Axel and Riku dropped out of school shortly after the debacle with Sora and the phone call with Aerith.

Not long thereafter, Larxene came to them, with a hand on her little tummy and a suitcase next to her. That had been a tough one, since Riku hated the tall blond, but in the end he caved in, yelling it wouldn't matter soon. Soon she would just rematerialize into someone else and help play the part in one of the many fantasies his mind played out for him. It wouldn't matter to him, he had shouted as he moved everything out of his room for Larxene to have—she wasn't getting anywhere near his mother or his brother's room—it wouldn't matter because soon he'd be dead anyway. And she had been pregnant…

Axel and Riku moved into Priti's old room, after carefully going through her belongings and deciding what Riku wanted to keep of his mother, and giving the rest to a pawn shop in town. They dusted and vacuumed and slept on her queen size bed. The first night had been the hardest. Riku had sat in bed just petting the old quilt on his mother's bed, which smelled like mothballs and had faded colors from two years of sitting in sunlight, and no washing. Sex was also a fairly interesting thing. After everything, Riku would strip the bed and wash all the blankets and sheets and pillow cases, because he felt kind of guilty for doing such a thing on his mother's bed.

Then, in February, after holding on for two months in a hospital bed, Sephiroth died. Riku didn't go to the funeral, so in turn Axel didn't either, though Larxene did. She had promised she would be there, so she went. Meanwhile, the two teens spent their time going through Sephiroth's belongings, sorting out what Riku wanted to keep, and what they would give to the pawn shop in town. Riku didn't say anything as he moved through the room. He didn't cry. He didn't even look like it phased him. And then Riku had turned around and started talking to Axel. The problem was in Riku's eyes Axel wasn't Axel; he was Sephiroth.

From then on it had just gone downhill. Everything Riku had said could happen with Angel's disease happened. He never ate. He slept non-stop. His imaginations got worse. Jesus, he even took a shower every time he woke. When Sora and Roxas were around he would ask for help with his Chemistry homework, soon after throwing a fit because he couldn't find his book. Sora was also the star in many of his conversations with his 'new friend,' "Ansem." Kairi visited a few times, but when she did she couldn't stand the heart breaking conversations she would have with him, because he always thought that she was his mother.

Surprisingly though, when Larxene came around him, he was lucid. He would see her slowly growing belly and frown, shaking his head sadly. They would talk, tip-toeing carefully around the one thing that would set Riku off, Sephiroth. But he would be completely normal, as if afraid if he went into a spell he would somehow rub it off on her unborn child. They spoke of wills, because Riku was writing one and he believed the Larxene should write one…just in case. The spoke of marathons and sushi, since that's all the two of them ever wanted to eat anymore. They even spoke of Priti and Lenore, how wonderful each woman had been.

But moments of sobriety became sparse over a short, too short, four months. Soon, they vanished all together to the point if Riku wasn't asleep, he was having a hallucination and Axel was getting his next shot ready. Axel knew what was coming. He knew that Riku's death would follow shortly, though his brother's had been drawn out. Riku had Fourth Stage, and that was the stage that was a quickly developed killer. Slowly he had been preparing for it, as had his friends, and his sister, and even his uncle, though the jackass never came to see Riku. Over the four months he thought he would be ready for it; he thought he might be okay…

…Until today.

Axel sat at Riku's bedside, his heart heavy as the doctor packed up his things. Sighing and shaking his head, but all together keeping silent.

"Well?" Axel sniffed, fearing what the old man would say.

The doctor sighed. "He's overdosed on the tranquillizers." He said, setting a hand down on Axel's shoulder. Gravely, he continued, "I'd give him until the end of the day." The old man gave to firm pats on his shoulder, and then walked out, leaving Axel alone, tears slowly pouring out of him, making it hard to see the worn, carpet flooring or Priti's old room, while Larxene lay in wait on the other side, her doctor having given her the order to stay off of her feet, since she had been experiencing some odd sensations lately.

He didn't move from his place on the chair, to afraid that if he left Riku's side for even a moment Riku wouldn't be breathing when he came back. For hours, it seemed like, he stared at the carpet, watching his tears fall from his nose to the floor. His shoulders heaved, as he choked out sobs, beating his clasped hands against his head, angrily.

Riku's eyes fluttered open, revealing his tired aquamarine eyes. He focused on Axel, and smiled, reaching his hand out slowly to rest over Axel's knee, jerking Axel's head from his hands and into staring into Riku's eyes with awe. Axel moved from his seat to sit on the floor next to Riku. He moved his hands to brush away Riku's silver hair away from his paling face.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." He breathed through his tears.

Riku didn't reply. Instead, he stared at Axel's face. "You're crying."

He smiled. "I've been worried about you."

"Oh." Riku said, with a slight incline of his head.

Axel stroked Riku's cheek, hot, and sweaty. "How are you feeling?"

Riku blinked slowly. "I'm really tired." He rasped. "I just…I wanted to see you for a bit, before…"

Axel's face clenched as tears fell down his face. "Don't talk like that." He demanded softly.

Riku smiled sadly. "It's okay, Axel. I know all ready. I heard the doctor. I just…I wanted to say…"

He shook his head hard. "No…No!"

"Axel!" Riku yelled, though it was raspy and squeaky. "Just let me…let me." His eyes refocused on Axel, his eyes already visibly dimmer than they were just five minutes ago. "I'm really sorry I lost your lighter that day in the library." Axel smiled. He had forgotten all about that damn thing. "I'm sorry that I was so mean to you. I didn't mean to beat you up so many times, and I didn't mean to make you beat me up either." He took a deep breath, his eyelids becoming taking longer to open with each blink. "I'm glad that you knew my secret, and that you kissed me that day in the library. I'm happy that you made me want to write that stupid paper, even if I didn't have to turn it in.

"I'm so happy that you didn't leave me; that you're still here." A tear fell down his right cheek and into his hair. "I'm happy I get to see you this one last time, even if it is the worst thing I've ever had to make you endure. I feel so bad for doing this to you, but I wanted…I wanted…I wanted you to know…" He turned his head to look at Axel, whose eyes were pinned shut, with tears streaming out from under his lids. He raised his hand and placed it on his cheek, rubbing away the wet stream. Axel opened his teary, poison green eyes. Riku smiled, when he looked back at him. "I wanted you to know I love you, Axel." Riku said quickly, his hand slipping as he spoke. His breathing was harsh, and his eyes would only open to thin slits. His hand fell into Axel's lap, where he thought it would finally rest until Axel took hold of it.

Axel picked his hand up and pressed it to his lips. "I love you too, Riku." He whispered, watching as Riku's eyes slipped shut and didn't open again. He shook Riku's hand experimentally. "Riku?" He asked, as question to which there was no response. His face locked up again as his vision blurred. "Riku!" He pressed the still warm hand to his lips. He rested the limp hand on the un-moving chest, leaning over him to get a full view of his face. "Riku!" He yelled, finally realizing that he wasn't going to respond. Carefully, he bent down and pressed a light kiss to the lifeless lips below him, a tear dropping onto Riku's left cheek, as he whispered, "I miss you all ready." He stroked his beautiful silver hair away from Riku's face, stroking the soft skin under his fingertips.

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It makes sense that it should feel this wayThat you slowly fade, and yet still remain- Fly away by Poe

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