#sokaiday

[wiavi]

[sokaievents]

SoKai Day 2023

SoKai Day is September 17, 2023, and the theme is The Future! 🏙 💫 A big thank you to @hallsth-eien for the beautiful promo art ❤️

ソラカイの日は2023年9月17日です！テーマは将来です 🏙 💫

[cypjj]

for Sokai day 2022 <3

twitter: [X]

[teganberry]

SoKai Day 2022 - Ever After

Happy SoKai day everyone!

[phoenix-downer]

Compelled to Act

3325 words. Sora/Kairi. Post-Canon. Kairi POV. Grief/Mourning, Survivor's Guilt, Angst, Romance, Hope. For SoKai Day 2023: The Future.

Summary: As Kairi grapples with her grief and guilt, she has a dream about Sora in Quadratum. She might not be able to speak, but he has so many things he wants to say.

What if we don’t succeed?

It was a thought Kairi hardly allowed herself. They would save Sora. They had to. It wasn’t a question of if, but when. To admit otherwise would mean she would have to face her grief, that she couldn’t keep running and hiding, then sleeping and searching, and now pouring herself into her training instead.

“There is no right way to grieve,” her mother had told her the morning after Sora’s disappearance, when she was crying so much she thought she would break into a million pieces and never be whole again. How could she be whole when she’d lost the person she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with? She knew she and Sora were young, that the adults would patronizingly tell them to wait a few more years and see if they could really go the distance with their infuriatingly smug smiles. Young love, it never lasts, they would say. Except sometimes it does. Sometimes you meet the right person young and get to enjoy growing old together. She knew she and Sora truly loved each other and would’ve gone the distance.

“You have to grieve on your own terms,” her mother had said the day after that, when Kairi still didn’t want to get out of bed. “The pain will never fully go away, but it’ll get lighter. You’ll learn to live with it.”

Well, Kairi didn’t want to learn to live without Sora. That was the entire point. And while she knew plenty of people felt irrational guilt over the death of their loved ones, her guilt was entirely rational. It really should have been her instead. The only reason it wasn’t was because Sora had intervened and substituted himself in her place instead.

The tear-streaked faces of their friends made her question his decision. Everyone would be happier if it were me and not you. So why did you do it?

She summoned her Keyblade and focused on the nearby dummy Aqua had set out. A cool evening breeze tugged at her hair and clothes. The Land of Departure was beautiful with its ponds and starlit skies and sprawling castle halls full of history, and she enjoyed living here. It was just strange how the entire universe kept chugging along like one of its brightest lights going missing wasn’t a problem.

A wall of red-hot flames erupted from her Keyblade and struck the dummy. All of her anger and rage at Sora’s disappearance (she couldn’t bring herself to say death) channeled into a nice clean burst of flame. The dummy was well and truly charred afterwards, as was the nearby grass. She examined her handiwork with grim satisfaction. So much for having only a heart of pure light. More like an existence that brings total destruction and death.

That’s all I’m good for, getting the people I love hurt and killed. She was training further so she wouldn’t be such a burden, but what was the point? Even if she did see Sora again, he was better off without her. If he got too close to her again, he’d just get hurt and tormented and tortured and killed. Again.

She lifted her Keyblade once more. It was a good thing Riku was the one who had gone after Sora. He was actually good at saving him. At helping him. For all his issues with darkness, Riku was much better at healing and restoring people than she was.

She smiled wryly. If Riku was what monsters feared, if he was the one who consumed Sora’s nightmares, then she was an angel of death, a siren luring Sora to his doom. Looks and appearances were deceiving. Everyone thought Riku was the villain, the problem. All along it had been her.

A moment later, water shot out of her Keyblade and doused the charred dummy. She absently wondered if all her tears for Sora would match the amount of water that had just swallowed the dummy in its relentless onslaught. There had been so many of them and they’d come in powerful, intense bursts until she’d gone to sleep to search for clues as to his whereabouts. Now that she was awake again, there wasn’t as much crying anymore, but grief bursts still hit her every now and then. Still engulfed her in their powerful waves and cast her adrift until she found something to cling to, something to ground her.

She reached into her pocket and grasped the Wayfinder that Aqua had given to her. It was pink and purple and made with care, and feeling its smooth glassy surface kept her in the moment.

Did Sora still have her lucky charm? She could only hope so. Did he even remember who she was? Who he was? That was the question. He was in some other realm, but what was his existence even like? And how was it any different from death, really? Torn apart from all the people he loved and separated from them by a wide gulf. That was what death was, separation of the soul from the body, of the self from one’s loved ones.

She assumed his soul and his body were still one, but he was far from them, so while he might not be truly dead, it didn’t seem like he was really alive, either. And even if Riku did find him, how in the worlds was he supposed to bring Sora back? Sora had broken a nature taboo, and she doubted Death would relinquish its prize without a fight.

Riku, don’t do anything stupid, please, she silently begged. She knew Riku was careful and a lot more measured and guarded than she and Sora were, but she still couldn’t help but worry.

After another round with the dummy that left it electrified and then frozen solid, she decided to give the poor thing a break from her wrath and call it a night. Dinner had happened hours ago with Terra, Aqua, Ven, and Chirithy, so it was time for bed now. She stopped by the castle’s kitchen briefly to grab a quick snack and then trekked up the old, winding stairs to her little room on the second floor.

The extra practice had another purpose beyond honing her skills. If she was tired enough, she would fall asleep quickly instead of tossing and turning for hours on end as sleep eluded her and her fears and regrets haunted her instead.

Of course, sometimes dreaming wasn’t much better. Her dreams, when she remembered them, were either fragmented and disjointed or disturbing and dreadful. The others had had dreams of Sora, and she’d had that single dream that gave them the clue they needed to continue their search. But ever since then he had been absent from her dreams, or if he’d visited, she couldn’t remember upon waking.

Still, that was better than not being able to sleep at all. Thankfully, exhaustion won out tonight, and she soon slipped into sleep, hoping that she wouldn’t remember any of her dreams and would just be able to escape for a little while.

A big, modern city with soaring skyscrapers and winding streets. Water drip, drip, dripping as the light rain covered everything in a wet film. Red and green and yellow lights reflecting off of puddles.

Kairi moved through this realm as if she were floating. There was no sense of time or space, just moving over the pavement without any contact with it. A sign she didn’t belong in this place, perhaps, that to the people she passed she was simply a fiction, a ghost. When she tried to touch things, her hands moved right through them, and when she tried to speak, no one was able to hear her.

The experience made shivers run down her spine. She missed having a body that could interact with the world around her, that could touch and taste and test, feel and sense and caress. She really was beginning to wonder if she was a ghost. Of course, if the people in this realm tried to come to hers, they would probably seem like the ghosts. She sensed some great barrier that was nearly impossible to pass, though Riku had succeeded and Sora had been brought here unwillingly.

Or was it willingly? He had willingly given his life for hers, so it felt strange to speak of him coming here against his will. And yet she couldn’t help but think such thoughts. She knew Sora didn’t want to be apart from her any more than she wanted to be apart from him.

Her wanderings eventually led her to a coffee shop situated in a four-story building with the number four in the address. It had space on all four floors, too. Four, four, four. Everything here reminded her of the unlucky number that sounded like death.

The first floor was where people ordered their coffee from the hard-working baristas, the second and third floors were where they could drink the coffee, either alone or with friends on various tables and couches, and the fourth floor was a rooftop area with a few more seats and a view of the nearby scenery.

She almost didn’t notice him at first. He was seated at one of the tables, an untouched cup of coffee steaming in front of him as he stared into the horizon. His hair looked different, lighter and much less spiky than before, and his back was turned to her and his clothes were more muted, more like what normal people wore. But then he stiffened and glanced back, and his searing blue eyes gave him away.

“Kairi?” he murmured, looking right at her as if he could see her. Gosh, he was more handsome than ever, and he looked older and wiser and world-weary but still with that spark of Sora compassion in his eyes.

Well, she supposed it had been a year. She’d changed and so had he.

So had he. Relief flooded her at the thought. Dead people couldn’t change and grow. Only the living could.

She tried responding, but of course he couldn’t hear her. She was a ghost in this realm. But then how had he sensed her presence? Perhaps it was that gift of his for seeing hearts wherever he went.

His expression softened. “You can’t speak here, can you?” he gently said. “I can’t speak when I visit you in your dreams, so I guess it makes sense the reverse is true too.”

He had visited her in her dreams since that time she’d confronted Xehanort? If only she could remember.

He patted the chair next to him. “Have a seat.”

She floated over and “sat” down as best she could, but of course all she could manage was sort of hovering over the chair. But it wasn’t uncomfortable, and if she really tried she could imagine she and Sora were grabbing a cup of coffee together like they’d done so many times at the cafe on the beach back home.

“There’s so much I want to tell you,” Sora said, his face serious in a very un-Sora like way, like this place dragged his spirit down despite his best efforts. “Even with all the time we got together before we were separated, it still wasn’t enough.”

She agreed. It didn’t matter how much time you got to spend with your loved one before you lost them. The loss still ached like a deep wound that would never fully heal because that person was never meant to be torn from your side like that. She’d often thought to herself, if only I could speak to Sora again. If only I could have just a few more minutes with him. But even if she’d gotten her wish, it would be like sticking a bandaid on a gaping, gushing wound. Because the time would still end, the conversation would be over, and it still wouldn’t be enough. She’d still long to see him again after that.

No, the only true remedy for grief was an eternal reunion. A promise that she’d get to be with him forever. No more separations and sadness, no more sorrow and pain, no more tears and tearing apart of their shared heart.

She hoped the afterlife would be kinder than this life was.

Sora frowned. “I can tell you’re sad. I’m sorry I haven’t found a way back home yet. I’m trying, trust me.” He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “It’s just a lot more difficult than I’d like.”

She scoffed. He was apologizing to her? It should be the other way around. She would say as much if she had a voice in this world.

Whatever expression was visible on her face seemed to upset him. “Kairi, I know we kinda avoided certain topics before I…you know. I didn’t want you to be sad. But I’m worried about how you’re handling all this.”

She carefully avoided his gaze. Not well. But was there a “good” way to handle grief? It was like her mother had said. There was no “right” way to grieve. Just whatever helped you get through the next hour, the next minute, the next second. Grief was like an unwelcome, unwanted acquaintance she couldn’t get rid of. The best she could do was learn to deal with its constant presence. She’d lost her birth parents and grandmother ages ago, so it wasn’t like she hadn’t dealt with grief before. But every grief is unique, and the grief of Sora’s loss still felt so raw and fresh and wrong.

“You don’t blame yourself for my death, do you?” Sora asked, his voice pained and his eyes anguished as he cut through her thoughts.

She would’ve been silent even if she could’ve spoken to him. He knew her all too well.

His face went pale. “You do,” he said, barely above a whisper. “Kairi, it wasn’t your fault.”

Yes it was. If she hadn’t been so weak, she wouldn’t have gotten kidnapped, and if she hadn’t gotten kidnapped, she wouldn’t have been struck down, and if she hadn’t been struck down, then Sora wouldn’t have had to abuse the Power of Waking to save her.

Honestly, he should’ve just let her be lost forever. She would’ve preferred that to this.

“You don’t believe me,” he said, his voice breaking. He reached for her hand, but of course his hand went right through hers. Frustration and pain flickered across his face, like he couldn’t bear this physical separation any more than she could.

“If you have to blame anyone, blame me,” he said. “I was the one who was reckless with my own life. But I wasn’t reckless for the sake of being reckless. There was just something so much more important at stake.”

Tears blurred her eyes. She wouldn’t be able to shed them or express them here, but they were there all the same.

“I couldn’t abandon you,” Sora said, his eyes filled with tears. “I couldn’t leave you trapped in Xehanort’s grasp forever. Don’t you see? I had no choice but to rescue you. I wouldn’t be myself if I left you to your fate just like you wouldn’t be yourself if you’d let me die at the Keyblade Graveyard. It’s true that we could’ve made other choices, but we never would. That’s what…that’s what love is, Kairi. Always wanting the best for the other person to the point it compels you to act.”

Sora was right. She would never let him die. Except that she had. And she knew how he felt about her. She just felt utterly and completely unworthy of his love because of her failure.

And yet…if she told him that, how would it make him feel? Like she was spitting in his face and saying his sacrifice wasn’t worth it? That he wasn’t worth it? She could never. She struggled to like herself, but Sora she loved with all her heart. Maybe…maybe if he really did see something in her worth loving, then there was something about her worth loving.

“I wish I could hear your voice,” he said sadly. “Your laughter. I really miss your laughter. Your smile, too.”

It struck her that he hadn’t smiled this entire time either. She missed his smile so much.

“I know now’s not really the time for smiles, but maybe…when we meet again…”

She nodded. She didn’t feel like smiling now, but if she could be reunited with Sora in the flesh, she might feel differently.

“I think you’re gonna wake up soon,” he said. “You’re flickering. But this won’t be the end, I swear. We’ll meet again. Either I’ll find a way home or you’ll find a way to me, I just know it.”

She nodded a little more confidently this time. The future was so uncertain, but this strange dream had given her fresh hope.

“Until then,” he said, then leaned close and gently kissed her cheek.

Kairi’s eyes fluttered open. A quick glance out the window told her it was still dark outside, and the flames in her little room’s fireplace had been reduced to glowing embers. She was cold, and yet her cheek felt so warm.

She touched it. Faint memories of Sora flickered through her mind, but they were already slipping out of her grasp. She grabbed the little diary next to her bed and jotted down as many things as she could remember. But it wasn’t much. Just a big city, his blue eyes, a steaming cup of coffee, and a soft, gentle kiss on her cheek.

Well, and one more thing. In her diary she added: I don’t remember the exact words, but I have this deep, lingering sense of peace. Like he loves me and promised we’d meet again. Maybe it’s just my own foolish imagination, but if it helps me feel better, I think it’s okay.

With that she closed the little book and rolled over onto her side, pulling the blanket closer for warmth as she took a few more minutes to rest before getting up. She wished she could remember more details from the dream, but the fact she’d dreamed about him at all brought her great comfort.

Maybe…maybe we will succeed. Maybe I will get to see him again. I just need to be patient and make the most of my life right now.

She was tired of just existing. She wanted to live again. Wanted to enjoy all the little things and appreciate the people in her life right now. And even if she got Sora back and they got their happily ever after, one of them would still outlive the other. There was a phrase that got omitted from modern fairy tales, “until their deaths.” “They lived happily until their deaths” was how the stories always used to end, but at some point someone had decided the “until their deaths” part was too sad to include, so everyone removed it from the ends of stories and replaced it with “ever after” as if that would remove death from reality.

Kairi was beginning to think this was a grave mistake. Pretending death didn’t exist wouldn’t help kids deal with it better. And death was no respecter of persons. It came for the young as well as the old, the healthy as well as the sick, the strong as well as the weak. Might as well help people prepare for that and make the most of the time they have in this life and the most of the time they have with their loved ones.

Sora, if we do get a second chance to be together, I promise I’ll never take a single moment with you for granted again. And I’ll do everything in my power to help you come home.

Satisfied with her promises to him, she got out of bed. Enough waiting and wondering. It was time to act.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Thank you for reading! I wanted to explore Kairi's survivor's guilt and grief in more depth, including the different facets and expressions of it. I wanted her to get to be angry and frustrated and sad and hurt, and it was cathartic to write.

I always thought it was interesting how death in the KH universe is defined as the soul (tamashii) and body (nikutai) being separated. Your heart (kokoro) and your body can be separated and you'll continue to exist (granted as a Heartless + Nobody), but if your soul and your body get split up, you'll die for real. (This is all delineated in Secret Ansem's Report #4). So I tried to incorporate that bit of KH lore into the story.

As always I enjoy delving into fairy tale stuff and researching the ways different languages handle the start and end of stories (English of course has the classic "Once upon a time…they all lived happily ever after" formula, but there are other variants like the "they lived happily until their deaths" one).

And then what would one of my KH stories be without an exploration of free will, the nature of existence, and various metaphysical ponderings? That stuff just always slips into my KH fics these days.

Happy SoKai Day!

[paigealyssaarts]

Happy Sokai Day

A wedding in the Final World . . .

[currantlee]

The Horizon Ever Changes

(Ao3; full list of soundeffects used for the podfic here)

Sometimes, the thing you're most afraid of is yourself - in which case, it is good to have a loved helping you through it.

~ 3.1k Words / 17 Min (Podfic). Rated T (Teens and Older). Angst, Hurt/Comfort. For SoKai Day 2022.

Author's Note: This is a fanfic I already wrote some time ago. Initially, I didn't plan on publishing it since it was kind of conceived as a vent fic, but after a rework, I changed my mind. I also wanted to try something completely new with it too, so... I made a podfic (which you can also listen to on Ao3 or here because turns out Tumblr apparently hates Internet Archive file links 😅). But for those of you who prefer to read - here is the full fic (with some minor differences). Regardless of how you decide to engage with it, I hope you enjoy it.

When Sora was little, his mother would come to his bed every evening and sing a lullaby for him. Sometimes even two, when Sora had been particularly adamant about not wanting to go to bed just yet.

Whenever his father had been home for Sora’s bedtime, he would tell him a story before Sora went to sleep. He had always thought of his father as a great storyteller and looking back, he wished that he could have gotten to enjoy a few more of his father’s stories. The fact that he wouldn’t, seeing as his father had died when Sora was eleven, made him cherish the ones he remembered even more though.

However, there was one thing that had always cradled him to sleep – the roaring of the waves crashing at the shore.

Given that his parents’ house was built partly on stilts at the edge of the beach, he always heard it. Sometimes it was quiet, almost like white noise, but during stormy nights it was so loud that he almost couldn’t sleep.

He had been afraid of those nights as a child. He recalled a few times when the storms were going to be so bad that his parents decided to leave the house before they started, deeming it unsafe, and they spent the night at Riku’s home next to the rice fields on the hill instead. They had always been welcome there, and Sora had always been excited to have a sleepover at his best friend’s house, even under those circumstances.

He was pretty sure that the night of the storm, the night when all of this started, would have been one of those nights – if things hadn’t turned out the way they did.

Nonetheless, the sound of the waves was usually calming to Sora.

… Usually. Because this time, it didn’t work.

Sora sighed heavily. He had thought that maybe coming here would put his heart and mind at ease. It wasn’t that he was scared – or maybe he was, but it didn’t feel like immediate fear or panic. More like he was constantly on the edge, easily startled, and the strain of that was beginning to wear him out.

It had gotten so bad that his body noticed it as well. His muscles were often tense, in and outside of battle. It even felt like his insides were so tense, his stomach sometimes ached from it. He was beginning to find it hard to relax at all.

Sora hugged his legs, gripping the fabric of his pants tightly as he curled up, resting his chin on his knees. At least his hands weren’t shaking yet…

It was obvious. Muscles tensed in the face of danger, and Sora was slowly becoming a danger to his friends, whether he wanted it or not. It was only natural that the fear of himself, a fear he constantly felt, would manifest in this way sooner or later.

A tear rolled down his cheek. He didn’t want this…

“Hey,” Kairi’s distant voice from somewhere to his left said. It was loud and clear, but still gentle.

Sora turned his head away from her on instinct. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to see him like this. He wasn’t sure whether he wanted to see her at all. “Hey,” he murmured regardless of that.

Kairi came closer – only a few steps, seemingly keeping her distance a bit in case he wanted to be left alone. Sora appreciated that, but currently he didn’t really know what he wanted, or if he even wanted to see her at all. Maybe talking would help, but then again, it wasn’t like anyone could really help him…

“Donald and Goofy said you just… Disappeared,” she explained. “Everyone is worried about you. Sora, I am worried about you.”

She sighed. “That’s why I went to look for you.”

“Uh… Thanks?” He appreciated that, even though he still wasn’t sure if he wanted to see her at all.

But then Kairi decided to ask a question that Sora hadn’t known he was dreading yet. After all, he had been asked that same question a lot over the past few weeks, and he should be used to it by now.

“Sora, are you alright?”

He tried to play it off by shrugging. “I…” He didn’t want to bother her, but there was no use in lying to her – she’d pick up on it instantly. Not that Sora was a good liar anyway.

“I’m not okay.”

Kairi sighed again, and Sora couldn’t tell whether it was out of worry or relief because he finally said how he really was. “Do you want to talk about it or do you want me to leave?”

“I don’t know.” He couldn’t bring himself to look at her. “I’m sorry, Kairi. I don’t know anything anymore…”

He wished he could give her a proper answer, and not just leave her wondering. After all, she was only trying to help. If she got angry or annoyed at him then he would have understood. He had caused her, as well as his other friends, so many worries lately. Considering what he was becoming, this was by far not the end of it.

To Sora’s surprise, Kairi just walked over and sat down next to him on the sand. She didn’t touch or try to talk to him any further. Instead, she simply joined him in watching the horizon in silence.

It was late afternoon on the Destiny Islands. Soon the sun would vanish to somewhere beyond the horizon, painting the sky in glowing warm pinks and oranges and making the sea sparkle. Just like it had shortly before all of this began… Back when they had shared the paopu fruit… and when he had disappeared for the first time.

As beautiful as the sunsets on Destiny Islands were, it scared Sora that they were about to watch another one together. Every time they had done this in the past, they had ended up separated yet again shortly after. This time could be no different, considering what was probably about to happen to him… Maybe this was it. The last time he got to see her before… Whatever changed him would happen. Maybe he should have a look at her before it was too late for that.

Instead of her combat clothes, Kairi was just wearing a simple tank top, which showed off just a little bit of her belly, and some cargo shorts in a muted yet rich shade of green. No shoes either; she was barefooted. He noticed a bit of a rosy nail polish on her toenails, although it was already peeling off.

Her hair had grown to shoulder-length and it was a bit shaggy – getting a haircut wasn’t a priority while trying to save the universe once again. He supposed his own hair needed a cut as well. It was just less obvious due to its wild structure that was completely unlike the smooth texture Kairi’s hair had.

She usually wore it in a messy ponytail these days, but today her hair was hanging loose. It was uneven and untamed as the breeze tousled it even more. Sora liked that look on her. The shorter strands – her bangs had grown out over the past months – framed her face just perfectly.

… She was stunning. Beautiful. Sora found himself wishing he could just be with her like this forever. A futile wish… He found himself sighing once again.

Maybe he could at least remember her like this.

“Something on your mind?”

“Huh?”

“You’re staring at me.”

“Wha-… Oh.” He supposed he had been. “It’s just…” Did he want to tell her?

“You look really pretty today…”

She blushed at the unexpected compliment. “Thanks,” she giggled, a bit more quietly than before. She was so cute when she got flustered. “You know, you look pretty handsome yourself.”

He would have blushed too, if it wasn’t for the fact that it just wasn’t true. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better about everything,” he murmured.

“Sora, if there is anything I can do to help then please, talk to me.” She just knew him too well.

He sighed. “It’s just…” Should he really tell her? He didn’t want to bother her with this. Even though they were best friends – more than that, really – at the end of the day this was his problem, and his alone. Sora felt like he shouldn’t drag her into this, especially since he could potentially become a danger for her as well.

The feeling of Kairi’s warm hand on his left interrupted his thoughts. They had become calloused from all the fighting, much like his own, but hers remained fairly smooth regardless. He had absolutely no idea how she kept her hands that way. When her thumb started brushing across the back of his hand lightly, his fingers curled around hers by instinct.

“You don’t have to tell me what’s on your mind if you don’t want to,” Kairi whispered.

But he could tell her everything, Sora knew that. Besides, maybe she could help him… Or at least take his mind off this for a while.

“I want to remember you like this, when I eventually…”

He couldn’t even say it. But Kairi knew what he meant anyway.

“Is this about what the Master of Masters did to you?”

Sora felt a lump in his throat. He wanted to cry like a scared child at the mere mention of it, something that robbed him of his voice almost entirely. If he had tried to speak, the only sound he would have been able to make was a sob.

So he simply nodded – and sobbed anyway. It was just too much.

Kairi sighed. “Hey…” She ran her hand up his arm. “Sora, it’s going to be al-…”

“You know it won’t!”, he interrupted her. The Master of Masters, if he could even call him that anymore, might be their enemy, but he hadn’t lied to them a single time. At least, not that Sora was aware of. Every single one of his predictions had come true sooner or later, mundane or not.

“No matter what he told you,” Kairi said calmly. She kept caressing his arm, and Sora found himself leaning into her touch. Maybe he shouldn’t. After all, they probably wouldn’t get to enjoy these kinds of things for too long anymore. Better to not get used to it.

And yet, Sora couldn’t resist. He craved her touch, her warmth, and her comfort. He wanted to feel her, to be as close to her as possible.

He forced himself to pull away. He really didn’t want to get her hopes of a future spent together up. But most of all, he didn’t want to break her heart, even if it meant he didn’t get to spend the little time he had left together with her.

“Sora, there are endless possibilities as to what the future could bring. Even the Master of Masters himself said so.”

“Maybe,” Sora retorted. He couldn’t remember him ever saying such a thing – maybe he had just been absent. “But he also said this is the one that is going to happen multiple times, and every time it turned out to be true. Why should this be any different?”

Kairi surely hadn’t forgotten about the incident a few weeks prior, but she didn’t seem to care. Sora finally turned his head so she should be able to see his full face – as a reminder.

“Kairi, I’m losing myself. And I’m sorry…”

He finally felt the first tears streaking down his cheek.

Kairi said nothing. Instead, she brought both of her hands to his face, cupped his cheeks and wiped his tears away, but there were only more to come. She carefully tugged at the band around his head, and whispered very quietly: “May I?”

Sora sobbed. He knew what she meant. No one had seen him without that piece of cloth ever since… The incident, but if he was going to let anyone see him this vulnerable, it would be her.

So he nodded.

Kairi reached to the back of his head. Sora had always enjoyed when she ran her fingers through his hair almost as much as he loved messing with hers. He couldn’t remember the last time she’d done it. It must have been before all of this started, which felt like forever ago. Unfortunately, it ended far too quickly this time when she found the buckle that held the thing up, released it, and the piece of fabric that had covered part of his face for the past weeks, at least as long as he saw anyone, finally dropped.

Sora knew the scar on his face was ugly. He had to stop himself from turning away from her.

The initial wound hadn’t been healed properly. Instead, it had been cauterized with a fire spell, or at least, so Sora had been told by the Master of Masters after waking up again. He himself didn’t really remember, seeing as he had passed out from the pain. Maybe it was better that way.

Kairi’s fingertips gently grazed his right cheek. She was so careful, and Sora wanted nothing more than to lean into her touch, even though he probably should pull away, but he could do neither. He was frozen in place as Kairi moved her hand upwards across the scar on his upper cheek to where his right eye used to be.

His friends had tried to do everything they could with their healing magic after Sora had reunited with them, but seeing as the wound and the burn covering it had already been mostly healed at that point, their options had been extremely limited.

Sora sobbed again. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I know it’s ugly, you don’t have to look…”

To his surprise, Kairi closed her eyes and leaned in. Sora’s breath hitched when her lips touched the scarred skin on his cheek.

Not even the sensation was the same as it would have been before his eye had been removed. It felt like she was kissing him through a layer of fabric, and slightly prickling at the same time. Not in an unpleasant way, but it still served as another reminder that things were never going to go back to normal again.

The kiss ended, but she stayed close.

[illustration]

Sora didn’t protest when she cupped both of his cheeks with her hands, and carefully rubbed across the scar with her thumb. “Kairi…”

She put a finger on his lips. “You’re not ugly, Sora,” she said quietly, but very matter-of-factly. “Please don’t apologize. This is not your fault…”

“It kinda is,” Sora argued. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. He had to tell someone. He had to tell her.

“Kairi… He and I are the same person.”

There. It was out now.

Sora wouldn’t have blamed her if she left him here and now. Sure, it would break his heart if she did. Who would want to be with someone who caused so much pain to the worlds? She deserved better, so much better…

“Is this something he told you?”

“He didn’t have to tell me. I saw it myself.”

“Wait, does this mean you can look into the future too now, or…” Kairi tilted her head in confusion.

“He took his hood off after I woke up again, back when… It happened.” Sora didn’t want to talk about it more than he had to. He didn’t want to remember any of it, the fear and the pain. “It was like looking into a mirror.”

His hands were shaking at the memory. This had been the last thing the Master of Masters had done before he had left, telling Sora that his friends would arrive soon. The wait had been agonizing.

Kairi didn’t say anything. Maybe she was processing it, or thinking what to make of it. “Kairi, if you want to leave me, that’s okay,” he said, his voice a bit higher than he wanted it to be. “I’d understand if you don’t want to be wi-…”

“Of course I still want to be with you,” Kairi interrupted him. “Listen, Sora, just because some alternate version of you – if this isn’t a trick – is running around terrorizing the worlds doesn’t mean you and him are the same. I know you aren’t, because you’re right here in front of me, crying your heart out.”

“But I have darkness inside my heart,” Sora whispered. “Which means that…” He couldn’t finish what he was about to say. He could only sob once more. Again, Kairi deserved better – she deserved so much better than he could ever be. Even if he saved all of the worlds over and over again, he could never rid himself of that capability entirely.

“But everyone is capable of doing terrible things,” Kairi argued. “Just as everyone is capable of doing good. Even I am capable of doing bad things, heart of pure light or not.”

“I can’t imagine that,” Sora said. “You doing terrible things, I mean…”

“Just as I can’t imagine you doing evil things.”

Sora sobbed. It was so good to know that she still trusted him like this, despite what he had just told her. “But what if you’re wrong?”

“Then I’d have been wrong about you.” She smiled. “I may be a princess of heart, Sora, but I’m still human. I can be mistaken. Every single one of us can.”

Maybe even the Master of Masters could… But he had been right about everything in the past, and he had never lied to them. “What if he isn’t human, Kairi?”

“You mean the Master of Masters?”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I mean, it’s possible, but if he isn’t human, then I’m not sure what to do about him to be honest.”

Neither did Sora. Xehanort had been a pain to deal with, but at least they had always known that they were facing a human being, albeit in various different forms. But with the Master of Masters… Sora had assumed he was human up until now, but what if he wasn’t? The possibility of that frightened him, and he wasn’t even sure what he should be most afraid of about this guy anymore.

“Don’t leave me.”

Sora sobbed. “Kairi, I don’t want to be alone…” Not now. Not again. Never again. “Please don’t leave me alone!”

He felt safer with her by his side, safer and stronger. Aside from that, her presence distracted him from all the thoughts and fears that were rushing through his mind at that moment. He needed a break.

“Don’t worry,” Kairi said, and her voice was sweet and warm. “I’ll stay as long as you want me to.”

“Thank you!”

She wrapped her arms around him, pulled him closer, and Sora rested his head on her shoulder. He was still crying, but somehow, he felt better still. He was glad he had finally told someone, and that it had been her.

He sighed when she leaned her head on his, and they continued to watch the horizon in silence, listening to the calming sound of the waves.

[vengeverse]

210917  |  Kairi ♥︎ Sora  |  Kingdom Hearts

Autumn Memories  ♥︎  Happy Sokai Day!

[aquafolia]

Sokai Day Fic 1: True Love’s Kiss(es)

So yes, I am a Classics/ancient history blog, and this is obviously super different from the content I normally post on this blog. Please forgive me, but I’ve recently become OBSESSED with Kingdom Hearts and I have nowhere else to post this stuff at the moment. So please forgive me, normal content will resume soon!

Anyway, as I said I just started playing the KH games for the first time this summer and it’s been so much fun. And seeing all the amazing stories and artwork in this fandom has inspired me to write some stuff too. Anyway, I’m Holly, and I hope y’all enjoy :)

--------------------------

True Love’s Kiss(es)

‘Ugh!’ Kairi groaned, unceremoniously setting down the basket she held in her hands. ‘I forgot that when you pick apples, you have to actually carry them all back, too!’

‘Your basket’s not even half full, Kairi,’ Sora remarked, ‘and we’ve only just started!’

She grinned. ‘Well then, it’s a good thing I have a strong, manly boyfriend to help me carry all of these.’

He could hardly argue with that. Sora feigned displeasure by rolling his eyes and letting out a dramatic groan, which made Kairi giggle. But then he walked over to her, grabbing one of the basket’s handles as she grabbed the other, and the pair made their way deeper down the rows of apple trees. They could hear the distant shouts and laughs of their friends echoing through the orchard as they went. Apparently, Twilight Town– a world basically in perpetual autumn–  was known for its fall festivities, including its legendary apple orchards. Once they’d visited the orchards, the gang hoped Remi would help them make apple pies, apple cider, and all sorts of goodies during their visit. To that end, the group had decided to break up into teams in order to pick as many apples as they could carry. Today, Sora and Kairi were paired up. But Sora knew that if they only returned with a measly half basket of apples, the others would surely tease them, accuse them of slacking off.

They wouldn’t be totally wrong, Sora thought with a grin. Sure, Kairi was determined to focus on their task: she was deep in concentration, examining each apple carefully before deciding to place it in her basket. Sora, on the other hand, was much more determined to get Kairi off task. It wasn’t that Sora didn’t want to help out, but this was an opportunity for him and Kairi to spend some time alone– that was a temptation greater than any fruit, in Sora’s world.

Kairi set her sights on a shiny red apple that hung high on a nearby tree. She stood up on her tiptoes, making adorable little noises as she tried to grab it. Sora was staring intently, but not at the apple: Kairi’s form was stretched out in front of him as she reached high over her head, accentuating her curves, and Sora was mesmerized. It was only when she said his name that he snapped out of his trance: ‘Sora,’ she called out, not taking her eyes off the fruit, ‘would you come over and help me with this one? You should be able to–’

Kairi shrieked as Sora, having silently moved behind her, wrapped his arms around her legs and hoisted her up onto his shoulder.

‘Tall enough now?’ he asked casually.

Her surprised squeak was the only reply Kairi could muster. Once she’d successfully picked the apple, Sora released her hips. He held her by the waist as her body slid down his until she landed gently on the ground. Even in the autumn chill, Sora could feel his cheeks burning.

Having regained some of her composure, with a giggle, Kairi said, ‘Guess we make a pretty good team, huh?’ before she turned to the next tree. Sora tried to hide it by replying with a level ‘Absolutely,’ but inside, he was beaming: watching the effect he had on Kairi just never got old for him– but given how hard he had to try to appear cool and unfazed, it wasn’t like he was much better than she was.

Now that he’d had his fun, Sora walked up next to Kairi to help out. The pair picked apples side by side, happily chatting and admiring each other's finds, and over time, their basket filled with bright red apples. While they worked, something about the orchard nagged at Sora’s mind, but he couldn't place it. As he studied a large, blood-red apple in his hands, it finally clicked.

‘All these apples remind me of Snow White,’ Sora remarked. ‘Aqua told me how Snow White’s evil stepmother tried to kill her by getting her to eat a poisoned apple. The dwarves thought she was dead, so they placed her in a beautiful glass casket,’ Sora recalled, his eyes still fixed on the apple. He found himself absentmindedly tracing the spot on his chest where a scar marred the skin over his heart: the permanent reminder of his sacrifice for Kairi– well, his first one, anyway.

‘But she wasn’t dead,’ Sora continued, thought bleeding into memory. ‘She was asleep, and she couldn’t wake up…’

‘Until her true love saved her.’

That broke Sora out of his reverie. He looked up to find Kairi already gazing at him, her eyes soft and sincere. Sora replied, ‘Yeah… Reminds me of another princess I know.’

Did she really mean…?  They’d talked about their first adventure numerous times before, but she’d never said it like that.

‘I would have killed for a nice bed to sleep on,’ she continued. ‘You and Riku took me on quite a journey– napping peacefully in a meadow sounds pretty good to me,’ Kairi said with a grin.

A breeze drifted through the orchard, rustling the leaves over their heads. ‘I remember your dad telling us all those old fairy tales when we were kids,’ Sora said. ‘After all the adventures we’ve had… it’s strange to think we sort of became one ourselves.’

‘They’re not always as fun to live as they are to hear…’ Kairi remarked, almost to herself, ‘when you don’t know if there’ll be a happy ending after all.’ Her eyes grew distant, drifting aimlessly down the row of apple trees.  ‘I… I still remember waking up at Hollow Bastion, seeing that Keyblade in your chest… And then how you–’ she started, but then faltered, unable to bring herself to say what came next.

Sora gently placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. She still seemed lost in thought, not meeting his eyes. ‘I know what you mean. But we did get one, didn’t we, Kairi? It took a while, and we’ve had to find each other again and again, but now you’re here. And thanks to you, I’m here. We’re finally together, and nothing is ever going to change that. That’s the best ‘happily ever after’ I could have wished for.’

The pair were alone, the trees standing sentry around them, but his voice grew softer all the same: these words were just for her. ‘All that doesn’t really matter anymore,’ Sora continued. ‘What I mean is… what matters is that we’re here now. That means it was all worth it.’ He took her hand, interlacing their fingers. ‘Back at Hollow Bastion, when I saw your eyes open just before mine closed, when I knew your heart was safe… it was worth it, Kairi.’

She finally looked up at him. Sora hoped his eyes conveyed the sincerity of his words: It had all been for her– and it had all been worth it, every moment. Every time Sora got to see her sweet smile, got to hear her lovely laugh, it was worth it. And now, he wasn’t just connected to her across the worlds by promises and oaths– if he wanted to find Kairi, all Sora had to do was reach for her hand. How was that not a dream come true?

A small smile forming on her lips, Kairi gave him a look of such love and gratitude that Sora knew she felt the same. ‘It just makes our time together now even more precious to me,’ she finally said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. ‘I’m never going to take this for granted.’

Sora decided then to gather her into his arms and bring her close, her head resting in the crook of his neck, his cheek on her soft hair. ‘You know,’ he started after a pause, ‘I have to admit, when I heard Snow White’s story, I got a bit jealous.’

Kairi pulled back just enough to shoot him a quizzical look. ‘Jealous?’

‘Yeah, of Prince Florian. All he had to do to wake up Snow White and save the day was kiss her– pretty nice deal, if you ask me,’ Sora explained. Kairi smiled, but her eyes were still a bit sad. So he continued, a grin spreading across his face, ‘Don’t know why I didn’t think to try that first…’

‘Oh, Sora!’ Kairi giggled, giving Sora a playful smack on his arm, her face brighter. ‘What, does that mean you thought about kissing Ven at some point, too?’ she countered.

‘I was getting so desperate to find the Power of Waking, I just might have!’ Sora replied, and they both laughed again. Keeping one arm around Kairi, he took a bite from the apple still in his hand. It was crisp and fresh, and amazingly sweet– it was just right, like everything else in this moment.

Suddenly, with a smirk on her face, Kairi plucked the half-eaten apple from Sora’s hand. She lifted the fruit to her lips, holding Sora’s gaze as she took a large bite next to where he’d just bitten, a small drop of juice running down her chin as she chewed. All Sora could do was watch her, hopelessly mesmerized. It was bold, yet playful– Kairi to a T. Before Sora’s brain could fully resume normal functioning, Kairi said, feigning innocence, ‘What? Isn’t sharing fruit kind of our thing? It’s no paopu fruit, but still…’

Staring into her eyes, the radiant sunset bathing them in soft, warm light, Sora grew bold himself: They’d spent so long in silence, so long apart, why waste any time? He’d fought so hard to find her, to come back to her, over and over again. She was right here– if he wanted to kiss her, what on earth was there to consider? Sora reached a hand forward to cup her cheek, wiping the juice from the corner of her lip with his thumb. Kairi let the gentle pull of his thumb part her lips. ‘It is pretty good,’ Sora said, ‘but… you definitely taste better.’ And with that, he lowered his head and kissed her. He heard the sound of the apple landing on the ground, utterly forgotten, as Kairi’s arms wound around his neck.

And Sora had to admit, kissing Kairi felt pretty magical– Maybe those fairytales were onto something after all.

But of course, the distant sound of Aqua, Ven, and Riku calling out in search of them forced the pair to break their kiss, albeit begrudgingly. Sora expected Kairi to step away, pick up her basket, maybe call out to their friends– but she didn’t. She stayed as she was in Sora’s arms, one hand resting on his shirt, over the scar. Sora could feel his heartbeat racing under her touch. When she looked up at him again, something in her eyes was different. Still happy, but mixed with something else– not just happiness, but a determination to be so.

‘This is a pretty large orchard,’ Kairi remarked, her eyes bright. ‘Our friends probably won’t find us for a little while longer…’

‘We’d better not make them wait too long, or Axel will use his chakrams to–’

Kairi grabbed Sora’s hoodie with both hands and pulled him back down to her lips. For a moment, Sora stood frozen, eyes wide with shock. But as she melted into him, his eyes fluttered closed and he wound his arms around her, each kiss between them less ‘Fairy Godmother Friendly’ than the last. Traditionally, in all those fairytales, the heroes only ever got one ‘True Love’s Kiss.’ Sora considered himself the luckiest prince of all time– he had a never ending supply.

Twilight Town was always just that– hanging in perpetual dusk. So Sora really didn’t know how long he and Kairi spent like that, lost in laughter and kisses and caresses beneath the trees. But once their friends’ voices grew dangerously close, Sora and Kairi managed to untangle themselves, wiping swollen lips, readjusting ruffled clothing, and fixing disheveled hair (not that Sora’s hair had been tidy in the first place– and Kairi burst out laughing when she realized her attempts to smooth it didn’t do much good, either). As Kairi called out to their friends, Sora picked up her basket, now full of delicious looking apples, and the pair began to head back toward the orchard entrance. They probably hadn’t gathered the most apples– and he was sure their friends would point that fact out–  but Sora didn’t care one bit. He wouldn’t have traded this day for anything.

‘Hey Kairi?’ Sora said as they walked, ‘For the record, if I’m ever in a fruit induced coma– or any other kind of coma, really– feel free to make out with me, in order to revive me. Thought I should say so, you know, just in case.’

‘Oh, really?’ She teased back. ‘I’ll make sure to tell Donald– you always complain he never uses Curaga when you need it.’

‘What? No! Ew, gross!’ Sora blanched as Kairi dissolved into laughter. But when his eyes found hers again, he couldn’t help but smile.

As her giggles died out, she replied, 'Okay, I’ll remember that… But that doesn’t mean you can go throw yourself into danger so I’ll kiss you better!’

‘I can’t help it– when you kiss me, I feel like I can do anything,’ Sora answered simply. Kairi’s eyes widened at his remark, and she ducked her head as her cheeks bloomed pink. Sora beamed. He may have been laying it on her thick, but Sora wasn’t lying: He had true love on his side– the most powerful magic of all.

-----

[hollypollly]

Sokai Day 2020 : Confessions

"That's a pretty big paopu fruit, isn't it ? "

[nitokii]

Sora pre-ordered 100 of those kairi plushies Happy sokai day!

[droodlekey]

Happy Sokai Day fellas!

I didn't have time to do it digitally and this idea was for Day 7 too but I'm happy to share it!

[sokaievents]

SoKai Day 2022

SoKai Day is September 17, 2022, and the theme is Sora and Kairi's wedding! 💍 🔔 A big thank you to @thebestfemale​ for the beautiful promo art ❤️

ソラカイの日は2022年9月17日です！テーマはソラとカイリの結婚式です 💍 🔔

[cypjj]

Just a small sketch for this year's sokai day 🍁☺️🍂

Twitter: [X]

[dusky-dancing]

I have nothing new for Sokai Day, so here’s a master post of every Sokai fic I’ve ever written

All are SFW and rated T at the most. While putting this together, it’s been interesting to see how my SoKai writing has evolved since KH3 happened. Here’s to hoping this list keeps growing!

A Tale of Two Redheads (FFNet | AO3): Long fic, still ongoing. Kairi-centric alternate KH3 imagining. Features Lea & Kairi friendship, and lots of Sokai pining.

Symbols: One-shot. Insp. by @phoenix-downer‘s analysis of Destiny’s Embrace. In which Sora pieces together the symbolism of Kairi’s Keyblade.

Formal: One-shot. Shameless self-indulgence Sokai fluff that I needed pre-KH3. Sora and Kairi have a heartfelt reunion during a formal ball.

Strong With You: Sokai week 2019 day 1 (Theme: favorite quote).

Downtime: Sokai week 2019 day 2 (Theme: perfect date).

What’s Not Spoken: Sokai week 2019 day 3 (Theme: gummiphone/letter)

Roller Coaster Ride: Sokai week 2019 day 4 (Theme: AU day). Surfing AU

Restless: Sokai week 2019 day 5 (Theme: nightmares & daydreams)

All I Wanted: Sokai week 2019 day 6 (Theme: separation/sacrifice)

Promises: Sokai week 2019 day 7 (Theme: reunion/home)

Sky and Sea: One-shot. Shows Kairi’s PoV while Sora is piecing himself together and regathering the Guardians’ hearts in the Final World.

Where it Hurts (FFNet | AO3): One-shot. Created for the tumblr writing prompt, “A Kiss Where it Hurts” from @phoenix-downer.

Gift of a Heartbeat (FFNet | AO3): Short fic created for Sora’s birthday. Sora learns the meaning behind Aqua’s enchantment on Kairi’s necklace, and wants to add onto that promise.

The Prince and the Pirate (FFNet | AO3): 7-chapter piece for SoKai Week 2020. Pirate AU with a bit of a role-reversal and slightly different magic system.

[phoenix-downer]

Paopu Vows

1055 words. Sora/Kairi. Post-Canon. Sora POV. Romance, Fluff, Sappiness. For SoKai Day 2022: Island Wedding.

Summary: Sora whisks Kairi away from their wedding reception and takes her to the Play Island for a private ceremony, just the two of them. 

Warning: the level of fluff and sappiness might cause toothaches because there’s no way Sora wouldn’t be a complete sap on his wedding day.

The sun sank low over the horizon, setting the beach of the Main Island afire with golden light. The sky and sea met in perfect harmony, blending together to the point Sora couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. Like the whole world was celebrating how he and Kairi were married now.

Married. Really, truly married. He’d thought this day would never come. They’d been through so much, too much, and yet this was real. She was real. The rings on their fingers were real. The vows they’d exchanged in front of all their family and friends were real. 

“So, would my husband like to tell me why he stole me away from our wedding reception?” Kairi asked, a playful smile tugging at her lips. 

Sora glanced at her and returned the smile, his heart fluttering at the title only she could ever call him. Only she would ever call him. A word with so much history, used by so many people stretching back, back, back in time to when marriage was first invented, when a word was needed for this role he’d just assumed. A role he took seriously, a role he was determined to see through “till death do us part” and beyond. To protect her, cherish her, love her, provide for her. Be there for her through thick and thin, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health.

A role he wanted to fulfill with all his heart: that of Kairi’s husband, just as she was his wife. 

“So we could have a private ceremony of our own,” he explained as he led her to the docks. “Away from all the crowds, just the two of us.” 

“You are such a romantic sap,” she teased, her eyes sparkling. “One ceremony wasn’t enough?”

“Nope, and while I might be a romantic sap, I’m your romantic sap,” he said proudly. 

“That’s right,” she said, her eyes softening, “and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed. “I still can’t believe this is real, you know? That we’re finally married. That I’m your wife.” 

“My wife,” he echoed, the tenderness in his voice betraying how much that title meant to him too. To be able to call Kairi that, to be the only one in the worlds who could, and all because she wanted this, wanted him—

It made his head spin and his heart slam against the walls of his chest, over and over again, pounding out a joyful rhythm. 

He helped her into his boat and then grabbed the oars. He was in his reception tux, sure, but that didn’t really matter. Rowing was a lot easier than if he’d been wearing his wedding attire, a black haori that was like an overcoat with his family’s crown crest on it plus the traditional hakama to accompany it. 

Kairi likewise was decked out in her second outfit of the day, a radiant blue dress that made her look like the sea she was named for. For the wedding ceremony she’d worn an iro-uchikake, a colorful red and orange wedding kimono with special embroidered flower designs in gold silk, but for the reception she’d changed into this gorgeous evening gown that shimmered with every move she made. Her hair hung loose as the evening breeze teased it, and he just stared at her, mesmerized, as he rowed them to the Play Island.

“What?” she said softly. 

“You’re beautiful.” 

A flush of color dusted her cheeks. “Thank you.” She rested her hand on her cheek and sighed.

“What is it?” 

“You’re very handsome,” she replied, and he smiled, a big, lovesick smile that he could show her freely now that they were alone, now that they’d stolen away on this rickety little boat to have a moment to themselves. 

Once they landed on the shores of the Play Island, the stars began to come out. Twinkling in the sky like brilliant diamonds, each one a world with people and stories and histories, laughter and tears and joys. Much like Destiny Islands had its own stories, including his story and Kairi’s story and their shared story which hit such a big milestone today but had begun so long ago. 

Would people tell their story? Would they share it with their children and their children’s children till it became a legend like the legends he and Kairi had grown up hearing on Destiny Islands? All those stories contained some element of truth. Based on the lives of real people, only the specifics had been lost to time and the gaps filled in with fantastical details.

If their story was passed on like that, the truth of their love would prevail, he was sure of it. How they’d endured so much to be together but how love had conquered all in the end. And as he led Kairi to the paopu tree, he knew it was all worth it. Being with her was worth it. All the blood and sweat and tears, all the pain and suffering and separations. All of that faded away in light of her radiance. Her love for him and his love for her brought out their truest selves and drove them to be the best they could be, and that was why he wanted to seal their vows one more time. 

“Here,” he said once they were seated on the paopu tree, handing her the yellow star-shaped fruit. Casual and sudden because she’d handed him the paopu so casually and suddenly all those years ago. Playful and perfectly serious at the same time. 

He took his piece and said, “With this fruit I offer you my heart. My love, my light, may we never be apart.”

She smiled and repeated the vow. “With this fruit I offer you my heart. My love, my light, may we never be apart.” 

They fed each other the fruit to fulfill the vow, to marry the spiritual to the physical, the intangible to the tangible. There were no witnesses but the stars above, no noises save the waves crashing against the shore. Just the two of them enjoying the moment together as husband and wife. 

And as Kairi smiled at him and he smiled at her, Sora couldn’t think of a better way to start their marriage.

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A/N: Happy SoKai Day! It’s been a while since I’ve written something this fluffy, but it was really nice, you know? Like treating myself to some cotton candy.

I based the descriptions of Sora and Kairi's wedding attire on thebeestfemale's beautiful promo art for the event. Please check out her other work as well!

I hope you enjoyed, and thank you for reading!