Dedicated to the One who is as close as a heartbeat or song on my lips. CAN'T get enough of that. Ohmigosh!
A/N: I found that there was an error with the Narnia world. It ruins the whole 'two sons of Adam' thing. XD What a shame! For I dearly like that book. OH! And I'm sorry for not replying to most of you before I updated. I couldn't find the time. But I did manage to type up another chapter before Christmas Break. )
(Lots of new art for you guys to check out. And one AWESOME picture of Nevaeh by Numina-Namine.)
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL!!!
Breanna-meow-meow: Hey! I know how homework is. EVIL! With a capital E! Too bad I can't sick Nevaeh on it. Sigh. Good thing, though! 'Cause I love Sora and Kairi, too! WOOT!
RoseZephyr: hell hath no furry like a Heaven enraged, indeed! That's brilliant! And I love how you thought of my story as a game. That rocked all out.
Childhood Aspirations: Yep! I did your deleted scene first! I'm glad you like my fluff stuff. That makes me happy! My story will probably end up being a hundred pages long. Good gravy! XD If you liked the part with Riku and his clothes burnt to cinders, then you'll like Michelle-chan's picture! It's on my homepage-thing.
MegaFlameHedge: Thank you very much! I'm glad I'm writing Axel in character. It's kinda hard since there wasn't much of him in COH and KH2. What a shame, huh? More Axel!!!
TgIiDgUiS: I'm so happy that you approve of all my worlds! I can't use Narnia anymore, but I'll think of something. Hope to hear from you!
Nexlei: I don't mind if it's been a while since you've reviewed. This is for your enjoyment, after all. It means a lot to me that you approve of Nevaeh. :D YAY!
AikoMoonschild: (Coos) Fluff never gets old, does it? Danke, Akio!!!
cracker-jacks000: It's been great talking with you on DA. I've probably answered all your questions already! Hehe! Like about Sweetly Broken and so on and so forth, but let's see here, anyway...first of all: THANK YOU! I'm excited about KH4, too. I can't wait until I reach review 1,000. That'll be wicked, won't it? I'm so stoked that you like my romance. You should enjoy the RxN fluff. :D
Michelle-chan: Sister! I knew you'd like the platoon pants burning. Since it was your idea 'n all. Veeeeery nice. N-chan, I swear, would have been proud. Ja ne!
LilyflowerJamesprongs: That's a good idea! Since Narnia didn't work out, I can go to Atlantis! I like that movie, too. There's something so darling about a passionate, nerdy guy.
Samecca: 1.) Pep talks between good friends are ALWAYS worth mentioning.
2.) I wonder what's the longest held 'aw' ever recorded? YAY FLUFF!
3.) I'm so happy you liked the Riku/Axel interaction. I laughed while I wrote it.
4.) Random Idiot loved having Riku run around without a shirt. XD
5.) (Imagines Sarmiento and Tarsus into existence right in front of Samecca, grabs a lawn chair and a glass of lemonade, and says, "Have at it. You have my full permission to kick their rears.") XD
6.) "IT LIVES!" Hehe, yeah, Axel can be a bit Frankenstein-ish.
7.) Axel will forever be my comic relief. But he'll have a larger role next world, as well.
destiny's crossroads: AW! You're so sweet! As for Riku not being able to help Sora...I guess I can give you a heads-up. The disease in Sora's system is too far spread. Like the chapter preview said, it'd be like separating salt from salt water. I can't wait for your next chapter! God bless!
Friendlyfangirl: Thank you so much! I'm very glad to hear from you. I don't understand why in the world people don't like Kairi. They're just silly, is all! I'm really really REALLY glad that you like Nevaeh. I've never read another fanfic where Riku gets a girlfriend. I'm glad little Heaven's a good match. Thank you SO MUCH for the two sons of Adam thing. I would have gotten to Narnia and realized...UH OH! You're a lifesaver. And yeah! Saul of Tarsus! Very good! I'm glad you caught that:D Bravo!
Inuhoono: Thanks very much! I hope you like the chapter!
NarutohokageSakuracherybols...: WOW that's a looooong name. I'm so happy I'm one of your favorite authors. That makes me so happy!
x.guitarpunk.x: Hehe, actually...Axel is going to mess with it so much, they're going to miss their Beauty and the Beast mark. XD You're good! (Eats her homemade cookies with glee) Muchas gracias! Don't kill the Nevaeh plushie!!!
Anime-17: I'm glad you liked the snogging part. That's great! Beauty and the Beast isn't this chappie, but it'll be the next...or the next. I promise!
moonstrife: I decided not to do the Narnia thing like you suggested. Good call! Enjoy the chapter!
Snowjay-chan: I'm glad you liked the last chapter! I know you'll have a blast with this one! WHEE!
Jade Rhade: RIKY! I LOVE THAT! HAHA! I might have to have Nevaeh call him that once. XD Aw, he has his clothes back! I guess Riku gets his U. Sigh. Funs over...unless Nevaeh taunts him!
crazycutie2: I'm glad TW's going to be long, too. Very very excited! Thank you very much.
i AM the Random Idiot: Keep the old school love alive. I like that! A LOT! And I'm gonna hold true to your motto.
Jini: Roxas is SOO smooth. He doesn't give himself enough credit. I squealed when I wrote the SxK part. My mom was all askin' me what I was on about and I answered, "Just...fluff, momma. That's all!" You know, the most romantic things aren't just done. They're said, too. I hope I got that across. I'd rather have someone look be square in the eye and tell me I'm beautiful than have a kiss. Te he! There's lots of NxR this chapter. Actually...it's ONLY RxN.
Heart of Dreams: Heart, you rock! I'm so happy that you liked the chapter and I can't WAIT to see your vid:D
GTA Guy: My favorite part was the snogging line, too! That's sweet!
Lithius: Hehe, this chapter's short. But I wanted to give you a Thanksgiving gift. Enjoy!
mOOnlite-dUSk: I'm glad you liked Axel last chapter! There's a bit of him in this one, too.
Lady Kara: I was actually thinking about Sora and Kairi getting married and having children. Maybe, after Sweetly Broken, I'll do another fic on their kids. OO Epic, indeed! WOOT!
Jupiter-Lightning: ZoMGasp! Michelle-chan gave me the awesome idea of lighting Riku's clothes on fire. Hehe, I'm so horrible to him. Not so much this time around, but...XD
Itsy-Evil-Spiders: FLUBBER! That'd be so FUNNY! (Strokes her chin) Maybe it could work...Jungle Book, as well! I just read an interview as to why they didn't use Jungle Book, actually. Can't wait for more of your fics! THEY ROCK! Enjoy the RxN fluff!
Jak4: Nevaeh and Riku? Complicated? NEVER! XD Enjoy the chapter!
TheLionheartless: Oh. My. Gasp! I sooo much enjoy your fic. It's wonderful! I can't wait to read more. I'm just excited it's break. That means I'll get to move on to the next part. (Does a little dance.) I'm so happy you like Nevaeh. It's strange how she happened upon the story – I'm glad of it. :3 Thank you very very much! Your fic is one of the best of the best, too. I'm glad to have been told about it. Danke!
mysteryyoungster: That wasn't Sora and Kairi's first kiss. I think it was their...third. If you don't count him kissing her face. Glad you liked it! Enjoy the chapter!
tennisdesi91: Well...Riku and Nevaeh verbally fight in this chapter. It's too short to have anything else. It was going to be longer, but I wanted to give you a Thanksgiving present!
Phenominal22: Riku and Nevaeh won't tell each other how they feel until the very end, I'm afraid. Annoying isn't it? I'm controlling them and it's driving me nuts!!! XD
GaaraIsMine: Man. I heard the KH3's release won't be until 2011. (Cries.) Happy reading!
fantasyrider-kh: It's too bad I didn't think about setting Axel on fire...hmmm. Riku apologizes again, but this time he's clothed. XD
KaeruSoyokaze: It's like smiling so hard your face hurts, huh? I do that all the time. Wonderful feeling.
Disclaimer: Me no own. But, if I had it my way, KH3 would be out this Christmas, would be for Playstation 2, would be under 10 bucks, and would have Sora and Kairi confessing their undying love to each other. And...yeah, why not? Have Nevaeh in it, too.
ooo
Deleted Scene: Number...?
(What would have happened if Nevaeh remembered how to give CPR.)
Nevaeh stared down Riku's unconscious body, thoroughly irritated. The only way to bring him about was to...well...perform mouth-to-mouth. Nevaeh knew she was on thin ice as it was. What would Riku do if he woke up and found that she was kissing him again? What's more, why did she care? S'matter of fact...she didn't.
Nevaeh smirked. It was hard to tell if wickedness or exhilaration was nestled behind this expression. "This is going to be fun."
Scuttle craned his neck to look at her. "What's fun? Wha'cha gonna do, kid?" His eyes widened. "Expiermentation-ing! I LIKE it!" He flapped his molting wings. "WE'RE OUT TO DISCOVER-"
Nevaeh clamped a hand over Scuttle's beak. "SHH! Do you want to wake him up?"
The seagull blinked. "You wanna kiss him?" he mumbled incomprehensibly.
Nevaeh giggled as her ginger fins skidded across the beach. "I want to do anything and everything that makes my friend uncomfortable. This one, especially." She released Scuttle and leaned toward Riku, making an effort not to breathe too hard against his face least that should rouse him. "Because it's fun," she whispered to one confused bird.
"I'll never understand humans."
Nevaeh set her lips alongside Riku's, stifled a giddied snort, and exhaled into his mouth, careful to tilt his head backwards for optimum efficiency. It only took one try, 'causing the girl's displeasure. But her rage fluttered away when she saw the look in Riku's eyes. His pupils were so dilated, they looked like pin points. And his irises flashed.
Nevaeh's smile was infuriating. She played with Riku's hair as she waited for his response.
"What was that for?" he grunted.
"To revive you, Mr. Riku," she taunted. "Now that you're alive, I can KILL YOU!"
END...XD
ooo
Riku shrugged the white jacket over his shoulders and zipped it up about half-way, peeved beyond reason, yet relieved all the same. Nevaeh may have injured his pride, but he was dressed. That had to count for something. Now clad in bluejeans and tennis shoes instead of boots and swashbuckling slacks, Riku focused on one, not-so-simple task: Nevaeh's vanity. He would have spared hers had she not wounded his. Well...too late for that! (A/N: -plays 'Mission Impossible' theme music-)
Riku made a beeline for the cabin where he'd seen his comrade last. She was busy keeping her distance, which was hard to do on a Gummi. Nevertheless, the girl did choose the only area farthest from the boy's dorm that was accessible to her. Donald wasn't about to admit Miss Priss into his room after she'd jumped him for his magic power the day previous. Sheesh, the magician barely answered Riku's knock! And all he'd wanted were his clothes!
Nevaeh didn't acknowledge the Key Bearer when he walked in. She was sitting Indian style at one of the benches, flicking a ball of fire into existence before snuffing it out again with her fingers. She didn't possess the basic elements, from what Riku understood. He counted that as a blessing.
"You need to give that back to Donald," Riku said. He widened his stance...you know. Just in case.
Nevaeh refused to look at him. Her orange eyes danced with the flames that trickled across her knuckles. "Shan't do nothing if you don't say please," she hummed, closing her hand into a fist. (A/N: Yes. That's J.K Rowling...thought it sounded like Nevaeh. Don't sue me.)
"Fine." Riku folded his arms across his chest. He'd caught her little snare. Twisting her words around to make him think she'd really do something if he said please...brilliant. As well as sickening. Just looking at her made him mad. His blood was already boiling over and she hadn't even called him Mr. Riku yet.
Nevaeh granted him a sideways glance. "Touché, sir."
Riku chewed on the inside of his cheek. Maybe this wasn't the best idea in his current state of mind. After all, he'd just managed to get back on her good side. If Nevaeh had one of those. It wasn't as if he needed additional hassle pilled on top of 'friendly' competition. Riku's thoughts of revenge dwindled, leaving him feeling out-of-sorts. What he needed was a Nevaeh-free zone. After that notion seized hold of his mind, there was no stopping him. Bliss. Sweet bliss. No Nevaeh...no orange eyes...no childish attitude...a vacation! Still, he was here. And if he was here then he might as well ask for forgiveness fittingly. Even if the thought of it made him ill.
"I'm sorry about what I called you," Riku managed. "If I would have known it would have made you angry, I wouldn't have said it at all."
Nevaeh blinked, surprised again. She turned to him, her shoulders hunched in curiosity. "But you've already apologized." Her eyes narrowed. "Unless sorry isn't an apology anymore."
"No." Riku shook his head. "It is."
Nevaeh went back to her pyro-play. "Alright then. Haven't you ever heard of the phrase: Forgive and forget?" She paused at that, four flames licking the tips of her nails. Nevaeh blew them out, one at a time, saving her singed cuticles.
Riku frowned. Heaven hadn't been singing that song when she'd shoved the bouquet down his throat. "Hn." He held out his hand anyway. It was like saying: 'Here. Just...here!' Or, maybe: 'Friends?'
Nevaeh stood and examined his gesture. "Hn, yourself." And the translation for this was: 'Sure.' She accepted his offering.
Now...really. Neither of them expected this to go so smoothly. If you could call this smooth. As a result, there was apprehension. And apprehension lead to muscle tension. Chiefly in the hand. Since both Riku and Nevaeh were already on edge, such feedback from one made the other think: Oh no he/she didn't! No surprise that shaking hands soon turned into a grip contest. Riku and Nevaeh weren't about to hurt one another. Friends just didn't do that! Of course, that doesn't mean they didn't push it.
Riku was fortunate to have the superior hold; his hand was much larger. Nevaeh spun and tucked his limb underneath hers so she could yank at his forearm. With her back to his chest, the girl tried her best to wrench his fingers away with her free hand, but Riku was having too much fun winning to be bothered by this. He amused himself with watching Nevaeh struggle over the top of her head – grinding her teeth together and etc. He even sat his chin there, satisfied as he was.
Nevaeh whipped back around, gracing his face with her hair. "Alright, Mr. Riku..." She jerked away from him, but ended up swinging around where she started. "I knew teaching you to dance wasn't my brightest idea." Her eyebrows quirked. "Since you're so adamant on proving your strength..." She sank to her knees and pulled him down in front of her, face set in such away it'd make anyone's skin clammy. "Go on, then." Nevaeh balanced her elbow on her thigh.
Riku smirked. "Fine."
So the arm wrestling match began. A strange sight to be sure. It was like neither was moving. Not a bit. Ah, but on the contrary! Both of them were pouring a good deal of their power into this. That is, the part of the good deal that wouldn't cause the other harm, as stated before. Such was frustrating because it made Riku and Nevaeh equally matched. Hence, no ground was gained. Teeth were bared, arms were shaking, brows were damp with sweat...no avail. Not that either would give in. Hardly! Forehead to forehead, they kept on. And on. And on.
That is, until Axel busted in, breaking all concentration.
"Roxas is on his way-" He stopped.
Riku released his grip, realizing how weird this must look. But Nevaeh didn't. She finally had the advantage and used it, by golly. Used it too much...yes. All her power being fed into her arm, she lunged forward (way too far) and fell to the ground, dragging Riku on top of her. Axel had just enough time to gape before Prissy twirled about and pinned her opponent to the cabin floor. Nevaeh sat cross-legged on Riku's chest, his hand clasped in her lap.
"I win!"
Axel laughed. "Is everyone around here bitten by the love bug?" He walked past them to sit in his chair, grinning ear to ear.
Nevaeh pondered over this. "What does sitting upon Mr. Riku's chest have to do with love?" She lazily traced letters onto her friend's palm, playing with his tendons and joints in the process.
Riku grunted and sat upright to throw Nevaeh off of him. Either annoyed by her fiddling or enjoying it too much for his partiality. "Heaven," he warned her.
Nevaeh rose to her feet (dainty-like) and ushered him along. "Love, hm?" she toyed.
"Heaven..."
In stitches (A/N: Hard to imagine, eh?), Nevaeh wrapped Riku's arm around her neck as if he himself had initiated the hug while she continued to cling to his hand. "Such a splendid thing, love!" she tittered. Like what she was saying was a joke. "It's all you really need!" Again, Nevaeh burst into a fit of giggles with Riku supporting her from behind so she wouldn't fall over from her laughter.
"HEAVEN..."
She turned her cheek to him and snorted against his chin. "Oh, Mr. Riku." Nevaeh was in awe. "Don't you know? Love is a game. It's none of that nonsense!" Tickled, she released herself and made toward the exit that lead to the hallway. Just as Nevaeh poked her head around the corner, saw Sora and Kairi, and began to shout their names...Riku pulled her back by the very tips of her fingers.
"M-" Nevaeh found herself in the cabin, once again. The humor gone, she hissed, "Now's not the time for the Foxtrot, Mr. Riku. I want to speak with Miss Kairi."
"Don't go interrupting them." Riku shot a glance across the room. "Like some people I know."
Axel 'whoo-hooed' from his seat and tossed his hands into the air. "Jeeze! My apologies for wrangling you sacks-of-hormones! Roxas is my boy 'n everything-"
"His name's Sora." Riku reached out, without looking, and took hold of Nevaeh's braid before she snuck away. "Do you two have any idea how long it took those guys to admit how they feel about each other?" He stared them down, steely eyes very serious. "Took me forever to get them alone."
Nevaeh shrieked with glee. "You mean..." She brought Riku around to face her. "Mr. Sora and Mrs. Kairi are in love?"
Axel's jaw dropped. He glanced over his shoulder, no longer wary of Riku's death-glare and severity. "Wow. Nevaeh must be Japanese for Space Cadet."
She ignored him. "The kind of love where your heart pumps so fast, you can't count the beats?" Nevaeh stepped forward eagerly, which sent Riku stumbling away. "The kind of love in fairy tales?" Closer. "The kind that-"
Riku fell onto the couch. "I thought you said that love was just a game?"
Nevaeh sat next to him and made quite a face. "I was speaking of myself, Mr. Riku."
"So you'll leave them alone?"
Nevaeh nodded.
"Without spying?"
"You're so...so..." She sighed unbearably. "So boring! What am I supposed to do while they commence their fairy-tale romance right outside those doors?" Nevaeh threw her thumb over her shoulder. "You're denying me something precious and I can't stand it. It's-"
"Private," Riku reminded her.
"I would tell you what I think of you, Mr. Riku, but I'm a lady." With that, Nevaeh finally lay down and ripped her hand from his. At long last. "Good night, sir!" She curled up, cat-like, near the end of the seat. Nevaeh tucked her hair about her middle and slung the end to the floor where Riku eventually slid.
He bit back a sigh and tilted his head toward the ceiling, not aware that his hand was flexing.
Axel just stared. "That's it?"
Riku looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "What's it?"
Axel gestured toward Nevaeh. "WELL?"
"Well what?"
The red-head turned around and banged his head against the dash. "Morons," he muttered. "You're all morons."
ooo
A/N: I know this chapter was INCREDIBLY short. But I couldn't NOT give you guys a little something for Thanksgiving! The previous Chapter Preview still remains. Originally, I was going to keep typing and post the whole chapter December 10th...hehe, can't help myself.
Mostly SxK next time, I think. Even some Roxas and Namine, too!!! This round was for kicks.
Random Fact: Nevaeh's name was almost Vashti.
Have a good holiday, everyone! Wish me luck on my exams! I wish the very best for you!
God bless!