Well, hello there! I honestly never thought this would happen again, but here it is-my second fanfiction! Once again a one-shot and once again written in favor of doing homework. I must say the plot bunny bit me hard this time. I tried to ignore it, but I just couldn't. It was begging to be written. Once again Riku and Sora...why? Because it was MEANT TO BE! So there. General warning, shounen ai, boyxboy. You don't like it, I don't care. It's not like anyone is going to force you to read it. Sorry if there are any mistakes. I don't think there are, but I didn't check very thouroughly because I need to get back to my homework and I desperately want to post this. Oh yeah, there's a decent amount of language thats...not quite as decent. This fic is dedicated to my dear Shattered Mirror01. Mostly because she puts up with me and inspires me, but also cuz I love her to bits! No matter how much she rambles. And she does...lots. Then again/looks back at what's written here/ so do I. Anyways, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Obviously the KH premise, Destiny Islands, Sora, and /cries/ Riku don't belong to me, cuz if they did, when Riku pulled off his coat in KHII, he wouldn't have been wearing anything under it.

Protection

I paced around the beach for what seemed like forever. Back and forth, back and forth until the sun started to set across the water. Pretty damn sad considering it had been directly above me when I started pacing.

Ever since we had gotten back to the islands, Sora and I had spent every waking moment together. Kairi was with us most of the time, but I didn't mind as long as I was with Sora. I noticed that he didn't look at her with quite the same expression as used to. I paused in my pacing. Maybe they had grown apart since he'd left her on the islands in favor of searching for me. I smirked. Kairi's great and all, but the amount of time he spent looking for me never fails to make feel smug. And warm. When I think of Sora's quest to find me, it's like I have my own personal sun to warm me from the inside out. It was this feeling, among others that I'd rather not talk about, that made me realize just how much that stupid kid meant to me.

I mean, really, he's just one naïve, silly, stubborn, annoying, innocent, happy, kind, adorable, wonderful-dammit! He's just one kid! But I love him anyway.

And it was my love for him that had me pacing along the shoreline for hours on end. Sora had always been very accepting, it was one of his better qualities, but how would he feel if he found out his best friend was in love with him? His best friend who was a guy? 'He'd be disgusted,' I told myself. 'After hearing that, he'd run away from you and you'd never see him again.' But I knew that wasn't true. But, even if he wasn't repulsed by the thought of me loving him, what if he didn't feel the same? I wasn't sure I could handle that.

I glanced over to the little island we always played on. Sora was sitting on the bent trunk of the paopu tree, probably wondering why I had been avoiding him all day. Well, now was as good a time as any. I took a deep breath and crossed the bridge that led to the small island.

Sora's hair glowed softly in the warm light of the setting sun. Damn, he was cute. I inhaled and climbed up to take my place next to him on the tree. He didn't look at me, but continued staring across the ocean to where the sun was setting fire to the horizon. I tried to remember how to breathe. 'I can do this,' I told myself.

"Sora?" He turned to look at me and I gulped. I took another deep breath. "I need to tell you something."

I must have been staring at him pretty intensely, because his eyebrows rose up to disappear into that gravity-defying hair of his.

"What is it Riku?" he asked with a concerned expression on his face.

I cleared my throat. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. I looked into his deep blue eyes and saw the earnestness in them. Shit. I can't do this! My mind retreated quickly. I felt like I was choking on something...oh. My heart.

"Y'know what? Never mind." I had to change the subject. I had to escape.

"C'mon Riku, you can tell me anything," he said with the utmost sincerity. I didn't deserve him. I couldn't give him anything. Who was I to take this angel from the world? I jumped down from the tree.

"Nevermind," I said agian.

"Riku." He sounded annoyed now.

"Seriously, it's not important. Forget I said anything." I turned and started to walk away.

"Stop protecting me dammit!" he yelled after me. I stopped in my tracks and turned around. Sora didn't yell. He didn't get mad, and more importantly, he never swore. Well, not in anger.

"What?" I asked him, confused.

"Stop fucking protecting me!" Whoa. "I'm not a kid anymore! Whatever you have to say to me, I can fucking handle it!" Sora roared.

I stared at him. His chest was heaving and he was shaking with...well, rage. Sora was enraged. At me. Shit. I turned back around and kept on walking. Sora was right. He wasn't a kid, and I couldn't make him happy anymore.

A thumping noise was growing louder behind me. Before I knew it I was being slammed into a tree. Hard. I looked down at Sora's face. It was twisted with anger I never thought I'd see. I wanted nothing more than to take that anger away, to see my angel smile once more. Maybe he could handle it. Or maybe once I told him, that anger would grow fiercer. I looked into his eyes. Behind the fury, there was something else. A kind of pleading. The kind that said that he was hurt that I was keeping something from him because I didn't think he was strong enough. But that wasn't it. I wasn't sure I was strong enough.

As he held me against the tree, he tried to get his breathing under control. I was surprised by the amount of force he was using to keep me pinned where I was. 'One thing's for sure I'm definitely going to have bruises.' For some reason that made me proud. He looked up at me expectantly.

"Well?" he demanded.

I took a deep breath. Here goes everything.

"I love you, Sora."

"See? Now was that so fucking hard to-wait. What?" Every trace of anger was gone. First he looked confused, and then thoughtful, as if I had spoken in some sort of code.

"I love you." My voice shook and my breath shuddered. It wasn't any easier to say the second time.

"Could you repeat that please?" he still had that contemplative look on his face.

I growled under my breath.

"I love you, you idiot." God, what about that was so hard to understand?!

"That's what I thought you said." He looked up at me with guarded eyes. He stared at me intently for much too long a time before something he saw made his face soften. He leaned toward me and stood on his toes, putting his face mere inches from mine.

"Y'know," he said, moving forward slowly, "I suppose, if you really wanted, you could still protect me," his eyes drifted closed and I couldn't breathe anymore. "Just a little." He closed the gap between us, lightly touching his soft lips to mine. I moaned and wrapped my arms around his waist. God, this had to be heaven. I bent down to put my lips even closer to his. I nibbled on his lower lip and he gasped, giving me the opportunity I needed. As our kiss deepened, I barely noticed myself sliding down the tree, dragging him with me until we were sitting in the smooth sand. Unwillingly, I broke the kiss. Damned need for oxygen.

He looked up at me, a silent question in his eyes. I hugged him closer to my chest and rested my chin in his chocolate hair.

"Sora," I answered, "I will always protect you."

Okay. There it is. My second fanfiction ever. Hope you like it. Reviews mean the world to young writers like me, so please give me some constructive criticism. I know I can count on Shattered Mirror01 for a review...I love you Snickles.