Under a Dream Sky

A half-empty pizza box sat on Riku's kitchen counter.

Riku and Sora were sitting side by side on the floor in front of Riku's coffee table, knees touching, both intent on the task of finding answers in Ansem's journal. Sora's laptop had taken a back seat to the book, but it was still open, a handful of windows overlapping each other on the screen. Pictures of Komainu and souhei, and a digital folio he'd found on souhei. That one had been littered with notes in the margins, in English, mostly about traditional Japanese souhei, but Sora had noticed a passage discussing the relationship between souhei and guardian spirits. While it didn't explicitly reference Komainu, it had been the most promising thing he'd found.

The archives otherwise exhausted, they'd focused on the leather-bound journal.

Some entries read like the ravings of a lunatic. Those were often barely legible scratchings, sometimes accompanied by diagrams or numbers. Those entries were scattered, like punctuation after a particularly poignant revelation.

The rest were coherent, mostly. Not all of them were on the subject Sora and Riku were interested in.

"Here's one," Sora tapped the page they'd just turned to. "'Today I saw a man in the lion's mask, accompanied by a souhei. The monk looked as any other, was given the same respect, but his companion was given courtesy in offerings as one might see at a shrine. They were inseparable, these two, and they walked with an authority. I do not think it is hubris, but rather…a kind of charisma. Tomorrow they move on to the next village, which is said to be plagued by some evil.'"

"How old is this thing?" Riku mused. "The language is dated, or at the very least stylistic."

Sora frowned. "There's no year. And Yen Sid didn't say." He ran a finger over the yellowed page.

Riku lifted the pages to look at the book's cover, but there were no indications of the year. Only the name was inscribed there, Ansem. "Maybe Ansem's not even a name. Yen Sid said the book 'came into his possession.' Where'd this come from?"

Sora pulled his laptop closer and opened a new search, fingers tapping out the letters of the name. "Ah!" He clicked through the results, eyes settling on the names and dates. "Ansem, scholar, anthropologist, mid-1800's." Riku leaned closer to see the screen; Sora was frowning at the words he was reading. "Said to have fallen victim to madness in his later years. Well, I suppose that explains those other entries."

"Mn." Riku turned to the journal's next entry, eyes flicking over the words. "Says the man in the lion mask turned into a great beast to confront a 'great creature made of darkness.' Both he and the souhei 'wielded power of some kind to strike it down.'"

"That's a bit more than the archive said, at least."

"It goes on."

Sora looked at the page Riku was pointing to and skimmed the entry. "So he followed them?" They both were silent as they digested the words. "Can you turn the page?"

"I wonder if they knew he was writing this," Riku murmured. "It's not very…respectful. To be treated like a specimen."

"Maybe, but it would be good if it can help us."

"I guess."

"Hey, do you think this is important? The ceremonial dance he mentions?"

Sora had already moved so close to Riku that he could feel him lift his shoulder in shrug, their arms brushing. "I suppose it may have had a meaning at some point. Without knowing the steps or history…"

"'I think their hearts beat as one,'" Sora said slowly, picking out the phrase from the words around it.

"He was probably being poetic. The man wasn't exactly mentally stable."

"Yeah, I guess." Sora glanced over as Riku yawned. "Hey, maybe we should take a break. We had a really early start today. I don't know about you, but my eyes are crossing."

Riku straightened, blinking. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right." He left the journal open on its spine and set it at the center of the coffee table, and leaned back against the couch behind them.

Sora stood and stretched. "Hey Riku?"

Riku's eyes had already fluttered shut, but he opened them a crack to regard Sora. "What?"

Sora stared at him, still a bit stunned by all that had happened over the course of the last couple days. "No, never mind. It's nothing." He turned and retrieved another slice of pizza. "You want some?" He gestured at Riku with the slice.

Despite his sluggishness, Riku came to his feet with a boneless grace that Sora was fast growing used to, and shuffled to join Sora at the counter. He propped his chin on Sora's shoulder, a gesture he had to bend to complete. "Yes."

Sora was more aware of the physical contact now that they'd parted, and weren't both bent at the same task. "I never would've guessed you were this, uh, touchy-feely, before." He felt his cheeks heat up. "You seemed more aloof."

Riku tilted his head so it bumped Sora's. "I decided I like you."

"You decided?"

"Yeah." He rubbed his cheek against Sora's and picked up a slice of pizza.

Sora side-stepped away. "Like me how?"

Riku's gaze swung around to Sora, his eyes suddenly piercing, all signs of sleep gone. Riku was sizing him up, Sora realized. "I don't know. I just do."

"Okay," Sora drew the word out. He leaned on the counter and bit into the pizza. "You know," he said after swallowing, "even though this is all kind of," he gestured vaguely, "a lot to take in. And, uh, pretty crazy," he stared down at his pizza, "I'm kind of glad. I mean, not glad, exactly, but I like being in your company."

Riku dropped his eyes to the pizza as he chose a slice.

"I liked you the moment I saw you," Sora murmured.

Riku lifted his chin along with his gaze. "Of course you did."

"Hey, I didn't say that to feed your ego!"

"No, I mean—I mean I could tell." He was back at studying the pizza. "And anyway, you fed me." His voice sounded a little wistful, maybe.

Sora grinned. "I guess I'm happy that paid off. Well, sort of. I didn't expect all this." He waved a hand in Riku's direction. "But I think I can get used to it."

"If you're trying to say something, Sora, just say it directly."

Sora's face reddened. "Alright." Still, he bit his lip, considering his words. "I mean, we've already done a lot of things together the past couple days, eating, napping…you even kissed me but. Uh. Let's date?" He laughed a little. "I was going to ask eventually, anyway, but—"

Riku had fixed him in another unreadable stare. "Date?"

"Yeah?"

Riku cocked his head. "Is there a need to?"

Sora's face fell. "What?"

Confusion flickered over Riku's face, and he set his untouched pizza down.

"I'm tired," Sora sighed, changing the subject. "Mind if I crash on your couch for a bit?" Riku blinked and nodded, watched Sora turn and curl up on the couch.

Riku was still mulling the question over after he'd eaten two slices of pizza. It wasn't something they needed to do. He picked his way back into the living room and looked down at Sora, who had already closed his eyes in sleep. Hadn't he already told Sora…?

Riku let out a huff. Humans. He bent and scooped the smaller man into his arms, carrying him into his room and setting him gently on the bed. Sora stirred, eyelashes fluttering, until blue eyes opened.

Sora let out a small "Oh," at the white lion curling against him. "Riku?"

Riku snuffled his hair and slung a paw across his chest. Instead of being frightening, Sora realized it was a protective gesture.

"You always sleep as a lion?" Sora asked drowsily.

An indistinct rumble sounded in Riku's chest, and then they were both quiet, breaths evening out as they found sleep again together.

o.O.o

"Can you fight?" Riku's voice sounded close, although he stood a handful of paces away.

"Huh?" Sora blinked, trying to re-orient himself. "Where are we?" They were in a large, open field, and Sora couldn't remember how they'd gotten there.

"It's a dream."

Sora turned in a circle, tensing, watching for yellow eyes.

"It's just you and me."

Sora's breath left him in relief. "That's good." He scraped a toe in the dirt. "I can fight a little, I suppose."

Riku shifted, feet apart, hands coming up in a loose fighting stance. "Then we'll spar."

"Spar?"

"Yes, Sora, if you insist on being involved, we are going to spar. We don't know what Xehanort is capable of. So we have to be ready."

"Uhm. Okay." Sora moved to mirror Riku's stance, uncertain. "It's been a while since I've—"

He was cut off as Riku darted forward and swung at him. Sora managed to bring an arm up to block, but Riku's fist still grazed his cheek.

Sora frowned and shook his head. "Ow!"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Tighten up your guard." He came at Sora again, and this time Sora was able to block him.

"Better." Sora grunted as Riku continued his assault, blocking kicks and punches. Riku's eyes narrowed. "Fight back."

Sora grit his teeth and clenched his fists tight. "Riku, just—just slow down!" He sidestepped a blow, but Riku caught him in a grab, pulling him into a headlock.

"No, Sora, keep up," Riku breathed in his ear.

Sora growled in frustration, an unfamiliar irritation running through him. It burned, and sparked, until suddenly Sora was worming his way out of the headlock. He flipped Riku to the ground, pinning him there, and wasn't sure how he'd done it. Instinct, maybe?

Riku was staring up at him. "That's more like it."

They sprang to their feet, a small distance between them, and this time Sora initiated the attack. "Fine," he bit out, "I'll fight you." Sora couldn't remember learning enough about fighting or martial arts for the attack he was leveling at Riku, couldn't remember ever moving so fast. Was it because this was a dream? Would he be able to do this when he was conscious?

Either way, it was like a switch had been thrown, and the two were caught in a dance of combat, and Sora was holding his own. They moved faster, both landing as many blows as they blocked, until both were gasping for breath.

"Enough." Sora blinked. He had managed to pin Riku again, wide eyes staring at him in surprise. "That's enough for now."

Sora eased off of him, a hand coming up to scratch the back of his head. "I didn't even know I could do all that. Is it because it's a dream? But, it feels like more than that," he mused.

Riku climbed to his feet. "It's a dream realm." He gestured around them. "We can change the backdrop, but we stay ourselves. Our abilities are the same."

"Oh. So…maybe this is part of the 'awakening' Yen Sid was talking about?" Sora flexed a hand, studying it. "Before, when I…controlled you and Terra. That was in a dream, too, right?"

Riku sent him a dark look. "You were intruding."

"Yeah, but how did I do it? Get into your dream. Is it part of being a—a souhei?"

"How should I know?" Riku turned his back to Sora and looked out into the open space beyond them, shifting from foot to foot.

Sora opened his mouth to say something else, but Riku was already surging forward, his form fluid and white as he turned into a lion. In moments, he was hidden by the grass of the plains, but Sora could still inexplicably feel him. He had a sense of wind and dry grass rushing past, of dirt under the pads of feet. A sensation of flying, and momentary freedom. His heart racing.

But his feet were firmly planted on the ground, the world around him still, save for the grass swishing in the wind.

"Riku?" Silence. Sora cast another look around; Riku was still out of sight. He let out a sigh and plopped to the ground. "Man," he drew the word out. "This is crazy." He leaned back on his hands and stared up at the sky above. A dream sky, with fluffy dream clouds. "So is any of this for real, if it's a dream?" Sora wasn't sure who he was asking, since Riku had left him alone.

It was strange, waking up, because Sora didn't remember if he'd dreamt more after staring at the sky, or if he'd even slept longer, or if he'd simply blinked, and the dream sky had turned into Riku's room. It was disorienting. Perhaps he was still dreaming.

Riku was no longer in lion form. He had rolled onto his back, a hand draped across his forehead. Sora himself had snuggled up against him in sleep, an arm slung over Riku's waist, a leg tangled with Riku's. He bit his lip and started to pull away, but Riku stirred. Tightened his hand around Sora's arm.

"Rest a bit longer," Riku murmured, not opening his eyes.

Sora let the words sink in, wondering if there was anything more behind them than the exhaustion in Riku's voice. But he was comfortable and warm, and it wasn't hard to relax into that. It was easier not to think too much. "How are your wounds?" he whispered. He could feel the edge of a bandage under his fingers.

"I'm fine."

Sora huffed a sigh, but didn't press the question. It was clear by now that he wouldn't get anything more on the subject. Instead he asked, "How did you fight him off? Xehanort."

Riku took a breath. "I already told you. I don't know."

"You have to remember something. You said it was after you noticed me, right? How did it happen?"

Riku's brow furrowed as he thought about it. "I don't know. It was like I recognized you. And I was reminded of myself. Like I told you before." He shrugged. "I realized what Xehanort was putting in my mind wasn't me. Then I just started shutting his voice out."

"So maybe—"

Riku cut him off. "I don't think it'll be that simple with Terra."

Sora pulled free of Riku's grasp. "Well, we can't know unless we try!" He frowned. "But…we'll still have to do something about Xehanort." He bit his lip. "We should get back to work."

Sora had already climbed out of bed when Riku sat up, a scowl across his lips. He trailed Sora into to living room, where he was scouring the pages of the journal. Instead of joining him, Riku moved past him into the kitchen and switched on the coffee maker. The rich scent of coffee filled the apartment, the sound of it dripping into the carafe the only sound to accompany the turning pages of Ansem's journal. The scowl on Riku's face relaxed in time to the filling coffee pot.

"Hey Riku?" Riku paused in filling his coffee cup to turn to Sora. He was looking up with wide blue eyes, a finger fixed over one of the pages. "I think this might be important."