Chapter 9: Bonding
"Those two are really starting to worry me."
Sora smiled sympathetically at his best friend as they walked down The Boardwalk, one of few piers that lined the coasts of Destiny Islands. The two had come to eat at one of the restaurants after a day of boredom.
"They're just in a rut right now. I'm sure they'll figure things out," Sora said confidently.
"Yeah, but I kind of miss the days when they fought. At least they talked to each other. Now it's like there's a giant elephant in the room every time the two are together. It's so… uncomfortable."
Sora took hold of Kairi's hand as they walked through a huge crowd of people. He guided her through, making sure to walk in front of her to clear her path. He didn't release his hold, even when she was finally able to walk by his side again. "Well at least we know there won't be any problems when we get back. I won't have to protect my brother; you won't have to play the role of a mother…"
"I guess that's true…" Kairi mumbled. They reached the seafood restaurant they came for; Kairi released Sora's hand so he could ask the hostess for a table. He returned seconds later with a square device.
"It's another twenty minutes. Sorry, I probably should have made a reservation." He scratched the back of his head, an apologetic look on his face.
"Sora, don't worry about it." She smiled at him, easily lifting his mood. "Come on. We have some time to kill."
The pair walked to the edge of the pier, overlooking the beach below. The sun hung above the water, reflecting off the moving surface of the water. Like most summer days, it wouldn't set until a couple hours, extending the amount of daylight for the Islanders. The two leaned on the wooden railing of the pier, staring out into the sea.
Kairi closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of the sunbeams. The breeze carried the smell of sea salt, a wonderful reminder of where she was. The scent was nowhere to be found at her current home of Radiant Garden, and in the place of the rhythmic waves was a buzz of life and motion. Radiant Garden was a beautiful city, but Kairi had grown up here. Destiny Islands had been her home for the first thirteen years of her life. She had always resolved to return here one day, whether it was for college or a future job.
"Kairi, what do you think about Roxas and Xion?" Sora asked quietly. Kairi opened her eyes and looked to her best friend.
"Individually or together?"
"Together."
"They remind me of us," she replied. Sora laid his arms on the railing, leaning most of his weight on it as he listened to Kairi. "They're together all the time. They laugh so easily with each other. They have a genuine friendship."
Sora nodded slowly. "Do you think Roxas likes Xion and vice versa?"
Kairi giggled, her eyes meeting Sora's deep blue gaze. "You know my thoughts on Roxas."
Sora grinned. "You still think he likes your sister?"
"I always have, and I always will. Sure, it makes me look stupid for thinking that when they fight, but… but I always thought there was something underneath that. A playground-crush of sorts."
"We're not six anymore, Kairi." Sora chuckled. "But I respect your opinion. I think you're the only one who thinks so."
"Can't say I blame you all for thinking the opposite. If you look at it from the outside, Roxas and Namine look like they're enemies."
"Aren't they?"
"On the outside. But I think they just don't know how to handle each other. Namine never told me why she and Roxas always fought— she said he hated her from the start."
"Roxas never told me anything about why they're so mean either."
"It's really the only way they communicate. If you look at them now, they have nothing to say. It's like they don't know how to react, now that Namine can't be mean to Roxas. And Roxas probably feels inclined to be nice to Namine."
"It's a vicious cycle," Sora said with a chuckle.
"Indeed."
"That just makes me wonder how you're still able to believe that Roxas likes Naminé in that sense. When Xion and Roxas fight, they get over it really quickly. They're so… I don't know. They understand each other. They know each other so well."
"You think Roxas likes Xion?" Kairi raised a brow.
"Well I did. And they say that it's totally platonic, but the way they act around each other makes me doubt everything. My mom thinks they like each other too. I suppose from her impressions, they're dating. They always go to dances together for school and Xion's over all the time. All the signs are there."
"That's understandable, I suppose. But were you romantically interested in the girls you went to dances with? And what about the girls that you brought over?" Kairi asked.
Sora shook his head. "I always flew solo, if you catch my drift. And I can't believe you would even suggest I bring girls to my house." Kairi giggled at Sora's goofy yet charming smile. "I wasn't going to risk the chance of hurting someone. I don't want to be the guy to mislead others, so I always politely declined dates. I wasn't going to go with anyone if I didn't have a romantic interest in them. I know it's strange, but it's important to me."
"You're the kind of guy who wants only one dance partner," Kairi teased.
Sora tucked his hands behind his head as he stood straighter. "You know me too well." They allowed the seagulls to converse and the waves to leap for a while before Sora spoke up again. "So do you think that a boy and girl can be best friends without one of them ever falling for the other?"
"Certainly." Kairi nodded. "A best friendship can be shared between a girl and guy, just like it is between two guys and two girls. Like you and Riku," Kairi shrugged. "Sure, the dynamic between a girl and guy will be different, but it doesn't mean they're inevitably going to fall for each other."
Sora again rested his weight on the barrier. He was quiet for a long while before he took in a deep breath. His question was almost a whisper. "But they can, right?"
Kairi looked directly into Sora's eyes as he asked the question. A light blush spread across her cheeks. "Are you trying to tell me something, Sora?"
Sora reached over, enveloping Kairi's hand in his own. He grinned, a kind of gentleness apparent in his face. "Since when have I ever had to use words for you to know how I feel?"
Kairi felt a round of butterflies in her stomach, completely taken aback. The words struck her with such intensity that she felt a surge of emotion all at once. She pressed her lips together, an effort to prevent the upward curl of her lips and the happy tears that formed in her eyes.
She giggled, holding Sora's hand with both of her own. Kairi answered his question with a giggle. "Never. But still, you always know exactly what to say to me. You always have the right words when you need them." She looked up at him again, her expression softened. She moved closer to him so that their shoulders were touching. "Naminé always told me that being best friends is not a dead end, but a step forward. I used to think she was wrong, but I think I'm finally starting to understand what she meant."
"And what might that be?" Sora asked softly.
"That being in the best friend zone is a good thing if it's the right person." Kairi lightly squeezed Sora's hand. "I used to think that was all we'd ever be."
It was Sora's turn to blush. "Are you trying to tell me something, Kairi?"
Kairi looked him in the eyes before leaning forward. She placed a kiss on his cheek, pulling away with a giggle. "Since when have I ever had to use words for you to know how I feel?"
Sora almost fainted. At that moment, he realized just how lucky he was to have the most beautiful girl he had ever laid his eyes upon right there next to him. He was never so sure of anything in his life: he was completely in love with his best friend.
And he knew that she felt the same way.
Before anything else could be said, Sora's phone beeped loudly in his pocket. The loud text message signal interrupted Sora's epiphany. Though untimely, Kairi released Sora's hand with a permissive nod. He pulled his phone out and read the message to Kairi. "It's from Roxas. He says he and Naminé are on their way to get food, so we shouldn't come home in the next half hour."
"That's fine." Kairi smiled. "I was hoping we could stay here for a while after we finished eating."
"Of course!" Sora immediately agreed. He picked up the device given to him by the hostess. "If this thing goes off in the next couple minutes, we'll be able to catch the sunset."
Kairi faced the ocean again, shielding her eyes from the sun. The height it was currently at was an inconvenience. It made looking out to see much harder, kind of like the glare cast on drivers if they drove in that direction.
She froze. "Sora, did you say that Roxas and Naminé had already left the house?"
"Yeah, they were already on their way. Why?"
"Does Roxas text while driving?"
Sora shook his head. "Definitely not. He flips out if I even have my phone in my lap."
Kairi bit her lip. "What would you say the chances of Naminé driving are?"
Sora shrugged. "They probably took her car, since that's the only one there. I don't see why Roxas would drive, especially since the owner is there."
Kairi groaned. In the current state that Roxas and Naminé were in, that made it even more likely. Naminé wasn't going to force Roxas to drive after what he did for her. "Oh no…"
Sora came closer to Kairi, worried that she might be feeling sick. "Something wrong?"
Kairi smiled weakly. "You're going to want to call your brother back in a couple minutes. Naminé isn't… let's just say she isn't the best of drivers."
Roxas was probably going to die today.
He definitely wasn't ready.
The poor boy's heart seized as the driver of the vehicle passed another stop sign. This was after he watched the side-view mirror miss the car next to it by mere centimeters. And after she nearly took out a biker as she made a right turn.
He tried to be nice about it. He suggested that she use all her mirrors. He told her about cars driving in her blind spots. He even managed to hold in four screams of pure terror. But the stop sign was the last straw. He couldn't do it anymore. So when the car (thankfully) came to a stop at the light, he unbuckled his seatbelt and unlocked the doors.
"Get out," he commanded before opening his door. After a moment of hesitation, Naminé listened. The car drifted forward. "Park it! Park it! Park!" Roxas screamed frantically, the pitch of his voice rising into a yelp. The driver shifted the gear into park.
"What are we doing?" Naminé asked as she passed Roxas. He didn't answer. They both got into the car and buckled in. Roxas immediately adjusted his seat and mirrors.
He appeared to be talking to himself. "I can't do it. I can't. I tried, and I can't. I was too timid, too nice. Why do my attempts to be kind always lead me to positions like these? I didn't say anything because that's the nice thing to do. Backseat driving is annoying and mean. But I almost died! What would Sora do if I died? Xion and Axel would be a mess. There's so much left to do. I can't die today. I still have to go sky diving. I still have to—"
"Roxas?" The girl was still confused as to why they switched seats. He was, after all, the one who insisted she drive. "What are you talking about?"
He turned to her, his eyes a little crazy before filling with anger. "Well I'm trying to save our lives since you seem so intent on getting us killed. It was like you were trying to hit something out there!"
Naminé stared at the boy before narrowing her own eyes. Where did that come from? She immediately got defensive, thanks to that condescending tone of his. "I was not! And if you had a problem with my driving, then you should have told me! I would've gladly given you the wheel! But no, somebody had to insist that I drive because it's my car."
"Well sorry for assuming that you were capable of driving. I'll also be sure to never assume that a guy with a guitar doesn't know how to play it."
"Well good! You'd be surprised to know the amount of guys who pretend to know how to play guitar just so they can get laid!"
"Yeah, you'd know about that, wouldn't you?" The car lurched forward as the light turned green.
Naminé crossed her arms. "Hmph! You call me a bad driver? At least I didn't put you in the hospital for whiplash."
"Oh, no you didn't. You almost sent me directly to the grave; more than once, in fact." Roxas gripped the steering wheel tighter. "Do you even realize how many times my life flashed before my eyes as I was sitting there? Hell, if I allowed you to drive any farther, we probably would have killed someone. And newsflash, stop signs outlined in white are not optional!"
"That was a one-time thing! We were the only ones around, so what does it matter?"
"You also stopped in the middle of that four-way intersection. There were cars there."
"I missed the stop sign and I thought I had to make up for it!
"And the biker. I thought he was going to be splattered all over the windshield."
"Please. We weren't going fast enough for that to happen. Besides, I stopped in time!"
"More like he stopped you! He lost his balance and had to push off the car! He wasn't flipping you off because you did him a favor, idiot."
"He was fine!" Naminé growled. They smoothly turned into a parking lot. "If you had such a problem with my driving, why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I don't know, maybe because I was trying to be nice? When you nearly crashed the car into the wall of the garage because you thought the car was in reverse, I thought it was a silly mistake. Little did I know that I should've ran away screaming for my life!" Roxas turned the wheel, searching for a close parking spot.
"Well that's dumb! We all know you're incapable of being nice!"
"Oh don't give me that! I'm nice until someone threatens my life! You'll have to forgive me for valuing that. I know that's not a normal thing to do, wanting to be alive and all—"
"Here you go with the senseless and patronizing sarcasm…"
"— but my actions are more than justified! They're necessary." Roxas found a parking spot and easily pulled in. "You know, now that I think about it, I have no idea why I did that stuff. You're right. Trying to be friendly was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done!"
"Well I'm glad we're on the same page!" Naminé said loudly, her voice matching the volume of the driver's. "Who would want to be friends with you anyway?"
"Everyone, excluding those that want to kill me. You would, of course, fall under the latter category."
"I didn't want to kill you earlier, but I certainly would like to now!"
"Well what are you waiting for?" Roxas unbuckled his seatbelt. "Let's do it again! Come on, into the driver's seat you go!"
"Stop being such a wimp and get over it already." Naminé smirked when Roxas gaped.
"Wimp? Me? Let's see how you react in the passenger's seat if I drove as awfully as you did! Anyone with an ounce of intelligence would have been— ugh! Why are you so frustrating?"
"You're the one who's whining about my driving!"
Roxas wanted to rip his hair out. This girl was unbelievable. "To think I was trying to be friendly."
"Who said I wanted to be your friend?" Naminé spat. "And what's with that stupid smile? Is something funny?"
"Your driving skills. It's laughable." Roxas stared the girl straight in the face. "And you're calling my smile stupid? You're the one sitting there grinning like an idiot! Guess the maniac in you is finally coming out."
"No, I'm remembering how you screamed like a little girl when we switched spots!" The blonde shot back. She plugged her nose and said in a shrilly voice, "Park it! Park it!"
Roxas snickered at the impression and retorted, "I can't believe you were about to get out of the car without parking it! Are you out of your mind?"
"No, but you certainly were!" Naminé giggled. "You were the one who told me to get out with no explanation whatsoever!"
"And it didn't occur to you that you should probably park the car?"
"Is that what good drivers do, Roxas? Park their cars at every light to switch seats?" By now, the two feuding blondes were fighting down smiles.
But the laughs finally erupted from both of them.
It must have been a strange sight to behold. A passerby would have seen two teens pull into a parking spot, obviously angry at each other. The two would scream at each other, animatedly waving their hands and arms about as they made fun of each other. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, they would laugh. And they'd laugh for a long while, unable to even construct a sentence.
The passerby would have to assume that both of the car occupants were insane.
Roxas didn't understand what was happening: all he knew was that he was actually having fun. He was having fun and Axel and Xion weren't around. No, instead it was Naminé. He was having fun with Naminé.
Naminé couldn't wrap her mind around it either. She hadn't laughed this much since her luncheon with the girls. The last person she expected to be with when she cried from laughter was Roxas. She was smiling and laughing with Roxas.
As the laughs died down and the tears were wiped, the two friends— enemies, whatever they were— sat back in their seats. Both of them stared out the windshield, smiles tugging their lips in an upward curve.
Roxas was the first to speak. "What the hell are we doing?" he asked with a chuckle.
"We're… talking." Naminé shrugged in her seat. "That's the most we've said to each other in the past forty-eight hours."
"It was." Roxas nodded. "I guess the logical follow-up would be to ask what the hell is wrong with us."
"So, what the hell is wrong with us?" Naminé asked this time, turning to Roxas with a smile. He looked at her and smiled back, shrugging.
"We're either out of our minds, or we just don't know how to talk to each other like normal human beings."
"I'd like to think that we're sane, so can we go with the latter?"
"I think I'd prefer that as well." The two laughed again, sighing as everything sank in. "How did we end up like this?"
"A couple minutes ago you wanted to switch seats. Something about my driving got into that head of yours."
"Not that." Roxas lifted his hand, waving it between them. "This. We're talking now, in case you haven't noticed."
"I did actually, thanks," Naminé replied sarcastically. "I don't have an answer for that question. But I know one thing: this is a lot more comfortable than trying to be nice to you."
"Tell me about it." Roxas rolled his eyes. "I don't know why I even bothered trying to befriend you. That was so awkward and gross."
"Agreed." The two quieted again. The silence, however, was different. It was nothing like the suffocating or thick air that usually hung between them. It was actually bearable.
"What exactly did we come here for again?" Roxas scratched his head in embarrassment.
"I guess everything can't fit in that tiny brain of yours," Naminé joked. "We're here for food."
Roxas shook his head and got out of the car. Naminé did the same. "You know, I always thought you had an awful personality."
"Thank you." Naminé smiled and batted her eyes. "I think your hair makes you look like a girl."
"Are we having truth time now? Getting it out of our system?"
"While everything I say is true, I'm just having a lot of fun bashing you. You walk like a girl, by the way."
Roxas smirked, reaching the door of the restaurant. He held it open for her, but right before she could walk through, he cut in front of her and walked by himself. He laughed at her reaction. "You look like a man."
Naminé looked back at the door they went through before looking at him with a smirk. "You do things to make me doubt that you are one."
He laughed. "I can do this all day."
"That makes two of us."
"Look, no hands. And I'm still driving better than you."
"Oh shut up already. I was able to drive straight."
"Here comes a red light. I better wait until the last second before I hit the brakes. Gotta live life on the edge, you know. It's always better when you don't know if you're going to be able to stop in time."
"It's the same joke every time. I'm not even offended anymore."
Not a second passed between the two blondes without a trade of insults. From the moment they stepped out of the restaurant to the moment they were currently in— driving home, that is— the siblings of a much more amorous couple were unloading mercilessly on each other.
Neither of them seemed to be running out of bullets.
"Has anyone ever told you that your eyebrows look really girly?" Naminé asked as she stared at Roxas's face. He couldn't look back at her; he was concentrated on the road ahead.
"Has anyone ever told you that you don't have any? Female logic, of course, dictates that you get rid of them all and draw them in yourself. Makes sense, right?"
"Your ears are kind of big too. Good thing you have a big head. If only your brain was just as large."
"Are you really insulting my intelligence right now?" Roxas asked as he pulled into his driveway. "I am positively sure that I'm smarter than you in every aspect imaginable."
The two unbuckled their seatbelts and got out of the car. "You won't be able to say that so confidently after you hang out with me enough."
Roxas snorted, trailing behind Naminé as they approached the front door. "Who said I wanted to hang out with you?"
Naminé smirked confidently. "I knew you'd say that. Partly because you're a wimp, and partly because I know you can't take the heat."
"Trust me, Naminé. I'm not here with you out of choice. And I can definitely take your mindless insults all day." Roxas opened the door and held it open for her. "I'll demonstrate some proper manners to you." Naminé stepped inside.
Naminé smacked his shoulder causing the boy to laugh. "You are never going to get a girlfriend."
"Not interested. Sorry." His eyes gleamed mirthfully before he turned around to go upstairs. Naminé stayed put, gaping.
"Um, hello? Where are you going?" Was he just going to leave her downstairs? What the hell was she supposed to do all day?
"Upstairs, of course." He chuckled when she rolled her eyes. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
Naminé raised a brow. "You want me to go upstairs?"
It was Roxas's turn to roll his eyes. "Right. How could I forget?" he walked back down the stairs and knelt at Naminé's feet, placing his palms flat on the floor and staring at the ground as if he was fearful to look at her. "Forgive my insolence, princess. I did not mean to imply that you walk up the stairs all on your own."
Naminé growled, shoving Roxas hard. He fell on his bottom, laughing loudly. "You are ridiculous. You know what I meant."
"Silly me!" Roxas lifted himself onto one knee, "I forgot that I'm not even worthy of being your lowly servant. At least allow me to be your horse so I can carry you up the long, endless flight of stairs— ow!"
Naminé pinched Roxas's cheeks and walked up the stairs in huff. "I'm not some spoiled brat, you know!" She didn't even wait for a retort and walked up the stairs. Roxas remained in place on the floor, smirking as the blonde left him behind. He blushed when he realized he was staring at her legs; the high-cut pair of shorts she was wearing revealed a lot. "Are you going to sit there all day?"
Roxas broke out of his trance to find Naminé glaring down at him. He stood up. "Nope. Just waiting for you to give me permission to move, is all."
She waited for him to pass her on the stairs, partly because she didn't know where she would go and partly because she wanted to glare at him as he caught up. When they reached the top, he led her to his room without ever looking back. She walked in, taking a good look around his room.
The fact that it was clean surprised her. Even more shocking, however, was the design and furniture. The walls resembled her art room, with only a single side— the one that his bed rested against— painted black. The rest of the walls were a bright white, contrasting the black dresser and furniture. A checker-patterned rug sat in the center of the room, pinned underneath the legs of the bed. The bedding appeared to be simple, with a large black comforter thrown over what were most likely all-white sheets and pillows.
She didn't expect the room to look so neat and polished.
"What are you standing around for?" Roxas interrupted her observations. He placed his wallet and cell phone on his desk.
"There are more colors in the world than black and white, you know." Naminé walked forward, now completely in the room.
"You're standing around because you're judging the color of my room?" Roxas smiled, pulling the rolling computer chair from under the desk and dropping into it. "I technically have all of them, if you think about it."
Naminé smiled. "I guess you do." She cautiously sat on his bed, sinking into it a little. It was comfortable. "The room is nice."
"Thanks."
"I'd rather look at it than you if I had the choice." The two blondes laughed. Neither had to say it out loud, but they knew complimenting each other in any way, shape, or form entailed that an insult had to follow or accompany. It was the only thing that felt normal to them now that they had no idea what to call each other. They weren't enemies anymore, that much was clear; but they had no word to define their current status.
They certainly wouldn't use friend. That was too nice. Perhaps that was exactly what they were, but they just too afraid to admit.
Perhaps they were in a stage in-between. It was too hard to define their relationship, so they didn't. All they knew was that they found some common ground, a way to interact in which they both agreed to because it was normal. And that was enough for them.
"Hey. While you're making yourself at home there, catch!" Roxas tossed a controller into Naminé's lap. She jumped out of surprise.
"Why did you give me this?" Naminé picked up the controller with two fingers, looking at it as if it were diseased.
Roxas snickered and turned on his TV. "We're going to play a little game to test who's more intelligent."
"And your knee-jerk reaction is to play video games?" Naminé put the controller down, a teasing smile on her face. "I think this contest is already over."
Roxas rolled next to the bed, eying the controller in her lap. She rolled her eyes and picked it up, unsure of how she should position her fingers. "It's not just any video game. It's a puzzle game with portals."
Naminé raised a brow. "You spent a ridiculous amount of money on a video game system to play puzzle games?" She laughed. "I think I'm racking up the points already."
Roxas shook his head as he started up the game. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Fine, I'll show you. Video games aren't entirely mind-numbing machines, you know."
"Oh, on the contrary." Naminé agreed with a nod. "Violent video games have been proven to make children more aggressive. That's hardly mind-numbing; it's brainwashing."
"You know," Roxas reached over to turn Naminé's controller on. "I think you've done too much reading and not enough playing. Here, you should probably learn the controls before we start." He handed her the game manual, tossing the case back onto his desk.
Naminé opened up the packet and looked at the control scheme. "If I quit, just know that I think that the game is boring and not because I can't solve the stupid puzzle."
Roxas laughed. "Of course. Let's get the excuses out now, please. We're about to prove something here tonight."
He would have kissed her if his breath didn't smell like fried fish. Perhaps seafood wasn't the best idea.
As luck would have it, Sora and Kairi managed to finish up a few minutes before sunset. Since most of the benches on the pier had been taken, the two walked down to sit in the sand to watch the sun dip behind the waves of the sea. A mix of oranges, pinks, and reds painted the sky as the sun slowly began to lower.
Sora was probably going to miss it. He couldn't stop looking at Kairi.
"We're supposed to be watching the sunset, Sora," Kairi reminded. She had most likely seen him staring through the corner of her eye since she hadn't torn her eyes away from the setting sun.
"I know," he said with a silly grin. "But I found something more interesting."
Kairi finally turned to look at him. "And it's apparently on my face."
"Well, it is your face," Sora corrected. "I want to memorize this image I'm seeing right now. You don't understand how pretty you look during a sunset."
Kairi blushed, covering her face with a sandy hand. "Sora, stop…" she whined. "You're so embarrassing."
"Sorry, Kairi." Sora chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I'm being honest though." He scooted closer to her, enough that their sides were touching. Kairi lowered her hand, relaxing at his touch.
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You can look at me later. For now, can we watch the sunset together?"
Holding their weight up with one of his hands, he wrapped his free arm around Kairi's waist. "Yeah, I think we can do that."
Not a word passed between the two as they watched the final minutes of daylight slip behind the edge of the world. The sun seemed to move at its fastest when it reached the end; it slowly sank until it dipped its feet into the ocean; then it quickened, immersing itself in the water, the light from its body reaching higher into the sky as it disappeared.
"Another breathtaking sunset of Destiny Islands," Kairi murmured.
Sora nodded. "They're always beautiful to watch. I'm glad I had a watching buddy this time around."
"You watch it alone?"
"Yeah." Sora lightly ran his hand up and down Kairi's arm. "I always thought about you when I did. Where you live, you can only watch it rise from your coast, correct?"
"Yeah, unless you got on top of a really high building, the sun always fell behind walls and trees and hills." Kairi breathed in deeply, relishing Sora's touch.
"Then I'm glad you can watch them here."
Kairi wrapped her arms around Sora's body and hugged him. "I'm glad I could watch them with you."
Sora closed his eyes, wishing his heart would stop pounding so rapidly and loudly. Could Kairi hear it? Could she feel the way his body disobeyed him and reacted to her? "Me too." He whispered, gently pressing his lips to her head. They stayed like that for a long while, just the two of them. Neither wanted to be the one to break from the other.
So someone did it for them.
"Well what do we have here? My best friends ignoring my calls from the Boardwalk, it seems!"
Sora and Kairi turned around quickly, surprised to see Riku approaching them with his hands in his pockets. They both smiled at him.
"Sorry, we didn't hear you," Sora apologized. Riku sat on the opposite side of Kairi.
"I figured. I just wanted to see what you two were doing here at this time."
"Just enjoying each other's company. Right, Sora?" Kairi looked over at Sora, grinning mischievously.
"That's right!" Sora and Kairi turned to Riku. "So what about you? I hardly believe you're here alone."
"I'm not. Xion wanted to visit the pier for Twilight Hour."
"So you're winning her a bunch of prizes?" Kairi cooed, pinching Riku's cheek. "You're so adorable."
Riku swatted Kairi's hand away. "Kairi, don't embarrass me. And for your information, I haven't won a single toy. Xion's just using my wallet," he joked.
"I still get the feeling that you don't mind," Sora chimed.
"You'd be right."
"Hardcore parkour!"
The trio didn't even have time to process the words before a body launched itself over Riku's shoulders and fell onto the sand in front of them. They laughed as Xion rolled into a standing position, sand now all over her clothes and legs.
"That was a rather grand entrance." Kairi applauded the new arrival. Xion bowed.
"Thank you. I try to put on a show every once in a while."
"Well thanks for the warning. You could have hurt yourself." Riku crossed his arms.
"Sorry about that. I actually could've hurt you with a knee to your head." Xion gave him an apologetic pout.
The older boy shook his head. "I'm fine. Come for more money?"
"You know it. I saw this adorable panda plush that would look great in Roxas's room."
"Well I'm glad I'm buying you a chance to win something for Roxas." Riku rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. "Whatever. They're all half-priced for the next half hour anyway. Knock yourself out."
Xion happily took the money— which actually was simple pocket change— and jumped excitedly. She turned to Kairi with wide eyes. "Come with me? I don't want to go alone!"
Kairi looked at Sora, who nodded in response. She stood up with Xion's help. "Lead me to it! This better be an awesome panda."
"It is. It's ginormous. It's epic." Xion probably went on and on about the stuffed animal as she and Kairi walked back to the Boardwalk. Riku and Sora were left by themselves, sitting contentedly in the sand. The sky was beginning to darken.
"So you two looked like you were having fun before I showed up." Riku turned to Sora. "I apologize if I interrupted you guys."
"You didn't," Sora said with a head shake. "We probably would've been there for a while if you hadn't showed up. You saved us some trouble."
"Good to know." Riku dug his hands into the sand, propping himself up with his arms.
"You were right, Riku. She does like me." A silly smile graced Sora's face as he stared at the ocean.
"When am I wrong?" Riku lightly punched Sora's shoulder. "Congratulations, Sora. I knew you had it in you."
"Thanks, Riku." Sora looked at his best friend with grateful eyes. "I couldn't have done it without someone to talk to."
"That's what I'm here for." They bumped fists. "So, are you two now…?"
"Happy?" Sora suggested the word to Riku's lingering question. "Definitely. As happy as I've ever been in my entire life."
Riku chuckled. "I guess that's all that really matters, isn't it?"
"Yeah." Sora knew he didn't give Riku the answer he was looking for, but somehow his best friend understood. The label wasn't important. The feelings were what truly mattered. "She was my first kiss, thanks to you."
"Hey, you were the gullible one!" Riku laughed at the memory. "And bold. When I think about that… ha! Nobody in their right mind would have done what you did. Not at that age, at least."
"Best kiss I ever had." Sora shrugged. "Who would have thought?"
"I'm sure you'd find that a kiss today would top that one."
"I agree. I'll just have to wait for the right moment: a time where my breath won't smell like fish."
"Good point." The boys laughed. Riku pulled out his vibrating phone from his pocket. "It's Xion. She just won the panda, and Kairi said that you guys should probably head out." He showed Sora the message. Sora nodded, hopping onto his feet.
"Guess we're leaving" Sora held a hand out for Riku, which was graciously accepted. Both of the boys wiped sand from their clothes. "What are you and Xion going to do?"
Riku started walking toward the pier. "Take advantage of the super cheap games and prizes, of course. I've got a whole night ahead of me. Don't you?" He nudged Sora suggestively.
"It's not like that…" Sora blushed, his pace quickening a little. They walked up the stairs, looking around for the girls. Sora spotted Kairi in the crowd, pointing in their general direction.
Riku laughed to see Xion lugging a giant panda in her arms. They met the girls halfway.
"Look! He's huge!" Xion giggled as she adjusted her hold on the stuffed animal.
"That's what she said. Sorry." Riku cringed when Kairi glared at him. "I heard you guys are heading back home."
"Yup. I feel obligated to save Roxas and Naminé from their own awkwardness." Kairi told Riku before turning to Sora. "You ready to go?"
"Of course." Sora waved to his friends as he took Kairi's hand. "I'll see you guys later!"
Riku nodded, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. See ya." The two walked off, leaving Riku and Xion to enjoy their games. He turned to the shorter girl with a smile. "You should have given the panda to them. They could've delivered it to Roxas."
Xion shook her head. "I'll deliver it myself the next time I see him." She and Riku walked side by side, walking aimlessly. "So what do you really think, Riku?"
He breathed slowly. "My best friends are happy. I've never seen Sora that happy in his life, and Kairi's never looked at anyone like she does at Sora. They're great for each other, right? I'd say that was a long time coming."
"You know them better than I do."
"My friends are happy, and that's all I need to know," Riku said with a nod.
Xion stared at him, wondering if he was putting a mask on again. "You are grossly perfect, Riku."
He laughed and draped his arm over Xion's shoulder. "That's the worst compliment I've ever received. Come on, let's run around a bit more. I imagine my best friends are going to want some time alone, so you're stuck with me now."
Xion shrugged out of his grasp, but locked her arm with his. "I guess I'll deal with it. Could be worse, right?"
"Shoot your portal right there."
"Already did."
"Good. Now wait for me to shine the laser in the right spot."
"No thanks. I'll jump into the spinning fan of doom and get crushed."
Roxas smirked at his partner's sarcasm. Nevertheless, he picked up a box with his character and adjusted the path of a laser that would allow them to pass. They watched as the giant blades stopped moving. "Okay. You're clear. Jump through your portal." Just as Naminé listened, Roxas released a button on his controller. The giant fan turned on before Naminé got through and after she had made the jump. Her poor robot character broke into pieces.
"Roxas!"
The boy howled in laughter as Naminé's character re-spawned. Naminé, on the other hand, was nowhere near as entertained. "Oh come on! It was funny! You totally didn't see that coming!"
"Funny for you!" Naminé growled. She found Roxas's character onscreen. "Give me the box. You can jump through the death fan, and then we'll see who's laughing!"
"You can't have the box!" Roxas wheezed from laughing. "Only I can have the box!"
"Then give me your controller!"
"No!" Roxas protectively hugged the small remote in his arms.
"Roxas…" Naminé stood up from the bed and blocked Roxas's view from his computer chair. "Give me your controller," she ordered sternly.
"I already said no," Roxas said with a mischievous smile. "Go and get yours and you can make the jump again!"
"I want to control the box!" She attempted to snatch it from him, but he moved it out of her reach.
"It's mine, Naminé!" Roxas kept his arms outstretched, passing the controller to the other when Naminé pinned one of his arms.
The blonde leaned forward, enough to kneel on the chair where Roxas's legs were parted. "Give it here!"
"No!"
Sora and Kairi pulled into the driveway after a fun car ride that involved blasting the score from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. They weren't modest about it at all; every time they reached a stoplight, they'd leave their windows down and the volume high. They giggled like toddlers anytime someone gave them a funny look.
But they were honestly too happy to give a damn.
"It's settled. Pirate music makes driving more epic than anything."
"Even better than techno dance parties in the car?"
"Definitely better than a techno dance party." Kairi giggled. The two got out of the car and entered through the garage.
The house was eerily quiet when they entered. Almost all the lights were turned off, save for the one that lit the hallway between the kitchen and living room. Naminé and Roxas were nowhere in sight.
"Naminé? Roxas?" Sora called into the dark. Nobody answered. "Hmm. The car's here, but they don't seem to be. Maybe they went out. Guess they're not—"
A loud crash startled the pair. Kairi immediately clung to Sora's arm as she stared at the ceiling. "Upstairs!" she whispered frantically.
"Wait here." Sora quickly darted from Kairi, running straight upstairs. He knew it was probably stupid of him to run into potential danger, but he didn't care. If someone dangerous was in the house, he was pretty intent on taking care of it.
The only light on upstairs was in Roxas's room. He slowly approached it.
"Ugh…" Somebody groaned in pain. Sora's eyes widened. He dashed into the room, throwing the door open.
"Naminé?" He asked frantically. He froze at what he saw.
Roxas, on the other hand, slowly opened his eyes, a weight holding him down. He noticed Naminé hanging above him, holding her head where she hit it. Roxas felt a sharp pain on his forehead as well. When he tilted his head (a stupid reaction, since his eyes would never be able to see his forehead without a mirror) to look, he saw Sora standing at the doorway. Naminé went rigid as well.
Wait. Why did he feel that?
He looked down, meeting Naminé's eyes. She was sitting on his stomach after his computer chair lost balance.
Oh shit. Roxas knew he was in for it now. Sora probably assumed something dirty already. "Sora, it's not what it looks like..."
Sora was completely still. He looked at the two on the floor. Naminé stared back at him with wide eyes, her hands pressed to Roxas's chest as she slowly got off him. Sora then looked at the controllers on the floor, and finally the TV. His eyes lit up with mirth.
Great. Roxas squeezed his eyes shut. I'm never living this down.
"Are you guys playing a video game together?" he asked slyly.
The two on the floor were speechless.
"Sora?" All three teens in the room heard Kairi call from downstairs. "Sora, is everything okay?"
Sora left the room to answer her. "Everything's fine! Roxas and Naminé are actually playing Portal 2 together!"
Naminé and Roxas looked at each other before frantically standing up. Naminé returned to her spot on the bed while Roxas placed his chair upright. He dropped into it just as Kairi came to the door.
Kairi gasped. She so badly wanted to scream and hug her sister for playing a game with Roxas. She also wanted to give Roxas a hug too for letting her play. But more than both of those desires, she wanted them to continue doing whatever this was.
Biting down a smile, Kairi slowly asked her sister, "Naminé, do you mind if we stay here a little longer?"
The blonde shook her head, not even meeting her sister's eyes. "Yeah, sure."
Kairi beamed. She took Sora's hand and dragged him out of the room. "Come on!"
As soon as Roxas and Naminé were alone in the room, they released sighs of relief. Roxas buried his faces in his hands; Naminé rubbed her elbow.
"Did you have to hit my head so hard?"
"It wasn't on purpose! You're the one who fell off the chair!" Naminé hissed back. "My elbow hurts."
"You probably fell on it. Other than that, you're probably fine." Naminé nodded. "Tch, figures. Using me as a cushion saved you a lot of pain."
"Man up already." Naminé shrugged.
"You're a lot heavier than you look."
"Did you seriously just call me fat?" Naminé put the controller down. That one was actually hurtful.
Roxas immediately backpedaled. "I called you skinny, if you read between the lines."
"You said I was heavy."
"Heavier than you looked. That means I think you're as skinny as a stick and I have no idea where you're putting that weight."
Naminé blinked. He insulted her, but he didn't do it by calling her fat.
She let it go. "Thankfully your brother is a little oblivious."
"A little? He thought we were getting along."
"Well at least he didn't assume we were doing something…"
"Doing something?"
"Yeah. You know, since I was…"
"On top of me…" Roxas finished her sentence as he processed what Naminé was saying. His ears felt all prickly and his face grew hot. He looked away from Naminé. "Why don't we get back to the game?"
Naminé stubbornly pursed her lips to brush away the embarrassment. "Y-Yeah. Whatever."
Neither of them brought up the incident for the rest of the night.
Kairi stretched her arms above her head as the movie finished. She and Sora watched their favorite movie, The Lion King, while Roxas and Naminé played their little video game upstairs.
She now understood why a movie with animals as main characters outclassed all those movies with beautiful princesses. Unlike the lovers in all those movies, the two in The Lion King had been best friends since childhood. This wasn't love at first sight, love born in a dream, or a case of Stockholm syndrome. Kairi loved how after years of separation, two best friends could reconnect and fall for each other.
It was love shared between two best friends. It reminded Kairi that the right one could be— and always could have been— around all along.
"Are you sleepy?" Sora asked tiredly. His hair poked out in all directions from her lap, tickling her arms as she ran her hands through it.
"Tired, but not sleepy, if that makes sense." Kairi looked down at Sora with a smile. "I still have to drive home."
"Make your sister drive."
"Good idea. That'll get my adrenaline pumping," Kairi joked. She lifted Sora's head high enough to slip away.
He frowned. "Leaving already?"
"It's almost midnight, Sora. We have to get home." Kairi walked up the staircase, heading straight to Roxas's room. "Naminé, are you ready to go?"
"In a bit, Kairi. We're almost done with this level." Naminé was completely engrossed in the game. Kairi thought she'd never see the day come; she never thought it was possible. But here was her sister, a controller in hand, staring at the TV with total concentration.
"Why don't you shoot your portal there so you can get momentum?"
"Way ahead of you." Roxas replied to the order. With the press of a switch, they finished another level. Roxas dropped his controller, holding his hands up in victory. "Done!"
"Ha! I told you we could beat the level!"
"Yeah, whatever. You didn't do that badly for a newbie."
"Not bad? I was awesome! I did better than you!"
"Oh please. How many levels did we beat because of me?"
"Well how many levels did I solve that you couldn't? One. But that's all it takes to show that I'm already better than you at this game!"
"Oh whatever!"
"Admit it!"
"There's nothing to admit!"
"Nam? Are you guys done?"
Naminé snapped out of her verbal battle with Roxas, remembering that Kairi had waited in the room for her. She put the controller down with a blush. "Oh, yeah. I am."
"Awesome. Meet me downstairs, okay?"
"Yup." The two blondes were left alone in the room once again.
"So do you still think video games turn people into mindless zombies?" Roxas smirked as he turned the TV off.
Naminé crossed her arms. "I reserve the right to think so. You showed me one game that's an exception. Don't think you changed my mind."
"Well maybe you should come over and play a couple more then." Roxas blushed. "S-So I can prove you wrong," he added quickly.
"Maybe I will. I bet most of your games are violent anyway." Naminé walked out of the room, not even checking to see if Roxas followed.
When she reached the bottom of the staircase, Sora and Kairi were already waiting by the door. She slipped her shoes on and walked over to them.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow." Sora folded his hands behind his head.
Kairi giggled, nearly tackling him with a bear hug. Sora slowly returned the hug, embracing her tightly. "You'll definitely see me tomorrow."
Naminé spotted Roxas on the staircase. He looked at Sora and Kairi strangely before meeting Naminé's eyes. Both of them made faces at each other, equally as intrigued over the elongated hug.
They broke eye contact when Sora and Kairi parted. Kairi looked at her sister. "Ready?"
"Yeah." She hugged Sora, "I'll see you later."
"Yeah."
She looked up at Roxas, who stayed rooted on the staircase. "Don't bother yourself to come down here."
"I thought I wasn't allowed to be within a few feet of the princess." Roxas shot back. They smiled at their own banter.
"If only you abided by that rule all the time…" Naminé followed her sister out the door. Kairi didn't have to announce she was the one driving.
"I thought you guys were done fighting?" Kairi asked, a little perplexed over what she just witnessed.
"Of course not. I'll never get along with Roxas."
Kairi snorted. Such denial. Still, better that they talk than stand awkwardly around each other. "Well, at least you guys are smiling when you fight. You also use each other's names."
"I've called him by name before."
"You guys only do that when you're yelling at each other. You never use it to refer to him… until now, at least."
Naminé blushed. That didn't mean anything. "Whatever. Nothing's changed between us. He's still a total asshole."
"I'm sure he is, Nam."
Redeeming Endeavor: Thanks to anyone who subscribed or favorited myself or LPA in the past week! I visit your profiles every time I get a different person, so I really do know who does it.
As I said above, that had to be one of the most useful sets of reviews I got! The feedback was varied and incredible, just the way I like it. I hope you got your replies! Huge thanks to Shire Folk, YAYAY317, PEANUT v1.2, Stonekipsta, ResoluteResolve, Allied Forces, Ash09, typewrite, Gear001, the ultimate kh fan, Zoe the Hunter, Shan (The site thinks your username is a website, sorry -.-), sora93kairi, Lupus7, spadejackspade, Bluedemon322, BruHaeven, Alecdot, elspoek1, Draco Oblivion, InfinityStream, Spellbound a.k.a soragirl4ever, xFlows, Sparkly Faerie, Dramamamapwnsall, ChocoIsu, Yifei Li, Ayperi, and shadowwulfx! I really appreciate the helpful and insightful reviews you all left me. That's what reviewing is all about! Loved it all.
Chapter Data- Word Count: 9,251. Total Editing Time: 593 minutes.
Take care, and I'll see you around!