it was always you that i despised

The world was dark, bright, yellow eyes the only guiding light within the space as they searched his heart, waiting for the moment he'd break. 

Sora struggled against the binds, wincing as claws dug deeper into his sides, his movement limited. It was hard to breathe, the sounds of fighting outside their sphere becoming dull as the blood pounded louder and louder in his ears, his heartbeat deafening.

A hand cupped his cheek, and Sora flinched, trying to pull back. 

The suit radiated a faint glow as Riku laughed, his hand firm on Sora's face.

"Don't you remember, Sora?" the replica asked as he dug his fingers into Sora's cheek, smiling at the marks it left behind. Sora turned his head to bite, his reward a sneer from above. He yelped when the replica flicked his forehead, desperately wishing he could increase the distance. Instead, the replica inched closer as the barrier around them shrunk, fear thrumming through Sora's heart.

"All those times we used to play in the dark," the replica recalled with such fondness that it caught Sora off guard. He opened his mouth to snap back—it wasn't right to steal Riku's memories—but he inhaled sharply, a cold hand under his shirt and pressed against his stomach. The replica snickered, close enough for his bangs to tickle Sora's face. "You loved it. Don't you remember?"

There was a muffled shout, and Sora turned his head. "Ri—agh!" He whimpered, blood welling on his skin, the claws tight against his sides. 

"Shh, shh," the way the replica stroked his hair was achingly familiar, his eyes dancing as he brushed back Sora's bangs and kissed his forehead, voice dripping with a bittersweetness as the claws eased their grip, "I'm here, Sora, don't worry about the rest of the world. I'm here now." 

Another muffled shout. Another desperate inhale for air as the oxygen slowly left their small world, Sora racking his brain on how to escape.

The replica chided him gently. Sora grunted as the restraints bound his wrists behind him and to the ground, further limiting his movement. "This is why we lost our magic, Sora. Don't you remember?" There was sadness in those eyes, and Sora froze.

Riku had stared at him like that once before.

Guilt gripped his heart and Sora felt his resistance waver. 

"...Riku, I—" Sora coughed at the sudden pressure around his neck, his heart lurching forward.

A sneer curled the replica's lips, the anger in his eyes burning Sora's skin. "You gave it all away." 

"R… Riku…"

Riku smiled and eased his grip, fingers a fitted collar around Sora's neck. "Don't worry, Sora." Sweat rolled down Sora's temple as he struggled to breathe, the replica laughing as he inched closer, the sphere closing in around them. "I don't need magic when I have you."