"Y'know, kid. You probably know me better than anyone else."
Roxas didn't even bother to raise his eyes when he heard the melodramatic lull of Axel's voice. But he could've just about guessed his actions: an arrogant smirk, a newly found openness in his arms as the dramatic gestures that drove Roxas oh so insane, a swivel of his hips, and a few clunking steps forward.
Pen never left paper as Roxas responded with a coy little, "Better than Demyx?" He knew the statement was brash and obviously not very-well thought out. Such conclusions led him to not ask what prompted the sudden outburst.
And Axel returned the favor by not asking what the Little Golden Boy was writing. In the end, really, he probably didn't want to know. Could be love-notes to Namin'e. Or Sora. Or … god forbid those rumors of he and Riku be true. Honestly, he didn't know WHO the kid was seeing.
"He's a little scatterbr--…" A pause of consideration. "Nah, you're probably right. But you know me better than anyone outside of him."
A soft sneer from the youth, and then: "I can't say the sentiments are returned. I think you know me far less than anyone." Finally a ripple in his brow, a mar in his perfectly impassive face. "Didn't you mention at our last meet you had something to tell me?"
The fire mage gave a tilt of his cranium in deliberation. "I wouldn't say I know you the least. You didn't interact with anyone except me in the Organization."
"That was a one-way street, Axel. The others knew me well enough to know I wanted to be left alone."
Axel dramatically layered his hands over his sternum, short brows furrowing upward with pseudo-pain in his eyes. "That hurt me, Roxas. I'm absolutely heartbroken."
The simple response of an eye roll told the elder he was obviously uninterested in bantering over such silly things: silly things that just weren't true--let alone plausible.
"Oh, I think I remember what I was going to say." A digit ruffled the spiked crimson tresses.
"Mmn?"
"I was going to apologize for being a complete and utter asshole when Sora was around last time." More scratching of his head. "Yeah, that was part of it, anyway."
There was just a hint of blue as Roxas began to raise his eyes, finally. But apparently the boy reconsidered and looked back down at his moving hand and offered only a noncommittal shrug.
"So … yeah. Sorry for that…" He tried to droll on, looking for new topic. Luckily, he was saved:
"I expected nothing less from you, Axel. Your temper gets the better of you. What's to be done?"
A grin. "I knew you knew me better than most. We all thought Saix had issues, hunh?"
Roxas simply didn't agree. Or, maybe he agreed and just didn't feel like agreeing. Axel was never sure, with the attitude his friend had. He was so … uncaring. Of everything. He watched the boy finally tuck his pen and paper away, apparently done with whatever decree he had been concocting. Finally, the brilliant blue of his eyes!
"So what was the other part?" Wistful and nonchalant, obviously not trying to make a big deal of it lest he serve to further provoke Axel's restiveness on the topic.
"You don't like pointless things."
"You only protect things that aren't important, Axel. My curiosity's piqued."
An incredulous red brow shot up, lips firmly creasing for a moment. "Why would I protect something that's not important?"
But it was obvious the blonde was in the mood for games. At least, those of his own making. Axel knew that if he tried one of his mind games, Roxas would simply end up shrugging it off and busy himself with other tasks. Axel never really was able to solve Roxas. Not even close. Maybe that was some of the enigmatic draw he had to him.
"Why are you asking me that? Isn't that one of those questions that's supposed to lead to self-discovery?"
"You obviously have a reason to say it," Axel counted pointedly, digit extending and wrist flicking with a point, as though he could sort those words out in the air and make the Key-Bearer repeat them for his own whims … and possibly comprehension. "You don't say meaningless things, after all. You've never made pointless comments."
"Maybe it was to, oh, I don't know … make you think?" It was an annoyed roll of his lips as he leaned forward, elbows going to rest on his knees. "Besides, are you one to sit and think on pointless situations if it gains you no merits? So stop wasting both of our time and tell me."
"When I think, things end up dangerous." A victorious little smirk.
"That's how you like it, isn't it?"
A bit of suave ignorance to the statement ensued. "Thinking is what saved me from dying during The Mutiny, after all. And Pointless thinking was what drove me to everything I've done."
Roxas rolled his eyes. He knew very specifics of the Marluxia Incident, and didn't quite care to gain such knowledge, either. "Well, then, maybe pointless thinking is your specialty."
The blonde blinked, rather dumbfounded, once his eyes had returned back to the sharply angled face. The markings beneath the redhead's eyes were rippled to contrast the firm line of his lips and tightness in his jaw, and his brow was grinding, and looked like … like …
Pain?
"You … want me to tell you?"
Apprehension was suddenly raw and clawed at the youth's stomach, the dithering snarl working its way up his spine. He swallowed, but gave a quick nod.
Somehow, the fire mage had looked ominous in that one instant. Hand extended, digits flexed and tight, sure of the ripple of muscles beneath the black masses. The hand went to the teen's shoulder, full of tension and mildly pensive, but not at all painful.
It was only when he was firmly pressed against the taller, quite possibly more slender body, did the Light-Wielder even begin to register what was happening. He was wilted in the grasp, unsure of how to react, could only stare at the redhead with eyes at half-mast.
But the moment Axel's grip began to loosen, he felt … inconclusive. And perhaps a bit frenetic. Arms latched onto the frame in front of him, face burrowing deep in the dark filament. He wanted that, needed that comfort.
"I told you … you didn't know me at all …"
And Axel couldn't help but smile.