Criss Cross [Roxas]

Today was the day! The Key of Destiny had been looking forward to this particular date for days. Probably weeks. He really couldn't remember when he first found out that this was going to be such an exciting day. The short Nobody had somewhat of an idea what he wanted to do today. Well, it was mostly just the one thing, then he hoped they could continue the rest of the day relaxing and just doing silly things to pass the time. He truly embraced the few times that he could get to act like a child. He had never really been given the opportunity, so he just took them.

Roxas went hurrying through the hallways, his legs hurrying as quickly as they could without running. He had just realized the time and they were going to be late. Axel had promised that they would go to Twilight Town today to watch the Struggle Match. The small blond had made sure to catch the names of the kids they had watched in the evening as they came out of the train station while they sat atop the clock tower. The boy, Hayner, had been so excited about this Struggle Match that the Key had nearly begged to go himself.

He came to a halt in front of Axel's bedroom door. The thought to politely knock on his door passed through his mind, but they were late. This was much more pressing than minding his manners. The thirteenth pushed the slightly ajar door inward. Axel! Come on! We gotta go, He said loudly as he stepped into the room. He was grinning from ear to ear, his body nearly vibrating with excitement. He didn't really care if anyone noticed them, standing out as they would with their long black cloaks. We aren't going to get a good spot. A small pout started to take place on his lips, eyes going wide with pleading.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

Being fashionably late was nothing. Not like he hadn't ever been before, right? What could he say? A good nap wasn't exactly easy to rouse himself out of, and sleep was definitely one of his favorite activities. The redhead had yawned, stretching his entire body before moving over to his closet to grab an undershirt tank-top to give his skin a bit of a shield from the heavy, hot leather. His skin wasn't exactly cool, in the end. More times than not he had to deal with that, as unfortunate as it was.

Axel! Come on! We gotta go,

"Yeah, yeah," He called out, waving his hand slightly as if to dismiss the subject. Hearing the little sunspots voice always managed to put a gentle smile upon his face, and that made itself known upon his features. The small Nobody was so quick to trust.. The Flurry remembered how much he put faith in everyone that used to be in the Organization. Thank God that things had turned out the way they had, even though the timeline had become so messed up beyond initial recognition.

The eighth raised his eyebrows whenever he actually felt the presence of the other boy in the room,, turning his head to be met with a pair of azure beauties that all but captivated the flame-ridden Nobody. That pout made Axel blink a few times, something in his chest tightening accompanied by a switch going off in his mind that forced him to comply with anything Roxas wanted, simply to make that sad little expression go away. God, was he really that much of a pushover these days? What happened to the cold assassin that was able to so easily destroy anything that got in his path, or simply because he was told to?

Dead and gone, maybe. That was probably for the better, anyway.

"We're gonna get a fine spot." Axel assured the little guy, reaching out and ruffling the blond spikes that adorned Roxas' head. "C'mon, stop lookin' at me like that, Rox."

Roxas was not all that pleased with the redhead and how nonchalant he was about getting ready so slowly. Really? Did it honestly take him this long to get dressed? All they had to wear was a shirt and the coat. That took literally two second to put on. What had he been doing this entire time? Well, most likely doing his hair to get it to stick up like that, not that he really could talk. His hair looked like he had rolled out of bed and sprayed it with hair spray to get it to stay that way.

He let out a small whine as his concerns were brushed aside. It was fine for the Flurry to say they would get a good spot; he could tower over just about everyone they met other than Lexeaus and a few of the others. The taller Nobody ruffled his hair and sent a small shiver down his spine. The warmth and touch was nice and he enjoyed whenever he was able to touch the eighth. He assumed it was just because he was so warm and that was so comforting, but now was not the time to revel!

Now was the time to get a move on!

The Key took the hand in his hair in his own, giving Axel's arm a slight tug. The young Keybearer even redoubled his efforts with that pleading look, sapphire blue eyes going wide with silent begging. That's easy for you to say, Ax. I'm short. I won't be able to see, The thirteenth cried as he forced a tear or two to appear at the corners of his eyes. He tugged on his best friend's hand again as a dark corridor appeared behind them. It would obviously lead them to the match, but hopefully the firebug would get the hint and finish getting ready now.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

This kid was literally going to be the death of him if things continued onward like this. It was hard to handle the little guy consistently pushing his buttons and making sure that he got his way, but whenever he put physical contact into the mix, there was simply no such thing as a refusal. In a way, Axel had almost a dumb-looking smile on his face, his eyes a bit wide and completely bewildered. He knew that he was a warm person by nature, but whenever he felt his arm being grasped by the thirteenth like it was, the heat was at least twice as intense as usual.

"Well.. Uh-" He mumbled out the words, taking in a breath to regain the composure that he had lost. No need in getting himself flustered into oblivion before they were to leave the house. Or.. Castle, rather. "You can sit on my shoulders if you can't see."

Smooth. Idiot.

Funny. He usually was smooth. He was able to play off anything and everything, but when Roxas was thrown into the mix, he found himself stumbling over himself, trying to play it cool and maintain his calm and collected posture, but.. It was so easy to get lost. It was irritating, but oddly enough, Axel wouldn't rather have it any other way.

"And the longer you stand there lookin' at me like that, the faster those spots fill up." Yeah. That would be the end of that. Maybe.

Axel lifted up his free hand, opening up a dark corridor, the destination being the back alley of Twilight Town, as he didn't want the two of them to fabricate themselves in the midst of a crowd; that would cause a lot of unnecessary attention that was neither needed nor wanted. The redhead then used the same hand to reach down, lightly wiping away those tears that were obviously forced out in the form of a performance, but they were highly effective all the same.

Who gave this damn kid permission to look at me like that and to be so cute. What the hell.

Internal monologues weren't exactly the Flurry's strong point. They never were and they never would be.

Leading the thirteenth into the portal, the two of them wound up in the exact destination. The realm of darkness was never quite too pleasant to travel through, but it was certainly effective. Axel tilted his head to the side, audibly cracking his neck before turning to his companion, his best friend, and his most-admired individual, smiling gently and leading him down to the sandlot.

Yeah, Struggle Matches were okay, not really his thing. But he knew that Roxas was into them, and that was more than enough incentive to head here for the entirety of the day. He loved seeing that beam of light smile. If anything in this god-awful existence could be considered "beautiful," he had to say that fit the quota.

His smooth talking best friend finally stumbled. Never had Roxas seen him stutter over anything and it seemed this one thing caught him off guard. A little bit of bewilderment flitted across his features. That was just one more thing that he could say he liked about the taller Nobody. He wasn't as perfect as he seemed which was nice to know. Axel had all the answers, knew exactly what to say or do in any situation, but he could still be a little unsure about some things. The blond gave a soft smile and nodded. Deal!

Sitting on his best friend's shoulders would be a change of pace, but really how different could it be from feeling the warmth pressing against his side as they ate sea salt ice cream? He remained connected to the redhead by their hands, lacing their fingers so not to lose him on their journey to Twilight Town. That was hardly a concern, but this was one of the few times that they planned out real fun and he wouldn't allow them to be separated. It was nice enough that Axel even agreed to do this with him.

That small smile grew broader, brighter as the Flurry finally conceded to getting on their way. His cheeks tingled as the other's thumb brushed over his cheeks and wiping away the false tears he had shed. He hurried after his friend, his shorter legs needing to work a little harder to keep up with Axel's long strides. It was one of those annoying things about being friends with someone so tall, but he never complained. He liked their differences and would do anything to stay near his friend.

Roxas gave a small giggle as they walked out into the alleyway, his excitement growing all the more. Keeping his hand attached to Axel's the Keyblade wielder hurried forward, once more falling into a pace just short of running. He could hear the noise from the sandlot, people cheering for their preferred victors as things were ready to get under way. They're starting! Roxas stated rather obviously, slowing once he hit the gathering crowd around the small platform in the middle of the makeshift arena. He stood on tip toe and bit his lip in his eagerness to see what was going on. He didn't know many of the people's names, but he could pick out a couple and wondered how was really the best Struggle competitor. If he were going to get into this sport, he should really try to learn more about those kinds of details.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

Ah, yeah - that giggle was practically music to his ears. Roxas had stated that they were starting, as obvious as it was. The sound was reverberating throughout the entire town, not to mention that they were about a minute and a half walk away from the actual sandlot. The redhead smiled a bit dumbly as the blond walked ahead of him, looking at the small, excited frame bounce down the alleyway.

What wasn't there to like about the little guy? Even though Roxas was naive, he also had a strong sense of justice and what was right or wrong. He was keen to the emotions he was told he didn't have, and simply observing everything going on around him, Axel was able to learn how to handle some of the things within his own being that he didn't previously understand to the fullest. Before Roxas and Xion, he was cold, ruthless and merciless. He didn't care about the people around him and was only concerned on what befell his own person.

But now it was so different.

Once they had arrived, the firebug blinked his emerald eyes whilst raising his eyebrows questioningly when the other Nobody was trying with all of his might to peer over the crowd to see what was happening on the stage. Axel shook his head in a bit of a hopeless way, laughing quietly to himself. Where would this kid be without him?

His tall frame bent over, hands gripping the boy's waist and holding him tightly so he could lift Roxas off of the ground. It was incredible how light he was, almost as though he were so fluffy brand of adorable yellow feather.

A chocobo?

Number eight ducked down a little, making sure that the younger of the two was situated nicely upon his shoulders; to Roxas, this would probably be like looking at things from a completely different viewpoint. Yeah, he was used to being taller than everyone and having to look down to make eye contact, except when it came to the other guys in the Organization. Axel looked up on the stage to see that it was Hayner versus some other clique leader - the Flurry knew that he had seen him around before, but the name was escaping him. Not that it mattered much.

His focus on the situation wasn't so much on the match, but instead towards the little noises of excitement Roxas would make whenever one of the contestants made a move, and how much his small body would tense up when things got intense during the battle. Occasionally, Axel would look up to see the stars in those beautiful sapphires, completely engrossed in the game happening before them. His thoughts wandered around helplessly, ranging from how warm it felt to have close contact with the Key of Destiny, to what he should make for dinner tonight for the two of them.

Mm.. Steak kind of sounded good. He had the munny for that, right?

Then, suddenly, Hayner was standing victorious over the other contestant, holding his struggle bat to the sky while the crowd cheered heartily for him. Axel clapped a few times himself, smiling towards the kid. Today, he was allowed to be happy, and embrace those feelings that he had become numb to ever since he had been brought into this world as Nobody, instead of his happy-go-lucky counterpart, Lea.

"The next match will begin in fifteen minutes!"

The announcement was spoken through a megaphone, loud enough to reach over the loud cheering exhibited by the coagulation of struggle fans. Axel grabbed the boy atop his shoulders, placing him down on the ground with extreme care. For some reason, he felt as though Roxas was fragile, and should be handled with the utmost of caution - he didn't know what he would do if his best friend got hurt. It killed him enough to see Saix push him way too hard...

"Everything you hoped it would be?" He smirked down to his sunspot, already aware of the answer he was sure to get in return.

Roxas beamed even as he struggled to see over the heads of everyone around them. Most of them were younger people closer to his age. The older people he assumed were parents or shopkeeps that just enjoyed supporting the youngsters they saw every day. In his effort to see, the blond didn't notice Axel leaning down behind him. He only realized that something was slightly amiss as hands wrapped around his waist and lifted him into the air.

He gave a small squawk of surprise from suddenly having nothing solid under his feet. He didn't relax again until he was properly situated on the other's shoulders, giving him a whole different perspective. This was ... really high. Like, ridiculously high up. He hunched slightly, his hands reaching down until he could grab onto the leather of Axel's coat. He felt a little more stable that way but part of him was just waiting to fall. His center of gravity was so off now that he hoped he wouldn't end up hurting his best friend with how tightly he would be holding on with hands and legs.

After a moment of adjustment, the blond leaned forward to look the eighth in the eye upside down. Is this how you feel all the time? Like everything is so low? He asked tentatively even though he was smiling. It was just an odd sensation to be this tall. As Axel said, it did offer him a much better view of the match though. The Key moved his attention from the redhead beneath him to the boys in the ring. Hayner was up against the boy named Seifer this round. He was a bit too afraid to let the Flurry go and clap, but he still cheered as loudly as anyone else.

The match didn't last long, Hayner finding a successful tactic and using it to win. He cheered again then drew his attention to the hands around his middle that sent waves of warmth through him. He twisted to face his friend as his feet hit the ground and wrapped his arms around the taller Nobody. It was awesome, He replied, cheek pressed low on Axel's chest. Slowly he looked up, bright blue eyes going a little soft as he stared up at the emeralds looking down at him. Thanks for coming, Axel, He said softly before detaching himself.

The Key watched the people of Twilight Town mill about and some wandered back to what they were doing previously and he wondered if maybe they should move on too. Struggle Matches weren't really Axel's things and he had been nice enough to attend just because Roxas wanted to. If nothing else, he really should offer to find something else to do. For such a kindness, the redhead should be happy with today's activities, too. Let's go find something else to do. Where do you want to go? He asked, grabbing the Flurry's hand again and leading him away from the crowd. He wanted to make sure the firebug knew that he wanted to walk away and find their next adventure of the day.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

What was it that was so captivating about those blue eyes? Axel had to admit that he had always been a sucker for the blond hair blue eye combo, but this was unlike anything he had ever put himself through. Roxas had always been a joy to be around, and the admiration he had for the little guy was otherworldly ever since their alliance had started, but over the days, it had simply escalated until both he and Xion were the only things that Axel really.. Had. To his name.

His. Not Lea's.

The redhead brought a single hand to his face, one of his fingers scratching at his cheek over the left tear-drop tattoo, a smile that was almost sheepish coming across his face. He might have been a smooth talker, and he might have even been a deadly assassin that knew exactly how to get what he wanted, but he simply had to face the facts. When it came to Roxas, the eighth was literally putty in the Key's hands.

It was surprising that Roxas was so quick to bring up the topic of finding something else to do. Hadn't he been excited to see the struggle matches for weeks, now? Others had started to wander off, but were probably going to return for the next match; blinking his emerald eyes a few times, Axel's lanky shoulders shrugged a bit.

"You wanna get some ice cream? I'll pay this time." He had started to walk before even getting an answer; he could read the mind of the young Nobody so well that a response was borderline unnecessary. The two of them made their way to the usual shop, and the Flurry ordered their sweet treats, paying up the munny when the total was told to them. Their favorite flavor of ice cream was one of the cheapest one, which was, coincidentally and unlikely, good for them. Good things never happened in this life.

Except.. For this.

Roxas was holding his hand as they meandered through the town, making their way to the station so they could take their usual spot at the top of the clock tower. He was peering down at Roxas carefully, smiling gently towards the sunspot. Things like this were what felt surreal about this life, they were what felt too good to be true, but he was faced with that reality: they were real, and they were incredible. That was surely what being alive was all about.

The walk up the stairs as as awful as always, but the reward was always worth it in the end. They took their seats, legs dangling over the each, neither of them thinking about how dangers this spot of theirs was. Axel took in a deep breath, taking the ice cream out of its wrapper and taking a bite out of it, wanting to make sure that he got it in his stomach before the entire thing melted whilst still in the packaging.

"You sure this is okay, Roxy? You've been excited about the matches for forever." He side glanced at the other Nobody, watching his facial features carefully.

Of course, their usual tradition of ice cream was the first thing from the redhead's mouth. Roxas clearly remembered their first evening at the top of the clock tower, him discovering the salty sweet taste of the ice cream they ate every time. It still hadn't gotten old. A warmth spread through his chest like he hadn't felt before, or at least had never noticed.

Did they really not have emotions?

The thirteenth felt almost certain that they must otherwise he would feel so weightless and happy just thinking about his evenings with Axel after every mission. Then Xion had joined them, adding to the fun and enjoyment of such a tradition. Her absence was glaring, and sorely missed. There was a part of him that was sad that he wasn't more upset that she wasn't here with them now. For some reason, he was just as happy being with just the Flurry of Dancing Flames. He smiled at his friend as they walked away from the crowd, making their stop at the ice cream shop, and moving on.

His shorter legs tired easily climbing up all those stairs, leaving him nearly huffing for breath by the time they reached the top. Why did he never remember how much of a pain it was making their way up here the slow way? It was as if he needed to get more exercise just for this. He took a deep breath and joined the other Nobody on the ledge, gratefully taking his treat. Yes, I'm sure! He stated with a final nod as the wrapper was quickly tossed to the side in his haste to get to the melting frozen pop. You came to one match even though you don't like it. I can leave early for this.

Roxas made his point and looked away, staring off into the distance as if the case was closed and they needn't revisit it. There were more important things to tend to anyway. His pink tongue appeared between his lips, catching the drips from the ice cream before it could fall and make his glove a sticky mess. He worked his way around the pop before it rested in his mouth to melt on his tongue. He made contented noises as he indulged in the sea salt ice cream, eyes falling half lidded as he let the relaxation of the day take over, knowing that there were no responsibilities that would be demanding their attention any time soon. It was such a nice feeling.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

All of this.. It almost felt too good for him. For Roxas, sure, but for him? It seemed much too real, much too incredible. Every time the two of them, or three of them for that matter, came up here and ate ice cream, laughed about nothing and lazed the entire evening away just being useless.. Axel felt a sense of realness that he had never had otherwise. That empty chest of his was filled with something, and it certainly wasn't the ice cream. He had to admit, in the beginning, the sweet treat he had grown to love had taken him off guard, but it had grown on him immensely.

The redhead blinked his emerald eyes, taking a bite of the ice cream while side-eyeing the younger of the two sitting next to him. What was inside of this kid that made him such a legit angel? He was willing to give up something he liked if it meant someone else was having more enjoyment. He was willing to probably throw himself in front of a bus to save a puppy or some shit, and that always confused Axel more than he would ever be able to comprehend.

Perhaps it was just in his nature to be a bit more selfish, but.. Was it, though? Was it a bad thing to be concerned about his own well-being over someone else's? Besides Roxas, of course. God, what wouldn't he do for Roxas?

He didn't speak for the next minute or so, eating the rest of his ice cream until there was nothing left but a blue-tinted stick, one that he threw to the side when found no "WINNER" on the side written in faded black ink. The lanky redhead leaned over, resting his elbows on his thighs, one of his arms bending upward to cup his cheek. He really was one lazy individual when it came right down to it, though Demyx simply exhibited it more. The feline-like firebug could sleep an entire day away if nobody were to wake him from his slumbers.

"It's still all kinda weird, isn't it?" He asked suddenly, though he was completely aware that the blue-eyed brilliance radiating kindness next to him wouldn't quite understand; he would have to elaborate, which wasn't exactly Axel's thing. "Sometimes it's hard to remember that everything is different now. Kinda feels like we're gonna go back and Saix will be there hounding us for work." Was it okay to be talking about this sort of thing? It had been eating at him for a while. Perhaps Roxas felt the same, anyways.

"Or Demyx will be goofing off on Arpeggio." Yeah, he had memorized the name. Demyx always jumped his ass whenever he referred to it as just "the annoying big blue dick." In a way, it was kind of like a show of respect, calling it by the proper name and all. "Going back to a big empty place always reminds me..." He stopped, realizing that he as probably going much too far at that point. Roxas didn't need that.

"Ah." He made a small noise, shaking his head and giving a gentle smile after a audible sigh. "Never mind."

It was sad that the ice cream needed to be eaten rather quickly. The walk up always meant that they had less time to enjoy it than perhaps they should have. It was like a metaphor for their lives. They had less time than they thought to go through their existence until something snuffed them out. A small frown started to appear on his lips, cold from the frozen snack. Roxas started to wonder how long he would have this time around.

The last time he had barely been around for a year; he had counted the days. Well, up to a point he counted them, then he lost track, gave up. Then he walked away from what he knew and returned to life with Sora, waking him up. He had the chance to become whole and took it. There were times now where he wasn't sure if that had been the right choice, but it had felt like the only one at the time. He wanted to be his own person, not a piece of Sora, or a shadow of the brunet. He wanted to be Axel's friend. He wanted to be useful in his own right, loved and wanted for himself.

He didn't realize he finished his sea salt ice cream until he bit down on pure popsicle stick. He blinked at the small piece of wood and checked the sides. Not a winner. He made a small noise of discontent but put the stick back between his teeth. He chewed on it a little as he thought, brought back to the present by his friend's words. He raised a hand to rest on the redhead's shoulder. I know. I get lonely there, He said quietly, trying not to sound too sad and make their nice evening a bad one. He didn't want to bring their moods down too far since this had started as such a good day, so fun, and he had been excited to spend the day with Axel like this.

But, the Flurry needed more than that. We'll find a way to fill it. The blond didn't mean just their castle. That wasn't the only void that needed tending to. Neither of them had gotten their hearts in the end and that was one of the hardest points. The castle directly reflected the hollowness in their chests but the thirteenth didn't want the lack of direction from others to stop them from their work. They would help each other fill things up. Maybe we'll find Demyx, or we can make a new friend that plays music to help make it sound less empty, The Key offered, really preferring the Melodious Nocturne to be their companion.

Roxas leaned into his lanky friend, feet lightly kicking over the side of the ledge. He wasn't really sure the best way to go about cheering his friend up properly since he wasn't sure what really would make him feel better. Sure he could guess on a few things, but there was a lot that he had never found out and he was only realizing now how little he knew of his best friend. That was just shameful. He nuzzled into the taller Nobody, a grin slowly growing on his face. Let's do something you want to do. Something that will make you happy.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

Honestly, if someone were to tell him, in the past, that someone this perfect would simply waltz right into his life, he wouldn't have believed them for even a split second. He didn't feel that was worthy of something like that, and the mistakes that he had made in this existence put him in a category that simply wasn't touched by the concept of a good thing. It was confusing how the blond trusted him so much, but then again, Roxas wasn't aware of what had happened to the fullest extent. He didn't know that Vexen and Zexion had both perished at his hand. Albeit, Zexion's demise was performed a bit indirectly, but it was his doing all the same.

How was someone like himself, a sinful assassin, able to have something this pure and gracious? Something that was so full of forgiveness that only saw the good in a wretched being? He would never be able to understand why fate was so kind of him.

"Hmm. Yeah." He stopped it from sounding too terribly sarcastic and more towards an optimistic tone. He truly wanted it to be real - he wanted to believe that one day they could find Demyx and maybe they could all be buddy-buddy again. If.. If they ever were. The lanky Nobody turned a bit toward his companion when he was spoken to yet again - Roxas was offering for the two of them to do something that would make Axel happy. Weird. He had never really thought about a pastime that he did on his own besides non-sociable things such as sleeping and reading.

"I'm happy here." He said it almost suddenly, emerald eyes looking out toward the sunset that he was so fond of. Thoughts of good times the three of them had spent up here filled him suddenly, causing his expression to soften considerably. There was a time when they were allowed to be carefree and could joke around, roughhousing up here to the point where, sometimes, they would have to save each other from falling to the ground below. They could talk about nothing at all, but somehow pass the minutes by the point where they turned into hours. It was immature to think that such a thing would last forever, and Axel was aware of that, but God he hoped that such a thing could become their reality.

They.. Never did get to go to the beach, did they? Not that he was into water or anything, but he was more inclined to watch both Roxas and Xion have fun in the salty waves.

"I'm happy whenever I'm with you." Ew. Wasn't he supposed to be smooth or something? That was disgusting.

He tried to play it off by simply not looking towards Roxas whatsoever, holding up one of his hands and summoning up a little ball of flames, playing with it idly, twirling it around his fingers. The small licks of fire danced and tried so hard to reach up towards the heavens, but Axel refused to let them do such; yeah, this was only.. Only a distraction.

Roxas almost lost the stick from between his lips. He was surprised that Axel said that he was happy just sitting here with him. He didn't feel like that was really the whole truth, though he did believe it. He returned to chewing on the small bit of wood and looked out at the never ending sunset. It was nice to know that something as simple as this was enjoyable which he assumed was the case as they did so as often as they could for as long as he could remember. Why would they continue if this wasn't something that made his day better?

But it felt like Axel was avoiding him a little, unwilling to share more than that. The blond glanced at the small, dancing fireball in his best friend's hand. Was there really nothing else he would like to do? Could this truly be the only thing that Roxas could do with him that made him happy? Surely not. He gave a small sigh and looked off toward the direction that the train ran off to. He tried to form a mental list of all the things that he knew Axel liked to do.

It was a very short list.

Sleeping, joking with the others, food. Those were things he knew the tall redhead liked, but they weren't exactly things he could help with. He made a small frustrated sound and sighed. How was he supposed to be a good friend when he actually knew so little? What was it that he could do to make sure the most important person in his life was happy, or entertained when he couldn't even think of something fun for him? The Key turned back to his friend and tugged on his sleeve. Hey, what did you used to do before I came to the Organization? There, that was a good deal more direct then "what do you like to do?" because that would just cause the same frustration.

The shorter male twisted on the ledge, hanging a leg on either side of the stone they were seated upon so he could look directly at the Flurry. He pinned the other with a very serious look that demanded attention and an answer. This was just going right back to the beginning. The only difference in his training was that he wasn't learning how to fight and work for their former "bosses", but he was learning about the man he called his best friend.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!

Hah, that was cute. Roxas thought he actually did stuff before the little blondie found his way into the Organization? Truth be told, all Axel did was perform his missions, do what he was told, eat, sleep, go the bathroom, eat some more, sleep some more - it was a deadly cycle that he had grown so accustomed to. It had become the norm for so long that whenever Roxas came in and disrupted that, it was a wonderful change. He welcomed it with open arms, and even though he didn't understand a lot of the concepts that he dealt answers out left and right to, he loved every second of it with all fibers of his non-existence.

Axel gave a thoughtful glance toward Roxas, feeling those gorgeous blue depths fixated upon him. Those eyes certainly were something - they were rather easy to get lost in, and the redhead took a dutiful note that he had to be careful that he didn't stare for too long. The Flurry figured that he should probably spout out some sort of answer - he was that teacher figure, after all.

"Well I slept a lot." He leaned over a little, nudging the blond with his shoulder and laughing as he did so, though he was more than prepared to catch him if the push was a bit too forceful. Roxas seemed fine, however, so he let his guard down one again. Axel smiled towards his best friend for a few seconds before he reached up and placed his hand in the mess of blond spikes. "Besides, none of that really matters now, right? You're here to keep me in line." Almost flirtatiously, the redhead winked along with exhibiting a playful smirk.

With that being said, he hoped that Roxas truly was aware of how grateful he was that he had his best friend back after all of that time. This was everything that Axel could have ever dreamed of back whenever he was separated from the people he cared about. He had gone through it once before with Isa. Saix was much different than the person that he considered his friend. It was disturbing how much people could change when ripped away from their emotions - how cold they could become. Thankfully, the exact opposite happened for Axel. Literally.

"So thanks."

Waiting expectantly, the thirteenth stared at the taller Nobody. Axel always had answers for him so there must be something for a question so simple as this. His feet stopped swinging as he realized this wasn't going to be nearly as quick as he had hoped. The blond really wanted to find something entertaining that would make his friend happy. It was way to hard to do.

And the bean pole wasn't helpful at all. His brow pinched in distaste at the answer he received. Certainly sleep wasn't the only thing he did. How could that be? He swayed with the nudge he received. Even more displeasing was that the firebug now mussed his hair more than it already was. Wasn't bad enough that he had a perpetual case of bedhead as it was? Roxas gave a small huff, bottom lip poking out in a pout. He glanced away as he sullenly crossed his arms like the typical teenage he was.

He certainly wasn't look away to hide the small flush across his cheeks. He certainly wasn't just a little flustered at the redhead's tone and that wink to go along with it. Yeah, he definitely needed to keep the Flurry in line. I should get you a leash, He groused, still firmly looking the other way. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself enough to be properly upset about the fact that his best friend was really boring. The Key had never thought that to be true and really didn't want to accept it.

The smaller male finally glanced at his friend and narrowed his eyes. Slowly he began slipping backwards until he reached back to catch himself on the stone and lowered himself to a prone position, legs still up and feet on the ledge. Guess it's nap time then. The Keyblade wielder crossed his arms once more and closed his eyes against the soft colors painted across the sky. That would be just as nice a view as they usually had, but Axel's favorite thing to do was sleeping, so sleep they would.

Maybe.

Roxas shifted uncomfortably, trying to find the right spot where he would be able to at least doze a little. He wasn't actually tired enough to sleep, but he could lay here for a little while so his best friend could get a little rest. Another shift and a frown grew on his features. This was so not comfortable, but he absolutely refused to say or do anything about it. They would stay here until Axel had his rest fit for mister sleeping beauty.

Roxas

♥ thanks tia!