Valiant Hearts II
Chapter XVIII
Beyond Friends - Us
“What are you reading, Naminè?”
Kairi looked down, listening to the rustling of the leaves of the majestic tree whose crown she was abusing as place to relax. A few feet below sat Naminè, deep in thought, engrossed in another novel. Ever since Aerith had showed her the library and allowed her to borrow just about any book in there, Naminè had been busy reading every free minute. And there was plenty of time right now.
Training was finally over, for now at least, and while Olette was gone, as they found out just earlier this morning, training between themselves was suspended. It was to Kairi's liking, as she wanted to spend more time with Naminè. They had gotten closer, but Kairi was still insecure about confronting her feelings, and much less sure about accepting Naminè's feelings like this.
“The Silver King,” the blond girl replied with her gentle voice. She was very much aware of Kairi sitting up there, staring down at her, but she wasn't bothered by it in the slightest. The sun was shining brightly, and even though she sat in the shadow of this big tree, it wasn't cold. A slight wind was playing with her hair, showing Kairi an amazing sight.
“What's it about?” Kairi was interested in getting to know Naminè better. But no matter how good she was at fighting or tactics, she was a complete klutz when it came to such things. Earlier today, she had walked in on Naminè showering, and even though the book-loving girl didn't mind at all, Kairi still scolded herself for just standing there, her mouth wide open, staring at the naked body of the other girl. She was cursed with such bad luck.
“It's complicated. Want to hear about it?” Naminè finally let go of the book, looked up, and gave Kairi a true angel-like smile. Wearing her white favorite dress, the only thing missing were white wings and the halo. For Kairi, though, she didn't need those things at all. Nodding as answer to her question, Kairi slowly climbed down, finally sitting down a few feet away from Naminè.
“I don't bite.” And saying so, Naminè stood up, walked over to Kairi and placed herself right on her lap, leaning back right onto Kairi's chest. It was sort of an intimate situation and yet not. Kairi knew that Naminè was more pure than she seemed and had no subtle thoughts on such things. She simply wanted to be near her.
“I'll tell you the story. I already finished it,” Naminè offered to the redhead, looking over her shoulder, smiling her usual smile. It was so easy for her to draw Kairi in, it was almost like a spell. Whenever Kairi showed reluctance, Naminè looked at her with her bright blue eyes, smiling like this, and instantly melted away any shyness.
“Remember that we haven't all day. I wanted to go and look for some music in the shopping district,” Kairi reminded her girlfriend and sighed.
In the end, they would have to run, for sure. Naminè was never a girl of few words when it came to the stories she was reading. Especially the ones from Lunaria Charon, an author Naminè seemed to favor over anything else. And this was one of these works. Kairi could read her name on the cover.
“Don't worry. It's not very long,” Naminè reassured the girl right behind her.
“You really like the stories of that woman, don't you?” Kairi had never heard of her before. She didn't read all that much, mostly works Leon gave to her, and those were strategic lessons in a sense. The only books outside of that were the works of Edward Rein Neel, who had lived over a hundred years ago apparently. Many of his stories described faraway places, still undiscovered by anyone but him. Kairi favored his work because it was always thrilling to hear and read of places where nobody had ever been before.
“Yeah. Too bad that I could only find a few books from her.” With a slightly depressed expression, Naminè sighed for a second and then was back to happy again. “Now for the story.”
Kairi leaned back, taking Naminè with her. As she lay down in the grass and listened to Naminè telling the story of the Silver King, she felt at peace. It was extremely rare for her to just forget all her worries for even a second, but be it just Naminè or all of this together, scenery, atmosphere and Naminè, it didn't matter. She felt at peace, a first in a long long time.
“There was once a man who was very poor. He lived in a kingdom where the king was a tyrant, seizing women, money, and livestock wherever he could, exploiting his people. He was a terrible king and many man wished for him to die.
“One day, the poor man found a golden piece, something very valuable, on the ground. There was no one around. With that piece, he would be able to buy back his house, his wife, maybe even a chicken or a cow. But his consciousness dared him to find the person who lost the golden coin.
“Being a honest man, he looked and looked but couldn't find anyone that was searching for the golden coin. After three days and three nights, he was very hungry and weak. He finally meet another man, who had grown very thin over the years, who looked at him in desperation. 'Have you seen a golden coin? If so please, give it to me! It is all I have, it is my treasure, the last thing that reminds me of my daughter and my dead wife,' he pledged to him.
“He was hungry, and not too far was an inn where he could eat and sleep to his fill. But once again, he was a honest man, and gave the poor old man his coin. The old man was so happy that he broke out in tears and thanked the man on his knees. He soon left and the man was alone yet again, hungry and without home or wife.
“He had given away his own happiness for another, and seeing that good deed, a fairy appeared before him. 'Your heart is pure and kind, I shall award you with one wish,' the fairy said. The man pondered and thought about it for a long time. 'I wish for the current ruler to die,' he said, and the fairy looked disappointed at him and said, 'That I cannot do. We fairies cannot take the life of a man,' she explained.
“The man begged on his knees. The land was bleeding under his rule, he told her, but she still refused. 'Is there no way to free the land of this tyrant, this evil?' the man asked. The fairy thought about it and came up with an idea, having pity for the poor people and the honest man. 'This is a magical coin,' she said, and handed the man a coin of silver. 'Only those who are pure of heart can hold it. Those with evil in their heart shall become what they like the most,' she said. 'Give it to the king.'
“The fairy vanished and the man was left with a single silver coin. It was a wonderful work of art, and it was shiny and blinking even in the night. The man soon came before the king, seeking an audience. 'My lord, I have brought a gift for you,' he told the king. 'It is this coin of pure silver, worked by the fairies.' He held out his hand, and as a guard was about to take it, he closed his fist. 'Only the king is great enough a person to touch this coin. All that are not of supreme greatness shall turn to stone upon touching it.'
“The king was flattered, and his arrogance made him stand up and walk to the man, attempting to grab the coin. The moment the coin was touched, the king knew that this man wanted to kill him. But it was too late for the king. The King's hand slowly turned to silver, the magical coin turning the king himself into silver. The honest man was struck dead by the guards upon command of the angry king, but the king too, soon, stopped breathing. His greed and his evil character had taken its toll. And so he became famous as the silver king, whose reign of terror was ended by just a single man's honesty.”
Kairi had long fallen asleep. Naminè had said she would not make it many words, but halfway through the story, Kairi had fallen asleep. Lying in the green grass, Naminè right next to her happily telling her the story of the silver king, Kairi was in a state of real happiness.
“You're a terrible audience, Kairi.” Naminè turned around, closely watching the sleeping girl. Leaning over her, strands of hair started to touch and tickle Kairi's face, slowly waking her up. Naminè had planned to give her a kiss, but the redhead was moving around too much, trying to escape the playful teasing of the girl above her.
“Oh jeez, stop it, I'm awake already…” Kairi finally gave in and moaned, slightly annoyed.
“That's what you get for falling asleep on me.” Naminè put her hands on Kairi's shoulders, pushing her back on the ground, on to the soft grass. Kneeling above Kairi, Naminè started to tickle her girlfriend, until her laughter was heard even on the foot of the small hill they were on.
“Stop it, stop it.” Kairi was trying to escape, but it was impossible. She could barely talk, let alone try to free herself, even though she had the obvious advantage in strength. Wheezing for air, holding her sides, Kairi was finally let off the hook.
“I thought you'd kill me,” Kairi complained, and flipped her middle finger on Naminè's forehead. “Is this how you treat the girl you like?”
And with a giggling sound, rubbing the exact spot Kairi had hit, Naminè answered with a simple, “Yeah. She deserves it.”
Things were going smoothly between the two. They grew closer each day, each hour they spent together. It was nice to have nothing to think about except what to do next, how to enjoy the day. It was a beautiful feeling to harbor, and Kairi was thankful that the wall that had confined her feelings was finally gone.
“I'll go and get a new book. Want to come with me?” Naminè asked and stood up.
“Yeah. I'll start to rust if I sit around too much.” Kairi stood up and walked to where the blond girl was waiting for her. It always amazed Kairi how different they were. Naminé was always cheerful, positive, nice. Never reluctant to say what was on her mind. She was so different from Kairi, yet, they complimented each other so nicely.
First walking together, simply side by side, they made their way to the castle. Halfway, Naminè pulled closer, took Kairi's hand, and waited for a response. It was still a bit difficult. Sometimes, Kairi pulled away, the contact being too much, sometimes it was just fine. Naminè took another step, let go of the hand and took her arm. It was a bit awkward to walk like that, since they were both about the same size, but Kairi didn't mind.
“We're never gonna make it to the library like this,” Kairi complained.
Naminè didn't answer but kept clinging to Kairi. If she had to choose between doing something else and being with Kairi, then she would always pick Kairi, no matter what. And it wasn't that bad. They were slower than normal, but Naminè really enjoyed walking like this.
“While we're here, want to go to that place?” Naminè asked casually while they were making their way through the entrance hall of the castle.
“I'd rather go back to the tree. It'll be time for dinner soon and by the time we get up there we'll have to come down right away. But we can go tomorrow if you want to.” Kairi turned her down and offered compensation to make it up to her.
Naminè nodded, satisfied with this turn of events, and they finally made it to the library. It was already late; the sun was setting, and if they didn't hurry, they would be late for dinner. Tifa, that glutton, would leave nothing for them.
“Pick one fast, please. I don't want Tifa to eat my and your dinner as well. And that's gonna happen if we get back late.”
The thought first seemed a bit funny to Naminè, but the idea of eating bread for dinner wasn't that funny on second thought. She vanished upstairs, while Kairi waited at the door. A few minutes later, Naminè came back, holding a ridiculously big, dusty book.
“Where in the world did you get that? It looks ancient. At best.” Kairi added, “But tell me that later, we've gotta run.” Taking her hand, Kairi started to run, pulling Naminè with her. They had less than ten minutes to get back before Tifa would savage their food. Aerith would scold them as well for coming back late. Those two had been a bit on edge lately, what with the new pub having problems on every corner, and Kairi didn't want to make it any worse.
Wheezing and out of breath, they made it barely in time. Aerith was still cooking and Tifa was lying on the couch, listening to some of her music on her headphones.
“Go and wash your hands…and faces. Kairi, you have lip gloss on your cheek.” Aerith grinned and turned around, her attention on the food.
Kairi blushed and started to rub her cheek, slightly embarrassed. It was no mystery, at least not to Tifa and Aerith, that Kairi and Naminè were going out. Looking at Naminè's puzzled face, she looked at her lips. Naminè wasn't wearing any makeup, never did.
“You're a terrible tease, Aerith,” Kairi moaned, and vanished upstairs to change. Naminè's dress was mostly clean so she didn't need to change and instead washed her hands in the kitchen.
“You shouldn't do that to her. She's really easy to embarrass.” Naminé said, but she couldn't help but giggle when she thought of how funny Kairi looked when she was embarrassed.
“She knows I'm just doing it to tease her. I'm happy that she finally opened up this much. Can you hand me the potatoes?” Naminè reached out and handed over the pot with the potatoes. Aerith was making stew.
Kairi came down when Naminè was still chatting with Aerith, so she picked up a book she was supposed to read. It was one of the many works Leon had made her read and this one was especially difficult because it was so old. Of Battle and War was a book written by a Keyblader from long-forgotten times. Only the initials on the cover were readable, and they said E.L., which could mean about anything. She hadn't even finished the first part of it—she just didn't feel like wasting her time on this book when she could be spending the same time with Naminè.
“Kairi? Can you call—I mean, get Tifa? I have my hands full here,” Aerith asked and proceeded to carry the large pot with stew over to the table. Naminè was helping with the dishes. Kairi closed her book. She had just started on a chapter that handled battles against enemies one could not beat with raw force. It said that often, tricking the enemy was much easier than taking it down by force. Of course Kairi knew that, but this book was going really in depth with it.
Walking over to the couch, Kairi pulled Tifa's headphones from her head and immediately jumped back. Tifa was known for her sudden reactions when something unexpected happened right next to her. With her eyes closed, she hadn't seen or heard Kairi coming, and if not for Kairi's experience, she would've been hit by Tifa's fist.
“Dinner is ready,” Kairi said, and walked back to the table, throwing the headphones to Tifa.
“I'm coming right away,” the black-haired woman said. She was exhausted. The pub demanded more of her time than she had thought. But it was no wonder. Hollow Bastion wasn't as small and poor as the slums in sector seven. Thank God she had Aerith by her side to help her out.
Aerith was chattering with Naminè, and Tifa was talking about work, how bothersome some customers were and whatnot. Kairi listened to both, one at a time, not too interested in what Tifa was talking about, and not understanding some of what Aerith was talking about with Naminè. Something about higher magic, nothing to do with her. Finishing her food, Kairi picked up the book she was reading. It was Naminè's turn to help out in the kitchen today, and she really had to finish this piece sometime soon. Leon had given it to her over two weeks ago.
“What are you reading?” Naminè had been released from the kitchen and was standing right behind Kairi, who was still sitting at the table. She leaned forward, laying her arms around Kairi's shoulders, looking at the book.
Putting a finger on the line she was on, looking to the side, Kairi answered faithfully, “A book Leon gave me. It's giving me a headache.” She sighed and closed the book. Page eighty-seven. Still over two hundred to go.
“Want to go to my room?” Kairi asked, thoughtful not to let Tifa hear it. She would make fun of her.
With a happy smile, Naminè nodded and let go of her girlfriend, going upstairs. Kairi waited a moment, then walked past Aerith, following Naminè.
“Keep the blanket clean!” Tifa shouted, and Kairi immediately blushed until she was as red as a tomato.
“That's none of your business!” Kairi shouted back and vanished upstairs.
“What did Tifa mean?” Naminè asked when Kairi entered her own room.
Unable to answer that, she just waved her hand and said, “Nothing, it's nothing, forget it…” a few times, choking on embarrassment. Always that Tifa! Kairi hadn't spent a single thought on…that.
“Come on, tell me,” Naminè nagged, and sat down on Kairi's bed.
“Some other time.” Kairi turned her down and made clear that she would not tell, no matter how much Naminé asked.
“Fine then. Stingy.” Naminè made a sulking expression, swinging her legs on the bed back and forth, slightly annoyed that Kairi was holding back. It was probably something embarrassing, so she didn't want to talk about it, and Naminè dropped the issue.
Kairi picked up a water bottle she always kept in her room, and took a large gulp. “Can I sleep here tonight?” Naminè blurted out, making Kairi almost spit the water out as she choked on it. In the midst of coughing, Kairi managed to calm down.
“What did you say?” Kairi wasn't sure she hadn't misheard.
“I want to sleep in the same bed as you. Olette is gone, and it's lonely to sleep in that room alone.” Naminè had a point. When the training was still going on, they were too tired to even notice that it was lonely at times, but now that they had time, it was different. Kairi was in a pinch. How would she handle that? Sleeping in the same bed as Naminè seemed a bit over the top for now. Turning her down would seem a bit cold and distant.
“Okay, but…no sneaking up on me at night.” Kairi sighed. Hopefully Naminè would keep to that rule.
“Should I tell Aerith?” Naminè already knew the answer to that one but it was always fun seeing Kairi get flustered.
“No, don't. Just come over the roof. I'll leave the window open.” Aerith was still pretty strict when it came to such things. Kairi didn't knew why, but it was better not to anger her.
“I'll go take a shower. If you peek, you can sleep in your own room!” Kairi warned the girl that was already making herself comfortable on her bed. “Absolutely no searching my drawers either. I'm warning you.” Kairi sighed and left her room, leaving Naminè alone.
“Stingy.” Naminè stuck her tongue out at the closed door and turned around, lying on her stomach, face buried in Kairi's pillow. “Mm, Kairi's scent…”
The hot water flowed down from her body, taking the bit of fatigue she had carried over from last week with it. Even hotter than the water was her face. Sleeping in the same bed as quite the jump ahead. Well, as long Naminè didn't do anything outrageous it would be all fine.
Still, Kairi was excited and nervous. How should she act? Just be herself? She hadn't exchanged as much as a kiss ever since their training had started, but now that was done and dealt with. Now that she thought about it, was Naminè maybe thinking she was being cold for not even trying to kiss her today? Or did she not mind at all? The thoughts of that girl were sometimes just a big mystery to Kairi. Taking some shampoo, Kairi rubbed her legs together. With a sigh, she picked up the razor.
Naminè was still on the bed, just as she was when Kairi left. The thought of sleeping in the same bed as Kairi was exciting, but she really had to watch out not to do something stupid. Kairi was still sensitive to such things, and if she went too far, it could ruin everything. Maybe just sharing the same blanket, sharing the same space to sleep was enough for today. After all, that was much more than she had ever had of Kairi. If Kairi tried to kiss her, Naminè wouldn't hesitate to respond.
She was a little worried about Olette and how she was doing, but if she was with Yuffie, she was probably fine. Except that Yuffie was a horrible tease, though. But Olette probably had learned to deal with that by now.
Moving up, Naminè noticed that she had drooled on Kairi's pillow. “Oops…I better not tell her.” Turning the pillow around, Naminè would pretend she knew nothing about it. But Kairi smelled really nice. If she had to describe it, she would say it resembled ripe strawberries.
Kairi was still in the shower. What was taking her so long? Looking around, Naminè remembered her warning. No looking through her drawers. On the table next to the bed was the Keychain for Oathkeeper. It was a star, or something that closely resembled one. There was a little case next to it. It looked like a jewel case. But Kairi never wore any jewelry. What was in it?
Walking to the door, checking that the water in the bathroom was still running, Naminè went back in Kairi's room and opened the little case.
In it was another Keychain. A black crown. Naminè had never seen that one before. Kairi never used it. But it seemed precious to her—why else would she keep it like this?
Naminè took out her own Keychain for Monochrome, a silver boat's wheel, and looked at it. Naminè didn't know where Kairi got it form, but it fit her nicely. It was probably better Naminè didn't ask about this. If she hid it away like this, it was better she didn't tell her she found it. Falling back on the bed, Naminè was bored. The Keychain in that little case still occupied her thoughts. Should she try to use it? Better not. Who knew what would happen.
“Already asleep?” Kairi walked in, a towel over her head, still drying her damp hair. She looked down at Naminè, who was lying on the bed with her eyes fixated on Kairi. She threw the wet towel on Naminè's face.
“You're not sleeping in my bed without taking a shower first. It's already dark out. Get moving,” Kairi ordered her. She wanted to be alone for a moment. Usually, she just slept in a long shirt, but that would be rather careless today. Now she would have to look through her own drawers. Thinking about it, Kairi was really lacking in the nice clothes department. Most of her things were practical, things that promoted agility and evasion.
Naminè picked up the towel and walked to the door. “You look so cute when you're flustered.” And before Kairi could throw her pillow, Naminè left, giggling and smiling on her way to the bathroom. When she opened the door, a massive wall of mist came right at her. How long had Kairi been in there? The windows were filmed over with damp and the floor was wet. Amazed by the chaos, Naminè closed the door and started undressing.
“Naminè? Can I come in? I think I forgot something.” Kairi knocked on the door, impatiently waiting for a reply. She had completely forgotten to take her clothes with her. And Kairi really didn't want to walk in on Naminè again, on the same day no less. Remembering the incident, she blushed. Naminè was an amazingly cute girl. Much more than she had thought. Those dresses she always wore really concealed her nice figure.
“If it's your clothes, I can just take them with me when I get out. Unless you want to see me naked again, that is.” Naminè giggled. She knew how embarrassed Kairi was about it even though she didn't really mind. What was so embarrassing about seeing each other naked anyway?
“Uhm, I'd rather get them myself. Can't you wear a towel or something?” Kairi didn't want someone else to touch her underwear, even if it was Naminè. Much less used underwear.
“Only under one condition.” Naminè saw a good opportunity to extend the spoils from before. “Let me sleep in your bed until Olette comes back. And no you sleeping elsewhere. I want us two to share a bed,” Naminè demanded and waited curiously for a reply.
“Okay, you win. But let me get my clothes now.” Kairi grew more impatient with each second. Naminè really took after Aerith, and that wasn't something good. She was shamelessly abusing this situation. But it wasn't really that bad of a thing. It was just her sleeping in the same bed.
The lock clicked and the door opened a little gap. Naminé had wrapped herself in a towel, her own clothes on the ground in the back of the bathroom. “Can't have you nosebleed seeing me naked,” the blond girl teased the other.
“What am I, an old man?” Kairi blushed and averted her eyes. Trying not to look at Naminè at all, Kairi picked up her things and left, not without unintentionally giving Naminè a good look close-up. It brought up some hot memories from the morning and Kairi left in a hurry.
Naminè smiled to herself after Kairi left and locked the door again. Finishing undressing herself, she picked up her clothes and put them on the edge of the bathtub. Holding up a pair of black panties, Naminè almost started laughing. Kairi would absolutely panic if she knew she had forgotten these. Seconds later, the noise of the shower, of water flowing down Naminé's slender body, filled the room.
It was past nine in the evening and Kairi was sort of tired. She was startled when the door opened and Tifa knocked on the frame.
“Kairi? I'm going out with Aerith for a while. Thought I'd let you know.” Tifa was wearing a black summer dress that looked really nice on her. The sandals didn't fit at all with it, but the black-clad woman had quite a weird sense of fashion anyway. Kairi was kinda curious as to what Aerith was wearing, but she was too lazy to get up.
“See you tomorrow. I'm going to sleep soon, I'm tired.” Kairi waved with her hand to signal that she understood that the two women would be gone for some time. It wasn't unusual for them to go out for walk at this hour. Hollow Bastion had become quite safe lately. It was like the Heartless were giving up on taking the Keyblade and the town.
Tifa had already left when Kairi looked up. Seconds later, the house door fell closed and Kairi could hear Aerith talking from her open window. She couldn't make out what they were talking about, but it seemed like their usual flirting. Would she become like that with Naminè one day? Blushing at the thought, she let herself fall back on her bed, burying her face in the pillow. Would their relationship go that far?
“Are you already asleep?” Naminè walked in the room, a towel on her head, wearing a long shirt she had probably taken from Kairi's drawers earlier. Her hair still wet, with tiny drops falling towards the ground continuously. Holding her old clothes in one hand, Naminè walked over to the basket for laundry, filling it even more.
“I'll put your panties in there. They were mixed in with my clothes.” Naminè scratched her cheek with her index finger, sighing when Kairi still didn't respond. Was she really sleeping? She dried her hair a bit more, and when she leaned over Kairi, a drop of cold water landed on Kairi's neck, causing her to jump up, appalled.
Kairi needed a few seconds to know what was going on. Naminè was looking at her, amused and giggling.
“Don't scare me like that!” Kairi complained, and pulled on the towel on her head, causing it to slip over Naminè's face. “Dry your hair, you're getting my bed all wet. And me too, on top of that!”
Kairi moved down from her bed and started to look through her drawers. Aerith had given her a large wooden comb as a present quite some time ago, but she usually didn't bother to use it. Naminè looked a bit like a exploded mop, though. When she was looking through her drawers, she remembered that she didn't want to sleep in just a shirt. But changing now was kinda…
“Ahh, that felt good.” Naminè pulled down the towel and hung it over a chair next to the table near the window. “What are you looking for, Kairi? You can stay like that, teehee~” Naminè tried to say it in a seductive tone, but it came out really weirdly and Kairi started giggling uncontrollably after giving her a weird look.
“Meanie.” Naminè looked away and made herself comfortable on the bed.
Kairi finally found the comb and proceed to walk over to Naminè, who was happily snuggling with her blanket. With a slightly awkward expression, Kairi pulled Naminè up, positioning herself behind her. “Come on, I'll comb your hair. Otherwise you'll look like a mess tomorrow.” And without further ado, Kairi started. Naminè didn't protest or moan, but was silent. It was a nice feeling, though. Caring for each other like that was something Kairi didn't experience every day.
“I never thought you would be the caring type, Kairi,” Naminè said after a few minutes of silent combing had passed. Kairi couldn't see it but Naminè was smiling, enjoying this situation. She had longed so much for Kairi to be with her that it felt very satisfying to finally get what she wanted so badly.
“I'm the caring type?” Kairi was a little bit embarrassed and puzzled over that. Was she, really? But if that made Naminè happy, then it was a good thing.
Finishing with a few strokes, Kairi sat back and looked at it from different angles. Naminè's hair was still a bit damp and easy to comb, but it smelled nice and with the light and the water, it looked a bit like it was shining. “There, all done. You look much better now. But you should pay more attention to your hair in the future.”
Leaning back without warning, Naminè looked straight up into Kairi's face. Without words, her intentions were quite clear to the redhead. Slowly reaching out with one hand, touching Kairi's cheek, Naminè wanted Kairi to lean down. Naminè's wet hair tickled Kairi's legs. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, Naminè's head resting on them. Their blue eyes met in the middle, two glares becoming one.
Slowly, Kairi followed Naminè's lead, leaning forward until she could feel the breath of the excited girl below her. Reaching out, laying both her arms around Kairi's neck, the blond girl pulled her closer and closer until only an instant was between them.
Kairi could feel Naminè moving up slightly. She wanted it too, wanted to feel her lips again on her own, wanted to share the same embrace they had shared not so long ago. Skin touched, and as Kairi closed her eyes, she could feel the warm lips of the girl she had come to like. It was just like that moment that seemed so far away now. A stream of feelings rushed to her head, letting her forget all about her reservations, and she gave in to the kiss, gave in to Naminè.
How much time passed, neither knew when they finally separated. They kept close, just like they were before the kiss. Naminè smiled and Kairi could not only see but feel that it was because Naminè was madly in love with her. Pulling Kairi closer, Naminè whispered something in her ear. Kairi didn't need to be told, she knew, since a long time. Naminè loved her, but to actually hear her say it was an amazing feeling. It was like something opened up in Kairi, like she was able to cross a bridge that she had not dared to look at for ages.
“I love you too…” Kairi whispered back.
Naminè was speechless. She hadn't expected Kairi to reply, hadn't expected her to say it. But Kairi had, and it was making Naminè unimaginably happy. She hadn't misheard, she hadn't forced it out. Kairi had wanted to say it and she just knew that it was a serious response. Both of them seemed suspended in time, staring at each other, surprised and happy. The towel slipped from the chair and fell to the ground, the sound calling them back to reality.
“I wanted to hear that so much…” Naminè caressed Kairi's cheek with her smooth and slender fingers, smiling even more than before, with a special glimmer in her eyes. It was like they were now the first time truly together. Kairi kept silent, eyes closed, enjoying what Naminè did to her. Her heart was beating fast, her mind fuzzy and in chaos. She hated it, usually, to be like that, but it felt just right for now.
Cold air came in from the window, and Kairi suddenly got goosebumps, ripping the illusionary world she was in abruptly apart. With a look that could only described with “forgive me,” Kairi got up, leaving the embrace, leaving the little world they had entered.
It had gotten cold and it was dark. Naminè would sleep in this room tonight, and Kairi was really looking forward to it. Closing the window and turning off the lights, Kairi moved back to her bed. She couldn't see in the darkness, but knew exactly where she had to stop. Naminè had long crawled under the blanket, waiting for Kairi to join her.
“I'm so nervous, I wonder why…” Naminè whispered. It was impossible to tell, but Naminè was actually blushing and averting her eyes when Kairi finally lay down next to her. Searching for her hand, Naminè intertwined her fingers with Kairi's, holding hands under the blanket. Moving closer, bit by bit, Naminè soon could feel the very warmth of Kairi's body, their faces only a bit apart. Naminè's heart skipped when Kairi moved in, kissing her. Snuggled together, they caressed each other's faces until they finally fell asleep, still holding hands.
---Valiant Hearts---
Tifa was still rubbing her head. She had dragged Aerith out for no reason, and now Aerith finally knew why. That brute wanted to spy on Kairi and Naminè.
“You should be ashamed of yourself, Tifa Lockhart!” Aerith was still complaining. Tifa had excused herself for a moment, and when she hadn't come back after a few minutes, Aerith had a hunch. The sudden choice to go out and then, just going off like that…there had to be something going on.
And Aerith had been right. It was no special trick to guess where she would be. Tifa was lurking right next to the window, hidden in the shadows, when Aerith found her. With a hit on the head and a glare that could kill, Aerith dragged Tifa away.
“Okay, I got it, I got it! No more spying on the girls. Jeez, you really are a party pooper, Aerith,” Tifa complained, walking to a wall and sitting down. “It's not like I wanted to peep on them, I just wanted to know how things were going.” Tifa averted her eyes and didn't dare to look at Aerith. She could be really angry when it was about things like private space.
“It's not like I saw anything. Naminè still wasn't out of the shower, and Kairi was just sleeping.” Tifa tried to defend herself, more in vain than in success.
“Just let them be. I think it was hard enough for Kairi to finally get there…” Aerith slowly calmed down and walked over to Tifa, sitting down on a higher fragment of the wall. “I'm happy that Kairi finally found someone she can open her heart to.” Giving Tifa a warning glare, Aerith added, “And I don't want anyone to ruin that. I want Kairi to be happy.”
Tifa sighed, and knew she would not win this argument if she kept on defending herself. All that was left was saying sorry and hoping that Aerith was forgiving. “You're right, my bad. I'm sorry. I wonder how Olette is doing. Yuffie can be a real pain in the neck sometimes.” Tifa sighed.
---Valiant Hearts---
The sun was already high in the sky when Kairi finally woke up to the warm rays of light. Looking around, it took her a moment to grasp her surroundings. Something was on her arm. When she looked at it, it was Naminè, clinging to her. The last night slowly came back to her and Kairi blushed quite a bit.
Trying to calm down, she freed herself from Naminè, got up, and opened the window. Fresh air streaming in the room caused Kairi to shiver for a second. She looked back at the bed. Naminè was still refusing to wake up.
Kneeling on the bed, Kairi rubbed Naminè's cheek, trying to wake her up. “Come on, it's already noon. Wake up, sleepyhead.” Kairi teased the blond girl a bit more until she gave up. If she wanted to sleep, so be it. They had nothing to do anyway, except getting yelled at for sleeping that long.
Kairi didn't want to leave until Naminè woke up, so she picked up the book from the day before and started reading. Where had she stopped? Page eighty? Something like that. Finding the exact point after a few minutes, Kairi soon lost her concentration. Next to her was still Naminè, sound asleep, and looking incredibly cute. Kairi resisted the temptation to kiss her awake and indulged herself further in the book.
Roughly thirty pages later, and with a big yawn, Naminè woke up. The eyes only half-open, she crawled around in the bed, and having spotted Kairi, immediately clung to her, forcing her attention on herself. “Morning…” Naminè yawned again and took her time fully waking up. “I'm hungry…” Kairi had to laugh and patted her on the head.
“Get up. It's already noon.” Kairi smiled and pushed Naminè away, finally getting up herself. She picked out some clothes for the day, intent on going to the bathroom. “I'll bring some clothes over.” Kairi left the room and sighed. When she entered the bathroom, Tifa was standing in front of the mirror, brushing her teeth.
“You two are really slacking off lately,” Tifa complained while Kairi waited quite impatiently for her to finish so that she could change. “Why are you changing in the bathroom?” Tifa asked, trying to be as natural as possible. She knew that Naminè was most likely still in Kairi's room and that the redhead didn't want to change in front of her.
“Wanted to wash my face,” Kairi lied and averted her eyes. She didn't want to explain herself or the situation. “Can you hurry up? And why are you brushing your teeth around this time? Don't tell me you just got up.” Now that she looked more closely, Tifa was still dressed casually, not for work.
“I'm off from work today. Aerith too.” Tifa answered faithfully and turned around, the toothbrush loose in her mouth, waving with her hands. “I'm gonna close the pub on weekends from now on. It's a pain to work on the weekends, so I'm not gonna do it.” And with a sigh, she turned around, finishing up brushing her teeth.
Kairi didn't want to distract her any longer because she wanted to change already. The bathroom door was still open and she was sitting there, in just the shirt she had worn for sleep, with her clothes on her lap. It certainly looked odd for anyone passing by. Had Naminè changed already? Or had that sleepyhead gone back to sleep? If so, Kairi would throw her out of the bed. She usually woke up at her own time and she didn't like oversleeping.
“Kairi? Are you done changing yet?” Naminè looked inside the bathroom, from the floor, her head poking around the corner. “Oh, morning, Tifa.” Awkward silence had the room in its iron grip. After a few seconds, Tifa started laughing, then coughing because of the water in her mouth, then laughing again.
“Did Cid test one of his inventions on you? You look rough.” Pointing at Naminè's hair, that looked really rough and rumpled, Tifa was hold her side. She broke out in laughter again as Naminè pulled a strand of her hair with a puzzled expression. “Why are you wearing Kairi's clothes, by the way?” Tifa asked with a mean, knowing glare.
“Her clothes are all in the laundry.” Kairi jumped in and tried to avert the disaster. “That's why I allowed her to wear some of mine. Aren't you done soon, or are you trying to reach a new record for the longest teeth brushing in history?”
Tifa was so amused by Kairi's impatience that she wanted to tease her some more. “How come it's my turn to do the laundry, but I haven't see any of Naminè's clothes?” It was an obvious lie. It was Tifa's turn, all right, but Kairi knew that there had to be some of Naminè's clothes in the basket. She had watched her drop them in there yesterday.
Aerith joined the crowd. “Tifa, are you still not done? We were supposed to leave an hour ago! I wanted to look for some new clothes at Stilzkin's.” Looking at the other two girls, Aerith showed her usual smile. “Morning, Kairi, morning, Naminè.” She noticed immediately that Naminè was wearing Kairi's clothes, and that Kairi was apparently quite annoyed with Tifa delaying her leave so long.
“If you aren't done in five minutes, I'm leaving without you,” Aerith proclaimed, and left for downstairs.
“Tsk…see you two later.” Tifa cursed a few times quietly enough so that Aerith couldn't hear her and finally left the bathroom. Naminè was still standing in the entrance of the room, looking at Kairi, apparently waiting for her to do something. Did she want to watch her change? With a sudden blush, Kairi stood up and shoved Naminè out of the room.
“No peeking,” Kairi said, and locked the door. Finally alone, she pulled her shirt off and started to dress. A short black skirt (Kairi had lately taken a liking to darker colors), and a sleeveless top in dark red. She really needed some new shoes.
When Kairi unlocked the door, Naminè was gone. Probably in Kairi's room, reading. When the redhead got there, there was no sign of Naminè. Where had she gone?
“Naminè?” Kairi called. Tifa and Aerith had most likely already left, so there was no one to hear her shouting.
“Hm?” Naminè came out of her room, carrying a sketchbook and two pens, one for dark lines and one for lighter ones. Kairi only now noticed that Naminè was wearing one of her favorite dresses, the pink one-piece, but she had forgotten to wear an undershirt. If one were tall enough, he could stare right at her cleavage. Her white sandals didn't fit one bit, but Kairi didn't say anything. It looked rather good on her, but it was an odd feeling to see that dress on someone else.
“You want to draw something?” Kairi asked.
“You. I want to draw you. Will you model for me Kairi?” Naminè blurted out and showed her usual smile. That was just like Naminè, honest and bold, paired with a bit of naiveté. But Kairi liked that part of her. She always spent a lot of time thinking what she should say and more often than not, she didn't say what she wanted to say. Naminè was different.
“Me?” Kairi was a bit embarrassed about modeling for Naminè. True, she had gotten a lot better lately, but wasn't drawing a portrait really difficult? But to say no would mean to let Naminè down. How bad could it turn out?
“Why not? Where do you want to draw? I guess the light outside is better,” Kairi agreed and thought about what pose she should take.
“The tree from yesterday. I want to draw you in front of that old huge tree. I really like being there. It's our place.” Naminè smiled happily and walked once around Kairi, looking at her. “Can you take Oathkeeper with you? I want you to hold it when I draw you.” Besides that, Naminè was satisfied with her outfit. It wasn't what Kairi wore when they first met, but it was nice and rare enough to see Kairi in a skirt.
Kairi just nodded and followed the artist's request, taking the pendant from the table next to her bed and going back to the girl who had already gone downstairs. She was waiting at the open door, where the warm sunshine welcomed them to the day now that they were finally and truly awake. Even though it was past noon, the sun was still high up. It really was about to be summer. It was hot ,and Kairi was thankful that she had worn a skirt. Trousers would be really uncomfortable in this heat.
As they made their way to the tree, holding hands and walking close together, Naminè discussed a few details of the drawing with Kairi. How she should stand, how she should hold Oathkeeper, and where she should look. Kairi rolled her eyes at all the things she had to remember, but for Naminè's sake, she paid attention. When they finally arrived, Naminè wandered about for a few minutes to find a spot with good light and where she could also see the lowest branches of the majestic tree.
“This is good. Kairi?” Naminè asked her model to take position. Leaning on the trunk, holding Oathkeeper only loosely in her hand and with the expression of a dreamer, Kairi looked slightly toward the sky beyond the branches. It wasn't a difficult pose, but she had to stand, and she wasn't allowed to move at all.
“I'm starting now. I will draw your face last so you can talk. I'd be lonely with you being silent all the time,” Naminè said, and showed a glimpse of red shimmer on her face.
“How come you suddenly want to draw me?” Kairi asked, unmoving, maintaining her pose. It wasn't like Naminè hadn't had the chance to ask her to draw her, but she never asked. Had she asked now because of last night? They had only kissed, slept together in the same bed. And Kairi had finally told Naminè that she loved her. Was that the reason? Had Naminè waited until she would hear those three magical words?
“Last night made me understand that some things change with time. I want to remember you as you are now, even if you change in the future. I always want to have a piece, a picture, a keepsake of the Kairi who told me she loves me,” Naminè answered, being completely truthful. She didn't want to make any excuses, didn't want to leave any uncertainty. “I love you, so I want to draw you.”
Kairi had to fight with herself not to look away. She closed her eyes, her face a fierce red. She hadn't thought a second that this would change a anything. She really had meant it, she really loved Naminè. But there was more to it. Something she just couldn't explain. Something that was not love but also just as important…
“Say, Naminè…do you remember anything before you…were captured?” Now that Kairi thought about the future, the past was catching up. She didn't know anything about Naminè's origins. Where she came from, who she was. If she had family, if she had friends, if her world still existed. Back when she arrived she had said she didn't remember anything and they had thought her memory would come back. But Naminè never mentioned anything. There couldn't be people without any memories…right?
“No. When I first opened my eyes I was in what Leon calls the headquarters of the Nobodies. I don't know how I got there, or what I was doing there. They asked me many things, and I still don't understand most of them. I…don't want to think about that time too much.” Naminé stopped for a second, as if deep in thought. “What…about your past? You never talk about that. I want to know more about you, understand you.” Naminè looked over her sketchbook and kept her gaze on Kairi.
“My past is…probably even worse than yours. Do you remember? The time I first found you, in that castle, in that tower. It was like I was being called by you, like you could see my mind, speak to me through it. Did I imagine that? Did it really happen?” Kairi took a deep breath. There were so many mysterious things about Naminè. So much they—she—didn't know.
“You didn't imagine that. I felt it too. I could feel your determination but also your fear, your insecurity about your mission. I could feel that you wanted to save someone and I thought it was me. That's why I called out to you. It happened. But I don't know how…I only could feel your thoughts, your heart when I was in that tower. I can't right now,” Naminè answered, and got back to her sketch. She had the legs done and was now drawing Kairi's hips. It was more difficult than she had imagined but she could do it.
“I wonder what that was. It didn't feel like my thoughts were being invaded…more like shared. I don't remember too clearly.” Kairi took another deep breath. Such heavy topics were not her specialty and she didn't like talking about it. But her curiosity got the better of her, most of the time. Especially if it dealt with Naminè and her friends.
“About your past…Aerith told me that you fought alone at the end. Against 'Ansem the Dark One'. Who was he?” Naminè wanted to know. Wanted to know what happened to Kairi that she had shut herself away from the world.
“He was…evil. More evil than everything I ever saw. I…think I should tell you. He manipulated me. Everyone. He was not human anymore. A Heartless so powerful that you'd tremble at the sheer sight of it. He planned to attain Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds. I followed him to the end of all worlds, where in the depths he waited. Waited for me, knowing I had the only key that could open the Gate to Kingdom Hearts. Or so we thought…” Kairi paused. It was like, by the sole mention of his name, the air cooled down. Chills ran down her spine.
“What happened to him?” Naminè asked. She had completely forgotten about drawing Kairi. She could feel the ominous presence coming from her. Could virtually grasp the terror she had undergone. It was by no account nice. Not human. Shivers shook Naminè when Kairi continued.
“At the end, there was only a door. A point of no return. Beyond there was only darkness. Pure darkness. And there, in the darkness beyond blackest pitch, he was waiting for me. He promised me that I would live eternally. Never get old, never get sick. Power, everything. It seemed too good to be true. And it was.
“I rejected his offer. Enraged, he attacked me. I had no chance. He was like an almighty force, toying with the life of a insect. The pain was unbearable. I almost lost my mind. He was so powerful…darkness was engulfing me, devouring me. No light, not even the Keyblade could protect me from it. I was on the verge of death when I heard the voices of my friends, Sora and Riku. They told me to never give up. That they were waiting for me.
“I could feel Ansem's icy grip on my hand, trying to take the Kingdom Key, the Keyblade he needed to open Kingdom Hearts. I don't know how…I screamed and shouted, my body was breaking under the pain…but I managed to pierce his chest with the Keyblade. From there on, it's all a blur. I don't know if I passed out or what happened. When I opened my eyes again, I was wounded but alive, right in front of Kingdom Hearts.” Kairi ended her story looking pale and sick.
“Let's take a break.” It was the only thing Naminè said. Dropping her sketchbook, she walked up to Kairi who didn't look too good. “I…understand why you don't want to talk about it. I'm afraid just from hearing about it.”
Kairi sat down and leaned back on the trunk. She felt a bit better with Naminè next to her. But talking about all of this woke up her memories. It had been beyond terrifying. She never wanted to experience something like that again. Never.
The next half hour passed without them speaking a word. Kairi slowly regained her color and Naminè kept close to her. Hearing about Ansem…it was like she knew what Kairi was talking about. Like she herself had experienced it. Deep inside, fear held her heart in its grip. Ansem was not like anything else. Naminé was afraid, afraid of seeing Kairi suffer any more.
“I feel much better now, thanks.” Kairi forced herself to smile and patted Naminé's head. “I just…don't like to remember those things. We can continue if you want. I'm okay now.” Kairi stood up, knocking off the dirt from her skirt.
“Really?” Naminè wasn't sure if Kairi was pretending or really feeling better. But she was so stubborn that no matter what she said now, Kairi would keep claiming that she was okay. Slowly walking back to her sketchbook, Naminè picked it up and started drawing. Checking secretly on Kairi every few lines, Naminè was soon sure that she wasn't pretending. Kairi was a strong girl. She probably dealt with it in her own way.
Naminè continued drawing for almost two hours until she called it enough for the day. It was for both, artist and model, equally difficult to maintain their concentration, and they were hungry. Having skipped breakfast, they hadn't eaten anything until now. The sun was still clearly visible and it was hot, but around an hour after Naminè had started drawing a slight wind had come up, bringing some refreshing cool air with it.
“Want to go and grab something to eat at Kupo's? I hear the Moogles there make really good food. Nothing big, though, since I guess Aerith is gonna make dinner in a few hours,” Kairi offered. Kupo's was not just a restaurant. It was part of the big Stilzkin & Kupo chain that had a lot of shops. Stilzkin was a Moogle that had traveled far and wide and collected all sorts of treasures.
“Can we stop by at home first? I don't want to carry my sketchbook with me. The nice drawing would be ruined if someone dropped food or drinks on it.”
Kairi could see her point. It was on the way anyway. Maybe a detour of two minutes at best. She also didn't want to carry Oathkeeper all the way with her.
“Sure. Let's go, I'm starving.” Kairi smiled, back to her happy self from the morning. Naminè was a bit tired but couldn't help but smile and cling to Kairi, walking arm in arm. “You really are a limpet, do you know that?” Kairi teased the blond girl.
The rest of their day was nothing special. Eating a few burgers at Kupo's, they got home even before Tifa and Aerith. Kairi made herself comfortable on the couch and relaxed a bit. Naminè sat in one of the armchairs and pulled her sketchbook and started to draw without Kairi knowing.
When Tifa and Aerith came home (Aerith looking quite happy and empty-handed, Tifa looking pissed and with four bags of clothes), they noticed Kairi sleeping on the couch and Naminè sleeping in the armchair, holding an half-finished sketch of Kairi sleeping.
“How cute.” Aerith giggled, and with an sudden thud, Tifa dropped the bags, dropping herself on a chair on the kitchen bar.
Waking up from the sound, the other two girls bade them welcome home. Aerith started to make dinner and had Naminè help out while Kairi, feeling better, picked up her book she had left upstairs. Tifa was soon gone, taking a shower as she was really exhausted. For the rest of the evening, they could listen to Tifa complaining about what a shopping maniac Aerith was and that fighting Heartless was no big deal in comparison. Receiving giggling from the girls and a mad glare from Aerith, the black-clad woman shut up and ate her dinner in silence.
The rest of the evening was ordinary. Kairi read her book, Naminè made yet another sketch of her lying on her bed, reading. Kairi didn't mind. She had even come to like it and teased Naminè a bit with changing her position just a little sometimes.
The evening came, and Kairi got herself pretty excited. Naminè had demanded that she could sleep for the whole weekend in her bed, but by now, Kairi didn't even want it otherwise. She felt lonely without Naminè around. Going to bed earlier than usual, Kairi and Naminè spent a lot of time still awake.
They held hands and stared at each other for minutes at a time. One gave the other a playful kiss once in a while. They enjoyed the each other's company to the fullest. It was long past midnight when they finally fell asleep, snuggled together while holding hands, their faces just inches apart.
---Valiant Hearts---
It was pitch black out when they woke up. The sirens, all of them, started to sound through the town. It was an alarm. Somewhere in Hollow Bastion, the Heartless were attacking. But all sirens? That was a big alarm. Everyone from the Committee and all Keybladers had to assemble at the point that was signalized by a signal rocket in such a case.
“Get Monochrome. Tifa and Aerith should be awake. Just put on clothes from yesterday!” Kairi ordered, instantly wide awake. Jumping out of her bed, she grabbed the first clothes she could get—her dress that Naminè had worn yesterday. Slipping in her sneakers and grabbing Oathkeeper, Kairi stormed out the room. Tifa was already waiting in the hall. Aerith apparently still dressing.
“Damn these things. It's been so calm lately that we've let our guard down,” Tifa cursed and stomped. Kairi could feel the ground shaking a bit. A full alarm was an extreme case.
“Where is the alarm coming from?” Kairi asked, agitated. “There should be a signal rocket, but I couldn't see it from my room.”
At that moment, Naminè ran past them, coming out of Kairi's room. Tifa noticed but knew already. She didn't say anything, pretending she didn't see her. Naminè was wearing the clothes Kairi had worn yesterday.
Seconds later, the blond Keyblader joined the other two, still waiting for Aerith. “Aren't you done yet? We don't have time! You don't have to look perfect!” Tifa yelled. The sirens were still ongoing, earsplitting in volume.
“I'm ready!” Aerith came out of the shared bedroom, panting and wheezing.
The group left the house, moving in to the command center of Hollow Bastion, Merlin's house. Leon was probably already waiting. They didn't have to run that far to find the grim sword wielder.
“C District. It's a level four alarm!” Leon yelled while running past the group at full speed. Level four. The highest alarm that there was. While level one could be handled by the defense system, level two was a larger scale of stronger Heartless. Level three was already an invasion. There had never before been a level four alarm.
“Someone is leading them! They look like Heartless from Agrabah. Kairi! Didn't you report that you sealed the local master of the Heartless there?!” Leon shouted. The sirens didn't stop, and they were all running.
“I did!” Kairi defended herself. Jafar had become a genie, but she had tricked him into a game, mocking his intelligence. Aladdin, a local thief, had helped her to steal Jafar's lamp and seal him in there. Agrabah had been on the brink of destruction back then. It couldn't be him. It was impossible.
“Don't blame her, Leon! We have two Keybladers and we can fight to our fullest in an uninhabited district. We will win!” Tifa shouted, running left of Leon. Naminè had problems keeping up with the more physically trained others.
“Tifa, Kairi and I will go ahead! You two, come after us. Don't hold back if you encounter the enemy. We can repair buildings, we cannot repair hearts!” Leon ordered Naminè and Aerith, and left with the other two, running ahead.
Nobody knew that it was the beginning of a night that would last for a long time.
End of Chapter XVIII
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