Author's Note: I'm on a role tonight. Enjoy. Reviews are much loved.
I can't sit still. It's been weeks since Larxene dies. Axel is always gone. He says he's finding information on Marluxia, but I think he's just avoiding my questions. I spend my days sparring with Demyx; I've gotten quite good at using the sword Axel gave to me. My wrist has mostly healed; I'm beating Demyx more often.
Axel thinks Marluxia is going to come to us when he realizes we've killed Larxene. I hope I'm ready for it. I hope he knows where Sora is…I hope Sora's okay.
I wish I could talk to Axel. He won't tell me anything. I wander into the kitchen; Demyx is there cooking. Suddenly a thought comes into my head.
"You were in the Organization, weren't you?" The question bursts from my lips, surprising us both. Demyx jumps and spins to face me, spilling the soup he was preparing in the process. He rushes to fix it.
"Roxas! Don't sneak up on me like that." Demyx laughs nervously.
"Sorry." I smile sadly. I am a thief after all…
"It's no problem." He says. "So what was it you wanted to ask me?"
"You and Axel." I says slowly. "You were both part of the Organization." It comes out more like a statement. Demyx's eyes go wide.
"I-I think you ought to talk to Axel about th—"
"Oh, come off it. You know he won't tell me anything. I deserve to know." I cut him off. Demyx sighs.
"Yes," he says reluctantly. "We were both members of the Organization."
"But no longer." I say.
"Correct."
"Why did you join in the first place?" I ask.
"Roxas, I really think you should wait and talk to—"
"Demyx! Come one!"
"I guess…maybe you're right…" Demyx is giving in.
"You didn't join on your own." I guess. Demyx nods.
"Axel," he says. "He was joining. I'm not even sure why I followed him really."
"Why did Axel want to join?" I ask.
"It's not so much that he wanted to join." He says.
"He was forced?" I ask.
"More like he was expected to." He explains. I must look confused. Demyx sighs. "He's gunna kill me." I glare at him, letting him know that he's not getting away without telling me. He continues, "You've heard of Xemnas."
I nod. The leader of the Organization…
"Well…he's Axel's step-father." Demyx says. "And let's just say he was never a very loving father-figure." He goes on cooking as he talks. "Especially after his mother died…"
"What happened to his real father?" I ask quietly. Demyx shakes his head.
"No one knows. Just disappeared one day." He says.
"So Xemnas wanted Axel to join the Organization."
"Essentially." Demyx says.
"So why did you join?" I ask again.
"Looking back, I'm not too sure." he says. "I think my plan was to protect Axel? Which if you know either of us, that's an absurd idea." Demyx sighs.
"Well, I guess it's good that I joined." he says. I look at him quizzically.
"Axel…had a hard time." Demyx explains. I wait for him to continue. "He got a lot of crap for being Xemnas' step-son. As much as he didn't want to join in the first place, he really began to get into it; trying to prove himself, I guess. He started to lose himself. He soon became a respected member of the Organization; not an easy thing to do." He pauses for a moment, looking at me. "Imagine Larxene, but three times worse." I'm silent for a second, my eyes wide.
"Did Larxene have the same treatment?" I ask.
"Hell, no." Demyx says. "Larxene joined the Organization as soon as she could. Anything to please Daddy." Demyx says bitterly.
"So Axel and Larxene are only—"
"Half-siblings." Demyx finishes, nodding.
"So…why was it goof that you joined?" I ask, confused.
"There was a time when I barely even knew Axel anymore. If I wasn't there to pull him back, I think he would've just lost himself completely."
"That's when you guys left the Organization?"
Something crosses Demyx's face, but I can't place it.
"I think you need to talk to Axel about that one." He says.
He leaves the room before I get a chance to protest and I'm left to ponder what he said. I don't understand why Axel wouldn't tell me about that. It's not as if I wouldn't understand…but what did Demyx mean by that last part?
I make up my mind; I'm going to find him. I walk up the stairs to his room. When I look inside, there's no one there. It's freezing though; the window is open. I go to close it and stop. A figure is outside in the dark, lighting up the night with bursts of fire. I see a flash of red hair as the figure flips and spins. I run back down the steps and out the front door. I silently peer around the corner to watch.
Axel is angrily fighting to air; jabbing, kicking, jumping. All the while, he's throwing fire that extinguishes itself before hitting anything. Finally he throws one more blast with a loud yell. For a moment, he stays frozen in that final position, fist still thrown outward, panting. He takes a step back, lowering his hand, still breathing hard.
I step out from behind the house so he can see me. He says nothing, still catching his breath.
"We need to talk." I tell him. He puts his head in his hands.
"Roxas—"
"No! You're not getting away with not telling me this time." I say. " I need to know."
Axel shakes his head, running his hand through his hair.
"At least tell me why you're doing this. I say. "You can't run away from this again!" I yell when he turns away. I move toward him.
"Roxas, please." He says. I ignore him.
"Why are you helping me?" I ask. I can hear myself yelling, pleading, but I can't stop. "Why are you trusting me?"
Axel abruptly closes the distance between us and takes my face in his hands, his mouth moving down to meet my lips.
At first the kiss is violent, hungry. His lips are warm, just as I remember. They become more gently, softer. When my hand moves up to run itself through his hair, he grabs my wrist in midair. The kiss is broken and he pushes himself away from me. The look on Axel's face is incredulous, his eyes wide and confused. I stare back at him.
"I'm sorry." he backs away.
"Axel?"
"I shouldn't have done that." He says.
"Axel." I say again. I see that his eyes are glistening. "Axel…talk to me."
Next chapter in Axel's PoV? :D