Hojo examined the Petri dish thoughtfully.

He hadn't known what to expect when he mixed Sephiroth's blood with Axel's. The SOLDIER was ignorant of the Jenova cells he carried so it had been a slight risk but he'd been too curious. Axel's description of the AI and nanites had raised interesting questions.

Some of them appeared to be answered although not in the way he would have wished. The Petri dish was dead. Nothing but a solution of plasma and burst cells. It seemed the nanites had reacted violently to the Jenova cells and they had returned the favor. He could find no living nanites or Jenova cells.

"Must keep the two breeds absolutely separate." Hojo had no idea what would happen if someone with Jenova cells was injected with the nanite solution but he suspected it would be like a disease. Jenova would triumph unless… unless mako was used to power the nanites? But that would empower the Jenova cells as well. "Hmm." Professor Hojo made a mental note to find a truly expendable subject to experiment on. Then he smiled thinly. There was one SOLDIER currently being held in solitary confinement, as a precursor to whatever Rufus and Reno decided to do with him.

Perhaps he could request Dolang's 'help' with his experiment.


"Axel, are you okay?" Roxas said, concerned, as they ate breakfast. Axel managed a weak smile.

"I'm fine." He actually wasn't fine at all but what could he say to Roxas? Hey, I'm immortal? Axel had no idea what to do about it and didn't want to trouble Roxas until he did. Roxas frowned and started to say something but Zack interrupted brightly.

"Okay! We're going to begin the day with some combat exercises. I'll be teaching you, Axel, while Cloud helps Roxas." Cloud nodded confidently. He was sure he could teach the basics to Roxas, although he wasn't actually a trainer. Axel eyed Zack worriedly as the black haired man gave him a friendly smile. "Can you make sure your AI isn't taking over? It won't be worth much if I'm not fighting you." Zack was sure Axel would benefit from learning himself and the redhead nodded.

"That's not a problem. It only takes over like that if my life is in danger. It's pretty quiet most of the time." Axel was grateful for that and thought the AI had been designed that way. It was meant to be an unobtrusive helper.

Axel got plenty of bruises proving his lack of competence, but he found to his surprise that he caught on very quickly. Zack was pleased with his quick reflexes, strength and accuracy. Axel had a feeling that his spatial acuity had a lot to do with it. It was easy for him to tell exactly where everything was and where it would be. He still had a ton to learn, though, and he was tired and sore when they were done. Roxas actually fared better. He'd learned to fight on the streets and Cloud was able to build from that knowledge.

"Now, I've gotten some stuff from your school." Zack said as he brought them to a different room. It was meant to be a break room but it had been changed to an informal classroom. Axel eyed the vending machine with longing but didn't ask for anything. "I haven't done high school work for a while myself, but I think I remember this." Actually Zack was underestimating his own abilities. He was able to help Axel with the math problems very well and Axel felt like he'd learned more in one tutoring session than he had with weeks of school classes. But then, he'd never let the teacher know he didn't understand. He'd just sat in the back of the class and failed quietly. Zack was making sure he was doing his work and helping him when he didn't get it.

"Ugh, math. Can we do some art?" Axel asked plaintively. He really wanted to draw something. Zack laughed and shook his head.

"Sorry, I can't draw worth spit. But I'll ask about getting you some tutors for that." Surely someone with enough security clearance could spend time tutoring Axel in his artwork. "You draw? Can I see?" Axel's books had been delivered, the ones that had survived his fight with Dolang. That had included his notebook. Axel nodded and passed it over. Zack flipped through the notebook, seeing scenes of life in Midgar mostly. As well as pictures of Roxas, Demyx and other friends… "What is this?" Zack stopped suddenly, staring, and Axel winced. He'd completely forgotten about the picture he'd drawn of Valeria.

"Just an idea of mine I got from a video game. Neat, huh?" Axel said brightly and Zack nodded, a bit bemused. The strange woman in the picture was eating a tamale and her face had been painted to look like a skull. He couldn't know that Valeria had given Axel a fun dream about the Day of the Dead celebrations on the world she considered home, the joint Terran/T'assa colony of Piquant. T'assa didn't believe in the Day of the Dead but they did most emphatically believe in parties. Any excuse for a party would do.

"It's different." Zack said diplomatically. He didn't think much in the picture made sense although it was extremely detailed and creative. The hair was particularly unusual and Zack had a hard time figuring out what it was supposed to be. Beads? Finally he gave up and handed back the notebook. "Your art looks very good to me although I wouldn't really know. Keep it up." It almost made him regretful, that they were taking someone so talented and teaching him to fight and kill. But then, it was hard to make a living on art. "Well, let me show you what fun you can have here." He thought they were full up on lessons for the day. Axel brightened and Roxas looked relieved. He'd been afraid that staying here would be very boring.

It probably would get boring after a while but as it turned out there was plenty to do. There was a break room equipped with computers and video games as well as a pool table. And while they were gone someone had set up a TV in their room with unlimited pay per view movies. There were no books, but Zack promised to arrange for some after Roxas asked. Axel didn't much care for recreational reading but the blonde boy would die without books around.

"Roxy…" Axel swallowed and hesitated, wondering what to say. They were alone now in the break room. "We – we might have a problem." Roxas looked up from a video game with a frown.

"What kind of problem?" Axel sighed and decided to just get it over with. It was better that Roxas knew anyway.

"Valeria says I'm not going to age." He stated and Roxas stared at him, shocked. "At all. That's one of the huge things the nanite systems do, stopping aging. I don't know what to do about it." In a way it was a great thing. Axel hadn't been looking forward to getting grey hair and wrinkles. But Roxas still would and that was horrible. "Valeria wants to get her ship. Maybe we can use it to go to her world… would you want to come?" It would truly be a step into the unknown. But surely Valeria's universe could give Roxas a nanite system. Valeria had mentioned that what Hojo had done had been a bizarre bastardization of the usual process.

"Of course!" Roxas sounded miffed at him and Axel blinked. "I hate this place. I'd love to see a universe full of aliens and super technology. Why would I want to stay here?" Axel had been thinking of how scary it was to jump into the unknown but Roxas was approaching it from an entirely different angle. This time he was the adventurous one, itching to see something new and fun. Axel tossed his head back with a laugh.

"Okay! It's a plan. I'll have to check with Valeria and make sure they could give you a system." He was sure they could though. Then he and Roxas could be together forever. Or until they got heartily sick of each other which he vaguely supposed could happen. It was hard to imagine now but after a thousand years things could change. But at least this way they would have the chance to find out.

"Also ask her when she wants to do this." Roxas advised him and Axel nodded with a grin. "We'll need to start working out where she's being held."

"Yeah. I'm going to start having insomnia." Axel reflected ruefully that he wouldn't be getting much sleep. But he was used to it. "I'll wander around at night and see what I can find." He was very good at spotting cameras now, thanks to Valeria's help. And the phasing would let him go places that should have been closed to him. He'd find the alien eventually. But for now… Axel grinned and pounced Roxas from behind, making the blonde boy squeak. "Why don't we do something else first?" He murmured, nibbling Roxas' earlobe. Roxas laughed and shut off the game, turning to kiss him.

"Strange, that usually puts me to sleep." He murmured and stood. "Let's go to our room though." He was pretty sure Reno and Sephiroth had both figured out their relationship but it would be better not to shove everyone's faces into it. Rufus could still decide to part them although if he did there would be much howling. Axel nodded and followed Roxas, admiring his butt a bit on the way. Roxas looked wonderful in tight jeans.

Soon they were on the bottom bunk bead, kissing and petting a bit. Axel paused for a moment, placing a hand beside Roxas' head. Roxas looked up at him, a bit confused, his fingers tangled in Axel's shirt. Bright green eyes met blue.

"You know I love you, right?" Axel suddenly said and Roxas swallowed. Love… was not something that had been part of his life until just recently. But it hadn't been part of Axel's either. Did he love the redhead? Could his scarred heart love anyone at all? The answer was easy to find.

"I love you too." Roxas said softly and Axel smiled slowly before kissing him again. Warm lips teased him and warmer hands began stripping away his clothing. Roxas moaned, tossing his head back as Axel moved down his chest and gently caught a rosebud nipple in his mouth, sucking the sensitive flesh for a moment before he moved down further. Axel smiled as he tugged on Roxas' pants, opening them to free the hard length inside.

"I can tell!" He said teasingly as he breathed on Roxas' erection, making the smaller boy gasp. Axel slowly licked him and had to block out a brief flashback to the last time he'd done this. But Roxas smelled and tasted good, nothing like that man. Axel began to slowly lick Roxas like his penis was the sweetest, tastiest ice cream cone in the world. He found one particular spot that made Roxas gasp and stopped to tease it, very gently scraping with his teeth. Axel slid down Roxas pants a bit more and reached in to cup his balls, giving them feather light touches and feeling Roxas' reaction. Axel finally took Roxas in his mouth, gliding his teeth over the blonde boys' throbbing erection. Roxas moaned loudly at the wonderful sensation then gasped sharply as Axel ran the head of his penis over his molars. It could have hurt but Axel was so gentle that it felt wonderful…

"Axel, I can't – can't…" Roxas moaned in disappointment as Axel let go of him with a small pop. But then Axel suddenly darted his tongue in, swirling it around his tip as he gave him a stroke with one hand. "AH!" The combination of sensations was too much and Roxas went over the edge, letting go.

"Oops." Axel realized a moment later that he hadn't thought that out very well and Roxas couldn't help but laugh. His come had ricocheted off Axel's tongue and gone all over the place. "Still have those kleenex's? And where's the lube?" They would be needing that. Roxas nodded and pointed over to the desk.

"Top drawer." Axel grinned and went to find it, shedding his own clothing along the way. It only took a few moments to get Roxas cleaned up and the blonde was already feeling frisky again. They were both young and could easily do it twice. Roxas gripped Axel's shoulders tightly as the redhead reached behind him, carefully opening him up.

"Axel." Roxas kissed his lover passionately, tasting himself on the older boys' lips. It stung a little but the sting was so good, just what he wanted and it got better as Axel found his prostate. "Anytime…" He didn't want Axel to make things too smooth. He wanted that edge. Axel pulled his hand away and slowly went inside, making Roxas gasp and cling to him like a limpet. Axel groaned heavily at the tight wet heat surrounding him, gripping him so perfectly. He began to slowly thrust and Roxas moaned before nipping his shoulder. "F – Faster!"

"Your wish… is my command…" Axel grinned and speeded his thrusts, taking Roxas in a quick, almost harsh rhythm. The younger boy was moaning in pleasure and Axel licked away a bit of sweat from his sweet skin. Bright blue eyes met green again and Axel felt the connection between them so intensely. This was more than just sex, it was love… Axel reached down to stroke Roxas in time with his thrusts, trying to hit his prostate every time. He wanted this to be good for the blonde. Suddenly Roxas tightened around him and Axel gasped raggedly, taken right to the edge. He felt Roxas throbbing in his hand and gave him a squeeze. The blonde released with a scream, his come splattering them both as Axel came a moment later. They both lay together, exhausted and pleased. "Love you Roxy." Axel whispered in his lover's ear and smiled as he felt Roxas curl up beside him.

"Love you too." Roxas whispered and Axel gently kissed him on the forehead before closing his eyes. He was just too tired to 'sleepwalk'.

There would always be time for that tomorrow.


Axel was puzzled by his surroundings. He was on some kind of ship but Valeria was nowhere to be found. The ship itself was very pleasant, with wide corridors and beige and brown colors with occasional writings and strange cross hatching on a few walls. Axel wasn't sure what that signified but he knew he was lost. And there was no one around at all. He was starting to get seriously worried when he finally came to a door and somehow knew Valeria was behind it.

"Valeria?" Axel touched the door and it opened. He frowned as he heard something odd and slipped into the room. Blinking, he realized that Valeria was in the bedroom. He peeked inside and stared. Valeria was kneeling on her bed and there was another T'assa behind her. Axel couldn't see her face since it was buried in Valeria's back. Her fronds were obscuring any view and for a moment Axel couldn't figure out what was going on… until Valeria made a strange, hissing sound and arched. "OH!" Horrified and amused, Axel quickly backed away and the door automatically shut. "Well damn." He hadn't meant to intrude on an alien wet dream, and he was sure that was what this was. "Hmm." Going over to the slot in the wall that Valeria had explained was a replicator, he quietly requested peanut butter cookies. He was sure Valeria would want some when she was done.

"Huh?" Valeria and the other T'assa stepped out of the room and stared at him, shocked and surprised. Then Valeria blinked and the second T'assa melted away as she rubbed her head. "Oh damn! I really thought… I was back here…" For a moment Valeria looked so sad that Axel was speechless. He'd never seen that kind of emotion from her before. Valeria was usually so happy go lucky. But then the moment passed and she sat down beside him with a sigh. She was entirely naked but didn't seem to care and Axel could see why. Her chest was as flat as a boys and she looked a bit like a Barbie doll between the legs. There was nothing to hide. "Sorry about that. That's a touch embarrassing."

"I can imagine. So I know how to give an alien blow job now, hey?" Axel asked cheerfully as Valeria growled and playfully swiped at him. He avoided it easily and tossed her a cookie. She bit into it with relish.

"I suppose, but don't think you're going to!" She retorted and Axel laughed. He liked her well enough but definitely wasn't into her that way.

"Roxas is the only one for me. Besides, you're lacking a penis." Axel almost regretted that comment as Valeria leered at him playfully.

"Penises are fun. They look so silly and do such interesting tricks… heh. Anyway. I doubt you're here to talk about penises." Valeria's smile vanished and she continued more seriously. "I'm sorry I freaked you out yesterday." She could see she'd broken the news to him badly. Axel waved it off.

"It's not important. The real question is, if we get you home and come with you, could your people give Roxas a nanite system?" Axel swallowed hard. "I – I don't want to live without him." Valeria nodded immediately.

"We definitely could, if things are still going well." Valeria frowned. "I don't know what we'll find when we get back. I'm not sure how long has passed and even if we're technically immortal, people die and things change. We'll just have to see… if we can get back at all. If not, I don't know. Maybe a full mako bath would let the nanites do their thing even to an adult." Axel winced at the thought.

"But it might drive Roxas around the bend." He pointed out. He knew about mako toxicity. Valeria nodded somberly.

"I know. We should try the spaceship first. We can always surrender to Rufus and co. if it doesn't work." Valeria paused her eating for a moment. "I guess that means we can't kill anyone escaping or they might be all ticked." Axel blinked and laughed.

"Imagine, not killing anyone! Whatever shall you do?" He teased her and she laughed. They both knew that Valeria liked to fight. It was her nature.

"I suppose I'll survive." Valeria snapped her fingers and she was clothed in a light purple jumpsuit. Like all of her clothing, it was cut to keep her fronds free. "I think you've got a handle on things. Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?" Axel thought about it and shook his head. He knew what to do. "In that case, let's do something silly!" A covered dish suddenly appeared on the table and Valeria grinned as she lifted the cover free. Axel blinked at the chocolate cake inside. "Death by Chocolate! Let's see who can eat more. GO!" Axel laughed as he tried the Death by Chocolate cake. It was absolutely delicious and he vaguely wondered if T'assa always had dreams this vivid, or if it was just because of the way they were connecting. He really couldn't tell.

Either way, he was going to enjoy it.