¤ Tainted Games ¤
A Story By Shift Hyde
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts II, its characters, or locations. They are sadly not my property, but that of Disney and Square Enix, respectively.
Warning - Rated M: Invoking themes of violence, possibly mild cursing, and shounen-ai/yaoi.
Summary: The story begins in the Destiny Islands. It's been a year since Riku and Sora's return to the islands. Having aged they are 17 and 16, respectively. Changes? -- No letter sent to them by the king, and peace is a steady thing amongst the islands. But a confused Riku battles inner demons when a close friend blossoms in his heart as something more.
Any questions?
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CHAPTER 4
From Rise To Fall
"...I officially have no clue what to call this..."
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Riku had done that once, a long time ago. Sora did not take his hand. But he would. He needed to in more sense than one. He needed his rival to be there and would not push him away.
"I'm fine now," he confirmed with a forced smile, bittersweet with bustling unsorted emotions. "Thanks, Sora. Really, you saved me back there. Don't know what happened... I just cramped up," he shrugged, his expression nonchalant and carefree as though nothing serious had just happened. "Want to grab something to eat or something? I'm famished."
You could see the sun setting slowly over the horizon, the day obviously coming to a slow end. Sora would have enjoyed watching the scene impatiently whether the circumstances were different but right now his back was bent forward over the form of his firend, a downcast smile etched his light lips apart. He was in short, seriously concerned over his friend's blunder at sea. Was Riku sick or something? Maybe he was putting too much weight into the situation. It was probable this things happened daily, even to his seemingly invincible rival.Shaking his head, brown tresses drooping water all over Riku, Sora dispelled the silver-haired teen's words. "Don't worry about," He managed to say a little too hurriedly. "Really, you would have done the same for me." He continued with complete confidence in his words, as if that would make them true.
Straightening up, he kept his cobalt blue gaze glued to the form beneath him eyeing him as if it was his job. He was a little disappointed finding the crestfallen expression Riku's face held as he spoke, and he wished he could just make the boy smile. Unaware of the inner battle the older boy was having over him, Sora wondered just what had Riku looking so distant on their way here. Was he embarassed he would tell someone? However, no trace of that expression existed when the boy spoke again.
Sora didn't need to be told twice. In defiant matter to the calm face he was trying to keep his stomach seemed to churn loudly at the mention of food. Rightfully so, Sora's smiled faltered for less than a second a weak giggle coming out of him moments later. Well, he had been kicked out for missing dinner. "Yeah, let's!"
Not waiting for Riku to get up, Sora began running away from the beach. When he was almost to the dock, he looked back hand waving in the air for Riku to follow. "C'mon..."
Riku genuinely smiled at his friend's antics. No matter what, Sora's smile would always warm him. And as long as he could get a smile from Sora every day for the rest of his life, even if they went their seperate ways, even if Sora did fall in love and marry and completely sever any chance Riku may or may not have had with him... As long as he could see that smile, he could be content.
Rising to his feet, Riku dusted himself of the wet sand clinging to the fabric of his pants watching Sora take off towards the dock, guided by his deprived stomach, no doubt. This was wht the day was supposed to be like. Two best friends, competing against each other, enjoying each other's company, and generally just being there for one another. Blinking back to reality, Riku nodded, grinning, and ran past Sora, sticking his tongue out childishly.
"Race ya to my house!" he called.
"WHAAAAA?!" The brunette wailed childishly as Riku raced past him leaving him in a whirl of confusion. Apparently the silver haired boy was feeling much better. Not one to question Riku's actions Sora had just been staring as he had sat up and began running. Wrinkling his nose as he followed his speeding friend. By the time his form turned to stare at Riku's retiering back the older back had already left the sandy white beach completely only a faint trail left behind.
"Heeeey! Wait up! Riku!" Sora began running after his taller rival, he could never really catch up with him, hence the 'wait up'. Crimson tinted lips bowed down in a pout as he raced to reach the older boy. But it was no use the older boy had too much of an advantage over him. He watched Riku running in the distance with excitment. People walking the nearly entry streets shuffled away when they ran past them, Sora a few seconds after Riku.
He soon began panting from the over exertion of the run just after the swim. Still, he wouldn't relent, not even when his side began to hurt. As he saw Riku's house coming closer he sped up to run just behind the older boy.
Riku continued at his pace, a mere sprint to their destination, grinning the entire time as people stared in awe at his speed, sand spurting up beneathe his feet to leave an obvious trail. He was, afterall, one of the most talented young men on the entire island next to Sora. So when either of them tried to out perform the other, many would stop to stare at their competitive antics.
His own pinkly lips pulled back into a larger, triumphant grin. That, he thought, was the call of one who knew he was going to lose. Well, what did he expect? Sora had just won their little swimming outting (by default), and saved Riku as well. He was probably still tired, not to mention hungrier than ever. The silvery teen looked over his own shoulder to check on the status of his rival, and to his surprise, the cinnamon haired teen was riding his heels now in a burst of desperate energy.
'Uh oh!' Panicked by the turn of events, Riku turned his attemtion back to the goal: his white two story beach house drawing closer, the blue-painted windows and door just a couple hundred feet away.
With one final burts of energy he had stored away for this last minute, Riku gained a few more feet ahead of Sora. "Hope you're ready to lose this one!" he called back knowing that would most likely flare Sora up, even though the boy ws probably running low on energy by now. Not that THAT ever stopped him before.
This little sprint of them was beginning to hurt Sora. Particulary in his sides, both not just one. But it would take more than a little pain to for Sora to give up now. So with his hands awkwardly grasping his hips, the cinammon haired teen continue to lunge forward each step more tired than the one before.
Sweat was leaving a nice little trail of the sides of his face, and his expression became that of a grinning scoff. He would not lose, not here in front of the neighborhood. Hair swinging every which way, Sora pushed himself overload to keep in pace with Riku. The silver-haired teen's taunt was driving him to try harder, and his cheeks became pink from exhaustion. "I won't lose!" He stated as a fact.
When they were just a few steps before the beautiful two-story beach house, Sora's sandals against the pavement suddenly went quiet. He wouldn't give Riku enough to time for him to wonder where had he gone, throwing himself through the air into the back of an unsuspecting Riku. A second later the boy would come crashing down against Riku, their bodies rolling in a small ball all the way into Riku's front lawn.
Riku heard the other's foot steps pick up in time with his own, hearing the short, deep exhausted breaths closing in on him by the second. He didn't need to turn to see Sora was right beside him at this point. His taunt had drove the teen to try harder, having stated that he would not lose.
Vaguely, Riku wandered, did he push him a little too hard? He must have been tired from their swim, and now he was being pressured to outrun his silver-haired rival under the watchful eye of onlookers. All of which either one or the other knew by name. Whoever lost would no doubt be hearing banter and jeers for at least a week. The older teen wouldn't have that blemish on his record for the world, and neither would his younger competitor.
Just as he was about to win, just a mere step away from his front lawn, his ears only picked up one set of steps, and he knew he was still running. He barely registered that Sora's were the steps missing when, with a yell of surprise and alarm, he found himself planted face first in the green grass below with Sora's weight plunging onto his back. He skidded, staining the entire front of his pants and scraping his torso and arms, then rolled to a complete stop.
He groaned, not moving for a good ten seconds at least, head pounding from running that entire distance and then coming to a sudden halt. He finally found the strength to crack open one of his seagreen eyes to peer around, but immediately snapped it shut because the sun had shot so suddenly though it, causing his head to nearly split in two. He tried to sit up, but, wouldn't you guess it? He couldn't due to the fact that Sora had somehow managed to ride him to a halt.
"Okay... I officially have no clue what to call this. A tie, or a cheap shot that calls for a renmatch," he groaned, face showing no hint of anger, but, rather, amusement.
AN: Sorry for the long wait. As you can see I have not given up on this story. I've just been really tripped by my personal life. Either way, I hope you enjoy this updates once in awhile. Thanks for your patience and reviews.