Hi and welcome to my two-shot! This started out as a bedtime story for Ewonsama and was going to end up in Bedtime Anthology on our joint account, but it got way out of hand and she told me to post it here xD
Enjoy!
Once upon a time Axel ate too much and fell into a deep food coma. He slept for months and everyone grew worried about him. Then one day a beautiful woman appeared to his family and friends and explained that someone jealous of his beauty had placed a curse on him to fall into an unwakeable sleep. The only cure? True loves first kiss.
Many came, tried, and failed at waking the man. A year passed and everyone had started giving up hope. Then one day out of the early morning fog a stranger rode into town on his trusty steed. He was young with spiky hair that was the same shade as the rising sun. His eyes as deep as the ocean. He had heard rumors of the sleeping beauty and wished to see it for himself.
"What's your name stranger?" The innkeeper said as he cleaned out a tankard and placed it under the bar.
The stranger took a swig out of his mug, "Roxas. I'm a witch hunter and I heard something about one placing a curse on a man here so he was in an internal sleep. Do you know where I can find him?" The blond asked as he took a swig from his beer.
The innkeeper, introduced as Cid, looked shocked for a moment before shrugging it off and went back to cleaning mugs, "This is no place for witch hunting kid. Get out while you can."
Roxas seemed to take offense and slammed his tankard on the bar, "Now look here. Someone has fallen under some sort of spell and it's effecting almost everyone here! I'm here to help out. Now are you going to tell me where I can find the witch or not?" Roxas growled. His eyes narrowed into slits as he glared down the older man in challenge.
"Okay, okay. Sheesh clam the hell down kid. I can't place the witch but the victim lives in the small cabin at the edge of town."
Roxas finished his beer and paid for it, "Thanks for the help. I'll take the room in the attic." With that said the man grabbed his things and went up to the attic room.
It wasn't until after the sun had gone down that Roxas left his room. The moon was full providing the man with enough lighting that he didn't need to carry around a lantern. The small cabin was easy enough to find. The locals had taken to placing talismans around the property warding off anymore evil to befall the young man inside.
Roxas had let himself in and to his surprise the door was unlocked and no one but a sleeping figure were inside. The blond crept around the room like something would come out of the shadows and bite him. Blue eyes scanned the home looking for any candles to help kill the darkness that surrounded him.
He found a few candles scattered around the one room cabin and he carefully lite them with a match. Once the place had some sort of light that wasn't the moon Roxas finally got a good look around him. The place was messy, which was expected since the man was a bachelor. That's when Roxas finally got a good look at the bewitched man.
He was pale with striking blood red hair. Strange triangle markings were under both closed eyes. Those caught Roxas's attention almost instantly. The hunter approached Axel and carefully traced the markings. They didn't look like normal birthmarks and they didn't feel like they were meant to be there. The markings were smooth and a bit too perfectly symmetrical for Roxas to believe they were natural. Maybe something left by whoever cursed the man.
Roxas felt himself being drawn to the man. Inch by slow agonizing inch the blond's face got closer to Axel's. It wasn't until their noses were touching that Roxas realized what he was doing and abruptly pulled away with his breath caught in his throat.
"Must be some sort of spell. But it's not going to work on me." Roxas vowed as he left the bed side and searched the rest of the house for clues.
The blond didn't leave the house till the sun started to rise. With his head hung low Roxas walked back into the inn.
"Hey there Mr. Hunter. Find 'nything to help with the search?" Cid asked as he skillfully made a couple plates of bacon and eggs for his awaiting costumers.
Roxas sighed and shook his head in defeat, "All I could find were weird tattoos on the man's face, but I don't know if he had those done or if they're the source of the enchantment."
Cid hummed in thought, "I personally didn't know Axel so I wouldn't know, but you could always ask his family. I reckon his sister will talk to you. She works down at the boutique on Main Street."
Roxas nodded his head as he took in the information, "Thank you for all your help. I'm going to go catch a few hours of sleep then I'll go talk to her." And with that said the blond retreated up to his room.
Roxas work up again a bit after noon. He quickly showered and dressed before leaving the inn. The boutique wasn't hard to find. The front window displayed fancy dresses and suits.
A bell over the door rang as Roxas walked in. The store only had two women in it. One had shoulder length wine colored hair and the other had long flowing blond hair. Both had sparkling blue eyes that zeroed in on their new 'customer'.
"Hello. Are you looking for some new clothes for yourself or a special someone?" The redhead said with a large smile.
"Actually I'm here to talk to the sister of Axel."
The redhead's smile faltered as she slowly walked up to Roxas. Small fingers grabbed onto his arm and dug into his flesh, "Yes of course. I'm his sister, Kairi. Won't you come in the back with me?" Kairi said in between her clenched teeth. As she dragged Roxas through the back door she turned to the other girl, "Naminé will you be okay with keeping an eye on things?" The blond haired girl nodded and Kairi opened the door and threw Roxas inside.
"Ow what the hell lady?" Roxas asked as the door closed behind him. Kairi leaned against it with her arms crossed against her chest, blocking the blond's only exit.
"Look, I don't know who you are or why you're here asking questions about my brother. But my family had put it behind them. It's been a year and nothing seems to wake him. We've given up hope. There's nothing you can do to help." The woman's voice was sharp and cold, sending shivers down Roxas's spine.
"I'm a witch hunter. I came to find whoever cast a spell on your brother and wake him up." The blond tried to explain but Kairi just barked out a sarcastic laugh.
"Wake him up? We know how to wake him up. 'True loves first kiss.'" Kairi quoted, "Well plenty people have been kissing on my brother and it hasn't worked yet. And he was very well liked around town you know. All the women fawning over him and all the men jealous of his looks. That's what got him into all of this mess too. So no mister, you can't help him. I'd suggest just going back to whatever city you came from and just stay there."
She was a stubborn one but so was Roxas. Two can play at that game, "If I find the witch I might be able to get her to lift the spell. I have a lead too but I just need to answer one little question for me. Before Axel fell into the sleep, did he or did he not have tattoos on his face?"
Kairi huffed and just glared at Roxas. Her blue eyes digging into Roxas's but she refused to talk. With a defeated sigh the blond said, "Fine don't talk to me. I'll go talk to someone else. And just so you know, I only want to help your brother. I meant no ill will. Sorry. I'll take my leave now." Roxas scooted around Kairi so he could get to the door but once he touched the knob he redhead spoke up.
"You're right. He didn't have those before. In fact, Axel's terrified of needles. Now get out of my sight before I throttle you out the front window."
Not wanting to test the woman's patience Roxas thanked her before quickly leaving. Okay so that didn't go as smoothly as he had hoped. But at least he got some sort of information out of Kairi.
With time to spare Roxas found himself back outside Axel's home. It didn't look like anyone was there so the blond let himself in. Everything was just the way it had been the night before. Roxas went back to the bedside and examined the man's face. In the sunlight Axel's face was just as pale and angular (which Roxas wrote off from lack of daylight). But his hair really stood out. His fiery red locks spread across the pillow like the sky during the setting sun. It framed Axel's face perfectly and between the brightness of the hair and paleness of his face, it made the black triangles on his face stand out more.
Roxas traced the markings again trying to memorize them. Apparently they were the key to unlocking whatever held this man under a spell. And Roxas wouldn't rest until Axel was awake, "I'll be back." Roxas whispered as he took his hand off of Axel's face and walked out the home. He didn't know why he felt the need to say that, but maybe somewhere Axel heard him and he had to honor his promise and help the man out.
The blond rushed back to the inn and grabbed a book off his bedside table and stuffed it into a small bad along with a loaf of bread and a canteen of water. He went back to the cabin and pulled a chair close to the bed. He set the book against his legs and flipped through the pages until he found the chapter on markings. He looked closely at Axel's face, studying the triangles. He compared them to his book and sighed in defeat when he couldn't find a match.
The book was an encyclopedia he had made himself over the years of witch hunting. It consisted of different markings, each meaning something different and having different ways to cure them. What made Axel's so unique, Roxas didn't know but he was going to find out. He shut his book and put it on the ground as he got up, deciding to explore the cabin to look for any clues at all.
On a table he found pictures of Axel and his family and friends. Some scattered papers and trash. And under all of it was a journal. It was small and hidden in a way that if someone was searching the table they would have missed it or written it off as some random book unless they knew what they were looking for.
Roxas opened it and started reading it. He knew it was an evasion of privacy but maybe it held the answers.
July 28th,
Today started out fine. I somehow managed to wake up early and get most of the house chores done before it was time to head off to work. Demyx wasn't late for once so there was less work for me to do which was nice…
Roxas scanned the entries and for the most part they all rambled on about the man's day and random encounters. Quite boring in the blond's opinion, but then he came across an entree that threw him off.
August 13th,
Today started out like any normal day, but I couldn't help the feeling of being watched. Every time I look over my shoulder I could never find someone. It's an odd feeling, but-
"What are you doing here?" A voice demanded. Roxas almost jumped out of his skin but when he turned around and saw a petite raven haired girl, "No one's aloud in here without consent." The girl warned. Her eyes glared daggers at Roxas making the blond wonder just who Axel was to everyone to get them so defensive over him like this.
"I...I...uhh…" Roxas stumbled over his words as he tried to think of a reason good enough for the woman to believe.
"You want a chance to kiss him don't you?" The girl leered with a sly smile on her face. Her attitude changed so fast that Roxas had to double check that she didn't get switched for a nicer twin or something, "I'm Xion. Lifelong friends with Axel here."
"Wha-what!?" Roxas exclaimed. Kiss Axel? Why would he want to do something like that?
Xion came up and elbowed Roxas in the side, "Common, you know you want to. I mean just look at him. Such a hunk. True love's first kiss should wake him. And so far everyone who tried failed. Why not give it a try." The girl grabbed Roxas's arm and pulled him over to the bedside, "Just look at him lying there all defenseless. Just waiting for the right person to come around and save him from his enteral sleep."
Roxas tried to pull his arm out of the girl's grasp but she was surprisingly strong, "If you want him up so bad then why don't you kiss him? I mean you are friends. There must be some love in that." Roxas tried to reason with the girl.
"Won't work. I've tried already." Xion explained, "See?" She leaned down and pecked the sleeping man on the lips. Roxas waited with a baited breath hoping Axel would wake up. A moment passed. Then another. But nothing happened, "Now your turn." Xion shoved Roxas closer so the blond was leaning over the man.
Roxas stood there frozen. His face was so close. Just a couple centimeters more and their lips would touch, "No." Roxas somehow managed to shrug his way out of Xion's hold, "No. There must be a different way. I need to find the witch who did this. We find her and she'll have to release him from the curse. He won't have to go through the humiliation of having to be violated by strangers."
Xion's checks puffed out in anger as she went back to glaring mode, "Well if you're not here to kiss him then tell me why you are here." The woman demanded with piercing eyes.
"I'm a witch hunter. I heard about the sleeping beauty here and decided to come and offer my assistance and find the witch who did this and bring her to justice."
"Oh a mister good-doer." Xion cooed, "Well I guess I'll let you find the bitch who did this. Axel's way too good and nice to be put in a state like this. Wake him up. Please." The raven haired girl looked to be on the verge of tears and Roxas couldn't help but let his heart go out to the girl.
"Xion, I promise you, one way or another I will help your friend out. Can I take his journal? I think I found something that may help me track the witch down." Roxas asked as he walked back to the table and grabbed said book and showed it to Xion.
The girl grabbed it and flipped through some of the pages before tearing one out and crumpling the paged into her fist, "Here, it's all yours." She said with a smile as she handed the journal back to Roxas with a large smile on her face.
"Oh, umm…thanks?" Roxas said as he took the book back, "I'll take my leave now. See you around."
August 20th,
I still can't get rid of the feeling of being followed. I noticed it's more intense when I'm with Kairi. I can never pinpoint anyone for the gaze and it's getting a bit frustrating.
As he read, Roxas took in notice that the farther he got, the more paranoid Axel started to sound. But he didn't blame him either. Someone was following Axel and it was probably the witch who had cursed him. So he had another clue. Kairi's boutique. Maybe he should pay another trip to see Kairi. But the woman wasn't very happy with his presence in town. Maybe there was someone else he could talk to. There was a small little rundown bar across the street. The owner might have seen something.
"What do you want?" The bartender demanded. The bar was dark and drab and there were only a few patrons, which wasn't surprising since it wasn't too late in the day. The bartender had crazy blond hair just like Roxas's own and the same colored eyes. If he didn't know any better Roxas would have guessed they were related or something.
"Scotch on the rocks." The smaller man answered as he took a seat at the bar. He looked behind him towards a window and saw there was a perfect view of Kairi's store. Okay so maybe the bartender or a regular noticed some strange activity going around. A glass was plopped in front of Roxas, "Thank you. Oh, I have a question for you."
"Cloud." The man in a bored, monotone voice.
"Sorry? Oh your name. I'm Roxas." He took a swig from his drink and only twitched a bit from the harsh taste, "Last year, did you notice anything weird going on outside near the boutique? It may have something to do with the curse placed on Axel."
Cloud tapped the bar top as he thought about anything strange over the past year, "Give me a minute. Tifa!" He yelled the last part across the room where a busty brunet perked up, "Can you come here for a moment?"
The girl got up and jogged up to them. She settled next to Roxas and without his permission, grabbed his unfinished drink and chugged it back, "Ah refreshing. Now boys what can I do for you?" She leaned down so she was resting on her arms.
Cloud grumbled under his breath about annoying childhood friends before finally asking, "Have you noticed anything strange going on around here last year?"
Tifa gnawed at her lower lip. She made a weird hand gesture in Cloud's direction and got a beer, he must have known what she wanted since they've known each other for their whole lives. She sipped on that for a bit and after a while she finally spoke, "I don't think it's significant or not, but a couple of weeks before this whole deal with Axel happened, I noticed Naminé changed her work schedule to sync up to Axel. Like she'd take breaks when Axel would visit Kairi and what not. She might have an idea about something."
Roxas thanked the two before leaving and going across the street. He hindered for a moment outside the door. He didn't know how Kairi would react if he went in. He drew in a deep breath before opening the door. He released the breath when he didn't see the redheaded girl. Naminé was the only one in the shop. She was standing behind the counter with a sketchpad and pencil in hand.
The blond woman looked up when the bell rang, "Oh, Roxas right?" Her voice was light and sweet, "What can I help you with today?"
Roxas walked up to the counter and looked over at the drawing the girl was working on. It was a beautiful sketch of Axel. It looked like the man was walking around a park hand in hand with Xion, Roxas was surprised to find green eyes instead of eyes that were blue like Kairi's. The couple looked like they were enjoying their time together. It took the man a moment to remember he was looking at a drawing and not a photograph, "Oh wow! You're good!"
Naminé giggled, "Thank you. Now do you need something? Maybe Kairi-"
"No, not Kairi. I came here to talk to you. I wanted to ask you about last year you fixed your work schedule to accommodate Axel visiting Kairi. Why?"
The girl looked flustered for a moment before calming herself, "Ahh…Well, you see, I wanted to give them some alone time, you know in case they needed to talk about some private family matters."
Roxas nodded as he took all the information in. He looked down at the drawing again, "What about the picture? Why Axel and Xion?" He asked out of curiosity, he didn't see how it anything to do with the case at hand, just wanted to know the reasons.
"It just seemed right. I mean they've always been together and looks so good together too. It's just common knowledge they'll end up together." Her voice was so sharp Roxas could swear it could cut him, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do. Please leave." The girl shooed Roxas away and went back to her drawing.
Roxas retreated and made his way back to his rented room, thoughts trained on how insane the women in this town were. He slammed the door behind him and grabbed the journal off the table and started to flip through the pages. He found the entries for August 23rd and 26th. A long jagged line of ripped paper stood out from the binding where Xion had stolen the entries for the 24th and 25th. Between the missing entries was when Axel's paranoia was at its peak and the day before he was sent into his yearlong sleep.
Xion it had to be her. All signs pointed to her. Roxas slammed the journal closed before storming downstairs where Cid stood in his normal spot, "Can I do 'nything fer ya kiddo?" The older man asked.
"I need to find Xion. Any clue where I can find her?"
Cid grinned as he pointed to the corner of the room. In the shadows sat a figure with short cropped hair. They stood up and walked over. Piercing blue eyes glared at Roxas, "Hey Roxy." The girl said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "I came to talk to you about something, but it seems whatever you need to say is more important. What do you need?"
Roxas pointed at the girl and in his bravest voice boldly clamed, "Xion you're the witch that put Axel to sleep!"
Everyone's eyes turned towards the two with wide eyes. Xion gapped at Roxas making her resemble a fish, "I'm the who that did what now!?" She demanded as soon as she gathered herself. She planed her hands on her hips and leered at Roxas, "What kind of ludicrous idea did you have believing I would do something like that to my best friend?"
"Because you're in love with him. He rejected you or something and in a fit of heart break and jealousy you placed a spell on him so your kiss would wake him, but it backfired and didn't work." As he talked Xion looked like she was getting more and more nervous, Roxas was sure he got her.
"It wasn't me." The raven haired girl's voice sounded quiet and broken. Her eyes were downcast, "I loved him. But I didn't do this. I would never hurt Axel like this." She scuffed the tip of her shoe against the wooden floor for a few seconds and she looked like she was fighting with herself over something. Then she pulled something out of her dress's pocket and handed it to Roxas, "I really didn't want anyone to know about this, but if it's going to keep me from being burned at the stake, here." She tossed the crumpled paper at Roxas and he had to stumble to catch it.
He unfolded it and saw it was the paper Xion had torn out.
August 25th,
I can't do this anymore. Someone was in my home today, I only know because some of my possessions are missing. Most notably my grandfather's pocket watch.
Xion agreed to meet me at the park because I didn't want to be alone. But she came with some shocking news. Xion is in love with me! Can you believe that? She even kissed me! I didn't know what to do so I ran away. Cowardly I know, but I didn't know what else to do. I ended up going to see Kairi. She and Naminé listened to me as I ranted about the person stalking me and about Xion's confession. Neither could help me, but Naminé invited me over for dinner on the 27th. I wonder what she'll cook…
Roxas read the paper over and over again trying to find what Xion was hiding. Then he finally caught on, "So I was right about your liking Axel. Were you embarrassed about being rejected?" The girl sadly nodded, "My hypothesis still stands. You cursed him because of rejection."
"No! I swear I didn't do it!" The girl was on the verge of tears by this point, "Please keep looking. Find the person who did this to my best friend!"
Roxas was taken aback by her outburst, "I…I'll keep looking, but just bear in mind that you're still my top suspect."
Xion nodded her head, "I'll help you. Tell me what to do."
"Just come with me. And if you try to stray once from me once I'll go to the mayor and tell him it was you."
Second chapter is almost done and should be out in a day or so :3
Review and tell me what you think!
