CHILD'S PLAY
By Starflower Sakura

DISCLAIMER: Really, must I keep on doing this? This is getting depressing. Kingdom Hearts doesn't belong to me, and this little fic is done for entertainment purposes only.

To readers/reviewers: I'm updating again. –smiles- Hey! It's only been three months! That's a pretty short time when it comes to me, okay? Besides, it's not like I haven't been writing at all. I'm just been writing on my LJ more since I have like tons of challenges to do (and yes, some of them are Riku x Sora. I just can't get enough of them). Yes, Riku Is a jerk, but you can't say that you don't love him because then where will the plot be?

Started: Thursday, March 30, 2006
Completed: Friday, October 20, 2006

Child's Play
Chapter 4 – Paying A Little Visit

Sora checked the clock on the wall, and sighed. It's already been fifteen minutes, and Selphie's still not here yet. He frowned as his stomach grumbled in hunger.

"Selphie, where are you?" Sora whined. "I'm hungry!"

Walking around the empty classroom for the third time, he decided to not wait anymore and get lunch. After all, if he wants to survive through the rest of his classes, he better get some lunch like everyone else. If Selphie gets mad, then he'll just have to deal with it later. At the moment, his stomach is more important.

"Ack!" Sora yelped as Selphie skidded to a stop in front of him as he slid open the door to the classroom. "Selphie! Watch it!"

Ignoring him, she pushed him into the room again with one hand, slid the door closed after that and shoved a book into Sora's hands after that was done. Breathing heavily from running, Selphie looks at Sora for some sort of reaction.

"Selphie," Sora began slowly, "this is an eleventh grade math book."

"So it is," Selphie replied, grinning, her breathing getting back to normal. "Riku's math book to be exact."

"Okay. And you're giving this to me, why?" Sora asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion.

"Well," Selphie drawled out, giggling as she spoke. "Riku has a big math test on Monday and if he 'loses' his math book, he won't be able to study, ne?"

To Sora, Selphie wasn't making any sense. What would stealing Riku's math book so that he fails (although Sora really doubts that even without his math book to study, Riku would actually fail) have anything to do with them?

"Well, sure he won't be able to study, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm getting to that part!" Selphie snapped, pouting slightly. "Anyways, he'll probably want his math book back, right?"

"Right." Sora thought it better not to say anything more in case Selphie snaps at him again.

"And if after he 'loses' it, you were the one to 'find' it, he'll have to come to you to get it back, right?"

"Well, I can always look for him instead…"

"That's not part of the plan though! He's coming to you!"

Sora gave a small, "eep!" and nodded his agreement fervently.

"For the plan to work, all you need to do for now is avoid bumping into Riku for the rest of the day, and Kairi will tell you the rest of the plan after school!"

"But why can't you tell me?"

Smiling brightly, one hand on the door, Selphie said, "You might refuse to do it if I tell you now!" The door slid open, and before she dashes off, she turns towards Sora with a pleased grin. "By the way, I've heard about what happened during detention and more importantly, what happened after it. Good job, Sora! It seems like we have taught you well!" and with that she disappeared down the hall.

Tilting his head to the side in confusion, Sora couldn't for the life of him figure out what was so important about what happened after detention. All he did was try to treat Riku to ice cream (which he rejected by the way). Jerk.

-------

"Time to play my part!" Selphie whispered to herself jubilantly as she peered from behind the school building.

School was over, and Sora had avoided Riku for the day and was now in Kairi's hands. Selphie was sure that Kairi would be able to get Sora to participate in the plan, whether he wants to or not. Selphie, herself, was sure that Riku would also unknowingly walk into the trap once she gives him the little push that he needs.

"Riku?" Selphie asked, feigning innocence flawlessly, stepping out of her hiding place. "What are you doing?"

"What? Oh, it's you. Hey, have you seen my math book?"

"Your math book?" Selphie asked, her eyes widening in confusion. "Don't you have it?"

"No," Riku spat out, his voice full or irritation. "Why do you think I'm asking?"

"Hmm, come to think of it…" Selphie started, tapping her chin thoughtfully as she spoke.

"What? Have you seen it?" Riku asked, a hint of desperation lacing his voice.

"I think Sora asked me whether I knew where you were going to be after school or not. He said something about finding something that belongs to you. Maybe it's your math book?"

"Sora? Are you sure?" Riku inquired suspiciously.

"Yup! But he's probably gone home by now, so you'll have to wait until Monday to get your book back… unless…"

Riku raised an eyebrow in question. "Unless?"

"Well, unless you go over to his house to get it yourself, of course! But you don't have any reason to do that—wait! Didn't you say something about having a big test on Monday that you needed to study for?"

Riku glared at Selphie. Selphie was always a bit strange to him, but for the past couple days, it seems that she has gotten stranger. They really should try and keep her off sugar if it gets her like this.

"Fuck. If he does have it, then I really will have to go to his house to get it back. Of all people to find it, why does it have to be him? Why couldn't it be that pretty girl in Room 10-2? I wouldn't mind going to her house."

Selphie felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance. Riku still seems quite unaffected by Sora's change. Well, unless you count the fact that Riku now thinks Sora is schizophrenic. Well, it doesn't matter since Riku will be come face to face with an irresistible Sora if Kairi convinces Sora to do as she says.

Selphie, getting the topic back on track, said, "Well, she doesn't and I don't think that anyone would lend you their math book unless they want to fail." And if they want to have a one-on-one "chat" with me.

Riku groaned. "Want to come with me?"

"Can't! Got other stuff to do!" Selphie answered happily.

"What if I give you candy?"

Selphie wavered on her previous answer. There's candy involved now. She wants candy. She doesn't want to walk Riku to Sora's house, though. That wasn't part of the plan.

"What do you need me to walk with you to Sora's house anyways? Are you scared of Sora or something?" Selphie teased.

Riku scowled, "I'm not fucking scared! I…" a pause as Riku contemplated on finishing his sentence or not. A sigh of resignation followed as he spoke. "I forgot where his house is."

"You forgot?" Selphie asked suspiciously.

Through gritted teeth, Riku answered, "Yes, I forgot. Now will you come with me or not?"

"Sorry, still can't! But I'll give you the address if you give me the candy!" Selphie said, grinning slyly.

-------

"Ah, here it is. At least I can still recognize it once I see it," Riku mumbled to himself as he made his way into the apartment building. "Sora better have my math book or I just might have to hunt Selphie down."

Taking the elevator to the third floor, he made his way to Sora's front door. He hesitated in ringing the doorbell, and when he noticed his hesitation, he pushed the bell harder than he first intended. Tapping his right foot impatiently, he waited for either Sora or his mom to open the door and give him his book.

When the door didn't open in the next two minutes, Riku, completely irritated now, rang the doorbell again and even added in a little banging, and a "Give me my fucking math book!"

That seemed to have done the trick for the door open, and Sora's voice drifted out before Riku could even see Sora. Riku's eye twitched as he heard Sora say, "You really should watch your language."

"I don't give a damn—" Riku stopped as Sora came into view. Either he was having some sort of sick nightmare, or the gods are starting to turn against him.

Sora stood before him on the doorsteps, rubbing sleep from his eyes, a brown teddy bear in the crook of his right arm, and wearing a long t-shirt, and Riku didn't even want to think about whether or not Sora has anything underneath it. Sora yawned a little and opened one of his eyes to see who his visitor was (not that he didn't already know).

"Riku? What are you doing here?" Sora asked.

Riku stood rooted to the spot and didn't appear to have heard Sora at all. Although pleased with Riku's reaction, Sora made a mental note in his mind to ask Selphie not to make her plans so embarrassing for him next time.

"Riku?" Sora purred, tapping Riku's nose lightly. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

Snapping out of his trance, and a scowl appearing on his lips, Riku muttered, "Do you have my math book?"

"Your math—oh! Yes, I do. Please come in."

Riku reluctantly stepped inside as his mind told him to run away if he valued his sanity in any way. Looking around the room, he noted that not many things had changed. The kitchen with its wooden cabinets, and fake flowers on the right, the bathroom, and coat closet on the left, and the two bedrooms, one for Sora and the other for his mom, was right across from the doorway with the living room in the middle. Riku gave a lopsided grin as he spotted the coffee stain on the rug where Sora's mom, Kyoko, spilled it when she caught Riku trying to get Sora to "experiment."

Riku wasn't sure what to think of Kyoko. She was weird, for lack of a better word. Take the coffee stain incident for instance. Instead of being like every other mother he's met, and freak out, she actually laughed after she spilled the coffee and actually gave Riku some tips, winked, and closed the door behind her. Not that it mattered, since Sora soon kicked him out of his room with a blush that will rival even the reddest apple.

Riku, having enough of his walk down memory lane, looked up to see Sora heading towards the kitchen. Riku reeled back in shock, but recovered quickly when an amused smirk made its way onto his lips instead. On the back of Sora's t-shirt was a picture of a brown and white kitten with a mischievous grin on its face. There was nothing wrong with that, but the words that appeared underneath the kitten was what caught Riku's attention.

"You know you want me," it says, and what Riku found so amusing was that Sora probably didn't know how suggestive it sounds.

Letting himself drop onto the sofa, he closed his eyes and let himself relax. Not even a minute later, Sora's "Here," before handing him a cup of water, forced Riku to open his eyes, take the water, look at Sora straight on, and spill the water onto his shirt.

"Damn that's cold!" Riku yelled as he jumped off the sofa.

"You really should be more careful, Riku," Sora said as he went off to find a towel, trying to hide the giggle that was bubbling up in his throat.

Riku scowled, and stared at the wet spot on his shirt. "Damn it," Riku mumbled to himself.

So maybe Sora did know how suggestive his shirt was. After all, Sora might be a little on the slow side, but he isn't slow enough to not get the words "Sex Kitten," stamped on the front of his shirt with the kitten lying on its back this time.

"Here. Sorry, I couldn't find a towel, but here's a shirt you could wear until I get this shirt dried," Sora said, handing Riku a white t-shirt.

Riku took the shirt, but didn't bother to put it on yet. When the phone started ringing, Sora excused himself and went to answer it in his room.

Riku's gaze went from his wet uniform to the white t-shirt Sora handed him. He didn't want to put it on. He wanted his math book so he can leave. Riku looked up as Sora's door opened again, and Sora walked out trying to shake off a blush. Riku looked on amused, but didn't comment.

Sora, seeing that Riku still haven't changed yet, lowered his head, sighed softly, and mumbled to himself so that Riku wouldn't hear, "Why must you make this hard on both you and me?"

Lifting his head up to meet Riku's gaze, Sora put on a coy smile as he sauntered up to Riku.

"Riku," Sora murmured, "why haven't you changed out of that wet shirt?"

"It's only a little wet. I'm sure I can live. Now about my math book—"

"Now, Riku, we wouldn't want you to catch a cold now do we?" Sora asked. "But…" Sora trailed off, as he put his fingers on his lips in a thoughtful manner, "… if you don't want to change out of it, I can always help you."

"What?"

Sora walked over to Riku and wrapped his arms slowly around Riku's neck. "I said I can help you get rid of your shirt if you want…"

Oh, the humiliation, Sora mourned inside his mind. Please say no. I beg you, Riku.

"What is wrong with you?" Riku yelled, pushing Sora away from him as if he was contaminated.

"What?" Sora asked. "I was just trying to be helpful to my guest."

"Oh, so is this how you help all your guests?" Riku snarled.

As much as he loathes to admit it, Sora was scaring Riku, and intriguing him at the same time. Riku can accept change, but change just doesn't come so soon, so fast. Maybe this was Sora's way of getting revenge?

But Sora isn't the type to get revenge. Then just what is up with him?

Riku was so preoccupied with his thinking that he didn't even notice the long pause that Sora took before answering.

"Only the hot ones," Sora answered, winking while he was at it.

"Just give me back my math book," Riku growled, deciding to ignore Sora's last comment.

Flopping onto the couch, looking anywhere but Riku, Sora replied with a short, "Can't."

"And why not?"

"Don't have it."

"What? But you said you had it!" Riku shouted, barely containing himself from strangling the brunet in front of him.

"I did," Sora replied airily as he turned on the television. "Then I remembered that I gave it to Kairi."

"And why would you do that?" Riku inquired between gritted teeth, feeling his patience wear thin.

"Well… she said that she's going to look for you after school. We didn't think that you would end up coming to me."

"Shit, and just how am I supposed to get the book back now?"

Shrugging, Sora smiled and said, "You can wait. She's coming over for dinner in a while. She said she'll bring back the book if she can't find you."

"What time is she going to be here?"

Glancing at the clock that hung on the wall behind him, Sora said, "Um… in about a half an hour at most."

"Fine, I'll come back in a half an hour."

Without even listening for Sora's answer, Riku opened the front door and slammed it close behind him. Taking a quick look at his clothes, Riku scowled noting that they were still wet.

"Whatever…"

Taking the elevator back down to the first floor, Riku peered around and wondered what exactly he could do for a half an hour. Slightly remembering that there's a supermarket a short way down the street, Riku headed in that direction as nothing else caught his interest.

Riku decided that fate must be against him. As to why, he wasn't sure. He was Riku, after all, and these type of things normally didn't happen to him. But it was happening now for upon entering the supermarket, he bumped into Kyoko.

"Riku! Is that you?" Kyoko asked before engulfing him into a big hug, her grocery bags digging painfully against his back.

"Mrs. Hirata, can you please let me go!"

Laughing sheepishly, she gave in to his request and released her grip on the silver-haired teen. Before he was able to say the necessary pleasantries, and get away from there, Kyoko beat him to it.

"You never come over anymore, Riku."

Raising an eyebrow suspiciously at the older woman, Riku thought, Didn't Sora tell her we've broken up?

"I know that you and Sora are no longer together," Kyoko paused with a depressed sigh, "but that does not mean you can't come over anymore!"

"I did not wish for the awkwardness that are bound to be present if I took such a liberty," Riku replied smoothly.

"Nonsense!" Kyoko said, waving her hand as if to brush off the comment. "Sora and I would love to have you over! Why, you can come over today!" Holding up her bag of groceries, Kyoko grinned, "I'm cooking so I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Grabbing Riku's hand in her free one, she dragged the distressed teen out of the supermarket, ignoring the weird looks from the other customers, and back towards the apartment where Sora was waiting.

"Mrs. Hirata, don't you think this is a little short notice?"

"Don't worry! We'll call your parents the minute we get back to my house!"

Kyoko dragged Riku Into the apartment building, up to the third floor, and into the apartment without letting Riku catch a breath. The whole time, she wore a mischievous smile, and had an impish twinkle in her eyes. Too bad Riku didn't notice.

Pushing open the door with a bang, Kyoko announced loudly that she was home, holding up her bag of groceries in mock triumph.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Hirata," Kairi said as she smiled at her antics.

"Mom, you're finally back! What took you so long?" Sora complained, a fake pout on his lips.

Riku noticed that Sora was in normal attires this time around. He scowled.

"I met a cutie along the way and brought him home for dinner!" she answered, beaming.

"Cutie?" Sora and Kairi asked at the same time.

"Yup! Now where is… Riku! What are you doing over there? Come back over here! You're not getting out of having dinner with us!"

Sora and Kairi exchanged similar looks. This had "Selphie" written all over it, and when they caught Kyoko's eyes, they were positive Selphie had a hand in this.

"I don't want to intrude," Riku gritted out behind a fake smile.

"Nonsense! Come, Sora! Let's make dinner for our guests!"

Flopping onto the couch unceremoniously, utterly defeated, Riku withheld a groan and decided to not listen to the voice in his head that he should run out of there, and run fast. Opening one eye to take a glance at the other guest, Riku knew right then and there that there was no way this dinner would go by normally.

Kairi was smiling. Smiling pleasantly. At him.

After the past few weeks of her glaring, scowling, and yelling at him at random times for breaking Sora's heart, there was no way this was normal. By the time their eyes met, he knew he was doomed the rest of the evening.

To be continued…

Okay… that was weird… I have so many random plots for this story that I wonder where they'll fit. Also… I think my writing has deteriorated… -winces- Okay, as much as I want to keep the characters in character, it's sort of hard because they're in a situation, Sora especially, that they wouldn't normally be in, and I've been in so many other fandoms lately that I might've uh... lost my touch a bit. I hope you'll stick around for the next chapter which would hopefully prove to be… interesting. –grins- Also, if anyone's noticed why this chapter is started before the third chapter… uh… this was actually suppose to be the third chapter so… -coughs-

- Starflower Sakura