Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. Also, I do not own a Pac-Man coin-op. I'd like to, though.

Warnings: This fiction contains and is not limited to boy/boy moments, the use and abuse of stereotypes, hints at original pairings, very despicable people, emo-Riku, lustful teenagers, underage drinking, a mix of the last two points, questionable situations, morally ambiguous choices and a few, occasional and really shy attempts at humor.

Chapter 25: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

On Sunday, the sun was shining brightly, to the point that someone could easily forget that it was still late winter.

The three boys had found themselves on Sora's couch in his dining room, somewhen around midday, laying against each other. Sora had been the first to wake up, with Riku following close behind. The brunet couldn't help but grin at the reaction of the upperclassman from the realization that he had slept on a small couch with his (ex-)archnemesis.

Yes, because after last evening, Sora was sure that the two of them were on the right path to finally rekindle their friendship.

"Erase that smirk from your face, I know what you're thinking." Riku interrupted the flow of his thoughts while entering the kitchen where Sora was cooking pancakes. "You can't expect that all that happened last year is forgiven and forgotten just like that!"

"Why?"

Riku didn't seem to have an answer to that question. "Well, because... leaving me alone the way he did was quite bad." he finally said in a quite unconvincing (if not a little whiny) way.

"But he apologized, right? And you can be sure that he'll never do something like that again."

"Sure. At least until the next time someone will bully me. Then we'll see how much time it will take for him to disappear again."

"It won't happen."

Riku observed the brunet curiously. "How can you be so sure?"

Sora stopped for a second to cook and turned his attention on the silver-haired boy. "For god's sake! Riku, you heard him: he told you that he likes guys."

He could clearly see that those words had an impact on the upperclassman. Had he really forgotten about that until now?

"What are you thinking, Riku?"

"That your pancakes are on fire."

And just for a split second, the time before Sora could turn to try and save their breakfast, he was sure to have seen the glimpse of a smile on Riku's face.

"Hey, sleepyhead, breakfast is ready."

Half an hour later, the two boys had decided to wake up Roxas. They observed him slowly opening his eyes while realizing that he wasn't at home.

"You fell asleep on my couch." Sora kindly clarified. The expression of surprise on Roxas' face quickly morphed into worry as soon as he started remembering the events of last night.

"Listen, about what I told you yesterday..."

"Later, Roxas!" Riku cut him short after laying a pile of pancakes on the small table in the room. "Eat first, talk later."

"But..."

"Do as he says." Sora backed Riku up. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss about your sexual orientation, don't worry." he added grinning.

The three of them ate burnt pancakes peacefully and in silence. Roxas, while sporting a vivid red tint on his face.

A mere hour later, Sora and Riku were walking the streets of Twilight Town. The latter had a huge smile on his face, like he hadn't had in a long time.

"Looks like someone is happy."

In less than a second, the upperclassman desperately started to try and hide the compromising display of feelings. "You're wrong, must be a facial paralysis. Something must have stung me."

"Riku, a piece of advice: tsundere may be cool, edeglord is not."

"Fuck off, Sora!"

"Seriously, Riku, just admit that you're happy that you could sort things out with Roxas."

The silver-haired boy didn't answer immediately. He knew that he couldn't really hold a grudge against Roxas anymore, but he also knew that he didn't want to admit it so easily.

Aside from a quick exchange of conventional words after breakfast, they hadn't really talked after Roxas' admission. Luckily, the blond boy had something to do in the afternoon, so Riku had the time to calmly think about all of the new information he had gotten about him.

That said, the question that had started to bug him was another one.

If Roxas really did not out him last year, who did it?

He was pondering if discussing it with Sora, when the sound of a familiar voice froze him in place.

"Riku! Over here!"

Riku's most dreaded fear became reality the moment he saw his mother running across the street to reach the two of them. For a second, he thought of simply running away, but he was pretty sure that his mother would have started to sprint behind them.

"Riku, it's really you. What a coincidence!"

The boy, clearly not comfortable with that situation, gave a glimpse at Sora. "I'll start believing in coincidences when I'll see one." he muttered drily.

"You must be Sora!" she said enthusiastically the moment she reached them, turning his attention on the small brunet. She then elbowed slightly his son. "Riku, he's adorable! You sure know how to pick them!"

Sora looked amused at Riku's evident embarrassment: it seemed like he was trying to melt into the ground. His mom didn't seem to realize -or care about- it.

"Yes, I'm Sora, nice to meet you." the brunet said politely while offering his hand to the woman in front of them. "How did you know my name?" he then asked, bearing a small grin on his face.

"Oh, Riku told me everything about you." she answered nonchalantly.

"Mo-om!"

"I'm Rei, Riku's mother, by the way."

"Perfect. Now, that introductions are done, we have to go." Riku interrupted, trying to drag Sora away with him. "We'd really like to stay a little longer but we're already late, so..."

"But it wouldn't be polite to leave your mother just like this." Sora objected seriously, earning a glare from his friend.

"Don't worry." she said calmly. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss another time." And just were it seemed that he had dodged a very dangerous bullet, Rei spoke again.

"So, Sora, did Riku told you that you're invited dining with us this Tuesday?"

"Don't. Say. Anything!"

"I didn't mean to."

It was ten minutes since the two boys had parted ways with Rei. They had resumed walking towards the arcade together, but Riku hadn't spoken a single word after that. And the instant he had felt that the brunet was trying to say something, he had shut him down.

"You have to find an excuse not to come this Tuesday." he finally proclaimed, in all seriousness.

"It's a suggestion or an order?"

"A suggestion, of course. That I order you to follow."

"Oh, but your mother was so nice to invite me, it wouldn't be polite to stood her up."

Sora was clearly mocking him, but it was better for him to start listening if he didn't want to get stuck in a really embarrassing evening.

"You have no idea." he started again, forcing himself to stay calm. "She will start to bombard you with questions, inquire about your private life and, worst of all, she'll talk all night about me!"

"Uh, can't be much worse than listening to Kairi talk about herself all day, I guess." he answered calmly. "Seriously, Riku, what are you so afraid of?"

As if he could tell him that, in her mind, his mom had already decided that the two of them were dating.

"Just relax!" the brunet added when he got no answer, patting his friend on the back. "I've faced far worse situations than a kind mother who invites me for dinner. Even if there was that time with Zell's mother who tried to get into bed with me..."

"Nothing like that will ever happen in my house!" Riku precised immediately.

"Then we should be fine."

'Well, hope for the best, expect the worst' Riku thought as the two of them finally reached their destination.

That day, the arcade was surprisingly empty, considering that it was a Sunday afternoon. As soon as they were in, Sora reached for the Pac-Man coin-op.

"Still on that one?" Riku asked, honestly curious about Sora's interest on what was probably the oldest machine in the whole building.

"I still have to beat your record." he simply answered, pointing at the 'RIK' on the high-score list that was running on the screen. It was interesting to see that the second highest record was sporting a short 'SOR'. And also...

"Hey, that must be Tidus, don't you think?" Sora asked, anticipating his friend who had also noticed the letters 'TID' next to another record. "Ah, looks like he couldn't get higher than the fourth place..." he sneered.

"That's because I'm a speedrunner. I don't care about useless stuff like 'points'." a blond boy exclaimed, making his presence known to the two of them.

Sora greeted him with a smile. "Yeah, I know, what's the meaning of collecting points when you can speed through levels as fast as you can?"

"The two of you are just jealous because the first place is still mine."

"For now, Riku."

When Riku was finally back home, it was already eleven in the evening. He paid particular attention not to wake up his parents and sneaked in is room, definitively not int he mood of facing another embarrassing discussion about Sora.

But after undressing and taking place under his bed's sheets, he found himself unable to sleep, a strange excitement running through his whole body.

And he knew way too well why: in the last couple of days a lot of things had happened. Good and... less good alike.

Getting closer to Sora definitively counted as a good one, as well as joining the Struggle team. And Seifer getting mad about it was a nice bonus to the loot.

Having had the occasion to talk again to Axel, Saïx and Larxene was nice, he had to admit it: he had missed having those three crazy bastards around.

And Tidus and his friends were starting to grow on him, he had never thought he could have started to spend time with people like them.

But there was one thing in particular that had made him particularly excited. And that thing had wild blond hair and a soft face. For some reason, hearing Roxas admit that he liked guys, had made him happier that he was willing to admit.

And after rolling in his bed for a good while, he finally fell asleep, an old saying echoing in the back of his mind.

'There are things I miss so much, I've forgotten why I gave up on them'.

End Notes: Yeah, I know, this chapter took forever to upload. I'm trying my best to conciliate real life and writing duties, but it's not always easy. Anyway, this story has now been clocked for 40 chapters.

Preview: Sora get to see the school psychologist. How will it end?

Next Chapter: Unbound