I have tried to write the next chapter for OftB multiple times now. Trust me, I really, really have. ...And I've got about half a page done. == I know, I'm horrible. Just... Arrrgh. For those of you who read this fic, hopefully it'll tide you over until I can get my brain sorted out. Nice big chapter. Yum.
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Raspberry Heaven
'The Good Things'
Yuffie swung her legs back and forth, lazily straddling the small wooden chair in the kitchen as she watched Cloud bustle about with and easy efficiency that seemed to come only to him. All the while, he managed to carry on a normal conversation with Yuffie, minus the whole concept of eye-contact and whatever else went on during those strange 'speaking-with-another-human-being' things.
"--And to top it all off, we don't even sleep in the same room anymore! His room is all the way across the apartment from me!"
Unable to keep a smirk from appearing on her face, Yuffie did her best to try and cover her mouth by resting her chin on the back of the chair, arms crossing in front of it.
"Well, I imagine Leon has his reasons Cloud. I mean, you were always sneaking into his bed when you guys shared a room, if I remember correctly..."
"That is definitely not the point! I wasn't doing that because I wanted sex or anything." Cloud huffed indignantly as he picked up a large wooden spoon, brandishing it like a scepter as he waved it around while he spoke for emphasis. "Is it really so terribly wrong that I would feel like curling up next to someone after having a crappy day? Is it?? No!"
Yuffie almost felt sorry for the pancake batter as Cloud jabbed the spoon into it, seeming to blame the batter itself for all his problems. Cursed pancake batter. Always meddling in the affairs of others.
"All I'm saying is that I'm sure Leon knows what's best for him. That's all." When this got no response from Cloud, Yuffie let out a small sigh, shooting her friend a sympathetic look, even though his back was turned to her. "I honestly don't understand why you're so fixated on him."
"Yeah, well, you know, you sort of wouldn't understand, Yuffie," Cloud said with a snort. That was something. At least he was making fun of her like he normally did.
"Neee, you big meanie! You're just suffering from sexual frustration, you know. Poor Cloudy-poo."
"Like you're one to talk. It's not like you have a relationship going on."
Yuffie's smirk stretched into a wide grin as she uncoiled her arms from the back of the chair and crossed them behind her head, stretching lazily before she stood up.
"You'd think that, wouldn't you?"
Cloud's eyes widened as he whirled around, nearly sending pancake batter spattering across the walls of the clean kitchen.
"You're kidding."
"Huh? About what?" Yuffie asked, feigning pure innocence.
"You have something going on with somebody?? And you didn't tell me?! Yuffie! All our years together! What the hell?!"
Yuffie giggled, walking over towards Cloud as she spoke. It was obvious to anyone that she was eyeing the soon-to-be-pancakes, though.
"No, Cloud, I'm not having a fling without your knowledge. I guarantee you, you'll be the first to know if I ever do have one." Yuffie paused and thought about this for a moment before she added, "Again. If I ever have one again. And those need chocolate chips. How could you forget the chocolate chips?"
Cloud scowled as Yuffie's words took on a slightly whining tone. There was a reason he didn't put the stupid chocolate chips in. And he mumbled this reason as though it was some sort of secret password, giving him the excuse to do the most illogical things.
"Ohh, because Le-on doesn't like chocolate chips??" Yuffie snorted and crossed her arms, letting a small pout form on her face. "Yeah, well, screw him. Oh wait, I'm mistaken. You can't." Yuffie was willing to admit that even for Cloud, those words might have just hit him below the belt.
Then again, as pancake batter spattered against the side of her face, Yuffie figured that Cloud deserved every word that came out of her mouth.
"You bastard."
"Terribly sorry, Yuffie. Must've mistaken your face for the frying pan."
"Raaawgh! Cloud!!"
The impending food fight was cut short however, for Yuffie heard the jingle of bells from the front of the restaurant, meaning that Kairi had just arrived. Finally, someone to side with her against the evil blond porcupine. ...Who just happened to be wielding a spatula at the moment. Yuffie hightailed it out of the kitchen, nearly slamming right into Kairi on her way out.
"Yikes, sorry!" Kairi began to apologize profusely for colliding with the older girl, but then she noticed something slightly out of place. "Er... Yuffie? You've got, ah... Um... What exactly is that all over your face?" Kairi asked, pointing to the pale goop still dripping down Yuffie's hair and face.
Both Yuffie and Cloud were dead silent for a few seconds before both of them scowled and exclaimed, "It's pancake batter!"
"Oh right, sorry."
Cloud grumbled something under his breath before turning back to his pancake batter, stirring away at it with a vengeance. Yuffie rolled her eyes and motioned for Kairi to have a seat while she went into the bathroom and attempted to clean her batter-encrusted face and hair.
Kairi swung her legs back and forth, awaiting Yuffie's return quietly. She didn't really know Cloud at all, so she was rather startled when he began speaking to her, back to the stove which was suddenly holding a frying pan full of little circles of pancake batter.
"Huh. Yuffie does that too."
"Does what?"
"That thing. You know, your swinging your feet around like you're nervous or something." Almost on a reflex, Kairi's legs stopped the motion and she blinked in surprise. She hadn't exactly been aware that she was doing it... It was just something she did.
Cloud chuckled, turning back to the frying pan for a moment in order to flip the pancakes. "It's not bad or anything. I was just saying, is all." Cloud would've pointed out that Yuffie and Kairi seemed to share a lot of things in common (i.e. the bracelet Kairi currently wore on her wrist... Ahem.) but he didn't exactly want to make the girl any more fidgety than she already was.
"Behold! A sparkling clean Yuffie!"
Sure enough, the Yuffie in question pranced into the kitchen, completely batter-free, even though her hair was still slightly damp. Cloud tore his eyes away from the pancakes he was placing on a plate, long enough to snicker and poke fun at poor Yuffie.
"What'd you do, take a shower in the sink?"
"Ha, ha, ha. You're so funny." Yuffie turned to Kairi then, a concerned look upon her face. "He didn't terrorize you or anything while I was gone, did he? He's having one of his days again. If I were you, I'd--"
"What the--?? I don't have 'days!' What the hell are you--?"
"See what I mean? Hurry, Kairi, we gotta head for the hills!"
Yuffie snatched the plate of pancakes out of Cloud's grasp before grabbing Kairi's wrist and dragging the smaller girl out to the front of the restaurant, placing the plate on a table and pulling down two chairs. Before Kairi could even ask what she was doing, Yuffie had set four plates, four glasses, silverware, syrup, butter, and orange juice all at the table in the blink of an eye.
Whoa. Where'd she learn to do that?
As though she were reading Kairi's mind, Yuffie chuckled and said, "Hey, when you've had as many jobs as I've had, you pick up a thing or two from each." Yuffie grinned and plopped down in a chair, motioning for Kairi to sit down beside her. "For example, I was a DJ once and you have to change music and everything really fast or people get cranky, right? Changing CDs, changing plates... They're in the same ballpark, see?"
Kairi laughed and was inwardly surprised with herself. She hadn't started blushing or getting really nervous yet... One point for Kairi. Whoo.
"Hey wait, why are there four plates?"
Yuffie leaned in towards Kairi as though she were sharing some deep dark secret. Unfortunately, the motion caused Kairi to lose her cool and her face took on a familiar warm feeling as blood rushed towards her cheeks. Damn. Minus one point, Kairi. Back to the drawing board.
"Leon's here too. He's been in the back talking to some guy on the phone, but that's why Cloud's being so super-careful. Notice how the pancakes are like... perfect?"
Kairi glanced at the plate in the middle of the table, her eyes widening slightly as she did so. Each and every pancake was a perfect circle. Absolutely perfect, just as Yuffie had said.
"And the fun part's about to start. Just sit back and watch. You might learn something about your future co-workers, ne?"
Half a second later, both Cloud and Leon walked out of the kitchen, Cloud carrying another plate stacked with pancakes and a determined look on his face. Kairi did her best not to show or voice her confusion to Yuffie, though. She'd said to just watch... So that was what Kairi was going to do. Just watch.
Cloud set the plate in his hand down before seating himself beside Leon. He shot Yuffie and Kairi a broad smile.
"Hey, don't wait for us! You guys go ahead and eat!" Both girls were more than happy to comply with his request, though Kairi's feeling of confusion only seemed to keep growing. Was she missing something here?
But she obediently followed Cloud's orders along with Yuffie, who cheerily passed the plate of pancakes around the table. Once everyone's plate had been loaded to their desire with the fluffy white pancakes, Kairi and Yuffie wasted no time in diving into their breakfast, though Kairi was still rather lost and confused. Moments later, though, things began to piece together.
Leon carefully placed the food into his mouth, chewing slowly under the careful scrutiny of Cloud's blue eyes.
"Well?" Cloud asked.
"Easy." Leon allowed a small smirk of triumph to slip onto his face as he leaned back in his chair. "You used ginger and a very small amount of nutmeg. It's not that hard to figure out, you know."
Leon's simple words turned Cloud's happy and anxious face into one holding a stubborn pout almost instantly. Kairi paused her fork's journey to her mouth in order to watch the interaction between the two, her own hesitation earning Kairi a snicker from Yuffie.
"Yeah, well, I'd like to see you try!" Cloud crossed his arms and scowled moodily at the brunette.
"Been there, done that. Face it Cloud, you just can't do it."
"Well maybe if I had a better spatula--"
"That wouldn't make a difference."
"What do you know anyway?? Sheesh, Leon!"
Yuffie simply rolled her eyes and turned towards Kairi, speaking softly so as not to be heard by the two boys arguing beside them.
"Leon's really big into the whole idea that a superb chef can use really simple herbs and spices in such a way that the person eating the dish can't tell what they are." At this, Yuffie made a small face. "I don't really get it, but it's this huge competition Cloud and Leon have going on between them. Pretty messed up, if you asked me."
Yuffie's explanation was cut short as Leon stood up from the table, a trace of his wicked smirk still resting on the corners of his mouth.
"Well if you'll all excuse me, I have to get back to planning Friday's opening. I'll be in the back. Don't bother me or do anything stupid." With that, he turned to go, throwing one last statement over his shoulder as he did so. "That means you, Cloud." And with a swish of the kitchen door and a slam of the door behind that one, Kairi, Yuffie, and Cloud were left to their own devices.
"Just what does he mean by that?" Cloud scoffed and stood up to clear off the table. "I don't do stupid things... And if he didn't want me to bother him so much, he wouldn't live with me, for crying out loud. Honestly, what a stick in the mud that jerk can be. See if I make him any chicken noodle soup when he gets sick! As a matter of fact, I hope he just rots in--"
"Weeell, that's lovely Cloud, but I've gotta be showing Kairi the ropes around here so we can get off early!" Yuffie grinned and clapped the blonde on the back, though she earned a confused look from both Cloud and Kairi.
"Where are you guys off to?"
"We're doing what?"
Yuffie rolled her eyes, leaning against the table and studying her two friends as though they both suddenly possessed the intelligence of the average five-year-old.
"You said you'd show me around, Kairi, remember?" A sweet and innocent smile followed her voice and Kairi instantly felt her heart melt in response. "Besides, we're not opening 'til Friday! Nothing's happening around here that everyone else can't take care of for a while."
Cloud snorted at this and frowned at Yuffie, obviously not too keen on her low work-ethic. "Yeah, but you know that... that... Aww, what'd Leon say his name was anyhow?"
"Cid Highwind?" Yuffie offered.
"Yeah, that guy. He's coming in to inspect the place tomorrow morning for health regulation crap. Leon'll kill us if we don't pass this inspection and he loses the loan." Somehow, Kairi got the idea that Cloud wasn't exaggerating when he brought up their life or death situation. She fought the urge to wince, instead just keeping a still and passive expression on her face.
"Trust me Cloudy-boy, we'll be fine. Besides, I totally deserve the break!" And with that, Yuffie laughed and turned to go towards the kitchen, beckoning for Kairi to follow (which, of course, she was more than willing to do.)
"But you just got here, Yuffie!"
But Yuffie was long gone.
-------
An hour later, Kairi was well-rehearsed on the placement of dishes and eating utensils, the location of the salt and pepper, what cleaning products were used where, and which key opened which door. Now all that was left was taking orders and receiving her apron, and then Yuffie had promised that they would fly out of the restaurant like nobody's business.
However, the jingle of bells from the front of the restaurant brought their cheery plans to a rather abrupt and sudden halt.
Yuffie had already pulled on a baggy sweatshirt and a ratty blue baseball cap ("I burn easily. Stop laughing, it doesn't look that bad!") in preparation for their momentary departure and had moved to help Kairi tie her apron in the back.
"Don't worry about the door, Aerith'll get it. Someone probably just wants to know what day we're opening or if there's any more job slots open."
Kairi wasn't exactly listening, but she nodded anyway. She was too busy trying to keep from blushing as she felt Yuffie's hands gently tying the apron she was trying on. Part of Kairi actually hoped it wouldn't fit just so that Yuffie would have to tie another set of apron strings for her.
...I have got to stop thinking like that.
"--Yes, she's in the back right now! Just a moment, Miss." Aerith's voice grew louder as the girl neared the doorway to the kitchen before her head came into view. "Kairi, your mom's here!"
Embarrassment? Oh yes.
"Are you kidding me?" were the only words Kairi could utter as she suddenly squirmed her way out of the apron, darting through the door to the kitchen and knocking poor Aerith off her feet. Yuffie made a mental note to put a warning sign on the swinging door. Or at least have it removed. Too many people suffered because of it.
But that was as the bottom of her to-do list as she hurried after Kairi.
"Mom! What are you doing here??"
"Kairi, dear, I thought I'd find you here! I just had to come get you! I was talking to Selphie earlier today-- she dropped by the house looking for you and we just started talking, you know-- and she told me the most precious thing!" Yuffie was now standing in the doorway of the kitchen, unnoticed by Kairi's mother and by Kairi herself, who simply had her back turned to the older girl.
That was Kairi's mother? Yuffie had never met the woman face to face. And for some reason she couldn't suppress the slight frown that had settled on her face. Even though it was ridiculous, Yuffie just didn't like that woman. She felt guilty because of it, sure, but that didn't change the fact that Yuffie was just picking up some seriously annoying vibes from the woman in front of Kairi.
"She told me that she'd spent the morning with Tidus and..." Yuffie noticed the slight drop in the woman's voice as she mumbled the next few words, "those other two friends of yours... Anyway, she was out on the beach with them and that sweet boy Tidus confided in her the most precious of all secrets!" Honestly, the way Kairi's mother could ramble on, it was no wonder the girl seemed so short for words around Yuffie all the time. Maybe her mother just sucked the voice right out of everyone to use for her own mindless babble.
"Mom, can't you just tell me lat--" Kairi tried to cut in.
"Nononono! Of course not! This is terribly important, Kairi! Don't interrupt!" Word-sucking power, right there. Yuffie had seen it with her own eyes, for Kairi shut up right there.
"He told Selphie to ask you who you... well, you know... Who you have a crush on. Isn't that adorable?? And then when she asked why, apparently that cute little boy blushed and went all shy and timid and, well, to make a long, but nevertheless engrossing story short... Tidus seems to have developed a little crush on you! Isn't that wonderful?"
Kairi's expression remained blank for an abnormally long period of time, but just when her mother was beginning to wonder if her daughter had fallen asleep on her, Kairi's brain realized it was supposed to respond. But what was she supposed to say? "Sorry, mum, I'm madly in love with a walking-talking figurine of everything you despise in a girl and... well, to make a long but nevertheless engrossing story short, I can't go out with Blondie! Sorry!" That would go over so well.
So instead, Kairi did the only thing she could think of that would be expected of her.
"Oh, really? That's... great!" A sweet and timid smile was well-received by Kairi's mother, who squealed in delight before bringing her daughter into a bone-crushing hug.
It wasn't that she was a bad person or a bad mother. She had been worried about her daughter and her morals, which she believed had been slowly eroding over time. In all her years of knowing Selphie as Kairi's only female friend (therefore instantly favoring Selphie and her girly habits), Kairi's mother had always been asking the brown-haired girl of her daughter's welfare, even though most rules of any parental code would've instructed her to ask her daughter for herself.
So why didn't she?
Kairi's mother was simply afraid of what she would hear from Kairi, for she knew her daughter quite well, in some respects, and therefore she knew that Kairi did not lie. It was physically impossible for her little angel to ever allow anything but the truth to come out of her mouth, surely. And, surely, if Kairi had a boyfriend and was surrounded by the right people, then any possible erosion of her pristine morals and her perfect upbringing would be saved. Poor little Kairi could be saved from this strange demon that had been following her in the shadows, putting posters up on her walls and putting music in her head.
And all any parent ever wants is what is best for their child.
Now, Yuffie was smarter than most people gave her credit for, and she knew that fact very well. Instinct is what had driven Kairi's mother to fling this idea towards her daughter, expecting a joyous reaction. But Yuffie's thinking was cut short as Kairi's mother finally took notice of her, a broad grin stretching across her face.
"Oh? And who is this handsome young boy?"
As expected, the room went dead silent as Kairi turned around, eyes almost as wide as Yuffie's. Both pairs of eyes met and there was a silent message exchanged between the two in a matter of only a few seconds.
Your mother has gone off her rocker.
Yes, I know. Please forgive me.
"Um, Mom, that's Yuffie... Uh, sh--"
"Hi there! Nice to meet you!" Yuffie moved out of the doorway, walking towards Kairi and her mother. It was understandable how Kairi's mother had mistaken her for a boy. Yuffie's baggy sweatshirt concealed her figure very well and her baseball cap made her short-cropped hair stick out from underneath it in all directions. That, along with her boyish grin, was enough to convince anyone that the person they were looking at was either a tomboy or simply a very feminine-looking man. Obviously, Kairi's mother had opted for the latter.
"I'm Janice, Kairi's mother. It's a pleasure to meet you, Yuffie! It's not every day Kairi meets such nice and charming boys like you." This statement managed to provoke a small glare from Kairi, who personally found both Riku and Sora to be very 'charming' boys. There was absolutely nothing wrong with them... At least they really were boys!
"Well it's not every day we get someone as nice as her working around here, you know." Yuffie shot another million-watt grin towards Kairi's mother, melting her heart as it's unbearable warmth washed over her. Kairi couldn't even stop the telltale blush that spread across her face, so she instead chose to look at the floor, suddenly seeming very interested in the well-being of her shoes.
"That's very nice of you. How old are you, might I ask?" The wheels inside Janice's head were obviously turning as fast as they could manage, scheme after scheme being created and tucked away for safe keeping and possible use for later.
"Nineteen. Taking a few years off from college so I can figure out what I want to do with my life. Leon's the one who came up with idea of coming here." Another flash of a grin. "Glad he did, though. Destiny Islands are absolutely gorgeous. I've never been somewhere as nice as here before, you know!"
"I personally think it's very smart of you to be taking a break before school like that. Once you go back to college, you can really know which direction you want to go in life and you'll probably have a better head on your shoulders, too."
"Well I'm glad you think so. Not everybody does."
Words, words, words. Yuffie was saying everything right and it was almost enough to scare Kairi to death. Her mother was absolutely captivated by every word, every sound coming out of the mouth of the girl she believed to be a boy. And Yuffie never missed a beat.
"What'll Kairi need for a uniform? Well, we were originally just going to require an apron and waiters could wear whatever they wanted under that, but Leon said we might want to try looking a bit more professional. Black pants and a white button up shirt should be good enough. Black shoes if you have them, but they're not a really big deal."
Janice nodded, taking in every word like it was a prayer just for her. And before Kairi knew it, Yuffie was speaking again, but moving towards the door as she did so.
"Kairi was going to show me around the island a bit today, but it's already getting pretty late and I'm sure she'll want to be doing something about this Tidus boy, right?" Yuffie gave Kairi a warm smile, but Kairi was surprised to find that it didn't contain the radiance she had come to expect from Yuffie's smile. This one looked almost... Kairi couldn't pinpoint it. The look was gone too fast as Yuffie's gaze returned to Janice, where all walls were put up and it was purely an act.
"Oh yes, I do hope something comes of it. But you'll look out for Kairi should anything go awry, I'm sure?" There was a hopeful note in Janice's voice and it was then that Kairi realized that her mother's plans for Yuffie weren't those of love. No, she saw Yuffie as an older brother. A protector, a guide, and the perfect example of anything and everything that could be right in a man. Too old for Kairi, certainly, but had Janice ever had a son, her thoughts were certainly have turned into something like: "Oh, I hope dear little Kosha ends up as sweet as this man."
Yuffie looked at Kairi with that small smile again. That one that bothered Kairi beyond all belief. That one she really didn't want to see.
"Sure thing! Kairi's like a little sister to me, you know..."
-------
I'm everyone's little sister.
Kairi had flung herself face down on her bed that evening, telling her mother that she was tired from the day's events and just wanted nothing more than to lie down for a little while, even if it was too early to go to bed.
Try as she might, Kairi couldn't figure out if Yuffie had simply been acting when she'd said those words or not. It was stupid for Kairi to hope for anything more than friendship, but being another little sister to someone was just something she didn't want.
And then there was Tidus. Sure, he was nice and all, but Kairi knew Selphie was head-over-heels in love with the boy. But if Tidus had a crush on Kairi, it was Selphie's duty as the islands' self-appointed matchmaker to help him get his girl, putting his wants and needs before her own. It was sweet, but bitter. Bittersweet. A nasty kind of chocolate.
-------
"Yuffie, what's wrong?" Cloud asked with a puzzled frown. He'd only recently found out about Kairi's mother coming and speaking with Yuffie before taking her daughter out to go shopping for the clothes Yuffie had specified in their conversation. Yes, it meant that Yuffie's tour of the island would have to wait for another day, but that was no reason for Yuffie to look as depressed as she did.
She'd been washing that same spot on the counter for the past half-hour, and it had been Leon who had pointed it out to Cloud, mentioning that if Yuffie wore a hole through the countertop, heads would roll. So it was that Cloud took it upon himself to try and find out what was ailing his friend, now that everyone but Leon had left the restaurant to head home for the night.
Yuffie seemed not to hear him at all, or if she did it just didn't register.
"Yuffie?"
"It's nothing," she said, giving Cloud a smile before throwing away the paper towel in her hand. "Hey, it's late. I'm heading home. See you tomorrow, then, right?"
"...Right..."
And Yuffie was gone, but she didn't throw one last friendly insult Cloud's way like she normally did. She didn't whistle one of the many songs stored in her brain like she usually did after a long day's work. She just smiled, waved, and was on her way.
-------
The phone was ringing. A tiny voice in the back of Kairi's head told her to answer to it, seeing as that was what normally happened when the phone rang. But suddenly the idea popped into her head: What if it was Yuffie?
Yuffie would call and apologize for her words that day, because she would've seen the rather upset look on Kairi's face before she left the restaurant. She would tell Kairi that she was sorry for not telling her mother the truth and she would understand everything Kairi was going through. She would be calm, cool, collected, and most importantly, she would be Yuffie.
Of course, then the fact that Yuffie had no idea what Kairi's number was hit poor Kairi like a sac of bricks. Numbly, Kairi answered the phone with a dull hello.
"Kairi? Hey, it's Tidus."
"Hey, Tidus."
Awkward silence.
"Uh... I know it's kinda late, but I was wondering if you could maybe meet me down by the boardwalk...? Maybe?"
"...Sure." What am I doing? "I'll be right there."
................................................................................................
...Yep. Haven't updated in forever. Don't really have any reason other than finals. But now that I'm out for summer break, hopefully I'll be updating much more. I'm not doing color guard this year (we finally get a guy to join the guard, and he's our choreographer. ...Long story short, I just can't stand the way he wants us to learn... There's more, but that's all you need know) so updates on OftB may be a bit rarer, but it will get finished. I've come too far to just drop it now.
I'm actually quite happy with the way this chapter turned out. The writing style sort of changes a bit because I read like crazy (took a 24 hour break to absolutely devour my copy of The Phantom of the Opera. Lost three pounds because I wasn't reading, I was sleeping, and I don't think I ate a thing the entire time I was locked in my room reading obsessively) before I finished the chapter, and the author's work was so great that the way he wrote sentences sort of stuck on my brain. (If you haven't read The Phantom of the Opera, go buy a copy! ...Only make sure you get a well-translated version, as it was originally in French.)
Please don't give up on me! I'm still here, I'm still writing, but there're a lot of things going on all at once. It's crazy, confusing, and I feel like I'm walking backwards. School has been out for one day and already I find myself trying to remember what my closest friends look like. I'm a loony one.
--Ori