#and roxas and xion gone from sora’s heart too. so sora would be alone | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

scoobysnack1107 · 4 years ago

Photo

So grateful I was able to commission the incredible @rainbow-taishi again for another gorgeous RokuNami piece! As always, Jin did an absolutely amazing job! The colors and atmosphere are warm, the expressions soft, and the detailing exquisite 🥺💞 Thank you again Jin for making making my day and bringing a huge smile to my face 💖

For anyone interested, I wrote an accompanying story!

You can read it below or on ao3: Un Rendez-vous Romantique

(special thank you to @jysumrae for using her French skills to help me with the title 💖 )

Un Rendez-vous Romantique

Naminé checked the time on her gummi phone again. Five minutes before seven o’clock. Five minutes before Roxas was supposed to arrive at the bistro for their date. Their first date she reminded herself.

All around her, tables were filled with laughing couples sharing colorful concoctions that were placed onto tables by waiters dressed in well-tailored suits. Naminé, dressed in her signature white dress and blue sandals, was the only one sitting alone.

She couldn’t help but wonder how seriously he had taken the idea. He had been the one that asked her out with that boyish grin she was powerless to resist. But this was the first time they would be together like this. Unencumbered by heartless, the Organization, Diz. Tonight, it was just the two of them in the most romantic place in town.

Unless…he stood her up.

Naminé’s heart sunk, and as the people milling by the bistro cast her curious looks, she started feeling more and more self-conscious. Did they think he wasn’t coming?

“Don’t worry, Naminé. Trust me, he’ll come.”

Startled, Naminé looked up and found Sora offering her a comforting grin. He was dressed in a white chef’s uniform and tall toque that somehow managed to stay atop his spiky head of hair. In his hands, he was carrying a large, unopened box decorated with golden fleur de lis and something scribbled on top in black marker.

“Sora? Why are you—” she trailed off, suddenly remembering that her friend had become an occasional helping hand at the restaurant during his travels. Though, admittedly, it was strange to think of Sora as a chef in a high-end bistro like this. “Thank you. I guess I’m just a little nervous.”

In the distance, the bell of the clock tower tolled, signaling the passing of another hour. Seven o’clock.

Sora had to be right.

“Excuse me! Coming through!”

Outside the bistro, some kind of commotion had started. The tram stopping in its track as a boy riding a black and white skateboard came racing through. A flock of pigeons wandering the bistro’s checkered plaza dispersed in a flurry of feathers, and one of the waiters nearly dropped a plate of ratatouille before said boy arrived in front of Naminé’s table with an apologetic smile.

“I am so sorry, Naminé,” Roxas said, finally catching his breath, “I promise I didn’t forget. Really. I got caught up delivering letters again because Lea ‘sprained’ his ankle and couldn’t finish his half.” Roxas shook his head. Of all the days Lea felt it necessary to fake an injury.

Naminé couldn’t help herself. She laughed, and the anxiety that had been chipping away at her nerves dissipated with the sound. “It’s fine, Roxas. I’m glad you were able to make it. I can’t say I expected that kind of entrance though.” Another laugh slipped past her lips when she noticed a stray feather in his hair.

Roxas scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I can’t say I really planned it that way.”

Plucking the feather from the skater’s head unceremoniously, Sora handed his friend the box he was holding. “Well, now that you’re finally here, I’d say it’s time for you two love birds to enjoy your date with a little Tarte aux Fruits, courtesy of Little Chef and I!” Sora patted his toque affectionately, prompting a tiny gray mouse to peek out from beneath the hat before scurrying back inside with a squeak. “He’s a little shy,” Sora whispered.

“He’s cute,” Naminé cooed.

Roxas flipped open the lid of the box to examine the dessert. Inside the box was a round and colorful tart decorated with fresh strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, and peaches. “Sora, you know it’s just the two of us, right?” Usually, the bistro only served the desserts by slices. Not entire tartlets like this.

Sora pushed the lid back down and pointed to the writing on top.

Enjoy your date!

- Sora and Little Chef

“Yep! But you’re my friends and Little Chef insisted. It’s not like you can’t take the leftovers home. I’m sure Lea and Xion would eat a few slices for you.”

Curious, Naminé stood up to peer inside the box too. Sora really was too sweet. Everything about the dessert was handled with care, with each fruit arranged so precisely, Naminé could only imagine how long her friend had spent perfecting the delectable concoction. “Thank you, Sora. This is perfect, but you know, we’ll be saving you and Little Chef a slice too. It wouldn’t feel right for our chefs not to taste their own creation.”

“Heh, guess not,” Sora agreed, scratching his cheek.

“You can drop by the Old Mansion after work if you’d like,” Naminé suggested, “No one goes to bed early anyway, since it’s summer vacation.”

“Yeah, and plus, you still owe me a rematch on Classic Kingdom Melee,” Roxas said with a competitive glint in his blue eyes.

Sora chuckled and laced his hands behind his head. “So eager to get your butt handed to you again?”

“I have Naminé’s good luck charm this time,” Roxas said confidently, “So, there’s no way I’m gonna lose again.”

“We’ll see,” Sora said in a sing-song voice. The two boys jibed one another for another minute until Sora was called back into the kitchen by a short, portly chef with a silver whisk and a toque taller than him.

Roxas set the box with the tart on the table and moved to pull Naminé’s chair out for her with a flourish. “Madame.”

“How gentlemanly,” Naminé giggled as she took her seat.

Taking the chair across from her, Roxas signaled over one of the waiters who promptly brought them two plates and utensils to slice their dessert. Naminé, her hands small and adept, cut them each a generous piece.

The window behind them cast a warm golden glow and was embossed with the bistro’s name, Le Grand Bistrot, in neat gold lettering. Inside, the restaurant’s staff busied themselves, the sound of clattering dishes and whirring kitchen appliances blending with the soft instrumental tune floating from the speakers outside.

Naminé spoke again first. “So, you and Hayner are entering the Struggle Tournament this year?”

“We’re gonna win this year” Roxas boasted with a grin. He picked up his dessert but didn’t take a bite as sparks of excitement began to dance in his eyes. “We’ve been training every day since sign ups.”

“Confident I see,” Naminé teased.

“Always,” Roxas returned, his grin turning sly, “And besides, I’ve won the digital version once already. The real thing can’t be any harder.”

Naminé conceded with a smile. “That is true.”

As Roxas explained his new strategy for this year’s tournament, Naminé listened attentively, offering nods and questions at different intervals as she nibbled at her dessert. She liked seeing him so excited. After everything they had been through, happiness like this was well-deserved.

“Promise to cheer me on?” Roxas asked. His gaze was intense now, making Naminé’s heart skip a beat.

Naminé averted his eyes, playing with her hair as she answered shyly. “I’ll be in the front row the entire time.”

“U-Uh, thanks” Roxas blushed at her words and drew his own gaze away. “But um…anyway,” Roxas coughed, “How about you? You mentioned buying some new paints the other day. Have you been able to try them out yet?”

This time, it was Naminé’s face that lit up. She pressed her fingers together and tilted her head happily. “I have! I’ve been painting lots of landscapes with them, and I want to try portraits too.”

“Is this your subtle way of asking me to be your model?” Roxas joked.

“Mmm, maybe. Though, I’m not entirely sure you’d be able to stay still the entire time.”

Roxas raised his eyebrows. “That sounds like a challenge.”

“You really think you can sit still for more than an hour?” Naminé asked dubiously.

“With the right kind of incentive.”

Without hesitating, Naminé replied. “Sea salt ice cream?”

“Bingo,” Roxas said and bit into his slice of the tart.

Naminé didn’t try to conceal her laughter. Roxas really was predictable. And adorable. “I think I can arrange that.”

“Then, we have ourselves a deal!” Roxas held out a hand across the table, and Naminé shook it as if it was actually some kind of serious, contractual agreement.

The two continued to talk, reminiscing over the new memories they had made in the real Twilight Town. Like the first time they had all gone to Sunset Hill for a meteor shower or when they took that impromptu trip to Radiant Garden because somehow Twilight Town had run out of sea salt ice cream. Granted, it had been a particularly hot day. But still…

“I feel like summer vacation is too short,” Roxas complained, “and who thought it was a good idea to assign homework? We’re supposed to be on a break.”

Naminé’s lips twitched knowingly. “You still haven’t started, have you?”

“I tried, but the computer keeps crashing on me, so I can’t do any kind of research,” Roxas explained, pouting as he crossed his arms.

“You and computers,” Naminé sighed, shaking her head, “What are you writing your report on?”

“Not sure yet. Hayner, Pence, and Olette want to do something about the seven wonders, but that’s a little too déjà vu for me, you know?”

Naminé tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Hmm, maybe you can do a report about the beach?”

“The beach?” Roxas cocked his head curiously.

“Yeah, like what kind of fish are in the ocean here or ways to keep our beaches clean,” Naminé continued. Roxas loved the beach. The first time they went, Roxas nearly tripped over himself running across the sand to get to the water, and he didn’t come out until it was time to leave.

“Looks like we’re going to the beach this week then, huh?” Roxas asked with a coy grin.

Naminé returned the smile. “Looks like it.”

By the time they were ready to leave, with their leftovers secured in a to-go bag, the last embers of the twilight sky above had faded, blanketing the sunset hues beneath a veil of stars. The night air was still, the bustle of the usually busy town subdued as most citizens retired to their homes to sleep.

“I had a lot of fun tonight,” Naminé said, staring down at her feet bashfully.

“Me too.” There was a brief silence that hung between them before Roxas added in a hesitant but hopeful voice. “Maybe we can do it again sometime?”

“I would love that,” Naminé answered softly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Y-You know, there’s gonna be that new movie playing down at the theater this Friday. We could grab dinner here and then go see that?”

“It’s a date!” Naminé agreed happily, and her heart soared.

Roxas took her hand and intertwined their fingers. “It’s a date.”

#rokunami #roxas #namine #kingdom hearts #namixas #finally had a chance to finish this story #I loved writing the dialogue #and the tarte aux fruits was one of the prettiest desserts in kh3 #perfect for a first date <3

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themadauthorshatter · 3 years ago

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... I think you guys are going to like this.

358/2 Days REWRITE Part 2

Riku is around, but he's all over the place, and he has a mission: Find and capture either Roxas or Xion, unless he CAN manage both, so DiZ can use them to help Sora recover. He's on a time limit, though, because Sora's heart is damaged and the longer Roxas and Xion are around, the less likely Sora is to waking up or even sleeping; I mean, he'll BE sleeping, but it'll be much quieter and it will be absolutely pointless to try waking him up.

For the first few days or months, he keeps his distance, trying to decide who he's picking, sadly.

Pros of bringing Roxas to DiZ: He has the closest connection to Sora, being his nobody, he's got the keyblade, Riku can probably take him one v. one, if there are any problems, he just needs to get a reaction out of 'Sora.'

CONS of bringing to Roxas to DiZ: Have fun trying to run from the remaining Organization members, he'll have to avoid Non-form or he'll get beaten all to Hell, he runs the risk of hurting his friend for reals, Roxas is rarely alone, Roxas is one hell of a runner and fighter, he'll just feel bad.

Pros of bringing Xion to DiZ: She has more 'keyblade' potential, maybe her voice will help wake up Sora(?), she looks and sounds like Kairi, Naminé gets a new friend(as long as DiZ doesn't decide to throw her away).

CONS of bringing Xion to DiZ: She looks and sounds like Kairi, she's crazy skilled, she hits hard, she's laughable when she's mad, but it's gut wrenching to see her cry or be hurt, she looks and sounds like Kairi, Naminé is probably getting Thanosed when DiZ is done with her because he's a dick right now, so giving Xion to her as a friend will mean nothing, the connection to Kairi, he'll feel bad.

As you can tell, Riku is great at making decisions(sarcasm)

While he's too caught up to do anything, let's check on the sea salt trio, who are getting closer as friends, i.e. seeing Hayner, Pence, and Olette do stupid stuff a KH equivalent of TikTok, which the trio repeats on their own without a phone recording them, eating ice cream, talking, and exploring the Disney worlds for fun, both old ones and new ones that will appear in future games.

In this time, Xion becomes a mix of Kairi and Naminé, outspoken, but careful with who she runs her mouth to, smart, but still open to learn, protective and still needs something if a protector, etc. She is also a wickedly fast learner.

We also get organization shenanigans like Demyx being lazy on missions, Roxas getting annoyed at Xigbar for calling him tiger, dealing with Saïx, trying not to annoy Xaldin, even getting head pats from Xemnas, and, for fluff, Roxas and Xion finding Axel asleep on the floor of the clock tower and the two scaring him away for shits and giggles.

Yes, a lot of time passes, about 9-11 months, give or take.

Roxas and Xion also become closer as well with Axel being something like their chaperone, only he reports to Xemnas and Saïx.

Speaking of Saïx, he meets up with Axel one day and expresses disdain with the fact Axel would rather be friends with an unstable Roxas and a literal puppet that doesn't even exist.

Axel, on edge already with Xemnas on his back, tells Saïx to put a cork in it. Saïx only pushes back, asking if Roxas even KNOWS what Xion is, even what HE is. To both their credit, the two are wonderful at playing make believe and Axel, being the child he is, is a great at being their playmate.

Axel shoves Saïx back, snapping for him to shut his mouth before he says something he'll regret. Saïx, losing his composure, shoves back, asking if he should because Axel can't handle the truth; he never has been good at it, so it's not surprising.

Ring a bell, someone, please, because Axel throws a punch into Saïx's cheekbone. Saïx returns with a left hook directly to the side of the neck and knees Axel, who grabs his leg under his knee and rolls, making them both fall and throw more punches on the ground, bruising and bloodying each other in full view of the remaining organization members. Maybe we get a gag of Xigbar and Luxord placing bets on who will win, Demyx worrying because they should probably be stopped, Xaldin scoffing at the immature display, and then Roxas and Xion walking in and instantly getting worried because Axel is not winning this fight, as evidenced by Saïx slamming his head into the floor.

When the two stand up to keep fighting, Roxas and Xion race between them, the boy in front of Saïx and a very nervous Xion in front of Axel, who tells her and Roxas to stay out of this or they'll get hurt.

Roxas obviously refuses, but Xion leads Axel away from Saïx, who asks if Axel really needs children to protect him.

No, he needs to protect these two idiots, especially Roxas, who hasn't moved and his eyes have gone Non-form-y, like he's about to transform.

Saïx returns with berserker eyes and smashes Roxas into the wall by his neck, daring him to try it.

It draws a gasp from EVRYONE, even Xaldin, but Saïx scoffs that they shouldn't try pretending to be worried, what with how unstable and how much of a nuisance Roxas is, not too mention weak, which he says while watching Roxas try to break free. He kicks at Saïx, and misses, but Saïx smirks and summons his claymore, wanting to see how tough Roxas really is.

There's a reason Xion pulled Axel away and is so nervous, because said reason puts a hand on Saïx's shoulder and asks him if he enjoys this façade of a life and would rather not disappear.

Yep. Xemnas is here, and everyone backs down, including the the bet making Xigbar and Luxord, who so they can have deniability.

Saïx snaps out of berserk mode in the blink of an eye and begrudgingly lets go of Roxas, i.e. lets him drop down.

Axel and Xion start toward him, but freeze when Xemnas eyes them, like scary eyes.

He has an announcement: There's an imposter and he could be anywhere. He's in a coat just like everyone else's, but his hood's usually up. When he's not wearing it, he's a silver haired teen. Oh, yeah, and his name is Riku.

Axel, Roxas, and Xion all gasp, Axel because Riku was in Castle Oblivion and probably knows where Sora is and Roxas and Xion because it brings back memories from Sora.

Xemnas sees the reaction, but only focuses on Roxas, asking softly if he's okay and if he was hurt.

He's fine and he wasn't and he shakes his head to chase away Non-form.

Xemnas still helps him up and orders everyone to keep their eyes open and report ANYTHING on this imposter because the sooner they catch and... well, just catch him, the better, that part being Xemnas not wanting to upset Roxas, make him go into Non-form, and have everyone need to knock him out to calm him down.

Xemnas takes Roxas away to be checked on, in case he was really hurt and doesn't know it, and Roxas asks what will happen to Saïx and Axel for fighting. He didn't see a lot of it, so he’s not even sure who started it.

They’ll be 'interviewed' and reprimanded accordingly, but they won't die, so relax.

What about the imposter? Who's Riku? And who's Sora??

Xemnas stops checking on Roxas and puts a hand on his head, which he doesn't need to worry about because the organization can deal with it. All he needs to do is keep doing missions and giving his 100%. Roxas sighs that he IS, hell he's giving 150% because Non-form's acting up, but he's kept it calm, even with the hallucinations of Sora, Ven, and now Non-form.

Xemnas finishes checking for any wounds and commends Roxas, saying that is why he chose him. Before Roxas can ask, Xemnas tells him to go in the lobby because he has a mission with Xaldin.

Roxas does so and passes by and reassuring Axel and glaring Saïx, though Roxas glares back.

Xemnas has the two sit down and that warmth he had with Roxas is GONE IN A SECOND, asking both of them what they were thinking, picking a fight in front of everyone and endangering the two most vital components to the plan. Saïx jabs that Axel is letting himself be distracted while Axel states he's doing his job and doesn't want either of them to get upset or angry to the point of dysfunctionality. Besides, He did not start that fight, which he didn't even WANT to partake in.

Does Axel have legs? For now he does, yes. Can he stand? Yes. Can he DEMONSTRATE that he can stand? This is getting tedious, but sure, and Axel stands. Now can he walk from where he is to the far wall? Again, this is tedious, but yes.

If he did ALL OF THAT, why didn't he actually do it?

With no words, Xemnas dismisses Axel, telling him to accompany Xion on their mission.

Axel nods and leaves Saïx to be scolded.

We cut to Riku as he watches Roxas and Xaldin fight of heartless and some knights in Beast's Castle, maybe even go toe to toe with Beast himself, who manages to catch Roxas off guard and momentarily confuses him with Sora.

Xaldin knocks him away and the two leave, Riku coming out and asking if that smaller nobody really was Sora.

Beast admits it was a spur of the moment, but he could have sworn it was Sora.

Meanwhile, Xion and Axel fight hard in Hollow Bastion, squaring off against Squall, Yuffie, Tifa, and Cloud, where we see both more of Axel's gymnastics and Xion's ability with a keyblade.

The fight ends when Xion stops who she believes is Riku the imposter and chases after him, Axel following her in case shit hits the fan.

Xion follows Riku to a cliffside and he gives her an offer and a warning: either give him Roxas or hope that they never meet face to face again. Xion arms herself and demands to know what that means, but Riku also arms himself right as Axel throws a chakram between them and tells Riku to fuck off before he gets hurt.

Riku gives Xion one last glance before falling off the edge and leaving through a dark corridor, making it look like he just disappeared like a badass. They’re both confused, but still call it a day, Xion asking if Axel is okay after that fight with Saïx, because he’s still a little banged up. He expresses he’s fine(he’s a big boy!!) and tells Xion not to worry.

She’s going to anyway because Riku is after Roxas, and threatened her with a fight if she didn’t bring Roxas to him. Axel, although he’s shook, tells her everything will be fine.

LIES, because Xion is sent on a mission to defeat Riku. All she needs to do is knock him out and they’ll come collect him, no problem.

Xion IS strong, but not strong enough because Riku wipes the floor with her and is about to take her to DiZ when dusks, samurai, and Non-form Roxas, who also gets whooped, but at least fairs a little better.

The two wear Riku out enough for a lance to graze his arm, an arrow/bullet to hit his leg, and a few cards to distract him.

The rest of the organization arrive, even Saïx and Xemnas, the latter using thorn/vine things to bind Riku’s hands behind his back.

He remarks that Riku’s a lot bigger than he thought he would be, stronger too, and we get one of those creepy manga Xemnas moments as he grabs Riku, pulls him close by the jaw, and states he’ll have fun seeing just how strong he is; he knows that Riku is hiding Sora, Kairi, DiZ, and his witch, and will tear him apart with his bare hands to know where they are.

With Riku thoroughly freaked out, Xemnas stands and everyone returns, all tired and ready to find Sora.

Xion, however, isn’t. Because Riku said some very interesting things to her during their fight.

She considers telling Roxas, but he’s too worried making sure she’s okay, because Riku was tough. She goes to Axel instead, knowing he has a key to the dungeons, and he’s instantly skeptical; she asked if he could take her to see Riku. Xion lies through her teeth and says she just wants to rub in Riku’s face that they won and he lost.

Axel agrees, but decides he’s going to follow her, just in case.

They arrive as Xigbar leaves, asking if they’re going to welcome the new arrival and need help in doing so.

Xion counters that she’s actually going to return a favor and would like to do it alone.

Axel’s surprised and Xigbar whistles for her to stand down; he was just asking because she got kicked like a soccer ball, no harm in asking for help.

He leaves and Xion goes toward Riku’s cell, asking Axel to stay by the door until she’s done.

He does so and Xion walks towards Riku’s cell, where she and we the audience see Riku is banged up from being interrogated; looks like Xemnas is taking his time.

Riku asks what she wants and Xion responds with a deal:

Tell her about Sora and she’ll give the organization a good enough lie to let him go so he can help Sora. During their fight, the two had an argument, Xion saying she was going to protect her friend and Riku snapping she had no idea what friends were because she’s a nobody and a replica, and the reason Sora can’t wake up.

Spark Notes of the deal: If Riku tells Xion about Sora, Xion will give the organization an answer that will buy Riku enough time to get back to Sora.

Fair, but he has one condition: If he tells her, she was to decide what she will do; he’s not refusing because she genuinely wants to know more about Sora.

Xion agrees and Riku tells her to take a seat, because they’re going to be here for a while.

#kingdom hearts #kh roxas #kh axel #kh xemnas #kh xion #sea salt trio #kh riku #kh saix #kh 358/2 days #rewrite #there will be a part 3 #violence tw #picking on the little guy

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maddrmatt · 3 years ago

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A Beautiful Future: A Premonition or a Punishment?

New to this fanfic? Click here to properly begin!

Greetings, readers and fellow SoKai fans!

Time for a certain Princess of Heart to take the spotlight in this story!

Fair bit of warning though, I sort of used this chapter to showcase a few headcanons and speculations regarding the future of the series.

Also, there’s a little challenge within this chapter that you can take on if you wish.

Enjoy!

________________________________________________________________

Chapter 3: Writings of a Princess

Land of Departure

Dear Sora,

I know it’s been a while since I last wrote to you. I haven’t really had anything really important to tell you since I came here.

Now something incredible has just happened and I had to tell you first before anyone else. But before that, here’s a few updates on what’s been happening on this side of reality.

I’m still training hard. No offense to Merlin, but I think I’m getting way better with my Keyblade training under Master Aqua than him.

My days here at the Land of Departure are filled with learning various fighting techniques or improving my magic skills. And to test them, I often spar with Aqua, Terra or Ven. One day, I might even get a perfect score against one of them in our matches.

All of three of them and Chirithy have been very good to me. They’ve really made me feel like part of their family.

But as great as it’s been with them, they’re no true replacement for everyone back home. I miss everyone: Mom, Dad, Selphie, Wakka, Tidus, Riku, and you. Especially you.

Sorry, Sora. It’s just so hard every day knowing that you’re trapped in that fictional world. I really wish I could’ve gone there with Riku to save you. But after being out of action for a year and the fact that I couldn’t even land a single blow on that memory of Xehanort, I knew it was the better choice to stay behind and train even if I didn’t like it.

I really hope Riku finds you soon. We’re all so worried about both of you. Since nobody really knows anything about this Quadratum place, we’ve all thought Riku was a little hasty in just taking off there alone.

We still haven’t heard anything from Mickey yet either. Hopefully, he’ll come back soon from Scala Ad Caelum, and he’ll have found something we can use to help you and Riku. Until that happens, all the rest of us can do is wait.

Anyway, time to tell you the real reason for this latest letter, Sora. And you are not going to believe what it is. I can hardly believe it myself.

Last night, I had a dream. It was actually the first dream I’ve had since I came to the Land of Departure.

Not that I’ve minded not having dreams just in case they ended up being recreations of my worst memories. I’ve already watched you vanish twice. I don’t think I could bear to watch it happen again in my dreams.

But the dream I had was nothing like that at all. It was of a wedding, Sora. Our wedding.

It was an amazing sight. It was in this gigantic chapel that looked like it was in Radiant Garden, and it was filled with all your friends from around the worlds.

Many of our fellow Guardians of Light and closest friends made up our wedding party. It was hardly a surprise to see Selphie as my maid of honor or Riku as your best man.

You looked so handsome in the suit you were wearing. And judging from the stunned look on your face when you saw me coming down the aisle, I must’ve looked pretty beautiful to you.

It was truly incredible, Sora. It felt so real and so wonderful. I wished it never ended.

But, unfortunately, as it is with dreams, we all have to wake up eventually. And when I did, the happiness I felt ended up giving way to other emotions as I reflected on the dream.

First of all, I felt a little confused. As good as that dream was, I couldn’t help but wonder why I had it at all. I mean, wouldn’t you find a little strange to have a dream about a wedding especially since we haven’t even had our first kiss yet? It’s kind of rushing things a little.

But don’t get me wrong, Sora. I know, deep down in my heart, how we truly feel about each other. I wouldn’t have shared that paopu fruit with you otherwise. And when the time is right for it, the idea of getting married to you is something I will embrace wholeheartedly.

So, I thought more about the dream and believe it or not, I started to think that it was not merely just a dream. I wonder if what I saw was our future. It definitely did feel like that since there were so many unfamiliar parts in it.

For example, I had no idea there was a tradition in Radiant Garden weddings for the bride and groom to crown each other with symbolic flowers. Then again, I could have known that if the knowledge came from a memory from when I lived there. Maybe I attended a wedding there when I was young.

But what really stood out to me and made me believe that this could be our future was the many unfamiliar guests. I knew that because I’ve been studying the details of your last two journeys from Jiminy’s Journal and the Gummi Phone. And even though the Journal of your first journey was erased (Naminè’s still really sorry about that), I still remember everything about it from being in your heart through it all.

So, I was able to recognize who you had met and who were strangers. They were far too numerous to mention. But here are some examples that really stood out to me.

A tall woman with long black hair wearing a tan colored dress and a beautiful turquoise necklace with a raccoon, a dog and I think I saw a hummingbird flittering around her.

A pair of robots, one yellow and box-shaped, the other white and cylindrical, who were holding hands.

A couple that consisted of a redhaired woman and blonde-haired man who appeared to have some kind of hairless rodent on his shoulder.

A teenage boy and girl along with a younger boy and a company of animals such as a bear with gray fur, a panther, an elephant with a tuft of brown hair and a quartet of vultures.

A large family that appeared to be a mix of humans and skeletons along with a very colorful winged dog and a giant winged cat.

A boy with red hair (whose head looked triangular) along with another boy with green hair and a bunch of other teenagers as well as some kind of strange teal animal that looked like a cross between a duck and a beaver and a man with brown hair, poor posture and wearing a lab coat (who wears that to a wedding?).

A princess dressed in a beautiful green gown accompanied by a prince in a green suit with a blonde woman dressed in pink, a short old woman dressed in white and wearing sunglasses and a snake around her shoulders as well as an alligator who was carrying a trumpet.

A very unusual group consisting of two men and a woman with blue skin and pointy ears along with a dog-sized dragon, a centaur, and a winged lionlike creature with horns and a scorpion’s tail.

A girl with bushy brown hair among what appeared to be a family of giant frogs.

A woman dressed like she was some kind of islander with a burly man with numerous tattoos (I think I saw one of them move) over his body along with a pig and a chicken that didn’t look very smart.

A family who seemed to be some kind of royalty consisting of a princess in a simple green dress with long curly red hair along with three identical boys with the same kind of hair, their big, strong father with a peg leg and their very elegant mother.

A boy and a girl who looked like they were twin siblings who were accompanied by a pair of old men who looked like twins as well.

A redhaired boy in the company of a group of what looked like various human-sized bugs.

There were so many more, but I think I’ll stop here. With the large number of guests at this wedding, I could go on listing them for a long time. But it does seem there’s a lot more friends for you in the future.

Unfortunately, while I was mulling over the dream further, a horrible thought came to me. I started to wonder if the dream, as beautiful as it was, wasn’t meant to bring me happiness at all because it was actually showing the future that we could have had but now would never have. And the true reason of it was to punish me for my failures in the fight against Xehanort.

I know you wouldn’t like to hear this, Sora. But there are still days where I can’t help but feel responsible for your disappearance and think that if I had made some different choices, you’d still be here.

I know it was my choice to fight alongside you because I wanted to keep you safe the same way you’ve always done for me. ��But looking back, I now see it was foolish to assume that my training alongside Axel would turn me into a Keyblade wielder on yours or Riku’s level. And it was probably an even worse idea for a wielder with very little actual battle experience to go from basic training to a high stakes battle with nothing in between.

We may have been desperate to stop Xehanort before he went after the New Seven Hearts especially since he had already assembled all his darknesses. But we probably could’ve and should’ve explored some other options instead of going to fight the Organization right away after you woke Ven.

Since Ienzo told us that they had a replica body ready before we even left for the Keyblade Graveyard, we could’ve gotten Roxas or maybe even Xion out of your heart before the fight. In Axel’s words, they were the old hands when it came to Keyblades.

We also could have made a bigger effort to find and save Terra first even if our chances were pretty low. That would not only have gotten us a more experienced wielder, but it would’ve also lowered Xehanort’s ranks by one.

Maybe if we had done things that way, we would’ve had more experienced Keyblade wielders to fill out the Seven Guardians of Light. And even if it would be disappointing to be put in the reserves, it would’ve been worth it if it led to you being safe.

So, those are the reasons I believed that dream was a punishment. But you’ll be glad to know, Sora, that I only entertained those beliefs briefly.

After thinking it over some more, I decided that it didn’t matter what that dream’s purpose was. Comfort or punishment, I’m going to actually use it to serve my own purposes instead.

I’m going to let it remind me of what my ultimate goal is and drive me to be the best Keyblade wielder I can be. One that’s going to make the forces of darkness think twice before causing trouble and one that you and Riku will be proud to have fighting alongside you. And hopefully, that will lead us to a future like the one in the dream or at least one that’s pretty close.

In fact, after seeing that dream, I think I may end up actually proposing a couple of ideas to Aqua and Master Yen Sid. I’ve been thinking about them a lot and maybe now is the time to try to put them into action.

Since I need to get some real battle experience to become a stronger Keyblade wielder, I’d like to go on a journey throughout the worlds to gain some. Hopefully, Aqua will think it’s a good idea. And even though there’s been little sign of the Heartless and Nobodies since Xehanort’s defeat, there is one thing I really wish to do.

I’d like to try to find and identify the remaining three of the New Seven Hearts. After all, who’d better to find them than someone who’s part of the same group? And if we knew who they were and what their home worlds were, we’d be in a better position to protect them if someone tried what Maleficent and Xehanort did.

Who knows? Maybe all those unfamiliar faces at the wedding were not only friends you’ll make on future adventures, but ones I’ll make on my own adventures. Maybe even the remaining New Seven Hearts were among them.

I also have an idea that may be able to help in the quest to bring you home. If Fairy Godmother could bring me back to the Final World, I could talk to that girl from Quadratum again. She may not be able to remember certain things. But she might be able to tell us something about that world that could help.

Naminè might even be able to help with this plan. Even if you only met that girl briefly, that may be enough for her to be considered connected to you and therefore, Naminè’s memory powers can work on her.

Hopefully, the Masters will think that these are good plans. I really want to do any part I can to not only help bring you and Riku home, but also to protect the worlds as both a Keyblade wielder and a Princess of Heart. After all, with you two gone, someone’s got to pick up the slack.

Well, I think that’s enough for now. It’s nearly time for breakfast and then it’s training until lunch. But before I go, there’s just one final thing I’d like to say.

Whether that beautiful dream shows a wonderful future that is meant to be or not, it doesn’t matter. Because the only kind of future I’ll ever wish for is one in which we’re safe, we’re happy, and we’re together. That’s all I really need.

See you soon,

Kairi

________________________________________________________________

Much later, the training hall in the Land of Departure was filled with the sounds of clashing Keyblades and various shouts of magical invocation. While those sounds were nothing uncommon in that location, there was an unusual intensity that day.

As Aqua, Ven and Chirithy watched, a heated sparring match was taking place between Kairi and Terra. But much to their surprise, the more experienced Keyblade wielder was actually struggling as the young rookie was keeping him mostly on the defensive.

“Wow! Kairi’s on fire today!” exclaimed Ven.

“She is, indeed,” concurred Chirithy.

“Well, she has improved a lot in her skills since she came here. But you two are right. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her this driven before,” said Aqua.

“You’ve got that right, Aqua. If she lands one more hit on Terra, this’ll be the first time she’s won by a perfect score,” said Ven.

As the match went on, Terra blocked blow after blow from Kairi. Then, strangely, she ceased her attack.

Terra saw his opportunity and charged toward her with a downward slash. The Princess dodged to the right narrowly avoiding the hit.

“Light!” she cried out as she fired a small but powerful Light spell at Terra’s side. He grunted as the magic struck him and knocked him off his feet.

“Point to Kairi,” declared Aqua.

“That’s three to nothing! Kairi wins!” exclaimed Ven as Chirithy clapped its paws together.

“Well done, Kairi,” said Aqua.

“Thank you, Master Aqua,” Kairi said as she walked over to Terra and helped him up.

After exchanging bows with each other, the Princess of Heart said, “I hope that didn’t hurt you too badly, Terra.”

Terra chuckled. “Not at all. It helps that you’ve learned how to restrain your magic during training. But I’ve got to say, Kairi that I am impressed. That’s the first time since you’ve come here that I’ve been unable to land a single hit on you.”

“You’ve certainly come a long way, Kairi. Today, you showed some truly exceptional skill and strength. You should be very proud of yourself,” said Aqua as she, Ven and Chirithy approached.

“Well, I’ve had a good teacher and some great sparring partners. But I think it really helped that when I woke up today, I just felt a little extra drive,” said Kairi.

“Yes. We noticed,” said Aqua.

“Why is that exactly?” asked Chirithy.

A certain smile came to Kairi’s face which caused her four friends to exchange knowing looks. They had spent plenty of time with her by now to know what exactly brought out that special smile of hers: thoughts of a certain someone close to her heart.

“I had the most amazing dream.”

________________________________________________________________

Notes from the Mad Doctor:

I thought the best way for Kairi’s spotlight chapter would be to do in the style of one of her letters to Sora. I’ve used it before as readers of my big fic Kairi’s Epic Journey would know.

So, in case it wasn’t obvious, the challenge I mentioned at the start is that list of unknown guests. It was quite a challenge to write all those characters by description alone. I hope you all will take a shot at identifying them. Some are pretty obvious, but some may be a little more difficult.

I hope I did a good job in trying not to make this chapter’s narrative too similar to the previous chapters. I actually tried having Kairi leap to the punishment notion before the premonition notion. But unfortunately, the flow didn’t work right.

Fortunately, the views on the punishment notion are a little different. Sora has absolutely no regrets for what he did and believes that he’s being unfairly punished for breaking rules he had no idea existed. Kairi, however, believes her punishment is deserved since she blames herself for what happened to Sora. Fortunately, both are able to use that dream to keep on fighting.

I hope you all aren’t put off that this is more like a series of one-shots centered around a certain plot device (the wedding dream) instead of a congruent storyline. That was what this project ended up being.

I give my thanks to whoever reads this chapter.

I also give my special thanks to @fandomchanger, @flynn-science, and @ladylucky for their likes on the previous chapters as well as @sokaiweek, @phoenix-downer, and @the-secret-place for reblogging the previous chapter.

Comments, likes and reblogs are much appreciated! Stay tuned for what comes next because it’s going to be a real feel-good chapter!

________________________________________________________________

Onto the next chapter!

#kingdom hearts #kh fanfiction #sokai #sokaiweek #sokaiweek2021 #kairi #aqua #ventus #chirithy #terra #maddrmatt

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phoenix-downer · 4 years ago

Text

A Step Closer to Home

Sora’s stuck in Quadratum, alone, but a familiar voice comforts him and gives him courage to keep moving forward. His friends are waiting for him, and he wants to return to them, no matter what.

~1935 words. Post-Kingdom Hearts III and Melody of Memory. Gen, Friendship. Introspection, Reflection, Slight Angst, Hope. Sora POV. Written for @sorazine.

Sora never thought he’d get tired of seeing other worlds, but he sure was getting tired of this one.

Maybe it was because he was stuck here. Couldn’t leave like he wanted to. It wasn’t like this was an ugly place, or even a bad place, but all the tall buildings and skyscrapers were starting to feel more like prison walls boxing him in than a testament to all the cool things people could do with the right technology.

It was always cities, wasn’t it? Always cities he was getting stuck in. First The World That Never Was, and now this place. Quadratum, it was called. Full of more monsters he had to fight, but this time without the promise he would be able to get home.

Home. What he wouldn’t give to see it again. He missed the feel of the sand beneath his bare feet, the cold of the waves crashing against the shore, the heat from the sun beating down on his back. He was an islander, through and through, and he felt lost without his home. Lost without being able to see all the stars in the sky. He could barely see them from here—the city lights were too bright for that.

More than Destiny Islands itself, though, he missed his friends. There was an empty ache inside his heart where they should be. Did they miss him as much as he missed them? He almost wished they didn’t. Because if they did, that would just mean more pain for them, and they had already suffered too much.

It was okay that he was wandering around the streets of Quadratum at night all by himself. Really. The more monsters he fought, the better, even though it was pouring down rain. He just had to keep fighting and fighting and fighting. One foot in front of the other, till he stumbled on a curb and fell with a plop onto the wet ground, the rain pouring down around him and chilling him to the bone.

“Guess I really should’ve nagged Donald more about that coat, or asked Goofy to help me buy one,” he said as he huddled in on himself. His Keyblade lay on the ground nearby, and it glinted dully from the street lights. He was a little stronger than when he’d first gotten here, but it was still nothing compared to how he used to be able to fight. He was weak without his friends. Powerless. Always had been, always would be.

He wouldn’t change what he’d done. He didn’t regret saving them. Carrying their pain in his own heart was a part of caring. Their strength was his strength, their weakness his weakness, their smiles his smiles, their tears his tears.

But his tears weren’t their tears. They welled up in his eyes and dripped down his cheeks and mingled with the water on the ground, empty and sad and alone. No one came to wipe his eyes or dry his face; no one was here to share his pain like he’d shared theirs.

Maybe his friends were crying for him back in the Realm of Light, but the connections had been cut off as he’d crossed over into this realm. They could be crying their hearts out, and he still wouldn’t know.

Man, being alone really sucked. The empty ache in his heart throbbed, and try as he might, he couldn’t get the tears to stop coming. Riku would be giving him so much crap for this right now if he were here, because Sora was doing the exact opposite of pulling it together. What he wouldn’t give for some tough love from his friend right about now. But the floodgates had been opened, and he’d just have to let it all out till there was nothing left.

“I guess that’s the nice thing about the rain,” he remarked to no one as he wiped his eyes. “When the sky’s crying, no one else can tell you’re crying, too.”

It was like that story Kairi had told him once, about why it rained. One of her grandmother’s stories from Radiant Garden. The original rulers of Radiant Garden had lived in the skies, it was said, and when the king died, the queen cried for him so much that her tears fell from the sky and flooded the land. The people of Radiant Garden took those floods and built waterfalls and pools and canals, and those waterfalls and pools and canals gave rise to Radiant Garden’s beautiful flowers.

Sora had always thought the story was really sad, but sitting here soaking wet on the ground without a friend in sight, it just seemed so much worse. He felt as alone as that queen must’ve felt. But at least people remembered her and the king. No one would tell stories about Sora. He was just a nobody, stuck here in the darkness. Once he was gone for good, he’d fade into oblivion, and that would be that.

Getting up was pointless. He’d just have to keep fighting, and for what? So he could dream about seeing Kairi and Riku and the rest of his friends again? Maybe it would be better if he just stayed here and—

“You don’t really believe that, do you?”

He wiped his eyes and looked around, but he couldn’t see anyone else. “Huh?”

“You don’t really think giving up is okay.”

He grabbed his Keyblade and struggled to his feet. “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

“Relax, Sora. I know you’re feeling down right now, but you’ll be okay.”

The voice was oddly familiar. Sora knew he had heard it before. Who—

“How do you know my name?” he decided to ask.

“Because I’m you.”

Sora tilted his head. “Huh? Now I really am confused.”

He glanced at his reflection in one of the puddles nearby. It still looked pretty much the same as it did earlier, just with more ripples because of the raindrops. How could this voice be his?

And yet, even as he thought about it, it made sense. The familiarity, the hunch that he knew this person. He would’ve recognized the heart of one of his friends immediately, and it wasn’t any of them. That must mean the voice wasn’t lying.

“I’m not the ‘you’ you are right now,” the voice explained.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“From your point of view, I’m ‘you’ from the future.”

“Oh,” Sora said as he tried to wrap his head around this information.

“I know you’re feeling down,” the voice said. “I know things are rough right now. And I’d be lying if I said you won’t face any more hardships before you make it home. Because you will, and you need to prepare yourself for them. You’ll have to face new enemies. Someone you think is a friend is gonna be an enemy, and someone you think is an enemy will actually be a friend.”

Sora’s head drooped. Things were going to get even worse from here? A friend was going to betray him? How was that supposed to make him feel any better? Hadn’t he been through enough already? He just wanted to go home to his friends. Was that really so hard to ask?

“I know all of that sounds bad, but don’t let it get you down,” the voice continued. “The night is always darkest before dawn, remember? But dawn will come. You’re gonna pull through this.”

Sora looked at his reflection in the puddle again. It looked very small and alone. “How do you know?” he asked the voice, and his voice also sounded very small and alone.

“Your heart is strong. It always has been.”

He let his Keyblade disappear. “But I’m only strong because of my friends. They gave me their strength. Without them, I—”

“Sora, take a look around you. What do you see?”

Sora sighed deeply. “I’m stuck in this city. My powers are a small fraction of what they used to be. I have to fight these monsters. And to top it all off, it’s still raining, and I’m wet and cold and I—”

“You’re right, it is raining. Do you know why?”

He kicked water onto the nearby curb. “Because the universe hates me,” he muttered with a pout.

“It’s the opposite, actually. Remember Kairi’s grandmother’s story?”

“The one where the queen of Radiant Garden cried after the king died? I was just thinking about it, actually.”

His older self sure was a winner, reminding him of sad thing after sad thing. Yikes. He hoped he wouldn’t be a complete killjoy once he grew up.

“This rain… it’s like the rain from the story,” the voice said. “Sora, this rain is the tears of our friends.”

Sora’s breath caught. No way. There was no way. He hadn’t been able to feel his connections to his friends ever since he’d come here. But was that because he hadn’t been looking in the right place?

He held his hands out as the rain continued to fall, as it dripped down his face and hair, and this time, he let it. This time, he closed his eyes and listened.

“Kairi and Riku,” he said. He could feel their hearts now as the rain fell on his outstretched arms. He could sense their pain. “Roxas and Axel and Xion, too.” This was like when he’d journeyed through the Keyblade Graveyard a second time as he’d searched for Kairi. His hearts were still connected to theirs somehow, and he could feel what they were feeling. “Terra and Aqua and Ven, Naminé, Donald and Goofy and the King.” His eyes fluttered open. “They’re all still with me. How did I not realize it?”

“Sometimes our connection to our friends doesn’t look the way we expect it to,” the voice said. “But you’re right. This is their sadness and pain because you’re gone. And they know you’re sad, too. They all miss you. Their hearts are trying to reach you, and right now, this is the only way they can.”

Sora wiped his eyes. He’d been so lost in his own pain that he’d lost sight of how his friends were doing, even though they’d been trying to reach him through the rain. He wouldn’t ignore his own sadness or pretend like everything was fine, but he couldn’t bear to make his friends cry like this, either. And they wouldn’t be okay till they’d gotten back what was lost.

“They’ll stop crying when I get home, right?” he said.

The voice chuckled. “Well, they’ll cry a lot more at first, but those will be happy tears. Then the crying will stop, yeah. And it’ll be replaced by smiling.”

“In that case, I better get back to them as soon as I can. I want to see their smiles again!”

“That’s the spirit!”

Sora smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Future Me. I know it won’t be easy, but I made a promise, and I’m gonna keep it. I will get home, no matter what. It might take a while, and I might go through a lot, but every step forward is always a step closer to home.”

The voice was gone now, but Sora knew he wasn’t alone. As much as it made him sad that his friends were grieving because he was gone, the only way to fix that was to return to them. And return to them he would, so he could make the tears stop and bring back the smiles on their faces.

For that, he would keep moving forward, one step at a time.

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A/N: A big thank you to the mods for organizing everything and the artists and other writers for creating such beautiful pieces! It was such an honor to have been a part of this zine for one of my favorite characters of all time!

#kingdom hearts #sora #sorazine #sora zine #sora kingdom hearts #phoenix writes #phoenix downer #kh fanfiction #kh zine #gen #friendship #post-canon #melody of memory spoilers #kh mom spoilers #long post

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disneydreamlights · 4 years ago

Text

To the Future

AO3 | FFN

Summary: Namine's invited for a girls day out in Twilight Town.

A/N: Written for @naminezine who I cannot thank enough for this experience. If they do a leftover sale you guys should definitely pick up a copy.

The irony is not lost on me that it's Star Wars day and the fic I'm publishing is not Star Wars but this has been in my backlog for months and I'm so glad I can finally share it!

Naminé was still more than a little nervous about following Kairi to Twilight Town today. Today had been the day she was finally allowed to leave Radiant Garden to go explore the other worlds, and Kairi had insisted that to mark the occasion, she’d get to visit Twilight Town and meet the friends who had helped them on her journey.

As Kairi stopped in front of the Usual Spot (Naminé knew it, she’d helped design it in the Virtual Twilight Town for Roxas after all), she put a hand on Naminé’s shoulder. The fact that they were both born from the same heart had left them connected, and it was likely she knew that Naminé was much more nervous than she’d let on. “Don’t worry, Naminé. It’ll be fine, we’re starting small, and they’re both friends with Roxas too.”

“I know.” The small reassurance from Kairi did wonders, and Naminé followed after her into the small hidden room in the alley of Twilight Town.

“Kairi! You’re here!” Despite the fact that they’d never met, Naminé recognized Olette easily from the memories she’d had to create such a long time ago. “Oh, is this the friend you said you’d be bringing?”

Kairi nodded. “This is Naminé, we just recently finished the replica to help her get a body of her own.” It made sense Kairi wasn’t bothering to protect the World Order, then again, Twilight Town was a strange world to begin with. “Naminé, this is Olette. And that’s—”

Naminé watched as the other girl in the room stood up from the armrest she was sitting on with a smile. “It’s nice to see you again, Naminé.”

“You two already know each other?” Kairi tilted her head slightly, not to Naminé’s surprise. Kairi knew with the exception of Riku and DiZ, she had spent most of her year alive alone.

Naminé, however, simply nodded in response. “Once, a long time ago.” She didn’t elaborate, now wasn’t the time to talk about what had gone down during the year Sora had been asleep. “I’m glad to see you again too.” Xion’s fate had been something that had never sat well with her. Knowing she got a happier end, that was what mattered.

“Well, if I’m the only one here who isn’t your friend yet, that just won’t do,” Olette smiled at Naminé, who was surprised by her kindness. “I guess we’ll just have to become friends today.”

And just like that, Naminé smiled, feeling at ease among the two girls who welcomed her so easily to their day together.

-x-

It turned out, when Kairi had invited her to a girl’s day, it had been planned specifically with Naminé in mind. “So I think the first thing we really need to do is get you a new outfit,” Kairi smiled, leading the girls into a small clothing shop in the main street of Twilight Town.

“What’s wrong with what I have now?” It wasn’t that she didn’t understand the concept; the white dress and others like it was all she’d ever worn—it was comfortable, a part of her.

“You were wearing it while I was still in the Organization,” Xion pointed out. Naminé couldn’t argue about that, though she still wasn’t sure she understood.

Olette looked at her in a bit of surprise. “You’ve been wearing the same outfit that long, with no other options?”

“I didn’t have a choice,” despite having been fine with it earlier, Naminé found herself self-conscious at the fact that the girls were so surprised by that fact.

“It’s not a bad thing, but Xion said you guys had met before, right?” Olette pointed out, waiting for Naminé to nod before continuing. “Well, if you two had met during that time, it probably wasn’t in the best of circumstances, and sometimes, changing what you’re wearing can help you feel like you have control over what happened, changing anything can.”

Unsure if what Olette was saying was true, Naminé turned to Kairi for confirmation. “It’s the main reason I wanted you to join us today. The reason Riku cut his hair after coming home was to feel like he had control after everything that had happened, and to show that he had changed.” Naminé nodded, she did remember that his hair had been longer when they’d worked together to save Sora than it was currently. “Right now, cutting your hair seems like it’d be a bit of an extreme to do, but changing your outfit would still be a good start.”

Naminé sighed, willing to accept it for now, at least while they were shopping and supposed to be having a good time. “I understand.”

“Great, then in that case, let’s get started!” Olette immediately dove into the racks, looking for something in Naminé’s size, Kairi following behind her eagerly, although with a reassuring smile, probably sensing how nervous Naminé felt at the idea.

It was Xion who stayed behind while the other girls looked. “I know you’re nervous about it, I was too,” she indicated her new clothes. The black top and white skirt looking like they belonged on her. “You don’t have to even wear anything they buy you today.” And they would, both of the girls were sure of that. “Just keep an open mind. If you’re not ready, none of us will force you to change it right away.”

Naminé gave Xion a small smile in appreciation. “Thank you.”

Before the dark-haired girl could continue to offer reassurance, Olette came back over with an outfit. “How about this one!” It was a dress, not far off from her current one, which Naminé couldn’t help but find relieving in its own way. The dress remained plain white until it got to the skirt, in which a small blue pattern embroidered the bottom, looking like the ocean’s waves.

Naminé looked it over once. “It looks nice.”

“Then come on, go try it on!” And with that Naminé had been shoved into a fitting room by Olette to try it on. She emerged moments later in the dress to approving smiles from the three other girls she was with. While Xion had remained in her normal outfit, Kairi and Olette were both trying on different outfits, although given that Kairi’s was a neon yellow she wasn’t sure if either of them were as serious about it for themselves as they were for her.

“I knew it’d fit!” Olette was grinning, clearly proud of herself for finding a good outfit.

Kairi was just as happy. “You look great.”

And Naminé smiled. “Thank you.”

Maybe this whole new clothes thing wouldn’t be so bad after all.

-x-

Two hours later, three stores, and ten new outfits purchased, the girls had finally decided they’d had enough of shopping and had returned to the main plaza in the shadow of the clocktower for an ice cream break. Olette came over with the four light blue bars with a smile, spreading them out like a hand of cards. “Here.”

Kairi and Xion both grabbed a treat immediately, unwrapping the bars. Naminé grabbed hers, although was a bit more hesitant in her unwrapping. “Thank you.”

“You’ve never had sea salt ice cream before?” Xion asked, her confusion evident in her voice. Xion was the only one who knew she’d been in Twilight Town before.

Naminé shook her head. “DiZ never brought it for us.”

“It’s good,” Xion took a bite out of the bar, which Naminé shuddered as she watched, just imagining how unpleasant the cold on her teeth would be.

“Don’t feel bad about being disturbed by how Xion eats her ice cream. There are other ways.” Kairi seemed to demonstrate, rather than biting into the bar she licked it.

“Yeah, the rest of us don’t eat our ice cream as though we have no sense,” Olette grinned, clearly teasing Xion, who pouted as a result.

“There’s nothing wrong with how I eat it, Axel and Roxas eat it that way too.”

“Lea and Roxas are not the standards you should be going by,” Kairi pointed out. “They eat their ice cream badly too.”

“Roxas really bites into his ice cream?” Olette looked shocked. “That’s terrible, didn’t the virtual version of Hayner, Pence, and I teach him anything?”

As the other girls continued their bickering, Naminé took a small bit of the ice cream, deciding to try it the same way Xion did and savoring the salty, yet sweet taste of the bar.

Kairi stared. “Oh no, Naminé not you too! Don’t tell me you’re embracing Xion’s cursed ways of eating ice cream.”

“So what if she is?” Xion defended herself. “It’s a good way, right Naminé?”

Naminé nodded in agreement, taking another bite. It was cold, but not unbearable, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “It is, the cold isn’t so bad.”

Letting go of the ice cream eating bit with that comment, each one of them resumed eating their frozen treat—laughing the rest of the day.

#Kingdom Hearts #Kairi #Namine #Xion #Olette #Heather Writes

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philliamwrites · 4 years ago

Text

Cor Cordium

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts (3)

Pairings: Riku/Sora, Roxas/Sora (one-sided), Axel/Roxas (hinted), Vanitas/Ventus (Hinted), Aqua/Terra (mentioned)

Tags: #character study, #relationship study, #post canon, #post kh3, #spoilers, #mourning, #multiple pov, #little dialogue

Words: 6.9k (nice)

Summary: O heart of hearts, the chalice of love’s fire, Hid round with flowers and all the bounty of bloom; […] It is not the end of his story, only the beginning, but everyone is too occupied with mourning to understand.

Cor Cordium

Tell me, Atlus. What is heavier? The world or its people’s hearts?

Sora remembers the phantom feeling of sand under his palms, warm little crystals pressing into his skin. He can’t tell if this is really a memory or just a wish. Lately, it’s been difficult to tell them apart, their lines blurring together. Or maybe since he arrived Here, it’s never been clear from the start, and he’s just clinging to shadows dancing in the back of his mind. He is floating. Or at least he thinks he is. A strange sensation tingles through his body, it feels like thousand ants are crawling on his skin, and yet he knows that his body isn’t really here. Wherever Here is. Sora is passably conscious, not asleep but not quite awake either.

Darkness surrounds him. He can’t see it— it’s more of a feeling, a gentle brush of air against his mind, but it doesn’t scare him. This darkness isn’t the end, it isn’t the beginning either. It is nothing, this blank space between existing and disappearing, and somehow Sora managed to get caught in there. How is he supposed to explain that to Kairi and Riku? And just like that, the warm feeling dissipates, and Sora thinks of his life and his friends, and how both are so closely linked together. One cannot exist without the other. But with each passing moment, Sora feels bits and pieces of him crumbling into dust, scattering like sand swirled by a breeze on a warm summer day.

Sora is alone. He is cold. He is afraid. He is dimly aware of pain, but mostly of a tremendous fatigue, as if he has been covered in layer upon layer of impossibly heavy blankets. It takes a moment for him to realise the wet drops on his face are his own tears, and he curls into a small ball, clinging to himself. He would give anything to see his friends again.

Minutes, hours pass. Maybe only seconds. Time is a foreign concept, a construct not applicable to Sora. Oblivion is grey, it eats at Sora’s mind, at his heart, and he wants to fight it because they can take anything from him but his heart; his heart, a place for so many lives; a prison? A fortress filled with light of hopes and promises he’ll never be able to keep. Maybe now he is paying for the sins he doesn’t remember, for the dreams he’s failed to fulfil, hunting him like hungry beasts with sharp claws.

He’s always known that his most powerful trait was his heart, and so in the end it was only natural that it would be his demise as well. O heart of hearts, beloved of all beloveds is a line from somewhere Sora can’t remember, but he feels it quite fits. He is the core of a small universe in which everyone stretches their hands out to touch him, to take something from him— and Sora wants to give, to give so much that in the end nothing will be left of him. Somehow he thinks that is quite alright, for he is the heart of hearts.

☆

When Sora disappears, Roxas bolts awake from a restless sleep, tears blurring his vision and burning like acid on his cheeks. He isn’t just crying; Roxas is wheezing, sobbing as his heart breaks, and he realises Sora is gone. He can’t breathe. It feels like something vital is missing—a limb or a sense, and he wonders if this is how Ventus is feeling all the time since Vanitas’ disappearance. He doesn’t hear Axel’s worried voice calling his name over and over again; he doesn’t feel his long, heavy arms around his waist. Roxas only feels this boiling, parching anger at Riku, because out of all people, he must have known what was coming. And he let Sora go.

Roxas jumps out of bed, long legs tangled in the sheets, and lands face first on the carpet. His cheek burns from the friction, but the pain is nothing compared to what is raging inside his chest. Ever since he’s become his own person, everything has become a little too much. He remembers his first week back in Twilight Town. When he saw Hayner, Pence and Olette, Roxas was so overwhelmed, he thought for a moment he would die because beside all the happiness swelling inside his chest, there was also some sense of immense grief. He mourned for the hours spent without them; he mourned for the person he could have been if he’d been a normal boy, his own person from the very beginning, and he mourned for all the stories and adventures he’s missed because of that.

And yet, he’s never felt anything like this—not when Xion crumbled into little shards of light in his arms, not when he learnt he’d have to disappear because he didn’t exist in the first place. Roxas has had a front row view to many dire times in his life when happiness was a foreign word he couldn’t explain. But this is something else entirely, something so overwhelming that Roxas is afraid; he’s one raw nerve, burning and sensible to any kind of contact. He’s unsure what exactly he tells Axel, but it’s effective because he helps dressing Roxas, and they’re immediately off to Destiny Islands where they are greeted by the sun blasting down on them. Roxas shields his eyes, scanning the beach for a flash of silver hair. He knows this place like the back of his hand even though he’s only been here once after their victory over the Seekers of Darkness. But every place Sora has visited is engraved in the back of Roxas’ closed eyes, familiar and a second home to his heart.

“Maybe no one’s home,” Axel says somewhere behind him. He’s looking out at the sea, watches as the waves curl against the white sand. The sun reflecting on the clear water draws bright shapes on his face, catching in his radiant, green eyes.

“No. He’s here,” Roxas says with a solid certainty, for Destiny Island was always and will always be the place connecting everything. It’s the knot where all strings come together, where each destiny is carved in some way.

They follow faint footsteps left on the beach, when Roxas notices movement in the corner of his eye. Near the seaside shack, he can see two figures close to each other, but the voices drown in the sound of ocean waves. Roxas speeds up, and when Riku turns, eyes wide and red-rimmed, Roxas doesn’t think twice. His fist connects with Riku’s jaw and hot pain explodes in Roxas’ hand. It’s enough to send Riku to the ground. Roxas follows him.

“You knew!” he screams, swinging at Riku for a second time. “You fucking knew, and you let him go anyway?!”

Distantly, he hears Axel calling his name, but Roxas ignores him. He’s very adamant on punching his fist through Riku’s face who puts insult to injury and doesn’t fight back. It only confirms Roxas’ suspicion: Riku knew he’d come for him. It does nothing to diminish Roxas’ anger.

“Give me one damn reason why I shouldn’t drop you in the darkest pit I can find,” he hisses, grabbing Riku’s collar. Blood runs from his nose over his mouth and chin, but Riku only blinks. The tip of his tongue darts out to clean it from his lips. When he doesn’t answer, Roxas begins to shake him. “Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?” Someone grabs Roxas’ shoulder, pulling him back, but with more vigour than before, Roxas pulls himself free, and lands another good hit in Riku’s face. “Why didn’t you stop him?” Too many thoughts race in his mind, and he can’t grasp any of them; they slip like sand through his fingers. Finally Axel, that traitor, pulls Roxas off, and Roxas fights with flailing arms and legs. His elbow finds its way in Axel’s side, winning Roxas an opening. He bolts for Riku, stumbling and shaking uncontrollably.

“How could you?!” Roxas’ voice breaks. He’s grabbing again for Riku’s collar, but his hands betray him as well and search for purchase on his jacket, begging to have a grip on something solid, something that won’t disappear like Sora. “Riku, how could you? Don’t just stare at me, say something. Say something, Riku!”

He’s still met with silence that is so loud it drives him insane, and Roxas doesn’t know what else to do; what else will make Riku talk and explain.

Someone tugs on the hem of his west, and Roxas feels Oathkeeper and Oblivion seconds away from finding their way into his hands, ready to cut through anyone trying to stop him from unleashing another wave of fury. But when he sees it’s Kairi holding onto him, that rage dissipates, and makes way for a different feeling he is far more scared of: grief. Seeing Kairi standing in front of him only confirms this reality Roxas refuses to accept. He wants to beg her to let him go, to stop looking at him with those big, teary eyes so similar to Sora’s. Instead he collapses in front of her, and wails a small, painful sound so inhuman it tears through his own ears. Roxas cries.

She can’t take away that anger from him because without it he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to feel, and feeling itself becomes too much. He knows there is an emptiness waiting for him after all of this, and he’s too afraid to face it.

Riku’s hand curls around his arm, and then he is kneeling beside Roxas, leaning his forehead against Roxas’ shoulder. Roxas feels more than he hears the sob rolling through his body, and he wants to push Riku away, but he can’t bring himself to do it. He’s cried himself tired already. Hours pass as they stay like this, holding hands and weeping with rasping sobs, as if trying to force air into lungs crushed by grief, until Roxas passes out at some point.

The next time he wakes up it’s with less tears, but grief is still a cold hook sitting deep under his skin. His face hurts, but no matter how much he splashes cool water on it, the swelling around his eyes doesn’t go away. He finds Axel outside sitting on the big trunk facing the setting sun. Kairi is beside him with eyes fixed on the red horizon, unblinking. Roxas has noticed it before. Since their arrival, Kairi hasn’t said anything.

“Roxas.” Riku is standing behind him, and Roxas catches the fruit thrown at him with little elegance. Riku’s face looks awful. A dark, ugly bruise colours his right eye purple, rivalled by another one forming on his left, swollen cheek. He’s too smart to ask if Roxas is okay, so instead he settles on a wordless observation. Roxas ignores him. He feels too vulnerable and exposed in front of those keen, cyan eyes. The fruit explodes with a sweet taste in his mouth, reminding Roxas of how much he loves this place. He’s adopted it from Sora; that and many other little traits he still has to sort out who they belong to. Knowing this place will never be the same without Sora opens up a new, fresh wound Roxas knows no Cura or potion is able to heal.

“What’s the plan?” he asks, wiping his fingers on his pants. When Riku doesn’t answer immediately, Roxas’ fist burns with the need to punch him again. “You do have a plan, don’t you?” he presses further, feeling his irritation grow.

Eventually, Riku drags a hand over his face, and sighs. “We’ll talk to Mickey. And Master Yen Sid,” he says, avoiding Roxas’ eyes. “Hopefully one of them knows something.”

“That’s it?” Roxas barely manages to contain his anger from sipping into his voice. “You just hope they know something?”

“They’ve always helped us, so yes.” Blatant challenge flashes in Riku’s eyes when he finally meets Roxas’. “We will go and see them.”

A muscle twitches in Roxas’ jaw. “I don’t remember them doing anything to help me, so maybe revaluate who you’re going to ask for help.”

Riku gives him a sharp glare. “Careful.”

But Roxas has had his fair share of depending on old guys who used him for whatever ulterior motive they had, and frankly he can do without it. “Sora needs us now. You can sit around if you want, but I’m going to look for him.”

He’s almost down the gangplank when Riku calls after him. “And where do you think you’re going? You think visiting world after world will bring you closer to find him?”

Roxas exhales audibly, and wills himself not to turn around, but he’s always been bad at containing all the rage that’s accumulated over the past years. It is this anger that has always set him apart from Sora; that hate towards people who hurt him always drew the clear line between them. This simple black and white was easy to grasp and understand, and even easier to identify with until Sora plunged Roxas’ world into vibrant colours and complex structures, and brought with him so many people Roxas didn’t know and yet meant so much to him. He hates how this even applies to Riku, despite this envy, a churning black storm hidden in his chest. Riku and Sora are inseparable, and Roxas loathes it.

The only comfort lies in how he loves Sora, for Roxas has loved Sora in a way only Ventus and Xion might understand; in a way that is so unfair to Axel who’s trying his best to become everything for Roxas. But Roxas doesn’t want this. He wants Sora. He wants the world, the heart knowing every part of him. His home. Roxas remembers when he returned to Sora. Trying to do the right even though he knew it would mean his end, but once he found peace within Sora, Roxas understood the meaning of home, and the meaning of people’s destinies intertwining.

“If aimlessly searching for Sora will eventually lead to find him, then yes.” Roxas says, voice lacking any heat he’d hoped would burn Riku. Instead a strange resignation shackles every breath in his lungs, and he knows he will only be free when he finds Sora. “I will visit world after world, until the end if I have to.”

Riku drags his eyes from Kairi and Axel back to Roxas, and considers him for a moment in which Roxas tries to see himself through Riku’s perspective— the boy with Sora’s eyes; the Nobody who long ago took something important from Sora, the little piece necessary to complete something far bigger than all of them. A small sighs escapes his lips, and somewhere in there Roxas hears the unspoken You’re just as reckless as Sora. When he closes the distance between them, all muscles in Roxas tense with intuitive caution he can’t get rid of, no matter how often he’s seen Riku by now.

“I want to get him back more than anything else,” Riku says, and in that small moment Roxas sees his vulnerability for the first time. Something tightens in Roxas’ chest, and he takes a step away from Riku. “It’s been only a couple of hours since Kairi returned. And still, I already see him in everything, and I try to be kind to everything because maybe …” His voice tears on the last word, a ragged note of grief like ripped paper. Riku turns his head away from Roxas, but he doesn’t miss how Riku’s lips close into a tight line. “Stumbling through world after world might end up losing him even more,” he finishes. His calm mask is back, and Roxas just can’t understand how Riku is capable of that.

“That didn’t stop Sora from looking for you and Kairi,” Roxas throws back, chin raised stubbornly.

“No, it didn’t.” Riku looks back at Kairi, and that’s when Roxas understands that he’s searching for the right words to tell her that he will leave the Island.

“Then forget your pride for a second,” Roxas says. “And let us help.”

Riku looks like he wants to say something, but then he just gives Roxas a little, tight-lipped smile, and turns to join Kairi up on the trunk. Roxas stares holes into his back. He’ll never understand what Sora sees in him.

He retreats to the shore until cool water sloshes against his feet. A biting cold settles over Roxas, but he knows that doesn’t come from the ocean. Sora has always said how it is a part of the human experience to feel pain, that it is part of a heart, and how it strengthens you, how it connects you, but Roxas dully registers he’d rather have it ripped out of him if it means he’s spared the missing and longing. When he lowers his gaze unto the water, his reflection stares back at him, showing a pale face and golden hair sticking to all sides. His radiant eyes are a beacon, the colour of the sky. A sharp throb drives like a spear through Roxas’ ribs. Everything hurts, he thinks and waits a moment, but his only companion is silence. Sora was a mirror to Roxas, like Ventus to Vanitas. When Roxas said, everything hurts, Sora whispered, but everything can heal. He’s learnt from Sora that hate is a lazy thing, heavy, a burden; but not as heavy or difficult as love so many carry around but are unwilling to practice. Roxas will try better. It’s the least he can do to pay for everything Sora did for him.

Under the water’s surface he spies a Thalassa Shell. Roxas picks it up, and hopes Xion is doing okay. They will all go and look for Sora, and they will find him. They’ve all deserved their happy end. Standing in the dawn, Roxas vows it on the shell, closing his hand tight around it until the edges cut into his skin.

☆ ☆

When Sora disappears, Ventus fears Vanitas is also gone forever. There’s a strange tug in his chest, like his heart knows there is a place he’s supposed to be, and wonders why Ventus doesn’t follow this call. It’s different from when he longed for Aqua and Terra. During his search for them he was constantly followed by this certainty that they’ll be reunited. This is different. This is Ventus closing his eyes to a darkness he knows his keyblade won’t be able to slice through. He’s afraid to fall asleep, the only place where he’s had at least a small connection to Vanitas. If that is gone as well, Ventus would rather not wake up at all. It hurts even more since their return to the Land of Departure because Ventus expected only good things to happen from that point on, admittedly now a naive hope quickly quenched by Sora’s fate.

Ventus is sitting on his bed, a heavy blanket around his shoulders. Thousand stars twinkle above him like tears, and he wonders if the other worlds feel that Sora is gone as well. He wonders if somewhere Kingdom Hearts is crying, having lost such a pure, eminent light. Out of his window he can see the training grounds. In a couple of months, they could be occupied my apprentice keyblade wielders again. Aqua has shown her determination to become the steward and rekindle the original purpose of the castle, and both Terra and Ventus are as eager to help her; Terra even more so. He’s adamant to repent, ignoring Aqua’s and Ventus’ claim that his return is enough. But Terra had shaken his head at that. “It is a debt I will never be able to repay,” he’d said, standing in front of Master Eraqus’ grave. “But I will try. Until my last breath, I will try to set this right.”

It was difficult to explain how none of this had been Terra’s fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. They were victims of a game no one held control over— pieces on a lethal board with cruel rules no one really knew. It’s a wonder they made it out alive, together and unscathed, and still, they paid a price for that happy end, some more than others. Ventus hasn’t heard from Riku and Kairi in a while, but his comfort lies in how Aqua and Terra keep looking at each other. Strangely, now more than ever before Ventus notices how close they are. It is probably true what they say about being separated. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and if Terra and Aqua think he’s too chaste to figure out the meaning behind the dark spots on Aqua’s neck or below Terra’s ears, they underestimate him severely.

Once he’s asked Aqua about them, but she only gave him a little, sheepish smile before pushing a loose strand behind his ear. “You’ll learn soon enough,” she’d said. Terra had avoided his eyes, his hands busy with pulling on his keychain, a habit whenever he’s embarrassed. Ventus had just looked at Aqua with a careful, blank expression, and let her believe that he doesn’t touch himself under his blanket to quiet whispers of boy’s names. Ever since he woke up, and spent time with everyone else, he’s noticed how certain things jump right to his attention like a beacon. Terra’s muscles moving during practice. Hayner’s incredibly beautiful eyes, filled with wonder and excitement. Riku’s smooth, flawless skin. Then again, he’s spend so much time inside Sora’s heart who grew up beside Riku, and for Ventus to develop his attraction to boys was only natural. Ventus doesn’t want to remember when he saw Riku for the first time. Dozens of images from Sora’s fantasies flashed before his eyes, and he kept his distance to Riku, unsure how to handle the emotions. It isn’t something bad, that he knows. His friends would never judge him for liking boys. They all love each other too much for such a trivial think to matter, and why should it? It is love nonetheless, and every single one of them is just as much starving for it as they are ready to give.

And still, Ventus is so insecure, because he always ends up thinking about Vanitas. Vanitas is his mirror, reflecting unspoken pieces of Ventus he himself is afraid to face. If Ventus starts thinking too hard about it, he’ll probably stumble upon answers he wouldn’t even know what to do with. And so he tries to turn away whenever he spies glances of blue turning into intimidating gold, and buries the questions deep into his heart where he hopes they’ll suffocate from the silence.

A soft knock stops Ventus’ thoughts. His body tenses, and he waits for more to come. Instead, Terra’s voice carries through the door. “Ven? Ven, you awake?”

He could lie and pretend he isn’t but after days of locking himself in his room, Ventus started missing his friends. His only fear is that if Terra sees his sketches of Vanitas’ key chain and the logo of the Unversed scribbled on paper, he will take them away and burn them between his fingers like Aqua did. Behind the door, Ventus hears shuffling, and the fear that Terra leaves bolts like a hot spell through him. He sits up, and tells Terra to come in. The door opens with a soft click. Light from the outside hall streams into the room, casting away shadows, and once Ventus sees Terra’s broad shoulders filling the door frame, breathing becomes easier.

“Hey, champ.” Terra gives him a little smile. “Thought you might be hungry.”

Ventus isn’t, but nods anyway, just to see the little hope in Terra’s eyes— the very first sight of progress he and Aqua managed since Ventus’ withdrawal. He makes room on his bed, and turns on the star shaped lamp sitting beside his bed on a narrow table as Terra crosses the room. A plate with fruits, cheese and meat lands between them while Terra takes a seat on the edge, watching Ventus eagerly. Just to make Terra happy, Ventus picks one grape and puts it in his mouth.

“How are you?” Terra asks, much more straightforward than Aqua with her careful, quiet words. Ventus thinks about how he doesn’t want to get up forever. How this feeling weighs on him like an anchor pulling him deeper and deeper into darkness. He thinks about lying, but Ventus never wants to be separated from his family ever again— physically and emotionally, so he settles with a neutral, “I don’t know.”

Terra nods. He leans back on his arms, the skin pulling tight where his muscle tense. Ventus looks away, and stares at the faintly glowing star stickers on his shelf Aqua gave him on his birthday. He wonders if Vanitas ever got a present from Xehanort, and has to bite his lip to conceal a laugh because that is just too ridiculous.

“—us? Hey, Ven?” Fingers pop in front of Ventus’ eyes, making him flinch. “Just where are you with your head?”

A strange smile pulls Terra’s face into an expression Ventus is unfamiliar with. Another pang of guilt settles in his chest, and he misses those times when he understood Terra and Aqua without a word.

“I’m thinking about where Sora is,” Ventus lies. Terra frowns. He must know Ventus isn’t telling the truth but decides to go with it anyway.

“Don’t worry,” he says, stealing a piece of cheese from Ventus’ plate. “We’ll find him. Since Aqua can’t reach Riku or Kairi, they might have left already.”

Ventus hums, but somehow he doesn’t think that’s the case. What Sora, Riku and Kairi have; how they are is much more complicated. Ventus even doubts the word love can grasp what they feel for each other. At times, he’s jealous of that connection, and the next moment he is afraid of it. He’s felt it in Sora’s sacrifice back then for Kairi, and in Aqua’s never ending believe in Terra, and what is love if not an immense power capable of pushing people to their limits and beyond, a weapon justifying any sort of destruction. Tightening his blanket around his shoulders, Ventus dugs his head and shuffles closer to Terra.

“You know, I always keep thinking that maybe … we could have done something,” he confesses. “That if Sora trusted us a little more, he’d asked for our help.”

“Do you really think Sora didn’t trust us?” Terra asks, leaning back until he’s lying next to Ventus, arms crossed behind his head.

“Well, what other explanation is there?” Ventus hates that he sounds like a sulking boy, offended because a friend didn’t ask him to join the playing. But he’d always thought the connection between him and Sora was something special, something untouchable and set into stone. He’s protected Sora just as much as Sora has protected him all those years, and Ventus hasn’t thought of stopping once.

“You don’t really believe that.” The sound of Terra’s little laugh snaps Ventus’ head up. “I know you don’t.”

“Huh?”

“We’re not that different from him, Aqua, you and I. We all love too much, but isn’t that better than to have none of it?”

“So better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all?” Ventus remembers this line from a book in the library he’s read long ago, and back then he didn’t quite understand its meaning. Now, he wonders if love truly is Sora’s greatest fault, but that is hard to understand as well.

Terra sits up, and ruffles Ventus’ hair, just like the old times when everything was simple and clean. It tightens Ventus’ chest, but this time it’s not a bad feeling at all. “You’ve been in there all this time,” he says, pointing at Ventus’ heart. “So you know the answer to that. Now eat up. And think about joining us sometime. Aqua really misses you.”

Ventus nods, and takes another fruit. Terra’s smile widens. When he heads for the door, Ventus summons all his courage. It’s time to stop running.

“Terra,” he calls. Terra stops, and turns around. “You really think we’ll see Sora again one day, right?”

Terra doesn’t hesitate. “Of course. Our destinies are intertwined. And besides, you never stopped believing in bringing me back home. Now it’s my time to light someone’s way.”

“And do you think … I’ll see Vanitas again as well some day?”

That brings Terra’s smile to a full stop. He isn’t happy. Ventus sees it in the way Terra presses his lips into a thin line, and squares his shoulders. He avoids Ventus’ eyes for a split second, a tiny fracture of time in which Ventus stops breathing and waits for the final judgement. Eventually, Terra quickly turns around, checking if someone’s behind him, and Ventus wonders if he’s looking for Aqua.

Quietly, Terra finally says, “If that is what you wish for, then I will do anything I can to help you fulfil it.”

The hot sting behind Ventus’ eyes is a clear indicator for tears waiting to escape, so Ventus quickly hides his face in his blanket, shuddering with a silent sob. Only when he hears the door closing, Ventus dares to look up again. His room is dark, and the glowing stars stick out more after bathing in light, capturing Ventus’ attention. He wonders if Vanitas might like them as well.

Ventus curls into himself and closes his eyes. Into the darkness, he whispers “Vanitas” three times.

But nobody comes.

The missing is the worst. All Ventus wants is to crawl inside Vanitas’ skin and stay there. He wants every piece of him to crush into every piece of Vanitas, and become whole again; to become one. He doesn’t want to keep wondering how everyone just can go on as if Vanitas never existed, not when he to Ventus is the world. His heart is still split, an open door ready for darkness to invest, and yet he knows there will only be one certain shadow his heart will allow entrance.

Ventus blinks through the wall of tears, looking at the stars. He has to focus on Sora first. If he can’t bring him back, then certainly he’ll fail to guide Vanitas home as well. A shooting star splits the heaven in two, burning on its way down. Ventus closes his eyes. In this endless night, he has only one wish: Ventus wishes a shining light will guide Sora through a starless sky, and hopes his journey home will be soft and peaceful.

☆ ☆ ☆

When Sora disappears, Riku doesn’t cry because he knows once he starts, he won’t be able to stop.

His only comfort is Kairi, though she doesn’t talk, and only spends hours upon hours writing letters to Sora, all starting with my dearly beloved. Those lines remind Riku of a bittersweet melody he’s heard in a dream once, each wistful tune pulling at his heartstrings. Back then, it had also felt a lot like a farewell to a story he wasn’t yet part of, and now his chest throbs with a low, persistent rhythm of that song.

But it’s difficult to believe this is the end. Riku is in a strange, blank space between hope and desperation, where it’s hard to look for the light, but also impossible to drown in darkness. Finding home in both, Riku is an unusual dweller cheating through life. He knows it’s more than most people get, and he’s aware of how lucky he is. Maybe that is why the universe decided he’s run out of it now, and Riku thinks how unfair that is. That they live in a universe that doesn’t want them to be together any more. It’s either him gone or Kairi, and now Sora. And so when Roxas and Lea prepared to return to Twilight Town, and Roxas had asked him, “Do you even believe that we’ll find him?” it wasn’t difficult for Riku to be honest. “I believe in a universe that doesn’t care,” he’d said. “And people who do.”

After that, Riku started avoiding Roxas, Ventus and Xion even though it is not what they deserve after everything they’ve been through. But he can’t see them, and not think of Sora with how many of his habits they’ve inherited. Roxas carries all the anger Sora has swallowed throughout the years. Just thinking back to how Roxas had punched him, his thumb tugged into his fist like Sora always did no matter how often Riku tried to correct him, hurts like a sudden light striking his eyes in the dead of the night. Ventus is the source of Sora’s broad grins and gentle smiles, laughing at everything— a blazing sun casting away any shadows. They both know the power hiding in being soft and kind, to love and forgive. Xion is part Sora, part Kairi with her love for everything that is bright. She uses everything she can find as bookmarks: cups, little stones, little replicas of everyone’s key chains. Just like Sora she wants to be close to anyone, her happiness lies in those of others and nourishes her. They all love fruits, they all hate carrots, they all can fall asleep in the most uncomfortable places like a cat that finds home everywhere. Riku would rather gouge his eyes out than see another pair of those exact radiant, blue eyes, and so he sticks around Destiny Island, and takes care of Kairi, while she takes care of him.

They live in a strange dynamic, part symbiotic and part parasitic. Riku tells Kairi stories about Sora both remember fondly, and she pays him with a rare smile that dissipates dark clouds in his heart. But Kairi can never truly tell him what exactly happened when Sora brought her back, and Riku is sure she can read the irritation on his face like an open book. Just seeing her is a reminder that someone is missing, the third party in their strange constellation of two, and yet more than ever before, they stick to each other like two pieces of the same soul dwelling in different bodies.

Riku misses Sora. He misses Sora so much, it physically hurts him. He misses his easy smiles, the jokes. The reassurance that no matter what mistakes Riku has done, it’s fine. He is a good person, deserved of being a Keyblade Master. He misses how Sora was capable of turning every pain and sadness into something bright. Sora was given the rare gift to make gold out of every pain. A purer blessing doesn’t exist. But it’s not only the words Riku misses. He misses Sora’s soft skin, his parched lips mapping Riku’s body. He misses how in Sora’s arms he felt safe and at home, that there was no past, and no future. Just the present with them both as the sole habitants, a population of two and no one else was allowed between them.

Riku remembers their first kiss. It was in the Secret Place and they were 15. It was nothing but a chaste, quick peck, lips briefly brushing against each other, and yet Sora had giggled so helplessly, cheeks red and happy like it was the most powerful experience he’s ever felt. He didn’t hide his smile, he’d always been so willing to share it with everyone. Riku remembers the jealousy he’d felt, how he thought Sora’s willingness to open up to everyone was so unfair. He made it look so easy, so effortless, like he didn’t need to think at all who might deserve his smiles. His heart was an open door, never closed, never locked. They’d kept their relationship a secret, or rather they tried. Kairi knew. She must have felt something going on between them. Riku never dared to underestimate a Princess of Light again, but it was like a noose being lifted from his neck whenever she gave him this soft, knowing smile.

Now he tries to think back to the last time they were alone together without any responsibilities weighing on their shoulders. After defeating Ansem and returning to the Island, Mickey’s letter didn’t leave much time to catch up after the year of their separation, and after that, during their Mark of Mastery exam, Riku was everywhere but beside Sora. Now, Riku tries to ignore the little voice telling him that he’ll never see Sora again because he doesn’t believe it. He can’t believe it. Hope has been his constant companion for the last two years, and he’s grown too fond of it. Leaving it behind means to let go of the only rope of salvation Riku is clinging onto, and no matter how much darkness he’s learnt to embrace, he just knows that he will drown in those dark waves crushing upon him with what he can only describe as loneliness.

But if life is lonely for him, it is far lonelier for Sora. When he tries to imagine in what place he must be now, Riku is quite simply angry. Martyr lies on everyone’s lips, and yet no one dares to speaks it out loud because that would be to acknowledge everyone’s fault. He knows this anger won’t bring him anywhere, but it is just hard to accept a fate that robbed the universe of someone vital to so many people.

Sora loved like few ever could love, with all and everything; unrepentant and with a passion that burned holes in anyone’s doubt. The sea and the sky will never stop holding his ghost: in each wave Riku can hear the wisp of Sora’s laughter, in each cloud he can see the remnants of Sora’s eyes. So whenever he waits until Kairi falls asleep, trying not to dwell too long on the tears hanging on her wet lashes like dew in the morning hours, Riku then returns to his room where he mourns with the moon and the stars, and it is a bittersweet feeling to share this grief with the world.

Five days pass, then six. On the seventh day, when he enters Kairi’s room and doesn’t find her sitting on her bed with a stack of papers resting on her thighs like usual, dread sinks in his stomach and he closes his eyes. If he loses her as well, Riku himself will burn down the Islands and start another war. On her table, Riku finds more scribbles of Sora, Donald and Goofy, all three huddled inside the gummi ship. His fingers shake when he takes the pen and draws Sora’s crown necklace in a corner, just focusing on breathing with each stroke on the paper. When his thoughts start to run in painful circles, Riku pushes the tip hard enough to rip the paper. Trying so hard to stay calm, not to cry, he doesn’t notice door opening behind him, until—

“Riku.”

He freezes. Behind him, Kairi looks at him with worry and something else in her eyes, but Riku doesn’t read further into it, too occupied with reaching her, holding her, holding her.

Kairi takes one breath, then a second. Her small hands on his back feel so warm, so secure, and Riku allows himself to be weak for a moment in her arms.

“It’s time for us, isn’t it?” Riku starts, and just the approving hum from her draws a shudder from him. “We can’t let him wait any longer.”

“Don’t worry, Riku,” Kairi says, and just like that, the world is tiled back to its original position. “He knows we’re already on our way.”

Riku leans back, his arms still around Kairi, and he is astonished that someone looking so fragile is so much stronger than him. Kairi considers him for a long moment. She takes Riku’s hand and squeezes tightly, leaning her head into his shoulder. Riku understands, and presses his lips to her forehead. “We’ll find him.”

It’s not a promise. It’s an oath.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Sora opens his eyes. His face is wet, everything is wet and cold, and he faintly remembers the phantom feeling of something warm against his palm. He doesn’t remember what it was. When he tries to get up, his body is there, not broken, not hurt but somehow he hurts inside, and he can’t explain what it is. All around him, the artificial lights of a city illuminate the streets, but wherever he looks, shadows wait in the deepest corners to plunge on him. Something on his left palm burns, and when he looks down, numbers blink up to him in an angry red, running down.

Instinctively, Sora closes his hand into a fist, so tight that his nails bite into his skin. His mind is foggy, but there’s a feeling that he needs to be somewhere; that he has to return somewhere he can’t name. The closest thing it reminds him of is home, and he will do anything to return. Sora has to go back, to follow this tugging inside his chest aiming for a place he doesn’t remember, for he is the heart of hearts.

Most importantly love Like it’s the only thing you know how At the end of the day all this Means nothing […] Nothing even matters Except love and human connection Who you loved And how deeply you loved them How you touched the people around you And how much you gave them

— rupi kaur

#philliamwrites #ao3 #fanfiction #kingdom hearts #kh #kingdom hearts 3 #kh3 #soriku #soroku #vanven #sora #riku #roxas #axel #vanitas

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bigdrchief · 3 years ago

Text

Comet’s Melody (Kingdom Hearts/Ducktales)

Idea popped up in my head, needed to write it down.

Roxas sighed as he tasted the ice cream, the salty flavor failing to uplift his feelings.

He was preparing for a new mission for Organization XIII, this time to Agrabah to plant some sort of device. However, he managed to get some time to himself by claiming that he was coming to Twilight Town to “train”.

In reality, he was contemplating on whether or not he should leave the organization.

The idea seemed far-fetched at first: they were the closest he had to a family, especially with his friends Axel and Xion. However, the lack of information being told, combined with the unclear motives behind Xion, was beginning to get to him.

Was there a point working for the organization anymore? It feels more like a prison than a place he could live in now…

Roxas sighed, feeling ‘discontent’ about not telling Axel or Xion about his “training”, but this was something he needed to think about for himself.

As he sat at the clock tower, contemplating his choices, he noticed a shooting star in the distance.

Huh, he thought to himself. Didn’t think stars would fall in the daytime… I think somebody once said that you could make wishes on them… If so, then I wish for a sign on what to do, something to show why I’m here, why I’m so special to the Organization...

He closed his eyes and prayed, and he opened them to find the star slowly heading to the forest. Eyes wide he quickly stands up and watches as the star lands near the old manor on the outskirts of Twilight Town…

...The same place that he had woken up before, at least he had the feeling that was where the Organization had found him.

“What the heck…?”

Questions surged through his mind as he tried to figure out what had just happened. WIth nothing better to do, he decided to go investigate the ‘star’.

At least he’ll be able to take his mind off the Organization for a while…

Getting there was easy, as having to run around all across various places helped with improving his stamina. Passing by various flyers and posters, he managed to reach the entrance of the woods and quickly entered it.

As he moved throughout the forest, there was the occasional Heartless grazing around, but he was able to quickly take care of any that attacked him with his Oathkeeper.

After a while, he finally managed to reach the old manor, gasping out of breath.

As he was catching his breath, the ‘star’ landed at the front of the gates of the wall, a bright glow quickly filling the area. Roxas quickly closed his eyes, averting himself from blindness, before opening as the light faded.

His eyes widened as he saw, laying down in front of the manor, was some sort of white-feathered avian humanoid.

The figure wore some sort of brown aviator’s clothing, with a brown pilot’s helmet and faded blue scarf, alongside some beige shorts.

While aware of how ‘out there’ people’s appearances can be due to how different each world is, he couldn’t really recall encountering any bird-like people before. Wait…

As he attempted to remember if he had seen such individuals before, the duck person groaned, reminding Roxas that despite the lack of impact, somebody had just crashed onto the ground.

“Are you alright?” he asks as he quickly makes his way to person, helping her stand by.

As he did, however, he made eye contact with her, bright blue to cyan. What stared back at him was emptiness, an all too familiar emptiness, one that he needed to determine quickly.

“Uh, do you remember anything?”

The duck blinked, and as she dusted herself off slowly, crinkles spread across her forehead as she slowly blinked.

“I… don’t...” she said dully.

A Nobody. The duck was a new Nobody.

What else could explain the emptiness of her eyes, something that he often saw faintly in the other Organization members, a sign of their own literal emptiness.

Suddenly he was glad that he had chosen to be alone. He had no idea how Axel would have acted, regardless of his feelings on the matter, and he certainly didn’t trust any other Organization member to have been more gentle with the woman.

...Except for Xion.

“Uh, do you remember your name?” Roxas asked.

“My name…?” she said softly, rubbing her fingers across her shorts. “...It’s Della...I think...”

Della, right. He had no idea how to do this actually. Was he supposed to give her a new name, considering she was a Nobody? It was essentially how the Organization leader named him, and he certainly didn’t like how much his name was connected to Sora.

...On the other hand, he didn’t really know how you go about naming Nobodies. Naming yourself with an X seemed to be how Nobodies were expected to be named. Besides, he could at the very least have the petty claim of giving Nobody a name, like the Organization’s leader. Take that!

“Well, do you mind a new name?” Roxas asked, getting flustered when Della turned towards him in confusion. “N-Not that your old name is bad, but you’re a, uh, Nobody, and Nobodies who retained their selves tend to have names with Xs in them.”

Yeah, this was probably a bad idea.

Still, he was pleasantly surprised when she nodded, though that could also be a result of her still being dazed. Axel had claimed that he was like a zombie when he had first joined the Organization, so it was likely that she was in a similar state as well.

“Right, so I was thinking… Uh...”

He tapped his head as he attempted to figure out a cool name to give her, before finally having an eureka after sounding out the syllables in his head of one combination of letters.

“Oh, how about Xellda? Will that work for you?”

Yeah, it wasn’t all that original, but it sounded cool!

“...It sounds cool.” Xellda said, smiling at the name.

“Right!”

With that out of the way, Roxas knew that he had to confront the Emblem Heartless in the room: the fact that she was a Nobody who was aware of herself.

If the Organization ever found out about her, he was certain that they would kill her on the spot. They were obsessed with keeping to 13 members, and with how little they seem to view of Xion, it was possible that they might execute her too.

It was only speculation, of course, but the fact that the empty seats remained empty seemed to be proof of this in his eyes anyway.

“Okay, so─?” As Roxas was about to talk, he quickly stumbled over his words as he realized that he had no idea just how conscious Xellda was at the moment.

If she was a zombie like he was when he first appeared, then it was likely that she may stare at a wall for hours or something if not left with something to do! And staring at walls would do no good if the Organization ever found out about her.

“Hey, would you like to hear a joke?”

Xellda blinked, some uncertainty creeping in. “Uh… sure.”

It was probably pretty foolish, but he couldn’t really think of any other way to get her to express her feelings realistically.

“Okay, so uh, what is the favorite letter of the ocean? It’s B!─ wait no, that’s for flowers and pollen, I meant C!” Roxas quickly stammered out as he messed up a joke he had heard from the locals of Twilight Town. “I C─!, No, just C!”

As he messed up the quite easy joke, the corners of the duck’s bill slowly turned up, a feeling of Deja vu arising in her, slowly leaking out as a small chuckle. Soon the chuckle turned into small laughter at the ridiculousness of the event, stunning Roxas a bit. Soon, however, he also began laughing at the quite hilarious event.

It reminded him a lot of what things were like before everything that had happened, and it was nice to not have to worry about his and Xion’s existence so much.

Once the laughter died down, Xellda’s face settled in a more neutral and confused expression as Roxas finally settled on a plan.

“Okay, so I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Roxas, a Nobody like you.”

“A Nobody...?”

“People who have a strong enough will to survive their heart being lost. That’s the general explanation, anyway. I’m a part of an organization known as Organization XIII, which mainly consists of high-ranking Nobodies. They wear cloaks like these,” he says as he pulls at the fabric of his robes, “which helps to protect them from the darkness. I’m not sure what will happen if they find out about you, and I don’t want to know. So I need you to trust me, okay?”

“Trust you…?”

“Yeah, you probably don’t want to, considering I’m a stranger and all.” Roxas sighed as he thought back to Axel. “...Even if you don’t, I’ll still do my best to help you. Right now, you actually remind me of myself actually.”

“...Okay.”

Roxas blinked. “Wait, you’re saying you’ll trust me then?”

When the duck nodded, Roxas sighed, wondering why getting Axel to explain himself couldn’t be this easy. “Okay, the plan is simple. I have no choice but to go back to the Organization, so while I’m gone, you should hide out in Twilight Town outside of the woods. There’s a path you can take there.”

As he says this, he points towards the forest outside the manor. “I’ll be gone for a few days, so I’m thinking that after a week, we should meet up at the top of the clocktower of Twilight Town. Before then, you should try and blend into town, maybe help out the people there.”

He paused, recalling a certain flyer he had passed earlier. “If you come to the tower and I’m not there, then you’ll need a permanent place to stay at. There’s an open inn inside the town, so if you need a place to stay, you should stay there… Is this plan alright with you?”

Xellda nodded, clearly satisfied.

“Good! I, uh, need to go back now, but I can help take you to-”

“No thanks.”

“Huh?” Roxas exclaimed.

“No thanks. I don’t know… why, but I want to try and get to this town myself.”

“Oh… okay then! If you’re sure, then I guess I’ll be going then. See ya!” Roxas began to run off in the distance, taking the time to wave back as he entered the forest.

A minute after Roxas had run off into the forest, Xellda made her way forward, compelled by some feeling inside of her that she had difficulty understanding.

She didn’t know what was going on, only what the boy Roxas had told her, and the faint memory that lay in her head.

The feeling of needing to return home because of something important… Why? Why did she need to return home so desperately?

If possible, she needed to figure out who she was, who ‘Della’ was, or else this feeling becomes suffocating?

Still, why did it feel so lifeless? Why does her heart feel so…

...

...Empty…?

#kh #kingdom hearts #della duck #roxas #ducktales #comet's melody au #my writings

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cutegirlmayra · 4 years ago

Text

Kairi Prompt

* !!!SPOILERS FOR MELODY OF MEMORY WARNING!!! *

This happens during Kairi’s exam, where Aqua was trying to prepare her but suddenly, a new enemy began to threaten some uncharted worlds.

Worried this could mean something bad is happening with darkness again, Aqua, Terra, and Ventus go to investigate through the door to darkness, while Roxas, Axel, and Xion state they’ll try looking around in the world of light.

Kairi wants to journey too, but wonders if she should go alone...

Thinking this may be from the data world, Mickey can’t abandon his research, and Goofy and Donald are sent there.

Kairi... is once again alone.

She hadn’t really snuck onto the gummi ship, she just wandered into it and no one seemed to notice.

She wondered if she should talk to Master Yen Sid... but something told her she already knew what to do.

She continued to walk over to the main chair of the ship... in the middle and in front of the other two.

She placed a loosely-bundled fist up to her chest, looking down a moment. “Why... am I here?”

She could feel something... calling... and closed her eyes.

“Sora... you’re with me, right? Hehe, I should have known.” She smiled and lowered her hand down, looking more determinedly towards the windows of the gummi ship. “If you heard what was going on, you wouldn’t just sit back and wait... for someone else to direct your course... would you?”

She tilted her head, under the impression that maybe if his voice couldn’t reach her where he was... that her voice still could.

“Right, let’s do this! Together!” She summoned her keyblade, pointing it out as it began to glow at it’s tip, and the gummi ship began to activate.

“Ohh!” Startled by the sudden wind, Queen Minnie and Daisy turned to see it floating up and a lighted beam shoot out from it. “Could it be..?” Minnie had to wonder a moment, “No, it’s Kairi! Kairi..!” She waved, joyfully wishing her off.

“Your majesty!” Daisy reached up and dropped her hand, “Should you really be so relaxed right now? She’s going off on her own!”

“I know,” Minnie smiled to her, then gently placed her hand on Daisy’s which had lowered her arm from sending Kairi off on her way. “Isn’t it exciting?”

Daisy looked amazed, her beak opening to say something, before shaking her head and smiling politely to her. She let her arms drop and remain poised in the front of her, down and over one another, “You’re right... It is...” She looked up with hope in her eyes and faith that Kairi was ready, and that she may find something the others couldn’t.

“Besides,” Minnie began, still watching the gummi ship take off in a large burst that rippled the wind back and made the two girls brace themselves. “Hmhm, she’s never alone.” Minnie placed her hands together, as though saying a silent prayer, and then with a touch of magic, her fingertips started glowing and gathering light around them.

“Ah! Your highness!” Daisy seemed to recognize this power. “A-are you sure!?”

“I’m very certain... Kairi may not need it, but I’d feel awfully worried if I didn’t at least give her a... oh, a pick-me-up! That’s a fun thing to call it!” she giggled once more in her glee and raised one hand away from the other, shooting a star up into the sky that trailed after Kairi.

“A royal blessing...” Daisy commented, and lowered her head in respects. “Ohh... without that blessing though, who’s going to guard you?”

She seemed to be hinting at the magic being somewhat a shield of somekind, but it wasn’t certain.

Minnie turned around and winked to her, and stated, “I’ll be alright! I’ve got Mickey home at last. Though he’s hard at work, I don’t want to seem like I’m slacking either.” and again, her eyes turned back to where the gummi ship was far out of sight now... the shooting-star’s trial of stardust was all that twinkled to show which way it had headed. “It’s up to Kairi and the lingering spirit of Sora’s presence in her heart to carry out the rest.” She nodded with certainty. “And if anyone can teach Kairi what she needs before taking the mark of mastery, it’s definitely going to be from a journey with Sora.” She amused over the idea, “What a lovely date they’ll have!” She covered her mouth and closed her eyes, realizing she was being a bit nosy, and turned around to think her mischievously charming thoughts to herself. “Come along now, Daisy. Let’s tell Mickey what we’ve done...”

“Y-yes, your majesty.” Daisy sighed, walking after her, “Oh bother... Do we have to take the stairs?”

Kairi went to many Disney worlds that Sora and the gang haven’t ventured to before, previously. However, many of the characters seemed to know Sora, or at least, friends of Sora by some degree.

Kairi also came back to other worlds he had visited, finding that their stories were far from over, and there was--in fact--something influencing darkness and evil in the worlds... it strengthened their foes or new ones...

For example, Kairi learned from Merida that one decides their own fate, whether it’s by their hand or some magic, you always can choose your fate... if you’re brave enough to seize it.

“This time...” She watched the ghostly wisps beckoning her to where the bears were fighting. She summoned her keyblade, gripping it strongly as though with an iron fist, “I’ll decide where my fate starts.” she took off, ready to help Merida and her mother.

In Dumbo, Kairi realized that it wasn’t her keyblade, her own personal strength, or even her friends that necessarily gave her all the power she ever needed. It was also faith in herself, what she already had, that would bring her the greatest powers yet to come.

“And you gave him that faith to fly, didn’t you?” She looked at the little mouse as it took off it’s ring-master hat and bowed to her. “And Dumbo...” She giggled, “It was never the feather that you wielded. It’s power was always your own... I think I understand now.” She looked over at her keyblade, “All my strength... or at least, the strength that I’ve always had... I’ve just yet to realize it.” She smiled, finding some confidence in herself. “I bet that’s how Sora and Riku once felt... I thought, if I could be a Keyblade Master, maybe... I don’t know,” She lowered the keyblade, looking back to the little elephant and it’s mouse friend. “I still gain so much strength from their faith in me... but I see now that I need faith in myself, my own abilities, to really succeed at being my own kind of keyblade wielder... Thank you for that, both of you.” Dumbo wiggled his ears, elated to have helped as she had also helped them so much. “Now, let’s make sure your mother’s okay.” Dumbo jumped around in a cycle, full of glee at that idea, and took off as the little mouse gripped it’s hat, ran in the air a moment, before darting after him.

“Heheh... Well, I be done seen about everything.” She laughed to herself, and for a second, her heart took her to a moment long ago lived... where Sora and Riku were laughing beside her on the dock back in Destiny Island. Riku swung a hand into Sora’s face and he tried to fight back, causing the two to tumble into the sea...

“Sora... Riku...” She gripped her heart again, “...I will join you, once I’m ready. You don’t have to worry about this world anymore... I’ve got it covered.” She nodded with a sincere wish that they could trust her with this task, and continued her journey to find the mysterious force causing so much problems.

In Lady and the Tramp, she followed a puppy with a dog muzzle on it’s mouth. Later, she helped a stray into the zoo to help follow the other dog, and watched as the two seemed to have gotten separated by the dark-influencer. They seemed to be asking her to help them escape the dog-catcher, and did so.

“These... interesting dogs... are mine, sir!” she stood between him and the two, what appeared to be in love, dogs as the dog-catcher waddled his way up to her in a goofy manner. She stood her ground though, as he commented back, “Their be laws in this fine city, Miss! Put a collar and leash’em! Or they’re heading straight to the pound!” He wiggled his finger up above her, but Kairi just sweetly nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

“Hmph!” He stomped away, and Kairi narrowed her eyes and turned to whisper back at the dogs.

“I’ve faced scarier things than him!” She joked, as the dogs yipped in thanks. “Now, you two should get out of here... I don’t know if you belong to anyone... but I can see now that you belong with each other.”

They both snuggled up in their iconic hug, and looked back to Kairi. “What a fine lady you have there.” Kairi smiled, remembering how she had offered Kairi her paw in greeting.

Lady barked with approval. “Oh? Is that... That’s your name, right?” She nodded, “I could feel it... in my heart.” She looked to the other dog. “Keep her out of trouble... ya here?”

Tramp also barked in agreement.

“...Take care of each other...” As they took off, Kairi couldn’t help but think of Sora. “...I’ll keep you safe... Sora.” She decided this world still had a mystery to solve, and continued on.

Later, She found that a Lion knew Sora, and that his daughter had gone missing. Stopping some feuding prides, she learned a valuable lesson about not judging by one’s past... She may had been sent to Destiny Island against her will, used for a terrible fate in summoning the true Kingdom Hearts, “But love find’s a way!” She knew that to be true, “And I’ll find my way!” She prepared to fight the Lioness of the Shadow lands, and finally met the misty dark presence...

“Who are you? Why are you causing so much chaos in these worlds?” She demanded to know, but it took off, and she hurriedly followed it in the gummi ship.

Pocahontas had the last key she needed to fully unlock her true potential. The dark influencer was giving strength to the fear in both people’s hearts, and while Pocahontas raced to save the man she loved, Kairi returned to grandmother willow, asking sincerely how to help.

“Listen... with your heart... you will understand~” Grandmother Willow sang, but Kairi couldn’t just sit and mediate.

“There’s a war, Grandmother Willow! And I don’t have a compass to point my way like Pocahontas does! Please, I’m begging you, why can’t I summon my keyblade here? I must help them!”

“Let it break... upon you like... the waves upon the sand~” She kept singing, as Kairi was panting from her long journey through the woods filled with the dark-influencers presence and creations, having their contentions manifest as new dark creatures she had never seen before.

“My... heart... waves... sand?” She spoke through her heavy breathing, and taking a deep breath to try and calm herself, she looked within...

Her heart seemed to open up, and she was standing before Sora... upon the stainglass of her story.

“I don’t understand,” She admitted, gesturing to him while his face looked sorrowful at her plight. “I know you can’t answer me... but you can hear me, right?” she was holding back tears, and then... withdrew her hand to crunch her torso in and shake her angered fist. “I don’t know how I lost the power to summon my keyblade... I don’t understand why! In such a critical moment where I’m needed... it’s never been this bad in the other worlds, I’ve always found some sort of solution, but the settlers won’t listen to me! I don’t have Kiara to help me reason with them, and faith in myself isn’t going to help John Smith escape execution! They’re all too afraid of each other for me to get through to them over bravery alone! I don’t know... I don’t know what to do!” She gripped her head, still struggling to not cry.

“Sora... how have you been able to go through so many worlds... face so many challenges that a keyblade can’t always solve? I don’t understand... I’ve tried everything within my power, but a man’s going to die and I can’t just sit by and watch it play out!” she fell to her knees, “Sora! Sora, just take over! I don’t know what to do anymore! They need you! Not me... I’m still too weak! I... I can’t pass my training...”

As she shook her head, she revealed the true fear that had lingered in her heart.

“I... Don’t know if I can live up to the expectations you and Riku gave to these people... to their worlds... I... I’m just me.”

Feeling a bit hopeless, she finally saw Sora’s form move.

It advanced towards her before he dropped to a knee and placed his hand on her shoulder.

“So... you’ll help me?” She looked up into his eyes.

He squinted his eyes slightly, looking into each one of hers.

“...Listen... with your heart...” she scrunched her face up to avoid crying, and placed her hand by her heart again. “And you will understand...”

The setting suddenly changed to Destiny Island, and Sora was a child...

She had gotten Riku and Sora out of the water, and began actively teasing them about not fighting so much, “If you’re real friends, you should treat each other with a lot less rough-housing! Though, it was pretty funny.”

“Give us a break, Kairi...” Sora scratched his head, looking apologetic.

“It’s a boy thing.” Riku hooked his arm around Sora’s head, and pulled him over to him as Sora struggled.

“R-right... hey, Riku!”

Kairi giggled, “I guess... if you really fought, I’d have to pull you out before you drowned yourself.” She knew they had a rivalry, but put her hands behind her back. “Alright, that does it!”

The two boys looked to her new declaration, seeing as her voice had pepped up quite a bit.

“From now on, I’ll make sure you two don’t fight..! Or bicker behind my back...” She grinned then, “Cause you’re not gonna leave my sights!”

“H-hey!” The two didn’t really complain, but they refused to rough-house since she would intersect herself, saying that if they were gonna fight, they’d have to contend with her too.

“...I’m...” Kairi opened her eyes, looking up at Grandmother Willow. “I’ve always been a mediator... I’m not meant to just be a fighter!”

“Go, my child! Your course is set, and the compass of your heart spins and guides you!” The wind rustled by fiercely and Kairi felt a surge of power come upon her.

She turned as the large sails of the mistaken clouds of the sky lightly glided behind her.

“You know your path, now, Kairi! Take it!” Leaves of differing color spun around Kairi as her hair beat against the wind, the light sparkles suddenly trailed down her arm with the leaves and Kairi summoned a different keyblade...

She raced through the forest, and as Pocahontas cried out, “Stop!” She threw her keyblade up to the chief’s staff.

He was a powerful man, and for a moment, Kairi saw in her mind’s eye the glitching reality of Xenanort, then back to the chief.

She continued to strain, letting Pocahontas speak, and hearing for the first time... the words that no one uttered, but that were meant by their hearts.

She spoke them after her, and from what she learned at Pride Rock, taught the same lessons. “We are one... all of us!”

She knew what Simba had meant when he sang to Kiara now... and what Kiara learned after her journey. “Can I also... trust in my own heart?” She felt Sora’s light, and knew that she could.

“Can you trust yours?” Kairi lowered her keyblade... and the chief looked settled. “We don’t need to fight.”

However, she did finally confront the Dark-Influencer, realizing he was the lingering will of the dark-side of Kingdom Hearts...

“You... You just aren’t completed. But your hatred... all the loathing of the heart, it’s insecurities that we all felt during that battle at the keyblade graveyard...” she took a deep breath, “Now, I will set free those awful feelings... and the last of the lingering feelings we’ve had then... will finally come to an end!”

She fought with everything she had, as it morphed and changed into many of the silhouettes of her friends, their fear that she thought Sora had defeated... but it was exactly Sora’s lingering heart within her that had guided her to the Dark-Influencer.

As she fought it, it would shift at intervals between her friends and allies, even the foes and their lingering spites or sorrows... but then...

After defeating the dark silhouette of Master Aqua, the dark silhouette transformed into a figure looking like Sora...

It staggered, before regaining slowly itself into a powerful stance.

It swiped out the kingdom blade and began powering up.

“Sora... this is it, isn’t it?” She saw a light begin to shine from her heart. “You trust me and only me to defeat the last of your fear from this world... the last thing holding everyone back from living at peace again, right?”

She also threw her new keyblade up to the sky, then slowly lowered it to have a crown appear below her.

“Sora... if I can... please... lend me your strength!” she felt a surge of power, light shining from the crown as the shooting star spiraled down to the crown and filled it with magnificent power, granting a keyhole to appear.

“Ah..!” not sure what it was, but knowing it was going to temporarily grant her some help, she trusted that if she unlocked this... Sora might be given a second chance to aid her. She stepped back, flying slightly in an arch before unlocking it, having the shooting-star’s dust fly out and glitter against a new form...

A light-figure of Sora slowly arose from a kneeling position... the same that he had when she was in her heart... he reached up and grabbed her hand to help her glide back down safely...

“Sora..?” She held his hand a moment... and it squeezed it.

She nodded to it, not knowing quite how this magic worked, but knowing she could fight with him against this powerful foe just like beforehand... when he had gathered the petals of her crystal lotus heart and they fought the greatest evil together.

This... was truly like before, but the foe was now their own emotions... having gathered under Kingdom Hearts... and having the last of it’s power leak life into them...

She looked to the dark figure, “You’re no longer a part of us!” she swiped her hand out, as the Lighted Sora silhouette got into battle position, letting go of her hand as a one-sided wing appeared on both their shoulders, matching the other.

“I will act as the light from my friends! This is where Kingdom Hearts ends, for good!”

With their hearts as one... they beated the lighted wings once behind them to propel them forward, holding their keyblades back to attack the last of the darkness that still plagued this world...

Like the fight between the nobodies, darkness, and her friends, the light... she would not let this end... with savage emotions.

#sokai #sokai prompt #kairi prompt #melody of memory #kh spoilers #cutegirlmayra #sora and kairi #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts melody of memory #kh #khmom #kingdom hearts prompt

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currantlee · 4 years ago

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Language: English Rating: Teen and Up Audiences (T) / P16 Warnings: Heavy topics Fandom: Kingdom Hearts Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort Characters: Sora, Roxas, Xion (mentioned) Relationships: Sora & Roxas Words: 4,312 Chapter: 1/2 Chapter Summary: The best part about birthday parties is that everyone gets to share the happiness. So when Roxas isn’t feeling well, Sora takes it upon himself to check up on him Beta: @theeeveetamer Notes: Written for the 19th Anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts series. I’ll admit I haven’t really done the “happy” part justice though. Other Platforms: -

Sora had expected all the usual things returning home. The sun burning on his skin, the sound and smell of the sea, his mother demanding an explanation, not actually feeling at home on Destiny Islands anymore, being told to rest some more…

If he was completely honest though, Sora didn’t actually know what he had been expecting. He hadn’t really thought about it… The most important thing was that he was back home safely.

The one thing he definitely hadn’t been expecting though was a party.

So this was why Kairi had curled her hair… He turned to her in confusion, but seeing her smile so brightly in what surely was expectation of his joy made him turn to Riku instead. He didn’t want to disappoint her.

He scratched his head in a bit of embarrassment. “Uhm… You really didn’t have to organize a welcome-back-party for me…” It wasn’t like he deserved one anyways. Not after all the worries he had caused them, and after everything he had done in the past year.

His best friend chuckled lightly in response. “Do you even know what day today is?”

“The day after… Uhm… Yesterday?”, Sora offered, glancing at Kairi in a search for help. Gosh, out of all the things he could have said, it had to be the dumbest… He was absolutely clueless about what there, so he just stayed silent when Kairi shook her head.

Luckily, Riku took over before his silence could become even more awkward. “It’s the twenty-eighth of March.”

Oh… Oh! That meant…

“Happy birthday!”, everyone shouted in unison.

---

It was supposed to be a joyful day for everyone involved. The thing Sora loved most about birthday parties was that everyone involved got to share the happiness. As such, he always tried to make sure that everyone felt comfortable at his own birthday parties, regardless of whether it was a surprise party or an expected one.

So when Xion told him that Roxas wasn’t feeling that well, Sora insisted on checking up on him, even though she mentioned that he wanted to be alone. He made sure to grab some ice cream before he went to look for Roxas.

It didn’t take Sora very long to find him. He wasn’t really hiding somewhere, but even if he had been Sora knew all of the best spots from hours of playing hide and seek on the Play Island with Riku and Kairi back when they were kids.

Sora found him was sitting under the paopu fruit tree, back leaning against its trunk, legs drawn close to his chest and chin resting on his knees. He was staring at some undefined, distant point, apparently lost in thought.

Sora knew that if he just walked up to Roxas and sat down, it would probably startle him. Therefore he approached him more slowly. He also tried to be more quiet than he usually would be, while also not avoiding noise completely.

Only when Roxas turned to him, looking a bit surprised, he finally addressed him.

“Hey Roxas, you alright?”

Roxas sighed in response. “Shouldn’t you be with your friends?”

Sora sighed as he slowly walked up to him. He wasn’t sure if Roxas was comfortable with being so close, so he wanted to make sure to not pressure him. But to his surprise, Roxas lightly patted the space besides him and nodded. Sora took the invitation and sat down.

“Xion said you’re not feeling well,” he explained. “I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay.”

Roxas didn’t give him an answer to that – he just let out a sigh and turned away again.

But Sora wasn’t about to give up that easily. He carefully placed a hand on Roxas’ shoulder – feeling the texture of his jacket and not feeling it at the same time, like through a glove, was a sensation he’d probably never get used to. “Can I do anything to make you feel a bit better?”

Roxas shook his head in response. “No.”

Sora wasn’t sure whether Roxas’ honesty was an expression of trust or just how he was as a person – but either way, it impressed him. He didn’t even know Roxas that well, since they never really had a chance to get to know each other properly…

“Please, don’t worry about me,” Roxas added quickly. “This is your party, I don’t want to be the one ruining it for you.”

Sora knew that feeling, perhaps way too well. He hated to burden his friends with his worries too, even though he knew that, to some extent, that’s what friends were for. “Is that why you didn’t say anything to Xion? Because you also don’t want to ruin the party for her?”

Roxas sighed. “Yes,” he openly admitted.

“You know, I think she’d be less concerned if you talked to her…”

“I don’t need a lecture from you,” Roxas cut him off a bit roughly. “I can handle myself just fine…”

Sora backed off a bit at that. “Sorry. I just thought I’d go and see if you need anything, really.”

Roxas’ expression actually softened a bit at that. “There is nothing you can do right now, I think. Just leave me alone, I’ll be fine.”

He actually smiled when he said that, but it wasn’t a happy smile. There was melancholy in it, and he actually looked a little bit lonely.

Sora didn’t know if he should really leave him alone like this… On the other hand, it was like Xion said: no one could – or should – force him to talk about whatever was upsetting him.

So he just asked: “You sure?”

Roxas nodded. “It’s okay,” he said. “I like being alone, sometimes.”

“Alright,” Sora said and got up again. “But please tell me if you need somethi-…”

The ice cream package he had grabbed from one of the enchanted buckets containing the food earlier tumbled to the ground. Sora had almost forgotten about it. He had thought that maybe this might do some good for Roxas’ mood as well. Hopefully it hadn’t melted yet…

Roxas face lit up when he saw the packaging. “You… You brought me some ice cream?”

Sora bashfully scratched the back of his head and nodded. “Yeah, I thought it would cheer you up a little! Sorry, I kinda forgot that I still had it…” How could he actually be this dumb?

But Roxas didn’t seem to mind. He just chuckled. “Thank you.”

… He was smiling. Actually, genuinely smiling this time. No underlying melancholy, no looking lonely. Huh. Maybe that little mishap had managed to cheer him up a little bit after all. Perhaps it was a good thing that Sora could be a bit forgetful sometimes.

“No problem,” Sora grinned. “Just tell me if you need anything else, okay?”

Roxas nodded in response, while already ripping the packaging off the popsicle. It was a bit melted already, but that was to be expected.

It was good to see that Roxas was a bit better now. Hopefully, he’d soon join the others again. Sora smiled as he turned to do exactly that.

“This whole birthday thing…”, Roxas suddenly said. “It just reminds me…”

“Huh?” Sora turned around in surprise. Could Roxas possibly have changed his mind? If so, then he was of course going to listen, but he had seemed very adamant about it before. Maybe he was just thinking aloud or talking to himself?

“You were born seventeen years ago,” Roxas mused quietly. “But I was… Created… Almost three years ago.”

Oh. So that was what this was all about…

Admittedly, Sora had never thought about it like that. To him, Roxas had been his own person ever since he’d first learned of his existence. And even though most other people shared this view by now, that didn’t change the fact that initially everyone had only regarded Roxas as a different version of Sora, or even a part of him. He hadn’t even been treated like the independent personality he was, but like a replacement for someone else, or even worse, like a tool.

In addition to this, he didn’t enter this realm like… Well, like most other people. Seeing as Roxas’ biological age matched Ven’s from the moment he first came into existence, he had never had a real childhood. From what Sora had heard about Roxas, he had lacked a lot of abilities at first, and was still lacking a lot of the knowledge the others naturally had.

That also meant…

Sora thought about his own childhood memories for a second. Racing with Riku on the beach, painting the walls of the Secret Place with Kairi, making plans for the raft that ended up starting their entire adventure… He had seen so many worlds, experienced so many things, met so many people, made so many memories – and yet, his childhood memories were his most precious ones.

His heart ached when he realized that Roxas didn’t have any of that. Aside from maybe some of Sora’s own memories that he knew weren’t his own… Sora didn’t really know about that part.

He went back and knelt down next to him. “I’m sorry, Roxas.”

Roxas shook his head. “It’s not because of you,” he said. “It’s just that except for Xion and Naminé, all of the others…” He let out a heavy sigh. “I’m not… It just feels like all of this isn’t real, Sora.”

Sora watched as one of Roxas’ hands curled into a fist.

“I don’t want to feel that way. After all, that’s exactly what they wanted me to feel like… I don’t want to give them that satisfaction, even though most of them are gone now.” He laughed bitterly. “Funny, huh? Even now, that I’m not bound anymore, I still can’t be free. Why does this have to haunt me all the damn time… Why can’t I just shut it down…”

Sora carefully placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. Roxas was panting now, perhaps a result of getting emotionally worked up and trying not to shout.

“The heart isn’t always logical,” Sora tried to explain. “Contradicting yourself sometimes is part of having one, especially when it comes to feelings.”

“Is that why it is so difficult to understand sometimes?”

“Probably,” Sora replied. “But you don’t always have to understand it, you know?” After all, why should anyone try to understand something that was impossible to grasp? It was only a waste of energy, energy that was better spent elsewhere.

Roxas shook his head. “Maybe that works for you,” he said. “But you’ve always had a heart. I haven’t.”

“You had Ven’s heart,” Sora argued.

“That’s not the same.” Roxas retorted. “The emotions I felt? At least in the beginning, they were still his. I don’t know when I started having my own, but… That doesn’t change the fact that it weren’t mine.” A heavy sigh escaped him. “Who knows. Maybe they still aren’t mine…”

“Why shouldn’t they be?”

“Because my entire life, everything about me, is a lie,” Roxas hissed. “My surname? Something Naminé and I made up. Childhood memories? I have none of my own! Every time someone asks I have to tell them a story, and I’m not even sure it happened like I’m telling it! My birthday? I was never born in the first place!”

Sora didn’t know how to respond. He tried to understand, but he probably couldn’t. After all, he had everything Roxas mentioned – or in other words: everything Roxas didn’t have.

Regardless of that, Soras heart ached. Roxas deserved so much better than having all of this come back to haunt him again and again. Distantly, he wondered if that would ever stop, if his former Nobody could ever truly feel like somebody. He really hoped he could. Roxas deserved as much.

“The diary I kept during my Organization days and my passport say that I’m… Born,” Roxas pronounced that word with a good portion of spite in his tone, “on the second of September, but…” He didn’t finish whatever he had been about to say. Instead, he averted his gaze back to the horizon and took a bite from the ice cream.

Sora flinched when he did that. He never understood how people were able to do that – it hurt him to just look at someone doing it.

“Is it… Is it because you feel like that date is just made up too?”

“Like everything else about myself,” Roxas nodded. “At least when it comes to maintaining world order.”

Oh yeah, world order… Sora truly hated that concept from time to time. He often found it hard to not constantly rave about all the amazing things he had seen on his travels to everyone he met on his travels – after all, it was just far to exciting to not share with someone.

But Sora understood why it existed.

Truth be told, Sora had always had a hard time not talking about exciting things. Whenever he had seen a fantastical new movie as a kid, or read a new comic that amazed him, he would always talk nineteen to the dozen about it to either his friends on the islands or his parents. They all had a hard time following him.

Sora had fortunately realized this soon enough, and since he didn’t like to be a burden to his friends and family like that, he had learned to explain things in a manner that was more comprehensive to someone who didn’t know what he was talking about. That sometimes included leaving certain details out or explaining things in a much different manner than they actually happened in the movie. He had found that those tactics came in handy when trying to keep world order as well.

“You know,” Sora said, “it’s always a balancing act to keep world order. We all leave out details or change parts of our story whenever we tell someone who doesn’t know about the Keyblades or other worlds. Sometimes, we even have to make up stuff as well.”

After all, if they did tell the truth, they would probably get labelled crazy or dangerous in most worlds. Even if that didn’t happen, it had the potential to cause much more trouble.

And thinking about it some more…

“Honestly, everyone does it from time to time, even completely normal people who don’t wield Keyblades. Even though they do it for different reasons,” Sora continued. “You’re not so different from everyone else in that regard, Roxas.”

“Fair point,” Roxas murmured. “Still… Normal people are born. And they usually know when.”

“Well, it’s not like you don’t know the day you first came into existence,” Sora pointed out.

“That’s not the same!”

“You’re right. It isn’t exactly the same,” Sora replied. “But it’s the closest thing to a birth date you have. Besides, you know the exact date. So that is definitely real.” Just as real as Roxas himself was, and just as real as his emotions were – and Sora was pretty sure those were just as real as his own.

“If I was a normal person, I wouldn’t even need to pick the closest thing to a real birthday though,” Roxas argued.

Sora shook his head. “You know who is a ‘normal’,” he made air quotes as he phrased that, “person and still doesn’t know on which day she was born?”

“Now you’re making things up…”

“I swear I’m not!”

Roxas didn’t respond to that. Instead, he just looked at Sora, still somewhat sceptically, but also with a bit of curiosity in his expression.

“Kairi.”

She had only been a child when she had fallen from the sky all those years ago. Her memories of her home world were foggy, now and back then. All she had remembered was her name, that she was from another world, and that she had never even heard of the Destiny Islands before.

“We’ve always celebrated it on the twelfth of August,” Sora elaborated further. “That’s the day when she appeared here. Besides, I’m pretty sure Ven doesn’t know his actual birthday either.”

Roxas furrowed his eyebrows. Was he thinking about it?

“Maybe you should talk to one of them, if that makes you feel more comfortable,” Sora suggested.

But Roxas shook his head. “They won’t understand it either,” he argued. “Honestly, I think none of you can really understand…”

“Maybe they don’t have to understand everything to help you.”

“Still.” Roxas let out a heavy sigh. “They… All of you at least have something to build your identities on! Me? Xion? Naminé? We have to look for it, but the more I find, the more I question if all of this is even real, if all of this is even truly mine! Even my body was made in a…”

Now Sora was the one averting his gaze. Yes, he knew exactly what Roxas meant, at least with the latter thing… But he wasn’t going to bring that up now. This was about Roxas, not about him.

“Sorry,” Roxas said. “I didn’t mean to remind you…”

“It’s fine,” Sora interrupted him. “I just… Kinda don’t want to talk about it to be honest.”

“That’s okay.”

Sora turned to Roxas in surprise. He wasn’t… Angry about that? Sora had kind of expected to be condemned for that – after all, he had kind of made him talk, even though Roxas initially hadn’t wanted to.

But Roxas just smiled. “I think you might feel better if you do though.”

Probably. But Sora didn’t want to bother his friends with this. They wouldn’t understand… Well, Roxas, Xion and Naminé maybe would, but Sora didn’t want to stir up any more old memories for them, especially now that Roxas was already upset.

So he just shook his head. “It’s fine, I can handle it.” He had come here to help Roxas with his problems, not to load all of his own problems onto him after all. It would be unfair… Besides, Sora didn’t want Roxas to think that he had to help him now because he had ruined the party for him – which was why Roxas hadn’t wanted to talk in the first place.

“You know, I think I can handle it too,” Roxas argued. “If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t have offered it. And I know I feel a bit better after talking to you.”

Sora sighed. “You won’t…” He cut himself off. No. That was exactly what Roxas had been trying to tell him earlier, and Sora had tried anyways.

“I don’t know how to explain this,” he finally admitted. Even though they were in a similar situation regarding this.

“Maybe I don’t have to understand everything to help you,” Roxas answered, echoing what Sora had told him earlier. “Besides, I can ask questions, you know?”

He had a point with that, Sora had to admit… Actually, starting out with a question didn’t seem like the worst idea.

“Have you… Ever felt like your body isn’t really yours, Roxas?”

Sora wasn’t really sure about that part. Perhaps Roxas knew that feeling, since he had been about to say that his body had been made in a lab – but it was just as possible that he had only used this as an argument when overthinking his feeling about being not real. Sora just hoped that he wasn’t bringing any negative thoughts or memories back…

“Depends on what exactly you mean by that.” Roxas responded after a while. “If you mean knowing that your body was made in a lab, that it technically isn’t the same as everyone else’s is… Then yeah, I know how that feels.”

Honestly, Sora was fine with that. It wasn’t like they could have smuggled his body out of Quadratum too. Getting his heart out, past the borders of the different realities and back into the Realm of Light, had been difficult enough. At this point, he was just glad to be back with his friends.

“I mean it more like… Are you getting weird sensations sometimes?”, Sora asked more quietly. “Like… As if you’re feeling things that aren’t really there?”

Roxas furrowed his eyebrows. “What?”

He probably thought Sora was crazy now and maybe he wasn’t even wrong with that. Even Sora himself sometimes didn’t know whether he was still sane.

Spending that last year in Quadratum, isolated and without anyone to interact with or a possibility for escape, had taken a toll on him. Yozora and his team hardly counted, seeing as they were the ones who had caused him the most trouble during his time there.

… Sora had done… Quite a few things he had thought he’d never do… Or at least he hoped he wouldn’t have.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus on the tension that action caused rather than the resurfacing memories. Those things he did – he could never undo them ever again. They would probably haunt him forever.

He lowered his head. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I’m probably just crazy…”

Roxas shook his head. “Vex-… Even says that it’s almost impossible to tell a Replica apart from a normal human body, but there are some differences,” he explained. Apparently he still hadn’t gotten used to calling the former Organization member by his real name. “Maybe it has to do with those?”

“I don’t know,” Sora confessed. “Have you ever felt like you’re wearing gloves despite not wearing any, and that sensation kind of overlaps with the sensation of what you’re actually touching?”

That was likely not what Roxas had been expecting. His expression changed from a concerned one to an outright shocked one. “You should definitely check in with Even. That’s not normal, Sora, at least in my experience.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be, it’s probably just that your Replica needs a few adjustments.” He gave him a smile that was probably supposed to be encouraging, but it couldn’t disguise the worried look in his eyes. “Trust me, that happened to us too.”

“But what if it’s not about that? What if there is something wrong with me instead?”

Perhaps he was turning this into a far bigger deal than what it actually was, but after everything that had happened in the last year…. Sora was seriously scared that some dark part of him was taking over permanently and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Being in Kairi’s heart for a while had been soothing, like taking a long nap in the warm sun. But even that couldn’t fully undo the damage that had already been done.

“If that’s the case, then we’ll find another way to help you.”

Sora lifted his head to look at Roxas in surprise. He just said that… Totally casual, but with confidence, like there was no problem in the first place.

“What if you can’t?”, Sora whispered. “I might be here again, but… What if I’m still lost forever?”

Roxas shook his head. “There is always a way.” He gave him another encouraging smile. “That’s something I’ve learned from you. You always insisted that I had a right to exist, even when you were told that it was impossible for the both of us to exist next to each other.”

He wasn’t wrong about that, Sora had to give him that. But this was an entirely different situation! Roxas may have been a Nobody when he first came into existence, but he had never been potentially lost to the darkness like Sora was. Roxas hadn’t done all, if any, of the things Sora had done over the past year.

… In moments like these… Sora wondered if it would have been better if he had just died. If not after abusing the Power of Waking to save Kairi, then in Quadratum. It wasn’t like he didn’t want to live anymore, in fact he was glad to be alive still, see his friends again, but… If he had died, he wouldn’t have to live with those feelings. That was just a thought that crossed his mind sometimes, starting when he was still in Quadratum.

“You never gave up on me,” Roxas said as he gently placed his hand on Sora’s shoulder, who almost forgot about the strange feeling of heavy fabric that deafened the sensation. “Don’t you dare give up on yourself, Sora.”

“I…” He sobbed as his vision became blurry.

Roxas… Was right.

“Sora, it’s okay…”

Before Roxas could say any more, Sora pulled him into an impulsive hug. He didn’t really know what he was doing… It happened before he could think about it.

“Thank you!”

Roxas didn’t react immediately, and for a short moment, Sora feared that he had pushed him out of his comfort zone – but then, he felt two hands on his back. “You’re welcome,” Roxas said. “And… Thank you too.”

“No… No big deal.” Sora still couldn’t hold the sobs back. But he didn’t even try to not cry this time around. It was okay.

They sat together in silence for a while after resolving the hug, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Sora still felt a bit guilty. He had come to comfort Roxas after all – but in the end, Roxas had ended up comforting him instead, even though he knew he probably didn’t need to. After all, it was like he had said: he could always say no.

So it was probably okay… Or at least, it would be.

He was back with his friends now. Whether he was messed up or not, with them on his side, he would heal over time. As long as he didn’t give up on himself – there was always a way. His mind already knew that, and his heart would hopefully soon follow up.

“Come on.”

“Huh?” Sora hadn’t yet noticed that Roxas had stood up. Now he was offering him his hand, as well as another encouraging smile.

“The others are waiting.”

#Kingdom Hearts #KH Fanfiction #*sigh*#... I didn't do the happy part in happy birthday justice #I'm sorry #Sora #Roxas #Angst #Hurt/Comfort #Heavy topics #Fanwork #Fanfiction #Long Post #Re:Birth #Currantlee writing #Currantlee completed #Currantlee completed Story #Currantlee completed KH Fanfic

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minijenn · 3 years ago

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Keys to the Kingdom Preview 2

Since ya’ll asked so nicely, here’s a nice long juicy preview for you. Gotta put it under a cut tho because of blood/possible vomit trigger warning! If you’re squeamish to that sorta thing, just skip past the first paragraph and you should be fine. Enjoy... and don’t say I didn’t warn you... :3

Mere seconds after his dark corridor opens up somewhere worlds away from Agrabah, Sora stumbles out of it, though he doesn’t stay standing for very long. His vision abruptly blurs, his ears ringing and his head pounding as he collapses into shallow water, waves lightly lapping over his clawed hands as his portal disappears behind him. His stomach turns violently in the aftermath of using it, to the point that he quickly finds himself overwhelmed by just how sick he suddenly is. He’s powerless to hold back a brutal, painful series of coughs that ravage his lungs and leave an unpleasant, metallic taste inside of his mouth. It’s only as his vision starts to clear and his coughing starts to turn quiet that he can see the crimson blotches staining the clear waters beneath him. Blood mingled with something darker, something unnatural, something that he doesn’t get to make sense of before it all dissolves away into the sea entirely.

But really, he can’t even be bothered to care as he manages to slowly crawl his way out of the ocean. He collapses onto his back on the sandy shore, his chest heaving for air as he’s met with clear blue skies above him. Something about the air here is undoubtedly familiar, from the calming warmth it carries to the salty sweetness wafting along the gentle sea breeze. But it's only as he finds the strength to sit up and take in his surroundings that he realizes exactly where he’s managed to escape to.

He’s home.

The adrenaline his hectic departure from Agrabah had left him with slowly begins to fade at this realization. His legs are still somewhat unsteady as he struggles to stand, but sure enough, the back half of the play island sprawls out before him. And, across the stretch of sea spanning before him, is the main island. The main island, where the town he’d grown up in his, where the house he’d always lived in is, where his mother is… Where, after everything he’s been through lately, he wants nothing more than to run to, swim to even, if he has to. To be there, to be home, to greet his mother with a warm hug and sleep in his own bed and wake up to find that this has all been nothing more than a bad dream. And, with his damaged heart yearning for even some kind of comfort right now, he almost decides to make the short journey across the sea, the journey home… at least until he happens to catch a glimpse of his own reflection in the ocean before him.

His hair is more white than it had been before, his eyes more yellow. His claws seem longer now, sharper, but this time, there’s something else that’s sharp to go along with them: his teeth. Just about all of them seem to end in a point, some longer than others, but each equally as unnerving. Because by all accounts, he can’t deny that each time he sees his reflection, it looks less like him and more like a monster pretending to be him instead.

He knows a monster wouldn’t do well in his tiny village. A monster would never be welcome into his mother’s home. A monster only deserves to be alone. And now, Sora realizes as he morosely tears his sights away from the main island, that’s exactly what he is on both accounts.

At the very least he can take solace that he managed to slip away from Xehanort and Maleficent alike. And in the process, he’d left Roxas and Xion behind. He tries to shake the guilt that comes along with that thought as he begins to head to the far side of the island. There are definitely worse worlds he could have stranded them in, after all, and the other lights are bound to run into them sooner or later. Sora can only hope that they don’t end up somehow running into him too.

He has to stop as soon as he reaches the far shore of the play island. Because so many of his memories live here on this bright beach, so many of them made bittersweet now that he stands here alone. He remembers the first time his parents brought him here, the hours he spent playfully chasing his father through the shallows, the perfect picnic lunch his mother had prepared for them. He remembers exploring the Secret Place alongside Riku, their wooden toy swords clashing above the din of their innocent, childish laughter. He remembers finding Kairi on the day she’d first washed ashore, the time he’d spent showing her around and helping her feel more at home in her strange new surroundings. He remembers, tears starting to swell in his eyes, the sweet and serene sunsets the three of them had spent, gazing out across the sea, wondering what lay beyond its horizon. He remembers the stories they’d tell, the laughter they’d share, the smiles they’d offer each other in a time when the most they’d had to worry about was building some silly raft so they could pretend to set sail to somewhere else.

But now… the shore is silent. Whatever glimpses he wishes he could catch of his parents, whatever echoes he wants to hear from his friends, whatever feelings he’d been filled with in the fleeting moments they’d all been there together… they’re all gone. And in the absence of all of the things that he’s always cherished so much about this place… Sora strangely feels as though he doesn’t belong here. At least not anymore.

He doesn’t know why his dark corridor brought him here, doesn’t know what to do now that he’s arrived. It’s a rare moment of solitude that he isn’t grateful for, not here on the otherwise empty shores of his youth. He’s half tempted to call upon another portal, though considering how terrible he’d felt after that last one, that’s not something he’s keen on experiencing again so soon. So he stays where he is, awash in far too many emotions, far too few of them pleasant.

He slowly strolls up to the shoreline, his hands in his pockets as he takes in a deep breath of the salty late-afternoon breeze. There’s no telling what might happen next, now that he’s torn himself away from his friends and his foes alike, and honestly, he’s not so sure he wants to know. Not when he knows there’s so little left for his future now that his awful, final fate has been set in stone. Now that he knows what he’s ultimately doomed to become by the end of it all, no matter how much he wishes he could be literally anything else.

This wasn’t how his life was supposed to go, he thinks as he pulls his hands out to stare at his own blood-red claws. At 16, he’s supposed to be getting ready to finish school, spending time with his friends, thinking about what he’d like to do as a career, about starting a family someday with someone he loves. There wasn’t supposed to be any Keyblades or Heartless or darkness or destiny. He wasn’t supposed to turn into this, into something that he can barely even call fully human anymore, into a helpless slave for someone he’d never serve on his own volition, into someone who he barely even recognizes as himself now. He was supposed to stay right here, right at home, with his mother, with his neighbors, with Riku and Kairi. His life was supposed to be simple, but comfortable, ordinary but content. But now… the happy and peaceful life he could have, should have had has been stolen from him… only to be replaced with the endless nightmare it’s become.

#jen writes #keys to the kingdom #sora is Suffering someone please help this poor child #someone take him the fuck away from me holy shit #he has the Worst time in this chapter this is only the tip of the iceburg kids #keys preview

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snowflake-of-destruction · 4 years ago

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This isn’t something I normally participate in, but, since I didn’t write much in June and shared hardly anything(something I plan to change in July if I can), I thought I should give some proof of (creative) life if anyone wants it.

Under the cut, a series of tiny excerpts, most more than six sentences, of different Kingdom Hearts pieces to be rescued from the limbo of “half finished chunk of something in a google doc.” Some of them belong to WIPs and some are from various other things started and then interrupted or....we’ll say set to a back burner.

All excerpts headed by a bolded header in the style of

Title of Piece This Belongs To (Brief description of what kind of fic that is in between parenthesis)

Advantage Rule (Isalea Modern AU. First Chapter Up On AO3. More Info There.)

"You lost or are you the new caulk?" The speaker didn't fit the typical profile of a tech professional, especially one that worked behind the scenes with the coders. Mid-fifties judging by the lines on his face with thinning blond hair so light you could hardly tell where some parts had gone silver combed to stick up as a compensation for where it threatened to recede and leather skin that said he'd worked outside in some decade past, paired with a southern accent that seemed stronger than it was with the effect added by the toothpick precariously balanced in the corner of his mouth. He'd rejected business attire in favor of cargo pants and a dark blue flight jacket that looked like they'd been bought in the last century, and the look in his eye was so fierce without prompting that Axel had to wonder if he was a failsafe for the air conditioning breaking down.

"Am I the what?"

"Caulk." The toothpick switched sides of the man's mouth with a roll of his bottom lip. "Fixing the leaks? The cybersecurity specialist? Axel Lea?" His impatience mounted by the moment. Working on the fourth floor would certainly be interesting.

"Yes, sir. That would be me." Axel tried to smooth the way with deference and the easy smile that rarely steered him wrong. "Does that make you...?"

"Cid Highwind. I'll be showing you the ropes. Now that you've seen fit to grace us with your presence." Cid continued to stare him down and Axel wasn't sure if he was supposed to apologize or bare his teeth and smack his chest like a gorilla to challenge the alpha.

Without False Hope ( First Chapter Up On AO3. More Info There. Akuroku KH/FFX crossover)

Axel was waiting for them, or it seemed that way at least and Roxas didn’t think himself vain for thinking so, when Roxas spotted the lanky redhead not jogging himself but leaning against a pole until he saw the Crusaders approaching and then falling in next to Roxas just behind Xion as she bellowed, "Young Crusaders gather 'round," the beginning of a call and response chant that the rest of them would answer with a promise to knock enemies back and stand their ground or an alternate about beating Sin beneath the ground if they were feeling

Axel finished the line a beat before the Crusaders would have, substituting his own words. "...Eager for Sin to put you in the ground." Roxas's heart, which had soared for a moment when Axel had come up beside him and dared to hope that Axel's first words would be a version of sorry or an invitation out somewhere without other people, took a sharp plummet to his toes then returned to his chest angry at being mocked.

Assorted grumbles and shouts showed many others felt the same way, but Xion seemed to take it in stride, sing-songing her own improvised lines that continued the cadence of the original chant without missing a beat, "Young civilian come to heckle and stare. What would you do if a fiend attacked and we weren't there?"

Axel near stumbled but recovered and let out a short bark that might have been a laugh he wasn't sure he was allowed without inviting training Crusaders to make him pay for it, afterward rumbling in an impressed tone, "You, I like,."

"You should. " Xion shot back and her casual tone alone was enough that everyone else in the formation knew Axel was an acceptable stranger even if he was rude, and that they should ignore the intrusion. "I'm not sure I like you back. Roxas has been mooning and it makes him impossible."

Guardian Force (Akuroku. Axel and Roxas in the next life, living as NPCs in the world of/during the story of FFVIII. Part of my eventual plan to show Axel and Roxas living out every Final Fantasy game. Unpublished/First chapter never completed because I decided on Without False Hope/a FFX crossover instead)

"You often talk to yourself?" an insolent lazy drawl came from somewhere to Axel's left and he turned, eyes narrowing to see a boy in a rumpled Balamb cadet uniform lying across the second highest step, book in hand, vibrant blue eyes, ice eyes like he'd junctioned Shiva right to his vision, trained on him over the spine.

"To my Guardian Force," Axel explained, though that seemed worse. Over six foot of height and lean muscle and the SeeD uniform Axel wore at least enough parts of for it to be vaguely recognizable that he belonged to the elite unit, all usually worked together enough that there was usually no reason to be embarrassed by anything he let slip out. Nobody would laugh even if Axel welcomed it.

"Thought you didn't like using Guardian Forces," the lounging student's voice was just as nonchalant as it was before, but his gaze was sharp, interested, and he spoke as if he knew Axel.

"Have we met?" Axel knocked the sole of his left boot against the side of his right as if scraping mud off the bottom. It wasn't odd for him to shift constantly even when mostly still, unless he was specifically called to stand at attention. There was an air of discomfort about the present action though, when taken with how jade eyes known for constant analysis on and off the battlefield, seemed attracted to the handrail of the steps rather than searching the face of the boy that had just spoken to him with familiarity. Axel's normally iron stomach soured immediately at the idea they had met and he'd forgotten, to the point he couldn't even bring himself to try and jog his recollection. All he could do was force out his least favorite question next to 'when did that happen?'

Lollipop (Soriku and Akuroku. College AU/Modern AU. Unpublished. Sora and Roxas in an acapella group because that was the only way I could work out how to get them to sing and do choreo for songs that get stuck in Shaky’s head, which was the Goal of the Day one day before I got distracted)

When Sora said he had a new idea for a piece for the CrescenDudes' next performance, Roxas had been more than happy to volunteer to work on the arrangement with him. Sora was great for ideas, large picture and little flourishes that made a song a show, and he was, hands down, who you wanted doing choreography, even if he tended to get carried away and not realize there weren't many others with the dance and movement background he had in their group, but he wasn't suited for the musical side of sculpting a piece. He'd sing what he was given and he'd stay on pitch doing it, but he had no idea to weave songs together to form a mashup that sounded natural and created the right feeling in a crowd, and he'd forget to accommodate for everyone's voices or go the opposite direction and try to highlight everyone and have twenty solos. So it was up to Roxas to take his vision from neat idea to reality, and he jumped at the chance. He'd do anything at this point to distract Sora from dragging him into wedding planning for a few days when that should be Riku’s job as the other groom.

Hourglass (Unpublished. Self-indulgent BBS Era--at least for this excerpt-- story about KH Squall/Leon and Seifer growing up in Radiant Garden and explaining how they got to be on separate planets and separate ages by the time KH1 rolls around. May be competed and posted to AO3 or just used as a base/record of headcanon for sprinkling backstory references in other pieces.)

Seifer challenged Lea and Isa to break back into the castle and come back with proof this time. He would have just called Lea a liar, but that would lead to Lea trying to fight him, which would lead to Isa trying to fight him, which would lead to Squall getting in the way, thinking Seifer couldn't handle a two on one fight with some chicken wusses. Then Squall would still try to sneak into the castle himself to see Ellone anyway--and she wasn’t in the castle in the first place...probably. Seifer would have to drag Squall’s ass out of there, and, if they got caught by the Royal Guard, then they’d be the next rumored prisoners in the basement. It was safer to make it be Lea and Isa's challenge.

Lea took the bait. Isa, surprisingly, added they were planning a return trip anyway. Squall shot Seifer a questioning look, which he ignored in favor of taunting Lea and sealing the deal, "I can't wait to see you two hobble in tomorrow after getting your asses beat by the Guard. Try not to hit your thick skulls on the flagstones when you get thrown out."

Drowning (Unfinished/unpublished. Placeholder name. Sorikai. Supposed to be for the Sorikai Summer Event. Prompt: Drowning. Long one shot about eight times one of the Destiny Trio has nearly drowned and then been saved by the others)

Their first prototype of a raft had fallen apart underneath them in open water, the ties that lashed the planks together having not been as securely tied as they could have been--the book on sailor's knots Sora had provided was a lot more obtuse than it had seemed at first, descriptions dense and picture demonstrations too sparse. Kairi and Sora each fared well, each grabbing onto a floating plank to drift a minute and orient themselves after being plunged into the water. Riku was less successful, being fixated on saving as many of the supplies Kairi and Sora had gathered (coconuts, mushrooms, and bottles of water mostly, though there had been a tackle box that Riku's father would kill him for losing if he had to go back and face him, and that was what Riku was primarily focused on) and exhausting his breath on too many dives in a row without recovery in between until he was lightheaded from not taking in enough air in his hasty gulps when he broke the surface and increasingly imprecise in where he chose to come out of the water until he hit his head on the bottom of the plank he was loading the recovered supplies onto and went down without resurfacing.

No Set Recipe (Unfinished/unpublished. Sorikai. Supposed to be for the Sorikai Summer Event. Prompt: Ice Cream. Kidfic. Sora’s mom is left with the job of explaining polyamory while making homemade ice cream with a group of five and six year olds.)

It was all Selphie's fault to start with, though if she was going to be ascribed the blame for the hurt feelings, she would have to be given credit for all that happened after, which Riku and Sora both agreed she did not deserve, even if Kairi was more magnanimous, so it became habit just to talk of the ice cream and the impact it had on their future. Still, the most accurate account begins with: one day when they were all young-- too young to even be allowed to swim in the water surrounding play island without an adult in the surf with them, if that gives perspective--Selphie, to everyone's surprise, scored the winning goal in the game of land-blitzball the group of them were playing in order to decide what game they would really spend the day playing, and chose, to absolutely nobody's surprise, house.

Everyone accepted their fate and divided into family units with minimal grumbling, phrasing which means that Wakka threw the blitzball into the sea and lost it forever when Jecht--the parent chaperone on play island that day who was five minutes away from falling asleep on the sand and typically didn't care what they did, unlike most parents who at least had restrictions about not hitting each other in the head with wooden swords or throwing sand, and was the favorite of the children for that attitude of freedom to make mistakes being a better teacher than rules--refused to go into the water after it.

Selphie, however, found a problem with Sora, Riku, and Kairi's family. Specifically, she didn't like that the family was Riku, Kairi, and Sora all together parenting a yellow coconut Kairi was trying to rock to sleep while Riku built him a bed out of sand and palm fronds and Sora cooked dinner for the household--a savoury stew of sticks, sand, and mushroom. She stood with pursed lips and hands on hips, and declared that their proud coconut son, Rekka, couldn't have all three of them for parents because that wasn't how things worked.

"Why not?" Sora asked with all the curiosity and innocence of a child.

Riku tried a more practical, solution based approach with, "Can we change the rules?"

Kairi was more direct and firm, her, "It does if I say so," leaving very little room to argue.

#snippets #not clogging tags with this though

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roxasbelongswithsora-blog · 4 years ago

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How to NOT Ask Out Your Former Nobody

[ #Soroku after all Sora does basically own's Roxas heart body and soul but was still willing to make sure Roxas got to be his OWN person and Sora is the sky while Roxas is his sunset .]

𝐼 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊'𝓇𝑒 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝓈𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝓂𝑒

𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝐼 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝓂𝒶𝒹𝑒 𝓃𝑒𝓌 𝒫𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓂𝑒 𝑔𝑜 𝐼 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊

𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒

𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓎

𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓌𝑒𝒶𝓇, 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝓉𝒾𝓂𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝐼'𝓂 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝓃𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓃𝒹 𝒶 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓁𝑒𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝓂𝑒

Saira smiled watching the two boys sit together on a bench both of them so clearly happy to be next to each other while eating the ice cream they had both ordered at the stand in town during the Dream Festal the feeling of Ventus grabbing her left hand to hold made her turn to look up at him with a shy smile then once he returned it with a soft chuckle both Princess and Knight turned back to watching Sora & Roxas ...who now seemed to be arguing over something on the Blond's Gummi Phone while unknown to both boys there Donald Fizz had started to melt. With a long sigh, Saira watched how Ventus went running over as soon keyblades had been brought into the small argument while Saira started to remember how this whole day could have never happened for them if Sora had not asked her for help she still could remember it like yesterday.

It all started on a normal Sunday afternoon inside of Disney Castle were inside of the Princess's bedroom sat a bored out of her mind Saira leaning on the chaise lounge with her head resting on her right hand while looking out of the large stained glass double doors leading outside to her balcony while in the background she could hear how her instructor Clarabelle Cow was going off on another lesson of royal duties when suddenly the sound of a Gummi ship engine flying past her window outside made her smile and grabbing her dress skirts had gotten up and raced over to pull open the doors and then stood outside on the balcony while leaning over the railing watching as the ship had landed in the courtyard and a brunette had walked out of the ship's hub alone and that was very odd for just Sora to visit by himself.

⭐HEY THERE SORA! ...WHAT DO YOU NEED ..DONT TELL ME THAT YOU MISSED ME THAT MUCH ALREADY? ⭐

Sora blinked and looked left & right until he found where her voice was coming from and with a bright smile raced over to right under her balcony and cupped his hands around his mouth.

☁️ HEY THERE SAIRA ...C-COULD WE TALK IT'S ABOUT ROXAS ?! ☁️

Saira blinked and then nodded down at him before heading back inside of her room and casting a Stopza on Clarabelle Cow to make it seem like her lesson was still going on if anyone of the castles other maids had happened to pass by her bedroom while she would be gone then raced back outside onto the balcony.

⭐ HEY SORA HOW GOOD ARE YOU AT CATCH ?! ⭐

☁️ UH...IM PRETTY GOOD. AT IT WHY?.... HOLLY GUMMI BLOCK'S DONT JUMP! ☁️

But it was too late because Saira was already falling and all the while poor Sora was trying not to freak out as he rushed foreword with open arms to have the girl land right in his arms only for the weight from the dress having knocked both down over into the grass while Saira was busy laughing at him while Sora sent a glare at her once both had stood back up.

☁️ ARE YOU CRAZY DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT VENTUS WOULD HAVE DONE TO ME IF YOU GOT HURT ?! ☁️

⭐ oh calm down you know Ventus could never kill anyone. ⭐

Sora stood in shock his face drained of color and then blinked.

☁️ K-kill.....YOU MEAN HE WOULD HAVE KILLED ME ?! ☁️

⭐ UH....no not kill ..but he very much would have seriously harmed you he has kinda become over worried about my safety after my whole death and weird resurrection, Anyway you wanted to talk to me about Roxas ..so what is it something to do with his schoolwork because I thought Olette was good at making sure the boys stayed on track with that stuff? ⭐

Sora had claimed down at the whole threat of death over his head and once the color had returned to his face he started to play with his fingers while glancing at the ground and had started to stutter.

☁️ N-no...uh..it had nothing to do with his schoolwork .... it's about h-how I think ...I'm in love with him ..a-and could u-use some help on h-how to ask him out? ☁️

Saira smiled bright to the surprise of Sora and then grabbed his left hand and pulled him along threw the large doors leading back inside of the castle where they both had snuck into the tea room .

𝔒𝔫𝔢 𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯

Sora had found himself sitting across from Saira on a couch while Pluto had jumped up to lay down next to the boy the dog had by now placed his head into the brunette's lap the room was quiet until Roxanne had walked in with a soft smile and had placed a tray of Tarte Aux Fruits with Blueberry tea on the small table in the middle of them then with a bow she had left leaving both Sora and Saira alone with Pluto as there only company.

⭐ SO!~ Sora tell me just you found out about these feelings you hold for Roxas? ⭐

Sora had paused drinking his tea and enjoying his Tarte Aux Fruits and while staring into the teacup started to blush then closed his eyes and placed his left hand over his heart and softly smiled.

☁️ It’s funny how a heart could be so full yet so empty before I had saved everyone there used to be so much support from Xion...even when I had no clue about her and then there was Ventus who had been with me from the start of my whole crazy journey ..t-then there is Roxas...who I had unknowingly depended on for so much ..then there was even Vanitas who had hidden inside of the darkest parts of my heart ....but after everyone had left to go live there own life ...I had me wondering just what purpose did my life mean now ..and sometimes there would be moments that I would just wander off and find a place to sit and think.☁️

Saira tilted her head and stopped sipping her tea and then set the plate back on the tray to lean foreword when Sora blinked and then glanced at her with a shy smile his eyes now open and showing the happiness in them.

☁️Once I started to think about it the memory of waking up inside of the pod room back in Twilight Town came to me ...the voice that called out my name ..it sounded so sad yet curious ...after waking up the unanswered question of who it the voice belonged to had always been at the back of my mind ......it was not until after fighting with him at The World That Never Was and he had rejoined with me did it hit me that the voice had belonged to him ...after that during the rest of the journey there were times when I tried so hard to talk to him. But he seemed so cold ..and always responded with a quick " leave me alone Sora ' and that hurt b-because I felt it was all my fault. ☁️

Saira gasped and quickly got up to move next to him to rub the tears that started to slide down his face with a soft smile she sat down next to him.

⭐Sora ...Roxas didn't ever blame you for what happened to him ...yes at first he tried so hard to refuse his fate but Sora...once he had joined again with you ..he told me that there was never a place that he had been that had felt so warm and safe ...like a home he never had ...it was a safe haven for him ...he has no hate for you.⭐

☁️ Y-yeah ...I know that n-now...b-because there were times that I could feel it ...l-like during my mark of mastery exam ...we got to talk ..and he explained everything to me .....THEN ..oh my GOD SAIRA ..that soft warm smiled he gave me ...my heart just about DIED! ...and he held my hands! ..That ..is when I knew that deep inside me there were feelings for him.☁️

⭐Hmm and ..what was the point that set things off making you want to come and ask me for help?⭐

Sora blushed and smiled remembering the point he had first got a chance to have a few moments to talk with Roxas after everyone had met outside of the keyblade graveyard and just how light the blond was when Sora had picked him up in a hug while unknown to Sora the blond had become flustered at the touch.

☁️ Well it is because during my last visit in Twilight Town me and Ventus were waiting around at the sandlot for when Roxas would be done with school for the day after a little around 6:23 we spotted Xion walking with Olette soon enough Hayner & Pence showed up talking with Isa and Lea ...after we all got caught up on how our life's had been the girls had went off to go shopping while Lea and Isa wanted to check out the new dishes at Le Grand Bistrot ..so that left only Roxas me and Ventus alone in the sandlot talking about how our weekend was going to be spent when Roxas walked over to me and pulled out a small bag of handmade chocolate and said something along the lines of " Here I made to much yesterday so Im handing some out to everyone ...anyway so " And of course I was not going to pass up the chance to have free candy so of course I took it ...although I could have sworn that Ventus did speak up about not getting any and before Id knew it Ventus was running away from Roxas who for some reason had his keyblades out , ..W-Well later when Ventus and me were getting ready to head back home ...he told me that Roxas had threated to freeze his mouth shut if he ever blew his cover again. ☁️

⭐ Aw Sora the handmade chocolate was a small sign that Roxas has feelings for you as well ...and yeah Ventus came here a day later whining about being scared for his life about Roxas killing him ....Anyway you wanted help right? ⭐

Sora nodded his blue eyes just begging for some help while his face stayed pink.

⭐ Alright so my idea would be to start with asking Roxas to lunch at the Le Grand Bistrot get something simple not to fancy ...then walk around a little bit maybe stop at sunset hill to check out the view then later on head up to the clock tower and spend the rest of the day up there then offer to go and buy ice cream while you are out getting the ice cream you should go and get something synthesized ... an item that could show the bond you too will share from then on ⭐

☁️THAT'S A GREAT IDEA OH GOSH I ALREADY HAVE IT ALL PLANED OUT OKAY! I'd better get going then thank you so much Saira your the best Princess in the world I have ever met! ☁️

Saira watched as Sora rushed around to leave nearly knocking over the table in the process once she heard the Gummi ship take off a relaxing sigh left her lips...that was until Max found her.

𝔒𝔫𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔢𝔨 𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔦𝔫 𝔗𝔴𝔦𝔩𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔗𝔬𝔴𝔫

Roxas sighed while checking his Gummi phone while waiting for Sora outside of the usual spot the blond was just about to head back inside when the sight of brown spikey locks came rushing around the corner of the ally once getting close enough Roxas saw his jacket was ripped and raised an eyebrow at it.

☁️ S-Sorry. I was late the train caught the end of my jacket! so all ready for that lunch? ☁️

🍦 If you would have been any later it would end up being a dinner date 🍦

☁️ HAHAA! ..PFFH Y-YEAH...s-sure...ALRIGHT LET'S GO! ☁️

Sora grabbed the blond's left hand and dragged him along to the Le Grand Bistrot all the while Roxas would stumble while trying to pull his hand back but would end up failing to do so until nearly three blocks away Sora would trip over his own two feet and fall flat on his face while Roxas watched and tried so hard not to laugh, Once both boys had picked their table out and had ordered Ratatouille & Filet Mignon Poêlé they started up small talk ...that was until Sora had coked on his ice cream soda drink and made Roxas laugh so hard he fell over in his chair and the effect had caused Sora to have soda leak out his nose.

𝔄𝔱 𝔰𝔲𝔫𝔰𝔢𝔱 𝔥𝔦𝔩��

🍦 Are you sure your nose is alright ...you did end up having only half of that drink left? 🍦

☁️ Roxas, I'm fine! ..but what about you that fall looked like it kinda hurt I'm sorry for laughing at you ☁️

🍦 Nah ...don't be it was pretty funny I'm sure everyone else would have laughed too...the Sun never sets in this world...but its something I'm used to by now ...but just for once I would love to see the stars at night 🍦

☁️ ..W-well if you ever want to back on my island the stars shine brightly each night but always twinkle differently ☁️

🍦 Really?...hmm...yeah that sounds very nice thank you Sora. 🍦

After spending most of the afternoon at sunset hill Sora & Roxas headed up to the clock tower to hang out on the ledge talking about what worlds each had visited in the past until Sora got up and offered to by ice cream for them both with a promise of a deal that Roxas got to buy next time the brunette raced off heading back into the main market first stopping at a Moggle shop and handing over his crown necklace and Roxas's small spikey symbol that he had stolen when the blond was not looking once, then left to buy the two sea salt ice creams after paying for them he quickly headed back to the Moggle shop and picked up the items soon enough he was racing back up the clock tower.

☁️ Here! sorry if it seemed I was taking to long ☁️

🍦 Nope your just fine Sora ...and thank you again for buying 🍦

Once both boys were done and had started to watch the sunset Sora pulled the items from his left side pocket and was blushing a bright shade of pink while holding out the blonds spikey symbol with a shy smile.

☁️ I got them both enchanted so that when either one of us is in danger or needs help it shall light up a soft blue color ...a-and I d-did this...b-because ...because ...B-BECAUSE I LOVE YOU ROXAS! ☁️

Roxas gave off the same soft smile just like before and leaned foreword pressing a soft kiss to the other's lips and held the gift close

🍦 I love you too Sora ..thank you.🍦

#Oneshot #SoRoku #Rokuso #cute moments #gay boyfriends #shy Sora #Seme Roxas #DON'T STEAL THIS BECAUSE I WROTE IT #IF I FIND OUT THIS IS STOLEN THEN I'M SENDING VANITAS AFTER YOUR ASS

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vannahfanfics · 4 years ago

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The Path to Happiness

Category: Friendship Fluff

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Characters: Ventus, Terra, Aqua

Terra awoke with a strangled gasp, fisting the damp sheets as he bolted upright in bed. Ragged, strangled gasps tumbled from his lungs, and cold sweat poured down his pallid, clammy skin. Slowly, the visions of darkness and icy rush of fear melted from his system, making him bonelessly flop against the headboard. He drew his palm across his face, catching the sweat in the ridges of his hand; he then dropped his arm against the mattress and tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling with an exhausted sigh. He traced the patterns of the rafters through lidded eyes, trying to occupy his addled mind with meaningless drivel as the fear and doubt and guilt tried to creep back in from the shadows.

The sharp claws of nausea pawed at his belly, making bile bubble up into his throat. Reconciling with the fact that sleep would not find him for quite some time, he tossed the covers off himself and slipped out of bed. The tiled floor was cold against the soles of his feet as he shambled barefoot out of the room, allowing muscle memory to guide him through the gilded halls of the castle situated at the center of the Land of Departure. He couldn’t find his way consciously, as his mind was too spent from struggling with phantasms of past mistakes.

Moonlight streamed in from the stained-glass windows to dapple across his broad shoulders and throw dark shadows up in odd places. In a moment of lapsing mind, the darkness seemed to bulge up behind him in a hostile mass, latching onto his shoulders like a parasite ready to suck all the light left within him. With a strangled cry, Terra whirled around, unconsciously drawing his Keyblade. The hairs on the back of his neck rose to catch the sweat rolling down from his dampened brown tresses as he searched the darkness warily, terrified to find the glint of golden eyes lurking within. Only the pale starlight and the empty air of the long hall greeted him.

Terra groaned, rubbing at the clammy flesh at the back of his neck as he sheathed his weapon with a faint sparkle of light. He rubbed his face again, struggling to retain a shred of sanity. Ever since finally ridding himself of Xehanort’s parasitic presence, Terra had grappled with paranoia and night terrors. It was just so hard to believe that the nefarious pariah was truly no longer plaguing the worlds; Terra would see visions of him, stalking in the dark corners of his vision and melting out of the shadows. He’d have to convince himself that it was only a trick of the mind, a mere ghost that couldn’t hurt him.

The guilt was harder to reconcile with. If Terra hadn’t been so reckless, so weak to the beguile of the darkness within him, maybe things would’ve gone differently.

“Ugh. Stop that, Terra,” he chastised himself as he mushed the skin of his face with his palms. He teased into the fronds of his chocolate-colored hair and grimaced at the uncomfortable sensation of the sweat clinging to the strands. Suddenly finding the wide hall stifling, he renewed his pace to quickly exit the castle, stepping out into the starry night sky’s wide, welcoming arms. The glittering pinpricks of the stars and the endless expanse of indigo blue brought a weary smile to his face. Anytime things got tough, he’d recall that promise the three of them made to each other beneath those same stars, an oath that took much too long to fulfill.

Terra strode out into the nighttime tranquility, the long grasses kissing the fabric of his pants. The starlight enveloped him like an old friend, bathing him in pale whiteness. Terra inhaled deeply, and as the cool air flooded his nostrils, he almost imagined that he was inhaling the celestial light itself, the stardust nourishing his bones and blood to lull him into a sense of peace. A gentle smile worked onto his face as he finally felt the tension melt from his shoulders.

Just as Terra made it to the iron-wrought fencing, leaning against it to gaze into the Land of Departure stretching on before him, he heard a sleepy, “Terra…?” He glanced behind him to see Ventus shambling tiredly down the sloped grassy hill, rubbing at his eye as a yawn split his face. “What’re you doing up so early?” Aqua strolled behind him; her blue eyes narrowed in an acute sense of worry. Terra found himself chuckling. He’d escaped the castle to find some sense of solitude, but it seemed the universe had other plans.

“Did you have a bad dream?” Ah, Aqua, perceptive as always. Terra smiled defeatedly at the tall, lithe woman as she strode up, head cocked to the side in curiosity. There was no point in lying to her, so he just nodded. Aqua smiled sympathetically and leaned her side against the iron railing. The somber look in her sea-blue eyes told him that Aqua herself was no stranger to the night’s unnerving terrors. Terra exhaled deeply and pressed down against the railing, pushing his weight down onto his outstretched legs as he balanced his crossed arms and torso onto the metal structure. His eyes reflected the glittering landscape of the stars, hollowly, like opaque glass.

“Ten years. Ten years I wasted as that man’s slave,” he breathed. His voice fogged in the air as if metamorphosizing into the ghost that his soul was that long, dark decade. “All because I wasn’t strong enough.” His head dropped as he uttered the sentence, chin thumping against his sternum.

“Terra!” Ventus interjected, jumping forward to grab onto the hem of his form-fitted shirt. Terra had to smile; spending ten years asleep as a fractured heart didn’t make him any less childish. Ventus’ blue eyes regarded him worriedly as he pawed at the shirt. “It’s not your fault. It’s Xehanort’s.”

“Yeah. I know, Ven,” Terra chuckled and reached out to affectionately ruffle the younger boy’s hair. Ventus’ giddy smile was infectious, curling Terra’s lips upwards subconsciously. However, the hollow shadow of doubt pulsed in Terra’s chest. So how many times he tried to convince himself that the decades-long sequence of events resulted from forces out of his control. Then, he’d think back to the Mark of Mastery examination, to the flicker of darkness that intrigued Xehanort and made the old man zero in on his newest pawn.

Even if Terra had been pure and rejected the darkness completely, the guilt would have stayed. He failed to stop Xehanort, dooming a new generation of children to take up the mantle and shattering dozens of hearts in the process. If it had just ended there, the Organization would have never been created, nor all those souls twisted to darkness. If it had just ended there, Sora’s world never would have fallen into ruin to plunge him into a harrowing and dangerous journey spanning the worlds. If it had just ended there, so much heartbreak could have been avoided.

I should have been stronger. No one else should’ve had to clean up after us!

“Terra.” Aqua’s voice called to him like the shining light of a lighthouse to a vessel traversing a perilous sea. His head swiveled in search of her soft voice, her pale face, finding her sparkling blue eyes regarding him warmly. Her hand slipped up the meat of his muscular arms to rest just at the base of his deltoid, the gentle touch soothing him in ways words never could. “No one blames you. Please stop blaming yourself.” His eyes narrowed sadly as Aqua gazed intently at him. “If these long years have proved anything, it is that we cannot shoulder these burdens alone. It was always meant for us to come together to stop his great evil. The path to happiness is often paved with mistakes and heartbreak.”

Damn. Aqua was always so poetic.

“Yeah!” Ventus grinned, shoving his head underneath Terra’s arm to flash him a toothy smile. “So many cool things woulda never happened if things went differently. We never would’ve traveled the world and experienced all those things. Sure, Xehanort made the organization and split himself into two. If his Heartless was never created, Sora wouldn’t have gone on his journey and met all his wonderful friends. If the Nobodies were never made, Lea never woulda met his friends! Roxas and Naminé and Xion wouldn’t even exist. All of these connections and friendships that we can enjoy now would never have been made in the first place,” he pointed out. As always, Terra found himself cheered by the boy’s boundless optimism. Ventus giggled as Terra slung his beefy arm around the back of his neck and hugged him into his chest.

“Man, you’re so right. You’d be stuck with us boring grown-ups instead of all the kids your age, huh, Ven?” The blond laughed mirthfully as he wriggled in Terra’s grip.

“But I like you guys! You’re my best friends!”

“It’s okay, Ven. You don’t have to make us feel better,” Terra joked. Ventus pushed on Terra’s ribs to pry himself free, head popping up to display his pout and the more-poofy-than-usual tufts of honey-blond hair sticking up at odd angles thanks to Terra’s manhandling.

“I mean it! Anyway, why are you derailing from the conversation?” Terra snorted and resumed leaning against the railing, shaking his head. When he looked back up at the starry sky, the light had returned to his eyes, making his blue irises shine like the waves of the sea.

“I’m not. I’m just feeling better, I guess.”

“Well, that’s good,” Aqua offered appreciatively. Terra only hummed in response, appreciating the brilliance of the celestial bodies flickering above. All those words contained within the stars, traversed by generations of Keyblade wielders in a chronicle far from over. He wondered what the next stage of their journey held, what chapter would unfold in the coming days. He supposed it didn’t matter; as Aqua said, they were all tied by destiny, and their fates would unfurl soon enough.

Terra could now face the future bravely, bolstered by his two dearest friends in all the many, many worlds.

Tag List: @deliazeedork

Enjoy this oneshot? Feel free to peruse my Table of Contents!

#wayfinder trio #terra #ventus #aqua #kingdom hearts #kh aqua #kh ventus #kh terra #kh fanfic #kh fanfiction #kingdom hearts fanfic #kingdom hearts fanfiction

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phoenix-downer · 5 years ago

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Thanks for Waiting Chapter 1/2

For Rikunami Day 2019. Chapter 1 will be posted today, and chapter 2 will be posted next Monday. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Length: ~3300 words

Summary: Riku and Naminé are an unlikely duo working towards a common goal: helping Sora. But as they spend more and more time together, they start to question if they’re doing the right thing. It’s easier to focus on that than on what might be happening between them. After all, a Nobody doesn’t have feelings of her own, and a human wouldn’t fall for a Nobody… right?

Characters: Naminé, Riku

Relationships: Riku/Naminé

Additional Info: Romance, Friendship, Angst, Mutual Pining, (Mostly) Canon Compliant, Missing Scene(s)

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Naminé rubbed her eyes, then picked up the pencil and continued her work. This memory was an old one; Sora wore a white shirt with red pants, and there was a light shining in his hands. It was one of those memories he probably didn’t even remember, but it was a part of his heart all the same and needed to get put back together.

“Naminé? You’re still awake?”

Naminé looked up from her sketchbook. A figure wearing a black coat and a blindfold had entered her little sanctuary, a blank white room with drawings of Sora’s memories attached to the walls.

“Oh, hello Riku,” she said as she turned her attention back to her drawing. “I take it our hideout is still safe?”

Riku took a seat at the opposite end of the table from her. “For now,” he said with a sigh. His silver hair was getting long, including his bangs. Between that and the blindfold, Naminé wasn’t sure how he could even see anything.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” she asked.

“I guess. I just… don’t feel like I’m doing anything.”

“Well, there’s not much you can do right now other than stand guard over Sora. And it’s an important job. His life is in our hands.”

He rested his head in his hands. “That’s just it. After what I did, I don’t know how I’m gonna face him when he wakes up.”

“Well,” Naminé said as she put her pencil down, “if it makes you feel any better, there are plenty of good memories of the two of you together. And Sora forgave me for trying to replace Kairi. He wasn’t happy about it, but he didn’t hold it against me. If he can forgive me, he can forgive you too.”

Riku was silent, and Naminé stole a glance at his face. With his eyes covered, it was harder to get a read on what he was feeling, but not impossible.

“Riku,” she said softly, and he lifted his head. “I think you’re being harder on yourself than anyone else is.”

“I could say the same about you. How long have you been working on Sora’s memories without a break?”

She pursed her lips. “That’s different. I have to make it up to him. I have to fix my mistakes. With each day that goes by, he’s apart from his friends for that much longer.”

He sat back in his chair. “And how is what you’re doing any different from what I’m doing?”

“It’s not,” Naminé finally admitted.

His lips twitched, ever so slightly, and for a moment Naminé caught a glimpse of the Riku Sora and Kairi must know.

“Listen to us,” he said. “Two people bumbling around, trying to atone for what we’ve done but probably doing more damage in the process. What a pair we make.”

Naminé stilled at that. “I’m not a person the way you are, Riku. I’m not… human. I’m just a Nobody. Kairi’s shadow.”

He said nothing for a long time, and she picked up her pencil again and continued. When he stood, she glanced up at him one last time.

“Goodnight, Riku.”

“Goodnight, Naminé.”

With that, he stole out of the room as quickly as he’d entered it. The only sound left was the scratching of pencil against paper.

The more Naminé spread her drawings of Sora’s memories across the walls and tables of this lonely room, the emptier Naminé felt inside. Like she was pouring everything into those drawings until there was nothing left. She set her pencil down, the drawing of Sora as a child finally finished, and rested her head in her hands.

His memories mocked her. They were always waiting for her as soon as she closed her eyes. Reminding her of the life she could never have. It didn’t matter that Sora had promised to be her friend. Once he woke up, he wouldn’t even know who she was. She was alone again.

Riku was trying, he really was. But a human like him couldn’t understand what it felt like to know you were never meant to exist. That you were a mistake, an accident. Naminé could hardly blame him for thinking that way. She and Roxas and Xion were all just fakes, and he and Sora and Kairi were the real ones. The humans. The ones with actual hearts. And even though Roxas and Xion were never meant to exist, either, they still had Axel. Who did she have?

No one. Sora had chosen Kairi over her. Riku wanted his friend back, and so did Kairi, even though she couldn’t remember his name.

There was one person who had wanted to be with her. The Riku Replica. But he was gone now, and his feelings had been fake. Given to him so Marluxia could manipulate Sora. Given to him so she could toy with him and break him. No one had ever cared for her out of their own free will.

What she wouldn’t give just to have that, for once. But she could never ask for it, for if she did, she would simply ensure the same thing would happen again. Love without a choice was not love at all.

When she left the white room for the night, a shudder went down her spine. How could a Nobody like her be haunted by ghosts of memories that weren’t even her own?

But it didn’t matter. Her time was limited. In the end, she would have to return to her Other, just like every other Nobody did in the end.

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Riku sighed as he sank into his creaky bed that night. The Old Mansion was hardly a nice place to live, but somehow it was still less creepy than living in Maleficent’s lonely old castle with its big empty room back on Hollow Bastion.

Being away from Sora and Kairi was hard. But it wasn’t their fault Riku was currently in this mess, struggling with his darkness as he tried to fix his mistakes. And Sora wouldn’t wake up unless he went to questionable lengths to get his friend back.

His thoughts wandered to his task at hand. Sure, DiZ kept saying Roxas and Xion and Naminé weren’t real people. But if that was true… why did Xion have a face now? A face that looked like Kairi’s? And why did Roxas seem so much like Sora? Why was Riku reminded so much of his friend when he saw him?

And Naminé. Naminé, with her gentle smile and earnest manner. Naminé, who was just as determined to atone for her mistakes as Riku was for his. How were the two of them any different, really? Why was it that he was human and she was a Nobody? Did it even really matter?

Yes, it did, because if he accepted Naminé had a heart, then he’d have to accept Roxas and Xion did, too, and he couldn’t do that. Couldn’t do that and still bring Sora back.

DiZ was right. Nobodies and Replicas weren’t real people. They were just fakes with fake hearts, and no amount of wishing would ever change that.

But as Riku fell asleep, Naminé’s face was in his thoughts, and a part of him wished he was wrong.

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When Naminé woke up the next morning, faint smells were coming from the direction of the mansion’s kitchen.

Curious. Usually she was the one who did the cooking. Riku was in and out too much to be a reliable cook, and DiZ had probably never made anything more complicated than a sandwich in his entire life.

She had no clothes but her white dress, so she slipped it on now and folded the oversized Twilight Town t-shirt that was her nightgown in a neat pile on her creaky old bed. She’d managed to snatch it when no one was looking, because Diz didn’t think a Nobody like her need worry about things like clothes or even food.

But her body, faint and ethereal as it was, still needed sustenance of some kind. She had made do by scrounging around in the woods near the mansion or snatching scraps from food stalls in town until Riku put a stop to that and started bringing back actual groceries for her to cook with.

Taking the stairs as quietly as possible, she made her way down to the kitchen. The smells drifting to her nose triggered Kairi’s memories of other mornings spent with Riku and Sora, mixing batter and adding in chocolate chips.

Sure enough, Riku was hunched over the stove with a metal spatula in his hand. The stove had been a little too short for him before, but after his recent growth spurt, it was comically so.

“Good morning,” she said as she peered over his shoulder. A plate of pancakes was next to the stove, and he scooped the latest one off the skillet and dumped it on top of the pile.

“Morning,” he replied. “Pancakes are about the only thing I know how to make, so I figured I’d take over cooking duty for once. Grab yourself a few and take a seat. Syrup’s already on the table.”

“Thank you.” She found a chipped but clean plate to use, along with a mismatching fork and knife, and took a seat on one of the creaky old chairs. Miracle of miracles, the table didn’t wobble as she set her plate down, and she gave Riku a curious look.

“I tried to stabilize it this morning,” he explained as he brought the remaining pancakes over along with another clean plate and took a seat. She watched as he poured syrup over his stack of pancakes, leaving a few for DiZ.

So that was what you did with the syrup. She copied him and then tried a bite. The pancakes were warm and fluffy, and the syrup was just the right level of sweetness.

“These are really good, Riku. Thank you.”

“Yeah, well, you can thank Kairi. She’s the one who taught me how to make them.”

But of course. Riku wouldn’t make them for her sake; he was making them because he missed Kairi.

“I hope I get to meet her soon,” she said. Well, more like she knew she would, she just wanted to talk to Kairi before she merged with her.

“She’d like you,” Riku said. Not a question, a matter-of-fact statement.

“She would? Even after I made Sora forget her?”

“She’s not the kind of person who holds things against other people.”

“Why don’t you go see her then?”

Riku sighed. “I can’t. Not without Sora.”

Naminé didn’t know what to say to him. What she wouldn’t give to have real actual friends of her own. He had friends who cared deeply about him, and yet he wouldn’t even talk to them.

“Well,” she said at last, “I hope the three of you can be together again soon.”

He coughed and quickly changed the subject. “What will you do, when all of this is over?”

“I suppose the same fate that befalls all Nobodies will befall me eventually. I’ll return to Kairi like I’m supposed to.”

He was silent for a while, then finally replied, “Doesn’t that make you sad?”

She shrugged. “I don’t have a heart, remember? So I can’t really be sad about it.”

But Riku’s head drooped, and she had the curious thought that perhaps he was sad for her.

No, that was impossible. Humans didn’t feel any empathy for Nobodies. How could they, when Nobodies were just empty husks masquerading as people?

She couldn’t let Riku get attached. That would just lead to heartache for him and make it harder to do what had to be done.

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Naminé sat in the white room, staring blankly out the window at the courtyard below and the woods beyond that. Xion had made her promise to look after Roxas, and…

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

She glanced at Riku, who must’ve entered the room without her noticing. His eyes were still covered, but she didn’t need to see them to sense something was on his mind, too.

“I don’t know why,” she said, “but something about this feels wrong. I know I’m not supposed to be able to feel, and yet… I can’t help but wonder… are we really doing the right thing, Riku?”

He didn’t answer her for a few moments as her question hung in the air. Was he having a crisis of conscience over what they were doing? Was it possible he felt guilty? Ashamed?

But this was all to help Sora. That was what mattered, right?

“Right or wrong, Xion made up her mind in the end,” he said at last, his voice heavy. “There was no stopping her.”

“You’re sad for her?”

Riku didn’t reply; he just sat down and stared at the drawings on the wall. As the memories of Xion faded one by one despite her attempts to cling to them, Naminé couldn’t help but wonder. Would anyone remember her after she’d returned to Kairi? Or would she just fade away? Would everyone forget her like Sora had forgotten her, or would someone, anyone, remember her? Would she become a part of Kairi, or would she…

She shook her head. Roxas. She was supposed to look after Roxas, for some reason.

Riku stood and walked to the door.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Xion… I’m supposed to… face Roxas.”

With that, he was gone, and so were the last memories of…

That was the thing about memories fading. Once they were gone, they were gone for good. Hoping that someone would remember her after she returned to Kairi was pointless. She was doomed to be forgotten in the end, just like every other Nobody.

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Diz’s secret basement laboratory, with its blue glowing lights and creepy monitors, was usually somewhere Naminé merely passed through when she wanted to visit Sora. But someone had entered the Old Mansion and was in the lab now, and she wanted to know what was going on. Otherwise she’d never find out, as Diz wasn’t going to tell her otherwise.

She took the steps one by one, clutching her sketchbook to her chest as she peered down. What she saw at the bottom of the stairs made her breath catch.

A tall figure was there, dragging an unconscious Roxas along with one arm as it favored the other. Her promise to help Roxas rang clear through her head, and she cast her sketchbook aside and addressed the figure.

“Who are you?”

“Naminé, it’s me.”

She gasped, and her hand flew to her mouth. “Riku?”

Sure enough, the memories were his. His heart was his. But his appearance was not. He… he looked like Ansem now. Like his own worst enemy. He still wore a black coat, but he was taller and bulkier than he should be. His hair wasn’t messy anymore, either; it was perfectly smooth, and he was no longer blindfolded. Instead of the beautiful green eyes she had come to expect, golden ones stared back at her.

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said, averting his gaze. “But I had to do this to defeat Roxas.”

Naminé’s lower lip trembled as she looked from Riku to Roxas back to Riku. How was this right? How was any of this right? Why had Riku transformed? And why did Roxas have to be sacrificed? Why did bringing Sora back have such a high cost? She didn’t know helping him would… would—

Her eyes rested on the unconscious Roxas once more. Maybe she and Roxas weren’t human, but surely they didn’t deserve to just—

“I see you’ve brought Roxas back,” Diz said, and Naminé stiffened at the sound of his voice. “Place him over there. The digital Twilight Town is ready.”

Riku moved to do as Diz asked, and Diz turned his attention to her.

“Naminé, now that we have Roxas, you must make haste. The Organization will begin searching for us.”

“Of course.”

She still owed it to Sora to put the rest of his memories back together. She’d promised.

But… she could at least comfort Roxas in his final few days of life. It was the least she could do for him, for the only person left who might understand.

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“Dispose of Naminé.”

DiZ’s command to Riku rang through his head as he listened to Axel and Naminé speak to each other. And then Axel brought up the elephant in the room, the reason why Riku had come to Sunset Hill overlooking the real Twilight Town in the first place.

“DiZ? Wants to get rid of me?” Naminé asked. Her voice wasn’t angry or accusatory, just sad and a little surprised. She stared at the sketchpad in her hands. “Well, I suppose it makes sense. He doesn’t want a Nobody with powers as dangerous as mine around.” She looked up at him, and her eyes were heavy. “I don’t blame you, Riku.”

As he stared at her, he thought of all the days they’d spent together over the past few months. Thought of how she’d treated him kindly, even after he’d taken on Ansem’s form. Thought of how she’d smiled when he’d made pancakes for her. Thought of how she always knew just what to say as well as when to be silent. Thought of how upset she’d been over Roxas’s fate. How she’d defied even DiZ’s orders after she’d cooperated with him for so long. And why?

That was when it hit Riku. She was lonely. She was trying to bond with the only person she thought might understand her. If she really didn’t have a heart, then why was she trying so hard to connect with someone else?

DiZ was wrong. Riku had made a terrible mistake. Naminé had a heart. Roxas did too. Maybe even Axel as well. And even though it was too late to help Roxas now, he could still do something for Naminé. He could still show mercy on Axel.

“Go,” he told them, and Naminé’s eyes went wide and her lips parted. “I owe you both,” he explained after Axel questioned him. What he didn’t say was that a part of him couldn’t bear to see Naminé dead. Couldn’t bear the thought of her not existing anymore.

“Thank you,” was all she said after a few moments, but it was all she had to say. He watched as she disappeared inside the portal Axel had opened. Now he was the one defying orders, but he didn’t care. She was gone, but at least this way, she might be safe.

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As Naminé merged with Kairi, she realized at long last the truth that had been staring her in the face: she did have a heart of her own, a will of her own, a mind of her own.

While she was glad that she continued to exist at all, a part of her still wished that she could feel the breeze on her skin again, the sunshine beaming down on her face. Wished she could talk to Roxas and Kairi and Sora face to face again. Wished she could see Riku again—

She caught herself. Where had that thought come from? Strange, unbidden, and yet… here to stay. The more she tried not to think about Riku, the more she thought about him. Thought about his wry humor and dry wit and teasing smiles. Why had he spared her? Was it really because of guilt, or could it be something more?

No, it had to be guilt. There was no other explanation. He felt bad about what he’d done to Roxas, and this had been his way of making up for it.

There was no way he felt anything for her. None at all. And that was how it should be. She might be her own person, but she had no hope of being distinct from Kairi ever again.

Did she?

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A/N: I’ve been wanting to write something that delved into Riku and Naminé’s bond in more detail, as well as what might have happened behind the scenes during those moments the games can’t include because of time and budget restraints. This chapter covered the material leading up to KH3, and next week’s chapter will cover KH3 itself. Hope you enjoyed!

#rikunami #namiku #rikunamiday2019 #namikuday2019 #riku #naminé #kingdom hearts #kh fanfiction #phoenix writes #phoenix-downer #long post #romance #friendship #angst #pining #mutual pining

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