"Axel, what do you know about your Somebody?"

"Well," Axel ran his hand through his hair, "What do you want to know about him?"

Truthfully, Roxas wanted to know anything Axel might be willing to tell. The past few weeks had brought everything back to a passable level of normality between them. This didn't change the fact that Roxas was still harboring the same feelings as he was before, but at least now he could talk to Axel as if those feelings never existed. It was better than being avoided or ignored.

"Where does he live?" Roxas began, although he realized he sort of knew the answer already, having been to the guy's house.

"He lives in Hollow Bastion. That probably means nothing to you though, right?"

Roxas smiled, "Yeah, I only know about the places I've been on my missions... So what's it like?"

"I have a lot of fond memories there - well Lea does," he corrected.

"Lea?"

"That's my Somebody's name."

"And you said Lea has a wife?"

Axel looked surprised. "How did you know that?"

"I don't remember," Roxas deflected, though he clearly remembered learning that when Axel had taken him to Lea's house.

Axel seemed to suddenly realize the same thing and scratched the back of his head before continuing. "Her name's Lulu. She's from a world called Spira. They met just before I was created, but I've followed them around a bit... technically stalked them, but who's keeping track? That's how I learned about the marriage and the pregnancy."

"What do you think of her?" Roxas didn't know what pregnancy meant, but he did know a little bit about marriage, and he felt a pang of jealousy when he thought about Axel's potential feelings for her.

"Well, let me explain it this way... Lea and I are connected, so I have all the same attachments as he does, even though I'm not the same person. So yes, I like her, and I think she's attractive, but..." he shrugged. "She doesn't know I exist, and if she did, she wouldn't like me because I'm part of the Organization, so... it'll never matter."

"How does that pregnancy thing work?" Roxas asked, harkening back to his previous concerns.

Axel smiled and ruffled Roxas's hair condescendingly. "I'll tell you about it when you're older."

Even though Roxas found it frustrating when Axel wouldn't tell him things, claiming he "wasn't old enough," he realized it was Axel's way of protecting him, and he thought that was sort of sweet. Roxas was eyeing Axel, remembering what he'd looked like with his shirt unbuttoned and how magnificent it had felt to touch him. He would have to try harder to focus on the conversation and not how physically attractive he found his friend. The more open and vulnerable Axel became, the more attracted Roxas was.

Axel didn't seem to notice that Roxas was checking him out and continued his story. "Lea was kind of a rebel. He ran away from home when he was 16. He didn't like following rules, so you can see where I get it from."

"Why did he run away?"

Roxas could understand why someone would want to do that. Sometimes he'd wanted to run away himself, but he honestly didn't think he could survive without Axel. Not just because he really liked him, but also because Axel taught him about practically everything, and there were still so many things Roxas needed to learn.

"It's a long story, but he was following a charismatic asshole who now goes by Xemnas. It was a stupid thing to do, but Lea and I both tend to get ourselves invested too deeply in the wrong people. But that's a story for another day..."

"Demyx was explaining to me how difficult it is to have someone's memories but not their life. I can't imagine how it must feel," Roxas observed.

Axel nodded, "Luckily Nobodies can't feel. And I didn't know you and Demyx talked..." He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, during those weeks when you… weren't around as much, I talked to him more."

"Oh, right," Axel said, looking away. "Well, anyway... I could babble on about this stuff all day," he said waving a hand to indicate his willingness to push the subject aside, but Roxas was determined to keep him talking.

It was so rare to get Axel on a serious subject. Usually he was joking around, making fun of himself or someone else, or just acting in his (endearingly, Roxas thought) egotistical way. However, now he was just being honest, and Roxas wanted to get as much information as he could.

"What kind of job did he have?"

"After he stopped working for Xemnas, you mean? He and Lulu opened up their own restaurant in Hollow Bastion. I ate there once." His voice had become quieter. "Sometimes I wish I could live his life – leave all of this shit behind and have a real shot at making something of my life. But at the end of the day, I'm just a fucking Nobody who nobody cares about, and that's never going to change."

"That's not true. I like how you are. You're perfect to me." He had said it in a moment of passion, and now he could feel himself blushing. "I mean- I meant – that you don't need to be like Lea to be a good person."

"Thank you, Roxas" he responded with a tone of heart-breaking sincerity. "No one has ever said anything like that to me before."

Roxas wanted to reach over and put his hand on Axel's. Their hands were close – almost touching. It would take nothing to bring them together, and he wanted to show Axel that he was there for him and that he meant what he'd said. He reminded himself that no matter what he did, Axel would not reciprocate and resolved not to make a fool of himself again.

"Well," Axel said, changing his tone completely and stretching as he stood up, "It's getting late." Roxas noticed that the sun had set. "I've got to go, but – I know it's lame, but I was just thinking - do you want to go to that bar again tomorrow? Demyx will be there, and I will –obviously - and so will everyone. I'll help you improve your game of pool. If I remember from last time, you could really use the help. So – I mean- it's no big deal if you don't want to go, because they're lame, but I promise not to get drunk again, and-"

Roxas decided to save Axel from himself. "I'd like to go… it'd be fun!" he exclaimed, not bothering to hide his excitement. "Besides, I'd like to beat you at a game of pool."

"In your dreams," Axel said as he smiled down at him. Their eyes were glued to one another for a few magical seconds. Axel's deep green ones were playful, and Roxas was enjoying being a subject of interest to him. "I'll come by your room tomorrow then, okay? After dark?" Roxas nodded, and Axel was just turning the corner of the clock tower when he stopped and added, "I'll find you something better to wear too, if you don't mind… Dinosaurs really aren't your style."

Roxas couldn't erase the smile on his face. He stayed on the ledge until complete blackness overtook the sky. He knew it was unwise to be so hopeful already when he felt like he'd just gotten over Axel's first round of rejection, but he couldn't help it. The sparkle in Axel's eyes had left him foolishly optimistic.