Days Go By

Sora felt numb as he sat beside Riku’s bed, cupping his chin with his palm. He studied the figure in the bed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Riku looked smaller and more vulnerable than Sora had ever seen him, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with the smudges of bruises still darkening Riku’s pale skin. Reaching out with his free hand, he fingered one strand of silver hair.

Sora always believed that love would hit you like a whack upside the head, like lightning. It would come out of nowhere and be instant. A romantic, Sora believed in love at first sight. What had formed between himself and Riku had not been love at first sight, Sora knew that. It hadn’t hit him like lightning, instead it had started small and slowly grew, overtaking him so quietly that Sora could not pinpoint the exact moment that the sweetness had peaked and he had fallen hopelessly in love…only knew that it had been there for a while.

“Sora.” Jumping slightly, Sora turned to see Cloud standing in the doorway of the infirmary, blue eyes focused on Sora’s face. Quietly, Cloud stepped farther into the room, and Sora could see that he carried a plate in one hand and a wrapped package in the other. “Here.” Cloud said quietly.

Sora wasn’t sure that he could eat without throwing up, but he obediently accepted the plate, seeing the concern clearly in his brother’s eyes. Roxas entered a moment later, also carrying a plate in one hand, a gift bag in the other. He stopped as he saw Cloud already in the room, and then a rueful smile quirked up on his face. “Do I look that bad?” Sora complained, rubbing his face tiredly.

“Yes.” Cloud and Roxas replied as one, making Sora wince. “You’ve been here all day.” Cloud finished quietly. “Have you slept at all in the last 24 hours?”

Sora shook his head. Had it really been all day? He didn’t really know…he had lost track of time after the broken arm had been set and he had settled into the chair beside Riku’s bed. “I’m betting you haven’t eaten either.” Roxas drawled, rolling his eyes.

Sora shook his head again. “Not hungry.” He admitted quietly.

Cloud and Roxas exchanged a look, and Sora inwardly sighed, recognizing it immediately. It was a look they exchanged in the past right before they teamed up against him. “Sora.” Cloud replied patiently. “You’re always hungry.”

Sora opened his mouth to argue, but Roxas cut him off. “Sor…” Sora stopped as he heard the quiet note in Roxas’ voice. “Eat. You need to eat and then you need to sleep.”

Sora protested instantly, but Cloud cut him off. “Sora…killing yourself over this isn’t going to help him wake up.”

Sora shuddered and looked away from his brother’s all too knowing blue eyes. “I never said it would.” He replied softly. “But I want to be here when he wakes up.”

Roxas and Cloud exchanged another long look, and as one, they sighed, Roxas looking annoyed, Cloud resigned. “Very well.” Cloud murmured. “But I want you to eat and then I want you to get a blanket and warm up.” Sora opened his mouth, but Cloud shook his head. “If you don’t want me to knock you out and put you to bed, don’t fight me on this, Sora.”

Sora frowned, but allowed both Cloud and Roxas to thrust their respective plates at him. Both of his brothers knew his tastes well. On Cloud’s plate was some of his favorite foods, including a peanut butter sandwich, his favorite brand of chips and a mouth wateringly red apple. On Roxas’ was what Sora deemed “comfort food” including turkey still hot from the bird, a heaping pile of mashed potatoes with gravy and a piece of pie. Despite his general lack of interest in the food, Sora’s heart warmed toward both of his brothers as he saw the thoughtful trouble they had gone to, and he began to eat.

They sat in silence, nearly five minutes going by before Cloud spoke, his voice nearly inaudible. “Riku’s father is a genetic engineer.” Sora jumped, and he saw Roxas’ head snap up in surprise.

Cloud didn’t look at either of his brothers, his gaze focused resolutely on the floor. “Shinra is the military school, but it’s a power company as well. They experiment in new forms of power, new sources. One of those sources ended up being the substance mako which Riku’s father, Xehanort was working with as well.”

Roxas frowned. “Xehanort? The guy who let Axel get his face tattooed?”

Cloud shrugged. “You both know he’s not father of the year material. Yeah, that’s him. They made a deal. Xehanort comes up with a way to make a perfect soldier, someone unstoppable, someone cold, clinical and immovable, and they supplied him with all of the mako he needed to do it.” Cloud sighed. “Sephiroth was his first choice. As his son, Sephiroth had been at the school for years and had proven himself as a sound warrior and…open to the conditioning.”

Sora frowned at Cloud’s words. “If Sephiroth was there because he is Xehanort’s son, why wasn’t Riku there too?”

Cloud smiled ever so slightly. “Riku and Sephiroth’s mother and Xehanort were never married, Sora. They had Sephiroth, and for a while he went on to greener pastures over the next three years having Riku’s half brothers. Later, he went BACK to Sephiroth’s mother to have Riku. As far as I know, he never married either woman.”

Roxas and Sora exchanged a look. “How do you know all this?” Roxas demanded, a frown on his face.

Cloud sighed. “Sephiroth told us all…me, Zack, Vincent…during his rare moments of lucidity just after he was injected with mako.”

“So why are you telling us?” Sora asked, subdued by Cloud’s words.

Cloud looked away. “Because neither of you thought you could trust me with the news that Riku was gone. If I had known I would have woken Cid and we would have gone after him. Instead you told people you don’t know very well, stole cars and went down on your own not knowing what you were going to be facing.” Cloud sighed. “That was my fault. I can’t tell you everything…but I can tell you about the program…and what it did to Sephiroth.”

The food no longer left any taste on Sora’s tongue, but he continued eating anyway, certain that if he stopped, Cloud would come to his senses and stop talking. “If Sephiroth had to go to Shinra, why didn’t Riku?” Sora asked quietly, not entirely sure he wanted to know. He was certain that it had to be bad…not that he wanted Riku as crazy as Sephiroth, but he was sure that if Riku had managed to stay away, it was because of something bad.

“Because of our mother.” Sora looked up sharply to see Sephiroth, flanked by a handful of shadowy figures that emerged into recognizable people as they walked farther into the room.

Cloud winced as Aerith gave him a stern look. “I thought we agreed…”

Cloud sighed. “It would have gotten messy if Xehanort had actually been there, Aerith…and they didn’t think they could trust me enough to come to me. For gods sake, Sora went to RENO to take him down.”

“I’d take offense, Cloudy…” Sora watched apprehensively as redheaded Reno entered the room, his eyes scanning the occupants. “…but you’re probably right. It would have been messy.”

“Then why did you take him?” Aerith demanded.

Reno snorted. “Because Sora is Cloud’s little clone. He’s stubborn, irritating and noble.”

“And I whacked him with my keyblade.” Sora murmured, almost to himself.

Cloud snorted once, his lips twitching. “Sora nailed you with his keyblade?” He snorted again. “I would have liked to see that.”

Reno shot him the finger, and black haired Zack laughed softly. “Enough.” Aerith touched Sephiroth’s shoulder gently, but he pulled away from her hand, his eyes on Riku’s face.

“Riku was a sick kid. Our mother taught him from home for a year or so trying to get his health back up.” Sephiroth said quietly. “By the time our mother realized what was going on, she refused to allow Riku to go to Shinra, sending him here instead.”

“Why didn’t she send YOU too?” Roxas demanded.

Sephiroth looked away, not answering for a long minute. “I didn’t want to go.”

“Part of the program at Shinra,” Cloud filled in softly. “was mental conditioning. Think of Pavlov’s dog. The bell rings and he salivates. In our case…in Sephiroth’s case…the conditioning was more extreme.”

“Yeah.” Zack agreed with a snort. “Pain will get you ANYWHERE.”

Sora flinched at the bitterness in Zack’s normally amused voice, watching Vincent gently touch his lover’s shoulder before withdrawing. “I wouldn’t go.” Sephiroth said quietly. “My father is not a good man…but he is…” He paused.

“Charismatic.” Reno filled in, looking down now. “Easy to follow. Easy to believe. He and Rufus Shinra, the guy he works with…they make you WANT to believe them.

“Right.” Sephiroth agreed. “I joined the SOLDIER program and didn’t try to leave until Cloud…”

“Enough.” Cloud was turning red, and Sephiroth’s eyes had taken on a familiar gleam that both Roxas and Sora instantly recognized. Hunger filled Sephiroth’s gaze, but he looked away as Cloud only stiffened.

“So…if you’re so big on him, how come he didn’t force you back?” Roxas asked bluntly.

Sephiroth sighed. “Our mother wouldn’t allow that.”

“I don’t understand.” Sora was growing more upset by this story, though he kept his voice calm. “If she’s been protecting you guys, why wasn’t she there? Was she drugged too? Is she okay?”

Sephiroth looked up slowly, and Sora gasped as he saw the tortured pain in the gaze reflected back at him. Pain, slight insanity, whirling emotion, all spiraled in Sephiroth’s turquoise eyes, so like Riku’s yet nothing like Riku’s. “Sora, our mother is dead.”

Sora swayed on his chair and he dropped the plate he was still holding. “Damn.” Roxas whispered, frowning. “What do you mean?”

Sephiroth didn’t answer, but Cloud did. “She died just after Sephiroth left Shinra and came here. There was a codicil in her will that stated that her sons were to go to any school they chose. Failure to comply to her wishes would release a box filled with undisclosed contents to an undisclosed location and person.”

Sora stared at Cloud in mute shock. Surely Cloud couldn’t be implying… “She was KILLED?!” He demanded, horrified at the idea. All the evidence pointed that way though, and he had to wonder…what was in that box? Who was supposed to get it and what would they do with it?

“There’s no proof of anything.” Sephiroth said quietly. “And I don’t believe he would.”

Sora could see instantly that Reno, Cloud and Zack had different opinions, Vincent and Aerith’s faces expressionless, revealing none of their thoughts. He looked down at Riku’s bruised face, slowly healing from the potions shoved down his throat, pausing. “Does Axel…”

“Axel only knows that Riku’s home life isn’t a good one…and that his father abuses him. He knows that Riku’s mother is dead but that’s it.” Cloud replied quietly. “And neither of you are going to tell him otherwise.”

“I don’t understand.” Roxas looked rebellious. “Why don’t you just report him? Police, hello! This…” He motioned violently to Riku. “…is not normal and it can’t be legal.”

“Evidence, Rox.” Replied Cloud tiredly.

“Claim the school is conducting mind conditioning and genetic experiments and Rufus Shinra not only denies everything but nails us all for fraud. Xehanort claims his sons are insane and goes around their mother’s will. Really, Roxas. You have no idea what these men are capable of. For instance if we informed them of what happened, they would claim that Sephiroth fell asleep in the car on the way home, they dropped Riku and Seph off, they have no idea what happened after that. It’s terrible and wasn’t there an EXPLOSION here a little while ago? This place isn’t safe.” Reno chanted in a sing-song voice. “And best of all we can’t say anything because we claimed we found Riku outside beat to a pulp, because we stole two cars, left a closed campus and broke into someone’s house.” Reno gave them a disarming smile. “You tell ME why we’re not going to the police.”

“Sephiroth having been drugged could be attributed to a rapidly declining mental health.” Cloud finished, sounding older than Sora remembered. “Which could have made him snap and beat his younger brother. Aerith’s family is gathering evidence, but it’s taking time. Roxas, it’s not as easy as you think.”

Roxas looked frustrated. “This can’t keep happening.”

Silence fell as Sora nodded, standing beside his twin. “Now see that’s what I’m talking about.” Reno complained. “That’s the look Short, Dark and Spiky gave me. I hate that look.”

“Makes you feel like an asshole?” They turned as Yuffie bounced into the room, dressed entirely in green, a jaunty green cap with a red feather on her head and a bulging velvet bag on her back.

“Tell me you didn’t steal all of that.” Vincent murmured. “I need to hear those words.”

Yuffie wrinkled her nose at him. “No, I didn’t steal them.” She drawled. “Axel helped me.” She began to dig through the bag, handing out wrapped packages with a flourish. “They’re from Sora!”

Sora turned red as many pairs of eyes, some bemused, others genuinely perplexed, all turned his way. He squirmed. “I don’t think we should do anything until Riku wakes up.” Roxas put in suddenly from Sora’s other side, and Sora turned, grateful for someone taking the attention off of him. “Save Christmas for then.”

Yuffie grinned. “You mean have a party?” She asked, delighted.

Roxas opened his mouth, but it was Cloud who surprisingly chimed in. “A gift exchange.”

“You can’t have gifts without a tree to put them under, Cloudy.” Yuffie admonished.

“She’s right, Pineapple Head.” Zack chimed wickedly, laughing when Cloud flipped him the bird.

“And lights!” Yuffie happily yelled.

“Tinsel…and holly.” Aerith looked pleased by the idea, her face shining.

“Mistletoe.” Reno drawled wickedly.

“I’m not kissing ANYONE.” Rude hurriedly replied, making his redheaded friend laugh.

Sora paused as he looked down at Riku’s sleeping form. “I’m going to find a way to get you out of this.” He whispered, too low for even Roxas, standing beside him to hear. “I promise.”

0 0 0

Riku cracked one eye and was met with light. There were thousands of stars in the darkness, so bright they hurt his eyes and so close he could swear he could touch them. He stared at the twinkling points of light in bemusement, reaching out once as, somewhere in the back of his mind, he wondered if he was dead. Briefly, a spasm of panic overcame him, gone almost as fast as it came up. It didn’t really matter if he was dead…the stars were pretty.

A soft sigh caught Riku’s attention, and puzzled, Riku leaned up slightly to get a good look at whatever had made the gentle sound. Instantly he regretted moving at all as pain assaulted his body. Biting back a groan, Riku saw up slowly and realized that the comfortable warmth was blankets over his shoulders. Nope…not dead…dead people didn’t hurt so bloody badly whenever they moved. So what…

He paused as he got a good look at the infirmary he was lying in. It glowed with glittering white lights. Lights wrapped around a tree hung with tinsel, lights crossed the walls and tangled around the bedposts, evergreen following the lights and giving them a gentler, softer quality. Gifts lay piled beneath the tree, each brightly wrapped and stacked high, breathless with promise. Dazzled and delighted, Riku gazed slowly around the room, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. Christmas…it was…Christmas?

“Christmas!” Yelping, Riku’s eyes widened as he suddenly realized where he was. The Radiant Garden infirmary? What was he doing there? Frowning, Riku struggled to remember…and his heart pounded harder, but this time in a way that was not so pleasant as the thought of Christmas.

Dinner…with his father. Sephiroth looking pale and intense beside him in the car, Riku’s mind…on the pinched concern on Sora’s face just before he left. Slender Yazoo and tall Loz waiting for them in the doorway, Kadaj sitting at the table with that smirk…the one that always made Riku mad as a kid. He could remember an argument, Kadaj deliberately baiting him, and Riku falling into the fight as he always had, remembered getting up, storming out to calm down before he did something stupid like try to kill his half brother. He remembered…Riku frowned. There had been a flash of silver hair and then his world had been pain as one blow drove him to his knees. Two more blows, and Riku remembered darkness filling his eyes…and that was it.

The infirmary at school though…how the HELL did he get back? Sephiroth? Had he called someone to get them? Riku highly doubted that Xehanort had suffered from a brief moment of remorse and had brought them back, so what had happened? A weight shifted on his upper thigh, and startled, Riku looked down sharply.

Brown, spiky hair met his vision, tangled more than usual and looking as if the boy beneath hadn’t bathed in the last day or so. A soft breath ghosted across the blanket still covering most of Riku, ruffling a stray strand of hair that was clinging stubbornly to the blanket. A cherubic face pillowed against Riku’s thigh, dark circles beneath the closed eyes, betraying a very long night…and that the owner had only fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion. Riku’s face softened, and he reached out, fingers brushing the soft cheek. “Sora.”

It was almost a shame that the boy laying on him woke, shattering the peaceful serenity that had been on his face previously. Sora sat up like a shot, his eyes going wide, then closing as he tiredly rubbed his face. “Lemme ‘lone, Cloud.” He murmured sleepily. “Not tired.”

“Sora, you dope.” Riku murmured. “You look pretty tired to me.”

Sora opened his mouth, face settling into the stubborn pout that Riku instantly recognized as Sora’s argumentative expression, then cleared as Sora took a good look at him. Blue eyes went wide, then brightened. “Riku!”

Riku smirked. “Sleeping Beauty.”

Sora blushed. “Shut up.” He grumbled, and Riku watched him rub his eyes tiredly.

“Sora…” Riku paused. “…have you been here all night?”

Sora yawned and turned red. “N…no.”

The blush gave him away. Sora was a terrible liar, and his physical appearance spoke volumes. “Hmm.” Riku murmured, but didn’t pursue it…though he wanted very badly to ask why. Why had Sora stayed with him? What did it mean? “How long have I been out?” He asked instead, trying to ignore the pounding of hope in his heart, the pounding that wanted nothing more than to have him drag the tired brunet into his arms and onto the bed, kiss him breathless and cuddle him back to sleep.

“Probably a little over 24 hours. It’s past 11:00 at night…so 24 hours give or take.” Sora replied quietly.

A pained look that Riku did not like entered Sora’s blue eyes. Riku reached for the brunet and realized only then that part of the pain coursing through his body was coming from his left arm…which was wrapped securely in a cast. “What…” Riku looked down at himself and then looked back up. “…Sora I…” He paused.

Neither Riku nor Sephiroth later were keen on divulging the details of their home life. The only person Riku had ever told was Axel, and that was only to save Sephiroth, whom Axel THOUGHT was the one beating Riku up. Riku wanted no pity, he wanted nobody to look at him strangely and he really REALLY didn’t want to have to explain to anyone that his father was out of his mind, his brother was the product of genetic manipulation and mind control and his mother may have been murdered. The thought made Riku feel vaguely nauseated. Still…judging from the way Sora looked and the exhaustion in his blue eyes, Sora had stayed with him the whole time. He would have seen the bruises and obviously saw the broken arm. “Riku…don’t.” Sora closed his eyes and gulped. “Sephiroth told me.”

Riku stiffened slightly. “Sephiroth? Seph told you? Told you what?”

Sora gave him an unhappy look. “I found him passed out on the kitchen floor. Reno thinks he was drugged…and then we found you.”

Riku felt staggered by this information. SORA had found him? Sora and RENO of all the people? What had Reno been doing there…for that matter, what had SORA been doing there? “You…you…”

Sora looked away. “You didn’t come back when you said you would. You looked…so scared.” Riku opened his mouth to protest, but could tell by the look on Sora’s face that Sora wouldn’t even hear him if he did. “Reno was the only one who would tell me anything.” Sora continued. Seeing the look on Riku’s face, he hurriedly corrected himself. “About Shinra. I ran into him thinking he was Axel, said something, he started talking about Shinra and Aerith hustled me away. So I went to him and he helped me get down to find out why you hadn’t come back.”

Riku stared at his roommate. His mouth dropped open, but no words came out, he could only stare. Sora…had come after him? Sora had known that he hadn’t come back… “You haven’t slept since I left, have you?” He asked quietly, a wave of warmth spreading through his heart.

Miserably, wordlessly, Sora shook his head. “Or showered.” Riku continued, laughing as Sora shot him a dirty look…then shook his head again.

Riku met Sora’s gaze and didn’t look away from the expressive blue as he reached out with his good hand and clasped Sora’s wrist. Their gazes locked, never breaking, even as Riku drew Sora forward until the brunet was nearly in his lap. “Sora…” Riku whispered. “Why? Why did you come after me?” Why had he stayed awake for 30 odd hours? Why had he cornered Reno (RENO!) in order to find and rescue him? How had he known that Riku NEEDED rescuing? If it had been 24 hours, Christmas Day had come and gone, but there was still a mound of wrapped gifts beneath a tree that Riku did not remember being in the infirmary before…why? Wordlessly his eyes asked each question, and he felt Sora’s pulse quicken beneath his fingers on the slender wrist.

“Riku, I…” Sora trailed off as Riku’s thumb traced the veins beneath his thumb, and his face turned red.

“You…what?” Riku asked softly, his entire body tense.

“I…” Sora’s eyes had closed as Riku stroked his wrist softly with his thumb, but they opened now, and a firm look of determination crossed his face. Riku would have laughed if this had been any other time…and if he didn’t desperately want to hear what it was Sora wanted to say. “Because…” Sora said quietly. “…I love you.”

At Riku’s sharp gasp, Sora broke their stare. “I know it’s weird and you’re a boy and everything but you’re my best friend and obviously you know I’m not against the idea since I dated Axel but…”

Riku could tell instantly that Sora was covering for his admission with babbling, something the brunet did just after he spoke without thinking. When ROXAS spoke without thinking, he got a stubborn look on his face, but when SORA did it, he babbled. Riku’s heart soared. He doubted he had ever felt anything this good before, and that INCLUDED sexual experiences. Hearing the soft words from the throat of the brunet lit every nerve in Riku’s body on fire, numbed the sharp pain in his arm and made him feel woozy with desire and delight. Riku rode the waves as his heart hammered in his ears, barely hearing Sora’s stammering talk, barely registering what was going on until the brunet yanked his wrist away, and Riku’s eyes skittered up to his face. Sora looked twice as miserable now and close to crying as he backed away. “I’m sorry.”

Riku swore under his breath. Idiot…the next time he wanted to ride the waves of euphoria that was BETTER than any orgasm…he would need to remember to first tell the object of his desire that his affections were not one-sided. “Sora, come here.” Riku ordered, reaching out.

Looking more unhappy than Riku had ever seen, uncharacteristic on the cheerfully optimistic face he loved so much, Sora obeyed and Riku grabbed his wrist again. He yanked, barely noticing the pain (or Sora’s startled squeak) as Sora fell on top of him. Riku’s free arm slid around the brunet’s waist and locked there, bodies pressed flush together. Slowly, Sora looked up, his hands on Riku’s chest. “I love you too.” Riku replied quietly.

Sora’s eyes slid up and their gazes locked. Riku felt his heart try to explode as he saw the depth of emotion in those blue eyes he had drowned in the moment he saw them. Quietly, he leaned down.

“Sora, I know you want to be here when…” Both Riku and Sora twitched, looking up sharply as Leon entered the room. Leon trailed off, and an apologetic look crossed his face even as Yuffie, standing beside him, whooped with excitement. “You’re awake!” She bounded out before anyone could say so much as a word.

Sora laughed and pushed up, making Riku groan. Instantly he stopped and tilted his head, giving Riku a worried look. “You okay? Did I hurt you?”

Damn straight Riku hurt. The very thought of Sora getting up when images of kissing Sora until he was breathless played in Riku’s mind made Riku hurt. Images of Sora in general, of Sora beneath him as he…ruthlessly, shaking his head to clear it, Riku cut the thought off before he had another pain to worry about. Taking his head shake as a negative answer, Sora had slipped off and was standing beside the bed, trying to fix his tangled hair. Riku decided that at times, life was truly unfair.

Riku pushed the frustrating (and tantalizing) thoughts of Sora out of his mind as the room began to fill with people, excitedly calling out greetings as they entered. “Riku, you ass.” Axel’s face swam into view above Riku, and he grinned down. “You’re just trying to get out of practice with that cast.”

Riku rolled his eyes. “You’ll just wish you’d thought of it first when Roxas kicks your sorry ass the next time you spar.”

Axel grinned, relief in his green gaze, obviously pleased to hear Riku bantering. “I suppose it’s justified payback.” He mused. “Even though I don’t KICK his ass, I definitely make it…”

“SHUT UP!” Riku couldn’t help it, he laughed until he cried as he saw the horrified and disgruntled look on Roxas’ face. The blond looked torn between beating Axel to a pulp and sinking into the floor from humiliation.

Sora stared at Axel for a very long moment. “Obviously you have a rich fantasy life.” He observed. “How many cases of lotion do you go through in a week?”

Axel’s mouth fell open and Riku laughed harder as he sputtered. Axel’s green eyes sharpened. “I never heard YOU complaining, Sor-Sor.”

Roxas opened his mouth to speak, but the pitying look Sora threw his ex boyfriend shut him up. “Like I said. Rich fantasy life.” Taking his brother’s arm, they headed for the door, leaving Axel to sputter beside Riku.

“I swear.” Axel muttered. “One of these days…”

“I’ll give him a spanking for you if it’ll make you feel better.” Riku offered.

Axel’s eyes sharpened in interest, and he inclined one eyebrow. Riku nodded, and Axel laughed. “About damn TIME!” He sobered almost instantly. “You okay?”

Riku nodded once. “I don’t remember much. Could have been any of them.”

Axel nodded. “One of these days, Ri…they’re going to regret touching you.”

Riku shrugged. Frankly, as the room filled with people in their pajamas, Cloud standing beside Leon and a smiling Aerith, Sora laughing as he talked to Kairi and Wakka, Tidus trying unsuccessfully to get Yuna beneath the mistletoe hung above the door, Riku thought it was worth it. It was worth all of the pain and the secrets, all of it…for this. The boy Riku was in love with had confessed returned feelings, Riku’s closest friends were now arguing cheerfully as Selphie bounced from person to person stuffing gifts into their hands, and (though late) it was Christmas. All of this made it worth anything he had to go through.

“Happy Christmas.” Riku looked up, surprised as Roxas thrust a bag into his lap. Riku and Roxas, while not openly disliking each other the way they had at the beginning of the year, were by no means close. “Shut up and take it.” Roxas muttered, taking refuge in Demyx, who Axel was tormenting mercilessly, if the wicked grin on his best friend’s face was any indication.

Wordlessly, Riku pulled out the paper and drew out a star-shaped fruit. “Hey, a paopu!”

Riku looked up, smiling as he saw Sora standing above him. Sora held a keychain in his hand, a tiny chakram. “Bond of Flames” He said cheerfully. “Axel gave it to me.”

“So what’s a paopu?” Riku asked comfortably, his eyes drinking in the brunet.

Sora tucked the keychain into his pocket. “A fruit from the islands.” Sora replied with a smile. “I don’t know HOW Rox got one. They grow on this little island we used to play on as kids. The story goes that if you share it with someone…your destinies become intertwined.”

“Sora, that’s the most ROMANTIC thing I’ve ever heard!” Selphie had slipped onto the other side of Riku’s bed while he was distracted, and her happy voice made him jump. Green eyes sparkled excitedly at them. “How can I get one of those? Riku, who are you going to share it with?” She demanded in the same breath.

Sora laughed as Riku felt himself blush. Neither spoke. After a moment, Selphie, apparently losing interest, rolled her eyes and thrust another package into Riku’s lap. “From Sora.”

Riku gazed at the candy cane striped paper and glanced around the room. EVERYONE had a candy cane striped package. “You really did get something for everyone, didn’t you?”

Sora blushed. “I didn’t want anyone feeling left out.” He squirmed. “Just open it already.”

Riku obediently pulled the paper off of the box and opened it with relish, glancing down to see a silver crown keychain. Wordlessly he drew it out. The keyblade that appeared as he called was gold, but gleamed silver in the twinkling lights. Its shaft was delicate, and the key head was a many armed star, liberally engraved with swirling patterns Riku couldn’t make out but which made the key look even more delicate…he knew better. Wordlessly he looked up. “Hikari.” Sora replied and blushed faintly. “It means light.”

Riku admired the blade, the way it caught every glimmer of light and reflected it. He looked up. “You made this?”

Sora grinned. “Shop class. Synthesize…you should really start paying attention in class.”

Riku rolled his eyes. The way that moogles talked made his head hurt…but he grinned in reply as he banished the blade and fingered the silver crown dangling from the chain. “I like it. Thanks.”

Sora smiled at him. “I like the camera you gave me too.” He opened his mouth to say something else, but yawned instead.

“Idiot.” Riku said fondly, reaching out and drawing Sora down beside him on the bed. “You’re still tired.”

“No I’m not.” Sora argued, but he relaxed as Riku’s arms slipped around him, and Riku sighed in satisfaction.

“My mistake.” Riku said, laughing as Sora’s eyes fluttered closed. He grinned as Sora gave him a look that was one part smile, one part glare and one part pout. Adorable.

“Hey Ri…” Axel grinned down at them.

Riku rolled his eyes. “Axel. Can’t you see I’m trying to kiss my boyfriend?” He complained, chuckling as Sora’s eyes flew open.

“Boyfriend?” Sora’s eyes focused on Riku’s face. Riku smiled in reply, and Sora turned red.

Axel smirked. “What I was TRYING to say before you so RUDELY interrupted me…” He replied silkily and waggled a stick he held in his hand.

Rolling his eyes, Riku looked up to the end of the stick where a sprig of mistletoe hung just above their heads. “Who the hell gave YOU control of the mistletoe?” He asked, glancing back at Axel…and clearly imagining the havoc his friend could create with that little weapon.

Axel looked pleased with himself. “I stole it from Yuffie.”

Riku cringed. Whatever damage Axel could do, Yuffie could do far better. “I see.”

Axel tapped his foot. “Any time would be great, Ri. My arm hurts.”

Riku gave him a blank look, and Axel snorted. “Mistletoe is wasted on you. Kiss the boy before my arm falls off and the stick whacks you upside your stupid head.”

Riku laughed at the mental image and turned slightly, his eyes meeting Sora’s. He was well aware from their nightly conversations that Sora had never kissed anyone. The closest he had ever come to it was Kairi’s kiss on his cheek. He broke a piece off of the paopu and glanced at Sora.

Sora turned red. “You want to share it with me?” He asked quietly.

Riku rolled his eyes. “Who else would I want to share it with? I…” He pushed the bite if fruit into Sora’s mouth and nearly moaned as his fingers briefly entered the warm cavern of Sora’s mouth. “Love…” He leaned over, a grin crossing his face. “…you.” Leaning down, he brushed his lips lightly against Sora’s.

The soft sigh that ghosted across Riku’s lips nearly did him in, and he deepened the kiss, melting as Sora’s arms slipped around his neck and clung there. He kissed Sora leisurely, taking his time, teasing Sora into relaxing before his tongue lightly brushed his friend’s mouth.

Eagerly, as Sora’s lips lightly parted in a sound that was half gasp half moan, Riku’s tongue dove into Sora’s mouth, exploring it gently before taking the paopu out and breaking the kiss to chew. He brushed his lips against Sora’s again in a gently chaste kiss.

Sora looked dazed, his blue eyes cloudy and his lips slightly swollen. “That…” He murmured. “…was not what I had in mind when you wanted to share the paopu.”

Riku laughed and moved his hands to the swell of Sora’s hips, leaning on his side. “Complaining?”

Sora yelped. “No!”

Riku laughed again and looked back to tell Axel to bug off, but his redheaded friend was gone. A quick glance around the room found him Cloud holding the stick and whacking Axel with it, no expression on his face, though Reno was laughing so hard he was nearly in tears. Smiling in satisfaction, Riku looked back down at the brunet in his arms.

He laughed as he realized that Sora had fallen asleep, happily curled in the crook of Riku’s arms. Riku smiled as he leaned down to kiss his boyfriend’s lips. “Merry Christmas, Sora.”