Chapter 1
Sweet Surprises: Axel, Roxas, Xion & Namine
When he stepped through the large doors of the castle, Axel mumbled while brushing the layer of snow from the shoulders of his cloak as he shook his head and watched the delicate white flakes fall from his crimson hair.
"Why is it snowing?" He said in an aggravated tone as he stomped his feet on the granite floor to remove the wet mush from his boots.
"Because it's almost Christmas Ax" A younger blonde had stepped in behind him and was pulling the door shut. He shook his head and let a flurry of flakes fall around his face. Axel couldn't help but grin at his best friend as he watched him copy his movements and begin to stomp his boots off. The rosy glow that was on his cheeks from the recent cold gave him an almost angelic look that matched his bright blue eyes.
Roxas lifted his head to see Axel pulling his cloak off and staring at him. "What?" He asked curiously as he too began to unzip his wet cloak and pull it down his arms.
"You always seem to have a simplistic answer for my smart remarks, don't ya Rox?" Axel said as he reached a hand forward and ruffled it through Roxas' slightly damp golden locks with a laugh. Roxas swatted away his friends hand as he smiled.
"Well, don't you want a white Christmas?" Roxas asked as he bent to pick up a grocery tote from where Axel had set it on the floor, then began to walk forward with Axel and they headed towards the kitchen.
"Sure I do. But there's already enough snow outside" Axel pointed his thumb towards one of the large windows as they both threw their cloaks over the back of a chair in front of the large fireplace to dry in the crackling heat. "Isn't the like 4 feet of it around the castle ground enough yet?" He placed his hand on his thin hips as he watched Roxas just shake his head with a smile.
"C'mon, I've got to get these groceries to Xion and Namine" Roxas lifted the bag he was holding as he pointed with his head towards the sound of holiday music coming from the middle of the castle.
~xoxoxoxoxoxox~
When Axel and Roxas walked into the kitchen, their eyes lit up at the sight of both Xion and Namine wearing brightly colored Christmas aprons with white fringe lining. They were singing 'We need a Little Christmas' loudly as they moved around each other, spinning and using the spatulas they held as microphones. The sweet scents of mint, chocolate, cinnamon and peanut butter were swirled throughout the air. The countertop held various trays and cooling racks displaying an assortment of cookies, brownies and homemade candies.
Roxas set the cloth bag onto one of the chairs as they both continued to watch the smiling girls. It wasn't until Namine twirled around to grab a bowl from beneath the mixer, that she stopped and stared open mouthed at both boys. She nudged Xion lightly with her elbow, and pointed towards Axel and Roxas when she looked at her questionably. Axel just started to clap as Roxas crossed his arms and smiled wide at the two of them.
"Bravo ladies! Encore, encore!" Axel called as Xion laughed and did a little curtsy. Namine just smiled and shook her head as she walked forward to retrieve the bag of groceries. She still held a spatula in one hand as the other reached out to open the bag.
"Were you guys able to find everything on the list?" Namine began shifting items around the bag as she asked.
Roxas nodded. "Yup, and you're welcome. It's freezing out there!"
Namine turned to face Roxas and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you very much" Then without warning she touched the spatula to the end of his nose and left a smear of white frosting. Then moved to step up on her toes and kiss Axel on his cheek as she laughed when Roxas gasped upon realization of what she'd done.
"You got frosting on my nose!" Roxas lifted his hand to wipe it off, when he felt a firm grip around his wrist.
"I'll get it" Roxas turned his face just in time to see Axel lean down and place his lips around the tip of his nose, and then felt the rush of warm heat as Axel licked up the bridge of his nose.
"Axel, that's gross!" He saw Axel smile upon lifting his face. Roxas used his free hand to wipe the wet streak from his nose as her heard the giggles of Xion and Namine ring in his ears.
"Oh, Rox. Now that is no way to refer to Nam's cooking skills. Besides, I'm pretty sure it's vanilla." Axel joked as Roxas just pursed his lips together and shook his head. "Maybe it's be easier if she had just put some on your lips instead." Axel winked at Namine as she laughed.
"Here" She handed the spatula to Axel. "I've got other ones" She winked back as she picked up the cloth bag and turned to walk back towards the mixer.
Axel waved the spatula back and forth teasingly a few times in front of Roxas. "Don't you dare!" Roxas tried to reach his hand forward and grab at the cooking utensil still covered in the sugary sweet confection. Axel just held it up higher from his reach.
The sounds of laughter rang loud as Xion watched the scene play out in front of her. "I wish I had a camera right now." She wiped a tear forming in her eye from laughing so hard. "This is too funny!"
Roxas had resulted to trying to jump and reach the spatula as Axel just smiled and watched with amusement. He slowly began to push the end of it towards Roxas as the blonde turned his head away and try to run, but Axel still had a firm grip on one of his wrists.
"Axel! I don't want it on my face!" Roxas decided pulling away wasn't working, so instead he tried giving his best puppy dog face and pleading.
"It's only sugar Roxas." Axel moved the spatula back and lowered it to his side. "But fine then. I wont but it on your face." He let go of Roxas and watched as a blonde eyebrow was raised skeptically at him.
"Really?" Roxas still didn't trust him though.
"Promise" Axel said as he raised his hand and nodded.
Roxas just stared at him for a few more seconds as he spoke out loud, never taking his eyes from the suspicious looking redhead. "So, what are you girls baking all this stuff for anyways?"
Xion pulled a tray from the oven of what appeared to be chocolate cookies covered in crushed peppermint pieces. "We're taking them to the orphanage!" She smiled brightly as she walked forward and placed the tray on the countertop. "Tifa called last week and asked if we could do something special for the children." Namine was singing 'Let it Snow' as she nodded and unloaded ingredients from the bag.
"It is snowing!" Axel said loudly as he smiled at Roxas and proceeded to bring the tip of the spatula to his lips and lick a bit off the end.
Roxas squinted his eyes, "I still don't trust you" and shook his head at the look Axel was giving him.
Axel scoffed. "But Roxas, I promised I wouldn't put any frosting on your face" Axel licked more frosting from the spatula "And I wont" then smiled sweetly at Roxas.
Xion pulled off her oven mitts, which looked like hugging snowmen, and placed them on the counter as she began to pile different cookies and candies into decorated containers. Namine had written each of the children's name in elegant calligraphy along the side.
"These turned out really pretty Nami" Xion placed a few chocolates shaped like reindeer into one of the bright containers.
"Thanks" Namine looked over her shoulder as she dumped a cup of chocolate chips into a large mixing bowl. "I hope the kids like them" She placed a wooden spoon into the bowl and started to stir as Roxas stepped up next to Xion, feeling it was safe to not watch Axel like a hawk for a few minutes.
Roxas looked down at the plastic containers lined in rows beside the cooling racks. "These are neat. Are they like pencil boxes?" He picked one up to examine it closer as Xion nodded and placed another row of cookies in the other boxes.
"It was Nami's idea" Xion pointed her finger in the direction they heard the sound of humming softly. "We found them in a section of the craft store and thought they'd be perfect." Xion placed a cookie in the one that Roxas had been holding as he placed it back on the counter. "We also bought holiday stickers to put in them" Xion pointed at basket at the end of the counter that held what looked like little books of a variety of stickers including some with glitter, others were neon or fuzzy and some looked 3D.
"Do you guys need any help?" Roxas turned his head to see Namine placing spoonful of cookie dough onto a baking sheet as she continued to hum. He looked up at Xion who was smiling at him.
"Thanks Rox, but we've got it covered." She handed him a sugar cookie shaped like a star. "Sample? We've got plenty" Roxas took the cookie from Xion and bit off one of the tips as he nodded a thank you.
"What about me?" He heard Axel say directly behind him.
He hadn't even heard the redhead moving behind him. "What about you?" Roxas said a little angrily as he began to turn his head towards to voice.
"I'd like a sample" There was a wicked look in Axel's eye when Roxas finally saw him move to stand in front of him, but it was too late. He could feel the crush against his lips and feel the movement of Axel's breath as his lips met a warm and sweet sensation. Roxas gasped at first, because of the unexpected move, but slowly relaxed as he felt the tip of Axel's tongue brush against the crease of his lips. Without any hesitation, Roxas opened his mouth and felt the wet of Axel's tongue as it slipped into his mouth. Suddenly his senses and tastes were filled with a sweetness of vanilla as he realized that Axel had coated the inside of his mouth in frosting.
Roxas swallowed and tasted the sweet although his mouth as he sighed with his eyes closed. There was giggling in the background and the sound of Xion saying 'Aww, that's so cute' in a high pitched squeal. All he was focused on though, was Axel. His hands had turned him so that he felt the long arms wrap around his waist and pull him closer. Roxas was aware that he still had a cookie in his hand as he felt some of it crumble in his palm while he tried to wrap his arms around the taller mans neck.
Axel moved one of his hands slowly up Roxas' back before bringing and hand around and running a slender finger down one of his cheeks, making the blonde shudder. He pulled his mouth back with a smile and waited for Roxas to open his eyes. "I promised I wouldn't put any on your face" Axel said softly as he placed his nose on the tip of Roxas'
Roxas just sighed as he smiled into the beautiful green eyes leaning over him. "You cheeky devil"
Axel chuckled softly "Surprise" But Roxas just shook his head as he tilted his head to the side and pressed his lips gently onto Axel's once more before pulling his arms down and stepping back.
As Roxas turned his head he saw Xion was holding her hands on her cheeks and smiling, while Namine was smiling and shaking her head. "Boys!" She rolled her eyes and bent to pull open the oven door a slide the baking sheet into the heated space.
Roxas looked down at the cookie in his hand before taking another bite from it and smiling widely at his friends around the kitchen. "These are really great girls" He saw Xion flash him another smile as she placed another layer of sweets in the boxes.
Namine was putting the mixing bowl in one of the sinks and running hot water when she nodded at Roxas and began to sing along with Xion to a chorus of 'Carol of the Bells' Axel reached over and pointed at one of the brownies and Xion nodded it was okay for him to take it. He tossed the spatula into the sink and reached his hand out towards Roxas.
"Let's go watch a Christmas movie" Axel intertwined his fingers with Roxas as the blonde nodded once with a smile.
"Can we make some hot cocoa first?" The four of them turned their attention to the entryway as two more people entered the kitchen. The one speaking had dirty blonde hair in the style of a mullet/mo hawk, his light green eyes were lit up as he wrapped a dark blue scarf around his neck.
The other, with slate colored hair that covered one half of his face and hid his blue eyes slightly just nodded as he pulled on his gloves before tucking them into the pockets of his cloak.
"Hey Demyx. Hi Zexion" Xion greeted upon them approaching the counter.
They two new arrivals looked around and waved as everyone else greeted them.
"Why are you guys wearing your cloaks and snow gear?" Roxas asked as Axel began to tug at his arm and pull him from the kitchen.
"We're going into town to drop off a package for Luxord, plus I wanted to pick out a new ornament for the tree with Zexion." Demyx said as he smiled towards the other male, who in turn, just looked at the floor with a slight blush forming on his cheeks.
"I love this time of year!" Xion spun around and skipped over to the opposite counter to grab the basket of stickers. "Everyone is so cute and happy!"
"Xion, you look like a little fairy skipping around like that" Zexion watched as she danced back in front of the boxes and smiled while she hummed and filled the containers with sticker books.
"Just so you guys know, it's really freakin' cold out there" Axel had wrapped his arms around Roxas in an attempt to pull him all the way out of the kitchen. "C'mon Roxas" He bent forward and snuggled his nose into the crick of his neck as Roxas just sighed and waved goodbye to the group in the kitchen.
Namine had slipped out of the room unnoticed and walked back in carrying a few colored envelopes in one hand. "Since you guys are going into town, will you drop these in a mailbox for me?" She held the rectangular sheets up as Zexion nodded and reached for them. "They're Santa letters from some of the children. I meant to drop them off sooner, but I've been really busy."
Demyx was looking at all the sweets on the countertop with wide eyes! "Go ahead" Xion bumped him with her hip. "We'll most likely be in the kitchen for the rest of the day making more for the Christmas party."
"You sure?" Demyx grabbed a few of the cookies and a couple chocolates before he turned to Zexion. "You want something?
Zexion shook his head "Nah. I'll just share with you" At this he earned a wide smile from Demyx who leaned over to kiss him quickly on the cheek.
"You would think that there was mistletoe in every inch of this kitchen with all the kissing going on in here today" Namine said shaking her head as she walked to the oven to check on the cookies.
"I think it's sweet" Xion smiled as she started to close the filled containers.
Demyx bit into one of the chocolate cookies as he slipped the rest into his pocket. "We're gonna make some hot cocoa for the walk there if you don't mind." He slipped around Namine and reached into one of the cupboards containing a variety of snack foods. "Then we'll be out of your way"
Xion nodded as she hummed and moved around Demyx. Namine was talking to Zexion who was laughing softly and shaking his head at something the blonde had said.
"What're you two whispering about over there?" Xion turned with her hands on her hips as she smiled.
"Oh, just holiday things" She grinned as she stepped around Xion. "But it's a good thing, so don't worry"
Xion shook her head in disbelief as she heard a ding and Demyx moved past her to grab for a thermos from the cupboard. After he poured the hot chocolate liquid into the container and made sure the lid was secure, he turned and reached for Zexion's hand.
"Ready?" He asked as his hand slipped into one of the gloved ones of the slate haired boy. Zexion nodded and some of his bangs brushed into his eyes. "See you girls later" Demyx turned towards the exit and pulled Zexion out with him as Xion and Namine waved.
"Do you think it would be possible to put Dem in a sugar coma with all of the sweets we made today?" Xion asked as Namine dropped more spoonfuls of dough onto another cookie sheet.
Namine shook her head. "No. I think he would just do laps around the castle until it wore off, or he'd pass out." At this both girls broke into a fit of giggles as Xion moved over and turned the radio up a little louder. She picked up a spatula and started singing 'Little Drummer Boy' as Namine joined in with her and they continued to bake and sing in full holiday spirit.
~xoxoxoxoxoxox~
A/N: So let me know what you think. I love fluff! So I have indeed put lots of that in this chapter. If all goes according to plan, I'm working on making all of the stories tie together in a series of events that should be complete by Christmas. Little hint for next chapter, Demyx and Zexion go on a sleigh ride...lots more fluff! Anywho, reviews are welcomed and I will try to keep up with my updates. Blessed Be