The Red Assassin

RESTORATION AT 40% COMPLETE

I was riding my skateboard around Station Heights, practising some tricks when Axel jumped at me from a shadowed corner. His jacket was black as midnight. His hair a shock of crimson, all sticking up and swept back around oval his face.

He stopped my board with the heel of his boot.

'Hey!' I said.

He flipped the white board up and deftly caught it in one hand. 'How are you doing, buddy?'

I snatched my board from him and spun one of its black wheels. 'Who wants to know?'

He looked hurt. 'I do, jackass.'

'You never told me who you are or how you know me.'

'I can't. I'm not even supposed to be here.'

I set the board down and skated away. 'Leave me alone then.'

A chakram flew past my head and lodged into the brick wall beside me.

I stopped hard and turned to Axel. His hand was still outstretched, but his head was low. 'He doesn't really care for you. Not in that way.'

I knew who he was talking about and I didn't care much for it. 'What?' I asked. 'Who are you to tell me about my best friend?'

'Hear me out.' He ran up to me, produced a sea-salt lolly and stuck it in my mouth.

After I got over the initial shock of this swift action, I sucked on the lolly. It was refreshing. I pulled it out my mouth and licked up the drops travelling down the stick. 'Where'd you pull that from, your ass?'

He laughed. A smile spread across his lips as he bit into his own ice cream. 'I miss this. I keep thinking about the day we met.'

'We met the other day, buddy. Unless you're some kind of a stalker.'

'Nuh-huh. I got it memorized.' He tapped his temple. 'The first day we met, you got your new name and we watched the sun set red together.'

I looked him in the eye. His stare was deathly serious. He was either completely batshit insane or I had come off the fight with Seifer more badly than I thought. I decided to humour him. 'All right, so we met someplace else. Why do you keep bothering me?'

'I–' he paused. Sucked the lolly. He seemed to think hard, like he was being careful with his words. 'You're not safe here, Roxas. They want you for their own ends.'

'Who's they?'

'The Organization. I can't tell you too much or they'll come after me too. I told them I would check up on you. I think they bought it, but they're gonna find out soon and then I'm on the run.'

'Why does this Organization want me?' I added air-quotes for emphasis.

'So they can get Kingdom Hearts.'

'What the fuck is that?' I inspected my ice lolly nonchalantly. 'You're not making any sense, Axel.'

Axel took hold of my chin. He tilted my head back with gloved fingers. Our eyes met, faces inches from each other.

Axel's voice was a careful whisper. 'I heard Riku is still looking for you, but he's not to be trusted. He wants to keep you here.'

Riku!

There was a voice in my head. It was not my own.

Riku's my friend!

The voice knew him.

Do you know Axel? I asked back.

...I know Riku.

'Hey, Roxas.' Axel squeezed my chin gently. 'Are you even listening to me?'

I looked into those blue-green eyes and to the purple teardrop markings. The voice inside me knew Riku and somehow—like a distant memory all but forgotten—I felt like I knew this tall son-of-a-bitch in front of me too. My brain didn't know it, and I don't care what Naminé says, but my heart did, dammit. He still held me. I kissed him. Axel's mouth was hot and fiery. He kissed me back with a ferocity that literally took my breath away.

He was the second guy I had kissed that week. I wasn't doing too bad for having just come out the closet.

When we were done he took hold of my wrist and guided my sea-salt lolly back in my mouth.

'I never meant to tell you this much.' He caressed my cheek gently. 'I didn't expect to feel so much when I saw you again. Why am I gushing like this? I didn't even think I could feel like this.'

I sucked on the lolly, enraptured by his gaze. 'I want to know more.'

'I know, buddy. Keep your head low. I gotta do some homework before I can figure out how we're gonna get you out of here.'

'I don't want to get out of here.'

'You might feel differently after you know more.' He stepped away. 'Just hang on. I'll see you soon, Roxas. It's good to see you again.'

I don't quite know why I said it, but the words passed my lips. 'You too.'

Whatever it was he was talking about, I didn't want to go. I liked Twilight Town.