Author's Notes: Wee! A one-shot I am finally posting on ffnet! This is great! Hope you all enjoy

Dedicated to : AudraUzumaki on dA, she's great. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE!!

Pairing : SoraRiku

Warnings : yaoi, man loves man, fluff, adorable puppys, slight cursing and twilight.

Puppy Love

Sora stared blankly at the sky before him, the colors ever so slowly turning the shades of twilight. His eyes, cerulean orbs were lined with drying tears. With a sigh, the brunette haired boy stood up, turning his back on the ocean and the beautiful sun-stained twilight sky. How could he look at such a beautiful thing? Useless people shouldn't be able to enjoy something so breathtakingly beautiful.

He wiped off as much of the beach sand from his black shorts as possible, shaking his head clear of dirt. The legendary Keyblade Master was lost in thought; lost in a slow spiral of depression. There was nothing else to call it. Without Heartless or Nobodies running around, and the worlds all sealed, and everyone in their respective worlds… what was a Keyblade Master supposed to do?

Sora felt lost; his heart rested in every world he visited, with all the friends he had made. No world was truly his ihome/i… he didn't feel home at Destiny Islands at all. Even his school work and grades were now horrible, Sora close to failing and falling farther behind all the friends he left behind. Needless to say, Sora felt restless and useless. What was his purpose now? Was he really in supposed 'Happily Ever After'? What happens after that?

Biting a lip, Sora began a long trek back towards the small house he lived in… It was hard to call it home. If anything, the Gummi Ship was his home now, and he felt lost without it. The cerulean eyed boy stretched, taking the long route home, wanting to get there long after his mother went to work the night shift. The long route involved walking through the Island's small oasis, a forest of a sort on the edge of town. It was another one of his hideaways with Riku and Kairi.

He allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes shut as he walked the all too familiar path. There was a rustling of bushes, and Sora peered down at the moving tiny palm tree. His eyes narrowed, trying to spread his senses and feel for any darkness. It was a small ability, something he hoped to work on; maybe then he could detect the darkness before it struck… if it struck again in his lifetime. There was another rustle, and deeming it not too dangerous, the normally cheerful boy knelt down to the ground. His eyes widened and he gasped, falling backwards as a small fluffy puppy dog tackled him to the floor.

Sora couldn't help but let out the gaggle of giggles as the puppy, literally made of fluff it seemed, licked and climbed all over him, his tail wagging fast enough to shake its behind. Sora finally managed to sit up, and grabbed the dog. His face spread into its customary grin, laughing as it tried to nip at his fingerless gloves.

"Hello little guy, what are you doing out here?" Sora checked it for a collar, or a tag, but no sign of said ownership. He wrinkled his nose; the thing was too adorable for it to have been just wandering around. It had to belong to someone. Biting his bottom lip, Sora stood up and placed the puppy on the ground. It barely reached half way up his calf with its floppy ears and extreme body of coffee colored fluff, white paws dancing on the ground as it began to follow him home. "I can't keep you, Ma would throw a fit." He murmured to it as it danced in and out of his legs.

With a small bark, it nipped at the laces on his shoes, almost tripping Sora. With another laugh, Sora picked it up. "Let's take you to the vet, maybe they would know what to do…"

The visit to the veterinarian's office didn't help at all. The doctor scanned the small dog for an electronic chip, something that came out recently trying to reduce the number of lost dogs, and checked the animal for identification tattoos. The search came up with nothing. The doctor said to post signs around the island, and if the owner doesn't show up, take him to the pound; which was the last thing Sora wanted to do. The puppy was adorable, and the sweetest thing. He was a lover, and already knew how to sit and stay for the most part. Sora couldn't take him to the pound knowing there was a possibility of it being euthanized.

So Sora took him to the nearest pet store, bought it a little blue collar and matching leash, some food for a week and some toys before taking him home. Inside the house, the little thing explored every nook and cranny it could fit its tiny body into. Sora marched to his room, trying to ignore the sound of pitter patter as the puppy followed along on hardwood floors, and sat at the computer. His purpose? To make found posters for the dog and hang them up by morning. He didn't need sleep… sleep was for the weak.

About three hours later, long far into the night, Sora could feel himself nodding to sleep in the oh-too-comfortable rotating office chair he was sitting in. The dog, Sora decided to call him Shadow (he found it ironic), was curled up in his lap, sleeping like there was no tomorrow. As far as Sora was concerned, it was true. The second his mother found out he was stowing a dog away in his room until he found it a home, Sora was dead.

He snapped away as a small knock was heard on his window. Recognizing the faint tune it series of knocks made, Sora threw a sock at it; the cue it was safe to climb in. With a grunt, the window opened and Sora's best friend Riku fell in. The boy was only a year older than Sora, but the platinum haired Keyblade Wielder was much more graceful and timely in his movements. And observant. Aqua eyes focused on the breathing ball of fluff in Sora's lap. "What is that?"

"A dog."

"Obviously," Riku's aqua eyes narrowed, slipping his lithe form onto Sora's bed to sit down, leaning against the wall. "Since when did your mother let you have a pet?" Platinum bangs fell in front of those aqua eyes, Sora's favorite feature, and made his look more intense. If Sora didn't know better, he'd almost say that Riku was jealous.

"Never, found Shadow about four hours ago and I'm trying to find him a good home." Sora leaned back, rubbing his temples and fighting off the headache threatening to arrive.

Riku raised a thin eyebrow, glancing at the printer, seeing the stack of papers resting in the tray. "And you're calling him Shadow?"

"He follows me everywhere like a real shadow and like shadow heartless," Sora groaned, "So sue me." He was not a happy camper when tired, in fact, being tired was never becoming on Sora. Usually Riku made a point to stay away from tired Sora, but tonight was an exception.

With a chuckle, Riku reached over to pick up the ball of fluff. With a small whimper, Shadow barely moved as he was placed on the bundle of towels Sora had originally laid for him on the floor. "Come on Sora, let's go check the Secret Place."

Sora yawned, stretching his arms far over his head. "I don't (yawn) feel like it tonight Riku. The door isn't going to open tonight, just like it didn't open last night. (yawn) I wanna go to bed." He stumbled off the chair, falling face down onto the bed, pillows and Riku bouncing slightly from impact.

Aqua eyes rolled as their master lay alongside the brunette. "Fine, go to sleep. I'll go hang up the found signs." Riku chuckled, running his hand through the soft spikes tenderly. The boy was already asleep, really asleep. Riku had to hold back a full blown guffaw as he heard Sora begin snoring. Who knew he was so exhausted?

Sora let loose a full blown yawn, his eyes crinkling as he rolled off the side of the bed. With a thump, he winced feeling some small weight climbing all over him, a wetness leading the feeling. That was certainly new… Blue eyes peeked open, immediately closing as his face was covered with Shadow's drool. "Oh yeah, Shadow!" Sora practically glomped the thing, hugging it close and giving it a wonderfully long belly rub. "What you doing up so early…" Sora glanced at his alarm clock, 11:46am, "late?" With a chuckle, Sora stood and stretched, Shadow pawing at his bare feet. "Hungry, boy?"

With a small whimper, Shadow pawed again. Sora took that as a yes and got out the dry dog food he bought the day before. Filling a small bowl full, the sixteen year old glanced around, looking for the stack of flyers he left to hang up today. Instead, he found a piece of blank paper, covered in purple sharpie in a certain platinum haired boy's familiar scrawl:

i decided to hang your flyers for you. Bring

The dog to the island. Maybe the others would

Know who he belongs to. Talk later /i

Sora smiled, inwardly thanking whatever god or deity there was that Riku was still his friend. With a glance down at Shadow still eating, Sora deemed it safe to take a shower. Rushing quickly, the teenager still came to a mess in his bedroom. Luckily it was hardwood floors, so any mess left behind would be easier to clean up. Shadow had destroyed one of Sora's down pillows, and had begun ripping the towels he slept on the night before.

Sora sighed, "Shadow… that's a bad boy." The dog just glanced up at him, green eyes twinkling with the adorable puppy innocence. It almost seemed like he was begging for forgiveness… well, it would if Shadow's tail wasn't wagging insanely fast again. "Come on, let's go to the Island." As if recognizing the words, Shadow darted in-between Sora's legs, clawing at the door impatiently as Sora dressed.

"Sora!" His mother called one day, three days since Sora found shadow and two days since the flyers were posted around the island. The brunette boy was brushing out Shadow's fluffy fur, chuckling as clumps of the object fell around him. Thank god for swiffers and vacuum cleaners. "Phone call for you!"

Sora stood, and reached for the phone on his bedside table, switching the switch to on. Covering the mouthpiece, Sora called back to his mom, 'got it!' before resting the phone between his ear and shoulder, continuing to brush Shadow down. "Sora speaking."

A voice came across the phone, young, maybe Sora's age, male, and stammering. "I-I saw your flyer about a lost dog. I-I think he m-may be mine." This caught Sora's attention, his body immediately straightening and dropping the brush to the floor.

"Your dog?"

"Yes, my friends and I are staying in Destiny Islands for school vacation and I brought my dog, Lucky. Lucky escaped and I've been devastated," the boy's voice sounded completely hopeful. "When I saw the flyer, I called your house instantly."

iLucky huh?/i Sora wondered, the name does fit a little bit better than Shadow… "When do you leave? I can bring the dog right over to your hotel if you want."

"We leave tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Do you think you can bring him now?"

Sora took a deep shuddering breath, trying to keep his voice steady. Sha – Lucky hadn't even left his eyesight yet and Sora was already freaking out. He had become attached. Fudge monkeys. Quickly taking down the information, writing the name 'Pence' on the piece of notebook paper and shoving it into a red pocket, Sora silently thanked his mother for buying a one floor house near the hotel. It would be easier to make a quick getaway if his emotions acted up.

iDammit, /i Sora sniffled, hiding in the tree near his bedroom window. He should have known better, he should have. The dog was never going to be his forever. The dog had a master, the dog was loved on another island, on another world for all Sora cared. Alone again. That was what he was… Completely alone and feeling unloved.

"Hey, you alright?" Sora recognized the voice, sniffling and shaking his head. Riku would understand instantly. Sora was in another emotional mood lately. "Are you going to climb down?" Another head shake. "I can't fix it if I can't talk to you." No response that time. "Sora." Sora shakily jumped off the branch, landing inches from Riku himself. The platinum boy pulled him into a hug. "Is it because of Shadow?"

Sora took a steadying breath, allowing his arms to wrap around Riku and return the hug. "Lucky… His name was Lucky." He heard Riku murmur something of agreement into his hair. Sora allowed himself to relax. "I am happy, you know. I'm glad he has a good home somewhere."

"Me too." Riku smiled into his hair, letting his lips brush against Sora's scalp. "I'd be happier if a certain best friend of mine didn't turn emo though." Sora lightly hit Riku on the thigh. "Okay, so you're not emo yet, but you seem to definitely be contemplating it. Why are you so sad, Sora? You knew you had to give him away."

Sora could tell Riku right? Riku was Sora's best friend, friends forever, now and forever… Riku would understand. "I…" Sora licked his lips and closed his bloodshot teary eyes. "I feel empty. Like a void." Sora felt Riku squeeze him in comfort. "I felt unneeded, not loved. And… And Shadow – " Sora sucked in a breath " – I mean Lucky was there. He was there. I had to feed him and take care of him. He ineeded/i me. Me! The thrown away utterly useless old Keyblade master. And he loved me. In spite of it." Sora buried his face in Riku's toned chest, fighting back a small blush.

"oh Sora," Riku breathed, tilting Sora's head back so he could look into those azure eyes he cared for so much. Riku gently kissed his flushed forehead and cheeks, murmuring comforting words. "You don't need a puppy dog to make you feel needed or loved." He tightened his grip on Sora. "You'll always be needed. You're the Keyblade Master, and my best friend. And I'll always need you."

Sora couldn't help the faint smile. "You're just saying that."

Riku shrugged, a small smirk brightening his face. "Nah, I wouldn't do that." He chuckled.

Sora rolled his eyes, before turning his head sharply to the west. Twilight… "Figures…" Sora buried his face in Riku's face, clinging to him tightly, and letting the tears fall quickly.

"What?"

"It ends the same way it began." Sora closed his eyes and sighed; holding back the urge to go to the beach. It was calling to him again. The sky was calling him.

Riku chuckled, leading the Keyblade Master towards the dock. "It usually does."