driftfleet | →001← accidental video

[Roxas' face has turned, a hurt and untrusting (yet entirely unsure) gaze settling on Axel.]

... So you don't... remember anything that happened to us.

Happened to us? [Axel's a top-notch liar, and he'll own up to that any day, but there's a very sincere look of bafflement on his face right now, and he shakes his head.] Kid, the last thing I remember about us is me tellin' you I had'a take that special mission to Castle Oblivion, up on the clock tower.

[He looks a little uncertain then, frowning.]

Did something bad happen?

[Oh if only you knew, Axel.]

[Roxas goes silent, looking at him for way too long not to be telling. Then he looks down at his hands, eyebrows knitting together in his frown.]

... Where are we? I mean, I know we're in space, I know these are space ships, but... What's going on.

[Apparently he doesn't want to talk about this just yet.]

[He hesitates. He doesn't like that Roxas just changed the subject, but pushing people isn't really a good way to get them to talk--this isn't an interrogation.]

Right now? We're... yeah, in space. I mean we're docked at a planet, but where in space I really couldn't say. [He scratches his head.] They say it's a reality show? I've never seen one, but apparently everything we say and do is on TV somewhere. S'a little creepy, you ask me, having no privacy like that.

So they're gonna be watching me constantly?

[...]

They're seeing me like this?! Axel, I'm covered in goop!

I dunno if they're constantly watching everybody, but we don't really have any way of knowing when they are and when they aren't. Me, I just hope there's no cameras in the bathroom, man. [Talk about creepy.

[He laughs a little.]

It's just pudding, it's not like it's snot or something. [He gets to his feet and offers a hand to pull Roxas up.] Here, come on, you can go wash your face and you'll be good as new.

[Roxas stares at the hand extended to him for several seconds, gaze flicking up to Axel's face for just a split-second glance before going back to it. He doesn't remember. He has no idea what happened between them, not a clue about Roxas leaving the Organization. Of course, there's always the chance that he's lying...

[And yet here Roxas is, reaching up to take his hand and pulling himself up.]

Where is it again?

[There's a long pause, and Axel's actually a little worried for a second. What happened? Was it something that bad? Had he screwed up a mission or something? Maybe Saïx had punished Roxas for it? Saïx had been acting a little jerkier than usual lately. He worried until Roxas took his hand, and exhaled softly with relief. Well, whatever it was, at least the kid didn't seem unforgiving. That wouldn't have been very fair, anyway--he hadn't even done anything (yet)!]

It's down the hall here, and-- You know what, I'll walk you there. [He gestures down the corridor and takes an easy pace, shoving his hands into his pockets.] So did I miss anything interesting? [He glances sidelong at him.] While I was at CO, I mean. [He still wants to know what happened, but he has a feeling pushing Roxas for answers won't get him anywhere; he'll have to be a little more creative.]

... Not really, no.

[He feels like there should be something. What did he do with all that time? More training, he thinks...]

You were gone forever.

Really? Nothing? [He blows a raspberry.] Man, you guys really need me around to keep things happening, don't you?

[He frowns a little, something almost guilty in his expression. Almost.]

Ah... yeah, I'm sorry about that. Wasn't really my choice, you know? [A beat of silence and he clears his throat awkwardly.] Hopefully it won't happen again, at least not for a while. At least it won't happen here, anyway, right?

[Roxas looks down, following Axel at a distance that one would probably describe as "unsure". It's like he doesn't want to leave his side, but he doesn't want to be next to him, either.]

No... I hope it doesn't, anyway. I know nothing happened to you, but... for a while there, I thought you were dead. They didn't know where you were, they assumed you'd gone down with the rest of the group.

Dead? Me? [He gives a sharp sort of laugh and shakes his head.] Like I'd go down with the rest of that ship, please. [He claps Roxas on the shoulder, then steers him toward a door on the side of the hallway. The washroom isn't terribly large, but it's clean and utilitarian.] If I didn't know better, I'd think you sounded upset about that, kiddo--come on, you need a heart to be worried about somebody, right? [He pats his shoulder and then folds his arms.] Fact of the matter is I'm not dead, I'm right here, so there's nothin' to worry about anyway.

[Something about that just sounds wrong.]

Well, what else am I supposed to do. You're my best friend.

[He stops, and swallows, awkwardly.]

... At least you are to me.

Best...? [He looks surprised. He didn't even know Roxas knew what best friends were. He grabs a washcloth off the nearest towel rack and runs it under the sink, then hands it to Roxas and looks a little abashed.] Sheesh, I didn't know you felt that way about it... [He pulls at his neck and ventures a sheepish kind of half-smile.] I haven't had a best friend in a long time, you know? But I guess if you're really itching for the position I can schedule an interview for ya.

Dummy. We already were. You just... I guess you didn't get there yet.

[He takes the washcloth, and wipes down his face, rinsing it in the sink so it's open to wipe off his jacket.

[He still seems a little apprehensive about the whole "not from the same time as everyone else" thing.]

Besides, what would an interview for that be like?

[He sighs gustily, shaking his head.]

Man, it's so not fair I'm behind everybody. I'm gonna have to get the Cliff's Notes version of my own future or something, I hate being out of the loop.

[A grin then.]

Oh, you know, I gotta make sure you meet a few prerequisites. You know... [He counts off each point on a finger.] Do you laugh at my jokes...? Do you have my back if we get in a brawl...? Oh, and would you be my wingman at a bar? [A pause, and he shakes his head.] I guess that one'll have to wait a few years.

[He ruffles Roxas' head then.]

Hey, I'm just yanking your chain, anyway; if you passed already, even if I'm not there yet, I'm sure you'd pass again with flying colors.

... If those two are all it takes, I've got one out of two, at least.

[he swats him off, unable to stop the grin that breaks out.]

I won't tell you which one.

Aww, only one? [He dodges the swat and makes a tutting sound.] Come on, you'd better step it up a notch if you wanna be best friends. Go for two out of two--these really aren't unreasonable qualifications, you know?

[He sobers a little, marveling a moment at just how real it looks when Roxas smiles. Something in him envies that. Axel shakes his head to clear it and then scratches his crown a little awkwardly.]

Look, ah, I didn't mean for you to think I'd been taken out, though. I would'a come back sooner, but things got kinda... complicated. Trust me, though, I definitely would rather have been doing missions with you.

[There's a little more light in those eyes when he looks at him now. Roxas feels so much more than he used to, Axel.]

I know you would. Things got pretty messy over there... But I really was worried about you.

[He looks a little embarrassed.]

Somehow, if it's you, I can believe it. [He waves one hand then, reaching over and taking the washcloth and dashing a missed smear of pudding from the kid's cheek before tossing it in the laundry bin.] There, all clean. See? I told you it was no big deal.

[He pushes the bathroom door open and heads back out into the hall, turning to hold the door and wait for Roxas.]

So now that you're here... did they tell you like what your job was gonna be? It's not enough we're on TV, they gotta make sure we're not slacking off too much, too, it seems.

[Roxas follows him out, looking over his shoulder at him to wait for him to shut the door.]

Yeah, they said I was maintenance.

[As if on cue, there's a little cleaning droid that putters on by.]

Maintenance? [He lets the door swing closed, then shoves his hands into his pockets again and falls into step alongside Roxas.] I would'a figured you'd be security or something, being the heavy hitter you are. [He grins slyly.] Betcha you'll never guess what my job is~

Well, I didn't choose.

[Oh man, here comes the bragging.]

Go on, hot-shot, tell me.

I guess you'll learn a lot about how stuff works... I'll make sure to call you if the gravity breaks.

[The grin widens.]

Oh come on, you're not even gonna guess? All right, fine, I'll tell ya. I was just the comms guy--you know, snooping around and listening in on people's conversations. I'm good at that, right? Well, our captain got voted off the show or something, 'cuz she's not here anymore... so guess who got promoted? [He looks very pleased with himself.]

... Our ship is gonna crash.

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