"Get up, we don't have a lot of time." Terra hissed, shaking Axel awake.
"Wh-what time is it...?" Axel groaned.
"It's not even dawn, but we have to start preparing now." Terra insisted.
"What? Why?" Axel swung his legs over the side of his bed.
"It's the Nemoralia," Terra replied, "and it's the twins' birthday."
Axel perked up. Though he himself never celebrated a birthday, he knew that meant something important.
"But don't slaves get the day off to celebrate the Nemoralia?" Axel questioned.
"Exactly, so we must have everything prepared for the festival before traveling to Lake Nemi." Terra nodded.
Axel jumped to his feet to prepare Roxas for the day.
Sol had not yet risen, as Terra had said, so instead Axel gently reached out and touched Roxas's sleeping form to wake him.
"Good morning, Axel," he said hoarsely. As his eyes came into focus, he smiled at Axel.
"Good morning," Axel replied, smiling faintly in return.
Roxas stretched his arms out, reaching for him. Axel bent down a bit uncomfortably, and Roxas sat up to meet him. He embraced him, which caused Axel's heartbeat to quicken.
"What's this for?" He chuckled.
"It's what I wanted for my birthday," Roxas replied, "well, I actually wanted a more than just a hug, but if you're still not sure about your feelings then I can settle for this."
"What else did you want?" Axel wondered.
"You don't have to lean like that, you can sit on the bed." Roxas offered. Axel took his offer.
"Will you give me another kiss?" Roxas asked.
"If that's what you want," Axel agreed. He leaned in and they pressed their lips together. Axel's senses tingled, and his cheeks warmed. Over the past several weeks, he had given his answer to Roxas's question much thought; though how to express his answer he did not know.
The knock on the door jolted them out of their bliss, and Ventus's harsh voice called out, "Hurry up, we're going to be late!"
Axel pulled away sheepishly. "H-he's right, I must get you ready for the day."
"Of course. Slaves are free for the celebration at dawn." Roxas reminded him, sliding out of bed. "Would you like something nice to wear for the occasion?"
"To be honest, I don't think any of your robes would fit me." Axel noted, somewhat embarrassed by the drastic difference in height.
"I can ask my father to lend you one," Roxas suggested.
"He wouldn't let a lowly slave like me wear one of his fine robes," Axel protested.
"I'll find you one he hasn't worn in a while." Roxas decided.
"Are you sure it'll be alright?" Axel hesitated.
"It will be if no one sees you," Roxas replied.
"What if someone does see?" Axel insisted.
"Just trust me," Roxas assured.
As stealthily as he had crept into his father's study the day he and Axel pulled pranks on the various members of the household, Roxas crept into Ansem's chamber to find an barely-used toga for Axel.
"When should I change into it?" Axel held the toga to his body, seeing if it would fit properly. It would still hang awkwardly on his malnourished frame, but at least he would look nice.
"I'll have to be socializing with other people celebrating-also, Xion will be there-but I'll meet you in private when we light the candles." Roxas instructed. "You can change into it before I come to you."
Axel nodded. "How will you hide this?"
"I'll just hide it among the other offerings to Diana." Roxas decided.
The two of them met the procession outside, and Roxas laid the toga among the small cart of offerings. Ventus waited for Roxas to join him in their litter while Naminé accompanied Ansem.
The procession would first gather at the bathhouse to clean up for the ceremony. The slaves, though they had to wait their turn for a long while, were bathed and given simple yet clean robes to wear for the festival.
Once they had been cleaned, the procession carried on to the lake.
The slaves laid the litters on the ground and the nobles inside stepped out to join in the festivities being held at Lake Nemi. Roxas and his siblings carried the offerings to large tables, and he hid the toga in a bush. He tapped Axel's shoulder and pointed to the bush where the toga was hidden, and Axel nodded in comprehension.
The forest among the lake was filled with the sounds of music and laughter. Children dashed among the thickets, pretending to be the hunting party of Diana. Of course, no one was permitted to kill an animal during the Nemoralia, as it would be disrespectful to the goddess.
Men, women, and slaves alike accompanied each other in dancing, drinking, and feasting. Women and slaves were not often allowed at occasions like these, but it would again be dishonorable to Diana to deny their participation. Women and girls wore flowers in their hair to honor the maiden goddess.
In the middle of the lake, men in boats rowed back and forth across the water.
Axel observed, nearly overwhelmed by all the happiness around him.
"It's nice to have a day off, isn't it?" Larxene appeared behind him, sitting down on the grass. Her cotton robe was already getting soiled from engaging in rowdy activities with the other slaves at the festival, and the flowers in her hair were slipping out.
"Yeah, I forgot how rewarding the Nemoralia really is," Axel sighed. "It's like we can breathe again."
He looked around at some of the other slaves, when his eyes fell upon Saïx, whose masters had just arrived at the celebration.
Axel's blood turned cold, and he hoped Saïx wouldn't notice him.
"My cup is empty..." Larxene pouted. She stood and made her way to the refreshments table, her footsteps a bit clumsy from oncoming drunkenness.
Axel watched as Saïx helped Xion out of the litter, and Roxas approached her. They bowed to each other, and she took his arm to take a stroll.
He looked off in a different direction and found Ventus and Vanitas dancing together drunkenly.
"Fancy seeing you here," Saïx's cold voice said from behind him.
Axel didn't turn to face him. Instead, he studied their reflections on the water's surface.
"I'm not going to engage in conversation with you if you refuse to be friendly." Axel decided.
"I am being friendly; I'm talking to you at all." Saïx pointed out. "Even now you're refusing to return to me?"
"You've made it clear what you think of me, so I've moved on." Axel shrugged.
"How treacherous," Saïx said disapprovingly.
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find something to eat. After all, it's not every day we get a break; I suggest you take this opportunity." Axel stood, parting ways with Saïx.
On his way to pick up the toga from the bushes, he took a large slice of some kind of meat (all meat had been prepared the day before) and chewed on it thoughtfully.
Axel hid among a secluded set of trees away from the procession while he changed into the toga.
It was much easier to help Roxas into these, but putting it on himself proved more difficult.
He finally achieved in putting it on correctly, but it hung awkwardly on his body. At least no one would see besides Roxas.
Roxas...
Would he tell him his feelings now? Axel's heartbeat thudded in his chest at the thought of saying it.
What would he even say? He was starting to doubt his feelings; maybe the way he felt wasn't real at all.
But he remembered their kiss in the early morning, and the one at the lake at dusk.
Yes, his feelings were true, he decided.
The forest began to glow with the light of the candles the procession lit; he would be arriving soon.
As Sol sank underneath the horizon and Luna rose, Axel mumbled senseless words to himself, unsure of what they would even mean.
A figure approached him from the glowing woods, and he was both relieved and frightened when he saw it was Roxas holding a lit candle.
Roxas's eyes widened when he saw Axel in the toga. "You look...amazing."
"But I'm still a slave, I'll never be able to own something as nice as this," Axel held up one of the draped pieces of wool.
"I said I will free you someday." Roxas set the candle on the ground, away from any dry reeds. He joined his hands with Axel's.
"How old are you now?" Axel asked.
"I'm eighteen." Roxas replied. "How old are you?"
"I don't really know, I've never kept track of my age." Axel admitted.
Roxas tilted his head. "You look about nineteen to me. Haven't you ever celebrated a birthday?"
"Of course not," Axel laughed a bit, and Roxas's cheeks reddened. "Oh...sorry, I don't mean to be rude."
"No, it's fine," Roxas assured, "why not?"
"Slaves' birthdays aren't important; we aren't even technically citizens." Axel explained.
"Oh...you can share my birthday with Ventus and me; of course Ventus prefers he and I don't share a birthday, but that's impossible." Roxas laughed a bit at his joke.
"I would love to share a birthday with you." Axel smiled.
Love...
"Roxas, I...I need to tell you something." Axel blurted out, his heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage.
Roxas looked up and met eyes with him. "What is it?"
"I have made my decision about my feelings..." Axel began.
"Oh...?"
"I...I believe..." His stomach turned. "I...I share the same feelings for you that you have for me."
Roxas's eyes widened. "You...you've made your choice then?"
"Yes. I think of you as something more than my friend. You brought me back to life, Roxas; you've awakened feelings I haven't felt for someone in a long time. I refuse to let our statuses get in the way of our friendship, and whatever else it could be." Axel found himself rambling now.
Roxas's cheeks flushed in Luna's light. "I-I see...Axel..."
"Y-yes?"
Roxas squeezed his hands. "I accept your feelings, and of course I return them to you."
He reached up and brought Axel's face to his, pressing their lips together. Axel leaned down to embrace him.
For the first time in a long while, Axel felt like he truly belonged somewhere, and that was in Roxas's arms.
Translations:
- Cor ad cor loquitur - Heart to heart talk
- Nemoralia - "The Festival of Torches" celebrating the goddess of the hunt Diana, usually held August 13-15; slaves are given the day off to celebrate