tightrope, riku/sora
Title: Tightrope
Author: fireflypenance
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters/Pairings: Riku/Sora
Rating: PG
Challenge: 31khdays
Prompt: Apr 8 --- there is a thin line between what is good and what is evil
Author Notes: Not much to say. Pairing is if you squint.
Dawn. The in between period. Not day, and not night. Simply existing as the choice between.
It was just barely before dawn as Riku lashed his little boat to the dock of the play island. He hadn't been here at all since the day they'd returned to the islands. He'd been avoiding this place, as if unsure of his welcome. It was easier than he remembered to climb onto the dock, and he even avoided getting his pants and shoes wet. He jumped down onto night cooled sand and inhaled the fishy morning air. A few small crabs scurried out of his way as he walked the length of the beach.
It was high tide. In an hour or so the beach would be littered with broken shells, starfish unlucky enough to be stuck in the sand, and seaweed. He remembered coming down here just as high tide ended, with Kairi; she wanted the best shells for her necklaces, and was convinced that was the time to get them. The memory was a fond one, even if he bitched the entire time when it had happened.
Now he was alone, though, as he made his way to the smaller island connected to this by a bridge. He'd spent so much time there (a year ago? two?) but it looked very different. He tried to make a lighthearted assumption: he was a lot taller now, but it didn't work. His smile faded as the soles of his shoes touched the packed dirt of what had been his practice ring. He'd beaten Sora senseless so many times that it wasn't funny. Sora had beaten him since then, though.
Being back in the islands was so surreal. He had a hard time adjusting, realizing that he didn't need to be ready to draw his keyblade at a moment's notice. The islands were safe. He hadn't been safe in a very very long time.
He felt like he was still toeing the line. The line between darkness and light. He belonged in neither. He was the twilight. He was the dawn. He was nothingness. He'd chosen that path for Sora's sake. He became what Sora would need beside him, and in the process he'd sacrificed everything he had. Now his form had returned to him, but really did he know what to do with the body of a sixteen year old. He was not sixteen anymore. He'd seen too much, done too much, to ever just be sixteen.
Had it all been worth it? He would say so. His life had ceased being worth much to him when he'd realized exactly how gullible and stupid he had been in dealing with Maleficent. He'd begun then dedicating his life to undoing his evils.
He'd never expected to return to this form, to this island, to favor with Sora. And he didn't know what to do with any of it. He watched the sun rise. What would he do with the freedoms he hadn't expected? He doubted Sora needed someone like him to dedicate his life to him anymore. In this peaceful setting, it became creepy and stalkerish. He found it startling that his world had narrowed to his best friend.
“Sora...”
“Riku, what's wrong?” The words came accompanied by a wide yawn, and Riku turned, startled. He hadn't heard Sora's approach, and was shocked to see him up at dawn and over here so early. He looked hastily dressed, too.
“Nothing's wrong. Sora, what are you doing up?”
“I woke up and saw you rowing for the play island. It was so early I thought...” Sora cut himself off and glanced away. “I mean,”
Riku relaxed his muscles and started towards his friend. “You thought what?”
“I thought something might be up.” The unspoken part of the statement was what made Riku reach for Sora and give him a hug. Riku knew. He had nightmares about the event that had overtaken the island, of being seduced by darkness. Sora's perspective on that event had to be even worse.
“Nothing's wrong.” Riku said softly. 'I'm not going anywhere.' he added silently.
“Oh. Good.” Sora replied meekly, but didn't let go. Riku didn't either.
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[ x ] comments are love
Author: fireflypenance
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Characters/Pairings: Riku/Sora
Rating: PG
Challenge: 31khdays
Prompt: Apr 8 --- there is a thin line between what is good and what is evil
Author Notes: Not much to say. Pairing is if you squint.
Dawn. The in between period. Not day, and not night. Simply existing as the choice between.
It was just barely before dawn as Riku lashed his little boat to the dock of the play island. He hadn't been here at all since the day they'd returned to the islands. He'd been avoiding this place, as if unsure of his welcome. It was easier than he remembered to climb onto the dock, and he even avoided getting his pants and shoes wet. He jumped down onto night cooled sand and inhaled the fishy morning air. A few small crabs scurried out of his way as he walked the length of the beach.
It was high tide. In an hour or so the beach would be littered with broken shells, starfish unlucky enough to be stuck in the sand, and seaweed. He remembered coming down here just as high tide ended, with Kairi; she wanted the best shells for her necklaces, and was convinced that was the time to get them. The memory was a fond one, even if he bitched the entire time when it had happened.
Now he was alone, though, as he made his way to the smaller island connected to this by a bridge. He'd spent so much time there (a year ago? two?) but it looked very different. He tried to make a lighthearted assumption: he was a lot taller now, but it didn't work. His smile faded as the soles of his shoes touched the packed dirt of what had been his practice ring. He'd beaten Sora senseless so many times that it wasn't funny. Sora had beaten him since then, though.
Being back in the islands was so surreal. He had a hard time adjusting, realizing that he didn't need to be ready to draw his keyblade at a moment's notice. The islands were safe. He hadn't been safe in a very very long time.
He felt like he was still toeing the line. The line between darkness and light. He belonged in neither. He was the twilight. He was the dawn. He was nothingness. He'd chosen that path for Sora's sake. He became what Sora would need beside him, and in the process he'd sacrificed everything he had. Now his form had returned to him, but really did he know what to do with the body of a sixteen year old. He was not sixteen anymore. He'd seen too much, done too much, to ever just be sixteen.
Had it all been worth it? He would say so. His life had ceased being worth much to him when he'd realized exactly how gullible and stupid he had been in dealing with Maleficent. He'd begun then dedicating his life to undoing his evils.
He'd never expected to return to this form, to this island, to favor with Sora. And he didn't know what to do with any of it. He watched the sun rise. What would he do with the freedoms he hadn't expected? He doubted Sora needed someone like him to dedicate his life to him anymore. In this peaceful setting, it became creepy and stalkerish. He found it startling that his world had narrowed to his best friend.
“Sora...”
“Riku, what's wrong?” The words came accompanied by a wide yawn, and Riku turned, startled. He hadn't heard Sora's approach, and was shocked to see him up at dawn and over here so early. He looked hastily dressed, too.
“Nothing's wrong. Sora, what are you doing up?”
“I woke up and saw you rowing for the play island. It was so early I thought...” Sora cut himself off and glanced away. “I mean,”
Riku relaxed his muscles and started towards his friend. “You thought what?”
“I thought something might be up.” The unspoken part of the statement was what made Riku reach for Sora and give him a hug. Riku knew. He had nightmares about the event that had overtaken the island, of being seduced by darkness. Sora's perspective on that event had to be even worse.
“Nothing's wrong.” Riku said softly. 'I'm not going anywhere.' he added silently.
“Oh. Good.” Sora replied meekly, but didn't let go. Riku didn't either.
[ x ] FRIEND to see updates
[ x ] comments are love