Kiss Paralysis
The night hides my feelings.
Chapter 8, Black Water
"So you guys got the dress today?" Sora asked, trying to elude any conversation with Riku.
Kairi nodded, "Yep, I ordered the dress Riku liked," she replied to Sora as she continued to eat the pasta she had ordered.
The brunette female nodded, "That dress was gorgeous!" she said with much enthusiasm, complimenting Riku's taste in clothes.
"Thanks," Riku replied as he took some bites of his chicken.
Sora was sitting diagonally across Riku making it so it was hard to make any eye contact with him. He was grateful for Selphie being quite the chatterbox and how Kairi was easily sucked up into conversation. Through the entire dinner his hand was cupped around his fiancé's hand, hoping that she could somehow give him the courage to stay put because he was afraid that all the pretending would be revealed for what it all truly was. His cerulean-azure eyes glanced to his watch he was about to announce that he had to use the restroom but timing was never on his side.
"Kairi, come with me to the powder room," Selphie said after she finished telling the joke that only Kairi had laughed at.
Her best friend smiled, "Alright, Sora if you're done let the waitress know so we can go on that boat ride," she stated as Selphie grabbed her wrist and gently led her to the ladies' room, the two of the laughing silently over an inside joke.
The affair shared a silent conversation. Both of them exchanging not a single a word, not a single sparing look, not a single gesture, nothing. Sora drummed his fingers impatiently for Kairi and when he knew he couldn't take anymore of Riku's taunting (although Riku really wasn't doing anything to taunt Sora) he had to leave.
"I'm going to pay for our dinner," Sora said curtly as he pushed his chair back and stood up.
Riku looked up to Sora, "I'll handle it."
"No, Riku I got it," Sora's response sounded like a retort.
The silver-haired man didn't argue with Sora. He knew it'd just make Sora more irritated than he already was. Sora was infuriated with him. Despite Riku's self-centered sort ways he couldn't help but feel a little remorse about executing his new plan to win Sora over. He suppressed a yawn and leaned back into his chair, watching as the ladies' room door opened and Kairi exited followed by Selphie. A little disappointed that they weren't in there longer Riku sat up, not that he was annoyed by Selphie it was just that sometimes it was nice to be alone.
"Are you ready for that boat ride?" asked the brunette smilingly.
Riku nodded, "Yeah."
Kairi walked over to Sora and gasped at the cost of the bill, "Sora, why didn't you split the check with Riku? We need to save up some money for our wedding."
"I told Riku I'd handle the bill."
Kairi made a 'tsk' and sighed, muttering something incoherent.
Sora gave her a glare, already aggravated by being in the same room with Riku, he didn't want to deal with Kairi's complaints.
Both Selphie and Riku noticed their small bitter argument and exchanged sideway glances, "Looks like trouble in paradise," Selphie remarked in a hushed voice.
Riku was about to make some sort of reply but Sora and Kairi were already returning to the table, "You guys done?" Kairi spoke, acting as if their fight never occurred.
Selphie nodded and answered for the both of them, taking Riku's hand and entwining their fingers, "Let's go!"
The party left the restaurant and the difference of moods were clashing. Once reaching the Island tour the group was huddled close together with many other couples. Kairi was pressed against Sora as was Selphie with Riku, and Sora was using Kairi and Selphie as a bulwark to stay away from Riku.
"This place is packed," Kairi ranted, looking for an open area where the group could stand comfortably.
"I know, do you see anywhere else where else we could stand?" asked Selphie.
Riku being the tallest was looking above the heads of various people to look for free space and found a spot on the other side of the boat, a corner that would fit the group, "Over there," he said pointing over Selphie's head.
"C'mon Kairi," Sora grabbed her wrist and led her to the direction Riku had pointed at.
She made a whiney noise as she had to sow herself through the crowds of people, "Sora, you're going too fast."
"I can't see them," Selphie whined as she clung close to Riku.
"I can, they're a little ahead of us," he replied nonchalantly.
Sora just couldn't put up with Riku acting like it was okay, everything was definitely not okay, "Alright, we're here, are you alright?"
Once they reached the spacious corner Kairi began to fix her outfit, "I'd be better if you didn't rush so much to get here."
"We would've lost our spot."
She just sighed and leaned over the railing, Kairi could sense the fight among Riku and Sora and it was vexing her that she had no idea what the fight was about, "What are you and Riku fighting about?"
"Nothing."
"It has to be over something, you guys barely said anything to each other tonight."
Riku was thwarted by a splurge of people who stubbornly refused to move and he watched as Kairi and Sora seemed to be sharing an intimate moment that he wasn't apart of.
"Riku, why aren't we moving?" asked Selphie as she tried to scoot closer to him.
"People aren't moving."
"Sora something is going on between you and Riku and you guys won't tell me, who would understand better than me?"
"Kairi, I don't want to talk about it, my head still hurts."
She looked down to the black water that they were floating on, "Sora . . ."
He took his stare off the shoreline and looked to Kairi's melancholy expression, this was supposed to be their time, not his feeling-sorry-for-himself time, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Hey Kairi, you can see our island from here," he pointed to their childhood play place.
A slow smile began to spread over, "There's the paupu tree that we replanted," she remarked.
Before their moment could get anymore romantic Riku made it his duty to stop it, "Hey," he said, declaring his arrival.
Selphie had her fingers woven with Riku's and she released a sigh of relief, fixing her bangs, "I'm glad we're out of that."
Kairi nodded and Sora squeezed a smile out of himself, "Yeah, I didn't think it would end up being this crowded."
Shortly after finding a place distant from the crowd of people on the boat they arrived at one of the many islands, dropping off some people causing a decrease in the crowd. With space available among the tour boat the two couples decided to part in opposite directions, well more like Sora decided that they ought to.
Selphie led Riku down to the bow of the boat standing on one of the bars on the railing and watching the lights slowly dim the farther away they got from the islands, "The stars really are beautiful way out here, away from all that electric lighting," she remarked dreamily while she twisted a strand of hair with her finger.
"I'm glad you appreciate the nightscape," Riku replied as he placed his large hands around Selphie's tiny waist, making sure she was secure.
She was about to point out something to Riku when her foot slipped from the railing, causing her to collide with Riku and from an angle it looked like Riku was doing much more than saving her.
"Psst, Sora look!" Kairi said poking her fiancé's side and giggling at the straggle intimate position Riku and Selphie managed to get into, in which Kairi's perception was totally incorrect.
The way their faces were turned and their bodies were entangled looked as if they were making out. Sora's mouth fell slightly ajar and the bottle that contained his anger was beginning to crack. He began to walk towards Riku and Selphie, his expression that of total loathe.
"Sora, what are you doing?" Kairi inquired as she grabbed his forearm, tugging and motioning for him to come back.
He jerked his arm, shaking off Kairi's grip, and striding towards his affair, forcing Riku to look at him, "Riku, I can't believe you!"
Riku helped Selphie back to her feet and kept his arms around her to steady her on her high heels, he looked up and opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted.
"After all we--you had the nerve to do that to Selphie, it's not fair to her! You're unbelievable Riku!"
Kairi stood behind Sora as silent and scared as ever.
A/N: I had about most of this chapter done for the longest time . . . then I just decided to finish the rest of it later, I didn't know I'd finish it this late. It feels like no one is too interested in this fic anymore so I might just quit writing it besides school starts next week so it's not like I'd have much time to update it anyways. Well, if I get enough requests to not quit it maybe I won't.
Disclaimer: I wrote a bunch already.
