Chivalry
Returning to the island where they played as children was difficult for Riku. As much as he tried to hide his inner struggles, they shone through his façade , plain as day in Kairi's eyes. She could tell how he tried not to approach the Secret Place or the open terrace of the furthermost treehouse where the palm trees shaded enough for a nice nap. Walks along a sandy shore with the surf's chilled, foamy waters rolling over their feet were harder when they looked back and found only two sets of footprints instead of three. She didn't pretend not to notice when Riku squeezed her hand or when he lingered on the bent paopu tree long past sunset.
A space always left between them for the one who couldn't be there with them.
For now, she reminded herself. Just for now.
"Need another pin."
Riku's voice roused her from her thoughts just as the waves crashed against the pier's wooden posts. A spray of water misting against the soles of her feet as they swung back and forth over the damp wooden boards. Kairi tipped her head to one side, then glanced toward the calloused palm hovering in her periphery. The scrapes and bruises unable to be healed by healing magic blended into peach tanned skin, but afternoons spent tracing them with her nails reminded her of where they were. She shuffled slightly, a throbbing ache settling in her lower back from sitting in one position for so long. Her fingers dipped into the small cup of bobby pins left beside an assortment of colorful hair clips beneath the pom of her moogle backpack. Two were plucked out and set into Riku's palm. Sunlight caught on the glossy black surface until his fingers curled around them, and a light kiss was pressed to the top of her head.
"Thank you."
Kairi smiled to herself, one of her knees pulled to her chest as she leant back against him, his fingers working into her hair with the start of another braid somewhere on the right side of her head. "So you're going on another world tour after this?" She asked, resting her hand against his thigh, the checkered pattern of his board shorts plucked between her fingertips.
It took a moment longer for him to reply. Always so serious with his work, a distracted hum was his only response for a moment. "Yeah…" He murmured, and she felt him tie off the braid after snapping on a rubber band. "Part of being a Keyblade Master is making sure no one has so much as a hurt toe, I guess."
"Riku," she scolded gently.
Although, she sympathized with his discontent regarding the task. Masters were charged with the world's affairs, but in Kairi's opinion, it seemed too big of a job for one person. Or two, in Aqua and Riku's case. More than that, she knew what he wanted to do with the access he was given to traverse the worlds, but someone had to be there to help. Perhaps they were following Sora's example by trying to do more for others instead of putting themselves first.
She frowned and curled her fingers around Riku's knee, squeezing gently. "It has been awhile though, and it would be nice to see everyone again."
The likelihood of new information cropping up was minuscule, but they could take comfort in knowing their friends hadn't given up. Just as they hadn't. Riku's thigh tensed beneath her elbow, and his hands stilled in her hair. She could tell he was considering her words or at least the implication set behind them. A light ruffle graced the back of her head before he started to gather her hair up into a ponytail.
"Just so long as you don't disappear into the castle for hours," he said in a playful scolding tone. "I swear, Ienzo will talk to you forever about science if you let him."
Kairi smiled, keeping her head stilled as he continued combing his fingers through her hair. "He's just really passionate about what he does!" She clapped her hands together, fingertips pressing and palms barely touching. "Besides, it's nice to hear it."
To be included, if she were honest. So often were things done without her involvement or knowledge. Left out. Left behind. She was sick and tired of being the odd one out who wasn't expected to do anything. If everyone she loved was going to fight, then so was she. Even if it did mean going through lectures and notes Ienzo meticulously prepared, far too eager to share his knowledge with someone else.
After a few moments of idle humming and his hands working through her hair, Kairi bounced and pressed a restless hand to her thigh. "Are we done?" She tried to keep the impatience out of her voice, but she desperately wanted to see his work. Growing out their hair again had been a mutual decision for the time being.
The unspoken condition did not have to be said when they thought back to their journey before the last. Sora lamenting that he was the only one who hadn't grown between the three of them, when in her eyes, he was one of the two that had changed the most.
Her bangs were swept to one side in answer, Riku's lilting hum coming with the soft click of a hair clip. Rough palms gently cupped her cheeks, and he tipped her head back to where his lips were waiting to brush a kiss against her forehead. It was featherlight and fleeting, ending before she could really enjoy it, but a pleasant touch all the same. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as her lips pulled back into a smile, fingers curled over his own to squeeze.
"Are we done?"
"Mmm…" Sharp shadows cast by the fading afternoon sun darkened Riku's blue-green eyes, half-lidded as his gaze flicked about her face, lingering somewhere above her eyes. "Yep."
Kairi grinned and brushed his hands away, twisting to kneel between his thighs, her arms thrown around his neck in a tight hug. "Thanks Riku."
"Welcome," he murmured. His breath ghosted across her bare shoulder, sending shivers down her spine that had little to do with the water dribbling down her toes. Gentle pressure from his hand flattened against her back in a modest show of affection.
Kairi sighed. Her mouth tucked against the curve of his jaw as she held him close and listened to the waves. One day, she wished, one day Riku would be able to accept the love they held for him. As a friend and, hopefully, something else. She pulled back enough to hold him by the shoulders, ignoring the faint flutter in her chest when he looked up at her from beneath silver-white eyelashes.
"How about we go tomorrow?"
Surprise flickered across Riku's features, and Kairi understood why. Abrupt departures were something they tried to avoid when finding a new normal. But normal remained a ways off for either of them. "Fine by me," he said after a brief pause, a small smile quirked at the corners of his lips. "Little late today anyway. Your grandpa will kick my ass if you disappear without telling him."
Kairi stifled a giggle behind a closed fist drawn to her mouth while her other hand thumped against Riku's shoulder scoldingly. While she could recall the mayor's stricken face when she returned to the main land, it was his weeping in private that'd made her reluctant to leave so soon.
"He's been letting up just a little with letting me go more, but I still should tell him."
The hand against her lower back hovered somewhere near her hip with the other joining it to keep her steady. Riku shifted backward to make room for her to clamor up onto the pier, the items that had spilled out of their shared backpack stored away.
"Lucky you," she heard Riku say as he tried to free the moogle's pom from the pack's zipper. Her reflection in her gummiphone's camera showed her smiling and observing with interest at the three braids, clip and high ponytail he'd done.
Once their pack was closed and hiked up on Riku's shoulder, he held his hand out to her, and Kairi took it with a light squeeze. She hooked her fingers in the opening of her sneakers and carried them at her side as they walked down the pier. Riku strolled down the steps one by one while Kairi hopped two by two. Their uneven pace dragged him forward a bit, and only after he nudged her shoulder did she decide to slow down. Moisture along the soles of her feet made the sand cling between her toes, resulting in a soft krrch as she rubbed them together, enjoying the grit and slight sink of her heels in the sun-warmed shores.
It only made sense for her to walk in the surf, she pointed out to Riku as she tugged him over. Glistening waters washed over her feet and barely touched the soles of his sandals, although he made sure to gripe about it every time it came close. Their talks ranged from his mother's experiments with the Keyblade out of sheer, engineering delight to their respective guardians' reactions in learning there were other worlds outside of their own. While her grandfather seemed to accept it relatively well, Riku's mother was infinitely curious.
Like mother, like son.
"My mom's been worried every time I talk about a new world. Chip and Dale gave her a gummiphone to ease her worrying, and they've been talking non-stop about prototypes and who knows what else."
Kairi giggled. "Little victories, Riku."
He shot her a look of mock annoyance. "Always looking on the bright side, aren't you? Let me sulk a bit, will ya?"
As they passed beneath the bridge connecting the island to a smaller one a bit further from its shores, Kairi pretended to contemplate his plea. Shade provided by the wood was filtered by glimmers of light between the cracks and openings. It'd been awhile since Sora's dad came by to patch up the bridge. She could hardly imagine what it would look like a few years from now. Roving her eyes up to the small streaks of sunlight, she hummed, then shook her head.
"Nope!" She swung their hands back and forth, smiling despite his withering stare. "Not allowed."
Riku sighed heavily, exaggeratedly rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say, princess."
Princess.
Kairi swallowed. She hardly thought of that title much in the recent years ; at least, not as much as she initially had when she'd been pulled from their island for the first time. Her heart vied after because it was that of a princesses'. She saw all of the empty faces, the vacant eyes, Sora's pain in striving to get her back only to find a shell. She was never truly inside. She was part of him. The princess who needed saving was right by his side all along but was unable to do a thing.
"You're never gonna let that go, are you?" She asked, trying to keep the mood jovial, but the bitter thought soured her tone.
Riku's half-jesting smile fell, a single brow raised as they slowed to a stop half-way beneath the bridge. "Why would I?"
"Because I'm not really a princess," she said. Not at all. Even from the world she truly came from, there was nothing about her that was princess-like. Only a little girl who enjoyed flowers and her grandmother's stories.
"What? You mean like the ones in fairy tales?"
Something in her snapped at the mention of fairy tales. Her grandmother's face, weathered with age but sincere with greyed eyes and a chipper smile. "Yes," she huffed. Riku snorted and shook his head. Kairi frowned. Just what was he not understanding? "I'm not a princess."
She squeezed his hand, and the last of the humor drained out of him as he stared down at her, his eyes practically glowing in the weak light.
"Okay, and what is a princess to you?"
Her mouth fell open, and for a moment, she wasn't sure of what to say. Her grandmother described princesses in one way or another with all of the stories of young women scattered across time in different worlds.
"Someone that's meant to be royalty," Kairi started, ticking off the traits on her fingers. "Calming, kind, gentle, loving, and caring."
With it laid out before her, she had to attest that she wasn't any of those things. Hardly calming with the amount of trouble that stirred with her mere presence. Kind was an overstatement. She was nice when she wanted to be; otherwise, if someone really deserved it, she'd let them have it. Gentle, absolutely not. Loving... her gaze flicked to Riku and his thoughtful expression, then to the image of Sora in her mind.
Caring? If she cared, then neither of them would be like —
"Wanna know what a princess is like to me?" Riku interjected, cutting off the poisonous thoughts and dragging her back to reality. His eyes were glowing in the darkness and succeedingly rendering her silent as all she could do was muster a nod. "Someone like you."
With how resolutely he spoke the words, she couldn't think of anything to say in response. Transfixed on his face and the stern set of his jaw as he held her hand a bit tighter.
"So what if you weren't meant to be royalty. Half the people who are don't deserve it anyway," he seemed to consider something, then shrugged half-heartedly. "Sans the king and queen, that is."
Kairi tried not to laugh as Riku mumbled and fumbled with his words. It was sincere, and she felt the biting souring thoughts begin to drift backward. Not out of mind, but further from the centre of it.
"People have to want to follow you and listen to you. You think Donald and Goofy would've chased after Mickey for so long if they didn't at least like him?"
She had to give him a point on that one. King Mickey, despite all of his faults, was fairly likable, if not a little cute. Donald was a bit of a livewire while Goofy could be a bit lazy now and again. For the both of them to run around the worlds with Sora in search of their lost king, he had to be something.
Still, that changed little in what she thought. Her fingers pressed against his own, their intertwined palms warm and somewhat clammy. "Who would want to listen to me?"
Her voice rarely reached. When Sora needed encouragement, when he was at his lowest and felt abandoned by all those around him, she could barely summon a word to help him. But she could hear him calling to her all the time from where she slept. Assuring her that he would rescue her, that he missed her, that they would all be together again. Riku did the same, but his words were harsher. He assured that he would protect her, that he wouldn't let anything else harm her, that they'd go elsewhere — all three of them — just like they said.
They were all blind and unable to hear.
And all she wanted was for them to listen to what she had to say.
Riku tugged her close by the hand, her toes catching in the sand as she fell into the solid warmth of his chest. His hand pressed to her back as he held her close.
"Me. Right now.… Hear me out?"
Kairi curled her fingers in the back of his tank top and pressed her forehead to his chest, nodding slowly. Riku felt sturdy and firm, solid with enough softness that she could be sure he wasn't made out of stone. His fingers brushed against the swell of her ponytail and she hugged him tighter around his middle.
"You're kind, you're caring…" He snorted and flicked the ends of her hair, sending them sweeping against her shoulders with a light tickle that made a giggle bubble up in her throat. "And very stubborn."
Kairi huffed, patting his back lightly. "So are you."
"Hey, I wouldn't mind being a princess," Riku said in a snobbish tone. Kairi bit back laughter by burying her face against his chest, his own chuckles vibrating beneath her cheek. "Let me finish."
She nodded slowly and brought her other hand around his middle, her sneakers knocking together as she hooked her hands by her pinkies. Riku's hand settled against the top of her head and smoothed down her hair. The distant crash of waves arose, trickling from the makeshift waterfall near the little cove they called their Secret Place. Even the gentle creaking of the wood could be heard as it groaned beneath a salty breeze rolling in from the ocean. It all reminded her so much of home.
"You're kind, but you don't let people walk over you. You know your worth, and you put your time into what you're passionate about. And you do your best to help. That's why people listen to you. You're always trying, we can rely on you. Remember when we found Chocolina as kids? You calmed her down because you're you. That's your power, Kairi."
She buried her face against his chest. It was difficult to stop herself from doing it. With all thathe said, she couldn't help but try to find some alternative. When they needed her most — her voice couldn't reach them, but she was trying now. That meant something, didn't it? Sora's infectious cheer, all of his positive-thinking, it might have been rubbing off on them for awhile now. As much as she wanted to be upset with herself, she wanted to take this chance more.
Riku's hand settled against her shoulder, strong and unyielding, but gentle as he pulled back from her. His blue-green eyes softened, fingers curling beneath her chin to tilt her head up. Concern stole his smile, and his thumb swiped under her eye, smearing a tear against her skin. She sniffed and offered him a smile as her hand came up to cup the back of his own.
"So what if you're not one of the ones in the story. I never was really into the damsel in distress type anyway."
Kairi covered her mouth hurriedly, a snort that was definitely unprincess-like leaving them both sputtering in laughter. Riku leant down, and his forehead pressed to hers as they laughed and smiled. If a few tears slipped past, then neither of them mentioned it. Only wiping it away with the crooks of fingers and a reassuring glance. Her hand slipped into Riku's again, and he gave it a gentle squeeze.
"But if it bothers you, I'll stop calling you that," he promised, and she knew that he meant it.
The walk from beneath the bridge was slower, and as they approached the other side of the sands, Kairi glanced up at him.
"Riku?"
He gave a soft hum, his head turned the other way, eyes focused on the ramshackle doorway which led to the other part of the island. She wondered what he was thinking. Would it have been the race he had with Sora? Or when they were finally putting the last touches on their raft?
"… Be my prince?"
His hold on her hand tightened considerably, and , Kairi absently wonder if he was holding back his real strength all the time. His head whipped around and in the scarlet sunrays, she could see the faint touch of pink in his cheeks. "What?"
She tipped her head to one side, feigning innocence with a small smile. "Too much?"
"W- I mean…" Riku sputtered, and Kairi tried her best not to laugh. It wasn't often that she saw him at a loss for words or this shy even. He lifted a hand, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not really the prince type, Kairi."
"Of course you are," she insisted, feeling that payback was in order as well as honesty. "You're kind and patient, and you always come to the rescue when you're needed. Besides, I feel safe around you."
With each trait listed off, Riku became increasingly red. She wanted to pull him into another hug and assure him that it was true. All of the words she was speaking, the meaning behind them, they were absolutely true. Riku always thought the worst of himself, and although she knew he was changing to begin with — this wasn't what she wanted.
He didn't deserve to suffer for his mistakes forever.
"If you're really set on having a prince, save that spot for Sora."
Kairi's eyes widened as the name fell from Riku's lips. He didn't shy away from speaking about Sora in matters of finding him or the deeds he committed for the sake of the worlds. But on their own, in times when it was only them, he usually refrained from speaking his name, as if he was unworthy of saying it. His hand fell from the back of his neck, hanging loosely at his side as he gazed northward, past the broken fence partly submerged from where it hung off the shores and dipped into the ocean.
Kairi followed his line of sight, and for a second, she could imagine Sora hopping along the posts while ignoring their calls of caution . His sunny grin wetting when he accidentally slipped and fell into the water, splashing about in surprise. Riku running after him without hesitation and Kairi returning to the treehouses to grab a few of the sheets to help them dry off after. She squeezed his fingers again as the memory faded along with Sora's laughter.
"Then what are you?" She asked, turning her gaze back to Riku. He surprised her, constantly. Always deflecting positive affirmations to someone else. She knew that he didn't mean to, that he was trying to stay within the lines that he'd set and not stray from them. Time would help them both, but she wasn't sure what was needed. How far did they have to go before they could be together without feeling guilty again?
Riku shrugged, sheepish but receptive as he glanced towards her, a glow of pride in his eyes that reminded her of the boy who had proclaimed they'd leave their home world with a simple call of 'Let's go'.
"The knight who keeps you both safe."
Kairi shook her head, tugging lightly on their hands. "We keep each other safe, Riku," she chided gently, tipping her head skyward. "And we'll save our prince, and then…"
"Happily ever after."
Kairi looked to him in surprise, the vague amusement gleaming in his eyes as he laced their fingers together, then turned his gaze skyward.
"Yeah," she echoed back as she stared at him breathlessly , then turned her gaze upward once more. "Happily ever after…"
Author's Note
Hey there! I've had this written for the past few days but I decided to wait until I decided to post it up to fashion an author's note.
Where to begin? Well, I re-read this over twenty times and still came to the same conclusion with every 'The End'.
These kids went through too much to be so young. On one hand, I understand Kairi's frustrations and I hate the sort of backseat she took to most of the series' events. Still, it wasn't as if her influence wasn't felt. Riku and Sora had their own goals but in the end - I think they all wanted to be together. It's ironic and frustrating that the one who connected them all is now the one who needs their help. And without him, it's a bit hard to figure out how to find him. They're all having to establish their own connections and with some hope, bring him back into the fold.
Now then, there are some lorebits ( mind the pun ) that haven't been written yet. Such as Chocolina and a few things regarding their childhood in this fic series. We'll get there eventually but I just hope that this was as enjoyable to you as it was for me.
As always, you can find me on Twitter, Tumblr, instagram and Pillowfort at unlockthelore. For my original fiction, look me up on Tapas, where i'm writing Legend of the Four Elemental Heroes.
With that being said, thank you so much for reading.