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Author’s Drivel
It took me a while, deciding whether I should or not. And in the end, I opted for a yes, and I may have more chapters up to write out the reactions from Sora’s other friends.
Took me a bit to figure out how to write it down though, and what would the exact reactions be from Riku and Kairi.
Author’s Comments
A direct continuation from the previous chapter.
And I'm afraid I can't explain Roxas' OOCness. Sorry about that. Shall I make him more angsty if I write more chapters?
Starshinesoldier – Yes, we all know Sora’s a self-sacrificing idiot. But that’s why we love him! Sora’s in Anti-Form, except this time, there’s no way for him to become Somebody. I took your advice, and you get this in return. Though the story was actually perfect being a oneshot if you ask me.
Nozomi and Hotaru – Thank you and you’re welcome? (laughs)
Destiny Island
A comfortable silence had fallen between the former Nobody and the Heartless. Roxas had his arm around the small critter, holding it in his lap. His heart, the same heart that once belonged to his former Other, had calmed down from its fast cadence, but it did not mean he felt any calmer. The joy he felt at the knowledge and capability to feel continued to burn strongly within, just as the wide grin on his face had slipped into a content smile.
The Heartless in his arms, Sora, his mind quipped with a touch of gratitude and tinge of sorrow, was just as content to stay where it sat, occasionally snuggling itself into his black shirt.
“I wonder if you were born an empathetic idiot,” Roxas joked softly, wincing slight when he felt the Heartless’ claws dig into his arms in response as though it understood him. They were not there for long, however, and Roxas knew the Heartless did understand him to a certain degree. “I would ask you why, if you could talk back. But I doubt I have the need to, even if you could,” the blond commented softly.
“...” the Heartless –Sora– buried itself further into Roxas’ shirt, absorbing the warmth it felt being emitted from the heart it knew it could not steal. Its eyes, gold flecked with sapphire blue, watched the scenery before them just as Roxas did. The setting sun and the rising moon portrayed a beautiful masterpiece, with stars –Worlds– dusting the rest of the changing sky.
Not knowing why, the Heartless reached out a black claw towards the stars. A small sound escaped from deep within its throat, something between a whimper and a growl. Roxas blinked, looking down at the small critter in his arms and back up at the skies.
“Do you want to go there?” he asked softly after a moment.
“...” Sora made no response as usual, but it continued reaching out for the stars with one claw while staying seated in the blond’s lap. It reached for one particular star for a moment before reaching for another. Then it skipped to the next, and the next, as though it wanted to take those stars into its claws and show it, share it with the blond.
Roxas followed Sora’s outreached claw with his ice blue eyes, watching as the claw pointed at a bright red star for a moment before reaching for a deep blue one. Then it skipped to a dusty gold before pointing to a glowing green one. “Those Worlds,” Roxas murmured, “do you want to go to them?”
The same sound, that sound caught between a whimper and a growl, escaped from the Heartless again and Roxas; he understood. “You,” Roxas started with uncertainty, “You want to see how they’re doing?” Even though, your need was long over? Roxas could not shut away that betraying whisper in his mind, the same small voice that would speak out the doubts he knew he had but would not admit to.
If it could, Roxas would think that the Heartless was smiling at him. But its eyes were brighter, and that was all the response he needed to realize. You already knew that... You already knew that your need was over... That’s why... his thoughts were slow but filled with deep emotions he had once could only imagine to feel. Roxas’ arms tightened slightly around the Heartless, making it squirm slightly.
“...” the Heartless calmed down seconds later, however, and let itself sink into the warmth that grew.
“You’re a really stupid guy, you know that?” Roxas laughed softly, face nuzzling the black creature he held.
“...” it did not respond, but quietly and contently returned the affectionate gesture.
“You-”
“Sora!”
Two voices broke the tranquil and his sentence. Two very familiar voices. One of whose owner Roxas was rather afraid I’m actually afraid of that guy? to face.
There was a loud shuffling sound on sand and sand being kicked into the air. The Heartless in Roxas’ lap began to squirm quietly, as though feeling danger was approaching.
It stopped after a moment, however, and remained in Roxas’ lap. It continued to let itself be enveloped by the warmth emitted from the blond’s heart. And because the Heartless made no other movements to leave, Roxas stayed put as well. Guess I’m just going to have to face them when they realize who I am, the blond thought wryly but a devious smile crept onto his face when he thought about their reaction.
“Riku? What’s wr-... wrong?”
The silver haired teen blinked, his right hand twitching to summon his Keyblade for some reason. He stared at the familiar blond seated on the shore, facing away from him and Kairi. Riku felt his brows furrow in confusion and cautiousness. Who is he? he wondered, an arm out protectively in front of Kairi when the red headed girl had halted beside him.
Kairi looked at her boyfriend for a moment before she turned her eyes onto what had him stiff. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blond. Is that-!
Riku reacted on instinct, driving Kairi a step backwards when the blond suddenly stood up. He clenched his jaw in irritant when the name of the familiar blond escaped his mind again. “Who are you?” he asked, forcing his tone into a polite one.
The blond’s head tilted to a side, still not facing them. Kairi watched the exchange with wide eyes, hands having reached out onto the silver haired teen’s arm outstretched before her. “R-Riku, I think that’s-... But it would mean...” the girl bit the bottom of her lips at the direction of her sentence and thought, tears beginning to prickle at her eyes.
“Kai?” Riku turned his head slightly, blinking with concern when he saw her eyes turning suspiciously bright. “Kai? What is it?”
“Tsk,” the blond suddenly laughed, causing the couple’s eyes to widen in shock and realization.
“You!” Riku growled. “What have you done with Sora?!”
“Calm down, Riku,” the blond quipped softly, not mockingly. Riku narrowed his eyes for a moment before heeding the blond’s words grudgingly. “Fine, but where’s Sora, Roxas?” he demanded.
“Why, Riku, should I tell you?” Roxas asked in honesty, smiling down at the black creature in his arms he held and hid away from the couple’s eyes.
“Because there’s no reason for you not to. Where is he, Roxas?” Riku almost snarled in impatience, held back by Kairi.
“Hm, that’s not really a good reason. What do you think, Kairi?” Roxas’ voice was truthful, if not rather blunt, but he took great joy in hearing the normally cool and calm teen being riled up.
“Um,” Kairi blinked, caught off guard by her sudden inclusion in the exchange. “W-well...”
“Keep Kairi out of this!” Riku frowned deeply, aquamarine eyes glaring continuously at the blond’s head. “Just tell us where Sora is!”
“Riku! Calm down, Riku!” Kairi held onto his arm tighter.
“It’d be better if you heed her advice, Riku,” Roxas laughed, grinning as he winked at the Heartless in his arms. The sapphire flecked gold eyes seemed to look amused, though the emotion escaped as well, as the Heartless returned to making itself comfortable in the blond’s arms and shirt.
Riku was only further aggravated by the laughter from the blond, but did make another effort to calm down as he tried to shake off the urge to summon his Keyblade again. He let out a huff of annoyance before he tried again, “Roxas, where is Sora?”
Strangely, the blond said nothing.
“Roxas?” Kairi called out this time, blue eyes blinking in confusion at the sudden quietness that fell.
Roxas continued to keep quiet.
Confusion began to leak into Riku’s eyes as his frown deepened.
It was a moment later, but the couple watched without any movements as the blond suddenly bent down.
The sound escaped from it, that sound caught between a whimper and a growl. It plowed itself gently into the blond’s legs and wrapped its claws around the back of his knees where its height reached before poking its head out to the side and landing its eyes onto the couple behind the blond.
It watched as the silver haired boy and the red haired girl gasp in shock. It watched as a familiar Keyblade materialized in the boy’s hand, causing it to whimper and wince as it huddled closer to the blond again. It watched as the girl reached out frantically for the boy, holding him back tightly as tears slipped down her face. It watched, as recognition appeared in the boy’s beautiful aquamarines. It watched as the girl began to sob. It watched as the boy stared in shock. It watched as the boy hastily banished the Keyblade. And it watched as they tried to reach for it.
“S-Sora?” it heard the boy’s rich tenor speak. It felt the uncertainty underlying the tone.
But it recognized the name, the same name the beautiful and warm blond used to call it. It responded with a soft mewl, raising its gold eyes to lock with the pretty aquamarines.
And there was an attraction. It felt the Darkness that was mixed in the soul of the silver haired teen. It looked up at the blond, who smiled and nudged it on its head with a hand. It moved, forearms in between hind legs as it crawled slowly towards the attracting Darkness.
It mewled again, and Riku looked. It reached a claw towards him, so unlike other Heartless that would attack without any hesitation. It made a sound again, and Riku obliged, squatting down as he reached forward for the Heartless.
Sora. Sora, what did you do? he thought, refusing to admit to the prickling behind his eyes.
The Heartless cautiously crept into his arms, the sound between a growl and a whimper escaped from it as it clung to his vest. Riku tentatively wrapped his arms around the Heartless before bringing it into an embrace. Sora, you idiot, what did you do this time? “Kai –Kai, can’t you do something? You brought him back once, didn’t you? Can’t you do it again?” Riku turned his eyes to his girlfriend while he held the Heartless –his best friend– in his arms.
Kairi blinked, wiping away the tears from her face. She stared at the Heartless, seeing beyond it and the Sora she knew. She stared, and watched, as the image of Sora smiled at her and shook his head calmly. And she knew. There was nothing she could do.
“I– I can’t, Riku,” she replied softly, sniffling softly as tears began to slip down her cheeks again.
“Why not?” Riku’s tone was almost angry, but it was not directed at her. Rather, it was directed at himself. And Kairi knew he was blaming himself again.
It seemed as though the Heartless knew as well. The small black creature wiggled itself out of Riku’s arms and back away slightly from the both of them, keeping its eyes trained on Riku. It simply sat there and stared.
Riky blinked, ignoring the wetness in his eyes again. He stared back at Sora, before the intensity in those gold orbs made him close his eyes.
And he saw.
He saw the image of Sora in the Heartless before him. He saw his best friend standing proud like he always did. He saw his best friend smile at him. He saw his best friend telling him with his sapphire eyes, not to blame himself. He saw the Light that never wavered, that had led him back from the Darkness. He saw Sora walking away from them with a content smile. A smile that spoke so many things, he could not grasp hold onto them all at once.
When he opened his eyes, the Darkness receded and the Heartless was beside Roxas again. Riku blinked, feeling an aching sadness well up in him.
And Kairi was beside him again, her arms wrapped around his arm once more in a comforting gesture. “I can’t do anything, Riku,” she suddenly continued from before. “I can’t do anything, because Sora’s heart is now Roxas’.”
“W-what?” Riku’s eyes widened as he looked from Kairi to Roxas, whose attention was on the Heartless that had returned into his arms.
“Before, Sora’s heart was free, released. I was able to find it because of that. But now, Sora gave it to Roxas, so,” she stopped, unsure of how to go on.
And there was a sudden unlocking sound while the couple’s attention was not on the blond and the Heartless.
When they looked over, however, all they saw was a closing door and the sound of its lock relocking.
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