Disclaimer: The characters used for this fan-fiction in no shape or form
belong to me. They are the property of SquareEnix and Disney, and I
acknowledge this, no matter how much I wish they could belong to me.
Warning: This fic at one point will contain explicit yaoi [in later chapters]. If you are offended by shounen-ai or yaoi, I do not suggest you read any further; I rather not be flamed for your stupidity.
Note: Sora and Kairi are 18 years of age, and Riku is 19. They are or will be on Destiny Islands. This fic will unfortunately be parted by chapters; be prepared for angst, denial and what not.
***
"Meet me at midnight, where memories of old remain." Sora regarded the message with thoughtful concentration, brow drawn together as he sat perched a top an erected rock. Puzzled, he scratched his cheek while absently folding the letter and placing it gently within his pocket. His gaze swept to the sky, where white clouds spotted the heavens against the fleeting horizon.
It had been four years, four long, destructive years of yearning, longing, and broken paths. Destiny Island had remained a private location, especially in his heart, and it felt awkward to be 'home' once again. But he was positive this was where it was directing him. There could be no other destination that would describe 'where memories of old remain.'
Yet questions remained. Who was the individual who had scripted the letter? And what for? He knew he would discover answers to either question when midnight rolled around, but something still bothered him. He was back on Destiny Islands, but it felt as if he wasn't directly where he should be stationed. There a still a missing piece of the puzzle he hadn't placed.
Waves cooed quietly as they washed against Sora's perch, surrounding him with the sea. A choir of laughter erupted behind him, and he glanced toward the noise, witnessing a small cluster of children play with the drawing waves. They shrieked and squealed as they dared to following each coming tide before quickly running back to the safety of the beach before they dare wet their shoes. They couldn't have been any older than seven, and it concerned Sora about their wandering away from home.
But he noticed the children were not familiar; he didn't recognize a single face. And as he watched them play, reminding him of his early days with Riku and Kairi, he felt envious. His childhood had slipped away from him without him knowing, and left his heart empty. He missed the long hours of exploring, and jousting, with chance to be beaten down by Riku. But now those days were long gone, and those memories were to be replaced by the children of Destiny Islands.
He watched them as they came to the part between the brush, peering into the secret place. He pondered if they had dared travel into it's depths, discovering the drawings that decorated it's walls. Then a thought occurred to him; a small girl gave an excited shriek as she was pushed into the nearby oasis, before she dashed away, the group nearly at her heel. Patiently, he waited for their leave before dropping into the foamy depths, proceeding toward the white beach, untouched by the icy waters.
Sora came to an abrupt stop before the secret place, having to kneel at it's entrance. He saw now why the children had decided to only linger instead of enter; thick vines sealed the entrance, as if forbidding entry to those who wondered of what's inside. Gingerly, he lifted a hand, gripping a thick green rope, and yanked it free. It broke easily, leaving a slight gape where it once had been stringed. He allowed it to slip from his palm before committing to the chore, tearing away the vines carefully until there door-way to his past was once more opened to him.
"I wonder if the cavern's survived.. Probably caved in by now," he murmured, eying the entrance thoughtfully. Then ducking beneath it's sloping mouth, he walked in a crouch, fingertips trailing across the damp walls on either side of him. The tunnel wasn't as long as he recalled, or possibly imagined, and he walked into the main chamber, standing upright. A quick glance around reassured no one had vandalized the artwork, and they seemed silly now, even to his eyes.
Feeling drawn forward, Sora glided to the center of the cave, gaze wandering from one masterpiece to another. A smile graced his lips, vaguely recalling the frustration and hard-work placed into each, and how Riku would frequently throw down his rock in despair and march from the cavern. A quiet chuckle escaped him, dying to a soft whisper as he came to see a drawing he had finished years before, only moments before his journey with the keyblade had begun.
He approached it, cautiously, afraid it might jump to life before his eyes, and allowed his hand to rest against the carving of himself. Identical limbs offered a paopu fruit to the other, one to Sora's companion, and the other to Sora himself.
'Kairi...' he thought lightly, touched by her discovery of his addition, and then have made her own. Slowly, he sat, the drawing a window to his memories. He couldn't bring himself to rise, and leave, or dismiss his gaze to linger elsewhere. Instead, he admired the curves and grooves in the rock, fingertips commonly tracing them. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes into hours, time rolling by without Sora's attention.
He was oblivious to the approaching footfalls, and was deaf to the quiet sigh that issued from nearby. Instead, he merely continued to walk through his thoughts, almost drawn into a trance because of some silly childhood artwork.
"This cave holds more than just wonders, doesn't it?" a voice asked, startling Sora. He jumped, and quickly turned, mocked by the familiar smirk that played across Riku's lips as the elder boy stood at the entrance of the cavern. Riku lifted his head to observe the scratches around him, entering the cave with slow, graceful strides.
"After all this time, it feels odd to be back here again," Riku admitted, pausing momentarily before giving a sympathetic shake of his head. "But I suppose it's our own fault that we didn't bother to return.. Until now, it seems." Sora regarded him with confusion, pulling himself to his feet, lips drawn into a pout.
"What do you mean?" he asked, brow furrowed and a hand pressed against the wall behind him. Riku surveyed him silently, a finger brushing over his lips with an absent thought before he shrugged.
"A letter from an anonymous writer. You did receive such a message, didn't you?" Riku inquired, lifting a brow toward his confused friend. Riku's response took a moment to sink into Sora's thick skull before his cerulean eyes widened considerably.
"So you're the one who sent it!" he exclaimed, louder than he intended. Riku chuckled lightly and nodded, turning his back once more to his close friend. Sora opened his mouth to continue but found any further explanation would seem meaningless; now he knew who sent the letter, he just had to figure out why.
"I did. I kept it anonymous for the sake of surprises. You always did like surprises, so how's this for one?" Riku asked with a light tone, arms folded against his back. Sora searched his mind for a moment, finding empty corners and lame replies, and instead inclined his head to a side, bringing a hand to rest against his hip.
"Why did you write it? You could have been more specific about where to meet. It gave me a headache trying to figure it out," Sora grumbled, no longer confused nor surprised, but instead a bit irritated. Riku offered a glance over his shoulder, brow's lifted with concern before he suppressed another smile.
"Then I guess I should offer you my apologies. I hadn't meant for you to hurt yourself over it.. But I thought a bit of a puzzle would be good for your neglected brain," Riku explained, his tone seething with sarcasm as he walked toward Sora. Sora merely scoffed, turning a cheek to Riku's approach and folded his arms over his chest. Be it left to Riku to think such games were entertaining.
"But I didn't call you here to argue. We've been here hardly five minutes together, and already, we're disagreeing,"Riku remarked, holding his fore- fingers together as he came to a halt before Sora. The chocolate tressed youth allowed the venomous expression to slip away, and instead he turned his attention to the sincere aqua eyes that studied him with fascination.
"We always did agree to disagree, Riku," Sora replied quietly, finding sudden interest with his feet. Riku issued a brief silence before he leaned over the shorter boy, cornering him against the wall.
"I suppose that's more my fault than yours, Sora. But I didn't organize this meeting to discuss why we tend to disagree and our opinions differ; We're here to speak about another matter," he continued, unable to help the impatience that was already beginning to develop a headache. Sora pressed his back against the wall, forcing to make eye contact with the older boy that hovered so dangerously close.
"What do you mean?" he asked, fighting the desire to slip by Riku and continue this conversation without having to share personal space. Yet he couldn't bring himself to disappear from the older boy's gaze; it was a hot spotlight burning into his flesh, scorching his skin with a painless sting.
But Riku considered how close he lingered, and pushed back, departing a short distance before he stopped once more. Sora relaxed with the other's presence nearby, realizing he had failed to breathe during the short encounter. And as he watched the silver tressed lad, he noticed the unusual posture he held, as if he was.. nervous.
"..We've been friends for a long time... And I've done things in the past I wish I could make up for," Riku began then gestured with his hand as Sora made to interrupt. "No. Don't. Just listen.. There's no amount of apologizing I could do to show you how sorry I honestly am.. I nearly killed you, I was obsessed with power, and I endangered Kairi.. But that's all in the past now, isn't it? Yet, what of now?" Riku turned to face Sora, his expression of something Sora frequently witnessed as a child.
"It's been years since we've returned here.. And I thought for memory's sake, another visit wouldn't hurt. But being here also makes me realize just how many things I've forgotten.. Things I wish I could have said, but never escaped my lips. Things I wish I could have done, but never did.. I'm here to change that, though." Riku's eyes swept along the floor, seeming almost sheepish to his youthful friend.
"But.. What does that have to do with me?" Sora mused aloud, somewhat hesitant to ask. Yet as he watched Riku, witnessing his vulnerability within a new light, he felt the urge would have been too great not to. But it disappeared as swiftly as it came, Riku's eyes finding Sora's, and locked contact. The keyblade master felt the words fail his throat, lost within the aqua sea of the formerly darkness seduced.
"..It has a lot to do with you, Sora. Everything to do with you," Riku murmured, any trace of a smile absent. He found his way back to Sora, leaning over the fragile country mouse, his gaze hungry. Sora shrunk beneath him, oblivious to the blush that managed to creep across his pale cheeks.
"I don't understand, Riku," he whispered, a loud echo in their silence. Riku paused, studying the small boy that had matured into a young man, his innocence so apparent it was disgusting. Gently, he lifted his hand, thumb caressing the other's cheek, a faint smile upon his lips.
"You don't have to understand. I like you, a lot. And I guess that's all there is to it," he replied, cradling Sora's cheek in his palm. But the boy still displayed childish confusion, brow drawn together, mouth slightly ajar. If under other circumstances, Riku would have made a snide remark, but the atmosphere wasn't the place nor time for his obnoxious attitude.
Sora began to respond, but was silenced as Riku interrupted him in the process. Sora's eyes widened to the tender lips pressed against his, an arm encircling his waist to draw him against a firm chest. He felt his eyelids flutter, head swimming to the sudden sensation that hit his stomach like a ton of rocks. Yet somehow, as he drowned in the sweet taste of Riku's mouth, buried against his strong figure, he felt an awkward sense of safety. And though the kiss was brief, his lips continued to tingle, numb with a passion he himself didn't quite understand.
Riku sighed breathlessly, searching Sora's dreamy expression for signs of disgust, rejecting, disappointment.. But the cerulean eyes he found were cloudy, his cheeks blazing like a burning sunset, fingertips gently brushing across his lower lip.
"O-oh," the younger boy stammered, before chancing a glance toward Riku. But it fell easily away, his brow remaining furrowed to the amount of thoughts that cascaded through his mind. A part of him, likely his conscience, was demanding such an emotion was wrong, and especially felt toward his best friend. But Sora couldn't ignore the fact that no matter how many times he replayed such a lie through his head, it was merely that. A lie. And he couldn't convince himself to believe otherwise.
"Sora?" Sora's eyes shot up again to the pained expression now being displayed upon the other's face. "If I offended you or.. something.. I'm sorry. It.. It won't happen again." Riku's voice trailed away, his stomach an empty pit. Sora continued to express confusion, or possibly renewed disgust, and Riku felt humiliated and angry with himself. To be so foolish, risking the opportunity and their friendship to describe how he felt for his younger friend. He turned to leave, his arm slipping from Sora's waist but felt a grip catch his wrist.
"Please don't go, Riku.. I don't want you to leave," Sora pleaded, embracing the other, his head rested against the nape of Riku's throat. Surprised, Riku stood motionless before he allowed his arms to rest around the youth, a smile replacing the hurt frown.
"I like you, too, Riku. I like you a lot," Sora whispered before he sank into the depths of a returned kiss. This time, issued by him, received by Riku.
***
Sora left the cavern, feeling rejuvenated and energetic. Riku had promised to meet with him again the following day, but had business to complete the next morning. So Sora explored the beach, the smile that was plastered to his lips never failing, always reminding him of the last few moments spent with his 'friend'.
But his steps began to slow as he noticed a stationary figure at the water's edge, a familiar body he hadn't expected to see, especially at this hour.
"Kairi?" he questioned, blinking absently as she turned to face him, eyes describing brief shock.
"Sora!" she exclaimed, then seemed to relax as she sighed quietly. "So you are here. My intuition was right." He failed to understand what she meant, but approached her with swift, proud strides. She studied him thoughtfully, noticing the unusual bounce in his step, despite the curiosity displayed within his eyes.
"What are you doing here, Kairi?" he asked, stopping before her, inclining his head to an angle. She shuffled her feet, feeling awkward beneath his gaze but forced herself to make eye contact.
"I felt you would be here.. And I need to talk to you. I have a problem, and I don't know what to do," she explained quietly, touched by his concern.
"What? What's wrong? Has someone done something to you?" he inquired, and she gave a slow shake of her head.
"No, no one's done anything.. It's just.. Oh Sora, I need your help. I need your help more than anything right now," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her friend, her face buried into his chest. "I think I'm in love with Riku, and I don't know what to do."
***
Preview for Chapter 2: Kairi, the one girl Sora could never say 'no' to, just admitted her absent love for Sora's best friend - and new lover. Torn between his feelings and Kairi's, Sora must decide where his emotions stand.. And how to handle the new arrangement.
Chapter 2 of Meet Me at Midnight, shall be posted soon!
Warning: This fic at one point will contain explicit yaoi [in later chapters]. If you are offended by shounen-ai or yaoi, I do not suggest you read any further; I rather not be flamed for your stupidity.
Note: Sora and Kairi are 18 years of age, and Riku is 19. They are or will be on Destiny Islands. This fic will unfortunately be parted by chapters; be prepared for angst, denial and what not.
***
"Meet me at midnight, where memories of old remain." Sora regarded the message with thoughtful concentration, brow drawn together as he sat perched a top an erected rock. Puzzled, he scratched his cheek while absently folding the letter and placing it gently within his pocket. His gaze swept to the sky, where white clouds spotted the heavens against the fleeting horizon.
It had been four years, four long, destructive years of yearning, longing, and broken paths. Destiny Island had remained a private location, especially in his heart, and it felt awkward to be 'home' once again. But he was positive this was where it was directing him. There could be no other destination that would describe 'where memories of old remain.'
Yet questions remained. Who was the individual who had scripted the letter? And what for? He knew he would discover answers to either question when midnight rolled around, but something still bothered him. He was back on Destiny Islands, but it felt as if he wasn't directly where he should be stationed. There a still a missing piece of the puzzle he hadn't placed.
Waves cooed quietly as they washed against Sora's perch, surrounding him with the sea. A choir of laughter erupted behind him, and he glanced toward the noise, witnessing a small cluster of children play with the drawing waves. They shrieked and squealed as they dared to following each coming tide before quickly running back to the safety of the beach before they dare wet their shoes. They couldn't have been any older than seven, and it concerned Sora about their wandering away from home.
But he noticed the children were not familiar; he didn't recognize a single face. And as he watched them play, reminding him of his early days with Riku and Kairi, he felt envious. His childhood had slipped away from him without him knowing, and left his heart empty. He missed the long hours of exploring, and jousting, with chance to be beaten down by Riku. But now those days were long gone, and those memories were to be replaced by the children of Destiny Islands.
He watched them as they came to the part between the brush, peering into the secret place. He pondered if they had dared travel into it's depths, discovering the drawings that decorated it's walls. Then a thought occurred to him; a small girl gave an excited shriek as she was pushed into the nearby oasis, before she dashed away, the group nearly at her heel. Patiently, he waited for their leave before dropping into the foamy depths, proceeding toward the white beach, untouched by the icy waters.
Sora came to an abrupt stop before the secret place, having to kneel at it's entrance. He saw now why the children had decided to only linger instead of enter; thick vines sealed the entrance, as if forbidding entry to those who wondered of what's inside. Gingerly, he lifted a hand, gripping a thick green rope, and yanked it free. It broke easily, leaving a slight gape where it once had been stringed. He allowed it to slip from his palm before committing to the chore, tearing away the vines carefully until there door-way to his past was once more opened to him.
"I wonder if the cavern's survived.. Probably caved in by now," he murmured, eying the entrance thoughtfully. Then ducking beneath it's sloping mouth, he walked in a crouch, fingertips trailing across the damp walls on either side of him. The tunnel wasn't as long as he recalled, or possibly imagined, and he walked into the main chamber, standing upright. A quick glance around reassured no one had vandalized the artwork, and they seemed silly now, even to his eyes.
Feeling drawn forward, Sora glided to the center of the cave, gaze wandering from one masterpiece to another. A smile graced his lips, vaguely recalling the frustration and hard-work placed into each, and how Riku would frequently throw down his rock in despair and march from the cavern. A quiet chuckle escaped him, dying to a soft whisper as he came to see a drawing he had finished years before, only moments before his journey with the keyblade had begun.
He approached it, cautiously, afraid it might jump to life before his eyes, and allowed his hand to rest against the carving of himself. Identical limbs offered a paopu fruit to the other, one to Sora's companion, and the other to Sora himself.
'Kairi...' he thought lightly, touched by her discovery of his addition, and then have made her own. Slowly, he sat, the drawing a window to his memories. He couldn't bring himself to rise, and leave, or dismiss his gaze to linger elsewhere. Instead, he admired the curves and grooves in the rock, fingertips commonly tracing them. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes into hours, time rolling by without Sora's attention.
He was oblivious to the approaching footfalls, and was deaf to the quiet sigh that issued from nearby. Instead, he merely continued to walk through his thoughts, almost drawn into a trance because of some silly childhood artwork.
"This cave holds more than just wonders, doesn't it?" a voice asked, startling Sora. He jumped, and quickly turned, mocked by the familiar smirk that played across Riku's lips as the elder boy stood at the entrance of the cavern. Riku lifted his head to observe the scratches around him, entering the cave with slow, graceful strides.
"After all this time, it feels odd to be back here again," Riku admitted, pausing momentarily before giving a sympathetic shake of his head. "But I suppose it's our own fault that we didn't bother to return.. Until now, it seems." Sora regarded him with confusion, pulling himself to his feet, lips drawn into a pout.
"What do you mean?" he asked, brow furrowed and a hand pressed against the wall behind him. Riku surveyed him silently, a finger brushing over his lips with an absent thought before he shrugged.
"A letter from an anonymous writer. You did receive such a message, didn't you?" Riku inquired, lifting a brow toward his confused friend. Riku's response took a moment to sink into Sora's thick skull before his cerulean eyes widened considerably.
"So you're the one who sent it!" he exclaimed, louder than he intended. Riku chuckled lightly and nodded, turning his back once more to his close friend. Sora opened his mouth to continue but found any further explanation would seem meaningless; now he knew who sent the letter, he just had to figure out why.
"I did. I kept it anonymous for the sake of surprises. You always did like surprises, so how's this for one?" Riku asked with a light tone, arms folded against his back. Sora searched his mind for a moment, finding empty corners and lame replies, and instead inclined his head to a side, bringing a hand to rest against his hip.
"Why did you write it? You could have been more specific about where to meet. It gave me a headache trying to figure it out," Sora grumbled, no longer confused nor surprised, but instead a bit irritated. Riku offered a glance over his shoulder, brow's lifted with concern before he suppressed another smile.
"Then I guess I should offer you my apologies. I hadn't meant for you to hurt yourself over it.. But I thought a bit of a puzzle would be good for your neglected brain," Riku explained, his tone seething with sarcasm as he walked toward Sora. Sora merely scoffed, turning a cheek to Riku's approach and folded his arms over his chest. Be it left to Riku to think such games were entertaining.
"But I didn't call you here to argue. We've been here hardly five minutes together, and already, we're disagreeing,"Riku remarked, holding his fore- fingers together as he came to a halt before Sora. The chocolate tressed youth allowed the venomous expression to slip away, and instead he turned his attention to the sincere aqua eyes that studied him with fascination.
"We always did agree to disagree, Riku," Sora replied quietly, finding sudden interest with his feet. Riku issued a brief silence before he leaned over the shorter boy, cornering him against the wall.
"I suppose that's more my fault than yours, Sora. But I didn't organize this meeting to discuss why we tend to disagree and our opinions differ; We're here to speak about another matter," he continued, unable to help the impatience that was already beginning to develop a headache. Sora pressed his back against the wall, forcing to make eye contact with the older boy that hovered so dangerously close.
"What do you mean?" he asked, fighting the desire to slip by Riku and continue this conversation without having to share personal space. Yet he couldn't bring himself to disappear from the older boy's gaze; it was a hot spotlight burning into his flesh, scorching his skin with a painless sting.
But Riku considered how close he lingered, and pushed back, departing a short distance before he stopped once more. Sora relaxed with the other's presence nearby, realizing he had failed to breathe during the short encounter. And as he watched the silver tressed lad, he noticed the unusual posture he held, as if he was.. nervous.
"..We've been friends for a long time... And I've done things in the past I wish I could make up for," Riku began then gestured with his hand as Sora made to interrupt. "No. Don't. Just listen.. There's no amount of apologizing I could do to show you how sorry I honestly am.. I nearly killed you, I was obsessed with power, and I endangered Kairi.. But that's all in the past now, isn't it? Yet, what of now?" Riku turned to face Sora, his expression of something Sora frequently witnessed as a child.
"It's been years since we've returned here.. And I thought for memory's sake, another visit wouldn't hurt. But being here also makes me realize just how many things I've forgotten.. Things I wish I could have said, but never escaped my lips. Things I wish I could have done, but never did.. I'm here to change that, though." Riku's eyes swept along the floor, seeming almost sheepish to his youthful friend.
"But.. What does that have to do with me?" Sora mused aloud, somewhat hesitant to ask. Yet as he watched Riku, witnessing his vulnerability within a new light, he felt the urge would have been too great not to. But it disappeared as swiftly as it came, Riku's eyes finding Sora's, and locked contact. The keyblade master felt the words fail his throat, lost within the aqua sea of the formerly darkness seduced.
"..It has a lot to do with you, Sora. Everything to do with you," Riku murmured, any trace of a smile absent. He found his way back to Sora, leaning over the fragile country mouse, his gaze hungry. Sora shrunk beneath him, oblivious to the blush that managed to creep across his pale cheeks.
"I don't understand, Riku," he whispered, a loud echo in their silence. Riku paused, studying the small boy that had matured into a young man, his innocence so apparent it was disgusting. Gently, he lifted his hand, thumb caressing the other's cheek, a faint smile upon his lips.
"You don't have to understand. I like you, a lot. And I guess that's all there is to it," he replied, cradling Sora's cheek in his palm. But the boy still displayed childish confusion, brow drawn together, mouth slightly ajar. If under other circumstances, Riku would have made a snide remark, but the atmosphere wasn't the place nor time for his obnoxious attitude.
Sora began to respond, but was silenced as Riku interrupted him in the process. Sora's eyes widened to the tender lips pressed against his, an arm encircling his waist to draw him against a firm chest. He felt his eyelids flutter, head swimming to the sudden sensation that hit his stomach like a ton of rocks. Yet somehow, as he drowned in the sweet taste of Riku's mouth, buried against his strong figure, he felt an awkward sense of safety. And though the kiss was brief, his lips continued to tingle, numb with a passion he himself didn't quite understand.
Riku sighed breathlessly, searching Sora's dreamy expression for signs of disgust, rejecting, disappointment.. But the cerulean eyes he found were cloudy, his cheeks blazing like a burning sunset, fingertips gently brushing across his lower lip.
"O-oh," the younger boy stammered, before chancing a glance toward Riku. But it fell easily away, his brow remaining furrowed to the amount of thoughts that cascaded through his mind. A part of him, likely his conscience, was demanding such an emotion was wrong, and especially felt toward his best friend. But Sora couldn't ignore the fact that no matter how many times he replayed such a lie through his head, it was merely that. A lie. And he couldn't convince himself to believe otherwise.
"Sora?" Sora's eyes shot up again to the pained expression now being displayed upon the other's face. "If I offended you or.. something.. I'm sorry. It.. It won't happen again." Riku's voice trailed away, his stomach an empty pit. Sora continued to express confusion, or possibly renewed disgust, and Riku felt humiliated and angry with himself. To be so foolish, risking the opportunity and their friendship to describe how he felt for his younger friend. He turned to leave, his arm slipping from Sora's waist but felt a grip catch his wrist.
"Please don't go, Riku.. I don't want you to leave," Sora pleaded, embracing the other, his head rested against the nape of Riku's throat. Surprised, Riku stood motionless before he allowed his arms to rest around the youth, a smile replacing the hurt frown.
"I like you, too, Riku. I like you a lot," Sora whispered before he sank into the depths of a returned kiss. This time, issued by him, received by Riku.
***
Sora left the cavern, feeling rejuvenated and energetic. Riku had promised to meet with him again the following day, but had business to complete the next morning. So Sora explored the beach, the smile that was plastered to his lips never failing, always reminding him of the last few moments spent with his 'friend'.
But his steps began to slow as he noticed a stationary figure at the water's edge, a familiar body he hadn't expected to see, especially at this hour.
"Kairi?" he questioned, blinking absently as she turned to face him, eyes describing brief shock.
"Sora!" she exclaimed, then seemed to relax as she sighed quietly. "So you are here. My intuition was right." He failed to understand what she meant, but approached her with swift, proud strides. She studied him thoughtfully, noticing the unusual bounce in his step, despite the curiosity displayed within his eyes.
"What are you doing here, Kairi?" he asked, stopping before her, inclining his head to an angle. She shuffled her feet, feeling awkward beneath his gaze but forced herself to make eye contact.
"I felt you would be here.. And I need to talk to you. I have a problem, and I don't know what to do," she explained quietly, touched by his concern.
"What? What's wrong? Has someone done something to you?" he inquired, and she gave a slow shake of her head.
"No, no one's done anything.. It's just.. Oh Sora, I need your help. I need your help more than anything right now," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her friend, her face buried into his chest. "I think I'm in love with Riku, and I don't know what to do."
***
Preview for Chapter 2: Kairi, the one girl Sora could never say 'no' to, just admitted her absent love for Sora's best friend - and new lover. Torn between his feelings and Kairi's, Sora must decide where his emotions stand.. And how to handle the new arrangement.
Chapter 2 of Meet Me at Midnight, shall be posted soon!