{DISCONTINUED} Fire In The Streets ~ Axel x Reader (Kingdom Hearts)

Fire In The Streets ~ Chapter 1

Published: June 28, 2012

Edited: December 17, 2016

Dedicated to 12swimmergirl12, for telling me the plot of KH: 358/2 Days!  You rock!

  Seifer nearly toppled over as I jumped onto his back, my long brown hair swinging around and my sleeves riding up, revealing my pale skin.  "Get off me, lamer!" he yelled, trying to push me off.  I can't blame him, really.  People don't tend to suddenly jump onto each other in the Sandlot.

  "Don't yell at me, Seifer!" I complained as I slid off.  "This day's been bad enough as it is!"

  His rage faded away as he turned around and realized who had jumped on him.  "Raxmi, give me word of warning next time, alright?"

  "Yeah, yeah," I mumbled sadly, looking down at the ground.

  "Hey, stop pouting," he said, punched my shoulder cheerfully...well, as cheerfully as Seifer could be.  "You're too old for that now, Miss Seventeen-year-old.  Happy birthday!"

  "Sad?" Fuu said as she joined Seifer.

  Rai flexed his arms and nodded.  "You should be out celebrating.  Not moping, ya know?" he agreed.

  "Party," Fuu added.

  I smiled as Seifer let me jump onto his back again.  "You know I would if I could afford to do anything.  The only entertainment I have is you guys!"

  "'Entertainment'?" Seifer gasped, pretending to be offended.  "After years of friendship, is that all we are to you?"  That made me laugh.  Seifer always acts so tough around everyone, except with me.

  I suppose that's because we've been close friends, ever since he stopped another kid from beating me up when I was ten.  I'm practically a magnet for bullies - poor, smart, and unable to fight back.  The perfect target, right?  Luckily Seifer always chased them off before things got too bad.  Normally, people see him as a bully himself, but that really wasn't true.  A bully picks on the weak and kicks people when they're down.  Seifer picks on people equal to his own strength and refuses to hurt anyone who is unable to defend themselves.

  Call me cliche, but Seifer is like the older brother I never had.  See, I live alone with a father who does nothing but drink and watch TV.  I had to drop out of school when I was fourteen because my father only works when he has nothing better to do, and I couldn't get a scholarship.  So Seifer takes down notes in class, lets me help him with his homework, and explains the things he learned to me as best as he can - which isn't that well at all.  He and Rai and Fuu even loan me munny on occasion.  However, due to my feeling uncomfortable with other people's charity, and their determination to mould me into being self-sufficient, that doesn't happen very often.

  For the past few years, that system had been working fine.  But lately things have gotten worse.  My dad, who only earns just enough to pay the mortgage, told me this morning that I need to start paying for food and rent if I want to stay under his roof.

  Happy birthday to me.

  He says it's preparation for when I turn eighteen and move out, yet I know it's just his way of being cheap.  How can I support myself when I can't even find a job?  'It's so unfair,' I thought to myself.  'Those kids in Hayner's gang snag the jobs first! And just because I used to be bad, no one trusts me enough to give me a job.   I don't steal stuff anymore!  Well, rarely...'

  "Don't be so down!  We can help you out, ya know?" Rai said.

  "Problem?" Fuu asked.

  I decided I might as well tell them about the current situation.  "Well...I need a job, or my dad will kick me out.  But most -"

  "What?!" Seifer and Rai said.  Fuu just looked shocked.  "When the hell did he say that?" Seifer demanded.

  "Just this morning," I replied, absent-mindedly noticing how the leaf blowing along the ground matched my green eyes perfectly.  I was tempted to scoop it up and fix it in my hair.  "But you know how most people won't hire me because I used to steal..."

  Seifer let out a scornful laugh.  "Screw 'em, Raxmi!" he scoffed, shaking his head.  "Those losers don't know who you really are now."

  "I mean, there's that, and then the people who would give me a chance don't give me the job, because Hayner's gang always gets to them first."

  "What?!" Seifer yelled out and simultaneously let go of me, making be tumble onto the dusty ground with a thud.  "Careful!" I groaned, rubbing the point of impact on my hip.

  My complaints fell onto deaf ear; he narrowed his eyes threateningly in response to my previous statemtent.  "Those lamers have been getting in your way?" he repeaeted.  "Why didn't you tell me?"

  I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.  "I knew you'd get angry like this, then you'd want to go and fight them," I explained.  "I don't want people getting hurt, Seifer.  It's not like they intentionally go around Twilight Town trying to keep me unemployed."

  He grunted and started storming away, with Rai and Fuu following behind.  "Seifer, where are you going?" I asked warningly.  It was obvious my words hadn't eased his sense of justice at all.

  "To teach them a lesson," Seifer and Rai declared in unison.

  "Payback," Fuu chimed in, without turning around.  I jogged to catch up with them and grabbed Seifer's collar in an attempt to hold him back.  "Let go of me, Raxmi" he commanded.  "I'm head of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee.  If people are standing in the way of another person's well-being, you know it's my job to deal with them!  I can't slack off!"

  "Well, it's nice to know you're going after them just for me," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

  He shook me off easily and sprinted down the street.  "You've got the grip of a girl, Raxmi!" he yelled over his shoulder.

  "I am a girl!"

A/N:  Yay!  Finally posted it! :D  Yes, it's short, BUT I'd written quite a bit more.  I've decided to split it into two chapters, so Chapter 2 will be up soon!