"Hey, there's this place I want to show you,"a yelp, and a laugh.

The two were knee deep in the cool, clear ocean. The sun had gone down a while ago, but the splashes of water had not ceased. "C'mon, it's not far from here!" another splash, followed by several quick sloshes to lower water. "Hey, Get back here!" one follows the other as they head inland off the beach, the sound of their laughter trailing the entire way.

In between moments of euphoria, he saw the moonlight play across her face, lighting up her eyes. Breathlessly, they embraced and fell to the ground. Wrestling around for a bit, he ended up on top, pinning her down. She weakly struggled for a bit and gave up, then drew him closer. Light blue eyes searched each other for moments that seemed like an eternity. He could feel her breath, just as she could feel his as their lips drew closer. His lips hovering above hers, he closed his eyes, not knowing what to do next. Neither did.

They'd known each other as long as they could remember, the three of them. Before Selphie, Tidus, and even Wakka. When they were younger, Sora and Riku were just as competitive, and Kairi cheered for them both the same. Whenever they'd have a contest to see who could beat the other climbing to the top of a tree, the tree won most of the time. Though Rikku was older, Kairi always was the big sister, the one who cooked, who cleaned, and who patched up the grievous wounds only a wooden sword could inflict. The boys sometimes would catch the other looking at Kairi, but pretend not to notice. And though neither would say anything, they'd both know that the other loved her as well.

Her head came up the slightest bit and met his lips with her own. Surprised, he opened his eyes, but didn't break the kiss. "It's rude to stare.." she murmured, initiating another kiss. He complied. He could still see her angelic face in his mind's eye. The moon that spilled through a large crack on the ceiling above, the wind rustling the trees outside, and the ocean's ebbs and flows; everything was drowned out besides each other's warmth. Whispers, moans, and the occasional giggle came in between pecks and kisses throughout the night.

The next morning, Kairi awoke in her bed. The salt in her hair and the hickeys covering her neck affirmed that what happened last night was not a dream, she notes, looking at herself in the mirror. Besides her bed, there was a folded note.

Kairi
The floor wasn't comfortable, so I brought you to your room.
Man, are you heavy.
Let's meet again tonight at the same place.

She quickly folds the piece of paper, blush taking over her smiling face.

Later that night, she slips past the impeding tree. Several steps in, she sees him kneeling on the ground facing away from her.

"Did you know..? If two people share a Paupu fruit, their destinies become intertwined."

He turned to face her, rock in hand.

"The Paupu aren't in season yet, so I thought this might work." he said as he finished up.

Coming closer, Kairi saw what looked like one person punching another with a star. Ohh..he's feeding me a Paupu fruit..

"I love you, Kairi" he said, almost a whisper.

Another scrawl to accentuate the point of the Paupu and he turned around, grinning like a fool.

She remained silent, not expecting these three words, and not expecting him to be the one saying them. She had her head down, hair covering her face. She had a million things going through her mind, the implications of a few words and a piece of fruit.

Unbelieving of what he'd said himself, he drops the rock and walks the couple steps that separated himself and the girl to whom he'd just confessed. He was shaking, both with fear and anticipation of her response. Neither of them said a word. And then she said something, something he couldn't quite make out.

"Wha-" he was cut off with a kiss, long and slightly salty from her tears. When they finally broke apart, she said with a hiccup, "I said, you're mean; you gave me hickeys". She sniffles and kisses him again and again.

Happy beyond words, he weakly replies "but your choker covers them anyways.."

"That's not the point", she said, wiping her nose with her forearm.

"What does this mean?" he asks, being terribly unspecific, but holding her hands.

"This means.." looking at her hands in his, "that I don't know what my feelings are."

"But," she adds, "let's do this just a little while longer."

They backed into a wall and picked up where they'd left off the night before. They were a lot less shy now, she blew softly into his ears, and he made it a point to bruise her neck even more.

The next morning, he awoke in his bed. The salt on his face and the hickeys covering his neck affirmed that what happened last night was not a dream, he notes, looking at himself in the mirror. Besides his bed, there was a folded note.

When I'm sure what my heart wants, let's share a Paupu at our special place.

How did she get me into bed?

I've been having these weird thoughts lately..like..is any of this for real, or not?

I don't know how, and I don't know why..but what I remember and what I believe are not the same thing. Is this really what happened?

The Heartless..they consume our dearest moments to steer our futures.