Title: Wildfire

Author/Artist: Riake (well, Cliffie here. :D)

Pairing: Axel/Kairi

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Theme: #3 - Jolt!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Author Notes: Well. :3 This is my first time attempting something like this -- from the 30kisses community on lj, of course -- as well as the first time writing for this particular pairing. Let's see how it goes, shall we? : FYI, this particular ficlet is AU.

Kairi always has coffee in the morning. It's her morning jolt.

When she stumbles out a bed, she's usually a mess: her hair is haphazard and sticking out everywhere, her clothes are rumpled and usually turned oddly, and she can't stop yawning. If she has enough time, she drinks a cup of coffee before getting in the shower. If she doesn't, she takes the mug in with her.

She's careful about her caffeine intake. She has two cups of coffee in the morning, and, if she's really tired that day, a third about midafternoon. But never any more than that. Without any, however, she can barely function throughout the day. It's her jolt, through and through.

She likes her life. It's nice, being an art student in university with her friends and living in an apartment for the first time in her eighteen years. She has fun both inside and outside the classroom, although she mostly concentrates on her studies right now.

When Axel comes barging in, her life is turned upside down so swiftly she can't catch her breath.

He's wild and fiery and hot tempered more often than not. He's Riku's friend, and he makes himself at home in their little group. The others adapt to him immediately. Kairi doesn't like it at first. She's used to quiet and smooth and dependable. Even just as friend, he makes life -- probably for the first time -- unsure and new.

It's surprising, and it's like a fresh breath of air.

He takes her out for no reason at all, just for a walk and sometimes more. If it's raining, he always makes her go without an umbrella. When she complains of getting wet, he tells her to get over it and relish in the rain. He takes her -- and the others, of course, because she refuses to go by herself with him -- to the amusement park and makes her ride the roller coaster with him even when she says she's afraid. She screams far louder than she ever has before, and he laughs at her because of it.

His eyes are emerald and too deep. She both loves them and hates them. For their beautiful shade, she adores them. She can't help but be drawn in. But for their intensity, and for that special look in them that only she gets, she hates them.

She's scared. She's never been swept away so completely before, and she doesn't know if she'll regret it if she gives in to that look.

She resists for a while. Even when he makes advances on her, she refuses them. She isn't sure if she's ready for such a wild relationship.

Then he kisses her one time, just out of the blue. Kisses her and holds her against the brick wall they're against, refusing to let her go until he deems it. His lips are warm and demanding, and electricity shoots through her like wildfire. She doesn't move until he does, and, when he looks at her with his fire-bright emerald eyes, her own are just as bright as she gives in and stops all fighting.

In the mornings, Kairi always has a cup of coffee. Once Axel comes into her life, however, she doesn't really receive her morning jolt until he gives her a good morning kiss at the gates of the university.

When he does, her days turn into fire and roller coasters and walks in the park during the middle of thunderstorms, and Kairi has never been happier.