Crossover Part Four

Chapter Four: Tears

That was strange… Roxas thought. I looked away to close the door, but…I knew I saw Akira's hair black and his eyes were red…

Roxas hadn't known that Akira had changed back the moment they entered Master's Bar. His hair was a normal brown color, and his eyes were back to being faint grey.

He looked completely different…but now… Roxas dropped the subject.

Akira explained the situation, and Master wasted no time to heal the shadow. "Oh, I see, so these…heartless seem to have little or no effect whatsoever when you attacked them." Master summed up, while healing.

"But…you two…" He turned to Axel and Roxas. "You can hurt them."

Axel shrugged. "It's our job, to get rid of those things…"

"It almost looked like Kokuchi." Akira said, clenching his hands. "And Axel was right. I shouldn't have just rushed in."

Roxas shook his head. "W-Wait a minute, Akira, you were just trying to protect Shiro, right? It's not your fault…"

"Yes it is." Akira mumbled. "I should've just gotten Shirogane and rushed out of there." He lowered his head in a downcast. "If I did…this never would've happened. I was too inexperienced and overconfident."

"Don't torture yourself." Axel came in. "I'd do the same for Roxas."

"Yeah!" Roxas yelled. "And I'd do the same for Axel!"

Akira didn't reply.

Master finished the process and dusted his hands. "Well, he should come around in a bit." He said referring to Shirogane.

"…Master…" Akira began, soullessly.

Master faced Akira. He couldn't see Akira's face, but with the tone of voice, Master knew exactly what Akira wanted to say next.

"Please leave me here with him a bit longer…"

As if understanding, Master nodded. "Axel, Roxas…please come with me into the bar." Master paused. "I need someone tall to reach the higher places to put wine bottles."

Roxas and Axel looked at each other. "Sure, sure. Fine, fine…" Axel said after a sigh. He got up to leave. "C'mon, Rox."

Roxas stood up slowly and turned to look at Shirogane and Akira before leaving. "…" He looked at Akira's expression.

It was nothing he'd ever seen before. It looked like Akira was in pain…like he was desperate for Shirogane.

Roxas looked at the floor. …I'd act that way for Axel too…if that ever happened to him… He grimaced and left, not wanting to think about it.

Akira heard the door shut behind him.

Shirogane opened his eyes. "…So they're gone now?" He fastened to a more comfortable position and chuckled. "I thought they'd never leave us."

"…You bastard."

"Hmmm?" Shirogane looked at Akira who was, incredibly, crying for him.

"You're a damn sick bastard, you know that?" Akira said, sniffling. "You're always making me worry…" He squeezed the shadow's hand. "You're always…making me shed so many damn tears for you-!"

Shirogane placed a gloved hand on the other's face with a smile. "You're…worried about me…Akira-kun?"

Akira sniffed again. "…Of course I am…do you have to make me say it like that?" Akira seemed to glare at him. "Isn't it written all over my face…?"

Shirogane closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. You're just really out of character right now." He said. "It's only been recently that I've see you cry for me. I guess I'll just have to get used to it."

Akira swallowed. "…I'm just…" He wiped his face. "Really emotional right now." He said, straightening his voice. "…Sorry."

"Don't be." Shirogane said, suddenly pulling the boy forward and kissing him. "It makes me happy to see you crying for me."

Akira blushed. "…" He suddenly shrugged. "I-I-I have to go outside now!" He yelled, standing up. "A-Axel and Roxas will be wondering what's taking me so long in here!"

Shirogane chuckled at his movements. "Is that so?" He asked. "Well then, I'll be in here." He said, relaxing. "Master's treatment still is very painful. I'll recover for a little while longer."

Akira stopped being so flustered as he reached the doorway and paused. "…You're still a sick, sadistic bastard, you know?" He commented and left.

Shirogane let out another chuckle. "…I know."

Meanwhile…

"So…um…Master..." Axel began, after placing two wine bottles on the topmost shelf. "You're a healer?"

Master sighed. "Something like that." He said. "I heal those two, at least…"

Roxas sighed. "Those two seem really close." He mumbled.

Master faced him, not knowing if the boy wanted to be heard or not. "Well…a shadow must always stay close." He said wisely, the words 'shadow' and 'close' sounding like a ghostly whisper repeated them.

Roxas blinked. "Huh?"

Suddenly, Akira came out of the back room, looking a little sick and flushed.

"Hey there, Akira." Axel greeted.

Akira looked at him and Roxas. "Um…thank you for helping us out back there." He said, scratching his head.

"Don't worry about it!" Roxas replied.

Axel nodded. "Yeah. Like I said, don't torture yourself." Axel repeated. "Besides, it's our job."

Akira wanted to say more, but he couldn't find the words.

"Are you two going to be busy for tonight?" Master asked, giving Akira a hand. "Akira wishes to thank you. There's a festival tonight. Maybe you two, Akira, and Shirogane can go together?"

Roxas and Axel looked at each other.

"One momento, please." Axel said, pulling the blonde away to a far end of the room. "Are we going to be free tonight?" He asked.

"I guess so. But what about Siax?" Roxas asked.

Axel paused to think. "Eh, what the hell. I'll take care of him." He said, turning back to face Master and Akira. "We can…but only tomorrow. We can't tonight."

Roxas pulled Axel down. "But we're not doing anything tonight!"

"It doesn't matter! Siax isn't going to let us off that easy since we're late on schedule this night already! Do you want my head to be shot off?"

"…" Roxas sighed and faced the others. "Sorry, but it has to be tomorrow."

Akira blinked. "Well the festival isn't going to leave for another two days, so I guess it's okay." He shrugged.

"Then we can go." Axel declared.

Akira faced Master, and even though Master couldn't see him, he mouthed the words: 'thank you…'

Roxas blinked. "Um…Akira…" He began. "What's a festival?"

"It's just where you have fun. There are rides and games. You can win prizes…" Akira trailed off. "And there's a Ferris Wheel."

"Oh, I've heard of those." Axel suddenly said. "The big circle things, right?"

Akira nodded. Looks like I'll be riding that thing with Shirogane after all. He sighed. "Well, sorry for wasting your time, you guys. Thanks again."

Axel and Roxas nodded. "No problem." Axel remarked.

"So…see you tomorrow?" Akira asked.

They both nodded as they closed the door.

Axel wrapped an arm around Roxas's shoulders. "Nice miss on that heartless, man."

"Shut up."

"Dude." Axel began, poking his little uke's face. "You've been really out of it right now. Are you okay?"

Roxas sighed. "…Axel…" he began. "Would you cry for me if I were in the condition Shiro's in right now?" Roxas had been desperate for an answer ever since that picture of Akira and Shirogane in the back room of the bar.

Axel looked at him, a little surprised at the question. "…Well…" He combed his fingers through his hair. "…"

Roxas gave an agitated smile at the silence the other produced. "It's a 'no,' isn't it?" Roxas said with his bangs covering his eyes. "Heh, heh, heh. I thought not, Axel." He began walking ahead.

"Huh? Hey, wait a minute, Roxas…"

"Ha ha ha… It's okay, Axel." Roxas said half-heartedly and continued walking. "We have no hearts, I forgot. How stupid of me."

"Roxas, wait a minute…" Axel grabbed his wrist.

"Don't pull me."

"Roxas!"

"Don't pull me!" Roxas yelled, jerking away and facing Axel.

Roxas glared at him. "I just forgot, okay? I'm sorry that I even brought it up! We have no hearts anyway!" He placed a hand to his head and gave a frustrated sigh. "I'm sorry, Axel. I'm sorry, gosh darn it!"

Axel didn't know what to say. He reached a hand out to touch the boy, but Roxas stepped back as if Axel's hand was on fire.

"Don't touch me, Nobody." Roxas spat. "We're not supposed to have emotions anyway. We can't do anything about that except finish Kingdom Hearts. Let's just hurry up and do it."

"I'd cry for you."

Roxas stopped his tantrum and looked up at Axel's face, surprised. Axel was glowing in the moonlight, smiling down at him.

"I'd defiantly cry for you." Axel continued. "If you were in that condition, I'd really cry." He pulled Roxas into an embrace. "Because you said yourself, you'd cry for me too…right?"

Roxas tensed, but wrapped his hands around Axel's slim waist. "Yeah…that's why I wanted to know if you'd cry for me if it ever happened. I didn't want to be the only one…"

"Of course I'd cry." Axel held the boy close, nearly suffocating him. "You're the most important person to me. Got it memorized?"

Roxas suddenly found himself smiling at those warm words. "…Yes. I've got it memorized, Axel."

"Then let's go back to my room and continue where we left off last night."

Roxas glared at him. "…Way to ruin a mood, you douche."

Axel laughed. "I'm just kidding. He tousled Roxas's hair. "Come on. Let's go home. Besides, I think I've already abused you enough yesterday."

Roxas sighed again. "Okay."

Axel smiled at him. "Although I must say, Roxas…" Axel began as he led the way. "It makes me feel…what's the word…? Happy. Happy knowing that you'd shed tears for me."

Roxas held his hand as they walked towards home. "Yeah…me too, Axel." He smiled. "Me too."

Author's Note:

Hooray, it's chapter four up and posted. This chapter was a lot harder to write out than expected, ha ha... -sweat- Oh well, hooray for the drama (sappiness is a more appropriate word for this...), too. ;P

Thank you Hanawei, once again for you kind review. I'm very happy that there's someone out there who is actually reading this story. So I'll keep updating until the end. Thanks! :D

Reviews and critiques are greatly appreciated!

So yeah…