::Streeetch:: Okees, starting chapter 9 on Hallowed Eve…o^^o; I wanted to make a side-quest Halloween story in-between, but I figured I'd be killed by readers who felt the last chapter was a cliffhanger. Sooo here's chappie 9. Enjoy!
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Finally, after all those hours searching, Riku'd found Sora. And where else but that restaurant he loved so much? It was foolish not to have checked there the first time around. Riku would've chuckled to himself most likely, if he wasn't sighing with relief repeatedly.
He'd been sitting at that booth for at least five minutes, and Sora hadn't even taken the time to look up from gobbling down his hotdog.
Riku shifted around in the other side of the booth, trying to get Sora's attention. He even tried clearing his throat several times, but Sora kept focused on eating and reading a dessert sheet.
"…Soooora." Riku finally chanted softly.
Surely enough, that's what did it. Sora glanced up, licking up some ketchup from the bun, and smiled widely.
"Hi Riku." Sora said, only giving him a quick glance then went to his fries, dipping them in sauce and stuffing his face dazedly.
Ooookaaay… Riku felt totally puzzled. Sora wasn't hurt, or harmed…and he wasn't upset in the least, or so it seemed. So why would he just take off like that? He surely would've said something if he was hungry.
Okay, I'll just come out with it, I suppose.
"Hey Sora, why'd you take off so suddenly…?" Riku said, straightforward and blunt.
There was a long, most uncomfortable pause at that moment. Sora's smile fell straight and emotionless, and he dropped his fry back into the small basket upon his licked-clean plate, staring down at it. Riku leaned forward, waiting for an answer. Sora then looked back up at him, his wide grin returning.
"Well, I just got hungry." Sora laughed to himself, and continued his food, mumbling about desserts that looked especially delicious.
That…was the poorest excuse for a lie ever, or so Riku thought to himself. He was now annoyed greatly by Sora's oddly normal, not-himself act. Was he teasing or serious? Riku wasn't too sure how to take it…so he just sat there, watching Sora eat for a few seconds.
Sora noticed Riku's focused stare, and took it that he was hungry.
"…Want a fry…?" He offered, dipping it in sauce and waving it in front of Riku.
"Hm? Err, no thanks…" Riku declined, then looked at Sora instead.
"Oh, okay." Sora ignored Riku and looked back down at his food.
…What the hell is wrong with him? Riku twitched; still feeling irritated, but kept himself sensitive to Sora's possible feelings. It was about to drive him nuts, though.
There was another long, drawn out pause before Sora reached for some things in his pocket and tossed them over to Riku.
"Those are so cute!" Sora giggled.
"Huh…?" Riku looked down at a tumbled stack of pictures lying carelessly back-sided. He flipped them over and felt a bit shocked, yet puzzled as well.
They were pictures of Kairi and him hugging, sitting at the table holding hands, and doing other things….happily together. Riku stared at the picture of them tightly embracing each other for a few seconds. They looked so cuddly, he wanted to puke!
"…H-How…?" He managed to mumble.
"Polaroid." Sora grinned widely and laughed.
"Uuuhhh…."
Riku simply sat frozen for sometime. How did Sora get these pictures? He felt it to be very embarrassing for Sora to see them for some reason…especially after just last night, considering everything that happened.
Could he…?
"It was so cute, really! I watched most of it. But I ran off after because I was hungry. I thought you two wouldn't mind, of course…"
…Be jealous?
"I mean, you were having such a good time, I didn't want to interrupt that or be a bother…."
Jeez…he really is…
"…And I kinda just wandered off alone because I'd figured you two would find some other place, I'm sorry about always dragging you here just because I like it…"
…Jealous over Kairi. What a situation I'm in…
Sora stopped talking, noticing he was carrying on. He reached out for another fry, when Riku reached out and put his hand on Sora's.
"Sora, I'm sorry…Umm, I'm not sure what to tell you, but…" Riku voice faded off when Sora grasped Riku's hand tightly and rubbed his face gently against it. His shoulders shook slightly, although he wasn't crying; but tears were forming in his eyes.
He likes me that much…?
Sora tried to ease his crying by forcing a laugh, showing he felt silly.
"I'm sorry, Riku…I'm being greedy, is all. I…uhm…I know K-Kairi's much better of a pick than…me, huh?" Sora laughed again.
Greedy? Riku wasn't sure what to say. He had it all wrong! …Or did he? Did Riku actually have a thing for Kairi? What if he was in denial the whole time? Woo, scary thought…
Riku was so busy thinking to himself, he didn't notice Sora had slid into the booth next to him. He could tell by his eyes Sora wanted to do something to him, but he just sat there, like a loyal dog with big eyes, staring up at Riku.
He was a bit hesitant at first, but almost able to hear Sora's thoughts, Riku put his arm over Sora casually, and pulled him close…in…a brother sort of way. Or that's what he hoped people around the restaurant would think.
Sora, of course, couldn't of been more happy at the particular moment, and slid his arms around Riku's waist, pressing his head warmly against Riku's chest with a big smile. Just staying like that was good enough for him. He didn't say anything, and neither did Riku.
I think…I just dug myself in deeper…
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This chapter was very hard to write while listening to Malice Mizer. o_o; Anyways, a big thanks to readers who took the time to e-mail and/or IM me with nice comments about my fic. The support is greatly appreciated, and I might write my next fic as a request from one of them. ^_^ Hope everyone continues reading, thanks! R&R. o^^o