Friends.
Axel contemplated the word as he sat perched on roof of the tram, letting it take him along the tracks through town. The previous day, he'd told Roxas that they were friends. That sitting on top of the clock tower, eating ice cream and watching the perpetual sunset was what friends did.
He remembered, in his past life, telling Ventus that they were friends after only a short battle and a few passing comments. Isa had teased him about picking up stray puppies, and he'd immediately retorted that he wanted everyone he met to remember him. Because… "Inside people's memories… I can live forever."
When he told Roxas they were friends, he didn't have the same motivation. After all, Axel was essentially immortal now that he was a Nobody. All he wanted in that moment was to have a connection with this kid… This kid who was absolutely not Ventus; this kid who the Organization was building their entire plan around; this kid who had no idea who he was in his past life and who wanted nothing more than something solid, something to hold on to.
This kid who had just materialized on top of the clock tower.
Axel couldn't fight the fond smile that formed on his lips as he saw the blonde flop down unceremoniously. In a matter of two weeks, he'd already come out of his shell, developed a personality that was far from that of Ventus. It was so different that Axel was beginning to wonder how he'd seen any connection between the two, despite their similar appearances. Ventus had been sad when he'd approached him, but it only took a challenge for a battle for a smile to light up his face.
"I'd give anything to see that smile again." Axel murmured to himself as he hopped off the trolley, walking to the snack stand to purchase two bars of sea-salt ice cream.
He'd told Roxas that sea-salt ice-cream was the "icing on the cake" after a long day or a successful mission. But the real icing was sitting together, enjoying the illusion of friendship for as long as they could.