A/N: Hi, guys! I can finally treat you to some Axine fluff. If only school homework hadn't interfered, or else I would typed and finished it sooner. Because of school, it's gonna take me slower to update. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own KH.

Sentimental Dream

A vast array of people attired in luxurious, beautiful clothing gathered in a ballroom of epic proportions. The gilt floor gleamed under the shining lights of the crystal chandelier suspended above all the vigorous activity of these refined guests. Windows that gave them a glimpse of the enchanting night outside lay against the marble walls. A glorious feast had been eaten an hour ago, which usually predicted the onset of various waltzes and reels to be danced. The king and queen wished to celebrate their twentieth anniversary as dual rulers, so they had invited every royal they knew to attend this spectacular event of the season. And they indeed accepted these invitations to come here tonight, displaying the vivid colors of their clothes. Magentas, teals, golds, scarlets, oranges, and many other bright shades decorated this festive atmosphere. The ladies' elaborate gowns made them glow, and the men looked more charming than usual.

Among this celebration, one lonely guest stood amongst her peers who appeared extremely lovely in their finery. All of them had reason to pride themselves while still maintaining their decorum in this time and this place. They had partners to dance the night away with, to bask in their own versions of romance that they shared. But, this lone girl with the pained sapphire eyes, if one happened to gaze into them, possessed no boy to accompany her. Why would anyone bother with her? True, she was a young duchess of respectable rank and attractive appearance, what with her demure orbs and straw colored hair that fell down her back in what looked like a cascading waterfall of gold. At least the lighting brought that particular hue out. However, she commonly sketched in her leather sketchbook, much to the disdain of the others.

Artistry was not a trait normally found in a wealthy girl. Indeed, such girls preferred to flirt with their male counterparts instead of doing something constructive. With this mentioned, Namine normally knew that she hardly possessed friends at her disposal. She was different, a fact that her peers inevitably resented. Presently, she deeply exhaled, watching one of her golden strands float delicately in the air before falling back on her forehead. If she enjoyed her time spent at the dance tonight, it would be a miracle. In a crowded room among many people, she was always the odd girl out. Honestly, one could discover loneliness while blending into a sea of people. Namine, more precocious beyond her years, was aware of this since she took up sketching as a hobby. Drearily, she observed the blissful couples dancing, the skirts of the women twirling like colorful pinwheels and the men leading with effortless grace. She wondered if some young man cared enough to realize how truly alone she felt at the moment.

Tears brimmed the oceanic blue depths of her eyes, though she attempted to drive them away. But, despite that, her pain amounted terribly as her heart pounded slightly quicker each time she sensed an emotional pang. Observing instead of joining in tugged aggressively at her heartstrings just thinking about it. Desperate to search for a kind face, Namine looked for one that fit that criterion somewhere in this crowd. Surely, there could be at least one person...

He stood in the opposite direction, his green eyes dully staring at the couples while a careless smirk played on his lips. Even though the occasion called for formality, his wild hair as red as any ripe apple she had ever picked represented that he possessed a rebellious streak. This streak obviously was one that required scoffing at tradition, ignoring royal rules. Namine's hopes rose at that moment.

Once this captivating young man's sparkling emerald orbs locked onto hers, his smirk softened into a warm smile that made her heart skip a beat. She wished that he would acknowledge her presence by walking toward her. To her surprise, he proceeded to do just that, every step seemingly forcing her heart to execute a lively dance of its own. Gradually, the redhead finally stopped in front of her after moving past waltzing pairs. He abruptly held his hand out to Namine, causing her to blush shyly from this unexpected yet welcome attention.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing all alone here?" he asked, his charming smirk returning.

Her breath caught itself within her throat, but she managed to reply, "Nobody wants me around."

Pretending to ponder over this answer, the young man assertively held her hand despite the fact that it had hung limply seconds earlier. His eyes twinkled knowingly, since he was highly aware that Namine's slightly low self-esteem often got the better of her. He leaned toward her to whisper playfully in hear ear, which reddened from the close contact.

"I wouldn't be so sure. My name's Axel by the way."

Axel. What a fitting name for such an enigmatic, handsome person, she thought as he lead her out to the dance floor. Once there, she in turn told him her name, which he seemed to really like.

"Namine, huh? That is a perfect name for you, isn't it?"

Namine smiled, relaxing now that Axel behaved amicably toward her and treating her like he knew her all his life. It was flattering, not to mention relieving. No one had ever acted that way toward her before.

After a series of dances in which Namine's ivory gown gave her a glowing effect and Axel's distinguished black suit made him look even more dashing, they departed for the balcony outside. In the vast expanse of navy sky, the stars twinkled like valuable diamonds. Axel leaned against the railing, gazing at his dancing companion for a while before glancing up toward the sky. He then motioned for Namine to stand there beside him while he pointed out certain constellations to her. As he did this, he draped one arm around her shoulders.

"That one up there is Aries the ram. And in the zodiac, it's a fire sign. I'm just saying this because, ironically enough, that's my sign. After all, I do have a tendency to play with fire." He smiled thoughtfully, merely thinking about all the times he spent outdoors.

Namine tilted her head slightly. "How do you know so much?"

Axel chuckled in response before his eyes took on a reflective glaze. "I guess it's because I sleep under the stars every night. If you ask me, that's better than any stuffy, king sized bed."

She laughed softly, causing him to glance down upon her again. Those vivid emerald orbs glinted gently at her, filled to the brim with an emotion she could barely recognize.

He whispered, "You know, you're not like the other girls I've met before. I like that."

Blushing ten shades darker than normal, she looked at the marble floor beneath her feet due to the lack of an answer, though she managed to say, "You're the first to think that as positive."
He held her more intimately than ever before, resting his chin on her shoulder as he noticed how she beamed in the moonlight.

In reaction to this, her eyes fluttered closed, leaving her to bask in this romantic moment. However, she wasn't sure if she had really fallen in love with Axel. She had only just met him, though they shared a conversation while dancing. They spoke of their dreams and passions like they would comment on the weather. There was something about him that compelled her to tell him everything. From the moment she saw him, she knew that her gloomy thoughts would pass to allow ones that practically consisted of sunshine.

She demurely played with strands of his scarlet hair. "Axel?"

"Hm?" He removed his chin from her shoulder to look at her.

"You're odd, but I think that quality is a good one to have."

Axel tapped her nose accompanied by a sly wink. "I've been told that. But, you, my dear, are as eccentric as I am."

Of course, he joked, and she laughed once he said it. He was so clever...and perfect.

Departing from her coy self, she slowly captured his lips with hers, wrapping her arms tightly around him in a caring embrace. He kissed back, as she hoped he would, and cradled her cheek in one gentle hand. And the only witnesses to it were the illuminated moon and the stars surrounding it. Once they parted, Namine sighed from a combination of bliss and melancholy. When this party concluded, they would reluctantly bid each other adieu. They might never see each other again, for she was a mere duchess and he a... What did he rank exactly?

Quietly, she voiced her thoughts. "I guess...after tonight, we'll live our own lives without seeing each other."

With a strange expression on his face, Axel placed his hands on his hips. "You think? Pfft, I doubt that! I am a prince, after all. I figure I can do whatever I like."

Mouth completely agape, Namine blankly stared at him with shock written all over her face. She disbelieved that she fell hopelessly in love with a prince. Who knew that fairy tales could be real? Then again, she probably dreamed all of this, for it felt too surreal, too flawless a moment for actuality to ensue.

"Well, you'll see me soon then, right?" she asked apprehensively.

Axel carelessly messed up her combed blond hair. "You can count on it, Namine."

Another smile curved her rose petal lips, which he kissed adoringly again, his strong arms providing shelter for her. They were her fortress, her joy, and her love all rolled into one.

Namine awakened from her glorious dream suddenly and found that she had been kissing her pillow instead of a sly, handsome redhead that she adored from afar. The beautiful imagery and symbolism that came with the magic of the dream evaporated, too. All the fanciful thoughts crashed around her like broken glass. Why must all good things come to an end? Sleeping, like her drawing, was her escape from harsh reality that entailed imprisonment in Castle Oblivion and hankering after a man she could never have. And did she really even possess a heart? If she did, she felt selfish right now, because she knew he could never truly feel that way about her....even with a heart. With abandoned faith, Namine resolved to go back to sleep to maybe dream something less like a fairy tale and truer to real life. She was unable to close her eyes due to the immense anguish she perceived. So, getting up, she walked out to the corridor to amble.

Eventually, though, her uneasy stride turned into a run that she needed to will her nocturnal imaginings away. It seemed like all she could see was every scene from an unintentional film that she directed. When were the credits going to roll so that it could end? Red hair, green eyes, impressively tall stature, and tempting lips contorted into a joking smirk—all of these tormented her to the point that she lost sight of the stretches of corridor behind and ahead of her. The dream was far too recurring. Salty, burning tears stung her eyes, threatening to flood her entire face. This perception of rejection she hated, which she wanted to deny. So blinded by her tears, she almost disregarded running into somebody until too late. Falling backwards, she was caught by a pair of arms that seemed very safe.

Namine was then propped up by the Organization member she ran into, looking rather undignified with her disheveled hair and tearstained face. Luckily, she realized that Axel stood before her.

"A little early for you to be getting up, don't you think?" he asked teasingly, his emerald eyes softening once he noticed her miserable countenance. "Maybe you wouldn't mind telling me what happened."

Just like in her dream, she blushed a deep crimson, though attempted to hide it as she leaned against the wall. She slid down to a sitting position, and Axel proceeded to do the same. Shuddering slightly, she forced herself into divulging her nighttime fantasy. Dreams were private, after all, so she naturally felt awkward in permitting Axel to take a glimpse into her soul. At least he listened, which showed that he possibly cared about her in a sense.

He held her closer once she discussed her dream, and he heaved a soft sigh that inadvertently made her lean against him. She was so in love with him that she barely understood it herself.

In the mean time, he peered at her, as though he calculated her thoughts. "So, is there anything you want to tell me, Namine? After all, that dream is probably symbolic in some way."

Namine gave him a slightly nervous smile before answering in a rush, "I know it might not make sense, Axel, but I really, really like you. I honestly do, but you don't have to, um, sense the same thing, too. I'll completely understand."

Laughing heartily and with possible enthusiasm, Axel kissed her tenderly on the lips, a dream come true.

"You're cute when you're nervous, did you know that?"

Content just to be in his arms, Namine cuddled with him and felt very warm, warmer than usual.

A/N: Wasn't what you were expecting, was it? XD OK, maybe it was. This was inspired, for some reason, by some part of Lord of the Rings I read in which these two characters, Tom Bombadil and Goldberry (not featured in the movie) were dancing. And it was also inspired by the music video for "Love Story" by Taylor Swift (a song I also do not own). Yeah, I like that song, personal guilty pleasure of mine. XD

Please review this one-shot. It took me a while to type it, and I didn't even know that there were that many words in it.