Title: Eternal
Summary: Paper wings could only last for so long. [AkuRoku]

Note: Read description first please.
___________________________________________________________________

It was raining.

The sounds of the little droplets of water hitting against the castle echoed through the dark emptiness of Roxas's room as he sat there with a blank expression. This had become routine ever since Axel had left, of course. The wings that had given him flight before support no more, for they were destroyed. Broken, soaked, fallen. They had absorbed the element of life as if they desired it, but it had turned against them and torn the delicately put together life into fragments of scattered memories. Although that was what they all really were in the first place, memories. He was an angel without flight.

Roxas was never a greedy kid when it came to everything apart from Axel. But at times like this, he thought he had deserved a right to be greedy. He had wished his relationship with Axel was tangible. He wished he could take everything bad out of the relationship and make it perfect. He could take back the fact they had no hearts, their separations, and the tearful goodbyes that came with them.

"I'll always love you."

He remembered those exact words Axel parted with. His mind had brought back the exact memory of his leave, and it replayed like a video. He watched the way his lover's lips moved as he spoke, the sorrowful words that lingered in his voice, and how his embrace was different from everyone else's. He felt the disappearing warmth from Axel's arms that were wrapped around him, and somehow, the room had felt colder despite the thick Organization coat that he had on. The blond looked around his empty room in the darkness with blank blue eyes.

The small but constant thumps of raindrops colliding onto rooftops drowned out the sobs that racked the keyblade wielder's body as he sunk to the floor into a fetal position.

-

He always knew the Organization had their doubts. He knew it from the start, and he had always been aware of what could have happened now that his relationship with Axel was out in the open. His 'feelings' grew numb to the numerous attacks or snide remarks made by fellow members.

"They'll never make it." They said. "It's not real."

Axel had always told him they could 'screw the fuck off', as he put it. As long as they both knew it was what they wanted, why should they care about what anyone else said? Roxas always had a lot of insecurities about himself and now that Axel had gone away somewhere, had no one to reassure him. He couldn't resist the constant attacks that the others still made about them.

He was beginning to think that they were right.

-

Roxas had always been a patient person, but as the clock ticked by, his patience diminished with it. Goddamn, he just wanted Axel back home NOW. He didn't care how important the mission was, he just wanted Axel good and safe in his sight and welcome his warm embrace. He couldn't stand the wait any longer. The days felt like they stretched on for years and years. He was starting to have doubts on whether Axel was actually alive or not.

He shook his head and tried to get the thoughts out of his head. A bitter laugh came out of his lips as reality set in on him. He was a Nobody. Axel was a Nobody. They were all Nobodies, and that meant it didn't matter. There was no living or dying in the type of life they lived. It was always the same cycle over and over again. A sick feeling settled in the pits of his stomach and a flash of worry spread throughout his face. It was unfair, it wasn't like they chose to...live (he guessed) like this.

Where are you?

The rain continued to fall.

I don't know how much longer I can go on.

-

As the days grew weary Roxas eventually stopped. He stopped acting like...well, him. He wouldn't talk nor would he respond with the liveliness that resonated in him before. However, he trains day in and day out with no rest. He only eats a sufficient amount and goes back to training. Of course, there were some who were completely good and ecstatic with how he turned out.

"He won't get distracted anymore." The Superior said contently. "He can truly focus on his own potential."

Roxas heard everything they said about him, but he kept quiet. There was no use in fighting back if one of the only people who would back him up was gone. Disappeared into the darkness.

-

The day finally came when Roxas had cracked. His patience snapped in half and he couldn't take it anymore. He ran into the darkness of the rain as he cried in anguish. It was funny what desperation could do to the mind when it lingered or grew long enough. The tears mingled with the rain that flooded his cheeks as the cool street lights shined onto the street.

"Axel, Axel, Axel..." He kept muttering to himself. "God, where are you?"

He kept running. He didn't know where, but he just did. He ran through the streets and alleys of the World That Never Was and didn't give a spare look at the heartless that surrounded. Maybe in his searching frenzy he had tripped, but he did not have the will power to get back up. Maybe he didn't want to, who knows? He laid on the cold ground as he felt the droplets hit his body in groups. He laid his cheek against the weird warmth that had settled on his spot.

Axel...

He closed his eyes.

"Goodbye."