A/N: I know it's been over a year since I last updated, but to be fair, I managed to complete a whole other story within that time frame! If you haven't yet, peep my newest completed multi-chapter RokuNami project titled The Event Horizon on my profile, as well as a new fun-filled SoKai oneshot for Valentine's Day.
Now that I've completed those, I can finally return to our teenage island shenanigans. Onward!
PROJECT: TEENAGE WASTELAND
XVI | sparks
At first, the kiss is exactly what Riku expects: soft, light, a little wet, just as all first kisses felt. This part was no big deal. This he could handle.
But it's when Xion's soft, yet shy lips move against his in almost… curiosity that Riku begins to feel something stirring in his chest. A spark, the kind that he'd only felt with his first kiss, resurfaces and ignites his entire body despite the fact that he thought such passion was extinguished a long time ago (at least, what he considered long in his eighteen years of existence). He begins to feel warm all over, as if fire was rushing through his veins, and the feeling entices him to deepen the kiss and pull her close.
He instinctively reaches for her cheek, and while his hand successfully makes contact with the side of her face, Xion suddenly pulls away as if it burned, as if she just realized what was happening, and the warm, fluttery feeling leaves with her. Riku immediately decides that he is hesitant to part with it, but Xion runs in the other direction before he can take action.
"Xion, wait!" he hollers desperately, but her retreating figure is already far, far away.
On the other side of the amusement park, Kairi and Tidus just reach the front of the Ferris wheel lineup, but instead of looking impressed, the former looks almost suspicious at the latter's choice.
"This is awfully romantic," she points out teasingly with skittish eyes.
With the thought of Selphie's threats in his head, Tidus only laughs nervously at the observation to mask his anxiousness and hops onto the next vacant gondola. After situating himself into one of the seats, he graciously extends his hand out towards her.
To any other teenage girl seeking a summer romance, it was a dreamy sight: Tidus Clearwater, the best and most charming blitzball fielder in the league, with his hand outstretched and sporting his signature grin to boot. Kairi, however, would stay grounded. He was her platonic companion for the summer, so she naively interprets and accepts the gesture as such and takes the vacant seat across from him. The ride begins to move, and they slowly find themselves making their way to the top.
For Kairi, the first half of the ride passes in peaceful bliss. With the colourful lights reflecting in her irises and the wind in her hair, she surrenders to the cliché and throws her arms up, breathing in the refreshing summer air and feeling it in her lungs. From their altitude, she sees the island in an entirely different light, and it's far more colourful than the view from her bedroom.
Finally, her summer vacation was starting to work out the way she wanted it to. She and Sora were in a good place, Riku was starting to open up and let his guard down, Olette was letting loose, her arrangement with Tidus was going smoothly, and despite some rocky relationships here and there in the castle, everyone (with the exception of Axel and Riku) was getting along quite well all things considered, especially for Xion's sake. Despite all the difficulties, Kingdom Hearts Island Resort was still a dream, and they were only nearing the halfway point. There was still so much to do and so much to accomplish together.
For Tidus, however, the resort was pretty much haunted. Much had changed since the beginning of the summer, and he wasn't quite sure who he was anymore. Deep down, he at least knew that he wasn't the kind of guy that kissed other girls and homewrecked just to boost ratings on a reality show; the kind of guy that didn't respect a girl's boundaries; the kind of guy that spent all his time wrongfully wooing another girl when his heart clearly belonged to someone else…
Tidus fists clench as he reflects on his current situation. Somewhere along the way, through Selphie's manipulative and strategic scheming, he supposed he really did become that guy.
But for good reason, he reminds himself, thinking of all the things he could regain just by a simple peck and lose if he didn't pull through. So with that in mind, he sits tight with his mission clear and waits for the right moment to strike. When the Ferris wheel conveniently stops with him and Kairi at the top, he finds it. This had to be planned by Selphie, so without a moment's hesitation, he clears his throat, watches as Kairi turns to him with curiosity, and firmly presses his lips against hers.
The sudden contact takes Kairi aback, something that could easily be seen through her widened eyes, but instead of immediately pulling away in discomfort, Kairi waits for a spark that never comes. If this were some cheesy teenage drama, this would be the part where the fireworks would shoot out into the sky because of the long-awaited kiss, but Kairi can't help but feel herself transporting back in time instead; back to a similar soundscape of screaming teenagers and ocean waves; back to when times were seemingly easier; back to when she'd shared her very first kiss.
Destiny Islands, one year ago, 9:35PM
Off the coast of the main island, sixteen-year-old Sora swims a grand total of about fifty meters out before the tip of his hand reaches the edge of a familiar wooden dock. He swims to its side, feeling for the rails of a metal ladder as he had for years, and pokes his head out from the water when he finds it. He climbs aboard the small square-shaped dock built by his and Riku's father when they were kids, and as expected, he finds fifteen-year-old Kairi (a week and a half away from sixteen) sitting on the edge dressed in a pale pink swimsuit, her gaze fixed on the shoreline.
"Hey," he greets after vigorously shaking like a wet dog. He takes the seat next to her, their shoulders just touching, and lets his feet dangle off the edge.
"Hey yourself," she says back, dipping her toes into the water ever so slightly. Back on the shore, the place is littered with teenagers participating in all sorts of shenanigans, most of which laugh and dance around a large bonfire with sparklers in hand while others drank and launched amateur fireworks into the night sky. One of the juniors in Riku's year was hosting yet another "end of school year" beach party (which technically made no sense since exams were still next week, but classes were over, nonetheless), but as the best friends of swim team captain Riku Kenbishi and sophomores on the varsity swim and volleyball teams, Sora and Kairi were able to receive extended invitations.
"So…" Kairi starts, feeling a change in the air between her and Sora upon hearing some interesting news. "Did you hear what happened to Ephemer's car?"
Sora turns absolutely red at the question and hopes that it's dark enough for Kairi not to notice.
Precisely three days ago, junior and tennis team captain Ephemer Evans had asked Kairi out on her very first date. Much to Sora (and Riku's) surprise, she'd accepted, and Sora had nearly broken a pencil in class upon finding out. He'd somehow managed to contain his jealousy for two days (much to Kairi's secret amusement), but on Friday night, the night Kairi was supposed to be picked up for her date at 7 p.m., Ephemer had discovered that his car had been paintballed all over, and the two never ended up going out.
The identity of the random paintballer remained a mystery to everyone that attended Destiny Islands High School, but not to Sora. He knew precisely who did it, and that was only because that "who" was him.
To be fair, he really tried to hold back (Riku could attest to this), but seriously though. Ephemer freaking Evans? Really? He was a nice guy, but… really?
Back on the dock, Sora gulps and plays it like he's totally oblivious. "Yeah, I did hear about that. I'm sorry. You were supposed to go out with him that night, right?"
Kairi surprisingly shakes her head. "No. I actually turned him down the day before."
Sora nearly falls off the dock at the new piece of information. Well that certainly changed things. If she never intended on going out with him that night, then…
Sora gulps—harder this time. He'd paintballed Ephemer's car for no reason.
Well crap, Sora thinks, but he keeps his guilt to himself.
"So, uh… why did you turn him down?" Sora decides to ask while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"Hmm," Kairi hums, and Sora doesn't fail to notice that her idle kicking increases in pace. "Well, to be honest, I rejected him because I... have feelings for someone else, and that would've been unfair to Ephemer. So I decided against it and cancelled our date."
Sora feels his heart still at the words. Kairi liked someone, and he didn't know?
"How come you never told me or Riku that you had feelings for someone?" Sora asks, unable to tame his curiosity.
Kairi then turns to face him, her eyes sharp but not menacing. "How come you never told me that you paintballed Ephemer's car?"
Sora's jaw drops at the accusation. He never was a good liar, and Kairi was terribly observant. He may have had the rest of the student body fooled, but not his best friends.
"H… how did you know it was me?" Sora squeaks.
Kairi giggles at the mortified look on his face. He was always so transparent, but she actually admired that about him. "Sora, there were Nerf bullets at the scene, and I only know one teenage boy with that weapon of choice."
Sora dramatically buries his face in his hands. "Ugh, I'm such an idiot. I should've just picked those up when I realized they weren't going to cut it."
Kairi openly laughs at his misery and pats his bare shoulder in response.
"So tell me," she says when her laughter dies down, forcing the confession upon him once again, "why'd you do it?"
Sora's heart drops at the question, because he knew it was at this very moment that he couldn't hide the way he felt about Kairi anymore. For years he'd kept his crush on her a secret in fears that she wouldn't feel the same way and that their friendship would somehow suffer, but there was no stopping the strength of his emotions—not when she was the bravest, smartest, most caring, and not to mention prettiest person he'd ever had the pleasure of knowing and befriending. He'd paintballed Ephemer's car because he liked her (goodness, he really liked her) and couldn't bear the thought of her going out with another guy, and there was no other way of putting it. There was only the truth, and boy was it terrifying.
"I…" Sora starts, his voice shaky. "I was really hesitant to tell you this because I was scared that it would ruin our friendship, but... it seems like I have no choice now, so…"
To emotionally prepare himself, Sora takes a deep intake of breath and braces himself for the impact.
Here goes everything, he thinks.
"I like you, Kairi," Sora confesses while placing a warm hand overtop hers, and Kairi blushes at both the confession and the intimate gesture. "M-more than a friend. That's why I paintballed Ephemer's car. As selfish as it sounds, I want you all to myself, and I was afraid that I was going to lose you to him. I know I shouldn't have done it, but the thought of someone else having you, I just… I couldn't help it. I'm sorry."
And where Sora expects the most awkward silence of his life, he receives the biggest smile he's ever seen Kairi smile instead. In Kairi's mind, she probably looked like a total idiot, but that didn't matter. It may have come at the price of someone's car sporting a new paint job (sorry Ephemer), but Sora had just declared his feelings for her, and that was all that mattered. The corner of her lips raise at what she'd suspected, didn't know for sure, but now knew for certain.
Sora liked her.
He liked her.
And she liked him (goodness, she really liked him).
They liked each other.
She finds herself so relieved that she can't think straight, but she gathers her bearings when she feels Sora's hand squeeze her own.
"Kairi?" Sora asks, his tone concerned, but hopeful.
"I…" Kairi starts while placing her free hand overtop his. "I'm actually really glad you told me that."
"O-oh?" Sora asks, his heart rate increasing tenfold at what her words might've implied. "And why is that?"
And she gives him a look that he knows he'll never forget: bright-eyed, beautiful, and beyond happy.
"Because I like you, too, Sora," she answers.
And this time, Sora really does fall off the dock.
"Oh my God, Sora!" Kairi shrieks. She immediately gets up and prepares herself for a dive, but before she can jump into the water herself, Sora's head resurfaces.
"I'm sorry," he says breathlessly. "Can you just... say that again?"
Kairi covers her mouth in disbelief, but she eventually lets out a giggle when she realizes that he's actually okay and is just as shocked (if not more) as she was.
"I like you, Sora," she tells him, her voice unwavering.
"Again," he orders softly while grabbing onto the edge of the dock.
"Sora, I like you," she says, lowering herself to try and level with him.
"You like me," he repeats, tasting the words. "So you, and I, and we, and you…" he says in between slow, deep breaths. "We like each other?" he finally squeaks.
"I… I guess so," Kairi concludes, her wide smile still very evident on her face.
Sora nearly melts. "Wow. I wasn't expecting that answer."
"Yeah, I can tell," Kairi chuckles.
"Have you always known that I liked you?" Sora asks. "I mean, was it that obvious?"
"I had my suspicions," Kairi admits, recalling the frequent glances she'd caught him stealing during class and the constant need to outdo Riku to impress her over the years, "but I didn't want to assume. In any case, I'm still really glad that you confirmed how you felt about me, though. I've been wondering for ages."
"Honestly that was probably the most terrifying moment of my life," Sora confesses shakily, "but…" Kairi catches him eyeing her hand, and she outstretches it towards him without question. "It was also the most rewarding," he tells her while taking her hand in his, and the two blush at the warmth that radiates from the contact. A few moments in, Sora's grip on Kairi's hand suddenly tightens, and she knows what he's getting at.
"Come here," Sora demands softly, and Kairi giggles as he pulls her into the water. Her entire body submerges for a few seconds, but when her head resurfaces, she finds Sora looking at her with a soft, loving expression and his arms outstretched. Their hands effortlessly find one another's, and the two hold onto each other as they tread, feeling as if they were floating far above the clouds. Sora then gives her a light tug, pulling her closer, and Kairi's cheeks flare up at the close proximity. She feels him inch his face closer to hers, and she closes her eyes in response.
"Am I really about to kiss my best friend?" she whispers, emotionally preparing herself for something she'd wanted for quite some time now, but couldn't wrap her head around because it was actually happening.
At her question, Sora stops his advances. "That depends… do you want me to?" he asks, seeking permission.
She presses her forehead against his, drowning in his hypnotic blue eyes, and nods.
"Yes," she answers without hesitation, and Sora smiles, immediately leaning in closer.
"Wait, you're actually going to?" Kairi asks, still preparing herself. Sora nods slowly. "I should just stop talking and let you do it, huh?" Kairi then asks.
"Mhm," Sora says, leaning in to close the gap between them.
It is the clumsiest, wettest feeling in the world, but simultaneously their best moment yet. For a few blissful moments the two soar amongst the clouds, not wanting to come down. Finally, after years of shy glances, countless blushes, and times of uncertainty, their feelings were out in the open. They no longer needed to hold back in fears of ruining their friendship, and the relief hits them both at the same time when they smile into each other's lips. The two soar higher and higher, succumbing to the exhilarating spark and defying gravity, but the sound of someone swimming up to them forces them back to reality sooner than they'd like. With much hesitation, the two pull away from each other with a sigh.
Sora and Kairi knew only one other person that could possibly locate the dock in the dark, so it comes as no surprise to them when Riku eventually shows up, breathless and concerned.
"I heard screaming," the oldest of the three reasons. "Everything okay?"
Sora and Kairi share a look and giggle amongst themselves as they recall the former falling off the dock in shock only minutes ago because of the latter's confession, but the two assure Riku that there was absolutely nothing to worry about.
"We're fine," Sora answers while treading. His hand grazes Kairi's, and he wastes no time intertwining their hands together underwater, squeezing tight.
"Perfectly fine," Kairi adds happily, squeezing right back.
Back in the present, at the top of the Ferris wheel, Kairi tunes back in just as Tidus asks if she's all right.
"Huh?" she asks, trying to collect herself. She then shakes her head, pushing the memory to the back of her head, and tells herself that it's all in the past now.
"I'm sorry if that caught you off guard," Tidus apologizes. "I know we agreed to keep things casual between us, but I just couldn't help it."
"It's… okay," Kairi responds slowly, unsure what to make of the foreign feeling of having Tidus' lips pressed against hers. Back with Sora, she knew with absolutely certainty that she'd wanted him to kiss her, but she couldn't say the same for the boy sitting across from her now. The kiss wasn't bad, per se, just… lacking in spark.
"Sorry if I'm acting weird," Kairi then says to dismiss any suspicions. "I'm just… processing."
"That's understandable," Tidus says, but Kairi can see the disappointment in his forced smile as the wheel begins to move again.
If the first half of their ride passed with peaceful bliss, the second half passed with much confusion and uncertainty. If kisses were supposed to make people feel like they were defying gravity, why did she feel like she'd just been pulled down?
At a nearby carnival game, Sora watches as Kairi and Tidus get off the Ferris wheel with misty eyes. He'd clearly seen what happened when the ride had stopped, and his heart had clenched at the sight of Tidus Clearwater leaning in to kiss Kairi for two reasons:
One, it should've been him leaning in to kiss Kairi, not Tidus.
And two, in the grand scheme of things, that kiss was probably just another part of Selphie's ploy to boost the ratings of Teenage Wasteland, and Kairi didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve some fake televised kiss. She deserved something real from someone who genuinely cared about her, and that someone was not Tidus Clearwater. All Sora could hope for now was that her emotional investment in Tidus hadn't increased because of that kiss, otherwise it would hurt far more when she found out that she was but a pawn on Selphie's chessboard.
"Hey," Sora hears Hayner say behind him. "Everything okay, Sora?"
"Huh?" Sora asks, snapping out of his trance. "Oh, right." It's then that he recalls that he was in the middle of joining both Hayner and Olette in another game. This time, however, despite the high entertainment value the first few times, he isn't in the mood to watch Olette best Hayner yet again. "Um, if you guys don't mind, I think I'm going to start heading back." Then, in a secretive whisper, "And I know you want your alone time with Olette, so I'll quit being a third wheel."
Completely oblivious to Sora's real reason for wanting to leave, Hayner claps Sora on the back in appreciation.
"Thanks bro," he says, and as he runs back to Olette at the closest booth, Sora throws his hands into the pockets of his jeans and languidly makes his way out with his head hung low.
Just as he crosses the threshold of the exit, Sora surprisingly finds Riku leaning against the rails of the boardwalk, staring off into the distance with his back hunched.
"What's up with you?" Sora asks, joining him without hesitation.
Riku immediately notices the forlorn look on his best friend's face and returns the question. "You first."
Sora grips the rails and sighs heavily in response. "Tidus and Kairi kissed."
Riku flinches. He suddenly finds himself back by the bonfire of last year's "end of school year" beach party, watching as Sora and Kairi returned back to shore after what seemed like an eternity. He'd immediately noticed that they walked in much closer proximity to each other, and they were awfully giggly.
"So what really happened?" Riku had asked Sora knowingly, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised while Kairi ran off to grab a towel.
"Dude," Sora started dreamily, almost as if he couldn't believe it himself. "We kissed."
Riku could still vividly recall the pain that immediately washed over him at that moment. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he'd always known that Sora had won over Kairi's heart, and even though he was genuinely happy for them, that didn't stop the physical and verbal confirmation from feeling like a thundaga spell ripping through his chest.
That was, however, all in the past. Back in the present, he'd let Kairi go, but he of all people could understand how Sora must have felt now. He places a supportive hand on his best friend's shoulder and offers him his sympathy.
"That's rough, bro," he musters, aching for him.
"I'm…" Sora starts hoarsely, recalling his promise to both Riku and Kairi not to meddle, "trying to be okay about it though. Key word trying."
Riku's eyebrows visibly raise in surprise. "That's awfully mature of you."
Sora flashes him a teasing grin. "Yeah, it is awful."
The two chuckle sadly at the lame joke.
"But I guess," Sora continues, his voice distant, "the only bright side is that they're not officially together or anything, so I still have time to sway Kairi back in the right direction."
"The right direction being you?" Riku questions.
"The right direction being anywhere but Tidus Clearwater," Sora clarifies. Then, with a nonchalant shrug, "But you know, me preferably."
Riku only shakes his head with a half-hearted laugh.
"All right," Sora says while nudging his shoulder. "Your turn."
It's Riku's turn to grip the rails. "I… I kissed Xion."
Sora's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. Being the oldest and supposedly wisest of the three, it was very unlike Riku to actually take Sora and Kairi's advice, so this was huge.
"And?" Sora asks, the anticipation just about killing him.
"She ran away," Riku answers flatly.
Sora's shoulders deflate. "Oh."
Riku lets out a fake laugh in response. "It's funny: when I give you girl advice and you actually listen, you keep the girl, but when I listen to your girl advice, she runs away in the opposite direction."
"How did it feel though?" Sora challenges with narrowed eyes.
Riku sighs as he recalls Xion's lips briefly moving against his.
"Different," he confesses truthfully. Exhilarating was more like it, but he keeps that part to himself. "A good different. I'm not sure why, but it was unlike anything I've felt before."
"Perhaps that's because you actually worked for it," Sora points out. "You got to know the girl and took the time to appreciate her. That's why it felt so rewarding."
"Not sure if I would call this feeling rewarding," Riku argues cheekily.
"For now. Later, it will be," Sora assures hopefully. Then, after a warm breeze passes, "So... what are you going to do about it?"
Riku sighs and runs a hand through his silver locks. "I don't know. Pursue how I feel? Forget about her entirely? Seems like a double-edged sword if you ask me."
"Well where do you want to be with her relationship-wise?" Sora asks, trying to slow down his best friend's racing thoughts by taking baby steps. "Let's figure that out first."
"Well I know I want to continue being her friend," Riku confesses, "but at the same time, after that kiss, I'm not sure if I want to be just that. But… given my track record, I'm also not sure if I'm the type of guy that can just change from one kiss and say that I'm ready to be in a committed relationship; however... I'd at least like the opportunity to try and see where we could go."
"Hmm," Sora hums, tapping his chin as he puts the pieces together. "So at the very least, you don't want to lose her."
Riku reflects on the words and nods. He at least knew that much. That much was certain. "Yeah."
"So why don't you tell her that and see where it goes?" Sora suggests. "You can decide how you feel and what you want as much as you want, but there's another party involved in this relationship. Her decision will ultimately decide what you'll be, and you'll have to respect that. If it's to be just friends, then okay. If it's to test the waters for romance, great. If it's to stay out of her life completely, still respect it, but if she's worth it, you keep fighting where you can."
Riku lets out a slow, deep breath at the outcomes. In the beginning of the summer, his trajectory was so clear: work at the resort to make some munny for med school, hang out with his best buds, participate in a few fun but meaningless flings, then head off to college. But now, because of the girl at the end of the hallway, he somehow ended up in Sora's shoes: pining for some extraordinary girl that may or may not want to be in a relationship with him, but hoping for the chance that maybe, just maybe, she would.
To be fair though, he did bring this upon himself with the creation of the teenage bucket list, so he couldn't blame the universe entirely.
"Look," Sora continues, "I know you've built this defense mechanism around your heart so that you wouldn't have to feel heartbreak ever again, but in doing so, you've also blocked your heart off to the possibility of feeling real joy again."
"Is this supposed to be real joy?" Riku asks teasingly. "Because it doesn't really feel like it."
Sora shakes his head. "No. But the joy you've experienced with her on the resort so far… isn't that worth fighting for? No matter what you two are?"
Riku reflects on the events that had transpired from the moment he'd accidentally stumbled upon Xion in her room and found out about her geostigma. Since then the memories had ranged from happy to sad, surprising to inspiring, light to heavy, but they'd gotten through it all together, and Riku had been genuinely moved by their conversations. So to answer Sora's question….
"Yes," Riku decides after a contemplative session. "It is worth fighting for. But… I guess I'll just have to wait and see what she chooses first."
"It might take some time," Sora continues, "but it'll be worth it. Just trust me."
Riku almost laughs at the words. Sora, the ever optimistic one. The girl he loved had just kissed another guy, and yet even he still retained hope. His unyielding light may have bordered insanity at times, but it was one of the things that so greatly inspired him during times of adversity.
And in all honesty, he could trust him that all this confusion and uncertainty could be worth it. They were only a few weeks into the summer, and he could already see Sora growing emotionally and Kairi growing closer to him again. Perhaps he was right and that there was hope for him yet.
"Thanks Sora," Riku then says graciously, feeling as if he'd just helped him off the ground after a long and brutal Keyblade training session. "I don't know how, but we'll get through this together."
Sora raises his hand for a diagonal fist bump in response: a trademark move patented by the Destiny Islands trio throughout their many years of friendship.
"Always," Sora responds, and Riku returns the fist bump. "Man," Sora then says amidst the silence, their forearms still touching, "this is going to make all the SoRiku fans from the Oathkeeper fanbase go crazy."
Riku merely shrugs. "Well, we're too far deep now. Want to seal the deal with a bro hug?"
Sora immediately outstretches his arms. "Hell yeah, bring it in."
Back at the Disney Castle, Sora and Riku walk into an interesting scene at the lobby. On the left hand side, Xion sits on one of the velvet couches with her head down, sulking as Naminé rubs comforting circles into her back, and in the middle, Roxas (strangely in a hipster getup) appears to be explaining something to Axel in calm manner, but the redhead is far from it. To Sora, none of it makes sense, but to Riku, it was all so obvious.
They were talking about the kiss.
Just as if he'd spoken it into existence, Axel's head snaps towards his direction, and the drummer of the Oathkeepers trudges over with his fists clenched.
"Axel," Roxas warns, trailing right behind his best friend.
"Are you nuts?" Axel yells, seething. Riku only closes his eyes and locks himself in place, preparing for an onslaught of hurtful words. Sora, on the other hand, keeps himself close in case the redhead decided to throw a few more punches at his best friend.
"What were you thinking, confusing her with some kiss?" Axel growls. "As if giving her a concussion wasn't enough!"
In the background, Xion flinches at the sound of those closest to her arguing.
"He just wanted her to experience her first with someone she actually knew," Sora reasons, standing up for Riku.
"Well that shouldn't have been up to him to decide," Axel says through gritted teeth.
"Well she never would've gotten to decide if she'd stayed in her room this entire time," Riku then fights back, eyes hard. Xion looks up from the couch, and for a brief moment, aquamarine locks with teary-eyed blue, but it's not long before she tears her gaze away and makes a beeline for the elevator doors, Naminé hot on her heels.
Axel takes this opportunity to scoff and storm away himself, making his way to who-knows-where. When the redhead is nowhere in sight, Roxas sighs and turns to both Riku and Sora with an unsure expression.
"You certainly haven't made this easy," the blond confesses, his words directed more towards Riku in particular, "but I can understand why you're doing it. Axel's very hot headed, so it'll take a while, but he'll eventually come around."
Riku only nods in acknowledgement as he watches the retreating figures of Xion and Axel, both walking away with mixed emotions because of his doing.
"Thanks, Roxas," he then says distantly. "I hope you're right."
The following morning, after a long night of constant tossing and turning and noticing her empty seat during breakfast, Riku finds himself standing in front of Xion's door, knocking every few seconds in hopes for a response. As a Funtertainer with the master key card, he had the ability to just waltz right in, but when Sora did that during their first week at the resort, he'd gotten chased out of Kairi's room, so Riku figures that respectfully waiting and staying outside was his best option.
"Xi," he calls, his voice hoarse and his hand firmly planted on the door. "I know you're in there." He hears a shuffle on the other side, but the door remains locked. At the very least, he knew she was listening, and for now, that was enough.
"Look," he starts, recalling what he'd discussed with Sora last night, "I know you're probably really confused right now, and I'm the last person you want to see, but… I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about last night. If I'm being totally honest, I don't entirely regret the kiss, but I didn't mean for it to tear us apart. I don't exactly know what it means for our relationship, but all I do know is that I don't want to lose you, so if and when you're ready to talk, I'll be here."
On the other side, Xion too has a hand firmly planted on her door, a piece of wood the only thing standing in between her and Riku's hands from intertwining. Her sights drift to and from the doorknob, fully knowing that she could change everything just by opening it, but she opens it anyway to get her thoughts out into the open.
Back outside, Riku nearly falls forward from the door suddenly opening, but he manages to catch himself in time.
"X-Xion," he stammers in surprise. She stands before him dressed in another oversized sweater hanging loosely over one shoulder and cotton short shorts, looking as adorable as ever. He wants nothing more than to whisk her off on another adventure, to let her experience something entirely new, to even just have a normal conversation with her, but she looks far from pleased.
"I'd spent so long trying to get over you," she tells him, voice quivering, "running through all the reasons why we wouldn't work. I really liked you, and I really liked what you made me become, but at the end of the day, you're charming playboy Riku, and I'd just be another one of your summer flings."
"But you wouldn't be," Riku immediately assures. "You're already too special to me, Xion."
Xion only shakes her head. "I'd finally accepted it, I was ready to move on, but... you reeled me back in with that kiss, and now I'm confused all over again. Do we stay friends? Do we pursue something more? Do we never speak again? I don't know… you're going to have to give me time to think."
Riku nods in understanding, unsure what else to say but "Take all the time you need, Xi. I'll wait."
"Thanks," she mumbles, and the last thing he sees is the unsure look on her face as she shuts the door again.
In the Deep Jungle, Axel stares up at the ceiling of his room, absentmindedly running a hand through Larxene's hair. She lays on his bare chest, fast asleep, but Axel is wide awake.
After he'd stormed off from the lobby last night he'd immediately called her for another one of their sessions under their "agreement", and she'd shown up no more than thirty minutes later. Their bodies went through the motions, but in between rounds, she'd done something that caught him off guard.
"Hey, are you okay?" she'd asked while propping herself up with one elbow.
"Talking about how we feel isn't part of our agreement, Larxene," he'd reminded her.
"It is if it will potentially affect your performance," she'd teased just as he had before. He'd scowled at the comment, but she lightly shoved him in response.
"I'm just kidding, Axel. What is up with you? You're normally not this serious."
He sighed as thoughts of Xion raced through his head. "I'm just… going through some stuff, Larxene."
"Do you want to talk about it?" she'd surprisingly asked with genuine concern. "I can tell it's really bothering you. You're very tense."
"So you're asking because the sex was weird?" he'd questioned.
Larxene rolled her eyes while drawing circles on his bare chest. "No. I'm asking because I'm actually worried about you."
Axel blinked twice at her confession. "Huh. I'm flattered."
Larxene scoffed as if to hide her concern. "Don't be. I was just offering to get things off your chest."
"Thank you," he'd said, and now that he'd thought about it, perhaps talking to someone not central to the story could actually help. "You know what? I might actually take you up on that offer."
And he'd surprised even himself when he told her about everything with Xion and how things took a turn the moment he'd discovered that she was Alice all along. She'd been surprisingly sympathetic towards him and comforted him not only physically (although she really knew how to do that well, too), but emotionally as well by letting him explain every inch of how he felt. It was refreshing seeing her that way, and as much as he hated to admit it, compassion was an admirable look on her. He was always so used to the headstrong and sadistic side of Larxene that he didn't think such a soft side of her could exist, but now that he'd seen it, he couldn't help but see her in a (slightly) different light.
Back in the moment, Axel mentally shakes his head at the thought. No, he couldn't do that. They had an agreement: one that strictly made them friends with sexual benefits and nothing more. He knew that he probably complicated things between them just by opening his mouth and talking about his personal feelings, but that was just because she'd caught him at a vulnerable time. It wasn't that he necessarily wanted to tell her. He was just weak. Last night was a mistake, and he wouldn't make it again.
Larxene stirs in his arms, and it doesn't take long for the two to end up tangled in his bed all over again. For Axel, this was the easy part. This was what he was used to. He reminds himself that this is what they were, nothing more, and allows his body to go through the motions while struggling to keep his mind out of it.
Sometime after dinner, Xion hears another knock on her door, but she's quick to dismiss it.
"Go away, Riku. I'm not ready to talk yet," she groans from under her covers. Her ears perk upward at the sound of a key card unlocking the door, but before she can chuck a pillow at the intruder in frustration, she surprisingly finds Roxas standing before her with a tray of food in hand.
"Please don't throw the pillow," he pleads while raising the tray. "I come in peace."
"How did you get in here?" she asks, noting that only the Funtertainers and Axel (with her spare card) could get in.
"Sora leant me his master key card," Roxas explains while setting the food down at the end of her bed. "Since we didn't see in the dining room all day, I figured that you could use some food."
"Thanks," Xion says while eyeing the bowl of pasta, but doesn't bring herself to eat it quite yet.
"So how are you feeling?" Roxas asks while taking a seat on the edge of her bed.
"Honestly, all things considered…" Xion shrugs weakly. "I could be worse."
"But that's still not good," Roxas deduces. "You know, you can talk to me. I promise I won't say anything or force any opinions on you."
Xion reflects on his words and recalls what he'd said when she woke up from the hospital after the Kingdom Karts incident. He wasn't on Team Axel or Team Riku. He was on Team Xion, and he supported her decisions, no matter the outcome. He may very well be the perfect person to vent to.
"You sure?" she then asks for confirmation before letting it all out. "You might end up just as confused as I am."
"What are best friends for?" Roxas reminds with a grin.
So she spills the beans and lets him into the loop that she'd been mentally circling all day. "Well… I'd be lying to myself if I didn't feel anything in that kiss, but Riku and I can't pursue a committed relationship. Realistically, with his reputation and my stigma, we could only end in tragedy, but I really did enjoy my time with him. He allowed me to leave the castle walls and experience an entirely new summer vacation; to make my own choices; to actually live my life, and no words can describe how appreciative I am for that. However, being with him also comes at the expense of Axel hating my guts, and it breaks my heart to be this distant from him. It's like losing a family member that you've been with all your life, and living without his support has been painful. I can't be with one without upsetting the other, and it's all just... so confusing…"
When Roxas remains speechless, Xion looks up at him gratefully.
"You know, sometimes it helps just to talk about it, so thanks for listening, Roxas," she says.
Roxas then releases a sigh of relief. "Well thank goodness I didn't offer to give you advice, because I have no idea what to tell you."
Xion laughs half-heartedly as she falls back onto her bed.
"All I know is that as hard as it is to think about it, you don't have a lot of time left," Roxas reminds through a huge lump in his throat. "I know we're trying to fix that, but for now it's still limited, so with that in mind I wouldn't waste any more time locking yourself in your room. You're on Kingdom Hearts Resort! Now is not the time to tiptoe or sulk. Now's the time to make defining memories; to live your life and, as selfish as it sounds, think about yourself; to make decisions that make you happy, and your true friends will respect those decisions. Some will take longer than others, but they eventually will."
Roxas then falls back into Xion's teacup bed with her and offers her a firm, supportive nod.
"You may not have it all figured out yet, but whatever you choose, I'm with you," he assures.
Appreciative tears well up in Xion's eyes as Roxas pulls her into a friendly embrace, and she returns the gesture with a firm squeeze.
A few minutes later, when Roxas enters his room, he's surprised to find his girlfriend sitting on one of the ancient klines, sketching on her tablet. His Olympus themed room, which paid more homage to the luxurious grandeur of the Realm of the Gods, was brought to life further by the fact that his girlfriend looked like a Greek goddess in her white night dress.
"Hey," he greets, leaning down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."
"I had a few more commissions to finish," Naminé answers while powering off her tablet, "so I figured I'd squeeze some in before bed."
"Well look at you becoming one of the island's most popular illustrators," Roxas compliments while plopping down on his bed.
"This coming from rising star Roxas Akiyama," his girlfriend says back. "Where were you anyway?"
"I brought Xion her dinner and we spoke for a bit," he answers as Naminé crawls into bed with him.
"That was nice of you," she says while effortlessly snuggling into his chest.
"Mhm," Roxas hums while rubbing a warm hand on her back. He'd failed to mention that he probably spent about a solid hour signing more Oathkeeper posters after he spoke with Xion, but silence wasn't particularly lying, was it?
In the hallway of the left wing lounge (otherwise known as the place where authenticity went to die given the twisted interviews on Teenage Wasteland), Sora finishes the last of his vacuuming duties and wipes a sheen of sweat from his forehead. He then walks over to unplug the device, but somehow trips on the edge of a loose rug. He catches himself on a bookshelf before he can fall too far, but his hand happens to land in a peculiar spot.
The book his hand is currently on feels oddly stiff, and now that he gets a good look, it seemed bulkier in comparison to the others. By pure gut instinct (they had a secret entrance to the secret place back home), he gives the top a light pull, and the edge of the bookcase swings open like a door. Sora's jaw drops, and he slowly pulls open the door to find what looks like a small office space complete with a large desk, computer, and multiple monitors.
He does a quick scan, finds no one inside, and continues his supposed investigation. He examines the contents on the desk and, judging by the notes, concludes that he'd stumbled upon the editing room for Teenage Wasteland. Not wanting to fall further into that rabbit hole, Sora decides that he has no business being in there and takes his leave—that is, until he finds Tidus and Kairi's names under a document titled Teenage Wasteland Episode 4.
He doesn't mean to read the contents of the bulleted list, but when his eyes glance over Have Tidus ask Kairi to be his girlfriend (they also glance over Play up the Sora and Hayner bromance more, but he ignores that one completely), he can no longer help himself. He scans the document for the when, why, and how, but the only answer he finds is the date following their first kiss for "pacing purposes".
Sora's heart tightens in his chest. They'd shared their first kiss last night. That would mean that he only had one date left before he lost Kairi to Tidus Clearwater entirely, and he couldn't—wouldn't—let that happen. He gulps at the circumstances.
It seemed that he had less time to win Kairi back than he thought.
tbc
Chapter inspirations: The song playing during Sora and Kairi's first kiss was Electric Love by BØRNS.
A/N: I'm sorry, did some of you think I was done? I can't blame you with the amount of time it's taken for me to crank out this chapter as well as my sporadic updates in general, but come on now—there's still much work to do!
So quite a bit has happened since the last chapter was released, huh? First and foremost, let's start with the release of the long awaited KH3. I immediately bought it on release day, finished it within a week, and while I thoroughly enjoyed the new worlds and gameplay (10/10), I was honestly angry for a few months because of a) certain character handling (primarily Kairi why), and b) that ending. Flash forward to the World of Tres concert that I attended in July 2019, and I was still angry at the ending lmao. Part of the reason I actually finished my RokuNami project The Event Horizon first was because I couldn't bear to look at SoKai in the face, but it wasn't until the release of the recent DLC that I found myself able to continue where I'd left off.
Speaking of the DLC, I had quite the wake up call with that one. I won't give away any details just in case some of you haven't played/watched it yet, but let's just say I didn't heed the warnings on the forums about the second episode, and I walked in level 61 with no Ultima. Needless to say I got my ass handed to me, but it forced me to actually go back and grind away lmao. All I can say is fuck those flans, man. Fuck the flans!
Personally, I've done some travelling since I last updated. In 2019 I attended a relative's wedding in Mexico, spent a week in the Dominican Republic, and took a cruise around the Baltic area, exploring countries such as Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. All blessed me with new perspectives, unique/unforgettable adventures, and have played a huge part in inspiring the next few chapters to come, so stay tuned! There's some pretty exciting stuff coming (my personal favourite maybe two or three chapters away, depending on how pacing goes).
Now, just some details about this chapter. If you've read the original TW, Sora and Kairi's confession probably seemed really familiar! Does it really count as stealing if I'm taking it from my past self? One of the things I really enjoyed about their confession (even back when I wrote it when I was… seventeen? Oh my gosh) was that Sora was in so much disbelief that he had to keep asking Kairi to repeat herself haha. I've definitely made him more dramatic in this one, and I'm not sure about you, but I personally found it more entertaining.
Special thanks to Aundielen, It's My Lucky Charm, Gumi Harue, Liesles, Venatorix, BlakJakXXI, Marionette of Ancient Relics, HuaFeiHua, xxXSoraKairiXxx, Painted With a Palette, gdg3417, Mr. Spinner and Q-A the Authoress for reviewing the last chapter! I apologize if I missed or misspelled any pen names.
I hope you enjoyed the sixteenth installment of Project: Teenage Wasteland! Please kindly leave a review to let me know your thoughts and/or feels (seriously, your opinions really help drive the story), I apologize for any errors that I might have missed, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!
xoKyorii
