"Flurry of Dancing Flames to Tango November Whiskey Tower, request permission to land on runway 13."
"Flurry of Dancing Flames you've got clearance to land on 13."
Roxas' stomach lurched uncomfortably as the F15 leaned sharply to the left. As the plane straightened out and the runway lined up before them Roxas' released some of the tension in his body. His ordeal was coming to an end. He chanced a look at the ground, which was approaching fast as the plane descended. The scenery whipped by, becoming a blur of green and brown, and Roxas' head began to swim.
"Flurry of Dancing Flames to Tower, requesting medical crew upon landing, Key of Destiny is unresponsive."
"Roger that Dancing Flames, med crew on landing."
"Kids, eh?"
"You're telling me."
With his second out of service, Axel did the pre-landing check himself. Keeping an eye on the runway, he lowered his gear and flipped the necessary switches. He was close enough now to see all the activity on the airstrip. Another plane touched down on the runway parallel to him, and his radio crackled to life.
"Left Wing Melodious Nocturne to flight leader Dancing Flames, Melodious Nocturne and Whirlwind Lancer safely on base."
"Roger that, Nocturne. What's your status Graceful Assassin?"
"Graceful Assassin and Chilly Academic coming in on your six, flight leader."
"Roger that."
Axel touched down gently on the runway, softly enough to not rouse Roxas. He taxied and parked beside Demyx's plane, marked with nine dancing girls along its nose. Removing his face mask, he yawned loudly, his body pressurizing to the low altitude. Axel turned back and did the same for Roxas, tenderly slapping the side of his helmet.
"Here I thought you were gonna be okay. Last time I take you up, then." Roxas' head fell down onto his chest, lolling on its weakened neck. "Come on, I was kidding around." Staring for a brief second more at his partner's limp body, he turned around and climbed out onto the wing. Knowing without a doubt that all the crew in the area was now transfixed by him, Axel gently lifted off his helmet and carelessly threw it aside into the hands of a hapless ensign. Fingers working with practiced preciseness, Axel combed through his helmet hair until it again looked flawless. He was vaguely aware of the two crewmen lifting Roxas from the plane as his jumped from the wing.
"We've already reported, sir, and the air crew is here, so you can, umm, go, sir. If you wanted to, sir" said Demyx nervously. He was leaning in what he hoped was a casual way against the nose of his plane, but the mere sight of Axel turned most into nervous wrecks. The man was over six feet tall, more if you counted his hair, which stood spiked back and perfect ever after a 6 hour long mission. Axel walked past Demyx without stopping to acknowledge him, though he made brief eye contact with the younger blonde man. Demyx froze up at the sight of those eyes. Axel's eyes were emerald green and dangerous. Nothing escaped their prowling gaze, which made him such a dangerous pilot. Demyx heard a sigh from his left and saw Xaldin fiddling with a length of chunky dreadlock.
"Man flies a 6 hour mission and his hair looks like that, really…" Xaldin's frustrated musings tapered off into quiet rumbling. Demyx glared solemnly at Axel as he walked away.
"And his ass."
"Pardon?" Xaldin turned sharply towards his partner, a suspicious look on his face.
"He's an ass. Axel. Axel has a great ass. I mean he is a great big ass. His ass is big. Nnnngggh!" Squealing quietly, Demyx ran off with his head in his hands. Xaldin watched for a while as Demyx ran, and then turned to the bobbing red dot in the distance. Axel's hair was bright flame red, another reason he could be spotted on base for miles.
On his way to back to the barracks, Axel began to absent mindedly flick his lighter on and off. The tiny flame reminded him of the nice, big fires he had started in other planes while on mission, which brought a satisfied smile to his face. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of another bright red thing. Turning to look, he was greeted by yet another welcome sight.
"Yo, Axel!"
"Reno" Axel said formally, raising his eyebrows and smiling. He remembered the first day he had met the other redhead, and the conversation they had. Reno had asked him about the tattoos under his eyes, whether he had gotten them at a POW camp or not. Realizing the common rumor spreading about the diamond shaped markings; Axel was ready to brush Reno off when he saw matching tattoos under Reno's eyes. "I got them at the same place you got yours" he had said cryptically, but the helicopter pilot understood.
"Anyways Axel, seems like you did not too bad, although I couldn't say the same for poor little Key of Destiny over there." Reno jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the medical crew.
"Kids these days, Reno, can't take the G's." Reno laughed coyly and turned to go, but not without a firm slap on the ass from Axel first. Axel disappeared into the barracks, leaving his own trail of stunned ground crew. There goes Axel, they all thought, man's a real top gun.