A/N: Hey guys! It was REALLY hard to decide whether to start this chapter of "Meeting You Was No Accident" and a new fanfic for Ib. I chose this chapter, but THEN I'm going to start my Ib fanfic. If you like horror and fantasy, you can go check it out once I start it; I'd really appreciate it. Thank you for being so patient! You guys are just awesome.
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It was nearly 6:40am when the sun began to rise; Kairi's mother would be getting up to open shop any minute. Plastic wrap had been placed over the window that had been shattered the night before, and the glass had been swept up and a rug had been placed under the window; just to make sure customers weren't to step on any missed shards during clean-up. Kairi woke up to the sound of Silvey chirping like a mad-bird. She groaned, "Ugh! Silvey, it's so early!" She got up stumbling toward the cage and trying not to get her feet tangled in the sea of blankets. They may have lived on a very warm island, but Kairi's room had to have been the coldest one in the entire house, being it was under the stairs.
As she fed Silvey a couple crackers, there was a quiet knock at her door, and then the voice of her mother, "Kairi, it's almost time to open shop; you better be ready."
Shit, I still have to take a shower…
"Yeah, I'll be ready in about twenty minutes mom."
"And can you check on Zexion? Just knock on the shed door to see if he's awake?"
"Yeah, sure thing mom." Kairi had totally forgotten Zexion was a new member of the house. She was glad he was staying with them, that way she could continue to build their friendship. She listened as her mother walked back up the stairs to her bedroom. As soon as she was sure her mom had closed her bedroom door, she bolted out of her room, up the stairs, and into the full-bathroom that was on the far end of hallway. A hot shower sounded really nice, she had been drenched in sweat since yesterday morning.
As she stepped into the shower, she suddenly realized she had forgotten to grab clothes from her bedroom to change into. She shrugged it off and decided she'd just take a really quick shower. She'd have plenty of time to rush back down to her bedroom before any customers showed up. Breakfast was probably the busiest part of the day; people on their way to work, picking up desserts or bagels on their way there because they didn't have time to make any.
Kairi turned the water off and hopped out of the shower, then wrapped a baby blue towel around her body. She didn't even bother to squeeze the water from her hair, which ran down more than half-way her back when it was wet. She flung the door open, and there stood Zexion about to knock; still in his boxers. She didn't realize he was standing there until she bumped right into him.
"I-I'm sorry!" he panicked, "I was about to knock and I-I… you…"
Kairi's face started to burn, and she didn't even look up at Zexion's face. She just rushed past him and bolted down the stairs to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her gently.
Thu-thump-thu-thump-thu-thump-thu-thump…
She felt her heart flutter around in her chest, her towel nearly falling off her body from the race of embarrassment. She slid down against the door and sat on the floor; Silvey cackling in delight. Kairi shot a half-hearted glare at the bird, "Oh, you can shut up."
There was a quiet knock at her door, and Zexion's voice slipped through the keyhole and under the door, just a mere whisper: "I'm sorryyyy…"
Kairi couldn't help but smile and laugh a little, "It's alright." She spoke quietly, "Mom's expecting you to work today, so you better take a shower and get dressed."
"What clothes should I wear?" He asked a bit louder.
"Just casual clothes; nothing too beat up though."
"Alright, thank you."
Kairi listened as Zexion rushed off back up the stairs. Her heart had slowed down to a reasonable pace as she stood up and walked over to her dresser to change. She was putting on her bra when her mom cracked the door open. Quickly, she grabbed the towel from her bed and covered her body. "I'm sorry to interrupt sweetie, I just wanted to let you know you and Zexion can take the day off today."
"What? Why mom, breakfast is always a busy time."
"I know. But your father and I thought that you've been working hard enough. Take a break darling, go out and have fun; it's s'posed to be around 80 degrees today, you could go out and get some ice cream or something."
"We have ice cream here, mom."
Kairi heard her mother sigh in frustration, "Just go out, okay? Your father and I have got everything under control."
"A… Alright…" The door closed and Kairi dropped the towel onto the floor. Sylvie squawked a couple times. A day off, with Zexion? Hm… Doesn't sound too bad; maybe I can pry more information out of him. I really would like to get to know him better.
She slipped into her pale-blue shorts and a purple tank-top. As she combed her hair out, she noticed something shiny on her bedroom floor and she bent down to pick it up. In her hand was a hair pin, with the prettiest flower on the end of it; Bright blue with lining on the edges of the petals, and a sapphire colored diamond in the center of it all. She remembered; this was a gift she had gotten from her grandmother the day before she passed. It had belonged to her sister before her, and she had received it from a soon-to-be king. According to her grandmother, her sister and the soon-to-be king had fallen in love on a trip far from Destiny Islands. It was a forbidden love; and he had given this pin to her as a promise, a promise to come back for her after he was crowned and make her his queen.
Kairi set the pin back on top of her dresser…
He never did come for her though… but she never forgot about him…
She finished combing out her hair and walked out of her bedroom. As she walked into the café area, Zexion was sitting in the table closest to the kitchen. He was all dressed wearing a grey V-neck and a pair of cargo shorts. Kairi smiled, "Cargo shorts? You didn't seem the type of person to wear them."
He smiled back as he stood up to greet her, "Hey, can't own a closet full of pants on an island that is practically beside the sun."
Kairi giggled, "I guess you're right. So, hey, mom said-"
"That we had the day off today? Yeah, she told me the moment I stepped out of the bathroom. She kind of scares me."
"Oh, don't let her scare you," Kairi said as she smacked Zexion's arm playfully, "She's a really nice lady; all's you gotta do is warm up to her. Besides, she did know you at one point, right?"
"Yeah, but I hardly remember what she was like, or even had the brain to comprehend human kindness."
"That's alright, you'll get to know her again; you'll be staying here long enough to learn."
Zexion laughed, "So, where do ya wanna go?"
"Well, what time is it," she said as she glanced at the clock, "7:30… no place is going to be open, not at least till around 9:00. You just wanna walk around until then?"
"Sure, why not? I'd like to walk with you."
"Great!" Kairi forced the butterflies into the pit of her stomach as she grabbed Zexion by the wrist and dragged him out the door quickly. When they were a block down from the café, she let go. She wasn't exactly sure what to talk about. Kairi had never really made any close friends in her 16 years on Destiny Islands, so she had no idea how to speak to a friend.
All of a sudden, Zexion spoke up, "So… about what you said yesterday, about having no friends…"
Kairi fumbled for her words, "Uh-Uhm!... What about it?"
"…No? No friends at all?"
Kairi smiled sadly, "All the kids think I'm weird …"
"Weird? I don't think there's a weird bone in your entire body."
Kairi blushed slightly, "R-Really?"
"Yeah, I'd love to be your friend."
"I thought we were already friends; you know, I'm letting you stay with me and all?"
"Yeahhhh… but we never made it official." He laughed.
Kairi laughed with him, "Alright, I hear-by declare you, Zexion Reed, my first, and only friend."
"What about Silvie? Isn't he your friend too?"
"Of course he is, but he isn't really useful when I need advice. And I can never come to my parents for advice; I don't want to bother them with my problems."
"Then bring your problems to me."
"W-What?"
"I said; bring your problems to me. I will always be here for you Kairi."
Kairi felt her face drowning in blush, and the butterflies push themselves up toward the surface, right up to her throat…
"T… Thank you… And I promise I will always be here for you to talk to."
"Nahh, you don't want to listen to my problems."
"What makes you think that?"
"There's just too much of them for I myself to deal with. You wouldn't want to hear them all."
"Try me." They had made their way to a park not too far from one of the many beaches the island had. Kairi grabbed him by the arms and sat him down on the closest bench. An early morning jogger passed by, they could hear the music blasting from their headphones.
Zexion chuckled, crossing one leg over his knee and leaning back against the bench, "What do you want to know."
Hundreds of questions raddled through Kairi's mind, but she wasn't sure which one she wanted to ask. She didn't want to offend Zexion in any way that would make him run away from her. She decided to begin with a question that would answer every single other question she had to tuck away for now: "Tell me everything?"
"Everything?"
"Yeah, start from the time you were born."
"Wow… that's a while back," Zexion chuckled, "Let me see if I can remember."
Kairi laughed, "Okay, start from what you do remember."
"That's not a whole lot actually. I don't remember my childhood up until after my mom died."
Kairi lost her smile and stared at Zexion intensely, "...You were seven, right...? If you don't mind me asking… how…?"
"She stepped out in front of a car early in the morning; about a week before my eighth birthday."
Suicide…
"Did you see it coming?" The words fell from her mouth before she had actually thought about them.
Zexion stared at a frog that hopped across the bike trail, "I did actually… you see… my dad was actually an alcoholic. And when he got drunk… he would get violent."
"You mean he'd beat you?"
Shut your fucking mouth already Kairi, god damn! You're so nosey!
"And mom… I guess she couldn't handle it…" he was quiet for a moment… "I actually found some letters to my aunt that were never sent. She meant for my aunt to come and take me away. She knew she was never going to escape my dad, so she needed to move fast and not tell anyone where she was going… guess she chose the alternative."
Kairi thought for a moment… "That's strange, don't you think? She wouldn't leave you behind like that. I'm sure she loved you very much, Zexion."
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, "I was her little man; we did everything together. My mom liked to bake. I actually think she picked it up from your mom, now that I think about it."
Kairi smiled, "Did you enjoy baking with her?"
"Of course; mom actually kept the recipe for your mom's cherry pie, along with several other pie flavors in a shoebox that she left in her closet. When she died… dad wouldn't let me anywhere near their room."
Another question, "Did he become a heavier drinker after… she…"
"Yeah… that's why I went to go kill myself… I just wanted to escape… I wanted to see mom again." Kairi could tell that Zexion was about to cry.
"D-Don't cry," She set her hand on Zexion's leg, "We don't have to talk about it anymore… I'm here for you…"
Zexion wiped his eyes on the heel of his hand and smiled…
"Thank you… Thank you Kairi…"
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A/N: thank you for reading my darlings! I think I'll go to bed, let your minds wander for a bit :3 I'll get around to typing another chapter during my study hall tomorrow (totally have nothing better to do) Hope you enjoyed n – n R/R~