Unrequited

My Riku and Kairi stories are always dedicated to one person. Endings Matter Most!

I was checking my poll, and was surprised that people want me to write about Riku and Kairi, (and Xion with Riku, too.)

Wow. Well, I don't disappoint, I hope!

This is my first Songfic, so I need to put a disclaimer.

Disclaimer:I do not own the song, "Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop", by Landon Pigg. Nor do I own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, Riku would have gotten a better happy ending.

*3*3*3*3

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you…

I remember meeting Kairi, that beautiful spring day. She had moved in at the mayor's house, and I was fortunate enough to meet her first.

Why?

Well, the day after Sora and I were talking in the Secret Spot under the tree, that ancient cave with the strange door, I got up earlier than Sora. That meant I got to talk to her first.

She was outside, playing with a beach ball, bouncing it back and forth. She turned when I approached, smiling serenely, bouncing up and down with more energy than the ball. Put it to shame, in my opinion.

I swaggered over, chest puffed out like a peacock, I'd imagined. Modesty back then was almost unheard of for me.

"Hey, what's your name?"

She giggled, her blue eyes peeking through red hair. "I'm Kairi."

I bowed. "My name is Riku; it's a pleasure to meet you." I hope I sounded all formal and everything, seriously, because back then I had wanted to impress her by being refined.

She looked at me thoughtfully, catching the ball with both hands and setting it down. "Riku…that's a nice name. Doesn't it mean land?"

I nodded, pleased that she knew.

"My name means sea! That's so cool!" She beamed at me, and I smiled helplessly back. She had this energy that was impossible to ignore, it was like being touched by the sun or something, and you just felt warm and alive when she was nearby.

"Hey, Riku!" Sora ran over, almost tripping over his own feet, and then he jumped off the little ridge he had called out from and came over.

"I'm Sora, and you are?" He said with his usual silly grin.

"Kairi. Wow, you're Sora? That means sky!" She clapped her hands, smiling at all of us.

"Guess it does." Sora said, baffled.

*3*3*3*3

Yes, there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you…

School, homework, friends, family.

The normal things a twelve year old worried about.

I was secretly purring in pleasure, Sora was at a dentist appointment, (good thing he ate all of that candy on Halloween!), that left me with the whole afternoon alone with Kairi, and I wasn't going to waste it!

I didn't have to worry about anything, because Kairi was here. She was leaning into the waters, studying the little coral reef community.

"Look at that!" She breathed, pointing at a beautiful, smoky white rock that was almost clear. It rested near the bottom of the pool, a good distance down. "I could make a necklace from that."

She made a face, leaning back into the white sand. "Unfortunately, I forgot my swimsuit. I wonder if it's worth going back for it…"

I looked down into the depths. I could swim that, easy.

"Are you sure you could make a necklace?"

She bobbed her head up and down. "Uh huh. My grandmother sent me a jewelry making kit, an early birthday present."

I grinned. "Would it make you happy?"

"Of course." She breathed, holding her hands to her chest.

I leaped into the water, grateful for the warm tropical temperature, and scooped the rock down from the depths. I swam back up with it, dragging myself onto the beach, handing the stone to her.

She stared, then the most beautiful smile I had ever seen graced her lips. She turned her beautiful angel eyes toward me, almost shaking with happiness.

That was probably just her boundless energy.

"Riku!" She squealed. "You didn't have to do that! Now you're all wet!"

I shook my hair loose, squeezing the water from my thick locks. "No problem. Anything for you."

She reached over and kissed my cheek, hugging me tight with one arm. "Thanks, Riku!"

I felt a very faint blush.

True to her word, the next day Kairi had on the beautiful stone as a necklace.

She hasn't removed it since.

*3*3*3*3

I see the path that your eyes wander down…I wanna come too…

Fifteen year old Riku was a world different than how I am now. I leaned forward, touching Kairi's shoulder.

She turned around, smiling at me, before looking back out at the sea.

"What's the matter?" I asked her.

She smiled. "I'm just thinking…about where I might be from. I can't remember…I might have had family and friends I never knew, a past that I never knew."

I looked out at the sea. It was true…where was she from…other worlds had to be out there, right? Wherever she was from.

"That's true, but with the raft we're building, we'll get there. Someday. I'm sure of it." I promised her. She turned to look at me, and nodded.

"Thanks, Riku."

*3*3*3*3

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you. No one understands me, quite like you do, through all of the shadowy corners of me…

"Riku?"

I grinned at her, opening the door to my home wider.

"I didn't know you'd be coming by, or I would have cleaned up the place!" I said jokingly, leading her up to my untidy room.

"That's no big deal." She crossed her arms and grinned at me, leaning close and saying in a tone that sounded like she was discussing a conspiracy, "I want to show you something."

She led me down the beach and to the Secret Spot, where she showed me the Paopu drawing of her and Sora.

"I know about this." I informed her, smiling.

"I know." She handed me a rock, grinning in return. "Above us, can you draw yourself, too? I want to make a triangle of Paopu fruits!"

I stared at her, then at the rock, then at the picture.

Then I shrugged, and knelt down, beginning to draw.

She gently put her hand over mine, guiding me through the motion.

"I know you always have trouble with eyes." She said, her tone amused.

"You know a lot about me."

*3*3*3*3

And there we have it! Be sure to review!