With another future predicted, Axel could not bear to fall asleep again. The only time he had felt at ease was after he and Roxas had spent that day at the lake. Everything had seemed perfect then, and his happiness was crumbling.
Part of him believed he should have known better than to let happiness in, since it would be taken away again. But Roxas was worth it, and he wouldn't have changed a thing.
After the morning meal, Roxas and Axel escorted Lady Xion home. The smell of petrichor hung in the air from the previous night of rain, a scent that seemed to make Axel's stomach turn.
Axel trailed behind the litter, wondering what Roxas and Xion were discussing inside. He supposed Roxas had convinced the two of them to get married, much to Axel's dismay.
They arrived at Lord Xaldin's villa, and Xion thanked Roxas for being so kind. Axel had half a mind to speak to Saïx and confirm he had seen him speak to Ventus, but he knew he would have to bide his time and wait for another meeting with Xion for them to speak.
Still, Axel dreaded the consequences he would face if Ventus repeated whatever Saïx had told him. The same dread that had caused him to fear the world and keep from searching for Saïx now flooded him, and he panicked.
He crept out of sight, going around the house until he found the kitchen. Almost by luck, he found Saïx behind the tiny window.
"Saïx! We need to speak!" He hissed sharply.
Saïx whirled around, squinting when he met eyes with Axel. "What is it? Can't you see I'm busy?"
"Did you speak to Ventus last night?" Axel immediately demanded.
Saïx tilted his head in confusion. "You must be seeing things; I am not permitted to speak to him unless asked."
"Don't lie to me, I know I saw it!' Axel gripped the bars on the kitchen window.
"I honestly don't know what you're talking about," Saïx replied, taken aback. "Now if you'll excuse me, I must return to my duties."
Axel shook the bars, but Saïx turned away. Axel growled and returned to following the litter on its way back home.
"Are you sure you saw him speaking to Ventus?" Roxas asked, sitting up on his bed.
"I'm positive," Axel stated, "and I'm terrified of what he could've told him. I think Saïx knows about our relationship, and if Ventus knows..."
"I feel like Ventus should've confronted me about it already, but so far I've heard nothing from him. Of course, he's still mad at me about Terra." Roxas sighed.
Axel stared out the window again; the endless rain had begun. Axel sighed and drifted over to Roxas's bed, sitting across from him.
"I wish I could sleep next to you again." He mumbled.
"We could take a nap," Roxas suggested. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep again?"
"I felt the best when I was with you." Axel agreed.
Roxas kicked himself under the blankets and slid over so Axel could join him. Axel curled up under the blankets, pulling Roxas close.
Axel closed his eyes, and fell asleep.
He had hoped for a dreamless sleep, but Axel ended up with the opposite.
In his dream, he saw the figure lying on the steps to the garden. The figure's neck twisted out of align, and Axel realized the figure's neck was broken.
He was thrown out of his nightmare in a cold sweat, struggling for breath.
Roxas's eyes fluttered open, and he met Axel's terrified eyes. "What's the matter, did you have another nightmare?"
Axel nodded.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Axel shook his head.
"It's alright, it was just a nightmare," Roxas hushed, rubbing Axel's back.
"Someone is going to die, and I can't have it be you..." Axel choked.
Roxas wavered, thinking over Axel's words. "It won't be me."
"How do you know? I won't know who it is until it happens, and then it'll be too late." Axel said.
"I just have a feeling it's not me. I know you don't want to talk about it, but now I'm curious to know how this person died."
Axel bit his lip, then answered, "They fell down the stairs to the garden and broke their neck."
Roxas swallowed. "Well, I have no plans to go outside."
Axel managed to chuckle at his joke, but still his stomach turned restlessly. If Roxas were to be the corpse in his dream, he decided he would follow after him.
After the evening meal, Axel was still so bothered by his nightmare that he decided to keep himself busy by cleaning up the leftovers.
He carried empty platters to the kitchen, where Larxene and the other servants bustled around.
"What are you doing here, shouldn't you be attending to Master Roxas?" Larxene asked in annoyance.
"I suppose, but I just thought I could give you some extra help." Axel replied.
"I don't need extra help," Larxene sneered, just as she dropped a platter on the ground. Luckily it had been cleared, but it clattered loudly onto the floor. She hissed a curse under her breath and reached down to retrieve it.
Axel piled up several dishes to carry off to storage in his arms, when Larxene popped back up from picking up the platter. She bumped into him, and the gold solidus Roxas had given him slipped out of the makeshift pocket in Axel's loincloth. It clinked to the floor, and Axel's eyes widened.
"What's this...?" Larxene reached for it. Axel stepped on her hand, and she yanked it back.
"Don't touch that." Axel scolded.
"Why not? Did you steal it?" Larxene asked.
"No," Axel said. He realized he couldn't tell her that Roxas had given it to him. "I found it, I'm giving it to Master Roxas."
"Why give it to him when he already has so much wealth? Keep it for yourself, or better, give it to me." Larxene suggested.
She reached for it again, but Axel kicked it away. It skittered across the floor, and Larxene rushed to put the platter away before diving after it.
Axel set the dishes down, chasing after Larxene. She pinched it triumphantly between her fingers, waving it around tauntingly. "Want it? Come get it."
She dashed out of the kitchen, dodging other servants and weaving between pillars. Axel raced after her, barely grasping the fabric of her dingy dress before she slipped out of his reach.
"Give it back!" Axel demanded.
"Why should I? You're already Master Roxas's pet, just ask him for one." Larxene replied.
She burst through the doors outside, waving the coin around. Axel threw the doors open when they swung back again, glaring at her.
"Please, just give it back to me." Axel begged.
"No." Larxene stuck her tongue out.
Axel growled and grabbed her wrist. She attempted to fight him with her other hand, but he grabbed that wrist, too. Larxene kicked at Axel's legs as he grappled with her. The rain spattered down on them, making the ground slick.
Finally Axel wrenched the coin from her grasp, but Larxene lost her balance on the slippery steps. She fell backward, screaming as she struggled to regain her balance. Her foot lost traction on the marble stairs, and her back slammed against them. Her head tipped back, and Axel heard a faint cracking sound as her neck snapped.
Axel froze, his nightmare coming true again. He stared at Larxene's corpse, her last breaths leaking out. Her eyes were wide as if she had stared straight into the eyes of a gorgon and been turned to stone.
Axel turned to the side, retching. He hadn't eaten much that day, but he managed to empty his stomach. He wiped his mouth, glancing at the corpse again.
His legs trembled as he ambled down the steps, and he crouched to close her eyes. The doors swung open, and Axel nearly lost his balance.
"What's going on out here?" A harsh voice demanded, and Axel froze again.
He turned his head, meeting eyes with Ventus.
"I-it was an accident," Axel stammered, but the gleam in Ventus's eyes told him Ventus knew better.
Translations:
- Vita Incerta, Mors Certissima - Life is uncertain, but death is certain