Finally I decide to tackle one of the "roommate" plot lines. Except with a dramatic twist!

This is pretty much an everyone-flirts-with-main-character story, but I assure you, the relationships have been carefully thought out by yours truly and crack pairings will be trimmed off relatively quickly.

Seeing as Kairi is now living with them, the Sora quartet (Sora, Roxas, Ventus, Vanitas) will have the main interactions with Kairi, but Riku will also play a role in the story, as well as Axel(message me if you want to see a certain character. Since the plot line hasn't really been defined yet, I could possibly incorporate them somehow)

Now without further ado, enjoy!

As my mom dropped me off at her friend's house, I felt a strong feeling of foreboding.

It was odd because there was nothing wrong with the house itself. It was a peaceful, pleasant looking stick-style house with shutters and a patio that emanated homeliness. The garden was flowering in the spring sun and the lawn was well kept. There wasn't a single part about the place that made me uncomfortable (in fact, I felt at ease), so the feeling confused me.

It wasn't mom's friend, Mrs. Strife, that made me troubled either. I had met her tons of times when she had come to the house for tea. She was a fun and lovable woman who was very kind to me, treating me like her own daughter whenever we were together. It wasn't her husband either as I had met Mr. Strife a few months after my mother and I had moved to the Islands. Mrs. Strife had dragged him to one of my mother's teas and he had been a quiet, nice man that was admittedly very handsome. I knew the both of them would treat me well over the summer, so my senses remained unexplained.

Mom handed me some of my luggage from the trunk. "I hope you packed enough, sweetie," she said, linking arms with me affectionately and escorting me to the front door. "We don't want you to impose any more on Tifa and Cloud than you already are."

"Relax, Mom," I smiled. "I double-checked that I had everything that I need. I plan on being perfectly respectful to the Strifes while you're away."

"That's my girl," Mom said, grinning proudly at me. "I just wish we had enough money to bring you with me. It's going to be so lonely without you."

"It'll be alright," I assured. "We're only a phone call away. Besides, you'll be so busy with the shoot that you won't have time to be lonely."

My mom sighed as she rang the doorbell. "I'll always have time to miss my little girl."

"Even when you become a big movie star?" I smirked.

"Even then." She smiled.

As soon as the door was opened, Mom was crushed by one of Mrs. Strife's famous bone-shattering hugs. "Aerith! It's so good to see you!"

My mom just laughed with the little oxygen she had left. "It's good to see you too, Tifa."

Mrs. Strife's eyes landed on me and she sprung from hugging my mom to ensnaring me. "Kairi! Oh, it's been so long! You've grown!"

"Hi, Mrs. Strife," I choked.

She let me go only to send me a teasing glare. "How many times do I have to tell you, Kairi? Just call me Tifa."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Tifa."

"Such manners." She shook her head in tragedy before sending my mom a look. "She gets it from you, you know."

"There's nothing wrong with being polite," Mom said, stepping passed Mrs. Strife to enter the house. "Excuse the intrusion."

Mrs. Strife smirked. She and Mom had been friends since they were kids and their relationship was hard to explain. She was fun though, and full of energy. I half wondered what was in store for me for the next year. Mrs. Strife grabbed my suitcase out of my hand. "We might as well go join the lady of the house," she joked.

She closed the door behind me and set my luggage on the hardwood floor. Mr. Strife emerged from the adjoined living room and gave us polite greetings; a friendly hug for my mother and a hair tousle for me, much to my disdain. He didn't say much besides a few husky words of chitchat, but Mrs. Strife tended to dominate conversation anyway.

"How about some coffee before you go, Aerith?" she asked.

"Unfortunately my flight leaves in an hour and I've got to get going. Thank you for the offer though." Mrs. Strife waved her off and Mom came to brush a strand of my hair away. It was an unnecessary, but affectionate gesture I'd grown accustomed to. "Be sure to be on your best behavior. Don't cause Tifa or Cloud any trouble and focus on your studies. I expect a text, email or telephone call daily."

"Sure thing, Mom," I said, giving my mom a farewell hug and kiss goodbye. A few tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't dwell on them. With a few more goodbyes, Mom was out the door.

Mrs. Strife and I stood on the porch, watching as my mom got back into the car. "Don't worry about a thing, Aerith!" she yelled. "We'll take good care of her!"

"I know you will! Have a good time, Kairi! I love you!"

"Love you too, Mom!" I said, waving.

And with that, my mother drove off, leaving me with the Strifes and my persistent sense of doom.

Mrs. Strife led me back into the house. "Now then, let's get you settled. I'm afraid we don't have much choice of rooms. The boys take up four rooms amongst themselves so we'll need to do some rearranging."

My mind and body froze. Whoa. Hang on. Backup and rewind. Did she just say… "Boys?"

"Cloud's boys," she said nonchalantly. I vaguely remember Mom telling me that Mr. and Mrs. Strife had married years after they had divorced their previous spouses. "They stay with us and their mother periodically. Have you never met?"

"No," I said.

"Hm," she thought curiously. "Their mother lives in Radiant Gardens so they travel there and back every few weeks to weekend with her. They all go to school here, at Destiny High, same as you. You know, it really is odd that you've never met before."

My mind started reeling, immediately thinking of any and all boys at my high school that could be Mr. Stife's sons, but the net was too wide "Odd," I agreed automatically.

"Well it turns out their mother is taking a vacation this year, so the boys will be staying while you're here. That's not a problem, right?"

I swallowed. "Of course not."

"I didn't think so," Mrs. Strife smiled. "You'll love the boys. They're so full of spirit. I'm sure you'll all get along splendidly." We heard a car rev outside as it pulled into the driveway. "That'll be them back from the beach, I'll expect. No one other than Vanitas and Cloud can make driving a car so obnoxious."

Mr. Strife's voice floated in from the kitchen. "I heard that!"

I bustled out of the way as the front door flung open. A boy with chocolate coloured, spiky hair walked through the threshold. He was laughing at some unknown joke, his handsome features pulled into a charmingly adorable smile. My heart fluttered. I scolded it. "Hey, Tifa! What's for dinner? I'm –oh!" His blue eyes landed on me and he froze like a deer in headlights.

A second boy came through the door, this one with slimmer, taller, blonde spikes. His smile was playful and just as attractive as the first boy's. "What are you asking Tifa for dinner for, Sora? It's Dad that does all the cooking." His hearty chuckle was cut short when he too laid eyes on me. "Oh, hi there," he said, somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry, didn't know we had company."

"Remember the time Tifa made meatloaf? I still have nightmares about that…" Another boy, who looked nearly identical to the second aside from the more aloof expression, almost ran into the first two. He managed to swerve around them as he added to the conversation. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Uh, who's this?"

"Who's who?" A fourth, darker voice said from behind the group. "What are you guys all standing around for? You're in my way; move it!" He elbowed his way through the crowd of brothers until he made it to the front like a fan at a concert, but with more composure. He shared a striking resemblance to the first boy, except his black hair and abnormal golden eyes. He stopped short when he saw me and quirked a brow almost suggestively. "And who is this?"

"This," Mrs. Strife said, sending the dark-haired boy a warning stare, "is Kairi, Aerith's daughter. She's going to be staying with us while her mother is doing a movie shoot."

"How long will that be exactly?" the third boy asked. Though his tone was kinda rude, I didn't hold it against him. I wouldn't be too happy if some stranger came to stay at my house either.

"However long it takes to shoot the film. It's been estimated to take ten to twelve months because the locations for the movie are all over the globe."

"So we get to spend approximately a year in the same house as this babe?" The fourth boy asked, looking me up and down.

Mr. Strife appeared from the kitchen. "Her name is Kairi, Vanitas, not babe. Show some respect."

"I am showing respect," Vanitas said. "Isn't it polite to let someone know that they're smoking hot?" He winked at me.

Mrs. Strife whacked him upside the head. "Not when you've only just met. Now behave yourself!"

"Yes, ma'am," he grumbled. His brothers chuckled.

"Formal introductions are in order, I believe," Mr. Strife said, coming up beside me. "Kairi, meet my sons: Sora, Ventus, Roxas, and Vanitas." He pointed to them in order of which they arrived and they all waved (in varied excitement) in greeting.

"Hi, nice to meet you," I said, though I wondered if it really was. Sora and Ventus seemed pleasant enough, but Roxas looked pretty reserved around strangers and Vanitas was a little too friendly.

"Why don't you boys help Kairi settle in?" Mrs. Strife suggested.

"Sure," Ventus and Sora said at the same time. They grabbed my luggage and headed for the stairs. Roxas shrugged and followed. Vanitas sidled next to me.

"We've only got the four rooms between the five of us, you know," he said, his deep voice rumbling in my ear. "You're more than welcome to stay with me."

Mrs. Strife gave him another hit. "I said behave!"

"Why don't we have Sora room with Ventus," Mr. Strife suggested. "Kairi can use his room."

"It's alright with me," Sora said from the stairs. He turned to his brother. "How about it Ven? Year-long slumber party?"

"Oh yeah!" Ventus exclaimed, pumping a fist exuberantly.

"Okay then, boys. Bring Kairi's things to Sora's room so she can settle in. Then come down for supper. I'm making pizza," Mr. Strife said.

The boys, including Roxas, perked up. "Yes sir!" They saluted before rushing up the stairs.

I followed rather slowly behind. How was I going to manage to stay a year with four rambunctious teenage boys? One would be hard enough, but four? I sighed to myself. Needless to say I had figured out my foreboding premonition.

Hope you liked it. Make sure you review!