Kairi ran off, brushing tears from her eyes with disgust. Sora had been acting so…possessive since he had come back. Not that she had minded – at first. But now it had been three weeks, and he still wasn’t calming down. She hadn’t been able to properly speak to Riku, either; he had been monopolizing her time so completely. Kairi sprinted down the beach dejectedly until Sora was out of sight and she was certain that she was alone, before collapsing into a heap on the ground, closing her eyes and locking her hands around her knees securely.

“Problem?” a soft, friendly enquired, and Kairi looked up, relief flooding her. She jumped to her feet and embraced Riku tightly, her arms fastened tightly around his neck, crying quietly into his shoulder. Kairi couldn’t help but feel safe, and enjoyed the warmth of his body; the rhythmic beating of his heart; the soft tickle of his platinum hair where it brushed her skin. After the sobs subsided, Riku took Kairi’s hands gently in his (more gently than Sora, she noted) and stepped back. Kairi couldn’t help but get stuck in his sparkling, emerald eyes. She moved closer to him again, staring up at him almost reverentially.

Kairi couldn’t hold herself back anymore; she stretched up to her tiptoes so that she could reach Riku and pushed her mouth against his. Her thoughts were screaming guiltily at her, but her heart was glowing warmly and she didn’t break the kiss as she would have done before their adventures. Riku was unresponsive at first, but Kairi kept trying and eventually he returned her passion. While Kairi’s hands moved up to the base of his neck, Riku’s hovered unsurely on the small of her back. She pressed her body closer to his, making the most of the moment whilst knowing that it could not last.

Riku let his fingers play up Kairi’s back, tracing along her spine. His mind was fighting against his body with arguments of Sora, but Riku couldn’t bring himself to stop. He felt Kairi tighten her grip and mirrored the movement, pulling her nearer. Her breath was light and flowery, and she smelled of everything that encompassed home; coconuts and the sand and the sea and the sun. It felt comfortable as they stood together – like it was something that should have happened a long time ago.

An angry yell from behind him made Riku let go of Kairi unwillingly. “Riku! What the hell do you think you’re doing to my girlfriend?! In fact, don’t answer me, it doesn’t matter, I don’t care anymore! She’s just…just a slut and you deserve her, and worse!” Riku agonized over going after Sora, but Kairi held him back. She looked concerned – but in comparison with Riku’s torturing feelings, it didn’t seem like much. “He won’t want you to follow him…” she whispered guiltily, but as she wound her fingers into Riku’s more securely, Riku thought that she seemed less than affected.

Riku felt Kairi tug him away and stumbled after her unsurely. Only moments ago, he had wanted something like this…and yet this wasn’t how he pictured it. He had imagined the three of them sitting and laughing around a small fire, his hand gently around Kairi’s while he joked with Kairi. A goodnight kiss, a small spark…taking things slowly. Would this work? Could it work? His thoughts were dizzying him as he was dragged off by Kairi, his head spinning uncomfortably as he tried to comprehend the situation he was in…