If We Had Hearts
Author's Note: I want to address the questions about Xion's gender. I knew Xion's appearance would cause some confusion so I'll do my best to explain. To put it simply Xion has no set gender, it's flexible based on who is looking at him/her. For Roxas, Xion's appearance changes depending on their relationship. Xion's initial appearance resembled Riku because of the possible romantic connection Xion and Roxas had… but now that Roxas has clarified that Xion is only a friend her appearance is similar to that of Kairi's just like in the original game. This is the same for anyone else looking at them such as Axel seeing Roxas and Xigbar seeing Ven.
Hope that cleared a few things up! Now enjoy the fic!
Chapter 10: The Twilight Town Trio
~Day 118~
Vacation…
Roxas had never heard of this word before. Apparently it was a day with no missions and you could spend your time however you want. Axel was taking a nap, Xion was training, and the other organization members busied themselves with whatever suited them. This left Roxas with nothing to do and a puzzle to figure out.
How did she want to spend her free time?
She could go nap with Axel, the thought of curling up with him sounded pleasant but she was too restless to sleep. She could work on her abilities and train with Xion, but the thought of spending all day in the simulation room didn't really sound inviting. So what did she really want?
"Ice Cream…" Roxas clarified with a smile and jogged to the mission room. It had been awhile since she'd created her own portal but the sensation of it came back to her quickly enough. She stepped into the dark, walking the path until the light of Twilight Town welcomed her. She looked around the familiar town smiling and strolled calmly across the path.
She had come to this town often on missions, but had never really taken the chance to admire it, and really examine it. She paid special attention to the shops and windows and paused in front of the clothing store. She pressed her face to the window the accessories catching her eye.
"We have a sale going on right now…" the shopkeeper told her with a smile. "Everything in the window is fifty percent off. See anything you like?"
"Well…" she tapped the glass and pointed. "I like that checkered thing."
"interesting choice…" he motioned her inside and pulled the band and rings out of the box. "This is the last one I have, it wasn't a very popular item because it doesn't really enhance abilities so I only made a few. Still the design is quite interesting if I do say so myself and I think it would suit you. That's 50 munny for the full set."
"That's all?" Surprised by the cheap price tag Roxas handed over the munny and took the item. "Thank You."
"I have an outfit that would be a perfect match for it." He motioned to the manican. Roxas eyed the simple tan skirt with a slight blush but admired the checkered print along the stitching of the white vest jacket, and black zipper top. The zipper medallion had an interesting four point shape and reminded Roxas of Axel's chakras. She smiled and touched her chest thinking… yes she wanted this… but when would she really be able to wear it?
After a long debate with herself Roxas walked out of the shop clutching the bag to her chest and closing her eyes. It was the first time she'd ever bought something besides ice cream and synthesis items. It made her… giddy.
"I… think I like shopping." Caught up in her thoughts and surprising euphoria Roxas walked out onto the sandlot not paying attention.
"Hey look out!"
Roxas looked up and let out a yelp as a ball hit her in the face and she stumbled back dropping her new clothes and landing on her butt.
"Ow…" she rubbed her nose and looked up at the people who ran up to her. She recognized them as the trio she'd seen running around all the time… Pence in particular.
"Hey, are you alright?" Pence asked holding out a hand for hers.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She took it and stood up brushing herself off. "Thanks."
"No problem, been awhile since I've seen you in town. Did you ever find your friend?"
"Hmmm? Oh! Yes, I did. Thank you for helping me. You were a big help." she have him a soft smile before looking at the others.
"Is she a friend of yours Pence?" Olette asked curiously.
"Yeah I bumped into her a little while back." Pence explained as Roxas picked up her items from the ground. Olette crouched down helping her gather the scattered items and dust them off before handing her the bag.
"Here you go. My name's Olette, it's nice to meet you."
"It's nice to meet you too." Roxas smiled then glanced over her shoulder at Hayner. "What are you guys doing?"
"Practicing." Hayner said irritability. "I would have broken my record too if you hadn't distracted me."
"Um...I'm sorry?" Roxas raised a brow wondering if that was the proper response.
"Ah don't mind him, he's just grumpy because Seifer broke his grandstand record." Pence explained.
"Grandstand?" Roxas eye the ball.
"Yeah, you hit the ball up in the air and keep it from touching the ground. Hayner is one of the best in town."
"Wow…" Roxas' face split into a smile that had Hayner blushing. "Impressive."
"Ah it's no big deal. Even someone like you could do it." He explained and shoved the bat at her. "Here give it a try."
"Oh… uh…" Roxas set her bag down eying the bat and then the ball. "Okay… I just have to keep hitting it and not let it touch the ground right?"
"That's all there is to it. Easy right?" Hayner smirked crossing his arms. He had a silent bet that she'd stumble after the first few hits.
"Okay," Roxas narrowed her eyes locking onto her target. She treated it like a heartless and the soft bat as her keyblade. Her breathing slowed to calm her nerves and she launched at it. The first smack sent the ball high and she jumped after it.
The trio gawked as she smacked it around over and over, a few close calls nearly making her fumble but she twisted and popped the ball back in the air with impressive athleticism.
"Whoa, she's amazing." Pence murmured.
"Yeah, she might even be better than Seifer!" Olette proclaimed watching giddily.
"Tch, it's not that impressive." Hayner muttered but couldn't help but be impressed by the way Roxas just naturally flowed and followed. After breaking the hundred margin Roxas finally gave up panting and wiping sweat from her brow.
"Wow, that's a lot harder than it looks." Roxas said handing the bat back to Hayner. "Still, it was kinda fun."
"Not bad for a beginner." Hayner took the bat and stepped up to her. "You're a lot tougher than you look. Sorry if it seemed like I was picking on you."
"It's okay… you were just upset, right?" Roxas waved it off and had Hayner shrugging.
"Yeah, but that's no excuse. Let me make it up to you. I'll buy you an ice cream." Hayner jerked a thumb behind him towards the town square where the ice cream shop was.
"Okay, that's where I was headed anyway." Roxas confirmed and picked up her bags. Pence nudged Olette snickering.
"Never knew Hayner could be such a gentleman." Pence teased and had Olette laughing.
"Hey! That's enough from the peanut gallery." Hayner grumbled and had Roxas giggling. "Oh great, even the new girl is laughing at me."
"Come on, let's all go get some ice cream and show the new girl around town." Pence suggested as they walked towards the square. "We can show her our hideout spot."
"Good idea," Hayner gave a thumbs up and looked to Roxas grabbing her hand. "Come on…" he pulled her along before Roxas could protest. They stopped at the ice cream shop and Roxas took the bar with a small frown. She was having fun… but she wondered if hanging out with regular humans was a good idea. She had to keep her job and such a secret… and if heartless popped up she could be endangering them.
"Thanks for the ice cream… I'd really like to go with you guys but I have somewhere I gotta be." She looked down. "I'm sorry."
"That's okay… maybe next time." Hayner suggested.
"Yeah," Roxas offered a smile and took her first bite. "Thanks again." She walked off sighing a little bit. She wondered why she suddenly felt so unhappy. Emotions were so complicated, and she just couldn't seem to understand them.
Taking her ice cream up the tower she ate it while watching Hayner Pence and Olette play a game below. She wished she could join them, they looked like they were having so much fun… smiling, laughing… and the brief time she was with them she felt so welcomed and accepted.
"Must be nice… having a heart." She bit into her ice cream.
"I knew i'd find you here." Axel commented and had Roxas' head snapping up.
"Axel!"
"Man I slept like a log." Axel stretched and then sat next to her. He eyed the bag and peeked inside. "You spent your vacation shopping?"
"Y-Yeah, it was fun." Roxas said with a blush. "I've never bought anything besides ice cream and weapon stuff before."
"You really are a girl…" Axel muffled a laugh and looked down at the twilight trio below. "Hmmm is it Summer Vacation already? Nah it can't be."
"Summer Vacation?" Roxas looked at him curiously. "What's that?"
"It's a dream come true, that's what, where they get a whole month off." Axel explained.
"A Month Off?!" Roxas' eyes went wide. "I wouldn't know what to do with that much free time. I can barely fill a whole day."
"I can think of a couple of things we could do." Axel teased grabbing her chin and giving her a quick peck that had her blushing. "Most kids are given tons of homework, and of course they have to spend time with their friends, so trust me it's over before you can blink."
"Hmmm…" Roxas smiled and leaned into him. "I could deal with seven days, maybe." She giggled watching the trio below.
"Most kids just spend time goofing off with their friends. They save the homework til the very last minute then help each other finish it."
"That does sound like fun…"
"Hanging out with your friends is fun… I'd forgotten all that since becoming a Nobody, I guess." Axel said with a serious frown but then turned to her. "So did you spend all your time shopping?"
"Hey guys…" Xion interrupted walking up and taking her usual spot. "How did I know you'd be here?" Roxas was still getting used to her female form… but the gentle eyes, and quiet voice were helping her become accustomed.
"Hey Xion, where did you go?" Roxas asked pulling from Axel's embrace to be more in the center of her two comrades.
"I didn't go anywhere, how about you two?" Xion asked curiously.
"Axel was asleep all day." Roxas teased her eyes flirting some.
"What's that about?" Xion joined in the tease. "You wasted a day off?"
"Hey! Unlike you two lazybones I work hard so I'm tired okay?" Axel defended.
"Well maybe unlike me and Roxas you are just out of shape." Xion fired back and had Roxas snorting with laughter then all three went into fits of giggles. After the laughter died Axel sighed heavily.
"Tomorrow it's back to work." He said lamently.
"I hope we get another vacation soon." Xion agreed.
"Oh that reminds me." Axel stood up stretching. "I might not see you guys for awhile."
Roxas let out a quick sound of distress her eyes lifting up.
"What? Why not?"
"They're sending me out on recon for a few days." He explained.
"Where?"
"Can't tell." He put a finger to his lips and had a pair of females pouting up at him. He had to laugh. "It's a secret mission."
"But I thought we were friends." Xion complained and leaned up on Roxas who nodded in agreement.
"Hey, I'm not about to tell you all my dark secrets." Axel ruffled Roxas' hair then flicked Xion on the forehead. Xion grumbled and Roxas pulled her legs up pouting into them. "I'm just kidding… I just have to keep my mouth shut or else Saix will get on my case." He rubbed Roxas' shoulders comfortingly. "You know how he can get."
"Yeah… okay." Roxas leaned into him sighing and Xion in turn got closer to add to the comfort.
"Try not to bungle everything while I'm gone, okay?"
"Now why would we do that?" Xion said playfully.
"Well with your guys' track record I just can't count on you."
"Hey!" Xion reached around to swipe playfully at him. "We can handle things just fine, isn't that right Roxas?"
"Yeah." Roxas smiled. "Just wait and see."
~Later~
Axel broke off from the three friends to head towards the mission room. He paused when Saix's voice broke the silence.
"What took you so long?" Saix asked in his usual grumble voice.
"It's my vacation, I can take as long as I want." Axel grunted.
"You're letting yourself get too attached to them, Roxas in particular." Saix warned stepping up to him.
"Yeah, yeah," Axel waved him off not the least bit concerned about his warnings.
"You know, you've changed." Saix shook his head walking off.
Axel stayed where he was a few moments recollecting himself. He didn't care for the way Saix was butting into his free time. As humans they may have been friends once upon a time… but the one who had truly changed was Saix. The longer they'd stayed in the organization, the more driven the man became. He was cutting off all ties of himself, becoming a lifeless drone to the superior, and Axel didn't care for it.
They may be nobodies, they may not have hearts, but they both had their memories and with those memories came the remembrance of what it was like to have fun, be friends, and enjoy life. No matter what their goals were now Axel never forgot the importance of living life to the fullest and making sure everyone he came across remembered him. It… disturbed Axel to think that his once best friend was forgetting him and what they had meant to each other. Maybe that's why he'd let himself become attached to Roxas and Xion. Their naivety, curiosity, and hunger for emotion and fun made them the perfect companions without having to complicate matters too much.
The fact that his relationship with Roxas had deepened, and they'd developed something that resembled love was just another part of enjoying his life. Roxas believed she loved him despite the lack of a heart… and despite knowing he wasn't capable of it, Axel desperately wanted to believe he loved her too.
He walked back to the rooms, knocked on Roxas' door before entering and stopped dead. She'd put on the clothes she'd bought and had pulled her hair up and out of her face. Those bright blue orbs glanced over at him and she turned adjusting the skirt a bit.
"Does it look weird?"
"No…" Axel smiled and closed the door. "In fact I think it suits you really well." He took her hand admiring the accessory she bought. "This is cool."
"Right? It's the first thing I saw in the window." She rubbed it smiling. "Somehow… I could imagine myself wearing it… and when I put it on it was as if it belonged there. Kinda silly huh?"
"No…" He tucked hair behind her ear smiling. "I don't think so. Maybe I should go buy some regular clothes too. Then next vacation you and I can go on a date."
"A date?" Roxas' eyes lit with curiosity.
"Yeah… it's a special outing for a boyfriend and girlfriend. They spend the whole day together without anyone else."
"I'd like that." She blushed and giggled. "I want to spend time with Xion too, but having you all to myself for one day sounds like a lot of fun."
"Good, it's settled then. Next vacation you and I will go on a date…. Then maybe the one after that the three of us can go someplace together. Xion likes the beach so maybe we'll go to the beach."
"Yeah? Okay!" Roxas beamed. "That sounds perfect! Xion would definitely enjoy herself!"
"I've noticed you started referring to Xion as a female. Does this mean I don't have to worry about you two locking lips anymore?" He teased and had Roxas blushing.
"I told Xion I thought of him only as a friend and that you were the only one I'd kiss. When I did Xion's appearance changed to a girl. She hasn't changed back since so…" She fidgeted some. "Yeah I don't think you have to worry."
"Good, then I won't worry about it while I'm gone." He sat on the bed. "Go put your cloak back on. I'll stay here with you tonight."
Roxas fidgeted again.
"Do you really have to go?"
"Yeah, unfortunately. Orders are orders Roxy." He said with a sigh leaning back.
"Then… can you stay tonight?" She gripped the end of her skirt starting to tug it down "Can you stay the whole night so I can wake up next to you? Please?"
Axel's face went serious. She started to undress right in front of him and that brought an uncomfortable heat in his gut. As her skirt fell to the floor he averted his eyes and jolted a bit when he felt something pulse inside him. He gripped his stomach. That was new.
"Well?" Roxas stood in a white slip only and got closer to him. The sight had him sitting upright on the bed staring straight into those honest blue eyes to avoid looking anywhere else.
"Uh… um…" he rubbed the back of his neck trying to think a way to decline… but couldn't bring himself to. The honest truth was… he wanted to stay with her. "Sure. I'll stay."
Roxas' face brightened and she leaped into his arms snuggling in.
"Roxas… your clothes."
"Mmmm leave them…" She snuggled right in sighing happily. "Just leave them."
Axel blushed bright red and kicked off his shoes before bringing the blanket over them just in case. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her letting out a slow breath and relaxing. She was still somewhat dressed, and they would only sleep. They were doing NOTHING wrong.
...Still Axel couldn't resist stroking a hand over her hair and down her back, the warmth of her body making him swallow hard. No way was he going to be able to sleep tonight.
~Ask Briry~
Briry: I might be pushing boundaries here but I couldn't resist. We'll be getting into some serious chapters here and I want to savor my AkuRoku moments while I can.
Next Chapter: The Imposter