Thank you so much for all of the reviews! Here's a long chapter, I hope it's worth the wait.

Excess Change

Tails

"We can't just leave him there, can we?"

"..."

"Squall?"

"..."

"Oh c'mon, Squall! He must be cold! Let's see if we can take him to a room or something..."

"...whatever."

The water, which had dispersed long since now, left the air in a chilly and clammy state, causing goose bumps to rise and stay risen on the flesh of passerby. Large pools of water were spread everyway, lubricating the floor and making it dangerous to walk on. The windows dripped and were streaked with droplets of water, gray light shining through dully from outside. Gray clouds rumbled high above the grounds, dark and alluring, forecasting stormy weather for later on.

The guards had left by orders of the king, stomping off, moody, dripping wet, and not at all satisfied. After all they'd been through, a nurse was the one who'd finally contained the two thieves? It was a waste of time, and they would have stayed to argue if King Mickey had not shooed them off with orders to conduct a crew to sweep the halls and search for any more wells of oil.

The water splashed up from beneath her sneakers, seeping through the soles and brim to run through to her socks and splash thin ankles. The teenaged girl stopped just two feet shy of the thin brunet, who was currently sunken in a thick pool of water that was tinted red and pretty, what little light the alluded sun could provide rebounding from it's surface to send mesmerizing rivulets of red shadow over his face. His head was tilted downwards, once-spiked hair now laden down with the heavy weight of water and hanging in thin strands on his neck, flopping over his forehead and covering his eyes, reaching just half way down his nose and brushing cheeks. Water stained his perfectly tanned skin, but from the way his shoulders shook and breath hitched every now and then, Yuffie was quite sure it wasn't all from the sprinklers.

"Hey," she murmured gently, crouching down so that she sat on her heels, arms crossed over her thighs as she offered a warm smile. Getting no response, she tilted her head to the side casually and ducked a bit to try and spot Sora's face that was currently nestled into the crook of his arms. "You're Sora, right? C'mon, don't you wanna get somewhere dry?"

A sniff was all she got. His head stayed lowered and, if possible, sunk even further. The sloppy mop that was his hair brushed up against his arm, curling a bit before wilting lifelessly back. If not for the tears, and the quiet sound of sobs, it would have been adorable.

"You'll catch a cold," Yuffie informed him with mock seriousness. Then, in a ditch effort to bring a smile to the sullen boys face, even a simple quirk of the lips, she said, "You're a real cutie, ya know that?"

Sora's hand twitched a bit and, from the current view, Yuffie could almost see the downwards curve of his lip and, after a moment, his lower lip protruded a tiny bit.

He was pouting.

Yuffie snickered. "See, there ya go!" The facial explanation erased itself as soon as the comment left Yuffie's lips. "Aw, don't be like that!"

Leon cleared his throat quietly, barely making a sound but enough to grab Yuffie's attention. Her hazel eyes left Sora for a moment to glance up, an eyebrow quirking in curiosity.

Leon's were drawn down into a sullen scowl, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the wall, one ankle tucked behind the other in a comfortable position. His steely gray eyes were narrowed under a slick of brown eyelashes as he regarded the slumped over teen and Yuffie's desperate attempts to bring him back with realty.

And then once, and only once, Leon shrugged his head to his right, nodding down the hall in the direction Cloud had taken Riku.

Blinking, Yuffie looked in the preferred direction, not understanding at all when she found it quite as abandoned and sopping wet as five seconds ago. "What? You see a ghost, Squall?"

Sighing impatiently, Leon unfolded his arms and used his tucked leg to push himself off of the wall, casually strolling over to the two others. Yuffie blinked up at him but, after a quick glance from the man, she chose to slowly scoot back and stand, backing away, looking skeptical as Leon regarded their small charge.

"Look at me," Leon commanded coolly. "I'm only saying this once, and I'm not telling it to the back of your head."

There was a pregnant pause as Leon glared coldly at the back of the boys head, burning a hole into his skull. Sora's head raised a bit, cloth sliding together with a wet sound as it separated and slid along his damp flesh. His face was no longer hidden, but he still stared down, blue eyes hidden beneath russet bangs that appeared almost black from the heavy weight of water it held.

Sighing heavily, Leon crouched down without a sound, startling the younger boy when he felt fingers wrap firmly around his chin, tugging his face up. His shocked cerulean eyes met those of cold steel, and it felt like barbed wire was digging into his pupils from the intensity of that glare.

Leon, scowl still in place, took a moment to take in the boys appearance. He looked more like a drowned puppy that had lost its way home by now. Every inch of his body was soaked in water, and his nose was beginning to run a bit from his crying. His lower regions were a bright red from where Riku has lain on him, the blood soaking Sora and giving him an eerie warmth that somewhat sickened the silent Gunblade wielder. His bright blue eyes shone with fear and unshed liquid, pearls of the purest crystal beading at the corners of his eyes and threatening to fall at emotions' mercy.

Hiding any sign of discomfort or curiosity behind a stony mask, Leon said evenly, "Your friend is currently dying in a hospital bed with only the slightest change of staying alive. And do you know why?" He paused, but not long enough for an answer. "Just so he could find and protect you. Personally, I don't give a damn about what either of you do, but do you really think Riku wants you to sit out here and wait for him to die? Or are you going to do something about it?"

The gentle racking and rocking of Sora's back slowly ceased, as did the shuddering his shoulders has been condemned to. His face, Leon noticed, was now tilted to him in the slightest of angles, blue eyes regarding him skeptically from drenched brown blocks that still covered his face. The blue seemed to be aflame with anger, resentment, instead of icy in a sad state as they were mere moments ago. And that gaze lacked all pouting, a serious face that surprised the older brunet who would never admit to it even in the face of death.

Sora just stared at him, lips drawn tight, holding back words that were obviously coiling themselves around his tongue and twisting in his throat, struggling to get out, only held back by the cold stare the brunet received back.

"You don't trust me," Leon pointed out calmly, stating the complete obvious. He was crouched down lower now, steel eyes taking in the pitiful sight before him that seemed to be seeping rage that floated around him with the blood and water. Sighing, Leon raised a hand, fingers brushing his numbing lips, before sinking into his shaggy hair and fisting there, looking remotely agitated by the situation at hand. Grasping at his sense of calm, he went on, "And I'm not asking you to."

Sora blinked. Just once. Water dripped into the white of his eyes, outlining his lashes in white shadow before ghosting over his cheeks to wash away the remains of his tears.

"I'm just asking you to get the fuck off of the floor so we can get you dry and cleaned up for when you see him again." Had Sora blinked, he would have missed the brief slip of a mask, emotions shining in a surreal flash before calm indifference took over once more. "Just... follow me. I'll get you cleaned up. And then you can go and see him, all right?"

Sora put Leon under a scrutinizing half-glare, half of him begging for his body to comply and follow the cold stranger to find some warmth, and to rid himself of slowly-caking blood. The other half of him was reminding him of what Riku had said no one could help him. And here was the walking resemblance of what Riku went on about; a cold-hearted person, an enemy, offering glazed-over words of comfort that could mean nothing but future anguish, a chance that would slip through Sora's very fingers the moment he tried to grasp at it.

But in those cold eyes, behind the steel bars, a certain warmth pertained his features. It swept away the kindling fear that burned out the bottom of his heart, affectively dousing it and letting it drain out with the blood and water below him.

Slowly, as if afraid thunder would strike him down where he lay if he moved too fast, Sora nodded.

Grunting his consent, Leon gently grabbed a hold of Sora's upper arm in his glozed hands and helped the boy to his feet. The crimson liquid poured down Sora's body, sinking back to the ground and draining intot he puddle that left his scandals sopping wet and sticky, his feet cold and numb from the cold touch.

Feeling Leon squeeze his fingers slightly, Sora realized he had averted his gaze downwards once again. Forcing his eyes up, he was shocked to see an actual facial expression on the stoic man.

A smirk, no less.

"Good," Leon said, gently guiding him forward in the opposite direction of where Riku and Cloud had gone, never letting go of the skinny arm as he finished, "because you never really had a choice in the matter."

Behind them, Yuffie snickered a bit.

Heads

So... cold...

"He's awake..."

No... No I'm not. I'm still asleep... still dreaming...

"Get the Hell up!"

No... you can't make me...

A yank. A tug. Fingers curling along his scalp and harshly gathering locks of silver hair in a thick palm before forming a fist and yanking up, causing a pale neck to snap and send shots of pain running from his shoulders down before sprouting out behind his ears.

"C'mon, pretty boy, get up!"

He couldn't move... Arms frozen by icy clasps behind his back, shoulders straining in their sockets from the position he was forced into. His legs curled beneath him, knees poking out from beneath thin pants that did nothing to keep the heat from leaving his skin. His bare arms and chest were prickled with goose bumps that had risen a long time ago.

"Seems like he needs a bit of a wake up call, hm?"

Keep my eyes closed... keep them closed... they can't hurt me if I don't see them...

"You have a job to do, brat!"

It's only a dream, Riku...

I want to believe that...

Wake up... Come on, now...

I need to believe that.

Riku, please, wake up!

HOT

Pain sliced down in a cross over his chest, burning him, the scent of steaming flesh stinging and making him wince, groaning in pain and struggling to get away from the hot wired rod being pressed insistently on his bare flesh.

WAKE UP!

Sweat poured, leaking into his eyes as they snapped wide open. His back arched off of the bed, arms refusing to follow and making his body creak in protest. His torso contorted itself away from an invisible foe, silver hair splaying over porcelain skin and matting there, swamped with sweat and sticking with dried blood that cracked and let loose fresh streams of crimson in their wake as new cuts re-opened, old ones simply burning. Breaths let loose from his chapped lips in a hurried whisper, tumbling his murmurs and mutters that had coerced themselves from hi nightmares, still protesting against the pain, both the nightmare's and the present's.

A gentle hand was gently squeezing his shoulder, a cool touch against his flushed skin that burned with heat from an unknown source. His arms strained as he tried to reach up a hand to smack away the hand, but he found it quite impossible. His chest heaved against a mysterious barrier that was strapped against his chest, pressing him firmly back against a soft mattress. Arms strained against the same trap, muscles tensing in an unfit state.

The cool hand squeezed again, thumb brushing against the skin at his shoulder in a soothing manner. Calming words soothed over the ragged edges of his nightmare that still probed at him in the back of his mind, smoothing them out and allowing Riku to return from his unconscious high and slowly regain his senses.

Bright light poked at his eyes, the voice of protest grumbling in his chest as he blinked blearing against the offensive shine. Brown hair pooled into the sight, wavering it and making it slight more bearable for Riku as a person gazed anxiously down at him, worry smacking him in the face from eyes the color of his own. Lips were drawn into a line, half-way between a reprimanding scowl and anxiety.

Aerith...

...oh not this again...

The light clarified itself into a singular orb of white that hung high above his head, implanted firmly in the ceiling. The room was cool, but comfortable so, and it felt good against his heated flesh. Crisp linen folded itself gently around Riku's body, clasping him in a soft cocoon on the bed he lay on. It brushed against his bare legs, and warm cloth hung from his hips down to the backs of his knees. Gentle tickles of white cloth told Riku he was bare-chested without even looking down. And surely, when his gaze averted downwards, he discovered that his marred chest lie unclothed and free, ribs cracking up through the skin and creating small hills along his flesh before swooping dangerously slow at the stomach, making Riku's chest look like a skeleton with flesh clinging to every bone. Sleek muscled whipped through and around bone, and they were currently tense as could be, despite the comfortable atmosphere.

The blood, Riku noticed, was gone except for the crimson streaks that were caked over his numerous wounds. Pale skin was fresh and clean between gashes which, although gruesome looking, seemed to be quite clean. A strong scent of aloe and mint hung in the air, and his back felt cool; Aerith must have put a burn salve on his back from the shirt he'd lit aflame himself. How long ago, he could not remember.

The hand had left his shoulder, he noticed, and Aerith's back was turned to him now. Riku said nothing as she easily scooped a wooden bowl in her hands, a wooden panel stick up from it. It steamed lightly and smelled strongly of aloe and thyme, a smell Riku remembered from herb shops that dotted Main Street. When she had returned to his side and sat down on a small stool that was mere inches from the bed, her legs hooked under the seat and around metal poles, he glanced towards the bowel. The liquid in it was transparent, the lifelines of wood clear through it, but it was still an acid green. The wooden handle's other end was a black brush, small and now wider then two inches.

Aerith's fingers curled daintily around the handle, twirling the brush around in the liquid, causing the steam to become a tad bit thicker, before lifting it out. Making sure to dab it along the wide of the bowel first, she brought it to the now-bleeding cuts on Riku's forehead and neck, gentle brushing it along.

Riku had the ability to withstand pain, known to not make a noise as countless pebbles were picked from bleeding wounds where he fell and hit a rocky curb, but he had to bite his lip harshly at the harsh burning sensation the salve gave him. Liquid fire poured itself into the cuts, burning his skin and blood until the blood sizzled and waked over the wounds, retracting from his skin and gathering to a melding block of dried blood over his injuries. The potion settled under dried blood, sizzling under his skin and making Riku hiss in pain, head twisting to the side until his cheek pressed hard into the pillow.

Aerith's hand cupped his cheek and pulled him back, however, continuing to apply the solution to cuts. "This will help, Riku," she told him pointedly, not letting her gaze meet his as she concentrated on holding Riku still long enough to finish the healing process. "It cleans out and clogs up your cuts. You'd better get used to it, too; this will be going over every mark on your body, including that burn on your back."

Riku sighed, but said nothing, wordlessly accepting the treatment. He'd realized that his arms, chest, and legs were strapped down; from the feel of it, and the way it pushed into his skin when he tried to move, the teen guessed it was leather. He grudgingly admitted to himself that he could use the treatment he was receiving. Of course, he'd never say it out loud. And to reinforce this, he made sure to keep his mouth firmly shut lest a simple 'thank you' spilled out by accident.

That is, until a simple word filtered through the pain and sparked his heart with new awareness.

SORA!

The words flew out of Riku's mouth without second thought, eyes bugging wide open. "WHERE'S SORA?" he yelled, startling Aerith. In her shock, the bowl slipped from her fingers deftly and, with one fatal swoop, upending its contents, which splashed over Riku's bare chest in a torrential splash that flecked bits of green everywhere as it pooled into his stomach and ran over his chest.

Green eyes immediately flashed with pain, agony shooting through him faster then a speeding bullet. His back arched as a muffled cry gave way through gritted teeth. His fists curled and nails dug into his palms, drawing forth sweet crescents of red blood. His chest hissed as fire bubbled and sank through his rib cage, blood frothing over before rising into tiny tendrils and scabbing over and over again. Magma coiled around his bones and blended in with the blood in his veins, hot wire rods replacing blood vessels and turning the tissue in his body into painful ash.

Aerith, not stopping to breath a single word of fear or comfort, quickly swept from the bed and ran to the sink by the window. The sounds of Riku's cries ran in the room, and she was sure that people would soon come running; his screams were just that; screams. They weren't quiet. Fumbling at the faucet for a moment, a weight seemed to gently ease off of her chest as a rush of clear water came shooting down and splattering into the porcelain bowel she held underneath it. When filled sufficiently, and when Riku's screams grew to a terrifyingly high pitch, the brunette spun on her heel and rushed back, hand flying out to grab a small towel on the way, not bothering to turn off the water.

By the time she'd returned mere seconds later, Cloud, Yuffie, and King Mickey had come barging into the room, eyes wide and demanding explanations that Aerith had no time to give.

Swooping over the trembling teen, Aerith quickly plunged the hand towel into the cold water and immediately brought it to Riku's burning chest, scraping at it as lightly as possible to reduce the friction as she scraped what little green potion she could. The damage had been done, though, as most of it had already seeped into the skin and was currently frothing up blood to scab over the wounds, putting a halt to the blood flow and burning away any trace of bacteria under the skin. This was a good thing, but too much of it caused unbearable amounts of pain. She'd been planning on doing it wound by wound...

Surprisingly, a minute or so after Aerith began washing off the potion, Riku'd stopped screaming and his chest stopped heaving to heavily. His breath was still ragged and gasping, but it was no longer painful-sounding. nor did it sound like it'd be the silver-haired teen's last breath as it had a minute before. His eyes were shut, lightly, not clenched, and his eyelashes glimmered slightly with an unshed tear or two. But no streaks of liquid could be found on his face, all withheld behind his aquamarine eyes.

A minute or so later, Aerith let the wash cloth drop back into the empty bowl, sighing before setting it down on the bedside table. She intently studied Riku's face, looking at it for any signs of utmost discomfort that demanded she refill the bowl and try to ease off more of the pain. But Riku looked fine now. His breathing was a tad bit shallow, quiet even though the room echoed with hollow silence. Mickey, Cloud, and Yuffie, still standing by the doorway, shot Aerith curious looks, which she ignored, focusing her attention on the teen before her.

Reaching out a gentle hand, she threaded her fingers through his soft, silvery hair, tucking it neatly behind his ear before repeating the motion in a motherly gesture. His green eyes creaked open slowly, slits of green eyeing her as she continued to stroke his hair soothingly, but he didn't pull his head back. He was too tired, and the kind gesture was one too well-needed to push away even if he was able to.

Instead, he said, "You never answered my question." His words were slightly slurred and in a moment, they could both tell, sleep would find him again. His narrowed eyes were softening into one of curiosity, patiently waiting for the woman to answer him. Nothing was left in him to be rude or demanding, stubborn or indifferent.

"He's all right," Aerith assured him with a gentle smile, all anger for his running away buried under her concern. Although she was surprised that Riku could even remember his own question, let alone comprehend her answer, when sleep was so obviously dragging his mind back down into a soft haze, it didn't stop the fond smile from growing when Riku gave her a small one in return.

And then, with a soft sigh, Riku fully relaxed into the mattress, letting the rustle of white linen and the fingers gently running through his hair lull him into a dreamless sleep.

Tails

Dark red carpet felt plushy under his feet, causing him to sink slightly as he walked. Dark cream walls enclosed him on all side, sealed off by a dark mahogany door that was shut firmly behind him, the sound deafening in the quiet suite.

Calm steel eyes regarded him from beneath chestnut bangs. "Are you going to stand there dripping all over my carpet or are you going to come in?" Leon asked coolly, raising an eyebrow at the hesitant teen.

Shaking his head, averting his gaze from the expensive-looking leather couches that settled themselves in a semi-circle in the room he stood in. Leon sighed, turning and walking down the short hallway that branched off from the door. Eyes following him briefly, eyeing the man with suspicious eyes, Sora followed albeit reluctantly. He was, however, looking forward to getting truly clean for the first time in he didn't even remember how long.

The hall was clear of any clutter, walls plain and without borders or photographs hanging in wooden frames. Leon walked briskly passed two wooden doors, one on either side, until he reached one at the end of the hall. The younger of the two watched as the bronze knob was turned swiftly before the door was yanked open, not a sound made as it swung listlessly on its hinges.

This seems like the perfect place for a man like him, Sora thought bitterly. Nice and quiet... and barren, too...

Sora was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he was surprised to find Leon speaking to him.

Grinning sheepishly, Sora said, "I'm sorry... I wasn't listening..." He just gave a nervous chuckle and rubbed at the back of his head as Leon fixed him with a cold glare.

"I said," he hissed, "that clothes will be on the bed in the room attached to the bathroom. Wrinkling his nose, smirking a bit, he continued, "Make sure you wash off good in that shower. You stink."

Sora attempted to return the glare, but it failed on account of two reasons. One was that with Leon's smirk growing, he knew that it was turning into more of a pout then anything. And he was also too relieved at the prospect of taking a nice, long, hot shower to be complaining about any insults to his personal hygiene.

The sound of a switched being flicked resounded, Sora's ears perking as the bathroom was flooded with light. Stepping aside, Leon nodded his head towards it. "Leave your stuff in the corner," he said. "And stay in that room until I come to get you."

Sora nodded and waited for Leon to say more. He didn't, however. Stepping to the side, he brushed past Sora without a word.

Blinking, Sora uttered a hurried, "Wait!" before Leon could walk around the corner and out of sight.

With a sigh of what sounded like aggravation, Leon turned back to face Sora. "What? Need me to give you a tour of the bathroom?"

Ignoring the sarcasm, Sora voiced what was nagging him at the back of his mind. "Aren't you, ya know, afraid I'll steal from your or something?"

Leon raised an eyebrow. "And what could you possibly steal from me in the bathroom? A bottle of shampoo?"

Biting his lip, Sora looked down, hands fisting until curled fingers left nails digging into the flesh of his palm.

Sighing at Sora's dejected look, Leon said, "First of all, I have nothing of value to steal in here that I don't carry on me. Second, you wouldn't dare steal from me. Because if you did, I'd kill you." Sora gulped; he somehow knew that. "And lastly, I don't think you're the kind of kid who's steal things on a whim. The only way I think you'd steal from me is if I provoked you. Which I choose not to do."

"How do you know that?" Sora challenged. He was now just going on for the sake of argument, trying desperately not to be flipped open and read like a book. And the man before him was sprouting ff details about his personality when they hadn't known each other for more than an hour.

"Because I do," Leon said indifferently with a shrug of his shoulder. When Sora didn't budge or make another comment, the brunet asked, "Are you going to take a shower or am I going to have to push you in there and wash you myself?"

With a yelp, blue eyes startled and wide, Sora stumbled backwards just as Leon made a move to come after him, slamming the door shut. A tiny smirk pulled at the corners of Leon's mouth as he heard the sliding of a bolt, meaning Sora has locked the door.

"There's another door to the bathroom, you idiot," Leon muttered, more to himself then to Sora. A quiet chuckle was startled out of him when he heard another bolt, this one more muffled, meaning that Sora had also locked the door to the bedroom.

Shaking his head, a tiny smile on his face, Leon walked away from the bathroom and into his own room to find suitable clothes for the small teen to wear.

And then... he would burn those rags that Sora called clothes while he was asleep.

Heads

A dark, surprisingly soft, black towel was wound tightly around his bony hips, tied into a knot on the side and held in place by a tanned hand. His damp skin prickled in the cool air, sweeping over his now-soothed muscles. His sopping wet hair dripped water over his bare chest and shoulders, onto the red plush carpet beneath his feet. He could still feel the heat of the steaming jets of hot water that had been pouring at him mere minutes ago, washing away thick cakes of dust that had clouded themselves upon every inch of his skin, layers of sweat, and blood stains; all drained down the skin, his worried following briefly after it.

Feeling represented and pleasantly woozy, Sora padded over to the bed. It, like the walls and carpet, was a deep red with a creamy border, the pillows a cream with dark red lacing the outsides.

He must really like those colors, Sora thought absent-mindedly. He blinked blearily at a small, neat square of white and gray on the corner of the bedspread. Upon closer inspection, hew found it to be a neatly folded white t-shirt atop an equally orderly bag of gray sweatpants. He ran the finger pads of his free hand over the cloth; it was sinfully soft and felt, if possible, slightly warm.

Pulling the towel from his waist, Sora towel dried his hair with one hand white reaching for the clothes with the other. Pulling the t-shirt up, Sora discovered a pair of blue plaid boxers underneath. It hadn't a single crease in them and were slightly stiff; a new pair.

Grinning at the simple king act made by the cold man who was sitting somewhere in this small home, probably waiting for him to come out and announce his finished getting changed. Rubbing the towel over his damp skin quickly until he was dry (for the most part), the brunet slipped into the boxers, pulling them up. They hung off of one bony hip, slipping down a bit to show a side of his pelvis. Wincing at how large they were, Sora tried on the pants next. They, too, were far too big on him. Sora pulled at the drawstrings tightly when they were all the way up to prevent them from falling. When he felt assured they were in the proper position, Sora pulled the t-shirt over his unruly hair and slipped in onto his torso. The sleeves reach down below his elbow and hung down past his thighs, hanging off of a skin shoulder, clavicle showing under his damp hair.

But despite how large they were on him, they were the most comfortable thing Sora'd ever put on.

Smiling a bit, feeling eerily content despite the position at hand, Sora sat down on the bed, feet curling beneath him and hands smoothing over the fabric of the comforter. It felt unbearably soft and cushiony, the brunet sinking into it slightly with a soft sigh of appreciation.

He wasn't sure if it was tiredness or comfort that finally dragged Sora down into the bed. All he knew was that he felt warm and comfortable, something he'd never truly gotten the chance to appreciate for the past seven years of his life. Seven long, long years, years he didn't want to repeat or reminisce tonight. Tonight, all he wanted... was some sleep.

Fifteen minutes later, tired of waiting, the door clicked open to reveal a slightly irritated Leon. His eyes fell upon the damp towel at the foot of his bed, and then the figure on his bed.

Sora was lying down on the red blankets, head resting on the feather down pillows, damp hair sticking up a little in a cute way, a few strands tucked into his slightly-ajar mouth. His even breathing filled the room, the steady rise and fall of his chest rhythmic and hypnotic to the mind's eye.

Leon had never seen someone look so... relieved.

"That brat's on my bed," Leon grumbled, sighing as he rubbed at his temples with thumb and forefinger. He was being stubborn, and he knew it. And yet... he just couldn't bring himself to wake the slumbering boy. Not after all he'd been through tonight.

With another sigh, this time mentally scoffing himself for getting so emotional over a little thief, Leon walked over and gently tugged at the comforter and sheets until they lie open in a wide flap. And then, very gently, he slid his arms under Sora's warm, bony body.

Frowning at how light Sora was, Leon easily scooted him over until he lay at the edge of the bed before sliding him under the sheets and blankets, laying them over Sora. The boy didn't miss a beat of his rhythmic beating, not stirring a bit.

Still frowning over how light it had been to move Sora over---he couldn't weigh more then sixty pounds, at his guess---Leon turned and swept out of the room silently, pausing at the doorway to throw Sora one last glance before exiting the room completely, pulling the door shut behind him with a gentle click.

And in his sleep, Sora turned over, brows furrowing and lips puckering, teeth worrying the bottom one for a moment before letting go. His face relaxed once more, but not before he muttered a single word.

"Riku..."

And he slept on.

End Chapter

I know the ending sucked horrible, but I was tired and I'd like some free time. Here's hoping it wasn't too terrible.

Please review. Let me know what you guys think!