Hello there. My profile looked so sad and empty without a story so I went to my sister and asked for her favorite kingdom hearts pairing, and now I have written her a story in honor of her two favorite boys. This is a quick one but I hope you still enjoy it.

-Atlas

Sora kicked a rock further down the road.

He hated walking alone. Kairi was already in school though, and it looked like Riku left without him early that morning.

The rock skittered slightly when it hit a patch of grass. Sora kicked his foot at it again but missed.

A cloud of dust blew into the air and slowly rose above him. Sora watched it go. Maybe it was a good thing Riku didn't walk with him. They were acting differently around each other, and Sora couldn't pinpoint the reason why.

He shook his spiky brown hair, cringing. Of course he knew why things had changed. Riku had noticed Sora's awkward stares and juvenile stuttering whenever he was within touching distance. There was no other explanation, and he hated himself for it.

Yes, he was attracted to Riku. So? He could control himself if it meant he could stay friends with him.

"Oh, come on, who am I kidding?" Sora muttered, breaking a branch off an unfortunate tree. His friend was so good-looking! Their friendship was doomed. It was doomed since the day they hugged on that beach three weeks ago.

Water running off his bare chest, filled out with lean muscle and only lightly tanned. Unlike Sora, Riku didn't burn in the sun.

Sora ran his hands through his hair. Then, something in him snapped.

You're a moron, a voice in his head said.

Without reason, Sora found himself getting angry. He had been pulled around all sorts of worlds, risking his life, giving his youth to a cause that he didn't have a choice in. Why couldn't he have one thing that he really wanted? Why couldn't he sit and have something be given to him for once?

Because it didn't happen like that. He had to work for everything he wanted. Why wasn't that different than now?

Unconsciously, Sora had begun to walk faster. The stick in his hand had dropped, forgotten, onto the sandy road. A silver-haired figure had appeared in his line of vision, sitting on a tree branch. The figure became more distinct the closer Sora came. When he reached the base of the tree, Sora leaned over on his knees, panting. When had he started running?

"Sora?" a soft voice said from above. There was almost a mocking tone to it. Sora looked up. Riku was staring down at him, an eyebrow slightly raised.

"Um… hi," Sora said lamely. When Riku didn't reply, Sora also remained silent.

He couldn't help but feel intimidated by the older boy. For all of the journeys they had shared, at this moment, he felt very disconnected from him.

"Riku, I…" Sora faltered.

Come on, be strong. A voice mentally steadied him.

Riku laughed, making no movement to leave his high perch.

"Tongue-tied? You never were good socially." He chuckled lightly and faced the ocean again. The morning sun was shining on his face. Sora was struck by his beauty; it pierced his heart.

Sora knew Riku. He was in a pensive mood, and Sora needed to get his attention. Riku didn't see Sora as a stronger person than himself. He needed to catch his attention by doing something or else he would lose his nerve.

"Riku, I wanna talk to you about something," Sora called up. His voice only shook a fraction. Riku ignored him. Again the anger flashed.

"Dammit, Riku!" he shouted, stomping his foot. That got Riku to notice him. His turned his ice-like gaze to Sora's face, searching for a reason behind Sora's fiery anger. Sora glared up at him. He was trying to confess his love for this damn boy, and he was going to listen, whether it ruined their friendship or not. Sora wasn't one to keep secrets, and this one had been eating away at him.

Riku sighed.

"What is it, Sora?" Sora grew more angry, if that were possible.

"I can't talk to you if you're sitting up there," he shouted. Riku shrugged, leaning his head back, letting the morning rays reflect off his soft neck. Sora forced himself to concentrate.

"Come up here then." Sora shook his head. Yeah right. Confess his love to his friend, then get pushed out of a tall tree? No, thank you.

"No! You're going to come down here!" Curiosity was getting the better of Riku. Sora could see it. After what seemed to be an unspoken standoff between the two, Riku shifted and began a slow descent down the trunk of the tree.

When his feet touched the sand, he turned to Sora, pushing his long hair out of his face. Sora could feel sweat on the back of his neck as Riku looked down on him. Man, he was beautiful. If he were any closer, Sora might lose all brain function. Right now, however, it seemed that he only lost his ability to talk.

Riku shook his head and leaned in.

"Hello? Earth to Sora! Don't zone out on me."

He's near my face, was all Sora could think. Riku picked up his school bag, which was resting against one of the roots of the trees.

He began walking away. With his back to Sora he said, "I guess whatever you were going to say wasn't important." Sora woke up from his stupor. Riku was walking away! He may not get another chance! He might lose his nerve the next time!

"Riku!" he called, dropping his school bag and closing the distance. He didn't know what he was doing, but suddenly he was grabbing Riku's shoulder and turning him to face him.

Sora only saw the brief flash of confusion in Riku's face before he stood on his toes and pressed his lips to his. Riku's lips were soft and… not responding. Sora pulled away slowly, afraid to open his eyes.

When he did, he was surprised to find that Riku had not budged an inch. He seemed frozen in shock. Sora had never seen Riku this way before. He was always cool and composed… not ever caught off guard. If Sora wasn't so nervous, he would have been proud of himself.

"R-Rik-" Sora attempted to speak but Riku finally moved. He closed the space between himself and Sora, cutting off his speech. Their lips met again, this time with more force. Sora gasped into Riku's mouth when he felt his arms wrap around his waist and pull him closer. Riku took advantage of Sora's gasp. His tongue began exploring his mouth, fighting with Sora's.

Sora's arms raised to Riku's neck and his hands knotted in his silky hair. Riku groaned and pressed Sora closer. Heat rushed into Sora from every place that their bodies touched. Riku smelled delicious, a light fragrance that Sora couldn't place.

They broke apart, breathing heavily. Sora brought his bright blue eyes to Riku's.

"I-" he started but Riku kissed him again, and Sora forgot what he was going to say. There was a dull thud as Riku's school bag fell to the sand.

Riku pushed him up against the tree that he had been sitting in a few moments before. Was it only minutes before? Sora didn't care anymore.

Their mouths moved in a different yet familiar pattern. They pulled away once more. Riku's hands were on either side of Sora's head, pinning him against the tree with his body. Their eyes met, and a blush bloomed across Sora's face. Riku smirked and touched a bit of Sora's hair, letting his hand drift and linger over Sora's cheek and neck.

"So, what were you going to tell me?" he asked nonchalantly, he face hovering centimeters away from Sora's face. Sora knees were shaking.

Without a word, Sora pulled Riku toward him with one quick tug on his shirt, crushing their lips together again and relishing the heat of the other's breath.