Our group had its good apples, just like it has its bad.

Everybody wanted the same thing: to complete Kingdom Hearts. What is Kingdom Hearts? What happens when we gather enough hearts and finish it? I didn't know then...still don't... But why did I ever need to fight for a chance to be someone whole-fight against the darkness for the sake of a heart of my own?

I didn't need a heart to feel happy, to laugh alongside my friends, to feel that terrible pain when they turned their backs to me...

I still don't.

Roxas dragged his feet into the Grey room, not looking forward to another day of getting tossed around, but fatigue suddenly faded as he saw Axel waiting for him. Quickening his pace so he could greet his senior."

Axel turned his head towards him as he looked down at his junior looking up at him, his face partly covered by his face. "Hey, Roxas. It's you and me again today." " Check in with Saïx when- Well, you know the drill. I don't know what they've cooked up for us, but let's get it done with style, huh?" He said trying to spark a conversation. Oh, by the way, Roxas, today will be your first really-real mission. That means you should definitely prep your weapon beforehand." Axel informed before walking off.

"Hm?" Roxas inquired tilting his head in confusion as to what Axel meant.

"...Just make sure you can summon your special toy." Axel sighed, patting Roxas's head before walking off, unnerved by Roxas staring at him, still feeling his gaze even as he was walking away.

Roxas looked around for a moment, wondering if he should ask what, "preping," was. He glanced towards Larxene for a moment, but just as he decided against talking to her she caught his gaze, narrowing her eyes at him so fiercely he couldn't breakaway, at the risk of being ripped apart.

"What are you looking at?" She asked suspiciously, but then her expression warped into disgust. " ...Oh, dream on. It's not gonna happen, pipsqueak. Here take this, and take a hike." She remarked, hitting his face with a potion that then fell into his hands. He then quickly walked away as he approached Demyx playing his sitar nearby.

"You ever get the urge to just do something stupid...and AWESOME? Wait, wait...I'm getting an idea... Nope, it's gone." He remarked, adding nothing to this conversation. Roxas glanced at Marluxia for a moment before deciding to ignore him entirely, not wanting to get into a conversation with the taller man. He walked up to Axel who was talking to Saïx. As he approached, Axel looked down at him, more specifically at the bruise that had recently formed on his forehead in the few moments he turned his back to him. But didn't want to unpack another one-sided conversation as they both turned to their superior.

"Today will be your first true mission Roxas." Saïx informed, "You and Axel will be destroying a rise of heartless appearing within Twilight Town." He informed as he then opened a corridor of darkness before them.

Roxas stepped into an alleyway within Twilight town, looked towards Axel for some direction.

"Our second mission together," Axel said as he stretched his arms over his head. He waited for a moment before turning back towards Roxas, still looking at him.

"..."

"Sheesh, don't talk my ear off." Axel sighed. "You ready or what?" He asked, but when he turned around, Roxas was missing. Axel stared at the spot where he should've been, for a few seconds before groaning to himself. Cursing himself for taking his eyes off his junior as he ran off in a random direction trying to track down the keyblade wielder.

Axel finally caught up just as Roxas finished off their mission for the day. Grabbing the hood of his coat, as he glared down at his junior who looked up at him with a blank expression.

"You." He grunted. "Don't you disappear on me like that." He said, crossing his arms.

As the keyblade disappeared in his hand Roxas looked up to him. "But you were slow." He responded, and received a flick to the forehead.

"Don't backtalk me." Axel then sighed, scratching the back of his head. It wasn't like he could really chide Roxas for doing his job, after all their goal was the same in the long run. Even so, it pissed him off that his junior had the audacity to disobey without the smug persona to match it. But he let go of his annoyance. "So, got any plans?" He inquired as the mission was finished early all things considered.

Roxas shook his head. "I was just gonna report to Saïx and then go to my room like I always do."

Axel placed his hand on his junior's head. "Go to your room!? Oh, Roxas, Roxas..." He remarked, petting his head in disbelief. But then turned his head as he saw a few kids running by. He herded Roxas close to the wall, hiding their presence better as the kids ran by, yelling at each other in amusement as one of their friends lingered behind.

"Who were they?" Roxas asked, his eyes lighting up with curiosity as he glanced at the children that looked to be around his physical age.

Axem hummed for a moment. "Hmm... Must be some kids who live here."

"Really? They sure acted weird." Roxas said, suddenly talkative as he looked towards the area they ran towards.

"Yeah? How do you figure?"

"Those last two seem to enjoy getting pushed around like, and they were even making those "ha ha" noises." He said thoughtfully but then turned to Axel. "Are they a kind of emblem heartless?"

Axel averted his gaze, trying to drown a familiar amused feeling. Probably a memory of that feeling. "You mean laughter? Sometimes people with hearts do that even when it doesn't make any sense."

Roxas looked towards him in surprise. "Hearts..." He murmured to himself. "But they look similar to how we look. How does a heart make us different?"

Axel's expression softened for a moment, sighing in amusement as he walked towards Roxas, placing his hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, let's get some ice cream."

"What?" Roxas asked tilting his head.

"Whaddaya mean, why? Because we're friends.

"So...friends are people who have ice cream together?

Axel shrugged his shoulder. "Sort of... That, or laugh at stupid stuff that doesn't make any sense. Like those kids we just saw-they were friends."

Roxas hesitated for a moment, "Saïx said I had to come back as soon as I finished my missions. Any dilly-dallying will attract any unwanted attention." Roxas repeated.

"Well, did Saïx ever say you couldn't make a stop on the way back from finishing your mission?" Axel reasoned, a smile breaking out Roxas's looked up at him with realization at the existence of loopholes. "C'mon, I'll show you how it works."

"Why did you interact with that old lady?" Roxas asked, as he followed Axel out of the store."Our existence is supposed to be kept secret."

"She's where the ice cream comes from Roxas." Axel explained as he too Roxas's shoulder, teleporting him up towards the clock tower with ease. "She doesn't care who we are so long as we pay for her wares." He explained as he sat on the edge of the clocktower.

"Pay?"

"Yes, Roxas. What do you think the Organization compensates its members with for all their hard work?" He asked as Roxas mirrored him, sitting on the edge of the tower as well.

"Shiny stuff, and paper stuff." Roxas replied as he took the ice cream from Axel who chucked at his junior's naive nature.

"And some of that shiny stuff can be used to get ice cream. The rest can be used to upgrade your gear so you can get stronger." He explained glancing at his junior, "Hey, Roxas. Let's meet up for ice cream again after your next mission. I mean, who wants to spend their days just bouncing between work, and the castle, right?"

Roxas thought for a moment but then nodded.

"Yeah?" Axel remarked in amusement. A pleasant feeling washed over him, something he hadn't felt in a long time, thinking back to when he first met Roxas, who couldn't even speak...

His eyes widened with remembrance, wondering how much Roxas actually did remember. "Hey, what's our boss's name?"

"Xemnas." Roxas said easily taking a bite of his ice cream, then licking his lips at the sweet-salty flavor.

"Okay, now how 'bout my name, then?"

"Access," Roxas remarked with a straight face, but it quickly broke as he saw Axel's stunning grin.

"You little-" Axel gritted as he wrapped his arm around Roxas's neck, ruffling his hair as they both laughed in amusement.

-Roxas's Diary Entry: Day 14-

Me and Axel went on a mission to Twilight Town. Afterward, we went and had ice cream again up on the clock tower.

He said friends do stuff like that. Or they laugh together. Axel made me laugh when we were at the clock tower today...

... I guess we really are friends

-Secret Report: Axel-

Another mission with Roxas today. Is he seriously my responsibility? At least he's starting to talk like a normal person. Maybe that means his memory's coming back. Still, this kid's supposed to be a Keyblade master's Nobody?

He looks exactly like him, of that boy that I came across years ago, before this whole mess began.

Saïx hasn't said anything about him yet, but I can tell, being near Roxas is putting him off...

Notes:

- Axel to Roxas: Munny can be exchanged for goods and services.

- I treasure the manga, I want to engrain certain elements from it into this fic.