AN: If you recognise the characters, they don't belong to me.

"You fancy her."

It was a seemingly casual comment, but the redhead to whom it was addressed sat up and glared at the speaker as though he'd said something offensive.

"Sora, don't be so ridiculous."

"Then why can't you take your eyes off her?"

Axel glanced at the boy next to him, then back at the girls in the water. The one in question, Kairi, was clearly visible.

"She looks hot in a bikini. They all do, but Roxas might castrate me if I so much as look at Naminé the wrong way, Yuffie's quite capable of doing that by herself, and Aerith and Tifa are both taken. She's the only one I can legitimately stare at."

"You should ask her out then."

"No-one asked what you thought, Riku."

"Maybe not, but it doesn't mean I can't say what I think."

"Take your opinions and shove them up your…"

"Axel. Shut up, ok? There's no need for that."

"Piss off, then."

"But it's so much more fun doing this."

"Why won't you ask her? The worst she can do is say no."

"Kairi is not my kind of girl. Understand?"

They all nodded, but none of them really believed him. They'd seen the way he looked at her. Sora, however, couldn't resist one last comment.

"I still think the two of you would be good together."

"I promise you, the last thing that'll ever happen is the two of us getting together. We're nothing alike and you know it."

Unwittingly, Axel had set them a challenge. The rest of the guys were now determined to get Axel and Kairi together. They wandered off up the beach, leaving Axel to watch the girls (well, one in particular) in peace.

……………………

"You realise we're going to need some help with this, don't you?" Riku wasn't known as the practical one for nothing. He'd already worked out that this particular plan was going to be difficult.

"Naminé would be glad to help. She keeps wondering why Kairi's still single."

"Ask her next time you see her, ok, Roxas? As long as Kairi isn't there as well – that'd ruin everything."

"I'm not that stupid, Riku. I think you're getting me mixed up with Sora, here."

The blond ruffled Sora's dark spikes, and was met with a cry of indignation.

"I'm not stupid, and leave my hair alone!"

"Aww, poor Sora!" Riku and Sora might be a couple, but that didn't stop them mocking each other from time to time.

……………………

"He's watching you again, Kairi."

"Naminé, he's lying on the beach. I wasn't aware there was a law against that."

"Maybe not, but he's still watching you."

"You're being daft."

"I'm being serious."

"Sure you are."

"At least admit you're intrigued by him. You've known Sora and Riku for years, and Roxas is basically part of Sora."

"So what? Does that mean I automatically have to be interested in Axel because I haven't known him as long?" Kairi swam off, having had enough of the impromptu interrogation. Naminé shook her head.

"Kairi, you're in denial."

…………………

That night, Roxas and Naminé started plotting.

"It's obvious to everyone except them that they'd make a really good couple. We just have to get them to see it."

"What brought this on, Roxas?"

"Axel declaring it was the last thing on earth that would happen. Famous last words."

"So you lot took it as a challenge? I should have known. And I should refuse to help, but I happen to agree with you."

………………….

Two weeks later, it was Naminé's birthday. As usual, everyone gathered on the beach with masses of food and hundreds of CDs, and they would just party until they all collapsed from exhaustion. Axel had taken charge of the music, and Kairi was dancing with Sora. Roxas, Naminé and Riku were attempting to plan.

"Get her to ask Axel to change the music or something – make them talk to each other."

"We've got to do more than that, Roxas."

"Shut up, she's coming over here."

Naminé hurriedly fished a CD out of a pile and waited until Kairi reached them. "Kairi, could you do me a favour?"

"Depends what you're going to make me do."

"Ask Axel to play this." She held out the CD box.

"Why do you need me to do that?"

"Because he won't listen to me."

"Oh, fine then. But I don't know why he'd do it for me and not for you."

As she walked away, Riku murmured, "But we all know he wants you."

……………………

Kairi shook her head, despairing of her friends' weird behaviour. "She's up to something, I know it."

"Who's up to something, princess?"

He always used that nickname for her, and it was beginning to get tiresome. Still, she had bigger problems to worry about at the moment.

"Naminé. Did she ask you to play a particular album earlier?"

"No, why's that?"

"Because she sent me over here to ask if you'd play this. Apparently you refused. This just proves she's definitely up to something." Kairi placed the disk next to the stereo. Axel picked it up and looked at it.

"She hasn't even been over here tonight."

"I knew she'd got something on her mind, I just don't know what."

Axel looked over to the group on the beach and realised what was going on. "They're trying to get us together, if you know what I mean. Roxas was talking about it a while ago."

"What did you say to him?"

"That you're not exactly my type. Well, you've seen my ex-girlfriends."

Kairi just laughed. "You've seen my ex as well – he's now totally in love with Riku."

"Not sure that's something to be boasting about – your last boyfriend being gay. Might put guys off a bit."

They both laughed at that.

"Can't say I'm too worried at the moment."

"Makes a change around here."

"Tell me about it. Ever since Sora and I broke up, someone or other has been trying to set me up on various dates and I keep saying no."

"So, you spend every party dancing with Sora and Riku?"

"Could be worse." She paused, then looked up at him with a cheeky smile on her face. "They're obviously talking about us over there, so dance with me and give them something to talk about."

Axel smirked. "Never saw you as the devious type, princess. What happened to that pure heart you used to have?"

"The name's Kairi, not princess. As for my heart, I grew up and it got corrupted."

"In that case, Kairi, may I have this dance?" They sniggered as they headed out to the clear space on the sand that was designated for dancing.

……………………

"You two, look over there." Roxas pointed at Axel and Kairi on the makeshift dancefloor. Naminé slapped his hand. "Ow, what was that for?"

"If you point, they'll notice you."

"You don't have to hit me though."

"Oh, stop complaining, Roxas."

"I thought you loved me, Naminé."

"I do, Roxas, but you're making it really obvious that we're planning something involving the two of them."

"Sorry." Roxas did actually look suitably contrite.

"I think there's something going on between them – that's some pretty sexy dancing over there."

……………………

The song finished, and the two dancers were gasping for breath.

"I think… we got them talking… don't you?"

"Definitely."

As they walked over to the table of drinks, Yuffie intercepted them.

"Something going on that we don't know about, hmm?"

"What do you think is going on, Yuffie?"

"I'd say you and Kairi are getting, shall we say, a little closer than just friends?"

"I'd say you should stop poking your nose where it doesn't belong."

Yuffie ruffled Axel's hair, and just grinned. "The more you deny it, the more obvious it is."

"That's just your warped little mind making things up.

"You're the one with the warped mind, Axel. Always have been. Bye now."

"Is she in on their plot as well?"

Kairi shrugged. "Probably."

…………………

A few days later, Naminé was sorting through the photographs from the party. One in particular caught her attention. It was Kairi and Axel, dancing together. Kairi's eyes were closed, while Axel was looking at her in a way that sent shivers down Naminé's spine. If she hadn't been aware of the attraction before, she certainly was now. That look was absolutely filled with lust.

"Kairi, you have to see this." The picture was thrust into Kairi's hands. "See the way he's looking at you? He definitely wants you, it's obvious."

"Are you serious, Naminé?"

"Completely."

"You do understand that I'm not his type."

"I don't think that matters. Besides, how long as he managed to actually keep a girlfriend? Two weeks?"

"I'm not going to be another notch on his bedpost, regardless of whether he "wants" me or not."

"Just go for it. What have you got to lose?"

"A close friend."

……………………

"You're moping again, Axel."

"I do not mope, Roxas. You know that."

"No, you just get miserable and drink far too much. I call that moping. You want her, so go ask her out."

Axel looked up from his drink to glare at his well-meaning but interfering friend. "It isn't that simple."

"Sure it is."

"Kairi's a nice girl, and I'm basically the token delinquent around here."

"Just ask her."

……………………

And that's how they all ended up meeting – Naminé and Roxas dragging a reluctant Kairi and Axel. When it became clear that neither was going to ask the other out, Roxas took matters into his own hands.

"Kairi, Axel would like to know if you'll go to dinner with him tomorrow night."

Kairi was too stunned to answer.

"She'd love to. Roxas, we'd better leave now before they come to their senses and get mad at us." They ran, quickly.

Kairi was, by this time, blushing bright red. "Sorry about them – but I guess I should have expected something like this, really."

"I told the little shit not to interfere, but he couldn't resist, could he?" She shook her head, the blush beginning to subside.

"Anyway, Kairi, want to have dinner with me tomorrow? Without any nosy friends trying to watch?"

"I'd love to, Axel."

……………………

Their matching smiles as they approached their group of friends told the whole story. The fact that their arms were wrapped around each other only confirmed it.

"Last thing that'll ever happen? I don't think so."

Everybody laughed, and Axel hugged his new girlfriend tightly. "I'm glad I didn't stick to what I said back then."

AN: An Axel/Kairi romance, because they're one of my favourite pairings and there aren't enough stories about them. If you agree, leave a review.