Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Square Soft.
Setting: Post-Kingdom Hearts II. The Secret Ending Shall Not Be Referred To Or Affect The Fanfiction.
Rating: Rated Mature for Extreme Romantic Material. Lemons, for those who understand the jargon
Epiphany : Wait No Longer
"Kairi? ...Kairi!" Kairi quickly retreated my gaze from the horizon, turning to the owner of the familiar voice beside her. Selphie wore an exasperated expression on her childish face, yet her eyes danced in a form of curiosity at her daydreaming.
"Yeah?" Kairi asked, voice much like an echo, dissipating and being absorbed by the warm sand that formed a snug seat for her. Selphie shook her head. The gesture reminded her of Riku when he disapproved of her fantastic ideas.
"Kairi, you've been sitting out by the Papou trees for a little over a week now, and we've yet to finish our Book Report! You do know that you need the Credit to graduate, right?" She knew all too well. Does Selphie really believe I want to be kept back to trudge through Senior year with our Underclassmen?
"I can't help it, Selphie, I just...I can't focus."
"You better start focusing, girl, or you're not going to be part of the Graduating Class."
"Well, school doesn't begin for another two weeks. We can finish by then." Silence cued Kairi to explain herself. She sighed, pivoting herself on the sand. She turned to face Selphie, who leaned against the trunk of a Papou tree. Kairi envisioned Sora relaxing behind her. She sighed, hugging her legs so as to rest her head on her knees. She felt as though my mind were to melt, and it was not due to the heat.
"Listen, Selphie, I haven't been able to focus on anything since Sora and Riku left. Last time they left me, I nearly forgot them, and they left for over a year. Every time they leave me, I worry they won't come back this time." Selphie's expression softened, coinciding with her arms loosening to hang by her sides versus crossed about her chest.
"Ya gotta stop thinkin' like that. You told me last time was different, righ'?" Well, it had been, but it won't stop me from worrying. Kairi thought in response. She looked to the grains of sand, meshing together like tiny pixels to create one solid color. With the toe of her shoe, she created ripples in the sand.
"It was...but...I can't help but worry about 'em."
"'Them'? You sure you're worrying about 'them'?" Kairi paused, leaving the picture of a star unfinished.
"Of course that's what I mean." Selphie quirked an eyebrow at Kairi's response, and she slid down until her body plopped onto the sand. The impact made her buoyant brunette hair bounce. The pigtails slowed to a halt, only moved by the slight zephyr that passed from the cerulean waters.
"Kairi, Riku 's gone a lot in the past year. He's gone to the Main Land with his parents for a week, he nearly disappeared for a few days without telling anyone, and he went off on some mission for nearly ten days with only a goodbye to Sora. Did you worry then?"
"Of course I did!" Kairi nearly lashed out, wondering if Selphie was asking out of contempt. Selphie seemed taken aback, peridot eyes sparkling with shock at Kairi's own answer. To her, it sounded defensive.
"All I'm saying is that when Riku leaves, you seem to just await his return. When Sora leaves, you nearly die inside, waiting for him to return. Heck, you seem ready to plunge yourself in the ocean and swim after him."
"Isn't that what friends do? Worry and empathize over each other?" Kairi asked, not heeding of where such a conversation manifested, or what direction it was going in.
"Well, yeah, but don't you see yourself as more than friends with him?"
"Huh?" The syllables left Kairi's mouth in a dumbfounded manner. Her eyes now latched themselves on Selphie, her mind, for the moment, not thinking of that horizon, or seeing Sora sprawled out on the conveniently formed Papou tree trunk. Selphie chuckled a bit at the unintelligent mutter Kairi presented, and she shook her head. Are those two really that oblivious?
"You can't honestly tell me that after these past four years of disappearances, adventures, and whatever the heck you three went through, that you've never noticed that look Sora gives you?"
"What look?" Kairi was now intrigued, enveloped in the conversation. She had only ever noticed three expressions that Sora used daily: His hungry face, his puppy pout, and his ecstatic smile.
"I can't believe how oblivious you two are!" Selphie giggled in a way that seemed to mock Kairi, and at the same time, show amusement in the situation. Kairi pouted, her bottom lip jutting out and appearing plump as though glazed with sweet venom. It contorted into a slight snarl.
"I'm not that oblivious!" Selphie's giggle dwindled away, her twiggy arm propping herself up, dusting off her bright magnolia yellow skirt.
"If you weren't oblivious, you would've noticed how Sora gazes at you when you walk away, or how his smile nearly stretches off his face when you sit near him." Selphie shook her head, beginning to walk away. The old, salt-lathered bridge creaked as her chlorophyll green sandals stepped upon it. As she left Kairi to her thoughts, she muttered audibly, "...and I picked you to help me with the Julius Caesar Book Report?" Selphie's form ventured away from Kairi's vantage point, finally disappearing into the weathered shack that should have collapsed a decade ago.
I am not oblivious! Kairi thought defiantly, turning around. Her vision then filled up with yellow before pain shot through her skull. Her thin frame slumped to the sand.
"Ow!" Kairi rubbed her head, rolling over to see the culprit: a fallen paupo fruit. She snarled at it, but it soon dissipated with a silvery giggle. She sat up, taking the fruit in her hand. It's flesh was flexible, like the membrane of a boiled egg. The nectar sweet juices sloshed around beneath its flesh in a tantalizing way. Kairi plucked its single green leaf off, twirling it between her fingers curiously. She leaned back, the fruit in her lap, her elbows acting like supports for her body.
"Sora..." Kairi looked at the leaf as it twirled about. With each successive turn, a new memory would unfold in her heart. From when she moved to the island, the goofy little kid that convinced a more mature Riku that a girl could join in their games. Learning how to row a boat, but never being able to successfully tie it at the Main Island docks. Hiding in the Tree House, waiting for what felt like hours to be found. Drawing each other in chalk, to solidify friendship. Defeating the evil monster that lurked in the Secret Place. The desire for adventure, and the work to build a raft.
Kairi began to feel sore, and she lay down, magenta hair pooling like a halo about her head. The fruit slid down, resting on her bare thigh, cool to the touch. Kairi held up the paupo leaf to block the blaring noon sun, continuing to turn it as her memories became more vivid as they crawled their way to the present. Her heart joining with his, beating along side hide, her eyes peering through his heart. His heart falling to darkness to ignite hers, and the sudden light that burst as she called back his heart. Kingdom Hearts, the place of light and darkness. The hand that slipped through hers, and how cold that single moment felt.
A twinge of sadness felt as Kairi recalled that long, drawn out year. Oh, how long. The heavens had closed on Sora, making her feel alone, even amongst a crowd of Islanders. The stars seemed farther than they had been. She remembered her mother, asking her to cut her hair, but she could not. All she could do was wait, and not dare to change a thing until he came back. Everything would be untouched, as though he were there all along.
As Kairi's thighs began to feel rather cold, she tenderly moved the fruit up to her stomach, it remained over the bright metallic zipper of her rose shirt. It rose and fell with her breath as she recalled her defiance in waiting, and lunging forth to find him. How she became whole again, and the light that helped her gain a keyblade herself, like an extension of Sora. She found Riku, different but the same, and how he needed reassurance and support to find himself. And then she was separated again, but this time, the heavens did not separate her from him, but relinquished him to her. The letter she had sent him, so desperately, had found him.
Kairi sat up suddenly, the paupo fruit falling limply to the side. Her hair retained some grains of sand, but it fell with the same elegance as before. "That's it! A letter!" Kairi smiled, all sorrow gone. She nearly leapt to her feet, not bothering to fix her clothing. She ran quickly, smiling broadly. Behind her, the paupo leaf drifted to the ground, the fruit remaining cool despite the vicious afternoon sun.
The sea was ablaze. It appeared like liquid fire, the skies the product of some surrealist. The hues of orange, red, and purple stretched across the vault of the heavens, obscuring the stars, but unable to hide their existence. A few stars to the north shone precariously through the vivid spectrum of sunset colors, and by this ethereal light, Kairi felt her hearts patter and bang upon her chest. Her hands were shaking and her knees felt weak as she headed to the edge of the beach.
She closed her eyes, and looked at the note again. I hate pens now. She thought grumpily, her azure eyes peering at the slashes and cross marks made with the ink. She sighed. Kairi again looked out at the horizon, squinting her eyes a bit, the reflecting sunlight blinding. Had I always felt like this about you, Sora? I never knew... Kairi had come to a realization, and she spilled her heart into the letter. It felt as though her subconscious had been shouting her emotions at her for years, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for her to follow that had not been so obvious to her conscious state. She had repeated her letter a few times, and though she felt sick, it was as though it were a pleasant illness. Finally, she stepped into the ocean until the soft rolls of low tide flicked at her calf. She slipped the letter into an empty olive oil bottle, capping it tightly before lowering it into the sea. Kairi stood, feeling the nip of the oncoming night. Though summer still reigned high, the nights grew more chilled. She felt as though her very blood rushed through her veins, pounding adrenaline through body. The sudden anticipation and energy coursed through her very marrow. It felt like a veil had been lifted, and an epiphany had taken its place.
"Sora...come home soon." Kairi stood there, watching her bottle appear to drift into the crimson sun, swallowed up by the dazzling reflection in the sea. She sighed, looking down into the calm waters. Her eyes widened as the water reflected and distorted, not just her image, but a smaller image behind her. The silent wash of the waves against the beach broke. Kairi wheeled around.
"Kairi!" Sora beamed. Kairi remained silent. Her body shook with excitement, and her legs felt weak. But that did not stop her. She lunged forward, warping the silence into the sloshing of the sea. She opened her arms, falling forward into Sora's chest. He stumbled back in surprise, but laughed whole heartedly.
"You're back." Kairi spoke, unable to subdue the fluctuation in her voice as she felt a deep longing for him. Sora's arms hovered unsurely around Kairi, not knowing where to place them. But he soon eased, pulling Kairi into him so her head rested just below his shoulder, and his hand remained atop her shoulder blade, and another about the small of her back.
They remained silent like that for a few moments. Sora moved his hands up and down lightly, feeling Kairi shake from what most likely was the cold. Her arms tightened around his hip, bringing him closer to her. Sora felt Kairi's breasts press against his chest, and he could smell the scent of lavender in her beautiful red violet hair. Sora released Kairi, his hands remaining on her bare arms.
"I'm sorry I to-" Sora's words were swallowed into his throat, pushed back as his lips felt another's. His cerulean eyes shot open, looking down at Kairi as she pushed into the kiss, arms balanced over his shoulders. Her eyes were closed, indulging in the sensation of his lips upon hers. She gently nudged his bottom lip with her tongue, stroking each lip tenderly, tasting the salt that imbedded itself in his dry lips. Sora felt unsure, not understanding what signals Kairi was sending to him. Her lips were so soft, like a sweet cake, and her breath made him recall the taste of cinnamon. He finally pushed into the kiss as well, hand dipping from her arms to her hip, each hand securing the gentle curve that played about her pelvis. Her tongue began to push past his lips, feeling the smooth surface of his teeth. He opened his mouth, unwilling, and perhaps even unable, to taint this kiss by pulling away. Her tongue pushed forth, and within their mouths they reenacted the passionate embrace held moments before. Sora was still unsure of what was going on, yet he did understand he enjoyed it. Her tongue lapsed curiously about, discovering the inner curve of his cheek, the rough grooves of the roof of his mouth, and the moist flesh of his tongue on hers. They danced together, pushing against one another in a feverish passion.
Sora's mouth began to assume a personality of its own. He pushed aside Kairi's tongue, wishing to explore her mouth. Kairi breathed out a muffled moan, the sensation shooting sparks down her bone. His lips began to withdraw her lips into his mouth, massaging her bottom lip as he savored it in a loving way that mimicked the way a child savors their first candy of Halloween. They dare not break the kiss for fear of staining the moment, and their breath pressed against one another's face from their noses. Sora's breath was intoxicating, like the pleasurable scent of freshly cut wood and citrus. Kairi's breath was the scent of sweet cinnamon, with the sea air conjured about it.
Kairi nibbled on his bottom lip, eyes remaining closed, heightening her own sense of touch and hearing. She shivered as his hands pressed her frame against his, his grip firm, yet gentle against her hip bone. Her own arms slipped from his shoulders to his arms, her palms feeling the round formation of his biceps, built by years of rowing and training with the keyblade. Her tongue massaged his back and forth, and the tip of her tongue began to tease his inside her mouth, only going forth from its home to gently scrape his lips. Sora took the bait, and his tongue entwined in her mouth, and his lips pressed further against hers so it seemed impossible to distinguish whose lips were whose.
Kairi opened her eyes, and was surprised to find the moonlight the only illumination on the island. Sora opened his eyes, unknowing that he had closed them. In a moment, their lips parted with a teasing peck, Sora leaning forward to continue the kiss, but mouth finding only salted air to taste. Kairi giggled as Sora blinked, realizing his mistake.
"Uh...wow." Sora blinked again, and Kairi leaned against him, staring up into his eyes. They shamed the night sky.
"Is this how you're going to greet me from now on? In that case, I should leave more often."
"You better not!" Kairi whined, making Sora giggle. How he loved her pout, though it broke his heart to pieces. It made him want to cater to her every whim, yet it was so utterly adorable. Kairi laughed as well.
"Did things go well?" Kairi asked, basking in his warmth. His hands relaxed just above her tail bone.
"Not as well as this, but well enough. We found the last Key to Kingdom Hearts, and it's secured in the King's Cornerstone room. Riku is remaining in counsel with him for a few days."
"And while you were gone, you found the Key to my heart." Kairi asked, voice unsure of saying her own emotions for fear of the reaction. She wondered if it sounded cliché, but when Sora blushed violently, even visible in the lack of light, she knew she had spoken the right words.
"I sent you a letter." Kairi added, Sora turning to get out of the cold water, feeling Kairi shiver as a cool sea breeze passed. His right arm hooked about her waist, and his left hand held her left. Both of their legs were soaked, and Kairi's shoes had lost their hard form. They began to flop and squish like sandals.
"A letter? What'd it say?"
"I'm not telling, silly! You'll have to find it first."
"Aw, and I was hoping to solve the puzzle of your handwriting." Kairi pouted and nudged his shoulder at his jest at her sometimes illegible handwriting.
"Oh, and like Mister English has perfect punctuation?" Kairi laughed, spinning out of his grip as she kicked at the sand and ran down the beach.
"Hey!"
"'Hey' is not a correct word. You should use 'Hello', or 'Wait'." Kairi rang out a silvery giggle, it's sound massaging Sora's ear like a silk ribbon. He laughed as well, catching the sand with the white soles of his black shoes, jacket flapping in the wind as he cut through the air after her. He had waited so long to hear her laugh again! It had been a month since he had heard her voice, and in that time, his every movement and action had been motivated by the reassurance of seeing her again. With each leave he took, his heart yearned for Kairi more. His keyblade was an extension of her, it's keychain a constant reminder of her eyes.
Does she really like me? I mean...like how I like her... Sora wondered as his smile broadened into that blissful smile of his that seemed to fill nearly all of his face. She giggled more as she bent down, splashing some fresh water from the pool of water besides the Shack. He held up his hands to defend his face of the liquid intrusion.
"'Ey!" He laughed, putting his arms down as he watched Kairi place her slender hands over her mouth, stifling a laugh that teased him on. She ran off, parting a large tropical leaf that hid the entrance to the small cove beneath the roots of Destiny Island's oldest tree. His eyes remained latched on the raw apricot flesh that peaked below the rose pink skirt as she bent over, her curves gracious and rear plump. As Kairi disappeared into the dark tunnel, Sora felt the same heated sensation as he had during their passionate kiss. His manhood reflected his own emotions on Kairi, becoming harder with anticipation. He shivered, not from the cold, but with hormonal longing. His tongue felt the crease of his lips, longing the sensation of Kairi's lips on his.
"C'mon, lazy boy!" Kairi's voice echoed from their secret place, making Sora snap out of his own daydreaming. He shook his head, water spraying off like a dog. His naturally spiky brunette hair returned to its original shape, and he lurched off, ducking under the same leaf to enter their Secret Place.
Author's Notes: Reviews are highly appreciated, though hateful flames are discredited. Critiques are all welcome, whether harsh or presented softly. This fanfiction shall have five chapters in total.