Title: Simple and Clean
Author: Cold Silence
E-Mail: Cold
Pairings: Riku + Sora + Kairi
Warnings: This story is slightly AU. I wrote it on a whim one day.
I wasn't the first guy to get stranded on Destiny Island. Lots of kids before me have woken up on the beach, confused and wondering what in the world was going on.
You get pretty bored here, you know. That's why we're always playing games. King of the Hill, Last One Out, Tag, you name it, and we've probably done it a thousand and one times and changed it around a billion and one ways. We have way too much time on our hands. Sometimes we get a little competitive, and whoever wins the most games pretty much gets to be the Island Champion of the day. My record for being the Champ is two months in a row, which pretty much makes me the head honcho around here. Everyone tries to beat me, but they can't. I rule all.
There was this one guy though who broke my winning streak. I remember when we found Sora washed up on the beach. Man, he had on some goofy red pants. Just like the rest of us, he couldn't remember anything, but you would think that was the least of his problems the way he carries on around here.
Sora was the best thing that happened to Destiny Island. Everytime there was a game, he would play, and he would put everything he got into winning. I was starting to get bored of winning all the time, but then there would be Sora, always challenging me and almost beating me each time. I wanted to see him do it. I wanted him to beat me so that I could learn to be stronger too.
And he was such a blockhead too. It was so easy to goad Sora into doing anything that you wanted. "Hey Sora, want to jump over the 50ft cliff into the water?" "Gee I don't know Riku, it looks high..." "What, are you chicken?" "No way! I'm jumping first!" Hook, line, and sinker every time. I couldn't spend ten seconds with Sora without laughing my butt off.
You had to really watch out for him though. I guess after being Champion for so long, I got used to seeing myself as their real leader, so I felt responsible for anything that happened to them. Sora was the worst. He was voted Most Likely to Drown 10 times, Most Likely To Crack His Head Open on a Rock 15, and Most Likely To Fall Off the Balcony, Bounce Off the Coconut Tree and Land in the Well 30 times. He really hated us saying it too, but you had to admit, it was true. He was a walking disaster.
It was because he was such a kid. I mean, we are all kids, but Sora is the Kid of All Kids. Whenever someone cracked a joke that was a little on the off-color side, it would go way over his head. And don't even get me started on how he is with girls. The guy was always totally clueless. But those are things you come to like about him. You never have to worry about what Sora is thinking, because you can just look in his face and know.
I talk about him a lot, don't I? It's because he can grow on anybody like a fungus. Sometimes, we have our moments where we wonder, what if one of us were to disappear off the island, the same way we all got here? Then I picture Sora being the first to go, because he's the loudest, and I realize that I would miss him too much. He's like my little brother --
"Riiiiiku, are you done writing yet."
"No."
Sora made an exasperated sound before flopping dramatically into the sand. Night had fallen on Destiny Island, and there was an unusual show of fireflies dancing in the calm wind. Laughter could be heard in the distance, as the other children chased the fluttering insects with nets.
"Everyone's started catching fireflies already."
"Then go join them."
"Aaaaw I can beat all of them." There was no denying the bravado in Sora's voice. As he lied on his back, he gazed up at the pinpoints of starlight that decorated the sky. With the makeshift butterfly net that he had in his hands, he whipped it through the air, pretending that he could catch the celestial bodies in the net. "What are you writing in that stupid book anyway?"
"I am writing about all the times I beat you." A hint of a smile curled a corner of Riku's lips. Thoughout Sora's bellyaching, he had not bothered to look up from where he was scribbling on the blank pages. He didn't feel like telling his friend that he simply felt like writing instead of playing any games that night.
"You haven't won that many times!" Sora twisted himself around from the ground and made a grap for the book. Riku nimbly lifted it out of his reach, his expression mocking in its complacency. "Let me see that!"
"You want this book?" Keeping a finger tucked into the right page, he used the book to guesture towards a palm tree in the distance. It was situated on another inlet, surrounding by water on one end and beach in the other. "My record for running to that tree, getting a paopu fruit and getting back to this dock is 4 minutes, 32 seconds. Think you can beat that?"
Immediately, Sora was on his feet. Sand fell from his red pants in copious amounts, which caused Riku to cover his cerulean eyes before any of the grains fell in them. "You bet I can beat that!"
"Oh yah? Then lets see you do it. I'll keep count here while you run. Ready?" Sora got into a crouching position. "SET-GO."
The butterfly net that Sora was holding clattered noisily on the sandy dock as he dropped it. He took a flying leap off the wood, landed on the sandy bank, and continued to run like a bat out of hell.
Riku cupped a hand over his mouth to yell at the retreating figure. "YOU'LL HAVE TO RUN FASTER THAN THAT SAND BUTT."
I don't know who started the stupid paopu fruit story. I can't even remember who gave this island its name. But I guess a Destiny Island has got to have its Destiny fruit huh? So cheesy.
I've been trying to get Sora to give Kairi a paopu fruit forever. It is so obvious that he likes her, but he's too thick-headed to realize it. She was the last one who washed up on this island. She is the sweetest, most pretty girl around here, and she follows Sora around like glue.
I really like Kairi too, but nothing makes her smile the way Sora does. I can't blame her, because I can see how much they're both so much the same, even though Kairi isn't as dumb. She's just like Sora in that, she can't seem to lie. She is what she is. I like everybody here, but sometimes we get so wrapped up in our games and our lonliness and our constant wondering as to why we are here that we don't really act like ourselves. I know I have that problem. I guess sometimes I come off as cocky and standoffish because of it, but Sora and Kairi always see right through me.
If I ever leave this island, I don't want to go without either of them. They are so.. they are just.. simple and clean you know. Just being with them makes you better. I don't know how to explain it. Sometimes, I wonder if we're all here because nobody wanted us. How can we be stuck out here for so long without anybody finding us? Where are our parents? Where are our families? Doesn't anyone care? Then I think, even if there is anybody out there, I don't care about them either for letting this happen to me. We've been living here just fine all on our own. We play everyday and nothing ever gets too complicated.
But then I see Sora always looking out into the ocean, and how he sometimes talks to Kairi about not remembering anything. He's always wondering about what's out there. It's like this island is not big enough for him (or his pants), and Kairi feels the same way. It's because of them that I'm finally starting to feel the same way. Like I need to get out of here. But not without them. Sometimes I feel that if I'm not with them, I'll become someone worse, because no one will see through me and remind me that.. there are people who are thinking of me.
Even if it means Sora will spend less time with me while he's with Kairi, even if it means that I might get a little lonely in the process, I want them to be together. I want them both to grow up a little bit, so I can tell them my feelings instead of writing them.
Sora returned to the deck huffing and puffing, and collapsed to his knees with the star-shaped paopu fruit in his hands. Through his choked gasps, he managed to sputter a sentence. "Did.. did I.. win...!"
Riku, wearing a look that was almost bored, closed the journal he was writing in. "4 minutes, 32 seconds."
The other boy's mouth dropped to the ground. A draw? It was a draw! He very nearly face faulted sideways into the ground, but he stopped himself at a slant since wooden docks are not good impact absorbers. "That's not fair."
"Lots of things in life aren't fair, Sora." The journal was placed aside, and he stood up to walk to the kneeling Sora. Crouching beside him, he took the paopu fruit from his slack hands and held it up. "Did you give one to Kairi yet?"
"Tidus says the paopu fruit tastes nasty. I'm not giving something to Kairi that tastes bad." As usual, he either seemed to masterfully avoid the topic that Riku was trying to broach, or completely miss the point due to his innocent ignorance. Riku was still hard pressed to guess which one it was.
"Hm." Riku gave the yellow fruit a look, before taking a bite out of one of its pointed edges. He chewed the flesh, and made thoughtful faces as he exaggerated the mastication process before swallowing it. "It tastes great to me."
"Then you give it to her, you're the one always talking about it." Annoyance crept into his features. "Are you going to catch fireflies or what? Are you done writing yet?"
"You're only going to lose."
"Will not!"
"Will too."
"Will not--"
"Sora, what's that on your face?"
"What? What is it?" Frantically, he began to pat his face down. The island was known for the occassional spider or insect that tended to crawl in unwanted places.
"Oh my god, it just went into your mouth!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAA GET IT OUT! Pffft pffft!"
"Hold still! I think I can get it out." Sora obediently held his mouth open, tongue lolling over his lower lip. His brows were scrunched up in an expression of discomfort.
"Huwway aap! Gheeh eeeh ouu!"
"I can't get it out if you keep talking." Riku's exotically shaped eyes took on a slant of mischief as he came closer. "I see it. Look at it crawling all over your tonsils. That's really nasty."
"Gheee eeh ouu!"
"Sssh. This calls for a delicate operation." At Sora's terrified look, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Hold still. This won't hurt. Much."
"Eeehchuu..." A sense of foreboding fell over Sora as Riku began to get close. Too close. When his face was a few inches away, Sora withdrew his tongue to speak normally. "Riku, what are you -- "
As soon as Sora began to get reluctant, Riku took another small, quick bite of the paopu fruit and lurched fowards. His free hand caught the back of Sora's head, and he muffled his surprised squawk with the sideways press of his lips over his.
Sora jerked once at the surprise contact, his blue eyes wide and incredulous. He felt Riku's tongue shove the tidbit of paopu fruit towards the back of his throat, and reflexively gagged and pushed his hands against Riku's shoulders. Relentless, Riku pressed his tongue deeper until Sora swallowed the fruit, which occured very noisily.
The unchewed paopu burned on its way down, and Sora could only concentrate on the heavy sensation of it traveling down his esophagus instead of Riku's lingering kiss. Relief came when it finally got to his stomach, and Riku could feel the shiver that came with it on his lips.
Their mouths made the soft sound of wet skin detaching itself as he pulled away, his eyes lidded with an emotion that was lost on Sora. The other boy grimaced with one hand placed over his chest, his moist lips curled with unhappiness. "What did you do that for?"
For a few moments, Riku merely gave Sora a hard look. The other's large eyes were watering over as he fought the instinct to cough. "Now we're destined to stay together."
"Cough, what?" Confusion clouded over his face. He was used to Riku's roughhousing, but this was very different than his usual attacks. He was trying to figure out what kind of game this was, or if Riku was actually mad at him.
"Nothing." He answered quietly as he stood up from his crouch. Riku retrieved the journal from its place on the ground and tucked it away into his belt. "I think we gave them a good enough head start. Lets go catch some butterflies."
Sora only stared at the other boy.
"C'mon. Don't be chicken. I think after I'm done beating you, I will give Kairi that paopu fruit."
The look on Sora's face upon hearing the tail end of that comment was priceless. Riku began to walk off, leaving Sora helpless with the alien feelings that seemed to steal into him like a poisoned mist. Slowly, he stood up, and as an afterthought he picked up his butterfly catcher. With the pole balanced in his hands, he stared at it, as if really noticing it for the first time. Then he began to walk in the direction Riku had left, his pace increasing to a light jog once he left the dock.