A/N: Hello people of FanFiction and elsewhere! I feel like it's been forever! But- I'm finally back, and with a new penname too. I was once called 'xDarkMoonRoxas', but you may now find me under the name 'xDEaTh-WhIspER-HOlloWx'. It's still me- don't worry!

So without further adieu, I bring you the next chapter of xXHumanoidXx!

[{Chapter Four}]

"You can sleep here tonight, ROX-S." Axel motioned to a small futon set up into a bed in the corner.

"Sleep?" ROX-S asked.

"Yes, sleep. You need to shut your systems down for a while so you don't overheat." Axel explained.

"Oh... sleep." ROX-S nodded affirmatively, shuffling over to the makeshift bed.

Axel tucked the small android underneath the covers, because even though he was a machine, he would still get cold.

"Goodnight, ROX-S..." Axel said, stroking the android's platinum-blonde hair.

ROX-S stared up at him with un-blinking, sapphire eyes. Then with an expressionless face he said, "...Goodnight... Axel."

Axel abruptly stopped stroking ROX-S's silky hair. He had never told him his name- or had he just forgotten that he had programmed it in? Either way, it was becoming more and more apparent that ROX-S was more capable of comprehending information than he had first anticipated.

So, Axel just smiled a little half-smile, wanting to see how the android would react to his subtle body language.

ROX-S softly grinned back at him.

{xXx}

The next morning, Axel went downstairs to make his annual morning coffee, and was startled to find ROX-S standing like a statue in the kitchen.

"What are you doing in here?" He said, still a bit drowsy.

"ROX-S woke up. Looking for you." ROX-S stated simply.

Axel was searching for the words to respond to that. In all honesty, it didn't really matter that he was in the kitchen, but it WAS a problem that ROX-S was walking around by himself.

"Well next time you wake up before me, just stay in bed until I come downstairs, okay?"

"Okay!" He said cheerfully.

Axel smiled.

"I'm going to eat some breakfast, and then I have to run in to the lab and do some quick diagnostics. I'm inviting my close friend and ex-lab partner Dr. Strife to come over and watch you while I'm gone."

ROX-S seemed to process this, and then said, "Are you leaving ROX-S?"

"First of all, the correct grammar is me. And yes, I'll be gone for a little bit."

"So you ARE leaving... me?" ROX-S said, looking distraught.

"Yes, I am. But I'll be back soon, I promise." Axel reassured, and then noticed Dr. Strife's grey car pull into the driveway. "I have to go now, try not to cause too much trouble." he winked jokingly.

"...What's a... promise?" ROX-S asked.

Taken aback, the smile on Axel's face vanished. He crouched down so he was eye-level with ROX-S.

"What do you mean?"

"What's... a promise, Axel?" ROX-S asked again, his voice full of wavering uncertainty.

Axel looked down and let out a harsh sigh, then rubbed the back of his head. He mumbled, "How to explain this...?" Then said,

"Well...

um...

a promise is... a promise is..." Axel looked back up, and ROX-S's eyes looked like they were pleading for an answer.

He took a deep breath.

"A promise... is when a person says something that they truly, with all their heart, will do. No matter what they have to sacrifice to accomplish it. And it should never, EVER be broken."

ROX-S's cobalt orbs flickered for a moment, then seemed to be filled with a new light.

"ROX-S understands now." He smiled. "Axel will be back soon. No matter what."

"Right." Axel grinned.

Dr. Strife then knocked on the door.

Axel stood up and cursed under his breath as he fumbled with the lock on the doorknob. He opened the door and greeted his lab parter. "Hey! How's it going, Cloud?"

"Good. And you're doing well I take it? Where's the little android-wonder you were telling me about last night?"

Axel turned around and didn't see him at first, but then noticed ROX-S cowering behind him, clinging to his pants leg.

"What's wrong little fella? Shy?" Cloud cooed. He then turned to Axel "You really have achieved a magnificent feat. You got down to the nitty-gritty and even programmed fears. Genius!" Cloud patted Axel on the back in a congratulatory fashion.

Axel frowned. "Yeah, except I DIDN'T program fears. Not directly. He must have developed it somehow... because remember- I DID program him to learn from his enviroment. I also managed to figure out how to include instinctual-defense fear... which this may be a case of."

"Ah, I see..." Dr. Strife nodded. "Well in that case," He looked down at ROX-S again- who had been peeking out from behind Axel but then flinched back, and said, "It's okay buddy... I'm a friend of Axel's... you don't have to be afraid of me... I promise I won't harm you."

ROX-S looked startled by the word 'promise'. But then, he tenatively stepped out from behind Axel.

"...I'm ROX-S." He held out his hand.

"Call me Uncle Cloud." He said with a satisfied smile, and shook ROX-S's hand.

A/N: WHEW! It's done! Hope you like this chapter- I put lots of thought into the whole aspect of what a promise really is. I'm actually quite proud of the result.

Please... review to keep this story alive!