Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.
Hey, thanks everyone who reviewed to my other stories, this one is for you!
I want to write stories people will enjoy, so if you have something you want me to write, then tell me! I will most likely use your ideas if you really want me to! This is an example of how much I care about my reviewers. This story was originally supposed to be finished before I posted it, but I decided against it when I discovered that I like the Riku, Kairi pairing better. Plus this probably won't be finished before Christmas. Please review! I like this story much better than the last one. More fluff, too.
This is in fact the alternate version to Christmas on Destiny Islands, written with Riku and Kairi as a couple.
~~~~
Riku stood knee-deep in the freezing ocean, watching Sora as Kairi chased him down the beach. Riku's eyes reflected disparagement, but he was laughing inside. Never pick on the skirt, he thought to himself, turning back to gaze out at the ocean. He inhaled the chilly winter air and turned back to his friends just in time to watch Sora trip over Tidus, who had just bent down to grab the blitzball. He laughed and looked down at the freezing waves brushing his legs. He couldn't feel the water anymore, it was too cold.
"Riku! What are you doing? Come on!" Kairi laughed as she waved happily to him. He smiled and made his way back onto the sand, pulling his shoes back on and following Kairi.
"Hey, Riku! Me and Wakka are gonna have a blitzball tournament, wanna play?" Tidus asked excitedly. "Sure." Riku grinned, walking over to them.
"What about you two?" Tidus asked, pointing toward Kairi and Selphie. Selphie stepped toward him and slapped his hand away, "It's rude to point!" She scolded, smiling playfully. "And anyway, me and Kairi are going to play beach volleyball. You guys get too violent when you play blitzball, so you can just play by yourselves!" She exclaimed in mock snootiness, as she and Kairi walked away, giggling at the confused look on the boys' faces.
"What the hell is volleyball?" Tidus snorted, sticking his tongue out at Selphie. "Dunno, must be a girl thing.." Sora said, turning back to Wakka.
They had to pause the game several moments later to watch the girls set up a long net, stretching it on poles down the beach. The boys watched in amazement as Selphie pulled a brand new volleyball out of her bag and took up position on the far side of the net. She gracefully served the ball to Kairi, who bumped it back over the net to her. They passed it back and forth over the net several times before Kairi dropped it in the sand. As she turned to pick it up, she noticed the line of boys watching them.
She turned back to Selphie and they laughed. "I thought you guys were playing blitzball?" Selphie said curiously, using her most innocent voice.
The four boys looked at each other, not quite sure what to say. "We are. We just, wanted to see if you guys were any good at volleyball." Tidus retorted.
The girls giggled again. "I bet you boys don't even know what volleyball is!" Kairi laughed, turning to wink at Selphie.
"Of course we know what volleyball is!" Sora replied, turning to face the others. They exchanged confused looks and he turned back to the girls.
"Really." Selphie stated rather than asked, "Then come over here, lets see how good you guys are!" She challenged.
~
Hours later, Kairi sat on the paopu tree, Sora and Riku next to her. They had been watching the sky, and she really did have to wonder why every other cloud appeared to be some kind of rabbit. She laughed to herself, turning to look at the two boys. Sora was still attempting to wrap his foot up after Tidus's rude attack. "So, what did you guys get me for Christmas?" She smiled sweetly at her two friends before turning to look back at the ocean. She missed the horrified looks they exchanged.
She noticed a stick on the ground, and jumped down to grab it, drawing in the sand before flinging it off of the island into the waves. She sighed. "What do you think Yuffie and them are doing right now?" She asked, missing her friends.
She looked expectantly at Sora, but he looked away from her. "I dunno…Probably getting really drunk at some little party or something." he snorted. Kairi smiled and shivered against a sudden cold breeze from the ocean. "It's getting cold out here…"She began, trailing off when she glanced up at Riku. There was something odd about him, he seemed.. detached, somehow. Kairi bundled up into her sweater against the chill of winter.
Sora huffed and looked at her, "If you're cold, then why do you keep wearing that skimpy little skirt?" He snorted, poking at it. She raised her hand to smack him, but something stopped her. She lowered her hand and looked away from him, "I don't know, I just like this skirt." She whispered.
"Come on, Kairi! Wakka thinks he can beat us!" Selphie laughed from down on the beach. Kairi leaned over the paopu tree and waved, "Alright! I'll be right down!" She called back, jumping off the tree and running across the bridge to her meet her friend down below. Sora leapt after her, "I'll help!" He declared, jumping off the bridge onto the sand, falling over when he landed on his injured foot.
Riku watched his friends as they raced down the beach to the net. He sighed. "I wish you could see, Kairi. I really wish you could…" he whispered to himself, watching her skip down the beach next to Sora.
~
It was almost evening now, and Riku hadn't moved from his perch on the paopu tree. The sun was setting and cast beautiful waves of color across the water. He could hear Kairi and Sora walking across the bridge to him, and he turned to face them.
"What's wrong? You didn't come play volleyball with us." Kairi asked, concerned. She seated herself back on the tree next to him, and Sora plopped down into the sand, trying to re-bandage his foot. "Tidus just can't let it go!" He complained, glaring down at him and Wakka, resting on the beach.
Kairi sighed. Riku was brought out of his daydream and looked over at her. "What's wrong?" he asked. Sora looked up, questioningly.
"Oh…Nothing really. I just wish I didn't have to go home…" She said, gazing off sadly into the wide expanse of ocean in front of them. "It's getting dark, but I don't want to leave. I don't want to go home." Her voice cracked as she buried her face in her sweater, trying to hide her tears.
Sora looked up at her, and he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, noticing the look on Riku's face. The two boys crawled closer and hugged Kairi, trying to cheer her up.
~
It was dark outside. Had it not been for the streetlights lining the street, the three friends wouldn't have been able to see a thing. Sora and Riku walked Kairi home, they had managed to cheer her up a little, but she still hesitated on her doorstep, not wanting to go inside. She turned to face her friends, hugging them goodnight. "Thanks, you guys. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight." She said, disappearing inside.
Sora and Riku continued down the street, both avoiding each other's gaze. Sora was about to say something, but Riku interrupted him. "So.." He cleared his throat, not wanting to finish his sentence. Sora looked up at him. "…I know you love Kairi." He said, gazing thoughtfully at the older boy.
Riku looked at Sora, surprised. He blushed, but didn't look away. "I'm sorry.." He said, finally looking down at the frozen cement sidewalk.
"Don't.." Sora replied, he had stopped walking. "She could really use someone like you right now. You should talk to her." He said.
Riku stared at him in surprise, it wasn't often that Sora sounded so mature. He closed his eyes, lifting his face to the night sky. "I don't think I could…" He whispered, opening his eyes and staring at the patches of stars barely visible through the clouds.
Sora stepped in front of him, lowering his voice. "Well you had better do something soon, because I don't know how much longer she can stand living with those people she calls parents." Riku looked down at his friend, noting the angry tone in his voice.
"Sora…It's not that easy. She doesn't love me, there's no point…" He said, his own words hurting him.
Sora's fist caught him in the side of the face. Riku landed hard on the frozen earth, holding his jaw and looking up at the younger teen with wide, surprised eyes.
"Stop acting like you're the poor anti-social boy everyone hates, we're getting too old for that kind of pity." he spat. "Everyone on these islands respects you, they respect you to the point where we're sometimes afraid to intrude on your solitude. Maybe if you were to let down your walls every once in a while, you might see how Kairi feels! But too bad for you, you're too busy off feeling sorry for yourself for how Ansem used you, that you don't even notice that she spends all her time watching you up on your paopu tree! She's worried about you, and it's not helping her deal with her stupid parents!" He finished, stomping off down the street to his own home.
Riku sat in the frosty grass for a while, meditating on what Sora had told him. Was there a chance that Kairi did care about him that way? He turned to look back at her house, holding a hand to his chest. He stood up, making his way down the street.
He was sprinting across Wakka's yard, going to talk to his other friend, when he stopped. He turned again to face Kairi's house, watching the silhouettes in the living room window pace back and forth. He could see Kairi's small form, standing awkwardly away from the other two. She turned suddenly and ran out of the room. Riku could hear the faint sound of yelling coming from her house, and he turned and sprinted back down the road, sneaking into her backyard.
~~~~
Hey, thanks everyone who reviewed to my other stories, this one is for you!
I want to write stories people will enjoy, so if you have something you want me to write, then tell me! I will most likely use your ideas if you really want me to! This is an example of how much I care about my reviewers. This story was originally supposed to be finished before I posted it, but I decided against it when I discovered that I like the Riku, Kairi pairing better. Plus this probably won't be finished before Christmas. Please review! I like this story much better than the last one. More fluff, too.
This is in fact the alternate version to Christmas on Destiny Islands, written with Riku and Kairi as a couple.
~~~~
Riku stood knee-deep in the freezing ocean, watching Sora as Kairi chased him down the beach. Riku's eyes reflected disparagement, but he was laughing inside. Never pick on the skirt, he thought to himself, turning back to gaze out at the ocean. He inhaled the chilly winter air and turned back to his friends just in time to watch Sora trip over Tidus, who had just bent down to grab the blitzball. He laughed and looked down at the freezing waves brushing his legs. He couldn't feel the water anymore, it was too cold.
"Riku! What are you doing? Come on!" Kairi laughed as she waved happily to him. He smiled and made his way back onto the sand, pulling his shoes back on and following Kairi.
"Hey, Riku! Me and Wakka are gonna have a blitzball tournament, wanna play?" Tidus asked excitedly. "Sure." Riku grinned, walking over to them.
"What about you two?" Tidus asked, pointing toward Kairi and Selphie. Selphie stepped toward him and slapped his hand away, "It's rude to point!" She scolded, smiling playfully. "And anyway, me and Kairi are going to play beach volleyball. You guys get too violent when you play blitzball, so you can just play by yourselves!" She exclaimed in mock snootiness, as she and Kairi walked away, giggling at the confused look on the boys' faces.
"What the hell is volleyball?" Tidus snorted, sticking his tongue out at Selphie. "Dunno, must be a girl thing.." Sora said, turning back to Wakka.
They had to pause the game several moments later to watch the girls set up a long net, stretching it on poles down the beach. The boys watched in amazement as Selphie pulled a brand new volleyball out of her bag and took up position on the far side of the net. She gracefully served the ball to Kairi, who bumped it back over the net to her. They passed it back and forth over the net several times before Kairi dropped it in the sand. As she turned to pick it up, she noticed the line of boys watching them.
She turned back to Selphie and they laughed. "I thought you guys were playing blitzball?" Selphie said curiously, using her most innocent voice.
The four boys looked at each other, not quite sure what to say. "We are. We just, wanted to see if you guys were any good at volleyball." Tidus retorted.
The girls giggled again. "I bet you boys don't even know what volleyball is!" Kairi laughed, turning to wink at Selphie.
"Of course we know what volleyball is!" Sora replied, turning to face the others. They exchanged confused looks and he turned back to the girls.
"Really." Selphie stated rather than asked, "Then come over here, lets see how good you guys are!" She challenged.
~
Hours later, Kairi sat on the paopu tree, Sora and Riku next to her. They had been watching the sky, and she really did have to wonder why every other cloud appeared to be some kind of rabbit. She laughed to herself, turning to look at the two boys. Sora was still attempting to wrap his foot up after Tidus's rude attack. "So, what did you guys get me for Christmas?" She smiled sweetly at her two friends before turning to look back at the ocean. She missed the horrified looks they exchanged.
She noticed a stick on the ground, and jumped down to grab it, drawing in the sand before flinging it off of the island into the waves. She sighed. "What do you think Yuffie and them are doing right now?" She asked, missing her friends.
She looked expectantly at Sora, but he looked away from her. "I dunno…Probably getting really drunk at some little party or something." he snorted. Kairi smiled and shivered against a sudden cold breeze from the ocean. "It's getting cold out here…"She began, trailing off when she glanced up at Riku. There was something odd about him, he seemed.. detached, somehow. Kairi bundled up into her sweater against the chill of winter.
Sora huffed and looked at her, "If you're cold, then why do you keep wearing that skimpy little skirt?" He snorted, poking at it. She raised her hand to smack him, but something stopped her. She lowered her hand and looked away from him, "I don't know, I just like this skirt." She whispered.
"Come on, Kairi! Wakka thinks he can beat us!" Selphie laughed from down on the beach. Kairi leaned over the paopu tree and waved, "Alright! I'll be right down!" She called back, jumping off the tree and running across the bridge to her meet her friend down below. Sora leapt after her, "I'll help!" He declared, jumping off the bridge onto the sand, falling over when he landed on his injured foot.
Riku watched his friends as they raced down the beach to the net. He sighed. "I wish you could see, Kairi. I really wish you could…" he whispered to himself, watching her skip down the beach next to Sora.
~
It was almost evening now, and Riku hadn't moved from his perch on the paopu tree. The sun was setting and cast beautiful waves of color across the water. He could hear Kairi and Sora walking across the bridge to him, and he turned to face them.
"What's wrong? You didn't come play volleyball with us." Kairi asked, concerned. She seated herself back on the tree next to him, and Sora plopped down into the sand, trying to re-bandage his foot. "Tidus just can't let it go!" He complained, glaring down at him and Wakka, resting on the beach.
Kairi sighed. Riku was brought out of his daydream and looked over at her. "What's wrong?" he asked. Sora looked up, questioningly.
"Oh…Nothing really. I just wish I didn't have to go home…" She said, gazing off sadly into the wide expanse of ocean in front of them. "It's getting dark, but I don't want to leave. I don't want to go home." Her voice cracked as she buried her face in her sweater, trying to hide her tears.
Sora looked up at her, and he opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, noticing the look on Riku's face. The two boys crawled closer and hugged Kairi, trying to cheer her up.
~
It was dark outside. Had it not been for the streetlights lining the street, the three friends wouldn't have been able to see a thing. Sora and Riku walked Kairi home, they had managed to cheer her up a little, but she still hesitated on her doorstep, not wanting to go inside. She turned to face her friends, hugging them goodnight. "Thanks, you guys. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight." She said, disappearing inside.
Sora and Riku continued down the street, both avoiding each other's gaze. Sora was about to say something, but Riku interrupted him. "So.." He cleared his throat, not wanting to finish his sentence. Sora looked up at him. "…I know you love Kairi." He said, gazing thoughtfully at the older boy.
Riku looked at Sora, surprised. He blushed, but didn't look away. "I'm sorry.." He said, finally looking down at the frozen cement sidewalk.
"Don't.." Sora replied, he had stopped walking. "She could really use someone like you right now. You should talk to her." He said.
Riku stared at him in surprise, it wasn't often that Sora sounded so mature. He closed his eyes, lifting his face to the night sky. "I don't think I could…" He whispered, opening his eyes and staring at the patches of stars barely visible through the clouds.
Sora stepped in front of him, lowering his voice. "Well you had better do something soon, because I don't know how much longer she can stand living with those people she calls parents." Riku looked down at his friend, noting the angry tone in his voice.
"Sora…It's not that easy. She doesn't love me, there's no point…" He said, his own words hurting him.
Sora's fist caught him in the side of the face. Riku landed hard on the frozen earth, holding his jaw and looking up at the younger teen with wide, surprised eyes.
"Stop acting like you're the poor anti-social boy everyone hates, we're getting too old for that kind of pity." he spat. "Everyone on these islands respects you, they respect you to the point where we're sometimes afraid to intrude on your solitude. Maybe if you were to let down your walls every once in a while, you might see how Kairi feels! But too bad for you, you're too busy off feeling sorry for yourself for how Ansem used you, that you don't even notice that she spends all her time watching you up on your paopu tree! She's worried about you, and it's not helping her deal with her stupid parents!" He finished, stomping off down the street to his own home.
Riku sat in the frosty grass for a while, meditating on what Sora had told him. Was there a chance that Kairi did care about him that way? He turned to look back at her house, holding a hand to his chest. He stood up, making his way down the street.
He was sprinting across Wakka's yard, going to talk to his other friend, when he stopped. He turned again to face Kairi's house, watching the silhouettes in the living room window pace back and forth. He could see Kairi's small form, standing awkwardly away from the other two. She turned suddenly and ran out of the room. Riku could hear the faint sound of yelling coming from her house, and he turned and sprinted back down the road, sneaking into her backyard.
~~~~