After A Stormy Night

All forest inhabitants had sought shelter for the terrible storm that had been coming. Axel, a fiery colored naga with flaming red hair that looked like it could defy gravity, stayed at home during the storm. After the storm had settled down, he decided to go for a walk to see how much damage the storm had caused.

Slithering through the forest, making his way towards his favorite spot, he took in the damage. Some trees had been struck, but other than that nothing bad seemed to have happened.

Arriving at the river; his favorite spot, his eyes widened when he spotted something yellow at the bank of the river.

"A chocobo?" he muttered disbelievingly. Deciding to take a closer look, he slithered closer until he saw that it was a boy. And not just any boy, a neko.

His stomach growled, reminding him of the fact that he hadn't eaten much at all lately and to have such a tasty little treat within coil reach… It would be a shame to let that go to waste.

But was it even alive? It didn't appear to be very good shape. The neko had washed up on river bank among an assortment of debris, and was soaked to the bone. Had it drowned?

With the tip of his tail Axel nudged the little body, trying to wake him up, but it was apparent the boy wasn't going to. His keen ears did manage to pick up a faint heartbeat though. "So you are alive," Axel said, moving closer to examine the boy. Soaking wet, possibly suffering hypothermia, and judging from a nasty looking bump he'd probably hit his head. Really, the neko was lucky to be alive. Well, it was luckier for Axel, since he wasn't a vulture and wouldn't eat some carcass he happened to come across.

But alive or not, Axel wasn't about to eat him now. Just look at him; unconscious and as soaked as a drowned little cat! "Where's the fun in that!"

He picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. "You better be worth it little snack." He muttered while going home again.

Axel took the neko home, dried him off and wrapped him in the warmest blankets he had before gently laying the sleeping cat boy in his bed, a lovely nest of cushions and more blankets. Now that Roxas was all dry and clean, he looked far better. It certainly hadn't been a mistake to bring him here; he'd make a nice meal when he woke up.

Not letting his future meal out of sight, Axel waited until the boy woke up. Eventually, blue eyes fluttered open, although they looked a little hazy. The neko looked around confused, taking in the room.

It was warm here, and warm was good. That much the neko knew. The kitten yawned widely, and then looked at the other person in the room.

Axel smirked. "So finally back with the living? For a moment I was afraid you wouldn't be able to join in on the fun," he said eagerly, rubbing his belly. "You're going to be so-" Axel stopped, realizing he was getting absolutely no reaction.

That, in and of itself, was strange. Neko were a favorite food of naga, and naga were one of the neko's few predators, some would say, their natural predators. In the same way baby chickens know to run when they see the shadow of a hawk, even without their mother's warning, so too any neko should have immediately recognized the naga as a threat and tried to escape.

This neko, however, just stared blankly at the naga, and then just off into space, looking very lost and confused.

Where was he? Who was he? Why was he here? Roxas wondered to himself.
"Are you even listening!?" Axel asked, annoyed. Why wasn't the neko afraid? No screaming, no begging, hell not even a flinch, seriously that just wasn't right.

Roxas was too lost in thought to listen, and didn't understand most of what Axel was saying anyway. Besides, there was something important he had to remember. Roxas was trying to find…a name, his name…Sora? No, no that wasn't right. A name, he was…Roxas? Roxas, that was it wasn't it?

"Hello? Is there anybody in there?" Axel waved his hand in front of the boy's face, which got the blonde's attention. Although he continued to stare blankly, now he was staring at Axel. This only lasted a moment, before Roxas went back to thinking.
Roxas…yes, that did sound right. He might not know where he is or even who he was, but there was some comfort in knowing his own name.

Coming closer, Axel glared at the boy. He hated being ignored!

When Axel moved closer, he once more got Roxas's attention. The neko leaned forward and sniffed him, and liked the way he smelled. It was nice here with him.  
Axel looked at him confused, what was the kid thinking? Before he got a chance to say anything, Roxas did something that shocked him into silence.

Roxas embraced Axel, hugging him, and nuzzling against him, purring all the while.
Axel's bright green eyes widened and for a moment he actually thought it was adorable… The purring shook him out of his thoughts "Hey! Just because you're sucking up to me doesn't mean you're getting out of this! You're dinner. D-I-N-N-E-R. Got it memorized?"

"Dinner? Is that my…name? Dinner, but…" That didn't fit. It didn't feel right. "Roxas." He said the name out loud. "I think my name's Roxas, or Dinner?" He looked at Axel confused, waiting for answers, his sentences slow and fractured, as if each word was a struggle to find.

Axel frowned as he looked at the neko, seeing the genuine confusion in his blue eyes. Well at least he knew his name now.

Roxas really didn't know a lot of words, or even who he was for sure. He also didn't know who the naga was, all he knew was he liked it with him. Because this was nice, and he wasn't alone, so was this…home? Home was that the word, and him he was..."Mommy?"

Roxas' question made him glance down in disbelief "What?! Are you deranged? Did you bump your head or something? Oh right, I guess you did, but seriously, do I look like a chick to you!? Oh man, you've totally gone round the bend… I knew you'd be more trouble than you're worth!" he said exasperatedly.

Roxas flinched when the naga yelled at him. He didn't like this…it made him feel like he'd done something wrong.

Axel took a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. The kid couldn't help it, he was just very confused, so Axel figured he shouldn't work himself up over it and get angry at him.

However, the fact remained, Axel had yelled at Roxas, and Roxas thought he was angry. The neko's eyes widened slightly, welling with tears but he didn't cry.
As tears began well in Roxas' eyes Axel sighed. "Roxas…you really have no idea what I'm talking about, right?"

Roxas simply buried his head in Axel's chest, hoping there wouldn't be more yelling, and that he hadn't ruined everything. "Sorry," he said, his voice small.  

Axel looked at him a moment, then awkwardly patted the boy's head, although he still wasn't pleased with the situation.  Maybe he had been a bit harsh with the neko, but at the moment he couldn't care less, it was just food after all. Axel had been looking forward to eating the neko, but now…this wasn't as fun as he thought it would be, not in the state the kid was in.

Well might as well try it, Axel thought shrugging. Maybe the boy was still a bit sleepy or something. Well then this would surely blow all thoughts of sleep away!

Axel's tail coiled around Roxas and brought him close to his face. Axel licked his lips and looked at Roxas hungrily.

Roxas didn't mind that, it was warm. At least he wasn't being pushed away, but the other still didn't seem happy with him. Roxas's face was blank, clearly unaware of what was going on. In truth, he was desperately trying to figure out if the naga was mad at him still, or what the look he was giving him meant. It didn't seem friendly, but it didn't seem angry either.

Leaning closer the naga's tongue flicked out to get a taste. Nuts or not, the boy certainly was delicious. Axel soon found himself lost in Roxas' taste and licked him all over his face.

Roxas relaxed when Axel began to lick him. That felt nice, and affectionate, which meant Roxas hadn't ruined things after all.

The neko giggled, slightly. "That tickles," Roxas told the other, but continued to smile brightly at him. However, he soon reverted back to a blank stare as his mind tried to make since of everything. Roxas wondering what was going to happen next, and how he was supposed to respond.

This wasn't the reaction Axel wanted. Even the danger of getting eaten didn't trigger anything in the neko. If anything, the boy seemed to think that it was something good. Hearing the giggles and seeing that bright and innocent smile directed at him, he stopped licking. Then that blank look returned and Axel looked at him sympathetically. "That storm has messed you up pretty badly huh?" he asked. "Blank with a capital B."

Eating him would actually be a merciful thing to do. There was no way that the kid would be able to survive on his own like this. Down the hatch it was then. Axel leaned forward intending to swallow the boy down.

Meanwhile, the neko was trying to figure out how to return the affection Axel was showing him. Tentatively, Roxas reached out and put a hand on Axel's face. Then, leaning forward Roxas licked Axel's cheek .

"What-" but before he could finish that, Roxas licked his cheek, stunning him into silence.

How could he eat him like this? When the boy was so damn innocent and trusting! He couldn't do this, not while he didn't even know what was going on. However, he wouldn't just kick him out, he wasn't that cruel. Besides, he'd never throw away the chance for a free meal. That he couldn't eat him now doesn't mean that he never would. No… he'd keep Roxas around and guide him a bit. Then when he showed improvement, it'd be a one-way ticket to his stomach. For now, he needed Roxas to trust him though.

Leaning back, he uncoiled around Roxas and held him in his arms "Looks like you'll have to learn everything from scratch." He said . He reached down and rubbed one of the furry ears gently.

Roxas purred, liking the gently touch, which felt really nice. His eyes slipped close with pleasure. This was good, and being in the naga's arms felt even nicer than the way he was holding Roxas before. They were…he didn't know the word, but like…warm and home…and that sort of feeling.

"So, you up to me being your teacher?" The naga asked, "The name's A-X-E-L, Axel. Got it memorized?" He probably wouldn't remember it, but who knows. He spoke slowly and clearly, as if speaking to a toddler.

"Ax…es?" Roxas tried.

"Axel," the naga corrected.

"Ax…el" Roxas said slowly, nodding.

The red scaled naga shook his head. "Man oh man, we've got a long way to go."