This chapter is long overdue. I know that, and I'm sorry. On top of that horrible dose of depression, there was my brother breaking my computer screen and then my short story for my creative writing class. Now that I finally have some time, I'm gonna try to get something out for you to read…

Enjoy!…

WARNINGS: language and two fun yaoi make-out sessions (though if I have to warn for those this late in the story, then there's something wrong)…

Disclaimer: the characters and worlds of Kingdom Hearts belong to Square Enix and Disney…

Part Fourteen:
Aftereffects …

Sora cried himself to sleep in my arms shortly after Kairi left. I cradled his head against my chest and buried my face in his hair, inhaling the scent that was just purely him. I didn't know what else to do. I hated that he was in pain and that Kairi had had to come along and make him feel that way, but I didn't know what I could do to make it go away. Kairi had been one of his best friends since middle school. Was there really anything that I could do to take that pain away?

I must have fallen asleep sometime in my thinking because the next thing I knew I was being gently shaken. I opened bleary eyes to be met with my mother's sadly smiling face, and she reached out and brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. I frowned and moved to tighten my arms around Sora, but found that he was gone. A pillow was locked in my grasp instead. Mom must have seen the worry in my eyes because she pulled away from me and nodded her head toward the stairs.

"Sora woke a while ago and went to his room." She sighed. "He said he needed to think."

I grumbled quietly and pushed myself up from the couch. "Why didn't he wake me up? He shouldn't be alone right now."

"He said he wanted to let you get some rest, and Anita and I knew that he needed some time alone so he could sort things out."

I sighed and ran a hand back through my hair, grumbling quietly to myself before turning to frown at my mother. "How long has he been up there?"

She shrugged, casting a quick glance at the clock. "I dunno. Twenty, maybe thirty minutes. Anita went to check on him about ten minutes ago but she wouldn't let him into his room."

"Great," I grumbled and pushed myself up from the couch. Normally I would have headed straight for the stairs, but now that I knew that Sora had locked his door, I made my way to the kitchen instead. I had learned a long time ago that a butter knife was all it took to break into Sora's room against his will, and (as horrible as it might sound) I was hoping that he was too distraught to have remembered that fact.

Ignoring the question that was forming on my mother's lips, I pushed my way past her and went up the stairs. My feet led me to Sora's room without me having to tell them to do so. I reached for his doorknob and wasn't surprised to find that it was locked. Sighing quietly, I rapped my knuckles lightly against the door.

"Sora, it's me. Can I come in?"

Quiet shuffling sounded from the other side of the door, followed by a loud outtake of breath. "Go away, Riku."

I sighed again. "Not until you let me in."

"You're gonna be out there for a while, then."

"Or so you think," I muttered under my breath, my fist tightening briefly around the knife in my hand.

With one fluid motion, I lifted my hand and stuck the tip of the knife into the lock on Sora's door. A flick of my wrist, and a small popped echoed through the hallway, signaling that the door was now open. I made sure to set the knife carefully on the table beside the door before I opened it, though.

The sight that met me when I pushed open the door was one I had grown quite familiar with over the years. Sora was curled up on his bed, his back to me so he could stare blankly out his window. He didn't even flinch when I walked in. He actually didn't show any reaction to my presence until I took a seat behind him on the bed, and that was only by heaving a heavy sigh.

I frowned and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, trying to offer him some sort of comfort. I could only imagine the thoughts that had been running through his head while he had been alone.

"I forgot that you knew how to break into my room."

Sora's quiet voice pulled my attention to him. When I saw that he was still staring out the window with a detached look in his eyes, my frown deepened.

"Sora…"

He laughed quietly, silencing whatever I was getting ready to say with the lack of emotion behind it.

"I'm an asshole," he whispered. "Why did I agree to marry her when I wasn't in love with her? Did I really think that I would be able to learn to love her after a few months, even when my love for you was so strong?" He laughed again. "I really am an idiot."

I sighed and settled down onto the bed beside him, wrapping a firm arm around his waist so he couldn't get away from me. "Yes, you are an idiot, but you're not an asshole. You're selfless. You were wiling to give up your happiness so you could make Kairi happy. She's the asshole for not being able to see that and get over it."

"Get over it?" He laughed and rolled onto his back. "I ran away the day of our wedding with little more than an apology, Riku. How the hell do you expect someone to just get over something like that?"

"She would have…in due time."

Sora snorted and closed his eyes, snuggling into my chest. "You would hate me if I hate me if I ever did anything like that to you. You would have never been able to get over it, and don't tell me that you would have."

"Nothing you do could ever make me hate you, Sora," I whispered, kissing his hair. "I love you with my heart and soul. I may get peeved or a little pissed, but I'll never be able to hate you."

"Yeah, right," he muttered dourly. "I know what you would feel."

Before Sora had time to react, I rolled over so I was hovering over him, my elbows on either side of his head and my legs straddling his waist. He gasped loudly and his eyes widened. The expression on his face was so cute and priceless that I couldn't help but smirk.

"You know what I feel?" I whispered dangerously, my smirk growing when he nodded and gulped. "Then tell me… What am I feeling right now?"

I moved an arm so I could cup his cheek tenderly in the palm of my hand, running my thumb back and forth across his soft skin. His chest heaved desperately and every breath brought him closer to me. Before he could get the chance to say anything, I dipped my face and caught his lips with my own in a desperate kiss.

Sora gasped loudly and I took the opportunity to stick my tongue into his mouth. I caressed his tongue gently with my own, moving my hands so I could bury them in the hair at either side of his head. His hands dipped beneath the hem of my shirt and his bitten off nails dug into my spine, making a moan slip from my throat.

We kissed passionately for another couple of minutes before we were forced to part for breath. Sora's breathing was even more rapid than it had been before and his face was a very appealing shade of red. I smiled tenderly and cupped his face in my hands, losing myself in the depths of his eyes.

"I love you, Sora McAlistar."

The blush on his face darkened, but he smiled and ran a hand back through my hair. "And I love you, Riku Nikols. I always have and always will."

I laughed and stuck my tongue out at him, laughing even harder when he attempted to nip at it.

"You think she'll be back?" Sora whispered.

I shrugged, irritation taking over at the mention of the bitch. "I dunno, but she'll make sure and stay away if she knows what's best for her. I'm not afraid to hit a girl if it's to protect someone as dear to me as you are."

He giggled and a hint of red returned to his face before it vanished. "I don't think I'll be able to take it if she does."

I laughed. "Even more reason for me to hit her."

"Riku!" Sora scoffed, thumping me playfully on the side of the head. "Promise me that you won't hit her, no matter what. Guys go to jail for that kind of stuff."

"Awww…" I sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine, but only because I'd rather not spend time in jail." I kissed him playfully on the end of the nose. "I think it'd kill me if I had to spend one night away from you now that I've got you all to myself."

He snorted and was about to say something in response when the doorbell echoed throughout the house.

"I'll get it!" his mother's voice called from downstairs, followed by the quiet opening of the door and a loud laugh. "Sora! It's Roxas and Axel!"

I groaned and collapsed on top of my little brunet, wrapping my arms tight around him when he started to struggle.

"Riku! Lemme go!"

"Uh-uh." I shook my head and tightened my hold. "I'm not gonna give up alone time with you just so we can be questioned by Axel and Roxas."

Sora sighed heavily and resigned himself to wrapping his arms around my neck. I echoed his sigh (only in a much less annoyed manner) and nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck. The scent of the ocean filled my nose and left me drowning. It was amazing that even after spending so many years away from the Islands, he had still managed to retain the smell.

I pressed a gentle kiss to the side of Sora's neck, smiling when his breath hitched in his throat and his arms tightened briefly around my neck. I tested my limits by nipping playfully at the flesh, following the bite with a kiss to ease the pain.

"Ri...ku," Sora sighed with a breathy moan.

I smirked to myself and kissed a line from his neck to the corner of his mouth. Sora whined quietly when I pulled away, but I quieted him by attacking his lips. He moaned deeply within his throat and tightened his arms around my neck, wrapping his legs around my waist as he did. I groaned when our groins met in the middle and had to resist the urge to go even further. There were too many people in the house for that, so instead I deepened the kiss by running my tongue along his bottom lip, plunging in when he parted his lips.

"I wish we were at your house," Sora gasped when I pulled away to nip at his neck.

I chuckled and pressed a kiss against his pulse, groaning when his hands slipped beneath the hem of my T-shirt. "We'd scar my father for life."

He laughed. "Oh, he'd leave if we got too loud." A moan filled the room. "Your mother is a different story."

"She'd sneak in and take pictures."

As if on cue, the sound of a camera shot filled the room and pulled us out of the moment. I turned my head and saw Axel standing in the doorway with his camera phone in hand, Roxas behind him with a smirk. I groaned and buried my face in Sora's neck.

"I should have known," I whispered.

He snorted and I rolled to the side just as Axel ran into the room and dove onto the bed. The redhead laughed loudly and playfully tousled my hair.

"Silly horny boys."

Roxas snorted and plopped onto the floor beside the bed. "We just wanted to see how things were going. Sora's mom called and told me that Kairi was here and asked for us to come over for damage control." He rolled his eyes. "That woman is such a drama queen."

Sora laughed and nodded, but didn't say anymore. I frowned and pushed myself up so I could sit against the headboard, coaxing Sora to lay his head in my lap and tangling my fingers in his hair.

"Well, she pretty much yelled and groveled…," I sighed. "And blamed me for everything. Stupid bitch. Ow! Hey!" I glared at Sora and rubbed the spot on my leg that he had pinched gingerly. "I was just sayin'. Geez."

"She's not a bitch. She's just…emotional."

Roxas snorted. "Yeah, so that's what you call it nowadays."

"Well, how would you feel if the person you were in love with and engaged to be married with you suddenly ran off without a word on the day of your wedding so he could be with the person he loves? I don't think that you would be acting to rational either."

The blonde shrugged. "That's why I'm gay. Guys just get over that kind of stuff."

Axel kneed Roxas playfully in the back of the head, sticking his tongue out at the blonde when he turned and glared at him. "You know, I would probably go on a freaking rampage if you left me so you could be with some other dude. I mean, seriously. At least give a guy some closure."

I laughed quietly and Roxas rolled his eyes, earning another playful knee to the head from Axel. Sora continued lying in an unresponsive heap in my lap. It worried me, of course, but I tried my hardest not to show it. Roxas and Axel would only ask more questions than need be if they knew just how badly the confrontation with Kairi was affecting Sora. So, instead of opening my mouth and asking stupid questions, I continued running my hand through Sora's hair in long, comforting strokes.

"So…what now?" Axel muttered after a few minutes of silence. "I mean, are you all gonna go back or stay here? What's Kairi gonna do?"

"She'll go back to Hallow Bastion if she knows what's good for her," I said under my breath.

Axel laughed. "Geez. Remind me to never do anything to hurt your feelings or else I might get killed."

"No, it's more like you do anything to hurt Sora and I'll kill you," I corrected. "Not that I wouldn't put some hurt on if you hurt me, but Sora's the most important person in my life and I'll do anything to keep him safe and happy."

I sighed quietly when my declaration finally got a reaction out of Sora. He mumbled something incoherent under his breath as he shoved himself upright, moving so his legs were draped over my lap and his arms were around my torso, his head resting comfortably on my shoulder. I smiled tenderly and kissed the top of his head softly.

"I love you."

He sighed and moved so he could press a kiss to the side of my neck. "Yeah, me too."

"Aw, how sweet," Axel cooed and poked Roxas on the back of the head. "How come you can't be so docile, Roxy?"

The blonde turned and glared at his boyfriend. "Because I know you'll take advantage of it."

Axel pouted, but was easily ignored by Roxas. The blonde sighed heavily and pushed himself up from the floor, stretching his arms toward the ceiling.

"Why don't we all go out and get something to eat? Get outta this house for a bit. I'm sure the two of you could use some peace."

I nodded and squeezed Sora gently in my arms. "That sounds good. What do you think, So?"

He shrugged. "Food sounds good. I'm hungry."

Roxas smiled and held an arm out toward the door. "Well, let's go. I'm driving."

"And I'm paying!" Axel said with a laugh and skipped out of the room.

Roxas laughed quietly and followed after his boyfriend, calling, "We'll wait for you guys downstairs," as he walked out the door.

I smiled and rubbed Sora's arm softly. "You ready to go?"

He sighed and snuggled deeper into my arms. "Not really, but I guess we can't make them wait for us forever, huh?"

"No, they might get suspicious and come back up here and the gods know we don't want that to happen."

Sora laughed and shook his head. He stayed still in my arms for a few more seconds before untangling his limbs from my own and standing beside the bed. I took the hand he offered to me and stood, keeping a grip on the hand so I could pull him close to me and wrap an arm around his waist.

"I won't let her hurt you anymore," I whispered, my face so close to Sora's our noses touched.

He smiled sadly. "I know you won't."

I closed the distance between us by pressing my lips against his in a tender kiss before I pulled away. I kept our hands tangled together as I led the way out of the bedroom and downstairs, unsurprised to find that Axel was mixed up in an animated conversation with our mothers. Roxas was standing off to the side with a distant look on his face. As soon as we walked into the living room, though, the look was gone and a smile had taken its place on his face.

"You guys ready?"

I nodded and wrapped an arm around Sora's waist. "Yeah, let's get outta here for a bit."

Roxas smiled and tugged gently on the hem of Axel's T-shirt. "Come on, Ax. Let's go eat."

The redhead nodded and (to my surprise) politely excused himself from the conversation between our mothers so he could join us in the foyer of Sora's home.

"Tabemono!!" Axel shouted as we walked out to Roxas' car. "Must…have…tabemono!"

I snorted and rolled my eyes, holding the door open so Sora could climb into the backseat before following him in. When I settled down and managed to get my seatbelt buckled, Sora curled up against my side and buckled himself in to the middle seat. I couldn't help but smile and wrap an arm around his shoulders. I knew that he was upset and I was willing to do whatever I could to make him feel better. It would have been easier to do it if we had some privacy, but I hoped that an arm around his shoulders in the back seat of a bar would be enough for the moment. We would have privacy later on that night.

As Roxas started his car and backed out of the driveway, I couldn't help but sigh for what had to have been the millionth time that night. I only prayed that Kairi would be able to get over whatever problems she had and move on without causing Sora or myself any more pain than she already had because I had the feeling that, if anything else happened, I wasn't going to be able to fix Sora with just my love alone.

TBC…
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A/N: ::sighs::…And there we have it. I really hope you all enjoyed it. There was a lot more that I wanted to write, but if I kept going then I wouldn't have had anything to write for the last chapter. Better to stop than waste my ideas and take another gazillion months to come out with a new chapter, I guess…

Anyway…I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter and everyone for hanging in with me through my tough times. You guys are amazing and I love you. Seriously…

OH!! And tabemono means food in Japanese. LoL. Whenever my friend and I are hungry we usually groan "Tabemono" and lurch toward the fridge or something. Hehe. Yeah…we're strange…

Once again, I'm sorry that it took so long to get this out. And I'm sorry if there are any typos. I was too excited to get this up that I probly did a pretty shitty editing job...::sweat drops::...Also, next week is my Thanksgiving break. I only have school on Monday so I'm hoping to concentrate on the next chapter of "Understanding" while during that time. Wish me luck!!...

Welps…I guess that's it, so…until next chapter (the last chapter…::cries::…), adieu…