This one-shot was made for a contest on DeviantART last summer. I stayed up until the last minute of the deadline (3AM on some in July or August) to finish it. Hope you like it!
Sora and Kairi walked hand-in-hand down the busy sidewalk; no one spoke.
"I can't believe she cut it so short ..." Sora finally muttered, running his hand through his freshly cut hair for the umpteenth time.
Kairi sighed, letting out an amused chuckle. "Get over it – it's not that bad, really."
"I look like a girl!"
Sora tugged at his hair, frustrated. Kairi laughed as she spoke, "So, where're we headed, anyway?"
"Riku wanted me to go hang out with him and listen to a few songs."
"At the warehouse?"
"Yeah. His band still complains about the smell, but I really think Red Ribbonis going to go far." Sora gave a wide grin, obviously proud of his best friend. "Oh, we're here."
Kairi knocked on the front door, and the two of them waited. Sora glanced at the passers-by, and noticed a few of them gave him confused looks. He scowled and patted down his hair. Riku finally opened the door and glanced first at Sora, then at Kairi.
"Hey, Kairi! Who's you're hottie friend, here?" He asked, grinning.
Sora turned beet-red from embarrassment and frustration. "It's me, doofus!" He growled.
"Relax, Sora! I know! Anyway, come on in – shut the door behind you, will you?"
They followed the silver-haired boy into the band's lounge room (which was basically just a small living room in the corner of the large warehouse, with two large pieces of plywood being held up by cider blocks). Riku flicked off the television and flopped onto the couch. "Anyway – how's university going, Kairi?" he asked. "I don't see you enough to ask."
"Great! I have a 3.5 GPA!" the redhead replied with a smile as she sat down beside him, letting her messenger bag fall to the floor by her feet. Sora sat in the large – and comfortable - chair next the couch. "What about you, Riku? Ever decide if you're going to seek out higher knowledge?" She asked.
"Eh," he grunted. "I don't think I will. It'd just complicate things."
"'Things'?" Kairi asked, tilting her head to the side curiously, "What kind of things?"
"Oh, you know – band things, and … other things. Life things." He replied, going a little rosy in the ears, though no one noticed.
Sora stared at Riku. It feels almost like he's avoiding looking at me. It … kind of hurts.
Kairi slumped back. "Oh, all right – keep your secrets. See if I care." She said, pouting a little. Sora and Riku shared a chuckle before the Harry Pottertheme song filled the air. "Oh, my cell!" Kairi exclaimed, lunging for her bag. The boys waited patiently in silence for the call to end. "… yup, okay. See you in a bit!" She flipped the cell phone shut before returning her attention to Riku and Sora. "Sorry, guys – that was Selphie. She and some of her friends are going to catch the new Potter movie, and she wants me to tag along."
"Alright - you coming back here afterwards?" Sora asked her as she kissed his forehead. He didn't notice Riku stare at the floor as she did so.
"Probably not, it'll be late." She answered with a smile. "See you later!" With that, she dashed out of the makeshift room. There was silence, even long after the warehouse door shut, blocking the outside world from the two boys.
"Riku …" Sora muttered.
Riku started, snapping out of his trance-like state. He stared at Sora. "Yeah?" he asked, trying to regain his cool composure.
The brunet smiled, but you could see the concern in his eyes. "You okay? You asked me here to listen to some songs, yet you've barely spoken to me since I've shown up." The smile faltered a bit as Sora stared at his own shoes. "Hell, you've barely even looked at me."
Riku stared at Sora's face as he continued to stare at his shoes. Don't be sad, Sora. I can feel it in my heart."Ah, sorry, pal." Riku said with a grin. "You know I just can't ignore Kairi, though!"
Sora's head whipped up as he glared at Riku. "Hey! Find your own girlfriend!"
Riku laughed as he stood. "C'mon, I'll fulfil my promise now. I've written a new song that I want you to hear."
Sora jumped up and followed Riku like a puppy that's been promised a treat. He sat down on an overturned barrel as Riku picked up his guitar. Riku looked much older than twenty-three as he half-leaned, half-sat on a barstool and rolled his fingers up and down the acoustic's strings. After a few bars, his smooth-yet-powerful singing voice filled the room. Sora didn't know that Riku's heart was pounding in his ears; the truth – his feelings – were about to be revealed at long last.
"Here I see you again,
It can't get much worse –
You're with my best friend,
And I feel it hurts.
But is it better that way,
That there's nothing to say?
Could we go on, day by day?
And do you know how I fell,
When we were running through Hell?
Why can't you tell?
But it's better this way …
When we have nothing …
… to say …"
Riku let the song die on its own, with the last note echoing off the cement walls. He didn't dare look at the brunet right then. He wondered if the message got through – he wondered how angry Sora would be.
It felt like an eternity before the silence was broken by Sora.
"What the hell, man?" he muttered.
Shock overtook any other emotions Riku was feeling. "What?" he asked in surprise, his head whipping around to his best friend. "What's wrong?"
"What kind of sick mind game is this, Riku?!" Sora demanded, standing. His expression was a mixture of disgust, and very severe anger. "You invite me over here, act all buddy-buddy, and then sing me a love song – that was written about my girlfriend?!"
Riku was in pure shock now. "That … that wasn't about Kairi, Sora," the older boy said, with a slight chuckle.
"Like hell it wasn't," Sora growled, lunging for Riku. He managed to shove him off his barstool, but not knock him down. "What was that shit about 'with your best friend, it hurts', then?" Sora shoved Riku again. "As if it's not obvious, Riku! I'm you're best friend -" Sora grabbed Riku's shirt by the shoulders, as if to shake him, "- and you have the hots for my girlfriend!"
Riku couldn't stand it anymore, he wasn't going to take this – he may have been surprised by the younger boy's reaction, by he was still Riku. He grabbed Sora by the shoulders, spun him around, and pinned him against the wall.
"You aremy best friend, Sora!" he growled through clenched teeth. Looking at how Sora tried to keep his angry face, though the fear in his eyes was obvious, he let out a long, deep, calming sigh. Putting his head against the brunet's, and still holding onto his shoulders, he muttered, "But so is Kairi."
The anger and fear in Sora's face disappeared immediately. Confusion was written across his brow, and his mouth felt dry as he spoke. "What do you mean, Riku?" His hands loosened their grip on Riku's shoulders, though his friend's still remained.
Riku sighed again, and his own hands slacked slightly. "I named the band. I called it Red Ribbonbecause of a legend I once heard, that there is an invisible red string – or ribbon – that ties two destinies together." He hesitated. "Ten years ago, when the band was new, at the Battle of the Bands – do you remember, Sora? Do you remember how you brought me back from Hell?"
"I remember … I remember that other band," Sora whispered, "I think they were called … the Heartless? They tried to steal you away – got you addicted to drugs and shit. They tore you apart. But … I wouldn't say I brought you back. I was just … just trying to be your friend, trying to help you through it all."
"Yes, yes, you didbring me back, Sora!" Riku whispered back, his hands tightening again. "It felt so dark there, in Hell - and you pulled me out, into the light. You were my candle, Sora."
Riku finally moved his head away from the younger boy's and look into his eyes. "I believe there's a red ribbon tying us together – I know there is." His heart was pounding – he could feel it with all his body. Now was the time he had to say what's been on his mind, and in his heart, for nearly ten years. He swallowed, trying to regain control. His mouth moved before his brain could react.
"I love you, Sora."
Time seemed to stop as the words left his mouth. It felt as though he wasn't in his body, felt as though he was watching this from the sidelines. He saw his eyes, locked to Sora's, filled with surprise that the words came out so easily after struggling to free themselves for nine years. He saw Sora's eyes, locked to his own, fill with shock, then confusion, then … tears.
Sora's face twisted and tears began to roll down his cheeks. Pushing Riku's hands off his shoulders, he stepped forward and buried his face into the older boy's chest. Clinging to his shirt like a lifeline, he uttered through his sobs, "I've waited so long … so long … to hear you say that, Riku!" He sniffed and coughed. "I t-told myself that it wasn't real– convinced myself that I loved Kairi!"
Riku wrapped his arms around Sora and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Sora," he said, nuzzling his face into the brown hair, "I should have told you sooner. I'm sorry." He held the boy tighter.
Sora wrapped his arms around Riku, completing the warm embrace. He hiccoughed before whispering, "I love you, too, Riku – I really do."
I want to add more to those lyrics … hmm … I may have a prequel.
… maybe.