A/N: abulia - abnormal lack of ability to act or to make decisions. Takes place after Kingdom Hearts II. Spawned of boredom and annoyance that no one has reviewed chapter 2 of Aphelion (eye twitch). Enjoy.
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abulia
01: nocturne of the moon
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Sometimes the moonlight tricked him. Riku wandered the islands by day, floating aimlessly under the benevolent sun, caressed by butterfly breezes, sifting the fine sand between his fingers and drinking the salty air. Sometimes he would walk into the ocean, sloshing through the warm, cerulean sea and stand there, staring out over the endless plain of water until he could see nothing and hear nothing and only feel.
Kairi would keep him company during such times. She knew well enough to keep her distance, watching the pearly-haired boy from afar. She would wait until he turned to her, emerald eyes dead as rocks underneath silken ivory locks which he refused to tame. Then she would take him gently by the arm and lead him around town, reintroducing him to old friends and old haunts and edging him, inch by inch, away from the shadows in which he had dwelled for so long. Sometimes Riku would bit his lip until the red drops beaded on the delicate pink skin and trickled down his chin. After being trapped in the dark for so long, the beauty of the island burned him, the sound of joyous laughter scorched him, even the light itself caged him in agony. It was all he could do to keep his face straight and not cry.
You take on too much by yourself, Kairi would say. You don't always have to put the world on your shoulders, Riku.
The young man would merely stare ahead and whisper. I've made my bed and now I have to lie in it. She could never convince him of otherwise.
While the day belonged to Kairi, the night belonged to Sora. While the sun was in the sky, Sora was never with them. He had a year's worth of time to explain to his mother, who had cried endlessly when Sora appeared on the doorstep, five inches taller, clothed in all black, and with tears in his luminous blue eyes.
But when the sky wore its ebony cloak and the stars flickered to life, the night belonged to Sora.
Sometimes the moonlight tricked him. Riku would pace the beach, reveling in the gentle shadows that embraced him. In the dark it was so much easier to shut out the world. To not see, to not be, just to exist.
And then he would see Sora. Sora, who perched on the white sands, the foamy tongue of the ocean lapping at his bare feet, wearing only long shorts, deep in thought. Riku would approach, seeking companionship, Sora's gentle touch, Sora's smile. Sora could understand.
And sometimes the moonlight would trick him. Because when he stood over Sora and tapped the boy's firm shoulder and Sora turned, the eyes of the Keyblade master would be shining their luminescent blue, but the boy's hair would be gold. And his lips would be pulled into something of a pout. And his honey gold skin would be stolen by the moonlight, replaced by the pale skin that had not known the kiss of the island sun.
Roxas, the other.
Where is Sora? Riku would ask, impatient and disconcerted by the Nobody.
He's sleeping, Roxas would say, so I'm awake. He would pat the sand beside him in invitation, luminescent blue eyes glowing in the fragile light.
Riku would lower himself cautiously next the imposter. He could not bring himself to trust this boy, who looked and felt and smelled and probably tasted like Sora, but was not Sora at all.
But where Sora was naïve and awkward when it came to his body, Roxas was curious and eager and did not have the reservations of his other. Roxas would run his fingers through Riku's hair, savoring the feel of each satin strand. Roxas would stroke his marble skin until he nearly felt alive. Roxas would kiss the graceful curve of Riku's neck, with warm lips that made Riku wonder if Sora's were just as hot and supple.
Roxas would, Roxas could, Roxas did. Roxas would do everything Sora would not, because his heart was not torn between two others. He really didn't have a heart, anyways.
Sometimes Roxas would fall asleep in Riku's lap, curled up, and Riku would get to watch Sora emerge. The sun crept onto the horizon, a flaming beast leaking oranges and reds and grapefruit pink onto the surrounding clouds. Riku would gnaw on his lower lip again, the damned light burned and made him moan in caged agony. But by that time, the sunlight would paint the boy's hair toffee brown, replace his milk pale skin with honey gold, and his lips would be pulled into a sleepy, but cheerful smile. And Sora would look up at him with those luminescent blue eyes and touch Riku's cheek in his naïve way.
You alright? Sora would say. And then he'd realize where exactly he was lying.
Sora would jump off of his friend's lap, embarrassed and confused, rubbing his fingers on the back of his head sheepishly. Riku would give the ghost of a smile as Sora dashed off, yelling back some vague excuse about making his mother some breakfast.
Sometimes the moonlight tricked him. And Riku loved it. Because only in the moonlight did Sora belong to him.
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TBC?
Um… Monday mornings do this to you. Review please!
