"Why don't I spell it out for you, Kairi? I... Do... Not... Watch… Musicals!"
She blinked, playing innocent, and curled up closer to me on the sofa, eyes pleading. I'd been happily stubborn about my hatred for soppy movies and musicals for the last hour, even managing to get Tidus to take my side when Kairi begged to watch one. It was supposed to be our first movie night since we'd all gotten back to the islands, and originally, Sora had wanted everyone to come. Unfortunately, Wakka had given himself food poisoning, eating raw shrimp he and Tidus had found off the shore for a bet, and Kairi had oh-so-conveniently "forgotten" to ask Selphie to turn up, which I was incredibly grateful for, as she annoyed the hell out of me. It had just been me, Kairi, Sora and Tidus, so when Kairi brought out High School Musical, I thought I would have had my usual backup against the sap and the cheese. Sora disappointed me immediately, turning traitor to his own gender at the thought of (get ready to shudder) the sing along version. Tidus came through pretty fast though, hastily teaming up with me and trying to sort out a compromise.
Sadly, he didn't hold much of an argument- in fact, all he did was whine. Sora wasn't much better. I think only Kairi knew what she was talking about, but no way was I being pushed into suffering her choice of film so easily. After about ten minutes, Sora and Tidus out-whined each other, and somehow ended up agreeing to go and make popcorn, leaving the decision to me… and Kairi.
"Please, Riku?" she begged, tugging at my arm, lower lip jutting out in a slightly-adorable-but-not-enough-to-bother-me pout. "It's just been so long, and I mean, the sing-along would just be so perfect, since there are four of us and everything… And you know you love it, really! You're just pretending not to so we'll think you're all manly and tough!"
"Trust me, Kairi. I'd rather have Sora shove his keyblade up my ass than sit through that sad excuse for a film," I replied, unable to hold back a tiny smirk when I saw, through the glass door, Sora and Tidus scrapping over the popcorn machine, pressing all the buttons and arguing and fighting each other about who had "broken" it… when it wasn't actually plugged in at the wall. Even I could see that in the other room. Still, at least it didn't give me any chance to doubt their stupidity, even for a few minutes.
"That can be arranged, I'm sure."
"And if it is, I'm still not watching that crap."
"Oh, please?" She snuggled up against me, using her very best puppy-dog eyes, but after a few moments spent trying to ignore her, I felt her hand feeling at my leg.
"…Okay, what're you doing?" I managed to say, surprisingly calmly considering the circumstances= I'd been felt up once before, and let's just say Selphie had a black eye for about a week afterwards.
"Damn it, where are you hiding the remote?!" Kairi slapped hard at my leg, moving away.
"If you must know, Kai, I'm sitting on it."
Her eyes trained on mine for a moment, and she didn't snap something like I expected her to. She only stared at me, silent, until I got beyond uncomfortable and decided to glance over and see if Tidus and Sora had managed to lump together what little brains they had and plug the popcorn machine in yet.
Then, when I wasn't paying attention, Kairi launched herself at me, taking me completely by surprise and using enough force to knock me off the sofa. I rolled over, tasting carpet, to see her snatching up the remote, giggling- so I, forgetting my bruised pride, tackled her, clambering back onto the seat as I did so. Fighting over the remote, it wasn't long before we were both laughing over how ridiculous we had to look, but that didn't stop either of us scrapping over it.
"I don't see what the big problem is! You've watched other stuff like that with me before!"
"I was younger then- I didn't have any idea what was going on!"
"You seemed to enjoy it- hey, what're you doing?! Stop messing with the TV!"
Having won the remote, I held it out of her reach, switching to digital in the hopes I'd be able to find something better than some dreaded musical. Kairi sat back against the armrest, flicking her messed up hair out of her face and glaring pointedly at the TV. I flicked from station to station, but it was all, as usual, adverts- after what felt like half a minute, she snapped.
"Stop changing the channel!"
"Why?"
"'Cause it's freaking annoying, that's why! Pick a station and stick to it until Ti and Sora come back in!"
"Look, Kai, I hate the commercials almost as much as I hate that god-forsaken tween musical crap. Ha, what, just because I'm in love with you, you think I'm gonna…?" realising what had slipped out, much too late to cover it up, I trailed off, looking away from Kairi's stunned face.
Oops.
There was a long, very, very awkward silence. Probably the worst I'd had to sit through... well, pretty much ever.
Then Kairi finally spoke, though I kept my gaze trained stubbornly on the TV screen. Even though the commercial was about, I presumed, a dancing condom. I wasn't really watching it.
"Riku?"
I didn't reply, pretending to be fascinated by the weird dancing condom and all his equally odd and cheery little condom friends, who were by that point singing as well as doing their respective stereotyped dances.
"…I love you too, you great big moron."
I turned, slightly thankful for the break from "Mr. Extra Large- Now In Apple Flavour!", to see her smiling at me. I could feel my face burning, but, then again- so was hers.
"Kai-" I started to say, but was cut off by her lips pressing themselves against mine, as she darted forwards from the other end of the sofa. Completely swept up in my own emotions, for once, I acted like I had when I was just a kid- I didn't think. I tangled a hand in her hair, the other pulling at her waist to bring her closer, as I started to deepen the kiss.
Then, with a huge slam as they shoved the door away, Sora and Tidus burst back in, completely oblivious, screaming "POPCORNNNNNNN!" at the top of their lungs.
Kairi and I sprang apart, but that didn't stop them realising what had happened. Tidus caught on faster than Sora- I think it had to sink in with the poor guy, whereas Tidus had always been impossibly blunt, and only had a second of being surprised before he, juggling the bowls of popcorn clumsily in his arms, managed to wolf whistle.
"Niiice, Riku," he laughed, dumping the bowls on the floor and rushing over to put me in a headlock, laughing as I squirmed half-heartedly.
Sora just stood there for a while, looking back and forth between Kairi and me.
"…Seriously, I've been waiting for that to happen for ten years, you guys," he said eventually, breaking out into a grin and snatching up the remote while I was preoccupied with Tidus. We both let out a sigh of relief, and when I finally got Tidus to let go, the other guys teased me into budging up, so I was still next to Kairi, while they were on my other side.
Kairi hugged me, and, embarrassing though it was, I couldn't help but smile myself, and put my arm around her shoulders.
Until I realised what Sora had stuffed in the DVD player while Tidus had been distracting me.
Of course- High School Flippin' Musical.
I groaned loudly, but they all ignored me, too busy discussing sing-along roles to care.
"Okay, Kairi is totally the main girl here, no question. Which makes, as of tonight, Riku the main dude," Tidus pointed out, sitting back in the cushions, smug as Kairi giggled and hugged me tighter, and I could only glare at them.
"Gabriella and Troy," Sora supplied; then realisation dawned on his face. "Which leaves Ryan and Sharpay…"
Tidus paled- probably at the thought of being made to play a girl.
"BAGSY RYAN!" they yelled in unison, then turned to me and Kairi, both their faces expectant.
"Easy- Ryan has darker hair. Sora!" Kairi laughed.
Tidus' face fell, which set me and Sora off too.
He didn't really seem to mind in the end- in fact, after suffering through an hour and a half and being forced to sing too many times to mention, I was treated to Sora and Tidus strutting around in front of the TV, apparently about to "bop to the top"…
God, I hated the film, but at least I got some top quality footage of them dancing to it, Tidus complete with makeover and wig… which I then sent using my phone, to pretty much all my contacts, (including Mickey) asking them to forward it.
They were SO going to regret watching that stupid camp-ass movie.