Chapter Two: Memories of an Insomniac

Riku yawned as he stared up at the white ceiling above him. He'd been lying in bed for hours now, unable to sleep. It wasn't new by any means. It was the eyes. Those brilliant blue eyes that made him take Sora in. He was just like Roxas in so many aspects. And Roxas… Riku sighed and thought back to where he'd met Roxas… That boy with the same eyes as this new boy, Sora Darling India.

Roxas was younger, a short blonde with cow licked hair, a perpetual pout on his pink lips. Riku remembered the scowl on the boy's face when he spoke.

"Why do you keep looking at me?"

Riku was in the empty café, rewashing a table he'd washed three times already. He brought his eyes up to the intense blue shade of the other's, "Sorry. You're new here, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Is there a place to crash in this town?"

Riku jumped, had he fallen asleep? Probably. It had been that way for two months. It had been that way since Roxas. Riku finally crawled out of the warmth of the bed and made his way to the kitchen through the dark. He flicked on a small light over the stove and ran some tap water into a glass. Riku paused with the glass in hand as his mind drifted once more.

"Can't sleep, Aqua?"

He jumped, the soft voice behind him jolting him back to reality, "Did I wake you up?"

Sora leaned against the door frame on his forearm, his eyes amused, "Yeah. But why're you up?"

"I don't… sleep well…"

Sora raised his eyebrows as he walked towards the other, "Why?"

Riku hesitated, as the brunet was standing a mere foot away, "Long story."

With a small smirk, Sora stole a sip from Riku's glass, "Well, if neither of us can sleep, then all we've got is time, right?"

Against the stove, Riku had nowhere to go, so instead, he simply stared, "Tell me your story first. Your name, Sora Darling India. How about that?"

"My mom was a 'flower child,' if you know what I mean. Dad was the county sheriff, married right out of high school because of me. I was unnamed for a month. I guess they settled it. But you're avoiding my question, Riku Madison."

"I have memories," he stated, his emerald eyes at the floor.

"Memories?" Sora placed his hands on his hips, "As in? Does it have anything to do with you being disowned?"

Riku was silent for several moments until finally, "…yeah. It does… He does… I don't want to talk about it. You can stay as long as you want, though, so don't be gone when I wake up. Goodnight."

"When you 'wake up,' Aqua? I thought you didn't sleep. Just gonna lay in bed for six hours, are you?"

"G'night, Sora Darling India."

"Goodnight, Riku Madison."

"A place to crash? Not really. How'd you get here?"

"I hitchhiked."

"From where?" Riku's eyebrows were raised at the blonde who stood in front of him.

"Texas."

"Why?"

Roxas ran a pale hand through his fair hair, "'why?' Why do you care?"

"Are you looking for a place to stay or not?" Riku placed a hand on his hip and waited expectantly, "Well?"

"My dad beat me up, so I took off. How's that? So do you have somewhere I can stay?"

"Yeah. I do. For as long as you want, kid. Tell me your name."

"Roxas Hibarachi. What's yours?"

"Riku Madison. Want some juice? It's on me."

"Morning, Riku Madison. Sleep well?" Sora leaned over the counter, the black bandanna back in his hair. He pushed a glass of orange juice towards the other, "Drink it. You look tired."

"Yeah…" He obeyed after a lazy yawn, his mind still fogged with sleepiness.

"Well, I'm here, like you wanted, Aqua. Anything in particular you wanted me for?" Sora smirked with a youthful air rising around him.

"What?"

The brunet rested his chin on his palm, "So who's Roxas?"

"W-what?"

"You were tossing and turning and muttering the name all night. Pretty girl, Riku Madison?"

"N-not exactly… I need to get to work…" he muttered hurriedly as he ran his fingers through surprisingly cooperative hair.

"Right," Sora raised an amused eyebrow at the sudden uneasiness at the boy across the counter.

"You can stay here or…whatever. There's an extra key on top of the fridge. Bye."

"Seeya, Aqua," He gave him a slight wiggle of his fingers as he watched him leave the small apartment. The door clicked close and Sora smirked as he sipped the other's abandoned orange juice, "I'll piece you together, Riku Madison."

The brunet let out a soft sigh and placed the empty glass in the sink. His hands on his hips, he frowned, if the apartment wasn't spotless, he'd clean for Riku, but it appeared that Riku Madison was quite the neat freak. His dishes neatly done and his fridge healthily stocked, there was nothing that Riku Madison needed done. Sora allowed another sigh to pass his pouting lips, what was he to do all day? The brunet sank down into a hard wooden chair, who was Roxas? That was what he could do today. Find out who Roxas was.

Sora stood and straightened his baggy blue shorts, "Alright, Riku Madison. Time to figure you out," he grabbed the key from the high top of the fridge and abandoned the apartment.

Digging in his pocket, the boy frowned; seven dollars. How would he find out anything with that kind of money? He looked to the sky, the gentle cotton clouds, "Help me out, Mom…" His voice was barely a murmur as he spoke, and finally, he squinted to see a coffee shop down the street, "Alright, then…" The brunet sauntered towards the quaint area, surprised to see a man with flaming red hair leaning against the door.

"Can't go in, kid."

"Any reason why not?" Sora crossed his arms and glared at the tall, lanky man. He wore all black, contrasting his brilliant emerald eyes with accentuating dark teardrops below.

"Owner's cat got loose. Can't go in. Got it memorized?"

"Yeah, sure. You know people in this town, right?"

"What do you think?"

"Can you tell me who Roxas is?"

The man's face visibly tensed, "Why?"

"Because I'm staying with a guy who won't tell me."

"And who's that?"

"Riku Madison."

His eyes saddened for a moment, "Listen. Kid. If Riku wanted you to know, he'd tell you. Don't pester him on it, got it memorized? It's a touchy subject."

"So can you tell me why Riku doesn't sleep at night?" Sora watched the sorrow appear and fade in the redhead's eyes. Who was this Roxas?

"Listen, when Roxas died… It messed with Riku. A lot. He meant everything to him, okay?"

Sora nodded, hiding a smirk. He'd gotten all he needed. Roxas was a boy—someone very close to Riku. Someone who'd died, "Well, thanks then…"

"Axel Manx. And you are?"

"Sora Darling India," he stated with a boyish grin, "I need to be going. Thanks, Axel."

"No problem. Come back sometime."

"You betcha." Sora wandered farther down the street, his mind drifting. He doubted Roxas was a brother. Or any relation, for that matter. He meant everything to Riku and had to do with him being disowned. Sora rubbed the back of his neck, it sounded like they were lovers. Or very good friends.

"Sora?"

"Huh?" He glanced to his caller, then to his location. The café, "Oh, hi. Aqua. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm on break."

"Nice apron, Riku Madison," Sora smirked at the long black fabric around Riku's waist, the packaged straws hanging precariously out.

He ignored the comment, "What have you been doing?"

"Just wandering. Met a guy named Axel Manx."

"Mm." Riku leaned back against the brick of the café. "Axel's kind of different."

"Yeah. He is. But he's not really why I'm out here. Can I ask you something personal and potentially offensive?"

Riku's face was blank, "Sure… What is it?"

"Are you gay?"

Both were silent until finally, Riku spoke, "What did Axel tell you?"

"Not much. I don't think he meant to tell me what he did, Aqua."

Riku stared into the deep blue hues that were gazing intently into his own, "Why do you have to know? You barely know me."

"I learn a lot about who helps me. Everyone from Benton, Mississippi, all the way here. Siverland, Alabama. And you didn't ask me anything before you took me in."

"No. I didn't."

"So why?"

"You remind me of him."

"Roxas?"

"Yeah."

Sora waited, and when nothing came, he spoke again, "Can you tell me?"

"Yeah." Riku's emerald hues were on the sidewalk, his hands deep in his pockets. "At home. Not here. I'll try to get off as early as I can. Wait for me there."

"Okay." The brunet looked to the uncomfortable boy beside him, "Take it easy today, Riku Madison."

"See you later, Sora," he sulked back inside, leaving the other standing alone on the empty sidewalk.

"Seeya, Riku Madison," Sora whispered softly to the silent air.

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"You feeling okay?"

"Yeah."

Sora was once again leaning over the counter, his chin on his palms, "Here. Drink this." He lifted a tall glass of a foul colored liquid and wiggled it at the other, "You look pale."

Riku wrinkled his nose, "What is it?"

"Don't be picky. It tastes fine."

He accepted the glass, but simply stared at Sora, "Why do you always wear that headband?"

"I'll tell you if you drink it." He winked and waited for a response.

With a scowl, Riku raised the glass to his lips and took a small taste of the thick liquid. Despite its brownish color and implacable scent, the drink was not nearly as putrid as one would assume.

Sora gave him a toothy grin, "My dad gave me the bandanna for my eighth birthday."

"That's it?"

"That's it," the brunet strolled slowly around to the other side of the counter and stared up at Riku with his hands on his hips, "So you gonna tell me, Aqua?"

"Have you ever been called nosy?"

"I've been called everything under the sun, Riku Madison. So..?"

Finally Riku sighed and sank back against the wall, "Okay. So you want to know about Roxas? About me and Roxas? You got it, Sora Darling India. Better listen, though, because I'm not repeating a single word."

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