[Morning of the Twenty-Thirst of June] (Text)

[princessascended]

Hey everyone, happy Summer Solstice!

Yeah, I checked, and it turns out this is the longest day of the year here in Lunatia. They, uh, don't seem to celebrate it, though. Kinda strange, back home it was a pretty big deal. There was a big feast, planting seeds and starting gardens... oh, the flower crowns! Everybody got at least one. Some people had trouble wearing all the ones they had.

Also I think stuff with alcohol and... well, that stuff my Dad would have killed me for getting involved with, so nevermind.

Anyway, any of you guys have celebrations like that? And Riku, Sora, we've got to at least get some crowns made before the day's over!

[What Kairi isn't saying is, the Summer Solstice is also her birthday, or at least the day they've celebrated it since she arrived on the islands. But hey, she won't make a big deal out of that, and the only ones who know are her boys.]

Comments

[keythatconnects]

[Kairi talking about traditions they have back home makes Sora feel weird. It's not exactly homesickness, he's never really felt that way about the islands in the way that others do. He misses certain people more than the sands and sea. He hasn't really thought about holidays or celebrations back home either. Still, he feels listless and uncomfortable.

He'd much rather focus on celebrating her.]

Anything for the birthday girl!

[princessascended]

[She just didn't want to look like she was only after attention with this. That and, celebrations aside, the Summer Solstice is a big thing. It's the longest day of the year. That's worth acknowledgment.

But of course he jumps straight to that.]

Seventeen today! One more year and I'm officially an adult.

[And then maybe this place'll feel just a little less weird.]

[keythatconnects]

Do you think that will feel any different?

[princessascended]

After everything we've been through, it might not. I feel like I've grown up a dozen times over by now, and for you and Riku it's probably more.

But at least everybody else will recognize it then, right?

[keythatconnects]

At least none of the other guardians ever made us feel like we were just a few kids.

[princessascended]

Well, I think the King knows what that's like, Aqua you and Riku saved, and the only other ones older than Riku were Lea and Terra. Basically, by the time they met us, all of them knew better.

Besides, Lea's just a big kid anyway.

[keythatconnects]

I wonder if that's why Roxas loves him so much.

[princessascended]

I'm sure it's part of it! There are a lot of reasons to love him. There probably were even when he was Axel, even if all I felt for him was an urge to punch him in the face.

Which I've had a lot of opportunity to work out by now, just so we're clear.

[keythatconnects]

That's good.

I'm glad you two are friends now. It would be really annoying to train with someone you didn't like.

[princessascended]

Having his heart back did wonders for him, it turns out.

Big surprise there, huh?

Though, obviously that doesn't work for everybody.

[keythatconnects]

Hearts have a funny way of making us realize what jerks we were being, sometimes.

Other times, you need other people to point it out too.

[princessascended]

Well, without a heart having somebody else point it out wouldn't help much anyway.

Anyway. Riku promised me a flower crown! And I promised to bury Vanitas in them. Wanna go raid a garden?

[keythatconnects]

Yeah!! Let's do it! Sounds like a ton of fun!

[princessascended]

Awesome. Let's go steal a bunch of flowers.

[keythatconnects]

It's a date!!

[princessascended]

I know you're supposed to bring flowers on the first date, but this is going a bit overboard, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm coming home from the beach right now. I'll meet you there?

[keythatconnects]

Yep! I'll head there right now to meet you!

[princessascended]

See you there!

[And indeed, by the time Sora gets home, Kairi will be hanging around outside the apartment. She greets him with a wave.]

Hey!

[keythatconnects]

[He comes up to her and pulls her into a hug, following that up with a kiss.]

How's my birthday girl?

[princessascended]

[Giggling merrily, she returns both with interest, eyes alight with glee.]

Older, wiser, more... adult than ever before!

... That's what's supposed to happen, right?

[keythatconnects]

[He chuckles.]

Maybe? But I feel like we've all already grown up.

Except, you know, when I don't wanna. [He does hang out with Disney characters, after all.]

[princessascended]

Yeah, well... try telling your mom that sometime.

[As if their parents will ever believe they're all grown up even after they're grown with careers.

Granted their careers are looking to be swinging giant keys at darkness monsters, but still.]

Anyway. Flowers!

[keythatconnects]

[Hey, so rude bringing parents into this!]

Yes! Flowers! We gotta get some real nice ones to compliment your hair!

Oh, and Riku's too! Maybe something really bright? Or blue?

[princessascended]

No no no, something to contrast his hair, not blend into it! Maybe some violets, or irises or something!

[As soon as she says that, a thought occurs to her and she can't help but giggle.]

Heh. Irises.

[keythatconnects]

[He doesn't get the joke, but he is pretty distracted by the mental image of Riku with violets in his hair.]

Huh? Irises?