'It's funny how, even now, you still support me after all the things that
I've done. You're so good to me; waiting patiently. And isn't it sad that
you still have to ask if I care?'
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.
CRISIS AVERTED! Sorry this chapter has taken a bit longer than the others have, but I've been drained of ideas lately because of a big pile of shit I've had to deal with. It's fixed now, so slowly inspiration is returning. I hope this is as enjoyable as the other chapters. It should make the ending a bit easier to bear as well.
+++
She stood alone on a small, gradually growing island of sand. She backed up cautiously, fearing the darkness swarming below her tiny refuge.
"Kairi!"
She looked up to see a shadowy form running toward her. That voice...
"Sora!"
He ran to her as fast as he could. Before either of them could say anything, there was a tremendous 'bang!' The islands each were on began to separate. She nearly fell, but he caught her hand in his, looking at her soulfully.
"Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too! I'll come back to you. I promise!" It was all he could think to say. Though he might never see her again.
"... I know you will!"
Their hands broke their light contact, and he was leaving her. His hand still reached for her; his phantom fingers still felt. The beautiful blue light receded into the dawn over a calm ocean. She watched until it was gone. He was gone...
Something warm fell into her clasped hands. She looked up to see bits of sand and memory falling from the sky like golden teardrops. As she spun around, trees sprouted from the ground, aided by the shining stars that glided around her. This was her home. Her home at last.
But it would never be the same again. He was gone. The full impact of what had happened had still not reached her fragile mind. She let the beauty of the scene be absorbed by her eyes and heart. Blue jets resembling fireworks shot into the sky, replacing the stars. She smiled in spite of herself, closing her eyes and letting the long-forgotten ocean breeze sweep over her.
She looked around once the island had finished forming itself and found herself drawn to the secret place. She made her way down the narrow passage, remembering every crack and bump in the walls and floor. It was exactly as she remembered it, as if nothing had ever happened. Except for one thing.
On the wall near the door, a slight alteration had been made to the drawings of Sora and herself. A hand had been drawn, extending a Paopu fruit to her image. Sora's phantom appeared, turning to smile at her. As soon as she reached for him, however, he vanished. She looked down to the picture, caressing it gently with her hand. Her other covered her mouth as she began to cry. She then did the only thing she knew to do: she drew herself extending the fruit to Sora. Everyday she hoped this simple gesture would bring him back to her.
Then she woke up.
++
The pale morning light filtered through the hole in the cave's ceiling, passing over her eyes ever so gently, lifting the spell of sleep from her body.
She gazed around wondering, and for the first time in a long while wondered if she were fourteen again. She casually raked her hand through her hair, and upon noticing its length realized that she wasn't.
What a dream to have. She barely grasped that memory in her mind yesterday feeling the old emotions trickle through to her slowly. She was being too hard on Sora; she realized that now. After all, he had kept his promise. Even if it wasn't in the way she had wanted, at least he had come back.
Then she remembered the silhouettes outlined in moonlight that she had inadvertently walked in on. Her heart ached. How could he? She had to speak to him again.
As she left the small entrance tunnel, she saw Sora lying topless on the sand. Apparently alone.
Was the scene last night merely a false memory? He looked unfazed, as if he had always been alone, or was destined to be alone...
She walked up and sat next to him. He was still asleep. Had he been out here all night? Perhaps he had gone home and returned here to watch the sunrise but fallen asleep. It was possible, but not likely.
She smiled at his childish innocence. For all the growing he'd done, he hadn't seemed to have grown up at all. His grin may have been touched with more sorrow than it used to, but other than that, he still acted like the same carefree boy she'd always known. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He looked somehow... Satisfied. She noticed his lips were an unusual rosy hue, but attributed it to a good dream or some other such explanation.
In the dim morning light he looked like some sort of fallen angel, stripped of his wings and power, yet still carrying that undying happiness and love for all things. She placed a light hand on his forehead, stroking his light brown hair. He was beautiful.
"I was wondering when you'd come back," he mumbled sleepily, rolling on his side to face her, his deep blue eyes still closed.
"Sora, I'm always here." She was glad. He seemed to have forgiven her for her harsh treatment. But then again, Sora never was one to hold a grudge.
"Every time you leave me, I feel like I've lost you all over again." He slowly opened his eyes, revealing deep pools of blue slightly misted by the touch of sleep. Upon noticing whom he had been speaking to, he sat bolt upright, but tried to play it off, fearing another outburst. "Kairi, I've missed you so much."
This was true. He had missed her. Not as much as he had missed Riku, but his feelings of love were undeniably still there. He didn't know if things would ever be the same as they had between them seven years ago, but if she'd only let him try...
"Sora, I'm sorry. I've been unfair to you. I just... I just want you to know that I still love you." She blushed deeply, but did not break eye contact. She had been waiting too long for this to screw it up now.
He placed his hand in her hair, just below her cheekbone, stroking her face with his thumb. "I love you, too." He smiled warmly at her. His eyes confirmed his words.
Seven years of pent-up emotion flooded out in the small space between their eyes. They gave in to temptation and closed the gap with a kiss. It was chaste, but it did not need to be anything more. When two people are in love, they just know. Nothing needs to be said. No physical desire needs to be expressed. The two can merely sit together side by side until the world ends and be blissfully happy. This was how they felt at that moment. Their spirits melted together, and each knew that the other would carry them in their heart no matter what. Their kiss was more powerful than any Paopu fruit. They could have spent forever in that moment...
"So." A voice came from in front of them. "I see that everything is back to normal."
Sora broke the kiss and turned to face Riku, hands on his hips, trying to look passive as ever.
"Riku... I-" he looked at the older boy with an expression of shock mixed with panic.
"It's okay, Sora. I understand." He looked on the verge of tears, though his face remained stoic, even gentle.
Sora stood, unable to contain himself. "Riku, look-"
"Sora, it's okay. I know you love Kairi. I'm happy that you want to be with her." He turned away. "I'm just going to leave you two alone for a while. You need to talk." Sora could've sworn he heard Riku's voice breaking.
Sora stepped forward to grab his arm, but Riku shook it off and ran. Where he was running to he didn't know. He would run until he ran out of breath, or strength, or hope...
Sora let his arm drop and turned back to Kairi. "Kairi, I-"
"I was hoping that it was a dream." She looked to him, her eyes edged with fresh tears. "A horrible nightmare, maybe. But I was wrong. Sora..." She looked down and sobbed. "I loved you..."
"I love you, too..." he reached for her shoulder, but again he was denied simple contact. She, too, ran, in the opposite direction that Riku had gone. Sora was alone.
"Oh, God." He muttered. "What's wrong with me? Why can't I... How can I choose? This is too much."
He walked forward and waded out into the water. He decided that for the time being it was better not to follow either of them. They needed to work things out, too. But the looks on their faces... Those hopeless, shattered looks. They both truly felt for him, and he for them.
"But why can't I CHOOSE?" he yelled angrily to the sky and no one in particular. The sky which bore his name. It seemed so placid, so free, while he himself was dying and bound. He sunk his head below the water's calm surface. Someone was going to have their heart broken, and he prayed to God it wouldn't be all three of them.
'The coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my heart and mind from burning. Well, everyone who's in the know says, 'that's exactly how it goes.' And if there's anything good about me, then I'm the only one who knows.'
+++
Ch. 7 Fin
+++
Once again, I hope parts of this chapter will make the ending easier to understand and cope with. I still wanna make people cry (cuz I'm just evil like that), but I want there to be a reason. Well, bye for now! I hope the next chapter comes out a bit faster.
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts and all of its characters are property and copyright Disney Interactive and Square. Any and all song lyrics are copyright their respective owners. I do not claim them to be my own. Yep.
CRISIS AVERTED! Sorry this chapter has taken a bit longer than the others have, but I've been drained of ideas lately because of a big pile of shit I've had to deal with. It's fixed now, so slowly inspiration is returning. I hope this is as enjoyable as the other chapters. It should make the ending a bit easier to bear as well.
+++
She stood alone on a small, gradually growing island of sand. She backed up cautiously, fearing the darkness swarming below her tiny refuge.
"Kairi!"
She looked up to see a shadowy form running toward her. That voice...
"Sora!"
He ran to her as fast as he could. Before either of them could say anything, there was a tremendous 'bang!' The islands each were on began to separate. She nearly fell, but he caught her hand in his, looking at her soulfully.
"Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too! I'll come back to you. I promise!" It was all he could think to say. Though he might never see her again.
"... I know you will!"
Their hands broke their light contact, and he was leaving her. His hand still reached for her; his phantom fingers still felt. The beautiful blue light receded into the dawn over a calm ocean. She watched until it was gone. He was gone...
Something warm fell into her clasped hands. She looked up to see bits of sand and memory falling from the sky like golden teardrops. As she spun around, trees sprouted from the ground, aided by the shining stars that glided around her. This was her home. Her home at last.
But it would never be the same again. He was gone. The full impact of what had happened had still not reached her fragile mind. She let the beauty of the scene be absorbed by her eyes and heart. Blue jets resembling fireworks shot into the sky, replacing the stars. She smiled in spite of herself, closing her eyes and letting the long-forgotten ocean breeze sweep over her.
She looked around once the island had finished forming itself and found herself drawn to the secret place. She made her way down the narrow passage, remembering every crack and bump in the walls and floor. It was exactly as she remembered it, as if nothing had ever happened. Except for one thing.
On the wall near the door, a slight alteration had been made to the drawings of Sora and herself. A hand had been drawn, extending a Paopu fruit to her image. Sora's phantom appeared, turning to smile at her. As soon as she reached for him, however, he vanished. She looked down to the picture, caressing it gently with her hand. Her other covered her mouth as she began to cry. She then did the only thing she knew to do: she drew herself extending the fruit to Sora. Everyday she hoped this simple gesture would bring him back to her.
Then she woke up.
++
The pale morning light filtered through the hole in the cave's ceiling, passing over her eyes ever so gently, lifting the spell of sleep from her body.
She gazed around wondering, and for the first time in a long while wondered if she were fourteen again. She casually raked her hand through her hair, and upon noticing its length realized that she wasn't.
What a dream to have. She barely grasped that memory in her mind yesterday feeling the old emotions trickle through to her slowly. She was being too hard on Sora; she realized that now. After all, he had kept his promise. Even if it wasn't in the way she had wanted, at least he had come back.
Then she remembered the silhouettes outlined in moonlight that she had inadvertently walked in on. Her heart ached. How could he? She had to speak to him again.
As she left the small entrance tunnel, she saw Sora lying topless on the sand. Apparently alone.
Was the scene last night merely a false memory? He looked unfazed, as if he had always been alone, or was destined to be alone...
She walked up and sat next to him. He was still asleep. Had he been out here all night? Perhaps he had gone home and returned here to watch the sunrise but fallen asleep. It was possible, but not likely.
She smiled at his childish innocence. For all the growing he'd done, he hadn't seemed to have grown up at all. His grin may have been touched with more sorrow than it used to, but other than that, he still acted like the same carefree boy she'd always known. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. He looked somehow... Satisfied. She noticed his lips were an unusual rosy hue, but attributed it to a good dream or some other such explanation.
In the dim morning light he looked like some sort of fallen angel, stripped of his wings and power, yet still carrying that undying happiness and love for all things. She placed a light hand on his forehead, stroking his light brown hair. He was beautiful.
"I was wondering when you'd come back," he mumbled sleepily, rolling on his side to face her, his deep blue eyes still closed.
"Sora, I'm always here." She was glad. He seemed to have forgiven her for her harsh treatment. But then again, Sora never was one to hold a grudge.
"Every time you leave me, I feel like I've lost you all over again." He slowly opened his eyes, revealing deep pools of blue slightly misted by the touch of sleep. Upon noticing whom he had been speaking to, he sat bolt upright, but tried to play it off, fearing another outburst. "Kairi, I've missed you so much."
This was true. He had missed her. Not as much as he had missed Riku, but his feelings of love were undeniably still there. He didn't know if things would ever be the same as they had between them seven years ago, but if she'd only let him try...
"Sora, I'm sorry. I've been unfair to you. I just... I just want you to know that I still love you." She blushed deeply, but did not break eye contact. She had been waiting too long for this to screw it up now.
He placed his hand in her hair, just below her cheekbone, stroking her face with his thumb. "I love you, too." He smiled warmly at her. His eyes confirmed his words.
Seven years of pent-up emotion flooded out in the small space between their eyes. They gave in to temptation and closed the gap with a kiss. It was chaste, but it did not need to be anything more. When two people are in love, they just know. Nothing needs to be said. No physical desire needs to be expressed. The two can merely sit together side by side until the world ends and be blissfully happy. This was how they felt at that moment. Their spirits melted together, and each knew that the other would carry them in their heart no matter what. Their kiss was more powerful than any Paopu fruit. They could have spent forever in that moment...
"So." A voice came from in front of them. "I see that everything is back to normal."
Sora broke the kiss and turned to face Riku, hands on his hips, trying to look passive as ever.
"Riku... I-" he looked at the older boy with an expression of shock mixed with panic.
"It's okay, Sora. I understand." He looked on the verge of tears, though his face remained stoic, even gentle.
Sora stood, unable to contain himself. "Riku, look-"
"Sora, it's okay. I know you love Kairi. I'm happy that you want to be with her." He turned away. "I'm just going to leave you two alone for a while. You need to talk." Sora could've sworn he heard Riku's voice breaking.
Sora stepped forward to grab his arm, but Riku shook it off and ran. Where he was running to he didn't know. He would run until he ran out of breath, or strength, or hope...
Sora let his arm drop and turned back to Kairi. "Kairi, I-"
"I was hoping that it was a dream." She looked to him, her eyes edged with fresh tears. "A horrible nightmare, maybe. But I was wrong. Sora..." She looked down and sobbed. "I loved you..."
"I love you, too..." he reached for her shoulder, but again he was denied simple contact. She, too, ran, in the opposite direction that Riku had gone. Sora was alone.
"Oh, God." He muttered. "What's wrong with me? Why can't I... How can I choose? This is too much."
He walked forward and waded out into the water. He decided that for the time being it was better not to follow either of them. They needed to work things out, too. But the looks on their faces... Those hopeless, shattered looks. They both truly felt for him, and he for them.
"But why can't I CHOOSE?" he yelled angrily to the sky and no one in particular. The sky which bore his name. It seemed so placid, so free, while he himself was dying and bound. He sunk his head below the water's calm surface. Someone was going to have their heart broken, and he prayed to God it wouldn't be all three of them.
'The coldest blue ocean water cannot stop my heart and mind from burning. Well, everyone who's in the know says, 'that's exactly how it goes.' And if there's anything good about me, then I'm the only one who knows.'
+++
Ch. 7 Fin
+++
Once again, I hope parts of this chapter will make the ending easier to understand and cope with. I still wanna make people cry (cuz I'm just evil like that), but I want there to be a reason. Well, bye for now! I hope the next chapter comes out a bit faster.