Vesper's Heroes

Stupid school. Stupid homework. Stupid job. All my free time gone! And of course it doesn’t help I got hit with plot bunnies for a huge idea that will be absolutely fantastic if I can get it off the ground. ARGH!!
Love to AkuRokulove, Jediempress, Endoresu, and nonie77 who gave me reviews. Since we are back to Sora and the gang I can have more fun with POV so be sure to pay attention. And I’m trying to think of a new title for the story. The one I’ve got doesn’t work anymore since I deviated away from the original plot by, oh about a couple hundred miles. Ideas are loved.
Anyway, have a new chapter.

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A hand was carding through his hair as Riku slumped against Hosep while still explaining all that had happened to him. Sora was still out for a walk and that was starting to worry him but he couldn’t leave, as Leon still didn’t trust him, Hosep wanted him to be resting in bed, and Riku wasn’t even sure if he would be able to find Sora without getting lost. That comes with landing in new territory I guess.

“So after Fallon got away I locked the world and after a few weeks of peace we ended up here.” He was not going to spill the beans about Kingdom Hearts until he had talked to Sora and King Mickey, who was on his way with Goofy and Donald in tow. He had gotten hints that Sora was bonded to it just as he was but it was a weaker bond as it was not as old as his was.

Could that be the reason I was in that world for seven months? Was I really in that much danger from the darkness left over from Ansem? His eyes lost focus as he turned within himself, feeling all attention on him even if the eyes weren’t. He shuddered at the notion even as arms hugged him tight in response.

“So what happens now?” Leon asked, breaking his reflections. His feathery brown hair did not pull away from the harshness of hard storm eyes or the scar that cut across his face. A white tee shirt was stretching across muscles and doubtless more scars under his leather jacket. Three crimson belts looped around his hips over, again, leather pants and, again, leather boots. Does this guy have some sort of leather fetish?

“Hell if I know,” Riku muttered, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. He just wanted to go upstairs and nap for a while until Sora got back so they could talk. He felt drained and guessed it was from being injured again on top of all the stress of being interrogated. Out of nowhere, a hand was pressed against his forehead and he felt something moving in him. Thankfully he recognized it as healing magic and didn’t attack but since it wasn’t him or Hosep it had to be Aerith.

She had very long chocolate hair that was kept pulled back for the most part with bangs falling into her face. A simple pink dress with brown hiking boots and some bangles on one wrist were her clothes of choice. She had a kind smile though that lit up her green eyes and seemed to be the one to keep people calm with her own soothing demeanor. If Riku could have chosen someone to be his mother it would have been her. She just seemed right. He didn’t say that or anything else though as she finished her work, smiling at him as she pulled away.

“You should be resting,” she chided. “You took quiet a hit when you fell. Hosep, can you take him up and make sure he does?” She trusted the scout even if Leon didn’t and was willing to at least let him have free reign of the house even if he couldn’t leave it. The former lieutenant nodded and easily scooped up his charge, proving to be resistant to the glowered protest for being treated like such an invalid.

With heavy steps the man carried Riku back up the stairs and to the bedroom Riku had emerged from once given directions. He was tucked back into bed with his shirt carefully pulled over his head. Hosep fetched the desk chair and sat by him, not saying anything for a moment and just seemed to enjoy the fact he had Riku again.

“Explain?” he finally asked in his usual manner. Riku rolled his eyes, expecting at much, dragging a small laugh out of Hosep as he did so. He pushed away the longing for more sleep and settled in for another chat.

“Not much I can tell you really. They thought, probably from the red eyes, that you were a Nobody and that’s why you were locked up. The only one of them I know is Sora who had the spiky brown hair. The rest are as much strangers to me as to you,” he elaborated. Silence fell between the pair as the older contemplated what he had learned and the younger turned to healing himself. He was not a fan of pain or being in pain as he let lose, feeling bones repair under his skillful talent. Aerith is good at healing but I’m better but all the experience I’ve gotten. When he finished he slumped back against the mattress, ready to just slip into dreams if not for one nagging problem.

I have to talk to Sora. The two of them had been friends for longer than Riku could properly remember and it mattered to have Sora’s approval of what there was between him and Hosep.

“Perhaps I should find your friend and have a few words,” the scout mused aloud, breaking the silence with a phrase that was as much a sentence as a question. At Riku’s nod, that perhaps it would be best if the scout went first, he was gifted with a chaste kiss on the lips. “Let us hope he does not harm me over you. Rest diji’ri. I’ll return later and hopefully intact.” Silver hair bobbed in agreement as he finally let his mind go and fell into a healing sleep.

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Sora fisted his hands in his hair as he stumbled blindly through the streets without any concept of time. He felt dazed and very confused by what he had seen and was trying to find answers in the ground he was staring at as he moved along.

Riku, his long time best friend who had fought though hell and darkness, had been kissing another man and looked to have thoroughly enjoyed it. Riku had kissed a guy! It was just a bit too shocking for Sora to remain in the house so he had left to try to wrap his brain around it. It wasn’t easy.

I’m not mad or disgusted or anything either. I don’t have a problem with two guys together. It’s just WEIRD because it’s Riku. He found himself stopping to lean against a railing that overlooked the non-repaired city. His brain felt melted and it was hard to think past his initial reaction and move to action instead. Did it bother him? Not really. Was he jealous? Not in the least! So why was it so hard to move past the mental image that was unwittingly burning into his skull and try to think positively about the situation?

I think really it’s just the shock of seeing that. Secretly Sora had always suspected that Riku wasn’t as much of a playboy as he was made out to be. In school, girls would be fawning all over him but he hadn’t given then any attention. Sometimes even boys would drool, but from a distance and never actually approach the silver haired prince of campus.

Again though they were never given a second glance. Riku only had eyes for Kairi, and perhaps even hidden eyes for Sora now that he thought about it. But he never made a move beyond their usual competition for the red head. Sora raised azure eyes to regard the sunset rather than the ugly grey cobblestones he was poised over as new thoughts occurred to him.

No matter how hard we fought over Kairi, it always seemed like he was holding back, like he never wanted a winner so he could always have both of us at his side. Sora knew that first part to be true. He had seen Riku sparring with some of the older kids a few times and he still obtained victory. But against Sora, he seemed to keep his abilities in check, enjoying the game behind it more than the fight itself.

He smiled, feeling his shock and confusion start to melt away as things began to make sense. He hadn’t figured out the whole puzzled and couldn’t until he talked to Riku himself but for now he was content to let it go. He crossed his arms on top of the rail to lean forward into the evening wind even as he went on alert out of habit, hearing the dull thud of leather on stone as someone approached him.

“You are Sora?” He turned his head, seeing the stranger from before looking at him from a fair distance. He still had that spiky blond hair that was held out of scarlet eyes with a simple headband. He appeared rumpled and in need of a shave with a five o’clock shadow along his jaw. He also appeared nervous, shifting from foot to foot as he glanced over Sora before finding fascination with the ground.

“You’re Hosep, right? Riku’s friend?” he hazarded, putting stress on the last word to include a few other meanings of the word ‘friend’. The blond nodded coming closer to also lean on the railing Sora hadn’t moved from but not to watch the sun descend below the horizon. He focused on his hand at it clenched at the bar. Sora just watched from the now smaller distance between them as he measured up Hosep for himself.

His style of dress made the brunette think of Edgar and Sabin. It had a definite medieval style with a bit of a modern twist. Simple brown leather slacks over steel-toed combat boots were the modern part. However, the baggy long sleeves of the button down shirt that was under a snug fitting leather jerkin made Sora think of a knight. The belt around his waist though was studded, adding in another point for modern. The heavy sword on his left hip though put him in the medieval category again.

The blond made a few attempts to meet the blank face of the Keyblade Master but failed each time, his mouth working to form words but no sound came out. Sora was not going to let this be easy but he was a bit surprised at how apprehensive the blond was, especially after that rather public display earlier. Almost as if he is hesitation to make sure he doesn’t screw up.

“What is Riku to you?” he finally asked, feeling that he had made the man significantly nervous and unsettled for an honest answer. If he wanted to be Riku’s lift partner, he was going to have to earn Sora’s approval before the brunette would even begin to back down. Riku had done too much for Sora over the years for him to just roll over and let someone take him. I feel like a doting parent.

“Precious.” It was a simple sing word answer that held the weight of a thousand words behind it. It must have been that word though to give Hosep the courage to lock red eyes with blue as he said it, his gaze unwavering as he did so. Inwardly Sora was impressed with the fearless answer to his question but didn’t let it show. His lack of response must have been encouragement to carry on. “He has saved my life more than once, just as I have saved his. While that is not the only reason why, he is precious to me.”

“Would you die for him?” Sora asked, his face still blank and eyes still measuring.

“Yes.” It was an unhesitating answer that was full of confidence and promise. “I would live for him as well.” A rather poetic follow-up really but it showed he wasn’t going to give up on anything. The brunette smiled finally and stepped away from the railing to extend one hand for a handshake. The resulting smile and the clasping hands were shaking twice in an unspoken promise to each other. But when Hosep went to pull away Sora didn’t let go as he gave the scout something to think over.

“I’ll only say this once then. Though it is in a different way, Riku is also precious to me. If you break his heart I’ll break you.” Oblivion was flashing in his free hand to drive that point home as he let go of Hosep’s to also call up Sleeping Lion, ignoring how heavy they felt as he made his opinion perfectly clear. The scout nodded in understanding as both weapons were banished away, allowing Sora to fall into his usual cheeky appearance. “Now I don’t know about you but I’m starved. Let’s get back and see what Cid made for dinner.”

The pair wandered off and enjoyed some mindless chatter as they returned to the house. The entire time Sora was distracted though by how hard it had been to call up his keyblades. It felt off and almost awkward to have them in his hands, as if they were no longer meant for him to wield. That is something else I should talk to Riku about. His keyblade had changed but he didn’t have any trouble with it at all. I wonder if he knows what’s up.

He paused, grasping at his head as a wave of dizziness nearly overtook him. It came out of the blue and left just as quickly, leaving him a bit confused but otherwise unchanged. The hell? Sora continued walking then, ignoring the look of concern from Hosep. Am I getting sick maybe? He chose to overlook this for now in favor of filling his belly with whatever was making those wonderful smells he detected as they came around the final bend.

“We’re back!” he crowed to the house as they entered. Yuffie just waved a pair of tongs at him from where she was standing next to Cid by the stove. Aerith was already setting the table where Leon and Merlin were talking quietly. Riku was back downstairs as well, dozing peacefully at the dinner table but jolting awake at Sora’s outburst. He rose with a slow grace to welcome them back.

The world was spinning as the Keyblade Master fell to his knees, not seeing Riku do the same. It was spinning hard and blurring and fading out. Sora clutched at his chest, having trouble breathing as he felt his body heat up impossible fast. What is-? His thoughts were left unfinished as he slumped forward with his eyes sliding shut, not hearing the screams of concern that chased him into unconsciousness.

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AN: Ha ha. Cliffhanger for you! You’ll have to wait to see what happens next. I should hopefully, if the muse strikes me, have a chapter up within the next week. If not it should be around two weeks again.