Archive of Our Own

“But wait, what will happen to you?”

“I'll dive into the darkness and take the bugs with me so they're destroyed.”

“Hurry, Sora. If you leave now you can still make it out. I don't want to hurt you.”

“I get it. There's still just enough time.”

“Right.”

“Great! Since there is escape time that means there is just enough time to stop the bugs and help you, right?”

“What? I didn't mean that!”

“Forget that ‘on my own’ talk”

“I'm sorry, you're right.”

“And quit with all the apologizing.”

“Everything you touch, makes you stronger..”

“Sounded good, right? You're not the only one who's grown through all of this!”

”Hmph. Well you're still kind of a half pint.”

“Hey don't think I'm not going to remember that when I'm taller than you.”

“I look forward to the day THAT happens.”

"Hey Sora... Nevermind I'll tell you this when its all over."

“No matter what you lose, you can always get it back. And that means you can definitely get yourself back.”

“Aren't you afraid?”

You were supposed to forget everything…

But you didn't.

There were two things that happened since Mickey and the others left the data worlds. 

One, Sora and Riku were the only thing that remembered everything. Two, they grew closer by the minute.

At first it was just lingering glances and hand touches. Riku hated how he felt at first, it wasn't right. He came into existence because he was someone important to Sora, right? It had to be why he felt this way

However, this data Riku also felt and remembered everything as well.

"I'm not really Riku," he told Sora one day.

But Sora looked at him and shook his head, "And I'm not really Sora either. We're both their data versions." They were both data after all.

Riku digressed, “No, you're you but me,” he shook his head sadly, “I am just—”

Sora interrupted whatever he was going to say, “We're both data, Riku. Sure, there are different versions of us where Mickey and the others live, but we're still us.”

After everything was over, he wanted to tell him something before it was too late. He had those pent up feelings for a while. When Sora refused to let him be selfishly selfless and sacrifice himself, it just grew stronger.

He was going to tell him.

But he chose the cowardly route. He only said something once and that was when everything was about to reset. “I love you,” he could only muster as a light shined around them. A cowardly thing to do, knowing he wouldn't remember nor remember anything of this adventure.

But he was wrong.

Sora for some reason remembered but he couldn't figure out why. He wasn't complaining, though he didn't know if he remembered his last few words. He acted as if he didn't but still…

It was hand touches. Lingering hand touches. Then those touches turned into holding hands. Sora and Riku would often hold hands, while whispering to each other. “Why is it you remember? I thought everything was reset.”

Sora just grinned happily, “Who knows, but I'm glad I didn't disappear nor forget anything. I wanted to remember. And I wanted to remember the adventure I had with you.”

They liked being together, just them alone.

Sora often liked leaning on Riku. He was always the touchy one of the two, after all. Sometimes he would run up to him and just give Riku a hug for no reason. He liked leaning Riku’s arms and hands too. Just being in his embrace made him much happier.

And it was different from when he was with others. Sora would hug or be with others, but with Riku it felt different. It made him feel stronger.

Riku often liked leaning on Sora too. It usually wasn't something he did. Sora was the more touchy and affectionate one in general, but with Sora it was different. Riku would often rest his head on Sora’s and Sora might even lean against Riku's arms.

But when Riku sometimes let himself relax, that's when he became touchy as well. He hugged Sora from time to time and would even rest his chin on Sora's hair.

“Your hair is soft,” he found himself muttering quietly, amongst themselves. Sora still heard him and his own cheeks would be velvet by the minute.

Sora personally didn't think so, his hair was really spiky and messy. “Riku…” he whispered back, "it's really not.”

Riku still kept his eyes closed, resting his head on Sora's, “You have no idea, do you?”

Sora scrunched up his face and pouted, “Well your hair is much softer and nicer. It is just like silk… like— like an angel’s.”

Riku laughed, “So I'm like an angel, huh?” There was smugness in his voice when he said that.

Sora grinned, not denying it, “Yeah!”

~•~•~

The two whispered amongst themselves.

Selphie and the others often watched them in wonder.

“I wonder what they're doing?” Wade turned to Selphie and Tidus.

“They just wanted it to be the two of them.” Tidus frowned, “And I wanted to fight.”

“Hmmm…” Selphie stared at the two, “I wonder if Kairi might know. She should be returning soon. She was gone for some reason.”

“I can't remember why she left.”

“O-oh!” Tidus exclaimed as if he suddenly remembered, “She's supposed to return soon!”

The other two had the same reaction as if they just remembered that fact too.

“I think Riku mentioned it once.”

Riku mentioned it once or rather he gave them the idea she left to help explain leftover damage that the bugs did to the rest of the worlds.

When the worlds reset, there was some damage still done and that was Kairi being gone for a while.

Riku had to manually recreate her data.

~•~•~

Sora and Riku's relationship escalated farther.

Not only would Sora hug Riku, but within those hugs that would leave his cheeks red, Riku couldn't help but lean to kiss his cheeks at the same time.

And Sora always enjoyed it each time, he liked it when Riku kissed his cheek. Riku would lean on him and kiss his forehead or even hair sometimes too.

“Riku, my hair isn't soft.” Sora frowned and protested, but Riku kept kissing it as if to say it is soft. “Hey! Okay okay that's enough”

Riku laughed, “Oh yeah?” He quipped an eyebrow, a bit smug this time. “It's not huh?”

Sora closed his eyes, pouting, “It’s messy, spiky and just—”

Riku took that moment to kiss his hair again, “Mhmm?”

“Riku! That's cheating.” Sora crossed his arms and attempted to push against him.

Sora managed to push Riku out from under his feet.

Riku sat up and stared at Sora.

They both end up laughing, but Riku was still blushing at what happened.

“What is it?” Sora turned to Riku who in response said nothing, but decided to hug Sora and kiss his cheek in the process.

Riku shook his head and lifted himself up when he saw someone at the entrance of the cave. “Kairi.”

Sora raised his arm and started waving frantently. “Hey Kairi!”

“What have you two been up to lately?” Kairi eyed them with her arms crossed, “Selphie and the others say you guys didn't want anyone else to bother you.”

“Ah Kairi! Well Riku has been kissing me!” Sora exclaimed.

Riku turned to him bewildered that he would say that, “What?!” His face was all red from the exposure.

Kairi smiled, “Oh! Okay. Enjoy yourselves then!” She smiled and just as she was about to turn away Riku called out her name.

“Kairi wait!” Riku turned to their friend.

She shook her head, “You don't have to explain anything.”

Sora didn't quite understand what the problem was. Then he remembered what Kairi told them. “Kairi, we didn't really feel like fighting Tidus and the others again.”

 Riku chose to agree with Sora, “Yeah, we wouldn't want them to feel bad, always losing.” 

Kairi shook her head, “Arrogant as always Riku.” She stated as she began to finally leave.

“But it's true!” He called back.

“Don't worry I'll let them know you both don't feel like it so that way they will remember.” Were the last thing she said before leaving them to be.

Sora looked down, “But they won't remember. They always forget.”

“I'm sorry.” Riku felt that it was his fault everything was like this as if he was to blame. “If there was only a way where everyone would remember each time I have to fix—”

“Are you apologizing again?” His mouth was in a thin line.

“Can you blame me? Everyone forgets… everyone except for you.” He held a sympathetic expression in his eyes, “They remember all the important things, but I have to tell them or piece it in their memory. Such as Kairi's reappearance.”

“Riku… It's not your fault. That's the only way to fix everything.” Sora defended the fault. Then Sora wondered, “Why was Kairi gone? You too.”

Riku shook his head, “Because we're data that's written from the adventure that our other selves went on. My hypothesis is that because she disappeared when the islands fell, she's gone here too.”

Sora looked down, “The islands falling hmm… I hope they settle things and restore the island.”

Riku nodded, “Yeah…”

Sora smiled at his words, “I think they did because if they didn't then we wouldn't have met Mickey and the others.”

Riku then turned to Sora, “Oh— Why did you say that to Kairi? What if people start getting the wrong idea?” He turned his head away. “And it could have hurt her feelings. Kairi she—” His words were interrupted.

It's not that he didn't like it if people thought that. But she seemed completely supported and like she already knew it would happen.

That's the part that confused him.

“Riku, me and Kairi aren't like that… Besides she always forgets things like everyone else,” he muttered the last part a bit quieter.

Riku blinked, “Oh. Ohhh. I.. I see. Um okay. Wait.” He paused when he actually thought about it. “You aren't? Why not?”

Sora stared at him like he couldn't believe it. “Because we're friends?”

Riku nodded. “And we're best friends?”

Sora grinned, “Absolutely.”

Those cheek and head kisses then turned more intimate. Whenever Riku would lean behind him and rest his head on his, Sora would close his eyes.

However, Sora decided to turn around and kiss him whenever he did that too.

Riku was blushing.

It wasn't the cute, sweet kisses. These kisses were still that of course, but they were so much more.  

And these weren't just on the cheeks or forehead, they were on the lips.

Lingering stares turned into hand touching. The hands touching turned into hand holding which then turned to hugs and leaning on each other. Those in which then turned into kisses.

Sweet kisses made by both parties on the lips.

The first time that happened, Riku was surprised. “Do you remember what I said right before the first reset? I wanted to tell you something but I told you about how you would forget everything, but the truth is there's more that I was originally going to say.” This is it, he decided. Riku was now pouring his heart out. “I should have really told you this way soon.”

Riku always figured he did not, but maybe if he could remind him of his words.

He wished he said it before that and wasn't a coward about it.

Sora was smiling, ear to ear. “I love you too, Riku.” He kissed him again.

Riku was shocked. “Hey! I.. You stole my line!” He crossed his arms.

“I remembered but I pretended I didn't because it seemed to bother you. Why didn't you tell me sooner?” Sora's eyes stared intensely at Riku, waiting for an answer that could change everything. “I. Love. You.”

Sora cheeks were velvet after saying that declaration. Riku's eyes were dilated after hearing those words.

He looked down and spoke with a quiet voice, “I guess we were busy making sure the bugs were fixed and I was distracted…” Riku lamely tried to excuse himself.

~•~•~

Whenever Sora saw Selphie or one of the others, he'd make sure everyone knew his situation. He did not want anyone to forget. He was also very excited to announce himself and Riku as just that.

“Hey Sora!” Selphie waves.

“Hi Selphie, I'm going to see my boyfriend!” He just grinned, with excitement showing on each of his features.

“Poke!” Sora pressed his finger to Riku's cheek that same day, surprising him.

“Eh!” Riku crossed his arms, “Sora..!?”

Sora started laughing as he grinned, “I wanted to visit my boyfriend. What are you doing? Did the system mess up again?” Sora watched as Riku was in front of a computer typing codes Sora could not understand.

“No,” he smiled and ruffled Sora's hair. “I’m coding something in.”

“Will everyone reset and forget things again?” Sora leaned over Riku's shoulder.

“This won't affect anyone. Well maybe except for you?” He smiled to himself.

“..what?” Sora furrowed his eyebrows, “Are you going to make me dumb? Then you're going to laugh when I can't remember anything like… like you or Kairi!”

Riku burst into laughter.

Sora frowned, “It's not funny. It's a real fear you know cause I remember everything.”

“It's…something special.” Riku whispered instead.

Sora hated that Riku was planning something and he had no idea what it was.

“Riku…” He leaned his head on Riku's shoulder, “Please? What is it?”

Riku lifted up from the keyboard and computer. “...You're so cute.” Riku kisses Sora. “Alright, come on. Let's go on a date.”

“So Data Dataing?” Sora gave a cheeky grin when he said that.

Riku couldn't help but still smile at his words.

Riku brought Sora to a place where it was night. The sky had thousands of stars that seemed like they were glowing brightly just for them. It was like they were falling, but shining just as much. “A meteor shower?! Like when we were kids?”

Riku nodded, “Yeah like when we were kids.”

“Wow!” He looked in amazement , still clinging onto Riku. “But this time you don't need to protect me! I'm not going to be scared!”

Riku kissed Sora on the cheek. “I don't care. I still want to protect you.”

Sora smiled, “Today was fun.”

Riku's eyes dilated, “I love you.” He whispered, embracing Sora with a sweet kiss to lips...