DancingMistress: Thanks for reveiwing again! Yeah, I would say Riku is VERY confused. Will he be able to become uncofused? (is that a word?) we'll have to wait and see!

Twinstar: Thanks for revewing. Yeah, I do need a beta. Ehh... could it really get taken down? I'm 16 so do I qualify for the whole age appropriate thing? . right back at ya!

foxy-comic-death - Thanks for reviwing again! Yes, rambling is sooo much fun! Sora is sooo cute! (I would choose him over Riku anyday!) and Riku has a naughty little mind! Anywayz thanks again!

To all my wonderful reveiwers... THANK YOU!Thankyou soooo much for reveiwing! Get ready for another chapter I personally dislike, and some more spelling errors. Note: I wrote this one before the last one. So just... I dunno. Go with it.

Tidus walked sora home after the movie. HE figured someone aught to watch out for the little guy. After all, he had a hard life. He was the baby of their little group. Younger in mind then most others. INnocent and pure. Yet so scared. Always a bit jumpy. Of course he had a reason to be. But... Tidus sighed. He didn't deserve it.

/Flashback/

"What do our mean Sora is in the hospital? He's going to make it out. Right?" the over anxiouse blond boy asked. He mom just shook her head and closed her eyes. Leaviong Tidus with a trembling lip. He decided to call up Riku. After all, he probably knew the most about the subject. "Riku? Riku? I need to talk to you! Sora he-" the voice at the other end cut him off.

"Listen Tidus. He did it. It was all his fault. All his fault... all my fault. I should have made Sora stay away from him. Should have invited him over to my house for the day. Heis not going to be ok Tidus. He is never going to be okay. But-" Riku's voice was breaking up. He was crying "but he has to be ok. He has to. I- I don'tknow what todo. It was all my fault!" Tidus had never heard the silver haired boy cry before. Ever. He tried hard to comfort him. But wasn't it usually the other way around?

/End Flashback/

Tidus looked at the back of Sora's neck. A fine white scar. IN the shap of a moon. He definetly remembered that

/Flashback/

"Sora, it's us! Your friends, we're here to see you!" said an over emotional Selphie. Sora shreiked and turned away. Tidus noticed a barely healed scar on his neck. Wasn't it dangerouse to be cut there? Tidus walked over and placed his hand on Sora's. Riku put his hand on top of Sora's other. Riku leaned down and whispered something into Sora's ear. Quietly, but barely loud enough for only Tidus to hear him other than Sora.

"I promise Sora. I am never going to let anyone hurt you again. Never. It's me Riku, and your safe now. Your with me." Tidus blinked. He remembered the words Riku had said to him on the phone what must have been months ago. Sora eyes bulged.

"Ri-Riku!" he said in a rusty voice and hugged him, sobbing. "So- scary! Don't let him touch me! Please!" All they could do was remain motionless. It's hard. Having a friend go through that. And then helping them pick up the peices

/End Flashback/

Tidus grinned. Sora had come a long way though, a long way. He twitched when he felt Sora slip his hand into his. Sora grinned.

"Thank you for taking care of me Tidus! I'm sorry, I get scared alone in the dark. Riku always lets me hold his hand." Tidus blinked and smiled warmly. This is probably the most intimate he would ever get with the brunette. He should live it up.

"It's ok Sora. I Understand. But look, we're already at your door! See how quick that went!" Sora smiled again.

"Your a really good friend TIdus!" Sora said as he walked in the door. 'Friend. Thats all I'll ever be...' thought Tidus sadly as he walked away. 'All I'll ever be to him.'

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Riku watched through the window as Tidus walked Sora to his house. He was thankful for Tidus but jealouse! He got to hold Sora hand now? Didn't Sora say that he felt safest with Riku by him and holdiong him? DId he feel that way about Tidus too? Riku shoook his head and tried to calm himself. 'Of course he does. He feels that way about veryone. Why am I getting so worked up? I shouldn't like Sora that way! It's just not possible.' he tought, but when he closed his eyes. hte image that appeared was Sora smiling at him. Riku bolted up. "I CAN'T AND I WON'T!" the threw his pillow at the wall. 'Stupid teenage hormones. All they do is get in the way!' He turned his head to face the wall and tried very hard to fall asleep (especially after his last dream), but a familiar scene played through his head. One he had nightmares about.

Opening th closet door. Thjere are hack marks on the frotn. Blood everyhwere. His young friend half naked. Hurt. Dying. Riku knkew it was wrong, but he couldn't help but admire his friend's lower area. "So- Sora? Don't worry! I'm getting help!" but as he looked all around, the blood. Cut marks. Ripped clothes. He felt like he was in hell. He wanted to escape and never come back.

Riku slowly fell into an uneasy sleep. His nightmare playing out. On and on.

Hours later, Riku woke up. He screamed. Sor'a face was inches from his.

"KUKU! Your sweating and moaning! Are you all right?" asked Sora. Riku growled.

"I'm fine Sora! Why are you in my room this early anyways?GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!" screamed Riku chucking pillows at Sora. His dream had changed to something more... intimate during the night. He didn not want Sora to see the huge bulge in his boxers right now. Plus being around Sora was still a no no. He couldn't do it. He picked up his cell and dialed... well he was about to dial Tidus but changed his mind. KAiri will do.

"Hey Kairi? It's Riku. You know my... problem? Sora is here now! GET HIM OUT! Go do something with him! ... NO I AM NOT IGNORING MY LIFE! I AM NOT RUNNING AWAY FROM MY GODDAMN FEELINGS! JUST DEAL WITH THIS!" he yelled into the phone. Or... he said it as loud as he could without Sora overhearing. So what if he was running away from his problems? it was what he had been doing his whole life. So why stop now? When the stakes are really high. The stakes of losing the only thing he cared about. The only person he cared about.Sora. Forever. And when he said he would keep him safe. That included keeping Sora safe from himself, Riku, as well. No matter what, he was going to protect Sora.

Sora saw his favorite girl come near him. Kairi. No. he wasn't really into girls.But Kairi was still his favorite female.

"KAIRI!" He shouted and hugged her. Kairi ruffled his hair.

"And how's my favorite puppy doing?" Soraa smiled bigger, hearing her call him his own nickname that only she and Riku were permitted to call him.

"I'm good! I'm just waiting for Ku! He's going to be out soon and we're goign somewhere very special!" a tremor of dissapointment and sadness crept into Kairi's eyes and then vanished.

"Umm... Sora Riku isn't exactly feeling well. So I thought we could have a special day together! We could ummm... go to the fair! I know you already went with Riku but I bet its even more fun nthe second time around and it'sleaving soon anyways!" Sora looked down. Sad and annoyed. But he couldn't help but feel bad for Riku becasue he was sick. He looked up.

"I was hoping to go somewhere special with Riku, but since he's sick, I don't want to make him sicker! I'll go with you to help Riku! Maybe he will feel better tomorrow and we can go somewhere!" Kairi smiled.Tears in her eyes. 'Oh Riku, if only you knew. How devoted he is to you. And poor Sora, Riku won't be feeling well for a long time. How is this giong to end Riku? Will you end up hurting Sora more than helping him? When it all comes down to it, will this really be whats best for Sora?' Sora slipped his hand into hers.

"C'mon Kairi! Let's get going!" and he pulled her out of the house, but stopped for a second to look at Riku's window, then continued.

SW: OK, this wasn't my favorite chapter. I'll admitt to that. In fact, It was h ard for me to write this. But I needed some closure with the movie thing and I wanted to explore Sora's innocence somemore, and maybe some more of what happened to him. Poor Riku, he is so stupid. WIll he ever change? You never know. I may not let him change until its too late. At which time Sora will have killd himself already. BUt...I don't think I want to do that. Can anyeone guess what happened to Sora? YOu might get close, but you won't have an incredibly good idea until next chapter, or maybe the one after it. And even then you won'tknow for sur for a while. Or maybe next chapter. Who know with the way I'm writing? MWUHAHAHHA! OK! I don't want Sora toseem so innocent and child like and young but its just the way things are turning out. 98-) (me with a coonskin hat) ilikve coon skin hats. they are warm. no not real coon skin. i like animals to much. just the design of the hat is warm!