Warning: I despise warnings. :o I think if a summary has the word "kill" in it, one shouldn't be naive. But for any of you who still are: Blank blank blank, bah-blank blank blank... There. You've been warned. ;)
Special thanks to Serotonin2501 for beta reading!
Purpose
Every morning at sunrise, a little boy peered out the hospital window, welcoming continuation and departure.
The child in question was barely eight, but he was no stranger to the two subjects. It fascinated, and also distressed, him to a vast degree. Even now, as he pressed his tiny palms against the glass and gazed at the beautiful star that greeted the new day—that brought about life—Sora was hopeful to receive the opposite of it's giving's. He'd been a seeker of light and darkness since the age of three when all of his troubles began, and he often wondered which of the two he'd see after taking his final breaths. You see, Sora was ill to the point of no recovery, thus rendering him an Invalid Civilian.
His skin was paler than most, due to his cancerous condition, and dark circles had formed around his hollow, blue irises. There was no color in his once pink lips; no signs of a healthy child to his appearance at all, but what he hated most was his spiky hair.
The spikes were drooping.
Sora missed the way they usually stuck out in all directions, never being tamed since the day he was born, but now… they'd all but diminished their defiance of gravity. This was an indication that his body was finally shutting down, finally giving in to what he'd been waiting for since last month. And as Sora stood on his tiptoes in front of the window in the quiet, white hall, while wearing his blue hospital shirt and grey sweatpants, he wasn't really gazing at the sky like most children would. No, this was a ploy to mask his usual routine.
Sora was waiting to die, and he preferred to go with a bit of appealing scenery in his last hours. He also wanted to depart the world holding the charm his father had given him the day before he died. It was a black, crown keychain and he often kept it clutched in his left hand.
The boy hadn't even taken the time to observe the peculiar teen that was standing at the end of his usual spot, though. Said stranger was gazing at him in his black jeans and matching, long-sleeve, zipped jacket. He wore a hood to hide his silver hair and most civilians rushed away from him in quick patters. Some knew what he was, while others simply felt a peculiar urge to fear him, not fully understanding why they were afraid...
Riku ignored them in favor of his prey.
He'd been observing Sora at this hour for precisely three days now, unsure of how exactly to go about killing him. Sora perplexed him, the way he'd appear all moody at the window until a nurse or doctor started conversation with him, and then Sora morphed his persona into someone different, someone oblivious to the short comings of the world and all it's wrongdoing. Sora looked genuinely happy whenever he was in the company of others, but Riku could tell it was some form of deception.
No dying human could be that happy.
"Will you just do it already?" Axel asked in his mind.
Riku grimaced at the sensation of feelings Axel's hunger. "He's a child," he whispered to himself. "I've never had to murder a child before, Axel. This is—"
"It's still a human, though," Axel pointed out. "An invalid one, meaning no one would miss it."
"Axel—"
"He's dying anyway, so you're doing him a favor." He heard Axel chuckle. "May as well help the process along. Besides, that's your pay; don't forget it. It's the safest way in which we can eat and not disturb the balance, Riku."
"I get it," Riku snarled under his breath.
"If you want to eat, kill him," Axel stated. "If you want to starve, then by all means, let him live a little longer. Either way, he dies."
"Get out of my head," Riku snapped.
Axel scoffed. "Touchy today, aren't we?" He sighed, although it was unnecessary for their kind. "Fine. When you're done playing with your food, you know where to find me."
Riku rubbed his temples the moment he felt Axel's presence vanish from his thoughts, and he began peering down at the floor. His long, silver hair shifted slightly with the action, and he found himself taking a needless huff of breath. When his aqua eyes gazed back up, he arched his brow at the curious scene before him.
The human's staring at me, he thought. Indeed, inquisitively large, blue irises were peering at him from down the hall.
Riku's feet began to move before he had time to register that his instinct kicked in, and once he'd gotten a whiff of Sora's disease, he felt his two canine teeth slowly inch out further than the rest of his perfectly aligned top row.
The cancer victims always taste the best, he mused. He immediately grimaced at the thought, regretting the aroma he unintentionally smelled.
By the time he approached Sora, he had a distressed expression on his face—as if he were witnessing someone being strangled before him—although he could easily crush Sora's neck in one, swift grip with his superhuman strength. They were such feeble creatures compared to Riku's kind, after all.
"Hello!" Sora greeted him, carefully placing his keychain in his pocket. Riku's eyes followed the action, but he said nothing on the subject. The overzealous, yet somehow still inviting, tone, Sora had used—and the way he waved at Riku—made the silver-haired teen take an involuntary step back.
He wasn't used to his prey greeting him in an exuberant manner. Then again, he wasn't used to casually walking up to said prey and killing them without actually hunting them first… Gone were the days of lurking in the shadows to feast on them—to give them a running start while they screamed for help—before he arrived behind them in a fraction of a second and latched his teeth into their jugulars—before he lapped at the fluid from their throat and watched their bodies writhe in pain and pleasure until they took their last breath...
That was a hunt, not this. Feeding held no purpose now—no challenge—no inkling of sport for the silver-haired teen.
How times had changed.
He felt that his kind was in some sort of a regression because of this.
The fact that the humans agreed to this arrangement made the situation all the more unsettling.
"I said 'hello!'" Sora tried again, waving up at him. Sora's random energy slightly frightened Riku.
Wasn't he just sulking a few moments ago? Riku asked himself. The bigger question was: How exactly how does one greet food? Because of this, Riku said nothing in reply—too puzzled to respond.
Sora kept his smile in place anyway, secretly wondering why the older boy was giving him such a meticulous stare. "I'm Sora!" he continued, eyes gleaming with hope. He extended his right hand. "What's your name?"
"...Why all the pretending?" Riku asked, giving him a cross look. He never liked dealing with children, although he thought it cruel to see anything happen to them. Conversing with them wasn't his forte, though. It exasperated him. To Riku, they didn't posses the intelligence that their older counterparts had to hold their own in a proper conversation.
Sora's hand lowered after Riku refused it, and his smile slowly evaporated into a neutral position. "Why does it matter?"
A question with a question… Dodgy prey... Riku arched his brow, glancing out the window at the image Sora had been observing. Sora followed his gaze, grinning at the scenery. "It's cool," Sora spoke up. "Isn't it?"
"I never liked the sun," Riku retorted.
"I can't name one Soul Eater that does," Sora stated. Riku snapped his head down to see Sora giving him a toothy grin. "You're here to kill me, aren't you?"
"You don't serve a purpose in this world anymore," Riku said, nodding. "That makes you an Invalid, which means it's time for you to go."
Sora pouted at him. "My mom says that just because I don't serve a purpose in this world doesn't mean I can't serve one in another. Everyone has a purpose—even 'Invalids' like me." He had air quoted the offensive word as he spoke, voice rising. "You Soul Eaters are just big bullies! No wonder people call you parasites!"
Humans who knew about the secret creatures also wrote novels about them, using code names like 'vampires' and 'bloodsuckers' to address their existence. Axel had read him an interesting novel the other day that went into detail about crosses and stakes. Although Riku regretted that he actually found the trashy, poorly-written novels interesting, he knew another trip to the bookstore was in order to acquire the second installment…
He began rubbing his temples again, wondering why an eight-year-old boy was reciting something that sounded so… so natural to him. He thought the phrase about 'serving a purpose in this world or another' to be nostalgic, as if he'd heard it before.
But where had those words been spoken…? From whom had he learned the knowledge…?
"Do you have a headache?" Sora asked cutely. He was peering up at Riku with concerned, wide eyes, and he bravely, tugged at Riku's left sleeve. "Do Soul Eater's get headaches? I thought you all had no souls. That's why you feed on everybody else's."
Upon hearing this, Riku actually chuckled at the bold, unintentional pun. "You're a strange human." He slowly shook his head, lowering his right hand. "Yes, I do have a headache. I haven't eaten since my last job. Starving for three weeks will do that to anyone."
Sora was giving him a serious look. "You can go for months without eating before you die."
Again, Riku was giving Sora a questioning look. "True…" With a cautious gaze he asked, "What else do you know about us, human?"
"It's So-ra," the child intoned. "S-O-R-A; Sora Fair." He pointed an accusing finger at Riku. "And I know what you are because one of you killed my dad last year."
Riku blinked at him. "Really?"
Sora was nodding, his gaze aimed towards the sun again. "Yeah…" His smile was a sad one. "My dad Zack had a rare disease of cancer called Shinra…" The same one that I have... He bit his bottom lip, twirling his fingers absently. "He kept telling mom that the Soul Eaters would come and get him soon but that he was going to die smiling…" Blue eyes gazed up at aqua ones. "And then the man with yellow eyes came to the hospital and told me what he did. He was really scary."
Xemnas, Riku thought. Or could it have been Xehanort? He knew too many Soul Eaters with yellow eyes—and then there were the others who always wore black, much like himself… They all had various eye colors…
Sora looked ready to burst into tears, but instead, he smiled once more. "At least I still have my mom! Her name's Aerith. She's really nice and she's a nurse here."
Recognition flashed in Riku's eyes and he immediately pitied Sora, as if coming to murder him wasn't enough. A conversation he had with another Soul Eater earlier this morning came to mind:
"The human smelled too delicious to ignore," Sephiroth stated. His voice was calm, yet authoritative; it was decisive and cruel, making anyone who spoke to him slightly cringe. Even his green eyes held no sense of benevolence. "Although she isn't an Invalid..." His two, longest teeth were protruding from the rest, a sign that he was acting on instinct alone and possibly ready to eat with his eyes. "That won't stop me from feeding on her tonight."
"But we can only kill the Invalids," Riku pointed out from where they stood in the forest. "She still holds a place in the world."
"One human won't be missed, brother. Besides, I haven't smelled a scent that mouthwatering in centuries." He used his gloved hand to touch the base of the black tree while he pondered the possibilities. "Or perhaps I should allow her to breed with another human? Her children would probably smell just as pleasant." The smirk he gave Riku was enough to make the younger frown. "Don't you agree, Riku?"
Riku felt uncomfortable upon hearing such a sick, twisted notion. "Sephiroth—"
"Aerith Gainsborough..." His mouth watered with venom at the thought. "I followed her about an hour ago."
The younger of the pair took a hesitant step towards the older. "Sephiroth—"
"She works at the same hospital your next target is located." The man hadn't spared Riku a glance, and he almost chuckled at the thought of his new prey. "Who have you been assigned to devour this time, brother?"
"...Sora Fair," Riku said, giving his brother a taciturn stare. "If the humans find out about what you're going to do, it could make trouble for our kind."
"Then I won't tell them," Sephiroth stated. "I agreed to compromise with the humans so that both parties could benefit, not the other way around, Riku. If I want a snack every now and then, I'll have one."
Riku couldn't argue with that. Sephiroth could easily order the Soul Eaters to devour any human they wanted, but he was bargaining with them… for now. Riku knew there was some sort of hidden agenda behind it. There always was for everything his oldest brother did.
"Hey!" Sora called him. The boy was waving his hands in front of Riku's face while he stood on his tiptoes. "Hello up there!"
Riku blinked, snapping out of his reverie. "What?" He sounded agitated.
Sora pouted. "Wow... You're really mean."
Riku found himself sighing, but he quietly asked, "What?"
Sora gave him an appreciative hum of approval at the change of tone. "What were you thinking about just now?" he asked in an adorable tone. He tilted his head, awaiting a reply.
Riku couldn't get over the fact that Sora's mother was going to be Sephiroth's next victim. Sephiroth always enjoyed playing with his food, and Riku had heard the phrase, "The fun of it," all too often growing up. His other three brothers weren't as foul playing, yet still lethal, but even they felt remorse for Sephiroth's victims. Relentless limb tearing was such a cruel end...
Some Soul Eaters described Sephiroth, their fearful leader, as a God, while others implied him to be the devil's advocate.
To Riku, he was a walking terror.
"...Things," Riku finally answered in a cautious tone.
"What kind of things?" Sora asked.
"Things a child wouldn't understand," Riku said.
Sora poked his bottom lip out again, and he crossed his arms. "You're not nice at all." He mumbled out, "Meanie," under his breath.
Riku chuckled at the childish retort. "You expect a murderer to be nice, Sora? What dream world do you live in?" He suspected that perhaps Sora may have been dropped on his head. He even went as far as imagining himself dropping him a good distance into whatever dream world Sora thought about just for the thrill of it.
Blue eyes lit up with excitement. "Hey! You said my name!" That was all Sora had gotten out of Riku's coldhearted questions. He was beaming, bouncing up and down from this new turn of events.
In another life, Riku imagined Sora to be a diabetic Invalid who'd acquired the illness after years of being a sugar-high child that devoured sweets and junk food all day—and had late night rendezvous with the fridge.
It was Riku's turn to tilt his head. "Is calling you by your name supposed to be an achievement?"
"Duh!" Sora's expression morphed into a thoughtful one. "What's your name anyway, Soul Eater?"
I may as well... and I've already delved too far into the conversation with the little human. He still couldn't understand why he'd even bothered. "…Riku."
Sora looked about ready to happy dance upon hearing the older male's name. "How old are you, Riku?"
Again, he humored the boy and answered, "…Seventeen."
"Since when?"
Do all human children have such high, angelic voices, or is it just this one? He knew there were many pitches, but Sora's sounded cuter than most he'd heard—even if he'd only bothered to listen to a few. It was off-putting to kill something so... precious and innocent—however, Sora's corpse-like appearance leveled his voice out. Imagine if he were healthy. Those eyes and that smile could get away with murder… "Since about two centuries ago."
Sora made an 'O' shape with his mouth, eyes enlarging in awe. "Whoa! You're supposed to be dust by now!"
Riku gave the younger an irritable look. "And you're supposed to be dinner," he reminded.
Sora waved his hand at him, dismissing the concept with a glare of his own. "I'm not afraid of you, Riku!"
"Why not?"
"Because you're death," was the innocent reply. Sora rolled his shoulders. "Mom and dad said never fear death. Look it in the eyes with a smile."
Riku felt truly impressed by Sora's bravado. This was the first meal he'd ever taken the time to truly have a conversation with, and lo and behold, of all the human's he'd feasted upon, it was a child whom he'd have the most regret of eating once he was finished—a child whom he held the most respect for because of the wisdom he recited.
Or was it because he could relate to how lonely Sora was…?
"You're not as whiney as I thought you'd be," Riku stated. "For a cancer patient." He'd eaten many in his lifetime, sixty-three to be exact.
Sora shrugged absently. "How come the sun hasn't killed you yet, Riku?"
Riku almost chuckled and he glanced at the nuisance of a star. "Because it doesn't kill my kind… but it can make our skin red and peel off."
Sora giggled, covering his mouth when Riku snapped his head towards him. "So that's why you're covered in clothes, so you won't get sunburned by the end of the day?!" He was laughing uncontrollably now, and Riku thought about how easy it would be to decapitate him, but as Sora hunched over and clutched his stomach, Riku found himself smiling—although it was barely there.
The thought of getting severe sunburn instead of turning into dust like the human's wrote about in their novels was humorous. Their imagination impressed him.
"I see your point," Riku agreed quietly. There was a smirk on his lips. "Isn't it time for one of your treatments?" He knew that Sora usually started his radiation treatments around this time.
"No," Sora said with a pout. "I told my mom to tell our doctor that it was okay to stop. We both know I can't be saved; the cancer's growing too fast."
Riku's heart twisted slightly at the calm way Sora explained his situation. "…Are you afraid to die, Sora?"
"I'm afraid to live," Sora admitted.
Again, Riku arched his brow. "Why?"
"Because there'd be pieces of me missing if I did," Sora stated. He pointed at his right arm and leg. "Roxas and Xion would be missing."
What…? "Y-you… you name your body parts?"
Sora nodded, not bothered by the question. "That's where the cancer is." He touched his heart. "And this is Kairi, the best part of me. The cancer's surrounding her, too." Blue eyes met aqua ones. "If Roxas and Xion get taken away from me, then I'll still have Kairi if the doctor removes the stuff around her, but the cancer would still come back and attack her, and I don't want my friend hurting like that for the rest of my life…" His lips were quivering at the thought. "My cancer always comes back around my heart, and the doctor says it grows quicker than the last time…"
"Sora…" It was a daunting feeling to hear something so twisted being spoken in such a resolving way from the perspective of a mere child.
"But if I die," Sora whispered weakly. "Then we'll all go together, and the cancer wouldn't hurt any of us anymore." He was nodding to himself. "Yeah… It's better this way—and mom doesn't have to cry every time she looks at me… I know I make her sad." In truth, all Sora really wanted was for his mother to move on, to be free of her past life with Sora and his father Zack... to live her life to the fullest...
To start anew...
Riku's hand was covering his mouth to muffle his strangled hiss of disapproval. He was truly upset by what he was hearing. Part of him wished he'd never met the depressing child, and yet, part of him wished there was something he could do to ease Sora's pain. Maybe I should just snap his neck to get it over with? "Is… your body your only friend?" He knew the answer.
Sora hummed in reply, pressing his palms against the glass window while he peered out again. "Yeah, but that's why I name the different parts like that. So I don't have just one… I've got lots."
"…Would you like me to be your friend, Sora?" Riku asked. The question was blurted out before he could stop himself, and he instantly regretted it. "Or at least pretend to be?"
Sora glanced up him, surprised, and a little embarrassed, by the question. He'd never had a real friend before, having been hospitalized for majority of his short life. He'd only ever had acquaintances, and the children in his cancer facility either passed away at unforgiving rates or they were constantly resting after their treatments. There was no time to make friends, only time to plan survival or wither away during the process. "…R-really? You mean it?"
"Just until you die," Riku clarified. He crossed his arms, turning his head away. What had he done? He still had a task to complete and he could feel his forgotten hunger returning.
His mouth had begun to water, and his nostrils flared.
If he had glanced down at the child peering up at him, he'd have seen the appreciative smile Sora was giving him. "Just until I die," Sora agreed. When Riku turned his head, Sora extended his pinky finger. "Promise?"
This is that little ritual the humans do… He'd only seen it a few times, but he knew it was reserved for the younger of their species. "I promise," Riku finally assured him, clasping their fingers together.
"On my life?" Sora continued.
Riku gulped, wincing at the question. "O-on your life," he answered.
When they'd broken their fingers apart, Sora was grinning. "So, what do friends do?"
"I assure you they don't do what I intend to do," Riku stated quietly. The statement irritated him, and he wished that he'd never met the existence that was Sora Fair.
Sora shrugged in response, unperturbed by the comment. "Well, what do you wanna do?"
Feast on your heart, Riku pondered automatically. He shook the thought away, kneeling before Sora. "Today is your day, Sora." He carefully touched Sora's left shoulder, giving him a serious gaze. "Name it, and I'll give it to you." He felt sick to his stomach, offering Sora anything he wanted in his final hours. It seemed downright unforgivable, and he began questioning his own reasoning for doing so.
He was going to murder this child before the sun set; his hunger was practically screaming at him to do so.
Sora took the foreshadowing comments in stride, touching his chin at the thought. "...I just want some ice cream."
Riku blinked, lips parting. "Ice cream? That's all you'd like?"
"Uh-huh," Sora replied. "Sea Salt ice cream!"
"Sea Salt…?" Riku's brow arched but he eventually nodded. "Then you'll have it."
Sora giggled, taking the older boy's right hand as he led him down the hall. "But you don't even know where they sell Sea Salt ice cream, Riku."
"I'm sure you'll enlighten me, Sora." He felt at ease humoring the boy.
"Only two cities have them!" Sora explained with a wide grin. "Mom and dad used to take me there a lot!"
"Which city would you like to go to then?" Riku pressed.
"…Twilight Town?" Riku had been there before, but he'd never taken the time to sit above the beige clock tower, let alone next to a human.
Twilight Town was three cities over from Radiant Garden, and yet, Riku had gotten Sora there in around five minutes. The happy child was eating on his left, lapping at the ice cream. Thoughts of Sora's mother Aerith plagued Riku's mind while Sora dangled his feet back and forth. It was still early in the morning and Riku debated on what they should do next.
What does one do in their final hours?
"...Hey Riku?"
"Yes?"
"Do you like killing people?"
The question produced a 'tch' sound from the older's lips and he shook his head. "I used to…"
"Still playing with your food, I see," Axel spoke up in his thoughts. "You're supposed to eat him; got it memorized? You can't seriously be comfortable talking to a snack, Riku."
Riku wished the redhead would go away, producing a low growl of warning in the back of his throat. "Leave us," he hissed out. Sora glanced up quickly, but he didn't comment on Riku's ramblings. Instead he quietly licked his ice cream, while his blue eyes remained focused on his new friend from under the comforts of his long lashes.
Axel snarled back in protest. "If Sephiroth found out about this..." But Axel did as his friend requested and left Riku's thoughts once more.
When Sora sensed that Riku had finished talking to himself, he asked, "What made you change your mind about it?"
"About what?"
"Killing people..."
A throaty chuckle escaped Riku's lips, and he forgot how pleasant Sora smelled. He grimaced at the delicious smell, gulping in regret. "An annoying human by the name of Sora."
"I like this human then," Sora stated, grinning. "He sounds nice."
Riku rolled his eyes. "He sounds cheesy to me."
"He sounds cool," Sora retorted. "And you sound like your parents never hugged you."
Riku gave a firm nod at the statement. Whether or not it was in agreement with Sora's notion about himself, or to his upbringing, he wasn't sure. Perhaps a bit of both. "I think he's very brave to talk to a Soul Eater—but also very foolish." He'd never met a human who had the courage to ask him about himself, but he also couldn't recall a time when he'd given one the chance to do so.
Sora giggled in response, finding humor in the face of danger. "Riku... do you have a best friend?"
"No," Riku admitted. "I have one good friend, but I've never had a best friend."
"Why aren't they your best friend?"
"Because I'm only reserving that spot for someone who can't see it," Riku stated.
"See what?" Sora asked.
The darkness I always seem to carry... "Nothing you need to worry about," Riku stated.
"…Can I be your best friend then?" Sora asked. How could anyone say 'no' to those adorable eyes? It was maddening to think that he'd ever been denied anything.
Riku rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. "You? A human…?"
"Hey, you're dumber than I am, Riku," Sora stated with a pout. He teasingly bumped his elbow into the older. "Playing with your food this long…" His brows furrowed as he gazed at the older male. "Or maybe… you're not pretending anymore. Maybe I really am your friend—or you want me to be… and that makes you mad." Riku was quiet for a moment, and Sora's blue ice cream began to drip from the tip. The droplets fell below and Riku saw each drop splash onto the empty sidewalk.
"It's wrong," Sora said. "But it feels natural to talk to me, doesn't it?"
Riku snapped his eyes open, casting a quick, sharp glance at Sora. "Natural…?"
"Yep," Sora said, licking the side of his frozen treat. "You find something so natural as talking to me, a little kid, weird…"
Riku regarded this with a 'hn' noise.
"It's like I can tell you anything, even if I don't know you at all... Or maybe that's why I can talk to you like this, because you don't really know me..." Sora giggled. "That's pretty funny!" All too quickly, his laughter morphed into a coughing fit and he lurched forward, leaving his ice cream to drop below while he clutched at his heart.
Riku caught Sora before he could fall forward, holding the frail child in his arms. A fresh amount of blood was dripping from Sora's mouth, and he was shivering uncontrollably.
It took every last bit of willpower that Riku had not to end him right there, but he shook the feeling aside.
"R-Riku?" Sora asked once his coughing subsided. He rested his head on his friend's arm, clinging to the dark fabric with the last of his strength for the day. "Why... why haven't you killed me yet?"
"Because I can't," Riku stated in a strained voice.
"But what if it's something I want?" Sora asked. "Something I need…?"
Riku objected with snarl. "I…" He swallowed the venom that had collected in his mouth. "You're my friend, remember? I can't do that."
"But I'm in pain," Sora said, bursting into tears. His voice was rising. "And our friendship is only pretend anyway!"
Riku didn't know how to react at first, but when Sora hugged his torso for comfort, he immediately embraced him back. "Sora—"
"I can't do this anymore!" Sora cried.
"Don't say that—"
"I'm tired! I ache everywhere all the time Riku—everywhere!"
"Sora—"
"Please kill me!" The desperate plea echoed around them, making Riku's body tense.
He stroked his hand through Sora's hair, instantly wishing he hadn't. During the movement, some of Sora's strands had fallen out during the movement, falling below into the quiet streets. Riku felt distressed with the situation now, feeling something he hadn't felt since he met his friend, Axel, some centuries ago—protective.
"Sora?" he asked suddenly.
The boy sniffled in response.
"As your pretend friend," Riku spoke up. "I said I'd give you anything you wanted today."
"Uh-huh," Sora agreed in a weak voice. "And I want you to kill me now, Riku."
"...I meant anything but that."
Sora tried his best to poke his bottom lip out, despite the twisted expression of agony on his face. "Then you lied to me…"
Riku chuckled when he heard the lighthearted tone in Sora's voice. "Our first pretend fight."
Sora reached into his pocket and pulled out his crown keychain. "I want you to have this, Riku." He placed it in Riku's hand with trembling fingers, dropping his palm in his lap when he completed the action. "It was my dad's... He spent most of his life searching for it until he gave it to me."
"Searching for what?"
"His light," Sora said. He coughed into his hand, and he grimaced at the fluid that collected on his palm. As his blue eyes transfixed on the mess, he said, "I'm searching, too."
"For your light?"
"Yeah," Sora said. "And I know you're just like me, Riku. You want to find yours like all us humans do… but you're afraid that maybe you'll never find it, because you don't really know if you deserve to have it..."
Riku was shaking his head. "Because I don't... not anymore..."
"I think you deserve it, though. Everyone does."
Riku's eyes widened at Sora's words, but he didn't deny them.
"That's why I want you to keep this," Sora said. "Don't lose sight of it. That's a piece of my light." He was frowning. "I'm just really sorry I couldn't find the rest for you. I didn't have enough time…"
Riku's brows rose in surprise.
A human…
A human was offering him something that he'd been searching for all his life—for centuries…
Light.
"…Sora?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't want to pretend anymore," was the serious declaration. He'd allow the human into his life, even if Sora didn't have that much time left to get to know him.
"Then no one e-else can..." He took a deep breath to find the will to speak. "Can call you best friend," Sora piped up in a rush, setting the ground rules. "Only me."
Riku was gazing at the sun now, shaking his head. He squeezed the keychain in his grip. "No one else, Sora. You're my best friend…"
"Always?"
"Always…"
"Thanks, Riku..."
A small scoff escaped Riku's lips. "You know... I'm glad I didn't kill you…" He seemed fixated on the sun, feeling content with having a friend other than Axel, with someone who was different and unbiased to his demeanor, just as he felt towards Sora in that moment. Knowing this, Riku made the internal decision to not kill Sora. He didn't have it in him; he could never harm a human who willingly gave him the only source of light he had left to offer...
The selfless act was enough for Riku to stop feigning—to properly allow Sora what he'd been craving the most, besides death, when he stood at that window every day.
A friend...
Sora wanted a friend, and in that instant, Riku knew he'd be just that; he'd be whatever Sora needed him to be—and that the keychain was a lock to solidify their friendship. It was a reminder that Sora was the only exemption to everything he thought he knew about how the world worked.
Boy had he been wrong.
"…Will you still be my friend after I die?" Sora asked. "Or will you forget about me?"
"Sora, I'll remember you for centuries," Riku stated.
Sora felt at ease upon hearing that, and he tried his best to smile. "And you can't watch the sun go up with anyone else." He pouted as he said, "I mean it, Riku."
"Of course not."
"Good," Sora murmured. "Because that's our thing now..."
Riku was humming in approval. "It's something no one else can imitate, Sora. I promise."
"On…" He closed his eyes, taking a breath for the final time. "On my life?"
Riku was actually smiling. "On your life…"
As the silver-haired teen gazed back down, he saw that Sora was still in his arms, and he heard the faint rhythm of Sora's heart beating until it came to a slow diminuendo. "And there's something else that no one can imitate after you die… something just between us..." He carefully held Sora's lifeless form in his arms while he peered back at the sun. "It's having you for a friend."
If he could cry, he most certainly would shed abundant tears for the one human who had given him such a complete existence in such a short amount of time. But his kind were unable to weep, only breathe and eat. It was unfortunate to feel so many emotions and never get the chance to perform them, almost as if he were heartless...
"I... I suppose I should take you back to Aerith," Riku said in an absent tone. He knew he'd get no reply. Panicking, he realized what he'd just spoken and he easily stood, holding Sora's body in his arms. "Sephiroth…"
"Axel!" he shouted as he rushed down the front of the building. He felt uncomfortable at the sight of some of Sora's hair flying away during the process, even going as far as collecting some of the random strands that flew up as he went. "Axel, can you hear me?"
"You feel distressed," Axel stated. "And you feel... What's this…? Riku, I've never felt this emotion coming from you before. What is it?"
"It's called grief," Riku stated, landing on the sidewalk. He was on the next street in less than a second, hurrying back to the hospital. "Where are you?"
"With your brothers."
"Keep them occupied," he ordered.
Axel was sure that Riku felt his confusion. "Riku—"
"Just do it," Riku ordered. There was a strain in his voice. "Please, Axel."
"Alright, but you owe me…"
No, Riku thought. I owe Sora. He owed Sora everything, but he'd never get the opportunity to tell the fallen child that...
Three hundred and fifty-eight days later, Riku was walking down the streets of Twilight Town with Axel, his red-haired friend.
"Namine says she can bring Sora back this time," Axel stated.
Because last time had been such an achievement... "I don't want him back," Riku said. The last attempt was a failure, resulting in some heartless products that Riku wasn't pleased with.
Axel scoffed, disagreeing. "Yes, you do. If you didn't, you wouldn't have been sulking all this time."
Riku paused mid-step, closing his eyes. His headache, it returned. It's always whenever Axel's talking about it now... He immediately felt his friend touch his shoulder.
"I'm being an ass, aren't I?" Axel asked.
Riku chuckled, shaking his head. "Yes, but you're also being honest."
Axel rolled his eyes, leading his friend towards the clock tower. Some adults were quick to rush past them, but the duo paid them no mind. "The sun's setting... How about we go sit on the clock tower with Roxas and Xion?"
"I'm not going anywhere near them," Riku stated, snatching his arm from him. As he started to walking away, he waved over his shoulder and said, "Have fun with the replicas."
"Those replicas happen to be my best friends," Axel retorted as Riku walked away. "Got it memorized yet?" They'd been arguing about this for nearly a year, and it was the only reason that Riku hadn't slaughtered them yet—just for Axel's sake. He'd never seen Axel willingly socialize with two humans before...
Riku shook his head as he paced away, frowning at the idea. "No one can replace Sora."
"I know that," he heard Axel whisper back. It sounded strained and he could sense his friends small plea of understanding. "I know how much he meant to you, Riku..."
Riku ignored him.
"And that's why we never watch the sun rise…"
The silver-haired teen paused, the statement giving him a bit of comfort. Roxas and Xion had suggested watching the sun rise once, and Axel politely declined, only for Riku's sake. The redhead knew the replicas held some of Sora's memories, and he tried his best to alter them whenever they'd offer to do something that imitated the deceased child. He also didn't miss the way Riku's face would twist at the very mention of Sora's name, or the way he had to force Riku to eat a human every now and then so he wouldn't slowly try to commit suicide by way of starvation.
"Thank you," Riku said in a quiet tone.
"Any time," Axel said seriously. "You should know that your brothers want to bring Sephiroth back, too... They're planning on asking Namine for help tonight and Vexen already said he'd help with the experiment." Riku and Axel had offed him on the day of Sora's death with the help of an unpredicted ally: a human named Cloud Strife.
"Then I'll tell Aerith and Cloud." Riku began his slow strides again, not stopping until he'd walked three streets over. Once he came to a halt, he took a deep breath and pulled out the keychain Sora had given him, clutching it for comfort. It felt as if he couldn't quite breathe, not that he needed to. He just felt so hollow inside and something about the last two days felt extremely worse than the others, similar to the day that Sora had died.
"I forgot to tell you something on the clock tower that day, Sora," he whispered. "I... I think your purpose in this world was to show me that I had another purpose besides taking lives away… that light exists in the most unexpected of places…" He kicked at the air, hissing at himself.
"I should've told you that," Riku murmured absently. "And I'm sorry that I didn't get the opportunity…" Aqua eyes gazed up at the sky. "But you're not an Invalid, Sora. Your purpose in this world, and any other you get to visit now, it's… it's worth more than anyone else's."
"Why?" a girl asked, slowly walking over to him. "Why was that dying human so special to you, Riku?"
"Because he gave me his light when I couldn't find my own," Riku said. "Something I thought I'd never be able to find." It was then that Riku registered that a human girl was speaking to him, and he snapped his head towards her, snarling in alarm. His body almost went into a crouch position until he met her gaze.
Immediately, he froze.
She had crimson hair and familiar, blue eyes—too familiar for his liking. Her skin was pale and she was wearing a pink dress and lavender shoes. "Namine sent me," she said with a teasing shrug. "I hope that's alright."
"Kairi," Riku said automatically, tilting his head. "Is that your name?"
Kairi look astonished upon hearing the question. "Y-yes. How did—?"
"I just know," Riku stated. He appeared to be just as dumbfounded as she did.
"O-okay..." Kairi peered down at the keychain he was holding, her eyes widening. "Hey, that's... that's mine."
As Riku's lips pursed, his brows knitted. "What?"
Kairi looked genuinely upset, and her voice was beginning to rise. "That's my lucky charm!" She pointed an accusing finger at him. "So give it back to me!"
It was Riku's turn to look offended. "Sora gave me this," Riku stated. "So it can't be yours." Just what I thought would happen. Namine's produced another nobody...
The crimson-haired girl was frowning at him. "But I'm…"
"A replica," he said. "Just like Roxas and Xion."
As he walked away, Kairi lowered her head. She delicately started rubbing her temples, creases forming on her forehead. "But… I was closest to Sora…?"
Riku made a 'tch' sound, glancing over his shoulder as he halted. "What did you say?" Of course, with his hearing, he already knew. He just wanted to hear her say it again. Such a human thing to do...
Kairi lifted her hand, touching her heart. "I was always right here," she whispered, peering up at him from under her lashes. It was the same look his best friend had given him that day on the clocktower...
Come on, Riku! Sora cheered in his thoughts, making the silver-haired teen's breath hitch. She was the best part of me! Remember?! Don't leave her, too!
"The... best part…?" Riku asked himself, slowly shaking his head. "Of you...?"
"Yes," Kairi answered at the same time Sora did. "Because I was always right here." Kairi seemed proud of her answer, giving Riku a small grin as she tapped her heart again. Eventually, she carefully walked up to him and took his right arm, tugging him down the street. "Come on Riku."
"W-where are we going?"
"To Aerith's house," she stated. "She and Cloud are expecting their first child, and she's on bed rest. Meaning Cloud's completely hopeless without us."
...Are you real? Riku asked himself. How does she know all of this?
Because I know all of this, Sora said. He sounded slightly upset. I have to go again... but she's real, Riku. She's the best part of me, another part of my light… I forgot to give you all of it when I first met you, but she's the last I could find...
Riku's lips parted in amazement. You didn't have to—
I want to, Riku. Besides, you're my best friend!
Riku released a content sigh. And you're mine, Sora.
Pinky promise?
Pinky promise.
On my life..?
Riku actually smirked as he and Kairi paced, even going so far as locking their arms together. And as Kairi gave him an appreciative smile in response, he whispered, "On your life…"
The End
...
A/N: Wrote this about two months ago, and I debated on waiting until after halloween to post it because I don't want people thinking this had anything to do with halloween. I'm just constantly thinking about death (death anxiety sufferer over here) so this was produced. Anways, I was trying to go for several different themes with this one-shot, like how you can't put an age, discrimination, or even a time limit on friendship and all those other feel good messages. I thought it would make a good contrast since the overall theme was so focused on dying.
Not sure if the end result is exactly the way I wanted but I attempted, and I tried keeping as many canon elements as possible. I also chose to keep this one-shot as an open ending to let the reader decide what happened to every character after the last scene because I wanted to go with the theme of the KH games for the Nobodies in terms how they look like humans but they can't act like humans because they have no hearts. They look complete, but are incomplete, so the story is completed yet incomplete and up for debate. I'm not sure if I worded that correctly either. ^^'
If you'd like to leave a review or fav, you're welcome to do so. Either is better than neither.
Thanks again to anyone that took the time to read this,
-AJ