This lovely little idea is based off the song and music video Ballad of Mona Lisa by the ever so awesome Panic! At the Disco! With that special yaoi twist.
I couldn't wait to do this one since it's so far down my list of Evil Awesomeness. Plus it's my shortest one on there.
Xemnas: Oh gods she keeps a list?
Saïx: You think that's bad, look at this idea. *points to a story on my list*
Xemnas: WTF Saki!
Sora: This particular story is evil!
I own nothing~!
One month ago…
"Sora, I love you. For so long I've loved you. I would be very honored if you would marry me."
I gasped as I stared at my gorgeous silver haired lover on one knee in front of me in shock. The ring he held between his thumb, forefinger, and middle finger had a silver band with the most beautiful diamond I had seen. That rings was his grandmother's ring and I remembered him telling me long before we had gotten together that he would use it to propose to the one he loved. He thought it would bring good luck in the marriage. Honestly I thought that it should considering his grandmother got that ring from his grandfather when she was eighteen.
They were married until the end of their days. But… Well I knew Riku loved me, but I didn't think he'd want to marry me! I mean, we've been dating for about three and a half years now… Maybe that was long enough for us. My parents loved him and his mom always tried to smother me when she saw me, joking that I could always do better than her "hoodlum of a son". I didn't want better though. I wanted him and him alone.
I smiled down at him feeling the tears in my eyes and the unbelievably bright, happy smile that crossed my face. I ignored the stinging rain and pain in my face as I answered, "Yes Riku, I will." My joyful laughter sounded like I was choking as I was crying at the same time. The feel of the ring sliding onto my finger made me shiver pleasantly "I love you Riku." I whispered as he stood back up with that dazzling smile on his face.
"And you know I love you." With that he kissed me with all the love for me he had, and then some. God knows how much I love this man, I'll never leave his side, I vow it to Heaven and Hell and back!
Present time…
I stood strong by that vow I had made that night a month ago; I wish Riku had made the same vow now. Now I stood in the middle of his family living room with a bunch of other people, friends and family alike on both our sides. Riku's house was huge so it was able to fit all of us no problem, hell we had room for more in this room alone! I would laugh at the thought, but I can't, I won't! Not on this day, because this day is the day we mourned my fiancé.
Everything was fine, I didn't understand why everything suddenly came crashing down around me. We had the wedding planned and ready to go in no time at all thanks to our parents and friends, but instead of celebrating our union today, we're suffering our parting. Forever.
It was about a week ago; I woke up with my famous smile on my lips and was ready to go see Riku. Just as I was about to walk out the door my cell phone rang with RIKU-HOME on the caller ID, his mother had called to tell me she found Riku dead that morning and that's when my world completely fell apart.
A tap on my shoulder; I turned to meet a gaze of emerald green, Riku's cousin Axel "You holding up okay Sora?" he asked with genuine sympathy.
I studied him; he was dressed in black slacks with a white short sleeved button up dress shirt and a black waste coat, the outfit was very Victorian with a modern twist to it. But then so were all the outfits everyone was wearing, curtsey of my departed love. See Riku was into fashion and design, and his partner in crime was our long time friend Zexion since he started. Riku wanted to revive the Victorian fashion with everyone's preferred taste in trends, hell he and Zexion had made outfits for everyone and we loved them! Now we were wearing articles of their finished products for the funeral.
My outfit made me feel like Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler with the shorts falling midway down my knee, the jacket falling just pass my butt, and these heeled shoes, I know Riku did that on purpose though when he gave it to me for my birthday a few months back since he knew how much I loved that Anime.
I nodded my head slowly, but sadly, "I guess so... I don't get it Axel, the day we're supposed to be married and I'm saying good-bye to him. What did I do to deserve this?"
"Hey, we're all here for you 'kay. You don't have to suffer this alone. And you did absolutely nothing wrong." He said bringing me into his arms. Then he released me with a sad look so he could go back over to my friend Roxas who he was dating.
"Sora?" I turned and saw Kairi, Riku's little sister. She looked pretty in her black gothic Victorian dress; Riku designed it for her, strapless with the bodice hugging her torso like a corset would and the skirt ruffled, flaring out at the hips as if it had one of those things under it like the 1700's woman wore, (A/N: You guys know what I'm talking about right? 'Cause I have no idea what those are called) and a mini jacket. On her hands were fishnet fingerless gloves "I'm really sorry." She said hugging me tightly.
Now I was beyond confused! Kairi HATED mine and Riku's relationship, for some odd reason. And now she was HUGGING me? And saying SHE was SORRY? Jeez, she made it sound like she did it or something. But all that aside due to my depression I hugged her back half heartedly, "I should be sorry, he's your brother."
She pulled back nodding, "I know, I know. But he was supposed to become your husband today. Well anyway, can you open the window please?"
I nodded and went to open the window in the room following the rules I had found on line for this funeral. Riku had a major fascination with the Victorian age and he said he wanted his funeral done like the one when he died. The first was to open a window in the room; I made my way to the bay window passing the table that had my love's body dressed in white on it, his face cover by a white lace cloth. I wanted to pull it back and gaze at his face, but I couldn't. Not yet at least, so I continued with my task.
Roxas came over to me with Demyx as I lingered by the window. They were dressed like Axel only their shirt sleeves were longer, Roxas's coming half way down his arm, and Demyx's completely covering his arms and his shirt was dark blue. They both wore skinny jeans too, made by Riku. Like I said he and Zexion designed all the outfits that were worn today.
"Sora I'm so sorry dude. It must've been a hard blow." Demyx said.
"Yeah." I whispered.
"We're here for you Sora. Don't forget that." Roxas said hugging me.
"Thanks guys. That means a lot." For once since I got the tragic news a genuine smile crossed my face even though it was small.
I meandered through the room among the other mourners, constantly getting gentle touches on my shoulder or my back with sympathetic looks. I had to do a double take when I saw the front door open and caught a flash of silver, turned out to be Sephiroth, Riku's older brother. I recognized him from the many pictures I had seen on these walls. Riku told me he really looked up to Sephiroth, and from what I've heard about him it would be expected; Sephiroth was part of a major corporation in a huge city, he had an executive position. That, and when their father died Sephiroth had to take care of the family.
Wait a minute… He was coming right at me! What do I do? I don't know anything about him and I doubt he knows anything about me! What do I say? What if I sound stupid? Does he even know about mine and Riku's destroyed relationship?
"Sora right?" I blinked as his question snapped me out of my rave.
"Uh… Uh, yes. I'm Sora, Sora Hart." I shook his hand when he offered it to me "And you're Sephiroth, Riku brother."
The older man nodded, "Yes. I've heard a lot about you from Riku. I'm very sorry."
I twiddled my fingers, "Not that I don't appreciate it, but I've been hearing that for a week and it makes me uncomfortable to hear it from those who are blood related to him. I should be telling you that."
He gave a small smile and patted my head, "Be as it may, but you've made Riku happier than I've ever seen him. I consider you part of my family, blood related or not."
I couldn't help but smile small, "I thank you." With that he walked away to see his mother.
After two hours, I closed the window and saw Riku's mother going around stopping all the clocks while Roxas's older brother Cloud covered the mirrors, the second and third rules of this funeral. That meant it was time to bathe the body, Zexion was already getting things ready. I made my way over to him and the table as I took off my coat throwing it on one of the front row chairs set up in front of the table. As I rolled up my shirt sleeves I noticed that Zexion's only visible eye was red and puffy, probably only half as bad as my eyes were.
"Are you alright Zex?" I asked as I took a cloth from the bowl of warm water.
"Why would you ask me that?" he responded in his quiet voice.
I gave him a gentle look, "I can tell you've been crying. C'mon Zexion he was your friend too."
He sighed and blinked back the tears that glazed his silver-blue eyes, "My first friend. Hell, if it hadn't have been for him I wouldn't have met Demyx. He's done a lot for me you know."
"I know."
"But why are you so concerned about everyone else you see who's crying? You should be hurt the most right now."
"I know that too. But today's not about me. It's about Riku, and everyone he was important to."
Zexion paused in his washing of Riku's arm to smile at me, "That's one of the reasons he loves you so much." Now I wanted to cry again.
After bathing Riku's body we had to lay the body in white, rule five. It wasn't actually laying him in white, we just covered him in a white wool blanket.
"Say what you mean
Tell me I'm right.
And let the sun rain down on me!"
That voice! I knew that voice, very well! I looked around frantically looking for its owner, my sadness forgotten and replaced by hope until I saw the white on the table and I remembered, Riku was dead. I must have been hearing things.
But that song, I knew it well. Riku and I had found it by accident when he wanted to show me a song he said reminded him of us by a band called Panic! At the Disco. He saw the link to the music video and it had inspired him to get his ass in gear when it came to his assignments from fashion and design because the theme of it was a Victorian style funeral! That was my Riku for you.
"Everyone, it's time for the next phase. Please take a seat." Riku's mother called to everyone in the room.
Axel took hold of my shoulder and led me to the front row with Sephiroth, Kairi, their mother, and a few other relatives I don't really know. My ears were filled with the sobs of everyone who was there, then the sobs became wails of sorrow. Rule six: Allow the people to wail and lament. I just let the tears fall from my eyes, I already wailed the first three days of Riku's death. I just stared at his body on the table covered by that white blanket, that thing obscured his beautiful features from our eyes.
Then I blinked as a quiet voice that sounded like wind was audible over all the sobs and wails.
"Give me a sign
I want to believe."
Now I was sure I wasn't hearing things! That was definitely Riku's voice and he was singing that song, Ballad of Mona Lisa it's called. I looked to the table and my eyes widened in shock at what I saw, Riku was standing over his own body! But how? He was… It must be a ghost. A ghost that was suddenly in front of me!
"Sora," I felt a cold chill on my cheek as his transparent fingers glided over my skin "My Sora. I'm so sorry." His lips were like an icy breath as he touched them to mine, yet the kiss was still as warm and loving as if he were still alive. When he pulled back I saw nothing but regret in those beautiful aquamarine eyes that stared back at me, his hand grasped mine and he smiled at the engagement ring still on my finger.
"Riku… Why?" I whispered under the continuing cries of the other mourners.
His eyes closed as he sang quietly, "Who-o-o-o-oa! Mona Lisa, you're granteed to run this town." Then he moved so he was in front of Kairi three seats down from me, and he was glaring death at her, "Who-o-o-o-oa! Mona Lisa, I'd pay to see you frown!"
I didn't understand, why did he seem angry at Kairi? Did she know something about his death? And why was he singing that song? I felt his cold finger brush against my cheek again as he passed me going up the stairs. On an impulse I followed after him, I felt a few eyes on my back but no one stopped me. I knew I'd get questioned though when I got back.
Riku was standing in front of his bedroom door and I got a good look at him, thinking I should have been shocked at what he was wearing but I wasn't at all. A white Victorian jacket that fell half way past his knees with navy blue pants and black shoes. I remembered he made that outfit first when he started his fashion and design class with Zexion, the jacket was made out of Egyptian cotton, the pants were denim, and his shoes were suede like a pair I saw Zexion's sister Naminé wearing one day. I think they were from Zoe&Zac.
And if I was right, Riku should have had his favorite zip-up black vest under that jacket. I walked over to him slowly thinking that if I rushed he would disappear "Riku, what's going on?" I asked quietly.
"Come on Sora, you remember that video we saw." He said going through the door into his room.
I hesitated before following, no one had been in Riku's room since they found him dead. But he wanted me to follow him, as if there was something he wanted me to know and tell everyone else. So I gathered my courage and opened the door. Riku was standing by his desk with a hand on a closed notebook "Why did you bring me up here?" I asked.
"Mona Lisa, wear me out." He sang with his hand still on the notebook.
I stepped forward and he moved aside as I picked up the book opening it to the first page and what I saw shocked me to the point that I thought my heart would stop completely and lead this to be a double funeral. Written in Riku's hand in bold ink were three words that tore at my heart and made my blood boil hot with extreme hatred. Tearing that paper out I ran back out of the room, down the stairs, and into the family room just as everyone was moving chairs about and talking, "You bitch!"
Everyone turned to me at my outburst "Sora what's wrong?" Demyx asked.
Ignoring him I walked right up to the source of my anger and slapped her across the face hard enough to make her fall to the floor. She stared back up at me wide-eyed and holding her cheek that was already a bright red, "What is your problem?" she screamed.
"Sora why did you slap Kairi?" Axel demanded as Naminé helped her to stand up again.
"Did you hate our relationship so much that you would do something that low? You would actually kill Riku so we wouldn't marry? You bitch! How dare you!" I exclaimed at the top of my lungs.
The room filled with gasps then went so quiet you could hear a pin drop on the carpeted floor. Finally after the pregnant silence her mother spoke, "Sora, are you saying Kairi… murdered my son?"
I nodded still glaring at the girl who was supposed to be my beloved's sister as I went over to the table bearing Riku's body. I stood there still glaring at her and held up the paper for the whole room to see and they all gasped at the words on it, Kairi did it.
Kairi bolted for the front door but was grabbed by Sephiroth and Leon, Cloud's lover and my big brother, and they brought her back to the middle of the room. Her mother stared at her daughter like she didn't know who she was and Axel looked beyond disgusted by all this.
"Did you really kill him?" her mother asked quietly.
"How do we know Sora didn't just write that?" Kairi said in defense.
"I can't forge another person's hand writing to save my life! I'm lucky people can read my chicken scratches. How could I have copied Riku's hand writing?" I snapped.
"Answer me Kairi! Did. You. Kill. Riku?" her mother demanded.
All eyes were on her now, staring her down, making her visibly shake. Her head whipped around at all of them as if pleading for someone to help her. I could tell she wanted to run but being held captive by two men stronger than her by far made that impossible. Riku was standing between me and her with a smirk of victory on his face and I heard him sing, "There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you paid for."
Finally after about five minutes she snapped under the pressure, "Okay! I did it! I did it! Are you happy? I killed Riku!"
Her mother turned away from her and started crying again. Sephiroth left Kairi in Leon's hands to comfort her but even he wouldn't look at her anymore, no one would most likely. But I held my gaze with her because I wanted to know, "Why?"
"I love you Sora. When I found out he was going to ask you to marry him I started hating him. It only got worse when he came home that night and told mom and me you said yes. I didn't know how to handle it, I didn't even want to handle it or accept it! I wanted you to be with me. I didn't know what to do... Then I got the idea to kill him. I thought if I killed him you would come to me for comfort and fall in love with me. I thought I would regret it once I did it, but when I saw him the next morning I felt pleased." A wicked grin crossed her face "I have rat poison to thank."
Then she was slapped again, but not by me I swear! It was her mother, "How could you! So jealous that you'd rob someone of their happiness! You selfish little girl! I can no longer call you my daughter." She ran out of the room with her face hidden in her hands.
Cloud was already calling the police and Leon still held Kairi. No one looked at her. I turned my back to her, "I could never love someone like you. I hate you with all my being." With that I laid my head on Riku's covered stomach and cried.
Hours later, like after midnight I was still by the table with his body. I uncovered his face so I could gaze at him, I was still in my clothes from the day fingering my engagement ring as I remembered the vow I made to myself a month ago when Riku asked me to marry him, never leave his side. I came to a conclusion then, I would follow him in death as well. I went to the kitchen and pulled out a sharp knife from the rack on the wall.
Rolling my sleeves up enough I brought the cold, sharp blade across the skin of my wrist three times first on my right, then three on my left making sure to get deep in my veins. The warm river of life in my body flowed freely from the wounds down my skin staining the cuffs of my shirt and the tiled floor as it dripped and I smiled fondly at the sight. I made my way back to the family room, to the table. I pulled the blanket back, kicked off my shoes, and got on next to Riku then pulled it back over the both of us.
The blood stained his white clothes and the blanket where it dripped. I cupped Riku's face and kissed his still lips with the last of the love I had before I slipped into the eternal slumber then pulled back to lay my head on his chest, letting my eyes fall close with a smile on my face "I'll be with you soon, my Riku." I whispered.
I woke slowly when I felt myself being lifted, but I felt lighter than air. An arm supported my shoulders and another was under my knees and I was pulled against a strong chest. Looking up I saw those eyes that made me fall in love with their owner, Riku had come for me.
"I wish you had decided to live on without me, but I know that once you come to a decision there's no arguing with you." He said.
"Riku, I made a promise to you on the ring you gave me. So I will follow you wherever you go, I love you." I responded back looking at my left hand and smiling at the ring that was surprisingly still there.
I looked back up to see him smiling at me, "Then come with me Sora, so that we can share our eternal love in the next life." It wasn't like I had much of an option as he had already started walking towards a warm light that appeared before us, not that I wanted one either.
I reached up and kissed him again "I will." I whispered against his lips before connecting them again as we walked through to our next life together.
Dark story, more Kairi bashing. But the Kairi bashing won't be a constant hobby of mine in stories, I'm not that mean.
I suggest watching the music video for Ballad of Mona Lisa, that's pretty much the story.
Once again, song belongs to Panic! At the Disco as does the music video theme.