On your twenty-first birthday you're supposed to dream of your Soulmate. If your Soulmate is younger than you your connection doesn't form until they turn twenty-one. When Riku doesn't dream of his Soulmate on his twenty-first birthday he is not concerned, it's normal.
When Riku's dreams do start three years later, he's excited. It's not much, but he catches sun darkened skin and easy smiles. They relax him and Riku finds himself recounting all the flashes he gets to Namine, who indulges him the way friends do.
She indulges him for an impressive amount of time, until the leaves start to turn orange and it constantly looks like twilight in their town.
"We should go on a road trip." She states while Riku is telling her of the warmth his most recent dream held.
Riku pauses with a fork halfway to his mouth and just stares at her. "What?"
"Usually flashes mean you're not close enough to establish a total connection, so we should go on a road trip until you can." Namine says it like it isn't a crazy idea.
He tells her exactly what he thinks of her idea and she scowls. "No, Riku, you talk about how white his teeth are and how blond his hair is. And I want to strangle you because of it. I love you and want you to be with your perfect, blond, smiling, Soulmate and that's what we should do to get you to him."
Riku drums his fingers on the table, something that Namine knows he does when he's embarrassed about something. "What about Axel? Why don't we road trip to a destination and a place to crash?"
"You're too sensible sometimes." Namine shoves food in her mouth angrily. "There's nothing sensible about Soulmates."
"There's nothing sensible about Axel." He reminds her. "I'll just call and ask if we can visit for a bit and that way we can road trip there one way and back another. Besides, we haven't seen him since COU."
"Castle Oblivion is still the dumbest name for a University."
And just like that it's decided.
Namine and Riku slowly travel to the other side of the continent, his dreams getting longer and more vivid with every boarder they cross until he clearly watches whole scenes of the blond boy clutching coffee and trying not to fall asleep on the kitchen table or of him trying to style his hair while smiling and dancing to music. They make Riku happy and slowly he finds himself fully smitten with the idea of this man being a permanent fixture in his life.
During their trip Riku stops talking about his dreams with Namine, now that he's going to meet his Soulmate it all seems too intimate to share. He finds himself only saying things in regard to length or clarity and little to do with content. Namine doesn't push, always quick to simply nod and point to the next city on their roadmap and confide its greatest tourist attraction.
The trip lasts almost a week and by the time they pull up in Traverse Town Riku is about ready to punch Namine's optimism in the face. Regardless, they make it there with their friendship intact and find their way to Axel's apartment where they are both ushered into showers and new clothes because 'hi's and 'good to see you's can wait.
"You never did tell me why you decided to visit, not that I'm complaining." Axel comments with an easy smile once everyone is situated around the living room and takeout has been ordered.
Namine's mouth drops open and she hits Riku without looking. "He didn't tell you?"
Mildly confused and majorly amused Axel shakes his head.
"Riku started having dreams about his Soulmate a few months ago, but just glimpses, so we thought we'd road trip to you and see if they're even on the same continent!"
Axel laughs and Riku wants to rub it in Namine's face - the idea is laughable – but he stays silent. "Any luck?" the redhead asks, trying to compose himself.
"Actually yes." Namine huffs despite both males. "Riku's dreams are more vivid, are longer, he's even said he's catching feelings through the bond."
"It sounds like I'm being infected by a disease when you put it like that." Riku grouses, sending Axel into peals of laughter again. Riku smiles warmly at his friend. "You know, I think I missed you."
Axel smiles warmly in return, "Me too, asshole."
They spend a full two days as a trifecta as if Axel had never moved across the country from them, they find themselves comfortable and feeling like they are back in collage and Riku marvels at how much he missed acting so carefree. Only do the nights remind him why he's here; images of his Soulmate packing up clothes and glasses and fondly running his hand along surfaces.
The dreams put Riku in a different mood, sadness, for sure, but also fondness. He doesn't think the emotions are his.
"Are you sure?" Axel looks genuinely thrilled and his voice is hesitant like Riku is joking.
"Of course I'm sure, we've been eating nothing but junk and you're letting us crash here the least I can do is make you dinner." Riku rolls his eyes, but he's glad to be able to contribute somehow.
"You, Riku, are awesome."
Smirking, Riku simply saunters his way into the kitchen, only to find it empty of pretty much anything he could use to make a meal. "Have you ever heard of a thing called a grocery store? Holds food? Or are you still in collage?"
He turns to find Axel perched on the counter kicking his heels against the cupboard, smiling innocently. "You love me."
"No." Riku corrects. "You love me." He grabs his coat and his wallet and makes his way to the door, waving to Namine as he heads out.
The grocery store in walking distance of Axel's condo is bright and not terribly busy so Riku grabs a cart and starts his haul through the store, grabbing food for more than one meal.
Deciding that everyone needs ice cream in their life he turns down the isle and almost directly into his Soulmate. The blond smiles at him, the polite smile of strangers before turning back to his ice cream decision.
Riku can't help but stay staring at the man in front of him, having expected more for the moment he met the person he's meant to spend the rest of his life with. "Uh…" is pretty much all he can manage to get out.
After a couple more moments of contemplation the blond steps forward and grabs two containers of ice cream. "These buy one get one deals always get me."
Riku finds himself shrugging and saying "Paupou ice cream though, can't complain."
His Soulmate shrugs, throwing the ice cream into his cart and saying "That's my brother's favourite, I'm more of a sea salt guy myself." Before waving goodbye and leaving Riku standing in the ice cream isle wondering how he managed to screw everything up so quickly.
At Axel's apartment Riku finds himself cooking angrily, more food than three of them could ever possibly eat and when the meal is done he starts on making dessert. Axel and Namine are in the living room, talking in hushed tones until Riku walks in, holding the spoon he was using to stir custard.
"Dinner's in three, set the table or you're not eating."
The duo scrambles off the couch and gather dishes and cutlery and glasses and the wine opener and arranges them on the table as they should be, finishing just as Riku starts bringing in the dishes hot out of the oven.
After dinner Riku holes himself up in the spare bedroom he and Namine are occupying and hides under the covers of the blow up bed. He sleeps and his dreams are almost torture. Like good friends, Riku's friend leave him alone for a whole two days before Axel practically flops onto Riku's nest of a bed and demands that he get up.
"No."
Axel shifts, wrenching the blankets off of Riku and trying to hold his attention. "You're going to stop sulking, you are preferably going to tell me why the grocery store turned you into a wreck, then you are going to shower and meet my boyfriend and then your Soulmate on the way back to Twilight Town."
"You're an ass." Is Riku's answer as he pulls at the blankets the red head is holding captive.
"And you have to get up because Roxas is moving in soon and I'm not going to explain why you're comatose on the floor." The look that Riku gives him is not an impressed one. "Honestly, Namine is cooking dinner so I just need you showered and in clothes that you haven't been in for three days."
"Two days."
"It's gross either way." Axel points out, taking Riku talking as agreeing. "Now, up." He helps pull his friend up into a sitting position and steals away the rest of the blankets. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Frowning, Riku finds that he really doesn't want to tell Axel that he is one of the few who has a one-sided Soulmate connection, but he finds himself opening his mouth to anyway. "I met my Soulmate at the store." Axel doesn't say anything, he knows that this story isn't as happy as the opening sentence. It's almost easier to tell Axel because of it. "He didn't recognize me. I'm having one-sided dreams."
"Oh, Riku." Axel pulls him into a warm hug. "It happens sometimes."
Riku nods. "I'll live."
He gets out of bed.
"When are we meeting Roxas?" Namine asks, her hands curled around a mug of tea while they flip through TV stations.
"We could all do dinner tonight if you want. He's usually free Thursday's." Axel shrugs but he pulls at the sleeves of his hoodie, his own nervous tick.
Riku leans over Namine and places a hand on Axel's shoulder. "We'll all do our very best to embarrass you."
Rolling his eyes, Axel goes to call his boyfriend and Riku goes into the kitchen to see what they could possibly do for dinner.
"He's bringing his brother." Axel informs him, jumping up onto the counter like a small child. It's almost comical, with how big of a person he is. "They like noodles."
Riku nods and decides that a stir-fry is probably for the best. "When are they coming?"
"Well, Rox'll probably be here in about an hour, but Sora, his brother, isn't done work for awhile yet so I wouldn't start cooking."
Instead they head back into the living room, just talking and laughing at the jokes on TV until someone knocks on the door before opening it. Axel rushes over immediately and for a minute they have a murmured conversation that blocks the new comer from site before the smaller man shoves him aside to introduce himself.
Riku stares fearfully at the blond man from his dreams - from the store -walking over to the couch. "Oh, hey, I didn't know you're a friend of Axel's! I'm Roxas." He holds out his hand and it's a miracle that Riku manages his name in return. Roxas moves over to Namine and Axel bends low to talk to Riku.
"You've met?" Riku nods and tries to remember how to breathe.
"At the store." Axel looks torn and Riku hates that he's inadvertently put his friend in this situation, Axel deserves his Soulmate and deserves to have him guilt free.
"I…" he has to clear his throat "I think I need some air." And without waiting for a response Riku leaves just catching Roxas' voice before the door closes saying 'I brought ice cream'. Feeling sick, he exits the condo and starts walking and when that doesn't do it, he starts running.
Eventually Riku begins to sprint as fast as he can for as long as he can until he's out of breath. He walks to the beach and collapses on the sand at a loss for what to do now.
A little girl walks over to him tentatively and blocks the sun from his face. "Are you okay mister?" he nods, still breathing heavier than normal, and promises her he is. She leaves and Riku decides that maybe it's time to get up.
Not wanting to go back to Axel's he finds his wallet in his pants and enters the nearest café to grab a bottle of water.
"I'll be right with you!" a cherry voice calls out while the barista finishes making a drink for the person in front of him. The brunet bustles into view, clearing the till of the last completed transaction while saying, "What can I get for you?" And Riku determines by the tired way it's said he's the last customer in a very steady line of patrons.
Riku can feel his heart in his throat, which is weird because he doesn't think it's from running, but his voice pushes through it to order water. The man before him stills at hearing his voice and looks up for the first time, his eyes bright blue with a ridiculous smile to accompany them.
"Hi." The man before him breathes and Riku can feel his face heating up like he's been sunburned.
"Hey." He returns, vaguely confused.
The smile drops off of the barista's face and he instead dawns a questioning gaze, his head cocked to the side. "You don't recognize me?" Riku shakes his head and the man before him continues as if he's unaffected. "I'm your Soulmate and I've been dreaming about you for almost ten months now."
Heart racing, ears and cheeks burning, Riku is flustered and confused at best but finds his mouth still running without the rest of him to okay it. "I've been dreaming about a blond boy dating my best friend." He says instead of anything civil.
The man before him shrugs and Riku wonders if maybe this is a ploy the cute boy does to get dates. Instead of doing anything expected the barista pulls out his phone and presses it a few times before turning it to Riku to display a picture of himself and Roxas smiling widely, their arms slung around each other. There are definite similarities to their features.
"This is my twin brother Roxas, I guess you've been dreaming about him." Riku nods, still staring at the picture, finding his eyes drawn more to the brunet than his brother. "It can happen sometimes, with close twins. Either you dream as your Soulmate when their twin is close or of your Soulmate otherwise." The phone is pulled away from Riku and his Soulmate –apparently - continues talking, "Axel said he'd been having dreams about me when we met and we had to get a doctor to confirm what we were saying."
Riku frowns. "Shouldn't he have known that?" A pause. "I didn't know Roxas had a twin."
"People don't like complications when it comes to a happily ever after. A surprising amount of people are ignorant to it." He says as an answer. After a moment the barista shoves a hand out to Riku as if he had previously forgotten himself. "I'm Sora, by the way."
"Sora." Riku parrots, trying the name out on his tongue and he feels thrilled. "I'm Riku." He grasps Sora's hand in his own.
Riku's Soulmate, Sora, glances at the clock quickly. "I get off in ten minutes, care to escort me to dinner?"
Laughing Riku nods. "Dinner would be great."
Sora hands Riku a bottle of water and leans against the counter. "Did you just quote Mulan?" Riku stops his hands from drumming on the counter, wondering how long they'd been doing that, before nodding a little unsure of himself. "You really are my Soulmate."
-Reiver
