TRIGGER WARNINGS: gore

Chapter Ten

Lea takes over the flying of the ship, leaving Kairi and Namine to take care of Sora and Roxas on standby in case he's needed. Sora's lying on the floor in the foyer, Namine at his left and Kairi at his right.

And Kairi is petrified.

"Sora," Namine says, her voice firm yet not harsh, "I have to reopen your wounds one at a time, okay? Do you understand me?"

"Mm-hm," he says, brows pinching together as he shakes from the waves of pain. "I hear you."

"Kairi, when the wounds open, you have to reach in there and pull the spikes out. That way I can heal them as we go. Understand?"

"Yes, Namine," Kairi says, her voice a mere whisper.

Namine looks up at Roxas. "He can't be unconscious for this, or else we might miss something. If he passes out, wake him up."

"How?"

"I don't care. Whatever you have to do. Okay, Kairi. Ready?"

Kairi scoots closer and nods.

Namine picks up the knife she'd taken from the kitchen sterilized with rubbing alcohol. She shares one last somber look with Sora before she dives right in, starting with the wound in the center of his chest. She cuts it open and he gasps, his eyes snapping shut.

"Kairi, now," Namine orders.

Kairi doesn't hesitate. She reaches into the fresh wound, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of touching the torn flesh of another person, searching down for the top of the first spike. Sora grits his teeth together, trying not to make a sound as she works. He has one hand wrapped around the leg of the coffee table and the other digging his fingers into the carpet by Kairi's leg.

She grasps the spike and pulls it out.

"Well, that's number one," Namine says, her hands pressing to the wound as she casts spell after spell. It takes her a few minutes, and then she nods. "Time for number two."

They work in silence for spike after spike, and Sora is surprisingly quiet. For a moment, Kairi's actually impressed at how he's managing.

Until they get to the sixth spike.

"There's four more left," Namine says. "You hanging in there?"

"Just…fucking do it," Sora hisses through his teeth. He looks at Kairi and she's stunned at the anguish she sees in his eyes.

When Namine cuts the seventh wound open, Sora pulls his knee up and starts bouncing his leg. He scrunches his eyes shut tight and a whimper sounds in his chest. Kairi reaches into the wound, just like she's been doing. But this time, he groans. She freezes, afraid, and he grabs her thigh in a vicelike grip.

"Fucking do it," he groans. "Now. Do it."

Kairi moves quickly, yanking the spike out. There's silence. Kairi looks at the spike and her eyes widen. It has a sharp point on the side.

And she's just torn it out of his body.

"No!" Namine cries.

Kairi looks down and sees the wound is wider than it was before. There's fresh blood spilling out. Sora's hold on her thigh is bruising.

"I'm so sorry," she gasps, her hands trembling as she drops the barbed spike. "Oh, God. Sora, I'm so sorry."

"I know," he chokes. "I know. It's okay."

"You're doing great, Kairi," Roxas says, taking a knee close by.

"The next one is the same," Sora says, looking at Namine.

"Are you sure?" she asks.

He nods. "I can feel it."

Roxas puts his hands on Sora's shoulders and holds him down. Namine doesn't wait—she cuts the wound open. Kairi, on the other hand, hesitates. She's frozen with anxiety and terror. What if she kills him? What if he dies, and it's all her fault?

"Kairi, you have to do it now," Namine says, gesturing frantically to the bleeding wound. "Right now."

"I…"

"Kairi!"

"I…I c-can't…"

Sora squeezes her leg and looks at her through half-closed eyes. "It's okay. You can do this."

"Sora, I don't want to hurt you!" she cries. "I almost killed you!"

"I know," he says, and he stops to let out an anguished moan. "Fuck. I know. But you need to do this for me, all right?"

Kairi steels herself, tears filling her eyes as she reaches into his wound and grasps the top of the spike. This time, when she starts to pull, she can feel the barbs catching on his flesh inside. The pain is clearly insurmountable, and Sora's back arches. Roxas holds him down tighter.

"Get it out!" Sora snarls. "Get it fucking out!"

"I know," Kairi sobs. "I'm trying."

"Please, Kairi."

"I know, Sora!"

Kairi pulls faster and then it comes free. Sora lays there, gasping for air, his eyes closed and head lolling. Namine heals in silence, sweat beading on her own brow as her energy is utilized. She looks exhausted.

"Second to last one," she says.

"Wait," Kairi says. "Just give me a second. Please."

"Kairi," Sora says hoarsely. "Look at me."

She does, the guilt she feels sickening her.

"You've got this, okay?"

"I'm so—"

"Don't apologize. Just get it done."

Namine doesn't wait for more discussion. She cuts him open.

Kairi's heart races and she closes her eyes, her trembling hand hovering over the bleeding hole. She's scared. So, so scared. His screams were like knives to her heart.

"Come on, Kai," Sora pants. He squeezes her thigh again. "Almost done."

Kairi digs into the wound and finds the spike.

"There we go," he breathes, obviously trying to encourage her as she pulls. "That's it. That's—fuck!"

This spike is barbed, too. Kairi feels it catching.

"Keep going," Namine snaps, sounding both tired and fed-up.

"Oh, my God," Kairi whines. "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right," Sora whispers. "Just keep going."

Kairi starts to pull again and Sora's back nearly leaps off of the floor. It's by the grace of Roxas that he doesn't sabotage his own extraction. His groans turn to whimpers, which turn to sobs. When Kairi finally pulls it free, she sees it has more than two barbs on its side.

It has four.

She stares at it in horror, barely registering the fact that Sora's blood is soaking into the carpet.

"Stop staring at it!" Namine cries. "I just cut the last one open!"

Kairi leaps into action, reaching into the wound and grabbing the spike. Her fingers are slippery with blood and the metallic scent is cloying. It sticks to her tongue and the inside of her nostrils.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Sora sobs. "Hurry."

Kairi sucks in her breath and rips it out the rest of the way. Blood sprays across the carpet, nearly hitting the cupboard beneath the sink in the kitchenette.

"Good girl." Sora groans in relief, his eyes still squeezed shut. "Ah, fuck. Good girl. You did so fucking well."

Kairi's cheeks get hot, but there's no time to be embarrassed. She rushes to the bathroom and tears through the cupboards, looking for any potions they might have stashed inside. After the battle, their pouches and satchels are empty.

She finds a Hi-Potion. It won't do much, but it'll help.

When she returns, there's just enough time for her to get Sora to drink the Hi-Potion before he passes out. Roxas, Namine, and Kairi collapse. They sit there, staring at him while they catch their breath and process what they just did.

Kairi feels sick to her stomach. He's not out of the woods yet—he's lost way too much blood. Sora might not even regain consciousness before they get to Disney Castle.

"One of these days," Namine says, holding up a threatening finger, "you're all gonna have to pick a new healer. I'm gonna get arthritis."

Roxas bursts out laughing, but it sounds crazed. "Whatever you want, Nami. Whatever the Hell you want."

A few moments later, Namine sighs.

"I'm the life-saver, so I'm making the executive decision to shower first. Kairi, you can go next."

"Will he be able to bathe himself?" Kairi asks, gesturing to Sora.

"Well, he's not totally safe yet. He has lost a lot of blood. But I think if I cast a few more Curagas, he'll at least get to a point where he's awake, walking, and able to eat and bathe."

"Who cleans the floor?" Roxas asks.

Kairi grimaces. "Lets…let the workers in the gummi hangar at the castle worry about that. Worst case scenario, Sora builds a new ship. For now, let's get him onto the couch, and we'll cover the—the blood spot with a towel."

Forty minutes later, Namine, Kairi, and Roxas have all showered and gotten food in their stomach. Roxas brings food to Lea and the two of them take over controls together so they can sleep in short intervals. Namine and Kairi disappear into their rooms for sleep, and Kairi's eyes are sewn shut before her head hits the pillow.

This time, her dreams of Sora are dark and terrible. She dreams of the brothel, of Anti-Sora being the one to attack her in the Red Room. Only this time, there's nothing to stop the unthinkable from occurring.

Kairi wakes with tears on her cheeks.

She wants to put the thoughts and feelings back into the box. It's what she did yesterday, and it helped her endure and get through. All she has to do is bundle the feelings up and tuck them into the box. Close the lid. Throw the latch. Click the padlock.

But it doesn't work today.

She follows the motions. Bundles it up. Opens the lid and tucks the bundle away. Closes the lid. Throws the latch.

The lock won't stay shut. No matter how many times she tries, she can't get it to click so she has to let it go. She has to get up, shower, and get dressed as though everything is locked away, with the dark knowledge that any wrong step could throw the lid open. Kairi doesn't think she'll be able to withstand it.

She might finally fall apart.

The day passes slowly. Namine's busy frequently checking on Sora and giving him Curaga spells, making sure he drinks water. She tried to feed him but apparently he hurled it right back up, so the food situation has been postponed. Lea and Roxas take care of flying the ship, spending their time joking and talking and laughing in the cockpit. They alternate mealtimes, standing in the kitchenette to wolf things down while Kairi lounges on the couch and interacts with them.

She feels like she's running on empty. Like she's made of paper and she's hollow. She can smile and engage with everyone, but there's nothing inside of her. Nothing but that unlocked chest, lying in wait, and all she can do is watch it. So Kairi sits on the couch and pretends to read some fantasy book she found in the Disney Castle library, interacting with her friends when they initiate and waiting for herself to crumple.

Around suppertime, she decides she might as well make herself useful.

Tossing her book aside, she wanders into the kitchenette and rummages through the fridge. She'll make some noodles and meat of some kind. The items and materials are gathered and she loses herself in the motions of cooking. As the recipe nears its completion, a delicious smell wafts through the ship, creeping its way into the cockpit.

"I know you're not cooking down there and not inviting us!" Lea hollers.

Kairi laughs and hollers back, "It's for everyone! Come eat!"

Soon enough, everyone except for Sora is arranged around the table, tucking into plates piled high with yummy food. Lea and Roxas finish a conversation they were having upstairs and suddenly, all attention is on the visibly-exhausted Namine.

"How's he doing?" Roxas asks.

Namine finishes her current bite. "He's awake."

"He is?" Lea says, teeth flashing white as he grins. "Brilliant. Can he eat yet?"

"I don't think so. But we could try bringing him a plate after this?"

"That sounds like a good idea," Roxas says. "Kairi, you could do that. I'm sure you've been wanting to see if he's okay."

"Yeah," Kairi says, even though she can still feel the guilt coursing through her veins. She can still see the way his blood sprayed out across the floor—it stains the carpet in a trail toward the sink. The larger stain is covered by a towel that dark red blood has still managed to seep through in places. "I'll plate some up and take it in when we're done."

"Well, hang on," Namine says. "I'm sure he'll want to shower first. He's still covered in dried blood."

"Oh, damn," Roxas says, wrinkling his nose. "Is he able to walk?"

"Yes. I had him walk back and forth a bit. He's weak, but he'll be able to shower."

"Cool. Let him do that, then he can go back to bed and Kairi can bring him food."

"Namine, why don't we take care of the dishes?" Lea suggests. "Rox, you can fly by yourself for a bit, yeah?"

"Sure. I'm up for it."

They take some time to eat without talking, chipping away at the mountains of food on their plates.

"So," Lea says. "Kairi."

Kairi looks up at him, her fork poised halfway to her mouth and one hand holding her long hair out of the way so it doesn't get into her food.

"Uhh…Lea."

"There's been some tension."

"What tension?"

"With Sora." He smirks.

"There's no tension."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Because I'm a blusher. Blushers blush."

Namine interjects, "I blush a lot, too."

"Yes," Lea purrs, "but you don't blush over Sora, Namine. Kairi does."

"I do not!" Kairi cries, casting a quick glance over her shoulder at the hallway. She lowers her voice to a whisper. "Shut up, will you? He'll hear you."

"Why are you worried?" Lea teased. "Think he's gonna come out here and tell you you're a bad girl?"

Kairi drops her fork and slaps him. It's not too hard or violent—it's more of a sharp pat on the cheek, really. It makes him laugh so hard he has to spit his food out onto his plate so he doesn't choke.

"I'm sorry," she whispers, her hands on her mouth. "I didn't mean to do that. Just…don't talk about that."

"Kairi has kinks," Roxas says, wriggling his eyebrows and earning him a sharp elbow from Namine. "What? Didn't you hear him yesterday?"

"He was only saying that because I was scared and managed to get through it," Kairi says. It's a half-lie, if her and Sora's little conversation is of any indication as to her…proclivities. "I did a good job."

Lea's eyes widen in mock-innocence. "Oh, so you don't feel a fanny flutter when Sora calls you his good girl?"

"A what?!" Namine cries, coughing around her food as she giggles. "What did you just say?"

Kairi has to laugh at that. And once she starts, she can't stop, the laughter taking over her body and punching her in the stomach from the force of it. There are tears of mirth streaming from her eyes. When she finally stops, she and Namine make eye contact.

"A fanny flutter," Namine says.

They both collapse into another fit of uncontrollable giggles.

Roxas shakes his head as though disappointed. "You two are mental."

"I'm only asking probing questions," Lea says.

"Well," Kairi says, wiping her eyes, "it's not your business who's…who my f-fanny—" She can't stop laughing, and Namine's hooting isn't helping. "Who my fanny flutters for—oh, my God." She falls into a third fit, this time, falling out of her chair, which makes her laugh harder, and makes Namine throw her head back to guffaw.

Lea and Roxas exchange amused glances as they wait for the girls to settle down. Once they have, and Kairi's fanny is placed firmly in her seat, Lea sets into her again.

"Admit it."

"Admit what, Lea?" Kairi responds, exasperated.

"You have a praise kink."

"What even is that?!"

"Don't act like you don't know," Roxas says, his grin ferocious as he points his finger at her.

Lea narrows his eyes. "You been fuckin'?"

"Oh, my God, Lea!" Kairi practically screams. "Stop! Oh, my God!"

"He's asking the real questions," Roxas says. "You better answer."

"No! For Merlin's sake, you guys. Sora and I aren't…doing that." Kairi swallows a gulp of her water. "Don't be ridiculous."

"But you will be," Roxas says in a dramatic, low voice. "You will be."

"I'm going to leave this table, damn you!"

"We're only joking, Kairi," Lea says. "You're an adult. You can sleep with whoever you want. And if it's Sora, it's not that big of a deal."

Kairi's desperate to turn the spotlight back on him.

"You're just saying that because you and Aqua have a thing."

"Ooo," Namine teases. "Aqua and Lea."

"Hey, hey!" Lea cries, laughing as he holds his hands up in an expression of surrender. "I'm older than you guys. You can't begrudge me a little fun on the side."

"This is a ridiculous conversation," Roxas says, exchanging what can only be described as a shy glance with Namine. Kairi knows why—her sleepover with Namine before Radiant Gardens saw to that. "Our food's getting cold."

"Look, Kairi," Lea says. "If you have a praise kink, it's literally not a big deal. If Sora happens to have that kink, too, cool. Great. Fantastic. Again—not a big deal. And Roxas, you and Namine are killing me. You both clearly want to fu—"

"Lea, stop!" Kairi cries, shoving at his arm repeatedly. "Leave us alone, you great big brute!"

"What we should be discussing," Namine says, leaning in close with a conspiratorial look, "is what happened to Sora during the battle."

"Roxas, can you explain?" Kairi asks. "You seemed to know what was happening."

"Right," Roxas says. He takes a quick bite of his food. "So, you know how Sora's got his Drive Forms? Well, for some reason, his Final Form is…wonky. We don't really know why, but we were told by Yen Sid that the more he uses that particular form, the higher the chance is for darkness to seep in. That's the reason why he slipped into that dark form."

"What did you call it?" Lea asks. "Anti…something?"

"Technically, he, Goofy, and Donald named it his Anti Form. But when it happens, we all kinda think of the creature as 'Anti-Sora.'"

"The creature," Kairi whispers. "So, it's a different entity?"

"Sort-of." Roxas appears thoughtful. "When I was still in his heart, I was able to watch when things like that happened. The few times he accidentally fell into his Anti Form, it was like the darkness bled into him, and it twisted his mind until there was nothing there but the desire to kill everything and everyone. Even his friends."

"Why the Hell would that old crackpot give him something that does that?!" Lea cries. "That's idiotic!"

"My theory," Roxas says, "is that it's because Sora turned into a Heartless once. I don't know how exactly, but I think it has something to do with that."

"If it happens with his Final Form," Namine speaks up, "then why did he use it on the dragon?"

"Well, we were in a bad spot," Lea says. "You were thrown and drained. Namine. You couldn't heal us. You had to help her, Rox. And my fire was barely making a dent in the thing. Leon was doing all right, and so were you, Kairi, but again—no ability to heal you if something terrible happened. I think he made an executive decision."

"Final Form is extremely powerful," Roxas says. "I mean, you saw."

"He obliterated that thing," Lea agrees.

Kairi looks down, remembering how Sora had looked at her before he shifted. How he told her that he cared about her. He'd known the risk of shifting, but he'd made the choice to do it anyway. He knew she might get hurt.

"We'll keep an eye on him," she says decisively. "And no matter what, we have to try to keep him from using his Final Form."

"Yeah," Namine says. "We'll be twice as prepared before battle so we don't get into that situation again."

"And everyone should probably work on their healing magic," Roxas adds. "That way we're all able to at least take care of ourselves when Namine's not on-mission with any of us."

"Good idea. Now, let's finish eating. I need to get back up to the cockpit—we're on autopilot. And no, I won't tell Sora."

As if by a curse of Hades, Sora's bedroom door swings open. He gives them all a wave, apparently not aware of their conversation, and disappears into the bathroom. Moments later, the shower water turns on.

"Well, that takes care of that," Roxas says.

They finish their meals, each lost in their own storm of thoughts. Sora finishes his shower and goes back to his room before they're done. Once they are, Namine and Lea start clearing the table. Roxas jogs up to the cockpit, disappearing inside. Kairi grabs a plate from the cupboard and fills it with a small amount of food. She doesn't know the state of Sora's stomach and she doesn't want to upset it, so it's best not to load the plate up.

As Lea and Namine start on the dishes, falling into a conversation full of jokes and laughing, Kairi takes Sora his meal.