A/N: This has a sort of rough connection to The Art of Dragging Things Out. But you don't have to read it to understand this one. Hope you like this fic, weekly updates again:D

Riku - 12 years old

As Mrs. Peters droned on and on about something important in history, the entire class was drooling on their desks, doodling in their books or counting the ceiling tiles. Everyone, except me. My eyes were on the clock, knowing that if I wasn't the first one out of that door, I could just call myself mud. I pushed my glasses back up my nose, wincing as they dragged over the pimples that had seemed to grow overnight on my face. They, along with a few other problems were the reason I needed to haul my ass out that door ASAP.

If the past few months had taught me anything, it was that only the quick and cowardly survived this school. At least in my case. It all started on the second week of school. I'd arrived, everything was normal, classes, the disgusting lunch room, and even the creepy janitor was reliably terrifying. Then, and I felt myself cringe in remembrance, second period came along.

Apparently, one school over had an outbreak of lice; those bugs that live in your hair and make you itch. Well, they thought that the nurse should go through everyone's hair at our school as a precaution as our athletes and after school clubs often visited each other. I should have been safe right? I didn't touch anyone's hair, wear strange hats, or even participate anything like that. And shouldn't being checked out by a nurse be confidential?

I mean, didn't they realize that once people found out you had lice, you were forever the 'lice kid'? Who would torture a kid like that? Only the evil school nurse. I swear she had a severed head in her cabinet. My point being that somehow she found lice in my hair. Which I refused to accept and then I wanted a second opinion but by the time my mom was called to come pick me up, the entire school had figured it out.

It might have ended there. The beginning of the school year, plenty of opportunities for other people to get more humiliated than me, but no. No, that couldn't be the end of it because God hates me.

My hair, the only thing that hadn't been attacked by the evil monster of puberty, was almost to my shoulders at that point, something I was quite proud of. Now, I'd heard the girls talking about that lice shampoo that kills it in one wash. I told my mom about it over and over and over. But I think she was going through a phase where all my words sounded like wind blowing because the next thing I know, my dad was sitting me down with his old army shaver, the same one we used on the dog, and my hair was falling all around me exposing my whole head. Not a spot was left unshaven. No that would be bad form. And when I looked in the mirror when it was all over, I think I may have seen my death staring back at me.

So, I stood there looking at my newly shaven head with giant zits on my face, glasses on and cringed. It was bad. Like, egg look-a-like bad. Made even worse because I literally had no eyebrows. I mean, there were there, but my hair was a pale silver, so without it on my head, there was nothing to help them stand out. I smiled. Maybe that would help. Shit. I forgot about my braces. I looked at my reflection in every way I could, but each time I did, I only saw a pimpled egg with glasses and metal teeth. Looking back, I don't think my past self really understood that my doom was in that mirror.

The next day at school, it started. The name calling, lice head, dirty hobo, and fat bug. I wasn't fat, my mom said so, but she said that I hadn't hit my growth spurt yet, and so I still had my baby chubs. I think she was full of shit. Of course I didn't say that, but I knew I wasn't like the boys on the football team and that was enough for them to zero in on.

And then it just seemed to get worse. My books were knocked out of my hands, my lunch food got old milk dumped on it, and then just recently, some of the other boys had taken to pushing me in the halls. But sneaky like, so the hall monitor didn't see it. I hated it. Hated it here, hated everyone in this stupid school, the teachers for never being around when you needed them, the other kids for avoiding me even though my hair had finally grown back enough for me to sort of spike it out of my eyes. Just...everything.

The bell went off, and I grabbed my backpack, pulling it tightly on so there was less chance of getting it torn off me, and jumped up. Walking fast enough to almost be running, I headed for the bathroom, my safe haven between classes.

If I could just make it through this last day, I was home free. Free because last week dad had sat us all down in the living room and told us that his promotion had gone through and we'd all be moving to Dublin. Dublin! That was so far away from Cork! I couldn't keep the smile off my face even when no one was around to see it. I could get away from here! Finally, something was going to go right.

But. I still had to make it through this day even though I'd begged and pleaded over and over to just skip these last few days. Again, I think my mother lets whatever I say go in one ear and out the other. I hitched my backpack up my shoulders again, and glanced at my watch seeing that I'd timed it perfect. One quick jog and I'd been home free in my next class, then home free from this school. I couldn't wait.

Sora - Two years later (14 years old)

Breathing ragged, my heart beat and lungs couldn't seem to coordinate and work together anymore as my footsteps clattering over the stone courtyard resonated somewhat loudly around me, the wet tiles making me fear I'd slip as I ran as fast as I could. Of course the rain was making this scene a hundred times more dramatic.

"You won't outrun us forever, fag!" I'd be upset with the name calling, but really? I'd done my share of bullying in the day, so I guess I had it coming. Looking over my shoulder, my eye twitched as I realized my main three terrors had managed to recruit two more, this making it so I was running from five. Wonderful.

"What are you gonna do when we reach the wall?" One pointed out, his laughter somewhat bouncy as he was running too. Looking over at the wall that was blocking my path from running some more, I realized they'd catch up with me whether I was faster than them or not. Blinking, I noticed the tree. A tree! I could do this! Steering away to the right, I managed to pick up the pace even though I was quite sure my body just wanted to collapse and ask me why the hell I was putting it through this. I knew the answer. My coming out is what had triggered all this. Probably not one of my smartest moves.

Puffing out some air, I pushed the hair out of my face and then hoped with all my heart I could climb up that tree effortlessly. Many dudes in many movies do it in the snap of a finger. Now, I might not be the toughest guy out there, but I was fit. I'm sure there was nothing to it. Reaching it finally, I pushed off my feet and then opened my arms and legs, very intent on just hugging the thing and then figuring out how to climb my way up, but when my body connected with the bark of the tree, which was actually a lot harder than I'd thought it would be, I hit my nose, leading me to scream in pain, falling on my ass as I grabbed my face.

"Fuck!"

A year later. (15 years old)

Breathing ragged, my heart beat was racing, but after having done this so often over the past year, my lungs now managed to keep up with things as I grabbed the side of the wall, flinging myself into the courtyard.

"You're not gonna make it, fag!" Picking up the pace, I ran straight for the tree.

"Yes I will!" I shouted back stubbornly, of course I only got laughter in return. Ignoring this, I pushed off my feet, flinging myself at the tree like I'd done so very often. Grabbing a hold of it, I kept my face away from the bark as not to hit my nose and made sure to clench my thighs around it tightly because last time hadn't worked out too great without that trick. And my arms, I needed to hug like a freaking bear or else I'd fall backwards and that had been really painful. Determined, I gritted my teeth and started climbing up. I could do this, I could do this.

"Got him!" Dammit.

A year later. (16 years old)

"Where'd he go?" Through the window, idiot. Jumping down, I rushed across the courtyard, making way for the tree and not thinking twice about it as I launched myself up into it, climbing as quickly as I could and by the time I was settling myself on the branch, the guys reached the foot of the tree, looking up.

"Coward!"

I frowned down, "Not really, your fist is really very mean." I pointed out.

"Get down!"

"Yeah... Not gonna happen." Although I didn't outright let them beat me and have their way? Neither was I complaining about these guys terrorizing my ass on a daily basis. My previous bad deeds were finally biting me in the ass and telling me to suck it up. Sighing heavily, I pushed the hair out of my face, pulling up my legs and settling comfortably against the tree bark so I could wait it out up here until they'd get bored and leave so I could leave.

Six years later (22 years old)

"Answer me this, Sora," Frowning, I looked over at my cousin, who offered me a shrug, and that then led me to look back at the bartender named Tidus, who was leaning across said bar, pointing a serious stare at my face. "How do you think I should ask my girlfriend for a three way?"

Pulling away, I looked around the place, "I am in a gay bar, right?"

Roxas sighed, holding his drink up against the side of his face. "Yes. But Tidus is our resident hetero and will constantly bring up his sex life even though no one wants to hear about vaginas."

"Vaginas or not, guys are guys, you are dudes, you have balls, you have needs. Don't tell me none of you have fantasized about a three way." Tidus started drying off some glasses. "Just no tits and clitoris' involved." My eye twitched. "See! That's what I'm talking about. So, how do you think I should ask her?" Smiling, I gently pried the towel out of his hands and then proceeded in carefully placing it over his face, hiding it.

"There, that's much better."

"Thank you. Now, if only that towel had a mute button as well, my life would be infinitely better. " Roxas smirked and pushed Tidus away, turning to look at me. "You still wanna hang out here while I work? You sure you don't wanna hang out at the flat?"

"I suppress my 'dark needs'," As my mother called it, "all year around. I'm in a gay bar where nobody knows me, filled with lots of desperate and available men. Why would you take this away from me?" I grinned at Roxas, grabbing the beer the bartender who wasn't annoying, pushed my way.

It wasn't often I could go visit my aunt, uncle and cousin up in Dublin, and when I could, it was the highlight of, well, everything. While my parents had in no way disowned me or started loving me any less, to say there was no tension ever since I'd made my preferences clear, was a large understatement. Some days were better than others, naturally that also made it so that some days were worse.

My mother had found a lot of creative ways to try and push the gay out of me, treating it as if it were a disease. Thankfully, I had Roxas and his parents who didn't have the uptight streak my parents seemed to be suffering from, and they had no issue letting me crash for a couple of weeks in order to reset my system, charge my batteries, take a moment to breath and enjoy the no judgment, before heading back down to Cork and putting up with it all over again.

I was very grateful for Rox, and as I hadn't seen him in nearly two years now? I really just didn't want to hang out in his flat all by myself. Even if he was working, I wanted to stay by his side and enjoy the warmth he offered me by just being in the same room.

Roxas took a sip of his drink and nodded. "All right, just lemme know if you get bored. And, Jesus Sora, why don't you just move up here anyways? Get the hell out of Cork already. If you need a job or something," Roxas waved his hand at the other bartender, "Hayner here only works part-time and Marluxia hasn't hired anyone to fill the other times he's off living in wedded bliss."

That caught my attention, "Oooh," Grabbing Hayner's hand, I checked out the ring, "It's wood." Knocking on it to make sure, I frowned up at him, "Bling not your style or something?"

His cheeks grew red and he snatched his hand back. "He, er, Seifer, he...made it. Himself. And I like it, so why would I get a new one?"

I grabbed his hand again, taking a closer look, "He made it! Well that's better than bling, definitely." Letting go off his hand when he tugged for me to do so, I grinned sheepishly up at him. "You'll learn I'm nothing like Roxas."

"Thank god. One is enough." He smirked as my cousin yelped in surprise and anger. Roxas shook his fist mockingly at Hayner.

Blinking and distracted when someone came to sit a couple of barstools down, I tilted my head, "Pretty..." I murmured, wanting to touch that funny colored hair, but before I could grab some courage and put on the flirts, a tall blond with a mohawk walked up to him, exchanging a kiss. "Aww... taken." Turning my pout to Roxas, I sighed. "I think I may be suffering from sexual frustration, and I'm relatively certain my virginity is growing back."

Roxas had followed my gaze and smirked. "I should send you over to talk to them anyways. I figure Demyx is enough like you to really start some trouble. Not to mention that annoying Zexion is half the fun in my workday. Hey! Dem, Zex! Come meet my desperate cousin!"

Grinning, I reached over and pulled the towel off Tidus' shoulder to get his attention, "Maybe if god graces me with some luck, I'll get the answer to your question at some point later tonight." And then I turned my attention to Demyx and Zexion who were walking over. Yum. E.

Roxas pointed to first the blonde, introducing him as Demyx, then pointing to the cutie with the colorful hair and giving his name as Zexion. "And guys, this is my cousin, Sora, who's convinced that his virginity is growing back."

I nodded solemnly, "It's a serious concern. Has sex changed at all over the past year?" I asked conversationally, laughter bubbling up when Zexion nearly choked on his drink.

Demyx laughed loudly, throwing an arm around me and tugging me over to stand next to him as he waved his other arm dramatically. "Dude, you are in luck! For tonight? Axel will be handling the mic and I will share with you a secret that is known only to those few who work here." He leaned in, stage whispering loudly in my ear. "When you here the song, 'Big Spender', that is your cue, my friend, to feast your eyes on whatever fine piece of ass has made their way inside these hallowed doors."

I grinned, "Nice! I won't even have to go out of my way and look for myself." Not that that would help my case, I suffered from severe case of tongue tied the moment I was pushed into the 'wanna have a drink?' or 'is a quick one night stand of interest to you?' scenario. But they didn't have to know that yet. Demyx was still grinning as he shrugged and released me so he could throw his arms around his boyfriend.

"Zexy, I've still got 15 minutes before the set. Come to the back and help me set up?"

"Yes, all right, but this time try to keep it above the waist." Zexion agreed, taking his boyfriend's hand so he could tug him along to the back.

I sighed after them, "They're like cake and the cherry on top."

"It's disgusting to watch after a while." Roxas nodded. He nudged me with his elbow, looking slightly serious as me. "You all right? You get half price drinks tonight, as my personal guest. So, relax and enjoy yourself, okay?"

I smiled at him in thanks, "Don't you worry so much about me, Roxas, I'm fine, okay?" I was fine, now that I was here in Dublin. "My case is not as bad as it used to be now that I'm out of that schooo-" My eyes widened as they settled on the guy that had just walked in.

"The minute you walked in the joint... I could tell you were a man of distinction..." Well, at least Axel's timing could be counted on without fault, but it wasn't the perfectly straight silver hair, strong jawline, mysteriously deep ocean blue-green eyes and killer physique that had me stuttering. No, no... It took me a moment, but when it ended, I wished for it to last forever, because this was the kind of remembering I didn't want to do. "Shit!" I bit out, dropping off the barstool to settle on all fours and crawl my way around the bar so I could climb behind it and hide behind Hayner's legs. "Fuckedy, fuck, fuck, fuck..."

"I'm guessing that means the guy that walked in is a 10?" Tidus offered, giving me a funny look as he scanned me over.

"He didn't see me, did he?" I asked Hayner.

"No, you crazy person. The perfect 10 walking in did not see you. Although, I'm now wondering why you're hiding from him. Ex-boyfriend perhaps?" Hayner's voice was a low drawl, but thankfully he did nothing to push me back out from behind the bar.

I rolled my eyes, scoffing, "Right, as if I had a shot with a 10!" I growled out, deciding to push Hayner out of the way so I could sit up on my knees and peek over the bar.

Roxas raised his eyebrows. "Sora...what the hell?"

"Holy crap, he cleaned up fucking goood..." Don't drool now. Blinking over at my cousin, I gave him a weak shrug before ducking back down behind the bar. This was not good, so not good. Dublin was my safe place, the spot I could get away from everything. What the hell was he doing here? He was ruining my happy time! Then again, considering how I'd treated him back in the day? I figure I owed him the ruining of my happy time, multiplied by a thousand!

"Sora, who the fuck is that? And why the fuck are you hiding from him?" The iron in Roxas' voice alerted me to the fact that he was feeling overprotective, perfectly willing to kick someone's ass if need be. It came off to most people as harsh, but I knew that he was particularly protective of me, which warmed me almost as much as seeing that man had chilled me. I pouted out my bottom lip, pulling out the sad eyebrows as I went to sit back up on my knees, grabbing the whiskey bottle Hayner was almost pouring a drink with, just so I could take a swig before pushing the bottle back in his hands.

"Riku Cartwright. We used to go to school together when we were like... twelve. He just stopped coming one day, and while that may seem weird, it wasn't, because he was being bullied so bad, I'm surprised he didn't take off earlier or blow the whole school up in revenge."

Hayner reached over and playfully slapped the back of my head in punishment for the whiskey bottle and Roxas was still giving me a puzzled look. "And this makes you hide behind the counter, why?"

I reached up to pat my cousin's cheek, "Such a pretty face, yet lacking in brains nonetheless." I sighed heavily, slipping back down to my ass, effectively avoiding Roxas' smack with that action. "I was a sheep. Not bully extraordinaire, but a sheep. I followed. I did some name calling, hid books, tripped people, laughed instead of stopping the bullying." I lifted a finger to try and excuse myself, but then grimaced and let my head drop back against the small fridge door hidden beneath the bar, groaning in defeat when I realized I had no excuse. "I am an asshole..."

"Sora, that was 10 years ago. You don't think he'd remember you, do you? And you are anything but an asshole. Come on, get out from behind there and don't let him showing up ruin anything. Besides, I've never seen him before, which means he's new. We'll never see him here again after tonight." Roxas was leaning awkwardly over the bar and trying to pat my head reassuringly.

Eyebrows rising at that logic, I started to feel lighter already, "Yeah! He's only here for the evening, I can avoid him." Pushing up onto my feet to try and do as Roxas said, I then just as soon dropped back to the ground as I saw him standing right behind Roxas. Grabbing Hayner, I moved him so he would stand right before me, hiding me as best as I figured I could be hidden. "So I'm a coward, sue me! But before that, cover for me!" I whispered harshly up at him.

Hayner grunted, then cleared his throat. "Hey there. What can I get for you this evening?" His voice was pleasant and almost flirty in a way that was friendly.

A light tenor voice answered back, "I'm good. But do you think you could tell me where I might find a guy named Zexion? Or Demyx? I think he works here." The voice was slightly unsure sounding, but at the same time, confident in a 'I'm perfectly comfortable in my own skin' kind of way. Mine would sound like that too if I looked like he did.

"Why you looking for Zex?" Tidus butted in.

There was a pause. "Well, it's really not your concern, but he's my brother and he told me that I might find him here tonight. And Demyx assured me that I could come here and 'hang out', as it were." If voices could get a few degrees chillier, his would be there.

"All right, so he knows I'm straight." Tidus backed off, and before he could walk into the reserve, I pulled him down to my level, leading him to let out a squawk of surprise.

"But he's not?" I pressed.

Tidus frowned, "Gaydar is overrated, also, I'm straight, I'm not supposed to have one. Why do you care anyways?"

"Have you seen the ass on him?" I retorted.

Tidus grinned, "I don't think that'll matter unless you get the guts to show yourself to him. Also, no I didn't see the ass, again, I'm straight." Letting him go, I bit onto my bottom lip, and decided to hug Hayner's legs closer against me, leading him to grunt in discomfort. Funny thing though, he wasn't telling me to quit it, actually helping me out.

"Excuse me, but is there something or someone behind the counter muttering? Is that Demyx?"

Shit! "No! I'm not him!" I used the highest pitch I could manage, hoping I sounded like a woman. "Zexion is in the back making out with Demyx!" There, he would leave now.

"What the hell?" Muttering, followed by a few footsteps and suddenly there were a pair of rather nice blood-red Vans in my line of vision. "What on earth are you doing?"

Nervous beyond repair, I shot up onto my feet, pointing a finger at him, "You're not allowed back here!"

"Neither are you." Tidus reminded, as he stepped back out from the reserve.

"Bugger off!" I shot his way, before returning my attention to Riku. Okay, so now what? "Ehm, hi." I offered awkwardly. I hoped he wouldn't get back at me for all the evil I'd thrown his way back in the days.

"Er, hello. You said Demyx is making out with Zexion? Is that why you were hiding back here?" His face was confused, which I noticed right away now that there were no giant glasses obstructing my view, and not a single trace of acne anywhere. He'd gotten so intensely pretty, it nearly hurt as much as it had looking at the battle field of pimples years ago. Shaking my head out of the stare, I realized something.

"You don't remember me."

"Remember you? You must have me confused with someone else." He smiled then, and shook his head. "This is the first time I've been here."

My shoulders sagged, "Oh, don't smile, that's just not fair..." Roxas smacked me, rebooting me. "Right eh, well, yeah, sorry, you're right, I must have you confused with someone else." When Roxas was about to correct, I leaned back casually, knocking over his drink so the contents landed on his lap. As he muttered out a string of curses in my honor, I only smiled carefully at Riku, ignoring Roxas. "As I said, Zexion is in the back, you can find him there."

Riku

Eyes that blue should come with a warning label, as well as that spikey hairstyle, easy smile and fit body. The guy standing in front of me, who recently had been hiding behind the counter for some reason, was ridiculously adorable. And was clearly waiting for me to clear off and head to the back looking for Zexion, but now I was very reluctant to leave without at least a name. He'd sounded like he recognized me, so maybe I could play off of that.

I stuck my hand out, smiling again. "Hi, I'm Riku. And I didn't catch your name..." Trailing off, I raised an eyebrow hoping he would fill me in.

Seemingly shocked I was trying to continue conversation, he placed his hand in mine, but before shaking it, he quickly turned around, speaking to the blond near him, "Roxas, why is he communicating with me? A mere five?" The bartender beside us poked his side, "Fine, a six."

I smirked, gripping his hand and not allowing him to pull away if he tried. This Roxas person beside him didn't seem like a boyfriend, what with the way they were acting with each other, and from what I could tell, he was unattached. I prided myself on my ability to read people. And he was adorably nervous.

"A six? I'd have given you at least a nine point five. Ten, if I knew what to call you."

"Your name, stupid. You remember that?" The blond smirked, and grabbed a napkin, still trying to dry the whiskey in his lap. "And now you can just suffer on your own, ass. I'm going to find Axel and steal his underwear as mine now smells like Grandpa's liquor cabinet, thanks to you."

"No, no, no!" The brunette said somewhat dramatically as the blond started leaving, "Don't go away! I don't know how to flirt! Those genes were all tossed onto your side of the family!" When the blond, thankfully related to him, continued to ignore and walk off, I saw the brunette gulp before turning back to look at me. "Sora." He squeaked.

I decided to give him a break. "Sora. It's very nice to meet you." Reluctantly, I released his hand, resisting the urge to run my fingers along the back of his knuckles. Didn't want to freak him out. Sighing as I remembered that the whole reason I came into this bar was to find Dem and Zex, I stepped away from Sora. "As much as I would like to stick around, I need to find my brother for the moment."

Nodding to the bartenders, I moved back around the bar, then on a whim, I looked at Sora again. "But if you're done working when I'm done, I wouldn't mind buying you a drink."

He blinked, "Working?"

"He thinks you work here, dumbass." The blond bartender spoke.

"Oh! I don't! I'm free right now!" Then he groaned, "But he's not. Hayner, why can't I pay attention?"

"Because you were distracted by his ass. Now move, I'm trying to make a martini here and you're blocking my ingredients." Hayner gently moved Sora to the side before reaching down and grabbing what he needed.

Sending a lost lingering look at the two bartenders way, he then seemed to decide himself, quickly stepping out from behind the bar to walk over to me. "I'm sorry, you seem really great, but I assure you, I'm not, so I think it's best if we don't get that drink." Pausing, he pressed his lips tightly together before giving me a nod. "Ever." Leaving me standing there, he quickly rushed passed me and before I could utter out a response, he'd already ran out of the bar.

Wow. That was rather...disheartening. "Ouch." I mumbled. "Well, that was loud and clear." Looking at the bartenders, I asked, "Where is the back so I can find Zexion?" And then I could leave, despite Demyx having specifically invited me here tonight to have a good time, I just wanted to leave now.

Hayner sighed and shook his head after Sora. "Idiot." I raised an eyebrow. "Not you. But just head towards the stage and there is a door on your left. I suggest you knock and announce yourself before opening it though." His warning was noted, and I just hoped they had pants on back there.

A/N: This story is slightly more dramatic than our others.