Larxene angrily crashed down into a sitting position at the Altar Of Naught, shaking with what she knew to be jealousy. What she didn't know was why she was jealous. She huffed; Axel could kiss as many women on the forehead as he pleased! It's not as if Larxene herself would care, right?

Somehow she didn't believe that, not one bit. She bit her bottom lip in confusion; a sort of fluttering was flipping through her chest, warm yet almost itchy. She delved into her mind for the first time on why she was feeling this way in general. Her eyes slowly closed as she though of Axel again. She thought back to all the times they had shared, even farther back to their memories together in the living realm. Now that she had a heart, she used that to figure out what emotions she would have felt back then. Larxene realized that almost all the times she was around the pyro, the Savage Nymph would have felt...comfortable around his presence... She would have fully enjoyed being around him; she would have felt the urge to seek out his company; she would have been...

Larxene cupped her mouth with her gloved hand, allowing her feelings toward Axel to dawn on her at last. She suddenly knew why she had been jealous back at Traverse Town; she suddenly knew why her mind and heart screamed for him to be in his company.

"I'm falling for him...," Larxene choked quietly, her ocean-deep blue eyes wide as she hugged herself tightly, one hand still over her mouth.


Axel, worried, came into Larxene's room first thing after bidding a short see-you-later to Meytha. Now, as he surveyed the empty room, he resolved to wait until she returned. She had to come to her room some time, after all...

It had been a few hours since then, and Axel was curled in a ball on the floor next to her bed, trying to grab a quick nap, but knowing he wouldn't sleep until he saw Larxene. When he thought of her, Axel smiled warmly to himself, suddenly light as a feather; the pyro didn't even need to contemplate his feelings to know that he was in love with the Savage Nymph. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames had willingly accepted this fact a while back, even before he had redeemed himself to her.

The only thing that concerned him was Larxene herself. Did she feel anything at all for him? Should he tell her his feelings, or was it too soon to say? Would she reject him? Scorn him once again for loving her? His body shuddered at the thoughts, each shiver worse than the last. Yet, Axel knew in his heart that he would tell her; he wanted so bad to let his feelings show. However, he knew Larxene had left Traverse Town in a mood that told she was quite upset... But why?

Before Axel could dwell on this question, Larxene herself portalled into her room, freezing when she spotted Axel. "What are you doing here?" she murmured.

Axel shrugged self-consciously. "Just wanted to wait for you; you kinda left in a hurry all of a sudden."

Larxene stiffened once more. "I didn't wish to intrude on your little happy reunion with your friend, " Larxene said in a voice that seemed to drip with poisoned honey. "You two seemed pretty happy without me hanging around, no?"

Axel wasn't stupid.

"You were jealous, weren't you?" he asked quietly, daring to ask the question that could probably send the Savage Nymph flying off the handle.

"I...!" Larxene's eyes darted to the side, her face suddenly flushed. "I wasn't! I just wanted you to be alone with that girl! You two probably wanted to catch up on a few things!" When Axel raised a red eyebrow, Larxene couldn't help but meet his knowing gaze.

"Larxene," Axel began steadily, "I don't have feelings for that girl if that's what you think, which I know you think."

"I--"

"Meytha's only twelve!"

"WHAT?!" Larxene's face took on another heated flush. "But...But she looks so much older!" Larxene felt like crawling into a corner and staying there, at least until her scorching embarrassment cooled down.

Axel shrugged at Larxene's last response. Now looking up at her again, he began calmly, "Do you know? I waited here for you as soon as you left, wanting to see if you were okay. But I waited here until you came, as I knew you would, it being your room." He smiled warmly at her, but his smile fell when Larxene's eyes glittered not with tears, but with a sort of emotion he could not quite read. "You okay?" he asked tenderly, and jumped up when Larxene leaped backward into a portal.


She slumped down on her side by the Pool Of Sight, the silvery liquid quiet and undisturbed. She felt like an idiot, to be honest with herself; to think that she had been jealous of a twelve-year-old girl!

She felt strong arms wrap around her; she didn't even have to turn her head to know it was Axel. Scooping her up into his lap now, he murmured into her hair, "Hey, what's wrong?" He hugged her comfortably.

Larxene gave no response for quite a long time. When she spoke, however, Axel was all ears and heart. "I thought that...maybe you were... well, with that girl...or something..." She trailed off, ashamed and burning.

"Larxene," Axel soothed. "I don't like her like that. We're friends, that's all. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Then you can see why I felt like such an idiot!" Larxene growled weakly, gripping Axel's arms.

"Hey, I thought she was older, too, when I first saw her!" Axel chuckled, the sound vibrating against his chest and into Larxene's ears. Axel smiled again when Larxene slowly rested her head against his chest, sighing softly. Time passed, and when Larxene scooted off of Axel's lap, she stared into the still Pool and murmured, "I've often found myself watching you, you know."

"You...have...?" Axel knitted his eyebrows together.

"Yes," she replied, never taking her eyes off the Pool. "I never understood why, though. I would just come to this place and watch you. Watch as I saw you throw everything away; watch as I saw you strive so hard for Roxas; watch as I saw you die... I immediately left and told Marluxia to go and get whoever it was who had arrived here, though I already knew it was you.

But I was the way I was toward you," she continued, "because I just couldn't bring myself to forgive you. I had remembered all you had done before, and that's why I was...like that..."

"Larxene...," Axel murmured, but could find no words to express what he was feeling.

When the silence began to settle, Larxene dipped her finger into the pool and murmured: "Roxas."

Just like before, the Pool shimmered and eventually revealed an image of Destiny Islands. This time, Sora and Roxas were splashing through the shallow end of the ocean. The Key Of Destiny was sporting two or three fish, while Sora let slip one of his own, the creature swimming deeper into the water.

"Thought you might want to see your friend," Larxene explained, trying to change their previous subject. She was surprised, however, when Axel dabbed a finger into the Pool, the conjured image disappearing. "Hm?" She looked to her side at the pyro now, and shuddered inside when she saw his emerald eyes glitter with what she knew to be affection.

"Roxas isn't the one I wish to see," he told her, his voice soft as silk.

"Then who--?" Larxene jumped inside when Axel put a finger to her lips.

"Larxene," he spoke quietly, comforting. "Right now, I want no one else to see but you. No words can express the way I feel about you. I'd say that one certain cliche and over-used line, but it seems to pale for some reason."

Larxene's eyes widened as she gazed at Axel, enthralled. She knew those three words he wanted to say to express himself to her.

Axel leaned forward and nuzzled her neck, Larxene wrapping an arm around him. "I feel so strongly for you, Larxene, that I don't want to say 'I love you', because that would spoil the moment with it's cliche-ness, you know?"

Larxene let out a small laugh, hugging him fiercely now. "Axel," she breathed, "I...I...," she couldn't finish, too overwhelmed with finding out he loved her.

"You don't have to say anything," Axel assured quietly, looking at her now. He was still unsure as to whether Larxene loved him back...

"But I do!" Larxene meant to talk louder, but her voice came out in a whimper. "Your feelings mirror my own!"

Axel smiled at her, the movement curving his lips in such a way that Larxene threw herself further into his arms. "Larxene," Axel murmured, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. "Larxene," he murmured again, but both knew he was simply saying her name, that's all.

He ceased whispering her name, however, when Larxene cupped his face lightly. Axel gripped her waist tighter to prevent Larxene from losing her balance as the pyro leaned back a little. Larxene went forward until Axel found her lips pressed against his own; he kissed back with a heated drive that made Larxene utter a moan. It felt like centuries, though it had only been a few moments, when Axel and Larxene pulled back, the latter resting her head against the pyro's chest, allowing her eyes to slowly droop until they closed, though she remained awake in a dazed bliss.

Axel rubbed her back in a soothing rhythm, their heartbeats nearly in sync. The Flurry Of Dancing Flames sighed happily as he rested his chin on her head, just holding on to her, their affections speaking louder than any volume.


A/N: It's not done, just in case it might've looked like the ending. I wanted to make their confessions not too...cliche, so to speak. I didn't want to make it... ah, I hope you know what I mean! I didn't want to put "I love you" simply because it's cliche nowadays! Once again, no offense to those who HAVE put that line in their fanfics! I nearly conked out on numerous parts because I couldn't find a way to put this right, but now I'm satisfied with this chapter. Hope you guys like this!