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The rain’s a rhythmic drum against the windowpanes, and Sora and Riku doze beneath the hum of it.
They’ve been doing a lot of that since their return home. Splitting their time between one another’s beds. Sleeping, dreaming, and waking up, only to roll over.
Kairi had ragged on them for it. “You guys are always in bed!” But she hadn’t been there during their adventures. Riku knows she feels like she’s missing out. Her heart was asleep until she was whisked back to Destiny Islands, alone. One could say she’s done more than enough sleeping for a while. Kairi just couldn’t understand.
But now, Riku’s propped up in Sora’s childhood bed, watching his form rise and fall as he sleeps. He’s asleep for even longer than Riku. He and Sora have talked about their trials, what they went through while they were apart. However much Riku survived, Sora might have suffered even more. And Riku knows a great deal of Sora’s hurt is Riku’s own fault. He’s a big part of why Sora’s so tired all the time, why he pushed himself so hard on his journey.
So Riku tries to do what he can to pay it back. He watches over Sora in his rest. His face lies peaceful, wholly undisturbed by the outside world. Finally calm.
Riku brushes away a memory from Castle Oblivion, of Sora unconscious and untouchable.
Extending a hand, he lets his fingers stroke Sora’s side. Sora’s chest rises and falls, rises and falls. He emanates heat, and he breathes, as constant as the shoreline.
Riku finds himself at peace, too, just being this close to him. He’d wanted an adventure, yes—He can’t help but worry that he did wish ill on their islands, drawing the darkness into their world. But what Riku had truly craved was this. The stillness, the peace. He just hadn’t known how to reach it.
Sora starts to stir, letting out a small noise as he hoists himself up on his elbows. He makes one bleary squint at Riku, then leaps toward him.
Riku lets out a startled “oh!” as Sora crashes into him, grappling like a drowsy sloth until he snatches Riku’s head and pulls their mouths together.
Sora cups his jawline, taking his time. He kisses Riku slowly, and Riku lets him. Riku lets him get away with so many things, these days. Sora could kiss him for hours and Riku doesn’t know if he’d have the heart to pull away.
Sora’s breath is soft on Riku’s lips. He smells like sleep.
Riku lowers his hands, wrapping them around Sora’s waist. Sora eases, pulling away to let his head fall on Riku’s chest. Riku can feel his heart pounding against Sora’s cheek. A lazy smile’s sprawled across Sora’s lips.
Riku asks, “What was that for?”
“Just because.”
Riku snorts, lays his head on Sora’s hair.
They stay like that a moment longer before Sora murmurs, “I was dreaming about the other worlds.”
“Yeah?”
“And how they all, like…” Sora lifts up his hands to knit them together. “They all had someone to belong to.”
“Someone?”
“Yeah. Everybody with their somebody.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
Sora wrinkles his nose. “You’d get it if you listened.” Chastened, Riku shuts his mouth. Sora breathes in slowly as he thinks his way through. “When I was searching for you, I mean. I kept going to all these worlds, and in each one, my friend was looking for someone else. Like, Belle was trying to save the Beast. Meg wanted to protect Hercules. Mulan and Shang, Aladdin and Jasmine… everybody wanted to be reunited.
“And I just needed to find you.” Sora’s arms seize around him. “That’s exactly what I was doing. It… It made me realize how I feel about you. I was helping everyone else save the one they loved… and, well, with you…”
Riku’s face warms. He tries to think of something witty to say. “Yeah, but.” Uh. “Took you long enough to find me.”
Sora shoves him, not enough to hurt. “Whose fault is that, Riku?”
Riku laughs quietly. He tries to suppress it, but the smile’s tugging across his face.
Sora lifts his head, his eyes latching to Riku. Riku starts to pull away, but then Sora leans in again, his temple touching Riku’s. His temple, and then his lips.
And Riku can’t fight him anymore. Sora’s right. He’s won.