Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is NOT mine. u.u; It's Squeenix's and Disney's I believe. But this work of mini-art is. So no sniping it!
So, on with the fic :D

The feather was blew up for the umpteenth time. It was wrong to be so bored on a balmy day that was neither too hot nor too cold. But then again, what else did he have to do. He could hear the other kids laughing as Tidus told another raunchy joke just a little over 100 feet from him, and in that laughter, heard the laughter of his former best friend. It wasn't that they wanted to leave each other's friendship, but not long after they both returned home, things became strained. Riku had acted more stand-offish with everyone, quieter than ever, while Sora had done his damnedest to fit back in with the crowd. They'd both apparently succeeded.

The feather floated to touch his cheek since his internal ramblings had taken his focus off it. With a sigh, he brushed leather covered fingers across it to let the bright yellow feather fall to it's demise in the water, sitting up and seeking out a head of milk chocolate hair. Seeing the easy-going smile and laughing eyes, he swung his leg over the tree to turn and face out to the water. Sora... He could honestly that he missed the boy. But he didn't really know how to bridge the gap between them.

While he watched, he didn't realize the brunette had felt eyes on him and turned his head to look over at him. Their eyes met and he didn't even try to make it appear that he wasn't watching. For some reason, Sora looked to be blushing before he was the one to turn his head and Riku blinked because of it. Why would he blush? It's not like he hadn't been caught staring before. He jumped off the tree and headed toward the shack, only to jump off the bridge midway to splash lightly in the surf before walking over to where their boats were tied up.

He could feel the eyes following him as he jumped in the boat, untied it, and pushed himself away from the dock. In truth, he could feel those eyes following his back as he headed back to the mainland, and it was just a little bit unnerving. So Sora had a staring problem. It wasn't a big deal... but he was curious as to why. He would probably find out later, in a completely ungraceful way, more than likely.

But it didn't matter. Calculus was demanding his attention as he climbed onto his balcony more out of habit than anything else. Of course, his mother had told him to quit and use the front door but he never paid it any mind. Climbing was as normal as breathing and he kicked off his shoes right there next to the door before going to his bed, where his school books and papers were strewn all over the place. One look at the mess made him sigh before he situated himself in the middle of it all to get to work, his foot kicking the alarm clock/cd player on to the latest blaring cd he chose to listen to. So went another day in the life where nothing quite felt right anymore, where nothing could ever be right again.

Somehow, "I'm sorry" didn't quite have a good ring to it. As he brushed his hair in the mirror, a frown graced those perpetually hardened lips. What was he going to say? "I'm sorry for trying to kill you and allowing myself to be fooled and possessed. I'm sorry for hiding from you in the guise of someone you hated because I was a coward?" Yes, that sounded about right. But it didn't at the same time. For some reason, Sora struck him as the person who would just stare, then burst out laughing when he tried to say something like that. Or belt him with the keyblade that wouldn't leave him now.

Fingertips stilled in the glossy locks for a moment before his hand lifted before him, calling forth the black and red keyblade. Always dark in some manner or form. Why though? Because he went to the darkness willingly? He didn't care particularly, but for some reason, the keyblade seemed to pulse in his hand, making him drop it and let it fall until it nearly clattered against the sink before disappearing to wherever it chose to be while he wasn't using it. He looked down at his hand, wondering at the feeling before hearing something clatter in his room.

Instinct made him slap off the light before opening the door a crack to peer out at whatever made the noise. It was still far too early to be awake in the morning, only being near five and barely even time for a sunrise. All he could see was a shadow of nothing near his bed, and all he could hear was soft cursing while his alarm clock was set back where it belonged. Apparently it was someone who knew his room well enough to not know he'd mildly rearranged it.

That thought humming within him, he pushed open the door and smacked the light back on, bathing his intruder in a pale yellow light. "Sora."

"Ehehe...hi Riku." The bright grin was slapped firmly in place, and an embarrassed pink spread across his cheeks.

"What are you doing here..?" His voice was carefully measured, not betraying that he was somewhat happy over the development but also not hiding the slightly bitter note that it didn't happen more often.

"Uh...came to wake you up?" The question in the voice betrayed the younger boy.

"Try again, how about the truth?" He stepped away from the bathroom and made his way to the bed again, standing opposite of Sora as he tossed the covers back into place, not at all surprised when the younger teen helped him smooth them into place.

"Why were you staring at me yesterday?"

The question startled him and he shrugged. "I always stare..why question it now?"

"Because I always wanted to ask, but I just didn't."

Green eyes met blue in the slowly disappearing darkness. A shudder passed through his lean body before he shook his head. "I just do." Just like that, he tried to end the conversation. Why? Because he was scared. Scared that if he said anymore, then Sora might question the tentative friendship they were reforming. Again, he was started from his thoughts by Sora jumping up on the bed and laying back to look at the ceiling. He gazed down at him for the longest moment before moving away to gather the books that were now spread on his desk instead of the bed.

"You know... I miss being here. It was like a second home." Sora's voice was soft, but both the sound and the meaning carried well enough through the quiet room.

"Yeah...I know. Yours was the same." He shoved another book in, cursing under his breath when he jammed his finger on a different one and pulling it up to suck on it just a little, as a child would.

"It's weird...I mean. You don't really fit in anymore, because you choose not to. But I don't really either, if you think about it. I'm just trying to go along with the crowd and it just doesn't feel right."

Riku looked up again over to Sora as the other boy turned onto his stomach, one hand propping up his chin so he could look at Riku. "So why do it?"

"Because... Man this is going to sound weird... I'm scared of not being normal, really. I know we aren't, but I don't think I could deal with not seeing them all every day, hanging out, having..fun..."

"It's not so much fun, is it?" Riku again questioned him. "You always watch me too Sora, and I can't help but think, at least now, that you might not want to be with the rest of them." His voice was soft again, almost as if he was afraid to say the words.

"It wasn't exactly my fault we stopped talking you know." Unable to just be idle, Sora sat up cross-legged on his bed as Riku fastened his bag shut. "I tried to make things work still, but you kept going off by yourself."

"Because it all seems trivial!" Riku cut in and turned to face him. "We nearly killed each other Sora, and now we're chatting like we're just the best of friends again and I have no idea what to do!" He met his eyes again while Sora was stunned into silence. "I'm sorry, alright? Sorry I let it happen when I should have tried harder in the first place. Sorry that I actually believed you would abandon me. I'm sorry I tried to kill you..not once, but twice," here his voice hushed a little. Somehow, the words didn't seem too stupid now that he was actually saying them. "I'm sorry I kept you looking for me..when I was right there..."

"Riku..." Sora cut off anymore apologies as he got off the bed and walked over to him, looking up and inwardly cursing the lack of height. "I never wanted apologies," he said softly. "All I wanted was for us to go back to being friends...not quite like the way we were maybe, but at least able to talk about being frustrated as all hell because of simple things."

Riku shook his head some. He didn't honestly believe that was possible, after all they'd gone through, but he had hoped, at one point...but no, he wouldn't even think it.

"No? Well damn, guess we can take it further then."

Warm lips covered his own and his bag fell to the floor in an expression of his shock. All he could stare at was the brown fringe that covered Sora's closed eyes. His best friend was kissing him. Well, maybe he wasn't his best friend anymore, or maybe he was, who knew, but still. He was being kissed. But now he wasn't. Guileless eyes were looking up at him curiously.

"Riku...?"

"Shut up," the words were half-strangled as his arms lifted of their own accord to wrap around Sora. Now he understood why he stared so much, why he obsessed over the little things the brunette did. This time it was he who closed the distance to kiss again, but this time, they were pressed together, as if they couldn't be close enough. It was rather ironic that they went from not talking to wanting to crawl into one another's skin, but it wasn't all that surprising.

Riku had loved Sora since they were kids, and with age, the feeling had only grown stronger. Yet he thought that he was fighting a losing battle, that Sora could hold no interest for him like that because he seemed focused on Kairi. Yet, apparently, both of them were hiding too much from each other.

The kiss broke with a quiet gasp from both participants and led to foreheads being rested together. "We're both stupid," Sora muttered, his own hands clutching at the loose and clingy shirt that Riku had donned when he woke up.

"Yeah...and we can't stay here..." Riku added, only feeling reassured when Sora nodded. School seemed so ... trivial.

"But where can we go..?"

"Anywhere." Raising his head and nudging Sora back just a little, he lifted a hand to show him. Thick, dark swirls came into being just a few feet away from them, directly in front of Riku's hand. He could feel the boy beside him tense. "I can still use it, if I have to..and we can get away from here."

Sora only relaxed a fraction as he nodded. He didn't particularly like it, but it was a means to an end. Hopefully, they wouldn't have to worry about fitting in for the next place. They could just exist. "Alright."

"So..when?"

"Tonight."

Riku blinked a little, the first question running through his mind being 'so soon?' But he tamped it down and nodded. Tonight was just fine. They could pack a few belongings, leave their parents letters, since he couldn't personally imagine telling his own mother that he was going to leave again, permanently, then find each other and leave the islands forever. True, they were going to leave behind friends, but they didn't understand what it felt like to be trapped. Not even Kairi could understand. So he nodded, holding onto Sora lightly.

"So I'll see you..where?"

"Your room..I'll meet you there." He turned to give him another small kiss, keeping this one as chaste as can be.

Sora responded with a nod and pulled away from him with a flirty little smile. "See you tonight then Riku." With that, he all but bounced out the door and jumped down from the balcony, sprinting for the home he would never see again after today.

Owari

Haha, Faery, this is for you, kinda..like a prequel to your a ficlet, found in your livejournal, linked in my profile.