A/N: Ok, so I wasn't planning on updating today… I was planning on spending the day at the pool soaking up some sun… but it's raining… blah! So here I am…
BTW, this chapter sucks pretty bad, sorry. Promise the next will be better: )
Bittersweet Reunions
Sora stared… it was all he could do. His voice was lost to him, his legs felt like jello, and all he could do was stare with cloudy sapphire eyes at the intruder still standing casually on the opposite side of the room. Kairi was the one who finally broke the awkward silence occupying the space between the trio.
"Riku!" she darted across the room and threw her arms around him in an earnest hug, leaving a bewildered keyblade master still gawking dumbfounded. "What are you doing here?!"
Riku smiled, despite himself, and returned Kairi's embrace. "You know I can't trust you guys too long without me." He answered sarcastically. "What… no welcome from the Keyblade Master?" He pulled out of Kairi's arms and strode over to where Sora was still standing with a blank expression shrouding any emotions currently occupying him. "Not happy to see me?"
"Riku…" Sora finally managed to regain his vocal abilities, but his voice was barely above a whisper and laced with hesitancy. "What… How…"
Riku simply put one hand on Sora's shoulder and looked at him with solemn aquamarine eyes, "Sora… we need to talk."
Sora's demeanor suddenly changed as a pierced brow and angry glare replaced his previously distant stare. His stature stiffened as he shrugged Riku's hand off his shoulder. "You left!" he retorted forcefully. "How could you just leave like that!? Without even telling me!! I needed you Riku, and you left!"
Riku sighed as he returned Sora's angry glare through long silver bangs, cold emerald meeting cloudy sapphire, "Look Sora, I…"
"No! You look!" Sora interrupted, his index finger jabbing into Riku's chest. "I'm sick of your overdramatic, drama queen, 'let's go see other worlds' bull shit! I looked for you and Kairi for two years, and once we're finally back together you fucking leave??!!"
"Sora!" Kairi scolded as she crossed the room to stand beside Riku. "Give him a break! He came back didn't he?!"
Riku didn't give Sora a chance to answer as he grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him towards the door, "I'm serious Sora. We need to talk."
Sora struggled against Riku's grasp, but despite his recent growth spurt and muscular frame that finally rivaled Riku's, Riku was still taller and stronger. "Get off me!"
Riku glanced behind him at Kairi as he shoved Sora out the front door, "Sorry Kai, this is man talk. We'll be back in a second."
Kairi nodded understandingly, but internally rolled her eyes. 'Man talk'? He can't be serious…
Sora grunted and fell against the side wall as Riku finally released his grasp. He crossed his arms across his chest defiantly and sank against the wall so that he was sitting on the ground leaning against the cool cobblestones.
"Sora, look…" Riku started as he turned his back to his friend and sat down on the steps just outside the front door. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled.
Sora rolled his eyes, "Sorry for what?" he spat out.
"I'm sorry for leaving you guys again… but I had to." He replied softly. "The… darkness…was…" he trailed off as he shook his head and smirked, "Never mind, I wouldn't expect you to understand."
Sora suddenly felt lower than snail… and slimy as one at that. "Riku…" His face softened into a quiet frown and he moved his position to occupy the vacant space beside Riku on the steps. "I'm… I'm sorry too. I just got so mad when you left… and then things started happening. I thought… I thought you could help, and I was mad that you weren't there to…" Sora suddenly realized that he had unknowingly been blaming Riku for the dark changes that had taken place in his heart over the past six months. "I'm sorry," he repeated.
Riku shifted uncomfortably, he wasn't one for apologies and lengthy 'kiss-and-make-up' moments. (A/N: and NO! this is not a yaoi, Sora and Riku are not gay!) Truthfully, neither was Sora and they both sat awkwardly staring into the dark courtyard in front of them that was the Burrough.
Riku replayed Sora's words in his head and suddenly, "Wait… what do you mean 'things started happening'?"
"Oh… um…" Sora gulped as he tried to find the words to tell Riku that he was slowly and indefinitely being possessed by darkness, that he had tried to kill Kairi the other night, and that he was loosing the battle between light and darkness. He sighed defeated, and decided that actions spoke louder than words. He quietly stood up and willed the darkness to pool in his left palm.
Riku's eyes widened as the dark pooling mass shaped itself into the Keyblade of Hearts. He shuddered as he ran his eyes from the hilt to the tip of the long black blade. "Where… where did you get that?" he stammered.
Sora sighed as he sat back down and outstretched the dark keyblade in front of them. "I don't really know. I was trying to summon the Oblivion, and this is what I ended up with instead."
"Sora…" Riku's voice was stern as he glared at the black blade, "What the hell has been going on since I left…"
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Kairi's mind wandered aimlessly as she peered quietly though the dark shades covering the front windows of the small room. Riku and Sora were sitting on the short steps just outside, both with somber faces and serious features. She didn't consider herself to be spying, because although she could only make out the occasional word… "Darkness…" "Hearts…" "Kairi…" …it was obvious what they were talking about. She hoped against all odds that Riku would convince Sora not to go, to stay here in Radiant Garden with the two of them so they could sort this mess out together, like they had always done.
She had a deep suspicion, though, that nothing would keep Sora from leaving… not even Riku… However, her optimism got the best of her as she convinced herself that Sora had always looked up to Riku, and maybe he would stay if Riku thought it was best. She made a mental note to get her own private talk with Riku before sunrise…
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Riku sat in silence for almost a full minute after Sora finished filling him on the past six months, leaving out no gory details or unwanted memories. "I guess… you do understand…" he finally said flatly.
Sora sighed heavily as he nodded his response. "Riku… what do I do? Tell me what to do!"
Riku shrugged, "I think… I think your initial reaction of leaving, might not be a bad idea… I think that Kairi would understand. But…" he stood up and ran his fingers through his long silver hair as the night wind rustled through it. "I think I should go with you…"
"And just leave Kairi here by herself?!" Sora stood up beside him, dismissing the dark keyblade in a flash of blackness. "No way! Who would look out for her? Protect her?!"
"Well! What do you suggest Sora?! I can't let you go by yourself! Who knows what would happen to you!" Riku replied shortly, "And don't give that pathetic martyr 'I can handle it myself' bull shit… You know better!" Sora sulked… "Besides… she's not the damsel-in-distress you think she is."
Sora rolled his eyes and laughed, "Yeah! I know… she almost killed me! Remember?"
Riku laughed as he smacked Sora across the back of the head, "Come on… I think your 'damsel-in-distress' is probably getting tired of watching us through that window over there."
Sora nodded and turned to open the door. Suddenly, Riku reached an arm out in front of him, stopping him from opening the door. "You feel that?"
Sora stiffened as he narrowed his eyes and the stench of darkness invaded his nostrils. "Heartless," he acknowledged in a monotone.
"No… stronger," Riku scowled as a flash of light materialized into the Way to Dawn at his side.
Sora grunted in passive agreement as he summoned his weapons, "Let's go!"
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A/N: I definitely plan on living up to my new title as the Queen of Cliffhangers! So get used to it! lol
I know this chap was pretty dull, and short, and sucky… but it's a filler! It's supposed to be dull, and short, and sucky! I promise more action in my next update!!! Sora and Riku will be kicking ass and taking names!