KH: Away from Here
Ha~.. So, this was supposed to be one of my themes for 30_friends, but my good friend ladylore has convinced me that it isn't quite Riku & Sora centric enough for that. I swear it was supposed to be about them, but then... I dunno. My writing has an annoying tendency to get away from me. ^.^;;; The style's also a bit of an experiment, so avoid this if you're oppposed to the present tense. Anyways...
Title: Away From Here
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters: Sora, Kairi
Rating: G
Summary: Sora and Kairi talk one morning. (Pre-Game, Spoiler-free)
Away From Here
“Sora?”
Kairi’s soft, gentle voice pulls at the edges of Sora’s attention as he stares across the vacant sea. He turns carefully in his perch atop one of the cove’s coconut trees, realizing to his surprise that she is sitting on the tree next to him. The sun is high overhead now, and Sora wonders just how long it’s been since they arrived at the island that morning. Kairi’s expression reveals nothing. Sora looks away before answering.
“Yeah, Kairi?”
He can see the moment she nods her head and refocuses her eyes on the vast expanse before them, obliging his desire not to be stared at because she understands. She waits for a moment, probably trying to imagine what it is that he sees in that open blue air. When she speaks again, her voice is even quieter, but more intense.
“What’s wrong, Sora?”
“It’s…” He begins, but doesn’t know how to continue, and so he stops.
“It’s?” She repeats. Her voice lilts as she continues, “Silly Sora. I’m not a mind reader!”
He laughs, and the sound is genuine if half-hearted. Kairi looks at him, her eyes bright and unblinking.
“So… what’s wrong?” She asks, the laugh lines smoothing away from her face.
“It’s nothing, really.” Sora replies. He smiles at her, face cleared of all trouble, and if she were anyone other than herself, she might have believed him. She isn’t, though, and she knows better than to let him get away with that response. She shakes her head.
“Sora…”
“Just…” He sighs, and turns back to the undemanding ocean. The waves brush gently against the shore, pushing forwards, drawing back, and starting all over again. He settles back in the branches. “Lately… It seems like Riku is really far away - like he’s already sailed away on a raft and forgot to bring us with him. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah.”
Of all the things she could have said, that is one he hadn’t been expecting. He turns, and can see the not quite there look in her eyes that had scared him so much when it appeared in Riku’s eyes. It vanishes as quickly as it appears, bright and brief as lightning, and suddenly she’s looking at him with that same focused gaze from earlier, solid and real beside him.
“Sora?” She says, and he waits for her to continue. “Sora, do you really want to leave these islands? I know you and Riku want to help me find my home, but… Riku’s right. Once we leave, we may never come back. Ever. Wouldn’t your parents worry about you? Everyone here has been so nice to me, and…”
She shakes her head, and laughs like she’s fighting back tears.
“It’ll be all right, Kairi.” Sora smiles, being strong for her, and reaches a hand out to her.
“Will it really?” Her hand is clenched tightly to her chest. Sora holds his out still, waiting patiently. He laughs.
“Sure it will! You’ll see, Kairi! Everything will be fine.”
She reaches for him. Her cinnamon eyes stare at him, their light dimmed in spite of the brilliant sun overhead. He sighs.
“Listen, Kairi. My parents are great, and I love them, but I know I’ll see them again just like you’ll see yours again. Riku, though - Riku’s always been my best friend. Right now it feels like he’s already gone, off in some far away land. I can’t just let him go, not when I have the chance to go after him.”
“But, Sora, if I hadn’t come -“
“If you hadn’t come, things might have been different.” Sora smiles. “I don’t think so, though. Riku always thought there was something more to life than these islands, you just let him know for sure.”
“So… it’s all right?” Kairi tilts her head to look at him sideways. He nods emphatically.
“Yep. Everything’s fine.”
He lets go of her hand, stands up, and jumps down from the tree.
“Race you to the shack!”
“Sora, no fair!”
They laugh together as they run.
Title: Away From Here
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters: Sora, Kairi
Rating: G
Summary: Sora and Kairi talk one morning. (Pre-Game, Spoiler-free)
Away From Here
“Sora?”
Kairi’s soft, gentle voice pulls at the edges of Sora’s attention as he stares across the vacant sea. He turns carefully in his perch atop one of the cove’s coconut trees, realizing to his surprise that she is sitting on the tree next to him. The sun is high overhead now, and Sora wonders just how long it’s been since they arrived at the island that morning. Kairi’s expression reveals nothing. Sora looks away before answering.
“Yeah, Kairi?”
He can see the moment she nods her head and refocuses her eyes on the vast expanse before them, obliging his desire not to be stared at because she understands. She waits for a moment, probably trying to imagine what it is that he sees in that open blue air. When she speaks again, her voice is even quieter, but more intense.
“What’s wrong, Sora?”
“It’s…” He begins, but doesn’t know how to continue, and so he stops.
“It’s?” She repeats. Her voice lilts as she continues, “Silly Sora. I’m not a mind reader!”
He laughs, and the sound is genuine if half-hearted. Kairi looks at him, her eyes bright and unblinking.
“So… what’s wrong?” She asks, the laugh lines smoothing away from her face.
“It’s nothing, really.” Sora replies. He smiles at her, face cleared of all trouble, and if she were anyone other than herself, she might have believed him. She isn’t, though, and she knows better than to let him get away with that response. She shakes her head.
“Sora…”
“Just…” He sighs, and turns back to the undemanding ocean. The waves brush gently against the shore, pushing forwards, drawing back, and starting all over again. He settles back in the branches. “Lately… It seems like Riku is really far away - like he’s already sailed away on a raft and forgot to bring us with him. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah.”
Of all the things she could have said, that is one he hadn’t been expecting. He turns, and can see the not quite there look in her eyes that had scared him so much when it appeared in Riku’s eyes. It vanishes as quickly as it appears, bright and brief as lightning, and suddenly she’s looking at him with that same focused gaze from earlier, solid and real beside him.
“Sora?” She says, and he waits for her to continue. “Sora, do you really want to leave these islands? I know you and Riku want to help me find my home, but… Riku’s right. Once we leave, we may never come back. Ever. Wouldn’t your parents worry about you? Everyone here has been so nice to me, and…”
She shakes her head, and laughs like she’s fighting back tears.
“It’ll be all right, Kairi.” Sora smiles, being strong for her, and reaches a hand out to her.
“Will it really?” Her hand is clenched tightly to her chest. Sora holds his out still, waiting patiently. He laughs.
“Sure it will! You’ll see, Kairi! Everything will be fine.”
She reaches for him. Her cinnamon eyes stare at him, their light dimmed in spite of the brilliant sun overhead. He sighs.
“Listen, Kairi. My parents are great, and I love them, but I know I’ll see them again just like you’ll see yours again. Riku, though - Riku’s always been my best friend. Right now it feels like he’s already gone, off in some far away land. I can’t just let him go, not when I have the chance to go after him.”
“But, Sora, if I hadn’t come -“
“If you hadn’t come, things might have been different.” Sora smiles. “I don’t think so, though. Riku always thought there was something more to life than these islands, you just let him know for sure.”
“So… it’s all right?” Kairi tilts her head to look at him sideways. He nods emphatically.
“Yep. Everything’s fine.”
He lets go of her hand, stands up, and jumps down from the tree.
“Race you to the shack!”
“Sora, no fair!”
They laugh together as they run.