inseparable

x...x

x...x

A cool breeze swept through his aqua-blue hair as he looked up to the night's darkness, blotches of clouds and pinprick stars painting its canvas. His amber eyes scanned those stars, and seemed to brighten as they laid upon the familiar formation of Orion… first the three stars that made the belt, and then the rest of the constellation, the trapezoidal figure holding its shield up to the neighboring bull constellation, Taurus.

"Hey Isa," came a voice that made him jump. "I thought I'd find you out here."

He didn't even have to turn to know who it was, but he did anyways, looking to his friend and smiling as a greeting, before focusing his gaze back up to the sky. "I'm that predictable, huh?"

There was a snort from the redheaded boy, followed by a hearty slap on the back, which unbalanced Isa a bit, nearly causing him to fall off the ledge he'd perched himself upon. "Duh! I knew I'd find you somewhere outside, you're always looking up at sky. Like you're gonna find something up there… or, or… somethin'."

He smiled softly. "There is something. The stars tell a story…" He trailed off, quiet for a moment before taking in a deep breath and continuing, "…They've been here for who knows how long… imagine hundreds or even thousands of years ago, somebody stood looking up at the same sky that we are underneath."

The other sat down next to Isa, slouching over, and let out a soft laugh. "…Man, you think too much."

The two were quiet for a while, both heads looking up.

"Isa- I mean. Uhm…"

"…Saïx."

"Right, Saïx now, huh? Hey, you know, that sounds kinda badass in a way."

"…You think?"

"Totally. Cooler than mine. I liked my old name better. But I guess 'Axel' isn't too bad either." The redhead turned to the other, and Isa- or rather, Saïx now- kept looking upwards, eyes tracing the stars. "But anyways- I was thinking, we should make a promise."

"A promise…?" He tore his focus away, looking to Axel. It was strange, to see the markings under his emerald eyes now. He wasn't used to it… not one bit. He couldn't help but wonder why when he turned into a Nobody he got them. But hey, as the boy himself had said about his own new name, they looked 'badass.' "What do you mean? What kind of promise?"

"Well…" The redhead rubbed the back of his head, and then looked back up to the sky. "I dunno if this Organization business really is trustworthy. I feel like they're hiding something. Kinda fishy. So you and me, let's make a promise to try and get our hearts back together no matter what they say, 'kay? We'll be inseparable!"

Saïx blinked, tilting his head at the other a bit, and was quiet. He already knew they were "fishy" from the beginning- not to mention the painful- and still very fresh- memory of having pleaded with all his non-existing heart to try and save the boy formally known as 'Lea.' But here he was, a Nobody just like himself, now. No amount of begging stopped that.

"Don't give me that look!" Axel protested, giving him another rough pat on his back with a wide grin. Saïx didn't know how he acted so much like his former self without his heart. Then again, it wasn't as if their memories were erased. They could still remember what it was like. A phantom feeling, of sorts. "You know, I didn't like the idea of staying with this 'Organiziation' in the first place when we first were recruited and all…. but I think it's the only chance we have at getting information. You know, 'bout being able to get our own hearts back."

"Ah, right. Good thinking."

"Yeah, the genius plan of mine. Geez, do I have to spell it out for ya? Usually you're the one that's got a better grip at this kinda stuff."

"I know... I suppose your obliviousness is rubbing off on me. Must be contagious."

Axel leaned back as he laughed. "Ha! There's the Isa I know."

And the blue-haired boy smiled wide, a sincere smile, something he hadn't done much since becoming a Nobody.

"Hey by the way, have you figured out your power yet? Watch this…" Axel raised his hand, palm-up, to about eye level, and with the snap of a his finger, a flame appeared, dancing in his palm. "Mine's fire." He looked to Saïx, emerald eyes sparkling. "What about you?"

Saïx shook his head, leaning back a bit. "Not sure yet… All I know is I'm much more of a night-owl than I used to be."

"Hm… maybe you just like the dark! Well… it'll come to ya."

"I guess."

"Yeah…" A pause. "Hey, how come your eyes are a different color, anyways? Mine stayed the same." He pointed to his own, then moved back a bit to his own ears, tugging on them. "And your ears, they look pointy, like an elf or something-"

"…I know." Saïx interrupted, looking down. "I guess, when I became a Nobody, that happened to change, like your eye tattoos." But despite his spoken words, something deep inside of him nagged that this was but a ruse… Although he couldn't quite prove it, he felt as if it was something else. But he couldn't remember quite exactly what happened after he turned into a Nobody, for he'd passed out.

"Right," Axel's voice disrupted his thoughts. "Well hey. Another badass-ery mark for you, then."

"Oh, please."

"Heh."