I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Morning Glow

Hell… would've been a better place for him to wake up in, was the first thing to have crossed the boy's mind that day. There was an arm sprawled over his chest; there was a knee digging into his back; and there was a familiar foot all too comfortably seated over his cheek. He knew who each of those belonged to. He knew what he'd do to them all once he was coherent enough. What he didn't know, however, was how he got to be the one in the middle.

Panic finally taking over, he shot up, making both those around him roll over disgruntedly. The owner of the foot hummed absently and drew it back under his blanket. Right, the boy whimpered lightly, finally beginning to make sense of things – Arm was Wakka's; Knee was Tidus's; Foot belonged to Riku who managed to lye down on the couch, leaving the others to the floor.

He always did that, Sora reckoned with a growl as he sent a silent glare over his shoulder. Leave him on the floor to fend for himself, why don't you…

It was with a rather easy conscious that Sora left the guest room that morning, leaving behind him Riku's face adorned by with several new marks, courtesy of the lipstick used during the night to leave embarrassing marks over faces at random.

Sora made sure he checked in on himself in the nearest bathroom before proceeding to his original destination – the Kitchen… which was in another win on another floor altogether.

Gods did he hate staying over in the Mayor's manor… Not that he had a choice, mind… it was Kairi's birthday, after all, and turning down an invitation to one of his oldest friends' birthday party was a big no-no if ever he saw one.

Thus, he had shown up the afternoon the day before, dressed in his finest clothes and holding a present. He met up with Selphie, Tidus, Wakka and Riku in front of the mansion, and from there they were escorted in through so many rooms his head was spinning. Eventually, they reached the garden, where the birthday girl came into view.

She was grinning at them with a wave of her arm, her white dress flattering in the wind.

Sora had to admit the color didn't suit her, least of all her hair. Not one bit.

After that, one thing led to another and before long the sun had set, the lights were on, and when finally yawns were heard more often than words, the girls retired to Kairi's bedroom, leaving the boys to sprawl all over the guest room provided to them.

Riku was on the couch, leaving Tidus and Wakka to pile up over Sora.

No wonder he felt like crap… oh well, at least there was the kitchen, he reckoned with a grateful growl, his hands roughly rubbing his aching neck and shoulders. Finally, something to drink, maybe something to eat, possibly steal some leftover snacks… and then brush both teeth and mind from the horrors that almost befell him on last night's Truth or Dare.

Tell the world who he liked… or kiss Tidus.

Ugh…

He'd have accepted it had it been almost anyone else.

Had it been Selphie… well, the girl always gave him puppy looks… or, well, Wakka wasn't much of an option either, so that… that left Riku… and a shake of the head later he was left with the last remotely reasonable option. The one everyone expected him to have answered… being…

"Good morning!" came the cheerful greeting from the kitchen, making the boy look up with a yawn -

"Good morning, Ka-" and come to a complete and utter stop the instant he actually opened his eyes. Gapping was about the only thing he felt he could let himself do. His eyes were fixated ahead, yet he could hardly believe what he was seeing. This… wasn't the person he was supposed to be seeing, and yet…

He couldn't help the way his Heart skipped a beat.

There she was, clad again in the pure white that slid over her body to pool around her knees. She was leaning against the counter, her delicate hands holding onto a steaming mug of herbal tea. Her lips were curled ever so elegantly into a delicate smile, and the image as a whole was painted a light bronze by the light of the sunrise, painting the girl with a golden glow that seemed to frame her face and slide over her shoulders.

"-miné?" The boy gasped, yet was rewarded only with a confused if somewhat amused tilt of the head.

"…something on my face?"

The boy half started at the voice and he gasped softly before bringing his hands to his face, all but burying the bases of his wrists in his eyes in an attempt to rub the sleepiness and lack of focus away. A long moment of blackness later, he looked forward again, only to feel as though he was looking at something entirely different.

The glow was gone; so was – almost completely – her smile. The tea seemed to be giving off less steam, yet the delicate mist that still rose from the mug now sought to hide dark red, almost crimson locks over somewhat tanned skin.

That was… she was…

"Kairi…"

The girl wrinkled her nose lightly as the boy shook his head, making his way towards the counter.

"You sound disappointed!" She complained as though jokingly, making an awkward grin rise to Sora's lips as he poured himself some coffee and turned to add as much sugar and milk as he could.

"Did you see someone nice in your dreams before you woke up to see me, hm?" The girl teased playfully. She managed to relish the sensation of her hand brushing against his own for a mere instant before Sora took his drink and left for the table filling most of the room.

"…Probably a nightmare, huh?" She tried, yet before long the boy had filled his mouth with coffee, leaving her to retreat to her tea. The soft sounds of lips smacking against smooth surfaces and liquid being swallowed were the only sounds to be heard save for Kairi's awkward shifting against the counter.

He never turned to look at her; she dared not call his name. The air felt too thick for it. Eventually though, at long last, the empty cup of coffee was placed on the table, the chair was pushed back, and so, just as the boy was rising to his feet the girl pushed herself off the counter so fast she half fell forward against him.

Sora's head turned to her worriedly, yet the girl hardly seemed distressed. She was quite steady on her feet, and he couldn't help but tense as he felt her hand trail down his arm.

"Are you-"

"I really liked… what you got me." Kairi commented calmly, easily brushing off what was to no doubt be a worried exclamation. "The colors work well. It fits with a lot of stuff I have. I like it."

"…I'm glad." He managed, yet despite knowing it was hardly enough, couldn't bring himself to saying more. She, on her part, took his silence a tad differently and finally her fingers reached to tease at his wrist.

His hand clenching into a fist seemed to have done little to calm down her enthusiasm.

"Do you know, though… what I'd have… liked more?" She cooed softly as she turned her head upwards, face close enough to Sora's to let him smell her breath over his face.

Her cheeks reddened; his eyes widened. She pulled closer still.

Closer, and closer… so close… almost… so… uncannily… close…

"COCOA!!" came the loud exclamation from the doorway, making the two teens pull away almost violently. The still sleepy Selphie hardly paid any attention to anything as she wobbled on along towards the counter, soon enough rummaging through the cabinet above for the jar holding the cocoa-powder jar. Stand on her toes as much as she could, however, she could not reach. Kairi's lips pursed as Sora reached for the jar in the girl's stead, making Selphie all but sparkle once she was given her treat.

A moment later, however, she had to blink, seeing Sora's somewhat blank expression. What bothered her even more were his distant eyes, not once even focusing on her.

The awkward blush on Kairi's face made her all but panic then, for any number of reasons.

Oh.

Snap.

"Did I… walk in on some-"

"No." Sora replied instantly, his voice loud and clear and just a shade paler than harsh. Selphie couldn't help but notice how Kairi's hand tightened around the arm it was holding onto. "You didn't walk in on anything." The boy further explained before absently patting the girl on the head, as though to indicate that no harm was caused. He then turned to leave, hands buried in his pockets.

He didn't look back.

It took a long moment of silence before Selphie let herself approach the older girl, the jar of powder held tightly as a make-shift shield.

"Kairi?" She asked hesitatingly, wincing lightly as the other girl reached to hug herself.

"It's nothing…" she attempted to reply, yet the small smile on her lips failed to cover the way in which her arms and shoulders were shivering. "Really…" She began in a wavering voice, only to a moment later bow her head low.

He was looking… right through her…

"Nothing at all…"

–

"ATTACK!!" Tidus roared as he sent the pillow flying the instant Sora was spotted walking into the room. Wakka cheered along, yet Riku – busy cleaning his face, having just woke up – had to raise an eyebrow as the pillow actually hit the brunette's face.

"Coffee didn't kick in yet?" The older teen asked, yet only had his best friend growl as he threw the pillow away before moving to plop down on the couch next to Riku. The awkwardness filled the air, seeing how Tidus hardly knew how to handle Sora's seemingly subdued state, Wakka feared Tidus's eventual act, and Riku knew better than to ask with the other two around.

Thus, there was silence.

"Um-"

"BOO!"

"AAAH!"

And thus, Tidus ran out of the room.

Both Riku and Wakka blinked as Sora settled back down, having fulfilled his goal.

Humph.

"..I'll go after him." Wakka concluded soon afterwards and thus, the two best friends were left alone.

Riku's patience paid off not too long afterwards when despite his silence, Sora felt the need to speak.

"Say…"

"Hm?" The older teen urged softly as he looked intently at Sora despite the fact the brunette's eyes were set on the ceiling. He seemed troubled, Riku concluded, but the reason behind it left him somewhat dumbfounded. What…

"Which… do you like better? Redheads? Or…" Sora paused then, only to tilt his head to rest his cheek on the couch, half lidded eyes set on Riku's face. "Or blond-"

"Brunettes." Riku concluded somewhat simply. Having somewhat understood the problem in light of the question, he pushed himself up to his feet before reaching to ruffle Sora's hair fondly.

"…it'll be ok. I'll try and hold off a few pancakes for you while you calm down, ok?" He offered a bit hesitatingly, knowing better than to think the look Sora was giving him meant anything good. The boy needed to sort things out on his own, and Riku was fine with that, seeing how there wasn't much he could do for him to begin with.

There wasn't much anyone could...

He knew he'd be resented, and yet turning to leave was the only thing that seemed remotely possible at the moment…

"You said I could see her whenever I wanted to…"

Especially if he didn't want to be blamed for something he prayed wasn't his fault.

Sora's teeth gritted before Riku even left the room. Hands covering his eyes, he was helpless to keep the frustration from overwhelming him.

It wasn't fair.

He should stop leading her on; she should stop trying.

She should stop playing dumb; he should spell it out clearly.

It wasn't meant to be… thus he won't let it.

It wouldn't be fair to any of them if they got together now. After everything they've been through… after all this time…

He couldn't be with Kairi. Not as long as she had eyes only for him, and yet one he wanted to see in her place was none other than her Shadow.

"I'm the worst, aren't I… Naminé?"