A/N: This is my personal favourite :D

Three.

Adjusting his cummerbund for the umpteenth time, Axel stood in front of the floor length mirror and grimly scrutinised his appearance. The sharp pain radiating from the base of his skull throbbed terribly, his cluster headache not easing in the slightest. He'd already slammed down two Panadol and 400mg of Ibuprofen, but nothing had taken the edge off yet.

…If he didn't know better, he would've thought he'd been shot in the back of the head…

His eyes sliding down his thin, but muscular frame, Axel took in the pale blue of his tuxedo jacket, and the sky blue of his bow tie and cummerbund with a growing sense of dread. His dress pants were black at least, but blue just looked like absolute shit on him and Xion knew it. With his vibrant red hair and naturally pale skin, to say the colours of his suit were clashing was an understatement. There was just simply nothing he could do about it.

He wanted to go home. This day was already going to be hard enough…

Axel started slightly and collected his thoughts as he heard the door to the dressing room open and close behind him. He caught sight of pretty blue eyes in the mirror and inwardly sighed. He'd been wondering if she was going to come see him.

"You're looking handsome," Xion smiled over at him from her position in front of the door. "As always, I should add."

Axel offered her a strained smile. "Come on Xi, we both know I look like a performing clown at a children's party, there's no need for the theatrics."

Xion threw back her head and laughed; a pleasant tinkling sound. "Okay, so blue isn't your colour, but it's only for one day right? You can change when we get to the reception."

He nodded his understanding, his fingers near itching to have another go at his cummerbund. There was a small, comfortable silence, and Axel's smile turned more genuine, his green eyes warm.

"…You look beautiful, Xion…Rox is gonna cry when he sees you walking down that aisle."

Xion hummed and looked down at the floor, a small, soft smile gracing her lips. She leaned back into the door, her gloved hands clasped behind her back. The skirts of her long, shimmering wedding dress pooled around her petite frame.

She laughed softly again. "Knowing what a sweetheart he is, he probably will…" She looked up at him, her eyes so big and impossibly blue.

"…but what about you?"

Axel's heart skipped a beat, and his headache gave a particularly sharp throb as he let her softly spoken words wash over him. For a second his mask fell, but he quickly regained his composure, his smile carved in stone on his face.

"I…probably will, too. It's pretty easy getting swept up in the moment."

"That's not what I meant." Xion was moving closer now, her dress swishing prettily around her. Her eyes never left Axel's. "You don't need to hide it from me, Axel. I've known about it for a long time."

Now he was definitely beginning to feel nervous. "I'm not sure what you mean…?"

Xion's face took on a cool expression as she came to a stop right in front of him. She rolled her eyes. "Stop playing coy – I know you're in love with him."

Axel's entire body went impossibly still, his heart thundering its way up and into his throat.

"No one else has seen it, but I have," she whispered, "I see how you look at him, how you stay close to him, or subtly touch him; how much he means more to you, than anyone else in your life…I know…"

"Xion – I –!" Axel tugged at his wayward spikes in desperation as she continued to stare up at him, her expression carefully blank. They both knew she was speaking the truth, and there was nowhere left for him to hide. He took a deep breath.

"It's true…what you say, but I know he's never felt the same. He loves you, Xion and maybe – maybe that makes me a little sad, but you guys are both my best friends and…if you two are happy together…then I can be the same."

Xion did not return his hesitant smile. "Do you want to know how I knew?"

Axel's face fell as he minutely shifted away from her. This was a side to Xion he had never seen before.

"How…" He whispered down to her.

"I noticed because for the longest time now, I've only been looking at you."

The meaning of her words was not lost on Axel as the realisation slowly dawned on him. His eyes easily conveying his shock, he stepped away from her, shaking his head. Xion, her shoulders now set with determination just followed after him, her small hands grasping at the lapels of his suit jacket.

"I knew you were in love with him, because I'm in love with you."

"No…"

She shook him slightly. "I am. But it's not too late! Call off the wedding, Axel! It should be you standing up there waiting for me – and not as the best man!" Her eyes were so wild, begging for him to agree.

This was insane.

He tried to gently pry her fingers off of him. "I can't do that, Xi…If you've known how long I've loved him, then you know I can't stop this. He's in love with you – it'll break his heart!"

Xion's eyes slowly filled with tears, but didn't spill over. She refused to let go of him.

"Can't you love me like that, Ax? We've been friends for just as long as you and Roxas have. What does he have that I don't?"

Axel shook his head again, his hands closing around hers still fisted in his jacket. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, the pain in his heart eclipsing the dull throb in his head.

"…I've only ever loved you like I would a sister."

Xion gasped and tore herself away from him, nearly falling over in the many layers and folds of her lavishly sequined dress.

"Xion…!"

"Don't." She bit out, turning away from him, her small shoulders trembling.

Axel just stood there watching her, his chest lightly heaving. Tears burned at the corners of his eyes. Everything had been going fine, and then now, it had all blown up in his face.

A moment passed that felt like forever before Xion finally turned back to face him, and what he saw there written on her face made the words he'd planned to say die on his lips.

Xion's expression was hard, her eyes cold. "Fine. If that's the way it is, then that's the way it is."

She smiled then, but it was empty and cruel. Axel felt inexplicably afraid. Somehow he just knew. He knew what she was going to do.

"If I can't have you, then you can't have him."