A/N: Oi! It's been way too long since an update, and I apologize for everyone who's been waiting for one. X( RL sometimes gets pretty hectic with me. That being said, no I haven't abandoned this! I still have more to go through. :) But it might be a bit before another update. Rest assured, I will try to have another chapter done and posted for AkuZeku day (8/6). Although my marriage anniversary is 8/1 so I hope I'll get time for that and sometime that week a new Tales game is coming out. (Yes, true KH nerd. I'm so totally an Axel at heart and my husband is such a Xemnas. :P And FYI, we walked off to Organization XIII theme song.)
Anyways, on with this chapter. Ah, and there is some Shakespeare references, total romanticness. lol. Enjoy!
36
A few days passed and Axel had looked in every corner of the entire mansion. Only the signs of dust remained to tell that no one had set foot in the place for many years. He supposed that was a good thing since it meant that no one else was there. It's probably still a good idea to not stay in one place too long just in case. There was no telling where, or if, the others would look for him. With that in mind, there were plenty of other places Axel wanted to check. With a sad sigh, he opened a portal to another world.
"You still haven't found him?"
Axel shook his head. "No..." He cringed as he admitted it out loud.
The red hue flickered along the yellow stone in a constant state of flux. It always seemed to do that no matter how long he was there. Sometimes it felt like hours while other times only a few minutes. Axel sighed, hoping his friend would just provide a state of rest for today. Tomorrow, he would start looking again. If only I knew where to start! No matter what world he went to, there was no sign of Zexion or Ienzo. His friend cleared his throat and Axel realized he was being talked to.
"Oh sorry, what was that?"
A knowing smile was returned. "Go see Namine."
He blinked. Why? "Uh, where would I find her? She disappeared right after Marluxia was erased." Sometimes the pyro got to spy on the other organization members while they were on missions and not even they knew where she was.
"You know, trust me."
They stared at each other for a long time. "I do trust you." Axel finally said. I just don't trust myself.
The other sighed in reply. "Everything will end where it began." Axel opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. The world turned sideways and the sun turned an angry red.
Axel stared at the metal gate and frowned. Slowly he reached up and gripped at one of the metal bars. Even though he stood on the outside, it still felt like a prison. It was a prison that held who he was and would be shackled into submission in a painful in-between state. A place where I don't belong and can never be with those I care about. The crease between his brows deepened as his frown grew.
"Z-Zeku..." The name sounded slightly foreign now. As the days had passed the slow realization that if he somehow was able to find Zexion, he would no longer be that person. But... he will still remember right? Even if it was shattered memories, would he take it? . 'Still calling me that? It wasn't always Zexion.' Axel blinked at the memory. Was it so different just to be called by a different name? His hand tightened around the bar and the squeak of fabric wound too tight prickled in the air. He had asked Zexion once.
"Hmmm..." Axel loved lazy days, especially those that consisted the other members to be out of the castle and he could convince Zexion to spend some time together outside of either of their rooms. Even if it is in the library! But it meant that they could sprawl out together on one of the long couches and not be disturbed for hours. Zexion would lie across him, head resting on his chest while reading a book. Of course though, that also meant Axel did a not of thinking during this time. He absently stroked the soft indigo bangs of his lover.
"You're thinking about something. What is it?" The schemer asked without moving.
"What makes you say that?" He replied in an idle tone. "I can't just enjoy us like this?"
A chuckled vibrated along his breastbone. Axel closed his eyes and memorized that feeling. "You have a specific sigh when you're thinking."
"Dunno what you're talking about." A grin etched its way across his face. He loved teasing Zexion every now and then. "I'm reading with you. I'm done with the page by the way, you can turn it."
The schemer shifted, his head tilted up to look at him eye to eye. Axel pushed the long bangs out of the way of the brilliant sapphires. "You can't fool me, Axel." He was smiling just the same.
The pyro sighed. "You got me." His voice sounded over dramatic; they both knew it was a play. "Actually I was thinking about names."
"Oh?" Zexion quirked an eyebrow, closing the book he twisted around to have a better look without having to strain his neck. Axel rested his hands along his lover's sides.
"Well, I am sorta fixated with everyone remembering me. It was like that even before I was 'Axel'."
Zexion grinned. "I remember."
"You do?" Axel teased again. "Well then, what do you think about names then?"
After a few seconds of thought, the schemer replied. "'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'." Axel blinked at the quote. Then the grin widened. "What?"
"And you call me a romantic."
Zexion sighed, rolling his eyes at him. "All I'm saying is that you can be known by many names, but in the end you're still the same person."
Axel chuckled. "All they while quoting Shakespeare."
"What do you think about names then, Axel?" The schemer shook his head while smiling.
"I think names hold power. Through memories, they bring forth the true nature of one's person."
"So, if you can get people to remember you and your name..."
"I'll forever live on in their memories."
A silence followed between them. Finally, Zexion broke it and spoke. "You know if that didn't sound so brilliant I'd call you crazy."
Axel leaned forward and pulled them closer. He looked directly into the sea of blue. "Call me but love, Henceforth, I never will be Axel." Then he pressed their lips together in a short sweet kiss.
Pulling away, Zexion chuckled. "Now who's quoting Shakespeare?"
So maybe it did not matter what name they were called by in the end. Axel continued to stare at his hand. Maybe I'm not looking for Zexion? A flash caught his eye and he looked up at the mansion window. The white curtains fluttered as if caught in a draft but the glass was firmly shut. Without a second thought, Axel pushed the gate open and stepped inside. He would break their prison.
It was like stepping into Castle Oblivion all over again. The white walls, paper and bits of colored charcoal everywhere, it was almost overwhelming for Axel. "Come in, Axel. I've been expecting you."
He turned to see the short blonde figure smiling at him for the long table. Slowly, he edged himself into the room and closed the door softly. It clicked shut and Axel proceeded to look around at the drawings. "So this is where you've been hiding?"
"Not exactly." Glancing down at the table, he saw many pages left out, some overlapping each other but it still seemed to tell a story. Once in particular caught his eye and he picked it up. "I've been helping DiZ and the others. Especially Roxas."
His eyes widened. Walking up to Namine, the pyro slammed the paper in front of her. "I know you can draw the future, but I'd never fight Roxas. I'd never hurt my best friend!" Blond and Red twisted across the parchment as they did battle with one another.
"He has to think he is though."
"Why?!"
"Because he doesn't belong here and you know it."
Axel scowled. "But he has a heart, just like the rest of us."
"You search for Zexion to see Ienzo." She pointed out blatantly. "In the end, there can only be one."
"I..." Who was it that he truly wanted? Axel was not sure anymore. If Ienzo was Zexion and had his memories, would it still be the same? He had been questioning it all along perhaps. Even his own existence drove him into uncertainty.
" I don't belong either. None of us do. And I'm trying to correct that." Namine, she seemed to be just as pure hearted as Roxas. Innocence masked the wisdom that they should not have. What was it that Axel really wanted? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and thought.
"What must I do?"
WindWisp: I hope you're getting through 3D! :)