Hi, all!

Turtleneck sweater

Riku pulled at the fabric around his neck. There was a disappointed quality to his irritation. "How does he wear these on the daily?"

"Who?" Sora looked over and blinked. "Where did you get that shirt?"

"It was a... gift. This is not going to work." Riku was pulling it off as he got up to search Sora's closet. "I'm borrowing one from you."

"Uh, sure... Ya know, it's not that cold." Granted the temperature was abnormally low for Destiny Islands; reports were even hinting a record lows for the next few days. "I mean, we've both been way colder and in way colder places."

"I know, but that doesn't change I'm cold now." Though the long-sleeve shirt Riku pulled on wasn't half the thickness of the sweater he had come over with. He tugged at the bottom of it. "I don't know if this is going to be much better..."

"Not my fault you're freakishly tall." Sora grumbled.

"I think I just don't like feeling fabric on my skin." Riku dropped back beside him on the bed after very carefully folding the sweater he had come in and placing it on Sora's desk. They were quiet for a few minutes. "So, what are we going to do today?"

"Well, Mom was talking about needing help with a cake order this afternoon. In fact, the words 'Riku's gotten really good decorating' came up. I think she likes that you've gotten so into art lately."

"I'm glad she's still doing that, and we can actually help her with it now."

"Beyond just delivering them and praying we didn't destroy it on the way? Yeah, those were some nerve-wracking trips. People be crazy about their cakes."

"People tend to be crazy about a lot of random things."

"Yeah, for sure. Like, we were in science lab and getting ready to leave and Josh had left his pen at our station and I was going to give it back but Selphie lost her mind and snatched it from me, looking like how dare I even think of giving it back! It's a pen. I know she's got a thing for him, but a pen? Really?"

Riku shrugged. "Maybe she just likes the idea of having something of his close."

"If he had given it to her, than yeah, but what she's doing is just creepy."

"Not really. He left it behind. It's not like she stole it."

"You don't think it's weird to keep something that isn't yours just because of who it belonged to?"

Riku glanced at the folded sweater he had taken off only minutes before. Anyone who saw it would say it wasn't his style and he'd agree. Most would would say it didn't fit him right and he'd agree. They would tell him to take it back to wherever he got it. He would disagree.

Riku had no idea if the piece of clothing had been left behind on purpose or simply forgotten. It seemed an unlikely thing to forget, but the owner's departure had been so hurried... Either way, it was unlikely he'd see the man again, and having that sweater somehow made it feel like they were connected. Their brief affair had been real and that was the proof.

So, while it was a different situation then taking some thing left by a crush, he could understand the desire to have something around to represent a precious emotion.

"I don't think it's weird at all."

Sora gave him a look.

"Come on, let's go help your mom."