AN:
yes. this is the longest chapter so far, I am quite proud. I also love it almost as much as the next chapter. heh, thanks for dropping reviews to those who have. I love them all and they keep me writing. I hope this chapter clarifys things a bit more, but it was not made to clarify and make you understand everything regarding the plot. Just most of it. There are many things left to be discovered and said.
i dedicated this chapter to a few people. firstly, the reviews, all of you. secondly, my roleplay friends, all of them, who make my day bright. I love roleplaying so much and they make it awesome. next, to my lovely twin smexxie who is my best friend for life. and lastly to eric, who i've been together with for a month now. happy one month, babe. (i am so lame)
inTOX!CAT!ON
x ♥ x
katraa
side-effect
It was Monday morning, and no sunlight was entering the unchanging hospital room. Rain plundered the hospital from the heavens above, giving no mercy or taking any heed to plans that may have be ruined due to the rain. Lightning would once in awhile light up the dark and dreary sky. The outline of the sun was scarcely visible behind the blanket of darkness. Rain continued to sweep the countless streets, hitting anything in its unbreakable path.
"You're going home."
A bag was shoved onto Riku's bed out of nowhere. The black duffel bag landed on Riku's stomach, making the teenager jolt awake from his slumber and clutch the foreign object with inquiry. His heart rate had increased dramatically from being suddenly awakened, but eventually slowed down to a normal pace. Jade eyes stared questioningly at Naminé, wondering why exactly he was going home now, and not yesterday. They really had not done anything in the past few days other than clear his system, so why now?
"The doctors can't find anything wrong with you. You're blood flow is fine, your organs are in working order, there's no clots in sight, and your heart beat is normal." Naminé declared in a sigh, twirling her blonde hair on her finger as she spoke. Riku figured it was a nervous habit, and made sure to make a note about it in his mind.
"So you had cleared my system just in time for the drugs to not do any harm?" Riku inquired hopefully, eyebrows arching as he did such. He really was not one to seek answers by questions, but more so by actions, but this current situation did not allow him that chance. This situation forced him to act like an inquisitive little child, begging for knowledge.
"Exactly." Naminé replied in a murmur, letting the hair whirl off her finger, only for her to begin the process again. "You were lucky, rich boy." She added on, cocking her head to the side as Riku glanced wearily at the bag on his stomach.
"..." He said nothing at first. His hands trailed up and down the black duffel bag in his lap, trying to think of the right words. Naminé beat him to it.
"Having second thoughts? Afraid people are going to treat you differently?" There was yet again no remorse in her voice, and it made Riku literally scowl at her. She sighed in response. "Listen, whether I believe your unlikely story or not, it doesn't matter. Only a few people know, or so you claim, so it won't be that big of a deal. Just... just tell them the truth." And for some reason, she was being helpful just because, and not just because her role as a nurse called for it. This advice, whether it be beneficial or not, was coming straight from her heart; as bruised as it was.
"He hates me, I know it." Riku muttered darkly, hand subconsciously gripping the bag in a small display of anger.
"You won't know until you go home." Naminé offered with a shrug.
"Will I still have to go through consoling?" Riku asked disdainfully, emerald eyes staring emptily at the bag, as if it concealed his so sought for answers.
"Yes." Came the simple reply from the blonde. "You almost died. The trauma alone will haunt and drive you insane unless you get the proper help." She walked over to the silver-haired teen, offering a broken smile.
"I'll be fine on my own. I don't need some stranger trying to pry their way into my life to tell my what I've done wrong. I can do that myself." Riku scoffed angrily, hating the idea that people would now and forever judge him just because of this small mishap.
"Trust me, you need the help." Naminé whispered. "No one should have to go through something like this alone. It can change you."
Riku rose his gaze finally to glance at the nurse. Questions lingered in those pools of jade. Lips parted as if to speak, but instantly shut. It was a silent understanding, but Riku needed more than that. He needed to know what he thought was actually the truth. "What happened to you?"
"It doesn't concern your case." Naminé murmured, turning her back on Riku.
"If I have to go through... consoling, does it matter who does it?" Riku called out to Naminé. His words stopped her in her tracks, making her shoes make a small squeak on the floor.
"They have to know a great deal about you, and how to cope with these things in a professional and safe manner." Naminé explained, refusing to turn around as she spoke.
"Then you do it." Riku stated simply, a smirk curling onto his lips. The smirk at once dissolved when he realized he really had nothing to smirk about. Not now, any ways.
Naminé glanced over her shoulder wearily at Riku, her own questions flashing in her blue eyes. "I know nothing about you. I won't be of any help." She was being honest, and it was a huge step from the cold, shallow, and lieing person he knew only days before.
"Then you and Sora can help me. That is if he even wants to talk to me." Riku trailed off but then continued. "You have the professional background. You understand how to cope with something traumatic. And I at least know something about you. That has to be better than some stranger. And Sora. He can help ... he knows more about me than myself." Which really was not true, to which he would find out sooner or later.
"Listen. I'm only a nurse, not a psychiatrist." Naminé answered in a dull whisper, her back once more turned to the teen. "I'm not qualified to do that. I'm a doctor."
"I don't care." Riku replied in a low voice that could equal the harshness of a growl. "All I care is that I have two people who will actually try."
"..." Naminé looked down for a few minutes before turning around to glimpse at Riku. "Tomorrow at four then..." And with that she silently left the room.
Riku stared in confusion as she left. Did she even know where he lived? Maybe she saw his address on his medical profile. Was she agreeing to this? She had to be to have set up a time and date. Did she really think that Sora was going to agree as well? Maybe... Maybe if Sora knew Riku was trying to cope with this and not label it as nothing, maybe he would help.
Riku pushed the black bag off him to get changed and head back home. Home. It seemed so far away, and yet so close now.
----
The rain falling outside the limo his butler drove, lulled him into a sleep. Arms were tightly folded to his chest as he sat in the back seat. Earlier he had been staring out the window, watching the watery world pass by them as they drove on. Silver strands of hair were resting on Riku's face. Usually such a thing would annoy the other, but due to the fact that he was asleep, he did not even notice or feel the bothersome strands of hair on his face. Green eyes were tightly shut as he fell in and out of dreams. Many made no sense, and he was sure that when he woke up, he would not have a recollection of any. And he liked it that way.
The limo sailed over a pothole, the back tire sinking in, resulting in the limo to jerk upwards. A bump. Riku snapped his eyes open as the smooth ride continued. The bump they had gone over had woken him up, and now he was certain he was not going to fall back asleep. Jade hues glanced outside the window beside him, noticing his house coming into site. A smile crept onto his lips as the limo turned into the expansive driveway. The black car entered the garage with a silent thud as the door closed behind them.
Home. He was home.
"Welcome home, Master Riku." The butler spoke, having exited the car and gone to opening the door.
"Yeah, welcome back yourself." Riku answered in regards to the butler's weekend vacation away from the house. Riku slipped out of the car with ease, letting his feet hit the cold floor of his garage. The cold air hit his face as the sound of rain on the roof relaxed him. It felt so nice to see colors other than that sterile white.
Riku left the garage through the door that connected with the main house. Once inside, carrying his black duffel bag tightly, he made his way to the living room. Everything seemed exactly like how he had left it. Normal. Safe.
"It's not over yet." Riku mumbled to himself, collapsing onto his couch with a sigh. He may be home, but the side-effects to the over-dosing dilemma would remain. Just the thought of that gave Riku a headache.
"…" Riku glanced wearily to the phone beside him. He had not seen Sora since Friday afternoon, and it was Monday. A frown crossed his lips as he weakly reached for the phone. The teen easily dialed in the brunette's number that he had memorized. One ring. Two ring. Three ring.
"Hello?" Came the empty and emotionless response from the other end.
Riku's throat suddenly became dry as he held the phone tighter, grasping for words. "Hey…"
"Hi…Riku…" Sora mumbled, seeming as if he really did not want to talk.
Riku winced a bit from the treatment he was getting from his best friend. He was not going to push on the situation and demand a reason why Sora sounded like he hated him. "Can you come over?" Stick to the shortest and simplest questions.
"…fine." Sora mumbled before hanging up.
Riku winced once more from the phone disconnecting. Sora never hung up on him. Their conversations were never that long. A sigh passed Riku's lips as he placed the phone back on it's cradle. Jade eyes clouded with confusion and anger.
Riku made his way silently up to his room. Once inside, he let out an annoyed sigh. The teen's body collapsed onto the bed as hands feverishly reached for a pillow to tightly mash his face into. Why was everything so different. Why couldn't he just go back to everyone being his friend, Sora being his best friend. Maybe Sora was still his best friend, just acting cold because he hated what happened. Hopefully that was the case. Riku prayed it was.
A knocking on his door dragged Riku back into reality. Empty green eyes turned to the side as he watched his friend enter. Riku at once looked away and stared up at the ceiling, afraid to make eye-contact with his friend after so long, and everything that had happened.
"What do you want?..." Sora questioned in a mumble, hating having to be so cold to his friend. Sora leaned his back against the wall, closing the door with a gentle thud.
"I wanted to see you. Is that such a bad thing?" Riku answered just as emotionlessly as Sora had.
"It is." Sora replied in a snap.
Riku arose to his feet, walking over to the other, not really looking at him. "I didn't overdose." Riku barked.
"I know." Sora answered but shrugged. "Then again, I can't believe anything you say anymore."
"What?" Riku growled, back turned to Sora.
"You know what I said." Sora replied with a sigh.
"Sora! Would you listen to me?! I've told you that I didn't overdose, and damnit I meant it!" Riku growled angrily, trying to get the boy's attention as he turned around. Before this moment he had not realized that Sora looked ... different. Instead of the bashful and conservative style Riku had become used to that Sora wore constantly, there lay upon the boy something else.
Black pants were hanging loosely on Sora's hips, as low cut as they possibly could be. Upon the pants, which seemed a bit too tight, were chains and the things Riku and Sora used to crack jokes over. On Sora's eyes themselves was a thick layer of massacre and eyeliner, which in any other case would make someone look hilarious, but in this case, it made Sora's eyes seem all that more alluring. The boy wore a tight black shirt that barely covered his stomach. To finish the outfit off was a black choker around the teen's neck.
Sora glanced over at Riku weakly, trying his best to hide the mental anguish he was suffering. Riku was being so distant lately, and he just wanted to know why. First he had made a fool out of him, and then Kairi. Riku had never done that before, and for him to have actually done such made Sora sick. Not only from disgust, but from worry. Did the overdose incident change Riku that much?
Blue eyes met with green ones briefly before Sora looked away, shoving his nose up high in the air. The brunette barely heard the whisper from his friend after a few moments, "What are you..."
"So now you want to talk?" Sora grumbled, aggressively turning around and stalking his way over to Riku. Sora felt like his stomach was in knots, and just having to be in the same room, Riku's bed room for heavens sake, with the person he was incredibly attracted, made matters worse. Sora was trying his best not to be the innocent boy Riku had claimed to not be interested in. He had to try something else, he just had to. Riku was not worth giving up on. Then again ... Riku had done some incredibly horrible things these past days.
"Sora..." Riku stammered, which was quite rare for the teen. Riku never stuttered, stammered, or slurred his words. He was always the one to have a sarcastic, smart, cruel, or diligent answer. He was always the one to smirk at you when you did something wrong and make you feel worse. Of course, he never meant it, but lately, Sora felt like he did mean it.
"You know, Riku. I hate the fact that you think you can get away with doing things like that!" Sora declared with anger, glaring at his friend. The brunette was now literally up against the taller teen, blue eyes staring infuriately up at him. Sora did not let his glare falter once, but the distance between the two was slowly driving him insane.
"L-listen, I-" Riku began, wanting to slap himself for the stupid stammers, but found it impossible to stop. The moment Sora had stepped up against him, he had lost his mind. For some reason, Sora in this state, and every state as it seemed, was really getting to him. And now, with Sora right up against him, glaring at him, body against him, he just could not take it. This was something more than what he wanted. And the reaction he was getting from Sora's actions proved it.
"You didn't mean it, right?" Sora snapped, arms tauntingly rising up to encircle Riku's neck. He kept a steady glare, as if to contradict what he was doing. "Well, guess what. Some things you just can't take back." This was not Sora speaking at all. This was someone tough, someone cruel, and the words that were flying out of Sora's mouth made Sora cringe mentally. He was being really cruel... but he just had to get his point across to Riku.
Riku's face turned a shade of red the moment his friend's arms had reached upward. Green eyes clouded, with what he denied was lust, at once. Blood began to rush throughout his body, traveling downward as he stood there. Why did Sora have to wear such- Riku closed his eyes at once. This was not happening. He was not... getting turned on by a guy. By Sora. It was disgusting. Then again... "Sora..."
Sora reached upward, letting his mouth hover near Riku's hear, being forced to stand on his toes to do such. "I hate you, Riku. I don't even know you anymore. I just want you to die." Sora breathed harshly, wondering if he meant anything he said. But the words were said, and the actions were done. The brunette let go of Riku at once and stormed out of the room, face completely pale.
Sora was thankful he had left when he did, for being so close to Riku was driving him insane. Once outside Riku's room and down the hall, the boy slumped his body against the wall. Sora breathed out heavily, body trembling. There was no denying it now. He wanted Riku more than words could begin to express. He wanted to kiss him, hold him, feel him, touch him... and anything else that involved just being with the other.
Sora glanced sideways down the hall, body still trembling. He had been that close to kissing Riku, and he knew it. If he had not left with his declaration when he did, he would have. He would have kissed his best friend since childhood and would have let Riku know that he was incredibly turned on by him. "What is wrong with me..." Sora whimpered into the air, looking in disgust at the clothes he had forced himself to wear. This was not him, but only the image Nisemono had created for Sora of what Riku wanted. When in honesty, that was not what Riku wanted at all.
"I can't speak to him...that's all... he never has to know. No one does. I just won't speak to him. It serves him right..." Sora whispered to himself as he made his way out of Riku's house. He believed what he said, just for that moment in time. When he left, he encountered those dreaded second thoughts.
Riku remained in his room, standing in the same spot he was before in complete shock. The image of Sora in such 'revealing' clothing stayed fresh in Riku's mind. What a nice welcome home present... Riku cautiously made his way over to his bed, sitting down at once. His body involuntarily ached with need. The teen winced as he shut his eyes. Sora could never do something like that again. Never. Riku was not 'gay' and he certainly did not like Sora.
And he certainly was not suffering from a very unpleasant reaction located south of his waist...
----
Nisemono smirked from his success as he sat there in the dark room. Riku was back, for the most part. Too bad the poor teenager didn't realize what exactly were in those pills, and how different his life was about to become. Too bad for Riku that he had now lost all respect of Kairi and most of the people at the school. Too bad for Riku that Sora now was afraid of the truth, a lot more the he was to begin with.
And that was only the half of it. To destroy someone's life, you had to do worse. There was more Nisemono could do, he knew that, but now he would let it settle. He would allow Riku a few days back in his life, then ... well, then everything would take a turn and Nisemono would step back in for a bit. For how long he did not know. What he did know was the impact he would make the second time around.
To be pretend to be someone was quite the tricky process. You had to know how they acted, give or take a few cruel traits which Nisemono was not about to give up just to satisfy Sora. You had to know all about the people around them, their friends, and the people that liked them more then they let on. You had to get inside there mind and do things they would, but with a sadistic twist. You had to get people to trust them completely, then break that trust for good.
This was far more than just being the identical clone to Riku. Far more then just looking like him. For this to work, he had to be like him. Just the him that the world would rather have ...
His plan? It was simple enough; destroy Riku's life. But why? And for what purpose? That was simple as well. Once Nisemono had gotten everyone to hate Riku, in some form or another, so much that they forced themselves to forget the male, he would leave town and start fresh some place knew. He would be Riku Kardada for real. And the real Riku? Well, he would be out of the picture ... All Nisemono was to be real.
------
Riku could not take what was happening between him and Sora. Hell, he had not even managed to ask the teen for help on his consoling before Sora had left, claming he hated him and wanted him to die. Riku wanted to resolve this. He wanted Sora to help him and Naminé. He just wanted to be Sora's best friend again.
Riku banged his fist on Sora's front door. He did not understand why he was even here. He should not have left his house and ran down the street to Sora's. He shouldn't have banged his fists on Sora's door, demanding the boy to open up. But here he was, knocking on the teen's door with desperation. His throat was dry once more as he continued to plunder the wood door with fists.
"Sora." Riku called loudly. "Please, Sora. Open this door!" Riku seethed, eventually giving up and leaning his forehead against the door with anguish. "Sora…please." Riku breathed weakly, fingers running against the wood. If he had not stopped banging when he did, his fists would have begun to bled.
"…Sora, please." Riku spoke once more, lips letting the words fall. His heart slowed to a steady beat as he fought back the urge to just break down. This was definitely not good for his consoling.
"Sora. I'm sorry! Just open this door! I really …" He paused, not being able to find the right words. He really what? Wanted to see Sora? He had saw Sora today, and that had resulted in something incredibly awkward. Wanted to apologize? That was harder said than done.
"Riku, just give up." Sora spoke from behind the door. The brunette hands as well were running against the smooth wood. He did not want to give up, honestly. He wanted Riku to open his eyes and realize how deeply he cared for the other. He wanted Riku to kiss his neck again, but this time tell him he wanted him. Sora shivered from the thought.
Sora had changed back into his normal clothing and scrubbed the eyeliner and such off his face as quick as he could. He hated dressing like that, and vowed never to again. Riku had not reacted to the change, so why should he even bother?
"Sora. I'm not giving up, damnit. Open the door and please let me explain." Riku seethed, forehead still against the door as he spoke in a loud whisper.
"I can't forgive you, Riku!!" Sora answered in a weak tremble.
"Damn Sora…." Riku mumbled, unable to understand why the other was so upset. "Just please, open this door."
"I can't. I said I hated you and I meant it." Sora snapped, knowing full well that the words he spoke were not the truth, only a weak lie.
"…You hate me?" Riku answered, as if this was the first time he had heard the other say it. Before he had time to add anything else onto his question, a sharp pain pierced through his chest. The teen's arm at once went spiraling upwards to clutch his chest painfully. "Fuck." He breathed, weakly falling to his knees, in hopes that the pressure on his chest would lower. The pain grew as he gasped for air. He needed air.
"Riku?..." Sora asked from behind the door.
"F-fucking…" Riku answered, unable to make any other words as he watched his vision blur. He knew something was wrong, and knew going home was a bad idea.
"H-hel.." Was all Riku managed to get out before he watched the door fly open, a startled Sora behind it.
"R-riku?" Sora stammered uneasily, fear filling his blue eyes.
Riku's vision continued to blur as he felt his consciousness slipping. He needed help. His body was weak and his mental state was worse. Sora looked at him nervously, grabbing for his free wrist. "I'm so sorry…" Sora stammered just before Riku blacked out.
Riku's fate and life was now lingering in the hands of the boy who claimed to hate him one moment, but liked him all the time.
-----
"What happened to him?..."
Sora looked weakly across the hallway. Standing parallel to him was the blonde nurse, Naminé, holding her clipboard tight to her chest. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her blue eyes were cast downward. Pale blue eyes refused to lock onto Sora's deep azul ones, so remained looking at the tiled floor beneath them. Sora, who had been staring at Naminé, awaiting an answer, cleared his throat. The teen restated his answer, hoping that maybe this time he would get an answer. None came. Blue eyes began to flood with worry as his body started to tremble. Was Riku ... alive? Desperation flashed in Sora's eyes at once. "Please! Answer me..."
"He had a heart attack." Naminé informed, her voice was the opposite of lucid, thus spiteful and cruel. The way Riku spoke about the brunette across the way from her had made her begin to like the boy, and at the same time hate him for not bothering to call when Riku was hospitalized.
"Is he ... okay?!" Sora stammered, trying to glance to the right of Naminé to spy into the white room, but found it impossible. Blue eyes looked downward, tears threatening to cloud his vision. Sora tightened his fists by his sides, refusing to allow his body to cry. He could not cry. Grown men do not cry. That was just silly.
"He's fine." Naminé snapped, earning a startled look from Sora. "Listen, I really don't think you should be here. I mean, you didn't bother calling him when he was in here the first time, so why care now?" Her eyes narrowed at him, pulling the clipboard closer against her chest as she snapped at the younger teen in obvious dislike and distrust.
"Riku's my ... best friend." Sora felt like saying the words he had become so familiar with, were no longer familiar but foreign. Pale, pink lips formed the words just fine, but his tone lacked confidence and reassurance. It surprised Sora more then it surprised Naminé who only laughed in shame and pity and looked away. "Please. I was ... afraid to call." Afraid that Riku had changed. The Riku he knew, had known, would never overdose. Never.
"Come off it. No one's afraid to call their best friend." Naminé snarled, looking back at Sora, "That's just a pathetic excuse for being lazy and not caring." She turned her gaze away from Sora again, this time entering Riku's room as she did such. Sora cautiously followed, rather being able to see Riku and have Naminé snap at him, then not see the other at all.
Riku was laying unconscious, perhaps asleep, on the same bed he had been on earlier that day. Lips were closed over green eyes as he slept. He looked so agonized, so hurt. Sora froze where he was standing, staring at Riku's body on the bed with mortification. The teen's silver hair fell in his face and on the pillow beside him, making him look like a god turned mortal. "Riku..." Sora whispered, frightened by the machines around him that were connected to his friend.
Naminé had no place to speak any longer. She looked to Riku and then to Sora before making her way to the door. However, before leaving she uttered, "I'll give you ten minutes with him. He should be waking up anytime now." And with that she left the room, still not keen on Sora being in there.
Sora looked weakly at Riku, his body trembling with regret and fear. Riku had not chosen to be here this time, and Sora was absolutely terrified. People died all the time from heart attacks, so what if Riku died? The idea startled Sora, making him move closer to Riku's bed.
Once there, once looking at the face he had told 'i hate you' to, Sora felt lifeless. The brunette's knees gave out from underneath him. The teen sat there, on his knees, elbows on Riku's bed, and began to cry into his folded arms. There was no point in hiding his tears anymore. Everything that had happened the past three days was enough to traumatize both of them, and Sora was suffering from everything hitting him at once. He could have lost Riku; twice.
"..." Sora stopped his sobbing when he felt a strong and soft hand move through his brown locks of hair. The feeling sent shivers down Sora's spine as he quickly rose his glance to be met with slowly opening jade eyes. Sora's heart dropped upon seeing the green hues, and having Riku's hand repeatedly rummage through his hair. "Sora?..."
Riku by this point had fully opened his eyes. Jade hues were now glancing at his best friend sitting beside the bed in wonder. And were those ... tears? Riku cocked his head to the right, propping it against the pillow as he did such. Lips parted to speak weakly as he reached let his hand fall from Sora's hair and rest on Sora's cheek as digits carefully brushed against said cheek. "Are you crying?..."
Sora's heart was up in his throat, and he was not quite sure if he was going to be okay. When he felt Riku's hand leave the comforting stroking of his hair and lower itself onto his cheek, the boy's cheeks at once turned a scorching red. Of course, due to the fact he had been crying, it was impossible to realize he was blushing. "N-no." Sora stammered, looking downward in shame.
Riku cracked a restless smile. "Hey, it's okay to cry you know."
Sora looked questioningly at Riku, wondering if his words were true. It didn't take him that long to smile back. Riku always spoke the truth... "I'm sorry, Riku." Sora whispered, hands kneading the hospital bed-sheet in result of nerves.
"Sorry about?..." Riku trailed off, eyebrows raising as he let his fingers fall from Sora's cheek. "About you not visiting me? About you, being a jerk to me? Or about you saying you hated me?" He paused. "Or are you sorry for something else?"
"Everything." Sora murmured, now finding it hard to make eye-contact with his friend. "I'm really sorry ... I just." It was so hard saying your feelings about someone to their face. Much harder then Sora had fantasized it would be.
In the boy's odd dream world he imagined confessing to Riku in his bedroom, (he really didn't care where), the taller teen wrapping his arms around him with a smile, placing chaste kisses on his lips, then neck, and uttering words of love and devotion. Sora's mind was far too innocent at that moment to dive into what happened after that. Just imaging Riku doing those things to him would send his mind into over-drive.
"I just was afraid you were going to die, okay?" Cheesy line, and Sora knew it. Bashful blue eyes stared at Riku, finally allowing himself to lock onto green eyes. And that was among countless reasons why he had somehow managed to fall for his best friend; whether it be a pointless crush that would fade in time or something else. "You overdosed and had a heart attack, Riku! Two things that rarely happen in a person's life, and you did them both in a matter of days!" Sora declared, words flying out of his mouth.
"The heart attack was a result of the overdose, Naminé told me when I first was rushed in here." Riku replied, correcting Sora with subtle amusement at his friend's ramblings.
"How can you be so laid back about having almost died, twice?!" Sora demanded, looking Riku squarely in the eye with desperation.
The question caught Riku off guard as he glared down at his hands that were resting in his lap as he sat there. "I'd rather not obsess over them." Riku stated simply.
"...Riku..." Sora sighed, knowing full well that Riku was far too head-strong to be overally bothered by this, even though it was quite serious. And it made Sora shudder inside. If Riku was this unfeeling and unemotional about death, how would he react to Sora confessing he liked him as more then a friend? Sora felt his stomach tie into knots once more.
"That reminds me," Riku leisurely rose his hand and rested it upon Sora's cheek, thinking nothing of the friendly gesture. Sora had always let Riku do these kind of friendly things, so the silver-haired teen learned to not let them phase him. Sora, on the other hand, was finding it hard not to react. "I want you to be a part of my rehab..." Riku informed, referring to his discussion with Naminé earlier in the day.
"What?" Sora blinked, "I thought you said that you didn't overdose so you don't need rehab..." Sora whispered, hating how he was saying those words about Riku.
"I guess something as serious as this needs counseling and rehab regardless." Riku shrugged distantly, grumbling at the fact how everyone believed that he overdosed. And that reminded him, "Sora?"
"Yeah?" Sora glimpsed upwards once more, letting his eyes innocently meet his best friend's.
"Do you believe me?" It was an honest and innocent question, and he was expecting one of the same morals and traits. "That I didn't overdose. Do you believe me?"
"Of course." Why shouldn't he? Nisemono had informed Sora that he had only taken two pills and that the doctors discovered it. So why shouldn't Sora believe him. "I believe you." A small smile.
"Good." Riku smirked a bit, brushing his fingers across Sora's cheek before letting his hands fall back downward onto the bed, leaving his friend with a burning sensation. "So, will you help?"
"What can I do?" Sora murmured, not really understanding how he could help Riku's healing process.
"You know the saying, having someone there, being a part of and actually caring speeds up the recovery." Riku gave a cheesy grin which earned a laugh from Sora. "I know, stupid saying, but it's true." He shrugged as he pushed silver strands of hair out of his eyes. "So, will you? Or do you still hate me?"
"I will." Sora quickly replied, perhaps a bit too quickly. He cleared his throat, blinking a bit. "And I told you, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it... I just... I don't know. Everything was getting to me lately."
"I can understand that." Riku shrugged once more as he stared at Sora, feeling the need to ask another question. "Can I ask you a completely justified question?" Riku inquired, green eyes focused on the brunette sitting by his bedside.
"Um... sure?" Sora replied, his answer sounding more like a question then Riku's had.
"Why were you wearing such suggestive clothing earlier? Trying to sex somebody up, were you?" Riku sneered at his friend as he questioned him, holding back a laugh. Although... he had been- okay, anyone would have felt some reaction to seeing Sora in such clothing, right?
"Oh! Um..." Sora blushed and tugged at his normal clothing. "You know, I figured..." Sora found himself into a hole. He couldn't say that he was doing it because he thought that kind of style was Riku's style, that would prove that Sora was really interested in him. Instead, he let the blush grow as he remained silent.
"Figured that you would get a girlfriend like that?" Riku guessed, to which he received a pout from Sora. "Sora, the only thing you're going to get from dressing like that is some horney gay guy." Riku answered simply.
Wait. Rewind that. Riku winced at his own words. Fuck. Maybe he should reword what he had said. If all Sora was going to get was some horney gay guy, then did that make.. no! It was not like he was getting- okay, his pants had become slightly tighter, but it wasn't like he wanted to- argh. There was no logical reasoning and it made Riku cough loudly to try and push the thoughts away.
"Riku! I'm not bisexual!" Sora pouted, blue eyes staring at him with shock. Not bisexual, but very gay and very much crushing on Riku. Sora sighed at his failed attempt.
"I know, I know, sheesh. Don't have to kill me. I was just making a point." Riku shrugged, "Just don't wear that anymore."
"Why?" Sora felt a grin creep onto his lips. "Did you like it?" The grin grew as he found it amusing to taunt Riku, hoping he would get some sort of reaction from the other. "Did you find yourself wanting me, Riku? Did you want to runs your hands-" Sora was cut off by Riku.
"Sora! Cut it out." Riku seethed, holding his head with vexation. "You're giving me disturbing mental images." Images of the brunette in his arms, completely unclothed, moaning and- he really needed to end this conversation before he got sick.
"Aw, Riku. You never answered the question!" Sora pouted, the grin still visible.
"Sora. I have no interest in your skimpy clothing." Riku informed, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms.
"Still not answering the question..." Riku was leaving many loopholes... "Just because you don't like my clothing doesn't mean that it didn't turn you on and make you want me." Sora grinned once more, the largest grin in his life, by far.
"Sora!" Riku snapped, gripping the blanket on his left, opposite of Sora, when he realized that the images Sora was delivering in his mind was causing a painful chain reaction in his body. "I said no, and I meant it."
"Fine. Meanie." Sora shrugged, a bit disappointed and hurt by the reaction. But this was Riku was so much better then the one he had been forced to deal with during the weekend. It felt nice to have his best friend back... He was about to continue his taunting but was cut off by Naminé clearing her throat at the entrance of the room.
"I have to ask you to leave. Riku needs his rest and we need to run a few tests to make sure his heart is stable." Naminé informed Sora who glanced her way the moment she had spoken. Sora glimpsed back at Riku, sending him a reassuring smile before arising to his feet. He was about to make his way for the door when he felt Riku's arm reach out and latch onto his wrist, making Sora blush violently.
"Remember. You promised." He smirked, hand slipping from the brunette's wrist, fingers lingering in the palm of Sora's hand for a few moments before falling back onto the bed.
"Y-yeah." Sora spoke with a quick nod, hand feeling like it was on fire as he left the room in a hurry, mind spinning.
Naminé watched him leave and shut the door, laughing to herself. Riku found her behavior quite rare and interesting. Jade eyes turned to her, questions lingering in them as he did such. "Why are you laughing?"
"Wait," Naminé paused across the room, closing the drawer she had opened, been about ready to take something out from it for the test. "You don't' know, do you?" She grinned, one of equal strength of Sora's. Which surprised Riku even more.
"Don't know what..." Riku inquired, trailing off, uncertain if he even wanted to know.
"I doubt you'll believe me, seeing I haven't been the nicest person to you, and the fact that we barely know each other, but from the way he was acting, its really obvious that he likes you." Naminé smirked, resuming her search through the drawer.
"Yeah. He's my best friend. Of course he likes me." Riku retorted, not understanding what Naminé was jabbing and hinting at.
"Riku." Naminé grabbed something that looked similar to the heart-monitor thing that was always on his finger. "I meant that he likes you in a romantic sense. The boy's in love with you. Okay, maybe not love, but something close to it." She shrugged, as if she was melting from such a tragic love story as the one she was witnessing.
"Are. you. serious?" Riku couldn't help but let out a round of chuckles, clutching his chest from laughing so hard. "Sora's the straightest person I know." Riku finally answered, still sporting a few laughs here and there.
"I wouldn't bet on that..." Naminé spoke, shaking her head in dismay at how blind Riku really was. "He blushed every time you touched him, said something about him. The boy looked like he was holding back tackling you on the bed." Naminé found amusement out of belittling people's lives. But in this case, it was just pointing out the obvious.
"You must have problems with reading people." Riku informed Naminé nonchalantly. "Sora has never once showed any interest in me as more than a friend, and it will always be that way. And vice versa."
"Oh. I get it." Naminé nodded to herself and laughed softly. "You don't see that he's madly in love with you because you've forced yourself to ignore any signs of that. You've made yourself think that anything he does that may be hinting to that is just your best friend bond. I get it." Naminé walked over to Riku, clipping the new metal piece onto him. This one went around his right wrist, and measured his pulse at its prominent spot, to see if there was any irregular heartbeats.
"..." Riku glanced to the side, suddenly speechless. That was so not the case. He didn't see it because it wasn't there, that was all. "Can we just get this test over with?..." Riku whispered in an empty tone, emerald eyes looking to Naminé as if he had just been dealt a powerful blow to the stomach.
"It is." She spoke simply, making note of the screen. "Both parts."
"Huh?.." Riku blinked in confusion, voice still empty.
"The pulse rate and the part with you having to be able to stand emotional pain. Usually we just inflict artificial mental stress onto the brain to see if the heart and brain are able to process it correctly. Shock, basically." She smirked and then paused. "This time, though, the test was real. How ironic."
"... Sora is straight." Riku stated into the air for no reason at all.
"Do you want to test that theory?" Naminé wondered, writing something down on her sheets of paper in Riku's folder.
"Yeah..." Riku was surprised at his own answer.
"Tomorrow. When we send you back home and I come to your place with him for your therapy, consoling, what ever you want to call it... I want you to pull him aside and kiss him. See what he does." Naminé arched her eyebrows with curiosity.
"I am not kissing him!" Riku suddenly blurted out, heart skipping a beat with shock.
"...Afraid to? It's just a kiss." Naminé shrugged.
"You just don't kiss someone you have no interest in to see their reaction. That's cruel, even for me. Either you have some serious issues or-" Riku began in a ramble but was cut off suddenly when a pair of icy lips melted onto his owns. His heart stopped once more as the lips left his own.
"See? It's easy to kiss someone you have no interest in." Naminé spoke emptily to Riku, hovering over him before smirking and leaving the room, also leaving Riku in complete shock and anger and slight disgust at the kiss. There was no way he could kiss Sora...
What if Sora... enjoyed it? What if.. he enjoyed it?