Words: 1105

See Chapter One for Standard Disclaimers/Warnings

A/N: Just the epilogue to go after this folks. It's sort, but its too the point. And really, what more could you ask for?

On the Twelfth Day....

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Sunday, January 5th

...Or, it's the grand finale! Let's try not to blow it.

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Axel's bad luck seemed to be following him. He'd stayed up late tearing apart the apartment in search of the missing eleventh card, and still hadn't located it. As a result Axel had slept in that morning, and only woke up when a bleary eyed Reno prodded him awake. When he realized the time Axel was up like a shot and running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

It was then that he realized he couldn't find the twelfth day card either. He knew he'd gotten enough, he could have sworn there had been twelve of them! He even remembered penning the usual silly poem into the eleventh. He'd been putting off the twelfth simply because he didn't have any idea what to write in it, but now it was gone as well. With a groan Axel sunk down onto one of the bar stools, and stared at the counter space where he could have sworn he'd left the cards.

"What's got you all mopey?" Reno grumbled as he puttered around the kitchen and tossed together a cup of coffee.

"Yesterdays card went missing, and todays is gone as well." Axel whined.

"Yeah, well if you don't get moving you'll be late to take your boyfriend to even see the twelfth day theme."

Axel jumped up like someone had attached springs to his feet and raced off to grab his coat, and keys. As Axel hurried out the door he called over his shoulder, "Look for that card for me, would you? And let me know if you find it!"

Reno snorted into his coffee, "Yeah, sure." he muttered, and walked over to the couch where he promptly flopped down. The redhead gave an exaggerated sigh of comfort, grabbed the remote, and flipped on the TV. He did so enjoy when he had the time to slack off!

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Every year the end of the New Years Fair was sent out with a bang. That bang just happened to come in the form of a New Years Parade that involved what Roxas considered to be a lot of crazy people being stupid, and marching around in the cold. He was normally dragged out there for the candy if nothing else, but this year his siblings had disappeared. Roxas wasn't at all surprised when Axel showed up to drag him out to it instead.

They arrived a few minutes late, and things were already underway. As such they found themselves weaving through the thick crowds, looking for a place that had a good enough view. Roxas scanned the crowds, peering around the people for open spaces. He spotted a gap in the crowds and grabbed Axel's sleeve, then tugged the taller man after him as he maneuvered his way there.

Floats shaped like characters, or just draped in decoration drifted by, surrounded by people on foot in wild costumes. Fancy cars carried by the important people of the city, and children squealed around them as candy and small things were passed (and tossed) out into the crowd. Well trained horses clopped down the thoroughfare, and Roxas recognized Ten Lord's among them. The haughty horse with his head held high, and his tail up, with an elegant high stepping prance. He spotted Irvine there as well riding on a large, placid looking bay near the back of the herd.

Not far behind the group of horses came a small pack of dogs, some of which their owners had seen fit to dress up accordingly. Among the people he spotted both Selphie and Rinoa, both with their respective canine companions: Angelo and Cerberus.

The rising crescendo of brass instruments announced the band section making its way down the route, and underlying the flying notes of the horns came the bone jarring rattle-thump of the drums. Roxas grinned wildly.

Axel sighed as the drums reminded him of his personal plight. He reached out and rested a hand on Roxas shoulder to draw the blond's attention, "Hey Rox..."

Roxas glanced back and up at him, "Yeah?"

"I gotta tell ya, today's card went missing to, and.."

Roxas cut him off, "It's fine Axel, you're the one who said holidays aren't all about gifts, remember?"

"Yeah, I just... I wish things could've gone right."

Roxas gave him an odd little smile, and turned back toward the marching band. As Axel looked back up he saw someone detach themselves from the group and jog over to them. To Axel's surprise the person (who he thought looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place name to face; though considering the wild blond hair and the tattooed face he felt he ought to be able to. He thought maybe his name was Zill, or something like that.) was carrying a familiar red envelope in their hand. They handed the card off to Roxas, and winked at the pair before hurrying off to catch up with their place in the parade.

Roxas opened the envelope and smirked at what he read before looking up at the befuddled red head, "What's it say?" Axel asked curiously.

Instead of handing the card over Roxas turned and reached up to grab Axel around the back of the neck and tugged the red head down into a kiss. Axel's hands immediately came up to clasp on Roxas' hips, his eyes wide in surprise at the bold move. However, at Roxas' insistent tug on his hair, and the pressure against his lips, Axel smiled into the kiss and promptly returned it. Someone nearby wolf whistled, and there were more than a few cat-calls and jeers, but the couple was lost to it all.

When they pulled apart Roxas held the card up so that Axel could read it:

For 12 days now by True Love

You have been thusly gifted

So now it's your turn

Grant Santa's wish

and give him a kiss.

Under that the card had been signed by what looked like all of their friends. From Larxene, to Reno, to the other Strife brothers, and Selphie, Irvine, and Rinoa. Some names he wasn't even sure he recognized.

Axel looked down at Roxas, taking note of the grin the blond was sporting, "You knew about this didn't you?"

Instead of answering Roxas just glanced across the street, and there among the crowd on the other side Axel could see a great deal of their friends. Larxene included with her ever present camera. They apparently noticed him looking because they waved cheekily back at him.

Axel just laughed, and pulled Roxas back in for another kiss, or maybe eleven, because wasn't twelve just a wonderful number?