When you need to get away

[paopuprincess]

Who: Kairi, Xion, Naminé, and Ilya
Where: Cerulean City
When: 6/10 - 6/17
Summary: The triplets and Ilya take a vacation full of sun, surf, and shopping.

[After a long, emotional moment with Riku and Sora, Kairi decided to grab the girls and take off for a week to cool off. She had managed to find a waterfront cottage at Cerulean Cape and booked it for a nice relaxing week.]

Comments

[paopuprincess]

[Kairi was quick to drag her bags up to the bedroom she had claimed for herself. She was lucky in that the four rooms were all about the same size. After flying all the way to Cerulean, she flops herself onto her bed. She didn't even bother unpacking just yet, she doesn't have the strength.]

(Private to Ilya)
[Not long after arriving, she goes to check on Ilya. She pokes herself into her bedroom.]

Hey, Ilya? You here?

[dressofheaven]

Just a second. I'm brushing my hair.

[This is not exactly a small task, given what Ilya's hair is like, but it must be done. She's about halfway through regardless, sitting with her back to the door, facing a mirror, in a very fluffy bathrobe.]

You can come in though.

[paopuprincess]

[Kairi plops down on the end of her bed, her knees locked together and her eyes towards the floor. She'll wait patiently for Ilya to finish with her hair.]

[dressofheaven]

You're quiet.

[An understatement if ever there was one. Ilya runs the brush through her hair a few more times before turning to look at Kairi.]

Do you want to talk, or do you want to give me a hand here? [She pauses a bit.] I suppose we could do both.

[paopuprincess]

Sure.

[She hops down off the bed and moves to stand behind Ilya. She reaches down to take the brush from her.]

[dressofheaven]

Thanks. I always have a little trouble doing it all myself, no matter how used to it I am by now.

[She hands the brush over and sweeps her hair back so Kairi can get at it easier.]

So, are you going to talk to me about what's eating at you, or am I going to have to start prying it out of you the hard way?

[paopuprincess]

[She takes a length of her hair and starts to gently brush it.]

I was a real jerk to Riku and Sora and I don't know how to say "sorry".

[The quickest, simplest way to explain it.]

[dressofheaven]

You were a jerk? That doesn't sound like you at all. Are you sure they didn't do anything to deserve it?

[Yes, that's Ilya's first thought on the matter. What can she say, she's defensive.]

[paopuprincess]

No... they didn't. [She stops for a moment to heave a sigh, before diligently returning to her brushing.]

I'm just a cruddy friend that's too concerned with herself to see what people are trying to tell her.

[dressofheaven]

Oh stop it. You don't believe that any more than I do, no matter how badly you feel.

Now why don't you tell me just what went wrong?

[paopuprincess]

Riku and Sora wanted to tell me about... them. I wouldn't let them tell me and thought they were making me choose between them.

[Sigh.]

[dressofheaven]

Ahhhh. Well, it's not like you didn't have reason to expect that sort of thing. The two of them have been nothing if not competitive, and as they didn't tell you earlier, well... it's no surprise you were confused.

Furthermore, do we even know how long this has been going on? It strikes me as the sort of thing you should have been told about some time ago.

[paopuprincess]

At least a year. [She sighs.]

I just don't get why they wouldn't tell me. They kept this a secret from me for so long.

[dressofheaven]

Did you ask them that? You're well withing your rights to demand an explanation.

[paopuprincess]

They thought I'd get mad.

[dressofheaven]

And did you? Once they explained what was actually happening, I mean.

[paopuprincess]

No. I just felt lied to because they waited so long to tell me.

[She continues brushing Ilya's hair, but the tears welling up in the corners of her eyes are making it difficult.]

They're my best friends and they left me in the dark since I got here.

[dressofheaven]

And you're upset with yourself? Really now Kairi, I understand you don't want to be mad at your friends if you can avoid it, but it seems to me they fully deserve it in this case. You may have jumped to conclusions, but they actively hid something very important from you.

[paopuprincess]

[Kairi nods, though Ilya may not be able to see it. She sets the brush down on the table, unable to hold back the tears now.]

I just... [Simpering, she reaches up to wipe the tears from her eyes.]

[dressofheaven]

[When Ilya feels the brush leave her hair, she turns around to glance at Kairi a bit. The second she sees those tears, though, she's pulling her into her arms.]

Oh Kairi... Come here, come to me now...

[She guides Kairi's head to her shoulder to cry herself out automatically, and starts plotting ways to make Riku and Sora squirm for this.]

[paopuprincess]

[She collapses into Ilya's arms, hugging her tight. Her whimpers turn to outright bawling as her strength gives way. Right now, all she wants is to be held by her friend.]

[dressofheaven]

[Ilya just makes soothing noises and strokes her hair and back, holding her close. It's strange, she's never done this before but it seems to come naturally.

Well, she should probably just count her blessings. It's much better that this comes naturally than for it to be difficult.]

[paopuprincess]

Th-thanks, Ilya...

[She looks up at her, still red-faced and teary-eyed. She had never shown so much weakness to someone before. It wasn't a feeling she enjoyed, but she was thankful that Ilya could be so comforting and understanding.]

[dressofheaven]

You're welcome. Do you feel better now?

[Better is a relative term, but right now Ilya will settle for her not being about to break down sobbing again.]

[paopuprincess]

[She nods her head into Ilya's chest. Still not stable enough to form words, she opts instead to squeeze her friend tighter.]