[Semi-Open] She's the wave, she turns the tide / She sees the man inside the child

[pure_radiantics]

Who: Kairi pure_radiantics etc.
What: Shenanigans at the temple
When: 6/1+
Where: Temple of Artemis
Warnings: n/a - Prompts are in Action format, but I can switch if you'd like.

[Closed to CR from Artemis' Temple and Baldr's too]
[Back from the Forest of Doom, which she'd wandered into with Sora, she's starting to both get more confident in what she can do as a shinki and more aware of the danger that the world around her poses. This hasn't diminished the light in her heart, but tempered it into a willingness to become the kind of person that neither Roxas nor Sora worries about if she wants to go wherever she pleases.]

[Semi-Open to everyone else, if you'd find her at Artemis' Temple just by chance]
[Kairi is mostly available to wave at anyone she doesn't know and chat up casually, just from walking around the grounds with the two ghost dogs. She'll be practicing Borderlines on her own as well as some very simple swordsmanship positions that Sora's shown her.]

[Everyone Else - Call Me Text Me If You Wanna Beep Me]
[Kairi has become an avid texter and phone converser, so if you're someone she's had previous contact with, you can handwave a brief conversation that she initiated and concluded with directions to the temple to find her.]

Comments

[pure_radiantics]

[Well that explains things loud and clear. She hadn't felt like it was dangerous, though. She reaches out to hold his hand, near tears with how far off base she'd been when she told Sora it would be fine.]

Roxas!

[That's all she can say at first, overwhelmed by the fears he's giving voice to.]

I'm so sorry... I just... In the back of my mind, I knew where you were. I knew how to get back. Even in a dark forest that deep, I could feel which direction I needed to go to get home - to get back to where you were! That's why I wasn't afraid...

[But he was, and she knows that now.]

I felt for sure I'd come back... but that's not enough. I'm so sorry.

[missingache]

[That gets him to stop for a moment. He'd told Sora he'd been too distracted to feel either of them, and now he just feels awful. She hadn't been distracted...]

Kairi, I... Those kinds of forests... I lived by a forest like that. They're never safe. Never.

[He's more mad at himself now than anything. She doesn't know.]

I'm Artemis, goddess of places like that, but that place would be dangerous even for me. What if it was tricking you into thinking you knew where I was?

[pure_radiantics]

[She winces at his words, then again at 'Never.']

It might've been a trick, you're right.

[She doesn't want to say 'but', so instead she squeezes his hand tighter.]

I need to be more vigilant for something like that, and I wasn't. I just want you to know... I did lead us out of there by following you. This time. I promise not to pretend like that can always happen.

[missingache]

[He bites his lip, his fear a little abated. This time he'll be the one to initiate a hug.]

I don't know what I'd do if you died...

[Yes, you may be dead already, but dying again? You're too important, not just to him.]

[pure_radiantics]

[She's surprised naturally, but welcomes it and hugs him back tightly. She's not one to joke about already being dead, even if it would bring some levity. No, instead she has to try to reassure him just that little bit more.]

I don't want you to know either. I'll keep practicing to get stronger, but I'll stay in touch more too.

[Kairi backs off the hug just enough to smile faintly back at him.]

Best god a girl could hope for, you know. No wonder he fell for you.

[It's a compliment. Then she looks a bit rueful.]

Speaking of Sora, I owe him an apology too.

[missingache]

[It's the feeling of sudden revulsion to physical contact that makes him glad she lets go when she does. He had pushed Sora away earlier during his panic because he couldn't handle it. Roxas takes a deep and shaky breath as a blush crept onto his cheeks.]

N-No way. There's way better gods... and I'm glad he did.

[No, no gushing about how wonderful Sora is. Roxas looks away.]

He's on the couch with Wan.

[pure_radiantics]

[Well, at least he's less upset now than when he'd found her. Seems to be to her, anyway.]

Well, you're still great, and we agree about that much.

[She pats his hand and holds the same one with hers so that it's as close to hugging his hand - instead of his whole body - as she dare right now.]

I'll catch you later in case you need to... remind me of anything else, alright?

[missingache]

[He blinks.]

... you and Sora agree on that? He's a way better god than me.

[He doesn't pull his hand back even though he wants to. Kairi wants to comfort him, so he'll let her.]

Right... I'm sorry for yelling. It's just... you're precious to me.

[pure_radiantics]

[Kairi blushes at his words, glad that she knows Roxas already has Sora so she doesn't misinterpret what he means. She's his shinki, also his friend, but that's all.]

Roxas...

[She squeezes his hand again gently.]

Well, uhm, about Sora - I didn't say it was a competition. I think you're both great.

And... I accept your apology, but I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to worry my friends.

[Nor make him even more upset than Sora was.]

My friends are precious to me too, including you Roxas.

[missingache]

[.... he'd go for the blond you anyways, to be honest. Naminé is to him as Kairi is to Sora.]

I-I know. I just think he's a way better god. I didn't even want to use my shinki when I first got Raichi.

[That gets her a smile from him. Then he blinks.]

Riku! Did... you run into him?

[pure_radiantics]

[She's all smiles and sentiment until he abruptly changes the subject, so far as she knows.]

Hm? Well, yeah I did, but why are you asking about him?

[She's met him all of once and knows way more about his connection to Brandon than about Riku himself.]

[missingache]

Was he rude to you? Or weird?

[Because oh boy he doubts Riku will ever come to his temple due to that fight.]

[pure_radiantics]

Well, yeah it was kind of weird, but that's because I called him Brandon first and thought somehow he'd just forgotten me. So I asked Sora if anything had happened to Brandon - I figured he'd know since he's Brandon's god. That's when Sora told me how Riku used to be a shinki here.

So, it's a really weird situation, but I don't think he was rude, knowing all that.

[Because to her, context is everything, and any fear or worry she'd felt was due to the misunderstanding they cleared up.]

[missingache]

It's... yeah, it's weird. [Ugh he's trying not to look irritated.] He's not coming to our temple, but I know he'll visit Sora's.

[pure_radiantics]

... He's not? He sounded interested when we talked...

[She's assuming that it was Riku's call, not Roxas's.]

But I guess we'll see him anyway if he goes to Sora's sometimes.

[missingache]

[He won't ruin her impression of Riku. There's already enough negativity between them.]

He and Sora are best friends from back home. [Hmmm...] Why not hang out with him more? I bet you can make him smile. Just... don't tell him I encouraged you, okay?

[pure_radiantics]

[Kairi nods since Sora told her that they were best friends too.]

Don't tell him?

[That makes her curious for Roxas's sake, but she's already worried him enough today, so in the end she just nods.]

Okay then. If you think I should, I bet I can make anyone smile.

[Oh, maybe because he's Sora's best friend? That's got to be it. And if he was a shinki before, things have to be doubly confusing for him now.]

[missingache]

We're... not friends.

[Which they really aren't.]

Yeah, I think so, too. Except Jakob. I don't think anyone can make him smile a real smile.

[pure_radiantics]

I got close though!

[She raises her hand as if she were speaking in a classroom, but she's just excited.]

I got to hug Jakob! Maybe I can get him to smile after a bit longer too.

['Got to' as if... he let her, but hey, it still counts to her.]

[missingache]

[That earns her a stare. A very intense stare.]

..... you hugged him.

[pure_radiantics]

[She giggles a bit, embarrassed, and tugs on her hair.]

Well, I should probably feel a little bad about it, because I didn't ask his permission...

[Then both of her hands go to her cheeks as she laughs again.]

But I really don't! Sorry. I think he needs more hugs in general! Poor guy, so stressed out and proper.

[missingache]

[.........]

You're just like Sora. You both like to hug too much.

[Except he does not mind Sora hugs whenever at all. Well, when he's trying to do chores he super minds.]

[pure_radiantics]

[That earns him a pout.]

How can you think there's such a thing as too many hugs??

[She doesn't mind the comparison to Sora at all. He's a nice guy. But geez Roxas!]

[missingache]

Yes.

[Said without hesitation.] I'm still not 100% used to them, and I've been getting them for a while now.

[pure_radiantics]

... But you didn't get them before?

[Before some... arbitrary point, clearly, if 'for awhile now' has happened and he's still uncomfortable. She wraps her arms around herself and hugs gently, feeling sad about that possibility.]