Pairing: AkuRoku

Inspired by the new Final Mix + screen shot.

Ice cream was Axel's last resort. Roxas loved sea-salt ice cream – he had when they were both in the Organization, and from what he'd seen when observing Roxas in DiZ's Twilight Town, that was one thing that hadn't changed. He still ate sea-salt ice cream as though he needed it to live. It was cute, really, and looked like it was something that Axel could use to get Roxas to remember the Organization. Or at least to remember him. That was most important.

Like a virus, Axel was sneaking around Twilight Town, trying to disrupt everything that DiZ had carefully programmed in. A direct meeting hadn't worked – Roxas' memory had been wiped, it seemed – but maybe something stealthier. He'd left one of the old Roxas' black Organization jackets in Roxas' room, hoping that the kid would be curious enough to decide to wear it. This Roxas seemed curious, not like Organization-Roxas, but then, this Roxas also appeared to have feelings, emotions. Which was supposed to be impossible for them.

Axel was hanging around outside the ice cream shoppe now, loitering in the alley beside it and watching for Roxas while trying not to be seen by anyone else. He was succeeding – the program wasn't very good. Everyone except Roxas was programmed, and since Axel wasn't supposed to be there, they weren't programmed to see him. But DiZ's monitors could, so Axel hid.

There! A speeding dash of black jacket, flapping as the person wearing it ran by. So Roxas was curious. He was wearing the jacket. Or maybe he remembered that Axel had been wearing one similar. Either way, it was possible that he could recreate one of their last times together before Roxas had left the Organization.

Axel stepped from the alleyway, and grabbed two sea-salt ice cream bars before running after the short blonde boy. "Roxas!" he called, spotting the boy seated on a bench a little way away. Roxas looked up, curious, and Axel crossed to him and handed him one of the ice cream bars, then seated himself at the other end of the bench and began to slowly eat it. He stared at the ice cream, but watched Roxas out of the corner of his eye, noting that the blonde wasn't looking at him.

Finally, Roxas spoke, "You're responsible for leaving this in my room?" he asked, still not looking at Axel.

Axel nodded, with a murmured noise of assent. Roxas sighed, "I have no idea who you are. You act like we've known each other for ages, but we haven't. Maybe I remind you of someone else?" Roxas sounded hopeful, as if he wanted the whole thing to be a misunderstanding. Axel shook his head.

"You used to know me… But I guess things change. Enjoy the ice cream," he replied, then stood and vanished into a portal. He was running out of time. Xemnas wouldn't stand for his failing to bring Roxas back much longer.

But what could he do?