-SPOILDERS THROUGH KHCoM-

|||Between KHCoM & KHII|||

That year, Kairi's birthday feels empty, to her. Lacking two presences (though she only remembers one) which had been the main orchestrators in years previous. She, although unsure why, begs off in the late afternoon and goes out to that island for the first time in months. It's so familiar to her, but so empty.

Kairi watches the sunset alone, wondering why she feels like she's missing something.

Sora couldn't have celebrated even if enough of his memories had been repaired enough for him to remember it, and he sleeps in his pod, though he would have been horrified to know Kairi was alone.

Riku, worlds away, begs off from DiZ's planning and Sora's white cell to watch the sunset in Twilight Town, and tries not to think that he's missing her too. He'd wanted to go out and buy her a present, but it wasn't like he could go visit her. Not the way he is now. He has resigned himself to never seeing her again, and even when Sora wakes, Riku won't stick around, either.

Riku celebrates for her by trying to dream of the islands and by allowing himself to imagine a future where he goes back there with Sora by his side.

That year, Sora sleeps through his birthday, which he always had wanted to do in years past, only to be woken by one of his friends singing obnoxiously. Of course, this sleep isn't what he'd fantasized about, those years before, and if he'd been given the choice, Sora would have much preferred to be awake for all of this particular day.

Sora hangs alone in a pod in the darkness with his memories strewn around his head, broken and being repaired, insensate to time and the significance of the day, dreaming of nothing.

Kairi wakes up and goes to school, half-heartedly laughing at Wakka and Tidus' antics, all the while trying not to think of the nightmare she'd had the night before of a blank white room, aware for the first time in months that there's more than one absence at her side (but not his name, not what day she's forgetting).

Riku, just outside, sits beside the pod all day, ignoring Namine and the ache in his chest. He wants to talk, for some reason, to fill the gaping silence, try to connect with his best friend somehow. Make this day different from all the others. Mark it, somehow, so Sora would know that not everyone had forgotten his birthday.

But Sora's asleep, and Riku can't bring himself to speak.

Riku celebrates for him by not wearing the blindfold for one day and not letting his best friend be completely alone in the white room with the white cell and the white silence.

That year, Riku's birthday is no different than any other day. DiZ doesn't know or doesn't care, and Namine evidently didn't keep the date though she must have seen it in Sora's memories.

Kairi notes the day on the calendar and fakes being sick to visit the island again, and although she feels foolish, sings Happy Birthday under her breath to the sand and waves.

Sora sleeps away, his mind piece by piece coming back together, ignorant of everything he was missing.

Riku doesn't celebrate, and clenches his jaw with every reminder of the date.

~fin~

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A/N: So my babies make me sad when I think about the year between CoM and II. And I always love writing angst

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I know it's short, but I hope it's enjoyable anyway! Thank you for reading. I know I haven't been active lately, but my school year was crazy busy and I've been going through a lot, and writing lost a lot of appeal. I'm slowly getting back into it, and I haven't given up on my multi-chapter, promise. I hope to finish it within a month or so, but this last chapter or two is really tough to write.

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IMPORTANT: If you have any requests/suggestions, I'd love to hear them! I'd love to write something small for prompts or anything, though I know you may not want more of this stuff.

THank you so much!

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And a sneak preview for drabble #5: Silence:

The thing most striking about the rocky, desolate beach where he and Sora find themselves, Riku thinks, is how silent it is. The waves are strangely muffled as they lap at his and Sora's shows, and there's no bushes to rustle in the constantly stagnant air and no birds to sing and no swishing Nobodies or hungry Heartless to appear from the shadows to be met with the music of Keyblade slashes.

It's just him, Sora, the too-quiet sea, and the starless sky.