Axel's eyes fluttered open to find Roxas sleeping soundly beside him. Smiling, he reached over and stroked Roxas's blond head.
He had given this young man everything, and in return had received everything he could've asked for.
Roxas's eyes slowly opened, and a smile spread across his face. "Good morning."
"Good morning," Axel murmured. He kissed Roxas's forehead sweetly.
"Did you sleep well?" Roxas wondered, reaching his arm around Axel's waist.
"Yes, did you?"
Roxas nodded. "It's pretty easy to fall asleep after having sex..."
Axel chuckled and shifted, and an aching pain spread through his lower back. He scrunched his face in pain.
"Is something wrong?" Roxas asked quickly.
"My podex hurts a little..." Axel chuckled again, trying not to move.
"Oh, I'm sorry..." Roxas replied in embarrassment. "I suppose I went too rough..."
"No, it felt fine when we did it; it must just hurt either way." Axel assured. "Today's the last day of the Saturnalia, how should we celebrate?"
"I would prefer to just remain in bed all day," Roxas yawned.
"I agree." Axel pulled Roxas closer, and Roxas curled up into Axel's warmth. "Do you really love me?"
Roxas looked up into Axel's eyes. "Of course I do."
Axel smiled instinctively.
A harsh rapping on the door jolted the two of them out of their content. Axel rolled off the bed and hid behind it. In his quick movement, his lower back ached.
"C-come in," Roxas stammered.
The door swung open, and Ventus stood in the doorway.
"Oh, Ventus, good morning. What time did you return home?" Roxas asked, glancing over the bed to see where Axel had fallen.
"It was very late," Ventus answered bluntly, "are you aware that both of our personal slaves are missing?"
"H-huh?" Roxas widened his eyes in surprise. Terra was missing?
"Terra and-whatever your slave's name is-are gone." Ventus stated.
"Oh, he's probably just out celebrating; I'd give him about a day to return. Besides, if he's still missing tomorrow, someone will bring him back." Roxas assured. "Axel's probably out with him."
"Mm, alright..." Ventus turned away, closing the door behind him.
Axel stood up, tying his loincloth around his hips again.
"So Terra hasn't returned yet..." Roxas mumbled thoughtfully.
Axel's stomach turned, realizing Terra probably used the Saturnalia to his advantage to escape.
"Is something wrong?" Roxas asked.
"Huh? Oh, nothing. I just hope he's alright, not too drunk out of his mind." Axel replied.
"I suppose we should bathe again." Roxas mentioned. "I feel sticky."
Axel chuckled lightly, heading to the door.
Roxas tied his loincloth around his hips loosely, and ambled down the hall toward the bath.
The last day of the Saturnalia passed by quickly, but Terra did not return, nor did someone bring him to the house.
Guilt settled in Axel's stomach, knowing he would have to tell someone where Terra went.
During the last feast, Ventus did not ingest much wine. No one had ever seen him behave so neatly.
"Terra still had his collar, so it shouldn't be long if he's found." Ansem assured.
"Yes, of course," Ventus muttered.
Silence fell over them. It chafed against Axel's skin, urging for him to spill his secret.
He stood abruptly, and all eyes turned to him.
"Th-thank you for the feast, and for letting me sit among you like your equal, Ansem." Axel bowed his head. "May I be excused?"
"You may," Ansem replied.
Roxas also stood, "May I also be excused, Father?"
"Of course. Goodnight, Roxas." He nodded.
Axel wandered down the hall, wanting to get away before he burst out of guilt. Roxas grabbed his wrist, and he halted.
"Axel, what's wrong?" He demanded.
Axel couldn't lie to him, it would be unthinkable.
He turned slowly, closing his eyes. "I know where Terra went."
"Really? Where?" Roxas asked, his tone changing and his grip lessening until it fell away.
"He ran away with that prostitute Aqua. They had...they had an affair going on, and after Aqua had saved up enough money, she told me to deliver the message to Terra that they could run away." Axel explained.
Roxas knit his brows. "I didn't realize...so he'll never come back as long as he's not caught?"
"No, I doubt it." Axel replied.
"Do you think he'll get caught?"
Axel thought for a moment. Terra had seemed crafty enough. "No."
"What do we tell Ventus?" Roxas wondered.
Axel sighed. "I...I hate to tell you to lie to your brother, but I wouldn't tell him anything."
The guilt still settled in the pit of Axel's stomach like dirt at the bottom of a lake. It kept him awake in the late hours of the night.
He stared at Terra's empty bed, wondering why Ventus had acted completely different to the news of Terra's disappearance.
In the hall, Axel heard movement. He crept to the door, wondering if he had only heard a mouse. His instinct told him otherwise.
Creeping across the atrium with a hastily-made rucksack was Ventus.
Axel's mind suddenly flashed back to that dream he had had about the shards of the mirror, one shard in which he had seen a figure looking back on his home while running away.
He had half a mind to grab Ventus and hiss at him what he was thinking, and spill the truth to him harshly. The other half knew his place and knew Ventus would punish him for being out of bed and for touching him unsolicitedly.
Instead, Axel watched Ventus creep across the floor. He could barely see Ventus's face in the moonlight, the boy's brows knit in frustration.
Before Axel could turn away, a shadowy figure crept up behind Ventus and slapped his hand over Ventus's mouth.
Ventus screamed into the hand, thrashing wildly, but the figure held onto him.
The figure whispered something in Ventus's ear, and Ventus thrashed harder.
The figure finally slammed Ventus against the wall, only inches away from the door where Axel hid, listening.
"Ventus, calm down! Please! I just want to talk!" The figure's voice whispered.
Axel realized the figure was Roxas, judging by his hushed voice.
"What the hell do you want to talk to me for, I'm busy!" Ventus hissed.
Though their voices were similar, Axel had grown so used to Roxas's that he could tell them apart even whispering.
"What are you doing up so late, and why are you carrying your belongings?" Roxas demanded.
"None of your damn business, Roxas!" Ventus insisted.
"Please Ventus, I'm not going to tell anyone. We're twins, not strangers. Just tell me." Roxas pleaded.
Ventus wavered for a moment. "I'm running away, what does it look like?"
"Why? Where are you going?"
"Isn't my answer enough?" Ventus spat.
"No," Roxas replied haughtily.
"I hate you," Ventus sneered.
"Ventus, please just tell me. I promise I won't tell Father or anyone else." Roxas begged.
Ventus wavered again, his silence longer this time. "I'm going to go find Terra."
"What for?"
"You wouldn't understand." Ventus persisted.
"I think I understand more than you believe." Roxas stated.
Ventus's silence lasted the longest this time. "I love him. I can't live without his company. He's more than a slave to me, but...I don't know how to say that. I...I'm probably the reason he ran away. He's probably never coming back, but I...I thought maybe..."
"Maybe what?" Roxas asked patiently.
"I thought I could tell him the truth and he'd come back, wherever he is." Ventus replied.
Axel was taken aback at this sudden change in Ventus's demeanor. He supposed love really could change the way a person acted.
"Is all this true?" Roxas wondered after taking in Ventus's words.
"I...I wouldn't lie about this." Ventus replied. "As stupid and awful as it may seem..."
"I believe you." Roxas assured. "I just never imagined..."
"What, that I even have feelings?" Ventus snapped.
"No, just that...just that you could care about someone as simple as your slave." Roxas decided, choosing his words carefully.
"Well I can," Ventus replied gruffly. "It's probably not uncommon, I know you and your slave seem to have a very strong bond."
Roxas chuckled lightly, and Axel's heart fluttered.
"Are we done? I really want to go find him." Ventus said.
"I...I'm afraid not..." Roxas faltered.
Axel's heart skipped. Would Roxas tell him now? The brothers had never seemed so close, it seemed like a shame to accidentally break their bond.
"Why? You're going to force me to stay when I've shared my deepest thoughts with you?" Ventus challenged.
"Please, let's go back to your room. I have some...unfortunate news about Terra..." Roxas replied.
"What, why can't you just tell me here?" Ventus asked.
"I really think you should sit down." Roxas said.
"I'm not weak, Roxas; what is it you have to say?" Ventus persisted.
Roxas sighed. "Terra ran away with Aqua. They had an affair going on and had planned to run away together."
There was nothing but silence, until Ventus's nervous chuckling broke through.
"You're joking, right? There's no way...no, you've got to be joking..." Ventus muttered.
"I'm afraid it's true; she had told me to deliver the message to Terra that they could be free." Roxas said.
So he had taken the blame for Axel's burden. Axel should've felt grateful, but he felt even guiltier.
"No...I refuse to believe you." Ventus said.
There were footsteps, which indicated Ventus was going to leave, but Roxas grabbed him.
"Ventus it's true, I'm sorry." Roxas admitted.
"No, you're wrong! I'll find him and bring him back, just let me go!" Ventus's voice was rising now.
"Ventus, listen to me!" Roxas begged.
"Get off me!" Ventus shouted, now hiccuping with unmistakable sobs. "Terra!"
"Ventus I'm so sorry..." Roxas faltered.
Axel heard some sort of plopping noise, and he looked to see both twins on their knees.
"Terra..." Ventus mumbled, tears rolling down his face.
Roxas embraced his brother, letting him weep into Roxas's shoulder.
"You betrayed me, Roxas...you took Terra from me..." Ventus sneered.
"I know, I'm sorry..." Roxas replied softly, stroking Ventus's back.
"Sorry won't cut it; I'll never forgive you." Ventus muttered.
"I know...it is inevitable..." Roxas admitted.
"I hate you." Ventus growled.
Still, he let himself be held by his brother while he wept until morning.
Translations
- Ubi Amor, Ibi Dolor - Where there is love, there is pain
- Podex - Ass