This chapter is dedicated to two friends I met through fanfiction and who have proven themselves to be quite a source of inspiration. I thank the both of them for having been such great listeners and (especially you, Naked Goth) generous conversation partners.

To Sexy and Naked Goth, you know who you are… :D

-Blackdiamond Princess!

NINE: One night magic
"Does this hurt?"

Sora gently pressed a wet piece of cloth against Riku's swollen lower lip, attending to the broken skin there.

Riku shook his head slightly and silently watched Sora take care of him with so much devotion. His small fingers delicately brushed a few of his strands of silver away from his face, the simple sensation of those soft hands on his skin making him tingle all over.

When Sora moved away to wet the cloth in a bowl of water he had placed on the nightstand next to him, he felt one of Riku's hands holding his left arm back. Sora looked at him, seeing him open frightened eyes, fearing he was leaving him again. A tender smile grew on the younger male's face and he laid the cloth on the nightstand so he could place his right hand comfortingly on Riku's face. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you anymore."

Riku nodded, his eyes filling up with tears again.

Sora endearingly smiled and moved up Riku's body to press a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Don't worry."

Riku closed his eyes and carefully took a deep breath, trying to avoid his ribs from hurting too much while doing so, but unable to resist the sweet scent of Sora's vanilla perfume. "You smell so good…"

Sora gave him another smile before turning back to the nightstand and taking a cold-hot compress out of another bowl, to lessen the swelling of the large bruise Riku had on his left side, right underneath his ribs. "Just tell me when I'm hurting you too much." He placed the compress on the rapidly purple turning skin and quickly removed it when Riku gave a slight groan of pain. "Sorry." He apologised with an empathic wince, blushing a little.

"It's alright…" Riku said, placing his right hand on Sora's, guiding it back on the bruise gently.

The brunette nodded and reddened some more, feeling like a clumsy teenager all over again and Riku's hand on his only seemed to make it worse. "I… I haven't thanked you yet for what you did for me…" He softly whispered, keeping his eyes on their joined hands, not finding the strength to look at him.

Riku simply looked at him and tilted his head to side slightly, observing him silently. "You don't owe me anything…" He then whispered softly, shaking his head.

Sora closed his eyes and sighed, unable to bear what he was feeling inside any longer. Now he felt responsible for the bruises Riku had on his body. He had known that putting the blame on Riku wouldn't solve anything and in the end, he had almost lost him for good. "I'm sorry, Riku. I'm so so sorry for everything that has happened. I shouldn't have treated you the way I did, I shouldn't have got said those things—" He whimpered but got cut off.

"Don't do this to yourself. I understand." Riku softly spoke. "You've been through a horrible experience and I can only be grateful that you're still here. With me."

Sora looked up at him now, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "I was so scared." He whispered in a tiny voice, laying his head on Riku's chest, closing his eyes tightly. "And all I could think about was you… I kept hoping that I'd be able to see you again and wishing that I hadn't said all those bad things…"

Riku smiled tenderly, removing a chocolate lock out of Sora's right eye. "When I first heard your voice in the station sounding so frightened and panicked my heart almost stopped beating because I was terrified that I might be too late. I've always wanted to be the one to protect you Sora, because that is simply what I want to do when I'm around you."

Sora closed his eyes, letting his tears escape freely now. "I do attract trouble, huh?" He sniffled, producing a watery smile.

Riku shook his head and chuckled a little. "No matter. I'll always protect you." He took Sora's right hand and kissed its palm's centre. "I'll always love you."

Sora sighed and sniffled, his lips quivering as they tried to hold his sobs back. "But Riku—"

"I'm the one who messed up in the first place." Riku said with his eyes closed. "I almost lost you and I felt like dying. I don't want to experience this ever again."

More tears rolled down Sora's face as he gently laid a hand on Riku's swollen lower lip. "Me neither." He whimpered, shaking his head and moving in to embrace him.

Riku rested his chin on Sora's head and held him close. "I don't know where the future will take us, but I want you to be by my side. I'm still learning this thing we have you and I and even if it is by trial and error I will do the best I can to make it work and not leave you to maintain our relationship on your own."

Sora smiled against his chest. "Do you promise?"

Riku paused for a moment and looked down at Sora's face lying against him and fastened his grip. "I promise you, Sora. For real this time."

The brunette smiled contently and nodded. "I know." He then looked up and detached himself from the embrace. "For real."

"Sora…" Riku raised a hand and cupped Sora's face, his thumb caressing away another tear rolling down his cheek. The older male could feel and see Sora blush, causing a burning desire to start growing inside of him while their eyes gazed with tender affection at each other. He longed for Sora, wanted to make love to him slowly and passionately just like he deserved to be made love to. The hands touching him with so much care hadn't helped to fight these feelings. What he absolutely did not want right now was to force Sora into having sex with him and make the same mistakes like before. Things would have to go slow this time, not only because of his injuries, but also because they needed to rebuild a little of the trust they had lost between each other.

Sora slowly moved closer, feeling his body respond to the beginnings of a sexual tension, his large blue eyes silently asking for permission to approach. He slid his hands up Riku's broad and firm chest, carefully creeping up his body; ready to put his lips on his.

Riku took a breath and gently stopped his approach with a hand on his right shoulder. "Are you sure?"

Sora blinked and gave him a confused look. Riku wiped away the tears that had never left the corners of the brunette's eyes and traced the contours of his full lips with a finger. After the rollercoaster of emotions they both had had to endure during these past two days he definitely did not want to abuse of misinterpreted feelings. "I mean, are you sure you're… ready? After tonight?"

Sora sighed in silent relief, having feared a rejection, and paused for a moment, looking Riku in the eyes, contemplating his words. "I'm sure." He then whispered before he got off the bed and stood next to it, his eyes still locked with Riku's.

In one fluid movement he took off his white turtleneck sweater and threw it at the end of the bed. He then unzipped his pants and lowered them, stepped out of them and stood there in nothing but his dark blue shorts and a t-shirt. "Make love to me, Riku. Please." He whispered, the t-shirt now going over his head, revealing more of the soft caramel toned skin he had and his slender figure.

Riku let his eyes glide over Sora's body, gazing longingly at his small chest and the hardening rosy nipples. He held out his hand and the brunette took it, approaching him to sit next to him on the bed. He then brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed Sora's knuckles, his eyes still fixed on his. "I just want to be really sure that you want this…"

Sora smiled at him, his right hand caressing the older male's left cheek tenderly and planted a tentative kiss on his lips. He saw Riku open his eyes again, his question still silently present in their depths. This made Sora giggle softly and he moved in again, enmeshing their lips in a tasting kiss. A pink tongue swept over the silver haired one's lips this time, searching for remains of the sweet kiss. Sora bit his lower lip at this and stood back up again, now taking his shorts off. "I want you."

Riku only stared with growing lust as he received proof of his desire and took him in his arms as Sora moved himself to straddle him. "You're so beautiful…" He whispered against his lips, caressing his brown spikes.

Sora cooed approvingly and moved in to press his lips against Riku's. "Then let's make love… Please…" He whispered, taking Riku's hands in his and putting them on his hips, wanting to feel his hands on him as he rolled his hips against him. "You don't have to do all the work, but let's do this…"

Riku kissed him back, closing his fingers on Sora's hips, feeling himself getting aroused because of the electric friction between their bodies. He understood what Sora meant, and knew that not only he needed it, but that both of them did. Their brief separation had been enough to have them longing for each other like a desert longed for a single drop of refreshing rain…

Sora tilted his head back, letting Riku slide his lips down on his throat, shivering at the sensation of tongue and teeth playing alternately against his skin. The need for more skin-to-skin contact took the upper hand of his thoughts and he rubbed himself against Riku's still clothed crotch enticingly, wordlessly trying to convince what he so desperately wanted.

"Help me out of this, then…" Riku murmured sexily, his hands now resting on the small of Sora's back, coaxing him to stand on his knees, his lips never leaving Sora's skin.

"We don't need to take it all off, do we?" Sora whispered, his eyes closed at the tender kisses raining down his throat while he skilfully managed to unbutton and unzip the jeans just enough.

"No we don't…" Riku breathed out, sitting up carefully and pulling Sora to him, the tip of his fingers tripping down his curved back.

Sora arched, submerged in the intensity of the moment, his lover's name tumbling off his lips more times than he could count. Goosebumps appeared on every place that Riku touched, his body left shivering with growing anticipation. "Take it… It's all yours…"

(More?)

"Open wide…"

With a chuckle Sora let Riku put the small amount of chocolate ice cream in his mouth, and applied little suction when his index slowly withdrew. "Yum…" He whispered, his eyes locked with Riku's.

A perfectly shaped silver eyebrow rose in silent satisfaction as he got pulled closer to his lover sitting with his legs spread wide on the edge of the kitchen table in nothing but his dark blue shorts and the black silken night robe he had given him to cover himself with. "Mind if I have a taste too?" He whispered against Sora's lips with an impish smile.

Sora giggled softly before letting Riku's tongue slide past his lips and flickered briefly against his to induce the kiss that followed. He moaned softly as Riku's clothed groin pushed against his, his hands sliding down his bare sides and over the slight curves of his hips just above his black silken pyjama pants.

"I love the way your skin tastes afterwards…" Riku whispered, his lips now skimming over the smooth skin of Sora's left shoulder, pushing the black fabric of the night robe aside, making it fall over the shoulder.

Sora smiled softly and closed his eyes at the tender press of moist kisses on his skin. "How does it taste?"

"Like sugar…" Riku whispered, kissing his way back towards the curve of Sora's neck. "Better than chocolate … sweeter than honey…"

Sora let out a small shaky breath when Riku caressed his lips against the crook of his shoulder, sending shivers down his back. He moaned again at the stronger press of their awakening members, his right leg hooking itself around Riku's left leg, pulling him even closer as his hands now slipped inside the black pyjamas.

"No matter how hot that is right now, there are some people who would like to have breakfast on that table later."

Both lovers turned their heads to the entrance of the kitchen and found a slightly blushing and annoyed Kairi standing there in her pyjamas.

"Good morning, Kai." Sora greeted her with a drowsy smile, leaning into Riku.

"Don't you guys ever sleep?" She asked them as she now stood in front of the fridge, yawning. "I was barely able to close an eye last night."

Sora winced a little and shared a brief gaze with Riku. "We're sorry; I guess we kind of got… carried away…" He whispered with a small giggle, closing his eyes at the lips and tongue playing against his throat.

"I understand, really…" The redhead spoke, rolling her eyes at her friends' shamelessness. "I'm happy you two worked things out. Finally." She took out a pack of sausages, butter, milk, eggs and some bacon and put it on the table next to Sora. "But next time you guys make up, please warn in advance." Her eyes then fell on the opened box of chocolate ice-cream. "Chocolate ice-cream at 9 o'clock in the morning? You sure you two need to arouse each other further?" She asked, but could as well have asked one of the surrounding walls that question, because all she received as answer was a moan from Sora as Riku nibbled on his right earlobe. "Hello?"

With a simultaneous moan they both turned and looked at her, their lust filled gaze giving her body a shot of arousal. She closed her eyes and turned to hide her blushing cheeks. Ever since Riku and Sora had gotten together she just had to admit that they looked unbelievably hot as a couple. They were one of the sexiest people she knew, but now they were simply oozing 'sex'. "You guys… really…" She said, embarrassingly.

"Are we bothering you?" Riku asked with a small smile, already pulled by his neck by Sora for more physical contact.

Kairi turned to them again, wanting to answer, but found them all over each other again. "There are places for this, you know? They're called bedrooms." She whispered, turning her head away again. "Or bordellos…" She added with one eye on them.

Sora giggled. "We kind of… messed up our room…" He said with a grin, causing a sigh of defeat to escape the redhead.

"Boys…" She whispered, shaking her head.

"Have some ice cream, Kai. You should taste it, it's really good…" Sora scooped up a little bit of ice cream on the top of his right index and fed it to Riku, who immediately caught his lips in a fiery kiss after.

"It's 9 o'clock in the—" Kairi started, but gave up with another sigh. She then tilted her head to the side as she watched her two best friends acting so affectionate towards each other. "I don't think so… Not after what Wakka made me do last night, I don't need the extra horniness…"

"Oh." Sora and Riku shared another gaze before they both broke down in chuckles. "So we weren't the only ones having wild monkey sex last night, huh?" Sora asked with a giggle.

Kairi slapped her right hand on her forehead.

"Actually, no you really weren't." Another voice interjected from the kitchen door.

All of them turned around and saw Cloud standing in the entrance, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I had to sneak out of bed to get some rest."

Sora laughed and got off the table, closing the night robe around his body and walking towards the drawer containing the cutlery to take out a small spoon to eat some more of the ice-cream.

"Ugh… I need some coffee…" The blonde sighed, strolling towards the coffee machine at the extreme left side of the kitchen, turning it on.

Kairi chuckled and walked over to her brother. "At what time did you get back last night?"

"Around a quarter to 4." Cloud whispered and then gave her an apologising look. "I know I promised to take you to the clinic…"

"It's okay," Kairi whispered with a soft smile, pressing a kiss on her brother's forehead, "you just rest up. I'll ask Riku or Sora to take me."

Cloud smiled at her and then pulled her into an embrace. "No, I want to go with you. We'll just go in the afternoon."

Kairi's smile grew wider and she breathed out in relief. "Thank you."

"Everything is going to be fine… I promise." He whispered in her right ear. "Don't worry."

"I'll try not to, but I'm scared." She whispered back, her voice trembling but a little. "I'm really scared."

"Let's go take a shower and give them some space." Riku whispered in one of Sora's ears.

Sora absently nodded, yet a concerned frown formed on his face. He hadn't been eavesdropping on Cloud and Kairi's conversation, but now that he looked at them, he could tell something was wrong.

When he followed Riku towards the door, he caught a glimpse of Kairi's face and read a strange kind of fear on her face. Almost immediately she hid it underneath a happy smile and a wink while waving them out.

"Did Kairi seem alright to you just now?" Sora asked Riku as the older male took hold of his right hip so they could walk up the stairs side by side.

"Sure." Riku whispered back, turning his head to him now. "Why?"

Sora thought about it for a moment and then shrugged. "It's probably nothing…"

"You can always ask her later." Riku whispered, pressing another kiss on Sora's head. "But now I really want that shower…"

The brunette giggled and freed himself from Riku's grip. "Then what are you waiting for?" He asked, now standing at the top of the stairs. "Race you!"

"Yeah, right." Riku chuckled, starting to jog up to him.

"You slowpoke!" Sora taunted before breaking into a run and laughing when Riku suddenly took two stairs at a time.

"Just wait 'till I get my hands on you!"

"Is that a threat? Should I be scared, Ri-ku?" Sora jeered, looking over the reeling of the third staircase at Riku who was now climbing the second staircase.

"You'll be singing another song when I'm through with you, you just wait!" Riku chuckled back, speeding up.

Sora giggled loudly and ran the last set of stairs to the second floor and flew into his room just when Leon opened the door to his.

He only gave Riku a knowing smile as he passed him by and silently continued his way downstairs, shaking his head in mild amusement.

Gentle lips pressed into the skin of his neck and he closed his eyes at the hands passing around his waist. "Why did you leave bed?"

Cloud shivered internally at the deep and smooth tone of his lover's voice, putting down his mug of coffee next to the paper he had been reading. "Good morning…" He whispered back with a soft smile.

"It would have been a better one if you just had stayed in bed with me…" Another kiss on his skin and Cloud almost moaned, silently thankful that he had told Kairi he'd take care of breakfast.

"Are you saying that you would have outdone your performance from earlier?"

He could feel him smile against his neck. "Would you like proof?"

Cloud chuckled and turned around to face him. "You've already deprived me of my sleep." He said, reprimanding.

"I'll make it up to you…" Leon whispered, now burying his face in the junction of Cloud's right shoulder and neck, nibbling tenderly. "No one's around and Kairi just went up the stairs…"

"Ah…" Cloud breathed out, sliding his right hand through Leon's shoulder-length mane and arching his neck in pleasure. "We shouldn't…" He honestly did not want them to do this right now, yet his plea came out as a mere horny moan. The real reason for having left bed earlier hadn't been the lack of sleep, for he could've got gone to the lounge and slept on one of the comfy couches, but once more and yet again, it had been Sephiroth. He had enough of hiding what he did from Leon, the secret was eating away on his conscience and he found himself more and more unable to look Leon in the eyes with each passing day. He felt like some kind of a whore and the mere thought of Leon showing him the extend of his love and patience like he had in the past few days filled him with abhorrence towards himself.

Last night, he had fought the urge to break down in sobs during their entire love-making session, holding back the desire to push Leon off of him and run away. He kept wondering how he could have got done such a disgusting thing, why he had done this to Leon and what the hell he had been thinking…

Sephiroth and he was a thing of the past; he had dug a hole and cast their story in it before burying it. What good has it done, digging it up again?

Nothing.

It had only brought pain, remorse and self-loathing.

Exactly the same feelings he had felt when he had found out that Sephiroth had betrayed him by stealing his drawings and using his ideas for the interior design of one of his hotels in Destiny City.

And now, as he looked into the clear grey of Leon's eyes, he wished that he could turn back time and choose for him and not make the terrible mistake he had now made…

He couldn't do this.

"Leon… stop…" Cloud whispered, his eyes closed with starters of tears glistening on their edge. "I really need you to stop…"

He preferred coming clean now and confess everything to Leon, than to keep playing him for a fool. If it meant losing the one he loved, then he would take it as his punishment for what he did to him, but he couldn't go on like this any longer.

Leon frowned at the teary tone of his love's voice and moved out of their intimate embrace, looking worried as he saw a tear now rolling down Cloud's beautiful face. "Baby…?" He whispered, wiping the tear away with a finger while another drop escaped the other eye.

Cloud bent his head and bit his lower lip to prevent it from trembling. He sniffled and looked up at him again, now sobbing softly, his tears cascading down the long his face one after the other. "I can't do this…" He whimpered softly, shaking his head.

"What's—?" The tall brunette started, but stopped dead in his words when Cloud moved himself away from him when he had wanted to touch his face.

"Don't." He whispered, still shaking his head. "I can't do this anymore. I have to tell you something." He whispered, looking at him with an apologising expression, his tears still flowing. "I… It's something I did… and I have to tell you."

Leon now gave him an attentive expression, his eyes narrowing themselves slightly in suspicion. As he looked at Cloud crying like that, he could feel an angst starting to take over his heart, a sinking feeling starting to grow inside of him, creating a black hole that sucked in all other feelings. All words seemed to escape his mind as he stood like that, facing Cloud, though his face never revealed his inner torment. He was not ignorant of course to what it possibly was that his lover was about to tell him. He knew it concerned Sephiroth and to him there were only two ways out of this, regardless of what Cloud would say. Their story would either end here, or their love would continue on and be stronger than before.

He had told himself that the return of Sephiroth was another trial their relationship would either overcome, or lose. And although an unwelcome fear and doubt had settled itself in his mind, he wouldn't just give up on them, no matter what the outcome of what Cloud would say.

"I slept with Sephiroth."

Leon didn't even move from his position at these words, although he could feel a pang in his heart. He let out the breath he hadn't realise he had been holding and realised that his eyes had watered up a little as he blinked, his mouth gone dry as he swallowed with difficulty. His eyes rolled away from Cloud's pained expression and he closed them, suddenly feeling tired.

"And I regret it, I really do. It was a big mistake."

Leon's eyes opened again at that and he looked at Cloud, who had more tears escaping from his eyes. He hadn't expected him to add that, not in the least. He had thought that Cloud had wanted to leave him and had chosen to be with Sephiroth. But did this truly mean that he had chosen for him?

Cloud cringed at the piercing gaze he received from Leon and turned his head away while closing his eyes when he saw a tear rolling down from his right eye. He had hurt Leon in a most horrible way and he did not expect to be forgiven now or ever. He had blown it, blown seven years in just one night.

Still, he still felt like letting Leon know that even if it was now over between them, he still had chosen for him. "Because I love you, and you're the only one I ever wanted to be with from the start." Even if these words didn't reach their destination, they were at least off from his chest.

"Cloud…" Leon gently spoke, approaching him again. He had heard what he had wanted to hear and that was enough. With his right index he lifted the blonde's face up to his and looked into his endless pools of remorse and wiped away the tears that took away their beauty. He did not doubt a second about the sincerity of his words because one night did not weight out against seven years of mutual trust and love. It was stupid to even think about making it all end because of it. They loved each other, that much was true and no matter how many exes would come by it wouldn't change what they felt for each other and what has been going strong for over seven years.

Cloud blinked in surprise when Leon suddenly pressed his lips against his, kissing him with a passion he hadn't expected after his confession. He got released and found himself staring into Leon's eyes again, still not understanding what had just happened.

The confusion in the azure eyes of his lover made a soft smile appear on Leon's lips. "I adore you." He whispered against his lips, taking his head in his hands. "I truly do."

Then it all made sense to Cloud and he couldn't help but break down in tears again. He understood now that Leon's greatest fear had been losing him and now that he had told him clearly that he was the one he wanted to be with, all the rest didn't matter anymore. "I'm so sorry…" He got taken into an embrace, silently whispering a 'Thank you'. "Leon…"

"Cloud…" The brunette whispered, rubbing the tip of their noses together. "What we have, is strong..."

"I'm sorry my doubts made you doubt too…" Cloud whispered back, closing his eyes at the soft kiss he received on his right cheek. "I love you, Leon."

Leon slid down to Cloud's throat with his lips, while his hands slid down the blonde's sides and grabbed hold of his hips to make him sit up on the kitchen table with his legs spread wide. Both hands then slid up the smooth skin of Cloud's back, dragging the t-shirt he had been wearing with it and taking it off. "I want you."

"Leon…" Cloud threw his head back at the lips planted in his throat and Leon's body pressed against his. "Then have me." He whispered throatily, laying down himself on the table.

Leon gave him a small smirk and then proceeded with removing the baggy sleeping pants Cloud still wore, all the while observing with a hungry eye how he writhed sexily out of the clothing garment, revealing his beautiful body. As the pants fell to the floor, he got pulled towards the blond again by the collar of his shirt and into a soft kiss as Cloud sat up.

Sliding off the table and standing on his feet in front of Leon, Cloud then loosened his black drawstring pants and lowered them, his eyes never leaving his.

Leon smiled and placed his hands on the blonde's lips, coaxing him to turn around while he spoke smooth words of approval onto his skin. With a hand he then slid down in between Cloud's legs, applying a gentle massage there to awaken his desire more.

Eyes falling shut, Cloud arched his back, his right arm crawling around Leon's neck while his rear grinded searchingly against his crotch. Soft licks and kisses made him shiver all over, Leon's hand creeping up underneath his t-shirt causing him to moan softly in pleasure.

Leon then forced him to bend over on the table, eliciting an amused chuckle from the blonde, who was already used to his lover's little patience during foreplay. A hand then went to cup one of his buttocks and squeezed it lustfully, while lips and tongue on his right earlobe made the diversion complete.

Cloud gritted his teeth in pain at the tip slipping past his tight ring of muscles, breathing in soft gasps. "Ah… You want to make me bedridden for the rest of our stay here, huh?"

(More?)

Panting heavily with his right cheek pressed against the wooden surface of the table, Cloud winced slightly as Leon's length slid out of him. "Carry me." He then whispered with a smile after he heard him open the faucet for water and then felt him wipe him clean with a soft tissue.

Leon gave a small snicker before bending down next to him and cleaning up the drops of semen on the floor. After having washed out the cloth and put it in a plastic bag so he could throw it in the laundry bin once upstairs, he picked Cloud up in his arms and walked out of the kitchen.

"Let's skip breakfast." Cloud whispered with a smile.

"Wasn't it your turn to cook?" Leon teased back with a smirk.

"They can also cook…" Was the murmured answer, his smile now turning into an impish grin. "Besides, I'm not hungry for food…"

The weather had warmed up a bit in comparison to the last two days and Riku decided to take Sora out for his ice-skating lesson.

"You sure the ice is thick enough?" Sora inquired, eying the vast surface of ice with a distrusting expression on his face from behind one of the windows in the lounge.

"It's been freezing here for almost 2 months now, I'm sure baby, come on." Riku said with a child-like glee on his face, pressing his lips on Sora's crown and walking passed him and into the welcoming hall.

"Can't I go with you guys?" Sora asked Kairi and Cloud who were preparing to leave as well.

"Even Wakka is not coming with me." Kairi shook her head and put on her red bonnet over her hair. "Wouldn't want you to miss your first ice-skating lesson!"

"Sorry Sora, it's nothing personal." Cloud said with a smile, standing up now from his position on one of the couches. "Ready?" He then asked his sister, who was checking the content of her coach purse.

"Where are you guys going anyways?" Sora wondered as he watched them move towards the hall.

"Shopping." Kairi said with a smile. "I'm short of a few gifts." She winked at him and turned to Cloud again. "Let's go."

Cloud kissed Leon, who was sitting at the diner table reading, goodbye and then followed his sister down into the garage.

"Baby, can't we do this tomorrow or something? I really don't want to." Sora pouted, walking up to Riku now with a begging face. "The ice kind of scares me, what if we break through?"

Riku chuckled and approached him, placing his hands on each side of his face. "I've been coming here ever since I was a kid and the ice never broke." He reassuringly whispered against his forehead, caressing a kiss there. "I just want to share my childhood memories of my time here with you…"

Sora smiled and closed his eyes. "I can't ice-skate." He whispered, feeling annoyed that now Riku had to teach him how. "I won't be able to stand on my feet."

"You'll be standing on blades more exactly." Riku grinned down at him as he saw another pout growing on his face. "I'll be there for you to lean on. Come on, it's not going to be that hard."

"Well… okay… but don't laugh when I fall on my ass!" He whispered, following Riku, who laughed heartedly, into the vestibule to take his winter jacket and other winter accessories.

Several hours had now passed and outside the chalet, laughter and the sound ice-skates on ice could be heard as Riku and Sora looked at the sun setting between the naked branches of the trees of the surrounding woods in the distance.

"Look, look!" Sora excitedly said, placing a hand on Riku's right shoulder and slightly pushing himself away to make a full circle around him. "Ta-da!"

The older young man chuckled at his boyfriend's cuteness and tapped the tip of his gloved right index against his little red nose. "Told you it'd be fun."

"Yeah!" Sora giggled, clapping his hands and making little dampened sounds because of his thick gloves. He then sniffled and got some hair that came from underneath his hat out of his eyes and smiled happily at him.

"I feel like having a nice cup of hot chocolate, and you?" Riku said as he smiled back and reached out a hand to him. "Care to join me?"

"Uh-huh…" He nodded, following Riku back to the house.

Walking back inside the house and thankful for the warm air that met their cold faces, Sora immediately moved himself to the open fire in the lounge and laid himself on the rug in front of it.

"I heard you guys having fun out there."

Sora turned around and smiled as he saw Wakka walking up to him and sitting himself on one of the couches. "What have you've been up to today?"

"I've walked around the house a bit, exploring it. I didn't know there was a piano room behind the diner room." Wakka said, grabbing the remote for the TV. "Did you know that they also have a sauna and a Jacuzzi?"

"Really? Where?" Sora asked with an interested look.

"It's through that door in the middle of the stairs when you arrive on the first floor." He responded, zapping through a couple of channels. "It leads to a terrace with a view over the woods and a part of the lake."

"Oh good to know…" Sora said with a smile and turning his head to look at the giant flat screen above the chimney. "Has Kairi called?"

Wakka nodded. "10 minutes ago, said she and Cloud are on their way back here."

"What's for dinner? I'm hungry…" Sora whispered, running with a hand over his stomach. "Who cooked?"

"No one." Wakka said with a smile.

"Huh?"

"We're going out for dinner, forgot to tell you earlier." Riku said as he walked into the lounge with two mugs of hot chocolate. "Seph's treat."

"Wohoo!" Sora exclaimed. "Nice!"

"We're just waiting for Cloud and Kairi to return." Riku gave Sora his mug of chocolate and sat himself next to him on the white rug.

"Is Leon coming too?" Sora asked him before taking a sip from his drink.

"Wouldn't know why not." Riku answered, shrugging.

Sora smiled at him softly and didn't add anything to that. "At what time are we leaving?"

"Sephiroth left a message on the fridge, saying he'd meet us at the restaurant at 7." Wakka answered, his eyes fixed on the blitz ball game playing on TV. "Leon proposed to leave at a quarter past 6."

"Ah ok." Sora whispered, bringing his mug close to his lips again. A chill suddenly ran down his spine and he shuddered slightly.

"Are you okay?" Riku whispered. "Are you cold?" He scooted closer to him and reached towards the TV-blanket on the couch next to him and spread it out to cover them both. "Better?"

Sora nodded. "I just felt a chill run down my spine…" He whispered, snuggling closer to him and resting his head against his.

"I'll keep you warm…" Riku whispered back, kissing his head.

Sora smiled at him and they shared a soft kiss.

The house phone suddenly rang on a small decorative table next to the Christmas tree and Sora stood, being the closest one to it. "Hello, this is Sora speaking."

"So, did you guys talk things out?" Wakka asked Riku.

"Yeah, everything is alright now, but I heard you and Kairi had some bonding time too, eh?" Riku chuckled. "Everything alright in Carrot top Paradise?"

"Our Paradise is just fine." Wakka said with a content smile."Our time here has really brought us closer. Couldn't live without her."

"Oh my god…!" Sora suddenly exclaimed in horror, the phone still in his right hand and his left one covering his mouth. "Oh my god!"

Riku immediately jumped to his feet and came to stand next to him with a worried expression. "Sora, what is it?"

Wakka had moved himself closer to them too.

Tears sprang out of Sora's eyes as he grabbed Riku's arm. "Cloud, is she going to be alright? W-where are you now?" He asked with a shaking voice, looking at Riku's face that was becoming more and more concerned.

"Kairi?" Wakka asked with growing worry in his voice.

"Oh… god…" Sora now sobbed, hanging up. "They had a frontal accident with another car, their car slipped and—Kairi is being operated!"

"Sora, where are they now?" Wakka asked, already running towards the vestibule.

"Braska Memorial Hospital…" Sora said, still in shock of the news. "Oh my god, Riku…" He turned to his boyfriend who took him in his arms.

"She's going to be okay, Sora…" Riku soothingly whispered, closing his eyes and holding him tightly. "She's going to be alright..."

"Oh Kairi…" Sora sobbed. "Let's go too, Riku…"

"Leon is upstairs." Riku then whispered, letting go of him as Wakka's car drovedown the driveway and exited the gate. "I'll go tell him, you get to the car already."

Sora nodded and went to get their coats and the car-keys while Riku ran up the stairs to go tell Leon the troubling news.

Five minutes later, all of them were on their way toBraska Memorial…

Now a special thanks to you guys out there, I haven't forgotten about you! Thank you all for your votes and I'm sorry for the reviewers on Mediaminer, but I don't plan on returning there again!

You guys inspired me in your reviews and comments and I hope you'll keep doing so and that you enjoyed this chapter as well.

Thank you!

-Caution-

High levels of emotions coming up in the next chapter!

To be continued…

-BDP-