Chapter XIX

Roxas glanced at his twin, mildly concerned. It was odd for his brunette twin to still be in their dorm at 7:12 in the morning on a Saturday. He'd grown used to having the dorm to himself for a couple hours while Sora was off working out with Riku, and he generally used the time to work on his homework without distractions. More surprising than the fact that Sora was even in their dorm was the fact that he was doing his own homework without having complained first and with no badgering from the blond.

This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill,
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will.
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain,
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name.

The angry-sounding ringtone sounded from the phone sitting on Sora's desk. He stared at it, his expression betraying his reluctance to answer. As the lyrics began to repeat, he picked it up and flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Where the hell are you? We were supposed to start fifteen minutes ago!"

Sora put his head down on his desk and sighed. "I know, Riku. I just have a lot of homework to do. I can't make it today."

"Like hell you can't. It's Saturday morning. You'll have all day and all of tomorrow to do your homework. Get off your lazy ass and come to the track."

"Riku, no."

"If you aren't down here in five minutes, I'll come get you myself, and don't think I won't. You know I can carry you all the way back here."

"In my pajamas? Or were you going to strip me and dress me, too?" After he said it, he wondered if it was too much to remind the older athlete of his embarrassment at lunch the other day.

The other end of the line was silent, then, "Five minutes, Sora."

"Yeah, I heard you. Fine. I'm coming." He hung up before Riku could say something sarcastic.

From his own desk, Roxas watched his twin with growing concern. Was Sora actively avoiding Riku? The blond hadn't thought it was possible for that to happen. He watched the brunette sigh and rise from his desk then begin to change.

Sora really, really, didn't want to go. Why should he, when the silver-haired teen had been refusing to hang out with him for weeks other than work outs? Sora didn't like being ignored, especially by someone who was supposed to be his best friend. Other than Kairi, but she was a girl so he didn't think it was the same thing. Regardless, Riku hadn't been giving Sora the time of day so he didn't feel particularly inclined to put in the effort to see the older boy. But he knew that if he didn't go then Riku really would show up at his dorm and basically man-handle him into his sweats then carry—or even possibly drag—him down to the track, so he quickly changed and left the dorm, jogging as a warm up.

Riku looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and saw Sora jogging towards him. He had to resist the urge to smile at the sleep-tousled hair and obviously hurriedly donned clothes. The boy really hadn't planned on leaving his dorm for a while.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up! Come on, Sleeping Beauty, we're doing extra today to make up for your tardiness." He smirked as Sora groaned, then took off around the track, having already warmed up and stretched.

With another sigh, Sora stretched quickly then began to run after the older boy, lengthening his stride in an effort to catch up. The crisp, cool air was invigorating and he began to feel his usual competitive enthusiasm as he gained on Riku.

This time, I'll beat him, he thought. He'll definitely think I'm worth his time, then.

He increased his pace and caught the older boy, but when he tried to pass him, Riku only sped up so that the two remained neck-and-neck. They raced around the track, lap after lap disappearing behind them as they fought to outlast and outpace each other. Eventually, their legs began to tire, though they refused to slow more than their bodies forced them to, battling and fighting the exhaustion with all they had. Sora's younger legs gave first and he tripped, rolling and skidding across the black surface of the track, scraping and tearing every bit of bare skin that came into contact with the rough material.

Riku slowed to a jog and circled back to the younger boy, panting as he looked down at him. His eyes widened slightly when he saw the blood that was quickly staining Sora's white and green sweats. "Are you okay, brat?" For once, genuine concern and not sarcasm coated his words despite having called Sora a brat, as usual.

But Sora didn't notice. He'd had enough. "What do you care?" he gasped, struggling to stand despite his shaking limbs and the pain in his injured body. "Shit…"

Dumfounded, the older student stared at him. "Sora, what…?"

"Just leave me alone!" the brunette shouted, slowly making his way off the track. He was limping and more blood was getting on his uniform. After a moment, Riku went after him.

"Sora, what's wrong?"

Without warning, the younger boy whirled around. "You are!" he shouted, face red from a combination of the run and anger. "You don't talk to me for weeks but you still make me come out here on a Saturday so you can bully me! I do everything you say but it's never enough! I'm not enough! But you know what, Riku? I'm done with this, and I'm done with you! This stupid, twisted game we've been playing, it's over! You win! Congratulations, you finally proved you're as big of an ass as everyone told me you were! I honestly thought they were wrong but they were right!" Tears were dripping down his face, mixing with the blood from the scrape on his cheek. "I'm done, okay? I can't do this anymore. I can't be your friend when you make me feel like worthless trash." He turned away, exhausted physically and emotionally and hurting both ways, too. With as straight of a spine as he could manage, he began to walk away from boy he'd tried so hard to impress.

Shocked into silence, Riku stared at the shorter student's back as his words sank in. He couldn't believe how upset the other boy was, and the things that had been shouted at him hurt. "Well fine then! Go back to your room and cry to Roxas! Geez, you really are a brat!"

Sora froze, fisting his hands at his sides. "Stop calling me that!"

"Or what, you'll bleed on me?" Riku's tone was viciously mocking. "I'm so scared."

With a growl, Sora spun around and marched back to where Riku still stood and glared up at him. "You know what, Riku? I'm really sick of you picking on me all the time and making fun of Roxas. Just because he isn't a muscle-head like you doesn't mean he's weak, you know."

Riku looked away, refusing to meet the other's furious blue eyes. "Whatever. Like I care what you think. You're just an annoying wannabe, anyway."

"And you're a selfish asshole! You don't care about anyone but yourself!"

"I care more than you do, brat!"

"I care plenty! I just happen to have a social life outside the gym, unlike you!"

"I have a social life."

"Do not. You're either in class, working out, eating or hiding away in your dorm. You don't even have friends—just people like Kairi who talk to you because they feel bad for you!"

"I do too have friends!" His tone was offended.

"Who are they, then? Why haven't I met them?"

"Why the hell would I introduce you to my friends? You're not my boyfriend, you little twerp."

Sora's cheeks flamed. "Like I'd want to be your boyfriend! Who'd want to date a jerk like you? You'd just make fun of me the whole time!"

A smirk curved up one corner of Riku's mouth. "Naw, if I liked someone enough to date them then I wouldn't have anything to make fun of them for."

"Well if you don't like me then why do you make me come work out with you?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "Because you're my training partner, stupid. Or did you see someone else out here at seven in the morning running the track with me? You're such a brat—why don't you go back to Mommy and Daddy with your brat twin and take your girlfriend with you?"

The brunette's face turned an even darker shade of red. "I don't even know what you're talking about! I don't have a girlfriend!"

"Then what do you call Kairi? It's pathetic the way you follow her around like a lost puppy, complimenting her and doing every little thing she asks. You might as well be her lapdog."

Before Riku could say another word, Sora drew back his fist and landed a punch square on the older student's jaw. Riku's head snapped to the side and he stumbled, taken by surprise.

"Take that back!"

Growling, the silver-haired sophomore tackled the other boy to the ground. Sora shouted as the two fell, pushing at Riku's shoulders and kicking in an attempt to free himself. The fall sent a wave of pain over him as his various scrapes were roughly brushed against. Unfazed, Riku grabbed a fistful of the front of Sora's shirt and punched him in the cheek, making the back of the brunette's head bounce of f the ground. A yelp of pain escaped Sora and he struggled weakly, stars dancing before his eyes. Seeming not to notice, Riku drew back his fist for a second blow, using his grip on Sora's shirt to shake the younger boy.

"Give up or I'll pound you to a pulp!"

"No!"

Riku's fist made contact with Sora's cheekbone for a second time, ensuring that the younger boy would develop a black eye and making him flinch and cry out. The older boy's knuckles were smeared with blood from the wound on Sora's cheek.

"Give up!"

Sora clenched his hand into a fist and thrust it into Riku's stomach so that the silver-haired boy gasped for air; his grip loosened on the brunette's shirt. Seizing his opportunity, Sora shoved Riku away and scrambled to his feet, his hand held to his bruising cheek as Riku glared at him.

Panting from the fight, Sora looked down at Riku as the older student wiped a bit of blood off his lip. Then, without a word, he turned and began the walk back to the freshman dorm hall, still limping. Riku watched him go, still seated on the ground but no longer angry. He regretted fighting with the younger boy because, despite what he'd said, he considered Sora a friend and didn't want to lose that friendship. He knew Kairi would throw a fit when she found out about it, especially when she saw the black eye he'd given Sora. More than anything, Riku felt a pang of sadness that he couldn't quite place. The things Sora had said had hurt, regardless of Riku's refusal to show it or admit it.

Several minutes passed before the silver-haired sophomore rose from the ground and dusted himself off. Sora was long gone and the pain was quickly fading from his split lip and bruised stomach. Sighing, Riku picked up his gym bag and headed towards his own dorm hall to shower. He wondered what would happen the next time he saw the brunette—would they ignore each other? Would Sora refuse even to look at him? Or would they exchange insults until a second fight broke out? Not that it mattered. Kairi would be sure to force them to work out their differences, if for her own purposes and not merely to repair their damaged friendship. One thing was for sure: no one had ever managed to get Riku so riled up.

XXX

Anger still burned at the back of his mind as Sora walked towards his dorm. His cheek ached where Riku had punched him, not to mention the spot on his skull that was sore from striking the ground and the various patches of ripped skin. Part of him knew that he'd overreacted, and his parents would be really angry if they found out he'd started a fight, but he didn't regret it. He was tired of Riku's sour attitude and was tired of acting like it didn't hurt his feelings. Enough was enough.

When Sora arrived back at his and Roxas' dorm, his blond twin was still at his desk and fast busy doing his homework. That meant he should find something quiet to do, but he really didn't feel like being quiet. He wanted to destroy something.

The sound of an explosion ripped Roxas out of his focused state and he bolted out of his chair, his heart pounding. As he looked around wildly, he noticed Sora sitting in front of the TV wearing a headset and holding a controller. He was playing one of his war games and issuing commands into his headset.

Groaning, Roxas put a hand over his eyes. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be getting any more work done. Once Sora started playing those games he got more and more worked up until he was yelling and jumping around.

Fully aware of what would happen, Roxas changed into more presentable attire than his pajamas and slipped out of the room just as Sora jumped out of his chair and shouted something about a headshot. The blond shook his head, sighing, and wandered off down the hall. There were no classes to go to because it was Saturday, and his friends were sure to be sleeping. It was, after all, only about eight in the morning. This being the case, it was silent when he left the building and walked off across the courtyard.

It's actually kind of nice out here, he thought, looking around. Fog drifted above the grass, half hiding the pathways and various landscaping. Dew glistened in the weak morning light, making the autumn flowers look like jewels. Roxas decided it would make a great painting.

He smiled, took his phone from his pocket, and called the one person he knew would appreciate the morning as much as he did.

"Hello?" the sleepy, sweet voice sounded.

"Namine, get dressed and come outside. I want to show you something."

"Roxas? What is it?"

"Just come see."

"But…okay…I'm coming."

He heard rustling blankets before the call disconnected, and he began walking towards the sophomore hall. When Namine came down to the front doors, he was waiting for her and was even more eager to show her what he'd found.

"Morning," she yawned, rubbing at her eyes. She wore a jacket over her nightgown, with a fluffy hat pulled down over her ears and light blue slippers protecting her toes. Roxas though she looked adorable.

"Come on." He reached out and took her hand, leading her across the lawn.

A light blush colored Namine's cheeks. "Roxas, where are we going?"

He smiled. "You'll see."

The only sound was their footsteps.

Namine yawned again. "Roxas, can't you just tell me what it is?"

The blond boy shook his head and stopped walking. "Just wait," he whispered, glancing up at the cloud that covered the sun. Just as Namine was about to go back to bed, the cloud moved and the sunlight hit the dew, making the fog glow and the plants sparkle.

"Oh!" Namine gasped, her blue eyes going wide. "Roxas—it's beautiful!"

"Do you think you could paint it?" he asked quietly, smiling as she pulled away and looked closely at a flower. Namine spun, her nightgown flaring around her, and smiled.

"Of course! It's so lovely…Mister Marluxia would love it…"

Roxas smiled back, even though the mention of the teacher confused him. "Great."

The two students walked the grounds together, talking quietly until the sun burned the fog away and dried up the dew. Other students began to appear, traveling between dorms and to and from the mess hall.

"Should we get some lunch?" Roxas asked, checking the time. "The others will probably be there soon."

Blushing, Namine looked down at what she was wearing. "I should probably go change first."

"Oh, yeah, right." Roxas couldn't believe he'd forgotten that she was still in her nightdress.

XXX

"Way to lose your cool, hotshot."

"Shut up," Riku grumbled, resting his chin in his hand.

Kairi put her hands on her hips as she stood in the middle of his dorm. "Do you want my help or not?"

Resigned to the fact that he'd messed up and had to be the one to fix it, Riku sighed. "Yes."

"Good." The redhead smiled and began pacing the room. "Well, the first thing, obviously, is to apologize. And you have to make sure he knows you mean it, or it won't help anything."

"Okay, what else?"

"Make it up to him. Don't be so mean."

"I'm not—!"

Kairi gave him a look that stopped him from finishing his sentence. "You are, too, and you very well know it, Riku." There was silence as they glared at each other.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered after several moments. "So what else should I do?"

Her tone turning serious, Kairi stood in front of him. "You have to change your behavior so that it doesn't happen again. I'm not saying you shouldn't be yourself, but you do have the habit of using insults to push people away. That's something to work on."

Apologize, be nice, admit to being friends. Hell, if Riku was going to go through all that trouble then Sora had better appreciate it.

"I hope you're right, Kairi."

"So do I. How are you ever going to confess your feelings for each other if you aren't speaking?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "For the last time, I don't like him like that."

Kairi smiled innocently and winked. "Whatever you say. Now, how are you going to apologize to Sora? I mean, it's going to have to be a good apology, judging by the way you described the fight. He probably isn't going to want to so much as look at you for weeks."

Riku sighed and rested his chin on the back of his chair. "I don't know. I'll think of something."

"Hey, Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you don't think he'll forgive you, but if you really mean it when you tell him you're sorry, he'll give you a second chance." She glanced at her phone to check the time. "I've got to go take care of a few things. Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah…I'll be fine…"

"Okay. I'll see you at lunch."

"Bye, Kairi."

"Bye." She pulled the door shut behind her and walked off down the hall, her thoughts in turmoil. Everything was wrong. They were not supposed to fight—they were supposed to end up together! If Sora didn't forgive Riku, then that'd be the end of her plans for her two friends. To make matters even worse, she'd stopped by Roxas and Sora's dorm while Sora was gone to get some help on her homework from Roxas. The blond was still upset about having to work with Axel in his chemistry class and Kairi had patiently listened to him explain why. Now she really had to find that senior and talk to him about her blond friend so that she could fix things.

All these children running around making a mess of things, and I have to do all this work just to get them back on track, she thought exasperatedly, ignoring the fact that she chose to intervene as much as she did and that she enjoyed being able to help set things up.

If she didn't get a move on, things were going to happen without her knowledge or her guidance, and she could hardly be of any help then. It was time to put her plans into action.