One more hit. One more hit.

One. More. Hit.

One more hit one more hit one more hit one more hit one more hit onemore hit onemorehit onemorehitonemorehitonemoreHITONEMOREHITONEMOREHITONEMOREHI–

"AQUA!"

"Dammit!" The "Game Over" screen flashes once more across my screen. It's just taunting me at this point!

"Young lady, how many times have I called your name?!" Mom stands in the kitchen doorway with her hands on her hips.

"I didn't hear you!" I…admittedly whine.

"You get so caught up in these garbage video games and waste so much of your time playing them! And if you're not doing that, you go around dilly-dallying at the gym! How about you use that energy on something productive – like helping me around the house? Hm?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I groan. But damn, she really couldn't have waited for another minute?! Two hours and I finally had Gilgamesh right where I wanted him! I just needed to counterstrike and –

"Aqua, are you paying attention?!"

"What do you need me to do, Mom?" I sigh.

"Turning off your PlayPlus would be a good place to start," she chides, her foot now tapping against the hardwood floor of the living room. Begrudgingly, I get up off my prized beanbag chair to shut down the console and television before following my beloved, amazing, wonderful, tier one, best-in-the-world mother into the kitchen.

"Empty the dishwasher, please," she commands before she heads over to the oven. "I have to head out soon to run my errands, so keep an eye out on the timer to take out these cookies for me. And don't eat any of them."

"What're they for?" I ask, cranking open the dishwasher. The marble tiles feel cold against the soles of my feet, and the fresh aroma of dish detergent floods my nostrils.

"It's your first day of volunteering today, isn't it?" Oh, yeah. That's why I got up so early this morning in the first place. Well, that, and I really wanted to kick Gilgamesh's ass…Anyway, I have to leave in about a half hour. "I thought it might be nice to send some cookies for your friends and those kids you'll be taking care of."

"Oh, thanks, Mom." She didn't have to do that!

Well, I did say she was my beloved, amazing, wonderful, tier one, best-in-the-world mother, didn't I?

"And you found a ride to get there?" she prods. The plates clink together as I pile them up on the countertop.

"Yeah, Sora offered to carpool," I explain, reaching to open up one of the cabinets to stow the plates away into.

"Good. I know it would be easier for you to drive yourself, but I do need the car during the day."

"It shouldn't be too much of an issue." I bend back over to begin retrieving the cutlery. "A lot of my other friends are volunteering there, too, so I'm sure I can always hitch a ride with one of them."

"And who's leading this program again?"

Blegh.

"Sora's older brother, Terra," I involuntarily groan as I yank open a drawer to put the silverware into. Thankfully, it doesn't seem like Mom notices my disdain.

"Oh, I've heard good things about him." Great. "Very mature, responsible. Hopefully, that'll keep you in check."

"I'll be fine, Mom." She does realize I have a public image to keep up, right? I know I can't be a lazy sack of shit outside the house!

"And do you know what you'll be doing there?"

"Not yet. They'll let us know day by day, but it's going to be either sports, outdoorsy fieldtrips, or art lessons and activities. They'll probably toss me around between those based on where they need people."

"Well, I hope you have fun," Mom concludes. She slings her purse over her shoulder, and her keys jangle in her hand. "I'm going to head out. Remember to keep your eyes on those cookies for me!"

"Yeah, yeah, I will," I reassure her. I close the cutlery drawer and begin working on the rest of the dishes. "See you later, Mom."

"Tell Sora to drive safe! I'll pick you up when you get off!" And with that, she's off. I hear the front door click shut just as I finish unloading the dishwasher, which creaks as I close it. The oven timer's got about ten minutes left on it. I could try to go back and settle my score with Gilgamesh…

…Nah, I'll get too caught up. I should start getting ready, Sora'll be here soon.

And then I'll have to see…Terra…

Ugh.

To be honest, there's nothing wrong with the guy. Apart from our first unfortunate encounter, when he caught Kairi and me fooling around on our phones making our beautiful facial expressions for selfies, I didn't really have any problems with him. And I'll admit, I was the one who was being out of line then, anyway. But I digress; the guy was straightforward and to the point, and like Mom said, he seemed pretty responsible when he was giving us his spiel.

His face just pisses me off.

Like, seriously, of all the people in the world he had to look like, it has to be Zack?! The biggest reason I wanted to do this in the first place was to distract myself from thinking about that jerk! What did I do to deserve the cosmos taking a dump on me like this?!

I guess it is what it is, though. I've already committed to the program, so I'll just have to put up with it for the time being. And I can't deny, this guy is better looking…like way better-looking. Maybe being around him enough will just end up desensitizing me?

One can only hope.

'We're here girlie! :3'

Kairi texted me…right on time? What timeline is this!? I just barely finished getting ready, too!

'Who r u and what have u done with Kairi?' I message back.

'😝' is her response. Well, considering she's here with Sora, it makes some sense. He probably doesn't want to disappoint his older brother by being late on our first day. I should probably stop dawdling and meet them outside.

'Be right there' I respond. I scoop up the platter of fresh-baked cookies from the kitchen counter, making sure the aluminum foil is covering them properly. Man, do they smell good! Mom really went HAM – there were three baking sheets worth in there, too! I'm definitely going to have to hide these from Ven when I get there, though…

He will eat the whole entire thing if he's not stopped.

Anyway, shoes, shoes, shoes…hm, sneakers should do, just in case I get involved in sports today. And my keys…ah, here they are! I should be all set to go.

The sweltering summer warmth seems to slap me right in the face the moment I get out of the house. It should be a crime for the sun to be beaming this hard this early in the day! Heat waves are already radiating off the asphalt! Well, at least we have air conditioning in this modern era. Hopefully the one in Sora's car is working today; I know it's busted half the time.

I take care to lock the front door behind me, before turning around to see…not Sora's car? Instead of the familiar old, rickety blue vehicle, there's a bright, sparkly engine red SUV parked in my driveway.

…AND WHY THE HELL IS TERRA DRIVING IT!?

There's no way this man is at my house! Nuh-uh! That is definitely not his stupid Zack-like face behind the windshield! The heat is just making me see things! Mirages are a thing when it's this hot, right?

M-maybe Sora took some steroids and got a new haircut? Yeah, that's definitely gotta be it! And he also got a new car! Maybe some plastic surgery, too? It makes sense with that he's able to do that with all the money he's been making working…at a…diner…

Shit, shit, shit, we're making eye contact! Oh, God, act natural, Aqua, act natural!

"There ya are, Aqua!" a very welcome, familiar voice rings. It's none other than Kairi, who's leaning her head out of the backseat window, auburn hair and all. "What're you standing around for? Get in here!"

Alright, Aqua, you can do this. Keep your eyes on the ground, and hold on to those cookies. Just lift your foot…Good, good! And now put it back down on the ground…Yes! You took your first step! Now do that again with your other foot! Yes, yes! You're doing amazing, sweetie! Now just keep that up…

It feels like an eternity, but I finally make it to the backseat passenger door. Kairi swings it open for me before I can even reach my hand out to grab the handle.

"Hey Aqua!" Sora cheerily waves. He's sitting back here, too!?

"Oh, hey, guys!" I respond, sliding into my seat.

"You okay, Aqua?" asks Kairi over the thumping noise the door makes as I shut it. "You looked kinda dazed for a second out there!"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" Come up with an excuse – I obviously can't say it was Terra's stupid face distracting me! And I'm sitting right behind him! Why?! "…I just got confused when I saw the car, is all!"

"Did Sora forget to mention that we were all carpooling together?" a husky, more feminine voice sounds from the front. I look up to see none other than Sora's older sister, Amaya, who's sitting shotgun.

Looks like this is a family affair, huh?

"Huh, I thought I did…though I guess I didn't mention who was gonna be driving." He rubs the back of his neck apologetically. "Sorry, Aqua!"

"Not like she would've recognized my car, anyway." That voice belongs to Terra. I see him eyeing me through the rearview mirror. "Anyway, buckle up so we can get going."

I do as he says. Once my seatbelt clicks into place, he begins backing up. I make sure to look out the window while he's got his head turned around to see behind him.

…Like, is any of this for real, or not?

"Ooh, Aqua, did you make cookies or something?" Kairi asks excitedly once we're on the road, noticing the giant platter in my lap. "It smells incredible!"

"I wish I had that talent," I chuckle. "Thank Mama Holland. She hopes there's enough for everyone."

"She's the real M.V.P.!" Sora nods.

"That's really sweet of her," Amaya agrees. "You'll have to thank her for us!"

"Will do," I affirm.

"So, Aqua," Amaya starts, "what've you been up to these days? I feel like it's been ages since I've seen you!" Well, she did graduate a year before me. We were never super close, so I haven't really kept in touch with her since then.

"Been at school all year, same as everyone else," I respond politely.

"Oh, Aqua's studying at Twilight Town," Sora cuts in.

"Oh, no way!" Amaya exclaims. "That's Ter-bear's alma mater!"

…Of freaking course it is.

I feel like the upside-down smiley face emoji.

"'Course, he graduated like thirty years ago," Sora teases.

"Don't know how three years turned into thirty all of a sudden," Terra grumbles. "So, Aqua, how are you liking it over there?"

Make that three upside-down smiley face emojis.

"I like it a lot, actually," I respond. Keep your cool, girl, keep your cool! "The town is beautiful, the people are nice, classes were good…"

"Are you still playing volleyball over there?" Amaya asks. "I remember you were on the team in high school."

Let's just talk about my whole life story!

"Yeah, I play for the university, now."

"Oh, Aqua, stop being so humble!" Kairi interjects. "The whole reason she went to TTU in the first place is 'cause she got recruited, and she was made a starter freshman year! And you guys made it to the semi-finals in the playoffs, too, right?!"

"Y-yeah…"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Amaya says. "I don't know how you guys do it, keeping up with sports and academics. I'd explode!"

"Just good time management, I guess," I shrug. Trying to balance all that during the season was definitely a pain. I barely even want to think back to those sleepless nights where I'd be cramming, only to fall asleep while I was running on the treadmill for practice…I had some bruises with some interesting stories behind them, is all I'll say on that. Anyway, to change subjects…Oh, I got it! "Riku really helped guide me through the process, since he's there on an academic scholarship, too."

Let the wing-womaning commence!

"Oh, yeah, my boy Riku!"…Unfortunately, Amaya's not the one to say it. Is this guy just going to ruin everything?! "Sora, where the hell's he been at?" Terra asks.

"He's still there taking some extra summer classes," Sora explains. "He'll be back in a few weeks."

"Make sure to tell him that I'll need him to help out with the sports program if he's got the time. He'd be really useful to have around."

It makes sense. Riku's a star athlete in his own right; he was on a bunch of different sports teams in high school, and was able to work his way up to starting fielder on the university blitzball team his freshman year. He could even go pro after next year if he really wants to, though he's still not a hundred percent certain if that's what he wants to pursue.

Hell, even Sora could have pursued that path if he wanted to. He had scouts all over him, and he even had some pretty amazing scholarship offers. Ultimately, he decided being with Kairi was the most important thing, so he stayed behind here.

OTP.

"Oh, I'm sure Riku wouldn't mind helping you guys out," Sora reassures Terra, though his gaze is directed towards his oblivious older sister, who's now got her green eyes glued to her phone.

"Oh, God, Amaya, you're texting and smiling again," Terra groans once he notices. "Who is he?"

"Someone," she responds coyly.

"Not that black-haired boy-band-leader-looking punk I saw you with the other day, is it?"

"Hey, be nice!" Amaya retorts. "Noct was kind enough to offer to volunteer in a couple of weeks, too, so you should be grateful. We need all the assistance we can get."

"Is he coming to actually help? 'Cause I don't need someone who's going to stand around gawking."

"As long as you don't go all grizzly bear mode on him like you do with any guy I like," Amaya pouts.

"Oof," I hear Kairi mutter under her breath.

Terra just sighs. "…Hey, why do the three of you have you have your hands over your chests like that?" he asks, observing us in the backseat from the rearview mirror.

"We're just mourning the loss of Riku's hopes and dreams," Sora explains solemnly.

Terra just rolls his eyes. The silence is only interrupted by the humming of the wind against the windows, and the fervent tapping sound of Amaya's fingers as she continues to pound away at her phone.

"Ugh, do we really have to get out there?" Kairi moans as Terra finally shifts the gear to park the car. "I'm not ready to melt in the heat again."

"You're welcome to stay in the car if you prefer death by greenhouse effect," Terra apathetically responds, undoing his seatbelt. Kairi huffs as the rest of us sift around, getting ready to brace the sun's wrathful scorn.

"It'll only be a couple of seconds, babe," Sora reassures. He unlocks the door on his side and slips outside; the hot air fluxes in almost instantaneously.

"Well, it's definitely summertime," Amaya muses. Her door closes with light thud behind her.

Thankfully, it's not long before we finally reach the sliding doors to the entrance of the rec center. The five of us file in one after the other, and I can't help but relish the refreshing cold air that soothes us right as we enter. My sneakers squeak against the concrete floors as we make our way to the receptionists' desk, only to be greeted by…the mesmerizingly beautiful Mary Sue.

"Yer girlfriend's already got the keys, so you're all set," she addresses Terra with her unique, crackly voice.

"She's – never mind," Terra sighs, and I observe his broad shoulders slump slightly. Sora and Amaya simultaneously sneer at him. "Thanks, Mary Sue."

"Ooh, who's this girlfriend of yours, Terra?" Kairi prods once we reach the stairwell.

…I have to admit, I'm morbidly curious about this as well.

"She is not my girlfriend," he laments.

"I'd date Tifa in a heartbeat," Amaya giggles, poking at her older brother's back.

Low key? I would, too to be honest.

"Go ahead and ask her out, then," Terra retorts. "Then maybe people'll get off my back and stop assuming we're together all the time. Besides, I'd rather you with her than that pretty boy, anyway." The two of them continue to bicker back and forth until we finally make it to the third floor. Amaya holds it open and allows the rest of us to go inside before she follows.

"'Bout time!" chimes an intense-sounding voice. And there's Tifa in the flesh, standing with her arms crossed, ruby eyes squinted at us. "I was worried you were going to be late!"

It's really not fair for one person to be that beautiful.

"Sorry, Tifa," says Terra apologetically. "As you can see, I've got quite the caravan here with me."

"Well, Naminé and the rest of the volunteers are here. Let's not keep them waiting." With that, she marches down the hallway, and we have no choice but to follow her. We scuffle into a long conference room, with an elongated table smack in the center. Seated at the end of it, I see Naminé, Ven, Roxas, and that red-headed guy I met at the orientation…Lea, I think?

"Yo!" Roxas greets. The other three wave as we all get settled in the clunky metal chairs. I situate myself between Ven and Kairi.

"Psst," Ven prods, poking my shoulder.

"Not 'til the end of the day!" I whisper-yell back, throwing myself around the cookie platter to guard it. Ven pouts disappointedly as he slouches back into his seat.

"So, looks like everyone's here," Tifa observes.

"Wait, is this all the volunteers we have?" Amaya asks exasperatedly.

"There weren't too many people available for today," Terra, the only person who's still standing up, calmly explains. I look around the room; including me, there are six volunteers present. "Don't worry, though. The first day usually isn't too crazy. Most kids don't start coming 'til next week. Even Haru won't start 'til then." Ah, Sora's little sister.

"And are we going to be equipped to handle them?" This time, Naminé is the one to ask.

"Some days will be better than others," Terra admits. "But we'll worry about that when we get there. Anyway, let's split these guys up. Tifa, you have the list, right?"

"Right. So, Amaya and Naminé, you guys will be leading arts in studio 104 on the fourth floor. You'll have Lea, Kairi, and Aqua – "

"No, let's change that," Terra cuts in. Tifa shoots him a confused look.

"Can I switch with someone?" Roxas inquires. Lea audibly snorts at this, and the reason is pretty obvious – everyone can see him grasping Naminé's hand under the table. I'd take him up on the offer, but I think I've just about reached my limit for how much Terra I can handle at once. This break will be welcome.

"You can switch with me!" Kairi volunteers. "Then I can be with Sora." She squeezes his arm with hers, which he doesn't seem to mind at all.

"This is a summer recreational program for kids, not Connubial Island," Terra snaps back. I can hear Kairi and Roxas grumbling under their breaths. "No, let's change it to Lea, Kairi, and Ven for art. Sora, Roxas, and Aqua, you'll be with Tifa and me for sports."

…Huh?

"I like that," Tifa agrees. "It'll be less of a sausage hut."

…I repeat: Huh?!

"Fine by me," says Lea, who's leaning back in his chair, examining his fingernails. "I'd rather not get all sweaty. It's already hot as balls out there as it is."

"Terra, don't you love me anymore?!" Ven dramatically exclaims, slamming his hands on the table. He doesn't seem to pay him any mind as he looks through some more sheets of paper, which causes Ven to sulk.

"Um, if Ven really wants to do sports, I don't mind," I finally bring myself to say. Anything, anything to get myself out of this!

"We'll be shuffling you guys around," Terra responds. "Just because you're stuck with one activity today doesn't mean you can't help out with the other side the next time you're here. We're keeping the honeymooners separate, and having you with us helps the gender ratio, like Tifa pointed out."

"Why'd you wait 'til now to make the change, then?" Kairi inquires, disappointment still evident in her tone.

"Wasn't aware that we had a female star athlete on our hands," Terra shrugs indifferently as he thumbs through the rest of his pages.

If I throw myself out a window from this floor and shatter every bone in my body, I probably can't be an athlete at all anymore – right?

"So, this is how it's going to work," Tifa starts, "You kids will be here with us until lunch time. At that point, we'll all move to the big cafeteria on the second floor, so you can hang out with all your friends regardless of what group they're in and grab something to eat. After lunch, you guys will move over to the fourth floor for your art activities, and the kids who have art in the morning will come down here. Any questions?"

Of the approximately 30 middle-school aged kids seated on the parquet floor of the rec center's gym, not a single hand is raised.

"Good," Tifa nods. "Now, I'm just going to go over some logistical stuff with you all…"

"The only reason I agreed to do this in the first place was to spend time with Naminé," Roxas grumbles under his breath. He, Sora, and I are seated on the bleachers while we watch Terra and Tifa review program details and housekeeping stuff with the kids. "Now you're telling me that just because he knows about our relationship, we can't see each other at all?"

At least I only have to look at the back of his annoying Zack-like head from this angle.

"You'll get to see her in the mornings and at lunch time," Sora reassures. Always the optimist, this boy.

"You're so chill about this. Aren't you mad you don't get to spend time with Kairi?"

"We practically live together at this point," Sora shrugs, though there's a good-natured grin that appears on his face. "Besides, I knew going into this how…by the book my bro can be."

"Well, tell him to loosen up a little bit," Roxas concludes.

"He probably will as time goes on. It's his first time directing the summer program, too, so he's probably just being a little extra cautious right now."

"Hrm. Remember when old man Cid used to lead this thing? Those were the days."

"Yeah, Cid didn't really give a shit what we did," I muse, thinking back to the time when we would spend our summers here.

We practically ran the program ourselves back then.

"Probably 'cause he was too close to retirement to care," Sora chuckles. "Terra's been working pretty hard at this – to help revamp the program and make it a little more organized, so I can't blame him for being a little uptight about it. I won't be here too often because of my job, so I'll just tell you guys now to try and please be patient with him while he figures it all out. It's like Amaya always says: he might look and act like a grizzly bear, but underneath it all he's actually just a giant stuffed teddy bear."

So if I ever find myself punching him, it'll just be stuffing that falls out, right?

"For your sake," Roxas sighs, swinging an arm around Sora's shoulders. "Though, to be honest, even then I don't know if I'll be able to deal. Ven's got this weird crush on him. Hasn't stopped talking about him all weekend, since orientation."

"Why?" I ask wearily.

I don't know if I'll be able to cope with it, either, if that's the case. When that boy is obsessed with something…he's obsessed with that thing. Or, person, in this case.

"He's just so cool, Roxas!" Roxas exclaims softly, imitating Ven's signature über enthusiastic tone. His shoulders drop once more. "Now I'm just gonna have to hear him complain about getting shafted to arts today. If only we were allowed to switch with each other! It would solve all of our problems."

"Are you guys forgetting the fact that you're identical twins?" I suggest. "Just wear the same outfit next time. Then, no one'll be able to tell the difference, and you guys can switch rooms."

Damn, am I jealous that I don't have the means to follow my own incredible advice right now…

Roxas' eyes widen at the implication. "You are on to something, Blue – "

"And behind me are our three wonderful volunteers for today!" The three of us simultaneously perk up once Tifa turns to introduce us. "They'll be here to help keep an eye on you all, as well as lead extra activities, so you'll all have a few different options as to what you'll be able to do every day."

"Introduce yourselves, guys," Za – I mean, Terra commands us.

I hate this so much.

"Hey, guys, I'm Aqua!" I introduce myself jovially.

"Sora, here!"

"Roxas."

"Great!" Tifa concludes. "Now we're going to keep it pretty light for the beginning, and start off with some ice breakers so we can get to know each other. Let's get started!" She intimates for us to come off the bleachers and join them center stage.

I notice Terra shift over to the a bit while we all get situated. He begins tugging down on the zipper of his tracksuit jacket, which he then tosses on to a table on the side, before coming over to stand…right…next to…me…

It should be illegal for someone's arms to look that good under a soccer jersey!

This is really panning out to be the longest day of my life, isn't it?

Update: not the longest day of my life, but it was up there.

After icebreakers, Tifa and I were able to take some girls over to the basketball courts and play over there, and the guys – including Terra – stayed back and did some other stuff. Lunch was uneventful for the most part. Kairi and Naminé sounded like they were having fun with arts so far, and even Ven was coming around to it. After lunch, we switched groups of kids, and it was pretty much a rinse and repeat of what we'd done with the morning kids.

I came out of it alive and my mental health is generally intact. I'm definitely living the dream.

"Alright, kids, you're all free to go!" Terra announces. They all eagerly run to grab their belongings lined up against the back wall.

"We gonna get some of those cookies of yours, Aqua?" Sora pokes me.

"Oh, right!" I hastily jump up the bleachers to grab my – yep, untouched platter.

"Eh, how about not telling them and we can have it all to ourselves?" Roxas asks once I make my way back down towards them.

I mean, he does make a good point.

"Guys, Aqua has some cookies over here, so be sure to grab one on your way out!"

Does that man really have to foil every one of our plans today?!

Before I know it, there's a stampede of eleven to fourteen-year-olds thumping up and down the parquet floor, coming my way! If it weren't for Sora and Roxas standing in their way, I think I'd be playing Mufasa right now.

It'll always be too soon for that joke, huh?

"Alright, alright, line up!" I hear Sora say as I remove the aluminum foil covering the dish.

"And only one per person," Roxas emphasizes. The dust seems to settle as the kids do exactly as they say, and everything goes pretty smoothly. By the time they've all gotten one, there's still about half the platter left!

Mom really wasn't playing around.

"Wow, there's tons!" Sora observes. "How many should I take?!"

"Still one," I chide. "Still need to give them to the kids in art!" He sighs before reaching in and grabbing one; Roxas does the same.

Before I head up, I should probably offer some to Tifa and…that guy. The two of them are standing next to the table in the corner, probably discussing how the day went.

"Tifa, Terra, come take some!" I offer.

"Ooh, don't mind if I do!" Tifa exclaims, excitedly jogging up towards me.

"I'll wait," Terra says indifferently. "Kids upstairs should get a crack at them first." Tifa's hand hovers over the platter before she, too, halts. A disappointed expression mars her face.

"Yeah, take 'em upstairs first," she says in a small voice.

Baby, please, let me feed you all the cookies and give you all the joy in the world you could possibly want!

I mean –

"Alright, I'll try to save one for you!" I respond with a wink. Tifa gives me a pat on the shoulder before I start on my way out with Roxas and Sora.

"Not too bad after all, for our first day," Roxas says between chews once we get back into the stairwell. The heavy sounds of our steps seem to echo in here. "I had fun. Think the kids did, too."

"For sure!" Sora agrees. "I'm kind of jealous you guys get to come here more often than I'll be able to. I'd love to be able to play kickball all day."

"How was the girls' side of things?" Roxas asks me.

"It was great!" I respond honestly. "Tifa and I split them up into two teams, and we got pretty competitive. Made me miss being back on the team at school!"

"Almost like practice for your new season," Sora winks. He grabs for the door to the lobby, and holds it open for us. We're met with a swarm of children who're waiting for their parents to pick them up in the lobby,

"Smells like teen spirit," Roxas observes, pinching his nose.

"We're still teenagers, too," Sora laughs. He scans the room, before finally seeming to spot someone. "Hey, Naminé!" he calls out. She's standing right at the edge of the crowd with one of the younger girls, admiring a sketchpad drawing she's presenting to her. Once she hears Sora's voice, she looks over at us, before asking the girl's permission to come our way.

"You called me?" Naminé asks in her silvery voice, approaching us.

"Hey babe!" Roxas says excitedly, slinging an arm around her. I notice her lean into him slightly.

"Nam," Sora starts, "you mind calling the kids who were in your class over? I don't quite remember who's who, but Aqua's got a first day treat for all of them!"

"Oh, sure!" We do the same song and dance; the announcement is made, kids rush over, and we instruct them to calmly line up and take one at a time. By the time everyone's gotten one, most of the kids are also ready to get picked up, and the lobby decongests itself rather quickly.

"I think I have just enough left for everyone else," I say as I look through the platter. "Go for it, Naminé!"

"Thank you!" she says appreciatively.

"Is it that time of day?!" Ven excitedly hurries over towards me. Lea casually follows behind him, arms folded behind his head.

"Yeah, but the rule is still one per person," I retort.

"I'll take the leftover crumbs, then," he pouts, reaching in.

"So, Lea, you actually made it through the day without trying to burn the building down?" Roxas asks from behind me.

"None of the kids have pissed me off enough…yet," he shrugs, grabbing a cookie for himself. "We'll wait and see."

"Let's try not to do that," says a rather nervous voice, which I recognize belongs to Amaya. She and Kairi are coming over to our group, too.

"Well, we did survive one day," Kairi teases. "That's an accomplishment and a half already."

"Takes a redhead to know one," Lea smirks.

Everyone here's gotten their portions now, and there's exactly two left. The perfect amount. It's the perfect timing, too, when the stairwell door swings open behind us.

"Great work today, everyone," Tifa greets us. "You guys were all such a big help! We really couldn't have done it without you!"

"Yeah, great job, guys." Terra, while not as enthusiastic, sounds sincere about it.

"Most importantly, are there any cookies left?!" Tifa inquires excitedly, eyeing me.

"Yep!" I smile as I present it to my queen. "Here you go!"

"Officially my favorite volunteer! You all need to get on her level." She wastes no time biting in. "Oh, these are amazing, Terra! You have to try it!"

So the cosmos have called me to serve both the queen and the devil, huh?

…Okay, fine, I'm being overdramatic. He's really not the worst. I just need to get over myself.

"You take one?" he asks…me?

"They're for you guys," I respond, holding them out to him. "I – or my mom – can always make more where this came from."

"Alright, then," he shrugs, finally taking one. "Thanks." And then, he shoots me with the most goddamned handsome smile I have ever seen, and I, foolishly forgetting to keep up my bulletproof shield, feel my insides beginning to melt as I start plummeting into the deepest pit of "I hate myself" there is.

I'm in for one hell of a long summer, aren't I?

A/N: Oh goodness remember when I said I'd update this before going back to school...3 and a half years ago? Big L on my end. Oh well.

I've been in a huge TerQua mood lately, and I am trying to come back to this site, so I do hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Of course, TerQua-ness hasn't started yet, but...we'll get there :)

Sorry not sorry about my OC. If you don't like it, just replace the name with whatever canon character you want it to be. That's how I get through Riku/Xion fics. *shrugs*

I do have three stories ongoing right now, which I will be focusing on. If there's one in particular you'd rather I update even more regularly, please fill out the poll on my profile to let me know which one you'd like me to pick up!

And as always, please let me know your thoughts in a review! I know it's been a little while, so my writing style's changed a bit since the first two chapters - I may go back and edit those to make it more consistent, but we'll see.

Thank you so much to Painted with a Palette, SoraxKairi7, s0rahikari, laindessiel, miano53, and my guests for your reviews and support on the last chapters!