Kessie's Short Stories

[Kingdom Hearts] The only one to cheer me up.

Originally published 3/28/2022

Sora tried his best not to forget anyone's birthday. Even if he hadn't seen the person in years, he could know the date by heart and wonder for a moment or two on why it was special. Ironically enough, the only birthday he ever forgot was his own.

The next birthday on his list of friends was one belonging to a certain newcomer. Someone who liked being grumpy and hiding how much she actually cared. With those big dark brown eyes, wavy ebony hair, and light, neutral skin tone. It was going to take a lot of effort to get her ideal birthday wish out. But Sora was determined. He just needed a good day, a good feeling, to coerce her.

Of course, he was also a man of equal opportunities.

Sora passed Sabrina in Radiant Garden one afternoon. He didn't really know why she was there, but he wasn't going to question it. A wide smile stretched across his face as he carefully approached her. She never saw him coming- she had been too busy paying a moogle for some synthesis ingredients.

"Well, hello Sabrina. Funny meeting you here." the boy charmingly greeted, maintaining a distance far enough to be polite but close enough so she couldn't ignore him. She still tried to. Sabrina packed her new things away, promptly turning her back to Sora to make a statement, then started to walk away.

Sora puffed a bit of hair away from his face. So this was going to take some work. He didn't let her get too far away, skip-running to walk beside her.

"So," he said to her again, "I heard that it's going to be a certain someone's birthday soon. Is there anything she'd like to have?"

"No." came the short reply.

"Oh, come on." Sora sighed. "There's gotta be something. Why won't you tell me?"

For this, Sabrina scoffed. Not once did she slow her steps. "Why don't you ask someone else what I want?" she questioned. "I'm sure plenty of people know me well enough to tell you something."

Sora stopped walking just to glare at her. "Sabrina," he said, in a rather blunt tone, "You only like three people. Who would I go to?"

She shrugged the comment off. "You'd figure it out."

Sora scowled, just slightly, before catching up with her again.

"I'm not going to ask anyone else but you. I need to know you're going to like what I give you. Having someone else tell me isn't the same as you telling me."

"Tough."

What a terrible crowd. Maybe it was time to switch tactics; it was time to be the ultimate pest.

"Would you like a puppy?" he asked. "Or a TV? Or a Gummi Ship of your own? Oh! I know! Sea salt ice cream!"
"No." she disagreed in a flat tone. "No. No. And heck no."

"Whatta 'bout drawing?"

"No."

"Painting?"

"No."

"Writing?"

"No."

"What about a BIG cake where we hide someone inside, and they jump out to-"

"Sora!" Sabrina shouted, finally stopping in her tracks and glaring directly at him. "Just shut up! I like haute couture! I like dancing lyrical with jazz shoes! I practice calligraphy when I'm mad because the constant motion helps me think clearer! And sometimes watching Ven stand his ground and defend himself -or me- like his life depends on it makes me want to-"

She cut herself off there. Her face was a weird shade of horrified white and flustered red. Gathering what little she had of her patience, and making sure she still had her purchased items, she shoved Sora out of the way to get away from him. Several unkind words were mumbled under her breath as her steps were quite obviously unnerved.