Chapter Text
The train journeyed on, the gentle rocking and rattling beneath his feet almost lulling him to sleep. Outside, the world continued to pass by in blurs of green as they sped along. It had been the same image for nearly half an hour now. But soon familiar sites began to appear. It was small at first; the stone houses that slowly grew in number the longer they rode on, the brick wall that lined the outside of the manor in the woods. The transition was quick. Bright hues from the skies of Twilight Town soon blanketed the train, throwing shadows beneath the seats and across the floors.
He was almost there.
His head leaned against the window, Axel stared out unconsciously as he let his thoughts overtake him. It was almost like a brand new world. His friends - his best friends - were back. There were no more missions, no more endless seeking of enemies or recon of different lands. The world was saved. It was like happily ever after.
Except, it wasn’t.
As happy as everyone was that one of their greatest battles was over, a cloud hung over them all. Everyone tried their best to live their life, to gain back that semblance of normality even just for a moment. They all knew it wasn’t the end of their fight. But without...
A sudden shake of the train knocked his head against the window, dulling his thoughts. The redhead pulled away, a frown gracing his face. He began to chide himself as he noticed the train start to slow. There was a reason why he had come back again.
The station was bustling, just like any other day. And just like every other time, Axel found himself people watching. Everyone had their own agenda, their own plan set in motion. Some were rushing on with children in tow while others moseyed on, unaffected by the rush around them. And where does that leave him, Axel mused as he moves through the crowds. Floating on, without any sort of idea as to where to go.
As he reached the outdoors, the wide open platform in front of the station greeted him again. It was a familiar site to him. Axel found his feet moving without any prompting to. The closer he got, the faster his feet moved until he reached the railing, gripping onto it with a desperation he was familiar with now.
The suffocation lifted off of his chest as he stared across the streets and houses below him. At least up here, the height made his worries and stresses drop away like they were falling straight down to the road below. His hands unclenching, Axel felt his shoulders droop slightly and his body ease the tension away. Twilight Town was always like a breath of fresh air, an escape to a world away when he felt like he was drowning. A humorous exhale fell from his lips. A world away, it was literal. Destiny Island was far away, a land bright and perfect and warm. Almost too bright, too perfect, too much to handle-
His fingers tapped the stone gently. He needed a distraction.
Moments later, he found himself back at the wall, glancing across the same scenery. The only difference in the moment now was starting to slightly melt, a couple drops falling onto the wall beneath his elbows. As he thoughtlessly stared out, Axel continued to work his way through his sea salt ice cream. Having returned to Twilight Town at least once a week for the past couple months, more than that some weeks, he had quickly become a regular at the ice cream shop that was only minutes from the train station. And how could he not? No one else around had the same fiery red locks that he did. It was always a cheery smile and a call of his name that the shopkeeper greeted him with now. It made him feel a little more grounded, a little more human, like he was being welcomed by an old friend. In several ways, perhaps that was the case.
Call me Axel from now on.
That’s what he said back then, in that time with Kairi, wasn’t it? Had it been impulse? A desire to rebrand himself? It was hard to tell. But the child he once was, the one called Lea, seemed like a far off memory. It wasn’t who he was anymore. But he wasn’t a Nobody anymore either. The heart beating in his chest proved otherwise. It wasn't just a dull memory of what he once had. So where did he stand? He felt like he was caught in a spin, dizzy and unsure of where to go or where to face. Perhaps the name Axel really was befitting for him. Even in that moment which seemed so long ago, all he did was turn and run from his problems; away from Kairi, away from the clearing, away from the memory and pain that was dredged up in that moment.
Just like he was running now.
By now the popsicle was no more. All that was left was the remnants of its salty yet sweet taste and the remains of the popsicle stick. The jabs to his tongue were a splintery reminder that his ice cream had been long gone. He pulled the stick out, giving it half a glance before settling to chew on it some more.
“Once again a loser,” he muttered to himself. “One day...” With a sigh, he turned around and leaned back against the wall to glance up to the clock tower.
He hadn’t gone back. It never felt right going alone. But at the same time, he couldn’t muster himself up to suggest returning to their hangout to Roxas or Xion. Had any remaining good memory of their times together been plagued by the darkness they faced? Could he even remember the very last time they sat together looking over the town? After a moment Axel realized he couldn’t. Or at least, he couldn’t remember the exact moment. It was only the vague feelings of laughter, a slight echo of happiness that he could genuinely feel now. It sat within his chest, a warm feeling that filled his heart. Each time he came here, he felt like he was just one step closer to reconnecting. Or so he hoped at least.
“One day...”
It was always just one day. One more day. But always just one step at a time. But for now, the day was done. It may be eternally twilight here but even Axel knew the night was drawing close. It was time to return to his other home. Stopping long enough to throw the popsicle stick away, he threw his hands into his pockets and made his way back to the train station.
He could confront his thoughts another day.