Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Afterwards ❯ Chapter 1

Riku/Sora/Kairi: afterwards

 

 

After all was said and done, it wasn't so much that it had changed, for Riku, it was about how much hadn't changed. The island was still small and close knit, where everyone knew everyone else's business and Sora's Mom still made the best cookies and Riku's Father still buried himself in the bottle (though the first time he tried to hit Riku when Riku returned, Riku sent him through the window before he even realized what he had done, and was now living with Sora and his mother; a dream he had since he was a child, only as a child he hadn't expected the overwhelming urge to make himself useful. If only his Father could see him now, cleaning and scrubbing, but somehow his hands were still-). Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie still couldn't touch him, and the secret place STILL had that stupid picture of Sora and Kairi sharing the paopu with each other (he refused to acknowledge being jealous though, because isn't that the way the story always ends? The hero gets the girl and the best friend gets ignored). He wants to be happy for them, but their relationship leaves a bitter taste in his mouth and he just throws himself even deeper into his work because that roof won't fix itself and this is the kind of thinking that got him in trouble in the first place, damn it!

 

He doesn't realize he said the last bit out loud until Sora's Mom peeks her head up from an open window, a worried frown on her face, “Riku, sweetie? What's wrong?”

 

Riku jerked a little, startled by her voice, and shook his head, “Just hit my thumb with the hammer, don't worry about it.”

 

“That should be a sign for you to take a break,” She said, smiling at him (he never noticed until now that Sora had his mother's smile). “You've been working all morning. I just made some lemonade and sandwiches, and Sora just came home with Kairi.”

 

“Maybe later, I want to get this done and if I stop now, I'll never finish it. Thank you, though.”

 

“Alright, honey. Just come on down when you're ready,” and with that she vanished back into the house.

 

He mopped the sweat from his face with his discarded t-shirt. Riku didn't want to see Sora with Kairi. He couldn't stop those darkly jealous thoughts about Sora, and it reminded him of tales of dragons his mother had told him and Sora before she died.

 

“Dragons, or so the legends go, were very possessive creatures. They weren't evil, really, they just wanted to keep what was theirs. How would you feel if someone snuck into your home and took your teddy bear, then killed you for being upset about it?”

 

Sora's eyes had filled with tears as he clutched his bear tighter, “I don't want anyone to take Mog!” He stood then, Mog clutched tightly under one arm as the other punched the air with as much bravery and determination that a three year old could muster, “I know! I'll be the knight who protects the dragon and his treasure!”

 

Riku blinked up at him from where he was sitting, “If you're the knight, who's the dragon?” He had always been the knight in their games, and seeing Sora try to take the role confused him.

 

“You! You always hog the cookies, so that makes you a dragon!”

 

Riku had gotten up then and gave chase to Sora then, and his mother's laughter echoed after them.

 

`Maybe Sora was right back then, is a weird way. Perhaps I secretly am a dragon, and Sora is my treasure,' Riku mused to himself, chuckling. He was struck by the mental image of Kairi dressed as a knight and trying to slay Riku so that she could take Sora from him and his laughter turned slightly hysterical before he shook his head violently. `Stop it, stop it, stop it!'

 

“Stop what?”

 

Riku's head snapped around and nearly fell off the roof when he saw Kairi, holding a plate with a sandwich and a plastic cup on it with one hand as she climbed up onto the roof, “Kairi, what are you doing up here?”

 

“Sora and his mom were worried about you, so I offered to bring you lunch,” She handed him the plate and Riku set down the hammer to take it fro her, being careful not to spill the lemonade. “…So how've you been? Sora and I haven't seen you in a while.”

 

“…I've been alright. Busy. The house needs a lot of work,” Riku took a large bite of his sandwich, hoping she'd get the hint and go away.

 

“You don't have to work so hard all the time, Riku. We miss you.”

 

Riku looked at her, “…Is it wrong to want to give the happy couple their space?” He hadn't meant to snap it out like that, harsh and angry, but he couldn't take it back now, Kairi looking as though he just slapped her.

 

“Riku… what the hell makes you think Sora and I would be in a relationship without you?”

 

Riku choked on his sandwich and took a large gulp of his lemonade, “What?”

 

“Sora and I talked about it, and we have been trying to talk with you about it, but you've always been too busy. So… you were avoiding us?”

 

Riku didn't look at her, couldn't look at her, “Normal people don't have a boyfriend and a girlfriend, Kairi. The hero gets the girl and the dragon ends up dead at the end.”

 

“Dragon? Is that how you see yourself?”

 

Riku shook his head, “Never mind. In any case, it's still not normal.”

 

“Riku, you, Sora and I are about as far from normal as it gets,” Kairi laughed and crawled over to Riku, leaning her head on his shoulder, completely heedless of the sweat that coated his skin, “It wouldn't feel right without you there, you know?”

 

Riku took another bite of his sandwich, refusing to look at Kairi, “I don't understand. Sora is in love with you, not me.”

 

Kairi stared at Riku in disbelief, “Uh, Riku? When did you become an idiot?”

 

Riku bristled and snarled at her, hand half-curling and ready to summon up the Darkness to obliterate her, or at least shove her off the roof and into the flower bed (he didn't want her dead, after all). Slowly, he relaxed himself, willing the Darkness to go away, “I. Am not. An idiot,” He said tightly, still trying to calm the Darkness and bury it inside himself.

 

“Riku, he saved the universe for you. Twice, in fact. How does that translate as `not in love' to you?”

 

“He was looking for you.”

 

“The first time, maybe. But you forget, he was looking for you, too, Riku. And what about the second time?” Kairi sighed and rubbed her eyes, “Never mind. Sora's feelings for you mean nothing if they're coming from me. But then there's my feelings for you, you know.”

 

Riku blinked down at his empty hand. He had run out of sandwich to stall with, “…Huh?”

 

“That whole time… you protected me. And you kept trying to save me. And then, when you were hiding in Ansem's form, you still protected me.”

 

“Kairi…”

 

“No, listen to me. I've always liked you, Riku. You and Sora both! Sora will probably talk to you on his own about this, but I wanted to tell you myself as well. Do you understand?”

 

“Uh… sort of? I need to think it over, Kairi, okay?” Riku drained his cup of lemonade and let Kairi take it from his fingers before leaning in to brush a soft kiss across Riku's lips.

 

Kairi licked her lips with a impish chuckle, “Mm. Lemonade suits you.”

 

Riku frowned at her, “That's letting me think it over?”

 

Kairi looked at him innocently, “There were crumbs.”

 

Riku chuckled and shook his head, “Yeah, yeah. …Thanks for bringing me lunch, Kai.”

 

“No problem. Come in soon, okay? All this sun will make you pass out, not to mention you're probably going to get a sunburn.”

 

“I've never gotten a sunburn a day in my life, Kairi, why would I get one now?”

 

“…I don't really have to point out two years in Darkness, do I?”

 

“I'm not going to get a sunburn. Thank you for worrying about me though.”

 

Kairi sighed and shook her head, “Alright. I'll take this stuff inside for you.”

 

“Thanks again, Kairi,” Riku returned his attention to fixing the roof as Kairi took his paper plate and plastic cup and climbed back into the house.

 

~~

 

By the time Riku finished the roof, the sun was beginning to set. He felt tired and dehydrated and his back ached.

 

“Hey Riku!” Sora hugged him from behind and Riku cut off a yelp. …Perhaps he did get a sunburn after all, “Oh shit, Riku are you alright? Ack! You're all red like a lobster!”

 

“I lost track of time when I was fixing the roof,” Riku ground out, teeth clenched in pain.

 

“Oh man, go lie down, okay? I know Mom has some aloe somewhere…” Sora darted off and Riku staggered to his room to collapse face down on his bed, dropping his t-shirt to the floor.

 

“Uhg. Kairi warned me…”

 

“She won't rub it in your face that she was right, though,” Sora said, “Want me to rub the aloe in? I'd use an ice spell on you, but Mom has forbidden me from doing magic in the house.”

 

“That's because you nearly burned the kitchen down trying to light the stove's pilot light.”

 

“Hmph. I can always leave you to do this yourself.”

 

“Forgive me, oh great one.” Riku rolled his eyes and hide his grin behind his pillow.

 

“Of course, Riku,” Sora's grin was bright as he peeled off his gloves and climbed up onto Riku's bed, straddling Riku's thighs. Sora brushed Riku's hair aside and started rubbing the cool gel along Riku's shoulders before slowly working his way down. “…Did Kairi talk to you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“And?”

 

“Why me? Why do you and Kairi want me?”

 

“Because we love you, stupid?”

 

“…Why?”

 

Sora pressed down on Riku's burn, making him yelp, “Why can't you accept it? Why can't you just accept the fact that we wanna be with you?”

 

“Because a) I tried to kill you-“

 

“That wasn't you, Riku.”

 

“And b) I'm still Dark.”

 

“It's cute how you think that's relevant, Riku.”

 

“…Sora-“

 

“You are my best friend. I have been in love with you since I first met you.”

 

“You don't get it. Either of you. The entire reason for the island being the destroyed the first time? Was because I felt like Kairi was taking you away from me. I can't share you. I won't share you.”

 

“…So that's when you meant when you called yourself a dragon,” Sora chuckled, “Riku, remember when we were really little and I said I'd be the knight who protects the dragon?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I think I am the dragon in this case. I want you both, Riku.”

 

“Sora… look, just give me time, okay?”

 

“Alright.” Riku sighed as Sora finished rubbing his back, “Hey Riku?”

 

“Mmm?”

 

“Are you done thinking yet?”

 

Riku rolled over, taking care not to lean on his back, “Sora, I need more time than that.”

 

“Oh,” Sora grinned at Riku fro his seat in Riku's lap, “Do I get to help convince you while you think?”

 

Riku eyed Sora wearily, “Define convince.”

 

Sora leaned in to kiss Riku, hands resting on Riku's hips, humming softly as his tongue darted out and traced Riku's lower lip, “Mmm, this.”

 

“…Nice convincing,” Riku said, dazed.

 

“You cheating bastard, you said you'd wait for me before you started molesting him!” Kairi stood in Riku's doorway with her hands on her hips.

 

“Well, you were late.”

 

Kairi huffed and climbed onto Riku's bed behind Riku, “Whatever. …Oh Riku, you did burn.”

 

“I lost track of time, Kai.”

 

“Poor baby, we'll just have to take good care of you.”

 

Riku glanced between them, “…is this you two trying to convince me?”

 

Kairi nibbled on Riku's ear, gently, “Mmmhmmm.”

 

…Needless to say, a few hours later, Riku was thoroughly convinced.