Caged Thoughts

Chapter Six: Slumber Party! …Or not.

Warning: This fanfic of Shonen-ai-ness contains… Shonen-ai! I've already said what that means in previous chapters. So, don't ask me again. Oh! And very eeny-weeny-teeny-small Riku angst at the end.

Disclaimer: How sad it is to realize that a large amount of which you own is worthless, and only a small amount of which you own has any value at all. The small part in my collection of things does not include Kingdom Hearts/Final Fantasy, or any of its characters/owners/stuff-things. Unless you count a copy of the Kingdom Hearts game for PS2.

Reviews:

BookwormJ: Thanks!

Reina-183: Thanks! It's ok about the not-reviewing thing, you don't need to apologize! Also, we'll be seeing what's wrong with him soon.

Karesu: Vile? BWUAH HA HA! I am vile! Thank you!

Gehkiie: Nooo! Save him Sora!

Conjure Lass: Oh, thanks! I'm glad you like it. D And I didn't know Riku was that IC, I don't know if I was really trying… I was just making him perverted. But… in his perverted-ness he teases, and in the game he tends to tease Sora a lot, so I guess he is in character. Bleh, go me! XD

. .: Ahhh! Don't kill me! I'll… hide in my locker or something! I can fit in there! Don't think I'm joking! Wait, crap. Now you can find me since I told you… um… no! I'm not going to hide in my locker tomorrow! Forget I said anything!

Note:

I got Final Fantasy VIII! Leon/Squall-ness! I had to leave the PS2 on though; I didn't realize I needed a PS1 memory card for the game. -; I died just a few days ago while battling the Diablos GF from the magic lamp (I didn't realize he was in it, so I wasn't prepared), so now I have to start the whole game over seeing how I couldn't/didn't save my memory.

None of the stores near my house have Final Fantasy VII because of how wanted it is. I'm going to have to go call the downtown stores, I guess…

Narration: Pudding.

Speech/Talking: "Poodle."

Thoughts: 'Pudd-le! Pudding and Poodle! Hey… wait, is pudd-le already a word?'

"That Cady?" he exclaimed.

'That' Cady laughed.

"Unless you know some other Cady… which I'm not sure if you do, then yes. I'm 'that Cady'," he stated.

"But, you…" There were those few rare moments where Riku could actually be caught unaware, oblivious, unprepared, speechless… anything having to do with catching him off-guard. This was one of them. "You! You did this! How COULD you! He's your SON! And you just came back, too! Speaking of which, where the HELL have you BEEN? Leaving BOTH of them to their selves, on their own! I can't believe you-!"

"Riku? Riku, st- stop." a hoarse voice called.

Said person practically shot over to and leaned over the bed's side, reaching out to cup the heart shaped face of the one who spoke. Sora started coughing, and Riku helped him sit up as he hunched over in pain, hand covering his mouth in a polite gesture. The silver-haired teen reached over to the bedside table and grasped a glass full of water, offering it to the poor boy, who quickly accepted and drank.

"Are you alright? I came down as quickly as I could as soon as I heard, and…" Riku turned his head to glance at Cady, who seemed to be exiting the room; the door was closed behind him. "I was so worried. You wouldn't believe…" Taking a deep breath, he laid his head on the Sora's lap, his arms crossed on the bed for support, and his face turned away from his friend's stomach.

"It's ok, it's just a bit of-" the brunette coughed lightly in mid-sentence, but continued, "the doctor said I should be fine, she said it was a combination of getting sick from this morning, and… I coughed up a bit of blood earlier… I've just… been a little tired. You know, from this morning! I didn't get much sleep, and I-"

"Blood? Are you kidding me? If you coughed up blood, it's not because you've got a puny cold. You're lying. I can tell. What is it?"

Sora blushed, caught in the act, but started coughing harshly. After a worried glare from Riku, he sighed when finished, ready to spill.

"Ok, alright. She actually asked me if I had… been under any stress lately, and I gave her my answer: yes. A bit. And she said that's part of what may have caused it. But, I wasn't really lying! The no-sleep thing probably helped the sickness bacteria-guys to make me… more sick!"

Riku chuckled at Sora's childish way of speaking, but let the matter of why he was stressed slip.

"Take it easy, you know I worry about you," he suspired.

Smiling slightly, Sora leaned back against the headboard in back of him, and slowly started weaving his hands through the soft locks of Riku's hair.

"You don't need to worry about me, I can take care of myself!" declared Sora.

"Mhmm, right. Last time I left you alone, you ended up in the Medical Clinic's bed, remember?"

Sora rolled his eyes, and starting tying the hair in his hands into small braids.

Shifting uncomfortably, Riku tried reaching behind his head to stop his friend from continuing his actions.

"I'll look ridiculous if you keep doing that," he moaned.

"No, You'll look cute."

Sora paused in his work, blushing slightly at what he had said, and waited for a response from the person in front of him. He received a light laugh, and so bowed his head, concentrating on the task at hand.

The door opened with a quiet creak and in stepped Violet with a worried look painted across her face. Seeing the sight before her, she smiled, almost smirking in triumph, and walked forwards until she was at the end of the bed.

"Ahem," she coughed, gaining the boys' attention and embarrassment. "Sora, I know you spoke to your father earlier, so you know he's here, and from the ruckus I heard, I think Riku has too…" Riku sat up and crossed his arms, frowning. "So… getting to the point. You see, your father and I would really like to catch up, and the doctor said you're fine to leave as long as you get some rest, but… I'd like you to stay here. I don't feel that you'd be safe without anyone watching over you when I'm out."

Sora shook his head, replying, "I'd be fine, mom. Can I please leave? I really don't like how everything's so dull here; it's all white, and it sort of creeps me out."

"But, what would happen if you fainted again? Nobody would be there to help you. I know I'm a pain, but I'm your mother, and that's what I'm told I'm supposed to be. A pain." She chuckled and shook her head at her own statement.

Riku butted in, "He could stay at my house with me, if you're that worried. I may not be his mother, but I can… cook?"

Laughing again, Violet nodded. "Alright, alright. But, we may be staying out pretty late because I want to have an… adult chat with him. You know, discuss everything that's happened since he's been gone. So, you may as well have him stay over. And Sora, don't forget to change your underw-"

"I'LL BE FINE MOM. Jeeze."

"The key to our house is where it usually is, Sora. So get whatever you need there. Oh, and by the way, Riku," Violet started to walk towards the open door near her, and continued, "nice hair. Very cute."

The door closed behind her; Riku growled, Sora laughed.

No matter what anyone's opinion may have been, the braids were taken out.

Seated on Riku's couch, the two boys were staring at each other; Sora with a blanket wrapped around him and a cough emitted every once and a while.

His mother had left with Cady from the Medical Clinic (probably to go talk over coffee), Kairi went home to tell her parents where she had been, and Selphie had probably gone to either Wakka or Tidus' to tease one (or both) of them about… something or other.

"What do you want to do?"

"I dunno, what do you wanna do?"

"That's what I asked you, you have to tell me."

"Well… I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I said I don't know! What do you want to do? You're the guest!"

"Um… Well, since I'm the guest, I want you to decide what we should do."

"And being a polite host, I want you to decide what we should do. But, I don't want you to decide that I should decide what we should do."

"…"

"…"

"What do you want to do; no returns; rainbow, black, white, and brown magic infinity?" (1)

Riku grabbed a pillow from beside him and chucked it at the cinnamon-haired boy. "No fair!" he yelled.

Sora dodged and said, "Pfff, tough luck. I got to it first!"

"…"

"…"

"I still don't know what we should do."

Releasing a sigh, Sora collapsed backwards against the couch and curled up.

Sora mumbled, "Let's just go to sleep then. I'm tired."

"Alright, alright. You should get some rest anyways, seeing how that's what the doctor prescribed. Just don't go to sleep yet, I'll get some sleeping bags or blankets or something out."

"Mhmm…" Sora muttered.

The older of the two rose from his spot, making his way towards the guest room. When he opened the door, he soon realized it wouldn't be suitable for sleeping in. From previous attempts at cleaning his house, the teen had run out of storage space, and so piled everything on, under, or around the guest room's bed.

"Crap…"

Riku pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation, and started walking back towards his original location. He called, "Sora! The guest room is all clutter-" Stopping in mid-sentence, he stood in the middle of the hallway staring forward blankly. He leaned back and peeked his head through the doorway to his room, seeing a head of brown sticking out of the sheets on his bed.

Amused, Riku shook his head slightly and walked into the room. His arms reached out and grabbed the slumbering brunette by the shoulder to try and shake him awake. "Sora, I just wanted to tell you I'm going to sleep on the couch since you're here right now and… there's no other place to sleep except on the floor."

Sora, half-asleep, mumbled, "Dun be stupid… there's tons a room here… you can sleep with me." He sat up slightly, eyes drooped and hair in a state if disarray, with his head propped up with a pillow.

Riku bit his lip and tried to force down the blush that was fighting to cover the expanse of his face, caused by the last part of what his friend had said. Trying to keep his cool, he replied, "Nah, it's ok. I'll be fine. Just call me if you need anything, alright?"

He was about to leave before a tanned hand caught his wrist in a gentle clasp. Riku caught a gasp that had almost arisen as his head swiveled to look at the hand holding his.

"You know, I can keep being stubborn even if you don't want me to be. If I have to resort to it, I'll… um, tie you down to the mattress," Sora threatened.

Riku mumbled, "Heh… kinky."

Cocking his head to the side with his eyes knitted together in a way of expressing confusion, Sora questioned, "What? I…" He yawned again. "I didn't catch that."

"I said, uh… you'd have to be pretty slinky to try anything on me." He almost kicked himself. 'Slinky? Right. Like he's actually going to believe I said that after the long pause.'

"Oh, ok."

'Or… maybe he will.'

"But, I don't think I should run around of anything. 'Cause it would probably make me even more sick, and mom would get really mad." He smiled sheepishly as if to apologize for not accepting the challenge.

"Exactly. That's another reason why I shouldn't be in the same bed with you." He almost kicked himself again. 'Must… stop… perverted… thoughts…'

"But… Rikuuu! I'm cold!" whined Sora.

'Oh God, not the…'

Yes, it was the Sora Pout™. That retched pout that always stopped the poor victim on the receiving end in their tracks. That retched pout that always got the upper hand. That retched pout that always, always, had Riku doing whatever it was Sora wanted. He hated and loved that pout so much; this time, though, he wasn't going to fall for it. This time, he'd put up a fight! This time-

"Fine…"

This time, it'd be like all the other times. A futile attempt of thinking he could oppose such an innocent gesture, and failing.

The nineteen year old lifted his shirt over his head and threw it in some miscellaneous corner, his back facing Sora. He pulled up the sheets to the bed and climbed in as his friend scooted over to lie down. Riku reached over to the bedside table and turned off the single lamp lighting the room, then lightly draped his arm over the brunette who had his back facing him.

A few minutes later Sora's quiet even breaths signaled that he was indeed, asleep.

"Sora…"

Riku tightened his grasp around the teen in his arms, holding him protectively. He breathed in deeply before letting out a long sigh and whispering, "If only you knew…"

(1) My friends and I seem to have these conversations a LOT. Where we'll decide to walk home together, then we decide to do something/hang out, but we don't know what to do. In fact, that happened just today, and the day before, and the day before, and the day before, and three days before that, and… you get the idea. I think that all of those times, it was with the same people, and we ended up with me playing Kingdom Hearts (starting the game all over again) and them watching.

Anyways… the 'no returns' thing basically means that you can't say the same thing back to the person who's said 'no returns'. It also works for people not giving you back something you've given to them. Like garbage. I tend to do that a lot. Of course, it will only work if the person you say it to actually believe in it/plays the game (if you'd like to consider it a game). It's sort of like when you jinx someone: it's not like you have to stop speaking just because they said jinx, you only do it for fun, or because you're worried of the consequences and actually believe in it.

The Black/Rainbow/Brown/White Magic thing is something a few of my friends have used in the past; it's just something that basically seals the deal, and makes it a bit more bonded/stronger. Same with the added on 'infinity'.