Roxas was sleeping, snuggled against Axel's chest under the covers. The late afternoon sun shone through the blinds and reflected sparkles of light off his golden hair. He looked lovely and peaceful and far too perfect to be real.

Axel lay awake, thinking about everything they'd gone through to reach this point. They finally had the promise of a future. Life would be so much simpler with his best friend by his side. He placed a kiss on Roxas's forehead, and he awoke.

"I just can't believe it," Roxas sighed. Axel knew exactly what he meant.

They didn't talk much, mostly expressing themselves through looks, touches, and smiles as they showered and dressed.

The second they left their room, Riku and Sora burst out of theirs with excited smiles on their faces, looking at Axel and Roxas like they were scheduled to perform a song and dance.

"Well?" Sora exclaimed.

Axel just nodded, and Sora nearly trampled both of them in a hug.

"How did you even know I was here?" Roxas asked.

"Leon told me!" Sora gushed. "I knew you'd work things out! Didn't I say that, Riku? We didn't want to, er, interrupt, but we've been waiting for hours to find out was happening."

"Well, we kind of guessed after the first half hour," Riku grinned. He was still standing a distance away, taking in the sight of the three of them together. Axel broke away from Sora and Roxas to embrace him.

"Heard you put in a good word for me," Axel said.

"Yeah, well, it's not like I didn't owe you one. You're the reason I had the courage to tell Sora how I feel. I'd never met anyone who was so open about their sexuality until you."

"Well, don't forget that you're the one who convinced me to leave the Organization, and if I hadn't done that, none of this would be happening."

They hugged again, and Axel noticed Riku's eyes were just as wet as his when they broke away from one another.

He turned to find Sora and Roxas with their arms around each other gazing at them fondly.

"It's all so perfect," Sora sighed before turning to Roxas. "You're going on tour with us, right?"

"Does that mean you're going?" Roxas asked, successfully dodging the question.

"Miss a chance to see the worlds and actually get to enjoy them instead of fighting heartless all the time? Of course I'm going. I can't wait!"

"I'm really glad to hear that," Axel responded, looking meaningfully at Roxas who blushed and looked away.

If Sora knew what had just transpired, he didn't comment on it, instead saying, "Want to see the new outfit I told you about?" Roxas nodded, smiling at Axel before the door to Riku's room closed behind them.

"You know they're talking about us, right?" Riku remarked.

"Oh, I'm sure of it. Should we get out of their way?" Axel asked.

"Sure," Riku smiled as they headed downstairs. "So you know we're having another party tonight, right?"

"No, since when?"

"It's just something we threw together last minute since we're all leaving tomorrow. Insomnia will be here, and I had Leon invite your family too."

"My family? Oh right," Axel said, still getting used to the idea of Lea being family. "You know I think of you as family too."

"Is that right?"

"Yup. You're my annoying little brother."

"And you're my fuck-up older brother," Riku teased.

"Fuck off," Axel said, shoving him as the doorbell rang.

Axel answered it to find the members of Insomnia standing in front of him. He wondered, with a grimace, if they'd all seen Axel with his tongue down Gladio's throat the previous evening. This was going to be a long fucking tour if their brief liason became a source of drama. Axel wasn't sure how to play it cool, so he was extremely grateful when Gladio offered a smile and pulled him aside.

"Hey, I don't want things to be awkward," Gladio said. "We can forget it ever happened."

"Thanks. But, uh, I at least want to remember how nice you were last night. I'm sorry for leading you on like that."

"It's fine, really," he replied, and Axel could see from his eyes that he meant it, and he felt relief wash over him.

Axel debated whether or not to tell Gladio the other events of the previous evening. He decided to go with his gut, which told him Gladio was a cool guy who could be trusted. "You know that guy I told you about? We're kinda together now."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"So is he coming on tour with us or—?"

"I invited him, but…"

"Hey Roxas. Hi Sora," Gladio said, and Axel turned to see the two of them coming down the stairs together, Sora smiling while Roxas looked mortified by the attention. As sweet as his shyness was, Axel decided then and there that he would shove some confidence into Roxas if it was the last thing he did.

"He's so sweet," Gladio observed quietly.

"He really is," Axel agreed proudly, excusing himself to greet them at the bottom of the stairs.

"What'd you think of Sora's new clothes?" Axel asked.

"Huh?" Roxas said, confirming what Axel and Riku had already suspected.

"Nothing," Axel shrugged, not wanting to give Roxas another reason to blush. "Did you hear Lea's coming?"

Sora was looking past Axel's head at the front door. "You're not telling me that's Lea?"

Axel turned to find Lea and his family introducing themselves to the members of Insomnia who were still milling by the door.

"He looks so cool!" Sora marveled.

As soon as introductions were complete, Lea offered a big smile as he approached them.

"This is Lea, Lulu, and Ara," Axel said. "And this is Roxas and Sora."

"I didn't expect you to be here," Lea said in quiet amazement, looking from Roxas to Axel. Axel could practically hear the unanswered questions racing through his mind. "It's seriously like meeting a celebrity meeting you two. I've been dying to see you since the day I got all of Axel's memories."

He pulled Sora into a hug first before taking a good, long look at Roxas before embracing him too, and Axel could tell it was emotional for him, and he marveled at how strange it must be to know Roxas without knowing him. Mostly, he wondered what Roxas was making of the interaction. It had to be weird for him too.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Lea said.

"You too," Roxas replied.

"Really?"

"Well, Axel told me a little bit about you."

"Listen, the stalking was his idea," he insisted, leaning in conspiratorially, his hand on Roxas's shoulder.

"Funny, he told me it was your idea," Roxas grinned, looking at Axel with mock accusation.

"The two of you can't gain up on me. I'll never survive it," Axel complained.

"Now you know how I feel," Lulu said, giving Axel a stern look.

"We're not that bad."

Lulu rolled her eyes in exasperation before directing her attention to Roxas and Sora while Lea pulled Axel to the side.

"What the fuck, bro? When were you gonna tell me Roxas was here?!"

Axel proceeded to explain the whole story to a beaming Lea.

"You know, Axel, it probably sounds stupid coming from me, but I have to say it… I'm proud of you. You've got all these amazing friends, and you're going to travel the worlds as a famous rock star, and now you've got Roxas too. Fuck, you're cooler than I am! I know I've said it before, but I thought for so long that I was a monster for letting Xemnas do what he did to me, and now… I genuinely believe it's one of the best things that could've happened. You're a great uncle for our daughter, and you're part of our family. I love you, Axel. You're seriously the brother I always wanted."

"Leaaaa," Axel whined, pulling him into a hug. "I love you too, and I've never been happier to exist than I am right now, so thanks."

Lea clapped him on the back. "And just one more thing...and I know I shouldn't be saying this, but as a married guy who has to live vicariously through you…You made out with Gladio?! I mean—fuck, man—he's just my type."

Axel had to laugh. "I mean, not one of my proudest moments, but I'll take the compliment."

After indulging in some naughty banter with his Somebody, the two of them returned to the living room to find Lulu and Roxas engaged in conversation. Ara was in Roxas's lap, and even though he seemed to have about as little clue what to do with her as Axel once did, it was a heartwarming sight nonetheless.

"Think I'm gonna join them. Get to know him a little better," Lea said.

"I appreciate it. If he says anything interesting about me, you've gotta give me details later," Axel warned.

"You know I've got you," Lea grinned, with a little pat to Axel's arm before he departed.

Axel went out back to find Leon seated on their balcony couch with Demyx's head resting in his lap. He was surprised to find they both had cocktails in their hands.

"Leon, what the hell man? I thought you were never drinking again."

"Hair of the dog," Leon shrugged.

"So how's everything with Roxas?" Demyx beamed as he sat up.

"Everything's great. Perfect. He's not coming on tour, but he said he wants to take me on a date," Axel replied, getting lost in the tenderness of the idea again.

Leon looked at him with a sappy smile. "We've been through so much, Axel. I remember how cynical you used to be. To see you like this. I couldn't be happier for you."

"Oh please! You barely saw the worst of it," Demyx interjected. "You only got to him after I'd done all the heavy lifting. Imagine what he was like in the beginning!" Demyx said, looking at Axel as though daring him to contradict it.

"Hey, don't forget who hooked you up with this amazing guy who you totally don't deserve," Axel teased.

Demyx was unusually sweet (more likely just drunk) when he replied, "I know. Thank you, Axel." He stood up then, and hugged him before attempting to plant a kiss on his cheek. His aim was subpar, and he kissed Axel fully on the lips instead before turning to Leon, apparently unaware or, at the very least, unconcerned, that he had just kissed Axel in front of his boyfriend.

Axel just looked at Leon who shrugged before Demyx proceeded to aggressively make out with him.

Axel beamed at them like a proud parent before looking up to find Namine motioning for him to meet her inside. He joined her and Tifa.

"You should take Roxas on a walk," she encouraged. "Something good is going to happen. I can feel it."

"She's always right, you know," Tifa added, when Axel turned to look regretfully at Lulu, Lea, and Roxas talking animatedly on the couch. He didn't want to interrupt their bonding time, but he knew Tifa was right, so he did as instructed.

"Hey, uh, can I talk to Roxas?"

"Yes," Lulu agreed, "but I need a minute alone with you first."

He followed her to the kitchen.

"You know I'm not the sentimental type," she announced, "but I think that's the sweetest boy I've ever met."

"Me too," Axel sighed, pleased to hear she approved and even more pleased to hear a comment so well-deserved for Roxas.

She looked at him gravely. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Lea when we started dating: don't fuck it up."

"So that must've been after Lea fucked up by creating me?" he teased. "But hey. I think he's been pretty good since then, right?"

Lulu's face was impassable. "He's been alright," she said before breaking into a slight smile. "Better than my ex at least."

"Wakka, right?" Axel asked, remembering he'd seen him around the island once or twice.

"We don't speak his name," Lulu deadpanned, as they returned back to the living room to find Roxas and Sora whispering to each other on the couch. They became conspicuously silent when they noticed the two of them approaching, and Axel became very curious as to what they might be talking about.

"Sorry to interrupt, Sora. Can I take Roxas on a walk with me?" he asked. "Namine's orders."

They all knew better than to question Namine, and Roxas followed him out the door. They slipped off their shoes and walked barefoot into the sand.

"What were you two laughing about?" Axel inquired.

"Oh nothing," Roxas deflected.

Axel realized there would probably be a lot of secrets between Sora and Roxas he would never know about, just like the secrets he and Lea would have, and he would have to accept it since the two of them seemed to make each other so happy.

"So have you thought more about the tour?" Axel asked as they made their way along the shore.

"Honestly, I haven't really had time to think about it. I've been so busy meeting everyone."

"And what did you think of Lea and Lulu?"

"I really like Lulu. She told me that I remind her of someone she used to protect. She made me promise to tell her if you ever mess up, so... you've been warned," Roxas teased.

"I would never, ever cross Lulu, or you for that matter," Axel replied. "And what about Lea?"

"Well, he's just like you, isn't he? So, yes, I like him," Roxas said coyly.

"It seemed like you liked him a lot," Axel suggested, vaguely beginning to understand the source of Demyx's anxieties over Prompto.

"Oh shut up! He's your Somebody. Of course I find him attractive! At least I didn't make a move on him like someone I know," Roxas teased. Axel had to concede he had a point. He supposed he was just lucky that Roxas could joke about something that used to be such a sore spot between them. It meant Roxas had truly forgiven him, and he was grateful.

"Touche, Roxas," he smiled. "I'll drop it. So about the tour..."

"Wait a second!" Roxas exclaimed. "I remember this place from Sora's childhood!"

Roxas started walking rapidly, and Axel followed him across a bridge that led to a small, circular island with a remarkable looking tree that jutted out over the water. Roxas was examining it closely, apparently looking for something.

As Axel got closer, he could see Roxas was marvelling at a star-shaped yellow fruit. "I've never noticed that before," Axel mused. He'd walked by this little island many times but had never actually been on it. "What kind of fruit is it?"

Roxas smirked, "I can't believe it. I know something you don't for a change."

Axel looked at him quizzically.

"Ask me what it is!" Roxas demanded.

"What is it?"

"It's a paopu fruit!"

"And it's so exciting...why?"

"You've never heard the stories before?" Roxas inquired, gently pulling the fruit off the vine

Axel shook his head.

Roxas's face, once enthused, now turned earnest. "The legend goes that if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined. They'll remain a part of each other's lives no matter what."

Axel felt suddenly breathless. The pink glow of the sunset made both Roxas and the fruit look ethereal and bright. "Well, should we?" he whispered to Roxas, who was staring into his eyes with an unintelligible expression. "There's nothing I want more than to have you by my side."

Roxas smiled back at him. "That's exactly what I want too." He took a bite and handed the fruit to Axel, who took one himself. It was sweet and perfectly ripe.

"I thought I was the happiest I would ever be a few hours ago, but I think it's possible I'm even happier now," Axel beamed.

They sat next to each other on the tree. Roxas lay his head on Axel's shoulder, and Axel put an arm around him. They passed the paopu fruit back and forth as they watched the setting sun, just as they had done so many times before from the clock tower in Twilight Town.

"You know what?" Roxas asked. "I'm going on the tour."

"And I thought I couldn't be any happier... Did I mention we're stopping in San Fransokyo? Remember that night I took you there?"

"I used to think it was the best day of my life."

"I'll make sure it's not," Axel promised.

"I love you, Axel. So much. Got it memorized?" Roxas asked, looking up at him with a tender smile in the last brilliant glow of the setting sun.

Axel smiled and kissed his forehead. "Yes, Roxas, I do."

The End 3 I hope you found the conclusion satisfying. I would love to hear your thoughts if you feel comfortable sharing. Thank you so much for reading this story.