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Ikurx - Ch 04

Deviation Actions

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Ikurx
By Kitteh and NeoFox
Rating: PG - 13
Warnings: Language, violence, romance
Pairings: Riku x Sora, Axel x Roxas
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and characters belong to Square Enix and Disney
Summary: After the defeat of Organization XIII, Sora and Riku find happiness in the simplicity of a normal life. A year later King Mickey sends a summons that the fight with the Organization isn't truly done yet. Light. Dark. As long as either exists the battle is never over.
Beta: Nurr

Chapter 04

Fear. That was the one main thing Sora felt as soon as he was snatched away from Riku's side by hands he hadn't noticed until it was too late. He had stared with wide eyes as Riku disappeared on the other side of the door, but could say nothing because of the hand over his mouth. He had tried to reach out, but he was held tight. He struggled and kicked, wishing that he could strike his kidnapper with Oblivion, but the keyblade had vanished as soon as the fear washed over him. His mind in too much of a mess already to keep it with him.

Through the shadow and through the door, Sora was finally pulled, but still he didn't stop struggling. He was afraid to see who it was that kept their hands on him. In his mind he had a feeling, but his eyes wanted to stay shut, refusing to look. Somehow he thought that maybe it would be safer that way.

"Shhhh." The hushing noise brushed against Sora's ear. "Settle down, Roxas." That familiar voice spoke that shouldn't have been spoke up, a strange cold affection about it. Those pale arms slipped around tighter around Sora, holding him close in his restraint. "You act like you're not happy to see me." A cheek rested against Sora's hair. "And after we've been apart for so, so long."

Sora went rigid at the closeness of the other and the name that had been said. His nobody. His eyes snapped open and quicker then usual Oblivion was re-summoned to his hand even though he wasn't in the best position to be able to use the blade at the moment. "My name is Sora!" Being called by his nobody's name so much in the past had given him a hatred for it even now in the present despite Roxas still being a part of him.

"Let me go, Axel!" It felt so wrong to be held in such a way by someone other then Riku. He wanted what was now Axel's heartless to move away from him or he would try his best to find some way to use the blade in his hand.

A thin hand wrapped around the wrist of the hand that held the keyblade, refrained any ideas Sora had of attacking. "Someone isn't a fan of anagrams I see." Axel drew his free hand up along Sora's chest, amused. Black chakram tattoos linked around his deathly pale bare arms. "Heh, I almost thought you wouldn't come back." He took the crown necklace between his black fingers, giving it a tug. "You have a nasty habit of being an apathetic bastard, Roxas."

Sora gripped the handle of Oblivion as tight as he could, but made no move to strike since Axel had his wrist held in such a way. The last few words stunned him and for some reason he flinched. When he felt the tug on his necklace, Sora turned his head to the side, trying to force Axel to let go of it. "I'm not Roxas. I'm different. I'm me. Roxas is gone." In a way the words were true. Only because Sora had no intention of ever letting Roxas separate from him.

"No- that's where you're wrong." Axel kept Sora still with one arm, the grin quite obvious in his voice. "He's in there- I know you can feel him." Axel's hand moved from Sora's necklace to slip under his shirt to grasp the zipper of his jump suit. "He is your body after all. Everything physical about you- is who Roxas is." He pulled down on the zipper, parting its teeth slowly one by one. "Just like how the heartless is the opposite of its namesake. Together they make quite a very pretty package." His thumb touched the skin he exposed.

Sora's breath caught in his throat with the touch and the same fear from earlier came back. Immediately Sora started to tear away from Axel's grip and was actually successful since he had only been held captive with one hand as he tried. He hated the feeling of Axel's hands on him and as soon as he was only a few feet away, Sora turned to face the man, gripping his keyblade tightly even though he was shaking. "Just because Roxas is a part of me doesn't mean I want to be treated as if I were him." His voice shook as well.

The heartless of the formal nobody was near a mirror image of his body. His skin was unnaturally pale, with patches of black that made it hard to tell where his dark sleek clothing ended and his skin began. His hair was jagged black swept back ending in fiery red at the ends. This Axel was far more the personification of the real Axel at heart, where the emotionless nobody failed. Raw emotion at its best.

"That's right." Axel tapped his forehead with his fingers. "I always forgot how selfish you were, Roxas. I always over looked that flaw." He splayed out his hands, stepping nearer to Sora despite how on edge the boy was. "But you were very good at stepping on people to get what you want." Axel's good humour drained away to something far bitter. "So now that you have it, was the hell well worth it?"

Sora took a step back when Axel came forward and especially when he heard the change in the other's voice. He kept Oblivion between them just in case Axel tried anything, but so far the man hadn't even brought out a weapon and seemed more interested in Roxas.

Selfish. That one word had Sora thinking over his decision to come to the castle much too late once again and back to what happened to Riku. He did feel selfish and slowly his expression fell from narrowed eyes to a saddened look as he finally glanced away from Axel. Maybe Roxas had influenced him in some way. He hated to think such a thing. He had always wanted to be himself, to think for his own since what happened. But remembering his outburst at Riku on the island, how off guard he caught himself, had him scared to think that he would never be himself again.

"I'm not like that." Sora spoke up quietly after a few seconds. He ignored the question and turned his eyes back on Axel, narrowing again. "I would never act like that or do such a thing." He didn't know just who he was trying to convince in that moment.

"Maybe you just never realized how selfish you were- until you were able to step outside yourself and take a better look." And despite the keyblade pointed to him, the most deadly of all weapons for a heartless such as he, Axel still stepped nearer to Sora. "Roxas." He finished, a clever smile returning to his sleek features. "You're as much him, as I am apart of Axel. A different side to the same story. Call it any name you want." He stopped short from the end of Oblivion, no fear of what the wielder might do. "Just like Xenohort is Xemnas was Ansem as a heartless. A smaller piece linking to a bigger complication."

Boldly Axel flicked the obsidian coloured keyblade, a small ting sounding from the action. "I tried so hard for you, Roxas." He continued quietly. "..But nothing I did ever made you happy."

He made me feel like I had a heart...

The words rang over and over in Sora's head. Some of the last few words he had heard the nobody speak before he faded away to become what he saw in front of him now. Even though Axel had walked closer and even touched the keyblade, Sora made no move to step back. He suddenly couldn't get his thoughts in order and in one quick flicker of light the keyblade vanished from his hand which dropped right back down to his side.

Now without the barrage of the keyblade Axel was free to walk nearer still to Sora. "I tried so hard to keep you safe from yourself. But unlike us you couldn't remember the other that you were." He placed a hand on Sora's shoulder, the other taking a lock of spiky bangs to toy with. "I cheated, mislead, I betrayed, I dragged my good name, heh, names, through the mud- hell, I murdered other Organization members to keep you and your former safe and sound." He gave the lock of hair a gentle tug. "But even sacrifice wouldn't cause you to smile at me. I died... alone and empty." Axel's hand fell down to brush the back of his fingers against Sora's cheek. "There was never enough love was there, to satisfy you, was there, Roxas?"

Sora stood completely still as Axel spoke and even as the man touched him. All he could do was stare blankly at nothing as he listened to Axel's words. He had been so quick to move away from the other before, but suddenly he felt as if he just couldn't do the same thing twice. Axel had given up so much for Roxas and now he was being forced to take his nobody's place. Something in his chest tightened and it hurt more then anything, snapping him out of his daze enough to finally step away from Axel, nearly stumbling.

As soon as he was steady on his feet, Sora glared up at Axel, trying his best to look somewhat fierce. "Stop calling me that. Stop acting as if I'm his replacement. I refuse to be anybody but myself." But that pain, it came again for a split second and he nearly let out the smallest of sounds.

Axel watched Sora a moment but he didn't seem detoured from the boy's outburst. The heartless shrugged, baring his palms which had the same chakram tattooed boldly on them. "Sometimes I wonder... Your little emotive boyfriend, he neurotically associates with the darkness."  Purposely Axel left it at that as he turned to stroll up the red carpet, giving Sora his well needed space. "He's dealt with it far more than I had, or most of the Organization for that matter. Perhaps even more than Xemnas or Ansem, Xemnas-Ansem, Ansem-Xemnas-Xehanort." He briefly laughed and shrugged out a hand. "Maybe even more than you, the well acclaimed 'Keyblade Master'." He made quote-on-quote fingers. "Chosen by destiny to wield the fabled keyblade. His light stands above all, with the power to defeat the darkness'." Axel rested his hand on the large throne of King Mickey. "Sounds like a bunch of bunk if you ask me." He traced the designs on the chair. "Not that you did."

The heartless flopped down on the chair, getting much too comfortable. He draped his long legs over the arm of the chair, head propped on a hand on the other arm. "So! What do you think his nobody's anagram would be?" Axel tapped his lips. "Hmmm Ixurk, Xurik, Kirux, Ukrix, Ruxik. Ehhh." He made a disgusted face. "It just doesn't work as nicely as Roxas does."

Riku with a nobody. The thought had Sora startled for so long that he almost forgot his voice. He took a step forward, finding it safe finally and shook his head quickly. "Riku gives into the darkness because he has to. He even did it to help me. To bring me back and wake me up." His eyes narrowed even more at how comfortable Axel had made himself, but still he didn't faulter in his speech. "When all of this is over he'll come out of the darkness. He's still Riku and it'll never overtake him again." Sora wouldn't let it. He'd never let that memory become reality again.

Axel linked his fingers steepling them. "Roxas, you and Namine were created from unique circumstances. What stops the same from happening to- that boy." He parted his hands to rub a few fingers into his temple, how he loathed that silver haired rat that followed Roxas' former persona like some kind of brooding cultist. "That is... if there's anything left of him now." He was soon grinning.

"Shut up!" Sora shouted the words as he took a few more steps forward. He didn't want to think of the worst, but even as he thought back to the last few moments outside Riku had suddenly been enjoying the fights way too much and seemed almost cold towards Sora himself. There were also the heartless that had been left as Riku's only company and although his friend had taken quick work of most of them, Sora was still worried.

"You don't know anything. Riku's too stubborn to give into darkness completely and he's definitely too stubborn to lose to a bunch of weak heartless." Sora felt more sure of the words himself once he was able to say them out loud. He shot his own small grin at Axel and summoned Oblivion once again in his hand. "You may have tried to help Roxas, but Riku was the one that helped me and for that I'm not going to let the darkness have him more then it has to."

Axel pointed, not at all impressed by Sora's sudden overflowing courage and determination. "</i>Love</i>- right?" He dabbed a finger in the air, making Sora's faith and emotions for Riku a bland mockery. "Is that what you're trying to get at?" He sighed and lounged back against the throne. "If it were that simple, well," he shrugged his hands "we wouldn't be here now would we."

"You're wrong, Axel." Sora walked forward some more. His bravery was coming back little by little all because of Riku and the thought of helping his friend. "Even love can bring about conflict. It's why you're so determined to get Roxas back, isn't it?" He stopped short of getting any closer to the throne and ignored the pain that came back at just the mention of his nobody's name. "Nothing comes easy. I've learned that the hard way."

Axel perked, sitting up on the throne. "You're right. You're absolutely right." He drew his legs off the arm of the chair sitting proper on it. "But you're also absolutely wrong." He raised a hand, snapping his dark coloured fingers a black fire emits, dancing at the tip of his finger. He then began to trace his finger in the air, black flame streaking behind;

R. O.

"You can fight, and fight, and fight- but never win, despite what passion drives you."

X.

"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."

A. S.

"Roxas." Axel's hand fell back from the written name. With a graceful gesture he nudged the letters, sending them towards Sora. They floated on a wind that wasn't there, circling around him.

Sora tensed up when the letters started to circle him. His eyes followed them around one by one to look at the name which in an instant could have been a mirror of his own. The way Axel spoke the name of his other half had caused that pain to grow and watching those letters didn't help it. He wanted to make it go away and in one quick swipe of the keyblade the name was distorted as Sora struggled to keep his head clear.

The black flames wavered, but the fire didn't go out. It continued to encircle around Sora.

".. Why didn't you say goodbye, Roxas?" Axel's hushed voice wavered, his thin brows furrowing. ".. Why was it him that I had to confess what I had the last chance to? Why did my body die for your heart?" He placed a hand over where his own should be. ".. No one cried for me when I was living. And... No one cried for me when I died." His hands lowered to rest on the arms of the thrown, the rest of him slowly slumping into the large chair. ".. And no one will cry when my heart dies too."

Sora felt like he couldn't breathe because of the pain he felt. Although he tried to keep his attention on the flames that danced around him it started to become a loosing battle and his stance became unsteady. The strength that he had gained just moments before was suddenly draining from him and his thoughts of Riku were leaving with it.

In an instant the teen fell to his knees and the keyblade clattered to the floor just inches away from him as he lost his grip on it. He didn't even seem to notice since his hands immediately flew to his chest to cling to the fabric there instead and his eyes stared widely at the floor. Images flashed before his eyes, but images that he shouldn't have even recognized.

'You can't turn on the Organization! You'll get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!'

'No one would miss me.'


Sora shut his eyes tightly, hoping that would block out the memories that weren't his. "Stop it. Go away, Roxas."

"... I would." Axel spoke up, the memory clear and fresh as if it were his own. "Vexen, Larxene, even Marluxia... You never knew the blasphemous things I let myself do in the Organization to keep you. I tried to steer their wrathful eye from you. I kept your other half away so you could stay whole." A sad sort of smirk crossed his mouth. ".. I betrayed them a second time when I was sent to find you. And... A third. Third times the charm, right? Three strikes your out, right?" His shoulders shook soundlessly but what came from him could have been bitter laughter or something far worse. "Everything short of saying those three little words." He waved a dismissive hand. ".. But nobodies don't have hearts, right."

Sora clung tighter to his chest, hoping that in some way it would make the horrible ache go away. It was getting worse with each passing second and with every word Axel said. It was with one final pained sound that Sora's hands dropped to his sides, brushing the sides of his scarf before they hit the floor below him. His head dropped forward so his eyes couldn't be seen and for a long while he was silent as if all the life had been sucked out of him so suddenly.

"I didn't tell you to do any of that, Axel." Words were spoken in the direction that Sora had fallen and in the teen's same voice, but it wasn't in his same upbeat tone. But for Axel it would still be something familiar. "I found out what I needed to find out. You were the one that chose to continue on even after." Sora's head lifted up, but his expression had fallen from its usual optimism and determination to something troubled. It seemed that Riku's threat had been ignored.

A new life bubbled up in Axel now that he was talking directly to the being inside he wanted to. He spoke onward, never missing a beat, as if this new Sora was exactly who he had been talking to originally; for it was.

Axel waved the boy's hurtful words and the fires around him were extinguished. "Most people, where I come from, say 'thanks'..." He leaned his head against his knuckles, elbow on the arm of the throne. "When people save their lives...” He raised a hand, one finger after the other raising in gesture. "More than three times, Roxas."

That word wasn't at all muttered from the teen which had taken possession of Sora's body. Instead, Roxas had watched Axel's hand before he moved his eyes back to the man's face. "That's funny. I don't remember us ever being taught such a thing in the Organization. Must have been a secret meeting I wasn't a part of."

That had Axel narrowing his eyes, his calm expression cracking to Roxas' cool words. He tapped the side of his head. "Yes, guess you missed that memo." He closed his eyes to gather himself; heartless weren't supposed to have nerves to lose were they? "Hmm... only means the one who you came from is a selfish, self serving, apathetic, impolite, and bastard." Axel opened his eyes, a more intent gaze on Sora's form. "Or at least- his body is."

Axel leaned back against the throne. "Which I must say suits him very well now. It makes me wonder what outfit he was running around naked in before he lost you." He narrowed his eyes bitterly continuing. "Cozy in there?"

Roxas gave a light shrug. He wasn't at all bothered by Axel's sudden hostility it seemed. "It gets a little cramped from time to time, but I manage." Slowly and as if on strings, Roxas used Sora's body to stand on two feet, keeping his eyes on Axel the entire time he did. Once he was steady enough he started to walk forward. Unlike Sora, he continued to walk even when he was only a few feet from the throne.

"You think I'm selfish? I step on people to get what I want? I'm a bastard?" It was chilling to hear that word from Sora's lips, but since it wasn't Sora speaking it made no difference. "I'm hurt." There was sarcasm in his tone.

Axel leaned his head back, eyeing Roxas. They were in different bodies now, the same yet not the same. He wasn't sure what to think; all that heartless seemed to feel was the scorn of hurt of their formers. "No you're not."

The heart unfortunately knew what the body did as well.

"... You cared more for those who were nothing more than data and polygons, who did nothing more than sit around in dirty ally ways eating salty ice cream- than sincere flesh and blood." Axel sat up, leaning towards Roxas. "Flesh and blood that gave themselves more intimately to you than a romp between the sheets." One of Axel's thin brows rose. "But it might as well have been something so vulgar as a romp... left me cold and lying there all alone just the same." Even after the cruel words Axel wanted to reach out and touch Roxas, Sora. He refrained himself by knitting his fingers together, resting his elbows on his knees so he could lean his lips on his hands, keeping his eyes narrowed and intent on Roxas.

Roxas narrowed his eyes as well and took one last step forward before there was no more space between them to really be had. He stood before the throne, looking down at Axel. The person that at one point had been his best friend, but times changed drastically. "I'll tell you again that I didn't ask you for your help. I told you that I was leaving. I needed to find answers and things just happened from there." His gaze narrowed on the man a little more. "You just can't accept that or even get over it. The past can't and won't change, Axel."

"This is true." The heartless shut his eyes in his calm admittance. "The past can't be changed. And yes, I won't forget what happened. But we all need a purpose, Roxas." Axel's eyes slowly opened and he raised them up to Sora's unmoved expression. "Unfortunately, you're mine. I know how much that disappoints you." His hands parted and lowered so he could look up fully at the teenager in front of him. "I'd apologize but, I feel no remorse when it comes to all the stupid things I do for you."

Those words only caused Roxas to smirk. A small twitch of lips which was a change from the mask he had put up so far. "And you call me selfish." With those words Roxas started to back away slowly, just out of Axel's reach. "I'm not who I was before, Axel. See?" To prove his point he pointed a few fingers at the body he had borrowed just to have this time with the man across from him. "I can't be yours if this body doesn't belong to you. It doesn't even belong to me and I'm the one sharing it." He dropped his hands back down and narrowed his eyes once more. "You're out of luck."

Axel's composure fell, cracking and falling to pieces like porcelain along the floor. He wanted to reach out to Roxas, even if his body wasn't his, even if his hair was coloured like dirt and unruly at best- the eyes were the same. Still just as deep blue as they had been when they could still call each other 'friend'.

".. This isn't fair, Roxas. It isn't fair what you did, or said when we were nobodies. This here and now- it isn't fair." Axel's voice lost its strength, shaking, trying not to break apart; but he felt so much now. So much more than he had years ago. Now he could feel. "I had a heart. I don't care what any of the Organization said- I had one. I know I did because I felt it hurt. I-.. because I had tried so hard, and loved you so much." His black fingers twitched as he reached out a little, he couldn't stop himself.
A hurtful noise left Axel's throat. "This isn't fair... I love you more than my heart can bear." A sad 'heh' choked from him. "Love conquered all, I thought."

Roxas stared at the hand reaching towards him for a few seconds. Finally, instead of taking a step towards it he took a step back and looked up at Axel once more afterwards. "It can't conquer everything I guess." That same troubled expression crossed over his face and he kept silent for so long as he continued to watch the man in front of him.

"I may be part of Sora, but I still am a nobody." Roxas' words started to become sterner and almost a bit harsher. "You claim you were able to feel while you were a nobody and maybe I did too for a short period of time, but everything changed and that small bit of feeling that was there vanished." His eyes narrowed in a small show of annoyance. "All I can feel now is whatever Sora feels." He finally looked away from Axel to stare beyond at the wall. "It's part of the package, I guess."

"NO!" The shout tore from Axel as he stood up abruptly. "No! I won't believe that! That's not true!" He bared his tattooed palms to the air helplessly. "You wouldn't be here if you felt what he did." He took one step near Roxas, bridging the gap half way. "You wouldn't be here trying to act like the cold jerk you were. You feel something- you do." Axel's expression pleaded with Roxas, his fingers curling weakly. "..and it's your own."

Roxas had blinked his eyes at the sudden outburst and turned his attention back on Axel. Even though the man walked closer to him Roxas stayed right where he was, only moving his eyes the entire time to watch the other. He opened his mouth, ready to snap back at Axel with some snarky remark much like he always did, but it wouldn't come out right away and he was forced to close it just as quickly.

For seconds silence passed between them as Roxas continued to stare at Axel without having much to say. Finally, he turned his gaze away again and let out an amused sound. "You've gone crazy, Axel."

The heartless took the incentive and walked the rest of the way, close enough so he could place a hand on Roxas' shoulder. "You know it." Axel's voice came out a shaky laugh. "But you want to hear something disgustingly cheesy?" He settled his other hand on the boy's shoulder. "..I'm crazy...-for you, Roxas." He gave the teen's shoulders a squeeze.

Roxas dropped his eyes down to look at the hands on his shoulders. Despite it not being his body, he could still feel Axel's hands and even through the clothing that Sora wore. For one split second Roxas was tempted to lift a hand up as well to touch one of Axel's own, but stopped before his fingers could even twitch. He let out a slight laugh instead that sounded much less hollow to his own ears then he thought it would be. "Like I didn't know that already."

That sound, that little laugh, it was such a beautiful thing to Axel. It all had just a little bit of smile curving his lips. "It's been forever and a day since I've heard you laugh." He wanted to touch more of Roxas, but at the same time he didn't want to scare what little he'd scrounged up. "...And... forever and a life since I've been able to...” Axel's hand rose to stroke just a finger ever so lightly against 'Sora's cheek. It felt the same; smooth, warm, alive. "T-..to hold you." His hand fell away, detoured by fear.

Roxas watched the hand fall away and felt a small bit of disappointment when it was gone, but shook that off as nothing. He raised his eyes back up to Axel's face and frowned once more. The amusement was gone because of the other's words as he tried to think of what to say. "I'm not even me right now." He realized at the last second that such words weren't nearly as snide as he had made earlier in their conversation, but at the same time what he said was still true either way.

"You are." Axel smiled just a little more, not a cold grin or smirk but something as genuine as a heartless could smile. He drew his long fingers at either side of Roxas' jaw, touching both cheeks this time. He dusted back 'Sora's brunette bangs, and he could almost imagine the blonde in its place as it used to be, swept to the side. "It doesn't matter how you look. Hell, I'm a heartless." He rested his palm against Roxas' cheek, his long fingers dusting through hair. "But you're still Roxas. And you're here. That's enough." Axel leaned down considerably to do what his heart pined for; he touched his lips to Roxas', kissing him so gently their lips barely touched at all.

Roxas' eyes opened wide at the bold move. He should have expected Axel to try such a thing seeing as he knew the man's personality all too well. His first instinct was to quickly push the taller one away from him, but his hands stopped just as they touched Axel's arms and stayed perfectly still.

It had been so long since he had been near Axel and maybe in a way the other was right. Maybe something inside of him still felt a little bit of something for his friend which was why he had fought so hard against Sora for control over his other half's body. That was the only thought which had him timidly pressing back against Axel's lips while he finally allowed himself to grip the man's arms tightly.

That was all Axel needed to press another kiss against Roxas' lips, soft and slow, full of affections that made him weak. Love, hope, it was a heartless' undoing, but Axel didn't care. His heart had no where else to go; no where else where it rather be.

Axel cupped either of Roxas' cheeks, keeping the boy's head tilted up so he could whisper against the teen's soft lips. "... I love you, Roxas. Goddamn, I love you so damn much."

Roxas gripped Axel's arms even tighter at those words. Axel had spoken of love earlier, but to hear the nobody turned heartless, say such a thing right in front of him in such a way shocked him to say the least. "Axel." Roxas let the name slip past his lips before he went on. "I..." He struggled with his words. Shouldn't he have been able to say those same three words back to the man? "I..." They wouldn't come out and in that instant Roxas realized that if he were to borrow Sora's body that meant he was still borrowing the boy's heart as well and Sora's feelings weren't for Axel at all.

Roxas shut his mouth and kept silent on the matter. Instead he shook his head and took to pressing his lips back to Axel's own. It was the only thing he could do for the time being to make up for what he wouldn't be able to say.

Axel made the softest of distress sounds against Roxas' lips, but he didn't protest much more. It was a large disappointment not to hear the words back, but that's what being a heartless was all about, feeding and living off the hurt. The fact Roxas kissed him of his own accord was enough, more than any few cliché words.

Axel slid his hands up to brush through Roxas' hair, it felt so much the same; just as soft and bouncy. He could remember ruffling the blonde hair playfully so many times to cheer the brooding teen up. He wanted to do that again. He wanted to truly feel what he should have as a nobody now that he was a somebody.

Axel slipped his hands down, feeling Roxas' slender neck, his shoulders; they were all so much alike. He freed his arms from Roxas' tight grip, wrapping his own spindly fingers around the other's hands; such little hands that could make or break him. All of them. Funny how he could love Roxas all the more because of it.

Roxas allowed Axel all the touches he wanted and as soon as his hands were taken he clung to the man's just the same. Something about this felt right. He may not have had his own body, but he still enjoyed the fact he could be with Axel and remember those times where the keyblade hadn't been the one and only thing on his mind.

Roxas barely pulled back to look up at Axel with eyes that were only partly open. His friend looked so different, but Roxas didn't care. The problem was Axel could stay just as he was if he chose to. Roxas knew that at some point he would be forced to allow Sora to wake up and go back to being the boy's other half. Especially if Riku really did end up fairing well enough against the heartless outside the doors. The realization had Roxas frowning while he looked away from Axel and kept silent again.

"Roxas." The other's name escaped Axel quietly. There were so many things he wanted to say, and ask, yet at the same time he hoped he never spoke again if it meant keeping Roxas like this. He squeezed the teen's hands before letting go, suddenly wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders. It was a clumsy hug at first, unsure and desperate. The heartless had to lean down more to embrace Roxas fully. But it felt so good to hold Roxas, whatever small part he was allowed to for now.

Roxas went rigid at first, but immediately he eased up and his own arms were quick to wrap themselves around Axel as well. He was a little amused at their height difference, but Axel had always been pretty tall to begin with. He was used to it.

Roxas shut his eyes as he leaned even further against Axel, taking comfort in the silence as well as the other's arms. He didn't want to bring up the worst, but he didn't want to leave the worst unanswered between them. His arms tightened and he opened his eyes as one simple question left him. "Will you miss me when I'm gone again?"

Axel's grip on Roxas tightened on that one question; maybe that was answer enough. "I won't let you be forgotten." He murmured against Roxas' hair. "I'll come back for you." He didn't know how he'd do it, or when, but he wasn't going to let Roxas get buried under Sora's personality again. Despite all the previous hurtful things he'd mention Roxas had done, he still felt Roxas deserved to be his own person, make his own choices. He blamed Roxas' other half for the worst that had happened.

Roxas allowed his eyes to fall shut once more and his grip became less desperate then it had been around Axel. "I'm glad." He could count on Axel to still be there even when he was no longer himself. The both of them knew that all too well. It had just taken Roxas far too long to see it and now they were paying for it in the worst way it seemed.

"I'm happy you agree." As happy as a heartless could be. Axel nuzzled the plush hair, moving his head down so he could kiss Roxas' ear. He placed little kisses here and there on skin and scalp, needing to show his affections. As if all he'd done wasn't enough proof for Roxas. ".. I won't let you disappear inside him." He ended his words with a kiss to Roxas' cheek.

Those words meant everything to Roxas and once again disappointment settled in that he couldn't return those words that Axel had spoken earlier. Each little kiss the man gave him was something he wished could last forever and soon he was raising a hand to take hold of Axel's chin, keeping the other's head right where it was so he could kiss his lips once more.

Axel held Roxas just that much closer, pressing into the kiss as if it were his last breath. Despite the circumstances it felt so wonderful to do what his nobody never could; to finally kiss and express how he felt against Roxas' lips.

Axel let his hands run down Roxas' back, following down to where he knew he shouldn't grope, considering it wasn't really Roxas' body. But given the situation, Axel didn't care for modesties.

Unlike Sora, Roxas made no move to struggle or get away from Axel's roaming hands. Instead, he only moved even closer to the taller body while he dropped his arms to wrap them around the man's neck. He gave a quick bite to Axel's lips before he pressed his own back against them, enjoying the moment for as long as he could and refusing to pull away just yet.

Axel let out a soft noise tasting Roxas' lips with a small swipe of tongue, enjoying as much as he could before it was going to end. He parted their lips, smiling then smirking about something. One hand left Roxas' behind to go to the boy's front, grasping the zipper he pulled it down further down from when he had before with 'Sora'.

"I didn't think you'd be here so quickly." Axel spoke with a cool calmness, not to Roxas but their new visitor. Even with the blind fold on the look of intense hatred could be felt through the dark cloth. It only gave Axel incentive to lean down and kiss the bare skin he exposed; a more seething hatred could have never been felt.

Roxas didn't even try to stop the noise that left him as Axel kissed his skin. He knew exactly who Axel had spoken to and he suddenly felt the need to cling tighter to the other, still not ready to leave just yet. His head turned only a little and he found his eyes narrowing on the one who had put him in this situation. The one who had beaten him. Riku.

Axel fed off the negative emotions either of the boys were giving off; deliciously bitter. "You came at a bad time." He pulled the zipper down even further, slowly pulling it little by little hearing Riku's grip on his weapon tighten with each part of metal zipper teeth. "Or maybe it's perfect timing." He kissed 'Sora's chest, letting his tongue peek out to taste bare skin.

"Stop this." Riku demanded in a hard, shaking tone. "Roxas."

Roxas nearly shivered at the feel of Axel's tongue. The entire time he kept his eyes on Riku while the other teen's words had a slow smirk spreading across his face that was nothing like anything Sora would ever show. "But I'm having so much fun, and you and I both know that you wouldn't dare try and make me." His voice fell to a near dangerous tone. "You would never want to hurt Sora."

".. No, I wouldn't." Riku quietly agreed through his teeth. He sharply brought up Way to Dusk, pointing the duel bladed sword at either of them. "But I've done it before." He narrowed his eyes from underneath the blindfold. "And if that's what it takes." His fingers tightened around the handle of his weapon, the glove squeaking from the action. "... So I suggest you stay out of the way, Roxas." He cocked his weapon, a sneering sort of smirk unnaturally crossing his lips. "The score is one to one. I've defeated you before- don't make me do it again."

Axel scoffed, daringly grabbing Sora's scarf between his dark fingers causing Riku to tense considerably. He tugged it away, letting the soft fabric drape away to reveal 'Sora's slender throat. Unmoved by Riku's threat he touched his lips to Roxas' skin, marring it with an intimate bite.

Roxas narrowed his eyes at Riku's last few words. It was the one small bite to skin that had him calming down just enough and stopping him from losing his temper completely towards the other teen. He leaned away from Axel's lips, but only so he could offer the man more skin to do as he pleased with. Otherwise he made no real move to follow Riku's simple orders. In fact, he did the exact opposite, pushing the older boy's buttons even further. "You had no chance of beating me on your own without the darkness and even now you're helpless without it." Roxas managed another small smirk despite his earlier temper. "You're nothing special."

That was enough- with an angry shout and a blur of dark rage Riku charged them. He disappeared only to reappear directly beside them to slash with Way to Dusk.

Throughout the throne room a loud clash of metal was heard as Riku's own blade met with Oblivion. For that one split second it seemed as if Sora had woken up. The keyblade had returned to it's owner's hands and the situation was just the same had they been sparing back on the beach much, much earlier.

But things weren't always that simple, and nothing was more obvious than that as what had been Sora's eyes turned cold, and a small smirk turned up on his lips.

Even as a nobody Roxas had been able to wield the keyblade and he planned to take full advantage of such a thing while in control of Sora's being. Especially if Riku wanted a fight so badly. He had never denied such a thing before, why break that trend. With a final push against Riku's weapon he pushed the other's blade aside to swipe his own towards Riku.

".. Sora." The keyblade cut into Riku's chest, black pouring out in dark splatters. Riku jerked back with a stagger, leaping back a good many times, stumbling when his feet next hit the ground. He clutched at his chest, black leaking between his gloved fingers for a moment before the wound healed itself.

Riku panted, gritting his teeth. The battle with the millions of heartless had drained him considerably. He was purely driven by emotions now, which he knew wasn't good for him, or Sora.

"Sora-- wake up!" Riku shouted, hating the look that bastard nobody made Sora's face contort to. It was looking at a complete stranger. He held his weapon up defensively.

Axel straightened, smirking. "Not going to happen."

Just to prove Axel's point, Roxas let his free hand fall to his side and in a matter of seconds a second keyblade appeared just as Oblivion had only moments ago. Oathkeeper. He twirled both blades in his palms before he held them tightly and shot forward. As soon as he was near he hit them each, one after the other, against Riku's blade, trying to break the other teen's defense.

With each hit of the keyblades sparks of blue and black mist flew; light against dark. Riku backed up as he tried to block each swing. "Sora-! Please- listen!" He swatted against the new onslaught of Roxas' attacks. Riku truly didn't want to hurt Sora, but this wasn't Sora anymore; not the one he knew, and cared for. "You need to wake up!"

Axel only laughed, cruel and amused. "Don't you get it? They're one and the same." He stretched out his tattooed arms to shrug. "They feel one and the same; that means about you."

Riku let out a hateful grunt. "..Sora." His attention flicked from Axel to the one inhabiting Sora. "Sorry, but-”

Shadows were at their darkest near the brightest light.

Cold black gathered near Way to Dusk as Riku swiped near each counter to Roxas' attacks. He took a strong step forward, black enveloping his weapon. Taking in a sharp breath he swung his blade forward, darkness thrown hard into the attack. But that attack was only meant to throw Roxas off balance for the moment.

Shadow drew into his free hand, taking straight from his very own shadow. He threw out his hand shooting forth the intense darkest black surrounding. "WAKE UP!"

Roxas easily caught his foot, leaning back just enough to avoid the hit, the cold lifeless energy skimming by near inches from his face. But it wasn't Roxas Riku was aiming for. The shot blasted straight into the being behind Roxas, a violent explosion of shadow throwing the surprised victim backwards.

"Axel!" Roxas' eyes had widened as soon as the shot hit its mark and the man's name left him as a worried shout. His eyes stayed glued on Axel's body before he turned them back on Riku, narrowing them in an instant. "Riku..." The name was said in an icy tone as he brought the keyblades up once again to ready them and took a step towards the other.

Something flickered behind his eyes and caused Roxas to stumble for a second and stop where he stood. He nearly lost his grip on the keyblades and his expression changed drastically as he seemed to no longer even be staring at Riku. He tried to blink away whatever had come over him, but that seemed to only make it worse, and along with his vision, Oathkeeper flickered out for a short second only to return just as quick.

For the briefest of seconds a hopeful smile upturned the corner of Riku's mouth. "Sora." The name left him breathlessly. Without thinking he quickly ran to the other teen, grasping his shoulder with his free hand. "Sora! Sora- wake up! Wake up goddamnit!" He gave the teen a hard shake as he shouted desperately at him, his voice nearly cracking.

Roxas immediately shrugged Riku off of him and jumped back to gain some personal space once again. As soon as he did he nearly lost his footing and let out a pained sound as his head started to throb. Oathkeeper finally vanished for good in that instant and Oblivion was left to clatter loudly to the floor as it was forgotten as Roxas clutched at his head instead.

He wasn't ready to leave. He didn't want to go back just yet. If anything, Roxas wanted to fight against everything, even his other half, to stay as long as he could. If he stayed then everything with Axel would finally be the way it should have been and still the worry was there over whether or not Axel was okay.

It was a losing battle, though. It was never Roxas' body to begin with and that's what gave his other half the upper hand on who had the most control. Still, Roxas refused to leave without taking a small portion for his own and as his hands finally went limp the pained expression left his face and he started to fall forward to the floor.

Riku let out a small gasp and stumbled forward to catch the teen, Way to Dusk falling to clatter on the floor. His light, he'd finally gotten his light back. Riku felt relief as Sora fell into his arms and he tightly clutched the boy to his chest. "Sora." He quietly whimpered, in his moment of happy weakness the darkness inside felt suddenly unbearable. He buried his face against the other's soft shoulder.

Slowly, Sora's eyes fluttered open and a groggy sounding noise left him at the same time. He looked around as best he could and noticed he was still in the throne room, but why did everything suddenly seem like a complete blank? That's when he noticed the arms that were clinging to him so tightly and caught sight of silver hair out the corner of his eye.

"Riku." The name left his lips almost disbelieving that it could be his friend at first, but then Sora's tone changed to one of excited relief and his own hands rose to cling to the older teen. "Riku! You're okay! You're alright! I was so worried..." His voice trailed off with those words, too afraid to admit to the other why exactly he was worried. The confusion came back when he realized he hadn't even seen Riku come into the room. "W-What happened?"

Riku began to shake, holding Sora tighter and tighter still just to hear the recognition, the real sound of Sora's voice. Then he spasmed, a hard tremor going through him. He coughed hard, wet, painfully. Warmth splattering and trickling on Sora's shoulder.

"I did." Axel answered virulent, looming from above, worse for wear. With a vengeful, sadistic sneer he plunged Way to Dusk deeper into Riku's back.

Riku didn't cry out, he just held Sora tighter, possessively, as more warmth poured from his mouth. With a choking cough his hold began to grow lax.

Sora's eyes shot wide open and he felt his body start to shake with fear at what was happening. "Riku..." His voice cracked and he could already feel tears start to blur his vision while his grip tightened on Riku's arms. "Riku!" He shouted the older boy's name desperately and tried to ignore the wet feeling on his shoulder. It only made the tears come faster.

Only one hand let go of Riku and Oblivion occupied it in an instant. With a raged cry, Sora swiped the blade back at Axel where the man was behind Riku without even letting go of the teen himself. He refused to even think of doing such a thing, wanting to keep clinging the entire time.

Axel snapped his hands back, leaping back to avoid the fierce swing. He raised a hand to wipe away the black that had trickled down his face from his own wounds with a malicious smirk. "Now nothing will occupy your heart but me."

"Riku will never leave my heart!" Sora shouted the cracked words at Axel and ignored the tears that fell from his eyes to glare hatefully at the man. "No one could ever take his place." There was a slight tug inside his chest after those words were spoken, but it was ignored as Sora's attention had turned to the body he still clung to.

Sora finally rested Riku gently on the floor, choking back more tears as he did so and pressing a small kiss on the dark blindfold. As soon as he stepped back, Sora turned his eyes back on Axel and there was nothing but hate for the man in his expression. He rushed forward with the keyblade still in hand, swinging at the heartless as soon as he was near.

Axel continued to leap back, wanting no part in a confrontation with the fabled keyblade. "Are you so sure?" He leapt back again to avoid another angry swing. "I think Roxas begs to differ."

The prone body on the floor curled in on himself, focusing what energy he had his weapon that was used against him disappeared into dark mist. Immediately after the darkness that was embodied in Riku began to pour out of the wound.

"Sor-..." But a choke of black blood pouring from his mouth stopped Riku's words. He clutched at his throat, but the warm black continued to pool around his weak form.

The shadows in the room began to grow, and from them pulled bigger, crueler heartless. They swarmed out from the shadows, rushing towards Sora to fight a battle Axel refused to.

Sora gave a frustrated cry at the fact Axel wouldn't fight him. He stopped in the middle of the room, ceasing his attacks on the man to watch each heartless that had appeared. He shot one harsher glance at the man before he turned his full attention on the creatures that were headed towards him.

The first few were taken out in a few swings and stabs of his blade, but these heartless weren't at all like the small, normal creatures they had fought in the halls. These heartless put up much more of a fight and soon enough Sora found himself on the defensive, jumping over a few to escape some close calls.

Axel laughed loudly now that things were going his way. He threw out his hands and on the floor from either sides of him black flames burst forth and shot out to encircle the entire throne room keeping all inside captive.

"I'm sorry I have to hurt your body, Roxas." Axel stepped back into the dark flames, untouched by their heat. "But he has to learn." He disappeared into the fire.

Sora watched as Axel disappeared and cursed silently that he wouldn't be able to follow after the man. The heartless were still persistent and the flames were something he couldn't easily just walk right through much like Axel had.

Turning his attention back on the creatures around him, Sora jumped back a few times when one made a grab for him. It didn't stop there and continued to rush towards him along with a couple of others that wanted to join in. Sora was quick to react and raised Oblivion up towards the ceiling of the room. In a flash three large bolts of lightening made their way down from where the blade had pointed and chose their targets. Each one a heartless that had been rushing towards the teen.

Sora watched as the powerful magic hit, but didn't wait for it to wear off. Instead as it was still doing its damage he ran towards the few heartless and swung the keyblade, taking them down while they were weakened by the electricity. Smoke curled up around him as they fell, but he didn't have time to waste as more heartless circled around him. His eyes followed around as his body turned to get a quick look at each enemy. His feet stopped and that's when he attacked, moving Oblivion up and pointed at only one of the heartless first.

Flames gathered at the end of the blade and soon shot out to hit their mark. The attack spurred the rest on, but Sora was ready for them and continued to let the magic hit each one of the heartless, watching as they fell back to the floor one by one. At that moment the one thing that fueled Sora was rage and revenge. Something that rarely drove him on. It made it so simple for him to run up to each fallen heartless and stab them with the blade before they had a chance to even dare get up. The final few that his magic had missed weren't given any mercy and fell only to Oblivion instead of a few spells.

The circle of fire was empty after the battle aside from Sora and Riku. The sudden thought of his friend brought Sora back down from the high that battle had put him in and he turned around quickly to see the wet puddle Riku was now in. "Riku!" He ran towards the fallen teen and nearly broke down all over again. He was breathless from battle and tears started to sting at his eyes again. "Riku..." He fell to his knees and reached a hand out to touch what could be seen of the other's face, not caring that the black stained his gloves. He just wanted there to still be some life in Riku, somewhere.

Riku's cheek was still warm but the liquid black was near ice cold. And through the blur of tears something didn't seem quite right to Sora. He couldn't tell right away until he blinked away the tears, letting the warmth stream down his cheeks; Riku was sinking. Sinking into the black pool around him, like tar.

".. It's too late now." Axel's voice rang clear from no where among the flames. "The darkness has him now." There was lazy laughter to follow. "Just give in to Roxas."

Sora's heart raced in his chest as fear started to be the one thing he could feel most. "No!" Sora ignored Axel's last few words and kept all of his attention on Riku. Oblivion vanished from his grasp so he could reach out with both to tug at the other boy, refusing to allow this to happen. "Riku, wake up!" More tears spilled down his cheeks as he tugged harder. "Please, Riku. Don't let it take you." He choked back a broken noise. "Don't let it take you away from me again."

Black fire shot across Sora's tugging arms.

"You hate him." Tattooed arms wrapped tightly around Sora, one around his neck and another around his chest, yanking him back in restraint. "Remember that you hate him, Roxas." Axel hissed viciously in Sora's ear.

Sora fought against Axel's hold, trying desperately to return to Riku's side. The words had caused another small tug at his heart, but he ignored it again and focused on what was unfolding right in front of him. "That's not true! I could never hate Riku." He struggled some more and reached out his hand, but the flames that had shot out were still there and blocked most of his vision as well as his reach. "Riku!!"

The sinking teen stirred at the desperate scream of his name; Sora. Riku tried to move but something had a firm hold on him, familiar, freezing, chilling every vein as it drew him in.
No- not the darkness. Not the worst of his heart, the arborous side of his love. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to go back to that lonely place that ate away at his humanity until he was nothing more than a marionette for its destructive apathy.

Riku yanked at his arm, pulling with panic to free it. The black slowly relinquished and he managed to pull his arm out of the mess, the rest of him sinking further, further. He raised his hand weakly, stretching towards the black flame to the sight of his weak light behind it so far away. "S-... Sor-...!" His eyes wide with fear behind the blind fold.

But Axel was dragging Riku's struggling light further and further away. "A piece of you hates him. A piece of you doesn't love him. Heh and that piece won't cry when he's gone."

"That's not true..." The words were barely whispered as Sora listened to Axel speak and continued to watch beyond the flames. He had seen Riku move and seen him reach out. Something drove him on in that instant and desperately he tore himself away from Axel, nearly pulling his arm out of socket in the process, trying to get away from the man.

Oblivion appeared in his grasp and the minute the blade formed, Sora turned to point it at Axel as he stepped backward. Ice crystals flowed out from the end of the blade and launched themselves at Axel. Sora knew that it wasn't enough to put down the man, but it was enough to buy him some time. Before he had a chance to see the after effects, Sora turned right back around and headed for the flames. He skidded to a stop and dropped down to his knees once again and prayed that he wasn't too late. He threw caution to the wind when it came to the flames and reached out completely, ignoring whatever burn they would cause. "Riku, hang on. Please."

Riku reached through the flames as well, the intense heat a sadistic welcome from the chilling cold that was trying to engulf him. His hand twitched and strained to reach Sora's, the fire burning to almost an intolerable pain. "S- Sora-!" Black trickled down from where his eyes were hidden behind the blind fold, streaming down his cheeks. He was nearly shoulder deep now. "He- lp-!"

Fingers touched and despite the burning heat, Sora clasped his gloved hand around Riku's own. In that one second he started to pull as hard as he could to bring Riku out of the darkness. Tears streamed down his own cheeks in relief over the fact he had been able to grab onto his friend, but Riku wasn't safe yet until the darkness had completely released him. With that thought Sora pulled even harder, clutching Riku's hand tighter, refusing to let the hold he had on the other teen slip.

But the darkness was far stronger a thing than a young teenage boy. Riku let out a whimpered grunt, gritting his teeth, pain seizing his arm as Sora pulled to no real avail. The darkness kept pulling him in and it was dragging in Sora further into the fire, taking him in the dark with him.

More black tears began to stream down Riku's cheeks, his chest hurt, squeezed by the dark, filling inside his lungs causing him to choke. "S-" More hot black spilled from his mouth. But some how despite the hopelessness his expression managed to soften a little. "L't go." He couldn't have what meant his everything be dragged along with him into the bleak hell with him. Riku let his own grip began to slack before he let go.

"Riku, no!" Sora fumbled to try and reclaim the hand that was no longer in his grasp, but it was no use. Riku was being taken further and further in. The sight had Sora sobbing much harder, his friend's name choked out amongst his cries. He was forced to watch as the darkness was finally victorious once again in taking what Sora had tried so hard to keep. "Riku..." His hand continued to weakly reach out, but there was no longer anything to reach for. His chest tightened and in his mind all of those last final memories they had on the island became so very painful. His worst fear had actually come true and he only had himself to blame.

The fire barrage dissipated along with the pool into black mist. The once bright room now dimmed felt lifeless and silent.

There wasn't much save for boot steps a good ways away from Sora, walking away. "And so ends one story, and starts another."

Sora didn't answer. What sounds he made were quiet cries as his tears continued to run down his cheeks. The only real response he gave was a small tightening of fists, but other then that he didn't give Axel any acknowledgment.

The heartless gave a small 'heh'. "Now you know what it was like... to not be able to say 'goodbye', Sora."

'Goodbye only means we'll never be together again.'

Riku's words rang through Sora's mind over and over after Axel spoke. That same rage that had fueled him against the countless heartless earlier came back again as Sora finally moved and stumbled to his feet. He willed Oblivion back to his hand as he stood from where it had fallen while he had tried to rescue Riku. As soon as he felt the keyblade Sora was immediately after Axel in an instant. His emotions were a mess, so his moves were clumsy as he took a swing at the heartless.

Axel side stepped enough to avoid the swing powered by blind rage. He lashed out a hand to grab the teen's sleeve as he ran by, yanking him off balance so he could thud Sora's back against his chest, hugging him as tight as he could despite his wounds. "... I love you, Roxas." He whispered against Sora's ear before kissing it. He then disappeared into shadows, leaving Sora finally alone.

Sora swung the blade down again after Axel had long since disappeared. It was just something he needed to do and something he wanted to get out of his system. Although he was disappointed that there was no one there.

The man's words had caused another slight tug inside of Sora, but he didn't care. The battle was over and he had lost everything that was dear to him. His eyes turned back to where Riku had fallen into the darkness and once more tears blurred his vision all around him. He would have to leave the castle and tell his friends what happened. That Riku was gone and it was all his fault. He couldn't save him.

For the moment all Sora could do was stand there, numb. His mind was still in a state of shock and it would be a long time before he finally walked away from the horrible scene that he was sure to remember for as long as he lived.
'Will you miss me when I'm gone again?'
---
Axel/Riku - *neofox
Sora/Roxas - *Insanity-Icons

Beta - Nurr

~ Image in preview belongs to *neofox and I do have permission to use it.

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Llyxom's avatar
Stop playing with my heart! First I was all RikuSora now I'm all Roxel and NOW I'm all RoxasAxelRikuSora XD