Axel arches one eyebrow as Disaché steps right up to him, like he's gearing up to body-check him right across the hallway. He might be twiggy, but he's all muscle and zero fat, far stronger and heavier than he looks. He's not particularly aggressive, though, so if Disaché wants a fight, he's going to have to be the one to start it. Axel doesn't make a habit of starting fights, but he's totally cool with finishing them. He notes the unusual gesture, the tapping of his fingers together, but he'll save that question for some other time.

Disaché's expression shifts to one of blatant curiosity then, and for a moment, Axel is fiercely reminded of Zexion. He scratches the crown of his head at the inquiry, frowning a little.

"It's... a little hard to explain," he says, his voice a bit hesitant. How can he tell him how this works without giving this total stranger an idea of what he really is? Axel is far from shy, but he's fiercely private, and he's not really keen on explaining how his current state of existence works.

Waving a hand, he calls up another portal beside him, watching the tendrils of black and indigo swirl in the air.

"The portals utilize the... space between spaces," he says, not quite sure how else to put it. "Something about this ship, or... maybe whatever brought us here, though, seems to be messing with them, so my exit isn't always where I plan for it to be."

If Disaché moves to touch the portal, though, Axel will block him. He won't be harsh about it, but there will be definite arm-grabbing to prevent him from getting too close. He knows that look in Disaché's eye: this guy is a... nerd. He wants to know how things work and why, and that's a mindset Axel is all too familiar with. He's worked alongside a bunch of nerds for like ten years, and he's not going to be responsible for this guy winding up getting turned into a Heartless. That's just what this ship needs.