LOKI'S HOUSE

Sora stayed in the tub for over an hour. He sat there concentrating on nothing, clearing his mind completely. His shivering greatly decreased and he was feeling a bit better. He didn't want to get out, because he knew that once he did he'd want to get back in. the foamy soap surrounded him filling him with a sense of peace. This beat running around in the cold any day. And that's when he remembered, Donald and Goofy. What had become of them? Where was his key blade? That made him storm out of the tub. He dried off in a frenzy and threw on a robe. He then opened the closet door next to the exit. It was filled with two piles of tan cargo pants, brown shirts and a row of black trench coats that lined the sides of the doors. He figured he'd skip the trench coat but after putting on the pants and short-sleeved shirt, he found himself to be quite cold. After a few moment of thought he pulled one out and put it on. Then he looked at himself in the mirror, he looked like he had just come from the matrix. Sora shrugged and took his belt and necklace and put them on. He slowly walked to the door and stepped up into the kitchen.
"Feel better?" Loki asked as she slowly turned to look at Sora. She then had to pull her hand up to her mouth to avoid spitting her tea out everywhere. Her face lit up with joy.
"Hey Ryou, looks like he might be your long lost triplet!" Loki gagged.
"Well what do you know." Said Ryou as he continued reading his book. Sora slowly stepped up to the table. Loki handed him the bowl that he had, before, spit its contents out.
"Try drinking it now, it will help." Said Loki inching it to Sora. He sat down next to her and chugged it all at once. "Here's some water, to get the taste out of your mouth," said Loki handing him a small glass. Sora drank it in a heartbeat and set the empty goblet back down.
"Are you still cold?" Loki asked reaching up to feel Sora's forehead.
"You feel kind of chilly," she said as she took the gray blanket up from under her and wrapped it around Sora's body.
"I'm fine. I feel well again, thank you." Said Sora, his voice was less hoarse and he really did look a whole lot better. Loki smiled.
"Good," she said. "Is there anything I can for you?" she asked. Sora shook his head, he really was fine. Loki nodded in return.
"Oh, wait!" Sora exclaimed before Loki got up to leave. She nodded. "By any chance, did you find a big, black key?" Sora questioned at once.
"Oh," Loki nodded. "I did, actually." Loki stepped over into the living room and picked up the key she had found and handed it back to Sora. Sora studied it, everything seemed to be fine.
"Thank you," said Sora excitedly. He immediately jolted up.
"Whoa, were do you think you're going?" Loki questioned. "Now come on." She insisted sitting him down on the couch. It's a blizzard out there, and just because you feel better doesn't mean you are better. You'll be staying here for a while ok?" Loki questioned. Sora looked down.
"I can't wait that long." He said in a disappointed voice.
"Why? Does death really appeal to you?" Loki asked timidly.
"No, it's just, I'm looking for my friend. Ah, friends. I need to find them." Sora exclaimed.
"Well not in this state you won't be. They can wait." Said Loki. Sora shook his head.
"You see, my friend Riku got stuck in this place, Kingdom Hearts or something. I need to get him out. And then my other friends, Donald and Goofy, they left and I don't know where they are." Said Sora. "I need to find them."
"And I'm sure, in some bizarre way, this all has to do with this key, huh?" Loki questioned. Sora nodded.
"It's the heartless. they've taken over everything. They're gone now, but, they'll be back. It's this Ansem guy, he isn't dead." Sora explained. Loki understood.
"I see, but I'm sure your friends are safe for now." Loki assured. Sora frowned and looked down at the key blade. "I know. I'm sorry," Loki stated patting Sora's knee.
"Maybe they'll come looking for me," Sora suggested in attempt to bring his hopes up.
"Maybe," said Loki with a small smile. "When you've regained your strength, you can go. But that might not be for a few weeks." Said Loki. "I don't want you to have another clash with death, because some people out there aren't that kind." Sora nodded, he understood. Loki stood up and looked down at Sora.
"Would you like something to eat?" she questioned. Sora shook his head.
"No, thank you." He said shyly. Loki walked away into the kitchen as Sora set the Key blade onto the floor.
Sora watched the fire spark in the fireplace. It reminded him of when Kairi, Riku and him would sit in the beach at night by a fire they'd light and tell each other stories. Right now, Sora longed to see Kairi once again. He hadn't thought about her, surprisingly, much. He figured that she hated him, she was probably on the verge of killing herself she was so upset with him. She got angry at him a lot, Sora never seemed to do anything right. He was doing this for her, all of it. He just hoped that it wasn't hurting her more than it impressed her. He always tried the best he could, but this time he figured that he had gone above the best and went directly down to the worst. He knew Kairi wasn't happy right now, and the only thing that made Sora happy was to see Kairi happy. But in his heart, he felt the anger.
He had told her that he'd come back one day, but he didn't know, now, if he could fulfill his promise because right now he felt like dying. His heart was broken, his head ached, and his pride was damaged the most. He didn't know if he would be able to face Donald and Goofy ever again, he didn't mean what he had said, he was just too determined to find Riku that he didn't want to give up. Now, every ounce of determination was drained from him and he just felt like curling up and going to sleep forever. Everything was hopeless now, nothing felt good anymore. Riku could have been dead for all he knew, he could have been dead. This could all be a dream, Sora thought. The subject was now permanently stuck in his mind and despite the attempts; he couldn't stop thinking about it. How it was his fault, he broke Kairi's heart too many times and he let Riku just stay on the other side of the door. He told Riku that he'd take care of Kairi. and what was he doing!? Struggling to take care of himself, let alone Kairi. Then Sora jolted up and ran into the kitchen.
What is it?" Loki questioned.
"Do you have a phone?" Sora asked urgently. Loki nodded and handed it to him from the counter behind her. Sora took it and tried dialing his home number. His face lit up as he placed the receiver up to his ear and heard it ringing.
"Hello?" came a voice from the other line.
"Hello, who is this?" Sora questioned.
"Sora. I-is that?" Sora was silent when he heard the voice. it wasn't his mom's.
"Kai.?" Sora began, but couldn't get out the words because a ball was beginning to form in his throat. "Ri?" he managed to force out.
"Yea." said the voice as eagerly intense as his. Sora couldn't speak. "Sora is that you Sora?"
"Kairi." Sora hissed under his breath.
"Yea, we've established that that's my name, now tell me is this Sora?" Kairi began to get irritated.
"yes," Sora stated. There was a long pause from the other end of the phone and Sora began to get nervous. "Hello?" he questioned.
"Sora?" came a voice from the receiver, this one, though, was not Kairi's. "Sora?" it asked again, Sora couldn't speak when he suddenly felt himself jolt up.
"What?" he questioned as he found himself in Loki's living room, still on the couch. Loki was looking over him. "What happened to the phone? Why am I here?" Sora questioned.
"What phone?" Loki questioned. "Oh no, you fell asleep on the couch a few hours ago, it must have been a dream." Loki suggested sitting next to Sora.
"Oh," Sora sighed disappointedly.
"Don't give me that." said Loki elbowing him in the arm. Sora looked up at her with his blankest expression. "So, what do you want for dinner, you have to be hungry now." Sora shook his head. "Sora, you have to eat something. You'll never regain your strength. I can make you some toast?" Loki suggested. Sora shook his head again.
"My stomach hurts." He said. Loki frowned.
"I'll get you some tea," said Loki. Sora nodded assuming that she wouldn't stop until he had something to eat. "I'll be right back." She smiled as she walked into the kitchen. Just as Loki exited Ryou walked in. he sat in the chair opposite the couch. Sora pulled his legs up in an Indian style position, wedging his hands in between them in attempt to keep them warm.
"Something's bugging you." Said Ryou simply. "I can see it in your eyes." Sora looked at him confused.
"No, I'm fine." He assured. Ryou shook his head.
"No, you're clearly depressed." Said Ryou completely confident in his ability to read people.
Sora sighed and looked down.
"You're heart is broken, huh?" Ryou questioned.
"How'd you know?" Sora asked a little timid.
"It's a guy thing. what you need is to forget about it." Said Ryou taking a long drag of coffee.
"What if I don't want to forget about it? What if it's not over?" Sora questioned intently.
"So you're telling me that you care about this girl more than you care about yourself, right?" Ryou asked already sure of the answer. Sora nodded slowly. "Then why did you leave her?" Sora shrugged.
"I needed to find Riku." Said Sora. Ryou smiled.
"Exactly, but I can tell you, your friend Riku is fine." Said Ryou. Sora's eyes went wide.
"And how would you know a thing like that." Ryou shrugged.
"I just do," he answered. "Now don't ask questions, all I can tell you is that Kairi will eventually have to move on, and so will you." Sora didn't take in those words too easily. "Trust me, you can't let it eat you up. You're practically submitting yourself to darkness and it will slowly eat away at you until there's nothing left. Just don't worry, they'll be fine." Ryou smiled.
"Wait. how'd you know her name is Kairi?" Sora questioned uncertainly.
"I donno, it's a nice name." Ryou smiled. "How old are you?" Ryou asked. It had been awhile before Sora had actually recalled, he supposed that he must have been at least fifteen by now.
"What month is it?" Sora questioned.
"April." Ryo responded. Sora's eyes went wide.
"Fifteen," Sora replied confidently. Ryou nodded.
"A bit young to be going around by yourself isn't it?" Ryou questioned "But I suppose you can't complain, me and Loki are only sixteen." Ryou said softly.
"Really. You look a lot older." Sora gaped.
"I have no idea whether to take that as a compliment or insult, so. thank you." Ryou responded. Loki then walked back in with two mugs of orange tea, placing one in Sora's gratefully, out-stretched hands and holding the other one in her lap as she sat down on the couch next to Sora. Sora hadn't noticed it before, but now it was clear that Loki looked no older than Riku, and was, in fact, younger than him now.
"So," Sora began after taking a few sips. "Do you two live here all alone?" Sora questioned as he noticed a cat jump onto Ryou's lap and curling up into a ball.
"Yea, kind of." Loki answered. "Unless you want to count Meeko and Syphi." Loki continued. "Our cats," she finished. Sora nodded. "If it wasn't for little Meeko running away," said Loki pointing a finger to the black and gold cat on Ryou's lap, "We would have never found you and." Loki was about to bring up the idea of death, but decided that it was the wrong path to take.
"It came as quite a surprise when I found Loki coming home with a cat and a boy." Ryou stated. Loki nodded, Sora did too.
"You know, that trench coat doesn't look that bad on you, does it Ryou?" Loki questioned looking over at Ryou. Ryou shrugged and continued reading his book. "I think it makes you look older, I'll bet you grow into it by the time you leave here." Smile Loki.
"And that's supposed to mean. what, that you're gonna keep me here forever?" Sora questioned.
"No, I just think it will, it's a bit big now and it'd be tough to go fight heartless in a coat that drags on the ground." Sora nodded, he supposed it would be rather difficult. "Besides, you're at that age where you seem to get taller in your sleep." Said Loki. Sora nodded, he did feel a little taller than before he ended up here. That, or he was just delirious.
"Yea, you're probably right," Sora agreed as he took another long sip of his tea.