Things had worked out, and it never failed to amaze Roxas that they had. He was human, and to a naga, that was food. More than that, to this village, humans were enemies. Yet, Axel was his best friend, and more than that.

They had come together after they'd both lost everything. Axel had lost Zack, the closest thing to family he had ever known, and Roxas had lost his family, along with his home. Maybe it was because Roxas needed Axel so much, helpless as he was when the naga had saved him.

He'd come to the naga village with only the clothes on his back, which were nothing but sleep clothes. Axel had given him clothes, food, and place to sleep at night. More than that, he'd given him the promise of safety after so much fear, and a place to belong when it seemed there was no place left for him.

Maybe it was because Roxas needed Axel. That Axel discovered that he needed Roxas to. Needed someone to look after, someone to befriend and comfort, needed someone to help him make it through the pain of losing Zack.

It really was strange. A human had killed Zack, and nagas, including Axel himself, had destroyed Roxas's home village, killing everyone there. They should have hated each other, but out of their sorrow and grief, their friendship grew and their happiness. Together, against all odds, the naga and the human had formed a family.

Things weren't easy at first. Roxas was numb from grief and despondent at first. Axel was there to cheer him up, and help him through. Still it took some time for Roxas to get used to being with a naga.

The first surprises came his first morning there.

***
He awoke that day to find himself in a strange place, wrapped in the naga's coils. At first, he had no memory of the night before, and panicked.

His struggles woke Axel, who sat up, looking at him confused. "Not gonna bite."

Roxas calmed, looking blank a moment, as the events of the previous night came back to him, "Axel?"

"Good, you remembered."

"Yeah," Roxas nodded. "Just… I was dreaming. I was back home. I…forgot." He looked away sadly. It was just a dream. Home was gone, and now this was…was where he'd stay. So this was the first day of his new life as Axel's…pet? He had said the night before that Roxas wasn't his slave, but Roxas wasn't sure. Axel wouldn't be cruel, Roxas believed him on that, he wouldn't have to call him Master and Axel wouldn't hit him. Still, Roxas assumed he still was his essentially Axel's servant now. Besides, nice or not, Axel was still a naga, and Roxas wanted to be sure Axel had a reason to keep him around.

"It's ok, I understand." said Axel kindly. "Waking up in a new place is always a bit confusing."

"How long were we asleep anyway?"

Axel looked outside; the sun was just rising. "About twenty four hours from the looks of it."

"A whole day?" asked Roxas, slightly shocked. "I've never slept that long in my life."

"You've been through a lot," said Axel, "you needed it, we both did. Since we're up now though, we might as well get up. Lots of work to do."

Axel showed him around, instructing him on the chores he'd be expected to do when he awoke. There were cows that needed milking, chocobos that needed to be fed then taken from their paddocks and let roam, and a host of other tasks. Roxas was no stranger to that sort of work, being a farm boy, and Axel did not merely order him about, but worked alongside him, like Cloud would have back home.

Still, Roxas was more than eager to do more than his fair share. He wanted to show that he could work, and that despite his young age and small size, he was worth keeping. Axel wouldn't regret sparing his life, or decide later Roxas would be put to better use as a meal.

After they'd finished their morning chores, Axel turned to Roxas. "All right, I think we both could use baths. Because I don't know about you, but I'm a little tired of smelling like gun powder."

It was true; Axel was practically caked with soot from the cannons and ash from the smoke that had consumed Roxas's village. Roxas, though not as much of a mess, was still finely coated from the smoke and soot, himself. Besides that, they were both sweaty from working, so Roxas readily agreed to the getting cleaned up.

Axel took two towels as well as other supplies and put them in a cloth sack to carry down to where they would bathe. Then he led Roxas down to a spring, a little ways down from the barn. The water in the spring was crystal clear, and even warm. A hot spring which fed a tiny creek that flowed from it.

The spring was surrounded by a small thicket of trees, keeping it shaded. Axel hung the towels on a tree branch before slithering in, and relaxing into the water. Roxas stopped to strip off his pajamas, and followed. The eleven year old felt no embarrassment bathing with the other; they were both guys after all. So he splashed into water, which for him was fairly deep, up to his chest. He swam around a bit, enjoying the feelings.

Axel focused on getting clean, scrubbing the layers of grime from his skin and scales. It took awhile, because his coils were very long, but finally he finished. He then called to Roxas. "Hey kid, catch." He tossed him the soap, which Roxas managed to grab. "Now quit playing around and clean up."

Roxas nodded, and began to scrubbing. Meanwhile, Axel poured an ointment, shampoo, from a small clay pot, and lathered it into his long red hair. Once he had rinsed the lather from his hair, he motioned for Roxas to come over. When the boy complied he slathered some of the ointment from the pot onto Roxas's hair and instructed him to wash. This too Roxas did at once, and soon enough both were clean from head to toe, or tip of tail depending.

They then climbed out, reaching for towels to dry off, and wrap up in. Axel put the soap, the jar of shampoo, and Roxas's pajamas back in the cloth bag which he slung over his shoulder.

"Wow, we were really dirty," said Roxas. "You're even more of a redhead than I thought."

Axel laughed. "Yeah, I could hardly tell you were blond before." he said, ruffling Roxas's hair. He then paused, eyes widening. "Whoa!"

"Axel?" he asked, confused.

"Now that you're clean, I can smell you properly," he said. "It's incredible. You really are delicious." A coil slinked around Roxas, and pulled him closer, and Axel continued to sniff him. "mmm," His eyes closed, and his stomach audibly growled.

"Axel?" Roxas spoke his name more fearfully now. "Please!"

Axel shook his head, eyes opening. "Oh, wow, I think it's time for breakfast."

Roxas whimpered, and began to thrash.

Axel just rolled his eyes. "Oh, hey now, relax. Wasn't talking about you, Rox."

The human relaxed as the coils unwound. However, his breathing was still heavy, and his heart refused to slow.

"Sorry to scare you like that," said Axel. "You just smell really good, and I'm hungry. Which is why I think I should get some food, before I lose myself again. Sorry, I just got caught up in how mouth watering your scent really is."

"That doesn't really make me feel better!" stated Roxas.

"I wouldn't have eaten you, and I won't any time soon, all right. So you don't have to be afraid of me, just chill."

Roxas sighed, heading back towards the barn. "All right, sorry." He just didn't like the knowledge that he smelled delicious to the person he'd be spending most his time with. He stopped and looked at the naga. "Axel?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't change your mind about keeping me. I…I know that you think I'd be good to eat, but I swear I'll be worth keeping. You saw how good I am with the chocobos, and anything you want me to do I will, but please don't kill me."

"Hey," said Axel gently, comfortingly, as he slithered closer to Roxas. "I'm so sorry to upset you this much. I'm an idiot, come here." He hugged Roxas, and despite his fearfulness a moment ago embraced him, holding him. "You're safe with me, I promise."

Roxas nodded, and wiped away the tears that had begun to form. "I'm sorry, I…I'm acting like a baby."

"No," said Axel, "you're a human in very close proximity to your natural predator, fear is kind of reasonable. Besides, you've also been through a lot, your whole life ripped away practically. Being a little emotional is understandable."

"Natural predator?" he asked, "So have you…eaten…" Roxas couldn't complete the question. It was probably better not to know.

"I'm not going to lie; if we'd met under different circumstances I'd have downed you in an instant, little one."

Roxas's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Let me put it this way. Naga law, in regards to killing is simple," he said, and then recited. "Kill to eat, only what is needed to feed yourself or your kind that cannot hunt for themselves. That which you can catch is yours to eat, and it is right for the predator to kill so it may live, and right for prey, be it newborn or in the prime of life, to die, for it thus that life exists. But never kill for pleasure, but defend your kin, kind, and home with whatever force is needed." He finished speaking and looked at Roxas. "If I found you alone in the woods, and was hungry, I would have eaten you. But, if I had killed you in that barn, it wouldn't have been out of hunger, it would be revenge pure and simple, and I don't have a taste for that. Now, I've made a promise to myself, I'm looking out for you, which means, even if I get hungry and under normal circumstances you'd be prey, I am not going to hurt you, plain and simple. So don't worry, you're delicious, but you're safe with me."

"Thanks," said Roxas. "That means a lot. So, I'm safe, even like, when I get older. You're not just going to fatten me up for later, are you?"

"Maybe?" smirked Axel. "But don't worry so much, for now you're safe and sound. I like you, Roxas. And, please, you don't have to do anything for me to convince me not to kill you or anything. Just help me out. Like when we get back, you can do the laundry, it is tough work, but you can handle it. In the meantime, I have to go the main village to bring in the latest clutch of unfertilized chocobo eggs. I'll pick us up something for breakfast while there, and start cooking dinner after I get back, you like stew?"

"Sure," Roxas said, "and thank you. I'll get everything done before you get back. I've done laundry before."

"All right, I'll show you what needs washing. These towels are fine, but you'll probably want to wash those garments you were wearing."

"My pajamas? Oh yeah, right, I will.' said Roxas nodding, and then a thought occurred. He didn't have anything else to wear, nor did he have any clothes. He sighed heavily; he didn't want to ask Axel for anything. Even if Axel wasn't going to eat him for being a burden, he still didn't want to be too much trouble. All the same, he couldn't run around barefoot and naked for the rest of his life. "Um…Axel, would it be possible…could you?"

"What it is? Just ask," said the naga.

"Kind of need clothes, and shoes. They're this thing humans wear to cover their feet."

Axel nodded. "Yeah sure, I'll see what I can do. The raiding party pretty much ransacked your house, along with a few others before we torched everything, so we'll probably have lots of human stuff, even some of yours."

Roxas looked away, stung by how causally he had said that, and wincing inwardly at the reminder of the events of a couple nights ago. Tears behind his eyes, threatening to spill out, but Roxas fought them. Still, even without crying, Axel easily read the sorrow on his face.

"Oh… sorry Roxas. I… I shouldn't have." He sighed, and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, for everything really, for what you lost, that this happened. I know it's not much, but…" He sighed, and smiled weakly.

They had reached the barn again, and fell into silence, except for necessary communication. Axel showed Roxas to the laundry room where their wash tub was kept, and showed him the fountain in the center of the barnyard, fed naturally be a spring, from which he could take water. He then gave him the things to wash, bedding, and various blankets and rags, and let him begin while he tended to his own task of collecting eggs.

Soon Axel was gone, slithering off towards town with a huge basket in his arms. Roxas continued to work, glad of the task to keep him busy. When he was busy, it was easier not to think about…everything.

Having no clothes to change into, and not wanting to get the towel soaked if it slipped from around his waist, he hung up the towel and did his work in the nude. After all, there was no one around, and he had no way of knowing that very soon there would be.

He was hanging the first things he'd finished washing on a line which ran from the main barn, where the chocobo were kept, across the barnyard to the cow's stables, when a voice startled him so much he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Axel?" the voice called, it was a little girl's voice, someone around Roxas's own age.

Roxas jumped in surprise, then scrambled to hide behind the sheet he'd just hung. He peered around it at the new comer. She was pretty, pale with large blue eyes framed by raven hair, matching an ebony tail, the same black as many of the other naga he'd see had. She wore a sari of black silk which covered her upper body like a belly dancer's top.

She saw him, and jumped back at well. "Oh," she exclaimed in surprise. "Sorry…I was looking for Axel."

"Oh," said Roxas, "he went to the village to do some business."

"Ok, I guess, could you tell him I stopped by?" she asked, "oh, I'm Xion by the way, what's your name? And, why are you hiding?" She slithered forward.

Roxas's face burned red at the prospect of being seen naked by a girl. "Hey, don't come any closer ok, I'm not dressed."

She tilted her head to the side, "Dressed? But boys don't wear—" Xion fell silent as she came around the side of the sheet and saw Roxas fully.

The boy hastily covered himself with his hands, and stumbled backwards towards the fence where's he'd hung his towel from earlier.

"You're a…a human." She said, gaping at him in amazement. "I've never seen one before."

He covered himself with his hands. "Um, could you maybe close your eyes for a second." asked Roxas desperately.

"Why?"

"Well, I'm naked, and I'd like to wrap up if you don't mind!" he said flustered, as he contined to blush. "Just please close your eyes!"

Xion nodded, then giggled, "Oh. Wait, so you mean, with humans everything is just…out there…all the time?" She laughed harder, and Roxas felt like he was going to die from embarrassment. However, she did turn around, "I'm not looking, go ahead."

Roxas rapped the towel around his waste in a makeshift kilt. "Ok, you can turn around now."

The girl did, smiling at him. "So, what are you doing here? Are you a prisoner from the battle? Is Axel going to eat you?"

"I hope not," said Roxas, "and I guess I am. I mean, I'm Axel's…er pet. Which means that you shouldn't eat me or anything."

"Eat you?" she asked. "You're much too big, or I'm too young to. It'll be a few more years before I can swallow someone my own size or bigger. You do smell good though, kind of. But I don't think I'd eat you anyway, I mean," she smiled, "you don't seem that different from me, human or not."

"Thanks," Roxas smiled. "Anyway, I have chores to finish."

"I can help." she offered.

"You don't have to, really." said Roxas hastily.

"No, I want to, until Axel gets back. You see, I'm hoping that, in a few years when he's old enough to take an apprentice, I can be it. I like animals, and want to learn from him, so today I was going to ask him about it. Maybe if I help you out, and show that I'm useful, he'll be more likely to warm up the idea."

"Apprentice huh?"

"Yeah, humans don't do that?" she asked, "in our village when a nagaling reaches ten years old, we chose a mentor, or a mentor chooses us, and they teach us the craft we'll practice when we grow up. However, if there's a mentor we want who's not yet of age to take an apprentice or already has one that's about to be finished with apprenticeship, we can wait a few years until they're available. Axel can take an apprentice when he's twenty three, I'll be thirteen then, but because I'm ten now, I have to know if he'll accept me when the time comes."

"Oh," said Roxas nodding. "So everyone takes a mentor?"

"Yes," she said, "Axel's mentor is a female named Jesse. Jesse is the mistress of cannons and gunpowder, but Axel wants his main job to be here with the animals because he likes them. I like them too, do you?"

"Yeah," said Roxas, "I was raised on a chocobo farm."

"That's so cool," said Xion. "Maybe after we finish the chores, you could show me the birds, and tell me about them."

Roxas smiled, "sure," glad that it seemed he had made another friend.