A/N: Mmph, what's up, guys? Are you still reading the Prince's work? I'm so flattered!! Axel moment, yeah!! Anyway, I have yet another one-shot, as my real story with chapters is still a work in progress. Yeah… So I'm going to keep doing my little one-shots for now. Yeah. Yeah, okay, let's go! On, on, my fair!! This is going to be an Akuroku…again. Heh. On, on, fair maidens and… I don't know, gentlemen. Hopefully you get the idea, okay? I'm trying something totally new.
Can't you see?
Gentle breezes. Soft grass. Fragrant flowers. Smooth summer air. Warm shining sun. Icy water on your feet. Slippery fish against your legs. Every feeling added to the experience. Roxas gave Sora a small smile, even though he couldn't see the reaction. He didn't need to see the reaction. Roxas stood tall in the water, a grin on his slightly sun-burnt cheeks. His wide eyes were open, but Roxas couldn't see a thing.
"You alright, Roxas?" It was Kairi's voice from the behind him, her tone not very worried. He could hear the smile in her pitch.
"I'm fine, Kairi, Sora's right here, anyway." The boy was knee-deep in the lake water, a fishing pole tight in his grip. He felt his brother's hands guide his own, leading the pole to cast.
"Ready, Rox? We're going to throw out the line, now, okay?"
"Yeah, do it." He allowed Sora to lead his hands to click down the button and toss the fishing line far out into the lake. It landed with a small "plunk" and Roxas smiled, "Now what?"
"Now wait. When you feel a tug, pull back and reel it in with this," Sora led Roxas's hands to the handle that turned slightly at his touch, "It'll reel in the fish. I can help you from there, if you want."
He nodded and held the long fishing pole in his hands, "This is nice…"
"Having fun, Roxas?" It was Naminé this time, her soft voice gentle and cheerful.
"I'm waiting," He replied softly, "I'm waiting for a fish." He knew he could catch it. He had heightened senses due to his lack of vision. He could feel the fish before it even took the bait. Roxas stood silent, motionless, waiting patiently for the slippery animal to bite down on the hook.
Minutes passed in near silence until finally, Roxas felt the almost invisible tremor, the twitch of the pole. He remained unmoving, and then with a sharp yank on the metal rod, he smirked in amusement. Roxas reeled in the creature, and then turned to Sora, "Hey, Sora, I think I've got it."
His brother waded into the lake next to him, Roxas feeling every ripple lap against his legs. Sora leaned down and pulled the fish higher, the flailing fins whipping water at the two boys.
"It's kind of a small fish―"
"Just let him go, Sora. I don't want to kill him. I just wanted to see if I could catch him." Roxas held the long pole in his hands, feeling every flip of the fish as Sora ripped the hook from his mouth as smoothly as he could. His brother tossed the fish back into the lake, earning quite the pathetic "pluck" as it hit the water, "Can we just sit on the dock?"
Sora took his arm and led him back to the sandy shore, "Come on, Kairi, Naminé, let's go sit up on the docks." The four slowly walked to the wooden boards, cheerful in the warm setting sun.
"So, what do you see?"
"Pink," Naminé replied, "A lot of pink."
Roxas frowned, he couldn't see pink. What was pink to him? Just more blankness. Just like all colors. He shook his head, "I hear someone coming."
As if on cue, soft footsteps approached the four on the docks, the stride long and lanky. Roxas could hear the smirk in the man's breathing.
"Who are you?"
"Axel, Roxas, you know who I am."
Indeed, he knew Axel. He'd all but grown up with Axel. He knew Axel, and he knew that he had a cocky voice, "Why are you just standing there?" The footsteps loomed closer and Axel's voice was right above Roxas's head.
"Just watching the sunset, same as you."
The boy scowled, "Don't be an asshole. You know I can't see. What do you want?"
"I want to take you for a walk. Just you, Roxas."
"No," Sora said sternly, "You're not going anywhere with Roxas."
"He fights your battles, Rox?" Axel's voice was somewhat mocking, and caused Roxas to frown back at Sora.
"No. I'll come with you. But if I'm not back in half an hour, Sora, you call Mom and the police." Roxas could sense the shocked anger on his brother's face, and the blank stares of the two girls that had come with them, "Don't worry. I can fend for myself," Roxas smirked lazily and shoved his hand into his back pocket. The stupid cane. The red-tipped, stupid cane. He hated the thing, but to be on his own, he would definitely need it.
"I can lead you, if you want." Axel's voice was amused as Roxas whipped the cane out to extend it, "That thing looks like a pain in the ass."
Spotting opportunity, Roxas swung the metal rod at the man, "Yeah, it is." He felt it connect and smirked at the surprised yelp he received, "Don't say anything about me not seeing. I can take care of myself. Got it?"
Axel sighed out loud and walked silently beside the boy. When they were finally out of hearing range of the others, he began to speak quietly, "You know why I wanted to take a walk with you?"
"No." He replied simply, "Why?"
Axel groaned, "Okay." He paused, as if thinking, "Well, you see, I've been watching you."
"Are you making some kind of joke about―?"
"No, I'm not. God, Roxas, chill out for a second would you?" Axel ran a hand through his smooth hair, and Roxas stopped to listen closely to every movement the other made.
Axel smelled like burnt marshmallows. His movements were somewhat awkward and graceful at the same time, lank, like he was disproportionate. Every word he spoke seemed carefully planned, up until he was alone with Roxas.
The boy let out a slow breath of hot air, "Axel, tell me what you see. Right now."
He was silent for a moment, thinking, "…I see something beautiful. Like the fire. It reflects something wonderful, I see nothing but purity and innocence, but somewhere deep, I see something different. Like something fallen, like it might never come back if I look away…"
Roxas sulked, "Poetic. The sunset? I've always been told it's wonderful, but I've never seen it."
"I wasn't talking about the sunset, Rox," Axel said quietly, his hands reaching slowly down and lightly touching the boy's shoulders, "I was talking about you."
"What?"
Axel shook his head with a smile, "Can't you see?" The man swooped down to plant a kiss on the other's surprised lips, smirking into the kiss, "I think even you can see this, Rox."
A/N: Right, right, so my different style made me happy and I hope this makes up for that last fanfic, which I believe was terrible. If you couldn't guess, Roxas was blind through this, and if you didn't guess, well…wow. I thought it was really obvious. Anyway, leave a review, if you could.
Love always and forever, my fair readers—the Prince