Three Kisses for the King

"So...did you ever figure out what you were supposed to win with these things?"

"Hm?"

Roxas held out his popsicle stick, waved it in front of Axel's face. He didn't bother restraining his grin when Axel yelped, red hair bobbing as he ducked away from potential eye trauma.

"Watch it!"

"Aw c'mon, you'd give Xigbar a run for his munny if you adopted the whole eye patch thing."

"I like both my eyes where they are thanks, and I prefer them functional."

"Phooey," Roxas complained, but he twirled the wooden stick a little closer to his person anyway. "So—did you?"

"Did you what?"

"Did you figure out what you were supposed to get?" Roxas held up the stick again, flashed the big WINNER symbol at Axel.

He grinned. "You still don't know?"

Roxas scowled outwardly, but had to suppress the sudden laughter that welled up inside. "No," he lied. Now let's see what he does.

"Hm..." Axel hummed, glancing off over Twilight Town. The city below bustled with life; kids playing their games, trams taking their trips, hills rolling in the distance until the green bled into the violet, red, orange of dusk. "Well I do."

"You know?" Roxas cocked his head. He hoped it said 'intrigued' as opposed to 'coy'.

"Yeah," Axel grinned. "I can show you if you like."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but first you gotta tell me how many of those WINNER sticks you've picked up since you gave me your first one."

Roxas fished in his pockets, withdrew two to go with the one still caught between his fingers. If anyone asked him if he'd prepared for this moment, he'd deny it—but he thought anyone would a brain would probably question why someone walked around with so many popsicle sticks in their pants.

Axel whistled. "Three?"

"Yeah," Roxas grinned. "Been lucky recently."

"I'd say," Axel sat back, took another bite out of his own ice cream. "I haven't managed to get even one."

"Maybe you should start stealing my ice cream then."

"Nah, I figure that'll be the one time you won't get lucky," Axel said. "Now, still wanna know what you win?"

"Yeah."

Green eyes twinkled. "Alright." He held out a hand, the one not currently nursing his own frozen treat. Fingers wiggled. "Gotta hand over your sticks now."

"Right," Roxas said, passed him one.

"Only one?"

"Gotta be sure you aren't just gonna make off with them without giving me anything."

Axel laughed. "Fair enough." He curled his fingers around the stick, then let the hand come to rest on the Clock Tower's edge, leant in just a little. "Now you gotta close your eyes."

"Really?" Roxas snorted, disbelieving.

"Yeah," Axel breathed, eyes darting down to his mouth, tongue running over his lips. "That's the rules, sorry."

"Fine." Roxas closed his eyes, leant forward just a little. Some part of him couldn't quite believe Axel could be this brazen, but the rest of him definitely could. They'd been together long enough that stunts like this had become familiar, save that they were usually of a more juvenile, less romantic sort. Tease, he thought, and waited.

Waited.

The lips that touched his were soft—too soft, strangely-shaped, and far too cold. Too salty, too sweet. His eyes snapped open, caught sight of Axel holding his half-eaten ice cream right up against his mouth.

"Axel!"

Axel's face split in a terrible grin, unapologetic laughter echoing out over Twilight Town. "What, you don't like it?"

"Ugh."

"Sorry to spoil things for you," Axel said, taking another bite out of his ice cream, "but that's the best prize I could come up with." He paused. "You think there might be a market for that? Buyers seeking Axel's half-eaten ice cream! That sort of thing?"

Roxas huffed, but it was punctuated with breathy little sounds that made it rather obvious he was trying not to laugh. He let Axel's question remain rhetorical—not sure it dignified a response anyway— and said, "Alright spoilsport, I get when I'm not wanted. I guess I'll keep my lips to myself then."

"What? No! Ah!" Axel gasped, flailed, and nearly fell right off the Clock Tower. Roxas reached out and grabbed him, narrowly avoiding dropping his remaining two WINNER sticks as he dragged Axel back to safety.

"You're ridiculous," he said.

"Is that all you're gonna say to the man who nearly died? My life just flashed before my eyes."

"Drama Queen. Besides, I bet you only saw all the good bits," Roxas teased, tugging him down by the collar of his shirt. "So, if I'm not getting my kisses can I have my stick back now?"

Axel shifted closer, pressed their foreheads together. "Who said anything about you not getting your kisses? Just because my official rules don't mention it doesn't mean we can't make up our own. Our rules, y'know, instead of just mine."

"Mmh, good. So, do I close my eyes?"

"Yeah," Axel breathed. "You do that."

Roxas did.

The first kiss was cold—not as cold as their ice creams, but still chilly. Axel's lips weren't quite so soft either, a little bit windblown from sitting up on the Tower too long, too often. He tasted mostly like sea salt ice cream, but Roxas wasn't complaining. He was sure he tasted the same, even if he'd finished his a good ten minutes ago.

When they pulled apart Axel's cheeks were pink and his eyes were almost glowing. Briefly his tongue came out again, licked his lips. "That's one."

Unbidden, Roxas passed over another stick and closed his eyes.

The second kiss was a little warmer. Roxas pressed firmer, ran his tongue over Axel's chapped lips and dipped it into his mouth. His free hand reached out, skimmed over Axel's leg before gripping his thigh, relished the way he jumped. If they were closer maybe he'd feel his heartbeat, thundering against his ribs.

Again they pulled back. Axel said nothing, only waited for Roxas to hand him the last of his WINNER sticks. There was a moment; one, two, where they just breathed, Axel waiting, maybe, for Roxas to close his eyes.

He did.

The third kiss burnt, all heat and fire. Roxas reached out with both hands and dragged Axel against him, one hand gripping his hair, the other around the small of his back. Axel's hands did much the same, the drag of nails felt even through their clothes. Their hearts thundered, and Roxas didn't know where his ended and Axel's began. Their tongues slid against each other, pressed into open, willing mouths and catching every moan and every whimper that fell out.

Barely any sweet or salt remained, just the taste of Axel, and Roxas couldn't get enough, wanted more, more. He let his teeth catch on Axel's lower lip as he pulled away, opened his eyes to see glistening green, half-lidded and hazy.

They pressed their heads together, Roxas's hand slipping around to cup Axel's cheek, nuzzling noses in a manner so sickeningly affectionate he was glad Xion and the others had skipped out on joining them today. We'd never hear the end of it otherwise.

"So," Axel said, when he finally pulled back, lips and cheeks a pretty red from the kissing—Roxas doubted any of the cold burn from their ice creams still remained. "Does anyone actually know what you win with these things?" He fanned out the sticks—all three WINNERs.

Roxas choked. "You don't know?"

"No," Axel blinked.

"Then what about before?"

"Before? Oh! When I poked you with the ice cream? Yeah I just made that up. I figured you were after kisses and felt it was my responsibility to tease you about it."

Roxas laughed. "You serious? No don't answer that, I know you are." Axel really was that ridiculous after all. It was at least half the reason Roxas loved him. "So you really don't know what you win?"

"Yeah no clue. Should we ask someone?"

Roxas laughed. "I already know."

"Wait, what?" Axel sat back, gaped.

"Yeah. The lady at the shop told me you're supposed to trade them in for a free ice cream."

Axel's eyes widened, then narrowed to slits. "So you knew? For how long?"

"Yeah," Roxas laughed. "I went and asked pretty early on actually, a few weeks into my time with the Organization when I realized you didn't have all the answers."

"Then why did you ask now?" Axel huffed. His pout was adorable, cheeks an even darker shade of red. He looked so pretty like that, especially in the twilight—prettier than he had any right to, Roxas thought. Does he think that when he looks at me? He wondered. Or is it just him the sunlight loves?

Maybe it was just Roxas, actually, his ice cream-addled brain further muddled by an onslaught of fire, warm in his chest.

Axel was still watching him, waiting for an answer. One eyebrow climbed his forehead, fair response to Roxas's extended silence. Still he couldn't resist reaching out, poking it. He wasn't surprised when Axel scowled and batted him away, just laughed and swayed to avoid further punishment, answered, "Because I wanted to see what you'd do, you tease."

"I'm the tease?" Axel exclaimed. "You're the one who baited me into kissing you, you flirt."

"Yep," Roxas grinned. "Got what I wanted though, didn't I?"

Axel looked thoughtful at that, turned to the three wooden sticks in his hand. He splayed them out then folded them together, slipt them away in his breast pocket. "Yeah," he said. "Guess you really are the winner, aren't you Roxas? You look like a cat with cream, the way you're grinning."

"Maybe a king with his crown would be more appropriate," Roxas replied, feeling smug.

"Yeah, that'll do. Hey, Roxas, I think I've got something for the king. A gift maybe."

"Yeah?" Roxas quirked a brow, cheeks burning when Axel bent in and pressed a kiss to them. Somehow it was more embarrassing than all the ones before it. "Axel..."

"That one's free of charge," he laughed, then settled back in to finish his ice cream. "It's the last you're getting for a while though. Some of us are just beggars, y'know?"

"Tease," Roxas complained, but his heart remained light. He didn't really need kisses or WINNER sticks after all.

I gave him my only one once, when I had to say goodbye. Now I can give him the rest for a lifetime, and be whole by his side.

 

---

 

Roxas couldn't bring himself to be mad the next day when Axel strolled up the Clock Tower stairs with three sea salt ice creams shoved in his mouth. It was an entirely unnecessary bit of showmanship, but maybe that was why Roxas loved it so much.

"Now how'd you get those I wonder?" He asked, as Axel plucked the ice creams out one-by-one. His smile was as a cat with his cream—unbearably smug, and maybe just a little bit endearing for it.

"What can I say," Axel said, "save that the kings around here are really too sweet on their beggars."

"I don't suppose those beggars would be willing to give a little of that sweetness back?"

"Maybe," Axel said, and pressed a salty sweet kiss to his cheek. "Always."