004 ☆ [Video/Locked from Ilya]

[paopuprincess]

So Ilya's birthday is Saturday. I've recruited a bunch of her pokemon and we've got the decorations ready to go up. But...

I don't have a present yet! That's pretty much the most important part! What do you even get for someone like her? I don't know.

[She pauses for a little bit.]

Also, Xion, Nami, we should coordinate our outfits so we all look great.

Comments

[islandshore]

You could always ask her. Just try to be sneaky about it-- see if there's anything she can't live without.

[He shrugs.]

Or I guess you could get her some music CDs? New clothes? Jewelry? Girls like that stuff, right?

[paopuprincess]

I'm worried she'd see through it. I really want it to be a surprise.

I guess I could get her girl stuff. Hm.

[islandshore]

Celadon is pretty big on fashion. Plenty of shops to choose from. Plus, there's always stuff like perfume, makeup... Flowers, I guess? Though usually it's the guys who are supposed to give gifts like that.

[paopuprincess]

Would it be weird to get her flowers on her birthday? Perfume, maybe.

[She is putting way too much thought into this.]

[islandshore]

Maybe a little weird if you go for the flowers, but that's mostly because they're usually gifts for couples.

[Heh, heh... couples.

Oh man.

He still needs to...

Cough. He might've averted his eyes for a second.]

But they don't have to be, and if anyone gives you a hard time, they'll have to deal with me.

[paopuprincess]

Couples. Huh.

[Man, would that be too sappy? Ilya would see right through that.]

Maybe a little bouquet would be okay.

[islandshore]

Right. I... I'm sure she'd like it, Kairi.

[DEEP BREATHS. Hoo boy.]

Say, you talked to Sora today?

[paopuprincess]

Yeah. He wouldn't say what he'd get me for my birthday.

[She puffs out her cheeks.]

[islandshore]

Well, yeah. Birthday gifts are supposed to be a secret, Kairi. That'd be like asking what we're getting you this Christmas.

[He playfully rolls his eyes, though his smile wavers the next second.]

But, well. There's something we've been meaning to tell you for a while, and...

[He trails off. How does he even admit this?]

[paopuprincess]

[She blinks. They've both been meaning to tell her something? She had always thought one of them would approach her about this. They were always so competitive about it all, maybe they wanted to both tell her at the same time?]

Really?

[islandshore]

Yeah, it's...

[He averts his eyes, mostly because of guilt. A big part of him still carries a flame, even if he's very happy in his relationship. There's just so many factors, the age gap chief among them. And maybe fear's another part of it, too. How will she react when it's been over a year?

He wants to stop worrying so he can be more open about his relationship and not have to act like nothing's changed, but he doesn't want to hurt Kairi in the process. Both of them mean the world to Riku, and that's one thing that'll never change, regardless of who he dates.]

We're sort of... I mean, it's a funny story, but...

[He winces. Man, he sounds like an idiot.]

Ugh. Where's Sora when you need him?

[heartdive]

[ and, of course, this is the moment that Sora elects to pop into the room. with arms containing a big bowl of popcorn. he might have had plans, okay? ]

What about me?

[paopuprincess]

[Man, she's never seen Riku this tongue-tied. Was he really going drag Sora into this? Were they really going to both ask her at once? Her two best friends.

She puts her hands on her hip.]

I can't believe you two. Are you really going to make me do this? You're both my best friends!

[She shakes her head and sighs, her cheeks turning pink.]

You both mean the world to me. Equally. Why would you make me choose?

[islandshore]

[...

Well, this just got awkward fast. So awkward that Riku reaches for the side of his neck, gaze dropping. Man, what's he gonna do now? They're all together. There's no backing out of it now.

Right?

Probably.

No time to get cold feet.]

That's not-- It's... Sora, help me out here!

[Because maybe if he starts, it'll be easier to explain.]

[heartdive]

[ ah ha ha ha. unfortunately Sora can't help Riku out. he tilts his head to the side a little. confused. ]

Choose? Choose what?

[ there are things that Sora is dense about. this conversation? happens to be one of them. ]

What are you guys talking about?

[paopuprincess]

[Riku, you're not getting out of this now. She grabs Sora's arm.]

Riku wants me to choose one of you to be my boyfriend.

[She won't do it. She can't.]

[islandshore]

That's not what this is about!

[Maybe a few years back, it might've been, but things have changed. Things are complicated. And now...]

It's... It's more complicated than that.

[heartdive]

[ hey, that's HIS ARM, Kairi. be careful! the girl is SO mad and Sora doesn't understand why.

it even takes a moment for his head to wrap around her words. then Riku's words. then before you know it, Sora's looking to Riku with an expression that says help.. ]

N-no... I'm pretty sure that's not at all what he's trying to say. [ pause. ] What, um. What we've been trying to tell you.

[ because they had talked about this. and honestly it's not as complicated for him as it is Kairi. sure, Sora still thinks some pretty happy thoughts where Kairi is concerned. but things are kind of different now and he wouldn't change it for the world. ]

We can't make you choose between us, because we kind of already have someone.

[ boy those ears are sure pink. ]

[paopuprincess]

[Kairi's eyes go wide for a second.]

You... what?

[islandshore]

[He takes another deep breath, shutting his eyes and reaching for his brow.]

It's true. We've... well, we've had someone for a while now. We've just been too scared to talk about it.

[And it's here that he moves closer to Sora, face equally pink.]

[heartdive]

We've kind of been afraid that you'd get mad at us.

[ Sora hugs the bowl tighter to him. so much for asking everyone if they want to see a movie. sigh... maybe another day. ]

You're scary when you're mad, you know?

[ and maybe he will duck behind Riku to avoid whatever Kairi might throw at them when the truth comes out. ]

Especially scared because when Riku says 'a while,' he really means for over a year.

[paopuprincess]

You guys have been hiding something from me for a year?

[She shakes her head, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes now. She feels like she's made a fool of herself. Is she really so terrible that her best friends would rather keep a secret from her for so long rather than tell her?]

I am not scary! [She holds back a sob.]

[islandshore]

Kairi!

[He moves closer to her, tentatively reaching fort her shoulder.]

It's not that you're scary. We just... we didn't want to make things weird between us. And we were still trying to figure things out. It just sort of... happened.

It's not your fault. It's ours for not telling you sooner.

[heartdive]

[ crying. why is Kairi crying... oh no no no. he hadn't wanted to hurt her feelings. that's what they had been worried about in the first place!

so as Riku moves, so does Sora. he puts down the bowl and everything. his idea? to just hug Kairi. ]

Yeah... It's not... We didn't want to hurt your feelings either. Then time passed and we just kept putting it off.

[paopuprincess]

[Kairi can't help but find herself sinking into her friends' arms. She reaches up to wipe her cheeks, but it does nothing to halt the tears from flowing.]

Idiots. You're both... idiots.

[She tries to punch at both of them, but she doesn't have the strength. Instead, her hands land gently on the backs of their heads.]

Don't hide... anything from me again.