Kiss Paralysis
The morning after is often bitter, like vinegar.
Chapter 5, Morning Fight
A streak of blue laminated the wall that Riku was staring at. This was perfect weather to sleep in but unfortunately his body felt eager and energized. The flame upon the two candles stood still only making the faintest of movement when Riku made any faint movement. It was peaceful and pacified and Riku was reveling in that and his victory. Despite Sora's bafflement he couldn't help but be satisfied. It was a guilty sort of satisfaction but he had to bask in it. Riku knew that quite soon Sora would be his.
"Kairi, you're soaked to the bone," Selphie remarked wrapping her friend in a towel, "Good thing you live right down the street from Riku."
"Yeah, it'd be terrible to be walking through a storm like this."
"Did you get a hold of Sora?" Kairi asked, holding the towel closer to her as she warmed herself near the fireplace.
Selphie bit her lower lip nervously, "The phone cut off right when I tried to tell him you would be here tonight, he's pretty laid back sometimes so he shouldn't be too worried."
"I hope so," Kairi's violet eyes shifted towards the living room window, don't do anything drastic, Sora.
Sora stood in front of the sliding glass doors that led to the back yard. The only thing that was visible was the erratic pattern of flashes in the stormy sky. To his misfortune sleep wasn't coming all too easily. He loathed sleeping by himself in weather like this, it reminded him of those days. When he closed his eyes he could recall fighting the heartless, the endless swarms of them, constantly returning, everywhere surrounding him, inescapable. His breath clouded on the glass as he leaned closer to it, trying to decipher something visible out there.
"It's so dark," his voice echoed in the empty kitchen, "I've got to leave."
He grabbed his brown rain trench coat and placed it on, he was dead set on finding Kairi, he had to be with her, he had to protect her. OK Sora, stop and think . . . she was at Riku's house last so he has to know where she is now.
Riku . . .
No--this is urgent! You've got to go over there pronto!
With his mind all sorted out . . . sort of he stepped out into the storm. It seemed to be raining sideways and he had to use his hand to shield his eyes from the rain. The wind felt like whiplashes against his skin and his hair was drenched and plastered on his forehead. His steps were often deterred due to the stray leaves that tended to slap his face and every so often he would stop at a palm tree and cling to it, believing that he would get blown away if he began walking again. He even considered turning back.
Then finally, Sora could see the outlines of Riku's house. He quickened his walking pace but the puddles were slick under his boots and he slipped in front of the gate that led to the small yard outside Riku's house, knocking down a metal ladder as he fell.
Riku was walking down stairs to retrieve his cigarettes when he detected the crash of his ladder upon the pavement. Irritated that it could've done damage to his gates he mumbled a profanity and opened the front door, lighting a cigarette as he did so. His eyes widened when he found his front gate swung open all the way and Sora laying under the ladder. Riku abandoned his cigarette running and kneeling down to Sora, kicking off the ladder, and wrapping one of Sora's arms around his neck, and dragging him inside.
He's gotten heavier, Riku mentally remarked as he closed the door behind him.
"Riku . . . is Kairi here?" coughed Sora half consciously.
"Sora you're bleeding . . ."
What? was the last thought in Sora's mind as he blacked out.
The smell of warm hot cocoa filled Kairi's nose as she watched Selphie indolently make it for the both of them, "So what dress did Riku decide was best? Any of them ones I picked?" the brunette asked hopeful.
Kairi smiled lightly and pulled out the damp magazine, "Actually, he picked a dress that we both didn't see when looking through the magazine."
"Aww," Selphie whined as she watched Kairi turn the wet pages, "Is that it?" she asked staring at the very elegant yet simple dress.
"Yep," Kairi nodded, "It looked nicer when the magazine was dry."
Selphie handed a mug of cocoa to Kairi and kept one for herself, "I can't believe we didn't notice it before, it's so beautiful."
"Yeah . . ."
Selphie blew off the steam on her cocoa, "Is something the matter, Kairi?"
"Nothing's wrong!" she answered over-cheerfully.
"Yeah right, spill it."
Kairi sighed, "Selphie, I don't think I could . . ."
"Tell me!"
"Alright-alright," she sipped her coffee slowly, the heat burning her lips, "I feel like Sora and Riku are hiding something from me and I'm really worried about it."
Selphie rolled her eyes, "Well duh they're hiding something from you--I'll bet they've got something planned for the wedding," the romanticist stated.
"I don't think that's it, Selphie."
"What else could it be?"
"Something deeper than that."
"Trust me, those two have always been up to mischief, even before you came here."
Kairi smiled subtly, "You're probably right."
"When am I wrong?" Selphie giggled causing Kairi's smile to grow a bit bigger.
When Sora awoke he could no longer hear the strong beats of the storm upon the roof, all that was left was the timid staccato of rain drops. His hand automatically reached up to touch his throbbing temple but instead of feeling skin he felt tourniquet.
"Ughhn," he took a deep breath, and inhaled second hand smoke.
"You awake?" Riku asked as he put out his cigarette in an ashtray the butt joining the orgy of other old butts.
Sora used the headboard on Riku's bed to help stabilize him as he sat up, "Kairi . . . where's Kairi?"
Riku removed himself from the bed, giving Sora more room, "Selphie just called and told me Kairi was over there and that doing fine."
"I've got to see her," he declared with a hoarse voice.
"Rest a while, Kairi is alright," Riku said coolly as he took slow steps to the balcony windows.
"I've got to protect her."
"She's safe."
Incapable of sitting up any longer Sora slid sideways, falling back into a laying position, "Riku . . . are you mad at me?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Kairi is the one, she really is."
Riku didn't react and gazed blankly at the sun that struggled to rise above the post-storm clouds.
"Riku . . . you should ask Selphie out."
Sora's best man only replied with a discreet chuckle, "Forget already Sora? I love you, remember?"
Sora turned his back to Riku, "Not this again, Riku I love you--I mean Kairi!" how did I manage to slip that up?
"You make Kairi sound like an obligation."
"--An obligation? She's not an obligation."
"You make her sound like one."
"She's not!"
Riku laughed at Sora's weak comeback, taking delight in teasing him, "I haven't even seen you kiss her in public."
"We've kissed . . . not in public but we've kissed!" Sora replied rolling back over to face Riku with a pout face.
"So have we," Riku answered, sitting beside Sora.
Sora's eyes strayed away from Riku's face, trying not to observe the muscular frame of Riku's body or the way his pelvis--he had to quit that. Before Sora could bury his face into a pillow he felt Riku's thumb brush lightly upon his bottom lip.
"Stop Riku," Sora muttered, batting Riku's hand away and also trying to fight his secret desire to kiss Riku once more.
"I can't and won't."
A/N: Shorter than usual but oh-well. I'm in desperate need for an editor and I refuse to update this fic until I get one. So if anyone is interested in the job e-mail meor for AIM users IM me at Mister Baa Baa 5 I'm begging someone, anyone, EDIT FOR ME! I don't mind returning the favor either it's just I can't stand editing my own stories, it's boring. Review like always, the more reviews I get the sooner I'm likelier to update.
Disclaimer: Who just wants to own Kingdom Hearts? Not me, no way. Definitely not me. Yeah.
