#you have gain the brain cell now sora

[therealterriblelizard]

Sora: Lemme tell you something.

Sora: At the beginning of my relationship with Riku, I admit-I was the annoying one. I had no problems admitting it, those were facts.

Sora: But now?

Sora: *Slams hand on table* RIKU IS THE ANNOYING ONE.

Riku: Hehe.

[shihalyfie]

Daisuke’s background with his family

We don’t really know a lot about the Motomiya family compared to many of the others in the Adventure and 02 narrative, only getting a few glimpses here and there, and ultimately Daisuke (by his own self-admission) turns out to not really have any deep opinions or hangups about them, but it’s still interesting to see how it has an influence on his background!

We learn in 02 episode 14 that Daisuke and his family actually lived in Odaiba back in 1999, with Daisuke as a (probably honorary) member of the soccer club under Taichi, Sora, and Koushirou. It’s hinted here in Daisuke’s face, but the Adventure novels and Spring 2003 confirm that he was extremely frustrated at his inability to protect his family (with Jun “gently comforting” him), to the point where “becoming strong enough to protect everyone” became his motivation thereafter.

So, really, when it all comes down to it and serious things are happening, this is a family that does have a lot of love for each other -- Daisuke outright admits in the Character Complete File that it gets lonely when even one person’s out.

As it turns out, even the Motomiya parents have really dramatic personalities (the Animation Chronicle calls extra attention to Jun’s personality having been something she got from her mother), to the point where they suddenly get over-the-top excited when Ken comes over in 02 episode 35, and Daisuke’s irritated reaction makes it clear that this is expected behavior from them. (I promise you that Daisuke’s dad’s statement doesn’t come off as nearly as harsh or cruel in Japanese as it probably does in English here; it’s not any worse than him calling Daisuke a little silly.) In the end, Daisuke’s tendency to be over-the-top with all of his emotions and get ridiculously dramatic about everything is just something that came straight from his family.

Actually, when you think about it, Jun isn’t really that different from Daisuke either, right down to losing a ton of brain cells when things start involving a crush -- she’s only slightly more in-your-face about it (and only via goading Yamato on a “date” in 02 episode 7, but this is “date”, singular, basically just convincing him to spend a day with her and take her somewhere, not actually being in the illusion that he returns her feelings or expecting a long-term relationship). She’s simple-minded, airheaded, fantasizes about the idea of Yamato returning her feelings without ever actually doing anything conclusive about it, and then, the moment she realizes that Yamato’s taken, mopes about it for one in-universe day before immediately switching her affections to Shuu like nothing had happened. So, really: it runs in the family.

(This also means that Daisuke’s probably not in for that much trouble if a day ever comes in which it turns out he’s conclusively rejected by Hikari for real -- his current relationship with her is based off him never making any firm statement and thus her being able to smoothly dodge everything, but if things ever truly get conclusively to the point where things won’t pan out for him, it’s not hard to believe he’d actually get over it quickly after an initial bout of disappointment.)

In 02 episode 4, Daisuke makes an accusation of Jun for constantly talking badly about him, and, if the Animation Chronicle is to be believed, he’s not actually wrong -- apparently “spreading bad rumors about him wherever she goes” is a habit she has. Given what we learn about her and the siblings’ relationship later in the series, though, it’s unlikely she’s doing this out of conscious malice -- by “rumors”, basically just trash talking her little brother the same way a lot of people reading this post probably love trash talking their siblings when they’re out of earshot, much like her calling Daisuke “not cute at all” earlier in this same episode. It’s a world that Takeru and Yamato (who had only seen Jun at her “best” earlier in the episode) are completely unfamiliar with, and Daisuke’s attitude of “hating” her causes Yamato and Hikari to get upset at him, but many a Digimon fan commenting on this episode has pointed out that a lot of sibling relationships are more like this than the ones between the Ishida-Takaishi and Yagami siblings -- a lot more ostensibly “vitriolic” and not as unequivocally admiring.

On top of the fact that Daisuke and Jun aren’t in need of overcompensating with their relationship due to a rift like Yamato and Takeru, or one party having unhealthy repression problems and requiring extra care, Daisuke and Jun are also a whole six years apart, which is even given extra attention in the Animation Chronicle. Which means they’re not very close in perspective; Jun’s all the way in high school, dealing with a baby brother who’s still in elementary, and so it’s rather understandable that they’re not really going to see eye-to-eye very much.

We get an example of a “fight” between them in 02 episode 35, but...

Jun: I really envy you, Daisuke...All you do is eat, sleep, play and you don't think about anything else, do you? Daisuke: I think about lots of stuff! Jun: Lots of stuff like what? Daisuke: Like...Lots of complicated stuff. But if I think too much, my brain freezes so I need to take a break sometimes. Jun: I'm sure it's nothing serious. Daisuke: Shut up! What about you?

It’s not really a serious fight at all -- just a lot of banter, the sort that a lot of real-life siblings would attest to also having been in a lot of. Perhaps, just the natural result of having a household where everyone seems to have the same slightly rough-around-the-edges, somewhat messy, overly dramatic, simple-minded and straightforward personality -- which also means they end up bouncing off each other and getting a little “crowded” (Daisuke very clearly not following Jun’s warnings to not use her soap bottles written all over them in red pen in 02 episode 15). But for all Daisuke had used the strong word of “hate” to refer to their relationship back in 02 episode 4, it really just seems like he’d been his usual dramatic self about it, and it’s all banter and occasionally being quick to criticize. Moreover, whenever Jun criticizes him, he’s actually less angry about snapping back at her or getting genuinely offended or sad the way he might with anyone else -- all he does is just fling a few quips back and move on, and doesn’t take it all that personally, so you could say he’s conversely rather comfortable with this status quo of getting to bicker with her.

But, really, banter is just banter; even something as little as “Daisuke (seemingly) laughing to himself in the bathroom” is enough to make Jun worry that something’s wrong with him in 02 episode 15, and Daisuke’s father also personally thanks Natsuko for helping Daisuke out and waxes cheerfully about his son and friends having a fun Christmas party together. In fact, considering the context that Daisuke seemed to be pretty friendless prior to the series, the above scene carries the added implication that he’s probably pretty happy to see his son finally making some proper friends and going all the way to Tamachi to be part of a party.

And, eventually, as things get much more serious and the exact truth behind what Daisuke’s been up to is revealed to his family in 02 episode 50, they take this with the exact amount of grace and worry that a proper supportive family does.

Hence, why Daisuke can make a statement like this in 02 episode 49. Even if his family isn’t ostensibly full of hearts and affection, they’re supportive when it really comes down to it, and it’s not like Daisuke himself even really takes the surface bantering between himself and his sister all that seriously, so he doesn’t feel the need to ask for anything different -- and what he really wanted since that day three years ago was to be able to protect his family, and that’s exactly what he’s going to do now. Other than Hikari, the others had gotten “illusions” related to deep-seated issues involving their personal lives, but it’s not like he really would want it to be any different at home -- arguably it’d be outright weird to him if Jun suddenly got lovey-dovey with him or something -- and now he’s surrounded by supportive friends and his own partner. Sure, he has some tendencies towards being a bit on-edge and insecure every so often, but right now, in the midst of this very serious situation when something has to be done, and after a whole series’ worth of bonding with his new friends and gaining a sense of purpose, that’s more than enough for him.

[rex101111]

🎬 with sorikai :3

(okay technically a high school romcom but close enough :P)

Riku was used to his friends catching him by surprise, it was simply in their nature to defy common sense and do something either utterly reckless, ridiculous, or just plain stupid.

Oh alright, that last one was mostly Sora, but Kairi was no stranger to doing something boneheaded and justifying it after the fact with the excuse of “I thought it was a good idea!” while the results of her blunder burned around her.

(Kairi isn’t allowed to use the Bunsen burner in chemistry class anymore and Riku will never let her live it down, but that is neither here nor there.)

Point is, he’s used to being on the back foot and having to pick up the pace when his two best friends in the whole world decide to do something utterly manic.

Thing was, they usually did so separately, which usually meant he had the other to act as a back up brain cell to hopefully negate the incoming damage. 

The key word there would be, of course, “Usually.” Sometimes, all the stars would align in the sky, shake hands, and unanimously decree that it was “Fuck Riku Around O’clock” and both Sora and Kairi would have their own uniquely stupid idea pop in their head, leaving Riku to fight a two front war he was destined to lose.

(Riku will never look at a meat loaf the same way again. And he, to this day, has no earthly idea what Kairi did to make Professor Eraqus’s hair puke green for a week and not get expelled for it, he suspects puppy dog eyes were involved.)

But even those calamities did not compare to those thankfully rare moments where they would both have the same stupid idea at the same time. Riku still shuddered at the memory of them being teamed up into a trio in that “egg babysitting” assignment.

(The egg, named Chirithy, was, thank the lord, perfectly alright by the end of the week. Riku’s sanity, his room, his dignity, and most of his clothes, were not.)

Point was, Riku was well used to being the “reasonable one”, the one who actually had at least half a clue and keep his friends from going too far.

And last week, the stars decided it was high time for another rousing lighting round of “Fuck Riku Around O’clock and so it was that, a few days before Valentine’s day, both Sora and Kairi had the exact same idea pop into their heads, and they both wanted Riku’s help with it.

Secretly.

Privately.

Riku is beginning to wonder why he still bleaches his hair because it would probably turn grey on its own with friends like his.  

The idea they both had, unknown to the other person, was to make homemade chocolate for Valentine’s to give to the other person. They did so because they both had the biggest crushes on each other, and they both had, through some convoluted happenings fit for a JRPG plot, no damn idea the other person liked them.

This lack of knowledge had been going on since they were all twelve, and Riku was absolutely sick of this high school romcom nonsense. He’s been watching these two bozos tap dance around each other for literal years and was making every effort to fix that since he figured it out before the both of them.

(Of course, he did that after having his own little crisis of identity when he figured out that he liked both of them, quite a bit actually, and was able to push his own feelings down in favor of making his friends happy. Their happiness was more important, their happiness was possible, and so they needed to figure their shit out so Riku could finish properly burying his own steaming pile and move on with his life.)

The problem, well, one of about a dozen problems, was that neither of them was exactly the best when it came to making any kind of food.

Sora had all the grace and consideration of a hungover elephant when it came to making food, if he intended to make use of an egg it was an inevitability that the fragile shell will implode almost as soon as he lays his fingers on it. The less said about the time he tried to juggle those damn pepper shakers the better.

And Kairi? Oh, Kairi was hopeless. Her head had a tendency to run ahead of her and pull her towards all sort of bizarre ingredients to add to the chocolate, melons and chilly peppers and celery being the least of her suggestions to worry Riku on a primal level.

It was a weary few days, Riku having to juggle with helping each of his friends without the other catching wise, running himself ragged in the process. It was a mercy that there wasn’t a pop quiz during those few days before Valentine’s, because Riku was sure he would have fallen asleep on the pencil.

It would be worth it though, he was sure of it, there was no way to misinterpret a homemade Valentine’s day chocolate, there was no way that the message would go over their thick heads.

They would get together, they would be in love, and Riku would be happy for them, happy to stand with them as they lived their lives together. 

Finally, he could move on.

…or, at least, that’s what he thought would happen.

That was a mistake.

He thinking that he could predict what his friends would do…he should have known they were very, very good at surprising him.

This time, they did it by coming to him during lunch break, big, goofy grins on their faces, and giving him a big pile of chocolate, exclaiming as one, “Riku! Will you be our Valentine?”

Riku blinked.

He looked at the chocolate, messy and mismatched and lumpy but genuine, wrapped in a plastic bag with a sticky note on the front, the words “YOU’RE IN OUT HEART VALENTINE” made with two colors of glitter pens were very hard to miss.

He looked at his friends, smiling down at him with those same dopey, lovesick grins he saw them direct at each other more times than he can count. Kairi’s right hand and Sora’s left were intertwined between them, while their free hands were displaying the chocolate with a flourish.

He blinked again, his brain a spinning record on a player with a bouncing needle, the tune skipping and repeating because none of this made any sense.

“You…” He started, voice faint, pointing at the two, “you were supposed to give chocolate to each other…” He looked between his two friends, their bright grins beginning to get on his nerves (and not making him blush be quiet), “so you would both know how you felt about each other.”

“We did give our chocolate to each other!” Sora chirped happily, pecking Kairi on the cheek and gaining himself a cute giggle from the girl in response, “though we actually confessed to each other a little while before we came to you for help,” he smiled wider, ignoring Riku’s jaw nearly dropping through the floor,  “thanks again for the help with that Riku!”

“A little while…?” He mumbled, spine straightening at the implication, “what do you mean a while-”

“And now!” Kairi jumped in before he could finish, “we’re giving you chocolate! So you know how we feel about you!” They both blushed when she finished, Kairi twirling a lock of hair between her fingers and Sora scratching his chin with a peppy smile. “It’s been a long time coming honestly, right?”

“Yeah!” Sora chuckled quietly, grinning at him with all of his teeth, “we’ve both been trying to confess to you for a while and…well, what better time than today?”

(Why were they so cute. That wasn’t fair. Whoever decided that was fair deserved a write up.)

“About…me?” The gears in his head were beginning to shed a few flecks of rust and starting to move a half inch at a time, “how you two feel…about…me?”

The two looked at each other with soft smiles, and then turned those smiles at him again, and his heart was starting to pick up on the atmosphere and was pounding in his ears.

“You two…like…me?” 

“Yeah!”

“A bunch.”

Riku blinked again, because he was sure if his eyes got any wider they would tumble out of his dumbfounded head.

“…Seriously?”

Kairi’s smile faltered for a moment, “oh come on Riku, me and Sora have been trying to clue you in all week!” She stopped and looked at Sora, “you were trying to drop some hints at him right?”

“All the time!” Sora defended, “but he was so focused on the baking he wasn’t paying attention.”

(A vague memory of Sora asking Riku to help him with cleaning his shirt after he spilled whipped cream over it popped into Riku’s head and he never felt more victimized by his goal oriented mindset.)

“How about you?”

“Licking spoons and commenting on how hot it was, no reaction at all!”

(Another memory came, this time of Riku snatching a spoon from Kairi as he saw her tongue leave her mouth, and he never felt more jealous of a piece of silverware in his entire life.)

Kairi sighed, “Who would’ve thought Riku would be so oblivious huh?”

Sora nodded, not noticing Riku snapping into a agitated stance, “Yeah! He’s usually so smart about most things, but I guess matters of the heart just kinda fly over his head-”

“Are you kidding?” The two stopped and looked at him, blinking owlishly, “I spend years, literal years, going along with your crazy schemes, cleaning up your messes, and still finding time to try and play matchmaker for you two so you could stop dancing around your feelings, and you’re telling me I’m the oblivious one!?”

Kairi and Sora blinked at him.

Then blinked at each other.

And then went back to looking at him. Sora first, “You…you did?”

Then Kairi, “you were trying to…get us together?”

Before he could yell that yes you morons and I’m pretty sure it had aged me two decades from the stress the two threw themselves at him in a lung crushing hug, kissing his cheeks and singing his praises.

He was in love with a couple of idiots.

And they were, miracles never cease, in love with him.

…ah, well, who said life and love were ever simple?  

“…Happy Valentine’s day you two.”

[shyly-yours]

not too obvious

notes: was inspired by a reddit snapshot. it’s really quite adorable.

---

“Quick, let me hold your hand!”

“Sora, I’m eating lunch--”

“I only have five minutes to feel everybody’s hand before I have to make my next delivery!”

Lea put down his chopsticks inside the Cheeto’s bag he was holding. He wasn’t five anymore and did not appreciate cheesy powder clinging to his clean hands. “First, gross. Second, do I even--hey!”

Sora took Lea’s free hand and interlaced their fingers in a firm hold for several seconds. The hungry man learned the best tactic to any Sora brand shenanigans was to let it play out, and then bail when it looked like government enforcement got involved. “I would say you should buy me dinner first, but I kind of think Riku would have a problem with his boyfriend of four years taking out his ex-lover on a date.”

“No, this isn’t right either,” Sora mumbled and then sighed while letting Lea go. “I’ve held at least a hundred hands today and none of them are right!”

Shaking out his released digits, Lea set down his Cheeto’s, leaned forward on the table they were currently occupying, placed his elbows on the surface, and put his head onto his folded hands. “Well, if we’re doing hand counts now--instead of bodies--I can positively say you’ve actually one upped me for once. I’m so proud of you.”

“I’ve done Kairi, Ventus, Roxas, Terra, and Xehanort--”

“Maybe, check, check, check, and what the fuck.”

“--and none of them feel right.” Sora ruffled his spikes as he sighed. “Why are you the only one here? I was hoping to feel Isa’s hand before he left for band practice. Did he leave already?!”

“It’s a holiday, dumbass. How did you even get in here? The shop isn’t open--waaait, did you make copies of the key I gave you years back?”

“There’s no time for questions, Lea! It’s imperative you tell me where Isa is!!”

“I’m not telling you where my other half is if you’re just going to molest him like you did me.”

“What?! I did NOT--”

“Sora? What are you doing here?” Namine’s sweet voice asked from the break room doorway. “Doesn’t Riku have a show tonight? You’re usually with him when he does.”

“Let me hold your hand!”

----

There was a talent show at a convention Sora took Riku to that one time. They were dressed as popular video game characters that Riku had no clue about, but he would do just about anything for Sora (well, okay, he would do anything for Sora), and they received positive comments everywhere they went. Therefore, it was easy for Sora to persuade Riku into a duet to “give the people what they want”. It was a wonderful memory Riku cherished very much. 

He has to remind himself that Sora didn’t orchestrate Riku being discovered by an attending talent agency representative. Riku thought it was a joke at first--he was a good singer, but he didn’t think it would necessitate things like recording contracts or publicity interviews. He wasn’t so far gone into stardom that he needed a bodyguard to protect him from invading paparazzi. He was in that sweet spot of having gained enough notoriety to be recognized once or twice while buying toilet paper with his cute boyfriend at the local supermarket. 

It’s just... most of the good things to happen in Riku’s life are usually associated with Sora. It took him a while to recognize self sabotage and learning to take time-outs when haunting thoughts resurfaced before old habits reverted him back to a person Riku didn’t like. Sora met him at this stage in his life--a chapter where Riku looked at gift horses in the mouth and manipulated the situation into a disaster before anybody else could ruin it. Despite fading into a toxic shell, Sora remained his friend, eventually a best friend, and coaxed Riku back “into the light” where Sora knew he belonged. Such a genuine person deserved somebody who didn’t occasionally hiccup, right?

“So when are you planning on asking him?”

Riku and Kairi sat side-by-side on the edge of the amphitheater stage. “You don’t think it’s too soon to ask him to marry me?”

Kairi shoved Riku’s shoulder with hers and said in a disbelieving tone, “Are you seriously asking my opinion about whether or not you should ask Sora, our impulsive and reckless and dearly beloved Sora who you have been dating and living with for a while now--”

“Only because I was getting evicted!”

“--who, might I also add, has been deeply in love with you since the day you two first met--”

“You just said he’s impulsive and reckless. I don’t know if I’ve been complimented or insulted.”

“--and whether or not you should marry him?”

Kairi stared.

“...the jury’s still out?”

And then smacked Riku upside the head.

----

What’s fascinating about the world of Sora is that he inherently knows when the time is right. His mother always told him to follow his heart when it came to the facts of life and making tough choices. Leaving Destiny Islands behind was an internal struggle, but a necessary change as Sora felt the universe calling him elsewhere. He made new friends, reunited with other adventuring islanders, and eventually landed in the energetic hubbub of Radiant Garden.

This is where he met Riku, one of the adventuring islanders Sora was surprised existed (although now he knows better than think he was the first to venture away from Destiny Islands). It wasn’t obvious then, but Sora’s heart knew Riku would always be a part of his life. Now to find the correct hand measurement for the ring he wanted to buy to further cement Riku’s permanency in his world.

“I’m really exhausted trying to find Cinderella’s shoe--”

“We made a list of code words, Sora, and you’re still sticking to this one?!”

“--and I’m not going to give up until I find the right hand, but Aqua I’m really starting to freak out here. LOOK OUT I’M COMING THROUGH!”

Sora threw his cellphone into the bicycle basket in order to put both of his hands onto the handlebars for better swerve control. Exclamations and shocked shouts were hollered in his direction both from walking pedestrians and his mobile. Sora was never meant to multitask at any capacity no matter his stubbornness to improve his lack of skill. Riku said Sora must have been born under a new moon to have been inhibited with so much chaos. 

“SORA! What’s happening?!”

Out of harms way and coming up to his final destination, Sora plucked his cell out of the basket and resumed his conversation. “Sorry, Aqua! Yen Sid’s Bao buns have been really popular today and he called me in to help with deliveries before Riku’s concert tonight!”

Aqua sighed in disapproval. “I really wish you wouldn’t talk and drive, Sora.”

“It hasn’t been that bad today! I only crashed once and it was smooth sailing up until just a minute ago.”

“So let’s reset the accident calendar to ‘zero days since last incident’, shall we?”

“Can we focus on what’s really important right now?”

“Oh! You mean you don’t want to discuss the state of your health and well-being? Because I have a mountain of evidence that says there should have been an intervention weeks ago.”

It was Sora’s turn to sigh. “Okay, I hear you Aqua! I need to take better care of myself! No need to mother hen me into an early grave.”

“I love you, Sora, but how does that even make sense?”

“Listen,” Sora grabbed the last take-out bag, walked up to the townhouse front door, and knocked. “I haven’t found a hand that resembles Riku’s and if I don’t get the ring size for the jeweler soon, tonight will be ruined. Well, not ruined-ruined because Riku is perfect and wonderful and his show is going to be GREAT but, like, I want to be married to him already, Aqua!”

The last part of Sora’s tirade came out whiny and the person who answered his knock heard every single syllable. “Um...”

“Oh! Hello, my name’s Sora and I’m your delivery service today! Oh behalf of Heavenly Buns we thank you for your order!”

“I thought you were joking when you said that was the name of Yen Sid’s restaurant,” Aqua mumbled to herself.

The patron smiled at Sora’s enthusiasm. “Awesome! I paid over the app already, but, um, give me a sec to get get you a tip.”

Already on the edge of despair from time’s harsh reality, Sora glanced at his wristwatch (anniversary gift) and said, “It’s totally okay! Your thanks is enough!”

“No, no, no, I have my wallet nearby. I used to work as a pizza delivery guy and I know how hard this job can be,” the customer said. He grabbed his food and left to find the aforementioned wallet leaving Sora to awkwardly stand on his doorstep.

“It’s nice to know there’s still decent people around,” his phone crackled. 

Biting his lip nervously, Sora sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, I’m really anxious about getting his ring in time and, well...”

“I’m listening.”

“...him saying yes.”

Sora couldn’t see her, but Aqua has been his confident throughout this excursion and he knew she was softly smiling. “Sora... do you want me to list all of the reasons why he is going to say yes to you like Kairi? Or do you want me to sprout endless quips like Lea until you finally get it knocked into your brain?”

“Um, how about some mother henning like Aqua?” It was Sora’s worst kept secret that he gravitated towards his friends that had strong maternal qualities when he had an episode. It was his quiet way of remembering his mother who passed two years earlier.

Sora heard a change of background noise and the click of a door shutting. He imagined Aqua stepped outside of her house as she tended to do that to better focus on serious conversations. “I may not have known you two from the beginning of your relationship, but I rarely see a person look at you the way Riku does every time you’re both in the same room together, Sora. You might not notice, but Riku is always making sure you’re comfortable first before he takes care of his own needs. He’s a dependable young man that cherishes the heart you have given him and he will always protect it from harm. It actually makes me jealous you found somebody that compatible in midst of your uncontrollable life.”

Rubbing at his eyes, Sora released a surprised laugh. Shakily, he said, “Riku worked hard to become the person he is now. He just needed somebody to believe in him to start creating the future he has now. I mean, he’s going to the next biggest pop star, Aqua! I can’t let him be tied down with me when his career hasn’t even started yet!”

“You’re doing it again, Sora.”

“...doing what?”

“Not believing in you. He won’t say no because he suddenly has a new life ahead of him. He’ll only say no if this isn’t something you want. Which, by the way ding-dong, are you already forgetting how passionate you were about wanting to be ‘married to him already’?”

“But what if he doesn’t want this?!”

“Then you will come to my place and we will hash it out over some moscato while Kairi and Lea wreak hell upon his person until he see’s sense again.”

“I don’t want him forced into marrying me, Aqua! That’s got to be illegal in several countries if not all of them!”

A throat cleared behind Sora. “Uh,” it was the customer back with the promised munny. “That sounds like a really interesting conversation you got going on there, buddy.”

Sora turned red in embarrassment. “Well, uh...” in for a penny, in for a pound. “Just, y’know, having an internal crisis about whether or not my almost famous boyfriend wants to settle down with,” Sora paused and gestured to himself, “this.”

Caught in the moment with this exchange of words, Sora barely heard Aqua on his phone, “I know you just didn’t call yourself a ‘this’. That is the equivalent of ‘it’ and you are worth so much more than that.”

The client clearly had no idea what to do. “Oh, well, um, good luck with that?” He shoved his fistful of munny at Sora. “And here! Thank you again for the delivery!”

Sora looked at the patron’s outstretched hand and froze.

“...Are you... are you okay?”

“Can I hold your hand?”

“...What?”

“Your hand! Can I hold it just for a quick second, please? I promise this isn’t for something weird--well, it’s a weird request, yes I know, because you don’t know me--well, you kind of do because I told you my name, but I don’t know yours! What’s your name? WAIT, that’s not important right now!  Please help me propose to my boyfriend who I love very much?!” Sora looked at the guy with the biggest puppy dog eyes he could muster. Considering the emotional rollercoaster he has been through recently it didn’t take much effort on his part.

The guy’s eyes widened as he considered calling for help. “Look, can you please just take the munny and go? My buns are getting cold.”

“I’ll pay for your dinner if you just hold my hand for a few seconds, sir, and I promise you’ll never see or hear from me again! Unless you wanna be friends!!”

“...Okay, I guess?”

Relieved, Sora set his phone down onto the townhouse banister and reached for his wallet to pull out munny. Elsewhere, Aqua facepalmed in exasperation. Sora was a sweet kid, truly, but his eccentric approach to life is why Lea purchased the accident calendar to go next to the tally marks of how many new friends Sora makes in a week. Sometimes their group makes bets.

Aqua smiled when she heard Sora’s shout of excitement on the other end of the line (and casually overlooked the distressed sound from the ex-pizza man).

----

note: part one of two...?

[turnupswritessometimes]

SoRiku - Hearts of Fire and Ice Ch4

Title : Hearts of Ice and Fire

Word Count (for chapter three) : 3,079

Summary :  Prince Sora of the Destine Isles has been kidnapped by Maleficent. Held in a cell, he comes into contact with the Prince Maleficent has been training his whole life, Riku. As Sora unpicks Riku’s attitudes, Riku finds himself reconsidering everything he has been taught.

POSTING UNDER THE CUT BECAUSE TUMBLR DOESN’T LET OUTSIDE LINKS SHOW UP IN SEARCHES??!!

Chapter Four:

Riku hardly slept.

As soon as it was light enough to read, he slunk down to the library, a cloak pulled against him to try and keep away the chill that crept towards him like a dozen spiders.

It was empty. It was always empty. It was like the imps were allergic to knowledge.

Riku pulled out every history book that he could find, and scanned through them for any trace of a lie. Any truth in Sora's words.

He didn't find anything. Everything was as he had been told. Almost down to the word. There were no contradictions. So why-

Riku pulled Sora's necklace out of his pocket - his only other clue - the only physical clue he had. The chain was as thin as spider's silk. There was a pendant with a silver key. Riku had expected gemstones - diamonds - but it was modest. There were no intricate carvings. Just a key. What the hell was he meant to do with it? What door could he possibly open?

"A bit of light reading, your highness?" a silky voice asked from behind him, spitting out the words like they left a vile taste in his mouth.

"There's nothing wrong with revision, Jafar," Riku replied just as coolly, shoving the necklace into his pocket and standing up from the table. Books now covered every inch of the wood in his haste for answers. "The pen is mightier than the sword."

Jafar was standing by the door, watching him like he was a wild animal. He had long since learnt how to return the look. They kept each other's eye contact as Riku stood. A game of dominance.

A game Riku didn't have time for.

He started forwards, and Jafar slammed the door shut.

Riku paused, evaluating Jafar. There was the familiar nasty glint and sneer of a smile. It was so hard to tell when these people were scheming something in particular, or if they were just scheming in general.

"The counsel broke their meeting up last night. What are you still doing here?" Riku asked. He fought not to show the nerves on his face. To make it look like he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"It seems a promotion is in the air. Maleficent wants someone with a shred of intelligence by her side," Jafar said. His hand still held the door shut.

"We both know who that's going to be," Riku replied, starting forward. This was all a game to psych him out. Through him off of his game.

Jafar's smile increased.

A bird cried from behind Riku, and alighted on Jafar's shoulder.

It was only when he saw the glimmering chain in the bird's beak that his heart lurched. He had already stepped forward before he had covered his expression with indifference.

Jafar looked at him, then at the chain hanging from the infernal parrot's beak slowly. Teasingly, he took the necklace in his long fingers, examining it with the eyes of a greedy merchant.

Riku crossed his arms, and pretended that the whole affair bored him.

"Well, it looks like someone's paid a visit to his pet," Jafar said.

"Visit to his pet," the parrot repeated mockingly. Riku could have throttled it.

"Ah, Iago, I could have sworn Maleficent told us to make sure the Prince doesn't go to the cells."

"I didn't. That's mine," Riku lied, his tone unfeeling and impassive. He held his hand out, the way Maleficent did when she wanted something. It usually worked for him too.

"Oh, I don't think so," Jafar continued to examine the necklace. Painfully slowly. "Her highness took a very similar chain from you when you arrived here. Why, the only other people who have this would be the crown Prince of the Destine Isles and the King's Ward."

Riku's heart skipped a beat. His hand wavered in the air.

Why would he...?

Jafar's eyes glittered at him, still able to read him like a book after all these years.

"You didn't know?" Jafar asked. He stroked the preening parrot. Riku felt it was smirking at him as well. "Of course, Maleficent wouldn't want you to know. Who you really are, what this unlocks...she needs you to believe her every word."

"And you know more than her?" Riku asked.

"Oh no," the necklace swung from Jafar's fingers like a pendulum. "I'm just willing to tell you the truth."

He couldn't trust Jafar.

Could he even trust Maleficent?

It wouldn't hurt to evaluate the information…it would be the smart thing to do.

He knew this game, it was a game of bargaining.

He let his hand fall back to his side, and drew himself to his full height. He still looked like a child next to the willowy sorcerer.

"What do you want for it?" he demanded. "For the information and to keep your mouth closed."

"Oh, I'll keep quiet. What you decide to do with the Prince is your business. I know the allure of royalty in chains," Jafar said. He seemed to relish in the angry blush that spread up Riku's cheeks at the suggestion. He stepped forward, evaluating Riku. "I'll keep quiet if you keep quiet. After all, if you told Maleficent that I was in league with you, I would be-" Jafar ran a finger across his neck, and the bird gulped.

"I'm not in league with you," Riku said. "You're not on my side."

"But that's part of my deal," Jafar give an oily chuckle. He circled Riku, placing his hands on the boy's shoulders. "You work for me. You give me information about Maleficent - what she's planning, her weaknesses. Recommend me to her, and I'll tell you anything your heart desires."

He was whispering in Riku's ear now, coiled around him like a snake. Riku kept his eyes fixed on the door. It would be easy to leave.

So easy…

"I'll even teach you magic," Jafar continued. "I can train you to be so much more than she's let you." It was a tempting offer. To gain his own power. He had no doubt that he could overpower Jafar. "Of course, when the time comes I'll need you to off that little Prince, and be my assassin."

If he waited too long, the opportunity would be gone. He would have to act now.

It would get Sora out of his life. No more confusion.

Just more power.

"Deal," Riku said.

"Cross your heart." Jafar's voice was soft. Teasing.

"Cross my heart and hope to die," Riku spat.

He gasped in pain. It felt as though his chest had been stabbed. Flames burned under his body, bubbling like acid in his throat.

He fell to his knees, and through streaming eyes saw Jafar drop the necklace in front of him.

"I shall see you this afternoon. It's a pleasure doing business with you, Prince Riku," Jafar said disdainfully as he stepped over him. The parrot sounded as though it was laughing.

Riku remained on the floor, one hand clutching at his chest, trying to claw the pain away.

It started to ebb, and his fingers shook as he unlaced his doublet.

There were two raw cuts on his chest; a cross over his heart.

It was just something to scare him, Riku reasoned. It was to scare him into doing what Jafar asked.

The cuts still throbbed.

He watched the Prince again. He was stood at the bars of his cell. A dog waiting for it's owner to return home. The hole had been abandoned.

Riku sighed, and placed the mirror to one side. He headed down to Jafar's chambers. The long way around. The route that took him past the corridor of Sora's cells.

He paused as he heard the Prince's voice.

"Is Prince Riku coming today? I still have to kick his butt at fencing."

"The Prince isn't allowed down here any more. Queen's orders." A guard cackled.

So she had told everyone. Riku despised her for making him seem like a child. For getting everyone to laugh at his mistakes.

"But what is he doing here? He's not a monster. He's from the Destine Isles too."

The guard only cackled again, and Riku headed past them, shuddering at the thought.

He didn't bother to knock as he entered Jafar's rooms. The air was thick with purple smoke, and the sorcerer had crumbling books propped open. His parrot was running on a bike to power the whole thing.

Riku made sure to jolt the table the bike balanced on as he passed it.

"So, tell me, what's that key?" he demanded.

Jafar actually jumped, and Riku felt triumph glimmer in his heart.

"Prince Riku, I didn't hear you come in. So like your queen," Jafar murmured, he didn't turn.

"Answer me," Riku repeated.

"The necklace is a sign of the highest royal trust. It is what the King gives only his most trusted allies. The Prince, of course. His ward - and the Captain of the Guard." Jafar said. He crumbled a leaf into the potion at a snail's pace.

"What does that have to do with me?" Riku demanded.

"So impatient," Jafar murmured, but he looked up and gave Riku a cunning smile. A cat who has the cream. "The Captain of the Guard gave that necklace to his son."

Riku felt numb.

"No," he murmured.

"Yes," Jafar replied. His eyes glittered at Riku's horror. "Of course, when the Captain of the Guard was lost to the plague, and his son went missing tragically…the army was disbanded. Before any fighting even occurred."

"No," Riku couldn't feel his mouth. Swarms of accusations - thoughts he never thought he could have - stung his brain. "You're lying."

"Ask your Prince," Jafar replied, with a smug shrug.

"I will," Riku snapped. He stormed from the room.

There was no way - it would mean - he wasn't - he couldn't have been -

It was only when he had slammed the door closed that he realised he had played right into Jafar's trap.

But at least he wouldn't tell anyone where Riku was going. Jafar was a snake, but he usually kept his deals if there was something in it for him.

Riku made a stop at his room, snatching up a garnet ring he had had for years, he tossed it at the guards. He could barely breathe. Barely stop to think.

"Leave for fifteen minutes, and it's yours." He said.

Thankfully, they were more loyal to shiny objects than to Maleficent, and were scurrying down the hallway in a matter of seconds. He waited until they disappeared, then pulled the necklace from his pocket again.

"What is this?" he demanded, showing the pendant to the Prince, who still had his face pressed against the bars.

"Can I have it back?" Sora asked, making a grasp through the bars.

Riku jerked it out of reach.

"Not until you tell me what it is," he said.

Sora rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

"It's a token of the King's. A sign of favour - and…" Sora trailed off as he looked at Riku. Deciding whether to trust him. He gave a small shake of his head - no way - and continued. "My friend had one too - his father gave it to him, but he vanished after the last Guard Captain… that boy was also called Riku."

Riku frowned, considering the necklace. The Prince watched him with big blue eyes. They felt like they were boring into his skull. But the stories matched.

How could the stories match?!

He fell back against the wall, his head whirring. Who he really was. From the Destine Isles.

His brain was failing to work.

"Riku, are you happy here?" the Prince broke Riku from the hive of his mind.

Riku looked up. The cut on the Prince's head had almost healed, but he looked paler and thinner than when they had first met.

"I will be," Riku said. It didn't matter. It didn't. "Once I'm Maleficent's right hand man."

Sora's eyes softened. There was that sickening look of pity.

"She sure has everyone here wrapped around her finger, huh?" he said.

Riku flung the necklace through the bars like it had burnt him.

But then he was coming through the doors.

"You couldn't have made it easy, could you?" he hissed. Sora scrabbled to fasten the necklace around his neck. "You had to come in and start sprouting tales - and just muddying everything - and - and undoing everything!"

"You believe me?" Sora asked, staring at Riku's rage hopefully. It only fuelled the fire.

"No! Yes! I don't know!" Riku yelled. He clutched his hair in his hands. "I. Can't. I can't."

"Riku," Sora's voice was soft. His fingers pressed over Riku's gently. "Please believe me. Maleficent spread the plague. Your father was our Captain. It's the truth."

Riku shook his head. He felt shame rear it's malformed head in his stomach as he whimpered. This wasn't happening to him. This was a dream.

"She took you from the Destine Isles and raised you here - I guess as a weapon against us. It…definitely made an impression…but you belong by my side." Sora continued.

"I can't - I can't -" he muttered. "I'm not a monster." His fists clenched, and Sora's touch disappeared. "You don't know anything about me."

"But I do," Sora said. Like he was coaxing a lion not to bite him. He reached towards Riku's face, and Riku flinched away. The very tips of Sora's fingers rested on his cheeks. He froze at the contact - the soft contact - and Sora looked him in the eye. "I've seen your eyes before. In dreams."

Riku stared at the Prince. Sora's lips were curved upwards slightly, but his eyes were full of sorrow. Wisdom. He looked much older than sixteen in that moment.

"I know your name is Riku," Prince Sora continued. His fingers twitched slightly on Riku's skin. Riku wanted to shy away, to run, but he was held by Sora's gaze. Like a spell. "I know you have a bad temper, and that you're a sore loser, but that deep down you're actually very kind." Sora's thumb nudged the edge of his lip and he stiffened. Sora's expression only grew more melancholy. "I know that you've never known love here."

"Maleficent loves me," Riku murmured. His hands closed over Sora's wrists, ready to push them away, but he didn't.

"Then why do you flinch?" Sora whispered. His fingers twitched, and Riku threw him away from him, pressing himself defensively against the door. 'Don't let people get close. You always get hurt in the end.'

Sora stumbled, then crossed his arms against his chest, like he was holding himself together.

"I -" Riku started. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop his head from spinning. "I don't know what to think."

"It's okay," Sora murmured. "You'll see soon enough."

"Why would she lie to me?" Riku demanded, but he didn't expect Sora to have the answers.

Sora shrugged.

"If you were the one attacking us...I know we wouldn't be able to resist. My father wouldn't be willing to risk you." He said. He looked up at Riku, and smiled slightly. "And I wouldn't be able to either."

"You're crazy," Riku shook his head. "You - and your - dreams."

"I'm not prophetic like Kairi - but - I do have dreams about the past," the Prince said.

Riku shook his head again, now unsure whether to laugh. Sora had to be lying. He was insane.

"It's true - it's like looking into a magic mirror," he said.

"So tell me where I was last week," Riku said.

"It doesn't work like that," Sora mumbled.

Riku gave a sharp bark of a laugh. This was all nonsense.

"Okay, your majesty," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"The point still stands that I was right. Our country is not responsible for the plague," Sora said.

Riku couldn't argue with that. Jafar was telling him the same things.

None of this made sense.

"Well, look, I have to-"

"Go?" Sora raised an eyebrow. "You usually do when you feel uncomfortable."

"I have to go because I can't be caught here again," Riku hissed.

The Prince took a step back. He frowned.

"You said before…you were in trouble because of me…" he said slowly.

Riku rolled his eyes – did he even need to grace that with an answer?

"So why do you keep coming?" Sora asked.

The Prince stared at him with innocent eyes. Like a puppy. But there was a small, knowing smile on his face. Like he already knew the answer. Like a cat.

Maybe he was a kitten after all.

"Because," Riku stumbled for an excuse. "I – I want to show you you're wrong."

Sora covered his mouth with his hand, but it was too late. Riku had heard the laugh.

"I'm serious!" he snapped. Trying to turn the ice back on, but heat was creeping across his cheeks.

"I think you're starting to believe me," Sora said.

Riku opened the door of the cell silently. It was too late. No matter what he said now, he couldn't redeem himself. Best to leave before anything else happened.

"I'll tell you about my dream tonight!" Sora hissed through the bars of the cell. "And you'll believe me then."

"Not likely," Riku muttered to himself, but his stomach lurched.

They both knew he was lying.