Don't Close Your Eyes
Disclaimer: Nothing and Nobody that exists in Kingdom Hearts is mine.
Chapter One: A Critical Moment
Sora was panting hard as the rain pelted mercilessly on him and the man he had just rescued. "D-don't worry… It's just a short walk and we'll reach… we'll reach Aerith's house… she'll take care of you, promise!" he gasped as he dragged him across the wet sand.
The man didn't make a sound, but he was shivering violently.
Just a few more meters… can't I go any faster?! I think he's gonna die already! Sora thought angrily. As he got nearer to Aerith's lighted house, he felt more adrenaline pump through his veins. Almost there…
***
Kairi had been watching that silhouette moving closer and closer to the house. She peered out, but was still unable to recognize the form… until a flash of lightning shone on them, and Kairi was able to see their faces.
It was Sora… dragging a very wet man with him. It took a moment for Kairi to realize that the man with Sora was somebody she knew… and another moment for the situation to click in her brain.
Kairi dashed outside to help Sora, but as she left, she yelled, "Oh my god… Aerith! Come quick! Sora found Riku! And I think he's dying!!!"
***
Sora and Kairi leaned against each other, all wet and exhausted from what's suddenly happening before them.
Like a doctor shooing away the patient's family, Aerith made them wait outside the room as she and Yuffie started treating Riku. It was lucky that the nearest house from the shore that Sora approached was Aerith's, because she was as good with restoring people's conditions as professionals were.
The two of them were silent. Both were too overwhelmed to say anything—that is, until Cloud arrived and handed both of them towels.
"Thanks," they mumbled simultaneously.
Cloud nodded. "You two'd better stop worrying so much. I think you found him just in time, Sora. He'll make it," he said reassuringly. Then he turned to leave the room again. "Hey… there's soup in the kitchen if you're interested," he said before he left.
Sora wiped the towel on his face and sighed. "I can't believe it. Riku's alive all this time!"
"Yeah," Kairi replied, using the towel gratefully, "but I never expected him to arrive like this, and in that condition…"
They fell in silence again. Both were thinking about the strangest thing about Riku that night—that large, black wing that seemingly had sprouted from the right part of his back.
"Well, we'll ask Aerith anything we want tomorrow… let's get some soup…" Sora said, and he and Kairi followed Cloud's footsteps earlier.
***
The darkness.
He found himself swimming in it again… like he has for what felt like a lifetime now…
He thought he was drowning, but somebody had dragged him out of there sometime ago. Now where was he? He had been hearing voices, but he vaguely recognized them… now the voices are all just mixed up in his brain. The confusion didn't help him in his suffering…
What's that? A small point of foggy light, just in front if his line of sight…
Okay, he was obviously dying, because that's the 'light at the end of the tunnel' thing that people nearing death often see. And quite frankly, he was willing to die and see any kind of light—whether it be the holy light of Heaven or the fiery light of Hell. Anything, just to get out of the darkness…
"There's too much water in his lungs… CPR! Now!"
He understood someone's voice from the outside world. Once he had heard that voice, he felt himself drawn to the light.
"His wing's broken… what do we do with it?"
And closer to the light.
"Uh… wait, give me a moment… wait, I can feel some pulse now…"
And closer again. The light was shining brighter at this point. He felt more hopeful, feeling that he would wake up anytime soon…
He felt someone's hand… dragging him away from the light… just when he was feeling most hopeful…
No! I have… to get to the light! He told himself determinedly, as he used an unknown force to let himself into the light itself…
"His eyes…"
***
Author's notes: Hm, I know some of you saw that coming… Anyways, yeah, winged being is Riku! Got a problem with that?! And, no, I didn't get the concept of "one black wing" from his lookalike Sephiroth; I could just swear that Tetsuya has one artwork of Riku having one wing. Or maybe I just have very bad eyesight. Whichever.
And, sorry, I know nothing of these medical procedures for rescuing drowned victims, so the last scene might have some senseless things in it…
On to writing the next chapter…