If it Never Happened: A slice of life take on what the Kingdom Hearts characters from the FemSora universe would be going through if the events in the game never existed.
Author's note: Just a reminder to readers, I want you guys to know I take opinions into effect. I like hearing suggestions and opinions on fics and if you guys have any requests or things you want improved don't hesitate to bring them up with me. Not just with this fic but with all my stories. I live to serve!
Chapter 7: ABC… Artists, Bikinis, Confessions
"Yossssha!" Tidus jumped up and pumped his fists. "Let's get summer started off with a bang!"
"What event should we start with?" Wakka questioned the other boys in the group.
"How about the obstacle course?" Someone suggested.
"Nah, how about Coconut cracking?" Another debated.
"Lame!" The group consensus continued to circle round and round. Kairi, Roxas, Selphie and Namine walked past the debate whispering to each other.
"You sure this'll work?" Selphie asked.
"If this doesn't knock some sense into him, nothing will." Kairi assured and had the other two girls nodding their heads feverently. The group approached Sora who was slurping down another punch. Axel and Riku had both been dragged off to join the rest of the guys leaving her to admire the party and enjoy the view of their little island full of friends and laughter once again. It was a warming sight.
"Hey Sora!" Kairi handed Sora a white flag. Staring at it Sora blinked and looked up in confusion. "Since you can't do a whole lot of running around tonight, you get to be referee."
"Huh? Referee for what?"
"The games and contests silly." Namine giggled.
"You're gonna be the judge of everything." Roxas agreed leaning on Kairi with a grin. "You can't really participate in any of the sports and races the guys have planned."
"I guess not." Sora stared at her ankle with a mad pout then raised a brow as Kairi and Roxas lean in closer. Their faces each spread a huge grin. "What are those looks for?"
"Well it's just if you're gonna be referree." Roxas started grabbing one of her sister's arms.
"You're gonna need the proper attire." Kairi finished grabbing her other arm. The two hauled her up and pulled her towards the shack.
"Attire? What are you guys…" the door closed and Sora screeched and screamed, while Roxas hooted with laughter and giggles. Namine and Selphie stood outside as guards and listened as the three girl shuffled around in the dark room.
"Let go! Let go! Roxas! Kairi! Come on this isn't funny what are you… oh no way I'm not putting that on! No let go! Gah my shirt! Roxas you tore my shirt!"
"Well that's what you get for struggling."
Riku walked over to the shack his brow raised at the sounds coming from inside.
"What's going on?" Riku crossed his arms eying the two guards suspiciously.
"Oh nothing," Selphie giggled. "Roxas and Kairi are just helping Sore put on her uniform."
"Uniform?" Riku grunted. "She doesn't need a uniform, what are you guys up to?"
"Oh come on, Riku, every referee needs a uniform." The door opened and Kairi flattened down her mussed hair grinning at Riku.
"Hey, just in time." Kairi step to the side and Roxas stepped out fixing her own hair. "Come on out, Sora."
"No way!" In the darkness Sora huddled away from the light. "I'm not going out in this. The only reason why I put this on is because Roxas ripped my shirt!"
"Stop being a baby, Sora!" Roxas grunted and tugged her own shirt straight. "Come out or I'll make Riku go in and drag you."
"Are you okay, Sora?" Riku asked and stepped closer to the door. "Do you need help."
"NO!" Sora shouted and blushed. "No I don't need help, I'm coming out… but you have to promise not to laugh at me."
"I promise I won't laughed, whatever they made you wear it can't be that ba-what the hell is that?" Riku's eyes bugged out as Sora limped out of the shack.
"It's a bikini, of course. I originally bought it for myself but I think my sister pulls it off better, don't you, Kairi?"
"Oh yeah, you look way cute, Sora!"
"I've never seen you girled up before," Selphie pointed out sighing sweetly. "You look adorable."
"I look ridiculous!" Sora complained her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Roxas had done up her hair into twin buns with one black and one right ribbon. The bikini Roxas had chosen was a checkered pattern and paired with a sheer white sarong that tied around the waist.
Riku suddenly became all too aware of Sora's growing anatomy. A chill of arousal shimmied up his spine making him tremble and he had a bad urge to take off his shirt and toss it over her.
"For god's sake, Namine, don't sketch me like this!" Sora shouted suddenly snapping him out of his daze. Sora hobbled towards Namine who'd pulled out her sketchpad from her shoulder bag and was capturing the image with a deft hand.
"I'm sorry, Sora, but it's just too good of an opportunity." Namine held the pad to her chest trying to protect the image. "Please don't be mad. It really does look great on you."
"I never wear a bikini, i don't even wear a normal bathing suit. I've always been more comfortable swimming in a t shirt and shorts."
"Now you see why you've never had a boyfriend?" Roxas teased and had Sora puffed her cheeks out in complaint. "If you made even a smidgen of an effort to work on your looks, you'd have the boys falling at your feet."
Cat call whistles and hollars echoed out punctuating Roxas' point. She motioned to the crowd behind her, Axel at the front of the pack nodding his head in approval and giving a thumbs up. Sora's blush went brighter and she bowed her head groaning.
Riku was also turning red, but with anger. The more the guys made comments on the way Sora looked, the angrier he got. With clenched teeth he grabbed Sora by the wrist and pulled her down the beach and away from the crowd.
"Come on!" Riku snarled and Sora stumbled behind him wincing a little.
"Riku? Ah.. hey, come on I cna't walk very well remember, GAH!" She squealed as he hefted he rup and over his shoulder and she beat her hands over his back. "Idiot! Put me down that's not what I mean! Riku what's gotten into you!"
"I'll tell you what's gotten into me! Grrr the moment we get some privacy!" He moved quickly to the back of the island through the back door and finally set her down on the pavement. He earned a hard punch in the shoulder but figured he'd earned that one.
"What the hell was that caveman routine? You've carried me piggyback, princess style, and now tossed me over your shoulder like a sack of potatoes. What's gotten into you?"
"You have!" RIku shouted at her, panting heavily and wiped the back of his mouth feeling his temper spewing. "Damn it… you've always been able to get into me. No matter what I do you're always there, forcing your way into my heart!"
"What? When have I ever done that?"
"You've always done it! Since the first day we met you shoved your way in, and no matter how hard I try I can never pry you out!" Riku panted and clenched his fists when Sora's eyes flickered with conflicted emotions. Hurt, confusion, anger, all of it registered openly on her face. "You've always found a way in... " his voice softened as did his eyes. "All you've ever had to do was smile… and you'd just be there."
"I don't understand what you're saying Riku. What is happening between us? All of a sudden you're, asking me to have lunch with you and Kairi, offering to tutor me, getting angry at Axel… and all these other twist and turns. After the accident you wouldn't even speak to me, even though you saved me, you-"
"You remember?" Riku suddenly caught her off, his eyes widening at this discovery. "You remember the storm?"
"Bits and pieces…" Sora rubbed her hands nervously. " I remember having your arms around me. You trying to keep my head above the water, but the debris from the raft knocked us apart… you were screaming my name, and I screamed yours." She drifted off pressing her nervous hands to her heart. "How come you didn't tell me? How come you left me alone?"
"Sora…" Riku stepped closer, his hands itching to pull her in and hug her, but he was once again becoming aware of her lack of clothing and resisted the urge. "I should have told you the truth a long time ago, but I was afraid. I hate admitting it, but I was."
"Afraid?" Her head lifted up to stare in his eyes. "Afraid of what."
"Afraid of losing you. It was all my fault, it was my idea to leave the island, my idea that we built a raft. If it wasn't for my childish dreams and antics you would have never gotten hurt!"
"Riku it wasn't just your fault, I jumped head first into it with you. You didn't exactly force me to go along with you." She took his hands in hers. "You, me, and Kairi… we were all excited about getting off the island, exploring new worlds."
"I started it though… and I distanced myself from you, because I didn't want you to get hurt again. I distanced myself because I was tired of being a child, I wanted to grow up, I needed to grow up. I thought that concentrating on school, and on my future would change me for the better… but the truth is I haven't grown up at all."
"Of course you have Riku. You're the most mature, and grown up guy I know. You take your responsibilities seriously, you're student council president, valedictorian, you head all the committees at school, and helped set up this party here on the island and even got all the other kids involved, right?" Sora tried to encourage but Riku's sour expression never changed.
"That's all fine, but it's not the kind of growing up I wanted. The reason… the REAL reason I wanted to leave the island… was because I was tired of sharing you. When we were young the island used to be just OUR place. No one else went out… and then you invited Roxas and Kairi, and they invited Axel, Selphie, Tidus and Wakka, and one by one the island wasn't yours and mine anymore, it was ours and THEIRS. I was jealous. I still am."
Sora's hands dropped at her sides, her big baby blues blinking with a bemused expression. It was Riku's turn to look down at his feet.
"Riku… you don't have to be jealous of them. What we have, what we've always had is different and special. No one can take your place."
Riku's had lodged up his eyes sparkling with hope.
"You really mean that?"
"Yes, I've never lied to you Riku, and I don't plan to start now." She grinned and lifted her hands behind her head. "You've been my best friend since we little kids, there's nothing that's gonna change that."
Riku felt that first stab of rejection got him like an arrow to the heart. He grunted and his eyes disappeared behind his bangs as his head lowered again.
"Nothing?"
"Not a thing." Sora confirmed, oblivious to the dark tone in Riku's voice.
"Not even if I do this…" he grabbed Sora, pushing her til her back hit the wall. Sora gasped out and barely got out a "hey" before Riku's mouth covered hers in a kiss.
Her eyes popped open. Unlike the sweet peck Axel had pressed on her, Riku took full advantage of her opened mouth by slipping his tongue inside and tangling it with hers. Nothing about this kiss was friendly or brotherly, but instead full on aggressive need.
Her voice made shocked and confused murmurs and gasps. She tried to move and slip out of his grasp but he held her firm and made it all too apparent that she was barely wearing any clothing.
When finally let go she inhaled deep ready to scream...but saw the tears welling up in his eyes and it silenced any harsh words she had.
"That is how I feel about you Sora. These feelings I have are anything but that of a best friend. Think about that!"
Stunned speechless, Sora stood with her back still against the wall, face flushed, hair coming loose of the careful buns her sister had tied up. Riku stared at her long and hard, guilt and anger boiling in his gut. He slowly reached out, his eyes saddening when she flinched at his hand brushing her cheek.
"I'm sorry if I hurt you Sora… but I'm tired of holding it in. I'm tired of being just your friend. I want more."
"Who the hell are you?" Tears spill down her cheeks and onto his hand. She lifted her eyes to stare at his face. Her blue eyes just swelling and spilling with tears. "I don't know this Riku. This Riku frightens me."
"I know… but," He takes her other cheek in his free hand so he could cup her face. He pulled her gently to him this time. "This Riku, is also someone you should get to know, because he isn't going away any time soon. Especially since you've been getting cozy with Axel."
"Axel?" Sora's face went red again. "Axel and I are jus-"
"Can you honestly stare me in the eyes and tell me the two of you are just friends? Having lunch together, him carrying you around like a princess across the finish line, giving you kisses and hugs like it's the most natural thing in the world?"
"He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend, or anything so yeah we are just friends." Sora retorted and grabbed Riku's hands pulling them off her cheeks. "Neither have you, so just-"
"So if I asked you…" Axel's voice suddenly broke the tension like a knife through butter. The two whipping their heads to the back door where Axel stood lounging into the jamb "Would you be my girlfriend?"
"Axel!" Riku pulled Sora behind him as if to protect her from an attack. "Don't!"
"Hey," Axel's normally soft and approachable face turned hard and cold. "I wasn't talking to you. It's her decision Riku. You can't force someone to like you, trust me on that."
Sora stepped out off to the side to get a better look at Axel.
"It's your decision, Sora." Axel continued standing tall again. "Riku's certainly had feelings for you longer than I have. However, I can't just let him have you. The time we've spent together made me realize what a special and beautiful girl you are, and I want us to take our relationship beyond friendship, and see what happens. So what do you say, Sora?" He stepped forward and held out his hand for Sora's. "Be my girlfriend?"
I am the QUEEN OF CLIFFHANGERS! MWAHAHAHAHA!
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Okay So maybe not queen… maybe princess… or knight or something lower than that. Anyway sorry about the long delay in posting followed by this short chapter. Hopefully I'll have more and longer updates coming soon.
Next Chapter: Sora's Decision