A/n As promised, and I just felt like writing it. I've been in a romantic mood lately, probably because I keep writing a love story, and that almost everyone around me has been hooking up or is about to hook up (not including me –pouts-). Oh well, anyway here is the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Riku? -Looks around for a certain silver-haired bishounen hopefully with a diamond ring- Nope. Sigh...

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A single lock of silver floats up and down on his lips as he breathes gently, in and out on the darkened sand. This may sound out of character for me, but Riku is the most beautiful boy in the world.

When he's awake, and when he's asleep.

I shift slightly on the grainy sand, trying to get comfortable, but it's kinda hard when the love of your life is holding you as though you'll disappear...

Never mind. I want him to hold me; I need to make sure this is real.

Riku is sleeping, his face mere inches from mine. He's pale and glowing at the same time, and his face is remarkably feminine, almost cat-like in the dim light of this place.

He's like the light in the dark...lost, but amazing.

I blush slightly as I move closer to his sleeping form. I need to make sure...

I need to make sure. Just one.

It could be the last.

I move closer, and his lips look inviting. My mind numbed by feverish excitement, I inch forward to...

His lips are warm, and soft to the touch. It's gentle, fleeting, and I make sure to have my eyes shut tight, so that the feeling won't disappear.

Riku always used to play the hero on our island. He was the hot shot, the rebel, the handsome hero, the one boy that girls would swarm just to hang on his arm. He could get any girl he wanted...

But he chose me, and that's what counts.

I pull away, my eyes opening slowly, because I'm scared of what I might see.

He's still there, blissfully dreaming, the silver strands still falling over his resting eyes.

I smirk in victory as I move closer and relax. Ha, this is real.

This is real, this is real, this is real—

The realization of the situation just hit me like a slap in the face.

THIS IS REAL.

I look sadly at Riku, who's still asleep, and I don't want to wake him from this dream. Not yet.

I can't yet.

I know that this is the greatest thing that has ever happened to us since our friendship began, but...

I can't pretend that we can stay here in the dark forever. It's a silly slight of fancy, but I have to be serious. We can't stay here forever.

Everyone is waiting for us to come back.

Donald, Goofy, the King, Kairi—

Kairi.

I try to say her name, and all that comes out is a hoarse croak.

Kairi.

I can't do that to Riku. I can't do that to myself.

But, it has to be done, no matter how much I don't want it.

I narrow my eyes as I rest my head under Riku's chin, one ear on his chest, hearing his heart beat.

A gentle thumping, steady and strong.

I know now that it's always beat for me, but Kairi's voice, her hair, her blithe outlook on life was like static, keeping me from hearing it.

I may not love Kairi anymore, but she is still my friend.

She saw Riku when I thought I would never find him. I have to at least give her credit for that.

But nevertheless, I know that things can no longer go back to the way things were. We can't all go back to the island like nothing every happened here in the Realm of Darkness.

I need Riku. He's like a lifeline; even the times when he fell deeper than I could ever reach him, I know.

I know that if I lose Riku, I lose everything.

"Sora?"

I shift my eyes up, and I see Riku is awake, his eyes glistening with light floating among the aquamarine.

"Yeah Riku?"

He has a strange look on his face. I hope he doesn't notice something's up.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing."

His eyes narrow slightly, and I'm kinda scared because the aquamarine irises increased in intensity.

"Nothing at all?" He asks again, and his voice has a slight husky catch to it, more or so that he is bitter, and not happy.

"Nope." I try to make myself as calm as possible, but he's not stupid enough to notice that I'm scared. Sometimes our friendship (If I can still call it friendship at this point...) is so close; we probably have ESP or something.

"I knew it." And all of a sudden, his tone is accusatory, bitter, and he slips from our embrace, averting his eyes to the waves.

"You want to go back."

"No! I'm fine here, really...!" I stammer, but my words don't seem to be reaching him, and the air has suddenly become colder, more fierce as the wind stops. It's like a shield of ice that he can call up at will, and I can't bear to lose Riku now.

"Don't lie to me Sora." His voice is like a sting through my system, and I suddenly want to throw up in response. My heart thumps painfully against my ribcage, and I feel sick.

"I'm not...!" I retort, but I know it sounds childish.

He turns suddenly, his eyes icy and his face in stone. I've never seen this Riku before, and I inwardly wish I would never have to see him like this again.

"Riku..." I choose my words carefully. "I'm...sorry. But we can't stay here."

There, I said it.

And I really wish I hadn't as soon as I saw Riku's face.

"Why?"

I gulp slightly; Riku's expression was making me nervous.

"Because..." My throat was painfully dry. Why did I always have to do the hard stuff? "Because...I miss it."

Now he changed from anger to confusion, and I had to fight off the urge to laugh.

"I miss the island. I miss our friends, the secret place, my bed..." He snorts skeptically at this. "I just miss it all, is that so bad?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, trying to make it look as though it weren't a big deal, but I could tell it was really bothering him.

"I thought..." His voice is low, sounding as though he swallowed a crumpled ball of paper. "I thought...how come we can't...?"

I know what he was trying to say.

"Riku..."

He looks at me, and my heart clenches uncomfortably, because I can see uncertainty and confusion swimming in his eyes.

"Riku..." I suddenly find my shoes very interesting; it's weird how they're so big and yellow. "You're very important to me."

That's no surprise, my conscience says sarcastically as I hesitate.

"But, we can't stay here forever. We can't be together, just us, all alone in the dark."

"What's wrong with being in the dark?"

His eyes are cold and frozen over, and his voice is sharp with bitterness, like a dagger flying through night air. Suddenly, I can't breathe, and a lump becomes lodged in my throat.

"Nothing Riku...but..."

"But what?"

"I don't know."

"Don't know or won't tell?"

"I. Don't. Know." I'm getting annoyed, but I have to calm down.

"TELL ME!"

So long to patience.

"I JUST CAN'T RIKU!" I yell loudly, my voice reverberating off of every unknown corner this world may have, and it empties into silence as I stare at Riku's hard gaze.

"Can't what Sora?"

"I can't live in the dark! The dark is full of shadows and heartless; it swallows up the light, and destroys everything!" My voice is hoarse and I can feel unshed tears welling up in my eyes, and I'm trying not to look like a pathetic 15-year old boy who wants to fall to the ground in tears.

"Even me?"

As soon as that nearly silent whisper leaves his lips, I realize in sudden horror that I lost Riku in the worst possible way. His aquamarine orbs harden to a minty green, and he stalks off, off into the shadows looming over our sanctuary.

What have I done?

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A/n Gah...I had originally planned for this to be the last chapter, but...jeez, WHAT HAVE I DONE? Oh no no no no no no...I can't believe I made them fight! What's come over me? Riku, Sora, please forgive me!

Despite this slight plot twist, I'll be continuing the story soon...but now I'm wondering about the other characters. Should I do POV chapters with the other characters like King Mickey, Donald and Goofy, and Kairi maybe? I think it might add more drama...oh well. Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to review!