Whenever the topic of gifts came up at any time, there was always the same suggestion from someone, "Well, what about something to do with art?"

She often heard suggestions like, "A painting, or a picture of him? Or the two of you?"

While he often got some recommendations along the lines of, "A set of colored pencils, or some crayons?"

And each time, Roxas and Naminé gave the same answer, "It's got to be something different. Something special."


At his response, Riku asked, "I mean, I know it's not much, but it's the thought that counts right?" He was keeping pace as they walked the streets of Twilight Town.

Roxas rolled his eyes and sighed, a fog of breath visible in the cold air. "Yeah. And If I'm getting a gift for my girlfriend, it means I should think for more than a minute about it."

Riku crossed his arms in response and shook his head. "Sorry, I've never been that great with gifts."

"Well, it's not a bad idea." Sora offered as he walked besides Roxas, opposite Riku, "But he's right. When you're getting a gift for someone you love, it's gotta be something you've put some thought into."

Ax—no, Lea, chuckled as he walked behind him."Speaking from experience there?"

Roxas nodded. "Well, given how Kairi acts, I believe it." His eyes gazed up into the sky as he could recall the moments he'd spied Sora and Kairi together. Either excitedly showing each other something new in their trips through the worlds, or just quietly enjoying the scenery together.

Of course, he and Naminé tended towards the latter whenever they went out together. Not that they didn't talk, far from it. They'd chat about their lives. About the places they were, and where they hoped to be. But between it all, they'd just be content to be beside each other. He could hardly think of a better gift Naminé could give him besides that.

Still, he dreamed of giving her something wonderful. Something that would make her eyes sparkle with joy, and make her smile. Like their first day together after they'd returned. He'd spent the day with her, the two of them relishing in their newfound freedom. Taking a picture together, Naminé finally getting to try ice cream, and sharing the view from the clock tower.

She'd been hesitant at first, but with his help Naminé got used to sitting on the tower's ledge. The two of them watching the eternal sunset together, talking about all the things they wanted to do with their new lives. And they wanted to do so much of it together. Though after a while, they had stopped watching the sunset, and were content to look at each other's eyes.

He may have had hints to it before when they had met. But he knew that night was the moment he realized the feelings he had for her went deeper than simple attraction. Roxas would cherish the memory of falling in love.

Then it hit him.

"I think I've got it." He began walking ahead of the trio with purpose now, only pausing to take a turn into a jewelry store.

Looking at the prices in the window, Lea called after him, "You sure you've got the—"

"We kill heartless for a living and get plenty of cash from that. I think he's good for it,"

Riku answered as Roxas opened the door.

Sora gave him a smile and a thumbs up. "I think you know exactly what to get her."

Roxas nodded. "Yeah, I know she'll love it."


Naminé nodded. "I know he'll love it."

Kairi leaned over the case they were all looking over. "Are you sure? I mean, I know you don't fight heartless like me and Xion, so you don't have as much—"

"But I do make a lot from my art. It's certainly enough for something like this." Naminé looked over the various charms and valuables on display. Scrooge's transit business had certainly helped to rebuild Radiant Garden into a flourishing city once again. And now craftsmen of all sorts had been flocking to the city to show their wares and work.

Xion crossed her arms with a smile. "I'm just saying you could've bought him a lot of ice cream for that price."

Naminé shook her head with a smile. "Is that a gift for him or for you?"

"Any reason it can't be both?" Xion giggled for a moment, but then put a hand on Naminé's shoulder. "But honestly, I think you've got a good idea of what'll speak to him."

Kairi nodded, and placed a hand on her chest. "If you just trust what your heart says, you can't go wrong."

"My heart..." Honestly, after so long it was so bewildering how Sora had been able to give everyone their hearts back. Especially with the revelation that the feelings within her were not merely phantom illusions she and Roxas conjured for themselves, but the burgeoning beginnings of a heart.

Sora might have been the first one to show her kindness, but with Roxas she had the experience of trying to connect to others with those feelings. When they had first met, she saw his pain, masked under the false memories DiZ had ordered her to make. And so she sought to give him some closure with answers. With those answers, even though he was still lost, he still sought to give what little help he could with her own issues. When they reunited for the first time, in The World That Never Was, she realized that the bond between them had become something more. It was that bond that let them remain as themselves in Sora and Kairi, and let them be together, in their state.

But when they finally had the chance to be free, that was when she began to understand that their strong bond had begun to blossom into something more. That first night together in Twilight Town had been the prelude to so many more dates. Each of them was a chance for them to learn more about the worlds and each other.

And all of them helped her to realize how Roxas was so important to her.

"Yes. And I know this is what I want to give him."


Roxas began to wipe his boots on the welcome mat, not wanting to track water into the apartment building. As he began to unzip his jacket, his hand reached into his pocket to confirm for the upteenth time to ensure that he had made the right purchase. Pulling out the small box, he nodded, and began to walk up the stairs to his room. Floor by floor, he saw people hurrying back home with bags of purchases. Eventually, he reached his floor.

And saw the familiar white and blue jacket of his beloved neighbor, standing outside her door and looking at him as he was arriving. "Roxas?"

"Naminé!" He quickly shoved the box back into his pocket, stammering to find a sentence, "H-How was your day with Xion and Kairi?"

Her initial surprise had worn off, only leaving a fond smile. "It was nice. We went shopping."

He nodded, and began walking to the door opposite Naminé's. "Were you looking for gifts?"

Naminé nodded, her hand reaching into her pocket. "Yes, it took some time. But I found what I was looking for."

Roxas nodded and smiled, as he pulled out the keys to his apartment. "I know whoever gets your gift is going to love it."

She began to open the door to her apartment, but Naminé's eyes were still on him. "Were you getting a gift too?"

He stared for a moment in shock with the key paused in the door lock, before nodding with a smile. "Yeah, people had a bunch of ideas, but I was able to figure out what to get…" He paused, as if he wanted to say more, before shaking his head. "I was able to figure out what to get."

Naminé gave a small giggle as she held open her door. "You've always had the best ideas for what to get people." With a click of the tumbler turning, Roxas finally opened his door. As he began to walk inside, Naminé gently called after him, "See you at the party next week?"

"Yeah." Roxas answered with a grin. With a blush on his cheeks, Roxas said to her as she closed the door to her apartment, "Love you."

Naminé paused before answering back with an equally red face, "I love you too."

As they closed the doors, they both slumped against the wall, relieved that they had not spoiled their gifts for the one they loved.

Roxas rushed over to his bedside, and opened the dresser. At the time, he didn't question why exactly they sold smaller versions of pictures. He only decided to buy the smaller prints along with the larger ones because he couldn't think of any reason to refuse more mementos of his moment with Naminé. But now he understood exactly what they were for. With a careful hand he opened the gold and silver locket, and began to insert the picture inside.

Naminé simply sat down at her desk and took a moment to admire the gift again. Radiant Garden had told and retold the many tales of the keyblade. And one of them decided to capture that with a gold and silver key laid over the outline of a silver heart.

But both of them felt that they just needed a small note with their gift. And so, with a small piece of pen and paper, they wrote.

Naminé. You will always hold my most cherished memories.

Roxas. You will always hold the key to my heart.

And satisfied with their gifts, they wrapped them with care. They were not the first ones Roxas and Naminé gave to each other, and they would most certainly not be the last. But even so, they always put time and consideration into the presents they gave each other.

It was only natural, to get something special for someone you loved.