Author's Notes-

Wow, 50 reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you! So much love for you guys. You really help the story move along. This is actually my most successful fanfiction so far. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Not mine. It's all Squeenix and Disney's. Though, the plot is fully mine.

Pairings: RikuSora main, SquallCloud background

Last Time...

Squall chuckled, "You owe me big time, pal."

"Okay," Riku agreed, holding onto Sora tightly.

But again, he was having trouble sleeping. It was now around quarter to three, and all he could do was imagine horrible scenes on how pissed off Sora's father was going to be. Was Sora's mom alright? Was their house going to be torn apart in search of Sora?

And what would happen to Sora if he ever went back there?

He remembered how his huge palm crushed against his windpipe. He kept trying to suck in air but couldn't. It was the worst physical pain Riku'd ever been in. But now he looked at Sora, who'd been through so much in his life. He was abused by people he was supposed to be able to trust, but still kept a happy face on life. Riku ran his hand up Sora's side to his jawline, and tilted his head toward him. His lips were parted just barely, giving him an angelic look. Riku brushed his lips against Sora's, drinking in the moment.

Sora's eyes flitted open, and he mumbled softly, "Riku."

"Go back to sleep, Sora."

-Chapter Seven-

The Messengers

Sora was sitting at the small table in the hotel room. In front of him was a muffin he had been picking at for the past ten minutes. Both Squall and Riku ate, but Sora just couldn't bring himself to consume anything. He turned to his love, "Riku?"

The silverette looked over at him, and smiled warmly, "What is it Sora?"

"I'm worried about my father."

Riku got up and walked over to him, kneeling down and taking his hand, "I'm never going to let him hurt you. Never again, I promise."

Sora smiled shyly in response. Squall walked out of the bathroom and sat on the bed, running a hand through his brown locks, "We've got this hotel until noon tomorrow, so we don't have to go back home."

Sora sighed. Squall kept talking, "But, we do need to talk about what we are going to do with you two."

Riku stood up, and sat on the second bed, "What do you propose?"

"I think you should just take Sora back home and apologize to his father. You shouldn't be messing around at his house that late at night."

A tear dripped from Sora's face. "I don't want to go there. I just want to live with Riku."

Squall sighed, "It's not that easy."

"Why not?" Riku's hands formed into fists, "We could just go there, say sorry, get Sora's stuff, and he could come live with us."

"I promise I wouldn't do anything bad! I'll even pay rent!" Sora begged Squall, desperate.

Squall groaned and laid back on the bed, "Well how about if Riku and I go talk to him today, and you just stay here. That way you won't get hurt?"

Sora paused a moment, considering this. "Fine then."

-----

Squall knocked politely on the door, waiting for an answer. A thin woman with sandy brown hair matching Sora's opened the door. "Oh! Mr. Leonheart! And Riku..."

She looked at Riku with disdain, but quickly averted her eyes back to Squall.

He greeted her, "Hello, ma'am, do you think I could come in for just a moment?"

Riku thought he sounded like a door-to-door salesmen. Bleh.

But Sora's mother gladly obliged, opening the door for them to enter. Sora's house seemed the same as the first day of summer, when Riku came to pick him up. Except there was a strange aura in the house. Riku ignored it and sat on the couch next to Squall.

"So how can I help you today?"

Squall cleared his throat. Oh, God, he was going to do his stupid professional talk wasn't he? "Well we've come here today to apologize. Riku?"

Riku slouched, "I'm..."

"Go on, Riku."

He sighed heavily, and sat straight up, his face red, "I think you should let Sora do as he pleases and you should stop letting your husband be so abusive!"

Sora's mother was shocked. Suddenly, she broke down in tears.

Squall growled at Riku, "Look what you've done, you ass!"

Riku sat back on the couch and stared at her. Squall jumped up and went to the crying woman's side, trying to calm her, "Come on, please, Riku didn't mean any of that!"

"N-no, no, he's right!" she bawled, wiping her face with a hankercheif, "He's right about it all!"

Squall looked over at Riku, then back to Sora's mother. "Come now, settle down."

She steadied her tears, and looked up at Squall. "I want out of this. Can you help me?"

He paused. Her eyes look so hurt, so desperate. She had a large bruise on her neck. Squall couldn't take this.

"Fine, we'll help."

She hugged onto him, thanking him over and over again. Riku stood up, "We can take you to a women's shelter... If you'd like, I mean."

Sora's mother nodded, retreating to her room to pack some bags. Riku went to Sora's room and started gathering his things. He felt like he was helping him move or something.

-----

"Sora, we're back!" Riku called, walking into the hotel room with a set of clothes for Sora in his hands. He had left Sora's other things in the car, seeing as he couldn't much use them in a hotel room for another night.

Sora smiled over at him from the bed. He had been watching cartoons on the television. Sure, Sora was eighteen, but his heart was still as young as a child's. He got up and walked carefully over to Riku. "Look Riku, my legs are all better!"

Riku smiled as he caught Sora's trip. "Careful, Sor, you don't want to hurt yourself."

Sora blushed, "You're right." He noticed the bundle of clothes in Riku's arms, "Oh, those mine?"

"Yeah, we went over to your house and talked with your mom and stuff."

Sora looked concerned, "My dad wasn't there, was he?"

"Naw, and I don't want you to worry about that stuff," Riku said, ruffling Sora's hair as they sat down on the bed. Squall had since come in the room and retreated to the bathroom for a shower. Riku took advantage of their moment alone and held Sora against him.

"I'm worried," the brunette whined.

Riku tilted Sora's head up, "You don't have to worry, I'm here for you."

Sora closed the lingering gap between their lips, tasting Riku's lips.

The silverette layed Sora back on the bed and straddled him carefully, never breaking the kiss. Slipping a hand under his shirt, Riku's fingers floated across Sora's belly, making him let out a small giggle. He broke the kiss to trail small wisps of breath and smaller kisses down Sora's jawline and neck, staying to suck on the flesh a bit.

Sora moaned softly, taking Riku's wandering hand in his own. Every time they kissed he got butterflies like it was their first.

Riku nipped the skin, not enough to draw blood but enough to make the boy below him gasp. He smirked, feeling Sora's grip tighten.

"Ahem?"

An annoyed Squall stood at the doorway, covered only by a towel around his waist. "You're not forgetting our deal, are you?"

Riku moved off of Sora, and groaned, "Poo you meanie," he pouted uncharacteristically.

Sora blushed, wiping his neck, "Sorry there."

Squall laughed, "Ah, it's fine. Just don't lemme see it again while I'm here."

A/N: Yeah, yeah, short chappie, so sue me. But I KNOW you wanted an update, so here it is.

--Lizz--