Roxas was on edge: Xigbar hadn't been seen in four, maybe five days. The sniper still hadn't come back from his mission to Fantasia. It worried Roxas, but Demyx and Axel told him that Xigbar would be fine, that it was to be expected since it was a new world, but... something felt wrong. He had been booked with missions so he had no chance to search for the sniper, and even if he did, he kept being busy with Axel... Every time he was with Axel, he felt horrible. His chest ached with each kiss or touch, they made him feel so dirty. Now, he imagined that it was Xigbar kissing him, hugging him, laying with him, just being with him; It made him feel a little less worse... He held his pillow tight, fingers gripping the rough fabric, Axel's arm wrapped around his waist; The red head pressed closer to him, his other hand stroking Roxas' soft locks. It was a miracle that everyone was out on missions, even Superior Xemnas, which was rare as seeing him show emotion. The blond bit his lip as he thoughts went to Xigbar, possibly lost inside that damned jungle, cold and hungry...maybe even hurt... Roxas pushed Axel's arm away bitterly.

"What's up, Roxas?" Axel questioned quietly, thin eyebrows furrowing at his boyfriend's sour mood, and he knew what was wrong, he just hoped Roxas would talk to him; And it kind of irked him. Lately, Roxas had been almost... captivated by Xigbar and he couldn't understand why.

"You know why... I'm worried about Xigbar still..." Roxas trailed off, letting his eyes slip shut. This whole thing was striking him to the core. He didn't know whether to break it off with Axel and search for Xigbar, telling the sniper that he forgave him, and that... Roxas knew Xigbar must be aching inside, beating himself up; He...he just knew.

Roxas got to his feet; "You should go now, just to be safe."

"I..I will..." Axel sighed, sitting up; He left through a portal to his room.

II~XIII~II~XIII

Burning passion lossing flame

Another love is to inflame

Coming to terms with the light

The one eyed man his shining knight

Deep inside, the heart yearns

Both want their love to affirm

II~XIII~II~XIII

Axel scratched his head leisurely, strolling into the Room of Fading Nourishment, hoping to find a nice snack before Saix got back and slapped a mission on his head. Demyx sat at one of the small, white tables, nimble fingers strumming a few cords; He looked up before smiling brightly.

"Hey Axel! How's it going?" The sitarist greeted the redhead cheerfully. He ceased his brief playing, setting his beloved sitar on the table in front of him.

"Going okay, Dem...Sorta." Axel gave a chuckle."Hiding from Saix?"

"Pretty much..." Demyx sighed, pouting."You seem distracted."

"A little bit. It's Roxas and Xigbar." Axel shrugged as he searched through the cabinets, passing bags of chips and various items marked with the Organization's symbol. The redhead moved to the refrigerator right next to the cabinets, while Demyx thought for a moment; The blond tilted his head, piping up.

"I've seen them talking together a few times, but that was a while ago, Axel." Demyx mused, scratching his cheek innocently with a gloved finger, other hand holding his sitar in place to keep the instrument from falling, just in case.

"You did?" Axel quipped, settling on a wrapped burger, taking it from the refridgerator, letting it close as he moved to the microwave to his right; He pressed in twenty-five seconds and then the 'start' buttom, leaning against the pearly white counter. He...certainly didn't think... that Roxas was two-timing him with Xigbbar, did he? For all he knew, they could just be good friends, like Roxas and he were, only he never saw them together much. Maybe they greeted each other in the Grey Room or chatted for a few minutes before a mission..but to him, they never seemed to be a connection, even as friends. Of the time he saw them together, Xigbar seemed indifferent, occasionally what could he considered happy, and Roxas just appeared to be trying to start a friendship with the sniper, not a good choice personally, but better than most. Axel couldn't even imagine Roxas... being romantic with Xigbar; The sniper was too old for Roxas, almost in the pedophile range. It almost disgusted him, but then again, he didn't know anything. All he wanted was for Roxas and himself to be together forever, even if it had only been a few weeks. Every moment with Roxas, his chest filled..with joy, like he truly had a heart. And Roxas was-had...been just as happy. Ever since a week ago, Roxas had been acting strange, and it was about the time that Xigbar got his current mission to Fantasia. And when he thought about it, even before that, Roxas had been weird, always staring at the sniper or something.

His burger finished, microwave giving a series of beeps, and he took the steaming burger from the appliance; He unwrapped it as he strolled over to the table where Demyx sat.

"Yeah... Over a two months. They talk sometimes now, but not as often. Xigbar's tended to stay away from Roxas for the last few weeks." Demyx took his sitar in hand, not to play, but to hold it; It soothed him. He didn't know if Axel knew, but his emerald eyes looked suspicious and cloudy, extremely odd for the pyro, even though he didn't appear to be. Maybe Roxas was getting to him? He only saw the blond one time yesterday, and he was just to distracted and worried, probably about Xigbar like Axel said.

"What about before that? Maybe.. 3 months ago, or when Roxas had just arrived?" Axel questioned, taking a bite of his burger, chewing slowly. Xigbar tending to stay away from Roxas for the last few weeks would be about the time that they started going out together. Could they have been together all this? Maybe... Xigbar was keeping away now that they were together, but that would mean Roxas would be cheating on him, if they had been having a relationship... Or could they have started a relationship already; That didn't make much sense...unless they suspected that he might found out.

"Ummm..." Demyx trailed off, looking away for a moment. Axel was giving him a...odd look; it was frightening."Just talking, though I saw them being close together during a mission to Neverland.. That was...four months ago, three months after Roxas had joined, I think.. I might say hugging, but I didn't really see."

"Okay then.." Axel scowled, finishing his burger, crushing the wrapper into a ball. He tossed it leisurely, looking away from Demyx, who's teal eyes widened slightly.

"Are you okay, Axel?"

"Not really. Roxas is acting weird, Dem. Really weird. After hearing what you have to say, I have the feeling that goddamn one-eyed sniper it at the heart of it, and I don't like that. Roxas won't even look at me now, or let me hold him," Axel stated. He knew it was safe to talk to Demyx, he trusted the sitarist, knew the nobody wouldn't ever tell."I gotta find out what's up."

"Axel... I don't know exactly what's going on..." Demyx bit his bottom lip. No one really knew, but Axel got angry sometimes. Extremely angry, and he would go on rampages, burning things down and attacking anyone. He saw it happen three times before, he never told anyone. "Don't hurt anyone...Roxas or Xigbar...Please."

"I...won't..." Axel agreed solemnly, sighing as he laid his head down on the table. "What now?"

"I would wait and see... Ask Roxas when he's feeling better, maybe when Xigbar gets back." Demyx suggested with a soft smile, placing a cool hand on Axel's outstretched arm.

"I will... I'm just worried that there's something between them..."

"I know, Axel. Just wait and see. It'll be alright."