Axel's POV

At the beach, Roxas wasted no time in walking down to the shore, removing his denim button up, rolling up his jeans, and removing his sneakers, leaving him in a white tee shirt, now what looked like capri jeans, and barefoot. I smiled and joined him, rolling up my jeans and kicking out of my shoes.

"I never imagined a place could be so beautiful."

"The world is a beautiful place… if you truly allow yourself to take a moment and see it, that is."

He turned to me. "Axel - why do we even go back at all?"

"What do you mean?"

"To the Organization - we could just stay here. And never come back.."

"Roxas… we have a job to do. We shouldn't just abandon it."

"It's a job I never asked to be a part of."

"I get why you feel that way… especially since you can't recall your past. But… running away from the Organization is… risky. If they find out which you know they will and discover where to find you, you'd be turned into a Dusk for sure."

"Then that's just a risk I'll have to take."

"What about our conversation before, when you were sick? You said you'd listen to me. That you'd avoid doing dangerous things."

"I told you I would stop following Saix at night."

"Yes, you're right. But you do realize that both things could get you turned into a Dusk?"

My voice raised, and I could feel Roxas tense up beside me as he peered down into the shore where water danced with sand.

"I know. But I need you to understand that if I want to leave and never come back, I have my reasons."

I bit my lip. My mind was racing and I had no idea what to say. I couldn't even wrap my head around the fact that this conversation was happening.

"I guess you're gonna end up breaking that promise to me after all."

"Huh?"

"Roxas and Axel… friends forever… remember?"

His jaw clenched as he seemed to be getting annoyed, maybe even angry with me.

"How can you say that? You could come with me, you know. I even said we could just not come back. Not just me."

"But you're not even taking into consideration how I feel. You're just making these plans all on your own. That's not what friends do."

"Then why are we even friends?" He said it quietly, but I heard every word clear as day.

My eyes widened as I registered what he had said to me. I swallowed, meaning to say something in response, but decided I truly had nothing to say. I turned on my heel, and walked off, all the while hoping that all Roxas needed was time to cool off and think things through. I had never heard him talk like this, and wondered what had brought it on all of a sudden. I know he wanted to know his past, but was it worth destroying our friendship over?

As I walked away, I could feel Roxas' eyes on me, but I continued on anyway. What was there for me to say? In my experience, it was best to leave people be when they got angry. I took a few steps out into the ocean, feeling the cold water wash over my feet as it returned to the shore. I turned, seeing a few teenagers giggling as they ran out deeper into the water, splashing each other. I then heard a vendor yelling across the beach, turning my head to face him.

"Ice cream! Get your watermelon ice cream! Only available in the summer! Get it before it's gone!"

I contemplated getting up and buying some, but it just didn't feel right. I had gotten so used to buying ice cream for myself and for Roxas, that buying just one popsicle would just feel wrong. I frowned, and turned back to face the water.

Maybe another time…

"Here."

An all too familiar voice chimed from the left of me. I shifted to face them, and sure enough, there was Roxas, standing and holding out a pink and green swirled popsicle to me.

"What's this?" I asked.

"A peace offering."

I took it, and the blond walked closer so he could stand next to me on the shore with his own ice cream.

"A peace offering, huh?"

"Yeah. I know you can never say no to ice cream."

I nodded my head, shrugging my shoulders. "You are right about that."

"Axel… I'm sorry for what I said."

"If that's how you really felt, you shouldn't apologize for it."

Roxas looked confused, but spoke again as he processed what I said.

"I know… but I definitely didn't mean it when I asked you why we were friends."

"That did sting a bit… "

"I'm sorry about that… just please know that I don't wanna fight with you."

I smiled. "Neither do I."

"So, you forgive me?"

"Course. Now eat your ice cream before it melts."

As I bit into mine, I said,

"So this is the watermelon ice cream that guy was yelling about just a minute ago… not bad. Not bad at all."

"Aren't you bummed it'll be only available 'till summer's over?"

"Nah. No need. There's always next summer."

"What will we do when fall comes?"

"When it gets cooler out, hot chocolate is always an option."

As we finished our ice cream, I turned to Roxas.

"So, you still feeling okay?" I reached out and put my hand on his forehead to check for a fever. There was none, and just like earlier, I could detect a slight reddening of his face when our skin touched.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry so much."

"We're friends... it's what I'm supposed to do, you know. Got it memorized?" I pointed to my head like I always did, delivering my classic three word catchphrase.

"Very memorized." Roxas pointed to his own head with his index finger, grinning at me.

I nodded my head in approval, chuckling a little. "I gotta say - I'm impressed. You been practicing?"

"Something like that."

As the hours went on, and Roxas and I got soaked splashing each other, I suggested we go back home so he didn't get sick again. We both took showers and changed clothes before hanging out in my room for the evening.

"Never have I ever... embarrassed myself in public."

"C'mon Roxas, I feel personally attacked here." I put a finger down, laughing.

"Now I gotta know - what'd you do to make a fool out of yourself?" The blond stuck his tongue out at me as I punched him lightly in the arm. A knock could be heard at the door, and Roxas and I froze mid laugh.

"Get in the closet. Should just take a minute." I whispered. Roxas nodded, heading for my closet and slowly closing the double doors behind him. I cleared my throat and walked to my door slowly, turning the knob as I opened it and met the face of Isa.

"Axel - you got a minute?"

"Yeah. Want to talk here or...?"

He shook his head. "No. Come to the quarters with me."

I nodded, and followed him, closing my door behind me.