Falling into Sunrise
Rerise and Fall Arc
Rating: PG
Series: KH
Genre: General
Pairings: Sora/Riku; ?/Kairi
Warnings: male/male, implied male/female
By Moon Faery
Beta: Lyaka
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by Disney, Tetsuya Nomura, Square Enix and various other publishers, corporations and entities. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: After returining to Destiny Islands, Sora, Riku and Kairi find out that things once broken never heal perfectly, and old darkness sometimes brings around new light.
A/N: As always, Lyaka was amazing with this thing. She has a way of getting to to write out the whole story, instead of letting it sit at a snapshot. Any mistakes left are mine.
A clean breeze that smelled of the sea ruffled Sora's hair as he dropped his backpack from his shoulder. The brand-new school uniform felt tight and itchy against skin grown used to magical clothing, and he'd given up on his tie before even starting it. In the predawn darkness there'd been no one awake to help him with it, and he couldn't remember how it was done. The thin strip of white dangled loose around his neck as a result.
Everything seemed smaller since he'd gotten back two weeks earlier. His clothes, his home, his island. Even the paopu palm at his back seemed shrunken, diminished by time. His backpack held more books then ever, but it was lighter than he remembered. Even more confusing, he'd had to adjust to being just a teenager again. There were curfews and stupid parties, a whole host of things he'd never had to deal with before. The only real consolation was that his parents were just as lost as he was, so they didn't fight over giving him his freedom much.
The sun rose over the water, coloring the sky a thousand shades of fire. The serenity of the moment soaked into him, seeping through his skin into his soul. No other world had sun rises like Destiny Islands. It felt like something secret and precious, to be grabbed with both hands and held tight, away from everyone else who just wouldn't understand.
Footsteps sounded on the bridge. Even in the dawn hush they were barely audible, but Sora recognized them. No one else he knew walked like the shadows were enemies. "Y'know... I never thought I'd see this again."
Sand crunched under Riku's feet as he approached Sora. "Neither did I." He slipped around the bent tree trunk to take a place beside his friend. Sora glanced at him, curious and a little confused. Riku thought his eyes were bluer than anything in the reddish light of dawn. "I thought that about a lot of things."
Unaccountably, Sora's cheeks turned pink. He looked back across the water. "How'd you know I was here?"
"I watch the sun rise from the big tree. You're easy to spot."
The sky, finished with its morning ritual, began to bleed to purple and blue as the sun cleared the horizon. Riku pushed his hair out of his eyes and tried not to look at his hands. They always looked bloody at dawn. He took it as both a reminder and a warning.
Sighing, the older boy leaned back against the paopu trunk next to Sora. Their shoulders were close enough that all it would take would be a little lean and they would touch. "I thought you might want some company," Riku offered in the hushed tone of early morning. "Maybe someone who understands. Was I wrong?"
"No. You weren't." Sora didn't look at him until the show was over and the sky was its usual clear blue. Even then, he only glanced sideways at him. "Thank you." Like the moment was made of glass, the Keybearer reached out and put his hand over Riku's. When the silver-haired boy only blinked at him in surprise, he laced their fingers together.
Riku's heart was a lump in his throat, beating like a humming bird's wings. Nothing could tear his gaze away from their hands, tanned and calloused, both of them scarred on more than just the surface. Holding his breath, Riku leaned.
Their shoulders touched, a sigh of electricity running through them like Thundaga gone wrong. Sora froze, an expression of pure distilled rage flashing across his face before his knees buckled.
"Sora!"
Sora's eyes rolled back in his head as gravity took control. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.
"Blackouts?" King Mickey perched on the arm of the sofa in Riku's room. Regardless of how understanding their parents had been of their adventures, neither boy was ready to explain a three foot-high talking mouse. When they'd called using the miniature radio he'd left them for it, Mickey had understood and appeared on Riku's balcony when he'd arrived.
Sora sat at the other end of the couch, legs draped over Riku's shoulders. From his spot on the floor, Riku rubbed soothing circles on Sora's ankles with his thumbs. The simple touch was worlds more intimate than it should have been. It was like his ankle connected directly to every nerve Sora owned, and a few he must have borrowed from somewhere. To say the least, it was distracting.
Mickey was saying something. Sora yanked his mind away from his ankle. "I'm sorry. What was that?"
The king's permanent smile widened. "I asked what they're like."
"Well... there's two kinds," Sora explained, sinking back into the velvety gray cushions of the sofa and trying to relax. "They both feel the same to me. Everything goes away and then comes back all at once. Like blinking and finding out I missed an hour somewhere."
"Once he lost a whole day," Riku offered, hand working up Sora's calf to massage the tension away. Sora shivered and tensed even more, though the breeze through the open balcony was balmy. "He passed out in gym class and didn't wake up until the next day. The teachers all thought he was sick."
Large, sneakered feet kicked as the mouse thought it over. "You said two types?"
"Sometimes I just pass out," Sora explained, "and sometimes I wake up doing things and don't remember what." The night breeze ruffled the balcony curtains. "I don't think I've done anything bad, but nobody's seen one of those yet."
"You won't," Mickey said confidently. "You're a good person, Sora."
"You know what's wrong," Riku accused, recognizing the mouse's tone of voice. He almost sat up straighter, but Sora's knees kept him locked in place. "What is it?"
"It's not something going wrong. It's something going right." The king hopped down from his perch, black eyes bright. "Kairi, you can come in now."
"Kairi?" the boys chorused.
"You didn't have to give it away," a disgusted voice came from the balcony. The gauzy while curtains parted and Kairi slipped in, a sheepish blush painting her cheeks pink. She was barefoot in a pair of lavender shorts and a white top.
"You were spying on us?" Sora demanded, somewhere between outrage and embarrassment.
"The king asked me to." With the air of a goddess taking her place on the before an altar, the redhead climbed the back and slid down to nestle against the arm of the sofa. Her legs stretched out across Sora's lap, exposing a long line of thigh for the viewing pleasure of whoever wanted to look.
Sora absently tugged her shorts down a little. "What's going on here?"
"It's about your Nobodies." The King paced in front of them, picking his feet up high to step over Riku's legs. "I thought something like this might be the trouble, so I asked Kairi to come too. You are the only two people to ever have their Nobodies reunite with them. It makes you... special."
"But Kairi's not having any problems," Riku pointed out, hand moving up to rub Sora's knee.
"Naminé isn't really hers." All three teenagers waited in silence for something that made sense. "When Kairi's heart hid in Sora, some of his darkness attached to it. So when their hearts were released--"
"It formed two Nobodies!" Kairi cut in. "So Naminé is really Sora's?"
"Or Roxas's." The king shrugged. "Roxas wasn't complete when he returned to Sora, so merging him all the way back is a little slower. That's probably why you're having blackouts."
Long chestnut spikes hid Sora's face as he toyed with a Paopu bandage on Kairi's knee. "I'm missing some darkness, and Kairi has my extra?" Riku squeezed Sora's calf, and he responded by flexing his knee to squeeze back. "Why isn't she having trouble?"
"Who says I'm not?" the girl demanded, eyes flickered from Sora to Riku briefly, but she didn't comment. "She's there, like... a feeling in my head, or a voice. Sometimes she gives me advice, or tells me what to do. We get along pretty well, so it's not a big deal."
"What can we do?" Apprehension grew in Sora's stomach like a ball of ice as the king's face turned serious. Two more years of wandering loomed in his head like a threat. He wanted the problem to go away, but wasn't sure he wanted to pay the price for it. As if understanding his worry, Kairi's hand fumbled for and gripped his. Riku's cheek pressed against his knee.
"I think there's only one thing to do," Mickey said somberly. "There's just no way out of it."
"What?" Riku's question was immediate and fierce. "What can we possibly do now?"
"Slumber party!" From some hidden pocket, Mickey produced a noisemaker.
"Huh?" Sora answered for all three of them. "That's it?"
"Nothing to do but wait it out," the King confirmed, tail curling and swaying merrily. "And since we're all here, we might as well have a party! Sleep over!"
"Sleep over?" Kairi repeated. "Here? At a boy's house? My dad will kill me!"
"I'll explain things," Mickey promised. "Besides, there's something else I wanted to talk to you guys about. How would you feel about working for me after graduation?"
It was the on day immediately after graduation that Sora and Riku saw their new home for the first time. The door swung open lightly, as though waiting for them. They stepped through into a room filled with brilliant light.
"Wow," Sora breathed, staring up at the ceiling. Sunbeams made motes of dust dance between the bare rafters high overhead. Large east-facing windows lit the front room with golden light and showcased the peaceful ocean scene outside. Even at noon, the room glowed. Sunrises would be spectacular.
Riku laughed at Sora's smitten expression. "Get a grip, Sora. It's only a three-bedroom." He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend from behind. A small part of him thrilled that Sora was his, from the dust on his sneakers to the sun-lightened steaks in his hair. "It's not even ours. It's the King's."
"Oh, get over it." Kairi poked her head out of an empty doorway. A dusty white bandanna kept her hair out of her eyes but did nothing to keep it from sticking to her sweaty cheeks. "The title's in your name, Sora. The king just paid for it because it's going to be DIBO. Anyway, it needs work. Lots of work." She vanished back through the door. It swung behind her, offering a glimpse of shining countertops and a sink.
"De-be-what oh?" Sora asked, kissing Riku's cheek and pulling away to investigate the kitchen with Kairi. Riku snagged the hem of Sora's t-shirt and followed. Floorboards creaked alarmingly as the walked. Eye-watering turquoise carpet gave way to clean, solid brown stone at the kitchen entrance. There were even more windows in the kitchen, some with nooks clearly designed for plants. Deep floor to ceiling cabinets graced the wall separating it from the main room. Half of them were missing doors or shelves, but what remained shone with a new polish.
A shapely feminine backside stuck out of one of the lower cabinets. Kairi cursed and fumbled for the screwdriver sticking out of the back pocket of her jean overalls.
"What's DIBO?" Sora repeated, pulling the door open to see what she was doing.
"Destiny Island Base of Operations," Kairi's voice echoed. "You two will be on-call staff. There's a loose wall panel back here we need to fix." With a wiggle and a few inventive curses, Kairi worked her way out of the cabinet. "What took you two so long? You're three hours late." When Sora's cheeks flared like a summer bonfire, she rolled her eyes. "Never mind then."
"It's not like that," Riku sighed, fiddling with a drawer that didn't want to open. "My Mom gave Sora the Talk."
"Isn't it a little late for that?"
"Not that talk!" Sora grimaced. "The 'if you hurt my baby I'm going to track you down and de-bone you alive with a carrot' talk."
"De-bone you alive?" Kairi repeated, eyes wide.
"Yeah."
"Ow."
"And that wasn't even one of the creative threats." The drawer popped back on its runners and opened smoothly. "Sorry. We tried to get away."
"I can imagine. I got the kitchen clean, at least." She gestured at the sparkling countertops. "No food, but now you won't die from old rat poison or anything."
Sora broke away from his friends and started looking through doorways, excitement visible in his too-energetic steps. "So what all's in here?"
"So what all needs to be fixed?" Riku asked more guardedly.
Kairi grinned. "Go look, Sora. I'll tell Riku what I found. Then you big-bad menfolk can do the hard work." She'd barely finished speaking when Sora darted back into the main room.
"What is wrong with it?" Riku asked again, looking around. He couldn't see anything impossible to fix, but the over-all look of disrepair was daunting.
"Little things," the redhead sighed. "Cabinets, obviously. Loose screws, nails. The carpet—"
A shriek of manly horror from the back of the house cut her off. "It's red! And blue! We have red and blue carpet! My eyes!"
Kairi giggled, nose wrinkling. "There's at least three colors of carpet," she reported, leaning back against a counter. Another cry of anguish came from Sora, this time over girlie wallpaper. "Maroon, the teal-like thing in the front, and an icky gray. They're all ugly, but not in bad shape. The front porch is sagging; we might have to replace it if we can't fix it." A painted fingernail pointed up. "And the roof leaks."
"Anything else?"
"Nothing else big, except the front door definitely needs a new lock. I had to break it getting in. Rusted."
"Wow! Look at this bathtub!"
The two exchanged grins at Sora's vocal delight. A thump and a laugh followed the cry.
Riku ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll make a run to the hardware store then. We can't leave the door wide open." Tipping his fingers in a salute, he headed for the broken door, yelling his destination to Sora. The response was lost in the sound of the shower turning on and off in the hallway bathroom. Riku laughed as he left, framed in sunlight by the broken door.
The moment Riku stepped out of the house, something shifted in the air. The shower shut off for a final time, leaving everything in silence. It fell like a spell, blanketing everything, suffocating the noise at birth. Goosebumps rose on Kairi's arms, even though she was sweltering without an air conditioner to turn on.
"Sora?" Something drew her through the living room, where the door drifted on its hinges. Using her bandana to wedge it shut, she headed down the hall. The world was muffled around here. Even the old floor only whispered its protests as she stepped on the weak boards. The pale walls of the hallway arched over her, cracks in the paint showing ages of color underneath. The hallway bathroom was empty, though the shower still dripped from being played with. "Sora, are you okay?"
Nothing.
Worry that Sora could be passed out somewhere hurried her steps. The bright color of the hall floor gave way to deep red at the master bedroom. What she saw made her heart skip.
Stretched face-down across the floor, Sora looked like a dropped doll. The world constricted and froze. Sunlight from curtainless windows streamed in, gilding everything in light, pooling around Sora and dancing off the walls. The carpet around him turned candy-apple red in the light, like a pool of blood.
Her knees shook. Kairi had never been with Sora during an episode. It had always been Riku, or a teacher. Once even Selphie had been the one. Everyone but her, and now she didn't know what to do.
Careful not to hurt the boy, she grabbed a shoulder and hip and rolled him onto his back. Sora's plain blue shirt rode up under her fingers. His skin was soft, softer than it had any right to be. Childhood roundness was still melting into lean muscle, almost there but not quite. Kairi tried not to think about it. She'd never let herself question Riku and Sora's relationship, just happy that they were happy. Having Sora passed out at her feet was not the time to pick at old scars.
Focusing on what was important, she checked off his condition. Breathing, not bleeding. Encouraged, she reached up to feel his head for lumps.
Sora's fingers snapped around her wrist like a handcuff. Blue eyes stared out from behind a curtain of chestnut spikes. It was a hard, angry glare, like she'd never seen on him before. Inside, the faint push of Naminé against her thoughts thrilled at the sight. His other hand gripped her bare shoulder, fingers biting deep into flesh. The air was thick, sunlight turned dark and syrupy where it had been bright before.
"S—Sora?"
His smile was warm and friendly, in a way that warmed her stomach and chilled her soul. "Naminé."
Riku was on the roof inspecting the work to be done when Kairi stopped by a month later. It wasn't unusual for her to visit; they'd even given her a key, though she never used it. Walking in to a very much occupied Sora and Riku had taught them all the value of discretion.
He peered down at her, sweating as the sun beat down on his bare back. Something was wrong. She was just waiting on the porch without knocking, shoulders hunched inward, head low. She hadn't even changed out of the charcoal dress suit she wore to her courthouse internship.
"Hey-- is everything alright?"
She jumped, head craning back to look at him. Riku's worry grew. Her face was pale, eyes red from crying. "I need to talk to you and Sora."
"Coming down!" As fast as he dared on the sharply slant roof, Riku scrambled for the ladder. Kairi waited patiently, hands clasped. The first thing he did was pull her into a hug, which she resisted for a moment before collapsing against his shoulder. Her chest heaved as she struggled not to cry.
"What's wrong?" Riku rubbed her back, wincing as his dirty hand stained white silk.
"I--" Kairi's voice shuddered. "I made a terrible mistake." Her face pressed into his sweaty shoulder, red hair sticking to it in damp strands. "I need help."
"We'll help. Sora!" Sora appeared from the hall as Riku guided the girl inside. Together they settled her into their latest used-furniture find, a battered armchair softer than Heaven. Sweat dried on Riku's skin in tacky patches as he took off Kairi's heels and Sora poured her a mug of tea. She let them maneuver her like a doll, sipping her drink when it was pressed into her hands.
"What's wrong?" Sora asked, settling on the sofa across the coffee table. Riku sat next to him, hand on Sora's knee to curb his concern. They watched as Kairi gathered her strength, gripping her mug like a lifeline.
"I'm pregnant."
Thought ground to a halt as the statement sunk in. Sora felt like he was in a movie, or a paperback romance novel. He slumped against Riku's side, a marionette with cut strings.
"You're... Oh my god." Riku stared at the wall over Kairi's head, trying to wrap his mind around it. "Pregnant. How? Why?"
Miserable, Kairi stared at her stocking-clad toes and gripped her mug tighter. "It was an accident."
Sora stared at her trim figure, wondering if he could see the difference yet, or if it was too soon. There was a baby in there. He couldn't picture Kairi as a parent. He could barely see her as a college student, and she was already that. Some small bit of him was still waiting for the punch-line, or possibly the guy with the fluffy shirt and sword.
Catching his eyes, Kairi cleared her throat. "My face is up here."
He yanked his eyes back up from her stomach. "Sorry. It's just... you don't look it. Pregnant, I mean."
"I know. It's weird, isn't it?" Her giggle came close to hysterical. "I'm going to be a mommy. I'm eighteen, and I'm going to be a mommy..." A sob almost caught in her throat, but she pushed it back.
Riku's hand left Sora's leg as he leaned forward. "Who's the father? I didn't even know you were seeing anyone."
A stray thought turned Sora green. "Ew." His two best friends blinked at him. "Just... you know. Kairi. Girls. Having sex with girls. It's just... Yuck."
Her lips curved faintly. "Gee, thanks."
"The father?" Riku prodded quietly, while Sora recovered from his girl-induced disgust.
"I'm not telling." Kairi looked at Sora, flushing slightly before glancing back at her drink. Sora's face fell as he began to realize the possibilities. "It was a mistake... I didn't think this would happen. I really didn't."
The silver-haired boy frowned. "Sora's blackouts-- It's not..."
Sora cut in, worry gnawing at him. "I didn't rape you, right?"
The glass of tea shook slightly in Kairi's hands. "No," she answered, not meeting their eyes. "I wouldn't do that to either of you." Sora's heart stuttered in his chest with something that was almost relief. "It's not Sora. I promise. But... I don't know what to do." Her fingers flexed and twisted around her mug. "I'm only eighteen. I just graduated... I'm not ready for this yet!" There was fear in her expression when she finally looked at them. "I can't do this alone."
"Have you thought of an abortion?"
"What?" Sora stiffened and shoved at his boyfriend. "You can't mean that! It's a baby!"
Kairi wilted a little. Her bare feet vanished into the depths of the armchair as she curled up. "Yeah... I thought about it." The soft, faded brown cushions of the chair folded around her like a giant pillow. "I don't think I can do that. This is-- I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. I think I want this."
"What do you want us to do?" Sora asked loyally, forcing away the feeling of doubt in the back of his head. "You name it."
Kairi took a steadying breath. "Will you be the godfathers?"
Riku counted his footsteps silently as he walked Kairi home. Her dress heels clicked along beside him, taking three steps for each of his two. Something uncomfortable stretched between them, worse than silence.
Kairi's steps doubled, and she pulled ahead, then turned around to walk backwards. She fidgeted with her hands, rubbing a marred place in her pink polish. "You know why I'm doing it," she blurted out, looking down at her feet. "You understand, right?"
"No, I don't." He shook his sweat-damp hair from his eyes. They were getting closer to the center of town, and the shops were blocking the breeze that kept the sweltering day bearable. "You've still got school, and the thing with the courthouse. You're too young to have a kid. No one would say anything if you got an abortion." He tried to catch her eye, but she wouldn't look up. "What's wrong? Really?"
She didn't answer, only turning around and walking normally. When they passed Destiny Jewelers she paused, staring at the display in the window. "I want one of those."
Riku rolled his eyes. "Then buy a necklace."
"I don't want a necklace." Her hand reached out to caress the glass over an elegant diamond wedding set. "I want that one. And I can't have it."
He didn't have to guess who she was talking about. "Sora."
"Yeah. And it's okay." Her reflection smiled at him, wavery and half-there. It was gone before he could be sure he'd seen it. "But I want a family, with a husband and kids and even that stupid little white fence. It's dumb and I'm too young and everything, but this way at least I can have part of that." Kairi turned away from the window, finally looking at him. "Take care of him."
Riku nodded, suddenly realizing that he'd never given her enough credit. "I will."
"I knew you would." Her smile returned, fleeting and broken. "I can walk alone from here. Thanks." The sunlight flickered as a cloud passed overhead. "I have an appointment tomorrow. At eleven. To make sure everything's alright." Kairi flushed. "And— and I don't know how to tell my parents. Could you and Sora maybe..?"
"We're here for you." He reached out and pulled her into a crushing hug, trying to put into it what he couldn't say. "Thank you for the godfather thing. It means a lot." Riku let her go, relieved to see her looking happier.
"No one else could do it." Kairi waved as she walked away. "See you tomorrow!"
After she'd rounded the corner, Riku looked back at the display. Gold and gems glittered like glass. Kairi's words turned in his head, an echo of the darkest time in his life. Sora had saved him then, when he'd needed it most. Somehow he knew that this time, it was Sora who needed him.
The shop door chimed as he pushed it open.
When Riku arrived back home, Sora was under the communications system. It had arrived a week ago, and the giant screen for face-to-face contact was still only partly mounted on the wall. Small mountains of parts littered the floor of the room they'd designated the Phone Booth. The control board alone took up the width of an entire wall.
"Sora?"
"Working on the shelving!" Clanging and grunting echoed from inside the panel.
"Then why is the toolbox still locked?"
The noise stopped. "Um..."
"You might as well come out of there."
Sora rolled part-way out from under the control console. He kept the last few inches as a barrier, peeking at Riku from the shadows. The older boy smiled gently and brushed a piece of silver-white hair from his eyes.
"How's Kairi?"
"Shaken, but I think she'll be fine. We're supposed to take her to the doctor tomorrow, and then we get to help tell her parents."
"Great." Sora lay on his back, rocking the roller back and forth. "You think she was telling the truth?"
Cloth scraped tacky floral wallpaper as Riku slid down to look Sora in the eye from across the room. "She wouldn't lie about that."
"She would if she thought it would break us up." Sora rolled the rest of the way out and sat up, slouching back against the paneling of the console. "You know she would."
"Sora."
Hesitantly, the younger boy looked up. Riku held his gaze like a physical thing, firm and loving.
"We have to have faith in her, that she wouldn't lie," he finally said. "You haven't had a blackout since before we moved in here." Riku crawled across the floor, dodging small mountains of electronics. Sora's eyes never left his, even when Riku settled on the roller between his legs, thighs draped over Sora's hips. "We'll get her through this. We'll get us through this."
The confidence in Riku's voice melted into Sora's tight muscles like a salve. Like a tower giving way to gravity, he fell forward against his best friend. Strong arms came up to wrap around him while he forced himself to see the logic of Riku's words.
"This is really bugging you, isn't it?" Riku's cheek pressed against Sora's. His voice was barely a whisper.
"A little." Sora shifted closer, letting Riku cradle him. Neither one of them were into cuddling, but when it happened Sora was willing to take it as it came. "You're right. I should trust her."
"And yourself. You'd never hurt her." A soft kiss pressed against Sora's neck, then his jaw. "I love you," Riku murmured into his skin. "If you can't trust yourself, trust me." Warmth built between them as Riku worked his way over to Sora's lips. Sora let him, feeling the tension drift away. Each touch was an offering of sanctuary, a reminder of why he'd spent two long years searching the universe. Riku's kisses were like sunrise.
When Riku reached Sora's lips, he contented himself with a gentle peck instead of catching them. He touched their foreheads together, and Sora felt the last of the worry fade. They were going to be godfathers, and partners in helping the King unite the worlds. There were still Nobodies and Heartless and Keyholes, but for them the war was supposed to be over. With Riku holding him, he could believe it.
When Riku spoke, their lips barely touched, like a feather brushing over them. "Marry me."
Surprised elation kept Sora from moving even an inch. "Married? For real?"
"For real." Gentle as never before, Riku kissed him like the world was being reborn. Their lips parted with a sigh that almost started another one. "I want this. Forever. If you'll have me."
In Sora's heart, something learned to fly. A smile stretched across his face of its own volition. "Now?"
Sora stared at the clerk. No matter how he twisted her words, he couldn't get them to make sense. It was as if she were speaking some strange language known only to the elderly. "Pardon me." He turned around and smacked himself on the side of the head a few times. When he was sure that his ears were in working order, he turned back around. "Can you please repeat that?"
The little old lady slid her glasses down her nose. It was a terrifying sight to behold. She reminded him of his grandmother, except she hadn't attacked anyone with a handbag yet. As far as Sora knew, it might only be a matter of waiting for a good shot. "Your future wives have to be here with you, dears, or I can't give you the licenses."
"But we don't have future wives! We don't even have girlfriends!"
"Then what can I do for you dear?"
"A marriage license!"
"You have to have someone to marry, dear. It takes two, after all."
"Listen you—"
Smoothly, Riku wrapped his arm around Sora's waist from behind. "The licenses are for us," he explained. "We want to get married. To each other."
Wrinkles folded in on themselves as the old lady smiled. "Oh, why didn't you say something?" She immediately turned to her keyboard and started tapping away. "A cute couple like you shouldn't have to wait."
Sora flushed, then flushed more as Riku laughed.
"Here you go, sweetie." A piece of paper slid across the desk. "Everyone's in their offices, so you shouldn't have a wait. Just take it upstairs to the secretary and she'll get you all straightened out. So to speak."
The bearer of the Kingdom key snatched the paper. "You—"
"Come on." Keeping a good hold on his soon-to-be husband, Riku dragged him towards the stairs.
"Bye bye, dearies!"
"Did that old lady just outsmart me?"
"Yeah."
"Damn it." The younger boy allowed Riku to haul him up the stairs without complaint, arms crossed petulantly. Riku rolled his eyes as Sora's pout took on monumental proportions.
"Come on. She was just teasing you." When the pout showed no signs of abating, Riku tried again. "It's just an old lady. What could she have done? Throw her dentures at you? Real--OOF!" Riku jerked to a stop mid-step. Sora's arms, stronger than they looked, shot out to grab the railings. No amount of tugging would pry him loose. "Let go!"
"Nuh-uh!" Chestnut spikes tickled Riku's nose as Sora shook his head.
"Come on!"
"No!"
"Sora!" He sat Sora on his feet and switched his grip so he was holding him more properly. He could barely see the blue of Sora's eyes peeking through his lashes. "What's wrong?"
Sora stared at the floor. One more flight of stairs and they'd be married. "You're sure you want to do this..?"
Riku's eyes narrowed. "I thought you wanted to get married."
"I do!"
"Then what's wrong? Really wrong?" Strong fingers hooked under Sora's chin to make him look Riku in the eye. "And don't give me any of that 'we're young' crap."
"I guess I'm just nervous about... all this stuff with Kairi and-- everything. What if it doesn't work out?" Sora held his breath as Riku processed the question.
Quick as a striking Dusk, Riku swatted Sora across the back of the head. While his lover was stunned, he swung him up by the waist and tossed him over his shoulder.
Dangling precariously over Riku's shoulder, Sora fought for his freedom. "HEY! It was a serious question!"
"And this is a serious answer." Casually, Riku patted Sora's jean-covered rump, enjoying the way he squirmed. He told himself that the extra weight was nothing as they started up the steps again. "This is mine. If I have to tattoo it on your ass, I will. A piece of paper is a little more subtle, but we can turn around and go get inked instead."
"Put me down!" Battered sneakers came dangerously close to slamming into Riku's nose. The flat of Sora's palm smacked repeatedly into his backside. It took careful maneuvering to get Sora through the glass doors at the top of the stairs, but he managed. Sora's protests grew louder as the vaulted stucco ceiling above echoed them back. "I am not a cave woman! Do you hear me? Riku! Riku!"
"Ugg ugg."
"AARRG!"
People poked their heads out of their offices, openly amused at the boys' antics. There was no one else who looked like visitors. The Islands were so sparsely populated that only emergencies saw City Hall filled.
A blonde who was obviously the secretary failed to hide her giggles behind an industrial-sized coffee mug. Keeping a firm grip on his captive, Riku marched up to the desk.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?" the secretary asked, voice bubbling with laughter.
"We need to get this taken care of." Mid-smack, Riku reached back and plucked the license from Sora's grip. The other boy only increased his struggles as it was handed to the blonde. She glanced at it, then raised an amused eyebrow and tapped a few keys on the pad in front of her.
"I see. Have a seat and Justice Robert will be right with you."
"I'll stand, thanks." The secretary smiled knowingly and walked into the back with the license.
The captive Sora kicked a few more times, blood rushing to his face from hanging upside down. It wasn't fair that Riku could just toss him over his shoulder like that. The difference in their heights wasn't that big, but Riku had always been the physically stronger one and still loved showing it off. He stopped struggling as the hem of Riku's shirt caught his eye. "Hmmm..."
Riku barely noticed when Sora went limp over his shoulder. His back and shoulders were starting to ache from hauling around a hundred and fifty pounds of fury. However, he did notice when a breath of warm air ghosted across his spine, followed by a gentle bite. "Sora!"
"What?" More nibbles followed the first, then a soft suction as Sora left a small hickey. Riku squirmed in discomfort as his body started to respond to the teasing.
"We're in public," Riku hissed, shifting his weight uncomfortably.
Sora worried a small bit of skin between his front teeth, then kissed the reddened spot. "You're the one who put me here," he murmured into the smooth flesh of Riku's back.
"Stop it!"
"Why?" Another nip, lower down as Sora stretched for untouched skin. "You're the big bad cave-Riku. I'm just along for the ride." He added another kiss for punctuation. His hand traced the back of Riku's waistline, then lower towards a small lump in his back pocket. "What's this?"
Before Sora could squirm his hand into the pocket, a man in a plain suit and loose blue tie ran out into the lobby. Brown hair stood out all over his head like a halo. The secretary jogged after him, looking ready to pull her hair out in frustration.
"Sir, please, I'm sure Justice Robert will be happy to--"
"Nonsense!" The man straightened his tie and opened the book. "I've always done the weddings around here. Bob will just have to wait until I retire. When hell freezes over, that is."
The secretary collapsed against one of the walls behind him. "Justice Brian will see you now," she sighed, motioning towards the man.
"So you're the happy couple, huh?" Justice Brian beamed like it was his own wedding. The secretary slipped the wedding license into his hand from behind. He stared at it myopically. "I couldn't let anyone take this from me. I love doing weddings. Haven't done one in ages. Now, let's see..."
Riku waited patiently while all the paperwork was checked over. Sora hung over Riku's shoulder docilely, feet kicking now and then.
Justice Brian finished examining the form eventually, with much throat-clearing and nodding to himself. "This looks in order. Now, boys, you're both awful young. Are you sure you want to do this?" Riku nodded firmly. "And you, young man? The one that's upside down."
Riku turned around so Sora could face the Justice. His face was red and splotchy from hanging so long. "I do."
"Excellent, you seem to know what you're getting into. Remember boys, this is for life. Angry sex isn't worth the heartache. Sign this and this, and print here." He handed Riku a pen and put the paper on the desk. Juggling Sora slightly, Riku filled out where he had to, then turned around so Sora could do the same.
The Justice beamed again. "There you go! Just get this filed."
"That's it?" Riku had thought it would be more complicated.
"You might want to put your husband down before he passes out."
Blood rushed away from Sora's head and towards his feet as Riku dropped him back to the ground. He swayed alarmingly for a moment. Riku kept his hands on Sora's shoulders to steady him.
"Off you go boys, and I don't want to see you back here anytime soon. Stop by when the first baby comes along." The secretary hissed something in his ear. Justice Brian blinked. "Or not, as the case may be." He waved them away as he turned and wandered back into the hall. The Justice was gone before they could thank him.
"That..."
"Wasn't what you were expecting?" Sora grinned. He still swayed slightly, but Riku's grip did a good job of steadying him. Under the guise of keeping his balance, Riku wrapped an arm around his waist, hand low on his back. Using each other as crutches, they headed back to the first floor.
Sora glanced up at Riku as they bumped their way down the stairs. "You didn't think I'd really run, did you?"
"It was more fun this way." Strong fingers squeezed Sora's shoulders. "You make a good caveman."
"Thanks, I think."
They dropped their paperwork off at yet another desk before they were done. The little old lady waved as they passed her and stepped out glass doors into the glowing red and purple of island twilight.
Sora's hand drifted lower on Riku's back. "I guess we should go buy rings or something. It beats tattoos."
A slow flush turned Riku's tanned cheeks an even shade of pink. His arm tightened around Sora's shoulders, keeping them together as he stopped them in the middle of the sidewalk. "This is kind of late..." His hand dipped into his back pocket and pulled out something that shined in the fading sunlight. With a reverence that had been missing from the ceremony, he slipped one of the plain bands onto Sora's finger.
White gold flashed back the colors of the setting sun as Sora stared at his hand. There wasn't a single mark of decoration anywhere. "How long have you had this?"
"Long enough." Still holding Sora's hand, Riku turned it over and dropped the matching ring into his palm. "I hoped we'd need them. I just didn't think it'd be so soon."
Smiling, Sora slid the ring onto his new husband's finger. "You had these the whole time?" He laughed when Riku's blush spread even farther.
Embarassed, Riku leaned down and pressed a kiss against Sora's cheek. "It's not funny."
"Yes it is," Sora sniggered.
"Shut up." He tugged his new husband into a kiss. The sun slipped under the horizon in a blaze of dying glory as Sora kissed back. Night settled around them, waiting patiently for the next sunrise.
Owari
A/N Strikes Back: I confirm nothing. Bwahaha. You'll just have to wait for the sequel.