Two As One -- The Front Lines [Complete]
Sunrise, for Riku, was a thing to be felt, not seen. He stirred when he felt it against his cheek, sniffing the air, disoriented. He'd had such a nice dream... he didn't hurt anymore, and Sora was there, and didn't hate him. Maybe I died in my sleep and there really is a Heaven, he thought vaguely as he shook off the feeling.
Then a sharp scent made him sit up straight. The very action recalled to him that his body was capable of sitting up again, and combined with the identification of the scent as Sora, he knew he hadn't been dreaming. His mouth dropped open briefly in shock, but he snapped it shut quickly and tried to play it cool. He stretched first, acting as if this was the way he woke up every morning.
Slowly, thoughts drifted back to him. The fight, the escape, the two weeks in the cave... and now Sora, swooping in like some avenging angel to heal him and save his life. When he was younger it would have left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Sora's attitude just made Riku feel a little warmer inside. It was incomprehensible to him that Sora wasn't holding a grudge or at least some measure of trepidation after what had happened four years ago, but that was just Sora. He did things in the most inexplicable way and then smiled about it, as if it was no big deal at all.
The memory of the other reason why he had avoided Sora made Riku's empty stomach lurch. He swallowed, standing to cover his discomfort, and turned his back to Sora while he stretched more. Ansem... Sora doesn't know he's inside me, and I want to keep it that way. If he ever found out... if he ever found out, he'd think I betrayed him again. The thought was like a crushing weight for Riku, and he shoved it quickly to the back of his mind so that it wouldn't show in his face. He took a risk and searched for the presence inside him, treading so carefully that his probe was merely a flicker. To his relief, the Seeker of Darkness was buried deep, almost as if he too was shunning the light that now walked beside him. Riku breathed a soft sigh. He was safe, for now.
Having determined this, he turned back to Sora, smiling from behind the blindfold. "Sleep well?" he asked, already smelling that Sora wasn't asleep right now. Privately, he wondered if his friend had slept at all.
Then a sharp scent made him sit up straight. The very action recalled to him that his body was capable of sitting up again, and combined with the identification of the scent as Sora, he knew he hadn't been dreaming. His mouth dropped open briefly in shock, but he snapped it shut quickly and tried to play it cool. He stretched first, acting as if this was the way he woke up every morning.
Slowly, thoughts drifted back to him. The fight, the escape, the two weeks in the cave... and now Sora, swooping in like some avenging angel to heal him and save his life. When he was younger it would have left a bitter taste in his mouth, but Sora's attitude just made Riku feel a little warmer inside. It was incomprehensible to him that Sora wasn't holding a grudge or at least some measure of trepidation after what had happened four years ago, but that was just Sora. He did things in the most inexplicable way and then smiled about it, as if it was no big deal at all.
The memory of the other reason why he had avoided Sora made Riku's empty stomach lurch. He swallowed, standing to cover his discomfort, and turned his back to Sora while he stretched more. Ansem... Sora doesn't know he's inside me, and I want to keep it that way. If he ever found out... if he ever found out, he'd think I betrayed him again. The thought was like a crushing weight for Riku, and he shoved it quickly to the back of his mind so that it wouldn't show in his face. He took a risk and searched for the presence inside him, treading so carefully that his probe was merely a flicker. To his relief, the Seeker of Darkness was buried deep, almost as if he too was shunning the light that now walked beside him. Riku breathed a soft sigh. He was safe, for now.
Having determined this, he turned back to Sora, smiling from behind the blindfold. "Sleep well?" he asked, already smelling that Sora wasn't asleep right now. Privately, he wondered if his friend had slept at all.