mistletoe meme boi

[heartslight]

[ So this is one of those magical mistletoe things. It's Christmas time and they're ... somewhere. In a house, somewhere. Maybe taking shelter in some abandoned cottage.

And wherever they were heading in said house, they've been stopped in their tracks. Almost like their feet have been glued to the floor, rather suddenly.

Which causes Kairi to almost fall forward, but she manages to catch herself (and also grab onto Sora's shirt because it was the quickest thing for her to grab, whoops). ]

Wh-What? What's going on?

[ There's magic mistletoe above them but it's not like she's checked for that yet. ]

Comments

[heartslight]

[ Whoops, sorry, buddy.

Once they're both righted and good to go, she looks around and sees ... no one. ]

How could they? There's nobody else here ... [ Waving her hands a little. ] And we can still move, sort of.

[ At least enough for it to not seem like a Stop spell. They just can't move very ... far. At all. ]

[happylocksmith]

I mean, it coulda been someone who was real bad at magic who cast it... but this is really weird.

[He experiments with moving, trying to take a step forward or back and finding his feet inexplicably return to their spot in front of Kairi like they're stuck there by magnets.]

Well I'm outta ideas.

[heartslight]

[ Sora you gave one whole idea ...

But she doesn't know Sora as much an ideas guy anyway, so she just tries to focus on looking around instead. If Sora's out of ideas, then it falls to her. But she seriously doesn't see or hear anyone else around. And any of the windows and doors are closed, with no indication they've been opened. Weird.

And then she decides to look up, and sees ... a strangely out-of-place plant. With a red bow on it, even. There's no way it could've just grown there normally ... ]

Hey Sora, what's that? It looks familiar ...

[ And it's the only weird thing about this room. What was it again, it's on the tip of her tongue ... ]

[happylocksmith]

[Look no one ever called him the ideas guy, okay. He's Mister Action. He's also never been stuck in a localised holding area.

And he's looking around, baffled and confused and wondering what else it could be if it isn't magic - and really it has to be that, what other explanation is there? - when he follows Kairi's gaze up at the strange plant with the white berries and the festive red bow and he's as flummoxed as she is.]

Huh.

[It does look familiar, but he has no idea why or where he might have seen it before. Somewhere... wait was it in Christmas Town?]

I wonder who'd put that up there...

[heartslight]

[ That's a good question, Sora. One she can't answer herself. ]

Who knows? It looks pretty strange compared to the rest of this place, though.

[ Just ... looking at it, suspiciously. It's weirdly festive and bright compared to the rest of their normal surroundings. She can't help but feel like it's juuuust suspicious enough to have something to do with this. It's directly over top of them, too, and ...

Wait.

She recognizes it now. From the books and such she's read back home about Christmas. And the stories. ]

Wait a minute. Is that a mistletoe?

[ SHE THINKS? She needs confirmation on this. ]

[happylocksmith]

Missile toe?

[Sora blinks, and squints up and it again. He doesn't see any missiles or-

Ohhhh. Mistletoe.]

It... uh. I guess? I mean is that what mistletoe really looks like? I don't think I've ever really seen it.

[There's something else that he's forgetting here, and it's niggling at him for some reason but he can't quite work out what- mistletoe's something you have to do something with and you shouldn't eat it because it's poisonous but that's not the point, when you get caught under it you have to-]

[happylocksmith]

[heartslight]

I've seen pictures like it in story books. When we were young.

[ Not that they had anything like mistletoe on their island, but they had enough Christmas storybooks for her to know some things about it. And she's pretty sure this looks similar to it. The little green leaves, the berries, the little bow ... It's gotta be mistletoe.

Which leads her to her next realization, which Sora may be ahead of her on.

Which then snowballs into another realization. ]

You ... know what they're for, right, Sora?

[ She might ....... have figured out the magic problem. All of this cannot be a coincidence, can it?? ]

[happylocksmith]

Uh... yeah. Yeah I do.

[Is he blushing? Absolutely.

He gulps and looks up at the mistletoe and then back at Kairi and then back and the mistletoe and finally back at Kairi.]

But I've never heard of it actually trapping people before, have you?

[heartslight]

[ She just shakes her head in response to that. ]

No ... It must be some kind of magic. But if it's really the mistletoe causing this, then ...

[ Then she has an idea of how to dispell the magic. She's relieved she doesn't have to explain mistletoe to him, at least, but ... Yeah okay she's blushing a little too at the thought of what she's implying. And her eyes flicker up at the mistletoe before moving to his face and finally looking downward when that proves to be a bit embarrassing. ]

[happylocksmith]

Then... we oughta...

[His face is going about as red as a face has any right to be and then some. He also finds himself looking at Kairi's face, and for a split second their eyes meet before she looks away and he feels his cheeks flush even more at that.

Acting on instinct, he reaches forward and takes her hand. But then doesn't exactly know what to do from there. He swears his heart's beating so fast he can hear his own heartbeat.]

...I guess?

[heartslight]

[ Her gaze snaps back to his face when he grabs her hand, and immediately her heart is beating faster. His red cheeks prove he feels similarly, possibly even more nervous than her. And she pauses like that for a moment, looking at his face, before speaking back up. ]

... You're sure? I mean, you want to, ... right?

[ Just ... checking. That he's not doing something so important against his will. And she squeezes his hand a little. ]

[happylocksmith]

[For a moment Sora looks completely taken aback that she would even have to ask if it's something he'd want. With all the harmless, good-natured teasing he's got from Donald and Goofy about his crush on Kairi, he's sometimes worried that it's painfully obvious how he feels about her. She's always in his heart (even though it's been a very long time since that was a literal truth) and brightens his life just by being in it.]

Of course I do!

[He laughs nervously, and with some hesitance he brings his free hand up to her cheek.]

I mean... if you want to?

[heartslight]

[ Even knowing about how he acts, and his paopu drawing on the wall, and all that — she still wants to check on the comfort of her friend. It's not like they've ever outright said their feelings to each other. But she can't help but smile at his answer, and then become more red at his hand going to her cheek. Bold move, Sora. ]

I —

[ Okay it's a little hard to speak for a second but she gathers herself. And she leans her cheek into his hand ever so slightly. ]

Of course I do, silly.

[happylocksmith]

Okay.

[He exhales in relief and also absolute terror good grief how to progress he cannot even and can't help but laugh again. But Kairi leans into his hand, and without thinking he brushes his thumb over the curve of her cheek. It's so soft, he can't really help himself.]

I mean... okay.

[Whew.]

Okay.

[heartslight]

[ She can feel an intense warmth well up in her heart when she feels his thumb move over her cheek. It's enough to make her whole body freeze for a moment, followed by a small, sharp inhale, which she's quick to turn into a small, breathy laugh. Partly out of nervousness and partly because ... well, he's being so him.

And she repeats him, amused, to keep things at their usual lightness between them. ]

Okay.

[ Smiling softly. ]

You ... ready?

[happylocksmith]

[No.]

Uh-huh.

[He smiles at her, letting his eyes drop to her lips for a quick split second and then he looks up at her eyes.]

Um... you- I'm really sorry it's got to be this way.

[heartslight]

[ She shakes her head, still smiling. ]

You don't have to apologize for anything. [ A small pause, as her eyes flicker downward and then make eye contact with his — a soft fondness clear in her expression. ]

And besides, so long as it's with you ... I'm happy.

[ No matter how it happens. What's important is that it's with him. ]

[happylocksmith]

[Sora's eyes and smile are both soft and almost overflowing with joy at that.]

Me too.

[Okay. Time's a-wastin'. It's now or never. He leans in, presses his forehead to hers and...

...any time now...

... shucks this shouldn't be so difficult.

Honestly it feels like his heart's about to beat out of his chest.

OKAY NOW SERIOUSLY SORA GET IT TOGETHER IT'S TIME FOR ACTION PRESS THE GREEN TRIANGLE.]

[heartslight]

[ Her heart beats about a thousand times faster when he leans in like that, and even presses his forehead to hers. And she closes her eyes when she assumes he's going to go in for the kiss, before realizing a second later that he hasn't done it yet.

So she opens her eyes to see his hesitance, smiling for a split second at his Sora-ness, a small breathy laugh escaping, before ... quickly and quietly moving in to seal the deal, finally touching their lips together in a kiss.

If he's too afraid to do it, she'll do it for him!

And she subconsciously squeezes the hand she's still holding when she does it. ]

[happylocksmith]

[Sora's eyes fly wide open as Kairi's lips touch his and then he realises that there's really nothing to be scared of. His eyes drift closed as he leans in, kissing her back as the hand he had on her cheek slides down to the small of her back.

Wow.

It's both nothing like and exactly how he's almost dreamed kissing would be like. It's exactly because it's Kairi and the sheer elation he feels in indescribable and all consuming. It's nothing like because he could never have imagined how soft and warm her lips are and how he couldn't in a million years have come close to knowing how right it would feel.]

[heartslight]

[ He's not the only one who feels like this is right. She can feel her heart fluttering the whole time, and while this is her first time kissing anyone, she's lost all nervousness with it. She just feels ... at home. The sort of warmth and comfort someone can only feel in a place like that. It's only natural that Sora of all people give her that feeling — they've been so close for so long, there's just nothing to worry about between the two of them.

And she moves her free hand to rest on his chest, taking the tiniest steps toward him once he puts his hand on the small of her back, to close whatever bit of distance is between them.

And once it's time for them to take a break, she keeps her forehead pressed against his and just ... laughs softly. She can't help it — smiling isn't enough to express how she feels right now. ]

[happylocksmith]

[It's felt like forever and not nearly long enough when they break. Sora laughs too, his forehead firmly pressed against Kairi's. They're standing so close, had they been that close when they started? He can't remember. Everything's split now into two separate eras - before he kissed her and after her kissed her.

No wait, that sounds silly.

He moves the hand on the small of her back so he can wrap his arm around her waist instead and hold her close.]

Hey.

[heartslight]

[ It does sound silly, but that's part of why she likes him so much.

They've been physically close to each other plenty of times before — sleeping on the beach together, holding hands, hugging, you name it. So it's not like it's new to be near him, but this time it simultaneously feels like so much more yet still something so normal. ]

Hey.

[ Peering into his eyes for a moment, she smiles, before she gives him a quick, small kiss, giggling softly afterward. Is it obvious she's enjoying herself? Hopefully. It feels like there's nothing holding her back right now, and she tends to be bad at keeping herself from saying or doing things spontaneously. ]

[happylocksmith]

[The second kiss takes him by surprise, so he gasps a little as it happens, and he has a moment to compose himself with a laugh.]

Hey, no fair, I wasn't ready!

[And with that, he gives her a little tug towards him and goes in for another kiss himself, this time sighing a little into it as he does.

If he was thinking clearly he'd maybe try and see if they're able to get free from the mistletoe yet, but there's no way he's thinking clearly at the moment.]

[heartslight]

[ Even if they are free from the mistletoe, Kairi's not so sure she really cares. It's not like she wants to walk away right now.

She can only laugh at his reaction — as nice as romantic reactions are, she definitely prefers cute silly ones. It's like she retroactively won a little game that only she was playing — catch Sora off guard.

And then he's kissing her again before she can respond to him, which isn't a problem in the slightest, so she kisses back. Still laughing a little into the kiss. That sigh, Sora ... She's glad he's happy, too.

And she breaks it for a moment to respond back. ] C'mon, Sora, you're gonna have to keep your guard up then.

[ That's just a joke, of course, but he's always out fighting and keeping his guard up so surely he can defend against some kisses! She'll un-break the kiss and kiss him back once she's said that though. ]

[happylocksmith]

[He would argue that he wasn’t expecting to be ambushed like that, but he doesn’t mind, not really. Besides, if he wants to argue that then he would need to break the kiss again and it would be a real shame to do that when Kairi’s just gone to all that trouble to un-break it.

So instead he’ll kiss her back. That’s a much better idea. This is one breach in his defences he won’t mind, not really.

But when they do break again, he doesn’t waste time and scoops her against him for a hug, and as he does he murmurs against her ear:]

What if I don’t want to?

[heartslight]

[ Cute ... Sora is cute ...

She'll of course hug him back, basking in how that feels. The three of them have always been close friends, so closeness isn't new to her, but he just feels ... extra warm right now. (Maybe it's because of how red he was.)

And she smiles in response. ] Then no complaining. Got it?

[ All's fair in love and war, okay. And it's totally fair for her to catch him off guard. ]

[happylocksmith]

[Sora laughs against her cheek and presses a kiss there too, right by her ear. It just feels like the right thing to do.]

I wasn’t complaining, I just wasn’t ready. That’s all. But I’ll be on guard now, don’t worry. And you know... so should you.

[And with the most wicked grin he can muster on his face, he... lifts Kairi by the waist and spins them both around, practically giggling with glee.]

[heartslight]

Huh —?

[ Oh that's what he meant. He is so easily excitable, like a puppy.

She ends up placing her arms on his shoulders out of instinct thanks to her being spun around, and she laughs with him. ]

H-Hey! You sure are happy over this.

[ She guesses she'd expect him to be, and she knows how open he is about his feelings and his happiness. But gosh, it's amusing to see. ]

[happylocksmith]

Why wouldn't I be?

[He stops them spinning, but still holds her off the ground with his arms around her waist as he looks up at her unblinking. Can't she already tell how this makes him feel? He feels like every good feeling in him is going to bubble up and explode in a shower of light and stars and he makes no effort to hide it from his smile. He looks up at her, his eyes very wide and very blue but soft and hiding nothing.]

I've... I've always wanted to. I mean... not like this. Not with us being stuck by magic mistletoe and - oh hey I guess we can move now.

[He takes a side step so they're both moved away from the mistletoe, and then he very gently sets her down again, but keeps his arms around her waist.]

I always thought I'd do it right, you know? I'd buy you flowers, take you out on a real date, hold your hand and maybe kiss you on the porch when we said goodnight. I wanted it to be special for you.

[Once again he presses his forehead against hers.]

Because you deserve special. You deserve everything.

[heartslight]

[ Gosh ... his words certainly reach her core. For all his stumbling, he's always been good at getting his feelings across, mostly because they're written across his face 24/7. She doesn't need him to say all that to know how he feels, but it reaches her nonetheless — makes her heart flutter.

And she keeps her hands on his shoulders, though now they're more resting there, happy to keep them on him in some way.

Laughing softly. ] But this is special, Sora. How many other girls can say they got their first kiss under a magic mistletoe, huh? [ She laughs again at that. It's funny, okay ... And honestly, par for the course with their lives of late.

She wouldn't trade their experiences together for the world. ]

And ... you're my everything. So I've already got that, too.

[ If he gets to say cute sweet things to her, then she can do it back!! ]

[happylocksmith]

[He laughs, because when she puts it like that, yeah. There is something special about kissing under magic mistletoe he guesses.]

When you put it like that, I guess this is kinda special. And it's always gonna be special when I remember it.

[Which will be forever, because no matter what happens this moment will stay in his heart for a lifetime.

He moves to kiss her forehead very briefly, then presses his forehead back to hers once he's done. He has to be touching her, it's unacceptable to think otherwise.]

You're my everything too.

[heartslight]

[ Smiling wide. ] Me, too.

[ This'll be etched into her heart forever, and she's sure she'll think of it at times and smile, or even laugh, because of how silly it'll be to look back on. They're going to have to find a way to tell Riku about this too. That'll be interesting.

But she playfully boops their noses together once their faces are back close again. ]

We can always do that other stuff you mentioned later, anyway. Tonight might be the first, but ... we've got plenty of time for other special nights, too.

[ He sounded so genuine about how much he wanted to do all those other things ... so she wants to make sure he knows they can still do them. She can't say no to goodnight kisses and flowers. ]

[happylocksmith]

[Other special nights... Sora feels both excited and nervous and thrilled at the prospect of that. This is a future that he's dreamed might happen someday, he never expected it to be a reality that is turning into now. Just wait 'til he tells Riku!

...oh.

And then suddenly cutting through all of this happiness and giddy sense of excitement, there's a tiny knot of guilt tying itself in Sora's stomach. It's always been three of them and now with this new and exciting shift in the balance between him and Kairi, he's suddenly aware that things can't ever go back to how they were before.

But she boops his nose and he can't think about anything else. He smiles, boops her nose back, and then thinks better of it and kisses her again, pecking her lips twice.]

...will you be my girlfriend?

[heartslight]

[ Regardless of what Sora and Kairi's futures hold for their relationship, she has no intention of being any less close to Riku. She's sure everything will be fine between the three of them.

And she's a little shocked when she hears him ask that. Somehow, she'd sort of forgotten about that whole aspect in favor of all the kissing and happy feelings. But she's quick to go back to smiling. ]

Of course I will.

[ And then she's quick to hug him close, wrapping her arms around him tightly and tucking her face into the side of his neck. ]

But only if you'll be my boyfriend.

[ This question goes two ways!! ]