Author's Note: Basically? It's right after Edward (though Sora in this) saves Bella (Kairi) from those guys in Port Angeles-when she's already figured out he's a vampire and a mind reader, though they haven't had that conversation yet-and before they go to dinner in Port Angeles (which actually doesn't happen in this fic, for reasons I'll explain in a minute).

Also, I went with the "Life and Death" version of the Port Angeles scene. No one was trying to rape Kairi here-thank God-but rather when she got dropped off at Forks in the beginning of the book, she saw something shady going on with these guys at the airport. And in Port Angeles, she runs into those same guys from before, who want to kill her because they remember her from that day and think she was a witness to the event.

I also changed some of the Twilight vampire lore here. I'm having Sora be able to blush, as human blood lingers in his tissues. I'm also making him less strong, so that he thinks getting into a car accident-if the car blew up and there was fire, that is-could actually kill him.

And I tried to give Kairi a tiny bit more agency here-as Bella (who I do love. Don't get me wrong)-by having her drive some, and Sora actually appreciating her driving and whatnot. IDK.

But anyway, I've rambled enough. Here's the story.

Kairi's PoV

"Have you always been so... empathetic, as to understand everyone's emotions the way you do? I mean, not to be mean, but you seem a bit staggered around me... so I feel there has to be something going on to make you to be so intuitive around everyone else," Kairi said, in trying to get the boy beside her, Sora—who she knew was a vampire—to admit that he was that… as well as a mind reader.

Sora gripped the steering wheel a little harder at Kairi's words and blushed—the only indication he gave to Kairi at all, that what she was asking somewhat bothered him. But then he was so calm and pleasant when he faced her afterwards—as he always was—that Kairi had to wonder if she'd imagined his discomfort. "…O- of course I'm not that suave around you, Kairi. I- I like you, so it makes me feel nervous... So I'm sorry if I maybe seem less poised with you, that way, than I do with other people. …But you really think I'm that good with others? I don't."

Well, now it was Kairi's turn to flush and feel a bit nervous, wasn't it? Kairi sent a small smile Sora's way, trying to show him that she liked him, too… Though she was irritated that he was trying to lie to her about his abilities now …

But she also understand what insecurities he might have that could drive him to do so. So as gently as she could, Kairi leaned ever closer to Sora and gently put a hand atop his. "Sora, I- I know that you're a vampire, okay? And that you can read minds… except for probably mine. it's okay. You can- you can tell me all about it."

…Aaaaaaaaaand Sora nearly drove them off a bridge at Kairi's words—something that almost made her regret she'd ever said a thing. Almost.—but he regained control of the vehicle again, fast… and Kairi found herself falling even more in love, as Sora saved her life once again.

"Wh- what? Why would you even say that, Kairi? Of course I'm not! Now, let's stop thinking about ridiculous things and join Selphie and Naminé for dinner, shall we? Ehehehe." But it was clear by the edge in Sora's voice—and how he was speaking in a pitch much higher than Kairi had ever heard from him before—that she had stumbled upon the truth.

The redhead shivered as that information really hit her. Yes, she knew for a fact that Sora would never hurt her—she could just feel it in her heart; and more than anything, he'd been helping her lately. Hadn't he?—but it was still something else, to have the information that Seifer had eluded at proved to be true.

And seeming to realize the jig was up, Sora gave up the front of acting like Kairi was wrong, and slumped in the driver's seat as he let out one great big sigh. "Kairi, I- I'm sorry. You must be scared right now—and you have every right to be!—I- I wanted to keep you from danger as much as I could. But I was kidding myself in thinking anything's more a threat to you than I am. Here: I'll drop you off with your friends and then I'll leave your life forever."

But all of that was the opposite of what Kairi wanted!

And while Sora may have been doubting himself here, Kairi knew the kind of heart he bore. Sora was so good to everyone! His siblings, for example, that Kairi got to witness him being amazing to on a daily basis… He was there for her for sure, in saving her both from that van and those guys who had just recognized her from the airport…

And even when Kairi had been pushing Sora into telling her what was going on with his powers, he'd only ever been sweet to her… even while he pushed her away, sometimes literally (though always gently).

And he'd also signed himself up to go on a date with anyone who would pay a lot of money to charity for his being their date… even if he'd clearly hated the idea of going out with Larxene.

Sora was kind through and through, and Kairi just wished that he would see that!

"Sora, why don't you- why don't you let me drive? You seem too emotionally spent to do so yourself right now—and that's my fault, and I apologize for it—but we both want to get home safely, right?"

And wordlessly, Sora acquiesced to Kairi's request. He pulled over somewhere—something that Kairi knew should have been terrifying her, but wasn't—and then switched seats with her.

Then, when Kairi was driving and they were fully back on the road, Sora leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes and smiled… He seemed to be liking her driving. Maybe he'd actually gotten tired of driving so fast, but hadn't realized so until now?

"Sora, I want you to know I'm not afraid of you," Kairi told her dear friend—though how she wished he was more—as she tried her best to focus on the jerk driver behind her who wanted to rear end her, and not on the fact that she was really laying her heart out on the line here. "And no, before you protest… I don't think that's me being stupid, or anything else. If it was anyone else- a vampire who really seemed to want me dead, for instance, I'd be running for the hills right now.

"But you- if anything, you're the opposite of that. And I want you to know how much I appreciate that: how you seem to fight tooth and nail against your very nature to be able to be someone to write home about. It's like how I went against what I want—who I really am—in moving here for my mom's sake, not my own… But you're probably more selfless than I even am, because you don't complain every second about the choice that you've made. But I- I do."

Kairi thought Sora would protest some of her self-loathing words here, because, if nothing else… their encounters together had told her that Sora thought she was pretty unselfish and special in that way.

But Kairi right now was trying to show Sora, that… really, he was a lot like her. And that they were two outcasts together in this world. And maybe that could mean something for them.

And Sora seemed to latch onto that, and chose not to dispel the image she had created: something she would be thankful for later.

"Kairi?" Sora asked now, as he opened one beautiful eye and peered at Kairi with it, as if she were the most beautiful thing in the world. "Do you- do you mind if we ditch your friends and go to a candy store or something? I swear I'll tell you everything you want to know there."

"I'd very much like that, Sora," Kairi replied bashfully, to which Sora smirked and told her she didn't have to be so uncertain around him—since, in his eyes, if anyone should be doubting everything they knew in this situation, it was him. But even while he said that, it was his hand that found Kairi's this time.

Author's Note: So, like I said, they don't actually go out to dinner in this. Why? Because having the "vampire" talk happen early changed some things. And also because it's Sora and Kairi and not Edward and Bella, so they're a bit healthier. Because of Kairi's words, Sora's willing to try and trust himself to be alone with Kairi (unlike how Edward would have been)... something they both really want to be, and NOT with others right now, as they want to be a couple and give it a go. But they go to a candy shop, because Sora (like Edward) still thinks Kairi needs to eat. But he's not overly pushy about it like Edward, so he's fine with her just eating something small like candy on a date (as long as she's eating something at all. As Sora thought she'd refuse in getting food-food, since HE doesn't eat). You can see the candy shop date as the substitute for the Italian restaurant one in some ways, if you want.