"Sora? Come on, just pick something already." Kairi begged as she waited outside the dressing room.
"Ok, last one I promise!" Sora said before he stepped out in a nice button up white shirt with a casual grey suit jacket top made to fold just below the elbows in a playful and stylish manner.
"Oh Sora!" Kairi stood up. "That one is perfect!" The redhead smiled proudly.
"You aren't just saying that so I'd be done already?" Sora asked as he turned around several times in front of the mirror.
"Surprisingly no! This time I mean it; you should definitely get it." Kairi nodded in affirmation.
"I, I really like it." Sora ran his fingers down the crisp top and partially onto his dark skinny blue jeans.
"You know who's going to love it more?" Kairi asked teasingly with a wink.
"You think he will?" Sora gulped shyly.
"Oh I know he will. He's liked you for a really long time Sora." Kairi patted Sora's back, knowing he was nervous.
"I've liked him since middle school. Now that I know he likes me too, I feel like I don't know him at all." Sora sighed in frustration.
"That's ridiculous. He's the same old Riku that we've always known and loved, so just be the same Sora that we all adore and I know he'll be more than happy." Kairi said cheerfully.
"I sure hope so. I don't know why I'm so nervous. I think part of me is scared to act like I know him so well because if I get cocky then I'm more likely to mess up; but then what if I act too much like a different person and then Riku stops liking me?!" Sora panicked as Kairi giggled.
"Just be you, silly." Kairi said.
"I am me, I'm just nervous." Sora let out a disappointed breath.
"Hey, it's your first date with your very best friend. It's natural to feel a bit of butterflies." Kairi held Sora's hand.
"It's more than just that. I've been so happy to be his best friend and now that I get a chance to be more," Sora paused to think. "I'd kill myself if I screw it up." The brunette frowned.
"You'll be fine. Riku knows you better than anyone just as you know him better than anyone, so there's no need to be shy." Kairi said before Sora changed back into his clothes, made his purchase, and walked home.
"Good luck Sora, and have fun!" Kairi waved goodbye as she went on her way.
"Thanks Kairi, bye!" Sora waved back before he went inside his house.
The brunette boy took the tag off his new jacket before he put on the new shirt and began styling his hair.
"Just one hour to kill before the date officially begins." Sora said calmly before his mother called him downstairs in a hurry.
"What is it?" Sora ran downstairs before he saw his mom in the kitchen with her hands full of baking ingredients.
"Can you mix the cake batter while I try to start the frosting?" His mom asked as Sora sighed.
"I'll have to leave right after cause I have stuff to do before the date." Sora informed his mother.
"It'll only take a moment." His mother responded.
"Fine." Sora said, not particularly wanting to bake but his situation got even worse when he accidentally turned the electric mixers on their highest setting, causing chocolate batter to splatter all over his face, shirt, and hair.
"Ah!" Sora freaked out as he turned the mixers off and stood in a state of shock.
"Oh Sweetie, you should go shower," Sora's mom said delicately.
"I have to leave in ten minutes to pick up the flowers, go to the arcade and win Riku the teddy bear and then meet Riku at the restaurant!" Sora whined.
"What teddy bear?" Sora's mom asked before Sora plopped on a chair and slumped his face on the table.
"The one from our inside joke. I have to win it but I suck at the game so I need time for a dozen tries. And there's the flowers and then I have to show up ten minutes before the reservation just in case," Sora rambled hopelessly.
"Just put a jacket over the shirt and wash your face with a wash cloth." Sora's mother shrugged.
"I can't believe this would happen to me today, of all days!" Sora whined before he ran upstairs and cleaned his face as best he could. He threw on his new jacket over his still stained shirt and ran towards the door.
"Be safe, have fun, oh wait Sora!" His mother called as Sora dashed to escape.
"No time!" Sora called back.
"But sweetie," Sora's mother stopped but gave up with a shake of the head as Sora opened the door and accidentally stepped on his own skateboard before he tripped on his face.
"Waaaaaooooffff!" Sora yelped before he face-planted on concrete. "Ow," Sora groaned as he slowly stood up, rubbed his head and put a finger delicately on his cut lip. He licked the small trace of blood before he sighed and continued on his way.
He knew it made more sense to pick up the flowers last, so that they would remain watered and fresh, but given the flower shop location and the restaurant's location, Sora didn't have much of a choice as he purchased a dozen white roses. He and Kairi both thought that a first date was too soon for red roses, and Sora loved Riku's silver hair and found white to thusly be an appropriate color. He took the bouquet and walked for fifteen minutes to the usual weekend carnival, looking around the arcade and admiring the vendors with their games and colorful prizes. The most special to the brunette was the basketball booth that had a bunch of different sized stuffed animals ranging from tiny ones that could fit in a single hand, to a single teddy bear that was so big, Sora knew he couldn't carry it alone. That particular bear was special because of all the times he and Riku would try to win it and fail, but Sora planned on winning it today no matter how long or how much it cost him. He wanted to prove to Riku, who played on the high school basketball team, that he too could get a perfect score and win the one giant teddy bear that was just as tall and three times as wide as the brunette himself.
Sora walked up to the familiar booth, immediately frowning when he realized that the main attraction was missing.
"Excuse me, but, where's the giant bear?" Sora asked the man behind the stand.
"I'm sorry but some kid just won it less than an hour ago. He was real excited, and since he's my first customer to win it, I can't blame him. I'll place an order for another one to see if anyone can compete and match his perfect score."
"Oh," Sora frowned.
"Maybe by next weekend." The man tried to smile but Sora continued to look at his shoes.
"Thanks." Sora tried to remain polite.
"How about the monkey? He's the next biggest prize." The man smiled wide.
"I don't know; it's not the same," Sora began.
"Better than nothing." The man shrugged cheerfully. Sora nodded, realizing that any present was better than no present. Sora set the roses down on the counter before he paid the man and picked up a mini basketball, eyeing the hoop before he inhaled deep, took the shot, and missed.
"Dammit!" Sora became frustrated when twenty minutes and ten dollars later he was still far from winning.
"Look, I feel bad that I don't have the giant bear, and you've already earned the monkey, so go ahead." The man gave a friendly smile but Sora bit his lip.
"I, I appreciate the generosity but if it's all the same to you, I want to win it, fair and square." Sora said back.
"Of course." The man smiled and watched as Sora gave it another three attempts.
"Well, I've got two tokens left," Sora frowned, knowing that his day so far had been nothing but bad luck. He took the basketball once more, knowing he needed to make two perfect shots in the top hoop consecutively in order to win the monkey. After he made the first shot, he exhaled a deep and focused breath, knowing that he wanted this monkey more than anything to show Riku that he at least tried. To his own surprise, Sora made the basket, took the monkey, and smiled as he walked with his plush primitive prize in one hand and a dozen roses in the other to the restaurant.
"Just fifteen more minutes and then I'll be enjoying my first date!" Sora squealed to himself as he walked happily down the street, not even caring about his stained shirt, his still chocolate infused hair, the cut on his lip, and his monkey prize as an alternative to the bear. Things were going well as the sun was bright and the breeze was refreshing, although Sora was beginning to worry about the wilting flowers due to the summer heat and his extensive attempt to win the damn monkey. The brunette put the flowers under a tree in the park that led to the restaurant as he quickly bought a bottle of water from a hot dog vendor. He took a few sips before he returned to the roses and splashed some water on the stems and sprinkled some drops on the buds. That's when Sora noticed a bee in one of the rose buds.
"Shoo!" Sora swatted the bee, taking pride in his defense for his crush's flowers. "That's better." Sora stood up, free from the bee, or so he thought. He took a step forward before two bees flew around his face, causing him to flail his arms about wildly, trying to shake them off. Before he knew it, Sora heard several bees and realized that a small hive was lodged into the tree above him.
"Oh shit," Sora sighed before countless bees attacked around him. "No! Stop! Go away!" Sora used the roses as a weapon as he swung the dozen white beauties around his body and face, hitting the insects repeatedly as he ran away from the hive. "Ow!" Sora shouted, knowing he had been stung at least two or three times. He was able to run and swing fast enough to eventually shake off the bees, but when Sora was able to catch his breath, he noticed how nearly all of the flowers were dead or missing altogether.
"DAMMIT!" Sora squeezed the stems in his hand as he growled. Two roses were nothing more than stems as the buds had been sacrificed in the intense battle; six roses were down to their last four or five petals; another three roses were wilted and already flopping over, too weak to stay up, and one last rose remained in tact, although just barely.
"Maybe I should just throw the rest away?" Sora asked himself as he stared at the one decent bud. He sighed, too lazy to find a trash can as he back tracked towards the restaurant, since his panic caused him to run in the opposite direction. He thought to himself how horrible the day had been, with the chocolate, the face-plant and lip cut, the monkey, and now the flowers. He didn't think it could get worse and he was thankful that he had less than three minutes to meet Riku when he felt the monkey tug his hand down.
Sora quickly turned to the side to see a stray dog gnawing on the monkey.
"Hey! Stop that! This is Riku's monkey and I won it, fair and square." Sora lectured as he pulled the monkey.
The dog growled as he tugged harder.
"Give it back!" Sora tensed his body as he yanked as hard as he could, playing tug of war with a stray dog. "No! You'll rip it! Please, stop!" Sora begged as he heard the monkey's arms begin to give way. "Mine!" Sora yelled before he successfully pulled the monkey away from the dog, which only forced the brunette to fall on his ass. The dog sprinted away as Sora grimaced, his butt sore from the hard pavement. "Dumb dog," Sora muttered as he looked at the damaged monkey.
"Oh no," Sora whispered as he stared at the slobbery and torn stuffed animal. "It's all wet and gross and ripped, just like the awful flowers." Sora frowned.
He sniffled, hating how horrible the day had been, hoping it would only get better, knowing it couldn't get worse.
He was wrong.
Just before Sora could stand up, a speeding car darted through a puddle and soaked the brunette from head to toe, forcing Sora to just sit there and take the wave of dirty polluted gutter curb water in his hair, on his face, on his clothes, and even in his shoes.
"Eh," Sora whimpered, trying to hold in tears to the most absolutely horrible day of his life. "Why?!" Sora cried into his hands, still clinging onto the monkey and the roses as his phone went off.
Sora did his best to swallow his tears and hide all traces as he gulped.
"Hello?" he cleared his throat.
"Hey, you ok?" Riku asked over the phone.
"Um," Sora thought for a moment. Would it be best to just cancel and reschedule? True he had been looking forward to the day for a week, ever since they planned it, but now Sora knew he couldn't possibly face Riku like a soaked and dirty mess.
"What's wrong?" Riku asked so Sora sighed.
"Today's been pretty rough." Sora wiped his eyes with his drenched sleeve.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Don't worry, I'll make sure the rest of you day is," Riku stopped randomly, causing Sora to blink in confusion.
"Riku?" Sora asked into the phone.
"What happened to you?" Riku asked and Sora titled his head, unsure what Riku meant until he realized that Riku was sitting on the curb beside him.
"Riku!" Sora gasped in an embarrassed shock.
"Are you ok? You're wet…and sitting on a curb…" Riku didn't know what else to say so he looked to Sora, waiting for an explanation.
"Well, I fell and a car splashed me and I just had a rough day," Sora began to sniffle with watering eyes.
"I'm so sorry to hear that." Riku frowned. "Come on, let's go to my house. You can shower and change into something dry and then we can get take out or something."
"But what about the reservation?" Sora asked as Riku gave him a hand up to his feet.
"Don't worry about it. You must be cold now that it's getting late and the wind is picking up." Riku took off his jacket and placed it around Sora's shoulders.
"Th-thank you, Riku." Sora smiled as they walked silently walked side by side for a few minutes.
"So, you just tripped off of the sidewalk and fell into the puddle?" Riku asked, looking at the deformed stuffed monkey in one of Sora's hand and a pathetic bundle of rose stems and a single rose in the other hand.
"No, I was trying to get a dog to stop eating your monkey and when I ripped it out of the dog's mouth I fell backwards and then a car sped by and splashed me by accident." Sora said as Riku nodded.
"Ok, um, what do you mean by my monkey?" Riku had to ask.
"Oh, yeah, this." Sora held up the monkey to give to Riku. "I can understand if you don't want it; trust me I wouldn't blame you. It's all wet and slobbery now, but I won it for you at the arcade." Sora said.
"Sora, that's so sweet of you." Riku stopped walking for a brief moment to thank the brunette properly. "I love it. Thank you for keeping it safe for me. That's very brave of you." Riku smiled.
"Well then, these are for you too," Sora blushed as he held up the sad excuse for a bouquet of roses.
"Did the dog go after these too?" Riku had to ask due to the unsightly appearance.
"Bees," Sora nodded honestly.
"Bees?" Riku asked in disbelief.
"Mhm, a whole hive." Sora nodded again.
"So a dog attacked you for my monkey, and the bees ambushed you for my rose…ez?" Riku tried to make sense of it all, forgetting to pluralize the roses as there was at least evidence of there once having been more than just one.
"Not in that order, but yes." Sora said.
"You really did have a rough day," Riku chuckled lightly.
"I tried to save them, I'm sorry I couldn't. I got stung like three or four times in the process. I'm sorry I couldn't save them all." Sora frowned.
"Are you kidding me?" Riku asked with a scoff. "You stood up to a swarm of bees and instead of throwing the flowers to lose the bees, you kept them so that you could give them to me. Sora, that's the bravest and sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me. You fought for me, for my roses. And as if that wasn't enough, you didn't back down when a wild dog attacked you for my monkey that you worked hard to get for me. I couldn't be more proud to call you my boyfriend." Riku hugged Sora close and then released his grip as Sora gulped nervously.
"We're…., I'm….., you called me your boyfriend," Sora said with all the butterflies that could occupy his stomach, and more.
"Yeah, I did." Riku smiled as he held Sora's fingertips in his.
"Thank you," Sora smiled.
"For what?" Riku asked curiously.
"For being patient and understanding. I, I had planned out my outfit, the flowers, the prize, everything; but then everything today got ruined and I just feel awful about it." Sora whispered sorrowfully as they neared Riku's house.
"Nothing is ruined. It's ok." Riku said encouragingly. "What happened to your lip? You got a cut right in the middle. Did someone hit you?" Riku asked protectively as Sora shook his head.
"I tripped on my skateboard when I walked outside my front door and fell on my face." Sora said simply as Riku nodded with confused eyes.
"Damn. You really are a magnet for such things, huh?" Riku chuckled, but Sora didn't find it half as amusing.
"I don't think it's funny." The brunette said shyly.
"I, I didn't mean to laugh. I just think it's cute. Like the monkey." Riku tried to hold up the monkey to smile and save the conversation.
"You weren't even supposed to get the monkey." Sora frowned. "I wanted to win you that big giant teddy bear we've always failed at winning, but someone beat me to it." Sora said as Riku unlocked his front door.
"You mean, this giant teddy bear?" Riku asked with a smile as he opened the door and let Sora walk in first to see said stuffed animal occupying half of the couch with a dozen red roses in its massive paws.
"It was you?!" Sora asked in utter surprise as Riku smiled wide.
"I wanted to give you something special." Riku shrugged.
"The roses are beautiful!" Sora smelled each one individually. "I promise I'll get you new ones," Sora began but Riku shrugged as he stood beside the brunette.
"I like mine how they are." Riku said gently.
"Riku you don't have to pity or humor me." Sora grumbled.
"Who said I was doing that?" Riku scoffed. "I get to look at my roses and be reminded that my caring boyfriend fought for me, and defended me. I couldn't ever ask for more." Riku said as Sora blushed.
"I, I just want to show you I care about you." Sora gulped.
"I know you do. I've been hiding my crush on you since we were little kids playing together. Now I get to look at you," Riku paused, "And see you as more than a friend." Riku smiled as Sora bit his lip through a smile.
"That's very sweet of you, Riku." Sora hugged Riku.
"Only because you're very sweet to me, Sora." Riku squeezed the brunette, reminded of just how wet his clothes were.
"Woops! I'm so sorry!" Sora rushed to take a few steps back. "I should change and get into clothes that aren't going to ruin your clothes or your carpet." Sora scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Oh, don't worry about it." Riku smiled back.
"Maybe you should call the pizza first, so that it'll be here soon after I'm out." Sora suggested as Riku nodded.
"So, you want to watch a movie?" Riku asked after he hung up with the pizza delivery man.
"Or, we could talk," Sora shrugged, trying to look indifferent, but failing. "You know like if this was a real date at the restaurant and we'd be talking," Sora continued as Riku folded his arms.
"So this isn't a real date?" Riku titled his head curiously.
"Oh I mean it is, it's just," Sora scratched his head nervously. "I just feel bad I messed things up." Sora whispered.
"I told you that's not true. Here, why don't you go shower and change? I'll give you some spare clothes to wear while I throw your clothes in the wash." Riku said as he led Sora to the bathroom.
"Thanks Riku." Sora smiled until Riku let out a random laugh. "What?" Sora asked, offended.
"You left the tag on." Riku walked up to the stained shirt and plucked the tag off.
"Woops." Sora said aloud.
"What are the brown spots?" Riku asked curiously.
"Chocolate. I was helping my mom bake a cake and I accidently got chocolate everywhere." Sora said as he began to unbutton the dirty shirt.
"You would." Riku chuckled.
"It's not funny!" Sora pouted.
"It is cute." Riku winked before he shut the door to the bathroom. Sora gulped before he stripped and entered the shower, thinking about what the rest of the date had in store. It was weird, to be at his very best friend's house for the millionth time, yet something about it felt like his first time. He had been in that shower before, had countless sleepovers and play dates growing up in Riku's home, just as Riku had had many trips to Sora's house, but now there was an element of newness and foreign affection that made Sora so nervous, he rushed to shower.
"The pizza will be here in about five more minutes." Riku said, trying to hide his nerves as Sora made his way into the living room.
"The table looks great." Sora smiled shyly as he admired the roses on the table and freshly lit candles.
"Thanks," Riku coughed before he pulled a chair out for Sora.
"Thank you." Sora bowed his head as he took the seat and Riku pushed the chair in.
"So, what do you want to talk about?" Riku asked as he sat down.
"Um, how was your day?" Sora asked nervously, not sure how to transition from best friends to boyfriends.
"It was good, and now it's amazing." Riku smiled before he answered the door for the pizza. The two ate in an awkward silence before Riku coughed."You know, we can still talk like friends until it becomes natural." Riku shrugged.
"Yeah, ok." Sora nodded. The two laughed about summer memories and planned adventures for the last few weeks of freedom before it was time for Sora to go home.
"I'll walk you home, since the teddy bear is pretty big." Riku offered before the two walked side by side under the neighborhood lights.
Riku carried the giant teddy bear on his back as Sora carried his flowers. The two talked about their expectations of junior year in high school before they stood in front of Sora's door.
"Thanks for walking me home and carrying my teddy bear." Sora blushed lightly.
"No problem. I had a good time." Riku handed Sora the bear.
"Me too. I had an amazing time too." Sora bit his smile, looking at his shoes.
"Um," Riku coughed lightly. "I'll call you this weekend and maybe we can hang out." Riku suggested.
"Sounds great." Sora nodded enthusiastically.
"Ok, cool. I'll see you later." Riku hugged Sora.
"Bye Riku." Sora hugged his new boyfriend's back.
Riku cleared his throat once more and nodded before he took a step back. He lingered for a bit as Sora stood, unsure what to say or do until Riku shook his head, kissed Sora's cheek, waved, and left. Sora blushes as he put a hand to his cheek and watched as Riku walked down the street. The silverrete turned around and waved happily before Sora jumped up and waved as wildly as he could. When he brunette finally dragged the teddy bear into his room, he shut the door and let out a happy sigh as he threw his body on his bed. He inhaled deep before his phone went off.
"Kairi? Oh my god! You would not believe everything that happened to me today!"
Author's Note: Just a cute little story that highlights the transition of going from best friends to a relationship. Wish I could say this happened to me, but my bff switched her orientation after only a week so I guess I wrote this as a way to release how I wish it could have been. Anyway, I really hope you liked this cute story. Poor Sora, everything went wrong with his bad luck but in the end, he gets not just 'the guy' but the best guy, his Riku.
There will not be another chapter, since this is just supposed to be a one chapter one hit deal.
I have tons of other KH yaoi, check it out!
Living Legacy, Silent Sacrifice, Sarabellum