I wrote this as an entry for the kh-drabble community at LiveJournal. The prompt was birthdays, and so I decided to write about Riku since he seems to be in the most need of being cheered up :) Enjoy!

Thank Sora

Naminé uses her knowledge of Sora's memory to give Riku a special surprise.

I can tell Naminé is up to something the moment she walks into the room. Usually she waits timidly at the doorway until I tell her it's all right to come over, but today she walks right in, a confident air about her that's the closest she's ever come to reminding me of Kairi. I acknowledge her with a soft nod as she takes her place next to me and gazes up at Sora's sleeping form.

His progress gets slower every day, and I expect her to make her usual comment about how DiZ is handling this all wrong, but instead she whispers, "Riku, I have a surprise for you." We both know I can tell she's carrying a wrapped box in her hands despite the blindfold over my eyes, but I decide to play along.

"Really?" I whisper back. "What is it?"

"It's a gift for you," she says, and then she takes me by the arm and starts to drag me toward the exit. "Come on. It's bright in here and I want you to take off your blindfold to open it."

"Um… Are you sure?"

It's been a while since I faced the light and I really don't feel like dealing with the… complications that come with taking off my blindfold. But she reassures me with a soft, "Don't worry. I'll make sure the darkness stays where it belongs."

And I trust her enough to believe she really can.

The other room is a small den full of sofas and couches, and she sits me on the one in the corner and places the box in my lap. Since we don't have to worry about troubling Sora's sleep anymore, in a normal speaking voice she says, "Okay, open your eyes."

Hesitantly I reach up to pull away the blindfold, and it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. Naminé made sure to dim the lights and pull the curtains closed, but it still stings. Once I've blinked a few times I look down at her "surprise," and it warms my heart to think that she would put so much effort into something for me.

It's a perfectly wrapped present with red ribbons and a handmade bow.

"Is this really for me?" I ask, as if the hand drawn keyblades and the tag with my name on it aren't enough of a hint.

"Of course, silly," she laughs. "Go ahead. Open it."

I unwrap it carefully to keep from ripping her drawings, and when I open the box I smile for the first time in a while.

Inside are a pair of blue jeans, a black shirt with a high collar and a vest to match. She's even given me a pair of shoes.

"Happy birthday, Riku," she says, and I realize for the first time today that I'm seventeen.

"How did you-"

"It was in Sora's memory." Then she adds, "You have him to thank for this gift, really. It's what he would get you if he could be here."

I smile at this. It doesn't surprise me that Sora can do wonderful things for people even when he's fast asleep.

"Thank you, Naminé."

The next time I find myself watching over Sora's sleep, I say a quiet, "Thank you, Sora." And in my heart I know he's heard me.

When Sora asks where in the world I got such a crazy outfit (he's one to talk) I tell him, "It's because of you that I'm wearing this, you know."

He looks at me curiously and Kairi smiles knowingly, and that's good enough for me.

The End

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