Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Paramore's song Franklin.
Warnings: Shounen-ai, slight swearing.
Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm back with another one-shot songfic! XD Hope you guys enjoy it.
Anything in italics are lyrics.
In Sora's POV:
It was over. Finally, it was all over. And everyone thought that it was all thanks to me, right? Me, the short kid with a goofy personality and brown hair that stuck up in odd angles. Me, Sora. The one who thought that his best friend, more like lover now, would always excel at him in everything. In fact, I still think he does. Even now, as I watch him navigate the gummi ship, I realize that he's a better driver than I am. It's just one more thing to add to the list. It's just one more thing that Riku is better at. One more reason to love him unconditionally.
"Lets go home." Riku said as he grabbed my hand in a comforting manner. I looked at him and smiled. I had to pretend I was happy for him, even if it meant I was hurting inside.
And when we get home, I know we won't be home at all
This place we live, it is not where we belong
But are we really going home Riku? Is this really it? Do we really have to go back to the place we used to call home? I've been away from it for so long that I've forgotten what it's really like on Destiny Island, but I know that I can no longer consider it my home.
And I miss who we were in the town that we could call our own
Going back to get away after everything has changed
I mean, sure, I miss everything we were when we used to live there, but we've both changed so much that I'm not sure we can go back and pretend that we're still the same people we used to be. I don't want to live in a false reality.
Could you remind me of a time when we were so alive?
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
(Everything has changed)
Now Riku is yammering on about something animatedly and I can't help but smile at him for real this time. It's absolutely breathtaking how beautiful he is when he's truly happy. It reminds me of how he was when I first met him. He was always smiling back then, before he got popular and girls started falling all over him. It's funny how I used to think he enjoyed that. That's okay, I understand what he really thought about those girls now. Anyway, seeing him smile the way he's smiling right now is enough to make it worth staying on Destiny Island. If it makes Riku happy, I'll do it for him, and only him.
Could you help me push aside all that I have left behind?
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
Then again, I can't help but think about all of those that we left behind in Radiant Garden. What are they doing now? Do they miss us as much as I miss them? Do you miss them too, Riku?
"We're here." Riku says to me. I nod silently, waiting for false reality to begin
So we stand here now and no one knows us at all
Everyone was thrilled to see me. They were even more thrilled to see Riku. It didn't surprise me. There were all still infatuated with Riku, even if he had never been infatuated with them. I'm not jealous though. There's no reason to be. I know where Riku's heart lies, and it's not with any of our old friends, if you can call them that. He loves me, and I know that he would never love anyone else.
I won't get used to this
I won't get used to being gone
We've only been here for two weeks and I'm already losing my mind. I hate it here. I hate this place, with its people that I hate everything about. I want to go back to Radiant Garden. I want to be with the people that understand what we've both been through. Sure, there's Kairi, but even she doesn't get it. She'll never have a full understanding of what Riku and I went through. I used to think that she was my friend. Now I wonder why I was ever that stupid. All she's done since she's gotten here is cling to Riku. She still does it, and I can't stand it. I know you're happy here Riku, but I don't know how much longer I can stay here without voicing my opinion.
"Sora, we need to talk." Riku said from behind me. I turned to face him.
"What is it?" I ask curiously. Riku looks serious. I wonder if he's found out about how I feel about this place. Is he angry? No, that can't be right. Riku doesn't get angry over trivial things.
And going back won't feel the same if we aren't staying
"You want to go back to Radiant Garden, don't you, Sora?" Riku asked me. I'm surprised that he figured it out so quickly. Then again, he always was more perceptive than me.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I said as I turned away from him. I know that if I let him look into my eyes he would know I was lying.
"Look me in the eye and tell me you're not lying." Riku said as he sat down next to me and cupped my face in his hands so that I had no choice but to look at him. Damn. I've already been caught. He knows I can't lie to him if I'm looking directly at him. I take a deep breath and begin to speak.
"Ok, so I do want to go back…I miss everyone there." I said. Riku just smiles. I'm surprised to say the least. I was expecting to see disappointment.
"Well then, why didn't you just say so?"
"You…you mean we can go back there to visit for a while?!"
Going back to get away after everything has changed
"That's not what I was thinking exactly." Riku trails off uncertainly. Now I'm confused.
"Then what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that we could go to visit…forever" My eyes widened when Riku says this. That was the last thing I expected to hear.
"Y-You mean it?"
"Of course I do."
"But…I thought you loved it here. I thought this place made you happy. I couldn't take that away from you."
"Sora." Riku says as he gently caresses one of my cheeks with calloused fingers. "I'm happy as long as you're happy. To be honest, this place would mean nothing to me if you weren't here." Riku suddenly closed the space between us. I slowly let my eyelids drop, letting his taste and touch consume me.
"Lets go get our things. We can leave as soon as we're done packing." Riku said as he grabbed my hand and led me away.
Could you remind me of a time when we were so alive?
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
(Everything has changed)
As Riku and I began packing our belongings, I started thinking about all of the good times we've had on Destiny Island. This is where Riku and I spent the majority of our childhood. This is where Riku and I first met. This is the place where we shared our first kiss.
"Riku…isn't it funny that we're leaving?" I said. Riku gives me a funny look.
"Think about it. We thought we would live here forever when we were younger, remember?"
"Yeah, I sure do."
"But now…"
Could you help me push aside all that I have left behind?
(Everything has changed)
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
"But now there are things that are more important to us than this place. Am I right?" Riku finishes for me. Once again, he's completely right.
"Yeah…"
"We'll be better off there. There are people on Radiant Garden that are important to us."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." I said.
"You're sure that you want to do this?" Riku asked.
"Of course I am. That is, if you want to go."
"I do as long as it makes you happy." Riku said as he kissed my forehead. "Now lets go, it's late. No one well realize we're gone until morning."
Taking up our time
Riku and I quietly got in the boat. The gummi ship was on the island we used to spend our days as kids. We would be there in no time.
Taking up our time
There it was; the gummi ship. We were so close. We were going home. We were going to our real home.
Taking up our time
Riku had started the gummi ship. We would be leaving soon. When I was at the door of the gummi ship, I turned to look at the island one last time. The darkened waves beat against the side of the boat Riku and I had taken to get here, illuminated only by the full moon. As I looked up at the sky, I realized that I would miss looking up at the stars every night in the warm, grainy sand on those hot summer nights. I knew there were stars in Radiant Garden, but it wouldn't be the same. There was no sand in Radiant Garden, nor was it warm during the night during any season.
"Are you okay?" Riku asked me. I nod slowly.
"Yeah, I'm just remembering all of the great times we had here."
"Are you sure you want to leave?"
It's taking up our time again
Go back we can't go back at all
"I am." I said quietly.
"You realize that once we leave, we can never come back, right?" Riku warns me. I'm pretty sure he knows that I've already realized this, but he's just reminding me. I know he doesn't want me to regret my decision.
"Yeah, I know."
"Then lets go, if we stay much longer someone's bound to come looking for us." Riku said as he grabbed my hand, leading me into the gummi ship. He's driving again. I don't mind. I'm kind of tired anyway. I can feel the gummi ship start. It won't be long now until we're home.
It's taking up our time again
Go back we can't go back at all
We're finally here! Radiant Garden! The place where Riku and I would live out the rest of our lives, surrounded by people that love and care about us. I could see Leon and Cloud. The must be on night patrol. The looked curious as to why we're here. I can't wait to tell them that we've come to stay for good.
It's taking up our time again
Go back we can't go back at all
Riku and I have only been here for a month, but we're already so much happier. I love having Riku wake me up in the early mornings. We often watch the sun rise, wrapped in each other's arms contently. The sight of the morning sun here is different from what it was on the island, but it's still just as beautiful.
It's taking up our time, taking up our time
And as we sit and gaze up at the stars, I realize that Destiny Island, where all of my childhood memories lie, isn't very far away after all. In a way, I'm gazing up at the same stars I did all of those years ago. I've come to realize that although human beings don't have much time, their memories and feelings are, in a sense, endless.
Could you remind me of a time when we were so alive?
Do you remember that? Do you remember that?
Author's Note: Hope you guys enjoyed this! Please leave reviews! I crave feedback!)