Chapter Ten
Axel attacked first, Roxas tried to reason. On his way through the basement in the 'haunted mansion' he had encountered his best friend. Axel had spoken, 'you really do remember me this time, I'm so flattered!' and Roxas had tried not to grin, because that was the Axel he remembered. The Axel he can't believe he had forgotten.
Axel attacked first, and Roxas drew Oblivion and Oathkeeper, jumping among the flames and dodging every single one because he remembered how Axel fought.
Because the first time they met, Roxas had been investigating the Organization members, and 'The Flurry of Dancing Flames' had been next on his list.
Strange, in that situation, Roxas knew that if he had a heart…
It would be breaking.
--
"Let's meet again… in the next life." Axel gasped, a weak grin on his face. Roxas nodded, stony faced, all the while thinking –
Don't break, please don't break.
"Yeah." Roxas choked out, not able to continue. He saw Axel paused.
"Funny… all because you have a next life." The redhead snorted, trying to cover up that oh god Roxas remembered.
He faded back into the portal, and from the darkness he watched with lonely eyes as Roxas continued his journey, through the corridor towards the shining egg with the hollow boy inside.
--
Roxas suddenly felt lonely.
He was looking at a hollow boy.
And knew it was himself.
--
Organization member XIII: Roxas. He used to fight with light, and wander in darkness.
Now he found himself consumed with it, and all he knew were soft voices talking somewhere that he could never find.
"Why do they keep calling me traitor?" Sora would ask himself quietly at times, when his teammates slept. Roxas didn't know if his other could hear him, but whenever Sora asked he would lean forward into the shadows and whisper softly.
"Because that's what you are."
--
When Sora was talking to different people, Roxas would jolt and an image of that person would flash quickly before his face.
The first time, he had almost cried because he realised that now he was whole – he could.
When he saw Hayner, Pence, and Olette, at the train station, he had cried. He had cried because he had left them alone, left chances to be with that stupid guy alone, and, most importantly and shallowly…
He was alone.
When he first saw Axel, he screamed into the darkness and tore at his chest, where beneath the skin he could feel a HEART beating.
Because he realised now that beneath the skin was what he'd give up to be with him again.
--
Sora defeated Demyx, the 'Melodious Nocturne'.
Roxas had long since given up screaming and crying and tearing. His throat would never get sore and his tears would float away into the darkness, and his wounds would always heal.
When Sora defeated Demyx, Roxas stared blankly into the darkness, before closing his eyes and releasing a shaky breath –
Hoping to whatever was out there,
That Organization member No.VIII wasn't next.