Fast Food Madness: The Epic Return

Namine exhaled a breath at the kiss, her eyes staying shut for the duration of that gesture. When he pulled away, though, she opened her eyes and gazed up at his bright blue orbs. She knew he had to go now, whether she liked it or not.

Sora smiled weakly, his hand in a light fist at the mention of his friend. "I will," he assured her. Hopefully we'll be able to find him quickly and take care of this problem before things get out of hand, he added mentally. He didn't know just how bad the Heartless problem was, but he would find out soon enough.

 

Roxas's eyes lingered on Namine for a moment longer, his eyes gazing into the sky-blue he would soon long to see everyday. He offered her a small smile of reassurance, knowing that this was just as hard on her as it was on him; he was trying to make it easier, but he didn't know if it was possible.

Kairi nodded once and linked her hands together behind her back, her smile beginning to fade. She only stared gently at the boy in front of her, looking at him for as long as she could, her tears having disappeared momentarily. It was time for him to leave, to embark on another adventure. She hoped he would come back to her soon.

 

Namine offered Roxas a weak smile in response to his, but it appeared to be more like a grimace. Saying goodbye was as hard as she had expected, if not worse. How would life go on without her two dear friends nearby? And they were both going to be in danger...

Sora looked at Kairi for a moment longer before he turned his head to look at Roxas and Namine. "C'mon," he said softly to Kairi, the teen lightly setting a hand on her back as he started leading her toward their other two friends.

 

Kairi nodded slightly before allowing Sora's guidance, stepping alongside him to reach her two other friends. She remembered she had wanted to wish both of the boys good luck, and it would be best to do that when they were beside each other. Plus, Roxas was one of her really good friends; she didn't want to miss saying goodbye to him either.

Roxas's smile softened a little, and then disappeared when he sensed a presence a little behind him. He turned around halfway, and indeed he was right. His best friends were approaching, and he saw that they were just as effected by this as he and Namine were.

 

Namine turned her body a bit when Roxas did, her eyes landing on the two people approaching them. Kairi looked like she was having a hard time with all this, but she was sure that she looked the same way. She folded her hands in front of her, biting her lip at the thought.

Once they were close to their friends, Sora stopped and met Roxas gaze. He hesitantly took his hand off Kairi's back, aware that touch could be the last one he had for a long, long time.

 

Roxas glanced at Sora, but it was Kairi's expression that caught his attention the most. He knew that because of their connection, she and Namine looked alike already. But now, with the expression Kairi was wearing, she looked exactly like Namine did. He began to wonder if his sorrow showed on his face just as it did Sora's. At the thought, the boy looked to Sora, meeting his best friend's gaze.

Kairi's hands remained clasped behind her back, her eyes looking from Namine to Roxas. They then located the concrete beneath her sneakers. This was the last moment they would all spend together, and the intensity and reality of that thought made her feel even more scared for the boys.

 

Sora held Roxas' gaze for a moment before he noticed some movement out of the side of his eye. He looked over and saw Namine take two steps toward him. He matched her steps and wrapped her in a friendly hug, his gesture being one of comfort and support.

Namine hugged Sora back, glad that he had understood her intentions. Her lips parted slightly as she tried to speak. But no words came to her lips; there was really nothing left to say, was there?

 

Roxas watched the interaction between the girl he loved and his best friend. He smiled sadly and his eyes immediately fell on Kairi, having felt her gaze on him. She matched his frail smile with one of her own, and he opened his arms to her.

Kairi didn't hesitate. She took a few steps forward, closing the small gap between her and Roxas. She wrapped her arms around him just as he did to her, knowing that this hug was one of departure, friendliness, comfort, and also some sadness at their leaving. But there was also some reassurance mixed in.

 

After a few moments in Sora's soft embrace, Namine felt the words begin to surface. "Roxas..." she started softly, her voice only audible to Sora. "Will you...?"

Sora nodded faintly, running his hand over Namine's back supportability. "I'll watch out for him," he murmured softly, meaning the words greatly. Under his watch, there was no way Roxas would end up in deep trouble. He would do whatever it took to protect his best friend.

Namine inhaled a breath, comforted by Sora's soft spoken words. "You'll be careful too?"

Once again, Sora nodded. "I will," he assured her gently. As long as he and Roxas had each other, he was sure that things would turn out alright. Not only were they best friends, but they were also fighting partners. Together, they were unstoppable.

 

Roxas held Kairi in the light and comforting embrace for another moment longer before he felt her speak in his ear.

"Both of you be safe," Kairi said, loud enough for Roxas and Sora to hear. She couldn't deal with one of them coming home but not the other. She cared too much for both of them.

Roxas smiled slightly. "We will," he replied in equal volume. Feeling her loosen her hold on him, he let go as well, straightening up as her arms unwound from his back. "You can count on that." At the last words his head turned so he could look at his best friend and ally in this journey. Roxas and Sora had fought together many times before; he didn't think this time would be an exception.

 

Sora felt a gaze on him and he looked over, seeing that it was Roxas. He smiled weakly at the conversation his friends were having, because that was what he had been thinking about.

Namine inhaled a breath and then released it as she let go of Sora, taking a step back once she was out of his embrace to give him some space. She knew that their time was up for sure now--it had been up for a long time now.

 

Roxas glanced between the redhead and blonde before him. "You two do the same," he requested softly. While they were gone, nobody would really be here to protect them the way Sora and Roxas could. They had to watch out for each other, just as he and Sora did.

Kairi nodded once with a frail smile, linking her fingers behind her back. She could feel the burn in her eyes returning, her heart feeling the same emotions they always had. Except they were stronger now, because this was the moment she dreaded--the boys were leaving now, and there was nothing she or Namine could do to stop them.

 

Namine bit her lip lightly and folded her hands in front of her. She would try and be there for Kairi, and she was sure Kairi would do the same. But this wasn't going to be easy, even if they did have each other.

Sora ran one hand over the back of his spiky hair, his eyes scanning over the girls in front of him before he looked over at the Gummi ship. No matter how badly he didn't want to admit it, it was time to go.

 

Roxas nodded once in response, his eyes looking at both girls, but lingering on Namine for a moment longer. Gosh, he was going to miss her... A feeling inside Roxas tingled and he instinctively turned his head toward Sora, only to follow his friend's gaze. Oh, the Gummi ship. "Time to go, I guess," Roxas announced, his voice gloomy.

The burning in Kairi's eyes grew with intensity, and the boys before her blurred for a moment. She blinked and her vision cleared, but no tears fell. "Good luck to you both," she said. She forced a weak smile, fighting the sadness swirling in her heart.

 

"Be safe," Sora said softly, turning his head to look at the girls once again. He and Roxas would be fine out there--he was much more worried about the two girls in front of him. It was impossible to fathom what could happen while they were gone, and that concerned him greatly.

Namine nodded faintly, gripping her hands a little more tightly at the words. She felt Roxas' pocket knife in her front pocket, an item she had forgotten about up to this moment. She had no clue if she would use it or not. She hoped she never had to ponder that idea, because she really wasn't a violent person at all. Or strong, for that matter.

 

Roxas nodded in agreement to Sora's words and at Kairi's wishful good luck. He glanced at Kairi, saw her expression, and offered her the kindest smile he could muster at that moment. He saw her return it weakly, nodding to him before his sight flickered to the pale blue irises he knew he was going to want to see every day. Roxas's smile remained on his face as he started to take a few steps back, toward the Gummi ship, lifting his hand to wave at them lightly.

Kairi released one of her hands behind her back and brought it up, waving feebly back. Once they left, she wasn't sure how she would react. But she was aware that these two boys, who were normally goofballs, were going to be brave and protective of each other. That was enough assurance for her to let them go, even though she would have them stay if given the choice.

 

Like Roxas, Sora also started to take a few steps back, a lopsided smile on his lips as he offered the girls a wave. He and Roxas would be back...He was sure of it. Or, at least he was hoping for it.

Namine released her hands when the boys started to leave, one of her hands coming up as she gave them a sad wave. She saw both of them had gentle smiles on their lips, but she couldn't bring herself to smile back. Not when she was so close to completely losing control of her emotions.

 

After a few more steps and seeing the girls' waves, Roxas turned himself around and started toward the ship. He had forced himself to do it; it had been hard for him to turn away from Namine when she had that look in her eyes. But he would see her again, he was sure of it. He couldn't help but hope for that day.

Kairi's eyes were locked on the boys, watching them as they got farther and farther away from her and Namine. Soon, they would be worlds away, and there would be no way of contacting them. This was the last communication they would all have for a while, and she felt it was going to be a long time, unfortunately.

 

Sora looked at the girls a few moments longer than Roxas before he turned around just as they reached the ship's ramp. He couldn't very well walk backward up into the ship when he was so distracted by the girls. It broke his heart to have to look away from Kairi, but he would have to deal with those emotions later.

As soon as both the boys turned the other direction, Namine stopped waving and re-clasped her hands in front of her. Every part of her wanted to run forward, hug Roxas, and plead for him not to leave. But that wasn't an option, and it would only make things ten million times worse than they already were.

 

Roxas climbed the ramp of the ship, a few steps ahead of Sora. He stepped inside and as he turned, heading for the piloting station, he sighed sadly. Roxas raked his fingers through his blond spikes, head bowed as he approached the seat next to the pilot's, where Sora would surely be sitting soon enough.

Kairi's hand was already clasped behind her back, her eyes locked on Sora. She didn't even blink, knowing he was going to disappear from her sight the moment he closed the ship's door. Oh, how she was going to miss him. Please be safe, she prayed silently, the tears in her eyes already on the brink of leaving her eyes.