Title: Love On A Rotten Day

Author: Slashapalooza

Disclaimer: I don't own Sora and Riku. I just control them. Dance, my puppets, dance!

Author's Note: Quit stalking me, Nis-chan. Oh, and Sora Jr? Sora is extremely insulted. He says he's not speaking to you until you give him candy. Lots of candy. In fact, Sora dislikes the following people: Koharu-chan (Where's HIS cookie?), Insanehikari, SeekingRedemption, Alexandra Halliwell and ElegantArrow64 (He is NOT cute).

Riku loves all of you, especially you, Riku's Heartless Angel. He sends you autographed pictures of him. He also feels it is worth mentioning that he's getting some action next chapter, though not the kind he's looking forward to.

Also, the first chapter beta'd by Starberrie! Everybody must give thanks to her in their reviews, or I won't love you anymore.

Date Begun: December 2, 2004

Date Posted: December 3, 2004

Date Edited: December 16, 2007

Chapter 4: In Which Sora Gets A Job

Over a week had gone by without Sora so much as glancing in Riku's direction and Riku was very, very bored. Sure, Riku hung out with Sora and Kairi as often as possible—except during lunch, when he sat with his actual friends—but Sora seemed determined not to speak to him. He'd even stopped waiting for Kairi after school because he knew that meant he'd be alone with Riku for an hour.

Which meant that Riku ended up taking the bus with Kairi to her house, waiting for her to change, and then taking another bus over to her job at the ice cream shop. Since today was Saturday, he'd just met her there. He sighed, licking the strawberry ice cream off the top of his cone and watching Kairi clean tables.

If he'd been even remotely interested in girls, he might have gone after her what with her bending over the table with her ass in the air like that…

"Stop staring at my ass, Riku. I thought you were interested in Sora?"

Riku blinked, coming out of his daydream that Sora was the one leaning over at the table and looking over at the girl who was raising an eyebrow at him.

"Don't worry. I have no interest in you whatsoever," he said sweetly.

She blinked. "Good. I think…"

Riku chuckled, finishing off his free ice cream (Kairi wasn't the only waitress enamored with him) and hopping off the stool. "Speaking of which, where is Sora anyway?"

Kairi suddenly looked about as innocent as a toddler with a .45. "I have no idea. At home? The park? School?"

"On a Saturday?"

"It's possible…" She was cleaning the table so hard Riku half-expected her to rub a hole straight through it. Some people made it so obvious when they were lying.

"Kairi, where's Sora?"

"I don't know. Really. Go ask somebody else. Go ask his Mom or something!" She threw a rag at him and practically shoved him out the door. Riku was staring at the window of the ice cream parlor for a good two minutes before he realized what had just happened.

Well. That was almost as good as an invitation from Sora. Uh-huh. Riku went to work on his ice cream as he headed down the street, a happy tune on his lips. He'd been meaning to visit Mrs. Harada anyway.


A coffee house. A damn coffee house. Over-caffeinated teenagers and adults rushing in and out with their liquid energy. Sora was well-acquainted with coffeehouses, but he'd never hated them as much as he did when he got a job at one.

People spilled their coffee every five seconds, idiots found it fun to patronize the workers, and other people stood there for twenty minutes or more trying to decide what to buy only to decide they didn't want anything at all.

It was only his first day and Sora was ready to crawl under his bed and never leave his room again for as long as he lived. But he couldn't. His father's live was depending on him. If he quit now, then he might as well admit to his mother that he'd been stealing her mail. Then he might as well commit hara-kiri because she'd do it for him if he didn't.

That in mind, he clenched his teeth and looked at the smirking imbecile standing in front of him. Tidus and his gang had come in for coffee then, as soon as they'd spotted Sora, had stayed to give him a hard time. Tidus looked back at one of his friends, then smirked at Sora, who was trying really hard not to punch him in the face. He might hurt his hand.

"So… this is a coffeehouse, right?"

Sora sighed. "Yes, sir."

"What do you sell here?"

Hippos on tricycles, you idiot. "Coffee, sir."

"What kind of coffee?"

"Edible coffee, sir."

"Edible? Really? You mean I can drink this coffee and not die?"

"Look," Sora snapped, reaching his limit. "The coffee won't kill you, but I might if you don't stop acting like an ass and get out of my face!"

Tidus just laugh, infuriating him even more. "Sora, Sora, Sora, that's not store policy. Should I talk to your manager?"

The anger was instantly replaced by panic. He couldn't afford to get fired on his first day! He needed this job! He'd already felt guilty enough writing that he was sixteen on the job application. He wasn't sure he could do it on another one.

Tidus seemed to read this on his face because his smirk widened. "So, how's Riku?"

"How should I know?" Sora asked in a tensely polite voice. "What do I look like? His boyfriend?"

"You two would make a good couple. And he likes you, you know. Always 'Sora this' and 'Sora that.'"

Sora rolled his eyes. He knew better than to believe it coming from Tidus. Tidus never said anything that wouldn't benefit himself in some way.

"I'm serious," Tidus insisted. "You're always blowing him off, though. Haven't you ever wondered what it'd be like to kiss him?"

"No."

"Not even once?"

"Nope."

"You're lying."

The fact that Tidus could see through him that easily made Sora worried. If Tidus could see how he might feel about Riku, who knew what Riku saw when he looked at him? Just another reason to avoid him…

"Since you were so rude to me, I think you owe me one for not telling your manager."

Somehow, Sora had known this was coming. He groaned. "How much?"

"Oh, not money," Tidus said with a sly smile. "This is as much for you as it is for me. I just think you should satisfy your curiosity and give Riku a kiss. Today."

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not gonna—" Sora gasped as Tidus tapped one of his co-workers on the shoulder to ask for the manager. Sora had to tackle the girl to keep her from answering. "Okay, okay!"

Tidus smirked and walked off, the girl slapped Sora and called him a pervert, and Sora really just wanted to go home.


"Mom, I'm home," Sora called as he entered the house. He was absolutely exhausted. Tidus and his friends had hung around all day, making a mess and specifically requesting that he come clean it up.

Thankfully, Tidus had made no attempt to talk to him for the rest of the day although that gave Sora way too much time to contemplate his little challenge. Would Tidus really bother with telling his boss if he didn't kiss Riku? What did Tidus care anyway? Sure, Sora was curious, but if he wanted to kiss Riku, then he didn't need to be dared to do it. He had a backbone and everything.

He sighed again, putting away his coat and taking off his shoes. Seiya hadn't answered him, but there was a light on in the kitchen. Sora walked in, his eyes widening when they saw that it was empty except for Riku. He gaped.

"Hey," Riku said, leaning against the counter and looking gorgeous. As usual. "Where've you been?"

"What are you doing in my house?"

"Riku, I got the cookies for… Sora!" Seiya said as she came in holding a plate of cookies and a large photo album. "You're just in time. I found your album."

"Mom! No! Not the album! Anything but the album!" Sora cried as his mother set down the cookies and flipped open the album. Riku was at her side in seconds, peering down at the pictures, and Sora wondered what he'd done to deserve this.

"Awww," Riku cooed. "Look at wittle baby Sora sticking his bottom up in the air like that."

Seiya took a seat and a cookie, gesturing for Riku to do the same. Riku sat to her left and Sora to her right, glaring at Riku suspiciously. What was Riku even doing in his house? How had Riku even known where he lived? Since when were Riku and his mother such good friends? What was going on here?

"So… Riku… Sora has told me so much about you. Mostly in his sleep," Seiya said sweetly. Sora groaned and hid his face in his hands. Riku chuckled. "When do you plan on sleeping with him?"

"Next weekend," Riku answered promptly. Sora glared at him through the cracks between his fingers.

His mother was unperturbed. "So, I should be out of the house, then, yes?"

"Yeah, unless you want to listen to the moans, groans, and banging of the headboard."

"Hm. I'll go to Hana's. We'll have a bridge night."

"Good plan."

Sora stared at them both for a moment, waiting for someone to deliver the punchline, but they were both looking quite pleased with themselves. He slammed his hands against the table and stood. "Excuse me? Bad plan! Unless Riku plans on doing himself, then he's not doing anything next weekend. I'm not sleeping with him!"

"Oh, of course you are," Seiya said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Look at him. He's yummy."

"You're not so bad yourself, Mrs. Harada."

"Call me, Seiya, dear."

"I'll be upstairs," said Sora tersely. He grabbed a handful of cookies and ran up the stairs to his room. "Even my own mother's on his side! Geez!"

"Then maybe it's time you joined the dark side, hm?" said a voice from behind him. Riku had managed to sneak up on him yet again. Sora dropped his cookies in surprise as Riku entered the room and closed the door. "Did we make you mad?"

"I'm not having sex with you!"

"You know you want me. I mean, who doesn't."

"Me."

"That's what your mind says, but your libido begs you to jump me."

Sora rolled his eyes and turned to go and sit on his bed. Riku retired to the beanbag chair in the corner. Sora briefly scanned the floor for the cookies he'd dropped, but they must have rolled under the clothes because he could no longer see them.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Nice room."

At first Sora thought he was being sarcastic, but then he realized that Riku was looking at the window seat and the skyline painted across the walls. He smiled softly.

"My Dad renovated it a few months before he got sick…"

Riku was silent for a few minutes. "I could help you out, you know."

"Who said I wanted your help? I don't need you for anything and I haven't got anything to give you in return so, either way, you're screwed."

"Why are you so defensive?"

"I'm not defensive!"

"Are you hiding something?"

"No!"

"I think you are."

"And I think you should leave!"

"What are you hiding, Sora?"

"It's none of your business!" Sora cried, his hands gripping a pillow that he pitched at Riku's head. "Leave me alone!"

Riku caught the pillow, which only further pissed him off. "So… there is something."

"Didn't I just tell you to leave me alone?"

"You did, but you didn't mean it."

Sora threw himself down on the bed, watching Riku through narrowed eyes. Riku seemed genuinely concerned about him and Sora's throat was tight with unshed tears and unspoken words. Could he trust Riku? Really trust him? He barely even knew him! He had no idea whether or not Riku could keep a secret and, really, why should he tell some guy he'd just met a week ago anything about himself?

He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I don't like to think about it. I don't want to talk about it. I just want you to leave me alone and stop asking about my Dad."

He heard some shuffling and then warm fingertips were brushing against his face. He opened his eyes to see Riku carefully brushing away his tears. Sora's breath caught.

"Will you at least tell me why your Dad's in the hospital?"

Sora didn't trust himself to speak and so he simply shook his head and pulled his face away from Riku's hands. He rolled over until his back was to Riku, then closed his eyes, half-hoping Riku would stay. And yet he knew if Riku tried to push him, Sora would just get violent again.

"Alright," Riku said, voice resigned. "See you around, Sora."

He waited until he heard Riku's footsteps fade down the stairs before he curled into a little ball and started to cry.


"Dad?" thirteen-year-old Sora said with a huge grin as he looked over at his father. Sakata Harada looked back at Sora inquisitively as he directed the trucks in the construction yard. They were building what was going to become a new apartment complex, one of which the Harada family would move into with the money from the job. "I'm gonna be thirteen and a half soon!"

Sakata laughed at the pride in Sora's voice. "Good for you, son. Thirteen and still cute as a button."

"Da-ad! Boys aren't supposed to be cute! It's not manly!" protested Sora with a wrinkle to his nose. Unbeknownst to him, this made him look even more cute, but his Dad had the good sense not to point that out. "I'm going back to the car!"

Sakata nodded, returning to directing the trucks. Sora waited until his back was turned, then ran over a mound of dirt in the opposite direction from where the car was parked.

His Dad had told him not to go exploring, but he was thirteen years old. He knew better than to go wandering around the actual construction site. He'd just sit on top of one of the giant dirt mounds and watch, is all. He'd probably even reach the car before his Dad noticed him gone.

What harm could it possibly do to look around just a little bit?

A flash of silver. A scream—no, two. His stomach lurched and he fell into a black abyss, slamming face-first into the ground.


Sora awoke with a jolt, his forehead cold and clammy. He'd cried himself to sleep, but fresh tears were waiting to fall. He felt drained, but wide-awake. Something in his dream had scared him, caused him to cry, but the details of the dream were slipping away too quickly for him to remember.

He sat up in bed and tried to calm down as his eyes roamed around the dark bedroom. They paused briefly on the beanbag. Riku had been sitting in it just a few hours ago, trying to talk to him, trying to help.

What had Sora done but chew him out and yell at him for no good reason? If Tidus was right, and Riku did like him, then he certainly had no reason to anymore.

Sora glanced at the clock. It was only eleven o'clock and yet it felt like an entire lifetime had passed. He felt like an entirely different person, but that could have been because he was too tired to be himself.

Sora got out of bed and walked down the hallway to his mother's room where Seiya was awake and reading a book. She didn't look the slightest bit surprised to see him.

"Are you okay, Sora?" she asked as the light illuminated the tears on his face. He wiped them away and nodded.

"Can you give me Riku's number, please?" his voice was hoarse. He cleared his throat and repeated the question.

Seiya was warily amused. "Why do you assume I have it?" She laughed at the look Sora shot her. "You're right, I do. But I don't give it to you."

"Why not?"

"Because such an asinine display as the one you pulled this afternoon deserves a face-to-face apology. Go drop by his house."

"It's almost midnight!"

"I'm sure he won't mind."

"I don't even know where it—"

"Five blocks down. Big blue thing. You can't miss it."

Sora stared at her helplessly, but he could tell his mother wasn't going to budge on this. He sighed and went back to his room, pulling on his sneakers. He grabbed his coat out of the downstairs hall closet, then headed out into the cool night to see Riku. His mother was right.

Somehow, he knew Riku wouldn't mind.