Riku's eyes slowly opened, as he allowed himself longer to linger in his lovely dream world. The momentary blindness that accompanies taking in the morning light signalled to him that it was time to leave it behind. He thought it strange, then, that what he saw seemed to imply he hadn't yet woken up.

He was too surprised to be tempted to indulge in this fabricated moment. Come on, time to wake up, he thought to himself resolutely.

It was then that he noticed a very important detail that had definitely not been present in his dream.

He had almost called out to the imaginary Sora to leave, when the fire in his throat nearly sent him into a coughing fit. He hurt all over, and everywhere Sora's warmth did not reach, he was cold.

This is not a dream, he realized, eyes widening. He forced his expression to be as unreadable as possible, and didn't dare move a muscle. This is Sora. Finally, he consciously focused on the other boy's face.

Embarrassment? Discomfort, like he's… hiding some sort of secret? No, no, more like he has to use the bathroom? Riku thought through several possibilities, but none of them fit. He had never seen Sora with a face like this before.

Riku himself felt too many emotions at once. He was happy yet completely and totally afraid of what this situation meant, let alone how it could have possibly developed in the first place.

Realizing the best course of action was to claim no part in the current situation, he quickly closed his eyes to feign sleep.

Sora definitely saw my eyes open, though, he worried. No, no. Think sleeping thoughts. How do I sound when I sleep? Thinking about that, he slightly opened his mouth to achieve what he knew was a completely normal-sounding set of sleepy breathing sounds.

"Riku," Sora called, almost frighteningly deadpan. "I know you're awake. You are literally the worst actor."

Sora watched his best friend's eyes open as his features contorted into an expression that could only be compared to a wounded animal.

He probably still can't speak, or else he would have disagreed with me, Sora thought. He suddenly felt awful about the acting remark. Why is it that when he can't talk he's more… Sora cut the thought off as quickly as he had an inkling for it. "Um," Sora struggled. "I was kidding?" he added. "I just saw you with your eyes open, so there was no way you could've fallen back asleep that fast!"

Riku's expression softened. He's surprisingly simple, Sora mused, having to force down a chuckle. No, wait, before that! he remembered, looking down at their overlapping arms.

Both of them had been too afraid to move and potentially stir the other, lest they need to explain this.

Sora sighed quietly, being the only one physically capable to provide the reason. "You still can't speak, huh?" His downcast eyes registered the situation still taking place, so he carried on quickly. "But are you feeling better otherwise?" He didn't stop for Riku to nod. "I carried us here last night, and you were really cold and in bad shape so, um, I, I did this to get the water off of us. And the hug? It's to keep you warm, so," He patted Riku's back in an overly platonic, drawn-out manner. "Yep, that's warmth alright. Looks like it worked." His smile was so painfully overdone, Riku had to look away.

If that's the case, Riku reasoned. If all of this was just to fight the cold… He fleetingly wondered if he had returned the hug in his sleep. Shrugging off the thought, Riku firmly pulled against the small of Sora's back, edging forward until his face was surrounded by the scent and warmth of him.

His face is against my neck, Sora realized. He had to self-narrate the situation just to check if this was reality. He uncomfortably looked around. Everywhere but down at Riku, now comfortably nestled against him. "R-Riku?"

The hand Riku had against his bare back suddenly moved up and down in short, rapid motions. "Huh? Ow, Riku, I don't understand," Sora cried.

He felt some sort of rumbling around his neck. Is he growling? "Explain it in some other way, please," Sora pleaded.

Riku was still for a few long seconds. The entire length of which Sora was on timid edge. He suddenly felt a puff of warm breath against the front of his neck. Sora squirmed, giggling and trying not to flail wildly against Riku's head with his bobbing chin from the action. "Eh, heheheh. Um," he stopped to think. "W-warmth?"

He felt a slight nod under his chin. "Ah, so that's what you meant," Sora smiled, content with the situation now that it was given context. Context that didn't make him wildly challenge everything. Sora moved one of the hands from the small of Riku's back to the top of his moonlit head of hair. He stroked the other boy's head gently.

Riku's breaths became quickened, deepened with his friend's new action. He'd managed to justify his own actions outside of a romantic context, but this? He had no way to ask him for clarification.

Oh, enough, Riku decided, closing his eyes and quieting his thoughts, allowing himself to just enjoy the moment for once.

I really have to do this more often, he noted.