Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or its characters

Chapter: 2 "Adjustment"

Summary: A chapter in which the members of O13 try to adjust to new life in Radiant Garden, Sora, Riku, Axel, Roxas, and Kairi explore the city until Axel and Roxas break away to spend some much needed bff time, and the HBRC notice some strange happenings

Author's Notes: Thank you so much to the people the reviewed! I'm really surprised at the positive response I got from the first chapter. I'd like to address something though, I got a couple reviews about the characters being a little out of character and honestly, I think so too. I haven't played kh2 in years and I totally got bored playing BBS so I don't remember much of how everyone is supposed to act. I did some kingdom hearts wiki research though and hopefully I can write some characters better. Something else I would like address is that in this story, Organization XIII have been given hearts so their personalities are going to seem a little different, I aim to develop those new emotions. I don't have to worry about Axel or Roxas since they know how to feel

Is anyone else feeling some XemSaï? Or is it just me…I'm kind of now just seeing how adorable they look together. Anyone else want some couples? Thank you to moondemon93, x-Jaela-x, Reiki Genkatori, Nekomata19. I . Love . Lollipops, Renosgirl, Yuffitine forever, xamggie, CrossSlash, Riora fan, Black Tulip, akefia566, kurado, XxAkurokLovexX, and ADeadBlackRose for reviewing! : ) Here's something to ponder, the fourteenth pod isn't Xion


It's been a full week since Ansem reawakened the thirteen members of Organization XIII and with nowhere else to go; the members were relocated to the castle within Hollow Bastion, away from Radiant Garden. For the most part, most of the older, senior members opted to stay within the castle as they were still not yet comfortable with the life they were given. Xemnas would spend most of his time at the highest tower simply watching the people of Radiant Garden. His golden irises would follow their movements as if studying their reactions to certain events and he would do so, in silence. It was almost as if he was learning how to live in his own little way.

Saïx was usually found by the Superior side though only for similar reasons. Out of all the members in Organization XIII, he and Xemnas were the most alike. Both were calm, aloof, and the probably the most Nobody-like of them all. They would both look down on the citizens of Radiant Garden with grave eyes for they were the ones that knew how to live. Golden eyes would connect with those of equal color before one would look away; a calm, comforting silence between them. Saïx was the only one that truly understood Xemnas anyway.

Lexaeus, always the quiet one, usually stayed within the castle walls. He was laconic when he spoke and would usually be found in the company of Zexion. The grey haired man practically lived in the library within Hollow Bastion; he was there all the time. The physically intimidating man would just stand and watch the Cloaked Schemer read his literature – Zexion was the only one who he trusted after all. The fact that he had a heart didn't faze him for he just considered it to be something inside him, nothing more. A heart was nothing more to him than a lung; it was just something that was there inside him.

Zexion only visited two places and they were his room and the library. He was a polite man, an enigma of sorts. His world was filled with books and literature because to him, a book held better realties than that of the real world. The teen could escape the harsh horrors of the world by delving deep into the novels he read. Nothing calmed him better than the words on a page as he idly turned them. Zexion had always wanted a heart – obtaining a heart was the main driving force for Organization XIII's plans and he had always been very loyal to the Organization. At the moment, he didn't know how to efficiently use his new heart but Zexion had always had a thirst for knowledge. He would learn, someday.

Larxene couldn't be held within the castle even if she was tied to a two thousand pound weight. She often disappeared to roam within the outskirts of Hollow Bastion as she wouldn't dare step foot into Radiant Garden. The blonde prefer the quietness of the ruins as oppose to the loud, bumbling city. Sometimes Kairi would come and visit her but that was only sometimes – Larxene never sought her out on her own. She had always been a sardonic individual, often irritating the other members with her excessive giggling and flirtatious ways. Despite her forward advances, The Savage Nymph's despised the fact that she had a heart now; she considered it painful to have. When she had been Reneal, she had been severely emotionally hurt. During her days as a Nobody, lacking a heart protected her from being hurt; it kept her pain at bay. She didn't know what she wanted anymore and that saddened her.

Demyx would only venture out of the castle if he was physically dragged out by Xigbar or Axel. He was a lazy person by all respects and disliked strenuous physical activity, even considering the act of sweating, gross. He preferred to stay within the castle and specifically, in his room. The Melodious Nocturne spent his day casually lying in bed and strumming his Sitar. He would sing to himself softly and his eyes would flutter close as he lost himself to the serene atmosphere he created. He'd lie if asked but the blonde was truly happy that he had a heart. He had always been a laid-back guy and although it was just a farce during his Nobody days, this part of him was real now. He could be lazy and carefree simply because his heart allowed him to do so. Demyx's heart gave him a new purpose in life – to spend his days for only himself.

Luxord was never in the castle at night. When the sun would disappear and the moon would take its place in the sky, the Gambler of Fate would be found in various bars of Radiant Garden. He would spend his time gambling the night away by playing a series of card games and those that required luck. When Luxord was in the castle, it would only because he played card games with the other members of Organization XIII or just needed to sleep. Sometimes he would spend some hours during the day teaching Roxas how to play poker. This was because he generally got along well with the younger boy and considered him a friend. His feelings towards his newly gained heart were mixed; if anything, it just made him feel all the more sophisticated. Luxord was now like the people he gambled with – classy and chic. It also caused him to feel slightly uncomfortable with all these new feelings as he would now show positive emotion to winning a hand. When he was a Nobody, he had never done so before and this was a new territory for him.

Marluxia was also one of the senior members that chose to stay within the castle however that was until he began spending time with Aerith. He had always been a lover of flowers and botany, his attribute was the flower after all. At times, he would disappear during the day only to be found by Aerith's side tending to flowers she had planted. He would infuse them with his energy and they would bloom beautifully. He liked that; helping plants grow. The more and more times he did this, the less egotistical he became. With all the time he spent helping Aerith, he considered her his first real friend outside of the Organization. This heart of his helped him to form a friendship with her and for this reason, he was happy that he had a heart. There was however side effects to having a heart. Marluxia discovered that his new heart would cause feelings that he never thought he could feel. These emotions would surface whenever Larxene would bat her eyelashes at him or blow him a kiss. The feeling of his cheeks burning up was foreign to him but he had just acquired a heart, perhaps this was nothing.

Xaldin didn't once leave the castle because he couldn't stand the sight of some of the people in Radiant Garden. He'd see them embrace lovingly or hold hands and he absolutely hated it. He had always been a detached man, often pessimistic when it came to things like love. The Whirlwind Lancer considered love to be a weakness and he knew it never lasted. This heart of his didn't change his outlook on love, if anything, it just tormented him more. When he had been Dilan, he had been driven mad with darkness because of a broken heart. The dark haired man kept to himself, just observing the passing of time.

Xigbar was either outside of the castle practicing his shot or found with Demyx. The two were close friends, their laid-back personalities being a common ground for them. He would spend his days listening to the comforting sounds of Demyx' Sitar and voice or practicing a series of difficult shots with his Snipers. At times he would entertain himself by amusing himself in the company of Axel and Roxas, calling them "Kiddo" or "Flamesilocks" respectively. Like some of the other older members, Xigbar didn't know what to make of his new heart but the strange beating he felt within his chest did comfort him.

Vexen's fear of Xemnas and Axel kept him far away from the castle, only returning to the castle when he needed to sleep. Often times, he'd be found by Ansem's side, aiding the man in his research. The green eyed blonde had always been an intellectual, he even considered himself a scientist. He treated his new heart like an experiment, posing hypotheses to different scenarios in which his heart could be tested.

Axel was either in the castle or in Radiant Garden; he was never one to stay in one place for too long. This was most likely due to his traitorous manner for during his days at Castle Oblivion, deception and lies kept him alive. The pyromaniac would always be within the company of Roxas. The two was never without one another because Axel simply wouldn't allow it. He had been separated from his best friend for too long and he never wanted to be without Roxas again. Roxas was special; he made Axel feel like he had a heart. The tear that fell from his eyes that day on top of the Clock Tower in Twilight Town was real and it symbolized his sadness at saying goodbye to his partner. The first time he met the boy, Roxas was nothing but a walking zombie and although Axel initially saw it as babysitting, he wouldn't trade those moments for anything else in the world. He helped Roxas grow, helped him learn, and in the return, Roxas helped teach Axel how to feel. He was Axel's most precious friend. His new heart overjoyed him because it gave Axel a new purpose in life, to be happy. He was now just like Roxas and that was all he really ever wanted, to be like his best friend.

Roxas was almost always with Axel, either alone or with the added company of Demyx, Xigbar, or Sora. He had gotten along well with Kairi and the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee but was uncomfortable in the presence of Riku. He and the older boy never talked and they only did so when it was necessary to; Roxas was a little guarded with the other boy. It had been Riku who had defeated him and placed him in his simulated Twilight Town but despite all that, even Roxas could say that Riku was a good person. Perhaps sometime in the future, the two could learn to be friends. When Xemnas and Saïx weren't in the tower, he and Axel would climb to the very top and watch the sunset together. They would both look at the swirls of color with silly smiles on their faces until Axel would clear his throat and offer Roxas some sea-salt ice cream. Having a heart didn't change Roxas; it just reminded him of his time with Hayner and the gang. He adjusted easily to his own heart because he had always known what it was like to have a heart somewhere in the back of his mind. The feelings and emotions he felt during his final days were real, no one could deny him that.

At the moment, Roxas was walking around the streets of Radiant Garden with Axel, Kairi, Sora, and Riku. Sora was acting as their tour guide, pointing out a series of buildings that he visited during his time in Radiant Garden. Out of them all, Kairi was probably the most interested but that was probably because this was her homeland. "How about we go check some stores in the Marketplace?" Sora suggested, throwing a hand up in the air to get the attention of his friends. They agreed quickly and walked onwards, eyes sweeping back and forth at all the stores they saw. "It's a shame that Huey, Duey, and Louie went back to Disney Castle." Sora sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "They probably had people take their jobs but I can't find their stores anywhere."

While Sora searched for the Accessory Shop with Riku and Kairi, Axel led Roxas away. "Hey, about we go check out that store?" Axel asked, pointing with a thin finger to a store behind Roxas. The red haired man had ditched his Organization XIII attire and was currently sporting a sleeveless, white collared shirt and black pants. The first three buttons of Axel's shirt were undone, revealing a teasing slip of pale skin. The arm holes of Axel's shirt were ripped barbarically and he looked as if he had been from sort of punk rock band. Roxas on the other hand donned his black and white clothing from his time in Twilight Town.

"What store?" Roxas asked back, turning around. His blue eyes looked forward and his brows rose in surprise. "RG Ink?" He read the sign out loud. The blonde turned around to face Axel, "You want to go to a tattoo shop? Why would you want to do that?"

Axel smirked and tapped his face where those mysterious reverse teardrops were. "I want to get them retouched." He then thumped the left side of his chest, "I also want to get another one done." Roxas barely had time to respond before he felt his best friend roughly pushing him in direction of the tattoo shop. The spiky red head turned to look over his shoulder at Sora and his friends. "Yo Sora! Roxas and I are checking this shop! We'll meet you in a few!" The brunet hollered back that he understood and Axel quickly walked into the tattoo shop with Roxas in tow.

"I still don't understand why you want to get your tattoos retouched." Roxas commented dryly, stepping away from Axel so he could walk on his own. He looked up at Axel's face and wrinkled his face a little, "In all the time I've known you, I've never once thought your tattoos needed retouching. They look as new as ever!" He and Axel walked up to the counter where another blonde was idly dozing off.

"Yeah? Well, that was during my time as a Nobody. I didn't need to get them retouched back then because my body never changed nor did I ever age. I figure now that I'm a real person, I should probably do things like everyone else." Axel replied back smoothly before placing his hands on the glass counter.

Roxas let out a hum in response to Axel's words for they were quite interesting. Roxas had never considered himself fake unless you disregard the time he found out that DiZ was using him as a puppet. The memories he made and the friends he had in Twilight Town felt were as real to him as his friendship with Axel. "Why do you want another tattoo?" He felt himself asking.

"I want another tattoo to represent my old life. By doing so, the life I had when I was a Nobody will be forever imprinted on my body so that I will never forget the things I did or the people I met." Axel's eyes were hard as he said this and Roxas felt himself feeling a little concerned, had Axel been so stoic?

"Do you even have enough munny for that?" He asked.

Axel ignored Roxas' question with a wave of his hand. "Yo! Wake up!" He said loudly, leaning his head downwards to look at the sleeping blonde on the counter top. He was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the counter. "Are you listening to me right now? I want to get a tattoo done!"

That seemed to work; the talk of working pulled the man out of his sleep. His face had been turned so the two best friends hadn't seen one side of his face but once the man woke up fully, they got a glimpse of his face. He had a black tattoo on the side of his face, close to his temple and eyes. "You want a tattoo? Sure, welcome to my shop." He grinned lazily and stood to his feet. "The name's Zell Dincht." He led Axel to a bed and pointed at it. "What can I do for you? Where do you want it?"

Axel unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it at Roxas who fumbled slightly when he caught it. He hadn't expected the pyromaniac to throw his shirt so when he did, Roxas wasn't ready for it. The fabric felt light in his arms and Roxas involuntarily inhaled the Axel's musky scent before correcting himself and standing straight. "I want the roman numerals for eight here," He stated, pointing towards the area above his left pectoral. "In black." He said with an after thought before lying down on the bed with his arms tucked behind his head as a makeshift pillow. He grinned at Roxas' perplexed expression.

"VIII?" Zell asked back before getting down to work. He worked silently but efficiently, dipping the needle in black dye before inking Axel's skin expertly. The only sounds audible were the whizzing of Zell's needle and tattoo machine. Roxas could only stand there and watch Axel who at the moment was still grinning profusely.

The more Roxas watch his best friend get tattooed, the more his heart tugged. This act of impulsiveness on Axel's part was his own way of remembering the memories he made during his time in Organization XIII. 'I remember Axel in two ways' Roxas thought, eyes raking over the paleness of Axel's chest. 'He was there the first time I got my name and I remember him being pretty detached. He took me in only because he was ordered to' His blue eyes turned to look at the red head's long fingers. 'He gave me sea-salt ice cream after one of our missions because he said that's what friends did' He wouldn't admit it, but seeing Axel get his tattoo warmed him better than his black coat ever could. Roxas found himself smiling, 'Axel really is the best friend I've ever had'

Unbeknownst to Roxas, Axel was studying him intently. His striking emerald eyes focused on the boy in front him. He saw Roxas look up and in that moment, their eyes connected; emerald green meeting sapphire blue. Minutes passed yet they seemed like hours and Axel found himself losing himself in the depths of Roxas' eyes. 'What are you thinking?' Rank VIII thought almost breathlessly. What are these feelings right now? He opened his mouth to speak but was caught off by Zell pulling away.

"Alright, we're all done here. Do you want to take a second to see it before we move on to retouching your facial tattoos?" Zell cheerfully asked with a grin. He ran a hand through his blonde locks and looked downwards at Axel's chest, admiring his work. Axel boosted himself upwards with his elbows and looked down, studying his new tattoo. His skin was red with irritation but the black markings on his skin looked beautiful.

He grunted softly and raised his eyebrows before letting them relax. "They look pretty good Zell." His eyes raked over the roman numerals and he turned to look at Roxas. "What do you think, you like them?"

Blinking confusingly, Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "Oh. Yeah, they look good." He mumbled distractingly. Sky blue eyes found their way to Axel's chest again and No. 13 admired Zell's work. "Good job, Zell." The other blonde flashed him a knowing grin and gave Roxas a thumbs-up in thanks.

"You want them in black right?" Zell asked, moving his chair so that he was closer to Axel's face. Roxas barely heard his best friend respond in approval before his thoughts drifted again. Axel's rank number burned like fire in his mind as he looked at Axel's tattooed number. 'Axel taught me a lot when I first came to the Organization' he thought. 'He was my first friend'

"Why did I get them? Come on now, you should never ask a man about his past." Axel joked with a lazy smirk on his face. Roxas' eyes travelled to meet Axel's gaze before he looked downwards at the tattoo again. He just couldn't get over that tattoo! Was Axel doing this to show Roxas how much he valued their friendship and time together?

Roxas shook his head to rid them of bad thoughts, 'As I cocky as I am, even I'm not that vain' His mind began to whirl with images of the times he spent with Axel and the other members of Organization XIII. In their own ways, they all helped in Roxas' growth. Axel, Vexen, Demyx, Luxord, and even Xemnas, they all helped him gain precious memories. Roxas was roused out of his thoughts by Zell's voice.

"And with that, we're done! That'll be 3000 munny, pay up." The blonde remarked, holding his hand out while Axel dug inside his pockets. The red head pulled out the necessary amount of currency and was in the process of putting it all in Zell's hand when Roxas found himself opening his mouth to speak.

"I want one too, a tattoo." Axel and Zell turned towards him with raised eyebrows and Roxas couldn't help but blush a little. "I want just like Axel's but make my roman numerals XIII." He pulled down his wristband and held up his left wrist. "I want mine right here." Roxas vaguely heard Zell say something but that was only because he was focusing on Axel right now. The red head was regarding him with curious eyes and an amused smirk teased on his lips. 'I treasure those memories too, Axel' Roxas thought warmly. He looked away as Axel began to speak.

"No worries, I'll pay for us both." Axel said smoothly, pulling out 4500 Munny. He slipped it into Zell's pocket before getting up off the table. He held his hand out and Roxas was quick to relinquish the discarded shirt. Emerald green eyes followed Roxas' movements as the younger boy sat up on the bed and offered Zell his arm. The Flurry of Dancing Flames was silent as he slipped on his shirt. He chose to leave all the buttons open to air out his tattoo a little and like his best friend before him, Axel watched Roxas intently.

"It's not going to hurt, is it?" Roxas asked timidly. He usually wasn't so nervous but being inside Sora for so long, it was a trait he unfortunately picked up. Axel let out a mental laugh at that, running hand through his long crimson hair. It was true, Axel got a new tattoo to symbolize his admiration for his best friend as well as the times he had during his days in Organization XIII but Roxas didn't need to know that. Roxas changed him into the person he was now. Little by little, Roxas touched his nonexistent heart and without knowing it, helped him to really feel emotions. 'We're…best friends, right?' Axel heard Roxas ask in his mind and he let out a laugh, shaking his head. That was before, when Roxas hadn't really remembered him.

"Alright kid, we're done!" Zell announced, pulling away and standing up. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Zell placed his hands on his hips and grinned. "You guys got your money's worth, that's for sure!" As Zell began to explain the proper ways to take care of their new tattoos, Axel walked forward and extended his hand out. Roxas immediately looked at Axel's outstretched hand and without needing to be told to, accepted his best friend's invitation and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.

Axel turned Roxas' arm over and hummed appreciatively at the new decorative art on Roxas' skin. "It looks good, suits you pretty well." The hand that was currently grabbing Roxas' wrist closed over the tattoo and Axel stroked the irritated skin softly with his thumb. Roxas tried to ignore the comforting feeling Axel's actions gave him and he managed to look passive. "I hope it doesn't hurt."

The Key of Destiny smiled curtly and shook his head. "It just stings a little but it'll be fine." The blonde stepped away and the boys bid their farewell to Zell. Roxas admired his new tattoo with curious eyes. "How much do I owe you?"

"Don't worry about it; consider it my gift to you for finally getting your own heart." Axel said, smirking. He and Roxas exited the tattoo shop and Axel looked up towards the sky. The sky was darkened with black clouds and he frowned, "I guess it's going to rain later."

"Axel! Roxas!" The two pivoted on their feet to see Sora waving a hand over at them. Kairi stood beside him with a happy grin on her face while Riku was bombarded with several shopping bags. The silver haired teen bore an expression of annoyance that could only make Roxas laugh. "Come on! It's going to rain soon! We're going back to Merlin's place! You guys coming?"

"Nah, we'll probably just go home!" Roxas replied back. The friends said their goodbyes and Roxas watched as Sora, Riku, and Kairi turned on their heels in direction of the Borough. He watched the friends go with sympathetic eyes and he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. It hadn't dawned on him until that very moment how much he really missed Hayner, Pence, and Olette. 'They wouldn't remember me' he thought, frowning slightly. He was then suddenly shoved forward by Axel. "What'd you do that for?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "I hate when you get like that. It reminds me too much of how you were when we first met; dead and lifeless." He grinned at Roxas' annoyance expression and reached down to ruffle the boy's blonde locks. "How about we watch the sunset?" Roxas scoffed and pushed Axel's rather large hand off his head.

"Yeah sure."

The boys drifted over to the large fridge in the marketplace and Axel asked for some sea-salt ice cream from the sales clerk. They paid for their ice cream and briskly walked towards the castle on the outskirts of town, being mindful of the ever darkening clouds in the sky. The two friends entered through the doors and climbed the stairs to the castle's tallest tower. On their way there, they passed Xemnas and Saïx who were both leaving the tower. Roxas flashed the Superior a small grin and Xemnas merely nodded in return, acknowledging the boy. Axel closed his eyes once he passed by Saïx and the blue haired man did the same, an awkward silence between the two. Although they had been best friends in their original lives, the friendship between them now was a little strained.

"The sunset looks a little different when it's about to rain." Roxas remarked once he and Axel settled on the roof. He zipped up his black Organization coat and beside him, Axel did the same. A weird sense of déjà vu hit him and it was quite amusing. The temperature outside was getting a little chilly and they both reacted to that, drawing their coats close. Ironically, Axel and Roxas still ate their ice cream.

"Do you remember why the sun sets red?" Axel asked charmingly, taking a bite of his sea-salt ice cream. Roxas laughed at the red head's words and shoved him playfully. Axel smirked and winked in response. He looked out at the horizon, humming contently. "It's been a whole week since we've been back."

Roxas echoed his hum with one of his own. "Yeah, seven whole days." His tongue darted out and licked at the sea-salt ice cream till his nose wrinkled at its saltiness. "I still can't get over how salty this thing is but then its sweet, it's so strange!"

The Flurry of Dancing Flames laughed outright at that, closing his eyes as he did so. He opened his eyes once his laughter died away and he shook his head before looking at Roxas from the corner of his eyes. "Do you remember why sea-salt ice cream was so important to us?" He finished off his ice cream and twiddled the wooden stick in his mouth.

"It's because you thought going to and from the castle was a boring routine." Roxas answered, popping the ice cream into his mouth and sucking on its salty flavor. His tongue swirled around before he pulled it out of his mouth and turned to look at Axel. "Right?"

The older man let out a bark of laughter before folding his arms behind his head and leaning back. He looked up at the sky before closing his eyes serenely. "First off, sea-salt ice cream is my favorite flavor." He said charmingly with a grin but then his grin dissolved into nothingness. Axel opened his eyes and just stared up at the sky, "We were Nobodies, we didn't have hearts; eating ice cream together was the only way we could symbolize our friendship."

Roxas turned to look at his best friend; his eyes were squinted as they focused on Axel's face. The creases and lines evident in this man's face suggested that he was troubled by something. "Axel, are you alright?" He asked warily, tilting his head slightly. Roxas held the sea-salt ice cream loosely between his fingers and turned his whole body around so that he was fully facing Axel. "Where's this coming from?"

A sighed escaped the pyromaniac's lips. "I'm just reminiscing, I guess." He then let out a small grunt and sat up, reaching into his coat pocket. He fished for something and upon finding it, held it up in front of Roxas' face. "This is for you."

Roxas blinked and looked at the object Axel was holding. "WINNER?" he asked, eyes reading over the single word. It was the ice cream stick he had given Axel when he left Organization XIII, a farewell gift even. He took it from Axel's grasp and their fingers brushed against each other delicately. A jolt surged through them and Roxas pulled away first, dropping the ice cream stick.

"Roxas, you idiot!" Axel suddenly scolded, reaching out to catch the ice cream stick before it plummeted to the ground. He shook his head, running a hand through his wild crimson hair. "You need to be more careful! Be more alert or you'll fall off the tower again."

"Wait, how did you know I fell off the Clock Tower?" Roxas asked, forgetting his earlier disoriented moment. He could vaguely recall eating sea-salt ice cream with his friends before suddenly falling off the edge towards the grounds below.

Axel clicked his tongue, "How wouldn't I know? I was the one who saved your clumsy ass!" He reached out and placed the back of his hand against Roxas' cheek, caressing the skin gently. "And here I thought you remembered everything." He closed his eyes and his hand fell away at the exact moment that color tinged Roxas' cheeks. The older man hadn't saw Roxas' blush but perhaps that was a good thing.

A pale hand rose to place it against his cheek and Roxas couldn't help but blush harder at the warm impact Axel's skin had on his own. An embarrassed sound escaped Roxas' lips and he rubbed the back of his hair. "I didn't know you saved me. When I came to, I was already in my room." He mumbled a word of soft thanks and returned his gaze back to the setting sun. "You want to know something, Axel?"

Axel hummed, "Yeah?"

Roxas disposed of the finished ice cream stick and gripped it tightly in his hand. "I never thanked you for being my friend. I remember we had a mission in Twilight Town one day and afterwards, we had ice cream up on the clock tower. You said friends did like that or they laughed together." He then closed his eyes as his memories manifested themselves into images within his mind. "I always wondered if that meant we were friends."

The Flurry of Dancing remained quiet, watching his best friend very intently.

A silly smile crept its way onto the blonde's face. "You told me you were going away to Castle Oblivion, you told me because we were friends." The days he spent by Axel's side truly were precious memoies to him. His sky blue eyes swept over to look at the pyromaniac's set of emerald eyes. "You left before I could say goodbye though."

"Sorry." Axel chuckled.

Roxas took the WINNER stick from Axel and ignored the familiar jolt he received in the process. He looked at the ice cream stick fondly, turning it over to examine it both sides. "I saved this stick for you. I heard that if you trade it in, you get a free stick of sea-salt ice cream. I wanted to give it to you as a reward for when you got back from Castle Oblivion." A hand came up to rest itself on Roxas' heart, "I heard from the seniors that whole C.O team had been wiped from existence and I remember feeling so choked up. I've never felt like that before. It was painful and it hurt really badly."

"Roxas…" Axel called softly, his heart clenching at the sight of his best friend's tormented face.

"I still went up to the Clock Tower though to have some ice cream though." Roxas shook his head. "I thought that maybe you hadn't been eliminated and would come eat ice cream with me." Roxas turned to look up at the sky, "But you never came. No one did." He then let out a sharp exhale of air. "Then you just show up out of the blue like nothing ever happened." The Key of Destiny grinned at Axel. "That choked up feeling I had disappeared when you came back."

"You're being oddly sentimental." Axel remarked, playfully nudging Roxas' shoulder with his. He then shook his head slightly, watching his hair shake wildly. "I don't how you did it, but you gave me a bizarre illusion of humanity."

Roxas suddenly smiled a genuinely kind smile. "I made you feel like you had a heart, huh?" He asked, reciting the very same words Axel had said to Sora before he died. He had been there when Axel had sacrificed himself albeit within Sora's heart. He remembered seeing Axel explode with power and Roxas was in awe, he had never seen the pyromaniac so determined to win before.

Axel laughed at that and Roxas found himself loving the melodic sound of it. No. 8's cheeks warmed in slight embarrassment and the Flurry of Dancing Flames crossed his arms. "Yeah, pretty much." He reached out to ruffle Roxas' hair affectionately.

"You know what, Axel? I'm glad we're friends." Roxas stated with a happy grin. The blush on the red head's face got visibly worse at Roxas' words but Axel was quick to look away. This new heart of his was making him act really strange! A few seconds passed before Axel faced his best friend with his face set as always.

"Yeah, me too." Axel then fell backwards to lay down on the roof and this time, Roxas joined him. The two were lying together comfortably and once again, Roxas inhaled Axel's comforting scent. "You don't know how hard I was struggling when Saïx gave me the orders to eliminate you if you refused to come back." Axel let out a small grunt, "I didn't want to do it and I remembered thinking that I'd do anything to stop you from leaving."

Roxas turned on his side and reached out to run his fingers against Axel's new VIII tattoo. "Despite all that, I still left the Organization. I remember seeing you and you told me to stop." He laughed at that memory of the two. "I wouldn't have listened either way. At least we were –"

"I missed you." Axel cut in, turning his head to look at Roxas. The fingers he felt against his skin were warm and brought immense comfort to his quickly beating heart. "You said no one would miss you but you know what? I would. I did. And when we're apart, I do." A sigh escaped Axel's lips as he struggled to say the right words without giving too much of himself away. "You're my best friend, Roxas. You taught me so many things and it sucked to see you go. After you left, I use to wish that we could share ice cream again someday; that's what it is to be friends after all."

"I'm right here." Roxas murmured softly. He then touched his ice cream stick to Axel's, "And we just finished eating ice cream. That 'someday' is turning into 'everyday'. We'll always be friends, Axel." Roxas promised with a kind smile.

No more words were said and the two turned so now they were lying on their backs. Emerald green and sky blue eyes looked upwards at the darkening skies and both Axel and Roxas involuntarily shifted closer together. They were best friends and their time apart hadn't changed that.


"You sense it too, don't you?" A voice asked, rousing Cloud out of his thoughts and causing him to turn around. He had been out at the Dark Depths where he had fought Sephiroth to collect his thoughts. Although this was the place that his darkness had confronted him, it ultimately gave him an ominous sense of motivation. His mako blue eyes focused forward and he saw Leon standing behind him with a troubled expression. "There's a malevolent feeling in the air." He explained, walking forward to stand in front of the blonde.

Cloud's eyes tensed at the lion's words and he grunted softly. He turned back around to look up at the sky. "Yes, I feel it too. I wonder what it could be." Involuntarily, he reached behind him to grab at the hilt of his Buster Sword. "Could it be the Heartless?" The clouds in the sky were dark and black as they enveloped Radiant Garden in a world of eeriness. Without another word, Cloud pulled out his weapon and held it at the ready. His knees bent into a crouching position, "I'm going."

Leon quickly reached out and grabbed Cloud on the shoulder to stop him. "You're not going alone." His fingers flexed tightly as he spoke and the lion's face turned hard. "You can't always do things alone, Cloud."

The blonde shrugged him off his shoulder roughly. He turned to look over his shoulder and he glared fiercely at Leon. "I don't need your help, Leon! I can do things fine on my own!" Cloud crouched lowly again and gripped the hilt of his Buster Sword. He jumped downwards and ran in direction of the Great Maw where the 1000 Heartless battled against Sora and his friends.

"Cloud!" Leon shouted, holding his hand out. A ball of intense fire formed at his palm and the brunet thrust his hand forward, firing a Firaga at his friend. Cloud, sensing Leon's attack, merely sidestepped it. He was nimble and quick on his feet, having been trained to fight for many years. The blonde just kept on running. "When are you going to stop running? When are you going to realize that it's okay to feel scared?" Leon shouted, challenging him.

The other man's words stopped Cloud dead in his track. He turned around and glared once again, trying to ignore the painful feeling in his chest. "What are you talking about?"

It didn't take long for Leon to make his way towards Cloud. The lion had pulled out his Gunblade and was resting it on his broad shoulders. "All you ever do is run. You've always been running from something, every since I've known you." Leon's eyes tensed. "I've watched you for years and I finally figured out why it is that you run."

"Enlighten me."

"It's because you feel guilty and worried that you won't be able to protect the people you care about." Leon answered, tilting his hair to the side. He watched with sympathetic eyes as Cloud's own pair of eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Since the blonde hadn't said anything, Leon continued. "I know you feel, Cloud." His blue eyes suddenly casted themselves downwards, "I know what it feels like to not be able to protect the ones you care about, it's why I changed my name. 'Squall' died alongside his world when the Heartless raided it. I was helpless to stop them."

Cloud was speechless. He and Leon had always been friends but he had never once heard Leon speak like this before. It was at that moment that the blonde realized how much he and Leon had in common. Everything they did was to protect the people loved and cared about. Perhaps what they lacked in each of their lives, they could find in one another. Cloud's hand ache to reach out to Leon but he stood his ground, ultimately clenching his fist to stop them from moving.

"You don't have to run anymore." Leon said, lowly, bowing his head at Cloud. A loud, deafening roar suddenly throughout the air and Cloud and Leon quickly sprang into a battle stance. "What the hell was that?" The blonde hadn't replied, he just furrowed his brows in confusion. What had made that noise? The darkening clouds then began to break apart to reveal a large gray and black body.

"What the hell is that? A Heartless?" Cloud suggested, squinting his eyes to get a better look. Whatever it was, it had a large body. Its body was draconic-like but with wings like that of an eagle. Its body consisted of four legs and a long tail that oddly resembled a serpent's. Its talons were gold and its wings were an array of colors: red, orange, purple and yellow. Attached the beast's body was a yellow, circular disc. The unknown monster let out a roar before it tucked its wings close to its body and dove. It came spiraling down quickly, plummeting towards the ground and causing Leon and Cloud to jump away. It looked insanely tough and intimidating up close but Cloud and Leon weren't worried, they were a force to be reckoned with when they fought together. "

"Think you can handle it?" Leon teased lightly.

Cloud flashed him a smirk. "Oh? You're not fighting too?" Leon grunted in reply but the smirk on his face was lively. Simultaneously, the two ran forward with their weapons. They attacked and swung their swords expertly yet the unknown beast remained unfazed, if anything, it only served to full its anger. It clenched his fists and several orbs of dark energy began to form. With a mighty, it sent its blast hurdling towards the two swordsmen.

A bead of sweat formed at Leon's temple. "We may need the others' help for this." He panted. "Shit." He cursed again, hoping that Sora and the others would come to help.

"Sora wouldn't be able to stay away." Cloud chuckled, his chest heaving a little due to his hard breathing. "Let's entertain it for now." With a determined nod, the two rushed forward to attack the beast again. The strangest thing about this beast was that it lacked the usual markings of a Heartless but they hadn't paid attention to that, they were focused on eliminating the monster.


Author's Notes: Hi again! Sorry for the short chapter, I've got to get up early for class. I'm sad my break is over. I liked it better in winter break when college gave me three month long winter breaks hahaha. I hoped you guys liked this chapter! Pretty please read and review! Seeing reviews makes me update way faster. I'm sorry for the grammar and spelling mistakes! I'm really tired and just wanted to get the chapter up, I'll probably re-edit tomorrow after I've posted it and just reload that chapter. Yeah, this chapter is pretty raw

Final Words: 7.7k
Final Characters: 35k
Final Pages: 13