Axel's POV

"Hey Roxas - bet you don't know why the sun sets red."

Roxas turned, biting into his sea salt ice cream and shrugged.

"You see, light is made up of lots of colors. And out of all those colors, red is the one that travels the farthest."

"Nobody asked you… know it all." His tone was playful, and we both smiled at each other before bursting into a fit of laughter.

As we chuckled side by side, I couldn't help but notice how cute Roxas looked when he laughed. He looked so… pure. Roxas was the kinda guy who only smiled or laughed when it was truly genuine.

"Really Roxas, is that all you think of me?" I said, biting into my own popsicle.

Roxas shook his head. "Nah - you've got so much more to offer. Like, your company… "

I raised a curious eyebrow. "Oh yeah?"

"It's… really nice. Coming up here every day after work. Eating ice cream. Laughing together while the sun sets... I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world."

I couldn't help but feel a smile creep onto my lips.

"You know… for a nobody… you sure talk with a 'lotta heart."

Roxas turned to face me, and seemed to be processing what I'd said as I could feel his eyes staring intently in my direction. I faced him, smirking just a little as I noticed how stunned Roxas looked.

"Hope you know I mean that as a compliment."

My smirk softened into a smile, and there he was, beaming all over again, his blue eyes gazing into mine with a small glimmer of happiness. I bit my lip, feeling myself become hot. Just what was going on? Before I could really give it too much thought, his blond hair and face turned away to peer out to the sun setting in front of us. I released a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding, and continued eating my ice cream, which was beginning to melt in my gloved hands.

What is this… feeling?

I wondered. I felt unseasonably warm still, which didn't make any sense to me. I hardly got hot, even in my leather Organization XIII jacket. And then, a new feeling arose within me: my stomach felt like it was in knots. I felt excited and anxious all at the same time.

"Axel - what's summer vacation?"

Roxas' voice broke me from my thoughts. I peered down at the group of three teenagers he was watching. The three teens chatted happily before running into the train station.

"It's a month that kids get off from school. They have homework, but of course they wait 'till the last minute to finish it. They help each other finish it, and then go right back to school."

"A whole month? Wow… I dunno what I'd do with that kinda time."

I let out a light hearted chuckle. "With the right people, you could kill that kinda time easy."

Roxas looked at me, curiously, "Are you saying… you'd spend your summer vacation with me?"

"Roxas - we're friends. So the answer to your question - of course. Got it memorized?" I pointed to my head with my pointer finger, and smirked. He grinned.

"Friends… " He repeated the word, as if he were contemplating the meaning.

I finished the last bite of my popsicle, and looked at the stick. I raised a curious eyebrow as the word "WINNER" in all capital letters appeared in bubble letters with a crown next to the R.

"Hey, what do you think I won?" I asked. Roxas looked over, reading the popsicle stick.

"Hmmm… maybe a years' supply of sea salt ice cream?"

I shrugged, smiling from ear to ear. "A guy can dream."

"Fingers crossed. Is there anything else you think your prize could be?"

I stared out at the sunset, and then back at Roxas.

A kiss…

I froze as the thought crossed my mind. Wait, what was I thinking?

"Well?" Roxas' voice stirred me from my internal dialogue with myself.

"I'd have to say… I'm a bit stumped on this one."

"You... stumped? Alright, tell me what's wrong."

The blond boy looked at me with suspicion. I gulped. Was I really that obvious?

I shrugged. "Nothing's wrong. Can't a guy be speechless sometimes?"

"Not if it's you." Roxas had a playful smile on his face.

"Hey!" I whined, reaching out to punch his shoulder in protest as lightly as I could. He laughed and I soon joined him, feeling something not so familiar stir within me. It felt like my chest was… pounding? But how? Nobodies didn't have hearts, right?

I turned to Roxas who was gazing out in astonishment at the sunset before us. My gloved hands tensed up in my lap as I tore my eyes away from him and back to the orange, pink and yellow sky.

Just what… does all of this mean?

For a guy who usually had all the answers, I sure was baffled.