Disclaimers: I don't own the characters from the Kingdom Hearts.
Warning: Yaoi - (male-male relationship)
Author Notes: I don't have the prefect grammar, so please bear with it. Boat Who Wouldn't Float is actually a title from the book. I just thought it would be a good name for the café.
"Ow!" I cried in the pain as I scraped my knee on the sideway. I immediately moved my right leg away from the sideway and saw the bruise. It was bleeding. Like insane! My eyes watered.
"Boys don't cry." I heard the familiar voice. I looked up to see Riku who was glaring at me. "C'mon, get up." He walked me by, and I panicked. Will he leave me alone? I thought. I only cried louder. Riku was halted in his walk and turned around. My vision blurred with my tears. But I can see that he was coming to me.
"It's just a small bruise. C'mon, get up." He rolled his eyes, giving me his hand but I shook my head frantically. "What?" He was annoyed.
"I can't get up! My mom always put the band-aid on it before I can get up." I refused to move from my spot and was still weeping a bit.
"We don't have the band-aids. C'mon, you can get up without one. We don't want to be late for the lunch. Do you rather to stay there and all hungry? All hungry?" He smirked and I really hated him now. My stomach growled at mention of the lunch. I hate him! I sniffled and stared at my bleeding knee. I heard a sigh from Riku so I looked at him. He was walking to me and knelt besides me. He took his red bandana off that was tied around his neck. He then tied his bandana around my knee carefully.
"There. Now you can get up." Riku said and started to walk away. But he noticed that I didn't move so he irately said, "Sora?"
"My mom always kiss it better."
"I'm not your mom. I'm sure that you can last without a kiss. C'mon." He impatiently waited for me to get on my feet but I didn't. I was scared that I would fall again when I jump on my feet and hurt myself a lot more. The tear rolled down my cheek. "Oh, god, you're such baby." He mumbled, coming back to me. I grinned as he gave my knee a very quick peck.
"Let go!" Riku said, irritated. I jumped on my feet and started to follow him.
I yawned, and stretched my legs. I jerked my head to see my clock. Well, for first time in my life I woke up early. I walked into the bathroom and saw myself in the mirror. My hair was all over the place, and there were the blue rings under my eyes. I yawned once again, and picked up the toothbrush.
After the long, hot shower and tried on two different outfits before leaving to my job. Kairi will be there in the café I knew because I overheard her yesterday. It only took the half hour to walk to my job. I saw the café, with the long sign on top of it. It read, 'The Boat Who Wouldn't Float'. I entered the café and it was empty with exception of the owner.
"Hello, Sora." I spotted the owner was cleaning the floor with his mob. He had the white hair and was aging. But he's strong as ever. "For once, you're early." I chuckled.
"Yeah. Didn't sleep well."
"Can see that." I walked around the counter and sat down on the stool. The café wasn't very famous, but the locals loved to come here. Sometimes, the tourists would come but it wasn't often. They prefer another café, Whistling Wind café. That café was definitely a lot fancier than here. I didn't really fond of that café because it was swarmed with the tourists. The tourists were so annoying.
"Hello, Sora. Usual." I saw Tidus came into the café, and he reeked of the fish. I smiled; he always reeked of the fish. I poured the black coffee for him.
"How's fishing?"
"Not good. Damn the tourists and their fancy speedboats." Tidus mumbled, "Scared the salmons away. Might have to borrow some money to pay off the rent." He blew on his coffee cup to cool it and gave me a look. I knew what he wanted.
"Aw, come on. I lent you like a hundred dollars last month."
"Ninety." Tidus corrected, "I'll pay back, I swear. I'm sure at my next fishing, there'll be plenty of the salmons."
"You always say that! Just go borrow from Wakka!"
"I would but he isn't in the town." Tidus took a sip from the coffee. I was surprised to learn Wakka had left already. He didn't even say goodbye to me! I frowned as I gazed at Tidus' coffee. Tidus dropped some money to pay the coffee and continued to look at me. I sighed and Tidus grinned at me. He knew I would cave in.
"Ok, fine. How much?"
"Sixty and three." I took my wallet and looked inside.
"Well, I don't usually carry that much. I'll see you at your apartment tomorrow." I said. I was quite surprised at how little I carried. It's just the couple dollars. Oh, great. I forgot to go to the bank yesterday.
"Still dreaming about him?" Tidus emptied his coffee cup and pushed the cup to me. I knew whom he was referring to. I didn't say anything but nod a little. He sighed. "It isn't healthy. He died the few years ago. When'll you move on?"
"I know, I know." I was tired to hear the same speech I had been hearing for the long time. My family always told me that speech, as well for my friends, Wakka and Kairi. I was tired of it.
"I do miss him too but I moved on." He jumped from the stool and gave me a nod. Then he left the café. I took the picture from my wallet and gazed on it. It was the picture of Riku and I. He had me in his headlock as he beamed for the camera while I struggled to get away. I smiled at the picture.
Why he isn't there? I stood in confusion as I tried to search for Riku at the beach. I asked the surfers about him but they said they never saw him all day. He should be there, I knew. He said he would meet me at the beach and teach me how to surf. I decided that he probably is late with his mountain hiking. So I sat down on the sandy beach and waited for him.
I waited for the long hours before finally decided he isn't coming. I was fuming that Riku didn't keep his promise. I left the beach and headed for my home in my anger. I picked some rocks and threw them at the random trees. I finally calmed down and entered my house. I saw my mother sitting on the couch and looked very upset.
"What's wrong, mom?" I knew there was something wrong, very wrong. I never saw my mother that upset for long time. I was really worried. She jumped in start and saw me at the doorway. Her eyes were filled with sadness. All of a sudden, I didn't want to know. I didn't want her to say it.
"It's Riku…" She almost whispered. I shook my head. Inside my head, I was screaming at her to not say it. But she went anyway, "He… died. It was the accident… He fell from the mountain cliff…" I was overwhelmed with the emotions. I can't hold it any longer so I burst. I collapsed on the floor and cried.
I locked the café doors then took off for my apartment. I looked up to see the night sky. It was sparkling with the bright stars and the crescent moon. I recalled the memory when I first found out that my very best friend had died. When I learned of his death, I was so miserable. I attended his funeral and was a bit surprised to learn everyone came.
I felt so alone and I never realized how my life would be so empty without Riku. With him, we always have something to do. We would wrestle, race, swim, and almost everything. And also never realized it would be so sudden. He was alive, next thing I knew he's gone. It's like bam! He's gone.
I tried to move on and be happy instead of miserable for rest of my life. But it was so difficult because of all those memories. Riku and I lived at the island for our whole lives. All of the places in the island always reminded me of Riku so it was very difficult.
I entered my apartment room and locked the door. I collapsed on my bed and slept.
"Huh?" I opened my eyes to see the blue sky with no cloud in sight. I sat up and realized I wasn't in my bed anymore. I turned my head around to look at my surroundings. I was in the meadow, and there was that soft breeze. It looked like the paradise to me. The meadow was moving as if it was alive. There was nothing but the meadow and blue sky.
"Sora." The voice echoed. I jumped with a start. I looked at my surrounding, looking for that voice. But all I saw was just the beautiful meadow. I felt I wasn't alone but I didn't know why. "Geez, you look like the zombie." The voice seemed to be anywhere. I looked down to see my shadow on the meadow. I noticed there were the two shadows. I looked over my left shoulder and saw him.
He stood and watched me. His silver hair was swaying in the wind. His alert, turquoise eyes were staring at me. I knew who he was. But I didn't know how is it possible for him to be alive.
"Riku?" I whispered. His lips curled up in a smirk. He walked me by and headed for the sea. Wait a minute. I never saw that sea before. Riku continued to walk until he stopped before the shore. I was mystified.
"We're in the dream, you know." He said casually, his back to me. "Don't you sometimes want to check that island out?" I looked at the horizon but didn't find any island.
"What island?" I approached Riku, while my eyes on the sea. I never saw the sea so clear and so blue. I dropped to my knees and tested the water with my finger. It was warm.
"There. Can't you see?" Riku pointed at the horizon. I looked up to find the huge island ahead of us. I looked in shock. Did the island just pop up from nowhere? Was it really a dream? I gazed at Riku who was looking at the island.
"Aren't… aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"What do you mean? I am not dead. Never was." He said, his eyes still keen on the island.