Please send in any of your fanfiction for Kingdon Hearts. RikuXSora fiction is highly appreciated, but other KH fanfiction is accepted if it's good too. You can send your fanfiction to coffeewithriku@yahoo.com along with the name you want me to credit you as, the rating, title, and summary. When e-mailing your fanfiction know that it will appear on this site if it's accepted (which it most likely will endless it was written badly and has too many errors I can't edit). Please send in your fiction! I'm eager to read all of your wonderful stories! Thanks!

Stories so far...

1, The Keyblade Wars,-series- by Forbidden Fox (OrlysElf@aol.com)

2,"Before Her", by Forbidden Fox- (OrlysElf@aol.com)

3,"Unlimited Fault", by RikuEssays-series

4, "On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- by princessOFdarkness-series (11 chaps)

5, "Without You Around"- by princessOFdarkness-series (11 chaps)

6, "You Never Left Me"- by princessOFdarkness-

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Title:  "Before Her"

Rating: T

Summary: "You were my first memory Sora. Was I yours?"

Authoress: Forbidden Fox (OrlysElf@aol.com)

Before Her

Do you remember how we met, Sora? I do; though you were probably too young to recall it. It was one of my first memories. I can’t remember being born, or the face of the doctor who delivered me, or my first birthday. But I remember the day we met. You were my first true memory, Sora. Was I yours?

It was your birthday. You were turning one; so, that would have made me about two. Funny, most would think someone would never be able to bring back memories from that early in life, but I can. Your mother had invited my parents, knowing I was around your age, hoping perhaps we’d become friends.

Do you remember how you took my hand in yours, linking your frosting-covered fingers with mine? The start of our friendship, I guess…

Remember that silly promise we made when you were three? I was over at your house, we’d been playing. What about when you screamed and tried to take refuge on my head. I was rather confused, but you did pull my hair pretty hard, Sora. There was a spider. Who would have thought? The future savior of the worlds was scared of spiders.

After I managed to detangle your grip from my hair, I grabbed the nearest thing and smashed the bug, hoping to shut you up. Unfortunately, the nearest thing had been your stuffed monkey. I remember you made your dad bury it. Of course you were a bit sad at first, so in an effort to cheer you up, I gave you a new one. You never let it go.

From that day forth, you called me your hero. Hah, me? Your hero, Sora? You made me swear to kill every and all spiders you saw. Riku the Spider Squisher. Well, at least I was good at something. I’d protect you anyway I could, Sora. You know that, right?

Do you remember all those nights we slept together? You would have to have remembered some. We each had two homes. You’d never catch us in our own bed for more than two nights in a row. I was either in yours or you in mine.

We’d fall asleep the same way every night. Your hand would slip into mine, since you had a terrible fear of the dark back then, and I’d stay up a little longer, sitting crossed-legged under the sheets. A few times you’d open those big blue eyes of your to check if I was still awake and watching your closet for any sign of the boogieman or monsters that you insisted lived in with your sweaters. I would always give you that same sideways glance, and you quickly would close your eyes again and feign sleep.

Even after you had long since fallen asleep, I’d stay up. You know that? Did you ever wake up and catch me watching you breathe deeply? I can’t remember how your face looked as you slept, one hand cuddled around your new stuffed monkey and the other tightly entwined in mine, but I can still feel your hand in mine; it’s a memory I hold strongly to. I fight for memories like those.

Remember our first trip to the Kid’s Isle? I guess you would have been six. I was seven, and finally deemed old enough to escort you to the island, so long as we would stick together. Not a hard promise to keep since you happily gripped my arm the entire time.

You took my hand only to drag me around behind as you explored. We found the Secret Place that day. You remember that, don’t you?

Once I showed you that a small rock could be used to write on the walls, you hastily grabbed it from my hand and began scribbling something on the back wall. Every time I tried to what you were doing, you covered it with you hands and promptly yelled at me.

When you finally moved, I saw something I could never forget. You had sloppily written our names and right under them, three large letters, ‘BFF’. Of course, the character for my name was rather crooked and one of your ‘F’s was facing the wrong way. But even still, when I think on it now…the tears threaten to come. Though when I was young, the notion of ‘best friends forever’ was a foolish idea and hard for me to understand. So, instead of thanking you, I gave your head a rough smack and walked away.

It’s funny…I think I know why now. I was afraid. There was no such thing as forever, not since my mom died. So, I was afraid…were you just making promises you couldn’t keep? Later that week, we went back to the Secret Place and I insisted on adding something. Do you remember what it was? You sat curiously at my side. I made you close your eyes, which you agreed to after a good deal of whining. But, when I let you open them again, you smiled and hugged me.

All I had written was ‘and ever’ right next to your, ‘BFF’. If I knew it would have made you that happy, I’d have done it sooner. We’re still friends, right? I suppose that means something. It may not be for forever, but hopefully it’ll be close.

Do you remember how many broken bones I had? Seven. Seven broken bones by age eight, that had to be some sort of record. You, of course, felt guilty for every one of them. It wasn’t entirely your fault…it was those bullies, remember? They always picked on you. One day, I got fed up. Three ten-year olds against me? Yeah, I was one tough kid, huh? Not as to say I was injured at least once from each fight…a broken nose, a few fingers, an arm and a collar bone. That last one hurt, I’ll admit it.

But I suppose all those nights you spent with me in the hospital made up for it. You would cry at first, thinking that I was going to die. Sora, you can’t die from a broken nose. Although, I probably looked pretty scary with all those bandages. I didn’t mind…as long as you were okay.

The nurses let you stay some nights. We practically knew them all by name since I was in there so often. They must have thought I was a real klutz, seeing how I always managed to break something. If only they knew, huh? Most nights I was too drugged up to keep awake for very long. But I remember you stayed up, like I had done for you so many times before. Couldn’t trust those doctors, eh Sora?

It was after that where things changed. Do you remember? It was when your hand left mine, for hers. When she came…you left me.

You were happy. So, I was content to let my fingers slip to my sides while yours curled around Kairi’s to lead her wherever she wanted. I followed you one day, only to find you broke our promise. You took her to our place…our Secret Place.

I was willing to share it with her. But, you never asked…I watched as you showed her all of our drawings and how you happily explained what each one was, when it was drawn, and such. Then you took her to the back wall and I remember closing my eyes and running to the paopu tree.

Remember what you had done, Sora? The two of you had sloppily drawn yourselves, right over our spot. So much for best friends forever, huh? If you look closely enough, you can still see my ‘and ever’. I wasn’t angry…and that frightened me. Why? Why did I accept it…?

As the years went by, your hand continuously reached for hers…and I continued to offer mine. Was I foolish?

What was it that you fought for? What kept you going after all those battles? Did you fight for the memories you made with Kairi? When I left you, when I betrayed you, I held tight to the memories of us, Sora. I kept those close to my heart until I saw you again. I’d die for those memories…and for the ones yet to be made.

So what was it that you remember? Are the memories before her or after what keep you smiling? Has the feeling of my hand faded only to be replaced by her soft touch?

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On Moving, Friends, and Making Out- Chap. 1

Okay, this story is a continueous POV coming from Riku the whole time, so I didn't say that in the story. These are his thoughts and feelings and what happens to him as he struggles to strt over him life in this new place, Destiny Island after moving away from his father with his Mom and two brothers.

Hope you like it!

On Moving, Friends, and Making Out

By: princessOFdarkness

“Mom, why are we here again? Do we really have to live here of all places?” My older brother scoffed, his head falling back against the too short for him headrest. Like me, my older brother Sephiroth was depressed about having to live here of all places. As soon as we had turned into the neighborhood, I couldn’t believe we were actually going to live here. I just wanted to scream, ‘this is a late April Fools joke right’? It was all so bright, so sunny, so welcoming with the neat cut lawns and perfectly matching cream colored houses. In short, it sucked.

“Yeah, there is no way any of us are going to fit in here. I mean, look at us.” I sighed, flipping my hair out of my eyes with a shake of my head. My hair was long, too long as my Mom was always reminding me, but seriously – Sephiroth’s was longer. My hair was more silver than his though, Sephiroth’s hair was more grey than silver. It made him look way older than he really was, since he’s only 21. He should have his own place, I know, but since Dad just picked up and left us he’s been around more. I get why though. It’s to help Mom and us. “Mom, this place looks like that Stepford Wives place, you know? I’ll be dead as soon as I step out of the car.”

“See Mom, you killed Riku with sunlight. Told you a good sunbeam would kill him, didn't I Mom.” Sephiroth joked, turning in his seat to laugh at me in my discomfort. Sure, it was summer and I wearing a jacket but only because I needed the hood. I was burning up but the need for comfort was nothing next to the need to stay out of the sun, believe me. I pushed my sunglasses down a little on my nose so my brother could see the look in my eyes as I smiled and flipped him of. “Oh, feisty today are we, my dear baby brother?”

“I’m not your ‘baby’ anything!” I grimaced, pushing my large sunglasses back up on my face. My sunglasses were large enough to cover half my face, good enough for me until I could retreat into the cold and dark interior of own new house, whenever that would be. “Shut your face up, idiot.”

Our Mom sighed, giving up immediately and letting us argue. She didn’t like to see us fight, but she knew it would blow over soon. And that was only because of the seatbelts we couldn’t kill each other properly. Sephiroth and I rarely fought, but we joked and teased each other about everything and anything. Brotherhood – all giggles and lots of love, right? No. It. Is. Not. End of story, have a nice day, come again sometime.

We’d been on the road for about ten hours, and everyone was getting a little cranky and uncomfortable. No one as much so as my other older brother Cloud. Technically, Cloud isn’t really my brother. He’s my adopted older brother. Cloud’s parents were killed when he was only seven in a fire that destroyed his house completely. Mom adopted him and took him in when I was five years old. He had been in the orphanage for a year at that point, and it had nearly killed him. He was all dead inside when Mom first brought him home – all quiet and a loner. I liked him like that actually, never any fights between us, but nothing else either which kind of sucked, like talking to a wall. Since walls obviously don’t answer back when you talk to them unless of course you’re on drugs, in which case maybe they do. He warmed up to us eventually and accepted us as his new family, but he was still quiet, and a bit of a loner, but less so. Unless he didn’t know you, then he just didn’t talk to you at all.

Hey, he’s old enough to make his own decisions and to drive me around. He’s 19 and I’m 16 if I didn’t mention that already. Well, now you know. I’m a sun-deprived unbelievably pale 16 year old guy with long silver hair and aqua green eyes. Weird, I know, but it’s just how I am. You don’t have to like it. You just have to live with it.

“Are we there yet? I need out of this moving metal deathtrap and soon or I’ll slit my own throat with a paperclip.” Cloud groaned from the seat next to me, pressing his forehead against the cool glass of the window, his eyes closed as he slumped forwards in the seat held back by the seatbelt. “Please, speed or something, I can’t take this anymore!”

“I don’t need to speed Cloud, we’re here.” Mom said brightly, pulling into the unfamiliar driveway. The house looked like all the rest, with a neat little lawn and all the trimmings. “How do you like it boys? Isn’t it cute?”

All I could think about was putting a big sign with flashing lights on the top that read: ‘This place sucks!’

“Great Mom, really I like it a lot, it’s spiffy.” I lied and she smiled. Making sure my face was covered from the sun before opening the car door and stepped outside.

“Riku honey, why don’t you just go on inside dear? I know how you hate the sun. Sephiroth and I can get the boxes. Cloud, you go on too.” Mom said, opening the bag window of the van to unpack the boxes. “You two can go pick out your rooms.”

I nodded, looking over at Cloud. He smiled and jerked his head toward the door. I knew what he wanted, and both of us got ready. Cloud had been on the cross-county team back home and had taught me how to get ready for a race and all that stuff. I was fast, but I hate all sports and refused despite his pressuring and bullying to join the team.

“Hey Seph, count it off.” Cloud yelled over his shoulder.

“Alright. One, two, three, GO!” Sephiroth shouted, and Cloud and I took off. We raced for the door, elbowing each other as we went. I beat him by a landslide, running up the stairs with him eating my dust. I glanced through all the doors, finding the darkest room I could. It had one of those orb windows with a seat, a walk-in closet, a bathroom right off it, and plenty of room. Plus, it was dark. Yay darkness!

“Are you sure you want this room? It’s really dark in here.” My Mom said, sticking her head in the door. I sighed, shaking my head as I smiled to myself. My Mom never understood my hatred of the sunlight. I just didn’t like it, so what if it meant I was sickly pale looking to everyone in the outside world. In the dark, who could tell the difference?

“Yeah Mom, I love it, it’s just the way I like it. It’s the window you know, good reading light.” I said, trying to act sweet and innocent. She bought it, smiling as she left the room. I sighed, sitting down on the mattress and flopping back against it to look up at the ceiling.

Cloud stuck his head in, looking around the room I had chosen. I nodded my head deafly, telling him he could come in.

“So this is it? You really are weird.” Cloud said as he walked in, hands in his front pants pockets.

“Well, you’re my brother so you must be weird too!” I said, throwing my sunglasses at him. He ducked and they hit the wall behind him, and turning to look back at me he smirked. Damn, I thought trying to scurry off the bed, he’s gonna do it again!

He did do it again too. Smiling broadly he pounced on me, wrestling me down to the bed. Cloud was still smiling, and he spit a loogie right in my face. He smirked, jumping off me and rushing out the door before I could retaliate.

It was then Sephiroth walked in, carrying about six heavy looking boxes in his arms. I jumped off the bed, wiping the spit and snot off my face in disgust, and he set them down.

“These are yours. There’s more in the truck coming tomorrow I think, spoiled brat.” Sephiroth said jokingly, sitting down on what space was left on the bed. I stood in front of him, confused.

“What does that mean?” I asked. He looked up at me still smiling broadly.

“You heard what I said. You have way more boxes than Cloud or I do, so either you’re a terrible packer or you’re a spoiled brat.” Sephiroth said meanly. “You ARE the baby, so it’s understandable you’d be spoiled more than us.”

“I as not a baby! I’m 16 already, I have a license! I’m just too lazy to get off my butt to drive myself around!” I shouted, balling my hands into fists. Sephiroth laughed, making me even angrier. “Shut it fag!”

“A 16 year old baby!” Sephiroth said coolly. “Burn, Riku!”

“I also had a job so I could buy my own things and not have Mom do it for me.” I sneered at him. Sephiroth could never keep a job for long. Probably because he had no focus whatsoever, no work ethic, and no determination. Unless you meant for girls, dating, and partying like the world was gonna end tomorrow. “Burn, loser!”

“Well you look like a girl with your hair long like that and with the color it is.” Sephiroth countered quickly. “Burn baby burn!

“Well, better a girl than a screw up!” I said angrily. He stayed silent, turning and heading for the door. He didn’t look back at me as he left, and I knew I had won. “Burn, Sephiroth, burn! Bounce back from that, sucker!”

“Shut it!” He yelled back sticking his head back inside the door. I bit my lip. I could tell I had gone too far with that last one. “Just shut it okay? I get it, I’m a screw up! I know that, okay? You don’t have to rub it in. We all know Dad left because of me, you don’t have to remind me all the time Riku!”

“Sephiroth, I didn’t mean it like that, don’t take it so hard! Com back here!” I called, rushing after him. God, why was he getting all touchy all the sudden? And what did he mean about Dad? Did he seriously think our Dad had left because of him, because I knew it wasn't true. Everything was always my fault, Dad had told me so the day before he left, so why was he all upset about it?

I caught up with him, tackling him from behind and forcing him to the ground. He’s way bigger than me and I still don’t know how I did it. Next thing I knew he had flipped me over and was straddling my waist, holding my wrists above my head. “Look, I’m sorry all right? I was just joking around with you back there.”

“Well, you took it too far.” Sephiroth said roughly. “That was way below the belt Riku. We all know why Dad really left, because of me.”

“Dad didn’t leave because of you moron! I’m sorry I said that, okay?” I moaned, gasping through the pain I was feeling. Sephiroth isn’t fat or anything, but for my skinny waist it was like having a dump truck sitting on top of me. “Sephiroth, please get off me, you’re too heavy!”

“Oh, so now I’m a screw up AND fat, I see how it is!” Sephiroth said, quickly changing his position so that he wasn’t straddling my waist anymore. Instead he was sitting in the center of my chest looking the other way away from my face, arms crossed stubbornly. “Now say I’m fat, go on. Say it, I dare you.”

I would have said it, just to annoy him, but I couldn’t even breathe so bad was the pressure he was exerting on my lungs. I was slowly dying due to lack of air, I could feel it, and if Sephiroth had had any idea he would have jumped off by now. He’s a jerk at times yes, but when it came down to it he was a good guy who would never suffocate his own younger brother.

Unless of course he had no idea he WAS suffocating me, like now for instance. Damn, I thought, this is the worst possible way to die. That and being thrown into a volcano or something. With my now freed arms I attempted to shove him off me, but it was no use, my muscles had failed me. Thank God Cloud was walking by at this exact moment. He looked over at us, first at Sephiroth who waved cheerily at him from my chest and then to me. I was tuning pink in the face by now I was sure, and I waved my hands at him, telling him deafly to push Sephiroth off me. Cloud’s eyes got real big as his mouth dropped open and the next thing I knew he was charging down the hall and plowing himself into Sephiroth with his shoulder.

Sephiroth tumbled off me with a grunt and a cry, not understanding why Cloud had suddenly tackled him out of nowhere. I mean, that was MY job after all, I was the one would randomly attacked Sephiroth and Cloud while Cloud usually sat there and watched television. I think Sephiroth finally grasp what exactly was going on when Cloud helped me up into a sitting position, smacking me a little too hard on the back as I coughed and gagged, still pink in the face.

“Damn, Riku! Was I really hurting you?” Sephiroth cursed, kneeling in front of me. I nodded, still unable to talk just yet. “You could’ve just told me I was suffocating you.”

“You can’t talk when you’re being suffocated Seph, duh. Be a little more careful next time.” Cloud said sternly, helping me stand up. Sephiroth looked a little put out. Muttering he was sorry under his breath her walked off to his new room, shutting the door. “Come on Riku, you should lie down for a while.”

Cloud helped me over to my bed and I lay down, closing my eyes. I heard him walk across the room and opened my eyes. He hadn’t left the room, just walked away from the bed to sit on the floor near the end of it.

“Thanks a lot Cloud, you really saved me there.” I whispered to him. He smiled and said it was nothing. Even if it wasn’t, it meant something to me. What a glorious way to be welcomed to the neighborhood! Yeah right.

The next day when I woke up I had no idea where I was. It took me a while to remember the day before. Moving in, picking my room, and getting strangled and so on. You know normal moving stuff, nothing too important.

My room was filled with boxes, boxes, boxes, and more boxes. The moving truck must have come while I was asleep. I smiled to myself, knowing exactly why no one had woken me up. Sephiroth was still feeling guilty about yesterday and damn it, he should feel guilty about it! He nearly killed me after all.

I opened the box at the foot of my bed looking through it and smiled, it was full of the books I had read back home. Jumping off the bed, I picked up the two book shelves one at a time and moved them to where I wanted them across from the end of my bed in the corner and started putting the books on it. I know, normal 16 year old guys don’t carry bookcases by themselves, but I did. So there.

The next box was books, and the box after that was filled with my books as well. Well, I’m a bookworm, what can I say? So what if I am? When you have no friends like I did back home, you tend to pick up hobbies like obsessive reading or working out in the weight room after school a lot. Both of which I did everyday just about, since I always had a lot of time to myself obviously.

I started sifting through the many boxes, looking for my posters and the photographs in my frames and albums. This room was really boring, with its white walls and all, it was in a serious need for some color. And what better way to make it fit for human habitation than with posters of my favorite bands. Up went my Pink Floyd poster along with my All American Rejects one, Blink 182 even though they broke up, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Bowling for Soup, the NBA poster my Dad had got me in an attempt to make me like sports, and a few other posters I had saved from home. My pictures in the frames went on top of the book shelves and the dresser by my door while the albums I placed in the drawer of my desk, which I had pushed into the corner by the window fro lighting purposes.

“Unpacking already are we?” Mom asked, sticking her head in the door, smiling broadly as ever. I smiled back, and this time I didn’t have to fake it. I was actually happy at that moment. Who knows how long that could last though, knowing how I am and all with my cheery disposition towards the world. Well, I’ll just enjoy it while I can. “I have to go to work now, so you boys have fun together today okay? Go explore the neighborhood with Cloud when you’re done unpacking and settling in, since Sephiroth has a job interview today it will just be you and Cloud later on. Meet the neighbors and stuff, make some friends. Well, bye then.”

“Bye Mom, good luck.” I called after her. Hanging my clothes up in my closet, I bumped up against the wall with my elbow and knocked a board loose. Light peeked through the hole and intrigued I pulled the boards all the way off to find a window, in my closet wall. It was a normal sized glass window, strange only because it had been boarded up and that it was in my closet. “Why would anyone want to board up a window? Oh well, it’s not their problem anymore.”

I opened the window up and smiled as the light breeze skimmed over my face. Looking down, I saw a small group of four kids talking with my Mom and Sephiroth as Mom got in her car. Mom drove off finally, but the people stayed talking to Sephiroth, who seemed to enjoy the attention. Typical Sephiroth, an attention hog as always, nothing had changed. My brother seemed to be motioning to the house, inviting them in.

“Hey Cloud, come here and look at this! I found a window in my closet we could use for sneaking out or something.” I yelled as he walked past my door and he came in my room, looking out the little window with me. “What do you think Sephiroth is doing down there with them?”

“Well, inviting them in it the house looks like, probably to meet us.” Cloud said, straightening his collar and running his fingers through his hair. “I’d get dressed quick, unless you want to meet everyone in your Hawaiian surfboard boxers.”

“I don’t want to meet anyone at all!” I said as Cloud walked off, well aware he was laughing at me again, as always. Nothing had change with my brothers then. Maybe it was just me that wanted to start over completely. So what if I was in my boxers, it was our house not theirs and it’s not like I asked to meet any of them anyways. Still, I rummaged through my boxer until I found the ones that had my other clothes not already in my closet in them and got dressed – baggy faded blue jeans with slashes in the knees and my white polo shirt. It made me look even paler than normal, but it would do for now, just meeting the new neighbors. I fixed my hair, brushed my teeth with my recently found toothbrush, and pulled on my socks and black skate shoes. “I’m not going down stairs, if they really want to meet me for some strange demented reason of their own they can come up here to me.”

I began putting things away again, opening up more of the taped boxes, breaking down the empty ones and sticking them in a neat pile on the floor of my closet. I bushed the boxes with my clothes in them in the closet, thinking I could unpack them later when we didn’t have company. I shut my closet door, thinking about how embarrassing it would be if one of my neighbors came in and saw my bowers or something weird like that, better safe then sorry.

“RIKU! Come downstairs already, we have COMPANY! Our neighbors are here to see you!” Sephiroth called up the stairs to me. I scoffed, continuing to unpack my things. I heard him muttering about something to the general assembly downstairs waiting for me I suspected before I heard Sephiroth climbing the stairs. “Riku, you awake? Don’t tell me you didn’t hear me shouting at you from downstairs, come on! There are people downstairs waiting to meet YOU! Scary, I know its weird people actually want to meet you, but it’s true. Come on.”

“Sephiroth, I hate humanity remember, what makes you think I want to meet anymore of humanity than I already have had the misfortune to meet at my last school?” I asked, joking with him. I was far from hating humanity, but I had hated everyone from my high school back home and I was pretty sure none of them cared for me either. I was that weird pale kid from down the street, the guy who aced every test the teachers threw at him, the loser who didn’t have ant friends at all, that cute snob that had turned down the hottest girl in school when she had asked him out. That last one had been why everyone had hated and feared me. I’m sure the others had something to do with it, but it was defiantly the last one over all. “Do I have to meet them?”

“Yes, we’ll be in the kitchen.” Sephiroth said, lowering his voice to an excited whisper. “They brought us food and stuff as a housewarming present! One girl brought us a cake! Chocolate cake with the little swirl icing flowers!”

“Oh, well if there’s chocolate cake!” I smiled, chasing him out of my room. I didn’t really feel like cake, but I had thought about what this meant for me as a whole – the move and all. I could start over and do things right here, get some real friends and stuff. I mean, I had had no friends back home when I had left there. At one point I was the most popular person in the school, but then everything had changed when I had turned down Heather Carmichael the hottest blonde haired blue eyed supermodel wannabe girl in our high school. Everyone said there must be something wrong with me if I could turn someone like her down, like I was mental or something like that. It wasn’t that I was metal, but I had my reasons. They stopped talking to me after that. I had officially become socially dead after that with no chance of revival.

“Here he is then, my other younger brother!” Sephiroth said as I walked through the door and into the kitchen. There was Sephiroth and Cloud, sitting at the kitchen table cutting a large chocolate cake into slices and putting them on dessert plates. The other four people crowded around the room must have been the neighbors.

The girl closest to me had long brown hair pulled back by a large pink ribbon tied in a bow on the back of her head. She had on a long pink dress that matched her ribbon perfectly. With her large brown eyes she seemed kind of shy. The girl blushed scarlet when she realized I was looking at her.

“Hello.” She said softly, looking down at her feet. Why wouldn’t she look at me? Maybe if I talked back to her or something like that...

“Hey.” I said back kindly, not sure what else to say. Did I scare her or something? Already? That must be a new record, it usually takes over five minutes or so at least before somebody admitted to being scared by me.

“That’s Aerith, she’s shy like that.” Another girl said, bounding forward to get right up in my face, smiling broadly at me. I took a step back to look her over. Her hair was short and black, and she was dressed up like a ninja or something in a Halloween costume. “I’m the great ninja Yuffie! Nice to meet you! Welcome to the neighborhood my friend!”

“Okay, hi ‘great ninja.’” I smiled at her, and she giggled, jumping up and down.

“I like him, he’s fun!” Yuffie giggled, bouncing around the last of the girls, who looked up at me kindly.

“I’m Tifa, nice to meet you.” She said brushing her hair out of her eyes as Yuffie jumped on her back suddenly. Apparently Yuffie wasn’t kidding about the ninja thing! She was quick!

“Nice to meet you too.” I said, nodding in her direction, stifling a laugh as she struggled with Yuffie.

The last person in the room was a taller, older looking guy with brown hair. He looked kind of forbidding, like he was silently daring anyone to talk to him. I highly doubted that he had come here of his own free will. Unless his free will happened to be named ‘Yuffie’ that is.

“That’s Squall. He’s a loner!” Yuffie said, gesturing at the grumpy looking male.

“That’s Leon!” Leon said gruffly, glaring at her. He turned back to me, sticking out a hand for me to shake. I took it, and he shook my whole arm.

“Hey everyone, I’m Riku. Thanks for the welcome.” I said, waving at them all. They all smiled back kindly.

“So, do you want to come with us and meet everyone else?” Yuffie asked. The others grumbled in disagreement. No one sounded too thrilled at the prospect of having Yuffie dragging them around all day.

“I have to go home and baby-sit. You know how it is Yuffie.” Tifa said, dragging on Leon’s arm. “Leon, walk me home, would you?”

“Okay, I’ll go.” Leon said quickly, waving goodbye as Tifa ushered him out the door. I couldn’t blame them, but I hated to see them go. Less people between me and Yuffie’s spastic energy shifts.

“Aerith, do you want to hang out here, with me? I have a book I think you might like.” Cloud asked quietly, walking over to her. Aerith looked up at him eyes wide. She nodded, taking the hand Cloud offered her. They headed for the stairs that led to Cloud’s room together.

“I have to go now, job interview.” Sephiroth said, heading out the door. That left me with Yuffie. Damn it, how did this always happen to me!

“Let’s go then Riku! The rest of the group awaits us!” Yuffie said, grabbing my arm. She dragged me towards the door and I panicked. It was bright out there! I could see the sunlight showering in through the window and I dreaded going out in it.

“Whoa, hold on Yuffie!” I said, grabbing onto the edge of the table. She looked at me, confused. “The sun’s out. I can’t go out there.”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“I hate the sun because it’s so bright and all, so I don’t go outside when the sun’s out. It hurts my eyes and I burn easy.” I explained to her. She nodded in understanding – I think anyways. Who could tell with Yuffie? “I mean look at me, I’m more than a little pale if you didn’t notice already.”

“Oh, I guess you’re right about that.” Yuffie said, dropping my arm. She pouted for a moment, thinking intently. If Yuffie’s brain could handle thinking intently that is because I wasn’t so sure at this point. “Hey, what if I bring everyone to one place, like for a party tonight?”

“A party? Where would you do that?” I asked. Not here, that’s for sure. We still had to unpack.

“At Kairi’s house of course! She’s loaded!” Yuffie said happily, jumping up and down. “I’ll go talk to her about it and come over tonight to get you and your brothers for the party! Bye then Riku!”

I watched her run out of the house and down the street in confusion. A party, for us? And all because I refused to go outside in the sun? This was too good to be true!

“What’s with this place?” I asked myself, flopping down at the kitchen table, reaching for the slice of cake Sephiroth had cut for me.

“You get used to it, after a while.” My head jerked up, looking over to the door. Standing there in the door was a little boy.

Well, he’s not really a little boy. He was defiantly shorter than me and less buff. He was skinny, with brown hair probably styled by a porcupine or something, a great tan I could only dream about, and the deepest crystal blue eyes I had ever seen. In short, I was in like with him. I can’t say it was love, I don’t believe in love at first sight, but he was defiantly hot enough.

“Oh really, that’s good to know.” I said, standing up. I walked over to him and extended a hand, which he took. “I’m Riku.”

“Hey, I’m Sora.” He said, smiling broadly. He had a nice smile, unlike Yuffie – her smile gave you a feeling like she was going to jump you the next second or do something crazy and unexpected. “So you just moved here huh?”

“Yeah, yesterday.” I said, going back to my cake and shoveling a bite in my mouth. I choked. It was terrible! I ran over to the trashcan and spit it out. I hated to gag in front of Sora, but it was that terrible. I felt like I was going to puke.

“Oh, Yuffie baked you a cake, didn’t she?” Sora asked, looking at the cake with disgust. He poked the top of the cake with one finger, licking the icing off it. “She’s a terrible cook, but no one tells her. It would only upset her, you know.”

“No one told me either. Someone could have warned me not to eat it or something.” I moaned, throwing the rest of the slice of cake away. “Well, my Mom, two older brothers and me just moved here from California.”

“Wow, all the way from California? Destiny Island is really far from there. How long did it take you guys to get here?” Sora asked, sitting down beside me, propping his head up on his hands, his elbows on the table. He looks so cute like that, I smiled to myself. You just want to hug him.

Okay, in case you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m gay. I just couldn’t say yes to Heather when she asked me out because I don’t like girls that way. Everyone found out about it after that and stopped talking to me at my old school.

“Well, a few days. Mom doesn’t like to drive at night and she didn’t want any of us too either.” I said, staring at him. He looked up into my eyes for a second and I had a sudden urge to grab his face and kiss him hard against the mouth. I restrained myself though, looking away from Sora with a difficulty. I wanted Sora to be my friend, not to run away and tell everyone I was a gay pervert who had tried to assault him and force him to make-out with me. But the making-out with him part did sound like fun...

“Have you unpacked yet?” Sora asked, twiddling his thumbs.

“A little, but not everything. I still have a couple of boxes left to open.” I said, looking up at him again. “Why?”

“Well, how about I help you.” Sora asked, standing up and heading for the door. “I could help you unpack and we could talk and stuff. You know, get to know each other. It’s nice to have another guy on the island around my age finally! All the other guys are like, three years older than me and stuff. Everyone but Roxas anyways, but he’s all wrapped up in his relationship with his boyfriend Axel and doesn’t have time to hangout with me anymore really. He used to be my best friend.”

“Alright.” I said, standing up. He followed me through the house and up the stairs to my room. He looked around at what I had done already to it and smiled.

“I like your posters.” He said, looking around. “I like all those same bands and stuff. Really cool.”

“Cool um, yeah.” I said, opening a box. It had my laptop and school stuff from last year in it. Sora helped me arrange my things on my desk and hook up my computer, afterwards sitting on the bed and talking as I bounced my basketball against the wall.

“So do you like sports then?” Sora asked, pointing at the ball as it bounced back to me off the wall.

“No, I hate sports actually. I only kept this because Dad gave it to me for my birthday last year. It was his way of telling me I wasn’t good enough. I never was like Sephiroth or Cloud, you know?” I said, my voice getting quiet as I caught the ball. I didn’t feel like talking anymore especially about Dad.

“Oh, I see.” Sora said, patting me on the shoulder. “Well, at least he tried. My Dad was never around at all. He left as soon as I was born. It’s been just me and my Mom ever since.”

“Sorry.” I said, not looking at him.

“Aw, it’s okay Riku. I’m probably better off without him around, just like you with your Dad it sounds like.” Sora said, standing up. Things were silent and creepy after that. Sora finally broke the silence with some rather depressing news, for me anyways. “Well, I have to go. I promised Yuffie I’d help set up for the party tonight at Kairi’s.”

“So she was serious about throwing us a party then?” I asked, stuffing the basketball in my closet on top of the broken down boxes before turning back to Sora, who nodded.

“Yeah, and you need to find a date.” Sora said, laughing. “You can’t show up without one! One of Yuffie’s crazy party rules.”

“I don’t know anyone really, so I can’t get a date.” I said, shrugging as I shuffling my feet in the carpet in discomfort. “Well, you’re the only one really. You’re the person I’m closest with so far.”

“Well, I’ll go with you then Riku! You can be my date to the party!” Sora said brightly, smiling as he took my hand in both of his. I gagged, staring at him. Did he just say what I think he said? Someone shoot me, I’m hearing things. “How ‘bout it Riku? Will you go to Yuffie’s party with me tonight then?”

“Um.” I said, unsure of what to say. What he seriously asking me out to a party with him? This was nuts, like something had jumped out of Sephiroth’s brain and into my room. This might all be a prank, and I wasn’t going to fall for it and say ‘yes’.

Even though I really wanted to.

“I’ll take that as a yes then!” Sora said, dropping my hand and heading for the door. He stopped at the door and looked back at me. “I’ll come by to pick you up around eight o’clock, okay? Put on your party clothes Riku!”

“Yeah, um okay I guess. See you later then Sora.” I said quietly, still unsure about what was going on. Sora beamed still brightly, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

“Okay, it’s a date then!” Sora said, running out the door and down the stairs. I stood in complete shock in the middle of my room until Cloud walked in on his way down stairs.

“Aerith just left, she had to get home.” Cloud said his face a bit pink as he said it. He looked at my face, still unmoved and came over to me, waving a hand in front of my face. I blinked, looking at him. He laughed, kindly smacking me in the forehead. Notice I said kindly, meaning he didn’t knock the wind out of me. “What happened to you?”

“I got asked to go with someone as their date to Yuffie’s party.” I said, still a bit dumbstruck. Cloud laughed harder.

“So? I’m going with Aerith, its no big deal to get asked out.” I looked at him, and he shrugged. “She asked me and I said yes. She’s nice and kind and – I don’t know, I just like her, okay?”

“Yeah.” I mumbled. “Okay Cloud, except I’ve never been asked out before. Except that one time by Heather and we all know how that turned out, do we not?”

“So who asked you? Yuffie?” Cloud asked, sitting down on my bed. “Oh and who was that guy I saw leaving your room?”

“He’s Sora.” I said, sitting down next to Cloud. “He was helping me unpack my things. He’s the one that asked me.”

“What?” Cloud asked, shocked. He knew I was gay and all, but no guy had ever asked me out before, just as I had never asked any guy out. I just looked at other guys and wished I could ask them out, and here was adorably hot little Sora – asking ME out!

“And I said yes, sort of. I mean, I’m going to the party with him.” I said quickly, figuring like with a band-aid it would be easier to get it over with as soon as possible. Cloud made a weird noise and fell of the bed and onto the floor in a heap. If that’s how my own adopted brother reacted, I couldn’t wait to see how everyone else at the party acted when the new guy would was exceptionally pale 16 year old with aqua green eyes and silver hair showed up as Sora’s date. This was gonna be a night I would never forget, one way or the other, for better or worse.

How about that for Riku's first two days? Running form the sun, being smothered by his brothers, and getting asked out by strange boys to parties at people's houses he doesn't even know! What an experience

-----------------------------------

Moving Friends and Makingout Chap2

Chapter 2

“You said yes!” Sephiroth shouted through his laughter a few hours later. He had come home from his job interview successful and happy having landed the job at the bank and the theater had taken him on as the stage manager and had given him a small part in the upcoming play. “You said yes to Sora, you really did it? He asked you to the party and you said YES?”

“Yeah, I did.” I mumbled, pouting slightly. Sephiroth was trying to make me angry so that I would hit him so he could best me again like he had the other day, but it wasn’t going to work this time. I was thrilled I was going with Sora and nothing he said could make me angry. “What of it Sephiroth, he asked me didn’t he? All I did was accept his invitation.”

“Alright, don’t get your boxers in a bunch little bro.” Sephiroth said getting off the couch to go and into the kitchen. I got up and followed him around the house. He realized I was following him and stopped, turning to look at me. “What do you want from me now Riku? You only follow me around when you want something.”

“Well, Sora said dress for a party.” I said slowly, twiddling my thumbs.

“So?” Sephiroth said, getting a can of soda out of the fridge. Sephiroth doesn’t just drink pop, he chugs it. I don’t think he’s ever just drank a can of soda like a normal person, not enough time for that I guess. Taking a long drink he crushed the can, letting out a low burp as he sat down at the kitchen table. “What does that had to do with me?”

“Well, you party like a maniac!” I said sitting down at the kitchen table with him. “Help me out here Sephiroth! What the hell do you wear to a party?”

“Oh, that’s what you want!” Sephiroth said laughing. He stood up and I followed him up the stair to my room. He went through all my clothes, searching for an outfit for me to wear to the party, throwing the clothes he didn’t like around the room. Cloud walked by my room looking inside as a pair of my shoes went flying passed the door. He came in walking over to where I was standing watching Sephiroth throw my clothes everywhere.

“What is he doing and why aren’t you stopping him from doing it?” Cloud asked quietly as a pair of pants landed on top of my lamp, a shirt covered the computer, and a pair of boxers got stuck up on top of the book shelve. Sephiroth seemed happy with the clothes he had left in the closet for me anyways because smiling broadly he patted me on the shoulder before leaving the room.

“I left the outfit in the closet. No need to thank me.” Sephiroth said from the hall as he walked to his room.

“Outfit for what? Oh, for the party tonight at Kairi’s you mean?” Cloud asked me looking at what was left in my closet. A nice black button down shirt, my long kaki pants, a pair of nice black shoes and the black socks that went with them was left. “I must say, he has great taste in party clothes even if his methods are a little strange as to what to do with the things he doesn’t deem suitable.”

“Yeah, why else do you think I got him to help, for my health?” I asked Cloud, cuffing him around the top of the head before taking the party outfit out of the closet and hanging it on the curtain rod so I could pick up the room and not get the clothes mixed up. Cloud shrugged, helping me pick up the clothes all around the room and hang them back in the closet. “So do you like this Sora guy?”

“Yeah, what I know of him so far. I mean I obviously haven’t known him very long but I do like him.” I said hanging up the last few things in the closet before flopping back on the bed.

“Yeah, and he can’t know you that well obviously or he’d be running the other way!” Cloud laughed, sitting down on the bed next to me and ruffling my hair lightly. I never let people touch my hair, but I didn’t mind Cloud playing with it. He was my brother and he meant no harm by it. Unlike when Heather asked me out - she had been playing with it when she had asked me out and then started yanking on it cruelly trying to pull it out of my scalp when I had turned her down. Cloud’s fingers were twisted tenderly in my hair making me feel like he cared about me. “Does he know you’re gay?”

“I don’t think so unless he guessed it somehow, and that can’t be too hard to do.” I laughed, brushing his hand away as he grabbed my nose in fun. “I haven’t told anyone here about my sexual preferences seeing as it’s not really a conversation topic.”

“You’re kidding me right? Of course it’s a conversation topic Riku! You just invite them all over for tea and crumpets and say ‘by the way my good fellows, I think you’re all smashing because I’m gay my darlings.’ That simple Riku, it will work real well.” Cloud said, puffing out his chest as he laughed at the look on my face no doubt. “Just kidding with you little brother. Don’t get angry with me or anything, I like to see you squirm that’s all. But really think about it Riku, they’ll all find out about you eventually won’t they?”

“Not if I don’t say anything. Or if you don’t.” I said, looking up at Cloud’s face. “Don’t tell anyone my secret, especially Sora okay? I’ll tell him and everyone else when I’m ready.”

“Alright, I won’t tell anyone about your little ‘closet issue’ as I shall call it in front of you and any company that should arise from now on.” Cloud said, hopping off the bed so I couldn’t strangle him. Because believe me, I wanted nothing more than that right then. “Listen, its six o’clock now so we only have two hours left. It always takes you forever to get ready so I’ll just leave you to get ready.”

He stuck his head back in the door looking over at me for a second deep in thought. He looked like he had something he wanted to say, but for once in his life he wasn’t just saying it. Usually he just blabs out whatever he’s thinking around me. Cloud said I’m the closest to him so he tells me more than anybody else, which is true. He only talks really when the two of us are alone together if you haven’t noticed already.

“What?” I asked, confused. He opened his mouth but nothing came out of it. “What is it Cloud, say something already!”

“So is Sora cute?” He asked quietly, his face going red. I laughed, falling off the bed in enjoyment. Cloud wasn’t gay by any means, but my God! It was hilarious that he was asking me that about the boy who was taking me out tonight. “Well you know, I was just wondering. He had to be if you said yes right?”

“Oh Cloud my dear, you have no idea just how hot he is!” I said going to him and putting my arm around his shoulder. “He had brown hair that’s all spiked, a nice tan I wish I could have, he’s skinny and short. Well, shorter than me anyways and smaller but not wimpy looking at all. And I adore his eyes, his beautiful blue sapphire eyes.”

“Great, now let me go gay wad.” Cloud said slipping under my arm and out the door to running down the hall into his room, locking the door quickly. A smile burst across my face and I ran after him, banging on his door until he finally yelled at me. “Go away stupid faggot!”

“Come on Cloud open the door! I just want to tell you something!” I yelled through the wood of the door. Cloud opened the door grudgingly, looking angry for the first time.

“What? Tell me already so I can go back to hating you.” He said grumpily.

“Okay.” I said, leaning forward. Suddenly I kissed him on the cheek, shocking him slightly. “Love you too Cloud! You’re the best older brother I could ever have let Mom adopt and bring home to live with us!”

“Why you little!” He yelled angrily. He hated it when I tricked him, which was often enough. I laughed as he chased me back down to my room. I dashed inside and slammed the door, locking it as Cloud banged on it trying to knock it down. I was having such a great time today. Life here on Destiny Island might not be so bad after all.

“Might as well start getting ready.” I sighed, looking at the clock. It was quarter after six. I had wasted fifteen minutes taunting dear Cloud. “Oh well it was so worth it.”

I showered, dried off, changed into my party clothes, and was just fixing my hair when I heard the front door down stairs open. Panicking, I looked hurriedly at the clock beside my bed. It was seven thirty, no worries. But if it wasn’t Sora downstairs who was it? Aerith wasn’t coming until eight either so it must be...

“Riku? Cloud, Sephiroth? Is anyone home?” It was Mom.

“Yeah, the kids are upstairs getting ready to go.” Sephiroth could be heard telling our Mom from the bottom of the stairs.

“Getting ready for what?” Mom asked curiously. The thing about my Mom is you have to let her know what’s going on or she freaks out. She lets us do just about anything we want but she has to know about it. I heard her climbing the stairs and knock on my door. “Riku, can I come in?”

“Yeah, hold on.” I said, unlocking the door for her to come in. She looked me over and smiled. “What is it Mom?”

“Where are you all going all dressed up?” Mom asked sweetly straightening my collar. “Sephiroth is dressed up too. I haven’t seen Cloud yet.”

“He’s in his room getting ready. We met some of our neighbors today and they decided to throw us a party at Kairi’s house so we could meet everyone at once in one place out of the sun without having to run or drive all over.” I explained, going back to doing my hair. I was freaking out inside though I tried to play it cool in front of Mom. Sora would be here soon and I was no where near being ready for him to arrive.

“So do you have a date to the party? You look so nice.” Mom asked, sitting down on the bed. “Can I meet them before you leave for the party?”

“I guess you can meet ‘em.” I said, blushing. Mom didn’t know I was gay, at least not yet. She never knew why I had hated school so bad back home or why all my friends had turned on me. All she knew was that I was unhappy and unsure of myself back there. “There’re coming at eight. Cloud’s got a date too. Her name’s Aerith, you’ll like her Mom she’s nice.”

“Oh, Cloud too!” Mom squealed, clapping her hands. She loved it when we had dates or friends over to the house. She loved to see us happy and healthy and all the parental junk. “I’m going to check on him okay? You finish getting ready for the party.”

“Thanks Mom.” I laughed as she rushed out. I finished getting ready and went to check myself in my mirror. My mirror ran from the floor to the ceiling so I could look over myself before I went out if I wanted to go out and look nice. Something was missing but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

“Hey Riku, I have the perfect thing for you.” Sephiroth said, sticking his head in the door. He threw me a little brown paper wrapped package that fit in the palm of my hand. “I ran to the store and picked it up for you. Try it out.”

I unwrapped it to find a hot pink tie. I laughed, putting it on. Strangely enough, it worked! And I liked the way it looked on me.

“Perfect!” Sephiroth laughed, giving me the thumbs up. We heard the doorbell going off down stairs. “That’s either your date or Cloud’s! I’m picking up my date myself. Go get it!”

I ran out of my door at the same time as Cloud. We looked at each other real quick before each dashing for the door. Whoever got there first would get to open it.

Needless to say, I won as I always did. It also helped I wanted to see Sora again so bad. Opening the door though I was let down. Aerith was standing there looking radiant in a white summer dress, but it just wasn’t the same. It wasn’t Sora. I was going out of my mind with the need to see the little guy again!

“Hello again Riku, nice to see you. You look nice.” Aerith said quietly, smiling at me. I smiled back, stepping aside so she could step inside. When she saw Cloud she blushed. Cloud was wearing a black turtleneck sweater and kaki pants and dress shoes. He looked nice, I had to admit. The girls were going to go nuts over him. Not that I actually cared about what the girls thought, obviously. “Hello Cloud.”

“Hey Aerith.” Cloud said, looking into her eyes and smiling at her. She lightened up a little though still tense. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you Cloud.” Aerith blushed, looking down at her shoes. “You look very handsome tonight Cloud.”

“Thanks Aerith.” Cloud said, turning a little pink himself. That’s funny, Cloud was blushing. Big tough spit-in-your-eye-to-blind-you-while-I-punch-you Cloud was blushing at a girl who complimented him on how he looked tonight. Aw, so cute and innocent! It made me want to gag on my own tongue or strangle myself with my tie. “Come in the kitchen you have to meet my Mother before we leave, okay?”

I watched them walk away together, sadness filling up the empty hole inside of me. I had been hoping it was Sora at the door. I was just walking sadly into the kitchen when...

Thump, thump, thump!

I turned and looked through the peep hole in the door to see big brown spikes blocking everything else from view. I smiled broadly as I opened the door for him to come inside.

“Hey Sora!” I said happily. He looked really hot standing there in his black suit coat, red vest, white shirt and a black tie back with his hat with a red stripe held under his arm. He had a black rose in his other hand, which he handed to me. I put it up to my nose, still smiling.

“Hey Riku, I picked that up for you.” He smiled at me, beaming as he walked inside the house. He looked so hot! God, I just wanted to grab him and kiss him hard against the mouth until I left him moaning for more. But I couldn’t for appearances sake. And because he didn’t know I was gay – yet, but believe me he was going to find out one way or the other. The good option being I tell him at the right time while the ‘other’ was I just break down and kiss him on the spot and just screw appearances. “So do I get to meet your Mom and everyone?”

“Yeah, they’re all in the kitchen.” I said, grabbing his hand and led the way. He allowed me to hold his hand, grasping mine just as tightly back making me smile as I pulled him into the kitchen. Everyone stared at us as we entered the kitchen together. “Hey everyone.”

“Who is this Riku dear?” Mom asked, politely puzzled. Here it come, oh God please help me make Mom understand...

“Hello, you must be Riku’s Mom! I’m Sora. I came to pick Riku up for the party.” Sora smiled, holding out a hand for her to shake. But she didn’t take it. She stared at Sora, confused out of her wits apparently. “He said he’d go with me to the party as my date when I asked him.”

“Your Riku’s date for the party?” Mom asked, growing paler with every word spoken between the two of them.

“Yeah Mom, he’s my date.” I said softly looking her straight in the eyes as I spoke. “Sora asked me to the party and I said yes.”

I though she was going to blow up or burst into tears or something but no.

“Alright then Riku.” Mom smiled taking Sora’s hand and shaking it. “Nice to meet you Sora. This is Sephiroth my eldest son and that’s Cloud my next oldest son.”

“Hey Sora.” Cloud said sticking out a hand to him which he shook as Sephiroth waved his hello. Cloud pulled Sora closer to him and whispered something in his ear I couldn’t hear that made Sora laugh. His laugh made my heart flip over. I loved the sweet sound of it ringing in my ears.

“You ready to go then Riku?” Sora asked, turning back to look at me. I nodded silently, and he took my hand leading me out of my house and down the street in the dark. I looked up at the moon in happiness.

“I love the full moon.” I said quietly to Sora as he continued to walk beside me still holding my hand in his. He looked up at me, still smiled me, inviting me to go on. “I don’t know why but I do. I always have loved the moon, just like I despise the sun. So what did Cloud say to you back there?”

“Oh, he said he was adopted.” Sora laughed. “He wanted me to know that in case I thought you were all nuts or something like that.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Cloud.” I laughed. Then I said the stupidest thing ever. It just slipped out like I had no control over my stupid tongue and vocal cords. My stupid, stupid vocal cords that never listened to a word that my brain spoke to them like it was another language or something. “Hey Sora, are you gay?”

“Riku.” Sora said softly, stopping and dropping my hand. He was looking at me with eyes wide. Damn it, he’s not gay is he! I blew it big time! “Of course I’m gay. I mean I asked you to be my date after all. Wait, do you have a problem with that Riku?”

“No Sora, I don’t have a problem with you being gay, considering I’m gay and all but I thought you asked me as a joke up until you came to pick me up.” I said happily, taking his hand again. “You didn’t know I was gay then?”

“No I didn’t.” Sora said, squeezing my hand as we started to walk again. “But I always could hope you were. I mean really, you’re so hot and buff, look at you!”

“Really? I am?” I asked, surprised. He smiled up at me and nodded. I was turning pink but it was dark so he couldn’t see anyways. “I thought you were really hot that first time you walked in my house when we first met.”

“Really, because everyone else says I look like a little kid and it pisses me off.” Sora sighed, running his free hand through his hair. “Do you think I look like a kid?”

“No, not tonight.” I said, tapping on his hat still under his arm. “Tonight you look like a perfect gentleman going to the prom or something.”

“That’s good, that’s what I was going for.” Sora laughed. I laughed too, smiling up at the moon in my happiness. Sora had a way of making me laugh and making me feel happy. “Tonight’s going to be great!”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I said quietly. What if no one liked me or everyone judged me because I had come to the party with Sora? Sora frowned, waving a hand in front of my face snapping me out of it.

“Hey, no frowning alright Riku? This is your first time meeting everyone. After tonight they will go back to being their true selves, which for some of them isn’t always a good thing. Once first impressions are over they go back to being themselves.” Sora said.

“Then how do I know if anyone’s being real with me or not?” I asked, unsure of what Sora had meant. “Does that include you?”

“No, I’m real.” Sora said happily, letting go of my hand to put his arm around my waist instead. “This is me, right here right now. I’m never fake, unless I’m sick and then I don’t leave my house you know?”

“Good, I like you like this.” I said softly, looking down at him. He looked up into my eyes for a moment, his sapphire eyes capturing my aqua ones before he leaned in and kissed the tip of my nose. It was silly and childish but oh well, it was Sora just being Sora the way he was meant to act. We both burst out laughing at the same time, it seemed so silly to both of us.

“I like you like this too Riku.” Sora said, pulling me closer to him by my waist. Sora finally stopped in front of a large black gate. Clearing his throat he pushed the button on the call box.

“Hello?” It was some girl, probably the one throwing the party. “Are you here for the party?”

“Yeah, Kairi its Sora and my date.” Sora said holding down the button to talk. “Can we come in please?”

“WHAT? You have a date, no way Sora! Who’s your date?” Kairi asked in a high pitched voice. “Tell me Sora!”

“His names Riku, he’s one of the neighbors that just moved in.” Sora said, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet like he had in my room before earlier. “Please let us in! Open the gate Kairi.”

“Alright, I’ll meet you and Riku up at the front door.” Kairi said and with a low buzzing noise the gate opened up for us. Sora grabbed my hand and we ran together up the lawn to the front of the large house. It was enormous with large door and large windows with a sloping well kept lawn filled with trees, shrubs, and flowers leading to that black gate. The front door opened and a redhead girl walked out to us smiling. She was very pretty, with large eyes and pale skin – nowhere near as pale as me however. I always win in that category, unbeatable as ever! Yay, I’m so excited about being a pale freak. Not.

“Hey, you must be Riku!” She said, holding out a hand for me to shake. “I’m Kairi and this is my home.”

“Nice to meet you Kairi.” I said, lifting her small fair hand to my lips to gently kiss it. She giggled and blushed, Sora laughing outright. I smiled at him, punching him in the top of his arm.

“Sora, be quiet you jerk!” Kairi said happily, moving to let us in the house. She led us down the hall into a large golden-yellow ballroom filled with people, some of which I had met earlier like Yuffie, Tifa, and Leon but other then them I was in a room full of strangers. And believe me I didn’t go unnoticed by the room at large.

And Kairi made sure the rest of them noticed me. “Hey everyone, can I have your attention for just a moment please! This is Riku! He’s new in town!”

Everyone said ‘Hello’ and stuff and I waved and smiled around at everyone staring at me, not really wanting the attention. Sora noticed I was uncomfortable and led me away from the center of the room towards the punchbowl. Sora placed a cup of punch in my hand before getting himself some and we stood there together as I breathed in sigh of relief.

“Hey Riku, what’s wrong?” Kairi asked when she had made he way over to us on her patrol across the room. “Is something wrong? Are you not having fun?”

“You shouldn’t have done that Kairi, he was uncomfortable or didn’t you notice that little minor detail?” Sora whispered lowly, making her blush.

“Oh Riku, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were uncomfortable Riku!” She said honestly, but I shook my head silencing her.

“No harm, no foul. It’s fine Kairi.” I said smiling at her and she walked away, satisfied. Turning to Sora I started to figure out who everyone was. “So who are all these people anyways?”

“Just kids from school and around the neighborhood.” Sora said, sipping his punch. He started pointing people out as they walked around, telling me about how they acted and who they were friends with and were dating or what people knew they for. Like when Sora pointed out a large blonde boy with a scar across his face thuggish boy and quietly deadly girl that followed him everywhere. “The blonde one’s name is Seifer Almasy. He’s the school bully and a jerk at that. He gets whatever he wants using the thug and the scary pale girl. The thug’s name is Raijin or Rai and the creepy girl’s name is Fujin or Fuu. They’re his thugs and part of his little group that goes around ‘punishing’ everyone. Stay away, far away from him and those two.”

“Okay, I’ll remember that.” I said, drinking my punch. “What about that blonde girl in the corner by herself?”

“Oh, that’s Namine, Kairi’s twin sister.” Sora said. “She’s an artist and she likes her alone time. See those three kids by her? The shorter one’s Pence the camera lover, the tall boy’s Hayner who’s the Struggle fighter – I can tell you about Struggle later. The girl with them is Olette. She’s into shopping and dragging the two of them around on a string.”

“Poor guys, that’s what’s good about being gay, you know?” I said throwing my empty paper Dixie cup away in the trashcan by the end of the table. I turned to see a tall skinny red head and a shorter dirty-blonde haired boy walking toward us, waving animatedly. “And who are those two coming over here towards us?”

“Oh shit!” Sora laughed as the two guys I had been talking about jumped on him, knocking him to the floor. The two boys jumped back up, pulling Sora up with them. Sora grabbed my arm, clinging to it for support when his legs gave out under him. I grabbed him by the waist, holding him up. “Thanks Riku.”

“So who’s your friend Sora?” The redhead asked, brushing dirt off the blonde’s shoulder for him. The blonde smiled broadly up at him, putting hi arm behind the other’s back, squeezing him around the waist slightly. And then the redhead guy burst into song, and after a moment the blonde guy jumped in too. "Happy happy happy ball of sunshine!dun dun dun Spikey headed cutie that has blue eyes!dun dun dun hes so cute he's small and hyper to boot!Hes my little ball of spikey shine!" (That was the song ArosxIrukxOxarsxLeax wrote for me! Yay! Thank you!)

“Thanks for that wonderful song guys, it's just like me. Guys this is Riku.” Sora said and I nodded, still smiling like a robot. I was getting better at the whole smile-at-them-even-if-you-don’t-want-to stuff Mom had said was polite when meeting new people for the first time. “Riku, the redhead is Axel and the blonde one that looks like me is Roxas.”

“Hey Axel, Roxas.” I said, holding out a hand. Roxas shook it smiling, but Axel brought it up to his lips and kissed it as I had Kairi’s hand. “So do you always kiss the people you just met or am I just special Axel?”

“Oh you’re special all right.” Axel smiled and Roxas nudged him angrily. “Sorry Roxie, but if Riku’s a hottie, he’s a hottie. There’s nothing I can do about that.”

“But I’m your boyfriend Axel!” Roxas scoffed angrily, stomping his foot. He turned to leave, calling back over his shoulder as he walked away from us. “I’m going home! Bye Sora, Riku, Axel. And Axel, don’t bother to follow me, it won’t work this time! This time you’ve got too far.”

“Oh come on Roxas, don’t be like that.” Axel called, cupping his hands around his mouth. When Axel saw Roxas wasn’t coming back Axel started running after him across the ballroom toward the doors that led out of the house and into the night. “You have to forgive me Rox, please come back!”

“What was all that about Sora?” I asked, helping him fix his suit coat, which was a little off centered thanks to being pounced on. “What was going on with them?”

“Oh it’s nothing really. It’s how they always are, you know?” Sora said, stuffing his hat on his head so it squished his hair slightly – which didn’t actually look that bad. “Actually, you wouldn’t know would you? Well, Roxas is the possessive-jealous-clingy type while still fun and sweet and loveable while Axel likes to flirt with anything that can walk and speak English, including boys other than his boyfriend Roxas. They love each other AND they love to hurt one another fro the fun of it.”

“Oh, okay.” I said softly as Sora reached a hand up to stroke my hair and I shivered. Not a bad ‘what the hell is he doing touching me’ shiver, a good ‘I think he likes me’ shiver. A very good shiver. I leaned into his hand a little as he played with my hair and Sora smiled, laughing softly as he continued to stroke my hair. “Sora, why are you so nice to me? I mean, why bring me here as your date and hold my hand and stuff when you could ask any of the other guys here? You barely know me and you treat me so good like I matter or something.”

Because I don’t matter. There when you want me, throw me away when you don’t. Throw away friends like me don’t have the right to exist. Not that Sora was like that though. He wouldn’t throw me away.

“You want to know why I’m like this around you Riku.” Sora asked, looking up into my eyes again and I nodded. He smiled sweetly up at me, pulling me by the waist so we were closer than we had been all night – so his body was pressed against mine. His hat had fallen off and onto the floor as he pillowed his face into my chest, nuzzling against me and making me feel happy and loved as I wrapped my arms around his body. “I don’t know why exactly, I just know that I do like you and I like having you around. It’s just like when you told me how you liked the moon so much but didn’t know why, like it drew you in somehow in a way you didn’t understand. You drew me in and I never want you to let me go Riku.”

“I feel the same way Sora, I really do.” I said my voice tight in my throat. I cared about Sora, but I was shocked to know he cared about me that way. I had thought the idea of him wanting to take me to this party a joke on his part, that him holding my hand and playing with my hair was just for fun, but the fact that he said he cared and he never wanted me to let him go made me feel as happy as I could ever remember being in my entire life. And he meant what he said, just like I did.

“Hey Riku, can I ask you something?” Sora asked suddenly, looking up from my chest. I nodded, still smiling at him. “Do you want to dance with me?”

“Sure Sora, as long as you play the girl and I get to lead.” I laughed as he led me out onto the dance floor. I felt a little conspicuous or like I stood out terribly, but I didn’t care as long as I was with Sora – the only person I had ever truly cared about besides my screwed up little family of four. I held one hand of his in mine, the other of his hands on my shoulder as my free hand went to his waist. We danced around the floor as other people stopped dancing to star or gape at us as we danced by not really caring. I was having a grand time dancing with Sora, until Seifer stepped in. Literally.

Sora caught his foot on Seifer’s outstretched leg sending him sprawling into me. I caught him against me and stopped him from falling before turning to Seifer. Forget what Sora had said, Seifer was going to get all of my furry raining down on him for messing with Sora like that. I wanted to punch his face in.

“Oh dear, I'm so sorry!” Seifer sneered at Sora, smacking him on the back. Sora lurched forward into me again, coughing. Sora picked himself up quickly, walking to stand behind me slightly. “I didn’t mean to ruin your dance Soar or what ever.”

“My name’s Sora.” Sora squeaked from behind me. Rai went behind me and pulled him out from behind me, holding him above the floor up by the collar of his suit coat. Sora squeaked quietly, struggling with Rai in an attempt to make Rai drop him. “Come on Seifer! Just leave me alone so I can have a good time at the party, okay? Please let me go!”

“Nonsense, I didn’t mean any harm Sora, just wanted to meet your friend here.” Seifer said, shifting his gaze onto me. He smirked at me and I scowled back, wanting more and more to pound his face in with every second I spent in his company. Seifer was such a jerk. I was new here and I had already picked up on it, and if I pick up on anything it has to be obvious or it goes right over my head most of the time. “So you’re the new guy in town. What’s your name pale one?”

“Who wants to know?” I asked stubbornly. Seifer smiled, I mean actually smiled at me! Weird and unbelievable, I know but true.

“I like you, you have the right attitude.” Seifer said, putting an arm around my shoulders. “Listen, you drop this little gay worm and come work for me. I can make sure you go places in this town. What’d you say?”

“Well Seifer, thanks for the offer.” I said and Sora gasped, looking up at me clearly terrified out of his wits. He looked like I’d just ripped his heart out of his chest. But I wasn’t done talking by a long shot. “First of all, get off me. I don’t like people touching me who annoy me. Second it’s not the ‘right attitude,’ it’s my attitude Seifer. Third, I won’t work for you because I don’t follow, I lead. And last and most important of all, Sora is not a ‘gay worm’ and I like Sora. I wouldn’t drop him if you put a gun to my head and tried to force me into it on pain of death. There’s your answer Seifer, and it’s the only answer you’re ever gonna get from me.”

Seifer snapped his fingers and Rai dropped Sora, who landed on hid feet for once. I smiled at Seifer grabbed his hand and led him away from Seifer, Fuu, and Rai who stood staring at us angrily. I’m not ashamed to admit it, I was pleased with myself. Sora stopped walking in the middle of the dance floor, grabbing my hand and tugging hard on it so that I would turn around and look at him.

“What is it Sora?” I asked him, but he shook his head deafly telling me to follow him to where ever he wanted to go. I followed him willingly unsure of where Sora could be taking me but sure it would be someplace great knowing Sora. He led me out of the ballroom through a door in the wall I hadn’t seen earlier into a dark hallway. Down a hall, through another door and up a flight of stairs he led me, until he stopped in front of a door, pulling the keys out of his pockets. “Where are we?”

“You’ll see in a second.” Sora said, opening the door and pushing me inside ahead of him and shutting the door. It was so dark I couldn’t see a thing. I felt Sora leave my side and after a few moments the lights flipped on and I gasped. We were in a huge library full of never ending books from floor to ceiling. I was in paradise, especially when Sora pulled the curtains lining one wall to reveal a wall of windows that showed the lawn, other houses and the sky, light from the stars and the moon shining down on my face. “Do you like it Riku?”

“Sora, I love it!” I said looking around with a genuine a smile plastered on my face for once. I turned back to him, running over to hug him tightly around the middle. “This is so amazing Sora, thank you so much for bringing me here.”

“No problem Riku. Especially after the way you stood up to Seifer for me.” Sora said, snuggling against me as he wrapped his arms around me. “I hoped you’d like it. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to pay you back for what you did for me back there Riku, but I hoped this would help.

“It helps Sora, I’ love it!” I insisted happily.

“So now that we’re here what do you want to do?” Sora asked pointedly, smiling at me with a strange look on his face. He hugged me closer, his hair poking me gently in the face.

“Huh, I don’t know Sora. I’m good like this, just being here with you.” I said, pulling him over to the couch facing the window. We sat down together with me reclining back across the couch, Sora sitting curled up on my lap, draping himself over me with his arms wrapped around me, his eyes closed as his head rested on my shoulder. We stayed like that a long time, until Sora started fidget like the little kid he was inside, unable to lay still too long. He sighed softly as he wiggled around, his hair tickling my face. I laughed, pulling back from him a little, but he kept scooting up so his hair was in my face again.

“Hold still already Sora, your hair is tickling me!” I mumbled and he laughed, continuing to move around. “I mean it Sora, stop it.”

“What are you gonna do to stop me Riku?” Sora asked playfully running a finger down the side of my face. Did he just dare me? Oh no he didn’t, he obviously doesn’t know who he’s messing with here. He should have had more sense than that after seeing me take on Seifer. I smirked up at him and his smile faltered. Not so confident now I laughed to myself as he bit him lower lip.

“Oh, is that a dare? We’ll just see about that!” I smirked, pouncing quickly. Sora squealed cutely as I pushed him back against the end of the couch that had gone unused, pushing him down into the soft cushions, moving up his body so I was straddling his waist, my knees locked around him. I held his arms above his head by his wrists so he was powerless to throw me off him, not that it seemed like he wanted to. He was barely moving, just staring up at me shocked at the position he had gotten himself into.

“What are you going to do to me Riku?” Sora asked sounding more than a little scared at the prospect of not knowing what I was going to do to him or in face what I could do to him. I smiled down at him, releasing his hands so I could gently caress the side of her face with the back of my hand. He quieted, growing completely still beneath me as I caressed the side of his face and petted his hair when he realized I meant him no harm and wasn’t going to go through with my threat. Or so he thought anyways. “So you aren’t going to punish me Riku?”

“Oh I’ll punish you alright, but I think you’re going to enjoy it as much as I will Sora, don’t you worry.” I smirked, leaning down to kiss the side of his face. He seemed to be holding his breath as I kissed a path down the side of his face and down his jaw to his neck where I kissed him tenderly, sucking on the spot where I had kissed him until I had left a mark and I had him moaning out of pleasure and longing.

Raising up my head I looked into his eyes before he snaked his arms around my neck, pulling my head down to his so he could kiss me on the lips. Sora kissed me, pushing his head up to get closer to mine. With one of my hands braced against the cushions by the side of his head and the other twisted in his hair, we were just about as close to each other as we could get. I felt Sora’s tongue pushing against my lips in an effort to part them and get inside my mouth. I let him in gladly and he moaned into my mouth, his tongue playing against mine as he deepened the kiss unlocking a store of passion I had never know before that had been stored deep down inside of me. One of his hands moved up and down my back, pulling me closer to me while the other tangled itself in my hair. I deepened the kiss, leaning into him as far as I could. Sora moaned again, finally pulling away to breath.

“You okay?” I asked him, worried. He was flushed and panting, lying there under me looking ruffled from where we had struggled against one another. He nodded, moving to sit up. I let him out from under me as he fell back against the couch, still breathing heavy as I straightened my tie.

“That was amazing Riku, no ones ever kissed me like that before.” Sora moaned, resting his head on my shoulder again, latching onto my waist. “Really, never like that.”

“You’re telling me.” I said, struggling to control my breathing as I held him closer to me. Then we heard it – footsteps outside the door coming this way. Damn it, of all the times to get caught! “Quick, hide!”

Sora and I jumped up, Sora rolling under the couch while I ran and hid under one of the tables that littered the room. Pulling my knees up under my chin I held as my breathe, trying not to be found out hiding under the table. Two people walked inside the room, shutting the door behind them and flipping off the lights. The two people sidled over to the couch, sitting down upon it together and began making out with each other. Looking out from under the table, I had to clap my hands over my mouth not to burst out laughing at who one of them was.

SEPHIROTH! Who was he with anyways? Probably the date he had been talking about. I didn’t recognize her, but it didn’t matter really who it was. All that mattered was the Sephiroth and his ‘friend’ were so wrapped up in each other, literally, to notice us if we tried to sneak out of the room.

Crawling over to the couch I lifted up the shirt to see Sora lying flat against the floor looking terrified. I pulled him out and together we crawled to the door, opening it quietly and crawling out into the hallway.

“Well what do we have here?” Damn whoever had invented making-out, everyone seemed to want to go to the library to do it. We had escaped the room just to get caught by someone else!

OH NO! Guess who caught them - and who Sephiroth was making-out with... Go on guess! Add your guesses in your reviews and I (might) tell you if you're right! Until next time then! La la la...

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On Moving, Friends and Makingout Chap 3-

Chapter 3

“Well what do we have here?” Seriously, the person who invented making-out forgot to work out a few things – like making it so different people like to make out in different places. The library seems really popular, but not for the reason parents like us hanging out there for. They want us to read and study! While not against reading... studying sucks. The person standing in front of us was shining a flashlight in our eyes which did not illuminate our captor sadly. I wanted to know who I was about to beat up and curse to the fiery depths of hell for all eternity.

“Um, I can explain I swear.” Sora said nervously as he picked himself up off the ground, pulling me up with him. Sora was staring up at the teenage boy who had caught us petrified. “It’s not what it looks like really its not!”

“Oh isn’t it Sora?” The stern voice asked. It was too dark to see who was standing in the hall in front of us, but the voice stirred something in the back of my mind. Why did this voice sound so familiar and strange at the same time? Where did I know it from? “Do you even know how bad this looks Sora?”

“Look I’m sorry alright?” Sora pleaded wringing his hands as he fidgeted beside me in evident discomfort. Why was he so nervous? He wasn’t this scared when Seifer had had his thug buddy hold him captive while Seifer talked to me. “Please, we didn’t do anything, really!”

“How the hell am I supposed to believe that?” The hard voice yelled making Sora flinch. This was clearly someone Sora had issues with – not that I could be sure or anything, but I think it’s a good assumption seeing how they acted towards each other. “Sora, I swear you have no brain at all! You’re so stupid sometimes! Why do you do this to me? Do you like me like this, yelling at you and acting like a jackass in front of your friends to you? Do you do this for kicks or something Sora?”

“Please don’t do this here.” Sora said quietly. It sounded like he was about to cry or something and I felt terrible for him. “Look, you can yell at me all you want when we get home okay? But not here, not in front of Riku, please.”

“I just don’t know what to do with you anymore Sora.” The voice sighed. “I never though would have guessed this about you Riku.”

“What do you mean like that? Wait, do I know you?” I asked, confused. My brain was surely turning to jelly from these strange happenings going on at the present. The flashlight pointed toward the wall moving along it until it fell on a lamp sitting on a small table pressed against the wall. A hand reached out and turned it on. Light flooded the hall around up making me blink, unable to see. Rubbing my eyes I looked at the owner of the flashlight and gasped. Damn. “Leon?”

“Yeah, nice to see you remember me now.” Leon said gruffly, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he stared angrily at Sora who looked terrified. And I couldn’t blame Sora for it. Leon was way scarier now than I remembered him being. “You just wait until we get home Sora!”

“Come on, give me a break Leon!” Sora groaned pleading with Leon whom I knew wasn’t going to budge the slightest bit in Sora’s favor. Duh, this is Leon we’re talking about. “Nothing happened I swear! Please don’t lock me in my room again!”

“Wait a second, hold on here!” I shouted cutting across Leon before he could reply. They both looked at me but thankfully stayed quiet. “You two live together?”

“Of course we do you idiot!” Leon said gruffly. “Sora, are all your friends retarded or something?”

“Riku’s not retarded Leon! Shut it! I don’t think he knows, did you say anything to him about it?” Sora asked Leon quietly, excluding me from the conversation. Leon shook his head and Sora snapped his fingers. “See, there you go Leon! I didn’t get around to telling him either.”

“Tell me what?” I asked angrily. They were talking about me like I wasn’t standing here with them listening to all of it and it was starting to upset me. It was just like back home at my old school – people would talk about me as I walked passed them not bothering to keep their voices down, hoping they would be the one to get me to blow up and yell. But that never happened somehow I managed to keep my cool for a whole year.

“We’re brothers!” Leon and Sora said together, each voice laced with a certain amount of detectible distain.

“Brothers, the two of you are brothers?” I said slowly hoping they were joking. I mean really, the only thing worse than Leon really being Sora’s brother would have been Cloud catching us or Sephiroth coming out of the library with his date to find us like this because I’d never hear the end of it, believe me. Or Leon could be Sora’s ex-boyfriend. That would be was worse than being his brother, but thank God Leon was Sora’s brother instead of his ex!

“Yeah, good old Leon here is my older brother.” Sora said sarcastically grimacing at Leon.

“Don’t give me that look Sora! I’m not the one running around banging guys!” Leon yelled pointing an index finger at Sora.

“Shut the hell up Squall!” Sora yelled lunging at his brother. I caught him around the waist and pulled him back. “I never did that with any guy, take it back damn it, you’ll pay for that Squall!”

“Make me Sora! Make me take it back!” Leon laughed taunting Sora, jumping around just outside of his reach. “Ashamed of your little boyfriend here are we Sora? What is it Sora, is he a bad kisser or something?”

I don’t recall when I let go of Sora exactly. All I know is that I did. But that didn’t matter really because I got to Leon first, knocking backwards onto the ground. I climbed on top of him and held him down. He cursed at me, trying to struggle his way out from underneath me but it wouldn’t work.

“Oh hell, no you don’t!” I shouted at him as Sora pulled me off him. Normally someone like Sora wouldn’t be able to pull me around, but I sorta let Sora pull me off his brother. I didn’t want to accidentally hit Sora if I lashed out at his brother with him so close trying to pull me off. Sora was holding me back or so he thought as I reached around him to get at Leon. “Don’t even bring me into this Leon! Damn it, I swear I’ll –”

“Do what Riku?” It was Kairi again, followed closely by a pretty dark haired girl who ran over to Leon and helped him off the ground. “What’s going on here you three? Rinoa said she couldn’t find Leon so I was helping her look and we heard yelling and thumping so we came up here to check apparently just in time.”

“We were just having a brotherly disagreement, you know Kairi?” Sora said, his throat mussels working hard so not to yell at her after all the screaming the three of us had been doing. “You fight with your twin sister right? Same deal here. It’s over though now, right Leon?”

“Yeah, it’s over.” Leon scoffed, taking the girl by the arm and walking off with her as she asked him if he was alright. It was just Sora, Kairi and I in the hall now and it was a bit uncomfortable.

“Come on let’s go back to the party Riku.” Sora said quietly. I nodded taking the hand he offered me, leaving Kairi standing confused and alone in the hall in front of the door of the library.

“Sorry about that Riku.” Sora said quietly stopping in his tracks to lean against the wall, sliding down it to sit on the floor his head held in his hands. “Leon’s a jerk it’s just how he is now. He’s been like this ever since Dad left.”

“Sora, you don’t have to explain or apologize for your brother, really.” I said, kneeling down beside him to pull him into my arms. “Look at me Sora, please. I don’t care about Leon or what he thinks about us or you. I care about you, not him. Let him say what he wants, I don’t care what he says about me. What got me mad was how he was talking about you.”

“Thanks Riku.” Sora said sadly, a single tear slipping down his cheek. I raised a hand and brushed it away. He smiled at me, wrapping his arms around my neck again. “I care about you too Riku. I knew you wouldn’t judge me because of my brother, but it still worried me that you might listen to what he said.”

“He’s stupid Sora.” I said, laughing. Sora laughed with me perking up instantly. “Let’s go back in the party okay? No more tears, lets have fun.”

“Alright, I’ll try my best.” Sora said happily, standing up. We went back in the ballroom to find more even more people crammed inside then when we had left it if that was possible. “Looks like the party finally picked up!”

“Picked up, it wasn’t before?” I asked. Sora laughed at me shaking his head.

“This is considered a small party for Kairi. When she throws a party, she throws a party.” Sora laughed as he dragged me back over to the punchbowl. “Wasn’t that your brother that came into the library Riku?”

“Yeah it was, but I didn’t know the girl he was with.” I told Sora as I got us both a cup of punch to share. “Did you see who he was with?”

“Yeah I did.” Sora said quietly. He leaned in, whispering a name into my ear.

“Is that supposed to mean something to me Sora? I don’t know who she is!” I said. Apparently a little too loudly because Sora shushed me looking nervous, pulling me down to talk close to my ear so no one would hear.

“She’s a total party girl with a reputation of flitting around between guys. She’s cruel when it comes to love or anything else really now that I think about it.” Sora whispered quietly, his breath tickling the inside of my ear. “She’ll drop him as soon as she gets bored with him Riku.”

“Sounds like the perfect girl for Sephiroth then.” I assured him, patting him on the shoulder. “Really, it’ll be fun to see who drops the other first. Sephiroth’s a party fiend Sora, don’t worry about him. He can handle himself.”

“Hey Riku, do you like the party?” Yuffie asked, popping up beside me, dancing around me in a happy little circle. “I know I am!”

“Yeah, the party’s great Yuffie, I’m having a smashing good time.” I told her and she smiled broadly. “What have you been up to?”

“Nothing really, dancing and such.” Yuffie smiled before turning to Sora. “Hey Sora, do you mind if I borrow Riku for a minute, there’s someone I want him to meet.”

“Go on then Yuffie, I know there’s no stopping you.” Sora said. He mumbled the last part quietly so only I could hear him as Yuffie grabbed my arm leading me away from Sora.

“Hey guys, this is Riku!” Yuffie exclaimed a moment later, pulling me into a group of three girls. The girls looked strange standing there together like that. One psycho-gothic girl, a quiet well mannered looking girl, and a happy ball of energy wrapped up in the other one’s body. “Riku, these are my friends.”

“Hi, I’m Rikku! Isn’t that funny, we have the same name!” The bouncy one laughed jumping up and down in front of me. “The scary one’s name is Paine and the proper one’s Yuna!”

“Nice to meet you, all of you, it’s a pleasure.” I said, a little taken aback. What the hell was with these three?

“So Riku, do you wanna dance with me?” Yuffie asked quickly, grabbing my arm and pulling me out onto the dance floor before I could answer her, grabbing my hands and placing where they needed to go. I stumbled through the dance with Yuffie, whom I may say is defiantly not as good a dancer as Sora is thank you very much! When it was over she allowed me to run back over to stand with Sora, who had seen everything and was laughing his head off.

“What’s so funny?” I asked, knowing I must have looked ridiculous out there dancing with Yuffie.

“You actually made it look like Yuffie could dance. No one’s ever been able to do that before, good job Riku.” Sora laughed, taking a sip of our punch which I took from him so I could have a drink. Well, he wasn’t the one who had to dance with Yuffie now was he? It was only fair in my opinion. “So did you like those three girls Yuffie introduced you to?”

“I guess they were nice enough. What’s the deal with them though?” I asked, knowing there was a story there and wanting to get to the bottom of it.

“Well, they’re lesbians.” Sora said casually. I choked on my punch, gagging as he pounded me on the back. “Well they are. They even live together.”

“They’re parents don’t care or something?” I asked. Sora shook his head, taking the punch from me, obviously worried I’d choke again. “You’re kidding right?”

“No, I’m not Riku. Yuna’s family disowned her when they found out, they’re very religious and Paine ran away from home to live with the two girls she loved. They all live at Rikku’s house with her and her father. Rikku’s father’s very supportive of Rikku in anything she does so it’s fine with him as long as they don’t kiss or do anything in front of him.” Sora explained, lazily tossing the cup over his shoulder and into trash without looking.

“Huh, that’s cool I guess.” I said uninterestedly. Those three seemed really weird to me, but why not give them a chance anyways? If they wanted to talk to me fine, I’d talk to them. Even if they were weird as all get-out. But then again, so am I.

“Oh my God, hey there Sora, imagine seeing you here! I haven’t seen you in forever!” I turned just in time to see a tall brownish-blonde haired male teen pull Sora into his arms to hug him tightly. My heart was soon boiling over with jealousy, and I wanted nothing more than to punch the guy in the face and break his nose for so much as touching Sora. But I couldn’t. Sora wasn’t really mine, I mean, we weren’t dating or anything, we had just come together. I would love to be able to call Sora my boyfriend, but at the present time he wasn’t mine and he was being hugged by some stranger to me. “How’ve you been Sora? It’s been ages since I say you last!”

“Hey there Demyx, good to see you again too!” Sora said sarcastically, but the boy didn’t pick up on it. Either he chose not to hear it or he was stupid. Personally, I’d put my money on the second option if you know what I mean. Sora gestured to me and the male looked over at me smiling ear to ear. “This is Riku, he just moved here.”

“Hey there Riku! Wow Sora, he’s really hot!” Demyx said happily this time pulling me into a hug. I just stood there as he held me against him, unsure of why I always ended up in these bad situations with strange people hugging me when I would have preferred them to just leave me the hell alone. Oh well though, does it really look like I have a choice in the matter? “Hold on to this one Sora or I might just have to steal him from you! Bye then!”

“What the hell was that?” I asked. I couldn’t bring myself to say ‘who’ because I wasn’t even sure it was human. It was way too weird to be human.

“Demyx.” Sora said quietly, not looking at me.

“He an old boyfriend of your or something Sora?” I asked, hoping against hope he said ‘no’.

“No, he liked me though, but I kept telling him I was straight.” Sora said, blushing as he said it. He looked up at me and I burst out laughing. He started to pout, sticking out his bottom lip but I couldn’t help it. It was so funny! Eventually Sora saw the humor in it too and started laughing along with me until another guy came up to us looking worried. “Hey Zexion, what’s up?”

“Have you seen Demyx?” Zexion asked quietly from behind his hand.

“Yeah, he went that way, why?” I asked him, but he shook his head turning to go the opposite way I had pointed.

“I’m avoiding him, that’s why. He’s looking for me to ask me to dance!” Zexion said quickly turning to leave. “If he asks, you didn’t see me, okay?”

We nodded silently and Zexion hurried off in the opposite direct of Demyx, who was searching through the crowd for him.

“What’s with those two then?” I asked Sora, who was laughing so hard he had tears coming out of his eyes.

“Well, they’re dating but they don’t want everyone to know. Well, Zexion doesn’t want everyone to know, Demyx couldn’t care less about who knows and who doesn’t know about them.” Sora laughed as Demyx walked passed us again in search of Zexion. “Zexion is always like this at parties because of Demyx chasing after him asking him to dance. It’s fun to watch actually.”

“I bet it is.” I laughed, reaching for more punch.

“Better hope no one spiked that Riku with as much as you’re drinking.” Cloud said, putting and arm around my shoulders as he came out from behind me. I didn’t see Aerith anywhere, which was strange. Cloud gets jealous easy, so he usually likes to keep his dates as close as possible.

“Where’s Aerith?” I asked him and he shook his head.

“Out there with her friends talking about you.” Cloud huffed, taking the paper cup out of my hand to drink it all in one gulp. “They’re asking her all these questions about you because they all wanna dance with you or something.”

“Why me?” I asked no one in particular.

“Because you’re hot, sweet, and a good dancer.” A girl just behind me said. I turned to look at her and she smiled at me. She had brown hair that flipped up at the ends and was wearing a bright yellow dress. “Hey, I’m Selphie Tilmitt.”

“Hey, I’m Riku. Nice to meet you Selphie.” I said, extending a hand for her to shake. It was weird to have a girl compliment me, but oh well. If Sora wasn’t going to ask me to dance again, maybe I could make him jealous.

“Do you want to dance then Riku?” Selphie asked me. I nodded and she jumped up and down for joy – don’t ask me why, but she was actually happy I had said yes! Imagine that why don’t you. I was there and I don’t believe it.

“Hey Selphie, won’t your boyfriend be mad if he finds out?” Sora asked loudly as I led her out to dance.

“Zell won’t mind if I dance with Riku for just one dance silly!” Selphie laughed, poking Sora in the arm. “And besides, he’s not here to stop me anyways because he refused to take me!”

I led Selphie out onto the dance floor and danced with her, watching Sora’s reactions as I spun her around and around. Frankly he looked like he was going to be sick or something and I smiled, waving at him. He waved back half heartedly, reaching for more punch as he tried to talk to Cloud in an attempt to have something better to do than to watch me dance with Selphie. But it was no use for poor Sora, he just kept watching us and eventually Cloud walked away to go ask Aerith to dance no doubt. When the dance was over I walked Selphie back over to her friends who seemed happy to see me. I talked to them for a few minutes before going back to a very angry Sora.

“What’s wrong Sora?” I asked innocently. He glared at me, turning away from me. “Don’t be like that Sora, tell me what’s wrong.”

“You Riku! It’s you!” Sora snapped at me, shrugging off the hand I had placed on his shoulder. “Here you are telling me you care about me and stuff, but then you go off dancing the night away with a bunch of preppy glittery girls who think you’re hot! Are you gay or aren’t you?”

“I’m gay Sora, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dance with girls or not talk to them does it?” I said, shocked at what I was hearing coming from Sora’s cute little mouth. He was telling me off! “Are you jealous of them because they danced with me or something Sora?”

“Yes damn it, I am!” Sora shouted, turning around quickly and grabbing me by the hair pulled me in the corner where he kissed me. No one saw us but I wouldn’t have cared if they had seen us as long as Sora went right on kissing me. He pulled his mouth away from mine to press his face into my neck as he held me against him. I held him back, happy he had told me. It was exactly what I had wished he would say but never dared to dream he would actually say to me. “I hate those little tramps you danced with Riku! Don’t do that to me! I thought my heart was going to shatter into a million pieces when I saw you dancing with Selphie like that! I couldn’t stand it if you danced with anyone else!”

“I’m glad to hear it Sora.” I said comfortingly as I stroked his hair. He looked up at me surprised. “You’re the only one I wanted to dance with Sora but you wouldn’t ask me. I was beginning to think you didn’t care if I danced with you or not.”

“Of course I cared!” Sora moaned, kissing my neck. “I never want to dance with anyone else again and I never want to have to watch you dance with a girl to get my attention again!”

“Never Sora, I’ll never do that to you again I promise.” I smiled, moaning slightly as he continued to kiss and lick at the tender skin of my neck. “Stop Sora of we may have to sneak back to the library for me to make-out with you again.”

“We can’t Kairi locked the library and took my keys for the night.” Sora sighed, placing his head in the curve between my shoulder and my neck.

“Why do you have those keys to her the rooms in her house anyways?” I asked. That had confused me earlier too, but I had been to happy then to care really how Sora had done what he did to get us in the library.

“Well, Kairi and I have been friends forever and I come over for a week at a time some visits and stay in the guest room she had made for me. I usually come when my Mom’s away on business trips so I don’t have to stay with Leon because he’s an asshole.” Sora said casually. So he basically lived here for weeks at a time with two beautiful teen age girls and he was still gay. Great news for me, but weird I had to admit. “It was never a problem because I never felt attracted to Kairi or Namine. Or any other girl really. Her parents love me.”

“I bet.” I said, laughing when he looked up at me with that cute little pout of his in place. “I didn’t mean anything by it Sora, calm down already.”

“So Riku, will you dance with me?” Sora asked as a slow song came on.

“I’d love to Sora.” I said, leading a very happy Sora out onto the dance floor. I could see the group of girls from earlier looking upset as I danced with Sora and I laughed as I told him about it as we danced around the floor. “What can I say? Sorry girls, I’m taken!”

“Yes you are!” Sora said pulling me closer. “You belong to me now Riku.”

“As long as you belong to me I’m fine with that.” I whispered back, making Sora blush with happiness.

The rest of the party was mostly the same as earlier. Sora and I danced on every slow song much to the girl’s disappointment, Sora pointed out people as they passed telling me about them, and I drank about half a bowl of punch. The party went on until well into the morning, somewhere around four in the morning or something before Sora and I decided to leave. We snuck out do Leon wouldn’t see us leaving together and Sora walked me home talking happily to me all the way to my door. When we reached my front door Sora grew quiet for a moment before bursting out suddenly.

“Riku will you be my boyfriend?” Sora said quickly turning bright red as he did. He hid his face in his hands after he had said it leaving me standing in complete shock. “I’m sorry Riku, but I really like you and it just slipped out I guess. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to, I can just leave and I’ll never bring it up again if that’s what you want Riku-”

He stopped, seeing as I had pulled his hands away from his face kissing him hard against the mouth, pressing my body against his even as I pressed him up against the wood of my front door. His arms wrapped around my neck as he struggled to pull me closer. I finally broke the kiss looking down into Sora’s eyes.

“I’d love to date you Sora. I want you to be my boyfriend too.” I said happily kissing Sora’s neck. “I thought you’d never ask.”

“Really?” Sora asked me, pulling away to look me in the face. I nodded happily and his face split into a wide smile that revealed just how truly happy he was. “I love you Riku, I really do! I know it’s weird to say that after not having known you too long but oh well. I love you Riku!”

“I love you too Sora.” I smiled, pulling him into a hug. This was going way to fast but I didn’t care. I had realized I truly loved Sora with all my heart and that was all that mattered. “I lover you too.”

“I’m so happy Riku, you have no idea.” Sora mumbled as he pressed his face into my chest. I laughed and he looked up at me. “What’s so funny?”

“I think I have a pretty good idea actually Sora.” I laughed, kissing him again. He moaned and I took my chance, sticking my tongue in his mouth to wrestle with his. He moaned again and fought back against my tongue with his, not to push me of his mouth but to push his way into mine. I let him have his way and he slipped his tongue inside my mouth as I groaned into his mouth. We stood there for some time on my front doorstep fighting each other’s tongue with our own as Sora slipped his hands inside my shirt to run them up and down my back until Cloud and Sephiroth finally came up behind us and cleared their throats. Sora and I broke apart, Sora looking a little embarrassed and flushed.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow Riku, okay if I come over and get you? There’s something I want to show you.” Sora said quickly, walking away from me and my annoying brothers who have very bad timing. Seriously, it was just getting good!

“Yeah, of course Sora.” I smiled, waving at him as he walked away. “See you tomorrow then! Bye!”

My brothers watched as Sora walked away until we couldn’t see him anymore. Then they burst out laughing, nearly falling over themselves in amusement.

“What?” I asked savagely.

“Are you two boyfriends now then?” Cloud asked through laughing fits. I nodded and he laughed harder. “Damn, all those girls and you’d rather have that scrawny thing!”

“Shut up Cloud, Sora’s not scrawny!” I said angrily and he looked at me. “Okay, maybe a little but I don’t care what you think.”

“I think it’s great.” Cloud said seriously, surprising me. “Really I do, I say how happy you were tonight and I can’t help but be happy for you.”

“Thanks a lot Cloud, it means a lot to me.” I smiled kindly at me as I opened the door. Sephiroth had remained quiet throughout the conversation and didn’t talk until we had gotten completely in the house and shut the door.

“So you and Sora were the ones I heard sneaking out of the library then?” Sephiroth asked quietly as we walked up the stairs to our rooms, careful not to wake Mom up. She must have had a hard day at work and I didn’t want to disturb her.

“Yeah, it was us.” I sighed turning pink. “We thought it would be better to hide then get caught making-out.”

“Yeah, but I heard you.” Sephiroth laughed quietly. “I heard the door open stupid.”

“I thought you might.” I said sheepishly, shaking my head to get my hair out of my eyes. “We thought you and your date wanted to make-out in private so we tried to sneak out.”

“Wait, you were making-out with someone too?” Cloud asked Sephiroth quietly. Sephiroth nodded and Cloud let out a sigh of frustration. “Why did I have to pick the date that refused to make-out with me because she didn’t think we’d known each other long enough for that? Damn it!”

“Sorry about your luck Cloud.” Sephiroth laughed as I covered my mouth with my hands to keep from laughing too loud and waking Mom up.

“Who’d you go with anyways Sephiroth? I didn’t see you all night.” Cloud asked as we made it to our rooms.

“Oh, her name’s Larxene. She works at the bank with me and she’s the lead actress the play. She’s the one who said I was good and should get stuck in this play as an extra since I missed try-outs and all. I took her out for coffee as a thank you and then asked her to go to Kairi’s party with me and she said yes. Turns out she thinks I’m super hot.” Sephiroth said happily, puffing out his chest as he boasted. “Well that’s all you need to know about that then. Good night gentlemen.”

I walked inside my room and shut the door slipping out of my party clothes and in between the clean new sheets on my bed in my bowers as always. Lying there in my bed looking up at the ceiling I thought about everything that had happened today until I fell asleep with thought of Sora still in my brain.

Aw, aren't they a cute couple! Well, tell me what you think! Keep on reading nd reviewing and I'll keep writting it! Ta ta for now!

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On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- Chap 4-

Chapter 4

“Hey Riku!”

I flipped over, mumbling softly as I shoved my head into my pillow.

“Riku! Wake up, will you?”

“Go away Sephiroth!” I moaned, waving my arms at him, trying to get him to go away without having to move from where I was comfortable. It was early, way too early for me to be awake. I’m lazy; I’ll admit it – unlike Cloud or Sephiroth who will deny it till the last. I like to sleep half the morning away before I finally wake up, yawning of course, to go do whatever the hell I wanted before going back to sleep around midnight. Having partied the night before and well into the morning when I was usually asleep, I had planned on sleeping until at least two o’clock in the after noon. “What time is it?”

“It’s ten o’clock Riku, get up!” Sephiroth said, trying to pull me out of bed by my ankles. I grabbed onto the headboard, keeping myself on the bed somehow as he yanked on me. “Come on!”

“Sephiroth! What the hell is your problem, why are you waking me up so early?” I shouted at him, trying to kick him.

“Well, have it your way then.” Sephiroth said dropping my legs so I fell back down onto the bed with a bounce. I watched him as he walked over to the door, confused. “I was only waking you up to tell you about your boyfriend, but never mind about that if you really want to go back to sleep so bad.”

“What about Sora?” I asked him quickly, confused due to lack of sleep and from being so annoyed that Sephiroth was in my room and that he had woken me up in the first place. “Tell me!”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Sephiroth said happily, opening my bedroom door so he could walk out into the hall again. “Nothing really, just that he’s sitting downstairs at our kitchen table waiting for you.”

“SHIT!” I jumped out of bed, falling into a heap on the floor to scramble up quickly running to my closet to through the doors open quickly. I grabbed the first things I saw – my black sleeveless shirt and my faded blue jean shorts that came down passed my knees. I changed quickly, running into the bathroom to fix my hair and brush my teeth. “Shit, shit, and more shit! I totally forgot about that! I didn’t know he meant so early!”

“Well, Cloud and I can keep him occupied until you’re finished getting ready if you want.” Sephiroth offered.

“Please! Just don’t tell him I forgot!” I moaned, begging him to do something. Okay, I’m not the begging type, but in this case I was willing to make an exception. Of course, I knew I’d never hear the end of this when I got home and that Sephiroth would go on and on about how I had begged for his help, but oh well. I needed a little help right now and I was willing to beg for it if that’s what I had to do to get it.

“Alright, keep your shirt on.” Sephiroth laughed, walking out of my room, shutting the door behind him. I ran around my rooms trying to find my skate shoes and a pair of matching socks. It too me nearly twenty minutes to finish getting ready. Grabbing my brown preppy jacket as Sephiroth referred to it I ran down the stairs and into the kitchen, sliding the zipper up about halfway so you could still see the black of my other shirt I skidded to a halt.

Sora was sitting at our kitchen table between Cloud and Sephiroth eating a bowel of cereal, a smile already in place just for me. I smiled, grabbing a bowel out of the cabinet and sitting down across from Sora as I poured my breakfast.

“Morning Riku! Hope you slept well!” Sora said happily shoveling more cereal into his mouth. I laughed along with Cloud. Sora’s cheeks were bulging with all the food he was attempting to push into his mouth making him look exactly like a chipmunk. “What?”

“Nothing, I’ll tell you later Sora.” I sniggered. “Sorry I kept you waiting so long.”

“Aw, it was no problem at all Riku. I thought you might still be sleep after the party last night.” Sora said, wiping his mouth of the back of his hand. He was so adorable, but I’d never tell him that. Sora had told me how much he hated being told he looked like a little kid, and adorable was a word you usually used when talking about little kids so it was probably best to just keep my mouth shut.

I felt Sora’s foot edge forward and touch mine and I smiling into my spoon. He kicked my foot gently and I kicked him back laughing to myself all the while. We continued like this all through breakfast until Sephiroth asked what was so funny.

“I bet they’re playing footsies or something under the table.” Cloud said as he buttered his slightly burnt toast. Sora and I pulled out feet back away from each other, but I kept on laughing anyways, laughing even harder when Sephiroth bend down and looked under the table to check. “Well, are they or aren’t they Sephiroth?”

“Nope, nothing going on under the table.” Sephiroth said cheerily, pouring himself some more orange juice. I don’t get how people can eat sugary sweet cereal and drink tangy orange juice at the same time, for me it’s either one or the other not both.

“It’s an inside joke, from the party last night.” Sora said quietly as he went back to his almost empty cereal bowel. I was happily surprised he had thought up a lie that quick, having come up with the conclusion he was a good kid and all. Apparently there was more to Sora than a hot body and a stunning personality. “You know, an on a need to know basis type thing.”

“Hey Sora, you ready to go then?” I asked as I put out breakfast bowels in the dishwasher. Sora nodded and stood up, walking over to the door with me. “Bye then.”

“Bye you two, be good now!” Sephiroth laughed, waving at us like moms in those dorky old movies do. You know, with the big fake smile and the high voice. “Don’t forget to call if you’re gonna be late!”

“Yeah, of course, bye now Mother Hen!” I waved at Sephiroth as I ushered Sora out of the house, laughing all the while. “Why does everything here make me laugh so much? I’ve never laughed so much in my life since before I came here. I’ve laughed more in the last two days than the whole rest of my existence on this planet.”

“Well, if you didn’t laugh, you’d have to yell or cry or slit your wrists to let your feelings show through, you know? Laughing has always been my favorite of those choices.” Sora said, taking my hand and leading me down the street. “Sorry I had to wake you up so early, but it takes a while to get to where I want to show you.”

“Would it be faster if we drove?” I asked. Sora nodded and I stopped walked. “Well then, why don’t we just drive?”

“I can’t drive yet, I’m only 15 and a half so I only have my temps. I can’t drive without my Mom or Leon in the car.” Sora said unhappily.

“I can drive though.” I told him. His eyes got wide as he smiled at me. “Let’s go back to my house and get the car then. You can tell me where to go, okay?”

“Great!” Sora said following me back to my house. I opened the front door and stuck my head inside.

“Hey Sephiroth, have they sent my car yet?” I yelled through the house. A ring of keys went flying at my head from the living room and I smiled. The movers had finally gotten around to bringing my car to the island. “Thanks, I’ll see you later then!”

“They moved your car then huh?” Sora asked as I jingled the keys in his face. I nodded, opening the garage doors. As it rolled up Sora gasped, running over to check out my car. It was a black Grand Prix that I had fixed up with some help from Sephiroth and Cloud so it had a radio and CD player and stuff. We had changed the rims and had flames painted on the hood and the doors with my birthday money from last year. Sora and I got in and put on our seatbelts as I pulled out of the driveway, clicking the button so the garage doors would close on their own. Sora pointed me in the right direction and we were off. It was silent for some moments before Sora finally spoke up. “So how old are you anyways Riku? I don’t think you ever told me.”

“You never asked Sora.” I said, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “I’m 16, why?”

“Just wondering, that’s all.” Sora said slowly. “So, mind if I turn on the radio?”

“No, go ahead. Turn it on whatever you want. The CD’s are in the glove compartment if you want to put one in.” I told him and he started going through my glove box looking for my CD’s. He pulled them out and started flipping through them until he found one he wanted to listen to, popping it in the radio and turning the volume up full blast as Panic! At the Disco pounded through the speakers on my favorite song of theirs:

Please, leave all overcoats, canes and top hats with the doorman.
From that moment you'll be out of place and underdressed.
I'm wrecking this evening already and loving every minute of it.
Ruining this banquet for the mildly inspiring and...

Please, leave all overcoats, canes and top hats with the doorman.
From that moment you'll be out of place and underdressed.
I'm wrecking this evening already and loving every minute of it.
Ruining this banquet for the mildly inspiring and...

“I love that song.” Sora said happily, flipping it back to the first song. Apparently he always listened to song number 12 first before playing the rest of the CD.

“It’s my favorite song of their.” I said, turning onto the street Sora pointed to.

“Mine too.” He said happily bouncing up and down in his seat. Spiky little ball of energy indeed, just like in Axel and Roxas’ song from the party. (A/n: Thank you to the writer of the song!) “Oh Riku look! We’re here! Just turn into this driveway here.”

I pulled into the driveway and parked, more than a little confused, let me tell you. Why were we at yet another house? Wasn’t there anything else to do around here than go and visit everyone at each other’s houses? Sora was already jumping out of the car and running up to knock on the front door. I followed, hoping against hope this wasn’t where the lesbians lived because the last thing I wanted so early in the morning was to watch three girls make-out. The teen that opened the door was yawning and rubbing his eyes, looking out blearily at us. He blinked as he looked at me then turned to Sora and smiled when he recognized him.

“Hey there Sora, little buddy of mine! What’re you doing here so early?” The teen yawned again, stretching. Sora tensed at being called little but quickly let it pass stepping inside the door. “So who’s your friend here?”

“Zell, this is Riku. Riku, this is Selphie’s boyfriend Zell.” Sora said stressing the last three words for me. I wasn’t stupid, as soon as Sora had said ‘Zell’ I knew this must he Selphie’s boyfriend he had been talking about last night when Selphie had asked me to dance and he had tried to stop her. I knew better than to tell Zell about what had happened last night between me and his girlfriend, I mean I wasn’t stupid.

“Hey Zell.” I said, extending a hand to shake one of Zell’s.

“Hey there Riku!” Zell said happily, shaking my hand with both of his. He pulled his hand back and punched the air a few times before Sora sighed and said he must be awake now. Zell must always do that because it didn’t shock Sora at all. “I guess he hasn’t met Tidus and Wakka yet huh?”

“No, that’s one of the reason’s we’re here. I wanted to stop in and say ‘Hey’ so Riku could meet the three of you and then we’ll be on our way. That’s the plan right Riku?” Sora said nudging me so I’d nod my head. Zell smiled and said to wait a second so he could go get them up.

“Why’d you say we have other plans?” I asked quietly so if Zell came back suddenly he wouldn’t hear me. “Do we have other plans?”

“Of course we do! You didn’t think this is what I wanted to show you, did you?” Sora asked, half laughing at the idea, half laughing because I nodded my head. Sora shook his head. “No, they thing I want to show you isn’t Zell yawning in his boxers, though that was quite a sight, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” I said slowly pulling my arm around his waist. “But I bet he’s got nothing on you in just your boxers.”

“Riku! Stop it, not here!” Sora blushed, wiggling away from my arm. “Not here, Wakka is really against gay couples. He doesn’t know I’m gay!”

“Why don’t you tell him? Are you that afraid he’d not want to be your friend anymore?” I asked, surprised when Sora nodded. Would his friends really judge him? Friends shouldn’t judge someone because of who they’re attracted or not attracted to – that would make them like my old friends from my old school after the ‘Heather Incident’ that had ruined my life and reputation back home. “I understand Sora; I had the same problem back home.”

“Really Riku? What happened?” Sora asked, curious. I bit my lower lip, cursing whatever in my brain that had told me to say that to Sora.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” I said quietly, not looking at him as I said it. When I looked up at him I saw he looked a little upset, like he knew I was hiding something from him and it made me feel guilty. “Not now anyways, is sounds like the guys are coming and I don’t want them to hear. This is something I only want to tell you Sora.” Sora perked back up giving me a hasty peck on the cheek before the guys came running down the stairs, jumping the last few steps to fall – right on top of me of course. I fell backwards with a thud onto the carpet with two strange boys laying on top of me that were presumably Tidus and Wakka.

“Oh, sorry dude!” The blonde hair boy said, jumping off me. He was rather scrawny, even smaller that Sora I’d say but I couldn’t be sure. The other boy had flaming red-orange hair in a weird cutely Mohawk type thing on the top of his head. He jumped up, grabbing one of my arms as the blonde grabbed the other, hauling me up. “Zell, you said SORA was at the bottom of the stairs, not this guy whoever he is. We wanted to jump on Sora and squish him like a pancake!”

“Yeah, this one’s to buff to squish like a pancake man, what you thinking?” The other boy said, crossing his arms as he watched Zell as he walked down the stairs. “Who is he anyways man?”

“Oh sorry, I’m Riku.” I said, forgetting my manners for a moment. I shook both of their hands. Really, my hand was getting tired of going up and down. Why can’t we all just try to shake hands side-ways or something for a change? You know, mix things up a little. “So, who’s who?”

“Oh, I’m Tidus, Zell’s younger brother.” The blonde one said. He pointed over his shoulder at the orange haired kid. “That’s Wakka, he’s my best friend.”

“Hey, what’s happening man?” Wakka waved to me.

“Not much Wakka, hey we better get going Riku. Sorry to have to run guys but you know how it is right?” Sora said, pulling me back to the door. “Bye Zell, Tidus, Wakka see you some other time!”

Sora pulled me out of the house and dragged me back to the car, practically shoving me into the car and shutting my door for me before getting in himself. As we drove of he put his face in his hands, not speaking. It was just plain weird. I finally decided to break the silence.

“Sora, are you okay?” I asked. He took his face out of his hands and smiled weakly at me. It wasn’t a Sora-smile, and I could tell he was hurting on the inside. “Sora, what’s upsetting you? Do you want to talk about it, because as your boyfriend and just as a friend I’m here to listen if you want to talk about anything, okay?”

“That was way too close for me, that’s all.” Sora said quietly. “They could have caught us.”

“Well isn’t that the fun of forbidden love? Always sneaking around and almost getting caught together? Look at Romeo and Juliet or Tristan and Isolde from that one movie.” I asked, hoping I could get Sora to laugh. It worked well enough I guess, he smiled at me anyways.

“I want to tell Wakka and the others but I’m scared they’ll reject me.” Sora said sadly hanging his head. “I like having friends. I’m not like my brother in the least bit. I need friends to be happy. I can’t do anything on my own like him.”

“Doesn’t he have a girlfriend though?” I asked, sure that Rinoa must be his girlfriend. Why else would someone as cute as her let themselves be drug around by a worm like Leon? (A/N: Okay, I actually love Leon/Squall but for the sake of the story at this point, Riku hates him. There you go, back to the story! Da da da daaaa!)

“Yeah, but love is different than friendship.” Sora said. I had to admit, he had a point there. You can’t just make-out with good friends without it being weird. Unless neither of you mind of course or one of them is gay or something. Or you just like kissing.

“So why couldn’t we stay with the guys for a while? Why’d we have to leave right after I met them?” I asked, still confused on that point.

“Well, if we would have stayed, they would have made us stay all day playing video games or playing basketball or some other stupid sport I don’t know how to play. Then they would tell embarrassing stories about me because they obviously wouldn’t know we were dating – like the flagpole incident.” Sora explained getting louder and louder with every word he spoke. Seems as he gets worked up he gets louder, like a car radio when you’re driving. It gets louder so you can hear it over the wind rushing past the car.

“What’s the flagpole incident Sora?” I asked curiously. Sora turned pink, mumbling that he didn’t have a clue what I was talking about. I let it go, figuring I could always force that out of him later. “Are we almost there Sora?”

“Yeah, turn onto this road. It’s down here, not much farther now.” Sora said happily pointing at the window to a large red broken down barn. “That’s it, just park it here. Let’s go.”

“You wanted to show me a broken down old barn?” I asked a little disappointed. I had been hoping for something more exciting than a broken down barn that needed a paint job. “Are you serious?”

“It’s not the outside of things Riku, it’s the inside. Sometimes you gotta dig deep to find the meaning of things.” Sora said, taking my hand and dragging me towards the doors. I grabbed a handle and went to pull it open, but Sora stopped me. “Hold on a second!”

“Why?” I asked. Sora pulled out a hankie and tied it around my eyes so I couldn’t see. “Sora, what’s going on here?”

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise, okay? No peeking now!” Sora chirped, pushing me inside the doors and then shutting them again. I felt his hand leave my arm as the lights turned on. “Okay, take it off and look.”

“Where the hell are we?” I asked quietly. Expecting to see the inside of a barn, what I say kind of shocked me. It was all decked out with disco lights and furniture and an actual wood floor. There was a fridge over in the corner by the stereo and a ladder leading up to the top layer where I could see a couple of beanbag chairs by the window.

“This is my hang-out spot and where I throw parties so Leon doesn’t find out and shut them down.” Sora said as he plopped down onto the couch. “It took me almost a year and all my birthday money to fix it up. Kairi helped too, a little with the money obviously. What do you think Riku?”

“This place is wicked sweet.” I said sitting down next to him. He smiled and leaned into me and laying his head down on my shoulder as he worked one of his hands behind my back, the other resting on my leg. “So do you always bring your boyfriends here?”

“No, only you.” Sora smiled at me. “Besides, I’ve only had one other boyfriend besides you. Roxas and I went out for a while, but I didn’t feel a spark so I ended it. No hard feelings though. He’s got Axel now, and I have you. I so got the better end of the stick on this one.”

“Really? A hot little thing like you only had two boyfriends?” I asked and he nodded.

“Well, I had a girlfriend once. Namine and I went out for a few weeks, but we both knew it just wasn’t going to work.” Sora sighed, looking away. “And she cheated on me.”

“She did what!” I shouted, staring down at him. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, she cheated on me.” Sora said grimly and by the tone of his voice I could tell this wasn’t going to be good. “Namine cheated on me with my brother.”

“Your brother! Namine cheated on you with your own older brother?” I shouted, completely dumbfounded. Sora nodded, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. I had upset him, or rather his brother and Namine had. “Is that why you and your brother don’t get along?”

“Yeah, it sucks.” Sora sighed, wiping his tears away that just kept coming back. “He ended it with her quickly so he could go out with Rinoa though. Namine stopped talking to everyone really after that.”

“Oh Sora, it’s alright, don’t cry.” I said soothingly, pulling him back against me as he cried. Sora sobbed into my shoulder for a while and I held him, trying to comfort him. After a while he stopped crying. “Feeling any better?”

“Yeah, I always feel better after I cry.” Sora laughed, getting up and tossing me a can of soda out of the fridge. He climbed the ladder up to the loft, leaving me on the couch. “Come on Riku! You have to see the view from up here!”

“Alright, I’m coming!” I said, quickly climbing up the ladder. Sora was slouched on a beanbag by the window looking out of it. I grabbed a beanbag and sat down next to him, setting my can down beside me. Through the window I could see the valley below and the farms surrounding Sora’s Barn, the stream running through the fields glinting in the sunlight. “Sora, it’s amazing! You got quite a spot here.”

“So do you.” Sora said. I looked over at him confused. “Well, if you want it anyways. I’m willing to share it with you. It can be our spot from now on.”

“I’d love that Sora, just like I love you.” I smiled, taking his hand in mine. I was beginning to think this relationship was the best think that cold ever have happened to me.

-)(- ha ha, page break!

Okay, well ther it is! Hope you liked it! Anyone who reviews gets a cookie shaped like Riku's head! lol I made them myself!

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On Moving, Friends, and Making out- Chap 5-

Chapter 5

I couldn’t tell you for exactly how long Sora and I sat there together peering out of the window down at the valley below, all I know is that we were together for however long it was, holding hands as the sun moved across the sky, not speaking for fear of ruining the moment. But of course that couldn’t last too long. I mean I was with Sora after all.

“Hey Riku, can I ask you something?” Sora asked suddenly, but I wasn’t paying attention so he started tugging on a strand of my hair to get my attention.

“What is it Sora?” I asked, sweeping my hair of off my face so he couldn’t pull on it anymore. I’d love to say I didn’t really mind it at all, but I’d be lying. No one pulls my hair. Ever, end of story. He looked up at me a funny look glinting in his eyes.

“If we are Romeo and Juliet, does that mean I always have to be the girl?” I burst out laughing, sliding sideways off my beanbag and onto the floor in a laughing fit. Of course Sora would be the one worried about who plays the girl, because really I couldn’t care less. I’d wear a dress if that’s what Sora wanted. Wait, maybe that’s exaggerating a bit... better yet, I take that back. Never mind about the dress. Sora was looking a little frustrated and grumpy. “Well, I wanna be Romeo every once in a while, you know? I can’t always be the girl in this relationship! I may be gay but I’m still a guy.”

“Sora, calm down already, it’s not about that! I’m not laughing because I think it’s a bad idea or anything.” I assured him. “You can be Romeo when ever you want my dear, as long as I get to be him the other half of the time.” Sora smiled, but once again it wasn’t a Sora smile. It was an I-have-an-idea-you’re-not-gonna-like smile. I’d seen plenty of them with Sephiroth and Cloud to know they meant bad news. The last time I had gotten that smile from Cloud I had woken up on the roof in my boxers, and that wasn’t the worst of it either, but we can talk about Cloud’s little tricks later. “What are you thinking about Sora? Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“Oh, just thinking about...” Sora started airily, climbing off his beanbag to climb into my lap and wrap his legs around my waist as he kissed my neck. I groaned, tangling my fingers in Sora’s hair. He pulled back, smiling wickedly down at me. “That. I was just thinking about doing that to you Riku.”

“Well, why don’t you just go on thinking then?” I whispered back and Sora smiled again, this time kissing me hard on the mouth. I swear if I go the rest of my life never seeing another boy besides Sora I’d be the happiest gay person on earth, if I could just have Sora for my own. Sora quickly became impatient with the situation and he started tugging on the zipper of my jacket trying to pull it off me. I helped him the best I could without having to tare my mouth away from his and eventually we managed to toss my jacket down over the edge of the ladder to land on the floor below. Next Sora pulled his own shirt off and then reached for mine. I didn’t stop him from pulling my shirt over my head, but I did pull back.

“Sora love, don’t you think we’re going a bit fast? We’ve only been going out a day.” I choked, breathing heavily as he pressed himself against me as he leaned forward again so our bodies touched. Being skin to skin with Sora felt great, but seriously. This was a bit fast for anyone, even if I did happen to love the person undressing me.

“So?” Sora said quietly taking my face between his hands to kiss me hard again. This was a different Sora then the one I knew. The Sora I was with right now was fierce and tough, his kiss captivating and demanding as he covered my mouth with his. It was exciting to see Sora this way and I moaned as I caressed the soft skin of his back. Sora pulled away at the sound I made, looking angry. “Shut up Riku, just let me work.”

“Whatever you say Romeo.” I whispered back, pulling him closer. Before he could kiss me again however we heard the barn doors open and footsteps as someone walked inside.

“Anyone in here?”

Looking over the edge of the loft I could see Axel standing there, Roxas clinging to his back, his knees under Axel’s arms as Axel carried him inside the barn.

“Um, yeah someone’s here!” Sora yelled, standing up so Axel could see him. Axel smiled and waved up at him. “Sorry Axel, Roxas. The barn’s occupied right not.”

“Sora, nice to see you too!” Axel called up to us, laughing. “So is Riku up there too then?”

“Yeah I am what’s it to you?” I called, standing up as well. We must have looked quite funny to them, standing there without out shirts, hair al over the place – at least Sora’s was, all sweaty and panting. But then again, Axel and Roxas were gay too so I could see then understanding more than I could see Kairi or Wakka understanding. “So what are you guys doing here anyways?”

“Well, Axel and I were looking to find a place to make-out and we figured we’d come here. Looks like you beat us to it though.” Roxas said sounding more than a little disappointed. “Axel’s Dad is at his house because he’s sick and my Mother works from home so we can’t go to either of out houses.”

“Go to the movies, its dark there.” I added helpfully, but Roxas shook his head.

“We’re both too broke to go.” Axel laughed. “Seriously though, I need to make out with Roxas right now! Where the hell are we supposed to go?”

“Well, you can have the barn I guess.” Sora sighed pulling his shirt back on. I grabbed his arm, confused. I had been looking forward to more making out personally and leaving the barn made it look like I wasn’t going to get anymore than I already had. “It’s alright Riku we’ll go to the movies. I have plenty of money.”

“Well, I don’t have any money with me.” I said quietly pulling my own clothes back on as Sora climbed down the ladder. “I wasn’t intending on going anywhere that required money today.”

“That’s no problem Riku.” Sora said as I jumped from the loft, landing feet first to stand on the couch. Why use a ladder when you can just jump? Seemed rather pointless to me, you know? No, I don’t think you do. And besides, you people listening to me never talk back or answer when I ask you anything anyways so it really doesn’t matter what I say to you really if you think about it. I could ask you to marry me this instant and you wouldn’t say a thing. (A/N: I don’t know about you, but I’d love to marry Riku! lol, he’s aware people are listening to his thoughts! Ha ha!)

“So are you two leaving then?” Axel asked. Roxas had climbed off his back and walked over to the radio to turn on some music. Sora nodded and Axel squealed with glee jumping up and down and clapping his hands.

“Are you always this excited about making-out Axel?” I asked, half laughing. Axel shook his head, stopping his jumping. “Then why are you so happy then?”

“Because I’m gonna do him!” Axel said happily. Sora gagged and ran for the door. “Yeah, I’d rather you two weren’t here for that too. Bye then!”

I walked out quickly, wondering vaguely if Roxas knew what was going to happen or what Axel’s real plan in bringing him here was. Sora was already in the car laughing his head off from the passenger seat. I climbed in the car and turned on the car, backing onto the road.

“God, Roxas can’t have any idea or he would have refused no doubt.” Sora said quietly as he tried to fix his hair in the rearview mirror.

“Really, why?” I asked. I still didn’t really know these people, I barely knew Sora for that matter but I felt I knew him more than everyone else. I hoped I knew him a little anyways or else who the hell had I been making out with all this time?

“Well, Roxas is still – you know. He’s always been real apprehensive about doing that with anyone, even Axel.” Sora said quietly, struggling to keep a straight face. “If he knew about Axel’s plan he wouldn’t have gone at all. Axel will convince him somehow, Roxas can’t deny Axel anything. But enough about that turn onto this road here.”

The rest of the time we were on the road to the movies we sat in silence. Sora pointed to the roads I had to turn on and eventually we got there. Sora and I disagreed like all couples do over what movie to see. Sora wanted to see John Tucker Must Die and I wanted to see Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Rocky Bobby. We flipped a coin and I won, so Sora bought us tickets and we headed into the movie.

“I’ll pay you back for this Sora.” I said as we picked out seats at the very back of the rows at the top. I felt guilty about Sora buying my ticket, but I could pat him back when I took him back to my house before I took him home.

“Oh it’s fine! You don’t have to pay me back for it. It’s only a movie ticket.” Sora said quietly. We were the only ones in the theater at this point, so I leaned over and kissed Sora, practically on top of him as I kissed him.

“What the hell is going on in here!” Sora and I pulled apart to find Wakka staring at us, closely followed by Tidus, Zell, Selphie, and Kairi. Wakka ran over and pushed me roughly away from him to pull Sora over to the group. Wakka was holding Sora by the shoulders staring intently into his face. “Sora, are you okay? He was forcing you wasn’t he? Tell me and I swear I’ll kill him!”

“No Wakka, it’s not like that at all.” Sora sighed, pulling away from Wakka. Wakka stared at him, confused. “Wakka, Riku didn’t have to force me.”

“What do you mean Sora?” Wakka asked quietly. Oh my God, is it just me or is Wakka a little slow on the uptake! “What do you mean he didn’t have to force you Sora?”

“I’m gay Wakka, Riku’s my boyfriend.” Sora told Wakka. Wakka gasped, pulling away from Sora as he backed away. “Come on Wakka, don’t be like that! I’ve always been gay, you just never noticed.”

“Oh that is just wrong!” Wakka yelled, turning to the group for conformation. No one said anything though, making Wakka hysterical. “You guys all didn’t know did you?”

“Actually, we did Wakka.” Kairi said quietly touching his arm. Wakka looked like he was going to be sick and walked out of theater. The other sat down with us and the movie started. I actually didn’t really care that Wakka knew about Sora or that everyone knew we were dating because no one cared except Wakka. And he could go jump off a bridge for all I cared. Wait, never mind about Wakka and the bridge idea. Sora would be upset... I don’t see why but he would.

“Are you okay Sora?” I asked, putting my arm around his shoulders. Sora nodded, snuggling into me the best he could with the armrest between us.

“Okay, I’m fine with you two going out and stuff, but please. No making-out in front of me.” Tidus pleaded quietly, throwing popcorn at us from the other side of Kairi, who let me steal some of her popcorn to throw back.

“It’s no worse than your brother and Selphie making-out beside us.” Sora told him, sticking his tongue out. “You think me and Riku wanna watch that? No, but we deal with it. If you don’t want to see it, don’t watch us then.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not gonna make-out with him with all of you here.” I said, leaning across Kairi to put Tidus at ease.

“Thanks.” Tidus whispered back smiling at me. I smiled back and then went back to Sora putting my arm back around his shoulders. The movie was hilarious! I had so much fun with Sora and the rest of them as we watched the movie. Will Ferrel really knows how to make a movie! I had a great time with Sora and the others.

After the movie the others insisted on Sora and I going out to dinner with them.

“I can’t guys, I’m broke.” I said sadly, acting like I was positively crushed at the idea of not going. “You guys go ahead.”

“No, it’s my turn to foot the bill.” Kairi said happily. “We each take turns footing the bill, so come along. One more won’t burn a hole in MY pocket!”

“Yeah, one hundred more couldn’t burn a hole in Kairi’s pocket.” Zell whispered to everyone as Kairi led the way to the restaurant. I followed willingly, if that was their system that was their. This was one of those systems you just don’t fight. A system that got you food for free – that’s my kind of system!

Dinner was uneventful as ever until near the end. Zell told stupid jokes that Selphie laughed at to be polite, Kairi spilled her soup down herself, a waiter mixed up our orders, Sora kept moving his foot so it touched mine as he held my hand under the table, and Zell thoroughly embarrassed Sora by telling a load of embarrassing stories, including the flagpole incident.

“Okay, I got a good one this time!” Zell laughed. Sora hid his face in his hands before Zell started. “We were at summer camp last summer and Sora, Rai, Seifer and I shared a cabin.”

“No Zell! Not the flagpole incident! Please!” Sora moaned, slumping down even farther in his seat. “This can not be happening!”

“Well anyways, Sora and I were in our cabin sleeping because it was the middle of the night when we heard something outside the door. I made Sora open it and peek outside.” Zell said slowly, Sora growing redder with every word Zell spoke. “We went outside to check and Seifer jumped out of the bushes onto Sora. He screamed so loud I thought he might have peed himself!”

“Okay that’s enough making fun of Sora for today!” Sora burst out as the others laughed. I was doing my best not to laugh for Sora’s sake and I must say I was doing a rather good job of it. “Really, that’s enough for now. Riku are you done? I’m ready to go now.”

“But Riku can’t go yet, the story isn’t over yet!” Zell said excitedly, grabbing Sora by the arm so he couldn’t leave. Sora thumped his head against the table in shame. I knew the rest had to be worse for poor Sora. “Well, Seifer got off Sora, who was still freaking out. As Seifer laughed and Sora yelled at him and I watched, Rai came up behind Sora and panted him! Seifer knocked Sora backwards and Rai took his boxers, raising them up the flagpole for everyone to see!”

“I thought it was the middle of the night Zell?” Selphie asked, confused.

“Well Seifer took care of that. He found the searchlights and turned them around so they lit up Sora and the flagpole!” Zell explained, keeping the laughter out of his voice the best he could. Everyone was laughing at that point. The tables next to us were sniffing at us and sticking their noses up like we were just so rude to disturb their quiet conversations. I giggled a little, I couldn’t help it. Sora turned to look at me, hurt.

“You think that’s funny too?” Sora pouted. He was really upset, I could tell just by looking at him so I out an arm around him. “Zell, come on! I would never embarrass you like that in front of Selphie! I could though.”

“No you couldn’t.” Zell said, oh so sure of himself. Apparently he hadn’t met the tricky side of Sora yet.

“Hey Selphie, did I ever tell you about the time Zell and Tidus and I went to Kings Island?” Sora said, watching Zell for his reaction. Zell went pale as Selphie shook her head. “Well, we did once. Zell was across from me and Tidus on Face-Off. He was kicking Tidus who kept calling him a girl. Well Zell kicked Tidus really hard near the end of the ride and Tidus was so fed up he yelled – well, why don’t you say it Tidus?”

“Okay, I will!” Tidus said, smiling broadly. Zell looked freaked out by now, hiding his face in his napkin. “I yelled ‘No stop playing footsies with me, I will not make out with you’ and everyone looked.”

“Yup, and I mean everyone.” Sora laughed. “The people running the ride actually called the security guards to escort Zell out of the park!”

Everyone burst out laughing, everyone but Zell anyways. Zell had fallen out of his seat in embarrassment, only making us laugh harder.

“Okay any other stories then?” Kairi laughed, milk flying out her nose. I laughed harder, my cheeks flushing.

“I have one.” I said slowly. Everyone looked at me surprised.

“Who’s it about?” Tidus asked. I pointed at myself and he gasped. “You’re going to make fun of yourself?”

“Might as well, no one else can.” I commented happily. They nodded, accepting what I said as true. “Well, Cloud and I had been fighting all day because Mom had told the two of us to clean the house together. I did all the work while Cloud went out with his friends. When Mom came home she asked how everything went I ran through a list of everything I had done and when she asked what Cloud did before he laughed I told her – absolutely nothing. When he got home from the mall she was really mad at him and said he was grounded.”

“How is this funny?” Sora asked. Everyone mumbled in agreement.

“I’m getting there, be patient.” I told him, stroking his hair. He giggled, leaning his head on my shoulder as Zell made sounds of disgust. “Well, that night he swore he’d get me back and he did. When I woke up in the morning, I was on the roof in my boxers and all our neighbors were in our yard taking pictures of me.”

“Oh my God, you have to be kidding! Cloud wouldn’t do that!” Kairi laughed. I nodded and she laughed harder still. “What did you do? Did you get him back?”

“Of course I did.” I said coolly, taking a sip of my water.

“Are you gonna tell us or not?” Selphie asked, grabbing me and shaking me by the shoulders. “Tell me now!”

“Fine, if you wanna know so badly!” I sighed. I had waited to see if anyone was going to ask for the effect, not because I didn’t want to tell them. “Well, the next day at school, I stole the microphone for the speaker system in the school and stuck it in Cloud’s locker. When he was at his locker talking to his friends about how much he like this girl named Brittany the whole school heard it. There were not speakers near his locker so he had no idea that everyone was getting an inside account of how his date with Brittany went – which is why he had left me by myself to clean the house alone, so he could meet her. He even told about when they made out and his lip got caught in her braces!”

“No way, Cloud did not!” Tidus laughed clutching the stitch in his side from so much laughing. I have to admit, I like having lunch with these guys. We were having a lot of fun and one too many laughs.

“Yes he did.” I confirmed and everyone laughed harder than every. Kairi was in hysterics, was clutching onto my arm to keep from falling out of his seat, Selphie had slipped and was laughing from under the table while Zell had his fist shoved in his mouth to keep from being too laugh. “Needless to say, Brittany never spoke to him again. He never found out it was me who did it, he thought it was Sephiroth. Cloud didn’t want an enemy in Sephiroth so no revenge story there, sorry to say.”

“My turn let me go next! Oh me next, me next I wanna tell one!” Selphie said, jumping back into her seat and raising her hand like at school. We all nodded in agreement and Selphie was off. “Okay, this one time we were at my house. ‘We’ consisting of Yuffie, Yuna, Rikku, Paine, Kairi, Namine, Aerith, Rinoa and I of course – so all the girls I hang with. Well anyways, we were having a slumber party and had just made popcorn.”

“Not this one!” Tidus groaned. Apparently it was about him somehow. But at an all girl’s slumber party? “Come on Selphie, not this one!”

“Well, its embarrassing for you and Kairi if I remember rightly, so calm down.” Selphie said kindly patting Tidus on the arm. “Well, we had just had popcorn and we settling in to watch ‘When a Stranger Calls’ and Kairi was the only one that was really scared. Well, Tidus was intended on sneaking up on us and scaring us by banging on the window but Paine caught him. He did manage to scare Kairi though and wet her pants!”

“Stop it Selphie, it was pop! I spilled my pop on my pants when I jumped up.” Kairi said her cheeks slightly pink.

“Pop or not, your pants were wet either way.” Selphie said happily. “Well, we tied Tidus to a chair and put him in a dress and make-up and since Kairi needed pants we took Tidus’s pants and gave them to Kairi to wear.”

“I was in my boxers, a dress, and make-up!” Tidus groaned closing his eyes. “It was traumatizing!”

“Oh please tell me someone took a picture!” I laughed.

“Oh, I did.” Selphie smiled brightly. “I made Kairi stand next to Tidus with her arm around him for it!”

“Well, now we need some dirt on Selphie.” Tidus said. I talked with Selphie while the others tried to come up with a good story to embarrass Selphie, but they couldn’t think of anything. Sora and I left, Sora still grumbling about the flagpole story and the fact that he couldn’t come up with a way to get Zell back. For me at least, it had been the perfect way to spend the day.

-)(-

Yay for the page break!

Okay, I hope you liked my silly stories they told over lunch, some of them have actually happened to my friends! The one Sora told about Zell and Tidus on Face-off happened to two off my friends I was with (No one was escorted out of the park, but everyone looked at the guys funny so me and my friend slipped off to avoid embarrassment) and the one about dress Tidus up as a girl was half real (we dressed a guy in a dress and make-up at a birthay party, but HE was willing! Ha ha, it was great!)

Review please and tell me what you think! Until then!

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On Moving, Friends, and Making Out- Chap 6

Chapter 6

“Hey Sora, where do you live?” I asked as I drove Sora back to my house. I could see him turning a little pink in the face beside me out of the corner of my eye as I asked. He seemed a little put out by the question by answered anyways.

“You know the edge of the suburbs so we’re still inside the suburbs but not close to everyone else, why do you ask Riku?” Sora asked slowly, giving me a strange sideways look before looking back out the window away from me. This guy was clearly jumping to conclusions about me and how I did things. I’m not that kind of person – ask you out, go out once, have lunch, and then take you back to your house to sleep with you. Seriously, if that’s what he thought he had another thing coming.

“Well, you always walk to my house, I figured I could give you a ride home sometime or something so you didn’t always have to walk back and forth, that’s all.” I told him.

“Thanks Riku, I might have to take you up on that sometime.” Sora smiled. “You’re a great friend Riku, I love you.”

“I love you too Sora, and its no problem at all.” I smiled, moving to rest my hand on his leg. I felt his fingers curl around mine and I glowed with happiness on the inside. Sora had changed my life in a huge way for the better and I could only hope I was doing the same thing for him. “So how about I drop you off at your house and come get you tomorrow around noon? We can hang-out at my house or something. Sound good to you Sora?”

“Yeah, that sounds great Riku.” Sora said, yawning. Sora looked so tired, like he’d fall asleep in less than a minute if I left him alone. “I’m so tired.”

“Look, grab a pen and a scrap of paper or a napkin and write down directions to your house. That way if you fall asleep I’m not driving around getting lost.” I said, reaching across him to open the glove compartment for him. He yawned again pulling out a pen and a Dairy Queen napkin to scrawl on. He handed it to me. “You go on no to sleep Sora. I can wake you up when we get there, okay? Get some sleep. You look like you could pass out.”

“Thanks Riku, I love you so much. Goodnight then Riku, I’ll see you when we get there.” Sora smiled before shutting his eyes. It struck me then just how many timed Sora had said he loved me today. It was like he was trying to reassure me of it... or worse, trying to reassure himself that he loved me. I drove around the neighborhood looking for Sora’s house. His directions weren’t that much help to tell the truth – it looked more like chicken scratch than writing. Either he was that tired or he wrote worse then a two year old with a sharpie marker. I pulled up in front of a white house a little smaller than ours and looked into the yard. From what I could read of Sora’s writing it said there was a flamingo dressed as the Easter Bunny and a scarecrow in the front flower bed. Well, the house matched the crappy description I had gotten out of Sora, so I figured this had to be the right place.

I looked over at Sora’s sleeping form beside me. He just looked so wonderfully comfortable slouched in the seat, just so peaceful and angelic in his sleep, I didn’t have the heart to wake him. I got out of the car and shut the door quietly, rushing over to Sora’s side of the car and opening the door. As I reached over Sora to unhook his seatbelt he wrapped his arms around my leg, his head lolling forward onto my thigh. I gritted my teeth and fought the urge to push him back against the seat to kiss him passionately and wake him up as I struggled to shake him off. I had a hard time getting Sora’s arms out of the seatbelt and then Sora went as limp as a soggy noodle on a hot day. Tugging hard on the waist of his pant I managed to get him up in my arms so his head rested on my shoulder as his arms dangled down at his sides, his legs bent under my arms. One of my hands held onto the top of his pants while the other was pressed in the small of his back to keep him from falling. He sighed in contentment as he wound one of his arms around my neck as I carried him to his front door making me want to kiss him even more but that was one instinct I had to control at all costs or Sora’s brother Leon might find out about us – if he already didn’t know because Wakka hadn’t talked to him about it yet. It was hard to knock without dropping Sora so I ended up kicking the bottom of the door until someone came to open the door.

“Oh! Hello there, young man.” A kind looking middle-aged woman said as she opened the door. She panicked slightly went she saw I was holding her sleeping son. “Is that, oh my God – is that my son Sora? What happened to him, is he alright?”

“Oh don’t worry Miss. Sora’s fine, he’s just asleep. I’m Riku, Sora’s new friend. My Mom, two brothers and I just moved in.” I explained to Sora’s Mom as I jerked him up higher around my waist because he was starting to slip out of my grip. “I was giving him a ride home and he fell asleep. He seemed so tired I didn’t have the heart to wake him up. Do you mind if I come in and put him in his room or something – I think I’m gonna drop him if I don’t set him down soon.”

“Oh, of course dear come on in! How rude of me to leave you standing on the front door step when you were kind enough to drive Sora home, what kind of mother am I!” Sora’s Mom smiled moving out of the way so I could walk inside the house with Sora still snoring gently into my neck. “Sora’s room is right up those stairs, first door on the left dear.”

“Thank you.” I said quietly as I started up the stairs. Now I can’t be sure whether or not you’ve ever carried a sleeping person up the stairs like I had to before but assuming you haven’t, I’ll let you in on a little secret – don’t carry anyone up the stairs if their sleeping. Especially if that sleeping person happens to be my dear Sora because he tends to wiggle and moan when he sleeps. The sound of him moaning like that was almost too much for me to handle. All I could thing about was pushing him down on the stairs, climbing on top of him and waking him up with a groan-worthy kiss. But I couldn’t do that. For one, we were on stairs so pushing him back on them might hurt Sora. And Sora’s Mom was still watching me carrying her son up the stairs to his room. That would be a little weird – I didn’t even know if Sora had told his Mother and come out of the closet where his Mother was concerned. Better not to find out just in case he hadn’t yet.

I opened the door to Sora’s room with my foot and looked around the room as I walked inside. There were posters all over the walls and ceilings, overlapping over one another in an artful way, so many posters on so little wall space. His desk, his closet, his clothes all over the floor – these were things of Sora’s and I was strangely glad I was standing here to take it all in. It let me in on a side of Sora I hadn’t gotten to know yet – the way Sora was at home when he was alone. You can tell a lot about a person from the way their room looks. Sora’s room reminded me of him.

I walked over to the bed and placed Sora down gently on the bed. He smiled and rolled onto his side so his face was away from me. I reached out a hand and gently stroked his cheek with my fingertips. He smiled and brought a hand up to hold mine. Very quickly in case his Mother or Leon decided to come upstairs and check on Sora, I knelt down beside the bed and kissed Sora gently on the forehead before pulling away. Sora made a little noise as I pulled away and it took all my self-control not to lie down next to him, pull him into my arms and fall asleep in his bed with him but I was sure his Mother would come to check on us if I just didn’t return downstairs soon. I walked back over to the door flipping off the lights and shutting the door as I went.

“Goodnight Sora, see you tomorrow.” I whispered as I shut the door. Walking back down stairs I reached for the front doorknob, but –

“Riku dear, come into the kitchen for a moment.” Sora’s Mom called out from somewhere in the house. I walked down the hall and found her sitting at a kitchen table much like ours except smaller with a mug held between her hands. “Thank you so much for taking such good care of Sora. A lot of people don’t have the patience to deal with Sora.”

“Oh its no trouble at all, Sora’s awesome.” I said cheerily. “Sora and I are gonna be great friends, I can tell.”

“Well I hope so.” She said sadly, slowly sipping whatever was in her steaming mug. “Sora’s been a little down lately and he hasn’t left the house in ages. Well, that’s enough talk for now, thank you Riku dear. You should get home before your Mother worries.”

“Bye then.” I said walking out of the kitchen and through the front door. Walking back out to the car I found someone leaning against the hood of the car, arms crossed. “Oh shit.”

“What are you doing here?” Leon asked, walking over to me to get right up in my face. I could feel his warm breath on my face and I tried to pull away, not bothering to answer. When I didn’t answer him, he grabbed me by the front of my shirt to pull me up high enough off the ground that I was just about to stand on my tiptoes. Any higher and I’d be dangling off the ground. “I asked you a question and I demand an answer, damn it Riku! What the hell are you doing at my house?”

“I was bringing Sora home so he didn’t have to walk all the way in the dark. We hung out together today Leon that’s all, alright? Excuse me but I have to get home before my Mother gets worried.” I said gruffly, pulling away from Leon and starting for my car. I opened the door to get in but Leon shut it before I could get inside. He pushed me roughly up against the metal door of my car and slamming his fist into my stomach which knocked the wind out of me. Pressed between the metal of the car and Leon’s chest there wasn’t much I could do about him laying into me. His last punch connected with me jaw. When he pulled away I fell to the ground in a heap, choking and coughing, fingers gingerly touching my jaw.

“Stay away from my little brother you pervert, or I swear I’ll do much worse to you before I’m finished with you.” Leon murmured. He stomped off, stamping on my nose as he went – that’s important, entering the house behind me and slamming the door. Breathing heavily, I opened the door to my car to pull myself up into the seat with some difficulty. I don’t know how I managed to drive myself home without doubling over in pain. Once I got home, I didn’t have the energy to pull myself up out of the car so I sat there with my eyes closed listening to the car radio with the blood from my nose dripping down onto my shirt until someone came to see why I didn’t come out of the garage and into the house yet. It didn’t take long – about five minutes after sitting there in my car Cloud and Sephiroth finally came into the garage. They walked over to stand in front of my car, Sephiroth standing with his hands splayed on the hood, Cloud standing arms crossed just behind him.

“Why are you sitting in your car when the inside of the house is perfectly fine and comfortable? Even you can’t complain about it here, you like it here and don’t you dare deny it Riku!” Sephiroth said pointedly as he leaned on the front of my car. “Come in the house already.” Sephiroth turned to leave, but Cloud grabbed his arm to stop him. “What Cloud?”

“Is something wrong Riku?” Cloud asked, asking as though Sephiroth hadn’t spoken. Judging by his worried expression, he had noticed the pain in mine. Or maybe it was the blood pouring down my front, who could tell in the dark garage anyway. He walked over to the driver’s side door and opened the door. He poked me in the side and I winced, pulling away as I hissed at him. Yes people, I hiss like a snake at times, you’ll just have to get used to it or live without listening to my thoughts. Anyone oppose him hissing trait...Good, I didn’t think so. Maybe it’s a good thing you can’t talk back. Someone might have had a problem with me and my dopey habits. Not that I’d actually care what they had to say, if you don’t like me oh well. No loss on my part. “God damn it Riku, what did you do today? Shit, can you even move at all? Here, let me help you into the house.”

“Thanks Cloud.” I said quietly as I gritted my teeth. Cloud helped me stand with one of my arms around his shoulders. Sephiroth still looks a little confused, but he held the door open for Cloud as he helped me pass him on my way into the house. Cloud deposited me on the couch, my wonderfully soft and marvelous couch, going into the kitchen to get me an icepack and something to drink. Sephiroth stood over me, looking down at me like he’d seen a ghost. I hated that look – the pity in his eyes was more than I could take. I shut my eyes as my breathing started to go back to normal.

“Riku I need you to tell me, who did this to you?” Sephiroth asked. I felt someone tipping me forward at place a pillow behind my head. I opened my eyes to see Cloud standing over me with a first-aid kit, a tall glass filled with ice water, two wet rags, and a clean shirt. “Riku, tell me and I swear they won’t live to see tomorrow. Who did this to you?”

“Seph, stop being revengeful for half a second and think about this before you run off and start cracking heads open like eggs for omelets. First we need to make sure he’s okay.” Cloud said softly, pushing Sephiroth down into the armchair. Sephiroth sat quietly and watched as Cloud helped me wipe the blood off my face without touching my nose as I pulled off my shirt. Cloud looked down at my stomach and flinched, pulling away. “Damn, what did they do to you to give you that?”

I looked down at the huge purple and black bruises on my stomach and chest. I took my other shirt form Cloud and pulled it on, buttoning it slowly before I lay back down. “What did they do to you?”

“I got beat up Cloud, plain and simple. I got pounded in my stomach a lot, big deal I’m alive aren’t I?” I said quietly. I didn’t want Sephiroth and Cloud to know who had done this to me. Revenge on Leon would be nice, but not if it hurt my relationship with Sora. As much as Sora hates Leon, I think he’d still be upset if he got beaten to a pulp or killed. And I wanted to get revenge on my own, not by having Sephiroth and Cloud do it for me while I slept on the couch like a sissy baby or a chicken or something. I am NOT about to do anything and I mean anything that makes me look like a sissy baby or a chicken. “Look, don’t make such a big deal out of this, because it’s really not as big a deal as you seem to think it is. It’s not as bad as it looks, seriously.”

“Well, it looks pretty bad from where I am Riku.” Sephiroth said stubbornly. “Look, if there’s some special reason you don’t want to tell us who did this fine, but don’t lie and say it isn’t as bad as it is, alright?”

I nodded, surprised that Sephiroth had seen through me and shocked that he had understood why I couldn’t tell him who it was. I smiled a little to myself as I placed the icepack on my jaw, the ice doing wonders for the pain I was feeling there.

“So, I figured you won’t be moving from that spot for a while then huh?” Cloud asked, sitting down on the ground in front of the couch as he craned his neck to look at me upside-down. I nodded at him and he smiled, pulling something out from beside the couch where he had been hiding it. “Well, how about we go through these then? They’re my out albums and scrapbooks.”

“Good idea Cloud let me in on the action.” Sephiroth whined, sliding out of him car onto the floor. Too lazy to stand up and walk, Sephiroth crawled across the floor instead to sit next to Cloud in front of the couch I was resting on as Cloud opened the book so everyone could see the pictures. Sephiroth pointed to the first picture in the album, tapping it with his finger so I couldn’t see it. “What’s happening in this picture here Cloud? I don’t recognize this.”

“Well, it’s the time when Riku pushed me in the pond on one of those little school fieldtrips, do you remember Riku?” Cloud asked. Sephiroth moved his hand so I could finally see the picture. I took one look at the picture and burst out laughing. It showed a much younger me standing next to a small duck pond looked quite pleased with myself. A much shorter and less tough-looking young Cloud was sitting in the pond, covered head to foot in mud, wailing loudly with his head thrown back. “The farmer who worked there had given everyone lollypops to make us quiet as he toured us around. You pushed me in the pond because I took your lollypop from you when I dropped mine in the pond, so you pushed me in after it. That’s what you told the teacher anyways.”

“I remember that! Sorry about that Cloud, you know me – I love my sugar.” Sephiroth flipped the page too quickly, almost ripping the whole page in half. As Cloud smacked Sephiroth over the head I looked at the picture. It showed Cloud lying flat on his back, arms and legs spread wide like when you make snow angels – except he had a pair of shorts on his head, a pile of girl’s bra’s and underwear lying on him and the ground around him. “Hey Cloud, looks like you weren’t always a ladies man!”

“Oh shit, I totally forgot this was in here!” Cloud said reaching to take the picture out of the book, but Sephiroth was too quick for him. Sephiroth held the picture over his head as Cloud’s fingers scrambled with the back of Sephiroth’s hand. I pulled the picture out of Sephiroth’s hand and took a good look at it before stuffing it under me. Cloud looked pleadingly at me, but I wasn’t about to budge until I got an explanation. “If I tell you what it is will you give it back Riku?”

“Of course Cloud, just tell me what it’s of and I’ll give the picture back to you to put back in the album.” I smiled wickedly, pleased with myself. Sephiroth smiled and gave me the thumbs up behind Cloud’s back. Cloud groaned and flopped back down next to Sephiroth.

“Alright, it’s at basketball camp from two years ago.” Cloud mumbled slowly. “I went on the wrong day, on a day the girl’s were having camp. The girl’s locker room hand flooded over summer break when a pipe burst so they had moved into the boy’s locker room. I didn’t know that so I went inside like nothing had changed and walked in on thirty some girls all half naked. Lots of girls screaming and yelling at me caused me to back away and trip over my own feet. Then I had all these clothes flying at me. Samantha pulled my shorts out of my bag and put them on my head took a picture of it for me so I could always remember it forever.”

“So there you go Cloud, your own mistake to look back on and flinch in shame! Finally, we have something good to hold over your head!” I sniggered slightly as I handed the picture back to him so he could stick it back in the album where it belonged. Cloud was good at finding things out and digging up dirt, so he had an annoying tendency of holding things over mine and Sephiroth’s heads. Sephiroth and I laughed as Cloud flipped the page still blushing at his two year old mistake. The next picture in the book took up half the page and made me burst out laughing again. The picture showed Sephiroth clinging onto the end of the diving board at the community pool at our last home for dear life, screaming at the top of his lungs. “That’s when Sephiroth climbed up the ladder at the pool for the high dive for the first time and almost had a heart attack and freaked out like the chicken he is! That was one of the funniest days of my life!”

“Yeah, and the one next to it’s when Mom took pictures of your costume for the school play back in first grade!” Sephiroth said bitterly, laughing when I got a good look at the next picture on the page next to the one of Sephiroth and groaned loudly as I flopped back onto the couch. Our first grade class had been short on girls and none of them were tall enough to fit into the outfit... so I had to put on a dress and bonnet for two hours and pretend to be Little Bo Peep for our nursery rhyme play. The teacher said my hair length and color really showed off the pink and white dress, and no other boy or girl could fit into the dress – which was true sadly enough, all the girls were too short and all the other boys were too fat to squeeze into the dress so I had to do it. Mom took what had seemed to be thousands of pictures back then, but it had only been about four I now knew as I looked at the pictures placed on the page in and artful way. “Alright, I’ve had my fun Cloud, Riku’s suffered enough I can tell by the look on his face. Flip to the next one then.”

“Oh, this one’s Seph again!” Cloud laughed, pointing at it. It showed Sephiroth standing on the beach in a girl’s brown and white frilly polka-dot bikini – which didn’t fit too well in certain areas by the way, in case you couldn’t guess on your own. His grey-silver hair was pulled up in two weird girly pigtails; he looked like a freaky girl on steroids or something. “Sally Handle, the girl you had a total crush on dared you to where her bikini on your date to the beach when you asked her out. She said it was the only way she’d agree to go out with you. And you actually liked her enough to do it for her! She went out with you again after that, remember? It was a test of faith on your part, for Sally handle to see how much you liked her.”

“Yeah, whatever you say Cloud. As if you wouldn’t do the same exact thing for Aerith if she asked you to!” Sephiroth said heatedly as I continued to laugh my ass off behind them. He turned to me, angry. “Laugh it up Riku! Yeah laugh your ass of in my face! You’d do the same thing for Sora I bet.”

“Yes, I would Sephiroth your right about that one Sephiroth. I would do just about anything for Sora that he asked me to do because I care about him. He would do the same thing for me Sephiroth.” I said honestly. Sephiroth looked pleased enough with my answer, but Cloud looked worried. “What’s up Cloud, you look sick or something.”

“Well, everyone has someone they’d do anything for but me or so it seems.” Cloud sighed holding his face in his hands. “Having a person that would do anything for you must be a great thing.”

“What about you and Aerith?” Sephiroth asked, shocked. “I thought you two were together already.”

“Aerith and I aren’t together at all. She doesn’t want to date yet because we haven’t known each other long enough. She won’t talk to me when I call her because she’s so shy and she refuses to call me back. I don’t think it’s going to work out between us. I’ve known her two days and she’s already sick of me!” Cloud sighed, getting up from the floor to put the books back beside the couch on his way to his room. “I’m going to bed to be miserable in private, see you all later.”

“I never noticed until now. He really has been down lately, hasn’t he?” I asked Sephiroth, who nodded in agreement. Cloud had seemed upset ever since the party the other night, but until now I hadn’t known why. He really did like Aerith but she was only interested in being friends right know when they were still getting to know each other – which did make some sense seeing as they’d only known each other two days so far. Sora and I were different because we WANTED to rush into things guns blazing to split some heads open just for the fun of it because it was who we are and how we liked to do things. And let me tell you, the kissing – a great perk on my end no matter how Sora felt about it. He had to like kissing me or he wouldn’t try to get me to kiss him so often. We realized quickly that we loved each other and went with it no matter how crazy or wrong it seemed to everyone else in the neighborhood or the world. See, I couldn’t care less what you think about me even if you think me and Sora’s relationship is wrong. All that it means is I won’t have to invite you to the wedding so don’t expect an invite. Just kidding with you there, no wedding invitations being sent just yet - and who knows if there ever will be any to send for me and Sora, but I intended to make the best of this relationship while it lasted for however long that was. “I’m going to sleep right here, so if you’re going to stay be quiet.”

“I’m going to sleep then too Riku.” Sephiroth smiled as he stood up to ruffle my hair. “If you need anything at all during the night, just yell for me and I’ll come running to help you. Goodnight Riku sleep well my darling.”

“Night then Sephiroth, see you tomorrow.” I smiled, rolling onto my side and falling asleep almost as soon as my eyes closed.

()--()()--()

I was awakened the next morning to the smell of bacon frying in the kitchen and the screeching of someone trying to sing along with the small radio we kept on the counter by the sink. Gingerly lifting myself off the couch, I was happy to see and feel the damage from the night before hadn’t been permanent and that I could stand on my own today without Cloud’s help. Walking into the kitchen as slowly as I could, I took a seat at the table just as Mom placed breakfast on the table in front of me. French toast and fried eggs, my favorite – assuming there’s plenty of orange juice of course!

“Good morning dear you’re just in time for breakfast. I’m going away for a few days to settle some court issues with your father so I’ll see you when it’s over. Now that we've moved, all that's left is the final things like heath insurance and making sure you three can live here together without your father if something happens to me so you don't have to live with him. Didn't think you'd all want to go so I'm going alone. It could take quite a while, depending on how many issues your father thinks we need to work out with the lawyers.” Mom said, kissing me on the forehead as she grabbed her coat on her way to the door. “Bye then boys! Be good while I’m gone dears.”

“Bye Mom.” I smiled, digging in. I heard the door shut as Sephiroth and Cloud took their seats at the table. We ate in silence until I was done eating. I'm always the one that breaks the silences at our meals, big surprise. So eager to talk but only when it's quiet. “So, I have to go pick up Sora in an hour or so like I promised. What are you two doing today without me?”

“I have work today and then Larxene wants to go hang out after work, what about you Cloud?” Sephiroth asked, handing off the torch to Cloud. "You seem like the only one who doesn't have something to say. Speak or I swear i'll pour orange juice and maple syrup all over your thick head so it will never come out of your hair."

“Nothing really, I think I’ll go down to the community center and play basketball for an hour or so, nothing special. No need for the threats Sephiroth, just give me a chance to speak next time before jumping down my throat okay?” Cloud said casually, dismissing the question.

I got up from the table and ran up to my room to get in a shower and change into clean clothes for when Sora and I went out later. I took my shirt off to examine myself in he mirror. The bruising was still noticable and it stung slightly when I pushed on it. Hopping in the shower I simply desided I'd have to be careful to make sure that I kept my shirt on this time and not to let Sora trick me out of loosing it this time, with his determined I'm-in-charge-just-deal-with-it way of doing things. Once I was dressed again I drove over to Sora's house, a baseball bat in the seat next to me just in case Leon decided he needed to teach me another leason. Sora's widow was open so I beebed the horn three times and waited.

Sure enough, Sora's spiky head popped out of the window, smiling when he saw it was me sitting there in is driveway.

"Hey Riku!" Sora called, waving. I waved back, motioning for him to come get in the car. He frowned, I could see it from my car. "I can't go with you today."

"Why not Sora?" I called, sicking my head out of the car window. His frown deepened and I could tell this wasn't going to be good. "What's wrong Sora my dear?"

"Mom left to go on a trip." Sora pouted, his bottem lip sticking out in his cute little kid like way. "She went on a business trip for about two weeks. She already left about three hours ago."

"What does that have to do with us going out today to hang out?" I asked, confused. Sora was looking more and more miserable.

"Well, Leon's watching me." Sora sighed, leaning on his elbows out the window. "Leon locked me in my room and left hours ago. The front door's locked too and he took the key, so even if I broke out of my room I can' leave the house. I'm sorry Riku, I really am."

"Well, this is a problem." I said, stepping out of my car to look up at his window. There was nodrain pipe for Sora to side down, no vines to climb down or anything, which only left...

"Just jump, I'll catch you!" I called up to him. Sora gagged, almost falling out the window.

"WHAT!" Sora yelled. "I can't just jum out! How do I get back in?"

"Just throw a suitcase full of your clothes and stuff out first. You can stay with me, my Mom will be gone for a hile so you can stay with us, okay?" I called up to him. He nodded and his head and the next second there was a bag flying out the window at my head. I stepped aside just in time to not get hit. Sora pulled himself out of the window and looked down, scared. "Jump Sora, trust me!"

He jumped.

()()()()()Page break! Love it, fear it, kiss it! lol

Will Sora make it? Send A) for n B) for yes C)for type quickly because I have no clue! All reviewers get a cookie shaped like a Keyblade and the person with the greatest review gets a kiss from... not telling! Review and find out! lol

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On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- Chap 7

Chapter 7

I can't be sure how many of you have had someone as big as Sora come flying out the window at you to catch them but it's not fun, let me assure you of that so the more idiotic ummung the people reading my thoughts right now don't go running up to a window and yell 'HEY SORA! JUMP I WILL CATCH YOU' because you won't catch him. All the sudden Sora was flying out of the window at me, hands over his eyes. I held my arms out to him and amazingly he fell into them... but God it hurt like hell to catch him against my chest. You know how in science class they talk to you about momentum and speed and velocity, well pay attention and don't piss them off. Momentum can be a bitch with payback as I found out. Sora came hurtling into me, knocking me to the ground. I tried not to scream and shove Sora off of me as hot tears rose in the corners of my eyes. Sora just had to land right where his asshole of a brother had hurt me didn't he? Damn it! Damn it Leon, I hate you!

"Ouch, sorry if I hurt you Riku. I didn't know I'd fall that fast." Sora said quietly, looking down into my face as a worried expresion flitted across his. He slid gently off me and grabbed my arm to help me up. As I moved to sit up I yelled in pain, the feeling that had erupted through my chest and body too much for me to handle. I fell back against the ground as I closed my eyes, prayng silently for God to send a lightning bolt to come down from the heavens and strike me, to end this agony I was enduring."Oh my God, Riku did I really hurt you tht bad? Damn it, I'm sorry Riku, I didn't mean it! Curse you momentum and other devilish science terms!"

"It's not you - Sora." I choked out through the tears now clouding my eyes. It was difficult for me to talk because I couldn't breath. I felt like someone was sitting on my chest even though Sora had gotten off my chest already. I rolled onto my side away from him, ashamed of my tears. Sora didn't give up though, the persistent little hottie he is wanted to know wha was wrond with me and make it all better. But thins was gonna take way more than a kiss and a Riku sized band-aid to heal. "I got - beat up - yesterday. It's not you at - all."

"What? You got beat up?" Sora shouted at me, angry. I couldn't fingure out why he was angry at me, I mean, I was the one who had been beaten to a pulp by his jackass older brother, right? Sora flipped me back onto my back and I flinched. He was kneeling beside me looking scared and worried. I realized looking up into his face that he hadn't been yelling at me at all - he had been upset I hadn't told him sooner and he was upset because someone had hurt me and caused me pain. I had stopped crying by then thankfully, but the Sora hadn't. Tears were leaking out of the corners of his eyes as he scooped me up in his arms so the top half of my body was off the ground and pressed against him as he held me tightly. Okay, a little too tightly for comfort at this point but I didn't say anything. "Who did this Riku? What happened to you last night after I fell asleep?"

"Um, you know I got jumped." I lied quickly. I didn't want to ruin whatever might be left of Sora's relationship with his brother. Sora could tell I was lying and gave me a painful smack in the head. "Fine, I'll tell you everything."

And I did. I am so easy to manipulate. All you need is a pair of gorgeous deep blue eyes and a porcupine sitting on your head in place of hair and I'll do anything you as me to. Needless to say upon hearing my account of last night he flipped out. Literally.

"What the hell! Who does he think he is going around beating up the one person I love and care about? Damn it, I'm gonna kill him!" Sora yelled, jumping up. Note that I was still in his lap when he did this. Also note I went falling with a thump back onto the ground - very friggin' painful. "Oh my God, I'm sorry Riku! I just got so angry that's all."

"It's okay Sora, let's just go back to my house or something." I sighed, gritting my teeth as I pulled myself off his lawn. I reached for the driver's side door handle, but Sora's hand stopped me as his hand closed over mine. I turned to look at him. His eyes were red from where he had cried over me and he was pouting again. He leaned forward slowly to press me gently back against the car. Unlike when Leon had trapped me against the car the night before, I had to intention of escaping this time. Sora's lips found mine as he moaned in longing, nibbling softly on my bottem lip until I opened my mouth to let him inside. His tongue dipped inside my mouth to meet and tangle with mine and I groaned into his mouth making him blush as he moved to pull away. I wouldn't let him go just yet. I moved my hands to cup his face, to hold his head still as I kissed him. Moving quickly, I turned around so it was Sora pressed against the car as I pressed my body against his. Sora squeaked in protest but then was quiet. Prtially because I returned to kisseding him as soon as he had made the noise. I finally pulled away leaving a panting but happy Sora leaning against the car staring up at me through heavy lidded eyes. "Shall we go then?"

"Yeah, but I'm driving Riku." Sora said, blocking the door. I stared at him for a minute. "You are in no condition to drive Riku, so stand down!"

"What an I gonna do?" I asked.

"Lay down in the back and rest until I can get you to the hospital." Sora said as he opened the car door.

"No way in hell am I going to the hospital Sora, sorry." I said sernly, slamming the door shut before he could climb inside the car. He stared angrily up at me but I didn't faulter in my attempt to get my way. I'm very spoiled and I'm not afraid to admit it, I like to get my way and I do get my way... most of the time. "And I can drive Mr.-I-don't-have-a-licence-yet. I drove home just fine last night thank you and I drove here this morning. For being in no condition to drive I sure am doing a lot of it. One more trip can't d me any worse Sora, really I'll drive."

"Alright, but I am so not happy with you right now." Sora sighed, pouting as he climbed into the passenger seat as I threw his suitcase into the back seat of my car. I climbed in the car and drove off. "So we're going back to your house then?"

"Well, I was thinking. Is there any place to rent movies around here?" I asked Sora and he nodded. "Well we could go rent some movies before we go back to my house if you want to. I brought money today so I'll pay."

"That sounds like a plan!" Sora said cheerfully, returning to his old self at once. Sora pointed me in the right direction and down the right roads and we were soon parking in front of the Moive Gallery. Sora ran right to the romantic comedies while I walked slowly in my injured state to the new releases. Sora looked up to see me standing about ten feet from him and came skipping bouncily over to me. "Do any of the look good to you?"

"How about this one?" I asked, picking up 'When a Stranger Calls'. Sora shook his head, but gave in when I insisted... and after I had kissed him playfully on the neck. To everyone sitting there with nothing better to do than read my thoughts, Sora is a sucker for anyone who kisses him on the neck. Don't try it or I might have to punch your lights out, but just a little tidbit I figured it would be nice to share. Okay, where was I with the thoughts... alright.

"You can get it if I can get this one!" Sora smiled, holding up 'Win a Date with Tad Hamilton'And I laughed, nodding my head. Sora smiled and kissed me gently on the lips before running off to continue looking at movies. In the end we ended up with ten movies, five for each of us. I had picked out 'When a Stranger Calls', 'The Ring', 'Star Wars III', 'The Mummy', and a dvd of 'Invader Zim' cartoons. Sora had picke dout all girly wimpy movies I had never even heard of. 'Win a Date with Tad Hamilton', 'Alex and Emma', 'Must Love Dogs', Confessions of a Tennage Drama Queen', and 'Chicken Little' that weird cartoon version with the chicken with an illogicly huge head - wouldn't he just tip over with a head that huge? Well, I wasn't there to make fun of Sora's movie choices or to talk to him about the head size of animated chickens so I led him over to the register to pay when I was greeted by a familiar face.

"Hey guys! What are you doing here?" Yuffie asked, popping up from behind the counter suddenly. Sora jumped and dropped his movies. I laughed and helped him pick them up off the ground. "You two renting all these then?"

"Yeah Yuffie." Sora smiled. "So how long until you get fired Yuffie?"

"Sora, that's not very nice!" Tiffa laughed from across the counter as she rang someone up.

"Well, I'll let you go then." Yuffie giggled, stuffing our movies into a bag which she handed back to me as she waved me out of the store.

"Um, I haven't payed yet Yuffie." I reminded her. "How much is it?"

"It's free because you're my friends! Have fun you two!" Yuffie smiled while Tiffa giggled behind her back. I waved at them as Sora and I left the store.

"And that's why I shop there." Sora said quietly as we walked back to the car together holding hands. "Yuffie gives me anything I want for free as long as I bring it back on time."

"I'll have to remember that." I smiled as I tossed the movies in the back by Sora's bag. "Is a drive-through okay for lunch? No one should be home at my house so there won't be anything cooked unless you want cold cereal."

"A drive-throught is fine, but I'm paying." Sora said as we piled into the car. After a furious arguement over who would pay - in which accournding to Sora I cheated - I won. I didn't cheat in my own wonderfully correct opinion. All I did was climb over into the passenger seat so I was on top of him and strandling his waist to playfully nibble his ear with my mouth and swirl my tongue around on the inside part of it while I worked my hands under his shirt to run them up and down his back until he moaned with pleasure and gave in to me. I pulled back from him laughing, but didn't get up or go back to my seat. I leaned in suddelnly and kissed him hard on the mouth, wanting to make Sora understand the way he made me feel. Sora's hands went to the back of my neck as he pulled me closer. On of his hand s moved down my back so he was holding my ass and pulling me closer to him at the same time. I heard a strange click and laughing and we pulled apart.

Yuffie and Tiffa were standing there laughing their heads off, Yuffie's camera phone in her hand. I slipped back into the passenger seat as Sora shut his car door blushing crimson. It didn't take mush to get Sora to blush and I had to say he was a rather attractive blusher at that. the way it crept up his face to lightly paint his features was adorable. Sora's cell phone went of and he flipped it open to gasp and groan.

"What is it Sora?" I asked, worried. He turned the phone so I could see it. It was the picture Tiffa and Yuffie had just taken of us making-out in the car. I smiled and laughed as I realized how silly we looked. I actually like the picture. "Hey, can you like print me out a copy for my album or something like that?"

"Riku!" Sora said, shocked. He was obviously embarrassed, but I wasn't. So what, two girls we were friends with had taken a picture of us making-out, big deal.

"What, it's a good picture of us, don't you think so Sora?" I smiled at him and he laughed, looking back at the picture. "I'd love that as my cell phone backround, wouldn't you? You'd be able to see us together every time you flipped open your phone."

"That's great, I think I'll do that." Sora laughed, pushing a buch of buttons as I pulled into the Wendy's drive-through lane. "It really is a good picture of us isn't it?"

"Yeah." I smiled, placing a hand on his face to hold it gently at I stared lovingly at him. He blushed and ducked his eyes, laughing to himself. I took his chin n my hand and brought his eyes back up to mine. he stared into them this time, the love he felt for me showinf quite plainly in his eyes. "Don't duck your eyes from me Sora, I don't want that." Sora nodded and took my hand, lacing his fingers with mine. "So what do you want?"

()()()()()La la al, time goes by... about half an hour later!

"That was the best lunch I've hand in a while." I smiled as I pulled into my driveway. Sora burbed, covering his mouth wiht his hands as I laughed. "It's fine Sora, geez. it's just a burb. What's a burb between boyfriends anyways?"

"Guess your right." Sora smiled as I got out of the car. "Give me a second to grab my things, okay?"

I stood by the front door while Sora grabbed his bags. I had already gotten the movies and the trash from lunch as was standing a little impatiently by the door. Sora ran up to meet me, putting his arms around my waist as I opened the door. Upon entering the house I noticed somethings were out of place. For one, the fridge was wide open, the televison was left on, and there were clothes thrown all around in a path that led up the stairs to where the bedrooms are. I set the things down I was carrying and picked up the shirt in front of me on the ground. It was Cloud's shirt he had been wearing at breakfast.

"Sora, go into the living room with your stuff and don't come out until I get back okay?" I whispered. Sora nodded and went over to hide behind the couch. I wasn't sure what had happened here but I wasn't taking the chance that Sora might get hurt. It looked like either we had been robbed and the robbers had taken Cloud's clothes and dragged him upstairs to rape him or Cloud had a girl over and was up stairs with her doing God know what with her. I just had to find out which it was, nosy little brain of mine.

I snuck quickly up the stairs, careful not to make a sound as I crept towards Cloud's room. I heard moaning as I got closer and had to shove my fist in my mouth to keep from laughing and givng myself away. The door was partially opened so I peeked inside Cloud's dark room. What I saw nearly made me faint dead away.

Cloud was lying on his bed in his boxers, all the sheets and pillows having been thrown off the bed. Cloud's hands were being held about his head by a scarf tied between the bed posts on the headboard, his head thrown back eyes closed as he moaned in pleasure as the person stradling his waist kissed a path down his chest to the top of his bowers. It wasn't what Cloud was doing that freaked me out - I could see myself doing the exact same thing with Sora later tonight if everything turned out right. It was who he was with in his room that freaked me out.

I ran back down the stairs as fast as I could, running in to the living room to grab Sora by the top of his arm and drag him from the house as fast as I could. Sora didn't say a wrd as I pulled him out into the yard. Maybe he was scared senseless by everything. Or maybe he had seen the look undoubtedly on my face. Or maybe he had desided to ecome a mime. Whatever it was, Sora was quiet up until I let go of his arm, gasping for air.

"What was it?" Sora asked quietly, staring back up at the house I had just led him out of.

"It was Cloud. He wa sin his room on his bed with -" I stopped, unsure of how to say it.

"Oh, with who!" Sora giggled, clapping him hands. "Tell me Riku please, who was he with?"

"Um..." I said quietly. Oh well, I might as well tell him. "Your brother. Cloud's up in his room making-out with Leon."

I had let the bomb fall. No one would survive.

()()()()()Page break! Love it, fear it, kiss it like you're dating it! I am so gonna say this on every page break now! Yay! Get used to it

Okay, wow. Leon and Cloud! Yay! Blackmail pictures, movies and all kinds of good stuff! Yeah, sorry if this chapter's too short. The next one will be longer. Review and you get a copy of the pictuer of Sora and Riku Making-out in the car that Yuffie and Tiffa took! Until then!

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On Moving, Friends, and MakingOut- Chap 8

Chapter 8

“What did you just say?” Sora asked me, a blank look pasted on his cute little face. “You’re joking right? Please say you’re joking around with me. Are you sure it was Leon? As in my older brother Leon, right not some other Leon you happen to know or something? My brother!”

“Yes Sora your brother Leon, why would I joke about this?” I asked half laughing. “I think I might be traumatized for life. I just walked in on your brother, who hates me, on top of my adoptive brother who is tied down to the bed for God’s sake! It was Leon and Cloud, I swear.”

“We gotta get out of here then! We can’t let Leon see either of us!” Sora panicked running wildly for the car which was parked behind us. “If Leon sees you he’ll kill you for the fun of it. If Leon sees me he’ll kill me for sneaking out, and then he’ll kill you for the fun of it AND because you broke me out. And even if he didn’t kill me he’d kill you, then I’d have to kill myself because I wouldn’t be able to bear life with out you Riku! Please, let’s just go before he finds us.”

“No Sora, I’m not running away like a scared little chicken or something like that.” I told him, folding my arms in front of my chest in defiance.

“Riku please! Don’t try to be brave or tough, run away with me. Don’t do this to me!” Sora wailed, wrenching open the car door closest to him, which happened to be the driver’s side door. He looked across the yard at me, staring me right in the eyes, his eyes telling me everything he wasn’t brave enough to say out loud to me. He cares too much about me to see me get hurt like that again on his account. He really does love me. Sora clambered inside the car, leaving the door open so I could follow him inside. As much as I wanted to see him squirm a little while longer, I couldn’t bring myself to do it to him, I loved him too much.

And I conceded.

Only after I climbed into the car and sped us away did Sora breathe freely again. I heard him sigh and looked over at the passenger seat to look at him – only to find he wasn’t there at all. Instead he lay sprawled out in the backseat, his face pressed into the seat cushions.

“Sora?” I asked him quietly, turning my eyes back to the road. “Why do you have your nose shoved in the seat? You know people have sat there before right?”

“Because I just do Riku.” Sora said his voice slightly muffled by the cushions as his head was still shoved in the seat. “So where are we going then Riku?”

“I don’t know Sora, you pick this time.” I said a little annoyed with him. I mean really, I just moved here. I don’t know where anything is so how could I know where to go to have a good time? “Where do you wanna go until we can go back to my place Sora, anywhere at all on the whole island. I’ll drive until I run out of gas anyway, after that you’re on your own.”

“Okay Riku, um...” Sora started, thinking hard and tapping the end of his chin with his index finger as his face screwed up in deep thought. He looked as adorable like that, almost as cute as when he was pouting. It made me want to let go of the steering wheel, climb into the back with him, jump on top of him, and make-out with him until we were both left breathless and panting lying twisted up in each other in the backseat of my car. Almost though. I didn’t do it obviously because I didn’t want to wreck and damage my car. Or run us into another car and kill us both. That would be bad. Yeah, that last one kind of stopped me from having my way right then with Sora. Thoughts like that always stopped me form doing something stupid, even if it would be fun to make-out with Sora until he was a senseless ball with spiky brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes like the ocean waves I loved so much. That gave me an idea.

“Have you decided yet Sora?” I asked. Sora shook his head sadly and I smiled. “I had an idea while you were thinking. Let’s go down to the beach for the day.”

“Really Riku, I though you hate the sun.” Sora said looking wide eyed up at me.

“Yeah, I hate the sun but it sure sounds like fun.” I smiled at him. He still looked uneasy though so I added “I’m sure I can find a beach umbrella or something to hide under. I’ll be fine Sora. I love the beach and the ocean, don’t worry Sora.”

“If you’re sure you want to go, alright then!” Sora smiled shoving his fists in the air in triumph. He must really have been trying hard for my sake to hold in his enthusiasm in case I didn’t want to go. It was times like this when Sora showed us just how mature he was and that he wasn’t just a little kid like everyone told him. I loved him so much! “To the beach then! I haven’t been to the beach in such a long time! No one ever wants to go anymore. They say the novelty has worn off for them. Take a right here Riku and just follow the super fast expressway straight.”

I turned on the radio and suddenly AFI's 'Miss Murder' was blasting all around us in my awesome speaker system:

Hey Miss Murder can I?
Hey Miss Murder can I?
Make beauty stay if I,
Take my life?

Whoa-oh-ohh

With just a look they shook
And heavens bowed before him.
Simply a look can break your heart.
The stars that pierce the sky;
He left them all behind.
We’re left to wonder why
He left us all behind.

Hey Miss Murder can I?
Hey Miss Murder can I?
Make beauty stay if I,
Take my life?
Whoa-oh-ohh
(ohh)

Dreams of his crash won’t pass
Oh, how they all adored him
Beauty will last when spiraled down.
The stars that mystify
He left them all behind.
And how his children cried
He left us all behind.

Hey Miss Murder can I?
Hey Miss Murder can I?
Make beauty stay if I,
Take my life?
Whoa-oh-ohh

What's the hook, the twist
Within this verbose mystery?
I would gladly bet my life upon it.
That the ghost you love, your ray of light
Will fizzle out without hope.
We're the empty set just floating through, wrapped in skin
Ever searching for what we were promised.
Reaching for that golden ring we'd never let go,
but who would ever let us put put our filthy hands upon it?

Hey Miss Murder can I?
Hey Miss Murder can I?
Make beauty stay if I,
Take my life?
Whoa-oh-ohh

Hey Miss Murder can I?
Hey Miss Murder can I?
Make beauty stay if I,
Take my life?
Whoa-oh-ohh

It took maybe twenty minutes for me to drive us to the beach, Sora jumping and rolling around in the back the whole time while I tried to keep my eyes on the road and not what him even though it was tempting to. Sora jumped out of the car as soon as I parked, running right out onto the hot sand and down to the cold water to stand with his toes in as I walked down to him slowly taking my time. Sora looked back at me and smiled wickedly, pulling his shirt slowly over his head. God how I loved to see him taking his shirt off! He threw it down on the hot sand and soon his pants joined them making me a little hot around the collar as I looked at him. There stood tan little Sora in front of me in his boxers with that wicked large smile of his face. Neither of us had swim trunks obviously, seeing as it was kind of last minute and all.

“I hate my stomach, it’s so flat and muscle-less.” Sora whined, poking himself gently in the stomach. "God, if only working out did me good. All it does n reality is wear me out."

“I think you have a nice stomach Sora. I mean it's not as nice as your ass of course, but it’ll do I guess.” I smiled seductively at him, pulling him roughly against me. I kissed him deeply, exploring his mouth with my tongue as I dragged my fingers softly across the soft skin of his stomach. Sora moaned, wiggling against me as he tried to tug my own shirt up. I tried to shrug away from him but he kept trying to get me out of my shirt. I pulled my mouth away from his. “No, Sora. Don’t.”

“Why not Riku?” Sora asked me quietly, breathing heavily. He leaned forwards, wrapping his arms around my chest as he nuzzled lightly against my body and kissed my neck softly until I couldn’t take it anymore. Groaning deep in my throat I felt my control snap and suddenly I was roughly covering his mouth with mine as my hands reached out for him, holding him tightly against me as he gasped at my sudden violence. It was unlike me. It was strange and disturbing. And I liked it and judging by the way Sora was acting and moaning he was too so no worries there. Finally we pulled apart, a little ashamed of the strangle looks we were getting form the small group of tiny little kindergarteners that had just walked passed us, whispering behind their hands at us. “Why can’t you take your shirt off Riku?”

“Because Sora, I just can’t do it.” I murmured sadly, plopping down on the sand. Sora knelt down next to me, his face worried. “I have my reasons Sora, believe me.”

“Tell me.” Sora said quietly, sitting down completely to put an arm around my shoulders. I leaned my head on my shoulder and shut my eyes thinking how nice is was to just simply sit here and have Sora hold me against him while I could hear the rushing of the ocean waves in the back round of my brain.

“Well, to start off I’m pale as a ghost.” I explained, looking down at my sickly white hands. Man I was pale! “I might blind someone which my crazy white paleness or something. Or I’ll burn which would hurt quite a bit.”

“Oh, you’re not that pale Riku, really.” Sora laughed, messing up my hair. I pushed his hand off, flattening my hair back down between my palms.

“I am really. You’ve never seen me with my shirt off.” I said and Sora opened his mouth to argue with me. “IN proper light. We didn’t have lights on back in the barn and its way bright out here. And you were too busy taking control and making-out with me to be paying too much unneeded attention at my stomach, right?”

“True, but it can’t be that bad Riku.” He smiled, grabbing the end hem of my shirt. I sighed, holding my shirt down again. “Prove it; prove you’re so pale you’ll blind someone then. Just show me your stomach real quickly.”

“That’s not the only reason Sora.” I sighed, wishing it was. “What about all the bruises?”

“Oh.” Sora said quietly, his voice dying away. He really couldn’t fight with this one could he? I sighed, looking out over the water instead. It was clear and blue and beautiful just like I remembered it from back home. Different Ocean, same basic look, same sound, same feeling in my heart every time I saw it. “I understand. Are they really that bad still?”

“I don’t know Sora. I haven’t checked them at all.” I told him truthfully. Sora looked disappointed that he wasn’t going to get to see my stomach so I decided to test him a little. Pulling him close to me I started kissing him again passionately before pulling the bottom of my shirt up an inch or so at a time to see if he noticed anything. How evil am I? I was halfway up my abs before he figured out what I was doing. He grabbed my hands, holding them in place as he tore his mouth away from mine to look down and examine my stomach. I felt kind of stupid with him staring at my abs and really wanted to go back to kissing him again like before. Funny I’m more comfortable making-out with a guy on a public beach with people watching us than having said guy looking at my stomach. I guess I really am ashamed of my stomach to a crazy point like Sora with his stomach. “Well, are you gonna say anything or just sit there and look at it?”

“Riku, what the hell is wrong with you?” Sora asked me quietly. I bit my lip. “You’re abs are so sexy, why hide them like they’re something to be ashamed of? If I had abs like that I’d show them off. I’d never wear a shirt again if I had your abs Riku.”

“Huh, that good then?” I said cruelly pulling my shirt back down. Sora moaned angrily and I smiled up at him with my annoyingly wicked smile I always wore when I was taunting someone. “Why don’t you go out into the water so I can call Sephiroth to tell me when Leon leaves so we can go home, okay?”

“Alright then Riku, come out when you’re done okay?” He smiled, running out into the water. I dialed Sephiroth’s number deafly, not even looking at the buttons.

“Hello? What do you want?” Sephiroth’s voice boomed through the static.

“Hey Sephiroth, its Riku.” I said loudly so he could hear me. “Could you do me a favor?”

“What did you do now Riku? I don’t need to bail you out of jail do I?” He asked, worried.

“No, not jail but a big problem nonetheless.” I said softly as a group of girl walked by eyeing me the way all girls do when they see a guy they think is hot. You know the Oh-my-God-is-he-single-I-want-him look. “Um, Leon’s over at our house and-“

“I get it. You need me to tell you when he leaves so you can come home without him beating you up again huh?”

“Yeah, thanks Seph – hey, how they hell did you find out about that? How did you know it was him?” I asked, shocked. Sephiroth just laughed at me.

“I guessed it was him when I say how bad the damage was. Seifer doesn’t have the guts to do that to someone himself with Rai and Fuu to help and both of them were with me at the bank. They work there too so I guessed it had to be Leon.” Sephiroth explained. God he was sneaky! “Well, I can do that for you little bro. Can you tell me why Leon beat you up?”

“Sora.” I said the one word slowly and quietly so Sora wouldn’t think I was calling him and come running back to me from where he was jumping waves with some of the cute girls from before. “Leon doesn’t like the idea of us being together I guess. He said I’m turning Sora gay, which isn’t true. He was like this when I got here. I just happened to be his type of guy I guess.”

“I see what it is. Overprotective older brother hates the boyfriend he barely knows. I get it. I can do this for you. You owe me one Riku, big time owe me.” Sephiroth said hanging up the phone. I sigh in relief as I looked back at carefree Sora flirting with the girls. I was surprised I wasn’t jealous at all, seeing Sora flirting with someone else. I knew he didn’t mean anything by it. Feeling suddenly daring I ripped my shirt off over my head, slid out of my pants and went jogging down the beach to where Sora and the girls stood talking. I’m not full of myself or anything like that, but by the way those girls were acting I wouldn’t have been surprised if one of them fainted. Sora was looking especially pleased to see me standing there in the cold water without a shirt on.

“Hey there, mind if I join you?” I asked playfully. The girls giggled and nodded. Sora smiled at me gracefully and looked pleased again. We stood out there for hours and hour jumping waves until someone pulled a surfboard into the water from off the beach and everyone but me attempted to surf. I didn’t want to make anybody feel bad, especially Sora who was having the most trouble out of everyone with surfing and staying on the board. I know how to surf and had won quite a few local contests back home when I was cool enough to be allowed on the beach. After the thing with Heather they stopped letting me on the beach and if I went anyways somehow they threw sand at me... along with other mush harder meaner things.

“Come on Riku, just try it!” The girls moaned and complained, ganging up on me to push me roughly in the back towards the surfboard. I hesitated until I caught Sora’s eye. He nodded and smiled and I climbed on, paddling out to where the waves got high enough to surf. The girls panicked thinking I must have gone out too far and yelled for me to come in closer but I refused. Don’t put me on a surfboard and then tell me not to surf. I picked my wave and started paddling until I landed it and stood up. I heard the girls’ gaps and Sora give an appreciative whoop of enjoyment as I came surfing back to them. Surfing pipe was the best thing in the world. All your troubles melt when you're on a surfboard being supported by the water below your board. “Oh my God, why didn’t you get on the board before?”

“I didn’t want to show off.” I smiled, blushing as one of the fell against me and hugged me. I looked over her head at Sora who didn’t look remotely fazed by her sudden burst of passion. I heard my cell phone going off and pulled away, running up the beach to where I had left it to answer it. “Hello? Really, great Sephiroth. Be there soon. Bye. Sora, we can go back now, Leon’s gone.”

“Yes! Bye girls!” Sora yelled, waving at them as he ran back to get his clothes. We promised the sad girls we’d see them at the beach next day at the same time and we were off to my house again. On the way back, Sora turned on the radio and actually sat in the passenger seat this time as he sang the lyrics back at the radio – off key might I add. Thought you might want to know. Sora can’t sing on key. Unless it’s a girl singing the song, he just has that kind of voice I guess. Doesn’t do deep voices too well without it sounding a little weird.

“Why weren’t you jealous of the girl that hugged me like you were of me dancing with Yuffie at Kairi’s house a few days ago?” I asked him once the song had ended.

“Well, I knew I couldn’t loose you to her.” He said quietly, looking at me happily. “We weren’t dating when you danced with Yuffie so I had cause to worry then. Now I know I can’t loose you to a pretty girl who flirts with you. You have my heart now.”

“And you have mine Sora.” I smiled, resting my hand lightly on his thigh. His fingers laced with mine as I pulled into my driveway. Another car was there in our driveway. I didn’t recognize the small black sports car at first... and when I did I wished I hadn’t.

“God, I love your sexy body so much! You drive me crazy with it every time I look at you!” A muscular and tall blonde teenage boy groaned down deep in his throat as he pulled up from the person he had been kissing like mad in the backseat of his car for the last hour or so. He bent back down and started kissing the slender graceful neck of the person lying under him as he pulled off shirt along with his partners so they wouldn’t stop the seductive path of kisses the blonde had planned for the person he had pressed down into the seat. Hands trailed over the blonde boy’s chest and stomach as he left an angry red mark on the neck of the boy under his sweating body. A lot of moaning and groaning and kissing followed. The blonde boy pulled away and sat up, still straddling the other’s waist. “When I kiss you I never want it to end. You make me feel live again.”

“Then shut up and kiss me already.” Riku moaned loudly, grabbing the other boy behind the neck and pulling him back down so their lips smashed together again as their tongues fought each other.

‘Oh shit. It’s him, he came back.” I said to myself. Sora didn’t seem to hear me so no worries there. I turned to look back at Sora with a large fake smile. “Um Sora, maybe we could stay out in the car for a while and um... fool around or something in the backseat. You up for it?”

“Sure Riku, I’m up for fooling around with you. You know how much I love kissing you. Your tongue does such things to mine!” Sora smiled wickedly, his hand resting on my arm. I moved to kiss him and he slipped out of the car and ran towards the house. “Let’s fool around INSIDE the house! Like up in your room maybe. Or maybe we could do a little something else afterwards!”

As tempting as that was...

“No, Sora don’t! Let’s stay out here.” I cried, jumping out of the car. He smiled and slipped inside the house ahead of me. There sitting on my couch was the one person who I had hoped I would never see again. He turned to look at me, his blonde hair falling limply and artfully into his face as he cut Sephiroth off mid-sentence stare over at me.

“Hello again Riku, glad to see me?” He said softly, his eyes sparkling with that old spark that was always there when he had looked at me before he had moved so very far away leaving me all alone without a friend in the world.

‘Riku, I know you’re sad but please forgive me.’ Brandon pleaded with Riku, wrapping his arms around Riku’s chest as he pressed a kiss to Riku’s temple. Riku pulled away, tears in his eyes. ‘Please don’t cry!’

‘I can’t help it Brandon.’ Riku sniffed. ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’

‘I know that Riku, I’ll miss you too.’ Brandon said soothingly. His lips lightly brushed Riku’s as he leaned forward. Riku drank it all in, sorry this was the last time they could ever spent together before Brandon moved across the country.

That had been before the Heather incident had occurred. In fact, it was all HIS STUPID FAULT the Heather incident ever happened, seeing as he we the one that left that message on the answering machine for me that very night after school when I had turned down Heather – on my sixteenth birthday coincidentally. You know, the one that everyone heard when they were all in your living room hiding and waiting to surprise me on my birthday with a surprise party they had been planning for months because of what GREAT FRIENDS they were, or turned out to be a few hours later anyways when they dropped me like something hot you stupidly picked up with your bear hands. The message had gone something like this:

Hey Riku, sorry I have to miss your sixteenth birthday like this but it wasn’t my choice to move now, I didn’t want to move at all but I didn’t have a choice. When the ‘rents want it to happen, you know what I mean? Hope you’re not too terribly mad at me for missing it anyways and hope your birthday rocks without me. Hard I know, but I’m sure you can manage without me. I’ll visit soon and bring a great birthday make-out session with me in the back of my car just like last time for you so be ready to pucker up baby! Love you darling, until then!

“Hello yourself Brandon.” I said quietly, anger etched in my voice. He couldn’t know what he had done to make me angry seeing as he hadn’t seen me in ages... like over a year. But still, I didn’t care about HIS feelings, I was only thinking about my feelings. And how much trouble and pain he had caused me. I turned to Sora, smiling sweetly at him. “Sora, you wanna grab the movies and your bag of stuff and take it up to my room to dumb somewhere while I catch up with my old friend Brandon here?”

“Sure Riku, if that’s what you want.” Sora said slowly. He must have known from the look on my face that something bad had gone down between us before he had met me and that I was asking him to leave so he didn’t have to hear me yell. Sora hurriedly grabbed his things and the bag of free movies Yuffie had given us and rushed form the room. Only then did I turn back to Brandon, fire in my eyes.

“Why’d you want him to leave Riku, he looked nice to me. What do you have to say that you can’t say in from of him Riku?” Brandon asked kindly, looking puzzled. I looked back into his grey-blue silvery eyes deeply, trying to figure out the best way to do this. Yelling didn’t seem like the best plan... Sora might overhear me. “Is something wrong?”

“Yeah, something is wrong Brandon.” I said slowly, menacingly. My brain was twisting in circles unsure of what to do exactly. I had missed Brandon so much... and yet know that I saw him I didn’t care about it or him anymore. Now that I saw him I knew the truth – I never had really loved him with my heart... I had loved him with my body, with my mouth, with my tongue. I had loved the idea of us, the kissing in the backseat of his car, the way he had always treated my feeling with such a gentle courtesy and touched my body so softly with his hands as we kissed like mad. In short, it was more hormones than love on my part. Whether or not he loved me for real or if his feelings were hormones too, and I seriously didn’t want to ask. That would be uncomfortable for both of us I was sure... and my brothers were still sitting there watching us.

“You’ve moved on haven’t you?” Brandon asked quietly, not looking at me anymore. Brandon looked so sad sitting there, his blonde hair flipped forward into his face so I couldn’t see his eyes. “It’s that one boy isn’t it, the one that came in with you isn’t it? He’s the one that replaced me then?”

“He didn’t replace you Brandon. No one could ever do that. But yes, I’m with him and I moved on just like you moved away and left me behind.” I told him, a lump forming in my throat. WHY DO I ALWAYS GET SO DAMNED EMOTIONAL ALL THE TIME? DAMN IT ALL TO HELL! “I never really loved you Brandon and I’m convinced you never really loved me. It was hormones, it was lust it was a need to make-out and have somebody hold you close. Call it whatever you want but it wasn’t real, it just was love for me.”

“So that’s how you feel then huh?” Brandon said, laughing slightly. I still couldn’t see his face but I had a terrible feeling in my gut that he was crying. Damn it all, I hated it to make people cry – the sight of tears makes me upset, even if I wasn’t the one to cause them. Maybe it was because of all the tears I had shed in my own life that the sight of tears bothered me so, there’s no way to be sure. All I knew was that if he looked up at me I might loose it and breakdown a wall and feel sorry for him. Which is so not what I wanted, I wanted to rage at him for ruining my life, for leaving me behind, for making me feel and then leaving me stone cold and empty like all the rest of them had. “You never loved me. And because that’s how you felt you automatically thought I’d feel the same? Get a clue Riku, really.”

“What the hell do you mean?” I asked, confused. What we he saying, did he really love me then? If God’s messing around with my life to make me go insane then he’s pretty close to making me snap and go all loopy. “Do you mean that you actually meant it when you said I love you to me all those times in the back of your car?”

“Yes Riku you fucking idiot, I did mean it!” Brandon cried out, standing up and raising his head. My stomach twisted up in knots as I looked at his face. It was just the same as I remembered it except that now it was tearstained and red. “I really cared about you Riku, I gave you my heart and this is how I’m rewarded? But then again I can’t really yell at you, you never said I love you too me did you? You always just smiled up or down into my face and kissed me back like you actually cared about me.”

“I do care about you even now, just more like a close friend or a brotherly kind of thing. Please don’t hate me Brandon!” I pleaded with him, taking his hand in mine as I spoke.

“Its fine Riku, I guess I understand.” Brandon said weakly, walking for the door. He stopped at the door and looked back at me sadly, his eyes filled with a desperation I had never seen there before. “See you some other time, okay guys? Bye.”

“Oh, you leaving already?” Sora said walking back into the room as Brandon made to leave. Poor Sora, never knows what’s going on now does he? He came up behind me and wrapped my arms around my waist, kissing me on the neck kindly. “Well come back some other time so we can hangout okay?”

“Yeah, sure whoever you are.” Brandon mumbled to himself as he walked away from us out the front door. I wanted to kill myself just then, to make the pain go away for both of us. He had caused me pain back home and now I was causing him pain now... how ironic for us. “I’ll be seeing you all I guess.”

“What was that about Riku?” Sora asked me kindly puzzled. I shrugged and looked away from the three of them. Frankly I was surprised that Cloud and Sephiroth hadn’t said anything the whole time I talked with Brandon about what had happened between us. I had told Cloud about it but hadn’t bothered to tell Sephiroth. Sephiroth would just have laughed at me and tell me I must be a lousy kisser or something stupid like that... it’s just how he is. “So you wanna go watch a movie now or something?”

“Sure Sora, one of mine first okay?” I asked and he nodded even though he looked a little nervous anyways. I took his hand and dragged him up the stairs so we could watch the movies and maybe if I was lucky fool around a little bit. Okay, I was hoping for more than a little fooling around, I wanted to go all out with Sora to show how much I cared about him but wasn’t sure if he was ready for that or not. Could our relationship suffer if we did go all the way or would it make it that much stronger?

()()()()()()()Page Break!
Okay, Brandon has arrived! Yay for him and me and... um... everyone else! Yay for AFI, that awesome band they are! Yay HYPERNESS... the state in which I am currently writting! Okay so um, yeah. Good reviews please, and give me your suggestions as to where you think Cloud and Leon's relationship will go and who you think should pair up with Brandon. If I like the suggestion I might use it so put on your thinking caps!

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On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- Chap 9

Chapter 9

“Oh my God, my darling Riku – Holy freakin’ hell!” Sora panted, his body glistening with beads of sweat, his chest rising and falling in time with his heavy breathing. I smiled at him, resting my head on his chest to listen to the beating of his heart. It was beating strong and fast as the stars blossomed and burst into life outside the glass of my window. I realized with a happy leap of my own heart that the rhythm of his heart matched mine. We really were perfect for each other. “If I would have known it was going to be that amazing with you, I wouldn’t have let you leave that library back at Kairi’s house so quickly. We just fit each other, did you notice too? We were made for each other, just for each other and no one else. I’m not willing to share you.”

“Sora um, can I ask you something?” I asked slowly and Sora nodded. “Um, by the way you’re talking about it... it just sounds to me like you... I mean it sounds like you’re...” But I couldn’t form the words, I was too nervous to say it. I’ll admit it – I, Riku, am scared at this moment in time... but don’t expect me to every say it again. Okay, more nervous than scared but both words work.

“What Riku, it sounds like I’m what?” Sora asked, confused. I looked up into his deep blue eyes and my heart melted all over again as it did every time his eyes met mine. And then it just sorta slipped out.

“Sora, were you a virgin before ‘us’?” I asked him rather quicker than I meant to. Sora blinked looking shocked and I immediately felt terrible – he MUST have been a virgin and I didn’t even bother to ask him if he was or not! I completely ruined his first time and it wasn’t even special! Then he did something that really confused me – he smiled that dazzling smile of his and wrapped his arms around me tightly. Shocked senseless I let him pull me against him. Not that I wouldn’t have let him hold me if I wasn’t senseless. If I had my senses at the moment I might have held him back.

“No, I wasn’t a virgin before tonight Riku.” Sora said softly as I melted in his embrace, flattening myself against him. “You aren’t angry with me are you? I mean, if I had known then that I was going to fall in love with someone as awesome and amazing and positively hot and attractive as you I would never have - well you get the picture. So are you angry with me Riku?”

“No Sora, of course I’m not angry with you! I was worried I might have been your first, that’s all!” I said airily, not even thinking about how he would take it in my happy relief. And he didn’t take it too well.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sora asked sadly, sounding completely crushed or like I’d ripped his heart out of his chest and smashed it to pieces with a sledgehammer. I bit my lower lip until I tasted blood, thinking of how best to word my next statement to explain what I had truly meant. I didn’t want him taking it the wrong way too. It so hadn’t come out the right way with the previous statement.

“I was just worried, that’s all. I was scared I was your first because I would have wanted it to be as special as possible for you, you know? I wouldn’t want it to be one of those things were it was like ‘I did that guy once’ to your friends if we broke up or were forced apart somehow – and even though I’m not your first I hope you remember it better than that. That’s all I meant by what I said Sora.” I explained to him what I had actually meant by my cruel sounding statement. Sora’s mouth made a large ‘O’ shape as his eyes grew huge as he began to understand what I had been thinking about and what I had really meant. “So who have you been with before, do I know them?”

“Yeah, you do know them Riku. Do you really wanna know who?” Sora blushed as he asked. I nodded and he sighed. Nosey little me... I’m so wicked at times! Don’t you just love me for it though? “Well, I lost it with Namine before Leon came and stole her away from me. And then there was that one time with Axel –“

“Wait just a second, hold the friggin’ phone! SORA, DID YOU JUST SAY AXEL?” I choked, sitting bolt upright to stare down at him as he squirmed beneath my gaze. I wasn’t angry with Sora at all, so don’t think I was. I was just so damn confused and just wanted to know how the hell Axel managed to get in Sora’s pants before I did when Sora didn’t even love Axel. Sora said he loved me and yet him and Axel had... that was probably before I moved here though. And I was sure Axel isn’t capable of loving Sora like I do. To be fair Sora had known Axel longer than he had known me, but I still wanted to know what happened between them. “The Axel you introduced to me at Kairi’s big party, the Axel who asked us to leave the barn so he could have sex with his virgin of a boyfriend? Axel as in the gothic redhead tall hot muscular guy dating that short blonde cute little Roxas dude he wanted to have sex with at the party barn of yours, that Axel?”

“Yeah, that Axel. Even though I wouldn’t describe Axel and Roxas quite that way, yeah. How many Axel’s do you seriously know though Riku? You don’t know the whole story though Riku. If you did know the story between the two of us and how it happened, what really happened with us, you’d understand the position I was in.” Sora blushed crimson again, his face more like the color of a beet than its normal tan skin tone. “Or maybe you wouldn’t understand now that I think about it actually. It’s kind of hard for me to believe and I was the one there with Axel! ”

“Try me Sora, you might be surprised what I do and don’t understand or believe. There’s still a lot you don’t know about me Sora. You haven’t known me for that long.” I said gravely, lying back down next to his to stare up at the ceiling of my room as I pulled my knees up until they touched my stomach and were held up off the bed as I tired to stay calm. I was upset about what I had just said, not what Sora had just said because what I had said was actually true. There was a lot Sora and I didn’t know about each other and this incident just proved that point to me. It upset me that we still had such a long way to go even though I felt like we had already come so far together.

“Well, it was the night Namine told me and left me for Leon, my brother. I had called Axel when I couldn’t get through to anyone else and he came and got me from Namine and Kairi’s house. It had just been me and Namine that night because Kairi was at Yuffie’s house so I was sorta stranded there and was desperate enough to get away to call Axel for help.” Sora said monotonously, not looking at me as he flipped onto his side away from me. “Axel took me back to his house so I had a place to stay the night while ‘my-heart-healed-from-my-Namine-inflicted-wounds-she-filled-with-poisen-and-rubbed-with-salt-to-make-them-burn-wounds’ as Axel put it to me. He can be VERY convincing when he wants to be, believe me Riku you have no idea just how smart he is when he isn’t drinking or making-out with Roxas who he calls ‘his drug’ because he can’t think straight around Roxas. Well, Axel handed me a beer bottle and in my tearstained and depressed ‘suicidal-thoughts’ state I didn’t argue with him and just drank it... Or to be fair I chugged it as fast as I could so he handed me another and another and well... you get the point. Axel had me drink a whole lot of beer and I guess I got really drunk. All I know is the next morning when I woke up I was in Axel’s large messy bed, my clothes were flung all over the bedroom, and Axel was snoring and lying on top of me. He slipped some extra alcohol into that case of beer he’d given me throughout the night just so he could have a little ‘fun’ as he put it the next day when he told me what happened to me the night before. I’m so sorry Riku.”

“Don’t be sorry Sora, you didn’t do anything wrong the way I see it or understand it from what you told me.” I said comfortingly. I wrapped my arms around Sora’s thin waist and pressed myself against his back, pressing my face into the hollow where his neck and shoulders met to kiss him there tenderly until he moaned in pleasure. “Besides, at least Axel taught you something that I could benefit from.”

Sora flipped over in my arms to smile at me as I continued to hold onto his waist and gave me with a look of overwhelming gratitude I knew I didn’t deserve from the things I’d done in my own past. I loved slightly-smoldering-with-lots-of-passion-like-a-slowly-dying-candle-of-love way he looked at me with those large deep blue sapphire eyes of his even if it meant he had to look into my appallingly pale and thin face that I despised so much. I hate my damn looks so much! Why couldn’t I be normal? I had always wished I looked more like those people like Sora – tan instead of deathly pale, well built without being too over the top with muscles, normal brown hair just like everyone else had instead of the silver color like Christmas tinsel that I currently have, normal eyes instead of my crazy aqua green teal colored eyes I already have that no one else has, and to just be a bit shorter than I was instead of towering over everyone else my age and always having to look down. Just to be normal for one whole day, just to see what it was like to be like everyone else.

But then I wouldn’t be me, I just wouldn’t be ‘Riku’ anymore. And Sora loves me just the way I am which is more than good enough for me. As long as Sora was happy with me the way I am nothing else mattered, no one else’s opinion could change me just as the whole school’s opinion back home hadn’t been enough to make me straight or to get me to go out with heartbroken Heather... who ended up dating the big burly caption of the football team the next week to everyone’s enjoyment except mine. One, Heather swore she’d never get over me and two the football caption she dates was the one that replaced me as the president of our sophomore class when I became unpopular and unfit to be around anymore. Apparently unpopular teenagers aren’t aloud to play sports not that I played sports because I hated them anyways or be in any clubs as I found out when I was kicked out of every club and committee I was in at our old high school. That little slut and her stupid jackass of a boyfriend, I hope the stay together forever and get married so at one point he makes her as mad at him as she was at me so he can know what it’s like to deal with an AHA. An Angry-Heather-Attack if you wanna say it out the right way. AHA’s are not pleasant let me tell you. Because I don’t suggest you try to make her mad enough to experience one firsthand. She can get pretty violent.

“Riku, what are you thinking so intensely about?” Sora asked me snapping me back to the glorious present, back to my darkened bedroom, back to him lying there in my arms all warm and adorable and cuddly. I smiled at him and shook my head lightly.

“Nothing Sora, nothing important anyways. Just life before I moved here and before I met you and all my new friends.” I explained sadly, looking away from him so he couldn’t see the pain in my eyes. “My only friends really, I don’t have any friends back home where I was before I came here anymore. I was all alone back there, an easy victim. So basically, I was thinking about hell and how much it sucked.”

“Riku, I really need you to answer this for me, okay? Was your life back where you came from really that bad?” Sora asked softly stoking my hair as he did so.

“It was that bad Sora, you have no idea.” I sighed, looking back up into his eyes. He looked worried again, so worried he stopped stoking my hair and just stared at me. Why was he so concerned for my wellbeing, it was starting to be a real pain in the neck to think up new ways to get him off the bloody and painful trail of my old life. Gotta throw him off the trail... um, let’s try this one... “It wasn’t too bad for me back home, I mean I’m still here and alive and all that stuff. I’m over-exaggerating again, you know? I just don’t want to talk about it right now. I’d much rather just start over and live the rest of my life with you here in your arms.”

“Oh, I really like that plan Riku! Especially the ‘in your arms’ bit.” Sora smiled wickedly, leaning forward slightly to kiss me gently on the lips. I moaned loudly against his mouth and he slipped his tongue inside my slightly opened mouth as I kissed him back. I shivered, half from pleasure and half from the intense cold. All the sudden it seemed so cold in my room. Sora reached down and pulled the blankets up over our chilled bodies before wrapping his warm arms around me again. “You’re shivering Riku. You think maybe we wouldn’t be so clod if we put some clothes on? Maybe we wouldn’t be so cold if we did.”

“No Sora, not just yet. Just hold me. That’s more that good enough for me.” I whispered as I closed my eyes, leaning my forehead against his chest. His hands caressed my back softly and gently until I couldn’t take it any more. Let’s just say I couldn’t resist myself or resist Sora a moment longer than I already had. I wished I could have seen the look on my face when Sora squealed as I grabbed his ass quickly when he wasn’t expecting it... not that anyone ever really expects or anticipates for someone to grab their ass really. Unless that person is Heather... or maybe Axel... and defiantly Brandon. BRANDON! How could I have forgotten Brandon? Like that one time...

“Come on Riku! Don’t act so shy around me all the time!” Brandon laughed softly nibbling on Riku’s left earlobe as Riku wiggled against him unsure of what to do as Brandon leered above him, Brandon’s knees straddling either side of Riku’s waist. Brandon was ready to take their hormonally-driven-teenage-rebellious ‘relationship’ to the next level – the final level besides gay marriage anyways. But was Riku ready for Brandon to take them there? Riku seemed so shy and nervous and even at times unsure of what was going on between him. Brandon and everyone else at their high school knew Riku had lost it a long time ago. It was just common knowledge Riku wasn’t a virgin anymore and that he was the best there was out there not that anyone could brag and say they'd done it with him since he'd lost it to a girl from another school or so the story went. No one else was special or lucky enough to say they’d done it with Riku, though everyone wished they had just so they could brag about it. “Go on and grab my ass already or something. Do it, do something just on impulse! You never do anything without me doing it first to you, you chicken, do something on your own for once! Just surprise me already. Grab my ass, that’d shock the hell out of me with the how shy you act around me half the time.”

“Brandon, hold on for half a fucking second please! I gotta tell you something, something that could change everything between us.” Riku moaned into Brandon’s mouth as Brandon reached for the top snap of Riku’s torn and faded blue jeans. “Brandon please! I really truly don’t know what I’m doing Brandon. I’ve never done this before with anyone.”

“You can’t be serious! Of course you know what you’re doing, it’s not like you’re a... You mean you’re still a - I mean you’re really still a virgin then?” Brandon asked wide eyed and shocked. Did a whole high school of experienced gossipers have it all wrong? Riku nodded solemnly and Brandon slipped off of Riku confused and a bit embarrassed about his previous and sadly misled comments on the subject which seemed to be the cause of Riku’s resent upset and mood swing. “Holy shit Riku, I thought you’d already...”

“I know, most people think that too or so I heard from one of the bigmouth cheerleaders.” Riku said gravely, looking upset all of the sudden. Riku knew all about the rumors then, that was good news because now Brandon didn’t have to let the cat out of the bag. But why hadn’t he challenged them then? Did he not want people to know it wasn’t true then? Was he worried that everyone would think he wasn’t cool anymore and that they’d loose respect for him or something like that that only the popular boys had to worry about? Brandon was so confused, but not as confused as Riku as to who had started the rumors. He had a sneaking suspicion it had been a certain brother of his with long silver-grey hair in an attempt to help boost Riku’s popularity but Riku wasn’t sure. “They think I’m just so cool and popular so that means I’ve automatically had sex a thousand times before or something weird and perverted like that. That or someone spread it around for their own dark and sinister purposes. Someone forgot to tell me about the urgent need to lose your virginity in order to be popular when I got my cool lessons and when they taught me how to be cool.”

“Who taught you to be cool again, because it seems that they skipped a few crucial lessons?” Brandon joked playfully, only Riku wasn’t in the mood for anymore jokes to be thrown in his face at the moment. Riku frowned, looking away from Brandon as tears rose to his eyes. “Look, you don’t have to do this with me if you don’t want to Riku, if you’re not ready for this yet I can wait. As sad as that is for me and all, I’d rather you were happy rather than you were cool and popular and all that happy crap.”

“No, I want this too Brandon, I’m ready. I want you to be my first.” Riku said slowly taking Brandon’s hand in his own. Brandon smiled as his hands moved slowly to the top of Riku’s pants...

“It’s my turn to ask you something Riku. So have you even been with anyone before me Riku?” Sora asked me. I blinked rapidly.

“What did you say Sora, I wasn’t listening.” I said trying to sound innocent... which I knew I wasn’t. I wasn’t sure I wanted to share this with him just yet. Sora groaned, grabbing the pillow off the bed beside him – the only one still remaining on the bed coincidentally as it turned out.

“Stop it Riku, quit being stupid! I know you heard me! You know what I said, liar!” Sora laughed playfully hitting me in the face with his pillow. Sora laughed sadly, his face wrinkling up as he laughed at me. I jumped out of bed and rushed over to my boxers slipping them on as I walked around picking up the pillows up off the floor. “Hey Riku, that’s cheating!”

“If by not fair you mean ‘angry-you-didn’t-think-of-it-first-because-it’s-an-awesome-plan’ then yes, it is so not fair to you!” I laughed, bombing him over and over again with the pillows. Sora ducked and squealed hiding under the covers. “Chicken, cluck like the chicken you are Sora!”

“Yes, I’m a chicken, I’ll admit it!” Sora yelled, laughing. A hand popped out from under the edge of the blanket and rummaged around on the ground until it closed over Sora’s unused boxers, pulling them under the blanket. A slight struggle occurred under the blanket as I watched and then Sora popped out from under the pile of blankets. His boxers were back where they belonged... sadly. I burst out laughing, I couldn’t help it. Sora looked so funny and innocent sitting there on my bed in his bright red Inuyasha boxers. I couldn’t help but laugh at him. I did more than just laugh though, I snorted... you gotta get me pretty worked up to manage that. Worst of all I turned red, which never ever happens to me. I mean, I have to find something utterly hilarious just to work my skin tone up to the color of normal people like Sora. I’m just a bad boyfriend I guess.

(A/N: I freakin’ LOVE Inuyasha! I LOVE Full Metal Alchemist as well! And anything Studio Ghibli or Hayao Miyazaki like “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “My Neighbor Totoro” because both are awesomeness it’s self! Anything Japanese really if I think about it. Okay, back to the story then!)

“What’s so funny Riku?” Sora asked, confused and worried looking. I could barely stop my laughing long enough to even tell him why I was laughing at him in such a cruelly and unbridled fashion. I nearly stopped breathing in my laughter.

“You look so innocently ridiculous Sora! Why did you change under the blanket? After all we’ve shared together; after all we’ve been through together?” I fake sobbed making Sora pout a little thinking he’d upset me. I smiled, unable to keep it up any longer. So I turned it into a joke like I always do with something serious. “After all it doesn’t matter anyways, I’ve already seen it all anyways or do you not remember that tiny detail?”

“RIKU!” Sora squealed falling out of the bed and onto the floor with a thud that shook the floor. For such a little guy he sure makes a loud sound effect when he wants to. “Don’t say it like that! Better yet, don’t say anything about it at all.”

“Oh, do I suck that bad compared to Axel then?” I huffed, falling forward onto the carpet, my face pressed softly into it. I never thought I’d feel anything softer or more comfortable than the feel of the carpet against my cheekbones. But that was before Sora crawled over to me flipping me over so my head was resting in his lap as one hand caressed my chest, the other stroking my hair gently as I looked up at Sora.

“I didn’t mean it that way Riku. I just don’t think it’s something to joke about that’s all. This is serious, and neither of us can take anything seriously with the other around so let’s just not talk about it. Remembering is better it seems less funny that way or so I think.” Sora smiled down at me. Leaning down at low as he could so he could whisper in my ear, Sora made me smile once again as I sat up as covered his mouth with mine. “You are WAY better than Axel was, believe me!”

And I did believe him.

What seemed like many hours and three and a half bags of popcorn later found Sora and I done watching all of our movies we had ‘rented’ from the video store where Yuffie and Tifa worked together and Sora was bored again.

Big surprise there huh? Never would have guessed Sora would be bored.

“Riku, can we do something now?” Sora asked me, half whining in his need to make me do something with him. I groaned loud enough for Sora to hear, flopping down onto my bed and my feet dangling over the edge of the bed with my feet still resting on the floor. “I’m bored Riku, I can’t help it! I just am, please let’s go do something fun together!”

“It’s like five o’clock in the morning Sora, what are we going to do?” I asked slowly, wishing I hadn’t almost immediately after saying it. Sora would think of something, he always seemed to be bursting with plans and ideas he just wanted to try out. All he needed was an idiot with a car to help him out... and that idiot seemed to be me nowadays. “Come on, can we just go to sleep now and then do something later? Please, I’m just so tired Sora! I haven’t slept since well... the last time I slept. But I didn’t sleep well then anyways so it makes no difference, I’m still tired.”

“Fine, we can go to sleep now and then I want to go to the park later, okay?” Sora begged, jumping onto the bed beside me to slip under the covers.

“Anything for you Sora my love, let’s go to sleep.” I mumbled as my eyes lid shut of their own accord. Sora laughed softly and pulled me closer to him until my head was resting in the center of his chest, his arms wrapped around my body as I slipped away into sleep in Sora’s arms.

“Oh my freakin’ God, this is the best ever! Cloud, come here quick and look at this! Cloud! Cloud! CLOUD, I mean it, get over here RIGHT NOW before they move! Come here and have a look at this!”

“Who’s yelling? What’s going on? Its so early...” Sora moaned pulling me closer against his warm soft body. I smiled, still unwilling to open my eyes just yet and let the sweet security of sleep slip away from me.

“Riku? What the hell! Holy shit, you’ve got to be joshing me!”

“What’s going on?” I asked, opening my eyes groggily. Good old Sephiroth and Cloud were standing in the doorway to my room pleased looking as they laughed at Sora and me as if their heads were about to pop off if they didn’t use up some of the oxygen in their lungs as fast as possible. In short they were making jackasses of themselves and in front of my boyfriend too. “What do you two want with us? Why are you in my room anyways? Couldn’t you tell that we were sorta sleeping in here or are you two really that stupid and unintelligent that you don’t really know what it looks like when people sleep? God, I’m living with freakin’ idiots!”

“Well, that would be my fault. I’m the idiot that saw you two first if you didn’t hear already. Sora heard me I think.” Sephiroth laughed cruelly, pointing a finger in my direction. “I was walking passed the door to your room and I heard noises, like moaning in your sleep noises but more than one voice at a time so I peeked inside and say you and Sora lying there together wrapped up in each other’s arms and all... so I called Cloud to come and look too. I couldn’t let the opportunity slip away without Cloud seeing you two together like this. Be glad I didn’t grab the camera. Oh, stay still and I’ll go get it! Kodak moment, Yay!”

“Are you friggin’ kidding me?” I shouted jumping out of bed which might not have been the best idea since all I was wearing were my Full Metal Alchemist Edward boxers. That only made them laugh harder.

(A/N: Told you I loved Full Metal Alchemist! Yay! I bet you anything Fae/Fish is jumping up and down in front of her computer yelling ‘I LOVE THAT SHOW/BOOK TOO BUT NOT AS MUCH AS I LOVE INUYASHA!’ Her little sister Chris is in love with Full Metal Alchemist too. Oh, if Chris is reading this then ‘Hey Chris, thanks for letting me borrow your Full Metal Alchemist books!’ Peace out, back to the story since that’s why you’re all here... I think)

“Um, I gotta go... I’m meeting someone at the basketball court in an hour.” Cloud laughed to himself as he walked away from the door to my room.

“So um, I’ll just go and you two can go back to whatever it was you were doing before you fell asleep if you know what I mean. Bye then my little lovebirds!” Sephiroth giggled girlishly and skipped away, his long silver-grey hair flouncing behind him as he went. Sora and I burst out into a childish laughing fit but not until after I ran, shut, and locked the door to my room so no one else could come in and laugh at us while we were still in only our boxers.

“They’re such jerks at times.” I sighed angrily, sitting down on the edge of the bed where Sora was still lying. Sora giggled sweetly and laced his arms tenderly around my waist pulling me back down onto the bed next to him so he could kiss me again. That is a great way to be woken up. The best way I can think to be awoken actually. Except maybe if there had been pancakes drenched in maple syrup and a tall cold glass of orange juice for after we were done kissing...

I really like orange juice, so just get over it already. Yes, I like Sora more than I like orange juice and yes, orange juice is my second love next to Sora. If anything would happen to Sora and he should die or be hurt badly enough that he got amnesia and forgot all about me, I’d drown my sadness out of my body with orange juice – drinking lots and lots of orange juice and maybe drowning myself in it depending on whether or not Sora had died or not...

“So are we gonna go to the park now then?” Sora asked hesitantly as I yawned. I smiled happily knowing it had been coming. I was surprised he hadn’t mentioned it before. “Please, you promised me you’d take me to the park today Riku!”

“I know I did, give me a minute to yawn would you please.” I said stretching my arms wide about my head. Sora jumped out of bed and ruffled through his bag until he found an outfit he wanted to wear to the park and slipped it on. “Go on downstairs and see about getting us a little bit of breakfast while I change, okay? See if you can persuade my dear older brother Sephiroth to go get us donuts or something like that. I like the power topped donuts with the chocolate cream in the middle.”

(A/N: Ha, those donuts are me and Fae/Fish’s inside joke! Ha, the stale chocolate donut we split in half so we each could scrape out some of the chocolate cream part... good times, good times... if Brandon’s reading this, yes me and Fae have an inside joke without you! Lol, sorry about your luck Brandon but you weren’t there with us)

“Okay, hurry down then Riku!” Sora smiled rushing out the door. I sighed a sigh if relief and went into my bathroom to take a quick shower before we went to the park. I really loved Sora and all, but sometimes I just needed a little break to spend some time alone and take a breather. I showered, got dressed, and was pulling on my shoes as I ran and hopped down the stairs when I heard a familiar voice wafting up the stairs from the kitchen.

“... And then I drove all the way down here with Brandon so we could catch up with each other. I haven’t seen Riku in such a long time!” A tall and slim brown haired and eyed teenage girl was saying as she munched on a donut from the open Crispy Cream donut box on our kitchen table. I smiled at her as she stood there still oblivious to the fact I had entered the room. She looked just the same as she had they day her parents had decided they were moving away as she stood there in her short jean skirt, brown polo shirt, and her high heeled shoes. I had missed her terribly when she and Brandon had moved away. Well, it made sense they moved the same day... after all, she is Brandon’s older sister.

“So how are you Fae?” I asked loudly, trying my absolute hardest not to laugh and ruin the moment. She twirled around and looked at me, squealing in delight as she ran around the table the long way to hug me tightly. Bone crushing hugs are the thing Fae’s known for back home. That and ‘Randomly-Hug-People-Day’ which she started of course.

(A/N: Me and some of my other best friends by the names of Zack and Rosalynn actually have ‘R-H-P Day’. It was my idea, they just participate. Brandon and Fae participate too some days if they’re in the hugging mood. Yes, R-H-P Day does exist! Yay, I love hugs SO MUCH! And the world is so much better for it! Everyone loves a good old random hug!)

“Oh Riku, I missed you so much!” Fae smiled brightly shoving a donut in my mouth. At least she remembered which donuts I liked so when I choked on it the chocolate cream went down my throat and the powered sugar coated the top of my mouth and tongue... if that’s any consolation for the choking thing I guess. “How’ve you been? It’s been ages since I saw you last!”

“Fine, I’m really doing great Fae.” I said once had I spat the donut out into the garbage can... a terrible waste of a good yummy donut but I didn’t really want to eat something I had choked on. It’s a bad omen to eat something someone choked on. Sora walked back into the kitchen. Sora placed himself by the door, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet impatiently. “Oh, listen Fae, I gotta go now. Sorry, but can we talk later? Previous engagement I can’t get out of and all that jazz.”

“Sure thing Riku! You can meet my boyfriend later! I met him a few moths ago at a basketball game and came here to visit him and brought Brandon along. Brandon was so looking forward to seeing you again. Have you run into him yet?” Fae asked innocently. At least Brandon hadn’t told Fae that we weren’t together anymore or that we weren’t really friends right now... she is very protective of her younger brother. Just like Sephiroth and Cloud with me. Sort of anyways, Fae’s a little more protective. Like Fae wouldn’t just let it go if someone beat Brandon up, she’d bug him until she had found out who it was that beat him up and beaten them to a bloody pulp and smeared them on the sidewalk. Yes, Fae is VERY protective and a bit of a bully at times when it comes to protecting family and friends she cares about like the time she beat up the kid who stole my milk money in preschool. She could so take Leon out if she tried. Maybe I could ask her about that later...

“Oh, yeah I saw him. We didn’t talk real long though. He said had to go somewhere.” I lied to her quickly grabbing my car keys and heading for the door with Sora lagging behind me. I stopped at the door and turned around causing Sora to knock into me. “Oh wait I want another donut to take with me.”

“I’ll get it for you Riku, hold on a second!” Sora said brightly, going back to the table and grabbing two more donuts. I could only assume one was his considering three donuts was way too many for even me. Now three cups of orange juice... that was just a starter for me. We walked out to the car and jumped inside, pulling on our seatbelts as Sora told me the roads to look for and turn onto. It was silent for some moments before - “So, no radio this time I take it?”

“Huh? Oh, go ahead and turn it on if you want to Sora, I don’t mind.” I smiled at him, resting a hand on his thigh. He wiggled under my touch, lacing his fingers with mine as I drove on.

“Okay radio, find something good for me, okay?” Sora requested of the inanimate object attached to the battery of the car that played all my music like an obedient slave. It didn’t answer him obviously. If the radio HAD answered Sora I would have driven straight to a doctor to get my hearing checked and to make sure I wasn’t just mentally incapable. But thankfully the radio didn’t answer. Sora flipped it onto a French Opera singing station where the end of a song was playing that went a little something like this once you translated it to English:

The way you make me feel inside.

You’re the only one I’ll ever love,

I loved you the moment your eyes met mine,

I loved you ever more than life,

You’re still the only one I love after you’re gone,

My heart skips a beat whenever I’m near you,

You make the soul in me levitate and fly away.

“Nice song huh.” I commented once it was over. “Real nice and mushy lyrics, just like I like my love songs. Love songs are the best don’t you think Sora?”

“What do you mean? You understood it then?” Sora asked, astonished. He switched off the radio so there was silence again. “That stuff just made my head hurt.”

“Of course I did, it’s only French Sora.” I said slowly, stopping myself from making it sound like I was making fun of him with difficulty. I wasn’t making fun of him but it sounded like I was somehow. Had I really never once told Sora I spoke fluently in French before? Man, how much hadn’t I told him?

(A/N: Ha, I’m in French at my high school! Writing and reading French is easier than speaking it for me. I love it though even if I’m not the best at it. I’m going to Europe this summer on our school trip! Yay!)

“You speak French then?” Sora asked, which answered my previous question about whether or not I had told him I spoke French. I really DID forget to tell him that then. What else had I never told him about myself that I should have or could have told him during one of those moments when both of us went silent?

“Yeah, they offered it as a class option back home. I had taken French for about five years or so before I made it to high school so I’m pretty good at it I guess.” I shrugged nonplused by the whole ordeal.

“That’s really amazing that you can speak a different language like that Riku. Do you think you could teach me a little bit of French sometime Riku?” Sora asked excitedly. “Please, that would be totally cool. We could have conversations that no one else can understand! Oh, wouldn’t that be so much fun Riku?”

“That would be fun but it takes a lot of work to learn French Sora, you gotta be willing to commit to learning it okay?” I asked and glancing over at Sora I say him nod his head. “Alright then, we can get started once we get back from the park I guess.”

“Thanks Riku, you’re the greatest!” Sora smiled, hugging me super tightly as I continued to drive.

Bad idea. Never hug someone when they’re driving because one minute everything was fine and the next... well lets just say... um... we we’re really on the road anymore. And my wonderful powered donut with the chocolate cream filling went flying out the opened passenger window onto the road. Damn it, I really wanted to eat that too!

“RIKU!” Sora yelled, clutching at the steering wheel and turning it in an attempt to help keep us on the road. And even WORSE move in my opinion. I swatted his hands away and turned the wheel, attempting to keep us on the road but it was too late. We’d already passed into the oppose lane into oncoming traffic and a whole swarm of cars was speeding towards us. My only two choices were to let us be hit by the traffic coming ever closer or to run us off the side of the road into the grass by the wood side. Kind of obvious which one I picked out of the two. “Watch out! There are cars coming!”

“I know that Sora, HOLD ON!” I snapped at him, swerving the car away from the traffic. Yes, I ran us off the side of the road into the ditch where I pulled hard on the brakes so we came to a dead stop. I was a bit shaken and bruised about the neck from the whiplash from when we had stopped but was otherwise fine and unaffected. Sora still hadn’t said anything yet. “My God, that was rough! Are you okay Sora? Sora?”

Sora was still in the seat next to me his head slumped forward onto the dashboard, his seatbelt still sort of holding him back so he hadn’t gone flying through the glass of the windshield. God love whoever created seatbelts and may they be ever happy up in heaven! Sora looked fine to me but still didn’t answer...

“Sora? Sora, please answer me!” I pleaded, unhooking my own seatbelt in a hurry. What if Sora wasn’t okay? Damn it, I had left my cell phone on the counter in the kitchen! What could I do to help him with no first aid kit or cell phone with which to call for help? “Answer me please!”

Silence, nothing but the overwhelming silence form the passenger’s seat...

“SORA!” I let out a broken sob, reaching across the car to pull him backward away from the dashboard. Sora’s eyes were closed, his face screwed up as hot tears ran down him face and neck. I unhooked his seatbelt and pulled him into my lap shaking him slightly in my panic. “Sora, please say something! Oh God, please let him be alright!”

“I’m fine Riku.” Sora sobbed warily, gradually opening his eyes to look up at me dejectedly. He looked so miserable!

“Why didn’t you answer me before then?” I asked, worried he might be lieing to me about being alright. It was the sort of foolhardy thing Sora would do, saying he was fine when he wasn’t really fine at all.

“I couldn’t speak. My voice wouldn’t work I just stopped breathing for a moment because I thought you might have gotten hurt.” Sora sobbed. He suddenly wrapped his arms around my neck pulling me closer to him. “If anything happened to you it would have been my fault! Oh Riku, I’m so sorry!”

“What are you talking about, how is any of this your fault?” I asked. I wasn’t about to place blame with Sora or anyone else for that matter. It was just one of those freak accidents. No one plan what they do in the spur of the moment, you just act on impulse. Sora had done what he did to save us. Who cares who did what as long as everyone was okay anyways?

“I grabbed you and then I grabbed the wheel! I could have killed us both!” Sora sobbed again, tears falling down his face. “I could have killed YOU! I would never have been able to forgive myself!”

“I’m fine Sora and so are you, no need to feel bad.” I cooed, stroking his hair as I held him tightly. “Please don’t cry Sora, no hard feelings. Everyone’s fine, you’re fine, I’m fine, the car’s fine. My baby’s no mad at you, she’s ready to put some more miles behind us. What do you say?”

“So you’re not mad then?” Sora asked apprehensively sounding timid.

“Why would I be mad?” I joked, pushing him back into his own seat. After a slight paused between the both of us, I picked Sora up and literally threw him in the backseat instead reaching back to tie him down with the seatbelt so he couldn’t go flying around and run into the dashboard again. Just because nothing happened doesn’t mean nothing could happen. Better safe than sorry in my opinion. “Just sit in the backseat from now on just to be safe, okay? Next time we might not be as lucky.”

“Thanks for understanding Riku.” Sora said softly as he dried his tears with the sleeve of his jean jacket. Middle of the hottest summer I’d ever lived through and this guy’s in a jean jacket... but then again I was in a long-sleeved black bulky Panic! At The Disco hoodie so I have no room to talk.

(A/N: Yay, I adore Panic! At The Disco so much! I’m sticking lots of things I love into this story huh? Hope you don’t mind)

“So are we still going to the park then or would you rather go someplace else?” I asked Sora as I carefully pulled back onto the highway. Thankfully no cars were coming so no crashing sound effects necessary.

“I guess so Riku, I don’t care anymore.” Sora whispered back. Looking in the mirror I say Sora was sitting in the backseat staring down at his hands in his lap in pain, clearly suffering inside. I’d seen that look before - it was the look we’d all had when Dad walked out on all of us because of me...

“Sora, is something else wrong other than us almost crashing and causing the car to explode us into a million tiny pieces?” I asked him, banishing the thoughts of my former father from by brain in order to make room for Sora’s problems whatever they were. “I’m here if you need to talk about something, no matter what it is. I care about you Sora.”

“I know you do Riku, I know how much you care about me and I appreciate it more than you could ever know Riku.” Sora smiled weakly up at me. “I just don’t want to burden you with it, that’s all. That’s why I can’t tell you what it is exactly that’s bothering me.”

“Go on, burden me all you want. What else do you think these muscles are for besides carrying baggage?” I joked lightly. Sora laughed for real and I smiled to myself. He was perking back up, good.

“It’s just, well -” Sora started slowly. It was silent for a few minutes and was beginning to think he wasn’t going to tell me when he finally left the cat out of the bag. Actually it more like a savage hungry mountain lion than a kitten. Even if I hate both being allergic to cats either way. Kittens really suck ass. Sorry if you like those annoying little fuzz-balls, but I really don’t. End. Of. Story. “Roxas doesn’t know about what happened between me and Axel! There, now you know.”

“Are you serious Sora, that’s what has been bothering you all this time?” I asked confused and a bit disappointed – I had expected something a bit more exciting than that after all the hesitation. Big deal, so Blondie didn’t know his steroid induced human being of a boy toy has had a one night fling with my boyfriend, so what? Or who Roxas be angry with Sora and Axel if he found out unlike me? “Why does it worry you so much that Roxas might find out?’

“Well Riku um, what’s the best way to put this? Okay um, Roxas is big on the whole commitment thing and that when you’re ‘with’ someone everyone else is automatically off limits.” Sora explained. “Roxas is real uptight about it.”

“So, what does that have to do with you and the whole Axel thing?” I asked feeling more than a little stupid for having to make him spell it out for me. This wasn’t making any sense to me at all. Do people around think things through differently than we do back in California? Or am I the one who thinks differently about everything? It’s probably me knowing my luck.

“Oh Riku, don’t you get it? Do I seriously have to say it out loud for you to understand?” Sora groaned, grabbing his hair in his hands in frustration. I nodded feeling stupider than I already did – which was pretty stupid. “Oh God, Riku. AXEL AND ROXAS WERE SORT OF ALREADY TOGETHER AT THE TIME WHEN AXEL GOT ME DRUNK AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF! THEY WERE DATING WHEN IT HAPPENED!”

“What!” I choked. Oh shit, NOW I get it!

“When I started dating Namine they started dating about two weeks later.” Sora explained. “You have no idea how much I hate myself for what happened Riku! And if Axel finally got Roxas to do it with him at the barn that day they ran into us then... God, that only makes me feel worse!”

“Sora, calm down.” I said as evenly as I could. My hands were shaking on the steering wheel I noticed bitterly. Keeping myself calm was hard enough, how could I expect Sora going to stay calm? “Let’s just think this out.”

“You wanna help me out with this then Riku?” Sora asked, unbelieving of what he was hearing. This guy obviously didn’t know me too well.

“Of course I want to help you Sora, I love you.” I laughed, putting the car into park in one of the empty parking spaces in front the gates of the park. I unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car shoving the seat forwards so Sora could clamber out onto the asphalt.

“We’ll get you through this - together. I’m here to help you Sora, it’s one of my boyfriend duties to you, you know? I’m here for you my love. Between the two of us we can whip up a wicked good surefire plan I’m sure of it!”

“Thank you for being there for me Riku and for just being you.” Sora sighed, hugging me. See, hugging is fine... when you aren’t driving anyways. Driving – no hugs, not driving – hugs are perfectly fine and uneventful. Just the way a hug should be, leaving you feeling loved instead of swerving a car for dear life.

We set off through the gates of the park hand in hand, not caring what anybody thought of us. We both stayed silent until we reached an empty bench and had sat down, Sora resting his head on my shoulder as we continued to hold hands. A large pink butterfly flew by us, flittering and dancing n the wind. I don’t know why, but it gave me hope. What I was gonna do with that hope I have no idea, but it felt nice to have hope for once. Even if I didn’t know what to do with it or why a butterfly had given it to me.

“So Sora, I think you should talk with Axel about this if it upsets you this bad.” I said slowly. Sora pulled away looking at me like I was crazy just like I thought he would. “Really Sora, you guys need to work this out. You, me, Axel, and Roxas all need to sit down and talk this out. Roxas has a right to know just like I know and I’ll be there for moral support, okay? We could all meet up at that party barn of yours or something like that and chat.”

“Riku, are you insane?” Sora croaked his voice cracking. Don’t laugh, don’t laugh... it’s funny as hell but don’t laugh at it... don’t laugh at him… don’t laugh until invisible milk comes out your nose and your head pops off like you’re thinking about doing... “Just come out and tell them, tell Roxas and remind Axel about it? Roxas would be so crushed if I told!”

“How would you feel if say… if hypothetically Roxas did something like that with me? Wouldn’t you want him to tell you about it?” I asked him, trying to make a point. But only to make my point clear to Sora and his thick skull, nothing else meant by it. I know what some of you are thinking but… DISGUSTING! The thought of me and Roxas was well... not a pleasant one for me. He may look a little like my Sora, but he just wasn’t Sora – Sora’s personality and cute little habits were what made me love him and no one else had Sora’s personality or could ever come close. “Wouldn’t you want to know about it? Please say yes or I’m gonna be a little worried about our relationship, let me tell you.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” Sora sighed – before punching me roughly in the arm. At least Sora has no muscle or it might have upset me… or actually have hurt me a tad more than it did. “You are under no circumstances to ever be doing THAT with Roxas OR Axel... or anyone else for that matter other than me, understand?”

“Why would I want anyone else when I’ve got you?” I asked honestly, putting an arm around Sora’s shoulders.

“What if you got drunk?” Sora asked jealously. “What about then?”

“I don’t drink so that would never happen.” I laughed. Inquisitive little rat he can be at times. I just loved it when he gets that way, its so adorable! “Any other situations you wanna slip me in so I can slip back out Sora?”

“What if someone slipped alcohol or those date-rape pills into your drink and forced it down your throat?” Sora asked me. Persistent thing isn’t he? God I love him so much! And he actually cares about preserving our relationship and about my wellbeing too!

“Well, I might be in trouble then Sora, unless it was you who slipped it in and then I wouldn’t care.” I smiled nibbling lightly and playfully on his ear as he giggled.

“So are you ever gonna answer my question?” Sora asked me once again. I sighed and closed my eyes. He wasn’t going to stop until he got an answer was he? “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to Riku, I was just wondering.”

“Yeah, I was with one other person before I met you Sora. I lost it in the back of a car to Brandon, the blonde kid that was at my house last night. We only did it once and we never spoke about it after that night. Then he sort of moved away a few months later.” I finally told him uncertainly. It felt good to tell him and get it off my chest actually. Sora nodded and smiled saying something cheesy about it not being too hard to tell him and that it was proof that I trusted me that I told him the truth and all that stuff adults say. You know the lectures they give us all the time. Sora gave me some of THOSE lines. “What do you wanna do now that everything’s all good and settled Sora?”

“I don’t know Riku, all I know is I’m bored again! Wanna play basketball?” Sora asked. I frowned at him, slumping down on the bench until my chin touched my chest. “Oh yeah, you don’t do sports. Sorry, I forgot Riku.”

“Go on, you go ahead. I’ll sit and watch Sora I don’t mind.” I smiled at him... a big, bright, FAKE smile. I loved him too much to make him unhappy by being a wet blanket and rain on his little spiky haired parade. And then I saw Wakka’s bright orange head through the chain length fence around the basketball courts and panicked slightly. “Better yet, I’m gonna go walk around a bit on my own. Meet you back here in say... half an hour or so?”

“That’s great Riku, thanks! See you in half an hour then, bye!” Sora smiled, running towards the basketball courts to join one of the games that were being started. He fit right in with the jocks, Sora fit in with everyone – the lucky little shit. I wish I could do that, I wish I could fit right in with everyone like that without having to give up being me. I turned and walked down the path some more, not really knowing what to do for half an hour. As long as Sora was having fun with the jocks on the basketball courts I could always lie and say I’d had loads of fun at the park too. I didn’t want to ruin Sora’s wonderfully infecting happiness anymore than I had to, which I hoped I’d never really have to do intentionally. Walking down the path, I noticed just how pretty and wonderful it really was outside with all the blooming flowers and bushes and tall graceful trees looming over my head just like Sephiroth did. They all needed the sun to grow... maybe the sun WAS good for something after all. Not that I could ever like the sun, that evil colossal fireball it is up there in the universe so far away from us burning everything to oblivion that came in contact with it and giving pale people like me sunburn – not that anyone could ever be quite as pale as I was. But the sun wasn’t SO bad after all I guess if it helped all these pretty-nature-type-things grow so beautiful and tall.

“Hey Riku, is that you?” I turned around instinctively at the sound of my name. There was Fae standing in the middle of the path with her bike and... oh shit, you’ve got to be kidding me! Wakka the homophobic jerk, the guy I’d given up watching Sora play basketball and get all hot and sweaty and totally sexy to avoid! Is that Wakka with Fae? And they both had their bikes? Please tell me he’s not her mystery boyfriend. That would be terrible news for me. “Hey Riku this is my boyfriend, Wakka. Have you two met before?”

Figures as much, just my luck isn’t it? Of course Fae HAD to pick Wakka as her boyfriend. To quote an animated chicken we all know and love: ‘Oh snap.’

(A/N: Yes that was Chicken Little and yes, I don’t own that either! Onward!)

“YOU, IT’S YOU! I’m gonna kill you asshole!” Wakka yelled savagely, pointing a finger at me, raising his other fist. I bolted as quickly as I could, running down the path as fast as I could force myself to go, knowing that fist Wakka had held up was meant for my face. I could hear Wakka yelling and running after me but I knew he would never catch me at the pace I was going. I ran all the way to the other end of the park, until I was stopped by the fence which was impossible to jump or climb over. Most ten foot high fences are, you know? And again you don’t answer… why do I even bother asking you anything? Wait, that’s another question… damn it I can’t stop! Wakka and Fae caught up with me while I was figuring out what to do next. Those cheaters had used their bikes. Damn it all to hell! “Now you’re gonna pay fro what you did!”

Wakka walked forward toward me and I raised my own fists defensively, ready to fight him to the death – or at least until Wakka chickened out and ran away like a scared little girl. Nothing against girls meant by that last statement of mine, I’m just saying. But before we could throw any punches, Fae stepped in the way stopping when she was right between us in the center of the path. Wakka paused glumly as did I. Neither of us wanted to hurt Fae on accident if we missed landing a punch.

“Get out of the way Fae! This fag’s got it coming to him!” Wakka snapped trying to push her aside. Fae didn’t budge, but at Wakka attempting to push her aside she bristled slightly. That was the warning sign I knew from back home to just keep your mouth shut and let her do things her way until she calmed down and stopped ripping people’s heads off.

“No, you two are NOT GOING TO FIGHT!” Fae shouted, hands on her hips. I slouched and lowered my fists, starting to walk slyly away from them, but Fae caught me like she always did. I’m great at sneaking around, but Fae’s even better at it which means she can tell when someone’s sneaking around. “Get back here right now Riku! What’s going on between the two of you anyways? No one’s moving from this spot until I get some answers so start talking.”

“He turned my best friend gay! He turned Sora gay, and even though Sora says he was gay before Riku got here Sora never dated a guy until HE showed up!” Wakka snarled, pointing a fist at me. Fae and I laughed nearly falling over ourselves in our extreme happiness and hyper-ness.

“Riku doesn’t turn people gay Wakka, he just has a knack for finding gay people out even if they’re hiding it from everyone they know and love.” Fae said bouncily and bubbly if that word can really be used to describe people. I groaned this wasn’t helping me at all. “Take my younger brother Brandon for example. Riku’s the one who brought him out of the closet about being gay. Brandon had been hiding it for years apparently before he ever met Riku or so he told me once he finally admitted to it anyways.”

“Your brother Brandon is gay?” Wakka asked and Fae nodded. I was laughing inside my head. This was all a bit of great fun for me. Wakka’s face was turning all different colors – from a deep crimson red, to shocking pink, to a pale white, to blood red again. I was totally loving every minute of this Wakka-is-so-uncomfortable-and-I-think-it’s-hilarious-moment!

“Can I go now Fae? I gotta go back to meet Sora at our bench.” I told Fae, begging her to understand. She looked me over for a second and then nodded, holding onto Wakka’s arm as I passed so he couldn’t hit me when my back was turned. Why did so many people here want to punch me in the face? I hated this place sometimes!

Walking down the path I had just run down I felt rather depressed. There was no way I was going to make it back to Sora in time, I was tired from all that running, half of this town’s inhabitants wanted to punch my light’s out, the run in with Wakka had pissed me off, and the sun was beginning to poke through the leaves of the trees ahead. Kicking a stone in the path ahead of me, not paying attention much, that was what I was having the immense pleasure of doing as I walked back to where Sora would be waiting.

“God, don’t stop! Please don’t stop!”

I stopped walking, listening. The voice had floated over to me from off the main path. That voice sounded oddly familiar...

“I loved the things you do to me!”

I followed the voices and the moaned to the edge of the path and peeked through the tall grass there. Lying on the grass was... God it’s weird to say this. Sephiroth lying there with his shirt off on top of a moaning and groaning Brandon. Why was it my brother’s were always attracted to the guys that ruined my life?

()()()()()Page break! Haven’t got to do type of these page break type things in such a long things while! YAY!

Okay, hope you like it. I wrote this and three other chapters to various stories of mine while I was grounded off the internet to dull the pain of no Fanfiction or internet.

By the way, thanks to my dear friend Jeremy for the ‘if you know what I mean’ comment Sephy makes to Riku and Sora... he says that all the time... that and ‘that’s what SHE said.’ Lol He’s a source of hilarious quotes and phrases I sometimes use in my stories – mainly this one. He deserves the credit for telling them to me, I just know where in the story they’d be funny and all that jazz. The movie Chicago... ALL THAT JAZZ! Sorry the hyper-ness taking me over again, it controls me at times.

Tell me what you think, if you found all the author’s notes annoying, whether or not Brandon and Sephiroth make a good couple... if you liked the beginning of the chapter or not... hee he anything you wanna talk about really. Just PLEASE review on this chapter! Kisses and hugs and cookies to anyone who reviews! You can choose what you want. Yes, the kisses are from me but if the review’s real good it might be from one of the characters..’ like Leon or Cloud, or Sephy... or Brandon if I can get him to agree to it... and maybe even Sora and Riku if they’re not too busy... Just tell me which present you want in the review.

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On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- Chap 10

Chapter 10

I stood transfixed by the extremely disturbing sight of my oldest brother making out with my ex-lover… if that’s what Brandon used to be to me, I wasn’t really sure what to call what he was to me back then when we always ran the risk of getting caught together shirtless and sweaty making out in the back of Brandon’s sports car during the halftimes at Sephiroth’s many basketball games and other such annoying sporting events my friends drug me to for the sake of my ‘social life’. I suppose I did care about Brandon’s feelings and wellbeing a little but we never really officially dated or were considered official boyfriends – we just liked to fool around and make out in the back of his car a great deal of our high school career in California. It was really weird and slightly sickening to see my older brother kissing the person I had lost it to if you know what I mean by that – and if you don’t know what I mean then where have you been mentally this whole time I’ve been talking to you? Are any of you even listening to me or just politely pretending to listen to me? Never mind, it doesn’t matter. To briefly recap on what I was talking about before I got off subject, the situation before me was downright awkward.

No surprises therefore when I gasped rather loudly and unexpectedly, alerting the two of them to my presence where I stood on the path beside them – before turning and sprinting up the path away from them that is.

“RIKU!” I heard Sephiroth calling after me as I ran as fast as I could away from the two messed up lovers still lying together on the side of the path. “Wait Riku, come back! I can explain this to you, I swear I can explain! Please don’t be this way, don’t hate me for what I’ve done! I didn’t mean to hurt you, please come back!”

Let’s get one thing straight real quick before I move on – I don’t hate Sephiroth or Brandon for making out on the side of the path together where little kids could see before then turning to ask their scandalized parents if two boys were really ‘allowed’ to kiss each other like that or was that ‘no allowed’. It was just disgusting, confusing, insanely weird, more than a little awkward, and a situation I felt I needed to get myself out of as quickly as possible. I wasn’t jealous; I knew I had something better. A cute little spiky haired sexy something with a hot ass named Sora who was waiting for me at our bench even as I thought about him and what I had just witnessed happening in the bushes. It was obvious to me what Brandon was trying do; I had learned all the rules of this game from the two people who knew how it play the game best after all. Sephiroth and Cloud were the two best players in the universe when it came to the game of vengeful payback and demonic revenge – except for maybe me of course; I’m good at that game to. Too bad it’s not an Olympic sport, if it was my Dad would have finally had a reason to be proud of me like he was with the athletic Sephiroth and Cloud…

I finally reached the bench from half an hour before, slowing my pace just enough to not crash into it. Sora hadn’t come back yet, or at least he wasn’t on the bench or anywhere around it that I could see anyway.

“Huh, Sora’s not here yet.” I commented to no one in particular. Sitting down on the bench with my arms behind my head I breathed deeply trying to steady my heartbeat. I had so much to tell Sora when he got back. Life here sure was eventful, or maybe it was just my life and the people’s lives that came in contact with me. “Geez, what’s taking Sora so damn long?”

“Pssss! Riku, over here!”

I looked up gazing around hesitantly for the source of the voice. Standing up I walked over to the round metal trashcan standing over by the chain length fence I had saw Wakka through earlier. A mass of soft brown spikes was protruding from one side and crouching down I found Sora hiding between the garbage receptacle and a large bush looking frightened and anxious. Reaching out a hand I placed it gently on the side of his face to calm him as I leaned closer to whisper to him. He seemed so timid and nervous, I figured he would want me to be quiet so no one would hear us talking or see him.

“Sora, what the hell is going on?” I asked him in hushed tones. “Sora my dear, care to explain to me why you’re hiding behind a smelly trashcan?”

“Look who just showed up to play a little basketball.” Sora whispered back in a horse voice, terrified and trembling beneath my hand. I craned my neck to look up over the bush and saw… wait a second, is that CLOUD! Damn it, what was with my brother’s today? Must they ruin my day like this by randomly showing up to embarrass me? What did I do to them other than the usual childish pranks and selfish jerkishness?

“It’s only Cloud, what’s wrong with him Sora?” I asked, looking back down at Sora’s pale face. By the way, a pale Sora is an unhappy and scared Sora. Not a good look for him, believe me. “Why are you so scared of Cloud all the sudden?”

“It’s not Cloud, it’s who’s here WITH Cloud, or did you not see him?” Sora asked quietly. I shook my head and he sighed, silently telling me to take another look. Stretching my neck as far as I could I saw what had scared Sora witless like this.

Leon.

“Oh, Leon’s over there too I see. Well we really are in a pickle aren’t we?” I chuckled softly to keep Sora calm while frantically thinking of a way I could sneak Sora and myself back to my car without Leon seeing either of us, which is a lot harder that it sounds in the middle of a park with no resources. “Look, we need to get you out of here before he sees you. We can’t hide in the bushes all day like this.”

“I figured that one out for myself actually Riku.” Sora said sarcastically. “A dog already came by and tried to pee on my leg. I am so not a fire hydrant!”

“I don’t know Sora…” I said, earning me a disapproving and painful poke in the ribs from my highly offended boyfriend. “Just kidding you Sora. Even if you did, you’d be MY fire hydrant and no one else’s to pee on thank you. Not that I’d pee on you, that’d just be gross. Okay enough of this conversation, I gotta come up with a plan to save our asses from getting kicked.”

“Think of anything yet Riku?” Sora asked five seconds later.

“No, give me some time Sora, good evil plans only come to those who wait patiently for them to arrive. Now shush!” I snapped at him, pushing him a little farther into the bushes. “Wait, I got it! Thanks a bunch Sora.”

“No problem Riku! Um, what did I do again?” Sora asked innocently curious. I smiled at him and whispered the plan in his ear. Far from reassuring him, it made him even more nervous than he already was if that was possible. “What kind of stupid plan is that Riku?”

“Well you inspired the idea Sora, you tell me.” I countered causing him to fall silent. Sora looked like he was about to faint or something all dramatic like that. “It’ll work, I’m sure of it Sora don’t worry so much.”

“I don’t like it though.” Sora whimpered sadly taking my hand in his to squeeze it lightly. “You’re putting yourself at risk for me and I don’t like it. I’m always causing you so many problems Riku!”

“What problems have you caused me Sora?” I asked, hoping he couldn’t come up with anything. His self esteem was terrible and I really needed to help him with that if only so he was the happy one again. When it looks like I’m the happier of the two of us there’s a major problem. “Go on then, if there are so many problems name them for me.”

“Us getting caught at the party crawling our way out of the supposedly library by my malevolent excuse of an older brother, you getting beat up by that same brother of mine because you hung out with me and took me home when I fell asleep in your car, Wakka hating you with a passion and yelling at you at the movie theater in front of all our other friends who were fine with us being ‘together’, forcing you to leave your own house when you found Leon and Cloud together, taking you to that horribly sunny beach where giggling Barbie-like girls forced you to surf, and the recent car accident. I bet if I really thought about it I could think of more things I’ve done actually.” Sora said in a rush, making me feel absolutely terrible inside. “I’m just so useless and always in the way! I wish I didn’t exist sometimes.”

“Sora, please don’t put yourself down like that. Please cheer up and be happy again like you used to be when I first met you.” I said in a voice strangled by my bitter tears. I was crying again, great! I couldn’t help myself, I felt so miserable now that I knew how Sora really felt about himself. I didn’t want him to fell this way about himself. Feelings like this could really mess with a person’s head, I should know – it was exactly how I felt about myself before I moved here and met him. I didn’t want Sora to be like I had been when I hit the cold rock bottom of life. Ah, la vie can be such a cruel master at times!

(A/N: La vie is the French word for life! Just an FYI for you all in case you were confused as to what I meant. Tootles, back to the story now!)

“Why not Riku?” Sora whimpered and weakly sniveled softly into his hands, fat tears leaking between his fingers to fall onto the cool dirty grass. “What reason do I have to be happy?”

“You have a lot of reasons be happy Sora. What about all your friends and your Mother?” I asked sadly. Why was Sora talking like this? Was it just an off day for him or was something really going on? One more important question was haunting me, and I had to know the answer for my own good and to retain some of my rapidly slipping sanity. “What about me?”

“What do you mean Riku?” Sora asked me blankly. “What do you mean ‘what about me’?”

“Aren’t I a good reason to be happy Sora? Aren’t I good enough for you?” I asked him. I needed to hear him say I was good enough for him. I needed to hear him say I mattered to him and that he cared. I knew in my heart that it was true but I needed to hear it coming from his mouth right now. “I was miserable before I met you Sora, but you saved me.”

“You’re more than good enough, you’re absolutely perfect.” Sora said wrapping his limp arms around my waist. “Fine Riku, have it your way then. I’ll go along with the plan but just remember I don’t like this plan at all.”

“Fine with me Sora, its fine just as long as this works anyways. If it doesn’t work I’m blaming you for being negative! Time to put the plan into action Leon just went into the bathroom to change into his sports gear. As soon as you hear me give the signal run to the car and I’ll come as soon as I can get away, alright?” I reworded the important part of the plan back to Sora to make sure he understood. He nodded and I kissed him on the forehead lightly, standing up and walking out onto the basketball courts. I know it’s an impossibly dorky thing to say but it was the first time I hade ever been on a basketball court besides sitting up in the bleachers cheering on Sephiroth and the other mindless jocks as they chased around after the bright orange sphere as it bounced around the shiny hardwood floor for a little over an hour at a time. And my family seriously wonders why I can’t get into sports... “Wish me luck Sora!”

“Damn it Riku, you’re gonna need a lot more than luck to pull this off!” Sora hissed back as I walked until I was right up behind Cloud before putting my hands over his eyes and shouting ‘GUESS WHO!’ That was the signal for Sora to run. I head him running off up the path as Cloud attempted to fling my hands off his face top avail.

“Ah, what the!” Cloud gasped. Grabbing my hands and pulling them away from his eyes be spun me around until I was right in front of his face. He smiled widely. “Man little bro, don’t do that to me. You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

“What’s going on Cloud, are you alright? I heard you yell from inside the bathroom.” Leon said as he reappeared from the bathroom doors to find Cloud and I wrestling in the center of the court playfully. “What the hell is HE doing here?”

“Oh, you know my lil’ bro then Leon?” Cloud asked surprised, letting me go so I toppled onto the ground in a heap. I frowned up at him and he apologized quickly scratching the back of his head guiltily helping me up. “I didn’t know you knew Riku yet Leon. Cool that saves me from setting up the introduction!”

Leon glared over at me stoically, trying to work things out for himself in his large and sinister brain no doubt. Maybe he realized I hadn’t told my brothers that he was the one who had beaten me so cruelly or maybe it was just a trick of my imagination, but all the sudden Leon looked like he had finally seen the light for the first time as he held out a hand for me to shake. I took it tentatively in case he just wanted to break my fingers but it wasn’t like that at all, it was a normal friendly handshake. Leon smiled down at me warmly and from that moment we were cool, our past differences set aside and everything was right in the world again. Well, not everything exactly. Like I still needed to figure out the whole Sephiroth-Brandon-thing… and I wanted to know why crackers had those little useless holes in them but that was a totally different priority list.

“So Riku, have you seen Sora lately?” Leon asked me coolly, his arms around my shoulders. “You know, I always liked the idea of you two hanging out, you seem so cute together don’t they Cloud?”

“Oh yeah, those two are really adorable together Leon!” Cloud giggled girlishly, obviously remembering this morning’s high jinx and the Kodak moment joke from Sephiroth. I mimed hurriedly behind Leon’s back to shut up and not say anymore about it and thankfully Cloud understood. He let it drop and went back to playing basketball with Leon as I walked alone back out to my car. Sora was sitting in the passenger seat looking immensely worried like he hadn’t expected me to return. As soon as I sat down and closed the door he pounced on me kissing me hard and pushing me back against the soft interior of the seat. When he pulled away he smiled gracefully down on me showing his teeth.

“I owe you one Riku. You saved my life back there!” Sora smiled climbing into the backseat where I had banished him fro nearly causing a car accident and losing me my donut. The thought of my wonderful powered chocolate filled donut being run over was almost too much for me to bear! “So what happened?”

I told Sora all that had happened. He just sat there and gaped at me as I drove us back to my house, remaining silent after the story was over until we had safely pulled into my driveway.

“So you two are okay with each other now?” Sora asked, just to make sure it seemed from the tone of his voice that he had heard me correctly. I smiled brightly at him and nodded as I jumped out of the car. “Great, no more fights! Only one thing stinks about this.”

“And what’s that?” I asked. As far as I could tell everything was perfect about Leon and me getting along at last and finding a way to be civil with each other.

“I didn’t get to watch him figure things out and realize he was wrong.” Sora sighed as her rushed inside the front door. I smiled and ran after him, tossing m car keys on the counter as I went and grabbing him from behind IN the behind in fact. He squealed like a little mouse and ran into the dimly lit living room darting away from me around the cream colored couch where we held a furious cat-and-mouse game consisting of me chasing Sora in an attempt to shove him down onto the couch and make out with him like crazy until someone walked in and caught us at it. I finally won the game, besting Sora with my speed and climbing on top of Sora to straddle his waist as I kissed his neck hungrily leaving a mark there where I bit him. Sora moaned and arched his back against me, his fingers laced in my silver hair.

“And what do we have here?” Sora gasped and jerked under me trying to get away, a move than made us both go toppling to the floor as Sephiroth leered over the top of the couch at us. “Huh, that’s so cute.”

“What do you want now Sephiroth?” I asked him as I helped Sora up off the ground to sit him on the couch as I spoke to my brother.

“I just wanted to tell you I’m going out tonight. Got a scorching hot date at the coolest club in town.” Sephiroth whistled as he grabbed his coat and headed out the door. “That Brandon sure is a good kisser. Of course, you would know all about that wouldn’t you Riku?”

“Hold still would you?” Brandon giggled, swirling his tongue inside the shell of Riku’s ear, sucking on the lobe when he was satisfied with the little sobs of pleasure it drew out of the captive body beneath him. This was still before Brandon had managed to get Riku to concede to go all the way with him, but Brandon was hurriedly trying to make his would-be lover unafraid of what he hoped he would soon be allowed to do finally after all his patient waiting. “Hee he, easy to excite you huh”?

“Oh my God, where did you learn to do that Brandon? That’s just… I don’t even have words to describe it.” Riku asked, his voice rather tight as he moaned in pleasure. Taking the opportunity fate presented him with, Brandon stuck his tongue inside Riku’s mouth to twisting it around Riku’s to pull it into his own mouth to suck on it. Riku jerked and pulled back, panting.

“What’s the matter Riku, didn’t you like it?” Brandon asked twirling a lock of Riku’s long shinnying hair around his fingers. “Don’t you appreciate my amazingly superior kissing skills Riku?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it Brandon, it’s just a bit intimidating that’s all.” Riku purred, snuggling against Brandon’s warm body. “I love it when you kiss me.”

“I do too.” Brandon smiled wrapping his arms around Riku as the looked up through the back window of Brandon’s car up at the full moon smiling above them.

And then he walked out the door, leaving me fuming to punch the wall angrily until Sora rushed over and pulled on my arm so I wouldn’t hurt myself. Or hurt the wall for that matter. Plopping myself down on the couch I slumped down into my seat until my chin hit my chest, my fists balled up at my sides as Sora gently set himself down next to me. That was another difference between Sora and myself: I was always thrown my body around regardless of the pain or consequences it would big upon me while Sora handled himself very put together to make sure he didn’t do himself or anyone else bodily harm. Opposites really do attract, don’t they? Once again, no answer… I DO hear crickets in the back round however, you smart alecks! Who let the crickets read this? Noisy bugs…

“I’m sorry about Sephiroth. He’s just being… Sephiroth. Simply himself at all times.” I said angrily, an arm around Sora’s thin waist. “He didn’t mean it like he said it, I mean he doesn’t want to upset you.”

“Don’t worry, it didn’t hurt my feelings or anything like that Riku, chill out would you?” Sora joked cuffing me about the ears. I fought back through fits of laughter, my fingers dancing around his waist and hips tickling him as I pushed him back against the cushions of the couch. “Stop it Riku, I give up, I give up!”

“You’re way to easy Sora.” I laughed, my lips gently caressing his forehead as my hand worked its way inside his shirt. “So what do we do now? I wanna have a little fun.”

“Well Riku, I –“ Sora started but he was cut off from a sound that went off from inside Sora’s pants, the instrumental version of ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by The Verv without the words. Even without the words the song was unmistakable to me – the complete music junkie I am today. “Oh, that’s my cell phone, hold that thought Riku! Let’s see who it is… oh shit!”

Bittersweet symphony played melodramatically in the back round as he groaned, his face in his hands.

“Who is it Sora?” I asked, thought I had a pretty good idea who it might be already without him having to tell me. Only one person could make Sora this jumpy, especially now that Leon and I had gotten over our little tiff.

Bittersweet Symphony started playing over for the second time as Sora looked up at me sadly.

“It’s Axel.” Sora moaned slipping of the couch to sit on the floor. “What do I do Riku? What would you do if it was you?”

The song started up for the third and final time.

“Well I’d answer my phone.” I smiled, answering the phone for him and putting it up to my ear. Sora flipped out, diving at my head in order to tear the phone away from me as I laughed. Thinking quickly, I flipped him onto his back and sat on him to keep him still. “Hello? Oh hey there Axel, what’s up?”

“Nothing’ much Riku my dear. Is Sora around, I wanted to know if he wanted to hang out with my Roxie and me. You’re welcome to come too Riku.” Axel rasped through the phone loud enough for the captive Sora to hear. As Sora went to talk a placed a pale hand over his mouth to stop him and he licked the palm of my hand. Big deal, he licked my neck all the time.

“Sora’s a bit tied up at the moment, he’s in the bathroom. I’m sure he would LOVE to hang out though Axel, where do you two wanna go?” I smiled down at Sora’s struggling form.

“Oh, how about the local Starbucks? Roxie and I practically live there anyways, you know?” Axel giggled, sending more static into my ear causing me to wince. “See Sora and you there in half an hour then, Sora can give you directions to get you there okay, bye!”

“Hey Sora, you know how to get to the local Starbucks right?” I smiled at him as I stood up, releasing the pressure I had placed on him. “We’re meeting Axel and Roxas there in half an hour so hurry up, okay?”

“Riku, you are such an asshole!” Sora shouted, his hands balling into fists as he punched me in the shoulder. I took a frightened step back, worried by Sora’ violence. He’d never lashed out at me like this before. “I don’t wanna meet with them, I’m not ready to do this yet.”

“I’ll be there with you Sora, don’t worry.” I said soothingly, pulling him against my chest to comfort him. “Please Sora, do this for me and I’ll never ask anything from you ever again.”

“I’ll go, but I won’t like it!” Sora sighed heading for the door.

“You say that a lot you know?” I smiled at the back of his head as I grabbed my discarded car keys off the counter. “Well how do we get there?”

()()()()()()()Page break! Aw, the line ruler things are working for me again... I like my pagebreaks better! Lol

This isn’t the end of this story, don’t worry! I got lots more planned for Sora and Riku! Another chapter or two should do it so don’t get too comfy in your computer chairs. Review please!

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On Moving, Friends, and Makingout- Chap 11- Final Chapter!!

Chapter 11

“God, it took you guys long enough to get here! Where’d you come from, Sweden? Roxie here was just about to walk out of here and let you guys show up and no one be here to meet you!” Axel called loudly through the crowded coffee shop, smiling as Sora and I made our way slowly across the room to their table with our tall steaming Styrofoam cups – a white chocolate mocha cappuccino for me and a caramel macchiato for soon-to-be-hyper Sora. There goes all my money… wave goodbye to it before it disappears into the sunset on a white horse like in those cheesy movies… except money doesn’t ride horses usually, it gets locked in a cold metal box called a cash register instead. Oh well, Sora was well worth it. “You know where ever Roxie goes I go too, so be glad you got here when you did!”

“Oh we’re just so glad Axel, really glad believe me.” Sora said sighing obviously and sarcastically enough for a deaf and blind person to know what was going on but no one except me noticed how odd he was acting. Of course it would go right over Axel’s thick head, but I figured Roxas would have noticed at least. Roxas however was too wrapped up in his coffee and checking out his own boyfriend to notice anything suspicious going on. I elbowed Sora hard in the ribs and almost caused him to drop his drink, which wouldn’t be a good idea. This particular Starbucks just so happened to be where Aerith worked as I had just found out when she turned around and smiled prettily from behind the Starbucks’ counter and took the last of my reserve of cash to spend like a lunatic for Sora’s coffee and mine.

She had seemed strangely happy to see me for some reason and it had confused me immensely at first – until she had started talking to me of course. ALL SHE TALKED ABOUT OR WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS MY OLDER BROTHER CLOUD! She wanted to know how Cloud was doing and if he missed her as much as she missed him and all that sentimental mumbo-jumbo. I had to let her down gently explaining that Cloud was seeing someone else now – without mentioning the fact that it was Sora’s older brother because she seemed rather depressed by the idea of Cloud seeing someone other than her. She said she understood it after refusing to kiss him even if she didn’t like it. At least she wasn’t suffering under the delusion that Cloud was willing to wait around forever for her to be ready to love him anymore. Poor girl, poor pitiful little loveless Aerith in her pink dress and a matching pink bow in her hair long brown hair that looked like it was attacking her head.

Back to the present before I start snoring over old news and my memories come back to haunt me again. Cloud was so over Aerith and she would just have to get over him even if it took her that ‘forever’ she was planning on making HIM wait through before she was ready for a relationship with him. Obviously her plans had all fallen through to crash and burn. And I’m guessing it was a pretty big explosion by the depressed look she gave me before I took our coffees from her.

“So what’s up guys?” Roxas asked as he plopped himself down in Axel’s lap to twirl a bit of his boyfriend’s flaming hair around his finger as he sipped the drink held in his other hand. “I haven’t seen you in forever Sora, and this is I believe the second or third time I’ve seen you Riku. My wonderful track record of keeping up with my friends I know is abysmal, but when you have a sexy boyfriend like Axel you don’t have much time for anything else really.”

“What other things would you need besides me?” Axel smiled down on Roxas as he kissed his neck softly as Roxas giggled in delight just like Sora did when I kissed his neck. Beside me, Sora squirmed uncomfortably in his chair. “Hey Sora is something wrong? You look a little upset.”

“Yeah Axel, something is wrong.” Sora sighed realizing it was time to give in, let the cat out of the bag, tell Roxas everything and make his peace with his restlessly guilty conscious. “Axel, do you remember that one thing you made me swear never to tell anyone about or else you’d get your lighter out and catch my pants on fire?”

“Um…” Axel stuttered looking stricken. He remembered all right, he MUST have by the way his face was changing under my unforgiving steady glare. His cheeks turned the same shade of blood red as his hair as he gave Sora a rather nasty look and continued. “Why bring it up unless you really want your pants caught on fire – among other things if you catch my drift Sora.”

“What are you guys talking about Axel?” Roxas asked extremely confused by the friction occurring between his boy toy and my brave little spiky haired Sora. “Don’t I know? How come Sora gets to know and I don’t?”

“That’s why we’re here Roxas.” I said suddenly reminding them I was there too seeing as they all seemed to have forgotten I was there listening in on their conversations.

“What do you mean that’s why you two are here?” Axel asked sounding extremely worried. I smiled widely at him making him even more suspicious – at least that’s what I gathered from the look he gave me. “What do you mean that’s why you’re here? Someone explain what’s going on to me.”

“Roxas, I’ve been hiding something from you.” Sora said reaching across the table to take Roxas’ hand in his own in a friendly way to show he cared. Roxas looked perplexed but didn’t say anything for once. Roxas just nodded solemnly from across the table and kept his mouth shut tight so Sora could continue. “And I think it’s time I told you the truth, time that WE told you the truth. You deserve to know what happened.”

“Who’s the ‘we’ Sora, do you mean you and Riku?” Roxas asked uncertainly looking from Sora’s face, to mine and then at Axel’s – which by the expression written on it Axel might have been repressing the urge to vomit all over the table and everyone seated around it.

“Roxas I know you probably won’t like to hear it but please try and listen to Sora, okay? Sora’s doing this because he cares about you as a friend, so don’t be too hard on him.” I prompted him urgently before Sora could tell him anything of actual importance. Anything I could do to help Sora get through this without actually doing it for him or punching Axel in his smug face like my fist was urging to do because of the nasty looks Axel kept throwing at Sora.

“Um, okay Riku. Sora’s my friend so it can’t be too terrible.” Roxas smiled at Sora who didn’t return it but instead looked at the floor sorrowfully. “What do you have to tell me Sora?”

“Do you remember the night when Namine told me about Leon and her and broke it off with me so I called Axel to come pick me up?” Sora asked hesitantly and Roxas nodded looking more confused than he already did. That night must not have been something they often talked about. “Well that night, Axel and I sort of –“

“Stop Sora, just shut up already because Roxas doesn’t need to hear this right now after we just became so much closer to each other recently. He’s perfectly happy not knowing about that one measly little night anyways!” Axel shouted almost overturning the table he stood up so quickly in his haste to end the conversation before any more could be said on the subject. He looked flustered and upset which made me wonder if Sora and I were doing the right thing by telling Roxas the truth. I thought he was going to cry. I sort of wanted Axel to cry, if he cried I had perfect rights to point at him and laugh cruelly while calling him a wimp.

“Roxas needs to know Axel; he’s bound to find out sooner or later anyways.” Sora sighed as he looked sadly up at Axel’s nervously twitching face.

“No he won’t, not if you keep your fat mouth shut you idiot!” Axel shouted again. I suddenly felt all my pity for Axel and the position we had put him in disappearing in that instant when he yelled at my Sora like that. That fucking cheater could go to hell for all I cared. All eyes were on us now, all the employees and customers staring at us like we were a mildly interesting television soap opera. “Unlike you I’m not dumb enough to tell him about it! What were you thinking you moron?”

“Hey Axel, stop picking on Sora for trying to do the right thing unlike you who thinks it’s the right thing to hide something like this from your own boyfriend.” I said from where I still sat gulping my drink hurriedly before Axel freaked out or completely lost his nerve and started smashing heads together and spilling drinks all over the polished wooden floor.

“I’ll pick on whoever I want to, you’re just as bad as he is you brownnoser!” Axel sputtered as he pointed a shaking finger at me. Axel was beginning to panic now, willing to place the blame off on anyone else but himself even though he knew this was his problem that he had caused on his own. “Sora, you are such a weak bitch, letting your conscious get the better of you, letting yourself become Riku’s bitch like this! I always knew you were just a weak little child! Namine was right to go after Leon instead of you, she knew what she wanted. She wanted a man, not a little bitchy whiney boy who couldn’t do anything for her but smiled and look stupid.”

Sora gasped as tears sprang up in his eyes at Axel’s comments. All it took was one look at Sora’s face and I lost it… and I completely snapped and let loose on Axel.

“Shut the hell up you psychotic asshole!” I yelled at Axel, standing up to glare at him as I banged my fist down on the table. He looked taken aback by my outburst but that wasn’t enough to stop me just yet. Striding around the table I went right up to Axel and punched him hard in the nose so blood spurted out all over the floor at his feet.

Not really. I wish I could have, but there were people watching us and if I threw the first punch the police would be all over me if someone called the cops to come break up the potential fight brewing between Axel and myself. Instead I contented myself by throwing insults back in forth with Axel across the table as Roxas looked between us confused and anxious. He still didn’t know what was going on, but what was worse was by now he understood one thing – he had been left out of the loop and big time.

“Asshole who has nothing better to do than ruin other people’s lives!”

“Underachieving jackass idiot gay-wad who doesn’t have two brain cells to rub together!”

“Whore with like a million different STD’s!”

“Oh yeah, like you can really talk you sex-crazed maniac!”

“Take that back right now God damn it!”

“THAT’S IT! BOTH OF YOU JUST SHUT THE HELL UP FOR A MOMENT SO I CAN TALK TO ROXAS GOD DAMN IT!” Sora shouted over Axel and my combined voices as we shouted various cuss words and vicious insults to walk right up to Roxas, place a hand on Roxas shoulder, looked him right in the eyes and said: “Roxas, when Namine broke up with me Axel took me back to his place, got me terribly drunk so that I wouldn’t be able to remember anything the next day and had sex with me. I’m sorry but he made me swear never to tell you or he’d catch my pants on fire with me still in them. Please forgive me Roxas; I didn’t want to do that at all.”

The whole restaurant went silent as a graveyard without the devilish little crickets. Or the ghosts with the clunky rusty chains that rattle in the wind when they walked the Earth in their after life. Roxas just looked at Sora, pulling away from him in disgust. But for once he didn’t look to Axel for comfort or protection. Instead he walked right up to Axel and smacked him across the face before grabbing his drink and storming out of the shop leaving Axel behind looking petrified by what had just happened to him.

“Sora, let’s go, you did what you came to do.” I said softly to him and he nodded sadly taking my hand, not looking at me as we left the shop together as he laced his fingers with mine. I stopped in the door and looked back on the chaos that we had helped create and then left for someone else to pick up. The Starbucks employees where trying to get things under control, the customers where attempting to go back to their brand name coffee buying and consuming without thinking about what had just happened, and then there was Axel. He was slumped back into his chair, his face in his hands.

He was crying, his shoulders shuddering as he sobbed into his trembling hands. I almost felt sorry for him, but then again he had brought this on himself after all. He deserved it, this pain was nothing compared to the pain Sora had felt from the guilt Axel had left him to deal with. Or Roxas… oh my God! I couldn’t even imagine the pain that poor guy must be feeling right now after how much he loved Axel just to find Axel had gotten his best friend drunk and basically raped him while he was dazed and confused.

“Riku, please help me.” Sora moaned into my ear softly right before his knees gave out on him and he started to fall to the ground slowly. I managed to catch him before he hit the ground but that didn’t stop the tears or the strangled sorrowful sounds. Sora was sobbing openly now that we had left the crowded Starbucks and he could cry as much as he wanted without as many people staring at him like he was a freak or something like that. I helped Sora stand back up and stung his arm around my shoulders to help him back to my car so I could take him someplace where we could be alone and he could calm down. And I had the perfect place in mind – the private party barn. “I feel so terrible for poor Roxas and how he must be feeling right now because of me. It’s my fault for not telling him sooner than this and in a less public place.”

“No Sora, it’s not your fault at all. It’s Axel’s fault for getting you drunk and then having his way with you like he did that night even though he had a boyfriend who adored him like he was the greatest thing since orange juice. It’s Axel’s fault for threatening to catch your pants on fire if you told anyone about what he did to you. It’s Axel’s fault for not telling his own boyfriend who he’s supposed to love that he had sex with one of their best friends.” I told Sora as I sat him down in the passenger seat of my car and pulled the seat belt over him seeing as he seemed unable to function properly at the moment. “Let’s not talk about it any more now Sora, there’s nothing else we can do about it. It’s done now and you never have to feel guilty about it again.”

“You’re right again Riku, you’re always right aren’t you?” Sora asked giggling a little to himself as he dried his tears on the back of his sleeve. I climbed into the car and smiled at him as I pulled out of the mall parking lot and drove for the countryside where Sora’s barn was situated. “Where are you kidnapping me to now Riku?”

“To the private party barn own by you of course Sora.” I said happily as I pulled up in front of the bright red barn we had once made out passionately in only to be caught by… never mind. I swore I wouldn’t think about them right now, this was to cheer Sora up not depress him even more by reminding him of the two people he had just cried over. “Let’s throw a party Sora, you and me and the party barn. All we need is a phone book and my cell phone, what do you say?”

“I don’t know Riku, no one’s ever been to the barn before and I don’t want it trashed or anything.” Sora said slowly. I could tell he liked the idea of a party to lift his spirits but without having to do the work – which I was willing to do for him of course. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t do it for him when he didn’t want to?

“What if I did all the cleaning up?” I prompted trying to make Sora give in and let me throw a party. “Just our closer friends, like Zell and Selphie and all them. Not just random people I look up out of the phonebook even though that does sound terribly fun. We can do that another time.”

“Then why do we need a phone book if it’s only our close friends that you’re inviting?” Sora asked slightly confused by the tone his voice had taken.

“I don’t know anyone’s phone number from around here yet, remember?” I sighed. Sometimes Sora could be so dense but that’s why he has me around all the time I suppose. I’m here for when he’s being too dense or acting ditz-ish-ly girly-like to do anything for himself that he has to do.

“Well I know everyone’s number’s Riku don’t worry about that. No need for a phonebook now I guess. We can just use me.” Sora smiled climbing out of the car to stand beside it looking down through the windshield at me with a look of gratitude for coming up with the party idea when he knew it was only to cheer him up. But that look soon turned to a look of extreme annoyance the longer I stared back at him until he finally singed and spelled out the problem for me. “Well come on if you wanna do this we need to get started or we’ll never get done in time for everyone to get here before it’s time from them to go home back where they belong.”

“Now we’re talking!” I grinned, climbing out of the car the easy way – through the open rolled down window using my upper body strength to pull myself up and out of the car just like on Dukes of Hazard. I had watched the old television shows a thousand times before and owned a copy of the movie they had made with superstars that included none other than Jessica Simpson… I must say I prefer Bo and Luke to Daisy but maybe that’s just me. “Well Sora you just tell me what needs to be done and I’ll do it. Let’s get this show on the road already! It’s party time – or it will be if we ever get this place ready anyway! But before that, do you wanna know something funny?"

"Of course I do, funny is my favorite past time." Sora said as we walked hand in hand to the barn. "What happened now?"

"I caught Sephiroth making out with someone at the park on my way back to meet you at the bench." I said leaving out all the details to torture him slowly until he burst out in rage and demanded I tell him the cuprit. "Fine, I'll tell you. My ex-boyfriend Brandon."

"Oh my God, that's funny!" Sora laughed slipping down to sit on the ground from laughing so hard. "Oh so funny! Ouch, my poor spleen, you've killed my spleen with your funny news development! Oh Riku how could you?"

"Hey, I'm just the messanger. I don't make the news I just deliver it thank you very much." I smiled as I helped him up off the ground. "Let's do this."

"Yeah!" Sora yelled enthusiastically jumping up and down as he opened the barn doors for me. "Let's get this party started!

()()()()()() Roughly an hour and a half later()()()()()()

“Great, see you then Yuffie my dove!” Sora practically sang into the speaker of my cell phone as he turned it off after making numerous calls over the last hour so that I didn’t even want to think about what Mom was going to say when she got the cell phone bill. I set everything up how Sora had asked – instructed me more like – to before he had gotten on the phone to invite everyone to the party while still managing to yell more instructions in between calls because he’s just that talented. “Everyone should be here in a few minutes Riku, is everything set up and ready to be reviewed for the grand opening of the party barn that hardly anyone knew about? It is ready yet right, because we don’t have much time left Riku.”

“Yeah it’s all ready for them to arrive and witness the grand revealing of its first party and such.” I smiled coming up behind him slowly so he wouldn’t notice me wrapping my arms around his waist and kiss his neck lightly. I didn’t pull away from my desirable pleasure-filled-for-both-of-us attack on Sora’s neck until we heard the knocking on the barn door that had just erupted from outside. Obviously our party guests were here and ready for the party to begin by the way they were attempting to break down the locked and bolted doors.

“I’m coming, keep your pants on please! I don’t want to see anything like that from any of you all thank you.” Sora shouted through the wood of the door as he wiggled his way out of my arms and over to the door to unlock it and let them come inside. Almost at once a swarm of people came spilling inside the barn door carrying everything from bags of chips, to bottles of pop, to each other in the case of Kairi who was being carried by wonderfully old-fashioned-romance-book-type-of-guy Hayner because she had twisted her ankle badly and he had refused to let her walk across the bumpy-rocky-uneven land from her car to the barn without being carried inside. Hayner, after he had set Kairi down gently inside the door with Pence and Olette right behind him following his lead immediately ran over to the stereo system and became the unofficial disk jockey for the night as Tidus’ older brother Zell and Selphie in all their adorable-couple-ness went and stood over by the punchbowl that Kairi had generously supplied for the event along with a gallon or so of her grandmother’s homemade sherbet-and-juice-like-stuff-punch. Kairi meanwhile was deep in conversation with a very hyper dancing-in-her-spot-so-she-could-talk-at-the-same-time Yuffie, a happy punch-drinking Tifa, and hyper-and-bitchy-looking-because-she-hadn’t-come-with-a-date Larxene as Kairi’s-bitch-of-a-sister-who-I-know-hadn’t-been-invited-but-Kairi-had-been-too-kind-to-leave-at-home-all-alone-because-she-wasn’t-wanted-around sat silently on one of the rungs of the ladder to the hay loft where Sora and I had once made out, drawing in her sketchbook yet again as she looked around at all the couples dancing in the center of the barn which had become the dance floor for the night. Currently the loft was occupied by the lesbian couple (if couples can contain three people anyways) consisting of Yuna, Paine, and Rikku though what they were actually doing up there was a mystery to me and everyone else. And no one would be checking on them any time soon by the look of things. Seifer, Rai, and Fuu had shown up uninvited and were messing with Demyx and Zexion who seemed rather unconcerned by the fact that they were getting bullied simply because they were too busy looking deeply into each other’s eyes and saying how much they loved one another to even hear what Seifer was saying to them.

“Hey Riku my dear wonderful little party-thrower you! Imagine seeing you here at the party you’re throwing with you boyfriend! Will we ever stop running into each other like this?” Fae called joyously as she flung an arm around my shoulders as she messed up my hair with the other making Sora snicker behind his hands at me. I had called Fae to invite her to the party because Sora was too nervous about having to listen to her hyper-active-ness about being invited to a party to call her himself. And he didn’t have Fae’s cell phone number like I did, not that I had called her phone once she had moved away.

“So how are things with your terrific boyfriend who wants to kill me, meaning Mr. Wakka of course?” I asked her expecting for her to start talking happily like she always did when someone prompted her about her current boyfriend. Fae always loved talking about her current love or relationships and she always would it. But not today apparently by the heartbroken and miserable look that slid on her face as I said Wakka’s name.

“Oh, I broke up with Wakka after he threatened you like that. I don’t want to be with someone who wants to kill my best buddy in whole wide world.” Fae explained as she gave me a gigantic hug around the middle that left me unable to breath. “Wakka won’t be coming so don’t worry about him showing up and ruining things.”

“How do you know he won’t show up?” Sora asked Fae. He seemed glad that Fae was here even if he had only met her once I could tell that Sora and he were going to be great friends.

“I made sure he wouldn’t show up by tying his hands together with my scarf and shoving him in the supply closet up at the park and locked the doors.” Fae smiled as she walked away calling back to us as she walked over onto the dance floor after Tidus at who’s back she pointed a long finger. “Anyways, the blonde hottie right there is so much better for me and HE can actually dance unlike Wakka who has two left feet. Wish me luck Riku!”

“Good luck with Tidus, Fae!” I laughed as Sora fell against me in a fit of giggles. “Sometimes I can’t believe her and the way she acts. She’s crazy, but in a good way you know? She’s always going after a guy.”

“Hey Riku, can I talk to you a second?” A voice behind me asked. I turned and was met face to face with Sephiroth. I nodded and followed him outside to his car where he finally stopped and turned back to me. “We need to talk Riku.”

“Talk about what Sephiroth?” I asked honestly not sure what this could be about.

“About what you saw at the park.” Sephiroth said uncomfortably. “Look, he kissed me first and I liked it so I kissed him back and things just got out of hand you know? I just really like him. Please don’t be mad at me.”

“I’m not mad Seph really I’m not. I never was mad about it, it just weird-ed me out a little so suddenly stumble across you two making out. You’re a pretty unlikely couple you know?” I explained feeling his tension melting away. “So where is he now?”

“Inside somewhere I think. He came with me but I don’t know where he went.” Sephiroth shrugged before smiling and holding out a hand to me. “Bros before hoes Riku and don’t you ever forget it!”

(A/N: Yes, I stole that from Mike Boogey off of Big Brother!)

“Yeah Sephiroth, unless we’re talking about Sora and me of course.” I sneered at him as I smacked his hand. “Just kidding, family will always come first, you know that.”

“Well that’s settled then, it was a lot smoother than I thought it would be to tell the truth. I imagined something that involved you calling me a slut for kissing your ex-boyfriend.” Sephiroth said bitterly as he shivered. I shivered too as the wind blew around me and into my face. “Let’s go back inside it’s a little chilly out here.”

“Alright Seph.” I smiled as he led me back inside and over to Sora who looked rather glad to see me – and looking at the scene behind him I realized why at once. Rinoa and Namine had walked over to Cloud and Leon and were shouting at them at the top of their lungs as the two boys tried to back away slowly while Aerith watched Cloud from the shadows lingering around a corner while looking terrible distraught. Sephiroth and I ran over to them and broke up the fight as best as we could under the circumstances without getting the three furious girls angry with us as well. Aerith had walked over to Cloud and said a small goodbye to him before leaving the party completely. Tifa made her way over to the sobbing Rinoa and spoke softly in her ear; eventually they went off together arm in arm with tears running slowly down Rinoa’s face as Tifa walked her over to the couch and collapsed on the unoccupied couch together to talk until Rinoa calmed down. Namine however stood still and started crying her eyes out wailing loudly until Sephiroth pulled her into his arms to comfort her at which point Brandon suddenly appeared.

“What the hell are you doing holding HER like that when you’re here with me Sephy my love?” Brandon asked jealously as Namine thanked Sephiroth and walked away towards the doors that led outside. Brandon tapped his foot angrily waiting for an answer fro my older and quite stupid, or so it seemed to me most of the time when he was around me, brother Sephiroth.

“What can I say darlin’? I just really like blondes Brandon.” Sephiroth joked, elbowing Brandon in the side sweetly. Brandon was not amused in the least bit by the joke. “I’m just kidding with you Brandi dear, she just needed someone to hold her and make her feel better. Wanna ditch this Popsicle stand and go out for a pizza or something?”

“Aw, but the party just started! Let’s stay a little longer Sephy, please?” Brandon whined as he pulled on Sephiroth’s sleeve and led him out onto the dance floor to waltz around the other couples. Looking passed them I saw something rather interesting – Tifa and Rinoa making out like crazy and thrashing around on the couch. I poked Sora in the ribs and pointed this out to him and he burst out laughing so hard he had to sit down on the ground to catch his breath. What was it with this town and unlikely couples?

“That was a close one.” Leon sighed as he ran a hand through his hair distractedly. “Thanks a lot for that Riku that could have gotten pretty ugly really fast if you hadn’t stepped in when you did, Rinoa can get scary when she’s angry like that.”

“No problem Leon, anytime.” I said happily, it so was great to be getting along with Leon for once without having to sneak Sora around to be with him or hide from Leon for fear of being beaten to a pulp. For all I knew for certain, Leon could just have been being nice to me to make Cloud like him. Which is wrong and considered ‘using me to get what he wants’ but I didn’t care. As long as it kept him from punching me or forcing me away from Sora’s side where I felt I truly belonged then I was fine with it. Though being civil with each other or being friends would be nice too because it meant less work for both of us. “Well, not any time of course but maybe every once in a while is fine. I kind of have this sexy and time consuming boyfriend who needs me around him at all times if you know what I mean, so I can only come save your ass from annoyed girls who want ot kill you when I’m not already needed by my hunk of a boyfriend.”

“Yeah, thanks for the help little bro.” Cloud said softly in my ear from behind me. I turned to him to see Leon’s strong arms wrapped around Cloud’s waist the exact same why I had often held Sora and I smiled at him. “Before you say it Riku, it wasn’t ‘nothing’. That was indeed something to me at least.”

“Thanks Cloud, but you’d do the safe for me.” I smiled at him as he ruffled my hair with his fee hand not holding onto Leon’s hand already. I was always gonna have my hair ruffed by him and Sephiroth just as I was always gonna be their younger brother. Life was just like that sometimes I guess. “Have fun at the party okay?”

“I will.” Cloud said happily as he smirked back at Leon who raised an eyebrow at him as Cloud grabbed him hand and led him away towards the hay loft. Boy I hope Yuna and they were finished up there or we might have more screaming on our hands.

“Hey Riku, mind if I ask you something real quick?” It was the short blonde guy Tidus from that day at the movie theater when we had all met up on accident and ended up spending the day together and telling embarrassing stories in a restaurant until we nearly wet ourselves from laughing so hard. I nodded and he continued immediately in a low voice so Sora and the various dancing people around us couldn’t overhear him. “Who’s that tall brown haired chick that keeps following me around the dance floor? I sorta watched her a little closer after I realized she was following me and overheard her conversation with Yuffie and Kairi and the other girls in that group. I kind of like her, she seems really cool and funny and nice and a blast to be around and on top of it all she’s a hell of a good dancer too.”

“Her name is Fae, she’s Brandon’s older sister if you know who Brandon is anyways.” I whispered back to Tidus just as Fae made her way across the room to us and stopped in front of me with a glass of punch held in her hand. “Hey Fae, how do you like the party?”

“I love it Riku, it’s the bomb!” Fae smiled happily as she looked Tidus up and down. Tidus gulped and looked at me clearly asking me what to do now while Fae drained her glass in one gulp. “I’m going to get some more punch, be right back you two. Stay right here okay?”

“Riku, you know her best. What should I do?” Tidus asked me hurriedly as Fae walked over to the punchbowl where Zell and Selphie had stood some time earlier but was now being occupied by a very sulky Rai all on his own for once while Fuu slow danced around the floor with Seifer. Zell and Selphie were out dancing as well, trying while doing so to stay as far away from Seifer and Fuu as possible. “I really need your help Riku. What would you suggest I do to get here to like me and to get her attention?”

“Ask her to dance and I’ll get Hayner to play another slow song just for the occasion okay?” I told him before having a whispered conversation with Hayner to get him to play Tidus a slow song just so he could dance with Fae. Tidus looked stricken by my idea but nodded his head as he looked over at Fae as she stood laughing with Sephiroth and joking with her younger brother Brandon, Tidus’s face set with determination. “You ready for this then? Because here she comes now so don’t screw up this one chance you’ve got with her okay? Do your worst Tidus, break a leg out there!”

“Hey guys, sorry about that but Sephiroth told me a really funny joke. Do you wanna hear it?” Fae asked us happily. I nodded and Tidus just looked at her like she was the most wonderful thing he’d ever seen in his whole entire life. “What’s the difference between an intelligent boy and a UFO?”

“I don’t know, what’s the difference between the two Fae?” I asked her as Tidus continued to stare at her. I could just tell this was going to be one of those boy-put-down jokes by the way she had sniggered at me as she replayed the joke to us that she had heard from my older brother. I was so going to have a serious talk with Sephiroth about what he said when Fae was around and to stop putting down the male race of which he was a part of and on top of that little footnote – he was dating one of the male race as well as being part of it so he had no room to talk.

“I have no idea what the difference is, I haven’t seen either one yet!” Fae burst out laughing as she spit out the punch line. She laughed so hard I thought punch was going to come out of her nose and spray down the front of Tidus and me. I seriously considered hiding behind Tidus and using him like a shield for a moment. “Isn’t that funny Tidus?”

“How did you know my name?” Tidus asked a little shocked that his angel knew his name already. “I don’t think I’ve ever talked to you before.”

“Oh, I saw you walking around earlier and asked Riku what your name was.” Fae said smiling at him. “So what’s up?”

“Dance me with you will?” Tidus said in such a rush that the words cam out in the wrong order. He flushed in embarrassment and looked at the ceiling as I stifled my giggles in order to be a kind caring friend to Tidus which required not laughing at his mistake I suppose.

“What?” Fae asked a little confused. “Could you say that again Tidus?”

“W-will you d-dance with me Fae, p-please?” Tidus stuttered as he attempted to look her right in the eyes and ask her. Bad move, never look someone right in the eyes that you’re crushing on because it tends to make people even more nervous than they already were. “I wanted to know if you’d dance with me.”

“Tidus, I can’t believe you just asked me that!” Fae cried indignantly making Tidus go red and look away miserably. As the desperately sad Tidus went to walk away from us, Fae reached out and grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around and look into her highly intimidating eyes again. “I’M always the one to ask people to dance! Man, you beat me to it!”

“You actually want to dance with me then Fae?” Tidus asked sounding extremely shocked.

“Of course I do! Come on!” Fae said dragging Tidus out onto the dance floor and pulled him into her arms to dance close to him. Tidus looked positively thrilled to be so close to Fae, while Fae looked happily hyper as all get out to be dancing with the most resent object of her desires – Tidus.

"Oh my God, Riku look who just showed up!" Sora sqeaked as he moved to hide behind me pointing over my shoulder at the barn doors. There stood a very harashed looking Axel and an extremely happy-looking Roxas which made no sense to me but it's not my emoitions so I can't control them. Roxas spotted us and began walking over with Axel in tow, rather reluctantly I might add. "Roxas, Axel, what are you guys doing here?"

"I just wanted to drop by and thank you fro what you did Sora." Roxas said seriously as he wrapped his arms around Sora's neck and pulled him close for a friendly hug that none the less upset both Axel and I. "I didn't mean to storm out on you like that but U just needed to be alone to think things over is all. Forgive me for being an uncaring ass?"

"Of course Roxas, I'm so happy you don't hate me!" Sora cried as he once again shot a hole in my heart by hugging Roxas around the neck causing Axel to wince in the same pain I was feeling at seeing them hug each other like that. Even if there was nothing between them and it meant nothing to either of them it was still not fair to either of us when our boufriends could be hugging US... but oh no, they hug each other instead. Figures as much, irony is a bitch sometimes.

"I'm sorry too Sora, I never should have done that to you or forced you to keep it a secret from Roxas likeI did." Axel said stepping forward. I was seriously surpised - he sounded so truthfuully innocent when he said it like he acutally meant it. Maybe he did mean it then, maybe he wasn't just pulling our legs. "Roxie here came back to Starbucks and talked it out with me and I said I was sorry for everything and he finally forgave me on one condition."

"What was the condition?" I asked in my little curious way of wanting to know things no matter who it was about or who it concerned.

"I have to do anything he tells me to from the next three months no matter how ridiculous it seems or how embarrassing it is." Axel smiled looking thrilled. Oh I wonder what he was thinking about. Not.

"Axel dear, I wanna dance come on." Roxas commanded happily tugging on Axel's hand. Axel sighed and followed Roxas out onto the dance floor just as Tidus had followed Fae only moments before hand. Sora began to get inpatient with me not paying attention to him so he decided to pull a stunt to get my attention. His sutunt just so happened to be jumping up on my back and covering my eyes with his hands.

“Riku, can we slip off and do something fun now?” Sora moaned behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist to pull me closer to him as he slid down off my back and kissed my long shimmering silver hair softly.

“Oh yes, let’s do that Sora.” I beamed at him mischievously as I led him up to the hay loft which was being rented out at the moment apparently seeing as we had to send Cloud and Leon down by saying that Sephiroth needed someone do help him down in the main room of the barn to help break up a major fight. “So now that we have the hay loft to ourselves what do you wanna do now? Any ideas you wanna try Sora or do I have to think up everything on my own again just like last time?”

“You can think it up on your own again. I just want to be present for it okay?” Sora smiled from my arms as he twisted a lock of my hair around his finger. He kissed me then, pulling me down on top of him until our bodies went crashing into each other and I could feel the warmth radiating off his body through our clothes so that my chilled flesh felt suddenly much warmer than it had a second ago. “You okay with that plan then Riku?”

“God, if you keep kissing me like that I’ll do anything you me to want Sora!” I groaned into his mouth as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it over against the wall by the window instead of down over the edge of the railing like he had the last time we were together up in the hay loft because it anything fell over the edge of the railing this time everyone was dancing below us and it would be very difficult indeed to get out clothes back without someone noticing. “We can’t do anything too risky and we can’t go all the way right now.”

“Why not, don’t you want to Riku?” Sora asked me a little disappointed. Apparently he wanted me just as much as I wanted him but even so I knew we couldn’t.

“We’re at a party we’re throwing with lots of people dancing under us. How would you like it if say Kairi caught us doing something questionable up here? Or even worse than one of our friends – what if Leon came up here and caught us at it, that would be absolutely terrible.”

“I guess you’re right Riku. You know everything don’t you?” Sora joked as he reached for his shirt and pulling it up over his head. “Can we keep kissing though? I like that bit and it’s not risky, just about everyone here he seen us kiss before. Please Riku, kiss me.”

“Anything for you Sora.” I smiled capturing his mouth with mine again until I left us both panting for breath and slightly happier than when we had climbed the ladder to the hay loft some minutes ago.

“So how were your first few days here then?” Sora asked through gasps of air as he stroked my hair softly.

“You know what Sora?” I smiled at him truthfully as I laid my head down on his chest so I could listen to his heartbeat. “I think I’m gonna like living here.”

It's all over now. This was it, the ending, the resolution of most if not all of Riku's problems in his new home.

*****************************************************************

Without You Around-

Chap 1-

Without You Around

By: princessOFdarkness

“So Sora how was your date last night with Kairi?” Riku asked as he and Sora walked down the beach together for what both thought would be their last time for just the two of them to do so. Kairi had asked Sora to be here boyfriend and Sora had said yes, which for some reason upset Riku even if he wasn’t going to let Sora know about it. Riku kept telling himself he was only upset about Kairi and Sora going out because it meant Sora and himself wouldn’t have as much alone time together as they were used to, but the simple truth was that Riku cared about Sora in what might be considered more than a friendly way. Not that Riku was going to tell Sora that now that he was dating Kairi of course.

“It was okay I guess. I don’t really have anything to compare that to though seeing as it was my first date with anyone but it wasn’t a bad way to spend a Saturday night I suppose.” Sora laughed lightheartedly as he kicked a small seashell in the path his feet had chosen to take. “I mean, she seemed happy enough I guess and she said she had a really good time when I took her home so I think it went good.”

It had been nearly a year since the three of them had returned to Destiny Islands together after all their assorted adventures in other worlds with random people like Leon and Yuffie and Aerith. Sora and Kairi were both now sixteen and able to drive, while Riku was seventeen and taller than ever as Kairi kindly pointed out, not that Sora hadn’t noticed that fact for himself. Sora noticed everything when it came to Riku. Sora didn’t know why noticed things first when it came to Riku, because Riku was the only person he could do that with. About a week ago Kairi had cut her hair and Sora hadn’t noticed at all until Riku had complimented her on it sweetly like he did Everytime someone changed their appearance for better or worse. Riku was just like that Sora had decided – always kind even if the person in question’s so called ‘improvement’ looked worse than the way they had originally looked.

“That sounds good Sora, really great.” Riku said calmly as he sat down on the sand to look out over the ocean. Sora stopped walking and sat down close next to him as Riku doodled in the sand with a stick he had found lying at his feet. “So did you kiss her last night when you took her home?”

Riku hoped in his heart that Sora said no. Riku didn’t think he could take it if they had kissed last night. Riku had felt so sad and strangely lonely when Sora had told him he and Kairi were dating, but Riku still didn’t know why he had felt that way about it. All Riku knew was that one moment he was fine and the next he felt as though his heart were in his throat and preparing to jump out of him. So maybe I care about Sora as more than a friend, Riku told himself as he drew a palm tree in the sand before letting the water whisk it away, maybe I do love Sora and I’ve just been lying to myself all these years.

“Of course I didn’t kiss her, it was our first date.” Sora told Riku who immediately felt a million times better than he had a moment ago. “I mean I do like her, but I wasn’t about to kiss her on our first date much to her annoyance however. She asked me if I was going to kiss her goodnight and I said no. She got all offended and climbed out of the car and practically ran into her house. I’m just glad my Dad didn’t leave for the next business trip that started today until this morning so I could use the car last night for my date.”

“That’s a good I guess.” Riku said slightly unhappily. Ever since Sora’s Dad had taken to taking business trips every week to a different town Sora only got the car on week ends which meant if Sora wanted to go anywhere he had to bum a ride. Sora was perfectly happy to ride with Riku, but Kairi insisted that Sora ride with her everywhere and that she go everywhere with him. It was only by Sora telling Kairi that he was planning a surprise for her that she had left Sora ride to the beach with Riku. So they had told a little lie, oh well. It was for a really good cause – the Riku-Sora-alone-boys-time foundation. “At least you got to spend some alone time with Kairi at the movies and at that restaurant you took her to for dinner.”

“I guess so.” Sora said slowly looking out over the light reflecting off the water so that it shimmered beautifully in the dying light. “I just wish she’d lat off me for a few minutes you know? She acts as though if I’m out of her sight for more than a few minutes I’ll have hot and steamy sex with her best friend Selphie or elope with Tidus and Wakka to the Bahamas or something stupid like that. It’s like she can’t trust me to do anything without her being around.”

“So Sora…” Riku said slowly, looking over at Sora’s face. It was lit with the dull reddish glow of the sunset before them Sora’s face cast half in shadows as he turned to look at Riku. Riku knew the answer to his question before he asked it just by the look on Sora’s face. “Are you really happy dating Kairi or are you just pretending to like dating her for her sake?”

“Yeah I am.” Sora smiled lightly while still managing to look a bit perplexed as he stared over at Riku. “I think I’m happy anyways.”

“You think you are? You mean, you aren’t sure if you are or not yet?” Riku asked hopefully. Even if Sora didn’t love Riku back and only ditched Kairi so he could ask out say… Selphie or something, it would still make Riku feel better. Anyone would be better for Sora than Kairi or so Riku felt. They had only been dating a week and Kairi had already taken up most of Sora’s free time, dragged him along to three chick flicks, made him drive her around everywhere and practically forced him to hand over his class ring so that she could wear it on a chain about her neck while still wearing her own class ring on her finger proudly. Sure, Sora didn’t mind doing everything Kairi asked of him, but was it really fair to Sora that Kairi treated him this way?

“Yeah, I mean I’m not sure yet if I like dating her or not.” Sora nodded solemnly at Riku. Sora knew he could tell Riku anything at all and Riku would never tell. That was how it had always been. If either of them needed to talk about something they didn’t want anyone else to know they went to the other. “I mean, I do care about her but I’m just not sure how deep my feelings are for her just yet. I’d do anything for her of course as I’ve proven by going to all those annoyingly girly movies and carrying her bags while she shops at the mall but I’m not sure it’s love. Is that a bad thing to say about the girl I’m dating?”

“Not at all Sora, if it’s really how you feel. But I don’t suggest you go up and tell Kairi about it or she might freak out. Then you’d have to deal with the wrath of the red headed demon girl!” Riku laughed as he pushed Sora playfully sideways onto the sand. Sora giggled and threw sand in Riku’s face resulting in Riku’s fierce attack that ended with Riku picking up Sora like a rag doll and tossing him into the ocean before turning and running away as fast as he could away for the wet and highly agitated Sora.

“Damn it Riku, why did you have to throw me in the ocean today?” Sora grumbled as he walked up the road to his house still dripping wet and shivering in the bitter cold wind that ruffed the tree leaves so they seemed to whisper to him. “I’m so cold! Why did he have to leave me behind? Was he that worried I would try and get him back fro throwing me in the ocean or something stupid like that?”

Sora continued his long walk home down the interstate in the cold and the dim lighting just before the night finally fell down on him like a smothering blanket. The streetlamps flickered into life around him making Sora feel a little better about having to walk home in the dark when he was dripping wet. Sora wished Riku would suddenly drive passed him and stop to let him in the car so he could get home and dry off. But of course Riku didn’t come. Instead Sora got the next best thing to Riku coming to pick him up in his water logged opinion.

“Hey Sora, what happened to you?” Kairi asked as he pulled up along side him in her retro powder blue Ford Thunderbird probably on her way to the mall or some other girly hang out of hers and her best friend Selphie’s. “Why are you all wet like that?”

“Riku threw me in the ocean.” Sora sighed, shivering visibly as he bent at the waist to look into Kairi’s car window which was rolled down despite the cold night. “Hey Kairi, do you think you could maybe give me a ride home real quick? It’s really cold out here, especially if you’re dripping wet like I am.”

“Of course Sora, get in the back seat. There’s an old fuzzy pink blanket back there I think so you can get warmer faster if you want to use it to cover up.” Kairi smiled as Sora smiled back at her gratefully as he clambered into the back seat and under the blanket as Kairi drove her way to his house. “So are you gonna tell me why Riku threw you in the ocean or am I gonna have to ask Riku myself?”

“Oh, Riku threw me in the ocean because…” Sora started quickly, stopping almost as quickly as he had started. Why did Riku throw me in the ocean? I can’t remember why we were fighting except that it had to do with Kairi, Sora thought hard as Kairi pulled up in front of his house. What had we been talking about that caused us to start play fighting like that? It was about Kairi, but I can’t just tell her ‘Oh yeah, we were making fun of you’ that would be rude.

It was silent for a moment as Sora thought of what to say to Kairi as she fiddled with the radio trying to find a good station to listen to but Sora couldn’t think of anything to say so he decided to just stay silent and see what she did or said to him.

“Well Sora, are you gonna tell me or not? Are you really going to make me call Riku and find out?” Kairi asked a little more harshly than was necessary. Ever since she and Sora had started dating she had been monitoring Sora’s time with everyone – including Riku. She didn’t like him being alone with someone who wasn’t her because she felt like she was out of the loop and didn’t really like the feeling too much.

“Sorry Kairi, but I really don’t remember why he did it.” Sora said as he climbed out of the car and headed for the front door of his house. “You’ll just have to ask Riku I guess, bye Kairi!”

“Bye Sora, call me tonight okay?” Kairi called out of the rolled down car window, but sadly Sora had already retreated for the comfortably warm inside his house leaving Kairi to huff privately to herself as she pulled out of Sora’s driveway and turned onto the road that led to the mall where she was supposed to be meeting Selphie.

“I hope Sora isn’t too mad at me for throwing him in the ocean and then leaving and forcing him to walk home like that.” Riku sighed from the sketchpad on his desk as he looked up at the digital alarm clock beside his bed. He was shocked to see it was already ten o’clock at night. It seemed only moments ago that he had walked into his room, set down at his desk with his dinner or left-over reheated pizza and begun on a new sketch of the sunset he had just witnessed with Sora. “Maybe I should call Sora’s cell to make sure he’s not mad at me.”

Riku’s parents didn’t mind how late he stayed up, how long he talked on the phone or how late he called his friends or how many minutes he wasted on pointless chatter, how many parties he threw in their large basement or out back by the in-ground pool, or even how much money of theirs he spent on things like new clothes or CDs or art supplies form the credit card they had given him for his seventeenth birthday. They loved Riku to death, and as long as his grades were all A’s like normal and he wasn’t doing anything illegal they were fine with him doing whatever he wanted. How lucky could a teen age boy be to have parents like that?

“Okay… 423-7890.” Riku said as he punched in the familiar numbers on his cell phone before putting it to his ear. Riku rarely called anyone but Sora really – sure, other people called him and he talked to them, but it was rare that Riku’s finger’s ever punched anyone’s phone number into his phone but Sora’s. Riku swiveled around in slow circles in his desk chair as the phone rang and rang on the other end.

“Hello?” A very sleepy Sora answered with a yawn. “Who is this?”

“It’s me sleepyhead!” Riku laughed lightly as he walked over to the window and opened it so the cool wind could blow into the room and ruffle his curtains lightly as he stared over the cleanly cut grass around the concrete walk around the pool. “Did I wake you up or something?”

“No, I was still awake.” Sora yawned again as he sat himself down on the edge of the bed. “I was just finishing all that homework that Professor Zexion gave us in Advanced Geometry. You know the assignment that was like five pages long that’s due tomorrow? That one, I just finished it like five minutes before you called.”

“Are you kidding, I finished that on Monday. Man you’re slow.” Riku said, pulling off his pants and button up shirt as he lay down in his boxers on the bed slipping under the covers. “How does it take you so long to do the assignments?”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN MONDAY!” Sora yelled through the phone causing Riku to wince and pull the phone away from his ear as Sora ranted and raved. “He didn’t give us the assignment until Tuesday! How did you have it done on Monday?”

“I asked Professor Zexion for this week’s assignment last Friday so I could do it ahead of time.” Riku sighed over the phone.” That’s what I do every Friday. The Professor has actually taken up the habit of taping a list of the assignments on my locker door now so I don’t have to ask.”

“You’re so weird Riku. Who wants to do all their assignments the week before it’s due – besides you of course. We’re not counting you in this poll of the teenage population because you’re too weird to count in this tally.” Sora said as he set the phone on speaker and stood on his head as he usually did when he was on the phone with Riku. It helped Sora think, and considering Sora considered Riku extremely more intelligent as him any extra thinking power was a good thing. “I mean really, what do you do with all your free time?”

“I draw and paint and have parties and go to parties and all that stuff.” Riku said airily as he yawned. “Damn it Sora, now you got me yawning too!”

“Sorry Riku, I didn’t mean to it’s just too late to be awake anymore. I’m usually asleep by now.” Sora sighed as he climbed into his bed and reached for the lamp to turn it off and slip slowly into the black caress of the night’s darkness.

“Hey Sora can you hold on for a second I have a call on my other line.” Riku asked Sora who said it was fine. Riku pulled the phone away from his ear and looked at the name that was flashing on the other line. It read: The Heinous Bitch aka Kairi. Riku quickly answered and hung up so that she’d think he had lost the signal or that his phone would die. Riku sighed and flipped back to Sora. “Hey Sora are you still there? It was a wrong number I guess there was no one there.”

“I’m still here Riku.” Sora yawned hugely again. “So Riku, did you call for an actual reason or just so we could have this pleasant chat about you being weird, wrong numbers, and our Advance Geometry homework like a couple of huge geeks?”

“Oh yeah, I did call for a reason actually.” Riku said sitting up in his bed and running his free hand not holding the phone through his phone absentmindedly. The moment of truth had arrived at last. “Hey Sora, you aren’t mad at me are you?”

“Mad at you for what?” Sora asked. “What the hell are you talking about? Do you mean throwing me in the ocean or what you said about how I felt right now about Kairi or about calling her ‘the red headed demon girl’?”

“All three of them, I guess.” Riku said untruthfully. Riku wasn’t sorry for what he had said and thought about Kairi in the least bit. He wasn’t about to pretend to be sorry about something he felt was true or a correct observation. Especially since Riku was usually right about these things just like he was usually right about what the correct answers were on their homework every night. But if Sora really wants to be with Kairi over me, Riku thought dejectedly, then I’ll step aside and let them be together if only because I love Sora. I just want Sora to be as happy as he possibly can be even if it means I’m not going to be the one that’s with him. Sora’s happiness means everything to me. “So you aren’t mad at me at all for any of them?”

“Of course not Riku, I could never be mad at you!” Sora laughed as he felt his eyes sliding shut of their own accord. “Riku I gotta go right now before I fall asleep on you and roll over in my sleep and crush my cell phone and then my parents would kill me and make me pay for it and –“

“I get it Sora, go ahead and hang up.” Riku sniggered to himself. Sora always rambled like this when he was super tired after spending half the night on the phone with Riku, something that Riku had noticed fairly quickly after the first few times it had happened when they were younger. So Riku had made up his mind to call Sora almost every night when it was late in the hopes of breaking him of his habit, but it seemed that Riku had only made Sora’s rambling problem more pronounced. “See you tomorrow Sora!”

“Wait a second, don’t hang up yet Riku.” Sora said faintly. Riku didn’t hang up. “So are you driving me to school tomorrow since my Dad took my car on his business trip or should I call Kairi? Please say you will so I don’t have to listen to Jessica Simpson on the way to school!”

“Of course I will Sora, I’ll be there to pick you up at seven so we can drive over to Starbucks and grab a coffee really quick before school okay?” Riku said happily knowing that Sora was probably raising his fists in triumph. When Kairi had been taking Sora to school because of Sora’s Dad’s need to go out of state and take back the car he had given to Sora because Sora’s Dad worked out of his home office Kairi had refused to stop at Starbucks on the grounds that coffee only made him hyper and all that sugar wasn’t good for him. She had also said that she didn’t care if Sora drank it as long as she didn’t have to go with him to get it which meant if Sora wanted to keep his normal routine of having a Starbucks to help him wake up then he had to ride to school with Riku. Which Riku didn’t mind in the least bit of course seeing as he loved Starbucks as well and it gave him time to spend with Sora with Kairi hanging on Sora’s arm. Seeing Kairi hanging on Sora like she did whenever she was around them made Riku want to vomit on whoever he was around at the time.

“Great! Finally, I’ll be able to buy wonderful Starbucks coffee to help me wake up in the morning again!” Sora said happily. “Bye then Riku, good night.”

“Night Sora, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Riku smiled as he hung up the phone and placed it on his bedside table as he switched on his alarm clock so that it would ring in the morning. “Tomorrow’s going to be a great day, I just know it!”

That’s the first chapter then! Hope you liked it! This chapter was just to set up the main plotlines and all that jazz. The next chapter starts the real important bits of the story and is were all the action starts (which means it will be a really long chapter and defiantly way longer than this one)

Please review and tell me what you think! Until next time

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Chap 2-

Chapter 2

“SORA, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!” Kairi yelled honking her high pitched car horn. Her head and whole upper body stuck sticking out of window as she screamed much to the extreme annoyance Sora’s neighbors seeing as most of them were retired and elderly individuals. “God damn it Sora, hurry your skinny ass up and get down here! We’re gonna be late for first period!”

“Excuse me you fire-headed bitch who happens to be dating my brother, but could you please shut the hell up already?” Roxas shouted impatiently through the open downstairs window at Kairi. Kairi pursed her lips and scowled at Sora’s twin brother angrily. “Some of us are trying to sleep in peace thank you!”

“Aren’t you going to school today then Roxas?” Kairi scolded him – Kairi treated Roxas as she did her own little sister Namine. Like he was too stupid to exist without her guidance and scolding to keep him in line so he didn’t do something utterly dangerous. Although Kairi only acted like that when no one else was around so she could retain her reputation as a sweet little nice teenage girl who could never do anything wrong. Roxas shook his head grinning from ear to ear. “And why not may I ask?”

“Because I’m extremely ill at the moment if you must know!” Roxas smiled happily, giving her a fake cough as if that was the cherry on top of her ice cream cone. “Mother thinks it would be unwise for me to leave the house with a hundred and three point two fever Kairi.”

“Yeah, you held it against a light bulb for half an hour or so didn’t you?” Kairi smirked at Roxas, who blushed and shook his head knowing he had been caught. “I won’t tell on you Roxas, but just know that I know what you’re going to do today and that I don’t approve in the least bit.”

“Which is what?” Roxas challenged her unwisely. Kairi found out everything about everyone seeing as she was the school’s biggest gossip and the female population’s biggest flirt. “Come on, if you guess right I’ll do anything you want me to for a whole day. I dare you to guess.”

“Once you’re Mother’s left for work you’re going to sneak out and go down to ‘The Dark-Heart’ to listen to that classic bad-boy urban rebel high school pyrotechnic dropout Axel play the guitar with his band mates Demyx and Larxene. And during the breaks in between songs he’ll walk over to where you sit in the shadows to tell you that your eyes remind him of the sea so that you blush scarlet causing him to reach out and touch your cheek in a tender fashion before leaning into you and –“

“Okay you win, don’t say any more Kairi!” Roxas yelled back, actually jumping out the window to come to rest inches from the hood of her car, his face pale in his urgency to make Kairi stop talking. “How do you know about Axel and all that other stuff?”

“I know everything Roxas, get used to it or it might be your downfall one day.” Kairi smiled wickedly at him as she chewed on the eraser on her pink sparkly pencil.

“Does Sora know he’s dating the all mighty and evil Satan trapped in a female form or did you bewitch him and ensnare him with your lies before sucking his brain out through a straw?” Roxas asked cheekily for someone who had just almost been exposed as the homosexual person he was to his neighbor who was mowing her law next door. “Really, you’re scary Kairi. You know way too much about everyone in our high school to be human.”

“Thanks Roxas, it’s a well honed talent to collect all that information and hold onto it until I can use it to my advantage like just now.” Kairi giggled girlishly, which only unnerved Roxas more. Something so evil couldn’t be shouldn’t be so feminine as well. “So is Sora coming down or not? If we don’t hurry I’m gonna be late!”

“Oh, Sora already left nearly half an hour ago.” Roxas said as he climbed back in the window, seeing as the door was still locked and Roxas obviously didn’t have the keys in his pajama bottom’s pocket.

“WHAT!” Kairi yelled again only to receive annoyed looks from the people outside examining and tending to their lawns. “Who did he go with Roxas?”

“Why should I tell you that?” Roxas asked unhappily from the window. Realizing he could use Kairi’s panic to his advantage he quickly added “I might be able to tell you if you exempt me from our previous deal of course because my amnesia might clear with a little persuasion. I do happen to remember the car…”

“Fine, you don’t have to carry my things. Now tell me the car!” Kairi screeched at Roxas who held his ears, wincing.

“Alright, keep your shirt on Kairi – really!” Roxas shouted at her in his glee at being able to turn the situation around to his advantage and put Kairi in her place. “You know the car for sure Kairi. It was a rather familiar black Grand Prix with white flames on the sides and a big white ‘X’ painted on the roof. That’s all I feel like telling you, is that good enough for you Gossip Queen?”

And with that Roxas shut the window and pulled the curtains roughly closed. It had been more than enough for Kairi to figure it out of course; she had ridden in that very car many times before with Sora and Riku. Riku was going to pay for high jacking her boyfriend like this!

“Thanks for the coffee Riku; I can’t believe I forgot my wallet on my dresser.” Sora sighed as he blew on the top of his coffee so that the steam hit him in the face. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“Oh it’s nothing Sora, really stop worrying.” Riku smiled as he sipped his own hot drink as they walked to their first class together – Advanced English. It was strange because even though Riku was a whole year older than Sora he was still in the same grade because of an issue he had had as a young child. Riku was a genius and all his teachers had known it, but Riku lacked people skills and refused to talk to anyone who besides the teacher in question so his parents had decided to hold him back a year so he could make some friends. Riku hadn’t really opened up until the day that Sora had come up to a very lonely Riku, who was sitting all alone on the swings with his feet dragging the ground slightly, and offered to play ball with him. Ever since that day Sora and Riku had been friends, and that day had really opened Riku up enough so that everyone saw how cool and amazing he really was inside. Even though Riku had become popular he never forgot or left Sora behind for ‘better’ friends. This was a good thing for Sora as he soon found out as they grew older and the course work became harder.

As intelligent as Sora was, he rarely liked to show it. Riku was the one person who could convince him to try to do anything and was constantly helping the lazy Sora with the homework he didn’t understand because he hadn’t been paying attention or had fallen asleep in class due to lack of sleep.

“Hey Riku, why did they call you into the office yesterday during lunch, everyone went to lunch without us because they didn’t want to wait so I waited for you. But you never showed up.” Sora said casually as they took their seats in the musty Advanced English classroom where Professor Yuffie was already waiting for them with her copy of The Taming of the Shrew out and at the ready as she handed out the nametags that would dictate who would read which part for the period.

“Oh, they were trying to convince me to move up a grade again. You know how it is; they try every few weeks nowadays.” Riku said disdainfully. First they hold me back for lack of people skills and now they want me to move up a grade because I’m intelligent and popular, Riku sighed as he pulled out his copy of the play by William Shakespeare they were currently reading. Sora pulled his rolled up copy out of his back pants copy and tried hastily to unroll and flatten it as the Professor looked the other way to write the setting and what had happened in the last scene on the board. “You really should take better care of your things you know?”

“Oh yeah, unlike you I don’t care enough to treat them like they were treasured pieces of historical significance.” Sora sighed as he slipped sideways into his seat.

“Um, hey S-Sora, h-hey Riku.” Tidus attempted a weak smile as he took his seat in front of Sora. Tidus was cursed with a bad stutter and self confidence shortage but Sora and Riku still considered him their friend. “Um S-Sora, you might w-want to l-look at the d-door.”

“Why would I do that?” Sora sighed closing his eyes as he laid his head down on his desk none too gently. “What’s so interesting about the hallway?”

“Well, your girlfriend’s standing out their glaring at you for one thing.” Riku stifled a laugh as Sora’s head snapped up to see Kairi was indeed standing out in the hall outside the door. And she was indeed glaring at him and Riku like her life depended on killing them with a glance – and she was close to succeeding with the look Sora had on his face. “Get out there before she comes in here! Unless of course you WANT the whole class to hear her screaming at you like her life depended on it because you and I both know she’s gonna scream at you for riding to school with me and stopping to get Starbucks. Get out there Sora, use your brain, GO!”

“Um, Professor Aerith do you mind if I use the restroom quickly?” Sora asked the preoccupied teacher, who nodded in approval as Sora left the room. Kairi shut the door as Sora walked out of it, grabbed him by the wrist and led him away towards the empty unused classroom that a student had once lit on fire during a lab experiment so due to the amount of damage it was ‘supposed’ to go unused. Though lots of the students used it, but not as a classroom of course. It had become the place to go when you needed to be alone in cry or for couples to come and yell each other hoarse over stupid things.

Kairi was fuming silently, leaning against the wall with her eyes closed and her lips pursed together tightly. Sora stood awkwardly in the middle of the room for a few moments shuffling his feet before finally working up the courage to speak to the angry thing in front of him.

“Hey Kairi, um what’s up?” Sora asked lamely, his voice speckled with a strange timid note that Sora had never noticed there before. “What did you need to talk to me about so urgently that I had to skip out on Advanced English and The Taming of the Shrew?”

“Why weren’t you at your house when I came to pick you up this morning?” Kairi asked crossly as she fought to retain her self control. “I showed up and sat in your driveway for nearly twenty minutes before Roxas stuck his head out the window and informed me you had already left and that your ride had come to pick you up nearly half an hour before hand. You road with Riku again didn’t you?”

“Yeah I did, so what Kairi?” Sora asked but immediately knew from the look on Kairi’s face he shouldn’t have said what he had for some unknown reason. “Look, it was just a ride. I didn’t know if you were coming to get me, and I really needed Starbucks this morning because of how late I stayed up doing my homework so I had Riku take me today.”

“What,” Kairi started calmly, but she couldn’t keep her voice down any more. Suddenly she was yelling at the top of the room so that her shouts reverberated around the room and made the hanging light bulbs vibrate on their hanging strings. “What the hell were you thinking! First you didn’t call me –“

“What do you mean I never called you?” Sora asked cutting Kairi off sharply mid rant. “You never told me to call you yesterday so I didn’t. I thought you would still be at the mall with Selphie.”

“Oh, so you’d listen to me either!” Kairi yelled angrily, a single tear trickling down her thin and anxious looking face. “I told you to call me yesterday when I dropped you off Sora! God, am I that unimportant to you that you don’t even listen to me anymore?”

“I’m so sorry Kairi; I must not have heard you before I shut the door.” Sora sighed in his fierce need to make Kairi stop yelling and calm down. The period would be ending soon which meant people would go spilling out into the halls were they could hear Kairi if she started yelling again. “But to be fair, I was dripping wet and freezing to death. All I really wanted to do right then was get inside where it was warm and into some dry clothes again before I caught malaria or scarlet fever or something.”

“Stop joking around Sora!” Kairi snapped back at him, her finger pointing dangerously close to his face.

“I’m not joking around, I’m serious Kairi.” Sora pleaded with her as he pulled her hand back slowly from his face. Only then did he let out the breath he had been unconsciously holding in, when her hand was back at her side where Sora liked it best.

“I tried calling you, three times in fact.” Kairi grumbled sadly as Sora looked at her. “Why didn’t you ever answer? Oh that’s right, I remember now! You were on the phone talking to Riku all night long! Or at least until you turned your phone off that is.”

“What makes you think I was on the phone with Riku last night?” Sora asked hesitantly. Kairi always seemed to know everything about everything to do with him, from the cereal he ate for breakfast down to how long he was on the phone talking to his grandmother in California.

“When I couldn’t get through to your phone I called Riku’s to see if you were over at his house or if he knew where you were. Imagine my surprise when Riku didn’t answer either and I got the busy signal.” Kairi grinned widely, giving Sora a fake smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “So you blew me off to talk guy talk with Riku huh? I understand Sora even if I don’t like it. Really I do.”

“That’s not what happened okay!” It was Sora’s turn to yell now. Sora rarely yelled, but he was getting sick of Kairi’s accusations and yelling and pestering to the point that he’d do almost anything to shut her up – including be out of character and yell at her as loudly as he could. “Riku called to make sure I wasn’t mad at him because he threw me in the ocean and then when I was done reassuring him I wasn’t angry we hung up, I turned my phone of and fell right to sleep. I thought you were getting sick of driving me to school when it’s so far out of your way to do so, so I asked Riku to take me and he suggested we go early and stop off for coffee and I agreed. Calm down Kairi, Jesus!”

“Why did Riku end up paying for your coffee then?” Kairi asked as a counterattack, which Sora was too slow to avoid. “It’s the sort of thing you do for me, that’s a thing couples do for each other. Friends don’t just blow fifteen bucks on Starbucks for another friend Sora!”

“Maybe you don’t Kairi, but that’s just how Riku and I are with each other okay?” Sora growled heatedly as he straightened the collar of his polo shirt out of his anxiety that someone might overhear them if he didn’t wrap this up soon.

“Sora, I want you to be completely honest with me even if this could tare us apart.” Kairi said in a soft and deadly voice before saying the one thing Sora hadn’t expected Kairi to ever ask him. “Is something going on between you and Riku that I don’t know about?”

“WHAT!” Sora screamed before falling backwards against one of the beat up desks littered around the room for support as he knees had recently given out on him. “How could you ask me something like that when I’m dating you? Do you think I’m really that heartless Kairi, that I’d say yes and date you if I was in love with Riku or anyone else for that matter? What the hell is the matter with you; did someone kidnap all your common sense or something?”

“No Sora, its all here which is why I’m asking!” Kairi shouted. She was yelling again but this time louder than before if it was possible. Thank God there was only one classroom on this floor, which happened to be the obnoxiously loud orchestra so there was only a slight chance that anyone had heard Kairi’s recent outburst. “Is something going on between the two of you I don’t know about?”

“No Kairi, God!” Sora huffed as he slammed his head into the desk - harder than he meant to, causing him to curse under his breath in pain as he rubbed his bruised forehead. “Riku and I are just friends, always have been and always will be okay? Will you let me go back to class now?”

“Fine, get back to class.” Kairi said grudgingly as she reached for the door handle. But as she opened it she turned back to face Sora with a strange look on her face, perhaps jealousy? “I don’t care what may or may not have happened between you and Riku in the past but I want whatever it is or was to stop. I don’t want you ever seeing Riku again.”

“What do you mean Kairi? Are you forbidding me to see my own best friend?” Sora asked her angrily.

“Yes, I am. I'm conpletetly serious too so don't think I'm joking or that I'll take back what I said Sora. You’ll just have to find a new best friend to replace Riku, because there's no way in hell you're hanging around the real thing anymore.” Kairi said sharply, and then she was gone, through the door before Sora could utter a single word in defense of his friendship with Riku. Sora sat in that vandalized desk ever after the bell signaling the end of first period homeroom had rung, just sitting there staring at the blank and slightly charred wall across from him lost in his thoughts and emotions. He didn’t even notice when someone opened the door, came inside, and then shut the door quickly behind them to stare blanky in confusion at the face the owner of the eyes cared about so much more than anyone else in the world. Sora never noticed the clear aqua eyes that took in his pained expression as he stared off into space.

Sora was too busy crying to notice Riku had entered the room from the door beside him and was even now scanning the over him and his tortured face in worry.

“Sora, is everything alright?” Riku asked quietly as he walked over to where Sora was sitting. Riku reached out and placed a hand on Sora’s shoulder gently. “I saw Kairi in the hallway storming off as the bell rang. Look, if something’s the matter between you two, you know you can tell me what it is no matter what right? I’m here for you Sora, surely you have to know that by now. You’re my best friend in the whole wide world. I don’t know what I’d do without you by my side.”

Before Sora could so much as give a sigh as an answer to the friend he knew he would miss more than life itself, he felt strong protective arms circling his waist and forcing him to stand and look up into those two dazzling aqua green orbs that were Riku's eyes that Sora had stared into so many a time when the pair would go down to the beach and watch the sunset together before Kairi had stepped into the picture to ruin it all. And suddenly Sora wasn’t numb, he was alive and in pain and in need of Riku’s help and of Riku's loving and caring voice to tell him everything was going to be okay. For Riku to make him feel loved again like Kairi never had been able to do. Sora let his fears and emotions go as he reached for Riku, burying his head in Riku’s shoulder as he began to cry without holding back anything this time.

Riku had been worried when Sora hadn’t returned to class, that was for sure, but he had never expected to find Sora like this – a shattered, broken, empty shell of what he had once been before Kairi had poisoned him with her charm and good looks and feminine grace and poise. Riku had never thought he would ever feel as miserable as he was now feeling looking down on Sora’s beloved and tearstained face.

“Riku, I need you so much! Please don’t leave me. Don't let her ake you away from me like this!” Sora whined into Riku’s flesh as his sobs subsided into a dull whimper in unconnected and uninelligible sobs. Nothing Sora was saying made the slightlest sense to Riku, seeing as he had not been present for the earlier conversation between Kairi and Sora. Riku still didn't know of Kairi's demand that he never see Sora again. “She wants to take you away from me, please don’t let her!”

“Sora, what are you talking about?” Riku asked. He was confused – first off, who was trying to take him away from Sora and second, Sora had just said he needed Riku making Riku feel warm and happy inside even if the face of Sora’s infinite pain and suffering. “Who’s trying to pull us apart?”

“Kairi, she’s jealous of you because I spend so much time with you!” Sora sniffed as he dried his tears on the back of his hand. “She told me I was never to see you again and that I should find a new best friend because she wasn’t going to give in on this.”

“Why that rotten bitch, who does she think she is demanding that you never see me again when we’re best friends?” Riku flared up defiantly. “Sora, let's just walk back tp Advanced English and get your things so we can go to our next class okay? We’ll work this out, I'll wrk this out I swaer to you I'll find a way that makes everyone happy except maybe Kairi of course. We’ll find away around Kairi and her stupid rules. Don’t worry Sora. I’ll always be your best friend no matter what she says.”

“And you’ll always be mine.” Sora smiled as Riku put an arms around his shoulders and headed for the door that led out into the packed, crowded, noisy hallway that awaited them just beyond the door.

Well there’s Chapter 2! I hope you liked it. The intense side of the story is finally taking root! Yay! Next chapter is when the fun REALLY starts! If you can call this fun of course… I’m not sure if it’s ‘fun’ that I’m writing here. Oh well.

In case you didn't guess already, Kairi gets a little bitchy in this story. Hee he, I don't know what to tell you except that I wanted to write a story with Kairi as the meany who ruined everyone's lives. I really don't care for Kairi that much, I mean she's okay but I don't see the point of her being with Sora. She's always getting herself kidnapped and making Sora come save her like she's helpless - and I hate how some girls think they need a boy around at all times to save them because woman have come too far to depend upon the men. That's just how I feel about it. Nothing personal to Kairi or the male populartion.

Anyone who reviews for this chapter gets a cookie! Special presents for special reviews! Until next time!

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Chap 3-

Chapter 3

“Hey Sora, so how angry was the Queen of the World with you today when she found out that you had Riku drive you to school instead of her?” Roxas asked from the kitchen table, looking up from his large bowl of cereal just as Sora slouched in through the front door. Kairi had just dropped Sora off after screaming at him in the confines of her tiny car for the last ten minutes or so before she had pulled up in front of his house and allowed him to exit the vehicle.

“You don’t wanna know!” Sora sighed, resting his head on the table so that all he could see was the salt shaker right in front of his face. “Oh and by the way, thanks for telling Kairi who drove me to school, you were a great help Roxas. You really need to learn when to keep your mouth shut. Seriously, it might come in handy one day.”

“Hey, don’t get angry with me because you’re Ice Queen of a girlfriend’s jealous of your best friend. I didn’t cause your problems Sora, you did by dating her.” Roxas said good-naturedly as he reached for the milk carton to pour himself more cereal. Roxas had just gotten home ten minutes ago from ‘The Dark-Heart’ and just barely made it in the back door, into his pajamas, and into the kitchen in time to pour the cereal when he had heard the bitch in question pull up in the driveway still yelling at Sora.

“How is it not your fault? You told her who drove me to school today because you knew she’d get mad about it!” Sora shouted at his twin unable to keep the frustration out of his voice. He didn’t mean to yell at Roxas, but he was just so frustrated right now with Kairi and everything she had done to be able to tell one person from the other. All Sora wanted to do at that moment was put up a wall up around him and his heart, and never let anyone through keeping himself locked away from the rest of whole world and it’s inhabitants forever – except for Riku. Riku was the only person Sora wanted to talk to right now, but if he talked to Riku, Kairi was bound to find out and be even angrier with him which he wasn’t willing to risk.

“Let’s get a few things straight here Sora, because you’re really starting to tick me off.” Roxas said in a voice that was deadly calm and serious. Sora raised his head from the table to look at his brother in shock. Roxas had never talked to anyone like that, let alone Sora his own twin brother. It marked just how serious of an occasion it was. “I didn’t tell Kairi who drove you to school exactly; I told her which car you left in when it came to pick you up thank you very much Mr. I-Know-Everything-About-Everything-There-Is-To-Know! And secondly, I only told her anything because she had me in a rather precarious situation so I had cut a deal with her to get out of it. I didn’t do it just to spite you no matter what you may think.”

“And naturally the deal you made was she lets you off the hook from whatever it was and you tell her the car that picked me up, right?” Sora asked halfheartedly as Roxas nodded his head as he placed his empty cereal bowl in the dishwasher and put the milk and cereal box away in the pantry where it belonged.

“You aren’t upset with me are you?” Roxas asked his twin as Sora stood up and slouched off heading for the staircase that led to their rooms. “Sora, please answer me. Sora? Come on don’t be mad at me, I didn’t mean to upset you!”

“I’m not angry or upset with you Roxas, I just need to go and lye down for a while before dinner I think. My head hurts a bit so I’m gonna take an Ibuprofen pill before I pass out on my bedroom floor so you can tell Mom I’m upstairs when she gets home.” Sora said as he walked up the stairs. When he reached the halfway point he stopped, calling back into the kitchen. “And if Kairi happens to call, tell her I’m asleep.”

Roxas chuckled as Sora climbed the rest of the stairs to the second floor, thinking about how bad thing must be for Sora right now if he was willing to pretend he was asleep merely so he didn’t have to talk to his own girlfriend. Roxas was glad he didn’t have these kinds of relationship problems; all he had was possibilities and happiness instead of problems like his brother he realized while thinking back to what had happened earlier that day after his Mother had left the house…

As soon as my Mother had kissed me goodbye on the forehead and climbed into her car to go to work the charade was over. I was done pretending to be sick – for the day at least. Rushing upstairs, I quickly dressed and looked over myself in the floor length mirror in the hall between Sora’s room and mine. For some odd reason Mother and Father had thought because we were twins that Sora and I were the best of friends and in so should have rooms right across the hall from each other.

Not that I don’t like Sora, it’s just that he gets annoying sometimes with his little habits and the things that he does. Like when Kairi comes over he talks super loud and gets all nervous and jumpy, or when Riku calls he always stands on his head for some unknown reason. Can you say weird! He doesn’t know that I know he does that because it’s really an accident I found out at all. I was just walking innocently past his room one day and it just so happened that I glanced inside. Then I did a double take and had to double back to stare at my brother standing on his head with Riku on speakerphone. From then on whenever Riku called I would be sure to listen for the sound of multiple voices which signaled Sora setting the phone on speaker so that I could slip our of my room and down the hall to see if he was standing on his head. And he always was it, every single time Riku called him, which was quite often. I was never disappointed with Sora's almost daily display of his perfect balance.

I quickly hurried down the staircase, out the back door and down the sidewalk headed from my favorite place in the entire world – ‘The Dark-Heart’. It wasn’t my favorite place because Axel was always there, though that was an extremely good reason to go, but because it gave people like me a place to go and think. A place to let our ideas flow, a place to let our creative energies out… and a great place to make-out seeing as half of the building seemed to be dark deserted corners just begging to be made-out in.

Before I knew it I was standing in front of the building itself looking up at the glowing neon sign placed over the large black tinted window: ‘The Dark-Heart’. Jumping over the broken board on the stairs that led up to the door I entered my favorite place to settle myself at one of the numerous small rickety table in the darkened corner closest to the stage where I always sat at and pulled the small flat case out of my jacket pocket that I had brought for Axel.

“Hey, I think I might know you! You look familiar, have we met before?” I couldn’t help but laugh when Axel said this, coming up from behind me to put his arms around my shoulders so that his lips were just centimeters from my ear as he whispered to me. “What’s happening Roxas?”

“Oh nothing much, I came to listen to the wicked cool band that’s playing here today.” I said enthusiastically, which made him laugh. I loved the sound of his laugh, the way it seemed to fill my soul with that warm feeling you get when someone you really care about is happy with you. I’d do anything to make him smile at me like that and laugh. “I brought you something.”

“You brought me something, like a present?” Axel asked excitedly clapping him hands together as I handed him the flat case I had brought with me in my inside jacket pocket. “Oh my God, where did you get this? The Dream-Catcher Oracle CD! I’ve been looking for this CD for weeks, ever since it came out!”

“I knew you wanted it because you told me, so I went out and found it for you.” I said casually. It had taken me forever to find it, even if I wasn’t going to tell him that. Every store in town had run out of copies so my only choice was the internet – which so jacked up the price. Brand new CDs go for a lot apparently, especially when most stores are sold out of it.

“No one’s every given be a present before.” Axel said softly, looking at me with his eyes filled with emotion.

“Never?” I asked him, astounded. I knew things at home had been rough for Axel, but I didn’t know they could have been that rough. His Mother had died when he was two years old, and his Father didn’t really care about anything but his new plastic surgery Hollywood-look-a-like wife.

“Roxas how can I ever thank you enough for this?” Axel said quietly as he took my hand.

“You just did.” I smiled at him, lacing his fingers with mine. He kissed me lightly on the cheek. “The look in your eyes is all I need all the thanks I need Axel.”

“AXEL!” Demyx called across the room, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet as Zexion slumped again the wall looking sulky. “We’re going on in half a minute! Come on already!”

“Listen Roxas, I have to go sing you know? Be right back.” Axel sighed as he walked over towards the back of the club where I knew they stored the instruments they used in their many performances on stage. “When we’re done I need to talk to you so don’t leave.”

“Alright,” I heard myself say as he walked away from me and over to where Demyx and Zexion stood eyeing me wearily. I didn’t understand why they would be looking at me like that, after all, what had I ever done to them?

“Hey everyone, it’s time for the main event of the day!” The owner of the establishment said to the eagerly listening crowd. If a crowd can consist of about six people that is, other than myself, not that anyone noticed me from where I sat in my corner of course which is just how I liked it. As long as Axel knew I was there, I didn’t give a damn who else knew. “You all know them, you all love at least one of them, give it up for my favorite local band – The Inferno Arsonists! Give it up for Demyx on drums, Zexion on bass guitar, and everyone’s favorite electric guitarist and lead singer to even perform at ‘The Dark-Heart’… AXEL!”

I clapped loudest of all as Axel and his band mates took the stage and each picked up their various instruments to prepare to play. As Axel fiddled with the microphone he glanced over to the corner where I was clapping for him and smiled his adorably devilish smile he gave me whenever he saw me. He winked just before he turned to whisper something to the other members of the band as they tuned their instruments for the first song, and even though I couldn’t be sure of it, I knew in my heart that it had been just to me.

“Hey everyone, how’s it going today?” Axel said into the microphone to the appreciative ‘whoops’ of enjoyment from the crowd who was eagerly awaiting the start of the some. “This song’s titled ‘The Ocean’s Depths’. And more importantly I’d like to dedicate this to my blue eyed savior and the one love of my life, this is for you.”

I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard him say that over the microphone to the room at large. First off, I wasn’t his savoir. He had saved me, made me realize just because I wasn’t perfect to the standards other people had set for me didn’t mean I didn’t meet my own standards and that it was okay for me to be true to myself no matter who that was.

The one love of my life he had said. He actually loved me and was admitting it to a room full of complete strangers. Never once in all our many meetings here had either of us ever said the L word. It was like the one thing we had left to look forward to besides well – you know. I just couldn’t believe it… and them I heard the lyrics of the song he was just starting to belt out to the intense pleasure of everyone around me.

Why do I feel this way about you?

The depths of the ocean in your eyes is calling to me,

Begging me to fall inside and never leave you.

Can I tell you how I feel without words?

Can you understand the way I feel,

And do you feel the same?

The depths of the ocean,

Taunting me slowly to madness,

The ocean held in your eyes.

No one knew the lyrics actually meant anything special to anyone present in the dark and dimly lit club, no one could have guessed the importance or significance of the words Axel was belting out. No one that is but me, Axel, and possible Demyx and Zexion and for that I was glad because I could feel myself blushing like mad from where I sat frozen to the chair. Even if I had the movement restored to my legs I don’t think I would have moved anyways because the song was so beautiful. Axel’s music was always trying to get a point across and the lyrics had always meant something and all that but this was the first time I actually heard each line as what it was instead of the song as a whole. Because he was singing about me and how he felt about me, it had to be me.

“Thanks guys!” Demyx shouted when they were finished with their song. Clapping ensued in which for once I didn’t take part. I was too busy staring up at Axel with disbelief that he had actually went and written a song for me, about me, and sang it in public to an eagerly listening crowd who just so happened to adore him for his musical abilities.

But I loved him for him.

“Um, I guess we’re taking a break now then.” Zexion said into his microphone as Axel jumped off the stage and started walking over to me where I sat. Finally able to tear my eyes away from his unbelievably green eyes I stared down at my hands, which were curled up in my lap, as he pulled out the chair next to me and dropped himself down into it.

“Hey there Roxas.” Axel practically purred into my ear as he leaned into me to nibble on my ear as I closed my eyes in the intense pleasure that was just having him so close to me again. “So did you like the song then?”

“Axel it was – I just – I really –“ I gave up with a frustrated chuckle at myself for not being able to form a sentence with him around me. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you liked it.” Axel requested simply, taking my face in his hand so that I was forced to look into his face and found myself gazing up into his emerald green orb-like eyes. “Please tell me you liked it, I mean really liked it.”

“I loved it Axel.” I said softly as he scanned my face to see if I was telling him the truth, afraid that I might be lying to him and that all his hard work to impress me had been for naught. It was the truth, he saw it written all over his face that be had seen it was the truth as he smiled down at me. “Just like-“

“Just like what Roxas?” Axel asked when I cut myself off, not finishing what was on my mind. “Tell me.”

“I loved the song…” I gulped, taking a breath before carrying on plowing headfirst into the flames that faced me. “Just like I love you Axel.”

Axel didn’t answer. He just stared at me like he’d never seen anything like me before. I tried to read his expression but it was impossible to tell what he was thinking in the darkness of the corner. The one downside to sitting in the partial dark.

“Roxas, do you really mean that?” Axel asked me hopefully. I had never heard him sound so hopeful in my entire time of having known him, not even when the owner of the club had cut a deal that if it brought more people in that his band could play here whenever they wanted and it had worked so far. “Do you really love me Roxas?”

“Of course I do Axel!” I smiled at him, caressing the side of his face with the back of my hand as he leaned into it closing his eyes. “What’s wrong Axel?”

“Nothing Roxas, everything’s great.” Axel said, wrongly mistaking my intensions. I hadn’t meant anything by it, he just looked upset and by now I was well trained to pick up on his many emotions.

“Axel, don’t lie to me. I know you too well to not know when you’re lying.” I stated coldly, playfully tugging on his hair so he laughed softly as he swatted my hand away. “Please Axel, whatever it is we can work it out. Is it something I did?”

“God no, it wasn’t you Roxas it was me.” Axel sighed, his head flopping backwards so that he was looking up at the ceiling instead of my face as though he couldn’t bear to look at me anymore. “I just feel like you’re too good for me Roxas, like you deserve someone so much better than me and you’re just settling for me. I know you aren’t but I can’t help but feel that you should be with someone who’s in a position to give you everything you could ever want or need and we both know that’s not me. I love you so much, but sometimes I just feel like maybe my love might not be enough.”

“Is that why it took you so long to tell me how much you cared?” I asked sadly as I took his hand in mine to stroke the back of his hand with my thumb as he fixed his eyes on mina and nodded solemnly. “You should have known better Axel. You should have known I wouldn’t have cared about any of that stuff. All I care about is you.”

“I know Roxas, but shouldn’t you be with someone better?” Axel pressed me, not giving up the fight just yet. “Shouldn’t you be with someone who can take care of you, who has a future, who at least finished high school.”

“You could have finished high school, you were smart enough.” I countered. “It’s not your fault you got expelled before you could graduate.”

“Yeah, it was my fault.” He laughed sourly as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket along with a lighter which he flicked several times before he could get the flame inside to come to life. As much as I hate smoke and cigarettes, I didn’t mind it so much when Axel did it. It just seemed to calm him down, and with all this talk of him being too good for him it might be a good idea for him to light one up and take a breather.

Not that I could breathe with all that smoke in my face, but whatever. That detail doesn’t matter so much as the fact that Axel was becoming less tense after every inhale of those noxious poisons he was releasing into the air and down into his and my lungs. But whatever, if it worked…

“How was it your fault?” I asked him angrily. “Okay, I heard a few rumors but it’s not like I believed them or anything. I’m sure it was just a big misunderstanding or something like that right?”

“What have you heard?” Axel asked me as he smashed the still lit bud of the cigarette under the heel of his black and white converse shoes he always wore everywhere.

“That you’re the one who burnt down that classroom on the second floor by the band room, but that can’t be true.” I said airily unconcerned.

“Why couldn’t that have been me Roxas?” Axel asked me sounding amused by the situation and the topic of conversation.

“Well, I don’t know why.” I said slowly. Did that mean it was him then? “It just doesn’t seem like something you’d have done is all I guess. Was that why you got expelled then Axel?”

“Yeah, in a manner of speaking.” Axel said making me choke on my words which I had been about to say and loosing my train of thought completely. “Well okay, it was technically an accident. I didn’t mean to throw my lit cigarette bud under that cabinet where I couldn’t pull it out again. And how was I supposed to know someone had spilt chemicals over there on the floor the day before that happened to be flammable? But I bet you can imagine how well that response went over with the authorities and the school system.”

“So it was a mistake then.” I said feeling a little relieved.

“In a manner of speaking. I mean I was smoking in the building and all but I don’t think that’s anything to be expelled for and all but my opinion apparently doesn’t matter, huh?” He smiled at me as he twiddled his thumbs absentmindedly.

“Your opinion matters to me Axel, isn’t that enough?” I asked seriously. He looked at me for a long moment that seemed to stretch forever in my memory for he leaned in, taking my face in his hands as he spoke.

“It’s more than enough Roxas.” Axel said tenderly. His soft lips gently touched mine while I melted in his arms as he worked his way slowly into my heart.

“Glad my love life’s not as hard as Sora’s is.” Roxas sighed, quickly scrawling a note down in his notepad for his Mother so she wouldn’t worry, sticking it onto the fridge with a magnet before slipping out of the back door so to sit under his favorite tree while he wrote poetry, most of which would be involving a pair of emerald green eyes encased by curtains of flaming red hair.

As amerced in his thoughts as he was, Roxas should have noticed for all his wonderful ideas that had suddenly popped into his mind the familiar sight of Riku’s slender form as he streaked quickly as any bolt of lightning across the street, darting between the cars on his way to Roxas and Sora’s front yard.

Riku slipped into the narrow gap between the white picket fence and the side of the house. Making his way to the back of the house where unknown to him Roxas sat in the strong limbs of the large oak tree writing frantically in his notebook lest his ideas escape him before he could jot them down. As Riku looked up at the windows of the second floor of the attractive white house, Sora just happened to look out of his window and glance around his back yard.

“Riku, what the hell are you doing here!” Sora opened up his window to shout out at his best friend who stood confident and grinning down below his window. “You heard what Kairi said today, you shouldn’t be here! It’ll only cause us both a lot of unnecessary drama and cause her to inflict her terrible wrath upon us.”

“Sora, I’m not scared of Kairi.” Riku said, casually flipping his bangs out of his eyes as he continued to look up at Sora’s torso as he stuck his head out of the window. “Let her yell, she could shoot me for all I care!”

“No, Riku don’t say things like that!” Sora groaned, his eyes closing painfully. Riku’s laughter died as he looked up at his friend with concern written in his eyes, frowning slightly as he walked over to the tool shed in the corner of the yard that was situated against the fence where Sora’s Father kept all the tools and gardening equipment like the lawnmower and the watering can Sora’s Mother used to water her small neatly managed flower gardens that circled the perimeter of the house.

“Riku, what are you doing in there?” Roxas asked when Riku didn’t reappear at once out of the shed. Fearing that Riku must have tripped on the threshold of the door and stabbed himself through the heart with the pruning shears his Father used to trim the hedges that lined the sidewalk on the side of the fence that overlooked the road. Tossing his notebook unceremoniously to the ground as he jumped from the tree to land soundly on his feet, Roxas rushed to the door of the shed to find Riku struggling to turn a very large ladder on it’s side to get it through the door. “What are you doing in here with that ladder?”

“Having a stimulating conversation of course. You dolt, I’m trying to get it out of the door!” Riku sniggered as Roxas sputtered, trying to think of a comeback. Riku walked away from the ladder and over to where Roxas stood, pushing him roughly out of the way as he went to pull the ladder out of the shed door. “Wanna give me a hand with this Roxas? It’s not exactly an easy thing to life on one’s own if you know what I mean.”

“Oh, of course I’ll help you.” Roxas said taking the back end of the ladder with a groan as he helped Riku pick it up and set it up against the side of the house right under Sora’s window. Sora had disappeared back inside his room and closed his window thinking Riku had left him in peace. Boy was Sora ever wrong!

“Roxas, do you think you could do me a favor?” Riku asked as he mounted the ladder, gripping the individual rungs tightly in his hand as he climbed up to Sora’s window. “Could you put the ladder back for me once I make it inside?”

“Won’t you need it to get back down?” Roxas asked, unintentionally watching Riku’s body sway back and forth slightly with the effort of the climb.

“Na, I’ll just go out through the front door when it’s dark so Kairi can’t possibly see me. If she doesn’t see me she can’t get mad at Sora.” Riku explained finally reached Sora’s window. “And a ladder might leading up to Sora’s window might like a little conspicuous if Kairi just happened to drive by tonight. Please Roxas, can I count on you for this one thing, just this once?”

“Fine Riku, just this once.” Roxas smiled as Riku rapped smartly on Sora’s window. Sora opened the window, and Roxas could see the look of utter happiness on his brother’s face as he moved aside to let Riku clamber into his room. “Have fun you two, play nice! Great, now I gotta put this gigantic ladder back on all my own.”

“So, what’s up then Sora?” Riku asked cheerfully as he collapsed on the end of Sora’s unmade bed.

“Riku, you’re crazy.” Sora said simply, lifting himself up with his arms to sit on his cluttered dresser top.

“How so Sora?” Riku asked with a laugh, his eyes flashing in the way that showed how delighted he was with the situation and what was going on. Riku could tell Sorta was pleased with what he had done even if he was pretending not to be, Riku could tell by the look glinting in Sora’s deep crystal blue eyes that he had stared into more than once.

“How many people do you know that are willing to climb a ladder up to their best friend’s window who they aren’t even supposed to be seen with anymore because of their cold hearted girlfriend just to cheer them up?” Sora asked in a rush, leaving Riku to look at him in utter astonishment. When Sora was upset he began to talk fast and became hard to understand at times, but Riku believed in his mind that he got the gist of what Sora was probably talking about. With Sora in his current state, it was a hit-and-miss on whether or not you could actually tell what he was talking about. “Seriously Riku, how many people do you know that would do something this crazy?”

“Aside from me you mean of course?” Riku scoffed at Sora’s pale face gleefully, his shoulders shuddering in amusement as he laughed. “I’ll admit, not many. But that’s what makes it so special for us.”

“I guess you’re right Riku. But still, we have a front door for a reason.” Sora smiled unable to hide his cheerfulness from Riku any longer. “So now that you’re here what do we do?”

“I don’t know, that bits your own problem not mine. All I was supposed to do was show up.” Riku stated, lying down onto his back to examine the ceiling. “Let’s go out and do something.”

“Can’t do anything today I’m afraid. Kairi wants to go out tonight to some club or another. She said it was time I took her somewhere fun.” Sora sighed heavily, looking down at own his feet in embarrassment. I probably sound like I don’t like my own girlfriend, Sora thought angrily. Do I still like Kairi now that I know what she’s really like? Why did she never act like this before we dated? Was it all just to get me to like her so I’d date her before she showed her true colors to me at last?

“Oh come on Sora! Just dump her so we can go hang out and be friends again without me having to sneak around and climb through windows.” Riku called from the bed, still staring up at the ceiling. When Sora didn’t answer however Riku sat up, peering up at Sora through the strands of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. Sora looked oddly determined like he had finally made us his mind about something. “What’s that look for Sora?”

“I’m gonna do it.” Sora stood up. His face was set, his fists clenched, and the only thing giving away the fear he was feeling was the look of timid look in his eyes as he reached for his cell phone. “I’m going to call her and tell her it’s over between us.”

“Bravo Sora, I knew you could do it! She hasn’t eaten your brain yet!” Riku smiled sticking his hands in his front pants pockets. If Sora breaks up with Kairi he’ll be single again, Riku thought trying to hide his pleasure at his best friend’s obviously ending relation. If all goes well tonight after I take him somewhere where we can chill for a while so he can get over the breakup with Kairi that he plans on having in a few minutes , maybe I can come out about how I feel about him. He’ll understand how I feel about him. He won’t think I’m a freak like anyone else would. I think…

“Hello?” Kairi’s voice was heard some moments later, cascading around the room. Sora had told Riku to be quiet and sit down so Kairi couldn’t possibly hear him, and in return he had set the phone on speaker so that Riku could listen to the break up as it developed. What a wonderful bit of gossip this will be, Riku smiled to himself as Kairi answered her phone. And maybe a good bit to blackmail to use on Kairi too, give her a taste of her own medicine for once. It’s about time somebody did, that wretched hag’s been on top for far too long in my opinion.

“Hey Kairi, its Sora, you have a minute?” Sora asked hesitantly, looking to Riku for guidance as to whether or not he could actually do this. Riku nodded encouragingly at his nervous friend and smiled patting Sora on the shoulder to egg him on a little to show he approved of what he was doing to Kairi. “I kinda need to talk to you about something rather important.”

“Of course Sora, I know what you’re talking about of course but I thought you would have called long before now to talk about it you know you lazy bum!” Kairi giggled girlishly causing static to ripple through the phone.

“Um, I’m not entirely sure we are thinking of the same thing actually.” Sora said sourly, looking once again at Riku who looked away in his confusion. “Could you please specify what you are talking about?”

“Our one week anniversary of course, silly we’ve been dating for a whole week today!” Kairi said happily. Sora blanched and dropped the phone where it landed on the phone with a resounding thump! “What was that, Sora? Are you okay?”

“Um I-I’m fine K-Kairi.” Sora said shakily, his eyes tearing up. Riku knew what was running through Sora’s mind even if he didn’t like it. “I just didn’t have time to go out and get you a present.”

“Oh Sora, you’re so thoughtful!” Kairi sighed, her voice sounding pleased. “I didn’t think to get you a present so don’t feel too bad about it. I didn’t know whether you gave presents on a one week anniversary.”

“Oh this is ridiculous!” Riku scoffed flopping down on the bed so that be bounced an inch or so in the air before coming to rest. “Just dump her and get it over with!”

“Sora, is someone there with you? I thought I heard voices.” Kairi said so crossly that Sora thought he could imagine in his mind’s eye the jealous scowl Kairi must even now be wearing just for his benefit. “Sora, tell me the truth. Are you cheating on me?”

“What! How could you even ask me something like that, especially when you know exactly how I feel about cheating on someone you’re supposed to care about!” Sora shouted into the phone. Riku looked shocked from where he sat realizing in an agonizing burst of brain power too late that he should have remained quiet. His talking had just caused Sora more problems than he already had with the Cold Hearted Queen of the Firebrands. How a queen of the firebrands could have as cold a heart as Kairi’s I’ll never know, Riku thought biting his lip sadly.

“I just wanted to know!” Kairi yelled back, her voice cracking under the strain of having yelled at Sora all day long. “Who’s there then?”

“Riku if you must know.” Sora said, bracing himself for the worst.

“RIKU, Riku’s at your house, in your room right now! What did I tell you about talking to Riku?” Kairi shrieked causing Riku to hold his ears in pain. “I thought I told you that you were never to see him again!”

“You aren’t my master Kairi, you’re my girlfriend! You need to learn the difference between the two, really!” Sora shouted, finally unable to take it any longer and stand