Once Upon a Time

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or the characters.

Chapter One: We were friends, once.

They were up on the Clock Tower in Twilight Town as usual, sea salt ice cream in hand. Their legs dangled over the empty space, talking, chatting.

Friends in the truest sense of the word.

Axel looked to his left. Roxas, quiet and absent minded, staring into space as usual. Xion on his right, smiling slightly, but looking tired. Still, they were his friends, the things that made his existence interesting. Unexpectedly Roxas shook himself, a sign that he was emerging from one of his long daydreams and looked at Axel.

"What was Saix talking about?"

Axel blinked in confusion, hoping Roxas wasn't talking about what he thought he was. "When?"

"Earlier. He said something about a make believe friendship, and a real one?"

"Were you eavesdropping again?" Axel accused.

Xion scoffed. "As if you don't?" She said.

Axel sighed. "That's not important, Roxas. Forget about it."

"I want to know."

Axel stared at Xion first, until she turned her blue eyes away. Roxas, however, wouldn't be cowed and stared unflinchingly at him.

Finishing the ice cream and dropping the stick Axel looked at the ground far below.

"We were friends, once. That was a long time ago."

Roxas looked like he was going to say more, but Axel interrupted him.

"Let's get back to the Castle."

***

Saix was looking out of the windows in his room, watching the street far below. The neon lights shed enough radiance, that, and the halfway constructed moon, Kingdom Hearts, to show the three figures heading for the castle gates.

Saix recognized him. Axel. Walking with his arms around Roxas and Xion's shoulders. He was far too attached to them. He was laughing at something Roxas had said and even Xion was smiling.

You never let your human memories go, did you?

Saix watched them enter the castle, and couldn't help a memory that stubbornly lodged itself into his mind until he let it play its sad song.

The curtains were drawn and the only light in the dimly lit bedroom was the computer screen. Ais typed on the computer concentrating so fiercely on his work that he didn't notice his visitor until he spoke.

"Still working? When was the last time you went outside? Are you even aware its summer?"

Ais smirked at his friend's taunting words but kept working, without turning around.

"Seriously, let's head to the Clock Tower. We'll get some ice cream. If you don't get some sunlight your skin is going to be bleached white, got it memorized?"

Ais kept typing but said, "I'm not hungry, Lea. And I have work to do."

"At least turn the lights on!"

There was a flash of light, and four candles were ignited all at once. Unable to hold back a comment, Ais turned around in his chair and smirked again.

"Better at fire, are you, Lea? Not setting books on fire? Still practicing by the lake?"

Lea scowled, and then laughed. "About time you answered! Work turns you into a zombie."

Grabbing him by his arm Lea hauled Ais to his feet. "We're going outside if you like it or not."

Saix shook his head, clearing the memory away, and stared at the glimmering gold moon.

"When was the last time," Saix said to himself. "That anything you said was truly funny, Axel?"

He knew the answer to that.