Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 18

Riku lunged, yanking Kairi to safety, Sora rushing in to force Xemnas back. The three of them had been cut off from the others who had been forced back through the door.

"Cursed fools!" he snarled at them, sending more weapons their way.

Sora dodged, blinking rapidly and then he leapt back, circles of light surrounding him before pillars rose and then they moved for Xemnas. How….he'd never seen Sora use an attack like that! Was it one of Roxas'? How could a Nobody use Light? And then Sora howled in pain and Riku blinked the spots form his vision.

"Sora!" Kairi screamed, and Riku felt sick as he realised Sora had been hit, a lance right through his thigh, the tip emerging from the back of his leg.

He glanced at her and she nodded so he lunged, rolling through a shadow, to come up beside Sora who was scrambling at the weapon with blood slicked hands, trying to get it out. As long as it was in there, the wound couldn't be healed. He looked up to see Kairi going crazy on Xemnas, for now keeping him occupied. He grabbed Sora's hands and pulled them away from the weapon, grimacing as he saw Sora's eyes flicker yellow. He had used that Drive form since before Twilight Town, was it about to show itself? If it did…he could bleed out.

"Look at me Sora, come on," he told him and pained blue eyes met his. "That's it, I've got to pull it out, you need to stay as still as you can. I know it hurts," he ran one gloved hand through sweat dampened hair, the other pinning Sora's hands to the floor. He managed to jerk a nod, panting, and Riku let go of his hands. He gripped the lance and took a breath before pulling, Sora screaming, arching his back, hands scrabbling at the ground. He pressed a Hi-potion to Sora's lips even as he cast healing spells.

He heard Kairi yelp and looked back to find she was faltering. He grabbed Sora and moved him further away, getting a shaky nod from Sora, before launching himself back into the fight.

A few minutes later, Sora was up and fighting, favouring the leg slightly and hanging back, casting from a distance even though he obviously wanted to be in the thick of it. as the fight continued, Sora began fighting more, the potions and spells working to finish dealing with the wound, shock, and blood loss. In the end, it was Sora who landed the final blow and then suddenly they were back at the Altar of Naught.

Xemnas fell to his knees, clutching his chest. "I need...more rage.. I need more...Hearts..."

"Xemnas. There's more to a Heart than just anger or hate. It's full of all kinds of feelings. Don't you remember?" How like Sora to be trying to get through to even the enemy.

Xemnas stared at Sora, like he was shocked by Sora's words. "Unfortunately...I don't." and with that he faded away.

"Gosh, you all did great!" Mickey told them all.

"You're coming back with us, right?" Sora asked, limping a little, and Riku wrapped an arm around him to steady him.

"I gave in to the Darkness," he murmured. "How can I face them like this?"

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"Riku…" Sora hated the sound of defeat in his voice, pressing himself closer to the much larger form. "Then where will we go?" he asked.

Riku seemed surprised by the question. "Sora, you can finally go home."

"It won't be home without you," he argued. Before he could say anything else the tower, the whole castle really , shook.

"Hurry!" the King called in alarm.

"I'll open a path!" Riku told him, lifting his hand, a Corridor forming.

"We'd better hurry and get through."

Pluto barked, running around Mickey and Donald, and into the portal.

"Wait for me!" Goofy yelled, following the dog, Mickey followed after him.

"C'mon!" Donald called to the trio as he dashed in.

They were about to follow when Naminé appeared, not really solid though.

"Thank you, Naminé," Kairi smiled at her.

"Sure. See? We meet again, like we promised."

"Huh?" Sora asked, and then he felt Roxas shift forward, asking, and he closed his eyes, letting Roxas take control.

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Riku couldn't help tensing when Sora…changed. He blinked, seeing Roxas overlaying Sora.

"You said we'd meet again, but when we did, we might not recognize each other," it was even Roxas' voice.

"I did, didn't I?" the ethereal girl asked, smiling softly.

"But I knew you," Roxas smiled.

"Mmm...it's strange."

"I think I understand. I see myself the way you remember me. And you see yourself the way I remember you," Roxas offered.

"I always though Nobodies were doomed to fade back into Darkness..." Naminé shook her head.

"Yeah, but you and I didn't. We got to meet our original selves."

"And anytime Sora and Kairi are together, we'll be together too," she smiled softly.

Kairi took Naminé's hand, and they both glowed, Naminé fading into Kairi again.

Roxas closed his eyes, and faded away, Sora stumbling, and Riku steadied him, relieved to see him back to himself again.

"Hey, let's go home!" Kairi called from where she was standing beside the Corridor.

"Riku... C'mon," Sora smiled at him, holding his hand tightly.

"Yeah," he finally agreed. He could open Corridors, once everyone was safe, he didn't have to stay on the Island. He knew Sora said he'd go with him, but would he really want to leave everything behind again?

Kairi walked into the Corridor and it started to close. Sora and Riku ran to it, as Kairi turned back. "Sora! Riku!" She reached for them but it closed and dissipated before they made it.

"What?"

"I didn't close it," Riku denied even as they ducked on instinct as a massive mechanical thing flew by. It knocked into the castle tower and roared. The tower broke, because of course it did, and started to collapse. Sora and Riku slid toward the ground and Riku grabbed Sora, wrapping an arm around him. Riku saw a hovercraft and shoved Sora towards it. "Go!" he yelled and Sora scrambled into a run, launching himself easily across the gap.

Sora quickly flew it up and closer, allowing Riku to get on as well. One thing about being in such a large adult was that he had lost a lot of agility, he couldn't have made that jump. Sora flew them towards the…dragon? Riku took the weapons, firing at it and the surrounding Nobodies until finally it crashed and they landed.

Xemnas, in his kingly armour, sat at the head. They readied their weapons and Riku couldn't help worrying about Sora after that injury. He wasn't limping anymore but still..

"Hey, Riku?"

"Yeah?" he wanted to look at him but didn't dare take his eyes off their enemy.

"I wanted to thank Naminé, but I couldn't bring myself to say it. Not until everything was back to the way it was before."

"Don't worry. We'll make that happen. Once this is over, you can thank her all you want," he promised, he owed her more thanks too.

"Yeah!" he could hear the grin in Sora's voice.

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Sora tumbled out of control for a moment before he steadied out, hanging in the empty space, looking desperately for Riku….who as far as he knew had no ability to fly or glide. Thankfully he spotted him clinging to a floating building nearby.

"Nothingness is eternal!" Xemnas called and then his tone changed. "Riku...are you sure you're not jealous of Sora?" he called almost gently, trying to make Riku them doubt each other, but it wouldn't work, not now.

Sora glided to the building, meeting Riku's eyes and getting a nod, before smashing it with his Keyblade. Riku rode the building as it crashed into the dragon. Riku slammed his blade into it and split the building in half, breaking the shield.

"Embrace nothing! Hearts are power!" the madman yelled, even as Sora grabbed Riku and helped him glide back to where Xemnas was.

They fought on, using the same method whenever he knocked them into the air, Riku improving at gliding every time. At the final strike, there was a flash of light and they appeared in a grey area.

Xemnas stood before them in a black and white outfit. "Heroes from the realm of light... I will not allow it to end this way-not yet. If Light and Darkness are eternal, then surely we nothings must be the same... Eternal!"

"You're right, Light and Darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on forever, too. But guess what, Xemnas?" Riku snarled and Sora grinned.

"That doesn't mean YOU'RE eternal!" he finished for him.

Xemnas chuckled. "No more eternal than that radiance of yours..." his hands sparked with blue energy. "Anger and hate are supreme."

They fought hard, pushed on the defensive by strange thorns and red lasers, not to mention his habit of cloning himself and teleporting. So unfair.

Sora gasped as Xemnas blocked him in a sphere of blue energy. Every nerve was on fire!

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"Can you spare...a Heart?" Riku barely heard the question as he saw Sora's back arche, features locked in an expression of agony.

Riku jumped up to stop it, but was hit by the energy and knocked away. "Sora!" he screamed, the questions meaning sinking in….he was going to take Sora's Heart! He didn't reach them as another double appeared.

"Guard!" it taunted, and Riku blasted it with Dark fire.

He blasted through the clone and kept running. When he reached Sora and Xemnas, he didn't bother with Soul Eater, punching Xemnas before grabbing the hand that seemed to by maintaining the energy sphere.

The sphere flickered and vanished, dropping Sora to the ground where he lay, stunned, gasping for air. Riku took the hilt of his blade and smacked Xemnas in the face. He grabbed Xemnas horizontally and spun him around, throwing him, sending a fire ball after him before dropping to his knees, pouring an Elixir down Sora's throat even as he cast more healing spells, not sure if that would help with whatever that energy had done to him.

"Is that all you got?" he snarled at the Nobody even as he helped Sora back to his feet.

"There is no such thing as Light!" Xemnas formed two spheres of energy in each hand and melded them together. He lifted them over his head and black thorns pierced outwards. Everything around them turned black.

"Sora!" Riku called in alarm but then he felt Sora press against his back.

In the darkness, a thousand points of light appeared. Xemnas laughed as he sent each of those thousand lasers directly at Sora and Riku. They deflected them with spinning blades. There was a flash of light and Sora and Riku were staring down Xemnas. Xemnas lunged, knocking Riku back.

"Riku!" Sora began to move only to freeze, a beam sword at his head.

Riku saw Xemnas begin to swing his arm back to hit Sora, but Riku was up in a flash and blocked with Soul Eater, feeling something in the blade flicker and…twist. He shook it off, shoving Sora aside as Xemnas swung around. He grimaced at the flash of pain as the beam hit his left side, leg immediately numb as he collapsed. He saw another coming for him, knew he couldn't block in time…but then it was caught on a Keyblade, Sora pushing Xemnas back even as he leapt up and backwards, feet slamming into the man, sending him stumbling.

Sora landed and grabbed Riku's blade, slamming it into Xemnas' chest. Sora smashed Xemnas with both blades, spinning him back. He…he was amazing! Sora crossed the blades and knocked Xemnas high into the air. They both spin around in the air, Sora landing next to Riku. "Riku!" he called.

Riku nodded and took Sora's Keyblade and hand, letting him guide him. He was amazed as a massive beam left the Keyblade to slam into Xemnas' chest.

"Cursed...Keyblade..." The Nobody angrily reached out to them as he faded away in wisps and smoke.

"We did it!" Sora cheered tiredly.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," Riku grimaced as he pushed himself up, trying to balance mostly on one leg as they were surrounded by Dusks. They were both exhausted, injured, magic drained…

Sora stumbled slightly but then straightened, taking his left hand off his Keyblade, throwing it out to the side, materialising a second Keyblade….just like Roxas. He raised them both and then slammed them into the ground, Light exploding around them. Riku gasped as he felt it seep into him and even Soul Eater, feeling the blade almost eagerly accept the Light. When it faded, Sora crumpled to his knees, digging around for an Ether. Riku stood and reached into his own Heart, he had to defend Sora!

When he opened his eyes he found he was on his knees again and all of the Dusks were gone. He looked to see Sora smiling tiredly at him, stumbling over to him. "Sora... I can't..." he gasped, falling forward, catching himself on his hands, feeling the wound on his side burn.

"Don't say another word! It's not over. It's just not," Sora argued, slinging one of his arms over his shoulder, pulling him up. They had to look ridiculous with the height difference.

"How can you say that? Even if we could go on...look where we are," he mumbled, trying not to put all his weight on the smaller teen.

"Aw, c'mon, Riku. You've been hanging out in darkness too long. You gotta try and think positive!" he still sounded exhausted, even as he tried to tease.

"Sora?"

"Hm?" Sora looked up at him, utter trust and…love in his eyes, making I easier to say.

"You lead."

"Got it," Sora smiled. They started walking, anywhere, just walking.

"You know... I always figured I was better at stuff than you," he admitted, feeling his leg dragging.

"Really?" Sora asked.

"Are you mad?" he wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer. He'd been so arrogant…

"No," Sora answered immediately, shocking him. "I kinda always thought you were better at everything, too."

Riku looked down but Sora was looking ahead.

"Riku…look. What's that light?" he asked, and Riku looked up as they walked into it only to find themselves on a beach of all things, though unlike any beach they'd seen before.

"End of the road?" he asked.

"Yep," Sora nodded.

"Put me down, I can walk," he told Sora, able to feel the strain he was putting Sora's exhausted body under. Sora helped him stand and then walked to the water, Riku watching fondly.

"You know...maybe the Darkness has gotten to me, too," he murmured and Riku figured he wasn't really meant to hear it. He felt the pain spike, then the sand was rushing up at him.

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Sora heard something and turned, eyes widening. "Riku!" he yelled, rushing to his side. He carefully rolled Riku onto his side, staring at his red stained hand, why hadn't he said anything?! He dug in his pockets, relieved to find a Hi-potion, lifting Riku's head to help him drink it without choking, relieved to see some colour come back to his face even as Riku's eyelids fluttered. "Riku?" he called, happy when Riku focused on him, struggling to sit. Sora helped him do so, even as he pulled at Riku's clothing, trying to check on the wound.

"This world is perfect for me. If this is what the world really is...just this, then maybe I should fade back into Darkness," Riku mumbled, worrying Sora.

"Riku..."

"If the world is made of Light and Darkness... We'll be the Darkness," he seemed to be rambling and Sora was really worried that Riku would decide he didn't deserve to leave.

"Yeah. The other side...the realm of light is safe now. Kairi, the King, and the others are there," he tried to soothe him.

"That's what I mean," he blinked and shook his head, focusing more to Sora's relief. He looked up and met Sora's eyes, lifting a hand to stroke his cheek with a glove covered hand. "Hey, Sora... Could you help me? I want to get down to the water."

"Of course," he wrapped an arm around Riku's larger form, and then pushed up to his feet, helping Riku up.

"At least the waves sound the same," Riku offered as they walked down to the waterline, sitting as Sora helped him down. "What I said back there...about thinking I was better at stuff than you...To tell you the truth, Sora... I was jealous of you," he admitted.

"What for?" Sora asked, confused, but also relieved Riku was recovering and making more sense.

"I wished I could live life the way you do. Just following my Heart," Riku answered, making Sora blush,

"Yeah, well, I've got my share of problems, too," he shrugged. Being in this place, he could feel it, the rage and Darkness of Anti-form pressing closer than it had since he'd talked with Roxas, could feel Roxas taking it in, working to protect him from it, but that wasn't fair on him. He gently stopped Roxas, he had to get control over it himself, once they separated again he wouldn't be able to help after all.

"Like what?" Riku asked, sounding just as confused as he'd been, and Sora smiled at him.

"Like...wanting to be like you."

"Well, there is one advantage to being me... Something you could never imitate," Riku smiled back.

"Really? What's that?"

"Having you for a friend." Riku reached out, and Sora took his hand.

"Then I guess...I'm okay the way I am. I've got something you could never imitate too," he teased playfully. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Come on, I want to make sure that wound's healed." He shifted onto his knees and reached for the zipper of Riku's coat.

He was soon stripped to the waist and Sora found the wound, now just a large, angry red mark on the skin, like a burn. Riku shivered as he ran his fingers over it, his own fingerless gloves discarded for the moment. "Does it hurt?" he asked, but Riku shook his head.

"I'm okay."

Sora kept stroking the skin gently, carefully letting out a tiny stream of healing magic as he did, the wound healing further but not fully. Riku caught his hand, pulling it away.

"Don't waste your magic."

"Helping you could never be a waste," Sora denied. He lifted his other hand to press to Riku's bare chest, feeling the solidness of his form. "I…I love you, Riku," he whispered. He leant in and kissed him, something he'd been terrified he'd never get to do again with how close they'd both come to dying at Xemnas' hand. He'd never forget the pain of that sphere, of feeling it dig into his Heart, trying to tear it free, if not for Roxas' help…it would have worked before Riku got him free.

Riku didn't freeze up this time, kissing him back, hand moving around to his back to hold him in place, so he wrapped his own arms around Riku's shoulders. "Love you," Riku gasped between kisses and Sora shifted forward to sit on his lap.

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They kissed again and again and Riku felt overwhelmed, Sora radiating Light in his happiness. He kept a hand against Sora's back, helping brace him as Sora moved into his lap to get even closer. The air was cold against his bare skin but he didn't care, focused solely on Sora and how much he loved him. He felt Sora's Light moving through him again, sinking deep into his Heart and he gasped, back arching, grip tightening in reaction.

"Riku? Riku answer me!" Sora's voice slowly reached him, and he blinked only to find everything Dark before his vision kicked in and he could 'see' Sora leaning over him.

He groaned, lifting a hand to his head to encounter…his old blindfold? What?

"Riku?" Sora called again, sounding scared.

"Sora…" that…that was his voice!

He weakly yanked at the cloth over his face and then Sora's hands were there, pulling it free. He winced at the even the very low light but blinked rapidly to let his eyes adjust, realising he was lying on his back in the sand, Sora leaning over him, eyes shining with tears. Riku raised his hands and found they really were his; pale skin, the scar on his palm from where he'd fallen when he was six…and a lump on his wrist where Roxas had struck him just before he had released the Darkness. He moved the hand and bit back a pained hiss, but Sora caught the hand, healing magic seeping into the old injury.

"What…" he coughed and tried to sit up, Sora helping him. "What happened?" he looked down to find he was back in his own clothes, well the pants at least, he was still bare from the waist up and a glance at the nearby clothing showed it hadn't changed when he had.

"I…I don't really know," Sora admitted. "We were kissing and then there was this…blast of Light. I felt you falling and when it cleared, you…you were you again, but you wouldn't wake up." The fear was obvious in Sora's voice and Riku reached for him, wrapping his arms around him, hugging him tight. It felt so different now that he was back to himself, but also a lot better.

"I'm here, I'm okay," he promised. He could understand Sora's terror if he'd been out for any length of time. They were alone, cut off from help, and both of them were still low in magic which was why Sora shouldn't be wasting it on healing him. Who knew how long they'd be left alone before the Heartless swarmed them. He looked down at his side, relieved to see the wound looked even better than it had before, thankfully.

Riku took a breath and then slowly got his feet under him, pushing up to stand and Sora quickly stood as well, ready to catch him. His leg still felt a little odd, but he could stand. He looked around, taking everything in through his own senses and then looked at Sora, smiling at him and Sora smiled back.

"Riku," he whispered, sounding…awed.

Riku laughed and pulled him into another hug, overjoyed despite their circumstances. Somehow, Sora had worked a miracle and he didn't even seem aware of it. Sora grinned at him, hugging back tightly, they were together, they could do anything when they were together so he wasn't worried about escaping anymore. They'd find a way.

TBC…