A/N: Aaah, sorry for the long wait :P this chapter was fun to write, most probably because I did it instead of studying (...). Anyway, please Read and Review, reviews are much appreciated by all authors :D

Warnings: The usual, plus a cliffhanger. Hoorah :D!

Riku sighed and laced his fingers behind his head as he followed the pair of chattering teens back to the beach.

"Yeah, and he's going to get into college in here!" Sora exclaimed, shooting Riku a wide grin before returning to Kairi and his stories about Riku.

Not a single word about Naminé was mentioned, meaning Riku stayed as happy and serene as ever. He reminded Sora of a boulder in his state, calm and solid. The brunet smirked inwardly. Riku would sure make a nice rock… Probably some pleasant mixture of sand-stone laced with marvel that would leave a thin layer of silky dust on your finger of you'd drag your finger over the surface.

"Hey… Riku?" Sora pondered, blinking curiously at the older teen. "Don't you have to draw something special for your entrance exam to college?"

"I do," the artist nodded, hands now hanging by his sides, banging against the bag of clothes and whatnot he brought with himself. "I was planning on drawing a piece with oil colors," he made known with a tiny smile. "I need a model though.."

Sora blushed, his mind wandering to the most pleasant, yet shy thoughts of him modeling naked for Riku. "G… Good luck then…" he stuttered, forcing his stiff body to relax.

"Right," Riku chuckled, ruffling Sora hair.

"Didn't you use Sora as a model before though?" Kairi chose to interfere then, cocking her head curiously at the two males. Sora's blush grew.

"Yeah, he still kind of does," the artist hummed, offering Sora a tiny grin. "He's a great model really, even though most of the times he falls asleep on me," he snickered.

Sora huffed in return. "Well, you were drawing for like… 4 hours! I had no better choice than sleep!"

"Did you ever hear me say my sketch was ruined because you decided to take a nap?" The artist cocked a smug brow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"No…" Sora huffed in defeat, shoulders slumping. "But your tone was mocking!"

"It wasn't mocking, Sora, it was amused," Riku pointed, offering the younger male a dashing grin.

Kairi simply rolled her eyes and kept on walking, eyeing the pair of males every now and then. Heh… Sora seemed happy…

Wakka scratched the back of his head and leaned against a thick trunk of a palm tree. It was close to midnight, and he volunteered to guard Selphie as the girl was simply too tired to keep her eyes open… Not that she was to blame; she did wake up at 5 am that morning so she could take a bath before she would go with her mother downtown and buy a new swimming-suit.

The teenager snickered to himself as he eyed the curled up figure of the girl. She was always so energetic and upbeat, it was only natural for her to get tired once in a while and fall asleep so soon. In fact, Wakka decided, her sleepy state was contagious, and before he knew it, the boy was already yawning and shifting into a more comfortable position.

Meanwhile, the other four were having a quiet discussion about this and that, with the topics varying from the weirdest stories about paranormal phenomenon to sharing reviews about silly action movies.

Kairi rolled her eyes as Tidus' comment, but chose to not push it any further, but to focus on Sora and Riku instead. She felt like she was stalking them, yes, but then again it was only an examination. She wanted to see if Riku was right for her precious friend and not some sex-carving jerk (like most boys were, in her mother's opinion). So far, Riku was proving time after time that he was in a fact a well mannered, charming young man whom only went as far as ruffling Sora's hair teasingly.

Strangely enough, she was not pleased. Probably because she felt like she was being proven wrong, but also because Sora was finally coming out of the small shelter the girl provided him. It wasn't as if she had feelings for him, heaven forbid, but seeing Sora politely refusing her guard, and embracing Riku's instead. She felt somewhat lonely and forgotten, defeated, even.

She never thought that perhaps Sora would be the first one to kiss, or the first one to have a date, or the first one to share such deep feelings with another person, it felt as if she was being knocked down from her high horse by the slightly clumsy, albeit adorable friend of hers, which didn't even look down at her and mocked her, but instead grinned brightly and asked her to be happy for him in his blissful state.

Kairi didn't let her slight frustration show though, and continued busily chattering until Tidus decided he needed to go back to the shore because he was hungry and was starting to get tired. Plus, he remembered he hadn't told Wakka a few very important and urgent notices.

"So tell me, Riku… Any hobbies besides drawing?" Kairi pondered, sitting down on her backside now that they were in the shallow water.

"I used to like wrestling when I was little… That passion died mostly though, but I guess I still like to see a good fight," Riku admitted, taking his seat beside Sora. "I like a good competition."

Kairi nodded once and tapped her fingers over her knees. "You know… It's quite amazing how you managed to help Sora get over his fear of water… It was a total shocker for me when he asked me if we could go swimming together so I could help him remember how to row," she chuckled, nudging Sora's shoulder. The brunet simply huffed and glared at her.

Riku chuckled. "You don't have to be so grumpy, Sora, we're on your side here, and we want you to be happy," he winked, poking Sora's cheek teasingly.

"You're making me sound like a baby…" Sora muttered quietly, hugging his knees with a grumpy expression.

"Oh, but Sora-kins! You know we love you!" Kairi exclaimed with an innocent grin.

"Prove it," Sora hissed, scrunching his nose at Kairi.

"Well… I put my own butt at stake so you could sleep over at Riku's," the girl shrugged, offering Sora a meaningful look.

"True that," Riku hummed. "I still didn't thank you for that time, too… So here we go- thanks, Kairi," he chuckled, offering the girl a warm smile.

"Don't mind it… Think of it as thanks for helping Sora gaining the ability to swim back," she hummed, mirroring Riku's smile. It was awkward, but nice anyway… Being needed by Sora and Riku. Maybe she wasn't his personal guide and guardian anymore, but she was still needed… And not forgotten as far as she was concerned. She could learn how to cope, just give her time.

"Riku… Sorry if I might sound a bit rude, but Sora and I need to talk…" Kairi mumbled, seemingly distressed.

The older male nodded once, deciding not to question the girl's intentions any further. "I'll be with the rest then," he decided, smiling at Sora and Kairi. "Take your time…" he added, knowing that serious conversation (and Kairi did seem serious enough) should not be rushed, or else they would lose their meaning.

Sora simply nodded back at him before facing Kairi with a tiny, worried frown. "Is something wrong…?" he asked quietly, as soon as he was sure Riku was out of hearing range. After all, private conversations were meant to be private.

The girl chuckled quietly and hunched her shoulders. "A bit…" she admitted with a tiny moan, feeling quite sheepish for raising the topic.

"What is it, then?" Sora asked with a gentle voice, concern written all over his face.

"You and Riku… And me," she bowed her head and licked her lips. "Riku's a nice guy… Hell, he's more than nice, he's gorgeous, talented and sensitive and fun… And you two make a very good match together and… It's a silly fear, but I'm scared that you'd forget me, Sora… Because when someone is in love they forget about the rest of the world for the sake of that sole person and… You're my closest friend… I don't want to be lost along the way, and I don't want to burden and bother you… Do you understand what I'm saying, Sora?"

The brunet kept quiet for a few seconds before reaching to hug the girl tightly, pressing her slim figure against his chest. "You don't just forget people that have been there for you your whole life, Kairi…" he whispered, rubbing the girl's back reassuringly. "You're still my best friend… Not my lover, but you own a great chunk of my heart and you know it…" he chuckled softly. "Plus, I think that Riku would like to get to know you as a friend as well… So meeting and doing stuff together as a trio should be no problem… Right?" he offered hopefully, squeezing Kairi's sides.

The girl nodded once with a tiny, tiered smile. She knew Sora would never leave her in the favor of someone else… She got what she wanted and… She realized how much Sora had grown without her noticing. Perhaps Riku was indeed better for Sora than her, because he managed to unlock the young boy's heart in such a short period of time.

Sora kissed the top of Kairi's head and nodded once. "Better now?"

"Yeah," the redhead sighed back at him, tugging his head and guiding him to the shoreline, stopping where the sand and water met. "Hey Riku! Come here!" She waved with her free hand before slumping back on the send and easing into a lying position. A few moments later, Sora did the same.

"Remember that scene? From The Lion King? Where Simba and Timon and Pumba were looking up at the sky and everyone said something else about what he thinks the stars were made of?" Sora hummed, taking Kairi's hand in his and squeezing it tightly.

"I do…" Kairi chuckled. "And I think I'll stick to Pumba's version of it. It seems the smartest…"

"Really? I'd go with Simba, because… You know… It has the deepest meaning and all…" Sora grinned, shrugging once.

"The souls of ancient kings looking upon us up from the sky?" Kairi sighed, closing her eyes and easing back of shoulders.

"Yeah… So you know there's always someone that watches you and guides your way through the darkest night," Sora snickered, then winced as he felt hands in his hair.

"Relax… It's just me," Riku grinned, stroking Sora's front bangs with his thumb.

"Oh… Hey Riku," the brunet smiled softly and leaned his head back into the touch.

"Hey you two," the artist murmured, taking the spot on the other side of Sora and looking up at the darkened sky.

"Say… What do you think the stars are, Riku?" Kairi pondered, smiling and taking a deep breath in.

"Mm… I know they're actually distant planets but… When I was little my mom told me that the stars are the eyes of your beloved ones, watching you during the night… And the northern star which shines the brightest belongs to your one true love… The one you would be ready to face your greatest fear for, and the one you dedicate your life to…" Riku explained, lacing his and Sora's fingers together.

"You're so poetic," Sora teased with a warm grin, squeezing Riku's palm affectionately.

"I'm trying my best for you," the artist countered with a wink before leaning his head on top of Sora's. "One of the first things you learn as a person of art, and no matter what kind of art it is, there is no thing as too original or cliché. Every person understands in a different way, so a lot of melodies or paintings can seem grim to one, and jubilee to another," he explained with a soft voice, eyes slowly closing as he turned to kiss the top of Sora's wet head.

"True…" the brunet sighed and scooted closer to Riku. "Maybe if we're lucky, one day, we'll see one another in that bright star, too…"

"Maybe," Riku agreed with a quiet chuckle, taking a deep breath in. "Will it be okay if I kissed you now?" he murmured, thumb stroking the back of Sora's hand.

Sora swallowed and cleared his throat. "I don't think my friends are looking… So it's okay," he nodded once, maneuvering himself so he'd be half facing Riku.

The artist nodded back at him and reached to bury his hand in Sora's damp mane of hair, carefully supporting his scalp. "You know… I think I really want us to be lucky… And get that star," he whispered, lips tapping Sora's lightly over and over again in between his words, before finally melting into the warm kiss.

Sora's breath hitched as he pulled closer, his free hand digging into the sand underneath him with anticipation, trying to let out all the anticipation that accumulated during the moments prior to the kiss; since he couldn't just let it crush against Riku's lips like that, it felt wrong, as if his anxiety would taint the pure and fluid touches of their lips meeting time after time.

"Riku…" Sora panted quietly, eyes remaining shut even after the kiss had ended. "Please… Tell me, what else is ours?"

The artist moved closer to Sora and looked down at the rippling waves with a small smile. "The sea is ours, too, Sora…" he whispered. "The sea is ours because we have some very important memories from it. Ones I wouldn't like to forget or trade for anything else…"

The younger male nodded and swallowed. "The sea… The dawn… And if we're lucky, we'll have that star too…" He paused and bit his lip; as if he was trying to hide the ginger smile growing upon is entire face. "I like collecting things with you, Riku…"

"Same," Riku confirmed with a kiss on Sora's cheek. "We'll collect all the beauty around us and cherish it… Because we hold memories that are dear to us."

Sora kept quiet for a few moments before relaxing and leaning completely against Riku. "Will it be okay… If I ask you to draw the things we have collected so far?"

The artist snickered. "Sure thing…" he whispered, leaning his forehead against Sora's temple.

Sora sighed with content. "I must sound really lame and corny, don't I?"

Riku shook his head in reply. "Don't worry about it," he murmured, smile growing over his calm features. "I'm not going to judge you about you little, sweet quirks," he hummed, smile morphing into a warm grin. "You know… I want you to feel completely at ease around me, as if there's nothing to hide…"

The youth swallowed before maneuvering himself so he could hug Riku tightly. "It's weird but… I like you more and more with each day… With each little detail you tell me about yourself," he whispered, hunching his shoulders shyly. "It's like a snowball rolling downhill… And I think mine is quite far gone by now..."

Riku smiled softly. "You know I have bad sides also, right?" he pointed out with a calm tone, arms resting around Sora in a close embrace.

"I know, but I trust you to never let me see them too often. Or intense enough so I would change my mind," the brunet replied with a wise smile.

"You're very clever, aren't you?" Riku grinned back at Sora, kissing the salty spikes adorning the teen's head like a round bouquet.

"My father thought me it was always better to come up with something non-common when you speak to a person you mind a lot," the brunet explained, his smile widening. "I think he was right when he said it… Too bad I don't always remember his words…"

"Mm… It's a good thing you remember them at all," Riku mentioned. "Most people think their way of thinking is the best. I don't blame them; I just think you should be more attentive to the people that surround you. Who knows? They might give you advice that would prove to be a lifesaver in time of need," he chuckled, kissing Sora's head again and squeezing him close.

"Yeah," Sora chuckled, allowing his feet to slide and press against Riku's, toes wiggling with something akin to amusement.

"You know… One day, when we're older… I'd like us to remember everything we have had together. All the great moments and the memories we cherish. Because yeah, we would be able to remember them, but writing it all down makes it so different… So much more alive," Riku sighed, closing his eyes. "Don't you think so, Sora?"

The younger teen kept quiet for a moment before nodding. "The memories would live on, but having something material you can look at and remember… It sounds really good… Kinda sweet, even."

The artist chuckled back at him. "Glad you agree," he pointed, hooking his foot against Sora's. "May I kiss you?" he asked, voice soft and tender.

"Please do," the brunet smiled back at him, cocking his head just a bit, enough for Riku to easily lean over and press their lips together.

Which he did, his hand rising to support Sora's fine jaw as he meshed his lips against Sora's own, his other hand snaking inside the youth's hair, fingers treading through the humid spikes.

Sora whined softly, feeling so warm inside, as if his head was just about to leap out of his chest. Every little touch of Riku's made his mind coat with sugar-sweet sensations, and his body levitate a few inches above ground.

It was amazing how he felt as Riku kissed him. Every little thing that had bothered him before now blended perfectly into the mesh of positive emotions, like the dryness of his skin that was now coated with salt, or the occasional rocks that could be found on the bottom… It all formed his beautiful moment shared with the one person that awoke so much in him.

After a long moment, Riku broke their kiss, smiling with content. "Sora," he whispered, cupping Sora's cheek in his own hand, long, refined fingers caressing Sora's plump cheeks. "I want to make you happy… I want to be able to give you so much more…" he swallowed, his hand which was resting on Sora's nap, now slid to his waist, granting him a careful yank and dragging him close.

"I want you to smile even more… To make you soak all the beauty and the good of the world with those brilliant eyes of yours…" Riku whispered, pressing their foreheads together. "To always be close to you… To keep you warm and loved," he continued, biting his lip.

Sora slowly melted against the older boy, a brilliant grin spilled over his face. "I will… If you let me be your inspiration and best friend… And first love," he chuckled shyly; brushing back some of Riku's bangs back.

"Now who's cheesy?" he grinned, kissing the corner of Riku's mouth.

"We both are," the artist replied with a matching grin of his own.

Sora chuckled, pressing his cheek against Riku's chest. "We can still see each other after they accept you into that college, right?"

Riku nodded once. "It's not too far away from where you live… Though you have to cross the downtown to get there… it's not too far, so maybe I could come see you every day, and bring you some sort of little present with me…" he chuckled, kissing the top of Sora's head.

"And I'll get you dinner," the brunet nodded once. "Agreed? Because I bet you'd be hungry when you return…"

"Yeah, I think so too…" Riku nodded, rubbing Sora's shoulders. "And then we'd go and eat some ice-cream in summer, and hot tea during the winter," he grinned, adoring the little dreams they planned together… It made him feel so warm and light inside.

"And then when it's winter I'll get you a white scarf… A really thick and fluffy one, that would keep you warm while you draw the landscapes for your classes…" Sora hummed, fingers gently rubbing Riku's back. "It would be perfect…"

"True that," Riku agreed with a hum, pulling Sora closer still against himself, wanting to feel that rare intimacy again.

"Or would you like the scarf to be some other color?" Sora inquired, feet pattering through the shallow water.

"No," Riku shook his head. "White would be perfect," he reasoned with a warm expression. "Some warm shade of white that would remind me of you would be the best."

The younger male chuckled at that, stretching his feet and shifting so he could sit on top of Riku's lap. "I like it how you make every little thing so grand and romantic…" he whispered, fingers slowly treading through Riku's hair as he told him such.

"I can't help it…" the artist shook his head, shrugging once and curling his arms carefully around the brunet's waist. "You make me feel so damn good I verbalize things differently… And treat them differently, too…" he admitted then, eyes sliding shut as he leaned his face against Sora's shoulder.

"I'm… Not as bitter," Riku explained, joining Sora's hand with his own. "Not as stingy and sarcastic… It's probably weird to hear because you didn't really get to see that side of me," he admitted with a weak chuckle.

"I'm very competitive, too," he added and sighed, squeezing Sora's hand briefly. "I'm on this constant race to pursue perfection… And it's tiring," he murmured, bringing Sora's hand close to his mouth and kissing it delicately.

The brunet swallowed and smiled, deciding it would better let Riku spill his heart before verbally replying. For now he would listen and blush, secretly adoring those sweet little gestures Riku had granted him that made his heart beat faster and his chest melt.

"And now that I met you… I feel so much at ease… I feel like my drawings are more natural, easier to accomplish… Because I no longer force myself to draw," he explained, lips still pressed against the knuckles of Sora's fingers.

"That doesn't mean I no longer practice… But I never force myself into drawing something serious when I don't feel like it. I hate forcing myself to do something when it feels so mechanical…" Riku sighed and lowered Sora's hand, squeezing it once again. "Am I rambling again…?"

Sora shrugged in return, smiling sweetly. "I don't mind your so called rambling at all," he chuckled, drumming his fingers over the back of Riku's hand. "It makes me feel special and appreciated."

"You are," Riku grinned back at him, his free hand moving to his hair, gently tugging the boy's head down for a kiss.

Sora gladly compiled, his mouth parting lightly before he felt that light pressure against his lips, making him smile and pull closer to Riku.

Their kiss had started slow, lips caressing carefully, making both teens blush as an occasional brush of tongue was granted. After a few moments though, the brushes became more frequent, more confident, and somewhat demanding.

It wasn't that full-blown passionate kiss you could see in the movies, where the heroine would fall into the hero's arms and let him take her breath away in a passionate kiss, but it was still something daring, at least to Sora it was.

The teen brunet never thought that it would come to the stage where he would willingly open his mouth as he sloppily tried to catch Riku's tongue in his mouth. If you asked him, he would deny that he moaned when their tongues finally met, making him whimper in delight.

He adored tasting Riku's mouth. True, it was nothing like honey or cherries like he had read in books, in fact, it had no real taste at all, but for a fleeting moment, if Sora could concentrate hard enough… he could realize what love tasted like. Not sweet fruit or pleasant desserts, but the feeling of delight washing all over him, the light shakiness and the goose bumps that adorned his skin…

Sora gasped and tilted his head, deepening the kiss and needing more that just those shy touches. He was growing passionate, he reckoned, tongue now fully rubbing against Riku's, caught up in a little game of catch.

"Sora…" when Riku finally spoke, he was breathless. His cheeks were painted vibrant crimson, far brighter than any paint in the world. "Sora…" he repeated then, hands sliding over Sora's sides, squeezing lovingly. "Would you mind spending the night awake with me?" he whispered, kissing the brunet's jaw.

"I'll try my best to stay awake," Sora agreed, tilting his head back a bit to gain Riku better access to his neck. "But I won't mind spending the night with you… at all," he confirmed quietly, leaning his forehead against Riku's.

"Whatever you do… It's okay," Sora chuckled, hands curling inside Riku's hair. "I know it's probably unfair that I'm spending more time with you rather than Kairi, but I can't really help it," he admitted with a tiny shrug. "You're that one person that I always wished to have around… Mature and gentle, that would accept me as I am," he smiled in a shy manner, biting his lip briefly.

"Back then I didn't mind if he was to be my friend or lover… But now I can't imagine you being just a friend," Sora shook his head. "I can't imagine how we'd no longer have those touches or long conversations…" he murmured, slowly closing the distance between them. Riku smiled back, understanding Sora's words perfectly; after all, he felt the same.

"It's weird having all those emotions bubbling inside, realizing that there's this single person that's constantly on your mind, and no matter how short your relationship might have been, you still feel so safe," Sora snickered, hunching his shoulders.

"I've talked to Kairi about this, Riku," the brunet whispered, "I told her about me and you… About how great it is to have you around…" he chuckled shyly. "And lately, I have been thinking… And I know for sure now, Riku…"

"What?" the young artist cocked his head curiously.

Sora grinned and pressed his lips against Riku's, holding him close and never wanting to let go. He knew that at the end of this kiss, he could no longer hold back, but god he didn't care. It was all way too perfect for him to decline.

As soon as the kiss died, Sora buried his fingers in Riku's hair, smile never once leaving his features. "I'm sure of it now, Riku…" he whispered, voice shaky with anticipation. "I Love you."

A/n: Mm... Soon enough some sexual themes would most probably be involved xP Meh.