Archive of Our Own ^beta

Riku is a prince on Destiny Islands with a growing problem. What is that problem? He doesn’t know. No one will tell him. He had a feeling it was the pirates though. It was always the pirates!

The early light flooded into his room and Riku blinked drowsily. He looked around and closed the book that rested on his chest from when he'd had fallen asleep to the night before.

He placed it gently on his bedside table and sat up. He yawned stretching his arms above his head. He sighed and looked out the window at the sea that calmly danced just for him. He'd always found those waves calming. When he was younger and he would play on the beach with his friend. He wished he hadn't disappeared.

Suddenly, there was a knock at his door and his servants walked through the door. Riku lifted the blanket and moved to stand as he sighed again this time just a bit more annoyed. He allowed them to fuss over his hair and his clothes and how dark the bags under his eyes were. And yet, they flipped on a dime as they continued to tell him how handsome he was.

They dressed him in a white suit with with silver embroidery along the sleeves and body. Riku hated how tight and scratchy it was on his skin but his father wanted only perfection. He pulled his hair into a ponytail and tied it with an ivory ribbon.

Riku was to be married off any day now. He had to look his best this day and always until he meets his future bride. He traveled down to the breakfast table to meet with his father and brother, but he only saw his brother once again. Their father was always busy doing other things and hardly spent time with his sons.

Riku sat next to his twin brother who greeted him.

"Good morning." His brother Nox called.

"Good morning." Riku responded. He sat down and they were both served a eggs, fish, and fruit.

"How do you feel about your recent engagement?" Nox asked. Riku would rather be anywhere other than the current conversation.

"I'm doing what I can for the kingdom." Riku said before stabbing his fork through a strawberry. "Would you if I didn't?" Nox huffed a small laugh.

"Heavens Riku, you know that I only do what father tells me to." Nox replied with a far away look in his eyes. His smile fell the second later. "You know we both do."

For even a sliver of his attention they would do whatever they needed, but it never worked. He shook the thought from his head, for now he would focus on being with his brother. Their relationship will not be strained like it was with their father.

After they finished they're breakfast, they parted to do their own things.

Riku immediately found himself in the library. He'd read almost every book on those shelves, not all for the reason being some of them were in Greek. Riku brought out his book from the night before and sat down on the lounge chair in the middle of the vast room. He feels happier when he is acting as a scholar.

Riku is smarter than most who'd come to teach him, so eventually they all stopped coming. Riku never really noticed until his brother said something.

Riku opened the book, and flipped through the pages finding where he'd remembered to have left off before he fell asleep. His eyes glided over the pages taking in the mystical world it painted for him. Riku once dreamed he could go out and explore the vast world, but the life of adventure was not for one who was destined to be a prince. The pages became vivid and beautiful imagery in his mind, and once he’s in his own world, little can yank him out of it.

☆•*✧*•☆

Riku was quite literally pulled out of his seat. Two people dressed like pirates dragged him away. Riku fought against them but they were strong.

Wait- PIRATES?!

One boy was blonde with spiky hair and blue eyes wearing completely black clothes and a girl with red hair wearing mostly black and pink. The girl looked back at him. “Sorry about this Mr. Riku but it’s for your own good.”

“Kairi! Stop fraternizing with the royal we got to go!” The blonde boy cried.

“Sorry Roxas.” She called.

Riku was pulled away as the manor shook. They were being shot at. The cold air of the night slapped him in the face. He saw the town on fire and a ship close to port. The ship fired again at the manor and the town. Riku pulled harshly and was able to get away hearing the startled cries of his captors. As he ran away, an explosion pushed him forward falling off the side of the balcony.

He screamed, but his free fall was only for a moment. He felt someone grab his wrist. He gripped on with a white knuckled hold he looked up to see a boy maybe a couple years younger with chocolate brown hair and piercing ocean blue eyes and tan skin. He had a blue bandana and a black pirate hat.

Riku grimaced as he realized he was one of them.

“Please! Why do you want to kidnap me so badly?!” Riku asked gasping as he felt his grip slip slightly.

“First help me lift you up!” He tried to pull Riku up only to fall back at the previous height. “Please! I don’t want you to fall!” Riku heard the desperation in his voice and helped the boy pull him up. Soon, the two others, Kairi and Roxas, helped pull them both up to safety. The boy sighed heavily.

“Are you okay?” The boy asked. Riku nodded and the boy and the others jumped up and pulled Riku with him. “Great! We need to get you out of here!”

“Hey!” Riku yelped as the boy pulled him by the wrist and jumped down a tree pulling Riku down with him. The boy held out his other hand and summoned an ancient weapon called a Keyblade as he looked around for danger. His father and brother had one, but Riku was never able to summon his despite the blessing he had received. He always assumed it was his punishment for falling to the darkness once when he was a child.

They landed and ran to the dinghy pushing Riku inside. The boy jumped in afterwards with the other two. They quickly rowed away into the darkness of the ocean and towards a ship that… wasn’t the one shooting at the town. What was going on?

They boarded the boat and the boy pulled him out and guided him safely aboard. He dismissed his Keyblade and opened his arms as if to show off the ship. “Welcome aboard the Leviathan Mr. Riku!” Kingdom Hearts, he was showing off the ship. “You will be safe here until we get the all clear.”

“Safe? Safe from what?! I’ve just been manhandled away from my manor! And the people… what of them? They have been attacked just as I have.”

“We can’t save the entirity of Destiny Islands yet your highness Riku.” Chimed in Kairi. “The danger is still too great.”

“And my brother? My father?” Riku asked, dreading the answer.

"Your brother is being fetched by my friend." Roxas said. "He should bring him soon."

"M-my father?" Riku asked again.

The boy with brown hair looked down. “I wasn’t able to reach him in time. He was murdered in his room. I’m sorry. You will be king when it is safe to return.”

Riku gasped and looked back to the manor. He felt a gentle hand on his back. “I’m sorry but we need to get you to safety, your highness.”

Riku whipped around and grabbing the boy by the collar of his jacket. “Who are you?! Why am I in danger?! Tell me everything! Now!”

He saw Roxas, Kairi, and everyone else on the ship move into a defensive position. The boy waved them off, but they still remained at the ready. “I’ll explain everything but… can you please let me down?”

Riku looked down to see he had lifted the boy off his feet. Riku gently set him down muttering a soft apology. The boy smiled softly. “It’s okay I understand the pain of losing someone. I’m Sora by the way. The captain’s first mate.”

“Pleasure but uh….” Riku looked around to all the others before looking back to Sora. “Explanation please.”

“I found this in a bar when I was making a deal at for the captain.” Sora pulled out a few pieces of paper. When Riku took it in his hands he was stunned to see his face on it, reading a hefty price had been put on his head. He flipped to another page and saw his brother was there too. His whole family was! Someone wanted them all dead.

“Why would anyone want us dead?” Riku asked, still reeling from this new information.

Sora shrugged. “I have no idea, but please, you must stay with us until we get the all clear.”

Riku shook his head. “How do I know this isn’t some trick. How do I know you didn’t set this up?!” Riku jabbed one finger into Sora’s chest sending him staggering back slightly.

Sora opened his mouth to speak when Roxas, one of the people who had dragged him here, spoke up first. “If you’d listen instead of acting like an entitled brat, we could explain ourselves! Not everyone was born with a silver spoon in their mouth.”

Sora turned slowly looking at him with a look of mild frustration. Roxas scoffed and turned away starting to work on fixing the sails for departure. Sora then shooed everyone else away leaving just Sora and Riku to talk. “I know I have no way of earning your trust, but if you’d please give us a chance, I can show you we mean no harm at all.”

Riku looked towards Destiny Islands, and lowered his head. “I can’t exactly go back, now can I?”

Sora smiled brightly, his enchanting blue eyes sparkling in the light that is until he was unceremoniously thrown to the ground when the ship rocked violently. Riku shook his head recovering from his daze.

“Attacking ship on the starboard side!” A man cried. His hair was the same chocolatey brown Sora's was.

Sora stood quickly and his eyes narrowed at the ship covered in a dark wood. The ship slowly seemed to be getting closer and Riku looked up to Sora who turned on his heel and started barking out orders. “Kairi, Roxas, Terra, canons on the starboard side! Aqua, Ventus, Donald, Goofy, lift the anchor! Go, go, go!”

Riku looked at Sora who had a look of worry as he looked towards the islands. "Where is Axel?"

As if on que, a man with wild and fiery hair as red the flame in a fireplace jumped aboard. He held Riku's brother in his arms. He was unconscious making Riku think the worst.

Sora looked Nox over before he growled. "Darkness has put him to sleep. We'll deal with this later. Axel, take him to the berthing then get back up here." Axel nodded and ran off below deck.

Sora turned to Riku taking his hand staring directly into his eyes. “Go below deck, follow Axel. You should be safe there.” Sora once again summoned his Keyblade looked to Riku stared for a moment before Sora grabbed his shoulders. “Go!”

Riku nodded and ran below deck. He heard canon fire and more shouting. Axel moved past him giving a sly smile and a wink as he ran back up to the deck. Riku huffed at the audacity before he found Nox. He was worried. Sora said that the darkness had gotten to him, and put him to sleep. He didn't want him to fall down the same path he fell when he was a boy.

"Is this your brother?" A voice asked. Riku looked aroound before his eyes settle on a girl in a white dress.

"Yes, he's my brother." Riku responded. The girl nodded.

"His heart is sleeping. It will take some time, but I can fix this." She said before scribbling on a sketch book.

"And how would you go about that?" Riku asked. the girl looked up from her scribblings.

"I can fix what has been broken or shrouded in darkness." The girl replied. Riku felt like she was holding back some information, but if she said she could help break whatever spell was put on her brother, he wasn't going to complain.

The sound of wood splintering and cracking could be heard, but it wasn’t the Leviathan. Riku then heard nothing. He moved to travel to top deck and he popped his head out. Sora was looking back behind the ship and sighed.

He turned around and saw Riku. He smiled before he gestured to him to come on up. “I was about to come get you. We lost the other ship.”

“Who were they?” Riku asked relishing the feeling of standing in the sun once again.

“They are Organization XIII. They follow the darkness in their nonexistent hearts, and don’t care who they hurt along the way.” Sora explained. “They are the ones who destroyed your home when we went to get you, and the ones who put your brother to sleep.”

Riku bit his lip and looked across the open ocean. “My home… do you think everyone will be alright?”

Sora smiled softly. “As one of the previous residents, I think you aren’t giving us enough credit. We are stronger than you give us credit for.”

“You used to live on Destiny Islands?” Riku asked genuinely curious.

“Yup! Me and my family.” Sora said brandishing his blinding smile.

“Why did you choose a life of piracy when you could have lived a normal life?” Riku asked.

Sora had slowly started walking towards the wheel of the ship and Riku followed behind him. “You don’t really have a say when you are on the waters for a family trip and pirates take you away and make you their newest edition to the crew.”

Riku flinched. “That sounds awful!”

“It wasn’t so bad after a while. We were held captive for a while until the captain of this ship found us bellow deck of the enemy ship and took us in. Soon enough, the captain made me his first mate and I get to help others now who are abandoned at sea or need some supplies.” Sora said cheerfully.

“You're enthusiastic.” Riku said rolling his eyes playfully.

“I try.” Sora chirped turning the wheel this way and that.

“Who is your family anyways?” Riku asked looking to the crew.

Sora looked out to everyone on the deck doing their usual jobs. He smiled and started pointing. “The woman with the blue hair is my mother, Aqua, the tall fellow with the brown hair is my father, Terra. My brothers are the twins with blonde hair. Ventus and Roxas, who you've met, I’m the middle child. Axel, is the tall red haired guy. He used to be apart of the Organization, but he switched professions when he realized he didn’t like taking from people. Then he met Roxas. Roxas showed him there was more than just taking. Kairi is the girl working with Axel right now. She was taken with me and my family. She was frightened but she’s brave and bounces back rather quickly. Oh, and her sister Namine too. She's a blonde girl who draws a bunch. Then there's Donald and Goofy. They were just some people we picked up off a stray dinghy. They said they were looking for someone and their ship was attacked and we offered them our ship to stay on until they found who they were looking for. So far, no dice.” Sora finished.

“Full house.” Riku stated.

“Indeed." They both stood there listening to the waves and talking to each other as if they'd been apart of each other's lives for more than a day.

"Hey, it’s getting dark and you need sleep. You had a busy day. I’ll show you to your room.” Sora gestured Riku to follow him. Riku thought he would be down in the berthing with his brother, but Sora lead him to a spacious room with a nice bed, desk, and table with decorative flowers woven into a wreath in the middle. Riku sighed in exhaustion, he felt safe here. “Go ahead. The bed won’t bite. Promise.”

Riku scoffed playfully. He sat down on the bed before falling back against it and letting his body relax.

"Here, this is something I found that I thought would fit you. Wearing that can't be comfortable." Sora held out clothes that looked comfortable and breathable. The complete opposite of his current wears. Riku thanked Sora as he took it from his hands. “Have a good rest, Riku. Hopefully we can get you home soon. Goodnight.” Sora said turning to leave the room.

Riku held out his hand to stop Sora like he was close enough to grab him. “Wait Sora!”

Sora looked back to him with a quizzical expression. His beautiful blue eyes watched him closely. Riku couldn’t remember how to breathe for a moment. Riku’s voice caught in his throat and he looked down at the clothes in his hands instead. “Thank you.”

Sora smiled softly. “It was my pleasure, my Prince.”

Riku felt his heart skip a beat as Sora shut the door behind him and he fell back against the mattress. He kicked off his boots and dressed into the new clothes. They smelled like the sea which Riku couldn't seem to get enough of. He dressed quickly folding up his old clothes, and setting them on the desk. Riku liked the white ruffled shirt as it allowed him to finally breathe, and the pants were a blue as well as long and loose. Riku held the white bandana in his hand before he tied it around his wrist. He would tie up his hair later. He didn't like it up when he was sleeping.

Riku sighed finally feeling comfortable in his skin as he laid down in the bed. He was finally able to acknowledge the way his heart pounded loudly against his ribcage. It felt like it was going to burst out of his chest any second.

Riku thought he was sick for a moment. He had never been on the ocean for this long before. Maybe that was why he was feeling this way, but this ship was big there is no way he would be feeling this horrible due to seasickness. Then what could it be?

Riku shrugged it off as his eyes started fluttering shut his head was filled with a certain handsome pirate. Those gorgeous blue eyes, the chocolate brown hair, and his tan skin that was dotted with freckles around his nose and cheeks. Oh, what his father would think if he knew he fell for a pirate, but he would imagine that didn’t matter now. The last coherent thought he had startled him, but not enough to wake him entirely.

He was in love with Sora.

☆•*✧*•☆

Riku awoke to the ship shaking violently. Sora burst through the door and yanked Riku up. “Hurry hurry! We have to hide you! They found us!”

Riku was dragged dazedly behind Sora as he tried to get his thoughts together. “The Organization?”

“Yes, now hide here. Don’t move!” Sora shoved Riku behind some barrels before the ship rocked violently making Sora fall against the barrels. He growled, summoned his Keyblade, and ran off in one direction. Riku peaked over the barrels to see large splashes of water from where canons had missed. He saw Aqua and Terra rushing around, he could hear Sora calling out to them and barking orders, but was startled him most was when everything went entirely silent. He ducked when Sora started walking down from the wheel of the ship his Keyblade clearly able to be seen as people started to board the ship.

Sora stood up straight when he was up against the people from the enemy ship. These people had silver hair like his, but it looked more white. Their eyes were a piercing yellow, and they seemed to hold dark intentions behind them. “Where is he, first mate?” One of them teased Sora.

Sora grimaced slightly before he stood straighter. “The Princes are of no concern to you. Why not have the captain of the most famous and powerful ship in all the seas instead? That must fetch a much better price don’t you think?”

One of the other ship’s men nodded with a wicked smile and the captain of the other ship smiled. “Very well take us to him.”

Sora lead them to the captains quarters. The entire crew became anxious. They were constantly looking towards the captain’s quarters and wondering what would happen. Riku stepped out of hiding and everyone began to shoo him back inside, but he was stubborn and stayed out. “What is happening. We were fine a moment ago.”

“Sora is making a deal for your life with the life of our captain.” The voice of a girl informed. Riku turned around to see the girl that was looking after her brother, who he gathered to be Namine, walk up from below deck with his brother by her side.

Riku rushed forward and hugged Nox tightly. "Thank you Namine."

"It was my pleasure." She replied.

"You look like a pirate." Nox poked slightly, but Riku didn't mind.

"You're one to talk." Riku responded. Nox looked just like him, but instead of mostly white and blues, he wore reds, blacks, purples, and whites.

"How do you know?" Terra asked, breaking the moment. Nox spoke up.

"When I woke up, I overheard their voices. We both did, they were talking about the trade of the captain instead of us." Nox gestured to Namine who nodded in agreement.

Riku looked away gritting his teeth slightly. “I gathered as much.” He looked over to the enemy ship and spotted a girl looking over the railing of the ship. Riku warily walked over to the railing of the Leviathan and spoke to her. “Hey, you don’t look okay, are you? Okay that is.”

She shook her head, and looked around worriedly. None of the other members of the ship she was on seemed to be paying attention to her, so she spoke up. “I was separated from my friends a long time ago, and I wonder if they’d remember me if they saw me.”

“I’m sure they would. What’s stopping you from finding them?” Riku asked tilting his head slightly.

“Because when I spoke with them moments ago, they had no recollection of me.” She looked beyond him to Roxas and Axel. Riku turned back to her.

“You are hard to see from over there. Come over here, I’m sure they have been looking for you.” Riku said gesturing for her to join them on the ship.

The girl warily jumped from the opposing ship to theirs with Riku’s help. The crew spotted her and were on the defensive at first, but suddenly Axel stepped forward. “Xion?”

Xion nodded tears streaming down her face. Roxas then turned as soon as he heard her name. He stared for a moment until she spoke up. “Hello again Roxas. Do you still want to get that ice cream?”

Roxas then rushed forward and tackled her into a hug. Axel then joined them on the ground hugging them both close. Riku smiled knowing he helped the three of them reunite with each other.

But this moment of happiness was short lived as Sora's cry echoed through the ship. Riku turned facing the direction of the sound, but before he could make a move, the door to the captains quarters opened. One of the men from the other ship was carrying Sora in his arms, unconscious. Riku tried to rush forwards, but Terra stopped him.

“Well, if it isn’t the little princes. Sorry, but we aren’t here for you anymore. The captain told us we could keep the 'first mate' instead.” The man next to the guy holding Sora exaggerated the words “first mate” and it had alarm bells blaring in his ears.

“Who are you?” Riku asked.

The man holding Sora chuckled darkly. “I am Xemnas. My right hand, Xigbar, would have taken you that night, but the first mate of this ship just so happened to be quicker. Eventually, someone has to slow down for the others to catch up. Seems as though the first mate is quite tired now so we shall be on our way.” Xemnas announced leaving Xigbar behind for a moment.

“Follow us and we’ll take the whole crew instead of just the princes.” He smirked and left. Riku growled as they left Sora still plainly in sight as if it were a taunt and they sailed away.

Riku stomped off towards the captain’s quarters and the quickly tried to stop him, but they were too late. Riku burst in and realized it was the room he slept in the night before. Just as devoid of life as when Sora showed him this room. “Where is the captain?” Asked Riku.

The others joined them in the room, but only Nox, Xion, and Riku were left confused. "Sora always spoke for the captain ever since he became first mate. That was how the captain wanted it." Axel said.

Everyone seemed uncomfortable, and Riku noticed immediately. “What did he do?!”

Everyone flinched at his anger. Ventus was the first to speak up. “Sora is the captain. He has been for years. The captain left almost as soon as Sora was made first mate. Sora told us that we couldn't tell anyone that wasn't from the ship's crew! Everyone feared the previous captain, but he thought if everyone knew he was just a bright eyed nobody, no one would take him seriously!”

"He didn't want to be feared, he only wanted to be respected." Aqua said.

“What do we do now?" Nox asked.

“He was our brother, our family!” Roxas defeatedly looked to the side.

"Why didn't we help him?" Kairi asked looking to Terra.

"Why did you stop me?" Riku asked Terra. Everyone looked to them wondering if a fight would break out, but Terra only sighed.

"The power of the Keyblade sleeps inside you, but you don't have the ability to summon it. If I allowed you to fight without being able to wield it, you wouldn't have lived to tell the tale."

Everyone had a sad face and Riku was having none of it. “Alright, pity party is over. You are pirates! The most feared individuals in all the seas. If something is stolen from you, you get it back in blood. Now, how about we steal our captain back?”

Everyone exchanged a glance before they nodded and exited the room. Roxas stayed back a moment to say thank you. “At first I thought you were just a pompous prince but… you turned out to be one of the good ones.”

Now, Riku could take that as an insult or a compliment, so he took it as a compliment. “Thank you, now let’s get moving. They already have a head start.”

“Aye aye cap.” Roxas saluted sarcastically before zipping out of the room. Riku glanced around the room once more. He really should have known.

☆•*✧*•☆

Riku tied his hair in a ponytail with the white bandana as the Organization’s ship finally came into view. “Get ready! Once they see us coming, if they haven’t already, they will put up a fight!”

“Got it!” Kairi called.

“Xion, Roxas, Axel, ready the canons! Terra, Aqua, Ven, ready the sails! Once I get Sora we need a quick escape. Kairi, Donald, Goofy, I need you to get me as close as you can to their ship. I need to board that boat!”

The entire crew nodded having their orders they all scurried every which way to finish what was asked of them. Kairi was quickly gaining on the ship and soon enough bumped the side of the ship. They must’ve felt cocky because suddenly there was an uproar. Everyone was below deck and came rushing up to see who had attacked them. Riku called out to fire the canons and a loud BOOM shook both ships. Riku took this opportunity to board the ship and find Sora. Donald and Good grabbed him and simultaneously threw him onto the ship. He landed with a thud, but with all the noise going on around them no one really noticed.

Except one.

Xigbar stood in his way. With gun in hand pointing at Riku's heart, he was staring death in the face.

"I came for what is rightfully ours." Riku spoke defiantly. Xigbar laughed.

Wow~ Look how the roles reversed! The prince is here to save the princess!" Xigbar exclaimed. Riku narrowed his eyes as he watched Xigbar's confidence. "As if we are going to let you take our newest member! You have a nasty way of making our people turn against us! So, I'll take something from you."

Riku gasped as he heard the click of the gun. He raised his hands in front himself, but he knew that was dumb. He couldn't block a bullet! He would die before he was even able to save Sora!

"Riku." Riku gasped. That voice... that voice was so familiar to him. "Riku! Don't give up! Follow your heart!" BOOM

Riku blinked a few times. He was so sure he was dead, but he could still feel his body and there was no pain. He looked around and saw that he was now behind Xigbar. Riku stood straighter on wobbly legs as he panted heavily. His heart was beating so quickly as Xigbar fell to his knees.

"A Keyblade..." He muttered under his breath. Riku looked at him with confusion before he looked down, and in his hand was a Keyblade.

Way to the Dawn. Way to the Dawn. His mind supplied.

"'Way to the dawn...'" Riku echoed. Xigbar scoffed.

"Oh yeah, sure, flaunt your Keyblade. As if I care!" Riku rolled his eyes and struck the wall next to Xigbar's head.

"Where is Sora?" Riku ground out. Xigbar just huffed and pointed as if not very threatened.

"Captain's quarters." He pointed and Riku rushed off in the direction. He hoped a lying pirate like Xigbar didn't tell him the wrong way to go.

After sneaking through and almost being caught twice, he found himself in the captain’s quarters, and there he was. Lying on the bed, with his hands resting on his stomach, was Sora. He looked just as handsome as if he were awake. Riku tried to shake him awake, but it failed to rouse him from his sleep. “Good luck trying to wake him.”

Riku gasped and turned to see Xemnas behind him. He summoned his Keyblade. “What have you done?!”

“Oh, nothing really. It truly is amazing what a touch of darkness can do to a heart so full of light.”

Riku squirmed under Xemnas’ gaze. He hated the way he looked at him as if he were prey. Riku luckily had a plan. “You like to trade, right?”

“I have been know to gamble once every few moons.” Xemnas raised an eyebrow. “What warrants you to ask?”

“If I can beat you at your own game, I can take him and his crew and you will leave them alone until the next Kingdom Hearts Moon. How does that sound?” Riku said with a confidence that was farce.

“My enemy’s life and his crew’s lives until the next once in a lifetime occurrence…” Xemnas contemplated for a moment. “And what do I get in return?”

“All of us. We will all give in to whatever you ask of us. No questions asked.” Riku stated. He didn’t say it was a smart plan.

Xemnas laughed maliciously and agreed. “Foolish boy, I will take your deal. What could you possibly beat me in?”

“I don't plan on beating you in anything. If I can wake him up from your darkness, we can all leave.” Riku said gesturing to Sora who remained asleep throughout this whole endeavor.

“Very well, you may try. The darkness planted in his heart came straight from the Realm of Darkness. Good luck trying to free him from his dreamless slumber.”

Xemnas crossed his arms and watched. Riku summoned his Keyblade pointing it at Sora's heart. He found a connection between them. It was strong so he knelt down beside Sora whose breath softly blew against his bangs. He rested his forehead against Sora’s and whispered. “Sora, Light of the Seas, your crew needs you. I, the Prince of Dawn, need you. Don’t fall to the darkness as I once have. Follow the dawn. I will guide you back to the light.” With that, Riku dived into Sora's sleep.

Within Sora's sleep was definitely not a dream, but a memory. As Riku landed on the sand, he felt he knew this place. The more he looked around, the more he found he did know where he was.

"Destiny Islands?" Riku muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me mister?" A small voice called from behind him. Riku turned as saw a young looking Sora. Riku gasped softly as he recognized him. This was the boy he would play with when he was younger.

"Sora..." He whispered.

"Yeah! That's my name! I'm looking for my friend, have you seen him? We always come here to play together." Sora asked. Riku could feel the tears in his eyes.

"He will be here soon. Want me to wait with you until he shows up?" Riku asked. Sora nodded.

"Sure!" They both sat down and listened to the waves like they did when they were, well, when he was Sora's age. "You look a lot like my friend Riku. You also act a little like him too. Do you know him?"

"Yeah, I do." Riku said. "But probably not as good as you do."

Sora beamed at him and Riku felt himself smiling too. His smile was contagious. He could only hope that he could wake Sora up so he could see it again.

"Sora!" Another voice called from across the beach. A younger Riku waved to Sora. Sora jumped up and waved back.

"Thanks for sitting with me mister! Bye now!" Riku waved as Sora left. Would that be enough to wake him?

"I recognized you immediately." A familiar voice said from behind him. Riku turned quickly to look at him.

"Sora." Riku breathed. Sora looked to him with that signature bright smile.

"I knew who you were as soon as I saw you." Sora chuckled softly. "You're still taller than me."

Riku couldn't help but laugh too. He then remembered what he was there for. "Sora, I'm here to wake you up and bring you back to your crew."

"I know." Sora said. "I think I'm ready to wake up now. But I need a little more help in the waking world, you know. Can you help me?"

"Of course." Riku responded.

In the next moment, Riku was back with Sora in the waking world. He didn't know what Sora meant by 'help', but he hoped this would work.

Riku then leaned just slightly closer. His lips mere inches away from Sora’s, he could almost feel his warmth. Riku then hesitated but before he was able to tell himself not to do this, he kissed him. Soft, gentle, and yet full of love and hope. He pulled away and watched carefully, standing and backing away from his still sleeping form.

Riku started to fear the worst. He had doomed the entire crew he turned to Xemnas who had begun to cackle. “It seems your light isn’t stronger than the darkness.” Riku looked dejectedly towards the ground. They had lost. “Tell your crew to-”

“My crew will not listen to you.” A voice called from behind them.

Riku spun so quickly he heard something in his body pop but that didn’t matter right now. Sora was awake! He woke him up!

Xemnas scowled. “The darkness in your heart, how did you fight it?!”

Sora looked to Riku who blushed slightly. “I had a little help from the dawn.”

“Now the deal?” Riku stated helping Sora stand before crossing his arms.

Xemnas grumbled. “Leave my ship. Never return.”

“Not a problem.” Sora said leaning on Riku. Sora was still weak and needed help from Riku. He was so weak that he couldn’t summon his Keyblade if they got caught now, so Riku summoned his own. Sora beamed when he saw it.

And whoop dee do just their luck, Xigbar greeted them at the door. Riku grit his teeth as Sora lost his footing for a moment. “Well well well, two little sea rats. Vermin like you need to be exterminated.” Xigbar pulled his gun again and raised it to go for the kill, but before the hit even struck them Riku deflected it before casting light and striking Xigbar in his nonexistent heart. In a flash, he was gone. Riku and Sora had no time to dwell on where he could have gone, so he dismissed his Keyblade, quickly scooped Sora up, much to his surprise, and ran out to the deck. Everyone seemed to be fighting but a few looked at them once they saw them.

Riku was about to turn to run and try to get Sora back to the Leviathan, but Sora stopped him. "Put me down." Sora said. "I can fight."

Riku didn't believe that, but Sora looked at him with such confidence and determination he couldn't say no. Riku carefully set Sora down and they both summoned their Keyblades.

"Tell me if you don't feel well and I'll get you out of here." Riku said. Sora nodded and jumped into the fight.

Riku dealt with someone with blue hair and a buff guy with a giant sword while Sora dealt with a guy who threw water all over the place in a clumsy fashion. Axel, Roxas, and Xion spotted them both and excitedly called out to the rest of the crew. They all jumped over to the Organization's ship and attacked. Riku kept close to Sora. He looked to be slowing down. Riku cast stop, guarding Sora from the water weirdo's attack. Sora panted heavily as he leaned on Riku.

"We should go." Riku said. Sora nodded before he wrapped his arms around Riku's neck, and Riku wrapped his arm around Sora's waist. Riku grabbed a rope, and they swung over to the Leviathan. Riku quickly called out for the crew. They all returned to the Leviathan to fire another round and get them all out of there.

Riku sat Sora against the mast and checked him over for injuries. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine! I’m just a little wet. Demyx wouldn't stop splashing me with water.” Sora said finally over Riku fussing over him, but if he hated Riku’s fussing he would hate Aqua’s.

She was over faster than a lightning bolt. Riku and Nox chuckled as Sora fussed and fussed about being poked and prodded getting asked the same questions over and over again. They both looked at each other then back to Sora both thinking the same thing.

“Good thing that isn’t me.”

☆•*✧*•☆

They had returned to Destiny Islands not too long ago.

They stocked up on supplies that both Riku and Nox complied, too. They knew that the Leviathan was a friend not foe, and would tell the people too.

"Are you staying?" Nox asked.

"With Sora and the others?" Riku replied. He smiled thinking about Sora's bright smile and the crew's kindness towards him. "Yeah, I think I am. Are you going to stay here with Namine?"

"Yeah, she seems like she wants to stay on the island." Nox said waving to Namine as she looked up from helping Kairi and Xion with a crate or two. "She's that girl, Riku. The one I promised to protect."

"Sora is the one that I used to play with on the island. The promise I made so long ago too, the night of the meteor shower. How could I have been so blind? He's wearing the necklace I gave him that night." Riku said.

"No sense worrying about the past. He's with you now, and Namine is with me. We'll keep them safe." Riku agreed.

Kairi waved Riku to come back on the ship, so Riku waved goodbye to Namine and Nox as he climbed aboard.

As they sailed away Riku walked towards the captain's quarters, Sora's room, when he saw Roxas exit.

"Oh, thank Kingdom Hearts! He has been non stop asking for you. Get your royal rump in there and stop him from complaining!" Roxas then trudged off leaving Riku to bite back a laugh.

Riku entered the room to see Sora was resting in bed. Riku sat at the edge of the mattress making sure that he was resting properly, but Sora was, in fact, not resting at all.

“Rikuuuuu!” Sora whined. “I’ve already been resting almost all day. It’s bad enough that Captain is on bed rest. Who is manning the ship?!”

“Kairi, then after her, is Aqua, then Terra, then Axel, then Roxas, so on and so forth. I made a sure that every possible excuse you can make is debunked do you want me to continue?” Riku asked looking at Sora as if he was begging him to say something.

Sora just pouted and let out a pitiful. “No…”

Riku softly chuckled before helping Sora lay down. “Riku?”

“Yes Sora?”

“You are the Prince of Dawn, correct?” Sora asked.

“Yes, why do you ask?” Riku answered. He was unsure if he liked where this would lead.

“Before you entered my dream, I heard your voice. You said you were the Prince of Dawn and that you fell to the darkness before. Why did you fall?”

Riku sat in silence, unable to answer for a moment. “It’s okay if you don’t want to answer it’s was just a question anywa-”

“I lost my best friend." Riku said. "He was my light and… I lost him. I fell for a moment, but dreams helped me realize he was okay and I found my way to the light again. Now I walk the road to dawn.” Riku then paused for a moment. "It was when you disappeared. My light was gone, but somehow, I think you found me in my dreams and brought me back to the light. To the dawn."

“And the kiss?” Sora asked quietly, looking down to his hands.

Riku nearly choked on nothing. Wasn’t expecting that one so early. “I-I-I don’t know it just seemed like the best way to break the spell. You know, true loves kiss and all that fairytale stuff.”

Sora smirked. “True loves kiss only works if both people feel the same, you know.”

Riku blushed bright red. “So… do you feel the same?”

Sora rolled his eyes in a teasing way before leaning forward and kissing Riku tenderly. “Yes.”