Who's in the Water?
…
"Riku! Riku, let's go out on my new boat! Dad made me one!"
Riku smirked, seeing his best friend sprinting down the white beach. "That's great, Sora. Haven't broke this one yet?"
He pouted. "A shark broke the last one."
"And what was that, the twenty-second one?" Riku laughed.
"No, that was only the twenty-first!"
"Fine, fine. I get to row. You'll just crash it on the sunken ship."
Sora sighed. "Fine… but we go to the island! Wakka made a dock!"
"Alright. And can we look in the shallows for fish and turtles?"
"Sure! The baby turtles in the shallows are cute…"
…
"RIKU! RIKU! There's someone in the water! Turn around!"
"I'm not going to fall for that, Sora."
"No, really, help me get her out! She's asleep!"
Riku turned around, looking over the sparkling aquamarine water. "Fine, I'll look, but only to get you to stop yelling in my ear."
To his surprise, there was a shock of red hair floating in the shallows, spotted with orange coral, fish darting around it. His eyes widened. He grabbed an arm while Sora grabbed the other. They hauled her into the Coconut, as Sora insisted on naming the little round boat.
She coughed and spit water. "Where am- who are- what happened?"
Sora looked eagerly down at her. "You were floating asleep in the water! You almost drownded!"
Riku sighed. "Drowned, Sora. We just got you out of the water. Welcome to the Destiny Islands."
Her blue eyes grew large. "How did I get here?"
Sora shrugged. "I dunno. I'm Sora, and this guy over here is my best friend Riku!"
Riku nodded. "We've told you all we know."
She let out a pouting breath. "My name's Kairi." She shivered. "Can we go to someplace warm?"
Sora eagerly nodded, and took the oars, before Riku shoved him out of the way. ("You're not steering us. You'll get grounded again for ruining the boat on its first outing again.")
…
Riku officially hated Kairi.
That was hard to say, since he'd only known her for a day, but she'd already stayed the night at Sora's house, been fussed over by the whole island, and adopted by the mayor.
Not to mention Sora was paying a ton of attention to her.
He didn't know why that bugged him so much.
She looked down upon their sword fighting games, and humored them by judging their races, each time with a "Seriously, guys, again?" She was always tagging along.
Sora had already shown her their secret place, too.
…
(Time Skip, a bit before KH1)
Riku could tell Kairi wasn't taking the raft plan seriously. She was just humoring him. She probably wasn't going to go, and that wouldn't bother him, except that he knew Sora wouldn't go if she wasn't.
He had recently gone in the secret place, and noted yet again, the drawings Sora and Kairi had snuck away to draw years ago. Of each other.
They hadn't drawn him.
He didn't know what that feeling that accompanied that drawing was. But he didn't like it.
It was then that he noticed that glowing keyhole on that strange door again. It only shone occasionally, once every few years. As far as he knew, Sora and Kairi were never there when it popped up.
Speaking of the witch, Sora was more obsessed with her than ever. Kairi this, Kairi that.
Why did that upset him so much?
He hated her.
…
"If I win, I'm captain! And if you win…"
"I get to share the paupu with Kairi."
"Huh?"
"Deal? The winner gets to share a paupu with Kairi."
"Wha… wait a minute…"
Riku smirked. He didn't really want to share a paupu with the witch, but he wanted to see how far Sora would go to be with her. That thought wiped the smile off his face.
"Okay, on my count: three, two, one, go!"
Both boys took off as fast as possible, Riku didn't go as easy on him as usual, as he didn't want to lose Sora to… that Kairi…
Thankfully, Riku managed to pull off a victory.
"Man, now the score's 2 to 5!"
"All right, we're naming the raft Highwind."
And he walked off, leaving Sora bewildered and frowning.
…
"Where's Kairi? I thought she was with you!"
His anger flared, but Riku roped it in before it could show on his face. Why was it always about Kairi? "The door has opened…"
"What?"
"The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!" Just him and Sora…
"What are you talking about? We've got to find Kairi!" It was ALWAYS about Kairi… he hated her! Why couldn't Sora be happy with him?!
"Kairi's coming with us!" Sora did a double take. Just to appease him, and he could say it was an accident that he left her in the islands…
"Once we step through, we might not be able to go back. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back. But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us! I'm not afraid of the darkness!" I can't let myself be afraid of the look he'll give me once she's not here, I'm not afraid…
"Riku…"
He held out a hand.
Darkness boiled beneath his feet. He started to sink.
His best friend's blue eyes widened, and started frantically grasping for Riku's hand.
But before he could grab it, the darkness obscured his vision, and he felt himself being swept away.
No… Sora, I'll find you…
…
He looked in the window to the house that Sora was in. Those people.
Sora looked so happy.
With that duck, Donald, and that… giant… dog? Goofy. All happy.
Maybe Maleficent was right. Maybe Sora didn't need him.
He stepped through the portal that the fairy had just conjured, looking back once more at his friend's happy face.
When he got to his new room, he released the tears he had been holding back.
…
(Time Skip, a short little happy memory so we don't end this on an unhappy note. When they're little again.)
"Hey, Riku. Hey, hey, Riku!"
"What is it, Sora?"
"Ever hear the legend of the paupu fruit?"
"Yeah, just about a thousand times."
"You ever wonder if it's true?"
"Well… yeah, why?"
"How about we try it out? If you share it with someone, your destinies are bound together for the rest of forever!"
"Are you sure? There's only one tree in all three nearby islands, so we have to ask the Governor. He probably won't let us."
"He doesn't have to know, Riku! Cooooome oooooon, please?" The brunette coupled it with a large grin. Riku's resolve crumbled.
"All right, fine. Tonight, we can camp out on the beach as an excuse."
"Yeah! Thank you, Ri!" He threw his arms around the slightly younger boy, squeezing him tight before running off to inform his mother.
Riku shook his head, smiling, a slight red tint in his cheeks.
"Ready, Sora?"
"Ready, Ri! C'mon, let's go!"
They snuck over the bridge. Even though people were on the mainland and not on their little fun island, it had an air of silence they didn't want to break. The stars glinted conspiratorially.
They both sat in their usual positions, perched on the paupu tree. Riku plucked a star-shaped fruit off.
"Ready, Sor? We both have to eat it at the same time."
"I know!"
"One, two three!" They both chomped into a paupu.
Their eyes, teal and blue, widened. It was the best thing they had ever tasted. They quickly ate more, eyes closed, to savor it to it's fullest.
They could feel their half of the paupu shrinking, shrinking…
They each took they're final bite.
Their lips met in the middle.
"Wah!" Sora fell off the tree and into the water.
Riku and a shivering Sora laid out their blanket on the beach, faces pink in the darkness.
Riku made sure to pile the warmest blankets on top of his brunette friend, who was shaking.
Riku, his mind boiling with emotions, tried to fall asleep. He knew that Sora would worry if he knew that the silverette couldn't sleep, so he feigned it. He heard Sora shift in the blankets. And then he felt his best friend quickly kiss his cheek. "At least you can sleep," Sora murmured.
Riku was grateful that the night hid his blush.
He knew his friend was horrible at acting, so he waited until Sora was asleep, before placing his lips on the other's.
Sora let out a small sigh of contentment, and unconsciously snuggled closer to Riku, tucking his head under Riku's chin.
Riku quickly fell asleep after that.
They both slept through the night with smiles on their faces. And for that moment, everything was perfect.
Meteors fell onto the horizon, as if the heavens itself knew what tragedy would fall upon the couple.
…
:) Little Kid Soriku is soooo cute! Riku's right, Kairi is a little witch…
Review, hope you enjoyed!