Multi-chaptered RikuxSora story. This is pretty much the prologue, hence why the chapter's called "Counting Stars" when the rest will be "-insert number of chapter- Star". But rambling aside, I'm pretty excited about this one.
Counting Stars
A soft snore resounded off the navy blue walls, barely audible as the slender figure tangled in the comforter and sheets tossed their body into another position on the bed. Clothes were strewn pell-mell across the floor, accompanied by video game controllers, balls of paper, and colorful toys. A hand shot out and slowly from within the safety of the blankets, fingers spread as though trying to grab at something. Yellow curtains had been pulled over the large windows next to the bed, darkening the bedroom. Light brown spikes overlay the pillows while yet another grumble erupted from the owner – a teenage boy's throat.
The oak door that lay at a far side of the room creaked open, a sliver of golden light creeping into the bedroom. An air of caution enveloped the doorway as a shadowed silhouette peered inside before taking a step inside and walking over to the bed. Reaching up to pull down the hood of the sweatshirt that adorned them, the figure – now able to be identified as a silver-haired teenage boy – slouched down to look more closely at the bedridden one, bangs too far in front of his face to rightfully acquire a true expression, though the frown playing on his lips gave an idea that he was not happy the least bit.
"Sora," he stated quietly, placing a hand on the covers and shaking the youth in an attempt to wake him but to no avail. The youth merely turned his back to the intruder, more and more shadows covering his body as he subconsciously tuned the other out. Sighing, the silver-haired teen shook rougher, making sure that his voice was louder now. "Sora, up 'n at 'em; it's time to wake up."
A misery-laced groan was what he was met with, as well as a pitiful swat of a left hand that was carefully caught by the other, long spider-fingers wrapping themselves around the skinny wrist that was attached to Sora. Another sigh racked the silver-haired boy's ribcage before he merely shook his head and dropped down to his knees, wrist still in his grasp.
"All you do is sleep, Sora," he whispered, dropping his gaze down to the tanned limb that he daintily held. "C'mon… stay awake for more than an hour today… please?" A frustrated tear dripped down the paler one's cheek, though he swiped it away quickly as if embarrassed by the unwanted show of emotion.
Silence met the adolescent. Not a rustle of fabric meeting skin; not a gentle snore that usually replied to the boy's pleas. Nothing.
"You know I barely ever beg, Sora. But can't you just answer me once? You don't talk anymore, I know you barely eat and..." A pause – an intake of breath as he readied himself to continue his obvious ramble as he lost his impassive ruse altogether. "… And you're worrying everybody too, y'know. Not just your parents and Kairi and Selphie and Tidus… but me too. Not that you'll ever hear that when you're conscious," he added with a small smile. He gripped the wrist tighter, as if reassuring the slumbering boy something that words could not supply explanation to, and stood up slowly, body trembling somewhat as he steadied himself and blew a few stray hairs away from his thin, chapped lips.
"I doubt anything will get through to him, Riku, dear," a voice said softly from the doorway. Riku, turning, let go of the practically deadened hand. It recoiled back to its owner and Sora loosed an almost inaudible cry from his lungs. "He only wakes around nine PM; you'll have to come back around then."
"Do you know why, though?" Riku cocked his head curiously and took a couple of short steps towards the maternal looking woman – Sora's mother – leaning somewhat against the white doorframe. "It's like he's in a coma all day or something." He thrust his hands into the pouch pocket that his sweatshirt offered and eyed the woman curiously.
A minute passed in quiet, Sora's mother staring at her son all-the-while. "No, I don't know and neither does the doctor. All we can do is hope he comes out of this funk before school starts up again." She exhaled noisily through her nose, placing her arms across her chest in a defeated fashion before throwing Riku a motherly nod as she walked away.
Riku wasn't sure if she had heard his heart shatter in his chest, but he sure as hell had. Glass crumbling and fracturing into bite-sized pieces as he realized that his best friend was about as awake as a zombie usually was. He bit his lip harshly once the hard, practically demonic truth impaled him, nailing him to the floor in which he stood upon. Stars clouded his vision and Riku swayed on the spot.
Sora was but a broken marionette, and the puppeteer was unknown to all except the splintered boy. His puppet strings were fraying and the artificial joints were cracking straight down the middle. Riku drew plasma from his bottom lip as he was forcefully reminded of the magical doll, Pinocchio. The guilt that pin-balled through his torso merely added to the negativity that was swelling within Riku's heart.
"Nine o' clock. Nine PM," he mumbled, glancing over his shoulder to look at Sora's still-dozing figure. "I'll be waiting, Sora."