A/N: Okay people, I'm so sorry to say, but lotsa angst! Well, actually I love to say it laughs evilly MUAH HA HA HA! please R&R!
Leon was thoroughly shaken up after the would be Riku beating. So it wasn't long before he and the gang decided to call it a night and head home. Riku was reluctant to separate from Sora, but after Sora assured him that they were, really truly, on the way to the same home, he conceded defeat. They shared one final kiss before going their separate ways. Sora was about to slip into his little car when a voice called out to him,
"Hey Sora!" Sora turned, and there, smiling was Aerith. She looked a lot like he'd remembered her, but happier, much less haunted, her hair had a few blonde streaks added, and her head was cocked to the side slightly, a bright smile across her face.
"Hey!" he said happily. He and Aerith were really close in art school, which Sora had graduated from two years ago. Once they'd gone their separate ways they'd slowly lost contact with each other.
"How you been?" she asked with a big smile, "I saw you dancing with Riku before, it was so sweet!" she said, her eyes sparkling. Sora smiled and blushed slightly stuttering an answer,
"uh…we…uh yeah." his blush deepened when Aerith giggled,
"I knew the moment I saw you two that day at art school, you know, the big exhibition? Well I knew the moment I saw you two together that you'd end up a couple." she informed him, beaming. Sora couldn't help but giggle at the thought of the exhibition. He and Aerith had had so much fun together that day.
"So how about you, Aer? What's been happening since graduation?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Well…I was freelance designing for a few months, got some good feedback, you know, just basic desings and such, but then I met the most amazing guy…"she began, a smile across her face he'd seen mirrored on Riku's face a million times before,
"Oh?" he urged,
"Well, he works with abused kids, you know? And he's so sweet and gentle…and he treats me so well, Sora." she told him. Sora smiled contentedly at the last comment, after Ricky, the guy she was with before art school…he beat her, treated her like a possession, messed her up for a long time.
"Wow, I'm so happy for you Aer." he said giving her hand a squeeze,
"Mmmm, well that's not even the beginning. Last year, we adopted a kid. He's great, he was taken from an abusive home, you know the type, mother was an alcoholic, father a druggie who abused both of them…he's made so much progress since he's been with us…" she said, losing herself in the memories, her eyes glittering like diamonds, "I'm just so happy!" she finished, and Sora swore he'd never seen a bigger smile.
"How bout you Sora? What's been going on since we last spoke…god I feel so old, it feels like forever!" she smiled, almost sadly,
"Yeah tell me about it…Well…as you know I'm living with the amazing Riku…but tonight was the first time we…well got together?" he said, his eyebrows knitted together in puzzlement, how were you meant to say that? Aer giggled,
"Oh, Sora, you're almost exactly the same as I remember you…just happier…" she trailed off.
"Hmm, yeah Aer kinda the same with you…well anyway…I've been doing some freelance stuff of my own, you know abstract expressionism and all that jazz, I'm really having some fun with it…I'm actually working on something with Riku, though we haven't had a lot of time lately…but yeah its incorporating his designs, like as the focus, yeah, we've come up with some pretty funky stuff" he said with a big smile.
Note to self, set some time aside to work on that.
She smiled, "Sounds cool. Sora, did you wanna catch up sometime? I mean, I'd love for you and Riku to meet Mickey…what about dinner sometime? I've been taking some lessons…" she said carefully. She was so much better, but she still needed a lot of fixing. Sora just prayed Mickey wasn't going to hurt her.
Sora smiled widely, "Really? since when did you cook? Of course! Sounds like a plan. But god, what would I wear?" he giggled. During art school they'd been roomies, and Aer had always teased him, saying how Riku was affecting his clothes.
"Well…" she began, as they talked about what to wear and what she was going to cook, and whose boy friend was better…
Riku glanced in the rear view mirror again.
Still no Sora. he thought, anxious, I really hope that guy…I didn't see him leave…oh my god! he panicked. Yes he was being paranoid but…it was Sora! He pulled an illegal u-turn, car horns blaring all around him, he just sped up and resumed his zipping. I hope he's alright, he has to be alright… he thought, as he kept on driving. Suddenly he was at traffic lights, a four way intersection. He beeped and honked, the light was green! Move it people! He thought angrily until he finally started crossing the intersection. Out of nowhere a pair of headlights came at him from the left side. He swerved violently, but it was too late. The car was hit, hard. It was smashed into, sending it flying against a wall, with a resounding crash. Riku was pushed violently to the side, as the frame of his car was cutting into his chest. The windshield had shattered and it was raining glass. He saw the drunk man, from the party, as he staggered over, cursing all the way "Fuckin' queer!" the last thing he heard before he blacked out was the sound of sirens.
"Well, I'll call you Aer, look after yourself." Sora said, giving her a final hug and squeezing extra tight, and slipping into his car.
"You too Sora, I've missed you, it's so good to see you again. Dinner soon, okay?" she said, giving him an affectionate smile. Her eyes were just so bright. Sora nodded and started the engine.
"C'est la vie, mon cher." Sora said, grinning as he drove off. He hummed softly to himself. Tonight had just been so perfect. He zipped through the traffic, practically at ease, something he barely ever felt when driving. That was until he say the yellow tape blocking the traffic lights. His blood ran cold and he got out of the car. He looked at the mangled wreck that was once a car, read the number plate. His yes widened and he ran towards the ambulance, screaming "NO!"
He reached the ambulance, and looked with horror, at his love lying, bleeding, his beautifully kept hair matted with red liquid. His eyes fluttered open, revealing the aquamarine depths behind the eyelids.
"S...So…-cough-…Sora, thank god you're okay…I was worried…" he sputtered, forcing every word, coughing up blood.
"Riku! Shhh, don't talk, don't talk, s'okay, I'm here." he moved into the ambulance and cradled his head, stroking the silver strands away from his beautiful face.
"It's okay, I'm here, I'll away be here…" he said, trying hard not to cry and failing. Riku smiled slightly, coughed up some more fine red, and blacked out again. Another person got in the ambulance and shut the doors. Sora didn't notice, all he saw was Riku, and he prayed with all his heart and soul that he'd be okay.
A/N: HA! 'Tis alllllllllll Sora's fault….poor Sora! Poor Riku! Oh woe is us! What shall become of our sexy coupling? Oh BTW the translation from French to English for C'est la vie, mon cher is: such is life, my dear. Just thought you'd like to know