Request: Sora receiving a kiss from his crush

Sora (after DDD)

"Sora?" Mai called as she descended the spiral stairs in Master Yen Sid's tower. "Sora, are you there?"

Mai pushed open the large double doors leading outside, instantly shivering from the frigid wind. Sora turned when he heard the doors opening, his thoughtful frown instantly tipping into a smile as he saw her coming towards him. He stood near the edge of the floating world, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jacket and his shoulders slumped, but his eyes lit up as she approached.

"Good, I caught you," Mai told him, breathless from rushing down the stairs. "You left without saying anything."

He averted his gaze, the usual cheerfulness in his face faded. "Yeah, sorry about that." Taking in a breath, he looked back to Mai with a grin that she could tell was faked. "Just wanted some fresh air!"

Mai crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow. "Are you sure that's all? You aren't upset about what Master Yen Sid told you?"

His eyes flashed a pang of hurt, his smile slightly faltering. He opened his mouth, ready to dissuade her assumptions, but seeing the look Mai gave him made him pause. Swallowing hard, he admitted, "It's a lot to take in."

Reaching forward, Mai gently grabbed his arm, pulling his hand from his pocket and grasping it in hers. A warmth rose to his cheeks, his breath hitching as he felt her cool fingers around his.

"I know…" she whispered, squeezing his hand in hers and noticing him taking in the slightest breath in response. "I'm…a bit upset he talked to you like that."

A chuckle escaped Sora, his blush deepening when she met her eyes with his. "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Because, all that stuff that happened during the Mastery Exam… that wasn't your fault," she told him adamantly, looking away when she noticed his lovelorn smile when he thought she was being cute. "You deserve to be a Master, you've worked so hard and been through so much. It's just…well it's not fair."

His hand tightened around hers, his eyes downcast. "I understand though." Taking in a deep breath, he looked back up, suddenly beaming, "But I'm really happy about Riku! If anyone deserves to be a Master, it's him."

"You both do."

"Well…" his voice trailed off, his smile faltering the longer he looked at the disappointment in her gaze. "I'll get there."

"You're already a Keyblade Master to me," Mai blurted the moment the words left his mouth. Her cheeks warmed, knowing it was a cheesy line. "Some test isn't going to change my mind."

He blinked in surprise, before his smile slowly grew into a grin. Despite the gloomy atmosphere, his shoulders began to shake as he snickered. "You're really adorable sometimes, Mai," he confessed, laughter obvious in his voice.

Her cheeks deepened in color as she scoffed and looked away. "Well it's true," she defended.

"I appreciate it, I do," He assured her, still snickering as he squeezed her hand before pulling back from her grasp. "But…" his smile slightly fell as he contemplated his words. "Master Yen Sid made the right decision… maybe I'm not ready, not like I thought I was, anyways." He scratched the side of his head, his eyes averted with a lot obviously on his mind.

Her heart sank. She hated seeing him as anything other than his usual sunshine self. He always had a way of brightening her day, encouraging her when she was down. Now here he was, defeated and told he wasn't good enough.

Stepping forward, she pressed her lips against his cheek. She felt the jolt of shivers shoot through him from the mere contact before she pulled back.

His face was reddening, getting darker by the moment. He darted his gaze to Mai, stammering adorably as he tried to decipher how he was supposed to react.

Mai struggled not to laugh, staying focused on him in an attempt to distract herself from the butterflies erupting in her chest. "You're good enough, Sora," she whispered, taking in a sharp breath, when he fell silent. Grabbing his hands, she added, "Please… don't doubt yourself. You'll figure this out."

He gazed back at her, the conviction and care in her eyes made his heart skip. His cheek still tingled from her lips and he couldn't stop his eyes from drifting to her mouth. Clearing his throat, he looked away, his usual confidence replaced with jittery nerves.

"Sora," she said his name, waiting for him to look back at her before confessing. "Don't give up. I know… I know that you'll become a Master before you know it."

"Heh," a nervous, breathy laugh escaped him. "You really believe in me, huh?"

Mai nodded without hesitation, making Sora's smile grow. "Of course I do." She averted her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek. "I really care about you…"

Mai waited for Sora to respond, his silence making the nerves in her throat tighten. She forced herself to look back at him, and the pure adoration in his eyes made her heart swell. Before she could comment on it, he leaned forward and met his lips with hers. It was short and sweet, and he was pulling away before she could truly fathom what he was doing. She felt the rough, trembling breath he released when he was barely inches away from her face, obviously just as nervous as she was.

Both of them gazed at the other, Sora's eyes silently telling her he felt the same and begging to kiss her again. Mai squeezed his hands in response, pressing her lips back against his.

Mai had daydreamed about how his lips would feel against hers for years. They were so soft, so deliberate and loving. Just like him.

It didn't matter what lay before them, together they'd make it through anything.