Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.
Note: Written for LJ's "30kisses," Theme two: News/Letter.
Bending a Tradition
It had been a habit of sorts for Axel. A nightly routine. Each evening he would know on Roxas' door, step in quietly, and have a chat. Just because. They would talk about anything really, Axel usually doing the majority of the talking while Roxas sat watching him. Axel chose not to notice that Roxas didn't seem to care if he came every night or not, or whether or not Axel actually had anything to say to him. It was far too obvious and much too far-fetched to deny that Roxas was unhappy in the Organization, but the two of them were the best of friends, so nothing could ever come between them anyway. Or so Axel liked to pretend.
But after running for so long anyone would get tired, and anyone would get paranoid that what they were running from would catch up with them while their back was turned, precisely the reason Axel stopped running from his problems with Roxas one night and turned about to look them in the eye. He tried to get into Roxas' mind and figure out what was the matter; he tried to reanimate a relationship he couldn't afford to let die, but the response he received was little more than tepid, and it was clear that Roxas had lost even the interest he had had left in Axel. That night was the night Axel realized that the future held bad things for his beloved friend, and he nearly wept as he begged Roxas not to do anything rash. Axel could see now the trouble that Roxas could cause, and only prayed that he would miraculously avoid it. Again the reaction had Axel feeling sick, the words "Just find someone else to cry to at night," being the cruelest he could recall Roxas ever saying to him.
But Axel had been right. Roxas did leave the Organization. The very day he walked in on two old friends in a lip lock, Axel doing more than just crying with his new confidant at night. Ironically, the heartbreak Axel felt at Roxas' departure only made him seek Zexion's comfort more.