Fan Fiction ❯ Brightness and Darkness ❯ True Feelings Arise ( Chapter 2 )

Brightness and Darkness
Chapter Two: True Feelings Arise

Pairings: Sora/Kairi, Riku/OC, Cloud/Aerith, Leon/Yuffie, and maybe Riku/Sora

Author's note: I'm glad to see you guys enjoyed the Prologue and Chapter One! Keep the reviews coming or I won't update! *points to Silver-hair Angel and Meilin Rae* They're my attorneys. Speak to them if you have any complaints or leave a review!

¤-¤

Kairi's eyes didn't leave her mug after she sat down at the kitchen table. Kaze had already started breakfast for the children and she thought it best to stay out of the white haired girl's way. Her gaze was kept on the hot, creamy coconut milk as it swirled in her mug. Her mind just kept replaying the past events in her mind. It was like a jigsaw puzzle. Most of the pieces in play were missing.

Things just had been out of the ordinary for the past couple of months. Kaze's attitude had changed drastically and Kairi thought, only for a second, that her friend was going to end up killing someone before the year ended. If Laiktu and Kioko weren't in their lives, surely the two would have already committed suicide. Well, Kairi would have anyway. And that brings back the subject back to the two lively children, Laiktu and Kioko.

Laiktu seemed to be turning into a little mini Riku with each passing day. His sheen of silver-blue hair always reminded Kairi of the ocean, as did the young child's aquamarine eyes. His attitude towards the other children on the island was much like his father's indeed, only with a little bit of Kaze's antisocialism mixed in. Kioko, on the other hand, was Sora in a nutshell. From the tips of her chocolate brown hair to the goofy grins she would produce. The little girl always seemed to have the same happy-go-luck attitude Kairi's lover possessed.

Oh Sora, where are you? You've been gone for far too long. Has something terrible happened to you and Riku? I don't want to think about death. You can't die. Not when you have a child here waiting for you. Kairi's eyes held so much sorrow and pain. No one could fathom what she was going through.

But she was wrong. One person understood her pain.

"You've been quiet ever since I hit you with that sword," Kaze said nonchalantly. "What's wrong?"

Kairi raised her head to look at her friend, "Oh…nothing. Just thinking. I'm worried about-"

"If you say it, I'll hurt you," Kaze said sternly as she poured herself some hot coconut milk and sat down next to Kairi at the table. "Stop thinking about it, Kairi. It will do you no good to sit there and mope. Get over it."

"How can you say that, Kaze?" Kairi shouted. She slammed her hands down on the table and glared at the woman across from her. "They could be in danger! For all we know, they could be dead in an alley somewhere! Or better yet, with the Heartless, having their hearts taken from them! I love Sora, and I'm not going to sit here and wait for someone to arrive with his bruised and battered body! No way in the fiery pits of hell!

"We've been on this god-forsaken island for seven years by ourselves, with their children! Sooner or later, Kioko and Laiktu are going to wonder where their father's are. And what can we tell them? That Riku and Sora are off saving the world from these creatures of the darkness that don't have fucking hearts? No way. I'm sick of waiting here for something to happen! I want to go and find them."

Kaze didn't look up from her glass. The grip on the small cup increased as anger cursed through her veins; her knuckles turning almost as white as her hair. She sighed, trying to keep her anger under control.

"We're in for a long wait, Kairi. So I suggest you sit down and shut up."

"Wait for what, Kaze? The world to fucking end? Oh wait, that's already happened once, hasn't it? I remember that so well. Do you know why? Because my home was destroyed and I was unconscious for God knows how long. Sora had my heart in his body while he fought and fought against hordes of Heartless and his best friend! I don't want that to happen again!" Kairi's voice kept increasing in volume as if making Kaze deaf would better get her point across.

"Shut up, Kairi."

"Or what? You're going to beat me senseless?" Kairi questioned with sarcasm.

Kaze shrugged her shoulders, "If that's the only way to get you to shut up, then yes. And I'm not kidding around, so don't even think that."

"How typical of you," The red head started and rolled her soft blue eyes.

"And what is that suppose to mean?"

"What do you think it means?" Kairi sassed as she placed a hand on her hip. "You sit there with that cold and stern look on your face all the time, Kaze. You act like you don't care if Sora and Riku may be in danger."

Kaze gripped her mug tighter as Kairi's venomous words registered in her brain. The older girl's eyes shut tightly and she held her breath, trying to keep her temper under control; however, Kairi would not stop her ranting.

-

Meanwhile, upstairs in one of the bedroom, Laiktu and Kioko were waiting patiently for their mother's to tell them breakfast was ready. Laiktu's sighed as his eyes wondered around the room.

"I'm bored," He said to no one in particular. The boy looked over at his friend, more like little sister, and stared at her intently.

Kioko was on the other side of the room, laying flat on her bed. She made no sign that she heard, or even cared, about Laiktu's boredom.

Laiktu wasn't in the least perturbed as he slid off of the edge of the bed and ambled over to the door. As if someone had struck her with lightening, Kioko sat up so fast, the rush of wind that followed knocked the sheet covering her bed over the other side of the bed, landing with a barely audible flop.

"Where are you going?" Kioko said sharply as Laiktu cracked open the door.

"I'm bored," Laiktu repeated as if that was a valid explanation. This didn't sit with Kioko, however, and she glared at him, reminding him forcefully of his own mother.

"You heard what Aunt Kaze said! She said to stay here!"

"Correction my small minded friend," said Laiktu with the air of a professor proving a point. "My mother said to go play. In no way did she say to go to our room, or that we had to stay in here, did she?"

"Uh--"

"So therefore," continued Laiktu, "I do have the right to exit this room, for the fact that my mother never said we had to go to our room in the first place or that we had to stay in the room in the first place--"

"If, in a month or so you feel like getting to the point, you will tell me, right?" Kioko said sarcastically. Laiktu shot her a dirty look.

"The point is I can leave, so there!" And with that, he left the room, slamming the door loudly.

"Hey!" Kioko shouted after him and quickly followed suit. She caught up with him halfway down the stairs, hissing warnings and insults at him like an angry goose.

"And you know how Aunt Kaze doesn't like to be walked in on if she's talking or doing something important!" Kioko wailed, pulling on his shirt.

"And you know how I don't like it when I'm having my shirt nearly yanked off of my back. So get off!" He yelled, pushing her back on the previous step. She landed painfully on her butt, but that didn't deter her from hounding Laiktu. Just as he reached the bottom step, Kioko rushing beside him and prepared to give him a lashing out, loud, arguing voices from the kitchen made them both freeze.

"Whether you like to admit it or not, Kaze, you're a fucking human being too! You strut around here like you're made of iron! Things hurt you too, Kaze, I know they do!" It was Kioko's mother's anguished voice issuing from the kitchen.

Kioko raised an eyebrow. "What's going on?"

Laiktu shrugged. The next voice they heard was Kaze's voice.

"Yes, like your voice in my ears." Her voice was of deadly calm, but it was shaky indeed. "Please sit down, Kairi, or you'll be wearing the imprint of my knuckles over your face."

"Oh sure," Kairi said bitterly. "Take it out on me, why don't you? If you can't talk your way out of it, you'll let your fists do the talking!"

"Damn straight," Kaze growled. "Now sit the hell down, Kairi."

"I want to know why Kaze! Why don't you let yourself care? Why can't you admit you miss them as much as I do? You damn well know as I do that as soon as Sora and Riku hit the door, I wasn't the only one sleeping with tissues in her hand!"

Kioko and Laiktu exchanged nervous glances. The subject of their fathers was always a touchy topic to bring about, especially with Kaze. Indeed, if the slightest comment were made about them, Kaze would drop anything she was holding and mutter something, which sounded like a threat and walk out immediately. Kioko and Laiktu knew better than to mention it by now; the solid wall was much tougher than their jawbone after all.

"Kairi," Kaze said in a hiss, "if you don't shut the fuck up right now, I'm going to use your bloody face as a fucking punching bag. So unless you want to start eating your food through a straw, SHUT UP." Kaze's hands were shaking violently; her eyes were reduced to cold chips of ice. Her anger was threatening to boil over.

"Wow," said Kioko in amazement somewhat. "Your mom is mad."

"Correction," Laiktu began in an oddly strained voice, "she's pissed."

"I'll correction you!" Kioko said, shaking a fist.

"Why do I bother?" Kairi cried. "Why do I even bother to bring up Sora and Riku, hmm? Every time I even say the first initial of their goddamn names, you begin to scowl! I guess I'm the only fucking one that cares that they have been out of our lives for seven years! Seven years, Kaze, and God only knows what could have happened to them! But you don't care!"

Kaze was capable of murder from the way she held her coffee mug. It was in such a tight grip, that it was likely to crack, just like her nerves.

"Your mom is ticking my mom the heck off," Laiktu snickered.

"Your mom is always ticked off," Kioko said, rolling her eyes.

"Not like this. She usually only tells Aunt Kairi that if she doesn't want her foot so far up her--"

"Laiktu!" Kioko cried.

"--That she'll taste her toes for a month, then she needs to shut up," Laiktu said in one breath.

Kioko sighed and they both quieted down after hearing Kairi's next rush of words.

"You don't care, Kaze!" She cried accusingly. "God, it makes me wonder why Riku ever hung around with you so long, since you obviously didn't give a damn! You never fucking cared about Riku, did you Kaze, you never fucking ca--"

That was the last straw. Kaze stood up abruptly, mug in hand, and threw it so forceful that it left a long crack in the wall behind Kairi. If Kairi hadn't ducked at the right moment, the mug would have surely hit her square in the face.

Laiktu and Kioko gasped. They didn't see it, but from the sounds of breaking china, they had enough to guess that Kaze reached her end.

Kaze got into Kairi's face, which was now paling by Kaze's explosive temper, and stabbed her finger in her face. Her face was contorted in rage.

"You… you don't have any idea how I feel about Riku," she said, breathing very hard. Kairi gulped, and continue to stare at her wide-eyed. "No idea, Kairi. No fucking idea." She knocked over her chair and hastened to the doorway. Kioko and Laiktu, hearing her approaching footsteps, climbed a few more steps to be safe.

"W-where are you going?" Kairi called after her.

"I need to leave," she said furiously, "before I beat your face in so bad, your mother's going to need a microscope to see through the bruises."

She stormed out, in such a furious state that she failed to notice Kioko and Laiktu on the staircase, wide-mouthed and shocked.

It was a long silence before the other talked. What they had all just absorbed was taking a while to register. It was apparent why Kaze never mentioned Sora or Riku. They had never seen her that upset before.

"Man… my mom was really freaking pissed," Laiktu said in a low voice.

"I think that hearing those loud voices when people are, you know, fighting, that means they are pissed," Kioko said sarcastically, but her face was still in mingled shock and anger.

"My mom doesn't usually go off her rocker like that," Laiktu said, after delivering a mild slap in the back of Kioko's head. "Damn, Aunt Kairi's going to be in the hospital next time we see her."

"Laiktu!" Kioko whimpered whether out of the fear of her mother, unconscious, in a hospital bed, or Laiktu's unexpected swear. She nervously bit on her lip, very much like her mother, then after another long moment of silence, said in a whisper, "Let's see how my mom is doing."

"I guess this means breakfast is postponed until Aunt Kairi's funeral," Laiktu said, sniggering, earning a nudge in the ribs by Kioko.

They both crept in the kitchen to see Kioko's mother sitting in her chair, deathly still. She was staring hard at the mug in front of her.

"Mom?" Kioko squeaked, moving closer, seeing her mother's eyes swimming with tears. She did not seem to hear her daughter, or notice anything else except the mug.

"Mom?" Kioko said louder egged on by a shove from Laiktu. She moved her head slightly in Kioko's direction.

"Can we go…to Uncle Tidus' house?"

Kairi nodded faintly, unable to speak. Kioko, pity overwhelming her for her mother, was dragged out of the room by Laiktu, who said in a rough voice, "I think that thing, you know, when people move their head up and down, means yes!"

With one last glance at her mother, Kioko left the house, Laiktu leading.

-

In a small, damp cave, hidden to the naked eye by thick shrubbery, Kaze was furiously punching at the chalk-covered walls. The long streams of blood that trickled down her knuckles as a result of cuts and scrapes she ensued by whacking the wall did not phase her; she continued to punch insanely at the wall until her senses came to her, or mere exhaustion overpowered her.

With her chest heaving, she slapped her palms on the wall, leaning on it. Tears of anger welled in her eyes. How dare Kairi say that she didn't care about Riku? It was true, she did everything in her power to prove she had no feelings for him whatsoever, but how could she let her true emotions take over her like that, in front of none other than Kairi? Great, you fucking chicken! You fucking acted like a wuss!

She sighed and stared at the wall before her. It was a crudely drawn picture of what resembled Riku reaching out his hand to a roughly drawn Kaze.

"Fuck!" She burst out, kicking it bitterly. When she didn't want to think about the prick, he popped up everywhere. Her eyes then averted to the wooden door to the left of her. She stared at it for a long period of time. It was the same door that brought forth destruction of Destiny Island, and the dozens of worlds out there.

She moved closer to it, her hand tentatively reaching for the handle-less door. "If I wanted to," she muttered to herself. "If I wanted to…I could open it. But I don't want anything bad to happen."

As if in response, an eerie, bright white light began to shine through the cracks of the door. Kaze shut her eyes close, shaking her head violently. It's just my imagination, just my imagination…

Sure enough, when she opened her eyes again, the door was no longer glowing. Kaze sighed and threw herself against the wall.

"Why, Riku?" Kaze whispered miserably to herself. "Why…"

-

Kairi's mind was clouded with memories swimming in her head, making her slightly dizzy. Every time her eyelids would flutter close, the spiky, brown haired boy would slide into view. She shook her head, clutching at her hair in frustration. Her tiff with Kaze did not lessen her fretfulness about Sora; it only made matters worse. Kaze's nonchalant attitude about Sora and Riku both did nothing except infuriate Kairi. How could she act that way, knowing both of their lovers had left them for what seemed like an eternity?

"I need to clean up a bit," she said dimly, standing up as if in a trance. She looked absent-mindedly around the kitchen. "That's it…cleaning…" She started by first picking up Kaze's fallen chair. Next, she grabbed a mop and wiped away the chilly coconut milk and the broken shards of the coffee mug. Since it wasn't much left to clean, she moved to the spotless living room. Sighing in frustration, she moved upstairs.

Next to the staircase, the first door on the left was Kaze's room. Kaze had always warned Kairi countless times, to steer clear of her room. "What's in my room is none of your damn business," she would say, and then stalk off. Not wanting to get her lights knocked out, Kairi had always heeded Kaze's threat, but out of sheer confusion due to their argument, Kairi walked right in.

Kairi was surprised by how tedious and plain Kaze's room was. It was a fairly small room, the almost irritating white walls bare. A bed stood in the center of the room, white as the rest of the room. To the right of it, a simple desk was placed against the wall. It held only a lamp, and…a book.

Kairi walked over to the desk and picked up the desk. It was a plain, black book. No writing was visible on either sides of the book. Kairi shrugged and opened it.

"Kaze must enjoy reading," Kairi said, surprised. As she opened the book, to her horror, it wasn't a book. It was Kaze's diary.

Kairi bit down on her bottom lip, looking around the room nervously. She shouldn't be poking around in the room in the first place, and reading the one thing that Kaze definitely didn't want anyone to see only worsened the situation.

Ah, but she's not here. A voice in the back of Kairi's head argued. How could she possibly find out?

"I guess it wouldn't hurt…"

Drawing in a deep breath, Kairi opened the book to the first page and stared reading. Her eyes skimmed over the neatly written words on the first couple of pages. Still holding the book in her hand, she walked out of Kaze's room and down into the kitchen, where she sat down at the table, nose still buried in the diary.

-

Kaze was still in the secret place, staring at the door. She kept thinking that if she stayed there long enough that Riku would open the door, and she could run into his arms. She frowned as she realized how childish she was acting. She punched the wall one last time before hearing a satisfying crack in the rock.

"For fuck's sake, Kaze, get a hold of yourself," The harsh whisper echoing through the small cavern. She lifted her shirt up slightly and bit down on the cloth, ripping off a small piece, and then proceeded to wrap up her hand. "You're acting just like Kairi. Remember…remember that hoping and praying doesn't always make things happen. Sometimes force is the only way to accomplish what you want."

Then why don't you open the door, young one?

Kaze whipped around and frowned. A man in a hooded outfit stood in the corner of the room. Arms crossed over his chest. His voice was deep and one Kaze hadn't heard in fourteen years. He hadn't spoken aloud, but in her mind. Kaze clinched her fists tightly and turned on her heel to leave the cavern.

You cannot escape your destiny, my lovely. Stop running and face the darkness.

Kaze stopped and turned around. Her eyes turned into narrow slits as the harsh words escaped her parted lips, "Go the fuck back to where ever you came from, you sorry son-of-a-bitch. I don't want to hear your shit."

With those words said, Kaze bolted out of the secret place heading back towards her home she shared with Kairi.

-

Kairi sat in the wooden chair, book still in hand, as her mouth hung open and tears threatened to spill over in her eyes. The red head always thought that Kaze had over exaggerated about her past being something she didn't want to talk about, but seeing the words written by Kaze herself made Kairi see a whole different light. Kairi finally realized that Kaze was the way she was not because she chose to be, but because of her past.

It wasn't long before Kairi was yanked from her thought and returned to the diary. Her soft blue eyes darted across the page as if she were in a hurry to finish the book; however, she was more curious as to find out what happened than anything.

-…Riku introduced me to his friend today. I believe his name was Sora. The kid seemed scrawny and not capable of taking care of himself, but as soon as I saw the Keyblade appear in his hand, I knew better. Riku tells me that his friend is in love with a girl named Kairi back on Destiny Island. I told him he was stupid, that people don't fall in love. I almost hit the prick when he said that someone as beautiful as myself should believe in love. (K.Y.)-

Kairi quickly turned the page and continued reading.

-Two weeks have passed since I met Sora. The kid is okay, but he's annoying as shit. Always smiling and goofing off. How can he possess such an attitude with the weight of the world's hanging on his shoulder? I just cannot fathom this logic. Mother always told me that it was healthy to have a happy personality, but mother is no longer with me. Rest her soul. I wish she were here now, so I could ask her advice. (K.Y.)-

-It seems that my meeting Riku was not bad after all. Although I will not admit this to anyone, I think I'm starting to have strange feelings for him. Whenever he comes near me, my heart speeds up and my knees turn to jelly. AH! I should kill that fucking asshole for doing this to me! I shouldn't be feelings these emotions. It's what killed my mother. (K.Y.)-

-Riku tells me that he's leaving for Hollow Bastion tomorrow with Sora to regroup with the others. Apparently, my brother is with them, so I'm afraid that I cannot go. He and I do not get along, and I will be damned if anyone finds out my secrets. Riku said that he will miss me terribly and he wants me to see him off tomorrow. I was shocked to learn the Sora wasn't the only keyblade master. When Riku pulled out the Oblivion, I almost screamed. I've been living with him for two years now and he fails to tell me this little piece of information. I am no different, however. I've kept my secrets from him as well.

He told me that he wanted to tell me something. That is was important. He took me outside on the balcony of the hotel in Traverse Town and pointed a star out to me. He said it was his home and that he wanted me to take care of it. Before I could even ask him what the fuck he was talking about, the mother fucker kissed me. AND I LET HIM! That's the worst part! But…his lips were soft and his musky smell intoxicated me. I could see straight after he shoved his tongue in my mouth. I actually enjoyed the kiss, and I didn't want it to stop. I realized then that I had fallen in love with someone that was forbidden. (K.Y.)-

Kairi couldn't help but smile at the small piece of information she had just discovered. She giggled slightly.

"Ooh, Kaze. You naughty girl," Kairi whispered.

Before she could read another word, the door flew open. Kairi's face paled. Caught red handed.

-

Kaze felt much better after releasing her anger on the walls, but was still a little ticked at the unexpected visitor. She opened the door, expecting to get some piece and quiet, but stopped in her tracks and held her breath. Kairi was sitting at the table. Reading a book. Not just any book, Kaze's diary.

The white haired girl could only stare in shock for two seconds before she frowned and clinched her fists so tight that her nails broke through her skin. She let out her breath slowly and inhaled again.

"Uh…hi!" Kairi said sheepishly as she tried to hide the book from the older girl. "It's not what you think. Honestly Kaze, I-"

Kaze didn't say a word. She walked to Kairi quickly and yanked the book from the younger girl's hand. She stared down at Kairi, her ice blue eyes filled with betrayal and hurt. She turned quickly and ascended the stairs, her braid flying behind her as she went to her room.

Kairi shot up out of her seat quickly to catch up with Kaze. She was waving her arms about wildly and apologizing profusely. Kaze threw open her door and stepped inside, placing the book down on the night stand, back facing Kairi and breathing rapidly.

"Kaze, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to read it, I swear! I was cleaning house and thought that I could clean up your room too so you wouldn't have to do it. And I thought it was a book so I started reading it and I couldn't put it down! I'm really sorry! Please-"

"Kairi…" Kaze whispered harshly. She couldn't take the girls ranting anymore as she spread her legs apart slightly and turned around, fist connecting with Kairi's face.

¤-¤

Winter: EH! I updated! I can't believe I'm actually going through with this! *cheers* I want to thank Silver-hair Angel. She helped me out with this more than she should have. In reality, this should be considered her story too. *glomps her* She's like a little sister to me now!

Next Chapter: Kairi and Kaze finally settle the score, but how? Meanwhile, Kioko and Laiktu are at the one place their mothers told them not to be at, and with Tidus and Selphie's children nonetheless…

§~§

Reviewers Corner:

Ac4cherryz (From Something About Us): Thank you so much for the comments. There are some other good S/K fics out there too. I honestly don't think I wrote the best one. Thank you for the review.

Starprincess11 (From Something About Us): I'm ecstatic that you like my fic, but there is nothing wrote with yaoi. I know some people are against it. I'm not for it or against it, but I do enjoy reading it. Don't be offended by this, but yaoi is just another way to express two people in love.

I-Da-Ho ^_^ (From Chapter One): Same to you, and I bet you do hold this title.

§~§

Well that's it! Keep watch out for the next chapter!

~~Winter Peacecraft-Yuy