(A/N) I blame this one entirely on the fact that I can't sleep. It's like, 3 am over here. Argh. But fuuuck I have never wished I had even the slightest bit of artistic ability like I do right now. 'Cause the whole crew looks amazing in my head. Eh, this one's pushing the word limit, but it JUST squeaks by under a thousand.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - Cher

Roxas stood back from the flickering light of the torches, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a tree trunk and kept a wary eye on the townspeople gathered in the circle of the wagons. They seemed content enough at present, but Roxas knew from experience it wouldn’t take much to turn them against their little band.

Most of the townsfolk were clustered around the raised stage Roxas had helped erect earlier that day; Demyx was seated on its edge, fingers picking a lively tune from his lute. The boy, Djali, accompanied him with a tambourine, bouncing lightly in time to the music, but it was Kairi the men were watching. The slim redhead spun and whirled around the weathered platform, her bangles chiming softly and flashing in the torchlight. Her crimson skirts flared outward with every movement, giving her audience several glimpses of the young, supple bare legs underneath.

Roxas let his eyes slip away, traveling among the other members of their caravan. Riku and Sora were half-way through their tumbling routine, the younger man balanced precariously on his silver-haired friend’s shoulders. The bulk of their audience was markedly younger than Kairi’s, but then there was no one present to curb the shower of bright pennies the urchins threw to the ground. Naminé, he knew, would have claimed one of the larger wagons for herself, transforming it with silks and incense into a place more in line with the townspeople’s expectations for handing out fortunes to young and old.

His eyes lingered on Luxord, a relatively new face. The man wore a colorful head scarf over his close-cropped hair, and numerous cheap rings flashed on his fingers as he plied his card tricks for anyone who paused next to him. Roxas still wasn’t sure he trusted him, but Clopin had given the man and his friends his permission to travel with their caravan as they wound their way down toward Paris.

His gaze swept back to the stage as Demyx finished his song with a flourish, and the men roared their approval and tossed their gold up onto the stage as Kairi swept into a deep curtsy, the damp ends of her hair curling about her face. Djali unobtrusively began to gather the coins that had landed closest to him, and Kairi stamped her bare feet, anklets flashing, as Demyx took up another song. One of the men grabbed for her skirt when she came near enough, and Roxas straightened, hands tightening into fists at his sides, but Kairi easily sidestepped his grasp without missing a step. Roxas took a deep breath to try and dispel the sudden tension singing through his muscles and resumed his previous position.

“Always the same, Roxas – fight, fight, fight.”

Roxas fought down an involuntary start at the nearness of the voice – he hadn’t heard the man’s approach at all. He turned his head far enough to glare at the intruder, but the other man’s grin only widened at the sight of his expression. The fire-eater’s wild red spikes were bound in a black bandana, and the torchlight danced in his acid-green eyes. “Can I help you with something, Axel?” Roxas inquired dully. Just because Clopin had allowed the man to join their caravan didn’t mean Roxas trusted the lanky redhead – those oddly colored eyes saw far too much for Roxas’s taste, and the man had the uncanny ability to show up exactly when Roxas didn’t want to see him.

Which was most of the time.

Axel shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest and mimicking Roxas’s posture against a nearby tree. “Has it occurred to you I might genuinely enjoy your company?” Roxas didn’t bother to bite back a scoff, gaze returning to the circle of wagons. Axel chuckled, the sound low and pleasant, but for once didn’t seem inclined to fill the air with inane chatter. The minutes passed in silence, and Roxas reluctantly felt himself relaxing into the temporary peace.

Finally, Axel grunted and pushed himself away from the trunk he was leaning against. “I thought you should know,” he said, brushing the dust from his sleeve, “Xigbar and I went into town earlier, and there’s already talk of trouble in the streets.” Roxas leveled a sharp gaze at the other man, but there was no trace of humor in Axel’s expression. But they had only been here one day…

Disquieted, the blond nodded. “I’ll let Clopin know.” Axel’s expression eased before he nodded and turned away. Roxas hesitated for a second before he added a soft, “Thanks.” Axel ducked his head before raising a hand in a curt wave of acknowledgement, but Roxas glimpsed the smile on the man’s lips before he melted back into the darkness.