Due to request on another website I'm a member of, I was asked to write this in accompaniment to a picture I drew (which will be pictured on my profile page). A one-shot of Axel and Roxas for all you spankos out there. No, NO yaoi, sorry. BI Read and enjoy! No flames please! (It's been nearly a year since I've had an english class!)

KINGDOM HEARTS II:
Dare Devil

Within every story, there is normally a beginning of 'Once upon a time', or something along those lines. This story may have began in recieving a mission in the halls of Castle Oblivion, from the first, the Superior, Xemnas. Two patrons of the Organization assigned to this mission to take on a rather massive Heartless in the vast, adventurous bounds of Neverland. A moonlit sky awaited the duo that had taken on the mission without much argument, and as the soft cadence of boots tapped against the concrete of Big Ben, the Clock tower overlooking the entire city below did excited blue eyes glint with anticipation...

"Roxas! Slow down, will ya? It's not goin' anywhere, if that's what your worried about." An entirely all too familiar voice called after the spikey tressed blonde as he he watched the smaller boy near ready to pounce from afar.

Offering a bland scowl, those same radiant blue eyes peered back over his shoulder as the much taller, slender red head stepped from the whirling pool of darkness. "C'mon, Axel... Being stuck at the Castle is boring enough, it's only once in a while we get such a--"

"--Yeah, yeah, I know." The crimson-tressed casanova offered a flashed grin, "But that doesn't mean go ahead and jump into it, just 'cos we don't have hearts doesn't mean we can't get killed." He added with a gentle ruffle to the blonde's locks.

His words rang true, however... Truth never really pleased Roxas. Finding out the truth about his 'other', Sora, finding out the 'truth' that Castle Oblivion had originally just wanted him to return BACK to Sora and to use his power to bring about the true Kingdom Hearts. Yes... Truth as something the Key of Destiny wasn't fond of. A soft growl grew from his throat as he swatted away the Flurry's hand from his protruding spikes. Though--there was something false in Axel's statement, Roxas had been deemed an unusual Nobody for a reason--he had a heart. He'd be screwed either way should he have chosen to be wreckless! He didnt have the back-up of 'lack-of-thump-thump' that all the others did.

Turning his frustrated gaze downward on the massive heartless, that had been deemed 'The Clock Tower Phantom' loomed, awaiting it's own massacre. It lingered, merely floated there, as though it wanted to be attacked! It was overly all too enticing for Roxas to bare! Jumping mildly as the sound of fire cutting through the air rang out, the keyling whipped his head to gaze upon his partner's freshly summoned chakrams.

"I'm going to go first and attack, as a decoy, y' got it? When I have 'em good and distracted, you attack from the rear when his orb is visible." The emerald orbed Flurry of Dancing Flames eyed the younger member for reassurance that he'd follow his plan. "Roxas! Are you listening?!" He near barked.

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry, right, attack from behind, got it." He nodded dumbly, summoning up the Oathkeeper and Oblivion at his sides, readying himself to fight.

With a mild shake of his head and a heavy sigh, "Be careful," He muttered before blasting off with a kick of fire behind him, "HEY! BIG, DARK AND STUPID! UP HERE!" He smirked down toward the unsuspecting Heartless, chakrams lit and ready for battle.

Though... The Clock Tower Phantom was all but unsuspecting, glancing upward from beneathe it's shadowed hood, it's cloak coming around to cover its cherished heart encased in a larger orb. Raising it's shadow-like claw, the possession of the clock tower would begin. Perhaps this is why Roxas was told to stay hidden? Should the Phantom be made aware that the boy was present, the count-down would be impossible to avoid... and Roxas would be banished from the battle within a certain amount of time.

FWOOSH!

The sound cut through air once more as the heated circular weapon flew toward the thing, one could only hope the things weakness at the current moment was that of the Blizzard element...

Perhaps dragging Roxas along for this mission wasn't the best of ideas. As he watched the Flurry attack rapidly at the Heartless, his anticipation grew heavier and heavier, and finally with a ready grin, from ear-to-ear, the boy stepped back, and darted off for the tower's edge. Grasping both keyblades firmly, he soared downward toward the thing, sleeves and other loose articles flapping harshly with the pressure of the wind.

"ROXAS! What the hell are you--" Axel glared upward, nearly losing his focus as a slash came at him.

"I got this!!" The boy called back holding the Oathkeeper above his head as he neared beast, slashing downward on empty... depressing darkness. "H-Hua?" The boy's sapphire orbs grew wide with shock, why hadn't it harmed him?!

"You IDIOT! MOVE!!" The Eighth member of the Thirteen bellowed toward the younger blonde as the Phantom whirled around and...unfortunately swatted the boy into the Clock tower like a fly!

With impecible speed, at that! The boy was sent hurdling into the stone walls of Big Ben, and with a pronounced crash! the boy groaned out, sliding downward against the clock tower, his lashes falling without a fight to the mantle of his cheekbones as he slipped into certain unconsciousness.

Cursing under his breath, Axel through one last chakram attack toward the heartless before darting toward his younger pal, hands cupping beneathe the unconscious boy's arms as he scooped him into a side sattled grip against his slender frame, extending his free hand to open a portal back to Castle Oblivion, diving in without hesitation and shutting the thing behind him. No sooner landing upon the bleached white, marble floors of Oblivion with a resounded clack! of his boots, Axel swiftly went to checking to make sure that his smaller companion didn't have any serious injuries, tracing the back of the boys head for any bumps or splits, he was...highly relieved when the boy checked out okay. Carrying the unconscious brat to the infirmary wing of Castle Oblivion, he laid the boy out to be thoroughly examined by Zexion...

--

After an hour or so of waiting outside the infirmary, pacing back and forth, the light, navy-haired member finally emerged, removing his glasses and sliding them into his pocket with few soft words offered up to the frantic red-head,

"He's perfectly fine, just a little spooked. Though the Superior will not be pleased with your failure, Axel. I suggest you come up with a very good explanation before Xemnas finds out you've returned empty-handed." Always cut-throat, the Schemer was...

"Y...Yeah, thanks, Zexion." The flame's wielder muttered bitterly. "I can go see him, right?" Green orbs zero'd in on the shorter member of the Organization, awaiting a nod of sorts before calmly stepping into the room, silently shutting the door behind him with a solid click, and...another clack, signifying the lock had been indeed locked.

--

Sitting up upon the white sheets, under a thin blanket and dressed in only his robe the twerp rubbed at his temples to ward off an oncoming headache. That was, until the soft cadance of Axel's boots approached. Tearing his gaze away from some random ripple on the sheets, the boy offered a wide, unsuspecting grin.

"Axel!" He called rather cheerfully, as though...relieved to see his partner in crime. Though upon viewing the glare that radiated like Axel's flames themselves, the boy sunk down mildly, "U-Uhm...A-Are you okay?" He questioned with a mild stutter.

Thick lashes falling over emerald green eyes, Axel had brought his arms to fold across his chest, not uttering a single word. This, bothered Roxas quite a bit. The tensioned thickened, and as the boy felt himself dwell on his own stupidity, causing them to fail their only 'exciting' mission they'd had in a while. Now Axel would be chastised for Roxas' stupidity.

"I...I guess I attacked too soon, h-huh?" He attempted a nervous laugh, twiddling with his index fingers.

Nothing, not even a change of expression.

"...I-I'm sorry?" He nearly whimpered, feeling something wet and salty brim against his eyes.

"Tch," Ah! Finally, a sign of life. Though such a cold remark brough a wince about Roxas, and as Axel turned without a word to harshly leave, the boy stumbled to get up from his sheets. Axel knew him all too well.

"A-Axel!!" The boy whimpered, ignoring the poor kid was just...the cruelest of all punishments! And as he tripped forwars, clasping onto the back of Axel's longer cloak, tears overflowing the dam and slipping down his cheeks, "A-Axel, I'm sorry!" He nearly sobbed, feeling the crimson locked male stop.

Twisting mildly to gaze down at the pathetic heap of boy that clung to him for balance, his expression remaining ever disappointed. Reaching back and grabbing the twerp by his hood, he hoisted him upward to stand on his feet;

"You're sorry, huh? Are you aware that thing could have put you down for a freakin' DIRT NAP?!" He growled near ferociously, scaring the poor blond into a recoil.

"I-I--" The poor twerp stammered, only to be cut off.

"You what? You thought that if you looked cool and maybe won that it wouldn't matter whether you followed the plan? That it'd be so sweet if you could take that thing on alone? WRONG! That's what we're assigned PARTNERS for!" And Axel was oh, so tempted to tack on a little 'got it memorized?' But this...was not the time for jokes.

"I-I'm sorry!" The bratling cried, his chin quivering mildly as he clasped his hands nervously behind his back.

Lashes dipping in slight aggrivation, his arms fell from the once more crossed position they had been in, "You will be, kid." He growled softly before approaching the recoiled twerp once more who had somehow pushed himself against the wall!

"A-Axel--what are you--!? N-Ngh! Wait a minute!!" He whimpered as he was scruffed upward by the hood and carried over toward the infirmary bed.

Axel knew this would come about. He knew all along that he wouldn't be leaving, that he would have to deal with Roxas in the way the boy viewed most familiar. Why else would he have locked the door? In the heat of panic, Roxas would be too dimwitted to use a portal and go for the door... Kids sure got scared before punishment, didn't they?

"Let's get a few things straight, number thirteen," Axel nearly hissed through his teeth as he forced the brat to lay across his lap, his free hand clamping against the small of Roxas' back. How hurtful and belittling could Axel get?!

Leather enclosed fingers hiking up the long end of the cloak, it was almost not a surprise the boy was missing his pants, only clad in boxers! Zexion...had checked him thoroughly. It was hard to fight off a blush with the twerp in his grasp who just so sweetly sported boxers decorated in Sea-Salt ice cream designs. Likely one of Twilight Town's big hits...

"You," SWAT! "--from this day forward--" SWAT SMACK! "- will listen, and obey every single order given!" SWAT! SMACK! SWAT! "Do I make myself crystal clear?" Came a harsh peppering with the word crystal.

The first inital swat had made the boy cry out--Axel sure did swing rather hard! Even in boxers, it hurt like a--well, curse words were unnecessary. The swats had drawn out some repressed cries, and as he was inquired about obeying, if Axel was 'clear' or not, he refrained from near screeching through his teeth at the hot swats that fell to his white-decorated shorts.

"Y-Yessir!!" The boy squealed in a voice that had proven he hadn't fully gone through puberty yet.

"Good," The flurry spat, "Now that we've got that established," He near murmured, hooking index and third into the boy's boxers before tugging them down to his knees, which dangled helplessly from the bed! Revealing the bratling's pinkening boyish cheeks.

"A-Axel! C'mon! N-No more that huuurts!" The thirteenth whined, kicking mildly and...likely losing his boxers in the process to the cold floor below. He thanked the Superior he was wearing socks as his toes scraped against the tiled floor.

"No more? We're just getting started here," He added with a harsh swat to the junction of the boys bare cheeks, watching them bounce back with resiliency. Baby fat could be adorable..and at the same time, such an utter embarrassment!

"Owww, Axeeeeel!!" He howled out, peddaling his legs in an attempt to 'run away', or perhaps bicycle.

"Hn," He snorted, bringing his hand up to his mouth, teeth trapping the gloved sector of his index betwixt and with a short tug, his hand was freed.

Spitting his glove to the side (Graceful, no?) the Flurry of Dancing Flames flexed his freshly freed hand to the open air before focusing back on his target, sending a crashing blow down to the blonde's blushing cheeks' once more with a fresh, crisp, resounding clap. Drawing out a rather mangled sob from the twerp at the new, sharper sensation that left a glowing handprint on his one of his cheeks, at the present moment he couldn't even think left from right!

A rain of harsh swats came to decorate the boy's posterior in a rosey red color, one, to three, to six, to ten and twelve, and to the thirteenth before he paused to glance down over his brat.

By this point in time, the boy had broken down into a flurry of tears, there was likely a small puddle forming on the ground below from his tears. Though by now, Axel had taken pity on his crying runt, though he couldn't clearly see the chubby-faced, baby blue-eyed brat who was likely the color of his hair on both sets of cheeks, didn't mean Roxas wasn't predictable! Slipping his arm beneathe the boy's torso, he hoisted him up so that he might have something better to cry on than to just dangle there.

Readying his hand, he brought several more swats down blended with words, "Don't you EVER--" SWAT! SWAT! SWAT! "--E-VER!" THWAP! SWAT! SMACK! "DO SOMETHING THAT STUPID EVER AGAIN! Do-You-Under-STAND?" With seven more hot smacks to follow, the boy's bum had turned a lovely shade of crimson...

And now came about the stage of hiccuping, sniveling, and whimpering as he quivered and awaited more stinging smacks to his trembling backside. "I-I'm s-sorryyyyy!" Hic, "I-I'll listen f-from n-now on! P-Puhleeeease, Axel!" He sobbed, thinner arms wrapping around the bicep that held him up, burying himself pathetically against his 'buddy'. The bratling near jumped as the Flurry's hand came to gently rub over the soreness it had left behind, though that wasn't to say it didn't draw out a louder cry.

"Shhh...It's alright now, kiddo, it's aaaaaalll over," The fiery male cooed softly, tracing the boy's heated, soft flesh in circles as though to try and soothe the pain.

Whether Roxas remained there for a minute, to ten, he couldn't tell, though as soon as his louder cries had subsided to...softer ones, controlled ones, he felt himself shifted, brought up to sit straddled on Axel's lap, so perhaps... to not add ache to his already searing pain.

"You scared the hell outta me, Rox," Axel offered a frown as he brought his hand up to brush the boy's facial cheek, ridding a few tears and a soaked bang or two away from the boy's vision, "I thought I might lose you... and... that really freaked me out, y'know? I thought...that you might die..." Or fade into Darkness...whatever it was Nobodies did.

Whatever weak response came, whether it was a nod and a sniffle, or just a sad hiccup, Axel continued, forcing the twerp to look at him with those glassy blue orbs. "You gotta listen from now on, got it memorized?" He offered a small smile as his index gently poked the twerp's nose playfully. Axel...couldn't stay mad at the brat for very long, no matter how cross he had gotten with him. And whether or not the Nobodies could experience 'true' feelings, fear, sadness, anger... Axel knew one thing was true above all others;

"I love you, kiddo, so...try not to get yourself killed next time, huh? It'd be pretty bummer without you around." The Flurry of Dancing Flames...had a very awkward way with very touching words...