If it Never Happened: A slice of life take on what the Kingdom Hearts characters from the FemSora universe would be going through if the events in the game never existed.
Author's note: Just a reminder to readers, I want you guys to know I take opinions into effect. I like hearing suggestions and opinions on fics and if you guys have any requests or things you want improved don't hesitate to bring them up with me. Not just with this fic but with all my stories. I live to serve!
Chapter 9: Summer Island Extravaganza!
The entire island was in a bustle for the big festival that would be happening all weekend. Concerts from local bands, food stands, and various other forms of entertainment would line the streets and along the beach for two whole days. The festivities would begin that evening, and Sora could hear the hammering and noises of people setting up the stage and stands. Cursing under her breath she sucked on her finger as blood spilled from the prick of her needle and grunted at Roxas when she laughed. "Shut up, it's not funny."
"Watching you try to sew is hysterical." Obligingly she turned her attention out the window, but kept up the conversation. "What are you doing anyway?"
"I'm making friendship charms, and am going to pass them out at the festival tonight… and if you'd stop being a jerk, Roxas, maybe you'll get one, too." Sora clipped the string and tied the final knot setting the one she finished down before prepping another.
"That's nice of you… but can I ask why?"
She lifted up a bracelet of shells and leather. She had made three so far in various colors. She would make one for all of her friends,… all but Riku. For some reason she couldn't imagine him wearing a bracelet… so she made him a pendant instead. It was the first one she'd finished, and she liked how it had turned out. Maybe it was favoritism… but Riku was her first friend, and he had a special place in her heart. As it was she had bad news to give him… she hoped the pendant would smooth the conversation out.
"These past few weeks have really been a roller coaster of emotions. Ever since my accident I thought all my friends were pulling farther and farther away from me… but when I saw everyone on the island, when I saw that everyone had worked so hard to give that to me, to make me happy. I realized I hadn't lost them at all." She stood up and strapped the finished bracelet to her sister's wrist over her checkered band. "And during the bonfire… My classmate Hayner said something that made a lot of sense to me. He said...
"I doubt we can be together forever. But isn't that what growing up's all about? What's important isn't how often we see each other, but how often we think about each other."
Roxas smiled and lifted her wrist to examine the bracelet, the way the small shells clinked against each other. Sora had kept the checkered theme, using a thick black paint to coat the leather, and paired all white shells to go with it.
"I like Hayner… We got to know each other a little during the bonfire. For a first year he's pretty smart." She lowered her wrist back down to the windowsill and turned fully toward her sister. "So… you're gonna turn them both down?"
Sora shifted her gaze away. She hesitated in answering, taking the time to go back to the table and examined her work. She lifted the one she made for Kairi with various pinks and reds for the coloring. It suited her, and she hoped the simple design wouldn't get in the way of her tennis.
"Yes."
"Riku won't take it very well." Roxas sat down at the table and picked up the pendant Sora had made. For Riku, she used a simple long leather strand and had forged yellow shells into a star shape. It looked like a Paopu fruit… but she didn't want to mention that to her sister.
"I'm not taking it very well either… but I have to say no."
"What do you mean, you have to?" Roxas set the pendant down and narrowed her gaze. "If you're turning him down to spare Axel's feelings, don't. Axel's a big boy, he can handle rejection and I still don't believe he's serious about starting a relationship with you."
"That's not it, I'm saying no to him anyway, but rejecting Axel isn't what's bothering me. I'm rejecting Riku… because I don't want to lose him." Sora rubbed her sore fingers together her eyes sad and wet. "I have all kinds of feelings for Riku that I don't understand. If I told him yes, and we started to date… it could get serious. If anything were to go wrong… we'd stop being friends."
"That's not true…" Roxas started but she was sharply cut off.
"Isn't it?" Sora looked at her sister tears brimming now. "Axel loved you… he still does! He pushed you too hard, too fast, and you ended it and stopped being friends with him. You don't talk to each other, you don't see each other… and it hurts you! I can see it!" She stood up grabbing up her supplies. "I'd rather fall into another coma than have Riku and I become like that!"
Sora stormed upstairs before Roxas could get another word out and she slammed the door shut. Roxas shook a bit, stunned at her sister's words,and at the pain in her own heart. She touched her chest feeling it heave and her stomach roll. She shut her eyes telling herself not to get sick, not to throw up.
"Like hell I'm gonna have her use me as an excuse!" She stood up from the table and ran out the front door. She wasn't a sprinter like her sister, but when Roxas wanted to be fast she could be the wind. She wheezed a little coming down to the Beach. She spotted the flaming red hair of her ex boyfriend who was helping his uncle hammer a sign up on one of the food stands.
"Axel!"
Axel stopped hammering long enough to look over his shoulder and over to Roxas.
"Hey Roxie… sorry I don't have time for an argument right now, I'm busy."
"Are we still friends?" Roxas blurted out suddenly and Axel narrowly missed hammering his finger into the wood. He quickly pulled back and dropped the hammer into the sand.
"Where the hell did that come from?"
"Yes or no?"
"Well geez, I don't know. We haven't exactly talked, or hung around each other."
"I still care about you though…" Roxas admitted aloud not realizing they were getting a crowd listening in. Axel shifted a bit uncomfortably as he noticed the lack of privacy. He strolled up and grabbed her hand, yanking her away from the swarm of people and down to the docks where they could talk in private.
"You sure have a funny way of showing it." Axel finally spoke again and turned to face her. He took her shoulders and studied her face. "What's got you in this odd mood? Something happen with you and Terra?"
"What? No… I don't mean like that, Axel. I mean I want us to be friends. I don't… I don't want to pretend that what we had was nothing, I don't want to pretend that we weren't important to each other… because you were… are." Flustered Roxas pulled back some and ran fingers through her long blonde hair. "I can't stand you at times, but if something were to happen to you… it would hurt. Probably would hurt just as bad or even more than it would if something happened to Terra."
"What do you want to do then?" Axel shoved his hands in his pockets. "It's not like we can just hang out like we used to. Terra is a jealous guy, I don't think he'd like me hanging around."
"I know that… but I don't want you to hate me because I ended things between us."
"Hate you?" Axel scoffed and walked away and then back. "Roxas I could never hate you. Yeah it hurt, majorly, when you broke it off… but I could never hate you for it. You had every right to turn me down, but I was too big a jerk to realize it at the time. I love you Roxas, did and still do. There's too many things about you that I love to let that bitterness linger." He bent down some trying to stare into her blue eyes. "Do you understand?"
"Yeah…" God her heart was pounding so hard in her chest. She felt it leaping and choking in her throat making it difficult to speak and breath. "Yeah I do." She bat away a tear. "I'm sorry I got all worked up. It's Sora she's… she's turning you down."
"I know…" Axel smirked when he saw the shock form on her face. "I'm not stupid, I know what she really wants. Now the question is… is she turning me down so she can say yes to Riku?"
"No… she's turning both of you down." She told Axel everything about the conversation she'd just had with her sister. Axel narrowed his eyes pacing the dock again, trying to control his anger.
"That's stupid."
"Is it though? She's afraid, Axel. She's petrified that changing things between her and Riku is going to make her lose him. They've been friends for years… and he's always been there for her. He's her rock."
"It's her decision I suppose, but Riku's not going to like it." Axel yanked his hair out of the tail letting the spikes tuft out freely. "Still… I should talk to her." He turned back to Roxas and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Find Riku… keep him away from Sora til the festival tonight. I want to make sure she's got plenty of time to rethink on this after I talk to her."
"Alright, I'll find Kairi and Namine and let them in on it. I know they'll help me." She turned away and had jogged nearly to the end of the dock before she looked back at Axel and gave him a smile. "You know… it's things like this… that remind me why I fell for you. See yah." She ran off, leaving Axel to rock back on his heels and whistle out a breath.
"Remind you huh?" Axel smirked and strolled down the dock and made his way up the hill to Sora's house. "I hope to do a lot more of that from now on."
Sora stared down at her finished works with a big smile on her face. She took them each in hand carefully, and set them inside her pouch she'd carry with her down to the festival. The knock on the front door startled her and she peeked out her bedroom window and blinked twice when she saw Axel standing at the front door.
She jogged down the steps, the pouch banded on her belt, and answered the door with a smile.
"Hey, great timing, I just finished my project."
"Project?" He looked down at the pouch. "Oh.. that's right, your sister said you were making charms."
"Yeah… wait… you talked to Roxas?" She paled suddenly. "What did she say?"
"Don't worry about what she said… I want you to say yes to Riku."
"What?" Shock registered on her face. "W-Why? I thought… you wanted to date me."
"I did… but for the wrong reasons. Riku and Roxas had it a bit right. I wanted to date you so I could get over your sister. I like you Sora, I like your laugh, your smile, your free spirit… and I thought that was good enough. It's not right though… especially since you're gonna say no to me anyway."
"How did you know?"
"I went over this already with Roxas and I don't want to repeat it all. Just… let me get this out. I don't love you, Sora. I like you, you're a great friend, and I obviously find you attractive because you and Roxas are twins… but that's not enough, it's not what you deserve. You deserve what Riku can give you."
"Don't say that…" Sora looked down at her feet, fear and other overwhelming emotions making her shake.
"I will say it because you need to listen. I asked you to date me, because I wasn't sure if you liked Riku or not the way he wants you to… but minutes after I said it, i immediately wanted to take it back. I scared you, I confused you, and I don't want to be the reason you ruin what's the best chance of true love you'll have in your life."
"Love…" Sora choked it out and touched her chest. "You really think I'm in love with him?"
"Take it from a guy who's been in love with your sister for years. You're in love with him, Sora. It's written all over your face, but you're afraid of it. You're afraid to lose that love. You're afraid to lose Riku because he's too damn important to you. I'm telling you right now if you reject him, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Sora clutched her chest now the sensation of breathing slowly escaping her. Maybe Axel was right… maybe all these emotions that were swelling up inside her was love after all.
"I can't force you to do this, Sora. It's your choice whether or not you want to just be friends with Riku… or if you want to share your love with him. He's been waiting years to share his with you… you could at least give him a chance to show you some of it." He kissed her forehead and stroked a hand down her hair.
Sora closed her eyes at the touch and she lunged into him hugging him tight.
"Thank you, Axel!"
Riku froze on the sidewalk as he watched the embrace from down the street. He didn't hear the words spoken… didn't need to. All he saw was the girl he loved, who had ran from him, and ignored him for nearly a week was in the arms of his rival… smiling and holding on for dear life.
Pain and anger rose up in him and he had the strongest urge to run up and punch Axel square in the jaw… but Sora's smile, her happy tears caused his fists to unclench and his head to hang.
So… this was her answer.
The festival was in full swing now. Demyx and Axel took the stage with their band for the first time in months and were taking full advantage of it. Axel shouted out rock song after rock song sending the girls into squeals of delight as those teal eyes of his scanned the crowd. When he spotted Roxas he sent her a wink. The gesture had Terra, who stood beside her, frowning and wrapping a possessive arm around her shoulders.
"What a ham…" Roxas commented with a laugh and clapped politely at the end of the song.
"What business does he have flirting with you. Hasn't he gotten it through his head yet that the two of you are over?"
"Oh he knows… but he's not the kind to give up so easy. Lucky for you I'm not into hams." She turned her face up to Terra.
"Lucky for him, or I might have to break his face." Terra tilted her chin up and kissed her, more deeply and intimately that she would have liked for public display… but understood he was marking his territory.
"Ignore him… Actually I was wondering if you'd seen Riku at all. Kairi, Namine and I went looking for him earlier but we couldn't find him."
"I haven't seen him at all today… stop thinking about other guys for a few minutes alright? Come on I'll win you a prize."
Though Roxas obligingly tagged along her eyes scanned the crowds hoping to find that silver mane of hair. She had a bad twisting in her gut and hoped it was just the food she'd devoured from the stands.
Kairi and Namine perched up on the stone wall overlooking the area. Both girls frowned and looked at each other.
"Where could he be? His dad said he left the house hours ago. He should be here." Kairi grumbled adjusting her stance to look further down the line of stands and booths.
"Maybe he went someplace else. Maybe he went to the little island? He's never been one for big crowds and parties."
"Well if he is there Sora's bound to run into him. I just saw her get on a boat five minutes ago… I really hope Axel convinced her to rethink all this."
"Do you think it's right? Us forcing Sora to date Riku?" Namine wondered aloud.
"We're not forcing her, we're guiding her. Sora's always been a bit oblivious to things like love and dating. Everyone but her knew Riku was in love, if she had just paid attention we wouldn't have to."
"I guess you're right… still if she does say yes, then things would change wouldn't it?"
"Lots of things change Namine… Change can be good or bad." Kairi sat down and held her hand smiling. "And I think Sora and Riku dating is a good change. They care far too much for each other for it to be a bad thing."
"Yeah… yeah you're right!" Namine nodded and looked out at the little island. "I bet they're declaring each other's love right now."
Sora sighed as she leaned on the edge of the ship looking out at the water. She'd looked all over for Riku but couldn't find him anywhere. Where the hell could he be? He wasn't at the festival, wasn't at his house, and she didn't see hide nor hare of him on the little island, so where the hell did he go?
"Figures… I finally get the courage to talk to him and he disappears." She pulled out the pendant she made him and stroked the star shape. She lifted her head up and spotted the paopu trees. The star shaped fruit hanging on the branches like bright yellow suns. As she stared she fingered the pendant… until it struck her that they had the same color, the same shape.
"Oh my…" she gasped as the pendant slipped through her limp fingers and down to the water. Without even thinking, she jumped in after it.
Riku hadn't been in the mood for a party, but everywhere he went all he could hear was the excitement, the music, and the laughter. It irritated him that he couldn't find peace and quiet… even his father who was as sociable as a dead mole, was having his own little get together with his usual poker buddies, drinking, and celebrating in their own way.
He needed to find someplace to sulk… and while the island wasn't the ideal place to get his mind off Sora it seemed like it was his only option. He should have known, you couldn't force someone to like you. It didn't matter if he had loved her since they were kids… all she saw in him was a friend, a buddy. It was Axel who had treated her like a girlfriend, showing her how a guy can love, and cherish a girl. He on the other hand had spent years, arguing, sparring, and teasing her like she was his little sister. If he had just been honest with her at the get go then maybe things would have been different… but he hadn't… and he'd lost her.
He sighed and paused rowing his boat to bury his face in his hands and groan. Riku, he told himself, you're a great big fool.
The sound of a scream had his head shooting up and he barely caught sight of Sora falling head first into the shallows. His heart rammed into his throat and just as Sora had didn't even think before going head first into the water.
Waves beat against the rock and Sora barely had time to think of how lucky she'd been not to ram her head straight into them before she caught sight of the pendant. Her focus on that shiny yellow necklace she dived down and shifted rocks her arms reaching in between the cracks trying to grab for it. Bubbles burst up from her lips as she began to lose breath. She grabbed the pendant and tried to yank herself and the pendant free but found herself stuck now.
She felt her world going black and more bubbles escape from her lips as she looked up and barely made out a shadow before she fell unconscious. She dreamed she was drowning, the waves pushing and pulling her body in their strong currents. Her hands were reaching out for something, someone… but she didn't know what until she heard a voice… Riku's voice.
Sora!
Riku!
She could see him now, his hand held out for hers waiting to pull her out of the waves. She kicked and swam til she was only fingertips away but the current was too strong. He was falling into the black of the night sea and she couldn't reach him.
No! Riku! Don't leave me!
Sora! You gotta wake up! SORA!
Sora spat up water as she woke and quickly sat up gasping for air even as she coughed and choked. She shivered, but not from the cold… she had been afraid… so afraid.
"Sora!" Relief swamped Riku and he held her to him stroking her damp hair. "You're alright, I got you."
"What…" she choked and coughed some more even as she clung to him. "What happened?"
"Don't you remember?" Riku pulled her back staring into her eyes. "You jumped into the water. You idiot! Don't you know better than to jump head first into the shall"
"I… but that wasn't… the pendant?" She looked around and saw it laying on the sand between them. Relief swam through her. "I didn't lose it."
"You were clutching onto it like a life line." A gift… Riku presumed, from Axel. He had to fight off the urge to toss it back into the water. "You wouldn't let it go."
"I thought I'd lost it… Riku… you saved me again." She looked up at him smiling. "You're starting to make a habit out of that."
"Idiot! You think this is funny?" He yanked the pendant away gripping it tight. "A stupid trinket like this is replaceable, your life isn't!" He tossed it away, and ignored Sora's shocked gasp. He gripped her shoulders tight and made her look at him.
"Riku, that hurts!"
"This hurts Try thinking about what would happen if you had died trying to go after that stupid pendant! Do you know how HURT your mother and father would be? Do you know how HURT Roxas, Kairi, and the others would be! Don't even get me started on how Axel would feel knowing you died jumping after a necklace he gave you!"
"Axel didn't- AH!" She screamed a bit as Riku shoved her up onto her feet and shook her.
"Don't you ever do that again! I don't care who gave it to you, I don't care how precious it is, don't you EVER risk your life for a trinket… or a raft EVER again!" Riku lost it there his own tears spilling out hot down his cheeks.
"I can accept and live with the fact you just want to be friends… but I can't live without you! If you die, I'll die right along with you." He finally let her go his hands dropping to his sides. "I love you, Sora. So don't ever do it again… please!"
Sora stood shell shocked at what he had said. Emotions swam inside her like powerful waves knocking her back and forth… but those words… those three beautiful words… and the please that crescendoed it… made the waves calm… and the sun in her heart shine warm.
"Axel didn't give me the pendant…" She spoke quietly and she lifted a hand to his face to brush away the tears. "I made it myself… I made it for you."
"What?" Riku slowly lifted his face to stare at her. "You made that for me… why?"
"I made everyone charms… bracelets to symbolize our friendship… but for some reason I couldn't bring myself to give you one… it didn't seem right. You're too special to me to just give you what I gave everyone else. So I made a pendant… without even realizing it I made a symbol of my feelings for you."
She walked away to pick up the pendant from the sand and walked back to hold it out to him. "Look at the shape… I thought of the stars we would watch as kids glittering in the sky and made that shape… but it's not what formed… it's a paopu fruit… I made you a paopu fruit because I realize now I want to be a part of your life forever."
Riku took her hand that held the pendant, closing the trinket in between their palms.
"You made this for me? YOu want to be with me?"
"Yes… I was afraid Riku… I have all these conflicting, scary emotions inside me. I don't know what the are, or why I feel them but I have them. I was afraid to say yes to you because I was afraid to lose you. I realize now that I won't lose you no matter what I say… We're a part of each other's life, Riku no matter what. Nothing's gonna tear that apart." She looked into his eyes and though she shook she stepped to him, "nothing."
For the first time, Sora initiated a kiss. It was soft, and warm, but held all those powerful emotions swelling inside her heart. Riku felt them, embraced them… and held onto them for dear life.
"Sora…" he whispered her name stroking her cheek. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," smiling Sora nuzzled her face into his hand. "Let's give it a shot, Riku. Better or worse I want to be with you."
"Better or worse…" Riku returned the smile. He took the pendant she held and put it over his head so the star rested above his heart. "We're together."
Long chapter… I was gonna do "If We Had Hearts" first but this chapter has been scratching at my brain all day and I couldn't concentrate so I decided to punch it out. Hope you guys enjoy!
Next Chapter: Light Blossoms, Shadow Looms
