It was weird. He'd heard these words before. He was sure.
-- -- --
"Guys! Let's play a game!"
"'Kay... What?"
"Knights and Princess."
"That's a new one."
"How do you play?"
"You two are the knights. I'm the princess! Rescue me!"
"Wait! Don't run so fast!"
"She's not running that fast, come on, keep up! I'll race you to her rescue!"
"You're on!"
-- -- --
"Hey. Let's play a game."
He swallowed hard. "Okay. What?"
She harshly grabbed the other boy's arm. "Knight and Princesses."
"That's different. How do you play?"
"You're the knight. We're the princesses."
"Kairi, I--"
"You can only rescue one of us."
"Come on, Kairi, don't make me--"
"Choose." She demanded, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Kairi, I can't chose between my best friend and the one I love. It's impossible!" He pleaded.
She shook her dainty head. "You're asking me to do the impossible to accept this..." she murmured. "... Choose!"
"I can't!" The boys shared a desperate look.
"Fine!" She cried. "Then tell me one thing." She let go of the arm she'd bruised with her grasp. "Who is the best friend, and who is your love?" Her anger filled eyes were glistening spitefully with the tears of despair. She was clinging to the last twinkling of hope.
"You... are the best friend. I love Sora." Riku conceded, looking anywhere but at her.
She growled. "No." She cried, hitting him square in the chest. "That's not fair. You can't. I love him too! We're meant to be!"
The smaller boy spoke for the first time. "Kairi, please, try to understand!"
She wheeled around, smacking him harshly across the face. "No! All of these years I've been trying. Trying so hard to get you to notice me. And yet you'd rather notice a bozo of your own gender! I can't understand! I've used up all my will to try trying to get you to love me! Why him? Why not me, Sora?"
Sora's own tears began to fall. Riku reached out, grabbing Sora's hand, and pulled him to his chest, where the younger boy began to sob quietly.
"I see then. You've made your choice. I hope you both are so happy in the future." Kairi said, wiping her eyes angrily. She turned on her heel, and headed away from the beach where they used to play so often. As she hit the pavement, she turned, looking at them longingly. "I just wanted to be rescued..."
A/N: As much as it pains me to write Rikora at all, this little plot bunny wouldn't damn well let go of my brain before I wrote it down. So I did. And know I find myself coughing up a choking bile every time I think about it.
Of course, I'm elaborating. I really don't mind Rikora, it's just waaaay down on my list.
Thanks for reading!
*siagr; - Kinda needs to be rescued too, right now...