Title: September Beaches

A/N: For the Xion Zine! I couldn't resist writing the Sea Salt trio for this. Or the Star Wars reference, because that is the only sane response to sand when you're an adult.

Summary: Xion was a semi-studious student with decent grades. She was a good girl who listened to her parents and teacher. She was definitely not the kind of girl who skipped class with her two best friends, even if one was kinda a delinquent and the other was a moron who liked to pretend he was a rebel.

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"Guys." Biting her lip nervously, Xion pulled her hoodie tighter around her head. She glanced furtively around before scrambling down the sidewalk after her best friends. "This is a bad idea. We should go to school."

"It'll be fine, Xion!" Roxas smiled at her reassuringly. Which it could have been, if it weren't for the backpack hanging off his shoulder. It felt like a siren, a bright red target telling every adult they crossed 'hey, I'm skipping,' and Xion wanted nothing more than to toss it into the bushes. "Axel does this, like, all the time."

"You know I go to school too, right?" Axel frowned, digging his hands in his pockets. He slouched slightly as he walked, folding up his lanky frame. Not that it made much of a difference—with the three of them walking in a row, he was still the tallest thing around. Add in how short she and Roxas were and Axel was practically a giant. "I only do this sometimes."

Technically, he was right—if he didn't go to school at all, they'd never have met. Yet, every part of Axel screamed delinquent—from his dyed red hair to his eye tattoos to the fact that he walked like he owned the street. Even now he was very relaxed, not caring about the looks he got or the fact that he was drawing attention. Xion gave him a dry look. "Sure."

"Not you too!" Axel grumbled, his brow furrowed. Noticing her hoodie, he flicked it off. "The more you try to hide, the more suspicious you look."

"Hey!" Xion flushed a bright red. Looking around to make sure no one noticed, she quickly burrowed back into her hoodie. "What if someone notices us?"

He gave her a blank stare before pushing her hoodie off again. "Seriously, they're gonna notice you more with that. What are you, a mugger?"

A fair point. Xion resisted the urge to hide her face again. Nervously, she tucked a lock behind her ear, feeling overly exposed as they strolled down the along the shop fronts. The few adults who were wandering around didn't give them a second glance but she could still feel their eyes on her back as they walked.

"And you're sure you don't do this every day?" Roxas pulled off his own hat, revealing a shock of blonde hair. "So, uh, why are we going to the beach?"

"It's a weekday. No one's going to be there." Axel shrugged, lacing his arms behind his head. Just ahead of them, at the end of the street, endless water lapped against a sandy shore. A sharp, clear smell flooded their senses. "Best time to go the beach."

"Yes. But." Xion glanced at Axel, not sure if this really needed saying. "It's September."

"And?" Axel raised a brow. He gestured at the empty parking lots ahead. "That actually makes it better—no one's here."

"Except for the crazies," Roxas chimed in. As the beach got closer and closer, he ran toward the water. Excitement coloured his voice. "AND US!"

"Is he calling us crazy?" Axel asked. Despite his annoyed tone, his pace quickened as well.

Xion shivered as the cool breeze blew off the lake and hit her bare legs. It was so easy for them to act like that—they were wearing pants. She had a skirt. Tugging the hem down, she tried futilely to cover more of her thighs but goosebumps covered her skin nonetheless. "I should have worn my tights."

Neither of her friends heard her. Already they were far ahead, walking on the sand. Roxas ran down to the water, hopping along the edge where the water lapped shore. "Do you think it's cold?"

"Probably." Axel sank in the sand unevenly as he walked. "It was cold this summer."

"It might not be." Standing at the border between the sand and the pavement, Xion squinted at the sand. The only truth in life: the near impossibility of removing sand from anything. "The water's warmest now."

"Really?" Roxas stared at her hopefully. He crouched in front of the water, his hand just above the receding tide.

"Yeah." Biting the bullet, she slipped off her socks and shoes. It'd be easier to wash her feet than her shoes. "It absorbed heat all summer."

"Someone's paying attention in class." Axel smirked, more playful than insulting.

Xion snorted. "Someone has to. You don't go to school."

"Hey, I said I don't skip everyday!"

"Sure you don't." Roxas grinned, joining in on the teasing. Considering the more mature vibe Axel gave off, it was almost impossible to get one over him. They'd milk this for all it's worth.

"Yeah, yeah. At least I don't act like I murdered someone when I'm just skipping." Axel picked up Roxas's abandoned backpack, dusting off a side. Setting it down just above the waterline, Axel lay down on the soft sand and used it as a pillow.

"Huh?" Surprised, Roxas's hand slipped into the water and he stiffened for a moment. "Huh. It isn't cold." He stared at it for a moment before remembering Axel. Jumping to his feet, he marched over to his friend. "Hey! That's my backpack."

"Finders keepers," Axel murmured, his eyes closed.

Xion daintily stepped onto the sand, her feet sinking in slightly as she walked over to them. She wriggled her toes in the soft substance. It wasn't as hot as she expected it to be, and she felt a pang of sadness; summer really was over. Standing on Axel's other side, she rested a hand on her hip. "Did you skip school just to sleep?"

He cracked an eye open. "If I say yes, will you two leave?"

"Wait, is this what you do every time you skip? You sleep?" Roxas crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the sand quickly. "Seriously?"

"Not every time." Axel closed his eyes again, yawning. "Just sometimes."

"That's kinda sad." Or pathetic, but she really didn't want to say that one. Still, while he could take naps every other time he skipped, Axel wasn't allowed to do it this time. He'd convinced her and Roxas to skip school. She had lied to a teacher, pretending to be Roxas's mom. Xion kicked Axel lightly in the leg. "Get up."

Axel swatted her foot away. "Give me an hour."

"No." Roxas crouched down next to Axel, an evil smile on his face. Holding up a fistful of sand, he started to dribble it on Axel's pants. "If you don't get up, I'm burying you."

This woke him up quickly. Axel's eyes sprang open. "You wouldn't."

"We would." Xion grinned just as evilly, crouching on his other side. She had two scoops of sand and she stared pointedly at his hair. "Wonder how long it'll take to wash out of that."

"Okay, okay, I got it." He held up his hands. "What are you two, gremlins?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Roxas stared at the hand shaking in front of him. "What are you trying to do? Be a zombie?"

"Help me up," Axel stated flatly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You can do that yourself." Nevertheless, Xion stood up, grabbing Axel's right hand with her free one. "Ready Roxas?"

Roxas stared up at her for a few seconds before giving up with a pout. "What a baby." He clasped Axel's left hand, bracing himself. "Three, two—"

"One!" Axel shouted, yanking them back.

Xion yelped, her shoes sent flying through the air. For a brief moment, she watched it arc over her in slow-motion before she hit the ground hard. The sand wasn't quite as soft when she fell on it and she groaned as she rolled side to side, cradling her head.

"Axel…" Roxas forced out, his voice strained. "I'm going to…kill you."

"Not if I…" Xion managed, pain filtering in her voice. "To kill him first."

"Sorry, sorry, didn't think it'd hurt that much." Axel patted their heads lightly. That hurt even more and Xion rolled away.

She could just feel the grainy sand in her shirt, burrowing into her hoodie. It was going to be weeks before she lost that sensation. Months if she was unlucky. She glared at Axel. "You."

"Me." Axel rubbed his neck awkwardly, looking at his other side where Roxas was slowly crawling toward him. "Right. You know what, I'm going to get a popsicle for us. Sea salt good?" He didn't even wait for a response before jumping to his feet. "You just wait there."

"Axel!" Xion growled, swiping at him, but it was too late. For a man too lazy to participate in gym class, he sure could sprint when he wanted to. Already he was at the pavement, quickly walking to the closest ice-cream shop.

"Coward." With a wince, Roxas sat up. He shook his head, spraying sand around, before running his hands through his hair. "It's never going to leave."

"Nope." Suddenly, Xion felt a kinship to Anakin Skywalker. She sat up, brushing as much off her sweatshirt as she could. "He did not think that through."

Roxas nodded grimly. "Nope. Not at all."

With a sigh, Xion stared at the lake in front of her. The slightly murky water as it lapped the beach. It was a pretty enough beach. Seagulls cried around her, entire flocks slowly walking across the sand as they looked for stray scraps leftover from the summer fun. There was a couple in the distance, slowly walking along the shoreline. "It's kinda pretty. I guess."

"Yeah. If it weren't chilly and everything, I'd like it." Roxas spat out some sand with a grimace. "Even with the sand."

"I guess he's right. It's good to take a break like this." Xion leaned back, enjoying the wind as it played with her bangs. "Every now and then."

"Me too—just…don't tell him that." When Xion glanced at him questioningly, Roxas shuddered. "Just think how big his head'll get."

"Ginormous." Xion giggled and nodded in agreement. The last thing she wanted was for him to make this a normal thing. It was fun only once in a while. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath of the chilly air.

She could really go for some sea salt ice cream.