Broken

Hidden from the rusting iron cities, tucked away where you'd least expect them were the Fae courts and gardens. Little pockets of paradise, full of creatures you've only dreamt about, and of ones you've never even known. They danced and they laughed merry creatures of beauty and horror. Some had long hair that danced and shimmered in the golden sunlight, others had slanted deadly eyes that sparkled with mischief, and some had strange looking limbs that they moved so gracefully.

Amongst all the creatures of imagination were a few scattered humans, mostly children. Young toddlers and babes who had been stolen away from their homes in the dead of night and replaced with perhaps a block of wood, or in some cases even one of the Fae's own.
The children laughed and danced with the Fae, not knowing any other life. They ate the delicious foods offered – guaranteeing they'd never return home. They rested in the laps of Fae, dozing off as their hair was played with and braided with flowers.

Two young boys sat by a shimmering stream, watching another boy splash in the water to the amusement of some nymphs sitting nearby watching the three. The two boys who rested on the cool grass were sharing a pile of sweet, strange fruits with dark purple skins and light blue flesh. Juices ran down their chins and their hands were all sticky but the boys didn't care. The fruit was addicting and perfect.

One of the boys, a startling redhead let his slanted green eyes slide sideways to glance at his friend. The blonde could very well be one of the Fae, he had spiky sunlight blonde hair that swayed slightly in the light wind, perfect pale skin, and beautifully large blue eyes – it was a shame those pretty eyes were blind.

The redhead wasn't without his own faults. Despite his strangely beautiful look of fiery red hair that shot back in long spikes, glowing green eyes and very angular features for a child, he too was a broken child. The one regret the red-headed child had was he couldn't hear his friend laugh. He was deaf.

The little red-head's eyes were intent on his friends stained blue lips as the blonde spoke shyly to the ground. "These are good. Do you know what they're called, Axel?" the red-head shrugged glancing back down at the fruits between them,
"I don't know Rox, but they are good." he agreed. Roxas' lips parted in a silent-to Axel laugh and he spoke again,
"Well, that's what matters really. Can you imagine if the food didn't taste nice? Bleh." the blonde boy wrinkled his nose and poked his tongue out cutely.

Axel shook his head, despite knowing Roxas wouldn't see him do so, "Silly, food never tastes bad. They wouldn't let it."

Roxas turned to face Axel, those unseeing blue eyes creepily focused on his own green, "I know... but it can..." and at the redhead's inquisitive hum he continued, "Axel don't tell anyone- you're my best friend, so you've got to keep this a secret. But... sometimes I think I remember." Axel titled his head in confusion.

"Remember? Remember what...?" Roxas turned his head quickly, as though looking about – all for show, really. Then leaned in towards Axel.

"I think... I remember home. Just little bits... but something before here." Green eyes went wide.

"Roxas... there's nothing before now. I-I-" Axel struggled through the fog that seemed to gather in his mind as he tried to take in what his friend had told him. A time before now was impossible! All there was was here. Here was what there was. Nothing else.

He put a small hand on his friends shoulder, "Roxas. There is nothing else but here. You know that."

Roxas shrugged and turned his head away from Axel, "S'pose."

The troubled look on his friends face worried Axel, made him doubt, and made his head hurt when he tried to remember anything more than what he knew. Nothing.

The two sat together, quietly by the stream, thoughtful, almost sad looks on their faces. This attracted the attention of two Fae gentlemen who offered the boys some pretty translucent globe shaped fruits with seeds inside that looked almost like stars. And once they'd eaten the fruits the expressions on the two boys faces cleared, and they turned back to watching the other boy dance in the stream, kicking their feet happily in the water, bright smiles on their faces.