Authors Notes: New chapter! Sorry it's so short—I just wanted to leave it off here X) The good stuff starts next chapter! Yaaay! We're in the middle of the story now!
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Chapter 10
To Know You…
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Riku remembered that there was something about caffeine that his uncle had warned him about. Or rather, he'd warned Kadaj, but Kadaj, being who he was, didn't really care about the warning, and had once allowed Riku to drink coffee.
He'd never done it again.
Riku gazed up at the wooden menu that was nailed to the wall above the server. Sora had ordered a banana split with extra strawberries, and now Axel was looking the board over with a critical eye. Roxas had gotten a simple sea-salt ice-cream bar, and Riku was following Axel's example.
Coffee. He'd really liked coffee. It had been such a long time since he'd had it…
There were different flavors too: strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, mocha, and then iced coffee. Riku made up his mind as Axel ordered a chocolate cone.
"Vanilla coffee," he told the cashier. She looked completely and utterly bored as she typed in his order.
"Three fifty."
Riku blinked. He hadn't realized coffee cost so much… he shrugged and handed her the munny. Then he went to join Sora, Axel and Roxas by the pick-up sign. Sora picked up his Sunday as Axel received his cone.
"So Sora," Axel started, licking around the bottom of his ice-cream. "Have you decided to go to the reunion party?"
"Party?" Riku blinked. Axel looked at him and sighed.
"Man, I forgot you were new," He said, "It's a little welcoming party for one of the generals. They're holding a celebration to welcome him back to the academy. He's coming to teach the obstacle courses."
Riku continued to stare at Axel, and the red-head rolled his eyes. "It's a class required of every academy student near the middle of the second semester. Eight weeks of grueling military training once every year. We get more subjects so that we make a smart army though. Most of the strategists and leaders come from this place." Axel shrugged. "Education is key, or so they say."
Riku blinked as he was handed his drink and took it from the serving boy with a mumbled thanks. The group then moved into one of the booths by the window. Riku slid in after Sora, across from Axel.
Axel turned his attention back to Sora as Riku sipped his coffee. "So, are you going?"
Sora looked down at the table and stabbed a banana with his spoon. "Probably not… I mean… I never do anything at things like dances."
Riku sat and silently listened to Sora speak as he nursed his drink. The brunette's voice had a weird calming sensation to it, and just sitting in his presence made Riku feel good. He could say with complete honesty that he'd never felt more comfortable with another person in his (known) life.
"Aw c'mon! There's free food, and lots of other stuff to do besides dancing." Axel looked at Sora with a slightly pleading expression. Roxas sighed from his spot beside his boyfriend and rolled his eyes.
"You shouldn't make him come if he doesn't want to Axel." He reasoned.
Axel frowned. "Sora, you need to live a little! All you do is go to the library and pick your toes at home! You're going to turn sixteen next month, and you have nothing exciting to tell anyone about your life!"
Sora looked down and shrugged. "I never said you guys had to hang around me…"
Roxas elbowed Axel in the ribs with a glare, and then turned to address Sora. "I hate to admit Sora, but Axel does have a point. I mean… ever since we came here you've changed."
Sora stuffed his spoon in his mouth and refused to look up. Riku found himself feeling a little antsy, as well as concerned. There's something big bothering him, but no one seems to notice…
"I'm still the same in a lot of ways…" Sora mumbled, playing with a few strawberry bits.
Roxas looked a little sad when Sora stuffed the strawberries into his mouth. Axel sighed and took a bite out of the top of his ice-cream, and then winched. "Oh god—shouldn't have done that. Teeth. Freezing."
Roxas smirked at him as he bit off a peace of his ice-cream bar. "Axel, you're pathetic."
The red-head mumbled something about boyfriends that were abusive and then turned to Riku once he'd recovered, letting Sora wallow in his Sunday.
"So Riku," He said, "Anything you'd like to say? You've been awfully quiet."
Riku shrugged and started bouncing his leg. He felt the need to move around or something—and it was becoming more and more irresistible.
"Well, I used to live in an office building with my uncle… I uh… stayed there for a bit while my 'parent's were looking for a place to stay."
Axel licked his ice-cream, resting his cheek on the upturned palm of his hand as he regarded the silver-haired teen. "Is he your blood uncle?"
Riku frowned. He wasn't quite sure if his uncle was really his uncle. But the man hadn't said anything to deny it—and Kadaj had proven that he and Yazoo were his cousins by blood. So, the silver-haired teen just shrugged.
"I think so… I mean, he does look a bit like me… I didn't see him much though. I lived with my cousins, Kadaj and Yazoo."
"Cousins?" Axel blinked. Roxas and Sora were looking at him in interest, and he remembered that they didn't know his "story" yet.
"I was adopted by my… parents when I was a few months old. They're both guys," Roxas looked surprised and Sora blinked. Axel was the only one who didn't give a reaction, "And they wanted the youngest baby they could find, so they ended up with me." Riku shrugged. "I guess my uncle was still in touch with them since the orphanage, and I went to visit him now and then. I think my stay with Kadaj and Yazoo was the weirdest part of my life…"
It came so easily to him—this lying and story making. He didn't know if that was because he'd spent far too much time with Kadaj, or if he'd always been good at fabricating stories. He called it off as good luck for now though.
"Kadaj was some kind of psycho of his own brand. I mean, he was always getting us into trouble and using me in his little 'tricks' against the office personnel. It wasn't my fault, I mean, even if he looks like me it doesn't me I want to be his clone." Riku frowned and stared into his coffee. "He liked to take up the secretary's chair and make prank calls until Yazoo caught him and whipped his ass for it," Riku smirked, remembering the way Yazoo would sometimes grab the nearest loose, heavy object and chase Kadaj around the office with it.
"Those guys taught me a lot though," he hated to admit, "Even though they were fucking idiots. It usually took you an hour to get Kadaj to do you a favor, because he'd always tease you until you just got so fed up with it you left him alone."
Axel smirked slightly. Riku found himself playing with one of Sora's extra plastic spoons as he talked. He wanted to keep moving, and for some reason he felt the need to blurt out everything in his head.
"Kadaj tricked me into dying my hair blue once," Riku muttered, "Luckily it was the wash out kind or else I would have killed him. I don't know how Yazoo can put up with Kadaj—he's such an annoying prick." He lifted his cup to find his coffee gone. Huh. He didn't remember drinking it all.
"Hmm… Kadaj never let me have coffee," Riku continued rambling, ignorant of the amused stares he was getting. "He let me have it once and then he never let me touch it ever again. I dunno why… I mean, is it really bad for you or something? Cause I don't think it is, if it tastes this nice…"
"Things that taste good are often bad for you." Roxas said, grinning around his popsicle stick. Riku hummed and took the top off his cup, peering inside.
"That's not fair," The teen grunted. "If all the healthy things tasted good, this world would be a much happier place."
"I second that," Axel grinned. Riku looked at Sora, who grinned back at him. Riku found himself grinning as well.
"Man, I wanna move around…" Riku complained, wiggling in his seat and looking around the parlor. "I feel all twitchy…"
Sora burst out laughing and Axel chuckled lightly. Riku looked at them, wondering if he'd done something wrong.
"Riku, that is the caffeine talking."
The teen blinked. So, caffeine made him want to move around and talk until his mouth fell off? Huh. No wonder Kadaj didn't let him drink coffee…
Axel laughed again and finished the last of his cone. "Alright then, let's get out of here."
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"And then he threw it out the window," Riku rambled. It was only he and Sora now. After getting the ice-cream, Roxas and Axel had parted ways with Sora and Riku, leaving the brunette with the caffeinated silver-headed teenager alone together. Riku wasn't aware that he hadn't stopped talking since they'd left the parlor, but no one had complained about it.
Yet.
"He blamed it all on me of course," Riku huffed. "I just wish I could get him back Y'know? Find something really good that'll kick his ass…"
Sora giggled lightly and Riku frowned at him. "What?"
The brunette gave a huge grin. "You sure talk a lot when you're full on caffeine."
Riku blinked and looked ahead, thoughtful. "That's probably why Kadaj wouldn't give me any coffee."
"I can see why, if he's like you say he is." Sora smiled at him. "So, do you know where your dorm is?"
Riku blinked and stopped walking. "Hang on," he mumbled, pulling his shoulder pack in front of him and digging through it. It was the same bag he'd been using for the last few weeks of traveling. "Here it is," he smirked as he pulled a document out of one of the folders that Cloud had insisted on getting. Sora took it and looked it over, then he blanched.
"This can't be right," Sora mumbled. Riku frowned and looked over his shoulder at the paper. He was a head taller than Sora he realized belatedly.
"What?"
"This is my dorm," Sora looked at him, confused. "I'm… I'm not supposed to live with anyone else. It's… uh… a rule for me."
Riku stared at him. A slow smile spread over his face, until it turned into a full-blown grin. "Maybe they made an exception?"
Sora shook his head, looking nervous. "No—they told me that I wouldn't be sharing my dorm…"
But Cloud didn't know that when he got it for me, Riku thought happily. Outside he shrugged. "Well, maybe we can change it later. Right now I think it'll be okay… right?"
Sora looked a little nervous, but he nodded. They continued on, and Riku finally stopped talking. There was a fluttering of nerves in his stomach, and he didn't understand why. Was he nervous about living with Sora?
Yes. He realized. Even though he'd been anticipating it, he still found himself nervous in the presence of a boy whose eyes were the only thing he could remember.
"Riku…" Sora mumbled, and the silver-haired teen looked away from his thoughts. "Why were you lying to them?"
Riku was so surprised he stopped walking. "Huh?"
Sora stopped as well, a few meters ahead. He didn't turn around as he spoke, but Riku could see his head bow. "I… Everything you told us—except for what happened with your cousins—was a lie."
Riku's eyes turned guarded as he looked at Sora. "…You don't know that for sure…"
Sora finally turned around and looked up at Riku, his eyes searching. "Maybe not but… I could tell that you were lying. Because when you talked about Kadaj, you talked differently."
Riku looked away. "I was lying…" He admitted, "But I couldn't tell them the truth."
Sora looked at him strangely, confused. "Why not?"
"Because it doesn't involve them." Riku sighed. The sun was setting, and it was in the later part of evening—when everything held a gentle bluish black color, and the street-lamps cast their light over trees and fences alike. There was no one else on the cobblestone street—but Riku knew that there were people inside of the buildings flanking them on either side. "Do you want the truth Sora?"
The brunette watched Riku for a moment, and then he nodded slowly. The silver-haired teen reached up and ran his hand through his hair. "I… I have no memory of who I am. I don't know where I came from—hell, a few months ago, I didn't even know what a table was." He looked at Sora, his aquamarine eyes taking in that beautiful deep blue. "But… I did remember something, and that was the color of your eyes."
Those eyes widened and Sora took a step back. Riku looked away from him again. "I woke up a few months ago in my uncle's office. I don't know if he really is my uncle, that is true, but he helped me remember things. It was easy to pick up, because every time someone named something I could remember it."
Sora was watching Riku closely. When the silver-haired teen didn't say anymore, he smiled gently.
"To tell you the truth, I have memory problems too."
Riku's eyes widened and he looked at Sora. "Y-you do?"
The brunette nodded, rubbing one of his arms as he looked down at the ground. "I grew up with Roxas and a girl named Kairi. But there was someone else with us sometimes—a boy—but I don't remember a thing about him." Sora's eyelids fell, shadowing the beautiful blue. "I can't remember anything from when I was younger than seven either…"
Riku swallowed thickly. "I-I see…"
Sora looked up at him and smiled. "You have to be him… I mean, you're familiar to me, and Roxas too—so you have to be him!"
Riku smiled, feeling a great sense of happiness well up in his chest. Sora could help him—they could do it together.
The silver-haired teen had a sudden urge, took a step forward and grabbed Sora—pulling the brunette against his chest and squeezing him tightly, burying his nose into those soft cinnamon spikes. He felt Sora stiffen, but it only took him a moment to relax and even lean into the embrace, resting his chin on Riku's shoulder.
"We'll find them Sora," Riku whispered, squeezing the boy. "I know we will!"
"Riku…" Sora mumbled, and then buried his face into Riku's shoulder. They stood like that for a moment, before Sora pushed gently at Riku's chest. The silver-haired boy let go and smiled at the brunette, who blushed, but smiled happily back.
"We should get to the dorm before it gets too late." Sora said, starting to walk off. Riku followed him silently, happy and fulfilled.
They stayed close to each other as they walked the rest of the way to the dorms. They relished in the silence and the familiarity that surrounded them, grabbing onto it and holding with everything they had. Riku snuck glances at Sora's profile every now and then, letting small smiles grace his features.
They finally reached the dorms, and because the staircase was so narrow, Riku allowed Sora to go ahead of him. He climbed behind, watching Sora move with rapt attention. He was captivated with the way he moved—his light touch on the railing and the swing of his pack from his shoulder. It seemed so… just so familiar.
"Uh, it's kind of a mess…" The brunette admitted, digging in his pocket as they turned onto the platform.
"I don't mind," Riku smiled. Sora flashed him a small grin back, stopping in front of his dorm room and raising the key to unlock the door.
But instead, the door flew open all on its own. Sora let out a yelp as he backed away just in time—avoiding the metal door.
"Sora!" A feminine voice cried, "I made dinner! Oh, I cleaned up a bit too. I know how you don't like to move after days like yesterday."
A red-headed girl stood there in the doorway, her hair just brushing her shoulders. She was wearing the school uniform, and her eyes were wide violet-blue, glowing with welcoming warmth. Riku blinked as Sora grabbed his chest and huffed.
"Geez Kairi, you're gonna give me a heart attack…"
The girl grinned. "Nah, your hearts perfectly fine!"
That was when she noticed Riku. She blinked, turning her head and finally focusing on him. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she nearly stumbled back. Riku turned around to make sure there wasn't someone standing behind him with an ax. When there was nothing but air and more dorms, he turned back and gave her a confused look.
"R-Riku…" The girl whispered, her eyes suddenly glassy with tears. "You're alive…"
Riku stared at her, joined by Sora.
"You… know me?"
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Disclaimer: Fwoo nooo owwwnn.