Forever Love

Roxas looked over his shoulder in time to see everyone returning. He caught Namine's nod and smiled to Sora and Kairi. "Hey," he greeted. "You guys catch up?" Kairi nodded, releasing Sora's wrist when they came to a stop by her date. He turned to her, and she tried not to read into the hard look in his eyes. She hoped that wasn't directed at her or Sora, even if she did kind of ditch him for a few minutes. "Noel, this is my best friend Sora," she declared, smiling faintly at him. "Sora, this is Noel." She linked her hands behind her back and bit her lip. Please don't fight... Noel took a step closer to Kairi and held out a hand to Sora. "We briefly met a few days ago," he acknowledged. "Noel Kreiss." Kairi's date.

Kairi smiled warmly at Sora, but it was also an encouraging expression. She really thought that if given the chance, Sora could like Noel. They had similar interests. "Come on," she prompted gently, grasping Sora's wrist and bringing him with her. She had to admit she was a bit nervous, since Sora's opinion meant a lot to her, but...she had faith this could go well.

Kairi blinked, snapping out of the trance Sora's eyes always seemed to put her in. She turned her head and saw Namine. That was when she remembered the world outside her and Sora's small bubble. But...Noel, she finished for her friend. "Oh, right," she replied with a faint smile. Right, she had to get back to her date. Kairi took her hands back from Sora, eyes dancing up to him as she stepped away. She hoped Sora would come with her... She didn't want him to be alone again. "...Will you come meet him?" she requested, a bit nervous all of a sudden. Sora and Noel had never actually spoken.

Roxas nodded to Namine slightly before focusing back on Noel. "They had a bit of catching up to do, but things seem to be all good now. Namine will go get Kairi," he explained to his friend's date. He and Noel could just hang out here. Kairi kept her eyes locked onto Sora's. His low tone sent shivers down her spine, leaving her breathless. "...We should," she agreed softly, her voice a whisper. And yet...neither she nor Sora moved away from each other. Being this close to him had her heart singing. This just felt right.

"Mm," Noel hummed lowly, tilting his head. He witnessed Kairi pull back from the embrace, but her hands still rested on Sora. Best friends....right. He sensed there was more going on than that. Roxas looked to Namine at Noel's tone. This could get ugly fast... Did they need to get Kairi again? Kairi looked up at Sora. Her hands gripped his shirt at his sides still, and they remained close. Was it bad that she didn't want to separate from him?

Kairi's smile grew at the nickname. She couldn't remember the last time Sora called her that. He was the only who ever used the name for her, but she loved it all the same. Noel lifted an eyebrow. "That's...Sora, right?" he asked, glancing to the blondes before finding his date again. "Have they always been that close?" Passersby could mistake Sora for Kairi's date at this rate...and Noel wasn't sure how he felt about that. Confused? Angered and a little jealous?

Kairi smelled Sora's cologne from this proximity, and she closed her eyes again. Unbeknownst to her, her eyelashes tickled his skin too. She felt guilty, knowing she was on a date with another guy and letting Sora hold her like this, but....she couldn't make herself pull away. It wasn't fair to Noel, no, but Kairi had to embrace this while she had it. Noel would understand, or so she hoped. Sora was her best friend... "Thank you." Noel played against Roxas twice now, and he had to admit the blond's accuracy was astounding; he got beaten both times. "Okay, gotta admit, I'm a sore loser," he joked with a crooked smile. Roxas laughed softly, but that was when Noel noticed that Namine was alone. Where's Kairi? he thought, smile disappearing as he looked around. There, over by the tree, he spotted her...and with that Sora guy. That's a bit intimate, he acknowledged. The way they held each other had jealousy flaring from within.

"Heh," Kairi breathed with a smile. Through all of this, he still thought about her studies? How sweet. "Of course. As long as you promise to be my model." She hadn't even thought about asking Noel, and now she knew why--she wanted Sora to help her with the project. It was the biggest project of the semester for her; it was half her final grade. She turned her head toward him a little more at his consideration, and his warmth, and his comfort...and pretty much everything about him. Her nose brushed his neck. This was definitely too close for two best friends, but Kairi didn't care. Not right now.

Kairi tried catching her breath at the whisper into her skin, but it was hard to do with how nice it felt. She clutched Sora's shirt to keep herself as close to him as possible. Friends didn't embrace this closely, she knew that--but she didn't care. It was Sora. "Me too," she confessed softly. "I missed you so much." How couldn't she? Anyone who willingly walked away from Sora was insane. Kairi couldn't imagine being apart from him for any longer.

Kairi kept her eyes closed and nodded a little, squeezing Sora's forearm. Of course she could forgive him. Yes, hurtful comments were made, but every friendship experienced conflict. "Don't leave again...okay?" she whispered, then looking up at him. He never really "left", but he wasn't really "there" either. She needed him, despite what he thought. Without Sora, Kairi wasn't herself.

Kairi's heart fluttered at Sora's touch. His voice made her sad, but at the same time, it comforted her. She lifted a hand to sit on his arm extended toward her cheek, leaning into his hand on her face. She missed his warmth. And the way his thumb brushed over her skin had another tear slipping from her eye. I missed you...

Kairi blinked, features softening considerably at the declaration. So this was a matter of replacement? Sora thought she didn't need him anymore? You dummy, she thought, a tear trickling down her cheek. I could never be without you. Kairi lifted her hands to cover her face, fighting her emotions. She didn't want him to see her cry.

"But why?" Kairi asked, keeping her arms crossed. She had to admit, she was a little self-conscious about her wardrobe now that Sora brought up guys thinking she was a piece of meat. Did he think that of her too? Even a little bit? Did he not "approve" of her outfit? She wasn't sure she could count on Sora to admit it. He wouldn't even stand up to talk to her; he still sat against the tree. It felt like she was lecturing a little kid, and she hated it. But...she couldn't deny that the way he worded his feelings just now had her heart skipping. He couldn't be happy if he wasn't with her...and her being with Noel was difficult for him. So...he was jealous.

Kairi crossed her arms. "So I'm not allowed to date without your permission?" she asked, eyes still moist with unshed tears. How was this happening? Was this real? Sora couldn't be serious! He was supposed to be her best friend! Someone to support her and be there for her, not...disapprove of who she chose to be with.

Kairi gazed at her best friend--or was he even that anymore?--in a stunned silence. It was hard seeing her with Noel? Did that mean...that he was jealous? "What?" she asked, voice hoarse. What did that mean?

"Then why have you been avoiding me?" Kairi asked, opening her eyes. They were moist with sudden tears. She didn't want to cry in front of Sora, ever, but this became too much for her. She hated that he wasn't around, that he dodged her at every turn, or completely acted like she didn't exist. She missed her best friend. She missed...him. "You don't talk to me anymore. You barely even look at me, Sora! What did I do?"

Kairi's eyebrows furrowed. "...Is Noel treating me like a piece of meat?" she asked, bold. That was how she took it at first, but then she realized he probably just meant the models. Kairi closed her eyes, taking in a breath. She couldn't jump to conclusions.

Kairi looked at Sora for a moment, a bit disappointed. He was lying. Didn’t he realize how well she could read him after all these years? He still sat there, not even trying to really welcome her to this conversation. And now he was talking about leaving. He really didn’t want to see her, did he? Maybe Namine was wrong. “Sora,” she said then, tone a bit firmer with him now. Kairi couldn’t beat around the bush anymore. “What’s going on with us?”

“That doesn’t sound like you,” Kairi told him, tilting her head. This wasn’t the Sora she knew at all. He was all about festivals and rides and games. And here he was, sitting alone. Was this her fault?

“I’m okay,” Kairi admitted softly. She had fun tonight—so far. But that didn’t mean she was truly happy. Especially with how things were between her and Sora. She took a small step closer to him. “And you?”

Kairi felt shy under Sora’s gaze. His blue eyes were as beautiful as ever. She missed them... And his voice—it’s warm tone graced her ears and heart wonderfully.”....Hi,” she greeted timidly. It was just her, and just him. No friends or Noel involved.

Kairi linked her hands behind her when she got closer to her best friend—though it didn’t feel like they were best friends lately. The realization saddened her, but she tried not to let it show too much. Nervously, she called to him. “Sora?”

Upon seeing him, Kairi felt her heart give a painful tug. Sora...she thought sadly. Her eyes darted to Noel, who was still wrapped up in the game with Roxas, before moving back to Sora. Her heart longed for her to be by his side, so she would do as it said. “Can you hold this for me?” Kairi asked quietly, holding her prize out to Namine. She would be back.

Someone special, Kairi thought to herself. She had to agree—in more ways than one. “...Is he here?” she asked, suddenly nervous. If Sora was as upset as Namine made it seem, did he even bother coming to the festival? Did he even want to see her?

Kairi didn’t know exactly how to respond, so she didn’t. Could she talk to Sora now? She was here with Noel, for one. Secondly, what could she say to him? He judged her pretty harshly for liking that boys noticed her...even if it was his attention she wanted all along.