piratejournal | [003 || Written]

*Her hands stop what they're doing the moment Riku gives his answer. She seems to freeze entirely, an alarming surprise in her voice*

My parents? But I don't - I don't have any parents... Maybe, maybe it was an orphanage...or something?

*Selphie attempts to keep her voice bright and light, but there's no denying that it's shaking*

...I don't even think my island had an orphanage.

[At least, Kairi never ended up in one. She just went to live with the Mayor.]

My...parents? Not...foster parents? Did they - were they -?

*She starts to plait his hair again, but her hands are shaking so she stops, resting them on her knees*

Riku, do you think they really were my real parents?

[Sighs, turning to face her completely and giving a somewhat helpless shrug.]

As far as I know? Maybe that's just me assuming things... But we never had any reason to think they weren't your real parents.

*Selphie swallows hard, not sure whether to burst into tears, or laughter. She looks at Riku steadily, her hands clutching onto her knees*

What did they look like? What did they do? Were they nice people? Were they happy people?

[Smiles a little.]

They were very nice. Are very nice. Sora's house was pretty much my second home, but I always liked your mom. [Pause.] You look like her.

[He laughs.]

All of our dads used to barbecue together.

*Selphie lifts her hands to cover her mouth, her eyes glazing over. Hearing someone talk about her parents, and like they're alive, it's a huge shock to her, and she can't help but just stare. Eventually, she moves her hands away, but she struggles to speak up*

...barbe...cue.

[Nods. He reaches out, a little hesitantly, to touch the back of Selphie's hand. Because she looks like she might start crying or something, and he's not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing or if he should stop talking or what.

She hasn't asked him to stop, though, so he thinks of other things to say.]

Your dad is cool. You know, everyone else had sons to deal with -- well, except Kairi, but the Mayor took her in when she showed up and he was usually busy doing...Mayor things, so we didn't always see him as much. But anyway, so your dad was the only one in our group who had a daughter, but I don't think he cared. One year for Halloween, I remember you dressed up as a princess and he went as your prince. Crown and all. He adored you.

Although... [Grins a little.] I think he might've been dreading the day you would actually start dating.

*When he touches her hand, Selphie bites her lip, because crying is exactly what she is trying not to do right now. She lowers her eyes to the floor, and hurriedly lifts her hand to swipe at an eye where she feels a tear beginning to escape. The very idea of it all, and trying so hard to remember. Selphie lets out a choked kind of laugh at the last thing he says, because she knows that she failed in that respect, but the idea of having any kind of father figure makes the laugh sound more like a sob*

...I wish... I wish I could remember...

[Riku averts his eyes for a moment, his gaze going a bit distant. Sometimes he has a hard time remembering these things himself. He didn't let himself think about them for so long, and then when he did start allowing the memories to surface again he would just be overcome with guilt. Selphie's parents were good people. So were his own.

And he'd let the darkness swallow them up so easily.

It's gotten easier over time, helped by the fact that he was able to spend a few days at home before they'd gotten tossed into this world. But it still feels like his childhood was an entire other life sometimes.

He looks back at Selphie, his voice soft when he speaks.]

...Should I stop?

*Selphie leans forward, folding her arms on her knees, and resting her eyes against her elbow. Either trying to remember, or trying to disappear, she's not sure herself, but she hears Riku and shakes her head against her arm without looking up*

N-no. It's okay. This is just so... Amazing. But so...sad.

Alright...

[Shifts and scoots a little closer until he's sitting pressed against her side.]

There was this one time when we were younger -- I think I was around nine, so you were probably eight or so. It was your parents' anniversary and your dad... Man, he went all out. There was a big party on the beach and there were all these lights and decorations and stuff and all our parents went. Kids, too. But they all kept dancing and I remember thinking it was really gross. There were fireworks at the end of the night. Your mom didn't know about it, the whole thing was a surprise.

...You know, now that I think about it, your dad is kind of a romantic.

[Maybe that's where Selphie gets it from.]

*Selphie wipes her eyes against her arm, then moves to sit back up again slowly, keeping herself close to Riku. Despite how teary her eyes might seem, there's a big smile on her face as she imagines the scene. And he's right, it does sound very romantic. She laughs a little as a small tear falls*

That's so sweet! I bet...I bet my mom and dad were real happy together?

*It sounds a bit more like a question, because while she wants to believe that it's true, she doesn't want to be making things up*

Oh yeah.

[It's an immediate answer. Not that his own parents or Sora's or anyone else's weren't happy, but sometimes Selphie's were something else entirely.]

There were always flowers in your house. Your dad would bring them home. I asked him why one time and he said something about how it made your mom smile and seeing her smile was always the highlight of his day.

[His nose wrinkles as he makes a face reminiscent of the one he would've made when he was seven and that kind of stuff seemed weird and stupid.]

*That makes her laugh all the more, and her hands clasp together in delight at it all*

My dad sure sounds like a keeper! No wonder my mom was happy!

*Perhaps it wasn't any wonder, then, that that was the kind of relationship she herself had always dreamed for herself. She giggles at Riku's expression and touches his nose*

It's very romantic!

[Cracks a grin to go with her laugh, playfully brushing her hand away.]

It is, but I didn't get all that back then. I guess now I do a little better.

[Leans his head back against the wall, letting the memories wash over him as he searches his mind for any other tidbits he can share.]

...There's someone like that out there for all of us, you know.

Hmm...

*Selphie watches him a moment then swings her legs forward and back gently over the edge of the hammock. All the talk of romance makes her wonder if maybe what had happened with Ikki was the right thing. She was born into a world of love and romance, while he disliked, or at least didn't care about either*

Maybe there is... I'm just not gonna go out of my way looking for him, whoever and wherever he is...

[Nods.]

You'll find each other when the time is right.

[Bumps his shoulder against hers.]

I danced with you at that anniversary party. Mostly because my mom made me, but still.

Well, here's hoping...

*Despite how unsure she might sound, she does manage a smile*

Oh, did you? I bet we made a super cute couple, even if you were forced!

[Laughs a tad awkwardly.]

Yeah, well. Wakka laughed at me, so I'm pretty sure I went on a sandcastle destroying spree the next day to rebuild some manliness.

[Says this with an obvious self-mocking tone.]

Oh, great... Even when I was a kid people were laughing at anyone being paired me with in any way...

*That was good to know, too. Maybe she just wasn't built for this stuff*

But I bet you really showed those sandcastles, you big meanie.

[Just raises his eyebrows and gives her a look.]

Selphie. We were nine. And he was laughing at me, not you. Because that's what dumb little kids do, especially boys.

[Pause.]

And then we destroy things. I'm telling you, not a single one survived. It was brutal.

*Selphie just laughs off his comment, because she had only been partially serious about it, after all. She thinks*

Boys are stupid creatures, no matter what age they are.

*This, at least, she has decided, is definitely the truth*

[Barks out a laugh and gives her a wide grin.]

Yeah, that much is most definitely true. I apologize on behalf of our entire gender.

Hmm... I'm not sure that's a big enough apology for all of your gender, but I'll accept it for some of them, yourself included.

*Now it's her turn to nudge him playfully, shoulder to shoulder*

[003 || Written]

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