Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. If I did, all fans of yaoi would REALLY love me right now…
Aoi Nikko: Hey I have quite a treat for you guys this time. Sephiroth agreed to do the warning for me!
Sephiroth: I did no such thing.
Cloud: Stop being an ass and do what the author wants so we can get this chapter over with!
Sephiroth: Hmmm…I'll do the warning if you let me have Cloud…
Cloud: WHAT?
Aoi Nikko: DEAL!
Cloud: Aoi…how could you! I thought you and I were close!
Aoi Nikko: Yes, but my readers really deserve this…sorry!
Sephiroth: ENOUGH! I want my prize, so… Attention! This fic is a YAOI. This means that there will be scenes containing homosexual relations. If this does not agree with you and you flame, I will personally cleave you in two with my sword.
Cloud: Actually, the flames will be used in a "Riku and Sora make out in front of a fireplace" scene for the entertainment of yaoi obsessed fan girls and boys.
Aoi Nikko: Yup!
Sephiroth: And review. If you don't, I won't let you watch what I do to Cloud.
Cloud: Leave me OUT of this!
Welcome to the final chapter of "When All Things Come Back To You". This is a giftfic for the wonderful Uzumaki-sama. If you haven't read her works by now you are surely missing out big time! (That and you are ignoring me…) You should go and read her stuff too as soon as you are done with mine if you have not done so already.
Oh and don't forget the goodies chapter that will be posted sometime after this one. It includes deleted and changed scenes, the "Riku and Sora make out in front of the fireplace scene", and previews of the next six fics that are due to come out at the conclusion of this one! I hope you'll read and enjoy that; you deserve it!
This is the tame version of this fic. Meaning, there is no lemon here! If you want to read the lemon, the non-tame version can be found at as well as on The story has the same title, and I have the same pen name. Convenient, no?
Sephiroth: Start the damn fic already!
Aoi Nikko: (Salutes) Yes sir! Enjoy everyone!
Chapter Nine, Part One
Motto Hanasou Yo, Mokuzen No Ashita No Koto Mo
Weightless.
Amidst the sensation of nothingness, Riku opens his eyes to the shadows of his own mind. His mind's landscape is barren, dark and empty without form. Riku wraps his arms around himself and drops his head to his chest, almost immediately feeling the sensation of falling. He knows that he is sinking into the murky depths of his heart, and he makes no move to save himself.
"Maybe this way I can atone for all that I've done… For all the problems I've caused…I can just…"
Disappear?
Yes, disappear. Vanish forever. This way he can be sure that he will never hurt anyone again.
Anyone…? Or just…Sora?
Sora… Yes, the brunette will be just fine without him. He has other friends who will look out for him, other people who… will love him. Sora didn't need him. Riku can accept this now.
Are you certain about this?
"Riku!"
"Sora…?"
Riku lifts his head a little, his eyes half-opened and dull with self-pity. Is he hearing things? Did Sora call out to him? No… It is only his mind playing tricks…
Denial truly is an ugly beast.
Riku closes his eyes and lowers his head again, feeling himself begin to sink into the darkness once more. Once he reaches the very nexus of his heart, he can return to the nothingness from whence he came.
…You disgust me.
"Why won't you just leave me alone? You should be happy. After all…we both lost."
That is not true. I did obtain what I wanedt, if only for a brief moment.
"What…?"
I wanted to know what it is like to feel. My questions have been answered.
"I don't understand…?"
Of course not.
Riku slowly uncurls his body, staring down at the darkness that now churns below him. His eyebrows knit together in obvious confusion.
I achieved what I was after. I had what I wanted most.
"What you wanted most?"
"Riku, please!"
He is calling you.
"But what did you want?"
Are you not going to answer him?
"Aren't you going to answer me?" Riku becomes dimly aware that he has stopped falling, and is now floating just above the misty darkness of his heart.
It does not matter anymore. I had the chance to have what I wanted, and I can accept my defeat with grace.
Riku closes his eyes, a tiny smile playing about his lips. "I think I understand you… a little." He turns and extends a hand to the swirling, formless mass below him. "I think I know what it was you were really after." He can feel part of the darkness below him swirling around as if confused. "Come on. Come with me."
There is hesitation, and then the darkness recoils, vibrating with anger.
I do not accept your pity!
"It's not pity!" Riku shouts at the darkness. Almost immediately, the fury of both boy and darkness cools into a soft understanding.
I cannot leave. Just hurry and go to him.
"So, you're just going to give up?" Riku frowns at the silence. "Hypocrite."
…Maybe. But it is my decision to be as such.
A small part of the darkness wafts upward, smoke-like, to Riku. It forms into a small pale hand and the rest of the darkness peels back, giving birth to a body nearly identical to Riku.
Nearly.
Amber eyes, glowing with an expression that is almost human, peers up through silver bangs at Riku with an expression that reflects the conflicted emotions running through him.
"Go to him. There is no place for you here."
The other boy places two hands on Riku's shoulder and gently, but firmly, pushes him away.
"Wait-!"
"Do not think anything of this. I still hate you."
Riku swallows hard, managing a smile. "I'm sure." Brightness surrounds him, and he knows he is returning to consciousness…
A drop of warmth suddenly plops onto his cheek, causing the muscles to twitch and one aqua eye to open dimly.
"Riku? Riku! Please don't do this to me…please don't…!"
Sora…?
"This…this isn't how I want things to end. What's the point if…?"
Riku opens his eyes to find himself lying on the floor of the keyhole room, his head being cradled in the lap of his best friend.
"Sora."
"Ah!" A very startled Sora jumps backwards, spilling Riku ungracefully to the floor.
"Ow!"
"Ack! Riku!" Sora reaches a hand forward as Riku sits up, rubbing the back of his head.
"Are you okay?" They both ask at the same time. Sora turns away and they both fall silent. Riku takes a breath and closes his eyes again, then slowly climbs to his feet. Sora stands too, still looking everywhere but at Riku.
"I'm sorry, Sora."
This causes Sora to look over at Riku, his expression blank. Riku bows his head. It may be too late to salvage what he had with the brunette, but he owes him an explanation. Sora deserves to know the truth.
"This…all of this was my fault. Everything, from you arriving on Koritsu, to you forgetting everything, to Mizu absorbing you…it all happened because of me." Riku takes a shaky breath. He has to tell it all. He risks a glance at Sora; the boy is listening silently, his expression giving nothing away. Riku drops his gaze again.
"When you were pulled from Koritsu, Mizu came to taunt me. He explained everything that happened…" Riku took another calming breath. "Koritsu was a heartless world. When you defeated Ansem, it reached out to my emotions. It was shaped from my heart, my desires. That means when you arrived, it was my powers that caused you to forget everything." Riku seems to shrink in on himself. "But Koritsu tried to protect you, it tried to revive your memories, but I guess my power was just too strong. Mizu finally helped it, and well…you know what happened after that."
Sora continues to listen silently, expression blank. When the floor below Riku becomes damp with tears however, his face softens a little. He moves to stand closer to his friend, but Riku begins talking again.
"As for you being absorbed, well, Mizu told me he had forced your heart to be more light then dark. It was impossible to absorb you at that time; your heart was too strong. But…when I showed up…he was able to because…"
"Because when you showed up, I felt relieved; I knew I was going to be okay."
Riku jerks his head up to look at Sora, but the other boy is looking away. "You-?"
"I heard everything Mizu said to you in the keyhole. I was inside his heart, remember? The truth is… I felt safe. I stopped fighting. Mizu was able to absorb me because…because when I saw you standing there, I wanted to live more then I wanted to defeat Mizu."
"Sora, what are you saying…?" Hope blooms in Riku's heart, maybe, just maybe…
"I'm… not exactly sure." Sora admits. "But if you hadn't shown up, I wouldn't be here. So, well…I guess I'm thanking you."
"After all I did to you, I owed you that much." Riku says bitterly. "Sora, I know it doesn't make up for anything, but I am so sorry for everything. I just…I just wanted to love you so badly…you have no idea…"
"I think I'm starting to see." Sora mutters.
"It's not even a good enough excuse, and I know I can never make up for everything, but…please, can you forgive me?"
Leveling his eyes on Riku's, Sora stares at him for a long time, his expression giving nothing away. Finally he manages a soft, "That's a stupid question." Riku drops his gaze back to the floor and nods slowly.
"I understand."
"No, you don't." Sora replies softly. "I've already forgiven you." When Riku jerks his head up to look at Sora in confusion, the brunette looks away. "Don't you remember? Back in that store on Koritsu, you asked that if you did something terrible to me if I would forgive you, remember?"
"And you said you would. But Sora, you didn't know what I was talking about then…not really. And when you did get your memories back, you said you didn't know how you would be able to forgive me."
"I know." Sora looks at Riku, holding his gaze. "But do you remember when I gave you my keyblade? I knew then what you had meant. I have already forgiven you, Riku."
"You…but…"
"I know why you did what you did, and I know that you regret it. So, you're forgiven Riku. Can you forgive me for those things I said to you on Koritsu?"
"You had every right to say them." Riku says softly. "There's no reason to forgive you."
"But I didn't mean it. I just said it to hurt you."
"And I deserved it. But just the same, I forgive you." Riku manages a tiny smile. "So we're even now?"
"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Sora says, placing his arms behind his head and lifting an eyebrow. "When we get back home, you're going to buy me an ice cream cake and you're going to watch me eat the whole thing without sharing." Sora then smirks at Riku. "Then you're going to let me blame you for the stomachache I'm going to get later. Then, maybe, we'll be even. It depends on how bad a stomachache I get. "
Riku blinks at Sora in incredulity, and then his expression dissolves into a warm smile. "Now this is why I fell in love with you." He mutters, too soft to be heard. "This is what makes you so incredible. It's too bad Mizu never figured that out."
"Eh?" Sora asks, tilting his head and smiling at his friend.
"Oh, nothing really. I'm just happy you forgave me. I'm happy I didn't lose you forever." Riku reaches out and pulls Sora into a tight hug. The boy stiffens a little, but Riku doesn't notice. "I… Do you think…we could-" Riku cuts himself off abruptly when Sora pushes away. Sora's expression is troubled, and he slowly shakes his head. Riku's chest feels cold and his expression is one of fear and sadness. "Sora?"
"I…" Sora begins, backing away a step. The door to the keyhole room slides open just then, seven familiar figures running through. "I…"
Riku steps forward hesitantly, and he feels even worse when Sora backs away again. "Sora?"
Sora's eyes sift toward the door and then back at Riku. He closes his eyes and lowers his head. "I'm…sorry Riku, but…" He shakes his head slowly. "But I'm not sure if I can…if I even want... I just…don't know." Riku reaches out a hand to Sora, but the boy backs away a step before he turns and runs off, leaving a disconsolate Riku behind. As Sora passes by the group that have just entered the room, one of them turns and calls out the keyblade master's name in concern. Sora never stops to answer.
"Do you mind explaining what just happened here?"
Riku looks up into a pair of steel colored eyes. He vaguely remembers the man they belong to; he never met him, but he is sure that he has seen him somewhere before. He opens his mouth to speak, but another man steps over to them. Riku recognizes this one; he had met him when he was looking for Sora.
"Will you listen to yourself, Leon? You sound as if you've already found this boy to be the cause of everything. Why bother asking him anything?"
"Stand aside, Sephiroth. I have questions, and I am going to have them answered." Leon growls, his eyes never leaving Riku. "Well?" He asks the silver haired teen.
Riku looks over at the door Sora had run through, staring at forlornly it as he recites the whole story in a defeated voice. He explains what happened at the very end of Sora's fight with Ansem, he explains Koritsu, Mizu, and why the heartless appeared. What he does not explain, however, is the reason for Sora's strange behavior. He leaves out the personal parts that do not need to be known, the parts that should be kept between Sora and himself. By the time he is finished, he is no longer looking at the door. He remains facing it, but his eyes are closed and his head is bowed; his hands clenched into fists.
Leon stands there, staring at him a moment, wondering at the questionable behavior of both boys, but saying nothing else. He has the answers to the questions that concern the attack here, the rest really do not concern him. He did want to know, mostly out of concern for Sora, but he also recognizes that he had no right to know.
Cloud looks at Riku and then at the door, silently contemplating the situation. His eyes find Sephiroth's, and he drops them to the floor quickly. "I wonder…" He moves to leave the room, and Leon calls after him.
"Where are you going?"
Cloud looks at them all over his shoulder. "Seeing that the danger has passed, I don't see any reason to hang around here anymore."
"He has a point." Auron agrees quietly, leaving after him. Leon looks sternly at them both.
"We still have things to do, we should make sure the heartless are really gone-"
"Leave that to me!" Yuffie says in a voice that is a little too chipper, waving at them all as she exits the room. Cid follows after her.
"I'm goin' back to my gummi ship. Just stay out of my fuckin' way."
Leon frowns, ready to call them all back, but Aerith stands in front of him and shakes her head.
"They're still a little shaken right now. We all need the chance to clear our minds of this. Let them go on and do this their own way."
Leon's frown deepens, it is clear he does not like the idea much, but he has no choice. "Fine, whatever." He leaves the room, followed by Aerith who pauses to give Riku a sympathetic look.
Sephiroth, however, lags behind, waiting for them all to clear out of the room before turning his aqua gaze upon Riku. The boy has not moved from his spot facing the door. Sephiroth moves so he is standing on Riku's left, taking in the unhappy expression on the boy's face.
"Thank you."
Sephiroth lifts an eyebrow as Riku looks at him from the corner of his eye. "For…?"
"For helping me. I never did thank you for that."
"I was only going my way, I just let you follow me."
"Still, it would have taken too long to get to Sora if you hadn't…" Riku begins to walk toward the door.
"You weren't able to make him understand, were you?" Sephiroth calls after him, causing the boy to stop.
Riku shakes his head. "He understands…but there's too much pain between us. I should just…let him go…"
"Is that what you want to do?"
Riku turns and looks up at Sephiroth who crosses the floor toward him with a serious look on his face. "No, but what does that matter? It's Sora's feelings that-"
"And what are Sora's feelings?" Sephiroth asks, interrupting. "I caught the look on his face as he left. It's the same look I see on Cloud's face from time to time…" Sephiroth turns his gaze away, wondering why he is helping this boy. Maybe, in a small way, this would allow him to work out what to do with his own light, his Cloud.
"He said…he didn't know…I should leave him to decide what he wants."
"And what if it takes him forever to decide? What if he runs from making a decision for years? What will you do then?" Sephiroth closes his eyes to hide the pain in them.
Riku looks at the floor. "I…"
"Will you continue to wait? That is a painful choice, for both of you." So very painful…
"But I don't know what else to-"
"You need to talk, before it gets to the point where you can't." Sephiroth interrupts gently. "If he means as much to you as I suspect he does, you mustn't let him run. Help him come to a decision, and live with whatever he chooses."
Riku stares at his shoes, thinking for a while before lifting his head to look at Sephiroth. "…I'll try. Thanks again."
"…Of course, it wouldn't hurt to gently persuade him to choose to be with you." Sephiroth says with a dark smile. "Now, if you will excuse me…" He sweeps gracefully to the door, ignoring Riku's quizzical look. "…I need to go and take my own advice."
Cloud walks down the curving stairs in the library, serious blue eyes searching the area for the small spiky-haired brunette he has come to find he has so much in common with. Ever since he had left the keyhole room he has searched for the boy, knowing that he could be anywhere, given the long amount of time he had to find somewhere isolated to hide. Cloud is not completely sure that the keyblade master is even hidden away somewhere, but given the teen's frame of mind, and how similar his personality is to the blonde's, Cloud is almost certain that he has to be in a dark corner, brooding.
Lightly stepping off the last stair, Cloud turns to his left and walks toward the exit on that floor, poking his head into the small alcove nearly hidden away by bookshelves.
Bingo.
Seated in a small chair, head resting on arms folded on top of a wooden table, is Sora. As Cloud enters the secluded area, the young male swiftly lifts his head slightly, just enough to see who has entered. After doing so, he sits back in his chair, breathing a soft sigh of relief.
"I thought you were Riku for a minute."
Cloud makes his way over and leans against a bookshelf. 'Riku?' Ah, the boy Sora had run from. "No, Leon has him occupied at the moment."
"Good."
Cloud studies Sora a moment. "Tell me something…?"
Sora glances up at Cloud, knowing, a little, what Cloud is going to ask. "Shoot."
"Is he the darkness you spoke of earlier?"
Sora knew that question was coming; yet he is still not ready to answer it. He falls silent for a long time, and Cloud waits for him to sort things through. "Yeah."
"I see." Cloud muses, eyes never leaving Sora's face. "From the look of things, I take it something serious happened between you two, am I right?"
'Oh, he has no idea.' Sora nods, staring at the table. "But I've forgiven all of it already…"
"So what's the problem?"
Sora stops breathing at the question for a moment. "I…" He shifts in his seat a little, suddenly uncomfortable under the blonde's gaze. "I'm not sure…what I want."
"Hmm…" Cloud muses, remembering the scene he had run into when he and the others reached the keyhole room. "Yes, that would be a problem."
"I just need some time to work it all out. Need to make sure that…what I feel is real."
Cloud lifts an eyebrow, not quite understanding, but knowing better then to pry. Sora has taken pains not to reveal anything too personal, and there has to be a reason why. He does have a few guesses on what is going on, but there is no way to be sure unless Sora tells him. Still, given how much he did know, it sounds eerily like what is going on between him and Sephiroth… "And what if you never work it out?"
Sora turns and stares at him blankly. "Huh?"
Cloud closes his eyes, dropping his head to his chest and staring at the table. "What if you can't work it out? Do you intend to run from him forever?"
"I…" Sora looks down at the table. "I don't…"
"That was unfair of me. I'm sorry Sora." Cloud pushes off the bookshelf, still not looking at the brunette. "That question wasn't really aimed at you…"
"Then…" Sora looks up at Cloud again, noting the expression on his face. 'He understands. Somehow, he knows what I'm going through.' Sora rises from his seat, plastering his famous grin on his face. "Hey, I think I've been cooped up here long enough. I could use a walk, want to come with me?"
Cloud looks at Sora through his bangs, recognizing that the teen is trying to break the tension, which is probably best for them both right now. "I'm going to have to decline. I have…something to take care of."
"Oh, okay. Sure." Sora turns around the bookshelf on his left, towards the door on that floor. He stops dead in his tracks, however, at the sight of a tall, pale haired man dressed in black who is leaning casually against the bookshelf the boy has just run around. The man gives Sora a darkly amused smile, pressing an index finger to his lips as a warning to keep silent. Awed by the man's imposing figure, Sora nods quickly and hastens from the room.
Only minutes after Sora had fled the room, Cloud rounds the corner to leave the library himself. He runs a hand through his blonde spikes, pausing as he takes in who is standing there. He stands there for a moment, eyes completely unguarded after his talk with Sora.
"Sephiroth…"
The taller male's lips twitch into a slight smirk, and Cloud realizes he is not in the right frame of mind to verbally spar with Sephiroth at the moment. Deciding that retreat would be the best option, Cloud turns toward the stairs to use the door on the second floor.
"Cloud."
Cloud stops, his back facing Sephiroth, eyes closed and hands clenched into fists. The way the other man said his name was so serious, so pleading…
"What?"
Sephiroth strides over to Cloud, stopping mere inches from him. "Cloud…we need to talk."
Chapter Nine, Part Two:
And Maybe, Some Things Are That Simple…
The rising falls area may not hold a great many memories for Sora, but it is the site of the turning point in his quest to save the worlds. It is here that his confidence in himself had been shaken; that he realized everything he had learned had been false. He hadn't been the one originally chosen by the keyblade; he was only its second choice. Riku was the one who was supposed to be the keyblade master, and he had proved it here on the very platform Sora is standing now. Sora had learned a great many things here, so it seemed a good place to get some thinking done.
Sora moves toward the center of the platform, looking down at the water he is standing upon, the wonder of how he can do this falling away as more important thoughts invade his brain, thoughts like how he was going to deal with this situation with Riku.
Sora closes his eyes and lifts a loose fist to his chest as he feels a powerful twinge of emotional pain in his chest. The look on his friend's face when he backed away…the panic in those aqua eyes… Sora tightens his fist as he feels another twinge, another twisting of his heart. There is no doubt as to why he feels this way, but Sora's main concern is whether or not those feelings are real. Would he have eventually come to feel this way about Riku if the events in Koritsu, no, if this whole mess with the keyblade never happened?
Would he have come to love Riku if Kairi had never came to the island?
There is no way to know, and it is tearing Sora up inside. He has no idea what to do anymore; what is the right thing to do? Did he really love Riku, or is the feeling an illusion that will fade with time? If it is an illusion, can he continue on as Riku's friend after all that has happened between them?
Another twinge causes Sora to wince as an intense emotion rushes through him. No, he can't.
…But why, if he has forgiven him?
"It's funny that I find you here, Sora."
Sora jerks his head up at the sound of Riku's familiar voice. No, no…he is not ready to speak with Riku now, he just isn't…not with him wanting to be held by the other boy until the pain goes away. He can't make a decision feeling the way he does right now…!
Riku walks past Sora toward the ruins of what probably once was a beautiful archway, stopping to run a hand along one of the columns.
"This castle doesn't hold any happy memories for either of us, but this place…" Riku turned his head to look at Sora. "This place may hold the unhappiest memories of all."
Sora looks past Riku, to the curtain of rising water. "Yeah, but it's quiet, and I didn't think anyone would find me here."
Riku turns to face Sora. He has already searched the entirety of Hollow Bastion, and this had been the last place left to look. Sora must not have wanted to be found, choosing the place furthest away from anyone else. Since Sora took such pains to try to keep from being located, Riku should just leave him in peace, but they need to talk. Things can not be left the way they are now.
"You were always pretty good at hide and seek." Riku nods. "But I could always find you no matter where you hid."
"You were good at all the games, Riku." Sora snorts, turning his face away.
"You never made it easy, though." Riku catches Sora's astonished gaze when the brunette turns his way. "Every time you came close to winning, I would practice for hours to try and get better. You were the reason I was the strongest on the island, Sora. You were the reason I had to be the strongest."
Sora shifts his eyes away. "Well, we were rivals. You pushed me and I pushed you-"
"No, that wasn't it!" Riku interrupts, taking a step forward. "I may have thought so in the beginning, but…" It is now Riku's turn to drop his gaze. "That wasn't it at all."
Sora looks over at his friend, eyes filled with sudden understanding. He already knew how Riku felt about him, it is true, but it is now just reaching exactly how deep and for how long.
According to what his friend has just said, it seemed Riku is realizing it too.
"So…" Sora trails off, not knowing what to say or how to deal with the situation. He takes a step back, wanting to leave. Riku catches the movement and reaches a hand out.
"Sora! No, wait!"
Sora did not wait; he turns and hops on a nearby platform, trying to get back to Hollow Bastion's gates. He only gets as far as the top of the rising falls before he is caught, strong arms pulling him back into a warm embrace. Sora struggles against Riku's grip; afraid of being made to confront the emotions swirling around inside him.
"Let me go!"
"Sora, don't run away again! I want to make things right between us, please find the courage to help me! I want to know what you're feeling, what you are running from." Sora's struggles cease, but Riku did not release him. "I don't think I can do it alone, and I don't want to lose what we had…"
For the longest time, the rushing water is the only sound heard in the Rising Falls. Riku never releases his friend, even when a fine trembling takes over the brunette's body. He only tightens his grip, trying to give his friend the support he needs to work through his feelings.
"…But it's already too late."
Riku buries his face into Sora's shoulder, a loud, pain-filled sob escaping his throat. Sora lowers his head, his eyes stinging with tears.
"Too much has passed between us, Riku. I can't go back to just being friends. I just…I just can't."
"But why…?" Riku chokes into Sora's shoulder.
"My heart hasn't changed, Riku. I still feel the same as when I was back on Koritsu without my memories! I tried to act as though nothing has happened, but…" Sora shakes his head. "…But I can't."
Riku lifted his head, is Sora saying that…? "Sora, do you mean…?"
"…And I don't know if these feelings are real, and there's no way for me to know either."
Hope leaps into Riku's heart so hard it is painful. He chuckles, causing Sora to struggle to look at him.
"What's so funny!"
Despite the fact that Sora sounds really angry, Riku finds he can not stop laughing. "Sora…" He begins when he calms, "Don't you think they would have gone away by now?"
"What?"
Riku releases Sora long enough for him to turn the blue-eyed boy to face him. "Sora. I didn't make up a life where I told you we were together. Everything I told you about our past was true."
"What about the parts where you left Kairi out?" Sora asks accusingly.
"I left her out, yes, but I never put myself in her place. Remember the key chain? I told you someone who loves you gave it to you. That was true, Kairi does love you." Riku's eyes grow serious. "Did you come to love me because you thought I gave you that key chain?"
"No, of course not, what do you take me for?" Sora hisses, growing angrier.
"And you've already forgiven me for tricking you like I did, right?"
"Yes, I said I did! Riku, where are you going with this?"
Riku shakes his head to silence Sora, placing his hands on his friend's face to still him and to force Sora's gaze to meet his own. "Then what does it matter?"
Sora opens his mouth to retort… and stops, closing it in thought. Riku loosens his grip on Sora's face, smiling at the look of realization on his friend's eyes.
"Since you didn't fall in love with me because of that key chain, your feelings are not illusions." Placing a hand on Sora's head, he ruffles the cinnamon spikes affectionately.
Sora blushes and stares at his feet; the reason he had run away from Riku seems very, very stupid now. "This still feels so weird."
Riku lifts an eyebrow. "Really?"
"Well, yeah. I mean, you've been my best friend for years!" Sora lifted his head. "It's just a little strange to feel this way all of a s-"
Riku swiftly kisses him, cutting off his comment. Sora's surprise lasts only a second, and then his eyes flutter closed as he surrenders to the sensation of Riku's soft lips against his own. He lifts trembling hands to grip his friend's arms, the muscles of which shift under his palms as he is pulled tightly against Riku's chest. All lingering doubts and awkwardness fade away, and Sora pushes forward, increasing the pressure of their lips and exciting Riku with his participation.
Riku pulls back a little to coax Sora's lips apart with his tongue, shivering a little as Sora complies with a soft sigh. The older boy slowly slips his tongue inside, delighting the brunette with his unhurried pace. One of Riku's hands lowers to the small of Sora's back, the smaller boy tightening his grip on Riku's arms as tingles dance up his spine. The leisurely pace of the kiss slowly becomes maddening to Sora, yet when he pushes his tongue against Riku's in an attempt to cajole his friend into a faster pace, Riku only responds by moving slower. Sora makes a small sound to inform Riku of his displeasure, and he feels his friend smirk before he pulls away, dragging a sound of want from Sora's throat. Riku leans forward to sharply nip at Sora's earlobe, causing his friend to gasp and press against him.
"So, does it still feel strange?"
Sora blushes as he realizes exactly what he has done. "I…never said it was a bad strange…"
"Oh, a good strange?" Riku asks, smirking as he lowers his lips to Sora's neck.
"Y-yes…" Sora replies, tilting his head to the side to grant Riku better access to the soft flesh. "A very good strange."
"Good…" Riku breathes, working his way down to Sora's shoulder. "So you have no reason to run from me, Sora." Riku then bites the younger boy on the shoulder, causing him to jump and squirm in the older boy's arms. "…And if you ever make me chase after you again…" He begins warningly, then pauses to soothe the bite with a caress from his tongue. Sora mewls softly, his arms twining around Riku's neck.
"If I do…?"
"I'll catch you, and when I do, you'll never get the chance to even think of running ever again."
"Riku…"
"I mean it. I love you Sora." The hand at the small of Sora's back dips lower, cupping the brunette's buttocks and pulling the slim hips against his own. "I don't think I can live without you..."
Sora's breath hitches at the increasing intimacy of Riku's touches. "R-Riku…" He pants, breathlessly. "We-we're still outside...!" Riku pauses, one hand creeping up Sora's shirt, the other firmly squeezing his rear end, face practically buried in his neck.
"Well..." He mumbles grudgingly into Sora's warm skin, "I guess we can go somewhere more private..."
Hefting his heavy gunblade over his right shoulder, Leon releases a quiet breath as he patrols near the lifts to the Great Crest area.
There had been no sign of heartless so far; Hollow Bastion is now as quiet as it was when Ansem had been defeated. It also carries an uncomfortable feeling of urgency that made everyone feel an anxiousness that made them all weary. The heartless had appeared without warning, attacking their home again, and everyone is now sick of it. Leon feels it is better to stay sharp so they are ready the next time it happens, but everyone needs to settle their nerves in some way first. Leon didn't want to admit it, but he needed to do the same. He thought patrolling the castle would make him feel better, but…
Drawing a hand through his shaggy brown hair, Leon heaves a heavy sigh as he continues on his patrol. He might as well finish this task, leaving it would only add to his worry.
As he makes his way toward the Great Crest area, he discovers that someone else is here. Standing in the large space is Cloud…
…And Sephiroth is with him.
This can lead to a very nasty fight, and now is not the time to be injuring one another. Leon steps into the area, ready to stop a fight…and stops.
The expression on both men's faces is absolutely calm. It didn't seem as though either of them are even thinking of fighting. Leon turns around and heads back toward the lifts with a smile.
"Looks like he's ready to deal with it."
Outside in the Great Crest, facing the eternally sinking sun, the powerful warrior known as Cloud stands close to the edge of the floor in which he is standing, his back facing the only other person in the area.
"So…talk."
Sephiroth calmly walks over to the wall, removing his sword from his hip and placing against said wall, out of the way. Cloud turns toward him, his eyes betraying nothing.
"What are you doing?"
"Showing you that I am serious." Brushing silver locks away from his face, Sephiroth approaches Cloud, careful not to make any moves that would make the blonde nervous. "This animosity between us…" He begins; eyes level on Cloud's, "…should be put to rest."
Cloud glares at Sephiroth, a burning anger in his usually cool blue eyes. "Should be put to rest? That sounds funny coming from you!"
"Does it really, Cloud?" Sephiroth asks, never lowering his eyes. "Or are you just using this hostility to run away again?"
Cloud snorts, turning away from Sephiroth. "What does it matter?"
"It matters a great deal." Sephiroth says quietly. "I'm doing this ease both our pain."
Cloud lifts an eyebrow, studying Sephiroth warily. Sephiroth moves to stand beside Cloud, looking at the sky.
"We have always brought out the best in each other…" Sephiroth continues, "…and we also bring out the worst. When you ran away from me during the heartless attack, I was angry. I hunted you through the worlds, at first to corner you to find out why you had left me, and then when it became clear I would probably never know, I used our rivalry to keep close to you. I tried so hard to bring things back to the way they used to be, yet it only seemed to make you hate me more."
"I knew what you were trying to do." Cloud says softly, all the anger that had been in his voice gone.
"Yet you ran from me." Sephiroth turns his face to look upon Cloud. "And in doing so, caused yourself unnecessary pain."
Cloud lifts his chin, staring straight ahead, away from Sephiroth. "I don't need to hear this from you."
"All I am saying, is that we have both been foolish. I caused myself unnecessary pain by not doing what I am doing now, earlier. You hid behind the search for your friends, convincing yourself that was all you were doing, when you were really running from me."
Cloud looks to the side, still facing the horizon. Sephiroth turns his body to look at Cloud. "What I don't know is…why?"
Cloud is silent for so long that Sephiroth did not think he would answer. "I was…afraid."
"Afraid?"
"The night the heartless first appeared, you…no, both of us…while we were fighting together, we did some things that…truly frightened me. I was afraid of the power we drew from the other. Mostly because…I couldn't control it, and someone died…"
Sephiroth lowers his eyes to the red cloak Cloud wore. "I understand…" He whispers. Yes, that would upset Cloud terribly. "Why did you not tell me?"
"I told you, I was afraid!" Cloud snaps. "I had killed someone…but you…you looked as though you were excited by all the power. I felt you wouldn't understand. I thought you would eventually make me like it too…"
"Never!" Sephiroth reaches over and takes Cloud's face in his hands, forcing him to look at him. "Yes, the power generated by the two of us excited me, it always has. That is the way I have always been, you know that! At the time, I had not known your power had killed someone. Do you understand? I had not known!"
Cloud's eyes widen with understanding. That night, when the heartless attacked, Cloud hadn't been physically close to Sephiroth, but he could feel the swordsman's power coursing through him. He remembered that it had been too much for him to deal with, too much for him to control, and when the inevitable happened…several lay dead at his feet, all heartless, save one…
Vincent…
Cloud felt panic grip his heart, and he then turned to find the only person who would understand what had just happened to him.
But when he found him…
Sephiroth had been caught in a killing frenzy, a look of excited bliss in his eyes. Noticing Cloud, his eyes seemed to become even wilder. Caught still in his panic, it never occurred to Cloud that the swordsman didn't know what was going on. To Cloud, it seemed that Sephiroth was drunk on the power and was eager to unleash it again. Terrified, mostly by the underlying excitement he felt himself under all his horror, Cloud ran from Sephiroth, from everyone, and he would run for years after that.
Sephiroth strokes Cloud's cheeks with his thumb, bringing the blonde warrior back to the present. "I would never try to change you, Cloud." He whispers.
"I…I'm sorry…I jumped to conclusions, this is all-"
"Shh…all that matters is that you understand, and the hatred has now been buried."
"You're forgiving me? Just like that?" Cloud asks, searching Sephiroth's face.
"Yes, of course." Sephiroth pulls Cloud into a gentle embrace, smiling delightedly when the blonde didn't pull away. "Why would I chase after you if I was not prepared to forgive you? We have both been foolish. Can you forgive me?"
Cloud closes his eyes. "Yes." He replies, and he means it.
Watching nearby, green eyes filled with happiness, is Aerith. She had taken a walk to help settle herself after the heartless attack and when her wanderings brought her to the Great Crest, she, like Leon, was concerned over finding Cloud and Sephiroth together. Fortunately, her worries were not necessary.
"I'm so happy that they have been able to make up." As with everyone who grows up in Hollow Bastion, falling in love creates an unshakable bond between those involved, a bond that can either destroy the couple or bring them closer. The terrible power that developed had between the two lovers very nearly destroyed them, but it seems some miracle helped them escape that fate.
Smiling, Aerith turns toward the direction of the Rising Falls.
"A miracle indeed…"
The two boys from Destiny Island have barely made it into an empty guestroom before the eldest of them locks the door and grabs the younger one from behind, pulling him into a tight embrace and showering his neck with heated kisses.
Sora stiffens in surprise, marveling at how quickly Riku has picked up where he left off in the Rising Falls. Warm hands slip under his shirt, kneading the flesh of his stomach, urging him to relax. Sora does so, only to gasp as Riku nips sharply at his ear.
"I love you, Sora."
Sora closes his eyes. So easy… It is so easy for Riku to say those words to him, to admit his feelings. Riku had asked Sora to find his courage to help him work through their problems earlier, and although they have, Sora is still looking for that courage.
"Riku, I…" Sora struggles with himself for a while. Why is it so hard for him to say? It is true, so why…? "Riku…"
"Shh…" Riku walks them over to the bed where he sits Sora down upon it, kneeling to remove the brunette's shoes, pressing a light kiss to the top of each foot as he removes them. He then stands and leans over Sora, pressing a kiss right over the bright blush that has bloomed over the brunettes nose. "You are so cute."
Pouting, Sora begins to disagree with Riku's comment, but the older boy swiftly kisses him, drawing the protruding bottom lip into his mouth and running his hands under the short sleeved jacket Sora wore and removing it. Before the brunette can take his next breath, Riku has his hands under Sora's shirt and is exploring the soft skin with the tips of his fingers. Riku pulls back from the kiss, smirking at the small noise of disappointment Sora gives in response. He settles his lips very close to Sora's ear, the tips of his forefingers drawing circles around Sora's nipples from under his shirt.
"Lift your arms for me." He breathes, drawing a shiver from Sora. He smaller boy complies after a second, shivering again as Riku pulls his shirt off, exposing his chest to air that feels cold against his heated flesh. Riku kisses him again, pressing him down upon the bed and running his hands all over Sora's sides.
"R-Riku…" Sora gasps as the silver haired boy pulls away again to kiss down along his neck to the skin that is newly exposed. Riku's tongue flicks out to tease a nipple, and Sora arches into his touch with a low moan.
Pulling back to tug his shirt over his head, he quickly works himself free of his own shirt, tossing it to the floor once he is done. He then seizes Sora again, pulling the boy close and rolling them both over so Sora is sprawled on top, lying between Riku's legs.
"Sora…" Riku begins, gazing into his lover's dazed eyes. "It's a bit late, but…if you don't want to do this…if you're not ready…"
Sora looks into Riku's eyes, reading the emotions there. He then lowers his head and gently presses his lips to Riku's, feeling his nervousness vanish and the courage he has searched for so desperately is finally found.
"I love you, Riku…"
Riku lifts his head at those whispered words, closing his eyes before his tears could overtake him.
"Sora…"
With those four words echoing in his mind, Riku clutches Sora tighter to himself, his soul able to find peace.
Sora opens his eyes to the lonely cry of a solitary seagull. The sky is bright, blue and free of clouds, and the sun hangs high overhead.
"Another dream...?"
Sora notices that he is sitting on a small, sandy island, under the shade of a paopu tree. Riku is sprawled on his back with his head in Sora's lap, eyes closed as the turquoise sea laps gently at his toes. Sora smiles down upon him gently, running sun-tanned fingers through his friend's pale tresses.
"Sora..."
Blue eyes lift to look into the sky, using a hand to shield them from the sun so he could better see the girl slowly descending towards him. Her short red hair is decorated with a crown of pink roses that matches a Grecian style gown of the same hue. Her white wings flap slowly, keeping her bare feet from touching the sandy paradise the two lovers shared.
"Hello, again."
The angel's violet eyes become worried. "Sora...are you sure?"
Sora gives her a warm smile. "Yeah."
Nodding, the angel picks a pink rose from her crown and hands it to Sora, smiling. "Then, be happy."
"I will. Thanks, Kairi."
The angel then turns and flies away, and Sora smiles down at the pink rose she had given him. A pale hand reaches up to cover Sora's, and he looks down to see Riku smiling up at him.
"We'll have to tell her for real, you know."
"I know." Sora looks out toward the horizon. "I have a feeling it'll go just as well."
The rose suddenly dissolves into pink petals, the wind blowing them out to sea. The day seems to become brighter, washing out all the colors, save the blue-green of Riku's eyes.
They know they are waking up.
"Sora, I love you..."
"I love you."
Sora stirs, Riku's voice tickling his ear. "Mmmph..." He groans, burying into the warmth of Riku's chest to try and escape the dreaded chore of waking up. Riku's chest shakes with laughter, and knowing it is inevitable, Sora opens his eyes and gazes sleepily at Riku. The other boy chuckles and plants a kiss on Sora's forehead, right between his eyebrows.
"Thank you..."
Sora blushes, recalling that Riku said the same thing the first time they slept together. "But...this time you didn't..." Sora suddenly rises on his forearms, eyes wide. "Ah! Riku, I'm sorry!"
"Eh? For what?" Riku blinks in confusion.
"I was the only one who...um...you know..." Sora's blush deepens. "Do you...need...?"
"Ah." Now it is Riku's turn to blush. "No, I'm fine, I… took care of that already..."
"But...why didn't you... You must have wanted to..."
Riku laughs at the flustered look on Sora's face and kisses him on the nose. He is so adorable. "Yes, I did. I wanted very badly to be inside you. It was almost painful to hold back."
Sora makes an embarrassed noise, hiding his face in Riku's chest again. "So why didn't you?" The brunette mumbles, the words sounding even more unintelligible by being muffled against Riku's skin. Still, Riku understands what Sora is asking.
"I wanted to show you that I would put your needs before mine." Riku lifts the knuckles on his right hand to his lips, looking away and blushing faintly. "I wanted you to see you will be safe with me, that I will do anything to see that you are happy."
Sora lifts his head, gazing at Riku with eyes filled with a tender emotion. "Riku..."
"You told me you love me, and I will never take that for granted... You have no idea how happy you have made me. Things are far from perfect right now, I know, but they will be. I'll make sure of it."
"We'll make sure of it." Sora corrects, grinning. "We're in this together, you know." Riku pulls him down for a quick kiss.
"Yeah...together..."
Owari
Author's Nonsense:
Whoa, it's been awhile, ne? Sorry about that, I fell ill around the holidays, and once I was feeling well enough, had a horrible time getting the chapter written. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Shall I translate the title for you as I always do? Here ya go:
Motto Hanasou Yo, Mokuzen No Ashita No Koto Mo
Let's talk more, about the future that's before your very eyes
Whelp, we've reached the end of the story, I hope you have enjoyed it! I do have a goodies chapter planned as well as a sequel. Er, I have no idea when the sequel will be out, considering I have a lot on my plate with school and other fics. Since I plan to keep it short, only three chapters or so, it probably won't take a year.
Maybe...
Anyway, there's still Pisces that hasn't been finished, and I have quite a few one-shots planned as well as three multi-chapter fics... You haven't seen the last of me yet.
To the wonderful Uzumaki, for whom this fic is written, thank you so much for all of your encouragement and kind words. Without you this would not have been possible. Thank you for everything you have written, I have enjoyed it all.
To my beta, thank you so much. I…keep forgetting you are my beta, mostly because I see you as a friend… I'm so bad. Please forgive me!
Also, to the readers who stuck diligently with this fic, put up with grammar and tense mistakes as well as long periods of time between updates... Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for your reviews and e-mails. I love all of them and you.
If you are curious as to what I'm doing and what I am writing and how it is coming along, check out my livejournal. I'm yamiyume. Some stories that can't make it to may end up there. Be sure to visit!
So, this is goodbye, but not for long. I'll be seeing you all again some other time, some other fic.
Mizu: Oh, cut the drama, fangirl, and close this out!
E-hehehe...you know me, always the drama queen. Well, I'm gonna stop babbling now. If anyone has any questions or concerns, I can be reached at
Ciao!
