Dlbn: Hey there everyone! Welcome to another Kingdom hearts fanfic by yours truly. God, it's been forever since I wrote in this category. I missed it T_T

Dedication: This fic is dedicated to my boyfriend's 24th birthday. It's on August 8th, but we're going to be in NYC then and I'll have no internet access, so I figured I'd upload it now. Happy birthday, John! Love you! 3

000

What was wrong with Roxas? The youngest of the Nobodies had been acting strange and secretive all week. Did Axel do something wrong? No…Roxas would have cursed him out or told him that he was an ass if he was mad…So what was it? Did Xion have anything to do with it? Things in their relationship had been stressful ever since she came around. It wasn't that Axel didn't like her or having her around, but he couldn't help but feel replaced. Roxas spent way too much time with her to be healthy, and hardly any time with Axel.

Axel snapped from his thoughts as he heard someone else walking down the hallway towards him. He'd recognize those footsteps anywhere. Roxas. The redhead looked up from the floor that he'd been watching as he walked, to spot the blonde coming his way. Roxas gave a small smile and waved his left hand.

"Hi, Axel." He greeted.

"Hey yourself." Axel responded, pressing a kiss to the younger male's temple. "Where are you off to?"

"Oh, just another mission in Twilight Town."

Axel cocked a red eyebrow. "Mission?"

"Yeah."

"But…we were assigned missions this morning…"

"Saïx said to do it at night."

Axel didn't buy it. "Alright, Roxas, what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Roxas took a step back and glared at the taller male. "Nothing's going on. Why are you so suspicious?"

"Saïx wouldn't send you on a night mission. He'd have to pay over time."

"We don't get paid here, Axel…"

"You know what I mean." Axel huffed. "If you're going off somewhere, you don't have to lie about it…"

"Lie about it?" Roxas sneered. "Ugh, I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm leaving." He inched around the redhead and continued on his way.

"Roxas!" Axel called after him, frustrated. He ran a hand through his cheery red hair. "Can we talk?"

"Later! I have a mission!" Roxas took off around the corner.

Axel groaned in frustration and punched the nearest wall. What was wrong with that boy?

000

As Axel lay in bed that night, he couldn't help but let his mind wander. Why would Roxas lie about going on a mission? If he wanted to get away from the Castle, or go shopping, or spend time with Xion, that was his decision. Axel would leave him alone if he wanted him to. Looking out at Kingdom Hearts, a big heart shaped moon in the sky, Axel let out a sigh. Why were teenagers so difficult? Axel heard the door to his room open and turned, hoping to see Roxas. When he saw Saïx instead he frowned.

"What?" He wondered.

"Is that any way to greet a superior officer?" Saïx wondered, shutting the door.

Axel rolled his bright green eyes. Saïx chuckled. "What? Can't take a joke, Axel?"

"Why are you in my room, oh-so-superior one?"

"Roxas."

"What about him?" Axel sat up. Was something wrong with Roxas?

"Any idea where he got off to? No one's seen him in hours."

"He said he had a mission that you sent him on."

Saïx cocked an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest. "And you believed him?"

"Of course not. But he ran off…" Axel stopped.

Why was he telling Saïx this? The other was always trying to get between him and Roxas. This would only give him something to bring up the next time.

"Hm…thirteen had been acting rather strangely as of late…wouldn't you agree, Axel?"

"His name is Roxas, not thirteen. He's a Nobody, not a number."

Saïx rolled his eyes.

"And yeah, but he's a teenager. We were like that when we were his age…and human…"

Saïx said nothing for a moment, his lips pinched into a frown. "Perhaps…" He sighed. "So you remember a time when we were young and…friends? Could have surprised me, considering how easily you threw me aside for the brat and the puppet…"

"We do you call her a puppet? And don't call Roxy a brat."

Saïx sneered at the nickname. "It's on a need to know basis, and you're not someone who needs to know." He ignored the comment about Roxas. "It's true, though, isn't it? You tossed aside a friendship based in memory for one based in first encounters and the hope for a heart."

"There's a difference between what I had with you and what I have with Roxas."

"Which is?"

"I love him."

Saïx looked disgusted. "You can't."

"Why not?"

"Nobodies don't feel. And we certainly don't love."

"What do you call it then?"

"Lust."

"I thought we can't feel."

"Lust of the mind." Saïx said. "Feelings and thoughts are two different things."

"I suppose so." Axel shrugged.

Saïx dropped the matter. "If Thirteen continues to act so strangely, he'll be put under watch by the Dusks. I suggest you warn him of this."

He walked to the door and started to open in.

"Why don't you tell him?" Axel wondered.

He wasn't a messenger boy.

"He won't stop long enough to talk to me. And, quite bluntly, I don't like him."

"Tell me something I don't know, Saïx."

Saïx ignored it and left, slamming the door behind him. Axel sighed. He'd have to find out what was wrong with Roxas, and soon, or Saïx would.

000

After completing his mission in Radiant Gardens, a world that brought up many memories of himself and Saïx as humans, Axel sat on top of the Twilight Town train station's tower. He nibbled and licked at a bar of teal sea salt ice cream as he sat on the edge; balancing precariously between safety and falling to his death. He and Roxas always sat there to have sea salt ice cream together after missions. Once Xion came along, she also spent time with them doing the same thing. She had been the one accompanying Roxas while Axel was at Castle Oblivion; three months of memories that he wished would go and get lost in the Castle. Axel hadn't been happy to see her at the tower when he returned, but he was over it now. Sure, he was still jealous of the girl's connection with Roxas, but they really were friends. The tower was supposed to be their special place. A place where they could go and relax after a mission, before having to return to and deal with Saïx. Sure, it had started off as a way to get Roxas to open up and stop acting like a zombie in the beginning. But it had evolved into a ritual that Axel looked forward to every day. It was also the place where he'd confessed to Roxas and finally grew the balls to ask him out. Having Xion there kind of ruined the magic of the place. The memories.

Axel heard someone shifting around behind him and turned, hoping to see Roxas. Instead, he saw Xion peering at him from behind the tower.

"Hi, Axel." She greeted softly.

"Hi." He responded.

"Can I sit?"

"Sure."

She took a seat to his left, leaving a space between them for Roxas, as usual. She also held a bard of sea salt ice cream in her hand. Axel ignored her and looked back at the sunset. Maybe she knew what was wrong with Roxas. But would she tell him?

"Hey…Xion…"

"Yes?" She froze in mid-lick of her ice cream and looked at him. "What is it?"

"Has Roxas been acting…different…around you lately?"

She pulled the ice cream from her mouth and looked down, holding the stick between her legs. "Why do you ask?"

So he was acting different. She only sat like that when the conversation was awkward.

"He's not been himself lately."

"I heard you two had a fight."

"Who told you?"

"Roxas."

Axel snarled slightly and looked away. "Is he alright? He hasn't spoken to me since last night."

She shrugged. "He was upset when he came to my room." She answered softly. "But that was because you guys fought. I thought he was okay when he left for his mission today, but I guess I could be wrong…"

"Where'd he get sent to?"

"Neverland, I think."

How did she know where he was? Did they get their missions together?

"Is he alone?"

"I don't know."

He could tell she was lying, but didn't say anything about it.

"He told me he had a mission last night, but I don't think he did."

Xion glared at him. "You don't believe your own boyfriend?"

The term caught him by surprise. He and Roxas were lovers, sure, but boyfriends? Were they really that close?

"Saïx wouldn't give a mission at night. He thinks that if you have to do a mission and can't be caught, do it in the day and be careful. If you can't manage that, then you have no place in this Organization."

She rolled her eyes. "He's such a hard-ass…"

Axel cocked an eyebrow, but chuckled. "Yeah, he always has been." He caught her look and flushed. "Not like that, you pervert."

She shrugged. "I can't stand him sometimes."

"All the time."

Neither spoke.

"Roxas has been acting weird for days."

She gave him a sideways look. "Weird how? You have to be more specific…"

"He's…well…been avoiding me. And he's been really secretive. Like he's doing something he doesn't want people to know about."

Xion flushed and stood quickly.

"Xion?"

"I have to go." She waved her hand and a corridor of darkness opened up. Xion vanished into it quickly, dropping her sea salt ice cream on the way in.

Axel groaned in frustration after she left. Now he was sure Roxas was up to something. And Xion was involved somehow.

000

Axel pounded on the door to Roxas' bedroom about an hour later. He'd run into Xigbar in the hall, and he said that he saw Roxas not too long ago. That meant that his mission was over, but he didn't come to the tower. Was he really trying to avoid Axel?

"Roxy!" Axel called. "Open up! I know you're in there!"

The door opened and Xion poked her head out. "He doesn't want to talk to you, Axel." She said.

"What?" Axel took a step back, a little surprised.

"You heard me. Sorry." She gave him an apologetic smile and disappeared into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Roxas! Come on! Come out here and talk to me!"

He waited a few minutes, but no one came out. "If you can talk to Xion, you can talk to me!"

That didn't work either. Axel heard someone chuckling behind him, and caught Xigbar hanging from a bar in the ceiling above. He was hanging by his knees, so he had probably sat up there before hanging down. His long hair almost graced the floor.

"Lover's quarrel?" He asked, tauntingly.

"Shut up, Xigbar." Axel ordered. "And stop spying on me, for Kingdom Hearts' sake."

Xigbar cocked an eyebrow, but his smirk didn't vanish. "I'm not spying. The whole castle can probably hear you. It's been quiet since Castle Oblivion, after all."

Axel went silent at that, but pounded on Roxas' door again. "Roxas?" He asked softly. "Please come out here and talk to me…"

He heard shuffling behind the door, but no one answered it.

"Fine! Be that way!" Axel snarled. "I guess Saïx was right…"

He stalked off down the hallway. He heard someone following him and assumed it was Xigbar. The person behind him caught up with him and wrapped an arm around his neck.

"Something's really wrong with the little dude, isn't there?" Xigbar wondered. "Care to talk to ol' Xiggy about it?"

"Not particularly." Axel responded.

"Oh, come on. Everyone in the castle knows that he's been acting kind of strange lately. Did you get in a fight?"

"Last I checked, two people have to be talking in order to have a fight."

Xigbar shook his head. "You better find out what's wrong with the little guy. He's got Xion in his room. Who knows what they're doing?"

Axel stopped walking and glared at Xigbar. Don't even joke about stuff like that, old man."

"Old man?" Xigbar wondered. "Not nice, poking fun at a man's age." He shook his head. "Don't take your anger at Tiger out on me."

Axel rolled his eyes. "I don't even know why I'm putting up with you right now." He waved his had to open a corridor to darkness. "I'm leaving." He shoved Xigbar's arm away and entered the portal.

It shut behind him before Xigbar could say anything more or follow him inside. Axel walked to the middle of the corridor and sat down, crossed-legged. He punched the floor and left his fist lingering there. How could Roxas be acting this way? Maybe if he would just talk to Axel and tell him what was bothering him, then maybe, just maybe, Axel could understand. Then he could fix it. But with Roxas ignoring him like this…there was no way to fix things without talking. How could he get Roxas to talk to him again?

000

Axel sat on the station tower again the next day. It was almost time to go back to the Castle That Never Was, but neither Xion nor Roxas had shown up. Considering the events of the day before, that wasn't much of a shocker. Still, it would have been nice to have some company. It was just like before. Before Roxas joined the Organization. Just Axel, relaxing before he had to go back and deal with a castle of twelve mindless idiots. Now it was just Axel relaxing before he had to go back to a castle and deal with eight idiots; two of which were avoiding him. Maybe it was just best to let things stay the way they were for a while. Though it killed him to have the teen he loved-though Saïx adamantly denied that love was possible for a Nobody-ignore him like this. Axel stood to leave and heard someone clearing their throat. He turned to spy Roxas, arms behind his back, waiting for him inside the tower.

"Hey…" Axel greeted.

Roxas looked up and smiled softly. "Hi, Axel." He returned the greeting. "Um…how are you?"

"Fine…and yourself?"

"Fine."

"Good."

Neither spoke for a minute.

"So…um…it's time to RTC…" Axel paused. "Why did you come…?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Roxas responded. "I felt so bad about last night…I…"

Before Axel could say anything, the blonde was gripping his waist, holding him close. Axel was startled at first, but then wrapped his arms around the shorter male. He leaned his chin on Roxas' head and closed his eyes. he waited a few minutes before speaking again.

"It's okay, Roxas…but…why have you been avoiding me?"

Roxas pulled back a bit and looked up. "Oh…that…well…"

"Hm?"

Roxas let him go and held up a hand. He went back into the tower and returned with a small cake. "Um…Happy Birthday, Axel…" He greeted.

Startled, Axel took a step back. "Birthday?" He wondered.

"Yeah!" Roxas blushed. "I heard those three kids in Twilight Town talking about it when I was on a mission, so I asked Vexen what it was."

Axel twitched at the mention of the Organization member he'd killed.

Roxas went on, seemingly oblivious. "Apparently humans celebrate the day they were born with cake and a party and stuff…and you seemed so down after you got back from Castle Oblivion…I thought I'd do something nice…"

"But…why a birthday…?" Axel wondered, his heart pounding. "Nobodies don't have birthdays…"

"Yes we do!" Roxas interjected. "I asked Vexen, and he said that you could call the day a person became a heartless a Nobody's birthday. Or the day they join the Organization. Well…ten years ago today, you joined Organization XIII…so…happy birthday, Axel." He held up his cake to the other Nobody, face heavily flushed as he looked to the ground.

"R-Roxas…I…thank you." Axel took the cake and set it on the ground next to him. He pulled Roxas close and tilted his chin up, kissing him briefly on the lips. "This…this is really sweet."

Roxas smiled. "I'm glad you like it. Um…I don't recommend eating the cake…I made it in Vexen's lab, and who knows what's down there…"

Axel chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe we should offer Xigbar and Saïx a piece of it…"

Roxas flushed. "So mean, Axel."

"Hey, it's my birthday, is it not?" Axel winked.

Roxas laughed. "I guess so. Oh! How could I forget." He reached into a pocket in his Organization XIII coat. "I have something for you."

"Oh…Roxas…you don't have to…"

"But I already did, so there's no take backs here." Roxas pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Axel. "Here. For you."

It was folded over once, so Axel opened it. inside was a hand-drawn picture of Roxas and Axel eating sea salt ice cream on top of the tower. It was done at an angle so that the sunset was visible, as well as the two Nobodies. They were standing up next to the edge, and Axel was holding Roxas. They were locked in a kiss; Roxas gripping tightly to Axel's coat to indicate just how passionate it was. Axel recognized it anywhere.

"Our…first kiss…?"

"Yeah." Roxas smiled, happy that it was recognized as such. "I paid Naminé to draw it for you. Since she's a memory witch…"

So Naminé had been at the Castle then, after Castle Oblivion, hm? Or did Roxas find her somewhere? Axel knew that, like a good little Organization member, he should ask the other. But he didn't care at the moment.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." Axel pulled Roxas close and kissed him passionately. "Thank you, Roxas."

"Happy birthday, Axel."

Axel figured that maybe, just maybe, some secrets between lovers were perfectly alright.