A lovely oneshot my lovely best friend and co-writer Alesia wrote for me :D OH, how I love her 3

Disclaimer: Not hers... or mine for that matter :(

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TAKE IT AWAY

The rain seemed to pour harder and harder as the man made his way down the residential street, the thunder not considering whom it frightened or what airwaves it disturbed. This storm wasn't even kind enough to erupt a lightning bolt for some source of light; no, it was dark. Complete darkness. Suddenly, the man stopped his tracks, his rather large black boots standing in a puddle of water continuously, still to be dripped on. The solid black cloak, which he wore, covered all his features, including his face, which the hood was draped around. His head slowly lifted and turned to left where he seemed to listen carefully. Trying to hear past the slamming raindrops, the man lifted his hand and snapped a small flame into life, providing a source of light. He moved forward, using the light in his hand as his guide to show him what lay ahead. He stopped once he was standing right next to a small brunette boy sitting on the curb of the street, drenched to the bone. The tall man sighed and put the lighter, which he was using as a light back in his pocket and took off his jacket placing it gently on the small boy. This action forced the boy to lift his head and acknowledge the man, revealing that he was not only wet from the tears of the sky but from the tears of his own eyes. The taller man, now only in jeans, a hoodless sweatshirt, revealing fire red hair which seemed to fall from a very upright do down to his face and some black rain boots, lowered his hand to help the small brunette up. The boy looked at him in amazement through his bloodshot eyes before finally accepting the hand. They from then on walked in silence until they reached a small apartment building where the red head lead the way to one of the doors. Inside, the brunette stood still in the doorway, still holding the man's jacket around him.

"Here." The red head handed the brunette some clothes after disappearing and grabbing them from another room. After accepting the dry clothes, the boy handed the man his jacket back, watching as he just hung it on the backside of the door. "Down the hall to your right, that's the bathroom. You can change there." The smaller of the two nodded and made his way there. A few minutes later, the boy emerged holding his wet clothes. "Oh, I'll put those in the dryer for you," the redhead said, taking them from him then walking away before yelling, "TV is right there if you want, you can watch it or use the phone on the table next to the couch if you have someone to call." The brunette walked over to the couch and grabbed the remote. He plopped down and moved a pillow over, which revealed a view of the phone the redhead mentioned. He just stared. "Seems you're in conflict of which to do."

"Huh?" The brunette looked behind him to see the redhead standing there.

"I'm Axel. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm… I'm Sora," he said, lowering his head back down and somewhat to the direction of the phone, which caused Axel to sigh again before walking around and sitting next to Sora on the couch. He took a hand and placed it on Sora's shoulder before speaking. "Why don't-" but before his sentence could be finished, Sora was looking at him tears once again falling down his face as he whispered.

"Take it all away…" Confused, the redhead just stared back, which caused Sora to say it louder. "Take it all away!" With furrowed brows Axel took his hand back.

"Take what away, Sora?"

"The pain…" Axel looked at the boy now frozen in fear. What has he found? What situation has he all of the sudden gotten himself involved in? He looked in the blue eyes of Sora and started to calm down again even though they were full of sadness. His eyes were very blue, a blue that reminded him of someone he too had recently seen cry. No, he couldn't think that way, but this small boy looked so much like him. NO, those thoughts will hurt him and right now, he needs to calm Sora down.

"Call them." Sora wiped his tears while leaning backwards and slowly letting his eyes close.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"He doesn't want me." Suddenly Axel's eyes widened a bit and he repeated Sora's words.

"He doesn't want you?"

"Riku… that's his name. He leaves me all the time with these stupid reasons. I just don't understand anymore…" Sora put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, flipping it open. There on the screen was a picture of the brunette with a man with long, silver hair. The other man's arm was draped around Sora's shoulder as Sora used both hands to make peace signs. "I think he's afraid… but I don't know. It could just be me making up excuses for him." Sora sat up again and looked at Axel. This man he has never met before until now and Sora just couldn't help but put all his trust into him and tell him everything about him. "He's my best friend and I was fine with it like that, but then…" he sighed.

"Then what?" Axel asked now leaning closer toward the small boy listening very closely to the words spoken.

"We kissed." How strange it is to see situations change because of small events. "AND NOW I CAN'T GET HIM OUT OF MY MIND!" Sora yelled slamming his phone shut and clinging to it tight in his hands. Axel slowly grabbed Sora's phone and set it on the table before he put his hand back on to Sora's shoulder and used his other hand to lift his face toward him. Axel could see him again. Sora looked so much like him. "I don't know if he knows how much it hurts me when he leaves and I don't know why I hurt so much from it." Axel wiped Sora's face and put his hand back on Sora's chin to gently lift it up where his lips now met Axel's in unison to Sora's phone starting to ring. Sora pulled away violently only noticing his phone through the corner of his eyes.

"I'm jealous, you know. I wish I could have someone like you. You care so much. If it were me, I'd never leave you."

"Axel I-"

"BUT, I digress." Sora's phone started to ring again and Axel reached forward and grabbed it. He was looking down at it as it stopped ringing right before it started up again. "I think he's trying to reach you." Axel gave Sora back his phone. It said 'Riku' on the light up screen and Sora just stared at it. "You know what kid, he may be confused and scared like you thought. You said he was your best friend, right? So take it from someone who knows a similar situation, you're absolutely right. You know him better than he knows himself at this point. Got it memorized?" Sora just smiled a small happy yet confused smile toward his new friend. Axel got up from the couch as Sora finally answered his phone.

"Hello?"

"Sora thank god! I've been calling you like crazy!"

"Why?"

"Why? Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know Riku, you tell me why."

"Sora, you're my best friend and when you get up and leave like that, I get worried."

"Is that the only reason, 'cause I'm your friend?"

"Sora…"

"What Riku? You don't like it when someone leaves all of a sudden, do you?"

"Sora, where are you? I'm coming to get you."

"I don't need you to. I'm fine."

"SORA PLEASE!" At this point, Axel walked back into the room with a brown bag that had Sora's clothes in it and umbrella in his hands.

"I'm on my way to your house."

"Where are you, I'll come get you."

"Goodbye." Sora closed his phone and put it back into his pocket. "I guess I'll change into my clothes and leave now." Axel laughed.

"Don't worry about it. Keep 'em, your clothes aren't dry yet, my dryer is a piece of shit, and why don't you let me drive you where you're going? It's still raining." Sora smiled and took the brown bag and umbrella from Axel and followed him to his car. After a while, Sora pointed to a red brick house and Axel stopped a few houses over. "I kinda don't want to go right in front." Sora looked over at him and laughed.

"That's okay, I understand. Uh Axel… thanks again… for everything."

"Don't worry about it, kid." Sora turned to the door and stepped out with the umbrella open then closed the car door. He stood there a while watching the car drive away. Would he ever meet this man again? Why was he so nice to him? Sora turned and made his way to the door of the red brick house and paused, holding his finger over the doorbell. All of the sudden he was scared again. He couldn't move. Sora couldn't bring himself to press the button. Was this a bad idea coming back? Would Riku just leave again? Why does he cause so much confusion in his little heart? Sora didn't know how much of this he could handle. That man said he would never do that to me. Why was Axel coming to his mind? Then he remembered they kissed and he blushed, moving his hand from the doorbell to his cheek.

"Sora?" Sora jerked toward the door that was now open and there stood a tall, toned man with long silver hair, otherwise known as Riku. He now more than ever couldn't move or talk. He just stood there and stared into Riku's aqua colored eyes. "Do you want to come in?" Sora stepped forward without a word and went inside. Riku closed the door and observed Sora as he did his routine. He took off his shoes and placed them nicely by the carpet as well as lean the wet umbrella down against the wall. He also put the brown bag down next to his shoes. "Did you bring clothes to spend the night?" Riku questioned the unusual brown bag. This caused Sora to jerk up straight and face Riku.

"No. It's my wet clothes from the rain. I borrowed a friends to wear."

"Oh." Riku lowered his gaze.

"Can I use your dryer to dry them?" Sora asked, now on his knees pulling his clothes out.

"Yeah, you know how to use it." Sora pulled his clothes out and there on the bottom of the bag was a piece of paper. He lifted it out of the bag and flipped it over to show handwriting on it. It stated: 'Sora, it was a pleasure to meet you. Please don't hesitate to call whenever you want. 972-494-7892… –Axel'. Sora hid a smile and placed the piece of paper in his pocket before grabbing his clothes, standing up, and returning his attention to Riku. "Uh, what was that?"

"Mine," Sora stated coldly before turning around and making his way to Riku's laundry room. Riku, just like Sora, still lived with his parents, but Riku's were always away traveling so his house was usually empty. Sora knew where everything was here because he would spend multiple nights over with his best friend so he wouldn't be alone. That's probably the reason they got so close. Sora put his clothes in the dryer and turned it on. When he turned around to close the door and leave the laundry room, Riku was right there on the other side of the door.

"Are you gonna talk to me?"

"I was trying not to, but you keep showing up in my face."

"Sora, why'd you run out?"

"Why do you? Why do you always leave me? Why do you make me suffer so much? Do you hate me?" Tears started to flow. Sora's brilliant blue eyes once again that day became grey and bloodshot and he let the emotions consume him. "I heard you on the phone talking to Kairi. You love her. I got it. I do."

"Sora, no. That's not what I said." Riku was now standing right next to Sora, both his hands on Sora's shoulders. He couldn't look up. "Sora, I… I'm sorry I make you suffer, that's the last thing I want to do. I want to make you so happy, it's … I don't know. I could never hate you, why do you think I do?" Muffled between gasps of air and tears, Sora attempted to answer.

"Don't… don't change the subject Riku." Riku's grip on Sora's shoulder tightened.

"SORA! Yes, I love her, but not like you think. She's our best friend. Would you try to tell me that you don't love her either?" That caused Sora to look up.

"I do… just like… you know…"

"A sister."

"… Yeah…" At that, his head started to lower again.

"And I had to explain that to her," Riku stated in a small voice.

"That you love her as a friend?"

"No." Sora looked up at Riku who seemed lost in his thoughts. Sora waited, he knew Riku would finish as soon as he could figure out how to word it. That was one of Riku's brilliant features; he was never rash. In fact, that could also be his flaw. He over analyzed everything, every situation to every ending. "She called me to tell me something."

"To tell you how much she loved-" but Sora stopped. Riku had tightened his grip on Sora's shoulders so tight it hurt and with the glare he gave him, Sora was too afraid to finish.

"To tell me how much she loves you." What, Sora? Between the two boys who she had been friends with her whole life, it was Sora who caught her eye? How? Riku excelled in everything next to Sora. Sora could admit it. Riku was superior. Sora could see it. Could Kairi not? He is, after all, Riku's best friend and competitor, but why was Sora his competitor? There where others who were much better opponents than him, but Riku always choose Sora to fight against. "She wanted my opinion on the matter, asking me if she told you would it ruin your friendship. I had to explain to her how you did love her, but the same way I did… as a sister." Sora looked at Riku and could tell there were other emotions running through him, but damn, Sora could never see what. All he could manage ever in their whole life was to make him smile, but now he didn't want that. He wanted a why.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I selfishly didn't want her to tell you. So I told her you didn't love her like that without asking you if you did or not."

"What?"

"I was afraid if you found out that she loved you, you'd love her too, I guess. I'm sorry you can call and tell her what I did if you want. I didn't mean to ruin your chances with her. She's an amazing person and one of our good friends so I-"

"Riku, you're right!" They finally made eye contact, blue orbs to aqua ones. Riku just furrowed his brows. "I love her, yes, but you're right, like a sister."

"How could you not love her more?"

"Because I love someone else." Riku's eyes turned dark and he once again tightened his grip on Sora, making him whence in pain. "Ow, Riku." He started to shake him and scream.

"WHO SORA! WHO GOD DAMNIT! WAS IT THE PERSON YOU RAN TO TODAY!? FUCKING TELL ME!" Sora was rustling with Riku to free himself from the pain. He kept trying to step back, but Riku had pushed him violently against the wall and held his shoulders, still slamming him on the wall.

"You're hurting me, Riku!" Sora tried using his hands to push Riku off, but he was too overpowering to Sora's smaller frame.

"WHO!" Riku screamed again.

"YOU!" Riku stopped and let go almost instantly. Sora couldn't breath. He started to pant as tears filled his eyes. Sora reconnected eye contact with Riku who looked like he had gone into shock. "Are you that stupid Riku? I've always loved you! More than Kairi or any friend who I visit! Even when we kissed…" Sora couldn't speak another word as his emotions of anger and sadness finally consumed him. He couldn't do this. Sora's body began to go limp in Riku's grasp, causing him to lift Sora with his arms. Sora just cried this time. Now that he had said it, he couldn't stop. He'd told Riku. Now he won't have his best friend anymore. That stupid kiss. Damn that stupid dare! It only made things harder for Sora's heart.

"You knew before we kissed?" Sora couldn't even answer; he just tried nodding his head in response. Riku then bent down and picked Sora up bride style and carried him to his bedroom. He sat him down softly on his bed and sat on his knees in front of him. "I guess I am that stupid Sora." Wiping his eyes, Sora just looked at him, panting to set his regular breathing back. "I couldn't see it. I'm so stupid. I didn't even realize until we kissed. How much I truly love you." Riku stood up, attempting to bring a smile to his face. "Try to sleep Sora." Riku turned his body away and started to leave the bedroom when he felt his arm pulled back. He turned around to see Sora holding it in his grasp, rather tightly for that matter. Riku walked back over to stand in font of Sora as Sora's hand slid down Riku's arm to being held in his hand.

"I hate it when you leave me," Sora whispered softly and leaned forward to reach his pink lips to Riku's. They met for the second time in their life and obviously not the last. "No more excuses Riku. I can't take the pain." Riku started to lean forward and Sora fell onto the bed as they started to kiss again. Riku then moved his mouth to Sora's ear and kissed it a few times before whispering a response.

"Don't worry… I'll take it all away."