The New Me

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own the characters. Nor do I make any money off of them. The characters are property of their respective creators/companies.
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Riku rowed like a mad man to Destiny Island. His body was facing the mainland, but he had his head turned over his shoulder the whole time, although, he could hear police shouting at him from the distance.

‘They must be following me…’ he thought not bothering to turn around. He was only a few feet from the shore; the water was shallow enough to wade through. So he jumped out and scrambled up onto the beach. Riku stood for a moment, looking over the sand.

No Sora.

‘If I was Kairi…where would I hide someone…’ It only took Riku’s mind a moment to think of the place. He took off running for the little cave at the base of the tree. He entered the little tunnel just as the police boat pulled up off shore.

Sora lay, sprawled out on the ground, mentally cursing, violently shuddering, visibly crying. He had fallen, and his new pursuer was standing over him.

“Hey kid….get up. You ok?” Sora knocked away a hand he felt tug on his shoulder. He rolled over to look into the eyes of the cowboy he that’d rescued him earlier. “You ok?” He asked again. Sora just nodded.

“Great, come on.” He took Sora’s hand and pulled him up. “My name’s Irvine. What’s yours?”

“…Sora…” He muttered wiping tears from his face. Irvine wrapped his coat around Sora, it was much to big for him.

Even with the coat wrapped around his shoulders he still felt cold. His body was shivering, his teeth chattering. Something was wrong; it was such a thick coat. He looked up at Irvine and realized he looked a little fuzzy.

“Are you all alone?” He asked him as he added his hat to Sora’s head. His voice sounded a little distant.

“No…my friends. I was with them...” His own voice seemed to echo. ‘What’s wrong with me?’

“Well, come with me. I’ll help you find them ok?” Sora narrowed his eyes at Irvine. He was sure he felt his mouth open, and his lips form words. But he couldn’t hear them. Irvine, nodded and smiled. He took Sora’s hand and started walking. He was chatting away, but not a word of it seemed to reach Sora’s ears. Wasn’t that strange to him…

‘Hey?’ Sora allowed himself to be pulled along. But everything was hazy now. Him, Irvine, the world. Hazy and cold.

‘Sora! Wake up!’

He looked over his shoulder, “Someone’s calling me….” He looked out and didn’t see anyone.

“Sora! Please wake up!” They sound hurt….a little familiar.

Riku stopped at the entrance of the cave. His heart leapt into his throat, and for a moment he thought he’d choke on the precious organ unless he moved. He took a few deep breaths and walked forward. He sucked o his upper lip a little, he felt like he was going cry, but kept it to himself.

There was Sora, lying on the floor of cave, half naked and covered in blood. Riku couldn’t decided exactly what to do first. Gaze in horror at the amount of blood on the floor, at Sora’s paling face, to cry out, hopping that now the cops were here, or…

Riku stopped his thoughts. ‘Dress him,’ said the little voice in his head. He quickly bent over Sora and began closing up his shirt. “Hey?” he said to the unconscious figure on the floor. “Hey Sora! Wake up!”

Riku tried nudging Sora’s face a bit. No response. He looked over Sora again and frowned, his body was getting cold. He hesitantly reached over and began fixing the boy’s jeans.

“Sora, you have to wake up.” He now leaned forward and carefully picked up his head. “Sora? Can you hear me?” Riku looked down into Sora’s dulling blue eyes. His eye lids were half closed, his face was turning white, and his lips blue. Riku chewed on his lip and set Sora down again; he tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt, and then another, and then one more. Now he started a makeshift bandage.

“Where the hell are the cops?”


Sora sat in the back of the Blackjack club. Irvine had brought him here to keep him safe. But the whole experience was lost to him now. He could barely remember how he got here, or what he was doing. Everyone but himself seemed faded and soundless. The only thing he heard consistently was someone talking to him. Someone he couldn’t see but he knew.

‘It has to be you…’ he thought. You’re the only person who’d come get me. He curled up into a ball. ‘God I’m so scared. Why is this happening? What’s going on?’


“…going on…”

Riku stopped tying up Sora’s head and looked down at him. Did he just talk?

“Sora?” he leaned in close to his face. “Sora! Are you awake?”

“….I’m here,” the answer was soft and strangled. But it was response none the less. He cried out ecstatically and drew Sora into and an embrace. He rocked him back and forth on the floor for a moment. Sora was awake and responding. He wasn’t too late. He would be ok. He stopped rocking and looked down at Sora again.

“Don’t worry. Sora I’m going to pick you up now. Don’t worry.”


“Don’t worry. Ok?” Sora looked up, the person talking to him was still faded but he’d know them just the same. The only person who’d ever care enough to save him when he got himself into a mess like this. He couldn’t help but cry, even though it felt like every tear was a bit more strength taken from him.

He felt his body being hoisted up. It was a little unsteady at first, but soon the arms supporting him had his body arranged so that most of him was resting on his saviors chest, and his head on his shoulder. The upper part of his legs and waist were supported by arms, and his lower legs and feet dangled freely. He turned his head and rested on the shoulder given.

Riku sighed thankfully as he felt Sora move around in his arms. Though he knew that really Sora shouldn’t, he also knew he couldn’t allow him to sleep again. Riku carefully carried Sora out through the tunnel. Taking each step carefully to make sure he didn’t drop the boy in his arms. He pressed his lips together as the made their way out. Riku had never noticed how narrow this little opening was until now. Every step he took, he panicked he would knock Sora into the wall face and finish him off.

Sora on the other hand was lulled by the careful movements. To him it felt like swaying in a swing, or in a hammock. He was perfectly fine. Neither of them was talking, but he was so relived to be in his arms, he didn’t care. Life up until this point was hell. Even if he did die right now, he’d be happy. Sora fluttered open his eyes as far as he could and looked at the neck of the boy carrying him.

“Thank you,” he murmured.

“Don’t bother….its all my fault. I should have taken better care of you.” Sora smiled inwardly, that’s something the other would say too.

“…But I came here…..it’s my fault. I shouldn’t….go wandering…”

“Sora, don’t talk….you’ll lose all your energy.” Riku stepped out of the tunnel. Sure enough, there were cops combing the beach, apparently they hadn’t seen him duck in the tunnel. However, as soon as the saw him, two came running up to him. A paramedic’s boat was already arriving at the shore.

“…I have to say this…” Riku shushed Sora and began rearranging the boy in his arms to hand him off to authorities. Sora kept on talking.

“Even when you push me away…” Riku looked at him confused as he put him into the waiting police officers arms. “…or I do it to you…you still came. You knew that we needed each other…”

Riku again, felt his heat try to escape through his throat. ‘He’s hallucinating.’

“Sora…it’s me, Riku.” He stroked Sora’s hand as the police officer pulled away. Sora just turned his head into the arms of his new carrier.

“I know who you are…”

Riku reached out to get his attention, but his hand was pulled back as he tugged on Sora’s jeans. He turned around to find he three more officers, all looking for answers he didn’t have.

He gave a little sigh and allowed himself to be led away. ‘He thinks I’m his boyfriend…’ Riku watched them carry Sora to the paramedic’s boat, while Riku got on the police one. He sat down on a bench in the boat and only half heartedly listened while the officers rambled off questions to him.

‘I guess Sora will just always be thinking of Leon…’ He sighed again and turned his attention back to the men talking to him.

One of the paramedics set Sora down on a stretcher and they began removing the make shift bandage on his head.

“Don’t worry son, you’re going to be alright.” The man over him began cleaning out the wound. “It’s a good thing that boy found you so quick.”

“…Where is he?”

“Hm?” The paramedic was confused for a moment, but quickly figured out what Sora meant. “Oh, he’s on the other boat.” Sora squinted and tried to get up, but the man pushed him back down, “You need to stay still.” Sora shook his head and tried to get up again. “If you won’t hold still, I have to force you.”

Sora reluctantly gave in. He kept his head down on the stretcher, but he still had a lot he wanted to say. It had been nice of Leon to save him in Traverse Town…and up until now, he’d have never wanted it any other way.

But right now, that little voice was tugging at him. Even after all this, he’d never felt so good as he had ten minutes ago in another’s arms. He knew what he was thinking, he was in love Leon, but he could love Riku too…He needed to tell them that.

Riku stepped off the boat at the dock. He felt miserable. He’d just had the longest boat ride in hell with a bunch of pushy cops, he was covered in Sora’s blood, and worse off, Sora’s boat didn’t even stop here. It kept going to the third island where Bastion Hospital was. He sighed as the cops informed him they’d be calling his parents. So he couldn’t leave until they arrived.

Riku practically fell onto the bench where he was to sit and wait for his parents.

‘This is fucking great. Now everyone’s involved…..’ he put his head in his hands. ‘God, I’m gonna kill Kairi for this. What the hell was she thinking!’

“Um….Riku?”

Riku looked up from his hands to see Selphie, Tidus and Wakka looking at him. They stayed like that, the group of four just looking back and forth at one another. The three standing taking in Riku’s facial expression, his clothes, and what had just happened. They still weren’t wholly clear on what happened. Kairi had only briefly told them that Sora had attacked her before she was loaded onto a boat and taken to the hospital. That, and that Sora was boy.

“Riku…..” Tidus stepped forward. “Is it true? Did Sora really hurt Kairi?” It didn’t take long to find out that was not the thing to say. Riku stood up in a shot and grabbed Tidus. He lifted him up from the ground and started shaking him, screaming in his face.

“What did you say! What BULLSHIT is that! Sora’s the one fucking bleeding from the head!!”

“Rik! Let go!” Selphie and Wakka grabbed onto Riku’s arms and pried Tidus away from him. Tidus ran out of arms reach of the silver haired boy and stayed there.

“You’re crazy!” Wakka smacked him across the face. “You could have hurt him, what’s wrong with you?”

Riku lightly touched his face before wheeling around to punch Wakka in the nose. “What’s wrong with me! What’s wrong with you! Taking Kairi’s side!” Wakka backed up, but just as quickly lunged at Riku. Selphie shrieked and climbed up onto the bench as the too rolled around screaming and punching.

“Kairi’s our friend! Of course we’re worried that someone tried to hurt her!” Wakka rolled over on top of Riku. “You should be too! She’s more concerned about you than herself!”

Riku glared up at Wakka from the ground. “She’s a lying bitch! She only cares about her-” Riku didn’t get to finish, Wakka nailed him in the mouth that time.

“Shut up! What the hell’s gotten into you!”

“Guys! Stop it! Wakka get off him!” Selphie yelled at them from the bench. Tidus just stood back in awe that his friends were pounding on each other.

Riku struggled and kicked; he eventually flipped himself and Wakka. He had bit his upper lip when Wakka punched him, and now he had blood coming from the side of his mouth. “Whats!” He brought his fist down to connect with Wakka’s face, “Gotten! Into! ME!” Wakka grabbed Riku’s fist and twisted his arm, Riku tried to pull back and shouted. “It’s Kairi that’s wrong! And you’re wrong for believing her!”

By now all the shouting had attracted few officers who quickly grabbed Riku and Wakka and pulled them a part. Wakka had a black eye starting and a cut on his cheek. Riku had a bloodied mouth and nose, both were panting. Wakka struggled to get lose, but Riku held still and kept talking.

“She lied to you guys! She lied to me!”

“Well! You’re going to tell me Sora’s a girl!” The cop started to pull Riku away, but Wakka was allowed to stay behind.

Riku turned and looked over his shoulder, “Selphie! You know she lied! And Sora did too! But which one of them is nearly dead!”

The group watched Riku be pushed into a police car. He had to remain there until his parents came.

Wakka and Tidus looked at Selphie.

“Did she really lie?” Tidus asked, but Selphie didn’t respond.

“Selphie! Answer!” Wakka touched her shoulder and she pulled back.

“They…they were just supposed to talk…” Tidus opened his eyes wide and Wakka shook his head. “She never told me she’d do this” Selphie fell quite. Wakka just shook his head some more.

“You knew Sora was a boy too?”

“No, I didn’t even know she knew. She didn’t tell me.”

Tidus sighed, “So then…who’s telling the truth? I thought we were all friends. Friends don’t lie and hurt each other like this.”

Wakka nodded, “Well, maybe we’re not as good a group of friends as we thought.” Wakka looked ad Tidus, but scowled at Selphie and walked off. Selphie turned her gaze to Tidus. His face didn’t change, but he didn’t say anything else. He just turned around and followed Wakka.

Selphie sat on the bench. Like Riku she put her head in hands, but she started to cry. They really were terrible friends.

Riku looked out the window and watch his friends walk away. He watched Selphie sit down and cry, and he felt his heart try to chock him for the third time today, but this time he let himself cry out.