"Xion, is that you?" Roxas asked. He thought he'd heard someone coming up the stairs to the clock tower, but he couldn't see who from where he was sitting.

He hoped it was Xion. He wanted to talk to her. Yesterday she'd asked Axel about Castle Oblivion, and Roxas had waited anxiously for Axel's response, wondering what he'd say when put on the spot. Axel had disappointed him, only stating that it was a "research facility."

He'd become obsessed with Castle Oblivion lately. He was sick of avoiding the subject, especially around Axel. All Axel's comments about being a bad person were starting to bother Roxas. He was beginning to believe there might be some truth to it, and it scared him. He didn't want it to be true. All the feelings of doubt he'd been pushing away for weeks were slowly and finally catching up with him.

Before Xion had left them yesterday, Axel suggested they take a trip to the beach together. It had been a long time since he and Axel had done anything with Xion, and Roxas had the feeling she needed friends right now. After Xion left, the words "Castle Oblivion" hung awkwardly in the air. As soon as Axel finished his ice cream, he left Roxas sitting on the clock tower alone without saying another word about it.

Roxas concluded from all of this that Xion wasn't in the best of shape. He saw her emerge from around the corner, a hand on her face as she brushed a tear away.

"What's wrong?" Roxas asked. He didn't have much experience with crying, and he wasn't sure what to do to help her. Usually when Axel or Demyx started to get emotional they'd just laugh it off. Xion was not laughing.

"I'm-" She sobbed again.

"Uh...would you like to sit?" Roxas gestured to the spot next to him on the ledge. He realized how little he knew about what Xion was up to nowadays. They never talked anymore. She'd recently woken up from an almost three week long sleep. Roxas had visited her, but he never found out what had happened to her or why. He wondered if Axel knew. He didn't like how suspicious he was becoming, but he had to admit at this point, it was probably warranted.

Xion sat down next to him and continued sobbing. He wished he knew what to do.

After a few minutes of watching her cry and attempting to comfort her (which only seemed to make her burst into fresh tears), he put his arm around her the way Axel had done for him. She cried into his shoulder with renewed energy and then seemed to calm down. She looked up at him through her tears and smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Roxas. I really"-sob- "appreciate this. Things have been… so difficult lately." She looked at him with a pained expression, and said "I don't want anything to happen to you" before bursting into tears again.

The expression in her eyes concerned Roxas, but he didn't want her to worry about him right now. She clearly had enough to deal with on her own. "Xion, nothing's going to happen. I'm fine," Roxas smiled at her.

"Do you know what's happening at Castle Oblivion, Roxas?"

"No, Xion, I don't. I'm sorry. I wish I knew."

"I have to find out, Roxas. I have to go. I'm sorry," she said as she gently moved out from under his arm and walked around the corner and down the steps.

Roxas sighed as he watched her go. He felt extremely uneasy. Why was she afraid for him? And what did Castle Oblivion have to do with it? Roxas was determined to follow her until he heard a familiar voice.

"Roxas, what's wrong with Xion?" Axel asked. He seemed genuinely concerned, but Roxas guessed he knew the answer already, and it upset him that Axel was pretending not to know.

"Axel, what aren't you telling me?" It came out accusatory, but he didn't want to get into an argument or make Axel upset. He didn't really know what he wanted. Axel stared back at him in silence.

Roxas could feel himself tensing up the longer it took for Axel to react. He tried to keep his tone calm. "I think you know something about what's wrong with her."

Axel's expression was intense as he searched Roxas's face.

"I have to go," Roxas mumbled, as he walked down the steps of the clock tower.

"Shit Roxas, I'm sorry," Axel apologized. He took Roxas by the arm to stop him from leaving. "Please stay?" he pleaded.

"Fine," Roxas hesitated as he moved his arm out of Axel's grip, a little more sharply than he'd intended. Axel looked hurt and perplexed by this, but Roxas didn't feel the need to apologize.

"What's wrong, Roxas?"

"I feel like you're hiding something from me, and it's been bothering me for weeks," he sighed, "I just wish you would tell me what's going on at Castle Oblivion so I could forget about it and move on. The fact that you're not telling me just makes everything worse." Axel's beautiful eyes were intently focused on him, and it made him feel vulnerable, especially after this confession.

Axel smiled at him. "Roxas, if I am keeping secrets, it's only to protect you. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you-"

"Then why do you keep telling me what a bad person you are and that I shouldn't be with you? I thought we were best friends! You're not supposed to hide things from me, especially when Xion is an emotional wreck! You know what's wrong with her, don't you?" The volume of his voice was rising. He could feel his face getting warm.

"I-Roxas, it's beside the point. I'm doing what I can, but I can't tell you everything. It's just to protect you, I promise" He took Roxas's hand in his own. "Please believe me Roxas." Axel's eyes were pleading with him. Roxas could sense the same disquiet in them that was plaguing both him and Xion and seemed to be destroying his entire world.

~0~

Roxas was on the verge of sleep, but his worries about what had happened today kept him awake. He was afraid that things wouldn't be the same between him and Axel ever again. He didn't even know what was happening to Xion. He felt completely helpless.

Axel had tried to make light of it all. He'd tried to ignore the uneasiness that was building walls all around them, but Roxas could feel it when Axel kissed him and told him not to worry and let him walk back from the clock tower alone.

A sliver of light came from the hallway leading into his room. Roxas sat up in bed and saw the door to his room slowly open.

"Roxas? Are you awake?"

It was Axel's voice. Roxas felt his heart start to pound. The presence of Axel in his room always made him nervous, even now. Actually, especially now. Axel had never come to visit him this late before. Oh god. He'd walked through the door. Roxas could see that he was wearing a pair of boxers and a white t-shirt. Axel was so thin and pale and tall and beautiful. Why was he thinking this now? He was supposed to be mad at him, but he was having trouble thinking at all.

"What are you doing here?" Roxas whispered, as he watched Axel close the door behind him. The transition from the brightness of the hallway to the dark of his room temporarily blinded him.

"I wanted to see you. I didn't want you to be mad at me," he explained. "Besides, I thought this might be fun." Even though it was dark and he couldn't see much, he assumed Axel was wearing one of his mischievous and suggestive smiles. Roxas could feel his defenses weakening, and he wasn't sure if he should resist.

"Axel..." Roxas sighed out of frustration, and then smiled. "I wish I could stay mad at you."

Axel chuckled as he made his way toward Roxas's bed.

"Well aren't you going to invite me in?" Roxas could just make out the smug look on Axel's face in the blue light from his alarm clock.

"You're terrible Axel," he said, trying to be upset, but still smiling. Why did Axel have to be so charming?

"You're making me feel cheap Roxas," Axel joked. "Do you want me to go all the way back to my room dressed like this?"

"Fine Axel. You're ridiculous. Just, here-" Roxas said as he pulled back the covers and scooted over to make room.

"Why Roxas!" Axel exclaimed. "You're not wearing a shirt! Are you trying to seduce me?"

Roxas couldn't help it. He was smiling and giggling and forgetting everything that had bothered him only minutes ago. Axel was too good at distracting him. Why couldn't their whole relationship be like this – fun without any secrets?

Axel pulled the covers over both of them and snuggled up next to Roxas, laying his head on Roxas's shoulder and putting an arm across his bare chest, causing Roxas to inhale a sharp breath of surprise.

"Oh Roxas," Axel said whimsically, "You're so innocent." He gave him a kiss on the cheek, then resumed his former position. "As much as I would like to do other things with you right now, I think you need your sleep, especially since you're completely useless without it."

Roxas didn't really feel like going to sleep at all, especially now, but Axel was asleep within minutes. Roxas swept the hair back from his peaceful face and noticed for the first time just how long his eyelashes were and how the small dark tattoos beneath his eyes contrasted with his pale skin. Ironically, he felt more comfortable in his bed than he had in weeks now that he was sleeping next to the same person who usually kept him up at night.

~0~

The next morning, Axel stretched his arms and yawned. "You know, that's the best I've slept all week," he said as he leaned towards Roxas and kissed him on the lips. "I might have to make this a habit. I'm gonna go find something more appropriate to wear. I'll meet you at breakfast, okay?"

Roxas beamed as Axel closed the door. All former transgressions were forgotten. He could definitely get used to this.