Kingdom Hearts fic: Blind Date With a Book

[mistressofmuses]

At least I'm before midnight this time!

This is the fill for Day 12: Book Shop AU.

I was a bit surprised that no ideas grabbed me too strongly for this one, because I *love* book shops. This was another one that I had to just sort of go for, but I think I like it.

(I haven't ever heard of this sort of event - I've heard of the "blind date with a book" thing in both libraries and used book stores, but never the additional layer of "blind date", ha.)

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Kairi gets dragged out to a local "blind date with a blind date with a book" event, where participants are matched up based on the books they've selected. She doesn't have high hopes for the event, though the man who makes small talk while they pick their books - and the friend he came along with - are both quite charming.

“All right! Welcome to our ‘blind date with a blind date with a book’ event!” the cheerful bookshop worker announced.

Kairi surreptitiously glanced around the room. This was silly. Deeply silly. Selphie had poked and prodded her about going, and eventually Kairi had let herself be dragged along. Selphie had even offered to pay her cover at the door, though Kairi didn’t make her do that.

There was a better turnout than she’d honestly expected. A couple people she even vaguely recognized, probably students from around campus. She kept her sigh completely internal. That was probably why Selphie had been as insistent as she was; Kairi certainly saw plenty of people around, but she didn’t really know many of them.

The hostess looked around the room, and when she saw she had everyone’s attention, she continued, “I hope you’re all familiar with the idea of the ‘blind date with a book’. Just in case you aren’t: There are multiple books on the tables up here. All of them are wrapped in brown paper, so you can’t see the cover and won’t know the title. Instead, there’s a brief description of the book. You select one that sounds appealing to you based on that description, and only then can you unwrap it to discover what book you’ve selected.”

Most people in the room nodded.

“That brings us to our twist for the evening! This time around, there are multiple copies of the same book up here, but with different descriptions. The descriptions are still accurate, just emphasizing different parts of the same stories or characters. Once you’ve made your choice, you can unwrap your new book. But take a look around, and find the other person who picked the same book! They’ll have been drawn to the same story, but based on different aspects of it. Spend some time together tonight, and hopefully you’ll be interested in having a little private book club to discuss your new book as you read it!” She gave an exaggerated wink.

“And quick rules, blah blah. If you don’t wind up with a partner, then you get to pick another book until you do match with someone. We did our best to make sure there are plenty of choices up here so that everyone can find something that sounds interesting. There is, of course, no obligation to actually go on a date or start that ‘private book club.’ This is all for fun! Even if you don’t meet the love of your life, then maybe you’ll find a new friend!

“Well that’s that, so let’s get going! Everyone is welcome to come up and find a book!”

Selphie shoved her shoulder into Kairi’s good-naturedly and headed toward the table.

Kairi didn’t hang back, exactly, but she wasn’t first in line. Several people had already made selections by the time she’d even picked a book up.

“You get dragged out, too?”

Kairi looked up. The man who’d spoken was very pretty, with shockingly bright aqua eyes and long silver hair.

She picked up another book. “A friend may have encouraged me to come out tonight. You?”

“I was a two-for-one special with another… friend. We know the girl who arranged the event; she begged the two of us to come out in support.” He glanced over at a table, where a spiky-haired young man was already sitting with a book, though he hadn’t unwrapped it yet.

Kairi noticed the way he hesitated over the word ‘friend,’ but didn’t want to pry. Instead she picked up a book and read the description out loud. “A cosmic game of lost and found. The experience of questing endlessly for that which is most important. Learning that sometimes in order to be rescued, you must rescue others. Finding inner strength to overcome the doubt of others.”

“That does sound pretty compelling,” he said. “I think I might go with: A story of redemption, of losing one’s self in pursuit of a goal, and the long road back to the light. The desire to become worthy of the thing you seek.”

Kairi held her book up and tapped it against his. “Cheers.”

As everyone filtered back to the sidelines after making their selections, the hostess spoke up again into her mic. “If everyone has selected an intriguing sounding book, then it’s time to see what you picked! Then take a look around the room for anyone holding the same book as you, and strike up a conversation! Maybe talk about what appealed to you about the description you chose, or whether you would have picked it based on the other person’s description, or whatever else you want!”

Kairi carefully tore the paper along the top, and pulled the book out.

The Rings of Saturn. The cover was a dark blue, bordering on black. There was a stylized sweep of streaked yellow and orange, looking like the aforementioned rings painted in oil.

She glanced around the room.

Selphie was already batting her eyes at a young man across the way, holding a book that matched his. A few other people were already paired off, drifting over to soft armchairs and cafe tables to chat.

Kairi caught a glimpse of dark blue and an arc of brighter orange across the way. It was the mentioned ‘friend’ holding it, the one with the spiky brown hair. He was still sitting with the man she’d talked to at the book table. She wandered over.

“Hey there!” she said cheerfully, holding up her copy of the book. “Looks like we might have selected book soulmates.”

He turned what was probably the brightest smile she’d ever seen toward her. “It looks like it.”

“I’m Kairi.” She offered her hand.

He shook it. “Sora. And this is Riku.”

Riku gave her a half-wave. “Long time, no see. Have a seat.” He slid an extra chair out from the table with his foot. He was still turning his paper-wrapped book over in his hands.

“Well, aren’t you going to open yours?” Kairi asked, sliding into the seat Riku had offered. “Ready to find out your story of redemption?”

He carefully slid the edge of a fingernail under the tape, removing the paper without tearing it at all.

She noticed Sora hadn’t been so careful, his torn open with a wide strip down the middle.

Riku pulled the book out… revealing The Rings of Saturn. “Huh.”

All three of them did, indeed, have identical books.

The hostess drifted over to check on them, and saw the books. “Oh no,” she said. “I’m so sorry; there were only supposed to be two of each book. I’m not sure how that happened. If one of you would like to select another book, that’s perfectly fine.”

Kairi thought about the way Riku had hesitated over calling Sora his ‘friend,’ and wondered if she should volunteer to take a second choice. It was too early to feel let down by the prospect, even though she already liked the both of them.

Before she could, Sora said, “No thanks! I think we’re just fine.”

Kairi relaxed into her seat. She didn’t think she imagined that Riku did, too.