hi there. first fic, don't flame too hard. i'm a lil salty over how soriku was handled in 3 so this is just something i whipped up in 20 minutes.
i don't own kingdom hearts otherwise i would've killed off kairi long time ago.
The darkness knew to choose him.
Throughout their journey together, their connection grew. Their bond strengthened. But it wasn't until the final hours did he begin to realize, and remove the rose tinted glasses from his vision.
It began at the place where the feelings themselves began. The islands. Trying to distract the pain of watching his beloved and best friend sit together with a star shaped fruit, conversing with his other half of darkness. The initial sting, that he wasn't chosen. The hurt of seeing a lack of rejection. The ache of realization.
Then it intensified at the fated place, where wielders before them met their gruesome end. Everybody had step foot onto the battlegrounds, only to become lost in the madness of darkness taking over all around them. The ominous and mass towering evil, swallowing up everybody one by one. Everything had happened so fast, it was hard for Riku to comprehend. His mind was spinning with one thought and one only; to protect Sora. Nothing else mattered.
The overall shock of watching his redhead friend he's known since childhood become overtaken by the heartless was washed away by the sight of the brunette breaking down. His heart ached. It ached for everyone that let their guards down, for Kairi not being strong enough, for Sora. His Sora being so broken and defeated in one fell swoop. He wanted to take him far away and hide him from the world and it's impending doom. The words and tears that spilt from the shattered boy cut even deeper.
"I'm nothing without them, Riku. I'm worthless."
Had he forgotten who he was? All their accomplishments until this point? How their power together can be the light in any vastness of darkness? As much as it hurt him in that moment to see the emotional turmoil Sora was going through, not just because of the fallen comrades but mainly because of Kairi, he had to push through. For himself. For Sora. To protect what truly mattered.
"You don't believe that, Sora. I know you don't."
And with that, he gathered the strength to challenge the darkness by pushing through with all of his being. The young keyblade wielder could only watch on, admiring his best friend's courage. His heart in that moment was so devastated he didn't know how to even process any other emotion. All he could do was look on...
Even then, as the silverette chose once again to risk his life for Sora's, it still wasn't enough to make said brunette see. Even as the final battle had it's curtain call, he was still focused on Kairi. He decided to set off on his own personal journey to find her, and while Riku normally would always stand by his side, he'll be damned if he has to keep being unseen in the eyes of his beloved. All of his efforts until the very last second were still in vain.
It was something he had to accept.
It was something deep down he always knew but had hope for another outcome. He hoped the brunette would return his feelings. He hoped they could live their lives together. He wished to grow old with the boy who never ceases to make him smile.
But these hopes and dreams became shattered at the sight of them together again, hand in hand at the isles of destiny for all to see, and thus followed the young hero's ashes as he faded away from the misuse of his powers.
The darkness knew to choose him.
Because the darkness knew his love would never be returned.