Charming
(One-Shot)
Yakosoku.
Authors Note: This has been clogging up my harddrive for a while. I didn't know how to end it so its just kinda... schhhmehhhhh.
Looking up from the lines on his paper, Riku scanned Sora's face searching for some sort of distraction or excuse to quit studying and start goofing off. He chuckled as Sora groaned and erased furiously at his precious markings. Scooting closer, Riku looked at what little Sora had not yet destroyed.
"It is not really that bad, Sora. You just mixed up that," he pointed to a number, "And that. No big."
Sora rolled his eyes. He probably had no idea just how endearing Riku considered the small gesture. As it was, Sora simply replied, "Humph." He resumed his agitated ministrations.
Seeing a lock of hair stray its way to Sora's forehead, Riku took the opportunity to brush it back. Momentarily stupefied, the boys locked eyes and stared, dumbfounded.
"Riku?" Sora gently disengaged the older boy's hand from his spikes.
Blushing, Riku stood up, "Want anything to drink?"
Sora made a small noise which Riku assumed meant he probably didn't care either way. Lost in thought, the silver-haired boy drifted in and out of rooms until he reached his destination. Pulling down the fragile glasses, Riku sighed in frustration. How could Sora be so blind?
"I AM CHARMING, DAMN IT!" Riku leaned his head against his refrigerator before opening the door. In contrast to the ever-darkening world outside, the faint yellow glow from the doors was comforting. The unfortunate events of Kingdom Hearts left Riku with mixed feelings about darkness. Mostly it just scared him. It was times like these where Riku liked to imagine the light he found in Sora's eyes.
Sora… sky and wind and sunshine… Even in the darkness Riku could feel the impression of the sun's heat when he looked at the spike-headed-freak. He smiled to himself just as the first few drops of summer rain began their assault. Mesmerized, Riku watched as the water slid down the glass. The person he saw in the reflection was more man than boy now. His eyes no longer held the naivety of youth, but instead the sort of wisdom some grow to possess earlier than others. He placed a pale hand to the glass and closed his eyes.
Sora stared down at his hands as they rested in his lap. He pulled at the frayed edges of a hole around his knee. The string pulled off easily in his strong grip.
Sora had always felt awkward in Riku's house—it was too large and too clean. Sora's own home was warm and messy, no doubt fitting his personality. He found it strange that Riku lived in a house so unlike him. To Sora, Riku always seemed so unorganized and determined; the cleanliness of his house seemed unreal. Scrunching up his math notes, Sora leaned back in his chair and stared out the window. Rain and wind began to shake the foundation and Sora blinked as the light in the room dimmed and strengthened just before going out completely.
Three flickers of light caught Riku's attention before he was surrounded in darkness. The hand holding the glass of water shook intensely and his grip loosened.
Riku blinked, more confused at the crash of glass on tile than concerned about the ruined tableware. A flash of lighting momentarily illuminated the room, allowing Riku to see Sora as he scrambled out of his seat and toward the doorway.
The momentary reprieve from the darkness only made Riku's panic flare more. Here, choked by the darkness, in a cold kitchen while defenseless, Riku conjured up images he didn't want to remember.
'Grow up, Riku! Be a man!' He chided himself as his body rocked in terror.
"Hey, Riku, you okay?"
Sliding to the ground, next to the fallen glass, Riku bit his lip. He gripped his hands so tightly into fists he imagined bloody crescents would be imbedded into his palms.
"Riku…"
All Riku could see was the darkness. It was all he could taste, feel, smell, or think, "I'm drowning."
Immediately concerned, Sora crouched down in front of his best friend's huddled form. He reached out a hand, feeling for any sign of Riku's body. The darkness was thick.
"Hey, Riku, say something."
Putting his head on his knees, Riku uncharacteristically whimpered. The storm outside raged. Rain hit the windows and shook the house. After searching wildly for any piece of Riku, Sora sighed as his hand landed on his friend's nose. Gently, Sora slid his hand down Riku's slender neck until it found its way to his forearm. Sora tugged, trying to help him stand, but to no avail. Crashing down at an awkward angle, Sora's unoccupied hand found itself in sudden pain. He gasped.
The sound of Sora's fall snapped Riku into focus. He grabbed wildly at the darkness until he came into contact with soft, silky spikes.
"I hurt my hand, I think," Sora sucked in air through his teeth.
The wind howled.
Riku was taken aback; his senses were overwhelmed with the darkness. He willed himself to stand but his body would not obey. Instead he felt like tears would choke him of all breath.
"Shit," Sora exclaimed as he stood up and flexed his hand. Hearing the muffled sounds from below, Sora situated himself next to Riku, carefully avoiding the glass, "C'mon, you're freakin' me out!"
Riku only buried deeper into himself.
"Riku, I always looked up to you. You always had it so together. You're the strongest person I know. You give me so much courage. Tell me what to do to help. I suck at making decisions or being a man, you know that. What does a storm have on all the other crazy things you've been through?" Sora prodded at his throbbing hand, "What did you do? Is this glass?"
Lighting flashed and Sora could see Riku as he raised his head pitifully and looked in his direction, eyes bloodshot from fear. Without thinking, Sora grasped Riku's shoulders and pulled him close.
Even sitting down, Riku's lanky figure towered over Sora. The brunette buried his face into Riku's black shirt and inhaled the familiar scent of lavender, "Riku, I won't let you go again. You'll never be stuck in the dark again. I promise."
Riku's heart skipped as he gingerly wrapped an arm around Sora. The lighting ebbed and again they were surrounded by the chalky black, but this time Riku's breath came easier. The warmth of Sora's skin was reassuring and let his muscles relax.
Sora looked up from the older boy's shirt and Riku could feel hot breath as Sora promised once again never to abandon him. The lighting crashed and both boys were stuck staring at each other. Sora raised his hand and Riku simultaneously noted that it was both bloody and shaking as it handed on his shoulder.
Riku lowered his eyes. This couldn't be what Sora wanted. This is was Sora's idea of justice and, most likely, the only way he could think of to calm Riku. Riku's face drained of blood at the thought of his romantic transparency.
"Don't do this to me anymore. I can't. I just can't deal with this."
Sora furrowed his brow into the darkness, "You aren't the boss of me." His grip slid from Riku's shoulder to his neck. His grip tightened. Riku swallowed, though his mouth was dry.
"Sora… cut it out."
Inching closer, Sora exhaled, "I'm tired of pretending like this cute little nice guy. I'm not letting you be afraid anymore. If you're going to be scared, let's be scared together."
As the lighting lit the room, Sora's lips crushed into Riku's- both powerful and soft. Suddenly the darkness seemed to fade away like a misty morning and all Riku could think of was the heat and deliciousness of the moment. How many times had he dreamed of the day Sora would want this? It was as if drums were in his head, playing to fast-paced and erratic dances. Riku sighed, letting Sora take control. He shuddered in pleasure rather than fright as Sora's clammy hand found its way into Riku's hair. Tugging, Sora whimpered and shook. Riku took hold of the fragile boy and gently disentangled their bodies.
Lips stinging, Sora bowed his head in defeat, "Uhm."
Riku rolled his eyes, the strength from Sora's kiss chasing away the fear of the creeping darkness, "Uhm? That's your big declaration- after that?"
"S-shut up, Riku!" Sora's voice cracked—a nervous habit. Riku's body tingled.
Bold now with the light he felt inside, Riku snaked his way in front of Sora until he was straddling him. He pulled at his shirt, bloodied from Sora's handprints, he was sure, and ripped off a strip. Reaching for Sora's hand, Riku bandaged it then left it hanging in the darkness between them.
Sora reached out, putting his hand on Riku's heart, "You're so warm."
Riku had never thought of himself as warm. He was the darkness, eternally silent and cold. He was calculating and sinister—not warm- but as the lightning flashed and he saw the placid smile on Sora's face, he suddenly wanted to be. Riku wanted to be able to return some of the joy and warmth he had always seemed to steal from Sora. Maybe in time he could.
"Still scared," asked Sora, "or are you just embarrassed? Or mad?"
"I'm not scared," Riku said quietly. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against his friend.
"This is so awkward," Sora laughed, nuzzling into Riku's collarbone.
"Guys…?" A crystalline voice inquired. A flashlight hit Sora's face and made him wince.
Turning, Riku's eyes widened as he recognized the white shoes of his other friend, Kairi. Rolling off of Sora, Riku scrambled to his feet.
"Kaaaaairi." Sora put his face in his palms.
Riku mentally scoffed as he realized the drums in his head he imagined from the kiss were probably Kairi's frantic knocks on the front door.
Kairi made a sound that was either a muffled laugh or… 'No', Riku thought, 'it was definitely a laugh'.
Sora stood suddenly and reached out a hand to put distance between himself and Riku, "So whatcha doin'?" Apparently, Sora's shoes suddenly held more significance than anyone's face.
"I was worried about Riku."
Hearing his name, Riku turned from the bashful Sora to Kairi, "Why?"
"Well, the power went out at my house and I know you don't like being in the dark and I figured you'd be holed up in some corner until morning unless I brought you some flashlights…" By the tone of her voice, Riku thought, Kairi was vaguely amused, "But I guess Sora is keeping you company." The flashlight went from Sora to Riku and the red-head giggled then gasped, "IS THAT BLOOD!"
Sora and Riku just shrugged with a laugh.
end
YEAHYEAHYEAHDONTWANNAHEARIT T_T