Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Christmastide ❯ Christmas Eve ( Prologue )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Tuesday, December 24th
...Or, the day Scrooge met walking, talking Christmas in human form.

People, Roxas decided, were insane. That's really all there was to it. 'It' being Christmas, its trappings, and holidays in general. Roxas would be the first to admit that he was a Scrooge, and rather proud of it. He didn't let the high spirits of the holiday season turn him into a babbling, drooling, moron that screeched through stores looking for the perfect gift. His brothers, in fact, were quite adamant that getting Roxas to go Christmas shopping was like pulling the teeth of an annoyed bull hippo. It just wasn't worth the effort, really.

Still Roxas wasn't enough of a bastard not to buy his friends and family something, and that was why he was currently out here. Around him the other last minute shoppers bustled: Children shrieked for sweets, and toys, and to go see Santa. As for Roxas? He stood in the middle of it all like a short blond road block, bundled up in an over sized black winter coat, and a scowl on his face that could make a mule run for cover. Sora would say that it had. (No one wanted to discuss that time, at the New Year's Fair with the nativity scene, and... yeah.. it was all very traumatic.)

Christmas carols were being belted out over the speakers hidden among the lofty ceilings of the mall. The stalls that lined the massive hallways overflowing with tinsel, and lights, and Christmas baubles. Wreathes, and garland were strung everywhere turning the pale white and tan innards of the sprawling multi-level building into an immense riot of Christmas everything: He suspected that even the bathrooms would be festooned with objects wishing good will, and good cheer. It wasn't working, he thought snidely, at least not for him. He was only getting crankier.

He wouldn't even have been there if he'd had a real choice in the matter. However, he still hadn't really bought anything for anyone, and so when his brother's had announced they were going to go last minute shopping he'd grudgingly given up his yearly attempt at hibernation. One year he'd actually gone through with not buying any presents, and had been hit from all sides with various reactions: Between the guilt brought on by Demyx and Sora's sad puppy eyes, and Cloud's stern 'you should be ashamed' glower, he'd decided to never repeat that again.

There were four of them all-together, as mentioned. He was the youngest by a minute or two, and Sora's twin though they didn't really fit the classical image people conjured of 'twins.' Sora was the only family member who had inherited their mother's darker hair color. The rest of them had all ended up blond. Demyx was the middle son and, of course, Cloud was the oldest.

They were all over the age of eighteen by now. They'd left them the house, with instructions to Cloud to 'watch out' for his younger siblings. Then they're parents had high-tailed it to warmer climates also known as the Bahamas. They were all just fine with that, really, and better luck to them. Roxas often wished they'd taken him with them.

Don't get him wrong, he loved his brothers as much as any sibling loved their other siblings, (Conditionally, and usually when they were half way across the city, or duck taped to a chair) but two of them were well.... Menaces to society, to be polite.

“Roxaaaaas!” And there was Menace Number One, right on schedule. “You're still standing here? Come back to us, Roxas!”

A hand swished up and down through Roxas' field of vision, and he blinked once, “Demyx, if you don't pull your hand back I'm going to bite it.”

“You're little brother's kinky, Dem.” A vaguely familiar voice drawled, full of amusement and humor. Roxas turned scowling darkly, paused, and blinked in surprise. He was face to face with a man with vivid green eyes, and hair so red it gave Santa's suit a run for its money A red that stood out even more against the dark green coat he wore. Then said man had the audacity to wink at him! “See, my charm's left him speechless!”

Roxas' face never left its rather blank expression as he deadpanned, “You look like a Christmas tree.”

Demyx broke down laughing. The red head blinked, obviously trying to decide whether or not to be insulted and then let a slow grin spread across his face, “What can I say? I love the Christmas season!”

Roxas scoffed and turned to Demyx, “I don't know where you picked up the idiot, or why you're here but...”

“Aww, I'm hurt! You don't remember me?” Roxas' flat stare was obviously answer enough. “I'm Axel, remember? A-X-E-L? Ringing any bells?”

Roxas stared for several minutes. The phrase 'Got it memorized?' bounced around the back of his head. “Right, no.” Turning back to Demyx he gave an impatient look. “You're here why?”

“Well, Cloud told me to come and help you with your shopping because we all know...” Roxas tuned him out at that point, staring blankly at a cheerful display of fat singing Santas and Snowmen somewhere to the left. Demyx finally wound down with a, “... and so I'm going to help you do your shopping!”

“Demyx,” Roxas said in a sweet tone that only the vilest of evil (and 5 year old girls) could manage. “Go die.”

“Aww, c'mon Roxas where's you're Christmas spirit?” That annoying voice from the void also known as 'Axel' interrupted.

Roxas glared at him, “Christmas is a disease and I was inoculated at birth!” With that the blond turned and stomped off, scattering the crowd before him in the same way a rampaging rhino cleared the Savannah.

“Ever heard of being nice?” Axel hollered after him, garnering a few weird looks.

Roxas didn't even look back as he replied, “That's a communicable disease right? I get my shots for that yearly, with my flu vaccine!”

Axel laughed, clearly amused by the blond's prickly nature, “Wow, what a scrooge!”

“BAH, HUMBUG!” With that final exclamation Roxas finally vanished from view, heading deeper into the cavernous depths of the mall.

Demyx fidgeted beside Axel a bit and the red head craned his neck, staring after the departed younger blond for several seconds longer before looking toward Demyx, “He always like that?”

Demyx shrugged, smiling sheepishly, “Yeah... He's pretty infamous for it, really. You weren't here before, though so I guess you wouldn't know...”

Axel had just moved to the city within the last year or so to live with his older brother and attend the university there. That was how he'd met Demyx. “So, what's his problem? Didn't get the pony he wanted as a kid?”

Demyx shrugged again, “Nah, he's just always been like that. Never liked Christmas much. Sora on the other hand... He decked Riku once when he told him that Santa wasn't real.”

“Riku? As in stuck-at-the-hip-bestest-best-friends-ever Riku?”

“That's the one. We tried to get Roxas involved a few times... Sora and I dragged him out caroling with us a few years back, but all he did was sing What is Christmas at the top of his lungs.” Demyx took out a small notebook, and flipped it open. Axel surmised he had everything he needed to buy written on that list. He still wasn't sure whether it was because Demyx was forgetful (as most people surmised) or because he just liked to be organized.

“Anyone ever tried just making the season enjoyable for him?” Axel asked after a moment.

Demyx snapped the notebook closed with a soft fwap, “If they have, they haven't succeeded...” He glanced nervously at Axel, taking in the slow grin spreading over his friends face again. “Axeeeel... What are you planning now?”

“Well... I've got an idea.”

“That's what scares me.”

Demyx, however, didn't protest as Axel dragged him off.


Roxas shouldered open the front door and stomped into the house, his bags firmly in hand. Behind him he could hear Cloud's low voice and the higher tones of Demyx' excited chatter as they hauled in their own shopping bags. Sora had stayed home, as was tradition, to trim the tree standing proudly in the corner of the living room. He paused just inside the front door to take off his coat and shoes before stepping gingerly around the puddle of melted snow that had formed.

He could hear laughter from his twin and his two friends. As he passed the doorway to the living room he could see them: Kairi sitting on Sora's shoulders so she could place a vibrant yellow star on top of the tree. Sora had insisted on a Disney theme this year. The other 1/3rd of the group was sprawled out on the sofa giving directions (“A little to the left, no the other left!”), and laughing as Sora swayed precariously (and exaggeratedly) causing the sole female among them to squeal and laugh. Roxas snorted softly, and took the stairs two at a time.

Demyx grinned watching Roxas' back disappear off the landing, and down the hall toward his bedroom then practically bounced into the living room. “Hey! Hey, guys!”

Kairi finally managed to get the star on the top of the tree, and waved at him, “Demyyyyy!”

Sora turned and wobbled forward which caused Kairi to squeal and pull on his hair sharply in reprimand, “Back already? What'd you get me? Did you get me lots of presents? And cookies?! Sprinkles? You better have gotten some sprinkles! I might die if there aren't any red and green sprinkles!”

Riku snorted, “You say that every year, Sora.”

“It's true every year!” A snort came from somewhere near the doorway followed by the sound of something hard and plastic hitting someones skull. Sora yelped, and stared down at the bottle of sprinkles at his feet.

“Why don't you let Kairi down, Demyx has something he wants to tell you about.” Cloud drawled.

Indeed, the entire time Demyx had been squirming about like an excited puppy about to soil the nice new carpet. So, Sora did as told before grabbing the bottle of sprinkles and diving onto the couch (which caused Riku to yell). Kairi jumped over a moment later and grabbed the bottle of sprinkles before Sora could upend the entire thing into his mouth. There followed a short squabble between the three, which finally culminated in Riku getting the prize and tossing it back to Cloud.

Once everyone was settled, they turned all eyes on Demyx who grinned eagerly, “All right, so here's the deal... You all remember my friend Axel, right? Well he had this idea, and....”