-1Disclaimer: I really wish I did own Square Enix, or Kingdom Hearts, or Final Fantasy, or anything like that. I'd be rich! Yes….but I don' so sorry.

Rated: M or R if you like

Warning: Yaoi, meaning guy on guy action. If you no like that, then don't read this, or anything I write here for that matter.

Song of Desperation.

Several days passed without anything interesting happening. Cloud spent his free-time at the college trying to find inspiration for a new book and Riku spent his free-time thinking about Cloud.

It was about a week after Cloud had first come to live and work with Riku that disaster struck. Cloud was in the college library looking up writing prompts on the net when he suddenly felt a pair of arms snake around his neck and pull him back against a muscular chest. Startled, he ended up upsetting his chair and falling over.

"Ha ha, still as excitable as ever eh Cloud?" Cloud stared up into the bright eyes of his former lover, Zack. (not sure what color his eyes are…)

"Zack? What the hell are you doing here?" Cloud growled. Zack offered a hand to help him up, but Cloud ignored it and got up himself, causing Zack to frown.

"I just happened to see you in here and I thought I'd come over and say hello, that's all."

"Yeah right, I bet if anything you're stalking me."

"Me? Why would I stalk you? In case you forgot I was the one to break up with you."

"Do you have a point?" Cloud glared at his ex for a moment before setting the chair back up and shutting off the computer. "Because if you don't I'm leaving."

"Whoa, slow down there, you don't need to leave on my account." Zack grinned. "You seem a little anxious to get away from me."

"Who wouldn't be? Now I suggest you move so I can leave." Cloud moved to push around Zack, but the brunette (I think his hair is brown…or maybe black? I'm not sure, I'm colorblind so I can't tell. As you can see, I don't know much about Zack) held out a hand to stop him.

"Don't you remember anything Cloud? You still owe me. You owe me quite a bit in fact." A fake friendly smile was plastered on Zack's face. Cloud wanted to punch him hard and knock that look to Kingdom Come.

"I don't owe you anything Zack."

"Oh yes you do. Don't you remember all that money you borrowed to pay your rent when things were down?"

Cloud stopped and glared at Zack. "You told me that was a gift between lovers. That I didn't have to pay you back."

"Did I? I don't remember, and a lawyer will fight that I never did say that."

Anger and disgust boiled up in the pit of Cloud's stomach. "You bastard!" he growled. Cloud grabbed the collar of Zack's shirt and shoved him against the wall, making Zack's head thump painfully against the brick structure. "You aren't seriously going to make me pay that back! You know I can't afford it!"

Zack grimaced and pushed Cloud's hands off his coat. "I can and I will. If you can't afford it then you'll have to pay me another way, one that won't involve the legal system."

"You sick bastard." Cloud growled. "I wouldn't let you sleep with me when I was dating you what makes you think I'll do it now?"

"It's that or we go to court and I take everything you have. You're choice."

"I don't have anything and you know it!"

"Then I hope you enjoy prison, because that is where you'll end up."

"You lying, conniving, sick son of a bitch!"

Zack smiled. "I suggest you watch your language. And keep your voice down, this is a library you know."

Cloud was at a loss for words. His mind had simply ceased to function. He had never dreamed that Zack would pull anything like this. Anger and frustration clouded his mind. He couldn't afford to pay Zack back, and he certainly wouldn't become the bastard's sex toy. But Cloud didn't want to go to prison. This was a bad situation, and one that Cloud wasn't sure he could get out of.

"I need time to get the money."

"Good boy, I was hoping you'd say that." Zack smiled that big fake grin of his and patted Cloud on the shoulder, causing the blonde to glower in disgust. "I'll notify you with a due date."

Cloud grunted and pushed away. He needed to get out of the vicinity or Zack would need an undertaker. He wanted to kill the bastard, to wrap his hands around his throat and twist till his neck snapped. Cloud's hands twitched at the thought.

"Oh and Cloud?" Cloud looked back to see Zack smirking at him. "Have a nice day."

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Riku was sitting at the counter, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. Thoughts of Cloud were swirling through his mind. The man was an excellent writer, and Riku couldn't understand why his brother had turned him away. The more he thought about it, the more he found his brother to be a big jerk. Silently he made up his mind to give Leon a call at the first opportune moment and try to get him to publish Cloud's book.

Without warning, the door slammed open, admitting a very, very, angry looking Cloud.

"You ok?" Riku asked with a touch of worry. He had never seen Cloud so pissed. He looked like he was going to kill the next living thing that talked to him.

Unfortunately, that thing was Riku.

"Do I look ok to you?!?" Before Riku could answer Cloud continued. "No I am not ok! That sick fuck thinks he can do this to me?? To me!! When I get my hands on him I'll kill him! I don't care if I get the chair I'll kill that guy! He thinks he can blackmail me into this does he?? I knew he was trouble the moment I set eyes on him! Why the hell didn't I just ignore him?? Dammitt dammitt dammitt dammitt dammitt dammitt !!!!!!!!!!"

Riku just stared at Cloud with his mouth slightly open. He had no idea what had happened, but whatever it had been, it had gotten Cloud more pissed than he had ever seen. "Cloud?…"

"WHAT???" Cloud turned his full attention to Riku, causing the silver (or white?…) haired teen to back up a step.

"Uh…I'm sorry?…" Riku was scared. He didn't want to piss off Cloud anymore than what he was.

Cloud saw the fear on Riku's face and started to calm down. The last thing he needed was to make an enemy out of Riku. He was just so pissed about Zack that he didn't know what to do. "No, I'm sorry Riku…" Cloud took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts. It helped some, but not really. Anger still coursed through his veins.

"Are you going to be ok?…" Riku had moved closer now that he was sure Cloud wasn't going to strangle him. Concern shown in the teen's eyes.

"Yeah…I…I guess I am…." A sudden wave of hopelessness washed over the blonde and he collapsed on a stool by the counter. "I can't believe him. That bastard…" Cloud smacked his forehead on the counter and stayed there, not moving. Riku stared at him, unsure of what to do. Finally he reached out and gently patted Cloud on the head, letting his fingers run over the smooth spiky hair. Surprisingly it was soft, not stiff like he had thought it would be.

Cloud let his head fall over so he could look up at Riku. A weak smile formed itself on his lips. "I'll be ok…sorry for blowing up at you."

Riku continued to gently pet Cloud's hair, unwilling to let those soft spikes leave his fingers. "It's alright Cloud, don't worry about it. You were angry."

Cloud sighed. "I just wish that bastard would leave me alone."

"Who's this bastard you keep talking about?"

"…" Cloud wasn't sure how to answer this, he couldn't tell Riku the whole situation or he'd find out he was gay, but then again , he felt like he owed the teen some sort of explanation.

"It's alright Cloud, you don't have to tell me." Riku pulled his hand out of Cloud's hair, making the older man want to whimper. He had liked the feeling of Riku's hand in his hair.

"I'm sorry Riku."

"Don't worry about it, but just so you know, you can tell me anything ok? I'm not an enemy."

"Thanks Riku."

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Oooo Zack is the bad guy! Yay. Anyways, Happy New Years, hope you liked this chapter!

R&R