It's Okay

. . . . . . . . . .

She would never forget the heaviness of her heart the day they were separated.

He had been torn from her—literally. Physically. His calloused fingertips skimmed hers and then he disappeared behind extravagant light that made their Islands glow blue. Stars had fallen into the palms of her hands, or what she thought were stars at first, but really they had been particles of her home as it reformed. All because of him.

He saved her. He saved everyone. And she'd known he needed to save Riku next.

But what did he holler at her before she lost sight of him that unfortunate night?

Perhaps it was what he drew for her in the Secret Place. What she reciprocated through her addition to the drawing. Maybe not.

For days she'd gone back to the play island and waited. Weeks, even. She stared out at the endless sea or gazed longingly at the carvings in their special cave, tears trickling down her cheeks as she envisioned him smiling at her like he always did. Not even small races or games with her other friends could tear her away from thoughts of him, thoughts of Riku. She couldn't play the same games the three of them always had together; pointless races and sparring matches were their games, and she wouldn't participate in them with anyone else.

As time passed, her memories of him started to fade. First it was his name. It left her in small fragments—she would have it on the tip of her tongue for hours before it finally came to her. Eventually, the wild spikes of his hair faded, and then the goofy smile, until the blue eyes she could swim in were washed away little by little. She never thought she would forget his cute face or boyish charm, but one day only his voice reached her.

Even that didn't last as long as she'd hoped.

She'd race to the play island every day, because that had been the only place where she could hear him. After a while he stopped talking to her altogether, so she vowed not to return to their little island until she remembered him completely.

She recalled telling Selphie how awful she felt about it, but her friend disregarded her, acting as if she hadn't a clue who she meant. Her friends—they only remembered Riku. But even as the memories of "the other boy" disappeared, a part of her clung to him. Tidus and Wakka called her crazy, insisting she had lost her mind, that she made him up. Selphie seemed to believe it, too.

In desperation she'd gone to the house of the woman the townsfolk talked about, the woman who wondered why she had so many pictures of a boy she couldn't remember calling her son. But by the time she arrived, the woman had thrown all the pictures into a box tucked in the attic. The woman looked too familiar to be just any stranger, and it actually hurt her feelings to know the confused woman didn't know her name.

"Kairi!"

The high-pitched voice made her blink, black lashes fluttering over periwinkle eyes as she came back to reality. She turned from the small stone entrance covered in vines, toward the sea. The voice that called to her belonged to the mouse king, Mickey, who stood beside trusted friends—his friends—as they gawked at the sky. She followed their line of sight to witness two shooting stars falling from the clouds. No, not stars—people. Her best friends. One the big brother she'd never had, and the other…

Kairi remembered seeing him for the first time in a year, though it felt like eternity. Having forgotten him—everything about him—left her disoriented, but finally spotting that spiky hair from the balcony had been the moment her heart soared. Even as he tried apologizing for being gone so long, she hadn't been able to help it, ramming into him the way she had.

"This is real…" she'd said. And it was. He wasn't a figment of her imagination. He wasn't a dream, a ghost of a memory everyone claimed she created. His arms around her at the time had only proved it, and she would have wept had they not been in the enemy's lair or Riku tried to run off again.

And just when their journey seemed to come to an end, it had only really ended for her. Her two friends had been shut away, stuck on that bleak, empty world to fight one last time. Or so she assumed, since it took them so long.

Kairi sprinted to the water's edge, swiping her red hair out of her eyes so she could see them clearly. The ocean sprayed where the boys disappeared, and she pushed herself on her toes to try and see them surface. The moment they did, the two of them shaking their heads of wet hair and sucking in the salty air, she called out to them.

"Sora! Riku!"

Faint laughter reached her ears—almost like a laugh of triumph—but she wasn't sure if it was real. They swam closer and she lost the fight against a smile, watching as the boy she'd forgotten tripped in the water as he ran to her. Just after a giggle left her did she remember the trio on the play island with her, the three running to their respective partners in crime. Donald and Goofy jumped on Sora, while Riku caught Mickey in the air.

The reunions were sweet. Her eyes stung ever so slightly from the moment, but the instant her eyes connected with Sora's did she have to stop the tears. She stepped into the shallow water, her sneakers soaked and sinking into the wet sand. For a split second, she saw another boy—a blond with hair just as spiky as Sora's—and felt something much like an out of body experience, like she was switched from driver to passenger, but the sensation vanished just as quickly.

It was just the two of them, staring at each other, until he pulled her lucky charm out of his pocket.

"W-We're back!" he announced, breathless. Cheerful. The Sora she truly remembered.

She extended her hand, fighting the stinging of her eyes as she replied, "You're home."

With the grin she had always adored he slapped his hand into hers, lucky charm between them. She hoisted him out of the shallow water, though she didn't have to do much; he barely depended on her. Even so, his hand remained in hers, and only after she glanced at the sight did he slowly withdraw, leaving the charm in her grasp.

Mickey approached Sora and congratulated him on a job well done while Kairi cradled her Thalassa shell trinket in her hands, gazing at it longingly. The small face she'd carved into the shells—it represented the boy who returned the charm, and she wondered if he knew. Had he ever noticed?

Kairi's small smile widened as she pocketed the small treasure, looking up into her best friend's aquamarine eyes. They hid behind silver bangs that were probably far too long for his liking, but the happiness she hadn't seen in him for a while expressed itself there. She stepped toward him and was welcomed into a warm embrace, an action unlike the Riku who left the Islands a year ago, but she didn't argue. He held her tightly, lovingly, as a brother would. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Upon separation she was left to stand and listen to the boys explain what happened while they were away, the two confirming Xemnas was gone for good and the Realm of Light was safe. The King expressed his relief, as did Donald and Goofy. The three stayed for some time, prolonging the inevitable goodbye. Sora was sure to promise it wasn't permanent and that they would see each other again. Once the Gummi ship vanished from her sight, Kairi noticed Sora was gone. Riku detected her confusion, but assured her he just needed a few minutes to himself.

So she and Riku sat in the sand and watched the sun go down. They didn't speak, instead taking in the feeling of sharing the beach again. As much as she loved Riku's company, Kairi had to admit that it wasn't the same without Sora.

He reappeared a half hour later, calm and quiet, how she remembered him whenever they would watch the sunsets in the past.

"Everything alright?" Riku asked as Sora took a seat between them.

He exhaled. "Yeah," he replied, speaking softly. "Everything's…great."

Riku smirked and returned his gaze to the setting sun. Sora turned to face her, but just as their eyes would have made contact did she face forward again. The weight of Sora's gaze made her hold her breath. The feeling was foreign after so long.

The three sat in silence as the stars appeared one by one, just enjoying each other's presence. It had been over a year since they last rested beneath the same stars. No conversation was necessary; it never had been with them. That was what made them such great friends, Kairi thought. She, Sora, and Riku could do nothing but stare at the sky and she was content.

Riku was the first to leave. He wanted to see his parents. Kairi remembered him not caring much about them before the Islands were destroyed, but whatever he endured on his journey clearly changed his mind. He promised he would see Sora and Kairi the next day before paddling back to the mainland in the boat that hadn't moved since that unfaithful night.

A gentle, cool breeze swept over the island and Kairi closed her eyes. She took in the chills that rose against her skin and the way her hair tickled her cheeks; the sound of the waves rolling into the shore and how it felt to be on the play island again. She hadn't broken her promise, to return until she remembered everything about Sora.

And now he was beside her.

Warm cloth draped over her shoulders and she looked down to see Sora's jacket against her form. She met his gaze in question, to which he simply smiled. The expression encouraged tears. Kairi thanked Light it was dark; Sora couldn't see them so easily that way.

"Thank you," she whispered, returning his faint smile with one of her own.

"Mm," he hummed, holding her eyes before focusing back on the stars.

She didn't look away, regarding the way he admired the sky now—as if the stars were a part of him. They were.

"…You've changed," she admitted softly, not wanting to disturb the peace.

Sora blinked, turning to eye her. "What do you mean?"

Kairi shrugged, though she was sure his jacket remained over her small shoulders. "You're different than I remember. Whatever happened to you…it changed you."

"Not completely, I hope," Sora replied with a faint smirk.

That was one thing. That smirk was new.

"I don't think so, but…you're not the same."

"Good or bad?"

"Hm… Good, I think."

Sora's smirk turned into a full smile. "Good," he nodded. "But I'm not the only one who's changed."

"Riku?" she guessed.

"Yeah, but so have you." He caught her raised eyebrows and chuckled. "Not bad, I swear. Just…different. A good different."

"Good," she repeated.

Another silence fell over them, the sea breeze brushing against their forms. Kairi clutched Sora's jacket closer. The wind carried his scent to her—slight sweat, sea-salt, clean air, and a dash of sunshine. The smell invaded her senses and she was sent back to their preteens, playing in the sand, races, pointless competition for her favor, and the like. The tears she'd managed to bury over the course of the afternoon sprung back with a force. It was enough to raise her to her feet.

Kairi slowly pulled Sora's jacket from her shoulders, its warmth replaced with the chilly air. "I should go," she declared, voice wavering ever so slightly. Sora hadn't seen her cry in years. That wasn't about to change tonight. "It's late."

"Oh. Yeah. Right," he mumbled, standing and accepting his jacket. He slipped it back on, the armor on the shoulders clanking slightly. The sound reminded her of the grim reality they had just overcome, forcing her to swallow.

"See you tomorrow?" she asked.

Sora smiled the slightest bit. "…Together every day, right?" he checked, to which she blinked. The words she had spoken to Roxas and Naminé—a promise.

"Mm," she hummed, nodding. After returning Sora's smile, she spun on her heel, starting toward the dock. Sleep could come easily tonight, or not. Considering Sora and Riku dispelled the darkness, it could grace her immediately. Or, since they were finally home again, reunited, a trio once more, she could experience a restless night of simply imagining all the possibilities in store for them.

Or maybe she would cry herself to sleep from utter relief.

"Kairi, wait."

The redhead turned. Sora had taken a step forward, his hands clenched into loose fists. "Hm?" she wondered.

"I…" He ducked his chin. "I really am sorry."

Kairi took in a quiet breath. "I know," she replied. "It's okay."

"No it's not," he argued. His eyebrows furrowed. "It's not okay at all."

"Sora…"

Sora's blue eyes stunned Kairi once they found her. "I promised," he reminded her, voice low, hard. "I promised I'd come back. That I'd come back to you, and I didn't make it."

Kairi shook her head, lips parting to speak, but he beat her to it.

"A year, maybe more—that's how long it took, and I didn't even make it. I took too long, so you left and… Axel, he—and then Saïx…" Sora frowned, clearly unsettled. "I couldn't keep my promise, so you got put in harm's way."

"I did it on my own," she tried.

"They used you, Kairi," he told her. "To get to me. And even when I asked, Saïx didn't let me see you. He told me no." He approached her, stopping a small foot away. "I never meant for that to happen."

"I'm not blaming you," she assured him softly. "I never would."

"But…"

"But nothing." Kairi shook her head. "All that matters is that we're together again."

Sora didn't say anything for a moment, simply gazing at her. Finally, he lowered his eyes to the sand and nodded.

Kairi smiled weakly. "It's okay," she reminded him. When silence was her reply, she turned again, to start for the dock.

His fingers encircled her wrist, stopping her before she got too far.

Kairi looked down at his gloved hand over hers before finding his face. "Sora…?"

"It's just…" He gazed at the point in which their bodies made contact before lifting his chin to look at her. "Kairi, I was scared. I was worried about you. Just the thought of Saïx even touching you—"

He stopped short, and Kairi was glad he did. She didn't want to relive the moment Saïx managed to track her down. Getting away from Axel had been tricky enough, but running from Saïx was another story. Had he not healed her—which had been strangely kind—she would have had cuts and bruises to prove her struggle. Sora would never know of that, though. Ever.

"I'm just glad you're okay."

"Riku protected me."

"Heh," Sora laughed faintly, smiling. "I have to be grateful for that."

Kairi closed her eyes, letting the breeze brush her hair so it hid her face. Thank goodness for Riku. She and Naminé wouldn't have fared well against someone as powerful and brutal as Saïx. Within seconds she would have returned to that cell, to be "the fire that fuels Sora's anger."

But Riku was there. He did protect her. He didn't run away and he took her to Sora. She had wanted to see him more than anything, as she told Saïx, and the fact that they all made it out of that castle alive was a blessing. If anything had happened to anyone because she couldn't protect herself, she would have been devastated.

Even so, she had to remember that this was reality. She was alive and well, as were Sora and Riku. After so long they were finally together again. So why did her eyes still well with tears?

"Kairi?"

She lifted her gaze to him, though he was blurry. When she blinked the wetness away, she noticed the shock on Sora's face—he'd spotted her tears in the moonlight.

With a tug on her wrist he pulled her to him, where she all but collapsed in his arms. The instant they surrounded her sobs wracked her body. The tears escaped and streamed over her pale cheeks, soaking his jacket as he held her.

For months people told her she was crazy, that the boy she had slowly forgotten and kept in her heart was all in her head, that he didn't exist. She remembered what is was like, having her classmates whisper in the hallways as she passed, but she knew they were wrong; how Selphie looked at her with nothing but sympathy in her eyes because she didn't understand; how even the mayor considered counseling because she hardly socialized with her peers.

But she proved them all wrong, because now Sora was here. He was real. He and Riku were home again and he came back. He did keep his promise, despite what he thought, and she would forever be grateful for him. Kairi swore to never forget another thing about him, or take him for granted, or let him slip away again. She would keep him close forever. Even if he didn't know about the drawing in the Secret Place, about her side of it, she wanted him to be a part of her life no matter what.

"Kairi…" he whispered, his lips near her ear.

His voice was precious to her. It was warm. It comforted her in even the bleakest of moments. Sora was her light in the darkness. She couldn't deny that now, or ever.

"I…" she tried, voice thick from her tears. She gripped his shirt tightly, her fingers curling into the fabric. "I'm so happy you're here."

A single-noted, quiet chuckle left him as he held her more tightly. "Me too."

Kairi smiled slightly, tears slipping from her eyes and onto his clothes as she accepted his warm embrace for the second time in a year. To think, the fact that before they barely touched each other, not at all like this, spoke volumes. They were right in saying they'd both changed, but Kairi knew it was for the better. How couldn't it be, when they were like this?

One of Sora's gloved hands cupped the back of her head, his fingers resting in her wine-colored hair. No, they definitely never touched like this. Sora had gotten bold, more confident. He was more sure of himself and didn't shy away from his feelings like he used to. Kairi remembered him playing a lot of things off around Riku, especially regarding her, but…she didn't think that would happen anymore. Things would be different between them from now on, and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

Sora retreated a bit and she looked up to see him gazing at her. He kept one hand pressed to her back, the other moving to brush her hair from her face. Yes, he had definitely become bold. As he proceeded to wipe his thumb over her cheek to rid her skin of tears, she didn't mind the change in the slightest.

"You were wrong, you know," she whispered, afraid to speak too loud. She didn't want to chase any part of this moment away.

"Hm?" Sora hummed, eyebrows furrowing somewhat.

Kairi couldn't help but smile a little. "You never broke your promise," she clarified. "You did come back, after we got separated again."

He mimicked her expression, his hand now against her cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't make it back sooner," he murmured.

"It's okay," she repeated softly.

Sora gazed at her in silence then. His eyes had always weakened her—they were so beautiful and kind. Now, they looked at her with such intensity she couldn't catch her breath. For a moment, she wondered how easily it would be for them to just move their faces a tad closer, to actually do what she always secretly wanted to, but was too afraid.

The blue eyes she adored closed as he leaned forward, connecting his forehead with hers. His brown spikes were soft against her skin. He exhaled a breath that tickled her face, the sensation strong enough to have her clutch his shirt tighter. Kairi closed her eyes. The tip of his nose just barely brushed hers.

"If I ever have to go away again," Sora declared, voice soft, "I promise I'll come back to you."

"Don't talk like that," she begged. She didn't even want to think about that happening. Not after he just got home.

"Kairi, please," he said, his other hand moving to hold her face as well. She swallowed. "Please, just…don't give up on me, okay?"

"Never."

"I can't stand the thought," he admitted, "but if I leave, just know that I…" Sora released a sharp breath. "I…"

"Sora," Kairi whispered, breathless.

"I'll always come back, Kairi," he stated. "I swear. I swear…"

His fingers threaded through her hair, and just after she took in a breath did his lips descend upon hers. If Kairi hadn't been nervous before, she was now, feeling his mouth against her own. Seconds later Sora retreated, but that didn't halt the thoughts racing through her mind.

The way they played together as kids. Snuck glances each other's way when they came of age. Or how he fought for her attention against Riku, when he had it all along. It didn't matter if he was captain of the raft or the fastest or the strongest—as long as he was Sora, she was head over heels.

And now, after drawing on the walls together, or in secret, he told her how he felt. He showed her.

Sora kissed her.

Sora kissed her.

He exhaled a sharp breath. "I'm sorry, Kairi, I—"

"It's okay," she interrupted, saying the words for the umpteenth time. "Sora, it's okay."

If possible, she grasped him tighter. That was his signal, and he didn't hesitate, his lips finding hers in the darkness. They were soft, gentle, but the kiss was passionate all the same. Kairi felt her heart leap within her chest and grow warm. She knew now that it was Sora. It was unspoken knowledge that their hearts connected, whether it be through the paopu fruit or destiny. The kiss sealed the deal.

A new batch of tears streamed down Kairi's face and onto Sora's hands, which had him smiling. He chuckled the slightest bit, knowing without asking that they were happy tears, and Kairi couldn't resist joining.

Sora placed a small, delicate kiss to her lips once more before withdrawing and opening his eyes. Kairi met his gaze as he wiped at her cold tears.

"I promise, too," she told him.

"Promise what?" he asked, voice soft.

Kairi lifted her hands to hold his forearms near her face. "To wait for you. Always."

Sora smiled. "I won't keep you waiting long."

"Promise?" she asked.

Another chuckle left him and Sora nodded. "Promise."

A/N: This little gem has been stuck in my head for the longest time, and I only got to writing it this weekend. But I love it, even though it took a while to put on paper (screen?). I hope you enjoyed.

P.S. NOMURA GIVE MY OTP SOME LOVE IN KH3, KAY? THNX