o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

P E R C E P T I O N
- ; SORIKU c o l l e c t i o n

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

#013 ; Diamond

No. Nononononono.

The solo negative adverb repeated itself over and over in his mind as his pupils dilated slightly with shock. He felt a familiar sinking feeling in his gut, as if his heart was an anvil attached to a string; the string severed, and the cold heavy metal goes plunging down to the pit of his stomach. He'd close his eyes if he could, but he was forced to stare and try to keep cool and composed, never mind the sense of dread clogging his throat.

Held out before him was a small, square box. It was made out of dark cobalt velveteen material, its edges shaved into soft bluntness. The expert flick of Sora's thumb propped it open to reveal a ring nestled into the pearly satin interior. Crafted from molten gold, the ring part was slender and appeared almost flexible, like it could mold to one's finger as soon as it was slipped on. A diamond, cut as a star and scintillating with such ferocious intensity that even the most aesthetically challenged antagonist's gaze would be allured, was encrusted into its middle.

It was stunning; it was beautiful. And it wasn't for him.

"Pretty, huh?" The brunette grinned, and suddenly the gift vanished as he pushed the top back down over the ring. He stuffed it into his back pocket, the navy blue suit he was wearing crinkling slightly around his underarm as the rest of the fabric stretched to accommodate with the action. Riku paid special attention to that, along with everything else. The image of his best friend suddenly seemed clearer now, and the night air was cooler on his cheek, the sky a richer midnight hue. It was the lasting effects of the ring's glamour, he assumed, the sparkle that rubbed off onto everything else like fairy dust.

"Yeah." Riku swallowed with some effort. "Kairi's going to love it."

The redhead that they had known since childhood had been dating Sora for, what, four years now? At the moment, he couldn't remember. There had always been an apparent connection between the couple years before they had started going out. Still; he could recall the enlightened feeling he had gotten when he had kissed Sora, and the way he had combed his fingers up through the silky spikes in his hair and trailed his other hand down the younger boy's concave side. That had only happened twice before: when they had finally found each other and returned back to the islands exactly five years ago, and Riku convinced himself it was out of gratefulness for being reunited once again. The other time had been at a party when they were a little tipsy with alcohol; he believed Sora had convinced himself it was because of the intoxicating atmosphere.

Funny how he could remember those two very special occasions more so than the span of his friends' love life.

Sora nodded slowly and jumped up next to him on top of the dock's ledge, sitting down and swinging his legs methodically like he did as a child. Old habits die hard, thought Riku, especially if you're Sora. He sighed then, and Riku gazed upon him levelly with icy eyes. Something's troubling you and I know it. Let me help you. Something's troubling me, too. As if he could ever say that. Sure, he was the aloof, older guidance friend. Riku just wished he was sometimes something more.

"You know, I was intending on giving it to Kairi," Sora began, looking down at the swirling opaque ocean beneath his feet. This close to shore, not even the stars could cry their light down on the dark water. Of course you were. I didn't doubt it for a second. Well, maybe there had been a half-second . . . not even . . . but before, you surprised me. You really did. "Now I'm not so sure."

"Why not? Why not?" The platinum-haired man demanded, because he was caught off-guard again. Why wouldn't he give it to Kairi? They'd be happy. Eternally happy, bound together forever and ever. And happiness was never anything Riku could have given Sora anyway. Why had he been tricked into thinking such nonsensical idealistic hopes in the first place?

Because I think I – Because I know I – I love him.

Since the day Sora had slipped from his reach an eternity gone, the other Keyblade Wielder had constantly been on his mind. When he closed his eyes, behind his eyelids he saw the image of Sora. When his eyes were open, he saw the figure of Sora off in the distance, unreachable and impossibly unattainable. How his heart had screamed at him when he had seen Sora behind the closing door to Kingdom Hearts, repenting all his sins to make room for new ones to take their place. He had to wait another half year to see him again, and then finally be with him again. Now he was going to marry Kairi, and they were going to be the perfect husband and wife. The famed supercouple of Destiny Islands that everyone expected them to be, including Riku.

But he hated it. So he what if his mind accepted it; he'd still always be against it, in his heart.

"Jeeze, Riku. Don't you understand anything?" His pale brows twitched and he looked up out of his bitterness and saw Sora examining him with an aggrieved expression masking his face. His face was now too close to comfort if he had been a stranger, the face that Riku was in love with, still boyishly innocent; a visage that had always both attracted and exasperated the older person.

Lacking further warning, the fullness of Sora's lips collided with Riku's unsuspecting ones. He kissed with his eyes gently closed; Riku's remained open for the first couple of seconds due to his stupefaction. Only when he felt Sora's hand rest upon the back of his shoulders, fingers clawing up to become tangled with his long luminescent hair did he allow himself to slip under the twenty year-old's spell and return the kiss. His heart seemed to be everywhere at once, beating and sending rivers of blood throughout his body, which felt inflamed. In his throat (like when he is scared), his chest (its normal place), his stomach (when he is sad), his arms (when he is excited), his groin (where he is aroused).

Sora leaned in closer, now nearly on his lap, and with his free hand, slipped the ring onto Riku's finger. He let the kiss linger for a few more seconds before he broke away, and they shared a warm breath together, breathing out their passion.

"Do you understand now?" He murmured in a low voice, still somewhat breathless. It was a good kind of breathless, though – the type one experienced after a refreshing exercise.

Riku's reply was to bend his arm around Sora's neck and pull him in for another endearment beneath the stars that glittered like diamonds. On his finger the ring glistened, a mirror image of those above.

AUTHor's NOTe - -
As you may see, it's not much like the other one. It has some romance for you fangirls to squeal over.
I really appreciate the wonderful reviews. They're what caused me to update again so quickly.