Baby, you know I’m guilty
Cops, judge, and jury, they all agree
If love’s the crime, I’m doing time,
And it don’t look like I’ll ever get free
Yeah, baby, you know I’m guilty
Guilty, L.A. Noire OST
~~~~~
The shrill ring of the alarm continues to echo down the hall. Though Axel’s heart pounds in his chest as if it were about to rupture, and his thighs feel as if they were on fire, he doesn’t stop running. The weight of the duffel bag slung around his shoulder almost makes him lose his footing, but he isn’t worried—he knows his partner running right beside him wouldn’t leave him behind.
“On the roof, on the roof,” Reno commands, slamming closed the heavy door leading into the stairwell. Axel sucks in long, laborious breaths as he hauls himself and the weight of the bag and suitcase up the flight of stairs. Rude should be there as soon as they open the door. He has to be.
Axel shoves the door open with the force of his shoulders, listening carefully to the sound of Reno’s steps just behind him. He swears he just heard the door behind them open—someone was close.
“I got this,” Reno says without a hitch, motioning Axel off to another area as he lingers behind, staying close to the emergency exit.
As Axel continues to run, he hears the scuffle break out behind him. There had to be at least two or three guys, and as relentless as he knows Reno to be, Reno wouldn’t be able to hold them all off for long. In the midst of the shouting and dull sounds of fists against flesh, Axel hears the faint thrum of a helicopter closing in. Rude must be getting close, but he just wasn’t going to be fast enough.
He throws down the bags and spins around to rush back to his partner, just at the moment he watches Reno force one of the security buffoons into submission, twisting his arm to point his gun into his thigh before pulling the trigger. The triumphant look on Reno’s face disappears when he looks up to see Axel back by his side and successfully warding off the guard attempting to attack him from behind.
“The hell are you doing back here?!” Reno shouts, shaking his long bangs out of his face as he disarms the wounded guard of his gun and sending a couple bullets into a second guard’s shoulder at point blank. At the same time, Axel sends the third guard flying back and colliding with the hard floor with a steely right hook. “Where did you put the—“
“This isn’t a good time for nagging, Reno!” Axel wrestles the handgun from him, unloading three shots into the door frame near the door pull. Without hesitation he reaches to yank the truncheon out of Reno’s hand and shove it in the pull, jamming the narrow end deep into the fracture left by the bullets.
“That’s only going to buy us seconds, let’s go.”
By the time Axel returns to the abandoned duffel and suitcase, the rhythmic noise of a helicopter was as loud as ever can be. It was floating just above, and Axel could see Elena tossing down the rope ladder. They are so close, Axel thinks, and he begins to count down to their freedom. Three…Two…
A sudden bang distracts Axel from his goal. He hears the muffled voices of men coming from the emergency exit on the other end of the roof. He sees the door, held closed by Reno’s weapon shuddering from the weight of a security guard thrusting up against it. He turns back around, and the world seems to slow as he watches Reno grab onto a rung. The door has been broken down, he hears, and Axel almost doesn’t hear Reno screaming his name to grab on.
Axel reaches out and latches onto the first rung he touches. He swears he hears the faint whistle of a bullet zip by the back of his head as he feels his body being lifted off the concrete surface.
He isn’t sure if it’s the helicopter blades continuing their monotonous tune, or the blood pumping through his muscles at a frightening pace, but for the briefest second, Axel thinks he’s going to fall. He almost doesn’t feel the cool steel against his palm, and the hand holding the briefcase in his other hand feels like it’s about to slip right from his fingers.
When a strong arm wraps itself around Axel’s back, his world seems to come back alive, moving back at its regular pace. He feels Reno’s warm hand gripping him under his arm, relieved that some of his weight was being supported. But, he realizes, there was still the nuisance case in his hand—Reno wouldn’t be able to support him for long, and they would need to climb up into the cabin so they don’t remain as sitting ducks. They were off the building, sure, but those bothersome guards still had an arsenal of guns on them. There can’t be hesitation—he’d have to start climbing, pulling himself up by a mere finger if he has to.
As soon as the thought hits him, he feels his right arm being propelled forward, jerking the length of the rope in a hazardous wave in the air, making both men shout in surprise. The hand around his ribs tightened, making Axel wince. Looking down, Axel realizes a bullet had caught the body of the briefcase, a fresh hole now brandishing the edge, and one half of the body cocked awkwardly off center, as if the hinges were forced out of line.
Rufus isn’t going to be happy , but Axel knows he doesn’t have a choice. With two fingers, he pulls up the lock of the suitcase and lets the flap fall. The air around him suddenly fills with fluttering bills. The money is sent into flying by the wind, obscuring the two of them in confetti of stolen loot.
Axel laughs uninhibited, delighted from the sight and flabbergasted looks of the guards propped on the roof.
“Here’s a souvenir, hotshots!” And with that, Axel hurls the suitcase in the direction of the building, and lets out another howl of amusement when the briefcase manages to nail one of the suited men on the head with a burst of the remaining bills still stuck inside. Above him, Reno lets out a whoop, and Axel feels his lungs swell in bliss.
Now with both hands free, Axel pulls himself up the length of the rope ladder and into the cabin. Random shots fly, none of them coming close to hitting, and the helicopter sails off in the direction of the ocean.
Inside, Reno gives a primal shout, beating his chest as he throws his bag on the floor, stomping around and making a show of their success. Axel laughs along, and sighs when Elena helps the heavy duffel bag off his shoulders.
“Yes!” He booms, moving to coax a chest-bump from Elena, who backs away from him with an irritated look on her face. Undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm, he turns his attention to his partner, pulling him by the lapels of his suit and taking him into a hard kiss. Axel returns the sentiment, nipping at Reno’s bottom lip teasingly. “You better find a way to replace that mag-rod you lost me,” Reno murmurs huskily, moving his mouth to the skin of his partner’s neck.
Axel smirks, raising an eyebrow, “And saving your ass isn’t payment enough?”
In the back, the blond throws up her arms, moving away from the intimate scene to where Rude is operating the craft. “Rude! They’re doing it again!”
Reno grins, “not quite yet, honey. Give us a few more minutes of foreplay, and then you can say that.”
A coy smile works its way onto Axel’s face. He knows he and Reno should have been in a heap of trouble a long time ago after experimenting more and more with their intimacy after missions. There is a rule that people keep their private lives completely out of the picture in the organization, because one person’s weakness is the downfall of the entire group. They couldn’t help it—after befriending Reno and discovering a certainly sense of loyalty he had, Axel sought security with him, and soon there was a level of attraction and possessiveness that grew between the two of them. Couple that with the arousal of adrenaline after missions, and Axel knew he was hooked. He also admits that Rude’s immunity to Reno’s antics and Elena’s distress made it entertaining.
“I wouldn’t celebrate so soon,” comes the low voice from the cockpit, a calm contrast to the commotion happening behind him. “Rufus isn’t going to be happy with that mass of money blowing in the wind. Reno, that means he’s going to be on your case when you report back.”
Reno stops laughing. “You have to remind me so soon, pal?” Reno says, shooting Axel a look. “I think we’re in trouble, yo.”
Axel sputters, his delight being replaced by shock. He points a finger in Rude’s direction, and shouts, “if Rude would have been on time, we would have both made it up in the cabin before the guards broke down the door with the intent of making us into Swiss cheese!”
“Can’t argue with that, Rude, m’man.” He makes his way over to the cockpit, and claps Rude on the shoulder, “this is why you leave the flying to the guy fly enough to handle it.”
Axel doesn’t hold back a snort. Rude takes a moment before saying, “Reno, what did I tell you about trying to sound cool? Besides, you’re the one who wanted to be partnered up with Axel for this job. That leaves me to handle the flying, and that makes you act off schedule and reach the roof too early.”
“What happened to the shiny, flashy bombs you promised us, huh?” Axel asks, walking to the back of the cabin to rest on the benches. “Starting a few fires might help, you know.”
“That is for dire situations,” Elena interjects, obviously not pleased with the idea of putting both Axel and Reno together with explosives. “Besides, Axel, you made a big mistake. I saw you leave the money and materia unattended.”
“I did it so Reno wouldn’t get a bullet between the eyes! There were about a dozen guys after us!” Axel retaliates, clenching his jaw to keep his frustration down. Elena is in a higher rank than he is, but she is also younger—and Axel doesn’t take kindly to younger people ordering him around.
“And that wouldn’t have been a problem if you and Reno stuck to what we practiced and discussed about! And this is why you and Reno should never go on missions together, again,” Elena says, securing the bags up against the wall of the cabin. “The two of you combined make a volatile pairing that’s going to have one of us killed.”
Axel grits his teeth. He wouldn’t want to be paired with someone else other than Reno, who had been his saving grace during those brutal two years of training and rookie missions, even if what Elena said about them being an explosive partnership is true. It is natural to be frugal with his trust when being part of a thieving organization, and he certainly doesn’t trust the others as much as he did Reno. Even if Reno would most likely be okay going back to work with his longtime friend, Rude, Axel feels his blood boil at the very thought. If he had to work with someone as by-the-books as Elena or Tseng, he knows he would throw himself off the top floor of a skyscraper after a week.
“Not going to say anything, Reno?” He hisses. He knows it’s childish and immature to turn to Reno at this point, but Axel is in complete disbelief at how fast the situation turned around on him to care. “I guess that’s what you want—to go back to being partners with Rude?”
“Whoa, hold on, Ax, I never said that! You provide a whole new level of excitement that Rude doesn’t always provide—no offense, man.”
“None taken,” Rude responds, “from what I know about your definition of excitement, I’d much rather leave that to you and Axel.”
Reno lowers his voice, murmuring into Axel’s ear, “besides, Elena’s just frustrated because Tseng’s off doing another mission.”
“I can hear you!” Elena shrieks, a small blush growing on her cheeks.
Reno just grins slyly, leering, “Oh, you can hear us? Then you better find a way not to, because there’s still two hours before we get back to the base.”
![I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather (did you see what i did there ;D) so drawing this cheered me up =u= ♥
Drabble under the cut
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Axel loathes rainy weather and everything associated with it: The coldness that comes with it, the terrible, musty smell of wet concrete, the mud that stains his shoes, the dripping umbrella after a long walk, the heaviness of the water that ruins his hair, and the way it makes his clothes cling to his shivering skin.
Indeed, Axel hates everything about it, and hates how Reno loves it. Reno makes him walk in the rain, because it’s “fun,” because it’s “natural,” because it’s “refreshing.” Axel reminds him again how he hates the weather, and how he wishes he had his umbrella with him to club Reno over the head with.
Reno scoffs, and says he hasn’t experienced everything about it to cement his abhorrence of it. Not yet, at least.
Axel goes through his mental checklist of things he despises, and is about to add Reno to it until his partner wraps his arms around his waist to tug him close, and kisses him right there, in the middle of the sidewalk on the busiest street in town.Oh.
They kiss slow, unhurried and without care while the world around them continues at its frantic pace. Sounds of car tires peeling across drenched streets and the grumblings of impatient commuters piling onto a sodden tram—two additional things Axel hates about wet weather—go unnoticed for the first time. So torrid are Reno’s lips they warm him all the way to the tips of his fingers. And for a moment, Axel swears he feels his mind leave his body and fly high into the silver clouds.
As Reno pulls away, Axel finds himself following through, as if he hasn’t quite taken his full. Reno just grins, his face bright with rivulets cascading down his cheeks from his damp hair.
So Axel says not a word, and merely goes through his checklist once more. Certainly, he still hates the way he’s now soaked to the bone, still hates the nippy air, still hates how his hair now clung to his face and neck. Yes, he certainly still hates everything about rain
except for the way it tastes.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/8fcbe2bef51f039100e0cc3325a6891b/tumblr_mh2mmwh8qy1qm6dm2o1_r1_500.jpg)
![Drabble under the cut c:
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It’s been a grueling two hours in the library, and neither Reno and Axel are close to being finished with their readings. Reno arches back in his chair, stretching his arms out behind him and sighing as he relaxes. He still has several more pages to read through, and he isn’t sure how far Axel is on his own assignment. He purses his lips, mentally exhausted. The song he and Axel had been listening to grows quiet as it ends, and the sounds of other students talking softly and laptop keys clicking throughout the library fills the void. Reno doesn’t even remember the last few songs that played, what with his mind more tuned in to the words in his notebook. After so long, everything had began to filter through his mind.
A new song begins to play on Axel’s audio device, and Reno’s brows furrow slightly. His hand pauses mid-sentence, no longer focusing on his notes but rather the words and rhythm of the song playing from the bud sitting in his right ear.
Reno’s listened to Axel’s playlist plenty of times before, so much that he’s memorised every song that’s on it. But this one is a recent addition, and the recognition of it makes Reno smile coquettishly. He knows Axel’s particular finickiness when it came to putting songs on a playlist. If he put it in, the song had to have some form of impact on him, or it had some memorable value to it. And Reno is sure that even he knows what the significance of this song was to Axel—to both of them.
He peers over at his companion, who continues on reading undeterred. Reno leans in, nudging Axel’s arm to get his attention.
“Interesting new song you put in,” Reno whispers.
Axel opens his mouth to say something, but all he could make out was, “oh, um.” He fidgets, turning his face away from his classmate to lean on his hand instead. Try as he might, he can’t conceal the coy smile spreading over his face. He bites on his pencil, doing anything to keep himself from getting distracted.
Reno persists with a comical grin, his suspicions confirmed. He shuffles closer and murmurs, “isn’t this the song that was playing when we—”
With a heave of his shoulders Axel pushes Reno away from him, face now an embarrassed red and mouth pulled back in a grin as goofy as the one Reno is sporting. He tries not to laugh, something he tended to do when flustered. “Shut up, Reno.”
The curt response makes Reno snicker, and he shifts to take Axel’s hand from his face. Pulling it to his mouth, he places a kiss on the back of his hand.
“Certainly a good source of motivation to study quicker and get out of here earlier…and maybe add a few more songs to that play list, isn’t it?” Reno says.
Axel rolls his eyes, tugging his hand back and shaking his head with a laugh. “I somehow think you are gonna have a hard time concentrating on your work now, Reno,” he teases, “and I’m gonna end up leaving first, and you’re just going to have to finish up on your own.”](http://25.media.tumblr.com/6abd242671af427232f5a132f03259f0/tumblr_mghzhluA3l1qm6dm2o1_r1_500.jpg)
![*NSFW* Some intense Reno/Axel to mark my 1000th post, because why not.
Drabble under the cut.
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Axel’s eyes fall shut, and he holds his breath as Reno rubs him, the warmth of his hand seeping through the thick fibres of his jeans. The heat is teasing, making Axel even more impatient than he usually is. He sucks in a breath, only to release a small noise of enjoyment as Reno plants an intimate kiss against the crook of his neck. Parted lips traverse up the soft skin, leaving feather-like touches in their wake, until they reach the shell of Axel’s reddened ear. Reno whispers, “I’ve missed you.” It sends a shiver running down Axel’s spine and raises the hairs at nape of his neck.
Axel bites his lip, running his fingers through Reno’s red tresses as he holds him closer still. Turning his head, Axel draws the two of them into a lingering kiss. It is slow, needy, and seems to last forever as if they were making up for every second they were away from each other with this one kiss. He gasps when Reno exposes and takes him into his hand. His body reacts, writhing and arching against the wall, and a low moan escapes him. Fingers caress the gentle ridges of his ribcage and maps out every contour of muscle beneath his sweater. Axel hardly notices Reno’s name leaving his lips.
He had yearned for Reno for so long, and having him here now still seems like a whirlwind situation. It really had been an emotionally trying year since Reno was forced to move to another city. And Axel knows, just months from now, Reno would need to leave his side again after his internship in Radiant Garden ends. Reno would be back in Midgar to continue his studies, and Axel would find himself once again lost in the concept of long-distance relationships.
“I’ve missed you too,” Axel says, running his hands over the naked skin of Reno’s shoulders. He grimaces at the ache beginning to fester in his chest.
The last year hadn’t been good to him. He hated seeing Reno in his computer monitor. It mocked him, reminding him constantly of what he can’t have with him. The timing was never right. They missed each other’s phone calls, and Axel was never really good at responding to e-mails. Talking to someone was one thing. Translating his thoughts into words was another, Axel realized. Reno’s quick temper showed up in several messages, and his demanding to know why he’s not receiving replies only made Axel stop checking all together. When Axel couldn’t bear his needs any longer, he went out finding people to coax into bed. When Reno caught him through a lie, Axel thought everything they had built would crumble.
He never felt more empty in his life.
At the thought, Axel panics. “Don’t leave,” Axel hisses, now unsure if the overwhelming heat burning his skin is from lust or anger from anticipating the end of their time together. He doesn’t want to ruin everything again.
Reno pauses briefly, stunned from Axel’s pleading. He swallows, moving his hand to the back of his lover’s head and pulling him close. Their foreheads touch, and for a while they do nothing but breathe softly against one another. He notices Axel trembling. “I won’t,” Reno finally reassures with a kiss.
Yes, you will.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/030c456335db9c0d11d14ee82cd30dc2/tumblr_mei902FSF01qm6dm2o1_r5_500.jpg)
![HNNNNNNNGH FIRE POI *_* <33
Sort of an epilogue to this ficlet 8D Un-beta’d drabble under the cut.
~~~~~
Wildfire
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The season is changing. Winter’s winds and chilling bite are slowly soothed by spring’s first bloom.
The first colors of dawn slowly envelope the night sky; the deep, abyssal blue glowing pink, then orange, before the bright rays of the sun pierces over the mountains. Leaves wet with dew and melting frost glisten, while heavy droplets peel away from branches and fall into the brook below. The trees slowly become alive with sounds, the rustle of wind-swept leaves, the trill of birds, and soon the crunch of earth beneath the boots of the earliest gypsy rising from the camp.
The trudge of heavy shoes multiply over the hour, and soon the air is filled with soft laughter and voices of the nomads.
Steam from boiling pots of water rises into the crisp air as the fire beneath them snaps and crackles. Thick slices of meat are tossed into the heated skillet, and soon the succulent smell of cooked meat wafts over the camp.
The scent seeps through the cloth of a tent set up near the bank. Axel stirs beneath the blanket, green eyes blinking away sleep until they focus. He takes a sniff, and his stomach growls for breakfast. Beside him, Reno lays slumbering. A smile works its way onto Axel’s face, and he leans in, nuzzling his face against the other redhead’s.
Reno drowsily responds, murmuring a low ‘morning’ before wrapping his long arms around Axel. He pulls him close, moreso to use him as a shield against the intruding light than to give him a proper hug.
“Reno,” Axel laughs, shaking his shoulders, “come, let’s grab something to eat before everyone takes their second share before we even get our first.”
“Make Roxas deliver it here,” Reno moans, hugging onto Axel’s stomach tighter.
“You wish.”
After dragging his partner out of the tent, they both wash up with the near-freezing water of the river, waking them up completely. Roxas has been busy serving the entire camp with his food, and Axel had been right in guessing his meals would go fast. Ever since Thirteen brought Roxas into the clan, they have been eating much tastier meals than ever before. Even Axel has admitted he has fleshed out in healthy muscle since Roxas’ arrival.
“Morning, Axel, Reno,” Roxas beams, filling up a hand-crafted bowl with broth.
“Hi, Roxas,” Axel replies, handing the bowl of broth to Reno. The other red-haired gypsy eagerly takes a gulp, and sighs as the hot, savory liquid runs down his throat and warms his entire body.
“I don’t think there’s ever a better way to wake up than to your cooking,” Axel says.
“If you two wanted extra slices of ham, you could have just asked,” the blond chef whispers coyly, sneaking extra slices onto each of their plates.
“You’re the best,” Reno laughs, accepting their breakfast.
As they walk off to find a seat amongst the mess of half-packed boxes and loaded carts, Roxas smiles whimsically at his best friend. Certainly, after Reno’s paranormal arrival the previous summer, Axel has been infinitely livelier. Reno, though his entrance was a shock at first, easily grew on Roxas. It had been a transcendental experience when Reno manifested into a solid body as the sun rose, leaving the spirit world and into their own with every step he took into their camp, as if every cord of muscle had been intricately drawn from the sun’s rays. It didn’t take long for the rest of the gypsies to realize he had been the mysterious spirit that had haunted the lake, and subsequently Axel’s heart.
Axel saved me, please let me stay with him, Reno said, and while some of the members struggled with the fact a ghost was addressing them Roxas saw something deeper, and didn’t hesitate to dig into Axel’s belongings to take out several garments to clothe him.
So you’re the one that has Axel’s heart set aflame, Roxas said.
The young gypsy shakes his head when he realizes his thoughts have him smiling to no one in particular. With everyone served at least their one portion, Roxas takes his own breakfast and settles down next to Axel. The clan would need to move soon, but it doesn’t stop several of their friends from unpacking instruments and strumming playful tunes for the duration of their meal.
The sun shines down on the group traveling along the bank. Several carts are loaded with their belongings, the first cart driven by Axel, with Reno lounging at his side. The snaps of dead leaves and twigs blended with the cheery voices of gypsies telling stories and singing songs. Axel looks over to Reno, and sees him with his eyes closed in rest. He feels his heart sink just slightly when he anticipates the welcome at the next town he and his clan would rest.
“Do you like it?” Axel asks.
Reno opens his eyes, and answers, “it?”
“Being here. With us. With me. You know, living like this.” Axel elaborates, hands holding onto the reins just a bit tighter. “It’s a far cry from what you’ve been used to in your previous life. We make more enemies than friends wherever we go.”
“I wouldn’t want anything else, yo,” Reno says. “I can handle a threat if it comes. I’m tired of being a trapped soul, Axel. I’ve been waiting my whole life for a miracle to manifest, and you were it.”
Axel feels his chest swell at such intimate words. It had been more than half a year now with Reno, but for whatever reason, Axel continued to feel somewhat guilty for bringing Reno with him. When Reno was prisoner as a ghost at the lake, condemned to never experience the night and suffer abandonment at dawn, every cell in Axel’s body wanted to save him, to bring his spirit to rest. Then, through the most blissful of nights, Reno’s spirit was freed from his supernatural chains, and was given a chance to live again with Axel.
But Axel has always been a wandering wildfire. He has a temper, one that unfortunately dooms him and his friends to the vicious stereotypes that Gypsies were dangerous. Untamed and unpredictable, Axel fears his heart may turn at any second, damning Reno to the same fate he had suffered once before. Paradoxically, he fears that he may be the one sentenced to loneliness if Reno ever left or tired of this lifestyle. He knows he has a problem of being possessive. Being a Gypsy, he wants to hold on to everything he has; there is no telling when a town will tolerate them, or violently force them away.
Not knowing how to respond, he merely shuffles closer to his lover, letting Reno drape his arm around his shoulder and mutter something into his temple.
The band of Gypsies travels almost non-stop through the day, pausing only twice for food and rest. Night comes early when the sky becomes gloomed with thin clouds at sunset. The camp settles in an open area of the forest, and with experienced movements, tents are raised and tarp coverings are hanging from the trees. In the scurrying of movement and shuffling, Roxas already has a fire going for dinner and he begins descaling the fish the other members had caught during the trek. Though Axel and the other members are somewhat used to the exhaustion, there was no mistaking that everyone is tired, Reno especially. There would be at least another two days before they reach the Town of Twilight.
The temperature drops as the full moon glows bright, and Reno finds himself staring almost hypnotized, eating slower than usual. Axel wonders if he still longs for his past lover, or if the possibility of him regretting his decision to live as a Gypsy is there. He frowns, teeth clenched, and pokes at his own meal. The dinner is quieter than what he was used to, with everyone concentrated more on resting their legs than dancing. Unsettled with the muteness of it all, Axel shovels the rest of the food into his mouth, before going over to the carts to take something out.
The group around the fire looks up and gives shouts and hoots of approval when Axel lights up two fire staffs. It’s been a while since Axel danced with them, but he easily falls into rhythm when Demyx and several others rush to grab their instruments. Axel stares directly at Reno, drawing his attention away from the moon and onto him permanently. It pleases him, and he spins the staffs in his hands with movements of his wrists. The fire, glowing red and orange, flickers and seems to slice the darkness with every motion. Axel draws surreal images in the air, setting the night alive with every bend and turn of his body. His legs are nimble, dancing to the music as he moves the show towards other members.
Reno only sits entranced by Axel’s body, illuminated by the staffs and circles of fire. When Axel returns to him, he pauses, and hands Reno the staffs.
“Dance with me,” Axel murmurs.
Reno looks dumbfounded with the two sticks in his hand, but takes on the challenge and mimics Axel’s motions. He was jerkier, not at all graceful as Axel had been, but it only makes the band cheer even louder. Before long, Reno is dancing with more finesse, his legs and arms moving in time with the music. The other redhead is fascinated, and takes out another staff for himself and lights it up. Axel moves in, and their bodies seem to mesh as the music draws on. They move in tandem, and despite Reno’s inexperience, it appears as if he had known how all his life when he dances with Axel. It is undeniably arousing, to suddenly have such power from nothing.
Axel’s green eyes gleam with a seductive, almost primal flare, and nobody but Reno takes notice. As Reno locks eyes with him, something inside Axel swells in curiosity and anticipation. It only makes them dance closer. The heat of the fire coupled with the intensity of their gazes seems to melt everything around them. They do not know how long they’ve been dancing, but Axel never wants it to stop. He feels his face brighten in a wide smile. The look Reno is giving, and his eagerness to dive into the deep end with this foreign dance makes Axel realize that he’s here to stay, by his side, as long as the moon and sun continues to share the sky.
The fast tempo of the music comes to an end, and the cheers of the Gypsies fill the sky. Reno laughs heartily, and Axel gives a toothy grin. Axel takes the staffs from Reno and gives them to Demyx, who almost drops his guitar from surprise. Axel takes Reno by the hand and leads him away from the rest of the group without a word more.
The forest is a dim blue, the light of the moon peeking over the waning clouds being their only light. As they walk, the warmth of the campfire fades, but neither of them care. The sound of rushing water, like a waterfall, slowly grows. Reno asks where they’re going, but Axel only grins and leads him on. At last, they find themselves at the edge of an oasis. There is a light mist rising from the pool, making it look ghostly. Moonlight hits the small waterfall cascading down and casts crystal like reflections off the water. The pool of water glows in an almost beckoning shine.
In front of him, Axel is shedding his clothes and jewelry. He watches as Axel purposely strips himself slowly, dropping his garments without care. The jangle of necklaces and bracelets is muted when they hit the floor. Axel steps into the spring, now completely nude. Reno takes in every movement of his moon-lit form.
“It’s not cold.”
Reno follows Axel, shedding himself of his wear and joining Axel in the water. To his surprise, the water isn’t cold at all. It was cool, though comfortable. He notices several areas where the rocks beneath his feet are warm. Axel pulls him deeper, and they wade to the center, where the moon shined the brightest.
They play without saying a word, every coy touch and caress accumulating into something more intense than either of them has ever felt before. It is like a repeat of their meeting the previous season, only this time, Axel is sure Reno will stay.
Axel leads his partner closer to the waterfall, and chuckles lightly when he notices a niche behind the curtain of water. He dives under, with Reno following suit, and they both resurface behind the fall. The moonlight bends and shines in strange ways, casting eerie shadows and crystal-like sparks within the niche. Axel brings himself close to Reno, pressing him to a shallow end of the niche. His heart is beating rapidly.
“Embrace me,” Axel whispers, and Reno is all too eager to oblige. They kiss, deep and passionately. Axel’s arms loop around Reno’s shoulders as Reno’s hands fix themselves on Axel’s waist. Their breaths grow hard with excitement, echoing off the rocky surroundings and blending with the blur of water. Reno watches Axel as he moves against him, drinking in the intoxicating sight of his body, every contour and curve of muscle bathed in a blue glow.
“You’re beautiful,” Reno murmurs, pressing his mouth on Axel’s neck. He moves his hands beneath the water, making Axel cry out when he strokes him. Axel moans, wanting to be impossibly close to Reno. His wet fingers dig and scrape against the rock face behind his lover, while his other hand grips tightly onto Reno’s shoulders
“You’ll always be the moon to me,” Reno murmurs between breaths, shifting their positions and pressing Axel up against the wall instead. Axel’s eyes grow wide, and he lets out a sound filled with desire.
“And you’re the sun,” Axel finally says, leaning in to kiss him.
The water around them laps at their heated skin, and the moon, once a symbol of Reno’s prison, glows even brighter as the two lovers reach the end of their dance.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maf58gWRXJ1qm6dm2o1_500.jpg)
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