Christmas Café
The snow was falling lightly on Radiant Garden. The city was glittering with lights, their electric colors shining down on the falling snow, the white snow being colors in patches of blues, greens, reds, and yellows. In the city square, a tall Christmas tree stood proud in the center, decorated lavishly in lights, tinsel, and ornaments; a huge star glowing on the top. The tree's lights were peppered with freshly fell snow, their diluted light shining down on the snow-covered square, where couples made the rounds, men and women bundled in heavy coats and hats and gloves, the girls latching onto the boys as they laugh, their breaths mingling together as one of them point to a store or restaurant. On the loudspeakers, Christmas Carols were playing over the mull of the couples. All in all, it was a perfect picturesque place to spend Christmas Eve.
The stores that surrounded the square were in matching Christmas spirit, lights outlining the windows as they stores advertized last minute gifts and dinners. A figure with spiky brown hair walked into the square alone, looking up at the clock tower, whose head was surrounded with a Christmas wreath as it chimed eight at night. The twenty year old sighed and shivered as a cold gust of wind pushed into his dark blue peacoat jacket. He pulled his gloved hands out of his pockets and rubbed them together and adjusted his scarf around his neck. Shivering, the spiky-haired boy moved towards the nearest café and opened the door. The bell chimed as he entered, a blast of hot air warming his exposed cheeks.
He sighed as he made his way to the his regular table and took off his jacket, revealing his light green sweater, faded skinny jeans, and small silver crown necklace he had since he was fifteen. A waiter came to him and smiled. "Hey Sora, usual?"
"Yeah, thanks Lea," Sora smiled at the redheaded waiter. The waiter gave a wink and moved away from Sora's table as the boy looked around.
The café seemed to be assaulted with Christmas decorations, Christmas lights and pin-ups surrounding the walls; in a corner was a fake tree with little ornaments, the waiters all wore Santa hats with their aprons and throughout the air, the smell of holly hung around. As with the square outside, Christmas music played inside the café, and Sora had a small smile as he stared out the window, watching the couples go by. If all goes well, maybe he and Roxas will be one of those couples.
Sora smiled at the thought of Roxas and pulled out the small, beautifully wrapped present from his coat. "That for Roxas?" Lea asked as he returned, giving Sora two cups of hot chocolate and a smile.
"Yeah," Sora nodded. "Tonight's the night. I'm going to tell him!"
"Well, good luck Sor," Lea smiled. "I'll be in the back if you need anything."
"Thanks Lea!" Sora smiled. He turned his attention to the window and watched the snow and couple through his reflection. His eyes moved to the crown necklace and smiled as he thought of Roxas. He still remembered the day he and Roxas met.
They were small, five years old and Sora just moved to Radiant Garden from Traverse Town. It was summer, and Sora ran out of his house to look at the cool park nearby. It has swings and everything! Sora was playing on the swings, trying to get as high as he could, when it happened. He didn't know if it was his loose grip on the iron chains, or maybe it was because his hands were sweaty, but one moment he was high in the sky, feeling like he was flying as he leaned back, legs extended in the air; and the next moment he was falling. He was screaming as he fell, but instead of landing on the hard ground like he was expecting, he landed on something soft that went "Ugh!"
Sora scrambled to his feet to see that he fell on a boy that was a little taller than him. "Sorry!" Sora said. He helped the boy up and looked at him. He was shocked, the boy he fell on had his same nose, same eyes, and even same mouth! The only difference is that he was a blond. "Are you okay?"
"Oww," the boy groaned. "My butt. …That hurt you know?" he pouted.
"I'm sorry!" Sora said. "I was swinging, but I slipped!"
"Right," the boy said. "Still hurt."
"I'm sorry!" Sora said again. "I'm Sora! I just moved in here and I'm five."
"Roxas," the blond boy said. "I'm six. You okay?"
"Yeah," Sora smiled.
They've quickly became friends after that, spending the rest of the day playing with each other and asking twenty questions. Sora learned that he and Roxas were going to the same elementary school and they were thick as thieves ever since. Throughout Elementary school Roxas showed Sora his other friends, Riku and Axel who were a couple of years older than the boys. Sora liked them enough, but his best friend was always Roxas.
Sora remembered when they were in eighth grade (Roxas was held back in second grade), worrying about what high school to go to. He didn't want to leave Roxas. "Roxas! I need to know what high school you're going to!" he whined one night. He and Roxas were in Roxas's room, Sora laying on the blond's bed as he sat by his computer.
"Why do you care?" Roxas asked, glancing back at Sora.
"Because I need to know! That way we can go to the same high school!" Sora whined.
"Sora, there's only one high school around our area," Roxas stated.
"But still your parents could send you to a private school! And all boys school! Then you can get a new best friend who's like twice as cute than me!" Sora said seriously worried. Roxas laughed and smiled at Sora. He moved from the computer and ruffled Sora's hair. "Trust me Sora, you are my cutest friend. Heck, you're cuter than any of the girls we know! How is that possible?"
"I don't know, just my figure," Sora shrugged. "But you have to promise me!"
"What?"
"That we'll go to Radiant High together," Sora said.
Roxas laughed. "Sora. Why are you worrying? Riku and Axel already go to Radiant High and you really want to suffer their wrath when they learn we aren't going?"
"Well no but—"
"You really want Riku and Axel to torture you senselessly for hours? Tickle you till you can't breathe then force you to eat something awful?" Roxas smirked.
"No but—"
"Then having you stay up all night, and when you think of even closing your eyes, you'll be tickled with those feather ticklers my dads have!" Roxas exclaimed.
"Where did they even get those!? And why does it have a hard thing on the other side?" Sora asked out loud.
"I don't know! But I know where they keep it, and Axel will borrow that and Dad's police cuffs and torture us all night if we don't go to Radiant High," Roxas said, throwing up his hands.
"Then we're going to Radiant High," Sora yelled.
"Exactly!"
Relief breezed into Sora as he turned on his stomach and smiled at his friend. Roxas returned the smile and they're just burst into laughter. The two boys laughed for half an hour, Roxas doubling over Sora as they continued to snort, giggle, chuckle, and squeal. The door opened up and Roxas's dad looked in. "Everything okay boys? Squall and I can hear you all the way from the kitchen."
"Everything—Everything's fine dad," Roxas laughed.
"Okay," Cloud nodded. "Sora, you're staying over tonight for dinner right? I'm making a Stromboli."
"That'll be great! Thanks Mr. Strife," Sora grinned. Cloud returned it and said, "I'll call your parents then, have fun you two."
Cloud closed the door and the two boys waited till his footsteps disappeared before grinning to each other again. "Radiant High?" Sora asked.
"Radiant High," Roxas nodded. "Now come on! I want to kick your butt at this game I found."
"As if!" Sora said and scurried off of Roxas's bed and to the computer. The boys spent the rest of the night playing random games they've found online, sharing the chair as Sora practically sat on Roxas's lap, using it to his advantage as he tried to block Roxas's hands. Looking back, maybe that was when it started. …
Their first day of high school was a very exciting one for Sora. He remembered jumping into Axel's and Riku's arms in a huge hug, pulling the taller boys down to him as he jumped excitedly. "We're in the same school! We're in the same school!" he sang aloud.
"S-Sora stop!" The two juniors stuttered, their cheeks red with embarrassment. Students gave them weird looks, whispering to each other as Sora jumped around.
Meanwhile, Roxas just stood back and laughed at his best friend's excitement. "Sora, I think you're embarrassing them."
"What? By why would they be embarrassed? Aren't you guys happy that we're in the same school again?" Sora pouted.
"Of course we are," Riku answered smoothly. "We missed our chibis. It's just that, well we're juniors, and it just looks weird for us to be seen hugging and jumping with a freshman on the first day."
"Especially since we're captains on the soccer team," Axel smirked.
"What?"
"Didn't we tell you Roxy?" Axel asked. "We've been made captains at the end of last year, and we've spent the entire summer practicing and working out."
"And having some fun," Riku smirked, slipping a hand in Axel's back pocket. "Ain't that right Axey?"
"I thought I told you not to call me that," Axel groaned as Roxas laughed. "Really? Axey? And how long have you been calling him that Riku?"
"Since I heard Lea call him that," Riku smirked.
"It was one time!" Axel groaned. He looked at Riku, an annoyed, deadpan expression on his face, and said, "You are seriously the worst boyfriend ever."
"Ehh, I can live with that," Riku shrugged. He turned his attention to Sora and Roxas and said, "Come on boys, I'll give you the tour while Axey tries to control himself." The three boys laughed as Axel's face got red with anger.
"Bite me," he sneered.
"Yes sir," Riku winked. "Come on Sora, Roxas, there are a lot of things you need to know. I won't have the chibis be looking like idiots out there. Oh, and if you see girls staring: ignore them. They're useless."
Roxas gave a loud snort of laughter before following Riku. Sora giggled and followed, keeping close to his best friend. Riku and Axel started calling Roxas and Sora "chibis" when they turned thirteen and started their growth spurt; the two boys noticing how much they've towered over the eleven year old Sora and twelve year old Roxas. It annoyed Roxas at first, but Sora liked it, and with time Roxas started to enjoy it to. It seemed natural as they were always paired up that way. Axel and Riku and the chibis Sora and Roxas.
Riku was right when he told Sora and Roxas about the girls. No matter where they went in the school, girls were staring at them, smiling at Riku and batting their over-lashed eyes. Sora wondered why girls, and some guys, would cover their face with makeup. It seemed odd to him, and a bit icky if he was honest with himself.
By lunch time on the first day, Riku and Axel brought Sora and Roxas to their table, where the athletes sat. "Here they are guys, the famous Sora and Roxas," Axel announced, bowing regally to the two freshmen.
The table laughed as the boys blushed.
"Right, well Sora, Roxas, these are our friends Lexaeus, we call him Lex, Xigbar, Demyx, Isa and his twin Siax, and Terra. Boys, these are Sora and Roxas," Riku said as the four sat down. A chorus of "hi's" replied.
The closest one, Terra, stared at Roxas and said, "Damn… you look like my squirt Ventus. You related or anything? How old are you?"
"I'm sixteen, and Sora's fifteen," Roxas said. "We just turned. And no… I don't think I know this Ventus guy."
"Alright," Terra shrugged before turning to whoever he was talking to, Sora believed it was Isa? Roxas and Sora sat together, and during the entire lunch Sora couldn't help but stare at the boys surrounding him, noticing things that he never really noticed before. Like the muscles Axel and Riku had, or the way Roxas's tongue dart out after he took a bite. Sora didn't realize he was staring until Roxas gave him a weird look. "Uhh you okay dude?" Roxas asked.
"Yeah, sorry," Sora blushed. He cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the rest of the table.
That was the first time he noticed Roxas's body, and the first time he had suspicions of his sexuality. But it wasn't confirmed until Christmas of that year. The two were in Sora's room, lounging around as they've their annual Christmas tradition: spending the entire day watching Christmas specials. They've just finished A Charlie Brown Christmas, and began How the Grinch Stole Christmas when Roxas stood up and stretched.
"I'm going to go get a drink, alright? Pause it," Roxas said.
"Okay! And hey, can you get me one?"
"Sure!"
Roxas left Sora's room and Sora looked around, trying to find something to calm him down. During the entire day he was more than aware of how close he and Roxas were sitting together, he could smell Roxas's body, smell the deodorant that Roxas always uses, it's scent mixing with Roxas's natural smell as they assaulted Sora's nose, creating an aromatic sensation that is purely Roxas. Sora wanted to bury himself in that smell, to enwrap himself with it; keep it lingering on him as he wore Roxas's shirts, his clothing, anything that can give Sora that same aromatic mixture of deodorant and Roxas.
When he realized what happened, Sora groaned and banged his head on the edge of his bed they were sitting against. "I think I'm in love with him," he said to nobody as he stared at the empty place next to him. "I'm in love with him."
A minute later Roxas returned and again sat close to Sora, handing him a can of soda. Sora hid his blushing cheeks as he muttered a thanks and took the soda. They've spent the rest of the day sitting close together, Roxas ignorant to the extreme happiness and awkwardness their closeness caused Sora.
But no matter how awkward or uncomfortable Sora felt, it could only pail in comparison to the happiness he'd felt just being close to the boy. And that happiness stayed with Sora for years as he couldn't help but stay close to Roxas. He always found an excuse for being close, and was extremely fortunate that Roxas didn't notice or mind. And with each day that past, his love for Roxas only grew more and more.
So today, in the café on Christmas Eve, Sora had enough with his silent love. He needed to tell Roxas, he needed to let Roxas know how he really feels!
The ringing of the door bell got Sora's attention as he turned from the window. Roxas, wearing a similar coat and wrapped in a dark scarf, came shivering in, stomping his feet lightly to get the snow off as he unwrapped his scarf.
"Hello Roxas," Lea smiled as he walked up to Roxas. "Sora's already at your booth."
"Thanks Lea," Roxas smiled. Sora blushed at Roxas's smile and just took the time to admire Roxas's form. They were still the same height, but Roxas was taller by half a head, and ever since he'd started going to the gym a couple of years ago his lithe, skinny body turned into a swimmer's body, Roxas keeping his litheness as his muscles were now all defined, showing perfect pecs and abs. Sora remembered Axel joking that Roxas could have been a model if he weren't so smart.
Roxas's hair was still as spiky as it was all the years Sora knew him, though it seemed shorter than when he was in high school. Roxas smiled when he saw Sora and made a beeline towards him, sitting across from Sora. "Ugh, you cannot believe what I've just escaped," Roxas groaned as Lea placed his regular order in front of him. He gave a small glare to Lea and said, "You need to control your brother!"
"That's impossible," Lea shrugged before turning back towards the kitchen.
"What did Axel do?" Sora chuckled. "Was he with Riku again?" Sora and Axel shared an apartment together while Roxas and Riku shared one. They all lived in the same building, only Roxas's and Riku's apartment was a floor higher than Sora's and Axel's.
"Worst," Roxas groaned. "They were on my couch, my couch, sucking faces and trying to rip each other's clothes off! I just came in to change from work and the first thing I want to see are not my best friends trying to eat each other's faces off!"
Sora laughed and said, "Why don't Riku and I just swap then? Those two can live together and it'll just be us."
"Yeah, trying telling that to Axel," Roxas snickered good-heartedly. He cleared his voice and in a terrible impersonation of Axel said, "We can't leave our chibis by themselves. One of us has to take one and take care of him."
Sora laughed heavily at Roxas's impersonation. "It's not—it's not that bad," he said between laughs. "I—I mean we're still in college. It's nice having a steady income."
"You haven't seen the two making out on your couch yet," Roxas accused.
"Let the two have their fun," Sora smiled. "At least they aren't handcuffing us and tickling us with those feathers, remember those?" Sora asked with a childish grin.
Roxas groaned and said, "I can't believe my dads are into that—and that they've just left it out in the open for us to find! What were we thinking?"
"That it was good punishment," Sora smirked, loving the shade of red Roxas's face gets when he's embarrassed. Roxas groaned and covered his head with his hands for a moment.
"Please, can we not talk about this anymore? I'm scarred for life," Roxas said. "How was your Christmas shopping? Did you get everything?"
"Yeah," Sora nodded. "Actually funny thing… I uh actually want to give you your gift… right now."
"Really? But Sora—I don't have your gift, it's in my apartm—"
"That's okay," Sora said. "This gift… it's actually been a few years in the making."
"It has?" Roxas asked confused.
Sora nodded and bundled up his courage as he pulled the small box out of his pocket and gave it to Roxas. Sora stayed quiet as Roxas took the present and looked it over. Sora spent hours trying to wrap the gift perfectly, the wrapping paper a unique blend of white and black that swirled together. Roxas looked as if he was about to say something, but Sora just shook his head and mimed to open it. Roxas nodded and carefully tore the paper off, peeling off the tape and unfolding from there trying his best to save the paper—as if, if he destroyed the paper, he would destroy the gift.
The café seemed to become quiet as Roxas slowly peeled the tape and unfolded the paper; even the Christmas music in the background seemed to fade as Roxas opened the wrapping paper, revealing a skinny white box. "Sora…" he breathed as he stared at the box. Sora just shook his head again. Roxas opened the jewelry box and let out a gasp. It was a necklace, similar to Sora's. It had a golden chain, with an ornate crest at the end that had three pointed arrowheads, with the fourth one leading to an upside down heart. The crest seemed to be made of pure silver. "Sora… it's beautiful," Roxas said.
"Here… let me," Sora finally said. Roxas nodded and gave the necklace to Sora. Both boys leaned across the table as Sora fastened the necklace around Roxas's neck, the pendant falling perfectly on the top of his chest.
"It's perfect… thanks Sora," Roxas said, smiling softly.
"There's more…" Sora said.
"More? But I can't—"
"Please, just listen," Sora said. Roxas nodded and kept his undivided attention on Sora. "I've saved all year for that necklace," he began. "I wanted something that would match how much I feel for you, something that would show you my true feelings. Roxas, we've known each other since we were six, we've been through so much together from elementary school, to high school—our annual Christmas traditions, going to the movies together instead of going to the prom because we didn't want to find dates, everything we've done, we did it together. And I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much Roxas: your voice, your hair, your smell your… you. I just love you so much Roxas that I don't know what to do with myself. Ever since we were freshmen in high school I've felt this way towards you, I wanted to be near you, wanted the best for you—want to see you succeed and be there when you do. I wanted so many things, but I've been afraid to say them, afraid that if you don't return my feelings that nothing will be the same, that I'll just be left alone, broken.
"But I'm not afraid now. I need you to know how much I feel for you Roxas. I love you Roxas Strife. I love everything about you, and I want to be with you forever. I want to be your boyfriend, not just your best friend. I want… I want… I love you Roxas!" Sora ended, his emotions taking control of him as he began crying.
Sora didn't look at Roxas, tears blurred his eyes and he casted his head down in case Roxas rejected him. He didn't hear anything, only his sniffling and sobbing as he finally let loose five years of emotional buildup, his body trembling, tears running freely down his puffy cheeks and inflamed nose. He barely even noticed the arms wrapping around him, or that he was now resting on someone's chest. He just grabbed hold of it as he cried, using the body for support. Sora felt gentle fingers brushing through his hair and Roxas's sweet voice as he whispered, "You always were so emotional Sora. But that's what I like most about you. Come on Sora, let it all out you goof. I love you too."
"You—you do?" Sora hiccupped.
"Of course I do," Roxas smiled. "Why do you think that I never dated anyone? Or that I was always with you? I love you Sora. I was just too afraid to say it until now."
"Roxas!" Sora said happily, tears still flowing. He hugged the man in front of him and continued to cry and hiccupped. Roxas chuckled as he continued to brush Sora's hair. He was happy that they were the only ones in the café at that moment.
"Hey, Lea," Roxas called out. "Sora's hiccupping."
"Got it!" Lea's voice yelled out from the kitchen. A moment later he returned with a drink. He saw the two hugging each other and smiled. "So…?" he asked.
"We love each other," Roxas smiled. He took the drink and looked down at Sora. "Here, drink this Sora… it'll help you."
Sora drank it, and with a few clearing coughs, smiled when he saw his hiccups were gone. "Sorry," he blushed.
"It's fine, I'm used to it," Roxas said as he cleaned Sora's cheek. "All better?"
"Maybe if you give me a kiss?" Sora said with a childlike innocent.
"Of course," Roxas smirked. "I think we owe each other five years worth? Ten if you count the years I was in love with you."
Sora blushed but leaned up to Roxas as their lips met, electricity flying through them as they kissed, Roxas moving Sora closer to him so that he was practically sitting on his lap as Sora wrapped his arms around Roxas. Both sets of eyes closed, Sora and Roxas didn't dare to separate, even when the need for air grew. They waited five years for this kiss, and both never wanted it to end. They've separated, only to catch their breath and started to kiss some more. Smiling and giggling in their kisses, the two spent an hour leaving kisses all over the other's face, letting their actions do the talking as they've kissed, stopped for a sip of Lea's famous hot chocolate, then started kissing some more. When their hot chocolates were done, they both left a ten for a tip and waved goodbye to Lea.
Smiling, they walked hand in hand out of the café and into the Christmas air. Joining the couples as they walked around the square, Sora leaned into Roxas and kissed his cheek. "Hey, Roxas," he whispered.
"Yeah Sora?"
"Merry Christmas." Sora smiled.
Roxas smiled and kissed Sora fully.
"Merry Christmas, Sora."