Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. This is purely a work of fiction. It's been several years since I've attempted to sit down and write a fanfic, preferring more interactive writing such as roleplaying these days, but the idea has been stuck in my head for weeks and I just ran with it. The first few chapters are a bit obscure, and I assure you, it's entirely intentional. If you happen to figure out what's going on, please keep it to yourself or send me a private massage about it, don't ruin the surprise for the other readers who haven't. There are at least TWO major plot twists awaiting you in this fic, so I won't be providing any warnings or tags for this story outside the usual M/M romance. As always, if you enjoyed, please leave a review and let me know. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and I'll do my best to have the next chapter up and ready for reading by late next week.
Summary: Fate is often labeled as a harsh mistress with a cruel sense of humor, but on one particular night, after praying long and hard, fortune smiles upon Sora, or so he believes. Meeting Riku in the dead of night sure felt like a miracle. Riku was alone, and he liked it that way. He has no idea what to make of this quirky little angel that was metaphorically dropped into his lap, or the strange, new feelings he evokes in him. Even so, the obvious complications with their relationship aside, Riku is reluctant to let him go. At least... until he too is reminded of Fate's unforgiving hand.
Pairing:RixSo
Rating: M(For later chapters)
Chapter 1: Windows to the Soul
It was an exceptionally cold winter night, deep in the heart of Destiny City. The hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers had died down hours ago, all gone home to wrap gifts, celebrate, and tuck themselves into their nice warm beds, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Christmas morning- only a short week away. The shops were all closed now, their windows dark, and the carolers had long since retreated from the bitter night air, satisfied that their merry voices had brought some joy to the world tonight. Even the park, with its naked treetops webbed with thousands of twinkling white lights and a fresh layer of beautiful snow blanketing the ground, was deserted at this lonely hour.
There were no horse drawn carriages clattering along the cobble stone path, no wayward couples huddled close together for warmth as they walked, basking in the overwhelming love and happiness this season seemed to evoke in everyone. All was calm, and all was quiet.
But there was someone who dared to brave the cold tonight, or perhaps foolish enough to try. Sitting alone on a secluded bench with his head tipped back and his eyes closed, Riku listened to the silence of the world around him, broken only by the sound of his slow, even breaths and the rhythmic beat of his heart. He couldn't quite discern how long he'd been sitting there, contemplating his existence, and life in general, but it was long enough that the bite of each errant snowflake that fell from the sky to land upon his pale cheeks was no longer felt.
He'd come here for some peace, to escape the streets crowded with busy shoppers and laughing children. To forget this wretched holiday as a whole. See, Riku didn't celebrate Christmas, or Hanukkah, or any of those other ridiculous days people merely used as an excuse to splurge their money and gorge themselves with festive foods. As a matter of fact, he openly hated this time of year. The only reason he was even out and about in this ungodly weather was because of all the ruckus going on around him, right outside the only sanctuary he knew.
He much rather would have preferred to remain asleep.
Unmoving and lost deep in his own thoughts, the young man, appearing no older than 21 despite the unusual silver coloration of his long hair, had no intention of moving from his spot until the skies began to brighten with the promise of morning. Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't even move then. Perfectly content with that idea, it came as a shock when something warm, soft, and fuzzy brushed against his cheek. Startled, Riku's eyes snapped open and he lifted his head to identify what had touched him. He blinked in confusion at the green and yellow striped scarf-wool by the look and texture of it- a few scant inches from his face.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, but I wasn't sure if you were just sleeping, or if the cold had gotten to you," came a soft voice from behind the scarf.
Puzzled, the silver haired man leaned over to catch a glimpse of the voice's owner and was surprised to see a boy. Barely 5 feet tall with the most unruly brown hair sticking up in every drection, he stood there with a friendly smile and warm, expectant blue eyes. Even in the dark, Riku could tell they were the color of the ocean, and just as deep. "I'm... I'm sorry?" Riku replied, for lack of anything better to say, his voice raspy from disuse.
"Here." The scarf was offered to him again, the pleasant aroma of sandalwood and hints of cinnamon tantalizing Riku's nose.
"Ah... No thank you. I'm fine, really."
"Come on now," the brunet insisted, grabbing the ends of the scarf and looping it around the silverette's neck before he could protest any further. "You don't have to be stubborn, it's 14 degrees out and you've been out here a long time. You'll catch your death if you don't bundle up."
If Riku wasn't so confused by the kindness of this complete stranger, he would have laughed. "Are you stalking me or something?" He asked. "And what about you? Won't you be cold now?"
"N-no, of course not!" the boy replied with a laugh. "I came through here a couple hours ago and I saw you sitting there. Judging by the snow on your coat, you haven't moved an inch since then." As if he needed proof of this, Riku glanced down at his black pea coat and grunted in amusement. "And I'm actually on my way home right now, so I don't really need it."
"...I see."
"My name's Sora, by the way," the brunet continued, that smile and those eyes brightening in the hope that he would receive a name in return.
"...Riku," the silverette replied warily, seeing no harm in giving the boy that much.
"Ri-ku," Sora parroted, testing the name for himself. "That's a nice name." Then he leaned forward slightly, those cerulean eyes squinting through the dark to get a better look at him. Riku was quick to advert his own, and even though he was no longer looking at him, he could tell that a pout had formed on Sora's lips. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Riku!" And just like that, the disappointment was gone from his face and he was back to smiling like nothing was amiss.
"Likewise, Sora." With all the pleasantries out of the way, the silverette thought for sure that the boy would bid him goodnight and be on his way. The long minute of awkward silence that followed indicated otherwise. Quirking a brow, he looked up at the brunet just in time to watch his head tilt to the side.
"It's awfully late, you know. Are you waiting for someone?"
"Hm? Oh... No, I'm not waiting for anyone. I just came here to get away from the noise for a while." Why was he even still talking to this kid? If he had his wits about him, he would thank him for the scarf and shoo him along before things got... complicated.
"I don't blame you. It gets to me too sometimes, but it's gotten pretty quiet now. You might want to think about heading home before you freeze to death."
Riku tried very hard to mask his grimace at the mention of 'home', but it either wasn't enough, or Sora was very astute. "I'll... take it into consideration. Thank you."
"Unless," Sora said after a moment, as he tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat. "Unless you'd like to join me for a cup of hot chocolate."
"What?" Riku asked, confounded. "Why?"
"Wwwwhy hot cocoa, or why am I am I offering?" The brunet was not only smiling now, but grinning, and Riku could see it in his eyes that his question amused him.
"Both? I'm a complete stranger. You don't know the first thing about me, but you give me your scarf and then ask me out for hot chocolate?"
"You're not a complete stranger," Sora corrected. "I know plenty about you already." At the silver haired male's skeptical look, he elaborated. "You're name is Riku, you're a nice—maybe a bit shy—guy, you're out here all by yourself and you're obviously cold."
"I never said that I was cold."
"You accepted my scarf, didn't you?"
"You didn't give me much of a choice in the matter."
"But you didn't exactly put up much of a fight, either."
"I could be a serial rapist." Riku's lips twitched in an effort to stifle his smirk. The sudden redirection causing the brunet to pause and regroup his thoughts. He didn't expect the boy to giggle, the sound so light and airy that Riku couldn't help but smile this time.
"So could I."
"I could be a vampire, waiting out here for some foolish sap like you to happen along." Why the hell was he even humoring him? He came out here to be alone. The last thing he had wanted, or expected, was to have his night of solitary skulking interrupted by a guy he would have made pains to avoid in any other situation. Still...
Normally, he didn't have to go very far out of his way to distance himself from normal people. They gave him all the space he needed all on their own. His mysterious aura alone was enough to have them adverting their eyes and walking past him at a brisk pace. He could honestly say this was the first time anyone was bold enough to approach him of their own volition. Perhaps it was only his own curiosity that kept his interest in this boy piqued. Perhaps it was something else entirely, but he couldn't deny that he found the playful banter between the two of them... refreshing.
"Well~," Sora said, derailing his thoughts. "I suppose there are worse ways to go." Astounded by the brunet's statement, Riku simply stared. "Now come on, let's go get some hot cocoa. It'll be my treat."
Riku wasn't given a chance to protest or delay any further when the peppy little brunet took him by the wrist. The older male most definitely could have resisted, but he found himself drawn to his feet before the implications of his actions fully sank in. In that brief moment of contact, the silverette could feel the slight tremor in the boy's hand, and he chanced a quick glance up at his face. Detecting no hint of nervousness in Sora's expression, Riku realized that Sora was cold. The tip of his small nose was red and his cheeks were flushed with windburn. Before he could get a better look, the brunet had dropped his arm and stuffed his unprotected hands back into his pockets.
"You're not from around here, are you?" Sora asked as they began to walk, the question sounding more like an observation.
"Not necessarily, no. Is it that obvious?"
"I've just never seen you around before, that's all," the brunet replied with a smile.
"That's awfully presumptuous of you, unless you know everyone in the city."
"Not everyone, but most everyone on this side. I've got a knack for remembering faces, and I'm pretty sure, even as dark as it is outside, I would have recognized you from a mile away if I'd seen you before."
"And now you're flirting with me?" Riku was only teasing, but when he glanced over, he was certain that Sora's cheeks had reddened further, and he wasn't entirely convinced it was from the cold. He chuckled.
"Yes, because I make a habit of picking up oddballs like you at the park in the middle of the night," Sora joked with a laugh. Up ahead, he could see the bright glow of street lamps, indicating that they were about to exit the park, and hurried his pace. Riku's longer legs easily matched him stride for stride.
"Maybe you are a serial rapist," the silverette quipped, earning him a snort of amusement from the shorter male.
"Or maybe you're just paranoid and I'm just a nice guy out for a stroll and saw an opportunity to make a new friend." Looking both ways, even though the streets were hardly crowded with motorists at this hour, Sora crossed the street with the bewildered silverette in tow.
"You want to be friends with an utter stranger, why?" Riku inquired once they reached the sidewalk on the other side.
"I thought we covered this already. We're not strangers anymore. Besides, even the best of friendships start out just like we did, with a hopeful heart and a leap of faith." Sora did have a point there, so Riku didn't argue further, just smiled, rolled his eyes, and shook his head. The boy was nothing if not smart, witty, and charming. Those qualities weren't all that different from what he saw in those he labeled his 'friends', but there was something else... There was something that set this boy worlds apart from them, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it just yet.
"So where are you taking me, exactly?" Riku asked as they rounded a corner. "In case you haven't noticed, everything is closed."
"You really aren't from around here. Look, there." Sora's hand emerged from his pocket to point down the street and Riku's eyes followed, landing on a large bay window of a small, antique looking building. Inside looked warm and inviting, the lights dim, but welcoming enough to draw in the occasional straggler. A pair of young women up ahead opened the door to enter, further proving the place was still open for business. "Merlin's is easily one of the most popular cafe's in the city, and open until 3 a.m.. Their hot chocolate is so good it's almost magical."
By the time Sora had finished providing this information, they were standing out front. The brunet hurried to open and hold the door for Riku, ushering him in before they let in too much of the cold. A wave of warmth washed over the silverette as soon as he stepped in, the sudden change in temperature making him shiver. The ambient atmosphere of soft light absorbed by rich red walls and mahogany tables, and the aromatic scent of fresh brewed coffee was pleasant to Riku's senses to say the least. He made a mental note to come here again, regardless if their beverages were as good as Sora claimed.
"Why don't you go find us a seat and I'll get our drinks," Sora suggested as he brushed past him in the direction of the counter, already shouldering out of his coat. Riku had been so engrossed in taking in the tranquility of his surroundings that he'd almost forgotten that he wasn't alone. Silently, the older male acquiesced and went in search of a table. At this hour, he had plenty to choose from, deciding on one in the opposite corner of the table the two girls that had entered before them were seated at. Only one other customer was present, an older gentleman with square shoulders and graying hair sitting a few tables away, but he was too preoccupied with his evening reading material to even glance up as Riku passed.
"Here you go."
"Hm?" Riku was drawn away from his scrutiny of the large, odd painting of a knight battling a dragon on the wall beside him a few minutes later and took the proffered cup of what was no doubt piping hot chocolate. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Sora beamed as he sank down into the chair across from him and immediately attempted to take a sip from his own cup.
"They don't call it hot chocolate for nothing, you know," the silverette admonished with a chuckle when the boy hissed in obvious pain, his taste buds scorched by the scalding liquid.
Over the next hour, the two of them sipped their drinks, Riku much more slowly, and talked. Well, Sora did most of it, Riku simply listening unless he was asked a question. In such a short time, he learned quite a bit about Sora, and yet... nothing at all. He talked about the holidays and his plans, how this winter was one of the worst they'd had in a long time, and about completely random topics the silverette had no idea how they stumbled upon, but he didn't really learn anything about him. Questions like how old he was, where he lived, or what his favorite color was burned in the back of Riku's mind, but the brunet avoided revealing anything too personal about himself. Instead, he grilled his acquaintance, asking him little things, like how long he'd been in town, if he was staying or just visiting, and how he was liking it so far.
Riku was happy to accommodate him with short, simple answers. He admitted that he had been there for a total of three days, wasn't sure if he was staying or going yet, and he reserved the right to withhold his judgment until after the holidays when things quieted down. All in all, the two of them were hitting it off rather well—to his astonishment- and they hadn't yet run out of things to talk about. The silverette would even go so far as to say he was openly enjoying Sora's company tonight. If only it wasn't for one little detail that had him on the brink of squirming in his seat with discomfort.
Sora was desperately trying to make eye contact with him. Something Riku had valiantly avoided since they'd met.
Riku tried to keep his gaze lowered to the cup he held in his hands; but it was becoming increasingly difficult not to look up when Sora was speaking to him. There was just something about his voice that called for his full, undivided attention, and resisting almost felt like trying to fight back the ocean's tide. Every time he slipped, those sapphire hues would be waiting to zero in and he'd have to quickly advert his gaze back to his cup. The whole process would then start over again, like some kind of game. He only hoped the brunet was getting a kick out of it, because he sure wasn't.
Suddenly, Sora went quiet across from him, but Riku didn't dare investigate. Two could play at this, and he was too stubborn to lose this time. Because of this, Riku nearly jumped out of his chair when a small hand reached over the table and flicked him on the forehead. It was a rather bold move for someone he'd only met an hour ago, but it had the desired effect. The older male's head shot up in surprise, eyes wide, and he instantly regretted it when Sora sucked in an audible breath and abruptly retracted his hand as if he'd been bitten.
And this impromptu evening had been going so well, too...
"I-I'm... sorry," the brunet stuttered after a long moment of silence. Riku had long since turned his head, sparing the boy from having to look any longer.
"You don't have to apologize," he muttered under his breath, deciding that the sleeve of his coat was much more fascinating than the shocked expression on the boy's face. Then again, who was he kidding? This was better, wasn't it? Sora's curiosity was appeased, and after a short, awkward farewell, they would go their separate ways before assumptions were made and Riku's hopes rose any higher that he could even pretend to be normal for a change.
"...Here I was thinking I was boring you, until I realized you had yet to look me in the eye since we met, and you were doing it deliberately," Sora's soft voice rang out eventually. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to react like that, it just took me by surprise, is all." The brunet was articulating his words carefully, speaking to the man across from him as if he were a frightened animal and one wrong move would send him running for the door.
"I'm used to it," Riku replied. "They make a lot of people uncomfortable."
"Hey now, I wouldn't go so far as to say they make me uncomfortable, especially when I only got a peek. I just wasn't expecting something so... different." There was another pause, this one longer than all the others- in which Riku used to read the contact information on the side of his cup fifteen times. "...Well?"
"Well what?" Again, Riku was tempted to look up.
"Well, are you going to let me have another look?"
Riku blinked, unsure of how to respond, or what to do. Was there something seriously wrong with this kid, or what? He'd only just finished telling him that his eyes made people uncomfortable, and he wanted to look again? He was trying to salvage what he could of this lovely night, not wreck it further.
"And if I said no?" From across the table, the silverette heard the brunet heave an exasperated sigh and fought the urge to chuckle.
"Are you always this stubborn, or am I just lucky?"
Without looking, it was difficult to discern if Sora was amused or annoyed. Either way, Riku knew he'd been beat by the clever brunet. With a sigh of his own, his shoulders drooped in humble defeat and he slowly lifted his head. Struggling against the habit a lifetime in the making, the silverette forced his eyes to meet the others. In doing so, he was able to detect every nuance of the boy's reaction, from the slight parting of soft looking, slightly chapped lips, to the widening of those deep cerulean orbs. Up until now, Riku had no idea just how blue they actually were, and so expressive, too.
"I don't think I've ever seen such a unique set of eyes in my life," Sora murmured, transfixed by the spectacle in front of him. "They're so... green." And not just green, like deep forest green, or a soft olive green that was most common, but light green. They were so light that they reminded Sora of the winter's first frost blanketing a grassy meadow, or seafoam, and even in the poor lighting the cafe provided, they were unnaturally bright.
Riku stared back in awe, barely blinking. Sora didn't appear to be frightened, repulsed, or even slightly unsettled by this new revelation about him. If that wasn't odd enough, the longer neither one of them made an attempt to look away, the more Riku found himself not wanting to. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he could hear Sora speaking to him, and that was when it clicked. That something that Sora had that set him apart from everyone else, even his closest, most trusted friends, was so clear now that he wasn't sure how he'd ever missed it. They all lacked one thing that this boy had an overabundance of...
Innocence.
Across the table from him sat what had to be the purest soul Riku had ever encountered in the entirety of his long, miserable life.