A/N: Ok… I feel really bad. I promised someone last week that I would recommend his fics in my next update (which was supposed to be last chapter)… And my short-term memory is clearly fried, so of course… I forget. SO! I recently started editing for this guy, and his fics are really cool… so read them and leave him some reviews please: )

His screen name is: "Thisismypennameok"

OK, so now that I've got that off my chest… here's the next chap!

Sea-Salt Deception

Jealousy... Not something that is easily ignored or put aside. It's sure to make its presence known as it pinches at the nerves in your fingers and blurs your sense of reality. Funny, how jealousy causes many of the same physical manifestations as… love: the rapid and uncontrolled heart rate, the warm crimson color to rise in one's cheeks, and the total disconnection from reality. A mind once clear and grounded can easily become hazed and confused in the presence of jealousy… especially when there is a certain sinister voice that lies hidden in the depths of your mind, twisting your thoughts and perceptions…

However, one look at the glare burning in Sora's eyes as he stood in the hotel lobby and watched Tetsu and Kairi make their way towards him, and there was no mistaking it. Sora was jealous… He tried his best to smile as Kairi approached, but he could not hide the clenched jaw and the fog glazed over his cloudy blue eyes. "Hey, Kairi… you ready to go?" he asked with a forced smile, completely ignoring the chocolate eyes fixated on him in an equally burning glare.

"Sora!" Kairi replied eagerly as she motioned to their new acquaintance, "You remember Tetsu from earlier…"

"Yeah." Sora's grunt went unnoticed by Kairi as he nodded to the blond. "How's it goin?"

"Alright," Tetsu answered stiffly before quickly turning to Kairi with a relaxed expression and a flirty smile. "Well Kairi… it was great seeing you again. But I've got to get over to the preliminaries! You know… gotta do some scouting for my team, so I can see what we're up against tomorrow…"

"Ah… so out little friend is in the tournament! Great news for you Fuck-up! Now you have a reason to beat the shit out of him!"

Shut up, I have no idea what you're talking about… Sora retaliated internally.

"Oh please… I don't have to be inside your head to know that you're jealous of the blonde!"

Whatever… I am not jealous of that dumb-ass.

"Case-in-point…" the voice chuckled in Sora's head as Kairi suddenly turned to him, her eyes wide.

"You don't mind… do you Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora shook his head of his thoughts as he realized that Kairi was apparently asking him for a favor. "Sorry Kai, I didn't catch that…"

"You don't mind if Tetsu comes with us to watch the preliminaries, do you?" Kairi asked sweetly, her violet-blue eyes sparkling into his.

Yes!! Of course I mind! There is no way that jerk-off is coming to watch the preliminaries with us… Forget it… no way… uh-uh… "Sure, Kai… of course he can come!" Sora answered with a fake smile. Dammit! She knows I can't say 'no' when she looks at me like that!

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'Awkward' would not begin to describe the tense air that settled around the trio as they sat in the crowded stands, pretending to watch the battles taking place below them. Kairi sat in the middle, chattering away about this and that as she heeded no attention to absence of conversation between the two boys on either side of her. Oh… how oblivious we can be when we try…

However, the silent glares and internal threats did not go unnoticed by the either Tetsu or Sora… and each deliberately avoided the other as they tried to listen to the chattering redhead between them.

There is something up with this guy… I don't know what it is, but I know that I'm going to find out… Sora schemed quietly to himself as Tetsu winked and smiled yet-another perfect pearly grin at Kairi. Sora's heart raged inside of him and he rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think I'm going to run to the concession…" Tetsu said suddenly as he stood up and turned to Kairi, "Kairi, would you like anything?" he asked smoothly.

"Oh… no thank you," Kairi replied sadly, "I'm afraid I didn't bring any money with me."

Just as Sora opened his mouth to tell her that he would be glad to lend her a few dollars if she wanted something, Tetsu smiled warmly at her and beat him to it…

"Please, let me buy you something. What would you like? A drink, popcorn, ice-cream?"

Sora snapped his mouth shut as Kairi's eyes brightened and she smiled her gratitude, "I would love a sea-salt ice-cream!"

What?! He can't buy her a sea-salt ice-cream! That… that was my surprise for her back in Radiant Garden! How… how could she!

"Sea-salt ice-cream it is then!" Tetsu answered before turning towards the concession.

As Tetsu disappeared in the crowded stands, Sora crossed his arms across his chest and mumbled to himself quietly among the dull roar of cheers and yelling.

"Sora? Is something wrong? You seem…. tense." Kairi asked, "Is everything okay?"

"Oh yeah…" Sora replied angrily, "Everything is just fine." Sarcasm laced throughout his expression.

Kairi frowned, a little hurt by Sora's angry reply, she opened her mouth to tell him she wasn't convinced when he suddenly stood up. "I'm going to go… to the bathroom." Sora mumbled, "I'll be right back…"

Sora quickly pushed his way through the crowd of screaming fanatics without looking back, leaving Kairi confused and alone. He walked around the crowded arena aimlessly, anger, jealousy, betrayal… Sora was stoic and silent on the outside, but inside… How could she do that! She knows how I feel about her! And she invites this jerk to come with us… it was supposed to be just the two of us! Then she flirts with him right in front of me and even asks him for a freaking sea-salt ice-cream!! Maybe I should just get them a paupou fruit and knife, then she can cut my heart out and then have her happily-ever-after with that… that…

"Tetsu?"

Sora's ears picked up at the feminine voice calling out behind him, he looked up to see Tetsu only a few strides ahead of him. He quickly ducked behind a large golden fire pit before he was seen as a dark haired girl behind him ran up ahead, trying to get Tetsu's attention by yelling his name… It almost looked like he was trying to ignore her the way his pace quickened and he ducked his head…

Finally she caught up to him, and she grabbed his elbow. Sora could hear them talking but he couldn't hear what she was saying. He quietly snuck around a stack of tournament posters to get closer…

"I thought you said that you had to work tonight?" the girl asked softly.

"Felice… I am working!" Tetsu answered angrily.

The girl, now identified as Felice, frowned. "Well then, why are you here? Shouldn't you be getting stuff ready for the tournament?" she asked timidly.

"I'm the fucking tournament coordinator, Felice! Where the hell else would I be??" Tetsu retorted forcefully, obviously annoyed at the girl's questioning.

"Sorry… I just thought you would be in your office." Sora saw the girl's eyes drop and her shoulders droop… her stature and posture made Sora think that maybe this wasn't the first time she had been yelled at like that…

Suddenly, Tetsu's demeanor changed. His eyes softened and his body relaxed as he placed a hand on the girl's shoulders, "Hey baby… I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out. This is the first tournament in the new arena, and I just want it to be perfect," he lied.

The next thing Sora saw almost put him over the edge… Tetsu wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and pulled her into a kiss. He saw Tetsu break from the kiss and lean down to whisper something in the girl's ear that made her giggle.

"So I'll see you tonight, then?" Felice asked seductively.

"You know it!" Tetsu agreed before slapping his hand across the girl's backside and turning back towards the concession stand, hollering fake orders and charges at the attendants.

Sora felt a fire light inside of him as he glared at the shaggy blond spikes standing at the counter.

"Well well well…" the shadow snickered, "Looks like your little Princess isn't the only one getting the royal treatment from Mr. Blondie over there…"

Sora clenched his fists as he stood up from his hiding place, "Well, I hate to ruin his plans, but nobody hurts Kairi without answering to me first!" he replied as he walked in long decisive strides towards the concession counter, cracking his knuckles and clenching his jaw.

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No sense trying to deny it… Kairi did feel a little guilty for invited Tetsu along, when it was clear that Sora didn't want him to go. However, Tetsu was cute… and she was still feeling the need to 'get back' at Sora a little for breaking her heart. But… she knew that adding to Sora's pain and burden would only inevitably add to her own.

So… Kairi sat in the crowded stands, silently debating her next move. Should she sit and wait for Sora and Tetsu to come back, so that they could return to their awkward small talk while she tried desperately to chatter her discomfort away? Or… should she run after Tetsu, apologize for Sora's rude behavior and suggest they do this 'some other time'? Or… should she run after Sora and tell him she was sorry and see if he wanted to ditch Tetsu and go watch a movie?

"Oh, Kairi, how do you always get yourself into these situations?!" she huffed as she stood up.

"What situations?"

Kairi jumped at the familiar voice behind her as she smiled at her recent roommate, "Shai… you startled me!" she exclaimed as she sat back down.

"So, where's Sora? I thought you were here with him??" Shai smirked as she sat down beside her redheaded friend.

"Oh… um…" Kairi smiled nervously, "That's kind of what my situation is…"

Shai raised her eyebrows questionably, "You have my attention…"

"Well… as I was walking down to meet Sora. I kind of ran into Tetsu… and… well…"

"You didn't…" Shai's smile dropped and Kairi blushed and buried her face in her hands. "Oh my god… you did!"

"I invited him to come with me and Sora to the preliminaries. I feel really bad, Shai. I know Sora didn't want to him to go… and truthfully, I don't really think I wanted him to come either. But I just… I panicked. It was really awkward…" Kairi explained ashamedly.

"And now Tetsu's at the concession getting me an ice-cream that I know Sora is upset about me sharing with Tetsu. I don't know what I was thinking!" Kairi ran her fingers through her hair.

Shai sighed and stood up, "Well… just let me be the one to point out the obvious… You've known Sora how long?"

"Over ten years…" Kairi answered without hesitation.

"And you've been best friends…"

"Just as long…" She answered again without looking up from her feet.

"Right… and you've been in love with him…"

"What?" At that Kairi glanced up from her hands, shocked and blushing.

Shai smiled, "Oh come on. You can't fool me… Sora maybe… but not me. I know what's going on here."

Kairi moaned loudly and buried her face in her palms again, "God!"

"So… how long??" Shai asked impatiently.

Kairi sighed and lifter her face hesitantly from her hands, "About two years. We… we shared something important… and I guess it finally made me realize my feelings for him. But, well…. Things have been a little…. complicated… lately."

"Look Kairi…" Shai sighed as she stood up, "I know that you don't know me very well… and you probably would rather talk about this with someone else…" Kairi opened her mouth to object, but Shai hushed her with her hand and went on, "But… I do know that Sora means a lot more to you than you let on. And, even if things may be… 'complicated'… I definitely know that his friendship means more to you than some fling."

Shai smiled warmly. "That's what I think… take it or leave it! Now… if you'll excuse me, I'm supposed to be meeting Riku here somewhere." She said over her shoulder as she climbed the stands, searching for a flash of silver among the dozens of bodies around them.

Kairi sat, mulling over Shai's words silently before standing up and pushing her way through the crowd of people, a smile gracing her features as a new resolve set in her intentions.

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A/N: Man! Sora's pissed, huh? And Tetsu has a girlfriend… and about to get his ass kicked! Hehe… and what did Kairi decide?

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