Author's Note: Please read Toxin: Halloween, as it's the first part of my holiday series! You'll understand much more if you read that one first!

Toxin: Christmas

Part Four

"You know we've been together for over a month now?" Roxas said to his boyfriend, sitting in his lap in the lounge. "Where did the time go…?"

Axel chuckled and ruffled the blond's hair, grinning. He knew exactly how long it had been… fourty-four days exactly. "I'm bummed that we can't go on missions together anymore."

Demyx popped up from the couch, nodding, "I know! I miss going with Zexy…"

"I'm keeping him safe, Dem, don't worry," Roxas assured him, Zexion being his new partner.

"I don't get it… what harm could come from us going on missions with our boyfriends?" Axel wondered out loud, sighing heavily.

Suddenly Marluxia piped up from behind them, startling everyone, "Well I heard it's because they don't trust you not to make stupid decisions based on love."

"I… totally understand that…" Demyx agreed, knowing how dumb he can get when it comes to Zexion. He did beat the shit out of Roxas back in October…

As if on cue, Saix entered the room and approached the group. "Axel, Demyx… we have a mission for you."

Axel moved Roxas off of him and stood up, "What's up?"

"Well, as you know… you never retrieved the formula for that poison Dr. Finklestein had been working on. We just received an anonymous tip that he's been working on it again, and now Oogie is trying to use it to take over Christmas. Apparently this time it's supposed to suck the joy out of anyone exposed to it… taking their Christmas spirit away."

Axel grimaced, "I don't want to go back there… send another team."

"You know more about Halloween Town than anybody, Axel… you have to be the one to go. It's been decided," Saix told them, turning on his heels and walking out of the lounge.

When Axel looked down at Roxas, he was met with wide blue eyes, looking ready to cry. "Axel, you can't… please don't go back there!"

"I have to, Rox… you heard Saix. Once they've made up their minds, there's no changing them," he told the small man, giving him a short kiss before turning to Demyx. "Let's get this done so we can get back…"

Demyx sighed and opened a portal, letting the other step through before entering it himself.

"Not you again!"

The first sight Axel came upon was the trio of brats, again carrying the syringe with them. "Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," he commented, summoning his chakrams.

Demyx stepped in behind him, his sitar already out and ready. "Jeez… these guys, really?"

"I know, I hate them too," Axel agreed, lunging at Shock.

The group scattered, getting ready for a fight. But Lock held his ground, syringe in hand. "Well, this ended it last time…" he said, shrugging and jamming the needle into Axel's side.

"Fuck!" he cried out, suddenly unable to move. "Demyx… Demyx, go to Dr. Finklestein and destroy his notes…"

The musician had already sent the three kids off, riding down a flash flood of water and out of their sight. "God damn it… again with this?"

"Open a portal and push me through it… then finish the job…" Axel grit his teeth, feeling himself slowly becoming paralyzed completely.

Demyx did what he asked, lifting him through the portal before running off to take care of this for good.

Axel fell with a thump on the floor of the lounge, groaning deeply. He tried to cry out, but he couldn't even open his jaw anymore… his muscles were frozen where they had been when he fell. Damn it… is that crazy doctor ever going to get this formula right?! he thought to himself, hoping someone will come across him soon.

"I forgot my book, Roxas, hang on a second," he heard the familiar voice of Zexion. "Jesus…"

The blue-haired teenager dropped into his line of sight and snapped his fingers in front of his face a few times. "Axel…? Are you alive…?" The redhead tried to say something, but it just came out as a grunt. "God damn it… did they really get you with that toxin? Roxas! Rox, come in here!"

Axel could hear the blond gasp from across the room, feeling the floor vibrate as he ran to his side. "Really, Axel?! You've been gone for all of five minutes!"

He growled in pain as Zexion yanked the syringe out of his side, wishing he could whack him one for it.

"Zexy, be careful! He's in pain!" Roxas scolded him, punching him in the arm. Roxy really does know me… "Go get Vexen… he fixed me, he'll be able to fix Axel."

Axel heard him walk away, and suddenly he was being lifted off the floor. When did Roxas get so strong…? Has he been working out?

"Oh my…" Vexen said, leaning over Axel as he examined him. "Whatever Dr. Finklestein created this time completely paralyzed him… I'll have to analyze it further to know how to cure him. In the meantime… just keep him comfortable."

Soon after Vexen left, Axel was lifted once more, and he knew he was going to their bedroom. Since they'd been dating, Roxas moved into his room and they shared it. Roxas gently placed him on the bed and laid down next to him. Axel could, thankfully, feel the other snuggle up to him and hold him close.

"I told you not to go, Axel…" the blond whispered in his ear, sniffling a little. "I told you to stay away from that place, and you didn't… Now look at you! Completely paralyzed… I don't know what to do with myself, Axe… I've never been so scared… I need you, baby."

His words broke Axel's heart… all he wanted was to grab him and kiss him and tell him everything would be okay. All he could do was whine softly, let Roxas know that he heard him.

"Shh, baby… save your strength," the petite man hushed him, stroking his hair slowly. "Vexen will figure this out, I know he will…"

A knock sounded on the door and Roxas looked up, "Come in."

Demyx entered their room, followed by Zexion. "We wanted to see how he was doing…"

"Thanks, guys… he seems okay, besides being paralyzed."

"I destroyed the formula…" Demyx said, sitting down at their desk chair and letting Zexion sit in his lap. "I also destroyed his entire lab, so… no chance of him pulling this shit again."

Roxas nodded, giving him a faint smile. "Good…"

"Look… I'm sorry I couldn't help him… everything happened so quickly, I didn't even see the syringe until Lock stabbed him with it."

"I don't blame you, Demyx… I know how sneaky those kids can be. They don't fight fair, and they're just… They just suck!" Roxas exclaimed, frustrated that they've been bested by children twice now.

Axel choked out what was supposed to be a laugh, making them all turn to look at him.

"I really do hope he'll be okay…" Roxas mumbled, sighing.

"He will be," Zexion tried to reassure him. "Vexen's a genius, he's going to figure it out soon."

Roxas looked over at his calendar, then turned to them. "Can we… go talk in the lounge for a few?" The other two nodded, standing up as he turned to Axel. "I'll be right back, baby… don't worry. Get some sleep, if you can."

Axel grunted in response, wishing he could reach for his boyfriend, that he could pull him back down and ravage him on the bed.

On his way out, Roxas turned the lights off and shut the door, leaving Axel to relax as he joined the others in the lounge.

"Did you need to talk about something, Rox?" Demyx wondered, laying down on one of the couches with Zexion.

Roxas sat across from him in a recliner and put his feet up. "Well, it's about Christmas. It's coming in three days, and I… I want to propose to Axel."

"Whoa! Awesome, man!" Demyx exclaimed, grinning happily. "But… what if he isn't better by then?"

"He will be," Zexion cut in, "I know he will."

"I do too, which is why I need your help. How can I make it as special as possible? I need a plan…"

The three of them talked it over for awhile, when Roxas suddenly realized that Axel was all alone. "Damn it… I should go back to him. Thanks for your help, guys… I appreciate it."

"No problem, Rox. I hope everything goes as planned, man… He'll definitely say yes, I know it!" Demyx told him, smiling as the small blond left the room.

Roxas opened the door slowly, trying not to make too much noise. He turned on the desk lamp, hoping he wouldn't wake Axel as he changed into his pajamas. When he was done, he shut the light off and crawled into bed next to his lover, snuggling close to him.

The next morning when Roxas woke up in Axel's arms, he thought nothing of it. "Mm… Good morning, baby…" he said, kissing him softly.

"G'morning…" Axel groaned, turning to pull him closer. "Wait… I can move!"

Roxas nearly jumped out of his skin, grabbing Axel and planting a deep kiss on his lips. "You can! Oh, Axel… I knew you would come through it!"

"Roxas, you have no idea how much I missed holding you…" he said, grabbing his boyfriend and pulling him as close as possible. "I… I…" he started to stammer, his body suddenly beginning to tremble.

"No… no, no, no… What's happening?!" Roxas cried, sitting back off of him and trying to figure out what was going on. "Axel, talk to me!"

The redhead was in a full-blown seizure, his entire body shaking so violently that Roxas had to hang on to him to keep him from falling off the bed. His airway was starting to clog with foam, and Roxas had to turn him on his side to keep it clear, something he'd learned from Vexen off-handedly.

"Somebody help me!" he screamed, hoping that someone was awake and nearby.

"Fuck, what's happening?!" Demyx yelled, skidding into the room, followed closely by his boyfriend.

Roxas looked back at them, "I don't know! He woke up and he was fine! But then he just started shaking, and I think he's having a seizure!"

"Keep him on his side… I'll go get Vexen," Zexion told him, running out of the room.

By the time they got Axel relaxed and in the infirmary, Roxas was completely emotionally drained. He had no idea how to deal with the pain he was feeling, and he couldn't imagine how Axel had dealt with it when he was poisoned earlier.

"I thought he was okay…" he whispered, sitting on the recliner in the lounge again. "He seemed fine…"

"Well, Roxas… when you woke up, we thought you were okay," Demyx mentioned, "Then you turned into a jerk."

Roxas glared holes into his friend, sneering. "Not. Helping. Demyx."

"Sorry…" he apologized, blushing a little. "I don't know what to say, Rox… you just have to wait for the toxin to run it's course. Vexen is really having trouble creating an antidote."

As the day went on, Roxas got more and more depressed. He finally laid down to take a nap in their room, not even wanting to be concious anymore. I miss you, Axel… I miss the way you look at me, the way you touch me… so gentle, so loving… his thoughts drifted as he started to fall asleep. I remember our first time together… so awkward, but beautiful… I need to feel you inside me again, Axe… you need to make it through this…

Eventually he fell victim to his dreams, finally sleeping. But only a couple hours later, the sound of the door slamming startled him awake.

"Get up."

He peered into the darkness, unsure of what was happening. "Who's there…? Do I have a mission…?"

"Get. Up," the voice growled, a dark and intense sound.

"Who are you…?" he asked again. The figure stepped into the faint moonlight, standing over him. "…Axel…?"

Suddenly Roxas was grabbed by the throat and lifted from their bed. His feet barely grazed the ground as he was pinned to the wall behind them. "Wh… Axel, why…?" he gasped, trying to breathe.

The grip on his throat only loosened enough to allow a small airflow before Axel leaned down and captured the blond's lips in a vicious, intense kiss. This was not the Axel that Roxas knew and loved… this was a beast far beyond him.