Work Text:
One-shot — Next Life
"Let's meet again in our next life..."
Roxas opened his eyes with a sleep drowziness. He had a very strange dream again. Lately he was dreaming a lot about it... this... Axel guy.
Sleepy and confuse, he sat up on bed blinking. He didn't understand. Why would he see a stranger? And why would he always wake up feeling so... sad?
— He is just a dream... — snarled at himself getting up from bed, but saying so only made him feel worse. When he repeated, his voice was sad. — A dream...
— G'morning, Xion. — said more happy when he got to the kitchen and saw his sister making a toast. — Today you don't have any club activities before class?
The raven haired girl turned to see the blond, her blue eyes shining with worry.
— Good morning, Roxas. — replied politely before frowning. — You look pale. What time did you go to sleep...? You know you can't stay awake 'til late!
Roxas hummed distracted, without hearing what she said.
— I'm fine, I'm fine. — he dismissed after noting her posture. — It was just a bad dream.
Xion huffed shaking her head and put a plate with toast before him.
— Eat and go wash your face. Are you sure you showered? You still look like a zombie. — scolded pulling a frown again.
Roxas laughed and started to eat, receiving an approving shake of head from the raven that turned back for her own toast.
While eating, Roxas let his mind float back for his dream. The face of the redhead — Axel, corrected himself, remembering that on the last dream he finally got to hear his name — was always so weird. Not that the face was weird, but his look... It was as if he had gived up on everything. Unexpectedly it made Roxas unconfortable.
— ... so remember to eat something, yeah? — Xion was saying, waking Roxas up from his thoughts. He blinked a couple of times, his eyes as blue as his sister's, and tried to remember what she was talking about. — Are you even listening to me...?
Roxas hurried up to agree and smile, even if he wasn't.
— Yeah, sure. You'll... Go out in the afternoon, right? I remember, Xion! — he said in a reassuring tone, guessing what it was from the talk from the day before. — I'm gonna eat, don't worry. I don't need you to remember me!
She raised an eyebrow at him, clearly not believing, and took the used plate from both of them to wash. Only then that Roxas noticed that he had already finished.
Muttering under his breath, he got up in a jump and ran for the closer bathroom to wash his face again. Maybe he should start drinking coffee. Black and strong, just like their father. Maybe this way he could wake up.
School morning was boring. They met Naminé midway, and the three of them went together to school, laughing and speaking nonsense. As always, Roxas was a little flustered near the blond one; if he would admit to himself, he liked her a little. Just a little. But he would never admit it aloud, of course.
After that, they went directly to class, having a few minutes break before the bell rang and the teacher got there. All classes were alike. Roxas dozed off in the second class and got himself a slap on head from his sister, but, except that, it was a uneventful day.
Not even the idea of going out with Xion and Naminé after school to grab some ice cream was attracting him, but he went along anyway. While buying — three sea-salt ice cream —, an oddly familiar voice made him turn around to watch someone on the other side of the street. A tall man laughed loudly, his voice echoing around. He didn't recognize the laugh, but something in that voice was confortingly familiar...
When the man turned around, Roxas's ice cream dropped to the ground. His heart beating aloud and strong being the only thing he could hear. He couldn't hear the laugh nor the voice of his friends asking him if he was alright. He only heard his fluttering heart.
He opened his mouth to answer them that yes, he was okay, but his mouth went dry; he dried his hands at his jeans and blinked twice before answering.
— Yeah. Yep. It only slipped. — explained still looking at the man.
Tall, wearing a long black coat over a jeans, his red hair bright against the dark coat, and those eyes... Roxas knew those eyes, the little marks under them. He just didn't know that strong, bright, happy light in them. Not really.
He remembered those eyes with a sad look. Beautiful and honest eyes, even though... even though he hadn't a heart. Roxas frowned upon that thought, but he knew that, someday, it had been true. Someday. Not anymore.
Then those green, beautiful eyes looked at him, and he too paralised where he was, ignoring his blue haired friend who still talked to him.
Flashes — memories, he corrected himself — of a smirk, bright eyes, a smooth voice asking if he "got it memorized?", and... a quiet, hidden cry, let known from his strained "that's not true... I would miss you".
Axel.
Axel, who taught him about ice cream. Axel, who taught him about friends. Axel, who was his best friend. Axel, who worried about him. Axel, who tried to save him. Axel, who made all he could to not let him be destroyed. Axel. Axel. Axel.
Roxas felt like his legs were made of jelly, but stood on his foot. Where was all that coming from? He knew, of course. He had made sure to know, apparently.
Their promise was at last complete. Axel was there too...
Unable to control himself, Roxas smiled, walking weakly towards the man the other side of the street, letting behind the confused Xion and Naminé. He went walking until he was right in front of him, where he stopped, unnerved, looking right at his face — so familiar, yet so strange. It had been years since the last time he had seen him. Years... When had them met each other, anyway?
— Heh. Name's Axel, got it memorized? — he smirked in a way Roxas recognized.
— Hard to don't get. — mocked Roxas, but he replied anyway. — Roxas, pleasure.
A body that disappeared in darkness, and words let on air.
"I'll be waiting."