Day 2 – Letters/Dance

Roxas notices her on the bleachers. That in itself is not odd. What is odd is the fact that she is alone. It is because she is alone Roxas's feet decide to go over. Maybe talk to her or whatever. She's always been cool to be around. A happy presence others seem to gravitate towards (hence his feet making the decision to head over without consulting his brain). But as Roxas gets closer, he realizes she's sad.

She is at the far corner a few rows up from the stairs. Elbows on her knees, she rests her chin on her hands. No smile. Instead a very put-out expression dominates her pretty features. She must be deep in thought, staring at the field before her, because she does not notice when he approaches. It is not until he is at the top of the steps and nearly directly in her line of view that she notices him.

"Oh, hey Roxas. Didn't see you there." Kairi smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"No big deal. I'm quiet. I've been told I'm good at sneaking up on people. Did I scare you?"

Kairi gives half a laugh. "No."

"Rats."

"Were you trying to?"

"Nah."

"Then what's up?"

Right. You see, Roxas's feet didn't tell his brain exactly why he wanted to come over here. He decides to be honest. Seems to be the best policy. "Dunno. Saw you here alone. I wondered if you were ok." He steps up until he is at the bleacher beneath her. He plants himself there, a couple feet off to the side so as not to crowd her and sets down his backpack. "Are you ok?"

Kairi smiles at him again, a little better than the last one she gave. "I'm fine. Just…thinking."

"Deep thoughts?"

"Yeah actually."

Roxas nods with a serious face. "I thought I recognized that expression. You've got a lot on your mind."

Kairi raises an eyebrow at his words but the smirk on her face tells that she recognizes his sarcasm in the phrase as well. "You got it."

"You don't have to tell me anything," Roxas clarifies.

Kairi looks at him. Roxas steadily looks back. He knows she's deciding whether or not to tell him anything. He wants her to know he really doesn't care either way. It's her brain. Her thoughts. Her internal struggle.

"I don't have a date to prom."

Wow. Ok. Of all the things Roxas expected her to say, this isn't one of them.

"Sorry to hear that," he offers because what else is he supposed to say?

"It's not that big of a deal," Kairi says firmly.

"You're right."

"A lot of our friends don't have dates," she further defends.

"Exactly."

"We go as a group to a lot of these things."

"Yes we do."

"So it's fine he didn't ask me."

Roxas pauses. He knows who she means. He ventures the name anyway. "Sora?"

Kairi does not seem to fully acknowledge him. "So what if he didn't ask me. So what if I go alone again. It doesn't matter. It's not like I was expecting anything different. He never asked me to any of the homecoming dances since freshman year. Or the Halloween Bash. Or any house party ever."

"Kairi?"

Kairi does not hear him. "So why am I so put out by him not asking me to prom?" She shakes her head before burying her face in her hands. "Why am I so sad? It shouldn't matter."

Roxas feels bad for her. Seeing her like this, it hurts. He's seen her bat her eyes at Sora for years now. And as far as Roxas saw, Sora reciprocated her feelings. But…he has never done anything about it. In the few times the guys—him, Riku, Axel, Sora—have been alone and had the subject of girls come up, Sora practically sang Kairi's praises but never hinted at asking her out, but the other guys steered clear of anything romantic with her because of the way he talked about her.

Roxas always wondered why Sora is waiting this long to ask her out. Kairi's the whole package for crying out loud! She's beautiful, fun to be around, super nice, always smells good, and has a good sense of humor.

If Sora wasn't going to ask her out…

"I'm sorry," Roxas finally says after a long moment.

Kairi runs her hands through her hair while taking a full breath and sitting up again. "It's fine. I'm fine."

"No, I don't think you are."

Kairi blinks at Roxas's blunt words, but she recognizes them for what they are—the truth. She sighs. "No, but I will be. Maybe he's just waiting for senior year." Roxas must have made a face when she said that because doubt creeps onto Kairi's face. "You don't think he will."

Roxas shakes his head and quickly backtracks. "Hey, hey, I don't know. He might. He totally could!"

"But you don't think he will."

"I didn't—"

Kairi leans in close. The amount of determination in her voice when she says, "Tell me what you're thinking," makes it impossible to do anything besides what she demands.

Roxas glances around at the field, the bleachers, the last few students hanging out by the trees—anywhere but her for a moment until he eventually meets her eye.

"Why would he wait until senior year, when everyone has different plans and will go separate ways? Why not ask you now rather than next year when time is even more limited? Wouldn't he want as long as possible to be with you?"

Kairi leans back. She doesn't look as hurt as Roxas thought she would. She looks…thoughtful. Like what she was before but with a little less sadness.

"You…you've got a point," she says quietly. "Why…would he wait?" She sighs—a small, put-out sound. "He wouldn't. He doesn't string people along. He's not mean like that." A wry smile crosses her face. "He couldn't think to do that either. Wouldn't even cross his mind."

"Maybe—well, maybe he—"

"Don't," Kairi cuts Roxas off. No bite to the word, just a request. "I know him as well as you do. If he was going to ask me out, he would have already."

"He should have," Roxas adds. She may not seem angry, but he is willing to be angry for her. "He talks enough about you. We thought he would have by now. We've all kept our distance from you for that reason exactly."

Roxas's throat closes when he realizes what he said.

Kairi tilts her head. Bemusement and doubtfulness, an odd combination in her features. "Oh yeah? You included?"

Roxas leans back on the bleacher above him, staring out at the field, determinedly not looking in her direction. He decides to ignore the question. "You deserve to have someone who actually gives you the attention you deserve. Someone who actually asks you to dances."

"You think?"

Roxas isn't sure what expression she has now, and he isn't about to look at her to find out. Not while his face is as red as it is. "Do you want a date to prom?" he asks.

A beat of silence. "Yes."

"I do too," Roxas admits. He bites his tongue while fighting himself on whether or not to say what's on the tip of it. "Do you…do you want to go to prom with me?"

Another beat of silence in which Roxas's heart decides to stop.

Then—

"Yes, I'd love to, Roxas."

Roxas's head jerks in her direction. He is unable to hide the surprise in his voice when he says, "Really?"

Kairi laughs and nods. She appears immensely happier than the start of the conversation.

Roxas whole face brightens with his smile. He shifts around so he is facing her again. "Great. We can—it will be nice to see what it's like to have a date to these things. We can let the others know about our experiment."

"I look forward to this experiment," Kairi says.

"Me too."

The two simply look at one another for a moment, allowing the weight of their agreement to sink in. It still seems to be a good idea for both of them because they each have smiles remaining.

Then Roxas remembers something. "Oh. Hey. I'm going to be meeting Axel, Xion, and Naminé for ice cream pretty soon here. Want to come?"

Kairi sits up straighter and nods repeatedly. "That sounds great!"

Roxas stands up and is quick to offer her a hand. Kairi takes it and rises to her feet. Their hands stay connected briefly before letting go to navigate their way off the bleachers.

As they make their way over, Roxas's foot, which still has a mind of its own, puts itself in his mouth. "Sorry your original plans didn't work out."

Kairi is quick to respond. "I'm not."

Roxas can't help but ask again. "Really?"

"Really."

Kairi's smile solidifies it. Roxas decides to not push his luck anymore and just be insanely grateful for what has transpired.

He is really looking forward to this dance.

I have written Roxas and Kairi dancing together quite a bit in "Not a Carbon Copy" so I decided to go the generic date-to-the-hight-school-dance route. It was fun to write. No wonder there always seems to be a high school au in so many fandoms.