It was rather late, Roxas knew that for sure, but the lack of a clock had him clueless as to how late. He also had no clue as to why he was still awake. He was positively worn from the day, regardless of the fact that he had technically spent the majority of his day sitting on his arse.

The moment he'd entered his room that night he'd collapsed onto his bed, but after a half hour of laying there, trying to lose his consciousness, he found himself, aggravatingly enough, wide awake. And though he didn't know about the time, he was rather certain he'd been in there for at least 2 hours.

With a huff of frustration, Roxas quickly sat himself up, running a hand down his face before reaching up and rustling his own hair.

"That's a good look for you." Axel's voice resounded through the thick silence, startling Roxas.

He looked around his room for a minute to try and find the feline, but he was no where to be seen, irritating Roxas further.

"What do you want Axel?" He bit out as he glared at nothing in particular.

Axel tisked at Roxas a couple of times before appearing in the chair across from said blond.

"Testy testy." Axel said teasingly, making Roxas growl and throw the nearest object to him at Axel. Which, happened to be a rather heavy glass heart on his bedside table. Axel quickly disappeared, the heart hitting the wall instead and shattering from the impact.

"Jeez settle down Roxy." Axel said, obviously a bit freaked out as he hesitantly reappeared.

"What do you want?!" Roxas snapped.

Axel sighed, running a hand through his hair as he placed a hand on his hip.

"I wanted to... Tell you I'm sorry." Axel said quietly, looking anywhere but at Roxas. The younger male adopted a look of suspicion as he stared at the red head.

"For what?" He asked slowly.

"For... Lying to you... I didn't realize you had that big of a problem with lying. Not that it makes it right, but... I just thought, if you knew the truth, you would hate me. And I guess I just didn't want to risk that. I don't know why that matters to me so much, but it does. So, I'm sorry I lied, and I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused." Axel explained, his tail twitching about as he continued to ruffle the back of his hair, though he still refused to look at Roxas.

"Really?" Roxas questioned dubiously. He couldn't help it if he was suspicious, the damn cat wouldn't look him in the eyes, how was he supposed to know whether or not he was telling the truth when he wouldn't even look at him?

"Yeah really. Why, don't you believe me?" Axel said defensively as he finally made eye contact with the younger male.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you're sorry, then I'll believe you." Roxas countered sassily. Though when Axel didn't do anything but stare at him for a couple minutes, Roxas simply huffed and went to get up and leave as he had during Axel's last late night visit. But Axel quickly grabbed his shoulders, holding them firmly to keep Roxas seated on his bed.

When he was sure he wasn't going to try and leave again, he moved his hands up to Roxas' face, cupping his cheeks as he tilted his head back so Roxas would look up at him. That same irritated expression was still placed on his features, but Axel could see in his eyes that he wasn't all that angry anymore. More over, they shined with curiosity.

Axel pressed his forehead against Roxas' as he looked into his deep blue eyes, a look of guilt consuming his own features.

"I am truly sorry for everything that I've done." Axel said, slowly and quietly as he continued to stare into Roxas' eyes. He hadn't gotten this good of a look at his eyes in their previous encounters, his fringe getting in the way for the most part, but now, as he looked into them, up close, they were so beautiful. Like the starry night sky reflecting against a calm sea.

Roxas tried to hold his expression as he gazed back into those sparkling emeralds that Axel had for eyes. But after a moment, he couldn't help but break into a fit of giggles. Axel chuckled slightly as his guilt turned to confusion.

"What's so funny?" Axel asked curiously. Roxas simply chuckled for a moment longer though before responding to the feline.

"You're too cute. Can I keep you?" Roxas asked as he smiled up at the red head. Axel blinked in surprise. He was absolutely shocked to tell you the truth, he'd thought for sure that Roxas would come to hate him as everyone else had. But rather he accepted him immediately. And in that moment, Axel felt like the happiest person alive.

"I'm a lot of work you know." Axel said as he smiled down at Roxas with a slightly raised brow.

Roxas chuckled and nodded.

"I like projects."

The next morning, Roxas was awoken by Saix once more, informing him of breakfast in a snappy tone before walking right back out of the room. Roxas was beyond baffled by the display, but he got out of bed regardless.

After he'd stuffed himself with Marluxia and Larxene, they appeared to immediately start where they had left off the day before. Roxas sat on his balcony once more, waiting for the trial to resume. Axel had appeared in cat form almost immediately after he'd taken his seat, hopping into his lap and purring as he curled up in a ball.

"Aww what a cute wittle kitty cat." Roxas crooned teasingly as he scratched the back of Axel's ear, earning himself a glare from the red feline.

"Don't patronize me Blondie." He hissed out, making Roxas chuckle.

Before he could respond though, Roxas heard Luxord's voice bellow as he announced Larxene, said woman taking her proper seat at the podium.

"Alright, let's begin. Demyx," Larxene started, Demyx brightening at the call of his name and starting to stand from his seat. "You're not allowed on the witness stand ever again."

Demyx pouted as he resumed his seat, and Zexion gave him a small apologetic smile.

"Next witness Luxord." Larxene said boredly.

"Zexion is our next witness highness." Luxord said, the queen then turning her gaze towards her most respected servant.

"Well get a move on Zexion." Larxene said as she gestured to the witness stand. Zexion sighed as he put down his clipboard, stepping up and taking a seat as he stared boredly at Luxord.

Luxord had Zexion pledge to tell the truth as he had Demyx before he began his questioning.

"Well Zexion, where were you three days ago?" Luxord asked.

"I was here until noon, and then, as Demyx informed you yesterday," Zexion paused, covering his mouth as he let out a quiet yawn. "I went to visit him."

"Where was it you were visiting with Demyx?" Luxord asked.

"At his home of course."

"Where he lives with the hatter correct?"

"Mmm yes..." Zexion muttered, yawning once more as his eyes slowly drooped closed.

"And how long were you with Demyx that day?" Luxord questioned once more, though he only received a hum in response. Confused, he looked over to the slate haired male with a raised brow.

"Zexion?" Luxord said confusedly, though he received no response.

"Is he sleeping?" Larxene questioned as she leant over the podium to get a proper look at the mouse.

"I believe so majesty." Luxord said as he stepped closer to the witness stand.

"Well wake him up! God, falling asleep in the middle of questioning him, the nerve!" Larxene huffed out in her aggravation.

"No don't! Let him sleep!" Demyx said quickly as he hopped out of his seat, hurrying over to Luxord and grabbing his arm to pull him away from Zexion.

"We most certainly will not! We have a trial we need to get on with!" Larxene snapped back.

"But he hardly got any sleep last night!" Demyx whinnied in response, looking up at Larxene like a sad puppy.

"Oh my word. Zexion!" Larxene barked, startling the sleeping male back awake. Demyx whinnied in response as he slunked back to his seat with a pout.

"I apologize highness. What were you saying Luxord?" Zexion said as he looked back to the rabbit, obviously still tired as he struggled to keep his eyes open.

The rest of the morning continued on like this, Zexion falling asleep, then Demyx and Larxene arguing about whether or not to wake him up. She'd even let him for about an hour at one point to get Demyx to shut up, but once they'd come back from their brake and woken him up, it just appeared to continue this way regardless.

The amazing thing though was how little Larxene seemed to care about Demyx's arguments. Roxas was sure he'd receive some kind of punishment for butting heads with her on the matter, but she actually just brushed it off without a moments thoughts.

It went on till lunch time, when one of the servants announced to Larxene that lunch was ready to be served, and with a sigh, she'd called for another hour long break. Roxas hadn't attended though, taking to sitting in the room behind the balcony with the purring cat.

Though, once the trial resumed, Roxas really wished it hadn't.

"Alright Luxord, I'm sick of this nonsense! Call the last witness and make this worth my time!" Larxene snapped as she took her seat. Roxas stood by the railing, hovering over it slightly as he watched curiously.

"The Cheshire is our last witness majesty." Luxord said as he looked up at Roxas.

"Good! This should be quick, and I'll finally be able to cut off that wretched Hatter's head." Larxene growled as she glared at said man, who sat on his knees, blindfolded and chained before the court.

"Well, you heard her Axel." Luxord said, and Axel sighed from behind Roxas.

"Guess that's my cue." Axel said, disappearing just as Roxas looked back at him. The red head reappeared down below, infront of Luxord.

"Axel."

"Luxord."

"Do you swear to tell the truth?"

"Of course."

Luxord nodded then gestured for Axel to take his seat at the witness stand. Axel crossed his arms across his chest and crossed his legs, his tail laying across his lap. He looked rather stoic, something very abnormal for the red head.

"Axel, please tell the court what you saw before you accused Riku of plotting the queen's demise." Luxord said.

"I saw nothing." He responded almost immediately.

The room instantly fell silent as everyone stared at Axel in complete and utter shock. Even Riku appeared surprised by this turn of events. Roxas lent over the railing as far as he could, looking at Axel with wide incredulous eyes. What the hell was he doing? He was going to get himself killed saying something like that!

"What?" Larxene hissed, breaking the silence as she narrowed her eyes at Axel.

"I didn't see anything, not a damn thing." Axel said, and everyone started to look at each other in confusion.

"You're a damn liar! You told me you were there for the whole conversation now tell the truth!" Larxene snapped, slamming her hands down on the table as she stood from her seat.

"I am telling the truth. I didn't see anything, Riku didn't do anything. I made it up cause I was pissed off and bored." Axel said seriously, shrugging slightly in response.

"Y-you... You...!" Larxene sputtered out as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"Guards! Throw him in the dungeon! I'll deal with him later!" She snapped. The guards quickly moved from their frozen positions off to the side and hurried over to Axel.

"No..." Roxas whispered, wide eyed as he watched the feline simply sit there, stone faced and arms crossed. Just as the guards were about to grab him though, he looked up at Roxas before disappearing completely, causing several people in the room to gasp and everyone else simply staring in shock.

"You bastard! Come back here!" Larxene shrieked, stomping her foot on the ground for emphasis. Axel chuckled in a taunting manner before reappearing, standing on the back of Larxene's chair, hands shoved in his pockets as he lent forward slightly.

"Sorry, but I don't think I want to stick around for this temper tantrum. Toodles." He said, grinning that face splitting grin and wiggling his fingers in a wave before disappearing once more.

Larxene growled in anger before slamming her fist down on the wood of the podium and screaming Axel's name at the top of her lungs.

"What now highness?" Zexion asked quietly after a moment of allowing Larxene to calm down.

"Do we let Riku go?" Luxord questioned.

Roxas couldn't help but hope she would do just that, though he had this sickening feeling in his gut that just the opposite was going to happen, and he was quickly proven right.

Larxene sighed, running a hand through her hair as she composed herself.

"Of course not."

"What?!" Riku and Roxas said in unison, both equally incredulous, but Larxene seemed to ignore them.

"But highness, without Axel as a witness, we have no evidence. We haven't a case!" Luxord tried to reason.

"It matters not. We have plenty of other crimes against him. He's caused enough trouble to warrant himself punishment." Larxene said matter-of-factly.

"But-" Luxord started once more, though Larxene was quick to cut him off.

"Enough! I've made my decision!"

Well, sorry this one is a bit shorter than the others, but it needs to be that way. So, like I promised, this one was up a lot faster than the last one huh? I did get to read over it this time, so there shouldn't be any mistakes, but of course let me know if there is. And constructive criticism is always welcome my loves. Thank you all for reading, thank you for the love and support, and I will see you all next chapter! I'm out!