Kiss Paralysis

Tie up the loose ends before morning comes again.

Chapter 16, Light Out

He watched his reflection in the mirror. Sora fixed his collar and fingered his cufflinks, irritably. Tomorrow, it would happen tomorrow.

Kairi had been superstitious and refused to see Sora fitted for his suit so she had Wakka and Tidus accompany him and ensure it fit like glove.

"Are you done in there?" Tidus questioned impatiently, overlooking his own suit that he'd be wearing for the wedding.

"Uh--yeah," answered Sora, "You better not laugh at me," he said in immediate defense, predicting Tidus and Wakka's snickers.

Wakka was leaning against the wall, "Ehh, we won't laugh, come out already!" he drummed his fingers in irritation.

Sora emerged from the bathroom of his own house and sheepishly attempted to comb down his hair, "Does the tux look good?"

Wakka grinned--whoever thought Sora would be the first to get hitched? He straightened out his tie in a fatherly gesture and managed to pat down Sora's relentless hair. He was handsome, even with such a boyish physique.

"Aww, you're all grown up!" Tidus had to tease at least once.

Wakka gave Tidus a swift punch in the chest, "Don't listen to him--ya look good man."

Sora shrugged, "Thanks Wakka."

"I was just kidding with you, Sora," Tidus rubbed the forming bruise in hopes to ebb off the pain.

Eager to get the tux off Sora headed into the bathroom after receiving approval from his friends, "I'm going to take this thing off before Selphie shows up," he closed the door behind him.

Tidus chuckled, "She's with Kairi and Naminé right now and you know them, they won't be back anytime soon."

"Speaking of the girls . . ." Wakka mentioned his thoughts in speech, "Riku's been gettin' fond of Naminé, don't cha' think?"

"Oh yeah I bet Selphie's feathers are all ruffled over that," Tidus commented--gaining a mental picture of Selphie as a chicken.

Sora tossed the shirt over his head blocking out the conversation best he could. Just by simply imagining Riku with Naminé left him feeling positively jilted. He put on some casual clothes and opened the door and went into his room to hang the suit.

"Guys, I think I'm going to go for a walk and think for a while," Sora scratched the back of his head habitually as he returned to the living room.

"Not gettin' cold feet, are ya?" Tidus elbowed Sora in the side.

He put up another smile--the same goofy smile he'd been putting up for everyone during the past two weeks, "Nah, just you know, I need time to think . . ."

Wakka pulled Tidus by the ear towards the exit of Sora and Kairi's home, "Yeah man--it's cool."

Tidus pushed off his elder companion, "Stop by my house after you're done thinking, alright?"

"OK," replied Sora as he waved at his friends who lingered for a moment by the threshold and then disappeared, talking and debating on their way out.

He meandered to the couch, letting his knees bend and his body fall to the cushions. Sora peered at the window and then laid on the couch. Here he was again, back at square one. Wait, he never really left square one, did he? Or maybe he moved onto square two but then Naminé entered and pushed him back to square one. Sora sighed, love should've have to be compared to a board game.

How could his childhood friend of so long seduce him. Seduce him then leave him with such a decision that seemed impossible to determine. Then finally when Sora made his selection Riku left. He left so abruptly. So soon.

Sora wiped the little droplet that he believed to have magically formed one his cheek--he wouldn't shed a single tear over this!

He rummaged through his soul and collected all the inspiration to go outside and see daylight one last time as a boy. He got up and miserably placed on his flip-flops, opening the door and squinting his eyes at the after noon sun rays. Sora walked down the smooth concrete path that easily led to the shore in a matter of ten minutes or so.

The sea breeze calmed his nerves a bit and he didn't mind the sand that got caught in between his toes, if anything that was just soothing. Sora found a nice broken dock to sit on and watched as ships sailed over the smooth waves. He looked over the broad shoreline and noticed a couple in the distance.

That distinct pale skin. Surely it was Riku.

The girl was definitely Naminé, it was hard to see such pure blonde hair like that around the islands. Sunlight usually tainted everyone's hair. Sora's presence went unnoticed as Naminé scampered into the small waves on the shore, splashing through them and beaming at Riku who seemed equally happy even with such a small smile.

A stranger already provoking a smile from Riku? It can't be true.

Sora stayed hidden behind the dock, his eyes still quite fixated on the two as they traversed down the beach. It seemed Naminé's charm was already wooing Riku . . . how could that be?

By now Sora could possibly be in their range of sight but before the two could get a better view Naminé took a seat. Relieved that this bought him more time to spy Sora kept watching, free of guilt. Riku sat beside her, a fairly close distance near her and Naminé pulled out a sketch book from a small bag.

Sora watched Riku watch Naminé who watched the setting sun before her, making a rough sketch in hopes to make an oil painting of it later. The couple stayed very silent for a while and once the last traces of the sunlight sunk inevitably into the dark blue sea Naminé stood up, brushing off her dress.

Riku watched her shiver and removed his outer shirt, she declined gingerly, but Riku persisted, and she finally accepted.

Taking this walk should've cleared Sora's mind, not frustrate it more. He was in a mental headlock, or probably more so a heartlock.

He took once last glance at them as they walked off the shore, Riku's arm around her tiny shoulders in means of protection. It saddened Sora how Riku would never be able to do that to him so freely and publicly.

Once he believed the coast was clear he started back home, his gaze focused on the ground the entire time. Sora should've realized this sooner, even Riku has to have some attraction to girls--and Sora couldn't compete with a girl, especially a girl as pretty and enchanting as Naminé.

He finally took his eyes off the ground once he reached the front gate of his home and smiled at the expectant Kairi grinning at him at the front door.

"I cooked your favorite tonight," she gestured for Sora to come in.

The smell of his favorite food was inviting and Kairi's sweet affections were enough to put him into a temporary euphoria, "Really?" Sora asked, hastily going to the dinner table.

"Yep, eat up cause we've got a big day tomorrow," she said in almost a maternal tone as she pulled out the chair for Sora to sit on.

Sora took a seat and began to dig in, "Shish ish gewd," he said with a mouthful of pot roast.

She smiled warmly and began to cut into her own meal, "I'm glad you like it."

For a while the both of them indulged in dinner table conversation. Everyday Kairi and Sora would do this, it was daily and routine, and was just as important as brushing your teeth in the morning when you wake up and at night before you go to sleep.

"And so--Selphie almost pushed over the entire stack of books," Kairi story finished with an eruption of giggles.

Sora laughed in response, it seemed that Kairi's last arrangements for the day had went smoothly.

He enjoyed their talk today, more than the ones they've had in the past but unfortunately whenever the lulls sneakily crept after some talk he'd fall back into depressed state. Kairi took notice of this.

"Hey Sora, what's the matter?" she asked, her head tilted.

"N-nothing!" Sora answered and took a bite of roast.

"Are you sure?" she asked, ". . . it's not cold feet?" she asked meekly and nervously.

"No, never!" Sora declared.

"Good," Kairi's own fear died inside her.

Sora then decided to talk a little of his own day to keep and enhance the joy on Kairi's face. It worked but when he finished his plate he needed to go to bed before he told the unnecessary parts of his day. The part of the day that would probably show off his despair.

"Mm, I full," Sora patted his stomach and pushed his plate forward but in all honesty he could've gone for second's.

Kairi was pretty astonished, "Full already?" very unusual of Sora, considering his perpetual love for pot roast.

"Yeah," he replied stiffly, "I kinda just want to put some pajamas on and go to bed."

Kairi nodded, that was pretty understandable, rest before the big day is always a good idea, "Well, alright."

Sora kissed Kairi lightly on the lips and cleaned his plate in the sink before he went into his bedroom to change. Once he accomplished the nightly routine he laid down on the bed, overhearing faint laughs of Kairi down the hall. She must've been talking on the phone with Selphie.

He rolled over onto his side and looked through the windows that exposed the starry night. Sora then turned his back to the window, refusing to look at the moon that reminded him of Riku. Sleep wasn't too welcoming tonight.

Sora did however manage to fall asleep before Kairi crawled into bed.

The dreams once again had contaminated his mind.

It was nighttime in the dream. The lights were unusually dim on the island since it was a summer night. Sora wandered over the familiar streets, looking through the windows, most of them revealing familiar faces. No one ever noticed him staring into their homes and all of them were enjoying themselves some way or another. He took in a breath upon arrival at Riku's new home.

There he was on the balcony of his bedroom. His chest free from clothing, his hair a prisoner to the breeze, and his eyes as ethereal and distant as the stars in the sky.

Sora smiled and called for him but instead of Riku's welcoming gaze he received a look of repulse from him. Sora silenced himself.

Behind him came small and slender arms that wrapped around his chest and pure hair that matched his own.

Naminé stared blankly at Sora but when she attempted to speak to him her lips were seized by Riku's.

Apalled, Sora slowly walked back and his forearm was suddenly grabbed by a sobbing Kairi.

"I know Sora, I know . . ." she choked.

He opened his arms to her but she denied them.

The ground under him shattered and he fell .

Sora woke up and saw the stars through the window. Kairi slept beside him. He threw off the bed sheets and walked towards the window.

He didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

A/N: OK, so looks like we're just about wrapping it up. Expect this to be done before May, I swear. I'm determined to finish this guys, give me some support!

Disclaimer: NO NO NO NO I DON'T OWN KINGDOM HEARTS . . . but I'm definitely pumped for Kingdom Hearts 2.