One Wish

Chapter 3 – Anti-Clause

xXx

"This isn't working, This isn't working at all, Hayner."

"You're getting some money out of it. It's just for a little while anyways. You'll get a good job. You'll save up enough to save your bro."

The two were sweeping the straw up from around the chair the Santa sat in with all the little kids getting their picture. Roxas had met the younger blonde while working in the Village with him and they had become half-way friends. Roxas wouldn't be invited over after work, he knew, but he enjoyed talking to Hayner about what was going on. Hayner was well-off enough, but not enough for Roxas to stay with him. Working in the Village was just something Hayner had to do after school.

"If I don't get fired from here first. I threw a candy-cane at some dude a few days ago. I'm pretty sure he was a pedo, though, so, I'm glad he left. Went on about some evil brother Santa had. Total bullshit."

The younger blonde stopped sweeping, looking down on the elder. "Santa's evil brother? You mean Anti-Clause? Who eats people? Eat the bad people by coming down their chimneys to grab them and haul them back up?" Roxas raised an eyebrow, shrugging.

"I dunno. I wasn't paying much attention. He was scary. I think he was a little insane. The way he was talking, it sounded like he was trying to say it was him that was this ... Anti-Clause dude." Roxas didn't stop in his sweeping, not really wanting to talk about the stranger from before. He still got shivers thinking about what the elder had said. He didn't even notice the expression of awe overtaking Hayner's face.

"Man, do you know how cool it would be if it wasn't him trying to scare the shit outta ya? He only goes after bad people, ya know, so, I would be okay. It'd be cool!"

Roxas gave a brave smirk to hide how horrifying a thought it was to even contemplate Anti-Clause being a real thing. "Why, so that way you could believe in the Easter Bunny and Cupid too? You're so gay, Hayner. Just get back to work. I don't wanna spend my night doing this shit." Hayner huffed, obviously offended by the insults Roxas threw at him.

"Why, it's not like you've got anywhere to go."

It was below the belt. A million miles below the belt. But that didn't stop the teen that could hardly be called s friend. Roxas froze at the words. Hayner tried desperately to take the words back but it was no use.

"Just shut up, Hayner. You don't know jack shit. You just finish here. I'll go check on the Toy Shop scene.

"Roxas, wait, I'm really sorry!"

"I bet you are, Hayner. I'll see you tomorrow."

Roxas made his way to the Toy Shop, not really feeling like doing much to the place. Thankfully not much needed doing, though that was a curse in its own. It meant more time thinking about the possibilities. Hayner could be right and the redhead could really be the so-called 'Anti-Clause' or he himself could be right and the stranger could be an escaped mental patient. Either way, Roxas didn't want to think about him.

He didn't want to think about the way those eyes seemed to see right through him but also saw him for him, not some pathetic kid that couldn't even provide for or protect his baby brother. He didn't want to think of that slim waist; that smooth voice; those vibrant spikes; those perfect lips.

Roxas had to shake his head to get his thoughts away from the redhead. That was the last thing he wanted to think about. But the more he tried not to, the more he thought about the stranger. He eventually realized it was pointless to waste energy on trying to stop them, so he let the thoughts wash over him. It was crazy to lust over someone he would never see again.

So it was with thoughts of the insane redhead that smelled too sweet that Roxas snuck his way back home, hoping his dad had accidently left the door open while he was sprawled, passed out on the couch.

xXx

Axel really wasn't in the mood. He wasn't in the mood to be following his list while looking for that one person that would adore him. But he figured that while he was killing his mom or dad, little Jimmy would find some sort of adoration for him.

He laughed at the thought.

I'm a goddamn monster. Easy as that. Man, maybe Marluxia was right. Tossing the words from his mind, Axel carved a hole in the window screen barring entry into the room he had his eyes set on. After ridding the window of the screen, he forced one leg through the space, pressing up on the remaining frame to make a wider gap for himself.

There was a dog at the foot of the bed but it didn't even so much as move, eyeing the intruder, knowing instinctively that something bad was about to happen. Throwing the mutt a dog biscuit, Axel creeped over to the bed, gazing at the list in his hand while using some of the moon light filtering in to read his brother's messy scrawl. "Xaldin? Jeez, I've been meaning to get you for years. You're a bad egg, you are." The words echoed through the bedroom, causing the woman next to Axel's target to begin to stir. "Now, now, that just won't do. You've been a royal bitch yourself, Larxene, but I don't think you've earned yourself death."

The woman groaned in the darkness, looking around, not able to see the figure at the foot of her bed. She sat up and the moment she did so, Axel back-handed her, sending her back into unconsciousness. The sound woke the black-haired man with a start, just at the time that Axel was shifting up the bed, trapping the hulking man below him with powerful arms.

"Eww, such a hairy beast you are. C'mon, hulk. You're coming with me now." Axel hoisted the man out from under him, pulling him up onto his shoulder, kicking and screaming. "No, we just can't have that. Be quite." A hand went back and clenched around the man's throat, easily crushing it between powerful fingers. One last squawk left the brute before he fell limp, dead on Axel's back. "Hmm, now, where to dump you? I vowed I wouldn't be back until I was adored, so, we'll just have to dump you in some river somewhere." Axel licked his lips. "What the heck am I talking about? I'm starved!"

Moving over to the window he had broken in through, Axel began shoving the massive bulk out through the small space, scowling when he found resistance. Using his shoulder, he forced Xaldin's body out through the space, splintering the sill and popping one of the man's arms out of place. The body tumbled to the ground, a sickening crunch resounding as it hit the ground two stories below. Axel followed it as quickly as he could so as to not attract any attention from any of the surrounding neighbours.

Axel had to think for a moment where he would be able to eat his meal in peace as he wasn't able to go back to his regular dining area. Finally he decided on the Santa's Village he had come across the other day, purely for the irony and as a little "I'm still better than you" at his brother. As he suspected, it was deserted. Or at least he thought it was until he could hear someone breathing only a little ways away. Someone had fallen asleep while cleaning up the manger scene.

The redhead recognized the sleeping elf to be the one that he had told everything to the week prior, the one that hadn't believed a word he had said. Something lighted in his chest and he had a strong urge to go over there and wake the boy but he thought better of it. It wouldn't do to disturb the teen while he held a dead man over his shoulder. So he just went to the other end of the village to eat his meal. It was only when he was finished that Axel went back to see the blonde. He just stood there, watching the stranger rock back and forth on his broom, somehow managing to stay upright.

A definite winter chill had moved into the night air and the last thing Axel wanted was for the boy to catch a cold. "Hey elf!" He called out, loud enough to wake the boy as he hid behind a scene. For some reason, he didn't want to be seen.

"Hmm? Wha-? Ohfuck." The boy came into consciousness with a groan, realizing he had fallen asleep and no one had come to get him. "Assholes," he hissed, throwing his broom down, stomping passed the hiding spot Axel had chosen. The redhead wanted to grab the boy and pull him close but somehow he resisted the urge. Which was something, considering he usually did whatever he felt like, without hesitation. A shiver went through the hiding monster but he dismissed the feeling as soon as he felt it.

xXx

To Be Continued

xXx

Okay, so Axel is kinda nuts, but what do you expect? He kills people for a living. :D

~xbuttonsx~