~o~O~o~

Wild and Untamed

~o~O~o~

The price for what he had done had been so much more than Axel had been able to anticipate. When Zack had found out that his own ward had been the one to set an outlaw free, the freedom over his future had ended right there. There was a determination in Zack to break Axel of any act of defiance. That's when he began to hear that he was just like his daddy. Down to his red hair, and Zack thought he could beat the devil out of him. This only fueled Axel to be more defiant with the less control he had and to grow to resent his life even more.

Both of his guardians had decided that their son would be the face of the law and worked diligently to make sure of it. Despite this, Axel didn't regret what he'd done. Not once. Far from it. He began to question Zack more than not, much to the man's ire. He often thought of Roxas. If anything, he became more drawn to the mysterious blond as a direct result of the change in his upbringing.

Axel began to show an interest and proficiency in fire. He enjoyed watching things burn. It was like it released him from all of the bad things in his life. One such incident with fire and explosives sent his father's barn up in flames. Much to his delight, Zack had never been able to without a doubt, blame Axel. This talent ironically drew the attention of an option to escape. The Rangers. His talent was recognized two years after the incident, as freeing Roxas had been described by Zack and Yuna. Such a prestigious position, and experience, was cherished even more than being a sheriff in his guardians' eyes and Axel fully used it to his advantage. Just a month shy of his nineteenth birthday, he was to begin his training to officially become a new recruit.

When dawn broke that morning, he sat on the front porch drinking coffee with his aunt Yuna. They had gotten into the habit of watching the sun rise together. He knew that he would miss this. "Axel, I know it isn't what we dreamed for you but we're so proud of you," she told him thoughtfully. The red-head hummed softly, taking a long drink. "You be careful out there, it's dangerous, you hear?"

"Of course, Aunt," he said softly. She touched his arm, drawing his gaze.

"I hope one day you see us as your parents and settle for a simple life protecting our town." Axel exhaled, his eyes sliding shut.

"I miss my mama every day… and I didn' know him but I heard lots that I'm just like my daddy," he said wryly. "You sure you want a kid like that?"

"I have always been delighted you came in my life," Yuna answered, drawing his gaze once more. Axel smiled a bit. "Now you promise me you'll be back for your birthday," she chided softly. The handsome young man chuckled a bit.

"I promise to do my best," he answered. Yuna's eyes twinkled in happiness but she failed to recognize his lack of commitment.

"Zack's gonna be back soon, he wanted to see you off," she reminded him, her tone hopeful. Axel's smile twisted into a grimace and he set his mug down.

"Next time, maybe," he answered, feeling a little guilty to see Yuna look defeated.

"You know he adores you, right?" Axel's lips quirked up.

"He loves having a son," he agreed. "Next time," he promised, gathering his belongings and heading toward the stables. He glanced back once more, giving a half smile and a wave, but never really intending on coming back.

~O~

It was hot and humid. Axel detested the weather. Any hotter and he felt he'd dry up into a husk and blow away like the tumbleweeds. He stopped under a shady tree, fanning the stagnant air to try to create any semblance of a breeze. He entertained the idea of running away and getting out of this place and thought of Zack with a sneer. He knew he'd be keeping tabs anywhere nearby to make sure he couldn't do that very thing. Didn't matter that he was an adult, it seemed. Plenty of people felt it was okay to continue meddling in his life.

He groaned in misery. He hated this place. Always had. Always would. It was hell on Earth. He glanced ahead. The road forked off in about a mile. One way was into the canyons. The other led to his doom. Then he glanced back from where he'd come and grimaced. A nice big gilded… "...cage… doom… or adventure…" he muttered. He mounted his horse. "C'mon Oathkeeper, we got enough provisions for one more adventure," he murmured with a wry smile, wandering into the unknown. This wasn't his first time into the unknown. He'd manage.

He wasn't sure what all there was to fear out here. Indians and outlaws. Then the wildlife and maybe this godawful heat. He was glad that dusk was approaching. As far as he knew, none of the above wandered this close to the township of Radiant Garden, and he was looking forward to the cooler temperatures that came with nightfall. If anything did him in, it was gonna be the heat, he was sure of that much.

He set about setting up a camp for the night, lighting a fire and laying against his horse, just staring up at the stars. They were breathtaking. That was the one benefit he could concede to, living out here. He woke again, shortly before dawn, continuing on his way. He had been trekking along the path for a few hours, when he heard the rumble of thunder in the distance. Axel smiled wryly. "Praise the Lord, its a sign," he murmured amusedly, straying off the path and straight for the storm. He had been praying for an end to this terrible heat. Axel laughed in delight as they rode into rain, enjoying the downpour. He dismounted, spreading his arms and letting the water caress his skin until he was dangerously wet. Then he led Oathkeeper under a tree. They sat together, enjoying the cool air and watching lightening dance across the darkened sky, riding the storm out before they continued on their way. It had been so uplifting and peaceful that Axel had been disappointed to see it end. He followed the constellations at night, to make sense of where he was, purposely staying away from where he had been and where he was supposed to go. He headed East. East had been home. He wished it was easier to return. He sighed forlornly. There was no sight of anything in the distance. Just an endless sea of sand. He had such a longing for the ocean that it made his heart ache.

Nearing the second week on his own, he found himself regretting his decision. Shortly after he and Oathkeeper had begun to trek East that morning, they ran into people for the first time. They seemed to come out of nowhere, blocking his path ahead. Axel had immediately been filled with a sense of dread. There was a large man, bigger than he'd ever seen, and a man with black hair and an eye patch. There were bandannas on their faces and guns on their backs and in their holsters at their sides. Axel stared for a long moment, preparing Oathkeeper to bolt. These men were outlaws. Had to be.

He tipped his head to them. "Mornin' I don't got nothin' valuable, just some provisions, and I don't mean you no harm so…" he was interrupted by amused laughter. It was unnerving.

"Hey, I know you," eye patch spoke up. Axel tensed up under his scrutinizing golden gaze.

"No, I don't think you do…" he said uneasily.

"Sure I do, yer that sheriff's brat, ain't ya?" Axel scoffed darkly. "There's a nice wanted poster back at camp, bet they'll pay more to have ya home alive, huh? They seem to think yer dead."

"Prove it," he hissed back, venomously.

"Ooh, got some fire, don'tcha? That pretty much proves it. I bet there will be a nice ransom on you, even if we getta have some fun first." He raised his gun, clicking off the safety and Axel automatically raised his hands. "Be a good little runaway and c'mere. I reckon they'll still pay even if they can't recognize all of ya'." Frowning in displeasure, Axel did as he was told.

"Maybe we should keep 'im for ourselves, eh Xiggy? Kinda pretty, ain't he?" The big guy spoke up. Cold shot though Axel as these deranged men bantered amongst themselves. The one with black hair and an eye patch lifted Axel's face to get a better look and howled in pain a moment later, knocking the red-head to the ground when he bit. Axel glared the man defiantly, spitting blood out of his mouth and onto the outlaw's dusty boot, but froze when a gun was raised to the back of his head by his companion.

"That's enough now, they already think yer dead, keep fightin' and ya will be," the big guy warned. The three of them were startled into silence when there was a gunshot.

"That ain't how we do things. I reckon you deserved that Xigbar. Get cleaned up and get 'im back to camp, now. Our leader decides what we do with him, not you." Axel looked up and eyed his slate-haired savior warily. The man was shorter than most and remained seated on a black mare, rifle ready, even as he was tethered to his own horse. The heat had settled back in and getting to their camp was probably the longest walk of his life but he endured it wordlessly, even when he stumbled and became exhausted by the heat. He wasn't about to appear weak in front of outlaws. It was almost a relief when he was blindfolded and taken prisoner in one of the buildings. The long moments ticked by but Axel stayed alert, ever aware that he was probably in the most dangerous situation he'd ever been in in his life, but grateful to be out of the heat. He didn't fare well with his red hair and fair complexion. One of the many reasons he hated this godforsaken desert.

He tensed when after countless minutes in the dark, maybe even an hour, he heard someone approach, painfully aware of just how helpless he was. He absolutely despised that he was about to be shipped back to Zack and Yuna. His breath caught when the barrel of a gun raised his chin, and he was shushed softly. "I didn't wanna get bit," a voice murmured closely to his ear, brimming in amusement. Axel's entire body froze while his heart beat madly in his chest. He recognized that voice. It had been years but he had never forgotten. The meanest outlaw, running the most feared gang within three hundred miles. Maybe the most gorgeous too.

"Roxas," he gasped softly.

A hand gently touched his face and he flinched, realizing that there was a bruise. Then the blindfold slid off of his face. Axel blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted. Roxas was incredibly close in the dimmed light. His windswept blond hair seemed lighter than he remembered and his skin was a bit darker, but those beautiful ocean blue eyes were just as he remembered. He barely looked like he had aged a day, let alone nearly seven years. The man smiled wryly at him.

"It ain't polite to stare, kid," he said teasingly and all of the tension melted out of Axel's body as he laughed breathlessly. It was the first time he'd allowed himself to relax. He smiled a bit, eyeing the gun. Gunmetal and Ivory. Just like he remembered.

"Oh? Do you remember me?" He had hardly dared to hope.

Roxas didn't answer for a long moment, and when Axel looked up, he found the blond watching him seriously. "I never forget a face. 'Specially one I owe a favor to," he answered just as seriously. Axel didn't have words for a long moment and was almost startled when he was offered a canteen. He drank gratefully. Roxas looked just like an angel. A beautiful guardian angel. "Yer safe now, Axel. I told 'em I owe you my life. You don't gotta go nowhere you don't want to, 'kay?" Axel swallowed carefully and exhaled in relief.

"You really do know how to repay a favor, huh?" Roxas chuckled a bit. A moment later his hands were cut down but not freed.

"I still got questions for ya, so no runnin' off. 'kay?" Axel nodded warily. Roxas handed him the canteen and he took it gratefully. "No lyin' either," he warned softly. Axel nodded slowly.

"Don't know if I could," he answered honestly. Roxas hummed softly.

"Why's that?" Axel shrugged.

"You showed me life could be different. I look up to you. Always did, since back then." The blond sat next to him and somehow it was comforting.

"Interesting one, you are," the blond murmured. "Always were, weren't ya?" Axel took a drink and mulled over the question.

"What'cha mean?"

"I never could figure out why you did it that day," the blond murmured. Axel smiled a bit and glanced at the blond sidelong.

"Never regretted it either," he admitted. Roxas chucked a bit. The kid had some fire. He liked that. Axel was wild, untamed, and had grown very beautiful. "I hate it here. Got shipped to some relatives who tried to decide my whole life since I got here. Couldn't stand the thought of seein' you die," he murmured with a shrug. Roxas hummed in interest.

"So why you tryin' to be a ranger then?" Axel froze for a moment before meeting blue eyes. "'s on yer poster. That's where ya were headin'." Roxas smiled wryly, amused by Axel's defiance. "'cept ya' weren't, right?"

"Better than bein' a sheriff," he admitted, making a face. "'s my way out, I suppose. I don't got nowhere else to go." He took a drink. "Yeah, I took a detour. Wasn't ready to have my life decided for me. Zack never was keen on lettin' me leave." Roxas hummed softly and was quiet for a long moment.

"I saw yer bag, Unlucky Thirteen could use that talent'a yours if ya need a place to stay." Axel froze, staring at the blond, who was grinning at him wryly. "Ya' like explosions and fire, huh? That why you were recruited?"

"How..?" he whispered breathlessly. Blue eyes sparkled beautifully.

"Me too, Axel," he whispered back. "Who woulda thought, huh?" The red-head stared at him, feeling so drawn to him. No one had ever understood his passion before. He gasped softly when Roxas freed his hands. "Get some proper rest, think it over." Axel grasped his arm shakily.

"What about…"

"Oh 'm right outside," he promised. "Nobody's gonna cross me."

"T-thanks, Roxas." The blond smiled at him mysteriously. Then he was gone.

~O~