Sora wanted to do something special for Kairi for White Day. She'd gone out of her way to make Valentine's Day special, so it was only right he returned the favor. Back home, that meant giving her a gift that was, uh twice? three times? the value of the original. But her letter was priceless, and those chocolates were special too, so he was at a loss as to what to do.

He paced back and forth in this place that looked like the Final World. He couldn't give her a gift right now. Couldn't tell her how he felt yet (not with words anyway) because she wanted him to wait till they met again. So what was he supposed to do?

Something that involved taking control of her body was all he had. His face flushed. No, not like that. Putting this whole body-sharing thing into words always made it sound worse than it actually was. He always waited till he had permission and immediately ceded control the moment she asked him to.

He plopped onto the watery ground that somehow didn't ever get him wet and scoured his brain for ideas. What would he do if this was a normal White Day, if he was fully back in the Realm of Light with his own body at his disposal?

"Take her on a date. Maybe to the Bistro. Or I could cook or bake her something myself using the stuff Little Chef taught me." He perked up. "That's it! I'll make something for her. I'll just need to write down the ingredients so she can get them and then ask her for control when it's time to actually make the stuff."

He made a mental list about what he'd need for the recipe and then patiently waited. Something told him Kairi would be reaching out to him soon.

Sure enough, he eventually heard her voice.

"Sora? Want to take over for a bit?"

He followed her voice, chased it, pursued it till he was in her body. She was in her room on the Land of Departure, lying on her bed, and sunlight was streaming through the window. Must be morning, and she probably just woke up.

Hey, Kairi, he signed. Happy White Day.

"Happy White Day to you too."

Desk, he gestured.

"You want to write something?"

He nodded.

"Okay. You can take control."

He gently got her up out of bed and walked her body to the desk. She had a little diary for the two of them to write to each other now, and he opened it and grabbed a pen.

Ingredients List

Butter

Sugar

Whipped Cream

Coconut Chips or Shavings

Coconut Milk

He was about to write another ingredient when she interrupted.

"You want to bake me something for White Day, don't you? You're the sweetest."

He smiled and continued, listing off the rest of the ingredients. When everything looked good, he added, Can you get these for me?

"Of course. We should have most of the stuff around the castle except for the coconut-related things. But I can buy them for you, okay? Or bop back to Destiny Islands real quickly if need be."

Please do. I know it's not much, but I wanted to thank you for your Valentine's gift.

"Leave it to you to figure out a way to make it work. I assume you'll want to do the baking yourself too, right?"

Yeah. I'd do it in my own body if I could. Make you a five course meal. When I get back, okay? This'll have to do for now.

"This is more than enough."

Talk to you soon.

He had to let go of the connection for now because he sensed danger. Curse the stupid monsters in Quadratum who kept pulling him back to their (un)reality. If he missed making Kairi's gift for her on the appropriate day, these monsters were gonna regret they ever crossed him.

"Riku, where are you?" he grumbled as he fought them off. He knew Riku was somewhere in this reality, they just kept missing each other. It didn't help that Sora's heart was jumping all over the place, getting pulled more and more towards Kairi, while his body was stuck here. Glued to this place because abusing the Power of Waking meant it had been banished from the Realm of Light and couldn't return.

As the last monster disappeared in a puff of smoke, he sighed and wiped his forehead. He was more convinced than ever that his heart's connection to Kairi was growing stronger by the day. What would it take to get his body out of here too?

"Stupid body," he said as he scowled at it. "Keeping me trapped here." He let his Keyblade disappear and slunk towards a private alley. "Kairi won't want a boyfriend without a body forever." He sat on a box of crates and cast a barrier around himself to buy some time. "And I don't wanna be without a body either. I don't want my options to be body-less in the Realm of Light or trapped here forever."

Sighing, he closed his eyes, imagining himself back in the Final World-esque place. Thankfully, he was able to will his heart back to Kairi pretty quickly. She was in the castle's kitchen now, and all of the ingredients he'd asked for were dutifully set out.

Sorry I kept you waiting, he scrawled on the diary she'd left out. Had some monsters show up.

"Monsters? Sora, is it safe for you to be here?"

It is now. Trust me, if my body's in danger, it lets me know.

"If you're sure," she finally said, and he could hear the worry in her voice. "I've put you in enough danger before as it is."

Don't I get to be the judge of that?

"Sorry, considering your current predicament and how you got there… No. You're reckless when it comes to your own life if it means keeping me safe."

Maybe, but I was the one who put myself in danger. Not you. And can you blame me? I wasn't about to abandon you, with your heart in pieces and at Xehanort's mercy. You would've done the same for me. You did, in fact. You refused to let me die like I was supposed to at the Keyblade Graveyard.

"That was different," she said tersely. "I didn't have to die to keep you alive."

I didn't either. I'm not dead. My body's just—

"Cut off from the Realm of Light. How is that all that different from being dead?"

Sora felt like sighing. Kairi… We're wasting what precious little time we have together fighting. I would gladly fight with you all day if I could, but I'd like to make you the gift I promised.

She hung her head, shoulders slumping. "Sorry, I'm making this about me and my guilt again, and when you're in such a precarious situation, too."

It's okay. Sometimes I think you got the harder end of the bargain, watching me disappear, feeling all alone and abandoned.

"You didn't abandon me. You came to my aid when I needed you most. And you're the one who's cut off from me, from everyone. You have it worse by far."

Sora was about to write something when Kairi continued. "But today you're gonna literally walk me through this recipe and we're gonna have fun, okay? You need this, you need to relax and unwind and have some fun."

Yeah. And there's no person I'd rather spend time with than you.

She giggled, and his heart felt warm, hearing her giggle.

"Okay, Master Chef, teach me your ways," she said, and with that she let him take over. He led her through mixing and chopping and cutting and stirring, and she was ever the attentive student. It had been so long since he'd gotten to bake anything. Since he'd gotten to unwind and have fun like this.

"So we're making a pie, huh?" she said as he prepared the crust. "Don't tell me… Coconut cream pie? That's one of my favorites. And it's the perfect dessert for White Day. Pi Day, too."

The pie took a long time to make, but spending that time with Kairi was worth it. He'd spend every moment with her if he could. When at last the pie was chilling in the fridge, she sat at the table so he could write notes to her. His signing was still a work in progress.

Pie should be ready now, he wrote presently.

"Do you want me to eat it while you're still here? It feels a little rude when you can't."

He didn't like the twinge of melancholy in her voice.

I don't mind. In fact I kinda want to know what you think.

"Okay," she said and went to the fridge to grab the pie. It looked amazing with its crispy crust, its creamy filling coated with whipped cream shaped into perfect swirls, and its coconut shavings artfully sprinkled on top. He'd really outdone himself, and he couldn't wait for her to taste it.

You'll have to tell me how it is, he scribbled when she was seated at the table once more. She nodded and lifted a forkful of pie to her mouth.

Oh, yum. This pie was creamy and delicious and brought back memories of all the times he'd eaten his mom's coconut cream pie back home—

Hold on. Hold on. He could taste the pie? How was that even possible?!

"Oh this is amazing," Kairi cooed as she brought another forkful to her mouth. "Creamy and coconut-y and—"

"Sora?"

Ven was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his mouth hanging open.

"You can see him?" Kairi squeaked, dropping the fork. "That's never happened before!"

Sora froze. Ven could see him? How?

"Yeah," Ven said, taking long strides towards them. "It's like he's kind of translucent, and I can still see you through him, but yeah, I can see him."

Ven? Sora tried to say, but no sound came out.

"Do you think—Is his connection to the Realm of Light getting stronger?" Kairi asked, her voice so full of hope Sora could practically feel her heart soaring.

"Yeah, I think it must be," Ven said. "Hang on, lemme get Terra and Aqua." He paused for a moment to squeeze Kairi's hand, and Sora's felt a little warmer. "Be back in a second."

The taste of the pie, the warmth of Ven's hand… He wasn't imagining this stuff, was he?

Kairi, diary, he signed, and she let him take control so he could write.

I could taste the pie. I felt Ven's hand when he squeezed yours.

"That's great, Sora! I think your body is trying to follow your heart back to the Realm of Light."

Was it possible? He wanted it to be possible. He wanted to come home.

"Here, let me eat more of that pie, you must be starving."

Please, he signed.

Kairi lifted the fork to her lips again when he felt a strong tugging on his heart.

"No," she cried in frustration. "You can't leave yet!"

Be back soon, he signed sadly. His heart was getting pulled back with a vengeance now, which meant he needed to protect his body. Happy White Day, Kairi.

"Happy White Day, Sora," she said, and with that, he was back in Quadratum. Oh, great, more monsters had found him, and it was raining now too. He groaned and summoned his Keyblade. He'd much rather be eating coconut cream pie with Kairi in the Land of Departure's warm and bright castle kitchen.

He was so close to finding a way home. Right on the edge. If he'd just had a little more time, he could've done it. Still, he was grateful for the moments he and Kairi had shared today. Making the pie and then tasting it together. He was more determined than ever to make it home to her. If he succeeded, then he and Kairi could spend as much time together as they wanted.

For that, he'd keep on fighting, however long it took.

A/N: This fic is dedicated to the lovely Alja for coming up with the idea of Sora baking something for Kairi when I was trying to think of a follow-up to the Valentine's fic I wrote. Thank you again for all your help and input!

And Happy White Day and Happy Pi Day to you all! Thank you for reading!