Disclaimer: Don't own Kingdom Hearts in any way.

Rating: T, with some mature themes in places.

Many guys don't exactly like shopping with their girlfriends/wives. Sora doesn't mind though, being himself. So when he joins Kairi, how will he react when things don't go as he expected?


"Where are they?" Kairi whispered, looking around in worry. "I hope they're all right"

Sora and Kairi stood outside their chosen resturant in the parking lot, under an umbrella to protect them from the light rain. It was ten minutes after their appointed time; Roxas and Namine seemed late.

"Well, Roxas has a sprained ankle, so he can't walk normally" he said, holding Kairi closer. "I'd have been surprised if they didn't take extra time to be careful"

"I know, but still" she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Not five seconds later, a car pulled into the parking lot, slowly taking a spot. Sora furrowed his eyebrows a little in thought, then he grinned. "That's Roxas's car" he said softly. "They're here"

The driver's car door opened, and Namine got out. She closed the door and quickly went over to the passenger's seat, not even noticing the rain. Opening it, she took the hand that appeared, gently helping Roxas outside.

"Oh, so it's his right foot that was sprained" Sora said, glancing down at it, despite the fact he had a shoe over the cast. Beside him, Kairi nodded, "I thought so... she did say he couldn't drive with his foot sprained"

By the time Kairi said that, their friends had noticed them, quickly walking over as fast they could. "Kairi!" Namine cried out, near instantly hugging her best friend. "I'm so sorry I haven't seen you for a week!"

"Don't worry about it, and you've already apologized" she said, giggling a bit.

And while their girls caught up, Sora holding his umbrella over them with his other hand, he and Roxas fist-bumped with grins. "Nice to see you again, Roxas. Sorry about your ankle" Sora said.

"Nah, it's okay" he said, arm over Sora's shoulder. "I get to be home with Namine, AND since I was injuried at work, I'm getting a payed vacation... it's a win-win"

"You've got a point there" he said, chuckling.


After a minute of catching up, they went inside, both to get out of the rain and to have that double-date. The girl's went to pay (they insisted), while the guys found a seat, Sora making sure Roxas was careful about his ankle.

"So, how's Namine?" Sora asked, tilting his head. Both guys sat at opposite ends of the booth.

"The same, and I love it" he said, chuckling, but then he got serious. "But I think she wants to get a little more serious"

"What makes you think that?" he asked, feeling it was the same thing with himself and Kairi (you know, before they talked about it).

"Well, when I got injuried and sent to the hospital, Namine came over as soon as she could. The way she ran into my room was that she didn't care about anything else" he said, smiling a bit. "But she was wearing her favorite white dress, her hair was all prettied up, and she had obviously spent a lot of time on her appearance... like she wanted something."

"You could tell all that just from how she looked?" Sora said, partially as a tease; Roxas had never been the brightest when he was younger.

Roxas chuckled at the tease, smiling. "Well, not at first, but her appearance did catch my eye" he said simply. "So I thought about it, asked her why, and all that... then I figured it out an hour afterward"

"Wow, that's a record" he said with a grin. "If only you hadn't sprained your ankle, you'd possibly be going further right now"

"Hey!" he said, a little embarrassed. "You sound like you speak from experience" he added after a little pause.

"Well, sorta" he said, glancing back to make sure the girls weren't back yet. "A few days ago, we were shopping, and Kairi was buying sexy lingerie... she even pulled me into the dressing room with her, and wanted my opinion!"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Wow... I didn't think Kairi was that bold" he teased back, chuckling. "So you ARE speaking from experience, even though you're still in the middle of experiencing it"

"Yeah, but she hasn't done much yet... possibly because she was looking forward to this double-date" he said, then he held his hands behind his head. "But tonight? Who knows what she might do?"

"I guess we'll all see" he said, chuckling. "And in a few days, when I've healed, I'll probably go through the same as you are right now"


At the same time they boys are talking

"So you planned to talk to Roxas like I did with Sora?" Kairi asked, looking at her.

She nodded, smiling a little shyly. "Yeah, I wore my favorite dress, spent a lot of time making myself look very pretty... then I got the call he was in the hospital, and I rushed over as soon as I could. I haven't been able to do the same since, because I've been taking care of him"

"But when he's recovered, you'll do so for real" she said, searching through her purse.

"Yeah... but I'm very nervous, Kairi" she whispered. "He might like it, but the thought of sharing the same bed, appearing half-naked in front of him... it makes me very shy"

"You've always been shy, Namine" she said gently, giggling. "But I know how you feel; I was just barely able to do something similiar"

"Like?" she asked simply, still a little shy from their conversation. When Kairi whispered the mall incident in her ear, she blushed, "I could never have done that, especially in public"

"It was very embarrassing" she agreed. "But I found that once I thought about Sora liking it, it became easier. Just think about that after Roxas recovers, okay?"

She nodded slowly, smiling. "Okay" she whispered softly. "Thanks, Kairi"

"No problem" she said, then she took their food, while Namine payed for it with their shared money. "Now, let's get over there before our boys miss us" she said a little playfully.

Namine giggled, nodding with a small grin.


Seconds later, both couples seated now

"Mmm... smells delicious" Sora said, taking a whiff of his food.

"Well then don't just sit there" Kairi said, sitting next to him in the booth. "Eat up"

"With pleasure" he said, easily digging in. "So Roxas, other than your ankle, what's new?" he said, making sure to keep his food in the sides of his mouth while he talked (minimizing the disgust and speech issues).

"Well, before I got injured, my boss did hint I might be getting a promotion soon" he said, grinning. "I called her a few days ago, and my injury didn't change her mind at all, not even a little"

"Cool" he said, but after he did, Kairi spoke up: "Your boss is female? Does that worry you at all, Namine?"

"No" she said, smiling sweetly. "I've met the woman, and she's the stuffy type"

"Yeah, not my type at all" Roxas added, chuckling.

"By the looks of it, you'd be jealous if my boss was female, Kairi" Sora said playfully, chuckling.

"Maybe, but I'd like to see you prove it, Sora" she said with a grin, looking at him with a challenge in her eyes. He merely raised an eyebrow, then went back to his food without any comment or reaction. He grinned mentally when Kairi jolted at his lack of response: a small victory on their occasional playful banter, at least for him.

Roxas opened his mouth to say something, then found his mouth blocked by a piece of pie, held by a fork. He blinked in surprise, glancing sideways at Namine. She was blushing faintly, and her smile was shy but determined. "S-Say 'Ah'" she said with a small stutter.

He blinked again, then he grinned softly. "With pleasure" he said, saying 'Ah' real easily, letting her push the piece of pie into his mouth. "Mmm" he breathed through a closed mouth; delicious. But a few little bits of the cream had stuck to his lips...

"Here, let me get that" she said, already reaching for a napkin.

He stopped her though, gently bringing her hand back, subtly getting closer. "I have a better idea" he said playfully, then he touched a kiss to her lips with his still-creamy ones. And he made sure to leave his mark, so to speak.

She squeaked a little loudly, quickly putting a hand to her mouth. "Roxas!" she whined, her cheeks red from embarrassment, pie cream still stuck to her lips.

Across from them, Sora and Kairi began laughing, but they tried to stiffle it... they failed after about ten seconds. Roxas was already laughing, and Namine joined in after a minute. All four friends continued to laugh for awhile (even as Namine would later get Roxas for that).


Hours later

Sora and Kairi slowly opened the door to their apartment, smiling but weary from their night of fun with their friends. It was fairly late, the sky darkening very quickly as their thoughts moved slowly.

Sora stretched slowly, beginning to yawn a bit. "Remind me to do that again soon" he said, a little slurred from his stifled yawn. "For now, though... let's go to sleep"

He heard a small "Mhm" from Kairi, who had already started walking to the bathroom, to get ready for bed.

He took his time going to the couch (he slept on it, as there was only one bed in their apartment), slipping off his pants, laying down slowly. By the time he did so, Kairi came out, dressed in her light-pink nightgown (which from certain lighting became slightly see-through). Neither one was nervous anymore about seeing each other this way: they'd gotten used to it by now.

Kairi walked toward the bedroom, while he held his hands over his head, closing his eyes.

"Sora?" came a whisper.

"Hmm?" he murmured, half-opening one eye, tilting his head upward so he could look at Kairi, even if his vision was upside-down. "What?"

She stood by the doorway, her face slightly red even through his blurred vision. "Are you... are you coming to bed?"

"...Huh?" he said, not sure he heard right. Must be his tiredness affecting his mind...

She blushed more, but she slowly approached him, standing beside his upward-looking head. "I want you to sleep with me tonight, Sora" she whispered softly, with some shyness. "Nothing serious... just sleep with me in bed"

"You... really want me to?" he said with some difficulty. He didn't function well when tired.

She nodded, smiling at him softly, offering him her hand. "Please" she said simply.

He slowly took her hand in his, trying to get off the couch. It took him a minute, but she was patient. Her smile and tone were enough for him to do most anything she asked... the tiredness was just delaying him. Eventually, he stood hand-in-hand beside her, managing a smile of his own. It helped that his racing heart was counteracting some of his lethargy.

She led him to the bedroom, slowly pulling him down, settling easily on her side of the bed. The way she layed her head on the pillow, how she looked at him, held his hand... at the risk of sounding corny, it was stunning.

He smiled softly, then he gently planted a kiss on her forehead. "This will take some getting used to" he said, slowly lowering his own head. "But I think I like it"

She giggled softly, leaning her forehead against his. "Take your time" she whispered softly, half-closing her eyes. "But give me a kiss goodnight first"

He did so, easily touching her lips with his own. "My pleasure" he said simply, smiling.

She nodded, closing her eyes, her hand resting in his. "Goodnight" she whispered softly, already sounding half-asleep.

"Goodnight" he whispered back, closing his own, gently cradling her hand. He didn't know if she heard him or not, but as he fell deeper into sleep, it just vanished from his mind.


They've taken the first step together (well, technically, Kairi already did that by her little mall scene ;)), and next time, will go just a little further.

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