Axel sat on the edge of the clock tower, looking out at the sunset. His insides were in turmoil, and although he knew without a doubt that he had no heart, there was no other way to describe what was going on inside of him other than 'felt'.

He felt.

He didn't know the names of the emotions he was feeling anymore, but they were painful. Like knives to the very core of his nonexistent being. He kept flashing back to the events of an hour before, and wished fervently he could just erase the memories out of his head, pretend it had never happened.

Axel drew his legs up closer to his chest, and rested his chin on his knees.

"Why did he say that? I didn't…I didn't abandon his friendship, I…I just…"

"You just what, Axel?"

Axel turned his head suddenly to see Saïx standing on the tower ledge, his arms crossed. His face was impassive, as it always was.

"Saïx! What are you-?"

"No matter what I came here for. I'm curious. Just what did you do, then, if you didn't turn your back on me?"

Axel's voice rose steadily as he spoke. "I swear, Saïx, whatever you think I did, you're wrong! I didn't desert you! I didn't! I stuck with you as long as I could! I carried out whatever plans you wanted me to! I killed Zexion for you! I hated every second of it, but I did it because we were friends!"

Icily: "So what happened?"

"I don't know, Saïx! I don't know! Did we drift apart, did something happen? All I know is, you changed! You started becoming someone I didn't know! You changed, and I-! And I-!"

A cold laugh.

"I changed, Axel? I changed? You were the one who ran off with the Keybearer's whiny little brat of a Nobody as soon as things looked difficult, weren't you? And you got yours in the end, didn't you? He got fed up with your two-faced lies, and he turned his back on you like you did to me."

As he spoke, Axel shot to his feet. "You're wrong! You're wrong, Sa-"

As Axel moved, his foot caught on the tower's edge, and he lost his balance. Before he could react, he was falling backwards, off the clock tower.

The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Saïx fall to his knees, clutching at his head.

"Axel? Axel! Wake up, Axel! Come on, I know you're okay! You gotta wake up!"

Axel groaned, and his eyes flickered open to see Demyx's face several inches from his own, eyes wide with concern.

"De…Demyx…?"

Demyx smiled widely and leaned back. "Oh, good. I got here just in time to see you fall off the clock tower, and I was really worried. I guess us Nobodies are made of sterner stuff, huh?"

"I…fell?"

"Yeah! Right into station plaza. Be glad those three kids weren't around."

"What were you…doing here?

Demyx flushed pink. "I overheard what Saïx said to you in the ballroom. I know I shouldn't have listened, but…anyways, I saw Saïx follow you out, and I got kinda worried about you. I mean, with what he said…I thought he was going to hurt you or something."

"And…why would you care?" Axel struggled to prop himself up on his elbows and looked Demyx in the eyes.

"You heard what he said. It's true, I guess. And according to him, no one likes me. I'm thinking you're probably in the 'Axel's-a-jerk' camp."

Demyx rocked back on his heels and ran his hands across his knees. "Well, you're wrong. I like you. I think you're a real nice guy, the way you took care of Roxas. And you were really brave, going against the Organization like that, just for a friend. I'm a coward, so I have to admire that. I think you're really cool. The only reason I didn't say something sooner for you, is…well…" He laughed awkwardly. "I was scared."

Axel looked surprised for a second, and then smiled softly. "Thanks, Demyx. I needed the self-esteem boost."

Demyx grinned. "No prob. Hey, what happened up there, anyway?"

Axel looked away. "Saïx was there, we argued. He said something…and I got up too fast. I slipped and fell. That's it."

Demyx laughed softly. "Whoops."

"Yeah, whoops."

All of a sudden, a roar rang out, shattering the twilit quiet. Axel and Demyx both turned to look at the clock tower, and two pairs of eyes widened in shock.

Manifesting upon the steps was a massive Pureblood Heartless, black as pitch and over twenty feet tall. It stood on two legs, and a tail brushed the cobblestones. Its head was obviously lupine, and its fangs and claws looked extremely sharp.

The Darkness creating it was coming from the tower ledge.

"What the-"

"What's up, Axel?"

"Saïx is still up there! Is all that Darkness coming from him?"

Demyx quickly pulled him to his feet. "Axel, you stay here! I'm gonna get the others, as many as I can. You're hurt, and I'm not at all strong. Please, don't do anything stupid?"

Axel pulled away from Demyx, and looked back at him with a crooked smile.

"Sorry, Demyx. I have to go see if he's all right. You go and get the others, and I'm going up to the ledge. I'll be careful, promise."

Demyx frowned, but let him go. "Okay…but really, don't get killed. That would suck, after you survived falling off the tower."

Axel laughed. "Got it."

He ran off, and Demyx swiftly leapt into a corridor.

DEMYX ARGH YOU HARD-TO-KEEP-IC BRAT

Oh well, I like how I write you anyways.

Nobodies can do a lot of weird shit. I'm pretty damn sure they can survive a tumble off a clock tower.