Ok, I have to apologize again, don't I? I've been sick so I didn't feel like it and plus SCHOOL! It's the school's fault! So, anyway, I got some reviews on saying how Sora should not be seme. I was not surprised about that. But I'll tell you what I am surprised about though, I was amazed to get two reviews supporting Riku as the uke. It made me happy actually because making Riku the uke was my original thought. I like to do things differently. So, what I'm thinking is a split. Yeah, split, that's what I'm going to call it. I'm going to write two alternatives. One with Riku as the uke and the other Sora as the uke. So you can have which ever you want. Original would be Riku as uke though. Hehe...I love Riku! I just want to see him differently!

Love Is Blind

Chapter Fourteen

Ever thought introductions were boring? Well, if they were then they probably weren't done the right way. But in any case, this introduction in particular, Sora was sure he'd never forget. The tall brunet, Squall Leonheart, was a very professional man, a mask covering any traces of his emotions from other. And this was the same with Cloud Strife, the blond one. He had on a series face mirrored to Squall's or Leon's. These two men radiated a light of superiority and visions of an unpleasant and tragic past. Form the first few glances of these two, Sora knew they held power and was respected. And from talking to them, he discovered that the reasons for their behavior must be linked to all the events they've experienced, most of which unwillingly. It was not their fault that they look to others as indifferent and without emotions. Sora felt sympathetic for the first time in many days. He had been sulking and whining about his own life, but now he thought about these two men, both their experiences surpassing Sora's in tragic and sorrow. It's a pitiful to even think Sora suffered as much as they had.

But the girls seemed happy. Yuffie, the ninja, never ceased to offer a childlike smile and neither would Aerith, the one in the pink dress. Either they are trying to pretend or they have already forgotten about all the hardships Sora was sure they'd experience, or they were hiding among another kind of mask, the same and yet different from the men. At these times Sora thought of how envious he was of women, they can laugh and smile so easily. Just like Selphie and Kairi, they don't seem to offer any sign of unhappiness. Ah...but if only the boy knew that being human is tough no matter what the gender, male or female.

"Hm, may I have a glass of water?" Yuffie asked, "I've been talking for so long and my throats gone dry."

"Sure," replied Kairi who got up from the couch of the living room where everyone now resided. They had all gone back to Kairi's house. (All except Riku of course) The outsiders talked and told the teens where they came from or should I say Yuffie and Aerith talked while Leon and Cloud would pitch in rarely. Was it really possible for two people to act so alike? Sora wondered.

But at any rate, Sora learned about them. They were officers or something of that nature. They've carried out various types of dangerous missions. And from the listener's point of view, Sora thought it was an exciting life. But from the end experiencing it, is another matter.

What interested the blue-eyes teen were the mentions of criminals/rivals, Seifer and Sephiroth. It seemed there was a reaction from either Leon or Cloud every time the name Seifer or Sephiroth was said depending on which. Yuffie explained the best she could of Squall's/Leon's relationship with the Sorcereress's Knight, Seifer Almasy, having not been there to see it herself and only heard of it. But there was a more gruesome detail of Sephiroth from Aerith. Through all this Sora listened and felt ashamed for thinking he had the worst when these people had a lifetime's and more of danger and hardships.

But also in listening, Sora felt that there is not as much hate in the two men's heart than there was sorrow in seeing the expressions on their faces. They emitted not of anger or hatred but a deep depression and misery. For this, Sora did not know why but it would have something to do with Seifer and Sephiroth whom Sora both had the impression that they were not, in nature, as bad as the things they did. And it was for some reason that Sora felt attachment and comprehension for the two men, like they were experiencing a state in which Sora might end up. Certainly, Sora did not know for sure what compelled him to feel this way but the feeling was there and he acknowledged it. (Something he should do more often. sigh)

"I'm getting stiff," Tidus complained as he was sitting on the floor all this time listening.

"Let's so play some blitz, ya?" Wakka suggested immediately afterwards being bored himself.

Tidus rose from the ground. "You're on! And you know I'd win, slowpoke!"

Wakka stood up promptly. "Let's just see, shrimp!"

And so the two ran out of the room after a short good-bye.

The two clowns, though, managed to leave two of the guests with a smile. Yuffie laughed at their display, her thoughts obviously thinking of something else in which Tidus and Wakka had reminded. This was the same with Aerith. However, the two men were not so amused.

While Yuffie was still laughing she came up with something totally irrelevant, "Do you have a hot spring here? I was hoping that I'd get to relax."

Selphie was the one to answer her with a rather proud smile, "Of course, we do."

The ninja girl smiled in gratification. "Thank god," she said while getting up. "Take us, take us," Yuffie repeated, lifting her friend in pink up from her seat.

And before Sora knew it, he was left alone with the two quiet men. A half a minute passed, they said nothing. A minute goes passed, they were still. Two long minutes goes away, no one was talking. It seemed that they were intent on keeping their mouths closed as if they were always in meditation.

Sora, uncomfortable, said nothing. He was not eager to start a conversation either, so instead he thought again, something he had been doing all too often and all to much. /Riku.../ What else can Sora be thinking about other than he best friend whom he couldn't see anymore, at least not the old Riku.

When Sora looked over at the two handsome men, he mused at their expressions which were so similar that the blue-eyes boy needed a moment to register which one was Squall/Leon and which was Cloud. They both sat on the couch composed like articulately sculpted statues whose glory and shine ran away with the deaths of their sculptors. How strange, how sad, Sora thought. On the external point of view they look not like ones who were afraid or weak, but Sora, the small teen felt their radiance of utter emptiness of power and sympathized with it.

The sat and looked in the space before them. They were not mesmerized in thought, at least not anymore. Their eyes were clear, only clouded with long-lost memories that even they could not recall anymore. How did they become like this? Sora asked himself. Why were they so...full of lifelessness? No one could be born this way, could they? No... And who were Seifer and Sephiroth to them?

"Hey," the brunette finally spoke directed at Sora and if it was not meant to be nice, it lacked kindness, but if it was meant to be mean, it needed harshness; it didn't sound like anything, no emotion in his word, just like his expression.

This was very creepy and it bothered Sora. He looked confused at the taller man. "Yes?" he managed meekly and softly, hardly audible.

"A boy like you shouldn't look that way," Squall replied.

"What do you mean?" the teen inquired.

"It's unusual for someone who smiles so much to not smile anymore," the blonde commented.

It only added to the boy's bewilderment. /What are they talking about/

"Don't let the most important person in your life slip away," Leon said quietly, getting straight to the point.

"Not like us," Cloud added briefly.

It was then that Sora looked at the two men in comprehension. However, they knew Sora didn't know exactly what they were implying but as if finding the answer he had been looking for, Sora smiled and stated firmly, "I won't."

I know this one's boring. I'm so so so so sorry. At least, ya know that I'm not quitting this.