The sun had started to dip under the skyline, setting the sky on fire.
Roxas remembered how Axel had asked him if he knew why the sunset turned the sky red. 'Because out of all the colours, red traveled the furthest' he had told him.

Today, however, he'd spend his time watching the sun slowly dive under the horizon alone. Neither Axel nor Xion would accompany him today, leaving him by his lonesome.

"Axel could at least shown up" he had muttered to himself, glancing over his shoulder as if expecting the tall redhead to step out from around the corner. But he didn't. Roxas heaved a sigh, leaning forward while being careful not to fall off the ledge.

Xion had been missing, he supposed. Missing or ran off, at this point he wasn't quite sure. Yesterday, Axel had been weird, avoiding even looking at him when he said she had gone on a mission. As it had turned out, it was not a mission after all. Then the others had refused to even go looking for her. He was frustrated, and angry. But more than that, he missed them. It had been a while since they were able to have any time to themselves since the three of them had any time to themselves.

'Because we're friends. Got it memorized?'

They were friends. They are friends.

Roxas didn't think friends lied to each other though. But going over it again and again in his head, he didn't really care that Axel had lied to him about Xion. Ultimately, he wasn't mad, that wasn't something he felt was worth being mad over. He found himself angrier at Xemnas, at Saix. Debating it over and over, maybe they could just leave.

'But to where? What would you do?'

Those questions hovered, just beyond the concern he held for his two best friends. But right now, sitting alone, the sun's fire now going out under the inky black night sky, he found himself feeling lonelier and more lost than he had ever been.

He missed them.

'Please come back.'

Axel was rebellious, sure. But even with all his arguments and all his fighting, even Axel knew when to bend and follow orders. Roxas supposed he had to have learned it from someone, right?

Which is exactly why Roxas stood in front of him now, something in him burned brighter than the flames Axel wielded. Rebellious by nature, he had found himself unwilling to go back, unwilling to bend any further for someone who would ever think he'd abandon his friends. It was a battle between order and chaos, caught somewhere between obedience and defiance. Roxas couldn't let himself leave Xion like that, wouldn't dare even dream of it. He was going after her, even if it meant getting through Axel, who stood between them.

"You know I don't wanna do this, right?"

Yeah, he knew. Best friends, right?

"I don't either. Maybe you should get outta the way."

Between his rebellious streak and the anger that burned deep in his gut, he wasn't about to let even Axel stop him. Roxas hated the idea, he did, but he'd fight him here and now, and come out the other end the winner if that's what it took.

"Best friends don't let each other do stupid shit."

Roxas nearly laughed, summoning his keyblades. The fire in his eyes must've have matched the fire burning around them, keeping him in. Like a cage keeping in a wild animal, and if he had to be more than a wild animal to get out, then so be it.

"They don't let each other do stupid shit alone, Axel."

They stared hard at each other. Roxas geared up, fully intending on charging him. Axel had power, sure, and the experience to match. But Roxas was faster. In the split second after he took off, Axel summoned his chakrams in streaks of golden orange embers.

It was funny. They had promised to always be there, right? He found it ironic now, that one of his keyblades would be named Oathkeeper.

In the ensuing chaos, with each blow they exchanged, he could tell that Axel was taking this only half way seriously. Somewhere, deep down, deeper down than the anger he had been feeling, he knew Axel didn't want to stop him. He knew that he wanted to let him through. But ultimately, Roxas also knew Axel would take the brunt of the punishment if he had just let him through without a fight. He always took the brunt of the punishment, especially if it meant taking him and Xion out of the line of fire.

Wasn't it strange, the things they do for each other?

But a promise is a promise, and he intended to keep it.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

This is based on cutscenes, yes. I know.

This is a warm-up for the actual fic I'm writing.