^__________^ IIIIIIIIIIIIII'M BAAA-ACK!!!
Ok, well first of all I want to say I'm reeeeeeally sorry for anyone who read my first fic that I haven't signed on for so long, but school has been hectic and some things have been happening at home, thing's that I'm finding it hard to deal with, so that's been preventing me from writing... though reading the wonderful fics I love so very much couldn't be prevented by anything, because reading is something that really makes me feel great!! Especially those fics where Sora and Riku end up blissfully happy together in the end... *sigh* so beautiful. Or angst, it's all good heh
Well anyway, I decided that in order to write another fic, I would have to try and be at least a little original, because I don't just want to rewrite what everyone has had an attempt at. Don't get me wrong, some of my fave fics are written simply just about Sora and Riku being best buds and then realising their love blah blah blah, with no real difference of a starting point. The difference with me is, I'm not as good a writer as those people, and therefore I'm going to try my best at creating a different storyline so you can't compare me!!! Cross your fingers for me, will ya? 'Twould be much obliged!
Well sorry for that huge explanation, but I just felt like it ^_^ Anyway, I got this crappy idea about fate and things, so I decided to make it into a fic and see how it went, how you guys like it and all.
Disclaimer: Wow... I always forget these! Anyway, I don't own Kingdom Hearts, obviously, or my dear little boys would be together by now!!!
Ok now, don't kill me if it sucks majorly!!! *gulp* here goes...
_____________________________________________________________________
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Sora groaned as he dragged his limp, tired body up into a sitting position, slamming his hand down on the dreaded alarm. School was something most teenagers dreaded, and for Sora it was definitely nothing he looked forward to. No, it wasn't the general anti-homework, teacher hating and early rising woes of a normal teenager, because Sora had always loved the learning aspect of school and finished his homework on time. Teachers loved him, and although he definitely hated getting up early, he couldn't be sure if that was something that had just been formed because of his schooling conditions.
Sora had never been an extremely popular student, in fact his appearance, true to his home life, of a poor and neglected kid, somewhat repelled his classmates to befriending him. He was generally the last one to be picked on teams and was usually left sitting alone at his desk in his little country-town school. It had never bothered him of course, and he still took the time to enjoy his life as much as he possibly could.
His childhood had, in truth, been awful. Up to the age of 4, it had been wonderful, though he could hardly remember it. His mother had died when he was 2 years old, which had sent his father spiralling into depression. Of course Sora didn't understand why suddenly every night a bowl of raw packet noodles was slammed on to the table in front of him with a grunt, instead of the meals his parents had cooked together, laughing lovingly together, letting Sora stir or taste their creations.
When Sora was of age to make his own food, he instantly warmed to creating meals from his mother's old cookbook for himself. He began to cook for his father, though his father, forever trapped in misery from the effects of a broken heart, simply gulped down whatever was handed to him and passed the dish back, mumbling some sort of thanks. Sora blocked out the hurt that he felt whenever his hard work was unappreciated and eventually came to delude himself to believe that his father really meant it when he thanked him.
"Hope you liked it dad!" he'd say cheerfully as he bounced back into the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Sora had lived his life like this, happy just to be taking care of his dad and deluding himself with the image he had created that he was living a healthy, normal life. Now that he was 14, Sora had come to terms with his home life, and knew it wasn't normal. He knew better than that, he was a smart boy.
Sora didn't have the best luck though, and just when he had come to accept his home life, when he began to attend high school, a particular guy called Ansem (A/N: it's not very original I know, but I figured it would do) from the year above him had decided to make a big joke out of him. Sora was sort of used to being made a big joke out of, but at his previous school, there wasn't anybody like Ansem. He was much bigger than Sora and had a violent streak in him that it seemed couldn't be tamed. Sora walked to school, seeing as his dad hadn't driven in years and he had no money for a bus, considering his dad lived on child support and nothing except food, extremely necessary resources, bills and dollar savings a week could be afforded. All of this, of course, was organised by Sora. The first morning Sora walked to high school, his path met with the path of Ansem, who was strolling along the dirt road, kicking at rocks with his cuffed boots. Ever since he had looked up coolly at the sounds of him approaching on Sora's first day of high school, he had hated Sora, without Sora ever knowing why. He pushed him, punched him, kicked him, hurt him in every way possible, and Sora couldn't do anything about it. Because of his father's neglect, he never noticed any marks on him, and thus it was Sora and Ansem's secret.
So this morning Sora dreaded, once more, the trip to school. He grunted slightly as he slipped out from under his sheets and into the confined space of his bedroom, swiping up his carefully laid out clothes, slung over a battered chair that sat next to his rickety desk. He stepped out into the lounge room where his dad was hanging over the couch in what looked like the most uncomfortable position ever, his previously handsome physic now slackened with the time he had neglected himself. Sora sighed and moved on, advancing towards the bathroom where he roughly turned the taps on the shower, stripping off his boxers to have the quick shower he took every school morning.
Stepping out of the shower, Sora wiped a messy circle in the mirror to observe himself. His hair was dripping wet, though somehow still managed to stick out every which way. He tried to sort out his hair, but gave up once more with a low, heavy sigh. He towelled himself down quickly, rubbing at his hair furiously, then trying to push it down again. He hurriedly fumbled with his clothes, pulling them on and examining himself once more in the mirror, hoping he looked all right. He stepped out of the bathroom and flicked the light off, slamming the door behind him.
"I'll seeya tonight ok dad?" he bellowed with insincere happiness.
His previously made lunch lay on the kitchen table and he swiped it up, placed it in his bag and zipped it closed. He took one fleeting look back at his dad and headed out the door, rattling his keys in his hands before he locked it behind him.
Sora began humming a tune to a song he couldn't remember and began to try to place it as he trudged along the dusty road to his small school. Giving up, he started to hum a new tune when he noticed a bitter laughing coming from somewhere on the path ahead. Of course, Sora knew that laugh off by heart, and had given up on the hope that he wouldn't come across the path of its owner... however, he wasn't so foolish anymore. Sora turned a cool face to the towering, threatening figure of Ansem, standing somewhere in the distance. Of course he had, he had been looking for Sora, and that laugh had confirmed that he had seen him come into view.
"C'mon, I've only got so much time!" he yelled smoothly with a sly cat's grin.
Sora walked over to him calmly, his head held high, looking him in the face as he always did. He had long ago stopped fearing Ansem, instead keeping his pride by looking him in the eyes and let him hurt him without Ansem knowing how much it really affected Sora.
As soon as Sora lifted his head to Ansem, he made a fierce grimace and spat directly into Sora's face. He couldn't help flinching, raising his hands to his eyes to wipe it away from them. He lifted his sleeve to his face and wiped it away, looking at Ansem once more with the very same serene face. Ansem thrust his arm out around Sora's shoulders, clenching his forearm a little too tightly.
"Say Sor, are you ok? You know, I've been noticing you're not quite the sissy I know... it's not right. Don't like you that way. Is there any way I can help?" said Ansem, shrinking down to Sora's level, eying him as he batted his eyelashes sweetly.
Sora just lifted his head higher, sticking his nose in the air and still looking straight into Ansem's eyes.
"What's that? Yeah, you're right, maybe a good beating will help!" chuckled Ansem sinisterly, watching for Sora to flinch or widen his eyes as he used to when he had first began high school.
Ansem frowned, his eyes lighting up so that he looked murderous. In one move, he lifted his hand and swiped it across Sora's cheek, loosening his grasp so that Sora flew to the ground below him with a bloody nose, leaving a scarlet pool on the dirty path. Sitting up, Sora spat the dirt that had entered his mouth into the pool of blood and wiping his nose with his sleeve. He stood up valiantly to face Ansem once more, a scowl forming on his face before he grabbed Sora by the collar and dragged him towards a much-abandoned hut, where he slammed him against the wall.
"When I talk to you, I expect you to answer me!" spat Ansem through gritted teeth, eyes glowing with hatred. He clenched his free hand into a tightly balled fist and propelled it into Sora's ribs, breaking two in the process and forcing a fit of coughs out of Sora.
"Understand, scum?" he hissed into Sora's ear, daring him not to answer.
Sora gave a curt nod, eyes welling with tears of pain and longing to double over and weep.
"Good. Don't forget it. Hmmm... You a sporty person Sora...? I asked you a question Sora, answer me!"
Sora shook his head brusquely, the pain of blinking back his tears increasing immensely every time he tried to.
"Gee that's too bad... You know, I am... let's see if we can work as a team! You, my dear, lucky little Sora, can act as a shot-put," cackled Ansem in a low, evil voice before he used his vast strength to clasp Sora's shirt tighter and fling him across the path, laughing lowly all the while.
Everything from there on took place in a sort of slow motion for Sora. He could hear himself shriek a blood-curdling scream as he felt his body collide with something, though he didn't even think to look and see what. He tumbled as it moved, and he realised a car was running into him. As the car screeched to a halt, he felt his body flinging into the air once more and he landed on the rocky surface of the road. Blood surged up his throat and he unconsciously spat it out beside himself. A tall figure was standing very still close by, and as soon as he looked at the blurriness of the figure, it began to bolt down the road. Shouting nearby followed the figure... a woman's voice...
Something lightly came under Sora's head, but before Sora could see or hear anything else, his eyes had fluttered closed and he fell unconscious.
***
Riku tapped the table to the beat of his music that was pounding in his ears. With a furious look at his watch, he stood up to pace the room.
"Where is she...?" he whispered heatedly, kicking at the shiny floorboards of the kitchen, which lead to the front door. 'She always does this,' thought Riku, flicking his hair back behind him irritably. He rushed towards his stereo system and pushed the off button down hard, flopping once more into the chair he was waiting in.
All of a sudden, the phone began ringing its shrill tone. Riku groaned as he lifted his body upwards and raced to the living room to pick it up. He picked up the receiver with a click.
"Hello?" he said, panting slightly.
"Oh, Riku, honey! It's me!"
"Yes..." replied Riku hollowly.
"Well, seems I've got a little bit of a problem hon, something's happened at the hospital and I need to stay around for a bit. It's really quite awful actually..."
"Ok, you can't take me shopping."
"Er... right. See, I had something else in mind though... I figured, considering the circumstances, that you could come down here. I could spare a couple minutes to come pick you up and maybe you could do something for me here...?"
"Ok. I'll be waiting."
"Oh, don't you want to know the favour?"
"No, I'll do it."
"Thanks a load sweetie, seeya in five!"
Whatever. A boring favour. Riku clunked the phone back and sighed heavily, forking his wallet from his jeans and replacing it back on the table, knowing that he had been right when he knew his mother would never come around, never realise how much he wanted to spend time with her. His father was even worse, always working to put their expensive food on their table and buy their many possessions. Riku had learnt to deal with that, and never knowing his father as well. His mother, however, he expected better from. She worked at the hospital as a nurse to pay for even more unneeded possessions, and though she only applied for it part time, she took up the spaces that were left empty, due to her "pushover" attitude. Riku always took it the wrong way, thinking that she thought her work was more important than he was.
He wandered to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. He had thought he could have lunch with his mum, but now that he was going to the hospital he figured a home lunch would be better by far than hospital food! Taking out some ingredients from the fridge, he started on a simple sandwich. Riku sat down at the table and clunked his plate down in front of him. He ate the sandwich hurriedly, knowing that his mother had unpredictability about her, and not wanting to have to eat it in the car. Just after dumping his plate on the sink, his mother burst through the door in her work uniform, flashing Riku a smile resembling his own- perfect- as she bustled through the kitchen and upstairs.
With a raised eyebrow, Riku traipsed over to the stair curiously. He could hear his mother searching for something in... his room? Why the hell was she in there?! Just when he was about to storm up and tell her to get out, she appeared with a triumphant grin on her, and clasped in her hands and dangling from her arms, where Riku's five Harry Potter books.
"Mum..." mumbled Riku in embarrassment. He was Riku; cool, collected, smooth- nobody was supposed to know he read Harry Potter!
"Oh relax!" she giggled, approaching him downstairs, "Nobody's going to find out about your little obsession, peanut! Just for the hospital... part of your favour! Really, some people are monsters..." she continued, shaking her head.
"Ok, let's go then," said Riku bluntly, secretly hoping that whatever she did, she didn't do anything to her books.
The two went out to the car and each slid into the front seats. Riku noticed that there was some noticeable damage done to the front of the car, and a small crack on the windshield, but chose not to ask him mother. The car took off smoothly and Riku peered out the window, tapping his fingers on the dashboard. The scenic view was breathtaking. It was a perfect day, the sky a bold, bright blue, the trees that surrounded the area swaying just slightly in the breeze. As the car slowed at a stoplight, Riku saw a pair of girls point in his direction. Raising his eyebrows, Riku smirked at the giggling two, and swooning, they waved. Deciding to play along with the game that girls so often tried to play with him, being as gorgeous as he was, he raised his hand and swiped it across slowly, in the sexiest wave possible. He noticed the girls biting their lips, one bouncing in circles around the other.
'That's funny,' thought Riku, 'I thought I knew everyone around here... they must be new.'
At this idea, Riku sniggered, knowing that tormenting them would be an extremely entertaining game. Considering the small size of his town, he was sure he would run into them sooner or later.
"Hey, what are you laughing at?" said his mother accusingly, eying the girls, who were now sliding down a shop wall with ecstatic smiles, as they drove off, "I don't want you teasing those girls, muffin. It's not easy for them! You're so... mean!"
Riku sighed mockingly, flashing a cheesy grin at his mother before turning it towards other passers by, making them melt too.
"Aw... there's always one like you, everywhere I've gone!" she went on sulkily, though laughing airily afterwards.
They arrived at the hospital as Riku gave her a cocky smile back to her comments. He was in better spirits now; his mother had a way of cheering people up without even knowing she was doing so. That's why, every time she cancelled on him, he had no choice but to forgive her. It was impossible to stay angry at such a glowing personality.
"Ok Ri baby, I'm just gonna go check in with the office, do you want anything to eat or drink or anything?" she asked, looking down at her watch anxiously.
"Um..."
"Well you know where to go if you do hun, so wait here and I'll be back when I'm done!" she finished, scuffling off with her bag swinging wildly over her shoulder.
Preferring not to bother anyone in the hospital, Riku went over to a drink machine and put his hand in his pocket for some money. 'Damn... I left my wallet at home,' thought Riku with a sigh as he slid slowly into a chair next to a small red-haired, freckled girl with shining blue eyes who squeaked excitedly. Choosing to ignore her, he straightened up and picked up a magazine, flicking through the pages impatiently. This magazine wasn't exactly what Riku would usually be reading, considering it was a girl's fashion magazine, but it would have to do. Scanning through the pages of flowing dresses and half naked women, Riku decided on a barely amusing article about what the columnist eccentrically claimed was wrong with the male species.
After some time, Riku had the feeling that he was being looked at. He was pretty used to recognising the heated feeling that effected people when other people's eyes bore into them. Riku smirked, realising it was the girl next to him who kept giving him the fleeting looks he could feel so well. Letting out a jaded sigh, he draped his arm over the arm rest, his other hand dropping to his side with the magazine loosely clutched in it, very careful to just barely brush against the girl's arm and receiving an even higher squeak than the one she had let out when he sat down. 'This one's going to be fun,' he thought maliciously, tapping the end of the armrest and knowing that he was driving her insane. He could see out of the corner of his eye that she was biting her lip and gazing with glazed eyes at his fingers, entranced by their movements. Straightening up in his chair, Riku flicked his hair slightly and suddenly took his hand up, plunging it into his mane of silver, the girl's eyes following his hand.
"Excu-"
"RIKU!"
Riku raised a startled face, forgetting the game he was playing with the girl and that she had just began to talk to him, and jumping to his feet. That voice was his mother...
"There y'are bunny boy!" she said, bouncing in and skidding to a halt in front of him. Her smile vanished as she saw the girl blushing and eying Riku.
"Oh darling, you're so cruel," she sighed, walking off and waving her hand in a motion that told him to follow. Sighing in defeat of the game, Riku followed her coolly, pretending he hadn't even taken notice of the girl.
"Ok then peanut, I haven't told you about this favour yet," she started hastily, still walking through the corridor which was surrounded by dulled beeps and voices, "Well... it's more on the easier side of the favours I've had to ask you."
Riku grunted. That didn't say much- she had asked of some pretty hard stuff from him in her history as a nurse at the hospital.
Ignoring Riku's grunt, she went on, "See I had a nasty accident on my way out to check up on one of my old patients. You remember old Mrs. Millicent? Yeah, well she lives a bit of a way out and so I thought I would go and see how the old dear's going. She's quite well, you know. Anyway, I was travelling down in the country and the strangest thing happened- this boy, he was thrown onto my windshield! I know, awful isn't it? Well, turns out a nasty young man was bullying the poor boy, and had taken things too far. Well, any bullying is too far in my opinion, but he endangered this boy's life! Well anyway, to the favour... see, he doesn't really have anyone who cares for him. His mother died when he was little, bless him, and his father is trapped behind walls of depression," she sighed, with a sad glint in her eyes, "He's only a year younger than you, and I thought maybe... you could just keep him company, visit him. It could be good for both of you. You could do with a new friend baby!"
Riku took it all in with good grace, and understood completely. His mother had always been charitable, and anyone with a heart would help this boy who had obviously been so badly mistreated.
"I'll help. Stop rambling," he chuckled, waving off her pout with a swift movement of his hand. They walked through the echoing hallway until they reached a room, much like every other one they had passed, the door halfway open to reveal the foot of a bed. His mother stepped ahead of him and pushed the door open fully, smiling back at Riku as she entered and lifting a finger to her lips as to tell Riku to be quiet. Urging him in, she closed the door behind them and ushered Riku to the bedside.
"He must have fallen asleep... oh, he must be so tired!" she whispered affectionately in Riku's ear, still eying the sleeping figure.
Riku approached the bed warily and took a moment to inspect the boy. He instantly felt his heart melt as he saw the heart shaped face, battered, cut and bruised by the accident, the rose petal lips, slightly parted, and the tousled locks of chocolate brown. He looked at peace, and as far as Riku could see, he looked like the last person in the world to have deserved this life. He was like a sleeping angel. 'Don't judge a book by it's cover,' he thought to himself, reminding himself that everyone looked that peaceful when sleeping. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke his thoughts, and he reluctantly looked up from the boy's face into his mother's.
"Well, I've got some things to be doing. I was wondering if you would just wait by his bed in case he wakes, and I'll come back for you in a while to see how you get along... Well, if he does wake up this is. Don't be impatient with him, he's been through a bit of a rough time. He's probably exhausted."
"Yeah I know, I won't get bored. I can read these Harry Potter books... gee, they look familiar," he exclaimed, the mocking tone in his voice impossible to miss.
After receiving a playful whack from his mother, he waved idly at her and dragged a chair from the corner over to the bedside. Slipping into the cold chair, he decided to look at... wait, what was his name? 'Thanks mom,' he thought with a grin. Oh well, he could just wait and see if he would wake up, then ask him, or ask his mother when she came back.
Aligning his train of though back to that of the one that involved speculating the angel sleeping before him, Riku looked closer at his face. Bloodied grazes were scattered across his creamy complexion, deepest on the bridge of his nose, his chin, forehead and left cheekbone. His bottom lip was split, and parts of his left cheek were splotched in bruises. His faced had remarkably not puffed up at all, and so he was easily recognisable, still looking much as he did without his injuries.
'How could I get bored?' thought Riku, staring at the figure and watching the serene rise and fall of the other boy's chest. Riku let out a sigh and flexed his fingers, longing to wake the boy and find out who this mystery boy really was, and what he was like.
As if it were a reaction to his thoughts, he saw the boy stir. Raising quickly from his seat, he leaned his face over the other boy's, his silver tresses just brushing the boy's face, a composed look on his own, yet bubbling with excitement inside. As Riku had hopefully awaited, the boy's eyelids began to twitch and his eyes fluttered open sleepily, staring up at the boy hovering above him.
_____________________________________________________________________
Well... *ahem* Hope I did ok...? Please review!!!
Well this is how it all comes together, I don't think I've ever read of them meeting in a hospital before! Goodo, something unique ^_^
Well I'm totally ecstatic right now, because I just finished downloading Peter Pan 03- I LOVE JEREMY SUMPTER!!! Anyone think I'm in with a chance? No, best not to answer that.
Anyway, I'll leave now and I hope nobody has abandoned me at all... I just got a review for my other fic today, so that's still good!
Well love you all, thanks for reading and... stuff... *cough*
xoxo Eva McBeava
Ok, well first of all I want to say I'm reeeeeeally sorry for anyone who read my first fic that I haven't signed on for so long, but school has been hectic and some things have been happening at home, thing's that I'm finding it hard to deal with, so that's been preventing me from writing... though reading the wonderful fics I love so very much couldn't be prevented by anything, because reading is something that really makes me feel great!! Especially those fics where Sora and Riku end up blissfully happy together in the end... *sigh* so beautiful. Or angst, it's all good heh
Well anyway, I decided that in order to write another fic, I would have to try and be at least a little original, because I don't just want to rewrite what everyone has had an attempt at. Don't get me wrong, some of my fave fics are written simply just about Sora and Riku being best buds and then realising their love blah blah blah, with no real difference of a starting point. The difference with me is, I'm not as good a writer as those people, and therefore I'm going to try my best at creating a different storyline so you can't compare me!!! Cross your fingers for me, will ya? 'Twould be much obliged!
Well sorry for that huge explanation, but I just felt like it ^_^ Anyway, I got this crappy idea about fate and things, so I decided to make it into a fic and see how it went, how you guys like it and all.
Disclaimer: Wow... I always forget these! Anyway, I don't own Kingdom Hearts, obviously, or my dear little boys would be together by now!!!
Ok now, don't kill me if it sucks majorly!!! *gulp* here goes...
_____________________________________________________________________
BEEP BEEP BEEP
Sora groaned as he dragged his limp, tired body up into a sitting position, slamming his hand down on the dreaded alarm. School was something most teenagers dreaded, and for Sora it was definitely nothing he looked forward to. No, it wasn't the general anti-homework, teacher hating and early rising woes of a normal teenager, because Sora had always loved the learning aspect of school and finished his homework on time. Teachers loved him, and although he definitely hated getting up early, he couldn't be sure if that was something that had just been formed because of his schooling conditions.
Sora had never been an extremely popular student, in fact his appearance, true to his home life, of a poor and neglected kid, somewhat repelled his classmates to befriending him. He was generally the last one to be picked on teams and was usually left sitting alone at his desk in his little country-town school. It had never bothered him of course, and he still took the time to enjoy his life as much as he possibly could.
His childhood had, in truth, been awful. Up to the age of 4, it had been wonderful, though he could hardly remember it. His mother had died when he was 2 years old, which had sent his father spiralling into depression. Of course Sora didn't understand why suddenly every night a bowl of raw packet noodles was slammed on to the table in front of him with a grunt, instead of the meals his parents had cooked together, laughing lovingly together, letting Sora stir or taste their creations.
When Sora was of age to make his own food, he instantly warmed to creating meals from his mother's old cookbook for himself. He began to cook for his father, though his father, forever trapped in misery from the effects of a broken heart, simply gulped down whatever was handed to him and passed the dish back, mumbling some sort of thanks. Sora blocked out the hurt that he felt whenever his hard work was unappreciated and eventually came to delude himself to believe that his father really meant it when he thanked him.
"Hope you liked it dad!" he'd say cheerfully as he bounced back into the kitchen to wash the dishes.
Sora had lived his life like this, happy just to be taking care of his dad and deluding himself with the image he had created that he was living a healthy, normal life. Now that he was 14, Sora had come to terms with his home life, and knew it wasn't normal. He knew better than that, he was a smart boy.
Sora didn't have the best luck though, and just when he had come to accept his home life, when he began to attend high school, a particular guy called Ansem (A/N: it's not very original I know, but I figured it would do) from the year above him had decided to make a big joke out of him. Sora was sort of used to being made a big joke out of, but at his previous school, there wasn't anybody like Ansem. He was much bigger than Sora and had a violent streak in him that it seemed couldn't be tamed. Sora walked to school, seeing as his dad hadn't driven in years and he had no money for a bus, considering his dad lived on child support and nothing except food, extremely necessary resources, bills and dollar savings a week could be afforded. All of this, of course, was organised by Sora. The first morning Sora walked to high school, his path met with the path of Ansem, who was strolling along the dirt road, kicking at rocks with his cuffed boots. Ever since he had looked up coolly at the sounds of him approaching on Sora's first day of high school, he had hated Sora, without Sora ever knowing why. He pushed him, punched him, kicked him, hurt him in every way possible, and Sora couldn't do anything about it. Because of his father's neglect, he never noticed any marks on him, and thus it was Sora and Ansem's secret.
So this morning Sora dreaded, once more, the trip to school. He grunted slightly as he slipped out from under his sheets and into the confined space of his bedroom, swiping up his carefully laid out clothes, slung over a battered chair that sat next to his rickety desk. He stepped out into the lounge room where his dad was hanging over the couch in what looked like the most uncomfortable position ever, his previously handsome physic now slackened with the time he had neglected himself. Sora sighed and moved on, advancing towards the bathroom where he roughly turned the taps on the shower, stripping off his boxers to have the quick shower he took every school morning.
Stepping out of the shower, Sora wiped a messy circle in the mirror to observe himself. His hair was dripping wet, though somehow still managed to stick out every which way. He tried to sort out his hair, but gave up once more with a low, heavy sigh. He towelled himself down quickly, rubbing at his hair furiously, then trying to push it down again. He hurriedly fumbled with his clothes, pulling them on and examining himself once more in the mirror, hoping he looked all right. He stepped out of the bathroom and flicked the light off, slamming the door behind him.
"I'll seeya tonight ok dad?" he bellowed with insincere happiness.
His previously made lunch lay on the kitchen table and he swiped it up, placed it in his bag and zipped it closed. He took one fleeting look back at his dad and headed out the door, rattling his keys in his hands before he locked it behind him.
Sora began humming a tune to a song he couldn't remember and began to try to place it as he trudged along the dusty road to his small school. Giving up, he started to hum a new tune when he noticed a bitter laughing coming from somewhere on the path ahead. Of course, Sora knew that laugh off by heart, and had given up on the hope that he wouldn't come across the path of its owner... however, he wasn't so foolish anymore. Sora turned a cool face to the towering, threatening figure of Ansem, standing somewhere in the distance. Of course he had, he had been looking for Sora, and that laugh had confirmed that he had seen him come into view.
"C'mon, I've only got so much time!" he yelled smoothly with a sly cat's grin.
Sora walked over to him calmly, his head held high, looking him in the face as he always did. He had long ago stopped fearing Ansem, instead keeping his pride by looking him in the eyes and let him hurt him without Ansem knowing how much it really affected Sora.
As soon as Sora lifted his head to Ansem, he made a fierce grimace and spat directly into Sora's face. He couldn't help flinching, raising his hands to his eyes to wipe it away from them. He lifted his sleeve to his face and wiped it away, looking at Ansem once more with the very same serene face. Ansem thrust his arm out around Sora's shoulders, clenching his forearm a little too tightly.
"Say Sor, are you ok? You know, I've been noticing you're not quite the sissy I know... it's not right. Don't like you that way. Is there any way I can help?" said Ansem, shrinking down to Sora's level, eying him as he batted his eyelashes sweetly.
Sora just lifted his head higher, sticking his nose in the air and still looking straight into Ansem's eyes.
"What's that? Yeah, you're right, maybe a good beating will help!" chuckled Ansem sinisterly, watching for Sora to flinch or widen his eyes as he used to when he had first began high school.
Ansem frowned, his eyes lighting up so that he looked murderous. In one move, he lifted his hand and swiped it across Sora's cheek, loosening his grasp so that Sora flew to the ground below him with a bloody nose, leaving a scarlet pool on the dirty path. Sitting up, Sora spat the dirt that had entered his mouth into the pool of blood and wiping his nose with his sleeve. He stood up valiantly to face Ansem once more, a scowl forming on his face before he grabbed Sora by the collar and dragged him towards a much-abandoned hut, where he slammed him against the wall.
"When I talk to you, I expect you to answer me!" spat Ansem through gritted teeth, eyes glowing with hatred. He clenched his free hand into a tightly balled fist and propelled it into Sora's ribs, breaking two in the process and forcing a fit of coughs out of Sora.
"Understand, scum?" he hissed into Sora's ear, daring him not to answer.
Sora gave a curt nod, eyes welling with tears of pain and longing to double over and weep.
"Good. Don't forget it. Hmmm... You a sporty person Sora...? I asked you a question Sora, answer me!"
Sora shook his head brusquely, the pain of blinking back his tears increasing immensely every time he tried to.
"Gee that's too bad... You know, I am... let's see if we can work as a team! You, my dear, lucky little Sora, can act as a shot-put," cackled Ansem in a low, evil voice before he used his vast strength to clasp Sora's shirt tighter and fling him across the path, laughing lowly all the while.
Everything from there on took place in a sort of slow motion for Sora. He could hear himself shriek a blood-curdling scream as he felt his body collide with something, though he didn't even think to look and see what. He tumbled as it moved, and he realised a car was running into him. As the car screeched to a halt, he felt his body flinging into the air once more and he landed on the rocky surface of the road. Blood surged up his throat and he unconsciously spat it out beside himself. A tall figure was standing very still close by, and as soon as he looked at the blurriness of the figure, it began to bolt down the road. Shouting nearby followed the figure... a woman's voice...
Something lightly came under Sora's head, but before Sora could see or hear anything else, his eyes had fluttered closed and he fell unconscious.
***
Riku tapped the table to the beat of his music that was pounding in his ears. With a furious look at his watch, he stood up to pace the room.
"Where is she...?" he whispered heatedly, kicking at the shiny floorboards of the kitchen, which lead to the front door. 'She always does this,' thought Riku, flicking his hair back behind him irritably. He rushed towards his stereo system and pushed the off button down hard, flopping once more into the chair he was waiting in.
All of a sudden, the phone began ringing its shrill tone. Riku groaned as he lifted his body upwards and raced to the living room to pick it up. He picked up the receiver with a click.
"Hello?" he said, panting slightly.
"Oh, Riku, honey! It's me!"
"Yes..." replied Riku hollowly.
"Well, seems I've got a little bit of a problem hon, something's happened at the hospital and I need to stay around for a bit. It's really quite awful actually..."
"Ok, you can't take me shopping."
"Er... right. See, I had something else in mind though... I figured, considering the circumstances, that you could come down here. I could spare a couple minutes to come pick you up and maybe you could do something for me here...?"
"Ok. I'll be waiting."
"Oh, don't you want to know the favour?"
"No, I'll do it."
"Thanks a load sweetie, seeya in five!"
Whatever. A boring favour. Riku clunked the phone back and sighed heavily, forking his wallet from his jeans and replacing it back on the table, knowing that he had been right when he knew his mother would never come around, never realise how much he wanted to spend time with her. His father was even worse, always working to put their expensive food on their table and buy their many possessions. Riku had learnt to deal with that, and never knowing his father as well. His mother, however, he expected better from. She worked at the hospital as a nurse to pay for even more unneeded possessions, and though she only applied for it part time, she took up the spaces that were left empty, due to her "pushover" attitude. Riku always took it the wrong way, thinking that she thought her work was more important than he was.
He wandered to the kitchen, looking for something to eat. He had thought he could have lunch with his mum, but now that he was going to the hospital he figured a home lunch would be better by far than hospital food! Taking out some ingredients from the fridge, he started on a simple sandwich. Riku sat down at the table and clunked his plate down in front of him. He ate the sandwich hurriedly, knowing that his mother had unpredictability about her, and not wanting to have to eat it in the car. Just after dumping his plate on the sink, his mother burst through the door in her work uniform, flashing Riku a smile resembling his own- perfect- as she bustled through the kitchen and upstairs.
With a raised eyebrow, Riku traipsed over to the stair curiously. He could hear his mother searching for something in... his room? Why the hell was she in there?! Just when he was about to storm up and tell her to get out, she appeared with a triumphant grin on her, and clasped in her hands and dangling from her arms, where Riku's five Harry Potter books.
"Mum..." mumbled Riku in embarrassment. He was Riku; cool, collected, smooth- nobody was supposed to know he read Harry Potter!
"Oh relax!" she giggled, approaching him downstairs, "Nobody's going to find out about your little obsession, peanut! Just for the hospital... part of your favour! Really, some people are monsters..." she continued, shaking her head.
"Ok, let's go then," said Riku bluntly, secretly hoping that whatever she did, she didn't do anything to her books.
The two went out to the car and each slid into the front seats. Riku noticed that there was some noticeable damage done to the front of the car, and a small crack on the windshield, but chose not to ask him mother. The car took off smoothly and Riku peered out the window, tapping his fingers on the dashboard. The scenic view was breathtaking. It was a perfect day, the sky a bold, bright blue, the trees that surrounded the area swaying just slightly in the breeze. As the car slowed at a stoplight, Riku saw a pair of girls point in his direction. Raising his eyebrows, Riku smirked at the giggling two, and swooning, they waved. Deciding to play along with the game that girls so often tried to play with him, being as gorgeous as he was, he raised his hand and swiped it across slowly, in the sexiest wave possible. He noticed the girls biting their lips, one bouncing in circles around the other.
'That's funny,' thought Riku, 'I thought I knew everyone around here... they must be new.'
At this idea, Riku sniggered, knowing that tormenting them would be an extremely entertaining game. Considering the small size of his town, he was sure he would run into them sooner or later.
"Hey, what are you laughing at?" said his mother accusingly, eying the girls, who were now sliding down a shop wall with ecstatic smiles, as they drove off, "I don't want you teasing those girls, muffin. It's not easy for them! You're so... mean!"
Riku sighed mockingly, flashing a cheesy grin at his mother before turning it towards other passers by, making them melt too.
"Aw... there's always one like you, everywhere I've gone!" she went on sulkily, though laughing airily afterwards.
They arrived at the hospital as Riku gave her a cocky smile back to her comments. He was in better spirits now; his mother had a way of cheering people up without even knowing she was doing so. That's why, every time she cancelled on him, he had no choice but to forgive her. It was impossible to stay angry at such a glowing personality.
"Ok Ri baby, I'm just gonna go check in with the office, do you want anything to eat or drink or anything?" she asked, looking down at her watch anxiously.
"Um..."
"Well you know where to go if you do hun, so wait here and I'll be back when I'm done!" she finished, scuffling off with her bag swinging wildly over her shoulder.
Preferring not to bother anyone in the hospital, Riku went over to a drink machine and put his hand in his pocket for some money. 'Damn... I left my wallet at home,' thought Riku with a sigh as he slid slowly into a chair next to a small red-haired, freckled girl with shining blue eyes who squeaked excitedly. Choosing to ignore her, he straightened up and picked up a magazine, flicking through the pages impatiently. This magazine wasn't exactly what Riku would usually be reading, considering it was a girl's fashion magazine, but it would have to do. Scanning through the pages of flowing dresses and half naked women, Riku decided on a barely amusing article about what the columnist eccentrically claimed was wrong with the male species.
After some time, Riku had the feeling that he was being looked at. He was pretty used to recognising the heated feeling that effected people when other people's eyes bore into them. Riku smirked, realising it was the girl next to him who kept giving him the fleeting looks he could feel so well. Letting out a jaded sigh, he draped his arm over the arm rest, his other hand dropping to his side with the magazine loosely clutched in it, very careful to just barely brush against the girl's arm and receiving an even higher squeak than the one she had let out when he sat down. 'This one's going to be fun,' he thought maliciously, tapping the end of the armrest and knowing that he was driving her insane. He could see out of the corner of his eye that she was biting her lip and gazing with glazed eyes at his fingers, entranced by their movements. Straightening up in his chair, Riku flicked his hair slightly and suddenly took his hand up, plunging it into his mane of silver, the girl's eyes following his hand.
"Excu-"
"RIKU!"
Riku raised a startled face, forgetting the game he was playing with the girl and that she had just began to talk to him, and jumping to his feet. That voice was his mother...
"There y'are bunny boy!" she said, bouncing in and skidding to a halt in front of him. Her smile vanished as she saw the girl blushing and eying Riku.
"Oh darling, you're so cruel," she sighed, walking off and waving her hand in a motion that told him to follow. Sighing in defeat of the game, Riku followed her coolly, pretending he hadn't even taken notice of the girl.
"Ok then peanut, I haven't told you about this favour yet," she started hastily, still walking through the corridor which was surrounded by dulled beeps and voices, "Well... it's more on the easier side of the favours I've had to ask you."
Riku grunted. That didn't say much- she had asked of some pretty hard stuff from him in her history as a nurse at the hospital.
Ignoring Riku's grunt, she went on, "See I had a nasty accident on my way out to check up on one of my old patients. You remember old Mrs. Millicent? Yeah, well she lives a bit of a way out and so I thought I would go and see how the old dear's going. She's quite well, you know. Anyway, I was travelling down in the country and the strangest thing happened- this boy, he was thrown onto my windshield! I know, awful isn't it? Well, turns out a nasty young man was bullying the poor boy, and had taken things too far. Well, any bullying is too far in my opinion, but he endangered this boy's life! Well anyway, to the favour... see, he doesn't really have anyone who cares for him. His mother died when he was little, bless him, and his father is trapped behind walls of depression," she sighed, with a sad glint in her eyes, "He's only a year younger than you, and I thought maybe... you could just keep him company, visit him. It could be good for both of you. You could do with a new friend baby!"
Riku took it all in with good grace, and understood completely. His mother had always been charitable, and anyone with a heart would help this boy who had obviously been so badly mistreated.
"I'll help. Stop rambling," he chuckled, waving off her pout with a swift movement of his hand. They walked through the echoing hallway until they reached a room, much like every other one they had passed, the door halfway open to reveal the foot of a bed. His mother stepped ahead of him and pushed the door open fully, smiling back at Riku as she entered and lifting a finger to her lips as to tell Riku to be quiet. Urging him in, she closed the door behind them and ushered Riku to the bedside.
"He must have fallen asleep... oh, he must be so tired!" she whispered affectionately in Riku's ear, still eying the sleeping figure.
Riku approached the bed warily and took a moment to inspect the boy. He instantly felt his heart melt as he saw the heart shaped face, battered, cut and bruised by the accident, the rose petal lips, slightly parted, and the tousled locks of chocolate brown. He looked at peace, and as far as Riku could see, he looked like the last person in the world to have deserved this life. He was like a sleeping angel. 'Don't judge a book by it's cover,' he thought to himself, reminding himself that everyone looked that peaceful when sleeping. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke his thoughts, and he reluctantly looked up from the boy's face into his mother's.
"Well, I've got some things to be doing. I was wondering if you would just wait by his bed in case he wakes, and I'll come back for you in a while to see how you get along... Well, if he does wake up this is. Don't be impatient with him, he's been through a bit of a rough time. He's probably exhausted."
"Yeah I know, I won't get bored. I can read these Harry Potter books... gee, they look familiar," he exclaimed, the mocking tone in his voice impossible to miss.
After receiving a playful whack from his mother, he waved idly at her and dragged a chair from the corner over to the bedside. Slipping into the cold chair, he decided to look at... wait, what was his name? 'Thanks mom,' he thought with a grin. Oh well, he could just wait and see if he would wake up, then ask him, or ask his mother when she came back.
Aligning his train of though back to that of the one that involved speculating the angel sleeping before him, Riku looked closer at his face. Bloodied grazes were scattered across his creamy complexion, deepest on the bridge of his nose, his chin, forehead and left cheekbone. His bottom lip was split, and parts of his left cheek were splotched in bruises. His faced had remarkably not puffed up at all, and so he was easily recognisable, still looking much as he did without his injuries.
'How could I get bored?' thought Riku, staring at the figure and watching the serene rise and fall of the other boy's chest. Riku let out a sigh and flexed his fingers, longing to wake the boy and find out who this mystery boy really was, and what he was like.
As if it were a reaction to his thoughts, he saw the boy stir. Raising quickly from his seat, he leaned his face over the other boy's, his silver tresses just brushing the boy's face, a composed look on his own, yet bubbling with excitement inside. As Riku had hopefully awaited, the boy's eyelids began to twitch and his eyes fluttered open sleepily, staring up at the boy hovering above him.
_____________________________________________________________________
Well... *ahem* Hope I did ok...? Please review!!!
Well this is how it all comes together, I don't think I've ever read of them meeting in a hospital before! Goodo, something unique ^_^
Well I'm totally ecstatic right now, because I just finished downloading Peter Pan 03- I LOVE JEREMY SUMPTER!!! Anyone think I'm in with a chance? No, best not to answer that.
Anyway, I'll leave now and I hope nobody has abandoned me at all... I just got a review for my other fic today, so that's still good!
Well love you all, thanks for reading and... stuff... *cough*
xoxo Eva McBeava