Ch. 2

Axel's POV

It went on like that for a few days and we fell into a rhythm. I don't know how or when it started, but it did. I arrived home and saw her cooking on the stove with the music on and dancing a little. I never figured her as a dancer, funny. I entered silently and she turned to find something when she saw me. Her face reddened.

Naminé's POV

Did he see me dancing? Oh I can just die now. Right now. Say something!! "Uh, hi Axel."

"Nice moves."

Oh god he did! I felt my face burning even more. I know I can't dance, but it's so nice and relaxing… as long as no one's around. And the beat was so catchy, I'd found myself dancing before I even realized it.

I was beyond relieved when I heard the doorbell ring and he went to get it. "Hey Axel. Reno told me you have some girl staying with you. Did you get a new girlfriend?" she asked curiously. "I also have another question…" I heard her begin, but I wasn't listening. I recognize that voice. I peeked around the corner, but she caught sight of me.

"Naminé?" I tried to duck behind a pillar, but that didn't discourage her. She walked over and began dragging me out. I mouthed "save me" to Axel, but he only looked surprised and vaguely amused and I had a strong urge to either kick him or stick out my tongue. Lots of help he was!

"Hi Tifa." I began awkwardly. She seemed a little mellower than I remembered her, more relaxed. Maybe it's because she doesn't have to worry about Cloud anymore…she was always working so hard to make it work; she never had time to enjoy it. I felt guilty for thinking that, Tifa had never been anything but kind to all those around her.

"You two know each other?" Axel finally asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah. She dated Cloud a while back."

"That was a long time ago. I'm married now."

"What? You're only like what six? Seven? Eight? years older than me. Isn't that pretty young?"

Axel smirked "Married and with two kids. I swear they're Satan's spawn… well maybe not, they are Reno's after all." I giggled as Tifa playfully punched Axel in the shoulder.

"Really?" I asked curiously. So she was married to Axel's cousin? I guess that would explain why she was here. Mostly.

Axel was about to answer with another comment but Tifa smoothly cut him off. "Yes twins."

"Awww cute. How old are they? Do you have pictures?"

"Two. And I didn't bring anything with me." She glanced at me apologetically, "Sorry."

"What are their names?"

"Hanako and Haydn."

"Well, at least one's well named." Axel responded.

What is he talking about? Deciding to ignore Axel I talked to Tifa again, "Those are nice names."

"Thank you." she smiled at me gratefully. "Maybe you can see them sometime. But right now I really have to talk to Axel real quick. I don't mean to be rude."

"Sure." Tifa then grabbed him by the arm and started dragging him out of the room. I wonder what that's about?

I waited impatiently while they talked quietly in another room, I wanted to talk to Tifa more and know what they were talking about. It didn't help that Tifa's voice kept rising occasionally so I caught snippets mainly things like "What?!" and other exclamations which only fueled my impatience. I started sitting in the chair and tapping my foot a little to get rid of all the anxious energy building up in me. How much does Tifa know? Will she tell anyone? I bit my lip, trying to remember what she had been like when it came to secrets.

They finally came out; Tifa came out first eagerly bombarding me with questions. I answered them all until she came to one I wasn't sure how to answer: "So, what are you doing here?" I glanced towards Axel not knowing what he'd told her, if anything, and bit my lip. Unable to make eye contact I looked intently at the floor my hair covering my face before answering in a tiny voice, "I ran away."

I couldn't see her expression, but she didn't ask any more about that afterwards, instead changing the subject to trivial matters before she left. I breathed a sigh of relief when she left; I liked her well enough considering, but I had never known her very well; she wasn't a popular topic of discussion between Cloud and I and my friends knew her even less than I had.

After she left there was a moment of awkward silence and I decided to ask something that I hoped would keep Axel from asking any more questions. "You were saying something about those kid's names?"

He smirked. "The one, Haydn, is well named. He's a little heathen."

"Oh, so that's what his name means?"

"Yeah."

We were now back to the awkward silence. "Ummmm…"

"--I heard some news today," he cut me off.

"What?" I asked concernedly. I'd never seen him this serious.

"I found out Cloud's new workplace. And his home address. He's at an apartment; that's why we couldn't find him."

My face fell. Why am I so disappointed? I should be happy! Happy, I'm going to see Cloud again. But… I wasn't sure if he would want to see me.

When did life become so complicated? No. It had always been complicated. It just was so much harder without Kairi and Cloud.

"So when are we going to see him?"

"I can take you tomorrow. How's that sound?"

"Fine. I guess." Why did I feel so reluctant to leave? It was strange, but I felt closer to this man whom I'd only known for a week than to some of my friends whom I'd known for years. Maybe because I'd told him about Kairi. It still hurt, but everyone else expected me to be over it by now. He seemed to understand. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part…

I smelled something off. The food! I'd forgotten about it! It was now slightly burnt, but I managed to save it. That is what being distracted does to you! I lectured myself, realizing that now Axel might have some hint that I was preoccupied, if he hadn't already.

That night we ate together (because I had gotten in the habit of waiting for him before I ate), but it was awkward we both were really quiet unsure what to say. "Umm Axel. I just wanted to say thank you," I ventured, unwilling to look up from my plate as I stirred the food before me, no longer hungry, because I was so anxious about the morning. About having to leave Axel and about seeing Cloud again. Because what would he say? Would he think me weak? Would he resent my intrusion?

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A/N: sorry for the ending and for it being so short, but tell me whatever you think. good, bad, ooc? oh and someone said Nami seemed a little ooc and overly happy here that was intentional she's purposefully playing up everything to try and seem perfectly fine to Tifa lessee how she did with that later...

I finally gave some answers to questions you may have had, but now you may have more. and there will be even more excitement and secrets from the past coming up soon. promise. but is anyone even the least bit curious? am i doing okay?

reviews make the story go faster. got it memorized? (where did that come from?) o.O and on the other... hand i guess, if you don't review i'll write a cliffie and leave you there till i get more. i've done it. just lemme know if it's good or bad and concrit's always appreciated. 'cause when i get views and no reviews i tend to think that means i'm not doing so well ...... T_T see?

please vote in my poll and if you like this fic check out my other ones.

I'm combining chapters now so if you had reviewed a later chapter so you can't review my newly edited version you can always send me a pm. 'kay?

i'm putting another fic on hold so i'll have more time, but i'm working on like 4 other fics so... yeah new chapters might be slow and thanks to all my readers. and reviewers. reviewers get plushies *hands out plushies* lesse here's one of axel, one of demyx, one of cloud... who wants one?

*name meanings: Hanako=flower child and Haydn=heathen