[closed] Always on my mind.

[destinyfruit]

[ Characters ] destinyfruit & starcharmsketch
[ Location ] Their home in Childreams.
[ Date/Time ] 4/26 Afternoon
[ Warning ] None.
[ Content ] Kairi wants to surprise Naminé.

Comments

[starcharmsketch]

Naminé hadn't heard Kairi from where she was, all the way in the back of the house where their yard was. It had come with the house, and already it was starting to show signs of life. Their vegetable garden was little more than two plots of dirt with seeds stuck in them, at this point, but surrounding the plots were a variety of lush tropical plants that the two carpenters had been so kind as to add for them. The plants and trees made a natural fence around the garden, with a little gate to lead outside as well. It looked almost like a little slice of Destiny Islands.

She had been watering this garden when Kairi had called for her, and while she hadn't heard her, Naminé had felt her return in a way, through their bond as Somebody and Nobody. The blonde girl glanced up and smiled before she started heading back in. She dropped off the watering can on the patio and slipped into the house through the kitchen before moving into the living room.

"Kairi?"

[destinyfruit]

"Naminé?" It took her a moment to locate the other's voice, but she made a beeline for Naminé's location. "There you are!" She grabbed the girl's hand, tugging on it insistently. "You have to hurry," Kairi led her back to the secret door, standing in front of it to block the way.

"Okay, now close your eyes. And don't open them until I say you can, okay?"

[starcharmsketch]

"Ah?" That was all Naminé could manage before she was whisked away, trotting after Kairi curiously. "Hurry?"

Oh, it was this room. The chair had been set there for a while-- Naminé knew Kairi had put it there, but hadn't quite been sure why. So she'd left it alone until now. What could be inside that room?

The girl blinked at the strange request from her friend, but nodding in understanding, closing her eyes and even going so far as to cover them with her hands. "Whenever you're ready," she chirped.

[destinyfruit]

Kairi made sure that Naminé wasn't peeking before opening the door quietly. "Okay..." She placed her hands gently on Naminé's shoulders, carefully guiding her into the darkened drawing room. She reopened the shades, constantly checking to make sure that Naminé wasn't peeking. Once she was sure that it looked even more perfect than it had before, she moved to stand behind her again.

"Are you ready?" She had put her hands on Naminé's waist, squeezing gently and smiling excitedly. "Open your eyes!"

[starcharmsketch]

She heard Kairi move around the room, tilting her head to see if she could figure out what the sounds were. The shades...opening? The room got a little brighter behind her hands. A chair being moved...and then a few more odd sounds she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"I'm ready as ever. You've made me curious," Naminé giggled a little, and then let her hands fall when Kairi bid her to do so.

It was a giant, airy, open work place, with windows looking out over the grounds outside, and a curious sun roof above. It was neat and clean-- she could immediately see herself sitting in her for hours drawing whatever came to mind.

"Kairi, it's so pretty!" Naminé turned to her friend and gave her a sunny beam. "It's such a nice room. When did you do all of this?" Because she distinctly recalled only Kairi ever going inside. And it still hadn't quite registered that it was a gift to her.

[destinyfruit]

"I did it at night, mostly." She surveyed the room with a smile, before focusing on Naminé's reaction. It wasn't...quite what she was expecting. A little more confusion than she would have expected.

"I..." She trailed off for a moment, realizing that Naminé hadn't made the connection. "It's for you, Naminé," Kairi added quietly, hugging her from behind. "I wanted to surprise you with it. Did it work?"

[starcharmsketch]

At night? What a strange time to renovate a room...Naminé wouldn't have minded if Kairi had worked on it on her own time...or even during the day, at least.

But then came the explanation, and the girl's face broke out into an even happier smile, turning around to hug Kairi tightly as she laughed a little shakily. She didn't know why the sound was coming out like that...but she figured it had something to do with how touched she was by the gesture.

"Yes, it did. Thank you so much, Kairi. I don't even know what to say--! I've...never had someone do this for me. Thank you." And she gave her Somebody another hug before turning to survey the room again. Her voice was a bit awed when she spoke again.

"All for me...?"

[destinyfruit]

"All for you," Kairi repeated, nodding. She stepped away, eager to show off the rest of the room to Naminé. "You'd be surprised all the stuff they have at the markets," She was holding up a large sketchpad, the cover embellished in an intricate pattern. "And it was really easy to..." She trailed off, more involved in grabbing new things to show her. Colored pencils, markers, a bottle of glitter.

"Do you like it?"

[starcharmsketch]

Naminé trailed after Kairi, quietly looking at all the items that the other girl was showing her. The smile on her lips was still there, almost frozen in a way, as if she was still processing this grand gift that Kairi had given her. She snapped out of her reverie at the question, nodding quickly to reassure her.

"Yes, I--" could she say the word? "...love it. So much. You didn't have to do this for me though..." She gave Kairi a little tilt of her head. "I mean...if I have this whole room, what do you have?" A pause. "You can use it whenever you like, of course," she added quickly, slightly embarrassed. She didn't want it to seem like she'd hog the room. "But...what place do you have that's just for you?"

[destinyfruit]

"I'm glad," She took her hands, squeezing them and still reveling in the buzzing happy feeling. Naminé's question did make her pause. "Well, I have the garden," Kairi said with a slight shrug. "It's really nice, and maybe I could get some sand..." A dreamy look passed over her face, her mind briefly elsewhere. "It reminds me of the island, a little." She didn't feel like she needed a place just to her own.

[starcharmsketch]

Kairi missed the Islands. That was understandable...Naminé decided the next time she went out shopping, she'd look for some shell motif items-- who knew, maybe she would even find sand. By now she'd come to expect Wonderland to have an odd array of things on sale in town.

"The garden can be your little island until we can find sand." She smiled and let her fingers lightly touch over the art supplies that Kairi had gotten for you. "We could paint one of the rooms to make it look like the islands, or I could draw pictures. That way you can have the beach here with you too."

[destinyfruit]

"That...sounds really great, Naminé." There was no beach to be found in Wonderland, no ocean, no little island. Nothing to really remind her of home. She had nothing except the person who was standing right in front of her. Kairi felt like it was half of her, half her feelings, her memories, her self. Without another word she embraced her Nobody, burying her head into her shoulder.

[starcharmsketch]

Naminé was already planning some scenes that she could paint on Kairi's side of the bedroom. A painting of the wide open sea that she could wake up to every morning. And since the light was able to shine through the window every morning, that would make it seem like the sun, right? Oh, but she'd need more paint than just these little bottles, she'd have to go to the market--

And then she felt Kairi's arms go around her again. It was never a good idea for Naminé to stay too close to Kairi, or else she would join with her Somebody, but the gifts they were going to share with each other warranted another one, she thought.

And...she wondered if it was just her...or if she really did sense some twinge of sadness from her Somebody. Naminé set a hand on her friend's back, blinking.

"...Kairi?"

[destinyfruit]

"Heh," Kairi sniffed against her shoulder, before picking her head up and taking a small step backward. There was water in her eyes, but she quickly blinked it away, rubbing sheepishly at them. "Sorry," She laughed quietly, a little awkwardly. She hadn't expected things to go like this. It was all just more emotional than she had anticipated.

"I guess I'm a little homesick," She confided, lowering her gaze. It hadn't really hit her before now. Home seemed so far away.

[starcharmsketch]

She shook her head-- it was alright for her to cry. Naminé was her Nobody, so she understood. She gave the redhead a smile, reaching out and taking her hands in hers. Giving them a small squeeze, she lead her to the work table and opened the sketchpad that Kairi had bought for her. The first picture would be something they made together.

"We'll make this our home until we can really go home. So help me design the painting that's going to go up on your wall, okay?"

[destinyfruit]

Kairi stood over her, hands resting on her shoulders as she watched her work. Make this our home... She liked that. In this home, Naminé was someone she could spend time with and talk to. There were people here she never would have met if it weren't for this place. People she was coming to know, and to love. Those thoughts turned inside her and made her feel warm.

"I'm not much of an artist," She laughed gently. "But I'll give it a shot."