Disclaimer:

I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor any of its places or characters, I never will ; ;

HOWEVER,

There are some characters in this that I have made up, or don't know the proper name of so I have given them one (like the teachers and the boys' second names). I'm not trying to change it or make it mine; I'm trying to make it easier for you guys.

Key:

'Italic' - Inner thought

Bracket Flashback Bracket - Flashback

-0-0- - New section/End of chapter

Reviews:

Good or bad, I don't really mind. Please tell me what you thought! Any criticism is good criticism.

Chapter 1

Sora stared dreamily out of the school bus window, nibbling ever so slightly on his bottom lip as he saw his new school – his new 'high-school' – swiftly coming into view. Images of him being beaten to a pulp by older boys, his head being shoved down a toilet, his school meal being spat on, flashed through his mind; his peers had not been so kind when describing high-school life to him. Taking a deep breath, he smiled to himself in an ignorant sort of way.

'That wouldn't happen.'

Shoving his hand into his sweater pocket, he retrieved a small coin with a hole in the middle; it had three pieces of string wrapped around it. Gazing at it for a moment, his head turned to the window again.

'It shouldn't be long now…'

Yawning, he tightened his grip on the coin and closed his eyes. The thoughts of beatings had long since left his mind, being replaced with thoughts of horrible teachers, hard work and – his stomach churned – P.E. It wasn't that he didn't like it, he was just so horrendously bad at it; he dreaded making a fool of himself. He was 12 years old, the standard age for starting high-school – though he personally thought that they started them too early.

'I'll be a teenager in a few weeks….'

13 was a big age in Sora's family, something to be celebrated, although, he wouldn't be spending it with his family. The school he was speedily becoming closer to was a boarding school, he would be living there until he left – and summer holidays if his parents permitted. They had promised they would send his present in the mail, but he wasn't convinced he was going to get it. His eyes floated to the window, when something odd caught his eye – a large yellow bus similar to the one he was riding in was driving alongside them. Looking at the window that was fairly close to him, he stared with moderate interest at the boy who was sitting there. He had short-medium dirty-blonde hair that curled around his face slightly. His profile was gentle, his nose had a delightful curve and his mouth was positioned in a sad but beautiful pose. Hair obscured his forehead and partially his eyes, though he could see he was half-lidded and had long eyelashes. As though roused from his dream-like state, the boy raised his head slightly, turning to look out of the window, to look at Sora. Sora was slightly shocked; the boy had reacted as if he knew someone was staring at him. He suddenly felt ill as he stared at the odd boy who was staring at him in the same manner.

"Sora Kaito?" Sora jumped when he heard a voice from behind him. Turning quickly he found it was the teacher from the new school; he was wearing the uniform and had a large green-backed clipboard.

"It's time to get off the bus son, you're here." Sora blinked, he was about to object, point out that they couldn't be because they where still moving when he looked out of the window to find, not moving scenery, not a bus next to them, but trees – he found that they were quite still. Frowning he turned back to the teacher.

"Uh…yeah." He mumbled, shimmying out of his seat and cautiously walking down the isle of the bus, every now and then glancing quickly to the side to check that they were still stationary. With a jump, he was off the bus – the last one off the bus. Panicking slightly when he didn't see any of the other kids he felt relieved when the young male teacher placed his hand on his shoulder and led him to the 'playground', though no one he saw was playing. The expanse of the grounds was covered in children of all ages, though the bigger ones were generally hanging around closer to the building in small-medium groups. Everyone was staring at the group of smaller children that was huddled in the centre of the playground. Sora suddenly felt like a lamb, and all the other kids were wolves and foxes – he could have sworn he heard a bigger boy mutter 'fresh meat'. Though his little crowd was small, he was most likely the smallest among the boys; he was small for his age coming to only 5'0. Looking around himself, he huddled closer so some of the people he had spend the bus ride with, knowing it would be allowed because they felt the same.

"All right my little lamb chops! You have 10 minutes before we sort you into your dorms! Find a partner of the same gender please!" Sora cringed, now he knew he was a lamb; even the head of the year, the middle-aged, round and happy woman that had just called to them said so. Scanning his surrounding area for a partner, someone caught his eye. It was the blonde-haired kid he had seen on the other bus; he was standing a little away from everyone looking around. Sora felt compelled to ask him to be his room-mate, there was something about him that made him feel odd, a 'good' odd. His dreamy thoughts were halted abruptly as he felt his small frame crash into – what felt like – a wall. Landing squarely on his backside, he looked up to see what he had banged in to.

"Watch where you're goin'." Sora stared wide-eyed at the individual he had crashed in to. The boy was obviously older and much taller than him, he was of medium build and very pale. His hair was like white-hot flames, licking around his face in the gentle breeze, his icy aquamarine eyes staring down at him. Sora gulped and hastily got to his feet, brushing himself down and bowing his head to the boy.

"I'm sorry!" he said quietly, daring not to look up into that face of thunder.

"Tch, typical 1st years." The older boy said sharply, strutting away from him with his hands in his pockets. Sora looked at the back of the teen; he was wearing the uniform, though it was loosely fitted – plus he was missing the tie and the sweatshirt. His pants were baggy and tattered at the bottom, though it was the required colour.

"Sora Kaito?" Sora shuddered; he'd been hearing his name in that tone a lot today. His senses suddenly quick-started and he frantically looked around for the blonde-haired kid – but by the time he had located him, he was with another boy. Lowering his head, he turned to the young male teacher and sighed.

"I don't have a partner."

"I can see that. Don't worry, we'll get you sorted out." The teacher replied happily, giving Sora a smile and a wink. "Follow me." He said, walking briskly over to the small desk at the other end of the playground where the partners are supposed to sign for a room. Sora stood meekly behind the teacher, looking behind him at all the darkened faces and fox-like grins. After a few words were discussed above him, the teacher looked down at him with a disappointed smile.

"I'm sorry kiddo, but everyone else has a partner and all the rooms are taken, we'll have to double you up with a 2nd year pupil." Sora's heart sank. He had been a little nervous about teaming up with someone of the same age as him, never mind someone a year older. Shaking a little, he followed the male teacher through the dorm areas – the girl's dorms first. Sora blushed feverishly as he walked through this area, girls close by him; his previous school had been an 'all-boys' school – which had also been a boarding school. The only women he had known in his lifetime was his mother and 2 cousins. He found the decision to send him to a unisex school now was cruel and planned. The girls were staring at him in an odd manner, pointing, laughing, and giggling behind those fanned hands. Sora frowned pitifully, running so that he was directly behind the teacher. After a lot of walking, cowering and blushing, they finally got the 2nd year section of the male dorms.

"Aright, this is your room." Said the teacher, looking down at his clip board to confirm the door number was correct. "Let's introduce you to your room-mate." He said in blissful happiness, while Sora stood there shaking, holding his backpack as if he were without it he'd die. The teacher walked in the room first and brought whoever the pupil was to attention, making him stand in the middle of the room to greet Sora, and then he gestured for Sora to enter. Almost being dragged in, Sora stared at the pupil who was to be his room-mate – he squeaked audibly. Staring up at the silver-haired teen whom he had already met, he suddenly felt very uncomfortable and unsafe.

"Alright Sora, this is Riku Senko – he's your new room-mate." The teacher said, placing his hands on Sora's shuddering shoulders.

"Why do I have to share with a 1st year…this 1st year in particular." The teen objected, gesturing to smaller boy as though he were an animal for sale – a really thin, weak animal.

"Well Riku, we're not doing it to spite you; the boy didn't have a partner and all the rooms in the first year department are full. It was either him or some other kid; your room is the only one available in this department." The other boy sighed, staring down at the small, shaking youth that was Sora. His eyebrows knitted.

"What's wrong with him?" he asked cautiously, his sight not leaving Sora even though his head turned slightly.

"Riku. He's a 1st year, he's terrified enough coming to this new big school, but then has to be put into a room with an older boy that's been giving him death glares since he entered." Riku's expression turned slightly guilty. "Now, be nice to him. Try to get along okay?" The teacher turned back to Sora and bent down so he was eye to eye with him.

"Alright Sora, in 1 hour you'll go to main hall to collect your uniform. And you're a lucky one; Riku here will take you there so that you won't get lost." He stood upright and glanced at Riku. "Because Riku is a nice boy, aren't you Riku?" Riku sighed and nodded, walking backwards till he hit his bed and sat on it. The teacher nodded to Sora and walked out of the room – no matter how much Sora's eyes pleaded him to stay. Gulping, he stared at Riku, who was now eyeing him as he sat on his bed. He was surprised when he smiled and got up, extending his hand to him in a friendly manner.

"My name is Riku, what's yours?" he asked kindly, his voice had broken and was much lower than Sora's – he felt almost embarrassed to speak to him.

"S-Sora." He stuttered, extending his hand and shaking the other boy's. He was half expecting him to grasp it tightly so he couldn't move, then give him a painful Chinese burn. While these thoughts swirled in Sora's mind, he stared blankly through Riku, still shaking his hand.

"We can stop now." The voice startled him and he let go, shyly placing both hands behind his back and lowering his head. He sensed movement ahead of him and looked up to find the teen taking junk off the other bed.

"Sorry about this, I haven't had a room-mate before so…" he said, smiling nervously as he lifted a horde of thick textbooks off of the other bed. Sora shook his head, starting to feel a little more comfortable.

"It's okay…so…" Sora started, looking frantically around the room, looking for something to talk about "you….like…music?" he queried, spying the electric guitar by the bed. Riku looked to the guitar and smiled.

"Yeah I like it, I'm not so hot at it myself…yet." He added quietly. Sora smiled, walking over to his now cleared bed and sitting on it. Leaning back a little he looked Riku up and down, at his uniform. It consisted of a long sleeved shirt and dark blue pants; though he was missing the tie and the sweatshirt. The tie was dark blue and had a yellow diagonal stripe near the top of the knot, with the school's crest in the middle of the stripe. The sweatshirt was also dark blue with the school crest on the left arm – though when in senior years, you got a yellow band with the school crest.

"Why don't you wear the whole uniform?" he asked curiously, his mouth moving faster than his brain. Riku glanced at him and smiled slyly, strolling over to his bed and adopting a laid-back pose.

"'cause the tie chafes me and I jus' don't wanna wear the sweatshirt." Sora's mouth dropped. He moved to the edge of the bed to get closer to Riku to listen.

"And they just let you?" Riku gave a fox-like grin.

"Of course." He closed his eyes, smiling coolly. Sora felt his cheeks flush and a smile tighten on his face – he was in with the cool kid.

0-0-0

Sora still walked uneasily, although he was now walking with Riku to the main hall. He stared up at the older teen and a flash of jealously shot through him; he was much taller – at least 5'6, he was good-looking (not that Sora wasn't, but Riku had roguish good looks, Sora was more 'cutesy') and his hair was silken and manageable – while his was bouncy and stuck up all the time. Sora touched his face where he was adorned with an unlimited supply of freckles.

"What's up?" he heard a voice from above him. Sora looked up to find the older boy's gaze was firmly fixed to him. He blushed.

"Nothing…" he said sheepishly. Riku raised his eyebrows and shrugged, continuing his odd way of walking, putting those long legs to good use – Sora had to take twice as many steps to keep the same pace.

"Y'know, you're a real shorty even for a 1st year." Riku mused, smiling down at Sora. Sora sagged slightly, bowing his head.

"I know." He said wearily, just wanting to get to the hall now. Though he was growing rather fond of Riku, most of what he said was offensive. In his mind, Riku was a good 3 or 4 years older than him – though he had previously explained to him he had just turned 14 last month. Sora smiled to himself.

'I want to be like Riku when I'm older.'

He thought, staring up at the older boy with a proud smile on his face; he was a worthy idol, surely. Riku glanced at Sora and looked away, but then frowned and looked back. The sudden change of expression caused Sora to stop dead.

"W-What is it?" he asked nervously. Riku was still giving him an odd look, like he was analysing him critically.

"Smile again." He said sharply. Sora blinked and tried his hardest to smile, but Riku shook his head. "No, not like that, like before." Sora cocked an eyebrow.

"Wha-?" Riku shook his head and advanced on the smaller boy, placing his hand on his shoulder to keep him steady; Sora tried to pull away but he couldn't muster the strength. Almost squealing, Sora snapped his eyes shut and clenched his fists as he felt Riku's hand make contact with his stomach – but he didn't feel the pressure of a punch.

"Riku?" he asked nervously as he felt the teen's fingers dancing on his stomach. He pulled away and stared at him.

"Aren't you ticklish?" he asked bluntly. Sora blinked.

"Not there, no." Riku sighed exasperatedly. Sora couldn't help but laugh at him – and at himself; he had truly expected a blow to the gut, and poor Riku was only playing. A grin fell on Riku's once weary expression as he now looked at the smaller boy.

"I knew it!" he yelled happy, bursting into a fit of giggles. Sora regarded him critically, trying to think of what a smile could prove to him.

"What's the matter?" he asked urgently, jogging to catch up with the fast-paced boy. "What is it?" Riku looked at him, trying to look calm; but he snorted and giggled feverishly.

"You even have dimples!" Sora skipped the feelings of embarrassment and anger, feeling his insides curl uncomfortably.

"Shut up…" he said in a monotone voice, and received another snort from Riku.

"Alright 'Shorty Mc dimple', this is the main hall." He said with a smirk, opening the double doors that was now in front of them – Sora had been so caught up in the verbal abuse he hadn't noticed the progression along the corridor. With a little push from the other boy, he was now inside the buzzing hall, full of 1st years and teachers watching over them. He noticed that there was a considerable amount of girls in the room as well – the bus he had been riding on hadn't been carrying any girls.

"Well don't just stand there like a spoon, go up to the desk and give them your name." Riku flinched as he received the most heart-breaking look he had ever seen. He sighed and walked with the smaller boy to the desks that were at the other end of the hall – but Sora wasn't walking beside him, more clinging to the back of his shirt. As Riku reached the desk, he was fortunate enough that the young boy in front was just leaving.

"Riku? You didn't come in this year, what are you doing here?" the woman with glass bottle-bottomed glasses queried. Riku craned his neck to look behind him at the shaking child that was clinging to him. He sagged.

"The lil runt behind me is too scared to do this himself, so I-" Riku was interrupted as an angry pre-teen pushed aside, scowling at him as he slammed his hands down on the desk.

"I'm not a runt, and I'm not scared." He said firmly, turning his stern expression to the woman behind the desk. "My name is Sora Kaito." He said as deeply as he possibly could. Riku had to turn away, a smile ripping his face in two – he had to gag himself so he wouldn't burst into hysterics. Sensing something was amiss behind him, Sora turned to find the older boy hunched over shaking. With raise of the eyebrow, he turned his attention back to the woman, who had a huge smile on her face.

"Aren't you just adorable!" she squealed before lifting her clipboard and lifting up some sheets of paper. When she looked up she found that Sora was sprawled across the desk.

"I'm not adorable!" Sora whined, his voice muffled by the table. The woman giggled at the extremely high pitched voice.

"All right son, if you say so. You said your name was Kaito?" Sora lifted his head and nodded. The woman's face paled for a moment, and then she stood up.

"Just….just wait there a moment." She said erratically, running off to the left. Riku managed to stop laughing long enough for him to cease smothering himself and watched the woman quickly hobbling down the hall.

"What's with that? Your family have history at this school or somethin'?" he asked generally. Sora held his chin in thought, tilting his head and humming.

"I'm not sure, my folks never said anything about it though." He mused, trying to recall the time when they had discussed the school. His thoughts were halted as the woman had come running back with three other women by her side.

"This is the boy!" she said loudly, out of breath. Sora found himself backing away from the eyes contently staring down at him, he felt like he was about to be eaten alive. Feeling his back hit something solid – which he assumed to be Riku – he quickly dashed behind him, re-establishing his 'cowering behind the human shield' position. He poked his head out from behind the older boy, curious to whether they would continue to advance. Almost at the exact same time, he received an 'awwww!' from the 4 woman; they all bent down slightly and giggled after they're harmonious, simultaneous 'aww-ing'. Sora stared at them with a wide-eyed, horrified expression. Riku wanted to smile and laugh at him, but he was just as horrified.

"Didn't I tell you he was a real cutie?" he woman with the glasses cooed. A tall thin woman walked over to Sora and pinched his cheek, while another went around the other side and gently ruffled his hair. Now Riku burst into hysterics, walking away from the child being abused and leaning back with his elbows on the table. A small girl sidled over to him and propped herself the same way as him, looking up at him.

"What's going on here?" she asked quietly. Riku didn't look at her, but he bent down slightly.

"That boy there was trying to be cool, but ended up wimping out and then the teachers went smorgasbord on his fear." The girl nodded understandingly.

"So…why are they acting like grandmas then?" she asked tilting her head up.

"I guess he's just got that look about him." Riku said thoughtfully, removing his elbows off of the desk and folding his arms. The girl copied him.

"Mm-hmm…terrible when that happens," She said shaking her head "he doesn't seem to like it." Riku frowned and looked at the girl he was talking to. She was small, but not as small as Sora, and had short red hair. Her big blue eyes rested on his and she smiled.

"My name is Kairi." She said with a giggle. Riku gave a puzzled smile and looked back at the torturing of Sora; not many would so freely walk up and start talking to him like that.

"My name is Riku, and that goof-ball over there is Sora." Kairi giggled and watched happily.

"He's pretty cute; that must be why they're doing that right?"

"Well, I don't think a bunch of middle-aged women would be molesting him." Kairi looked up at him, her innocent eyes sparkling.

"Molested?"

"Uh…"

"Well now, Sora Kaito yes?" Sora rubbed his face.

"Yes." The woman nodded with a smile and flicked up the pages she had done previously, then she reached under the table and pulled out a box.

"You have good fortune, you came to the right table, I've had to send some over there." She said gesturing to the next table. "But your uniform is here." She handed him a small bundle of clothing wrapped in thin plastic, he prodded it gently.

"Thanks ma'am." He said, a bruise starting for form on his cheek. Riku smiled at him and moved away form the table, the girl by his side. Sora looked at the pretty girl and blushed.

"Who's your friend?" he asked shyly. Riku stood aside to let Kairi have the spotlight.

"My name is Kairi! I'm pleased to meet you Sora." Sora blinked.

"Uhh…how…?" he looked over at Riku "oh…yeah, hi then." He said with some enthusiasm.

"Hey you two, you need to go back to your rooms and change." Said the woman from behind the desk, she smiled and waved to Sora as he followed Riku out of the hall speedily.

"Hey hey watch it! You're almost on my heels!"

"I don't want them to pull my cheeks again!" Sora yelled, running a little ahead of him. Riku smirked and strode to the pace Sora was keeping.

"Y'know, with a face like that you got no chance – they're gunna do it all the time. Until you get a bit bigger and you don't look so much like a lil kiddie." Sora sagged. He didn't want to be treated like a child – he would be a teenager in 3 weeks, he didn't want this kind of treatment.

'I'll show them! I'll take a growth spurt and show them all!'

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