PUBLISHED: November 3, 2013
EDITED: January 8, 2017
Dedicated to MrsRiku365, because she's an awesome fan and a great person :)
RECAP:
- Vivi rescued Raxmi from Xigbar, and Raxmi realised she might be in danger
- Xigbar taunted Axel about Raxmi
(I didn't realise what a dull chapter the previous one was until I wrote the recap lmao oops)
STORY STARTS:
Axel's POV
I stared blankly at the dull grey ceiling, laying on my haphazardly-made bed. Whoever decorated this castle really had no imagination. Everything was a different shade of grey and white, with only tingles of purple to keep the residents sane. The bed? Grey sheets. The chairs? White. Even the rooms were bleak, with one literally called 'The Grey Area'. The creator must've known who its inhabitants would be: empty shells, colourless beings, bleak entities that put on a false show for the rest of the world. The theory made me smirk a little as I rested my head on my arms. Unusual for me to churn out such philosophical thoughts.
So then, if this room was established to shelter someone who held no inner decoration, then why did I keep feeling these weird sensations? It didn't make any sense. Xemnas says that we don't have hearts. That we have to slay Heartless to release other hearts. That supplying Kingdom Hearts with that power with give us our hearts back. Sure, it didn't entirely make sense, but did it really matter? It was a solution to a problem that I didn't want to have. Just hack at the shadow-things, get our hearts back, become whole again. Piece of cake.
When we first met, Raxmi asked me why empowering Kingdom Hearts would make us whole again. And, despite all that I'd been told, I couldn't think of a answer. Perhaps the whole process was just one of those 'scientific phenomena' that Vexen sometimes rambled about. Well, if that's the case, then it's no wonder why I couldn't explain it. 'Who ever listens to that nutcase, anyway?'
A knock at the door jolted me out of my thoughts. "Axel, we've got a mission in Pride Lands," Roxas called out from the other side.
I groaned and pushed myself up, taking a moment to stretch myself out. "Coming!" I responded. After the mission, we would undoubtedly meet with Xion at Twilight Town's Central Station for some sea-salt cream. As much as I would've liked to meet with Raxmi, especially after the Xigbar incident two weeks ago, I had to stay away from her to avoid further conflict with the superior Organization member. 'Let's just get this show on the road.'
Raxmi's POV
Two weeks had passed since the encounter with Xigbar in the tunnels. Axel hadn't come by at all, so I assumed that the issue with the Heartless in the Haunted Woods had been resolved. Facing the fact that I would never see him again made my stomach twist. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that a little crush was developing, but the bigger issue was that such a large source of munny had now been abruptly removed. The only good outcome of the situation was that Seifer was now appeased with Axel's absence, having never ceased his suspicion of him.
I was walking back home from Seifer's house after doing his homework when my mind began to wander once again to the mysterious Nobody. We had parted in such rushed circumstances, not to mention that I'd never even said goodbye to Demyx. At the very least, I wanted to give Axel my thanks for helping me with my financial situation. 'Just face it, Raxmi,' a voice in my head said, 'he wouldn't wait so long if he was planning on coming back.'
Even while I thought this, a part of me stubbornly argued back. How was I supposed to know why he hasn't showed up? Maybe he was just pre-occupied with missions from his strange Organization. "Yeah, that's probably the reason," I mumbled out loud.
Still, the nagging voice in my head refused to be silenced. 'What if he just doesn't want to see you anymore? You weren't even friends, you were just an excuse to get out of work one time. Or what if he's been hurt by those Heartless creatures? What if he's been killed?' I forced those thoughts out of my head. For someone with whom I'd only interacted with twice, this guy is making me lose way too much sleep at night.
I tried the think things through rationally as I stepped through the Back Alleys to get to my house more quickly. The munny that Axel had paid me was good, but was that worth sticking around with him if he ever returned? The whole Heartless business was risky, even I could see that. And let's not forget that this whole Organization business he's wrapped up was far too dangerous for me, as proved by my encounter with Xigbar. I concluded that I should just let the matter drop. Easier said than done, however.
Thankfully, I'd managed to do odd jobs, although they paid far less that what I was getting from Axel. Now, added to what he had given me, I had 11,500 munny. Working only two days for Axel had resulted in 9000 munny, and working ordinary jobs for two weeks hadn't even gotten me a third of that.
My financial matters were preoccupying my mind so much that I didn't notice the lights on in my house. I winced in surprise and dread when I walked through the door, the blaring volume of the television hitting my ears. "Where the hell have you been?" my dad demanded immediately, hitting mute on the tv aggressively.
Of course he would be home now. I was always home on time, and yet Dad would never return until just after midnight, often drunk off his rocker. But the one time that I stayed back with Seifer for half an hour over my ridiculously early curfew, he happened to be here before me.
It's as if Fate's laughing at me with a big, stupid grin on her face. (A/N hats off to you if you know the reference!)
"Just doing stuff with Seifer," I responded carefully. Aggravating him further was the last thing I wanted.
He scowled at my excuse and pushed himself off his chair to approach me. His beer bottled was slammed onto the kitchen counter as he passed by it, and his step was tainted with the slightest stagger. "Do you have any idea what time it is?" he asked.
I glanced up at the clock on the wall. "Half-past nine."
"Fascinating. What time is your curfew?"
"...Nine..."
Dad glared angrily at me, making me take a cautionary step back. If I bolted and spent the night out on the street, he would probably forget by the next day. "I'm sorry Dad. It won't happen again."
Thankfully, this was enough to let the subject drop for now. "Where's your rent?" he snapped, raking a hand through his curly, sand-coloured hair. I noticed that his usual haggard, dark blond stubble had been shaved off, something that he was almost always too hung over in the mornings to do.
"In my room," I muttered and brushed past him, knowing that he'd want it immediately.
Flinging a hand in my path, he stopped me in my tracks and shoved me back. "I wasn't done talking to you yet, Raxmi."
I sucked in a breath, holding myself back from saying something I'd regret. I'm a cheerful person, so why is it that I'm not that way around my own father? It's a mission for me to be nice to this man. Not impossible, but still damn difficult.
He doesn't hit me. He doesn't scar me with his words; well, hardly ever. Oh, no, he doesn't abuse me in any way. Most people who know me - Fuu, Rai, even Hayner's gang - either know or have figured out that he's just a lousy father. But his parenting skills only scratch the surface as to why my father has a low grade in my books. And only vaguely part of the reason why I'm too scared to stand up to him.
Seifer is the only one who knows the whole story, and I planned to keep it that way.
I forced a smile onto my face, trying hard to make it genuine. "I'll give you the money now, so you won't have to worry about it later," I replied, keeping my tone even.
He rolled his mud-coloured hazel eyes at me. "How nice of you," he scoffed.
'Rai playing wedding with Barbie dolls and Fuu reading Dr. Seuss to little kids and Seifer doing Gangam Style...' I tried to think of ridiculous images to keep the smile on my face. Seifer dancing to Gangnam Style always works well. A bit too well, actually. While I pictured Seifer hopping along Market Street in that signature dance, my innocent mask must've begun to break into a grin.
"What're you laughing at?" my dad sighed, stalking back to the counter to grab his beer. He took a long swig of it as I left the room.
"Nothing, nothing," I choked out, trying to smother a laugh.
Although out of my vision, I knew he was rolling his eyes again. "Hurry up, I haven't got all day," he yelled, his voice carrying through the hallway. I ignored him as I walked into my room, and I went over to the old mirror on top of my dresser. Reaching behind it, my finger brushed against a lump of cloth. A firm grasp and yank revealed a faded munny pouch. I quickly counted out three thousand munny from it, then carefully secured it back in its place. Despite his flaws, my dad wouldn't sneak into my room and take my earnings, but I like to keep things in secure places. A banging on my bedroom door made me hasten my actions, and I almost dropped the pouch behind the dresser. Sighing in frustration, I opened the door to reveal my dad, who snatched the munny out of my hand without a word. He leafed through the notes and glared at me through narrowed eyes; I was unable to read his thoughts.
Not bothering to ask how I got the munny, he slammed my door shut, the click of its lock following soon after. He always suspected that I might sneak out at night so he takes 'extra precautions'. There are even safety stays on my window, which would have otherwise been an easy exit point. Of course, I had never snuck out and I didn't plan on doing that any time soon. But, of course, my word wasn't enough the satisfy him.
Sighing again, I grabbed my pyjamas and changed for bed, taking a second to drag a brush through my hair. 'I need to get a haircut soon', I thought, taking a moment to examine the raggedly growing length. Then, I curled up in my ancient armchair, which was only in my room because it was apparently shabby for the living room. A history textbook from Seifer kept me occupied for another hour until an eye-watering yawn blurred my vision. Too lazy to fight the urge to sleep, I dove onto my bed and snuggled under the covers.
As I shut my eyes, a mental image of that flame-haired man flickered in my mind; he had that typical smirk on his face, as if he'd just said something that would undoubtedly make me blush. "Maybe he'll be here tomorrow," I told myself softly. 'Maybe he'll visit me, maybe he'll come alone, maybe we can spend more time together...'
Who was I kidding? I could dream all I like, but from my experience, wishes never come true.
Axel's POV
It was getting late, nearly eleven o'clock at night. Roxas and I had been sent to the Pride Lands for our mission, which was just eliminating some Heartless, while Xion had gone with Demyx to Agrabah. After meeting up in Twilight Town for ice-cream, the three of us had decided to wind down in the Grey Area with some gaming. The blonde Nobody was battling it out against me at Mortal Kombat while Xion watched us in amusement, having already played a few rounds. "No...no...NO!" Roxas threw his controller to the side in frustration and groaned, holding his head in his hands.
"Aw, don't sweat it, Roxas," I laughed, giving him a pat on the back. "It's physically impossible to beat me at any game. Don't blame yourself, it's just simple biology."
His voice was muffled by his hands. "...One of these days, I'll win. You just watch."
"Whatever you say, little buddy."
Xion giggled at our banter and changed the subject. "So, Axel, when can I meet this Raxmi girl you keep talking about?" she asked. Roxas perked up at the question and gazed at me keenly for an answer.
I moved to turn off the PlayStation 4 in order to keep my face hidden. "What do you mean, Xion?" I asked placidly as the system shut down. "I don't 'keep talking' about her."
Roxas let out a little laugh. "Yes, you do. You mentioned her at least five times before we started fighting that shaman Heartless. Why are you avoiding her? I thought you liked her?" he grinned teasingly. I had informed them about keeping a low profile until Xigbar and Saix were no longer suspicious, but Roxas still took some form of delight in questioning me about the girl. Damn that boy; he had been so quiet and soft-spoken at first, but I just had to teach him to be more vocal. If only I'd known my friend could be such a cheeky little shit.
"For fuck's sake, I don't like her," I corrected. 'Liar, liar,' a voice chanted in my head, and I scowled without thinking.
"What's wrong?" Xion looked confused.
"Er...just hoping we don't get stuck with more shamans tomorrow," I said. Hoping they'd drop the subject, I let out a long yawn and stretched my arms over my head. "Well, it's getting late, you guys. I'm gonna hit the sack."
The pair glanced at the clock, surprised by the time. "I suppose I should go, too," Roxas sighed. Xion wordlessly agreed, getting up with him so that they could leave together. "Good night, Axel," she said.
"'Night," I replied. As their footsteps echoed down the halls, I put out a hand to summon a Corridor of Darkness to my room. But, Roxas's voice kept swimming around my head. 'I thought you liked her? I thought you liked her? I thought you liked her?' The sentence repeated itself like a mantra, going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.
I growled softly in frustration. Without stopping to think through my rash decision, I summoned a Corridor to a different destination. There was something I had to do.
Raxmi's POV
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
My eyes widened as I was awakened by strange noises. Of course, my mind instantly began to explore the worst possible scenarios. What if was a burglar? Or a serial killer? Or that demon from that movie Seifer and I watched last week? The noises started to get louder, doing nothing to cease my racing thoughts.
Tap.
Clunk.
Thunk.
THUD.
I sat bolt upright and flicked my lamp on, feeling some relief thanks to the illumination. Seifer had been showing me how to fight properly instead of running away these past few weeks, so I began to feel a bit more confident. 'Whatever this thing is, I can take it on,' I thought, and I flung myself out of bed, filled with determination.
Cautiously, I crept over to the window, the source of the noises. I cracked my knuckles in anticipation, taking a deep breath. "Come at me, bro," I whispered.
THUMP.
This noise was the loudest of them all, making me leap a meter away from the window in shock. 'Forget it, bro, go away!'
"Raxmi!"
Logically speaking, a burglar wouldn't know my name. Neither would a murderer or a demon. Curiousity got the better of me and I ultimately pushed aside my curtain to peek out the window. And there, standing a few feet away from the house, illuminated by a handful of fire was...
"Axel!" I whispered, opening the window. My excitement caused me to forget the existence of the safety stays and I nearly fell over from the excessive pushing force, making him chuckle. "What are you doing here? Do you know what time it is?" I asked, gesturing at the orange-tinted night sky.
He smiled at me. "Honestly, Raxmi? I couldn't stop thinking about you."
My heart fluttered a little. "R-really?"
"Nah, I actually just wanted to borrow some hairspray. Do you have any?"
I laughed and leaned forward. "I can't believe you're actually here!"
He waved a hand, beckoning me to come outside. "Come on, I wanna show you something," he said, grinning mischievously.
"How?"
"Climb out," he answered simply.
I wiggled the window stays that prevented the window from opening any further. "I can't, it doesn't open any wider than this."
"Then just go out the front door, babe. I'll go meet you there."
"I can't!" I said as he began to walk away, praying I wasn't loud enough to wake up my father. "My door's locked."
He turned back around and stared at me quizzically. "So then...unlock it?"
Shaking my head, I responded, "No, no, my dad locks it from the outside."
"Oh..." he sighed. Then he smirked. "Of course! You can just use a Corridor." With a flick of his wrist, a massive swirl of darkness fused into being by my side, making me jump again. Discretely, I pinched my arm just to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. Nothing happened, so I guess this is real.
Whoa.
"I...I don't know," I said hesitantly, peering nervously into the darkness.
He smiled at me encouragingly. "C'mon, Raxmi. You can trust me, I promise," he said. He held up one hand like he was taking an oath, and with the other he made an 'X' over his heart. Or, where his heart would be.
'Do I? Do I really trust this person? This guy with dark powers, who could kill me in a snap, that I've only had about five conversations with?'
Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the Corridor of Darkness.
The rush of icy-cold air, the feeling of darkness tangling and sliding over me, the sound of my surroundings being muted and distorted. These sensations forced me to close my eyes.
* * *
The barrage on my senses gradually came to a halt, and I opened my eyes hesitantly. The first thing that entered my vision was a bleak grey wall. What appeared to be stray pulses of electricity were slinking upwards along it to the ceiling, which seemed impossibly high. I shivered slightly and rubbed my arms, goosebumps already beginning to form. Wherever this location was, it was chilly. Under my feet was a cold, hard floor, which the same periodic streams of light at the walls. I turned my head to the left and my eyes widened with surprise. Bars?
"Hey! Axel!" I exclaimed, gripping the solid metallic bars. 'Is this some kind of joke?' He had transported me into a cell.
Axel apparated at the sound of my voice, standing in the wide passageway on the other side of the bars. He gave me a pitying look, seeming appalled at my gullible decision. "Oh dear, Raxmi," he tuttled dryly. "You really should not trust people so easily."
A wave of fury surged in me. But I lost my chance to channel it, since Axel had begun to transform before my eyes. To my horror, he morphed into a completely different person. The difference that stood out the most was his silvery hair. "Enjoy your stay, Raxmi," he said, sending me a sly smile. "Please do not attempt an escape, for I would heartily prefer not having to take action against you."