Set before KH by a year or so…
I still don't own KH, proved by the fact that it will be months yet before I will get to play KH2. If I had it my way the UK would get it a lot sooner.
For The Moment
Sora snuck around the tree and peered out of the halls tall window. He could just about see the end of the decking with a figure sat perched on its edge. He squinted; trying to make out whether the figure was the person he was searching for, or his eyes mistaking a palm in the darkness. With a huff of frustration, Sora gave up, he would just have to go out there and see for himself.
Opening the door a cool breeze hit him full in the face, a welcoming change to the halls stuffy atmosphere and crowds upon crowds of partying people. Every year the Islands held the Winter Festival on Christmas Eve, where every inhabitant came to celebrate, except one in particular had disappeared almost an hour ago. No matter where Sora had searched, which had included having to dance with Selphie whilst being sniggered at by Riku, Wakka and Tidus; Kairi was nowhere to be found.
Once outside he made his way to the decking, pausing as his eyes discovered the figure to be Kairi. He bit his lip, now thinking twice about disturbing his friend. Kairi had obviously left the party for a reason, maybe even to be on her own for a while which would mean that Sora's presence would be a nuisance.
Deciding that he could at least ask Kairi whether she would like any company, Sora started to make his way down the decking, trying to keep his steps quiet and wincing as each footfall seemed to boom loudly. Kairi either miraculously didn't hear him, or was too lost in her own thoughts, her gaze solidly keeping vigil over the lapping waves and her mind far away from the quiet of the island night.
Sora cleared his throat, "Em, Kairi?"
The redhead shifted on the spot, her arm stretching out and patting the space next to her on the pier. Sora nodded, crouching down and taking off his fancy shoes and rolling up his trousers before taking up the seat next to Kairi, his legs dangling in the cooling water and causing an echoing ripple effect as he twirled his legs in comforting circles.
Kairi remained silent and so Sora shot her a concerned gaze. "Kairi, is everything okay?"
With her head bowed and eyes hidden from view, Sora couldn't see the expression on her face. She spoke in a soft, quiet voice, "I was just thinking." Sora nodded. "About home."
"Oh." Realising how stupid, not to mention insensitive he was sounding, Sora decided to ask Kairi about her past. "Did you celebrate Christmas too?"
Kairi turned to face him, a soft smile lighting up her face. "I think so." Self-consciously she brushed back a stray lock of hair. "I don't really remember." Her eyes drifted back out to the ocean and the smile disappeared.
Sora frowned, Kairi was not normally one to contemplate on her past, in fact, she had always seemed perfectly settled living on the islands. The first few months after she had arrived, most of the children and even some enquiring adults had questioned Kairi about her past, unable to answer anything or remember how she had even arrived, everyone had soon grown bored of asking and Kairi was accepted as a regular islander, her true past and the strange circumstances in which she had arrived forgotten.
"Sometimes I think I might remember."
Sora blinked. "You do?"
Kairi nodded, "Mmm, when I dream, but I guess everyone has crazy dreams sometimes, right."
Sora didn't know what to say. He hadn't experienced what Kairi had been through and he couldn't imagine having no memories of his past and family and especially at a time like Christmas, for Kairi it would be particularly hard at this time of year.
"Do you remember Christmas at all?"
The redhead sighed and turned her face away. "No."
Sora shifted, an uncomfortable silence lying between them. If there was some way that he could-
"I bet you had snow." Kairi turned back, an enquiring eyebrow raised. "When you went to bed on Christmas Eve it would start to snow and the next day when you woke up and looked out your window it would be completely covered in white. Am I right?"
Kairi paused before answering, a hesitant flicker crossing her face before a bright smile took its place; dancing on her lips. "Uh huh, and at the end of my bed is a stuffed to the brim stocking. I'd pull out the contents one by one on my bed and then my parents would enter the room."
Sora took up the dialogue. "You'd creep downstairs together and discover a tree hidden beneath the mound of presents that Father Christmas had brought you during the night."
Kairi nodded giggling. "I bet I had a great Christmas."
"Stuffed full with turkey and pudding," He gave Kairi a sideways glance and a rueful grin. "Not much change there then."
Playfully Kairi swiped out and hit him on the arm. "Hey." She sighed, leaning back against the decking, her expression turning serious once more. "Thank you, Sora."
He nodded. "Do you miss your home often?"
She shook her head, "You can't miss what you don't remember and besides I like it better here with you and Riku." Kairi stretched out her arm and interlocked her fingers with his, giving his hand a tight squeeze. "Merry Christmas, Sora. Come on; let's get back to the hall. Riku will be missing us and by now he'll be trying to hide from Selphie. She'll already have danced with everyone else."
Sora laughed, allowing Kairi to drag him up and pull him along back towards the party, a funny fluttering feeling in his stomach that would take him a few months yet to understand.
End
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