Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts

You're gonna miss me when I'm gone.

One


Riku sat in his classroom, staring out the window. He had obtained the title of Keyblade Master a few months ago after having the Mark of Mastery Exam with Sora. Ever since then, the silverette hasn't had any time to himself between his school work and constant research on the origin of the Organization. He has been up almost every night or the past month trying to find some kind of connection. And within that research, was more research about the dream world he and Sora were in for the exam. Since that existed, Riku had been trying to make sense of the idea of using the dream world as a prison. But as usual his research wasn't getting too far. Running a hand through his short silver locks, a sigh escaped his lips.
"Any luck last night?"
Riku's green eyes shifted to his right where a red headed teen was side glancing at him from behind his textbook.
"Nothing this time either...this is starting to become a pain, Axel..."
The red head clicked his teeth and retorted with the fact that his name was "Lea" and he should "get it memorized". Riku rolled his eyes. He would always see the former nobody as Axel, since that's the name that was drilled into his head.
"Listen, I keep offering you my help, but you keep shooting me down." Axel hissed from his desk.
"That's because I want to do this myself. As a keyblade master, I have to figure things out on my own-"
"And look how far you've gotten."
Riku grunted and turned away from the redhead. He didn't want to hear him talk. The information Axel had wasn't good enough. Xehanort had kept something from almost all the members of the Organization. Riku had no idea what it was. His plans were already cracked a bit back when it was Riku's turn to save Sora. But ever since then, the new master has had dreams of Roxas and another boy who looked exactly like Roxas, only he had a different heart. And the other boy seemed to have gone. Like his heart was forever asleep.
"But how do I figure that out?!" Riku exclaimed to himself as he clutched his head.
"Is there a problem, Riku?"
The silverette looked up. The whole class was looking at him in confusion. His teacher approached his desk and asked him if he needed to step out. Riku shook his head and apologized. He hasn't been sleeping very well for the past month.
"Then you should sleep. Are you sure you do not need to step out?" His teacher put a hand on his shoulder.
"Dude, you look like crap. Maybe you should take teacher's advice and go home." Axel chirped from his desk.
Riku glared at Axel. But he knew he was right. The young keyblade master nodded at his teacher, who smiled and wrote him a note to give to his father when he got home that he was excused from school the rest of the day.
"I can't believe I just did that." Riku mumbled to himself as he went to his locker to change his shoes and grab his bag.
The silverette continued to mumble to himself mindlessly on his way home. He really needed some sleep. But he still had many things to do. Slowly walking home, the keyblade master stopped by a small coffee shop. He nodded to the waitress that normally served him. A small sigh of relief washed over him. He sat himself on a bar stool near the cake display and waited for his coffee. The young woman placed the mug in front of him with a piece of chocolate cake.
"Riku dear, what are you doing here at this time? Shouldn't you be in school with Sora?" The waitress asked.
Riku shook his head. He told her about not being able to sleep, going to school completely drained, and practically living on coffee and sugar.
"I see, so your teacher cut you a break. Well you are the top student of your class so that was nice. Too bad, I was going to ask you to tutor Sora today after school." She pulled out her phone.
"I am sorry then. But after my little burst during class I don't think I could even think straight while looking at a text book and your son's school work..." Riku took a sip of his coffee.
The silverette smiled as the woman as she patted his head. Sora's mom was a hard worker. She owned this little cafe that Riku, Sora, and Kairi have been going to that cafe ever since they were little for treats. The woman looked up from her phone.
"Riku. Not to be a brood, but where have you been the past summer?"
Riku looked up. He told his best friend's mom that his dad took Sora and himself on a camping trip to another chained island off the mainland where the resorts were. Riku hated lying to her since she was so nice and like a mother to him, but he had to keep the other worlds a secret .
Plus Yen Sid won't have my head for it...he though as he took a bite out of his cake.
"Speaking of your father, how are things at home?"
"Usual stuff, never home, house is empty when I get out if school. And when he is home he's normally sleeping or in his office." Riku replied flatly at the mention of his father.
Sora's mom sighed. She told him that his father was a hard working man and was trying to keep the money flowing so Riku could have whatever his wanted. The silverette shrugged. His father works for Kairi's father. So it was always business, Riku couldn't remember the last time he actually sat down in the same room a his father for more than ten minutes.
"He's not the only one who's been busy with politics..."
"What was that, dear?"
"...nothing. I think I'll head home now. Thank you for the coffee and cake." Riku stood and reached for his wallet when the waitress stopped him.
"Riku, you're like a second son to me. So, put that away and head home. You need rest; you've got purple bags under your eyes."
Riku thanked her before turning to the door. Sora's mom called out that she'd stop by his house later to give him some dinner with Sora. Waving, the silverette walked out of the cafe and headed down the street. He walked towards the shore where he would follow a stone path to his large house.
Pulling out his keys, he unlocked the door and took off his shoes. If it weren't for the windows the house would have been completely dark. Turning on the lights, Riku popped his head into the kitchen where he saw that the back door was open. Walking toward it, he saw the house maid tending to the garden. Riku called out to her that he was home before turning back into the dark house and trekking upstairs to his room. Placing his bag on his desk, Riku perched himself onto his bed and sighed. How was he going to fall asleep if he had so much in his mind? Staring at the ceiling, he reached his hand up and stated at it. What did he have to do? More research, school work, and he had to train.
"Ugh this is annoying..." Riku hissed at his hand.
Closing his eyes, he decided that he might as well should try to get some sleep. He had to go to school tomorrow and he could use the nap to rid of those bags that Sora's mom was talking about. Breathing deeply, the teen felt his body sink into the cushions of his bed and his heart rate slow down. Maybe he could actually get some sleep.


A soft knock on the door caused Riku to look up from his book. Glancing at the clock he realized that it was about dinner time. Granting access to whoever was at the door, the silverette's eyes when back to his book.
"Master Riku, Sora's mother arrived with some food." The maid said standing at his doorway.
"Alright, I'll be right down." Riku closed the book and carried it downstairs with him.
Sora's mother was smiling at him as he approached the dinning room. The maid had fetched him a plate and some water before heading off to do laundry.
"You look well rested," Sora's mother stated as he served himself.
"I'm happy is listened to my teacher and Ax-Lea...in coming home to sleep. I needed that." Riku opened his book as he ate and tried to find the sentence he left off at.
"What's that you're reading? It looks like a college text book."
"It is actually." Riku lifted the book to show Sora's mom the cover.
The book was titled "the theory of dreams". There were many tales and theories about dreams and the mind. But it was the old tales that interested Riku. They all talked about this one world that was like a parallel universe, but when a person was in it, it would be him alone and his memories created this world that he could manipulate to his own pleasure. He was really trying to figure out how it all connected to Castle Oblivion and the dream world he was put into a few months ago. He was having trouble with making a connection of what Xehanort was trying to do. With every heart there was a heartless; with every dream there is a dreamer. With every Nobody there is a Somebody. So why was this so difficult?!
"Riku, honey. You're making a face."
Riku blinked and his face relaxed. That's was one thing he inherited from his dad; Whenever he became deep in thought, his brows will go down and his lips would purse into a thin line. Putting the book aside, the teens finished his food and drank his water.
"So, I'm shocked Sora didn't tag along." Riku said.
Sora's mom shrugged. Her son wanted to, but she put him to work with house chores while she was cooking. Riku chuckled. Sora hated doing house work, but he didn't argue with his mom so he did it anyway.
"I'm going to see him tomorrow anyway." The silverette sighed.
"Even after all these years he's so excited to see you."
Riku smiled a bit. If only Sora's mom knew all they've been through maybe then she'd understand why. But he still had to keep that secret, even if it killed him a little inside.
"Ah, so I see that we have a guest."
Riku and Sora's mom turned to the voice. There stood Riku's father dressed in a black suit, with files in his hands.
"Hello there, Daisuke!"
"Nice to see you, Aoi."
Riku continued to sip his water and looked down at his book. Sora's mother glanced over at the teen and asked if he was going to greet his father.
"Father." Riku addressed before turning back to his book.
"Always studying. That's my boy." Daisuke placed the files next to Riku before heading into the living room with his cell phone in his hands. The maid emerged from the kitchen with a cup of tea and brought it to the politician.
"Riku, why did you come home so early?" The teen's father asked.
Riku repeated the story that he told to Sora's mother to his father. Daisuke hmm'ed as he listen to Riku.
"Very well, seeing as though you have slept the whole day you seem to be fit for classes tomorrow."
"Yes." Riku replied dryly.
"Aoi, thank you for bringing my son dinner and going through all the trouble of coming here." Riku's father called from the living room.
"Oh it's not problem!" Sora's mom replied back with a smile.
"If that's all I'll be heading to my room now." Riku announced grabbing his book and standing.
Aoi stood as well and kissed Riku's forehead before saying goodnight and walking towards the door. Riku followed her out and wished her goodnight. Walking back into the house, he heard his father on the phone and just continued to walk upstairs to his room.