TANABATA

タナバタ

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Squaresoft © and Disney Entertainment Inc ©. The fanfiction belongs to me.

Warning: Yaoi, lots of giggling; please don't read if you don't like this. Flamers are retards. Nothing to learn from them, so there! Take that, Reiji! Meow ha! XD

Plot Cockroach: Just for your information, if you don't already know, Tanabata is a festival celebrated in Japan every 7th of July. According to the Chinese (Buddhist) legend, this festival commemorates the reunion of two lovers every summer, when the sun is clear and bright. A long time ago, there lived the Girl Weaver who constantly wove the finest material in heaven. She was such a workaholic that her father decided to marry her off to the Cowherd, who looked after the cows. Now, when they were married, they fell so in love that they neglected their jobs to have fun together everyday. Her father separated them out of anger, and therefore, they could only meet once a year, falling in love over and over again on the Bridge of Magpies…

Summary: Based on the festival of Tanabata held every summer in Japan, Riku and Sora find their destinies changed on the 'Bridge of Paopus'…

Pairing: Riku x Sora (Pre-Kingdom Hearts)

Dedicated to: Miss Zelphie; thanks for letting me off easy! ^__^

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"OOOOOOOOH! This is SO FUN!!"

Selphie skipped happily out of the boat towards dry land, namely, the little jetty she always seemed to sit on and ponder things over. It was a clear and hot day in the Destiny Islands, "perfect for romance", as the petite brunette exclaimed it so. And why ever not? It was the quixotic festival of Tanabata, when all love came true…

"I wish I could get a Paopu off one of the boys," she sighed, settling herself on the dock and tucking her chin in her hands. "Maybe Tidus… Wakka… Riku… or maybe even Sora?"

"You wish," she heard a familiar giggle and a soft nudge on her shoulder. The brunette turned around to meet Kairi, who stood bent over her, under the sun. "Our boys here are all unromantic…"

"Hee, hee," Selphie smiled back. "Well, they never turn away from a damsel in distress."

"You mean Wakka won't," Kairi corrected her. "He's far the oldest and most mature…" she stared at the redhead in the distance. "Or I should think."

"Hmm, maybe. Or maybe not," the girl swayed sideways against the breeze. She looked up, her green eyes shining. "It's Tanabata today, Kairi… are you gonna… tell him?"

"You mean… Riku?"

"Hah." Selphie folded her arms. "Always aiming for the big fish. What about anchovy boy?"

"You're mean," Kairi giggled, nudging Selphie once more.

"Just kidding! I think Sora's a cute one. Really, I do…"

"I know… I just…" the redheaded girl rolled her expressive blue eyes heavenward. "I always thought… well… Sora and Riku are… cute… cute together."

Selphie giggled infectiously. "You're such a naughty girl! Very soon you'll be implying a Wakka x Tidus, won't you?"

"Watch me," Kairi stuck her tongue out. She then paused as she caught sight of the silver haired youth and waved frantically to him. Riku advanced slowly towards the two girls, smirking as a cat would after a fine meal. His movements were fluid and enticing, whether he knew it or not. Truly, Riku was the fascination of many – elegant and well brought up, in his way.

"So… what's up?" he rolled his easy-going island-boy voice simply.

"Everything. The sky's up, for example," Kairi batted her eyelashes, grinning at her lame joke.

"Ah ha, ha…" Riku lifted a silver brow, confused as to whether to laugh or not. But that did not last long as he plopped onto the ground beside the redhead. He smiled at them both. "What are you waiting here for?"

"Romance," Selphie clapped her hands together.

"Right," the sea green eyes darted away, seemingly distant for a moment.

"Between two boys?"

Riku choked. "W— excuse me?"

"Nothing!" the girls grinned innocently at him. He blinked, and then he shook his head.

"I gotta go," Riku stood up, brushing the sand off his pants. "Later."

"Bye-bye!" the two replied in a singsong voice. Still a little bit in shock, Riku stalked off towards the Paopu Island, looking rather thoughtful before shrugging it off. Girls are weird anyway. When he was out of earshot, Selphie leaned in to whisper into Kairi's ear.

"Did you SEE that??"

"Obviously thinking of his somebody," Kairi giggled.

"Somebody thinking of somebody who?"

"GAAAAAAH!"

Curious sky-blue eyes flickered over the two girls, a warm smile spreading over Sora's lips as he stood up straight again. "Sorry… scared you didn't I?"

"You sure did," Kairi got up, putting her hands on her hips.

"For that we'll be punishing you!"

"What—"

"No buts!"

"Punishment! Selphie! Tell this anchovy boy here what he's gotta do," the redhead grinned, this time evilly, in sync to Selphie's devilish one. Sora inched back. Girls were scary things. He was going to have nightmares about girls after this. Run! Sora, run!! But alas! His feet wouldn't budge!

"Well, Sora darling," Selphie paused dramatically. "You've got to kiss someone because it's Tanabata today!"

"Kiss?? EWWWW! Kissing's gross!" the brunet whined.

"DO IT," the girls cornered Sora. He whimpered, thinking of excuses, but his mind went blank. He didn't want to kiss anybody! It was gross kissing girls! Kissing was WRONG! It was icky!

"I… err… ah…" he straightened up suddenly, jumping back and unsheathing his wooden sword. "I challenge you to a duel!"

"You're kidding me!" Kairi backed off nervously. Sora grinned. Aha! That should do the trick—

CLONK!

"Saved by the blond," Selphie whistled. "Thanks, Tidus!"

"You're welcome and all that," the blond bubbled. "So… what's up with Sora this time? Did you make him angry?"

"No, we were going to make him kiss someone," Kairi said. Tidus scrunched his nose up in disgust. Kissing was disgusting in his books. Kissing was a girl's thing. Tidus DID NOT want to be involved with anything kissily romantic or anything of that sort!

"Ah well… you do that." Tidus hurriedly scampered off to have a duel with his good buddy Wakka, leaving his poor boy-comrade Sora stranded in the hands of the two crazy girls. They grinned at each other as they looked after Tidus' departing form.

"Next Tanabata they'll be kissing."

The girls shared yet another bout of uncontrolled giggling before Sora came to. As he awoke, they tied him up with rope. Selphie leaned over to poke the brunet on his nose.

"Prisoner Sora!"

"You know the rules," Kairi folded her arms, raising a crimson brow. "And you're not a true man if you can't do it."

"I'm not a man if I do it," Sora countered back. "Eww! Kisses are for girls, not boys! It's icky kissing girls!"

"Well, if you think that way… is it icky to kiss boys then?" Selphie and Kairi shared a glance at each other as Sora confusedly pondered over their little exchange. "Well?"

"I don't know… never thought about that before."

"An innocent," Kairi sighed. "I almost feel sorry putting him in this situation."

"The keyword's –almost–," Selphie smirked, her voice picking up a taunting tone. "So… Sora, are you up to it? Or are you chicken?"

"I'm not a chicken," Sora untied himself furiously. "I'll do it!" He squeezed his eyes shut and puckered his lips, grimacing as he imagined slurping yucky lips contacting with his own. The girls rolled on the ground with laughter at the brunet, not noticing that a certain silver haired boy was storming off in the major direction of the shack, having observed their antics from a hidden spot. When Selphie finally did, she nudged her friend. Sora didn't see Riku; he was still awaiting those yucky lips.

"Somebody's jealous," Selphie squealed in between her whispers.

"Which means we have to hurry!" the redhead nodded. "Sora!"

He opened his eyes warily. "Have we… are we done yet?"

"Of course not!" Selphie smacked him on his head with her nunchaku. "Silly boy! We haven't even determined whom you're going to kiss yet!"

"But since you don't want to kiss girls… we decided that you should kiss a boy. It'll be easier for you."

Sora's face visibly brightened. Sure, kissing was icky, but kissing a boy is okay… right? "Thanks, Kairi!"

Kairi giggled, curtseying. "You're welcome."

"Anyway…" Selphie grinned. "You'll be kissing your best friend!"

"You mean… Tidus?"

"No, silly!" it was Kairi's turn to smack him on his head. "Tidus is Wakka's best friend, not yours! Your best friend's…"

"Riku!"

"Riku?"

"Riku!"

"Hey! He's my rival!"

"So??" the girls chimed simultaneously. "Just kiss Riku! It'll be okay! He'll understand!" They ushered him towards the shack.

Selphie smiled. "You have to relive the legend if you're gonna kiss anyone today, Sora. Walk to the bridge and have Riku come over to you in the middle. From there, kiss him."

"Do I have to?" Sora pouted.

"YES!!"

Sora trudged up the stairs, muttering under his breath. When he got up and was bathed in the sunlight, however, he soon forgot his worries. Riku was sitting listlessly on the Paopu tree, listening to the singing sea. It was a pretty picture, Sora didn't know why, but he felt content and peaceful, all at that moment. He made his way slowly towards the middle of the bridge, coming to a halt as he felt his rival-cum-best friend train his eyes on him. From below, the girls nudged one another and giggled. He sighed as he saw them take refuge behind some bushes, so that Riku couldn't spot them.

"Um… Riku?" he raised his voice over the wind.

"Yeah?"

"Come here, will you?" Sora said. From where he stood, he could see the silver haired boy frowning. It seemed that Riku was cross over something, but that look… wasn't really 'crossness'. Sora couldn't put his finger in it.

"Why not you come over?"

"Because I can't… Tanabata thingy… whatever it is," Sora took a deep breath. "Just come, will you? I have something to give you." He tucked his hands behind his back, making as if he were hiding something he was going to give Riku.

"Hmm… fine," he got up lazily, jumping off the branch and walking briskly towards the brunet. The 'Tanabata' word somewhat intrigued him. He was still sore over having Sora kiss the girls. But ah well, every little counts.

"What is it?"

Without a word of reply, Sora squeezed his eyes shut and stood on his tiptoes in order to deliver his sloppy kiss. Caught off-guard, Riku jumped a little. His heart began pounding so hard, he was sure it was going to spurt out all over the bridge and scare the heck out of the brunet.

It was a slice of heaven.

Riku shut the world out of his gaze to savor the untainted kiss. Gentle, unsure, but it was there and it was all there was at that moment. Sora sighed, his breath like the breeze under the golden sun. The gulls cried, and he could feel fingers sliding up his dark locks, entwining in between the threads of silk and satin. He then pulled back when he felt the need to breathe, gasping.

Sea green locked in sky blue, and Sora found himself flushing pink for no apparent reason. He looked away from the bridge, to the calm sea that stretched below and far away. "Riku…?"

"Happy Tanabata."

No words were further exchanged. They were content, just as the two lovers were on the Bridge of Magpies, and they were falling in love over and over again… because, even if things would and did change, there was always a chance, every once a year, that will hold destiny together. Below, the two girls grinned, even as a blond and redhead shook their heads in disbelief.

Kissing wasn't that icky after all.

~*~ おわり ~*~

Note: Right, my second Riku x Sora! Fwees! I'm so happy na no da, because everyone was a good guy in this story! I've made Kairi good here; I hope that this new point of view is okay! I'm not sure if fan girls usually act this way, but well, this is a try after all!

All in all, I hope you all enjoyed this piece of fluff! ^___^ May you meet your beloved on the Bridge of Magpies, and live happily forever and ever and ever after!