Riku felt like a total baby, practically balled up in Cloud's lap, still sniffling but no longer crying. He just didn't understand any of this. He was overwhelmed by it all. Cloud still wanted to be with him. Cloud still loved him. Why? How?
Cloud held him tight, stroking his hair. He murmured nonsense words in his ear, anything to calm Riku down.
Riku finally pulled away but not enough to leave Cloud's arms. He stared into those blue eyes searching for any sigh of deceit. He didn't find any.
"I love you." Cloud spoke firmly.
Riku bit his lip.
"I am never going to leave you again. Even if we're not together, I will love and support you." Cloud brushed those long bangs. "And I will do whatever it takes to help with Sora."
Riku sobbed once. "I don't, I don't know what…"
"I know." Cloud shushed him. "We deal with it as we have to. Just, sit with me for a little while."
He nodded and fell against Cloud again. He felt wrapped in warmth and never wanted to leave it. Cloud kissed his forehead but Riku wasn't content with that. He lifted his head and pressed a solid kiss to the blonde's lips, letting it convey all the denied emotion he'd been feeling.
Cloud's response was immediate and intense. Both hands gripped Riku's face, mouth opening to begin a battle to take control. He simply couldn't get enough. It had been so long since he felt this.
Eventually, Riku broke it off. He smiled fondly and wiped a bit of saliva from the corner of Cloud's mouth. "Before this goes any further, I need to settle things with Sora."
Cloud nodded.
Riku stood and held a hand out for Cloud. He took it and was yanked up and forward into Riku's chest.
The teen chuckled and tugged at a blonde ear tail. "Guess we can't keep away."
Cloud smirked.
"Come on. This place is depressing as hell."
"You choose it."
"It worked at the time." Riku shrugged as they began working their way from the tower. He hadn't let go of Cloud's hand. He wasn't sure if he could. He squeezed it to reassure himself. "Do you think Sora will ever speak to me again? I mean, like really talk to me?"
Cloud bit his lip. "I don't know, Riku. I truly hope so. The two of you have something so uniquely yours it would be a tragedy for it to be lost."
Riku frowned, clearly preoccupied with thoughts of the coming discussion. He couldn't avoid this nor did he really want to. He wanted it to be over. Silently he prayed he'd still have his best friend when all this was over.
Sora and Leon were sitting on the fountain edge, neither one looking up as Riku and Cloud approached. They had to know they were there. Riku still didn't release Cloud's hand.
"Are the two of you settled?" Sora asked quietly.
"Yeah." Riku licked his lip. "Sora, I-"
"Don't." He was cut off gently. "Nothing you say will change this and I don't want you to try explaining. It doesn't matter."
Sora looked up. He took in Riku and Cloud's clasped hands silently. He fixed his blue eyes on his former lover. There was so much emotion swimming in those eyes.
"I'm not sorry this happened." Sora whispered. "I do love you and always will."
"So will I." Riku swallowed thickly. "We can never be apart."
"Two half's of a whole." Sora half- grinned.
The silver haired one nodded.
"Cloud," Sora glanced over to the blonde. "If I ever so much as think you're going to hurt him, I will kill you."
There was steel in his voice and Cloud knew without question that Sora could keep to that promise. He wouldn't call it a threat. He only nodded.
Sora turned to Leon. "It's your turn."
Leon looked up, jaw locked. His expression was tense and his grey eyes clouded. He addressed Riku first. "I despise you. As far as I'm concerned, you are a selfish little bastard and don't deserve either one of these two's forgiveness let alone their love. But that isn't my call. Do anything like this again and I will make your life a complete and total hell."
He dropped his eyes to the ground. "Cloud, you already know what I have to say."
Cloud flicked his eyes toward Riku, who nodded once. He let go of the teen's hand and stepped forward. He knelt before Leon and placed a hand on each of his knee. "Leo, I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Leon muttered. "I told you what to do."
Riku hadn't been able to stop looking at Sora. He looked so different, so wrong. Sora had been irrevocably changed by this and it was breaking Riku's heart.
Sora felt the eyes upon him. He held Riku's gaze steadily. "It's going to be okay, Riku. I promise you. It will just take time."
"I love you."
Sora smiled a little. "I know. I just wish I understood earlier. I could have saved you from all of this."
"Saved me?" Riku asked incredulously. After everything Riku had done to him he was still thinking of him before himself. What was with this guy? "You're the one who was victimized. I still don't understand how both you and Cloud…"
"It doesn't matter how, only that we have." Sora explained. He turned again to Leon. "Tell them."
Leon finally looked at Cloud. "We're sending the two of you away. We all need time to sort through things, get ourselves together. We've arranged for both of you to spend some time at Disney Castle. The King already knows what's happened here and he wants to see both of you."
"He's very concerned." Sora added. "I haven't been able to convince him that I'll be all right yet. However he knows I have all the support I need here. You however, well, he takes a special interest when it comes to you, Riku."
The older teen fought a smile. This sounded like a good plan to him. Mickey always was able to make him understand things about himself. And time with Cloud without the pressure of everything here would also be good.
"You leave today." Leon spoke almost flatly. "Once you pack your things, you can leave. They're expecting you."
"What about the two of you?"
"Don't worry about us."
"We'll get through this." Sora assured them all. "And when we're ready, we'll find you."
Riku and Cloud exchanged looks. It didn't sound like they had a choice in this. Cloud stood and moved away from Leon. Without further word, they left the park.
They had packing to do.
So that's the end of that. There's an epilogue in my mind and if there's enough interest, I have ideas to make it into a very short follow up piece. The conclusion if you will. Your reviews will dictate my decision.
Thank you to everyone who's stuck with this to the end. I know there were some rough spots.