Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ All To Protect ❯ Chapter 1
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: animegeek22 
All they did was protect. Then they met. One heart splits into two for the sake of love.
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 05.09.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 776 | Status: Completed
All they did was protect. Then they met. One heart splits into two for the sake of love.
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 05.09.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 776 | Status: Completed
takes place at some time, but Sora’s in Hollow Bastion when It happens. Why? Because I say so. And because Riku and Axel seem to be stalkers. This work is a little mediocre, but it’s what happens when you want to write everything that comes to mind…. Readers beware! =O
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. It is property of Square Enix and (though they can cover themselves in lighter fluid and light a match) Disney.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All he did was protect. He put his life on the line in order to save that of another. But why? Why go through so much for someone other than yourself? Why risk death for an empty shell, something that can’t feel, a shadow of something actually existent?
Maybe it’s because he, too, is an empty shell, a false shadow of someone else, trying to develop emotions he knew he could never have, or gain even the most miniscule pieces of a heart, though he knew he’d remain heartless until death.
Axel’s boots created an echoing sound as he stepped through the empty halls of Hollow Bastion, eyes scanning the area to ensure he wouldn’t be forced into any combat. He only hoped to find what he wanted, and didn’t intend to have any distractions along the way.
He caught a quick movement out of the corner of his eye, but disregarded it, passing it off as something shifting from some wind that came from nowhere, or from being placed somewhere so precariously.
Another rhythm was heard, the sound of it matching the sound of his steps as they echoed through the corridors.
Now he knew someone was following him.
Continuing to walk, Axel listened for the other rhythm, the sound gaining upon him as he moved. Not too long afterward, he sharply turned on his heel, facing his follower.
That was where the movement had come from. It was this person in front of him, matching the silver Axel had barely caught sight of.
“How long,” he asked darkly, “have you been following me?”
“That’s nothing you should be knowing,” came the equally cold remark.
“I’d prefer to avoid conflict, so I just suggest you stop bothering me so I can finish what I’m doing.” Axel knew that never seemed to work, but threatening appeared to be a nice option any time.
A grin crossed the mystery person’s lips. “Are you here,” he began, pausing only for some dramatic effect, “for the Keyblade-wielder?”
Axel gently bit his lip. It seemed obvious that he’d come here for the boy, since his goal was to turn him into a Heartless. He had been following him, finding out what worlds he’d go to and found the general direction he’d traveled in. What he didn’t know was that someone else was following the child as well.
“I take that as a yes,” he continued, grin widening only slightly. “Too bad for you, I can’t allow you to be near him.”
“I figured as much,” replied Axel, keeping an equally cool voice. Damn, this person was apparently protecting him from any harm.
Blue-green eyes narrowed at the fire-user, as if he was trying to hide something.
“Why are you glaring at me?” he asked, a small smile curling his lips, “Do you have a guilty conscience?”
“Don’t speak so familiarly with me,” he muttered, “You don’t even know my name.”
“Of course I don’t,” Axel replied casually, “You never had the common courtesy to address yourself.”
“Neither did you.”
“Someone’s rather unfriendly,” the Nobody said a little silently.
The teen’s hands curled into fists as his glare became colder and sharper. “Don’t start talking down to me.”
Axel crossed his arms, as if that glare was as threatening as a box full of kittens. “I dislike fighting when it isn’t necessary, so jut let me go. I see no reason as to why you’d put your life on the line for that kid.”
“You don’t know anything. You creep into here without even knowing anything that’s happening outside your own mind. Only an idiot would do that.”
He grinned, looking at the teen, who appeared to have taken an emotional hit from what he had said. Slowly, Axel began stepping over, boots hitting the floor again as soon as an echo died out.
The teen took a step back, glare intensifying as the person in front of him approached.
“Sorry to break your heart, but I have to get your boyfriend to become a Heartless in order to get mine back.” Axel had no problem admitting that he wanted Roxas back for neither their friendship nor the Organization, but because the younger Nobody made him have a heart, no matter whether is was faux heart or not.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Mm-hmm… What’s your name?” He voice was dark, but casual, as if he saw this person as a simple speed bump.
“Riku,” he replied darkly, as if his name gave away his very existence to this man.
“Riku, swallow your pride and admit it. I do know what’s been happening, and there’s only one thing that would make you put your life on the line for this child.”
Riku made several steps back when they were only about two feet away from one another. “Only in your beliefs.”
“I don’t even have a heart and there’s no doubting I feel more emotion than you do. What’s the point of having a heart if you’ll let it be consumed by darkness?” The Nobody had forgotten that he came here for someone else, and didn’t realize that he was now lecturing the teen, if not having a conversation.
“You don’t know what it’s like…”
Axel stopped in front of Riku, giving him a serious look. “I don’t know what what’s like?”
“Everything!” he yelled, looking the Nobody in the eyes.
“What does ‘everything’ mean?” he asked, keeping his voice calm and relaxed.
“You’re completely fake. You don’t know what it’s like to feel. You don’t know what emotions do.”
“I think that hurt my nonexistent feelings,” Axel said a joking tone, mocking what Riku said.
Riku glared icily at him. “You’re an idiot.” He turned to walk away, but felt his wrist get caught.
“Don’t you possibly think that maybe I could get close to feeling something? No matter what someone is naturally limited to, limits are only the yellow tape at the end of a race. If you go for it and put your mind to it, you can break that tape.”
“Stop lecturing me.”
“In one ear and out the other, huh?” Axel suggested slyly.
“You’re irritating,” he replied coldly.
“Or are you just terrified of being proved wrong? You’re just scared of being overpowered by what you think you can’t do. If you’re so pessimistic, you’ll never be able to help your friend.”
Turning to Axel, Riku gave him a dark look. “You know nothing- especially about Sora.”
“No, you’re the one who doesn’t know anything. I know for a fact that you have people trying to shed some light on your heart, but all you do is continue to force yourself into darkness. The more you do that, the more the people around you suffer.”
“You’re wrong. Everything I do is to help my friends. That’s all I do.”
“Then you’re helping them in the worst way possible. You’re hurting them just so you can have the satisfaction of helping them out in the end… Right?”
The teen bit his lip, looking at the floor. Realization washed over him like the waves in the beach back on Destiny Island. But the purity of the water and the happiness of being with Kairi and Sora weren’t here. This realization was empty, just dark water without even a night star there to shed the slightest of light on the equally dark sky.
Taking the teen’s chin in his hand, Axel smiled faintly. “We’re both protectors.” He tilted Riku’s head upward so they were looking at each other in the eyes. “It’s just how we do it that makes you and I different.”
He placed his hand on the Nobody’s wrist, a eyes drifting to the side. “You’re right, but I see no reason for you to be speaking to me.”
“Still…” Axel sighed. “I have to take away your friend, because I need mine. I was partially hoping I could just talk it out… Or wait for you not to pay attention so I could just leave, but it seems you‘re hard to distract.”
“I‘m not a fool. You underestimated me.”
“Still, it’s apparent that your emotions weaken you. What does that say about you?”
Riku narrowed his eyes. “My friends are all I have. Why not care about them?”
Axel grinned, releasing Riku’s chin. “Your feelings for Sora obviously don’t match what I think I feel for Roxas.” He stepped back.
“You’re wrong. That’s more far from true than you could ever be. I…” Riku wrapped his arms around Axel and dug his face into the black fabric in front of him. “I love him more than you could ever know.” It was strange. Riku was allowing himself to break down in front of a complete and total stranger. Even more, this stranger didn’t even have a heart. But for a Nobody, this stranger seemed to understand emotion quite a lot.
Axel placed his hand on the teen’s head. “Is that love? Risking your very being for the sake of someone else?”
Riku nodded slightly. “I’d die if it meant making Sora happy.”
“Then… I think I know how you feel.” Axel released the teen.
Riku pulled away, hiding the fact that he had been ready to shed tears. “Thanks,” he said quietly.
“For what?”
“For not shattering my heart into a million pieces.”
Axel frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“Taking away Sora’s heart would be the same thing as ripping mine out.”
“I wouldn’t know how that feels, but it sounds painful.”
Riku nodded. “And I’d still have my heart, but it’d be coated in scars.”
The Nobody looked to the floor. He didn’t know feeling, nor did he know anything about emotion. But the sound of Riku being so hurt by what Axel had only recently desired… By fulfilling his own selfish wishes, he was hurting Riku, Sora, and even possibly Roxas, depending on his friend’s wishes. It just… wrenched at his very nonexistence.
Grasping the black cloth of the cloak, Riku leaned up and gently placed his lips onto Axel’s.
The Nobody felt the warm lips against his, the warmth that emanated from the boy washing over him. It was faint, but the warmth was there, the innocence of being so young, but it was blended in with the result of letting yourself fall so far into the darkness.
Upon pulling away, Axel whispered, “What was that for?”
“You looked… sad.”
“I don’t feel emotion,” he reminded the teen.
Grabbing Axel‘s hand, he slid it over to his chest. Feeling the faint beating on the Nobody’s chest, Riku grinned. “You do now.”
Axel felt the pulse. Though faint, it was there. It was only half of what it would normally be, but that’s all he needed.
“From now on…” Axel said quietly, not even finishing his statement.
“Together, we’ll protect the ones we love.”
****No, this is NOT an Axel/Riku. One day, I had just thought, “Wow… What if Axel was Riku’s Nobody? Then whenever Riku kisses Sora, it’d be like Axel kissing Roxas!” So I decided that Axel and Riku should become the same person in my writing. I was in such a rush to have them be the same, this turned out to be the fastest thing I have EVER written! This only took a day and a half, even if it IS short. By the way, I have an Axel x Roxas coming up that’s in my journal, and another one-shot to be working on… The ideas keep piling up and I can no longer keep up with all the stories I wanna write.
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. It is property of Square Enix and (though they can cover themselves in lighter fluid and light a match) Disney.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All he did was protect. He put his life on the line in order to save that of another. But why? Why go through so much for someone other than yourself? Why risk death for an empty shell, something that can’t feel, a shadow of something actually existent?
Maybe it’s because he, too, is an empty shell, a false shadow of someone else, trying to develop emotions he knew he could never have, or gain even the most miniscule pieces of a heart, though he knew he’d remain heartless until death.
Axel’s boots created an echoing sound as he stepped through the empty halls of Hollow Bastion, eyes scanning the area to ensure he wouldn’t be forced into any combat. He only hoped to find what he wanted, and didn’t intend to have any distractions along the way.
He caught a quick movement out of the corner of his eye, but disregarded it, passing it off as something shifting from some wind that came from nowhere, or from being placed somewhere so precariously.
Another rhythm was heard, the sound of it matching the sound of his steps as they echoed through the corridors.
Now he knew someone was following him.
Continuing to walk, Axel listened for the other rhythm, the sound gaining upon him as he moved. Not too long afterward, he sharply turned on his heel, facing his follower.
That was where the movement had come from. It was this person in front of him, matching the silver Axel had barely caught sight of.
“How long,” he asked darkly, “have you been following me?”
“That’s nothing you should be knowing,” came the equally cold remark.
“I’d prefer to avoid conflict, so I just suggest you stop bothering me so I can finish what I’m doing.” Axel knew that never seemed to work, but threatening appeared to be a nice option any time.
A grin crossed the mystery person’s lips. “Are you here,” he began, pausing only for some dramatic effect, “for the Keyblade-wielder?”
Axel gently bit his lip. It seemed obvious that he’d come here for the boy, since his goal was to turn him into a Heartless. He had been following him, finding out what worlds he’d go to and found the general direction he’d traveled in. What he didn’t know was that someone else was following the child as well.
“I take that as a yes,” he continued, grin widening only slightly. “Too bad for you, I can’t allow you to be near him.”
“I figured as much,” replied Axel, keeping an equally cool voice. Damn, this person was apparently protecting him from any harm.
Blue-green eyes narrowed at the fire-user, as if he was trying to hide something.
“Why are you glaring at me?” he asked, a small smile curling his lips, “Do you have a guilty conscience?”
“Don’t speak so familiarly with me,” he muttered, “You don’t even know my name.”
“Of course I don’t,” Axel replied casually, “You never had the common courtesy to address yourself.”
“Neither did you.”
“Someone’s rather unfriendly,” the Nobody said a little silently.
The teen’s hands curled into fists as his glare became colder and sharper. “Don’t start talking down to me.”
Axel crossed his arms, as if that glare was as threatening as a box full of kittens. “I dislike fighting when it isn’t necessary, so jut let me go. I see no reason as to why you’d put your life on the line for that kid.”
“You don’t know anything. You creep into here without even knowing anything that’s happening outside your own mind. Only an idiot would do that.”
He grinned, looking at the teen, who appeared to have taken an emotional hit from what he had said. Slowly, Axel began stepping over, boots hitting the floor again as soon as an echo died out.
The teen took a step back, glare intensifying as the person in front of him approached.
“Sorry to break your heart, but I have to get your boyfriend to become a Heartless in order to get mine back.” Axel had no problem admitting that he wanted Roxas back for neither their friendship nor the Organization, but because the younger Nobody made him have a heart, no matter whether is was faux heart or not.
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Mm-hmm… What’s your name?” He voice was dark, but casual, as if he saw this person as a simple speed bump.
“Riku,” he replied darkly, as if his name gave away his very existence to this man.
“Riku, swallow your pride and admit it. I do know what’s been happening, and there’s only one thing that would make you put your life on the line for this child.”
Riku made several steps back when they were only about two feet away from one another. “Only in your beliefs.”
“I don’t even have a heart and there’s no doubting I feel more emotion than you do. What’s the point of having a heart if you’ll let it be consumed by darkness?” The Nobody had forgotten that he came here for someone else, and didn’t realize that he was now lecturing the teen, if not having a conversation.
“You don’t know what it’s like…”
Axel stopped in front of Riku, giving him a serious look. “I don’t know what what’s like?”
“Everything!” he yelled, looking the Nobody in the eyes.
“What does ‘everything’ mean?” he asked, keeping his voice calm and relaxed.
“You’re completely fake. You don’t know what it’s like to feel. You don’t know what emotions do.”
“I think that hurt my nonexistent feelings,” Axel said a joking tone, mocking what Riku said.
Riku glared icily at him. “You’re an idiot.” He turned to walk away, but felt his wrist get caught.
“Don’t you possibly think that maybe I could get close to feeling something? No matter what someone is naturally limited to, limits are only the yellow tape at the end of a race. If you go for it and put your mind to it, you can break that tape.”
“Stop lecturing me.”
“In one ear and out the other, huh?” Axel suggested slyly.
“You’re irritating,” he replied coldly.
“Or are you just terrified of being proved wrong? You’re just scared of being overpowered by what you think you can’t do. If you’re so pessimistic, you’ll never be able to help your friend.”
Turning to Axel, Riku gave him a dark look. “You know nothing- especially about Sora.”
“No, you’re the one who doesn’t know anything. I know for a fact that you have people trying to shed some light on your heart, but all you do is continue to force yourself into darkness. The more you do that, the more the people around you suffer.”
“You’re wrong. Everything I do is to help my friends. That’s all I do.”
“Then you’re helping them in the worst way possible. You’re hurting them just so you can have the satisfaction of helping them out in the end… Right?”
The teen bit his lip, looking at the floor. Realization washed over him like the waves in the beach back on Destiny Island. But the purity of the water and the happiness of being with Kairi and Sora weren’t here. This realization was empty, just dark water without even a night star there to shed the slightest of light on the equally dark sky.
Taking the teen’s chin in his hand, Axel smiled faintly. “We’re both protectors.” He tilted Riku’s head upward so they were looking at each other in the eyes. “It’s just how we do it that makes you and I different.”
He placed his hand on the Nobody’s wrist, a eyes drifting to the side. “You’re right, but I see no reason for you to be speaking to me.”
“Still…” Axel sighed. “I have to take away your friend, because I need mine. I was partially hoping I could just talk it out… Or wait for you not to pay attention so I could just leave, but it seems you‘re hard to distract.”
“I‘m not a fool. You underestimated me.”
“Still, it’s apparent that your emotions weaken you. What does that say about you?”
Riku narrowed his eyes. “My friends are all I have. Why not care about them?”
Axel grinned, releasing Riku’s chin. “Your feelings for Sora obviously don’t match what I think I feel for Roxas.” He stepped back.
“You’re wrong. That’s more far from true than you could ever be. I…” Riku wrapped his arms around Axel and dug his face into the black fabric in front of him. “I love him more than you could ever know.” It was strange. Riku was allowing himself to break down in front of a complete and total stranger. Even more, this stranger didn’t even have a heart. But for a Nobody, this stranger seemed to understand emotion quite a lot.
Axel placed his hand on the teen’s head. “Is that love? Risking your very being for the sake of someone else?”
Riku nodded slightly. “I’d die if it meant making Sora happy.”
“Then… I think I know how you feel.” Axel released the teen.
Riku pulled away, hiding the fact that he had been ready to shed tears. “Thanks,” he said quietly.
“For what?”
“For not shattering my heart into a million pieces.”
Axel frowned. “I don’t get it.”
“Taking away Sora’s heart would be the same thing as ripping mine out.”
“I wouldn’t know how that feels, but it sounds painful.”
Riku nodded. “And I’d still have my heart, but it’d be coated in scars.”
The Nobody looked to the floor. He didn’t know feeling, nor did he know anything about emotion. But the sound of Riku being so hurt by what Axel had only recently desired… By fulfilling his own selfish wishes, he was hurting Riku, Sora, and even possibly Roxas, depending on his friend’s wishes. It just… wrenched at his very nonexistence.
Grasping the black cloth of the cloak, Riku leaned up and gently placed his lips onto Axel’s.
The Nobody felt the warm lips against his, the warmth that emanated from the boy washing over him. It was faint, but the warmth was there, the innocence of being so young, but it was blended in with the result of letting yourself fall so far into the darkness.
Upon pulling away, Axel whispered, “What was that for?”
“You looked… sad.”
“I don’t feel emotion,” he reminded the teen.
Grabbing Axel‘s hand, he slid it over to his chest. Feeling the faint beating on the Nobody’s chest, Riku grinned. “You do now.”
Axel felt the pulse. Though faint, it was there. It was only half of what it would normally be, but that’s all he needed.
“From now on…” Axel said quietly, not even finishing his statement.
“Together, we’ll protect the ones we love.”
****No, this is NOT an Axel/Riku. One day, I had just thought, “Wow… What if Axel was Riku’s Nobody? Then whenever Riku kisses Sora, it’d be like Axel kissing Roxas!” So I decided that Axel and Riku should become the same person in my writing. I was in such a rush to have them be the same, this turned out to be the fastest thing I have EVER written! This only took a day and a half, even if it IS short. By the way, I have an Axel x Roxas coming up that’s in my journal, and another one-shot to be working on… The ideas keep piling up and I can no longer keep up with all the stories I wanna write.