lost to the darkness
Disclaimer: I don't even WANT to own Riku...well, except maybe I could get ransom from the fangirls...but he'd probably destroy my house with Way to Dawn...
It used to be that he'd stare up into the dark sky and wonder what it would be like. When he found out, it overwhelmed him. But now, he just wants to get back home, back to the others.
It used to be that he'd stand out in the cold and imagine wrapping it around himself, imagine flying and leaving that cursed island. But he's discovered that there's really no place like home.
It used to be that he would have gambled anything; his heart, his life, his friends' lives, just to leave. Now he'd give anything but that to get back home, because he knows now what really matters.
Riku has changed. Everybody knows it. He sees it, now that he's back home, though everybody tries to act like everything is the same. But they've changed, too, Sora and Kairi. Sora's no longer a scrawny kid with a contagious smile; he's a brave, strong hero. Kairi isn't just a giggly little girl any more, either; she's become a strong-hearted, determined person. And Riku no longer pines for the stars; he's happy to be home with his friends and family.
It used to be that he would leave his parents without a single thought to go to another world. He did. But now he wouldn't for anything, even good reasons like saving the universe. Well, probably not.
It used to be that Riku would gaze out into the sea and imagine sailing out into it. Now every time he sees those waves, he remembers splashing back home that first time in years.
It used to be that he would try to be the best in everything. This time around, he appreciates all of his friendships.
He despises what he was, a darkling, shunning light. He looks around at the island and, though he remembers his pathetic reasons, wonders why he used to hate it so much. Now he loves every inch of it, even the things he used to hate so. The gentle lulling of the tide pleases him beyond measure, and he can see it in the faces of the other two that they feel it too.
It used to be that he would wear the darkness like a cloak in order to escape his home, and that he would sacrifice his heart and light to journey through the stars, and that he would even hate his friends for coming and reminding him of where he had been.
It used to be, but it isn't now. He has scoured himself, trying to make every last inch of darkness disappear. It never will, an endless reminder of his stupidity.
But Riku's changed, since he was lost to the darkness. Now he knows; there's nothing better than to be home with your friends and family. Nothing.