Excerpt: His Last Request

"You okay, Rox?" Axel asked quietly, reaching over and running a hand through Roxas' hair. Roxas smiled at him a little and shrugged. There was really no point in lying to Axel—the man could see right through him, no matter how hard he tried. "What're you thinking?"

"I'll tell you later," Roxas replied just as quietly, poking half-heartedly at his cereal. He wasn't feeling nearly as hungry any more.

"Awww, aren't you two so cute?" Demyx cooed at them, and then yelped as Axel threw the soggy napkin at him. "Hey, hey, can't a guy just admire his friends and their love?"

"Shut up, Demyx," Axel demanded with a drawn-out sigh.

"Well, how d'you like that?" Demyx asked crossly, picking up his bowl and starting to walk out of the kitchen. "Here I am, bringing you gossip, and you can't even be civil to me. Well, I know when I'm not wanted! Next time you need something, don't even bother coming to me!"

"Stop being such a drama queen!" Axel yelled as the door slammed shut behind Demyx.

"That's drama king!" Demyx shouted through the door in parting, and Axel chuckled lightly before turning back to Roxas, who still hadn't looked up from his cereal.

"...Wanna go see Reno after we eat?" Axel asked, the concern in his voice almost making Roxas smile. Roxas nodded silently, chasing the last oat around his bowl determinedly, and Axel fell into silence beside him.