Short chapter. Also, I might be pandering to the critics a bit here, but someone said that not enough was happening, and if there wasn't any action, there should be fluff to make up for it. Well…I was planning this anyway. So there.

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Chapter 9

Misunderstanding

"I don't think Leon would be willing to train you."

Seifer's face dropped. "Well why not?!" he spluttered. He had explained his new plan to Kairi very excitedly only a few moments ago. She had been very polite, listening quietly as he shouted excitedly about finding someone who could really teach him how to fight. It was exciting. But now she was telling him it wouldn't work? What was her deal?

"Well Leon isn't that kind of person," Kairi said hesitantly, not entirely sure why she was so certain of this. "I mean…when he met Sora, he didn't offer…and Sora really could have used the practice."

"Enough about Sora!" Seifer shouted. "I'm not him, I'm me and I'm gonna get this guy to teach me!"

With that he turned and darted up to the elevator which had by now returned to the cavern. Kairi stood motionless for a moment, unsure of how to deal with Seifer's sudden excitement. He was going to be disappointed, she knew. It was inevitable. Leon wasn't going to teach him.

"Seifer, wait!" Kairi ran after him, leaping onto the elevator just as it began to rise. "It's not a question of who you are…Leon won't train anyone."

"And why not?" Seifer placed his hands on his hips and leaned forward, putting his face right in Kairi's. "What's keeping him from teaching a promising young man a few sword tricks?" Kairi sighed and lowered her head. She wasn't sure whether she liked this new energetic Seifer. 'He's as stubborn as always, only now he's louder about it,' she thought.

"Leon is…" Kairi paused, trying to figure out exactly what Leon was anyway. "He's a busy guy." She stopped again, trying to gather exactly what it was she wanted to say. The elevator continued to rise. "He's always working on something and if he's not, he's training himself. He doesn't spare a minute of the day. He wouldn't be able to fit in the time for you." She looked back up at Seifer. He wasn't backing down. She wasn't saying the right things…

"And…and he's just not that kind of person. He's very nice but…he can't focus his attention on one person like that…he doesn't have it in him, you know?" she finished weakly.

The elevator reached the top and Merlin's empty room now surrounded them. Seifer leaned back out of Kairi's face but made no movement otherwise. He looked at her for a while, thinking. Why was she trying so hard to dissuade him from this? What was the big deal? Even if she was right, why bother arguing this much about it?

With a sigh, Seifer ran a hand through his hair. "Look," he began in exasperation. "I'm not strong enough to protect you." He grimaced and looked away from Kairi. It hurt to say it out loud like that. "And until I feel that I can protect you…well I won't be satisfied until then."

Kairi felt her face flush. Seifer wanted to protect her? She turned away from him, glad that he wasn't watching her face continue to redden. Seifer hadn't said anything like this until now.

"You alright?"

Kairi jumped. Seifer had leaned over her shoulder and was now staring at her. With a squeal, she whirled around and pushed Seifer as hard as she could.

"What hell!?" Seifer stumbled back and landed on his rear with a thud.

"Why does everyone think I need to be protected!?" Kairi yelled. Her face was beet red with embarrassment and anger. She didn't know where it was coming from. Seifer had only made her kind of uncomfortable…so then she screamed at him? What's more, she realized, she really meant it too.

"Everyone acts like I'm some kind of helpless little girl that needs to be watched over all the time because she can't take care of herself!" She felt something well up in her eyes. It was true, all of it. All her life, people had wanted to watch over her…she felt so helpless. Now here she was on her first journey to set things right all by herself and some new guy was trying to look after her?

"Why doesn't anyone think I can take care of myself!" She was crying now. "I know I've screwed up before. I got kidnapped…I got saved…but why won't anyone give me a second chance!?" Tears rolled down her face now and her body was racked with sobs. "I'm so tired of being a burden on everyone…" she whimpered through the tears.

With a start, she felt something strong grab her wrist. Through tear-filled eyes she looked up to find Seifer standing very close in front of her. He was looking down at her with an expression she didn't recognize. His chin was shaking slightly from how tightly he held his jaw. He almost seemed angry…but his emerald eyes were soft when she looked into them. She could feel his grip on her wrist tightening until it was almost uncomfortable. Her chest pounded violently as he brought his other hand up and gently brushed a finger against her cheek.

"You're not a burden." When he spoke his voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it was stern as well, like he was reprimanding her. "Now I don't know anything about this kidnapping stuff you're talking about."

Kairi could feel his breath on her face. It smelled nice.

"But if you think for a second I'm looking after you because I 'have to,' you're dead wrong."

Slowly, so slowly that neither of them noticed, Seifer's head began to dip closer toward Kairi's.

"I've got my own reasons for wanting to protect you."

Their foreheads touched and two hearts beat in thunderous union.

"And if it bothers you so much…"

Trembling, Kairi felt his lips brush against hers as he spoke. A tingle of electricity shot down her spine.

"Then…"

The last words were lost entirely as their lips met completely. For a single moment, time stood still. Seifer could feel his heart pounding in his throat so violently he thought it might leap out. Kairi's lips felt soft against his. He wondered if her eyes were closed like his were. What had he been saying before…before…this? He couldn't remember. His whole body felt stiff and cold except for his face which was burning hotter than anything he'd ever felt in his life.

Kairi's eyes were still open, wider now than before. She couldn't figure out what was happening. She had just been crying and now…she could feel his lips on hers, could see his face so close, eyes closed and eyelashes…he had nice eyelashes. Long. There weren't any bangs to get in the way of them, like Sora's.

With a shuddering thud, Kairi felt her chest pound at the memory of Sora. Her arms shot out, pushing Seifer away, wrenching her arm from his grip. She spun and stumbled and fell to the ground, landing on her hands and knees. Seifer, in shock, fell back with a crash and landed once again on his back. His body felt tense and icy, a tingle of electricity still lingered on his lips where he had…

"Oh my god…" his throat closed up as he realized what he had just done. In a panic he scrambled backwards until he reached a wall of the small house. Supported now by the building, his hands shot to his mouth, covering it as though he could make it go away. "Oh…oh shit!" he whispered hoarsely, hating himself.

Kairi had recovered somewhat and was sitting up, one hand held up with the tips of her fingers pressed against her lips. She wasn't thinking clearly. She couldn't tell if she was thinking at all. Had that really just happened? Had Seifer just…

"Oh…oh my god," Seifer was stuttering now, his face flushed with embarrassment and anger at himself. "Kairi…I, I, I am so sorry." He wanted to smash his head on the stone floor. "I don't…I didn't mean to…I just…I didn't…I am so sorry."

Kairi knew that Seifer was saying something, but she couldn't hear him. Her mind was elsewhere. She could still feel the pressure on her lips; a lingering physical memory. Gradually, her body began to explain to her what had just happened, that Seifer really had just kissed her. Even as she digested the fact for what it was, she found it difficult to think about. Just how did she really feel about all of this? She wasn't really angry…certainly surprised. How did she really feel about this? How did she feel about Seifer? It was hard to say…

What would Sora think?

In a flash, Kairi recovered from her shock. "Sora!" she gasped.

"-I didn't mean to…" Seifer stopped when he realized Kairi had just said something. She looked surprised…almost scared. And what had she just said? "Er…what?"

Kairi's hand clapped over her mouth. Despite her confusion with the whole situation…she knew that it was definitely not a good time to bring up Sora. Slowly, she removed her hands from her mouth.

"Um…well…"

There was a rustle on the far side of the room that made Kairi and Seifer both jump.

"This place sure is hard to find." A cocky voice echoed through the room. Kairi gasped. "A door that you have to cast fire on…clever." Black leather robes swished against the stone floor as a tall man walked confidently into the room. "But not such a big deal for me."

Axel smiled at Kairi through the dimly lit room. "Long time no see, Kairi. Remember me?"