Title: These Moments

Summary: Axel is happy with the way things are.

Word Count: 288

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Axel watched the last sliver of gold slip over the horizon as the pink-orange of sunset faded away to dusk, and cherished the fading warmth that Roxas had left behind.

There were these moments, when he came, when he stayed, when they were both able to occupy the same space without Axel cracking a sardonic line of some sort, or Roxas answering with a caustic retort. When he could, ever so slowly, turn his head to catch a glimpse of green-blue out of the corner of his eyes- Roxas watching him- before their eyes met, and the blonde looked away, a pale flush on his cheeks. When they sat beside each other on the dark balcony, hands not quite touching, looking out into the World that Doesn't Exist, and Axel decided that it wasn't such a dreary place after all, with Roxas beside him.

Sometimes, the itch to wander grew too strong, and he left the dark world. And sometimes, Roxas would follow.

And of course, sometimes, he wouldn't.

Axel didn't let it bother him too much. His Roxas was like that. His Roxas, yes, though the redhead had been careful not to let that phrase slip out of his mouth around a certain bad-tempered blonde. And so, Axel had actively sought out those brief moments of companionship, and to some point, Roxas had obliged, coming more and more often, though 'often' for Roxas still meant perhaps once for every five or six trips Axel made outside. Axel enjoyed the time they spent together like this, and he couldn't help but hope that Roxas did as well. A brief fragment of peace, of their acknowledged affinity for one another.

Not often. Not long. But there were these moments.

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A/N: Snippet of a story that I couldn't find myself expanding any further. Incidentally, this is probably one of my only pieces so far that's fluffish, rather than bittersweet.