Perhaps... (20. Longing)
Sunlight oversaturated the empty café, everything lit warm, white, soft from all the windows catching the rising sun. Only two people were in the establishment, both sitting at a little table in their own delicately suspended universe of momentary peace. The small blond with a stack of pancakes in front of himself, watching a lazy curl of steam rise from the plate, and the taller redhead had his face turned towards the window, eyes turned to watch his companion pick at the pancakes. It seemed so human as they sat and talked quietly to each other with breakfast and coffee.
It was certainly one of Axel’s most favorite parts of missions. The going out to normal worlds, being a normal person in moments like this. Most of all, though, he tried to get Roxas to be happy, fish out that smile when they were just being, and not fulfilling their missions.
The fork slid between the boy’s teeth, blue eyes cast down to the task of cutting triangles out of the food and consuming it. Roxas didn’t bother to pull his lips into a smile as the redhead talked animatedly, trying to get a positive reaction. Eventually he played into Axel’s game, eyes turned up finally.
“Roxas, you know what?” Axel’s voice was a saccharine sort of hopeful as he paused, grasping for words he didn’t quite know the full meaning of. The blond just watched him, not saying anything as he straightened the leather cuff of his coat of creases. The taller fidgeted in his seat, shifting as he waved a hand in the air above the table, propped up on the elbow. “Demyx, he might be right, you know? I know we don’t have hearts, but we have to have feelings. How could we know we were in pain, otherwise? And if we didn’t, we’d have to feel the lack of emotion…” Cerulean eyes stared at him incredulously, waiting for him to get to his point.
“What I’m trying to say is… if we can ‘register’ pain, we could feel love too. And…” He felt his ears growing hot, and averted his eye to the edge of the table, lips twitching upwards awkwardly. Attention turned back to his friend as the other chair scratched across the floor, Roxas looking out the window. Gloved hands were shoved into his pockets, the shorter Nobody meeting Axel’s hopeful gaze with his own blank one.
“We both know that Xemnas has been around longer than anyone; he knows we don’t have emotions…” Roxas felt an ache in his chest where his heart would sit as he tore down his best friend’s world he didn’t realize existed. “We need to get back to the mission. Thanks for breakfast.”
He watched Roxas slump out of the restaurant, letting his expression fall lax. All he wanted was for Roxas to be happy. For him to be happy. He knew that his friend didn’t believe what he said, he couldn’t. The door shut and the blond waited for the other to come.
“…I’m always chasing rainbows for you, Roxas.” Axel slammed his hand on the table, the plate of half eaten pancakes clattering. He shoved the table over as he stood up and followed the other Nobody out, looking down at the street as the other moved forward without turning to look at him.
It was certainly one of Axel’s most favorite parts of missions. The going out to normal worlds, being a normal person in moments like this. Most of all, though, he tried to get Roxas to be happy, fish out that smile when they were just being, and not fulfilling their missions.
The fork slid between the boy’s teeth, blue eyes cast down to the task of cutting triangles out of the food and consuming it. Roxas didn’t bother to pull his lips into a smile as the redhead talked animatedly, trying to get a positive reaction. Eventually he played into Axel’s game, eyes turned up finally.
“Roxas, you know what?” Axel’s voice was a saccharine sort of hopeful as he paused, grasping for words he didn’t quite know the full meaning of. The blond just watched him, not saying anything as he straightened the leather cuff of his coat of creases. The taller fidgeted in his seat, shifting as he waved a hand in the air above the table, propped up on the elbow. “Demyx, he might be right, you know? I know we don’t have hearts, but we have to have feelings. How could we know we were in pain, otherwise? And if we didn’t, we’d have to feel the lack of emotion…” Cerulean eyes stared at him incredulously, waiting for him to get to his point.
“What I’m trying to say is… if we can ‘register’ pain, we could feel love too. And…” He felt his ears growing hot, and averted his eye to the edge of the table, lips twitching upwards awkwardly. Attention turned back to his friend as the other chair scratched across the floor, Roxas looking out the window. Gloved hands were shoved into his pockets, the shorter Nobody meeting Axel’s hopeful gaze with his own blank one.
“We both know that Xemnas has been around longer than anyone; he knows we don’t have emotions…” Roxas felt an ache in his chest where his heart would sit as he tore down his best friend’s world he didn’t realize existed. “We need to get back to the mission. Thanks for breakfast.”
He watched Roxas slump out of the restaurant, letting his expression fall lax. All he wanted was for Roxas to be happy. For him to be happy. He knew that his friend didn’t believe what he said, he couldn’t. The door shut and the blond waited for the other to come.
“…I’m always chasing rainbows for you, Roxas.” Axel slammed his hand on the table, the plate of half eaten pancakes clattering. He shoved the table over as he stood up and followed the other Nobody out, looking down at the street as the other moved forward without turning to look at him.