Background Information (NEW):
TERMINOLOGY:
Thalassa shell: A rare shell discoverable only on Destiny Islands that is unique in shape and pink and yellow in colour. In the past, sailors had kept them close as a token of safe voyage.
Disclaimer: The author does not own Disney's Moana.
PROJECT: TEENAGE WASTELAND
XI | date night
When Kairi exits the castle and crosses the moat, she's surprised to find Tidus waiting for her at the end of the walkway whilst leaning against a pickup truck.
"Not exactly the carriage you imagined?" he asks with amusement when he sees the somewhat confused and amused look on her face.
"No," Kairi admits wholeheartedly as he kindly opens the passenger side door for her, "but in a good way. It's quirky."
"Well to be honest, I totally would've chosen a horse-drawn carriage because I truly think you deserve to be treated like a princess, but I decided against it considering the events of the first Teenage Wasteland episode," Tidus explains bashfully.
"Huh," Kairi hums at the memory. She'd almost forgotten that she'd been portrayed as a bratty she-devil to practically everyone on the island and online. "That's very considerate of you… and also very cheesy," she adds cheekily at the mention of treating her like a princess.
Tidus chuckles as he shuts the car door and makes his way over to the driver's seat.
"Damn. Looks like I have to work on my charm," Tidus says while starting the engine.
"Why? It's not like you're trying to impress anyone," Kairi points out while adjusting her seat settings.
"Sure," Tidus says unconvincingly as he releases the parking brake, steps on the gas pedal, and takes off.
Not a moment later, a golf cart with two teenage boys trails behind him at a fair distance.
A stalkerish fifteen minute drive later, Sora and Hayner discover that Tidus has taken Kairi to a beachside drive-in theatre on the west side of the island. The retro outdoor theatre, which is already packed with vehicles lined up in an orderly fashion, appears as if it is suspended in time and bustles with life as teenagers animatedly chat and laugh amongst each other while they wait for the movie to start. The boys (rather, Sora) clumsily park their golf cart behind the neon-coloured concession stand and, much to Hayner's confusion, spy on Tidus and Kairi (who happen to be parked in the very center) from a nearby bush while Moana just begins to play on the big screen.
"So, question…" Hayner starts as Sora sets up his binoculars. "Why am I here again?"
"Because you know how to work this thing," the brunet confesses as he surrenders the gadget over to Hayner who properly sets it up for night vision. "Besides, it's not like you had anything better to do."
"Hey!" the gamer screams defensively. Then, with deflated posture, "You're probably right… but if you're going to be so brutally honest about it, you could at least get me popcorn."
Out of courtesy, Sora retrieves fifteen munny from his pocket and hands it over to his companion. "But on the bright side, consider this recon for when you actually get a date—you know, with Olette."
Hayner blushes at the mention of the brunette beauty.
"We're all rooting for you, man," Sora assures with a thumbs up gesture.
"Wh-what? Who is 'all'?" Hayner questions, but he's quick to shake his head to ensure that his curiosity is not as apparent. "You know what? Nevermind that. What exactly are you gaining by spying on Tidus and Kairi? Are we going to try and sabotage their date? If so, I am so in. I left my paintball gun in the golf cart just in case."
"There will be no sabotaging tonight," Sora announces dramatically while creeping through the binoculars, and Hayner's excitement immediately wanes. "We're just… making sure that Tidus isn't a total dick, you know?"
"Well that's the lamest excuse if I've ever heard one," Hayner points out. "Knowing you and your so-called relentless affections for Kairi, I'm sure that you'll classify anything Tidus does, including breathe, as being a dick. That in itself rules out your reasoning, which brings me to my original question: why are we really here, Sora?"
The brunet gulps under the gamer's gaze. He knew he was intelligent, but he didn't expect him to be so observant either. He briefly wonders what he would gain if he told Hayner what he'd heard. Realistically looking at it, Hayner wasn't particularly fond of talking to other members of the castle (or so he projected) with the exception of Pence, which meant that they would likely be the only three to know. Hayner had all the cool gadgets, and Pence was great at snapping photos while remaining unseen. Perhaps the two would prove to be useful allies in his quest to destroy Tidus Clearwater after all.
"All right," Sora decides while lowering the binoculars. "I'll tell you what I heard."
When Sora finishes explaining his findings and his plan of exposing Tidus the next chance he gets, Hayner nearly jumps out of the bush himself.
"Wait, what are you doing?" Sora asks fearfully as he holds the gamer back by the wrist.
"What are you doing just hiding in this bush?" Hayner asks incredulously. "We need to tell Kairi about that weasel like, right now."
"No!" Sora pleads when he earns the winning pull and manages to get Hayner back in their trusted hiding spot. "We can't do this right now."
"Seriously? Now you want to stay out of it?" Hayner asks with disbelief. "Isn't this what best friends are supposed to do? Tell each other the truth?"
Sora's shoulders stiffen when he catches a glimpse of Kairi laughing at something that her date had said, and it wasn't the fake kind of laughter either. It was genuine, and there was no way he could ruin that for her. True, she was with another guy, but bottom line, she was happy, and if he'd be the one to rain on her parade, he'd hate himself entirely for doing it. Best friends were supposed to support the other during their successes, not tear them down.
"They do tell each other the truth," Sora agrees melancholically, "but they also know when to withhold it."
Hayner follows Sora's line of sight and tries to grasp what he's getting at, but all he sees is the troubling silhouette of a liar.
"We can't tell her, Hayner," Sora decides. "Not yet at least."
It takes some thought, but Hayner eventually nods in compliance and keeps the intel to himself.
On the back of the pickup truck, Kairi finally understands why her date had chosen that specific vehicle for the night's festivities. With much comfort, she and Tidus sit side-by-side with their legs fully sprawled out before them and a bucket of popcorn wedged in between them.
"All right," Kairi says while popping a kernel into her mouth. "Most embarrassing childhood nickname you've heard. Mine was probably the one I gave Riku. I called him Riks for a while in middle school, like Reeks, but it didn't stick for obvious reasons."
"Huh, that is a pretty embarrassing one," Tidus agrees while taking a swig of his soda, "but I think I've got you beat."
"Oh yeah?" Kairi challenges.
"Wakka called me Tidy-Widy," Tidus answers, and Kairi shamelessly lets out a laugh.
"Okay, you win," she declares with her hands raised.
"I've got a question for you now," Tidus says while turning his body towards her. "And I ask this because I find the dynamic of your household entertaining and think they'd be perfect for this kind of situation."
"Shoot," Kairi says while throwing another kernel in the air and effortlessly catching it in her mouth from years of practice with Sora and Riku on her living room couch.
"If you and all your housemates were stuck on a deserted island together and you eventually had to resort to cannibalism, who do you think would get eaten first?" Tidus asks.
"Huh, that's a tough one," Kairi admits while tapping her chin in deep thought.
"But it really shows character, no?" Tidus points out with a grin.
"There's just so many ways you could look at that," the redhead explains. "Like you could go for whoever's the oldest, the most annoying, or whoever's the easiest to manipulate, or whoever's got the best quality of meat... then you've got to look at survivability after the fact…" While Tidus shakes his head in amusement at Kairi's serious response, the redhead finally formulates her answer after some thought. "Honestly, I think Hayner."
Kairi swears she hears someone nearby say something along the lines of "that bitch!" but decides to pay no mind to it as it likely didn't pertain to her.
Tidus, on the other hand, grins behind the rim of his soda can. "And why is that?"
"He'd probably be the first to go mad, so we'd really just be putting him out of his misery," Kairi explains.
"So you'd ultimately be doing him a kindness," Tidus says while raising his can as if to clink it with another.
"Precisely," Kairi confirms. She then leans back against the truck and relaxes her shoulders. "All right, serious question for you now."
"I'm all ears," Tidus says, and Kairi is quick to drop the bomb.
"Why did you join the Duel of Hearts on my birthday?" she asks with her eyes slightly narrowed in curiosity. "I mean, you hardly know me. I'm not exactly sure how I've managed to make an impression on you in the few weeks that we've been here."
She knows she's caught the blond off guard when his cheeks flush and eyes widen at the question.
"Well," Tidus starts while setting his drink down and clearing his throat. "To be fair, isn't that why people go on dates? To get to know each other better?"
Kairi's lips purse into a tight line at the answer. "Fair enough, but where did this need to get to know me better come from? You're Tidus Clearwater and I'm just some random girl from Destiny Islands. I guess what I'm really trying to ask is… why me?"
The perspiration beginning to form on Tidus' forehead doesn't go by unnoticed by the redhead.
"As I mentioned before, you really did interest me from the getgo," Tidus reiterates while wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. Then, as if finally catching himself, he turns to face Kairi with his signature charming smile. "And you're certainly not just a random girl from Destiny Islands. This whole island thinks you're this whole other person, but I knew you weren't like that. I joined the Duel of Hearts because I wanted to know what you were really like, and if I'm being honest, I'm glad I did."
Kairi's lips part slightly at the response. A part of her knows that being with Tidus would cause some trouble (a certain pop sensation comes to mind at this), but another couldn't help but find his intentions with her pure. He certainly didn't seem like the hit it and quit it type, and he genuinely seemed interested in just getting to know her. Sure he was cute and he seemed like a nice guy overall, but not nice enough to make her really fall for him, and that was something she could live with. As long as no hearts would be broken in the process of their harmless, casual dates, then everything should work out in both their favours.
"Well, I'm glad you won the duel then," Kairi says while tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear with a satisfied smile.
Tidus immediately reciprocates it before turning his attention back to the movie. "So am I."
It isn't until a few minutes into the movie that Kairi realizes that someone was already suffering at the expense of their harmless dates.
Sora, Kairi thinks melancholically when Moana's grandmother places the heart of Te Fiti into her necklace and weakly hands it to her granddaughter. The item hits her with a full wave of nostalgia, and Kairi sinks back into the truck as memories from the year before resurface.
Destiny Islands, one year ago
With confident strides, sixteen-year-old Sora Takeuchi waltzes into the cafeteria of Destiny Islands High School and makes a beeline for his best friend and—almost—girlfriend at their usual table. Around his neck, he proudly wears a woven necklace with a clunky, fading thalassa shell attached, and plops down on his seat with his signature goofy grin. At the table, Riku and Kairi, both of which are still clad in their school uniforms as they were still enforced during summer terms, share a look and giggle at the amount of optimism that their best friend exhibits.
"You look awfully chipper for someone who's necklace sitting," Riku snickers while rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
Their school uniform, which typically consisted of a white dress shirt or golf shirt paired with light blue plaid pants for the boys or a plaid kilt for the girls, was topped with either a taupe-coloured vest, cardigan, or sweater, and completed with a matching plaid tie. While Riku and Kairi were fans of the sweater for the occasional chilly summer nights, Sora always opted for either the vest, cardigan, or disobeying the rules entirely by hanging either one loosely over one shoulder.
"I am not necklace sitting," Sora insists as he retrieves his sandwich from his backpack. "I'm merely carrying out the duties of Kairi's father, as requested."
The ends of Kairi's lips curve upward into a knowing grin at the mention of her father's request. Precisely a week after her sixteenth birthday, she and Sora had followed through with their word to Aqua and explained to her parents that they were interested in each other romantically, and while Kairi's mother admittedly thought they were still a little young, she trusted Sora and was overall supportive of the idea. Her father, however, was a different story. He was well aware that the two shared a very special friendship, so he wasn't completely opposed to it, but as Sora had failed in the Duel of Hearts, he decided to have him participate in a task that would test his character.
"This necklace has been in our family for generations," the mayor had said in his study while presenting the delicate item to Sora in a box. "It belonged to the first leader of Destiny Islands, crafted with utmost care with the first thalassa shell ever discovered."
"Whoa," Sora says, daunted and amazed by the item at the same time. The shell, which appears to have rightfully faded overtime, still gradually fades from yellow to pink at the very tip.
"Your task, Sora, will be to wear it and keep it safe for one week," the mayor explains. "Do you think you can do that?"
"I believe so," Sora says while accepting it and fastening it around his neck with confidence. Behind him, Kairi shares a look with her father and suppresses a laugh.
"Good," the mayor says. "If you can prove to me that you can keep something delicate safe and untarnished, then I will allow you to date my daughter. Is that understood?"
"Yes sir," Sora answers with a determined salute.
Back in the cafeteria, Kairi applauds her—almost—boyfriend's optimism and excitement.
"Wow Sora, I'm very proud of you," she compliments. "You've only got until dinner tonight until you're home free."
"Seriously though," Riku interjects. "I thought you were going to drop it on day one, so I'm just as proud."
"Wow, thanks for your kind words," Sora says with his mouth half full.
"Well I've got a test in half an hour and I'd like to get some studying in, so I'll catch you guys later," Kairi informs while getting up and packing her belongings.
"Wait, first of all, we have a test?" Sora squeaks. "And second, why can't you study with us?"
Riku only shakes his head with his eyes closed and arms crossed at the question.
"Because you're distracting," Kairi answers bluntly while poking at one of his spikes.
"Hey!" Sora argues. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Precisely what she said," Riku answers tiredly. Kairi playfully rolls her eyes at the two as she turns her heel.
"Wait!" Sora calls. "Riku and I have swimming practice later, but I'm still driving you home, right?"
Kairi nods. "Yup! I'll see you after practice." She then leans over and offers him a quick peck on the cheek before walking out, and Sora places a hand on his face with a dazed expression.
"You two are so gross," Riku remarks with a teasing smirk.
"Suck my ass."
Later that afternoon, Sora tosses Kairi his spare helmet before she boards the back of his scooter in the parking lot.
"Wow, I love this cologne you're wearing," Kairi teases as she wraps her arms around his waist and rests her chin on his shoulder from behind. "What is that, chlorine?"
"Ha ha," Sora replies sarcastically while starting the engine and taking off. In the middle of their fifteen-minute ride, Kairi takes a break from admiring the scenery of the sunset-painted beach and places a hand overtop the necklace on Sora's neck. "What's up?" Sora asks when he feels her hand on his chest.
"Hm? Oh, nothing," Kairi insists as she toys with the shell. "I just find it strange that this has supposedly been with my family for years, yet I've never actually seen or held it after all this time."
"Well you can get a closer look when we get back to your house," Sora suggests with his eyes on the road. "I just can't risk anything happening to it before then, you know?"
"Oh please," Kairi answers nonchalantly as her hands move to the knot on the back of his neck. "I just want to have a closer look."
"Kairi, seriously, don't touch it," Sora warns when she feels her hands lingering behind his neck.
"Sora, we're like five minutes away," she reasons while untying the necklace. "Seriously, what could happen?"
Sora's heart stops when he feels the weight of the shell being lifted from his shoulders but feels the air rush back into his lungs when he sees that Kairi had successfully caught it in her hand.
"Woman, you're going to be the death of me," he says shakily.
Kairi giggles at his reaction and admires the shell in the daylight. "Oh, don't be so dramatic."
Then, without warning, the necklace suddenly slips from Kairi's hand and falls to the ground, the fragile shell shattering into pieces. Sora immediately pulls over to the side and stares at the mess with his eyes wide, jaw agape and his face pale. When the coast is clear, he gets off his scooter and walks over to what remains of the necklace and picks it up with a look of complete and utter disbelief.
"Sora… I'm so sorry," Kairi whispers, her eyes just as wide as his. "I really didn't mean to."
"You realize this was the only chance we had at getting your father's approval?" Sora asks, his voice a few octaves higher.
"I… I do," Kairi answers wearily.
"And you really couldn't have waited until we got to your house?" the brunet asks through gritted teeth as he tries to keep his frustration contained.
"I'm sorry," Kairi repeats.
Sora sighs defeatedly as he throws the remains of the necklace into his backpack and reboards his scooter. Out of sheer desperation, he briefly considers replacing the shell with one from the shore but realizes that it would be futile given that the original was much lower in saturation.
"Well, we're out of time," he points out hopelessly. "Let's just… get this over with."
"What are you going to do?" Kairi asks when he starts the engine.
"I… don't know," Sora admits as he takes off. The remainder of the ride is spent in silence.
In front of the mayor's elegant but daunting mansion, Kairi's parents stand at the top of the curved stone stairways that converge to the front entrance and watch as Sora and their daughter pull up to the bottom steps. After removing their protective gear, the two mutter amongst themselves for a few moments, Sora's head hung low, and eventually make their way to the top of the staircase hand-in-hand. For reasons Kairi's parents can't fathom, Sora looks absolutely distraught.
"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Hart," Sora greets politely, albeit weakly. He's able to make eye contact, but barely.
"What's wrong, Sora?" Kairi's mother asks with concern very evident in her voice.
"Oh," Sora says, just realizing that he was making his disappointment far more evident than he intended. He then straightens his posture and clears his throat. "Nothing, Mrs. Hart. Everything's fine."
"Well, it's been one week since I've assigned your task," Kairi's father reminds. "Did you manage to complete it without fail?"
Sora and Kairi share a look before the former decides to remove his backpack from his shoulders.
"Um, not exactly…" Sora confesses as he unzips his bag and retrieves the remains of the necklace. He wordlessly hands it to Kairi's father who takes what's left with his jaw slightly agape. Kairi's mother opts for a shocked gasp.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Hart," Sora apologizes wholeheartedly. To affirm him of her support, Kairi places a hand on his back and rubs comforting circles into it.
"What happened?" the mayor decides to ask after a moment of silence.
For a brief moment, Sora locks eyes with a guilty Kairi, and he lightly removes her hand from his back: a gesture she has long associated with the words "It's okay, I got this".
"I did it," Sora then admits bravely, and Kairi immediately places a hand on his shoulder at the lie.
"Sora—" she starts.
"No, it's okay," he insists as he takes the blame and firmly locks eyes with her father who allows him to continue. "I accidentally dropped it on the way home," Sora explains while slowly getting down on both knees. "I understand that this necklace was an irreplaceable heirloom that belonged to the first leader of the island, so I'm sorry that I failed you, Mr. Hart. You entrusted me with this simple task but I was unable to follow through, and for that I greatly apologize; I do, however, know with absolute certainty that your daughter is very important to me, and I would appreciate any chance to keep fighting for her."
While Kairi's heart swells at the words, her father frowns at the teenage boy before his feet, and for a moment Sora's entire world comes crashing down… that is, until the mayor's lips curve upward into a proud smile.
"Congratulations, Sora," Kairi's father says. "You passed."
When Kairi and her mother break out into excited squeals, Sora finds himself at a loss for words.
"Wh… what?" he questions, dumbfounded. "I passed? But… I broke the necklace."
"Sora, when my daughter purposely dropped that necklace, you had two choices," the mayor explains knowingly, and Sora twitches at the word 'purposely'. "You could either turn your back and pin the blame on her, or take the fall in her stead. The real purpose of this test wasn't so that you could just take care of the necklace, but to prove how much you actually care for my daughter even during a tough situation. Now I truly know that even when faced with adversity, you'll stand your ground and do what you feel is right, which shows strength of heart and good character. Well done, Sora."
As the message sinks into the brunet's head, Kairi unzips her backpack and hands her father the real necklace encased in its rightful box, and Sora watches the exchange with disbelief.
"What? When did you manage to swap them out?" he asks.
"When you and Riku left for swimming practice," Kairi answers simply. "I had him switch them in the locker room."
"Riku was in on this too?" Sora asks with narrowed eyes. "So this whole thing…"
"Was a setup from the beginning," Kairi concludes. "But you passed, which means…"
The two teenagers turn to look at the mayor with hopeful expressions.
"Yes," the mayor confirms with a hearty laugh. "Sora Takeuchi, you officially have permission to date my daughter."
"Yes!" Sora exclaims while punching a victorious fist into the air. Then, when he realizes where he is, he shamefully pulls his hand back down and clears his throat. "I mean, thank you sir. You won't regret this."
"I'm sure you won't give me reason to," the mayor agrees. He then lets out a slight "oof!" when his daughter crashes into his chest and wraps her arms around his waist.
"Thanks dad," Kairi mumbles into his dress shirt. She feels him run a hand through her head affectionately before placing his hands on her shoulders.
"You're welcome, princess," he answers.
"Well then, you two go off and celebrate," Kairi's mother suggests while gently ushering Sora down the staircase. Just before Kairi joins him, her father calls her back for a quick word.
"Kairi, you're aware we're still waiting on the results from Radiant Garden Academy, right?" her father asks in a hushed, but stern voice. "I trust you know what that entails?"
"I do," Kairi answers, although she's too caught up in her excitement to truly understand what her father is really trying to say.
"All right," he says while letting her go. "As long as you know what you're doing. I'm just looking out for you, princess."
"I know," Kairi says while offering both her parents another quick embrace before skipping down the steps.
"Don't be home too late!" Kairi's mother reminds when her daughter is halfway down the staircase.
"I won't!" the redhead answers back.
"Anything I have to worry about?" Sora asks while tossing Kairi's helmet back in her direction.
"Nope," Kairi answers while hopping into the back seat and openly snuggling into him. "Not at all."
Moments later, Sora and Kairi exit the Inside Scoop diner hand-in-hand with milkshakes in their spare hands, the latter with the former's slightly larger cardigan wrapped around her shoulders to shield herself from the winds of the rather chilly summer night. They idly walk down the boardwalk, admiring the view of the beach during dusk, the slightest spray of water hitting their cheeks, and the feeling of freedom that the summer air promised. They appreciate each other's company in a pleasant silence, and it isn't until Kairi leans her head on Sora's shoulder that she decides to break it.
"This is so nice," she comments dreamily.
"I know," Sora agrees while tightening his grip on her hand affectionately. "I'm so glad I finally get to hold your hand out in the open like this."
"Oh, I was talking about the milkshake," Kairi teases while shaking her half-empty styrofoam cup, "but I suppose that's nice, too."
"Wow," Sora says while releasing his hand from hers. "I endured a task that nearly sent me into cardiac arrest for you, and this is my reward? Thanks a lot, Kairi."
He gasps slightly when he suddenly feels her soft lips against his cheek and her hand sneakily re-laced with his.
"You're very welcome," she whispers, and as a sign of forgiveness, Sora quickly kisses her forehead. "So now that we're officially dating," the redhead starts, but she has to cut herself short when Sora starts giggling beside her like a giddy schoolgirl. "What?"
"Sorry," he apologizes sheepishly. "I'm still trying to get used to it."
Kairi playfully rolls her eyes at his honesty but nonetheless finds him adorable. "Anyways, as I was saying, now that we're dating, I think we need to sort some things out so that Riku doesn't feel like a total third wheel. We need to keep all these peas in the pod, you know?"
"For sure," Sora agrees after taking a sip of his cookies and cream milkshake. "We wouldn't want him to feel excluded."
"Exactly," Kairi answers as they make their way to the pier. "So first things first: we can't be showing PDA all the time."
"Can I kiss you if he turns around?" Sora asks with a slight pout.
"The guy's practically a ninja, Sora," Kairi reminds when they reach the end of the pier and take their seats, their feet dangling over the edge. "I doubt we could sneak that past him even if he was blindfolded."
"Truth," Sora admits. "So always try to keep it at a minimum. Got it. I do have a question, though."
"Shoot," Kairi says.
"How are we going to watch movies with the guy?" Sora questions. "Like, who sits where? We obviously don't want to be making out beside him in the theatre."
"Hmm," Kairi hums while biting the tip of her straw. "Valid question. I suppose he'll have to sit in the middle."
"I suppose that's fair," Sora admits with slumped shoulders. "That means he's on popcorn duty though, so I guess I'm cool with that."
"We also can't make him pick sides if we argue," Kairi suggests.
"And we need to include him in all the inside jokes, too," Sora adds.
"We'll need to keep encouraging group activities," Kairi continues, "and if you guys need your bro time, I'll totally respect that."
Sora happily throws an arm over Kairi's shoulders at her consideration and understanding.
"You are so cool, Kai," he compliments. "I can't believe I didn't even need to ask about that. I think I may just have the best girlfriend ever."
Both teens pause at the use of the unexpected word and immediately share a look. While Sora looks absolutely mortified for slipping so dismissively, Kairi's lips are pursed into a tight line.
"Did… did you just use the G word?" she asks slyly with a smile tugging at her lips.
"U-um…" Sora starts while scratching the back of his head. "Perhaps I did." When Kairi doesn't respond, he sighs and turns his sights back to the dusk-reflecting waters. "I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable. I know we haven't discussed labels yet, and I guess I was just too caught up in my excitement that I—"
"Sora, you have nothing to apologize for," Kairi assures while setting her milkshake down and caressing one of his cheeks. Sora melts into her hand and looks into her eyes lovingly.
"Really?" he then asks, the slightest smirk on his lips. "And why is that?"
"Because I consider you my B word," she answers simply. He surprises her by crossing his arms defiantly with a frown.
"So I'm basically your Bitch," he remarks teasingly. When Kairi reaches upward to hit him across the head, Sora grabs her wrist and pulls her to him to capture her lips with his and sighs in delight when he feels his girlfriend sag against him and embrace his neck lovingly.
After their euphoric liplock, the two sit by the edge of the pier, leaning against each other with their shoulders touching, and watch as dusk transforms into night in a silence where nothing needs to be said to understand everything.
Back in the presence of Tidus' pickup truck, Kairi feels her shoulder brush against his ever so slightly and surprises even herself when she immediately rejects the proximity. Tidus, however, noticeably blushes at the contact before turning his sights back onto the big screen.
During the next song number, a gust of wind blows over the theatre, and Kairi shivers at the sudden contact. Like a true gentleman, Tidus reaches for a hoodie in his back seat and wordlessly hands it over to Kairi who accepts it with a thankful, but simultaneously unsure smile. She wraps the hoodie around her shoulders, but despite its warmth, she can't help but think that the air still feels cold.
Physically, she's with him, but emotionally, even she can feel that she's worlds away.
Approximately two rows behind Tidus' truck and parked slightly to the left, Riku and 'Alice' enjoy the movie in their favourite little golf cart with a giant bag full of assorted gummies that the former had stolen from the castle's pantry.
"So what exactly are we fulfilling on the teenage bucket list today?" Xion asks while comfortably throwing her legs up on the front of the cart and popping a gummi bear into her mouth. "Going on a cheesy first date?"
She nearly spits out the gummi at the look on Riku's face.
"Calm your balls, Riku. I was just kidding," Xion assures with a playful nudge.
Riku shakes his head disapprovingly. "Good, because this is hardly a good choice for a first date. Clammy hand holding, being afraid to reach for the popcorn because your hands might accidentally touch, strategically timed expectant looks before finally deciding to make out? No thanks. Sounds like way too much work. If you just want to make out, then be straight up about it. If you ask me, movies are a friend thing, which is precisely why I'd written watch a movie with friends on your list and not unbearably awkward first date at the movies."
"Maybe you just haven't found the right companion," Xion suggests optimistically.
"Or maybe I'm just an anomaly," Riku adds.
"Perhaps," Xion says while turning her attention to the movie. Towards the middle, a thought suddenly comes to Xion's mind.
"Riku, what's your tragic backstory?" she suddenly asks.
Riku chuckles at the question. "What?"
"Your tragic backstory," Xion repeats. "Maui has one, which is why he's so hell bent on proving his worth. You must have a reason for being… well, you."
"I'm sorry, are you comparing me to a fictitious Disney character?" Riku asks as if seeking confirmation.
"Well if we're comparing your luscious locks then I think Maui's got you beat," Xion teases. "Yes, you buttsack, I'm asking why you've become this brooding, mysterious playboy."
"There is no tragic backstory," Riku answers simply. "This is just how I am."
Xion defiantly shakes her head. "I don't buy that for a second. Don't try to play dumb, Riku. I can see there's more to you than what you let on. It must have been one hell of a girl to turn you into Mr. Steal Yo Girl."
Riku briefly glances at Kairi's silhouetted figure and feels the slightest but bearable fluttering in his chest at the receding memory.
"Yeah, she was," Riku eventually agrees while leaning back in the driver's seat. "But it wasn't tragic. Just disheartening. It's nothing in comparison to what you're going through."
Xion frowns slightly at his words.
"Look, you don't have to tell me what happened," she assures, "but just because some people supposedly have it worse doesn't mean your problems are invalid. That's not the way it works. If it affects you, it matters."
While Riku is taken aback by the statement, Xion continues to nonchalantly munch on her gummies. He was never one to talk about his feelings much, but because she'd opened up to him about her condition, he figures that it's only fair that he shared what he felt was now harmless information. Much like Sora and Kairi, Xion had this trustworthy vibe, and this was something he could share with her.
"There was one girl," he finally whispers, and Xion's eyes soften at his sudden confession. "I competed for her affections for years, but all my efforts proved to be worthless in the end because she's always had her eyes on another guy."
Xion scoots a little closer so that their shoulders just touch and pops another gummi into her mouth.
"Was it Kairi?" she asks slyly, and she immediately chuckles at his reaction. The surprised look on her companion's face gives him away entirely. "Oh, please. The way you worded it made it so obvious that Sora and Kairi were part of the tale somehow. Besides, I can't blame you. Kairi's like a ten out of ten would smash."
Riku shakes his head disapprovingly with an amused smile playing at his lips. "Meh, she's all right."
"We'll go on," Xion demands while readying her hand for another gummi.
Riku sighs and runs a hand through his silver locks as memories of the past resurface, but with each passing moment, he begins to feel a little lighter. "After Sora and Kairi got together, I admit I was a little peeved at first, but I eventually got used to it. They did their best to make sure I didn't feel like a third wheel, and I really appreciated that they did a good job, but at the end of the day I just figured why bother trying at all, you know?" Riku questions. "Why waste the time and effort on something that isn't guaranteed? Sounds like a lot of unnecessary heartbreak in my opinion."
For reasons he can't fathom, Riku nearly goes on about another past event that deeply affected him, but he purposely leaves out the part about his Keyblade master because he feels as if it's still… unresolved. The pain of his absence nearly gets to him, but Xion places a reassuring hand on his shoulder before the memory can truly hit him with visceral force.
"Nothing is ever guaranteed," Xion agrees, "but isn't that the beauty of it, though? Not knowing what's going to happen next? And even if you do get your heart broken, there's always a lesson to be learned in there somewhere. That's what makes it so exciting and special—at least, that's what I think despite having no experience in the love department. Just my two cents."
And when Xion resumes her nonchalant munching as if absolutely nothing just happened, Riku decides to take back his statement from earlier. If anyone was an anomaly, it was her. For someone going through something so negative, she sure had a positive outlook on things.
Just an hour before midnight, Tidus parks his truck in front of the Disney castle and kindly offers to walk Kairi to the door.
"Thanks for taking me out tonight, Tidus," Kairi says as they walk past the moat with his sweater still wrapped around her shoulders. "I had a great time. I think I really needed that."
"You're very welcome," Tidus says while throwing his hands into his pockets. When they reach the front of the door, the two turn towards each other and share an awkward glance.
"Oh!" Kairi suddenly exclaims amidst the brief silence. She shrugs his hoodie off her shoulders and hands it to him. "Thanks for this, too."
"Um, you can keep it," Tidus offers, but Kairi pushes back with determination.
"It's yours," Kairi insists.
"Really, I'm good," Tidus says without removing his hands from his pockets.
Kairi narrows her eyes in suspicion. "Why are you so determined to have me keep your sweater?"
After rocking back and forth on his heels, Tidus finally blurts it out. "Because it'll give me an excuse to see you again."
Kairi immediately purses her lips and tries not to laugh at the bashful delivery of his response. It may have been cute coming from the star player of the Zanarkand Abes, but she wouldn't let his status get to her. Perhaps Riku had been right to warn her. It seemed that a part of Tidus really did want their time together to be more than just a hangout.
"Oh, Tidus," she starts, "you are good." Then, with a knowing grin, "But I'm afraid that was far too cheesy, even for someone of your caliber."
He offers her a shy smile in reply when he finally accepts his sweater from her. "I had to try."
The two bring back the awkward silence from earlier, but after a few moments of staring at their sneakers, Kairi finally decides to explain herself.
"Look, Tidus," she starts, "I've done the summer thing before, and it didn't exactly work out." Her thoughts then drift onto Sora, and her shoulders somewhat sag at the memory of their dramatic parting. "Realistically, come summer's end, you and I will go our separate ways. I'll be in Radiant Garden, and you'll be in Zanarkand. I just don't see it working out beyond this island, so if you don't mind… do you think we can keep this thing between us super casual? I just… don't want us to lose out on what could possibly be a great friendship. You're really sweet, and I really did have a nice time tonight."
"Hm," Tidus hums as he looks up at the night sky in contemplation. "I'm not going to lie, it's not my ideal situation, but if that's what it will take for me to spend more time with you, then I'll respect your decision."
Kairi blinks twice at the response. She certainly wasn't expecting him to be so accommodating so quickly.
"Wow. Thanks for understanding, Tidus," Kairi says graciously while hugging her arm.
"Of course," he says with a nod. "Now, before I head back to my truck… can I at least get an awkward hug?"
Kairi chuckles at the honesty and outstretches her arms.
Upstairs, on the balcony of the third floor lounge, Sora watches the two embrace by the moat with misty eyes, his chin dramatically resting on one of his palms, but before he can fully wallow in the pits of despair, he hears someone open the lounge door behind him and is surprised to find Riku walking in with a somewhat confused look on his face.
"Riku," Sora greets as he re-enters the Pride Lands-themed lounge complete with themed walls, a drink bar, a miniature waterfall, and excessive amounts of both tribal and animal prints.
"Can I talk to you?" his best friend asks—almost anxiously, if Sora may add.
"Of course," Sora says while plopping down on the couch and patting the seat next to him. "What's up?"
Riku formulates his answer carefully as he makes his way over to the couch and sits down. "Something… weird happened," he decides to say.
Sora immediately gasps. "Oh no. Man, I didn't think we'd be discussing this so soon."
Upon instinct, Riku crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow in suspicion because he knows that there's no way in hell Sora could possibly figure out what he had in mind. "Okay, I'm probably going to regret asking, but what do you think is going on?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Sora asks. "You got a girl pregnant, didn't you?"
Riku's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.
"Don't worry man, I got you covered!" Sora assures. "As your best friend, my babysitting services are totally free. My only condition, of course, is that I'm the first godparent, otherwise I charge twenty munny and two sea-salt ice cream bars per hour. Oh, Uncle Sora and Riku Jr. are going to have so much fun baking together!"
"Okay, that's enough babbling," Riku decides after rubbing his temples in annoyance. "Besides, I haven't even… nevermind," he stammers. "Anyways, I did not get a girl pregnant, Sora. I did, however, open up to one, which is why I sought your… wise company." He immediately regrets saying it the instant it comes out of his mouth.
Sora's excitement, however, immediately dies down at Riku's confession. "Whoa. You opened up to a girl? To be honest I found that less likely than my assumption."
"Yeah, I got that," Riku scoffs.
"Was it Alice?" Sora asks curiously. When Riku nods, the brunet leans back in his seat and releases a breath he wasn't even aware of holding. "Well, I can't say I'm a hundred percent surprised. You have been spending a lot of time with her lately. I guess my question is... why her?"
"That's my question exactly," Riku answers. "You're the sensitive one. You tell me. You're the one that's good with…" He shudders at the word. "Feelings."
"Well I think it's pretty clear what's going on here: you like her," Sora immediately concludes, but before Riku can deny it, Sora follows up with "but not in the way you're thinking. I think you like her enough to be comfortable around her because you've reached that friendship level, you know?"
"Hm," Riku hums, tasting the words. Friendship was an F word he could deal with. Feelings? Not so much. And now that he thought about it, he wouldn't mind considering Xion a friend. He liked her enough that he genuinely enjoyed her company, she didn't openly swoon at his feet like half the girls on the island, she wasn't afraid to tell him things straight, and their sufferings had formed a rather unique bond between them that he couldn't quite place, but knew he appreciated.
"You know, I think you may be onto something, Sora," Riku admits.
"I got you," Sora says while playfully dusting off his shoulder. "I realize that this all probably feels really weird to you all things considered, but don't feel bad about it. Gaining a soft spot for someone you think you can trust is a normal thing."
"Yeah," Riku agrees. "She's going through a lot right now and was willing to trust me with her hardships, so I figured I'd somewhat return the favour."
"I'm not sure if you remember, but that's called compassion," Sora teases. "Again, totally a normal thing… especially for a girl you'll be crushing on come summer's end."
Riku immediately hops off the couch at Sora's ridiculous assumption.
"And that is where our conversation ends," Riku decides while heading towards the door and opening it. "See ya."
"Oh come on!" Sora says while trailing behind him. "You're going to like her more eventually! It's like cupid's arrow grazed your left ass cheek just now, but maybe next time you won't be so lucky!"
"Sometimes I wonder why Kairi ever dated you," Riku remarks teasingly.
"Because I have a big penis!" Sora yells back when his best friend is halfway down the hallway. Behind him, Axel and Larxene just turn the corner and blink twice at Sora's random outburst. While the latter places a hand on her hip with a half-smirk, Axel crosses his arms defensively.
"I guarantee you mine's bigger," he immediately claims. Larxene only rolls her eyes with amusement.
An hour past midnight, during one of her restless tossing and turning episodes, Kairi finally surrenders to the late night craving that refuses to leave her mind and eventually wills herself to get up and take action.
She throws on her slippers, pulls on a sweater and makes her way to the elevators as the taste of the birthday cake Sora and Riku had made her the day before still lingers in her taste buds. When she finally reaches the first floor, she tiptoes over to the kitchen, careful not to knock down any knight sculptures in her path, and stealthily sneaks herself into the kitchen where her lips part in surprise.
Sora is already there, sitting on a stool and hovering over a stainless steel countertop with a carton of milk, a half-empty glass, and a half-eaten cake to match. In the middle of what appears to be misty-eyed sulking and contemplation, Sora's eyes eventually snap upward and he nearly falls out of his stool in shock.
"Kairi," he greets, "h-hey."
"Hey to you, too," she says while making her way around the counter to join him.
"I'm starting to think that you like following me in the middle of the night," Sora teases, recalling their late night encounter by the backyard pool.
"In your dreams," Kairi says while taking the stool next to him.
"Holy crap," Sora says as he begins to feel the countertop as if to test its physical existence. "Am I dreaming right now? That would actually be great considering that I just ate half a cake that tasted pretty real."
Kairi chortles while opening one of the drawers to retrieve a fork for herself. "No, I'm afraid you're very much awake, which means you really did consume all those calories. Mind if I partake?"
Sora merely slides over the cake in response.
"So what brings you to the kitchen at this ungodly hour?" Sora asks while resting an elbow on the countertop and resting his chin on the palm of his hand.
Amidst her satisfied chewing, Kairi washes the cake down with some milk from Sora's glass and swallows. "Well, a wise soul once told me that if you find yourself hungry in the middle of the night, you should just surrender to it, otherwise—"
"—you'll be up thinking about it all night," Sora finishes knowingly. "Gee, I wonder which hunk of a guy gave you that wise advice."
"Probably the guy that just ate half of this cake," Kairi answers with a laugh, and Sora can't help but feel that despite the night's festivities, this is one of the most playful interactions he's shared with her since the beginning of their vacation. She looks as if a weight has been lifted off her shoulders (initially caused from the tension he'd foolishly forced upon her earlier that day), and her eyes hold a familiar brightness to them that reminds him of pre-boarding school Kairi. Relaxed, adventurous, fun-loving Kairi.
"What about you?" Kairi then asks, snapping Sora out of his daze. "What are you doing here?"
Sora's eyes somewhat haze at the question. Truth be told, he'd been mulling over the decision of telling Kairi about Tidus and Selphie's evil intentions or leaving it entirely, but now that he gets a good look at her, he decides then and there that he can't tell her—not yet, at least. Not when she just got a taste of a stress-free summer vacation; not when he's caused her enough emotional trouble; not when she's the closest she's ever been to the happy, lighthearted Kairi he remembers. He couldn't possibly take that away from her.
Besides, exposing Tidus could've been considered unfair leverage in his overall quest to win her back her affections. If Kairi was going to be his girlfriend again, he would do it fairly—not by pointing fingers. True, he was her best friend and it was his rightful duty to tell her everything (especially the harmful things), but as he recalls, talking badly about others hadn't been working out in his favour as of late. To get her back, he'd have to play Kairi's game and remain the supportive best friend. Supportive Sora was the safe choice; Supportive Sora had received a hug earlier; Supportive Sora was the way to go.
So despite being caught between a rock and a hard place, Sora decides.
"I'm just here for the same reason as you," he finally says while picking up his fork and stealing another piece. Then, with a pained smile, Supportive Sora makes his next move. "So how did your date go?"
The question catches Kairi off guard, but Sora can tell by the ways her eyes soften that it's in a good way. He mentally notes that Supportive Sora has gained another point.
"It went… well," Kairi words carefully while chewing, "but in the end we just decided to keep things casual."
"I see," Sora says with a slow nod, trying to understand exactly what she meant by 'keeping things casual'. "So does that mean like… a friends with benefits kind of situation?"
Kairi immediately turns red at Sora's assumption and what it insinuates. "What? No! I meant casual as in nothing too serious! I can't believe you'd even think that I'd agree to something like that!"
"Well sorry, you said casual!" Sora explains while flailing his arms around. "That can mean a lot of things!"
Kairi then places both her hands on the metal counter and gives Sora the most awkward grin he's ever seen her pull off. "Okay, I'm not going to lie: I know you're my best friend, but it feels really awkward talking about this with my ex-boyfriend." She then glances at what remains of the cake and the carton of milk. "Say, want to finish the rest of this while playing Call of Destiny like we used to in the den?"
Sora's heart skips a beat at the offer. "So we can mercilessly wreck some space zombies?" He then grabs the cake and presents the doorway to her with a flourish. "But of course."
And when Kairi skips past him with the carton of milk, Sora can't help but follow her dazedly, all the while thinking that Supportive Sora was definitely the way to go—for now, at least.
tbc
Fun fact: The scene where Sora misinterprets the B word was in the draft of the unreleased 35th chapter of the original Teenage Wasteland.
A/N: Do you think Sora should have told Kairi about Tidus? Why or why not? Explain your reasoning—and while you're at it, solve for x. Just kidding. Major throwback to high school Calculus and Vectors over there. #funtimes
So I am very pumped for tomorrow. Why is that, you ask? The Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour is finally coming to Toronto! Woohoo! I don't think I'll ever be emotionally prepared, so I've pretty much accepted that I'll have a Kleenex box on my lap while I bawl throughout the entire thing. Here's to crying my winged eyeliner right off.
Anywho, I have to admit that this was one of the funner chapters to write, particularly the flashback to Sora, Riku, and Kairi back on Destiny Islands. I feel myself growing more attached to their culture the more I revisit their little island. The biggest challenges (for me at least) were to write an evil but charming Tidus and a growingly sensitive Riku. Did you feel like they played out well? What could be improved? The reason I ask so many questions is because I look at these stories as a team effort. Yes, ultimately I am the writer, but the thoughts and suggestions you contribute are always considered and, in my opinion, make the story better, so if you have anything you'd like to see more or less of, give it a shout and I'll do what I can!
Special thanks to xxXSoraKairiXx, Rawonton/Guest, Urxnix, Painted With a Palette and Q-A the Authoress for reviewing the last chapter! I apologize if I missed or misspelled any pen names.
I hope you all enjoyed the eleventh instalment of Project: Teenage Wasteland! Please kindly leave a review to let me know your thoughts and/or feels, I apologize for any grammar errors I might have missed, and I'll see you in the next chapter!
xoKyorii