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Knights and Guards	By : TasogareNoRaikou Category: Kingdom Hearts > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1258 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, the boys wouldn’t be straight. I don't write for money, this is just for fun.

Chapter List
- 2
- 3
Knights and Guards

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy. If I did, the boys wouldn’t be straight.

Warnings: This is yaoi, and I take full responsibility for all the dirty little fantasies in your head. If you don’t like boys doing naughty things to one another, find something else to read.

Pairings: ???

The Shadow Guards:
Roxas - Spectre
Riku - Raven
Zexion - Venom
Paine - Katt
Yuffie - Shimmering Rain
Lulu - Tarot
Cloud - White Skye

The Burnished Knights:
Zack - Black Lightning
Tifa - Steel Fist
Rikku - Pixie
Kairi - Candy
Naminé - Sugar
Axel - Valiant Blaze

Plot: Roxas and Riku have been best friends since middle school, right about the time they both found out that they weren’t exactly…normal. Not that anything about Haven City is normal nowadays, not with the Knights and Guards fighting to the death almost every night. Growing up in a city prone to superhero battles has been a way of life the boys have come to embrace; especially now that they’ve found out they’re superheroes too. Let the sweet drama of high school, young love, and learning how to deal with superpowers commence!
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Chapter Three: Fire and Lightning Collide

Black Lightning turned towards the door, watching as it was pushed open and three Knights walked in, smiling in greeting. “Welcome back Steel, Candy, and….is that Blaze?”
The tawny-haired boy grinned at the darker boy, stepping up and clasping the leader of the Knights on his shoulder. “You had me worried, Black. I thought something was wrong!”
The older boy laughed heartily, shaking his head. “No, everything is fine. Better than fine, I would say. After much deliberation, we have come to a decision about your role here as a Knight; about where you would do the most good.”
Blaze nodded, listening intently, walking over to a large oval table where several maps of the city were laid out, various areas circled red, and others covered completely with post-it notes. Sugar was sitting at the opposite side of the table, whispering under her breath and writing notes, Candy walking over to her sister and looking over her shoulder at her work. Black redirected his attention by pointing at an area to the north near Craigside; a small community built around hot springs in-between the mountains to the north and the northernmost part of East Side. “Here, at the foot of the Icecap Mountain Range, lies Craigside. We know it well as a tourist attraction; the small community is very popular, almost as popular as the West Beaches. However,” the older boy slid his finger across the map to the west, where Craigside faded into a thick forest, “We do not know much about this area, Coldwood Forest.”
“From the intelligence that we’ve managed to gather about that area, we believe it might be where the lair of the Guards is located,” Steel said, stepping forward, her arms crossed, “If we can hunt them on their own ground, a location out of the city, it would reduce the amount of damage to the local businesses and possible civilian casualties.”
“That aside, we know before we ever get close to that place Skye will realize we’re coming.” Black pulled his hand away from the table, placing it on Blaze’s shoulder instead. “What we need you to do is figure out as much as you can about the new Guards. The two boys that fought Pixie and Candy the other day, you remember their descriptions?”
Blaze nodded, “Two boys, about my age, one with a white braid and dark powers, the other boy with blue hair who can cast red lightning.”
Black nodded, “Yes, those two boys. See what you can find out about them, fight against them whenever you can and draw out their powers. Study them, learn them. Try to find any weaknesses.” The darker boy took a few steps back, allowing his eyes to cross the maps coating the large table. “If we are ever to storm their citadel we will need their numbers to be dwindling. You understand?”
Blaze nodded, then hesitated and asked, “As a Knight, it would be better if I didn’t kill anyone, right?”
Black exhaled silently, and then replied, “Death is permissible in worst case scenario situations, but try to avoid it if at all possible. Protect yourself, and protect your fellow Knights, but if in the end the time comes where you have to take that sort of action…then do so.”
Blaze nodded, bowing slightly to the other boy. “I will do my best to bring honor to the Knights.”
The older boy turned and smiled back at him, nodding his approval. “You will do great things, Blaze. I have confidence in you.”
-x-x-x-
Roxas lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, thinking to himself about everything that had happened that day. School had progressed normally; then after school he and Riku had missed the first train, but had eventually made it back to the East Side of Downtown. It was sunset before they had reached the apartment, the boys walking together and chatting about fights, about their growing powers, about the Knights. Roxas didn’t ask the other boy about what had happened earlier with Demyx, but he knew his friend was thinking about a certain brunette. Funnily, Roxas was thinking about a certain red-head, he had been all through dinner, and his evening bath, and now he was lying in bed awake wondering what he should say to the other boy. He had told Axel he would talk to him tonight, but what should he talk about? Maybe a simple hello would suffice… He retrieved his phone from the bedside table, scrolling through his contacts and selecting the older boy’s number, sending him a small message of, “Hello Axel.”
He lay there, staring at his phone for a small eternity, and then suddenly it vibrated against the sheets, Roxas picking it up and reading the reply. “Hey Roxas, how are you?”
“I’m okay,” The blonde text back, a soft smile across his lips as he did so, “How are you?”
“I’m doing well. Hung out with some friends after school. Sorry for not showing up.”
Roxas blinked at the text. Axel was apologizing for not being there after school? But Roxas hadn’t even thought about that. Sure, he had noticed that Axel had left early, but he wasn’t upset about the boy not being there.
“It’s fine,” Roxas replied, adding after a moment, “I was thinking about you earlier tonight, but I didn’t know what to talk about. I’m sorry it took so long for me to text you.”
“I was thinking about you too.” The message read, Roxas feeling warmth spread through his cheeks. He didn’t quite understand it, but something about those words made him feel anxious, like something was about to happen. It fluttered inside him, and then died back down, the boy staring at his phone for a while before texting back.
“Was it weird of me to ask you if you liked me? I’m sorry if that was awkward. I’ve never been good at making friends.” Roxas pressed the phone to his chest, laying his arm over his eyes, a squeamish feeling planting itself in his chest. He didn’t want Axel to think he was weird, he wondered what the other boy thought about him. He knew he didn’t act like a normal teenager, he didn’t know about things that normal people did, they had always seemed unimportant to him. Now he wished he had been more observant, it would have given him the social experience he needed to carry on a normal conversation with Axel…and perhaps it would help him to understand the meaning behind the other boy’s words.
The phone vibrated a minute or so later, Roxas reading the message with surprise. “No, Roxas, it wasn’t weird at all. I’m sorry that you feel like you’re not good at making friends, I think that you’re great at it. You’re funny and smart, and you’re tougher than you look. I’m glad that you wanted to be my friend. I wanted to be yours too.” Another message came after the first, the phone vibrating in Roxas’ hands as he was reading, the boy scrolling down to read the next text. “I hope you know that you can talk to me about anything, and I want to be able to talk to you about anything too. There’s been something I’ve wanted to tell you, but I haven’t had the courage to say it to you face to face. I feel like I should be there for you, like I should protect you. I know that’s probably crazy for me to say, especially since we just met a week ago, but it’s a feeling I can’t shake. My friends have always told me how protective I am about the people I care about. I guess that means that I care about you too.”
Roxas read the message three times over, his cheeks burning and his heart thudding loudly in his ears. No one had ever told him that they wanted to protect him before, not even Riku. Sure, he knew that his friend would do anything to keep him safe, but it felt different somehow than the way Axel was saying it. The way Axel meant it. What did Axel mean, he cared about him? Roxas rolled over onto his side, his fingers shaking slightly as they moved across the screen. “Axel, I have never been close to anyone besides Riku, I know I told you that before, but I don’t know if you understand what I mean by that. I’m an orphan. I have no family. I was completely by myself until middle school, when I met Riku.” He sent his message, and then began typing another. “I’m not good with letting other people get to know me, and I’m not good at expressing myself, or understanding the meaning behind other people’s words… So please, tell me if there’s something I’m missing when you tell me about your feelings. I need to know what you mean.” He watched as the text loaded for a moment, then sent, and then added a small note to follow the two texts before it. “I don’t think I understand what it means for another person to actually care about me.”
Several long minutes passed, and then Roxas’ phone vibrated against his cheek, the boy picking up the phone and reading the small message aloud, “Do you want to hang out with me tomorrow?”
-x-x-x-
Roxas stood in front of the mirror, styling his hair, Riku in the doorway of the bathroom munching on an apple. “So you’re going to hang out with your friend from school, that red-headed guy?”
“His name is Axel,” Roxas replied, turning to look at his roommate, “He said he wanted to show me around West Side.”
Riku raised an eyebrow at him, saying, “And just what are you going to do if Skye calls for us while you’re out on your little date?”
“It’s not a date!” the blonde protested, trying to hide his blush. After explaining his conversation to Riku that morning, the silver-headed boy had revealed to him that Demyx had been teasing him about liking Sora in a more-than-friends way, and that’s what had truly upset him. He had run off not because he was mad at the boy, but because he was embarrassed that the other boy might actually be right. And since Demyx thought that about Riku and Sora, then it was very possible that since he had also joked around about that with Axel and Roxas, that Axel liked Roxas in a more-than-friends way. Not that Roxas could decipher any of Axel’s texts to be flirting or anything, but they were definitely thoughtful, and sweet. Two things that Riku informed him were not usually present between two guy friends.
Roxas guess he could understand that, after all, his relationship with Riku wasn’t exactly normal. In middle school when they had first found one another their emotions had been so hectic at finally finding a kindred spirit that Roxas and Riku had actually thought for a brief time that they were meant to be together in a more-than-friends way. They had kissed once, Roxas remembered it well. It had been nice, and tasted sweet, but there was something about it that seemed off. Something that was missing. The two boys had been inseparable ever since their time in middle school together, but they had never been anything more than best friends from that day on. They remained close, closer than most normal guy friends would have been, but they also shared a broken and painful existence, and took solace in one another in a way that they could not with anyone else. Not to mention the time when they found out that they both had powers. Roxas had noticed first, he realized that the times when he found himself thinking about his past created dark shadows and a blue-black fog, and thinking about things that made him angry drew lightning into his skin. Riku’s power awoke a few months later, the boy instantly fixated with crows and blackbirds, and their amazing ability to soar through the sky. His calling card had become raven’s feathers as he grew older, and he was able to mold shadows to his will and create things from the darkness. The two boys made a perfect pair and fueled one another. An unstoppable duo, fledglings of darkness... Then, one day, Skye had found them. They had been members of the Guard ever since.
Riku watched his friend silently, taking another bite out of his apple. “I’m only teasing you Roxas. And besides, what would it matter if it was a date? You said you like him too, right?”
The blonde nodded, cheeks burning, “I mean, I like being around him, and he makes me feel…”
“Good?” Riku offered, “Different?” He smiled at the blonde in a knowing manner. “Trust me, I understand. Sora makes me feel the same way. It’s like he’s tied to me somehow. It makes my heart ache when I think about him.”
“Yeah…” Roxas said, agreement in his tone. The two boys turned at the sound of the doorbell, Roxas moving past Riku and passing through the apartment, crossing the living room and walking through the kitchen to reach the front door. He hesitated at the door, hand hovering over the handle, then took a deep breath to calm his nerves and pulled it open.
Axel was there, smiling from ear to ear. “Hey Roxas!”
“Hey Axel,” he replied in kind, moving back out of the doorway and allowing the older boy inside. The red-head stepped past him and walked forward a couple of paces, looking around the corner into the kitchen. Roxas shut the door behind him then walked back through the apartment to his room. “I’ll just be a minute, let be grab my shoes and wallet.”
Riku was standing against the frame of Roxas’ bedroom door, waiting for the blonde’s return. Axel followed after him slowly, looking around the apartment. “This place is nice,” he commented, then nodded to Riku when he noticed the other boy, “Very fancy.”
“Well we had to impress you at some point, didn’t we?” Riku teased, the red-head blinking in surprise and laughing.
“Roxas mentioned that he talks to you about everything.” Axel replied, rubbing the back of his head, calling into the room behind Riku, “Sorry if we picked on you too much the first day, Rox.”
“Riku is just playing with you,” Roxas called in response from within the bedroom, the blonde appearing a moment later at his roommate’s side. “He likes you and the others just fine. He’s glad that I’m making friends.”
“You’re welcome to join us, Riku.” The red-head offered, “There are plenty of places I’m sure you two have yet to see on the West Side.”
“Thank you for the offer, but I think I’ll say here and take a nice, relaxing day to myself.” He smiled, wrapping an arm around Roxas’ shoulders. “You two go have fun.”
Roxas blushed slightly, slipping out from under Riku’s arm and tossing the boy a small wave goodbye as he headed towards the front door. “See you later tonight!”
Axel grinned and waived at the other boy as well before turning and following after Roxas, Riku watching them go with a look of approval across his face. “Treat him well, or I’ll come after you.” He whispered as the two boys shut the front door behind them, Riku taking another bite out of his apple and listening to them depart.
Roxas slid into the passenger seat of Axel’s car, the red-head sitting down beside him a moment later in the driver’s seat and starting up the car, the engine revving smoothly before the older boy put the car in drive and pulled away from the boy’s apartment. “You ready for a day on the West Side?” the boy asked, glancing over at Roxas, who was fiddling with his phone absently.
“You bet!” Roxas replied, slipping his phone in his pocket and gazing up at the older boy. “Where to first?”
“First, we are going to the West Side Library.”
-x-x-x-
The library was huge, much bigger than Roxas had been expecting, given his mentality that West Side was old and rundown and most of its larger buildings were nothing but abandoned shells now. The walls were made of smooth grey marble, giant towering pillars standing like silent guardians all around the entrance to the massive book collection. It was rather intimidating, the boy thought to himself, as he followed Axel inside. “I thought you might be one of the few people who could really appreciate this place,” the red-head said, looking over his shoulder at Roxas, “Most people don’t understand what it is to truly love literature.” The smell of musky old books hung thick in the air, Roxas’ eyes going wide as he took in the interior of the library.
“This place is amazing,” the younger boy said, awe in his tone, “I didn’t know old libraries like this still existed.” He walked off towards a staircase, Axel turning and following after him, a soft smile across his face.
The older boy kept back and watched the younger boy explore, Roxas quickly finding the classical literature section and thumbing through volume upon volume of famous, historical authors. The expressions across his face kept changing, one minute the boy looked like he was speechless, the next he looked as if he wanted to read aloud to the world, his eyes skimming across pages and fingers searching through old, dusty tomes that hadn’t been touched in years. “I’m glad you like it.” Axel said, the blonde boy looking up and meeting the other boy’s eyes, smiling excitedly.
“You have no idea how amazing this place is, I’ve never been to a place like this, not in my whole life…” the blonde’s eyes seemed to darken, the boy shutting the book he was reading gently and placing it back on the shelf before him. “Axel, why did you bring me here?”
“Because I thought you would enjoy it,” the older boy said, then added in a softer tone, “and because I thought it would make you smile.”
Roxas felt that heat creeping up his neck, the sensation settling in his cheeks and burning his skin. “You wanted to make me smile?” he echoed, daring to glance up at the other boy. There was that look again, that look he couldn’t understand. Was it really what Riku had said? Did that look mean that Axel liked him…like that? The boy exhaled quickly, shaking loose his tense nerves, and turned to walk past the older boy into another section of the second floor he had yet to discover. “What’s that over there?” he asked, pointing to a large glass case near the wall past a series of shorter bookshelves.
“Those are books from centuries ago,” Axel said, walking over to the glass case, Roxas following him cautiously, “They are so old, that if they were to be exposed to the air now they would crumble and fall apart. They’re being preserved here, see?”
The blonde boy stepped up to Axel’s side, eyes moving over the books in the case slowly, soaking in every detail of the leather covered volumes, wondering what the glyphs meant, what the symbols written across the pages once said. “What language are they written in?”
“I’m not sure,” Axel replied, “Honestly I’ve never thought to ask.” He looked around, walking back towards the staircase. “Wait here, I’ll go find out.”
“Oh, okay…” Roxas said, watching the boy disappear out of sight. He stood there a moment, alone, then turned to look back at the books within the case, something catching his eye. That sort of looks like the book Venom uses…
“Interesting, aren’t they?” a voice asked, Roxas looking over to meet bright blue eyes, a petite blonde girl standing beside him, her hands clasped leisurely behind her back. Roxas’ heart started to pound, recognizing her instantly. It was Sugar, the healer of the Knights. But what was she doing here? And why was she talking to him… Then suddenly he remembered. She’d never seen him without his mask. She had no idea who he was.
“Y-yeah…” he replied, watching the girl’s movements carefully, trying to keep his energy levels calm. He wanted nothing more than to raise his shields around him and cast her back, he felt vulnerable…but the more he watched her the more he began to realize he was in no immediate danger.
“This one here is my favorite,” she said, pointing to a book near the end of the case. It was broken and falling apart, some of the pages exposed from in between the white leather binding. The symbols were written in gold, shimmering as Roxas walked a bit closer and looked down at them. The girl giggled at him, smiling. “What’s your name?” she asked, kindness in her eyes.
“Roxas,” he replied, swallowing down his nervousness, “What is your name?”
“Naminé,” she replied, “I’m here with my sister.” She held up a finger to her lips, winking and adding with a grin, “We’re doing some research.”
Roxas blinked, backing away from her a step, unsure of what to say. “Oh,” he managed, “That sounds…fun…”
“There you are!” another voice said, Roxas turning to see Candy, the magenta-haired girl sucking on a sucker and grinning as she walked over to her sister. “You’ll never guess who I found! Axel’s here with that boy he likes!”
Roxas blushed crimson and looked to the side, the other girl seeming to notice him for the first time. “Hey, who’s this?”
“His name is Roxas,” Naminé replied, covering her mouth and laughing softly, “I’m pretty sure he’s Axel’s friend from school.”
The other girl looked over at the blonde boy, “Whoops…” she said, arching her eyebrows and rubbing the back of her head. “Don’t tell Axel I said anything, he’ll punch me if he finds out!”
“Kairi! Hold on a second, where are you going?” Axel called, the three turning to watch the older boy appear from behind a bookshelf, panting as if he had been running to keep up. “You damn brat, I told you not to run off.”
“We were just saying hi to your friend!” she said, looked over at Roxas and smiling.
Axel shook his head, walking over to the other boy’s side. “Sorry about that, I ran into these two down in the lobby. I didn’t find a librarian to ask about the books…”
“What did you want to know?” Naminé asked, looking up at the tall red-head.
The boy shrugged, then replied, “What language they’re in, and where they came from, random things like that. You know, just interesting little facts. Roxas wanted to know.”
Kairi opened her mouth to make a sly comment, but Naminé cleared her throat, saying in a matter-o-fact tone, “These tomes are from the ruins of an ancient civilization far to the south. They are from the temples, these books and other holy artifacts that were found. There are several more tomes like these displayed in museums across the city. They are written in a language that’s not known to your world, but one that is still used in mine.”
“In ours,” Kairi added, smiling over at her sister silently.
Naminé nodded, looking down at the case and gliding her fingertips across the glass affectionately. “Some of these runes have been deciphered, but most of the formulas remain a mystery to this world because most of the books cannot handle being exposed to bright sunlight, or sometimes even air. Few have survived that are actually useable books of power.”
“We have most of them,” Kairi said, walking towards the banister of the second floor to peer out over the edge to the lobby, “A few are missing, and a couple books have been stolen from the museums… but the ancient texts seem to be lying dormant for the most part.”
Roxas looked up at Axel, confusion written across his face. Why were they telling him all of this? Why were they talking about themselves so openly. They did nothing to hide their identities, to shadow who they really were. It was obvious that they were talking about their homeworld, and blatantly revealing the fact that they were not from this one. Axel caught his gaze, laughing and replying, “The twins aren’t exactly afraid to share their knowledge with the rest of us,” he said, looking up at Naminé and Kairi, who were talking together over by the banister, the blonde girl looking back at Roxas now and then. “I think they like you, normally it takes them a while to talk about their culture with new friends. They feel that people won’t understand them.”
Roxas nodded, a sensation of familiarity washing over him. He understood what it was like to hold back, the fear of being rejected, the twisting feeling of wondering and knowing there was no way to know… “How do you know them?” Roxas asked the other boy, meeting his cat-green eyes.
“I’ve known the girls for a couple of years now, ever since I started high school.” He looked over and watched them, a fond expression on his face. “They’re two of the members of the Burnished Knights, and they’re not from this world, but somehow I feel close to them. They befriended me during a time when I truly needed good friends who I could trust.”
They sound like they are to him what Riku is to me… Roxas nodded, allowing himself to relax. If Axel trusted them that much, then maybe…when he was being a normal human being…he could learn to trust them too.
“We’re going to go back to studying,” Kairi said, the magenta-haired girl and her blonde sister walking back towards the stairwell, waving goodbye, “Talk to you later Axel!”
“Bye, Roxas!” Naminé called, catching the boy’s eyes and waving a small goodbye to him before turning to follow after her twin.
Axel smiled, softness in his eyes. He was glad that the girls approved. He looked down at Roxas, catching the blonde boy watching him with a curious expression. “So then, are you ready to do some more exploring?”
Roxas nodded, asking, “Where are we going now?”
Axel thought to himself for a moment, then asked, “Well, it’s lunch time now. Are you hungry?”
The blonde boy nodded lightly, “A little…”
Axel grinned, beckoning the younger boy to follow him, “Come on, I know a great place to grab a snack.”
Roxas followed after him, a strange feeling washing over him. Why did he suddenly feel shy? The boy had only asked him if he was hungry, nothing out of the ordinary. But somehow, the consideration behind that simple act had butterflies flittering in Roxas’ stomach. He followed the boy down the stairs and through the lobby, and then out into the sunshine.
Axel drove them to a local shopping center, the boys parking the car near some outdoor food carts, the smell of pizza, nachos, and sausages filling the air. “Do hotdogs sound good?”
“Sure!” Roxas replied, walking alongside the older boy as they skimmed the food carts, loud music playing from a nearby store that had opened its doors and windows to let in the spring’s warm air. The boy stopped for a minute, something making his heart speed up, anxious blue eyes glancing around for any sign of trouble. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, almost expecting to see a text from Riku, but there was nothing there. Axel was at his side a moment later, offering him a large hotdog covered in chili, cheese, and sour cream in a fluffy white bun. Roxas put his phone away, taking the hotdog from the other boy, smiling up at him and saying, “Thank you, you didn’t have to buy me lunch.”
Axel waved him off, merriment in his eyes. “Try it, see what you think.”
Roxas looked down at the intimidating hotdog, lifting it to his mouth and taking a bite. He closed his eyes, enjoying the spicy flavor of the chili mixed with the coolness of the sour cream. “Mmm, ish very good!” he said around his mouthful, taking another bite.
Axel chuckled softly and took a bite out of his own hotdog, watching the younger boy enjoy him meal with a warm feeling in his chest. Every little thing he did for Roxas was so monumental to the young blonde. It hurt him to think about it for too long, the childhood he must have had, all alone, no one there to show him a bit of compassion. The things that were his everyday life were brand new experiences to Roxas. He wanted to show him everything, he wanted to share it all.
Roxas popped the last bit of chili-covered hotdog bun into his mouth, licking his fingers clean innocently, fire erupting across Axel’s face. He’s just so damn cute… Roxas looked up a moment later, noticing the older boy was watching him intently. He laughed in embarrassment, saying in a nervous tone, “Sorry, I made a mess…”
Axel laughed, reaching forward and wiping the corner of the younger boy’s mouth with his thumb, retrieving a bit of sour cream. “Yes you did,” he replied, “But I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
Roxas felt himself blush lightly, trying to forget about the butterflies that seemed to be stirring inside of him again, looking away shyly. Axel took the last few bites of his hotdog, music playing cheerfully through the air, the red-head licking his fingers clean as well before dusting his hands against his jeans. “Well then, I think it’s about time that you got to see the beach.”
Roxas turned to look at the boy with shining eyes, “The beach? We’re going to the beach?”
Axel nodded, then replied with a grin, “But first, we’re going to need to get you some swimming trunks.”
Roxas turned to look at the shopping center, noticing the shop the music was coming from had surfboards and brightly colored beach umbrellas out front. “Sure! I need to buy some clothes for the beach anyway, I’ve never bothered to get any before. Riku and I were just talking about going to the beach sometime after school.”
“Well then maybe we’ll get him a little something too.” The older boy replied, walking off towards the shop, Roxas trotting after him.
-x-x-x-
The beach was warm and sunny, Axel revealing after a short car ride that he was privy to the exact location of the best spot on the coastline. Roxas thought he was exaggerating, until they reached the spot he had spoken about, and realized the other boy was actually being serious. There were barely any people, the waves were smooth and calm, and there were dozens of shimmering seashells strewn across the sand. The older boy seemed to have expected this, insisting on picking out a large beach-themed bucket from the surf shop before they left the shopping center. “Trust me,” he had said, “You’ll see.”
Roxas walked across the sand in awe, sliding off his flip-flops and pulling his shirt off over his head, glad he had decided to change into his new swimming trunks before they had left the store. He would have jumped into the ocean with his clothes on if changing meant he would have had to wait longer before racing into the surf. Axel watched the boy from the shore, the blonde easily spotted by his bright yellow swim trunks, patterned with large blue flowers. He stood there on the sand, a hand on his hip, as he contemplated the emotions stirring inside of him. Curiosity, affection, wonder, and maybe just a hint of desire… Roxas called out his name a moment later, the red-head refocusing on the boy in the shallow waves of the ocean, laughing inwardly and setting down the bucket and his bag before pulling off his shirt, kicking off his sandals and walking towards the ocean. Why did this come so easily to him, spending time with Roxas? He’d only known the blonde for a week, and already he wanted to spend every waking minute with the other boy…
The ocean was cold against his skin, steam erupting from where the water had touched his legs, the red-head quickly pushing his emotions down inside of him and trying to calm his racing nerves. The next time the waves rushed up to him they merely washed over his feet. He glanced up at Roxas, but the boy hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, too busy bent over and digging through the water for something near his feet. “Are you alright?” Axel asked, the blonde looking over his shoulder at him, arms deep beneath the water as he grabbed for something.
“I stepped on something, I don’t know what it is.”
Axel’s mind instantly reeled with possibilities of the younger boy stepping on a sea urchin or a sting ray, asking worriedly, “Are you hurt?”
Roxas laughed, replying to the other boy’s anxious tone, “I’m fine! It didn’t hurt me, it was smooth and soft. I think it’s right here…”
Axel stepped up to the other boy, reaching into the surf where his arms were searching, finding Roxas’ hands beneath the water. The younger boy took his hands and guided him to a large object bigger than his palm, the older boy’s fingers flitting across the edges. A smile instantly crossed his lips. “Go get the bucket,” he said, Roxas meeting his eyes, “Hurry! Before the ocean takes it away!”
Roxas nodded, turning back towards the beach and racing across the sand to where they had left their clothes, grabbing the bucket laying nearby and running back over to Axel, panting as he crashed back through the shallow surf. “What is it?” he asked, excitement in his words.
“Fill it with water,” the older boy said, Roxas dipping the pail under the surface of the ocean, Axel lifting his hands and putting something inside, then grabbing the edges of the bucket and towing it towards the shore. Roxas followed after him, trying to catch a glimpse of what was inside the bucket. The red-head knelt down beside the bucket once he had lugged it far enough out of the ocean that the surf wouldn’t carry it away, Roxas kneeling down beside him. “It’s a cushion sea star.” Axel said, Roxas grasping the lip of the bucket and peering inside with wide eyes. There was a large, fat, star-shaped creature at the bottom of the bucket, purple for the most part, with splashes of yellow at the tips of its appendages.
“It’s huge!” Roxas said in amazement, looking up at Axel with round eyes. “Is that really a starfish? I didn’t know they could look like that…”
Axel nodded. “They flourish around here, where there are fewer tourists. I’ve seen them in every color imaginable.” He grinned, rubbing the back of his head. “I was hoping I’d be able to find one for you, but it seems you found one all by yourself.”
Roxas smiled at him, a warm, happy feeling in his chest. “Thank you Axel.” He said, his voice softer than he had meant it to be.
The older boy watched him with bright green eyes, not replying. He didn’t have to say anything. His eyes spoke volumes by themselves.
Roxas watched the sea star for a long time, the waves ticking their legs and toes, then finally after a while he looked over at Axel, saying, “I think we should put it back now. I don’t want it to die.”
Axel nodded, smiling at the boy’s thoughtfulness. “I’ll carry him out deep,” he replied, picking up the bucket and carrying it out about waist-deep, reaching in and taking the starfish in his hand, then turning the bucket upside town and tossing it towards the beach. Roxas waded out and grabbed it, dragging it back into the beach while he waiting for Axel to return. He felt so happy, so content. Was this what it was like to have friends? To be normal? The other boy returned to his side a moment later, shaking out the tips of his red hair, which had managed to get wet out in the deeper water. “Want to collect some shells for Riku?”
Roxas nodded, looking out across the sand, then pointing. “Let’s walk over there, I thought I saw something shiny on top of the sand.”
“Lead the way,” Axel replied, gesturing along the edge of the ocean and allowing Roxas to go first, the younger boy laughing at him and running ahead. The red-head, never one to forfeit a challenge, raced after him, the blonde laughing and running faster. “You know, for a skinny, short kid you run pretty fast!” the older boy teased as he caught up to Roxas, the boy shoving his arm playfully.
“You’re just lucky I wasn’t really trying,” Roxas retorted, looking down at the sand near his feet. “Oh, pretty! What is this?”
“It’s a sand dollar,” the older boy replied, picking up another one nearby, “They can be as small as your thumb, or as big as your arm. You never see the big ones whole though, just pieces of them that wash up on the shore.”
Roxas placed it in the bottom of the bucket, then reached down and picked up another shell. “What’s this one?”
“A conch shell,” the older replied.
Roxas cradled it for a moment before placing it inside the bucket as well, then turned and picked up another. “And this one?”
“That’s a clam shell.” Axel replied, stepping forward and looking at the fan-shaped seashell. “Turn it over and look on the inside. That shiny pink stuff is called mother of pearl.”
“Oh wow…” he shifted the shell in his hand from side to side, watching the sunlight glint off of the shiny surface. “I didn’t know that shells could look like this.” He wrapped his finders around the shell, then looked up at Axel with a determined expression, “I’ll have to take one to keep for myself, help me find another one to give to Riku!”
They collected shells for a while, then the wind picked up, sending cold chills through both of the boys. “You ready to go?” Axel asked, noticing the other boy shivering. “We could go warm up at my place. It’s not far from here.”
“Is that okay?” Roxas asked, blue eyes glancing up at the other boy. He’d never been invited over before, not casually anyway. The members of the Guard were invited over to one another’s places now and then, but that was different. They gathered together when something was needed, some plans to be discussed or techniques to be taught. He didn’t really understand what being invited over to a normal person’s house meant. Was he supposed to do anything in return?
“Of course it’s okay,” Axel said, reaching over and nudging the boy’s arm. “I invited you, didn’t I?”
Roxas nodded, still feeling unsure. “I don’t want you to go out of your way or anything…”
“Roxas,” the blonde looked up, meeting cat-green eyes, “I want you to come over, so we can talk and hang out some more. Do you want to go home already?”
The blonde hesitated, then shook his head. “Not yet,” he said, looking away shyly, “I’d like to hang out with you more before going home.”
“Good!” Axel said, grinning, “Because I have plans for you, East Sider. I’m going to see how good you are at playing classic West Side games, and see in the end who reins victorious!”
Roxas watched him, blinking in surprise. “West Side games?” he asked, puzzled.
Axel nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “It’s gonna be West Side versus East Side! Jenga, Trouble, and Monopoly! The loser has to pay for dinner!”
The younger boy, realizing Axel was just teasing him, grinned up at him. “I accept your challenge!” he replied eagerly, wrapping his arms around his bucket of shells and walking back across the beach towards their clothes. “You’re definitely buying dinner!”
“Oh, we’ll see about that!” the red-head said, following after the other boy. Roxas looked over his shoulder at him, sticking out his tongue. Axel’s heart jumped for a moment, a light blush crossing his cheeks. So damn cute… he thought again, trying to push down his growing crush. The last thing he needed was to burst into flames randomly in front of the other boy. He was sure that would go over well…
-x-x-x-
Roxas grinned around his chopsticks, slurping up a mouthful of shrimp lo mein. Axel glared at him over his orange chicken, trying to look upset. “Liar,” he said, taking a bite of chicken, “you said you had never played before.”
The blonde grinned, chewing his noodles and swallowing them down before he replied, “Well, I may have played a few times before, but it was way back in middle school.”
“That still counts!” the red-head protested, mock-anger in his tone. The younger boy giggled softly, reaching over and expertly picking up a steamed dumpling with his chopsticks, bringing it to his mouth and taking a bite. “I don’t know how you’re able to do that so well, either…” the red head murmured, stabbing at his orange chicken with his fork.
“Riku taught me,” Roxas said after a moment, “it took me a while to get used to it. Here, let me show you.” The blonde sat down his box of noodles, moving to the other side of the table and sitting down on the adjacent couch beside Axel, handing the boy his chopsticks. “You hold them like this,” he said, showing him his hand, “and you use them like this.” He squeezed his fingers together, effectively closing and opening the chopsticks. “Now you try.”
Axel sighed, taking the chopsticks from the other boy and holding them in his hand. Roxas reached up and adjusted his fingers, the red-head watching him with a soft smile. “It’s sweet that you’re trying, but trust me, Demyx has showed me how to do this before. It’ll work for a minute, then I forget how to hold them right.”
Roxas laughed, replying, “Well then I’ll just show you again, until you learn.” He motioned to the box of orange chicken. “Try.”
Axel gave the younger boy a skeptic look, then reached for the chicken with his chopsticks, picking up a piece of chicken for a moment before it dropped back into the box. “Told you so.” The older boy replied, Roxas shaking his head.
“It’s not your technique, it’s that you’re trying to hold it too hard.” Roxas replied, reaching up and taking Axel’s hand, adjusting the chopsticks and adding, “You don’t need to hold the chicken forcefully, you need to balance it between the two sticks. Relax you hand, and try again.” The red-head hesitated, then followed the boy’s instructions, reaching into the box and pulling out a piece of chicken, being careful not to clamp down to hard, and watching in amazement as it didn’t fall. “Try eating it!” the blonde encouraged, nodding and smiling at the older boy’s progress. Axel did as he was told, bringing the chicken to his mouth and taking a bite, watching the blonde boy smile.
“Hey, this isn’t so bad!” he responded, picking up another piece of orange chicken and popping it in his mouth, Roxas sighing and relaxing back against the couch. Axel, grinning like a fox, reached over and picked up a dumpling using his new technique, moving it to Roxas’ lips. “Here, have another one.”
Roxas laughed softly, opening his mouth and taking a bite, Axel holding the chopsticks in place as the boy chewed and swallowed, then took another bite. It seemed to happen in slow motion, Axel watching the younger boy’s mouth intently, feeling heat rise up the back of his neck. He looked away, swallowing nervously, picking up another piece of chicken and bringing it to his mouth. He’d suddenly had an overwhelming feeling, images flooding his mind. Images of things that he should not be thinking of doing to the other boy. Not yet, anyway. He closed his eyes, refocusing his thoughts, then opened his eyes to look over at Roxas. The boy had picked up another pair of chopsticks and had returned to his shrimp lo mein, looking up at Axel from behind a mouthful of noodles. The red-head chuckled softly, Axel leaning back against the couch as well, sharing back and forth glances with the other boy. He wondered what he was thinking, what he thought about him, and what he was feeling. And then fleetingly, he wondered, if he would ever be able to tell Roxas that he was a Knight.
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Taking a break from the normal chaos of everyday life, Roxas and Axel have managed to become a bit closer, creating memories together and sharing smiles. Spending time together will strengthen their bonds off of the battlefield, but it will tear them apart as they face off on opposing ends in the battle between the Guards and the Knights.
Meanwhile, Riku is discovering things about himself he never thought he would. Mainly things regarding a certain brunette he can’t get out of his mind, the boy slowly realizing how those feelings will affect his relationship with Roxas, and with the Guard. When the person you care about more than anything is terrified of who you really are, do you throw everything away to be with them? Or do you keep your true self hidden for the rest of your life, hoping to find happiness in the shadows…

More next time, in Chapter Four of Knights and Guards!

Author’s Note: Thank you very much for reading and leaving me reviews! Your reviews are what inspire me, please remember to leave me a small note and let me know what you think! Happy reading, see you next time!
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Knights and Guards