Secret Santa

Secret Santa 2015 - for OnceUponThisTime (Part 2/3)

Neighbor!AU Roxas/Reader

You were taking a walk. It had snowed, but you had to return a pan from the holidays to your neighbor across the street and a few houses down.

You got all bundled up and stepped out into the white-blanketed world. The air was cold, and the light bounced off of the snow. You squinted your eyes, pulled your scarf up over your mouth and trudged out into the cold.

In the yard of the house next to your destination, you saw your neighbors, Sora and Roxas playing in the snow. They looked like they had tried to build a snowman, but judging by the sad, fallen lump of snow, the snow wasn't very good for packing and they had given up on it. Now, they were running around, laughing and trying to pelt each other with snowballs.

You crossed the street and walked past their house, greeting them and wishing them a Happy New Year as you passed by. You were walking across their driveway, behind Sora, and he turned to wish you the same thing.

Roxas, however, was throwing a snowball at Sora at the exact moment that he had moved to acknowledge you, and the snowball ended up nailing you in the face. You were so surprised that the force of the snowball knocked you off of your feet, causing you to land on your butt and the pan to go flying through the air, clattering to the asphalt.

It was cold and wet and some of the snow flaked off and fell into your coat, spreading the cold.

"Roxas, what the heck?!" Sora shouted, running over to see if you were okay.

"Ah!!! Oh no, I'm so sorry!" Roxas said, suddenly realizing what he had done.

"No, I'm fine, you just surprised me, that's all," you said, trying to be casual and prevent any arguments that might be brewing. Sora helped you up and retrieved your pan, while Roxas brushed the snow off of your face and coat, "Oh, um, you really don't have to do that-"

He was wiping some of the melting snow away from under your eyes and on your cheeks.

"I did just hit you pretty hard with a snowball, [Name]," he said, patting your face with his gloves, trying to soak up some of the water before it froze to your face. "...Let's get you a towel, too, my gloves can't absorb any more water," he invited you into his house.

"I've got your pan, [Name]," Sora reassured you, following you and Roxas into the house.

"Oh, thanks! I was taking it to Xion's mom next door but I got kind of-"

"Surprise attacked?" Sora suggested, snickering.

"Are you ever going to let me live this down?" Roxas groaned, tossing you a towel and taking the pan from Sora. "I'm gonna wash this for you [Name]."

It did kind of fall in the gross, salty road slush, so it did need washing. That was pretty nice of him. Sora looked outside one more time before closing the door.

"I guess we're done outside today, huh [Name]?"

"I think I've had enough snow for today," you agreed, laughing.

"I have to go change out of these snow pants, so I'll see you later," Sora said, walking up the steps to his room and waving at you.

"Oh, yeah, I bet they're really warm! I'll see you!" you returned, then joined Roxas in the kitchen. He was standing at the sink, drying off the pan, and turned to acknowledge you when you sat down at the kitchen counter.

"I really am sorry, [Name]," he said, walking over to you and setting down the pan on the counter.

"It's really fine, it was just cold and I wasn't expecting it."

"Does anyone really expect that?"

"Maybe someone actively participating in a snowball fight?"

"I guess," he conceded, wiping off a little droplet of water above your eyebrow that you had missed. Your faces were awfully close together, much closer than you had thought. The proximity surprised you, and apparently Roxas too, because when your eyes met, they both widened in shock.

"Uh, well I told Xion I'd bring her pan back to her, so I guess I should head out," you said, catching the edge of the pan in your fingers and pulling it across the counter to you.

"Oh, yeah, she's probably expecting you, then," Roxas agreed, taking a step back. "I still feel really bad about that snowball, [Name], I-"

You kissed him on the cheek and sauntered out of his house, with a cheery "don't worry about it" and a "see you later."

He was stunned, only moving to place his hand on his cheek in the spot that you had kissed him.

When Sora came back downstairs to tell him he'd invited some friends over, Roxas was still standing in the kitchen, reeling from your little peck.