Bond of Flame
Tuesday, 19 March 2013
Oneshot

An ocean.

He didn't know why that was the first thing that came to mind. It was just one, great, seething mass of… of Nonexistence.

Maybe an omen of what was about to happen.

Honestly, neither of the two felt like there was much of a chance beyond this. This was the realm of the Nobodies, the place where what can't exist can at least be. A place between worlds. And there was no end of them here. They were just one raging sea, wave after wave threatening to overtake Sora and Axel, no matter how hard they fought.

It was… it was in the way they fought, the way they moved. Neither's face held any expression— their bodies seemed to sag, to respond just a bit more sluggishly than what was right. The hits didn't impact them so much anymore. Didn't really seem to matter.

And gradually, both of them were starting to realize that this fight wasn't one they could win. But that is the marvel of an existence without a heart—

A heart that no longer exists cannot feel despair.

For once, though the young Keybearer couldn't possibly realize it, a Nobody was stronger than he, stronger than the very heart which distinguished them. Axel found that he was smiling to himself, despite the empty ache in his limbs. Just like Roxas. So naïve, so… innocent, to the darkness everywhere around him. To the emptiness of the world. And yet, Sora fought on. Even though Axel could just imagine how the hopeless situation was taking it's toll on Sora's heart, the young warrior was still fighting.

In fact, he could close his eyes, and imagine it was Roxas at his back. The two of them. Breaking away from the Organization. Away from the Nobodies. And maybe… he could have had enough of a heart for the two of us…

Axel smirked, a bit of the fire returning to his spirit. Yes… it feels just like having a heart. He glanced back at Sora. "Y'know, I think I liked it better when they were on my side."

One eyebrow disappeared under tousled bangs. Axel's breath caught in his throat. Like twins. "Feeling a little regret?" Like the same person.

And that was it. He couldn't let this be the end of— of Sora. From that moment, Axel realized he had doomed himself.

And yet his grin split into a dangerous smile, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Nah. I can handle these punks," he said with utter nonchalance, twirling one chakram merely for the sake of showing off. Then both rings began to spin away from him, hovering to his sides. "Watch this!"

I owe this much to you, Sora… Roxas.

The energy, the fire… this raw power that had sustained him, even without his very heart— it began to siphon off, flowing outwards. Axel's concentration was now focused only to this, to feeding the flames, growing and building into a scarcely contained inferno that threatened to burst if he so much as flinched.

He didn't see the tide of white creatures recede from the dancing flames. Didn't see Sora's attacks falter as he grew mesmerized by the spectacle, or when the teen backed away from the more-and-more unbearable heat.

Sweat beaded, then streamed across Axel's face, stinging his eyes. His arms shook and his vision began to spin, and yet he continued to pour every ounce of his being into this moment.

More… more! There had to be more. Had to be enough there…

A sudden shock of light forced Sora to throw one arm up in front of his face; even with that guard, he winced at the brightness and the singing heat. As it faded, he slowly cracked his eyes open, lowering his arm.

He then breathed a noise of amazement. Every single Nobody— gone. Just… gone.

All but one, that was.

"Axel—" With a sudden urgency that he didn't even realize had overcome him, Sora scrambled to reach the Nobody, sprawled on his back.

The Keybearer didn't understand when Axel let out a dry chuckle. Sora's brow furrowed in concern as he knelt next to the man. "You're…" his voice broke for a second, and he hesitated. "You're fading away." And it was true. Whatever it was that comprised a Nobody… it was steadily disappearing. It almost looked as if Axel was simply draining off into the nothingness. Something in Sora's heart seemed to say, that's exactly what was happening. And, without understanding why, his heart was grieving.

Axel looked on, knowingly. "Well," he finally answered, struggling to sit up, "that's what happens when you put your entire being into an attack… you know what I mean?" He seemed ready to chuckle again, but instead flinched, and started to fall back again. Sora lunged forward, catching him almost on instinct. Unfazed, Axel went on, only his voice belying the strain. "Not that Nobodies actually have beings, right?" A sadness seemed to come into his eyes; as he looked up into Sora's, though, he put on another smile. "I digress. Go, find Kairi."

Sora's eyes went wide once more. Kairi! How could he have, even for a second, forgotten?

Because something… something inside of me… needs to be here. It was at once totally inexplicable, and completely familiar. Deep within him, the pain of losing Axel was just as much as losing Kairi, or Riku, or anyone else he loved. He felt as if he knew him… as if he knew everything about him. In a mere second, Sora felt a bond so very deep with this man in front of him. Like the closest of friends. Like brothers… Like… something which can't even be explained. He couldn't have possibly found the words for it, but his heart knew— and it was the one that knew Axel. The one that resonated with him, despite the fact that the Nobody had no heart to resonate back. His heart was the one that had forged a link so close, had beat for the both of them—

"Axel…what were you trying to do?"

"I… wanted to see Roxas." Sora's eyes searched Axel's face, for some expression, some clue. Axel glanced up at the boy that held him. "He was the only one I liked," he admitted. His eyes fell away from Sora, staring off into a different time, a different place. "Made me feel like… I had a heart. It's funny." A smile— a genuine, sincere smile— came onto Axel's face. "You make me feel the same way." And there… that strange, almost hidden sadness. That wistful longing.

A small, sad smile came onto Sora's face as well. This longing… this need to be here… it's not just mine. It's his too. He needs me to be here for him… with him… He needs this…

Without having an explanation, but somehow feeling that he didn't need one, Sora gently wrapped his arms around Axel's torso. He felt the man inhale sharply, surprised, but Sora only smiled knowingly. "I'm here," he whispered.

Axel gradually relaxed, even sinking into it. "So it's you, after all," was all he gave in reply, cryptically. And they found the both of them sinking to the floor, together. The battle, the emptiness, it all seemed to melt away. What they were doing and why they had come disappeared. In that instant, two beings found themselves united in the same heart— a bond of friendship, of love, that had brought this Nobody and this heart together, irregardless of everything else in the world.

Sora's hand found their way up around Axel's shoulders, and he pulled himself in closer, never wanting to let go. He was dimly aware that he was atop Axel, lying on his stomach, but contact, even being near Axel, was pure ecstasy. He felt a soft touch tracing up his back, and the muscles shivered in response. Sora closed his eyes, letting his sigh express his bliss. Even better, the fingers began to comb through his hair, bringing him no end of joy. It seemed to stimulate the muscles in his neck, as he gently lifted his head.

Two green eyes stared softly back at him… No. Not at him. But it didn't matter. Nothing did— nothing they could see on the outside. Sora's hand slid across the shoulder blade, and he watched as Axel's head lolled towards that side, his expression one of perfect contentedness. His hand free from under Axel's back, it came up, lightly brushing Axel's cheek, tender, lovingly.

The two of them… here… together… Nothing could have been more right at that moment. Sora then found his hand cupping the back of Axel's head, delicately, and the muscles along his stomach flexed, pushed him forward. As if the two existed as one, Axel replied in perfect harmony, his one arm guiding Sora's shoulder's and torso forward, the other tightening affectionately around the boy's waist, clinging to him and bringing the two even closer together again.

And it was almost purely instinctual by the time their lips met. Neither could have stopped— nor would either have wanted to. They had lost themselves completely to each other, had ascended that dizzying spiral on to cloud nine. And we're together… the mere thought of it was enough to bring them to euphoria.

Sora could barely feel Axel's arms crushing into his head and back, bringing his heart closer every second. Had he even been capable of knowing it, he might have realized he was embracing Axel just as hard. But as it was, his lips locked to Axel's, his arms caught in a lover's embrace, his spirit flying with every moment, he wasn't even aware enough to realize that Axel had rolled him over, coming to be on top of him. Instead of concern, the younger boy felt comforted, elated even… never wanted to let go… just wanted to hold on and be held forever…

"Sora…" the soft voice broke through his reverie. Not only did it bring him back to reality, but it brought him back to who he was. Even so, he made no move to get out from under Axel.

Axel… his smile still hadn't faded, and this time, it extended all the way into his eyes. Even broken from their trance of a few moments before, Sora couldn't help but be thrilled. "Kairi's… in the castle dungeon…" Sora's smile slowly faded into worry as he realized what brought this on. He could feel it, like an ache within his heart— Axel was fading, at last. "You should go, now," he said, softly, moving to let Sora up. But Sora held him close. He knew, without knowing how or why, that Axel didn't want to be alone, when it… when he…

Sora sighed, his sadness and regret escaping all at once. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, burying his head into the perfect niche between Axel's head and shoulder. "I… I know you would have rather spent your last…" he stopped again, gulping hard; "your last moments… well… with Roxas," he finally managed to get out, looking up into Axel's eyes.

What he saw there was nothing but content. "You know what?" Axel murmured. "I think I did…"

He felt the man above him starting to slump, those honed, perfect muscles starting to relax.

"Axel?" Sora rolled him over and off of him, coming up overtop of Axel on hands and knees. And in a few moments, Axel was gone. The last bits of shadow that seemed to lend Axel his form converged at the last second, to reveal a corridor of darkness— an escape, for Sora.

Reeling from shock, the boy twisted around to sit upright, arms propped up behind him, and knees drawn up close as he tried to process.

He didn't move from that spot for several minutes. He wasn't ready to move yet. Wasn't ready to leave this place and leave behind what had just happened. In his head, he understood that he, Sora, barely knew this man. And yet, he had felt such love, and didn't question it, not even now. Now that he was…

Exhaling dejectedly, Sora drew one arm up in front of him, hand going to his face, trying to will himself to hang on to the last feeling of Axel. Maybe he didn't have a good explanation, but he didn't want Axel to fade away, into oblivion. To suffer the same fate as every other Nobody. He didn't deserve this... Sighing, Sora replaced his hand on the cool floor behind him.

He jumped as he felt something sharp beneath it. Drawing his hand back up, he peered down, to see a small chakram attached to a chain: a Keychain.

For a moment, Sora's mouth hung agape, but it quickly morphed into a smile. His fingers wrapped themselves around the tiny chain, pulling it up, up… to be held right against his chest. Right next to his heart.

No. Axel will never fade like the other Nobodies. He had found a place in others' hearts— he had found a heart for himself… through love.

A love that isn't mine… but is my heart's.

Sora found himself smiling warmly, pushing himself up. He turned to face the portal— Axel's other parting gift. With a glance to the charm in his hand, he straightened his back and let out a long breath. He had more friends who needed him.

He was ready now.

A/N: This story was originally uploaded 16 January 2007. I pulled it down about a year later as I was doing some cleanup of my profile. Now, about six years after its original publication, I've decided to clean it up and resubmit it.

One thing I love about the KH series is the extremely strong bonds they develop between characters. I don't tend to ship at all (not being much of a romance writer), but this idea caught on and wouldn't let go. I hope you enjoy.

::Demonick