Some winter fluffiness, a bit AU. What happens when Axel is left home alone to care for his sick son? What could possibly go wrong?

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Drabble #3: A bit of Fatherly Warmth

Fingertips gently lingered over small eyelids, encrusted in tender lashes. A round, cherub-like face nipped contently on the small thumb inserted between his petite lips. Axel traced his fingers over his son's features, watching him as his chest rose in strained but peaceful breaths. His forehead was hot and his little nose, congested. It's round tip pink from all the tissues that had mercilessly chafed against it.

He had been knocked out for a few hours thanks to his mother's miracle working and a spoon of pungent 'cherry flavored' medicine in which little Roxas was dead set against taking.

Axel smirked at the brief memory of Tifa earlier in the day, coaxing her son with sweet words as she sung and danced the spoon in the air towards Roxas. With a suspicious look about him, Roxas just shook his head and pinched his lips, refusing to open up for his mother.

"Roxaaas!" Tifa stretched his name in that mother-like tone that told him she had it in for him if he didn't listen. With a last pleading look over to his father behind her, who shook his head, he opened his mouth with a roll of his eyes. The sour twist in his face afterwards was probably the most amusing thing Axel had set eyes on all day.

He was very precocious for a three year old, and very much like his father. At times even he had to step in and play the authority figure to remind his son that not every time was playtime.

Now he was apparently at peace, the medicine in effect as he napped in his mother and father's bed. The covers wrapped around him tightly and only the small mane of light brown hair poked onto the pillows. He looked like he was drowning in such a large bed but little Roxas didn't seem to mind.

After a moment of checking up on his son, Axel retreated downstairs. The orphanage children ran towards him, stretching their arms, eager for embraces and pleading for entertainment.

Axel mused at the thought. Cloud was the looming, protective father figure in which they had all admired and the boys wished to be. Axel was the one to come along and lighten up the atmosphere with fire tricks and such. He was like the big brother they never had and occasionally he joined in on their pranks against Cloud. Sometimes he was the one to plot their schemes, although he knew he shouldn't try his patience since he was already living under Cloud's roof without being assassinated in the middle of the night. Still – he couldn't resist a little fun when it arose.

Ruffling their hair with a laugh, he asked, "Where's your mother?"

A small pig-tailed girl bopped her head at Axel, "She's outside. I think she's gonna run some errands".

Breaking through the crowd of admirers as well as playmates with some effort, he managed to make it through the front door. From the window, he could see Tifa nodding her head at Cloud in the midst of conversation. Cloud was on his bike as if ready to take off somewhere. Axel stepped outside and announced his presence by clearing his throat rather obviously.

The air was cool outside and the sky unwelcoming. Judging by the moisture in the air, a storm was sure to pass by.

Tifa tilted her head to the side and smiled. With her hands folded behind her back, she rocked on her heels. Cloud only acknowledged him with a brief nod and a slight gesture of annoyance.

Somehow, Cloud had managed to come to terms with the pyro's existence despite how he shielded Tifa from him some time ago. As long as they shared that one goal, to watch over Tifa and the orphanage, he had put aside their differences. Although, moments like this, he was almost tempted to unsheathe his collection of swords and slice off that mocking smirk on Axel's face. Strange how Tifa saw something in that same irritating look pasted on him.

"Where ya heading babe?" Axel showed no shame in his pet calling towards the brunette bombshell, now the mother of his child.

Tifa laughed at the two men before her, glaring murder at one another with smiles like two jealous schoolboys. "Roxas' medication ran out so I'm gonna hitch a ride to Edje with Cloud before he heads out for his deliveries. I also need to see about his doctor because I can't seem to get in touch with him".

Axel eyed the murky skies again with a frown. "You sure about that? Looks like another storm's gonna roll in".

"Don't worry. I'll make it back before it comes," Tifa gave him a soft kiss on his cheek before walking back towards Cloud. He was already on his bike, hands gripping the handles as Tifa threw her leg over and hopped on behind him. A large lump formed in Axel's throat, watching his lover wrap her arms around her former lover's waist so carelessly.

Of course he trusted her, so that wasn't the issue. It was knowing Cloud had the satisfaction that he was taking her into town with her arms on his waist, reminding him that some things of the past would never change.

The engine rumbled and spurted, Cloud turned back slightly to his childhood friend accompanying him. "Ready?" She nodded and gave a wink back to comfort Axel watching them.

The wink warmed Axel. He swore she was the only one keeping him from unleashing his Chakram and charging at Cloud like he had done in the old days back in Radiant Garden.

"Keep an eye on the children," Cloud advised Axel. This time Axel couldn't help the cringe pulling at his top lip.

Although Cloud carried himself so solemnly and said things so calmly, he couldn't help but feel that inside, Cloud was tipping himself over in a fit of laughter. The small tug in Cloud's lips confirmed that. He had won this round. Damn him.

"Catch you later then gorgeous," Axel waved, holding the front door in his other hand. Tifa was about to respond before Cloud sent them off with a jolt and they swerved onto the road. Keeping his eyes on them until they vanished, Axel shook his head spitefully.

"Don't worry spikes. The next prank I do with the kids, I'll make sure I take this into consideration with my planning".

Axel closed the door behind him with a sigh. It took a moment before Axel observed the hall and realized his mob of leeches was cleared across the floors. Now where could they have all gone? If he had a heart, this would be the time when it would thump with anticipation and a feeling would crawl through him, telling him something bad was coming. Although he didn't have one, something still beckoned him.

This – this would not be his day. As if confirming his very thoughts, Marlene came running down the stairs.

"Tifa! Cloud! Axel!" Her troubled face was flushed with panic as she trotted towards him. Fisting his black robe desperately, she looked up at him with glassy eyes.

Aww man - why me?

"What's wrong kiddo? You okay?" Axel bent down on one knee and cradled her shoulders the way he had seen Tifa often do. Marlene nodded, rubbing one eye before whispering, "It's- it's Roxas".

If he had a heart, it would've dropped at those very words.

Axel ran up the stairs as fast as his legs could take him with Marlene dragging on his fingers. Finally giving up, he lifted her up with one arm and secured her with the other before making it up the remainder of the staircase. A shrilling cry ringing across the halls alerted him of his son's whereabouts. It led him to his bedroom where all the children crowded about in curiosity and tried to comfort the little tyke.

"Roxas, where are you?" His father called through the crowd. They cleared to let him through and Marlene released her hold on him.

"I tried to comfort him like I did when Denzel was sick but it didn't work," Marlene tried to explain herself and Axel nodded in understanding.

"Roxas, what's wrong?" Axel took a hold of his son's shoulders just as he had done Marlene's, although it didn't seem to have the same comforting effect.

Roxas didn't answer. His flattened, sticky hair stuck to his cheek showed he was fresh from sleep. His nose was still pink and his face just seemed to shade more crimson with the heavy cries and breaths he emitted.

"Roxas-" Axel was cut off when suddenly Roxas' high pitched scream shook the room, making all the children cover their ears in agony. Axel cringed; he swore his eardrums must've popped with that one.

Tears gushed down the boy's cheeks and down his chin. The collar of his shirt was beginning to get soaked. His body was sweaty; the poor kid must've felt miserable.

"Roxas I can't-"

The screaming grew louder. Some of the children fled the scene, gripping their ears at the noise. Others withstood it in hopes to see how the scene unfolded.

"-help you if you don't-"

"My head hurts! Ahhh!"

Ok that was a start.

Axel removed his glove to press his palm against Roxas' clammy forehead. It seemed like his fever went down. It was just a matter of his cold. The headache was most likely a sinus headache but his crying wouldn't make it any better. Now how would he explain that to a three year old?

"Ok well how about-"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Blazes! He never realized how loud his son's screams were. It almost brought tears to his eyes to be in such close proximity to his piercing yells.

"Stop-".

"MY HEAAAD! I CAN'T BREATH!"

Axel's fists clenched every time he screeched. By now the room was clear and there was no aid for him.

"Stop yelling and it'll get better!" Axel suddenly blurted out a bit louder and meaner than intended. A twinge of guilt surged through him until his son's face suddenly went blank.

Roxas looked up at his father, blinking profusely and still holding his head.

A bit of hope ignited in him. Did it work?

Then his son's face twisted again, eyes wincing and lips quivering even more. "MOMMMY!"

Oh great – I made it worse!

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"Axel, What're you doing?"

"Trying to find something – anything!"

Denzel tilted his head quizzically at the Nobody in the kitchen, ripping random bottles off the cabinet shelves.

Axel couldn't think straight. The sharp screeching bellowing from upstairs were like nails on a chalkboard. Every scream and cry for mother just made Axel want to scratch his own eyes out.

OhGodOhGodOhGod! Please Stop!

"M-Marlene's still upstairs with him right?" Axel frantically continued to search in hopes that the remedy to his problem would somehow appear in bottle form in front of him.

Denzel shook his head in disapproval, "Yeah she's still up there. It's a shame really".

"I'm sorry what?" Axel's head spun towards the Cloud wannabe, shaking his head as if he knew any better than he did.

"Mom doesn't have this much trouble with him".

That was just like Cloud, to go ahead and say something that would hint that he couldn't measure up to Tifa and therefore shouldn't be with her. At least that was the way he'd take it. Now here was Denzel, mouthing off Cloud-like words in his absence.

His knuckles paled with the death grip around the bottles, Axel cringed at Denzel with a shake of his own head. "He would be SO proud of you".

"Who?"

"Don't act like you don't know. Now are you gonna help me or stand there?"

"You're not gonna find anything. That's why mom left with Cloud, to get more medicine".

There he goes again, saying something completely unnecessary.

Axel cleared his throat, trying to be calm. Suddenly a devious thought struck him and he turned back to Denzel, setting the bottles back on the counter. Denzel began to back away, deciding that he didn't like the catty grin growing on Axel's face.

"So Denzel, are you feeling cold?" Axel started to slink down, meeting gazes with the young boy.

Denzel stuttered, "N-no. Why are you asking that?"

Axel snapped his gloved fingers, igniting a small flame to appear at his fingertips. Denzel's eyes grew wide at the orange fire slowly making its way between their gazes.

"Oh no," Axel shook his head again. He really didn't mean to threaten him, but it wouldn't hurt to scare him a bit since he was pestering him anyway. "I think you are cold. Maybe a little FIRE can warm you up!"

Axel's grin grew into the most scariest and slyest expression, causing Denzel to run away in fear. "I'm telling Cloud about this later! You're evil!"

Axel stood upright again, his fingers going out in a swirl of smoke. "I know and you can tell Cloud I said that too!"

The Nobody growled in frustration. There was no medicine, no cough drops, no painkillers, anything that would help his son feel the least bit better.

The phone ringing through the room interrupted his thoughts. He picked it up with a roll of his eyes.

"Axel?"

Oh. He had forgotten to say hello.

"Yeah babe, it's me".

"Axel, I'm stuck in Edje because of the storm. I got the medicine but I'm afraid it'll take a little longer for me to get home".

Without meaning to, Axel groaned painfully. Catching the hint, Tifa asked, her voice full of concern, "Is everything alright there?"

It was tempting to tell Tifa that their son was making his ears bleed and beg her to come as soon as possible and rescue him. However, his pride wouldn't allow her to know how much of a sucky job he was doing at being a father. He would have to try and deal with this alone. He could make it until she came back.

"Everything's fine here Tifa, what about the doctor?"

"The doctor said he can see him tomorrow. He just had so many patients, it was hard to get a hold of him by phone".

"Mmm. And Cloud?"

"The rain's slowed him down a bit too but after his last delivery, he promised to come and get me as quickly as possible".

Oh Joy. Promised you huh?

"Are you sure everything's okay Axel? I think I hear crying in the background".

Just then, Axel faked a loud, jester laugh. "Oh must be the rain. Making you hear things".

A pause on the phone told him she was suspicious but she obviously decided to take his word for it. "Okay then, I'll see you later. I'll be there as soon as I can".

"Don't sweat it. It's aaaall under control here".

When he hung up the phone, he couldn't help but feel a little bad for telling a little white lie to his lover. It was a little one, wasn't it?

Okay that's it! Back to business!

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Luckily Axel had found some cotton to stuff in his ears because when he got back up to the bedroom, it seemed that Roxas' screams pitched up in volume. Marlene had a look about her face that said she too, was getting a migraine off of Roxas but her small motherly instinct that she learned from Tifa kept her there.

"It's okay kiddo. Axel's got it from here".

She didn't bother to protest because her head hurt and she'd do anything to cover it with her pillow right about now. Marlene left with a nod and Axel closed the door behind her.

Rolling up his sleeves and taking off his gloves, he lifted his son back onto the bed. "Alright Roxas, first thing's first. You should take off the sticky shirt".

His shirt was already soaked in tears and snot, clinging to his neck and probably making him more uncomfortable. "I'm taking it off now so relax a bit".

Axel continued to talk to the crying Roxas, just as Tifa would do. Somehow telling him what she was doing for him step by step would help to calm him. Hopefully with Axel, it would have the same effect.

Managing to peel the damp shirt off his tiny son, he removed his gloves to once again check his forehead. Roxas continued to cry but the moment his father's bare hand gingerly pressed against his forehead, his bright eyes rose in curiosity.

Okay, he's getting better. What do I do now? What do I do - Ahh liquids!

"Ya thirsty kid? Got some juice downstairs?"

With a finger in his mouth, he bopped his head slowly, tears still damping the rims of his eyes. With a light grunt, Axel swooped him up into his arms and headed downstairs. Roxas nuzzled his head into the crook of his father's neck, his body hiccupping from stifled sobs.

Finally reaching their destination, Axel set him down on a chair while he opened the fridge.

"Okay, we have orange juice, ice tea, fruit punch and milk. What's it gonna be?" Axel twisted back to gaze at his son and for a moment he just stood there blankly. The redhead couldn't help but smile. With a face like that, he was definitely gonna grow up a lady-killer, thanks to his genes of course – ahem.

"Orrenge," Roxas replied and Axel saluted him in response. "Orrenge coming right up".

As the pyro poured the glass, he sighed. Maybe this ain't so bad after all. Look at that. I didn't need Tifa. I was fine all by myself.

He was beaming with pride as he handed the large cup to his son. He was so lost in his own cloud, the sharp cry and clatter came as a surprise and made him jolt.

"Holy- what's wrong?"

His feet were stepping in the juice that he could've sworn were in the glass and little Roxas once again was screaming his lungs off, clutching his head and mouth.

"ITHURTSITHURTSITHURTS!" Roxas cried and Axel couldn't understand. He set the juice container back on the counter in a panic and ran back to his son.

Gripping his shoulders, he bent down and almost yelled back, "What hurts?"

He was in too much pain to respond. He could only point to his lips and his head and Axel reached forward to still his movements.

Aww dammit! I'm such an idiot!

The ice on the floor mocked him. You don't give a kid with a bad cold, freezing cold juice with ice. Most of all, you don't give a kid orange juice when he has cold sores in his mouth. Now he had brain freeze, burning in his mouth and juice all over him. Great Axel – just great.

"Idiot! Roxas, your father is an IDIOT!"

Axel's outburst only frightened him and made him cry harder.

Whhhyyyyy?!

"Okay, okay we need to get you clean first. Yeah that's it!" With a new look of determination, once again he picked him up. He held him beneath his arms, his legs dangling and dripping with juice. He held his small body away like a germ.

My heart is beating faster by the second! Wait a minute – I don't have one so what the hell is this!!!!

Bathroombathroombathroom…

"Bathroom!" Axel pointed out, more for himself than his son, to keep him sane. "Here goes nothing!"

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Dark bagged eyes scrolled up to the clock in the bedroom. His ears were ringing, his black robe soaked with every possible liquid that his son could discharge, and he was miserable. To make matters worse, his son – was still screaming his head off!

Axel so badly wanted to curl up with his son and cry with him. He wanted mommy too. He wanted Tifa. Screw his pride. Screw winning father of the year award. Screw Cloud mocking him later.

It had been hours and NOTHING had worked. Juice only gave his son a headache and a mouth sting. Roxas never really liked baths to begin with so his wild thrashing ended up flooding the tiled floors with water. He screamed and complained to come out but when Axel finally complied and pulled him out, he screamed that he was cold. Now shivering in a towel, Axel ran all over the house with him, searching, looking, reaching for some source of relief for his son but to no avail.

He tried to be mean, he tried to be nice, he tried to coax him with candy and nothing worked. All the poor boy ever wanted was his mother.

Now here they were, sitting on the floor in his bedroom and Roxas was still crying. Honestly, he had no idea how he hadn't lost his voice yet. Tissues were crumbled all over the carpet and Axel's hand was numb from rubbing his son's head in comfort for the past hour.

I HATE myself…

Suddenly the door creaked and in popped a brunette head, one that he wasn't very pleased to see.

"Still crying?" Denzel blinked in amazement at the exhausted pair.

Axel drunkenly lolled his head, "Yes, my son is officially awarded with the most moisture in his entire body award. Oh I love this little runt, I love him".

Denzel could only shake his head at him. Before Tifa left, Roxas was sound asleep, clean and comfortable. Now he was sweaty, in pain and screeching.

With a wrinkled brow, Axel eyed Denzel, "What's your problem now?"

"Just wanted to tell ya that mom should be home soon. Don't think she'll be too happy though once she sees the mess you guys made".

He couldn't control himself any longer. His patience had finally evaporated and Denzel left him no choice. Usually he got along with Denzel just like the other orphans but they were just some days, days like this one, when the Cloud admirer ticked him off.

Taking notice of Axel's expression, Denzel gasped. Axel's crazed smile said it all. With a slither of his tongue on his lips, he placed is son on the bed and turned to Denzel.

"Run".

As soon as his fingers flickered again, Denzel dashed outside the room and Axel followed.

"Come on Denzel, let me warm you up with a little fire. I hear your bedroom is cold," Axel laughed evilly and Denzel continued to run. It took a full moment for his own words to hit him and for an idea to register.

Denzel came to an abrupt halt in the hall to look back. Axel stared at his palms in newfound hope.

"Warm up. Fire. HAH, I'm a genius!" Axel praised before he ran after Denzel again. Before the boy could get too far, Axel trapped him in a tight hug. Denzel was confused, but thankful for the strange change of mood.

"I love ya! You're the best!" and with one last squeeze, Axel released him and ran back into the bedroom to his crying son.

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The moment Tifa entered her home, her heart sunk. Her pulse halted and her breathing ceased. Without realizing, her fingers were nailing the doorframe until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.

"What happened here?" Cloud asked, eyes wide at the scene in front of him.

Tifa blinked in shock. The kitchen was full of juice splatters, the fridge was left open, medicine bottles were sprawled all over the countertops, there were orange puddles leading to the bathroom and then water everywhere, all over her wooden floors. It looked like a disaster struck.

Her knees went weak. The deadly silence in the orphanage shook her. It was never this quiet - never.

With the brown paper bag containing her son's medicine, she ran off. "The kids!"

Her feet literally slid towards the orphan's bedroom and to her surprise, they were sound asleep. She was baffled.

"Wh-what- I mean I don't get it. Why are they asleep so early?"

At the sound of her voice, some of the children began to stir beneath their covers. One girl with short brown hair smiled up at her mom and whispered, "The screaming, we couldn't take it anymore so after a while we just fell asleep in here".

"Screaming? What screaming?"

"From upstairs, Roxas was screaming".

Tifa gasped with concern, clutching her chest. "Oh my god, is he okay?"

With a brief smile towards the child, she ran off once again, jumping over puddles and tissues trailing all over the floors.

Axel, what did you do? What happened? You should've told me!

Tifa felt the anger begin to grow in her. If Axel was having trouble with their son, he should've told her. He should've called her. If something serious was happening, her and Cloud would've rode home as soon as possible to rush him to a doctor.

Maybe she shouldn't have left him in charge. It was rare that Axel was left to care for their son when he was sick and maybe it was just too much for him to handle. I mean, she loved him but she really didn't want him to force himself to act like he knew what he was doing if he didn't.

Finally stomping up the stairs, she spotted her bedroom door and ran for it. She opened it with a slam, and her heart stopped again when she thought she hadn't seen them in the room.

"Axel? Roxas? I'm home sweetie, where are you?"

Her voice was shaking. Her hands were trembling. Her motherly instinct waving off warnings in her mind.

A movement on the other side of the bed alerted her and she made her way to the other side. She came upon a scene that she didn't expect to see in a million years. Her heart warmed and her eyes brimmed with tears of relief.

"Axel…"

There he was, her loving pyro, sitting on the floor with a blanket draped around him and his son curled up in his arms. Sound asleep and with his thumb in his mouth, Roxas looked just as peaceful as when she left. Axel's palms were on the sides of his head as he slept and she wondered why.

Leaning forward, she brushed aside Axel's fiery hair. His emerald eyes opened groggily and he whispered, "Hey there gorgeous".

Tifa smiled. "What happened here? Is everything okay?"

Axel laughed lightly and hoarsely. "Hardly. The little rascal was screaming ever since you left".

"Yeah, I heard. How did you get him to stop?"

The Nobody smiled slyly as he flexed his fingers to draw her attention on her son's head. "It's a long story but in the end, I got an idea off of Denzel. Since his head was hurting off of a cold and he was shivering all over the place, in my moment of panic, I used my own fire to heat my hands up and hold them against his head. I rocked him a little while and kept my heat on him and eventually he calmed down and fell asleep".

It was a long shot when he thought of it, but it worked. It would help to keep him warm and decongest him. The heat would calm the throbbing in his body and help him breath better. The rocking would lull him to sleep as relief swept over his body.

He looked up at Tifa to see her reaction to his idea and her response was an eager one. Quickly, but gently, she grabbed Axel's face and pressed her lips against his happily. After a moment, still holding his face she smiled again, "Axel – you are the best father ever!"

Axel returned her smile and another kiss. Nothing could ruin this moment. Earlier in the day he had almost pondered why he had a kid in the first place. He had wondered how people could reproduce so many of these things. But upon holding his sleeping son in his arms and he clung his little hands to his father for comfort, he remembered how much being a dad was worth it. After seeing Tifa brighten and kiss him like that, he remembered how much it was worth being the father of her kid. It was beautiful.

However, all good things must come to an end.

A familiar voice rang through the hall outside the door, a voice Axel decided he wasn't very fond upon hearing right now. Cloud's stern voice began to near the bedroom door. "Axel, what is this that Denzel is telling me about you trying to put him on fire?"

Damn, that kid!

Tifa's lips then transformed into an 'oh' as she raised a suspicious brow at her lover. Crossing her arms, she warned with a hidden smile, "Axeeeel, what did you do?"

He could only laugh again and then he cleared his throat.

"I'm uhh the best father ever?"

He was really in for it now….

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Lotsa fluffy stuff, humor is not always my best department unless it comes to me naturally but this was a muse I've been wanting to tend to for a while. I love little Roxas. Btw Happy Holidays everyone! Enjoy and have fun!