Hello, remember me? I'm incredibly sorry that I haven't uploaded anything in months, I just lost the drive to write anything and then when I did start writing again I didn't want to upload it.

This isn't the start of regular updates, it's a one off, but I hope you enjoy it all the same.

Dateable

"I got stood up on a date and I'm trying to not let anyone find out because I'm super embarrassed so you felt bad and came over to pretend to be my date" AU.

'hi, it's sora :) just wondering where you are?'

Sora's phone made that annoying tapping sound as he typed out his message. He hated it, but didn't know how to turn it off. He took a deep breath before sending the text to his date. She was only 35 minutes late, it was fine, she'd arrive soon. She wasn't that late. He, himself, had been over an hour late for things before... but that was normally for things he didn't want to go to...

He stared at the text message until the tick appeared to say that the message had been received. He then locked his phone and dropped it on the white clothed table in one quick movement, wincing at the thump and rattle of cutlery that followed. Under the table, his leg was shaking.

After 20 minutes there was still no reply.

The other customers in the restaurant were slowly becoming aware of Sora's predicament. There were two water glasses on his table, one was still full, the condensation slowly trickling down the side of the glass, the other was empty. There was a menu in front of the empty seat opposite him. It was blatantly obvious that someone was meant to be joining him, but hadn't arrived yet.

Sora had been in the restaurant long enough to be present for a couple who arrived after him to finish their meals and leave before him. They'd sent him a pitying look before they left, fully wrapped up in each other.

The other diners were no longer completely oblivious to his distress as he ran his hands through his hair and eyed the door to the restaurant shiftily for the umpteenth time.

His waitress had come over on several occasions to ask if he was okay, if he wanted anything, another drink? some garlic bread maybe? Sora shook his head each time and said he'd wait until his date arrived.

"Maybe the traffic is bad." He'd told his waitress after her third attempt to get him some food.

The young woman had nodded at him with a kind smile. "Oh definitely," she'd said without even a hint of sarcasm, "I had a nightmare of time trying to get to work today. Don't worry Sir, she'll be here soon." They both knew that she was lying. Sora had never been more grateful for anything in his life.

He liked watching her work while waiting, watching the low lighting bounce against her red hair was more interesting and less worrisome than looking at his phone for a reply. He glanced at his phone one last time before stuffing it inside his jeans pocket and admitting defeat.

His shirt was getting more and more uncomfortable the more time that went on. He wasn't used to wearing one for extended periods of time and was only currently wearing one because he allowed Roxas to get him ready for his date. A load of good that turned out to be.

After just over an hour of waiting Sora realised that his date wasn't going to show. With this realisation, his cheeks flushed bright red and an unwanted heat surfaced along his body. By now the other customers had began to point him and the untouched glass of water opposite him out. He could hear snippets of conversation about him and felt like screaming for them to shut up about his business.

Sora went through his options mentally. He could just leave but he had to pay for the drinks, and his waitress' shift had ended ten minutes ago, a new one had yet to come over. He could call Roxas, but Sora had a feeling that he'd gone out somewhere with Axel since Sora wasn't at home for him to babysit..

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and used his other hand to rub his face, wondering how he could play this off without looking like he was stood up when someone sat down opposite him. "Sorry I'm late."

Sora's head shot up from his hand to look at the new arrival who was most certainly not his date, but his waitress. She had changed out of her work clothes and removed her hair from its ponytail but the same kind smile still adorned her face, "the traffic was awful." She winked as if sharing a personal joke. Which, Sora supposed, they were.

Sora looked at her as if she were an angel sent from the heavens, he'd just been sent a miracle in the form of this overworked, under paid waitress. But at the same time, a stranger had just sat down and started talking to him, which was slightly strange.

But he knew she was a waitress, surely the restaurant wouldn't employ a murder as a member of staff. Right?

Once nosey customers busied themselves with their own private lives Sora leaned across the table so he couldn't be heard by those on nearby tables, "what are you doing? Who are you?"

The waitress smiled, "I'm your date of course."

Sora shook his head in shock. "My date?"

"Yep. Not you actual date, obviously but...I thought...I don't know." Her smiled faded and Sora found himself wanting her to smile at him again. "I'm sorry. I can go if you want."

She picked up her bag and made to stand before Sora grabbed her hand urgently. He didn't want her to leave. "No! No, you can stay. I'd love for you to stay."

She looked at him with large blue eyes before setting down her bag again. She smiled shyly at him, "I've never really been on a date before." She laughed nervously, causing butterflies to take flight in Sora stomach. "But you looked so dejected...I couldn't just leave you here." The girl looked so genuinely upset on Sora's behalf that he wanted to see her smile again, wanted to be the reason that she smiled again.

"Wanna hear a joke?" He found himself asking as the girl stared forlornly at the full glass of water. She peered at him from behind full lashes, her pale cheeks flushed from embarrassment, and nodded. "An elf walks into a bar, the hobbit laughs and walks under it."

She blinked twice before a grin spread across her face, "you like Lord of the Rings?" She asked excitedly. "Aren't the hobbits just so adorable?!" Sora's own smile had grown wide at the name of his favourite movie series. His eyes lighting up like a child's on Christmas.

Slowly, over their food courses, a friendship was formed between the two young adults as they bonded over music, videogames, and movies. Before Sora knew it, it was the restaurant's closing time.

The two fell out of the restaurant doors, hanging off each other and laughing like drunks. They continued to the car park in the same manor before Sora stopped them by the drivers side door of his car. The waitress removed her arm from around Sora's shoulders and turned to face him. "Thank you." Sora told her softly, "not a lot of people would have done what you did."

She shook her head, "don't worry about it. I had fun in the end and whoever was supposed to be your date missed out on a good time." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small piece of folded paper, she read it over before handing it to Sora. "I'll see you around."

She turned to walk away, about to melt into the streets before Sora realised that he was missing a valuable piece of information about his new friend.

"Wait! What's your name?" Sora asked just as the girl began walking away. He was mesmerised by each step she took away from him.

"Look at your present to find out." She called over her shoulder before disappearing into the night, her foot steps becoming softer until Sora could no longer hear them.

He unravelled the piece of paper the girl had thrust into his hand.

I'm Kairi, it said in a neat script, a number written beneath the name, call me :)