Walking through Twilight Town that afternoon was just like any other time. I didn't think anything of it. The only abnormal thing was that, there was more people out walking; doing errands and such, I suppose. I guess it was my fault that I bumped into the tall, lean figure. I wasn't paying close attention.
Startled, I apologized under my breath, and was about to continue walking, but the figures hand seized my wrist, grabbing tightly and pulling me closer to him. I glanced up and looked at the strangers face. He had flaming red hair, and two tattoo's underneath his piercing green eyes. I looked at him in shock, and tugged at my wrist, indicating for him to release me. But instead he pulled tighter and bent down to my height. "Do you not remember me, Roxas?"
Immediately, I stopped all my force, and took a glance up at the man. I've never seen him in my life. I furrowed a brow, and softly I asked, "Do I.. know you?"
"It's me, Roxas. Axel," The man said, smiling hopefully. As soon as he said his name, an electric current jolted through my body; as if I did know the man.
"Where.. do I know you from?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. I should remember him, if I knew him before. My breath hitched when the man loosened his grip on my wrist and intertwined his fingers with mine. My cheeks began to warm up as I stared up at Axel's face.
"Would you like to get Sea Salt ice cream, Roxas?" He asked, his voice as smooth as silk. Inside, I felt a swoon in my chest. How would he know that Sea Salt ice cream was my favorite? I had to have known him from somewhere else. I took this invitation as a chance to get some answers from him.
I tightened my fingers around his hand, and said, a little to desperately, "Of course."
--
Axel walked up to the stand, handing munny to the old man, asking in his smooth voice for two ice creams. It was then that I noticed what he was wearing. Axel was wearing a jet black coat, that covered his whole body. And on his feet were knee high boots. Another electric current jolted throughout my body and I placed three fingers to my temple as if I was trying to remember something.
And then something flashed through my mind. I saw Axel and I, and we were both wearing that same dark coat. We were sitting at the Clock Tower, eating our sea salt ice cream, and we were laughing and play-punching each other as if we had been best friends. And then I was back in the present. Axel was walking towards me, ice cream in hand. He had a kind smile on his face. Maybe I had known this man; maybe he HAD been my best friend.
Timidly I took the ice cream from his hand, and we began walking towards the forest. "Axel, were we.. best friends?" I asked, taking a bite of my ice cream.
"Yes, you could say that," Axel said, delightedly. He sounded happy that I was talking to him. "We were inseparable, you and I," his face suddenly became sad, as if I had cursed him.
I opened my mouth to say something, but instead, I decided not to say anything at all. Axel and I just sat there in the middle of the forest, staring into each others eyes; it was as if we were trying to stare past our eyelids and into our minds, searching for something, anything, that would tell us that this was real. We were together, at last.
Then, as nonchalantly as ever, Axel threw the finished stick that used to be his ice cream to the side, and place his finger tips onto my cheek. "Would you like to stay with me tonight, Roxas?" he asked, ever so kindly.
I felt my stomach flip, and suddenly, I felt a feeling I haven't felt in a while. I was.. unconditionally happy. I smiled and nodded my head eagerly. "Yes, yes."
Axel chuckled, and lifted up, and as soon as he did, I did, too. "I'll tell you more about who we were. Right now," He said, shifting his eyes to the left, then the right. "It's not safe to tell you."
--
Axel's house was small, but cozy. It wasn't something anyone would be impressed with, but I was. I liked his house. Once inside, Axel stripped off his black coat, revealing only a black long-sleeved shirt and black leather pants. He saw me staring at him, and I quickly looked away. "You could have a seat, if you'd like."
I sat on his small sofa, crossing my legs so that I was sitting Indian style. Axel plopped down next to me and sighed. His eyes were closed. "Hmm.. Where do I start?" he said. "Well, first of all, you and I are Nobodies. A nobody has no heart. I am the Eighth member of Organization 13, and you are the Thirteenth. But we betrayed them." He smiled down at me.
The whole night Axel talked, telling me my lost memories, things that we did. He mentioned a boy named Sora, and said that I was apparently his nobody. He told me that I could wield the Keyblade. He told me that I was once very stubborn, and aggressive, but also kind and gentle. The night passed like air, and soon I grew tired, I felt myself wanting to ask Axel a question. I wanted to sleep with him.
But instead I leaned my head against his shoulder, then softly ghosted my fingertips against Axel's chest. I felt his breath hitch, and he wrapped his arm around my waist. Before I knew it, he was in a position on top of me, leaning his head closer to mine.
Before he could press his lips to mine, I interrupted. "Were we ever.. in love?" this took him by surprise. Suddenly, he was backing off of me, and I grabbed his shoulder. "No, don't.. stop." my face became sad, and I wanted so bad to just hit myself for asking such a dumb question.
Axel saw my face, and his face became one of anguish. He leaned in, cupping my cheek in his hand. "I can't prove that I am in love with you, Roxas," he admitted, sadly. But, still, he planted a kiss on my cheek, and continued. "I have no heart," he said, even sadder. He kissed my nose and breathed, "But I can pretend."
And with that, our lips met, and my ever so cold body was warmed instantly as his hands caressed me. My arms had wrapped around his neck, and I sighed into the kiss, allowing him access into my mouth. Our tongues slithered against each other, speaking silent words of a love that will never be there; but, just as Axel had said, we would pretend.
I felt tears sliding down my cheeks as memories that I had long forgotten raced through my mind. I saw Axel and I fighting; fire vs. keyblade. I saw him smiling at me when I was told he would be my mentor when we were Organization members. I saw our first kiss all over again. Then I saw his torn face as I told him that I was leaving the Organization. I saw as he reached out toward me, but I walked away, losing him.
I sobbed into the kiss, and Axel kissed my cheeks, licking the tears away. "Shh.." he soothed me as I cried, never unlocking my arms from around his neck.
Gasping, I cried that I would never leave him again, and that I was sorry. But Axel just shushed me. "I forgive you." And he kissed me, and I stopped gasping so that I could put all my false love into the kiss.
"I love you, Axel," I breathed, becoming heavy with drowsiness. Although this was a lie, I said it so sincere, so real, that it sounded true.
Then, he said something, I never thought he would say.
"I love you, too, Roxas,"
And with the, we fell asleep in each others arms.