So I decided this was done

[splinteredstar]

This was drafted... a very long time ago, I don't even remember. I'd occasionally pull it out and stare at it. I just edited it a bit, and I'm declaring it as done as it will be.

Kairi is hard. I've never been okay with writing her. Also includes my fanon as to why Kh!Cid doesn't smoke.

Set during Hollow Bastion in kh1

Kairi sat on the edge of the wall in 1^st district, absently knocking her feet against stonework.  Her mind and heart were worlds away from the chilly air and mismatched houses around her. She couldn’t see what Sora saw, but she could feel it, sort of…

Cid patted over and sat down next to her, little for him to do with the travelers gone. He chewed on his stick like it had personally offended him, and then gave up and spat it to the side.

“Hey, kiddo.” He waved to get Kairi’s attention. “Mind if I smoke?”

Kairi blinked, surprised – and then shook her head, fighting down a giggle. She’d never been around someone who smoked before – the schools talked about how it was a dangerous habit and it was banned around her father’s office – but those things mattered less and less compared the blinding lights in the sky and in the hearts around her, compared to the darkness that burned into her mind and in the back of Riku’s eyes.

“Thanks. Aerith tries to get me to quit.” He lit up a cigarette and drew in a grateful breath full of smoke, the line of smoke from the glowing end of the cigarette floating up towards the stars. Kairi’s eyes followed it, to the sky and past it, oblivious to Cid still talking, “ – but a little smoke isn’t more dangerous than – you listening princess?”

“Oh, sorry.”She shook her head. “It’s just…” She looked to the sky again, and Cid shrugged. 

“’Sallright.” He glanced up himself. “How’s that boy doing?”

Kairi looked down, still unused to talking about her… powers, she guessed, the things she’d always known (telling stories about an evil queen who turns into a dragon, and beasts who were really princes – and the light inside of darkness, darkness being the shadow of light) but didn’t know she knew. She focused and said, “…He’s all right. He’s tired, but he’s all right. He’s with Leon and the others.” She’d gotten to know their hearts, and she’d followed them.

“Good.” Cid nodded, the glowing end of his cigarette bobbing with the movement.

She shuffled a bit, the question on the tip of her tongue, and then tumbling off it – “Why didn’t you go with them? It’s your home too, right?”

Cid gave her a sideways look. “Gotta keep you out of trouble, don’t I?” But that wasn’t an answer and they both knew it – but the next moment she forgot the question as the pounding pressure in her brain started to ease, and she sheer *relief* nearly made her cry.

“Hey!” Cid caught her as she slumped, and she could hear the worry so she straightened, tears glittering at the edges of her smile.

“It’s locked. He did it.”

“Good.” Cid nodded, staring at the sky. “It ain’t over yet though, is it?”

Kairi swallowed, the hurt in the back of her mind reminding her that no, it wasn’t over, the darkness was wounded but not defeated. She shook her head and now her eyes found a place in the sky where there were no stars at all - a place so *dark* it made her eyes hurt.

Silence for a moment as Cid finished his cigarette. “Why didn’t you go with ‘em?” Kairi sighed, because she expected this question.  “You know that’s your world, right?”

It was where she was born, but – “It’s not. Not anymore. I mean, it’s not…home.” Cid didn’t respond, just stared at his nearly empty packet of smokes, so she added, grinning, “Besides, I need to keep an eye on you don’t I?”

Cid laughed, tucking the packet back into his pants. “You think I need looking after, girlie?”

They both laughed for a moment, until Cid sobered and his eyes – like everyone’s in Traverse Town – were drawn to the sky.  “…the Bastion’s home, but someone’s gotta look after the people stuck here. We’re thinking that everyone will be taken home on their own, but if not, somebody’s gotta ‘em there.” Kairi waited, silently, able to feel the sad curl of his soul, “…’sides, I’m not sure if I want to see the Bastion just yet. Not after whatever the old bitch did to it – er,” He rubbed the back of his head, suddenly remembering that he was talking to a girl and a princess besides, “Not that I should say that…”

Kairi blinked and started laughing again. “It’s okay!” She insisted, finding it impossible to be annoyed at Cid while he was being bashful. “Besides. She is. And worse.” After what she did to the worlds, and to *Riku…* Part of her was worried – terrified – of that, of the idea that she hadn’t done anything to Riku that Riku didn’t want, that all the damage had already been done before the Island fell –

-But Sora had decided to trust Riku, and maybe that would be enough.

“Yeah.” Cid didn’t say any more, and they stared at the sky for a long moment. “You should trust that kid. He’ll sort it out.”

Kairi nodded, Sora’s heart beating in time with hers. “And Leon will put the Bastion back, too.”

Cid smiled, standing and putting out his cigarette. “Yep. Boy’s more stubborn than it is. Hey, girlie, want some tea? You’ll be able to feel that kid somewhere out of the wind, I bet.”

Kairi nodded and stood, and with one last look at the sky she followed Cid towards the little house they used. She’d never really leave Sora, anyway.

.