Flurry of One Hundred Dancing Flames

84 – Someone has a crush on you

Axel watched his dancing partner thoughtfully.

"Remember when we were dancing at Beast's Castle?" he murmured.

Xion looked into his eyes. "You told me to remind you to tell me," she replied.

The tall, flame-haired man lowered his forehead to hers and looked deeply into her eyes. Her hands were still resting on his shoulders and she unconsciously brushed her fingers against his jawbone.

"Xion. I…"

"Yes?"

He paused for many seconds. He frowned. "I'm going to miss you."

Xion pulled back slightly and gasped. Axel slid his hands to her shoulders to hold her in place.

"I know what you have to do," he continued earnestly. "I don't like it, but I know. And before you have to… to…"

Xion closed her teary eyes. She rested a finger on the corner of his mouth to prevent him from continuing that part of his speech. "No use dwelling on the inevitable." The girl opened her eyes and smiled.

Axel smirked. "That's why I love you. Always to the point."

Xion giggled. "And that's why I love you, Axel. You always make me laugh."

She waited for his response, but she only received a catlike grin. The tall man leaned in the rest of the meager distance between them and pressed his lips gently to the tip of her button nose.

She wrinkled it in playful disgust and shook her head. "Axel!"

"What? I've got a crush on you, I've just confessed, and it took a lot of courage to do that! I deserve a little something in return."

Xion laughed. "So why did you kiss my nose?"

"Why not?" he smirked, before snatching her hand twirling her round and round until she fell down from being so dizzy and had long forgotten her query.

Bonus content

"Oh! Hey, Xion. What's the matter?"

"Hehe, Axel, I have something of yours."

"… Ooooh snap…"

Xion bit her lip in a smile. "It was a really sweet note. I liked it."

Axel's face went blank for a moment, then his mouth twitched into an almost smile. "Really?"

She nodded.

Axel smirked fully and pulled at his coat proudly.

"Did you really mean it?" she asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"Did you really mean it, that you'd be mine forever?"

Axel was silent for a while.

Xion looked away in embarrassment and made ready to walk away.

"If I say yes, will you stay and hear me out?"

She turned back with a glowing blush. "Yes."

Continued from the reference in 60 – Study

I don't know when we'll find out what he says... probably later on in this challenge. ;)