Disclaimer: Blah Blah Blah you know it and we know it already.
A/N: The last chapter, guys! We can't believe it's done with now. Enjoy the last chapter and be sure to review if you ever want to see another fic by us again. xP
Roxas blamed his lack of experience in relationships and everything to do with them for not understanding what Axel was talking about right away. Several moments later, it clicked.
Roxas's eyes were wide, his face a cherry. "Axel... I'm not ready..."
Before Axel had a chance to say something, Roxas was halfway down the hallway. The redhead sat there for a moment, staring at the door. Just when he thought he had figured Roxas out, he immediately confused him again.
Axel simply sat there for a while, his face planted in his hands and the phrase 'I'm an idiot' repeatedly leaving his mouth. He should have known not to pressure Roxas even slightly -- it would, quite obviously, only push him away. Axel felt like nothing more than an insensitive moron at that moment, but he knew he had to get up and fix things. So he did.
Axel was dashing down the hallway, looking for some sign of Roxas. He should have gotten up sooner, but his guilt wouldn't let him. Where could he have gone? And just then, it came to him.
He looked in all directions first to make sure no one was around, and then made a portal. He walked into it slowly, looking around the area it had taken him to. Axel saw the familiar glimmer of Roxas's hair. I knew it. There he is. Out of all the places he could have checked, Axel knew there was only one place Roxas would have gone to: their spot.
Axel gave a sigh of relief when Roxas didn't notice him come in. He didn't want to be noticed just yet. He merely stood in one place for some time, silently watching as Roxas stared up at the sky. Both of their minds were on the same subject; Axel continued putting himself down, and Roxas was considering that maybe he overreacted a bit. It was only when Axel saw that Roxas was beginning to shiver that he moved forward; without words, he wrapped his arms around the younger boy and lent him warmth.
Axel rested his chin against Roxas's shoulder, whispering softly in his ear. "I'm sorry..."
Roxas just smiled, turning his gaze to Axel. "It's okay. I overreacted."
Axel frowned. "But I came on too strong."
Roxas shook his head. "But I should have known better than to run away. Can we just forget this?"
It was Axel's turn to be clueless. "What?"
"Let's pretend that I had never ran out of the room." Roxas was still smiling, nuzzling Axel slightly.
Axel's expression immediately changed to one of contentment. "I guess I could do that."
Roxas smiled, turning his body around so he could fall into Axel's arms. No matter what stupid things either of them did, they always seemed to be able to work everything out. Or, in this case, simply forget about it.
They stared off into space for a while, just enjoying each other's company. It wasn't until Axel felt Roxas shiver once again that the silence was broken.
"You still cold?" Axel asked. He wore a look of concern upon his face.
Roxas nodded. "A little. Shall we go back to the castle?"
Axel smiled. "Of course." He gently took hold of Roxas's hand and pulled him up by his side, holding onto it even as he created a portal.
"You don't want to walk back this time?" Roxas questioned, a little disappointed; even though it would have meant he'd be out in the cold for a few more minutes than necessary, he liked the walk back to the castle. When Axel was with him, at least.
"Too much effort," Axel replied with a laugh, causing Roxas to roll his eyes at the redhead's laziness.
The portal led to the inside of Axel's room. They walked in, hand-in-hand, sitting back on the bed like they usually did.
It felt like there was only a few seconds of silence before there was a loud knocking on the door.
"If that's Demyx, I'm gonna smack him," Axel growled. He was irritated of being interrupted all the time. It was no wonder he wanted out of that place.
Roxas, however, doubted it was Demyx. He was never one to knock. But as Axel opened his bedroom door, he was proven wrong. There stood Demyx, grinning at Axel like the lunatic he was. It took a moment of Axel eyeing Demyx like he was a complete idiot -- and Roxas secretly doing the same -- before Demyx snapped out of whatever strange state he was in and revealed what he had come to Axel's room for.
"Xemnas wants to speak to you two, he said it's important," he informed, though with that same freakish grin still planted on his face.
Axel groaned, sighing deeply. "Alright."
Seeing as Demyx was still standing in front of them, even though he had told them what he'd come for, Axel decided to inquire about the odd behaviour Demyx had shown when he actually knocked on the door instead of barging in like he normally would.
"So, why did you knock?" Axel questioned.
"Because I could!" Demyx chirped. He spun around, leaving Axel's room and began skipping down the hallway.
"He's sane," Roxas remarked.
Axel groaned once again. He was glad that Demyx was out of his sight, but he didn't want to do whatever Xemnas was inevitably going to force him and Roxas to. The idea of freeing himself from the Organization was sounding more appealing every moment that passed.
Axel reached out his hand to Roxas, which the younger boy took. "Let's walk."
Roxas smiled, ambling along by Axel's side as they exited his bedroom. "I thought walking took too much effort?"
Axel smirked. "The longer I get to put off seeing Xemnas, the better."
Roxas nodded, silently agreeing. "What do you think he wants anyway?"
"Maybe we've done such a crappy job we're fired," Axel remarked, swinging Roxas's hand as they walked.
Roxas laughed. "Yeah, like he'd be that nice to us."
It wasn't long until they reached the audience chamber, where Xemnas often could be found. The walk was far too short for Axel's liking, but the sooner he and Roxas went in to see Xemnas, the faster it would be done with.
Axel's hand was on the knob of the door leading into the chamber. "Hopefully he really does fire us."
Roxas smiled slightly, nodding. "We can only hope."
Axel reluctantly opened the door. He glanced at Roxas before they walked in together. They were still hand-in-hand. Axel didn't care who knew about them, even Xemnas. The redhead was surprised that Roxas didn't seem to have any intention of letting go either.
The first thing both of them saw was the disgusted grimace painted on Xemnas's face. It may have been because of their affectionate hand-holding that caused it, or perhaps something different entirely. Either way, neither of them cared.
Axel arched an eyebrow at Xemnas's expression. "So. Boss. Whatcha want?"
Xemnas snarled, glaring at Axel. "Where have you two been?"
"Oh, you know. Around," Axel spoke, gesturing with his free hand.
Roxas frowned nervously. He didn't like how Axel was handling things.
Xemnas's eyebrows furrowed angrily. "You'll regret being so disrespectful, Number VIII."
Axel only smirked. Considering he and Roxas were planning on leaving the Organization as soon as they possibly could, he figured he might as well have a bit of fun before they did.
"Regret? What's that?" Axel was having fun messing with Xemnas. It was hard to know when to stop.
Xemnas growled. "Fine. I have a mission for you two."
Roxas continued to let Axel do the talking. Xemnas made him nervous. If he didn't have Axel holding onto him, Roxas feared his knees would give way. He was never one for standing up to people.
"Oh, do go on." Axel's eyes lit up. The idea of a mission intrigued him. Perhaps he could use it towards his and Roxas's advantage.
"I need you to go to Hollow Bastion and collect as many hearts as you can manage. I've sent everyone else on individual missions so you two are the only ones available for this."
Axel rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, boss. "
Roxas could practically see the rage in Xemnas's eyes. Axel's disrespect seemed to be getting to him.
"Just... get out of my sight. Don't come back until you think you have enough hearts. It just better be enough," he snarled. Xemnas was on his wits end. Axel was always driving him insane. He pointed towards the door, ordering them out.
Axel smiled a wide grin in Xemnas's direction before dragging Roxas out the door. Roxas couldn't figure out why Axel would be so rude to Xemnas; if he had gone any further in his remarks, Xemnas would have probably snapped.
"Hey, don't look so worried." Axel pulled Roxas from his thoughts. "We'll be out of here soon, and we won't have to deal with that anymore. I was just having a little fun."
"You sure?" Roxas asked, worry still clearly written all over his face.
"I'm sure," Axel reassured. "Now come on, let's get out of here."
"To Hollow Bastion, right?" Roxas recalled as he squeezed Axel's hand.
Axel created a portal, leading the blonde through it. "Hollow Bastion? I didn't hear Hollow Bastion." The portal closed behind them. "I think you mean Twilight Town."
Roxas gazed at Axel in shock. He was serious. Axel was really serious. Not that Roxas was complaining, but it was hard going against his nature. He was never one to defy authority, and frankly, Xemnas scared the crap out of him.
The portal took them straight to Twilight Town's tower -- it was almost a tradition for the two of them to go there. And now, maybe, they could go there as often as they liked.
Axel pulled Roxas over to himself, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and kissing the top of his head. Roxas snaked his own arms around Axel's waist and smiled into his chest. He finally felt truly happy.
"It's just us now, Sugarlips," Axel smirked with the use of Roxas's new nickname.
Roxas sighed, more out of amusement than frustration. "You really intend to use that name, don't you, Snickers?"
Axel laughed. It was a real laugh. He never felt that way before. He felt... free. He nuzzled Roxas, not saying a word.
Suddenly the silence that had taken over the area was interrupted by two birds flying past. Roxas stared up at them in awe, a smile instantly gracing his lips.
"Axel," he spoke, nudging his shoulder to get him to look upward.
Axel gazed up in the same direction as Roxas was, his expression matching the blonde's immediately.
Roxas sighed in contentment. "We're just like them now."
"Yeah... yeah, we are," Axel brought Roxas closer, his focus no longer on the birds. He cupped the blonde's cheek gently, simply gazing at Roxas.
Roxas was smiling, looking back at Axel. It was be impossible for him to not. He had an inkling that this was how things would always be from then on. They were no longer just numbers.
Even as a large flock of birds flew past them once again, their eyes were set only on each other. Axel brought Roxas's lips to his own, caressing them gently in a soft kiss. Roxas's eyes closed as he smiled and fell into Axel's arms.
Axel pulled away from Roxas to utter the three words he never thought he would. He smiled lovingly, his hand reaching to push the hair from the blonde's eyes. "...I love you, Roxas."
Roxas's eyes widened in utter surprise. A pleasant surprise at that. His smile grew wider. "I... I love you too, Axel," the blonde leaned forward to rest his forehead against his boyfriend's.
Axel moved in once more to kiss Roxas, this time for a long while. For once, things were working in their favour, and they knew they would continue to. Who said nobodies didn't have hearts? What they had was the real thing – they knew it.