Contrary to common belief, it was Roxas who taught Axel how to laugh.
And Axel did.
From the "heart", or whatever that warmth he felt in the middle of his chest was supposed to be.
Roxas never even once laughed while living in the World That Never Was.
But he had smiled a few times! And those smiles just further encouraged Axel to continuosily laugh more.
And contrary to even more common belief, Axel was the second last arrival to that unexistent world - Roxas came long before him.
How about we learn the truth?
~~~~~~~~~~~~ The First Day of Roxas' arrival to Twilight Town after Xenmas' defeat~~~~~~~~~~
It had been easy to get settled back here again.
Not that anyone remembered him, mind you - this was the REAL thing, not the pseudo-Twilight Town, but now he knew his way around and all.
Him and Sora parted bodies and ways, with Riku holding tightly Sora to him and thanking him for what he had done, helping his beloved. Sora and Roxas would always be connected but no longer bound to the same body.
Nobodies or the none-existant-ones are the carcass of the heart, the body that's left behind when the heart is useless for it was eaten by the heartless or became one itself.
Load of crap. If it were true WHY was Larxene insane? Why was Marluxia so driven? Why was Zexion so arrogant? Why did Demix hate fighting? Just a few examples.
The answer? No one knows for sure. King Mickey sugested that "maybe a secondary heart is created in the body left behind... or maybe it was there the whole time" - but why? It doesn't matter to us.
Back to Roxas, after parting ways with Sora, whispering works of gratitude and friendship for life, he went back to the only place he ever called home.
Twilight Town.
And now here he was, in his room, thinking one more of the past.
FLASHBACK
"Roxas we have a new income - number VIII, Axel" Saix stated not looking back from the computer.
Roxas, behind him, only stared, saying nothing.
"*sigh* You will train him, it's Xenmas orders or do you mean to defy them?"
"No. I don't."
"Good, he's at Proof of Existence. Go meet him."
Once Roxas arrived he saw a red-haired youth, little taller than him, staring at the multitude of "tombs" there, not really seeing.
Short, spiked red hair, dead green eyes, an expression of passiveness and slump shoulders - the epitome of Nothingness.
"Hey, you the new guy, Axel right?" Roxas said, aproaching the youth.
He looked at Roxas impassive.
"Yeah."
"You're odd."
Axel raised a red, small eyebrow at this.
"I suppose Saix already gave you the Welcome speech, yes? Well, think of it as the most pure load of crap."
Axel's eyes and mouth widened, amazed.
"Do you feel dead?"
"...no..."
"Do you look dead?"
"No..."
"Do you want to be dead?"
"No!"
*SLAP!*
Axel grabbed his left cheek, aghast.
"Then STOP acting like it! Sheesh! Why do I ALWAYS get stuck with the newbies?" he mumbled a few curses at Xenmas' constant preachings and looked back at Axel smiling.
"Do I look dead?"
"No."
"Then let's go do some training - because right now that's my job, training you that is. Xenmas believes that since we're Nobodies, we have no heart, can't feel, etc - well, after meeting Larxene, for example, I concluded that's virtually impossible, so let us be gone and be ourselves instead of "mere shells of people and all that crap" shall we?"
He stretched his hand to Axel still smiling.
And Axel took it.
"Put some BRAWN into that fire spell Axel!"
"I'm TRYING dammit!"
"Try harder then, newbie!"
"HWUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Finally Axel managed to produce a complete Fire Wall around them both.
"Hey! Did you see that? I made it! I FUCKIN' MADE IT!" and he laughed. For the first time Axel laughed.
Roxas stared amazed at how Axel's laugh suited him. So much more that that distant, empty look from three months ago. Saix would be furious - if it wasn't for the arrival of their last member, Demix. He was the one assigned to train him once the scared, dirty blond youth arrived at their quarters. Let's just say that sitar training was the last thing on Saix's mind when it came to Demix little after the latter arrived. Xenmas fortunately had no idea.
Axel meanwhile had grown up quite a lot! Now far taller that Roxas, his hair had grown as well and he made these two tatoo triangles beneath his eyes, when asked why he shrugged and said:
"It looks cool."
THIS was NOT in the plans!
But as Axel's lips moved, slowly and gently, as if nervous, over his own, Roxas could not stop this painful fullfilling... something!, from growing within him.
He pulled away, slowly.
"Axel... I... We... this can't be!..." he whispered in urgency.
"Why not?" Axel tenderly brushing his hands over Roxas' flushed cheeks - he had been wanting this for so long! And the shorter youth seemed to want the same...
"We're Nobodies, we-"
"Stop that, you were the very one who told me it was crap..."
"But-"
"Shush..." and Axel kissed him again.
That night, right at Proof of Existence they made love for the first time.
"...ku!"
"AH!" Roxas abruptly rose from their bed.
"Roxas? Are you ok? Roxas!"
He looked over to see a naked Axel trying to shake him from his dreams, again.
"Him again?" Axel asked while setting a panting Roxas over his chest.
"Yeah...He... this time i saw him better... he was inside this... egg-looking thing, it was huge... spiked, brown hair...couldn't see well the face... screaming something that ended in "ku"... he was crying so much, Axel... he was hurting so much!..."
"I know, I know..." the red haired kissed his trembling lover's forehead, holding him tightly.
"I know..."
"Riku! Where are you?! Please come back! RIKU! I... I want to see you again... I love you...God, I love you so much, don't leave me!"
"No one would miss me." he stared ahead of him. That boy, he couldn't take it anymore, he was gonna find the other boy, Riku, and bring him to that crying youth, hoping to make it alright.
"That's not true! I... I would miss you.. Roxas..." Axel said in despair.
"So will I..." Roxas whispered as he was engulfed by darkness in Twilight Town - one last time, leaving the only one he ever cared for in that forsaken city.
END OF FLASHBACK
And he still did. Months after that event, he still did. All Order members, like himself were reborn through one way or another. Hell, the other day, when visiting Phil at the Coliseum, to watch a match he saw an enthusiastic Demix being thoroughly snogged by a very-much enamoured Saix, not that you could tell by looking at him - the man was like a brick wall to all those who didn't know him well enough!
But let's just say that some "sorts" of kisses leave no room for doubt.
Now, walking in Twilight Hill, after yet another match with the relentless Seifer he pondered on everything that happened... like, where the HELL was Axel?!
"You never learn, do ya? I keep tellin' ya: thinkin' ain't no good for your health ya pinhead!" a voice yelled behind him, sounding amused.
It can't be...
"You mind talkin to me eye-to-eye or what?" the voice sounded even more amused.
Roxas turned slowly...
Dressed to fit the town' style there stood Axel.
Roxas' eyes started to spill tears.
Axel grinned.
"You ain't goin no crybaby on me are ya?"
Roxas jumped at him.
"OOPH!"
Roxas mumbled something under his breath, holding onto Axel's neck for life.
Axel held him, with closed eyes and still smiling.
"I know - told ya I'd miss you too, you ain't the only one."
OWARI~