Disclaimer: I hate this things If I owned KH I would have someone writing this things for me
Parings: Sora/Riku
Overall Rating: R
Chapter Rating: PG-13
Warnings: This fic is a YAOI and in case the paring didn't give it away it means male/male relationships don't like don't read. Really very simple. It's also an AU okay. Well having said that enjoy the story.
A/N: Hey what's up? Well can I say except sorry for the delay. Believe it or not I was having a slight case of writers block but not really I was just having a difficult time wracking my poor brain trying to think how to advance a certain part of the plot. So after days of thinking about it I came up with the answer and I've now mapped out the rest of the fic well roughly anyway, so in short I've solved that current problem which means no more waiting so long for updates, unless something else comes up o.0 hopefully nothing will. Well enjoy the chapter.
Thanks to: Heather Christi, I'm not sure I'll make Cloud jealous maybe a bit heh heh. onlyHAUNTED, thanks oh and the storm is definitely brewing. Zelphie well here you go more fluff this chapter enjoy. animegirl171, don't worry all will be revealed soon o.0 man that just sounded like a cheesy fortune teller. Sora Lover: Angel of Darkness aww thank you, Grey Elven-Eyes, I am putting Sephy in I think I mention that in chapter eleven or twelve ahh can't remember my own chapters. Any way Sephy is one of the reasons I was taking so long updating have to make everything right for his arrival. Kahura, nope none of those things (stops to ponder ) hmm or maybe. Jaded queen of the Damned, Squall is so hot (drools) err sorry and Sephiroth will be in soon. Eva, aww (glomps Eva) thanks I love reading your reviews and I'm really glad you like my writing style and I'm glad you also liked the nice angst break but you know doesn't last long and here we go into another emotional roller coaster well enjoy. MercuryGoddess, thank you very much. thunder dragon/Shiva3000, Sephy sexy yes very and he'll be in shortly Ani-coolgirl, yay! pointless plotless is what I was going for but no more of that on heartbreak heh heh just kidding well kind of. princessSwifty, glad you liked it and I agree to many poor people but not Sora and Riku ^ _ ^. Ku1, thanks for both review and of course I'm going to finish this fic I don't think I could stop writing it even if I wanted to I guess I'm just too engrossed in my own story to not finish it. Charmed1s thanks yous much. Mushashi455, "to hell with humans" now that one I'm taking to heart thanks again for the advice. destiny gal, thank you and as for the pairings they'll be obvious a bit on. Master Fluffy thanks and sorry for the delay on this chapter (mumbles about writes block) Kagemihari, thank you so much and I do need a beta and I appreciate the offer but, I really want to try to better my writing skills by well writing and I know I can't do that if someone's correcting my errors for me. Don't get me wrong I'm not that stubborn I'm about ready to give up grammar is not my thing and I just hope your offer stands in the future when I'm finally ready to get a beta, though for now I want to try to improve a bit more. Apfboriqua, thanks and I do feel much, much better. April-Chan. thanks and addiction oh so good.
Squall sat quietly looking over the group who was slowly making their way onto the stage. He glanced at his watch and nodded to himself, they were on time. That was good he couldn't tolerate people who weren't serious about their commitments. The group stood around talking waiting for something to happen.
Sora who had been talking to Yuffie walked up over to Squall who was sitting in the only chair on the stage he smiled down at the sitting boy.
"So this is it huh?"
He said looking around the stage, it was their firs rehearsal meeting and everyone was excited. Squall looked around the room at each and every person he had cast with the help of Yuffie. Yes, his cast he was confident he had chosen the right person for each part but there was still one character who remained to be cast and he hadn't yet found the right person for the character. That was a problem, a problem he would have to deal with and soon.
"What do you think?"
Squall asked quietly. Sora had finished reading the play and could more or less place a person to his or her character, but he couldn't be sure who Squall had chosen to play what part. Sora shrugged happy he didn't have to.
"You're the one who knows this things not me but..."
He paused taking a look at the very familiar faces around him, most if not all of the people there had been in previous plays with them and they were very talented.
"I think you've chosen well"
He stated. Squall smirked and stood from his chair, it was time to begin. With his hands loosely at his sides he lifted his face and cleared his throat, it was a small sound but non the less everyone heard and stopped their conversation turning their eyes on him giving him their complete attention.
As they watched him waiting for him to continue no one dared to make a sound. Squall just had a confident aura that made anyone stop and listen. He oozed calm, control confidence and leadership things everyone respected. Seeing he had everyone's attention he began.
"First of all I would like to tell you I'm glad you are all here. I'll try not to bore you with a speech but I must say the following. All of you know why you're here, if you do not than leave. I want you know I'm devoting my self one hundred percent to this project and expect no less from each and everyone of you. You have to consider this play your main priority if not your only priority. The next few months this project will most likely be your own personal hell, and I need you to commit one hundred percent if you cannot or will not I've no time for you. Which means I expect you to be on time, know your lines, hit your marks I'll not tolerate tardiness lame excuses or being ubprepared"
He paused looking at their expressions as his words sank in slowly.
"If anyone feels they can't give what I ask for leave now, I refuse to waste my time or anyone else's"
He finished and waited for their response, perhaps he was asking a bit much but he wouldn't sugar coat anything this play was not going to be easy. For one it had never been performed before, so they had nothing to base their performances on. Second since it had never been performed it meant all the set designs background, props, costumes had to be created from scratched from his head. That meant he would constantly be diving his time between his actors and the crew, and worst of all they needed one more character.
Squall of course hadn't told them any of that, he just needed to get a cross that this play needed their full commitment and like he had said he had not time for those who wouldn't give their all. As he watched the people on the stage he felt a small smile when no one moved to leave.
"Than you all decide to stay?"
Nods went all around and he nodded. It seemed like he had indeed chosen well, very well.
"Good I'm not going to say it's going to be easy because it's not. We have roughly about three month's to put this together. We have before winter break our first performance is schedule a week and a half before winter break and we have to be ready by than. Lets get to work"
After he finished Yuffie who had been standing on the side, stepped forward handing out copies of the play to everyone. They went over the characters and each person stepped forward saying their names and the character they were playing. After they got that done, they began asking Squall questions.
Question which were easy to answer. They wanted to know why their character acted like they did why they believed it what they believed and what fueled their actions, motives and emotions. After an hour of questioning and of Squall answering patently why each character was what they were, he told them to pick someone to rehearse a scene of their choice to get a feel of the characters.
As they did so, Squall walked among them stopping every now and then to correct them in their take on the characters and proceeding to walk to the next couple.
"Squall"
Squall turned hearing his named being called by a girl with blond hair and pretty green eyes whose name was Nia who was playing the part of Malekai's fiancé . She was currently running lines with Sora and Sora looked form her to Squall.
Squall walked towards them and stopped in front of her. She fidgeted a bit but quickly regained her courage and looked at him.
"Aren't you worried about the reactions you'll get from people? I mean some people can be pretty narrow minded and cruel about such things like what you wrote"
Squall looked at Nia and shook his head, he knew what she was talking about and wasn't' worried in the least.
"No I'm not. In everything you ever do you'll have people who will praise you and people who will hate you whether their reasons are justified or not. It's a fact you have to learn to live with. If we begin to worry what others think we loose track or our goals. Having people who will surely no approve is just something we have to accepts. Besides if they can't see past the homosexual aspect which is only a layer to this play, than I really don't see why I should bother worrying about their primitive critics."
Nia smiled and nodded. Squall was right the play was more than just two guys feeling something for each other and if people couldn't see past that then why should they worry about their opinion.
"You're right we shouldn't loose track of our goals for others"
She turned back to Sora and continued with their lines. Everyone who had been listening turned back to their partners silently agreeing with the conversation. After a few more minutes with their partners, Squall had them rehears a scene from the first act which went smoothly. Squall nodded in satisfaction once they were finished they had done commendable progress.
"Okay lets call it a night, tomorrow same time and I'll have a set schedule for the rest of our future meetings"
Everyone gather the things they had brought with them and left the stage. Yuffie who was helping Squall direct the play walked up to him and smiled.
"That went well"
Squall nodded sensing there was something more she wanted to ask. He was right.
"How are feeling?"
She asked concerned. Squall gave her a small smile trying very hard to not toll his eyes, he knew she meant well and was only worried about him, but he wasn't about to break into a puddle of tears. And frankly he was getting tired of people asking him how he was.
"I'm fine Yuff"
She smile not completely convinced and nodded.
"Okay. Well I'll make up the schedule tonight and then we can discuss the um Malekai"
She finished in a whisper not wanting the other to know they had yet to cast the king, she was actually surprised no one had noticed. Squall nodded agreeing with her.
"I'll see you tomorrow Leon"
She said and turned jumping down the stage and running to the door before he could say anything about the usage of that name.
Everyone had left except Sora who walked up to Squall narrowing his eyes. Squall arched a brow, Sora wanted something and he was just waiting for him to say what.
"Alright Squall where's the king?"
Squall chuckled.
"Nothing gets pass you now does it?"
Sora shrugged.
"Well it's kind of difficult to not notice the one person who you have most of your scenes with is not present"
Squall sighed and walked to the edge of the stage sitting down looking out onto he empty audience before him. His eyes roaming the seats picturing people sitting in them, seeing their reaction to them, to the people on stage. Feeling an eager anticipation building with in him.
"I haven't cast a Malekai yet"
Sora walked to Squall and sat down next to him, much like they had been sitting when they had, had their first real conversation.
"Why not?"
Sora asked swinging his legs back and forth. Squall shrugged.
"I haven't found someone who can play him right"
Squall said not really being able to explain to Sora what he meant. He himself not being sure what it was that kept him from casting Malekai, it had something to do with the way the people auditioning for Malekai had portrayed him. Yes the king was arrogant and careless but in a angry, morbid, defiant type of way rather than a snobby, clueless person most auditioners had seemed to think he was.
"Why don't you play Malekai?"
No sooner were the Sora's words out of his mouth than his head was shaking dismissing the idea.
"Never mind"
"Actually that's not a bad idea"
Sora looked at Squall with a mixture of confusion and worry. Squall was obviously not only going to direct the play but he was also going to be in the play. Wasn't that too much pressure? Than again who was he to tell Squall what to do? But he still couldn't help feeling worried.
"Don't you think that's taking on a lot?"
Squall considered Sora's question. It was quite a bit to take on but he was sure he could handle it. Even if he couldn't he didn't have much choice they could only rehears so much with out one of the main characters.
"Malekai's not the central focus you are, and I already have down his character since I did create him. It really wont be a problem Sora"
Sora looked at him doubtfully but shrugged.
"Okay"
He said and stood up he looked down at Squall he knew he really shouldn't ask and it wasn't any of his concern, but he felt Squall already becoming his friend and he worried for his friends. He bit his lip and against better judgment asked.
"Are you alright though with you know?"
He asked, Squall didn't look up at Sora merely turned his head a bit to hide the look of pure annoyance that had come across his face. Instead he nodded and saying nothing else. Sora took Squall's silence as dismissal of the subject it was obvious Squall didn't want to talk so he wasn't going to press. If Squall wanted to talk he would talk and thinking about it Squall didn't seem too upset, which made Sora wonder if Squall was upset at all.
"I'll see ya tomorrow"
Squall nodded again and Sora left the stage leaving Squall to quiet pondering. Squall closed his eyes and leaned back on the floor with his hands tucked behind his head and his feet still dangling from the stage.
Squall took a deep breath and relished the quiet of the empty theater. Silence. Silence that always helped him think. Was he taking on too much? Most likely, but he could handle pressure he always had.
His thoughts now wondered from the play to Cloud. He needed to talk to Cloud, needed to apologize make amends for what he had said and done. Cloud was his friend the one person who had been there to pull him from the dark after Ellone had died. Cloud who had been right regarding their relationship. How was he ever going to make things right with Cloud?
Too lost in his thoughts he failed to hear the soft steps of someone making their way across the stage and stopping next to him. He was completely unaware of the fact there was someone standing next to his head looking down at him, until he heard a soft voice calling out his name.
"Squall?"
Squall's eyes snapped opened startled and a bit irritated with himself for not hearing someone approaching him. His gaze fell on the blond boy who was cocking his head to the side looking down at him with a bit of concern. Squall stared back not saying anything just starring a the boy above him, who was covered in sweat and some grass and he guessed he had just come out of practice. Even in such a state of disarray he looked great. Tidus blushed and looked away.
"Guess I missed him again huh"
He stated rather than asked . Squall knew who he was talking about and nodded. Tidus sighed he had wanted to walk home with Sora, but that wasn't happening tonight. Tidus looked down at Squall again and felt little butterfly flying wildly in his stomach. Why did Squall look at him like that? Like he was interested, like he was stripping him of his clothing with his eyes. Why? When it was obvious he still liked Cloud, or so Tidus reasoned.
"Okay than"
Tidus said and was about to turn, but his curiosity got the better of him. He looked down at Squall who was arching a questioning brow surprised Tidus had stopped from leaving.
"Are you alright?"
Squall frowned and closed his eyes briefly before opening them again this time full of annoyance and anger.
"I' am so sick of everyone asking me that. Why doesn't anyone ask Cloud if he's alright? Why does everyone think I'm the one who's heart is openly bleeding? Why? Do I really seem that weak? Do I really seem so fragile that I can't handle a break up?"
Tidus flinched at the coldness in Squall's voice. He looked down at Squall a bit confused and hurt.
"Well?"
Squall said raising his voice, but not quiet yelling Tidus looked away Squall was obviously a one track mind which lead to one thing Cloud.
"I wasn't talking about Cloud"
Tidus said his voice a detached emotionless whisper. Squall blinked up at him completely speechless. Well hell. He thought feeling like an idiot.
"Than what did you mean?"
He asked his voice now back to normal. Tidus looked back down at Squall still feeling hurt at Squall previous tone of voice. He hadn't been referring to Cloud at all, but Squall's obviously thought he had. That reaction only served to confirm what he thought was true which was Squall still had feelings for Cloud. Before he answered Squall he wondered why that knowledge seem to hurt.
"Well look at you, you're just lying there on the floor by yourself and I only wanted to know if you were feeling well"
Squall groaned closing his eyes. How stupid of him, he had jumped to conclusions and in the process had hurt Tidus. Tidus the only person who had not asked him anything regarding to Cloud. Tidus the person he had been thinking about a lot lately, even before he and Cloud had broken up. Was that what Cloud had seen? Had Cloud realized even before Squall had that he had other interests?
While being lost in his thoughts again Tidus looked down at Squall really starting to worry now. Squall was quiet again and he wasn't moving at all.
"Squall?"
Squall didn't react
"Squall?"
He called again and no response. Tidus kneeled next to Squall placing his hands on the floor next to Squalls head, he leaned forward and stared for a second. Squall was absolutely beautiful he looked as if he were sleeping his dark lashed gently touching his cheeks standing out in stark contrast to his ivory skin. He started at that face trying to memorize everything the scare leading to his nose, which was slim and elegant leading down to his lips. Pink lips like a rose petal and he bet they were just as soft. He shook his head taking those thoughts from his mind.
"Squall?"
He called out again louder and closer to Squall betting his lower lip. Squall her the voice breaking his thoughts and opened his eyes only to stare up the some what shocked expression of Tidus. He had just been thinking of the time he had almost kissed said boy and let his gaze travel to those lips which the bottom was caught between the boys teeth nervously and with out another thought he brought one hand from under his head and brought it op behind Tidus's head pulling him towards him while he leaned up capturing the boys lips with his own.
Tidus eyes went wide and he gave a small gasp before letting his eyes close kissing Squall back shyly and with a bit of hesitance. Tidus moved his head enjoying the gentle caress of Squall lips on his own. He let all thought cease concentrating solely on the lips on his own and the hand currently buried in his hair pulling him even closer to the boy beneath him.
Tidus moaned opening his mouth and when his tongue met Squall's for the first time it was like a splash of cold water for both. They withdrew from one another at the same time it was impossible to tell who had pulled apart first.
Tidus pulled up and turned his head his breath ragged. He closed his eyes, feeling stupid for kissing Squall. Yes he liked Squall but no matter how much he liked him he wasn't about to turn into anyone's rebound.
Squall sat up giving his back to Tidus. He didn't regret the kiss not for one second, but it wasn't time yet. Not time in the sense he felt like he had just cheated on Cloud. That hadn't been fair to Cloud, even though they were no longer together he needed to make amends with him before he could start anything with anyone. He needed a clean break, closure so he wouldn't feel guilty. Cloud
"...I'm Sorry"
He whispered. Mistaking Squall's apologize Tidus opened his eyes and shook his head. He scoffed thinking how foolish he had been.
"Yeah well so am I"
Squall turned around startled he hadn't thought Tidus had heard him which he obviously had. That apology wasn't meant for Tidus he had been apologizing to Cloud. He watched Tidus push himself up to his feet looking down angrily at him.
"Tidus that's not.."
He began only to be cut off by Tidus.
"Look lets just forget this happened. I'll see you around."
With that he left leaving Squall staring at his retreating form. Squall wanted to make himself clear but decided best to just let Tidus calm down a bit, besides he needed to talk to Cloud first than he would talk to Tidus and hoped Tidus hadn't meant what he had said.
Cardel: Muahahahaha bet you weren't expecting that yet huh? Well sorry for the taking so long and the short chapter truly I am.
Jin: I don't think they believe you.
Demak: Yay! fluff me happy.
Cardel: Aren't you always. Oh and just so you know I'm not rushing this pairing even though it might seem like I am, but their little get together will be nothing like Riku's and Sora's.
Jin: Okay now you better not get any more block its hard braking them down.
Demak: uh huh they are ( holding pick and shovel)
Cardel: Sorry about that, but I'm over it yay! And I'm planning on bringing Sephiroth in about two or three chapters I can't wait yay! ( twirls around singing off key joined by Demak)
Jin: 0.0 Kami-sama why me? ( covering ears) review.
