notes; I think I made Kairi look bad from the timing. I really like her though! DX

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Air

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Riku is ten years old and he's suffocating.

He stands on the awkwardly-bent branch of the Paopu tree on his island, arms spread as far as he can reach, as though he's trying to embrace the sky. Leaning forward against the tree's base, Sora looks up at him with interest and the hero worship of a nine-year-old who wants to save their hero. He smiles contentedly.

"Just the two of us," The older boy is saying, slowly grasping at clouds. "and we'll go anywhere we want."

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Riku is thirteen and he's suffocating.

"The three of us," He's saying. He leans against the tree trunk that Sora and Kairi sit on, and crosses his arms. Sora watches him and remembers - remembers when he reached out for adventure, remembers when it was just the two of them. Remembers when he stood as close to the sky as he could - when he spread his arms and let the sun shine on him in the middle of the day.

But the sun is setting, and his arms are crossed. He stares at the sunset and the waves, not the clouds or the seagulls between them.

"We'll see whatever worlds are out there."

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Riku is nineteen, and he's suffocating.

This is quickly remedied when Sora shifts his arms, loosening his grip. The older boy responds by moving his arms and lifting the boy attached to his back a little higher. Sora laughs and says;

"I make a bad grown-up, don't I? Getting piggy-backs at eighteen."

Riku gives a soft smile over his shoulder and thinks that eighteen is far too young to be an adult, and that Sora is far too young to be eighteen. But he says nothing and lets Sora off his back at the Paopu tree. The brunet climbs off, then stands up on the trunk. He spreads his arms out like wings, and looks at the mid-day sky.

"Just the two of us," He says, glowing in the sunlight. Riku looks up at him with unnecessary hero-worship and curiosity, casually leaning forward against the tree's base and knowing that this has too many meanings to count.

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