Wow… Xion really wasn't so bad ones you got to know her.

Axel was astounded, his first impression of her was so wrong, not only was she careful and nervous in spite of having such childlike curiosity… But her face was adorable to boot! Why she had been so insistent on keeping that hood up for so long, Lea really couldn't tell.

In his eyes, her face was so innocent and cute. And when-ever he mentioned it, Xion just brightened up, shining like a little mini sun. It shouldn't be legal to be this adorable.

And now there were two young people, who's eyes would brighten up by the mere sight of him. And ask him all sorts of questions while being eager to tell about their most recent discoveries.

Those two… They really were quite the pair.

"Axel… I'm sorry." Xion suddenly spoke out of the blue.

"Huh?" Axel blinked. "Sorry about what?" he asked.

"I had you wrong, really wrong." Xion stated. "When we first met, I thought you were… erhm." she blushed. "You were kind of scary." she finally admitted. "But now I know, you aren't!" she beamed. "You're so nice."

Axel blinked then looked away with a blush on his face. "Njah, your first impression was probably right enough." he stated. "I'm not a very nice person."

"Oh come on Axel!" Roxas exclaimed.

Axel smirked as he leaned back. "Heck i'm not even a person! Nobody, remember?" he asked.

"Axel." Xion asked.

"Honestly though, I had you wrong to Xion." Axel smiled as he glanced at her. "Who would have thought such a cute face would be hiding behind that hood."

Xion blushed as she looked away. "That's really how you see me huh."

"What are you talking about?" Roxas asked. "Of course it is, that's how you look."

And Xion smiled as she held her ice-cream.

From the shadows, all the way down on the ground, a hooded figure glanced up to see the three figures above, under the hood a pair of golden eyes were shining as his blue hair framed his face.

First the dysfunctional nobody and now the faceless puppet?! How on earth could Axel be looking at that thing and smile that way. She didn't even have a face!

Then, the red head up there leaned his head back and started to laugh, before he reached over and pulled the two smaller figures into a playful wrestling grab and they all seemed to be laughing.

The sight… It felt like giant block of ice inside of Saix's chest… Crushing his ribs and the fury felt cold as his hand tightened into a fist.

That feeling hardly went away the next time he saw Axel… And Axel… dismissed him.

"I'm busy!" Axel stated. "I don't have time for you!"

…. But you sure have time for plenty of ice-cream. Don't you Axel?

Of course he did, same afternoon, he was back at that stupid clock tower, looking like he was best friends with that brainless nobody and soul less puppet!

And then, one day the unthinkable happened as Saix was giving Xion her orders in a harsh voice, Axel stepped in.

"Hey! Would you lay off Xion?" Axel asked. "There's no need to treat her like that."

Saix stood still, from any outsiders perspective he looked cold as an iceblock, but on the inside, the ice had transformed into a fury flame. Yet none of that was expressed on his face. "You are… defying me Axel?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Axel spoke up. "I don't appreciate you giving Xion this amount of trash when it aint deserved!"

"Axel!" The puppet gasped.

The glare Saix gave Axel was dead cold. "Have you forgotten your place Axel?"

"I don't know, have you?" Axel asked. "What purpose does it serve to do this to Xion? And Roxas for that matter! Perhaps it is your mind that is getting clouded."

Xion seemed to tense, the entire air seemed tense, like you could cut through it with a knife.

Then finally, Saix stepped back. "Fine then." he stated. "How-ever… If I see you strayed from your path."

"You'll get rid of me, just like with all the others." Axel snorted. "Thanks. Great sentiment! Come on Xion." he asked taking Xions shoulder and pushed her away, even as he walked away he could feel Saix's angry eyes burying themselves into his back, as if the blue haired man was trying to really kill him with his looks.

"You..." Xion gasped. "you didn't have to do that."

"Don't think about it." Axel snorted, genuinely sounding annoyed. "That guy doesn't scare me."

"Heh, you sure are brave." Xion commented. "He… kind of terrifies me."

"He just need to learn how to mind his own business." Axel muttered just happy they were finally out of the bloody room.