Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

Setting: A few months before the beginning of Vagabonds, a few months after the end of KH2.

Notes: Many people asked for this, and I finally finished writing it. Enjoy!


Birthday Revelations

Riku's birthday came at the rainiest time on the islands. And when they lived on a tropical island that was a lot of rain. Sora and Kairi both managed nicer birthdays in warm, sometimes unbearably hot weather. Riku had got the short end of the stick. At least, Sora was sure that was what Riku was thinking.

It was just after midnight and it was the day Riku turned seventeen. As had once been the tradition – one Sora swore to revive – the three of them were together for Riku's birthday in a big sleepover. Their other friends had been at the house, but had left early, since the real part would come later – today. Just when it was daytime and not midnight when they were supposed to have fallen asleep.

Except Sora hadn't fallen asleep. He didn't want to say it to his friends, but he was a little afraid sometimes of falling asleep near them. He didn't know if the nightmares he had were visible on him, but he didn't want them knowing about them. So he had lain down on the floor with blankets and pillows and let Kairi curl up against him. It was easy to pretend to go to sleep.

It had also been easy to notice when Riku moved from his position opposite them. His head had been near theirs, his body facing the opposite direction to make it easy for them to talk as they fell asleep.

Sora had lifted his head slowly and craned his neck backwards to watch the boy once he decided Riku wasn't coming back to sleep. The older boy hadn't left the room – he was standing in front of the balcony doors, one hand pressed against the glass and his head bent so that his hair hid his face like a black cloak that should have been gone permanently.

'What is permanent?' A bitter voice said and Sora shivered, and almost reached out this time – but Riku was there now and Roxas would be there later. Roxas would always be there – if it was Roxas. Sometimes he thought it was only his imagination.

He watched, waiting for something – and lightning lit up Riku's profile. Sora almost flinched, reminded of a storm that wasn't really a storm and of darkness that was darker even than night. But he continued watching, fascinated and wondering as Riku did flinch and muttered bitterly, "Happy birthday to me."

Suddenly, it occurred to Sora that Riku didn't much like storms anymore.


Kairi's smile warmed his heart and her touch was always a comfort. He kissed her gently in the rain one of the few times it wasn't pouring and felt... comfortable.

Lately, it had disturbed him to think that he wanted more than comfortable. Or something different. They were happy... but he couldn't find the spark. There was warmth and gentle nature, but he felt no need to go further. Sometimes he wanted to, but it was almost only because of curiosity. She was attractive – but thinking of having sex with Kairi was almost... wrong. Like she was a maiden princess that could only be made love to on her wedding night. Which was partly true – except Kairi did want more, he could tell.

There was a wall he didn't want to pass. He could see himself married to Kairi sometimes, with two children and a pretty house and with Riku their neighbor... except in that dream he didn't go out and fight Heartless, and Riku was always off alone to fight them, not wanting to disrupt their family life. The daydream turned chilly then. Riku could handle himself alone – but not forever.

His relationship with Riku right now was comfortable. Just like with Kairi. It would lead to that daydream world of happiness and sunny days... for him and Kairi. Riku... didn't make friends fast. He had admirers, and a few at school who imagined they were his enemies. But true friends, Riku only had a few of. And it was him and Kairi that were the only two he even came close to being totally open with.

He wanted to brush off those thoughts that Riku wasn't going to find anyone anytime soon. Especially when Riku didn't even appear to belooking. And a part of him thought that Kairi could be happy with someone else... maybe even Riku. But Riku hadn't fought for her, hadn't said a thing when they started going out. Just smiled at them and said he was glad for them. But he wanted Riku to be happy.

"I wonder when the next time we'll see the sun is," Kairi murmured into his ear and he jumped, and grinned at her, and kissed her lightly again.

Then he whispered a spell beneath his breath and tried to change it – just a little. He didn't usually experiment with his magic, it was straightforward – but he was glad he did when the Reflect spell briefly appeared in the air and a few droplets bounced back upwards. "Who knows? But a little water never hurt anyone."

"A little, maybe not. But this isn't a little water, Sora," She retorted after staring a moment at the water that bounced off. "Besides, if I remember, the last rainy season when you were on the island you got sick."

"Only a little!" he protested – even though they both knew that while it hadn't turned desperately serious, he had been very sick. It had been enough to make Riku lose his attitude when he came over in the worst spots – which had made Sora worry more than any of his mother's or Kairi's fussing.

He shied away from thoughts of his mother and grinned at Kairi's stubborn look of exasperation. "So what'd you get him?"

"Not tell-ing," She sang, and he made a face at her – which wasn't a pout at all, no matter what Riku and Kairi said.

"Aw, come on... I'll tell you mine?" He stepped away so he could get a better look at her face and tried to look pleading. With the smile working its way onto his face it didn't quite make the cut.

She shook her head, grinning at him. "I know all about yours. Half of its fighting gear, ones a book I'm not sure he'll even understand and the other is a set of... tools?" She looked puzzled by the last part.

"He was getting interested in carpentry and repairing things and... Well, I suck at it, but I know you need tools and he didn't have any and kept having to borrow some so I... bought some?" He grinned a bit nervously. The tools he really wasn't sure about. The book – well, it wasn't what it looked like on first glance. It was a journal – but magical. He had wondered how Jiminy was able to write so much so fast – he even had the little details down in different sections, and notes about the Heartless.

Sora didn't really know how to use it. Jiminy had given him one for future adventures and he had figured it out a little – but he really didn't see a reason to speak to it – or think at it. His thoughts and speech was too jumbled. Riku would use it more than he did. And the fighting gear – they could always use more magical accessories.

"Really?" She giggled. "Between the three of us we could open up a traveling business. I'll cook, Riku can do repairs, and you can clean things... or, uh... oh! Garden! You used to garden with your... Um."

She stopped and looked guilty, and he shifted uncomfortably. "My mother. It's fine Kairi. I... She'll come back eventually, or she won't. Dad says he looks for her every time he goes on a trip."

"How is your father doing? He just got home, didn't he? I'm surprised he didn't force you to stay home. He seems to... Well... Lately whenever he's around, you're with him." She didn't say overprotective but he heard the word there. She was right to – but even if he chafed now under the attention when he had gone so long without it, he still understood it. He was forced to be when he did complain once to Riku and the boy had pointed out he did the same thing sometimes with him.

"I told him it was Riku's birthday and it was a tradition – the word tradition really helps, I've found," Sora said. He glanced back toward Riku's house and his eyes darkened in thought. They had eaten breakfast and now they were all going to head over to the play island for Riku's party – but Riku was taking a long time.

"Traditions are important – but just because something is a tradition, doesn't mean you have to do it." Kairi's voice was strange, and her hand in his squeezed as she stared at him, searching his eyes. He tilted his head, confused suddenly. There was something she was hinting at, something that he was supposed to see.

'You're in a very traditional relationship,' That familiar voice said, but this time it was soft, as if it knew how much pain that would cause. Sora's instant response was for his eyes to widen and to back off a pace. He dropped Kairi's hands, the warmth leaving him quickly. She stared at him quietly and he stared back, the pitter-patter of rain a calming background. It was too bad he wasn't able to be calmed.

Riku stepped out at that moment, as Sora slowly registered what her words meant. Kairi turned to face him first, her expression lightening. "Happy birthday, Riku."

"Thanks, Kairi. Anything wrong?" There was a smile in Riku's voice, but Sora didn't miss the subtle worried undertone and Sora jerked his head up, briefly meeting Riku's eyes. It was a terrible idea and he knew that it was before their eyes met. Sora wasn't very good at keeping his emotions to himself. So he wasn't surprised when Riku's eyes widened.

He slipped his eyes off to the side, settling just off to the side of Riku's face. "Of course we're alright! C'mon, Riku, we've been waiting forever. Let's go!"

He wasn't precisely faking – he just had decided not to think of it yet. It wasn't the time. So he grabbed Kairi's hand – and then he grabbed Riku's as well and pulled them both forward. He tried not to compare the gentle warmth of Kairi's hand to the heat radiating from Riku's. The dock wasn't so far. And he had yet to really think of if Kairi had meant what the voice had indicated she meant.

He almost wished she had.


He didn't take a rowboat. He glided over the water between Riku and Kairi's boat, leaving his for some of the others to take. Selphie's was leaking lately and Selphie didn't really care. She said that it wasn't her fate to drown and kept using it. Sora hoped she took the hint and used his. Or Tidus and Wakka forced her into it. They were all getting too old to try and double up on any of them. The boats would likely decide to tip under their weight.

Not that any of them were fat – quite the opposite. Even little Selphie had gained muscle since he had been gone and he vaguely remembered her mentioning something about taking lessons. Her new weapon hurt far worse than the jump rope had. Tidus and Wakka had gained blitzball muscles – and thought Tidus hadn't said anything about it, Sora recognized sword calluses when he saw them.

He had to wonder why sometimes – but it wasn't really his business, and with the Heartless around, it wasn't a bad thing for Tidus to know how to use a weapon.

But with all of them taller and weighing more, it was hard for anyone to use the same boat anymore – certainly none of the boys could. Kairi and Selphie had managed it, but it had been difficult to maneuver without much space for arm movements. Sora had decided gliding was better – he just glided over the surface of the ocean. Even on a rainy day he could usually manage as far as the play island.

Except today wasn't a rainy day, it was a stormy day and the ocean wasn't going to stay calm. He found himself dropping down with a yelp when a large wave came at him. The two boats went over it – he, gliding straight, did not. Fortunately, it was easy enough to swim to – a little colder, but he made due and swam just beneath the surface – for all of a minute before a hand jerked him to the surface. "Stay up here."

He turned his head, eyes wide in surprise. Riku shouldn't even have been able to catch up to him in the water. He hadn't been going as fast as he could – but it had been fast enough. His gaze went past Riku to his boat and he exclaimed in surprise, "What happened? Your boat turned over!"

"He Who Lacks Sense didn't like the fact you stayed under for too long and jumped off. Even though we could see you once in awhile beneath the surface." Kairi's voice was amused and he thought he saw her smiling, but he couldn't be sure through the rain and ill lighting from the storm. A crack of lightning confirmed it and he grinned back.

"Well, nothing we can do about it now. Race you?" He turned pleading eyes on Riku, who smirked – but shook his head.

"You've already proved many times that you're faster than me in the water now. We shouldn't tire ourselves out." With that honest statement, Riku head out with strong, steady strokes and Sora shrugged but settled in besides him, content to keep pace with him. He knew Kairi was falling behind - but they would wait once they were on the beach. And someone had to keep a boat.

As they did reach the beach Sora glanced at Riku. "Um, your boat..."

"It'll come to shore. If not... I guess I'll just swim for a while. It's good exercise," Riku replied calmly. Sora raised a skeptical eyebrow. Good exercise – not that good. Not in a storm where the waves fought them every step of the way. For normal kids... they would have drowned. For them, it was just a minor difficulty. But still an annoying one.

Sora glanced away from Riku when the boy ignored him and stared at the storming ocean and the sky, crackling with lightning. It had never been a good idea to do this on Riku's birthday – that was half the fun. The danger involved had always excited them as they wondered if the next wave would swamp them. Of course, at first adults had accompanied them – or more likely, siblings or cousins. Selphie had an older sister who often accompanied them and sometimes Sora's older cousin Zack had been around to help baby-sit.

"Don't just stand there you two! Let's get out of the rain!" Kairi's call woke Sora up and he realized he had been standing there just enjoying the company for a few minutes. He glanced at Riku, who was in an unguarded moment, his gaze oddly fond. He glanced away quickly and Sora did the same, feeling odd. Kairi's earlier words echoed in his head and he hurried after her toward the Secret Place – but not after another backward glance toward Riku.


Sora had always considered the Secret Place just Riku's, Kairi's, and his own, and the other three island children seemed to agree because when they arrived each year they always called them out – they never came in and got them. Sora knew the others had explored in here, but never when they were around. So it was just the three of them, drying in there and huddled close as Sora struggled to keep a flame at the end of the Keyblade. It was supposed to be a weapon, and it was difficult to sustain it. They would just be going outside again anyway – but when Kairi suggested it, he did it. And he was pleased with the results.

Kairi was huddled to his side, shivering – and Riku was on the other, pressed just as close as Kairi. Sora could feel their breaths against his ribs, breathing in time with him. The muscles on Riku's arms flexed against his when the older boy shifted and his skin could feel the goosebumps that rose on Riku's arm. Sora should have been paying more attention to how Kairi's body felt, or what Kairi was thinking – but it was Riku's birthday. Maybe just this once, it was allowed.

They were nearly warm when the shouts came for them, and Sora was surprised when Kairi shifted forward, stumbling up first. She turned to stare back at them, grinning. "No use waiting – we'll get wet either way."

And then she was gone, and Sora followed at a jog – and Riku even more reluctantly. But the fire of the Keyblade was gone and Sora gestured forward with his now-free hand. "She's right, you know."

"I know. But I just got dry," Riku grumbled. Sora hesitated, remembering the droplets hitting his Reflect spell – and bouncing back. He slowed slightly as he got out of the door and then when they were even, Ultima was in his hand again and before more than a few drops hit them, Reflect briefly covered their heads.

"I am going to use up all of my magic soon – run!" Sora laughed, Riku's astonished and pleased eyes making him grin. They did run, scrambling up the ladder as Sora used one hand to cast it again and the other to launch himself up. Riku was quick to follow – and then they were under a roof again, in the large room they had build onto a tree at the top of the ladders and wooden walkways. He remembered fondly finding the cloth there, for the sail of their raft.

Riku's hair was still nearly dry. Sora's spikes were dry – but they seemed to dry faster than Riku's long silky locks. The other four were blinking at them, and Kairi slowly grinned. "An extra present for the birthday boy?"

"Man, I wish I could do that," Tidus complained.

Sora grinned and shook his head. "Usually it's just used to reflect short attacks – using it longer term is draining. I think I'm out of spells for a few hours at least."

"We'll just have to get wet when we leave then," Kairi said, taking a seat against one wall.

"Or wait a few hours," Riku suggested teasingly, sitting near her, with enough space for one person between them. Sora sat between them, his arms brushing theirs.

Presents had already been stacked in the room – Sora wasn't stupid enough to carry them in the rain when he was gliding. Both he and Kairi had stacked theirs in the room before, as had Selphie. By the damp wrapping paper of two of the presents, Wakka and Tidus had not.

But before that – there was more to do, and Selphie leaned forward. "So, who's going to start?"

Riku cleared his throat. "I think we should go over the rules."

"What? We all know them!" Tidus protested. Sora wriggled uncomfortably, knowing Riku was doing this pointedly for him – he had forgotten last time.

"Base it on real people, but try your best to make it unrecognizable. It should have at least roots in events that happened – yes, Selphie, it can branch off into something you wished had happened instead – and have at least one person here in the story. We have to guess who." There was a spark in Riku's eye, as if he already had some mischief planned.

As there were no objections, Riku grinned. "I'll start."

Sora felt a bit uneasy as Riku shifted, recognizing that he had tensed and there was a darker look in his eyes. He was remembering their journey. "There's stone all around, and beautiful dark carpets. There are four characters, all male. Three stand together, two friends and one arrogant leader. Another follows behind, having just lost his companion and before that, others. He is a loyal friend."

He recognized it. He knew Kairi did as well. He squirmed uncomfortably as Riku continued to tell the story – of two boys with swords and the companions who switched back to the side of their loyal friend even though he had lost the powerful object. Riku was being obscure on purpose, he knew he was. Their friends knew the generalities of what had happened, but not the specifics.

And then the story changed as "the loyal friend" summoned the powerful object. "The arrogant boy felt a change in his heart, and sudden guilt for things he had done against the trio. Instead of the expected fight, the arrogant one laid down his weapon and surrendered. Where a fight had been expected, there was an alliance."

Sora was careful not to look to either side, and he could hear the guilt, and the wistful need in Riku's voice. 'He loves you, you know.'

Roxas's opinion was unwanted, but Sora wasn't sure anymore if it wasn't true. Both Kairi and Roxas had been hinting it – and a part of him wanted it to be true. He tuned out the ending details of Riku's story. Wakka and Selphie both had triumphant looks on their faces, as if they knew who it was – and probably they did know Riku was in there. But Tidus, who was growing up faster than Sora could understand glanced at Sora out of the corner of his eyes, his expression subdued. He looked like he wanted to ask when the story had changed – Sora looked away.

"Man, it's obviously you," Wakka announced when Riku had finished.

"Yup! Sorry Riku, but you didn't hide your identity well enough," Selphie giggled.

Riku was keeping himself expressionless in the dark and his eyes shifted to Tidus. "Do you agree?"

Tidus's eyes briefly flicked over to Sora. The brunet stared back, unable to figure out what signal to give him. And so Tidus said, "Yeah, it was you. And Sora."

Riku and Kairi both tensed and Selphie was suddenly looking at him wide eyed. "You, Sora? Riku... had been fighting against you?"

"But it was all true, right, man? He joined up with you again." They looked so hopeful. Sora had no idea what to say, and he knew he must look stricken. Tidus looked faintly apologetic now, but his blue eyes were firmly on Riku.

The boy turning seventeen took a breath and stared their friends in the eye. "No, it wasn't all true. When Sora summoned the object – the Keyblade – I fought them all. I gave into the darkness and I betrayed them all."

"You also saved us," Sora pointed out, shifting uncomfortably. He hated when Riku started getting into these moods. It was hard to get him out. Usually he just challenged him to a spar. But that wasn't possible right now.

"It doesn't make up for it. You almost died, Sora. You both could have died! The whole damn universe could have been destroyed and it would have been my – Fuck!" Riku's guilty speech was interrupted by Sora's fist. At the last moment he tried to reign in his strength but Riku's head still smacked backwards into the wooden walls. Sora glared at him from the few inches that now separated them.

"It wasn't your fault. It was Xehanort's. We all fell for some kind of manipulation. You think you're the only one who feels guilty? Don't you think sometimes I blame myself for it, Riku? If I'd just made you stay, or heck, if I'd managed to grab your hand that night – but it doesn't matter now, Riku. We're all healthy, and we're fine, and itwasn't your fault. And every time you say it is I'm going to hit you." He watched Riku put a hand up to his jaw and rub it as he spoke. He watched Riku's lips part slightly and his tongue lick at apparently dry lips after Sora had stopped speaking. And Sora really wanted to kiss him, to try and show him that he really didn't blame him, that Riku wasn't part of the dark.

Except Riku was still looking at him with guilty eyes, and Sora just shook his head. He couldn't kiss him, because Riku couldn't like him like that, no matter what Roxas or Kairi said. He couldn't kiss him, because their friendship was precious. But he couldn't stay here, because Riku didn't believe him, only felt guiltier in knowing about Sora's guilt.

Sora stood and walked out. He ignored Riku's soft call, or everyone else's – but he heard Kairi come up behind him and he hesitated as he stared down at the ladder. "He doesn't believe me."

"He does – but he doesn't understand it. He told this story tonight because it is another step in trying to heal. He can't understand he doesn't need to make amends. All he sees is the way we've lost our innocence. It's also why he leaves us be as much as possible when we're together – he wants to leave this part of us alone. But... I don't think this part of us belongs to each other, Sora." She touched his shoulder gently and he looked at her, standing in the rain with her hair and dress plastered to her. She was beautiful, and he loved her, but she was right.

He turned toward her and leaned forward slowly. She met him part way and they kissed gently, chastely. He wished he could have given her more. But he couldn't be all that Kairi needed, just like she wasn't all he needed. He put his arms around her and pulled her close, breaking the kiss in favor of a hug. "I love you, Kairi."

"Oh, Sora. I wish we could have made it. I really do. I love you so much." She buried her head in the crook of his neck. He nuzzled the top of her head, and then kissed her forehead gently before just being content to hold her. He should have felt guilty or something – but this was her decision as much as his. Actually, it was more her decision. She probably knew he never would have done this even if he had come to realize he liked Riku in a more than friendly way on his own. He would have stayed by her side. She needed this too. Somewhere out there was the perfect man for her. It just wasn't him.

He swallowed and slowly they backed off. "So. This is it."

She smiled weakly. "Yeah. This is it. I hope – that you and Riku..."

He held up a hand as she trailed off and shrugged, smiling a little. "I don't know if me and Riku will come to anything. I don't know if what I think – what you've hinted – is true. I'll try though. I always try."

"You do – and eventually, if you put your will to it, you succeed. So you'll turn out fine with him – he does love you. It might take awhile for him to admit it, and you might have to make the first move, but you'll get there." She grabbed his hand and squeezed gently – and then let go. "I'll tell him in a week or so. Not right now – we don't want to spoil his birthday more than he's already done. Let's go inside."

He almost did – and then hesitated. There was something else he wanted to know. "In a minute, okay, Kairi? I have to think about something first."

She smiled as if she understood, but it wasn't what she thought. He jumped silently to the roof when she drifted back inside and took a deep breath. No one could see him here – but just to make sure he glided forward, down to the little tower in the cove where he could see there raft, now tied there. Sometimes they took it out for a weekend to pretend.

Under that protection he called into his mind, 'Roxas?'

There was silence for a moment, and Sora was beginning to wonder if he was going mad. But then there was a snort. 'About time. I've been trying to speak to you for months. Of course you start to listen when I talk about him.'

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't know you were still there. I... I guess I didn't really think about it." He felt terrible. His Nobody must have been so lonely. He hadn't even thought about Roxas much, or what he must have gone through. And now here they were, and he felt that he had failed somehow – Roxas was his Nobody.

There was a bitter sigh. 'I'm a Nobody. What does it matter? I'm going to fade into you eventually. I'm nothing, just a part of you. I have no existence.'

"That's not true!" He protested. He didn't think about it, afraid if he did, he would agree with Roxas. He was determined to prove Roxas wrong – they weren't the same. Roxas had once had his own life, his own abilities. He had thought things differently, met different people, and made his own memories.

'Yes it is. There's nothing that is mine anymore. I can't even touch anything!' It was a desperate thought, and in that second Sora could feel the part of his heart and mind that Roxas was in, and he could feel the desperation there, the pain. He wanted it to stop – this was his Nobody. And he didn't deserve this. He didn't know what he was doing – he just wanted Roxas to be able to touch. So he felt around in his heart for that Roxas-part, and switched them.

He didn't expect the pain that came with it, or for both of their thoughts to overlap with pain and confusion. He was going back, Roxas was going forward – even if Roxas didn't know it. 'What's going on? What did you do

'You wanted to touch,' Sora said weakly, his mind spinning – but only his mind. As his thoughts settled, he realized what Roxas meant. He couldn't feel anything – only Roxas, and echoes of what Roxas was touching. He didn't mind thought – he had to laugh as Roxas just stared.

Roxas slowly reached out a hand to the wooden railings, his hand trembling. "This is real?"

'Of course it is! How would I make this seem real? I didn't even really know how to switch us.' Sora would have shrugged if he had shoulder, but he felt that Roxas understood the sentiment anyway.

"Yeah, you don't have many brains in that empty head of yours," Roxas teased, and Sora pretended to be offended.

'Hey! My head is not empty – you got along well enough and we share the same head... um, well, sort of.' He had been asleep for a while and they hadn't been merged then, so it wasn't quite true – but Roxas was amused and so he knew he had said something right.

Instead of answering, the Nobody just sat down – and picked at his clothes. "They're mine."

'Well, when you... did whatever to join with me, you were wearing your own clothes, and my clothes are magic, and I guess... that the weirdness of it all is so weird already, the fact that your clothes appear when you do shouldn't really faze either of us much.' Sora was a little surprised – but considering they could do this at all, he was glad Roxas ended up with his own clothes.

"You really do think of us as separate. Now that you're hearing me I can hear your thoughts even better," Roxas murmured, and Sora felt guilty. He felt Roxas scowl. "Stop that. You aren't Riku – stop brooding about it. It's fine now."

Roxas held out his hand into the rain. "It feels great." There was a pause. "Actually it feels damn cold, but that's great too."

'I'm glad – why don't you explore a bit. You've missed a lot – have you ever actually felt a beach?' Sora urged him out into the rain, and Roxas jumped down from the tower.

"Not this beach," Roxas answered, wading straight into the waves. They were going to be soaked by the rain anyway. Roxas inhaled the salty air and swallowed with difficult. His throat suddenly felt thick. He was glad it was raining, and that Sora pretended he couldn't feel the warmth of the liquid around Roxas's eyes.

Roxas stayed there, staring at the storm and the dark ocean, and hearing it crash around him, smelling the salt and the life around him, tasting it, touching it, and didn't move until he heard someone calling Sora's name. Then he scrambled back for the tower. Wet muddy sand filled his shoes and he scraped his palm when he tried to grab onto a rock and it was slippery and sharp.

'We'll do this again,' Sora promised as Roxas tried to memorize every detail of the rain, how every droplet sounded as it pounded on the roof of the tower. Then they were switching, and Sora gritted his teeth against the pain. Roxas went reluctantly, but for some reason they both felt the need to keep this from everyone. It was private right now. It was just between the two of them.

Sora opened his yes and pressed a hand to his heart. It felt warm now, and whole, as if a part of him had been healed. He grinned. "I'm glad you're real."

"Sora!" Kairi called from below the tower. He glanced out, leaning over the empty pace left by the ladder. "Riku's going to open the presents! Hurry up! You've been out here forever!"

"The presents! I forgot!" Sora rushed out, jumping down and grabbing Kairi to dash them both into a quick run.

He didn't miss Roxas's answer though, and he hoped the rain was thick enough the Kairi didn't notice him grinning gleefully after Roxas replied, 'I'm glad you're real, too.'


End.

And that would be that little piece many people have wondered about. Hopefully it didn't disappoint and thank you for over a hundred and fifty reviews!