kingdom hearts - a tale for her
title: a tale for her
word count: 349
rating: pg
pairing: riku/kairi
notes: for tabby. ♥
Once upon a time.
Once upon a time, she says, there was a little girl who was looking for her best friend. All right, Sora, two friends. Two boys. Only a witch wanted to keep her for herself, because the girl was so pretty and sweet, like me. Hey, stop laughing! And the witch put all the roses to sleep, because they'd remind the girl of the boys. So the girl forgot everything, and slept in the witch's garden...
His boots crunch as he walks. Her arms are draped around his shoulders, chest warm against his back. Her voice is silent.
Let her sleep, he tells himself. She doesn't have to be awake. She's alive.
She slides in the sling of his arms; he stops, lets her body slip to the snow. Her skin is white, hair red, eyes glassy-blue and staring open straight at him.
...then they'd sing more sweetly, he says. She's looking at him, biting her lip - his story hangs unfinished. Her small hands clutch at his.
Ew, Sora says, and the spell is lifted. But she tells him later: if they can't see, I'll be their light. Then they won't be all alone.
His fingers hover over her eyes. He wonders if her lips would part, if she'd begin to sing. He traces cheekbones, lashes, the soft hollows of her face.
The ground is cold as he sits beside her, watches her chest rise and fall. She won't wake with a kiss. He's been those stories. He knows.
The snow hides his footprints. A faint few marks remain, steps of darkness through the storm. Almost as fleeting as a trail of-
Breadcrumbs, he says, and Sora stops mid-sentence. Didn't they have pebbles or something? Sticks? What a waste.
Maybe they didn't want to find their way home. Her voice is bright and sad. Maybe they thought they weren't wanted.
She's too fragile in his arms, shuddering beneath each breath, cheeks wet. She's not rose, not bird, not child.
She's Kairi, and fairytales aren't enough.
"Once upon a time." His voice breaks. "Once upon a time."
word count: 349
rating: pg
pairing: riku/kairi
notes: for tabby. ♥
Once upon a time.
Once upon a time, she says, there was a little girl who was looking for her best friend. All right, Sora, two friends. Two boys. Only a witch wanted to keep her for herself, because the girl was so pretty and sweet, like me. Hey, stop laughing! And the witch put all the roses to sleep, because they'd remind the girl of the boys. So the girl forgot everything, and slept in the witch's garden...
His boots crunch as he walks. Her arms are draped around his shoulders, chest warm against his back. Her voice is silent.
Let her sleep, he tells himself. She doesn't have to be awake. She's alive.
She slides in the sling of his arms; he stops, lets her body slip to the snow. Her skin is white, hair red, eyes glassy-blue and staring open straight at him.
...then they'd sing more sweetly, he says. She's looking at him, biting her lip - his story hangs unfinished. Her small hands clutch at his.
Ew, Sora says, and the spell is lifted. But she tells him later: if they can't see, I'll be their light. Then they won't be all alone.
His fingers hover over her eyes. He wonders if her lips would part, if she'd begin to sing. He traces cheekbones, lashes, the soft hollows of her face.
The ground is cold as he sits beside her, watches her chest rise and fall. She won't wake with a kiss. He's been those stories. He knows.
The snow hides his footprints. A faint few marks remain, steps of darkness through the storm. Almost as fleeting as a trail of-
Breadcrumbs, he says, and Sora stops mid-sentence. Didn't they have pebbles or something? Sticks? What a waste.
Maybe they didn't want to find their way home. Her voice is bright and sad. Maybe they thought they weren't wanted.
She's too fragile in his arms, shuddering beneath each breath, cheeks wet. She's not rose, not bird, not child.
She's Kairi, and fairytales aren't enough.
"Once upon a time." His voice breaks. "Once upon a time."