Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Christmastide ❯ The First Day ( Chapter 1 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: White Mage Koorii 
Chapter Warnings: Pancakes. Shoddy Poetry.
Teaser: “Arf Arf.” He could hear the sound of a horn blowing somewhere in the background that conjured mental images of the big cruise liners that he often saw on T.V. Commercials.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. If you recognize it, it likely is from Kingdom Hearts and therefore not my property.
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Romance | Type: Shounen-ai | Uploaded On: 07.13.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 235 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Warnings: Pancakes. Shoddy Poetry.
Teaser: “Arf Arf.” He could hear the sound of a horn blowing somewhere in the background that conjured mental images of the big cruise liners that he often saw on T.V. Commercials.
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story. If you recognize it, it likely is from Kingdom Hearts and therefore not my property.
Non Anime: Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Romance | Type: Shounen-ai | Uploaded On: 07.13.2009 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 235 | Status: Work In Progress
On the First Day....
Wednesday, December 25th
...Or, that's not a Christmas present! That's what you give the sick, or grandma!
To say Reno was bemused would be highly accurate. It wasn't everyday he woke up to find his brother sitting at the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room in their little apartment. In fact, Axel generally liked to sleep in late. Reno didn't think Axel even knew seven AM existed. Given, Reno himself preferred not to know ten am existed, let alone seven, but life didn't allow him that luxury most of the time. Still, none of that changed the fact that there Axel was, sitting on a stool working on something that apparently involved a lot of red and green ribbon, and the ignoring of a bowl of fruit loops. Judging by how soggy those fruit loops were he'd apparently been working on it for quite some time. He was humming what sounded an awful lot like Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Reno rolled his eyes, “What... is that?” Though, judging by the look Axel gave him it probably sounded more like 'Wurrt gizzat?' Not exactly the best morning greeting.
“It's a present.” Axel responded, turning back to his ribbons and cellophane....Or, that's not a Christmas present! That's what you give the sick, or grandma!
To say Reno was bemused would be highly accurate. It wasn't everyday he woke up to find his brother sitting at the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room in their little apartment. In fact, Axel generally liked to sleep in late. Reno didn't think Axel even knew seven AM existed. Given, Reno himself preferred not to know ten am existed, let alone seven, but life didn't allow him that luxury most of the time. Still, none of that changed the fact that there Axel was, sitting on a stool working on something that apparently involved a lot of red and green ribbon, and the ignoring of a bowl of fruit loops. Judging by how soggy those fruit loops were he'd apparently been working on it for quite some time. He was humming what sounded an awful lot like Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
Reno rolled his eyes, “What... is that?” Though, judging by the look Axel gave him it probably sounded more like 'Wurrt gizzat?' Not exactly the best morning greeting.
“Didn't Grandma die?” The words were out before he'd even really thought of them and Axel snorted at him in that way that said he was trying really, really hard not to laugh. Reno glared.
“Yeah, and as I recall she tried to take you with her... What was it she said? 'You good for nothin' loud mouth grandson of mine! I ought to kick your ass all the way to hell with me!'”
Reno sighed fondly, “I always was Granny's favorite. Oh, coffee!”
Axel laughed, dragging a card closer, and began to pen a message of some sort inside while the other red head fawned over the coffee machine, “Granny's also the reason you swore you'd never marry.”
“And Mama's the reason you swore off women, yo.”Axel laughed, dragging a card closer, and began to pen a message of some sort inside while the other red head fawned over the coffee machine, “Granny's also the reason you swore you'd never marry.”
The two shared a glance and chorused, “There's just somethin' about this family that turns women mad.”
Axel closed the card, and stuffed it into an envelope onto which he scrawled a name. “So,” Reno drawled, “Who's that monstrosity for? You must hate them a lot.”
Axel laughed cheerfully, “Nah, its nothing like that.”
“...What'd you set on fire this time?”Axel closed the card, and stuffed it into an envelope onto which he scrawled a name. “So,” Reno drawled, “Who's that monstrosity for? You must hate them a lot.”
Axel laughed cheerfully, “Nah, its nothing like that.”
“I didn't do anything!”
Reno gave him A Look.
“I swear, it's nothing like that. I'm just being a good little elf and bringing some Christmas cheer to someone.” Axel grabbed his things and headed toward the door. “I'm going to go deliver this now.” Halfway out the door he leaned back and grinned wickedly, “By the way, Mom called earlier. She said if you don't call her by 10 she's going to come up here herself and reeducate you in the value of family and holidays!” With a final cheerful wave Axel disappeared out the door. The only things he left behind was the mess on the counter, and the fading tune of Grandma got Run Over By a Reindeer whistled slightly off key. Reno was too busy running for the phone to notice either.Roxas was woken the same exact way he had been woken up every Christmas morning since he was four years old: The door slammed open, his blankets were ripped off him, and a heavy weight fell across his back. A second later a voice, Sora's, was screaming in his ear, “ITS CHRISTMAS!!!”
Really, his family wondered what he had against Christmas? Other than the fact it disturbed his sleep at... Roxas lifted his head (even as Sora thundered off in hopes of catching the other two still in bed after that bellow) and stared blearily at the glaring red numbers of the digital clock on his bedside table: 6:00 am. Roxas moaned and buried his head back into his pillow, clamping his hands over the back of his head and digging his fingers into his hair.
He could hear the cursing as Cloud stomped moodily down the hall, accompanied by the chatter of Demyx (Stupid morning people ought to be shot), and maybe he'd get to go back to... “ROXAS!” Sora was back.
Roxas lifted his head enough to growl, “Go. Fire. Die now.” and flip his obnoxious twin the bird before slumping back down into his pillow with an incoherent mumble.
Sora had the audacity to laugh at him, “Come on, Roxas. Get up!”
Roxas grumbled something uncomplimentary, and within seconds Sora was over tugging on his arm and attempting to pull him out of his bed. “F'koff, S'ra!”
Then he fell over the edge of his bed and landed in a heap on the floor. Sora was laughing somewhere above him, and Roxas lay there stunned, with a face full of carpet for all of ten seconds before he was up and attempting to strangle the brunette. Sora tore out of the room at record speeds with the half-naked blond right behind him yelling about how many ways he was going to kill him, mutilate his corpse, and then dispose of the evidence. Roxas took a flying leap off the third to last step of the stairs, and nearly succeeded in flattening Sora, but the brunette got lucky and skidded around the corner into the kitchen in the nick of time.
The blond tore into the kitchen after Sora, only to be grabbed by the neck. He gave a yelp of surprise as his momentum was arrested and looked up to meet the bland gaze of his eldest brother who, without a word, steered him toward the doorway again, “Go get dressed.” Without further ado Roxas was shoved back out into the hallway, and Cloud drifted back into the kitchen.
Huffing the blond peered around the doorway and gave Sora a pointed glare. The aforementioned, who was crouched beneath the kitchen table, stuck his tongue out at him and grinned one of his shit-eating grins. Roxas mentally vowed revenge as he trooped back upstairs. All in all it was just another average morning; with the exception of the Christmas carols blaring from the radio in the kitchen, and the gaudy garland strung through the halls and over the banisters.
Several minutes later he returned to the kitchen only to stop in the doorway and ponder if he could make it to the border before anyone noticed he was missing. Oh, sure, this happened often... It always, always occurred on Christmas, but it was still absolutely horrifying.
Sora and Demyx were making pancakes.
The batter was supposed to be easy to use: Simply poor it from the jug and cook it.Ta dah, pancake! Despite that the two of them always managed to get covered in batter. Right now it looked like someone had tried finger painting on the cupboard doors with it. Cloud was sitting in the corner of the room with cup of coffee, and a day or two old newspaper with a scowl on his face. Roxas decided it was prudent to join the eldest of his siblings, “Why...are they being allowed to cook unsupervised?”
“Technically they aren't unsupervised.”Really, his family wondered what he had against Christmas? Other than the fact it disturbed his sleep at... Roxas lifted his head (even as Sora thundered off in hopes of catching the other two still in bed after that bellow) and stared blearily at the glaring red numbers of the digital clock on his bedside table: 6:00 am. Roxas moaned and buried his head back into his pillow, clamping his hands over the back of his head and digging his fingers into his hair.
He could hear the cursing as Cloud stomped moodily down the hall, accompanied by the chatter of Demyx (Stupid morning people ought to be shot), and maybe he'd get to go back to... “ROXAS!” Sora was back.
Roxas lifted his head enough to growl, “Go. Fire. Die now.” and flip his obnoxious twin the bird before slumping back down into his pillow with an incoherent mumble.
Sora had the audacity to laugh at him, “Come on, Roxas. Get up!”
Roxas grumbled something uncomplimentary, and within seconds Sora was over tugging on his arm and attempting to pull him out of his bed. “F'koff, S'ra!”
Then he fell over the edge of his bed and landed in a heap on the floor. Sora was laughing somewhere above him, and Roxas lay there stunned, with a face full of carpet for all of ten seconds before he was up and attempting to strangle the brunette. Sora tore out of the room at record speeds with the half-naked blond right behind him yelling about how many ways he was going to kill him, mutilate his corpse, and then dispose of the evidence. Roxas took a flying leap off the third to last step of the stairs, and nearly succeeded in flattening Sora, but the brunette got lucky and skidded around the corner into the kitchen in the nick of time.
The blond tore into the kitchen after Sora, only to be grabbed by the neck. He gave a yelp of surprise as his momentum was arrested and looked up to meet the bland gaze of his eldest brother who, without a word, steered him toward the doorway again, “Go get dressed.” Without further ado Roxas was shoved back out into the hallway, and Cloud drifted back into the kitchen.
Huffing the blond peered around the doorway and gave Sora a pointed glare. The aforementioned, who was crouched beneath the kitchen table, stuck his tongue out at him and grinned one of his shit-eating grins. Roxas mentally vowed revenge as he trooped back upstairs. All in all it was just another average morning; with the exception of the Christmas carols blaring from the radio in the kitchen, and the gaudy garland strung through the halls and over the banisters.
Several minutes later he returned to the kitchen only to stop in the doorway and ponder if he could make it to the border before anyone noticed he was missing. Oh, sure, this happened often... It always, always occurred on Christmas, but it was still absolutely horrifying.
Sora and Demyx were making pancakes.
The batter was supposed to be easy to use: Simply poor it from the jug and cook it.Ta dah, pancake! Despite that the two of them always managed to get covered in batter. Right now it looked like someone had tried finger painting on the cupboard doors with it. Cloud was sitting in the corner of the room with cup of coffee, and a day or two old newspaper with a scowl on his face. Roxas decided it was prudent to join the eldest of his siblings, “Why...are they being allowed to cook unsupervised?”
“That's not the point.”
“It's keeping them busy, isn't it?”
Roxas couldn't argue with that, and promptly attempted to steal Cloud's coffee. He was smacked upside the head with the newspaper for his efforts. Scowling, he decided to get a soda instead. He wasn't all that fond of coffee anyway, and he wasn't sure he wanted to trust the coffee at this point. Casting a wary glance toward his siblings he hurried to the fridge, grabbed his can of soda and retreated before he could be noticed.
Mission success!
Roxas sunk down in his chair and savored the serenity. Well, as serene as loud yelps and hoots of laughter accompanied by clattering cookware could be.
Breakfast passed relatively well once it was actually on their plates (Bacon, pancakes... food of the gods). It went great, until Roxas accidentally on purpose (Sora getting hit with a pancake was the 'on purpose' part, the accidentally came in with the fact that he'd been aiming for his head) dropped an entire, syrup covered pancake onto Sora's lap. Revenge was sweet, pun intended.
In the end they still hadn't figured out how that pancake had ended up stuck to the ceiling. So, there the four of them stood staring up at the mysterious pancake when the phone started ringing. Sora was off like a shot yelling that he'd get it.
“Maybe it was when Sora was trying to stuff the syrup bottle down Roxas' pants?” Demyx hazarded. “I mean, Roxas did have a pancake in hand then...”Mission success!
Roxas sunk down in his chair and savored the serenity. Well, as serene as loud yelps and hoots of laughter accompanied by clattering cookware could be.
Breakfast passed relatively well once it was actually on their plates (Bacon, pancakes... food of the gods). It went great, until Roxas accidentally on purpose (Sora getting hit with a pancake was the 'on purpose' part, the accidentally came in with the fact that he'd been aiming for his head) dropped an entire, syrup covered pancake onto Sora's lap. Revenge was sweet, pun intended.
In the end they still hadn't figured out how that pancake had ended up stuck to the ceiling. So, there the four of them stood staring up at the mysterious pancake when the phone started ringing. Sora was off like a shot yelling that he'd get it.
Roxas scowled, “Or maybe its from when you tackled Cloud, and smashed that other pancake into his face.”
Cloud, dripping maple syrup and bits of pancake, Scowled. “Could be from when you climbed onto the table and ended up kicking the plate at Demyx, who then threw one into the air.”
“No, no, that one ended up over there. I remember because it had strawberry jam on it.”Cloud, dripping maple syrup and bits of pancake, Scowled. “Could be from when you climbed onto the table and ended up kicking the plate at Demyx, who then threw one into the air.”
All three swung around to stare at the pancake attached to one of the cupboards. It was leaving a trail, like a snail, down the wooden door.
Demyx pouted, “What a waste of good jam.”
“No, no, every thing's going great.” Sora was back, the cordless cradled to his ear. Somehow he'd managed to escape the majority of sticky condiments. Sora was obnoxiously good at escaping unscathed from things. He took a moment to exaggeratedly mouth 'It's Mom' at them. “Yeah, we got them. No we just finished breakfast...”Demyx pouted, “What a waste of good jam.”
The last couple years since they're parents had moved to the Bahamas they had come home for major holidays. This year they'd decided to forgo the pleasure and go on a cruise.
“Yeah, love you too. Have fun!”The phone was handed over to Cloud who gingerly held it to his ear after prying his syrup covered spikes out of the way. “Hello.” Frowning he meandered a short distance away, “No. We're trying. Yeah, a friend of Demyx' had an idea... Right. I will.”
Roxas suspected he'd used up his conversation skills for the day, and Cloud obviously agreed since he handed the phone off to Demyx (“Hi mom!”) and went back to scowling at that pancake on the ceiling. (“...There may have been a problem with the pancakes...”) Maybe he thought that he'd be able to remove it with the power of his glare. Like a strange sort of super hero... Pancake man! (“Coconuts? Really? A coconut bra... Moooom! I didn't want to know that!”) Roxas and Sora traded glances, they'd obviously had similar thoughts. Roxas nobly refrained from laughing like a loon... for all of ten seconds before Sora cracked and took him with.
Cloud looked caught somewhere between trying to murder them, or just making them clean the whole thing up themselves. Which was worse was anyones guess. Roxas had never been so pleased to have Demyx try and shove the cordless phone up his nostrils than he was at that point, and he grabbed it and made good on his escape into the living room.
“Hello if this is a Christmas related complaint press one, if this is a general complaint press two, if this is to tell me how wonderful I am leave a message and...”Roxas suspected he'd used up his conversation skills for the day, and Cloud obviously agreed since he handed the phone off to Demyx (“Hi mom!”) and went back to scowling at that pancake on the ceiling. (“...There may have been a problem with the pancakes...”) Maybe he thought that he'd be able to remove it with the power of his glare. Like a strange sort of super hero... Pancake man! (“Coconuts? Really? A coconut bra... Moooom! I didn't want to know that!”) Roxas and Sora traded glances, they'd obviously had similar thoughts. Roxas nobly refrained from laughing like a loon... for all of ten seconds before Sora cracked and took him with.
Cloud looked caught somewhere between trying to murder them, or just making them clean the whole thing up themselves. Which was worse was anyones guess. Roxas had never been so pleased to have Demyx try and shove the cordless phone up his nostrils than he was at that point, and he grabbed it and made good on his escape into the living room.
“Love you to.” His mother drawled, much too used to his attitude to be bothered. She'd once told him that she was his mother, and therefore had to be used to it. His dad just said he got his attitude problem from her. “So, your brothers say things are going well up there.”
“Well enough.”
“You haven't kicked any plastic light up Santas?”
“No.”
“Knocked over the neighbor kids' snowmen?”
“Not yet.”
“Attempted to flush Sora's Rudolph plush?”
“Not since I was five.”
“Good boy.”
“Arf Arf.” He could hear the sound of a horn blowing somewhere in the background that conjured mental images of the big cruise liners that he often saw on T.V. Commercials.
“Well, your fathers trying to get my attention. I think it's time to board. So I'll talk to you later, sweetie. Try to enjoy the holidays for a change.”
“I make no promises.”
“Just don't kill and, or maim anyone... Or end up in jail, okay?”
“I'll try.”
“That's all I ask. Tell your brothers I love them. Bye, kiddo.”
“Yeah, sure. Bye, Mom.” There was a click as she hung up, and he dropped the phone back into its cradle before wandering back toward the kitchen. He was about to step inside when the doorbell rang. “I'll get it!” Oh, something loved him today: Fate, destiny, some sort of finicky deity... Whatever it was, it loved him. Turning his back on the sight of his brothers squabbling over who would have to try and get the pancake off the ceiling, he walked back down the hall.
Opening the door he was about to tell whoever it was to get lost (I mean, really, not even Riku and Kairi came over on Christmas and they were like Sora's ducklings!) only to find there wasn't anyone there. Roxas' hate for the holiday went up a couple of points. About to slam the door and head back in he happened to glance down, and froze.
“What the hell?” There was a fruit basket, of all things, sitting on their doormat. A fruit basket! What was this? The hospital? Stepping out to examine the anomaly he noticed there was a bright red envelope taped to the cellophane, upon which his named had been scrawled in quick, spiky writing. Someone sent him a fruit basket! Roxas stared in dumbfounded befuddlement.“No.”
“Knocked over the neighbor kids' snowmen?”
“Not yet.”
“Attempted to flush Sora's Rudolph plush?”
“Not since I was five.”
“Good boy.”
“Arf Arf.” He could hear the sound of a horn blowing somewhere in the background that conjured mental images of the big cruise liners that he often saw on T.V. Commercials.
“Well, your fathers trying to get my attention. I think it's time to board. So I'll talk to you later, sweetie. Try to enjoy the holidays for a change.”
“I make no promises.”
“Just don't kill and, or maim anyone... Or end up in jail, okay?”
“I'll try.”
“That's all I ask. Tell your brothers I love them. Bye, kiddo.”
“Yeah, sure. Bye, Mom.” There was a click as she hung up, and he dropped the phone back into its cradle before wandering back toward the kitchen. He was about to step inside when the doorbell rang. “I'll get it!” Oh, something loved him today: Fate, destiny, some sort of finicky deity... Whatever it was, it loved him. Turning his back on the sight of his brothers squabbling over who would have to try and get the pancake off the ceiling, he walked back down the hall.
Opening the door he was about to tell whoever it was to get lost (I mean, really, not even Riku and Kairi came over on Christmas and they were like Sora's ducklings!) only to find there wasn't anyone there. Roxas' hate for the holiday went up a couple of points. About to slam the door and head back in he happened to glance down, and froze.
“Roxas. Door.” Even Cloud's gruff commands couldn't drag him out of his baffled stupor. “What are you... Is that a fruit basket?” Cloud had apparently joined him in his staring.
“Appears to be.”
He was nearly knocked to his knees when Demyx hit the back of them, slinging his arms awkwardly around their shoulders and peering over Roxas', “Ooooh, someone likes you Roxas!”
Sora attempted to wriggle through the door, failed, and ended up try to climb Demyx' back with limited success. Needless to say, Roxas ended up with his twin's chin on his head, and his hand digging into his shoulder. Demyx was making little coughing sounds so he supposed he wasn't much better off, “Bring it in! Bring it in! C'moooon, bringitin!”
Roxas momentarily wondered what the neighbors would think if they happened to glance out and see the four of them squished in the doorway; staring at a basket of fruit like they needed a bomb squad. Then he remembered the neighbors already knew they were insane, and would just shrug it off with an exasperated 'Oh, them.' Shrugging the blond took a step forward (Ignoring the sound of his brothers yelping as they attempted to retain some semblance of balance, and there was an odd thud that sounded like someones head hitting the door frame.) and grabbed the cellophane wrapped basket.
Once inside he placed it on the coffee table and dropped onto the sofa. The envelope came away with a crackle, and it was then that he noticed something odd about the fruit basket. Most fruit baskets contained a variety of fruit: Apples, Bananas, Oranges, and so on. This one didn't. It only had one variety of fruit, Pears, and sitting in the middle of a nest of them was a stuffed bird that vaguely resembled a partridge.
“On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree!” Demyx sing-songed.Sora attempted to wriggle through the door, failed, and ended up try to climb Demyx' back with limited success. Needless to say, Roxas ended up with his twin's chin on his head, and his hand digging into his shoulder. Demyx was making little coughing sounds so he supposed he wasn't much better off, “Bring it in! Bring it in! C'moooon, bringitin!”
Roxas momentarily wondered what the neighbors would think if they happened to glance out and see the four of them squished in the doorway; staring at a basket of fruit like they needed a bomb squad. Then he remembered the neighbors already knew they were insane, and would just shrug it off with an exasperated 'Oh, them.' Shrugging the blond took a step forward (Ignoring the sound of his brothers yelping as they attempted to retain some semblance of balance, and there was an odd thud that sounded like someones head hitting the door frame.) and grabbed the cellophane wrapped basket.
Once inside he placed it on the coffee table and dropped onto the sofa. The envelope came away with a crackle, and it was then that he noticed something odd about the fruit basket. Most fruit baskets contained a variety of fruit: Apples, Bananas, Oranges, and so on. This one didn't. It only had one variety of fruit, Pears, and sitting in the middle of a nest of them was a stuffed bird that vaguely resembled a partridge.
“They forgot the tree,” retorted Roxas as he slit open the bright red envelope and pulled out the card within. The front was decorated with a variety of objects all pertaining to the Twelve Days of Christmas song. He flipped it open, and beneath the normal printed 'Merry Christmas!' was a written note:
The tree wouldn't fit,
The Partridge flew away
Hope you enjoy your holiday!The Partridge flew away
Your Secret Santa
Roxas didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand this was too hilarious for words, on the other he felt like he had a stalker. Instead he just said, “Secret Santa? Seriously?”
Demyx grinned, “Wonder if that means you'll get more.”
Roxas glared.
Axel breezed back into the apartment with a wide grin on his face, “Mission accomplished!” he crowed triumphantly.
Reno snorted from where he was lounging on the sofa, “So, what the hell are you up to anyway?”
“You know my friend Demyx?”Roxas didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand this was too hilarious for words, on the other he felt like he had a stalker. Instead he just said, “Secret Santa? Seriously?”
Demyx grinned, “Wonder if that means you'll get more.”
Roxas glared.
Axel breezed back into the apartment with a wide grin on his face, “Mission accomplished!” he crowed triumphantly.
Reno snorted from where he was lounging on the sofa, “So, what the hell are you up to anyway?”
“Cloud's little bro, right?”
“Yeah, well one of their younger brothers is a bit of a scrooge...”
Reno propped himself up with one elbow to peer over the back of the couch at Axel as the younger red head divested himself of boots and coat, “That's an understatement if I've ever heard one.”
“You know him?”
“Vaguely. I met him through Cloud a few times.... What are you doing to the kid?” Reno suddenly sent a suspicious glare toward his younger brother.
Axel gasped, pressing his fingertips to his chest, “Me? Why would you even say such a thing!” Reno snorted, and Axel gave him a sidelong look for several seconds. “No, I'm not 'doing' anything to him... More for him.”
“Axel...”“Hey, hey, this has the full approval of his brothers, okay? It's nothing bad! Have some faith in me will ya?”
“Even Cloud? 'Cause I'm not gonna save your ass if he tries to take you apart, got it?”
“Yeah, yeah, even Mr. If-I-Crack-A-Smile-My-Face-Will-Fall-Off Cloud. Shove over.” This last bit, of course, was directed at Reno's feet. Reno just made a show of getting more comfortable on the couch, and smirked at the other red head. Axel propped a fist on one hip and appeared to contemplate the problem, then shrugged and dropped onto the couch anyway.
“Geddoff!” Reno yelped, and gave a sharp kick of his legs which sent Axel sprawling onto the floor.
“Asshole!” Axel barked.
“S'what you get, dumbass!”
There followed a short, vicious fight for possession of the couch. It ended with Axel sitting on the floor, back against the said couch upon which Reno was smugly reclined. Axel crossed his arms and drew one leg up, pouting grandly, “You always get the couch!”
“I'm older it's my right, little bro.” Axel stuck his tongue out. “Oh yeah, thats real mature, Ax.”“Hey, if you get to pull that 'I'm oooolder',” here he used a mocking, whiny voice. “crap then I can be immature!”
Reno kicked him lightly in the head, “Anyway, what's this plan you've got cooked up?”
“Well....Basically the plan is to try and make the holidays fun, y'know? Make him enjoy it, and get over that grinchitude. It won't hurt him.” He didn't want to think about the way Cloud had grabbed his collar, practically lifted him off the ground, and threatened him with a fate worse than death by castration if he did anything to upset or hurt his little brother. Axel expected he'd have nightmares for weeks to come. “Wasn't really sure how I was gonna do that, then I heard that Twelve Days of Christmas song, and used that for inspiration. Now I just gotta pull it off.”Reno broke out laughing. All Axel managed to get out of him was a garbled, 'Does that make you True Love?' He smacked Reno upside the head with the closest couch cushion, but Reno just kept on howling.
Roxas wasn't exactly sure what he was doing here. Okay, so, he knew why he was here in general. This is where he lived after all, so it wasn't that uncommon that he'd be standing on the porch of this particular house. What he didn't understand was how Sora had (once again, this had happened pretty much every year since Sora discovered snow) managed to get all of them into their boots and coats, and outside. It was blinding, and cold, and that's really all Roxas could tell at the moment. The term snow blind came to mind. It seemed the sun had turned the fresh layer of snowfall into an eye searing horror story of glitter, and sparkles, and pure whiteness. It offended Roxas on a base level.
Then he was shoved forward by a hand against his back, and plopped face first into the snowbank off the edge of the porch. He didn't move for what seemed like a full minute. Then slowly rolled over to stare up into the smirking face of his eldest brother. Wait, wait... Roxas could only stare. Had Cloud seriously just... Cloud of all people? He wasn't looking so smug once Roxas hit him in the face with a snowball!
Needless to say things degenerated fast after that. By the time the four of them trooped back into the house the yard had been turned into a mishmash of snowy piles, and troughs from their rough housing. Sora's unit of snowmen had been systematically taken out in a spectacular coup de tat that left them all red faced from the cold and good humor.
The front hall was full of melting snow, wet spots, and dripping coats from the snow, being tracked in. All of them smirking, or smiling, or laughing as their natures dictated. Sora was shoving at Roxas shoulder and whining at him for ruining his snowmen, while Demyx laughed about the handful of snow he'd shoved down Cloud's back.
They ended up in the kitchen once more, and set about making hot cocoa. The kitchen as supper was made was much calmer than breakfast had been. Roxas and Cloud doing most of the 'making' while Sora and Demyx lounged nearby chasing the tiny marshmallows around their cups. Outside the first few flakes of a Christmas night snowfall drifted past the windows.
Balled up wrapping paper littered the floor, and newly opened gifts were piled on the coffee table: Their packaging ripped open so they could be explored. A cellphone lay among it, fresh from calls to different relatives to wish them a Merry Christmas, and thank them for the gifts they sent (and make promises to try and come visit next year, in his mother's case.) Axel was curled at one end of the sofa, a spiral notebook propped on his knees as he scribbled away. Though more often than not he spent time staring into space contemplatively. He didn't even notice the plate of pizza Reno was waving in front of his nose until the older red head tsk'd at him impatiently. He grinned lopsidedly and accepted the food, “Thanks man.”
“Eh, whatever.” Reno dropped back onto the sofa at the other end and grabbed the remote,“What're you working on anyway?”Roxas wasn't exactly sure what he was doing here. Okay, so, he knew why he was here in general. This is where he lived after all, so it wasn't that uncommon that he'd be standing on the porch of this particular house. What he didn't understand was how Sora had (once again, this had happened pretty much every year since Sora discovered snow) managed to get all of them into their boots and coats, and outside. It was blinding, and cold, and that's really all Roxas could tell at the moment. The term snow blind came to mind. It seemed the sun had turned the fresh layer of snowfall into an eye searing horror story of glitter, and sparkles, and pure whiteness. It offended Roxas on a base level.
Then he was shoved forward by a hand against his back, and plopped face first into the snowbank off the edge of the porch. He didn't move for what seemed like a full minute. Then slowly rolled over to stare up into the smirking face of his eldest brother. Wait, wait... Roxas could only stare. Had Cloud seriously just... Cloud of all people? He wasn't looking so smug once Roxas hit him in the face with a snowball!
Needless to say things degenerated fast after that. By the time the four of them trooped back into the house the yard had been turned into a mishmash of snowy piles, and troughs from their rough housing. Sora's unit of snowmen had been systematically taken out in a spectacular coup de tat that left them all red faced from the cold and good humor.
The front hall was full of melting snow, wet spots, and dripping coats from the snow, being tracked in. All of them smirking, or smiling, or laughing as their natures dictated. Sora was shoving at Roxas shoulder and whining at him for ruining his snowmen, while Demyx laughed about the handful of snow he'd shoved down Cloud's back.
They ended up in the kitchen once more, and set about making hot cocoa. The kitchen as supper was made was much calmer than breakfast had been. Roxas and Cloud doing most of the 'making' while Sora and Demyx lounged nearby chasing the tiny marshmallows around their cups. Outside the first few flakes of a Christmas night snowfall drifted past the windows.
Balled up wrapping paper littered the floor, and newly opened gifts were piled on the coffee table: Their packaging ripped open so they could be explored. A cellphone lay among it, fresh from calls to different relatives to wish them a Merry Christmas, and thank them for the gifts they sent (and make promises to try and come visit next year, in his mother's case.) Axel was curled at one end of the sofa, a spiral notebook propped on his knees as he scribbled away. Though more often than not he spent time staring into space contemplatively. He didn't even notice the plate of pizza Reno was waving in front of his nose until the older red head tsk'd at him impatiently. He grinned lopsidedly and accepted the food, “Thanks man.”
“Just trying to plan out possibilities for the next few days, y'know? It's gonna take some forward planning and all that if I wanna pull it off.”
Reno gave him a look, though he didn't say anything as he was currently attempting to cram half a slice of pizza in his mouth.
“What? I can plan ahead... Sometimes.”“What's so special about this guy thats got you doing this?” Reno asked, his voice muffled and garbled.
“Other than he's the brother of one of my friends and I adore Christmas? Nothing. That's it.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“It is. Really!”
“Eh.”
“Says the guy who's watching It's a Wonderful Life. Again.”
“I wasn't watching it! It was just on.”
“You use that excuse every year.”
“Shut up, Axel.”
“Shut up, Reno.” They were quiet for several seconds, glaring at each other over slices of pizza while James Stewart droned on in the background. “I can't figure out what to do for day three.”
“Wassat?”
“Three French hens.”
“Yeah, I don't think we could get our aunts here that fast.”
“We have French aunts?”
“S'what they say.”
“Huh.”
More silence ensued, and then Reno spoke up, “I've got an idea... See, they always have a get together a few days after Christmas. A gift exchange, y'know.”
“Yeah, Demyx mentioned it to me.”“It's Friday. Your day three, right?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Well, I've got an idea for you.”
Axel immediately perked up, “Oh yeah?”
The living room was awash with a sea of brightly colored wrapping paper: It had been torn and flung to the four winds without thought. New things littered the area in separate piles, rising like mountains from the ocean of red and green, and navy. The room itself was dark, though it was lit by the ever changing pulse of the lights decorating the tree. Flickering from red, to blue, to white; sometimes frenetic, sometimes slow and soothing. It created an almost surreal atmosphere.
Cloud was sitting in the window seat by the picture window examining the authentic recreation civil war calvary saber he'd gotten (most likely from their father, who amused himself by indulging his eldest's interest in swords), while Demyx lounged on the couch playing a game he'd gotten on his hand held. Sora meanwhile was directly in front of the television, hogging an entire bowl of popcorn while he watched the classic Rudolph claymation, his gifts scattered around him, and nearly lost to sight among the wrapping paper.
Roxas himself sat near the back of the room, content to sit in a shadowy armchair and watch his siblings. Outside the snow drifted down faster. Blanketing the lawn which had been broken and pitted by their earlier rough housing. In his hand he idly tossed one of the pears that had arrived in the fruit basket up and down, before taking a bite out of it with a slight smirk.
That night when he went to bed the stuffed partridge was perched on his headboard.
The living room was awash with a sea of brightly colored wrapping paper: It had been torn and flung to the four winds without thought. New things littered the area in separate piles, rising like mountains from the ocean of red and green, and navy. The room itself was dark, though it was lit by the ever changing pulse of the lights decorating the tree. Flickering from red, to blue, to white; sometimes frenetic, sometimes slow and soothing. It created an almost surreal atmosphere.
Cloud was sitting in the window seat by the picture window examining the authentic recreation civil war calvary saber he'd gotten (most likely from their father, who amused himself by indulging his eldest's interest in swords), while Demyx lounged on the couch playing a game he'd gotten on his hand held. Sora meanwhile was directly in front of the television, hogging an entire bowl of popcorn while he watched the classic Rudolph claymation, his gifts scattered around him, and nearly lost to sight among the wrapping paper.
Roxas himself sat near the back of the room, content to sit in a shadowy armchair and watch his siblings. Outside the snow drifted down faster. Blanketing the lawn which had been broken and pitted by their earlier rough housing. In his hand he idly tossed one of the pears that had arrived in the fruit basket up and down, before taking a bite out of it with a slight smirk.
That night when he went to bed the stuffed partridge was perched on his headboard.