Challenge [250]: Sugar and Spice; "Have some, it's like sugar."

[keysora.livejournal.com]

Title: Have some, it's like sugar.
Challenge: [250] Sugar and Spice
Word Count: 598 (*gulp*)
Notes: 15 or so years post KH-2. One day I will write a drabble that does not feature Trio future lives, I swear.

 

Kairi’s voice is rich with amusement. “Not too much, now,” she cautions, standing with her hips pressed into the kitchen counter, her hands resting on the backs of the two smallest children. She’s done most of the work preparing the sugar cookies, but the kids are always ready to participate when decorating them with candy is involved.

Sora leans tiredly against the wall, head back and his hand deep inside a bag of chocolate sprinkles. He’d rushed home from his mission off-world, desperate to make it home for Christmas. He smiles despite the urge to crawl into a bed and be comatose. There would be no point in rushing home for Christmas if he didn’t spend it with his family.

Riku is leaning against the center island, his arms folded and his fist against his mouth. He’s watching his daughter darkly, waiting for her to fall off the chair she’s standing on to be able to reach the cookies. She’s barely three, clumsy on her shrimp little legs, and he knows that sooner, rather than later, she’s going to fall off the chair on to the hard floor. He knows it.

Sora and Kairi’s seven-year old son turns to his little brother with a wolfish grin. He holds out a spoonful of cinnamon. “Have some,” he says. “It’s like sugar.”

Their youngest son is five and doesn’t yet hold the wisdom that older brothers are not to be trusted. Kairi looks back at Sora and Riku over her shoulder and rolls her eyes. She knows he has to learn the hard way, and sure enough he does, coughing and spitting the cinnamon all over the floor.

Riku’s daughter laughs brightly at all the shenanigans. She gets so excited that she slides sideways off the chair. Riku’s there to catch her, swooping her up from under her arms and settling her on his hip instead. She frowns at him, a deeply independent spirit. “Makin’ cookies!” she demands, pointing back at the chair. Riku distracts her by taking one of the cookies, most generously decorated with rainbow sprinkles and pink icing, and putting it in her tiny hand. He’s not above bribery to keep her safe.

Sora smiles as he straightens, watching all of them. Kairi is laughing with the boys and wiping cinnamon from their son`s chin. Family. It`s not perfect. Sometimes Sora is barely home one week before the universe starts to fall apart again. Riku`s overprotective, keeping his kid as close as he possibly can to stop her from leaving the way that he did. Kairi makes herself sick sometimes in the effort to keep everything together, as she has always done.

It’s not perfect, but it still manages to be pretty great. The three of them still together, giving their kids a childhood, cookies at Christmas. The normalcy they all crave. All the things they gave up a long time ago for the sake of adventure. Safety and family and home. Sora knows that standing in the kitchen on days like this is when they feel like they’d managed to get some of it back.

“Hey, dad,” his eldest grins, holding on a fresh spoonful of the sweet spice. “Try some.”

“Don’t, dad!” his youngest warns, eyes still watery and embarrassed. “It’s gross!”

Sora steps forward and wraps an arm around each son. He kisses the head of his youngest, then dumps the rest of the chocolate sprinkles on the head of his eldest.

It makes a mess, and nobody cares. Mess is a small price to pay for how happy they are in this moment.

 

 

Comments

[kiaxet]

You'll write a drabble not featuring trio future lives when I write one not about the BBS trio. That doesn't make these any less fun or awesome. XD

This is ridiculously cute. You've perfectly captured how kids, especially brothers, act, and it's fantastic. I also love that you've set it in the frame of the way Sora's duties as Keybearer affect his family - it's just this side of bittersweet and very touching. I absolutely love it.

[lynxgriffin.livejournal.com]

Awww, this was terribly sweet (in more ways than one!) A really great read. XD

[sour-idealist.livejournal.com]

I vote that you continue writing Trio lives for approximately forever, if that's quite all right. This is many kinds of wonderful, especially the kids' characterizations and Riku's interaction with his daughter.

[starflashed.livejournal.com]

I... I... I can't even--this is too cute for words. Seriously. Love the kids, love your SRK, and daddy!Riku just makes me all different kinds of happy. <3

Amazing job with this!

[iki-teru.livejournal.com]

OH GOD HAPPY TRIO FUTURE FIC!? YES PLEASE!

CUTE AND HAPPY AND FLUFFY AND RIKUUUUUU, YOU HAVE MY HEART AND LOOKIT, I AM REDUCED TO CAPSLOCK FANGIRL JOY!

[eiremauve.livejournal.com]

This is very cute and sweet!

[euphonious-glow.livejournal.com]

Well, you have my permission to continue writing future!trio, because I can't get enough of it. I loved this so much, especially Riku with his daughter. So cute and sweet, and IC too.