Disclaimer- … I try.
Warnings- Jumpy storyline, nostalgia, and Zexion actually acting his age.
A/N- I dropped out of KH for a while. People take fandoms way too seriously. The whole point of fanfiction, fanart, and cosplay is to have fun with what you love. I must admit I don't like Mary-sues, cosplayers who look vastly different from who they're portraying and sloppy fanart BUT I keep my mouth shut about it because I realize they are fans trying to have fun. While I have never personally been called out on anything, I don't like it happening to others. It's like, really? You have nothing better to do with your lives than to make fun of bad fanfiction, make other feel bad and become a self-proclaimed know it all about a fandom? I write fanfiction to de-stress and write about something I enjoy very much. I feel like taking it so seriously removes the fun part of it. I just hate how people take it so seriously.
On another note I still love Kingdom Hearts. Probably always will, once I got over the "wow, chill people" I started writing the next chapter.
Protecting Me
Chapter 18 : Axel's plan, Zexion's Scheme.
Day and night you're by my side
Protecting me
Protecting me...
"We'we in Twilight town!"
"If that's all he remembers things don't look too good," Demyx folded his arms and leaned back against the brick wall, a skeptic expression written across his face. Not that he doubted Axel's plan or anything, but the idea of breaking an unnecessary rule just for the redhead to fulfill a promise had left Demyx in a less then agreeable mood that afternoon.
"Look Roxas, over there," Axel shot a glare at Demyx before frantically pointing in the direction of a large grassy courtyard. The town below appeared like nothing but a mere toy play-set from the height of the famous clock tower. The whole town was preparing for the impending nightfall. With everyone going about their own business it was quite easy for the inhabitants to overlook the small things, take for instance the small fracture in the wall of the town square that gave way to a lush forest. Through the thick forest lay a place long forgotten by the town inhabitants, a place feared to be haunted and abandoned.
Roxas' tiny eyes beamed in amazement as a crystal clear image of a boy laying face down in the grass appeared. The toddlers' body twitched with anxiety.
"That's you Roxas. You were born here."
Roxas turned his eyes up to Axel, still wearing a vexed expression left over from the previous night. His eyes didn't linger for too long on the redhead for fear that his emotions would begin a kickboxing match over whether he should give in or remain ridiculously stubborn for a while longer. Instead he crept closer, crawling on his hands and knees, towards the edge of the tower just to beam at the illusion.
In front of the manors cast iron gates, the boy from the clearing stood, legs appearing wobbly at the unfamiliar feel of simply existing. His movements didn't seem delayed or reluctant like one would expect from a newborn. Everything seemed tried and practiced, both new and familiar at the same time. He rubbed at his temples, appearing as if he was only ridding himself of an agonizing headache, but Roxas knew the boy was really searching every corner of his brain for how he came to be.
Roxas' body shuddered as he pushed himself away from the ledge. The memory came rushing back to him, hitting him like a solid steel wall. His tiny hands clenched into hardened fist as he remembered it was one of those memories he hated the most. He felt like turning on his heel and punching whatever person or object was closest enough to take the beating. One bad memory only made him remember so many more. All the awful, repulsive, despicable things he hated about existing, and having to sit there and watch himself coming into existence… well that only was the beginning to his misery.
The illusion in the field slowly faded away. Lucky for Axel's leg (which was the closest thing to Roxas at the moment) the sudden anger and rage was directed elsewhere by an interruption. Right next to Roxas on the ledge of the clock tower came a loud chorus of laughter that stole his attention away from the hostility he felt welling up inside him.
Axel and Demyx both pushed themselves off the wall as the bell tower shook with the vibrations of the chimes. Demyx gaped in amazement while Axels' face held an uncontainable grin.
The Illusion faded into view, appearing static at first like bad television reception on a stormy day, before becoming a solid image. The detail was impeccable. Every hair, every eye lash, every thread of fabric on their clothes looked like it was real. It was a near perfect replication. The sun aligned perfectly with three familiar faces as the clock chimed. Below them, the last train of the day blew its whistle. The bustle of the city below played low and sweetly in the background, just the soundtrack to their everyday lives. A teenaged Roxas gave a large toothy grin into the sunset, not a care in the world as his problems had long since healed with time. On one side of him, Demyx tapped out a beat on his lap to a song stuck in his head from earlier that morning. On the other side Axel laughed at an inside joke before he draped an arm around Roxas' shoulders. Roxas grimaced at the summer heat that made his clothes stick uncomfortably to his body. Axels' arm of course was making it worse, but he wasn't about to say anything.
Axel let out a low whistle, "There's an attractive one for you, Rox," He pointed down to a portly, grotesque women buying an ice cream in the town square.
Demyx snorted, nearly falling off the ledge.
Roxas rolled his eyes, "You're such a jerk Axel. Why do you always have to pick on people all the time?"
"I could call her up here if you want…"
"DON'T you dare!"
"…. So, you wouldn't go on a date with her, why again? Because she's such a looker right?"
Roxas shot a glare at Axel.
"You're just angry because I kicked your ass at air hockey last week!"
"You're a cheat that's why!" Axel nudged Demyx, their official gaming judge. Demyx gave a shrug, preferring not to take sides.
Once again Roxas rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say Axel."
The Toddler let a slow smile creep onto his face as the illusion faded, "I 'membew that…"
xXx
3 Hours earlier.
Fully clad in a heavy black cloak, Zexion sat cross-legged by the gently lapping shores of Destiny Islands. His eyes remained locked tight as a salty ocean breeze whipped through his hair, irritating his nose. The tiny grains of sand beneath him crept forward with the light winds. The air was just warm enough to comfortingly hug ones body, enveloping it in the island sun, but too cool to want to test the tantalizing waters surrounding the island. It was the picturesque definition of bliss. Not another human sole occupied the shores of the beaches that day.
Unfortunately there was one resident that did inhabit the beach that day and it decided to make the tip of Zexion's nose his new landing zone. A small mosquito rested its legs before taking a painful stab at the schemers delicate appendage. Foolishly he took a whack at his own face, completely loosing his focus.
"My apologies," Zexion turned quickly around to Axel as the illusion around them faded like the pull of a plug. The sand disintegrated into a glossy marble floor, the sky disappeared into an empty ceiling, and all that was left were three nobodies in a vacant room.
"No worries, it was pretty convincing, but," Axel put a finger under his chin, recalling to his mind a distant memory, "it was different. The sun had already set more."
"Would you like me to draw another diagram?" A small voice squeaked from the opposite end of a double long table. Namine stood with her supplies gathered and flitted to Axels' side.
"Just the sky, it had more red in it."
Namine nodded as she plopped down to perfect her drawings.
Zexion observed a stack of already finished diagrams on the table beside him. His mind soaked in every explicate detail for later recall. If this plan was to be done, it had to be done right.
His role was simple, illusions and facades. It was already his specialty. He was to take Namine's drawing and turn them into living environments in which Roxas could view, explore and remember. Still… it felt wrong. It almost felt like intrusion. They weren't his memories. He and Roxas didn't even exchange many words. They both held a mutual respect for each other but it never went any further than that. Axel wanted a recreation of personal moments, and thinking about how he got roped into such a scheme only brought about bad memories all on its own as well.
A shiver ran down his spine and straight down to his hand that just the over day was bent backwards, broken and throbbing in unspeakable pain.
"I'm going to take these and work on them over breakfast," The schemer gathered up his stack of reference drawings, "Deliver the rest once they are complete."
Namine nodded with her tongue plastered to the side of her lip in a state of urgent concentration. The door shut silently behind Zexion, taking with him a huge weight off of Axels' shoulders. Only when the sound of Zexion's portal disappeared did Axel move.
The room was eerily quiet with just the feverish etching of pencil on paper. Not even Axel's footsteps made a sound as he treaded unfamiliar territory. Namine's room felt so awkward, so clean and white, almost like glass. He felt as if he'd break the floor with a single step. He truthfully didn't understand how Roxas spent so much time in such a place.
Silently he peered over the fair girls shoulder at her work.
"Wow, not too shabby."
"Huh? Oh…" Namine flipped a stray strand of hair back into place, giving a shy reluctant smile, "Thanks. I just hope it's right."
"It's…. decent." Axel awkwardly rubbed at the back of his neck, a move that caused Namine to giggle. She sensed his discomfort immediately and decided to offer some hospitality.
"Nothing in here bites. You can sit down if you want."
Axel grimaced at the overly glossed down WHITE chair… damn it all! You would think an artist would splash a little more color into the place.
He continued to stand in protest.
"It's funny," Namine watched him, wandering as if he was walking on eggshells around the room, as he tried to ignore her existence. She calmly continued, "I know you hate me because you think I'm trying to take Roxas from you, but still, here you are, working with me on something bigger than you for Roxas's sake."
Axel blinked, a bit in surprise at how bold she was. He didn't really expect Namine to talk much after Zexion left, seeing as Zexion really didn't care to punish her should she speak out. That was however until he saw an ulterior motive behind her statement. If she was in with him, she was clearly in with Roxas. To get to Roxas she needed to go through Axel.
"Even for Roxas's sake, our friendly association goes no further than this."
"I wasn't asking for a friendship of any sort," Namine looked up to meet eyes with Axel, an almost sly smile graced her features, making Axel hang tighter to his resolve, "I can see how much you care about him, as do I."
Axel let out a tired sigh, finally giving in to the lure of Namine's forsaken chair. This meeting wasn't about what he wanted. It was about what Roxas remembered. If that meant he would remember feelings for Namine… well, Axel would rather have the real Roxas over an imitation any day.
"You're a big part of who Roxas is," Axel reluctantly replied, "I would never deprive him of that."
Namine simply nodded.
"I'm not taking Roxas's free will away from him. When the time comes I'm going to let the decision fall in his hands."
Once again Namine simply nodded and smiled.
xXx
"Whysn't Axel comin with us?"
Namine smiled calmly as the door to her room slowly shut right in the face of the unenthusiastic redhead. The rooms bordering walls gave way to a boundless universe dotted and lined with thousands of stars. Roxas held tighter to Namines' neck as stone columns rose from thin air and the glossy floor beneath their feet became solid concrete. Namine nodded in silent approval, it was just as she drew it, just as she remembered it.
"This isn't Axel's memory, it's ours," She tried to mask the lie in her voice. Axel was invited to share in ALL of Roxas's memories, he just chose not to subject himself to Roxas and Namine's private memory. Perhaps it was for the best anyway, for any moment now;
"Hurry up! You got to see this! You'll never see anything else like it!"
"I'm not as fast as you are! Wait up!"
Namine spun quickly on her heel just in time for two figures to rush by, passing through her and Roxas like ghosts in the night. Once again the figures became solid as they reached the edge of the tower.
"Welcome to London, England!"
Namine leaned an arm against a stone column once she finally caught up. It wasn't like she got the daily athletic training he got. Despite her lethargy she couldn't help but smile. Roxas looked so happy over at the ledge of that tower… He actually looked like he was bouncing with anticipation. It wasn't often that Roxas showed true, unabashed happiness. He didn't really have much to be happy about, living the life of a Nobody with no supposable feelings that is.
Namine shook her head. He didn't have one drop of fear in him that he was breaking all sorts of rules.
"We can't stay here too long Roxas, you know that. If Xemnas finds that you snuck me out…" Namine cast her gaze down. She was just afraid that one of these days Xemnas would stop playing favorites with Roxas and he'd get punished in the worst way possible for all he gets away with. In that moment she took a step backwards, wanting nothing more then to return to the castle.
Roxas' face immediately fell when he saw her take that deciding step back.
"Namine please, we won't get caught, I promise!" Roxas held tightly to the column at the very edge of the tower, stretching a hand out towards her, the corners of his mouth pressed together tightly. She still didn't move, "I promise! Come on, we came all this way… I-I- Please! Namine, you listen to me, I'm sick of them keeping you locked up in that place! I don't care if something happens to me… I'm doing this for you."
"Roxas- I can't…" She turned, ready to make a run back for the castle. She didn't make it that far before she felt a hand grab onto her own and hold on tight.
"Namine, please, you won't regret this. I promise."
She caught site of those eyes. Those big, innocent, electric blue eyes that filled with disappointment. Her resolve faltered. Her body gave in as she let Roxas pull her closer to the edge. It was something about him that made her weak. Something pure and innocent about him that always made her give in.
"Okay Rox. I give," She giggled, "What are we here to see?"
"You'll love this Namine, I promise. You know how you always like to draw the sky? Well, I want you to see it, I mean, really see it."
"Roxas- what're you…. Wow."
She was speechless. Absolutely speechless. They must have easily been a good three hundred feet off the ground. The warm glow of the light from the clocks face lit up the smile on Roxas's face like a kid on Christmas day. The fog from the city only let a few scattered lights from the houses below pierce the darkness. It almost looked like an endless sky of stars. The skies of The World That Never Was had nothing on this. Her body gave a light shiver from the altitude breeze, her foot slipping ever so slightly. Just then she realized the height as she looked down to what seemed like a bottomless drop. She let out a yelp, reaching back to take hold of Roxas.
"Isn't it amazing?"
Namine chocked, finger intertwining tightly with the fabric of Roxas's cloak, "You aren't afraid of heights?"
"I used to be until I met Axel," Roxas snorted, "I told him I hated heights one day and he vowed to scare that fear right out of me. He took me here that very night. I haven't been afraid of heights since."
Namine smiled, "Seems like such a simple fix for such a big fear."
Roxas flashed a smile back, although his a bit more sly. A smile hinting something was hiding up his sleeve. He dug into his cloak, pulling out a small drawstring bag.
"Oh, it wasn't small," He locked eyes with Namine, blowing a small portion of glittering dust her way. She resisted the urge to sneeze, just focusing on Roxas's all too innocent boyish charm as he lightly took her tiny hand in his. Both of them stood side by side on the towers edge, Roxas being so bold as to stand on tiptoes, testing fate.
"Don't be afraid, okay?"
She gave Roxas a sideways glance, raising an eyebrow at his motives, but the boy's eyes were already shut tight. The wind picked up strength, threatening to knock Namine right off the edge. Roxas leaned forward even more, hand tightening around Namine's. His feet lost grip on the edge, and suddenly the two of them were plunging into the darkness of the city below.
It felt as if all the blood in her body was frozen in place. Her skin turned icy cold with both fear and adrenaline. She wanted to scream, she wanted to reach out and grab onto something, but next to her, Roxas laughed in the middle of his freefall. He twisted until he could reach out and grab Namine's other hand in his. He pulled her closer, pressing his forehead against her pale skin.
"I told you not to be afraid!" Roxas opened it eyes, letting them water up with the rush, "Think of something, something happy. In this land, happy thoughts make you fly!"
If Namine squeezed any tighter she would have broken Roxas's hand… There was a happy thought. Being on the ground. Safe and sound. No, something happier…. Drawing? How beautiful the sky looked? Being with Roxas?
Suddenly the rush stopped, for both of them. Roxas had her hand but they were no longer plummeting. They were… flying! It was no joke. They really were flying! Namines' mouth opened and closed, trying to pinpoint an explanation. An explanation for something so amazing… something so unbelievable…
They stayed side by side, gliding so close to the Thames River that they could see some tiny fish skimming the waters surface. Roxas relaxed on his back, hands behind his head casually like he's done it a million times before.
"So this isn't your first time," Namine playfully glared at him, splashing some of the water up in his direction.
"Axel," Roxas shrugged, dodging her attempt, "He took me flying here to help me with my fear. He said the Organizations top member shouldn't be afraid of heights."
Namine giggled, "So he'd jump off a three hundred foot tower with you if it would cure you're fear of heights…"
"That's Axel for you."
And that was Roxas for you. It seemed that no matter where they were, what they did, Roxas's mind was on someone else. It was rare that she spent time with Roxas without there being some mention of Axel. They were truly inseparable, even in thought. She would always briefly wonder what it must be like to have someone always thinking of you, even if they didn't realize it.
And for that, Axel was truly lucky. For he already had something that most people spend their entire lives bending over backwards to obtain. For a nobody, it might as well have been near impossible.
Roxas laughed at her side, "So how about those heights now?"
Namine shook her head, closing her eyes and letting the wind rush through her. It was the greatest night of her entire life.
That night she saw the sky. Really saw the sky.
xXx
2 Hours earlier.
Rumor had it that Roxas's intellect already reached that of a speech impaired seven year old. At the current rate he was aging, if Axel didn't hurry it would be too late to go through with his plan. Of course, Axel had no clue if these rumors were true or not, he was still under a restraining order that they were already about to sneak and break in two hours. He couldn't chance being caught before the plan was set in motion.
He had hurt Roxas. He had put Roxas in danger. He made a promise to make it up to Roxas… and that's just what he was doing. So he spent the night plotting and scheming. Every landmark memory Roxas had since he joined the Organization. Everyone and anything that meant something to him, especially the ones that would make him remember what was important in his life. He was convinced he would recreate every one of them with Zexion's help. Even the memories Axel wished he could make Roxas forget…
That morning he arrived outside of Zexion's room promptly after Namine had finished the drawings. They only had a few hours until Demyx was to bring Roxas down to watch the scenes of his life play out like a living breathing movie. Axel entered the slate haired teens room after receiving the okay. Zexion sat over the stack of papers, carefully analyzing all of them and working out any possible flaws.
"So do you think any of this is going to work?" Axel sat down, spreading out the last of the drawings. Zexion pushed his reading glasses up on his nose, joining Axel over on the bed to work on more memorization.
"I have to applaud you Axel, Recreating Roxas's memories is a brilliant idea. For his age, showing is better than telling. I'm sure it will suffice."
They both sat on opposite sides of the bed for a while, silent and consumed in their own thoughts after that. Axel hadn't spent this much time around Zexion since he joined the Organization. Zexion had his own business and colleagues and generally they both kept away from each other. Since this whole catastrophe with Roxas started he'd spent way too much awkward time around an unwilling Zexion for his liking. It might have helped their unfortunate situation if the two at least had a bit in common, but with Axel being on the laid-back nonchalant side and Zexion being more of a guy who would rather have no conversations that didn't revolve around his work, it was hard to co-exist in the same room for too long.
Axel noticed a small radio in the corner. He stood and stretched his back with a crack to break the unsettling silence, "Mind if I turned on some music."
"Too much music gives me a headache."
For a second he wondered why Zexion even owned a radio if that was the case,
"… And Demyx thinks you're perfect for him."
Zexion clenched his fist as if that was the last conversation topic he ever wanted brought up, "My higher sense of reasoning would like to tell me it's just his pseudo emotions of lust and infatuation telling him what he wants."
Axel smiled in Zexion's direction, "I'm glad that at least you're seeing this for what it really is."
He expected to get a sarcastic remark towards Demyx or at least an agreeing glance, but what he actually saw surprised him. Zexions' expression had softened considerably, and it had seemed like he hadn't even heard Axel's words. The slate haired man was staring transfixed on his hand that would still be broken if it had not been for Demyx's healing magic.
"Pseudo emotions are all they are though. Demyx is remembering what it felt like to love and it's causing him to react, as is the norm for a Nobody. He's convinced he feels something he doesn't," Zexion's snorted as a realization hit him, "Even if those emotions were real it would never work. In order for love to work you have to be compatible, and I fail to see just where Demyx and I are similar."
Axel raised an eyebrow, sitting back down on the bed, this time closer to Zexion. It seemed to him that Zexion had put more thought into Demyx than he had lead on.
"You're not telling me you're actually considering something are you?"
"Didn't you just hear me you idiot?" Zexion quickly snapped back at him, "It wouldn't work."
"Well, touchy. It's almost like you want it to work or something."
Zexion tore his glasses off his face letting them fall haphazardly to the floor. He massaged the bridge of his nose where the glasses had been pressing against his face.
"I was only eighteen years old when I became a nobody. It happened exactly a week before I was about to graduate from high school at the top of my class. I was about to attend college; I was a child prodigy living and working under the greatest scientist in Radiant Gardens, I had everything!"
Axel sat frozen on the bed not knowing what to do or say next. If Zexion was seeking advice or knowledge he was barking up the wrong tree. Walking out slowly and silently was not an option, but how was he supposed to cheer up some bitter teenaged boy about things of the past that can't be changed? And what exactly did any of this have to do with Demyx?
Zexion looking up as if he had read the redhead's mind and answered.
"I tried my best to keep my emotions behind me. Work was the most important thing on my schedule. Of course, I was still a hormone ridden young adult. I know what infatuation and lust feels like... If things were different… but they're not. I don't want to depend on pseudo emotions. I want to focus on my work until I can get back the life I never got to have."
"Who, out of all of us, doesn't want their life back? You do know that you're not the only one in this castle that had hopes and dreams before they were stolen from you right? Demyx may drive me up a wall half the time, but he's a good kid who deserves a lot more than he's handed here," Axel snorted back in a sarcastic tone. When he got no answer from Zexion he continued,
"Demyx might not be exactly like you, but who in their right mind falls in love with someone exactly like themselves. It's unheard of Zexion. Maybe if you got your nose out of work long enough to have actually lived you would know this. Maybe you need a little of what Demyx has to offer in your life. You need someone to pull you away from your work and give you the happiness you're missing. Kingdom Hearts knows Demyx is craving the security you can give him. If you actually talked to him you might find you have a lot more in common than you thought."
"Maybe you should leave. I've got everything from here," Zexion suddenly looked really uncomfortable with their conversation. His hands were twisted into his sheets and his head down. He muttered, "Good luck with Roxas'" out of politeness.
"Maybe Demyx thinks so differently from you that he'd be the only one to withstand your mind-fuckery sufficiently enough to piss the smugness out of you," Axel mocked before he finally left the room.
"Thank you, Goodbye," Axel heard Zexion shout sarcastically as the door slammed shut.
He couldn't help but laugh. After all, his specialty was getting on the higher ups nerves.
xXx
Currently
"I'm getting tired," Roxas rubbed at his eyes, letting his body slump against Axel's side. He still possessed the body of a small child, therefore, while him and Axel sat on the dock of Destiny Islands his feet couldn't quite touch the water like Axel's.
"Don't worry about it. I think tonight you're going to get the best sleep of your life," He put on a smile for Roxas.
Roxas was already talking like his old self again. The mispronunciations had stopped, and the cute slur his voice had was completely gone. The only thing that let Axel know Roxas wasn't completely himself yet was the fact that he was still only three feet tall with a prepubescent voice. Axel knew by morning everything would be back to normal. At least as normal as things could get…. Hopefully. The final thing that Axel decided to show Roxas was a trip to Destiny Islands. Of course it was just another one of Zexion's mirages, but everything was so convincing it felt as if they were really there.
This time there was no memory attached, just a time for the both of them to relax before the inevitable happened. He wanted little Roxas to spend his final moments in a place both familiar to his somebody, as well as his older self.
"I think I'd like that sleep now," Roxas muttered, wishing with everything in him that his legs were long enough to skim the water. Axel nodded and stood up, out of instinct he picked Roxas up.
"I can walk," With a much older mentality than his looks suggested, he pushed away from Axel stubbornly.
"Right, forgot," For a second the two of them stood on the dock, watching the fabricated sun set behind the other landmass that made up Destiny Islands.
Axel playfully kicked Roxas lightly with his heel to attract his attention;
"If by any chance at all you don't remember any of this I'll tell you now so I don't get punched in the face when you're older."
Roxas snorted, "I'll find other reasons, trust me."
Axel smirked, "I just wanted to tell you what a giant pain in the ass you've been for the past two weeks, and that no matter how much trouble you've gotten me into, I wouldn't trade what's happened for anything in the worlds."
Roxas smiled an awkward crooked smile back, he couldn't help but let a laugh escape his lips, "I wish I could reach your face. I'd punch you right now."
"I wish you'd try. See what I won't do to you Roxas," Axel mocked and began walking in the direction of the door. Once the pair reached the door to Namine's room the illusion faded away, and outside the double doors everyone waited. Namine got up from her place next to Zexion. Zexion let his attention wander since he no longer had to control an illusion, while Demyx and Xigbar stood against the opposite wall silently.
"Well that's the best we can do. The rest is up to a good nights sleep," Namine said rather optimistically.
"He's already remembered so much, I know he'll be back to his normal self in no time," Demyx chimed in.
"Hopefully," Axel added. A yawn sounded by his feet that reminded him Roxas desperately needed to get to sleep soon, "Well, we should be getting to sleep soon so-"
Before Axel could even finish his sentence Demyx was already way ahead of him. He scooped Roxas up in his arms against the toddlers wishes and squeezed him tightly, "Gonna miss you little buddy. See you in the morning Rox."
"Come visit me as soon as you're feeling better," Namine was soon at Demyx's side, ruffling his hair as well.
"It's going to feel strange without the little thing running around the castle every morning," Xigbar mused, as he stood closer to Zexion, away from the departing goodbyes.
"I don't know what's worse," Zexion set his hand under his chin in the same musing state as Xigbar, "the fact that I might miss that thing running around too or that I actually believe some good is about to come out of this whole catastrophe."
"That's the spirit!" Xigbar joked as he walked past Zexion towards his own room. Zexion rolled his eyes watching Xigbar walking in one direction, and everyone headed the other way.
He was left in the hallway with Namine when suddenly the girl gave a desperate little cry.
"Axel! Hey wait!"
But the redhead was already out of earshot with Roxas close behind.
"Oh…"
Zexion, who was just about to return to his own room for the night, couldn't help but take notice of his company in the hall.
"Is there a problem Namine?"
The girl nodded quickly, holding out a piece of paper to Zexion, "Roxas drew this the other day and left it in my room. I really wanted him to have it so maybe he could remember, just in case."
Zexion took the paper from the girl, examining the drawing sloppily done on the front before stuffing it into his pocket.
"I can personally see he gets it if you'd like."
Namine threw a quick smile at the cloaked schemer, "Thank you. You're a lot more polite than everyone else around here."
Zexion sighed; At least someone noticed his courtesy. He began walking up the stairs in the direction of the both his own room as well as Namines, "I believe I pass your room on the way to mine. Perhaps an escort would stop me from thinking too much if you don't mind."
Namine giggled before following Zexion up the stairs.
xXx
Roxas followed Axel at his heels as the redhead lead him down a strange hall he hadn't been down in a very long time.
"Were are we going? Your room is back that way."
"You still want to sleep in my room?" Axel stopped outside of a door labeled with the number XIII on it. Roxas hadn't been in this room for two weeks. Ever since the change, sleeping in Axel's room, in his bed, had just been second nature. Roxas nodded quickly to the question. Obviously the change wasn't full yet. He still had some childish fears about him.
"Well, I think it's time you go back to your own room Rox. You're big now remember?"
"But-" Roxas peered into the darkness of his room. Not only at the darkness, but also the emptiness.
"Come on. Let's get you set up," Axel picked Roxas up to bring him into his own room for the first time in a long time. The light was flicked on to illuminate just how neat and tidy everything had been left. He tucked Roxas into his own bed, pulling the big black comforter up to his chin.
"I don't like this. I like sleeping in your room!" Roxas protested, the sides of his eyes beginning to fill with water threatening to spill.
Axel had all he could do not to grant him his wishes as always, but if by some chance Roxas ended up not remembering the past two weeks Axel would have a lot to explain if Roxas woke up in bed with him. He pushed Roxas back down into his own bed, reaching into his inside coat pockets to pull out something.
"You'll be fine Roxas, I promise. I even brought you Sora so you're not alone."
Roxas couldn't grab a hold of the beat up stuffed animal fast enough. Still it was no substitute for Axel and the warmth of his room, "You don't like me sleeping with you anymore?"
Axel rubbed at the back of his neck at the hurt and confusion in Roxas's still very tiny voice, "I… can't Roxas. Not tonight. Good night."
Axel stood up hesitantly from the bed, or at least tried. It only took Roxas two seconds before he was up too.
"Axel!" The toddler flew at Axel's leg, grabbing it with all his strength. Once again Axel had to pick him up and place him back in his bed.
"I'm sorry! I wasn't mad at you! I don't hate you anymore! I'll be good I promise! I won't ever eat chocolate or run off or do anything bad ever again!"
Axel shut his eyes as Roxas did everything in his power to persuade his way back into the fire wielders bedroom, "Roxas, you're making this harder than it needs to be."
"Axel… " Roxas gave another desperate cry and shoved his blankets off of himself. Axel bit his bottom lip. The toddler had his pudgy little arms outstretched towards him with a desperate look on his face, "Please."
Axel sighed as he wrapped his arms around Roxas one last time that night in a big comforting hug. He disconnected himself, knowing that was the last thing Roxas wanted. He had to do it. Roxas would wake up the next morning and whether he remembered or not, it was not a position Axel wanted to wake up in.
"Goodnight Roxas. I'll see you in the morning."
The second Axel shut the door he could hear Roxas begin to cry on the other side. Hopefully he would cry himself tired…
Back in his own room, Axel desperately missed those cold feet of Roxas's pressing roughly into his side and the thought of that defenseless little kid crying alone in his bedroom burned into Axel's mind.
The only thing that got him to sleep that night was the promise of seeing his Roxas in the morning.
A/N-
You know what surprised me? How much Axel defended Demyx throughout 358 days. Roxas dissed him, Axel defended him. MORE THAN ONCE!
358 days also confirmed that Zexion's a mean sarcastic little cocky prick! (Just how I like him!), Demyx can be VERY cold and uncaring (he said he was glad Larxene was dead) and it made me feel very strongly about Xigbar and Demyx having a very cute father/son type relationship like I knew they did! When Demyx called Xigbar "Xiggy" I died a little inside before I said, "I KNEW IT!"
I also have to say I'm a Xion fan. She's definitely not my favorite female character (that will always belong to Namine) and generally I don't acknowledge her as a character because I really think she was randomly placed for a storyline (Oh hey, let's conveniently make everyone forget about her!). But all that aside, she was sweet, definitely a more interesting character than Kairi who is just… wow, can Kairi get any more boring as a character? She's classic Disney princess only minus the personality. I support the Axel/Roxas/Xion friendship….
But I support the Axel/Roxas/Demyx friendship more and always will. Axel defends Demyx one too many times for them not to have been close. Hence why Axel defended Demyx in this chapter. It's officially a canon friendship. That doesn't make sense...