Few…my first fanfic in a really long while. Well, I won't bore you with a lot of ramblings.
Furthermore, I do not own Kingdom Hearts, it's characters, or anything else Square-affiliated.
Chapter One: An Answered Prayer
--
Oh no.
No way.
Riku groaned in disbelief, and had to resist a sudden urge to bash his head into the crumbling wall he was leaning against. When his parents had said they were getting him his own place, he had never expected a luxury apartment, but not this. He would have had no problem living somewhere less glamorous than the mansion he'd been raised in; but if he had to live here, he would install a ceiling fan and hang himself.
The apartment was tiny and in desperate need of air freshener. The orange carpet was faded and threadbare; the walls were missing random chunks of plaster and bore several mysterious brown stains. There was a single grimy window with a pane missing; its place filled with flimsy cardboard and a generous amount of duct tape. There was a small closet that reeked of mothballs, a dingy bathroom, and a kitchen so tiny that Riku felt doomed to a life of cold cereal.
Feeling distraught, he plopped himself in the middle of the floor, and sighed, slumping his shoulders. He felt as though he were the victim of a cruel joke, but the punch line just kept going. All of his things, save for a small suitcase with the bare minimum, were arriving the morning of the next day, thus leaving him the option of sleeping on the floor. Feeling anger overcome his shock, he rose and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him, and racing down the stairwell into the warm air outside.
God, he hated his parents. They were lying and deceitful and treated him like an object, one wrought with defects. Of course, this attitude always vanished when company was present, and his family would seem picturesque for a few brief hours; but Riku could always sense the contemptuous glare underneath his mothers beautiful smile, a look that warned him against mistakes, lest he be punished.
His parents ran with a high society crowd, so it was only expected that they produce a godlike child, one who was handsome, talented, and successful. To the public eye, he was everything they'd hoped for. Riku had grown up into a devilishly good-looking young man at the top of his class, a prodigy on the soccer field and the object of every girl's desire. He attended charity events and galas, and had his picture in the papers, but at home, he always seemed to fall short. When he'd informed his tyrannical and obsessive parents that he did not apply for secondary school, they had immediately told him it was time to go.
The giggling of passersby interrupted Riku's musings about his past, and he glared at them. Why should they be so cheerful when he was so miserable? He lived in a dump, his parents hated him, and he was sweating profusely. He was unaccustomed to the heavy heat of the island he now lived on, and his khaki slacks and fitted dress shirt were hardly summer attire. The blazing noonday sun beat down on his fair skin, and he ached for something to pull his hair off of his neck with.
He decided to find somewhere to sit and relax, and contemplate his situation. Though there were several nice looking sidewalk cafes on his aimless walk to nowhere, one in particular caught his eye, probably due to fluorescent umbrellas that shaded several small tables. The over-bright colors were nearly blinding, but it looked like a nice place nonetheless. He chose a table under a pink umbrella, and almost the minute he'd done so, a short woman had flounced over to his table, and placed upon it a menu.
"Hello there, I'm Nozomi, and I'll be waiting on you today!" She grinned widely, brushing aside a strand of reddish hair that had escaped from her messy bun. "What will you be having today?"
Riku, unfamiliar with such a greeting, merely shrugged.
"Lemonade? Coffee? Perhaps some ice cream?" The waitress suggested, peering at him with wide blue eyes.
"Lemonade would be nice. And perhaps a salad, with vinaigrette?"
"Of course! Anything else for you today?"
"You wouldn't happen to know where I could get a newspaper?" He asked politely.
Nozomi pointed to a red bin across the street, and bounced off to place his order with another pleasant grin.
After paying a quarter and retrieving a paper, Riku sat with one ankle on his knee and skimmed it over. The island wasn't that big, so the paper was thin. Regardless, he flipped through it, finally stopping at the classified ads.
"Looking for something?" Nozomi was back, carrying his order and placing it in front of him.
He glanced up at her, startled. "Nothing in particular." He smiled and thanked her, sipping at his lemonade as his eyes scanned the page. "Lost puppies…car for sale…kittens to a good home…" He muttered, absently twirling a strand of silken silver hair around his index finger. "For a town that relies on tourism for income, there aren't many places for boarders to stay…" He mused, flipping the page. The last section advertised hotels and apartments, including his complex, save for a lonely ad in the corner:
Room to Rent
Low Monthly RateFirst Month's Payment Due at Signing
857-2641 for more Info.
Never had another paragraph looked so beautiful. Immediately, he pulled his mobile from his pocket, punching in the numbers with almost numb fingers, praying someone would answer, and that no one else had called about the offer.
"Yeah-damnit-hello?" A raspy voice answered, sounding mildly rushed and annoyed.
"Yes, I'm calling about the room advertised in the paper--"
"Well, the advertisement's been changed." The voice cut him off.
"I'm still interested in anything you have-" Riku desperately interrupted.
"I'm renting out the whole-damnit! - floor. House is just too damn big."
"And the rate?" Riku asked, anxious.
"Three hundred a month, and that's with utilities. First month's due up front. Can't pay, too bad."
"And if I can? When can I move in?" Riku sat up straighter, suddenly excited.
"Jeez kid, don't you want to see the place first? I don't even know you." The voice (which Riku had decided, was a male) pointed out. Though his words did knock some sense back into Riku, they did not deter him.
"Of course. My name's Riku, and I am very interested in renting. When can I come by?"
"Right now, if you like." After getting the address and exchanging phone numbers (with a pen loaned by ever-grinning Nozomi) Riku left his money on the table, along with a sizable tip, and practically ran his way back to his soon-to-be-not apartment. He gathered his suitcase, and managed to get his parents deposit back, after only a few moments of arguing with the landlord.
Twenty minutes later, after asking for directions twice, he came across a suburban housing district. The address was for a two-story house, with a rather patchy lawn and a large shaded porch. He stepped up and knocked quietly on the screen door. There was a mild curse from somewhere in the house, and after a moment, someone stumbled into the hall.
"So you're Riku, eh?" He said, pulling open the door and inviting him in.
"Yeah, and you must be Rairune, right?" Riku shook the others hand. His soon to be landlord was a few inches shorter than him, with gangly limbs and a slim physique. Messy blonde hair and brown eyes offset the tan of his face. He was barefoot and clad in green shorts and a black tank, with a utility belt full of tools around his waist.
It took Riku a moment to really take Rairune in, from the delicate build to the curve of the hips, but he realized with blunt embarrassment that he was actually a she.
"In the flesh." She led him to the kitchen, and leaned against a chair. "Now, first things first, can I trust you in a house with two women?"
"Yeah, completely." Riku was slightly taken aback at this question. How many other people lived here?
"Good. But I warn you, one false move, and you're out, kid." Rairune winked, but it was entirely humorless.
"Sure thing." He nodded his head, and followed her out of the kitchen and up the stairs.
"You'll be upstairs. There's a bathroom, and two other rooms. What you do with 'em, I don't care." Rairune allowed Riku a moment to explore the floor, carefully watching him wander with her scrutinizing brown eyes.
"It's really nice. I think I'd like it." Riku said, satisfied. The rooms were spacious and clean; definitely something he could get used to.
"Right. We can do paperwork in the kitchen." Rairune gestured for Riku to lead the way, but he collided with someone, nearly knocking them over. Riku was fast, catching the other person and apologizing. "Sorry about that, didn't see you. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just--" The other stopped with a gasp and wriggled out of Riku's grip.
"Sora, did you find the damn fuses?" Rairune asked, rather impatiently.
"Yeah, I was just coming to tell you. They were on the back shelf." The boy, Sora, had turned a brilliant shade of scarlet and had taken to mumbling down at his shoes.
"We've been having some electrical issues. Nothing I can't fix. Hope that doesn't drive you away." Rairune laughed, her raspy voice shaking.
"I wouldn't turn this place down, I've got nowhere else to go." Riku grinned sheepishly.
"Sora, this is Riku. He's going to rent the top floor." The boy flinched as Rairune slapped a hand across his back.
"Fantastic." Sora mumbled, turning and running down the stairs.
"Not much of a talker, is he?" Riku said, staring off in the direction that the other had ran off in.
"Damn kid's usually a chatterbox. Don't know what his problem is today…" Rairune shrugged, brushing past Riku and making her way downstairs. Riku followed, feeling oddly distracted. He wondered which room was Sora's…
Rairune sat him down after retrieving a stack of papers for him to fill out. "Take your time with these, kid." She advised, but not before the lights flickered. "Just holler when you're done, I've gotta get the damn lights to work…" She cursed, and disappeared into what was presumably the basement, leaving him by himself.
Chuckling, Riku carefully filled out each blank, being sure not to make mistakes. He was reviewing them when another person stumbled into the kitchen, and dumped several bags onto a chair.
"I bought groceries for dinner-" She stopped, staring at Riku. There was a moment's awkward silence. "And what, might I ask, are you doing in my kitchen?"
He recognized her as the cheerful waitress he'd met this afternoon, Nozomi, but her disposition now was suspicious and guarded. "I- well, I'm renting a room upstairs. I'm sorry to have startled you." He stood, and extended his hand, being careful to act polite and humble, as he'd been taught. "Riku Shirogane. It's a pleasure, ma'am."
She regarded him carefully for a moment, and took his hand, with a smile. "Well that's wonderful. It's been getting lonely around here for us! And I'm sure Sora will love having another boy around. Living with two women must be driving him a little crazy." Nozomi giggled.
Riku smiled. As hyper as she was, the woman was pleasant and gentile; much unlike his own mother, who was cold and harsh. He brushed back his bangs, still uncomfortable with the heat.
"Can I get you a drink? Of course, you must be parched." The woman bustled around and eventually handed him a glass of iced tea, setting one on the table for herself and heaving her short body into a chair. The two of them sipped quietly for a few moments, before she unceremoniously pulled Riku's rental agreement toward her and began to read it. He lunged for it with an incredulous look, but she merely brushed this off. "All the housemates need to agree on you, you know. But I'm sure you'll be fine." She patted his hip reassuringly.
Feeling awkward with her hand on him, Riku opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, the whole house plunged into darkness. This wasn't a big deal, as the late afternoon sun still poured through the windows, but was nevertheless inconvenient.
"…Does this happen often?" he asked.
"No, Rairune is very good with mechanics, and she's been meaning to replace the breaker for some time."
"Rai, what the heck-" Sora came bursting out of his room, which from the look of it had all the curtains drawn. He stopped dead in the kitchen, glancing first at Riku and settling his gaze on his mother. "She killed the power?"
"It'll be back on in a moment, sweetie. But we have more important things at hand!" She grinned, rising and approaching him. "This is my son." She said to Riku, presenting the other boy. "Well, go on sweetie, introduce yourself!"
She had shoved the boy towards Riku, but he lost his balance, and looked for a moment as though he was going to land headfirst on the kitchen floor. By reflex, Riku extended his arms and caught the other boy by the shoulders, sliding his hands down to lightly defined biceps.
"Hello there." Riku said, smirking. "I'm Riku."
"S-Sora." The other replied, steadying himself against Riku and turning a lovely shade of pink. After what felt like a long while, he glanced at the other boy and groaned under his breath.
"We didn't have a chance to properly meet before, but I suppose if I'm going to be staying here, we may as well try to be friends," Riku said, keeping his voice cool. He let his eyes travel to Sora's hands, which had ended up gripping his arms for support. Sora followed Riku's eyes, and let go as if he'd been burned.
"S-Sorry." He stood stock-still, looking everywhere but at Riku and fiddling with the hem of his shirt. Finally, his eyes landed on his mother again. "Is she turning the lights back on soon?"
The adequate response came from the basement stairs as Rairune pounded up them. "Damn breakers older 'n me an' I'll be damned if the fucker can't be fixed!" She was mumbling as she slammed the basement door behind her.
"Lots of trouble Rairune?" Nozomi asked nicely.
The other woman shot a venomous glare at the light bulb on the ceiling, but ignored Nozomi and addressed Riku instead. "Kid, are you finished yet?"
Riku stood and handed her the papers. "Yes ma'am."
"It's Rai."
"Right…Rai. Everything should be in order; I just need…your approval…" he trailed off, his words hitting the table.
"Yeah, yeah. Sora, go distract the kid." Rairune sat in the empty seat, giving the two boys a pointed look before looking over the rental agreement.
Sora gave the back of her head a nasty look before grudgingly gesturing for Riku to follow him. The boys ventured onto the porch, where a few plastic chairs looked battered by age and the paint was peeling. Riku sat down, but Sora leaned against the railing, looking stiff and uncomfortable, his brow drawn.
"Boy…it never gets this hot back where I used to live…" Riku attempted conversation with Sora, who was obviously uncomfortable with him. "Guess I'll have to get more shorts…gonna be pretty difficult shopping around though…"
He trailed off, hoping for a response, but was met with more awkward silence. Sora sighed quietly, closing his eyes against the sun.
"Sora, get in here!" His mother called.
"Oh thank God," he mumbled quietly, not running to the door but still making a hurried exit back into the house.
Riku sat in silence again, allowing his thoughts to drift to the younger boy, and how nice the brief moment of contact between them felt. If Sora was that clumsy, than Riku wasn't sure he minded catching him. His brain went on creating more situations like the one in the kitchen, and he hardly noticed Rairune calling his name, while somewhere in the house a door slammed.
He re-entered the kitchen, relieved to see Nozomi smiling. "Welcome home!" She said, embracing him. He was thrown off-guard; his own mother hardly ever hugged him, what made this woman so eager to do so?
"Yeah, kid, the vote's unanimous. You can stay here soon as you pay the deposit." Rairune said, her voice sounding weary.
"Sure thing," Riku was unable to hide a grin as he pulled out his wallet and hastily handed his landlord the rent. "Man, I can't tell you how much this means. My parents will be pissed!" He said excitedly, but the last statement sobered him. "I mean, they'll be upset with me, but I'm sure they can manage."
Both Nozomi and Rairune were giving him strange looks.
"Never mind." He smiled again, folding his wallet and putting it away. Finally, he had a sanctuary away from his parents and their expectations, and all the occupants were added perks. Nozomi, with her optimistic attitude; Rairune, who was gruff and amusing; and best of all, Sora, who was adorable and from the look of it, vulnerable…
Rairune counted the bills carefully before sliding them into her utility belt. "And tell me, where are you planning on sleeping tonight?" She said, noting after a while that he had not mentioned his plans before moving in.
Riku's small grin and thoughts about Sora faded. Why hadn't he thought of that beforehand? He wracked his brains for a thought, but all that came up was It took forever to find this place and I forgot to make arrangements beforehand? Idiot!
At his blank stare, Rairune sighed, and rubbed at her temples. "I 'spose you can sleep on my couch, if you've got no place to crash."
"You mean--stay here?" Riku was nearly weak with relief, but he did not let it show.
"No, I mean sleep outside under the tree; of course here." Her voice was sarcastic, but Riku knew she was joking. "I'm gonna have to learn to put up with you one way or another…"
"I-I don't know how I can thank you." Riku said, sagging against the kitchen wall.
"Just keep up on your rent, pull your own weight, and don't get on my nerves," she said, half grinning.
"Rai, you're a lifesaver."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. But, we got ground rules to discuss."
"Anything you say." Riku said, noticing Nozomi smile again.
"One, Sora and Zo have the first floor. The kitchen is mostly Zo's territory, but you're welcome to it. If you buy food, label it as yours or it's free game to anyone else. The basement is off limits, because that's where I stay. Got all that?"
"Yeah, got it." Riku replied.
"I do most of the cooking around the house. Generally, if you put in towards groceries, I'll include you in meals." This time, it was Nozomi who spoke. She was already taking things out of the fridge, doing so quickly because of the loss of power. "Tonight will be a freebie to celebrate moving in!" She smiled, and Riku was instantly in love with her.
"Thank you very much, ma'am. You're too kind."
"We'll call you for dinner. I'm gonna work on the breaker 'til then." Rairune disappeared downstairs again.
As Nozomi began preparing food, Riku wandered his way around the house while he waited, taking care to check out the floor layout and make a mental map. The front hall led into a den of sort, with an unlit fireplace and a few mismatching chairs placed randomly around the room. The den had two offshoots; one led to a hall with three or four doors, and one led back into the kitchen. He could assume that the other hall had Sora and Nozomi's respective rooms.
The kitchen, aside from the table and chairs, and other appliances, had a sliding glass door that led outside. "Perhaps I'll explore the back yard." Riku flashed a smile in Nozomi's direction and made his way out. The backyard was as pleasant as the rest of the house, with a hammock tied between two large trees and a rickety looking picnic table resting in the shade they cast. An old wooden fence enclosed the large green lawn. Riku smiled again, and sat down on the hammock, chin in his hand.
Everything in the house seemed to be secondhand or shabby, but it was still nice. The place was homey and lived-in, and while Riku noticed its defects, be it old furniture of faded paint, he had no plans to start complaining. His new home was already a thousand times better than the one he last left. The occupants were like his new family, and he felt accepted.
There was, however, the tiny problem of Nozomi's son. He was obviously uncomfortable with Riku's presence, and didn't seem very up to the idea of warming to him. He knew he made Sora nervous, and for reasons other than just being a newcomer. He had seen the way Sora first looked at him, and the way his eyes had traveled over Riku's body when he caught him in the kitchen. Fortunately for Riku, he was gifted in hiding the things he felt about the other boy- things like desire, and burning curiosity.
Sora was a sight to behold, with bright blue eyes, and spiked chocolate hair that turned a faint auburn in the sun. The boys wide blue eyes reminded him of the ocean surrounding the island: carefree and full of wonder. And to think, soon, he would be sleeping in the same house as him…
…At that thought, he remembered that the moving company would be going to place where there would be no Riku. For the second time that day, he pulled out his mobile, and dialed the moving company, telling them about his situation, and the new address. The operator informed him in a fake cheery voice that they would arrive tomorrow, as instructed by his parents.
He lay back on the hammock, staring up at the few wispy clouds above him. The sun was starting to set, painting streaks of orange and pink across the blue. He sighed, thinking he could definitely get used to this.
--
Sora lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling huffy. It was getting near dinnertime, and that would mean he would be forced to be in Riku's presence again. He couldn't stand being around the other, he just got too nervous. He hated the fact that Riku was so handsome, and that he acted like a fool around him. That silver hair framing a pale face with chiseled features, a strong jaw, and eyes like emeralds, and with a body cut from marble. The older boy was clearly out of his league, untouchable.
Cut it out. He told himself firmly. You're in a pseudo-relationship and you must be faithful. Sora imagined that the voice of the angel sitting on his shoulder, and it wasn't long before a devil countered. Fat chance, when the man moving in makes your knees weak and your pants tight…
Shit. The devil had a point. He lay in bed brooding for a while, looking occasionally at the photo on his bedside table. The picture was of Sora's lover, an older man with long, shaggy hair and steely gray eyes. Sora had snuck it one day as his lover read a book, and looked at it too often for his infatuation to be considered innocent. He had ended up paying a price for taking the picture, but the bruise was worth it, in Sora's eyes. Several long moments passed before his mother began calling everyone for dinner.
He sighed, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and sitting up. Running a hand through his messy hair, he entered the kitchen and sat, determined to be as cool and collected as Riku always came off to be.
…But when the other deliberately sat next to him at the table with a smirk, Sora's nerve fled. The presence of Rai and his mom did nothing to distract him; the table was small and he imagined he could feel the heat coming off Riku's body. He chose to observe, eating in silence, his back rigid.
The other boy was politely conversing with his mother and Rairune about how wonderful the food was, and how he was enjoying his stay already.
"Do you have a girlfriend, Riku? Won't she miss you with you being so far from the mainland?" Sora's mother said slyly, refilling his glass of iced tea.
The boy laughed. "Girls…bore me." He gave a devilish smirk, and sipped at his drink. "Though I do hope to meet someone rather…interesting…during my stay." At this last part, he moved his leg under the table, and rubbed his ankle against Sora's.
The other boy choked, blood rushing to his face. He dropped his hamburger on his plate and slapped at his chest in an attempt to clear his throat. Not only was he panicked at the food stuck in his throat, but he knew that he did not imagine that; Riku just hit on him, and in front of his own mother.
"Honey, are you alright?" Nozomi said concernedly, leaning across the table.
"Jeez kid, take it easy." Rairune said between mouthfuls. Sora could not tell whom she addressed, though it could have been directed at either boy. Riku's little move was slick, but from Sora's experience, Rai had an uncommonly good eye.
Riku thumped Sora on the back, dislodging his bite of food. Sora coughed once more, and gave his mom shaky thumbs up. "Sorry, dunno what happened." He shot Riku a pointed look, as the other boy had deliberately left his hand resting gently on Sora's back. With a handsome smile, Riku removed his hand, and Sora found himself extremely annoyed.
"So kid, got a job yet?" Rairune was leaning over the table, watching Riku carefully. She had finished her meal, and was now helping herself to what was undoubtedly alcohol, some liquid that she poured from a flask on her hip.
"No, I'll begin looking tomorrow. I haven't really got any skills…unless soccer counts. I played in high school."
"Yeah, you got the build for sports," Rairune said, taking a long sip. "This one here gets pretty into it, too."
"Yes, Sora runs for the track team at his high school." Nozomi practically beamed.
"What events?" Riku asked Sora, watching the boy intently.
"Long jump, 1600 meter relay, 100 meter dash." The other replied flatly, standing and taking his dirty dishes to the sink. He shot his mother a pleading look, and she wordlessly dismissed him to his room, to which he disappeared gratefully.
"Charming boy." Riku muttered, smiling again.
"He's really just very shy. Let him warm up to you, and you'd think you'd known him all your life." Nozomi declared, standing and gathering the dishes. Riku brought his own to the sink, setting them down thoughtfully; quite aware that Rairune's eyes were still on him.
"How long did you say you've been living here?" He asked, drying off the plates Nozomi was handing to him.
"Oh, we've been here for nearly two years now. Sora still has to get through his last year of school before we can make our next move."
"Move?"
"To decide where Sora will go to college, and how to pay for it, and to get our affairs in order." Nozomi said matter-of-factly.
"I see." Riku dried the last plate, handing the clean stack to Nozomi to put away. After a long silence between the two of them, Riku smiled at the older women and made his way upstairs. He spent a long while deciding where to put his things, and finally reached the decision that it didn't matter too much. The room he sat in had a closet and a window overlooking the backyard, and seemed perfect for a bedroom. He could paint the walls and decorate the way he wanted.
He sighed, sprawling on the floor, and breathing in the faint scent of cleaner. This whole freedom thing was remarkably easy to get used to.
As much he wanted to just lay on the floor and enjoy doing nothing, it was getting late, and the movers were coming early with his things. He meandered downstairs, stopping at the basement door. The house was quiet; he could see Nozomi lounging on the hammock outside in the settling twilight, conversing with Rairune, who was at the picnic table, smoking. There was no sign of Sora, but he was surely in his room.
Venturing down to the basement, the area gave Riku reason to wonder why everything in the house was so shabby. It was carpeted and nicely furnished, and divided into three rooms. The one he entered was obviously her bedroom; the bed stood across from the stairs underneath a window. It seemed she had anticipated he would come downstairs; a blanket and pillow were set expectantly on the couch. Next to the couch was a door leading to a workout room, set up with a weight set and treadmill, and an entertainment center. The last room had its entrance covered with a sheet; Riku felt a little wary at looking in there, seeing as he had just moved in. He didn't want to violate her privacy. He decided instead to just call it a night, and settled himself comfortably on her couch.
There wasn't much else to do but sleep, as the power was off and the lights were fading fast. His thoughts strayed to his landlord, and the odd impression he'd gotten. She wasn't quick to trust and was protective of her tenants. Riku had been confused with her at first, but he boiled it down to the mix-up in gender. Her voice was low and gravelly, and she certainly didn't act like a lady, but she was built like a girl and Riku could tell she was tender beneath her rough exterior.
He knew he was musing in order to not think about Sora, but his thoughts eventually betrayed him. Between Sora and Rairune and all the other things he would encounter in his new life, he got the feeling that things might get bumpy.
He sighed comfortably, again thinking about before when Sora had held onto him.
Riku figured that if things like that kept happening, he could certainly handle everything quite nicely.
--
Well, there you have it. Indeed, PLOT!
Will Riku and Sora ever bond? Well, readers, I'm making you work for it. You'll have to stay tuned for the next chapter, sure to be filled with exciting twists and turns and what not!
I'm a bit rusty with my fiction skills, but as always, reviews are welcome! Flames will be deleted as I don't necessarily care about them…
XD; Until next time….