Warnings: This is an AU Fantasy Story. I tried to stay true to who the characters are, but part of who you are depends on the situation you're in (who you are with friends, versus at school, or with your family) and it depends on your life and experiences, who raised you and what shaped you. Because those life experiences are different in AU, the characters might be different. Oh, and all Org 13 members that appear later are naga, not Nobodies, so that changes things as well. So, if you don't like AU, or any of the things mentioned, feel free not to read.

Constructive Criticism is always welcome!

Note: Someone commented that this reminded her of another fic called "Naga Eyes" and asked if I was the same author. I am not the same author, nor was this fic inspired by that fic. Apparently, both "Naga Eyes" and this fic were gift fics for Nahcied, an artist over DA, who likes Naga Riku/Sora, so that might account for that similarity.

"When you're the best of friends

Chapter 1

Sharing all that you discover"

The full moon bathed the trees in silver light. Summer had come to the island, that never really knew true winter anyway except in the north and in the mountains. For the island was no small key, but rather a very large country, perhaps even a continent. It was tropical in some places, but boasted forests and snow capped mountains in others. However, here, near the southern seas, the night was warm.

Sora's feet were bare as he slipped away, down a side path towards the jungle. Within minutes, he had disappeared into the line of trees.

Although the moon was bright, under the thick canopy of foliage, it was never truly light. Sora could barely see a few feet in front of him. He pushed a strand of spiky brown hair away from his face. Not that it did much good, but despite the darkness he pressed on.

It was just a forest, after al,l and he'd been in forests before...well, not exactly this forest. Where he was going now was forbidden, and he had not gone there often. However, tonight was special, it was the full moon. Light enough that he could see, but still dark enough that he could easily sneak away and back without being caught. So he had to go tonight, and he had to get over how uneasy he felt.

At night things had a way of looking unfamiliar, and frightening. Every innocent forest sound became mysterious, and possibly threatening. As he moved along, he listened to the sounds of things he could not see: animals walking, the padding of their footsteps, or the snapping of vegetation, and then—what was that? A growl?

It was easy to let his imagination get away with him, too easy. He was sixteen years old, almost a man for goodness sake, and he wasn't going to let himself be frightened! Besides, he was armed, and could deal with anything that might try to harm him.

Nothing bad could possibly—

"Whoa!" he cried as he was pulled off his feet without warning by something which had wrapped itself around his waist. Before he could figure out what it was, or indeed what was going on, he found himself pulled up into a nearby tree.

For a moment he hung upside down, held by what he could clearly see as coils: coils too large to be from any normal serpent, coils that could only belong to a naga. The coils wrapped around him were silvery white, and glowed brilliantly in the moon light.

"Hey!" cried Sora, annoyed at being left hanging upside down, high above the forest floor.

"Don't worry, I've got you," came the naga's voice. "You can trust in me."

Sora was then pulled upright, and set down on the thick branch of the ancient tree. The branch was large enough to sit on comfortably. It was wide enough to lie down on, in fact, which was what the naga was doing. He lounged with back against the tree's trunk, smiling over at his captive.

Once he set Sora down, he sat up and leaned closer to him. "Hello, Sora."

Despite his annoyance moments ago, the boy smiled at the naga.

"Riku!" Sora embraced the naga, who happened to be his best friend.

"Took you long enough," Riku said, he ruffled Sora's hair, "for a while I was afraid you wouldn't come."

Sora pushed Riku away and rolled his eyes. "I always come, I made a promise after all," he reminded the naga. "Besides, I've missed you. It's been forever." He looked over the naga. "You're so tall now, and... well." He reached out, running a hand down Riku's arms and feeling how toned his muscles had become. "You look….all grown up, that's for sure." Sora knew he was babbling and probably sounded like an idiot or a child, but he just couldn't find the words to say what he meant.

Sora really couldn't believe how much Riku had changed, but it had been a long time since they'd seen one another. Their arrangement was that in summer, every full moon Sora would sneak out and they'd meet. In the winter months, Riku had to go and hunt somewhere far away with others of his kind. This winter, Riku had gone from a boy, an awkward teen, to a man who looked every bit like a warrior.

"I guess I am," Riku said. "I'm seventeen now, you know, and I've been training with Seph. He's taught me so much."

"Seph?"

"Sephiroth," explained Riku. "He's another naga. I spent most of the winter hunting with him, and training. Oh, but it doesn't matter…you're probably not interested in all that. I'm more interested in catching up with you. How have you been?"

"All right, I guess," said Sora with a shrug. "I've been training too you know, with Cloud, he's a warrior from my village."

Riku nodded, "I guess we're not so different after all. Gods, I missed you so much Sora." The naga pulled his friend into another hug.

Sora hugged him back, and then sat back, smiling. "Well we're together now, and I'm glad,"he said, "but Riku, in the future, don't just grab me like that."

"Where you scared?" asked Riku.

"No!" said Sora. He crossed his arms and looked away, then sighed. "You might have startled me...a little. What were you doing up here anyway? I was looking for you on the ground."

Riku shrugged, "I like it up here, and besides there are wild boars down there, a whole herd. You should be more careful you know; you might have wandered into trouble."

Sora just rolled his eyes. "I'm not afraid, I've seen worse."

"Like me?" questioned Riku, "You know, most humans would be terrified?"

"I'm sure," said Sora, "but most humans aren't your best friend."

"True, most naga aren't friends with humans period." Riku said, a pensive look crossing his face. "Sora...there is something we should talk about."

Sora didn't like the way he said that, nothing good ever started with the words: 'we need to talk' or any variation thereof. "Riku, is there something wrong? Did I do something?"

Sora couldn't think of anything he might have done to upset Riku. He hadn't seen the naga in months because he was away hunting. Sora didn't like to think about where Riku went, or what he hunted, but he understood that Riku was a hunter.

In fact, Sora had been lectured about that by Aerith, his adoptive mother. Naga were dangerous. They ate people, people like Sora, and if he didn't want to end up as a naga's meal he was to stay far away from them and their territory.

Of course, Sora hadn't listened. He knew he was safe with Riku. They's made a promise, they were going to be friends forever. Sora didn't think promises should be cast aside lightly, and no matter what the world might say, he and Riku would always be friends.

"No, but Sora," Riku began, "things are changing. They've been changing for a while now, years. We're getting older."

"But Riku we're still friends aren't we?" Sora asked. "What does it matter if we're older?"

"Don't be stupid, it matters a lot. I'm a hunter now," said Riku, "and nearly a full grown naga. You do know naga eat humans right? When I was younger I could get by on smaller things. Now...I just don't know if it's safe for you to be here."

"What are you saying? You're going to eat me?" Sora laughed at the idea. Riku would never hurt him. "Come on Riku a moment ago you seemed glad to see me."

"I am glad to see you Sora...it's just...there's a part of me that...that does want to eat you. I can smell your scent so easily and-"

"You always could," said Sora. "That's why you were always so good at hide and seek, remember?"

"We're not kids anymore, Sora." Riku pointed out, "As I've gotten old your scent has become...tempting. Part of me wants to devour you right now."

Sora stiffened slightly and swallowed. "Riku, you wouldn't? Would you...?"

"Never," he said, shaking his head. "But I hate that I think of you like that, and I can't help it, Sora. Besides, even though I would never hurt you, it's still dangerous for you to be out here. If Sephiroth found you—"

"We're alone, Riku, no one is going to find us," Sora assured him. "And I can hold my own in a fight. I don't care who this Sephiroth is, he wouldn't be able to make a meal of me."

Riku rolled his eyes. "I was able to get you in my coils easily enough," He pointed out, rolling his eyes. Then suddenly, the naga tightened his coils so Sora couldn't move. "It was too easy, I could have killed you in an instant, and Sephiroth wouldn't hesitate if he had been the one to catch you," Riku hissed. "You can't take everything so lightly, Sora, especially not Sephiroth."

"Ok, ok," he choked. "Can I breathe again, please?"

"Sorry," Riku sighed, and loosened his coils. "Maybe you should head home."

"No way, Riku. I just got here, and the way you've been talking, it's like...like we won't see each other again."

"We shouldn't," he said looking away. After a moment, he met Sora's gaze. "Come on, I'll take you to the edge of the forest." Riku uncoiled from Sora, and began the climb down, but Sora stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Riku," he said, "there's something...something I've wanted to tell you, too. So, will you give me the chance?"

Riku paused, and nodded.

"Despite what you might think, I actually have noticed you've changed, and so have I. For a while now...well, you don't exactly seem the same way to me either. When I look at you now, I look at you in a whole new way. I...well, you said we weren't kids anymore, and I know we aren't, because I wouldn't have felt like this back then."

"What are you saying?" He asked, his head cocked to side.

Sora leaned in, gently placing his hand against the back of Riku's silver hair, pushing the naga's face slightly toward his own. As he did this, he leaned forward, his lips hovering just above Riku's own. He felt the other's breath mingling with his, and the heat from his skin, as slowly his lips grazed Riku's. He simply pressed his lips to the naga's at first, and then planted a single chaste kiss on his warm lips.

Riku's eyes widened, and he took Sora firmly by the shoulders pushing him back, holding him there. "What are you doing?"

Sora looked at him innocently, "Listening to my heart, Riku. Tell me it didn't seem right?"

"You're an idiot," said Riku. "I can't believe you just said that."

"I know it's cliche and stupid," said Sora. "It's just...it's how I feel. I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to tell you, you're..." Sora looked at Riku. Naga wore no clothes, so his chest was bare down to his waste where skin gave way to silver scales, like a merman. Sora turned away. "I'm sorry."

"No," said Riku. "Don't be I-"

"I didn't mean...I just...we can still be friends?" asked Sora. "I didn't mean to make things...awkward." He rubbed the back of his head with one hand. He really was an idiot, and now he'd gone and made things even more difficult.

Then Riku gently cupped Sora's chin and turned Sora's face to look at him again. He lowered his own lips to Sora's kissing him. This was much more than the hesitant peck Sora had placed on Riku moments ago.

Sora's eyes and mouth went wide with surprise, pulling back ever so slightly as the naga worked his forked tongue around his own. His surprise lasted only seconds before he relaxed and melted into the kiss. His entire body relaxed, and his eyes dropped half closed as he let Riku lead him. Then, he began to return the kiss, his own tongue meeting Riku's in pushes and swipes as though they were sparing. Sora's eyes slipped all the way closed, as he focused on the kiss and the way that Riku tasted: salt and paoupu fruit.

Riku's coils pulled Sora closer as the the silver haired naga twisted his hands into Sora's brown mane. At last they broke the kiss, if only so that Sora could breath. The naga leaned forward to lick Sora's cheek, eyes closed as he savored Sora's taste.

Sora's eyes snapped open. "Riku?" he asked. A knot had formed in the pitt of his stomach.

Riku's eyes opened and he looked at Sora, licking his lips. "You taste amazing."

Sora's entire body tensed. He was at least twenty feet above ground, firmly held in the coils of a naga who had this very night, confessed wanting to eat him. This was not good.

Big mama, the ever wise Aerith, had warned Sora about paling around with a naga. Even when Sora insisted, no matter what happened, Riku would never change, she'd told him forever is a long time, and time has a way of changing things. Sora knew she was right, that time had changed things...but surely Riku wasn't going to kill him.

"You're not going to eat me," he asked, "are you?"

Riku looked surprised by the question, and then just laughed. "Idiot, of course not," he siad. Riku ruffled Sora's hair again. "I'd never hurt you. Don't you trust me?"

He kissed him again, a soft peck, then whispered a lullaby in his ear. "Trust in me, just in me, shut your eyes and trust in me."

As Riku sang he readjusted his coils so that Sora was lying on top of him. Riku cuddled with Sora, arms and coils holding him. "I think you could stay here, a while longer," he told the human boy between another kiss.

"And you promise not to hurt me?" asked Sora, still a bit wary after being licked. All of Aerith's admonishments were still running through his mind.

"I swear," said Riku. He pulled him closer to kiss him again, another deep kiss. It was just then they were interrupted by far off voice.

"Riku!" The name was pitched to carry, long and drawn out with just a hint of irritation behind it. The voice itself sounded masculine and dark, like what Sora always imagined one of the ancient heroes of legend would sound like, only much darker. It was powerful and rough, older.

Riku bolted upright, nearly knocking Sora out of the tree as he did so. Before Sora could question him, he clapped a hand firmly over the boy's mouth. He shot him a look, which said keep quiet and then, with Sora firmly in his coils, he slid them both to the ground.

"I have to go, and you have to get out of here." he said. He released Sora from his coils and pointed away.

Sora nodded; the look in his friend's eye was enough to make him obey. Besides, he didn't want Riku to get in trouble on his account.

However, Sora hesitated, looking at Riku with wide, beseeching eyes. "We'll see each other again, right?" he whispered.

"Sora, I don't have time for questions!" Riku snapped, pushing Sora forward. "Just go! I don't want to see you get killed! If Sephiroth finds you he'll eat you alive, now run!"