Betwixt

Note: I am aware that the version of this on ff.net is ahead and that haven't updated. I'm currently re-working and edtitng some things with it at the moment. And yes, it's going to get smuttier and yes, I am working on chapters five and six. Oh yeah, warning: very long chapter below. enjoy!

2.

Oh. My. God. He thought as an energetic brunette landed in his arms.

“I knew it! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” a girly voice squealed.

Riku opened his eyes to meet green eyes that belonged to a hair twig infested Selphie.

“I. Knew. It!”

She increased her grip around him and he felt the wind slowly drowning out of his lungs.

“Sel-phie, I ne-ed air,” he choked.

She loosened her grip and stood up ignoring a coughing Riku, who obviously needed help standing up.

“It all makes sense know! The non existent girlfriend, the annoyed attitude when girls try to ask you out, the—”

“Selphie, how much exactly did you hear?” he interrupted after dusting off some sand.

“Are you willing to get on your knees and beg?”

He frowned.

“That much?”

“Yup.”

“But don’t worry.” She placed a hand on her waist and with the other she made the peace sign. She tilted her head slightly, making some of the twigs in her hair fall out. “I won’t tell your secret, although it was pretty obvious. I mean, how can Sora not notice the hot guy, who’s always been on his side, undressing him with his eyes?”

“Selphie!”

“So, what’s your game plan?” she asked ignoring the death glare he was giving her.

He didn’t expect to know exactly what he was going do. After all, he was just trying to see if he could get his feelings out. He looked at the sandy floor covered with twigs and fallen leaves, then spoke.

“I’m tweaking it a bit, so nothing is final.” He turned around to avoid further questions and looked out into the ocean. The foam forming at the end where the land and water kissed was inviting, and the thought of taking a dip quickly came to mind. Selphie went to his side and his eyes slid to the girl in the school uniform. She had a look of longing in her eyes as she stared out into the open.

She sighed dreamily and her lips curved into a soft smile. Riku rolled his eyes.

Here we go.

“I think you should make it a romantic confession, complete with a candle lit dinner and some fireworks.” She gently swayed from side to side as she was swept away into her imagination. Then her eyes darkened and she licked her lips. “Or you can take the direct approach since the guy is a little dense and cover your hot, creamy, sweat glistened,—”

“Selphie you’re drooling.”

“—body with crimson roses and lay on his bed waiting to confess your ravenous desires.”

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” she whined.

He chose to just walk away. Involving Selphie would not only complicate the situation, but also bring him unnecessary stress.

“Riku.”

She was insane.

“Riku!”

Where would he get that many roses anyway? Not that he considered her idea. Never. He was just curious to know where—

“Young man, if you don’t stop and listen to me, so help me GOD I will make a sparkling rainbow banner with your secret and parade it around on Sora’s front yard!”

He stopped in mid-stride and coiled at the thought of Sora looking out his bedroom window trying to make sense of a rainbow banner with the phrase “Riku is gay for Sora” written in thick glitter.

He turned around slowly and glared at her.

“You’re bluffing,” he said, looking at her suspiciously. He knew she wouldn’t deliberately hurt him to make herself feel better.

Selphie’s lips curled upwards into a cunning smile.

She would.

He sighed, defeated.

“Name your terms.”

*~*~*

Dressed up in a frilly itchy dress, Riku felt like he’d reached an all new low. Modeling Selphie’s hideous designs became part of the deal he’d struck that also involved a soul degrading tea party. Now wired with enough caffeine and sugar to make him twitch and potentially have a heart attack (he could only wish for a fatal one at the moment), Riku pouted and posed as Selphie took pictures for her portfolio.

But it wasn’t that bad. Selphie had her air conditioner running on blast and the cool atmosphere was very relaxing.

He looked around her room, which was composed of soft lavenders, baby blues, and fluffy pinks. Teddy bears intermixed with pristine china dolls as they lazily lounged on book shelves and night stands. The painted yellow butterflies reminded Riku of spring and the orange flowers that draped in a clear water vase next to her bed reminded him of summer.

“How old are you anyway?” he teased. He wasn’t surprised byhow girly her room was.

He felt a sharp pain in his leg as Selphie sewed in a loose thread.

“Sorry,” she said sweetly. She stood up, took her camera, and clicked away.

He scowled. He did not want his awesomeness to be a victim of another antic that Selphie was obsessing about for the month. Last month she was an aspiring actress and the month before that she was an aspiring romance writer. She was an aspiring fashion designer and photographer for now, and had taken a liking at making Riku her muse. He tried to convince himself that he was helping because he had nothing better to do. But in reality he helped because Selphie could be very persuasive with sparkling eyes, a conniving smile, and enough naked pictures to earn him a spread on playgirl.

Note to self.

No matter what they say, Blackmail was not a beautiful thing.

“Since when?” she asked breaking the comfortable silence.

“When what?”

“Since when have you liked Sora?”

Selphie stopped and waited for the finished film to rewind.

His mind rolled back on itself as he tried to remember the day he and Sora met. He was four and Sora was three, and their parents decided that the small island near the mainland was the perfect spot for a picnic. He remembered seeing a chocolate haired boy playing with the sand castle he painfully built. He remembered how said boy accidentally destroyed said sand castle when startled by Riku’s appearance. He didn’t care as Sora scrambled about, trying to build it again. Instead, he laughed and told Sora that they could build it together. He told him that when they were done they could play make believe, where Riku would be the knight and Sora would be his princess. Sora was sharp at that age and protested. But with a little convincing, brought by shoving a small crab down the boy’s shirt, Riku was able to ‘save’ his ‘princess’ thus proving to Sora that he needed to be protected.

He smiled at how selfish and stubborn he was at that age.

“Since forever.”

Selphie giggled softly and loaded the camera with another roll.

“It must feel great to be so deeply in love.”

He frowned.

“But we’re guys, wouldn’t it be weird?”

She looked at him and sighed.

“Look, just because you’re gay doesn’t mean that neither Sora nor I would think any less of you.”

“I’m not gay,” He said, standing up straight with whatever dignity he had left. “I’m Sora-sexual.” He turned his nose at her.

“Riku.”

He could tell she wasn’t buying it.

“But I am,” he said trying to convince her. “I’m only attracted to him.”

“Come on.” She snapped a practice shot of him. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You’re a hottie, explore.”

“But I just want Sora.”

“Hm, you’re as stubborn as Squall,” she said stopping and rubbing her chin. “He doesn’t seem to give up on me. I know that his icy gaze has no interest in others, I mean he lives alone—”

He had the talent of tuning out Selphie down to an art form. Riku began to think about his sexuality as he let her babble on and on about Squall. Was he really gay just because he was attracted to Sora? He wanted to believe he wasn’t, but then, what if he never got to be with Sora? Would he endure a life of watching Sora grow up to be a man, get married, and have a family? Would he become the bachelor best friend with a string of empty lovers hanging behind? Will he live the rest of his life terrified of his forbidden feelings?

Everyone was destined to some type of happiness in their lives, yet he could barely find his own down the end of the road. He just wanted to be entitled to something worthy of being adored and to be loved, desired and needed in return. Life wasn’t fair. Everyone else got to move forward, why was his life stuck on pause?

“—and to think that he’s going through all of this suffering, so that I, the love of his life, can grace his existence with my beauteous body and charismatic aura.”

“Yeah, yeah, he’s dying as we speak,” he answered dryly coming back from his thoughts. “Can I take this off? It’s itchy.”

“Sure.” She snapped some last minute shots. “It’s probably late anyway, I don’t want Papa to be without his little Riku-kun,” She said trying to stifle her laughter and putting the clunky black camera away.

Damn Japanese honorifics. Although, being half Japanese had its advantages.

The mental image of his father dressed as a Geisha trying to dance to Britney Spear’s “I’m a slave for you” flashed warningly through his mind.

No.

Being half Japanese did not have any advantages.

He was down to the puffy trousers of his garment when he felt eyes undressing him further. He looked up to see Selphie hiding behind a sleek digital camera.

“Selphie!”

“What?”

“I’m getting undressed, do you mind?”

Click. Snap. Flash.

“Not really.”

“Selphie,” he warned.

“Alright, alright.” And with that the girl made her exit through the door. He sighed and continued to get undressed until he was completely naked. As he reached for his underwear, the feeling of being watched crept up again. He stood up and saw a yellow teddy bear armed with a digital camera by the nightstand.

Click. Snap. Flash.

He was going to kill her.

*~*~*

The late afternoon felt no better as the heat still floated up from the cobble stone streets. Riku and Selphie walked side by side. He walked with an angry silence. She walked with a chip on her shoulder and a sassy tune on her lips.

“Aren’t you happy that I’m being a ‘lady’ and walking you home?” she asked in a sing-song manner.

Riku could feel his forehead frown in disagreement. A ‘lady’ wouldn’t put him in a powerful head lock for some naked pictures.

“No,” he growled.

Making a left turn, the pair came upon Riku’s street. He was surprised to see a large moving truck parked across the street from his house and wondered why he didn’t notice the beast earlier in the day.

“Who’s moving?”

“God Riku, you live across the street from this house and you didn’t even notice that a new family was moving in?”

“It may have slipped my mind,” he answered coolly. In reality, he probably didn’t notice because confessing to Sora had taken top priority.

“Well for your information it’s a young couple moving in, Aerith and Zack.” She smiled and her face took on a soften look of joy. “I met them a week ago and I had tea with Aerith. She’s such a sweet heart. And Zack is so funny and gorgeous. They were friendly enough to give me a tour of the house. I practically know the place inside and out now.”

“Why aren’t I surprised?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Anyway.” She stopped in mid step to look at the silver haired boy. “We should help them move in tomorrow, wouldn’t it be fun?”

Physically moving heavy objects in lava like weather did not hold the promise of a good time. Before he could protest and run across the street, Selphie’s eyes lit up.

“Hey it’s Sora and Kairi.” She grabbed his arm.

Now he knew he had to go home. He took a step forward, but Selphie’s hold on his arm took on the qualities of a sturdy lock.

“You’re not going anywhere,” she whispered. “Hey! Sora! Kairi! Over here!” The couple made their way towards the pair.

“Hey Selphie, hi Riku.” Kairi smiled as she tucked a ruby strand behind her ear.

He smiled awkwardly and nodded a silent hello.

“So how did your interview go?” Selphie’s question had so much enthusiasm attached that the redhead couldn’t help but giggle at her giddy friend.

“It was great. I think I nailed it. I’m only working to get some extra vacation money,” Kairi responded.

And before he knew it, the girls were involved in a conversation that neither he nor Sora could understand from its constant squeals and indiscriminate babble.
“So… did you and your dad ever fix the air conditioner?” Sora asked trying to initiate a conversation.

“Uh-um, well.” He could feel Sora’s eyes bore onto him. The sensation of being watched so meticulously made his feet grow numb. “We tried to fix the main controls, but then dad got electrocuted.” He laughed nervously.

Sora smiled. He cursed his weak knees as they shook, about to give out. If he could have it his way, he would just lean forward, cup the boy’s flawless face, and press his lips against a delicate mouth. But being watched by said boy’s girlfriend as he tongued her lover to near death had killed the mood. Thanks Kairi.

“Riku, now’s your chance!” Selphie elbowed him and winked. He was surprised that Selphie could pry herself from her own conversation to listen to his, but then again, she was Selphie. “Tell Sora about your—”

His hand shot towards her mouth and the rest of the sentence was marred. He looked at the couple in front of them and flashed a killer smile. It was one thing to confess to Sora, but it was another thing to confess to him while in front of his girlfriend. He would give her a good talking to about the complications of such an event later. For now, he had to deal with a curious looking Sora and a bemused Kairi.

“Tell me about your what?”

“Um, about my—” Selphie bit him before he could make an excuse. He quickly let her go to nurse his wound.

“His date with me tonight,” she chirped.

“Really?” Kairi’s voice took on a tone of amusement. “I’m so happy for you guys, it’s about time.”

Riku forced his lips to smile. He put an arm around Selphie’s neck and pulled her close. The thought of strangling her was very tempting.

“I didn’t even know you guys were into each other like that,” Sora said in pure disbelief.

“Oh we are.”

Riku laughed awkwardly because in a sticky situation, laughing like an idiot was a sure thing to lighten the atmosphere.

“We’ve been keeping it under wraps to um…avoid attention. You know those fan girls.” He laughed.

Selphie chose this moment to turn a light shade of pink from the lack of oxygen.

“We’re going to go on a date and do things that lovers that are in love do.”

Selphie gave a thumb's up to the couple, but Riku wasn’t sure if she was agreeing with him or just asking for help. He chose the former rather than the latter and kissed her forehead so that their performance would be more convincing. Selphie chose to turn into a nice shade of red.

“Well I hope you guys have fun tonight, we have plans of our own. See ya,” Kairi said, dragging Sora who looked like he was still trying to make sense of the scene playing in front of him.

“B-ye, bye,” Selphie squeaked.

“Later Riku,” Sora said.

“Later,” he responded a bit solemnly as he watched Kairi and Sora walk away. Sora looked back, as if still trying to see what Riku and Selphie saw in each other to make the pairing work, but then he shrugged and looked ahead.

Riku, making sure the couple was a good distance away, let Selphie go.

“Oh! Sweet Jesus!” She rasped as her lungs took in oxygen hungrily.

“What the hell was that for?” he asked too angry to care if she was choking.

“You weren’t taking advantage of the situation so I came to the rescue,” she said more composed.

“By making it look like there was something between us?”

“You act like it was a bad thing.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot. It was all he could do to stop him from slaughtering her.

“Okay, so I may have slightly ruined your chances at bagging Sora,” she said warily.

“Slightly isn’t the right word,” he said.

Although, now that he thought about it, Sora did look like he didn’t buy it. Maybe he still had a shot.

Selphie slouched with guilt.

“Look I’m sorry.” She straightened up as her eyes lit up with an idea. “Just meet me at the island tonight at eight.”

“For what?”

“Our date silly!” She pinched his cheek. “Don’t you want me to make it up to you by wooing you tonight?”

“No thank you, I’ll pass.” He began to cross the street.

“Oh come on, please?” she asked following.

“No.”

“Come on.” She stopped and placed a hand on her hip. “It’s me or a hot stuffy night with Papa trying to cool things down?”

He stiffened at the gate.

“Eight it is then.”

Selphie let out an excited giggle and skipped merrily down the street. He shook his head as her figure grew smaller and counted all the possible ways she can induce high blood pressure. He counted to forty-six when he reached his door. He hoped that his father wasn’t trying to do his routine work out in the living room. It involved his father bouncing on a yoga ball, laughing and squealing hysterically all the while wearing a black leotard, magenta tights, and orange leg warmers. The man preferred to work out to those six minute fitness videos that specified a part of the body.

He braced himself for the life scarring image that would surely meet him on the other side, but found the living room to be empty. He closed his eyes and let out a soft breath of relief. However, when he opened them, he was met with his father nose to nose.

“Riku-kun, you’re home!” the man bellowed in his face.

The boy’s nerves stiffened as he leaned on the door for support. His eyes skimmed for an escape, but he was corned like a wounded animal: helpless, confused, and scared as hell.

“Guess what my little Riku-kun?”

“I’m adopted.”

His father clasped his hands enthusiastically and roared with laughter. Riku felt uncomfortable as the close distance between them made him feel like a fish out of water, gulping and choking on whatever life he had left.

“No silly!” He giggled ignoring the rule of personal spaced as he got even closer. “Mama is coming home! Aren’t you excited?”

He would have been ecstatic if it weren’t for the slight case of claustrophobia he was suffering at the moment.

“Great,” he managed to choke. His father leaned back and his visage took on a nostalgic appearance. “Oh! It’ll be so much fun. We’ll be one happy family again. I’ll be cooking and cleaning with the power of Lysol, Mama will be passed out on the couch from work, and you’ll be cooped up in your room sulking because you can’t be as hot as me.” He wiped away a tear. “Good times.”

Riku rolled his eyes.

“Hey, I know! Why don’t you and I have a guys’ night out before Mama comes home?” His father’s eyes glistened with a layer of hope.

Alarm bells ran in the boy’s head as that look his father was administrating meant only one thing: danger.

“I’ve got plans,” he answered coolly and quickly managed to slide out of his father’s range.

“What could possibly be more fascinating than some quality time with the man who begot you from his groin and made you the walking mess that you are today?”
He climbed up the steps lethargically knowing that a monologue would soon follow him towards his room.

“For what?” his father continued. “For what, I ask you kind gentleman that you leave me like a fleeting lover? Do you not see that your Papa has feelings? If you trip, do I not laugh? If you’re embarrassed, do I not make the situation worse? If you ignore me, do I not pester?”

“I have a date with Selphie tonight.” Riku sighed as he reached his door and opened it.

His father’s cloudy eyes were suddenly clear of any pain or distress. Riku found himself staring into copper orbs as the man’s lips began to curve into a smile.

“Really? Oh what joyous news for me to find out that my son is putting the moves on the crazy girl down the street. And what pray tell are you going to do with her?”

Riku personally didn’t want to go there and he winced at the thought of all the possible date activities Selphie would have lined up. He closed the door and felt a pleasurable shiver as the click of the lock told him that his father was now outside.

“Riku-kun? There’s something standing in between us. It appears to be solid,” He heard the muffled voice from the other side say.

There was a knock.

“Yes, definitely a solid object. Oh no! The object must be a barrier of some kind! It doesn’t want to open.” Now his father’s voice was frantic as the knob was violently shaken. Riku wanted to slam his head against said knob in hopes of blacking out.

“What shall I do? Should I call the fire department? No, they threatened that if they saw me again I would get thrown in jail to be anally raped. Oh how about the police? No, they threatened to throw themselves in jail. Or maybe I should keep you in there like those parents that are ashamed of their hideously ugly children?”

Anything would be fine in this situation (a stray lightning bolt to the eye, spontaneous human combustion, heat stroke), as long as it put him out of his misery.

“I know!” his father’s voice rang with excitement. “I shall keep you calm with the sound of my soothing sexy voice.”

And thus the singing began.

“Don't cha wish your Papa was fun like me? Don't cha wish your Papa was raw like me? Don't cha, don't cha!”

It was more of a screeching sound, similar to the sound of birds mating wildly or of a rusty nail being dragged down a chalk board.

“Don't cha wish your Papa was a freak like me? Don't cha wish your Papa was hot like me?”

Riku clasped his ears shut and closed his eyes. A fetal position sounded like a comfortable state to be in as he thought to himself just how exactly he got himself into these kinds of situations.

*~*~*

The night air was cooler there than it was on the main land. The moonlight tagged along the heels of his feet as the frothy waters slashed their way towards the sand. His body guided him in the direction of the large tree house, where his eyes caught sight of some bushes. He remembered there being a secret entrance to a cave where he sometimes went in to draw with rocks and chalk as a child, but didn’t quiet remember why he’d stopped going.

He reached into his pocket and fished out a small flashlight. Stepping through the bushes was like stepping into another dimension as he felt like a merciful giant. Hunched over slightly and careful to not trip over any roots, Riku made it towards the stone wall of crude and fading drawings. Some drawings looked alive as thick small roots took on the shape of throbbing veins against the cold stone.

One drawing in particular caught his eye and he focused the flashlight’s glow upon it. He nearly dropped the device as his brain registered the familiar characters—Sora and Kairi, and that dreaded paopu fruit in the middle.

His heart hiccupped and he swallowed it to avoid the sensation of disgust and jealously. It was the same sensation he felt when Sora gave the star fruit to Kairi. He stood back, as all this happened, biting his lip to keep himself from stealing the fruit back and calling it his own. At such a young age, he was forced to learn the concept of letting go.

He traced his forefinger along the drawing and immediately was able to tell it was carved in by rock. Unlike the other drawings, that one had a healthy hue of white. The drawing felt gruff as his finger rubbed against it. He applied more pressure and felt a slight heat build up against his digit. The drawing was still there much to his chagrin, and it was now as bright as the light being shined upon it. No matter how hard he wished, the drawing wasn’t going to fade away. Would it be cliché to assume that Sora and Kairi’s love for each other kept the drawing strong? Or was the paopu fruit legend true?

Either way, the fact remained that he was crouched to the ground, rubbing his finger to a bloody stub. He didn’t know why he was so determined to erase the drawing. Whether it would ensure the destruction of Sora’s love for Kairi or made him feel better to see another drawing that wasn’t his own fade away from existence, Riku kept on rubbing until his skin began to burn and itch.

He found that in a situation like his, relying on scientific facts would be a good way to comfort his bruised feelings. He learned that rocks erode and crumble through time with friction. Only science wasn’t up to take his side today. He decided that theories suck since they don’t help his finger feel any less raw and stop the only thing eroding in the cave besides the rocks—himself.

*~*~*

After washing his scrapped hand in the fresh water pond near the water fall, Riku ventured further into the island. A slice of orange light that flushed through some branches caught his eye. A small bonfire rested at the middle of the sandy clearing and near it, stood the figure of a young boy dressed in a red jumpsuit. He froze and wondered if he fell into a time warp as the figure looked like Sora from behind. He crept up cautiously, his heart beating in his ear. His hand reached out slowly, scared to disrupt the illusion. With a firm grip, he turned the person around.

“Oh! You scared me!”

Riku arched a bewildered eyebrow as his eyes met shaken up eyes and badly spiked hair.

“Selphie?”

“Yup,” she chirped. “Don’t I look cool? I got this from Sora’s mom. How do I look?”

There was a short silence as Riku’s brain tried not to combust into flames.

“Oddly disturbing.”

“Great, I knew I did it right!” She clapped cheerfully.

Riku shook his head in shame. He wondered what he did in his past life for karma to punish him this severely. He folded his arms over his chest and sighed.

“So what’s with the getup?”

She smacked her lips and winked. “Well, since you reached a whole new level of low by confessing to a coconut, I thought that confessing to me would be slightly less humiliating,” she said measuring the amount with her thumb and forefinger, which wasn’t much.

I’m seriously reconsidering confessing to the coconut.

“Oh god Riku, it won’t be that bad,” she said as if reading his mind. “I promise that I won’t laugh or take pictures of this self embarrassing situation.”

“Fine.” He chose not to fight her. If Riku learned anything about human survival, he learned that you never cross Selphie. Ever.

“What do you want me to do?” He asked dryly.

“Confess.”

He raised an eyebrow at her simple answer. But she pouted seriously and her forehead frowned. He opened his mouth and began to give her what she wanted.

“Sora,” he said apathetically, “I’ve loved you ever since I could remember. I don’t think I can make you as happy as Kairi, but I’m willing to try. If you feel the same way as I do and decide to give me a chance, I promise that I’ll try my hardest to make you twice as happy.”

Selphie rolled her eyes.

“That’s it?” She snorted. “That was so lame.”

“Well I’m sorry I didn’t jazz it up enough for you,” he snapped.

“Riku you missed the whole point of this exercise. Where was the romance? The metaphors? The spice?”

“Well you aren’t giving me a lot to work with and I doubt I can sound so genuine when I’m a nervous babbling idiot in front of him.”

“Riku, Riku, Riku.” She shook her head from side to side and walked up to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s not about you sounding like an idiot or bombarding Sora with your feelings. It’s about making him realize that you’re willing to do anything to make him happy. Everything that you said up to this point has lacked one thing: passion.”

“Passion?”

“Yup,” she said, smacking her lips.

“I lack passion?” he asked making sure.

“Uh-hm. You suck.”

“Why would you say that?”

“Because-it’s-the-truuuuth,” she hummed in a sing song manner.

He took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten. He was really getting annoyed with her. But he couldn’t be mad at her because she just didn’t get it.
How could she understand? His friendship was thrown away as soon as a new face appeared.

“I guess it’s ironic since I’m the ‘suave’ guy every girl swoons for. I can’t even look Sora in the eye anymore because it he makes me feel so nervous."

“But Riku—”

“You don’t know what it’s like!” he yelled losing his cool.

She shrank back from him. He could feel his blood pumping through his ears.

“Kairi stole him from me. And it’s not fair that I have to fight for someone who was mine to begin with.” He turned away from her.

“I don’t know what’ll happen once Sora finds out about this. If he’ll stay away or think I’m weird for even caring.”

“But he’s your best friend! He’ll understand.”

“I can’t, it’s too much. I’m risking too much.” He looked toward the fire. “I’m risking my heart. And if that breaks, then who’s going to be there to pick up those pieces again?”

“I will,” She said sternly.

“I’ll help you pick up the pieces. I’ll help you put them together again.”

He noticed her trying to hold back her tears.

“I’ll help you get better. You have friends Riku and you’re failing to realize that. It’s not you against the world. Yes, this will be difficult, and yes, it may not be the wisest of things to do, but I’m here. I’m here to see that Sora knows how passionate you are about him; I’m here to show you how much I care.”

She didn’t hold back her tears any longer. Riku pulled her into a hug, not minding the tears soaking into his shirt. Selphie did care, but Riku was too self absorbed to notice.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“For what?” he asked, trying to stroke her spiked up hair.

“For not taking you seriously. I thought you were just horny.”

Riku rolled his eyes.

“nonjudgmental much?”

She laughed.

“So what are you going to do know?” she asked while blowing her nose on his shirt.

Riku tried not to think about the snot on his shirt.

“I’m going to serenade him under a starry night while you march around with a huge rainbow banner that says ‘Riku is gay for Sora’ in large glittery letters.”

She laughed and held him closer. A cold air picked up and the fire began to fight it with hissing and crackling sparks. She smelled like the brisk ocean and rich earth, it was the same scent that lingered on Sora. He held her close and inhaled deeply. She wasn’t Sora, but for the moment, Riku could pretend.

*~*~*

The next day, after yet another fruitless attempt at getting back his nude pictures back, Riku walked towards his house. He hoped to get there before the repair man dropped to his knees at the hands of his melodramatic father. But as he crossed the street, his eyes caught the sight of a chocolate haired boy with cerulean eyes waiting at the gate.

“Sora,” he sighed as if out of breath. He felt like his chest was going to cave in.

The boy smiled. “I was looking for you. Where’ve you been?”

“I was at Selphie’s.” He winced at his own response.

“So it’s not a joke?” Sora chuckled lightly. His face softened as if it really bothered him. “You guys are really serious about this?”

Before Riku could open his mouth, Sora’s gaze went directly to the floor.

Make your move…

Riku gulped and his hand shook as he picked it up from his side.

Cup his face…

Hand trembling towards the boy’s face, he could feel the sweat rolling down his neck. Sora looked up; clear blue eyes weighed down with an emotion Riku couldn’t read.

Just…

His hand stopped in its place and his eyes landed on Sora’s lips.

Kiss him…

“Yeah,” he rasped, throat itchy from lack of swallowing, “She’s… just my type.”

Sora understandingly nodded while Riku smiled and mentally kicked himself in the groin.

“As long as you’re happy, that’s what matters in the end.”

Riku fell silent. His hand found its way into his pocket. He didn’t want to give up on Sora and he didn’t want to lead Sora down the wrong path.

“So…what brings you here? I’m surprised that you risked coming within twenty feet of my father,” he said trying to lighten the mood.

Sora laughed.

“I wanted to make up that trip you wanted at the island.”

“Catch up on old times?” he asked folding his arms over his chest.

Sora froze.

“Um…you can say that.”

Riku raised a suspicious eyebrow and smirked at how quickly the boy began to fidget.

“You can say that.” Sora scratched his head and chuckled. “Just be there by noon at the paopu tree okay?”

“Sure,” he said tempted to drill the boy with questions.

Sora looked proud of himself for not spilling what ever it was he wasn’t suppose to spill and the boy ran off. Riku leaned on the gate and wondered what Sora had up his sleeve.

*~*~*

Riku had been searching the island for any clues that might allude to Sora’s secret. He turned from the woods and walked towards the beach, where he saw Selphie staring out into the ocean.

“Don’t you have a home?” He whispered into her ear. She jerked, frightened, and spun around.

“Oh hey!” She tilted her head slightly and looked at him curiously. “Why are you here?”

“I have a reason to be here, it’s you that I’m—”

“So you guys were invited too?” a voice interrupted. Both teens turned to see Tidus and Wakka walking up to them.

Selphie quickly jumped to greet them, trying her best to get both boys tucked inside of her hug.

“You know what’s going on ya?” Wakka asked.

Selphie bit her bottom lip and frowned. “No clue.”

“For once,” Tidus snorted.

“Hey!” She punched the blonde’s arm and he pretended to be hurt.

Riku did not take kindly to the fact that they were going to have an audience. What was Sora thinking?

“Great, you’re all here.”

The group turned around to see Kairi smiling with her hands clasped. Sora came in afterwards, looking flushed with some twigs and leaves in his hair. Tidus and Wakka snickered, Riku rolled his eyes.

“Sorry we’re late.”

“Anyway,” Selphie interrupted, “Is there a reason why the gang’s all here?”

Kairi blushed a bit and cleared her throat.

“Well,” she began. “We’ve thought long and hard about this, and I know we’re young.” Kairi took a hold of Sora’s hand and looked at him. “But we’ve decided to get married after high school.”

There was complete and utter silence.

“WHAT!” Selphie shrieked.

“We’re just sweet hearts for now,” Sora quickly stuttered. Kairi lifted up her hand to show a bemused Selphie the ring.

“Are you guys sure?” Wakka asked.

“Dude, you’re signing your life away!”

“Tidus!” Selphie scowled.

“Dude your soul!”

“Tidus!” she grabbed the blonde by his ear.

“It’s a pretty big step. Do you think you guys can make it?” Riku asked.

“Yeah.” Sora looked at Kairi, “I feel like I could search worlds if we were ever apart.”

Riku wondered if it would be rude to puke at the moment.

“So romantic,” Selphie said dreamily while holding Tidus in a fierce headlock. “Isn’t it Tidus?” He gave a thumb's up and a small cry for help.

“You guys are like yin and yang ya? You have to be together.”

Maybe he was stupid because their logic escaped him.

Everyone began to congratulate the happy couple with hugs and handshakes.

So he was stupid because their logic did escape him. They were barely sixteen and they were leaping into marriage. Was common sense lacking in their diet? Did they not see that they were talking about a life term commitment?

He decided to turn around and begin walking, since everyone was so immersed into the joyous occasion, but stopped when a soft hand enclosed his arm.

“Are you okay?” Selphie asked.

“I’m fine,” he said flippantly. He didn’t care. He didn’t want to care, because caring meant that Sora and Kairi being together forever was true.

“Riku.”

“As long as he’s happy right? That’s what matters in the end.” He looked at her and gave his best smirk.

“Please, I know this is hard.”

But Riku tried to move forward, but Selphie’s grip was strong.

“Let me go Selphie.” His throat felt itchy, as if he was screaming his protests the entire time. His eyes were beginning to water, but he’d be damned to admit it was because of Sora.

“Riku.”

“Selphie please,” his voice cracked. He swallowed and it felt like his throat was made of sand paper. “I want to go home.”

She let go, and he felt his legs take on a life of their own as they sped through the sand. He didn’t want her to see him in that state. He didn’t want her to think that he was angry with her. He knew she was going to be there for him. He knew that she cared. He just didn’t feel like piecing together the broken pieces of his heart.