GENERAL DISCLAIMER: KINGDOM HEARTS AND ALL ASSOCIATED NAMES DO NOT BELONG TO ME. I AM NOT MAKING A PROFIT FROM THIS. I AM NOT ATTEMPTING TO MAKE THESE BOYS MINE.

Note: Tumblr user istoleyourpanties requested blind!Riku SO YEAH I'M ABOUT TO RIP MY HEART OUT THANK.

It happened faster than Sora could keep up with. Riku stepped right in front of him while the fire flared up infront of them. Sora screamed at Riku to get out to stop that it was okay. But the older man pushed his best friend out of the way, toward the exit of the burning building, as a beam fell between them, bursting into flames. Sora had turned away. When the flame died down, he couldn't see Riku anymore. He screamed.

Axel rushed passed the brunet in his firefighter's uniform, with Demyx trailing right after him. The blond man pulled Sora to his feet and dragged him out of the building, handing him over to the paramedics. Sora was in shock, unable to say anything. Riku could be dead. Riku might not come out of the fire. Riku. Riku. Riku. "RIKU!" he screeched into the night. The paramedic had to hold him down in place. They never should have come to work so late.

As Sora started to believe that both Riku and Axel had disappeared in the fire, a shape stumbled out of the building. Axel made it out and was carrying Riku in his arms. The redhead ran for the paramedics as soon as he found his footing. Sora ripped himself away from the poor EMT that was watching over him and sprinted to Riku's side. The silver haired man's face was bright red. First degree burns at least. He was unconscious. Sora barely heard Axel tell the paramedics to let him ride with Riku to the hospital as they piled into the back of an ambulance.

At the hospital, they had to have three of the burlier nurses pry Sora away from Riku as the man was rushed into the ICU for smoke inhalation and second degree burns. Unable to keep Sora calm, the hospital staff finally decided to sedate him.

When Sora woke up in a hospital bed, he made note that he wasn't attached to anything. He was fine. Once he took this in, he sprung out of the bed and skid into the hallway, intent on finding Riku. He came across a nurse who directed him right back to his bed, needing the doctor to give him the okay to leave. Once that was done and Sora was officially discharged, he asked again. "Where's Riku?"

The doctor smiled. It was fake. "He's just in recovery right now. I can show you his room. He's fine…"

"But?"

The doctor sighed. "You'll see…"

As soon as the old man said Riku's room number, Sora ran to find it, not caring about anything else the man had to say. He ripped open the door to his best friend's hospital room, flinging himself to the bed.

Riku's face was looking better but…

But there was gauze wrapped around his head… Riku's eyes were wrapped in gauze. Riku was hurt. "Riku…" he whispered.

Riku woke up when Sora whispered his name. He recognized that voice. It could call him from the deepest of comas. "Sora?"

Hearing Riku's confused voice sent the young man to tears. "Riku…" he sobbed into his arms. He grabbed hold of his best friend's hand and pressed it to his cheek. Riku was alive. "Riku what's wrong with your eyes… Why are they wrapped up?"

Riku could've started crying himself when he felt the wetness against the back of his hand. But… But his eyes were damaged. HIs tear ducts were burnt and would repair themselves within a couple of days. However, his retinas were damaged beyond repair. The gauze was just to make sure nothing got infected while they healed. He'd never be able to see again.

"My eye's got burnt. They'll heal soon enough though," Riku said gently, hoping to calm Sora down.

Sora dried his tears, determined to stay strong as realization hit him. Riku was blind. Riku could not see. "You're blind aren't you?"

Riku just nodded.

"I'm so sorry… If I hadn't forgotten that stupid case file in the office, we never would've been there. This is all my fault. This should've been me…" Sora said, consumed with guilt. He would take care of Riku from now on. He'd make sure nothing bad would ever happen to him again. Riku had helped him be the best he could be since the start. Teaching him how to jump off the swings in elementary school. Helping him with algebra in middle school. Forcing him to study for the stupid SATs in high school. Tutoring him in chemistry in college. And finally, keeping him on task while they were at work. Now, it was time for Sora to give back tenfold.

Riku sat up once he heard Sora blame himself. He reached out, and touched his friend's face. Finding it, he ripped the gauze off his head and held Sora's face with both hands. He stared at his friend with sightless eyes. "Look at me. Look at me right now, I swear to god I will know if you don't."

Sora looked into RIku's eyes. The aqua color of them still bright as ever, his blindness not clouding them. He nearly started crying.

"This is not your fault. I don't regret this for one second. You aren't hurt and that is all that matters to me. I can adapt. I can move on. I'm still alive and it's not the end of the world," Riku said as soon as he felt Sora's eyes on him.

Sora's entire body sagged into the hospital bed where he was seated as he relaxed into Riku's touch. "But why? Why would you go so far to make sure I'm safe?"

Riku just chuckled, the noise erupting from deep in his chest, and leaned back. "Isn't it obvious? I love you, stupid."

Sora teared up again. It all made sense. Riku always went the extra mile for him. Sora had fallen in love with his best friend years ago. Sometime between the beginning and end of the first class of English 303 when Riku was IMing him commentary on the professors choice of shoes. The man had chosen brow leather shoes with his black slacks. The entire ensamble looking very expensive but poorly put together. But he had never said anything.

He choked back a sob. "I love you too…"

—-

Three months later, they had moved in together. Sora helped Riku get re-situated in his own apartment and at work. They learned braille together. Riku, who had just been promoted before the accident, hired Sora as his personal assistant to help him with work.

Riku had adapted. Sora could finally feel like he was making Riku's life better. They were together and in love. And that was all they could hope for.

A/N: I hate myself. I never know how to end these things. But yeah I almost broke down crying in the middle of starbucks while writing this. So excuse me. All I know is Sora and Riku work in a law office. I don't know how the fire started, but it was there. Yes Axel and Demyx are firefighters. I hope you enjoyed this.