Disclaimer: I darest not lay claim to Kingdom Hearts. It belongeth to Square Enix.

Author's Note: The beginning of this chapter is just me having way too much fun. I guess I'm as bad a sadist as Sai'x.

Sorry this chapter is so short. I'm going on vacation in two days and I wanna get it up before I leave.

Chapter 8

Fevered Daydreams

Feeling powerless is one of the strongest emotions in existence.

Being stripped of all means to defend oneself is the most primal fear of the human creature. On the one hand, there is nothing more terrifying.

On the other, there is nothing more exhilarating.

Human beings thrive off fear. They use it as a reason to fight on. It shapes them into what they are. The only thing stronger than the fear of fear itself, is the fear of pain.

And pain was what Sai'x lived. Fear was what he breathed.

The door banged against the wall as he opened it. He had pulled on his gloves. No need to get his hands dirty. The room was devoid of any source of illumination save for the weak moonlight creeping through the tiny window. Chains hung from the ceiling, and attached to them was a man, naked to the waist and seated on the ground. He looked up as Sai'x entered.

"No," he groaned. "Anybody but you."

Sai'x smirked. There was genuine fear in the man's voice. "Now, now, Axel. Lord Xemnas knows what good friends you and I are. Besides, you wouldn't be in this position if you had only done what he'd asked."

"I'm not justifying myself to you," Axel spat. "I've already explained everything to Xemnas."

"Yes, and he's been very understanding, has he not?" Sai'x asked, closing the door behind him and crossing to a table pushed against the wall. "Honestly, not being able to kidnap a little girl. Myself, I probably would have killed you in punishment." He turned, holding up a silver knife. "But then again, that would be no fun, would it?"

Axel just growled. There was sweat standing out on his face and his eyes were radiating dread.

"Well, shall we begin?" Sai'x inquired. He walked over to Axel, who lashed out with his feet. Sai'x jumped aside. "No need to make things worse on yourself." He jerked on Axel's chains, shortening them so his hands were now raised over his head. "Feel free to scream if you wish."

"Fuck that. There's no way I'm giving you that satisfaction, you fucking sadist."

"We'll see, won't we?" The knife was a flash of silver in his hand as Sai'x slashed him across the stomach. It was a shallow cut, but Axel felt it. He took his breath in sharply, but apart from that he didn't make a sound.

Well, Sai'x would change that.

He walked behind the man, drawing a line of blood from his naval to his lower back. A bit more pressure was exerted on the knife this time, and Axel twitched, the muscles in his back recoiling against the pain.

"You know, you don't have to be brave," Sai'x muttered in his ear. "I can make this last for hours if you force me to."

Axel gritted his teeth. "What do you want, Sai'x? You want me to beg for mercy?"

The pale skin on Axel's back was becoming a criss-cross of red lines. "Yes. That would be a decent start."

Axel laughed softly. "Come on, Sai'x. If you want me that bad there are better ways to do it. I don't usually go for men, but I'm sure we could work something out—."

Sai'x hit him across the mouth. "Shut up." Axel's eyes were clouded with pain, but there was that same old rebellious glint in them. He wanted to drive that glint out. Grabbing Axel by chin, he forced him look up.

"You don't know, do you?" he asked, "What they plan on doing to that poor little girl from the island?"

"Get off my face." The order was so forceful Sai'x found himself obeying by instinct. He had sounded so much like Lord Xemnas suddenly.

A cough racked Axel's body. "Yes, I do know what they're gonna do to her, you miserable excuse for a sentient being. They're gonna use her as bait for Sora."

"Correct," Sai'x said, laying the knife down and choosing a long, thin strip of leather instead. "But do you know why we need Sora?"

Axel tried to shrug, but then realized he was tied up, so his shoulders just spasmed in pain. "Xemnas probably wants his heart."

"Exactly. He cracked his whip, catching Axel across the back. The redhead ground his teeth but didn't cry out. "But you know, they'll take that girl's heart too." He leaned in close. "After they've let me have my turn with her."

Axel let loose with a string of obscenities, his mind suddenly boiling over with rage. He wanted to tear this freak apart, rip him limb from limb.

"There is no way I'm letting you touch her!" he yelled, rattling his chains. "I'll die first!"

Sai'x grinned. "If that's what you want…"

Two hours later Axel was dragged from the torture room and dumped in his chambers. He was dizzy with pain and he could still feel the warm blood oozing down his back. Now that Sai'x was nowhere nearby, he allowed himself to acknowledge it.

But overwhelming that pain was something else. Anger, red hot and coursing through Axel's veins like poison. He had no doubt Organization 13 would find Kairi eventually, with his cooperation or without. He had to find her before that happened.

But would she even accept his help?

He must have drifted into a fitful doze, because a few moments later he was no longer alone. Someone had sat down on the bed beside him. Someone who smelled like a fresh wind over the sea. He knew that smell. Raising his head, he felt cool hands descend on his sweaty brow.

"God, what did they do to you?"

"Nothing you won't cure," he muttered. Kairi frowned in concern and he collapsed into her arms. She held him close and kissed his forehead, his eyes, his neck. Finally, her lips found his and he kissed her like he'd never kissed anyone in his life.

He awoke suddenly, finding himself alone and suddenly a lot more miserable than he had ever thought possible.