A/N: okay, I'm sorry that I haven't updated Condemned Hope, but this has been sitting in my mind since the beginning of summer and I have just had the courage to write it down. this is one of my favorite pieces of works, but then again, I love all that I have written and posted so far :) anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this story. Please read and review!

timekeeper1824

Fighting Addiction for a Reason

He tapped his fingers meticulously on the wooden table. How much longer was he going to have to wait? He had been sitting at the same stool for two hours now, slowly turning into three. Kairi knew that he wasn't a patient person. No, he was far from it. Angry, was more of a correct term to describe him.

Sora was resentful towards the world. It had been at least three weeks since his last smoke and he was aching for more. He wanted to inhale the fumes of smoke into his lungs so badly. The smoke had an effect to where it made him feel like he was needed, that he had a purpose, if only for a moment. Sora breathed in hard and slow, pretending to inhale the smoke of his imaginary cigarette.

It calmed his nerves somewhat. Sora opened his eyes again, hoping this time that she would be there on the stool next to him. Kairi still wasn't there. He growled. How long was he going to have to wait for Kairi at this godforsaken coffee shop? His calloused hands that reminded him of the hard labor of surviving on the streets his whole life clenched and unclenched periodically into fists. Kairi was pissing him off. Sora looked down and stared at his black combat boots and the long trench coat he was wearing. It was the middle of summer yet he was wearing a trench coat in the blazing heat. Some thought of Sora as crazy, and at times, he believed those people. Sora was also angry and ashamed as to why he was wearing the coat.

The long trench coat hid his emotional scars; scars that were visible to him and any other who paid close attention. Sora did not have great experiences while growing up. His mother died when he was ten and his father was an abusive alcoholic. When he had had enough, Sora left that hell hole of a home and started to live off the streets. Sora was all alone in his opinion, and the only way he was able to deal with the emotional pain was by penetrating his wrists with a sharp blade. He wanted to leave this fucked up world but he couldn't. For once, something in Sora's life was holding him back from departing. He couldn't leave because of stupid, idiotic Kairi. Sora breathed in again. He was not going to get furious to the point where he would break.

He was not going to be that person. He was not going to let the demon come out of him; no matter how hard the demon tried to explode from his chest. But the demon always won in the end, in Sora's opinion. Every time Sora lost control, the darker, more horrible side of him would be unveiled. He had lost count of how many innocent lives he had tarnished and tore apart because of his inner demon. Everyday was a constant battle inside of his mind between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Just a little longer. Sora thought. If Kairi doesn't show, I'm going to buy a pack of cigs. He winced. Dammit he couldn't do that. No matter how much he fought the impulse to smoke and give in to its delicious temptation. He goddamn couldn't. He promised Kairi he'd stop that deadly yet addictive habit. He promised Kairi he wouldn't poison his lungs with the shit. But Sora wanted to give in so badly.

Ten more minutes passed and Kairi still hadn't showed. Sora glanced up from where he was sitting and noticed that the sky had darkened over the past two and a half hours he had been there. Knowingly, it began to rain. He groaned and bashed his head into the counter next to his cup of coffe. Sora hated the rain. It was so… wet in his opinion. He hated the feeling of the tiny droplets of water, slithering down his skin; it made him shiver from its cold texture. Well, he was always cold. He really had no emotion to show besides his bitter anger. The rain only reminded him more of how messed up and polluted his soul was.

He sighed angrily. Sora jumped from the barstool he was sitting on and walked quickly as if with a purpose out the door. He slammed the door behind him, causing the other customers to stare after him.

"Piss off." He muttered to himself. Damn; he really needed a smoke. Sora shook his head. He couldn't pick up another cig.

Come on, you know you want to inhale the intoxicating haze.

Fuck, the demon was getting to him. He ignored the tempting thought and kept on walking, thrusting his hands into his pockets. He promised Kairi he wouldn't. He loved Kairi too much already. Yeah, Sora loved Kairi. She was the first constant in his life. He had saved her from some of the more brutal people out on the streets. Afterwards, Kairi sought him out to thank him and learn more about him. She was naturally curious about his life on the streets and how he was able to mangage. From then on, Kairi become a daily part of his life. If Sora didn't see her at least once throughout the day, he would feel incomplete. Sora had no idea how long ago his love for Kairi started to grow into something more passionate. But Kairi promised him that they would meet at the godforsaken coffee shop and she broke their promise. Sora was hurt.

Sora started walking slower through the rain, not caring if the coat was becoming drenched. He decided he was going to go home. Home was in the unstable, abandoned warehouse. No matter how upset Sora was with Kairi, he wouldn't break his promise. He wasn't going to pick up another cig. He loved her to fucking much to hurt her.

"Sora!"

He turned around and saw Kairi sprinting towards him. He glared and kept on walking, not bothering to look behind to see how much distance remained between them.

"Get the hell away from me, Kairi. I don't feel like talking to you." Sora hissed under the wind.

Kairi ignored his request and caught up to him and started walking at the same pace with him, five for every three of his long strides.

"Sora, I'm sorry I didn't come. I can explain…" Kairi started but was cut off from Sora's calloused voice.

"I waited for three damn hours for you and you never came. I'm sure you had a great excuse as to why you couldn't meet with the street rat."

Kairi started to boil with anger as well. His everyday persona was suddenly being poured into Kairi. "If you just listen to me dammit, I'll tell you why I was late." Kairi shouted back.

Sora kept walking pretending he hadn't heard her. He wasn't going to listen. The demon inside of him was telling him not too. He put his hands deeper into his pockets of his black coat after he pulled up the collar to keep the rain from pelting his neck.

"I didn't show because... I was thinking over what I was going to say to you when I saw you. I was afraid of telling you what I feel towards you." Kairi muttered.

That made Sora stop. He turned around to look at Kairi, cerulean eyes wide with questions. He gazed into the piercing lavender eyes she possesed, noticing that emotions were conflicting inside of Kairi. God she was beautiful when she was terrified and unsure.

He took a step closer to her. "What do you mean?" Sora asked anxiously, his dark hair falling into his face.

"I mean that I feel more for you than just a friend. That day you saved me, I don't know, something started to grow inside of me. You became important. You were the oxygen I needed to breathe, and you made me feel safe and protected. I haven't felt that in forever. I think I've fallen in love with you, Sora." She whispered.

Sora looked down at Kairi as she lowered her head. He never thought that Kairi returned his feelings. What she said in words was what he was feeling right now but doubled and more explosive and fiery.

At that very moment, Sora didn't feel cold anymore. He was no longer angry. Sora was feeling loved and wanted. He wasn't angry at the world or his fucked up life. He was staring at the girl he had loved for months and the one he was stopping his addiction for. All he wanted to do now was one thing he hadn't done in a long time. He wanted to smile.

"Sora, please say something." Kairi said hoarsely. Lavender meet cerulean once more, but Sora didn't say anything back. Instead, he leaned in and covered her lips with his. He wanted to know what it felt like for so long to kiss Kairi and he was doing it now. His hands cupped her soft face, pulling her closer into the kiss. She responded with as much fervor.

He pulled away and rested his head against her, kissing the top of her hair with delicate butterfly kisses.

"Sora." Kairi exhaled.

"You're my new addiction, Kairi. Without you, I'd still be slowly killing myself. I now have a reason to live, that reason is you. I know that I haven't fallen in love with you. I was already in love with you from the beginning. You saved me, and you're worth living for." Sora whispered into her hair.

Kairi smiled up at Sora, tears slowly falling from her eyes. Sora leaned down and captured her lips again with his; this time, truly smiling for the first time in an eternity.

a/n: well, did you guys like it, hate it, love it, or loathe it. also, i have other stories for this gong on in my head so i might make this a series of oneshots. I want at least 8 reviews or more asking me to continue this as a series of oneshots before I decide andything. once again, please read and review, it make me more motivated and inspired to write.

much love,

timekeeper1824