Riku and Sora/Roxas excerpt
A familiar figure stood on the edge of the beach, staring out at the sunset like he might start walking over the water toward it any second. Riku didn't make any effort to be stealthy as he drew nearer, but he still didn't stir.
"Sora," he said, and when that didn't get a reaction, a little softer, "Roxas."
"What? Oh." Sora lowered his hand from where he'd automatically raised it in greeting, his bright smile fading into sheepishness. "Sorry."
"It's no problem." Riku punched him lightly in the shoulder and plopped down onto the sand beside him; after a moment, Sora followed his lead. For a minute or so, they stared at the sunset some more, but Riku got the feeling that neither of them were really seeing it anymore. "So you are him, still," he said.
"Sometimes. Yeah." Sora leaned forward, doodling a pattern into the sand. "It's weird, you know? I thought merging with him would just make me...me again. Because that's all I used to be. But it's more. I don't exactly remember everything he did-but I feel like I do."
Riku considered that. "He was part of you. But you were part of him, too," he said. "I guess it makes sense. Maybe you're just getting more...integrated. Now that things have settled down."
"Maybe." Sora frowned. "The annoying part is I really want some sea-salt ice cream, and I have no idea where to get it around here."
Riku stared at him, dumbfounded, then burst out laughing. Sora made an indignant face for a few seconds more, then laughed with him.
"Sora," he said, and when that didn't get a reaction, a little softer, "Roxas."
"What? Oh." Sora lowered his hand from where he'd automatically raised it in greeting, his bright smile fading into sheepishness. "Sorry."
"It's no problem." Riku punched him lightly in the shoulder and plopped down onto the sand beside him; after a moment, Sora followed his lead. For a minute or so, they stared at the sunset some more, but Riku got the feeling that neither of them were really seeing it anymore. "So you are him, still," he said.
"Sometimes. Yeah." Sora leaned forward, doodling a pattern into the sand. "It's weird, you know? I thought merging with him would just make me...me again. Because that's all I used to be. But it's more. I don't exactly remember everything he did-but I feel like I do."
Riku considered that. "He was part of you. But you were part of him, too," he said. "I guess it makes sense. Maybe you're just getting more...integrated. Now that things have settled down."
"Maybe." Sora frowned. "The annoying part is I really want some sea-salt ice cream, and I have no idea where to get it around here."
Riku stared at him, dumbfounded, then burst out laughing. Sora made an indignant face for a few seconds more, then laughed with him.