Sleeping Light

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Kingdom Hearts Saga… except for you! –points at Saiyoku-

Saiyoku awoke and sat up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She gave a quick stretch of her arms; her shoulders were killing her from sleeping on the ground several nights in a row.

"That's it; I'm giving Riku heck for this." She stood up and brushed the dirt off her black Organization coat, "Which reminds me. Where is he?" She looked around, not seeing him anywhere. The were in Hollow Bastion, deciding to camp out there for the time being. Riku had refused to let anyone see them, feeling that it was "best". Yeah, right.

"Riku? Hey! Riku! Where'd you go?" She looked around and stepped out of the Crystal Fissure, where they had stayed. The Great Maw was empty, the huge expanse free of Heartless as well as people.

"Dang it, where'd he go?"

"Where'd who go?"

Saiyoku jumped and spun on her feet.

"Jeez Riku, don't scare me like that. Where were you?"

He chuckled a bit before handing her a bag. She took it from him and held it up.

"What's this?"

"Breakfast. Eat up."

"I would, but where's yours?"

"Already ate." He walked back out where he came and waved behind him.

"You ate already? Hey, wait! Where're you going?"

"Back into town. Need to check up on something…"

He walked out, pulled up his hood, and disappeared into the Dark Portals that they had just recently been able to use. Saiyoku sighed and peered inside the bag.

Riku stepped out into the sun, standing on top of the roofs of the houses just outside the Marketplace. They were restoring Hollow Bastion to what it had once been; they called themselves the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee, that is, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid, and Merlin. All of them and a bunch of other inhabitants were working on the Castle mainly, but were also in the middle of hopefully improving the town's defense.

Cranes covered the entire castle… something he remembered well. It seemed strange to him that this was what the world really was: a former beautiful town where so many people had lived.

He sighed and gripped his chest over his heart.

"How much more can I stand… before Ansem really does get stronger?" He muttered solemnly.

"Keeping things from me again, huh?"

Saiyoku stepped through her own Dark Portal and folded her arms, scowling. Riku glanced behind him and quickly looked away when he saw her angry face.

"It's nothing."

"Don't you DARE try and act tough. If there's something bothering you, then tell me, tell ANYONE. You shouldn't do this on your own, especially if it has to do with Ansem." She stood next to him, facing the castle ahead also. Her face lightened a bit as she tossed him the same bag he had given her. He caught it and frowned.

"I told you to eat it."

"'Breakfast. Eat up.'"

"You're kidding me." He was just about to shove the bag back in her arms when his stomach growled. He grimaced and tried to silence it, which only made it growl again. Saiyoku burst into laughter until her stomach growled.

"Okay, so we're both hungry. You just stick with that one; I'll go get another."

"I'd let you, but have you checked our munny pouch lately?" He grabbed her when she opened a Dark Portal.

"I thought we had like, two thousand."

"Try three hundred. Hi-potions are expensive though disgusting."

"Seriously? Looks like I have to go job hunting again in Twilight Town. We'll just share the breakfast for now, I guess."

"Fine…" Riku sat down and opened the bag, Saiyoku joining him. While they ate, Saiyoku tried to get him to tell her what was wrong again.

"So, how come you've wanted to be by yourself so much lately?" She said before taking another bite out of her sandwich, one of the only things they could afford at the moment.

"…" Riku simply stuffed his face with more of his sandwich to avoid the question.

"…Fine, you can either tell me right now, or I'll force it out of you. Which would you rather go with?"

"…" He stayed silent again.

"That's it. Do you want me to take that off?" She warned him, pointing to the black blindfold that he wore. It was of special material that she had helped him with that would allow him to still see normally, but without the Darkness clouding up his heart. He froze and set his sandwich down.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, yes I would. I know perfectly well what would happen if you took that off and I'm not afraid to hold it against you. Tell me, or I'll take it off."

"But…"

"Riku…" She growled, just as frustrated as he was.

"Why is it that you always win?" He asked when he stood up again, looking out at the under-construction castle.

"'Cause I have ways."

"I'm beginning to think it's because I let you."

"Either way works for me."

He sighed, "Ansem… I fell like he's growing stronger… He's still dormant inside my heart, but… His presence just seems to have grown more noticeable."

"You scared?"

"No." He replied quickly.

"Heh, I knew you'd say that. Doesn't matter. Is there anything I can do?" She looked at the blindfold, "Do I need to strengthen the bind?"

"No… I don't think it's that. I just don't even know what I should do."

"Do you regret not letting Naminè lock up your heart? Just think; you could've been there for eternity without a care in the world, where nothing could've hurt you, and Ansem would never be a problem."

He stared up at the sky, quiet for a time before turning to her, the rest of his face showing his expression, "Sometimes, maybe. But… even though Ansem is a problem now, I'd be an even bigger coward if I had agreed."

"Bravery is certainly something big with most guys," Saiyoku sighed with a smile and got to her feet, grabbing his hand, "C'mon. Let's head to Twilight Town. We can stay there until I gain some more money, and then if you feel like it, we could go and visit Sora. Maybe DiZ has something for us to do. Besides, both of us have grown this past several months immensely and have grown out of our old island clothes. While we're there, we can get new ones."

Riku groaned.

"Oh, get over it. You'll be much happier when you actually FIT in your clothes again." She opened another portal and pulled him through, leaving Hollow Bastion behind.

"Why is it that you have to be a girl?"

"'Cause I figure you don't want to be gay." She laughed and pulled him through Betwixt and Between.

"REALLY not funny, Saiyoku."