Riku shifted and slowly opened his eyes.
To see Sora's too cute face too close to Riku's own.
In his sleepiness, he did not note that this was because Sora was leaning over him, very nearly straddling Riku in doing so.
"Sora?" he asked groggily.
"Good morning, Riku!"
As he became more aware, the thought registered in his mind how odd their positions were considering Riku has always been the one on top, this was immediately followed by the realization that this wasn't one of the dreams he didn't deserve to have and it was the hard stone of a cell's floor they were on and not whatever the perverted side of his darkness chose as that particular night's setting. Luckily it was only dreams and not something worse that transpires when Riku's defenses were at their lowest.
Though this entire occurrence Riku had slowly grown redder and redder until his face was roughly the shade of Sora's old jumpsuit that's too small for him now and probably shows off Sora's-
Riku derailed that train of thought so fast the tracks were almost damaged. Almost.
He thanked all matters of luck and fate for their decision to be less indiscriminate on their treatment of everyone and showed the tiniest bit of favor to one of their believers by nobody else being present to make some com-
"Hi, y'all! I-err, I can come back later if you're busy right now."
-ment. Never mind…crap.
Riku scrambled away as quickly as he could, impossible as it seems, even redder, while Sora looked up to see a young man dressed in various shades of vibrant blue who was turned away with a blue-tinged hand covering the side of his face as if to block some indecent view; though what sight that may be completely eluded Sora.
He sat up, brushing himself off, "Hey, Riku, what do you think he means?"
"I-I have no idea, Sora. But whatever it is, it was most defin-ahem, he was probably mistaken."
"Sure it wasn't." Myde peeked out from behind his hand with a mischievous glitter in his eyes and a knowing smile that said 'Riku doth protest too much'.
The Keyblader gave him a scowl Sora couldn't see as his back was to his friend. The brunet instead tilted head and squinted at Myde, "You look like Demyx." He stated as if coming to a conclusion after long deliberation. "Are you his Heartless?"
"Yep," the jester replied heading towards their cell, "my name's Myde. And you're-crap, I should have brought chairs." He interjected realizing he'd have to sit on the ground or lean against the wall before starting the sentence over, "And you're the bestest buddies of the one my bestest buddy happens to like-like."
"Like-like?"
"As in like-like?" Riku asked incredulously.
"What other 'like-like' is there? So what's this 'Demyx' like, Zoey was really vague on the details, like name only."
"Demyx was that Nobody you fought, right Sora? Wasn't he supposed to be really weak and kinda of a coward?"
"Yeah, the first time. Sephiroth trying to gut me to steal ownership of the Keyblade was a cinch after that über-powered wolf in sheep's clothing laid me out! I used up my entire supply of anything with a semblance healing ability I'd stockpiled for my attack on the jillion Heartless on that one battle alone! I nearly died!" Sora said on the very edge of flailing his arms in his zeal.
"You would think his sword of over-compensation would be enough for Sephiroth."
"Apparently it is, according to him 'Cloud possesses what he truly desires', but I can't imagine him ever using Cloud's broadsword. Well, not in a serious way, every time I do, I start laughing."
"Must have something to do with the hair." Myde said wisely.
"What does waist-length hair have to do with anything?"
Riku could think of two off the top of his head who had waist-length hair and probably thought closer along the lines of Sephiroth's thinking than Riku; however he settled on mentally wishing Cloud and Leon the best of luck, attempting to shove his past so far behind him it was in last millennium's garbage disposal, and quickly changing the subject before Myde could finish his next sentence.
"Oh, I'm not talking about the hair's lengt-"
"So who's this friend of yours that likes Kairi?" Riku interrupted.
"Yeah, is it that Zoey person you mentioned earlier?"
Riku thanked all matters of luck and fate that, even if they were indiscriminate on whom they were fickle assholes to, Sora was easily redirected from unsafe topics.
"You bet! Zoey never becomes that open or nice to people that quickly."
"'Zoey'?" Riku's eyebrows drew together slightly, "Wait, by 'Zoey', do you mean-?"
Ienzo burst into the room, "Myde!"
"Zoey!" the jester returned happily.
Ienzo visibly relaxed, "Oh, you're okay. I thought Lumaria might have done something to you."
"Nope, I just came here because someone said they were 'busy' and that I 'should find entertainment elsewhere', unquote." Myde said pouting.
Ienzo started towards them, "I'm sorry, Myde. I jus-"
"Okay, you're forgiven, pull up some rock." Myde said patting the ground next to him.
The Keybladers blinked but Ienzo only smiled and sat down next to him.
Sora crossed his arms and looked as though he was sizing Ienzo up. "So you're the one who likes Kairi."
"Yes, I do not see her as my enemy and I hope she shares my sentiments."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure she shares your sentiments."
Ienzo turned to look at Myde suspiciously, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Your friend says you like-like Kairi." Riku stated with narrowed eyes.
"Well, he is mistaken, your highness. There is no need to turn your no doubt infamous dark prince glare upon me."
"'Dark prince'?" Sora echoed.
"Yes, it's quite obvious, is it not? Kairi is the Princess of Heart, thus making Riku is the dark prince and you the knight in mostly shining armor."
"I'm the jester!" Myde interjected.
Riku raised an eyebrow, "Does that make you the servant or are you nobility?"
"What are you talking about? Zoey's the royal consort!"
"I am no such thing!"
"Suitor, then? Though I still think consort is way more accurate. You act like it almost."
"Wait, 'mostly shining armor', what's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, Sora, it means nothing. This is the Heartless of Zexion; half the stuff he says is probably made-up."
Real subtle change of topic, Riku, Ienzo's eyeroll seemed to say, I barely even noticed. "I have a name, believe it or not." Ienzo said, aiding Riku anyways if only to not have the subject of Anti-Sora brought up.
"Then what is it?" Sora asked.
"Ienzo. And I am not merely 'the Heartless of Zexion', we have many dissimilarities; for instance, I-"
"-like Kairi." Riku cut in, "Stay on topic, consort."
"You do know what that word means, don't you?"
"Yes, I do," Riku replied crossing his arms, "and if what your friend here says is true, she likes you back to at least some degree." Riku gave Ienzo a piercing look and the scholar returned his gaze unflinchingly, "I am also able to distinguish the difference between you and Zexion. You have the potential to annoy me to no end if you wanted to, but Sora does too-"
"Hey!"
"-so that's somewhat irrelevant. Kairi has always been a fairly good judge of character, if she feels she can let her guard down near you, I can only assume it is safe for us to do so as well."
A smirk pulled at Ienzo's lips, "Is this you giving your blessing or have I stolen away the thoughts you reserve for your knight?"
Riku blushed, "S-Shut up!"
"Yeah! I'm his best friend and that's not gonna ever change!"
Riku inwardly flinched, he wasn't sure if he could live like that. Especially if he wanted to ever go to sleep. On second thought, make that if he wanted to ever join the world of the waking. Riku was honestly more worried about what he would do if he didn't get any sleep; fatigue lowers defenses and Sora always looked so temptin-Riku really needed to get started on demolishing those train of thought tracks of his.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Ienzo deadpanned, "I'm sure others are too."
"Speaking of which," Myde began as Riku shot a glare at Ienzo, "why exactly was Sora on top of Riku?"
"Oh, I think I might have fallen outta bed and I must have rolled onto him, I woke up like two seconds before Riku so that's why I was still on him. Sorry, 'bout that Riku."
"It's no problem." Riku inwardly congratulated himself on keeping his voice steady enough not to cause suspicion. Though apparently Sora was the only one deceived as Myde's eyes were glittering again and Ienzo was giving him the same smirk the Heartless had given Kairi when they first met—Riku wanted to smack it off his face so badly. "Don't you have other things to do? Like hitting on Kairi or something."
"I don't hit on her."
"As long you don't try to seduce her or anything."
Both Sora and Ienzo blushed at this, "Riku!" "Your highness!"
Several things involving the phrase 'Princess of Heart', 'pure light', and a word beginning with 't' and ending with 'nt' flashed through Myde's mind that he could say but he chose to keep them to himself.
Riku snickered then looked curiously at Ienzo, "Your face, it's gray."
"That's 'cause Zoey's blushing!"
Sorry everyone (though a big thank you to anonymous and your regular reviews), but this is basically all I have and it's not lookin' as though there'll be more anytime soon.
Though if there is anything, here are some previews (?) in no particular order:
"Your majesty!" was the first thing Mickey heard upon waking up.
"Why do you prefer to fight the small fry while his highness and your knight battle the main threat?"
She thought about the question for a moment, "It's kinda like why people love putting jigsaw puzzles together so much."
"Oh? How so?"
"Well, there's always that small feeling of accomplishment whenever the two pieces fit. It's sorta like that every time I finish off an enemy. Even the small ones."
Leon leaned down to take the letter from Pluto's mouth, "What do we have here?"
He opened it, eyes widening as he got further down the page.
He ruffled the fur on the top of Pluto's head, "Good boy." He said hurriedly as he began running in search of the Keybladers.