Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts (II), Sora, Kairi, Riku, etc.

Author's Note: YAY!!! Here's the chapter I've been waiting to write ever since I started to write this! AND I THINK I'M GETTING FINAL FANTASY X FOR MY BIRTHDAY!!! MWA, HA, HA, HA!!! Cough. And tomorrow's Thanksgiving! Long weekend! Whoo!

Warning: Ugh… (Thinks about possible warnings) REALLY CORNY…Wait, that'll spoil it. Okay, whatever.

Quick Author Babble: I'm HYPER today!!! MWA, HA, HA, HA!!!

Chapter 17: Kiss Me

Sora watched the snow fall as he walked to Yuffie's house. Her little brother, Goofy, had invited him over. Sora genuinely liked little kids and they liked him. He'd known Goofy for about two months, and his parents thought Sora was so good with making him behave that they let him baby sit while they were away.

Sora walked up the walkway to the decidedly small, red brick house and rang the doorbell. Yuffie opened it and smiled at him.

"Oh, hi, Sora!" she chirped.

Goofy was immediately beside her, the adorable five-year-old at least five heads smaller than her.

"Hi, Sora!" he said in that strange voice of his. "Ah-yuk!"

Sora knelt down to look at him.

"Hi, Goofy," he remarked, patting him on the head.

"Why don't you two go inside?" Yuffie suggested. "I'm going to wait by the window."

"Okay."

Goofy moved aside to let Sora in. Sora turned to look at Yuffie, who was looking out the window quite seriously.

"Don't tell me she's waiting for Leon again…" Sora muttered.

"Come on, Sora!" Goofy prodded, pulling his arm.

"Alright, alright," Sora said, smiling a little at his desperate attempts to make him move.

They walked into the living room and sat down. Goofy started to read to Sora, Sora correcting him when he was wrong.

The doorbell suddenly rang. He heard a door open. Even if it was only just Leon, Sora sort of wanted to say hi.

"Wait here for a sec, okay, Goofy?" he remarked.

Goofy nodded. Sora walked into the foyer, and the person he saw standing in front of the door made his jaw drop.

"Hi, Kairi!" chirped Yuffie, grinning widely at the redheaded girl.

"Hey, Yuff," Kairi greeted, smiling back.

"Come on, let's go to my room!" Yuffie said, pulling on her arm just like her brother. "I've seen yours but you've never seen mine, and I want to show off!"

Kairi giggled.

"Okay. Let's go."

Yuffie and Kairi walked over to the staircase, and Kairi saw Sora as they passed him.

"Oh, hi, Sora…" she said, stopping for a second.

"Kairi, hurry up!" Yuffie shouted, already halfway up the staircase.

"Coming!" called Kairi.

She gave Sora an apologetic little smile, and Sora noticed her poison ivy rash had disappeared three days early.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," he said.

"Oh…uh…" Kairi stuttered, looking down as her face turned red.

"KAIRI!!!" shouted Yuffie.

"Will you be patient for a second?!" Kairi yelled back. "I'm talking to Sora!"

"Oh, good for you, because you've never talked to Sora before," Yuffie said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Kairi laughed a little.

"Sorry, I guess I have to go," she apologized, looking at Sora.

"No, it's okay, I guess I have to get back to babysitting…" Sora replied.

Kairi smiled and raced up the stairs just as Yuffie was opening her mouth to shout again.

"Coming, coming!" she cried, running up to the black-haired girl. "Honestly, Yuffie, you're so impatient…"

Yuffie grinned and they walked up the staircase to her room. Sora walked back over to Goofy, his mind still on Kairi. He remembered three nights ago—he'd planned to kiss her, now that Naminé and Riku were out of the picture. But he found he couldn't. It was wrong. They were best friends and that was all, and Kairi only thought of Sora as…Sora.

"I finished reading the book," Goofy said as Sora sat next to him.

"Did you?" Sora responded absentmindedly. "Did you like it?"

"No," Goofy replied. "I don't understand Little Red Riding Hood. Why would she talk to the wolf when her mother said not to? Ah-yuk. It's kind of…dumb."

"Sometimes…people are dumb," Sora stated, looking at him. "But Little Red Riding Hood learned a lesson. She learned to always listen to her mother."

Goofy nodded and put the book down on the table.

"But…there would've been no story if she hadn't taken a risk…" He looked up at Sora. "Right?"

Sora looked at his expectant face. There would've been no story if she hadn't taken a risk. There would be no story if Sora didn't take a risk…

"Right," Sora agreed, nodding.

Fairytales—they were all just fairytales. They wouldn't come true. They were just ridiculous little stories. Why should Sora trust his important decisions to them? Besides, he'd already lost faith in them with Donald and his "kiss and get married" theory.

He and Kairi equaled…

Nothing.

111

"Hello, Sora!" Yuffie chirped, bouncing down the staircase, Kairi close behind. "We felt bad for leaving you alone with the squirt, so we decided we'd come and hang out with you."

"Yuffie, your parents left me in charge because they didn't trust you with him," Sora said dryly.

"Yeah, but Kairi's here, and she's totally trustworthy," Yuffie remarked, pushing Kairi into the living room. "Right, Kairi?"

"Uh…sure," Kairi said.

"I'll bring some snacks!" Yuffie chirped.

"No fair!" Goofy cried, running after her as she walked into the kitchen. "I want to choose the snacks this time!"

Yuffie crossed her arms.

"Too bad, kiddo," she said. "I'm older, so I decide what we get to eat."

"No fair, no fair!" Goofy kept repeating as he and Yuffie disappeared into the kitchen.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other.

"Hi, Sora," Kairi said, pushing back a lock of red hair.

Risk…

The word echoed through Sora's head.

"H-Hi," he stuttered.

Risk…

"What's going on?" Kairi asked.

"Well…"

Risk…

"Er…nothing…"

"Oh. Me neither. I haven't heard from Riku since the last time we saw him."

Risk…

"I haven't heard from him either. Do you think we went somewhere for Christmas holidays?"

"Hmm…maybe…"

Risk…

Sora was starting to feel nervous at the word pounding in his head. He tried to ignore it.

"Well…whatever," Kairi said. "I'm sure we can talk to him later…"

Risk…

No, no, no! Sora wasn't listening! He couldn't stop the voice from pounding in his head.

"I bring snacks!" Yuffie cried, interrupting the voice.

Sora breathed out in relief. Yuffie had brought popcorn and pretzels…and an empty bottle. She put the popcorn and pretzels down and twirled the bottle in her fingers. Goofy grabbed her leg.

"What's that, Yuffie?" he asked.

"A bottle, you dimwit," she replied, kicking him off her leg. "It's a bottle…the most necessary part of playing Spin the Bottle."

"Spin the Bottle?" Sora repeated. "Goofy, go get a cookie from the kitchen."

"Yay!" Goofy cried happily and ran off.

Sora walked over to Yuffie.

"That's not an appropriate game for a five-year-old to play!" he shouted. "What, are you crazy?!"

"No, Mom," Yuffie said, rolling her eyes. "But it's boring and there's nothing else to play."

"Yuffie…" Kairi stuttered, "Sora's right. Your brother shouldn't be playing something like that…He might get ideas…"

"Oh, come on," Yuffie remarked. "He knows what 'kiss' means! It's not like this will do him any harm. We'll just sit him down, and if the bottle lands on him, we'll just give him a peck on the forehead."

"And what if the bottle lands on me?!" Sora yelled.

"Well…you know how it goes…" Yuffie replied.

Sora nearly choked.

"What?!" he cried. "Goofy will still see, you know! Before you know it he'll be bringing bottles outside and pointing them at random girls and telling them he has to kiss them! This is a bad idea!"

"Yuffie, he's right…" Kairi agreed.

"You two are so boring!" Yuffie exclaimed. "I don't know how you two became my friends. If my parents come home and Goofy does anything he shouldn't, I'll take full blame, I promise. Now sit."

Sora looked at her.

"Um…no thanks…I've got to go get Goofy from the kitchen before he eats all the cookies in the house," he said, and was about to walk into the kitchen when Yuffie grabbed him by the collar and pushed him down.

"I'll do it," she stated. "You two stay here."

And with that, the black-haired girl walked into the kitchen, a look of triumph about her.

"I don't know why Yuffie has such crazy ideas," Kairi said with a sigh.

"There are only four people," Sora muttered. "Why does she want to play Spin the Bottle with only four people?"

Yuffie and Goofy and walked back into the living room and Yuffie seated herself between Sora and Goofy.

"Okay, I assume we all know how to play Spin the Bottle…" she began.

"Let's French kiss!" chirped Goofy.

"Oh, yeah," Sora said, with a smug smile. "It would be hilarious if you French kissed your little brother, Yuffie."

Yuffie made a face and a gagging sound.

"Let's not," she stated, looking at Goofy. "Besides, squirt, you shouldn't know about that stuff yet. You're only five."

Goofy smiled innocently.

"I don't know how to French kiss anyway," Kairi said.

"Let's just peck then," Yuffie suggested. "Let's go in alphabetical order."

She smiled because she knew she'd be last. Goofy had to go first. He spun the bottle around and it landed on Kairi. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek. Kairi went second, and it landed on Goofy.

"What, are you two in some secret kissing organization?" Yuffie asked as Kairi kissed him on the head.

"Nice," Kairi said, passing Sora the bottle.

Sora felt the cold glass beneath his fingers and sighed. He was going to kiss either Kairi or Yuffie.

They were his friends. They would understand. It was their idea to play this stupid game anyway.

But…if he kissed Kairi…he didn't know if it would be quite the same.

"Hurry up!" Yuffie snapped. "I'm getting bored!"

"Alright, alright!" cried Sora. "Jeez."

He spun the bottle and watched it spin around and around and around…and it landed on…

Yuffie.

Sora was both relieved and disappointed. He looked at Yuffie, who shrugged. They both leaned in, when Yuffie stopped and reached into her pocket.

"Oh, first…" she said, pulling out a can of breath mints, "have a breath mint."

"Yuffie!" cried Sora, crossing his arms.

"What?" Yuffie asked. "You can never be too careful. And you know the rule…if it's not Goofy who has to kiss, we have to kiss on the lips. So suck it up…literally."

Sora opened his mouth to argue when Yuffie stuffed a breath mint in his mouth. As soon as Sora started sucking on the mint, Yuffie quickly kissed him.

"There, done," she said, leaning back. "I can't help but think that was easy. If Leon was here…"

"Oh, not that Leon guy again!" Goofy whined. "I've heard enough of him! Just go!"

He chucked the bottle at Yuffie, who caught it and glared at him.

"You smart-mouthed, little brat!" she said. "You're just lucky we're letting you play this game."

She spun the bottle around, and much to her disdain, landed on Goofy. She kissed him on the head and pretended to throw up.

"Okay, I can't help but be bored," Yuffie complained after her big throw up enactment. "Why don't we make the rule that we have to kiss for three seconds?"

"Three seconds?!" repeated Sora. "No way! That's way too much time…"

He looked to Kairi for help, but she just shrugged.

"C'mon, Sora!" whined Yuffie. "You're so uptight! Can't you let loose for a couple of minutes?"

Before Sora could even speak she slammed the bottle down.

"Alright, three seconds it is. Goofy, go."

Goofy spun it around and it landed on Yuffie. He groaned.

"I'll start the clock," Kairi said. "One…"

Goofy kissed Yuffie on the cheek.

"Two…Three…Done."

The pulled apart and Goofy started wiping his tongue and Yuffie rubbed her cheek in disgust.

"Alright, Kairi," she said, looking up. "Your turn."

She passed the bottle to her. Kairi looked at the bottle nervously and placed it on the floor. She shut her eyes and spun it around. Sora watched as the bottle turned over and over again, its clear glass shining somewhat from the weak light overhead…

And turn right to him.

Sora sat there for a second, looking at the bottle, mouth wide open. Everyone was silent. Then Yuffie clapped her hands with a whoop.

"Ooh!" she squealed excitedly. "This is so exciting! I've got to film this! Wait right here and don't do anything!"

She scrambled to her feet and ran up to her room. She came down almost a second later, video camera in hand. Yuffie knelt down and held the camera to her eye, pointing it right at Sora and Kairi.

"Okay," Yuffie said. "Whenever you're ready."

Would Sora ever be ready? He looked in deception down at the bottle.

Kairi looked at him, the tiniest, nervous smile on her face. Sora neared her. Their faces came closer and closer until they were only a centimeter apart.

Sora was sure somewhere people were at the edge of their seats waiting, Yuffie being one of them.

"This is going to be great footage!" she squealed excitedly to Goofy.

Sora and Kairi looked at each other. Kairi laughed a little and smiled.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," Sora replied, grinning back at her.

And their lips met. Yuffie nearly shrieked in excitement.

"One…"

Somewhere angels were singing. Sora swore he heard them.

"Two…"

Kairi's eyes were closed, her face pinker than ever before.

"Three…"

Sora could hear both hearts beating as hard and fast as they could. Kairi opened her eyes and blushed even harder as she saw Sora staring at her.

"Done."

Sora and Kairi opened their eyes and pulled away. Yuffie, who was clearly proud of herself for capturing it all, held her video camera out.

"This'll be one for Hollywood!" she chirped. "Okay, maybe not, but I'm sure the rest of SCARF will enjoy this bit!"

Sora completely ignored Yuffie's ramblings. He was staring at Kairi, not even believing he'd done what he had just done.

He'd taken a risk.

Kairi looked shocked. Her eyes were wide and looking right into Sora's. They sat there for a few moments, and then Kairi burst out laughing. It didn't take long before Sora was laughing too. It was amazing and yet so ridiculous.

The best moment of his life was during a Spin the Bottle game.

111

"I can't believe my mom let you guys stay for the night!"

Yuffie collapsed on her sleeping bag beside Sora and Kairi. The three sleeping bags were perfectly lined up—Yuffie beside Kairi, Kairi beside Sora.

"I'm just so happy that it was Goofy's bedtime," Yuffie continued, grinning widely. "He's such a little pest!"

"Aw, he's not so bad," Sora remarked. "I think you should appreciate that you have a tame younger brother."

"You call him tame, I call him a monster," Yuffie stated. "I guess we have very different opinions, eh, Sora? And tomorrow…everyone will know about the Spin the Bottle game!"

Kairi looked at her.

"You filmed all of it?"

"Wouldn't miss a bit! I mean, come on! My two closest friends kissed! You can't get more exciting than that!"

"It's Spin the Bottle. We're supposed to kiss."

"Yeah, but you should've seen your expressions! One word…priceless. But whatever. It's getting kind of late. I guess we should hit the sack. Tomorrow let's watch a movie."

"Not yours?" Sora asked just to make sure.

"Not mine," Yuffie promised.

"Okay then."

Yuffie curled up in her sleeping bag and closed her eyes. It didn't take long before she was fast asleep.

Sora was about to close his eyes when he heard something.

"Sora?" whispered Kairi.

"What?" Sora replied.

Kairi giggled.

"You're a good kisser."

Sora's face was very red as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Zestychicken2: Well, it would've been pointless if he didn't know. Especially if I want to go into scenes where Riku and Sora meet because it's boring if they don't, even if this IS a Soriri/Kaiora/whatever the heck you call these things. Yeah, Blubber Nuggets. Okay, because I don't like any kind of Yaoi, and AkuRoku counts. And…I just learned what AkuRoku meant. And…it'd be really uncomfortable to try and write that. Well, I kind of take requests, I guess. (I got my Roxette from - d a y j u a n a.) But my other story is probably going to be made around the beginning of November, and it will probably be a Roxiné. Thanks for reviewing!

Valor999: Thanks a lot and here's your update!

Rahi-1: I don't know…I really don't know. Well, it isn't Christmas yet. And it surprised me in my Roxette when you said you were a boy! I didn't think any of my readers were boys! The only time I had guys reviewing was for my Kingdom Hearts III, but I deleted it because I hated it. It was stupid, especially Riku. That's why I made Riku awesome in this one. And I will force him to get Kairi a present. As soon as I think of one…

Blubber Nuggets: It's not happening yet, but I'm going to make that Christmas party CRAZY AWESOME. Fill the room with mistletoe. I'll consider it. Thanks for reviewing!

LOTRchic: Yeah, I don't think you'll worry about being off. (Points to chapter above with big smile) Thanks for reviewing!

Sorafanluver: Thanks so much! I couldn't leave poison ivy out because I'm weird. Thanks for reviewing!

- d a y j u a n a: Yeah, fluff! He is. Peace is just an illusion, but let's keep that illusion up for a while, eh? I couldn't let something bad happen on the Kiss Me chapter! I mean…it's the KISS ME CHAPTER. Well, anyway, thanks for reviewing!

MOOnlite-dUSk: Yes, plenty of progress this chapter! (Grins happily) Thanks a lot!

KeiraLoveKH: Yay, cuteness! I wonder…if Kairi has any feelings to admit. (Hint, hint.) I'm glad I update fast! Thanks for reviewing!

Isler: Thanks! Here's your update!

KiaraFay: Yeah, same goes for me. This chapter wasn't HUGE, per say, but…I don't know…I liked it. Here's your update!

Cheychey41: Oh, good! Thanks! Yeah, she never listens to Sora…for some reason…I don't know why…Here's your update!

Bexmar: I don't! (Whines) Well, I have some ideas for Riku. I don't like Rikiné, and I did throw quite a few hints of Roxiné, so…we'll see. Okay, thanks for the compliments to both stories!

SuperNaturalFreak101: It's okay. Yes, I am evil, but that's kind of beside the point. Yeah, they are stupid. I can fix that! (Pushes Sora over to Kairi) GET TOGETHER, YOU…TWO…PEOPLE…THAT I KNOW…er…Never mind. Yeah, Donald's awesome! He's saving the world with his adorable duckness one step at a time! True, but I was running out of ideas, and Kairi was too nervous and itchy to do anything. But Sora should've done something, the retard. Well, sorry about that, but I'm glad you liked it!

Inspire-Illuminate: Oh, thanks! Your name is Ivy? Oh my God, that is such an awesome name. My name SUCKS. It's like the time when I found out Bexmar was Amber, and Rahi-1 was a boy! I honestly never knew I got boy readers! Here's your chapter!

YAY, I GOT THEM TO KISS! YAY, I GOT 200 REVIEWS!!! YAY, THANKSGIVING IS TOMORROW!!! YAY, MY BIRTHDAY IS NEXT WEEKEND!!! YAY, MY FRIEND'S BIRTHDAY IS TODAY!!! YAY, YAY, YAY, YAY!!! Okay, enough with the yaying.

Read and review!