I Would, I Will, I Do

"No one would miss me."

It wasn't as though he could actually feel anything like anger, or defeat, or sadness, but Axel felt a combination of all three at Roxas's words.

"That's not true!" he protested. "I would..."

Not that Roxas was listening, because Roxas was leaving, and come on, Axel, you have to do something!

He pushed away from the wall and darted after Roxas, grabbing his shoulder. "Roxas." Without thinking, he did the only thing he could think of doing: he stooped down and pressed his lips to Roxas's.

First it was shock on Roxas's face, and then the blush, and Axel thought, for maybe an instant, Roxas's lips response to his with an intensity to match before Roxas slammed his palms against his chest to shove him away.

"What are you doing?!" he demanded, the crimson blush framed by his blonde locks falling into his face.

Axel stared down at him for a moment. "Uhh..." He ran his fingers through his hair, stalling for time because he honestly didn't have a response. "I..." He cleared his throat. "Don't leave."

Roxas stared up at him, almost seeming to be hanging in suspension in the realm of disbelief.

Axel didn't know if he wanted to turn around and let Roxas do what he wanted, or if he wanted to lean down and kiss him again. Actually, there was little competition, but neither seemed right now.

"... I have to go, Axel," Roxas said, coming back to himself.

"You don't have to do anything," Axel retorted.

"Like you're one to talk."

Axel stopped, and then sighed. "Fair enough. But... c'mon. What are you going to learn out there that you can't learn here? We can learn it together."

"You already know," Roxas said. "You have known, and you never told me. Nobody tells me anything here, I don't understand what's been going on lately, and now you let Xion leave like you don't think she matters, either!"

"She matters," Axel retaliated. "You matter."

Roxas made a face. "What does that even mean?"

Axel shuffled his feet, glancing back towards the Castle, and then Kingdom Hearts in the distance. "I don't know."

"How do you not know? You said it."

Axel looked back at Roxas. "Just because I said it doesn't mean that I understand it. Do you remember when you asked me if we, as Nobodies, could have things that we couldn't bear to lose?"

Roxas frowned. "Yes. So?"

"My past is my past. I don't need it to proceed to my future. But..." he trailed off for a moment. "Like Demyx would be upset if you took his sitar, I wouldn't be really comfortable with someone taking away... my best friend," he said slowly.

Roxas stared at him for a moment before sighing heavily. His shoulders slumped, his eyes lost the fiery look, his entire demeanour just dropped, like that. "I don't belong here, Axel."

"We're Nobodies. We don't belong anywhere."

"We have to belong somewhere."

Axel stared at Roxas as Roxas stared at him. Somehow, he thought, they were getting absolutely nowhere with this conversation.

"So, what's this mean for us, then, huh?" he inquired.

Roxas's eyebrows drew together. "'Us'?"

"Yeah." Axel gestured to the space between them. "You. Me. Friends. More."

"'More'?"

"That is, generally, what the kiss means."

"Oh." Roxas shifted his weight, looking up to meet Axel's gaze again. "... You could... come with me?"

Axel wanted to laugh, but something stopped him. "I can't come with you, Roxas. You don't even have anywhere else to go."

"I'm going to find answers," Roxas said stubbornly.

Axel sighed, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead. "You really are his Nobody."

"What?"

"Nevermind."

"That's what I'm talking about!" Roxas exploded. "If you're my best friend, why won't you tell me the things I need to know!"

"Some things are better left unknown!" Axel shot back. "Why can't you just accept what's happening like the rest of us and go with it? Why do you have to break the mold?"

"Why don't you?" Roxas retorted.

Pointless. It was pointless. Axel knew it. He was going to lose Roxas. He'd already lost him. He'd lost him before he'd gotten him and this was just pointless. What was the horrible feeling pervading his body that he was feeling right now, despite the fact that he knew he couldn't acutally feel? Loss. It had to be loss. Regret. Pain. Heartbreak.

"Don't go."

Axel didn't realize it was him who had spoken until after he heard the words. His tone had changed, though. He couldn't describe it.

"Axel..."

"Please," he said bluntly. "Don't. Don't leave. I want you to stay. Isn't that a good enough reason?"

Roxas gave him that same, searching stare for a moment before slowly shaking his head. "Not anymore, Axel."

And that was it. Axel knew when he'd lost a fight. He didn't like surrendering, but he knew when it was his turn to back down. Even with this, even now.

"Alright," he said, raising his hands. "But... Roxas?" He caught his gaze again. "I will miss you."

Roxas's face lit up again, the blush that had been nearly gone coming back with an intensity that made Axel feel again the thrill of attachment he'd come to have to Roxas. But it was broken now, beyond repair, and it was better this way. So he guessed.

"Don't get into trouble when I'm gone," Roxas said.

Before Axel could reply, Roxas had stepped forward, grabbed his sleeve to pull him down, and pressed his lips gently against his. "You don't need me, Axel."

Rarely ever left speechless, by the time that Axel recovered enough to straighten up, Roxas had already rounded the corner and vanished from sight.

"... But that's where you're wrong," he mumbled, brushing his fingers against his lips. "I do need you..."

Beawolf's Pen wanted a re-write of this scene... and I know this is not what she wanted. :s But, when I started writing it... I don't think even Axel could persuade Roxas to stay at this point in the game. So, there's a little slashy stuff and a lot of feels and damn it, why was that scene so pathetic in 358? Axel just let him go after four or five sentences? His best friend? What? ;-; Good for feels, but... really? ;-;''

Sigh. I digress. I do not own Kingdom Hearts; obviously, given my discord with the game's version of this scene. x'D It belongs to Square Enix and Disney. Thanks for reading!