Disclaimer---Gah, these things are SO boring. -sigh- I don't own any of this, if u wanna sue, I have a nice collection of TY beanie babies....that's about all u'll have. But if u take them, I'll cry, I swear it! ;.;
Inside Us All - Creed (1)
When I'm all alone
And no one else is there
Waiting by the phone
To remind me
I'm still here
When shadows paint the scenes
Where spotlights used to fall
And I'm left wondering
Is it really worth it all?
There's a peace inside us all
Let it be your friend
It will help you carry on In the end
There's a peace inside us all
Life can hold you down
When you're not looking up
Can't you hear the sounds?
Hearts beating out loud
Although the names change
Inside we're all the same
Why can't we tear down these walls?
To show the scars we're covering
There's a peace inside us all
Let it be your friend
It will help you carry on In the end
There's a peace inside us all
There's a peace
Oh there's a peace inside us all
Let it be... Oh, I said let it be, let it be your friend
There's a peace inside us all
Let it be your friend
It will help you carry on In the End
There's a peace inside us all
There's a peace, inside us all, Inside us all
Let it be, Let it be, Let it be,
Let it be, Let it be, Let it be,
Let it be, Let it be your friend.
"Riku, why won't you tell me what's wrong?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Says you! Quit being so guarded and tell me!" He stood with his feet firmly planted on the ground, his arms crossed and his eyes demanding an honest answer. Many would cave beneath such a look coming from him, least of all, Riku. It seemed just too pure.
This was the first time Riku'd ever held anything from Sora; to be honest he could not figure out why exactly he was holding it in, he wanted more than anything to figure out what had caused this change and speaking to him could bring answers, it usually did, Sora had that way of thinking, but this was HIS, Riku's, life, and none of Sora's business, at least, that's how he reasoned it out in his head. "Why don't you just stop being so annoying. Why don't you go play with that Kairi girl." It's not that he hated her, she was just . . . always there, girls were annoying. (Yes, I will admit, we DO get annoying, especially when we're little . I know I was to my brother.)
"Because I want to know what's wrong with you. And I don't want to go play with Kairi, she always tries to make me join a tea party or take some stupid quiz to see if I'm in love with someone, you should know, she makes you do it too!" (BTW, this part is taking place around when they're like thirteen or something, you know, when you're just becoming a teen but you don't quite wanna let go of those things you did when you were still in the single digits. No offense to those who are around that age, but hey, this is getting influence from my personal experiences.)
"Whatever." His voice was condescending, why dd he not just come out and say he was mad at Sora for something? Maybe because he could not figure out exactly what was making him mad about his best friend.
Frustrated anger flared within Sora, he reached up and took Riku's shoulder, Riku was going to tell him SOMETHING before this was over, and nothing was over when someone just walked away. However, Sora was completely unprepared for what happened.
Riku spun around so fast Sora had to take a step back and, before he could blink, Riku belted him square in the jaw. Such was the momentum, that Sora went flying end over end, crashing about five feet away on his stomach in the sand and skidding another few inches, scraping sking off of his knees and arms. Riku tensed a second, looking at his hand with unfocused eyes, it was the first time he'd ever struck Sora in true anger, it was the first time he'd ever been angry with the boy. He felt like he had just defiled something or disgraced some ancient honored custom.
In just two steps, he was at Sora's side. Sora had just come back to consciousness, groaning and rubbing his jaw. Riku took the boy in his arms, tears dripping down his face, "Sora, Sora I'm so sorry!" Sora blinked in confusion, it took a moment to remember what happened and another to register that Riku was crying for him. Riku never cried. Not even when he broke his leg that one time.
"Wh-why?" Sora cringed, he had hoped to approach the situation slightly less harshly.
"Apparently, however, Riku took Sora's action for something else, he hugged Sora closer, burying his head in the younger boy's hair, "I don't know, I just feel so depressed, like darkness is eating away at my heart. It's like, there's nothing left to believe in." (2)
"You can believe in me, I' m not going anywhere." The headache Sora had abated somewhat, he looked Riku straight in the eyes, "and Kairi's not taking me anywhere either."
Riku pulled back slightly in shock. Sora had just solved a problem he did not even know was there, had just found the answer to his problem before he even knew exaclty what that problem was, "I know that now." Riku pulled him back into that comforting embrace, putting one hand on Sora's head, the other around his waist and Riku inhaled his scent happily.
Black storm clouds several leagues out to sea yet traveling quickly in the direction of Destiny Islands just dispersed, leaving a bright sky to shine undisturbed upon the peaceful shores of said islands.
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Riku shot awake, sweat was pouring down his face and his breath came in short gasps. Hiar that had fallen from the tie that held it back while he slept brushed across his cheeks. His wide eyes darted around his room, trying to grasp just where exactly he was; his room, a desk sat against the wall adjacent to hjhis bed, with a small lamp in the corner of it. A few papers littered along ith pens and a small pewter dragon figurine. On the other wall stood a dresser covered with clean and dirty clothes and a few seashells he and Sora had found. They all had a weird desine on them that made them worth keeping. Morning sunlight filtered through the open, dark blue curtains on the window, "But I close me curtains at night.' Strange, his mind puzled over it for but a half of a second, for a moment, still lost in the4 fog of disturbed sleepsleep, he gazed out the window, letting his mind wander, something else seemed to be keeping his mind fogged.
That dream, Riku smiled, he remembered that day, it meant everything to him, well, the end of it anyway. It was a promise that Sora would never leave him no matter who came along. Riku could not help but be greedy when it came to Sora, his parents were hardly around, and Sora seemed to be the only one who could spark any kind of real emotion in him, he just felt awkward around everyone else of his age, he had somehow grown up a little quicker than any of them and just found it slightly annoying when they tried to fit him into their games. Sora never did that though, he hadn't grown up as fast as Riku, but he KNEW Riku and had a way of making Riku have fun in doing the simplest things at times. Going back to the dream, that day was also the day he made his first pledge to Sora, he had tried to make it taht no one would hurt Sora anymore, but Sora just waved it off, somehow, someone would hurt him, purposefully or not, but it would happen. So Riku pledged to protect Sora with everything he had and would do all he could to see that Sora would never get hurt again, especially by his hand. Oddly enough, after that, Riku had begun to take it harder on Sora while the trained, Sora did have to know how to defend himself after all. Of course, at the time, neither had a clue about what the future held for them, but it would not matter either way to Riku.
Riku knew a stupid smile had graced his features, but at the time, he could not care less. And then, suddenly, it all came back to him like a slap in the face. The sleep fog lifted from his mind and his mind screamed, 'SORA!'
"You nearly gave me a heartattack, waking up like that. But you seemed like you were thinking about something nice so I kept quiet. Morning. You took a nasty fall yesterday, you ok?"
Riku whipped his head around, just noticing Kairi who had just apparently risen from the chair in front of his desk, the clothes that where drapped across now lay lifelessly on the floor. Kairi giggled and moved to sit on the end of his bed. 'Well, that explains the curtains.' "What're you doing here?"
"Well, we were supposed to have a date today." Kairi leaned back on her elbows and looked up at the ceiling, kicking her legs out away from the bed before letting them relax back to their former position.
"Date!?" Riku blinked, Kairi was acting like nothing was wrong, and now this? "What are you talking about, where's Sora? Is he ok?"
"Don't play stupid Riku , you always do this whenever we're supposed to do something together. And who's this Sora, why would I know what's wrong with him? I thought I'd met all of your friends."
Pushing the date thing aside, Riku gaped. Kairi forget Sora? How could that possibly happen? No, she was just playing some kind of game, some kind of sick game. "Sora, Kairi. About yay high, spiky brown hair, brightest blue eyes you've ever seen, lightly tanned ski-"
"Riku," Kairi interrupted, "you were supposed to get over imaginary friends years ago! There's no one like that here. Must've been some kind of weird dream-Hey! Where're you going?!" Riku was dressed and out the door before Kairi could think to follow him.
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Several moments later, Riku burst through the front door of what he thought was Sora's house. Kairi could only have been joking, a cruel, awful joke, but a joke none the less. 'I thought she liked Sora, why would she try and convince me he doesn't exist. Does she know, and trying to mess with my mind? He better be ok!"
"Riku?" Relief washed over him like waves when he saw Sora's mother, a tall woman, she could always be found with a pink bow in her long braided hair. Most often she wore sundresses of a pink hue, Sora's usually peaceful demeanor and strong sense of justice came from her. HIs clear blue eyes, strange hairstyle, and willingness to fight for what he believed and held dear came from his father, who appeared to not be present at the moment, though the huge sword, as tall as the man, still stood in its case in the livingroom. The thing unnerved him, yes, Sora's father was a part-time bounty hunter, and he used that sword.
"Riku, what's the matter? You know you're welcome here any time, but we have no jobs for you at the moment. You finished everything yesterday. You look absolutely pale, are you sick? Come, I'll find you some medicine." Aerith was the Islands' doctor. It was believed Aerith could heal anything, and if anything serious had to be done, the person was sent to the mainland with explicit instructions that doctors listened to. The woman certainly was influencial, Sora's whole family, it seemed were nothing short of miracle workers.
"J-jobs?" He stared confusedly at Aerith's retreating back.
Odd jobs, I do them all the time for them. They have no son to do them.
Riku trembled, that vocie, it was a memory, but one placed in his mind, "What's going on, where's Sora?"
"Riku?"
He came back to himself to see Aerith's emerald eyes staring into his own, feel her hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, her eyes darted to the ceiling in thought, tapping a finger on her lip to add to the effect, "Sora, such a lovely name, we've wanted a child and that would make a lovely name for a girl."
Suddenly, anger exploded inside Riku, "It's not a girl's name, he's your son! What's the matter with all of you?! This is NOT a joke!"
Aerith and Cloud were never able to have a child of their own. They'd tried several times, but it just never happened.
Pushing her hand away, Riku rushed out of the house, he tried to run, buit the anger boiling inside quickened his heartrate and tried his limbs before he could put out the physical exertion.
"Riku, Riku stop!" Kairi finally caught up to him out of breath and panting, "calm down and tell me who this secret person is."
"Secret....the Secret Place, the door!" Riku's head snapped up and his energy peeked. He took off across the beach and hopped in his boat. It took no time at all for him to reach the Island all of the younger generation 'played' on. Riku had no trouble dashing across the sand onto the path that lead to the Secret Cave. Sora, Riku, and Kairi were the only ones at the moment who knew about this place, a veil of leaves and vines hid the entrace quite well, but it was bound to be discovered by someone sometime. This time though, when Riku brushed aside the covering, nothing but solid rock and tree roots stood before him.
Riku pounded his fists against the solid stone, tears of frustration cascaded from his eyes. He ignored the scrapes marring his smooth hands and the blood that slowly trickled from them. "Sora, this isn't the end, where ARE you?!" He was tired, even though he'd only just woken a few hours ago, or so it seemed, "They're . . . trying to make me forget, but - I don't want to."
His tear blinded gaze shifted to that of the Paopu Island, a figure flickered before his eyes, standing on the far edge of it, looking out into the ocean. A lazy ocean breeze combed through the bizzar, (umm, can't spell that word....;.;) yet soft spikes and ruffled his clothing. He turned, closing his glistening sapphire eyes in a cheerful smile and waved at Riku. Riku wasted no time in stumbling over himself and dashing to the island, hope quickening his step with every stride.
When he reached the island, no one was there. He spun himself around, refusing to believe Sora could have just disappeared, refusing to believe that it may have been his imagination. Eventually though, his hope ran thin, throwing himself to his knees, he dropped his head into his hands and cried, completely unable to hold anything back now. Anger, frustration, worry, hurt, and loss, among more emotions than he could put labels to. One hand dropped to the ground and clutched the warm sand, picking it up, he chucked it into the ocean.
For hours, he came to realize, after he had cried himself out, Riku sat there, simply watching the ocean and sky emotionlessly. They skittered across the surface of his mind, but somehow he could not find the energy to acknowledge them anymore. Suddenly, something fell next to him, a bright yellow fruit in the shape of a star, with a small leaf protruding from what was declared the top of it. Riku grasped the Paopu fruit, looking at its unmarred surface. It was not even ripe enough to fall from the tree, the ideal time to eat, but odd that it had fallen so soon.
Anger and loss filled him again, apparently he was still capable of emotion, and he stood, fresh tears springing from his eyes. "HERE!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs and chucking the fruit at the horizon, "share this with me! Be with me forever!" Riku fell to his knees, more than crying, sobbing actually, "Forever," he whispered before falling to his side. He felt like a baby with all this crying, but Sora meant more than the world to him, he curled up into a ball, not attempting to stop crying anymore, "You said believe, but, I have nothing to believe in. You're not here." His eyes drooped and he fell asleep with one last thought lingering.
I love you.
A/N: YAY FOR TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING!!! Ok, sorry, had to get that out, 'cause it is after two . . .I get all my inspirations at the wrong times. OOO I have good news!!! I have a disk now!!! So I can type these last few chapters at home, but the bad news is that I hate my keyboard, it's WICKED hard to type on. Oh, and no, this isn't the last chapter, nor will the next one be, not to my knowledge at the moment....
Just a note, I love my reviewers and I'm sorry it's taking so long now to get these chappies out. I was doing so well when I started. ;-; It'll pick up now that I have a floppy!!!!!!
OOOO guess what I just discovered!!!!!!! I LOVE GRAVITATION!!! Gah, such an AWSOME series!!! I totally recommend it. The catalogue Right Stuf has nothing but goooood stuff to say about that. Gravie's shounen-ai and it's just SO kool! I'll be headin to the mall sometime to pick up the next in the series here soon. Just gotta get a ride . . . I hate having to wait for one of those....Anyway......
(1) - Ok, so I found this song and COMPLETELY thought it applied. There's more situations that'll apply and such, so basically this fic has two theme songs. And yes, I have a moderate obsession with Creed, completely sucks they split. Well, I have the albums YAY!
(2) - This is no normal over-exausted teen angst thing. I'd just like to state that Riku's falling into darkness at this point. It starts out w/regular teen angst, he's all confuddled inside and just starts to turn to darkness. And yes, that storm is the heartless coming, with Riku's darkness guiding them.
Everything okles now? Once again, I'm open for writing a little Q & A chappie at the end of this just in case someone has questions.
TTFN!!!!!