"Sora, get up! I swear, I don't know which one of you is lazier, you or Kairi." Riku complained to his best friend who was sprawled out on the beach like a lazy cat. Sora glanced up at Riku and stuck his tongue out at him. "That's real mature, Sora. How old are you again?" Riku teased. "I'm sixteen!" Sora loved saying it, even though it wasn't true quite yet. "Yea, your sixteen tomorrow birthday boy." Riku smirked and playfully shoved Sora's shoulder when he finally stood up. Sora pouted and brushed the sand off of his clothes. "Whatever. I'll finally be as old as you!" Riku rolled his eyes. "You'll be as old as me for two months, goofball." Sora grumbled under his breath and pouted. It made Riku want to pinch his cheeks. "What did you want me to get up for anyways, Riku? I was comfortable!" Sora continued on with that pout and the Riku's urge to pinch his cheeks was growing stronger. "Oh, what the hell?", Riku thought as he took Sora's face in both of his hands and squeezed his cheeks hard. "Aww, did the poor baby not get to finish his nap?" Riku taunted. He loved the way Sora's cheeks heated up in embarrassment and how flustered he was getting. Sora pushed Riku's hands away from his face and rubbed on his poor, abused cheeks. "Your mean." Sora mumbled in pathetic retaliation. He shortly got over it however, because he forgot to mention something earlier. "Oh! Riku, what are you getting me for my birthday, huh?" Sora asked with a huge grin on his face. "Oh, you wanted something for your birthday? Oops, I forgot. Sorry." Riku shrugged his shoulders and smirked. He looked at Sora's face and saw that look. The look that says "You knocked over my ice cream cone and now you're not going to get me another one?" He hated that look. Even though he was just teasing Sora, now he felt bad for making that look appear on his face. "Oh, come on Sora! I was just kidding; of course I got you something!" Sora looked up at Riku with hope filled in his eyes. "You did? Really?" Riku sighed and wrapped his arm around Sora's shoulder. "Of course I did. Did you really expect me not to get my best friend a birthday present?" Sora smiled and giggled. "I guess not. But, what did you get me? Huh?" Sora nudged Riku in the ribs a few times, trying to pry it out of him. "You'll find out tomorrow Sora. That look of yours isn't going to work this time." Sora tried pulling the same trick again, but Riku just looked away and kept walking ahead of Sora. "Riku, come on! You know I hate waiting! Tell me! What is it!?" Sora begged. Riku ignored Sora's pleas and kept walking ahead, making sure not to look Sora in the eye. He could never resist giving in to Sora's eyes. Sora eventually gave up on making Riku tell him what his present is. They walked beside each other in comfortable silence for a little while along the beach. "Hey Sora. What do you really want for your birthday? Not like something you could buy, but like your birthday wish?" Sora thought a few minutes to himself, eyebrows scrunched up in thought. "Hmm, I guess what I really want is to be able to take a journey to other worlds the way I wanted to do it before. Sure, I made friends while I was gone, but I didn't get the chance to really enjoy my time in any of the other worlds. I was so worried about finding you. That's all that really mattered to me." Sora said, his face going soft. Riku looked over at Sora. "Well, you and I can take that journey together. We won't have to worry about finding each other. We'll be right there, together." Riku smiled brightly down at Sora. It was also his dream to go back to those other worlds with Sora. Being able to enjoy it without thinking about how many lives were on the line. Being able to be right next to the person he fought so hard to save. He wanted that more than anything. "You really think so?" Sora asked with hopefulness in his voice. "I know so. We're going to make that trip soon. I promise." Riku whispered close to Sora's face. He put out his pinky for Sora to take. A childish gesture they made when they were younger. Sora smiled softly and took Riku's pinkie in his own. "Thank you, Riku." Sora whispered back. He let go of Riku's pinky and wrapped his arms around Riku's neck in a warm hug. Riku was a little surprised, but he wrapped his arms around Sora's waist in return, enjoying the warmth that Sora radiated. Riku was thankful that Sora couldn't see his face. He was sure it was blood read. He was never quite sure what these feelings were that were directed at Sora. But after this warm, loving hug, he knew exactly what it was. As the realization dawned on him, his eyes started to tear up. "That's what it is. I love him. That's what all of these feeling have been ever since we found each other in Castle Oblivion. Love." Riku never felt so warm and comfortable before he was enveloped in Sora's arms. He wanted to stay like this forever. He pulled himself together so Sora wouldn't notice the tears that starting to form in his eyes. When Sora pulled away, Riku noticed that Sora's tanned face was dusted with a dark pink and he was avoiding Riku's gaze, a shy smile on his face. "I really did miss you, y'know?" he said softly, still avoiding Riku's gaze. Riku took Sora's hands into his own. He directed Sora's eyes to his own with his gaze. "I know. I missed you too." Riku could feel Sora's hands clamming up. He was slightly shivering and he could feel the heat that still radiated from his warm body. "Sora?" He looked up at Riku's questioning glance. "Hmm?" Was all he could say in the form of a response. He didn't trust his voice to form any real words. He was so nervous. His hands were being softly held in Riku's own large, soft and warm hands. Their bodies were close enough to share the heat that was radiating off of each other. He knew it was getting cold outside as the sun was going down, but he didn't feel the chill at all, even though he was shivering. He knew it was from the way Riku was holding his hands. The way he was looking at him. He'd never felt so warm and safe and loved in his entire life. Riku took a deep, shaky breath before he finally spoke. "I-I….. love you, Sora." Sora looked up at Riku, eyes wide. He felt a lurch in his stomach and his whole body tingled. "He….. loves me. Riku loves me." Sora smiled and looked down at his hands clasped with Riku's. He still didn't trust his voice, so he responded in the only way he could think of. He slowly leaned up and tilted his head to the side. He was so nervous, but he told himself that he didn't need to be, because Riku loved him. He closed his eyes and slowly pressed his lips against Riku's. He felt Riku let out a small gasp and it sent a strong thrill straight through Sora's whole body. He pressed his lips against Riku's a little harder and opened his eyes long enough to see Riku slowly slide his sea green eyes close. Riku removed his hands from Sora's and placed them around his hips. Sora slid his arms around Riku's neck and threaded his soft silver hair through his fingers. "Oh my God………" is all that was able to run through both of their heads. They didn't know what Heaven was like, but they were pretty sure it felt just like this. It was a simple kiss. No smacking lips or tongue, but it held passion that so many people search for their whole lives. They slowly broke the kiss apart for air. They were both breathing heavily, cheeks flushed and eyelids heavy. Sora decided to take a chance on his voice so he can tell Riku exactly how he felt. "I love you too, Riku." He said quietly, just inches from Riku's ear. Riku tightened his hold on Sora's hips and just held him there. "Were going to go on that trip, Sora. Just you and me, as soon as possible." Sora clasped his hands together around Riku's neck, nestling his face against Riku's. "I can't wait." Riku moved his arm slightly to look down at his watch. It read 12:03 a.m. and he smiled. "Happy birthday, Sora." He said before claiming Sora's lips in another passionate kiss, which Sora happily returned. When they broke apart, Sora looked at Riku and smiled. "So, can I have my present now?" Riku stared at Sora for a few seconds, shook his head and laughed. "I swear, you still act like such a little kid." Riku started his walk back up the island with Sora right behind him. "Hey, come on! It's my birthday now, Riku! I thought you loved me, come on!" Riku laughed all the way back to the island as Sora tried to break Riku down so he would give him his present. Sora tackled Riku around the waist wile Riku still laughed and refused to give in. The laughed with each other all the way back home were they said goodbye until Sora's birthday party later.
