¤ 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 5
The Discomfort In Comfort

"You cannot call my butt fat."
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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.

A small but unhindered giggle began to flow from Sora at Riku's words. He was hurt too, but his fall had been broken by the silver-haired teen he was currently laying a top of. Rolling to his left side, the brunnette slipped off the older boy with a harsh sounding thud upon the soft lawn. He had enjoyed the run, loving the excersice since he was never one to stay still too long, but his lungs wouldn't catch air properly and he tried calming himself taking in deep breaths.

"The whole thing was unfair to begin with," Sora's expression suddenly turned playfully somber a pout over his red lips. "I just dragged your fat butt through the water... Tired..." Sora's eyes then shuttered close for a second, the blue orbs disappearing from view completely.

Still on his side, he didn't need to turn to look at Riku. He simply moved forward a little, leaning on his elbow. Opening his eyes then, he looked over Riku's face once before exclaiming, "Feed me!"

The said so called "fat butt" frowned, squinting through his silver bangs at the exhausted brunette. Okay, so it was unfair after all, but there was just no possible way Sora could get away with pointing the finger at Riku and calling his butt fat all in one shot. His butt was just, SO not fat. He would know. He looked and found his own rear quite the oppostie.

"Hey, you cannot call my butt fat," he pouted, still making an effort to squint at the other, though the task was proving more difficult the more he looked at the teen's innocently hugry features. "You eat at least three times as much as any normal human being," he stated as a fact, flicking his nose pointedly. Anyone who ever had Sora over for any meal knew this to be true. And yet, he seemed never able to gain a pound. Ever.

"All right though, we'll have it your way, oh Master of Keyblades."

With a sigh, he heaved himself up and brushed what grass he could off of him, observing a few scratches and scrapes that would need tending to. Nothing serious, of course; it would take a lot more than that to make him worry about his health. He reached down and pulled Sora to his own feet and set off inside the house. Careful to shake off the larger particles of outside residue, he dusted his feet on an ancient straw welcome mat just inside.

His house was made up of two stories. The downstairs consisted of an enclosed porch used for coats and the such which led into a moderately sized kitchen, complete with all necessary appliances and a breakfast bar; the walls were adorned with simple warm colored paints and a the traditional paopu as the theme. The rest of the downstairs though was actually quite contemporary; the large living room in shades of red, black and silver. The study, which was strictly reserved for his father, remained plain and businesslike. He supposed the only really creative room was the entertainment room, complete with video games and an entertainment center he was spoiled with once he had returned from his adventures. That room was decoarted with posters of his favorite game characters and bands and such, having spent much time in there when he wasn't outside. And upstairs, of course, were three bedrooms; his, his parents', and the guestroom, which they had reasonably deemed to be Sora's, since he was the only one who used it.

"All right, spoiled, what are you in the mood for?" he asked combing the kitchen for something to eat.

Sora was left unnecesarily rubbing his nose right outside the front door. He was still thinking over the fact that Riku had just treaded over the lines of calling him a glutton or something like that. But the brunette couldn't possibly see what was wrong with him eating six times day. So from the door he called at Riku's disappearing back. "At least my butt doesn't get faaaat!!" Of course, the proof of refuting that statement was just disppearing into the kitchen. Still it's not like that would stop him from getting even.

Content with not letting that one slip, Sora took his shoes off rather than rubbing them on the welcome mat. It seems that would take too much time in his opinion. His shoes now neatly tucked away in one corner of the porch, he followed into the house, the grass tangled in his hair going completely unnoticed.

"Rikuuuuu...!" The brunette whined with a bright smile as he slid into the kitchen sideways. One more thing he loved about not having to wear his shoes inside, he could slide around the rooms in his white socks. He wiggled his toes a little, before looking up to smile at Riku. "Um, anything really.. Whatever you have will be fine." He nodded once, grin unfaltering, and practically skipped up to sit in a stool behind the kitchen counter, watching the older boy attentively as he looked around the kitchen.

Riku's brow twitched at Sora from outside; the fat butt somment was starting to eat at him a little. Sighing, he brushed the comment aside, shaking his head and putting his attention back on to the task at hand. Usually the cabinets were full, seeing as though his two parents had a growing teenager in their home, but lately it seemd as though there were inly the necessities-- most of which he really rather would let rot. Maybe it was because of the arguement...?

About the time he let his mind wander as he mindlessly opened another half-full cabinet, Sora came sliding around the corner in his white socks. He made a mental note to strip him of those later and make the little punk try to catch him for them. Closing the cabinet, he turned, scratching his head with an annoyed frown.

"I'm not sure if anything we have right now will sedate that bottomless pit of a stomach you have," he sighed, turning to open the refrigerator. Well, there was certainly more in there than anywhere else. Mainly fruits and drinks; nothing to make a meal out of, unless he made Sora a giant salad.

No, that wouldn't do. That'd be like feeding a third world child a stale crumb, or something.

"Stupid parents," he growled flipping the door shut and letting it slam a little soundly. He leaned up against the counter, thinking. What would Sora-- "You're getting grass everywhere," he grinned seeing the particles sticking out at odd angles from his brown spikes. Craning his neck, Riku could even follow the trail of foliage where the brunette had been. Nothing like good ole' Sora antics to put his mind at rest for a few minutes. Or at least until the little glutton started to whine again and rememnded him about what he had just been fuming about.

Sora looked like he had already gotten comfortable. His elbow rested on the counter before him and his fist held his squashed right cheek firmly, there was drowsy air around him, like he was prone to pass out at any second. Cerulean eyes followed his friend's movements around the kitchen, finding the annoyment the other felt completely funny. He tried to keep his laughter in check, though. It seemed Riku was just about to start fuming when he opened the refrigerator's door. If he had energy left he would have whined some, but he looked too tired for that. Even so a small grin pulled his lips up at the sight of Riku scratching his hair.

"Oy, my stomach is so not a bottomless pit. I get full all the time." The brunette sighed, frowning a little. It was true enough, he did get full... after eating everything in sight, but he did. The younger teen flinched suddenly when his friend choose to barbarically slam the refrigerator shut. "Jeez!" His teeth gritted a little, shaking his head pointedly from side to side.

He stopped only when Riku turned around, feigning innocence to what he had been doing before. Tilting his head a little more to the side into his hand, he stared at Riku for a few good seconds before registering what the older teen had said. Looking over his shoulder, he surely saw the trail of grass Riku had been talking about. "Uh oh, sorry. I'll clean it up!" He practically bounced off the stool, directing himself to the broom closet.

Riku couldn't help but surpress a smile at how adorable Sora looked, even though it was obvious at how fake the little innocence facaud was. He could act cute and innocent all he wanted, but Riku saw how serious he could get. He also knew of the brunette's little tendencies to do or say things while the teen had his back to him- a playful antic, of course- like he wasn't going to catch him or know already the reaction that would surface.

Riku also caught the look of complete exhaustion the other had flashed a moment beforehand. Grrr... the guilt was back, eating at his brain and senses. He hoped Sora wouldn't collapse; that would suck... Sighing he trattoed after Sora and caught his arm. "Don't worry about it, all right? Just, uh, go raid the fridge or something. I've got this," he said snatching up a broom and dust pan. "Then I'll order some... pizza, or something, seeing as though my loving parents," he said this with sarcasm through gritted teeth," haven't been to the grocery store in ages."

A/N: A relatively quick update is my way of thanking all reviewers for leaving me their comments/criticism. I do apologize for the many typos this story is prone to have seeing as I don't take the time to spell check it. It would just take too long and I already have most of my time accounted for. So I apologize in advance, maybe on Winter Break I might proof it, maybe.


Anyhow, thanks again for all the wonderful feedback! I am finally content with the steady rhythm of the story and the interaction between the two. I wasn't sure I could pull it off before. Stick around for in the next chapter the plot thickens!