I don't own Kingdom Hearts

Stupid Arguments

There was a saying he heard on occasion. The precise phrasing escaped him, but it was something to this effect - The closer and better the friends were, the more they argued.
Of course, this wasn't a general rule, but much like a boy pulling the hair of the girl he liked, some people could only express their feelings in this immature manner. Alternatively, the closer you were the more under one's skin the other got, and so even mundane, silly things were enough to upset and annoy, resulting in quarrels.
Most of the time, Riku thought that was nonsense. If you were really that close and really cared, you knew better than that. It went beyond actively tiptoeing - it was on an instinctive level. Of course, Riku of all people knew that when all was said and done, humans were fragile, clumsy, accident-prune creatures, and so though that saying was nonsense, but only most of the time. The rest of the time he felt like he could relate - at least to some of the saying's potential interpretations - so much that it hurt.

If there was one thing Riku hated about fights was that the closer the opposing sides were, the easier it was to hurt each other, and the more it hurt. He didn't even need to think that far back for perfect examples, either, but right then he was preoccupied with something noticeably more small-scale than worlds vanishing and comatose Princesses. Right then was a sleep-over, a supposedly joyous, somewhat intimate social gathering for two that took a dreadful turn for the worse all too easily.
He didn't even remember what started it, possibly a snide remark that got too far. From there on it escalated, one tease right at the soft spots after another. It finally degenerated into a proper hostile argument that ended in a mutual silence treatment. Neither one was willing to budge, and when they thought they were the other's pride wouldn't let him be a good sport about not holding out the longest, and that made the other take back the very thought of an attempted apology. Seeing however as it was the middle of the night and should he disappear back to his own house an inter-family feud would commence, Riku's opponent performed a tactical retreat to Riku's bedroom where his make-shirt bed was. Riku was left to his own devices which included wallowing in the kind of bitterness and stubbornness that wounded male pride gave birth to.

The longer he sat there on his lonesome the less point he saw to the whole ordeal. It wasn't even "why couldn't he see I was right?" - There was no right or wrong, only idiots.
It was "How did we get to this at all?", a point where pointing accusing fingers meant nothing at all. He knew that Sora was most likely over it as well, but doubted he'd be able to enjoy the benefits of that given the time of day - or night. Sora was most likely asleep, and any further discussion would have to wait until the next day.
Just as well, Riku thought as he stood up and stretched before heading up the stairs; exhaustion most likely had to do with the entire affair in the first place.

After a brief bedtime routine, Riku finally walked into his room, where an irritating surprise was waiting for him. Sora was indeed asleep, but not on his mattress but Riku's own bed. For a moment he felt a pang of frustration, one which intensified in light of the pose Sora was in. Soundly asleep, he had his back to the door as though to further spite the room's usual occupant. It added insult to injury as Sora's very occupation of the bed was no doubt an intentional act of hostility, but Riku refused to let it upset him. He had to be the responsible, mature adult there - how else was he going to rub it in Sora's face the next day?

A ruffle of bed-covers later and Riku was sitting on the extra-mattress, head resting against an upraised knee. He was tired alright, but couldn't bring himself to lie down yet. Now that they were in the same room and both kept their mouths shut, Riku could feel his practically-innate, natural fondness of his best friend affecting his judgment. He regretted their earlier clash, and hated not being able to set things right until morning. Well, there was a solution to that, but to wake Sora up for this? It was probably a bad idea, he thought, especially seeing how unapproachable Sora was, what with his back turned to hi-
Or was his back turned to him, Riku caught himself wondering. He was certain of it when he entered the room, but now when he turned to look at Sora, he found the boy lying on his other side and facing the room. Well, as much as he could while still hidden under the blanket and with his face almost buried in the pillow, at least. Riku was certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt that was not how Sora was when he walked in, but preferred not to think about it and instead turned to look at Sora's hand. It was hanging off the edge of the bed and roughly at Riku's face level. It had to have been the hour and emotional exhaustion, he thought; if he didn't know any better, Riku could almost believe Sora was reaching out to him.
A quick glance at Sora's face was in order, but the brunet seemed as far gone as anyone still alive could be. Still, there was just a touch of guilt to his otherwise peaceful expression, enough to make the way in which his fingers twitch seem not as coincidental and out of context as one would believe it to be at first.

That was it, Riku concluded and would've laughed out loud if not for the risk of waking Sora - he still let him enjoy the benefit of the doubt that he believed the pretense of slumber. Still, it helped the both of them as by pretending Sora was indeed asleep, Riku could let himself reach back and hold Sora's hand. A fond, exasperated smile crossed his lips as he rested his forehead against Sora's knuckles.

"Fine, you win this round." Riku declared softly before putting Sora's hand back under the blanket. Ignoring the shadow of a smile the other's lips curled into, Riku settled down in his own make-shift bed, hands behind his head. He stared up at the ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes, grinning.

Right, he'd be sure to apologize properly tomorrow. After all, Sora just did.