Chapter One
"Rikuuu! Hurry up!" A certain brunette friend of Riku's whined impatiently. This had become the normal routine for the two after school.
Riku rolled his eyes in response, setting his last book into his locker and closed it shut. "Done." Riku ruffled Sora's spiky hair before walking towards the door. "C'mon!"
Sora quickly walked after him until they were side by side, also part of the routine, and out the door. "You take too long at your locker! Be quicker!"
"At least I stop at mine. You never do- doesn't that hurt your back?"
Sora shrugged, shifting his yellow and silver crown backpack around over his shoulder boredly. "Meh. Sometimes it does. I don't mind though," Sora finished with a small grin.
Riku chuckled before glancing around for the last two in they're group. "Where do you think Axel and Roxas are?"
The brunette crossed his arms, looking away. "Probably making out somewhere."
"What?" Riku glanced back down at Sora. "You jealous?"
"What? No!" Sora immediately uncrossed his arms, focusing his dark blue eyes at Riku's sea- green ones. "Why would I be jealous?"
"Cuz you don't have a boyfriend."
"Maybe I don't want a-" Sora caught himself, then his cheeks lit up in a bright shade of pink. "R-Riku! Shut up! I like girls!"
Riku flicked his nose before commenting. "Really? Your face is red."
"I-Is not!"
"Is too."
"Just shut up!" Riku chuckled again, walking away from his friend. Perhaps Sora did like girls, Riku didn't know. He certainly didn't. He could tolerate Kairi and Namine but he had always known Sora. Ever since they were only five years old. Now in high school, eight-teen and seven-teen, it was like they were closer than ever. Unfortunately for Riku, so had Riku's feelings for the cheerful brunette. Sora had remained oblivious as always, also unfortunate for Riku.
"Oy, Riku? Over here!" A feminine voice called out. Riku looked around until he spotted short black hair and blue eyes across the parking lot. His friend Xion, of course.
"Sora, Xion's over there!" Riku called over the brunette, grabbing his hand and leading him over towards Xion. She stood by a small red car, which Riku recognized as Axel's car.
Sora yelled back, "I thought we were looking for Axel and-"
They both caught up with Xion, so she finished Sora's sentence. "Roxas. They're both in his car... uhm... And I need to get to my job."
Riku glanced in through the window, seeing exactly what Xion was mumbling about.
Both Axel and Roxas were in the backseat, Roxas being underneath Axel with his arms around his neck. Axel on top of him with his arms around the blondes waist. Neither one of them looked like they wanted to stop, but the rest of them wanted to leave the school grounds already.
Riku tried knocking on the window first. When that didn't work, he kick the door a few times. Axel switched his green gaze to the silver haired teen, rather annoyed. Roxas too.
Axel pressed the button on the side door for the window to roll down. "What?"
"We gotta go."
"So?"
"So stop making out with your boyfriend and get us outta school already!"
"Just wait for Vanitas. He drives doesn't he?"
Riku shuddered, remembering the last time he got in a car with Vanitas- Sora's older brother. "Not a chance."
"Ugh..." Axel looked down at Roxas, giving him one more wet kiss before sitting up. "Fine, fine. Who's sitting-"
Xion cut in this time. "No way are we sitting in the backseat where you just swapped spit." Riku nodded at this. Frankly, it was gross.
Axel grinned. "We've done worse back here."
"Oh, come on!" Xion scowled, but everyone knew she was perfectly fine with Axel and Roxas going out. The three of them were extremely close after all.
Axel leaned over the front seat, unlocked all the doors and sat back down. "Fine. Riku can drive, Roxy and Xion and I can stay back here. Sora can sit up front with Riku. Everyone happy?"
"Fine by me," Riku started to say as he walked around towards the drivers seat.
"R-Riku?" Sora squeaked out, being dragged along. "W-W-Why are you st-still holding my h-hand...?"
"Mm?" the older teen glanced down to see that he indeed was still gripping Sora's hand. "Oh, um... My bad. Sorry about that..." he murmured, letting go reluctantly.
Sora's face was still red. "Th-Thats okay..." He climbed into the passengers seat as Riku got into the drivers. Xion sat in the middle of the two boys in the back, much to they're annoyance.
Riku liked Xion. She was a good friend to him. She didn't act like Kairi or Namine or Selphie, just talking about shoes or makeup, whatever stupid thing they were into. Xion also knew that Riku cared about Sora- more than he should. She kept it a secret.
Yeah, she was a good friend all right.
"Here," Riku said as he pulled into the parking lot. "Where'd you say you worked at again?"
Xion smiled. "Who's up for ice cream?"
As soon as Xion spoke those last two words, Axel and Roxas were getting out of the car. Xion giggled, getting out after them more slowly. Sora and Riku followed, going after Xion as she walked towards Dairy Queen. She explained to them, "I got a job here maybe two, three days ago. I know how much those two idiots love ice cream so I thought we could all come here after school sometimes."
Sora grinned, "I like that idea! Ice cream is great!"
Riku rolled his eyes, smiling a bit at his friends enthusiasm. Even when as a seventeen year old Sora was still cheerful and hyper. Riku really liked that about his friend.
"I thought so! Now come on! I might be able to give it to you guys for free!" Xion laughed, walking into the store.
Axel and Roxas were already on line, waiting for Xion to get behind the counter. Once she was ready, the words flew outta Axel's mouth. "Two sea salt ice cream bars."
"Four- fifty, Axel."
The red head dug around in his pockets, laughing awkwardly. "Ahaha... I don't have my wallet with me..."
Roxas rolled his eyes, shoving Axel outta the way and taking four dollars and fifty cents. "Here."
Xion rolled her eyes, handing them two bars of ice cream and a recipet. "What about you, Sora?"
Sora was looking through the glass at all the different flavors. "Ooh, that one looks good... Hm... No, what about..."
Riku sighed, knowing Sora might just take a half hour to decide, and said, "Two slushies," as he slapped a ten down on the counter.
Xion blinked at the dollar. "Its only five."
"Keep the change."
"Fine by me."
The four of them ate on the stools in front of the large glass windows. After awhile a dark blue car pulled up outside, loud rock music blasting from the windows. Sora groaned. "Damnit... We gotta go Roxas."
Roxas frowned, glancing outside. "Vanitas is here already?"
His response as getting a loud honk from the noisy car.
"Shit," Roxas mumbled, breaking his Popsicle stick in half.
"Don't curse Roxy," Axel snickered, pulling his boyfriend close for a good bye kiss.
"Mmh," Roxas started to say, pulling away. "Shut up, Axel."
Sora and Roxas left after that, Xion had other customers to deal with. So that left Axel and Riku alone.
Riku was good friends with Axel, like he was with Xion. He trusted him, but maybe not with everything...
His voice interrupted Riku's thoughts. "So, you gonna ask Sora out or not?"
Riku's face flushed, even though his slushie was still cold. "What? No!"
"Aw, why not? We all know your gay-" Axel started to say.
Riku cut him off. "Its not that easy. I can't just come out and tell Sora 'I love you, go out with me'. It's... hard to explain."
"Then explain it to me." Axel smirked.
"Look, Axel," Riku looked down at his slushie boredly. "Even an innocent touch from Sora can drive me insane... I just... I need him. But, I don't want to scare him..."
Axel listened then his voice was low. "See, I wouldn't know about that. Roxas and I..." he shrugged. "Something just clicked, and it happened. What, you don't think Sora has that for you?"
"...He wants a girlfriend."
Axel scowled. "And we both know a certain girl who's practically head over heels for him."
Both of them said her name at the same time-
"Kairi."
