A.N.) I'd like to give special thanks to those who have reviewed. Your feedback (even the not-positive ones) is very useful and motivating to me. ^_^

I've had a drive to keep going till this project is completed. It is indeed a project I'm very attached to because I've wanted to write it for so long.

Disclaimer) I do not own Kingdom Hearts. (I've been doing this disclaimer. Always will do it.)

At First Sight

Chapter 5: My Keeper

"Some people just aren't equipped to stay up past 8," Lea mumbled to himself, caring little in truth about the man behind the polished counter, looking so groggy he'd topple any second. He sat at a big booth by himself in the perky little ice cream parlor with cups upon cups upon cups of all kinds of ice cream. Creole Cream, Lemon Custard, Butter Pecan, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Coffee-Coffee—the possibilities where almost endless! If the guy hadn't ran out of sea salt ice cream, it would be perfect, he thought as he was getting his spoon in position to sink in the creamy chilled sweetness of Rocky Road.

"So much ice cream… I'm going to die from how much I'm consuming!" he mumbled, obviously not caring at how plausible that statement could be. "Wonderful Rocky Road—" he shoveled some in his mouth. "—You look so wonderful but you're practically poison with how much I eat. Glad I'm not dumb enough to waste it on Oyster Ice Cream, though. If there was ever a desert that sounded like poison…"

"Lea!" a familiar voice that could either have been Ventus or Roxas, his best friend, called. A spiky-blonde head fast-walked into the parlor and joined him at his cushioned booth. Of course, he could tell those two boys apart, but the fact that the boy wore a checkered theme with his attire was welcomed evidence.

"Well, you look happy!" Lea teased, reaching for Bubblegum Pop, noting Roxas's big cheeky grin. "Surprising because you don't seem a lick of tired. Usually people who can keep going this long into the night have worries. Unless…" Shooting a questioning glance. "Have you snuck in a nap while no one was looking? Cheating is wrong; got it memorized?"

"Huh? You're wide awake, and seem pretty happy yourself!" Roxas retorted, grin depleting purely out of confusion.

"I have had eight different types of coffee flavored ice cream," Lea defended with pride of his record. Roxas sweatdropped, for second time that night, at his gluttonous best friend. How was the guy still so lanky? "Everyone else is worried about having a good time, or staying awake, or beating the Struggle at sunrise, or stuff they'll have to face after the sun comes up. Take a look at the clerk." Lea pointed to the tried man who had served him behind the counter. "He's the owner and gets so much business, he wasn't going to participate in serving during this festival, but some five year olds threatened to riot, so now he has to eat his own coffee ice cream just to keep his swollen eyes open."

"Well, I don't know about that, but you were wrong on all assumptions except the first one! I definitely am happy, and I experienced something much more fulfilling than rest."

"Were you…?" Lea started slowly, raising an eyebrow to Roxas's transformation of gloomy companion to joyful. Suspicions, suspicions. "…Were you with Naminé?"

"No!" Roxas smiled and blissfully sighed at the remembrance of his ravenette love.

Lea couldn't stop questionably staring at the teen with an eyebrow refusing to relax. He even halted eating.

He was just so baffled by what the hell he must have missed.

"Okay… where were you then?"

Roxas leaned his crossed arms on the table and stared straight through Lea with a grin that told Lea, his friend was drifting into dreamland. "I was exchanging vows with my enemy's companion, with our dearest friend, the most wonderful creature to ever speak to me. I was struck in an instant and struck back!

"Anyways, I need you to do me a favor that will only help us both."

Now it was Lea's turn to sweatdrop. He waved his spoon, gesturing his protégé to calm down. "Sure, sure. But can you explain things clearly, Roxas? I can't decipher every flowery sentence to leave your mouth."

"I saw Xion, and was instantly in love with her all over again. And she loves me back! I'll tell you everything later, but I really need you to go back to Destiny Islands and get me a paopu fruit."

"Who's Xion?"

Roxas was stunned. "How could you not—Wait, that's right. You don't remember."

"Huh?"

"You'll just have to meet her later and maybe get your memories back."

Lea shook his head and sighed. "Listen, Roxas. Starting with your choice of words 'instantly in love', you gave up on Naminé pretty quickly don't you think? Not to mention, it's also an issue when you suddenly label a girl you just met with 'love'. Just because a girl is pretty doesn't mean you're in love."

"Yeah, I know that, but Lea, Naminé was right. I only considered her because she looks so much like Xion! And it wasn't technically love-at-first-sight with Xi—We'd been friends for a year! Just wait until you meet her!"

"Uh… you're nicknaming her already?"

"You've called her Xi too."

Now there was a stubborn silence.

"Hold on! What did you mean by her being friends with the enemy?"

"Oh, she's part of Seifer's crew."

…

Lea growled and glared.

"I had to let go of spiced turkey sandwiches because Hayner and that pest had to start arguing over nothing. You want to date one of them? Fine, I'll get you the fruit. Maybe you two could get those runts to finally clamp their traps."

"Thanks, Lea. I'm going to go to the Tram Common to wait for her. Go there once you get the paopu fruit so you can see her again."

"I still have no idea what you're talking about, but this is way more interesting than that boring fashion show in the Sandlot."

Roxas smiled blessedly. "Of course it's boring. The most beautiful lady is…" he trailed off into a sulking face. "…hanging out with swine…"

"If you like her so much, why don't you marry her?" Lea teased, scooping some Black Coffee ice cream with delight.

Roxas grinned again. "That's a great idea! We're going to be together forever anyway, so why not? How do we get married, Lea?" he asked with an eager shine in his blue pupils.

Lea choked.

"Okay—let's just focus on the paopu fruit for now! Bringing up marriage this early will send her running for the hills. Got it memorized?"

"…So do I just wait till tomorrow?"

Seifer's gang gawked at the newly awaked Xion. After she met them at the bottom of the Clock Tower, Vivi suggested that they find Seifer, whom was quickly found at his favorite burger joint. The four joined their leader and ordered a platter of cheeseburgers—and a salad for Xion.

"She always eats light!" Seifer defended when Fuu smacked him.

But now…

Fuu was amazed, in a good way, about what she was seeing! Everyone else was happy too, but definitely not as happy as her!

"Way to go, Xi-Xi! You'll need your strength if you want to take down Hayner in the Struggle!" Seifer cheered, watching the petite Number XIV go at those cheeseburgers like it was nobody's business.

"She's really packing them away, y'know?!" Rai exclaimed.

"Nobody deserves to go through life without such a great dish!" Vivi laughed.

"What is this stuff called again, Seifer? It tastes delicious!" Xion huffed, before taking another bite. Not until after she left Roxas did she notice she was starving. She chewed away, not even seeing how adorable it was to see the darling, short-statured girl wolf down her side of the platter with filled cheeks and a lovely smile.

"Hayner, if you want to join the others so badly, why don't we just go?" Pence asked.

The two friends continually roamed throughout Twilight Town to find their blonde, spiked friend. Eventually they passed the others and agreed to go back to looking. Olette insisted she go with them, but Hayner told her it was fine, that she stay and have fun. Oh, Pence saw something that neither his hotheaded buddies would till who knows how long.

Hayner paced down the Tram Common, completely focused on scrutinizing every hairdo he could see. "Where's Roxas at? We're his friends so we can't let him mope his way through the night over some girl that talks mind-games."

"I heard the skateboard-shop girl telling her friends that Seifer's looking for Roxas."

"He probably wants to officially challenge him to Struggle."

"He's going to reply."

"Well yeah, he has a mouth."

"No, I mean he's going to have to answer Seifer's challenge."

"Maybe he's already doomed to drop. Naminé has him wrapped around her little finger. He's probably too whipped to fight."

"He's beaten Seifer before."

"Yeah, but we both know Seifer has been doing some obsessive training, even more than me (considering I have a life and everything)… But then again, he goes acting high-and-mighty whether you beat him or not. Jerk…"

"Hey, Hayner."

"Yeah?"

"While you were rambling, Roxas showed up. He's behind you right now."

"Really?"

"How's it going, Hayner?" Roxas greeted. Hayner turned grinning. In a fair triangle, the three boys reconciled.

"Bonjour, Roxas. Way to dropout on us at the Hall."

"Yeah, about that. Something extremely important came up."

"Well you sure look happy after your 'extremely important' task," Hayner tossed.

"Knock it off, Hayner. Save your backtalk for the ring after Seifer tackles every insult imaginable," Pence laughed.

"If there's anything you can do endlessly, Hayner, it is yell in rage," Roxas joked.

"Cheap shot, Rox," Hayner grumbled, while Pence laughed even harder. "At least you're back to normal, and not pouting anymore."

Pence started talking about some thing Roxas missed, but the Key of Destiny was distracted by the strokes of silver hair brushing through the other people around. Roxas stilled, getting the image of that silver head swimming in a zigzagging formation like a shark's fin.

Hayner caught on, and in a moment so did Pence. Soon enough, that shark of a short girl, Fuu, emerged from the people and approached.

"Oh no," Pence groaned.

What does Fuu want with us? Roxas glared at the girl, wondering if it had anything to do with Xion. Would she really try to hurt Xion if she knew?

Once the girl was close enough, she reached into her clutch purse and pulled out a fan.

"Yes, hide your face, because your eyes are downright frightening," Hayner commented.

"Idiots…" Fuu mumbled, wafting her fabric fan. With the other hand, she pointed directly to Roxas. "Thief!" she cried, and roughly shoved Roxas a clean two feet away from his pals. Quick, she walked to him and pushed him again. Getting the picture, Roxas let her lead him away.

"Roxas, do you want help?" Pence called.

"No, I'm okay. I'll see you guys later!"

Soon, Fuu stopped, figuring she was a good distance away.

"Sorry about Hayner. Sometimes it's like he doesn't have an off-switch," Roxas offered, rubbing his neck. Fuu was one of those people who Roxas was undeniably uncomfortable around despite seeing so little of her outside of being Seifer's backup.

Hayner's comment must have done something against Fuu, seeing she was shaking. Combined with her expression, it was clearly wrath coursing through her veins.

After a moment, Fuu calmed herself. Roxas tapped his fingers to his pants to distract himself with how extremely awkward this was to him.

Fuu cleared her throat. Snapping her head to look dead at Roxas, she opened her mouth and talked.

"Don't play dumb with me. I saw you two at the Hall, and know you were with her at the Central Station. Xion just might be my best friend, so you are indeed a major piece of trash for trying to take her away. After everything, you probably have been trying to bewitch her—make her stop seeing us—take her to your Island! I hate you for it! If you're just manipulating her, trying to lead her into a untrustworthy relationship to dump her for the next pretty girl to catch your eye—guarantee, my heel is going to go so far up your backside—!"

"I don't think you understand—!"

Growling, Fuu grinded her foot. "Really? So you haven't been showering her with cheesy speeches of eternal love and affection? Do you want to back out? Good! We've cleared that up. I'll tell her." Taking that window, Fuu turned to leave, but Roxas grasped her shoulder, forcing a halt.

"What? I'll tell her you don't want a relationship. All's well that end's well."

"No, I'm trying to tell you I do want to be with her, and I am true to my word! I do love her!"

Fuu tensed cold. She didn't want to do it, but she knew she wasn't being fair to Xion or to Roxas. She knew the truth of the matter, and had to admit it.

"She ate on her own after she last saw you."

Roxas blinked. "Huh?"

"She's alive again," Fuu gasped, smiling. The truth had definitely set her free. "Is there anything you want me to forward to her?" she asked, looking to Roxas again. "Where do you want to see her again? You'll have to tread carefully if you know about Seifer."

"We already set up another meeting in about twenty minutes," he answered.

"She'll be there. I'll make sure of it… You know, she doesn't like Seifer like that."

"I know."

"But I still tell her he's more handsome than you."

"Why don't you just date him then?" Roxas retorted, deadpanned.

"Ew, no."

…

Fuu tilted her head. "What?"

"I… I don't think I've heard you speak so much before, Fuu."

"Idiots…" Fuu grumbled and stomped away.

Xion stood on the sidelines while the boys watched the fashion show with more delight than lightness. It was enough that if Roxas where one of the many drooling boys to make up the audience, she'd be very depressed to say the least.

This is so uncomfortable… I miss Fuu already.

Fuu had left the gang, saying only, "Errand." Though, she caught a slight glimpse of anger in her eyes as she turned to leave.

Worrier Xion had the suspicion that maybe Fuu had found out about Roxas and her. Who knew how this mattered to her? She was the one who told Xion to try to like Seifer tonight and she went and gave vows of undying love to a completely different boy. Roxas. Of all boys. She'd be furious, Xion shivered.

Tap, tap. Light fingers prodded her. She broke her trance and saw that Fuu did return.

Smiling.

It was quiet, and neither girl minded that. It was a moment of understanding and peace that came even with the simple sound of silence, courtesy of their friendship. Xion hoped that meant it could last, even through what she would evidently have to tell them.

Gently, Fuu shoved Xion toward the direction of the Tram Common.

"Go," she said with as much contentment as she could vocalize.

She did know.

Xion nodded. "You promise not to tell?"

Fuu nodded back.

"Thank you, Fuu." With no fear, Xion walked up the cobblestone path to her true love.

A.N.) Please review, and I hope you have a good day. ^_^