Axel lay on the floor of Roxas's room, staring at the swirling patterns on the ceiling. "Now that I know how you feel about me, what should I do?" He inquired.
"Well, do you share those feelings with me?" Roxas sat up on his bed.
"Truthfully, I do not know yet. If I were to submit myself to those feelings, we would have the possibility of being in danger, right?" Axel answered.
"That is true," Roxas replied, "but...I'm willing to risk the danger. But please, take all the time you want to think about it."
"I'll try to give you an answer as soon as I can," Axel promised.
"But I want your sincerity, so if it takes forever then I'll wait." Roxas insisted. "In the meantime, I want to interact with you the way friends would interact."
"Then what do you want to do instead of lying around here?" Axel sat up off the floor.
"I want to help you become more like your old self, like a bit of the Axel I saw when we went to the lake the other day." Roxas decided.
"The old me, the trouble-making, rule-breaking me?" Axel folded his arms. "Aren't you worried about getting in trouble?"
"No, are you?" Roxas smirked.
"This trick used to get the best of Isa and me every time the free soldiers played it on us," Axel explained, "do you have any coins, it doesn't matter the value."
Roxas fished out a solidus from his pouch.
"Alright, we'll need something sticky and some string." Axel nodded.
"I think Naminé might have some beeswax and string in her room, I'll ask her." Roxas took a step in the direction of her room, but Axel tugged on Roxas's toga.
"No, we don't want her to know we're playing pranks on everyone in the house." Axel reminded him.
"Then how are we going to get it?"
"I'll just go ask, since I have to make it seem like I'm doing normal duties anyway." Axel suggested.
He knocked on the door to Naminé's room, and she opened it up.
"Is there something you need?" She asked.
"Might I be able to borrow some beeswax and string?" Axel responded.
"What for?"
"Master Roxas needs it for some sort of...project."
Naminé squinted for a moment, then disappeared and returned with a beeswax candle and a spool of thread. "Tell him I need those back later."
"Thank you, Mistress Naminé." Axel bowed slightly and hurried with the supplies back to Roxas.
"So what do we do with this?" Roxas wondered.
Axel scraped a bit of beeswax off the candle and held the string to the coin. He smeared the wax over the coin until it stuck. Axel unwound the thread until it reached all the way down the hall.
"Knock on Ventus's door and run back here to these pillars to hide." Axel instructed.
Roxas silently dashed over to the door to Ventus's room, knocking and swiftly hiding behind one of the pillars. Axel held the string attached to the coin while he hid behind another.
After a few moments, Terra opened the door appearing very disheveled. He looked around for anyone's presence, finally glancing at his feet to find the solidus waiting for him. He glanced around and bent down to reach for it, but Axel tugged on the string and the coin slid out of Terra's reach. Furrowing his brows, Terra reached for the coin again, but Axel tugged harder and pulled it further down the hallway.
"Who is it, and what do they want?" Ventus's irritated voice called out from the chamber.
"No one, Master," Terra replied. He shook his head in disapproval and disappeared back into his room, only to return to attempt to pounce on the coin. Instead, Axel yanked the coin further out of his reach. Terra fell to his knees.
"What in Jupiter's name is going on here...?" Ventus demanded, appearing in the doorway half-dressed.
"Nothing, Master." Terra stood and brushed his robes off.
"Come back inside, we're not finished." Ventus instructed.
"Yes, Master." Terra looked around one last time before closing the door.
Axel and Roxas shot each other bewildered expressions, and their cheeks turned red simultaneously. Axel reeled in the coin and wiped the beeswax off the surface, handing it back to Roxas.
"What else did you used to do?" Roxas grinned deviously.
Axel pouted his lips in thought. "How sneaky are you?"
"I think I'm pretty sneaky, I mean I did just go up and knock on Ventus's door without them hearing." Roxas said.
"Yes, but you didn't consider the fact that they could have been making noise." Axel pointed out.
"Oh, I guess that's true..." Roxas looked down at the floor.
Axel circled behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. Roxas tipped his head up and looked in the direction from which the touch came, but Axel was already standing next to him.
"What was that for? How did you do that without me noticing?" Roxas's jaw hung open in awe.
Axel shrugged. "I had a lot of practice sneaking around."
"Who are we going play that trick on?" Roxas grinned wildly again.
"How about your father?" Axel suggested.
"He doesn't like me disturbing his studies," Roxas faltered, but he perked up again, "and that's why he would be perfect to play that trick on."
The two of them crept toward Ansem's study, where the scholar sat poring over an array of scrolls on his desk.
"Take your shoes off so you don't hear them slapping against the floor." Axel whispered.
Roxas untied his sandals, leaving them outside the door. He tiptoed over to his father, lightly tapping him on the shoulder. Ansem perked up, glancing to left, but Roxas was already dashing off from the room to his right.
"Go, run!" Roxas hissed, grabbing his sandals and tugging on Axel's arm to pull him away.
"Ventus, I've told you not to disturb me while I'm working!" Ansem shouted from his study.
"He thinks I'm Ventus," Roxas chuckled a bit.
"Is that bad?" Axel wondered.
"Not a bit," Roxas objected.
When the two believed themselves safe from Ansem's wrath, they hunched over, panting.
"Anyone else?" Roxas huffed.
"I think I'll do the next one, since it requires a bit more directness." Axel decided.
He led Roxas to the kitchen, where Roxas observed from outside the door.
Larxene spotted Axel at the door, and she narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
"Nothing, just came to get some-what's that stain on your dress?" Axel pointed at the fabric, on which there was nothing.
Larxene looked down at the dingy cloth, confused. Axel flicked her nose.
"Argh! Axel!" Larxene screeched.
Axel dashed off, grabbing Roxas's arm.
Larxene pursued them like a lion chasing its prey. She chased them out to the garden, where they came to a fork in the path. Axel took off down one path while Roxas stayed at the fork, waiting for Larxene to meet him.
She skidded to a stop, growling, "Where is he, Master?"
"He went that way," Roxas gestured to the opposite path.
She nodded her head, speeding down the path.
Axel appeared from behind a tree, panting. "Thanks for covering for me."
"You're welcome. Thank you for showing me this side of you." Roxas replied.
"It's glad to have that part of me back. I really am grateful for you bringing it back." Axel rubbed the back of his neck.
"Come on, she'll come to a dead end soon." Roxas took Axel's hand, leading him back into the house.
"I expect these kind of shenanigans from Ventus, but never from you," Ansem chided.
"Yes Father, I understand." Roxas bowed his head in shame.
Ansem sighed. "First skipping coena and going down to the lake, now pulling childish pranks; what's gotten into you?"
"I suppose it's just my last bit of immaturity before I take on my responsibilities as master of the house," Roxas admitted.
"I understand, but your duties will arrive quicker than you expect." Ansem reminded him.
"I understand, Father," Roxas nodded.
"Now, please join us for the evening meal without your shenanigans." Ansem guided Roxas to the dining room.
Before Roxas disappeared, he turned his head and winked at Axel. Axel nodded in response.
"Hey Axel, hold out your palm." Roxas instructed.
"What for?" Axel asked, following his request.
In the middle of his palm, Roxas pressed the solidus they had used for their prank. It still felt waxy on one side.
"What is this for?" Axel wondered.
"I wanted to give it to you. Someday when we're free from this place, you can buy whatever you want with it." Roxas explained.
"I have no use for it now." Axel shook his head, holding it out to Roxas. Roxas shook his head also, closing Axel's fingers around the coin.
"I don't need it, either. Please, take it." Roxas pleaded.
"Thank you..." Axel smiled a bit, and he touched his warm, aching cheeks. "It's funny, I haven't smiled in so long..."
Translations:
- Castigat ridendo mores - Laughter corrects morals