Side Story number 2! Lots of banchata...
The sky belongs to them...Maybe?
The Will of Kingdom Hearts: A Star
The sound of laughter ringed through the air. The streets were crowded with the heat of enthusiastic party animals, children screaming as they played tag, adults laughing at jokes riddled with innuendo. The sky mamboed its way across time, taking the awe and gaze of the thousands of people to watch it progress. It was a beautiful sight of shimmering beads and layer upon layer of orange, red, pink, blue and deeper and darker shades that swirled upward to the glowing face of the dancer, silver make-up and lucious black hair.
It was a perfect opportunity to show off midriffs and cleavage, tight clothes and intricate designs meant for special occasions. Games, alcohol, insane amounts of food from every culture imaginable at your very disposal. Grab a plate and eat Japanese and Mexican all you'd like. A good blend of rice, eh?
Streets were blocked off for the annual fesitivites without hesitation, no one looking to ruin a good time for the sake of congestion prevention. You went around and that was that. Besides, if you had been driving during the carnival, you were an idiot anyway. That was the belief. Be there or go to Hell.
"Riku!" I loved hearing my name with that voice. "Hey!" Sora ran up behind me and, like everyone else, he was dressed to party. Everything about his outfit was tight from his crimson jeans to his black shirt, a white vest and pair of coal-shaded gloves decorating the rest of him. He still wore his chain among the array of colorful beads that were being thrown out among the masses. I wasn't much different: Just all my colors were the opposite and I had no shirt on. "We're playing Truth or Dare with Kairi, Tidus, and all them! C'mon!"
"Isn't that game a bit... childish?" I asked, somehow fearing for my life at the very idea. The things they would get me to say, I bet... or worse: do.
"Well... no! But yes," Sora looked disappointed. "I guess you won't then?" I shook my head and apologized. He sighed a little but gave a warm smile in due time. "I should've known better. You're right. It's just a dumb game." We started to walk together.
"It's not really dumb," I tried to lighten up for him. "It's just... I feel too old to play it." I was 15 and feeling my nerves shot. How sad. Sora laughed at my misery without knowing it. It devolved into a yawn before he just slouched his shoulders. We had been out all night flailing around the games, food, and music to dance to. Mostly the games since Sora seemed happiest there.
"Riku," I smiled and looked at him. "Let's play our own truth or dare, then." Our own truth or dare? I knew I would've been asking for it but he knew my curiousity, despite less dangerous than his own, was as clumsy as a drunk dog. I nudged the bait.
"How is that any different from playing with the rest of the group?"
"It's just us," He replied quickly. "Just you and me; no one to be embarrassed for." Sora had a point. I could freely speak my mind in front of him without fear of rejection. He always kept my feelings at heart. "So... what do you say?"
Albeit my extreme trust in our bond, I still had a small sketch of doubt lingering in the corner of my soul. While I didn't want to play, I didn't want to offend Sora either. With some hesitance and a small hum of thought, I accepted.
"Alright. But nothing weird!" I threatened, jerking a finger at him. He only laughed at me, never taking anything I said seriously to begin with. I hated lying and keeping things from Sora so I knew he was going to do something awful to my self image. I imagined humiliation and degredation...
"Alright. I'll go first. Truth or Dare?"
"Truth!" ...Which is why I was surprised by his first question.
"What do you think of when you look at the stars?" Astounding. Absolutely astounding. He could ask me anything in the world but he would ask me something I'd answer under normal circumstances? Sora never ceased to amaze.
"Well," I looked up for good measure. When I saw the glitter glued to the sky, my mouth hung open and nothing exited. I stopped walking and found myself gazing upward in deep thought. I was rather suddenly in a position where I was unable to answer his question. What did I think of when I looked at the stars?
I thought, How beautiful the night sky is. It gives me a sense of tranquility, a feeling that I'm under the same sky with someone else that thinks of me somewhere. I blushed and shook my head. I was under the same sky with Sora, after all. Such a glorious cave of diamonds, an endless tunnel of frozen ice crystals, alit by a light that never fades away. Glamorous. Is that what it was to truly be famous? Everyone knows who you are and what you look like, and all they have to do is look up at you and admire. A strange wonder but used by so many eyes, which brought me to Sora.
We looked at each other in silence, Sora with a stare unbreakable. I had an answer to his question but nothing comprehendable. If I had tried to say it all at once, he would've got a bunch of scrambled words and a flip of my tongue for a reply. I couldn't keep him hanging, however, so I gave it a shot... slowly.
"I was thinking... how you're like the sky but not really," Sora's brows rose; I averted my face. "Everyone can see the sky. It's a wonder well known and no sweet secret to anyone. Everyone in the world knows it's beautiful and vast, mysterious and collective. You can lose yourself in it easier than a painting.Everyone knows that." He looked terribly lost for a moment but each word sunk in as I paused and he began to look aware. "But not you. You're a hidden wonder, Sora. Only a select few know what wonderful things they see..." He was staring rather blankly. I began to get flustered and tried to finish it up. "Whentheylookatyou." I shook my head. "So, you're not really like the sky but - !"
Sora laughed. Somehow I was relieved but then completely offended. I pocketed my hands and kept my mouth shut. "Do you want to go?"
"No!" I snapped. "I don't even care now. Go again." Sora gave a little sigh but was not yet defeated by my poor attitude. He asked me the same imparing question and I grunted a "Dare" to avoid the last bit of humiliation I had again.
Sora's eyes glistened and he smiled. "I dare you..." His arm rose away from his body and the bones of his fingers batted into mine. "To hold my hand." I nearly twisted my own head off by looking toward him as fast as I had. He tapped at my hand more with his own and moved closer and, shyly, I accepted the dare. It was part of the game, after all. We walked hand in hand from that point on, even when we got a block away from his cozy house with a beautiful beach view. I could see his second floor room window from where we were.
"You've been quiet," Sora noted. "Did I upset you?"
"No," I answered immediately. "Annoyed me a little but I'm not anymore."
The wind soared through the small street, passed us, and went to better places. This was an awkward situation and I would've been happy to avoid it had it not been my own. When Sora yawned, it broke my concentration and I continued walking him to his house. Our hands finally departed.
"Tomorrow's the last night of the party. You should get some sleep, Sora, so you can win at the competitions tomorrow." I grinned at him. "Don't want me to beat you, right?"
"Right!" He puffed his cheeks up, fists up as if ready to fight. He was so immature it was cute. He looked up toward his room and gawked at the tree that sat outside of it like a fazed hawk. I could've just turned and walked away, but his distraction was my distraction and, inevitably, I had to question it. Before I could even get his name out of my mouth, he spoke. "That tree..." He looked toward me with an informative stare. "Is durable. You can climb in it and it won't break under your weight or nothing." He smiled his normal Sora smile and began to jog toward the front door.
If he was trying to confuse me, mission accomplished. Even by the time he got to the door, wiggled inside, and slammed it shut, I had no idea what he brought it up for. Was I supposed to thank him for that knowledge? Nice to know it grew from good soil. Thanks, Sora! However as I looked toward his room and saw the light turn on and his window slide open, all the pieces fell together. A huge, thick arm of bark was perfectly aligned with his window sill. With my jaw officially greeting the devil below, I scampered toward the aforementioned tree and began to scale it.
It didn't take me more than a couple minutes to climb it securely and get onto the branch. Just as I got there, the light turned off and the brunette popped his head out his window.
"Oh good!" He whispered. "You caught on." I was half on the branch and half through his window with a smirk on my face and a light skip in my heart beats. "Thought you might've went home." He was already in his silk blue pajamas with a clean face and fresh minty breath, clothes from the day abandoned on his bedroom floor right beside the hamper. How irresponsible.
I chuckled as if I had just modestly saved the universe."Well, you were more than obvious," I casted aside my ego. "But couldn't you just wait till tomorrow to hang out with me? Making me climb a tree like some prince in a story, Sora - Really!"
"Well, you didn't have to," The younger replied. He had a point but he didn't need to actually use it against me. I went to slap him playfully but he dodged my poor effort easily. Sora started to swipe back and it became a cat fight where if I lost, I probably would've fell two stories to my death. It didn't matter, though, because he was snickering and having a damn good time. I was amused just from that. He grabbed my wrists and shushed me, even though it was just as much for himself as it was for me. We both laughed as softly as we could to get it out of our systems. He lowered my arms, still holding on to them, and sighed.
"I wasn't really too tired. I get kind of wired and awake when I get home sometimes," He explained, his thumb brushing the top of my hand. I twisted myself so I could rest my head on my arm. As I did, he quickly let go of me. "I guess I didn't want to be by myself."
"Those dreams, still?"+ I asked and he nodded. "Have they changed at all since you last mentioned them?"
"No. Same as always. I wish they would change so I wouldn't have to worry it's some kind of message or terrible omen, y'know?" It was understandable. Reoccuring dreams are often a sign of something to be or something already happening. I'd be scared to think I'm losing my heart, too. Or... could lose it.
I reached forward and snatched his hands into mine once again. "Sora," I started slowly, making sure I had his undivided attention. "Remember what I said to you? When you first told me?"
"You'd protect me..." He mumbled and clutched onto my hands. "Right?"
"Exactly. Forever." I leaned closer to him. "I promise. My word and this chain around my neck is my oath." His blue eyes were glossed over in moisture and with a reassuring nod he let go of me and struggled to keep himself back. I watched him get embarrassed, unsure, and scared all in a period of ten seconds, and it was cute, to say the least. I climbed through the window a bit more and rested my hand on his chest. "Lay down. You'll hurt yourself." He complied at first but the moment I was back out the window he sat up and leaned against the side.
Sora was staring up into the stars again, looking for some place to take comfort in. I've never seen him so confused before where he looked pained. I felt somewhat of a failure to see his face so contorted.
"What I think about when I look at the sky..." He closed his eyes. "Is the knowledge that somewhere out there, you're under it too, Riku." My heart froze at his words. He had just... read my mind? A cold breeze nearly flung me off the branch in shivers but I moved myself to sit on Sora's window sill for safety. I turned to address him.
"Sora... I - " I caught him sleeping soundly against the window frame, my shadow obstructing the glow of the moon that outlined his face. I shifted back onto the bark and let it take the whole of his features, illuminating him like an ocean on a clear evening. He was... embarrassing to say, but beautiful. And he looked so tired and peaceful, not afraid of anything anymore. That's the Sora I loved to see. Comforted, relaxed, and care-free.
Back onto his sill I went, hands returning to his body to help him lay down. Sora reminded me of someone in a coma but willingly and content to be so. I wonder still if behind those soft eye lids if he was dreaming a horrible nightmare or laying on clouds in the skies above, floating away to a safer world. I never asked. I'm sure he wouldn't have remembered. I pulled the blanket over him, tucked him in till he shifted to make himself comfortable, and I wished him the softest "good night" I could manage.
Down the tree and three houses away, I looked back to make sure it was still there. I was still afraid. I think Sora had been, too. He... wanted to hug me then. I turned and kept walking. I couldn't let anything happen between us. We were too young and I don't think Sora completely understood it himself. No one was ready for it; We weren't ready for it.
Sora. I said I'd guard you forever. Even if it means breaking your heart, I'd be the first on my knees to gather the pieces. Even if, in the end, you never wanted to see my face again.
A cloud casted across the moon.
Even if it's from the shadows, I swore I'd still protect you.
+ This dream was mentioned in the first side story. Sora loses his heart and falls into a lonely and painful darkness.
I just wanted to say sorry. XD The Truth or Dare thing is an inside joke with myself... It's so stereotypical, no? I couldn't do it... Well, I mean like in a group. The last bit doesn't count, does it? ... I guess it does. I failed. I don't like this. ;.; Lets just move onto the next chapter like this never happened...
Oh! But I did want to mention the touch about Sora not being like the sky. I guess it was another joke to poke at the meaning of his name. For those that don't know, Sora means "sky" in Japanese. I find the weirdest things to laugh at...
There's also a lot more dialogue than normal. I was so lazy! T.T I'M SO SORRY.