... Is it?
As it started getting dark, things started slowing down.
A good majority of people had left, and Kairi had stopped trying to socialize with everyone like a good host. She had probably managed to speak to everyone at least once, and that alone was just insane to me.
Now, she seemed to be taking the time to hang around Sora, the two of them sitting at the edge of the pool. I had the right mind to go bug them, but Olette and Selphie had beaten me to it (not intentionally I'm sure) so I swam up without getting to feel like the evil twin for now.
Resting my arms on the ledge, I was just in time for a topic I had known nothing about.
"Was the girl that was on the balcony earlier your cousin?"
Olette pointed to one of the many balconies overlooking the pool to specify. I hadn't noticed anyone on them at any point in the night, but I'd been having fun, and Olette had an eye for details like this.
"I only have one cousin staying here, so I would have to say yes."
"Wait what cousin?" I was lost.
"The one I told Sora about after you dashed off for the food."
"… oh." I gave her an apologetic smile. So that's what I had been ignoring.
"Yeah. She's living with us now. You'll meet her at school tomorrow since she didn't bother coming down tonight."
Kairi seemed a bit agitated, but did seem to be leaving it at that. Or, that's what we all thought until she snapped.
"I don't get her at all. Apparently she's afraid of people or something. But how can you be scared of something you are?"
The four of us seemed a little confused, but I was more taken aback. How could Kairi judge her own family so harshly? I lived with Sora and I never got angry for who he was. I could yell at him all I wanted but that was because we were twins. I actually accepted him as he was.
"It's called being shy?" Not being here to defend herself, I felt the need to speak up for the girl I'd never met. Kairi shrugged and seemed disinterested in what I was saying.
"Not everyone's a social butterfly like you, Kai." Sora poked her in the cheek and smiled.
This won her over of course, and I had to swim away in disgust and annoyance, obviously not contributing anything useful to the conversation.
It was almost ten by the time everyone but our core group had left. Well, and Pence, who stayed longer than I expected, but still left before a lot of people. And Axel who claimed he had "better things to do", giving a suggestive look. So it was just me, Sora, Riku, Hayner, Olette, Selphie and Kairi.
After some air hockey and foosball, us guys moved on to Halo while the girls were... gossiping or something. God only knows what they talk about on their own.
I was enjoying myself, until I remembered that aside from Riku, I was the worst at this game. After a while I wasn't really trying, and started wondering if I should just go swimming again.
That was when Kairi's voice scared the crap out of me.
"Nami! Come on in!"
She could be really loud.
Keeping the minimum attention needed to at least look like I was trying on the game, I somewhat watched the girl that had just entered the room make her way towards where Kairi, Selphie and Olette were seated on the floor.
She took a sit in the armchair that was next to the three.
And...
she looked like an angel.
"This is Selphie and Olette."
A scared angel. She looked like a scared angel.
"Guys. GUYS!"
Apparently I'd managed to look as distracted as Riku, Hayner and Sora. Only Kairi could pull Sora and Riku's attention away from anything. I was already paying attention, and Hayner probably decided against ignoring Kairi's commanding tone.
"This is my cousin, who I was telling you about. Namine."
I would've noted the extreme difference in Kairi's tone from earlier, but I wasn't anywhere near focused.
My full attention was on the blonde, curled up on the chair giving us the smallest smile.
Some of the guys muttered 'hey' and 'nice to meet you' and I murmured something like "hi Namine' but I think I mostly said this to repeat her name. Maybe I thought I would forget it.
Namine. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. And of course, it was obvious she that was nervous and shy, even if Kairi hadn't told us that.
Everyone else went back to gaming. I couldn't seem to.
Kairi was telling her our names, and when I heard mine I practically choked on my own breathing, realizing everyone else was playing the game again but here I was still staring at Namine, who was now staring back.
I flashed a weak smile and trained my eyes back on the TV.
I was acutely aware of how bored I was, as well as how bored Namine must have been sitting listening to Selphie and Kairi talk at the speed of light. Olette was used to it, and good at contributing where necessary, but Namine looked lost and confused.
Not that I was watching.
Having surrendered my controller, I was "watching" Riku and Sora play... I didn't even know what game now that I thought about it. I hadn't actually bothered to pay attention.
Hayner had gone ahead and went home. So while everyone else was occupied with something, I was trying and failing to not glance at Namine, who was the only other person not really doing anything.
She hadn't looked at me once since we'd been introduced, though.
Feeling agitated for whatever reason, I boredly asked,
"Anyone else want to go back in the pool?"
Riku and Sora just barely grunted a no, and Kairi and Selphie didn't even acknowledge I'd asked a question. Olette at least shook her head with a smile. Sometimes I swear she's the only one with any respect for others.
And Namine... well I finally met her brilliant blue eyes again, but I couldn't read them and she said nothing. So I got up and went outside.
Having the pool to myself was both perfect and annoying.
Perfect, because I could swim peacefully after all the rough housing all day, and I didn't have to worry about swimming into anyone.
Annoying, because I was left with my thoughts, and for some reason, they consisted mostly of Namine.
I'd met the girl two hours ago and all I wanted to do was get to know her, make her feel like she could be comfortable and open around all of us. Around me. I told myself I would be trying to make anyone new to the group feel welcome. But I was also acutely aware of how I kept thinking how pretty she looked, and that the timid smile was so adorable.
I backstroked trying so hard to stop thinking about it.
And even if there had actually been any hope for that, as I crossed the pool again, I now saw her standing by the edge.
I flailed, none to gracefully, into an upright position.
Yeah, trying making that look like you meant to do it.
She was giggling though, which I couldn't tell was good or bad. But it died down quickly.
"Maybe I should... go back inside."
Bad! Bad! I mean, I still really liked that I made her giggle for some reason...
I forced some words to come out of my mouth.
"N-no! You... didn't get to go swimming all day. The least I can do is share the pool."
I thought that was a pretty good recovery, and she was smiling again. But now she'd be getting in the pool, and I had no idea what else to say, and already knowing how quiet she was, I would have to be the one to say something. And as I was floating there panicking about this idea I hadn't noticed her already get in the water until she actually did say something first.
"Is that one boy your brother?"
She did ask it cautiously, like she was afraid to say anything, let alone ask a question, but at least she had been able to say something to me.
"Sora? Yeah, we're twins. Not identical but..."
She nodded.
"I thought so..."
Now I was worried again, but after a few moments she kept going.
"He's the one Kairi's always talking about right?"
I laughed at this.
"Does she? Yeah, it's probably him. They're the best of friends. I swear they should just get it together and date already."
This time she didn't say anything afterwards, and I was okay with it. I didn't feel like talking about Sora and Kairi. I wanted to know about her.
"You don't have any siblings?"
I figured if she did, they'd be living here too, but it was something to verify right?
She shook her head no. I watched her swim in circles. She looked to be getting increasingly upset. I must have been on to something with noticing this, because she stopped swimming and was looking away. I almost didn't hear her.
"I'm only living with them because my father died."
"... oh..." I couldn't find anything else to say. People apologizing when they were told things like this never made any sense to me.
At least she turned back towards me a bit, and seemed to have a sad smile. I was just thankful she wasn't crying. And I said the first thing that came to mind.
"It doesn't have to be so bad being here."
At least, I didn't want it to have to be so bad for her.
"Promise?"
The intensity I felt when she turned to look at me straight on and ask this caused me to freeze for a moment, before needing to look away for some reason. So I looked upward. To make it seem causal, I tapped a finger against my chin as though I was thinking intently on it, lightening the mood. It must have worked because I heard her giggle softly again. And that was enough to make me turn back and smile confidently.
"Promise."
So the story alerts and favorites were enough to motivate me to get this up. Lucky for you guys it was already written, because this day was exhausting. And I only had two classes. Tomorrow its three and work. This semesters going to be joyous -.-
But enough about that. The amount of awkward adorableness I picture radiating off these two whenever they're in the same room just makes me joyful. But they're both completely oblivious to it =D Do expect more this weekend, but for things to be more spaced after that.
Let me know thoughts x