Semi-AU. They're actors... but they still have their powers. Don't question me!
This is the end... (apart from the epilogue) and is the longest chapter. It was 10 or 11 pages long on Word. And... Tiring to write. I added a lot to allow it to make more sense.
Akuroku. Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Crime, Semi-comedy, Supernatural, Fantasy... and SAD! BUT HAPPY!
Axel laid his head beside Roxas', kissing his cheek softly. "It's okay, Roxas… Don't be scared… I'm still here…" tears ran down his face, passing over the eye tattoos (thus proving they were real). "I'm here waiting for you, Roxas… Axel's here. I love you…" he sobbed silently, his body shaking with each unheard cry. "Come back, Roxas… Wake up…"
"He's aware that the boy can't hear him, correct?" a doctor said to Nomura as they watched through a pane of glass.
"Roxas means a lot to him. I was afraid he would destroy the hospital. Something hurt Roxas… I'm surprised the building isn't on fire."
"He wouldn't destroy the hospital with the boy in it, entirely helpless. My guess is that he feels the need to protect him. Keep him safe from harm when he's incapable of defending himself."
"I'm not sure how much protection he can give, though. The sedative overdose has already set in… and there's really nothing Axel can do for him but sit there and cry, which isn't much help."
"He's determined to take care of the physical body, however. He can always feel as if he's doing something of use that way."
Nomura nodded. "You may be right."
"I really am terribly sorry about all of this."
Nomura had already started sauntering away. "Tell that to Axel. Oh, and one more thing…" he stopped walking.
"Yes?"
Nomura turned back to face him, a deadly, malicious glare in his eyes. "Don't forget that if Roxas dies, I will not stand in the way of Axel slicing your throat and killing everyone in this hospital that could possibly have been involved in any way, shape, or form. I've known Axel his entire life. I am fully aware of what that man is capable of doing."
"Roxas…" Axel muttered into his ear, nipping at the upper cartilage.
Roxas giggled, blushing. "Quit it! You're embarrassing me…"
"But you're so cute when you're embarrassed…" he kissed him gently. "You're just so adorable."
"I love you. I love you, Axel…"
Axel opened his eyes. "Roxas?"
The bed in front of him was empty, the sheets disturbed.
"Roxas? Roxas! ROXAS!"
"Not so loud, Axel… This room is soundproofed, no need to yell…"
A blonde boy was sitting on the windowsill, looking out at the birds flying in the sky. Axel rushed over and hugged him tightly. "Roxas! Roxas… you scared me… I was so worried…"
"Don't be worried, Axel. I came back to say goodbye, so you wouldn't have to be worried anymore."
"Goodbye? What? Where… Where are you going?"
"To wait for you, like I promised I would. I love you, Axel. And I won't forget you… You know where to find me at sunset. I'll still be there, I promise. I'll miss you, but I know that someday you'll be ready… and you'll come back for me. We'll be together without anyone telling us it's wrong to love one another. It'll be a whole new life. It'll be different… It'll be beautiful, Axel…"
"Why would you say something like that? Lay back down, you need to rest! You're going to get better! You need to!"
Roxas shook his head. "Rest isn't going to stop the inevitable."
"I promised to stay with you! You said we could stay together, no matter what! We promised, Roxas! We f**king promised! You can't do this to me!" Axel shouted, refusing to believe what he was hearing. There was no way. Roxas was going to get better… this was all going to be put behind them… everything was going to be okay!
Roxas kissed him, his lips warmer than normal.
'Just a fever! That's all it is! The fever's making him delusional!'
"It's my time, Axel. I love you."
Axel couldn't deny any longer that Roxas was being honest. The blonde boy was glowing now… No, he was seriously *GLOWING*.
"I love you."
"If you love me, then don't leave me!"
"Forgive me, Axel. Don't be angry with me, and don't be sad…" Roxas wiped Axel's tears with the handkerchief Axel had given him. Axel covered Roxas' hand on his face, trying to force it to stay. Roxas smiled softly, gently pulling his hand with the piece of fabric back to cuddle lovingly against his own cheek before holding it at his side.
As Roxas began to float away, breaking slowly into particles of golden light, Axel grabbed his wrist, turning Roxas to face him. "Don't go! Stay with me! Don't leave me to be all alone again, Roxas! Don't leave me here alone!"
"You know where to find me. I'll be there every day. Every day until you're ready to join me… I'll be waiting for you."
"No… Don't go… Don't leave me! Please!"
"Gommenasai…" (Translation: "I'm sorry…") he disappeared, leaving Axel clutching at the air, trying to grab something, anything left of the boy he loved. But as Roxas faded away, nothing lingered behind of the blonde. The only remnant of the beautiful boy that Axel had loved more than anything fell to the floor in front of him as he collapsed to his knees, breaking down into tears. After a moment, he grabbed what he would cherish for the rest of his life as a reminder of that beautiful, wonderful boy… the one piece of his beloved that Roxas had left behind for Axel…
…it was the handkerchief.
All charges against Axel were dropped in atonement by the court as a small condolence for his loss, the plaintiff claiming that it was the least they could do after seeing how hollowed out and shaken Axel was by Roxas' death. Axel agreed to move to another part of town, and find a different job. He started working in a small banking facility. It was an office job, but it helped him afford to remain living in the same town, only a half hour walk from his home to train station, and only twenty minutes by train to the station from work.
Every day at sunset, he walked or rode the train to the station and bought an ice cream, climbing up the secret back staircase up to a ledge near the top of the clock tower that was above the station. He had been coming here every day at sunset since he was a little kid. He remembered that after his seventh day of filming with Roxas—it had been just them that day—, he brought Roxas there, marveling at how it looked just like the one they were using in the filming.
Axel explained how he had suggested the clock tower ice cream to Nomura, and how the one they filmed with was based off of the one they were sitting on. Roxas had been so enthralled with Axel's story, never commenting, just watching eagerly, and listening intently to Axel's voice and words.
When filming became more frequent, he hadn't made it as often, but the second night of being lovers with Roxas, the blonde confessed going up there almost every single day, and hiding whenever Axel arrived, watching him.
Axel had laughed, and Roxas was initially very upset… until Axel told him that he was afraid Roxas had thought he was being too forward to bring him somewhere so personal after knowing each other for only a week. They laughed together then, saying how they wished they had sat together all those days that they had secretly been there, and they promised that the next time they went to the clock tower, they would go together like they wished they had done all those other sunsets.
-6 Months Later-
"Hey, redhead!" a woman called. "You're hot!"
"So I've been told. Is that all you wanted? I have somewhere to be at sunset."
"It's only noon! Why don't we get a drink and have a little fun, cherry-lips?" she ran up to him. "You're single, I can tell."
"You're pretty forward. Asking a stranger on the street to get drunk and sleep with you. I guess I'm up for a drink, though…"
"So what's your name, doll?"
"…it's Axel."
"Follow me then, hot-stuff."
After a few glasses of wine, she led him to a van, opening the back. "Now, let's go crazy, sexy…"
He shook his head. "Nope. I'm out. Thanks for buying me a drink, though."
"What?" she snapped. "Why?"
He looked at his watch. "Two reasons. One, it's starting to get late. Two, I've already made a promise to be faithful to a very special person. I'm determined to love only them forever."
"There's no love involved! It's just a quick roll in the hay! She obviously left you anyway, you're single. It doesn't matter!"
"It matters to me. And I'm sure it would matter to him, too."
"No way! I was sure you were straight! You're gay?"
"No, I am not a homosexual. I'm simply in love with a fifteen-year-old boy, that's all."
"Then you're a freakin' pedophile!"
"He passed away six months ago."
"Then why does it matter if we play around! He's DEAD!"
He shook his head. "It matters for three simple reasons. I love him, you're a slut, and I refuse to soil his memory by being a disloyal lover. Thank you again for the drink, but I really must be going now."
And with that, he shoved her out of his way and walked off. "PEDO!" she shouted after him.
"You're early."
"No, you're just late."
Axel sat down, smiling as he leaned over to kiss his lover's cheek. "You still love me, right?"
"Hm… maybe~"
They kissed lightly before Axel pulled away, winking as he licked his lips. "Mm… you're delicious…"
Giggling, he sat on Axel's lap. "Oh, Axel…"
"My cute little Roxas~"
This had been happening every time now. Axel remembered how he had been hesitant at first, but…
"What the hell am I doing…" he murmured as he paid for his ice cream and trudged to the back of the station building, casting a glance at the staircase before relenting and climbing the stairs, plopping down in his usual spot on the ledge. As he ate his ice cream, he paid no mind to a warm feeling against his shoulder. "I can't believe I'm up here… what the hell came over me? I shouldn't be here… not alone…"
"Then it's probably a good thing you aren't alone, then?" a voice said from beside him.
He looked immediately, jumping back in shock, and a pale hand grabbed his ice cream before it fell.
"You don't want some poor soul to end up with an ice cream landing on his head, do you? We'll get caught up here. You really ought to be more careful," the boy giggled as he took a lick of Axel's ice cream. "Mm… You got my favorite…"
"What… are you… doing… here?"
"I told you I'd be here! The better question is why were you not here until now? I've been waiting for you for twenty-one days," he rolled over so he was on his back, licking the ice cream as he looked at Axel. "Stop being upside down!"
"I can't help it! You're upside down, not me, damn it!"
"Such naughty words, Axel. I wonder… Should I rinse your mouth out with soap? I'd use my tongue but I'm busy eating your ice cream. Feel free to take it back any time now…"
"You've… been here for almost a month?"
"It really took you a long time to come and see me. I was lonely. The birds… they don't like me. They bite me when I'm here by myself. I think they nested here at some point…"
"Then that means… you're tangible?"
He smiled, rolling onto his stomach and sitting up. "Come here a second, Axel."
Hesitantly, Axel complied. The boy immediately kissed him once Axel was close enough.
"I love you… I missed you so much…"
Tears started running down Axel's face as he wrapped his arms around the boy's body and deepened the kiss. "Roxas…"
"Say it again… I missed the sound of your voice… Axel, I love you…"
"Roxas… Roxas, I love you too… I can't believe you're here… You're alive, but… I saw…"
"I'm not alive, Axel. Put your hand over my heart."
"I don't feel anything."
"That's just it. My heart doesn't beat anymore. It's gone."
Axel thought for a moment. "You're… a Nobody?"
Roxas broke out in a smile. "Oh my God, Axel! You're right!" he started laughing. "Should we start planning our conquest of Kingdom Hearts, then?"
Axel chuckled. "If you want."
"I'll pass on living out the game. We both die… I don't have my powers anymore, anyway. I can't kill Heartless without the Keyblade… and it would help if Heartless actually existed. Besides, I can't leave this place and my new home, and I'm only here at sunset. Once the sun is out of sight, I'm returned to my new home… until the next sunset. Then I can come here again. I come here and wait for you."
"You've been here… every day since you died?"
"Yes… I've been here every day at sunset, waiting for you to come and see me. I wanted to see you… I knew you would come here eventually…" Roxas kissed him again. "I wish I could feel this… I can't feel your touch…" his eyes watered.
"What do you mean? I can feel it… you are touching me, why would you say you can't feel it?"
"I can't feel it… I can't feel your skin, your lips… Axel…" he sobbed quietly. "I have no sense of touch. I can't feel anything except for other spirits… I can touch you, but I can't feel it if you touch me back… There's only one thing of you I can feel, and that's your spirit."
"Where's my spirit?" he asked. "Where is it closest on my body?"
Roxas looked down at Axel's pants pocket. "It's right there. It's in there…"
"In… my pocket?" Axel went to empty the contents, but Roxas grabbed him.
"No! You can't do that! Don't expose your spirit… I wouldn't be able to handle it… I'd break inside… And other spirits would try to take you… I couldn't bear letting that happen. Axel, promise me that you won't show me your spirit. Please, don't ever take that out of your pocket while I'm around. You'd break me…"
Axel stared at him, mouth agape in disbelief. "Roxas… Alright… I promise."
He didn't understand how or why his spirit was in his pocket, and why Roxas was so against seeing whatever it was. Axel looked at Roxas, who was giving off a very faint golden glow, as if the sunset was reflecting off the boy.
Axel caressed his cheek softly. "You're so beautiful. More beautiful than I remembered…"
"You were afraid to remember, weren't you?" Roxas smiled, sitting on the ledge again. "Hey, Axel… I bet you can't remember why the sun sets red."
"Don't steal my lines, Mr. I-don't-want-to-relive-the-game."
"Whatever, Mr. I-don't-have-a-heart."
"You can't quote your own lines when you've already stolen mine. That's not fair!" he bit Roxas' shoulder.
Roxas turned around and sank his teeth into Axel's neck, laughing as Axel grunted in pain. "You can't get revenge on someone who can't feel. That was mean of you to try and hurt me, by the way."
"How could I forget something like that so soon?"
"You didn't 'get it memorized'?" he guessed teasingly.
"Brat."
Roxas kissed him. "I love you."
Axel pulled Roxas into his lap. "Love you too."
"Will you… come back tomorrow? To see me?"
Axel nodded. "I'll come back every day and see you. Until the day I die."
"Then you'll be with me forever~!" Roxas purred happily, cuddling against Axel's chest.
"That's a positive outlook on my death, Roxas."
"No matter what happens, I'll be happy because you're with me…" he whispered as the sun faded out of sight, and Roxas disappeared.
It had been more than five months of Axel meeting him up here like this, true to his word, and not missing a single evening with his Roxas. Each time they were here together, though… Roxas would warily glance at Axel's pocket for a moment.
"Mm… I love you."
"You're always so warm…"
"I wish I could tell if you were warm too… but I feel warm inside when I see you, so I don't mind."
"There's more to it than that, my darling Roxas…" he brushed his hand over the rim of his pocket, looking at Roxas with a new emotion in his eyes.
"Hey, Axel?"
"What is it, love?"
"Does this mean… you're ready to come with me?" Roxas asked nervously, wrapping his arms around Axel's neck.
Axel thought for a moment before kissing the boy. "I think so… Yeah. I'm ready."
Roxas smiled, tears of joy filling his eyes as he buried his face into Axel's chest, his arms pulling their bodies closer. "I love you, Axel. I'm so happy… I love you."
Roxas slipped off of Axel's lap, leaving the redhead's legs feeling a bit chilly as the boy stood up on the thin ledge, reaching his hand out to Axel as he started glowing.
"I'll show you where to go… and you can stay with me. Take my hand."
Axel took the boy's tenderly offered hand, letting Roxas help him stand. Axel shoved his hand into his pocket, not moving it. "Hey, Roxas? Can I tell you a secret?" he kissed the blonde's lips and he started glowing as well.
"What is it?"
"I'm a little scared right now."
Roxas smiled. "Don't worry," he said softly, his words full of love. "I'll protect you… just like you've always protected me."
"I love you, Roxas."
"I love you too…" he slipped his own small hand into Axel's pocket, wrapping his thin fingers around Axel's hand that was inside.
Axel realized that Roxas was inviting him to do the one thing he wanted to do before he went with him. Axel felt a powerful wind surround them, engulfing the lovers whole as Axel turned his pocket inside out and the couple disappeared.
The wind died down to a gentle breeze as they faded, sending a familiar handkerchief floating away upon the zephyr.
~-fin-~
~~~~~~[]
"There's a milkmaaan waiting in the sky..."
-David Bowie-sensei-senpai-san-samaaaaaa...KUN!
Anyway, what I meant to say is that there is an epilogue, so if you are content with this ending don't read the epilogue, damn it!
Nobody joke... and quoting (Mostly if not all from KH 358/2)