The New Me

A/N: Ok….so, I guess I was going back through Reviews, and realized, that I don’t think everyone got the little references to KH:CoM in the last chapter…As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I like to make references or cameos for other games…Like Kuja smacking Wakka, and Wakka also made a vague reference to Lulu. The Blackjack, the airship from FF6, is the strip club, it’s even run by Setzer, and there are others I’m sure.

But Naminé is a witch from KH:CoM. I’m just pointing it out because someone said that her mentioning Witchcraft to warp peoples memories was strange….but…that’s what she does in the game. Sorry about freaking you out….>.<

Anyway, thanks for the reviews guys! WOOT! And I’m sure a lot more of them will come once I tell you the good news! I got two tests coming up next week, and then a test the week after that, so this is last update for a while! YEA!

…don’t kill me…..*runs and hides*

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 walked past his brother, a bit of a smirk on his face. True, he did just get busted outside the house, but it’s not like Touya saw him leave Sora’s, so he didn’t know where he was.

“So, where did you and your little friend go?” Touya growled. See, he had no proof where Riku was.

“Out,” was his response. Touya looked like he wanted to say something else, but his mother interrupted them with a call from the kitchen.

“Touya? Is that Riku? Have him come into the kitchen!” Riku smirked at his brother and made his way to the source of his mother’s voice. Touya followed behind giving his kid bother an evil eye.

The walk to the kitchen from the front door was short, but was long enough for a million thoughts to pop into Riku’s head.

‘Gay is such a strong word…I wish Naminé wouldn’t use it. I wonder if Sora thinks I’m gay? …Does that work in my favor or against me? Can I even be gay? I’ve never like boys before…But maybe I am, I was never really that great with chicks either.’ Riku smirked as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. ‘Man, me gay? I can only imagine the look on everyone’s faces. Especially-’

“KAIRI!” Riku screamed the last word of his thoughts. It wasn’t anger, it was more like shock.

There, at his kitchen table was his mother, father, Mr. Akai, and his daughter, Kairi. Riku stood in the middle of the kitchen floor, wide eyed and slack jawed. Touya came up behind him and whacked him on the back of the head.

“Riku, sit down.” His father pointed to a free chair. Kairi smiled and looked up at him, to which Riku clenched his jaw.

“I’m gonna go up to my room,” Riku turned on his heels to head out of the room.

“Riku, you’re father asked you to sit down.” His mother added.

“Yea, Riku. Quit being such a pussy.”

“Touya! Watch your language.”

Riku turned around, “Its ok Mom. I’d rather be a pussy than a traitor.” His mother’s moth hung open. Kairi bit her lip, but her father scowled. Touya on the other hand found the response amusing and smirked.

“Young man,” his father stood up, “You’re going to sit down, and talk to the Akais with respect, or I will personally tear into you. Do you understand?”

Riku shook his head. “Sure, I’ll be waiting for you upstairs.” Riku turned back to leave again. This time before he could register the threats coming from his father’s mouth, he ran for his room.

No one bothered to follow him, but he still locked the door.

“God, Kairi in my house…” he muttered and tossed Naminé’s book onto his bed. “And they want me to talk to her? Jesus…” He sat on the bed and kicked off his shoes.

‘And why not talk to her? You talked to Sora. You can’t be pissed at everyone else for siding with her, and not at least hear her reasoning…other wise you’re a hypocrite.’

He grumbled, and fell back onto his bed, ‘I’ll listen to her when I’m less angry…’

He picked up the book Naminé had given him, and despite his better judgment, opened it up to the first page and started to read.

‘But she came all they way here, maybe she wants to talk?’

Riku shook his head, ‘She came cuz’ the parents felt like getting together and bitching…they probably think they can patch things up between us.’

‘Well, you don’t know-’ There was a knock at his door. Riku put the book on his chest and glared at the wooden rectangle blocking the portal to his little world.

“…Riku?” He heard her voice, barely a whisper. He gave a deep sigh and sat up.

“Go away, Kairi.”

“But, Riku, we need to talk…please?”

Riku glared at the door, god he wished for heat vision. Didn’t get it tough. He put the manga back on the bed and walked over to his door. There was a loud clicking sound when he turned the lock, and he slowly opened the door to face his former best friend.

Kairi faintly smiled at Riku and walked slowly into the room. He was giving her an awkward glare, but she ignored it. She walked in and stood in the middle of the room and waited for Riku to shut the door before she turned around to face him.

“Riku-”

“What do you want, Kairi?” He cut her off.

“What do I want? I want you, Riku. I miss you. We don’t talk any more.” She held her hands anxiously.

“Gee, I wonder why?” He asked sarcastically as he sat down on the bed.

“Riku, I know you’re upset about what happened with me and Sora, but you have to admit. It’s….odd, he is rather. Why would he do all this stuff?”

“He wanted to go home, so he lied to everyone.”

“But where’s the logic in that!?” She walked over to stand in front of him.

“There isn’t any. I’ve already been over this with him.”

“Him! You’ve talked to him, but not me since then!” She leaned forward to look him in the eye. He glared back at her.

“Yea.” Riku gave her a steely gaze. “I’ve been talking with him a lot, trying to figure what happened down there in the Secret Place.”

“Trying to figure out what happened…” she muttered and shook her head. “You already know what happened! I brought Sora out there to tell him he had to come clean! And he freaked out!”

“Really, Kairi, do you expect me to believe that? To believe you?”

“How can you not! Everyone else knows I’m right!” She backed up and screamed now. “Sora’s lunatic! He would have killed me! He would have hurt you if I didn’t do something!! He-”

“GOD KAIRI SHUT UP!” Riku stood up and grabbed her arm. She pressed her lips together and looked at him shocked. “You’re full of such bullshit! I’ve seen Sora’s head! You can’t convince me you nailed him in the back of the head out of self defense! If he really attacked you, he should be dead! You should have landed a huge blow to the front of his skull!”

Kairi still marveled at Riku, but was now trying to pull her arm out of his hand.

“Well where’s the mark Kairi! Where’s the wound on Sora’s temple? And where are your bruises? Where are your injuries from being attacked?” He got up in her face now. “Well! Why don’t you say something? You’ve been happy to shoot of your mouth to people who don’t know any better!”

Kairi looked wide eyed into her reflection in Riku’s angry sea green eyes. And she snapped. She started to sob. Riku pulled back as she began shaking and falling to the floor.

He let go and let Kairi sink to the floor. He watched her cry now. He watched for a while, before he murmured her name.

She didn’t respond. She kept her head in her hands and cried.

“…Kairi…” Riku knelt down and stroked her head. She still didn’t respond, so he took her head and let it rest on his chest. She instantly clung to him as he wrapped her arms around her.

He wasn’t happy, and not really sure what to do. But irregardless of lies and bullshit, she had been his best friend for as long as he had memories of having a friend. He couldn’t let her sit on the floor, his floor, and cry herself to death. Especially if he caused those tears.

“Kairi…stop crying.” She shook her head. “Why not?”

“Because…you hate me…” she murmured into his now drenched shirt. Riku sighed.

“I don’t hate you.”

“Yes you do!”

“No I don’t! I’m just, angry…Kairi, why did you do this? Why are you still doing it?”

“Doing what?”

“Kairi!” He pushed her back and looked at her seriously now. “Kairi, you know what.”

She lowered her eyes a few times, and shook her head. “Riku…if you…if had just heard the things he said! He doesn’t even care about your feelings!”

“I already know what he said. He told me.”

“…He told you? Then, why? Why?”

“…because…” Riku stared at her for a moment. He didn’t have an answer. Why had he picked Sora over Kairi?

“Riku….” He shook his head at her. He didn’t have a reason, it was just what he wanted.

“I…I wanted to be with him…” Kairi started shaking again, but this time Riku braced his hands on her shoulders. “Look, Kairi! I wanted to be with Sora, but I still want to be with you! You’re my best friend! Don’t think you’re the only one suffering for this!”

“But you want him more…”

“No, I just want him for a different reason. Kairi, don’t you want to spend time with me again? Isn’t that why you came? I know I’ve been an ass in the past about my girlfriends, but I swear to you, Kairi, I will never ignore you like I used to. I’ll be the best best friend that I can!”

“…really? You….you want to go back?”

“Yes! But you have to want that to!”

“I do, Riku!” She wrapped her arms around him. “All I want is for things to go back to normal. This is such a mess.”

“Good, Kairi, then let’s go back to normal! Let’s go down there and tell everyone the truth!”

She pulled back, “The truth?”

Riku nodded. “The truth. Kairi, things will only get better once we all stop lying. Sora’s stopped, now you have to too.” She stared at him blankly. “It’s the only way…”

“But, but I’ll get in trouble.”

“It’s ok.” Riku reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’ll help you through it. I won’t leave you again, even if no one else comes back. You’ve got me.”

Kairi smiled and buried her face in Riku’s shoulder. “Do we have to go right now…I’m still kind of…shaky.”

“No, no…here.” He picked her up and set her down on the bed.

“Thanks.” She said as she scooted over to make room for him. She looked to her side and saw the manga he had been reading. “What’s this?” She reached for it, but just as her finger tips brushed it, Riku yanked it away.

“I-Its nothing….” He turned a little red and shoved it into his back pocket again. Kairi laughed.

“You’re blushing! Now I really want to know what it is!” She laughed a bit.

Riku sighed, “It’s a book Naminé gave me…”

“Naminé?”

“A new friend I made while hanging out with Sora?”

Kairi raised an eyebrow, “And just when have you seen Sora, isn’t he at the hospital?”

Riku shook his head. “He came home today. That’s where I was all day. And Naminé got me in to see him at the hospital a few days ago.”

“I see…so, Naminé’s Sora’s friend from where?”

“The flower shop. She’s nice…a little odd, but nice. She actually goes to our school.”

“Hm, I don’t think I know her…” Kairi lay back in the bed and kicked her feet. “So, what’s the book she gave you then?”

“Nothing important.”

“Then can I read it?”

“No.”

“Riku! Here you go on speeches about not lying, and then you go and do this…”

“This is different! Little white lies are ok.” Kairi grumbled and turned her back to him. Riku laughed and poked her in the side. She just kicked her feet and kept ignoring him.

“Come on Kairi…I know you’re gonna crack.” He poked her again, this time in her stomach. She giggled and squirmed. “See, look, you’re bad at this.” He did it again.

Kairi rolled over and smacked his hand. “You meanie! Stop it!”

“Not until you get up!” He poked her again, so Kairi got up. She mock glared at Riku, but just laughed. He really did miss the red head, even if she had caused him so much grief.

He stood up, “Ok! Ready to go downstairs?”

Kairi sheepishly nodded.

When the two walked into the kitchen, it was already night time. Their parents were still talking away. The conversation had turned from less serious things to junk like sports, BBQ, and Touya’s time at college.

As the walked in, Kairi had to wipe a smile off her face from the joke Riku just told her. She was relieved to have her best friend back. She really did miss him; Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie were fun, but Riku was her perfect match. She knew it in her mind and her heart. Life wasn’t complete without the silver haired boy by her side.

Riku knocked on the side of the wall, and everyone turned to see them.

“Well,” his father raised an eyebrow. “How are you two doing?”

“Better.” Riku said cheerily.

“Well that’s a relief,” Mr. Akai said. “Poor Kairi’s not been herself since you stopped talking to her.”

Riku looked over at Kairi who nodded, “It’s true.”

“Well! Now that the kids are back together, Kairi will have all the support she needs for the trail,” Riku’s mother nodded at him. At which his happy appearance faded. He looked over at Kairi, and she nodded again.

“Um….about the trail. Well, Mom, Dad, Mr. Akai, we have something to tell you.”

“Oh? What is it?” His dad said.

“Well, you see…” Kairi looked over at Riku, she suddenly felt the words catch in her throat. Riku reached over and took her hand for support. She looked into his eyes and felt a little pang. The smile in his eyes, it killed her.

She really did want things to go back to normal. To go back to spending days lying about Destiny Island; debating where to go; how to build a raft; watching the boys spar; swimming in the ocean.

The ocean, at certain points around the island, it looked like Riku’s eyes. She loved wadding in those areas of sea green water and just imagining she was drowning in those eyes.

Those eyes that when they fell on her, reflected love and friendship. But on any other, the shown with desire, longing, maybe a bit of lust. And now, those eyes…those eyes were focused in on a boy of all things. A boy was receiving the look she envied a hundred girls for. A boy was receiving those eyes that she wanted to turn to her with more than just friendship. A boy, a boy, a boy, was what he wanted for a lover….

Even now, she could feel herself watching Sora drown in those eyes while she watched from the beach.

“….Riku’s been sneaking out to see Sora.”

The words just kind of fell out of her mouth. She never took her eyes off Riku. As she said them, she watched the look in his eyes fade and transform. He yanked his hand away from her. His eyes looked like a storm now.

“He went to see him at the hospital…and today at his house.”

Their parents just sat silently. Touya raised an eye brow.

“So, you’ve been getting around baby-bro?”

“And…Naminé,” She turned her eyes to the book, but Riku caught this he smacked her hand away just as she reached out.

“KAIRI YOU BITCH!” This got a reaction from the parents.

“Riku, watch your mouth!”

“Apologize to her immediately!”

He didn’t hear them, “God, Kairi! You lied to me! You lied to me! YOU LIED TO ME!!”

Kairi shook her head and started to cry, “No I didn’t! I do want things back to normal Riku! Ad things with Sora are not normal! He’s making you not normal!”

“Kairi you little self centered bitch!”

“That’s it Riku!” he turned his head to see Mr. Akai was within arms reach of him. “You can’t talk to my daughter like that!” Riku jumped and slammed into the wall as he reached for him.

“Riku!” Kairi tried to grab her father, and Riku ducked on the floor.

“Don’t help me now damn it! Don’t help me at all!” Riku stood up again and ran for his room again. This time his father grabbed him.

“Please Riku! Just stop! Let us help you!”

“Help me! Kairi! You’re sick!” He struggled with his father’s grip.

“Riku, if you don’t settle down, I’m going to-”

“Go a head do it! It doesn’t change anything! Kairi’s still lying! She’s still a damn bitch! You want to know why a choose Sora? Because you’re a damn little attention-”

Riku got smacked across the face. His father dragged him out of the room and up the stairs.

Kairi just lowered her head. Her father came over and stroked her hair. He kept saying he was sorry, but she didn’t hear him. She just cried.

She just wanted Riku back to normal…

Riku stopped resisting his father by the time they were up the stairs. But he was twisting his face into one hell of a glare.

Mr. Endo slammed the door to Riku’s room open and dragged him inside. His hand was squeezing Riku’s arm so hard, he could feel it bruise. He pulled Riku over to the bed and forced him down.

“What the hell’s gotten into you!”

“Me! It’s that lying little-” He got another smack across the face. Riku growled. “It’s Kairi! She told me she was going to tell the truth!”

“Because you are! Here we are thinking you’re making up with your friends and you’re sneaking out to see the transvestite next door.”

“Sora’s not a transvestite! He’s just a cross-dresser!”

“Riku, it’s not healthy for you to hang out with kids like that.”

“It’s not health for me to hang out with lairs either,” he mumbled.

“Look, Riku, can’t you just for the time being, stop seeing Sora until we clear this up.”

“Fine, but I’ll stop seeing Kairi too.”

“But she needs you.”

“What she needs is a good fucking kick in the-” Riku hissed when his dad hit him a third time. That this rate, one side of his face was going be black and blue by morning.

“Riku, watch your language! God, how can you say these things? She’s your best friend! She’s probably down there with a broken heart, listening to you talk like that and knowing you’re sneaking around.”

Riku muttered, “She’s lucky her hearts all I’m break-” Yep. His face was going to be all kinds of bruised in the morning. He looked up at his dad who was fuming now.

Why couldn’t his son just understand?

“Riku.” He looked him over. “What was Kairi reaching for earlier?”

“Damned if I know? Maybe she was think rape is the ans-” Riku put his hand over his cheek. “Could you at least alternate which side of my face you’re gonna hit!” He got his request fulfilled.

“What was she reaching for?” Riku glared at him, but still took the book out of his pocket and handed it to him. He had to admit the look on his dad’s face was priceless as he flipped through the book. He had to remember to thank Naminé for the good laugh.

Finally Mr. Endo closed the book and looked at Riku. “So, hanging out with kids like Sora gets you into this?”

“I got that from Naminé, she’s the girl.” He said a little smug of himself. He was sure he’d get another hit.

“Riku…” He shook his head. “Riku, you can’t hang out with these kids.”

“Why not!”

“Look at this book! Look at Kairi! That’s why!!”

Riku looked his dad over, “You a homophobe or something?”

“Riku, it has nothing to do with that. I’m just worried about you, son.” He leaned forward and put his hands on his shoulders.

“You’re a homophobe!” Riku smiled, but his dad didn’t appreciate the joke. He stood up and headed towards the door.

“You’re grounded for a week, Riku. Don’t even bother asking people over or asking to go out. Just stay in your room, and only come out to get food.” He opened the door and stepped out.

Just as he shut it, he heard his son cry out:

“Its ok, Dad! I’m probably bi anyway!” He shut the door, but he could still hear Riku laughing from inside.


But that last one sounded like a sob.