Never once had he been threatened. Something he had done had infuriated this man, and he didn’t understand what it was. Axel was leaning against the wall. His eyes glued onto Marluxia who had his scythe only mere centimeters away from Axel’s nose. Axel was a little nervous. He wasn’t planning to die anytime soon, but if he was going to, he would die with a fight.

“You are nothing but a cold-blooded traitor,” Marluxia said, his blue eyes narrowed at the man standing before him. “You released Naminé from my grasp. You set her free so she could rescue that damned Keybearer. You, Axel, have betrayed us.”

Axel shook his head, he stood up instead of leaning against the wall. Using only two fingers to cautiously push the scythe away, Axel took a step closer to the pink-haired botanist. He thought Axel was a traitor?

“Traitor? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Axel said acting as casual as he could possibly handle.

“We could have had the Keyblade master as our slave.”

“Right your big plan. You use Naminé to rewrite Sora’s memory piece by piece. He becomes her puppet.”

Axel swallowed, looking at Marluxia who had threatening anger in his eyes. “Then, using Naminé and Sora, you and Larxene overthrow the Organization. Am I right? Because that would make you the traitor; Marluxia.”

“But you eliminated a fellow member.”

“Didn’t you two need to trust me?”

Marluxia let out a small chuckle, closing his eyes for a second as realization hit him.

“You’re a double agent. Vexen was just a cover up.”

“Come to think of it, all I did was weed the garden.”

Axel leaned close to Marluxia’s face, “Don’t you remember? ‘Dispose of the traitor.’”

Marluxia stared into the green eyes that glared into his. His scythe still straight out within his arm. He glared back into his eyes.

“And I suppose I am that traitor.”

“That would be correct,” Axel said, his voice hard. “I always follow orders Marluxia.”

The silence that filled the air slowly crept around Marluxia. His eyes and Axel’s connected in sheer hate and anger for each other. Despite the lack of a heart, the two knew very well how to feel such passions as those. Marluxia’s weapon disappeared into multiple roses, all of them falling into nothingness as they turned to black smoke almost immediately following.

“Go ahead then. Do as you’re told. Dispose of the traitor, Axel.”

Axel glared into the lesser Nobody’s eyes for a moment longer. Marluxia seemed to have this power over Axel’s will just by the use of his voice. He wasn’t sure what, but it always seemed to make him second guess.

“I will never, ever, listen to you.”

Marluxia chuckled once again under his breath. He narrowed his eyes and then pushed Axel against the wall. His eyes still connected with the pyromaniac’s. He knew just one quick and rough movement could snap the man in half. His hands grabbed the shoulders of his Organization XIII uniform. His anger ebbing away as he let his eyes search Axel’s eyes.

He saw fear, but everything else in Axel was trying to keep that hidden and locked away.

“Pathetic fool,” Marluxia said coldly. “You think you cannot hide your fear from me?”

Axel growled and clenched his fists together, “Of course not. Because you know everything.”

“That’s the only thing you have gotten right all day.”

Axel tried to struggle from Marluxia’s grip, but found it pointless. There was no getting out of this man’s grasp without thinking it over.

Marluxia’s eyes still looked over Axel’s face, “You are nothing but a heartless traitor.”

“I’m not the only heartless one,” Axel spat in retort.

Before Axel could say anything more, Marluxia slammed his back against the wall, causing him to stop breathing for a few seconds.

“You are foolish to believe you could protect Sora.”

“I tried.”

“And in the end, you fail.”

“No. Sora’s strong, like him.”

“And where is he now?” Marluxia asked.

No answer came, Axel just stood there looking away from Marluxia. Something in his chest ached.

“Answer me!”

“I don’t know!”

Marluxia slammed Axel against the wall once again, and when he saw his opportunity, he leaned in and pressed his lips against Axel’s. Axel’s eyes widened as he stared at Marluxia in shock, remaining unresponsive.

The botanist dropped Axel where he stood and took a step back once pulling himself from Axel. His voice, his touch, and his eyes were cold. A reflection of the heart that may have been inside of him.

“You, Axel, are a fool amongst fools. And one day that will lead you to perish. You care too much for that child, and he will be the death of you in the end.”

“I don’t believe that,” Axel said, his voice hoarse with disbelief.

Marluxia smirked his eyes turning away from Axel as he turned himself and opened a portal.

He stepped into it, a single glance over his shoulder signaled his leave. Axel stood there, his eyes stuck to the portal as Marluxia closed it. Rose petals fell to the floor, and Axel watched them disappear into smoke.