"fickleness isn't flattering for a girl your age."

lucky
a x i r i

twinkle, twinkle little star
how i wonder where you are

It was late evening when she'd finally made it there, hot and sweaty and still in her uniform, the sun giving off the last of its feeble rays of light as the oceans tide ebbed in and out rhythmatically. And she could see him waiting with his back to her on that tree, Riku's tree, with the lone paopu fruit hanging from leaves farther than she wanted reach, farther than she wanted to climb.

Not that she wanted to reach it anyway. Not yet.

And so she ran more, into the beach shack and up the spiraling staircase, bursting through the already feeble door to the bridge. She was sure he'd heard her coming ages ago, but he didn't turn around once, his hair a brilliant red sunburst on the horizon as she quickly approached him.

Axel.

"I'm here!" She panted as she came to a stop just where the bridge ended and land began again. She didn't dare come closer—if he wanted to talk, he'd have to come to her. Axel lazily peered over his shoulder, as if her existence wasn't as important as Sora(Roxas). "'bout time, princess."

Kairi pouted. "Don't call me that. And you could have given me notice in advance instead of dropping in out of nowhere—literally." Her breathing slowed slightly, and she pushed her hair behind her ear where the wind had blown it in her face. Neither princess nor nobody spoke for a minute, as Kairi waited for an apology or and explanation or something. Or maybe she was waiting for him to turn around and grin sheepishly, scratching the back of his head and making a joke out of it, as usual.

Or maybe she was looking for a little bit of Sora in him, and that wasn't fair.

up above the worlds, so high
like a diamond in the sky

"So will you tell me where he is?" She half asked-half pleaded, taking a step forward, but thinking better of it and pulling it back. She had to be cautious—he was Axel, after all. His word was only good with one person, and she was not him. He couldn't be trusted. "Can you bring me to him?"

Starts with an 'S'… Starts with an 'S'…

Axel didn't move, didn't stop looking at Kairi, didn't stop analyzing her, testing her in ways she didn't understand—or didn't want to understand. "…he's busy right now, princess," he drawled, bored, but his eyes told a different story. He was hiding something, not telling her the whole truth. But it didn't stop him from teasing. "I'd ask if you like to leave a message, but im not his personal secretary. Never was, never will be. That," he allowed himself a half grin. "is Riku's job."

Automatically, Kairi reacted to the name, ignoring the pretenses poorly hidden in Axel's voice. "Riku? So does that mean he's okay, too? It does, doesn't it?"

Axel laughed. "Uh oh, I've said too much!" He uncrossed his arms and fully turned to the fifteen year old redhead, a smirk like no other decorating his face, half shadowed by the setting sun. Paired up with the black coat billowing freely in the wind, it almost made him look like a real bad guy, an antagonist out for blood. Kairi gulped, but didn't move an inch. "Riku'll be mad at me."

Kairi sighed in relief. "So that means he is okay. I'm relieved." She said more to herself than Axel, but he chuckled and shoved his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat, shaking his head as he calmly strode past the girl. "Fickleness isn't flattering for a girl your age," he commented lightly, and he was halfway across the bridge before she finally understood what he'd meant.

twinkle, twinkle little star—

"Ah! Axel, wait, what about—" She started, whirling around on the balls of her feet to stop the flame-haired man, but there was nothing in her line of vision save thin remnants of black and purple darkness where Axel'd been moments before. Kairi, with her hand outstretched and prepared to stop the organization member, fell closed to her side, the wind pushing her hair from behind her ear and blowing it in her face once again as the last ray of sunlight disappeared behind the faraway horizon.

Starts with an 'S'… Starts with an 'S'

"Sora…"

—how i wonder where you are…

28 january 2009; 8.37 am

n o t e ;; dedicated to ambivalent amanda, who always leaves the most pleasant reviews on my fics. i dont remember if i promised you anything, but if i did, im soo sorry its late! i hope you enjoyed your surprise!fic, and dont ever stop being the amazin' person that you are! o 3o