‘ YOU COULD COME WITH ME. ’
such a simple statement, only five words, & yet it sinks almost PAINFULLY into the void within axel’s chest, grabs with thorny claws, & tugs at long—forgotten heartstrings. his first instinct is to agree, to throw himself across the void that stretches between them, but the answer sticks, gummy, in his throat. something INVISIBLE & HORRIBLE holds him back, shackles him to this damned castle.
saix. SAIX. the remnants of guilt from their time spent with hearts spears into his guts with a ferocity that nearly brings him to his knees. their promise resounds within his soul, impossible to be ignored. forgotten.
XEMNAS. the flurry of dancing flames grits his teeth against the image that name conjures, green eyes flickering to the side. he had told them that kingdom hearts had been the answer to everything. isn’t the goal to get hearts of their own?
axel lowers his head, hands balling into tight fists at his sides. a few tendrils of flame lick at the leather of his gloves & coat, physical manifestations of the internal war he’s raging against himself. INDECISION IS THE ENEMY, even if the decision is clear : he’s terrified of defying xemnas, of breaking his promise to saix, but …
“ … free kingdom hearts, huh …? ”
then what? does it really matter? will they even GET THAT FAR?
“ … okay, kiddo. wherever you go, i’ll follow. i can’t let you defy the organization alone, rox … they’ll destroy you without me. ”
he clears the distance between them in seconds, still hot arms curling around the key of destiny’s slighter frame. it’s the first time that he’s been so OPENLY AFFECTIONATE with the blond, but at this point he doesn’t really care. he’d almost let his best friend run off & risk his life alone. AS IF THERE HAD EVER BEEN ANOTHER CHOICE !!
the silence , roxas thinks , is the answer he expected to hear. more than an outright no , more than a yes , he expected this. that was enough of an answer. he’s prepared to go it alone like he’d planned to in the first place , fight whoever got in his way , even if that was axel himself. he wouldn’t hold it against him , xemnas isn’t exactly the most understanding of bosses.
he doesn’t expect axel to agree , to close the distance between them , literal & physical , so quickly & so openly . he jolts when he’s pulled against axel , his arms are still hot , like a real flame , but it doesn’t bother him. roxas hesitates for a moment before returning the gesture , wrapping his arms around axel in return.
he’d only lost one friend. that was too many , but this would be enough .
he doesn’t quite register his words for a moment , & they hit him with such a force that roxas’ knees feel weak. the fact that axel was choosing him over the organization , willing to put his life on the line to follow him , just because they were friends...
something in his chest feels warm , more complete than it did before.
it’s as close to a thank you as he lets himself get , he feels too unstable to say that out loud. but roxas lets himself cling to axel just a little tighter than he has to , than he probably should , just to remind himself that he’s real , that this is real , that axel won’t disappear like she did.
‘ she....she asked me to set them free...kingdom hearts. that’s why i have to... ’
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