#kh-worldsconnected

"I don't know what you're getting at, Sora," Riku said, crossing his arms over his chest. Somewhere to his left, Kairi snorted into a mug of coffee.

"Yeah right! I can see right through your tough-guy attitude!" Sora pointed his fork at him, bits of pancake and whipped cream falling to the table with a wet plop. "You think that you can just run away to Lea every time you want to practice, instead of just asking me? What happened to being in this together?"

Riku glared at Sora from across their breakfast, a guilty flush starting to tease at the tops of his ears. He tucked a bruised wrist under the table. What did it matter to Sora if he practiced on his own, anyway? It wasn't as if he were hurting their team. Anything he did to better their chances at surviving whatever lay ahead should be rewarded, right?

"Lea has different skills than us, Sora. He can come at me faster and harder with his chakrams than you can with a keyblade." Riku broke his stare to shove almost half a pancake into his mouth, crunching down on a piece of fruit inside. He didn't look up, even as Sora's fork clattered to his plate.

"Sora–" Kairi started, her long-suffering groan was implied, though years of talking them down from spats had taught her that it was futile to even try. They’d been arguing all morning.

"What, am not good enough for you, now?" he huffed, leaning back in his chair. "You don't think that I'm good with a keyblade, anymore?"

"That's not what I said," Riku snapped, dropping his own fork down onto his plate, heedless of the loud clinking that meant that he was in danger of chipping Sora's mother's plate. Sora's fist clenched on the table, and Riku rather thought that he was attempting to call his keyblade so that he could smack him in the head. He didn't even have to look at Kairi to know that she was watching them with that frown that creased the skin between her eyes, the same way she did when they were six years old and arguing over who won a race, or a sword fight.

"Then what?" Sora asked, leaning forward over the table, barely managing to keep his crown necklace dangling from his neck out of an overly-ambitious pile of whipped cream. "Why have you been so weird since we got home?"

"I'm not being weird!" Riku threw his arms out at his sides. "I'm trying to be responsible. I'm a Master now, I have to stay sharp."

Almost immediately, Sora bolted up out of his seat, and Riku knew that that had been exactly the wrong thing to say.

"Oh, because you're a Master," Sora narrowed his eyes.

"Riku," came Kairi's voice, raising in pitch. Riku ignored her.

"I am a Master," Riku rose to his feet, using his height difference to loom over Sora, who had gone pink in the face. "What, are you jealous?" he asked, halfway to calling Way to the Dawn into existence in his aching hand.

Sora fish-mouthed, his flush spreading to the tips of his ears in a way that Riku ordinarily thought was kind of cute. He could see the wheels whirring in his head, a slew of angry retorts sifting through what little mental filter he possessed.

Riku knew, logically, that Sora had never been anything but happy for him. He also knew that not earning the title of Master was not something that Sora was particularly angry about. He did, however, know that they had to talk about this, eventually.

The only thing that Sora got out, though, was a frustrated, growled breath, before a spoonful of mashed pancake smacked into the side of his face.

For a solid moment, nobody moved. Sora stayed facing Riku, his eyes widening to saucers, melted butter dripping from his eyelashes. A split second later, another, larger glob hit Riku in the temple. Eggs fell down under the hem of his T-shirt, and his jaw went slack. He and Sora locked eyes, both as silent and still as statues for long enough that Kairi had enough time to pick up an entire goopy pancake, holding it threateningly in her palm, arm pulled back to throw it as soon as one of them made a move.

“You guys are such idiots!” she yelled, sounding furious, though Sora had sucked his lower lip into his mouth, trying very hard to tamper down on a sudden, hysterical laugh.

Riku reached up and slowly scooped sludge from his hair, pulling a grin that felt too manic to be jovial, and quicker than one could blink, he flung it back at Kairi.

She shrieked, tossing the loaded pancake back at Riku, who very nearly dodged it, only to have it hit him in the shoulder with a gross wet smack.

At that, Sora cracked, letting out a peal of laughter as he made a grab for his plate, sending sausages and egg flying at Kairi before she had a chance to block him.

“I can’t believe you!” he shouted, ducking under the table to get out of the way of Riku flinging whipped cream at him with a spoon.

Attempts at skirting away from Sora’s messy hands lead Kairi to bump directly into Riku, who laughed maliciously, and wrapped strong arms around her middle, heaving her into the air.

“Get her!” he yelled, breathless.

“Don’t you dare!” she screamed, probably waking houses three towns over. Sora pulled himself up from under the table, sticky fingers gripping the edge of the table to balance himself, when his legs threatened to give out at the sight of Kairi squirming and kicking. He tried to press his mouth into a firm line, but his lips wobbled, and before he’d even had a chance to pick anything up, he had to put his head down on the table, collapsed into giggles.

“Sora!” Riku’s arms ached, and even though Kairi weighed almost nothing, she’d taken to trying to bite him, and that was getting kind-of annoying. “Hurry up!”

Sora scrambled to not so much pile things onto the plate, as he just sort of tossed them in its general direction, hoping that they’d make it. Riku shifted on his feet as he began to question his decision to keep Kairi close to him, while Sora came at her with his collection of bits of toast and fried egg. In a last-ditch effort to get her back for starting a food fight, he picked up a can of whipped cream, making eye contact with her, as if he were unafraid of whatever retribution she would dish out once Riku let go of her.

“Don’t you– Sora!”

“You started this,” Sora laughed, squeezing what was left of the can into his palm, not stopping until it sputtered and ran empty. He tossed it to the already-savaged floor, and stalked toward the two of them. Riku eyed the dripping cream, hoping that Sora’s aim hadn’t suddenly gotten worse in the couple of weeks since he’d last sparred with him.

“For Sparta!” Sora crowed triumphantly, smacking Kairi full in the face, with enough force to splash a good bit of it back onto Riku.

He let go of Kairi, who made a grab for Sora before he could even react, and wrestled him to the ground. Riku was never sure if she was just surprisingly strong for her size, or if Sora was just weak to her charms. Or just weak.

A few minutes’ worth of maple-syrup shooting, and tickle fights slicked with melted butter found them all in a giggling heap on the floor.

Riku was sure that Sora's mother was going to have a heart attack when she saw the state of her kitchen, but moving from the sticky tile floor would require jostling Sora from where his head was pillowed on Riku's stomach. Then, Kairi would have to move from where she was laying half-sprawled over Sora's legs, and. Not worth it.

Chunks of fruit and half a sausage link fell out of Sora's hair as Riku carded his fingers through it, grimacing at the thought that his was in a similar state. There wasn't enough water on the whole island to wash it all out.

“Are you two done being dumb, now?” Kairi asked, propping her head up with a cheek cradled in her palm, elbow braced against the floor. She still had whipped cream smudged on the side of her nose, and she seemed content to leave it there, like war paint.

Sora turned his head to look at her, blue eyes cracking open, and a frown wrinkling his forehead. Riku felt his chest seize for half a heartbeat; he’d kind-of been hoping that they could put the whole thing behind them, and just never talk about it again.

“We would’ve worked it out,” Sora grumbled, sounding more petulant than angry, much to Riku’s surprise. Kairi snorted, her eyes flicking to meet Riku’s, and then back to Sora. The look on his face must have been pretty comical to her, because she had to stifle a laugh into her palm. His face went hot, and he pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets, so that he wouldn’t have to see her judging him.

“Yeah, right. After you broke each other’s faces, you mean.”

“Hey, you started the actual fight,” Sora pouted, as if they hadn’t been seconds away from wrestling out their problems, anyway. Riku cleared his throat as if to speak, but no words came. He had a feeling that if he were to say anything in his own defense, they’d just wind up arguing again.

“I worked so hard to cook for you guys,” he started, turning to lay flat on his back, so that he could shut his eyes again, seemingly at peace with the fact that he was filthy, and laying on the floor of a disgracefully messy kitchen. “You didn’t have to start a food fight.”

“Did too,” Kairi retorted,  tucking tangled red hair behind her ear. “I love you stupid boys too much not to.”

Riku’s lips twitched up into a tiny smile. Much to his surprise, Sora reached up to take ahold of his wrist, their skin tacking together unpleasantly. For a moment, Riku thought that he might link their fingers together. It wouldn’t have been the first time by a long shot, but his breathing hitched, all the same.

“Y’know why I always put fruit in pancakes?” Sora asked idly, twisting to look up at Riku, who had cautiously started playing with his hair, again. Kairi laughed.

“Because, and I quote, ‘normal pancakes are sad and boring.’” she said, pitching her voice in a startlingly good impression of Sora’s voice. Sora screwed up his face, and flicked her in the arm.

“No. Well, yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.” Sora sighed, puffing his cheeks out to make a face at her. “I put paopu fruit in them, Riku,” he explained, like it was supposed to be obvious.

“What? Because you’re a local to Destiny Islands, and crave it when you’re gone?” he mumbled, though he had a feeling that he knew what Sora was getting at. Sora rolled his eyes, and pressed his chin into the soft tender flesh of Riku’s abs.

“No, because we never got to share one when we were kids, before you got sucked up in the darkness, and all.” Sora picked up a piece of mushy fruit, and flicked it at Riku’s face. “Now we’ve shared at least a dozen together, I figure, so the three of us should be set, y’know? For life. You’re stuck with us, even if you do have super important business to take care of, Master Riku.”

Riku leaned his head back against the cold tile floor, and shut his eyes. Sora is so dumb, he thought, though his eyes threatened to water, anyway. He should have just talked to his friends like a normal person, instead of gallivanting off with a guy who used to be the enemy. He should have been a friend to his friends.

“You use bananas, too,” Kairi said, and startling a laugh out of Riku. Sora grumbled as his head was jostled, but smiled anyway. Kairi met Riku’s eyes, and gave him a grin that said that yes, he had been an idiot, but what else is new?

Riku smiled, and swiped at his eyes, before Sora could see.

“And strawberries,” he added, much to Sora’s chagrin.

“You guys are the worst!” Sora cried, though his face had split into a wide grin.

“You are so much easier to handle when you’re asleep.” Sora groaned and shifted the position of his arm, causing it to faze through Riku’s abdomen. That was a nice perk of being a ghostly figure. You can’t feel or be seen by the living. Riku turned to face the clock where the hand was five ticks away from sounding. He sat upright and waited for chaos to ensue. 

“Three. Two…” He took in the last few seconds of Sora’s serene face. “ One.” 

The alarm rang just right for a deep sleeper to awaken. Sora groggily woke up and peacefully stretched as if there weren’t a siren loud enough to rival a boot camp blaring right next to him. He yawned and lazily made his way off to start his day. Riku tailed not to far behind, observing anything that might get in Sora’s way. Sora’s first mistake of the day was tripping over his laptop charger’s wire and nearly giving himself a concussion. The second time was saving Sora’s hand from second degree burns as his coffee mug spilled over. The third time was preventing Sora from forgetting his own backpack. All in the timespan of twenty minutes. 

Sora was a case of misfortune, that much Riku took note of. The poor boy constantly fell under a false myriad of security only to be backpedaled by hurdle or injury that would have been comical if only they weren’t Riku’s problem to deal with. Riku wondered how Sora managed to stay so upbeat knowing something horrible could happen to him in any given moment. He was a danger prone kid wandering a dangerous world.

Sora appeared to be Riku’s age, though Riku’s age was unknown to himself, he guessed he must have been in high school when he died. Having to follow Sora to school was quite fun for him as some materials taught were new to him, furthering his estimate of his own age. 

Contingently, they walk besides each other, Sora being oblivious to a stalking apparition besides him and Riku imprisoned by Sora’s annoying humming of a catchy pop song he’s been singing for the two weeks he’s been with him, seriously how can anyone enjoy filth like that. The pair too caught up with their own were distracted from the impending vehicle quickly moving in on Sora. Riku was the first to notice and like lightning, he latched his ghostly hands on Sora’s shoulders, pulling him back with everything he’s got. The car drove off without crashing any teenage boy that day. A heavy feeling started to manifest itself in Riku making him feel weighed down. Riku perplexedly considered his hands before burying them away into the customary black robes gifted to new arrivals at the SCS. He doesn’t know why he pulled Sora when he could have easily rewind but he supposed he had a reason, even if it hadn’t made itself known. 

Sora stared after the car from his kneeled position on the ground. He patted himself down and a relieved sigh made its way out his lips along with a smile. Riku was glad to have salvaged another day for him. He stood and dusted himself off and turned to face Riku’s direction. 

“Thank you.” His beaming smile was beautiful and Riku was almost envious of whoever received his gratitude. 

“You really saved me there. I owe you for that.” He coyly rubbed at his neck. 

Riku turned to see who Sora referred to, he met with an empty street, causing him great confusion. Sora laughed and went to retrieve his bag off the ground, strapping it over his shoulder and staring straight at Riku’s way again with those mesmerizing blue eyes of his. 

“See you later, Savior.” Sora spoke at him before walking and waving over his shoulder, leaving Riku utterly stunned and confused. 

Who was he talking to? No one was there? And of course he wasn’t talking to him. That would be absurd, not to mention the defiling of the very thin veil separating the community of life and death. Deciding he doesn’t care enough to dwindle on it, he let bygones be bygones, simply deeming it as Sora bumping his head too hard and was now seeing things. Riku was no one to judge so he ran to catch up. 

Once reaching a comfortable distance from Sora, Riku comfortably kept behind him only to be continually peered at from a grinning Sora, naturally not at him. Nonetheless, Riku was uneased and tried to ignore the new awareness by focusing on everything around him, excluding Sora. Riku’s curiosity reached its peak at Sora’s small giggle.

“Who are you looking at?” Confused, he looked back behind him to meet with nothing again and he started to worry that Sora had a serious head injury. Sora stopped and whisked around a little too quick and much to close. 

“I’m looking at you.” 

Riku froze, carefully turning his neck to face Sora. No, no, no. There was no way he heard him. The impossibility of that was to high and Sora said something that sounded very much like a reply. An occurrence such as this was unheard of. 

A bubbly chuckle resounding by Riku’s ear made him all too aware of their proximity. He felt himself fall under the scrutiny of Sora’s twin azures. “You must be new to town.” He said. 

Riku stayed frozen, unsure of anything and wishing he knew what was happening so he could know how to respond. He pointed at himself and Sora nodded like a bobble head, giving his hand to Riku. 

“I’m Sora by the way and I’ve never seen you before today so you must be a new neighbor. Nice to meet you.” 

“I already-” Riku cuts himself short. Was he really going to admit already knowing Sora? The only thing he was certain of was that he did not want to paint himself as a creeper when things were already so weird. “I’m… Riku.” He grabbed Sora’s hand and shook it, the warmth and soft texture of Sora’s hand sharply registered and he firmly held onto Sora, not believing that he was actually feeling something. He nearly forgot holding a hand so intently was abnormal and dropped hold of him. 

“So Riku why aren’t you wearing a uniform? You don’t older than me and if you are then my apologies sir.” He amicably spoke to him like they were long time buddies instead of introduced strangers. 

“Um I…” Oh no, how does he respond to that. 

“If you are older then the question would be how old. But if you were younger then that would be really unfair since you’re so much taller. I mean I’m 17 and the shortest male in my class.” Sora trailed on. 

“Eighteen.” Riku said without thinking and he felt a chill run down his spine as he said so. 

“You don’t go to school or are you one of those ditchers! Education is very important. That is what my mother always tells me.” 

Riku started to get a bit self conscious about the conversation itself. Not just because of the eeriness of him having one when technically he shouldn’t be able to but because he was once again reminded of everything he has forgotten and left behind. The questions only served to despirit Riku and there it was again, a prickle of actual feelings. 

Suddenly Sora tenses. 

“Wait what time is it?” Sora checks his watch and gasps. “Oh no. I’m late again.” He looked up to Riku with puppy dog eyes. “I’m sorry Riku.” He apologized as though he inconvenienced him. “I have to cut this short. We should hang out though. Being new must be a pretty scary so I’ll give you a tour of the place after school.” 

Riku diffidently shrugged. 

“Bye Riku!” Sora calls out as he dashed away. 

Riku watched him until he rounded the corner and disappeared within his line of focus. 

- 

Thankfully, whatever happened that morning was a fluke. After a few minutes of wandering the streets, confused beyond his mind, Riku decided to give warping to Sora a go, luckily he was able to and everything went on like usual. Riku followed and rewind when necessary. Sora just did what he usually did which was making people laugh and helping with whatever. In total he used four resets during the school day. One time for slipping down the stairs. The second for nearly dropping a carton of milk on his uniform. The third from being hit from a football and lastly from dropping his phone. All in all, it was a fine day. 

When school had ended, Sora was the first to leave. He shortened the goodbyes with his friends and ran out the gates. He just ran and ran. Riku was fortunate he was automatically bound to Sora otherwise he’d be worried about being left behind. 

He finally stopped when he was once again in the area of earlier which Riku recognized as their meeting spot. Sora catched his breath and looked around before laying his back on a fence and waited. And waited. And waited. 

Riku stood in front of Sora and peered down at him. “Are you waiting for me?” Sora had mentioned seeing each other after school but he couldn’t have been serious!. Sora continued humming and scrolling through his phone. Periodically, glancing to his sides. Oh no this is bad. If he’s waiting for him and he doesn’t show up then what would he think of him? No, he should let it be. Besides, he’ll forget this ever happened. Sora gave a final sad glance before he started walking away. 

Straight into Riku’s direction. 

He should have moved but he had no reason too. Usually Sora phased through. He doesn’t quite understand how it happened but he had a physical form again. Crap. Riku heard a oomph and saw Sora on the ground looking up at him with a beaming smile. 

“Oh Riku!” Sora launched himself back up and neared dangerously close to him. “I honestly thought we weren’t going to see each other again.” Riku didn’t think they’d meet again either but a small part is happy while the other is freaking out. 

Sora sees him! He sees him again! Riku isn’t really sure how to reply. He hasn’t really had a real conversation since… Well he can’t even remember. His talks with Axel were more of a one sided reply. 

Sora dusted himself off. A slight scratch on his elbow made itself visible and seeing the brightness of the blood worried Riku. It was fresh, meaning he had caused it when Sora bumped into him. Sora dismissed the cut when he saw Riku’s worried face and asked Riku if he was ready for that tour he promised. Riku nodded and complied. If he’s in this situation he might as well keep to his mission. 

For certain. There was no way he’d meet up with Sora again. 

- 

Riku shouldn’t have gone back. He should have requested a new person. He should have let the boy be. But he doesn’t. Today marked the fifth day of their interaction and here he was, sitting upon a giant whale dome one chilly afternoon. Being social was not something he’d be described as. Yet, he loved chatting it up with the living boy he had no reason to be with beside his own infatuation. That was a bit extreme but it was the closest thing to what he felt for Sora. Whenever he was with him he’d be able to feel things. Riku liked knowing his empty body was still capable of feelings like happiness and laughter. 

“And then Kairi forgot to pack her swimsuit which is odd since we invited her specifically for swimming.” Oh and Sora’s boisterous manner of speaking was endearing. He was a chatterbox who loved to muse about anything and everything. From the past, present or future, he surely talked up a storm when he wanted too. Though Riku didn’t contribute to their chats, Sora made up for it with small tidbits of his interesting life. 

“Did she not go swimming then?” He genuinely asked, curious to how Sora’s best friend Kairi managed to save herself from her own mistake. Kairi was the star in many of Sora’s convoluted stories. Riku felt an odd kindred with the girl. 

“Of course she did. She ended just jumping into the water in her clothes.” Sora used his hands to illustrate a person diving. Riku laughed at that, though his laughter still felt very awkward and unnatural. Even doing something as mundane as laughing was a comomidy Riku wanted to memorize and perfect. He had a perfect model to go off by if he needed reference. 

Amazingly enough, Riku discovered that not only was he able to manipulate time but his appearance as well. The fluffy parka he adorned kept him comfortably warm and was a stark contrast to the stationary black coat the SCS had them wearing. 

Sora’s feet dangled out over the whale dome. “I would love to introduce you guys but Kairi’s always busy. Her strict father makes her take a lot of lessons so I hardly get to see her anymore.” He pouted and laid his back against the dome’s roof, his lithe body hanged dangerously near the edge making him appear as though he were seconds from slipping off. Riku inconspicuously kept his hands near Sora’s in case he really did end up falling. You know just for safety measures. 

“It already feels like I already know her with the stories you’ve told me.” It was true. Riku learned so much through Sora’s stories that if put in a room with his acquaintances he’d confidently be able to identify them all. It made him feel like he really knew Sora. 

“Hmm? Do I talk that much. I consider myself a quiet person.” Riku laughed hard at that. Silence was not part of Sora’s ethics like kindness and sociability were. Riku wondered if there was ever a silent moment for Sora because they had different definitions of quietness that could sure pit against each other in a fight. 

“Sure, Sora. Whatever you say.” Riku looked back to the side of him where Sora restlessly jangled his legs out the dome’s vicinity. Riku fingers dances closer to Sora’s welcoming hand for added safety. Better safe than sorry. 

“You know i’ve said a lot about myself but you haven’t told me anything about you.” Riku’s laughter died down and he looked at Sora seriously, the thumping of Sora’s legs against the metallic covering of the whale filled the empty space as Riku thought an appropriate response. He knew the question would be asked eventually given the amount of days they’ve been seeing each other and how boundless Sora was with his words. 

“There’s nothing to say about me.” Riku’s eyes followed his cloud of breath as it dissipated. He could feel those blue orbs he’d grown to memorize skeptically look at him like was lying and was just moments away from being caught. Sora’s footing against the whale’s covering ceased. 

“Are you sure? You’re a somebody aren’t you? You have to have some kind of story? You’re here aren’t you?” He said it with such stance and obviousness that Riku contemplated it. He was right. Even if he was a mere projection of who he was, a person with a story and a life. He must have once have a home to come back to and friends he hung out with. But now, the only thing he was certain of was the cold envelopment of repetitiveness and hollowness he’s remembered since opening his eyes to white light and dark coats. 

“My life isn’t that great. It’s lonely and cold.” He worked his jaw to start. He wasn’t speaking in past tense but rather in his now perspective but for his sake, for Sora’s sake. He’ll tell a fragment of what he does remember. He’s given thought about who he might have been and honestly it scared him to piece the pieces together from the few shards of memory he did maintain. Yelling, crying and pure resentment were the only feelings he never wanted to feel ever again. 

“My home isn’t that great. I don’t think my parents miss me all that much.” He clenched the thick fabric of his parka and stilled as he felt a chill spread through his body. The back of his eyes prickled with an unfamiliarity. “But it’s ok. I’m no longer alone. Ever since meeting you a void feels like it’s be filled. You make me feel alive in a way I haven’t felt for a long time.” Riku let out a smile at that comparison, the irony in that was beautiful yet cheesy and in any different moment, Riku would have condemned a saying like that. “You’re fun and very warm. I’m grateful to have someone like you. I like you in a way I don’t think i’ve ever liked someone. Thank you” His chest is pounding so hard. He had only meant to tell Sora he was happy to be with him in a minuscule speech, where had all that come from? Was he really going to moon over a boy he barely knew? 

He could feel Sora rising up from his position and staring at him with sparkling wide eyes, beet red face and a mouth on the verge of reply. Riku was certain his own face must not be that far off. Nervously, Sora fiddled with his thumbs, lips quivering and eyes scrunched tightly. He shifted himself and it looks like he is getting closer to Riku 

But then he slipped and fell off the dome. 

Riku shoots his hand out and willed time to do his bidding. The blurriness of the previous events unfolded before him. He sees Sora placed back on his previous seating seconds before Riku had poured his heart out for him. Sora’s expectant eyes are once more looking at him. He nods and smiles at Sora. 

“I’m really glad we met.” He said instead. Convincing himself this was the best route to go down. He’d stay silent much like he always had. 

Sora looked at him, smile much to bright for those tired eyes of him. But he’s still willing to see light even in the darkest of places. 

“Me too, Riku.” 

- 

Riku was not a great actor and he sincerely hoped that in his previous life he never participated in a play. Having to look surprised at the scenery of Sora’s house was harder than he thought. He already knew how Sora’s house looked like but because he had a secret to keep he nodded and ah’d at the tour. Besides Sora was so happy to show him around. How could he be cruel and break that? 

Sora invited Riku to his house for a sleepover. Sora’s parents were out and he simply insisted Riku to come and keep him company, though Riku was a little worried about Sora credulous behavior, he found himself unable to deny, a small part of him wanted to spend more time with Sora. 

“How long are your parents gone.” Just within a day of his parents absence, Riku could tell Sora really let himself go. Bags and wrappers of various junk food were strewn all over the kitchen like Sora was unsure where they belonged. 

“Just for the night. They’ll be back sometime tomorrow.” Sora grabbed a handful of M&M’s and sprinkled it atop his bowl of chips. Sora expectedly looked at Riku. 

“Are you sure you don’t want anything? I feel bad eating in front of you.” He asked once again. Riku shook his head. He had no need to eat nor was he sure he’s able to and he really didn’t want to find out at this moment. 

“Your loss. This is delicious.” Proving his point further, Sora grabbed some chips and M&M’s and packed the food in his mouth. Munching happily to the salty sweetness. Sora played with a potato chip, knocking an M&M around the bowl before scooping it up and shoving it into his mouth. “We should head up to my room. This quiet area is getting kind of eerie.” Riku wondered if this part of the house was never quiet and that’s why Sora was anxious to get away. 

Every detail of Sora’s house had a reason to be there as Sora explained to him. When Riku stepped through an unbearably bright, mint green hallway, his first thought was how it simply had no meaning in a house filled with warm colors. The contrast from the beige living room to this almost hurt Riku’s still too sensitive eyes. 

“My parents let me pick the color for this hallways since my room is down the hall.” Then it all made sense, of course he’d pick a color so off and jarringly different. It was just like Sora to do that. Riku eyed all the photos leading down the long hallway after that. He felt like he was watching a flip book where each step showed a new stage in Sora’s life. From infancy, adolescence to now. One constant feature in each photo that bought a smile to Riku’s face was Sora’s beautiful smile. 

“I know what you’re thinking. What happened to cute old me?” Sora mockingly cupped at his baby cheeks and squeezed them. Confusion adorned Riku’s face. 

“You still look cute to me.” Crash. The sound of a ceramic bowl whirling on hardwood startled Riku, bringing him facing a madly flushing Sora. Riku’s eyes widen when he processed his words, he wanted nothing more than to hide under a rock and never crawl out. Why would he blurt that out?! Maybe he can rewind to just before his comment. Using his power for his own gain seemed kind of selfish but… 

Sora blurted out laughing. 

A guttural laugh that can only come from genuine delight. Face still tinted in pink and pearly white teeth happily showing themselves but he didn’t seem bothered at all. If anything he seemed delighted. Riku no longer regretted what he said. It was true, Sora was adorable and only in a way that was unique to him. Riku wasn’t going to admit that out loud, never again, or ever clarify but he’s glad he didn’t rewind. Some things were just meant to be known and he’s content in knowing Sora knows a least a bit of his mind. 

Sora’s hands now poorly hid his flustered self and he made no move to clear his floor of chocolate potato chips. Crouching down, Riku took it upon himself to clean the mess he inadvertently caused. He collected the shattered potato chips and M&Ms until Sora’s small hands grabbed his own, not pushing him just holding him. He smiled at him. 

“Thanks” Sora dropped hold of him though Riku kind of wanted him to hold his hand longer but he started to pick at the soiled floor, returning the fallen pieces to the bowl. 

Once the soirée of chocolate and chips were cleaned. Sora pointed at the room in the far off corner. “My room is there. You can go in there and set yourself up.” He timidly took the bowl away from Riku and held it by his cheek. “Need to replenish the goods. I don’t think the five second rule helps me much here.” He stood and made his way back down to the stairs to his kitchen. 

Making his way to Sora’s room alone was odd, to say the least. Riku felt like a trespasser even though permission and expectation were set upon him. 

When he stood outside the chestnut wooden door, hand barely grazing the golden knob, he stiffened. He’s been in Sora’s room countless times, granted he wasn’t really in the room, so to say, but he had an idea of what the room was like. Sprawled with stuffed animals, blankets and clothes, Riku wondered how he’d navigate his way. He took a deep breath and entered. 

Looked like he overreacted for nothing. Everything was still the same. But standing there in physical form made him aware of how much warmer the room was and how little floor space was available with all the littered stuffed animals. Aside from that, the room was pretty clean. From the pale blue of the wall to the half assedly made bed. Everything was so intricately Sora. Riku was afraid of touching anything in the room, fearful that his touch would tarnish what made it so special. He opted to avoid sitting on the bed and walked around. 

The room was an organized clutter. Many shelves held various objects such as photos, trophies, figurines and not surprisingly more stuffed animals. He spotted a bookshelf and while he didn’t peg Sora as the type who read for fun he found it comforting to know there were still things to learn about him. A euphoria of books and comics were neatly stacked inside the cubbyholes. He knelt down to inspect. 

“Half these those I haven’t even read.” Slightly startled by Sora’s voice dangerously close to his ear, Riku stumbled backwards onto some poor stuffed toys. Sora knelt by Riku and reached over to graze the books. 

“You’re more than welcomed to take them if you want. I don’t read them.” Riku doesn’t read either, or at least he hasn’t had a reason too. Maybe he’ll take up the offer and take a book, as a souvenir from the day. 

“Then what do you do?” Despite many stories of his friends and family, Riku regretfully, in that moment, realized Sora never talked about himself or his interests. Up to that point Riku just saw the Sora he was used to seeing. Not the Sora that he really was. 

“Glad you asked.” Sora scotched to his bed and crouched underneath it, sliding out a container. Riku inched closer to the mysterious box and felt a sort of anticipation fill him. In that box could be anything that meant something to Sora. Riku was excited to find out. 

Sora popped open the lid and Riku craned his neck to get a better view of the contents. It was full of video games. Various gaming consoles and corresponding titles. Curiously he rummaged through the games he had which were quite a few. Riku surprised himself by being familiar with some of them. Metal Gear Solid, Legend of Zelda and the Tales series were among the few he recognized. 

Then using his other hand he pointed at the shelf overhead their seating where an impressive array of DVDs were. “As much as people try to peg me as a party animal. I have to admit I have a introverted side of me.” 

“Who would have thought.” He quickly flipped through an game guide of Fire Emblem before abandoning it and moving to inspect Sora’s other hobby. 

“Yeah. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but a lot of bad things tend to happen at me.” Oh. He’s taken note all right. Riku could write a whole book on it if he wanted. He pulled out a dvd and opened it. Swirling the disk in his hand. 

“I haven’t.” He lied through his teeth. Sora now stood beside him and grabbed a small figurine hidden between the cracks of the movies and fumbled with it. 

“It’s true! I was always tripping, falling or caught up in dangerous situations. But since we’ve been hanging out I’ve noticed it happening less.” He wistfully said. He playfully nudged Riku’s shoulder. “You’re my good luck charm.” Riku shrugged it off, secretly pleased with the title but not wanting to let on to anything remotely close to the truth. 

“I’ve always been a bit paranoid about hurting those around me because of it.” Sora now held a fluffy blue alien dog toy and hugged it close to his chest. “So I try to limit how much I am with them.” He mindlessly petted the stuffed animal. His blue eyes lost their shine for a moment and it hit Riku how tiring it must of been for Sora. To be aware of his situation but still falling prisoner to it. “When I’m with you I don’t feel that way.” He stopped and waved his arms dismissively, letting the poor blue dog falling to the ground with its relatives. 

“Not like I don’t care for your well being but I… I feel safe with you.” Sora lightly smacked his face and looked away from Riku. “I’m sorry that was a weird thing to say.” 

A warm sensation coursed through him, he can’t pin a name to the feeling but it reminded him of acceptance, as intangible as the word seemed, it was all he could think of. Riku shook his head and realized Sora couldn’t see him from having his face shielded the other way. “I really like being with you too.” 

Unbeknownst to Riku, he was nervously peeling off the seal of Sora’s new movie. “Oh. Sorry.” He timidly returned the movie to it’s rightful place on the shelf, completely ashamed from having tarnished one of Sora’s belongings. 

“It’s fine. It would have been opened eventually.” Sora ripped the remaining plastic off and opened the case. “It’s Disney’s latest animated movie Zootopia. Such a great movie.” Sora animatedly placed his hand on over his heart, eyes seemingly replaying the movie. Riku watched him as he displayed his childish glee. “What’s your favorite Disney movie, Riku?” 

“Uhh..” A Disney movie huh. For some reason he couldn’t recall anything from that sort which was crazy since everyone watched and loved Disney? Right? “I don’t know. I haven’t watched many Disney movies.” 

Sora gaped at him then feverishly shook his head. “That must change!” He tippy toed to his shelf and retrieved a handful of movies. From the archaic VHS to common DvD, he neatly piled them in front of Riku. 

“Change is a good thing.” He mused as Sora started up his tv and shuffled all his stuffed animals to Riku. 

They spent that Friday night watching a multitude of Disney movies. Riku found himself enamored by Lilo and Stitch. That was by far his favorite movie. Sora even let him hold the fluffy blue alien dog he came to know as Stitch. Throughout the night they’d whisper silly thing at each other, whether it be comments about the movie or the world. The best part about that night?