This does overlap with "Little Wind on Land" so I did my best to connect these two without repeating anything.


The night he shared the special star-shaped fruit was one he knew he wasn't going to regret. The day he got to say "I do" was one he knew he'd never forget. It was as if he lived his life just for this moment…and in a way, it really was. Roxas had been with him for as long as he remembered. Not that either could have ever predicted this day with each other in the future, but Riku couldn't believe how long they've known each other. He almost couldn't believe how they were barely friends despite knowing each other but it was only until high school when it was more "official" that they were friends.

But here he stood, hand-in-hand beside Roxas, looking at their newly bought house. It felt like he was starting over again. The whole experience since his marriage felt like he was born all over again but with the most wonderful person in his life to be with him for the rest of the ride in life.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"I'm really glad to have two floors," Roxas stated as he came down the stairs to help carry more boxes, "It feels so roomy!"

"Yeah, hold that thought until you need to bring up the bed," Riku stated and the blonde paused in his actions.

"Goddamn you…"

Oh right…there was also that exciting and romantic honeymoon in Italy. Pure fun and long conversations in the day, but deep and passionate romance in the night…

Though Riku kind of wonders if he should confront Roxas about not flaunting how their sex goes sometimes at the reminder of the honeymoon when the handcuffs fell out of an open bag.

"…Roxas!"

Said-blonde popped his head out from the bedroom and then over the railing to see Riku dangling the cuffs that were also attached to a small piece of cloth.

"You really shouldn't have this so easy to find."

Instead of the stuttering he thought Roxas would respond with, Riku got more of a smirk.

"Why? Is it embarrassing for people to know how well you pleasure me on some nights…Ri-ku?"

"Sh-Shut up!"

Roxas had look of being pleased on his face when he turned it around on his lover.

With a shake of his head, Riku hid the items and continued with the carrying and later, the unpacking. Between work and moving in, Riku was shocked he hasn't gone crazy yet. Though he assumed Roxas would've gone through something similar if he had a deadline.

"Don't worry, Riku. Leave it to me! Don't overwork yourself, alright?" he said. The silverette assumed there was no deadline…especially since Roxas seemed to have mood swings when he had one.

When ignoring the time, it flew faster and soon(at least in Riku's mind), all the boxes were unpacked, there were things to sit on, there were things to put items on, and they weren't tripping over anything anymore.

Life is now complete…

"Riku, I think I'm pregnant."

…well fuck…

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Mako can be passed on?! Is a rare thing for it even taking effect when passed on?! It must be the case or Sora would've been impregnated long ago based on how often the brunette had sex…and apparently without a condom most of the time…

A kid was NOT part of the plan! Neither party was even that interested in having one! There is just no way…

How do you adapt to an obstacle like this?

"Roxas…I don't know if we can both have full time jobs and with a kid on top of bills," Riku expressed his concern that next night (as Riku spent the first night absorbing the fact that Roxas ACTUALLY might be impregnated, and the next morning and afternoon cursing the existence of Mako) on the couch with his partner.

"I know, Riku…but who knows? Dad says that I did have early signs of having Mako because of my eyes at a young age but aside from that, I didn't have any physical signs. He thinks the baby may die before it can actually grow though…" Roxas looked away, the thought seemed a lot more sad out loud, "Unless Mako messed with my genetic make-up that much without our knowledge, then that means my body is relatively normal so…it would take the new life form as a virus or some form of intrusion that shouldn't be there…"

"…Would you abort if you could?" Riku questioned but Roxas didn't look back.

"I don't know…if this was 'normal' I think I may think of an actual answer for that. But this…this isn't normal at all! It's not as simple for me to decide if I want to abort it or not. Dad…I don't think he was even supposed to go through with it…" Roxas confessed as the story streamed through his mind, "I mean…Sora and I could've been mutants or something. But he did anyway…"

"Do you…feel obligated too then?" Riku asked as he put an arm around the other in comfort.

"A little…"

"I know it's not good advice but…try and approach it as if it was normal. If you really want to keep the child, we need to talk about it if…if your body doesn't…um…"

The blonde's hand on the other's stopped him from talking.

"I know…I promise I'll let you know. It's just…well…I know it's early but…I think I kind of did want a kid or two with you somewhere down the road. Maybe a bit over 5 years down the road…but here, if it lives, we may actually get one. Our own genes too! I mean…it's a family, Riku. It's our own little family…"

Family…that really does sound nice; making one with Roxas and all…

"Are we ready is the question? What if we're not?" Riku brought up as he rested his chin on his hands, using the arm of the couch.

"…I'm not sure…" Roxas shook his head in near disappointment, "I guess…we could put it up for adoption?"

"I'm not really happy with the adoptions we have here. It's too…full…"

"Yeah…that's true..."

Great…stress and problems early in the marriage…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The two kept the topic within reach but they often went around in circles with it. It kept ending with "Are we ready for a child?"

"Roxas, you can be as ready as you want to be," Cloud stated one night over the phone, "You think I was ready to have you and Sora? Fuck no. And don't believe Squall, he was actually the one that wanted to keep you guys the most. I was the one ready to abort you both."

"Geez, thanks, Dad," Roxas responded sarcastically, "Really great to know."

"He promised to take the most responsibility and all that. I wouldn't tell you to do this but I did something stupid, that could've turned out bad but didn't, by caving to your father's request."

"I see…"

"But by the end of the day, I told myself it was time to grow up…well, grow up some more. And I honestly believe you and Sora turned out fine…I still don't like Axel though. Have you heard from Sora lately?"

Roxas let out a light chuckle from that comment.

"I have, he is fine. Axel really does care about Sora, don't worry…and thanks, Dad. I guess I just have to grow up, again, faster!"

As the months went by, it looked like Roxas's body wasn't as normal as it looked when another examination with Cloud's "underground" Doctor that worked in a regular hospital luckily, Dr. Hojo, the cell was shown to be growing at a relatively normal pace.

That night, Roxas was almost afraid to bring it up with his lover when he came home.

Riku may be the only one not a fan of the to-be-baby mainly due to their current situation. Roxas will admit, he wanted to have some years of alone-time with Riku, while married, before having a child running around. But still…they have a chance of having their own baby…no homosexual couple gets that chance unless they get a donor to carry their child. Even then, it's not completely the same.

"Riku…?"

Still, it's a talk they needed to have. It's something that would affect both in a very impactful way.

"Our home is certainly big enough for a child and we're both pretty financially stable right now," Roxas explained as the two found himself back on that couch. The blonde is starting to dislike this thing as the place that now stands for where they have serious talks, "Plus! I'm a freelancer! I'll be home a lot! Unless I have to meet directly with the clients I mean but that's not very often so…I can be around to take care of it."

"A baby isn't a walk in the park, Roxas. I know we agreed to split house chores but with a baby around, the chores essentially double in one way or another."

"I know, Riku…and I promise I'll work hard to not make it hard on you. I know you have a long day at work."

The silverette let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair,

"A baby is going to be very expensive."

"Right…well I figured it's a good time to make a better budget for ourselves and maybe…maybe we can finally make a joint-bank account. We keep putting it off but this might help with paying bills too."

Just by mentioning money Riku is reminded that Roxas still gets paid more. Not only that…Riku was pretty sure he may get a raise soon. They're both pretty responsible people when it comes to money too…well just maybe…

"Oh! And Radiant Garden is a pretty safe place not to mention it has good schools."

Dang, Roxas is already thinking that far ahead. Then again…they may have to. The child does need a good environment…

"But Riku…in the end, I would never do something you're not ready for. I won't have the child if you truly feel you don't want it."

Its not that Riku didn't want it…he knew he would love to have a child with Roxas. Though by the end of it, he couldn't bring himself to become "ready" for one. Hell, a "baby/family" wasn't even on his plan list! Sure his plans have gone through numerous revisions but not once has a 'baby' or a 'family,' not even a pet either, has gone onto the list! It just can't happen like this when one doesn't even expect it!


Sora found it silly when Riku expressed his concern at a local coffee shop about not having it "planned."

"Riku, mistakes happen all the time, right?"

"Right…?"

"So do accidents, right?"

"Right…" Riku nodded again as he drank his coffee.

"And you said so yourself that your life plan has gone through a lot of changes! Riku, even if you and Roxas didn't plan to have a child anytime soon, didn't the fact you did plan to MAYBE have one count for something? Doesn't that mean it might've ended up on your plan at some point anyway?"

True, but still! As Riku sipped his drink, he didn't respond…

"Didn't you tell me way back in high school that you were worried about your future and that's why you made a plan in the first place? Well you're doing it again! You're worrying about the future! If planning makes you feel better, then plan out how to raise a perfect kid!"

"…Sora, raising a kid is a lot different than a line up of things that you-"

"Aw come on, Riku!" Sora cut in with a pout, "It's one thing if you don't want the child or you really don't think you're ready for it, that's fine, it's your choice and you know yourself well. But it's another if you're doing it out of fear of the unknown."

Yeah…the last thing either Riku and Roxas wanted…was screwing their kid up…

Is he ready? Riku wasn't sure how you determine that. They seem to technically be ready but mentally?

"Maybe I just don't want it…well no…that's not right. I do want a child with Roxas one day. But…" Riku groaned as he turned to his side on the bed, "But that's how I was when I decided I'll marry Roxas 'one day' and that took ages to do. By the time we want to adopt we might as well be in retirement…"

With a sigh, Riku flipped to the other side to face where Roxas lay.

"What about Roxas? I never…talk about myself. I know he would've proposed instead if he knew what I was thinking half of the time."

With a frustrated face, he went back onto his back to stare the ceiling in hopes the blankness might give him something to work with.

"Ngh…"

"Oh crap…"

"Riku…?"

"…"

Despite not answering, Roxas used his elbows as leverage when he looked over,

"Are you okay, Riku?"

"Erm, yeah, I'm fine…I'm really sorry for waking you," he said with utmost sincerity.

"If you're sure, Riku. Don't…be afraid to talk to people if you're troubled," Roxas reminded him, as he did time and time again before. Whether or not Riku uses that advice, even Roxas isn't sure.

"Yeah…I know."

With a weak smile from that unconvincing reply, Roxas lied back down. Though he couldn't worry too much with the way Riku seems to pull through everything.

The blonde's heart sped up when he felt the other's arm around him in the chest area and pulled him closer. Without questioning it, Roxas positioned himself more comfortably against the other's body. He turned so his head was against the other's chest and neck while Riku wrapped both arms around him.

"Your arm…" Roxas murmured as he's now laying on top of one of them.

"It's fine," Riku responded as he held the other tightly.

"Right here between us…our child…"

"Roxas…you can…I mean, we can…keep the-um-our child."


Riku's plan to handle the to-be-baby:

-Make sure it remains healthy through the pregnancy/Make sure Roxas's own life isn't at risk

-Organize the budget now

-Buy baby things, but only necessary stuff

-Pick possible names

-research everything on the internet…

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"Maybe we can pick a name after the baby comes out," Roxas suggested one afternoon when Riku noticed how they're getting closer and closer to the possible "birth" of this baby and they have yet to find possible names.

"I don't know, not many do that," Riku responded as he typed on his laptop on the kitchen table. Still, he did catch the sound that Roxas made in a disapproving tone. He heard the blonde pull up the chair and sit across from him.

"I want to name the baby after it's born."

"Why?"

"I don't know…I feel picking a name now would kind of make us think of an image for the baby without even meeting the baby."

"…Well, I suppose."

"I'll let you pick the name!"

Riku's typing took a pause and was going to resume but the thought stayed there,

"I don't think you want to trust me with naming the baby," he stated, looking over his laptop and at the other.

"Why not? I trust you, Riku. I'm no good with names. You can even ask Sora. When we were kids, we fought over the name of the cat and the dog among our toys. Sora makes silly names but mine have no creativity. He made Snuggleboobear and I made Teddy."

"Well nothing wrong with generic either," Riku shrugged but Roxas made a face, clearly amused.

"Not when the parents have cool names! Oh! Maybe the baby should start with 'R' too!"

"Ugh…Roxas, I'm going to start switching up you and the baby's name if we do that."

Though Riku kept it in mind. How do you even go about finding the perfect name? Riku sighed at the thought that he couldn't even plan until after the baby is born.

Born…life…


As if it was meant to be, the moment Riku laid eyes on the gentle face, sleeping at peace in his arms, his brain started running through like the fastest of internet connections to find that perfect name. It wasn't until Sora came into the hospital room to see his dear brother that it finally clicked.

Ventus.

The baby boy will be named after Sora…he is named Ventus: Roxas and Riku's precious treasure.

Riku's baby plan:

-Make sure Ven's brain is stimulated

-the usual feeding/diaper changing/etc…

-Cannot swear in front of the Ventus and…for most of his life living with them.

-Put away money for college starting NOW

-Must resist urge to sit Ventus in front of television for entertainment

-Talk to the baby…

-Be…silly…and-

"Okay, Roxas um…you're going to have be the playful parent here," Riku announced during the making of his new plan on his laptop as he sat on floor by the couch in the living room.

"What? Why?" the blonde questioned as he fed the newborn while he sat comfortably.

"…Because I don't want to do baby talk and…stuff."

"You think I do?!" Roxas exclaimed.

How in the world did they not talk about this beforehand?

Though the younger man's loud response seemed to have frightened Ventus as he started to squirm and makes noises of discomfort.

"Oh shit. I mean…Godda-gah!"

Riku wonders if they'll ever learn to stop swearing…

But when they look into Ven's bright blue eyes that tear up, the two found themselves easily tending to the baby. Not that doing it wasn't tiring or frustrating but sometimes…a single laugh or just cutely putting things in his mouth was enough to make it worth it for them.

As he and Roxas took care of the little boy that start to sport blonde locks, Riku found a sense of peace in the life he made with the other he's sharing it with…


16 years later:

Riku had a plan for virtually every certain age group for Ven's growth. Following through with the plan came up much harder than Riku's own life plans for some reason. Especially with how much Ven would cry or just simple get angry. Even without that, Riku sometimes just doesn't want to put in effort talking to Ven and make something as stupid as watching TV interactive. He also wasn't a fan of playing kid board games and playing pretend. Still he endured it…endured it all in hopes that Ven would grow up and leave for college already…

"That's a horrible thing to think, Riku," said Roxas during their before-bed talk one night as the blonde put down the book he was reading down on their side table drawer that also held their current light source in the form of a lamp.

"I didn't mean it make it sound like THAT!" Riku defended, "I'm just not a fan of raising a kid. I still love Ventus!"

"Try telling your boy that if he ever overhears you say your original statement," Roxas said bluntly.

"It's not my fault that he's an emotional person!"

With a sigh, Riku reminded himself that Ven, while pretty sensitive to things, at least held a part-time job now so most likely the boy won't go on the rest of his life being afraid of the real world…

At the same time…this little boy often came into their bedroom crying and asking to sleep with them because of a nightmare…

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"Um…Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Um…uh…can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"I…I kind of…like this person…like a lot! And-"

Riku's mind was put on hold before Ven even finished his sentence. Here he was in the kitchen, checking work e-mails through his phone while he ate (while enduring the kicks Roxas kept giving him to put it away) with Ventus going about his day at school today and he…what? No! This was NOT part of the plan!

"…How the hell did I not see this coming?" Riku thought to himself. Sure, Ventus has shown having obvious forms of crushes in the past but hasn't since he hit high school, "I guess I was being TOO hopeful to think he'd go through high school without liking someone…"

"I don't know what to do…" Geez the boy looked worried. Poking at the food never was a good sign. Is the crush that bad this time?

"Well, it doesn't hurt to tell him that you like him," Roxas suggested and only then did Riku catch on it was a boy. Great…

"How old is he?" Riku jumped in as casually as he could.

"Oh he's my age! We work together and he goes to my school too! We just don't have any classes together."

Brightening up when talking about the object of his affection. Great…definitely looking like a strong crush now.


"I swear to god, Roxas. Mako must contain a gay gene or something," Riku announced that night in bed only to get a raised brow and a worried expression, in the scared way, from his partner.

"Does it matter what Ven's sexuality is?" Roxas questioned.

"I was kinda hoping he was straight, or at least bi with a preference to girls. He seemed pretty split down the middle in the past though he WAS really little and probably couldn't tell the difference anyway…but if he was straight, the only thing I have to worry about is if the girlfriend is manipulative. If Ven likes boys, I have to worry about manipulation, rape, and higher chance of violence among dozens of other things!"

As Roxas sat there looking at his lover, he was half ready to look up this information and see if the same statistics for hetero relationships apply to the homosexual ones…but that can wait until tomorrow. He put down his hand hard on Riku's shoulder.

"Spoken like a true father." With another pat, the blonde laid down and shut off the lamp.

"Roxas! You can't say you're not worried at least a little!" Riku responded in the dark and the blonde could tell that Riku didn't even shift his body to lay down yet.

"Riku…I dated when I was younger than he was…"

"Yeah but you're not Ventus…Ven is…fragile and…naive…ugh…"

Roxas let out a sigh and would've shook his head if he wasn't already lying down.

"Riku…Ven needs to experience love in some form and learn from it. He has to learn how to handle heartbreak too, or at least more experience since that crush on his teacher that was apparently married. Ven just needs to be careful. If it makes you feel better, then tell him to bring the boy over if they do start dating."

"Oh I will…"

"But please don't judge a book by its cover…"

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As the weeks went by, Riku could notice his teenage son act very…smitten. He giggled far too much on the phone and sighed far too often when talking about his crush...Not to mention how defensive he got whenever Riku says "It's just a crush." Still…as long as the boy's grades don't drop the silverette backed off just a bit.

Finally, the day came when Riku started choking on his drink and the man was practically ready to die at that moment when Ven came home and happily announced he had a boyfriend.

No! No! Just no! Ven is NOT ready to be in a relationship! Absolutely not!

"What are his grades?" Riku immediately asked as soon as the coughing stopped with Roxas gently rubbing the other's back.

"Um…I don't know? Well he does slack a bit-"

"You're not dating him," Riku cut in before letting out one more cough.

"WHAT?!" the teenager immediately exclaimed, "That's not fair!"

"Riku…maybe that is a little bit unfair," Roxas said under his breath as he patted the back this time.

"People are very unreliable if they can't even handle keeping up their grades!"

"Uncle Sora and Axel seem to be doing fine!" Ven argued with a very Sora-like pout.

"And which couple here is living a 2 story house?" Riku retorted only to feel Roxas stop his work, "N-Not that I'm looking down on my best friend of course…" he added.

"At least they have a house! You're so awful!" Ven continued to argue causing Riku to hold in a groan. Though before he could continue, Roxas kicked Riku back to the Master bedroom in that "Don't do what I say and I will be pissed at you and you don't want me pissed at you"-voice. So the silverette had his own pouting moment being left in the dark. After about 10 minutes, Roxas finally came in and shut the door behind him.

"Riku, you can't go ordering Ventus to not see someone without even meeting the boy. He could be very nice," he announced as he walked up to the bed and planted himself beside the silverette.

"Ngh…"

"So I told Ven to invite him over sometime."

"Ugh…"

"And you will not interrogate him."

"…"


So Ventus announced he'll have his first "real" date and his boyfriend will come pick him up so that would be their intended meeting him.

As Ven came down the stairs in white and green striped tank top with shorts, Riku sent him back up to wear long sleeves and pants so it won't be "too revealing." Though Roxas thought it was utterly ridiculous in this heat so convinced Riku to let it go and have Ven come down in a simple dark green T-shirt instead.

Riku never was good with the whole love thing, and only got lucky when Roxas decided to make the first confession way back, but even he felt kind of bad to see Ven sit there on their soft seat all nervous while he waited for 6 p.m. to hit by trying to watch television in their living room. When someone's cell went off, Ven immediately checked it but almost seemed disappointed when it wasn't his. Roxas instead stood up and went to the kitchen to answer his phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Roxy!" the bright voice practically radiated off the joy in the other's voice.

"Hey, Sora."

"So Aerith and Zack somehow never got your new number so I'm here to pass on a message!"

"Oh, well okay. And you can give them mine after this."

"Okay, will do! So tell Ven to tell Vanitas that they want him back by 10 or he'll be grounded."

"…Who?"

"You know, Vanitas," Sora repeated.

"No, I don't know…?"

"Aerith and Zack's son? The one born in the same year Ven was?"

"…Sora I think I was too busy carrying a baby for 9 months, doing things no other man in the world but Dad and myself did or feel, to remember someone else's baby!" Roxas argued and he could practically imagine the sheepish smile on Sora's face after the brunette's light laugh.

"Sorry, sorry. You never did have time to go to the baby shower either. But surely you knew they had a kid right? Considering you guys DID help them move in to Radiant Garden like 5 years ago."

Yeah, Roxas did recall the news that Aerith and Zack finally decided to have a kid or two.

"Oh…I think they did mention Vanitas…wait so Ventus is…dating Zack and Aerith's son?"

"Yes! Geez you should stay more in touch with Daddy's friends!"

"So wait…does he…get grounded often?"

Ding-Dong

Oh crap…

The door opened swiftly, as Ven practically leapt for it, and Roxas could hear Riku get off the couch and see the boy. As the blonde turned around he could see Riku's eyes ready to bulge out.

"I don't know. Oh! But he does get into detention a lot!" Sora announced as Roxas rushed out of the kitchen to catch the dark-haired boy with a dark blood red shirt with dark design markings all over it as he turned around, threw an arm around Ven, and walked off to the jet black car he came with. Roxas felt his brow twitch with each step considering how he could hear the chains on Vanitas's black pants kept hitting each other as he walked.

"Hello? Roxas?"

"…I'll call you back, Sora."

As he hung up, the blonde shook his head.

"Ventus! Tell him his parents want him back by 10 or he's grounded!" Roxas shouted after him and Ven looked back with a hand raised to let him know he heard. After they were gone, Roxas shook his head.

"He is NOT dating that boy."

With a sigh, Riku decided this might be a good time to work on a plan on how to properly handle a teenager dating someone you don't want him to date.

"I swear, he's going to be a bad influence…" Roxas muttered under his breath as he walked back to the kitchen to call Sora back but was instead stopped by Riku.

"…Have I told you I love you today?"

"…No?"

Pulled him back a little, the silverette placed a kiss on those soft lips and only pulling away after a few moments.

"I love you, Roxas."

"I love you too…Riku."

It was far too easy to get caught up in life and unbelievably easy to take another for granted. Sometimes, it's just nice to know you're still loved no matter what…


You know, I like this "Land" series. I really want to write more but not sure how that would go lol. Maybe I can make mini-shorts. Well thanks for reading, guys!

Please read and review! Thank you!