Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the cover art! All rights belong to their respective owner(s).
Author's note: SO this has a lot of dialogue. It's in a slightly different style than I'm used to but I hope you enjoy!
P.S. Sorry for any mistakes. I proofread my stuff but there are always some mistakes that go unnoticed (by me).
.Does That Mean Christmas Changes Too?.
Christmas has really brought out the best in Traverse Town, if Sora does say so himself. Every building in sight is decorated in strings of lights of varying colors, ranging from red, blue, green, and gold, and people are out in their winter coats getting in some last minute shopping. The most amazing thing of all, besides the warm feeling in his chest, is that the normally dark and gloomy world is lit up and there's this positive energy all around. It really puts him in the mood to celebrate.
He's glad he was able to convince Donald to let him spend this glorious holiday with his special someone. Speaking of which, he glances at said special someone to his left who is bundled up in a sweater dress and scarf. He feels a smile slip onto his face as he discreetly watches her take a sip of the hot chocolate in her hands. Tifa had made them both a big cup of it since they weren't allowed into the fridge personally before they decided to take a walk.
Currently they're at the top of the Gizmo Shop. Kairi insisted on him taking her there so they could see the entirety of Traverse Town all lit up. He didn't mind, honestly. Sora would do anything to see her happy.
"Do you remember that time you, me, and Riku thought it would be a good idea to get the other three gag gifts?" The other three being Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka. And yes, he does remember.
"Yeah," he says laughing. "You got Selphie briefs, Riku got Wakka a whoopee cushion, and I got Tidus a -"
"- a sword fighting for dummies book." Kairi chimes in with a fit of giggles following. Sora shakes his head.
"We thought we were so cool, huh?"
Kairi's chuckles cease as she bobs her head. "Yeah, we thought we really burned them." She shrugs and adds: "But they didn't mind, and besides, they got us back."
"True. I miss the islands. It was so warm there, even during Christmas - and we had it good, you know? We just took it all for granted."
"We thought what we needed was a change of scenery. But . . ." Kairi chews on her bottom lip and looks away sadly. "All we really ever have needed is each other - the three of us just being lazy -" She pauses to fight back another fit of giggles. "Well, you and I were trying to get away with being lazy while Riku did everything himself without knowing it. Or maybe he just pretended not to notice."
Sora tightens the blue scarf Leon had given him earlier around his neck and feels his heart clench at the thought of the missing member of their trio. "He was definitely pretending not to notice. But that's Riku for you, he's laid back. I wish I could be more like that."
He leans on the rail next to him and nearly jumps out of his skin when he feels Kairi's warm hand on top of his own. She laces her fingers through his. He looks at her in shock, mouth open to speak, but the confused and distant look in her eyes makes him stop. "Things . . ." She begins. "Things are changing so fast. Our lives are just so different now, Sora. And - and I've already asked you so many times to never change. Do you know why?"
Sora knots his eyebrows together. "No - Kairi -"
"It's because if you don't change I feel like things will be okay. Riku will be fine, I'll be fine - just as long as you somehow manage to keep being you, no matter what." She interjects, shoulders shaking. "Because I don't know what the future holds, and whatever it is, maybe it's good, and I hope it is . . . but . . ."
The fourteen-year-old breaks away from the girl to put his hands on her shoulders. He turns her towards him and he can see so many emotions in her azure gaze. She's trying not to cry - she's trying to hold it together, but she's failing miserably. "Stop," he finally says, poking the tip of her pink nose. "Let's just enjoy this moment right now. All that future crap can wait. It's just you and me right now, Kai. Okay?"
Kairi drops her hot chocolate to wrap her arms around Sora's torso, burying her face in his neck and inhaling his scent. She feels herself become warm and her heart beat speed up. She likes this. She remembers numerous times embracing him the same way and it never felt this way before - it was an almost addicting feeling.
She smiles against his skin. "You remember how we would have sleepovers growing up?"
Sora puts his hot chocolate on the rail and embraces her back, laying his chin against the top of her head. "Those were so fun. We would make two tents out of sheets and pillows, so you could sleep in one and me and Riku could sleep in the other. But you always ended up crawling into our tent anyways."
"I was scared of the dark, okay?!" Kairi squeals, blushing and tightening her hold on his coat. "Plus I got cold way too easy, so I had to snuggle up to one of you. You all used to get so mad about it."
"Hey! We really believed that girls had cooties back then!" Sora retorts, laughing.
"It sucked when our parents stopped letting us have sleepovers. My mom told me I was too old to be staying with boys anymore. That it looked bad." Kairi adds: "I could stay with Selphie, and she's my only girl friend. Which wasn't all bad, I guess. But I'm kind of a tomboy and she's eighty-five percent girly-girl."
Sora winces. "That does suck. I always kept my window unlocked for you to climb through though when you wanted to come over."
"I remember trying to climb up one time and I fell! I scraped my legs from ankles to thighs." Kairi remarks, shaking with silent laughter.
"I swear mom planted those rose bushes there on purpose."
They slip into silence for a moment, just enjoying the embrace that they're still in. It feels odd for both of them, but in a good way. They've needed this - a good heart-to-heart and a hug. Hugs make everything better, right?
But Sora can't deny that he's tempted to do more - he wants to do more. Like, he wants to kiss Kairi. She's so cute right now, too. But, who knows if she wants that? And if he did try to kiss her and got turned down, what would happen? Surely she knows he's had a crush on her for a year now. It's not worth the risk though.
"I really miss that." Kairi mutters, pulling away so she can look him in the eyes. "We had so much fun on the play island, too. We'd draw on the walls in the Secret Place, have sword fights, and play hide-and-seek."
"We've had a really good childhood."
"The way you say that makes it sound like our childhood is over or something."
"It almost is," Sora says. "But that's not a bad thing, you know?"
Kairi bobs her head in response. "That just makes me think about how we hated being treated like children in school or by our parents. Now, here I am, clinging onto what remains of our childhood. I guess it's because it's ending differently than what I imagined."
He arches an eyebrow. "What did you imagine it would be like?"
The petite girl hums in thought momentarily then answers: "I thought we would set sail and travel the ocean. When we saw nothing we would turn back and go home. Our thirst for adventure would be quenched and we would lapse back into our old ways - you, me, and Riku. We'd be happy. And we'd be together forever." There's a pause then: "Forever really is a long time. And what I imagined is pretty childish, huh?"
Sora laughs at the girl. "Not at all! The only thing I know is that you need to quit getting yourself so tore up. It's going to be okay! I promise." He moves his hand to fish out a small box from his pocket. "We'll be together again, one day."
"What's that?" Kairi inquires, eyes lit up with unadulterated curiosity.
"It's a gift - I found it in Atlantis. It kind of reminded me of you." He blushes and scratches at the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry I suck at using wrapping paper. I wrapped it five different times before I said screw it."
The redhead tears up. "Sora . . . I - I can't accept this. I couldn't get you anything this year."
"But you did! You gave me something you made - your seashell charm!" He reminds her with a wide grin. "Besides, even if you didn't get me anything, I'd still want you to have this. You're my best friend, Kai."
Kairi's lips curve upward. "If you're sure . . ." She trails off, snatching the box out of his hands and without hesitation, opens it. Inside is the most gorgeous blue diamond necklace that she has ever laid her eyes upon. "Wow . . ."
"Ariel called it the heart of the sea." Sora explains. "I bet someone dropped it from a boat. Anyways, I thought it would look good with your eyes."
"Thank you so much, Sora, I love it!" She jumps into his arms again and buries her face against his neck. Her heart races once more and her body tingles. This time she doesn't fight the feelings and allows herself to become completely comfortable in his hold. He doesn't seem to mind after all. Maybe he feels the same as she does?
It's just not worth the risk of losing his friendship by saying the wrong thing.
"Do you want me to help you put it on?" Sora questions when she breaks her hold on him (which he really was enjoying and somewhat disappoints him). Kairi thrusts the necklace in his hands and turns around so her back is to him before removing her scarf. He undoes the clasp on the chain and puts it around her neck. Goose bumps form on her skin when his fingers accidentally graze her neck. "Sorry . . ."
"No, it's fine," she says just as he gets it on her. "Well, what do you think?" She spins around once.
"Beautiful," Sora says breathlessly. He quickly snaps out of his daze though and adds: "It really does look good with your eyes."
"Thank you," she chimes in response. "I hate to put this scarf back on over top of it, but it's a little cold."
"Hah, it doesn't hurt my feelings, Kai. I'd rather you be warm."
Kairi tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It's been growing faster than usual lately. "Do you remember that time when me and you were on the play island and it started to storm really, really bad?"
"Last year?" Sora mutters, thinking back to the moment.
"Yeah," she answers. "We got soaked before we managed to get to the Secret Place. It was winter, but not cold enough for it to snow just yet -"
"I had to make a fire for us -"
"And you put your coat around me and we held each other to stay warm." She looks Sora in the eyes. "I wasn't scared because you were there to keep me safe. I'll never forget that." She laughs, "I also remember not being able to sleep because you snored right in my ear the whole time!"
"I had a cold, Kairi! You know I only snore when I have a cold!" Sora retorts, squeezing her sides where she's ticklish. She jumps and fights to get away, but he's way stronger than her, so she just wilts in his arms and squirms.
"S-Sora! S-Stop, PLEASE," she chokes out between laughs and snorts and tears.
Eventually Sora relents and Kairi is left panting heavily in an attempt to catch her breath. Eventually she lays her head on his shoulder and just stays there. She doesn't want this moment to end. Her eyelids droop and she inhales deeply through her nostrils, taking in Sora's scent: cinnamon.
If she could have it her way, she would just shout at the top of her lungs 'I love you, Sora!' but she's too scared. Things have changed between them since everything has begun and she doesn't know how to regain her footing. She's walking blindly without a hand to guide her. Before she could go to her mom, Selphie, or one of the boys about things like this, but now she doesn't have even half of those options.
She's madly, deeply in love with her best friend -
A cold droplet on her nose breaks her train of thought and she is forced to open her eyes to see what it was that hit her. "It's snow," Sora tells her, his face tilted towards the sky. She follows his gaze only to see thousands of white specks lazily drifting in swirls from the sky.
"Wow," she murmurs, awed at the sight. "The first snow of the season . . ."
"I guess I should walk you back now, huh? It's getting pretty late."
She wants to say 'no', but instead she says: "Yeah, if it's no bother!"
"You're never a bother to me, Kairi! Don't be silly!" He moves away so that he can squat down in front of her. Kairi cuffs a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles.
"What are you doing?!"
The brunet looks over his shoulder back at her with a smirk. "What's it look like? I'm giving you a piggy-back ride! You used to beg us to give them to you back on the islands, after all."
"Well," Kairi begins, ready to pounce, "if you insist~!" She leaps with the force of a tiger and latches onto Sora's back with her arms laced around his neck and her heels hooking just around his belly-button. The action knocks the fourteen-year-old male off of his balance and nearly causes him to topple over, but he quickly regains his composure and wraps his hands around the back of his female companion's knees.
"Hold on tight, okay?"
Kairi narrows her eyes in an accusatory manner. "What for?"
"Just do it!"
"Since I trust you, lazy bum . . ." She mumbles, tightening her hold. Immediately Sora makes a dash for the edge and leaps into the air. "SOORA!" She squeals, digging her heels into his stomach and burying her face just as he spreads eagle. They drop for a small portion of a second before they begin to slowly glide.
"Look," he commands gently from over his shoulder. "Don't be afraid."
For some reason, she listens to him and opens her eyes. She gasps at the sight of the ground just twenty feet below them. "Just like when we flew in Neverland . . ."
"You were with me then, huh?"
"Yeah, I was. But it's kind of fuzzy since I was so close to my body then. It messed with me." She smiles before carefully removing one arm so she can reach out to feel the snowflakes and breeze. "This is way better . . ." She trails off, slowly removing her other arm from around Sora's neck and holding both out to the side. She sits up, the cool wind tussling her short red locks.
"Kairi, what are you doing?" Sora asks, glancing at the girl.
"Just enjoying the moment, dork."
Sora smirks. "Well, unless you want to end up with a pretty big bump on your head, I suggest you put your arms back because we're about to land."
"We've still got about five feet," Kairi argues. Sora rolls his eyes and tucks his knees, forcing the girl to tilt back. She squeaks in surprise and throws her arms around his neck.
"Told you," Sora retorts just as they touch down, his hands finding the back of her knees again. "You're way too stubborn."
Kairi sticks her tongue out. "You're one to talk! In fact, remember that one time you and Riku got into a fight so you refused to go with us to the water park even after you made up?"
"We were eight! I was super immature."
"You're still immature!"
"So are you!"
Kairi shrugs. "Well, we're just fourteen. It's okay for us to be a little immature."
Sora chuckles at her response. In the distance he can see the tall wooden doors that are separating them from the Third District. His heart drops at the sight. He's about to drop Kairi off and leave. Donald's probably already got his feathers ruffled because he's stayed out a little later than expected - and poor Goofy is probably failing to calm him down.
"Hey, Sora," Kairi begins quietly.
"Yeah?"
"Christmas was so fun on the islands. Last Christmas was one of my favorites, too."
"Oh, yeah, it was a blast! We bought a tree to put up in the shack on the play island. You and Selphie cleaned the place up and decorated . . ."
"We had our own little Secret Santa - it was going to be our own little tradition. I got your name, by the way."
Sora raises his eyebrows in surprise. "So you got me the most awesome set of headphones ever? I should've known it was you."
"Heh, I wanted to get you something you would like! Who did you draw?"
"I got Selphie. Thank God for a low spending limit - which you completely ignored."
"She loved the knitted socks you bought her, though. I was jealous of those socks actually," Kairi remarks. "They were so pretty. I'm surprised you picked out something that cute."
Sora snorts. "What are you talking about? I gave mom some munny and she picked them out for me."
"That sounds like you - do you need to put me down to push the door open?"
"Nah, I got it," he answers, pushing the door open with his foot. It takes a moment, but they eventually open, leaving trails in the thin layer of snow gathering on the cobblestone streets below. The small house on the left is lit up and casting a light outside. On the inside, Sora and Kairi can see Aerith and Yuffie drinking beers by the window. "I wish we could stay a little longer."
"Me too," Kairi says, climbing off of Sora's back. "Why don't you ask Donald if you can stay the night? I mean, you all need some rest, too!"
"Sorry, Kai, there's just no room in there. Besides, Donald has had enough meltdowns in the past few months because of me."
Kairi sighs and looks down at her boots. "I don't want you to go again." She reaches out for Sora's hands and holds them tightly. "I know what you said before - about us always being together because of our hearts - it's just hard to keep that in mind sometimes."
The pain in her voice shatters Sora's heart, but he keeps it together for her sake - and his own. "I know, Kai. It's hard for me, too. But . . . you know I'm always thinking about you, right? You're my best friend."
"Back on the play island, I asked you if I could always go back there and you said 'yes'." Kairi says. "I just needed security - and you offered that to me. But right now I don't have that option. So here I am, staying with strangers, but I know they're good people. It's just I miss you and Riku so much."
"We miss you, too! I know I do - and I know Riku does. Even though he went down a dark road, he made sure to find you - because he cares about you."
Kairi lets go of his hands and walks a little towards the house. "This is the first Christmas that the three of us haven't been together in about nine years. Crazy, huh?" She edges closer and closer until she's next to it and leans against the front door. "Everything else has changed, so I guess that means Christmas has to change too."
"Growing up sucks," Sora says. "This isn't what any of us expected, but we've just got to deal with it for a little while."
She looks at him and sucks in a deep breath then exhales, a white cloud forming before her visage. "You're right. Come here."
"What is it?"
"Just . . . come here!" She insists, motioning for him. When he is in front of her she barely hesitates before she places her hands on his shoulders, stands on her tiptoes, and proceeds to smack one on his cheek. When she pulls away, her cheeks are even redder than they were a moment ago.
Sora touches his cheek in shock. "Kairi . . . ?"
"Merry Christmas, lazy bum."
END.
Okay, so that turned out about 660 words longer than I wanted, but I guess that happens sometimes. Anyways, I tried to keep them in character while adding hints of romance here and there. I tried to add some backstory between the characters strictly through dialogue (I'm really trying to work on my dialogue so this was a challenge for me).
I also tried to write something that would go along with canon while keeping Kairi and Sora in character as much as possible.
Please tell me what you thought!