Konoko: small explanation of this chapter. this is the development of Kairi and Riku and a slight bit of the curiosity between Sora and Riku. After this, the plot will actually come into veiw. For Kairi haters, try to stay into the story and look past her. She's actually very important to this.


"Hello?"

"Hey, Riku!"

"Kairi? What is it?"

"Ollette and Hayner are going to the movies and asked me to go along but I don't want to be a third wheel. Then I thought, 'hey, Riku's never doing anything, so why not ask him' so here I am and I want you to meet us at the mall around five o'clock at Starbucks, got that?"

"Uh, wait, why didn't you ask Tidus to take you?"

"…he's just too busy right now. So do you want to go?"

"…"

"It's on me and besides, we don't do anything together anymore! This is our chance to hang out again. This isn't a double date issue I swear!"

"Alright, five o'clock, right?"

"Yep, at Starbucks! Thank you so much! It would've sucked to be there alone and not be able to enjoy the movie because Ollette and Hayner were having a make-out session. Yuck! So anyway, see ya there! Love you, bye!"

Click!

"That girl is a couple of scenes short of a film strip."

Kairi sat at the kitchen table eating lunch with her family. She loved how they kept up traditions in their families especially the ones where they all ate together. She got a chance to observe her family and learn thing from them. A family of redheads and one blonde was the oddest picture she had ever seen. She loved each one of them in her own way and was an expert on each of them, though none of them knew much about her. That is, none except Naminé.

Naminé Umi was her beloved younger sister of sixteen and therefore the baby in the house. Everyone's job was to be sure she stayed the good one that would turn out better than the rest of them did. Kairi was already pushing eighteen being only a few months younger than Riku therefore there was no hope for her. She laughed inwardly at this. Naminé would remain the innocent one if she had anything to say about it. She just wished her sister wouldn't hang around that Marluxia kid so much. It always put a damper in her plans for Naminé and she only wanted the best for her little sister. The pink haired psychopath was not what she wanted for her sister in any way.

Kairi glanced at Reno and Axel. They were both were nineteen and half being only ten minutes apart. Identical twins that acted nothing alike personality wise but were just as obsessed with sex as a normal Umi was. After all, Kairi's mother and father had the twins when they were only sixteen. Kairi wouldn't say she was obsessed with the feeling of having her brains screwed out but she did enjoy doing it more than the normal girl. Umi family members had a lack of control over their hormones. Naminé was the only one who hadn't felt the urge which was odd because at sixteen Kairi was all but willing to loose her virginity. Reno and Axel both lost theirs in their freshman year of high school.

"So Raggedy Ann, where you headed today?" Axel asked casting a smirk at her. "Heading to Tidy Whitey again?"

"Nah, he's being sucker for his ex-girlfriend again. He says that we need to cool it for a while so he can so say straighten her out," Kairi said nonchalantly.

"Nice how he makes it seem like you're actually dating," Reno smiled leaning back in his chair.

"Ain't it? He thinks that I don't have better thing to do aside from wait for him to decide if he wants to stay with Yuna or not. But unfortunately for him, I have other plans for today."

Naminé lifted her head from her food. "Oh? What's that?"

"I have set my sights on something new and unattainable!"

"What, breast implants?" Axel asked making Reno nearly choke on his soda with laughter. "Or ass implants?"

Naminé giggled at the disgruntled look on Kairi's face.

Their mother, Lucia, threw a plastic fork at Axel's head. "What have I told you about making fun of your sister's lack of endowments?"

"Mom, not everyone can be stacked like you!"

"She's right about that mom. If we weren't related by blood, I'd do ya!" Reno spouted cheerfully.

"Well thank you for the compliment, son but I like my men with more experience than you'll ever have."

"Ouch. You cut me woman!"

"Okay, can we get off the topic of you doing mom, Reno? People are trying to enjoy their food," Axel said shuddering at the mental image.

"Ugh, that's disturbing. Anyway, so what are you after this time, Kairi?" Naminé asked changing subject.

Kairi smirked taking a confident sip of her strawberry soda. "Riku Crescent."

Lucia paused and looked at her daughter as if she had grown a second head. "A Crescent?"

Reno laughed obnoxiously. "Kairi, when it comes to a Crescent you actually need the endowments to snag one!"

"Then I wonder how you were able to sleep with Yazoo without being shot because I'm not the only one who could use a hormone pill or too, mister pinky!" Kairi shot back using her pinky finger for emphasis.

"That's a wonder coming from you itty-bitty titty committee!"

"They maybe little, but because I have them plus a kitty to go purr, I'll never have to take it up the ass, prison bitch."

Lucia flinched. "Wow."

Axel smirked. "Woo, burn!"

"Wow, you just got burned by Raggedy Ann, Reno. You want a hug?" Naminé asked with a smile.

Reno glared at his other two siblings as Kairi got up triumphantly from the table and washed her plate. "Well, I have a movie date, so I need to get ready! I will see you later, Raggedy Andy!"

"See ya kid," Axel said still snickering at Reno.

"Bye Naminé. Get some cream for those burns Reno!" she said quickly before running from the plastic knife that almost hit her on the way out.

Lucia sighed. "And you all wonder why I use plastic utensils these days."


Phantasmagoria

Females and Kisses


Riku winced slightly as Yazoo pulled his hair up into a ponytail while Kadaj dug through his closet digging for some suitable to wear. Loz just looked bored out of is mind as he reclined on Riku's bed. Riku couldn't help but fell how Loz looked. He sat there as Yazoo arranged his hair in a "decent" way, how the hell he ended up with the triplets in his room. He retraced the steps in his mind.

Kairi had called, true. Movie had been planned, true. He fooled around for a while, true. He got dressed in jeans in a t-shirt, true. He'd walked by the triplets on his way out, true. Ah, this was where the mistake happened. He told them that he was going to the movies with Kairi. Now both Kadaj and Yazoo claimed that he was disgracing the Crescent name if he went anywhere while looking less than on par with their family style much less out with a good looking girl.

"The whole point is to look better than her while not outshining her," Kadaj had said.

"You may think this is just an outing with friends, but she has it in her head that it's a date." Yazoo murmured brushing Riku's hair.

"Especially if it's Kairi, she's been trying to get one of us since her sweet sixteen." Kadaj muttered.

Riku yawned and stared at himself in the mirror. He's worst nightmare had come true at the hands of these two. He was going to be pretty.

By the time it was over it was already four thirty. He looked at his appearance and decided he didn't look as bad as he thought he would. His hair was pulled back neatly into a low ponytail with his bangs brushed to the sides so that even he could see his eyes today. A nice designer pastel yellow button up shirt was around his torso though that was more white than yellow in Riku's opinion. The flamers had said that it accented his eyes and hair. The pants, which were a pair of black slacks, were alright considering they were his. They were pretty comfortable and he got to where a pair of doc martens so he was happy. At least his whole style hadn't changed.

"You know, I'm going to be late."

"Oh right. How are you going to get there?"

"I was going to ask dad before you guys drug me into this whole little dress-up game."

"Oh, uh Vincent isn't here. He got called into work today. You'll have to ask Sephiroth."

Why did evil music start playing his head that sounded like backwards Latin? Riku shook his head. "I have to ask Sephiroth?"

"Well look at it this way, he'll probably do it for you. After my last incident he vowed never to take me anywhere."

Riku ran his hand over his face and slapped his cheeks a bit. Okay, problem with being a maybe person. They were always indecisive about major things. He could A: puff up and ask Sephiroth to bring him to the mall, or B: call Kairi and cancel and never here the end of it. So, risk his life or risk his hearing. It would be wrong to skip out on Ollette and Hayner too. He was too nice. So that would explain why he stood in front of the door to the sociopath's room. He lifted his hand to knock only to be scared out of his mind by the sound of his brother's sinister voice. Why the hell did his brother have a sinister voice? Was he just born to be evil?

"Either come in or don't touch my door at all and walk away. You knock even once and I will not hesitate to put a knife through your head."

Riku gulped and opened the door cautiously, ready to duck if anything sharp came toward his head. "Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth sat with his back turned at the computer desk his fingers moving gracefully across a keyboard. Crud, Sephiroth was doing his homework for college, never the best time to bother him. Riku stepped in and walked up behind him quietly stopping only when a sword met his throat quickly. Vincent had to be nuts to buy him that. Then again, Sephiroth didn't want a gun for his first real weapon so Riku counted his blessings. "What do you want, you sleepless bastard?"

"Uh, I need a ride to the mall and dad's not here."

"So you would use me for a last resort just knowing I will pity how weak and helpless you are with out a licensed adult and allow you to step foot in my car to get you to this filthy cesspool of teenagers you call a mall?"

Riku stood there a moment then shrugged. "Well…yeah."

Sephiroth blew out an annoyed breath and stopped his work. "Least you're honest."

Riku smiled slightly which disappeared when Sephiroth stood up and glared at him. Well then again it might not have been a glare considering Sephiroth looked like that all the time. He simply stared at Riku with an unreadable expression. It didn't register what the man was looking it until Sephiroth flicked his bangs and plucked him in the forehead.

"What did those two fruitcakes do to you?"

"I honestly don't know but it's made me late and I really need to go now."

Sephiroth's eye twitched. "And what purpose would there be in you going to the mall? If it's shopping I'm going to maim you; if it's hanging out with your bitchy friend Roxas I'll kill you and I swear to god if you're going to buy anymore music that you will blast late at night when you're going through one of your emo-bitch phases I'm going to fucking destroy you. All these answers are not something I needed to stop my assignments for so please choose your source of pain carefully."

"Um, what if I said none of the above?" Riku asked. At least he knew where he got the twitchy eye from. "I'm meeting Kairi."

"The lifesaver slut?" Sephiroth's eyebrow arched a degree.

Well, he knew he wasn't the only one who hated cherry life-savers. Why did that sound less disturbing the first time he thought it? "Uh, yeah, she asked me to go to the movies with her, Ollette, and Hayner."

Sephiroth scowled but said nothing in response which most likely meant that Riku tipped on the border of getting his ass kicked and getting his ass killed. When you get stuck in the middle of that it's the safest you will ever be around him because he can't decide which one to do to you. Riku was glad he landed on that thin line. Sephiroth walked out the door not waiting for his baby brother to follow.

The younger boy glanced at Sephiroth's computer desk curiously to see what paper he was working on but his attention was averted by the picture on his desk. Riku didn't know Sephiroth kept pictures or anything "stupid" like that. He squinted at the picture but drew back in surprised. It was Cloud. A younger Cloud that Riku had never seen before. He sat in Sephiroth's lap with his head pressed against Sephiroth's forehead. Riku had never noticed this picture anywhere in his big brother's room. The expressions on both Sephiroth's and Cloud's faces were so serene. He wondered if he had ever seen Sephiroth so calm. It made him smile for some reason.

"Get out of my room!"

"Ah!" Riku jumped and ran to catch up with his brother.

They walked out to the creepy black car with black tinted windows that scared the hell out of Riku. He hated that car because he had nearly been killed in it six times since Sephiroth brought it. It wasn't that Sephiroth couldn't drive, it was the fact he didn't have consideration for the other drivers. He'd been in it when Sephiroth flipped it last year because some psycho with a death wish decided to cut off a certain black car that was going ninety on the open highway. Sephiroth hit him and they both flipped. Unfortunately the only one to get hurt was Riku who had his head on the roof of the car when the seatbelt decided that it wasn't company guaranteed. He hated that fucking car.

"Are you just going to gawk at it or are you going to get in so I can go about my life?"

"Uh…right," Riku muttered getting in. he shut the door and buckled the new seatbelt, tugging it hard to be sure there was no chance of it breaking.

Sephiroth scoffed starting the car. "It's not going to kill you, pussy."

"I'm not ah-!" Sephiroth pulled out of the driveway giving Riku whiplash and sped off toward the mall.

-------------------

"Kairi, calm down, Riku wouldn't stand you up and you know that."

"Yeah, it's not like the guy has his own car yet so stop being so fidgety."

Kairi stood in front of the entrance to the mall's Starbucks fidgeting in her new black skirt and red halter top. Riku was fifteen minutes late and that was not good with some one like him because that meant on of two things; a: he didn't have a ride, or b: he changed his mind and didn't want to go. She had worked so hard to look good. Her make-up was perfect; her earrings shined just right and her hair was pulled back with pretty butterfly clips to show off the light glitter in her make-up. She was picture perfect and glamorous enough to stand beside a Crescent without a single mishap. The only thing that was missing was the freaking Crescent.

Ollette looked at Hayner who shook his head with a light smile. Kairi tried too hard some times.

A horn blowing loudly caught their attention as a black car swerved through the parking lot. It spun out and stopped right in front of the trio making them jump back with frighten screams. The passenger door opened and Riku charged out flinging himself over the nearest garbage can. Hayner grimaced at the retching the boy was doing. Kairi and Ollette blinked and looked inside the car wondering who was driving the monstrosity. Sephiroth stared at them hard.

"Make sure that puss of a Crescent gets home before midnight. If he is not, I will hold you responsible and I will personally slaughter the three of you along with my brother dearest and trust they will never find the chunks when I'm done. Are we clear?"

Kairi and Ollette nodded immediately. He placed a set of sunglasses on his face and revved the engine. "Good, oh and be sure to pass the message on to Haiti, Anus or whatever his name is. Shut the door."

The girls shut the door at the same time and jumped back when Sephiroth sped off. Ollette looked at Kairi who was slightly flustered. "Okay if you look past the fact that he's a homicidal maniac, would you still do him?"

Kairi tilted her head and shrugged. "Yeah…I think that would be the best death in the world."

"Oh you guys are sick," Hayner said letting Riku have a sip of water. "You okay man?"

Riku held up his hand showing he was alright. It was embarrassing to get sick in front of them like that but to ride with Sephiroth was an unwanted rollercoaster of death and unsettled stomach. He was just happy he didn't eat a lot for lunch or he would really feel like hell. He stood to his feet and looked over at Kairi.

"Can we just go now, please?"

Kairi sighed and smiled. "Sure thing!" She took up Riku's arm while Ollette clung to Hayner.

Riku's twitch eye was going to be a problem but he tried to suppress it as best he could. They trotted around with Kairi giving him a meaningful look every now and then. Riku was a lot of things, but he wasn't dense. He had to go ahead and assume that his brothers were right and Kairi thought that this was a date. Even worse, it was a double date. So here he was stuck making small talk with Hayner while Ollette and Kairi shopped.

"You know that this is the worse situation a man can find themselves in," Hayner said off-handedly while balancing Ollette's shopping bags.

"No worse would be being stuck without someone else to talk to and then having to try on things that the female species thought looked cute," Riku muttered struggling to hold on to all of Kairi's bags.

"Or even worse, them trying things on and then ask that dreaded question…"

"Do I look fat in this?" they said at the same time while laughing.

"I hope I never hear another female ask me that again. The last time Ollette asked me that it went out control and I ended up getting my ass kicked by a group of girls who said it was my fault she started crying," Hayner said dismally.

"Ollette never tortured you like that, again?"

"She better not. I'd break up with her before I ever attempted to answer that question again. I hate the fat questions."

Riku nodded in agreement. Kairi and Ollette finally came out of the store with new bags. Thankfully they took pity on the boys and carried those themselves.

"I think we're done for the day, Ollette. Hey, Hayner can we stash these in your car until after the movie?"

Hayner nodded. Riku was happy enough with that, anything to keep from carrying them around. Setting this into motion, Hayner locked up his car and Riku rubbed his arms thankful to be rid of all the weight. They both stretched a little getting the ache out while Kairi and Ollette talked amongst themselves.

"So you really believe this is going to work? I mean the movie double-date is one of the oldest tricks in the book. It's too simple."

"That's why it'll work, Ollette. It's so simple that no one uses it anymore that for no one would suspect someone of using it because it's too old of a trick."

"What about you and Tidus?"

Kairi was silent for a moment. "Tidus is old news! He's too confused about himself to fulfill my needs so I have to look into something new."

Ollette lowered her gaze glancing at Riku. "So Riku is the something new right?"

"You are correct, my friend."

"But Kairi, Riku's kind of shooting high. I mean he doesn't even date and he turns down most people who've asked him. I mean you could've gotten Kadaj or Loz, hell you had a better shot with Sephiroth. Do you really think you should shoot for the baby of the family?"

"The baby is always the easiest to pick off, Ollette," she answered. "Now this conversation is over and you go back to being lovable with Hayner. I'll handle Riku, okay?"

"Just don't get your feelings hurt Kairi," she warned. "Riku has a knack for that even if he doesn't date."

"What are ya'll blabbering about over here?" Hayner asked with boredom in his voice.

"Just about what movie we want to see," Kairi covered.

"Speaking of what are we going to see?"

"Grind House!" the girls spouted.

Hayner and Riku looked at each other. As much as it was a good guy film to see, they knew what it was for. The girls get to cuddle close to them when stuff got too graphic. Why did girls think that boys were stupid?

Inside the movie the seating as followed, Ollette, Hayner, eight empty seats, Kairi, Riku and more empty seats. They were at the top where most people didn't sit which meant no outside noises and no one getting up for bathroom break. It also meant that no one could see a make-out session in progress which made Riku groan inwardly. But he let it go.

Halfway through the first film, Kairi felt sick and turned into Riku's arm to avoid the disgusting images of the zombies and infected soldiers. Riku couldn't say he wasn't enjoying the film. Cherry Darling was kinda hot for an amputee but he liked Dakota better, she could use those three friends of hers on him any day. He couldn't get comfortable though with Kairi burrowing into his shoulder like that so he did the first thing that popped into his head and put an arm around her. This allowed her to nestle into his chest without any obstacles. He didn't realize that mistake until he felt glossy lips touch jaw line.

He froze and looked at Kairi in surprise only to have that taken advantage of too when she pressed her mouth to his. Riku stayed motionless for a while before slowly pressing back against her lips. It wasn't even a bad kiss nor was it as disgusting as he thought it would be to kiss a girl like Kairi. The show of affection was nice and strangely sweet to say that he had no interest in Kairi before aside from her being very pretty and slightly attractive. He admitted that he liked it even if it was awkward. This was only the second time he had been kissed by someone. This was only second time that he didn't have to initiate anything. This was the only time he had felt a small amount of affection behind it.

Kairi had released a small breath when she felt Riku kiss back. She had been praying that he wouldn't push her away because if he did, well everything she'd done would be for nothing. She felt the butterflies lift in her stomach when he pressed closer to her and her mind blocked out the screams from the big screen. She became a bit braver and lightly ran her tongue over his lips asking timidly to be let in. She didn't expect it to be granted or Riku's tongue sliding against her own. This was definitely more than she had expected to happen.

Riku knew in the instant that he had opened his mouth and allowed Kairi a bit more intimacy that she wanted to sleep with him. He could tell the way her hands slid over his arms and hesitantly under his shirt. Still, for some reason he didn't mind. Who knows, maybe he was that starved for affection since Roxas had ditched him for the week to be with Axel. Maybe he was just humoring her. Maybe he was just that sad of case that he actually felt the need to feel connected to Kairi. What ever it was, it kept their kiss going and evolving. He decided that it would be okay to give her what she wanted just this once.

It wasn't long before she wound up partially in his lap with his hand up her skirt. She bit her lip to keep any noises quiet because there was no way she would be caught doing this somewhere as cliché as the movies. Still it was hard to stifle those moans that were building up in her throat. To say he didn't date that much, he sure as hell knew what he was doing and even that was an understatement. Her head was pressed back against his shoulder as her back arched with each thrust of his fingers.

"Riku!" She whispered his name as a shuddering orgasm washed over her. She lay breathless against him and arched slightly when he pulled his fingers out of her. She pulled his hand to her mouth and sucked his fingers seductively, cleaning her own mess of his hand. She looked up at those beautiful cerulean orbs that were half lidded and clouded over. She didn't like the way they looked at her, like they weren't looking at her but at someone else.

Riku gazed into Kairi's dark blue eyes and he couldn't help but imagine another set that were bluer than the indigo orbs the redhead possessed. He leaned forward and kissed her with his eyes closed picturing a small brunette kissing back with eyes wide open. He was falling into the blue sky he adored even if it was through someone he didn't feel much for.

Kairi shuddered at this new passionate kiss. There was too much affection, too much longing in this joining and as happy as she should've been she wasn't. This kiss wasn't for her and it upset her greatly. She didn't like it and she didn't want to feel this thing that belonged to someone else.

----------------------------

Riku stood outside his home with Kairi about to put the key in the door when she stilled his hand. It was around eleven fifty which meant everyone was winding down and the last thing he needed was to wake Vincent or worse, Sephiroth from their light sleeping. He gave her a questioning look when she stopped him from unlocking the door. She smiled playfully and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks for coming tonight. Despite serious threats to your safety by Sephiroth, you came through for me. Thanks a lot."

Riku waved it off. "Don't think anything of it."

There is a look in existence that only women have and that only lasts for a split second. If you were to blink at any point you would not see it and you would be able to go about your merry little way. Riku made the mistake of not blinking and the look had been seen. A look border lining heart broken had passed over Kairi's face in that millisecond and instantly Riku wanted to know what he said wrong. However it had passed too quickly for him to be able to ask. She was smiling again.

"Let's go out again sometime…" she paused a moment. "Not just as friends, okay Riku?"

Riku only stared at her knowing that the answer meant a lot to her. It meant a lot to her because she was female and every answer is important to female. It was a male's job to choose the right answer even though the right answer was something he didn't really want to give. Then again, Roxas had dropped him for Axel for a while and Tidus had obviously abandoned her for a while. So what to do? Give in and call it a day.

"Sure, we'll get together again sometime."

Kairi's face lit up and she hugged him. "Great, we'll do something next weekend so that school won't get in the way. It'll be worth your while, I promise!"

With that she pecked his lips and watched her skip away to Hayner's car. Riku stood there until they drove off wondering if that was such a good idea. Oh well, couldn't go back on it now. He unlocked the door and went inside quietly. He trudged upstairs and passed Sephiroth's room. He wondered why the door was opened whoa! He was snatched inside and door was shut behind him. He heard the door click which let he know he wasn't going anywhere.

"You are three seconds past curfew and you smell like the lifesaver slut. Give me a good reason not to strangle you for your poor attempts at sneaking past my room with a blank expression as to why my door was opened."

Riku's twitch was back and he decided to just beat Sephiroth at his own game so he could go to bed. "I'm not late. You said in the car and I quote, 'Have your narrow ass inside the front door before midnight other wise I will turn your insides out through your navel and leave you for the alley dogs.' Even though I was fighting not to vomit in your car because I didn't want the ass kicking, I still was able to hear each and every threat you issued. I was inside the door before twelve and it took me three seconds to walk by your door. Can I go to my room now?"

Riku was almost frightened by the approving look on Sephiroth's face. "Good, you're learning."

Before he knew it he was kicked out of Sephiroth's room literally. A foot print was left on his pants right in the ass area. He groaned when he hit the carpet and glared at the door that was slammed behind him. Riku was starting to see that there were a growing number of people in his life that he just didn't understand. Letting it go, he got up and walked to his room. A sigh of relief escaped him. He was happy to be back in his room. No pressure, no worry, no females, no problem. It was the best place in the world. Maybe if he hurried he could draw Sora early tonight.

He paused. That sounded kinda strange to keep drawing the phantom every night. It almost sounded wrong. He shook his head. That was silly, though he was still unsure of what Sora was. Come to think about it, he didn't know anything at all about Sora Yoruno. All he knew was that he enjoyed the boy's company. Maybe that was a bit selfish…

------------

Sora walked slowly out of the room of the hospital ignoring the loud beep coming from the EKG machine. He led a little girl by the hand smiling reassuringly at her. Her blonde braids swaying playfully behind her, she smiled brightly at him happy to be going with him. Sora didn't meet her pretty green eyes as he brought her out of the hospital.

His expression of calm was hard to keep knowing that this was the youngest that he had ever had to bring away from the island. Imagine, being only nine and ready to die. She must have gone through something profound to know she was ready and call out to him herself. Still, he was told to take her to heaven. He couldn't understand what the higher angels were doing with all these young souls but he didn't argue. He just did it.

Sora stepped to the side as a girl ran by that he recognized from his days in school. He saw his friend Titus following anxiously behind her. He could hear the girl's cries from where he was and he did his best to keep his target from hearing them so that no regrets were placed.

"Oh god what's happening?! What's happening to Rikku?! Tell me please!"

"Yuna, please calm down. They're doing what they can!"

"Rikku! Don't die, please!"

Sora sighed as he watched the little girl look back. He squeezed the kid's hand and squatted down to her level.

"There's still time. You don't have to go yet."

Rikku looked back at her big cousin who cried into Tidus's arms. She heard the brown haired girl praying for her to not die. Sora got ready to lead Rikku back to her body. He was getting a bit tired of these constant pulls on his heart strings.

"Sora?"

"Hmm?" Sora said still lost in his thoughts.

"Are you mad that I called you so soon?" she asked timidly.

"No, Rikku, of course I'm not mad. It was just a surprise. Still, I shouldn't be too surprised, you'll be a big help to us when you get up to heaven."

She beamed, happy at the fact that she would be useful somewhere. Sora patted her head and took her out of the hospital. He was somewhat glad that the kid still wanted to come. He brought her to the pier where a beautiful blue boat awaited them. He led her onto the boat with the others holding her hand the whole way. An odd looking boy with strange tattoos all over him came into view. He waved at them with a grin.

"Brother!" Rikku shouted and ran into his open arms. "Oh I missed you so much!"

Sora smiled and was about to board when something stopped him. He looked back toward his old neighborhood and he could see the soul light beckoning again. He tried to ignore it but he kept looking back. The longer he stayed the louder the music became inside and out. The urge to be one with that creation reached all the way down to his core. He could tear himself away from it. Taking a look back at Rikku who was content with her brother, Sora waved telling the ferry to keeping going. He couldn't see Riku today. He swore to himself he wouldn't.

------------------------

Riku wait with his head down wondering what was keeping his late night visitor. He had been playing for almost half and hour and Sora had yet to show. Maybe Sora was good to his word and didn't want to come back his time. Perhaps he had frightened him off? No, Sora didn't seem like the skittish type. He more or less seemed like he was wart of breaking rules. However, if seeing Riku was breaking rules then why did he come in the first place? What was the point of meeting Riku if he knew it was wrong for him to even stay?

Riku put his guitar aside and lay back on his bed. He figured if Sora didn't want to see him again than he just didn't there was nothing he could really do about that. Though resigning to defeat left him feeling a little empty. He almost felt hurt that Sora could stop coming so easily. He lay there frustrated wanting nothing more than to see the brunette again, even if it were just a glimpse. Maybe Roxas was right, Sora was a muse and he was starting to feel the affects of it.

He had been so lost in thought that he didn't feel anyone enter the room. He didn't jump until he felt added weight on the bed and even then his instincts didn't kick in to turn around. Instead he just froze. Arms slid around his torso and he felt a warm cheek against his back. Small patient breaths slid across his skin as he was hugged closer. He slowly relaxed in this comforting hold.

"You came."

"You called to me again. Why?"

"I…just can't seem to leave you alone."

Sora smiled against Riku's back though he didn't know why. He let Riku go when the older boy turned to face him. Riku held a content smile on his face and he dared to touch Sora's cheek. Sora didn't run this time. Instead, he leaned into the touch.

"I wanted to give you something tonight."

"Oh?" Sora's eyes held curiosity that revealed a playful nature to Riku that he was sure the boy didn't show very often. "What is it?"

"Promise you won't run away?"

"I've never ran from you before. I've calmly walked away."

Riku rolled his eyes and took Sora's face in his hands. He leaned forward hoping he wouldn't make the boy bolt right of his room. He brushed the petal soft lips of his phantom testing before pressing fully on to them. Riku hoped Sora wouldn't pull away. Hoped he wouldn't be disgusted or angry with him. This was just something he had wanted since he had kissed Kairi in the movie theater. This was a kiss only for the brunette.

Sora tensed and his big blue eyes widened. Millions of reasons why he shouldn't be doing this ran at a fast pace through his head. But as Riku's lips slowly massaged his own coaxing him to respond, Sora's eyes slowly slid closed and he pressed closer to Riku. Sora felt his spirit exhale in this warm contact and though he could still see the records of Riku's weary soul, he could sense the peace that his presence brought to the boy. Just for now until the morning light, he could stay.