Disclaim: I don't own KHII. Trust me.

A/N: Doesn't really quilify as an AkuRoku...sorry. I guess I wasn't really in the mood to write one...

.:Nyctophobia:.

I wasn't really sure is Axel was fond of the rain or not... But any way you look at it, we were stuck in the stuff, sitting on the sidewalk.

Now, of course there was always the option of using the teleport gates, but due to my potential fear of the things, Axel agreed not to use them. So, here we were, sitting on the Sidewalk That Never Was, waiting for another Non-Existent bus, in the Rain That Really Isn't There... Okay, I don't know about anyone else, but they even confused me...

I sighed, hearing Axel stir next to me, throwing his arms in the air, "Arg, I hate the fuckin' rain!"

I guess that answered my question about his opinion on rain.

"WHY are we in the fuckin' rain!" "Because..." I answered, feeling a little bad for prohibiting Axel's use of his beloved teleporter... "Because you're a little wussy, and won't go in the dark for a good 10 seconds." Axel finished my sentence... at least he said it and I didn't...wait.

"I-I'm sorry, Axel..." He sighed, swiping a hand through his sopping wet hair and glancing down at me. "Nah, I'm sorry..."

I didn't answer. There was nothing to say...I was terrified of those damn black holes. I couldn't help it, but because of that I was holding Axel back from going home...and staying out of the rain.

"What's so scary about those things, Roxas?" He asked after a moment, glancing down at me again. I huddled closer, with my knees already tucked to my chest and my arms holding them in place. "I...have nightmares..." "About the gates?" "Well..." This was awkward...but once Axel asked something, there was no turning back...

"I usually get stuck in one of the those things...and I can't breathe, I can't see...I just get scared..." I glanced up at him, noticing the faint, almost friendly smile on his lips. "Is that all? Just because you dream about them?" He laughed amusedly, ruffling my damp hair, "Silly... You know you can't be scared of those things forever, right?"

I looked up at Axel. "To hell I can't be!" "Aw, c'mon Roxas! They aren't scary! Besides, the bus is coming in another half hour, and I'm getting so soaked I think my fire's gettin' weak." He snapped his fingers a few times, creating small sparks. He snapped his fingers usually to express his own power or to intimidate someone who was mocking him or just bugging me. But on a good day, the small sparks were at least the size of an oversized candle light.

"So...what do you propose we do about it?" "Well, I'm getting wet, you're getting wet, and we have a shortcut home, and YOU'RE the only thing standing in our way." Axel got up, and I soon followed, only taking a few steps back when the hollow sound of a teleporter rising reached my ears. I blinked a few times, and looked up at Axel. He turned to me, and reached out a hand, "C'mon, I'll be with ya, there's nothin' to be scared of." I sighed shakily, glancing from his hand to his eyes.

I reached out to grab it, but pulled back at the last second. He then became impatient and nabbed my hand with his, "Roxas, I want to go home." "O-okay..." I walked closer to him and let him take me to the entrance of the portal he created. I could already feel my mouth drying and my heart beat in my ears. I squeezed Axel's hand with mine to keep him close. I closed my eyes and tried to keep a steady walking pace with Axel, gulping dryly.

"Nothing to be afraid of." Axel repeated in a whisper, leading me somewhere I couldn't see...well, durr I couldn't see, I had my eyes closed. I gulped again, feeling my feet step onto solid ground and I finally opened my eyes...

To see the same annoying white walls of the Castle That Never Was, in one of the long, seemingly endless corridors.

Axel looked down at me, and laughed, "Geez, you alright? You're sweating, kid..." He bent down to my level and patted my cheek. "Better than sitting out in the rain though, right?" "Uh-huh..." I stammered, trying to regain my breath and slow my pulse.

I sighed, and Axel stood straight, ruffling my hair again, "Want me to walk you to your room? Or will you have nightmares or something?" I looked up at him with my trademark puppy-eyes; that usually got me a night in his room. "I-I can't sleep alone after that..." "Alright, fine. I guess I can share my room for one night." He turned and lead me down the hallway in the general direction of the elevators, wildly shaking his head back and forth to rid it of excess rainwater.

I rapped my arms around his waist, careful not to trip the both of us and felt his arm rap around my shoulders.

Maybe I really was afraid of the dark for no reason...

-End-

A/N: Kinda short, but eh...I dunno, it's a tad late and stuff...watching Princess Mononoke, though! Great movie, another Miyazaki-Movie-Masterpiece! So, instead of reading this, how about