"You really think I should do this?" Ventus asked, turning to lock eyes with his brother.
"Yes, I really think this will help." Roxas assured.
Ventus shifted uncomfortably. "What if he doesn't want to be friends with me after this?"
"Then he was never a friend to begin with." Roxas stated. "I know I've had difficulty putting up with him, but I really think you should do this."
Ventus glanced at Axel, which surprised him. Was Ventus asking for Axel's opinion? Axel nodded in approval.
Ventus inhaled deeply and knocked on the door. A servant opened up, finding the three young men on the steps.
They entered the villa, and Axel noticed Ventus's knees shaking a little.
He had half a mind to tease him, but he knew better. After all, Ventus had lost so much, and this could be the one thing he could earn back.
"Is Vanitas home?" Ventus asked the servant.
"Yes, he is outside training." The servant briskly hurried ahead of them to lead them out to the backyard.
The servant pushed the doors open, and Ventus swallowed as he gazed upon Vanitas fighting another servant.
Vanitas arced his sword and the servant stumbled back, falling into the grass.
"You put up quite a fight," Vanitas smirked, "still, it was not enough to beat me, as it never will be."
The servant whom had led the party to the yard rushed to Vanitas, alerting him of his guests.
Vanitas turned to look at his guests, ascending the steps to meet them. On the outside, Ventus attempted to remain as casual as he usually appeared around Vanitas, but Axel could see Ventus shrinking into himself.
Vanitas seemed to notice, too, and said, "What's wrong, Ven? Have you become as meek as your brother?"
"Not in a million years," Ventus replied. He glanced at Roxas, who did not seem offended, and he nodded for him to continue.
"I came to speak with you-privately." Ventus stated.
"What, have you come to confess your love to me?" Vanitas teased.
Axel and Roxas drew in sharp breaths, and Ventus's face reddened.
"Uhh...why don't you show me that sword technique?" Ventus said quickly.
Vanitas slowly caught on to Ventus's true reason for arriving. "It seems to me you'd rather have me teach you a different kind of sword technique..." He smirked.
Axel snickered, and Roxas nudged him lightly with his elbow.
"You have to admit that was a pretty good joke," Axel said.
Ventus turned redder and tugged on Vanitas's robes, leading him down the steps so they could continue speaking.
"I suppose we should leave them be," Roxas said to Axel. "Shall we return home?"
"Let's take the long road on our return," Axel decided.
The two turned their backs, hoping happiness would find a way to reach Ventus.
Axel kicked away rocks as they wandered down the winding path through the hills.
"It's funny how much my life has changed so much in the span of a year," Axel mused.
"As with mine," Roxas agreed.
"Roxas, when was the first time you laid eyes on me?" Axel wondered.
Roxas thought for a moment, pouting his lips. "It was a very long time ago, when you were battling in the arena. We had gotten particularly good seats that time, if you call seats closer to the gore 'good'. I admired everything about you: the fire in your eyes, your clever tactics...it really started out as admiration for your skills as a gladiator."
"How did you convince your father to buy me?"
"It wasn't easy," Roxas admitted, "he kept asking why I wouldn't settle for a normal slave, to which I really had no answer. Truthfully, I wanted you to teach me how to fight since my father only taught me intellectual skills, but he would never have purchased you if he had known the real reason. I think I convinced him that gladiators would be the healthiest slaves since they're so active, and that they would probably not be diseased so easily."
"Interesting," Axel said amusedly.
"I'm glad he gave in." Roxas slipped his hand into Axel's.
"I agree." Axel squeezed Roxas's hand and pulled him into the grass to lie down.
The two nestled into the grass, staring up at the endless sky.
"I wonder what kinds of things we'll see as Lord Xaldin's merchants." Roxas said.
"Maybe we'll trade with Gaul someday, and I will be allowed to see my homeland again." Axel suggested.
Roxas suddenly sat up on his knees, and Axel propped himself up.
"Axel, I realized I haven't really freed you yet." Roxas remembered.
"Oh, it's not a problem; I've considered myself free ever since you technically bought me from Lexaeus." Axel replied dismissively.
"But I have to free you legally in front of another witness." Roxas insisted. "When we get home, remind me to ask my father to be my witness."
Axel smiled, but his smile quickly faded. "Will people know I'm free? I still have these awful tattoos, so people might think I'm a runaway slave..." His fingertips brushed his cheek.
"You'll be well-dressed by then and people will be able to tell the difference." Roxas stroked Axel's cheek.
Axel placed his hands on Roxas's cheeks and brought their faces together in a passionate kiss.
Roxas returned to lying in the grass, and Axel's hands slid over Roxas's body. They traced his smooth skin under his toga, feeling his warmth.
Their lips broke apart and they gazed into each other's eyes.
"You've brought so much light into my life," Axel murmured, "thank you so much."
Roxas blushed. "You're welcome."
Axel pressed his forehead to Roxas's forehead. Roxas scrunched his face up, the blush spreading across his cheeks. In return, Axel turned the color of the sky when Sol disappeared under the horizon.
"Under the witness of my father, Ansem the Wise, I hereby declare you, Axel, a freed slave for eternity." Roxas announced.
A weight seemed to lift off Axel's shoulders as he tasted freedom for the first time in his life. Born a slave, he never thought he'd see the day he'd leave his chains behind. He nearly felt the wings sprouting on his back, the wings Roxas had promised him.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice escaping him.
"You're welcome." Roxas wrapped his arms around Axel.
"It's getting late, and Ventus has been away for a while..." Ansem noticed.
Roxas and Axel exchanged secret-holding glances, and Roxas giggled.
"What?" Ansem wondered.
"It's nothing," Roxas dismissed.
"Ventus is-making up for everything he lost." Axel suggested. "I wouldn't expect him to return home tonight."
Roxas snickered immaturely, and Axel nudged him.
Just as they had expected, Ventus did not return until very late the next day.
"How did things go with Vanitas?" Roxas asked.
"I don't think you want to know the exact details..." Ventus said, suggesting certain activities had taken place.
"Just as we had hoped," Axel replied bluntly.
"You were expecting it?!" Ventus shrieked.
"Well, we hoped things would go smoothly with Vanitas," Roxas clarified.
"And by the sound of it, things went very smoothly," Axel teased, "perhaps even a bit roughly...say Ventus, what's that peculiar purple mark on your skin?"
Ventus blushed in fury and tugged his toga over the mark. "None of your concern, slave."
"Oh, I suppose you wouldn't have known, but I'm a free man as of yesterday. So I can speak to you any way I like." Axel grinned, flicking Ventus's forehead.
"Tch." Ventus looked askance, the blush still dispersing over his cheeks.
"What's important is that you've grown to learn how to love." Roxas stated.
"I suppose..." Ventus mumbled.
"And once you learn how to love, then you will be loved in return." Roxas looked up at Axel, who smiled down at him and tousled his golden spikes.
Translations
- Si vis amari ama - If you want to be loved, love