SC: Welcome to the first chappie of this freakin fic!
Cheekon: Why did you call it a freakin fic?
SC :shrugs:
Alter Ego: I didn't get my cookie... :sob:
SC: Ignore her...
Cheekon: And read...
Alter Ego: Don't forget—
SC, Cheekon, Alter Ego: REVIEW WITH LOVE!
Suffocating in the Darkness
Chapter One: Mistaken Love and Broken Friendships
A soft whisper in the night...
A name being called in the rain...
"Riku..."
You say nothing, but turn around seeing no one just the drops of rain falling from very dark clouds up in the heavens. The hairs on the back of you neck stand up, but you don't know why. You're only surrounded by the gray statues of gargoyles, their horrid faces blank and lost, cracking through time; the soft pitter-patter of water and your heavy breath are the only sounds.
"Riku..."
You hear your name again, unsure of whom is calling you. Emerald eyes look past soaked silver bangs, blinking slowly. And then you saw it, ebony, floating inches away from you.
"Who's there!" your startled voice echoed loudly over the other sounds of beating wings. Something lands before you, feet tapping softly against the gray marble floor. A flash of lightning and you see a silhouette of a boy. Are those wings you see? A small smile creeps on the person's façade, a smile that utterly deceives everyone and a smile that didn't look right on his heart-shaped face. Sapphire eyes stare back at you, holding a mischievous evil; wet chocolate spikes were placed a top of the boy's head making him appear younger and innocent, but those eyes...that smile...
You can't believe it: you had been waiting, searching for this person to come back to you, to the light.
It seems your friend has other plans though.
"Grief is cold, isn't it, Riku." His voice was very icy and bitter, piercing through the silence. You can't seem to do anything. You don't understand why he talks about something that couldn't, shouldn't, be shared with. It was nothing to speak about; you had felt it the very moment the boy had vanished with the darkness.
The sound of dripping from black feathers seems to be the only sounds you hear.
"I've missed you..." he whispered quietly, his eyes softening yet the evil did not diminish. You could see it through the deep blue. You back away.
"Where—?"
But the blue eyes weren't staring at emerald eyes to find out what the question was; they were upon your hand. In your hands you held what looked like a key and blade fused together. You've seen this weapon before, in the hands of another. Such thoughts make your hold on the Keyblade tighten enough to make your pale knuckles white.
The evil smirk curled the corners of the boy's mouth. He looks up to you, a now hungry look flashing in his eyes.
"You really think I'm threatened because you have the power of Light in your hands?" he asked, the hungry look never leaving your face. "You're wrong..."
Something begins to encircle his feet, something dark and horrifying. Your mouth has gone very dry. You would have screamed, but no sounds came out of your mouth. You fell mute with fear. You feel yourself shudder in a very sudden icy cold—you knew what was happening, you could sense it...Then you hear his cold voice:
"Kill the Light."
The shadows were moving towards you, sinking you deeper into the darkness. There was a long, piercing scream. You thrash your arms about, groping to find some power to get out of the endless oblivion—nothing was there. You scream again, eyes wide as you stare at the smirk your friend was giving to you. He looked elated, happy you were dying, suffocating in the darkness. You can't feel the Keyblade's warmth or light anymore; you can't feel anything anymore.
But only death.
You're sinking deeper, deeper, and deeper...you're going down, into blackness...then...
"Sora..."
o-o-o
The sun rose on the tidy room, flashing some light on the troubled sleeper on the King-sized bed. Someone was curled deeply in the sheets, eyes shut tight as if in pain. A sudden warmth of morning spread across the body. The shivering stopped and he let out a relieved breath.
The same emerald eyes looked around his surroundings: A picture hung across from the bed of what looked like a boy with spiky chocolate hair smiling while another boy, a head taller than the brunette, had him in a headlock, eyes tight in happiness and mouth open in a laugh. The latter boy had silver hair, bangs that covered a little of the beautiful eyes that were staring at the picture.
Ten years had passed since that picture was taken.
Riku was no longer the curious, mischievous 7 year old (or so he thought), but the matured 17 year old young man. He let out another sigh as he sat upright, a pale hand smoothing the silky silver hair that now passed a little more off his shoulder. He had still looked the same with the same emerald eyes that held the deep cool and maturity and the same silver hair. There was a different story when it came to his chiseled body.
He had worked out a little over the years, as he puts it, and had developed satisfied muscles on his arms and chest. His legs were well tone from running around the islands so much.
Today was another day to spend on the islands with Sora and—more to spend privacy—Kairi.
Sora still had the small features for his age but he too had developed some muscles and was now a little taller than Kairi. He still had the childish face but his cheekbones held less baby fat in them when he was younger, and his eyes still held the delighted look you would see on a child on Christmas morning.
Kairi had grown a little but not enough to tower her two friends. She hadn't changed much at all except that her red hair had grown pass her shoulders.
Riku slowly got out of bed, his feet touching the cold wooden floor. He walked up to his dresser that was sitting in a corner away from the bed and began looking for a shirt. This was the normal routine: find a shirt, some pants that were light, and out of the door to the docks.
When fully dressed with a white beater and light blue pants, Riku tied his long silver hair in a loose ponytail.
"Kill the Light."
What had Sora meant...? Why was Riku having dreams of Sora pulling him into the darkness? Why had Sora always the dark wings around him and that look on his face?
Riku shook his head slightly.
It was all just a dream, right? Nothing more.
Riku walked out of his house, a mansion with too many gardens for the male to count, and began his way to the docks.
His friends and he still went out to the islands they had dubbed, 'Destiny Islands', a paradise with no parents to tell you anything and their playground. Riku smiled.
Kairi was already there, her small body white jumping into her boat. Her white dress flew with the wind. When she caught Riku's eyes on her, she smiled, waving.
"Riku!"
Riku ran up to her and kissed her on the lips. Kairi kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Ready to go to the island?" she asked when they let go. Riku only shrugged.
"I suppose so. Kairi?" said Riku as he got into his own boat.
"Hmmm?" said Kairi idly, searching for her oars. Riku frowned at how her lack of attention of his situation was.
"How are we going to tell Sora...about us?"
Kairi stopped dead in her tracks. She gave Riku a weak smile then said, "Sora wouldn't mind."
But Sora would mind all right, thought Riku. Sora and he had always competed against each other to impress the girl ever since Sora had found her out in the beach. But in their adventure to different worlds, Sora went looking for both of them while Riku had assumed that Sora only looked for Kairi. Even though Riku had betrayed Sora and almost broken their great friendship, Sora helped Riku back into the light, away from the darkness. And for that Riku was grateful to have a friend like Sora.
Now that it was all over, everything could go back to how they were before.
But then Kairi and Riku became a couple not too long ago. Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie had known about this, but Sora—he was oblivious to their relationship.
How would the brunette react to Riku and Kairi's decision?
This had worried the silver haired teen. What was more was that the dark dreams began to happen simultaneously. Riku issued a sigh, telling Kairi that he agreed inaudibly. Kairi gave him a reassuring smile.
o-o-o
They rowed to Destiny Islands, the seagulls hovering over them. The smell of salty seas flared their nostrils.
They were greeted by a dirty blonde boy and a tanned red head when they planted their feet on the warm sand. Kairi and Riku waved at them both as the boys gave them big smiles. Another girl was sitting alone on the docks, swinging her yellow sandaled feet. She smiled at the couple, her brown hair blowing with the wind.
But where was Sora?
A big snore answered the question. Kairi looked up to see the brunette lying of the palm tree where the bridge was, seeing his feet were hanging off the tree. His hands were behind his spiky hair.
Kairi led Riku to the sleeping boy, giggling quietly. But it was loud enough for the snoring to stop and for Sora to open one of his eyes lazily. When he caught the sight of his best friends, he woke up with a start. He would have fallen back into the ocean if a firm grip was not on his tan arm. He blinked.
Riku rolled his eyes as he hauled Sora in a sitting position. Sora laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"You lazy bum, Sora," said Kairi as she hoisted herself to sit next to Sora. She wrapped her arms around Sora in an embrace. A tint of pink rose on his cheeks. Riku snorted slightly when he saw this.
"Sora—"
"Sora you don't mind if we tell you something?" asked Kairi, interrupting Riku. Sora gave her a quizzical look.
"Who's 'we'?" he asked, afraid of the answer. Kairi looked at Riku then back at Sora. Sora knew; he didn't need words. His smile faltered but then was replaced by another one. A fake smile.
Yes, very fake.
Riku could sense it.
"Well, congratulations!" said Sora, hoping his voice did not deceive his words. Kairi's face beamed at Sora's reply and hugged him again.
"I knew you'd understand," she whispered, letting him go and clasping her hand with Riku's. The sight made Sora's stomach lurch.
No, Kairi...I really don't understand. Why are you guys doing this to me?
Riku realized the sad eyes the moment they appeared. He opened his mouth but found no words for encouragement. Kairi was oblivious at Sora's sadness. She hadn't known Sora as long as Riku had. Riku could easily read Sora like a book; why couldn't anybody else see the true emotions that Sora had even with his smiles?
"I'll be going now. You have fun without me," said Sora, waving as he walked past them after giving a sad look at the clasped hands. He couldn't be sad. They were happy together, they should be.
But why did Sora feel so awful?
Sora walked dream like to the docks, sitting himself beside his friend Selphie. The girl let out a sigh. Sora followed pursuit.
"Well," she began, "At least they're happy, you know?"
"Uh-huh," replied Sora, not even looking at Selphie's disappointed look. He stared ahead at the sun that was slowly setting beneath the horizon. The sun seemed to portray Sora's beating heart that was sinking. Riku had Kairi and that was that. Neither of them seemed to notice—or care—that a fierce battle had been raging inside Sora's brain ever since he knew he had felt that way with Riku:
Why did he pick Kairi?
Because she's a girl and you're a boy.
But, I liked him first!
Who was the one who confessed their feelings first?
Kairi...
Sora was beginning to loath the red head. She had taken his Riku! She hadn't let Sora get a chance to tell his deep feelings with Riku, his best friend. Of course, Sora was afraid of rejection or worse—Riku hating him because the brunette was different.
Different because you like your best friend and that you're both guys.
Does it matter?
Society thinks so.
Sora barely noticed the hand that was in front of his face, and only vaguely seem to care until Selphie cried, "SORA!"
Sora stared at Selphie and laughed nervously.
"Sorry," he murmured. Selphie frowned.
"If you had been listening, you would have heard me saying that Kairi and Riku don't really belong together!" said Selphie, folding her arms in front of her yellow sundress. Sora raised an eyebrow. This mattered a lot for Selphie was the expert on relationships and knew who was best for who. Saying that someone didn't belong to someone and coming out of Selphie's mouth meant that it was true. Sora shook his head ruefully.
"No, they look perfect," he was beginning to hate that he meant it.
"You're in denial," snapped Selphie.
"Then who do you think is better?" asked Sora, gritting his teeth. Selphie sighed, but didn't answer. It was as if she really didn't want to tell Sora her truthful answer. He sadly looked at the palm tree, seeing the other two embracing each other. It was as if they thought Sora wouldn't mind—but he truly did. Sora truly thought it was horrible that they were together. He had always wanted Riku to hold him like that, to kiss him on his lips when asked to and not. But Sora knew Riku was never like that and he had Kairi now...how he hoped he would never go with anybody like Kairi.
Were they not all friends? Did Sora not go after them both to save them from the Heartless? Now he was beginning to regret saving Kairi; he thought it was now futile to go save her for she took his only thing that had made the boy feel welcome in the world.
Now, he felt like nothing...
Sora got up; walking away from the look Selphie was giving him. Was everyone just giving him pity for his lost?
Of course not; they didn't know Sora's secret affections for the 17 year old—Sora had desperately tried hiding his blushes from his best friends whenever Riku was a bit close for comfort. He sometimes had to look away from those eyes that seemed to pierce deep in to his youthful soul. Sora couldn't help how the older boy looked so beautiful silver hair and the emerald eyes that reminded him of the ocean waves, sinking him deeper in green...
Why...why couldn't Sora have Riku? Was it the only fact that they were both guys that they couldn't be together? Or was it that Riku truly loved Kairi as he says? Or was it...
Sora had lost anymore reasons (more likely that he didn't want to name them all) when he arrived the Secret Cave. His footsteps echoed through the stone walls, pictures of sorts obscured the stone. So many memories held in this hideout...this was Sora's refuge whenever he felt depressed or demoralized.
But what did it matter now?
Then he saw it, marble and chalked, before him. It made Sora boil in the pit of his stomach; how could he have been so—
Stupid.
How could he have done something that was a—
Lie.
How could you—
Deny
Your heart to think that you actually had feelings like that—
Love
To her? Of all people, HER?
Youthful hearts only believe that they're going through tough times about love; it's hardly true.
"Shut up." said Sora to his contradicting conscience. Did it have to nag at him all the time?
Yes, after all, I'm the voice that tells you right from wrong.
"So you think it's wrong for me to have feelings for Riku?"
We already had this talk. I told you society cares of such things.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOCIETY! RIKU MATTERS MORE THAN THOSE STUPID HYPOCRITES!" he thrust his right fist onto the stone wall repeatedly. It didn't matter if his knuckles were now bruising, spilling blood. His heart...it was hurting more... Why did it hurt so much?
After his assault on the helpless solid wall, Sora grabbed a small rock with his injured hand and threw it at the picture of Kairi that he had scribbled on a lone rock.
"Stupid," he mumbled, "bitch...go die!" he placed the bloody hand on the wall, resting his head on the rock wall, sweat matting his face.
"Oh, surely not. So crude, don't you think?"
The voice startled Sora, making him jump slightly. He turned his head reluctantly, but a hand moved his head to face the wall again. The same hand slipped to his injured hand, clasping it on top of it. Black nails embroidered the top of ashen, pale fingers.
"Who—?"
"No need for introductions now, Sora..." the voice was soothing, like a mother's. Sora felt a comforting arm wrap around his waist, as in an embrace. Sora had calmed down a little.
"Why—?" but he was interrupted again.
"Don't interfere..." it was a warning now, a very cautious warning. The stranger felt Sora shudder under her grasp. A small smile that Sora couldn't see curled on her lips. "Understand this Sora: Don't interfere...I'll be here again..." the presence of another began to diminish in the deep darkness. Sora immediately turned around to just catch a glimpse of her, but all he saw was utter darkness. He blinked slowly.
"'Don't interfere'? What does that mean?" but before the words slipped through his lips, he felt a searing pain on his injured hand. He screwed up his eyes in agony. It felt like a knife was scrapping against the skin, digging deeper...
The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Sora held his hand; his eyes went wide. There, right on the middle was a red outline of a heart with thorns in the middle, forming an 'X' on a black surface. Dark gray wings were on each side.
Sora had never seen the mark with the wings, but he had seen the heart before.
The Heartless...
The creatures that had taken Destiny Islands; the ones that had taken Riku and Kairi away from Sora; the ones that had nearly taken Riku's heart into the darkness...
Instinctively, Sora dug into the pocket of his cargo pants to find his white, fingerless gloves and jerked them on. His friends couldn't see it; he knew that they didn't need to know.
But what did the stranger mean by not interfering...?
Then a thought hit Sora like how he hit the doodle of Kairi.
o-o-o
Sora sat on the sand, breathing in lungfuls of fresh salty air. A light chilly breeze ruffled his hair as he looked out to the moonlit sea and the star-strewn sky.
Everyone had already left while Sora wanted to stay behind. He shunned everyone's attention, sitting lonely on the bridge, watching the others play from afar. His stomach lurched whenever he caught a glimpse of Riku and Kairi showing their affections to one another.
It was a sickening sight.
Thinking about it wanted to make Sora puke. They're pathetic, making others think they're the perfect couple.
"Bleh," said Sora, wrapping his arms around his knees and bringing them closer to his chest. He rested his chin on his knees, letting out a tired sigh. He knew it was past the time for him to be home; his mother, Saya would be worried sick.
Maybe it was time to go.
Slowly Sora got up, sulking to the docks. When he had arrived to his boat, something strange happened: The wooden boat quivered and shook then shattered into pieces.
Sora looked at the sea as the broken boat sunk in the deep dark waves and felt goose bumps.
What had just happened? Why did the boat do that?
And more importantly, how was Sora going to get back home?
"It can't get worse," said Sora, irritably.
Something wet hit Sora's nose. Sora looked up to see more raindrops fall. He burrowed his eyebrows.
Think before you speak.
Sora growled and so did his stomach. He placed a hand on his stomach to sooth the rumbling. There had to be something to eat...
The brunette looked around and found it: the paopu tree. Star shaped fruits stuck out of the overgrown green brush. Sora's stomach rumbled in protest.
It was pouring hard as Sora ran up to the tree. At least the tree could keep Sora a little drier. He stood on his tiptoes, reaching with his arm to the closest paopu. Fingers grasped around the fruit as Sora plucked it free and let it rest in his hands.
His stomach growled louder this time.
Breaking a half, Sora took a bite of the fruit, bitterness entering his mouth. He chocked. It was horrible. He tossed the other half of the paopu over his shoulder, looking disdained.
He was shivering now. He folded his arms to his chest to get additional warmth.
Had it always been cold when it ever rained at the islands?
Teeth chattering and clothes drenched, Sora made his way to the shack on the other side of the island, closing the door behind him. The sound of water hitting against wood and Sora's ragged breath seem to be the only sounds in the building. Sora huddled in a corner and grabbed the lonely blanket that was beside him. He slipped his white gloves off him, glancing at his Heartless marked hand then looking away. He pulled his red shirt over his head and it fell with a wet 'plop'. Unbuttoning his pants, he removed those as well. He was left only in his blue boxers.
He wrapped the warm blanket around him, issuing a slow breath.
"G-god...it's s-so c-cold..." said Sora through chattering teeth, but before the words left his lips a sudden darkness took over.
His eyes drooped slightly from exhaustion...
o-o-o
The blue sky was clear as Riku made his way to the docks. His hand was clasped with Kairi's as a smile was plastered on his façade. They were about to get on their boats when they heard someone screaming, "RIKU! KAIRI!"
The couple turned around to see a woman with long brunette hair, blue eyes, and an apron around her pale yellow dress. Riku blinked.
"Saya?"
"Riku, have you seen Sora?" asked Saya when she was facing Riku, ignoring Kairi's existence completely.
"No, we haven't," answered Kairi grudgingly. "Why?"
"He didn't come last night..." said Saya, narrowing her eyes at the red head.
"He didn't?" asked Riku worriedly. Saya shook her head.
"I think something happened to him; there was a storm last night at the islands...you think that maybe he's there?"
"We'll go check, okay Saya?"
Saya nodded.
"Please find him, Riku...I'm so worried..." she helped the two get into their boats and waved them good-bye, telling them to find her son.
Why did Sora do that? Sora's been acting strange ever since we told him about our relationship, thought Riku. Was he still upset about the news...? Did something really happen to him?
Such thoughts whirled in Riku's mind as he and Kairi rowed to Destiny Islands. When their boats were tied to the docks, they quickly began searching for their friend.
"Sora!" cried Kairi.
"Sora!" Riku ran around the island to see if he could see a boy with spiky brown hair and blue eyes.
The commotion got to someone's ear. The boy twitched slightly, whimpering in his sleep.
It was dark...so cold...you don't know what's going on...all you see is darkness...Endless darkness...
"Cry..."
You whimper as he came closer to you, encircling blackness around you.
"Let go..."
Darkness begins to seep into your heart...you cry out for someone's name but it seems you don't even understand what you're saying.
"Let it control you..."
You cry out again, knowing, feeling the evil wrap around your throat, suffocating the light...
"I can take all the pain..."
Please take the pain away...I don't want it anymore...
"Let the pain go away..."
Let it go...I want it to all end...
"Surrender your heart..."
Take my heart...just take the pain away...far away...
"Let the Dark suffocate the Light..."
Do it... Kill the Light...
"Die..."
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
The scream was so sudden, it even made Riku jump. It had come from the shack. Riku ran quickly to it, praying that everything was all right. He barged open the door, panting.
"Sora?"
Sora looked up.
His eyes were watery.
He was curled up in a dark corner, blanket hanging off his shoulders. He whimpered slightly at the sight of the older boy.
Riku raised an eyebrow at how Sora was acting.
He was scared...of what, though?
"Sora?"
"Don't touch me!" cried Sora, covering his face with his hands, closing his eyes as he let the tears spill. Riku looked, wide eyed as he slowly approached the cowering boy.
"Sora...can you hear me?" whispered Riku.
"GO AWAY! DON'T TAKE ME!"
"Sora, can you hear me?" repeated Riku, kneeling before Sora.
Sora let out a sobbing cough but did not remove his hands. He brought his knees closer to his body, as if protecting himself from Riku.
"I don't... Don't make me..."
Riku stared.
"...don't make me...I don't want... Please make it stop..." moaned Sora.
"Sora...what's wrong?" said Riku. "I'm here, Sora...you're not going to be forced into doing anything..." he placed a pale hand on Sora's shoulder. The hands bolted away from his face and blue eyes went wide in fear.
Sora screamed.
"I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK! LEAVE ME IN THE DARK!" he thrashed wildly but when he felt Riku's shirt in his fist, Sora buried his head in the fabric, sobbing loudly.
"...please...don't take me back... Make it go away..."
Riku wrapped his arms around Sora in a brotherly manner, a hand rubbing his back slowly.
"Shhh..." said Riku. "It'll go away..."
Sora's head shot up, mortified. He looked like nothing had happened. A blush appeared in his face. He quickly averted his eyes from Riku, letting his grasp on Riku falter.
"S-sorry..." stammered Sora, turning his back to his friend so he could find his almost dry clothes. Riku stared at his back, contemplating how to ask Sora what was going on.
Maybe it wasn't wise to... But why was he screaming?
"LEAVE ME IN THE DARK!"
He was frightened...
Scared.
Fully dressed, Sora gave Riku a small smile and was about to pass him when he felt the familiar grip on his arm. Sora stopped dead in his tracks. He didn't want to turn around; he knew that emerald eyes were piercing through him again.
"What that all about, Sora?" said Riku.
"What?"
"You know...you were screaming..." said Riku more quietly. Sora let out a nervous laugh.
"Bad dream, probably," said Sora predictably.
"Uh-huh..." he didn't sound very convinced but he didn't say another word. Kairi had appeared at the door. Sora jerked his arm away from Riku's grasp and ran past the girl, giving her an evil glare that only Riku saw. Riku blinked.
"What's wrong with Sora...?" asked Kairi, walking up to Riku and sitting on his lap. He pulled her into an embrace.
"I think he's angry...about us..."
"Hmph! It doesn't matter about Sora's opinion. It's not like we need his permission to like each other!" scoffed Kairi, resting her head on her boyfriend's shoulder. She didn't see the sad look Riku gave to the opened door.
"Riku..."
Riku looked at Kairi and put up a smile. She smiled and kissed his lips. He kissed her back.
Kairi was right; they didn't need Sora's permission to be together. Why couldn't Sora understand that?
Because he didn't want them to be together...for Riku's sake...
o-o-o
Sora watched as the two engaged in a hot make out scene. He wanted to leave, but his feet seem to be planted on the spot.
Why?
Why?
WHY?
Why was Riku kissing her like that, touching her the way Sora had always dreamed of Riku touching him...?
Did they not have hearts to realize this was breaking Sora apart, piece by piece?
Or did they even care?
"Don't interfere..."
Was that what she meant? To not interfere the relationship Kairi and Riku had...?
You have better listen to her warning.
Sora agreed, leaving immediately, blindly to the place where Riku and Kairi had told him about them...their filthy relationship. Sora placed his back against the palm tree, panting with exhaustion and frustration. He slipped down, sitting on the hot sand.
Why did he feel so cold? So broken?
"Sora...?"
He twitched slightly by the voice. So he comes, to apologize or come to Sora's face to tell him how foolish he's been acting? The boy felt a hand on his shoulder.
Someone sat next to Sora, staring intently at him. Sora didn't look at the person.
"What?" he asked coldly.
"Why are you acting so cruel to me and Kairi?" asked Riku, stung by how his best friend was acting. Sora glared ahead.
"Do you really want to know?"
"If it helps us know what's wrong, yes." but right after he said it, before he had any time to react, he felt warm lips crash on his own. Emerald eyes shot up, seeing the closed eyes of the other boy. Hands pushed Sora roughly. Sora was taken aback.
Riku wiped his lips with the back of his hand, a disgusted look on his face.
"What the hell—?"
"I-I'm sorry... You wanted to know what's been bugging me, and—"
"So you kiss me? WE'RE BOTH GUYS!" Riku hadn't realized the affect of raising voice at Sora had had on him. Sora drooped down his head.
"I knew it..." whispered Sora, more to himself than to Riku.
"Knew what...?" asked Riku, clenching and unclenching his fists.
Sora's heart-shaped head looked up, tears already marked in his face.
"Knew that you wouldn't accept me... Knew that you would abandon me if I ever told you..."
"But, Sora! Don't you get; you can't like guys—"
"What's so wrong about it?" said Sora firmly, standing up on his feet. Riku followed pursuit.
"Am I abnormal because I have feelings for you—a guy? Or is it the fact that you like Kairi... I thought you'd understand me...I thought you wouldn't care...I guess I'm..."
Wrong...
"Sora, I—!"
"FINE! BE THAT WAY! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE! GO FUCK KAIRI; HAVE YOUR FUN WITH HER! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE!"
"Sora, stop acting like a child!" snapped Riku. With no warning, Sora slapped Riku. His anger, his frustration, his lost love—all in that one attack. Riku staggered a little, a red mark bruised on his cheek. Sora shook.
Pathetic...
"You're—so—fucking—" hissed Riku.
Useless...
"Disgusting!" with that, Riku turned around, leaving a very confused boy in the mist of his own inner darkness.
It's too late...
"Leave me alone..." said Sora, stomping to the docks. Selphie was there, a very disappointed look on her face.
"You know..."
"Shut it, Selphie," muttered Sora. "Can I borrow your boat...? I need to go see if my mom's okay," he said more softly. Selphie couldn't say no; she had witnessed the ordeal Sora and Riku just had. Even with his rude comment, Sora was still hurting...
"All right...but what happened to your—"
"I'll explain later!"
Sora quickly hopped on the boat. There was no other sound than the silken rustling of the ocean and the 'caws' of the seagulls above. Soon he could not see but a little dot of what was of Destiny Islands.
"Disgusting!"
That was what Sora was to Riku: disgusting. How could all people...all of the people on the island, Riku had to be the one...the one to insult him because he liked him...
Liar. You love him...
"Stop it..."
Stop what? I'm only telling you the truth...
"Shut up!"
I don't need to. Besides, I can't. I'm your guilty conscience.
"Then keep your stupid comments to yourself..." growled Sora as he neared the docks of the main island, his home.
His conscience kept quiet as Sora climbed out of the boat, walking home. A few moments passed then a small beach house came to view.
"Home," said Sora as he ran up to the porch, banging the door open. A woman with long brunette hair suddenly jumped up from the chair she was waiting patiently on for the door to open. Saya's head poked out of the doorway to the entrance. When she saw what she was hoping for, a great smile on her pink lips.
"Sora, where have you—"
She stopped in mid-sentence. Sora's eyes were not the happy blue she was so use but very red and blotchy. It seemed like he had been crying.
But what for?
"Sora..." said Saya in a motherly way. Sora stared at her face for awhile, as if she wasn't real then ran to her, burying his head on her chest.
Why did his heart ache? Why did he show the tears to his mother...?
Because she knows how you feel...remember you told her...
"Let me guess..." whispered Saya, placing her fingers in Sora's spikes and smoothing it out. "You confessed your feelings to Riku... He rejected you...didn't he...?"
She only felt a nod on her chest as an answer. A sigh escaped her lips.
"It's okay, Sora...at least you're safe...I was so worried..."
"I'm sorry..." mumbled Sora. "I didn't mean to...my boat..."
"No need to explain it, Sora. As long as you're here..." said Saya, pulling Sora to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes. She gave him a sad smile.
"You hungry?"
A growl of the boy's stomach was the only answer Saya needed. She chuckled to herself, lifting a little of the hurt that hung over Sora like a rainy cloud. She entered the kitchen, reaching in the cupboards to find some plates and her handy pan and spatula. She placed the items on the counter as she searched for some eggs and bacon.
Sizzle...
The aroma of breakfast lingered in the air; Sora took a waft of it, smiling.
His heart lifted a little from its pit. Saya placed the finished breakfast before the brunette, bringing two cups of tea with it. Saya took a sit across from her son, taking a sip on her tea.
"Er—Mom..." he wanted to ask her...what if she didn't allow him to?
"Oh, Sora; you could go back after you're done," she said as if she had read his mind. Sora's face turned pale.
"You sure?" half of him didn't want him to go back to that god-forsaken island to face Kairi and that pitiful Riku, but another part of him wanted to go there, for reasons unknown to him...
"Go ahead," she idly waved a hand in dismissal. "Just don't come home late again,"
Sora smiled at her, wiping his mouth with a napkin. He kissed her on her cheek when he had finished the meal.
"Thanks, Mom!"
"You're welcome! Tell Kairi that she's a bitch for me!" joked Saya as Sora reached the front door.
o-o-o
"That was very cruel..."
Riku glared at Selphie as he took a sit next to her.
"What the hell are you talking about?" snapped Riku.
"You know; what you said to Sora back there,"
Riku froze. So someone had seen them arguing... Kairi hadn't noticed nor the others. Riku held his head long, his elbow resting on one up knee. Selphie frowned.
"You shouldn't have been so mean to him...I can't believe you rejected him..." said Selphie crossly. Riku narrowed his eyes slightly in irritation.
"You think I'd go out with a guy?"
"Does it matter?"
Did it matter?
"Of course it matters," said Riku, facing Selphie.
"That's society talking for you," Selphie said, evidently unable to stop herself.
"..." Riku was lost in words. Was that the only reason Riku rejected Sora; because of what society and others thought?
Was that the reason he couldn't take Sora's feelings in consideration?
Was it...
A gnawing feeling began to build up in Riku's insides. It hurt yet it felt so good... What was it?
Love...
It couldn't be that. I already have Kairi...
You're only in denial of your true feelings.
How would you know?
I'm your conscience of course.
Well, get out of my head!
Can't...
And why not?
Because you're in denial.
Denial of what?
Of your true feelings for Sora.
I only like him as a friend.
Right. That's what they all say.
Shut up.
Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.
GO AWAY!
Denial... Admit you're in denial...
Shut up...
Admit it, you asshole.
Burn in hell.
You'll have to go with me since I'm the voicein the back of your head.
"Hi Selphie..." the new voice was cautious, afraid to say anything. Riku looked up, regretting it immediately.
Sora stood there, refreshed. He wore a new shirt that said 'I not WITH stupid; I AM stupid...so leave me alone!' and wore black pants with two belts that crossed each other of Sora's abdomen to make an X. His hands were covered with black leather, fingerless gloves and his feet were boot clad. It looked like he had never witnessed hot weather in his life. Riku raised an eyebrow at this.
"Hi, Sora," beamed Selphie. She gave Riku a quick indignant look then looked back at the younger boy. "Whatcha back for?"
"Oh, nothing really..." answered Sora sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "I'm just going to the Secret Cave. If someone asks, tell them to not to disturb me."
"Sure thing,"
And he left the two alone, a sad look plastered on his face. Riku hadn't even acknowledged Sora—it must have been bad.
He probably hates you... his conscience said as Sora had entered the same cave where he was warned to not interfere.
"You're conscience is right."
It was the same voice. Sora stared as the person strangely conjured up out of nowhere. She had long waist-length dark brown hair tied up in a loose ponytail. Black ribbons encircled her arms all the way to her thumbs in which the ribbons were tied; she wore a black dress that was tied to one side of her breast revealing some pale skin. The black dress stopped a little passed the knees and they looked like someone had carelessly cut them. Her legs were also laced in ribbons, obscuring the fishnet stockings she wore.
Her eyes were icy blue... It reminded Sora a little of how icy Riku's eyes could be...
"I warned you to not to interfere..." she whispered harshly. A sharp went through Sora's arm. He screamed but it was a silent for nothing echoed the stone walls.
"I told you not to interfere...but you did... Why Sora?" she asked, coming closer to the petrified boy. "Why did you want to feel the pain of losing something so precious?"
Sora felt something invisible encircle his neck, the pain in his arm—more on his Heartless marked hand—becoming worse. He couldn't breathe...
"Let me take the pain away..."
"Please..." gasped Sora. "...make it stop..."
"Then release your heart..." she whispered, her hand outstretched. She curled her fingers slightly; the invisible rope around Sora's throat tightened. Sora screamed.
"STOP!"
"Let it all go..."
Let the Darkness seep into your broken heart... Take revenge of your hurt...
"...will the pain go away if I do...?" panted Sora through struggled breaths. A smile curled on the girl's lips.
"Yes, Sora...it will go away...just trust in the Darkness...it'll be your friend..."
"Because you're all alone..."
"Alone..."
The feeling of hatred began to rise again; Sora felt nothing but pain from Riku... He had rejected him and was now going to be happy Kairi...
Leaving Sora all alone...
Blackness surrounded him, embracing his pain, his sadness, his anger...
The girl's smile widened as black wings sprouted out of the boy's back. The wings of hatred, of loneliness, of sorrow...
The symbol on Sora's hand began to glow an eerie color, the black pool of darkness spreading a little on Sora's hand as if there was ink running down. Blue eyes opened slowly, holding an ancient evil in them. The inner pain receded as the wings spread out, letting black feathers scatter on the stone ground.
A familiar grin crept on the corners of Sora's lip, feature that did not seem normal for the boy. A chuckle escaped his pink lips, his eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Welcome back, master," said the girl, bowing her head slightly in respect. The boy snorted slightly.
"I'm not really back...you know that Star..." he said softly, his voice fused with Sora's and another's. The girl flinched.
"And why is that?" asked Star, looking up to her master with piercing light blue eyes. The wings fluttered once more than vanished, the feathers being the only signs that they were once there.
"...merely a shadow...I have to share a useless body of a youth who so thinks that he's all alone in the world..." he said this more to himself than to Star.
"But now..." he said more loudly. "This body is about to my new host; he has a very strong heart, this Sora,"
Star got up to her feet, her eyes never leaving her master. It was strange how he was talking with such power yet it was coming from a mere 16 year old boy! Her master narrowed his eyes.
"I'm going to release this boy from my presence for now... Soon...very soon...the darkness will control this world again...for Sora is the key to the great evil..."
"But," said Star hesitantly. "Was he not the Keyblade Master before? Shouldn't the power of Light still be in his veins?"
"Yes," answered Sora, or the answer came from Sora's lips in another's voice and his. "The power of Light is still in him, which makes the situation more complicated than it is..."
"And why is that?" she asked.
"Because sadly his heart is still pure... He needs to feel anger, hate towards the new Light Keyblade Master."
"Riku..."
"Precisely."
"But..."
"You will watch over Sora...you will be his guardian," commanded her master. "He will have the power of the Heartless in his hands, but he will not be able to control it sometimes; especially if he feels strong emotions."
"Like love?"
"Hate," contradicted Sora. "Hate is a very strong emotion that would corrupt the boy. He needs to be angry with Riku."
"He already is..."
"Not enough...yes...not enough..." Sora paced back and forth, his hands folded behind his back. After a moment or two, Sora stopped and turned his feet around. He glared at Star.
"I will be leaving now..." and without a thank you of releasing him, Star's master left, leaving her shaken with words.
How could he? Make her a baby-sitter by being a boy's guardian? That was too low...lower than any of his other servants of Darkness...
Star looked at the boy who was crouched down by her; he was humming to himself. Sora looked up, his eyes filled with new determination.
"I'm the bearer of Darkness?" he asked, coming closer to Star, wrapping his arms around her waist. She towered over him, raising an eyebrow irritably.
No one—as long as Star had remembered—had anyone come this close to her, with little proximity. Star had never wanted anyone to touch her; she believed she didn't need anyone.
After all, no one wanted her...
She reluctantly patted Sora's quivering shoulder with a hand, slowly.
"It's all right... The Light won't destroy you... I promise..."
Promises are dangerous... Sometimes they're never fulfilled leaving you feel enormous guilt in the pit of your stomach. Promises were so rare...even if the Darkness surrounded you.
Sora pulled away from the older girl, casting his eyes at his feet.
How could he have let the Darkness take over...? Wasn't he the Keyblade Master...?
—"...merely a shadow..."—
Who was this person? It wasn't Ansem; Sora had defeated him a year ago...but the voice sounded so familiar...but why?
—"all alone in the world..."—
Sora was now alone; Riku had left him to suffer in his pain. Kairi had Riku...Riku had probably had told her that he was...gay...that he wasn't normal...that he fantasized boys...
—"Riku..."—
Riku was the new Keyblade Master, the one destined to destroy the Darkness or release the terrible power of the Heartless. Sora closed his eyes.
Sora felt very cold...very cold...it seemed he had plunged into a very icy bucket of water. When he had opened his eyes, seeing the utter Darkness surrounding him. Star was no where in sight.
"I'm here,"
Sora felt a hand on his shoulders. He quickly turned around to see Star, her face expressionless.
"Star, where—"
"You know this place... You've been here..."
But as his eyes found a pair of yellow eyes staring back at him, he suddenly understood.
"I'm in the Darkness?"
"Very good," said Star in a monotone voice. "There's your Heartless guardian staring back at you..." she pointed at the pair of eyes that were staring at them curiously. Sora squinted his eyes enough to see an outline of a Shadow, a Heartless with black antennas and amber eyes, crawling. Sora without any hesitation, knelt down before the Shadow, a smile on his face.
"Will he hurt me?" asked Sora as he placed a hand out.
"See for yourself."
Sure enough, the Shadow walked closer to Sora's outstretched hand. It looked up at Sora's blue eyes than back at the hand.
"Kuu?" it said, staring intently at the boy's hand. Instead of grasping the held out hand, the Shadow took hold of Sora's hand—the one with the Heartless symbol—and examined it.
"Kuu?" it said after a long pause.
"'Kuu?' What's that?" said Sora, raising his eyebrows at the creature.
Sora had felt another surge of cold as the Shadow wrapped its dark arms around him, nuzzling its head on Sora's shirt. Sora smiled nervously.
"Give it a name. Heartless guardians do need names for you to call them," interrupted Star, who was impatiently tapping her foot in what could have been the ground. Sora nodded.
"I guess I'll call you...ummm...Shi?"
The Heartless nodded its head vigorously, understanding immediately. Sora felt his heart lift up again.
He wasn't entirely alone anymore...he had at least Shi, his new friend with him.
Riku and Kairi slipped out of his mind...he had to forget them...
SC: My god that was like 22 pages on Word!
Cheekon: YOU STOPPING THERE!
Alter Ego: She has to...it's late...
SC: Uuugghhh...my head... :dies:
Cheekon: Pathetic...
Alter Ego: LET'S LEAVE OUR FAREWELLS!
SC, Cheekon, Alter Ego: REVIEW WITH LOVE!
Alter Ego: Leave a cookie...I dare you to...
SC: Don't expect the next chapter to be as long as this.
Cheekon: It'll probably be longer...
Alter Ego: COOKIES!
SC and Cheekon: O.O