Sorry this took me so long =3
Chapter Two
“Wonder how long Kairi’s gonna be,” Sora commented, running a hand loosely through his chestnut hair, coaxing his fingers through a few stray tangles. His words were languid, and longing; the atmosphere on this island made any matter seem laid-back, and sometimes, it felt as though nothing outside this microcosm mattered at all.
Riku did not bother with a response - although, it was not as though Sora expected one - lying back with his eyes closed. His expression gave the appearance of a young man lost in thought, musing over an unknown matter, that no-one else was aware of but himself. His sharp features gave him an air of intelligence, making one assume he was mulling over something that a great deal of knowledge was required to understand.
Of course, anyone thinking so would be sorely mistaken. Riku’s thoughts remained firmly in the past, dwelling upon all that had befallen himself and his friends in those years away.
After returning to the islands, accompanied by his beloved friends, he’d done his utmost to repay them for his misguided actions. Making a fresh start for himself, as it were.
“Maybe we should look for her,” Sora mumbled, his eyes beginning to wander the rest of the beach, a single hand held upon his brow. Riku peeked at him with one eye, giving a smirk.
“She’s a big girl, Sora,” he replied, breathing a small sigh to himself. “She can take care of herself.” A playful glimmer lit his turquoise eye, before being hidden in the sweep of his eyelashes. “Unless you miss her too much to wait.” Sora blushed profusely, shaking his head in a firm - albeit, suspicious-looking - fashion. Clearly pretending to care less, his gaze rolled with the ocean as he breathed a forced sigh.
“Of course not,” he protested, letting his hands rest in the warm sands, a few uncomfortable grains finding their way into his gloves, “I’m just wondering, is all.”
Riku smiled, sitting up in the sand. Legs crossed, his fingers ran around in the sands, loosening a frail, bluish shell that lay within the white, rolling bumps. He fingered it gently, wiping the stray grains off with a slow, ponderous movement. He gave a loud yawn as he sat there, not bothering to cover his mouth as he did so.
“There she is,” Sora replied. From the tone of his sunny voice, it was clear that the boy was overjoyed to see her. Tilting his head slightly, Riku glanced at Sora, before following his pointed arm to the other side of the beach.
Sure enough, there was her form, fairly small with distance - yet, her small frame, and crimson hair made her easily recognisable to the two. Not that they’d ever forget the girl. But, as she came into clarity, both furrowed their brows, eyes squinting in the glare of the sunshine.
“Is it me,” Riku muttered, eyes narrowed as he peered towards the simmering horizon, “or is there someone else with her?” He looked to Sora at this point, who, at hearing the end of Riku’s words, squinted as he looked to her. The boy was right; Kairi had brought along a friend.
“It’s probably Selphie,” Sora replied, hunching up his shoulders, leaning back on outstretched arms. Riku looked, leaning forward slightly, but then shook his head of silvery hair.
“Nope,” he replied in a mused mutter, “I don’t think it’s a girl.”
“Tidus?” Sora asked, suddenly feeling a slight pang of envy - not that he’d admit such things - as he decided to take a greater interest in Kairi’s companion.
“No,” Riku noticed, “I think he has black hair.” Sora wrinkled his nose as he stared at the two as they approached.
“Wakka?” he asked, with a slight hope.
“Nah,” Riku replied, with a shake of his head, “no offence to the guy, but he’s not the right build. This guy looks… scrawny.”
“Then… who is it?” he wondered, giving the two a wave. He smiled warmly as he noticed Kairi reciprocate the greeting. Her guest did not react, however, his hands firmly in his pockets as he approached them.
Kairi gave a bright smile as she reached them, ocean-blue eyes shining with joy as she greeted them. Her pink dress waved slightly in the wind as she playfully rocked back and forth upon her heels, her shoes held tightly in one dainty hand. Sunlight beamed from the sheen upon her crimson hair.
“Hey!” she smiled happily. “Sorry I’m so late, I was showing - um,” she looked to the newcomer, blushing profusely. “Uh, what was your name again?”
The boy looked at her, his face slightly bewildered - almost appearing startled by the sudden speech in his direction. Fairly long, dishevelled locks wavered in the light winds, the dark brown sheen snaking amongst his curls. His wide, staring eyes looked back to her in a fearful, darkened gaze as he parted his lips to tremulously respond to her question.
“Oh, it’s Kuna,” he replied, a hushed tone escaping his small mouth. His voice gave the impression that he found it difficult to talk in a tone above a whisper. He struggled with another sentence. “It’s… good to meet you guys.”
“It’s nice to meet you too!” Sora replied, instantly welcoming. His tone had been bizarre; he’d begun in his usual, overly cheerful manner, but, as the words tumbled uncontrollably from his grinning lips, he had feared startling this clearly nervous young man, and had tried to quieten his voice. He continued, clearing his throat as he tried to contain his bubbly personality. “My name’s Sora.”
Riku politely stood, wiping his sandy hands upon his navy trousers before offering one towards Kuna in a friendly gesture.
“I’m Riku,” he introduced himself, giving a smile. He wanted to make a good first impression.
Kuna seemed baffled at first, his eyes quivering as they fell upon his sun-browned hand. A moment later, he shakily outstretched his own, bony limb, his knobbly fingers grasping Riku’s in an ice-breaking handshake. A nervous smile seemed to quiver upon his fawn face as he drew his hand backwards. It then resumed its place within the pocket of his black, baggy shorts, that seemed to be far too wide for his scrawny legs.
“Hello, Riku,” he replied quietly. His eyes moved from Riku’s turquoise gaze, wandering over Sora’s similarly thin frame - strangely, lingering here a while - before meeting the reassurance of Kairi’s smile. “Kairi… offered to show me around.”
The crash of a wave echoed beneath his words, as did the cry of a gull, sailing gently on the afternoon breeze.
“That’s right!” she smiled, reinforcing this. She looked to Sora and Riku. “I told him I’d show him the island.” Forgetful, her expression left her face as the pinkness returned. “Um, you just moved here, right?” She looked to Kuna, hands held behind her back.
“Yes,” he replied. It seemed this boy only spoke to them when spoken to. “With my parents.” Kairi smiled, clasping her hands together.
“Yeah, I remember now,” she smiled radiantly, her pink dress billowing slightly as she stood there. She looked to Sora and Riku, both sat in the white sands together. Riku had resumed his place on the ground after his offer of friendship. “I thought if would be fun if he spent the day with us!”
“If that’s okay with you guys,” Kuna added, his eyes avoiding their gaze completely. The sleeves of his beige t-shirt became caught in the wind, as did the loose tendrils of his dark hair.
“Of course it is,” Sora beamed, gesturing for the boy to sit down. He hid his envy rather well. Kuna seemed heartened at his hospitality. Riku nodded similarly, silver locks being lifted from his shoulders.
“Welcome to Destiny Island,” he added, with a glint of his trademark smirk.
“Thank you,” Kuna replied, settling down upon the warm sand. He curled his legs beneath himself as he did so, and ended up kneeling just before Sora. He then busied himself burying his fingers in the whiteness of the sand, freeing a small shell, dark eyes narrowed in a strange concentration as he did so; a seemingly nervous action. Kairi giggled at his quirky antics, before sitting down next to him. Sora hid his envious frown beneath the spikes of his brown fringe, and Riku could not help but laugh as he noticed. Continuing to watch as he cleaned the little seashell, her blue eyes beamed at him. Noticing her gaze, Kuna stopped, blushing as he saw her smile.
<3