AN: Whoa. I'm actually not dead! When I moved into my house, I had to wait like a month to get Internet. So... I just got the Interwebz last night and I was up till two finishing this. I had to use my horrible mobile YouTube and such up till now. I no longer feel like a caveman!

Well, this one's going to be a lot longer than Imaginary Place, I promise. :3 And heavier, more emotional if you will. Enjoy~


Chapter 1: Visits

Is it unusual to miss someone so much it hurts? I have, for ten years.

A best friend. He moved away ten years ago because his parents got a job opportunity somewhere else. And of course, as it always happens, we lost touch over time.

"I promise I'll come find you again when we're adults, Sora, no matter what it takes," I'd promised him just before he left. Yeah, well, I couldn't afford that now even if I wanted to. Plus, I don't even know where he is or his phone number or anything necessary to get in contact with him.

Being eleven, I cried for the first week or two after he was gone, part out of loneliness, part out of missing him and his company. We pinky-swore that we would see each other again when we got older. Man, I wish we would've kept that promise. I wonder often, what happened? Why did we fall away from each other like that even though we had ways to talk? My mom always said it was because friendships that aren't meant to last, just… don't.

I live all alone now, though. My mom left me, too, when I turned fifteen. Car accident.

But, I digress. I'm not really one to complain, despite the fact that the best friend I've ever had left me, my mom died, and I had a defective father who left us all behind so long ago I can't even remember.

Now, it's just boring life in a rundown house that belonged to my parents and a cubicle job for me. Thinking about Sora every now and again. Ordering in Asian food or pizza and beer every night. Trying to keep up a decent living.

I closed my laptop in my workspace with a long yawn, grateful that the day was finally over and I had a weekend to look forward to. "Ah, thank God for Fridays," I muttered, gathering my briefcase up and slamming the front door of the office carelessly behind me. I was the last person to leave; I had an important draft that was supposed to get finished, otherwise my boss, Xemnas, would have probably fired me. But I had it done by eight-thirty and I was thankful to get to go home and sleep. And eat.

A sigh left my lips as I walked slowly down the busy street towards my house, adjusting my scarf closer around my face to protect myself from the dropping temperature and glancing at the darkening lilac sky.

The city looked really pretty in the evenings, with the peach and lavender skies casting shadows on everything, and all of the little street-side vendors selling flowers and coffee and the like. And all of the people walking the sidewalks. Some of them were like me, looking bored and exhausted and just happy to be able to go home after a long day of working. And the couples, walking hand-in-hand and laughing. I didn't blame them for wanting to walk there, it looked very romantic, after all.

I always figured I just wasn't the relationship type. Anytime I'd ever dated a girl… I mean, it was nice, but it wasn't as satisfying and wonderful as people make love sound. So, I reckoned I was better off alone. I was happier like that, anyway.

By the time I turned onto the tiny, rough-looking street that led to my house, the sky was dark and it was getting hard to see. I made it, though, and the very first thing I did was flop face-first into my sofa with a tired and grateful sigh.

Reaching for my cell phone, I decided it was dinnertime. I shuffled into the kitchen to grab a beer from the refrigerator and then retreated back to the couch and waited for the Chinese food restaurant to pick up.

And after struggling to understand what the person at the restaurant was actually saying on the other line (mostly due to his heavy accent and lack of proper English grammar), I finally got the chance to put in my order.

"Um, one-" I was cut short by the doorbell ringing sharply from the front of the house. I reluctantly picked myself off of the sofa and started towards it. "Hang on a second," I muttered to the Chinese guy and he said something else I couldn't comprehend before I held the phone away from my ear to open the door.

I blinked a few times at the figure in my doorway. He looked… too familiar. That brown spiked hair, big blue eyes, and that retarded looking grin. I ended the call on my phone, even though I hadn't ordered any food, standing in shock.

"Riku," he started, a smile crawling onto his face, "It's you, right?"

Too surprised to say anything, I opened the front door wider, inviting him in. Sora was here. In my house, after ten years.

"Well, hi," he said, still grinning with a little wave of his hand. "Sora?" I managed and he nodded with a giggle at how absolutely shocked I was. Then his facial expression changed to a more serious and hesitant look.

"Riku, uhm," he started, rather reluctantly, before fidgeting a little.

"Wh-What?" I prodded, completely wondering why he suddenly showed up at my door out of the blue ten years later.

"I have a favor to ask… Can I- Can I stay with you? Like, live with you? Just for a little while?"

Holy. Shit. Sora just asked to live with me? Well… Who am I to refuse?

"Yeah, okay," I nodded, trying to hold back a huge, ecstatic grin. He looked excited and hugged me and thanked me extensively.

"Oh, Riku, thank you, thank you, thank you!" he nearly shouted before pulling away and grinning.

I motioned him over to join me on the couch before sighing. "I have so many questions," I began, smiling at him a little.

He followed me over and sat down before nodding enthusiastically. "Me too!" He grinned. "Well, you first," he added.

"Where were you all these years?" I figured that was a good start.

"Uhm, a few hours away from here, I believe," he said thoughtfully.

With a nod, I continued. I was about to ask how he'd found me after all of these years, but then it came to me that I'd been living in the same house all of my life and he knew where it was.

"Why'd you come here all of a sudden?"

"Well… my- my mom kicked me out and… other reasons." He swallowed loudly and his eyes shifted down to the carpet on the floor.

Other reasons? I wondered, on the verge of asking, but I didn't want to pry.

"How's your mom?" he asked, conspicuously changing the subject.

It was my turn to be uncomfortable. "She's dead."

Sora's eyes grew huge and he looked surprised, like that was the last thing he'd expected me to say.

"She… what? Riku, I'm so sorry, w-what happened?" he asked timidly, not wanting to prod too far, but obviously curious.

I shrugged lightly. "Car accident, about six years ago."

"Wow." He shook his head. "I wouldn't have ever expected…"

"Me neither," I said, frankly not wanting to reflect on the subject any longer.

I glanced over to Sora, who was stretching against the sofa and yawning dramatically, much like a feline.

"I've missed you, Riku."

I chuckled. "Me too, Sor. I can't wait to catch up again."

"Yeah," he sighed, looking pretty tired, and so was I.

"Are you… ready to go to bed soon?" I asked, not sure how long he was planning on staying up.

He nodded. "I think so," he tried to say while yawning at the same time.

Thankfully, I had a bed in another bedroom for the guests I never had. I led him to it and grinned when he walked inside.

"Smells like you," he commented, walking in and sitting down on the bed. I cocked an eyebrow.

"Oh, really? What do I smell like?"

He laughed before shrugging and laying back. "I dunno, like Riku."I shook my head with a smile, feeling so glad that Sora was finally back.

"I've really missed you," I mumbled, watching Sora as he made something like a snow angel in the bed sheets.

Sora's head popped up and he was grinning widely. "I'm happy to be here."

Nodding in agreement, I sighed. "The bathroom's right behind that door there," I said, pointing to a door on the far side of the bedroom, "Help yourself, I think everything you would need should be in there… If you need anything, just let me know."

He stood up and walked over to examine the small guest bathroom. "Thanks, Riku," he said and I nodded gently.

"Of course, Sor."

Sora yawned and I did the same right after. "Well, I'm going to go to bed now, and you should, too. Night."

He waved and went back over to sit on the bed. "Oh, wait," he said suddenly, "I need to get my bag with all of my clothes and stuff. I left it at the front door."I waited for him as he went to get his bag. When he came back, he set the bag down and pulled pajamas out of it and smiled at me. "Good night, Riku," he bid and I nodded.

"Sleep well," I finished our conversation before walking back to my own bedroom and laying down in bed, not even bothering to change out of my daily clothes. I thought about all of Sora's and my old memories of childhood, and hoped that we were still going to be as good friends as we were in the past.

Eventually, despite my buzzing head, I fell to sleep and didn't wake up till late the next morning.

I stalked slowly into the kitchen, still half-asleep and eager to make my morning coffee to wake up.

Before even entering the kitchen, I could see Sora there, sitting on the counter, and it looked like he was on the phone. I shrank back so Sora couldn't see me. Thankfully, there was a wall between us, so he couldn't see me, but I could hear him.

"A-Axel, I know, I- I'm sorry! What else was I supposed to do? Yeah, sure, you can come over…It's a really long drive though… That's fine… Ah, I didn't mean to- Yes, I hear you, Axel; okay, b-bye," he said to the person on the other line, sounding half in sobs.

He hung up then, and I rounded the corner into the kitchen and Sora, startled by my sudden appearance, made haste with rubbing tears from both eyes so I couldn't see he'd been crying.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, not wanting to sound like I'd eavesdropped on his phone conversation, but I was worried; whoever this "Axel" was, he didn't really sound too nice.

"Yeah," he barely whispered, "Everything's okay."


First chapter, finito. Boo-yah. Reviews would make me so happy! ;u;

Love! 3