HUMAN
Kairi. Sora says that one in a while, and they just smile, because Kairi always says yes? instead of what, because it is the most natural thing for him to say her name. There is no hidden meaning, no ulterior motive, no anything except just Sora wanting to get her attention for a moment's thing and that's definitely not very much to ask for. So she gives it to him.
It's been like that ever since they were little. She loves it. It makes her feel safe on the inside. Like it's ok. It's just Sora and he's just your friend who will always be just someone asking for a moment's attention and not a future. Kairi doesn't want to compare, but she thinks; he is not like Riku. Riku, who she feels sorry for because they're both growing up together and he thinks that is who she is. He is sure the girl who was once a child the same time he was a child is now trying to become something else to his something else.
It is rotten of her to let him think that she is ready to trade worlds the same time he is. Not necessarily because she wants to be with him that way, but because she doesn't want him to have to do it alone. But no, she would never do that. Not so long as she has her security and simple questions with Sora on the other side of her.
Kairi, will you come with me? To someplace new?
If it were Sora, she'd say of course.
She is afraid for Sora. He is last one left of their once invincible three who has not succumbed to this uneasiness of hormones or emotions, touches that are scary and nice instead of just nice, and when you cry you don't cry about the one thing at hand but pull up things from the past still able to hurt you when you thought were done with them. Sora is not complex like that yet.
He takes Kairi's hand in one of his and waves to Riku with the other, not ever thinking how that might destroy a friendship or how that might cloud the very fragile happy expression on Riku's face.
But Riku knows about Sora too, which is why he has not bothered to tell Sora to leave Kairi to him when it comes to holding hands. Because he knows it's still the same for Sora and Kairi, who are children to each other. To him, Sora is ok. He is safe.
He still wants to be children with Sora because then they can hit each other with wooden swords and not be at all concerned about a girl who always watches them, and think she's comparing. Sora is more fun as a child.
Sora is the same way for Riku the way he is with Kairi. Riku will protect his relationship with Sora as a very simple thing of wanting to be together and not needing any further explanation.
Sora is special that way.
Kairi is afraid for the day that Riku will run out of patience seeing her and Sora as children, or the day Sora will begin to play this little game too. But because Sora is Sora, who makes you deathly afraid of the day you can no longer call him your friend. She hopes that everyone will make an exception and let him be his self of lighting up other people's worlds.
Riku. Kairi. Sora.
It was ordered like that suddenly, from less naïve to most.
Sora. Because of him, maybe she doesn't just want this children's safety anymore.
Because he is special and she has always seen that and doesn't need to think about it.
Because she's always been moved by the intensity of his blue eyes, maybe not beautiful like a startling aqua-ocean color but always willing to watch sunsets with her instead of asking to look at each other's physical form, eyes, face, torso, or otherwise. Because he'd want to stay with her forever and not ask for anything other than that, but the simple fact of that wants her to make him ask for more. Because he stands right in front her with a fierce honesty that tells her to trust herself and never fear the sideways reality of Riku, Selphie, Wakka or Tidus. Because he is here, and she can walk straight so long as she can still see him.
Because of that, because she has never been afraid of him, she is consumed by how grateful she is of not having to be afraid of him.
Because of that, she is more afraid than ever.
The Sora who she feels is so important to hold on to, but she already knows she wants to move it to something else. Because she is so stupid she can't even get herself to try harder to hold onto what is so much more than what her maturing mind desires.
She knows what her heart is calling for is so much more important, Sora as her always source of the guy who could kiss her and say what's the big deal and mean it and somehow get her to feel the same way.
Sora with the smile that would stick with him and never fade away because he must be saving it, not for any real reason other than he knows vaguely that it's for her sake.
Today he hurt his eye. They'd all been hurt like that before, it's part of childhood. They hurt each other and they hurt themselves, playing and falling and hitting. But now it was like everyone could sense that if something happened to Kairi, Sora, or Riku-just one of them- all of three of them were involved and it meant much more than it had to.
Kairi has been walking to calm down after the fight, but she's reached the secret place and she looks up at the waterfall door between her and all those pictures she and Sora drew.
She says, Sora.
She thinks of how she is suddenly attracted by a friend against her will. How she keeps herself dodging by her that stubborn love from friendship, either struggling to survive or already dead. How she hates it.
Sora she sighs. Will I corrupt you too?
A/N: I decided to make chapter four a sidestory. So consider this the official update. I also decided to keep up the no quotes because that was one of the big reasons I started writing this. Strange, eh? But I'll try to reduce dialogue and make the whole thing a lot less confusing. (The third chapter was the worst because there were so many people talking.) Thanks for all the reviews, it's very encouraging! Keep reviewing, this is one of those things where I'm relying on opinion a lot. Like what Kairi(the reviewer) said about Sora. :-)