Hey there all you lovely people! It's me, K, back with another installment of"Life Support".

Sorry this took me forever, guys. I got bored with writing it halfway through, and thus got all lazy... So yeah.

Again, many,many thanks to all my reviewers. Dunno where I'd be without you.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything I mentioned in here. None of it.

"Please, Leon..."

"Not yet."

"Please. I am begging you."

"Begging eh?"

"Yes, Leon. I'm begging. Give me a fricking Junior Mint!"

We'd only just sat down, and Kairi was already trying to steal Leon's food. She'd invited the older boy to keep this from looking like a date, but I was kinda considering telling my copper haired new friend to get lost and leave us together. Of course, she tells me he's taken, but what do I care? Technicalities.

Leon, or Squall, as he hates to be called, was a year older than us, but acted like he was about forty. Of course, that was cancelled out by his incredible good looks. Tall, dark, and handsome is the cliché that comes to mind.

Ah, but I'm forgetting a certain sapphire-eyed angel that I had my sights set on at this point. Alright, so Cloud could have Leon. Anyway, the guy seemed like a strong dominant, and I don't do well on bottom.

"Fine, Kairi!" Leon finally said, exasperated, and held the box out to her. With a smug look on her pretty face, Kairi took a couple mints and settled back comfortably in her seat, straightening out the legs of her jeans a little. She was dressed very casually, which made me rethink my leather pants and tight blue sweater (just the color of Sora's eyes, by the way, not that I'd planned that or anything). Oh well - it was RENT. Didn't really matter what you wore.

It seemed as though we'd gotten to the theater just in time, because as if on cue, just as Leon and Kairi stopped fighting, the lights dimmed, and the room grew quiet.

Now, I'd only ever seen the movie version of RENT, which was really dumb of me, living in New York and having spent quite a bit of time in Alphabet City. But I'd just never seen it, and I was caught off guard by how different the live show was turning out to be. I tried to sing along with "Rent", but it was different, and my voice was coming in at all the wrong places, causing Kairi to giggle and nudge me playfully. I quit singing.

However, I knew the general plot well enough to know where each character came in. So when Kairi leaned over and told me to "pay attention to Angel", the words, 'You okay, honey?' caught my attention.

Oddly enough, the voice sounded familiar, though I was sure I'd never met someone so effeminate. At least not since I moved here. I paid close attention, though, and eventually started to form a suspicion. Damn Angel's short first scene... I couldn't get a good enough look to confirm my hunch. Although, the look on Kairi's face, which I caught out the corner of my eye, was giving me a good clue. I sat up a little straighter and paid attention through One Song Glory, Light My Candle, and a voice mail thing before Angel's re-entry.

"Today for you... Tomorrow for me!"

I stared at the actor's face, which was impossible to recognize because of the makeup. My eyes gave up, and instead took in the full picture. Then they widened, as my idiotic self finally understood. "Holy shit..."

I looked over to Kairi, who was smirking at me, though her eyes were still on the stage as Angel sang.

"That's– ?"

"Yep," Leon answered for her, "Sora's quite the actor. Though this is his first year doing RENT."

"Ohhh, you ain't seen nothin' yet," Kairi whispered softly to us both. "I've seen the rehearsals. He's amazing..." A woman in the row in front of us made an aggravated shushing noise, and we grudgingly obeyed, silent for the rest of the play.

Although... Only one character had my full attention...

"...Riku, are you... crying?" Kairi's voice didn't hold that certain measure of... tenderness that would normally be used with that question, but I guess amusement's more appropriate, anyway.

"...No..." I replied defiantly, even as I attempted to discreetly brush tears from my eyes. I know, I know... Don't give me that look.

"Yes you arrrre!" Kairi stood up and pulled me up with her, pushing me out onto the aisle. The play had ended about ten minutes ago, but we were waiting for Sora, I supposed to go get something to eat. I'd tried to explain to Kairi that Sora would be about as enthused to see me as a man about to meet his executioner, but she'd insisted that I tag along.

And who am I to disagree?

"Why would I be crying, Kairi?" I snapped, but she knew I wasn't as angry as I sounded.

"S'not a big deal," Leon chimed in, his deep voice laced with amusement. "It's a sad play... Especially considering who died..."

I shot him my best death glare, but he seemed unfazed. "And why would that bother me? It's not like he's my boyfriend or anything."

"Yet," Leon and Kairi answered together.

Fifteen minutes and a very uncomfortable car ride later, Sora and I walked silently into the brightly lit diner that Kairi had designated as our meeting place. Yeah, I should have known that something was up when she'd told me we were taking separate cars to the play. Using logic that I really couldn't argue with, the red-haired pain in the ass put had Sora and I in one car, and her and Leon in the other, since Sora and I were neighbors and all.

The ride there had been silent. Well, that is, until Sora had tried to soften the silence by turning on some music. The second he touched the radio, "Megalomaniac" by Incubus had blared out of every speaker in the car, causing us both to jump and the car to swerve, earning an irritated honking from the car in the next lane.

Sora had quickly turned the music down to an acceptable level, blushing brightly and apologizing profusely. "It's fine," I had replied simply, instantly regretting my cold tone.

Now, it wasn't that I don't like being around Sora. I love being around Sora - when he actually sticks around long enough to enjoy it, anyway. But that, right there, was the problem.

When we'd pulled out of the theater parking lot, I had glanced over to him once, and nearly ran us into a light pole. Sora had done his best to get the stage makeup off, but hints of eyeliner, mascara, and blush remained. The streetlights that streamed through the windows had thrown these colors into sharp relief, and I almost hadn't been able to tear my eyes away.

The thing was, there had been the most miserable pout on that lovely face, sending one message loud and clear: he did not want to be here. He did not want to be with me. So why should I waste my time and energy trying to make it otherwise?

Yeah, we'd see how long that lasted.

"You... you like Incubus?" Sora had asked softly, breaking through the ringing in my ears after the incident with the stereo.

I'd given him a short sideways glance and nodded, steering into the restaurant parking lot. "Yup." And that was the death of that conversation.

So there we were, in a bright 50's throwback diner, being led to a booth in the back of the restaurant. "Huh... I wonder what's taking Kairi and Leon so long..." Sora mused aloud, and I shrugged in response as we sat down.

It was only a couple of minutes before a youngish blonde woman wearing far too little clothing bounced over and smiled brightly at us. "Heeeyy, my name's Kelly, and I'll be takin' care of ya tonight. Can I get ya somethin' to drink?" she chirped, just cheerful enough to make me reconsider throwing the pepper shaker at her well-coifed head.

"Uh, actually, we're expecting two more..." I replied politely, gaining a look of understanding and a bigger smile from Daisy Duke there.

"Ya must be Riku and Sora, then. A cute little redheaded girl told me to give this to ya," she said, handing me a small slip of paper. I blinked at it, then let out a small sigh of annoyance.

"I'll have a Coke, then."

Sora gave me a confused look, then gave the waitress his order. When she'd bounced away, he frowned cutely. "What happened? Is everything okay?" he asked, sounding mildly worried.

I rolled my eyes, quite irritated by now. This was not going along with my plan. "We've been set up," I replied flatly, sliding the paper across the Formica table to Sora, who blinked down at it. A simple print of a set of lips, in the bright pink shade of lipstick Kairi had worn tonight.

He sighed and rolled his eyes, then crumpled up the paper and tossed it aside. His apparent distaste for the situation stung a little, though I knew very well that me being an ass might not have felt very good to him, either. "Not happy about the–..." I started, an eyebrow raised, but was interrupted when the waitress came back to take our orders. We both just got a cheeseburger and fries, then I started over. "Not happy about the arrangement, I take it?"

"No more than you are," Sora replied simply, giving a small shrug. "But I'm not running for the door, am I?"

That heightened my spirits, I must say. It hadn't really occurred to me that he could've just walked away. "I guess I should be grateful for that," I conceded, nodding. "But why is it you're not leaving?"

I saw the first bit of a real smile from him then, as he replied, "Don't fish. It's not attractive. But I suppose... If I have to say so..." He eyed me for a moment, then smirked a little more. "You're not all bad. And anyway, Kairi'd kill me if I just left you here."

That comment was good enough for me, though. Sora was just as stubborn as Kairi had said, so I wasn't dumb enough to think he was gonna warm up to me fully right away, but I was gaining ground here.

Yep... not gonna waste my time... Eh, since when have I been able to keep resolutions?

Sora's POV:

Jesus in heaven above... Have his eyes always been that color?

I knew the minute I let myself be a little nice to him in the car, I was getting in over my head. Right now I'm realizing just what an understatement that really was. Just yesterday I was avoiding him at all costs, and now I've placed a small smile on my lips, just because it makes those brilliant aqua eyes sparkle at me.

And ladies and gentlemen, I believe I'm starting to love it.

"So, I didn't know you do theater."

Crap. This means I have to talk, doesn't it? Mmkay... Cute, coy... "Oh, so this wasn't part of your evil plan?" Good, Sora! A little cliché, but pretty darn good for my heart being up in my throat.

Have I mentioned yet just how dead Kairi is?

Riku chuckles softly, and I pretend that it doesn't make me shiver. "No, actually," he answers, "It was part of Kairi's. I had no idea you were gonna be there." His eyes are on mine for a moment, then they lower to the Formica table between us. For just a split second, I could swear that he looks defeated, and I feel a little guilty. But then... "Ya know... You were really good."

It's totally unfair that I just about melt into a puddle in my seat at that. Is it possible that he knows what a sucker for flattery I am? "Oh... well... thank you..." I stammer, aggravated at the pink flush I know is spreading across my cheeks and nose.

He's quiet for a moment, as if he's expecting me to add something to that - a smart remark, perhaps, but when none come, he smiles. "Not a problem. And... if you promise not to tell anybody..." His voice lowers, and he leans across the table as if passing on national security secrets. I can't help it - I lean in, and he murmurs in my ear, "You look really cute in drag."

There it is, guys. Not the most exciting, but eh. Sora's starting to warm up to Riku, finally.

I know I keep promising you guys longer chapters, and I was gonna keep going with this one, but that just seemed like a really good stopping point.

So yeah. Keep reviewing, my lovelies.