Words: 2790

See Chapter One for Standard Disclaimers/Warnings

A/N: First off a big thank you to everyone who has put this story on their favs/alert list, or reviewed. In particular Werewolf666vampire, and White Haired Teen.

I'd also like to point out that I've had the horrible side effect of memorizing a Christmas carol from this fic. I now know the entire Twelve Days of Christmas by heart. I am mildly disturbed. Anyway, onward!

On the Fifth Day....

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Sunday, December 29th

...Or, when did volunteer work become more like recruitment?

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Morning came in the form of a very evil strip of weak and watery sunlight encroaching over Roxas' eyes. As he became more aware of himself he also became aware of the fact that he was curled into the corner of a sofa. His head was tilted at an odd angle, and he could already feel the beginning twangs of a crick. Wincing slightly Roxas shifted, and a sleepy mumble came from the vicinity of his shoulder. Glancing over he caught sight of a pale blond head that was using him as a pillow; it appeared to be Namine. Blinking sleepy blue eyes Roxas dug the fingers of his free hand into his eyes. He couldn't feel his other arm, it seemed to have gone numb at some point. A quick glance showed the state of affairs in the room. Empty bowls encrusted with melted, and dried ice cream littered the coffee table alongside empty pizza boxes. Larxene was sprawled carelessly in one of the armchairs.

Somehow the rest of them had managed to sprawl across the couch. Kairi had her arms thrown around Namine's waist, her head resting of the blond girl's hip, and her feet tucked snuggly against Olette's thighs. Olette, like Roxas, was curled into the crook of the arm and back of the couch at the opposite end.

"Awww, the fourth little piggy is awake," A saccharine voice cooed.

Glancing over Roxas found Larxene watching him, through one blue eye. Her head tilted in that oddly predatory way of hers, "S'that make you the big bad wolf?" He wondered, not really awake.

Larxene laughed sharply, "Why yes, yes it does."

"Coffee...?" A voice croaked. Roxas thought it sounded vaguely like Kairi.

"The pots on." Larxene responded. That caught Roxas attention and he gave Larxene an odd look. She was apparently adept in translating 'still asleep' as she flashed her shark-like smile at him. Lifting the phone she had in her hand she wiggled it at him, "I've been up for awhile, Blondie. My lover-boy's half way around the world."

"Ah, right." Several long minutes passed in which the only sound was the faint ticking of a clock somewhere. Roxas had the nagging feeling he was forgetting something. Brushing aside the feeling he instead ventured to ask, "Do you have an soda?"

"Nope!" Larxene's voice was inordinately cheerful. He had the strange feeling she was taking pleasure in his early morning suffering. "The girl's prefer coffee and tea, and I like my energy drinks."

Roxas chose to comment on this with an effective, "Blargh."

He was just beginning to doze off again when there came a series of loud knocks on the door that jolted him back to wakefulness abruptly, and set the three sleeping girls to grumbling. Larxene rose and sauntered over to the door. After peering through the peephole she grinned toothily, "It's for you Blondie-babe!" She cackled, and disappeared into the kitchen.

Frowning Roxas dragged himself out from the little hole he'd sunk into, ignoring Namine's moue of annoyance. As he walked to the door he attempted to massage feeling back into his numb arm. Not bothering to look Roxas dragged the door open, and blinked in bemusement at the sight of a bottle of Mountain Dew floating in front of his eyes. It took several seconds longer than usual for his mind to register that, no, Mountain Dew wasn't magical and there was a hand holding the bottle's top.

His gaze followed the hand to an arm that lead to a shoulder supporting, a thin face with a head full of spikey red hair, "Roxas!" Axel crowed. "Good morning!"

"If you're a morning person I'm going to kill you." Roxas said.

"Not at all." Axel replied breezily as he brushed past Roxas, and into the apartment. "I just got a call from your brother. He wanted me to come collect you since I live down the hall."

Roxas decided that really didn't make much sense, "What?"

"Well, they tried calling here and got a busy signal, and then tried calling Kairi, but no one answered. By then they had to get going so... Dem called me!"

"Oh."

"Dem also told me I should bring this as an offering. Something about angry morning syndrome, and the only cure, or whatever."

The bottle of Mountain Dew was thrust in Roxas face again, and after a moment he reached up and took it. The fact that it was being given to him finally registered. Without really thinking about it Roxas tripped forward and gave the red head a big hug, "I love you." Stepping back he twisted the cap off and took a long swig. Oh blessed caffeine! Ambrosia!

Axel grinned easily ignoring the sleepy titters coming from the peanut gallery, "Anyway, I was told that I'm supposed to take you home, and then out to Irvine's or something. Whoever that is."

"Oh no!" Kairi yelped, sitting bolt upright. "That was today!" Without giving an explanation both she and Namine tore off toward their rooms with cries of upset.

"Uhm...?" Axel stared toward the empty couch. Olette laughed, hopped up, and wandered after the other two.

"Oh yeah." Roxas hummed. "House warming party. Selphie and Irvine got engaged a bit back, and he asked her to move in with him. So... they're having some sort of weird party. You know how Selphie is."

Axel nodded, "Yeah. Weird."

"'Bout covers it."

"And you're supposed to be there." Axel hazarded.

"I was volunteered to help set up along with my brothers."

"Ah. I sense a but..."

"I was kidnapped."

Axel grinned, "So I heard, did you at least have fun?"

Roxas blinked, and looked momentarily thoughtful, "Yeah... I guess I did."

Clapping his hands together with a bright grin Axel headed toward the door, "Well come on then! I've got donuts!"

Roxas snorted, and hollered a 'See you later!' to the girls before grabbing his coat, and stepping into his shoes to follow after the redhead.

------

Axel stopped by his apartment on the way to grab the aforementioned donuts. Reno was shuffling around the kitchen as well, "I'll be gone for a bit."

"Sure." Reno grumped.

Axel snickered knowing Reno probably wouldn't even remember the exchange, his brother looked like he was already half way to sleep even as he warmed up something to eat. Ducking back outside he waved the bag of bakery goods at the blond slumped against the wall across from him, "Got 'em."

Outside they piled into Axel's thunderbird. The redhead idly remarked, "I'd rather have a Ferrari... or maybe a Lamborghini."

Roxas snorted, "Don't ask for much, do you?"

"I'd settle for a little more leg and head room." Axel replied dryly, then grinned at the small smile the blond cracked. "Anyway, help yourself. Demyx called while I was out getting them, so I figured I could share."

Roxas peered into the bag before making his selection, "You normally eat five donuts for breakfast?"

"Maybe." came the easy reply.

------

Back at home Roxas dug out a spare key and tripped into the front hall, shucking jacket and shoes as he went, "Home sweet home."

Axel laughed as he bustled in behind him, "Aw, I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

Roxas grunted dismissively, "The later part was fun, the earlier... Not so much." The blond headed up the stairs leaving Axel to shrug off his own jacket and shoes.

In his room he was digging out a change of cloths when Axel reappeared, "So, what's the game plan?"

Pausing, Roxas gave it some due consideration, "I think I'll have a shower."

Axel grinned wildly, "Procrastination then?"

"Avoid as much as possible." Roxas agreed. "Selphie's a horror about her party plans."

"Why do I get the feeling she's the reason behind most of the traditions I find this little circle of friends partaking in?"

"Probably because its true? Make yourself comfortable." With that the blond disappeared down the hall, leaving the redhead to his own devices.

------

Sometime later, squeaky clean once again Roxas drifted back into his room to find Axel sprawled on his bed with a certain stuffed partridge in his hands. The redhead was making faces at the poor fake bird. Roxas took the opportunity to comment blandly, "Should I leave you and Philbert alone?"

"Philbert?" Axel shot back, not at all perturbed by Roxas' insinuations.

"Better than Donald."

"Who wanted to name it Donald."

"Sora, of course." Roxas rolled his eyes and plucked Philbert from Axel's hands, and put the stuffed bird back on it's perch on his headboard.

"But it's not a duck!"

"That's what I told him."

"Eh, I think Philbert suits him." Axel patted the bird's head as he got up. "Ready to go then?"

"Yeah, I'm surprised Cloud hasn't called yet to complain."

------

Irvine lived on a several acre dairy farm outside the city by several miles. The house was a quaint two-story affair that went back in his family for generations, and as such as decorated with all kinds of cozy odds and ends that had been there for years. He'd inherited from his father after the old man had died a few years back, his mother having passed on when he was a little boy. Roxas had never really been out here, but he knew that Cloud had been once or twice due to the fact that Leon was a mutual friend between them. Selphie was an okay person as far as they were all concerned, just a tad over excitable and rash.

The long driveway was full of cars, and Axel just parked in the midst of it all. They trooped up to the front door, and knocked. It was answered by Demyx surprisingly, "Finally!" he huffed at the sight of them. "I was starting to think you'd gotten lost or something!"

Roxas snorted, "Was Cloud being a worrywart again?"

"Yes!" Demyx whined, letting them in. "I ended up having to take his phone from him to keep him from trying to hound you."

"I don't really get the point of this party, honestly." Roxas grumbled.

Demyx just shrugged, "You know Selphie... Any excuse to have a party."

Sighing Roxas glanced around looking for the aforementioned brunette. He spotted her talking animatedly to a dark haired girl, and a tall stern looking blond woman, "I'm going to go apologize for being late." Grabbing Axel's arm he tugged the redhead along behind him, "And introduce you since I don't think you've met a lot of these people except for briefly."

"Admit it," Axel cajoled. "You just want back up."

"That to." Roxas said blithely. "If nothing else I can use you as a meat shield."

"Don't worry, Roxie! I'll protect you!"

"Shut up, idiot!"

Selphie looked up at Roxas' exclamation and waited as the blond maneuvered his way over. While there really wasn't a huge crowd there, the rooms were small in that cozy farmhouse kind of way making it seem more cramped than it really was, "Roxie! Glad you could make it!"

Roxas smiled crookedly, "Yeah... Sorry about that. I got kidnapped by Larxene, Namine, Kairi, and Olette yesterday. My brothers had to call this idiot here to fetch me. I'm not sure if you've really met..."

He trailed off as Axel leaned over and passed him, "Yes, I rescued the fair princess from the band of horrible rogues! Name's Axel, got it memorized?" He cast a wink at the Selphie and her friends, tapping his temple meaningfully.

Roxas shoved at him, "Don't loom over me like that. And don't call me a Princess!"

Axel stepped back half a pace, lifting his hands apologetically. His expression was anything but, "Sure thing."

Selphie snickered, "I don't think you know my friends, Roxas. This is Quistis and Rinoa." She indicated the blond and the dark haired women respectively.

"Ah, the infamous youngest Strife." Rinoa said. Then looking at Axel she squinted, head tilted curiously, "You look familiar..."

"You met his older brother the other day." A monotone voice intruded as Leon stepped up beside her. "He was with Cloud and me when we picked up the take out."

"Ah! That explains it." she laughed.

"You've met Reno? Oh god, I apologize for whatever stupidity spewed from his mouth. He has a disease called Idiot Syndrome, you see."

Roxas scoffed, "It must be genetic then."

Axel pretended to stagger, gasping dramatically, "Roxaaas you wound me! Right here!" the redhead tapped his chest pointedly.

"I hurt your pecs...? Maybe thats just from your melodrama. You sure you didn't pull something?"

------

Roxas sought out Cloud next, and found his older brother talking to a tall man with long chestnut hair, "Cloud."

The older blond glanced at him, and waved him on over, "Thank you for retrieving him, Axel."

"No problem, man." Axel said, grinning.

The brunette gave them both a dazzling smile, "So you're Axel? I'm Irvine, pleasure to finally meet ya. Nice to see you again, Roxas." Irvine lifted his hand as though to tip a hat that wasn't perched on his head.

Roxas laughed lightly, "I didn't recognize you without that stupid hat."

Irvine looked despairing, "A man's hat is important!"

Before Roxas could reply Cloud said quietly, "By the way, Roxas, I've volunteered you to help Selphie out tomorrow. She has a few more boxes and things to get moved in, so you're going to be her slave for the day."

Roxas gave Cloud a wide eyed look, "But!"

"No buts, you've only yourself to blame."

"Axel enabled me!" Roxas shot back. Axel mouthed the word 'Traitor!' at the blond, but Roxas only smirked at him.

"Then he can help you." Cloud said coolly.

"Hey, hey, no getting me involved man." Axel complained.

"Mmm, I could always call Reno. We know how well he takes to being woken up."

Axel grimaced, "That's dirty." Because then Reno would call their Mother just to spite Axel and things would go down hill from there because, damn it, Mom was scary.

"Well, Selphie and I thank y'all for your help. Good friends are hard to come by, y'know?" Irvine commented with a charming smile as though he hadn't just watched the duo get blackmailed into volunteer work.

It certainly sealed the deal though. The two traded looks know they couldn't refuse. It was just asking for a guilt trip to say no after having someone say something like that to you.

"No problem, man," Axel said weakly.

"It's our pleasure," echoed Roxas.

------

Later Axel found Roxas hiding in a corner near the table laden with snack foods and a punch bowl or two. Sidling up to the sulky blond he offered, "C'mon, lets get out of here and commiserate our misery somewhere else."

"Sounds like a plan."

As they were leaving Axel caught Cloud's attention and pointed at the blond beside him followed by the door. Cloud just nodded and waved, before turning back to Sora as the brunette drew his attention. A short while later found Axel and Roxas sitting at a tiny cozy table in a little diner and cafe sort of establishment. The sign outside simply said 'Edea's House.' The woman behind the counter was a tall, willowy woman with long dark hair, a soft welcoming smile and gentle eyes. Roxas had to admit it was nice.

Axel poked morosely at his the slice of cherry pie he'd ordered before stuffing a forkful in his mouth, "So.. slavery."

"Eh, we'll live." Roxas muttered, forking up some of his own apple pie. "It could be worse, I suppose."

"Never say that before you're aware of how bad it is." Axel bemoaned.

------

After they'd eaten their pie, and downed cups of hot cocoa Axel dropped him off. The lights were on as he headed up the walkway, so he supposed that meant his brothers were already home. As he went in the door Sora bounced into the hall to greet him. Roxas jerked his coat off roughly, stifling a yawn. It'd been a long couple of days.

"Hey, Roxas... What's that?" Sora's voice drew him from his sleepy muddle, and Roxas glanced back to find a red envelope had fallen to the floor.

Frowning the blond picked it up and turned it over in his hands, "Where'd this...?" he glanced at Sora.

"It fell out of your coat pocket just now."

"Wonder how long its been there..." Opening the envelope he pulled out a, by now, very familiar card. Inside the familiar writing proclaimed:

Five golden rings,

Sweet and sticky, all around

For your enjoyment

Your Secret Santa

Roxas snorted softly, "Haiku? They must be getting bored..."

"Or just enjoying themselves."

"But, I don't get what they mean..." Then it hit him, and he grinned.