Chapter 7- Take Me Under

"I warned him." Xemnas purred, "I'm not willing to wait anymore. Axel's becoming an inconvienience and I'm going to just nip this little problem in the bud before it can blossom into anything even more troublesome." Xemnas leaned down to take a drag from a cigar offered by Saïx from the front seat. On the stoop Rude's body still gushed blood, the Turk moaning in pain. By now the streets were empty, people knew better than to hang around when Xemnas was near. Xemnas slowly strode up the steps, holding his hand out to Roxas smirking all the while.

"Come now boy.. it isn't you I want." he purred, "Give me the redhead and it'll all be over." Roxas backed for the stairs shaking. Above he heard hurried footsteps.. Don't let it be Axel, he pleaded with whatever above would listen to him. Don't let it be Axel! Xemnas continued his advance, lowering his hand to raise up the rifle when he saw Roxas would not be swayed. The blonde continued his advance up the stairs. It was now or never...

An explosion and pain shot through his arm. Electricity shot through his nevres as he broke into a run up the stairs, Xemnas and Saix close behind him. He couldn't let them get Axel.. No.. No he wouldn't let it end this way. A body collided with him and they both fell to the floor, the redhead looking absolutely bewildered. The steps were coming clsoer. Roxas grabbed Axel's hand and bolted for the fire escape, leaping through the window as more shots rang out behind them. Axel asked no questions, dragging Roxas down the escape dodging shots. He threw the smaller body down the next staircase, reaching up to trip Xemnas as he came down another flight. His knuckles hit the rail hard as the lord collided with the wrought iron floor. Axel leaped over the rail narrowly escaping Saix's shots, dragging his companion at the bottom to a motorcycle parked in a nearby deck.

They mounted and the bike roared to life, Axel flying down the road with Roxas tight on his back. They had to get as far as they could before Xemnas and Saix could catch up. Roxas's breath pounded in his head, burying his face in Axel's neck unable to repress terrified tears. They weaved dangerously in and out of traffic, Axel trying to lose their pursuers in the tangle of backroads. It would only postpone the inevitable, Xemnas has held sway over this area for years.

"Where do we go?!" Roxas screamed over the roaring wind, crying out in terror as they nearly collided with a pickup truck. Axel offered no desintation, only gunned the engine harder. Behind them shots rang out and Roxas screamed again. he clung tighter to Axel's body, grabbing a pistol off the redhead's hips and firing back at the lords. His shots nearly knocked him off the bike so he decided it was bet to just hold on and pray Axel knew where he was going. Looking up the form of the Shinra building loomed ever closer. What the hell was Axel going to Shinra for?

It wsa the only place he knew. The only place he could think of where he might be able to hide. his brother was here, the Turks were here, all of Shinra was here. The lords would be stopped or slaughtered the minute they broke through the doors with any luck. Axel drove the motorbike for all it was worth, adrenaline wiring him tight the closer they got. Closer they pushed, narrowly avoiding crash after collision until the neon mako glow shone down on them. he slammed on the brakes so hard they flew off, clattering to the ground with cgroans of pain. Stubbornly the redhead pushed forward, grabbing Roxas's hand and pulling him through the doors.

People screamed and cuked for cover as bullets rang through the office shattering glass and displays all around the building. Red alarms blared all over, the place would be swarmed with Turks and foot soldiers in minutes but it would take alot more than that to stop the greatest drug lord in the region. Axel dived for the elevator, waving his pistol around to clear the space of any employees trapped inside. They scattered for their lives and the heavy doors slid shut just as Xemnas and Saix reached the lobby. The machine began to ascend and Axel slunk back against the wall, watching the ciy through the glass case below. He slid down to the floor, heaving and panting. The race was far from over.

"Roxas.." Axel looked at Roxas, shaking his head. "Why.. are you doing this..?"

"This fight is ours." he replied simply. He knew Xemnas would be after him for those shots and he had no money. It isn't like it would end there.. the cycle would continue to haunt him for the rest of his days. He.. he couldn't justify living his life without the redhead. Fighting for their sanities, their lives together, they had become very close. Axel was.. his best friend.. if not more.. he wasn't about to let him go down alone.

They burst out as the doors open, pushing through the crowds of people. Axel grabbed his pistol waving it around to clear out the hallways. He thursted his pistol to thr throat of the company President picking his pokcets of the master cardkey and bolting up the stairs with Roxas. Roxas stared at the redhead incredulously. He had alot of guts to pickpocket the most powerful man in the nation but to point a gun to his face while doing it? Axel was seriously fucking stupid. Within no time at all even Rufus was on their tail, following right behind all the open doors waving his shotgun up at them.

"GOOD IDEA AXEL!" Roxas screeched, dodging the President's shots. They broke tthrough the doors of the sixty-ninth floor office and started up the stairs towards Rufus;s chamber, the reigger happy President right on their tail. Not far below Roxas could hear Xemnas and Saix. This was fucking wonderful, where were they going to go now?! Axel tugged him outside into the coolr night, running to the edge of the building.

Cold air rushed around them, Shinra soldiers and their beloved President lining up set to fire on the two addicts. Not far below they knew Xemnas and Saix were close by. Just waiting for them to come down. Roxas held close to Axel, burying his face in the redhead's chest inhaling the bittersweet stench of booze still clinging to him. Axel watched as Rufus lowered his weapon, stepping forward to negotiate with the fearful companions. Axel's akles brushed the edge of the ledge, far below them all of Midgar sprawled out in a sea of glittering silver and gold lights. Somewhere along the outskirts a reactor spewed glowing Lifetsream into the sky and Axel closed his eyes, ready to heed the cry of the planet. This was a journey to fly solo.

"I'm a dead man, Roxas." He stroked the soft blonde plume. "On a fast track to hell. They don't want you, you can live."

Roxas leaned into Axel gently, kissing blood from his knuckles. He laced their fingers and kissed the redhead again stepping closer to the edge. He was ready to take this journey, too.

"Take me under.."

Again he was falling but not like ever before. Here in Axel's arms, plummeting towards the cityscape. Screams and shots sounded around them but it meant nothing. Gravity pulled them hungrily down to their deaths and they defied it, falling in their own time. Wrapped in each other's arms they threw their heads back and laughed in spite of themselves. This was the ultimate trip, the ultimate rush. Teetering so close on the edge of life and death, their delicate lives hanging in the balance flying into their inevitable demise. This wasn't falling. This was flying.

Leaning in they shared one last deep, passionate kiss before closing their eyes and succumbing to the sanctuary eternal sleep. They were free...

~+Epilogue+~

It was cold out today, the autumn breezes dancing at his ankles. He strode slowly through the rows of headstones knowing the exact path to take. There was no need to hurry. He knew his way and it wasn't like they had anywhere else to go. Reno reached into his partner's pocket and withdrew the pack of cigarettes, soothing his nerves with sweet nicotine. It had been nearly a week since Axel and Roxas had commited suicide but it was like nothign had changed. The world continued on as it always did without a care they ever existed. Was that just the fate of a nobody? No, the Turk mused, that was the ultimate truth. The planet would continue on like you were never a part of it. Never mourn you.. never miss you. Only those who were left behind could percieve such things.

Reno tucked himself closer to Rude as they came to the cherry tree where the two headstones stood together. Side by side even in death. yet that was what puzzled the younger Turk most. What was it that made Roxas justify throwing himself to his death? Xemnas didn't want him. He could have lived on. Was it love? No, probably not. They hadn't known each other too long there's no way he could have honestly fallen for Axel in that short of time. Perhaps it was desperation. A desire to escape the pain and suffering he'd known as well. When Axel died he would have losst everything, he had nothing left to really live for. So it wasn't love. It was self-pity. Heh, Reno shook his head. Stupid kid..

"Do you miss them, Reno?" Rude gently rubbed his shoulders as the redhead knelt to touch the gravestones. As much as they'd fought Axel and Reno had truly been best friends.

"Yeah, I ain't gonna lie." he stood back up. "Rude.. what do you think Roxas killed himself for? Love? Pity?" Rude was silent a long time, watching the two graves quietly as he pondered. He finally shook his bald head, drawing Reno against him.

"I think... it was friendship. He didn't want Axel to be alone.. he didn't want to be alone. Axel took him in after everyone else he ever cared for had abandoned him. He didn't want to be alone anymore and he didn't want Axel to be alone either." He pet the soft red locks tickling his neck. "That's what I think."

Reno nodded. "That sounds good." He smiled at the stones, leaning down to place a kiss to both. "Rest in peace guys... C'mon, Rude."

The two rose and headed for the exit of the cemetary. Wrapped in each other's arms beneath the autumn leaves two souls, finally having found their way, closed their eyes and fell into blissful respite.

Never forgotten

Never alone