The Sun and the Moon.
Chapter One (Forward)
Yakosoku.
Authors Note: I've decided to return with a new story that I will actually finish. I'm not entirely sure where this is headed. I have a few ideas and I'm going to get some feedback from old fanfiction buddies to assure this turns out well. You'll find out I'm not so cynical anymore (ahem, most of my older stories were middle school, junior high, angst.) I'd like to see if anyone will read this. –shrug- I'm mostly a forgotten artifact now! XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.
She liked watching them, especially when they were together and in good spirits. It made her feel like a small sun lived in her chest. A warm cotton sensation. It sometimes astonished her just how much their friendship had endured, how many struggles they faced (albeit she was certain she was let off easy—left home with hardly any battles… excluding her never ending skirmishes with newfound culinary duties.) She often wondered if every friendship had as many mishaps as theirs.
Time away from them was difficult. Though when she returned she had discovered no great amount of time had elapsed in their absence, the days after her return seemed to drag on. And on. And on. Of course, she had taken it upon herself to try to explain to their guardians where exactly her friends had run off to. The year-and-odd-months apart had given Kairi much time to think, to relive her memories, and to grow up. Growing up was a struggle when you practically lived around boys with the mental capacity of six-year-olds. When their journey had first begun she was so naïve she could hardly grasp her friend's ongoing battles to lavish affection on her. The time away from them made it painfully clear how greatly she was adored.
The worst part of being separated from someone is forgetting. First it's the tone of voice, then the color of their eyes… however Kairi could never seem to shake away the haunting blue irises in spite of everything. Blushing, she shook the thought from her mind and continued to gaze upon the two men sparring in front of her. Sora was abruptly knocked into the ocean; the spray from his landing fell upon Kairi's bare feet as she giggled from the dock. He looked up and Kairi was startled by the severity of his eyes. They were fevered, poisoned—too blue. Riku rolled his eyes and pulled Sora up by the white collar of his new school uniform.
"Hey, watch it!" Sora fought, in vain, to disentangle himself from Riku's grasp.
Riku is so tall now, she mused, so different. Due to the circumstances, Kairi now found herself in Riku's class which gave her more time to try and decipher his new character. She found herself occasionally longing for the old, arrogant Riku that used to boss her around. However, Riku seemed more collected now and seemed genuinely happier, though he sometimes had days where he would shut himself up in his room and ignore her calls.
At one point she had loved him more than anyone, had wanted to curl up on his lap and listen to his heart beat. Sporadically she still entertained the notion of returning his feelings, and sometimes she would humor his attempts at seduction, for the look on Sora's face if nothing else. She loved their jealousy, their grimaces when she retold stories of her fleeting romances. She liked to study the curious little lines that found themselves on their crinkled noses. It was not mature to act so selfishly but they were too in love to ever be bothered by it.
Riku's eyes scanned her face, his long hair dripping wet from the ocean. Sora, sensing his grip loosening, tore away from him. The light from the setting sun made the ocean shine like an orange disco ball; it lit her friend's bodies and made their eyes glow. She felt strangely dizzy, intoxicated even, from her happiness.
Kairi shuffled down the dock and made an ungraceful fall to the ground. Regaining her composure, she turned to see both Sora and Riku amused at her falter. She poked her tongue out of her mouth and scuttled over to them. Defiantly she thrust her chin out at the boys, both now much taller than she, and poked a finger to Sora's chest, "I'll not hear it from you, lazy bum!" He laughed at her attempt to scold him and walked back to the shore with Riku.
The three sat down on the sand, the heat from the long day made it warm and suddenly Kairi had an urge to bury herself in it like a blanket. She rolled onto to back and closed her eyes letting warmth seep into her. She felt breath on her face and opened her eyes to see Sora hunched over her and giggling. Oh, how she loved his laugh.
"Now who is lazy, huh?"
"I'm not lazy, I am relaxing."
"Sure, Kairi, sure you are."
She turned away from him to look at Riku's hardened face: he was jealous. She sighed and felt her body tingle. How nice it feels to be wanted! Presently, Riku turned to see her sprawled on the sand and his face melted into one of pure adoration. How could she ever choose one over the other? Power made her head spin. Her eyes felt like Christmas light, her mouth felt thick with the enchantment that love sometimes casts. The last splinters of sunlight were dimming. The moon was already up.
How queer to think that a moon and sun can share the same sky. She stared at the sky, the new stars, Riku, and then Sora. They were her sun and her moon; both so different and yet so much the same. They brightened her days with their laughter and warmed her frigid bones. Without them she would be so dull- a sky without the luxury of moons and suns to keep her company. She sat up and reached for both of their hands. Simultaneously, they both looked to her face, startled. Kairi just smiled and watched the waves; the mirrored reflections of both sun and moon glinting off the water and making her eyes shine wet with love.