Hi there! How ya doin? :3 This is my first time working on a Roxiri pairing fic. My OTP is RokuShi, so excuse me if I failed your expectations on how I've written this. Truth be told, I've been having this idea since last week, and I just had to type it up ASAP. I'm not entirely satisfied with it, as it's shorter than I expected and... not all that eventful, rushed even, but I hope it's okay. So hope you read, enjoy and even drop a review!

Sidestep

"Hey Kairi... Do you still remember me?"

There he stood, a few feet away from the auburn-haired girl, her face turned away from his direction as she stared at the rising sun. Roxas couldn't help but fidget around on the spot, somehow nervous on just thinking about how he'd properly face her once she'd turn around. Even before he personally met her, Roxas always thought that Kairi was amazing. His thoughts would still remain the same even if she wasn't a Princess of Heart. Having held on to her friends for such a long time, even if they had been gone for a year, she never lost hope for their return, and she never changed a single bit throughout her days of staring at the beach, waiting for her best friends to come home. He knew that she still remained the same young Kairi that Sora loved. She was still pure, loyal, kind and... beautiful.

Roxas had to admit that the first time Kairi had crossed his mind, it was during one of his dreams. (And by dreams he meant encounters with Sora's memories while he slept.) He couldn't remember what it was about, but he remembered sitting by the ocean, watching the sunset, and a person who stood beside him. He didn't know who it was, but he's sure it was a girl. The most vivid memory he had of that person was a smile she flashed at him. When he woke up, he kept asking himself what he possibly just dreamt about... and why there was this strange feeling in his chest for the rest of the day.

When he reunited with Sora and finally had a Heart, he understood what all of it meant, and he definitely surprised himself to have felt something so... strong as that while he was a Nobody.

Roxas stepped forward from his spot, a wry smile on his face. As if on cue, Kairi suddenly straightened herself up and turned around. She wore a blank stare, which quickly grew into a playful yet warm smile. "You know, I should be the one asking that question. Now let's go! I don't have all day."

"... Yeah, you never do." Roxas chuckled humorlessly and stepped forward as she started to run towards him. The blonde boy's expression then became sullen as he bowed his head down low. "But then... you can't even see me, can you?"

A gust of wind blew past the two teens as Kairi ran through his transparent body, the blonde not even bothering to step aside, and his pride took a small blow. He knew it would've made no difference if he did a sidestep and she still would've passed by him, but he wanted to hold on to hopes that she could see him one day, wanting her to run into his arms and for him to embrace her gently.

But he knew that wasn't the case.

Roxas turned around and raised his head to see Kairi and his Somebody smiling affectionately at each other before holding each other's hands and walking away. The former Nobody couldn't help but form his hands into a fist. Roxas hated – envied – Sora. He was too perfect. He has it all. You ask, Roxas could name them all easily, namely wonderful friends, the status of a hero, a loving family, and most of all, Kairi.

Kairi only heard Sora, not him.

Roxas sighed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. He stared at the ocean wistfully, quickly reminded of the times he had up at Twilight Town's clock tower, together with Axel and…

"Hey."

Not expecting someone, Roxas quickly turned around and did a defensive pose, only to sigh in relief and placing a hand on his chest, where his Heart was. "Oh… Xion, you scared me."

"Sorry." Xion giggled and smiled at her best friend. "I had to come out of that crowded space which we're supposed to call Sora's Heart. Ven and Vanitas are still fighting over who won that sea salt ice cream."

"Same old, same old." Roxas sighed, facepalming at the mere thought of his look-alike and Sora look-alike fighting over and over again. Looking at Xion again, his expression suddenly turned serious. "But I know you're not here only because of that, are you?"

The raven-haired girl gasped in shock, twiddling with her fingers as she looked away from Roxas. Silence hung over them thickly, and after a few moments, the Nobody sighed in defeat and held out her hand, which was just as transparent as Roxas's was. "Yeah… so come on, walk with me."

"So… ten munny for your thoughts?" Xion asked, trying to lighten up the silent atmosphere as they walked closely behind Sora and Kairi, the couple clearly oblivious to their presence. Roxas had his hands behind his head and pondered on this for a quick moment. "There's nothing to say, really. Just the same old thoughts." He replied quietly as he stared at Kairi, who was currently smiling at Sora. This made him tighten his fists and even almost growled at the sight.

Noticing this, Xion held his right hand gently and flashed him a smile, but no hints of happiness were found in her crystal blue eyes. "I… know Roxas. I know it hurts to look at them. You can look away if you want. Sorry that I'm having to make you see all this..."

"It's not that I'm not happy for Kairi…" Roxas murmured, his head hanging low as he looked at Xion's hand holding his. "It's just that… Sora seems to get everything he wants… I can't help but be jealous of my own Somebody." The young blonde looked then worriedly at Xion and frowned. "Wouldn't you be jealous of Kairi too?"

"I'm… not sure… but it'd be like I was jealous of myself in a way." Xion sighed and shot a longing look at Kairi's brunette companion, her eyes holding an emotion Roxas knew very well. She placed both hands on her Heart and closed her eyes, as if she was listening to her own Heart beating. "But all hope's not lost Roxas. There's… there's still a someday. A future is a place where anything is possible. Who knows… we could have our lives back, and you could be together with Kairi if destiny allows it."

"But destiny's never been on our side, hasn't it?" Roxas chuckled with no happiness, a forlorn expression on his face as they caught up with the couple and were now walking side by side with them. Xion had no reply for that question as she just bit down her lip, her eyes open again, so Roxas only continued. "I'm just… afraid. I don't want complications to rise up if we ever do get released to finally live our own lives. The unknown's never been a good place Xion. It never has, and it never will be."

"That's why possibilities exist. It's what we all want. Another chance – another shot - at something we crave." Xion paused, then looked at Roxas again with eyes that held an emotion Roxas couldn't pinpoint. "And who knows, maybe someday, you'll never have to feel guilty of not sidestepping from her embrace."

Hearing her words, Roxas couldn't help but stop on his tracks, Xion looking at him with surprise because of his sudden actions. He glanced at Kairi again, who still kept a smile on her face as she walked alongside Sora. A whole load of feelings welled up inside him again, and Roxas couldn't help…

… but to smile.

Roxas was indeed surprising himself. Even with emotions bottled up inside him, somehow the feeling of happiness was the one that stood out the most. His hope was renewed, and he knew that Xion was right. There were always possibilities. They were vast, unexpected, unpredictable... and it was better that way.

Xion tilted her head at his sudden change of behavior. The smile was small and soft, but it was enough for her to know that she had gotten him to think a little more clearly. Roxas then looked at his best friend and nodded with his smile still in place. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Xion."

Caught off-guard, it took a few moments for Xion to come back to reality and flash a smile at the blonde. "No need for thanks. You're my best friend Roxas, and I'll always be here for you."

"And I'll always be here for you too." Roxas grinned, which was a very rare sight for Xion to see, so she grinned back. Staring at the sky, Roxas closed his eyes as a gust of wind passed through the pair. "One sky, one destiny…"

"Right, Kairi?"

"Hm?" a certain redhead suddenly stopped walking as a gust of wind flew past them, her boy companion surprised at her sudden pause of actions and also stopping. "Kairi? Is something wrong?"

"Umm… no, just got a little distracted, that's all." Kairi smiled as she held Sora's hand gently, and Sora nodded hesitantly, not wanting to pry and upset her. "Alright, if you say so..."

As they continued to walk down the winding road of Destiny Islands. Although she had a look of content on her face, Kairi couldn't help but feel a bit bothered. She was sure that she heard something off... yet comforting. Unknown to Sora, she smiled and silently whispered her secret message to the wind, hoping that it would be carried off to the person she wanted to say it to: "One sky, one destiny."