Title: Epilogue
Author: Izzy-Lawliet (Rin)
Disclaimer: Let's go over this slowly so you can understand what I'm saying. I do not own this. If I did, do you seriously think that I would be typing a poorly written story like this?
Pairings: Axel/Sora
Rating: M
Warnings: AU, yaoi and whatever comes along with it.

Summary: They met online, met in person, and became friends, what's stopping them from becoming more?

Author's Note: This is the epilogue. The end. I cried when I read this. Sobbing. Yoshimara wrote it for me because she loves me. I really hops all of you enjoyed this as much I did.

Thank you Yoshimara, it was perfect…

xxx

Axel's PoV

It's been six months since that night, and I stared out at the cold starless sky through my bedroom window. I haven't yet cried ever since what happened, and my eyes continued to itch no matter what I did. Oh, God, I missed him!

My chest ached and I furrowed my brow in thought, remembering what took place...

It was cold outside when we stepped outside of the restaurant. Dinner was perfect, just like I planned and the snow was falling softly in the air around us. When I felt tiny hands working their way into my pockets, I looked down to see Sora's hands in them and smiled.

After all the stuff we went through, it was totally worth it to have him beside me. I saw the look of confusion cross his baby-blue eyes before pulling out the small box I had hidden away. You idiot, a voice spoke up in the back of my head—funny, it sounded like Roxas, you forgot to ask!

Taking the box from his hands, I knelt on the ground—which was cold, by the way—and opened it to reveal the simple silver band with the etchings inside of it. "Sora Lee Hikari, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Because I didn't look away from his eyes, I saw him gasp and the tears begin to fall. I knew they were happy tears, so I didn't worry. But he looked so beautiful just then, better than I've seen him in months.

When he nodded his head, I smiled and slid the band on his finger. Straightening to my feet slightly, I leaned forward so our lips were close before whispering,

"Perfect."

I kissed him so softly, but not so that I thought he'd break. Pouring how much I loved him into the contact, I felt a slight tremble in his body before I opened my eyes to see him pulling away, a smile on his face.

But the smile soon slipped away when I caught him as he collapsed. The snow began to fall harder and I felt panic rise in my throat. "Oh God," I uttered, holding him close before looking around me frantically. Where the hell was the rest of the world?

"HELP!" I yelled loudly, not wanting to move my lover just in case it would make it worse. "SOMEONE HELP! GOD DAMN IT!"

Looking back down at Sora's face, I saw it was paler than normal and my heart ached in fear. No, don't you DARE, I thought frantically. I just got this kid back and...

"HELP US!" I yelled again, looking up to see a young woman across the street in her 'too good to be seen in public' outfit of a jacket and skirt. She looked towards us, her silver hair bouncing before she ran towards us in her knee high boots. "What--?" She asked before I said quickly, "Do you have a phone?"

With her nod she flipped it out and immediately called for an ambulance. But I didn't care about that, help was on the way for my love and I looked back down at him. I wrapped my jacket around him tighter, trying to keep him warm and I kept whispering, "It'll be okay, Sora. Helps' comin'."

I didn't know why this was happening. Everything was going so well! He seemed to be getting better, we were happy...

Sirens were heard down the street and quickly I stood up with him in my arms. I held him close, almost not wanting to let him go but he needed help. So when the paramedics showed up, I gave him over and hopped into the back with them, holding his hand as they stuck needles in his arms and put an oxygen mask over his face.

He had snow in his hair but I didn't bother to brush it away. He looked so peaceful...

When we got to the hospital, I sat in the waiting room pacing feverishly. I hope he was okay, I didn't know what would happen if I lost him. A few minutes before I had phoned Roxas and the gang to let them know what happened, and they were on their way.

When they showed up, Roxas hugged me. His eyes were red-rimmed—had he been crying? Of course he would be, his brother was in the hospital. I relayed the story to them, exactly what happened and he just shook his head, muttering to himself.

Seifer and Hayner held onto him as they all sat down in the chairs. I slumped down in one of them too, waiting for what seemed like hours.

Shifting slightly so I leaned against the headboard on my bed, my head leaning against the windowsill, I sighed softly. I've been so empty for the last few months. It's all been so—surreal. Like it wasn't actually happening. Maybe it was all a dream?

Wouldn't that be nice, huh? Just to wake up one day to realize all of this was nothing but that. Closing my eyes, I felt them sting again. Damnit...

Two hours passed when the doctor came out, some old guy, and told us where Sora was. I was on my feet in no time, running down the hallways and to the door where my lover was. Heaving a steadying breath, I opened it to see the room was dim and to hear the beeping of the heart monitor.

He lay on that stiff mattress, bleached sheets covering his hospital gown clad body. Brown spikes were limp and his skin was so pale. Tubes of all kinds were sticking out of him and I bit my bottom lip. Walking over to him, I held his limp hand and whispered, "It's gonna be alright, Sora."

Roxas, Seifer, and Hayner walked in then, his brother making his way to the other side. We sat there for a long time until the doctor came back and told us the situation.

I thought I died that day. Maybe I did just a little bit. Staring out at the blank sky, some part of me thought that it was reflecting just how I felt. Reno had gone home yesterday, so I was stuck alone in the house.

It was cold, but I didn't care. The sting in my eyes grew worse and it was almost unbearable. Closing my eyes again, I wiped at them feverishly. Why do I keep it all inside?

A week later, Reno showed up at my apartment and literally flung himself at me. He cried on my chest as I held him, but I said nothing while he babbled on how it was so horrible and that he feared the worst.

He pretty much summed up what I thought all the time, and I knew that he wasn't going to leave even if I asked him to. But, I couldn't cry. I had to be strong for everyone. So I held him tight and told him it was going to be okay, rocked him slightly until he fell asleep.

'Funny,' I thought when he was tucked into bed, 'you would have thought nothing ever happened between us.'

Three months passed and Reno still hadn't left, but we both visited the hospital every day with Roxas at our side. When we showed up that day, we found the doctor examining him. He had a grim look on his face and I felt my heart plummet at the sight.

Sora hadn't woken up yet, and of course we were all worried. But when the doctor told us that day that Sora wouldn't wake up because...

"Mr. Hikari seems to have slipped into a coma. I'm not sure why, but his brain functions have slowed, and if we're not careful his organs might begin to fail. We're going to try our best not to let that happen."

I don't know what happened next, but Roxas held onto me on one side and Reno on the other. Looking between them, it looked like they weren't going to be able to stand. I ended up moving them to the chairs that sat on the opposite side of the bed, and held onto their hands.

"W-What chances are there that he's going to wake up?"

The doctor shook his head, "I'm not sure."

I died some more on that day. Was it because I knew I wouldn't ever see those blue eyes look up at me anymore? Or because deep down I knew that even when I proposed to him, it would have ended before it begun? But I couldn't be weak in front of everyone else.

Shifting so I wrapped my blankets over my shoulders, not because I was cold, but because I could still smell Sora on them, even after so long. It was always a tantalizing smell, one that always made me crave for more—or maybe chocolate.

Two months later, I received a phone call from Roxas and he was pretty upset. And by upset I mean sniffling and whimpering, not exactly making any coherent words for the first minute of our conversation.

"Rox? What's the matter?"

"I-It's Sora..."

"Did he wake up?" I was worried. Did they—?

"They...oh God, Axel!"

I knew right then that it wasn't what I hoped it would be. My eyes began to sting again but I shook my head, gripping my phone tightly.

"I'm on my way."

Three days later the funeral was held. It wasn't your typical setting. The sun was shining, and it was warm for a spring day. But we were all dressed accordingly, standing around the burgundy coffin with the faint breeze swirling around us.

I barely paid attention to the sermon the preacher was giving, only thinking of my love and his smile, his laugh—everything he did that made him what he was. Remembering how we met, all the troubles we went through...

Before I knew it, the service was over and we all went to Roxas' house for the remembrance feast. But of course, I stayed by everyone's side and kept quiet, giving them the support they needed. They all asked me if I was okay, which I just smiled and nodded.

So, yeah...I lied.

Opening my eyes and staring at the sky, I saw the rain beginning to fall and a fleeting thought passed my mind as a tear slid down my cheek. Is it alright to want to be with you again, love?