"Wh-what are you doing here?" Axel demanded, swinging his sword again.
"What do you think?" Roxas asked, blocking Axel.
"I don't know what to think!" Axel insisted, jabbing at him. Roxas dodged swiftly. "Why are we fighting?"
"Because we have to," Roxas smirked, "now make sure you get out of this alive."
"What about you? What if they demand someone's death?" Axel swung, but Roxas sidestepped his attack.
"Lexaeus wouldn't dare lose you again," Roxas assured, crossing his swords. Axel stepped backward to avoid him.
"But what about you?" Axel pointed out, slashing.
"I'm a nobleman; Lexaeus wouldn't dare let something happen to me, either." Roxas replied.
"Once we get out of here, you're telling me everything! No holding back!" Axel demanded.
"As long as you don't hold back on this fight!" Roxas promised.
Axel chuckled, throwing his arm back and swinging at Roxas. Roxas's nimble body allowed him to jump out of the way.
Roxas skidded in the dirt, regained his footing, and charged at Axel. Axel backhanded Roxas's attack, metal clanging against metal. Using as much force as he could, Axel pushed Roxas back. Roxas's swords collided with each other, and Roxas lost his footing and crashed into the dirt. His swords skittered away.
Roxas scrambled away as Axel jabbed at him, until he was within reach of one of his swords. Axel plunged his sword downward, but Roxas rolled out of the way and grabbed his own weapon.
Axel wore a devious smirk as he battled Roxas with only one blade. "I would never have imagined being pitted against the one I love."
"Neither would I," Roxas agreed, "but you're holding back; convince them! Make it seem like you're really trying to kill me!"
Axel nodded ever so slightly, and slashed again. He gripped his sword with two hands, bringing the blade down on Roxas. Roxas turned his blade sideways and blocked, pushing Axel's blade back.
"I also never would've imagined you'd become so skilled," Axel added.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Roxas teased.
"I don't know," Axel admitted, thrusting his sword at Roxas.
Roxas swept the blade away, the sound of scraping metal burning through his ears. He lunged, aiming for Axel's side, but Axel dodged. Axel's sword clashed against Roxas's, and Axel kicked Roxas in the stomach.
Roxas stumbled backward, losing his balance again. Still, he held onto his sword, and happened to land near the other. He reached out for it, seeing Axel charging toward him.
Roxas finally grabbed it, and gripped onto both swords. He braced himself, crossing the blades as Axel brought his sword down onto him. Roxas curled up, then he kicked harshly. His feet collided with Axel's thigh, and he knew he left a bruise.
Axel stumbled back, falling onto one knee. Roxas sprung to his feet, crossing his swords again and bringing them down on Axel. Axel turned his blade to the flat edge, protecting himself. The metal screamed as the blades slowly slid off each other.
Roxas growled, pushing as forcefully as his nimble body would allow. Axel let go of his sword, the metal clattering against the dirt as it skidded away. Axel fell onto his back, submitting himself to defeat.
Roxas pointed one of his blades at Axel's throat. The crowd cheered wildly, showering Roxas with victory.
Axel panted, grinning. "Well done."
"Thanks," Roxas sighed.
"And the victor is: Roxas!" Luxord announced.
The gladiators met eyes one last moment before they were dragged back into the darkness.
The hands that had dragged Axel under the arena let go, and he immediately ran toward the other side of the arena to Roxas.
Thankfully neither of them had their hands bound, and at the sight of one another, they threw their unchained arms around the other.
"I missed you so much," Axel sighed, his happiness overflowing. Tears rolled down his dirt-spattered face.
"Me too," Roxas agreed. Axel could see the tear stains down Roxas's dirty cheeks.
"How did you get here, when did you get here?" Axel wondered through sobs of disbelief.
"After you left, I pestered my father until he told me which gladiator school you had come from. Shortly after I had gathered the information I ran away to find you, but they wouldn't let me in.
"A little bit after that, during another festival, we attended the games. You were fighting that day, and I remembered how awesome you appeared in battle. I realized then that the only way I could get close to you again was if I became a gladiator myself. I ran away to your gladiator school again, and I bribed Lexaeus and Luxord not to speak a word to my father. I trained for months, pushing myself until I could reach your level of skill. And...here I am." Roxas explained.
"What about Xion? It's past the time you should've been married." Axel remembered.
Roxas wavered, but finally answered, "She ran away again, and she managed to make it pretty far, but when she was found she had contracted an illness. Shortly after, she passed away. She's free now, and I suppose that's all that matters."
Axel clenched his teeth. "I'm sorry, I didn't know I could bring so much damage to your life."
"You didn't bring this damage; it was already brewing before you came into my life. It's alright, all that matters is that we're together now."
Each word had stacked upon Axel's back like sheets of metal, until the last words broke him down and reduced him to tears. "Roxas...and just when I was about to give up..."
"I'm here now." Roxas assured. "I'm never leaving you again."
Roxas cupped Axel's face and brought it to his own, their lips colliding. They tasted of salt and dirt, but neither of them minded.
Roxas pressed Axel up against the wall, and Axel's knees buckled. For so long he had desired Roxas's touch...
Roxas slid his hand up Axel's side, savoring the softness of his skin. Axel shivered, his sobs racking his body. He felt a warm wetness caress his lips, and he opened his mouth to let Roxas slide his tongue inside.
Roxas's caressed the inside of Axel's mouth, and Axel moaned softly into Roxas's. His desire grew fiercer, begging Roxas for more.
Roxas drew his mouth away, a thread of saliva connecting them. "Tonight, I'll sneak you into my cell. My door is always unlocked, and I don't have a cellmate."
"But my door is locked." Axel pointed out.
"It's alright; I stole a key to the cells, and I have enough money to hush anyone who questions it." Roxas grinned.
Axel nodded, his excitement hardly contained.
In the late hours of the night, Axel waited for the clicking noises of the heavy door to signal Roxas's arrival.
He glanced over at his cellmate, a young boy named Hayner, who had collapsed from exhaustion and now snored heavily.
The clicking noises came, and the door creaked open. Axel slipped out of bed and out the door. The door shut again, and Axel pressed his ear to it to check if Hayner had woken. Surprisingly, there remained quiet on the other side, and Axel followed Roxas to his cell.
In the quiet hours of the night, Axel melted into Roxas's warmth. Their skin collided in passion, Roxas's every movement burning into Axel's core and bringing him closer to the edge.
Axel managed to keep his voice restrained, clapping a hand over his mouth to hush himself. Roxas stamped his lips all over Axel's face, neck, and chest. Axel dug his nails into Roxas's back.
The hand over Axel's mouth clamped harder as Axel came, his body becoming rigid as the pleasure coursed through him. His nails pierced Roxas's skin, and Roxas groaned as he released his load into Axel.
Roxas collapsed on Axel's sticky chest, and Axel embraced him.
"I never want to be separated from you again." Roxas whispered.
"Neither do I," Axel agreed. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Roxas kissed the space behind Axel's ear.
"What are we going to do? We can't stay here forever." Axel pointed out.
"We'll have to escape, but we should probably do what Terra did and wait until the Saturnalia to make our move." Roxas suggested.
"Alright. Just promise me you'll win every battle in between so we can escape together." Axel said.
"I don't plan to escape without you." Roxas assured.
Axel sighed, closing his eyes and drifting away into endless bliss.
Translations
- Amantes sunt amentes - Lovers are lunatics