Smoke
Smoke
Author: Xanthos Samurai
Pairing/Characters: Axel, Luxord
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Spoilers, language.
Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own anything but the arrangement of the words on the page.
Notes: I love writing these two together. Axel's such a cocky bastard and Luxord is just the right amount of cool.
Axel leaned back against the wall and pulled a pack of Gold Chocobo brand cigarettes out of his pocket. The cigarette ignited itself the moment it touched his lips and he inhaled a long drag before pulling it away and hissing the smoke out between his bared teeth. Oh, it felt nice to finally have won. Better than sex. Better even than burning. Of course, nobody could say that the three of them weren't all related.
"You seem bloody pleased with yourself." The gambler appeared and stood in front of Axel with his arms folded across his chest. Axel didn't answer, although his cocked brow served as an unspoken question mark in the silence.
"I didn't think you'd actually go through with it." Luxord continued. Subtlety was wasted on Axel.
"Shows you what you know then." Axel flicked the ash off the end of his cigarette. Embers fell to the grass and glowed like fireflys in the half-dark of Twilight Town's night.
"If the Superior finds out, he's going to rip you into eight parts and give a different part to each group of the lower Nobodies."
"Aww are you worried about me? I didn't think you had it in you."
"I don't. I just don't want you to get caught and point at me as your co-conspirator in this." Luxord pulled out his own cigarettes.
Axel laughed. "That's Luxord. Always covering his ass almost as well as he covers his cards. Don't worry – I have no intention of squealing on you if I get caught. Which I won't."
"The odds against you are high. Real high." Luxord put his cigarette in his mouth and leaned forward so that the end touched Axel's. It lit after a few seconds and he leaned back again, blowing a smoke ring. "Either way, you did it. Killed all of 'em. I have to say that I'm impressed."
"You wouldn't have had the balls to go through with it, that's for sure." Axel blew smoke in the direction of the Old Mansion. "Anyways, I don't regret it. I wouldn't regret it even if I could. They were dicks and I've got an agenda to carry out. I'm not gonna forget about that deal, Luxord. I'll keep my word if you do. But if you betray me, I'll burn you to your bone marrow."
"You're one to talk." Luxord snorted. "You hypocritical little shit."
"You're just mad that you didn't think of it first."
"The hell I am." The gambler turned to Axel. "I know your fate, boy. And I wouldn't wish it for anything."
The words would have sobered anyone but Axel. He merely shrugged and tossed his hair.
"My plans are already laid. I don't have anything left to lose."
"You think that now, but you have no idea."
"Whatever."
"You're going to die."
That made Axel stop and laugh. It was long and mirthless and was just like how Luxord remembering Axel laughing in life. Almost nothing about him had changed.
"You think that bothers me, Luxord?! I'm already dead!"
"You're going to die because of everything you've tied yourself to. Give it up, Axel."
But Axel just shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"You only wish you were as free as I am. Sorry, Luxord, but I've already made my choice."
"Cocksure bastard."
"Eh, you love me anyways." Axel threw the cigarette down and started to walk off. He shot the gambler a grin over his shoulder. "I'm countin' on you to give Xemnas the bad news. I think you'll get a kick out of his face. Laters!"
Luxord stood alone by the Old Mansion, contemplating with his cigarette, calculating the benefits of just offing his old friend himself. He finally decided that it wasn't worth killing Axel twice, even in two separate lifetimes. He ground the cigarette under his heel and walked towards Twilight Town.