A/N-Hoy-o! Another chapter! This one's a bit short (sorry) and it was really distracting to not turn this into a straight up Akuroku yaoi. BUT I'd thought I'd give it a chance for those readers out there who want a story yaoi free (for once ;D). Please let me know how you'd like relationships to progress. I know I did a yaoi for my last fic so if you want me to keep this different then I can continue writing it so. If you all don't care, maybe I'll throw in some. (Let me know in the reviews! I appreciate your input!) Again for spelling.

Axel woke with a groan on the floor. He stretched his neck to the side and relaxed after a satisfying pop. He chewed on his thin lip ring while listening to the silence fill the room. Demyx was sound asleep on his bed, one of his arms flung over the side of the mattress. Axel sat up and looked to the teen occupying his bed. The Twilight blonde had not moved. Axel rolled up to his knees and checked to make sure the teen was still alive.

A fever had broken and Axel could see the heat blushing his cheeks. The Knight rose and slipped from the room. He padded silently across the castle's lower grounds to the infirmary.

'I'll need some fever reducing meds and probably another pint of blood. Oh, I should get another IV too.' Axel thought out as he strolled through the halls.

Upon entering the infirmary, he found he wasn't alone. A man in a white lab coat sat at a desk, his face propped up on his folded arms. Axel tip-toed over and saw the man was sleeping. He shook the lab worker's shoulder.

"Hey, wake up," Axel hissed. The man opened his bleary eyes and moaned softly.

"Mmm, eh? Axel?" The man sat up and tried to straighten his long dark bangs.

"What are you doing here, Zexion? It's four in the morning!" Zexion stood rapidly and knocked his chair back.

"Shit! I was supposed to be home hours ago!" He quickly started to pack his things scattered about on the desk into a large black duffle bag.

"Sorry, Axel. I'm got to go. Help yourself to what you need!" Zexion took off sprinting towards the door, his lab coat half hanging from his body as he tried to take it off while he was running. Axel smiled and shook his head. Then he went to raid the cupboards. He found some fever medication in a liquid form and went to the fridge for the rest of his supplies. He grabbed two IVs and a pint of blood with the same blood type as himself. Finally, he picked through the drawers and found some sterile needles.

Axel made his way back to his room and silently slipped through the door, locking it behind him. He crept across the room and turned on the small lamp hanging over the front of his bed. The Knight set to work with rigging up a new IV and the pint of blood.

"Now how am I going to get him to take the fever meds?" Axel mumbled under his breath. If he moved the teen too much, his side would split open. Axel took a deep breath and carefully rolled the blonde so he was on his back. He carefully lifted the teen so he bent at the waist but even that movement made the boy's face twist in pain. Axel suddenly realized he couldn't hold the tee upright and pour the medication at the same time. He rolled his eyes and carefully slipped behind the blonde so he lay against his chest. Axel freed his hands and measured out the fever medication, squinting to see the dosage on the small cup in the dim light.

The Knight tipped the teen's head back and pried open his mouth. Then he slowly poured the liquid down his throat. The medicine trickled down the blonde's throat. Axel let out a long exhale and reversed the steps of moving the blonde back to his original position.

"Take it easy, now," Axel instructed. The teen didn't stir. Axel turned off the light and settled back on the floor. Then he drifted back to sleep.

XxXxX

A week passed without the teen's discovery. Both Demyx and Axel were surprised no one figured out where the Twilight soldier was being kept, yet they weren't fortunate enough to avoid all suspicion. The vanishing medical supplies was the obvious concern. There was one moment when Axel was caught taking an IV out of the fridge and he had to feign a story about how Demyx was throwing up all night and needed some extra fluids. The lie wasn't completely bought but Axel got away with the IV without further questioning.

One night Axel was up late reading on Demyx's bed. The blonde Knight was out on an evening shift with Luxord and Xaldin, so he would be gone most of the night. Axel turned the page and groaned when he realized the chapter hadn't ended yet.

'This book is so boring! How can people stand to read all the time?' Axel wondered. He closed his eyes and gently bumped his head against the wall behind him.

The sound of movement instantly caught his attention.

Axel sat up, tossing the book aside on the bed, and went over to the unconscious teen. The blonde stirred. He moved slowly. Eventually, gravity took over and he flopped onto his back. His eyes pinched and broke apart, revealing a pair of brilliant blue eyes. Axel stared down at him, unsure what to do.

The blonde blinked again.

"Hey, you're awake," Axel stated, finally finding his voice.

"Wha…?" the blonde breathed, squinting his eyes further.

"You're safe for the moment." Axel pulled up a chair to his bed side and took a seat. The teen stared at him with his squinted eyes. "I don't suppose you have a name." The teen swallowed dryly.

"Roxas," he croaked.

"Roxas…" Axel muttered under his breath. He mulled over the name for a moment. "Well, nice to meet you, Roxas. My name's Axel."

"Why did you save me?" Axel's countenance turned perplexed.

"What sort of question is that? Aren't you grateful?"

"You should have let me die." Roxas averted his gaze to the ceiling. Axel frowned. He stood and went to the kitchen. When he returned to his seat, he brought a glass of water with him. He offered it to Roxas, who gladly accepted it. The blonde took an eager couple of sips.

"You're a real fighter, you know that? You really should have died but somehow you recovered. I'd say it's destiny."

"I say it's shit." Roxas took another drink of water. Axel frowned.

"Couldn't you at least pretend you're happy to be alive?"

"No. My life has no meaning anymore. There's nothing left for me. Everything's gone…everyone's dead…" Roxas finished the glass and handed it weakly back to Axel. The Knight took it and set it on the window sill.

"I'm sure you'll find something to live for." Roxas blinked heavily and his eyes started to cloud over.

"Axel, right?" Roxas breathed.

"You got it!" Roxas smirked lightly.

"It's…funny. Your eyes are really…green…" Axel chuckled.

"Is that some sort of compliment?" But he received no reply. Roxas had faded back into unconsciousness. Axel smiled softly. "Well, at least you have a name. We'll pick up this conversation later." Axel stood and moved the chair back to its position at the small kitchen table. Axel sat back down on Demyx's bed and grabbed his book. His eyes remained glued to the same word for over an hour before he drifted off to sleep with the book falling over his stomach.

XxXxX

Roxas woke to the ceiling staring back at him. He blinked and absorbed the silence around him. 'What happened? How did I get here?' Roxas sat up stiffly, flinching at the pain in his side. He scanned the small apartment being shared by the two Knights. It was devoid of any defining features besides some basic furniture. Roxas slid out of the bed he was on and noticed the sheets were crusted with dried blood. His blood.

"How am I still alive?" Roxas asked himself quietly. "How come they didn't kill me? Maybe one of the locals found me." Roxas turned to the curtained window. He slipped his fingers between the fabric and pushed it to the side.

His heart seized in his chest.

He had a clear view of the castle bridge and the town. Roxas staggered back from the window, his breathing escalated. 'I'm in the castle! THE castle! Shit, now I really want to know why I'm not dead. I'm in the lair of the King. What's going on?!' Roxas panicked and found his belongings in the corner of the room. He quickly scooped up his swords and made a dash for the door. 'I have to get out of here!'

Roxas burst through the door and felt the wood vibrate as it came in impact with someone on the other side. The blonde froze. Then he peeked around the edge of the door. A dark haired man with long bangs was rubbing his face tenderly.

"Damn it, Axel," the man growled. Roxas noticed papers were scattered all over the floor. The man looked up and noticed his assailant. "Wait, you're not Axel. Or Demyx. Who are you?" Roxas felt panic rise in his chest and it made his stomach churn wildly. He quickly unsheathed his swords and crossed them in front of his body. The dark haired man leapt back. Roxas could see dark bags under his eyes as his hair swayed.

The blonde backed away from the room slowly. The dark haired man raised a hand and Roxas bounced off an invisible wall behind him. Roxas collapsed to the floor, his side screaming in pain. The dark haired man stepped closer. Roxas growled and swung Oathkeeper to keep the stranger at bay. The movement was jerky and Roxas felt the stitches in his side pull painfully. Oathkeeper slipped from his grasp and clanged onto the floor several feet away. Roxas reached for it but it was just out of his grasp.

The dark haired man stopped in front of him. Roxas turned his head away. "Just kill me already," the blonde growled. There was a long pause. Something in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Roxas shifted his gaze and found the man was offering his hand. He blinked and stared at the hand.

"It's alright. I won't tell," the dark haired man stated. Roxas hesitantly accepted the hand. He was helped to his feet and the man retrieved Oathkeeper for him.

"Why are you doing this?" Roxas muttered. The man gave him a glance.

"You're from Twilight Town, aren't you?" Roxas let out a soft grunt. "It really was a beautiful world. It's a shame that it's gone."

"What do you care you Bastion thug?!" Roxas snapped. The man smirked.

"Thug? No. Prisoner? Maybe. I'm no soldier." The man helped Roxas back into the room and eased him into one of the kitchen chairs. He ruffled the teen's hair before taking his leave. Roxas listened to the door shut, followed by the sound of the man scrambling to pick up the discarded papers and running off down the hall at a sprint.

He sat in the chair for a long time simply staring at the wall. The only change to the atmosphere was when he heard the soft patter of rain on the window pane. Roxas leaned his head against the wall and listened to the rain. It tore at his heart and silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he breathed. "I messed up. Damn, I messed up. Maybe it's best that I'm here." The rain continued to patter softly on the window and Roxas felt himself slip into an uneasy sleep. The ghostly memories of his friends haunted his slumber.

XxXxX

Axel stepped through the door of his room and sighed. His black coat was dripping from the rain. "What a nightmare," he muttered to himself. He turned and noticed his bed was empty. "Oh shit!" Axel dashed into the apartment and looked around wildly. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found Roxas sleeping in a kitchen chair that had been out of his line of sight at the door. Axel stepped over to the sleeping blonde and gave his shoulder a gentle shake.

The first thing he noticed was the tear stains on the teen's face. Axel's face fell. He gave Roxas another gentle shake. The teen moaned softly and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Rise and shine," Axel said with a smile. Roxas pried open his eyes and jumped back, digging the chair into the wall. "Whoa! It's just me! It's Axel!" The red head pulled back the hood on his coat.

"You!" Roxas spat.

"Me? Is that what I get for saving your life?"

"You were the one in Twilight Town that day."

"Huh?" Axel tipped his head to the side. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Liar!"

"Look, say what you want, but I've never even been to Twilight Town," Axel defended. Roxas hissed and unsheathed Oblivion, pointing the tip at Axel's throat. Axel held up his hands in surrender. "Hold on, I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Then leave me alone," Roxas seethed. Axel sighed and pulled at the zipper on his jacket. Roxas watched as the red head removed the coat and tossed it aside. He wore a red tank top and grey sweatpants that were tucked into his black boots. Roxas glared at the man but lowered his sword. Axel nodded his thanks.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, but I'm asking you to give me a chance."

"No." Axel frowned.

"Okay then. What has you so angry at me?"

"You're a Bastion dog like the rest of them."

"Hey, I'm no one's dog. I do my duty on my own terms!" Axel shot back, moving his hands to his hips.

"You still obey the King."

"Not all of the time."

"Then you're just another stupid soldier."

"Hey! I'm above those ass holes!" It took a moment for the information to sink into Roxas's brain. His eyes grew wide.

"Shit, you're a Knight." Roxas raised Oblivion again and jumped out of his chair.

"Yeah, and what about it?" Axel snapped.

"Stay the Hell away from me!"

"No, because you're being immature."

"Immature?! You're fucking insane!" Roxas tripped on the leg of the table as he was backing away. Axel leapt forward and caught him before he struck the ground. Roxas squirmed in Axel's arms. "Let me go!"

"Calm down."

"NO!"

"What can I say to get you to trust me?"

"Nothing! You're a slutty Bastion dog! Go fuck with the King!"

"I'm not a Bastion dog! I'm not even from this fucking world!" Axel roared. Roxas fell silent. His body trembled, unsure if it should relax or tense.

"…what…?"

"I said I'm not from Hollow Bastion. I have no connection to this place besides they gave me a job and a place to sleep." Roxas searched Axel's face for answers but didn't find any. Axel sat on the floor and pulled Roxas into his lap, gently wrapping his arms around the blonde's chest.

"Where are you from?" Roxas asked quietly.

"Traverse Town. I'm a true local. When the refugees started flooding in, the place got too crowded and I started to look for work elsewhere. The Queen's guard hooked me up with the training program and I got in. Since I'm not from Hollow Bastion, they don't trust me enough to leave. So there you have it. I've never been to Twilight Town and I'm not some dog to the King. Got it memorized?"

Roxas's shoulders sagged. He felt bad he accused Axel of being the same as everyone else. "Is that why you saved me? Because you're not from here?" Roxas asked, leaning his head back onto Axel's shoulder to peer up at the Knight's face.

"Nah. I just thought you were cute." Roxas scowled. Axel chuckled heartedly. "Don't give me that look! It's true!"

"It's not my fault you're a freaking anorexic giant."

"Thanks for the compliment," Axel commented sarcastically. Roxas only came up to the red head's collar bone. With his hair, it appeared he was actually taller. "I supposed I should thank you for finally getting out of my bed. Now I can wash the damn thing." Roxas smirked. "Oh, so he does know how to smile."

"I'm not a zombie!" Roxas protested.

"You sure act like one." Roxas scoffed.

"What, do I need to flaunt my emo-ness to the worlds?"

"Would it make you less of a crab?"

"No."

"Then you just stay the way you are, sour puss." Roxas lowered his gaze so he was staring at the wall.

"You can let go of me, you know."

"Awh, I was just starting to enjoy myself. You're heart's so comforting." Axel closed his eyes and resting his cheek on the top of Roxas's head. "Like sunshine on a cool summer day." A thin smile broke on the Knights lips.

"That's creepy," Roxas stated. Axel chuckled.

"It's the truth. Didn't you even learn how to read people's hearts?"

"I wasn't aware you could learn something like that."

"Sure. It's tricky at first but once you get the hang of it, it's kind of addicting to read other people's hearts. They're like books only you can read and you learn a little bit about them in the process."

"And what does my heart say?" Roxas asked, growing curious. Axel was silent for a moment. He listened to the teen's heart, feeling it beat strongly.

"You're tormented by your past and confused about your future. You think you're a burden to everyone yet you're their small ray of light in this dark world." Roxas stiffened at the Knight's words. Echoes of Pence's voice swirled in his head. His breathing grew shaky. "It's okay to miss them, Roxas. It would be wrong not to."

Roxas's hand shot up to his mouth to stifled the sob in the back of his throat. Tears poured down his face and his body shook. Axel lifted his head and gently stroked the teen's golden locks. Roxas failed to
hold back the sobs racking through his body. He used his free hand to angrily wipe the tears away from his face. Axel caught his free hand by the wrist and gently placed a kiss on his temple. His throat hummed softly as he sang quietly in Roxas's ear.

"Flower gleam and glow; let your power shine.

Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine.

Heal what has been hurt; change the fate's design.

Save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine…

What once was mine."

Roxas lifted his head at the song. "I've heard that before," he muttered. Axel peered down at the teen. Roxas tried to think of the memory lost in the back of his mind as the tears were blinked from his eyes. "It was so long ago. This princess came to Twilight Town when I was little. She sang that song to me after I got separated from my parents. She…" Roxas sat up and looked back at Axel, his gaze confused. "She was from Radiant Garden." The teen searched for an answer on Axel's face.

"Parent sang that song to their children when they first arrived in Traverse Town," Axel explained. "A song like that isn't one you can easily forget." Roxas nodded.

"Yeah…" Axel ruffled Roxas's hair and stood, helping the blonde to his feet. Then he eased Roxas onto Demyx's bed so he could wash the soiled sheets and mattress. Roxas sheathed Oblivion and hugged his sword to his chest. Axel picked up Oathkeeper and handed it to the teen. Roxas greatly accepted it and placed it next to its partner in his embrace. He watched Axel work on cleaning and felt his eyes grow heavy.

Axel hummed a soft melody while he worked. He would occasionally glance at Roxas, who had fallen back asleep. It put his mind to ease knowing the teen's heart was slowly coming to peace with itself.

'Maybe one day it will shine bright like the sun again.' Axel thought. He paused in his work to brush back aside the curtain of the window. The rain fell gently onto the glass, leaving streaks of water behind. 'And maybe one day, I can to.'

A/N-OOOOOHHH, Tangled! (I do not own the song or the lyrics. I just think Tangled fits really well in the KH universe so, hush up you haters).

Musical Muse: BOA-Eat You Up, Dearly Beloved-Kingdom Hearts II rendition (own nothing ya'lls!)