching his new trainee sleep.

So one day, when Roxas had been there just five months, Axel had told Roxas he loved him.

And Roxas had told him he loved him too.

The redhead hadn't been sure there had been a moment more fulfilling in his life, and lavished the blond in hot, heavy kisses. And in that moment, Axel had sworn he'd never part with Roxas.

.::.

The cool night air was heavy around Axel, he could almost feel the looming despair and destruction, he tried to deny its existence, tried to blame it on humidity, work stress, anything. Tried and almost succeeded.

Almost.

Ten PM and the sky was already a rich heavy prussian blue. Stars shrouded the sky, one, two, three, four, and five. In the end, Axel could count twelve, and he felt something dark overcome him, as if the number had significance. Why twelve? Why not eleven? Why not thirteen?

"Axel?"

Roxas' voice was quiet, and the red head forced a small smile, lips upturned around his cigarette.

"Mind if I have one?"

The blonde was unusually timid, and without looking up (he wouldn't look up - no - couldn't look up, because he swore if he did he might just die), the red head slid the packet over.

"Knock yourself out."

"Thanks."

They slipped back into the almost silence, odd, hum drum noises the only ones in the night; a click of a lighter, the small sucking noise from the first drag, the light crackle on inhalation. And Axel swore he could almost hear the erratic skip of Roxas' heart.

"Did you enjoy your walk, Roxy?" Axel asked when the silence was finally too much.

"It was... insightful." Roxas rolled his cigarette in his mouth and sighed. "Axel, do you ever think about living a normal life. You know? Outside of the Organization?"

"Well, Yeah, Sometimes. I mean, I'm twenty-seven, I'm already slower then I was when I started off, I can't dodge blows as quickly, and it's easier to deck me now than it was when I was a kid. But I've spoken to Xemmy, he said I could retire at thirty-ish. With a full paid job at one of his casinos or bars if I wanted. But of course, with the amount of pension dole we're entitled too, a job would only ever be to occupy my free-fucking-time." Axel tried hard to avoid the real meaning of the question, to tactfully divert the conversation away from what he desperately didn't want to hear.

"No, I don't mean like that." Roxas took a heavy drag from the cigarette and lay back so that he was fully horizontal and watching the nights sky. "I mean, say we didn't join the Organization? Say we lived how we would've lived."

"Hmm, I'd have gone to college. I always wanted to be a professional designer as a kid. Not that artsy-fartsy fashion stuff. Like a games designer, or one of those Japanese-comic things." Axel chuckled. "I wanted to be a bartender when I was in high school I thought I'd sell a lot."

"But doesn't that really piss you off?" Roxas' voice was passionate. "I mean, Don't you hate that your life is all different? I mean you've – we've killed people? If we'd had different lives it would've all been different."

"I was accepted into a good college you know, no, not just good; Ivy-league. I was going to study pathology. Geeze, I'd have been examining our victims' bodies eventually. I could've been great; countless people told me that. Then Xemnas came and tempted me into this life. He'd watched me in a fencing competition. Asked me if I'd used any other types of weapon. So like an idiot I told him my dad had two samari swords I sometimes fooled around with, and that I could fire a gun. Then he asked what I wanted to do in life, so I told him I was going to be a pathologist. So he said 'Blood and death obviously doesn't affect you?' When I said it didn't he had me. From that very moment, he saw that I had potential, and he USED that."

"Roxas.. are you okay?"

"No! Dammit! I am not okay! I'm tired of killing people! I'm sick of being a bad person, I actually hate myself. I hate myself for not caring that I'd killed people! I'm a monster. We all are."

Axel was stunned into an uncomfortable silence before he finally whispered "What are you going to do?"

Roxas sat up, but refused to meet Axel's eye. The responding emptiness was enough to tell Axel what the blond had decided.I already sort of knew, I guess.

"Axel ...why did the Superior choose me?" Roxas' voice was quiet, and Axel understood the deeper meaning of the question. Why him, Why ruin Roxas' life. Why not someone else's life? The reality of the situation cut Axel like a blade and he lent back against the wall, not trusting his legs to support themselves.

"You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you." Axel said it softly, more as an observational warning than anything else. The numb ache of realization was already seeping through his body, irrevocably changing him and preparing him for the looming emotional onslaught.

Roxas chuckled, sad and low, and crawled over to Axel, lolling his head on the red heads chest and nuzzling his neck gently. "I don't care. No-one would even miss me."

Axel's eyes blazed and he shot upright clutching Roxas' face between his hands in one swift movement . "Don't say that." His voice was powerful with emotion. "You're wrong, what you said; it's not true. I would."

Roxas felt the tears spring to his eyes, hot against the cool of the night air. This was it, the beginning of the end. The first step of walking away. The hardest step; the first step without Axel.

"I love you Axel."

"I ... I love you too Roxas."

"Axel…. Make love to me. Love me."

They ended the silence before it could begin, their lips locked together in a passionate embrace and fingers working franticly on removing clothes. The finality was unbearably painful, but at that moment in time they worked on forgetting it. Forgetting everything but each other, and relishing in those hungry touches.

Not once, in the midst of the passion, or the hazy moments between heat and sleep, did they say they word 'goodbye'.

When Axel reluctantly woke from his uneasy slumber early the next morning Roxas was already gone, all that was left of him was the silver locket that had once belonged to the blond's mother and was now carefully placed on top of Axels' bag, and the red head collapsed in a broken surrender.

.::.

Demyx watched the passing months with a bitter clarity. The usual, if not more than slightly terrifying, Axel was slipping away, and he had become little more than a comatose shell. He watched as his best friend turned from someone who could charm a room of miserable bastards into a room of laughing friends in minutes, into someone who barely blinked.

Demyx had often considered Roxas to be the best thing that had ever happened to Axel. He'd known the fiery red head since they were both drafted in as teenagers, a startling nine years before, and until Roxas had been brought in five years later, Axel had nothing real to hold on to. Nothing to control him, to teach him, that despite what Xemnas had drilled into them, there were some boundaries, and these boundaries were made to be uncrossed.

In the mulleted blonds opinion, Roxas had awoken the gentler, fragile side of Axel, that had long since been hardened and neglected, and Roxas had finally given Axel a chance to be completely himself, to be completely defenceless, completely open, completely loved. At the time Demyx had considered this a good thing, he'd wanted his friend to feel the emotions and vulnerability that went with love, and trusted Roxas with his best friend's heart completely.

In retrospect, Demyx was painfully aware this had been a very bad idea.

.::.

It took Axel seven weeks to began the painful transition back into the 'real world'. It was like a whole new agony, what had formally been seemingly a shallow lake of a calm, constant raw throbbing, had actually been concealing a deep, excruciating hurt, one that not time, nor distance could ever heal. He began resenting himself, catching his reflection in the mirror only reminded him that the last lips to touch his own were Roxas', the last fingers to caress his body belonged to the beautiful blond, and his skin seemed to emit this information, taunting him, reminding him.

When Axel finally couldn't take it anymore, he began using his 'privileges' as Xemnas' lackey to his favour. Sauntering into one of the gang leaders many bars and clubs, selecting his prey, male, female it didn't matter, some were fat, some were thin, some were black , others white. The only thing they had in common was they were not Roxas.

Axel prayed that it would help, Roxas' love had become almost an addiction, and to prevent himself going through the withdrawal symptoms he had to purge himself of belonging to Roxas, he had to belong to someone else, everybody else if that's what it took. As well as the promiscuity, Alcohol had also become Axel's main aspect in his life, whiskey and brandy masking the agony of life without the twenty-one year old, until he sobered up. The Organization seemed to recognise Axels' downward spiral into depression and his jobs began to gradually get fewer and fewer, so that the burgundy maned man had less than one mission a fortnight.

It became almost Demyx's second job to help the staggering, drunk Axel get into bed, listen to him as he wailed, then cared for him as he slept of the booze. Of course the muddy blond had been horrified at the true extent of Axel's melancholy when he'd heard his best friends screams in the night, often begging Roxas not to leave, or beseeching him to return.

Life had turned into a constant struggle against the tide, and Axel was drowning.

Of course, Axel hadn't spent all of his time drowning his sorrows and having casual sex. He'd spent almost every waking hour for the first few weeks searching for Roxas, but to no avail. It was almost as the guy had disappeared into thin air, and when it was becoming obvious that Axel had slim chance of finding his former love, he began the slippery transaction from his version of normality, into a ghost of his former self.

.::.

Xemnas' eyes glowed with irritation and he slammed his fist against the oak desk.

"No-one has found that traitor yet?"

"No, I'm sorry sir, there's been no sighting of him."

Xemnas tossed the desk up and the several men in the room stumbled backwards. "Idiots! He could be anywhere! Talking to police, giving away information to the Turks! And you guys are too pathetic to even find him!"

"We're so- - -"

"Don't waste your time!" Xemnas fell back and slumped into his chair and sighed. A smirk played on the Superiors lips, imagining the game that was about to begin. "There's only one person who'd be able to successfully track Roxas down and snuff him out. We need Axel."

.::.

Simply put, Axel wanted only one of two things. He knew which one he'd prefer, but if he was honest with himself, he wasn't being picky.

He wanted either for Roxas to return and never ever leave him again. He'd become reacquainted with every inch of the younger man's body, mind and soul and they'd run away together living somewhere far away from the city. Detached house with a picket fence and everything if that's what Roxas wanted.

Or Axel wanted to die. Considering the unlikelihood of the former happening, Axel would prefer to just have his life stop and be done with it. Because every moment hurt. Roxas had literally became Axel's everything, and without him life was looking bleak. But Axel wasn't strong enough to end his own life, because secretly he still prayed for the first choice.

And it tore him apart that neither of his wishes were attainable.

.::.

"There are plans to overthrow you, sir." The voice was calm, but it was only thinly masking an internal rage. "We must eradicate them. With both the traitor leaving, and the new source of treachery, we must annihilate at least one of the threats."

Xemnas raised a slim eyebrow and smirked. "I've found a way of dealing with both, but thank you for your concern Saix, your loyalty pleases me." Toying with the strands of his hair, the leader of the Oblivion empire's grin broadened. "I've already discovered this threat, and the orders have been sent out. A new game is in motion, and I will show that those who defy me will be punished. One way or another.

.::.

Hair dishevelled and face gaunt, Axel watched the hum-drum comings and goings of the people below from the roof of the Oblivion building, the silence was harsh and cut him to the core. He and Roxas had often sat in silence, watching daylight turn to twilight, and twilight to night. But this was different. The silence was not romantic, companionable. It was empty.

His fingers hovered over a nearby bottle of Jack for the briefest second before Axel pulled out his cell phone and keyed in the all too familiar number. He knew the drill, Roxas would never answer, but at least he could hear his voice.

Hey it's Roxas here, I'm not answering right now –

-Duh! He could hear himself interject in the message this is a voicemail recording!

Shut up Red! Anyway I'm probably busy with work

-or with me-

So give me a call back later or leave a message, m'kay?

He wasn't aware he'd started crying until he saw the teardrop land on his jeans, joining several other darkened droplet-stains. Axel sat in silence, body trembling with soundless sobs clutching desperately at the cell phone in his hand. He heard the footsteps before he saw the person, some hour or so later when the sky was completely seeped in darkness.

"Mind if I join you?"

Axel sighed and dabbed out the cigarette he was smoking, a light sizzle sounding against the cold, crisp night air. He hoped idly that his face wasn't too tear streaked."No, Marluxia, go ahead."

The other man smiled and lowered himself next to Axel, hanging his feet over the side and swaying them like a child swings its legs on a chair. Axel and Marluxia had had limited contact throughout his time in the Organization, the other man spending much of his free time with Larxene, who Axel wasn't particularly fond of, and when Roxas had arrived he'd monopolised much of the red-heads attention.

"You miss Roxas don't you?" Marluxia stating the obvious made Axel want to snort, but he didn't have the energy, he was too burnt out. "We've all seen a real change in you. The Superior was on about giving you early retirement."

This caught his attention and Axel roared into life, jumping up and clenching his fists. "No, he can't do that! Not Roxas AND the Organization! I won't allow that to happen!"

"What if I told you, you can keep both?"

Axel narrowed his eyes at the velvet of Marluxia's voice. "You mean you know where Roxas is?"

"Not exactly, but we do have some leads that would interest you greatly, and with your talent you'd no-doubt find a way of discovering him." Marluxia's lip twitched and Axel narrowed his eyes further.

"'We'?"

"Larxene and I, we're sort of like the power duo of the Organization, slowly building our way up to full supremacy. Vexen sometime's helps us with the... technical side. We have heard things about Roxas, you could get him back."

Axel paused to absorb the information and didn't realise he was holding his breath till he let it out in a long jagged sigh. "And what's in it for you and Larxene?"

"You are." Marluxia stood up and walked behind Axel, draping himself behind the red head so that his arms were wrapped loosely around Axel's body, and that his head rested lazily on Axels shoulder, breath tickling the red heads throat. "You're so strong, powerful. If you help us dispose of a few... loose ends, we'll get Roxas back, you and him can join us and we'll rule the city."

Axel closed his eyes, Marluxia had painted a seductive picture, and even though it annoyed him that it was him and not Roxas caressing him, he couldn't help but react to the touches he had missed in the previous weeks.

"Okay, I'm in."

Marluxia grinned, his teeth just skimming Axel's throat. "Excellent."

Axel swallowed and turned, so his face was level with Marluxia's, forehead resting against the other mans. His lips hovered just above Marluxia's, breath mingling and he let his hands roam so they rested on males slender hips.

"Marluxia?"

"Hmm?" The cerise haired man mumbled shuffling closer to Axel, pressing their bodies tight together.

Axel opened his eyes sharply, orbs like frozen emerald and pushed Marluxia away, biceps stiff and twitching. "Just so you know, you will never be able to own me in that way. Touch me like that again, and I will castrate you where you stand."

"Fair point Axel." Marluxia strode away and flicked his hair a grin dancing on his lips. Like taking candy from a baby.

.::.

Xemnas watched in the almost midnight black room, as the man stalked in, eye's gleaming in the night.

"Marluxia and Larxene plan to overthrow me, isn't that true?" Xemas spoke in an indifferent monotone.

"Yes," The man answered. "Their numbers have gone from two to three. Vexen is flitting in and out also"

Xemnas laughed, dark and chilling. "All the easier to eradicate them. No-one betrays me and lives." His thoughts drifted to Roxas; the one who'd got away. The secrets that could easily spill from his tongue and cause the Organization's downfall. "Take care of the small pocket of traitors, their numbers are no match for ours. They will succumb to death."

.::.

He could only hear the blood. It roared in his ears, made his head throb and his knee's sway. The corners of his vision were tinted red, and he could feel something tug his eyes in the direction that made the roaring louder.

Axel both wanted to recoil away from the spot, but also go to it- investigate the thing that was making so interested. He stepped forward. His body swaying as if he were drunk (and to Axels knowledge, he was not) and the sound of the blood worsened. He could feel it now. It bled from his eyes, ran from his nose and dribbled from his ears. The taste filled his mouth and yet he couldn't stop – wouldn't stop.

He saw the intriguing thing clearer now –it was a body. Or, to be more precise, a body lying still on the ground with another body – obviously mobile- crouched above it, with its back to Axel. The red head staggered towards it, the blood torturing him from the inside out.

Axel let out a wild gasp when he finally saw the scene clearly. He was the lifeless body on the floor, blood dripping from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears like an endless crimson stream. His eyes were open, dimmed and staring and his eyelashes matted with tears and blood. Axel tried to reach for a nearby table for support, but his hand went through the wood as though he didn't even exist.

"No!" The red heads voice was strangled and he shook violently. "This can't be right."

Axel sank to his knees and crawled towards his body, only to stop dead when he heard the figure leaning over it chuckle manically. His eyes widened and his head pulsed when the figure came into view. The eyes were large and menacing, with a hatred in there so deep rooted Axel felt physically sick. Blood smeared his face and when Roxas shifted, Axel could see the knife in his hand, and the gun in his Hollister and screamed.

.::.

Axel lounged in his office as the phone rang, its trill call irritating him beyond belief. He could let it ring, knowing that it would equally annoy whoever was making a half arsed attempt at contacting him, but also risk him losing a job, or he could answer it, and have the chance of lazing about all day flutter away.

Heaving himself from the squashy leather couch, he sighed as he picked up the phone. "Axel speaking."

"Hey Red, it's me, Marluxia."He was practically purring. "I have a... assignment for you."

"Shoot, flower-boy." Axel twirled the coil idly between his fingers, coiling it around a digit until the tip purpled then letting it go. Blood. No blood. Life. No life.

"I need you to exterminate a weed for me."

"Sorry, I don't do plant control."

"No, no." Marluxia laughed. "I need you to destroy a traitor."

"Okay, I'm listening. What'cha got?"

"Well it seems like Vexen has been working undercover for Xemnas all along. A very dangerous move, as we are all stronger than him. I don't have any reason to believe he's squealed yet, so the sooner you destroy him, the better."

"So let me get this straight." Axel shook his head in disbelief. "You want me to kill Vexen. The same Vexen you've been having sex with for the last two years?"

Marluxia was silent, and Axel could almost hear his brain thinking. Tick-tock-tick-tock. It wasn't well concealed , the 'secret' affair between Vexen and Marluxia. They'd been caught tumbling in and out of bed together more times than Axel had killed. Traces of their affair- handcuffs, underwear, clothes, had been carelessly scattered. And when confronted they'd fiercely denied any sort of fling. A little too fiercely.

After the long pause Marluxia finally answered. "Yes, he's a danger to our plot. Obviously, this isn't how I intended the ... situation to end, but that can't be helped. He needs to be taken care of."

"And you're sure, that you want him dead."

"Yes, I'm bloody sure! If you don't think you can do it Axel, I'll do it myself. If you can't handle killing a member, then obviously you're equally unfit for this task-force."

"No, no, I can do it. Just give me the details."

Marluxia read out addresses and times, where Vexen would be and when. He'd told him dates, what to look out for, and where to kill. It was pinpoint precision. "Oh, and a few more things Axel. First; I'm sure you know, but when I kill, I scatter rose petals on their bodies. I want you to do the same, and snap the Rosario from his neck, as proof you've killed him. Second, if you complete this task, we may have a lead on Roxas that could prove very useful in your search." The salmon haired man was silent for a second, then with a smirk in his voice concluded; "That is all."

The call cut off and Axel was left clutching the phone, body frozen and eyes wide. His lips trembled, and he only managed to get out one word.

"Roxas."

.::.

Axel had followed Vexen by car for a good couple of miles, keeping a safe distance away from his colleague –and victim- so as not to rouse suspicion. When Vexen finally pulled over in a country field and headed for some bushes (presumably to take a piss, Axel mentally snorted), the red head seized his opportunity to fulfil Marluxia's order.

He pulled over, blocking the escape route for Vexens car and pulled out his magnum from his inside jacket pocket.

"Hello there, Vexen."

The older man turned, startled when he heard the voice, and when his eyes landed on the gun he froze. "Axel... what are you…Who sent you?"

"Why, your lover of course. He was so disappointed that you planned to leave him and turn him in to Xemnas. Working as a double agent are we? How very stupid of you. You of all people should have known you'd never pull that off. So Marluxia made me an offer I couldn't refuse in order to make sure you don't jeopardise his plans. Nothing personal."

"Roxas…he's giving you Roxas…" Vexens eyes widened in understanding. He knew he couldn't bargain for his life with something better, and he knew that Axel knew it too. "If you continue to seek Roxas, the shackles will tighten! You'll become Marluxia's pawn."

Vexens eyes were wide with terror but Axel yawned. He was like a cat, and Vexen was his mouse. He was toying with his prey. "Oh really? I think that I will surprise flower boy. I am stung Vexy. Was it not that long ago you were Marley's, ahem, porn? Or am I mistaken 'Ice, ice baby'?"

Vexens skin heated but he still looked defiant, clutching his injured shoulder and glaring at Axel through terrified eyes. "You're nothing but his puppet! Don't you see! He only uses you when it suits him, then he throws you away. He's doing it to me, and he'll do it to you."

"I think I can handle Marluxia."

"Axel, Why? We were allies, friends. Why are you doing this?"

"We are just nobodies who have no-one to be, yet still are. But now you can be nothing instead of just being nobody. You're off the hook."

"No, please don't! I don't want to d-."

"Goodbye." The shot hit Vexen square in the chest, and he slumped to the ground, one hand feebly clutching his heart as if in an attempt to remove the bullet and stem the blood, within seconds he was dead, and a crimson pool had began leaking onto the grass. Axel took the flower petals that Marluxia had given him from the small woven bag, and tossed them on the ground, in the customary style of the salmon haired mans slaughtering. Kneeling over he snapped the Rosario from his neck, just as Marluxia had instructed.

The phone in Vexens hand began to ring, and with a morbid curiosity Axel picked up the vibrating cell and put it to his ear.

"Vexen, I have the money, my sister said we can stay with her in Ohio for a bit, then once the dust settles we can –."

"I'm sorry, Vexen is... unavailable right now... you've caught him at a bad time."

The stranger on the phone went silent and Axel chuckled.

"What have you done?"

"Let's just say I carried out some pest control. Don't you just loathe it when one of your so called 'companions' swans off and tries to betray you? At least Vexen won't be going anywhere anymore."

"What the hell are you?" The stranger's hysteria didn't seem to affect Axel, but his eyes softened at their words.

"Don't know. I wonder about that myself." Axel ended the call and dropped the phone to the floor, crushing it with his heel. I'm one step closer to you Roxas, and this time you won't leave me again.

.::.

"Okay." Axel sighed as he strode into Marluxia's office of the Oblivion Complex. Marluxia himself was no-where to be seen, but Larxene was present, her bust straining in a white shirt and a lot of thigh was visible in the 'high waited' pencil skirt. Axel snorted at her attire and his lip curled up in distaste. "He's dead."

Larxene, who was lounging on the pink haired mans leather sofa, pouring over a copy of Vogue, chuckled. "Good, my god he was dull. He was the brains, sure, but we can always get that emo-esque guy, what's his name? Zexion? Well, anyway, we can always recruit him next time we need brains."

Axel frowned, he didn't like the idea of Zexion in the group, especially knowing Demyx's feelings. "Isn't that for Marley to decide? Speaking of Pink-Haired-Dominatrix's, where is Marley?"

"On a mission for the Superior. Said he'd be back about six." Larxene averted her heavily made up eyes from the magazine and let them rest on Axel, a vivacious smirk spreading across her scarlet lips.

"That gives us two hours alone Axel, there's a lot you can do in two hours." She rose to her feet and began toying with Axels tie.

"Sorry Larxene, I go for the pedigrees, I won't just hump any old bitch."

The women pouted and flounced off towards the door, head erect and eyes blazing. "Fine, have it your way. Like I'd want to do anything with you anyway, You're probably riddled with diseases, the amount of people you bring back.

Axel couldn't help his lips twitching, it was true, he was bringing back a lot of people lately. Demyx and Xigbar had spotted his latest conquest, Kairi or Kelly or something, leaving his room that morning, and while Xigbar had let out a long, appreciative whistle, Demyx's brow had furrowed in worry over the state of his best friends mental and sexual health.

"Oh calm down Larx," Axel finally retorted. "You've probably had more of the city then I have."

He was surprised when she chuckled and relaxed, walking back to the settee and sitting back down. "Yeah, I guess you could be right."

They were interrupted when Marluxia strode in, caressing heavily bruised knuckles. The man grinned when he saw he had company. "Well, if it isn't my two favourite people waiting for me like loyal little lapdogs. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Axel sighed and pulled out a chain, the Rosario that belonged to Vexen and tossed it at the other man. "There ya' go. He's dead."

Marulixa awed at the chain and his eyes seemed to waver. "He's... dead?" His voice was soft, as though he were sad, and Axel could almost detect an ache in his eyes, though this only lasted for an instant, and almost immediately, a sinister laugh erupted from Marluxia's chest.

"Wow, Axel, I am impressed. I didn't think you'd have it in you to actually kill one of our own. Well done. " Marluxia grinned. "I suppose you deserve to know; we've had a sighting of Roxas."

Axel's head shot up and he tried hard to keep his voice calm. "Where?"

"My sources tell me, that he's been spotted with a women, known only as 'X' at the moment. She resides somewhere, just outside of the city, but we don't know her exact location. We do have a ... good, resource. And whether they comply or not, we will get more information out of them soon enough Axel."

Marluxia fought back the quirking of his lips when Axels eyes glittered. He'd entranced the red head with promises of the beloved blond. And Roxas or no Roxas, Axel would be Marluxia's puppet soon enough.

.::.

"Sir." The man's voice was quiet and barely audible in the vast space that was Xemnas's dimly lit headquarters. The boss seemed to be listening though, and his amber eyes flashed for the speaking male to continue. "Marluxia's plan has resulted in Vexen being terminated."

The Superior didn't seem to react instead swivelling his chair so he face the window, and the huge moon that glowed behind the rest of New York's skyscrapers. "That was to be expected. Times like this, a sacrifice is needed to weed out who are the traitors, and who are not. Keep me informed as to what happens next. When the time is right, do not hesitate to kill Marluxia and his doll's."

.::.

Xemnas made no formal announcement regarding Vexens death, the news simply circulated around the remaining eleven elite, trickling down throughout the dozens of other lesser members within the Oblivion empire, until no-one was even sure what was rumour and what was real.

I heard that a Turk popped a cap in his ass.

I heard that his lover killed him.

Well I heard on good authority that it was one of his clients fighting back.

Of course, if anyone beyond the three 'traitors' knew of the real cause behind Vexen's demise, no-one mentioned it. There was a part of Axel, that when the newspaper published news of Vexens ruin and funeral, that hoped Roxas may return to say his final goodbyes to his former colleague. It was far beyond rational thinking, but nonetheless there was a part of Axel that was pretty positive that this would happen.

When Axel couldn't find him at the burial, he was crushed and the tears he cried, though not for Vexen himself, were all too real.

He did not notice the masked stranger, adorned in black, lurking and lingering under a clutch of trees in the distance.

He did not see the stranger place a single lily on the fresh grave long after everyone else had left.

And Axel most certainly did not see the stranger tenderly pick up the card Axel had left on the grave (a simple 'Death sets us free from the shackles that hold us- Axel') and tuck it into his breast pocket.

.::.

"Axel" Marluxia's voice was practically a purr and Axel rolled his eyes. "Will you come here a second please?"

Axel had been waiting in the lounge part of Marluxia's apartment for some time now, waiting for some kind of signal from the cerise haired man as to why he was actually there. "Marley, if you're naked or on the bed, I'm not coming in."

"Get in here Eight!"

The red head exhaled loudly and pushed himself up, crossing the room in three long strides. He entered the second room in the salmon haired and apartment and saw Marluxia sat behind his desk, computer in front of him.

"As you know Axel, me and Larxene are… not happy by the way Xemnas is ruling his little kingdom. So it's time that I become the Lord of the Oblivion company and begin a new reign. The Superior's style is so … dated and I think that we need to bring a little bit more class to the 'cleaning' business. You've become a valuable asset to me Eight, and I've called you here to give you something important."

Marluxia fished his hand into his drawers and pulled out a black velvet bag, tossing it at Axel. The red head opened it and gasped when he saw a pile of fifty-dollar bills. "There's twenty grand in there Red. A little thank-you from myself for the pest control."

Axel grinned, tucking the back under his arm and flashing a bit of tooth at his comrade. "Why thank-you Ten. And here's me thinking you were pure evil."

"Don't underestimate me Axel. I never give something without first getting something in return. I expect the upmost loyalty from you, should you provide that much more money should conveniently fall into your hands. Granted that was take Oblivion for ourselves, then the sky's the limit. We will exterminate the traitors who defy us Axel. And then what we truly desire, will be ours."

Axel turned to the door with a wicked grin, eyes shimmering in something Marluxia couldn't name. "You don't know how right you are Marley."

.::.

Axels body contorted wildly and sweat plastered his hair to his face in thick, red tendrils. His body knotted again, arching off of the bed and squeezing his eyes shut as the scream ripped from his raw throat and exploded from his lips.

He could see it behind his eyes, see him beautiful and so very close, yet so very far away at the same time. He was not who Axel had known – instead he was the Roxas from the locket, one that shone with innocence and youth. He did not seem to see nor recognise Axel, and was strolling away, hands in pockets, oblivious to the red head. And Axel was screaming, screaming his name through the tears, through his red raw throat and yet the blonde did not turn around.

And it killed him.

Axel opened his eyes and jerked when he felt something cold press against his clammy forehead . Blinking through the tears he saw Demyx, bags under his eyes and face pulled into a furrow of concern pressing damp flannel against his forehead.

"Shh." The muddy blonde pushed some of Axels hair from his face as the red head panted, chest heaving and throat burning. "It was just a dream, I'm here."

"He …left me." Axels voice was coarse and he flinched, both from memory and pain. "He keeps… leaving me."

Axel arched off of the bed and retched, his stomach empty and a little bile burning in his throat.

A throat that was already on fire because of the screaming.

He didn't even say goodbye,

He didn't take the time to lie.

.::.

Sometimes, in moments in seemingly infinite madness which consumed the red head, Demyx wondered whether or not euthanasia may be the nicest way to assist Axel. He couldn't help but feel that if he could sweep through his life like a raging inferno – unable to control the erratic, all consuming insanity, it may be kinder to merely put Axel out of his misery. He'd often contemplated, that perhaps he should just shoot Axel, during those drunken endless nights. Simply cock a gun to his head and pull the trigger, too drunk to know what was happening, too quick to feel any pain, Axel would merely slip from this world and find some relief.

Relief from the unbearable life without Roxas that Axel was forced to endure.

Relief from the ever-present lunacy.

Relief from life.

Demyx knew he'd never do it though, never do what was, in his opinion, kindest. He'd killed before, sure. He'd killed a lot. In fact, the death toll had been near 200 at his last count two years ago. But he couldn't kill Axel, couldn't shoot him, couldn't drag a knife across his throat, couldn't push him from a window or drown him.

Yes, drowning had always been a favorite killing technique of Demyx's, but he couldn't drown Axel. Axel was his best friend, and Demyx simply couldn't find the strength to put him out of his misery. And a part of him still naively believed that there may be light at the end of the tunnel, and that Axel may be able to pull himself out of this stupor.

Demyx was pretty sure that his naivety would prove wrong.

.::.

Axel found himself in Larxenes complex, the sultry blonde inviting him over for a 'glass or two of wine to help unwind. He'd found her company becoming more bearable since his alliance with Marluxia had began, and now he found himself slow dancing with her, the female assassin squeezed into something that was incredibly short and tight.

Larxene pressed her full lips to Axels, her mouth forcing his open so she could deepen the kiss. She moved her hands to his wild hair, fisting great handfuls of it and pulling his head closer to hers. She felt his hands go to her hips and moaned, causing Axel to smirk. Something hard twitched against her stomach and with a flick of his wrist the blade Axel had hidden in his sleeve plunged deep into the womens abdomen.

"Axel" Larxene staggered away from him with a little gasp and her fingers went to her stomach, blood already seeping through her shirt and dripping in heavy droplets onto the floor. "What have you done?"

It was the first time Axel had ever heard the blonde sound frightened and he smiled, leaning towards her and stroking her throat as she staggered and bled. "I'm doing my job Larx." His lips went to her hair as she coughed, blood spraying from her mouth, staining his shirt. "Shhh – Don't cry, I'm going to make it all go away Larxene."

Axel titled her head back and Larxene gurgled struggling beneath his sturdy grasp. The red head brought the bloodied blade from his side and dragged it along her hairline, masking the screams she made by squeezing her throat tighter – constricting the voice box and windpipe. When a significant piece of hair and flesh fell free from her head, Axel dropped Larxene and smirked and she collapsed twitching.

He picked up the piece of scalp, eyes fixed on the blonde as she lay on the floor, an area of skull exposed, face and abdomen slick with blood and eyes wide with fear and pain. She stretched her arm out towards him feebly and blinked back the darkness that began to encase her vision.

"Don't leave me Axel." She croaked and Axel chuckled. "I can't … I'm not ready to… this can't be…"

Axel tapped her skull lightly with his boot, and then strode out as she died.

Orders were orders, after all .

.::.

"Hey, Marluxia have you got a minute?" Axel toyed with the wax sack contained the grisly evidence of Larxenes murder as he spoke, cell phone wedged between his ear and his shoulder.

He heard the salmon haired man flick through some papers, and mumble. "Sure,, I'm free. I always have time for you."

"I'm glad." Axel felt a smirk tug at his lips and gave a soft sigh. "I need to talk to you about the takeover. I think the opportunity is right, and I've formulated a plan.. First – Roxas though. Email the information now, and I'll help you."

"You're at a computer I presume?" Axel didn't respond, but he heard the frantic taping of keys and placed down the sack, turning to his desktop.

"It's sent, Red." Axel received the email as Marluxia spoke, and he went to the attachment clicking it open. A little gasp escaped his lips and he felt his body tremble. There were several photos all of Roxas with a ink haired girl about his own age, somehow, in the few short months (or not so short, as it seemed to Axel) the blonde had changed so severely. He'd lost a little weight, his rounded cheeks hollowed so that he looked almost like a pouting male-model. His hair was longer, mussed in a different sort of way and the smart blazers and shirts he'd always worn, had been replaced by non-descript tee-shirts and jeans in every photo.

He looked…beautiful. He was like the boy in the locket again, sweet. There was no hard look in his eyes, though they looked tired, and he didn't look so harsh without the designer clothes. He was simply Roxas. Pure, beautiful Roxas.

And Axel wanted him then, more than he'd ever wanted him. He wanted this Roxas that he'd never known, the Roxas that Roxas himself longed to be once more.

"Thank you." His reply to Marluxia was chocked, breath plugging his throat. "I have to go…but can I meet you in your room? Say in an hour's time?"

"Sure, like I said, anything for you Axel."

"…Thank you." When he clicked the off button and reached for his weapons bag his lip trembled, both in anticipation and pain.

.::.

Axel found himself oddly calm as he waited at Marluxia's door, waiting for the graceful assassin to answer. He was sure that he'd have been more nervous, considering the task at hand would lead him one step closer to Roxas should he succeed.

When he could hear the footsteps of Marluxia approaching, a smirk pulled at one corner of his lips, and his fingers instantly brushed the blade that was hidden in the sleeve of his suit. He liked this technique, it made him feel like an old fashioned assassin, and not just some highly skilled killer prowling the streets of New York. Marluxia opened the door with a smile on his face, hair still shower damp, barefoot and in a white dress shirt and black jeans. About as casual as Marluxia ever got. Axel took this moment to snarl, and bring the hidden blade in a slicing motion across Marluxia, splitting the flesh easily along the others arm and causing the shirt to stain red.

"A-Axel?" Marluxia staggered back, clutching his arm from where the blade had severed the flesh. "What the fuck are you doing?"

Axel laughed manically, his eyes flashing. "Do you honestly think that I was really working for you, flower boy?"

Marluxia frowned and stuttered a little, before Axel tossed the dagger at him, hitting his leg and sinking, and Marluxia collapsed to the floor. "But you... you killed Vexen! Betrayed the Superior!"

"Do either one of us have the heart to believe anyone? It's all part of the plan." Axel crouched so he was on the salmon haired mans level, and lowered his voice, so it was mocking, but as though he we're talking to a child. "Well, you see Marley, Xemnas knew all about you're little inside plot to take over the Oblivion Empire from the inside out. So he needed someone to take you and Larxene down. And that someone." Axel smirked. "was me."

"Of course, I got my own little perks out of it. I now know where Roxas is, and for that I am very, very grateful, but that still doesn't change the fact you're a lying, traitorous little slut. 'Remember the order- you must eliminate the traitor. 'I always follow the orders Marluxia."

Axel chuckled as Marluxia squirmed, and quickly got to his feet and stamped as hard as his could of the man's twisted ankle, hearing the disturbing snap of the bone beneath his foot, Marluxia screaming and writhing beneath the red heads weight.

"You see, you had a thing with Vexy right?" Axel's voice was distant, and his eyes were wild, evident of the elastic of his mind stretched to near breaking point. "But then." Axel broke off to laugh hysterically, eyes gleaming. "You order me to kill him. And so I do, and okay, you mope for like, two seconds, then you're all over me and Larxene again. And then, then, you stupid, revolting whore, then you actually try and instigate your pathetic domination plan!"

"You lie," Marluxia panted. "Xemnas wouldn't allow you to kill Vexen."

Axel stood up and shrugged. "That, I admit, I didn't want to do – but it was collateral damage. Don't believe me if you don't want. But it's not like your opinion matters." Axel smirked and rolled the blade in his palms, his grin stretching with the panicked widening of Marluxia's eyes. And drawled; "You see, you're going to die , I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to drag Roxas back here and make sure he never leaves the Organization again."

"No this can't be, I am the lord, I am the- - ." Marluxia was choked off when the crazed red head grabbed him in a headlock and dragged the knife along his throat, digging the dagger as deep into the gullet as he could, and watching the light dull in his victims eyes as the blood flowed from the lesion.

"See you in hell Marluxia. Hope when I join you, I'll be the one burning you."

.::.

Axel strode into the Superiors office, stance easy and a heavy linen bag in hand. He'd changed from the mussed shirt he'd been wearing whilst killing his former college and was now dressed in smart-casual clothes that suited his slim, but toned figure perfectly.

"Is the job done?" Xemas' gravelly voice was deadpan, as if he were already assured that his threat had been terminated.

"See for yourself." Axel tossed the sack at the desk, and it hit the wood with a heavy clunk. His boss opened the pack and peered inside, a grin teasing his features as he pulled out its contents; The knives Axel had used to slaughter Marluxia, the 'traitors' mini scythe, and amongst the bloodied weapons, a patch of skin , with the pink haired corpses distinguishable red and blue'X'tatoo emblazed on it. Littered amongst the grisly remains were a section of scalp, long blonde hair trailing from it with a tiny lightning bolt tattoo emblazed onto the skin.

"Congratulations Axel, you've proven yourself more than worthy of my loyalty and trust." The Superiors voice was like a proud fathers and he lounged back in his chair. "You, you are my prince. Together, we'll rule the world."

.::.

Demyx increasing concern absolutely skyrocketed. Having the Superior make the announcement that Marluxia and Larxene had been traitorous to the Organization, and that their group had been infiltrated and destroyed, he'd been shocked. When the Superior announced that he was proud of Axel for cleansing the gang of disloyal members, he'd felt his heart drop into his stomach.

The Axel he knew had never done anything like that for Xemnas. He'd always done the job he was paid for, but had no real loyalties to Xemnas. He was indifferent, in fact, he liked a game. The power struggle among members, he'd enjoyed simply watching. There was no way he'd help in the Superiors favour. Unless Axel was being offered something- or someone- that was too irresistible.

It did not take much to work out what was tempting Axel.

Demyx still heard the screams, he'd expect them to fade in time, but if anything, they were getting worse. The contained a new violence now, meaning if Demyx stayed in Axel's flat in the Oblivion Complex, that he'd have to restrain a thrashing Axel.

He did not like the idea of Xemnas giving Axel the opportunity to see Roxas, or at least implying that he could.

"Axel," Demyx sighed as he held back crimson hair so Axel could vomit the evening's alcohol. "This has to stop."

Axel finished retching then blearily glared up at Demyx. "What'cha on 'bout Dem?"

Demyx growled, he might be a push-over most of the time, but he was still a trained killer, and he had a saying 'Bullshit baffles brains, don't be baffled' and he was fed up of taking Axels crap.

"This!" He hissed, exasperated. "You can't keep going out, getting drunk, then rolling in and expecting me to clear up your mess! I have a life! I have a job, the same job as you! And all this crap is affecting both of us."

He stopped as Axel heaved into the toilet bowl and resumed his job of holding back his intoxicated friends hair. When the red head slumped against the toilet, moaning, he sighed.

"Axey" His voice was soft and he dropped to the floor so he was sat by his friends side. "He's gone, you have to stop killing yourself over it."

Axel reached over and clutched at Demyx's shirt, emerald eyes swollen with tears. He was a wreck. "But it hurts!" he wailed.

"I know it hurts Axel, but you're a grown man, you can't keep acting like a love-sick teenager."

Axel pouted and tried to squirm away, but failed, his incapacitated body refusing to work. "You don't know Dem! You're not in love."

Demyx flinched and swung a bony elbow at Axels chin, so that he made a wheezing sound. "You don't know shit, Axel! You're so wrapped up in your own self pity that you don't give a fuck whether I am happy or not! Well you know what? Yeah, I love someone, remember Zexion, the guy you told me to just confess how I feel to before he left? Well, if I didn't have to act like a childminder for someone who's older than me, then I could've had a shot with him. But no, I have to make sure that you don't OD on the booze, or shag so many men and women that one day you bring home a Turk and screw the entire Organization."

His chest heaved and collapsed back against the tiled wall. He watched as Axel gave a final heave into the toilet then slumped against his friend.

"Sorry Dem." Axel's voice was slurred and his eyes heavy lidded.

"It's not your fault." Demyx sighed, rubbing his hands on Axels shoulder, like a parent and a child. "it's Roxas's."

When Axel flinched and sucked in a lot of air Demyx felt a pang of guilt. Despite the fact he was sick of the red heads crap, he could understand where he was coming from. If Zexion disappeared without a trace, he'd be heartbroken. And they weren't even in a relationship.

"Sorry buddy, things will get better, I swear." Silently Demyx corrected himself with, I hope.

.::.

Six months to the day that Roxas left, Axel found himself in his sleek car, and speeding towards a place that was all too painfully familiar. He could almost visualize the last time he'd passed these houses. Roxas at his side, the sun gleaming in his golden, fallen angels' hair.

He tried to kid himself that the blond was still sat beside him, still in his neat tailored blazer and jeans. Still begging Axel to let him just have one smoke in his baby of a car.

Axel would do anything for Roxas to stain the leather interior with the reeking tobacco smoke now.

When he pulled up he could feel the knot of rage in his stomach growing, constricting. It was like a poison, sweeping over his entire body; flowing through his veins, in the air he breathed. Too there, too real.

When he eventually managed to heave himself from the car, and up to the door step, he knocked on the door calmly, nothing like the internal storm that brewed and cracked inside him. He could almost seem normal, collected.

However, when the door opened he immediately snapped. "You!" He growled, he pushed the occupant indoors, slamming the thick pine door behind him, and slipping over the dead-lock. "Sora."

Sora, of course, could not forget Axel. He'd managed to pay off most of his debt now, now that his mother was better and able to work again, and she'd taken out a loan with less aggressive means of repayment. However seeing the crazed red head brought make painful memories. Memories of broken ribs, a shattered wrist and swollen, bloodied features.

"What do you want?" He squeaked, eyes huge with fear. "I don't owe the next instalment for another few weeks!"

"You, you ruined my life!" Axel grabbed the teenager by the throat, and lifted him off the ground, so that the brunette wheezed and clutched at his restricted airways. "My life has been one big fuck up since we met you! And you know what? I'm going to make sure you never live to mess it up again."

"I.." The young boy choked. "What... what?"

"You!" Axel screamed, momentarily squeezing then relaxing as the boy gasped for air. "You had to be all doe-eyed, and young, and small." Axels' eyes raged. "He left. He left! He was the only thing I had, and 'cause of you, you pathetic excuse for a human, he's gone!"

He dropped the boy and pulled out his gun from the inside seem of his suit jacket. Thrusting it hard at the boy's soft, still undefined stomach, he glared into large blue eyes.

Eyes that were oceanic blue, wide and framed delicately with perfect lashes.

In that instant he could've sworn they were Roxas' eyes. Then he did something, that no-one wouldn't have expected from a mass murderer. He crashed to his knees, his head pressed against the boy he was just so eager to kill's thighs, and sobbed.

Sora remained still, stunned and utterly petrified as the maniac cried Roxas' name and clutched at him like a hysterical child. Despite his fear, the instinct to nurture kicked in, and he found himself patting the redheads spikes.

When Axel had cried himself out, he rose, puffy eyed, and kissed the brunettes trembling head.

Then he put the muzzle of the gun straight into his abdomen, pulled the trigger, and watched as the boy bled to death.

.::.

The news papers screamed out the next day; "Boy, 15, Found Dead" or "Teenager killed in Gang Crime." Of course, no-one would be able to pin anything on Axel, The Organization had friends in high places, meaning that no matter how much evidence was found, nothing would ever be found.

Secretly, the red head hoped that Roxas read those articles, see the large photo of the smiling boy taken months ago, recognise him. And come back.

His logic was flawed, but he couldn't help it. Axel prayed that it would bring the blond back. That the man he loved so much would be so infuriated that Axel did, in fact, kill Sora, that he'd rush back to reprimand Axel, only to fall hopelessly in love with him again.

And they'd live a parody of 'happily ever after'.

Hours ticked by, and Axel paced, waiting for Roxas to burst through the doors. Waiting for the anger he was sure would come, to fade into love, to wait for normality.

It never came.

.::.

The Superior had called Axel into his office early one morning, when the sky was still bathed in moonlight and the office was in almost complete darkness. The red-head shifted in the darkness, his head hung like a childs, waiting for his boss to speak.

"Axel, you said that Marluxia's resources have found photos of Roxas with a girl."

The words stung, but Axel swallowed and nodded. "Yes, he.. didn't say how he acquired them, but he did mention that he had no idea where he was. I … I believe he was telling the truth. He regarded me as a valuable asset, and I think if he'd had known Ro-, his location, he would have told me so that I would be more loyal to him. I … I think I'll be able to trace him though. I've been following up leads based on the looks of the background, and I've been trying to dig up information on this girl. I'm pretty sure that –"

"Axel," Xemna' voice interjected quietly from the darkness. " we need to kill him. I want you to get rid of him."

Axel let out a small choke and his eyes widened. "No, Superior... can't we bring him back?

"You've previously dealt swift merciless judgement on those who have betrayed the Organization, Have you not?"

"Tha..That's different. They betrayed the Organization, Rox hasn't done anything bar go away."

"He didn't come back, so he will pay the price. By your hands." Xemnas's voice softened. "Besides, aren't you hurt that he left you? Left you pining for him. Tricked you with all of his false words of 'love' and 'compassion.'

Axel could feel the heat in his eyes, like a pressure tank threatening to burst. It was true. Roxas had left him, had hurt him in every way possible. What had remained of Axel's blackened heart had been torn out and smashed to pieces by Roxas' very hand.

"Do you know where Roxas is, Axel?" Xemnas spoke as if he were talking to a child, soft, gentle and encouraging. "Can you take us to Roxas?"

As if he were drying swallowing a brick Axel blinked back tears and hoarsely answered. "I can take you to him" They were a strangers words, leaking from Axel's mouth like poison.

Xemnas leaned forward, and caressed Axels' cheek in his hand, the red head moving into the touch and closing his eyes almost as if he were a little boy. The Superior began rubbing his thumb along Axels cheek bone, like a father soothing a son, and when he began speaking again, his voice was like honey.

"Axel, Roxas has been bad, you understand that, don't you?" Axel nodded and Xemnas couldn't help but quirk his lips; this was too easy. "He was bad for betraying us. For betraying you. So we're going to get him okay? This is for you. Because the Organization looks out for each other. And you've been so good, you took care of Marluxia even though your heart was breaking."

Axel shuddered and moved his head away, eyes still closed, but leaving his face free of his bosses hand so he could let the silent tears spill. "Please don't make me do it. Send someone else. Please."

"But, Axel, don't you want to let him know how badly he's hurt you?"

"I don't want to kill him... myself." Axel winced at the implication of his words, knowing he had just all but signed his former lovers life away. "I won't watch as he dies."

Xemnas grinned. For now this would be enough. Axel was no more than a toy, a broken one at that, but still, one of Xemnas' favourites. The solid being holding Axel together had cracked, and already he was falling apart, all Xemnas had to do is wait. Wait for the hate and the anger and the rage he had installed inside each of his 'toys' to build, wait till Axel could take no more. Then the game would heat up.

And Roxas would die by Axel's hand.

.::.

Roxas.

His every waking thought, every dreaming thought revolved around Roxas. This magnificent man who'd stolen Axels heart then breezed out his life. Axel wasn't sure what he'd do about the blond if he'd been honest, dazed and confused he was vaguely aware that Roxas would die. But he'd still be back, so perhaps that would be close enough.

He'd done his research, painstakingly sweeping the photos for clues, from the scenery in the background, to where the clothes Roxas was wearing could have been purchased, to just who exactly this girl was in the back ground. And he'd worked it out. It was frustratingly simple, and Roxas had been painstakingly close this whole time. Living a new life right under the Organizations – and Axels – nose the whole time. Almost like he was taunting them. Her name, this mystery girl, was Xion. She was an old school friend of Roxas'. They hadn't had any contact in the years Roxas was in the Organization though, but that hadn't stopped him turning to her. Hadn't stopped her sheltering him and offering him a place to stay. He'd found her in a surprisingly easy way. Something he'd overlooked many times looking at the photo. The corner of a pin was barely visible in the smaller photo, but once it'd caught Axel's attention, this tiny accessory tagged onto this girls bag ,he'd found her. It was a name tag for a shop in a district not too far from the Organizations headquarters, and once Axel found the shop, it was all too simple.

Meeting, flirting with, and coaxing the manager into bed had been easy. Rifling through his staff files whilst the slightly overweight man dozed had been easier still. And once he found her, he had her name, face and address. And he'd got to work.

He needed to feel Roxas, see him, touch him. Remind himself that Roxas was real. Conscious or not.

Living or not.

.::.

Seven and a half months after Roxas left, Axel turned twenty-eight. Normally, he'd spend his birthdays in a situation that primarily involved Roxas (well, before the blondes arrival it had involved most of the other 'lads', a lot of alcohol, and the occasional prostitute). Normally, he'd be awoken by his lover, boyfriend , partner (whatever, none of these names seemed to do what they had justice) who would give him some kind of 'birthday present' until it was time to get up.

Luckily for him, the Superior was pretty lenient with his staff when it came to birthdays, because as well as having his elite 13 members, he also had close to several hundred other workers also 'helping out', so the elite got a day off (sometimes more than one member got the day off if this particular birthday boy had plans with another member) and one of Xemnas' less important lackies workload would suddenly increase.

Last year, as Axel had turned 27, he'd been a little down. He hated to admit it, but he'd felt old. After all, his boyfriend was still yet to turn twenty-one (meaning he couldn't even gamble in the casino's he'd frequented) and he was nearing thirty.

But Roxas had shown him (several times) that there was 'life in the old dog yet' and he forgot about his worries, simply drinking himself stupid with Roxas and Demyx until the other members finished their shift, and then dragging them along too.

There had been singing, dancing, the older members such as Luxord and Xigbar (who were both into their thirties and due to retire fairly soon) complaining that they were 'too old for this.' Even Zexion, much to Demyx's delight, had joined in, gotten completely shit-faced and ended up shirtless and having shots drank off of his stomach.

This year, when Axel woke up, he felt completely alone and wished more than anything for Roxas to be there.

He learnt the hard way, that birthday wishes rarely came true.

When Axel groaned awake, glanced at the date and then at the empty spot by his side, he picked up the decanter by his bedside, and drank.

.::.

Axel was drunk by the time Demyx got to his room at midday. The blond had expected as much, but arrived present in hand anyway, hoping that maybe, just maybe one of two things had occurred. One- Roxas had came back, this whole sorry mess would be forgotten, Axel would be happy, and they could have a celebratory knee's-up. Option two – Axel suddenly just didn't give a shit, and was the fun, albeit scary and deadly man he once knew.

Instead, Demyx was greeted by a wasted red head, stumbling around his apartment, in just a pair of low slung sweat-pants.

"DEM!" The intoxicated red head all but squealed his name and staggered towards him, draping a slim arm around Demyx's shoulder. The younger man wrinkled his nose at the over powering stench of booze, but smiled regardless.

"Happy birthday, Red." He made a motion to the box in his hand, and Axel's eyes snapped to it, lighting up like a childs.

"Presents!"

It took Axel a few attempts just to get the lid off of the box, and Demyx watched him with tight eyes, trying to hold back the sigh tugging at his lips. When the box was finally open, and a smart new Seiko was revealed Axel pulled Demyx into a clumsy hug.

"I love you, man."

Despite the desperate sadness of the situation, Demyx chuckled a little. "Sure you do Red, sure you do."

"No seriously." Axel slurred, putting the box with the watch in down somewhere, and shifting closer to his friend. "I love you Dem." Before Demyx could comprehend what was happening, Axel closed the remaining distance between them, the alcohol making his movements less than graceful, and forced his mouths onto the muddy blonds.

He'd always liked Demyx, platonically of course, always taken an interest in the guy who'd been drafted in pretty much simultaneously as himself. He was like water to Axels fire, whilst Axel raged like an inferno, Demyx was calm like a lake, however, just like a lake, there was no telling how deep he was, nor the dangers that lurked beneath the surface. This had intrigued Axel. Demyx's body never had.

But it was Axels birthday, dammit, and he was lonely, and drunk and he wasn't here and Demyx was.

Axel forced Demyx's mouth open with his tongue, when he got no response, and when he finally parted those stunned lips, the red head snaked a tongue into this new, unexplored cavern. It was only when their muscles met, Axels hungry and Demyx's frozen, did the blond snap out of his shock and pull away.

"Axel! What the hell?"

The red heads face furrowed in confusion. "Whaddya mean?" His face moved forward again, only to feel Demyx's knuckles collide with his cheek. Axel rubbed at it, not really feeling any pain due to the numbing effect of the alcohol. Some somewhat sober part of Axels brain noted that it would probably hurt more in the morning. "Whassat for Dem? Don'tcha like me?"

"Red, you're drunk."

Axel moved closer again, and this time Demyx didn't react, he simply stood still, watching his best friend with large worried eyes. Axels lips found his throat, ravishing the skin in intoxicated, sloppy kisses.

"Axel." Demyx's tone was gentle, but discouraging.

The other man smirked against his kin, hands travelling lower until they rested on Demyx's slender hips, mouth still savaging Demyx's jugular.

"Axel" The voice was harsher this time, and Axel stopped, lifting his head to look at Demyx with hazy eyes.

"I thought we were friends."

"We are." Demyx spoke like he would done to a child, had he had a paternal side, and felt stabs of sympathy for his friend. "But this is wrong, you don't love me, and I don't love you."

"Love. Pssh, jus'sex."

"No, Axel. You want Roxas, and I want Zexion. This is wrong."

The words stung them both equally and Axel let out a little moan, either from shock, pain or both – Demyx couldn't tell.

"But Roxas doesn't want me, and Zexion doesn't want you." Axels voice came out in a sad keen, and his mouth moved to Demyx's again, as if trying to blot out the pain. This time there was no resistance, nor was there encouragement.

"C'mon Dem. S'my birthday." His voice was soft, pleading. Demyx let out a small, heartbroken sigh, the organ in his chest clutching tightly both from Axels words, and the downright pathetic state he was in, and relented, deepening the kiss. He had no real desire to be anything but friends with Axel, but he could feel the loneliness radiating off of the both of them now, sense the void deep in his chest left by Roxas that was pulsing and raw.

He felt his hands move to Axels hair, felt Axels hot palms against his stomach, and wished he knew just what the hell to do. At some point, when Axels head was tucked between his legs, he'd let out a single sob accompanied with a lone tear, and wonder how either of them ended up like this.

.::.

A slow heat was swirling around Axel building and building till it got wilder, till flames we're lapping around his body and sending beads of sweat rolling down his face, plastering his hair to his body. The room he was in was full of the fire, a swirling inferno in the midst of a black emptiness and the red head staggered, exhausted and sweltering, the heat seeming to boil his blood.

The air hissed, steam hitting Axel square in the chest and sending his staggering backwards. It was only when he regained his footing he saw that central to the chaos stood Roxas, shrouded in darkness eyes bright and a sly grin teasing his features.

"Looking for me Axel?" His voice was cold but Axel didn't care, he was there within reach and that was all he needed.

"Roxas." The single word was brimming with emotion, all of the red heads pain, sorrow, and now relief, excruciatingly present. He tried to step forward, arms outstretched to the blond, but the fire stopped him, charring his skin, burning his hands so that the stench of scorched skin hit his nose, and the sting had him rearing back.

Roxas laughed, cruel and hard, blue eyes blazing like noxious storms. "Don't come near me. I don't want you. You disgust me."

Axel shrank back tears exploding at his eyes. "But you told me you loved me. Right before you left."

Roxas snorted and twisted his back on Axel. "It was all lies. I just wanted to get away from you. Before you taint me anymore. You disgust me. You're disgusting and unlovable. If I had the chance I'd have slit your worthless throat."

Axel stumbled, words hurting him more than the flames charring his flesh ever could. "Roxas?" His voice was small, broken. Roxas chuckled and began to walk away, and Axel could feel a dry rage spreading through his body.

"Don't say that! You are mine! You were mine, you will be eternally mine! I will bring you back every time you leave."

Roxas turned to face back to Axel, eyes narrowed and lips twitching, eager to grin. "I abhorre you, so you'd never bring me back alive."

Axel could feel the fire intensifying, growing with his pain and anger. "Then so be it." He snarled, low and inhuman. "If I can't have you, I'll bring you back as nothing more than a corpse."

Axel awoke from the dream with a start, sweat making his clothes damp and skin slick. His hair hung in heavy, wet tendrils, dancing like the fire that had infected his nightmare. He could see Roxas' eyes in the bleak darkness of his bed room, cold, hate, filled and directed like frozen knives at him.

"Axel!" Demyx shot up beside him at the screaming, and was alarmed to see the red head in a much more than manic state. He watched in horror as Axel, clad only in the boxer shorts he'd tugged on after last night screeched wide eyed and cat-like, his condition much worse than anything he'd experienced with him before.

Axel lept out of bed, smashing his room, destroying everything he saw that bore Roxas's features. Seemingly everything was a manifestation of the blonde; lampshades the colour of his eyes, his former lovers reflection in every window and mirror. After several minutes of destruction Axel was left panting in the centre of his room, surrounded by the darkness, and broken glass.

Demyx froze in his friend's bed, his hand fisting the sheets in confusion and panic, he wasn't sure what to do – get up and risk getting hurt himself, or let Axel potentially hurt himself, as well as smash up his room.

"Roxas!" Axel's screech was feral, like a wolf in agony as a rival pack tore it apart, or the keen of someone as they watch their loved one as they are torn apart forever. He sunk to his knees, glass cracking and ripping his exposed legs easily, and his laugh was manic, and detached.

The last shred of sanity had been cruelly torn from Axel.

Demyx stared at him wide-eyed, then called the hospital.

.::.

Axel had nine stitches in the left knee, five in the right, and three in each palm. When he'd gotten to the hospital, he'd merely claimed to be still a little drunk from the night before, explaining how he 'fell into the glass cabinet'. He lied with such ease, and with such a serious, dead-pan face, that Demyx felt truly frightened.

He'd seen three versions of Axel in the last twenty-four hours; Pitiful Axel, Raging Axel, and Prevaricator Axel. All three terrified Demyx, with their level of insanity.

.::.

Axels fingers closed around the tiny locket, the smooth jewel in his palm the one remaining physical reminder of Roxas.

Not his Roxas though.

The Roxas in the locket was still hopeful. Still young, sweet and naïve. Still innocent to the true extent of the reeking darkness that infected the world they inhabited. His Roxas, the only Roxas that Axel had ever known was cruel and hardened and gone.

Gone.

They were both gone.

With a sigh, Axel toyed with the piece of jewellery. Tomorrow he's confront Xion and Roxas, dragging the blonde back to headquarters where he'd be executed under the Superiors orders and Axels watch.

Closure Saix has called it.

Axel was yet to give away Roxas' location to his boss, some niggling corner of his mind had refused to give away this particular slice of information. AS odd as it sounded, Roxas was still Axels, and his location seemed too private to give away. Tomorrow Axel would take a car (not his Bently, too recognizable) and retrieve Roxas. Then he'd bring him back to headquarters.

And yet… the finality of this plan troubled Axel. Although Xemnas and Saix had assured him that the ever present pain would dissipate with Roxas' demise, something deep within him begged Axel not to allow this. Not to drag the beautiful, cruel, fantastic and devious blonde to his death. This part of him groped at his heart, sending spasms throughout his chest, nagging him to pretend that Roxas had escaped and allow his former lover to live his life.

A life without Axel.

A life with Xion.

And the thought of this; the thought of the man he loved so very much living out his life with someone else, destroyed his already broken heart. Because it would be her Roxas held, her Roxas touched, her Roxas wanted. And Axel couldn't allow that, he couldn't allow that ink haired bitch to dare claim his Roxas as her own.

No, that wouldn't be acceptable.

Which is why Axel chose to ignore the nagging in his mind and destroy Roxas. Because if he couldn't have him, then Xion most certainly couldn't.

He tossed the locket out of the window, and made for the door.

.::.

Axel watched and waited for the girl he's seen Roxas with – or rather, the now deceased Marluxia, had seen Roxas with. Of course, he'd gone incognito – the tattoos on his face were smoothed off and covered with a soft, pearly skin-tone makeup, his green eyes shrouded with dark brown coloured contacts, his eyebrows tinted a soft brown, and his wild red head shoved under a wig cap, replaced with a crop of soft chocolate locks.

He was unrecognisable.

He waited for he to leave the house, shades on, in some attractive nautical number, before following her up the high street and watching for the perfect opportunity. When he saw her leave a grocery shop, he seized his chance. He walked past her casually, but made sure his elbow caught the crook of hers, causing her arm to spasm and for the contents of the bags to clatter to the floor.

"Shit!" Axel's voice was the picture of innocence and the girl blinked, collected herself then bent to pick up the discarded items – Spicy Chicken Microwave Noodles- Roxas's favourite Axel noted. "I'm so sorry, let me help you pick that up."

Xion – the girl who he'd come to loathe - blinked up at him and smiled. "Not your fault, I was miles away."

Axel smiled, his hand oh-so-casually brushing hers when they both reached for the same item. "Sorry." His grin was cheeky, and there was almost an embarrassed flush to his cheeks. Anyone would think he'd genuinely bumped into her on purpose, and now was embarrassed about bothering a pretty young girl. But Axel was a professional liar.

"It's okay." She smiled, and put the last of her shopping into her grocery bag. "I'm Xion, by the way. She extended a hand, and Axel took it, averting his gaze to the sidewalk as if shy or embarrassed.

"The names Alexander, but my friends call me Alex." He smiled at her, and he saw the sparkle in Xions pretty blue eyes and he knew he had her. "I really am sorry for bumping you."

"Well Alexander-who's-friends-call-him-Alex." Xion's voice had dropped into something flirty, and her eyelashes fluttered. "You're forgiven."

"Regardless." Axels voice lowered to a purr and he leant his body closer to her smaller one. "Let me at least take you out to dinner tonight, my way of an apology."

Her eyes twinkled and small dusting of pink shaded her cheeks. "Well, how can I refuse?" The juggled her bags between her right arm and pulled a pen from her pocket, turning Axels still extended hand over, and scribbling an address on his skin.

"Great." He grinned a large wolfs grin, and fixed her eyes on her as he sauntered away. "I'll pick you up at eight."

"See you there."

He watched her carefully and smiled.

He was going to see Roxas today, and he was going to make sure the blond never had the opportunity to leave him again.

.::.

Axel did not wear the disguise when he went to pick up his 'date', instead he lounged in the doorway, smirking and body vibrating in anticipation. He could hear Xion humming as she advanced towards the door, and his entire being itched for her to just open the door already. When she did, when her face fell Axel all but burst out of his skin. Of course she knew who he was. Roxas would have mentioned him, and with his facial tattoos and striking hair, as well as the notoriety of the Organization, it wouldn't have been hard to guess.

"You…It's you…" The young girls body trembled as she attempted to slam the door, scrambling away from it as fast as she could move."

"Well that's not a very nice way to treat your date!" Axel's voice was hysterical as he kicked through the door. The ink haired girl squealed and tried to scramble away from the crazed red head. Something caught his attention , denim and easily recognisable, and he snatched them as he raced towards the girl.

"Just leave me alone! Roxas ... he isn't here! He's never been here!"

"Tut tut tut, you're such a bad liar. "Axel flung a pair of jeans, ones he easily recognized as Roxas' due to the 'R' emblazed on the behind. Something Axel had convinced him to do long ago. "I found these in your hallway, just now. So you just happen to have my boyfriends pants lying around then?"

Xion flinched and tried to scramble towards the stairs but Axel was faster. He grabbed her roughly by the face, her features pulled painfully together in Axel's vicelike grip. "Look, just tell me where Roxas is and I'll go, okay?" He let go of her and her eyes blazed.

"Never, you're nothing but scum, and he's not your boyfriend. Not anymore." She hacked up some flem and spat it directly at Axel, landing in a mess on his cheek.

"Urch." He wiped the spit from his face and gave the girl a nudge with his boot. "Has no-one ever taught you manners?"

"Pot, Kettle, Black."

She tried to wriggle free from his grasp, but he forced her head against the wall, hard. "Fucking tell me!"

"Fuck you."

He smashed her head against the solid surface again, and there was a satisfying crack, a smear of red left on the wall when he pulled her face away. She gave a cry, but revealed nothing about Roxas's whereabouts, and Axel felt the rage swell inside him. He struck her face to the wall again, and she wailed again, blood dripping heavier from the crack in the back of her skull, blood bubbling at her lips, her eyes wide, the veins on her eyeballs popped so that the white was splattered with red. Tears blurred red and black streamed down her cheeks, and petrified gurgles blossomed and died at her lips. He struck her skull again, this time causing the light in her orbs to dim, and for a small moan to shudder out of her throat.

He slammed her skull against the wall again and again, flecks of blood and bone, flesh and hair peppering his skin and shirt as they broke off from her body. He didn't stop though, couldn't stop, the hot wet sound of blood and brain matter against brick as it fragmented and smashed.

"AXEL?"

Axel spun around when he heard the strangled cry, and met Roxas face to face, the blonds jaw slack with horror and eyes wide with fear. Axel dropped Xions body and it landed with a thud, sending a spray of gore flickering across Roxas' cheek.

Roxas met Axel's eyes, and shuddered when he saw nothing. Nothing behind the insanity, the fragility of his sane mind severed. Axel was a wild animal, and he was utterly out of control. The blue eyed man bolted for the door then, away from the shell of the man he once knew, and Axel hissed.

"Roxas!"

His scream was primal, and he chased after the blond, skidding out of the badly abused house, and down the road, into a side alley. Axel smirked, he knew this alley, it was one way, and sure enough, when he prowled down the lane, Roxas was trapped, trying to scramble over a wall much too high.

"Don't you recognise me?" Axel grabbed Roxas and slammed him against the wall, causing the younger, shorter man to wince in pain. He bent his head so their faces were mere inches apart. "I guess you wouldn't remember would you? I'm not important enough! I'm not memorable! I only gave you the best god damn years of my existence, but hey! I can't be significant enough to be remembered because you just left me!"

Roxas cringed away from the rancour in Axel's words but the red head continued, eyes heated, but streaming with tears, face contorted with both ache and rage.

"So what was I, hmm, Roxas? Just a plaything? Some-one to take care of your crap when you messed up? A bed-buddy? Please tell me, 'cause I've only gone half insane these last few months wondering why I'm just not good enough for you!"

"Axel" Tears were beginning to well in the blonds round azure eyes. "It wasn't like that, I loved you. I still love you."

"You love me 'eh? I'm so flattered!" Axel shook Roxas, head crashing against the wall with sickening thuds. "Well too bad! I've been given these icky orders to destroy you!"

Roxas searched Axels face, seeing that behind the rage, misery and pain that Axel was deadly serious, and landed a kick as hard as he could to his former lover's stomach, sending the suave red head staggering backwards.

"I'm sorry you're making me do this Axel, but I won't die. Not for leaving a group of murderers."

Whilst Axel was still recovering from the shock of Roxas' sudden outburst the blond grabbed the nearest melee object, what looked like a discarded cricket wicket, and lunged at Axel, swinging the crude weapon.

Axel dexterously dodged several of the blows, and took many of the ones that landed in places that received minimal damage. He pulled something small and black from his pocket, and through laboured breathing smiled.

He fired the object, a taser, and Roxas immediately crumpled, body spasming, Axel picked up Roxas' discarded melee weapon and swung it so it collided with the fair-haired mans skull with a heavy thwack. Roxas gave a final twitch, then his body stilled, slipping into heavy unconsciousness.

"Alright, fight, fight, fight." Axel was breathless, but the sarcasm was still razor sharp. "But when you broke my heart you must have forgot; I always win."

.::.

The room spun as Roxas awake, bleary eyes making the swirling images of men a mass of colours, vivid red, icy silver, and a lot of black. He tried to recall where he was – images of Xion swirling behind his eyes, her skull broken and smashed and sloppy against the wall and floor. Bits of it on him. Bits of it on Axel.

"AXEL?"

"Wow, Roxy's finally awake. Have a nice sleep?" He recognized the sneer instantly, and Axels face slowly became focused.

"Axel... what are you?" He tried to move but found he couldn't, muscles strained against something that bound him; rope. "What the hell is going on?"

"Do you not remember Roxas?" A new voice; Xemnas's. "The tapestry of lies you've wove is coming undone." The Superior walked over and rubbed his hand on Axel's shoulder in a soothing jester. "How badly you've hurt Axel with your deceit, good thing I was here to pick up the pieces."

"Axel I-" Roxas' swollen eyes were wide and his lip trembled. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I didn't."

"But you did!" Axel was screaming, clutching his hands in his hair, like a toddler in frustration. "You did, and it hurt and I screamed, and I begged for you to come back every night!" Spots of saliva dribbled down his chin, and his eyes were huge. "And you still didn't come back! And you didn't care about me!"

"I did care." Roxas was sobbing now, unrestrained and completely honest. "I did care... I just couldn't ... I wouldn't."

"I wasn't worth it then?" Axel had collected himself, and his voice was monotone again. "Gee, thanks."

"It's not that Axel, it's—"

"Axel." Xemnas interjected. "We came here to do a job." He grinned as Axel lined up his gun, facing Roxas head on. "Now, you know what you have to do. If you don't, he might leave you again. And if he did that, he'd let the Turks, or the cops know all about the Organization, and not only would he have broken your heart a second time, but he'd have also put you in jail."

Axel had never been more aware of a gun in his entire life. His finger trembled on the trigger and he swallowed hard. It's all part of the job he told himself. I've been on the firing and receiving end of a gun hundreds of times, this shouldn't be any different!

Of course, the sobbing blond quivering in front of him didn't help. And neither did the watchful eyes boring into him, waiting for him to choose whether or not to kill his lover. Former lover.

"Axel, please, don't do this." Roxas begged. Almost everyone begged. Begging didn't mean a thing. It was easy to desensitise yourself to begging. Axel knew it, Roxas knew it too. After all, how many times had he ignored the pleading victims and blew their brains out. "Don't I mean a thing to you?"

"Axel, don't listen to him. He left you. He doesn't care; he only wants to save his own skin." The Superior was almost purring, bright amber eyes precarious and alert.

Axel felt deranged. Of course he didn't want to shoot Roxas, anything but. But, Jesus, Roxas had screwed up bad and he was left with no choice.

"Roxas, it's beyond my control now!"

"Please, Axe, I thought you loved me."

"See, look how he toys with you Axel!"

Axel hardened, Xemnas was right, it wasn't fair to play on his emotions. "You can't love when you don't have a heart." He cocked the gun, but somehow his finger refused to clutch the trigger. He didn't want to kill Roxas.

No.

More than that; he couldn't kill Roxas.

But, the Superior, all he had done for him. He'd helped him through so much, right?

Axel frowned as he was engrossed a sudden wave of memories. Axel was a smart kid, he'd graduated from high school with great grades, had brilliant friends, and a promising career in design ahead of him, granted he finished university. Then he was pulled into the seductive world of the Organization. Xemnas, each word dripping from his tongue as sweet as honey, tempting him from the boy he was, and moulding him into a killing machine.

He'd annihilated Axels life.

"You bastard! You've ruined my life! You took me away from sanity! You've convinced me to hurt and almost kill the man I love!" Axel cocked the gun and swivelled it to Xemnas. His eyes became narrowed; frozen emerald and his whole face darkened, a lip twitching in a parody of a grin. He had never looked so frightening; and Xemnas had never looked so frightened. "I've killed people, and I don't care. I've killed people I've once considered friends, skinned Marluxia and Larxene. Killed a young woman just today! And for what? So I can be tainted by you? So I could become more like a machine everyday!"

"Axel, don't be a fool, you can have it all with me. Power - the kingdom is yours. We are royalty. You've shown me your worth slaughtering Marluxia, you were even willing to kill Vexen to trick that conspirator. Don't throw it all away now. You can be great, you can be part of the elite, after all you're just like me." Xemnas's hands hovered over his belt, body tense.

"Fuck. You. I am nothing like you" Axels' fingers twitched and Roxas's eyes widened.

"Axel, no!" Roxas was cut off by the guns deafening boom as the bullet crashed into the Superior's skull.

The shot echoed thunderously in the now blood smeared room, and 'Sasha' fell to the floor. It landed with a muted thud spraying crimson droplets further up the wall.

"What have I done?" The red head ran a hand through his hair. "What the hell have I done?" He stared at the pooling blood lapping at his boots. "Oh Christ. I've killed the most powerful guy in the city. Im a dead guy. Dead as the fucking Superior himself!"

He rushed to Roxas' side, undoing the knots that bound him as fast as he could. The belt was flashing, and the sickening feeling in Axels gut intensified. Of course, it was alarmed. No doubt Saix would be alerted and on his way right now."They're going to track me down relentlessly. As soon as Saix see's this he'll know it was me. And even if he doesn't think that there's bound to be witnesses, CCTV, anything, I mean, look at me? My face and hair are too recognizable."

"The Turks.." Roxas mumbled rubbing his now free wrists. "Axel, that's it! The Turks! Isn't there a Turk with red hair and facial tattoos? If anyone says anything we can pass it off at him. After all, everyone knows Shinra hated the boss."

Axel inflated then deflated; it was a plan, a excellent one, but not good enough. "The bullets... my bullets are engraved with my name." Axel sunk to his knees, blood seeping into his trousers. "Saix would track me down once he'd found them. We'd have a head start, but it wouldn't be enough. He'd find me – us – eventually."

"Axel!" Roxas grabbed the red head by the wrist, so that his body twisted and they were face to face. He stretched up and pressed his lips against Axels, and as their lips moved, something within Axel clicked. The long weeks and months of insanity seemed to be fruitless, everything was now so... perfect. It was as if the long days of getting laid, getting drunk, and killing people weren't real, just a horrendous nightmare. Now that Roxas was here, real and so delicious, every shred of 'insanity' was disconnected, and he was back to his version of normal.

He was complete.

"I love you Roxas." Axel panted as the broke apart. His eyes glistened wetly, and Roxas pressed his face into the hollow of the redheads throat, nipping gently.

"I love you too... you're my life. I don't care what you did... I'll always forgive you... I'm sorry I left ... without you. I'll never do it again." Roxas' hands cupped the red heads face, and his features were sombre. "Now listen Red, we need to move, and fast. So let's go okay... and this time, together."

The manic that had grown and raged uncontrollably in Axel over the previous months all but evaporate, replaced once again by the suave, sophisticated man he once was. He looked at his lovers, they were lovers again, right? And winced when he saw how his beautiful face wash damaged, how his shirt was smeared with blood that belonged to Xion, Xemnas and himself.

"I'm sorry, baby." The red head traced his body, remember all of the anatomy he'd not seen for so long. Time was irrelevant in that moment, he didn't care that Saix and his arm were probably well on their way, didn't care that they should be making a head start.

Roxas was here, and Axel had hurt him.

"I'm so sorry baby," Axels lips went to his forehead, tracing delicate kisses along every bruise or cut. "So, so sorry."

"Axel." The younger man's voice was tender, gentle. "You could kill a million people, and I'd still love you."

"I… I killed that boy."

"I know."

"I killed your friend."

A little pause. "I forgive you."

"I…" Axel stopped and averted his eyes. "Roxas… I slept with other people. Lots of other people. And Demyx."

This earned a gasp off of Roxas and his brow furrowed. "Gee, thanks. Glad to know that I'm replicable… And Demyx? Jeez, him and Zexion still aren't together then?"

Axel chuckled, it almost felt as though things were normal, despite the urgency of the situation. "No, though Demyx wants it bad… that's why we… I wanted you, he wanted him…it was my birthday."

"I'm sorry." Roxas' whisper was broken, heartfelt and he fisted Axel's shirt. "So sorry."

A clatter broke them apart and their muscles tensed. "We have to go. Now."

The raced down the endless maze of corridors that made the Oblivion building seem almost impossible to navigate. Elevators, of course, were out of the question, so they took each set of stairs three at a time when they came across them. But they knew that they had a bigger problem to face, it tugged at both of their minds as they ran.

There was a control station on the third floor. The area that separated the public lower floors such as the bar and small casino, from the very private upstairs area of the building. Every day the access code was changed, depending on who was on the control panel that day. So this could either go very good or very bad.

Axel prayed to the God's that someone they could trust, was on the control panel.

"Roxas," Axel panted as they neared the all important control station. "Who's on border duty?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Roxas was breathless. "I haven't worked here in months."

"Shit."

"Well, Looks like we're about to find out."

They cornered the last corridor before the separation area, and Axel felt a shiver of relief when he saw Zexion lounging at the CP, his legs outstretched and book in hand.

They burst in through the doors and Zexion went wide eyed. "Roxas? What are you doing here?" His usually monotone voice had a twang of interest, and Axel swore he that twang may have been the evidence of a Canadian accent that had been eradicated after years of speaking flatly.

"We'll catch up with tea and biscuits later Zexy." Axels' tongue was razor sharp and his eyes darted around, ears tense and listening. "Right now, I'd like you do open the doors."

"I'm sorry Axel, I can't do that."

"Open the front doors now Zexion!"

The slate haired man quirked and eyebrow at Axel and Roxas, bloody, battered and bruised, far from the two collected men he were normally acquainted with.

"I'm sorry number eight, I can't allow that, Saix's orders." He motioned to a security camara. "No doubt he can see and hear us now, and I don't particularly want to lose my job. So you'll just have to leave the doors closed."

"God dammit Zexion!" Axel jerked the man by the collar, eyes enraged and frightened. "Just unlock the fucking doors! We need to go! They will kill us!"

"Axel," Zexion was trying to keep his voice calm, but Axel could see it, see the wideness in those lilac orbs, hear the slightest tremble in the velvet monotone. "What's going on?"

"Look Zexion! Just put the access code in, and unlock the doors!" Axel pulled a knife from his pocket, one he'd slipped away from the kitchens earlier that day. One he'd original planned to use on Roxas. He shuddered. "I don't want to have to hurt you." The slate haired man stumbled back a bit and his hands fluttered towards the control panel.

The light pounding of footsteps coming from above made Roxas jump and he looked at his lover with desperate eyes. "Incoming Red, I'd guess the ETA would be five minutes, ten at most if they're searching all rooms."

"Shit." Axel ran a finger over the blade and turned back to Zexion, eyes wide and pleading. "Zexion, we fucked up and killed Xemnas." Axel ignored the chocked gasp that burst from the other mans mouth, and kept talking rapidly . "Thing is, that's a good thing, kinda, we're all free now. But Saix is after us and we're going to fucking die unless you let us go."

Zexion trembled silently as he punched the numbers into the access panel, and Axel let out a small sigh of relief. Just as Roxas bolted to the now open door, Axel whirled on Zexion, grabbing him and pulling the blade across his throat, whispering something rapidly that Roxas couldn't pick up.

He stumbled from Axel's grip, his hands flying to his throat as he staggered then crashed to the floor. Axel gave him a sad wistful look, and then with a tug at Roxas' wrist – they left.

.::.

"They're close." Roxas panted as they ran, he could hear the echoing of footsteps somewhere in the near distance behind then, hear the enraged yells of Saix. When the blond felt the whirl of a bullet as it whizzed past his face, he knew that they were too close.

"There they are!"

Axel went wide eyed and picked up the pace. "Roxas, come on!"They heard the guns firing, but kept running, it was only when Axel yelped in pain, when he felt the bullet tear through his thigh ripping through flesh and bone and artery, and began to run with heavy, wet sounding steps, that he realised this was the very end.

.::.

Axel had only ever been shot once before in his entire career.

Sure, he'd been shot at plenty of times. But shot? No, only once had a bullet actually hit him.

He and Roxas had been dating little under a year, and were an almost unstoppable partnership, swiftly killing and maiming all those who opposed them. And this had made them cocky. They'd been ordered to eradicate a problem in the form of a smooth talking blonde called Balthier who ran a brothel. Nothing up to the 'establishments' that Oblivion Corp owned standards, but nevertheless Balthier had been poaching Xemnas' customers. And his staff. Xemnas had been particularly pissed when Balthier had taken one of his best prostitutes by the name of Fran.

Xemnas wanted Balthier to pay for this heinous blasphemy with his life, and he'd sent Axel and Roxas to do the job.

So eager and seemingly untouchable, Axel and his lover had stormed in, ready for a quick easy kill. Sure enough they'd battered and beaten the pimp, shooting him in the back for good measure. And whilst he lay unmoving on the ground, the assassins had smirked and lit two cigarettes to congratulate themselves on a job well done. What they hadn't expected however, was for the not-quite-dead Balthier to draw a gun from the inside of his waist coat and fire with shaky hands at Axels abdomen.

Axel could recall that moment with perfect clarity; the way that his flesh burned as the bullet tore through it, the way that the coppery blood filled and spilled from his mouth. The way his knees trembled before buckling beneath him. And most vividly, Axel remembered the way Roxas had cradled him; tears streaming down that perfect, beautiful, trembling face, shirt stained with blood – Axels blood –, body quivering with powerful sobs.

Then he'd passed out.

It had been the first time he'd seen Roxas cry, this beautiful, beautiful boy who'd always been so strong.

Crying.

For him.

.::.

There was no opportunity to redeem himself. They wheeled into a room – the bar on the lowest floor- and Axel put the latch over the door. He clutched at his leg and felt it pulse beneath him, felt the hot wet drip between his fingers. He was pretty sure that the bullet had severed his femoral artery; he could feel the life force flow out of him. He was bleeding to death, and unless he got medical treatment in the next few minutes, not even out running Saix would stop that.

"Axel!" Roxas was hysterical with terror and he clutched at his lovers shirt. "What are you doing? Move!"

Axel averted his eyes and wore a small, weak, smile dancing on his lips. "I can't..." He looked at his bleeding thigh and swallowed. "I'd slow you down, and besides, they only want me."

Roxas forced down the lump in his throat and tightened his grip on the red heads collar. "But you'll die."

"Roxy," Axels voice was soft, and almost playful. "You know I'd do anything for you; bleed for you, burn for you. You're my life."

"I love you Axel." The blonds voice was coarse and the hold on Axels' shirt never relented. "You can't leave me."

Axel bent down and kissed the blonds blood matted hair and swallowed. "I love you too. You're the only one I've ever loved, the only one that made me feel... like a somebody instead of a nobody. You make me feel, like I actually have a heart." He bundled the other man towards the window and smiled sadly. "Now, go, don't look back."

"B..but I can't leave you again. Please... we stay together... or we go together. We can fight, there are only five of them, and we have a chance at least."

Axel smiled, and his skin was pale. He could feel his femoral artery pulsing, losing more and more blood with every moment.

"We can't." He kissed his lovers hair again then pushed him towards the window. "Now remember -don't look back." He gave a heave and Roxas staggered from the frame and onto the fire exit. Axel seized his chance and slammed the window down, locking it. The door behind the bar was swung open, and he hoped, that when the others finished him off, that they'd think Roxas left via that route.

The blond slammed his fists against the glass, and then with tears streaming down his eyes, he finally turned and left.

Axel clutched his leg, the hammering of the remaining Organization members throwing themselves at the door sending his heart thudding in fear. It didn't take long for the hinges to buckle, and almost like the grim reaper, Saix swooped in, clad in a hooded cloak, amber eyes hot and gleaming in the darkness of the cover, tailed by Luxord, Lexaeus, Xigbar and Xaldin all wielding various weapons; guns, knives, clubs – and glaring at Axel, eager to annihilate him.

"Geeze, I think I liked it better when you guys were on my side."

Axel had never been one for feeling fear, even in the most dire of situations, when he'd played a little too dangerously with his 'lovers', sometimes even members of opposing gangs, and let his life at major risk, he'd never once feared death. But now, with five pairs of eyes searing his flesh, and five sets of weapons pointing in his direction when all he had was his lighter and one bullet left in Sasha, he wasn't afraid to admit that he was terrified.

But what terrified him most wasn't actually dying. Sure, he was scared shitless of the emptiness of death, of not being anymore. But he'd began dying the moment Xemnas had groomed him, what truly made him fear the vast meaninglessness of demise was the fact he was so close, yet so far from Roxas.

"Leave it." Saix snarled as his henchmen began to advance. "He's mine."

"You." Saix's voice was a venomous snarl, and he stepped forward to clutch Axel by the throat, the red head gasping for air as his windpipe constricted. "You're the scum bag who killed the Superior."

He lodged a powerful kick, that hit a defenceless Axel square in the side, a terrible cracking of rib's echoing in the small bar and the scarlet haired mans choked cries of pain mingling with the crunch.

"Not so tough now, are you Axel?" Saix aimed another heavy kick to redheads side, this time the splintering of bones caused Axel to scream in agony, despite his constricted windpipe. He could taste the copper and salt tang of blood as it filled his mouth, spluttering as it dribbled down his chin and onto the enraged Saix's hand.

Saix let go and Axel gasped for air, the oxygen burning as it flowed into his deprived body and his head span with the pain. "What's wrong?" Saix mocked, foot tapping the shattered ribs of his victims. "Not fighting back?"

Axel spluttered, but his eyes blazed. "Just don't have the heart you know?" He wiped the slow trickle of blood from his face and laughed, broken and agony inducing. "Don't have one."

Saix paced and Axel made a shaky attempt to pick up his gun, and Saix laughed, eyes dangerous and blazing. "Shoot me then you worthless scum bag!" He motioned his head to the four men behind him. "Even if you do, you'd be dead within seconds, and I could still live. You're screwed."

Axel laughed and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, I know, but," he paused and lowered the gun slightly, heading to his chest pocket and pulling out something small and black. "so are you."

Phenomenally quickly, almost in a blur, Axel took aim at the large cabinet of the bar behind his pursuers, the bullet whirled from the gun and spiralled into the case, shattering glass, and causing the contents to smash and hit the floors with splintering 'smacks'. Time seemed to go by in slow motion and his lips turned up in a half grin as he flicked the lighter on and tossed it, feeling the instant heat as the flame collided with the alcohol and the mixture began to blaze.

"That fucking pyro!" Someone hissed. "he's nuts!"

The flames crackled and Axel wheezed against the smoke. Screaming echoed through the inferno, and he could just make out Saix thrashing around, his tailored suit ablaze. The stench of burning flesh overpowered the scent of fire and Axel gagged. He heard more screaming, smelt more burning. Felt the heat of the flames lap at his body.

His eyes darted to the behind the bar – open, and he could see a glitter of something, something shiny and possibly silver, and ignoring the tortured howls of his former friends, Axel began to pull himself to the door.

.::.

The emergency response team had never had a night as busy as that fateful dusk. In the early hours of the evening two men had stumbled in, a muddy haired blond and an indigo haired man who was clutching a wound that was bleeding heavily but merely superficial, across his throat.

Demyx had found Zexion after receiving a text from Axel, simply saying 'Meet me Oblivion ASAP.' Horror had struck the mulleted man when he saw the man he secretly (or not so, as the case may be) lusted after wounded and staggering, eyes wide and making clumsy attempts to clutch at Demyx' collar. Zexion had gurgled only one word; 'Run', to snap Demyx out of the panic stricken state he was in, and he obeyed the other mans order without hesitation.

Demyx had bundled the ailing Zexion in his car and made it to the hospital in record time, the vehicle never slowing past 80, even when the traffic was at his busiest. The doctors had stitched him up quickly, fearing that the blood loss may threaten the twenty-something's life, but Zexion had merely shrugged when they we're done, leaving them baffled when he huskily showed them the insurance papers that were tucked between his waistcoat and shirt and told them to 'hurry up so he could go home'.

Any attempts of protest on the medical staffs part where silenced when they read the documents, Zexion's name, and the infamy that came with the Organization, enough to silence them and let him go without a second glance.

Zexion had stridden out of the building with as much elegance that his wound allowed. Demyx had followed numbly , climbing into his car and jus driving. He didn't have a destination yet. He couldn't go home though, he couldn't trust himself to be in his apartment when he was this upset, and not to trash the place.

"Who did this to you Zexion?" His voice was uncharacteristically coarse and his knuckles were tight against the steering wheel, speedometer noting the car was creeping past eighty already.

"Demyx slow down." Zexions voice was calm, but husky, and he winced slightly as he spoke.

"Zexion. Tell me. Now."

Zexion sighed and shook his head. "You're not going to like the answer." He coughed a little, fished in his pocket for the pills the Doctors had given him, and promptly down two, before continuing. "just leave it, for your sake."

"Zexion." Demyx growled, as the accelerator groaned and the sleek black car sped up further. "Tell me, or I'll go back and find out myself."

The slate haired mans eyes widened and he exhaled loudly, sinking further back into the passenger seat. "You are such a masochist Demyx. Axel." Zexion croaked. "Axel did this."

Demyx hit the brake suddenly and the car squealed to a halt, swerving across lanes and causing other cars to turn sharply to avoid him and hit their horns. Demyx seemed to not notice, instead his aqua eyes were hard. "What?" He'd growled. "I'll kill him."

Zexion, seemingly unfazed by the second near death experience of the night, put a hand to his temple and let out a long breath. "Demyx, take me to my apartment, and I'll tell you the whole story."

.::.

"I won't kill you" Axel was speaking fast, clutching the terrified Zexion closely to him as the blade left his throat. "I know how to do this without killing you, I need you to find Demyx and run. Get the hell out of here as fast as you can. Because if you don't you're going to fucking hell, first class." He dropped the slate haired male, who proceeded to stumble, one hand outstretched and the other against the wound. Axel caught him by the extended limb and pulled him close, eyes flickering the security camera in the corner of the room and made a motion like he was going to toss the bleeding assassin to the ground.

"Look like you're staggering off to die." Axel tried to motion to the camera subtly and made his face into a scowl, his voice contrastingly musing and sad. "Tell Demyx I'm sorry, and that I'm going to miss him ... a lot. Now get to safety, get Dem to safety... and Zexion?... I'm sorry."

"I played dead when Saix and the others rolled by, good job too – according to Saix I was 'expendable' anyway, that I probably knew too much and that I would have needed to have been… "sorted out" had Axel not had beaten them too it. So they would've killed me for opening the doors. Axel's not stupid, he knew this and thought ahead. I can't say had I been Luxord or someone else that he'd had spared me…but something made him not kill me, perhaps the sort-of friendship we had, perhaps that fact that he and I never really clashed. Regardless of reasons why, he saved my life."

Demyx had proceeded to break down into inconsolable tears upon hearing Zexion's anecdote, and to his surprise the other man draped an arm around him in an awkward embrace. Demyx could feel the raw grief biting at his chest. He couldn't control the emotions that swirled in his torso and the moans that erupted from his chest in devastated hiccups were just a tiny fraction of the hate, and the grief and the confusion he felt over Axel's actions. Of course he knew why, he knew his best friend well enough. Axel had no qualms killing all of those who stood in his way, but he knew how much Zexion meant to Demyx, knew how much Demyx loved him. That's why he spared him. When he'd finally calmed, but the tears still freely flowed he'd turned to Zexion, who had waited in silence for his savoir to quiet and waited for the terrible news to be affirmed.

"Axels dead?" It was quiet and hoarse, a rhetorical question that Demyx already knew the answer to, but had needed to hear it all the same.

"Yes…probably. I wouldn't be surprised if the demise of the 'empire' was making news right now" Demyx closed his eyes. The last thing I said about him was 'I'll kill him.' But knowing what he did to save Zexion... he knew the camera's would be watching, and if Zexion had lived Saix would've got him for helping him... My best friend's... dead. A new surge of agony ripped through Demyx and he trembled. Axel had been the only thing to resemble family that Demyx had had, and now he was ...dead.

"And Roxas?"

"God only knows, though if Axel would have had his way, probably not."

Demyx closed his eyes and was grateful for the somewhat uneasy and abnormal clinch that Zexion had offered him.

"I love you."The words were out of Demyx's mouth before he could acknowledge he'd said them. They were little more than a whisper, and Zexion did not reply vocally, but simply began stroking the heartbroken mans hair despite the pain he was in, and let a tiny, if not exhausted smile twitch at his jaws.

.::.

It didn't take long for the authorities to become alert to the blazing fire, and by the time the fire crew had arrived and put out the inferno, all that was left were the blistered remains of five men, as well as finding Xemnas' body later, upon deeper inspection of the building. Hidden behind the bar, they'd come across a bloody smear, hand print shaped blotches leading the way whilst a blood-streaked trail led them to a door to a grotty ally way.

The forensic team been somewhat disturbed when they'd found a man, fiery red hair charred and blackened, face smudged with ash, jade eyes wide and open, dark lashes matted and wet, with thick tear lines streaked down his face, washing away the dirt. His body was badly abused, bruising around his oesophagus, several ribs not only broken, but broken so badly they punctured organs. A bullet had torn through his femoral artery and the shrapnel had left their deadly reminders in his muscle. The forensics were uneasy as to how a man, who had so much agony and misery inflicted on him, had managed to drag himself away from the blaze.

Whilst beginning the long cleanup, a cleanup that was not only of bodies, but also of the fear-invoking cloud that loomed over the city, no-one noticed that just out of the red heads reach was a small silver locket that had been tossed out of the window, and was the reason for the dying red heads passage.

Axel had died with Roxas constantly beyond his reach.

Bang bang I hit the ground
Bang bang my baby shot me down.

.::.

Roxas had only driven for a dozen or so miles, before the images of the various ways the man he loved could've peished overwhelmed him and he pulled over, body racking with sobs and tears staining his shirt. As he sat in Axel's beloved car, Roxas couldn't stifle his sobs, they shook his body uncontrollably, forcing the air from his lungs, burning his eyes, making him want to vomit. But this is Axel's car. So I won't. He could feel nothing but the pain, not the pain he'd experienced over the previous months, the pain of living without Axel was tolerable, knowing that the treasured red head was still alive. But knowing that he'd brought on the only worthwhile thing in his life's fatality felt like he was being torn inside out.

Xemnas had been the king of New York, his royalty built up over the last twenty years, fear and power solidifying his control, and Axel had been the Organizations prince, beautiful, deadly and utterly incredible.

He'd been untouchable; Nothing could've mess Axel up. Then he met Roxas.

And in a matter of months Roxas had caused the Organization to crumble to nothing more than a dirty memory, and for New York's royalty to succumb to death.

A part of me wants to know what happens to Demyx and Zexion next, and Roxas... hmm..

I kinda feel mean, 'cause, you know, Axel went nuts looking for Roxy, then died :/ okay he was crazy anyway, but I love him .3 I'll /try/ and be nice to him next time