We Can Pretend
Disclaimer: All I own is my soul, and even that it's up for rent.
Notes: One shot AkuRoku, takes place while Roxas is in Twilight Town. Axel decides to play along with Roxas' fake memories. Horrible summery, in Axel's POV. The original plot is changed a bit. Sad and sappy ;O
He isn't supposed to be there. He isn't a bunch of pixels and numbers, no not him. The sad thing is, he is happy there. I've never seen him so damn happy, it's like he has a heart. I feel as if I am being selfish for wanting to take it all the way. Heh, for something I'm not supposed to ever experience, why do I know it so well? Why do I behave this way, if I'm not supposed to feel? Is it some twisted paradox our kind has to live with?
Maybe he's better off being a toy in a dream land, it's better than being a pawn in a no land. He has normal friends and a normal life, everything most humans want. It's hard seeing him care about a bunch of pixels, when he can't even remember my name. I feel like screaming at him, saying "They're not real like us Roxas!" But isn't that funny? Roxas and I aren't even real, we aren't supposed to exist. Maybe we are just as real as those walking-talking data of someone else's memory.
Maybe he isn't Roxas anymore; he has a new identity, a new life. He most likely has memories of the first time he met his best friends, the first day of school, his last birthday, but they aren't real. Though he thinks they are, he thinks they truly happened. He can still remember the color of wrapping paper from his favorite birthday present. He can even remember the color pencil he wrote with for the first day of school. Yet he can't remember my name. He can't remember my smile, he can't remember the way he used to laugh, but he can't even remember us. He said he'd never forget those things, yet he did.
I still have something inside me that won't let me give up. Maybe it's my memories of Roxas. Maybe it's the way I remember the way he used to laugh, maybe it is how I felt at peace with him, maybe it's the fact I can't give up on us. I want to be happy with him, and if that means playing pretend, I will do so. Just one day, I want to be part of that pixilated town. Where I have memories of my last birthday, my first day of school, and my best friends. Just for one day, I wish I could forget that I'm a nobody. I want to pretend with Roxas, just for one day.
I unzipped my robe and threw it to the ground. I looked down at my attire; I looked like an average human teenager. I was wearing a dark red tank top with black text reading 'fire cracker' which is accompanied by a pair of black pants held up by a studded belt. My shoes are black sneakers with bright red laces; I also have a spike bracelet on my left wrist. Yes, I was ready to blend in, and forget I was a nobody for one day.
I open a door to darkness and teleport my way in front of that broken down mansion. I look at it then start walking through the woods. I see an arch up ahead that has a sign reading 'Welcome to the Market Street-Tram Common'. When I finally pass through the arc, a trolley comes near me. I grab onto it, hoping I can find Roxas better this way. I see a group of teenagers; I jump off and start to walk over. One turns his head and looks directly at me.
"Hey! What are you doing following us? We aren't the thieves you know!" The camouflaged kid yells at me. Then the rest of the group turns around, I see him, Roxas. I mutter his name under my breath and look directly into his eyes. He breaks the contact by turning his head away.
"Hey! Are you listening to me? I'm telling you, we didn't steal the ---, alright?"
"Hayner, I don't think I've ever seen this guy around before" The only girl in the group says. She walks up to me and shakes my hand.
"I'm Olette, and you are?" She smiles sweetly.
I giver her my name, and she nudges the others to introduce themselves.
"I'm Hayner, sorry about what I said before. I didn't know you were new. Friends?" He raises his elbow while I blink.
"You're supposed to do the same towards me, Axel" I raise my elbow and copy the way his looks. "Yah, friends" I mutter.
"I'm Pence, welcome to Twilight Town. Your name is Axel, right? That's a pretty cool name" He shakes my hand and walks towards Olette.
"Roxas" Olete nudges Roxas, who seems to have drifted away from the rest of the group. He walks towards me, I feel my chest growing heavier, what is going to happen?
"Roxas" He sticks out his hand waiting for me to grab his. I slowly move my hand to shake his. I don't want to let go of his hand, but I have to.
"Axel, A-X-E-L, got it memorized?" He blinks towards me and suddenly squeezes my hand tighter. I blink, he was still holding my hand.
"Roxas, you spaced out again" Hayner rolls his eyes and gently smacks Roxas over the head.
"Man, I did? Sorry Axel, I space out a lot" He lets go and I can't help myself from staring at his eyes.
"So why are you here anyways, Axel? This place is boring" Hayner says to me.
What is a good reason? Newly moved here? They'd expect to see me again. Visiting relatives? No, they wouldn't buy it. Stopping by on vacation? That might work.
"Vacation, summer vacation" They seem to of believed it and smile.
"I should have guessed that" Olette says
"Hey Axel, want to hangout with us? We were just about to get some ice cream" Hayner offers. I nod and we start walking towards what I assume is the ice cream parlor. I make my way towards Roxas, who looks like he is in pretty deep thought.
"Hey" I interrupt him; he looks at me some what displeased but mostly confused.
"What Axel?" It is weird hearing him say my name again. It is almost like the real Roxas is with me.
"Just making sure you're still with us" I say to him
"Well, I'm still here. I've just been thinking a lot lately" Roxas stops looking at me and looks at the massive ice cream sign.
"About what?" I ask hoping he answers me
"Weird things, come on let's get some ice cream" He walks towards the stall, hands the woman munny, then receives his ice cream. I then walk up to the stall, hand my munny and receive the daily special, sea salt ice cream. I already see the others walking away, licking at their ice cream. I catch up to Roxas who bites a chunk off of his.
"You don't like it?" he asks me
"I don't know, haven't tried it" he nudges me
"Go on, try it then" I stick the ice cream in my mouth, softly biting down on it. It's salty yet oddly sweet. What a paradox, just like nobodies.
"Like it?" He asks me
"Yah, it's pretty good" I start taking bigger licks and bites
We end up walking in front of a train station; Hayner is already at the top of the stairs waiting for us.
"Hurry up you slow pokes!" He yells running inside. Roxas and I look at each other, and then we both run to catch up to the rest of the group.
"Race ya'!" I yell running up the staircase
"Hey!" he soon screams trying to catch me.
I laugh as he tries to catch up with me, then I feel him grabbing my wrist.
"No fair! You got a head start" he says
I turn around, we're all alone.
"Do I look familiar to you Roxas?" I bite my lip and turn my head away
He lets go of my wrist then sighs "I don't know. I feel I'm supposed to be comfortable around you. Yet all I know is your name and that you are visiting here" I feel like telling him the truth, that I'm Axel, his best friend, and that this world isn't real. But, I can't. If being with Roxas means pushing that aside, then I will do so.
"I feel the same, weird huh?" I smile and pat his back, trying to lighten the mood.
"It sure is, now come on. Hayner, Pence, and Olette most likely are wondering where we are" He runs up the remaining stairs while I follow.
We reach a door, and then I look outside. We're on top of the train station, near the clock.
"Pretty huh?" Roxas asks me. I pause and look at the surroundings. How can something fake be so pretty?
"Yah, it is Roxas" we finally sit down next to the rest of the gang, who had finished their ice creams.
"What took you guys so long? We have to go, meet us back at the usual spot, okay Roxas and Axel?" Pence says while the rest of the group gets up and leaves. Roxas nods while I shrug, and we continue eating our melted ice cream. I look at Roxas' hands they're covered with the melted ice cream. I lick my top lip slightly making my eyes move up towards his mouth. He gently licks the ice cream off his fingers. I couldn't stop looking at him, not that I want to stop looking.
"Axel! You spaced out" Roxas waves his hand in front of my face. I can't help myself but grab one of his fingers and gently suck on it. He blushes and takes back his finger.
"I'm sorry" I quickly say turning my head away.
"Heh, I don't blame you. The ice cream is pretty good; I can never stop eating the stuff. Though sucking it off someone else's finger is pretty desperate" he laughs I begin to laugh as well. I stare at him, while he is looking at the sun setting. He looks so happy, so content, like he is having the best time of his life. I frown, I can't take this away from him, not right now.
"What's wrong Axel?" He faces me putting one of his hands on my back
"Well I was thinking, what if we never see each other again? I've had such a good time with you guys" He begins to frown too.
"Well, you'll just have to come back here, okay? Promise me you'll come back"
I smile, I wish I could come back. I wish I could live in Twilight Town with you, Roxas. I wish we weren't nobodies, I wish you could remember how I truly am. Though that will never happen.
"I promise, but only if you smile" he begins to smile
"Like this?" I laugh
"Yah, exactly, just perfect" We laugh and stand up walking down the staircase till we reach the main floor.
"I have to go now Roxas" I fake a smile out for him
"You're taking the last train back, I'm guessing?" I nod
"Goodbye, Roxas" I start walking away when he grabs my wrist yet again
"You don't need to say goodbye Axel, you're coming back. You promised, remember?" My throat felt like I have knots in it, I couldn't speak. I didn't want to leave Roxas, not again. I suddenly hug Roxas tightly and close my eyes, his arms slowly wrap around my body.
"I'll take that as a yes" he mutters
I finally let go, if I held on any longer it would hurt too much. I sigh then wave to Roxas "See you later, Roxas!" I yell. He waves back to me while I walk into one of the trains.
The train starts moving, and I see Roxas still waving at me. Then Roxas become too small to see. I sit down on one of the seats; I am the only one here. Then the train stops and begins to shake. I pull out my chakras "Who the hell is here?" I yell
A man slowly appears out of nowhere. "Axel, you should thank me for letting you enjoy your last day with Roxas. Nobodies are pretty easy to track on the computer, you stuck out like a sore thumb" he walks towards me while I guard myself.
"It's your fault Roxas is in this place! He would be with me if it weren't for you" I growl
"But, he is happy Axel. He was never happy when he was with the organization, was he?" The man was right, I wasn't even sure if Roxas was happy with me. I put away my chakras and sigh
"You're right" I look down at my feet biting my lip
"See Axel, even you cannot deny how happy Roxas is. I'll make you an offer, what about that? Tell me what you know about the organization and I'll put you into Twilight town as Roxas' new best friend. I can even add in very, how do I say this? Intimate moments between you too" I gulp, it is a tempting deal. Roxas and I could live in peace forever. But, the real Roxas and the real me would be lost forever.
"It is tempting, but I like the way I am. Who knows what weird data you're gonna' pump into my mind. I'll get the old Roxas back one day anyways" the man frowns and starts to walk away.
"Have it your way Axel, but the old Roxas is gone forever" I get my chakras out and growl.
"No he isn't! He is still there you asshole!" I swing one at him, but it just passes through him. He disappears leaving me alone again. I open a door to darkness, and walk into it. Now I was a nobody again, my name was Axel: number eight. After all, we can't pretend forever.
The End
Notes: That was soooo much sadder than I ever thought it would be x( I was going 'aww' so much writing this. Please review! x3