CHAPTER TWO: Savior

Riku awoke in bright, morning sunlight, back in his own home. Dimly he tried to remember what had happened the night before.

The minute he did, he wished he hadn't.

Stomach churning, he sat up dazedly and looked around the room. Alone, once again. He sighed irritably and jumped out his bedroom window, landing on the ground below. He walked down to the island.

Upon reaching it, there was a fair amount of bustling going on (as much as you can get for only having three people around, anyway). Pausing for a moment, he heard Selphie's voice and listened closely.

...the poor thing hasn't said a word to anyone! I feel horrible for him, whatever it was that happened...

He made a mental note to ring that girl's neck later.

Part of him simply wanted to go back to to his room and force himself go to back to sleep for at least twelve more hours. It was then that he heard the voice of the person Selphie was ranting to. The only other girl on the island, Kairi. I think...it has something to do with Riku. He's been sitting in the Secret Place all day, telling me to leave. Said he didn't want to talk about it... Her voice was confused, depressed, much like he sounded the night before.

The memory replayed in his mind all over again, his body feeling weary again. He would've passed out, if it weren't for the next thing he heard from Selphie. Something happened between Riku and Sora, I think. But, you know, with Riku having the attack of... whatever was wrong with him, I bet Sora's really confused. It's like a romance novel, she ended with a romance-craving sigh.

Without even thinking, and believe me, there was no thinking at all, Riku clumsily made his way to the Secret Place. When he entered, a familiar mop of brunette hair stared carelessly at the wall.

And he remembered the night before. His heart raced and he felt his body heat rising by what seemed like hundreds of degrees.

Sora's head shot up and he instantly turned around at the sound of weak footsteps in the background. He tensed up once more when the silver-haired beauty collapsed in his lap.

Sora froze. This was the last thing he needed.

But somehow he found himself thinking otherwise. He didn't know what it was, nor did he care much. He stared at Riku and was soon running his hand through his perfect, silver hair. It was... calming.

Riku's hair was soft, beautiful. His eyes were closed in a somewhat peaceful manner. Sora's other hand was slowly placed on Riku's face, feeling how heated his body was. He has a bad cold, I think. He probably won't think straight for a few days, Selphie had mentioned earlier, before he'd come to this spot to think.

Sora flustered at the thought of last night's dilemma, the way that he carlessly sat, stiffened, while passionate lips were upon him. Then he looked down to Riku, one hand caressing his delicate hair while the other was put on his forehead to assume temperature. Riku truly was beautiful.

The movements caused Riku's eyes to open a bit, realizing the situation they were in. He made a weak attempt to get up, startled when Sora forced them into a different position, Riku's head on Sora's lap.

Sora... I... I'm... sorry... His head felt so dizzy, like a swirling pool of emotions. He truly thought he was going to shed tears again when he looked at Sora. The brunette gave a weak smile as he leaned in to Riku's flustering face.

It's okay was all he whispered before their lips met again, only this time with meaning.

Riku could feel the tears springing to his turquoise eyes, but this time they were not shed for pain, but for happiness. He himself was unsure if it was truly real — too many times had he dreamed of the moment only to awaken in solitude.

But he knew. He knew that this time he was experiencing it in reality.

He could not have asked for more.

Though the moment seemed to last forever, they eventually had to part. Riku rose to a sitting position, shivering still in the undying fear that this was all an illusion. He looked at Sora, who was still shocked at his own actions, yet now more concerned of Riku's behavior.

They sat and faced eachother in silence, when Riku felt that horrible, terrible, empty feeling within him again. Sora had been staring, in a dazed sort of manner, when he heard soft sobbing from the older boy. It took a moment before he realized that Riku had started crying, no matter how hard he tried to hold it back. As a first instinct, Sora pulled his best friend into an embrace, holding him close.

Riku tensed, but soon wrapped his arms around the brunette's waist, the tears literally increasing. Sora then smiled softly and ran one hand through the boy's beautiful silk hair, the other rubbing his back for comfort.

Please, Riku, don't cry... he whispered reassuringly. It's okay, Riku... I'm here with you. You're not alone anymore.

And, at that moment, Sora was not only Riku's sky. Sora became the happiness within sorrow, the love within hate, the light that shined through all darkness. That terrible feeling of emptiness rose, and he truly didn't feel alone anymore.