Parisian Excursion [Roxas]

Axel took a deep breath as he stepped out of the portal of darkness that he had created. This was a decent world. It was old fashioned and clearly had the feel of history about it. Emerald eyes glanced over the alleyway, shroud in shadows. Yep, definitely old timey. The brick work was actually rather nice, the architecture having a lot more character than the Castle That Never Was. The castles of the more "modern" worlds didn't have personality like this.

He grinned a little, knowing that this was just going to be something of a fun outing rather than a serious mission for him. The redhead doubted that there were going to be many answers as to what was bringing the Organization back, nor did he think he was going to find any of the others here. He could see Luxord maybe happening by this world. During the Festival of Fools he would make a killing with his card tricks. Then again, he would do equally well swindling pirates in Port Royal. That one was a little riskier.

For now, they would play it a little safer and start here. He glanced back at the portal he was keeping open. He offered out a hand, wiggling his fingers. Come on, Roxy, He called, a grin on his face. He hadn't been sent to this world often when they had their missions dished out to them. Not having orders to follow was going to be nice. Setting their own destinations was much more pleasant.

Paris is supposed to be pretty interesting. The City of Light and Love, Axel said as he glanced back over his shoulder toward the street. He wasn't sure that they had come during a festival, but it would be nice if they had. He wouldn't mind the distraction from their self appointed task of finding everyone else. Most of them weren't really worth their time in his opinion, but he was being supportive of the small blond. If it made him happy to search for the others, then so be it.

Either way, now he was interested in planning out time for when this world had one of its big events going on. He was growing rather curious how they entertained themselves.

It was comforting to know that he would soon be looking for the others. He knew that it probably wasn't one of Axel's favorite pass-times, considering that it was the main job the Organization gave to him, but the blond was more than appreciative that the Flurry had decided to come along. He smiled and took the hand that was given to him, acknowledging the grin shown to him with one of his own, as well as a few, gentle nods.

"Light and love, huh?" He repeated, blue eyes looking all around. He had to say, he had never been to this world on missions - the other members usually were assigned this place, while he always stuck around the more familiar worlds such as Twilight Town, Beast's Castle, Agrabah, etc. He could hear the bustling of civilians not too far off, the sounds of some sort of preparation being deciphered through all of the mess. Letting go of the redhead's hand was a little uncomfortable, the loss of warmth making his fingers enclose around his palm to try and maintain it. The two of them continued to walk through the alleys until they made their way to the main area with all of the bustling, and immediately the Key of Destiny's eyes filled with wonderment.

There was a multitude of different decorations, vibrant colors almost overwhelming his sense of vision; it was beautiful. The large building behind it all resembled that of an overly-large church, causing the small boy to take a few steps forward with his chin tilted upward, trying to take it all in at once, but that of course being impossible for him.

"Wow..." Roxas murmured under his breath, a delicate smile refusing to be erased. In an instant, he turned back to his best friend, a grin on his features that said something along the lines of Do you see that? This is amazing!

But, he couldn't get sidetracked - he had to keep a level and steady head. It was quite possible that there was someone all too familiar in this crowd, being a part of these festivities. Logic wasn't exactly being kind to him at this very moment, as it didn't make any sense, but in his mind, it was better than sitting around and waiting for them to return themselves. As long as he at least "felt" like he was helping, then it was something. He scanned the crowd, of course finding no one and ultimately coming to the conclusion that it was borderline useless to be looking in a place like this. Not the world itself necessarily, just this area in particular - perhaps a more secluded area?

However... He didn't really want to leave this place just yet. "I had no idea this place was so.. I don't even know what word to use." Well, at least he was honest about not having the articulation and vocabulary. He would always be somewhat of a zombie, after all. "I'm happy that you're here." He said so suddenly and out of the blue it could probably be considered a shocker. The truth was.. He hated those days of being alone. Having someone, and Axel of all people, by his side, was absolutely surreal to him.

"I wish Xion was here, too. She would love this." He said as he continued to look up at the church and the decorations, that smile on his face having turned slightly melancholy.

A small shock ran up Axel's arm as Roxas took his hand. Huh, that was weird. To his knowledge, the young Nobody didn't have control over electricity. It hadn't really been like a true shock that Larxene could cause either. It was more like an extra dose of his own heat doubling on itself. He mentally waved it away. For now, it didn't seem nearly as important as today's mission.

Roxas wanted to try and find the others, so they would have to travel to many worlds in an effort to do so. He didn't think that they would get far. They would eventually all converge on the castle just for the fact that they wouldn't know what else to do. It was lazy and depended very much on the others as they returned to the land of the "living" but it was the only certain way that they would find everyone.

Well, he could consider these excursions as a long string of days off. He let a small smile take up residence on his lips. The wonder that had grown on his friend's face was worth the trip as they finally found themselves in the middle of the excitement that this world was able to create. It didn't seem that they had really gotten far in their festivities, but they were gearing up for quite the spectacle. Even without them, this world had plenty eye-catching things.

Welcome to Notre Dame, one of the most beautiful cathedrals to be built. Axel put an arm around the blond's shoulders, slowly starting forward through the crowd. He wanted to make sure he didn't lose the kid among all the chaos around them but still wanted to let him take in everything around them.

The more he saw, the more he would be able to better move through this world the next time. We'll take in the sights and give Xion a grand tour next time, The Flurry offered. It would certainly be worth coming back. His own attentions started to float over the various attractions the residents of this world had set up.

There was a lovely gypsy woman dancing with a goat. That was a little on the odd side. Entertaining, but odd. There was what seemed to be the director of the festival in complete court jester garb putting on a show of his own. There were probably charlatans hidden among he actual talents lining the street. Those he wouldn't mind having a little fun with on their way to the church.

The promise of bringing his other best friend with them on their next trip to this magical place was weighing heavily on his thoughts and it excited him. The thought of all three of them being together again was otherworldly, to put it lightly. In the end, that was the main thing that the blond boy desired out of all things - he and his two friends taking on the worlds together, doing what made them happy and going where they wanted to, always ending the day with a sea-salt ice cream at the very top of the clock tower in Twilight Town, overlooking the sunset...

That's why that huge building gave him such a sense of comfort and happiness; it reminded him so much of the clock tower back home. As Roxas made the connection, his blue eyes sparkled with wonderment, his gaze then traveling back down to the festivities happening all around them. There was a beautiful woman dancing, showing off her talents and displaying a wide array of different spells and magic, while a stilted jester made the crowd his own, owning them with ease. He made sure to stay close to the tall redhead behind him as he began to walk through the festival, being hollered at by vendors and waved at by strangers. Roxas, fully suffering from his naivety, waved back kindly to each and every one.

His destination, however, hadn't been anything to do with the party going on around him. His palms pressed against the heavy doors leading to the church, using the majority of his strength to heave it open. He walked inside, looking behind him first to see if the Flurry was still tailing him. It was then that he looked in front of him, the beautiful interior of the building catching him completely off guard.

"Wow..." He exclaimed breathlessly; Roxas had never seen anything in the likes of this before. He was used to the bland, gray walls of The Castle that Never Was, and now he was being met with gorgeous murals and a multitude of stained glass depicting things he had never even seen before. Honestly, Roxas had never quite understood the concept of religion, God, and all things of that nature, but he figured since they brought people comfort that they must have been for the greater good. Whether they were true or simply morals to live by, the Nobody felt at ease being surrounded by it all. Roxas walked further within the church, in body moving down the isle in the break in the pews, stopping a few yards just before the alter.

"Hey, Axel," He called out for his best friend, waiting for the fire-starter to be standing next to him before he continued his question. "Do you think..." He demonstrated his specialty and trailed off, his azure eyes peering upward at the beautiful cross hanging overhead. "Do you think that all of this stuff is real? Maybe that's why we got brought back, huh." Of course his tone was skeptical, as there was a breathy laugh at the very end, followed by a curt shake of his head to prove he wasn't being serious. "I wonder, if those people up there are real, if they look down at us and hate us for being so messed up." As he spoke, the small boy brought a hand to his chest, clutching at his shirt, trying his hardest to attempt to feel any sort of a beat. Of course, he was met with nothing.

"Would it be right to hate us, though? It's not like we can help it or anything."

It was strange to think that this world seemed so put together. It was as if the darkness could touch these happy, smiling faces. Just their joy of performing and those that looked on could ward of such terrible things. These were wonderful actors since he knew that it was impossible for the Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed to leave them entirely alone. They were obviously attached to the other worlds and therefore easily invaded.

He wasn't going to ruin the day by letting that eat at him. He pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind, most likely to be forgotten with so much else. He boots moved quietly over the stones of the street then the tiles of the cathedral. His foot steps slowed as he took in the interior. It was just as impressive as the detail put into the gargoyle and statues that watched over the streets outside.

He didn't notice as Roxas moved forward without him, easily out pacing his long stride in his distracted state. The artistry of just the pillars and how elaborate they made the ceiling was shocking. Usually no one would think to look up, which was part of the reason humans could be seen as weak. There were still threats that came from above, but this? This was just beautiful and demanded the attention it so rightly deserved.

He was dragged back down to the main floor as the blond called out to him. Axel moved forward, his pace a little more brisk than his usual easy gait. He came to a stop behind the Key, staring up at the stained glass that overlooked its congregation. He made a small thoughtful sound at the questions posed to him. The fire starter wasn't sure if his answer would be helpful or harmful. Well, maybe it would be a bit of both.

Faith isn't supposed to be "is it real," The taller Nobody started. I haven't found evidence that this god actually exists and all the stories actually happened, but that doesn't make it less real to those that believe. He lifted a hand to ruffle the boy's hair and stepped around him to move closer to the altar. It was surprising how much devotion people put into something they simply chose to believe was there governing them.

The Flurry looked back over his shoulder with a gentle smile. They wouldn't hate us. If there is a heaven and people in it, they will know no hate. They would probably pray for our souls though. He gave a small snort at that. They poor tortured souls that weren't allowed to rest. Axel's was now moving into its third ride on this roller coaster as if being dragged by a small child that couldn't get enough even though there was such pain and terror ahead.

Axel turned around fully, facing the blond. I don't think it was a deity that brought us back. I ran into someone that made me think that maybe there's something we're so connected to that we aren't allowed to leave it behind yet, He said, finally voicing his new theory. Maleficent had her bird that hadn't allowed her to drift entirely into the void of the Realm of Darkness. It had been that connection that made him start to wonder if he had something among the worlds that wouldn't let him go so easily.

Roxas listened carefully to everything his best friend had to say, just as he always did. Axel was usually full of all of the right answers, giving Roxas explanations to things that he didn't quite understand. The redhead was older than him in both forms of life, Nobody and Somebody, so it only made sense that he harbored more information and common sense than the keyblade bearer. The small Nobody didn't comprehend correctly the way things worked in life and was always filled with a plethora of questions awaiting some form of an answer, though he did his best to try and not overload the other with a wall of things to respond to.

He took in the words while he stared upward at the stained glass, trying his hardest to make sense of all the depictions, though he failed miserably at every single one. Something they were connected to... Huh. The blond began to reel his thoughts back and forth, picking things that were strong enough in his life to cause him to be pulled back from Sora's heart - to be separated again. In a strange sense, the boy had actually finally found peace with the entire situation, though now he was given this second chance.

"So... You." He said very matter-of-factly, not even turning to look at his best friend. "I think you're what I'm connected to." A gentle smile grew upon his features, the thought of being with the Flurry atop the clock tower flashing through his mind. It was the moments that the two of them spent together that impacted Roxas the most; they were the most powerful things he had ever experienced in his short existence - they tethered him to this universe. It made sense to him.

Roxas moved to the front pew, taking a seat and waiting for Axel to follow suit, the warmth of the body next to him radiating harshly enough for the small male to feel it.

"Is it weird that even though we don't have hearts.. I feel happy right now?" As the youth spoke, he continued to peer forward, looking at each of the pictures glimmering in the colored glass, studying them intently and noting certain things appearing in each one. Crosses, a lamb appeared in a few, and there was a brilliant star that was usually seen in the depicted sky. Looking at it, there was an odd bout of comfort that arose, as if he could follow it home. "I like being with you." There was a moment of silence.

"I'm sorry I told you that I wasn't - when I saw you again." It was sudden and a little strange for that to be brought up again, but it was obvious that the small bundle of light wasn't quite over the matter. "I wasn't thinking. I'm so scared I'm going to lose you again." His gaze dropped them, vision beginning to examine his thighs. "I've lost you twice. I won't let it happen again. I promise."

The first time being when he had left the Organization due to his own anger and bitterness. The second beind when he was trapped in the confines of Sora, left to watch as one of the most important things that he had ever known sacrificed itself for the "greater good."

He reached over slowly, placing his hand atop Axel's, feeling that weird jolt of delightful electricity begin there and spread throughout his whole body - it was so warm. He then broke his gaze away from his legs, looking over to gaze at the entity sitting next to him.

The Flurry let his theory settle in the air. This was the first time he had mentioned this to anyone. He had simply been toying with the idea and it only recently started to take to the thought. What else would return them all to the world? He hadn't seen any of the others yet, but how could it just be the two of them? Surely they would find more of their ilk sooner or later.

He blinked back into the now, his mind taking an extra moment to realize that he was suddenly the cause of Roxas' return if his theory was correct. His eyes widened slightly, actually surprised that it could be true. He tried not to frown and dismiss the idea. The blond was in a good place right now and he didn't want to ruin that. The only thing that he could think to do right now was speak his own truth.

You brought me back. No one else would be able to, He said quietly into the silence. His voice seemed a lot louder in the giant space with so little to muffle him. He cleared his throat, following the boy over to the pew. He settled down, vibrant eyes falling to study the tiles in front of him. I don't think it's weird. You were always more emotional than the rest of us, He replied, finally letting the frown pull at his lips.

He looked at the Key, brows pinched together. Roxas had lost him? Twice? Axel questioned. He would focus on one part of the statement. How had Roxas lost him? Axel had always been there every step of the way, having never given up on seeing him again until the very end when he was certain that there was no other option. He had done the right thing, taken the path he was certain Roxas would have taken himself.

The redhead honestly didn't notice as the other Nobody's hand rested atop his. He didn't even realize that he automatically twisted his hand to hold the smaller one. The gentle warmth that had run up his arm when they first arrived was back. It was soothing, easing a little of the tension that his friend's words had caused. With my hair, its kind of hard to lose me. He brushed the fingers of his free hand through the scarlet locks, a small version of his usual smirk bringing his lips upward. They were moving into serious territory, but he just had to try and lighten things up. It wasn't in him to stay serious if he could help it.

No one else? For some reason, those words stuck heavily with him, clinging to his consciousness and literally forcing him to think about it, even though he was trying his best to focus on the other things happening between them. He didn't quite understand it, though he had to admit that he was extremely happy to simply be here with the other Nobody. He couldn't help but recall the days that the three outcasts of the Organization were daydreaming about wanting to do nothing but spend all day together eating ice cream and going to the beach to goof around. That was what best friends did, and it was what Roxas wanted more than all else.

The thought of no one else being able to bring Axel back and that title being reserved especially for him.. Was more than enough to bring a gentle smile to his lips. He dropped his gaze to his thighs again, however, when he heard the redhead question his statement. Twice. Crap - he hadn't thought that one through entirely. Axel probably had no idea that Roxas had bore witness to what the Flurry had done in order to save Sora from the Dusks' grasp... Oh well, there was no trying to hide it, now. Roxas wasn't one to tell a lie, especially when it came to someone he cared about more than anything.

"Hmmhmm - yeah." He hummed out the laughter, taking in a deep breath, shoulders slumping slightly on the exhale. "Axel.. I.." He stopped, really attempting to think his phrases through and come up with something that wouldn't be awful to hear, but there wasn't much of a way to sugar-coat something of this magnitude. Oh yeah, I kind of watched you commit suicide and I was really hurt and pissed off, but all is good, now, buddy!

Yeah. Right.

"I was there. I could see." He knew there would need to be a bit more clarification, but this was as good of a way to start it out as any; nothing was going to make this confession an easy one. "When.. When Sora was going to the Castle." Was that enough? Things were silent for a few moments before he shook his head, not wanting to relive what he saw, but it was all coming back to him in a rush. Unfortunately, he remembered that crystal clear.

"Please... Don't ever try to be a hero like that again." Without much of a warning, the blond leaned over, resting the side of his head against the other's upper arm, closing his eyes to try and hide the hurt hiding within those blue depths. "You haven't forgotten, right? You made us a promise." His hand tightened.

"That you'll always be there - to bring us back."

There was more silence before a sharp intake of breath could be hear, a final statement to completely clarify what he was even referring to in the first place.

"You said I made you feel like you had a heart." He didn't turn to look up at the other. "Is that true?"

It seemed his joke fell rather flat. There was no getting around something as troublesome as losing someone you care about. Again, he didn't see it as Roxas losing him. If he had a heart, it would have broken from being abandoned repeatedly. The smarter thing, the easier thing would have been to go back and see if there was anything left to salvage with Saix. When had Axel ever taken the easy way?

He watched as pain flickered across the blond's face, sorry that he caused that. What he had thought was a good thing was a sore spot for the boy. The Flurry hadn't realized that his best friend had even been awake in there. Sora had pretty much been all he saw and he hadn't been sure Roxas was still an entity unto himself. It had been rather "disheartening" to think that the only person he connected to anymore was gone.

He whispered a small apology. He didn't want to cause the Key pain. He had promised to bring them back so they could enjoy their time together. The redhead wanted to be able to share sea salt ice cream and wander the worlds looking for a little mischief. That was one of his best things. He would even put up with sand on a beach to watch a real sunset and be able to see the stars take over the sky. Compared to their usual routine, it was still quite a sight to see.

One problem remained though. He didn't know how to bring back one of Vexen's creations. Xion had been a puppet and engineered, not born of an actual person. This theory of his might be able to help him call her back if she had been a true Nobody. He would worry about that another time. That had enough serious business on their hands as it was.

Axel did his best to be still so not to disturb Roxas as he leaned on him. As always, he was there to support the Key bearer in any way he needed. It seemed that he needed something in return too. Yeah, it's true. Before you, all my anger, my laughter, it was hollow. Saix became a lump so there was nothing from that, He replied. It was sad that his Somebody's best friend had died a truer death than Lea. Isa and Saix were both sotic, but Isa still knew how to have fun.

He had wanted to really remember what feeling was like. The Flurry thought that he had gotten so close to true emotion again when he was around Roxas. Raising his free hand, he lifted Roxas' chin so he could look the blond in the eye. I've tried so hard to get my heart back. You've found it. Please, don't take it away again. The expression on his face was pleading. Twice, the Key of Destiny had turned his back on him. What little emotion he thought he had gained back turned into nothing but pain. With the smaller Nobody back, happiness was an option again. He would take any amount of sorrow as long as Roxas stayed with him this time around, reminding him that he could still feel joy.

Roxas carefully examined the words given to him, making sense out of them and realizing that Axel really had been telling the truth at that moment - of course why wouldn't he? It would be stupid to lie in a situation like that, especially considering that Axel had figured he wouldn't be coming back like this. Although he had a sense of happiness about that realization, he couldn't help but feel that overwhelming pang of sadness of watching it all happen. He remembered.. He stopped resenting Sora at that moment because he didn't feel like he had anything to live for anymore. He might as well be of use to someone.

I've tried so hard to get my heart back. You've found it. Please, don't take it away again.

This confused Roxas quite a bit. He had blinked his azure eyes, staring forward at the alter trying to make sense of him, when it hit him with more force than any bullet could muster. Roxas had abandoned him. The blond had been so caught up in his own issues and his own anger about everything that he had decided since Axel wouldn't tell him anything about what had been going on, that the best friend title had been soiled. After thing about it, and watching the redhead sacrifice himself like that.. He had realized it was because he had been trying to protect what was important to him. Roxas' eyebrows furrowed slightly, his breath - having stopped for a moment - resuming shakily.

His chin was grabbed, head being tilted in a way that he was forced to look into the searing emeralds, searching him from the inside out. "I won't." His voice was full of the sadness he felt towards the Flurry - he hadn't any idea as to how that decision would have affected anyone else. Just as he had thought, he didn't think anyone would miss him. Unfortunately, if he had heard Axel's statement about how he would, things might have turned out much differently. "I don't know how I could do something like that - but I won't. I promise." He averted his gaze for only a moment as he tried to calm his reeling thoughts. Of course, it was to no avail.

"I'm.. Happy. That I can do that for you." The boy's lips curled up into a delicate smile, finding himself beginning to get lost within the close contact that they shared. It was warm, and so comforting in ways that he couldn't even begin to explain. His gaze softened, all of those reeling thoughts had become blurred, and continued to become more so the longer he stared into those powerful green depths.

"I'm sorry."

The redhead wasn't sure if what he said made sense to Roxas. He could practically see the gears turning as he mulled over what he had said. Did he understand how he really had missed the small blond? Did he know that his day was better with him being apart of it? Just the thought of meeting his friends at the clock tower had given him something that he actually looked forward to. The connection that they had forged was strong enough to bring him back.

Fading had been a blessing in the end. He didn't have to worry about hurting anymore. Axel didn't have to chase shadows anymore. At that moment, he had thought that Roxas was truly lost to him. The blue eyed Nobody had returned to his Somebody and Sora was all that was left of his best friend. What better way to honor him than help the brunet? He took a deep breath, trying to push those feelings of loss away.

Roxas was here. They had returned to the land of the half-living and they had yet another chance to try and make things better. The Flurry just had to keep reminding the kid how important he was. It seemed that the smaller male was beginning to understand his side a little bit, hearing the hurt in his voice as he promised not to leave again. How he so hoped that to be true. He responded with a small smile of his own.

Apology accepted, He said quietly, just pleased that it looked like things were going to be better between them. He gave a small reassuring squeeze to the hand he was holding. Right, he had forgotten that they were doing that. It felt so natural that he couldn't remember when that had happened. The comforting warmth of the Key's hand in his own was just as nice as their first night back. Roxas had been so afraid. A part of Axel was still waiting for the other shoe to drop and this small bit of happiness to be ripped away from him again.

He was glad that they were able to get somewhat of a decent night's sleep even with the threat of waking up alone in the dark again. Luckily, the fire bug had been right and he had still been wrapped around the blond when he had woken up. His chest grew warmer at the memory. On pure impulse, Axel leaned forward. He brushed his lips lightly over Roxas' and lingered for a moment.

As he pulled away the Flurry realized what he did. That might have been a mistake. He quickly faced forward, eyes glued to the wall. What had he been thinking? Roxas was supposed to be his best friend and sort of student. Kissing wasn't exactly high on the list of things to do for either of those things. Sorry, Rox. I ... I'm not really sure what that was, He said as his brow furrowed. How was he supposed to fix that?

He began to pull his hand away to somewhat offer Roxas some space. He wasn't really all that willing to move away, but he wasn't sure how welcome his touch would be after an awkward situation like that. He hadn't considered how the blond would react or what he thought of the redhead. Well, there relationship had always been full of ups and downs. Why stop now?

His apology was accepted, and it was the biggest relief he had ever felt before in his life. Of course, up until now, he hadn't figured that there was any guilt regarding the situation, but it had been there, eating away at him without him even knowing. It was now lifted away from him, making him feel rather weightless, especially with those green eyes gazing over him and elevating him even more. He was in such a fit of a daze that when Axel started to move closer to him, he didn't react. He didn't move, he didn't even breathe. What he did feel, however, was something extraordinary.

Electricity sparked from his lips to every inch of his body, the kiss happening, though it was so gentle that the sensitive flesh barely rubbed together. His chest was tight an his stomach was in a multitude of knots, and there was definitely no way to untie them at this point. His eyes were wide and blinking every few seconds as his mind tried its best to make sense of the situation. He wanted to move forward to continue this new-found sensation, but of course.. He was frozen in place. The hand that was warm against his own moved, separating the contact.

The Flurry was left to stare at the wall straight ahead of him, leaving the blond looking at him with a dumbfounded expression, attempting so hard to comprehend what had just happened. Then an apology? God, Axel could be so weird sometimes, trying to keep up some sort of dumb image he had created for himself, even at a time like this.

"...Why?" He asked quietly, trying to make sense of it all. He did it, and then was apologetic? That didn't make much sense, considering the two things happened right after each other. It was as if he had done something that his mind hadn't commanded, which was.. Possible? Maybe - Roxas had realized that he had reached out for the other's hand without really thinking about it. Some sort of instinct, perhaps? All of this was too much... Understanding things like this was beyond Roxas' realm of thought, but he could still find a way to participate, yeah?

"You didn't know? Those are called kisses, right? Don't tell me I taught you something." There was a sense of humor in his voice accompanied by a tender smile that suited his face all too well. "People.. Do those to people they care about." He stated matter-of-factly, having read it in a book a few times. He had found things left around by other members (primarily Zexion, he had figured) and of course, got a little curious and would read through it. Different things would be discussed and acted out within the stories, kissing being one of them. It was always an interesting topic, though there was so much that the poor boy didn't know.

"Hey." He said, quickly getting to his feet, trying to patch up the scenario, not wanting his best friend to be uncomfortable. Roxas moved directly in front of him, blocking his view of the wall so all that was left for those emeralds to stare at was him. He leaned in, grabbing both of his cheeks and finding that there was so much comfort here... His smile softened. "And, uh, I care about you, so," He murmured, leaning in dangerously close and leaving a small kiss of his own, pressing a little more firmly against the opposing pair of lips. He got that feeling back again, his body almost shuddering into the touch, but he was able to compose himself.

Whatever this was, he surely wanted more of it.

Well, as if things weren't odd enough in their lives, why not add a little emotional confusion? Hell, why not add sexual confusion as well. Axel was pretty secure in his state of shameless flirt. He had never seriously pursued anything with the individuals that he teased. Most of the time, it had held some purpose or he just enjoyed throwing people off. There had been the few that just got so flustered that he couldn't help himself.

He couldn't recall ever actually flirting with Roxas before. Yet, it seemed like the right step to take in his mind. Perhaps the fact that he thought his heart lay with this short blond, the only person to be able to elicit any kind of real reaction out of him meant that he was something special to him. Clearly that was true since he had been willing to fade for the boy. That didn't make that kiss right.

Roxas probably didn't even know how he felt about others in a more romantic way. This was honestly the first time the redhead considered someone so special and important to him, but he wasn't the problem. If Roxas didn't like him like that, this could get rather painful considering a Keyblade was only a moment's thought away. That painful thought was interrupted as the Key spoke up, catching his attention.

He blinked as he what kisses were meant for. Did Roxas not understand the difference? Kissing wasn't something so casual as simply needing to care for someone. Not that kind of kiss anyway. He shifted a little as the other Nobody got up to stand in front of him. His eyes traveled until they met the other boy's. The warmth from those small hands was comforting as they rested on his cheeks.

What was even better was the press of lips on his own. He made a small contented sound as he lifted his hands to rest on the blond's hips. Axel pulled away just enough so that he could speak. I don't kiss just anyone. You're very special to me, Rox. With a light tug, the Flurry tried to urge Roxas forward to climb into his lap. His body was singing with anticipation, simply excited at the fact that he was being allowed to be so close to the Key like this.

Sure, they had slept curled together, but that had been more for the kid's comfort than anything else. That had been nice and all, but this was a whole different level of good and he was going to enjoy it. Now, without the reservation that his attentions were unwanted, he leaned in for another kiss, confidence returning and that showed in the added passion of the embrace.

The noise that had been made to show some odd form of contentment caught the blond boy's attention, causing his eyes that had been closed to open slightly. The warmth that was forming between the two of them was absolutely otherworldly. Roxas was sure that nothing like this could have possibly existed until now that it was being thrown in front of him, forcing him to grasp it within his hands. Now that he had a small taste of the other Nobody, he couldn't just walk away from it. There was so much more to this, he as positive - but he just didn't get it.

Roxas was tugged forward, and the little thing didn't know what else to do other than simply comply with the physical urge, placing one leg on either side of the redhead's thighs. The church pew wasn't exactly big enough for the both of them this way, but he was able to rest his body weight on top of the other, hoping that he wasn't hurting him - ahh, what was he thinking? Axel was much tougher than that. He should give him more credit.

I don't kiss just anyone. You're very special to me, Rox.

Those words made something within him ignite, something that he couldn't explain for the life of him. A strange warmth pooled under his cheeks, making itself known by tinging the skin a light pink, a glimmer in his oceanic eyes now visible. He stared at the Nobody under him, attempting with all of his might to make sense of it all, but things were going so fast that comprehension may had well been considered a thing of the past. Perhaps.. Comprehension wasn't the best way to go about all of this anyways. All he knew was that the close contact with the Flurry was something he was beginning to truly cherish, and he didn't want to let it go just yet.

But, there was a bit of a threat of someone seeing them, considering this place was quite.. public, and he could still hear the sound of the festival outside - it was only a matter of time before someone decided it would be a grand old idea to come into the Church. Roxas turned his body and held his hand out, opening a dark corridor and removing himself from his comfortable spot, not liking the cease in contact at all. He motioned with his head for his best friend to follow him, and he was immediately reaching outward for Axel's hand, leading him into the other side, which was destined for Roxas' room.

(fin)