A Gift For My Mom
(rough draft)
A Kingdom Hearts fanfic by Raberba girl
For Mother's Day, 12 May 2013
Summary: Roxas made a gift, now he just needs someone to give it to.
A/N: I am on hiatus; this is just a post-and-run.
Takes place in the same universe as Fire & Moonlight: Button.
o.o.o
"Pleeeeaaase, can I have purple?" Xion begged.
Her teacher sighed but then agreed, pushing back the red paint and reaching for the purple paint instead.
"Yay!"
"Here you go, Xion dear," Ms. Taft said, painting Xion's hand and then pressing it onto the paper to create flower shapes.
"This will make Mommy smile," Xion said, looking happily at her picture.
"All right, go take it over to the shelf to dry, okay, sweetie?"
"Okay!" Xion went to obey. She was supposed to go find a center to work at after that, but she couldn't help just standing there and looking some more. Her paint-flowers were so pretty, she really hoped her mommy would like them. Mommy wasn't happy very much.
Roxas came over and flopped his picture next to hers. "There."
"I like your picture, Roxas!"
"I got paint all over my hand." They both looked at it.
"You washed it."
"I can still feel it." Roxas shook his hand in distaste.
"Your mommy will like your pretty picture, Roxas."
"I don't have a mommy."
"You don't?"
"Nope. It's just me and Dad."
"Oh... Who are you gonna give your Mother's Day present to, then?"
"Uh - I dunno." Roxas thought about this. Finally he looked upset. "I don't have anyone to give it to. I'm gonna throw it away." He reached to crumple his picture.
"No, Roxas, don't throw it away!"
"Xion," their teacher called, "inside voice, please."
"Roxas is gonna throw his picture away!"
"What?"
"I don't have a mom!" Roxas yelled. "Mother's Day is stupid!"
"Ohhh, honey- Samantha, dear, put your hand on the paper to make the flowers, okay? Good! Now go wash your hands, I have to talk to Roxas for a minute." Ms. Taft got up and came over to Roxas, who had sat down on the floor and put his hands over his ears in a sulking pose. "Roxas, sweetie. I'm sure there are lots of people you can give your flowers too - don't you have a grandmother or an aunt? Someone who loves you and takes care of you, who's there when you need her? Someone who can cook yummy food for you when you're hungry, or play fun games with you, or hug you when you're sad?"
"Hmmm...yeah," Roxas finally said.
"There, you see? A lot of people don't have their mothers around anymore, but they can still celebrate Mother's Day with someone who's like a mother to them."
"Yeah." Roxas stood up again so he could look at his picture. "I know who I'm going to give it to."
"Wonderful! Now why don't we let it sit here and have a chance to dry. Run along to the sight words center, all right?"
"Okay. Come on, Roxas!" Xion said, tugging at him.
"Okay. I'm gonna find more words than you."
"No, you're not! I'm better at this game."
"No, I am."
"I am!"
"I am...!"
o.o.o.o.o
When Axel arrived at the daycare to pick up Roxas, he was surprised to see Saïx sitting in the large room where the children played, looking hilariously out of place. Saïx was reading a book to Xion, who looked captivated, and to Roxas, who looked bored.
"Oi, Rox-my-socks!"
"Dad!" Roxas leaped up and ran to greet him as usual.
"Heeeeyyy, kiddo, you have a good day today?"
"Mm hm. I want ice cream."
"You always want ice cream."
"Ice cream is good."
"Not right before dinner." Axel looked down and smiled to see Xion poised nearby, watching him expectantly. "Heeeeyyy, pretty girl!"
"Axel Dad!" she squealed, hugging his leg.
He laughed and crouched down to put an arm around her. "Good to see you, too, princess."
"Daddy's been waiting for you."
"Yeah, I noticed." Axel stood back up again, holding Xion's hand, and arched an eyebrow inquiringly at Saïx.
"Let's talk somewhere...quieter," Saïx mumbled.
"Sure."
When they were outside, Roxas and Xion started playing hopscotch on the sidewalk, and Axel leaned against the wall and waited. And waited. Saïx just stood there, not meeting his eyes and looking unhappy.
"Sai, I know it's crazy, but I kinda have other things I need to do tonight other than stand around waiting for you to say something."
Saïx sighed. "I need...a favor from you."
"What is it?"
"...I would really appreciate it if you could watch Xion this Sunday. Just for a few hours."
"Flaming pants, and here I thought it was gonna be a big deal."
Saïx eyed him, as if trying to figure out whether he was joking or not.
"Sai, Xion is practically like my daughter, I'd be happy to get her out of your hair this Sunday."
"It's not like that," Saïx snapped. "I'm not trying to get rid of her. I simply have another obligation to fulfill that day, and I can't take Xion with me."
Axel paused. Then guessed what his friend meant. "Ohhhh." His mouth quirked in sympathy. "It's really so bad that Xi can't even see her on Mother's Day?"
"It's...not dangerous anymore...probably...but - Xion gets so upset afterward," Saïx said in a low voice. "Kay barely even acknowledges her, she's grown so cold and distant, and sometimes so cruel... I don't understand how that woman can possibly be the same one I married."
"I...don't know what to say," Axel said awkwardly. "I was only married for two weeks, I'm not exactly an expert..."
"Just take care of Xion for me, that's all I ask. I can handle it alone if I don't have to worry about her."
Axel studied him for a little while. "Why don't you hang out with us when you come back? We can have a barbecue or something, whatever; I'll invite some people over."
"No, that's all right. Thank you."
"Come ooonnnn, Sai. You know Xi's just gonna whine if you drag her away too early."
"...Hmph. Very well, then."
o.o.o.o.o
"I love you, Daddy," Xion said on Sunday afternoon, kissing his nose.
"I love you, too. Be good," Saïx added sternly.
"I will~! Daddy, do you have my present for Mommy?"
"Yes. I will give it to her."
"Do you think she'll like it?"
"...Yes."
"Are you lying, Daddy?"
Axel tried to stifle a snort of laughter, then felt bad for thinking it was funny.
"Any mother would love to receive a handmade gift from her child," Saïx said, a little stiffly.
"What'd you make, Xion?" Axel asked.
Xion made Saïx take out the picture of the handprint flowers to show him.
"OH," Roxas remembered, "I have a present, too. I forgot."
"You forgot?!" Xion shrieked.
"You made a present for Xion's mom?" Axel said in surprise.
"No," Roxas said impatiently, "She's not my mom. It's in my backpack."
"Let's go get it!" The kids ran to Roxas's room.
"That's cute," Axel chuckled, handing the picture back to Saïx. "They did it at school?"
"Yes. Thank you again, Axel."
"No problem, bro. Seriously, no problem, we love having Xi over."
"I appreciate it."
"See you later, all right?"
"Yes."
After Saïx had left, Axel went to find the kids. Roxas pushed him until he sat down, and Xion bounced around him in excitement. "Roxas made you something, Axel Dad!"
"Me?" Axel said in surprise.
"Yeah." Roxas put his handprint flower picture on Axel's lap. "That's for you. I made it."
"For me? Roxas, I'm a guy!"
"But I don't have a mom."
"Huh?"
Roxas sighed. "I don't have a mom, so I didn't have anyone to give my picture to for Mother's Day, but then my teacher said give it to someone who cooks and plays with me, and that's you. Happy Mother's Day, Dad." He put his arms around Axel's neck.
Axel hugged him back, laughing helplessly. "I guess I am your mom, huh..."
"Happy Mother's Day, Axel Mom," Xion said mischievously, hugging him too.
"Heh. Happy Mother's Day, you little munchkins."
"Do you like your picture?" Roxas asked.
"It's beautiful, Rox," Axel said, making a show of admiring it.
"Hang it on the refrigerator."
"Okay," Axel laughed. "Help me up."
The kids enthusiastically hauled him to his feet, and followed Axel as he went to go put his Mother's Day gift on display.
o.o.o
Author's Notes: They've known each other for almost a year; AkuSai are surely comfortable enough by now to have no qualms about dumping their kids on each other (at least, Axel doesn't mind; Saïx isn't exactly thrilled at the idea of having to look after Roxas XD); and Xion might know by now that Roxas has lost contact with his mom, but whatever.
Hmm, I dunno if anyone's squicked out by the idea of Saïx/Kay or not... There's some cases where I'm not bothered by turning parent/child relationships into husband/wife ones when it's an alternate universe. *sweatdrop*
Ftr, Roxas is Axel's biological son in this universe. And don't ask who his mom is, because I have no clue; my Axel likes to mess around with the ladies, but is at heart a perpetual single dad. ^^;;; I don't like pairing him up with anyone for real...
LOL, I get such a kick out of the idea of Axel being Rox & Xi's mommy. XD I was trying to think of plot bunnies for this concept, but it didn't work in a present-canon setting because I've already seen that done before and didn't have any fresh ideas; and in Stepsiblings or The Light In Their Eyes or even BbF&ML, because the kids do have mother figures in those universes. (But then I thought of a BbF&ML plunny after all. ^^; I don't know yet whether I'll be able to write/post it tonight, though.)
Anyway. So "Button" was the first 'verse where Rox didn't really have any female figure he could give a Mom's Day gift to, leaving him free to harass Axel for me once again. :p
