through and through

by spacebeyonce

riku never paid much attention to the tattoo parlor across from his grandmother's shop.

hi again! posting another work! so soon, I know, but I've been working on this for a long time. a couple months! slow going because, as previously mentioned in another work, fun and sexy three month depression. but we got there in the end, hey!

this is for ride-the-bifrost on tumblr. they asked around aaah summer last year? for a body art au, and I just kinda...ran with it. this is...VERY long. pace yourself, I'm begging you. I didn't mean for this to happen.

title is from the song through and through by khai dreams. it's a cute bop, go have a listen whenever.

and uh. enjoy!

---

Riku never paid much attention to the tattoo parlor across from his grandmother's shop.

That isn't to say he's never seen it before, or anything – he still remembers the day it popped up a few years ago, across the street and two buildings over. Synthesize, with its striking midnight blue bricks and bright red door. A lot of people were skeptical of the business, doubtful that it would be there long – himself included - but despite all their doubts, it's stuck around so far, highly recommended through word of mouth for the high quality of their work. If you wanted a tattoo or piercing as a magic focus, or for protection, or hell, just help getting a better night's sleep – Synthesis would always provide.

It has been a while since the Destiny Islands had any kind of person around whose spell work was primarily through body art; on the cities inland yeah, sure, there's plenty – but that's a two-day trip that many don't feel like taking, at minimum. Here in their little beach town, folks like the ones at Synthesize were a rarity. It's not like Riku knows the people that worked there, though; he's rarely seen them, even after moving back home from the mainland – and that wasn't planned, either. But life never turns out the way you want, even if you plan every possible turn on your path to the letter.

See, Riku was a witch – a witch like his mother and father, and their foremothers and fathers, on and on and on. He was a witch, and when he was seventeen, he had left home - like all good witches are supposed to do - and traveled inland to try and find a place to settle down and call his own. His plan had been to open his own shop to sell his own magical wares and make a name for himself – though what he wanted to sell, he wasn't really sure. But he would figure it out on his own time. He had been well on his way to it, too – a few apprenticeships under his belt, a growing number of clients – he was doing it. It had been so close.

But then he got a call from his mother. And he had to come back home in August, freshly turned twenty-two, to help around the house and care for his father, who had fallen ill. And eight months later he had to hold his mother's hand as they stared out into the sea, draped in mourning white as his father's ashes were swept away by the tide.

He hasn't left home since. He hasn't felt the urge to. Before, he had been so eager to leave home, so ready to just – grow up. But now, he's not eager for much of anything – not anymore.

Riku wasn't resentful about staying in his little hometown in the Destiny Islands, not now; in the earlier years, when grief blinded everything, he was – he snapped and lashed out and easily gave into that dark, bitter ugly feeling, tucked into the recesses of his heart. Anything to vent the crushing pain he was feeling.

But it was fine in the end; he had family to support him and pull him back when he got too into his head – and a grandmother that put him to work so he could get his head out of his ass, forcing him to try his hand at selling green things and potions – a tincture for better health, a bouquet with flowers placed just so to sharpen the mind or brighten a room, ethers and elixirs to restore a person's magic when exhausted. He wasn't as good as his grandmother at first but now – he was decent enough. It was something that would keep him focused, keep him busy, and deal with the stormy turbulence in his heart in other ways.

And then his grandmother up and left the shop in his name a year and a half later when she decided to retire – a little apothecary all his own.

Well – sort of his own. The ownership chafed; it felt…false. Like he hadn't earned it. He didn't work from the ground up and build this shop from nothing; it was handed to him. How could he say it was his with pride? And he had other worries on top of that, besides.

He didn't think he could handle it by himself – a whole shop, belonging to him and him alone? It was too soon. He still felt so unbalanced – so young. He was only twenty-three, then. He hadn't been sure. But his grandmother had put her foot down.

"You need this." She insisted. "You need this, and it will be good for you. Besides – you think I'd let you run this place by yourself? No, no, I'll be there to help when needed – but that doesn't mean you get to slack off!"

Time passed, and he slowly settled. Slowly tried to make the apothecary feel more like his, made a name for himself outside of his family. And then – Synthesize.

All he knows about the people that work there is that the artists are around his age, and the owner was a blue haired woman that he'd seen coming and going now and then. That, and the high compliments of their work, he supposed. But other than those things, he knows nothing about them – and he didn't really mind all that much. Never really noticed, anyway, too caught up in his own work, his own life, occupied with filling in the ragged hole his father left behind bit by bit. He didn't really think his path would ever cross with his mysterious neighbors.

But that all changed one cold winter day – that day, he thinks, was the one that set him onto that winding, inevitable path.

He didn't really mind it that much, in the end.

-o-

It had been a pretty normal start to the day.

Riku arrives to his shop at eight that cold December morning, as he has done for the past three years, and then he makes his rounds around the shop to check on the plants that filled buckets to bursting and the state of the potions that lined the shelves, taking note on what needed to be restocked or straightened up for the day. His grandmother wouldn't be in until noon, and that was alright – the morning hours were slow, with customers few in number - which meant he could take his time.

After taking care of the front end, Riku returned to the back rooms of the store to prepare himself for the day. He pulled his apron on and tied it snugly around his waist, adjusting the straps and making sure they weren't twisted around his neck. He combed his fingers through his long, platinum hair, pulling his hair tie off his wrist and holding it between his teeth as he braided his hair back, ensuring it wouldn't get in the way. His movements were slow, meditative, and with the added scent of flowers and herbs, fresh and dried, Riku felt himself slipping into a calm space, muscles relaxing. As he tied the end off, the soft jingle of the bells over the door rang through the air, and Riku raised an eyebrow.

A customer? At this hour?

"Hello?" A man's voice called out – bright, chipper, but still relatively deep. "Anyone there?"

"Be with you in a moment!" Riku called back, making a face at his reflection and the way his bangs hung in front of his eyes, futilely blowing the hair out the way. He quickly put it aside and left the back room behind, adjusting his apron one last time as he returned to the front area, curious about who could possibly be coming by this early. It was – unexpected; no one ever comes by so soon.

A man around his age was waiting at the counter, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat as he looked around the shop. He had spiky brown hair, warm brown skin, and strikingly blue eyes, and when Riku stepped up behind the counter, the man gave him a quick once over before giving him a smile so bright it made him squint a little. It felt fine if he only admitted it to himself, but the man was…cute. "Good morning. Can I help you?"

"Ah – Good morning! Yes! I was wondering if you had any celebration flowers?"

Riku tilted his head, surveying the buckets of flowers around the room. "Probably, yes." He mused. "What's the occasion?"

"Ah, my girlfriend – it's her birthday today, and I wanted to give her some flowers before work."

Ah. A girlfriend. Well, no big deal. It's not like he was going to try anything in the first place.

He shrugged off the slight sting of disappointment with a smile. "That's nice of you. Do you know what flowers you wanted to give her?"

"Uhh…"

Sheepish, the man shrugged, his grin turning shy as he reached up to scratch at the back of his head. The sleeve of his coat slips down, just enough so that Riku could see a small paopu fruit tattooed on his wrist. "I didn't – sorry! I just thought, um, that there would be bouquets that were pre-made?"

Riku breathed out a little laugh. "That's not how it works here, no. It – alright then. Can you tell me about her?"

"Huh?"

"Your girlfriend." Riku says, beginning to roll up the sleeves of his sweater. "Can you tell me about her? What's she like?"

He still feels a little new to this, but he's worked here long enough that he feels like he's got a good grip on this part.

"Oh! Um. Well –"

The man scratched at his hair again, and his eyes went soft as he thought over his words. "Kairi, well, she's – she's really smart, and nice – but don't let that fool you! Even though she's sweet, she's got a real temper, too. And she's so – she's so funny, and competitive, and really hard working! And she always tries to make everyone feel good, and is just – she's really warm, and welcoming, and – um."

He smiled dopily. "I, uh. I like her a lot."

Riku couldn't help but smile in return. The man's smile was very contagious. "I can tell. Alright, then. Give me just a second."

He marinated over what he'd been told, humming in thought as he wandered around the space, staring at the buckets of flowers. It didn't have to be a huge bouquet, he thinks – nothing too outlandish. He started off with a few pink carnations as the base, thinking for a second before grabbing a few amaryllis flowers. What else…? Jasmines, Riku decides. And larkspur. Maybe forget-me-nots? Riku wasn't sure yet, but he felt pretty good about the idea.

So far it was looking good – whites and pinks with a little hint of purple. It felt…fitting. He didn't know Kairi, but this looked like it would suit her well enough.

"So…"

"Hm?" Riku hummed absently, still looking around at his options.

"How long have you worked here?"

"Oh – um." He tucked some of his wayward bangs behind his ear, even though he knew the act was futile. "Regularly? About three years. This shop was – it's family owned. So I worked here on and off when I was younger."

"Really? That's so cool!"

"You think so? It was my grandmother's and, well. Now it's mine."

"Whaaaat?" The man gaped at him, astounded, and Riku felt prickly heat spread down his neck. "You own this place? But you look like – my age!"

Riku sharply turned away, pressing the back of his hand against his cheek as he looked over the plants. The bouquet still needed a little – something. He decided to go with the forget-me-nots, after all. "That's because I probably am your age. Really, it - it's not that impressive." Riku mumbles quietly, back turned to the man. "I mean – this place isn't really mine. It's not something I made on my own. But – that's nothing you have to worry about. Sorry."

How unprofessional of him; what is he thinking, starting to unload his problems on a stranger? Get it together, he tells himself sternly. It doesn't matter how…open the guy looks. Like he would listen to him with no complaints.

He decided to grab a few leaves of a fern plant, thinking that a touch of green would be good. As he started to head back to the counter he felt – something. A light brush against his senses – a magical aura rubbing against his. It made him shiver a little, hair rising at the nape of his neck, and he cut a glance over at the man, only to notice him staring, blue eyes piercing. It felt like – like he was trying to figure him out.

"I still think it's great." He said softly, and he sounded so…sincere. Riku tore his eyes away, letting out a soft laugh of disbelief. "If you say so."

"Can you do magic, too?" The man asked as Riku returned behind the counter, grabbing some lavender tissue paper to wrap the flowers in.

"I can." Riku's hands moved fluidly, tucking the flowers together and wrapping them up, turning some of the blooms just so, so the arrangement looks perfect. "I come from a very long line of witches."

Riku bent over the flowers, blowing lightly on them and spreading his intent – giving them just the slightest boost to live a little longer, to stretch out the bright feeling they carry for as long as they could. He could feel the magic settle nicely across the petals and leaves, and he smiled lightly, proud of his work.

"Really? That's amazing!"

The man looked so amazed, eyes sparkling, and Riku actively had to fight back the heat creeping up his neck. "Thanks." He mumbled bashfully. "I'm a little rusty, though. Anyway –"

He wrapped the flowers with a nice white ribbon and held out the bouquet. "You're all set."

"Oh! Thank you!" The man carefully takes the flowers, a little awed smile on his face. "They look amazing – ohh, and they smell so good! They feel really – bright! This will really liven up the place! Wow, you're really good at this!"

"I should hope so." Riku says dryly, and the man makes a face.

"Sorry, sorry. How much do I owe you? Oh, can I also get a couple ethers, as well?"

He grabbed the bottles of ether before munny exchanged hands, and Riku gave the man his change and receipt with a smile. "Have a good one. I hope Kairi likes the birthday flowers."

"Thanks! I hope so, too!"

The man grinned brightly at him and took a couple steps back, arms laden with his purchases. He'd started to turn to the door but – stopped. Turned back to face him. "Hey…what's your name?"

Riku tilted his head a little, bemused. "I'm Riku."

"Riku." He repeated slowly, like he was testing the sound of his name, and then he gave him another smile. "I'm Sora! It's nice to meet you – and thanks for all your help! Knowing you're here, I'll probably come around more often."

Riku bit at the inside of his cheek as a bashful heat crawled across his skin. Sora gave him one more wave before stepping outside, the door quietly swinging shut behind him. The shop felt – much quieter, with Sora's presence gone; everything about him was very…bright. Loud. But not in a bad way. It livened up the place a little bit, and that wasn't too terrible.

He did say he would come around more often, and Riku, well – he guessed that he wouldn't mind the noise too much.

Riku stepped around the counter and moved towards the large windows, discreetly staring after Sora as he walked down the street and headed –

To Synthesize.

"Oh." He said aloud, mouth falling open a little as Sora entered the shop, letting that bright red door close behind him.

He should have guessed that – the little glimpse of a tattoo should've made it obvious. But that's presumptuous; Riku just met him, what does he know? It doesn't mean Sora works there. Maybe his girlfriend works there? That's probably it.

It slowly started to sink in how Riku must have looked to others, pressed up against the window and staring after a man he only talked to for five minutes. He could already feel the embarrassed heat growing under his skin as his behavior slowly registered in his mind, and he scoffed loudly at himself.

Why was he thinking so hard about this? What was there to wonder about? He needs to get it together.

"I have work to do." He muttered to himself, shaking his head and pushing away from the windows to quickly retreat into the store's depths.

-o-

He meets Kairi for the first time almost a week later.

It was later in the afternoon this time, slowly creeping toward closing hours, and Riku was cleaning up while his grandmother was in the back of the store, sweeping up stray petals and dried herbs when the familiar chime of bells alerted him to someone's presence. "I'll be with you in just a second!" He called over his shoulder, quickly crouching down and sweeping the debris he gathered to be tossed. Once that was taken care of, he brushed his hands down his apron and greeted his customer with a smile. "Sorry about that – thanks for your patience. How can I help you?"

He was faced with a short, red haired woman with violet eyes, bundled up in a puffy pink coat. She smiled at him, so bright and sweet that Riku was left stunned for a minute. This was the second time someone's come into his shop that immediately caught his attention, that startled him so. What is with him?

"You're fine," she reassured him, "I'm in no hurry. You're Riku, right?"

"I'm…yes?" He frowned a little. "I'm sorry - have we met?"

"Oh – no! Sora just told me about you, is all."

"Oh –" He connected the dots pretty quickly. "Oh! You're – I'm assuming you're Kairi?"

"I am!" She said happily. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Riku was…a little confused. "I didn't know that I made that much of an impression, when Sora came here." He said, fiddling with his apron. Kairi smiled, and he couldn't quite read the emotion behind the curl to her lips.

"Oh, no. You made quite the impression." She explained, a spark in her eyes. "The flowers were so lovely. And your ethers are very impressive! That's why I'm here, actually – could I get a few ethers, please? And some potions, too? Today was a pretty intense workday."

"Ah – of course. Sure thing."

He pulled a few potions and ethers off the shelf, all the while feeling Kairi's eyes on his back as he moved around. "Did you make the ethers?" Kairi asked as he returned to the counter, and he nodded distractedly, wrapping the glass bottles and placing them into a bag. "I did," he answered automatically, "my grandmother used to make them, but she passed the responsibility to me with uh – everything else, pretty much."

Kairi hummed. "I thought so. They feel the same."

"Feel -?"

Riku's head jerked up at the familiar feeling of something brushing against him, and when his eyes automatically met Kairi's, she gave him a guileless smile. He really didn't get what was up with these two checking him out in this way; there wasn't anything special about his magical signature, he thinks. Not that he really uses it much to know, nowadays.

"Well," Riku continued, feeling a little shy as he placed the last potion in the bag, "I'm glad you like them, I guess. And that they work."

"They do." Kairi confirmed.

Munny soon passed hands, and Kairi grabbed her bag of purchases, letting it hang on her arm – but she didn't leave right away. Instead, she propped her hip against the counter and leaned into his space. "So, Riku," she started, "how long have you worked here?"

She pulled him along a winding road of a conversation, hopping from one topic to the next – how long he's worked here, how long she's worked on body art, how she likes Synthesize so far, how she's liking the Destiny Islands. "Oh, I love it here!" Kairi says, "I know I don't look it, but I've lived here all my life, you know?"

"You have?" Riku brightened up at that, "I have, too! My family has lived in this town forever!"

"Oh, really? I lived on one of the sea towns further north, near the mountains – that's where I met Sora, actually! We've known each other since we were kids."

The thought of those two having such a connection made Riku smile a little, feeling…somewhat nostalgic. He had a few friends, when he lived inland, but nothing like that; it made him wonder how it would feel, if he had friends that close – steady constants in his life.

"That's really cool." He says. "I'm glad you two were able to stick together."

"Well, we promised we would, so – though we did have to separate for school, but we found each other again eventually."

"Riku, can you – oh!"

His head snapped around as his grandmother stepped into the room, distractedly looking around before noticing Kairi standing there. "Well, now," she said, a little smile on her lips as she moved behind the counter to stand next to Riku. "Who's this? You didn't tell me a friend was stopping by."

"Ah –" he could feel heat gathering under his sweater, embarrassed that his grandmother caught him slacking off. He never dawdled and talked to customers like this before. He then noticed how he was standing, that he had leaned closer to Kairi as they talked, resting his elbows on the counter, and the embarrassed heat grew. "Sorry, Nanna. We, uh. Well, um –"

"He didn't know I was coming! Sorry for distracting him." Kairi said, raising a bashful hand to her cheek. "Riku and I just got caught up in talking. I'm Kairi – I work at Synthesize, across the street. It's nice to meet you! I can see where Riku gets all his good looks from."

She beamed, and Riku thought he was going to melt into the floor as his grandmother threw her head back and laughed. "What a flatterer, you are!" She crowed. "But you should save those lines for his mother, ha!" Grinning widely, she gently nudged Riku in the side. "I like this one – she can come by more often."

"Nanna." Riku said, flustered. "Please."

"Alright, alright. I just came up here to let you know it's getting closer to closing time. I want you to make sure the shelves are stocked, and the plants are watered before we leave, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I'll leave you to it, then. It was good to meet you, Kairi. Thank you for taking care of my Riku, here – he's hardheaded sometimes, but he's a sweetheart."

"Nanna!" He cried out again, and his grandmother only cackled, reaching up to fondly pat his cheek before returning to the back. Riku could barely look Kairi in the eye as he turned back to her, but he could practically feel the amused smile on her face. "Sorry that my grandmother is so presumptuous." He mumbled. "Saying we're friends and all that."

"But we are, aren't we?"

That shocked Riku enough to finally look up and see Kairi leaning up against the counter, eyes wide and expectant.

"…Are we?" He finally said. "Is that all it takes to be friends, one conversation?"

"Well, I think so." She says. "All it takes is one conversation to make a friend. You just have to work at it after to keep it up." Kairi holds out something to him, and Riku stares at the phone in her hand, uncomprehending. There's already a new contact page open – when did she do that? "And since we're friends," Kairi continues, cheeky, "you should definitely give me your number, so we can hang out outside of work hours."

His eyes bounced between the phone to Kairi's face. "You're serious." He finally states after a few seconds of silence, and Kairi raises an eyebrow. "You wanna – you wanna be friends? With me?"

"Yeah! You seem pretty cool, Riku. I wanna get to know you better. So come on!"

She wiggles her phone at him, and Riku rolls his eyes a little and gives in with a sigh, pretending to be put-upon as he takes her phone and plugs in his contact information. "There," he says, returning her phone, "happy now?"

"So happy," she purrs, a mischievous light in her eyes. "Sora's gonna be so pissed that I got your number first, ha!"

Riku didn't hide how hard he rolled his eyes this time. "I'm sure you can just share with him, so he doesn't feel left out."

"That's the plan!" Kairi grinned. "Say, Riku – are you free this weekend?"

"I mean…" He screws up his face, thinking about it. "I should be. We close the store on the weekends, so –"

"Really? That's great! Keep an eye out, I'll text you!"

Kairi skipped over to the door, her bag of purchases swinging on her arm. "See you later, Riku! Good talking to you!"

She gave him a wink and a wave before leaving the shop, the bells hanging above the door ringing lightly, filling the silence her absence left behind. It seemed that Kairi had a way of filling the room with her presence, too – no wonder she and Sora are an item.

Riku made sure that he didn't stare after Kairi this time, taking care to have his face turned away from the window as he got to completing the tasks his grandmother left for him to close the shop for the evening. He was in the middle of re-stocking the potions when he felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket. He placed the potion he was holding onto the shelf before checking his phone and was greeted to a text from an unknown number.

Unknown

Riku! It's Kairi!

You've officially got my number, so now we're even!

Keep an eye out for Sora's number, too! I'll text you later, okay?

Riku huffs out a little laugh and smiles down at his phone, shaking his head as he sends back an affirmative and adds Kairi to his contacts. He wasn't expecting his day to end like this, but he wasn't mad about it. It's probably good to have a couple more friends in his life.

"I'm glad you're making more friends."

He looks up as his grandmother walks up to him. "Nanna –" he started to say in protest because he had friends. He did.

He just…hasn't reached out to them in a while. Not since he came back home.

But she shook her head. "I know, I know." She placated. "But it's still nice to see. I know after – after Haruka, well –"

Her voice caught a little, and she coughed lightly, clearing her throat. Riku's heart ached, and any protests he had quickly fell silent. He couldn't lie to her that he didn't pull into himself, after his father died, retreating from everyone he knew; his grandmother probably understood his pain better than anyone – she had lost her son, after all.

"I know you had a hard time, after he died." She continued. "So it – it makes me so happy, to see you putting yourself out there, even just a little bit. You've worked so hard, to get to this point."

His grandmother pressed a hand to his cheek, and Riku couldn't help but turn into her touch, pressing his hand over hers. "I'm proud of you, baby." She says, and Riku sets his jaw against the prickling in his eyes.

Together, they finished closing up shop, and Riku gave his grandmother a long hug goodbye before they went their separate ways. "Goodnight, nanna," he murmured into her hair, and she rubbed his back. "Goodnight, Riku. Make sure you give your mother a call when you get home, alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. I will."

They parted, and as Riku walked down the sidewalk, he spared a quick glance over at Synthesize. The windows were dark, and he guessed that everyone in the shop must have went home while he and his grandmother were closing up. Sighing quietly, Riku tucked his chin into the collar of his coat and continued walking. The short trek to his apartment was silent, the chatter of people around him filling the air for him as he made his way home. His quiet musing was soon interrupted though.

His phone pinged loudly in his pocket, alerting him that he got a text – multiple texts, actually - and Riku checked his phone, curious. The tilt to his mouth quickly morphed into a smile, and he laughed softly as he looked at the messages on his phone.

Unknown

Rikuuuuuu!

I can't believe Kairi got your number before I did!

That's so unfair 😭

Riku rolled his eyes, but his smile didn't vanish as he quickly saved Sora to his contacts before typing out a response.

Don't be such a baby.

You have my number now, don't you?

Sora

YES, but STILL!

Did you just text me to complain? I've saved your number if that's what you're waiting to hear.

Sora

No!

Can I call you?

Riku made a face in surprise, blinking down at his phone as he approached his apartment complex. Sora wanted to…call him. What for?

…Sure? If you really want to, go ahead.

As soon as the text sent, his phone lit up in his hand, ringing loudly and declaring that he had an incoming call. Bemused, he held his phone to his ear as the call connected. "Sora?"

"Riku!"

He could hear the smile in Sora's voice over the phone; it was ridiculous – they only met once, and he sounds so happy to hear from him, like they've known each other forever.

"Hi, Sora." Riku says, cradling his phone as he starts climbing up the stairs to his floor. "What's up, did you need something?"

"Nope! I just wanted to thank you for the potions and stuff! They really came in handy after work today."

Riku slowly raised an eyebrow. "…You're welcome? It's kind of my job, so it's not a big deal."

Sora huffs over the line. "It's totally a big deal!"

"If you say so." He distractedly fishes his keys out of his bag. "Long workday, I guess? Kairi did mention it."

"Oh, yeah! Kairi and Naminè had a lot of appointments today, and then a few people came in for some piercings, so Xion and I – oh! Riku, there was such a sweet customer today, listen –"

Riku unlocked his door and shuffled into his apartment as Sora continued to talk his ear off, shrugging off his coat and depositing his bag. Kicking off his shoes, he immediately made a beeline for his couch and flopped onto it, making the appropriate noises to let Sora know he was still listening.

"So you work at Synthesize, too?" Riku asked. "What, are you the receptionist or something?"

"Hey! No way – well, not all the time. We rotate, sometimes. But no, I mainly do piercings with Roxas and Xion. Kairi, Naminè, Ventus, and Vanitas do tattoos, and I do some too – but only sometimes! I like doing piercings more, I think."

"Really? That's surprising."

"What, do I not look like the kind of person that would do piercings?"

"Yes." Riku answers bluntly, and Sora's laughter bubbles over in his ear. "Aren't you supposed to look, I dunno – piercings all over, tattoos all over the place?"

"I have tattoos!" He protested. "And piercings!"

Riku hummed, tapping a finger against his chin. "I don't believe you. I guess you'll have to prove it."

"I will! I'll definitely prove it!"

He hummed again, the sound trailing into a soft laugh. "Sure, sure. I'll believe it when I see it."

Pushing himself upright, Riku reached back to pull his hair tie loose, combing his fingers through his hair until his braid was undone. He scratched at his scalp, relishing the feeling, and flopped back onto the couch, phone pressed securely against his ear.

"Hey, Riku?"

"Hm?"

"I know Kairi told me that she was gonna text you about it, but since I have you here – you're free this weekend, right?"

"I am." He confirmed. "We close the shop on the weekends."

"Oh, great! We were – we wanted to ask you if you wanted to hang out with us this weekend?"

"Hang out, huh?"

Riku considered it. He hasn't really gone out for fun in a long time; his days for the last few years have been going to work, coming home, and sometimes visiting his mother. It's not like he lacks free time, but he just…didn't feel the need to go anywhere. But now…

"What, you wanna be friends with me, too?"

"Well, yeah!" Sora said. "I know we only met the once, but I really like you, Riku. I'd love to get to know you better!"

Riku parted his lips slightly. He breathed in slowly, thinking about it. Almost gave his answer, until a new voice cut in.

"Sora?" It was faint, but he could still hear Kairi's voice as she called his name. "Who are you talking to?"

"Oh, I'm talking to Riku! I just asked him if he wanted to hang out with us during the weekend!"

"You – Sora, I was going to ask him!"

"Well, I didn't get to ask for his number, so it's only fair!"

"Ugh, you -! Put him on speaker!"

There was a loud rustle, and Riku tried not to snicker too loudly as they settled. "Riku?" Kairi called, her voice much clearer, now. "Can you hear me?"

"I can. Hello."

"Okay, cool. Hi! You can answer the question now!"

"Oh, I can finally say it?" Riku asked dryly. He couldn't stop smiling, though – Sora and Kairi were just too silly. "I guess I can make time…" he said slowly, "since you two are putting up all this fuss. What do you want to do?"

"Yes!" Sora cheered. "Do you wanna go to the movies? Or have lunch? Do you wanna go to lunch and go to the movies?"

Riku laughed, throwing an arm over his eyes. "I can't choose. I haven't done either in such a long time."

"You haven't?" Kairi asked, incredulous. "Riku! What? Are you a hermit?"

He was glad that they couldn't see his face right now as his lips curved with a bitter smile. "Yeah." He answered easily. "Something like that."

"Well, that won't do." Kairi says, a determined lilt to her voice. "Sora, clear our whole Saturday. Riku, we're gonna take you to the museum, then go to lunch, and then, after that, we're going to the movies."

"Wow!" Sora pipes in. "That's gonna be a full day! Are you up for it, Riku?"

Riku pulled his arm away from his eyes and stared up at his ceiling, quietly thinking over this. Is he up for it? He thinks about his grandmother, and the words she said to him. Of her warm hand pressed against his cheek.

I'm proud of you, baby.

"Yeah." He finally answers. "I am, actually. It sounds fun."

-o-

"How have you been, sweetheart?"

Riku smiled at his mother as she sat next to him on the couch, the warm cocoa she made for him cradled in his hands. Another week had passed, and he decided to use one of his days off to pay a visit to his mother. She had called him earlier in the week, saying she wanted to talk to him when he had the time, and welcomed his visit with open arms, brown skin creasing with a smile as she greeted him with hugs and kisses before ushering him into his childhood home.

"I've been alright." He traces the rim of his mug with the tip of his finger. "I've been busy, mostly. Just working."

His mother sighed. "Riku, baby, you always work! I don't want you to wear yourself out, and I'm sure your grandmother doesn't want that for you, either."

"I know, mom. It's – I'm not working all the time, promise! I actually, um. Went out? Last Saturday?"

The news made his mother brighten considerably, eyes widening slightly. "You did? And you're just now telling me? Riku! Do you know how I've been worrying over you, hoping that you aren't working too hard –"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry!"

He brought his mug to his lips, taking a long sip. "It was just – unexpected. That's all."

"Have I met them yet?"

"No, no…I only met them recently. Do you remember Synthesize? That place across the street from grandma's shop –"

"Your shop, Riku. It's yours now."

"I – well. I met them while I was at work. They came in at different times for some stuff, and we just kinda…hit off from there."

Riku ducked his head as his mother leaned in, trying to look into his eyes. "Did you have a good time?" She asked. "With your new friends?"

Riku silently considered his mother's question. He did have a lot of fun with Sora and Kairi – more than he expected. It shocked him just how easy it was for them to click together, talking and laughing like they had been friends forever. The museum was fun; they took him to an art museum, and they played a little game where they took pictures of each other, trying to match the poses in some of the paintings. Lunch had been good, too, with Riku taking them to a café that he's frequented since he was a teenager, and the movie they went to afterward was nice enough. Despite his protests and assurances that he could pay for himself, Sora paid for lunch and Kairi paid for the movie tickets. It was the first time in a long time Riku could remember coming home smiling.

"…I did." He decided. "I had a really good time."

His mother's concern swiftly melted away into a smile, and she leaned back with a sigh. "Good." She stressed. "I'm happy to hear that. You deserve to have a little more fun, baby."

Riku peeked at her through his bangs. "Yeah, well…enough about me – how have you been, mom? You said you wanted to talk, right?"

He always worries about his mother; after his father died, he was extremely reluctant to return to his own place. He just couldn't bear it – the thought of his mother, alone in the house his father built for her, a reminder of everything they lost. Riku didn't want his mother to go to bed every night and be reminded that she slept in the same place where his father took his last breaths.

But his mother smiled at him, content – not a hint of the constant shadows of grief that used to hover in her eyes. "You don't have to worry about me, sweetheart – and don't lie to me, I know you are. I'm doing alright. It's part of why I wanted to talk to you, actually. I –"

She hesitated suddenly, her smile dimming, and that made Riku's nerves skyrocket.

"Mom?" He prodded. "It's – it's nothing serious, right? You're okay?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm fine, I promise – it's nothing…nothing bad. But I'm still worried that it might…upset you."

Upset him? Was it really that bad? She said she was fine, she promised, but –

"I won't get upset." Riku promises, steeling himself in case it really is bad news. "I promise."

His mother stared hard at him, and Riku waited, expectant. Eventually she sighed. "Alright. Well – Riku, I've…recently, I've been…seeing someone."

…What?

It took a second for her words to sink in, and once they did, Riku was left blinking rapidly at her, watching the little nervous crinkle appear between her brows.

Oh.

He gets why she would be nervous; if she had said this a few years ago, he would've absolutely lost it. And he feels terrible at the thought. Riku doesn't want – his mother shouldn't have to worry about upsetting him because she – she's seeing someone. That isn't fair to her at all.

So…so he smiles. "Is that all?" He teases. "Jeez, mom, you made it sound like I should've been expecting some bad news."

"Ah, you're…not upset about it?"

Riku pressed his lips together, considering his words before deciding to just – be honest. "If this happened a few years ago, I would have been. But you don't deserve that, mom. And besides – dad, he…he probably wants that for you. To be happy. So are you happy?"

"I –"

"Are you?"

His mother's eyes shined with unshed tears, but she nodded slowly. "I…am, yes."

"And the person you're seeing – are they nice? Are they good to you?"

This nod was firmer, more confident. "Yes. She is."

"Then that's all I need to know. I'm happy for you, mom – I really, really am. And I –"

Riku hesitated, but he needed to say it. "I'm sorry."

"Riku –"

"No, let me say it. I know I've apologized before, but I have to do it again, because – because you shouldn't have had to worry about my reaction to you seeing someone new. I…I was horrible, after dad died. To you, to grandma – to everyone. And you didn't deserve that at all. And no matter what I was feeling at the time, I never should've taken it out on you."

Tears were clinging to his mother's lashes now, and Riku set his mug aside so he could reach over and hold her hands. "I'm sorry, mom. I'm gonna be better – I'll always try to be better."

"I know." His mother sniffed. "I know you will, Riku. And I – I forgive you. I know you were hurting, then. But…it's better now. Isn't it?"

She squeezes his hands, and Riku rubs his thumbs over her knuckles. "I think a part of me will always hurt, forever." He finally says, and she squeezes his hands once more, nodding in understanding. "But…"

He lowers his head. Thinks of his grandmother's hand, pressed against his cheek, her turquoise eyes bright as she tells him how proud she is of his growth. He thinks of Sora and Kairi, their eagerness to reach out to him and their sunny smiles.

Riku picks his head up and gives his mother a grin. "But…it is a little better."

His mother's face was wet with tears, but her smile was just as wide. "That's good." She says. "I'm glad. I'm so glad. We're gonna be okay, baby. I promise."

"Yeah. I know." His smile gained a hint of mischief. "You have to introduce me to this person you're seeing, anyway."

She laughed, loud and unrestrained, and it was the best sound he's ever heard.

-o-

After a few months of regularly hanging out with Sora and Kairi, Riku could say with some amount of confidence that he has…friends. Which places him much better off than he was a few years ago, in his opinion.

When they asked to spend time with him, a part of Riku was pretty sure it was a fluke – a weird, one off moment, where they quickly realize just how boring he actually is and drop him. But…it never happens. Instead, they visit him at work more often; they don't even try to act like they need to buy anything sometimes, just standing out of the way and chatting him up at the counter when they have the chance. On their off days, they spend time at each other's apartments, or hang out somewhere around the islands. It's…really nice.

In between him becoming a more social person, Riku finally meets the person his mother is seeing – Nanami, a woman with olive skin, platinum blonde hair, and a smile as warm as her eyes. Once he meets her, watching how she easily brings a smile to his mother's face, Riku can relax. He's been worrying for so long about his mother being lonely – despite her many promises and reassurance that she wasn't. But with proof of his mother's happiness before him, he felt a knot in his heart loosen. Slowly, so slowly, things were…getting better.

And Riku had no idea what to do with that.

"Hey, Riku?"

He looked up with a quiet noise of acknowledgment to find Sora staring at him, eyes narrowed slightly as he very obviously thought about something.

It was an off day for Sora, and Riku was hanging out with him at his and Kairi's apartment. Kairi wasn't as lucky, and had work that day, a few appointments booked at Synthesize, and Sora had called him whining about not wanting to be at home by himself. They've mostly spent the day together quietly, one of the windows open to enjoy the warm spring breeze and afternoon sunlight that came into the living room while they sat together on the couch, Riku reading his book and Sora playing a handheld game. But apparently Sora got bored of that when Riku wasn't looking, because here he was, game entirely forgotten and just – staring at him.

"What is it?" He prodded. "Do I have something on my face, or what?"

"No." Sora hummed. "I'm just thinking –"

His eyes wandered, and Riku realized that Sora was staring at his ear, at this curve of his neck, exposed by his hair being up in a ponytail. It was considering, that gaze, and it made an embarrassed heat spread across his face. "What?" He asked, self-conscious.

"Have you ever thought of piercing your ears?"

Of all the questions, he wasn't expecting that one. Riku drew himself up, putting his book aside. "Seriously?"

"Seriously! I think it would look really good!"

"You're only saying that 'cause you want me to join you and Kairi's little club."

Sora grinned at him and tilted his head, the row of piercings he had lined along the curve of his ear glinting in the sunlight. "Would that be so bad? It's a fun club! And it doesn't have to be as many piercings as I have! Just one set!"

Riku turned to face Sora on the couch, folding his legs up. "What brought this on, huh?"

Sora shrugged lightly, eyes drifting down as he absently traced the patterns of the tattoo on his arm. He finally got to prove himself, since they've been hanging out, and Riku's caught a glimpse of most of his tattoos. He told him the meanings for each one, and Riku knew that the one Sora was messing with was his favorite; a quarter sleeve on his forearm of the ocean's waves swirling together – a tribute to Kairi. He knows Kairi has a special tattoo for Sora, too, but Riku hasn't seen it yet. The paopu fruit is for her, too – they both have one, marked on their wrists, and it makes Riku ache some, the thought of being tied to someone so intimately.

"I've been thinking about it for a while, that's all." Sora admitted, bashful. "I think it would suit you. It'd be very pretty."

Riku's heart skipped a little. Is – is Sora trying to say he thought he was pretty? That's not possible. He's probably just being nice, and Riku's obviously making something out of a throwaway comment because, one – Sora has a whole, entire girlfriend. And two – well. There is no two. Because even if it did make his heart flutter a little, it didn't matter, because again – a whole, entire girlfriend.

He's probably reading into it too much.

"I've talked about it with Kairi, too, and she agrees with me! Don't tell her that I told you, but –"

He leaned in a little, a sneaky smile on his face. "I've got it on good authority that it would only add to your prettiness, so I'm not bluffing when I say she agrees with me! But don't tell her I said anything! She'll get embarrassed."

Pause. Hold on. Ignoring the part where Sora just said outright that he thought Riku was pretty – Kairi thought so, too?

What can he even say? His heart can't handle something like this.

Riku pressed a hand to his face, feeling the urge to hide. He pushed past it – stared hard at Sora, wondering what he was trying to pull. "You don't have to make fun," he started to say, but Sora quickly shook his head, cutting him off. "I'm not! Riku, I'm not making fun of you, I swear. I'm serious!"

He held out his hands, as though being open through body language would show just how earnest he was, and his eyes were so bright – Riku couldn't detect a hint of mischief anywhere. So…he meant it. Okay. That's…something.

Heat spread across his face, prickly and itchy. Riku pressed his lips together and tried not to look away. He was just asking about ear piercings – why was he so nervous?

Because he thinks you're pretty. A part of him whispered. Because Kairi thinks you're pretty – and you like that.

He shoves the thought aside. He's being ridiculous.

"I'll –" he started. "Um. Think about it. I guess."

"For real? Awesome!" Sora pumped his fists, victorious. "Hey, when you make a decision, let me know! If you do want the earrings, I'll pierce your ears for you! Free of charge!"

"Free?! Sora, no, I'll pay –"

"Rikuuuu." Sora pouted a little as he drew out his name. There was no logical explanation for a grown man to be as – as cute as Sora is. "Come on – you're my friend! It's no big deal."

His friend. Somehow, that little reminder helped – put things into perspective, and calmed the nervous beat of his heart. Why was he so nervous? He had no reason to be. Sora and Kairi, they were just – being nice. Being friendly.

He needed to relax.

"Hey." He forced himself to relax into the cushions, nudging Sora's knee with his foot as he changed the subject. "How does it work, anyway?"

"How does what work?"

"Your spell work. I've never really seen it in action, so I don't really get it. There hasn't been a shop like yours in this part of the islands for years."

"Really? Well…"

Sora tilted his head as he thought on his answer, and Riku fully relaxed as the topic of getting his ears pierced and – and other things were quickly forgotten. He watched his friend hum and haw over it, arms crossed over his chest as his brows furrowed deeply.

"It's kind of hard to explain!" He eventually bursts out. "But, um – okay, for piercings, it's like – that one's a lot easier sometimes, because usually you just listen to the customer and do the piercing. We have stones and gems that can be great magical focuses, you know! So if someone wants, uh, I dunno…quartz or whatever, to enhance healing magic, we just talk about the piercing they want and set them up, no problem! Sometimes there are custom orders where we have to make the jewelry, though."

"How does that work?"

It was always fascinating, learning about other kinds of magic use; Riku had been obsessed with it when he was younger, wanting to learn as much as he could. It was nice to find out that part of him didn't fully die out.

"We synthesize it." Sora grinned. "We didn't name our shop that to sound edgy! The Moogles taught us, you know – you gather materials, and you can combine them to turn them into a stronger product – stronger jewelry means better a magic focus. Sometimes customers bring in materials for the item they need, which is always great, but we can gather them ourselves if we need to, so."

"That sounds…really cool."

"Aw, it's not that interesting." Sora tried to demure, but he was beaming.

"It is!" Riku countered. "How does it work with tattoos?"

"I mean –" He shrugs. "It's kind of like the piercings, but it takes a lot more magic to make happen. Tattoos are permanent, so we have to be very precise when making them. If there's one screw up, then the tattoo's a bust – which is really bad if it's gonna be used for casting. They are the better option when it comes to being a magic focus, which is usually what people come to us for. But there's other things, too. You should come see us sometime! Then you can really get the full picture."

"Hmm…" Riku cocked his head to the side. "Maybe I will. We'll see."

"What brought all these questions on, anyway?"

"I was just curious. There's so many different types of magic in the world – so many uses. It's always interesting to discover the different ways magic can be used. I figured that…the more I knew, the easier it would be to decide my own way, and what I wanted to do with my skills once I left home. I don't… really use my magic as much as I did when I was younger, but…I still like to know the ins and outs, I guess."

"Huh?"

It sank in slowly, what Riku had just said – what he just admitted. Sora was staring at him, perplexed. "You don't…use magic a lot?" He repeated. "But…when we met, you…Riku, how come?"

Riku's mouth fell open slightly and his mind raced, trying to find a good reason and avoid spilling the painful, messy truth, right there on the couch. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of jingling keys, by a door opening.

"I'm home." Kairi called out. "Sora, are you here? I'm so tired…I could use one of Riku's potions right no – huh? Riku!"

Kairi's mouth dropped into a round 'o' of surprise seeing Riku and Sora sitting together on the couch, and Riku raised his hand in a little wave, happy to take any opening to avoid the questions building in Sora's eyes. "Uh…hey, Kairi."

"Riku came over to hang out while you were at work!" Sora chimed in. "I was bored. I didn't want to sit around the house by myself."

Kairi's surprise morphed into a dazzling smile, and she tossed her bag aside as she skipped into the living room and threw herself into Riku's arms, the two of them toppling back onto the couch as she buried her face into his chest. "This is much better than a potion!" She says happily, giving Riku a squeeze, and Riku didn't know what his face was doing but it made Sora dissolve into peals of laughter.

"Uh." Riku said dumbly, not sure what to do with his hands. "Kairi?"

"Mm, no." She mumbled. "I'm recharging."

"Was work that rough?" Sora asked, rearranging Kairi's legs so that they rested in his lap. He started rubbing her calves, and Kairi's pleased hum buzzed in Riku's chest. He tried to stay still, blushing so badly that he could feel the heat radiating off his skin, and made a face when Sora snickered quietly at his plight. Riku realized then that his hands were still hovering awkwardly in the air, so he…slowly…placed them on Kairi's back. Just to have somewhere to put them. He decided to shove his legs onto Sora's lap as well, because why not – might as well get comfortable.

"Kinda," she sighed, finally pulling her face out of Riku's chest so she could talk. It was weird, feeling her muscles relax under his hands, but not…it wasn't bad. Just – they were so close. "Just some really intense work today – super delicate, you know how it is."

Sora hummed in sympathy. "Yeah, I get it. Oh – Kairi, guess what? Riku was asking stuff about how we do our job! He thinks we're really cool."

"I didn't say that." Riku swiftly corrected. "I said the spell work was cool."

"Okay, but since we're the ones doing the spell work, doesn't that mean we're cool by default?"

"If that helps you stroke your ego at night."

A strangled noise left Sora's mouth as his face made a series of complicated expressions, and Kairi snorted with laughter. "It's okay, Riku." She says solemnly, resting her chin on his chest. "You can admit it – you're in a safe space here. We totally rock your world."

"Very much so." Riku makes his voice as deadpan as possible. "You are obviously the best friends I've ever had."

"Wow." Sora coos, looking touched as he pressed a hand over his heart. "Kairi, he finally admitted it! He loves us."

"Well, of course he does." Kairi says, giving Riku another squeeze that warmed him down to his toes. "We're irresistible."

-o-

Riku may have said it in jest at the time, but it was true all the same – Sora and Kairi were a godsend, coming into his life. They really were the best friends he's ever had, because they made him realize just how closed-off he still was, before.

He won't discount the progress he's made; he still remembers vividly just how bad off he was a few years ago, when grief was still raw and took up everything. But where he is now, for the last six months…it's like he's been underwater for a long time and is finally breaking the surface to breathe. It feels like - like he's finally clearing the lingering cobwebs in his mind, in his heart. Leaving the house, spending time with Sora and Kairi – it showed Riku how isolated he had been, only seeing his family and sticking to the lonely routine of work, home, and sleep. Now, he goes to the park sometimes, or the movies. Now, he has people who want him to come over, or stop by his place for dinner, or movie night, or game night – he has friends, and he –

He feels guilty.

In the years since he came back home, Riku hasn't tried to contact anyone he knew from his time inland. There was effort to stay in touch when he first moved back, Riku receiving calls and texts to check on him, but when his father's health started to decline…and then when he – well.

Riku had just…stopped trying.

Eventually they stopped trying, too.

And now here he was on his lunch break, guilt settling in his gut as he looked through his contacts, heavy and unpleasant. He distantly heard the bell above the door jingle, alerting that there was a new customer, but Riku didn't worry about it; his grandmother was handling the store while he was on his break. He had plenty of time to stew in his feelings before going back to work.

He should probably contact them, Riku thinks to himself. It doesn't have to be a full-blown conversation, just – he has to apologize, at the very least. Should he call? Would that be too much? Or maybe just a text to start – but could that be taken weirdly? It's possible; it would be super weird to just get a text out of the blue from someone that ghosted you for three years –

"Rikuuuu."

He jumped a little as hands covered his eyes, phone slipping from his fingers and landing on his lap. "Guess who." The voice said, giggling a little, and Riku immediately relaxed.

"Kairi." Riku sighed, reaching up to loosely grab her wrists as he leaned back. "You startled me."

"I'm sorry." She hummed, resting her chin atop his head. "I did call your name a couple times. Are you feeling okay? Did you get sick?"

Riku rolled his eyes as Kairi pulled her hands away from his eyes, one arm wrapping around his shoulders while the other checked his temperature. "Kairi, it's almost summertime."

"So? Warm weather doesn't mean you can't get sick."

Kairi had a point there, so Riku just shrugged, wrinkling his nose a little as Kairi fluffed his bangs.

"What's up, then?"

He presses his lips together, wondering how much he could tell her. "…I was thinking."

"Okaaaaay…" She drew the word out. "What about?"

Once again, Riku found himself hesitating. Kairi must have sensed it, because she pulled her hand from his forehead to wrap her other arm around his shoulders, pulling him into a loose hug. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." She says softly. "I just think that talking it out is a good way to clear your head. And get advice if you want it."

Kairi's temple nudged against his, and Riku breathed out slowly. It would be fine – Kairi wouldn't judge him.

"I've just realized how much of a terrible friend I've been." He admits, and he can practically hear Kairi frown.

"Riku, you –"

"No, no, listen." He bit at his lip. "I had left home, you know? Just like how you're supposed to. I had left home, and moved inland, and I was doing really well. But then – a few years ago. I had to…something happened. And I had to come back home. I…didn't take it well. I had made friends there, but when I had to move back home, I just…"

He shrugged, trying not to jostle Kairi's arms. "I just shut down. I didn't talk to anyone. I stopped reaching out to my friends, and eventually they stopped, too."

Riku didn't know why he was dancing around it, why it was so hard to say. It was just three words – my father died – but just thinking of trying to say it makes his throat close up. As though saying it, acknowledging it…that will finally make it real.

"Meeting you and Sora," he continued, "it just…reminded me, is all. And I just – I feel bad. I should…I should try and do something, right? To make amends?"

Kairi hummed quietly. Riku's stomach dropped a little when she pulled away, arms sliding from his shoulders, but he soon relaxed when Kairi sat on the surface of the table he was sitting at. "I think doing something wouldn't be a bad idea." She finally says, swinging her legs back and forth. "It doesn't have to be anything crazy, you know? I think just an apology would be enough."

"You think so?"

"Sure! It's up to them whether they accept it or not, but it's never wrong to reach out and try."

She smiled, reaching a hand up to absently fiddle with one of her earrings. Her smile was always so bright – Riku always made himself look away before he started squinting, forcing himself to look at something else. Today his eyes decided to land on Kairi's legs – or rather, the tattoo on one of her legs. A string of flowers, drifting around the line of her thigh and vanishing behind the bend of her knee. They looked like they were floating, blown along by a breeze, and Riku knows the name of each flower – local blooms found in the Destiny Islands.

He then proceeded to get distracted by the flex of muscle in Kairi's legs as she continued to swing her legs back and forth. Kairi has such nice legs, Riku thinks absently. Sora is so lucky to get to be around those legs all the time – well, not just the legs, but also the – everything else about Kairi.

"-ku? Riku, are you listening to me?"

A poke to his forehead brought him back to his senses, and Riku blinked rapidly as he jerked his head up to meet Kairi's amused gaze. "Huh?" He asked dumbly. "I – I'm sorry. What did you say?"

She laughed. "I was asking what you were thinking about. You looked like you were thinking really hard about something."

Riku's mind blanked, and he stomped down the flush he could feel gathering under his t-shirt. "I – uh –"

He wracked his brain for something to say other than I was checking out your legs. "I was thinking of – um. Who I should contact first, I guess."

That could be believable enough, given what they were talking about before he decided to space out. He hopes Kairi doesn't call him out on it, because he knows that he was just staring very hard at her legs. He must have been believable enough; Kairi doesn't call bullshit, and Riku relaxes, just a little bit.

"That would be a hard choice to make." Kairi muses. "But you don't have to make a decision right away. You have time – but I guess just start with what would be the easiest, and then work from there."

With a small 'hup!', Kairi hops off the table, brushing her hands off on her shorts. "I should probably go; I did stop by to buy something, and I don't want to eat up all your break."

"Oh!" Riku frowned. "Kairi, I didn't mean to hold you up –"

"Don't apologize! I wanted to see you. Your grandmother told me where you were after I bought my things. So relax, okay?"

She smiled, so sweet that it made his heart melt, and then she –

She did something that Riku wasn't expecting.

Lacing her hands behind her back, she swiftly leaned in and pressed a quick kiss against the curve of Riku's cheek. It was over in seconds – just the lightest brush of lips – but the contact lit Riku's skin up like he'd been struck by lightning.

"Don't worry too much," she said softly, "okay? I'll see you later."

Kairi waved in farewell, cheeks a light pink, and she was gone before Riku could say anything else. Slowly, he raised a hand to his cheek, and he swore that the skin tingled.

He looked down at his phone, still in his lap, and checked the time. Ten minutes until his lunch break was over – he could work with that. Before he could second guess himself, Riku quickly scrolled through his contacts, searching for one name in particular.

Start with what would be the easiest, and then work from there.

His thumb hovered over the contact, hesitant.

Terra.

That would be the easiest place to start – the first person he apprenticed under, when he was still new to the city and homesick. He could picture him in his mind's eye now – tall and strong with warm brown eyes and a comforting smile. He had learned a lot and left that apprenticeship with a new friend at the end of it all. Yes, Riku decided. He would start there.

Nodding to himself, he tapped the screen a couple times, and pressed the 'call' button. He tried to ignore the way his heart was racing, as he brought his phone to his ear. His hand was still pressed against that spot on his cheek. The skin still tingled.

Don't worry too much, okay?

The call connected.

"Hello?"

Riku breathed out slowly.

"Hey, Terra? It – it's me."

He would worry about it later.

-o-

See, the thing is – Riku's had this hunch, about Sora and Kairi. Sora and Kairi and how they've acted towards him, specifically.

He's noticed it slowly, these past couple months; staring when they think he isn't looking, and soft touches. Riku wouldn't have thought anything of it if he hadn't caught where exactly those eyes had landed – across his chest, over his legs, and other places besides – and if the touches didn't linger more and more as time went on. It's hard for him not to notice nowadays. And then, they're always saying things – sweet things that knock him off his axis and leave him stunned. And to top it all off, there was that kiss – so small but sent him into a tailspin. It's left him asking questions.

Riku he – he's been good. You know? Of course there was that initial flare of attraction, when he first met Sora and Kairi – but he quickly stomped it down when he learned that they were together. But this – this development was unexpected. It left him twisted up inside, because what if he was just reading too much into it? He's learned that Sora and Kairi are touchy by nature; always wanting a hand to hold, or a hug or a cuddle when they spend time together. He had been used to that, expected that from his friends whenever they hung out.

But the kiss. That changed things a bit.

Riku knows that it's all well and good to kiss your friends. He's seen that plenty, so he knows it's not really that big a deal. But this, it – it just felt different.

And it kept happening.

Whenever Kairi would pay him a visit at work, or they would hang out, she would always give him a kiss goodbye, now – a small one, pressed against his cheek – before running off, fluttering away like a little bird. It made his heart race every time, that small kiss – every time.

And he wasn't entirely sure what he could do.

So like all the other times he was unsure about something, he did the only thing he could think of – he talked to his mother.

"Hey, mom – you remember Sora and Kairi, right?"

He's in his mother's kitchen, making lunch for them at the counter while his mother sits at the table. She had offered to cook something before he arrived, but Riku quickly declined, offering to do the cooking instead so he could have something to keep his hands occupied.

At his question, his mother's face quickly brightened with recall. Riku has brought Sora and Kairi over a few times to meet his mom, and she was instantly taken with them. "They're good to you, Riku." She says to him when they were on the way out after their first visit, giving his arm a squeeze. "So good. You have very good friends. Bring them over more often, okay?"

"Your two lovely friends!" His mother says happily. "Yes, of course I remember them. What is it?"

"Well…"

Riku squirmed a little bit as he looked down at the tomatoes he was cutting up, wondering how on earth he could word this. This was embarrassing – but he was a grown ass man. The worst thing his mother could do is judge him a little – which on its own is already pretty devastating. But he knows his mom; she would never do that.

"I'm not sure how to explain this." He muttered. "But, uh. I think they've been…hitting on me?"

His mother blinked at him slowly, and that alone was enough to send him into an embarrassing ramble, stumbling over his words as he placed the knife he was using on the counter.

"I mean, I, uh – I'm not really sure, but they've just been, uh – I don't know. Touchy? More than usual? And they keep saying all these nice things, and I, uh – sometimes I catch them staring at me, and at first, I thought something happened to my clothes, or my hair was messed up or something, but then they just kept doing it? And I could be reading into things too much, which is definitely possible, but I just. Uh. Don't know what to do? And I wanted to talk to you about it?"

He felt like a teenage boy again, with the way his voice cracked a little with his nerves. But his mother was still staring, and Riku just wanted to melt into the floor and die.

"You know what, actually, maybe we can just forget thi –"

"You know," his mother started slowly, "your father would have thought this was hilarious."

That made Riku stop short. "You – he would? Really?"

Just the mention of his father made his throat go tight. His mother smiled at him, eyes warm and soft. "He would." She confirmed, melancholy. "To not have just one person flirting with you, but two? At once? Haruka would think this is so funny!"

She laughed, the sound quickly tapering off into a sigh. "But that's not the main point, here. They do seem very sweet on you, whenever you bring them around to visit. What do you want to do about it, Riku?"

Riku blinked, confused. "What do…I want to do?"

"Yes. Do you care about them?"

"Of course I do, but – mom. You don't…think it's weird, or anything?"

"Why would I? I know it's…it's certainly possible, to have love for more than one person in your heart. So why not at the same time? I think it's fine, Riku – it just means you have a lot of love to give."

Riku could feel himself flush to the roots of his hair at her words, and he coughed lightly into his fist, turning away. "Mom…"

"Oh, this shyness!" She laughs. "Where did that come from? You've been such a bold boy, ever since you were a toddler!"

"It's because I just – I don't know what to do." He says, helpless. "I've never dealt with anything like this before!"

"Oh, baby, I'm sure you ran into a couple of crushes while you were away – you just didn't notice. But that's not important. You still didn't tell me what you wanted to do."

"I –"

Riku runs a rough hand through his hair. "I don't know. I could just talk to them, but – I'm afraid. I don't wanna mess this up. They – they really are my best friends. Kind of."

"Well…" his mother taps at her chin, "why not just test their interest?"

"Test – how? Mom, what would you have done?"

His mother cocked her head, resting her elbows on the table. "Riku, when I realized I was interested in Nanami, I made time to talk to her about it the next time she stopped at where I worked. And then we – we've been trying. With little outings and all that, to get to know each other."

"But –" Riku pressed a hand to his cheek, tomatoes entirely forgotten. "But we already do that. Kind of!"

"But that's not entirely the same - that's as friends!" His mother blew out an exasperated breath. "Baby, you are a grown man. One day you'll have to be upfront with them, if you want it, but since you're so unsure – just test it. Put yourself out there and see how it goes."

Riku made a noncommittal noise, turning back to the tomatoes he had been slicing before he got distracted. "I can…try that." He mumbled. "Thanks, mom. For, you know – listening to me. I know it's ridiculous."

It had been really obvious advice – just test their interest – but it was something Riku needed to hear, as though hearing it from someone other than himself makes the advice make more sense. If it was just him, he would have kept talking himself out of it. But if his mom sees it too, and thinks he should do something about it, then, well…he's gonna do something about it!

But what? And how?

Sora and Kairi are always bringing up how pretty he looks, so…Riku supposes that would be a good place to start. So when Monday comes back around, he dresses up a little for work.

He doesn't do anything too crazy, because he still has to spend the day around plants, and dirt, and potions that stain. But he still puts in effort – jeans that he remembers being told do wonders for his legs, and a loose white t-shirt with a wide, scooped neck. He remembers the times he's caught Sora staring at his neck and collarbones, and so he ties his hair up into a bun as well, making sure everything is perfectly on display. He pulls on his well-worn pair of black boots and takes a second looking over his reflection.

It was…fine. He looked fine. It wasn't much, but it'll do.

The morning passed by quietly; not a lot of people came in, as usual, so Riku enjoys the quiet, opening the windows to let the warm breeze in. It stirs up the flowers a bit, and the scent in the air is so sweet that Riku could do nothing but smile. Traffic picked up some when his grandmother came in at her usual time, and even though he really didn't dress that differently, she still raised an amused eyebrow at him – a gesture he strongly ignored as he finished ringing a customer up.

"You look very nice today, sweetheart." She pointedly complimented him, a teasing smile on her face. "Is there a special occasion?"

"Nanna." Riku huffs in exasperation, beckoning another customer forward. "I don't look that different, please."

"No, you don't." She hummed as she joined him behind the counter. "But there's still a change – something's different about you, Riku."

He shrugged lightly, just a little roll of his shoulder. "I'm just…trying something today."

"Hm." His grandmother pressed her lips together, hiding a smile. "Well, I hope whatever you're trying works out."

God, he hoped so, too.

He was booted out of the store for his lunch break an hour later, his grandmother placing his bag into his hands as soon as his apron was gone and practically shoving him out the door. "Pay a visit to your lovely friends!" She called out. "I'll be fine – enjoy your lunch!"

She closed the door, leaving the cheerful ring of bells behind her, and Riku narrowed his eyes at the door.

His mother told her about his situation – he's sure of it. He knows they love to gossip, especially when it's about him.

But, hey – she wants him to enjoy his lunch, so…might as well use this opportunity. He heads to his favorite café and buys a small meal for himself, sitting near the window and people watching as he ate, savoring his food. After that, he goes back to the counter and buys a few sweets – a slice of cake he remembers Kairi liking, when they last came here, and a small bag of lemon cookies for Sora.

He might as well use this time and listen to his grandmother's instructions.

It's time to pay his friends a visit, for once.

-o-

When he enters Synthesize, he is greeted with the soft sound of music overlayed with the buzz of tattoo guns.

The décor inside is just as charming as its outside, the space inside bigger than he expected. The walls were made up of warm wood panels and covered with picture frames, and doubled with the warm, golden lights, it gave the space a cozy feeling. There was a small set of stairs leading up into the main room, where there were seven stations.

"Can I help you?"

Riku jumped a little at the voice and whipped his head around to face the blue haired woman sitting at the desk a few feet away from the door, eyebrows raised expectantly. "Are you here to schedule an appointment?" She asked, and Riku quickly shook his head. "Oh, no, no, I'm – I'm here to see my friends. Sora and Kairi?"

He's not sure why he ended that with a question; he knows they're here – he can see Sora's spiky hair for goodness' sake.

But the woman's expression brightened. "Oh! You must be Riku! Sora and Kairi have mentioned you before!"

He would not get flustered. Riku bit the inside of his cheek and tightened his fingers on the bag of sweets he was holding. "They…have?"

"Of course! Anyway – come along, they're just this way –"

She hopped up from the desk and gestured for him to follow, heading up the stairs. "I'm Aqua." The woman introduces herself. "I think I've seen you around once or twice – you run the apothecary across the street, right?"

"I do." Riku confirmed, stunned that she noticed him and remembered. "It's nice, to, you know – actually meet you. Formally."

Aqua smiles. "It's nice to formally meet you, too. Now – Sora, Kairi!"

"Yeah?" Sora turns toward Aqua slightly, distracted eyes focused on something else before he finally notices Riku at her side – then he gets all of Sora's attention. "Riku!" He cries out, eyes wide as a delighted smile stretches across his face. "You finally decided to pay us a visit!"

"Riku's here?"

Kairi was sitting next to a woman with long blonde hair and watching intently as she worked on a tattoo on a client's arm, but as soon as Sora announced Riku's presence, she was on her feet in the blink of an eye. As well as the blonde woman, Riku could see an older man with spiky blonde hair and green eyes who was also focused tattooing someone, and another older man with black hair, grey eyes, and a small frown on his face as he watched. The air was heavy with magic around them, the feeling making Riku's hair stand on end a little.

"What's up, Riku?" Sora asked, rising to his feet. "Did you finally come to get your ears pierced?"

His eyes were teasing, and Riku found himself speaking before thinking himself through. "Mm – no. Maybe for my birthday, though."

He pushed ahead before Sora could latch onto that, tilting his head a little and putting a hand on his hip as he held up the bag of treats he brought. "I'm on my lunch break," he says, "and I figured I'd be nice and visit you two for a change. I brought you something."

It was…ridiculously satisfying, to have his hunch confirmed so quickly.

Sora's eyes instantly latched onto the exposed curve of his neck, while Kairi gave him a lingering once over before even noticing the bag he was holding up. How did it take him until just recently to start noticing this? He can't believe this. He's embarrassing.

"And you can introduce me to everyone you work with, too?" He prodded and Aqua huffed a laugh by his side. "I already met Aqua."

"Uh –" Kairi shook her head. "Um! Yeah! Yeah, let's, uh – do you wanna sit down somewhere, or -?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake." The black haired man snapped, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Find a place for him to sit, already! I'm getting embarrassed just looking at you two, christ."

"Vanitas, language." The blonde woman murmured absently, still focused on her work, and her client chuckled quietly.

Sora and Kairi had the sense to look a little embarrassed, and Aqua laughed one more time before patting Riku on the shoulder. "Come on," she urged, pushing him forward. "You can sit at Sora's station."

"Uh, y-yeah!" Sora stumbled forward, Kairi quickly at his heels, and he grabbed Riku's arm and pulled him forward towards the middle station along the wall.

"Riku?"

"Hm?" He asked, taking a seat on the empty bench Sora gestured to. Kairi nervously played with her fingers. "Did you, um. Do something different today, with your – uh –"

She gestured vaguely at him, and Riku's lips quirked up in an amused grin. "I look the same as always, Kairi." He teased, and she flushed, deep as a rose.

"Oh. Well. Uh – you look nice? Today?"

"Not that you don't look nice every day!" Sora quickly rushed in to correct, and Riku worked to stifle a snort of laughter. "You just – look really nice today. That's all."

"Thank you for thinking so." He demurs, trying not to let his pleasure show. He holds out his bag. "Eat up – my lunch break doesn't last forever, you know."

Kairi took the bag and opened it, letting out a delighted noise when she sees the slice of cake he bought for her. "Oh, it's my favorite! Riku, you remembered!"

"Of course." He says, watching Sora's eyes light up when Kairi tosses him the bag of lemon cookies. "It's not like it's hard to forget. I go there all the time, you know, so I figured why not grab something."

"That's really nice of you." Sora mumbles around a mouthful of cookie. "Hey, Riku – how has your day been, so far?"

Kairi and Sora sit with him on the bench, sandwiching him in the middle, and Riku relaxed into the conversation, leaning into their warmth. They eventually got around to introducing Riku to the others – Naminè, Ventus, and Vanitas – but mostly, they spent the little time they had together talking and making plans to hang out the next time they were all free.

"Riku." Sora nudged him gently in the ribs. "Did you really mean it, about getting your ears pierced?"

He pursed his lips. Riku did say that without really thinking, but…he has been thinking about it on and off, since Sora offered it. And it was just some earrings – no big deal.

"Yeah." He finally says. "I meant it."

"Really?" Sora grinned widely. "Awesome! We can definitely do it on your birthday! When is it?"

"Oh, it's, uh. In July."

"July?" Kairi squeaked. "Riku! That's so close! Literally a couple weeks away! Were you just going to let your birthday happen and not tell us?"

"Riku." Sora says, aghast. "We did something for my birthday in March. If we don't celebrate with you, that's – that's a crime! Criminal!"

"It's not a big deal! I don't really do much for the day, anyway." Not for the last few years, at least.

Kairi puffed out her cheeks, and for once, Riku allowed himself to think about how adorable she looks. "Well, we'll do something this year!"

"We should pierce your ears before your birthday then." Sora pipes in. "So you don't have to worry about your ears healing and everything."

Riku feels like he should be more nervous than he is about piercing his ears – but then again, why should he be? Sora would be the one piercing them. He couldn't be in safer hands.

"I guess we can." He concedes. "When do you want to do it?"

Sora bit down on another cookie as he thought, his brow wrinkling. "Hey, Aqua?" He calls out.

"Yes?"

"Do I have any openings coming up the next couple weekends?"

There was a quiet rustling of papers. "You've got a couple openings the weekend after next."

"Thank you! Would that be alright, Riku?"

That would be a couple weeks into July. That should be doable; Riku's birthday is a little closer to the end of the month, so his ears should be healed up by then.

"That should work just fine for me." He confirms.

Sora's responding grin was dazzling.

-o-

When Riku awoke on the day he would get his ears pierced, he didn't feel nervous at all.

He had time before his appointment; his shop was closed for the weekend, and he didn't have to head to Synthesize until the afternoon. So he spent the morning lounging around his apartment, completing a few chores that needed doing to kill some time. When it got closer to when he needed to leave, Riku bathed and prepared himself for the day, wondering if he should dress a little differently again. They did think that he looks nice no matter what, so today could be a little more relaxed. He decided on joggers and a hooded tank top and called it decent, throwing on some sneakers and grabbing his bag.

The air was heavy and fragrant with summer heat, and Riku relished in the warmth as he walked into town to Synthesize. He texted Sora, informing him that he was on the way to the shop, and he received a string of excited emojis in return. Sora was waiting outside for him when he approached, eagerly bouncing on his heels, and he threw himself at Riku once he was close enough.

"Riku!" He cried out happily, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Hello!"

"Hi." He says, placing his hands on Sora's waist. "You seem more energized than usual, and that's saying something!"

"I'm just excited!" Sora let him go and took a step back, grabbing his arm. "Come on, let's go in! I've already got everything set up – we just have to pick what gems you want."

"Is Kairi here?"

"Nope – she has the day off today and wanted to rest up a little. So it's just you and me. But we can go see her after this if you want!"

Sora pulled him into the shop, calling over his shoulder, "Roxas, Xion! He's here!"

"Oh!" A woman's voice piped up, bright and lilting. "He is? Sora, bring him here!"

"About time he showed up," a man's voice gripes, and Sora rolls his eyes, a smile quirking his mouth.

"Roxas, he was here a couple weeks ago, but you had to be off work that day."

The main room looked the same as it did the last time he was here, only this time he was greeted by a girl with short black hair and deep blue eyes, and – and a man that was the spitting image of Ventus, only younger and with dark brown eyes. "Uh –" Riku blurted out, startled. "Hi. Sorry, but. Are you – uh. Related? To Ventus?"

The man – Roxas – makes a face. "Ven's my long-lost sibling." Roxas says, and his tone is so dry that Riku knows he was only joking.

"Roxas." Xion chides, giving Riku a little smile. "He's joking, obviously – Ven's his doppelganger. Allegedly everyone in the world has one, and Roxas was one of the people lucky enough to work with his."

"It's just so weird." Roxas grumbles, and Sora laughs. "I checked, like, four times just to make sure we weren't actually related. It's uncanny."

"Poor thing." Sora coos, and Roxas tries to swipe at him as he passes by, still pulling Riku along. "No Naminè today?" He calls over his shoulder as he heads to his station. "And where's Aqua?"

Both Roxas and Xion pouted at the mention of Naminè. "Aqua's on break," Xion says, suddenly sullen, "and Naminè's at home. She doesn't work today."

"You live with her, guys." Sora laughed. "Why are you pouting? You'll see her when you get off work. Anyway – Riku, come, come sit. Like I said, everything's set up!"

Sora waved a hand over at his station, and Riku eyed the chair and the items lined up on the silver tray next to it. It felt more like a visit to a hospital than to a tattoo shop.

"We just need to pick the earrings." Sora was saying. "I don't know if you know what you'd like, or anything, but if you don't, I have a few suggestions, if you need it –"

"No, no." Riku swiftly cut in. "I do. Know what I want, that is. Do you…do you have amethyst?"

"That's easy enough." Sora cocked his head and stared at him as Riku took a seat. "Are you trying to avoid the consequences of a wild night out?" He asked, teasing only a little, but Riku could see the curiosity swimming around in those eyes.

"Ah, no. I –" He tried to shrug casually. "It's, um. My dad's birthstone."

This was an opening – an opportunity to finally say it out loud to his friend. Just those three little words. But…he didn't.

He was able to get the little admission out without his voice cracking, at least, so that was a win in his books.

Sora's eyes softened with understanding. After the past visits to his mother's house, he knew that Sora must have known at that point. Or had some kind of idea. "Okay," he said, his voice warm, "gimme just a second, okay? I'll be back in a bit."

He gives Riku's arm a squeeze before walking off, presumably to grab the earrings he wanted, and Riku stared down at his hands, trying not to fidget too much.

"Are you nervous?"

He looked up to see Xion standing near him, arms wrapped loosely around her middle. He shrugged. "Not really, I think. I don't mind needles that much. I just have a lot of stuff on my mind."

"Nothing too bad, I hope?" Xion's brows wrinkled with concern. "Sora and Kairi have told us about you. They aren't being too much, are they?"

Riku stared into her eyes, searching for something. He didn't know her at all, and despite how much Sora and Kairi have spoken of him, she didn't know him either. But there wasn't the curious light that usually comes with digging for gossip – just pure, wholehearted concern. For him. He looked for Sora and found him standing by a glass case with Roxas, heads bent close as they talked to each other.

"No." He finally answered. "I like them a lot. Maybe a little too much, but…they're good for me, I think."

"That's good." The set of Xion's shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. "It's nice that I got the chance to finally meet you."

"Me too."

If Xion was going to say anything else, it was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. A man walked in, his young daughter clutching at his hand, and Xion's face brightened as she turned to meet them halfway.

"I'm back!"

Sora returned to him with a smile, a pack of earrings in hand. "Alright – let's get this show on the road! Riku, I'm gonna need you to tie your hair back, is that okay?"

"Ah – yeah."

Automatic, Riku pulls off the hair-tie he has on his wrist and holds it between his teeth as he quickly gathers his hair up into a bun. Peeking through his lashes, he watched the skin around Sora's cheeks darken some, his eyes locked on his arms, and Riku choked down a laugh.

"Alright." He said once his hair was secure. "I'm all set. Sora?"

"Huh?" His lashes fluttered as he snapped out of his heavy staring. "Oh! Right! Um –"

Sora shook his head, applying a pair of latex gloves. "Okay, so this is gonna be super quick – and not too painful! You might feel a little pinch, but that's about it."

"No piercing guns or anything?"

Riku bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his laughter as Sora's face twisted in disgust. "We're not a mall kiosk."

"Okay, okay, sorry…"

And just like Sora had promised – it wasn't that bad. He wiped his earlobes with alcoholic pads, and then there was a quick pinch, and then –

The amethysts were as nice as he hoped, Riku thinks, tilting his head this way and that. There were the quiet sounds of movement as Sora cleaned up his station behind him, and he raised a tentative hand to one of his earlobes. The purple of the gem goes nicely with his skin, and when he tilts his head so the gems catch the light, he can see the faintest glimmer of pink from the inside. Riku assumes it must be magic. He wonders if it's his.

"All set, Riku?"

He turns, sees Sora standing there, waiting for him, and he wonders how long he was standing there in front of the mirror, staring and thinking. "Uh, yeah. Are you done for the day?"

"Yup!" Sora beamed. "Most of my clients came in the morning, so you were my last appointment! You can come with me to hang out, if you want – Kairi would be happy to see you!"

He didn't have anything else planned for the day, so he nods, heading towards the door while Sora grabs his bag. "It was nice meeting you two." He says to Xion and Roxas on the way out. "Good luck with the rest of your work."

Xion, who was setting up her station for a girl's first pair of earrings, smiles at him, and Roxas gives him a wave from the desk by the door, flipping through a large spiral notebook.

Riku squinted up at the sun as they stepped outside, shading his eyes against the light, and blinked rapidly as Sora immediately stepped into his space. "Ready to go?" He grinned at him, holding up his car keys. "I know you walked here, so I'm driving!"

He breathed out a laugh through his nose. "Alright, alright…should we grab some food before we go?

"Ohhh, great idea!"

The ride to Sora and Kairi's apartment was silent – but not a bad silence. Peaceful. The kind of silence that had Riku drifting a little, leaning back and closing his eyes as the warm wind drifted through the open windows and brushed against his face, ruffled his hair.

They made their way up the stairs to get to the apartment, a bag of takeout on each of their arms, when Riku felt the prickle of eyes on him. He looked up, pausing in his automatic climb up the stairs, and Sora was looking at him, a light in his eyes he couldn't decipher. "Are you good?" Riku asked, tilting his head, and Sora nodded, following the movement with his eyes.

"I'm fine! I was just thinking –"

He smiles. "I was thinking that I was totally right – earrings really do suit you, Riku!"

"Sora," Riku says lightly, chiding, trying to hide the pleased flush his words made him feel.

"I mean it!"

And then –

And then Sora reaches out with his free hand and brushes his bangs away from his face, tucking them behind his ear – even though they both know it was a futile gesture, that they would fall back into his face in moments. Light as air, the tips of his fingers skimmed along the edge of his ear, down to the curve of his neck, and Riku could feel his hair stand on end at the barely there contact. He leaned forward on the balls of his feet – just a little.

He wanted more of it.

"I mean it." Sora says again, much softer. "You're beautiful, Riku."

"Sora." Riku says again, though this time it comes out sounding like a question. "What…what have you and Kairi been up to? You two have been so…"

He doesn't know how to say it and presses his lips together, staring up at him. He almost shook his head, but he doesn't want to jostle Sora's hand away. Sora stares back at him, his eyes searching for something – and he must have found it, because he smiles.

"We've been wooing you a little," he admits, "just a bit. Has it been working?"

It takes Riku a second, to register what Sora just said. But once it does, his heart kicks loudly in his chest. Sora was so much braver than him; here he was, dancing around these feelings, unsure – and Sora just says it with no fear. And then his words fully sank in.

"Wooing?" Riku snorts, a laugh spilling out of him. "What? Who even says that anymore?"

"I do!" Sora puffs out his cheeks. "And you didn't answer my question! Has it?"

"Mm." Riku peeks up at him, trying to hold back a smile. "Maybe. I guess you'll have to take me on a date to find out."

He's been so unsure of where they stood with him, ever since their increase in attention started. Riku was prepared to dance around them for days, testing them and quickly pulling back – but it was worth cutting to the chase, to see that delighted smile break across Sora's face.

"Now come on –" he jostles the bag of takeout hanging on his arm, "we've gotta surprise Kairi with food before it gets cold."

Kairi was sleeping on the couch, when they entered the apartment, an arm thrown over her eyes to block the offending afternoon sunlight streaming across her face. Riku took the other bag of takeout from Sora and deposited the bags in the kitchen, while Sora made a beeline to the couch to wake Kairi.

"Kairi," Sora said quietly, and Riku could hear all the love in his heart. "Kairi, wake up. We brought food."

Kairi mumbled something sleepily, and when Riku stepped back into the living room, he was greeted to the sight of Sora sitting on the edge of the couch, carefully cradling Kairi's face in his hands as he pressed tiny kisses to her lips. The scene was so sweet that Riku's heart ached, and he felt like he could stand there and watch them forever as Kairi slowly woke up.

"Welcome home," she mumbled, rubbing her nose against Sora's with a smile. Then she noticed Riku standing there, and her eyes widened in delight. "Riku! You're home, too?"

She held out a hand, beckoning him over, and how could Riku stay away? He closed the small gap between them and crouched down, smiling at her. "Hey, Kairi."

Sleep-clumsy, she reached for his face, cradling his cheek in her hand as she leaned in, and it was automatic as Riku turned his head, letting Kairi press a kiss to his cheek, like she always does. She must have remembered herself, though, because she jerked back with a little embarrassed squeak, looking over at Sora. "Uh –"

"How sneaky of you, Kairi." Sora teased. "It's fine. I told him."

Riku shouldn't have been surprised – of course they had to have talked about it to each other.

"Oh." Kairi's cheeks went a little pink, and she looked between the two of them. "He knows?"

"He knows." Riku piped up, his voice dry. "And you're gonna have to take me out if you wanna do something about it."

Kairi's eyes were practically glowing, with how thrilled she was, and Riku quickly hopped to his feet, dancing out of her reach before she could grab onto him and pull him onto the couch. She's done it before, and they would never eat, if she got her opportunity.

"Come on, you two." He calls back, retreating to the kitchen. "The food's gonna get cold!"

As Kairi sighed and Sora coaxed her off the couch, Riku couldn't stop smiling if he tried.

-o-

In the recent months, Riku has been remembering things about his father.

For the last three years, Riku has been stuck, frozen in one particular moment in time. His father, lying in bed, getting thinner, growing weaker. Sleeping more and more. The grip he had on Riku's hand going lax as he left them.

He's been rooted in that moment, trapped; it overshadowed all the other memories, that time – those months of sickness, of hearing his father cry from the pain and feeling the worst kind of helplessness. He didn't know how to move on from it. He didn't know if he ever would.

But the past months…it's felt like the sun has come out. And Riku can remember other things.

He could remember his father's laughter, now – how it came loud and deep from within his chest, the kind that made him throw his head back to the sky. He remembered how good his father was with his spell work when it came to the water; how the charms he made for the fishermen ensured that they never got lost, that their nets were always full of what they needed. He remembers going out with his dad on his fishing boat as a child, bobbing across the waves and feeling like the world stretched on forever. A feeling that had died along with his father – the world had felt so small, after.

It was opening up, though – little by little.

The memories return to him in dreams. Though sometimes, the memories go off script, making Riku wonder when he wakes if it was truly a memory or if his father was coming to check on him from wherever he is now.

In this dream, they were on his dad's fishing boat; it was nighttime, and the stars covered them in an endless blanket, stretching on forever, the sky meeting the sea. Much like how the world used to feel when he was young. His father was sitting next to him, weaving a new charm together and humming spell songs under his breath. He looked better, this time – sometimes, he looked just how Riku remembered the last time he saw him, emaciated and sickly. Tonight, he was healthy – full cheeks, a light in his eyes. Tonight, he looked away from his work and smiled at Riku, the stars in his eyes, and he missed him, he missed him, Riku missed him so much. And he told his father so, even though it was just a dream.

"So much has happened." He says, turning to face his father, wrapping his arms around his knees. "So much – and I hate that you've missed it all. I hate that I can't tell you. That I can't talk to you when I want to – when I need to. It isn't fair."

"So tell me now." His father says, and his voice was exactly as Riku remembered. "Talk to me now."

And Riku tells him. In this borrowed window of time, Riku tells him all of it – the painful, messy three years. The aimlessness. The way he stopped using his magic except for the bare minimum at work, the death of a spark inside him that always yearned to see more, to learn more, to become the best version of himself – a witch his father could be proud of. But his father wasn't here anymore to see it. So why should it matter?

His father looked at him and said nothing, and his eyes were sad, and Riku – Riku didn't want to just give him the sad things. So he told him the good things, too. About the shop, now in his name. About Sora and Kairi, and the light they brought back to him. About his mother.

"She's going to be okay." He promises his father, and there was relief in his smile.

"Riku," his father says, holding out his hand, and Riku couldn't resist grabbing onto it, holding it tight. It was warm now – warm, and strong. It wasn't cold, like before. It settled something in him. "I am always proud of you. No matter where I am. You have always been more than I have ever dreamed of."

The tears came instantly, as they always do – a lump rises in his throat, making it hard to breathe. He clutched at his father's hand, like it could disappear any moment – and it could. "Even now?" He asks, begging. "It feels like – I feel like I've given up. I had – I had big dreams, before. Dreams to go out there and do something with myself. I feel like I let you down, somehow."

"Sometimes dreams don't turn out exactly how we plan it. And that's alright. But Riku, you could never let me down. Not ever. It's alright."

His father smiles, bright turquoise eyes crinkling at the corners. "You can't disappoint me." He swears. "I'm proud of you just for finding it in you to keep going. Don't worry about me so much. Alright?"

He twists Riku's hand around, placing the charm he'd been working on into his hand and closing his fingers around it.

"Don't worry about me." His father says again, his hand sliding away. "I'm alright now. Okay?"

Riku feels his hand pat the top of his head, warm and grounding, and he opens his hand to see the charm his father placed there – a navigation charm, he remembers. Fisherman always asked for his navigation charms because they made sure that no matter how far they went, how lost they got - they could always find their way back to shore.

Tears spilled down his cheeks. "Okay," he whispered, "I'll try. I'll try not to worry. Dad –"

Riku picked his head up. "I love you." He tells him. And his father smiles.

"I love you, too."

And then he was gone. And it was just Riku, alone on his father's fishing boat, bobbing along on an endless sky and sea.

He wakes up with his breath caught in his chest, drying tear tracks on his cheeks. He sits up with a ragged sigh, rubbing a hand down his face. Riku feels…he doesn't know. He can't describe it. There had been a weight on his chest, and now – now it feels like he can breathe a little easier. Riku looks out the window by his bed, watching the sun beams stretch across the floor, and wonders.

He gets out of bed in search of his phone, wondering if his grandmother wouldn't mind too terribly if he added charms to the items they sell at the shop. He's no water witch, so they wouldn't be as potent as his father's, at first, but – with a little time, maybe they can be.

-o-

Since Sora's straightforward admission of their feelings, he and Kairi have taken Riku on a handful of dates.

Some dates were just him and Sora, while others were only him and Kairi. Some dates were also the three of them together, and Riku felt –

Good. He felt good. Amazing, really.

Going out with the two of them felt the same as it always did, but now there were a few differences. A lot more handholding, for one. And kissing – but never on the lips, not yet. His cheeks, his forehead, and one flustering time when Sora kissed the back of his hand – but never his lips.

It felt like a tease, but he didn't mind it terribly.

It's been fun, going on these dates with him and getting to know them this way, discovering different facets of these two people who managed to worm their way so easily into his heart.

For their next date – a birthday date, Sora insisted – Riku wanted to go to the beach.

Not during the day, though, no – he wanted to go to the beach at night.

Sora and Kairi seemed excited enough at the idea, and after checking their schedules, the date was set. Riku didn't work on his birthday, anyways, so he didn't have much to worry about; his plans for the day portion were to spend that time with his mother, driving a couple hours over to one of the bigger cities to shop and go out to eat. It was a relaxed outing, and Riku wouldn't have it any other way; though his mother wanted to make a big to-do over making it to twenty-eight, Riku was happy just spending the day with her quietly.

Once he returned home, he prepared for the beach, washing off the sweat of the day and changing into swim trunks. He'd packed everything he wanted to bring the night before – a towel, a change of clothes and things in case they stay overnight, some food packed away in a small carry-on cooler – so after getting dressed, he got into his car and left. They agreed to meet at the beach separately, and as Riku expected, he arrived first. He didn't mind it, though.

Kicking off his sandals, Riku stepped out onto the sand, walking until the tide was brushing against his ankles. The ocean stretched on and on, glowing a fiery orange from the light of the setting sun. Already the hum of the shore was working its magic, and he could feel his muscles loosen.

He hasn't really been to the ocean since his father died; the last time he was here, it was to pour his father's ashes into the sea and watch the tide take them away. He hadn't returned since.

It had been odd, being away from the ocean for so long; Riku was an islander, and islanders aren't meant to be away from the sea for long. But eventually he got used to it, another ache added to the other pains he was living with.

But now he was here. It felt surreal.

"Riku!"

He turned towards the source of the call, raising his hand in a wave as Sora and Kairi ran towards him, wide smiles on their faces. "Hey –" he started to say, but he was quickly cut off when Kairi jumped him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist in a full body hug.

"Happy birthday!" She laughed into his ear, turning her head to press a loud kiss against the side of his head. "How was your day?"

"It was really nice." Riku hooked his arms under Kairi's thighs to make sure she didn't fall off before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I went into the city with mom. We spent the day there, pretty much. It was relaxing."

"Kairi, quit hogging." Sora complained, tugging at Riku's shirt until he obligingly leaned down so he could kiss his cheek as well. "Where do you want us to set up?"

"Oh – we're not staying here."

They both gave him confused looks, and Riku smiled, pointing out across the water. "We're going there."

The play islands loomed tall and proud in the distance, the large fronds of the palm trees swaying in the breeze.

"Ohh…" Sora hummed, curious. "What's that?"

"We call them the play islands. Kids go there after school to hang out and play around and all that. I used to go there a lot as a kid, but once I got older, y'know…" He shrugged. "They should be empty now that the day's pretty much over with. We can row over there using one of the rowboats."

He pointed to the line of boats, tied up by the docks. "We just need to grab our bags and things and we can go."

It took a little work, to make sure that all their bags fit into the boat, but they were able to make it happen, and soon they were off, bobbing across the waves. Riku handed Sora an oar and instructed him to row, and he sat at one end while Sora sat at the other, Kairi sitting between them and dipping her hand into the waves, trailing her fingers across the ocean's surface.

"Did you guys not have anything like the play islands, where you grew up?" Riku asked as they rowed, and Kairi shook her head. "Nah. We had parks and stuff, and the beaches near our neighborhood, but nothing like that."

"It looks really cool, though!" Sora adds, staring at the encroaching islands with a curious eye. "I can't wait to see them."

Riku couldn't hold back the wave of nostalgia as they pulled their boat to shore, looking out at the familiar scenery as Kairi tied off the boat and Sora grabbed their bags. He spent so much time here as a kid, running around with the kids he grew up with. Climbing trees and play fighting with Tidus and Wakka, and swimming and exploring hidden caverns across the island with Selphie…there were so many good times here, on the play islands.

"This place is huge!" Sora looked around, wide-eyed. "And the kids just come here whenever?"

"Yeah. Our parents would bring us here on the boats, at first, but once we were old enough, we could use the rowboats and come here on our own."

"Wow!"

"Where do you want us to put the bags?" Kairi asked, wiping her hands on her shorts.

"Right! Come on, I'll show you where we can put them."

"Not making camp on the beach?" Sora asked as they scooped up the bags.

"Why would we, when there's a perfectly good treehouse?"

"A treehouse?"

-o-

While Sora and Kairi set up a bonfire for the night, Riku walked around the play islands.

He was searching for something, and luckily, he didn't have to look too hard. He found what he was looking for near the secret place – a little hidey hole the kids went into to draw on the walls. A bush of white, fragrant flowers, swaying with the wind. Riku carefully plucked one flower from the bush and made his way back to shore. He had kicked off his shoes as soon as they made landfall, and the sand was warm beneath his heels, grains stubbornly sticking to his toes as he got closer to the tide.

Riku could feel Sora and Kairi's eyes on him, their wonder at what he was doing, but he didn't stop moving, further and further out into the sea, until the water was up to his knees. Then, he crouched down, placing the flower into the water – and he let it go.

There was no grave for Riku to visit, no place where he could lay flowers down and remember. This would be as close as he could get.

He stood there, in the ocean, watching the flower drift across the waves, keeping an eye on it until he couldn't see it anymore, and he wished for – he didn't know. For the flower to meet his father, wherever he is. For the knowledge that even now he was loved to be able to reach him.

Riku could sense their approach. Didn't move as Sora and Kairi wrapped themselves around him, holding him close, and – and he hasn't even said it, yet. He never said it out loud, what's been hovering over his family – but they know, somehow.

But assuming they know, that's just the easy way out.

"I haven't been to the ocean in a really long time." He says, wistful. "It hurt too much after – after my dad died, you know. Everything just hurt too much."

It felt weird, admitting it; for so long, he's been dancing around the words, looking away from the ugly, painful truth. But here he was, finally saying the three words he's had on repeat in his mind for the last three years. There was no hint of the agony he was expecting. Instead, there was a feeling akin to relief.

Sora laid his head against his shoulder. "Does it feel a little better now?"

Kairi's hand slid down Riku's arm to hold his hand, lacing their fingers together, and Riku thought about it, pressing his lips together. "It does." He decided. He could resist teasing a little and nudged them lightly. "I guess having you two around helped some"

Riku squeezed Kairi's hand, and started to pull them back towards the shore. "Come on," he urged. "Let's start the bonfire – I brought stuff to make s'mores."

"Okay." Sora still looked a little somber, but he followed Riku out of the water. "Also – do you want your birthday presents now, or later?"

"Huh?" That stopped him short. "You – you two got me presents?"

"Duh, we got you presents!" Kairi says, rolling her eyes. "What kind of friends –"

"Dates." Sora cuts in.

"– would we be if we didn't get you a present! It's your birthday, Riku, come on."

"You didn't have t –"

"If you finish that sentence," she warns him, "I'll jab you in the kidneys."

"Wow! Some date you are."

The air was lighter between them as they continued their playful bickering, and the somber moment was left behind in the sea as they sat around a crackling bonfire, melted chocolate on their fingers as Riku goaded Sora into shoving as many marshmallows as he could into his mouth. Kairi did some magic tricks with the fire, twisting her fingers to make figures dance across the flames as they gorged themselves on sugar. They washed themselves off in the sea, and Riku wasn't ready for Kairi tackling him, jumping on his back and sending both of them face first into the water, which then dissolved into a vigorous splash fight once Sora got involved.

The sun had fully set, and the stars started to show when Riku showed them the secret place, the three of them crouched together in a space he had long outgrown as he showed them the old, childish drawings.

It was interesting, Riku mused as he led them across the bridge to the adjacent island, coming back to a place that he loved as a child. It was still the same in some ways – but how he fit was different.

"This is where we would have play matches, sometimes." Riku says, gesturing at the space. "But usually, I just liked to come here to sit on the paopu tree and watch the sun set."

"It can be a pretty great stargazing spot instead." Sora says, giving Kairi a boost onto the large, curved branch of the paopu tree before hopping up himself.

"The stars are really nice," Kairi notes as Riku leans back against the trunk, tilting her head back to stare at the sky. "There's so many! It feels like they're going on forever."

Riku hummed in agreement as he stares up at the sky with them, feeling…content. It was like – like they were always meant to end up here, at this place. Sitting together on this paopu tree and looking at the sky.

"Hey, Riku?"

He perked up a little at Sora's voice, and hummed to let him know he was listening.

"Can we give you your presents now?"

"Oh!" Kairi brightened at the reminder, scooting over to grab Riku's arm. "Right! I almost forgot! Riku, come up here, sit with us – no! In the middle!"

"Kairi," Riku said, bashful, as he was smooshed between them on the paopu tree. "I hope it wasn't too much –"

"It wasn't!" Sora protested as Kairi dug through her bag, pulling out a velvet pouch. "It was no big deal."

"It's one from each of us," Kairi says as she gently pushes the bag into his hands. "Open it!"

Riku rubs the bag between his fingers, enjoying the texture, before untying the silky ribbon and upending the bag. He shakes lightly, just once.

Two pairs of earrings fall into his hand.

His breath catches in his chest.

"We synthesized some earrings for you." Sora quickly explains, filling his stunned silence. "You can use them for, uh – work! And stuff! Or just wear them whenever you feel like it, if you like them!"

He could feel the magic, their magic, in each pair, and Riku ran a thumb across them, unspeakably touched. Kairi made him a pair of drop earrings, and Sora a set of studs. They were both golden and mismatched – Kairi's set had a shining opal in one of the earrings, and for one of the studs, Sora shaped it into a crown.

The other pair of the earrings had a paopu fruit.

"It's no tattoo," Kairi says quietly, "but it felt right for you to have one from us, too. Do you – do you like them?"

Riku slowly raised his head to look at Kairi with wide eyes. His lips parted, but the words escaped him, sticking in his throat. This gift, it meant – it meant so much. There were so many feelings boiling up in him; he didn't know what he could say, to explain what this gift meant to him.

So instead – he moved, cupping Kairi's face in hand and pulling her into a clumsy kiss.

It was like every fleeting kiss he's received so far, except so much more. Lightning across his skin, stars in his eyes – it was dazzling. And from the way Kairi clutched at him, pulling him closer, she felt it, too. He pulled away slowly, trying to catch his breath, and turned to give Sora the same attention before he lost his nerve, only to find Sora meeting him halfway, a little smile curving his mouth. Sora kissed him like he was a treat he wanted to savor, and Riku felt lightheaded, his heart pounding so hard in his chest he was afraid it was going to give out.

As far as first kisses go, Riku thought that this was pretty spectacular.

He was so lucky, that these two happened to walk into his store that winter; that they decided to stick around and befriend him and make his days brighter – that they were lucky enough to end up here, sitting together like this. Riku's heart was so full of gratitude then. He wasn't sure how his heart was capable of holding it all.

"So you like them?" Sora asked as Riku licked his lips, trying to clear the ringing out of his ears.

"Uh –" he started, his voice hoarse, and then stopped. Shook his head a little. "Yes. Yeah, I –"

Riku reached for their hands, holding them tight. "I love them. Sora, Kairi…thank you, they're – they're beautiful. Thank you so much."

"Well," Kairi says coyly, pressing her cheek against his shoulder, "they have to be beautiful, to match the person wearing them, right?"

"Kairi." Riku groaned, bringing their joined hands up to cover his flustered face, and Sora and Kairi wrapped their free arms around him as they laughed, rocking back and forth in a group hug.

Riku decided it was also in his best interest to kiss them again, too; they can't embarrass him with all the talk of how beautiful he was if their mouths were occupied.

-o-

Two years later, Riku gets a tattoo of his own.

It wasn't for magical purposes or anything, no – this tattoo was just for him. A memento of sorts.

A lot has changed in the last two years; he gathered some bravery and expanded the shop a little bit. Now, it's more than an apothecary – now, it sells potions and ethers, handmade bouquets and herb bundles that can brighten a room or sharpen one's focus, and the occasional handmade charm or two. It feels a little more like his, and Riku can look at the store and feel a hint of pride, now.

As well as expanding the shop, Riku's living situation expanded some as well, when Sora and Kairi asked a year into their relationship if they could live together. It took a few months, but they moved into one of the bigger apartments closer to where they worked, and they were unpacked and settled by the fall. The first morning he woke up to the two of them in bed, Riku was so overwhelmed that his breath caught in his chest.

Things have been – it's been good. Better than ever. Riku can look at where he is, at how far he's come, and say with full honesty that he was happy.

That was when the idea of a tattoo started to form.

He talked with Kairi about the tattoo's design; it was only fair since Sora got to pierce his ears. When he told her what he had in mind, Kairi was so touched that she teared up a little. It took a couple weeks, for the design to come out exactly how he wanted it, but once it came together, Riku had a sense of rightness, when he saw it – that this, this was the one, this was perfect.

It hurt, the few days it took to get the tattoo done – but it was worth it. It was so worth it.

"Let me see."

"You don't have to," Riku said in protest as Kairi gently pulled his arm into her lap. "I can take care of it myself, you know – and it's almost healed!"

"It is not." Kairi says, affronted. "You can't fool me, Riku! This is my job – so let me look at it!"

It was just him and Kairi at home today while Sora was at work; they were cuddling together on the couch, lazily watching the television when Kairi asked if she could check his tattoo and how well it was healing.

He didn't say anything more as Kairi twisted his arm this way and that, absently biting her lower lip as she trailed her fingers across his skin. "It's peeling," she murmured, "that's good. It doesn't itch anymore?"

"No, thank god." That was the worst part of the healing process; Sora had to practically pin him down sometimes to keep him from trying to scratch his arm off. It itched so bad.

"Good. And you have to remember to keep taking care of it even when it stops peeling, okay? That way the colors will stay nice and bright."

"With you two on my ass, I'm pretty sure I'll never forget." Riku says dryly – but he wasn't bitter about it. It was good to have people that cared.

"Of course you won't." Kairi sniffed, reaching for a small jar sitting on the table. "Now let me put this on."

Riku squinted at the jar in curiosity. "What is it?"

"It's a salve. For your tattoo."

"That's not the salve I received from Synthesize."

Kairi pressed her lips together, and Riku watched as a deep pink blush slowly spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. "That's because it isn't."

Slowly, Riku began to smile. "Kairi." He said, delighted. "Did you make a salve for me?"

He was touched; Kairi, dabbling in his side of magics, to make a salve! For him! It probably wasn't easy, and yet here she was – every day, something new about his partners emerged to surprise him.

"Thank you," he said, sweet. "I'm sure it's very good."

"Don't patronize me," Kairi grumbled, but her blush increased as she unscrewed the small jar. Immediately the scent of mint and rosemary filled the air as Kairi scooped a dollop of the salve and began to rub it into his skin. It tingled, just a little, and he could feel bits of Kairi's magic in the salve, and it slowly made him relax.

"I really am glad this came out so well." Kairi says after a beat of silence, and Riku opened his eyes to glance over at her. "Your tattoo." She clarified, her voice softening a little. "To let me be the one to do it…I'm still really honored, Riku. Thank you."

She had stopped rubbing the salve into his skin, and Riku hummed, twisting his hand around so that he could grab hers, lacing their fingers together. "There's no better person I could've chosen." He murmured, and Kairi squeezed his hand before letting go, scooping up another bit of salve to rub into his arm. Kairi hummed a little as she worked, and Riku sank further into the couch, soaking in the peace and quiet of the moment. In a few hours, Sora would be home, and he would kiss them hello, and tell them about his day, and the space would be much brighter for it. For now, though, Riku enjoyed this moment of quiet, his eyes tracing over the art on his arm for what felt like the thousandth time –

A watercolor piece, a quarter sleeve – an outline of his father's boat, cutting across open sea and sky the same shade of blue. It felt like it went on forever – that the world was endless.

His father's boat, heading towards where the sky meets the sea.

Riku brushed a thumb over the image.

A memento for his three great loves.

---

this work really did change a whole lot from when I started working on it, haha! it was going to just be a cute little flower shop/tattoo parlor au, where sora and kairi visit riku's family owned shop too much and flirt too much and think he should pierce his ears because he's beautiful and earrings would only add to his beauty. and it's kinda there! but it became background.

I hope that this was a nice enough read though? if you read this 21k monster in one sitting, props to you but also jesus christ. jesus christ you didn't have to please go rest your eyes.

comments and kudos are loved. I'm going to start a new work soon! it's back to botw, and this work is gonna be about a masquerade, ooh la la. so if you're into that, keep an eye out!

and, uh, yeah! that's all I got! until next time!