writetomyheart | [Team 1] Keeping Your Heart Close to Mine

1650 Words of Sora exploring the Lost Empire of Atlantis and still trying to figure out this love thing. (Meanwhile Riku gets a small makeover) soriku. T-ish rating? (Sora does pine a bit...)

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“Two of us should head to the library,” Sora began, “And the other two—”

“Milo and I will go to the library,” Riku said. “You and Kida can go check out the crystal. We’ll meet up with Kairi and Lea later.”

Sora nodded and waved as Riku and Milo headed down a different corridor.

“Come, Sora.” Kida turned to lead in the opposite direction. “The fastest way to the crystal is through here.”

Sora followed Kida through a labyrinth of corridors before they exited out into the sunlight— well, Sora supposed it wasn’t sunlight at all, but the light from the crystal.

“I hope you’re not scared of heights,” Kida said, throwing a leg over a strange fish-like statue, holding out her hand.

Sora furrowed his brow but took Kida’s hand. “No, but I—”

He was cut off when Kida pulled him onto the fish with far more force than he expected. Then, with movements so fast that Sora didn’t catch them all, they were suddenly in the air as Kida maneuvered the fish-like vehicle up towards the crystal.

Sora gasped in surprise before letting out a loud whoop of excitement. “This is awesome!”

Kida laughed as well, throwing her head back. “I am glad you like it. Ever since Milo and I re-discovered how to fly them, I find myself taking a trip once a day.”

“I don’t blame you.” Sora looked out. He could see the entire island city, and a few fishermen dotting the waters. “It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Kida looked out as well. “We have worked hard to rebuild what we lost. But soon, my people and culture will be renewed.”

Sora grinned, nodding even though Kida couldn’t see it. “I’m glad.”

They rode in silence for a moment before Sora let out an excited gasp at the sight of two specs of bright red hair just below them. “Kairi! Axel!”

The two redheads looked up, Kairi laughing and waving, while Lea stared in disbelief.

“I thought your friend was called Lea?”

“Huh? Oh. He is…”

“And Axel is… the shorter red-haired friend?”

“Oh, uh, no. That’s Kairi.”

“Right… kindly Kairi,” Kida hummed to herself.

Sora chuckled. “It’s a lot to keep track of. Sorry again for just sort of, uh appearing this morning. We uh… didn’t expect for there to be anyone home. We had heard that—”

Yen Sid told them that Atlantis had been a forgotten world. The few images there were had reminded Sora of Scala de Callum, and he had briefly wondered if Atlantis would be the ruins of that city.

But so far, it appeared that Atlantis was far older, and definitely more inhabited than they had realized.

“Yes… Milo explained that the legends said we died out,” Kida said, her voice just barely audible over the rush of wind in Sora’s ears. “But… we survived. Persevered. And now, we rebuild.”

“Spoken like a queen.” Sora smiled.

“Atlanteans have a history of thriving,” Kida’s pride in her people was evident. “Like your boyfriend, Riku… he has Atlantean heritage, does he not?”

Sora shrugged. “Oh well, I suppose it’s possible? If an Atlantean somehow ended up on Destin— wait, wait wait, time out. Boyfriend?!”

“Oh… are you not?” Kida looked back, slightly apologetic. “You must forgive me, I am still learning the customs of outsiders. But you and he seemed… enamored with each other, and speak as one. In Atlantis, this is definitely a sign of a deep friendship, if not more.”

Sora blushed and he was thankful that Kida had returned her attention to driving the fish-vehicle. “You… you think we’re enamored? Even Riku?”

“Riku more so, I believe.” Kida chuckled.

Sora’s blush deepened but he was spared from having to answer that as they reached the crystal. The light was so intense that Sora had to shield his eyes for a moment before they adjusted.

“Sora, meet the heart of Atlantis.”

“Hello,” Sora whispered, awed. It seemed a bit silly to talk to a crystal, but, well, Sora had seen stranger. And there was definitely something different about this light. It felt alive.

And familiar.

It took Sora a moment to recognize it, but when he did, he gasped. This was literally the heart of the world of Atlantis. Though instead of locked away like most other worlds Sora had visited, the heart kept itself exposed, relying on its people to protect it. There was no lock, and therefore, no key needed. It was just… pure and bright.

Sora laughed. He may have been sent here to try and lock something, but clearly this wasn’t something that was meant to be locked away. This had to mean something, but he wasn’t sure what.

Riku would know.

Riku…

“Well?

Sora jumped, having forgotten about Kida. “Uh, well. Yeah, that’s what we were looking for but, uh, we’re used to it being locked away. We weren’t expecting it to be out in the open like this and… it definitely likes it out here.”

“It was locked away once,” Kida admitted. “But I hope to do so never again. This is what is helping us rebuild… I can only hope what I am doing is right.”

“It is,” Sora reassured her.

After basking in the light for a moment longer, Kida started their descent to the ground. Sora hummed as they returned to earth, wondering about Kida’s statement earlier. “You… er… How do you know if someone is, uh, enamored with you?”

“They blush, stammer, sometimes say silly things,” Kida rattled off.

Sora looked down sure that he had done all that with Riku, but Riku had *never* blushed around him Maybe Kida had it wrong?

“But…. they are also always unfailingly kind. And… they want to keep you safe. No matter what.” Kida glanced back for a moment before glancing at the ground. “Milo’s… Milo is like that. Blushing and cute… but always kind.”

Sora grinned as Kida’s own face flushed as she thought of her husband. “I can see that.”

Kida chuckled before taking a sudden turn downward. Sora’s stomach flipped and he whooped excitedly once more at the sensation.

“Is there any place you want to see before we head back?” Kida asked. “I know Milo. I believe he and Riku will be stuck in the library all day among their books.”

Sora chuckled. Only a few hours and Kida already had Riku figured out. Though Riku loved his keyblade training, he also loved his research and books. Humming Sora thought about where else he’d like to go. As he looked down, he spied one of the beautiful blue tattoos on Kida’s hand.

“Yeah… there is one place actually…”

——-

“Riku. You have to come see this! It’s— What are you wearing?”

Sora couldn’t help but gape at Riku’s new outfit: A skirt like fabric around his waist, tied in a knot near his left hip and a sash that went over his right shoulder, all in shades of blue and green. Riku had also pulled his long hair back out of his face, tying it up in a messy bun at the top of his head, and on his nose perched a pair of reading glasses. Riku hated pulling those out except when he had to.

Sora suddenly remembered Kida’s remark that Riku might have Atlantean heritage. Looking at him now, Sora could admit that Riku would almost fit right in with the people here.

And that the outfit looked really, really good on him.

Riku blushed. “I just, uh… wanted to try it?”

Sora giggled, hiding his smile with his hand. “You look good. I especially like the glasses. Really ties the whole outfit together.”

Riku went cross-eyed as he just now seemed to remember he was wearing them. Huffing out a frustrated breath of air, Riku pulled the glasses off, laying them gently on the table. “Yeah, yeah. Where have you two been anyway? Milo said that it wouldn’t take long to check the crystal.”

“Oh!” Sora grinned. “Riku, it’s amazing! That crystal is literally the heart of this world! And it’s just… exposed like that! It’s amazing to see it so free, and…”

Sora started to babble, telling Riku all that Kida had shown him. The fisherman out in the ocean, the children learning in the newly rebuilt down center. Even the places near the palace where people received their tattoos.

“And then Kida asked if, as an honored guest, I’d like one. And… well… they look so cool and stuff so I got one and—”

“You got a tattoo?”

Sora stopped at the tone of Riku’s voice. It wasn’t angry or teasing, but it was…

Curious?

Sora nodded. “Yeah? It’s uh… well, I wasn’t sure at first where I wanted to put it but uh…”

He pulled his shirt down until the blue lines began to show. Thanks to the magic from the Atlantean’s crystals, the tattoo had healed quickly. Soon, the entire tattoo was exposed, a heart resting on his collarbone, just below his necklace. “Looks pretty good huh?”

“Yeah, pretty guy, uh— good. I mean good. Pretty good.”

Sora glanced back up at Riku, finding his friend's face slightly redder than normal, and his teal eyes almost blue as they focused on Sora’s tattoo.

They blush, stammer, sometimes say silly things.

Sora smiled, feeling his own face heat up. “I uh… wanted something that reminded me of you. And I wanted to keep it close.”

Riku blinked, his entire face melting into something so sweet it took Sora’s breath away. It seemed to take years off Riku's face, and Sora was reminded when they wer younger and Riku’s smiles were readily available.

Sora’s heart flipped in his chest.

Yeah. He might be more than just a little enamored with Riku. But, it seemed like Riku might have been a little bit more than enamored with him as well.

Now he’d just need to figure out how to tell him.

[Team 1] Keeping Your Heart Close to Mine

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