Disclaimer: Blah Blah you know the drill…
(A/N): I'll save my insane rambling for the end okay?
Chapter III- First Steps"Don't worry, I'm not busy…The tree house?…Sure, I'll come."
The weather was much like the day before, beautiful with shining sun and a slight breeze, though one could see slight hints of rain clouds. It was the perfect day for Kairi to start her mission. Dressed simply in denim shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt, because she would be sitting on the ground for a bit, she was headed for the tree house on the island where the kids played everyday.
Kairi had spent most of her night planning how she would go about finding out the answers to the questions she had. After ruling out such things as spying and bribing she decided she would just settle for talking to Sora, for he was more likely to open up to her sooner or later, and watching Riku when he was around Sora, because his actions would tell her more than his words would. Besides, she knew Riku was a private person and unless it was Sora, asking him about personal business was something you just didn't do. He'd come to you when he was ready.
Once on the island Kairi noticed everyone was there, which was to be expected, and wondered if she's be able to that the privacy needed for the meeting. Chances were she would since everyone was busy with their own activities at the moment.
As she walked across the docks and made her way to the tree house she took notice of everyone's positions on the island. Selphie was burying Wakka in the sand at the beach while Tidus watched and occasionally threw something at Wakka's head, which earned a laugh from Selphie and no doubt some threats from Wakka. Riku was by himself on his island, lounging on the paopu tree while he read a book. Occasionally he would look up from his book and look at the ocean or glance around the island as though looking for someone.
The only person missing was Sora.
Duh, Kairi thought to herself. Sora had called her this morning and asked her to meet him at the tree house after she insisted he wasn't messing up her plans for the day. In fact, he was just making things easier for her. This provided the perfect opportunity for Kairi to talk to Sora about Riku. Though, she had hunch this was what this meeting was going to be about even if she didn't question him.
She climbed the ladder that led up to the tree house and as expected she found Sora there sitting in a corner waiting.
"Here as promised." Kairi said cheerfully. She smiled at Sora, but it wasn't returned. In fact, he looked pretty nervous in Kairi's opinion.
"What's up Sora?" She sat down across from him with her legs folded. She chose not to sit next to him so she could study his facial expressions as he talked. Though Riku was working with Sora to teach him to keep his expression neutral, because he claimed it would make him more difficult to read when in battle, Sora still used facial expressions quite often in conversation.
"I've been thinking." Sora whispered.
Kairi stopped him. "You don't really have to whisper you know."
Sora gave a nervous laugh before turning serious again. "Sorry. I said 'I've been thinking'. Well actually, I already knew…" He trailed off and scratched the back of his head.
Kairi raised an eyebrow. It seemed to her like he was slightly confused, but she remained patient. "Okay? Just tell me what's on your mind. Blurt it out in any way if you have to. I'll try my best to understand."
Sora leaned his head back against the wall so he could look at the 'ceiling' with its many leaves poking through the cracks. "Riku." He sighed.
This caught Kairi's attention. "What about him?" It would make her so happy, and her mission much easier, if Sora just confessed to her now. Mission aside, it would make her happy because that meant Sora trusted her enough to tell her these things. Kind of made her feel important.
"Promise you won't tell?" Sora asked.
"Sora you know me. I wouldn't tell unless you wanted me to."
"Just making sure."
Kairi nodded.
"You know that feeling you get in your stomach? I guess it's sort of like a tingly feeling…"
"Butterflies?" Kairi asked.
"Yeah, butterflies." He blushed. "When I think of Riku I get butterflies. A swarm of butterflies actually." He paused to think. "There's more too. For example, sometimes I stare, though I don't mean to—"
Kairi giggled. "Sounds like you have a crush."
"So its really that huh?" He looked disappointed. Possibly he was hoping for it to be something else other than a crush.
"You sound sad."
"I guess I am. I was hoping it wasn't true, but then again, I said I already knew." He sighed. "I have a crush on my best friend and I have no intention of telling him. A good reason to be a little sad don't you think?"
"Why not tell him?" Kairi asked. "You don't think you have a chance with him? Be a little more confident."
Sora looked at her eyes wide with surprise because she would actually suggest such a thing and for a second Kairi almost wished she never said it.
"Me with Riku?" Sora shook his head. "Probably wouldn't work out." He stood up and brushed off his shorts. "Thanks for listening Kairi."
Kairi smiled. "That's what I'm here for. Try to smile before you go to Riku." Kairi said. She ignored Sora's surprised look, he should've known that she would know where he was going. "You know he can tell when you have a problem. I'm sure you don't want him questioning you."
Sora nodded and mumbled another thanks before leaving Kairi.
Kairi sighed and moved so she could sit with her back to the wall. "What to do now?"
Next on Kairi's list was figuring out how Riku felt though that information would be useless if she couldn't convince Sora that he possibly had a chance with Riku. And if Riku decided, like Sora, that things wouldn't work out between the two of them that would be another roadblock for Kairi to try and clear. And then on top of that she'd still have to help get them together because at the rate that things were going, they wouldn't be able to do it on their own.
"How did I get myself into this?" Kairi groaned.
After speaking with Kairi, Sora made his way over to Riku though he stopped over on the beach to see what Wakka, Tidus, and Selphie were up to first. His conversation with Kairi had left him feeling a bit down, but after watching Wakka struggle to get out of the sand while Tidus threw rocks at him, his mood lightened up considerably. When he felt he could go see Riku without having his looks betray his feelings he made his way over to him. Riku was still lounging on the paopu tree, but the book he had been reading lay on the ground forgotten as Riku stared at the ocean. Even if Sora still wasn't feeling a hundred percent happy, just looking at Riku made him smile a bit.
"You shouldn't just throw your books around like that." Sora said and he picked the book up and brushed it off. "You'll ruin it."
Riku rolled his eyes. "You're about as messy as I am."
"True." He stood next to the tree and waited for Riku to move his feet so he could sit.
Riku stood up. "Sit here." When Sora sat in his seat he sat back down and lay back, resting his head in Sora's lap. "You don't mind do you?" Riku asked. The perfect position to just look up at Sora and have his glance be mistaken as him looking towards the sky.
Sora shook his head before staring straight ahead while he wished his blush away. "I don't mind." He prayed Riku couldn't see it.
"Good, because I wasn't going to move anyway."
Sora just sighed. "I owe you a hit on the head for that comment."
Riku smirked and both boys fell silent, each one consumed with their thoughts of each other, not even thinking about Kairi, who was trying not bang her head against the wall while she tried to figure out what she would do about them.
Too bad she wasn't outside to witness them sitting together huh?
(A/N): Another chapter done I feel like I accomplished something…What's that you say? I did? You're absolutely right . Next chapter will be out as soon as I stop playing with band-aids long enough to write it. So I hope this chapter was enough to satisfy you for now…Until next time. Jelz