Riku? Sora looked past Isaka and saw Riku standing in the door way. "What the Hell do you think you're doing?" Riku asked.

"This is my room, Riku,"

"Indeed. So why is he in it?" Riku asked gesturing towards Sora.

"I don't need to explain the things that go on in my room to you,"

"Riku!" Sora called from the floor, he tried to crawl out from behind Isaka, but he gently kicked Sora back into place.

"Let him go,"

"Namine is looking for you, Riku,"

"And I believe mother is looking for you..I'll go fetch her for you," No, what are you doing! Sora thought as Riku turned and started down the hall. Isakas leg dissapeard from Soras chest and so he stood up and ran for the door. Isaka grabbed his shoulder first, though, and said,

"Rain check," He said and let go.

"Riku!" Sora called as he left the room. He ran right into Rikus waiting arms.

"I'm so sorry Sora," Riku said as he kissed the top of Soras head. Sora was shaking furiously in his arms. "I'm sorry," He said again as he placed his hand on the back of Soras head, steading him some.

I feel surprisingly safe in his arms..Sora thought as he burried his head in Rikus chest. Riku pulled away for a moment to unbutton his shirt. He slid it off, and placed it around Soras shoulders. It covered Sora thoroughly, and they walked down the hall together back to Rikus room. Riku sat with Sora on the bed until he stopped shaking. Rikus arms were around Sora and he never felt more protected in his life.

"Riku, thanks for being there.." Sora said,

"I'm sorry I was needed,"

After a while, Riku stood to get a new shirt.

"So, we need to figure out what to do next," He said as he buttoned up his new one.

"What do you mean?"

"We need new living arrangements,"

"Oh...I can..um..go to my mom.." Sora said quietly.

"No, we're staying here. We just need a new place to stay,"

"We?"

"We," Sora smiled at that. At least Riku wasn't going to leave him alone.

"I don't want to cause trouble. We can stay here,"

"I know you can't, Sora. We'll stay until I find better arrangements. It should be fine, I think they have a business arrangement this week, anyway. So they should be gone for that time,"

As if on cue, Takona entered Rikus room.

"Excuse me sir," He said with a bow "Your parents are leaving for their flight now,"

"Thank you, Sebastion,"

"Sebastion?" Sora asked, confused. "I thought that was Takona,"

"He calls me Sebastion because he thinks every servant should be called Sebastion," Takona said with a wink. Sora giggled at Rikus childness. It was a rare side of Riku that no one really saw. His cold hand was on Soras head,

"You going to be okay?" He asked. Sora looked up at him,

"Yeah," As long as you're with me,

Riku smiled, "From now on, you're not leaving my sight," Sora smiled too, and they got dressed for their day. They headed downstairs and drank tea in the tea room, when Namine appeard. She sat down on the other side of Riku and talked.

"No," Riku said in monotone as he took a sip of his tea.

"That's what I thought, but I decided to do it anyway, dont you think you've had enough tea?" She yelled.

"I like it," Riku said, taking another sip. She yanked the cup out of his hands.

"You'll get sick!" She yelled.

She talks to Riku so easily..Sora thought. How long have they known eachother?

"Sora, tell me I'm right!" Namine yelled.

"Huh?"

"Tell Riku that drinking that much tea will make him sick!" Riku turned and looked at Sora, waiting for a reply.

"Uh..yeah..I've heard that it does make you sick,"

"Fine," Riku said as he stood, "Let's go,"

"Eh?" Sora asked, standing aswell.

"We need to go look at places,"

"Oh yeah,"

"Places for what?" Namine asked, standing aswell.

"A place,"

"For?"

"To live,"

"What? You guys are moving out together?"

Riku walked off, leaving Sora and Namine. She repeated the question to Sora, who rubbed the back of his neck.

"Uh, yeah, my mom moved out of town, and Riku doesn't want to leave me alone," He laughed awkwardly "I don't have any money,"

"Oh, why arn't you just staying here?"

"Uh..I'm allergic to fancy places," He said with a smile and ran off after Riku. They went to look at several condos availale. Sora said they were all too expensive, but Riku wanted something even more expensive. Sora eventually won, and they decided on a four bedroom, and two and a half bath. They placed an offer and went out to lunch.

"I still don't see the need for four bedrooms," Sora said accusingly, as he took a bite of his sandwhich.

"A room for me, a room for you, a room for studying, and a room for our dog,"

"A dog?" Sora said with his eyes growing wide.

"I haven't decided on what kind, but I really want a dog,"

"Isaka-san said you got a dog before, and you didn't take care of it!" Riku gave Sora a look at the mention of Isaka. And probably, upset at the title.

"That's a lie, I took care of it. It died of liver cancer,"

"Oh, sorry.."

"I think I want a mut," Sora tried to talk him out of it, but Riku had his mind firmly set on a mut named 'Poxy'

"Is that supposed to be funny?" Sora yelled at the name.

"I like it,"

"Do you want people to think it's had syphillis?"

"It's a mut.."

"I like Gunner,"

"I don't,"

"Well I don't like syphillis!"

They argued like that over the duration of lunch, and decided to name it when they have it.

A week later, they got the condo, and hired someone to decorate. Sora yelled at Riku for spending money so freely. Riku ignored him and they went to the pound to look for dogs. There were sevral that caught Rikus eye, and Sora had to drag him out before he bought every one. It's not that I don't like dogs, it's just that I don't think so many would be a good idea when we just moved in.. But Sora loved how Riku looked when he was with the dogs. He was so caring, and intamite with them.

"Sora," Riku said as he looked at Sora with his peircing green eyes "I need to tell you something,"

"Eh? What's that?"

"I..." His eyes softened as he removed his eyes from Soras face, and instead, looked down at his feet, "I-"

"Sora!" Sora turned and saw Kairi running towards him. "Hey!"

"Hey Kairi, what's up,"

"I got excited when I saw you," She said with a smile, "You've been gone for such a long time.."

"Oh, I wan't gone. I was at Rikus,"

"Oh,"

"Look Kairi, sorry to say this, but Riku and I were actually in the middle of something,"

"Oh..right..okay, I'll see you later than I guess,"

Sora waved goodbye to her then turned back to Riku who was laughing.

"Hey! What are you laughing at!"

"Nothing," He said as he leaned back.

"So what did you have to tell me?"

Riku shook his head, "It's not important,"

"What do you mean it's not important, of course it's important!" Sora yelled, leaning into him.

"You don't even know what it is,"

"Anything you have to say is important!" Sora yelled, getting mad. Riku looked over at him, studing his face as the words spilled out of his mouth, "I've always cared about what you had to say! I listen to every word! So don't sit there and tell me something isn't important when I know it is! I saw your face!"

"Why are you getting so worked up about it?" Riku asked, Sora relized he was overly worked up about it, and pulled back from Riku.

"Sorry," He said when he was back in his original position.

"I liked it," Riku said with a smile. Sora blushed as they watched the sun go down. Then they walked home. Sora never found out what it was Riku wanted to tell him, but he didn't forget about it. They were just about to go to bed, when Sora asked him about it.

"About earlier?"

"What about it?" Riku asked, looking at Sora over his shoulder.

"Arn't you going to tell me?"

"It really doesn't matter,"

"Riku.."

Riku sighed and turned to look at Sora fully in the face. "It's not the right time,"

"Well, just know that you keeping this from me is going to be borderline tourcher,"

"I know," He said "Just like its tourcher for me to keep it from you," then he walked in his room and shut the door before Sora could reply. I wonder what it is..He thought as he went to his own room and shut the door. He undressed, and curled up under the blankets. He had a feeling he was going to be very happy here with Riku.

Sora stuck his key in the door and froze, as he heard barking on the other side. Oh no..He thought as he walked in. Sure enough, there was Riku on the couch reading a newspaper, with a dog at his side, growling at Sora.

"What is that?" Sora asked as Riku pet its head, trying to calm it.

"This," Riku said looking at Sora "Is Poxy,"

"Well..it certaintly looks like a Poxy, I'll give you that.." The dog was a dirty blonde in color. Its fur was matted around the ears and at random areas around the body. As far as Sora could tell, it was missing part of its ear from a battle with another dog.

"Poxy, enough," Riku said. Poxy looked at its master and bowed its head. It seems smart enough, Sora thought as he walked in and set down the bags of groceries.

"Where did you find it?"

"I took a walk and she followed me home,"

For some reason, Sora invisioned the 'walk' to be Riku dressed up like a cat in a suit filled with sausages. He giggled to himself and started putting away the groceries.

"Sora," Riku called from the living room "Did you get any more sausages? We're out,"

"What! But we had like 20 in the freezer!"

"We're out," He said again. Sora sighed and went out to the living room. He plopped himself on the sofa beside Riku, causing Poxy to growl. Riku threw his arm around Sora and pulled him close.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Sora yelled, stuggling.

"This is showing the dog that you're not a threat," Riku said, still reading his paper, "Now stay still," Sora sighed and stopped stuggling. Riku smelled nice, and his arm fit perfectly around Sora. Poxy was still on edge around Sora, but she stopped growling.

"How long are we doing this for?" Sora asked after a while.

"Until she lays down," Exactly twenty four minutes later, Poxy layed down by Riku, and he removed his arm exactly fourteen minutes after that. Sora didn't complain. But, he did count and wondered why neither of them moved when Poxy layed down.

Sora stood up and went to the bathroom. The hamper was already filled with clothes, so he did another load of laundry and cooked dinner. When it was time for bed, Sora watched Poxy follow Riku in his room as he quietly shut the door behind her.

He really likes that dog..Sora thought as he tossed around in bed. I don't like him spending so much time with her.. Then he sat up, Wait a second! Did I just say I'm jealous of a dog!?