Chapter 6 : The Truth

Sora woke up, his eyes heavy and let out an exhausted yawn. He lifted his hand and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, then placed his hand behind his head and closed his eyes once more. 'Why am I so tired?' Sora thought. Then...it hit him. He remembered. He was up all night thinking silently to himself about the reward poster he had from the night before. About who it was about. Sora once again felt his heart sink. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Kairi still asleep and snuggled into his chest. Her one hand gripped his shirt, while her other hand was rested on the other side of her head on the pillow. Her head was nestled into Sora's neck which Sora didn't mind...or he did? Sora shook his head filled with all the clouded thoughts. Kairi wouldn't lie to him...would she? Sora's thoughts drifted when he felt Kairi's breath on his neck, causing him to shiver slightly. Sora's other hand was rested on Kairi's back, which he moved to her hair and started to stroke lightly. Sora buried his face in her hair and inhaled her scent. She smelled fantastic...not a scent of street rat life on her. Of course there wouldn't be because she is...no. Sora pushed his face further into her hair, squinting his eyes shut, trying to block out the thoughts of her possibly being that...that bitch; the princess. She just couldn't be...

His hand drifted to her neck and just stayed there. 'I could end it now...' Sora thought. 'Snap her neck in her sleep and my revenge would be complete. No, it should be painless. Wait, what? Why the hell should it be painless? After all the pain she caused me? No, Kairi's sweet and kind, she deserves peace and a death that's painless. No, I can't even do it...I can't...Kairi...' Sora threw his head back into the pillow and let out a desperate moan that resembled a cry.

Sora felt a soft hand touch his cheek and opened his eyes to see Kairi with a sad look in hers. 'No...don't look at me like that. You can't...'

"Sora? Are you okay?" Sora shifted his eyes away from her, making Kairi more worried. "Did you have a nightmare?" Sora didn't respond. He couldn't even open his mouth. Who knew what would pop out. "Was...was it about your family?" Sora's eyes snapped back to Kairi's and flickered with a hint of anger but then softened when Kairi spoke. "I'm sorry Sora. I truly am. What happened was terrible and I wish it never happened to you. You didn't deserve it. You never did." Kairi started to softly stroke the side of Sora's face with her thumb. "I had a nightmare too. It was terrible and I was so scared and frightened. There was no one to protect me or save me. I was completely alone. And I was cornered and about to die...and the only thing I felt was regret. So much regret that I accepted what was happening to me...please, don't let that happen to me in reality. Don't make me feel that pain of regret and loneliness."

Sora didn't know what to say. He was glad of the nightmare she had, of the regret she had felt. Then again, it pained him to hear her say such things. To dream of such horror that she would be scared of reality. Sora nodded his head, still staring at Kairi. Kairi let out a small smile and rested her head on top of Sora's chest again. "Thank you..."

Sora let out a heavy sigh. Today was going to be fun...

Sora and Kairi were going through their food inventory, making sure they had what they needed to live such as fruit, bread, etc. Aladdin's gold mine of food definitely helped out. Kairi was making a fast, yet efficient process of count while Sora kept messing up and was going slow, lost in his thoughts and clouded emotions.

Kairi stopped her count and sighed contently. "There. I think we are good over here. Sora, how is your count going?" Kairi looked over at Sora to see him slowly pulling fruits out one by one and tossing them into the other bag. "Sora?" Still no response. "Sora." Still nothing. Kairi grunted. "Sora!"

"Hm?" Sora stopped and looked over to Kairi to see her place her hands on her waist. "Sora, your count? What are you at so far?"

"Count? What?" Kairi looked at Sora confused. "Oh, that. I'm at...uh..." Sora looked to the pile of fruits then back to Kairi. Sora sighed and held his head down. "I forgot..."

Kairi giggled which only made Sora's heart ache more. Kairi walked over to Sora and bumped her arm against his. "Lazy bum." Sora looked away from Kairi and mumbled something. "What'd you say? I didn't hear you?"

Sora sighed heavily. "I said, I guess I'll start over..." Sora's snap made Kairi feel uneasy and sad. Was he mad at her? "Sora..." Sora continued moving fruits, ignoring her again. "Hey, Sora." Kairi gently grabbed Sora's arm, making him halt his actions and look at her. "What's up with you? Are you mad at me or something? Because I was just joking around..." Sora felt instantly guilty as tears started to slowly show in Kairi's eyes.

"No, it's...it's nothing. I'm just feeling off today, that's all."

Kairi shifted her feet, unsure of his answer. "You promise?" Sora nodded which made Kairi let out an annoyed grunt. "Sora..."

"Yeah, I promise." Kairi looked down to her feet making Sora do the same. "It's just..." Kairi looked back up. "I just can't fucking count for the life of me." Sora let out a forced smile to make Kairi believe the lie. It worked and she ended up smiling back.

Aladdin had returned with Abu finally, and the first thing Aladdin did was crash on his bed and groan. Sora rolled his eyes while Kairi smiled. "Rough day, Aladdin?"

"The worst." Aladdin responded, making the monkey agree.

Kairi nodded. "I'm going to run out quickly to go to the bathroom. I'll be back." Before Kairi left, she ran her hand down Sora's arm as an effort to relax him. Sora smiled softly and Kairi exited the hideout.

Right when Kairi was gone however, Sora walked up to Aladdin and kicked his foot making him wake up from his second long nap, and look up confused. "What?"

"You know."

"I do?"

Sora reached into his pocket and pulled out the reward poster and handed it to Aladdin. Aladdin slowly sat up and took the poster, reading it to himself. "Sora...this is getting ridiculous..."

"Read it."

"I did."

"The whole thing?"

"Yeah. What is-"

"The description."

"So? Lots of girls resemble-"

"The name."

Aladdin stopped dead in his tracks. Sora only glared harder at Aladdin. "Don't you dare tell me you knew this whole time."

Aladdin shook his head. "Sora, I don't know what you expect me to tell you."

"You don't? How about the goddamn truth for once? How about that?"

"Sora, you're overreact-"

"I am not overreacting! I am actually under-reacting!"

"Sora, that isn't even a -"

"I don't care. Is it true?"

"Is what tr-"

"Kairi."

Aladdin stood up in front of Sora. "I'm not saying squat."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you need to calm-"

"I am calm!" Sora shouted, spreading his arms out wide. Aladdin looked at Sora making Sora drop his arms and sigh. "I'm calm."

"Will you kill her?"

Sora looked at Aladdin dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Will you hurt her if I tell you the truth?"

Sora looked toward the floor and shrugged. "Depends on if it's true or not, and you have been letting the murderer of my family live with us!" Aladdin glared once more at Sora making him sigh in defeat. "I don't know, okay?"

"...Alright. I'll tell you the truth." Sora looked up at Aladdin and braced himself for the worst.

After a few minutes Kairi returned to see Aladdin sitting on his bed and Sora doing the same on his. Kairi looked back and forth between the boys and let out an uncomfortable laugh.

"Well, this is intense. What'd I miss?" Neither boys responded making Kairi feel more uneasy. "Okay..."

Kairi walked over to Sora's bed and plopped down next to him, making Aladdin look over and worry. Kairi smiled towards Sora and nudged his shoulder playfully.

"So, what do you wanna do today?" Sora sat silent, contemplating. "Sora? Are you okay?" Sora didn't respond which made Kairi feel even more worried. "Sora? What is it?" Kairi reached out and grasped Sora's hand, making Aladdin quickly stand up.

"Kairi, why don't you and I go do something and leave Sora here. He's not feeling well..."

Kairi looked from Aladdin back to Sora worried. "Sora, is that true?" Kairi started to rub her thumb across the back of Sora's hand. "It would explain why you've been so distant and unresponsive...why didn't you tell me?"

Aladdin answered for Sora quickly. "Perhaps, he didn't want you to worry and such. C'mon Kairi. Let's go."

Kairi shook her head. "No, I should stay with Sora. Help him get better."

"Yeah Aladdin." Aladdin looked towards Sora looking up at him angry. "Let her stay with me..."

Aladdin shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea..."

Sora turned towards Kairi and felt hatred rise from his gut. It took everything not to look at her and feel okay, not angry, but calm and happy. It took everything for him to shove all that away and replace it with this anger. Yet, he was struggling. "Aladdin's a liar. I'm fine. He worries to much. I just have a lot on my mind that needs to be expressed."

Kairi raised an eyebrow at Sora. "So, you're okay?" Sora nodded. "That's good. What's been on your mind? Can I help?"

Sora smiled, but not his usual smile. This smile hid something dark behind it. "Actually, it's about you."

Kairi tilted her head and thought. "Me?" Sora nodded.

"Let's go, Kairi. I want to speak to you in private. It's super important."

Aladdin stepped closer. "Let me co-"

"No." Sora caught off Aladdin. "Just me and Kairi. I want to be alone with Kairi."

Kairi blushed at Sora's quick comment. "Can...Can we stay here? I don't feel like leaving really."

Sora nodded. "That's fine. Aladdin can leave."

Aladdin resisted. "Actually, I'm stayi-"

"Out!" Sora pointed his finger towards the exit. Aladdin, knowing he's lost this battle, looked to Kairi upset and then left without a word.

Kairi looked towards Sora confused. "Sora?"

"Kairi?"

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Sora, I'll admit. You're scaring me."

"You should be scared."

Kairi froze after his statement and tried to pull her hand out of his but Sora held it tightly. "Sora, what are you talking about?"

Sora sighed and reached out to touch Kairi's face. He stroked her cheek and brushed some of her auburn hair out of her face. "I'm sorry Kairi...I don't know what got into me. I'm so stressed..." Sora grabbed Kairi's face with both hands and placed his forehead onto hers. "Kairi, forgive me..."

Kairi placed her hands underneath Sora's face so her thumbs were brushing his jaw. "It's okay Sora..."

"I know it's just I'm so stressed out..." Sora glared into Kairi's eyes. "...because it's not every day that I run into the Princess..."

Kairi froze her stroking moments and stared into Sora's glare. "Wha-what?"

"Hello. Princess Kairi."

Kairi's heart thudded faster and louder, blood racing, body and mind still and frozen with fear. He knows...Sora knows...

Sorry that this chapter is really short, it's just I really wanted to get this part out because it's been in my head forever haha not to mention it's like 3 am. Oops. Anyways, don't think that just because Sora knows that Kairi is the Princess that this story is coming to an end soon. Trust me, I'm going to extend this story as far as possible. Almost until my brain melts. Sum that up, this isn't a story where Sora finds out a million chapters later and yadda yadda. It's where in the beginning he finds out and from there the story kicks off to him facing his troubled past and...well, him and Kairi, and all this stuff...ya known what? You'll find out soon haha. As always, read and review and I will see you soon!