A/N: Fanfiction OneShot for my buddy Jasmine

Happy Birthday!

"Sea Salt and Ice Cream"

It was only early afternoon, and already the sun was sweltering hot. Even the sanctuary of indoors was giving into the brutal heat. Roxas knew that if he didn't find some sort of relief, it was shaping up to be a down right miserable afternoon.

For the time being, the short blonde was sprawled out on the couch in the Organization's lounge, fanning himself lazily. He stared up at the ceiling with a blank look on his face until he saw red. A fire? Can a fire smile? Was he hallucinating already?

Roxas blinked and rubbed his eyes, refocusing on what was above him. Red hair. Not a fire. Green eyes. And a toothy grin. Roxas sighed and let a tiny smile spread across his lips. It was Axel.

"You look surprised to see me, short stuff. Or were you checking to see if you were dreaming?" Axel laughed, "Don't worry, Rox, it's really me. Your dreams came true!"
Roxas rolled his eyes and sat up, pushing his best friend playfully. "What is it Axel? It's too hot for this."

"Too hot? Don't be ridiculous, it could never be too hot!"

"Axel. You fight with fire. Of course you think that. I'm talking about for us normal people." Roxas retorted, not in the mood to put up with Axel's cheery demeanor.

"Don't be such a spoil sport Roxas. This is my favorite kind of weather! But hey, I've got an idea!" Axel wrapped his arm around the shorter male.

"…I hate your ideas."

"Nah, trust me! You'll like this one!"
"Uh huh. Sure. Alright, what's this idea?"

"Take off your clothes!"

Roxas choked on his air and whapped Axel on the back of the head. "Are you out of your mind? What the hell are you thinking?" He shouted at him.

Axel was practically rolling with laughter and patted Roxas's hair. "You have to finish listening first! I'm not done yet."
"I really don't want to hear any more if that's the beginning of your idea, Axel."

"I just wanted to see your reaction" Axel winked, "And it was worth it. I'm kind of serious though. Go change into a bathing suit or something, we're going to the beach!"

Roxas smiled, actually liking this idea. The beach was a good idea, Axel could have his fill of the scorching sun and he could cool off in the water or the shade. He quickly agreed and went to change and gather some sunscreen, money and a towel.

Soon the duo arrived at the beach, and set up a small camp spot by the water. Axel laid out in the sun while Roxas immediately headed to the water.

After about an hour, Roxas was getting bored. He called over to Axel, who had fallen asleep in the sun. Getting no response, he begrudgingly got out of the cool water and marched back over to the camp spot.

"Axel. Hey Axel!" He called down to the redhead, still receiving no answer. He decided to shake his dripping hair, hoping to water would wake him. Axel stirred and rolled over. Roxas huffed and glared down at the sleeping man before he spied a small bucket out of the corner of his eye. He went over to it and not seeing its owners, picked it up. He filled it with water and marched back over to the blanket Axel was sleeping on. With a grin, he turned the bucket over, sending the sea water splashing all over his best friend's face.

Axel woke with a start, sputtering the salty water out of his mouth. He sat up and saw the empty bucket in Roxas's hands.

"Hey! What the hell?" He fumed, "I was sleeping! What's the big idea?"

Roxas laughed, "Come on, chill out Axel, I was getting tired of your snoring! I could hear you all the way from the water!"

Axel continued to grump and muttered curses. Roxas slowly stopped laughing and smiled at his friend.

"C'mon Axel, come in the water. It'll be more fun than just sitting here on the beach by yourself."

Axel puffed out his cheeks, "I don't want to mess up my hair."

"Too late for that, you already took a bucket to the face." Roxas smirked and started back towards the water, leaving Axel before his words sunk in.

Axel reached up and touched his hair, finding that his spikes had indeed been ruined by the bucket of sea water. Then, with revenge on his mind, stood up and chased Roxas back towards the surf.

"Get back here you twerp! That's not funny at all! Do you realize how much time I put into my hair every day! You're gonna pay!" He yelled, only half joking.

Several hours of rough housing and splashing later, Roxas found himself in a headlock.

"Alright! Alright! I give! Let go already Axel!" He yelled, fighting to get his head free.

"No way shortie! You're gonna pay for getting my hair wet!"

"Come on Axel! It's not like you haven't gotten it even more wet!"

"That's not the point!"

"Yeah it is! Now let me go you psychopath!"

Axel smirked, "Alright, alright"

Then he let the shorter man go. Roxas, unprepared for him to let go so suddenly, fell face first into the salty water as the tall red head laughed. After a few moments, he calmed down and looked down, anticipating to see his blonde companion resurfacing. A few more moments passed and Axel frowned. Still no Roxas.

"Hey. Roxas?" He asked.

No answer.

"Hey! Roxas!" He called.

Still nothing.

Anxious, Axel leaned closer to the water. As he did, Roxas's head slowly poked out of the water, cheeks full of the salty sea water. Axel's eyes opened wide as Roxas squirted the water out of his mouth and right into his face. Axel sputtered as Roxas stood up, taking a deep breath and grinning at the other.

"That wasn't funny!" Axel yelled.

"It was hilarious" Roxas replied with a smirk. "Revenge is sweet."

"But I was the one supposed to be getting revenge, you twerp!" Axel growled, wiping his face dry from the water and spit.

"Too bad, because I still win."

"And what exactly did you win?"

"Sweet revenge. And something else."

"Uh huh. What else?" Axel asked with a sour face.

"Something sweet."

Axel thought for a moment and grinned. "Aw Roxas! If you wanted a kiss, all you had to do was ask!"

The remark was met with a smack upside the head.

"You idiot. That's not what I meant."

"Oh really?" Axel asked with a pout, feigning a hurt expression. "Then what did you want?"

As if on cue, Roxas's stomach growled. "Ice cream. You're buying me ice cream."

Axel laughed and patted the shorter boy on the head, "Alright, fine. Just this once, and only because you're so cute."

Roxas twitched and shoved Axel's hand away before stomping back towards shore, his friend following closely behind.

One trip to the snack bar later, the duo walked away with one ice cream cone. Roxas started questioning the red head.

"Why'd you only get one? Didn't you want one too?"

"Nah." Axel responded, "I was snacking earlier when you were playing with yourself."

"When I was what?"

Axel laughed, "When I was sun bathing!"

Roxas fought the blush on his face. "What the hell, Axel, don't stuff like that!"

Axel only laughed harder, "What? Am I embarrassing you, Rox? That's adorable!"

"It isn't! Shut up!"

"Are you blushing?" Axel smirked.

"It's sunburn!"

"I doubt that somehow!"

"Keep that up and you're going to end up with vanilla ice cream in your face." Roxas retorted.

Axel smirked at the comment and wiggled his eyebrows, making Roxas twitch.

"Besides," he said, trying to change the subject, "If I wanted any, I'll just steal some of yours."

"Fat chance of that" Roxas retorted, taking a lick from the cone. "I won it."

Axel snorted. "It was completely unfair."

Roxas snickered and started back towards their camp site. "That's just too bad."

The two sat down on the towel axel had laid out hours before, making themselves comfortable as the sun, which had been hot and punishing a few hours before, slowly started to sink behind the horizon. The sky and the water were colored red, yellow and orange as the sun retreated, giving everything around a light orange tint.

The beach calmed and quieted as others who had come to the beach for refuge headed home, soon it was quiet except for the waves, sea gulls and the conversation of the two friends sitting side by side on the beach.

Axel stood up after a while to stretch, Roxas soon following his lead.

"So? It was a good idea, wasn't it?" He asked his shorter friend.

"What was now?"

"Coming to the beach. I told you you'd like it."

Roxas smiled. "Yeah, alright. This time. You win."

Roxas headed down to the water, still licking at his ice cream, to rinse his feet in the surf.

He didn't notice Axel followed him until he was directly behind him.

"What did you say?"

Roxas jumped, almost dropping the cone. "The hell Axel? Don't do that!"

He took a step back when he saw the look the red head was giving him.

"Hm? Come on, Rox. Say it again." Axel smirked.

"Say what again?"

"You told me that I won." Axel said bluntly.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Well, I think the same rules still apply."

"What rules?"

"You got something sweet when you 'won'"

Roxas frowned. "The snack bar's closed by now Axel."

Axel was unperturbed and stepped closer to his best friend. "Uh huh. But that doesn't mean you don't owe me! This means I get a lick of your ice cream!"

Roxas scowled. "No way! I won this!"

"And I won a lick! Come on Roxas!"

Roxas ran, holding on to his ice cream, Axel hot on his heels.

Eventually, he ran out of breath and had to slow down, Axel quickly catching up and opening his mouth to take a lick from the cone. Roxas immediately extended an arm to protect his treat and pushed Axel away. The red head lost his balance and fell face first into the water, coming up sputtering salt water from his mouth.

"Hey! No fair, come on Roxas!"

Roxas frowned as Axel stood up again. "You aren't getting any of my ice cream!"

Axel snorted and then grinned. "I'll take something else sweet then."

The blonde quirked an eyebrow, "Like wha-?"

Before he had a chance to even get the question out, Axel leaned down and kissed him.

Roxas was frozen in shock, taking a few moments to reboot his brain before shoving the taller man away.

"Wh-What the hell was that!" He demanded.

"Something sweet." Axel responded flatly, licking his lips, obviously quite proud of himself. "Doubly sweet. I got some ice cream too."

Roxas blinked, his face bright red and spewed the first thing he could think of. "You got salt in my mouth!"

Axel was quiet for a moment, seemingly contemplative. After a moment, he finally spoke up.

"You know, it's not bad.

"What are you going on about now?"

"Here, try it again" Axel responded, and before Roxas could protest, he kissed him again, longer this time.

Roxas struggled for a few moments, but Axel held him still. Eventually he gave up. Then, he realized something. He didn't mind it. As much as he and Axel argued, he was his best friend. And as much as he wanted to be weirded out by his friend kissing him, he found he couldn't. He didn't mind it. More than that actually. Roxas found that he kind of liked it.

As Roxas dealt with his epiphany, Axel pulled away and grinned at the shorter boy.

"See? Not so bad."

Roxas blinked, short of breath, "Yeah. Not bad at all."

"Who would've thought, ya know?"

"…Not me."

"Yeah. Sea salt and ice cream. It's actually pretty good."

Roxas turned bright red again. "Wait what?"

Axel, who was rubbing his chin, looked down at his blonde buddy. "Hm? What?"

"That's what you meant?"

"Yeah, of course. What did you think I-?" Axel cut off. Then he grinned. "Oh! You were talking about the kiss!"

"Yeah of course! Stupid!" Roxas fumed.

"Well! I guess you didn't get a good taste then! One more time then!"

And he kissed Roxas a third time.

This time Roxas tasted what Axel had meant. It was an odd combination, but the two flavors actually complimented each other. He waited for Axel to pull away again, but after a minute, he didn't. Roxas pressed his lips against Axels for a few more moments and slowly pulled away.

"You're right." He said breathlessly.

"Told you so." Axel replied, pecking his lips again. "I really like the taste."

Roxas blinked. "You're just looking for another reason to kiss me again, aren't you?"

Axel grinned. "Bingo."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You aren't getting any more today. That's enough for one win."

The red head's grin grew wider. "Today? Alright! Watch out Roxas, I'm gonna be winning a lot more from now on if that's the reward."

Roxas blushed and scowled. "Yeah sure."

Axel kept smiling and hugged his companion around the waist. "Nice blush."

"Sun burn."

"Whatever you say Rox."

Roxas blushed more and slowly hugged his… more than friend back.

They stood like that for a few more minutes before Axel piped up again.

"You know" He said, "They should make sea salt ice cream. I bet people would buy it. Heh, even if they didn't, I sure as hell would."

"Actually, me too." Roxas agreed.

"Even if it didn't, I would. Reminds me of you, ya know?"

"Shut up Axel."

The red head laughed. "Make me"

"With something sweet?"

Axel grinned, "Sweet and salty if you don't mind!"

Roxas sighed, smiling a little and leaned up to kiss Axel again as the final rays of sun disappeared beneath the waves, as if to give them privacy.

Okay, so today hadn't been as bad as he thought it'd be. A little salty, but sweet. The perfect combination. Just like him and Axel.

_

THE END!
SO, this was my first fanfiction in YEARS. I would appreciate a little feedback on it. I hope you liked it Jasmine, sorry I was so late! 3