Title: Lethargy
Author: Ooru
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, just playing with the world.
Summary: Sora thinks they slipped, and no one seems to notice.
Prompt: challenge, cave, snake, test, treasure (1000 words)
Lethargy
He panted, breaths coming in short spurts, his heart beating loudly. So loud he couldn't understand how the others couldn't hear it, a constant ever increasing thump, thump, thump. On the far distance he heard a muffled squeal, girlish in sound and closed his eyes. Kairi had been caught.
He wasn't sure how this had started; or rather he wasn't sure how they'd all agreed to go with it. They had been wasting away near the shore, their island already too small for them, but they yearned for the memories and had decided on a trip back to reminisce. The noontime sun was perched up high on the sky, hot, hot with the waves of heat and the lull of the shore and the wetness of the water on top of the crisp, piercing sand beneath their feet. Their skins were already glistening with sweat and the conversation had let-up into a few scattered mutters.
And then, suddenly, Tidus spoke. Broke the silence with the easiness and nonchalance he was known for, saying, 'Why don't we do something silly?'
'Silly?' Wakka had laughed, 'Everything we do is silly.'
Selphie had chuckled and Kairi in turn smiled. She leaned back, head on the sand, and whispered, 'Like what?'
What, like the nothingness that had seeped into their routine, something like the silence of things they hadn't done, that they'd simply forgotten. Something to do, Sora had thought. Something silly, but what? He turned his gaze and looked at Riku. The other boy had been staring at the sea, quiet, ever so quiet, like he hadn't been before…before. Something silly?
'Hide and seek?' Someone suggested and they turned to look at him.
No, not someone. Riku. Silent, still Riku who hadn't said a thing since that morning.
'Oh!' Selphie had exclaimed. 'It's been ages since we played that. Why don't we? For old time's sake.'
For his sake, for her sake, for theirs, for ours, and one thing led to another and next thing he knew they were playing. Tidus had drawn the short straw and in turn had to look for them, and they'd scattered around the island, remembering old hideouts, secret passages and forbidden caves.
Sora hadn't hesitated before heading to the small crevice under the watchtower. It was an easy spot, and this had come to mind just a few seconds after entering, so he wouldn't have it. Wouldn't have being the first person caught, not at this silly game.
So he had looked around, and sensed the clear opening and walked out - out towards the even more familiar cave, nest of memories and dreams. He hid and ran and made it in just before he heard the first cry –Selphie- and sighed in relief. He panted, out of breath and heart going thump, thump, thump. So loud, so loud he couldn't understand how they couldn't hear him. Another noise, another squeal, Kairi, and he closed his eyes.
There was a noise to his left, right, behind him, and he started. Memories, fast and hard and endless burst into his head this world has been connected, over and over, but when he turned around it was but a snake and the wind, and farther out a curse and laughter and noise – Wakka had been found.
In the end it was always him and Riku, the last ones, the first ones, left out. Sora kneeled closer to the small corner he had wedged himself into and wrapped his arms around his knees. His heart had slowed down now, his breath had regulated and he waited patiently for his hyperactive friend to find him.
Hyperactive – once upon a time it had been a word used to describe him. But he had changed, slowly but surely he had changed. They both had. Like a painting left out in the rain their colours had bled into the sand, and the waves had washed away their essence, leaving only shadows of their former selves. Marionettes, broken and useless unless someone controlled them, so used they were to serving some greater purpose. If this had been a test, then they had failed. They hadn't adapted, not long enough for it to count. How easily they had slipped back from their fake cheerful personas into ghosts forever wandering, wandering, and never living.
And what use was it to them? Now that things were over, now that things had simmered and the worlds had settled into a quasi-normal state of being; what then? How did one go back to before?
You couldn't. That was why Riku didn't speak much, that was why he rarely smiled and planned something, and would rather stare and stare and watch the world spin away. That was why Sora would rather stay at the docks gazing at the sea, watching waves overlap waves overlap waves instead of working and hanging out like every other normal person on the island. You couldn't expect normality from them – not after everything they'd been, everything that had been asked of them to do. Where was the challenge? Where was the need?
'I found him! Finally!' Tidus laughed. 'Come out Sora, you're the last one. Jeez, even Riku was easier to find than you were.'
Tidus' face came into view and Sora was pulled from his cramped up corner without warning. Cold, warm, familiar hands grabbing his arm and he let himself be pulled up and out.
'Hey, let's go outside, they're all waiting.' And they were – waiting that is.
Once they made it outside he could see them all sitting around the small banked water near the entrance of the secret cave. They were speaking in soft tones and had looked up to see Sora; they had smiled and returned to their conversations, all but Riku and Kairi. Kairi didn't fully understand, but Riku did, and together maybe they could fix things – fix themselves. He sat between his two best friends and joined in on the conversation. They would learn how to get past this, and treasure more than just their past adventures.