He thought being a hero would be easy...
Saving the world, getting the girl, having the glory reserved for the elite -- it seemed like it was the easiest thing in the world back when he was a boy on Destiny Islands, reading his books and escaping to a land of fantasy where he, Riku, was always the hero, always the brave one, always the strong knight who saved the princess.
Sora would be the Sancho to his Don Quioxte, the Mercutio to his Romeo. They would have adventures together, adventures that someday, they could sit in their rocking chairs side by side and tell to their grandkids. They'd share laughs, battles, memories, dreams. They'd do it together.
Then Kairi came.
And suddenly, it was perfect. He had his princess to save, his sidekick to share adventures with, and a life of glory waiting for him. So where was the adventure? He didn't know exactly where it was, but he did know one thing -- it wasn't here on this island. So he decided that, together, the three of them would build a raft and sail away; their destination unknown, their mission finding adventure, glory, anything other than that quiet little chain of islands surround by a calm sea and mundane little things.
What happened next was like something out of one of his books. When that door appeared, he opened it. Darkness came, Kairi was taken, and he, being the hero, had to save her. He just had to. So he gave in to the soft, gentle caress of the darkness, gave into its sly, seductive whispering promises of power and glory, forgetting about Sora, his sidekick-Sancho-Mercutio. He stepped through that portal and into adventure.
But stepping into the darkness meant growing up, and he realized that it was Sora -- the sweet, naive, simplistic, innocent child Sora -- who was meant for the role of hero. He watched as the little boy he knew, the same boy he had always bested back home, grew stronger, fighting Heartless and Nobodies and saving worlds in a desperate attempt to save the princess.
So in the safety of darkness, Riku grew up. He pushed Sora, challenging him to battles, questioning his heart. He even took away the keyblade, testing Sora's worth. And deep down, in the place where his light was safely stored, he smiled each time as Sora proved himself, over and over. And finally, he decided that Sora was worthy of his dream, and he stepped back into the shadows to watch as Sora became the Hero, getting the glory and saving the Princess. And even though it hurt, Riku couldn't have been happier for his friends. He gave up his dream of getting the girl, the glory, and becoming a hero and settled for just being Riku, the sidekick, the friend, the thrill-seeker.
He thought being a hero would be easy...but in reality, growing up and moving on was the real challenge.
Author's notes: Horrid drabble. Its purpose? Proving that I'm still alive. :) A little Riku-centric drabble for your reading pleasure. I know. It's ohso NonRiku-ish, but...still.
disclaimer: I so (don't) own Kingdom Hearts or Riku. They're © Squ-enix.