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phoenix-downer · 1 year

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Where I Belong Chapter 5

Where I Belong: ~2430 words. Kairi wanders Quadratum searching for Sora.

Story Info: Sora/Kairi. Starts during the end of KH3/during ReMind and moves into KH4. Kairi POV. Angst, Romance, Fluff.

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Kairi’s eyes fluttered open. Hazy street lights slowly came into focus, and her cheek was squished against a cold slab of concrete. Drip, drip, drip, came a light, misty rain plopping into a nearby puddle. Groaning, she sat up. The last thing she remembered was grasping a clump of earth on the shores of the Styx. But she wasn’t on a riverbank. She was lying on a city street. It was night, but the rain plus the lights from the city so overpowered the stars that she couldn’t see them twinkling in the sky.

Was this Quadratum? Had she really made it? Horns blared nearby, and she scrambled to her feet. She was on a giant crosswalk, standing on top of brilliant white reflective paint telling her to get off the road already. She followed its advice, running towards the nearest sidewalk as fast as her legs could carry her.

Once she was safely across, she took stock of her surroundings. A big, towering building with a neon red 104 sign blinked at her from across the way. 104, huh? Four was the number of death. Four was in the name of Quadratum. This place had to be it. It had to be.

But where was Sora? Frowning, she fiddled with her necklace. She’d been so focused on getting here that she hadn’t put much thought into what she’d do once she actually made it. Find Sora, of course, but how? The city was huge.

Closing her eyes, she focused on her heartbeat and forced her breathing to be even. In, out, in, out. A calm body led to a calm heart, a calm mind.

Opening her eyes again, she felt the urge to just…walk. She wasn’t sure where she was going, but each time she reached a new street or alleyway, she somehow knew where to turn. She passed cute cafes and colorful restaurants, quiet office buildings and raucous karaoke venues and music stores playing multiple tracks at once. And on every corner there was a vending machine or a convenience store or something that drew her eye. Weaving through the streets of Quadratum was like navigating a forest of tall buildings, and even at this time of night there were plenty of people around.

The minutes ticked by and turned into half an hour, then an hour, and still she kept walking. Her feet were getting tired, but if she could just find Sora, everything would be okay. She had no money from this reality to buy a bus ticket or subway ticket with; all she could do was walk.

After another hour had passed, she reached the outskirts of this big green area called Ueno Park according to the signs she found. She’d stumbled upon Shinobazu Pond, a large pond split into several sections with an island in the middle. On the island was a temple called Bentendō, and Kairi admired it for a little while before continuing her search. Even with the city lights all around the park and the light within the park, it was still a little eerie walking around by herself. On a whim she summoned her Keyblade to make sure she still could. Every now and then she saw other people, and while everyone so far had left her alone, she wanted to be ready to defend herself, just in case.

Further exploration of the park revealed a shrine, a zoo, and multiple museums, all of which were currently closed. She wondered about the history of this place, about what she might find if she wandered inside the buildings. An entire reality’s worth of knowledge and information. What would the people here think of someone like her? Would they believe she was from not just a different world, but a different reality?

She searched as much of the park as she could for Sora. When at last her feet were so tired she couldn’t walk anymore, she collapsed on the edge of a big, beautiful fountain across from the Quadratum National Museum. It reminded her of the fountain she’d sat at with Sora at Herc and Meg’s villa. The shape was even similar, a long rectangle with half circles coming off the sides. But Sora was nowhere to be found.

Where was he? Quadratum was so huge that she could spend years searching it and never find him. She was exhausted and hungry and cold. Streaks of gray stretched across the horizon; she’d been searching all night for him. A few tears dripped down her cheeks and splashed into the waters of the fountain. What good was coming here if she couldn’t even find him?

He wasn’t gone for good. She knew he wasn’t. And yet he wasn’t here. He wasn’t coming for her. But a part of her wanted him to.

She wiped her eyes. Stupid, selfish. She was supposed to find him. That was the whole point of her journey, wasn’t it? It was the least she could do after all he’d done for her. And she would find him, she just needed a good cry. If she could get it all out of her system, she’d be fine.

She wasn’t fine. The tears just kept coming and coming.

“Hey, are you alright?” came a voice from behind her. It was deep and low and surprisingly gentle.

Embarrassed, she ducked her head and hurriedly wiped her eyes. “Oh, um, I’m fine.” She was making such a scene that even a random stranger had noticed. She supposed she should be nervous about an unknown man speaking to her, but she wasn’t.

Maybe her exhaustion meant she was lowering her guard.

“You’re crying,” the young man said, and he sounded very sorry that she was. She lifted her eyes to get a better idea of who she was talking to. It was a little less dark outside, but her interlocutor wore a hood over his head, and his face was covered in shadow.

“Who are you?” she asked, more curious than sad now. Who was this guy, and why was he hiding his face from her?

“I heard you crying,” was his answer, “and I knew I had to come.” His voice cracked on the words like her tears had broken his heart.

She frowned and tilted her head. “Huh?” She was so tired that her mind was a complete muddle. This guy’s concern was touching, but why was he so worried about her, they didn’t even know each other. None of this made sense and all she wanted to do was sleep—

“Kairi.”

Her heart jumped into her throat and got stuck there, making it hard to breathe. This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be. Sora’s voice was so dear and wonderful and perfect, and she’d missed it so, so much. She was only imagining this stranger was Sora, she was mixing them up, Sora’s voice didn’t sound like this—

He lifted his hood, revealing his face at last. “Kairi, it’s me.”

His clothes were different, his hair was different, his face even looked slightly different and his voice definitely sounded different. But none of that mattered. His big blue eyes would always give him away, and all these changes meant he wasn’t dead. He was alive.

She raced towards him and threw herself into his outstretched arms, crying out his name. He wrapped his arms around her and held her so tightly that she could hardly breathe. His entire body trembled as they embraced, and Kairi memorized everything about this moment—his warmth, his scent, his touch. Every inch of her was affected by his presence, like she’d stepped out of a storybook and into the real world at long last.

For being dead, she’d never felt so alive. Night was over and the day had dawned, revealing Sora to her like she was Psyche seeing Eros for the first time.

“You came for me.” Sora’s words were a whisper, a plea, a prayer he could hardly voice. Like he couldn’t believe she was really here.

“Of course I did,” she said. She pulled away a little to look him in the eye. How dear he was to her. Older and sadder and wiser, but still her Sora. Still kind and brave and good, still fighting for what was right, still trying to protect people, to save them.

“You didn’t have to,” he said. “You could’ve stayed safe at home.”

She cupped his cheek and watched him melt into her touch. Like he was a starving man and she’d just offered him a feast. “But then I’d have to be apart from the person I love most, and that life would be empty.”

She expected to see his beautiful Sora smile. For his face to light up with joy and a delighted response to burst forth from his mouth. But instead he burst into tears, a torrent of emotion pouring out of him like a waterfall as she watched, stunned. Like he hadn’t cried at all from the moment they were separated until now. His legs gave out, and he crumpled to the pavement at her feet. His broken weeping echoed across the entire area, and her heart swelled with compassion.

“Oh Sora, did you really think I’d abandon you to fate, to death?” she asked, gently stroking his hair. It was so soft and silky between her fingers. His entire body was wracked with sobs, and she wondered how much he’d had to hold in until now. How much pain and suffering he’d absorbed and carried like a human vessel until he couldn’t bear it anymore.

“I’m here, it’s okay,” she murmured soothingly. He looked up at her through his tears, his big beautiful eyes filled with gratitude. She smiled tenderly at him, and he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her stomach. A hot blush crept up her cheeks—he’d been bold before they’d parted, but never quite this bold before. But it wasn’t a bad change, not at all. She kept stroking his hair as he comforted himself with her presence, the only salve that could soothe his malaise.

“Kairi,” he said, and hearing him say her name with all the tenderness and love in his heart was such a gift. His tears came from a heart so overwhelmed by her devotion that it couldn’t bear her love. And yet he was bearing it, bearing it and basking in it and taking comfort in it.

You are loved. You are so, so loved, and I hope you know you’re not just worth dying for. You’re worth living for, too.

She bit her lip. Should she say that out loud, or would it be too much? She didn’t want to overwhelm him any more than she already had or overdo it.

But then she thought of how precious every moment with him was. How she regretted not telling him more of what was on her heart before he was gone. How she wished they’d kissed.

“I understand now, why you would sacrifice yourself for me,” she said softly, and he looked up at her, his red-rimmed eyes searching hers. “And I would do the same for you, again and again. But you’re not just worth dying for. You’re worth living for, too.” She smiled, her heart so full of affection that she thought it would burst. “I love you, Sora, and when I’m with you, I know I’m where I belong.”

She watched as her words washed over him, as he was engulfed by the depths of their reality. They overwhelmed him all over again, and he wept and wept and wept. All she could do was console him as best she could. There was a remedy for loneliness and sorrow, but how could she possibly hope to comfort someone so wounded by love’s arrows?

When at last he’d calmed down, he wiped his eyes and struggled to his feet with shaking legs. Then he pulled her into another hug so tight she thought he’d never let go. His embrace was strong and firm, like he was strong with her, like she was sharing her strength with him.

“Thank you, Kairi,” he said, his voice low but steady. Confident in her love and her support. He was so selfless and caring that sometimes it was like he forgot he mattered, like he needed to be told his life was valuable too. That he was worth more than just what he could do for other people. And who better to tell him that than the person who loved him with all her heart?

At last they parted, and he had a beautiful smile on his face. There was her radiant Sora smile, and she shared in his joy and returned his delight. His eyes flickered to her lips and then met her eyes again, and she felt her blush return with a vengeance. Was he really gonna go for it this time?

Oh yes, yes he was. He cupped her cheek, and her breath caught in her throat as her heart thundered in her chest. He was gonna do it, he was really gonna do it. He parted his lips and tilted his head, and her eyes fluttered shut. She waited a few deliciously agonizing seconds, then felt his lips meet hers in a tender kiss. They were both a little hesitant, a little unsure at first, but a second kiss and then a third boosted their confidence and emboldened them to explore uncharted territory together.

This was real, opening her eyes to a new realm, awakening her to a world bursting with color and sensuality when before she’d been living a black and white existence. And Sora was at the center of it all, guiding her even as she guided him, bringing life and color as she brought light and warmth. All those days and weeks and months without him were only a bad dream. She’d been cast into a deep Sleep but was awake now, revived by his life-giving kiss.

When at last they parted, he gave her a contented smile. “Thank you, Kairi,” he said again, his voice playful, his eyes dancing with joy.

She grinned and squeezed his hand. “You’re welcome, Sora.”

She wasn’t sure yet how they’d get home. She wasn’t sure yet when they’d get home. But being with Sora was worth it. It was more than worth it. When she was with him, she was where she belonged. And together they’d figure out a way to cross the River Styx, to traverse realms, to jump realities, until they made it home.

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A/N: A big thank you to everyone who’s liked, reblogged, and commented on this story! I really appreciate it ❤️

I’ve written a few stories about Sora and Kairi reuniting, and so far they’ve been set in Shibuya each time. So I wanted to do something different and went with Ueno Park. It’s just this beautiful green space in Tokyo with lots of cool things to do. The fountain where Sora and Kairi reunite is real, and it’s in this big open space across from Tokyo National Museum lined by trees on either side. By a happy coincidence it really does have the same shape as the fountain where Herc and Meg sit in the Hercules movie and where Sora and Kairi sat for their conversation back in Chapter 2.

Also, the water/tears symbolism in the KH3 opening and secret ending made me want to feature water and tears as a key element of their reunion. I also just like the simplicity of it all, instead of this big epic mid-battle reunion, Sora finds Kairi quietly crying by a fountain because he knew she was grieving.

I also googled how long it would take to walk from the Scramble Crossing in Shibuya to Ueno Park to make sure those details were correct, and realistically Kairi could spend a good chunk of the night walking from Shibuya to Ueno Park and then walking all around Ueno Park. I also just really liked the idea of her searching for him a la Psyche wandering the earth searching for Eros.

Kairi not recognizing Sora at first was something that came to me as I was writing. For two of the stories I’ve written about their reunion, he’s lost his memories and thus doesn’t recognize her, and then for one of the stories they both have their memories fully intact and are reunited mid-battle. So I wanted to mix things up a little. And then I wondered why Kairi might not recognize him at first and came up with a few possible reasons: exhaustion, not expecting to find him here, he’s changed, his face is hidden from her initially, etc. I also wanted those Eros and Psyche vibes with Kairi not seeing Sora’s face at first. Earlier in the story he relates to Eros hiding his face/appearance from Psyche because he wants Kairi to love him for him and not because he’s a popular beloved hero etc., so I wondered if he wouldn’t approach Kairi disguised to see if she still knows it’s him despite how much he’s changed. Her recognizing him when he says her name is a trope I am always a huge sucker for so I loved including it here.

Also, Aquafolia requested one or both of them falling to their knees in relief, and for this story it just felt right for it to be Sora. I kept thinking about how he’s had to be so strong this whole time and has been thrown into fight after fight, not really getting the chance to grieve, and so seeing Kairi again? I think it’s very possible all the feelings he’s had to hold back for so long would finally come out all at once. And then Aquafolia also suggested Kairi echo the line, “I’d have to be apart from the person I love most, and that life would be empty” to Sora.

And then the kiss at the end of the chapter. In the Hercules movie, Herc and Meg are interrupted twice before the third time’s the charm and they get to kiss, so I wanted to make a shoutout to that with this story (Pegasus interrupting Sora and Kairi in Chapter 1, the two of them wanting to kiss in Chapter 3 but running out of time, and now, finally, in Chapter 5 they get to kiss). And then they kiss three times because I always enjoy a good Chikai/Oath reference.

I also couldn’t resist more Eros and Psyche references with Sora awakening Kairi with a kiss. I wanted to show it was perhaps not a literal waking from sleep, but the two of them awakening to all these new experiences. And with the interiority here from Kairi, I was inspired by Kate Bush’s song “The Sensual World,” especially the lyrics “Stepping out of the page into the sensual world” (which Kate Bush wrote as if the character Molly Bloom from Ulysses were stepping into the real world) because Quadratum being this different reality is so interesting to me. How would it feel for Sora and Kairi to experience a more realistic reality after living in a fairy tale/fictional reality? To go from being these characters in a video game story to living in the real world. And then there’s another, double meaning there, that once Kairi is reunited with Sora, she feels like she’s living in a realer, fuller world. Everything becomes more vivid, and she appreciates how rich and alive the world around her is.

(I realized I didn’t note this earlier, but Chapter 3 was inspired by another Kate Bush song, “The Fog,” from the same album. I love the lyrics, “But I can’t let you go / if I let you go / you slip into the fog,” I feel like that really captures Kairi’s mental state after KH3. I wanted to contrast that foggy state of mind to how vivid everything feels for her when she's reunited with Sora).

Then that brings us to the title of the chapter and the story—Kairi telling Sora that when she’s with him she’s where she belongs to echo Hercules telling Meg the same thing at the end of the movie.

Congrats if you’ve read to this point lol, I just had a lot of thoughts and feelings about this chapter and this story, and I hope you enjoyed it and enjoyed reading about some of the background that went into writing it. Thank you to Aquafolia for providing the prompt, and a big thank you again to Liv for proofreading the story for me and giving feedback ❤️ And thank you all for reading!

#kingdom hearts #sokai #sora #kairi #sora x kairi #sora/kairi #phoenix writes #phoenix-downer #kh fanfiction #sokai fanfiction #sorakai #quadratum #sorakairi #long post #where i belong #chapter 5

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phoenix-downer · 1 year

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With A Smile Chapter 1

~2235 words. Sora/Kairi. Starts during the end of KH3 and moves into KH4. Sora POV. Angst, Romance, Fluff.

This story is dedicated to @tamtam88, and the art is by her as well! Thank you again for drawing such a beautiful piece and providing such wonderful inspiration 🥺 ❤️

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Summary: Sora and Kairi make their final stop on their world tour: home. Before he disappears, he gives her a special gift to remember him by, a paopu hair clip with a deeper connection to his memories than either of them realize.

Sora had taken Kairi to lots of worlds. All the things he wanted to see and do with her, all the experiences he wanted to share before he was gone. But he couldn’t delay the inevitable forever, and so at long last he took her to the one place he both loved and dreaded. He sensed Destiny Islands before he saw it: the sea-salt lingering in the air, the hot tropical sun beating down on his skin, the crash of the surf nearby.

“Oh, we’re home,” Kairi noted as they fully materialized, a tinge of sadness in her voice. She glanced at their surroundings. They were on the Main Island a little ways away from the Town Square, hidden behind a few scraggly bushes. The din of the yearly Ocean Festival drifted to their ears, and the smells of fried festival food, sweet candied fruit, and slow-cooked fish wafted towards them.

She released his hand and wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Does this mean…?”

He fumbled with the zipper on his jacket. “Yeah. I don’t know how much longer I have. But I promise I’ll make it through the festival and then to the Play Island. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

He was fighting fate every second just to stay a little bit longer. To remain just a little further into the future. And while he was fighting a losing battle, he still felt like he’d won. Being with Kairi was his personal triumph, his “reward” as Xigbar had so crudely put it.

Kairi wasn’t a reward, she was his most beloved person. And being with her? No reward could possibly compare. So fate would just have to wait a little longer until he was ready to say goodbye.

He looked at her and knew he never would be.

A few moments passed like this until at last she met his gaze and smiled. “Then I promise I’ll be brave until then.”

“Kairi…” There were tears behind that smile, an ocean of pain behind those big blue eyes. Her voice might be playful and lilting, but only so she could hide the tremor and terror in it.

She shook her head. “I can cry when you’re gone. But for now, I want to smile and enjoy the time we have left. What good is it if I spend the whole time you’re still here blubbering?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’d like to be able to comfort you at least.” That was what a guy was supposed to do for the girl he was going out with, right? And he hated seeing Kairi cry. Especially when it was all his fault. He wanted to fix things, not make them worse.

She hummed softly, then clasped her hands behind her back in that playful Kairi way he loved. “Then let’s make some memories now that will comfort me later.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

She found his hand, and he still felt giddy holding her hand like this. It was so small and soft and gentle, so warm and reassuring. He’d even dreamed about this, and now that his dream was a reality, he couldn’t get enough of it.

She led him to the Ocean Festival, to the nearest food stall. A cute little octopus mascot advertised the takoyaki for sale, and he treated them both to a set of the fried octopus treat. The breaded part was nice and hot, and the octopus was fresh and delicious, just the way he liked it. They thanked the stall owner (an old family friend) before settling down at a picnic table with a checkered tablecloth on it.

Kairi made it partway through her takoyaki when she frowned and set it down. “Sora, do you think this is your last meal?”

Yes. “I can’t say I really thought about it,” was all he said out loud.

Kairi’s lower lip trembled. “It is, isn’t it?”

Now he was the one who couldn’t meet her eyes. Her pain was like a dagger to his heart. If he said something now, he might really lose it.

“Well,” she continued, her voice chipper again, “it’ll just have to be the best last meal ever. To tide you over until you can eat with me again.”

He smiled softly at that. That was Kairi for you, talking about when they would eat together again, not if. She’d never been one to let fate get in the way of what she wanted. He wished he could follow his heart the way she followed hers. He tried, he really did, but he had his moments of doubt.

Like right now.

She was not so easily perturbed. She put her hands behind her back and tilted her head in that delightful Kairi way again, making her hair splash across her cheek. “Well?” she playfully prodded. “What do you say?”

“Sounds good. A big meal to tide me over until I can eat with you again.”

He was rewarded with one of her smiles. “We’re gonna try every single food stall then! Make sure you get all your old favorites!”

He laughed. “Alright, alright.” She pulled him to his feet, and together they picked up treats and goodies from every single food stall and returned to the trusty picnic table. She teased him and challenged him to eat every last crumb of food, which he did till he reached the point he couldn’t possibly eat another bite.

She poked his stomach and giggled. “You sure about that? Sometimes I think you have a bottomless pit for a stomach.”

“I’m a growing boy,” he said, mock seriously. “What did you expect? I’ve gotta get taller than Riku somehow.”

She stilled, and he wondered if he’d said something wrong. “Kairi?”

She smiled, whatever it was that was bothering her gone now. “You can eat all you want, but I don’t know if you’ll ever be taller than Riku.”

He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow, continuing their playful little game. “Wanna bet?”

She tapped her cheek and pretended to be deep in thought. “Hmmmm, I’ll bet you a date when we meet again.”

“Deal.” That was a bet he’d be happy to lose.

She rested her hand on her chin, her lips twitching. “But honestly, Sora, I don’t mind if you never grow any taller. You’re just the right size to make me feel perfectly safe when you hug me.”

His heart fluttered at that, and he felt his face burning. “Really?”

“Really really.”

“So…you like hugging me?”

She giggled into her hand. “I really, really do.”

He grinned. “I like hugging you too.”

“I’m glad you do.”

They just looked at each other for a few moments like they were the only two people in existence. Gosh, he was gonna miss her. He had no idea where he was even gonna disappear to, but so long as he was Sora he would long for Kairi, that much he knew.

“Kairi?” he asked, reaching for her hand so he could weave their fingers together.

She earnestly searched his face. “Yeah?”

“I, um, I…I…” He wanted to get the words out before he disappeared. Let her know what was in his heart before he was gone. It was the least he could do.

She smiled and shook her head. “Not yet. It’s not time.” She gently tugged at his hand. “C’mon, let’s go look at the trinkets.”

Once again, she led him to the stalls where old family friends were hawking their wares. A jewelry stall in particular caught his eye thanks to the little hair clip with a paopu fruit on display. Kairi was always tucking a strand of hair behind her ear because her hair tended to do its own thing when she moved around. Maybe this would be a nice gift for her.

He gave her some munny and told her to pick something out for herself from the clothing stall next door, which bought him time to make his purchase. She returned with a breezy tropical wrap that was varying shades of blue and captured the ocean’s hues perfectly. He complimented her choice and how nice it looked with her eyes, and she thanked him for the compliment and for the gift.

“So, mister,” she said as they strolled idly among the stalls, “what did you send me away for?”

“This.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pink box. “I know it’s just a little thing, but I want you to have something to remember me by until I come home. It’s only fair when I still have your lucky charm.” He opened the box and handed her the paopu hair clip, and his hand flickered in and out of existence. Kairi’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she smiled and took the gift from him.

“It’s so pretty, thank you.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Could you help me put it on?”

“Sure.” He reached for the hair clip, his fingers trembling a little as he grasped it and undid the clasp. Very carefully, he lifted it and caught a slender lock of her hair, then gently clicked the hair clip into place. Smiling, he took a step back and examined his handiwork. “Kairi, you look beautiful.”

A faint blush dusted her cheeks, and then she smiled so freely and so warmly and so openly that it caught him completely by surprise. Heat crept up his cheeks, and his heart pounded. Was she always this beautiful, or had his feelings for her made her even lovelier to him? Either way, this memory would be etched into his heart forever. She’d asked him to make memories with her that would comfort her later, but he was pretty sure this moment would be a comfort to him too.

“Thank you, Sora,” she said sweetly, then rested a hand over her heart. “I’ll wear it when I come for you.”

He tilted his head. “When you come for me?”

She nodded. “When I come for you. I don’t care how long it takes. I will find you and I’ll bring you home.”

He smiled. That sure was like Kairi, turning his declaration of protection on its head, telling him she’d come for him this time.

“Thank you, Kairi.” He reached for her hand, and together they enjoyed the rest of the festival. He never wanted this to end, but his time was growing short. He wanted to say goodbye to his parents before they went to the Play Island, and so she went with him for moral support. She was there, waiting patiently in the room a polite distance away, when he broke the news of his fate. And she stayed with him as he and his mother and father wept and embraced. He told them he’d be back soon, and he begged them to look after Kairi until then.

“We will,” his parents promised, and she smiled and nodded. He wanted to ask Riku to watch over her too, but he knew his friend already understood.

At last it was time to go to the Play Island. He simply opened a portal, and together he and Kairi went through it, reappearing at the paopu tree.

The sun was sinking low in the sky. Soon it would be dusk, and then all the light would be gone. His life would be gone too, and with it his time with Kairi.

He was determined not to cry. Their friends were celebrating just a little ways away, and he wanted these final moments with Kairi to be happy ones.

Together they sat on the paopu tree, and he smiled fondly remembering her boldness when she’d offered him the fruit. That boldness, that complete fearlessness in following her heart, had saved him. Had saved her too.

He offered his hand, and she took it. He wanted to hold her as close as could be, but he couldn’t do that and look her in the eye or see her beautiful smile. So this was a good compromise. And besides, he wanted to watch the sunset with her, hand-in-hand, side-by-side. Just taking in every precious moment. Home was here and home was her, and soon this would all be nothing more than a memory.

The clouds passed and the sun sank lower and lower in the sky, setting the entire world on fire with its golden light.

It was time. He smiled and gently squeezed her hand. “I love you,” he said. Funny how three simple words could express an eternity’s worth of feelings from deep within his heart. It felt so good to say them too, to share them with the person who meant more to him than anything.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted, as if his words had come as a surprise. But no, she wasn’t surprised, just overwhelmed. A single tear welled up out of her eye and ran down her cheek, shining brilliantly in the sunset. She smiled bigger than ever, so happy and sad at the same time.

Oh no, he’d made her cry. He hadn’t wanted to make her cry. But she’d been so brave for so long that she couldn’t help it. And that was okay. It was okay to cry. He just wanted to go out with a smile.

And so he did. As he faded from this reality, her smiling face was the final thing he saw.

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A/N: Thank you all for reading! And a big thank you to Tam for collaborating with me ❤️ She provided the story idea and drew the art piece that inspired the moment where Kairi smiles and Sora is just blown away 🥺 ❤️ And then some of her other art inspired moments in the next chapter which will be posted tomorrow for Valentine’s Day 👀 ✨

I had a lot of fun working on this one and I hope you all enjoyed ❤️ See you tomorrow!

#kingdom hearts #sokai #sora #kairi #sora x kairi #sora/kairi #tamtam88 #phoenix writes #phoenix-downer #kh fanfiction #sokai fanfiction #sorakai #sorakairi #long post #thank you again tam ❤️

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