A/N: Here it is: the sequel to "Pyroelectricity"! I seriously hope it lives up to its predecessor... But like its predecessor, I will do my all to make this the best that this fic can be!...Good gawd, I feel like a president giving a corny speech...
The peaceful town was bathed in a cozy eternal twilight. The woman was staring down at the Sandlot, watching as the poor children ran around innocently, trying to tag each other. Heartless, Nobodies, and people who chose to stay with the dark winded up here after death. But that did not stop them from reproducing, and this realm seemed just like the realm of the living. Almost.
The only thing was that the darkness was in all their blood, yet many offspring go through their lives without even so much as tapping within that darkness. They simply go on living normal lives, yet the knowledge was embedded in them that they were born dead, so to speak. That didn't stop them much, though.
Larxene sighed as her gaze roved across the Sandlot once more from her perch on a balcony. She smiled contentedly when she felt familiar strong arms wrap around her waist. Her slender hand went up to stroke his face, as he bent his head to kiss her neck. "What took you so long?" she asked playfully, knowing her answer.
"You never told me where in Twilight Town you were going to be!" Axel protested quietly. "So I decided to turn this place upside down in my dramatic quest for you," he laughed. He swept her away to a secluded corner, where he gently pinned her against a brick wall. His eyebrows waggled suggestively as he took in Larxene's half-closed eyes, her fox-like grin, her hands as they worked at his Organization coat.
Larxene closed her eyes as she craned her head back against the wall, reveling in the feel of his lips against her collarbone. Her senses were aflame as she felt his hands beginning to explore places no other being could dare touch. Her lips parted to let loose a soft moan.
She was cut off from so many things when something solid rammed into her thigh. "Son of a--" she began angrily, but cut herself off when she and Axel saw who it was.
A boy. No older than five, possibly. His sandy blond hair was ruffled and his blue eyes were wide with...fear?
"Kid?" Axel came up and crouched in front of the frightened boy and asked, "Where's your parents?" Larxene wondered if he was vexed or not at this child for...interrupting them.
The boy simply gave him a confused look as he rushed into Axel's arms. It was Axel's turn to be confused as he awkwardly picked up the child, who was clinging to him as if for dear life.
"You know this kid?" Larxene asked flatly.
"Never seen him in my life!" Axel answered, trying to pry the kid out of his arms. Turning back to look down at the boy in his arms, Axel asked, "Do you have anyone who...looks after you?"
The boy looked up at Axel again, only this time his blue eyes were glazed over, threatening to spill over with tears. "No," he answered meekly. "No, I don't."
"What do we do?" Axel whispered frantically at Larxene.
"That's simple: give me the kid!"
Axel didn't even open his mouth when Larxene snatched the kid from his arms. She approached the balcony, and for a split second Axel was afraid that she might throw the kid over. He visibly relaxed when she held up the kid and shouted, "Whose kid is this?!" This earned her several odd looks and bewildered stares. Coming back toward Axel, Larxene stated, "Okay, he's actually telling the truth: he's homeless."
"We can't just leave him here," Axel said worriedly as he took the boy back into his arms.
"Why can't we?" she asked tersely, folding her arms across her chest as she stared at her lover of nearly two years.
"Larxene, look at this kid!" Axel insisted. "He looks like he's been to hell and back!" Indeed, the boy was in poor condition: shabby and ripped clothes, dirty blond hair that was spotted here and there with--
"Is that blood in your hair?" Larxene asked incredulously, peering at the boy for a closer inspection.
He flinched at her tone, and curled up even tighter in Axel's arms. "Larxene," Axel said gently, "ease your tone, huh? He doesn't like it."
"To hell with what this kid likes!" she hissed. "Why does he have blood in his hair? And on his clothes?"
"Because he's a five-year-old serial killer," Axel said, pretending to be serious. Smiling, he said, "I'm sure he'll tell us when he's ready. Come on," he said as he summoned a swirling vortex, wisps of darkness trailing about from it.
"Axel!" Larxene ran up to him. "You're not-- you can't be serious! We're actually going to take this kid to the Castle?!"
Axel looked at her helplessly. "We can't leave him here if we can help it, Larxene," he said quietly. "Besides, you've taken in worse than him." His emerald eyes glittered as he reflected upon his own arrival to this realm. "Give the kid a chance," he beseeched.
Larxene stared solemnly at the boy, who was whimpering, clutching Axel's chest still. "What's your name?" she asked, careful to keep her voice level and calm.
He looked directly into her eyes for the first time and answered in a tiny whisper: "Strafe."
Larxene looked to the side, unable to hide the cold look she knew was settling into her face upon this child. "Fine, Axel," she said after staring at the sunset for a few seconds of thought. "We'll take him."
Axel only held Strafe closer to him, reacting to the boy's frightened emotions, his tear-and-blood-stained face, his small hands as the held on to him tighter. He felt a stirring need inside him, a need to protect this boy who was obviously hurt in more ways than one. "Come on," he soothed to Strafe. "We'll take you somewhere safe."
"Did you two have a kid and not tell us about it?" the girl asked Axel and Larxene incredulously as she peered at the frightened Strafe with dark green eyes, inquisitive.
"Meytha," Axel gasped dramatically. "This kid is -what?- five! I've only been here for roughly two years! Where's the logic in that?" He grinned and Larxene scowled behind him.
Meytha clicked her tongue. "Anyways, Xemnas will want to know who you're bringing in to this place, hm?"
"Yeah, we know," Axel answered gently. "We were headed to the meeting chamber right now; that's where he is right now."
Meytha nodded in understanding. "Well, then," she said, playing with her purple-black hair, "I highly recommend you tell only Xemnas about the kid. After that Xemnas can spread the news about him. That way the kid won't have to deal with all the scrutinizing; he looks pretty freaked. Isn't that right, sweetie?" she crooned to Strafe, gently stroking his cheek with an index finger.
Strafe remained silent, but nonetheless looked at Meytha out of the corner of his eye.
Larxene waited patiently outside the meeting chamber, tapping her boot against the marble floor. She did not feel like going in and talking about the child.
She wasn't fond of children, to tell the truth. Now, to say the very least, she might be...selective when it came to children...Nevermind, she still didn't like children. She narrowed her eyes to crystal-blue slits as she contemplated on this boy who had literally crashed into her; who would watch him? Who would feed him? Who would take care of it? She suddenly swallowed as she figured it out...
Axel opened the massive double doors, exiting the chamber, Strafe still in his arms. "We're keeping him," Axel told her simply.
"I already figured that much," Larxene retorted quietly. "But who is to care for it?"
"We are," Axel returned softly, and he noticed Larxene stiffen. "Xemnas said he'll let him stay, but we have to be Strafe's main guardians."
" 'Guardians'?!" Larxene spluttered. "I'm not guarding this brat!" She shot a scornful glance at Strafe, who whimpered and snuggled deeper into Axel's chest.
"Please," Axel begged. "Whatever happened to him, he deserves better than what he was probably living with before he found us." He looked down at Strafe. "When he's ready, he'll tell us what it is he's been through. But for now, we'll take care of him."
Larxene merely stared at Strafe as if he were a virus.
Zexion sniffed the air, suddenly alert as he finally registered the new smell. "Meytha," he called softly. He heard the girl grunt from his armchair as he called her name. "I smell a new scent in the Castle."
"Yeah, forgot to tell you," Meytha answered casually. "Axel and Larxene found a little bundle of traumatization and shyness."
"A child?" Zexion pondered incredulously. "But...that can't be..."
"Why not?" Meytha peeked at Zexion from over an armrest.
"This child's natural scent is...mainly one that smells awfully like blood."
"Well," Meytha drawled thoughtfully, "he had some dried blood on him. Maybe that's what you're smellin'?"
Zexion shook his head, in deep thought now as he mumbled, "No. I can distinguish one's natural scent from whatever else is on them. And this child's natural scent is one like blood..." Looking at his ceiling, he muttered, "I'll have to see this child some time..."
Meytha merely shrugged and went back to reading her novel.
"You sleep here," Axel coaxed gently as he lay the boy down on his own bed, on the side closest to the wall. He had given the boy a warm bath in his bathroom, doing his best to scrub away all the dried blood. It had been quite a task, but he had succeeded. "Is there something bothering you?" he asked as he sat next to Strafe, recalling the scars, bruises, and...teeth marks that he had discovered on the boy during his wash.
Strafe just shook his head. "No."
Axel allowed a small sigh to escape his lips. "Okay, then."
"Is that lady coming back?" Strafe asked timidly. It was the longest sentence Axel had heard from him so far.
"Er, she might. She comes by a lot." Axel scooted closer to Strafe, hoping to try and comfort this boy. "But once you get to know her, you'll like her a lot. Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"I want to see her," Strafe said suddenly.
A/N: First chapter right here. Ah, children: love 'em and hate 'em... But anyways, I really hope I do well this time around.