"Riku…"
"Yeah?"
"….Never mind, it's stupid."
"No; tell me." The white haired boy nudged his friend a bit. Something was obviously bothering him, and he wasn't just about to ignore whatever budding problem Sora was having.
The brunette let out a burdened sigh. "It's just that…well…compared to most of the people on this island…I feel…stupid."
Riku adjusted himself on the tree and turned to face Sora. "You're not stupid, Sora."
"I'm not as good as fighter or a I was traveling through worlds…I noticed new things; better technology and techniques than what we have on the island. Homework." Sora drew his knees into a criss cross.
Riku let out a humorless scoff. "You wanna do homework? Is that what you want?"
"If it'll make me smarter."
"Sora, c'mon." He lightly punched his friend's shoulder. "Homework's not any fun. You wouldn't do it anyways."
"Because I'm stupid?"
"Because you're lazy. Just as lazy as Kairi."
Sora jumped slightly. "Kairi's not lazy!"
Riku pinched his cheek playfully. "Oh-ho-ho! Quick to jump in to defend your girlfriend, I see, loverboy!"
"Riiiikuuuu! Quit!" Sora tried squirming away but Riku held on tightly to his face. Sora fought back roughly and retreated back to his sulking. Riku sighed. He hated seeing him this way. Sora could cheer anyone up, but if it was Riku doing the cheering-up it usually ended in disaster.
But he was trying.
"What makes you think you're stupid, huh? Tell me."
Sora pouted and pulled his knees to his chest. "You'll laugh."
"I promise I won't."
The brunette sighed, and Riku waited patiently. "I'm…I can't think very well. That's it." Riku looked straight into his friend's eyes. Tears hung at the edges of his eyes, threatening to fall.
"Sora, why-"
"I'm always jumping ahead of things. I never think things through..Every situation that happens is because I don't think fast enough."
Riku furrowed his eyebrows. "That doesn't make you stupid, Sora."
Sora tore a branch off the tree and began to draw circles in the dirt. "Yes, it does. If I was faster, more clever and smarter…you wouldn't have fallen into the darkness, Kairi wouldn't have been in danger and I wouldn't be so close to losing you both. I can't do that again."
Riku placed a reassuring hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Hey, if it wasn't you, you wouldn't have saved everyone's worlds!" The white haired boy scooted closer to his friend. "Listen, Sora, being smart is just about thinking. You gotta have a good head on your shoulders and a pure heart. You've got both of those qualities and more. You're smart, brave, courageous, strong, and a good friend, all right? No more "stupid" talk, got that?" Riku's lips formed into a comforting smile as Sora wiped his tears.
"Thanks, Riku."
"Hey, no problem, but one thing;" He sprung up from his spot on the papou tree, "You owe me a race."
Sora grinned widely and took his place by his friend. "You're asking for it!"
"READY, SET, GO!"