Title: Touch Me
Author: Raining on my Parade
Summary: Before Kairi came, you were just mine. Then you became hers and mine. Now you're just yours. And I can't touch you. No matter how hard I try, you are always out of my grasp.
Disclaimer: it's on my wish list, but it seems like it won't be coming true anytime soon…therefore I still don't own Kingdom Hearts
A/N: Second chapter up! Yeah! I'm doing pretty well, if I may say so myself. I must admit now that I have a horrible habit of procrastinating, so having this done about a week later is pretty good for me. With my last story, I think I made them wait a month sometimes –sweatdrops- Yeah, I'm hoping not to do that to you guys, but you know how school can get. But if it ever seems like it's getting to be a super long wait, please just yell at me to get moving. Sometimes a little encouragement is all that is needed.
Anywhos, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. I'm hoping more people will catch on and join this lovely bunch, but even just alerts and favorites make me happy, so thank you everyone! Now (if anyone is still reading this), go on and read little ones!
Guide:
~~~Sky~~~ or ~~~Land : These normally begin a section and tell whose point of view it's in. Sky is Sora, and Land is Riku. Keep this in mind, people, it's helpful to know who is talking!
~~~: this just means it's a break in either Sora or Riku's section. Either it's a time skip or a scene change.
Also, this takes place after KH 2, so yes, all events in the games apply. And that's about it for now. If anything else comes up, I'll be sure to add it. Enjoy!
Chapter 2 : Ostracize
~~~Land~~~
It's nearly noon. I expect you to only be waking up now. You're so lazy, it's a wonder you get anything done. That's what I'm for though, I guess: a human alarm clock. To make sure you're up and doing something productive, at the very least. I feel it's the best I can do for you since I am the way I am. Besides you're my best friend, and best friends look out for each other, right?
I see your house only a few more minutes away. I don't need to knock to enter. Your parents know me, and besides that, they aren't even here. They are at work while we have our summer vacation. I let myself in knowing you won't mind it either. I hesitate though as I think back on this thought. I'm not as sure as I used to be about this fact. You're giving me more mixed signals than ever before now, and I'm only feeling more confused and helpless to know what's okay to do around you anymore. And that's without attempting to control the urges I get on my own whenever you're around. But those I can handle easier because at least I know exactly what to do.
But you're you, and quite honestly, you just happen to be an enigma to me. All of the years I've known you seem to be so insignificant now, so inconsequential. I used to know exactly what reaction I could pull from you when I did certain things. I used to know how to cheer you up. I used to know how to make you mad. I used to know when you needed one thing or didn't want another. I used to know a lot of things. Now all I can ever seem to do is upset you. I'm at a loss to know anything anymore compared to the certainty I held before we were torn apart years before.
No, that's wrong to say. We weren't torn apart. I went to follow a path I shouldn't have and tried to take you with me. I have to say now that I am glad you didn't take my hand back then. If you had, I'm not quite sure what would have happened, but I'm certain it wouldn't have been good. For us or all of the worlds you've worked so hard to save time after time.
I shake these thoughts from my head as I realize that I'm now staring at you. My mind's gone blank. You've just opened the bathroom door, clad in nothing but a fluffy white towel. You're frozen and so am I.
It shouldn't be this awkward. We've known each other since we were young enough to bath together. We've seen each other in various states of undress many times over, so what makes this time any different from all of those?
I realize, as I stutter out an apology and stumble away back to your living room, that it's because I know how I feel now, and that I've been avoiding seeing you undressed to any degree to avoid the reaction I know I'll have if I do, the reaction I'm having right now to seeing more of your creamy smooth skin than usual. It's overwhelming.
I get to the living room, trip a little on nothing, and then go over to the couch where I set myself down to gather my thoughts.
It's overwhelming, but not as much as I thought it would be. It's mostly because you took me off guard that my wits have been scattered, or so I'd like to think. My mind replays the image of you, fresh out of the shower, water droplets falling from your damp, limp brown hair to your strong shoulders, that delicate collar bone poking out slightly, adorably, your well built chest and…
I want to scream and hit myself. I don't, if only because I'm in your house, and I would like it if I still seemed even somewhat sane to you. I'm losing it more and more because of you, and I wonder how long it will take before the thread unravels completely.
You appear in the doorway a few minutes later, the towel from your waist now sitting upon your head, waiting to be used to dry brunette locks. You stare at me for a minute with a bit of a lost expression.
Why?
What has you so lost when you look at me?
Is it because you're embarrassed now? I know I am. But I have a feeling that's not it. It's something else. Something I don't know. Maybe something I won't understand. I'm not sure. I want to ask, I want you to tell, but neither happens. You just keep staring on.
Why do you look so lost when you look at me?
Why so you look so…sad?
"So…what's up?" you finally ask me.
"The ceiling," is my automatic response to that question, and I feel a little better as this prompts a smile from you. You roll your eyes a little and I grin at you. Because you always sleep late, even if you hardly sleep at all. You still look tired, but I try to ignore it. "You just get up?"
"Yeah, got up not that long ago. You hungry?" you ask, moving to the kitchen. I get up and follow.
"That depends, are you gonna cook?" I reply. You pout over your shoulder at me and I can't help but laugh a little. You look like a drowned puppy with your hair all wet and hanging in your face like that. You only pout more but there's still a hint of a smile in your eyes that I'm glad to see.
"I was just going to get out some cereal…I promised mom I wouldn't use the stove…" you say, mumbling the last part, but I still catch it. I choke down a laugh. We both know you get in trouble when you cook, so I applaud your mother mentally for banning you from using the stove.
You start getting things out of the cabinets and I help by grabbing the milk from the fridge. As I place the white container down, I can't help noticing the towel still on your head. I'm behind you before I can even think to myself that this is way too close. I rest my hands on your head, over the towel, and start rubbing the towel around to dry your already mostly dry hair. I can feel you stiffen at the unexpected contact and I want to pull away.
Stop.
Stop now!
Stop it!
But I can't. I'm already this close and I want to stay this close.
"R-Riku? W-what are you doing?" you ask. I can hear the nervous tremor you're trying to hide and I feel bad because I know I'm causing it.
"You'll catch a cold if you don't dry your hair," is my pathetic response. I've stopped moving the towel about, and now my hands are just resting on your head. Slowly I lower my own head until my forehead is resting against the back of yours and my hands retreat to your shoulders.
So close. So close.
So close…
And yet, still so far.
I pull back suddenly. What was I thinking? You must be thoroughly freaked out by now. Today's just a strange day all around. Perhaps I should just get away now and let myself cool down. I don't want anything else to happen.
I look at you and think I see your hand reaching for where mine had been, but it's gone before I even realize it. It was just a trick of light. You wouldn't reach for me. I don't want you to. I need to stay away. Far away.
You don't turn around for a few minutes and I stay rooted to my spot in your kitchen as well. Birds call outside and a breeze flutters into the room through an open window somewhere, but I can't hear or feel. I'm waiting for what you'll do. Stopping my breath and holding my tongue just to see what will happen next. And at last you turn around. You seem a bit startled that I'm still here and start to scramble for words.
"I—you moved away really fast, so I thought you left," you say, looking a bit embarrassed for some reason and also still a bit stiff. I should leave. I should have left.
"Sorry, I don't know…I should—" I start to say. I'm saved from continuing as you cut in…
"Tidus is coming over today."
…with something I didn't quite expect. I'm confused.
"He asked if I wanted to do something today and I said yes," you continue. You look at me sheepishly and rub the back of your neck in that nervous way you do. "We didn't really have plans today or anything, and he seemed like he needed someone. You don't mind, do you?"
I blink and then smile reassuringly at you, even though I don't want to share you with Tidus.
"Yeah that's fine. I actually have to go now anyway. Just remembered mom told me to go shopping before I came here. I was just stopping in to say hi," I tell you, hoping you won't hear the lie. I feel awkward now that I know we aren't doing anything together today. There's no reason for me to be here.
"Oh, um…Okay. See ya Riku," you say with a smile, but I know there's something else there too. I can't tell what, but I don't look long enough to see. I turn to walk out of the kitchen.
"See ya. Have fun with Tidus," I say. And then I'm gone.
~~~Sky~~~
Tidus walks in and I'm still in the kitchen. I've moved since you left only to fix myself a bowl of cereal. I haven't eaten any of it. One look at the second empty bowl, meant for you destroys any appetite I might have had after our strange encounter. I'm not sure what to make of it.
"Hey Sora. What's up?" Tidus asks from the doorway. I hear him walk in rather than see since I'm facing the counter staring at my full bowl of soggy cereal. I remember to breathe.
In.
Out.
Repeat.
"Hey. Just finishing some breakfast," I say over my shoulder with the best smile I can muster. It seems to convince Tidus despite the fact that what I really want to do now is scream or cry.
What can I say? You depress me, but I've got to stay happy for the others. There's nothing wrong. I'm just helplessly in love with you.
"You just get up now? Jeez man. And I thought I slept in," he says with a laugh. I laugh a little too hard and it sounds a little too forced. But that's just in my mind. It really isn't that I sleep in; it's just that I fall asleep too late, say around five or six in the morning if I'm lucky. I really haven't gotten a decent night's sleep in a while now. Too many thoughts in my head end up keeping me awake. I'm becoming an insomniac, I guess. He notices the second bowl as I pour the first one down the drain. "Two bowls? Hungry much?
"Nah…Riku was just here. He stopped in to say hi and was gonna have some before he remembered he had something to do," I reply. I start putting the dishes away again as I realize I've stopped movement when I began talking about you.
"Oh yeah," Tidus says in a thoughtful voice, as if he'd only just noticed something. "I saw Riku on my way in. He was booking it pretty fast down the street. Wonder where he had to go."
I ignore the fact that you ran from here. Maybe you really did forget. I don't want to think about it right now. Save it for later on a sleepless night. One I know will most likely be tonight.
As I take glances at Tidus I can see a couple thoughts are running through his head now, and with one I catch the slightly worried expression he tries to hide. I close the cabinet, all the dishes, clean or not, put away. I turn to my blonde friend.
"What's wrong?"
I ask this in all seriousness and he seems a bit startled by it. After he regains his composure he gives me an apologetic smile.
"Nothing, it's just…I'm not ruining any plans you had with Riku am I?" he asks. He looks worried and I wave a hand dismissively, a grin on my face.
"'Course not. We don't do stuff together all the time. Besides, he'd understand if I said that I was gonna hang out with you today instead," I tell him honestly. If you're unwilling to let me touch you, how can you expect me to think you'd want me around all the time?
Tidus sighs in relief. "Good. I was worried. I don't want to get between you guys."
I'm a bit startled by his last sentence.
"…What do you mean by that?" I ask.
"Huh? Well, you guys are really good friends right? I don't want to be the cause of a fight if you had plans already is all," he replies, shuffling his feet a little. He fidgets then goes to sit down at the table. I'm still leaning against the counter.
"It's all right. We need a break from each other sometimes, so it's not a big deal if I hang out with you today instead of him," I say with a shrug. I know you wouldn't fight with me just because I chose Tidus over you. You wanted out of here enough that you would run to get away. That's proof enough that you would rather not be near me. It stings, but I ignore it because I've felt it before. I'm used to it.
"Okay," he says with that nervous smile back on his face. I give a silent sigh and then grin at him again, pushing off the counter.
"Well come on then. It's a nice day out, let's go hang out at the beach!" I say, wanting to get both our minds off of things.
Tidus grins and agrees. We head out for the beach and we're there for nearly the whole day. I haven't thought of you once in that time, and Tidus seems to be doing better as well. It's not as though we did anything new or particularly exciting there. We just swam and played around. We even got some sea-salt ice cream after a late lunch. It was a fun day. The most fun I've had since…well, since I got back, really.
You've been on my mind the whole time, so it's nice to have a day where I'm not worried over you constantly. I know you don't want me to worry for you, but can I really help it if it's become a habit?
Ever since that whole thing with the Heartless started, I've been worried about you. I was always wondering where you were, or how you were doing. Were you okay? Would you come back with me? Would I even be able to find you? And when I first found you, it was all wrong. You were possessed. You were so far away then, and it hurt that you would push me away. But then you came to your senses and got locked behind the Door to Light. I had lost you again.
But I promised myself that I would find you and bring you back home. So I kept searching like I had been doing before. Then I finally found you again at the Organization's stronghold and I cried. I cried. Because I realized that seeing you in front of me once again was the happiest moment of my life. Knowing you were okay was the best information I'd ever gotten, and seeing you with my own two eyes, even if you weren't quite yourself when we finally were together again, was the most amazing sight in the universe. You were there and I could finally touch you, feel you close to me, and hear your voice. And then we came back home…
"Sora?"
I jerk out of my thoughts, brought back to the reality where you aren't next to me. For a moment I'm confused, thinking I was alone and thinking of you as usual. "Huh?"
"Just makin' sure you're still here. You were spacing out a little," Tidus says with a little laugh at my confused face. I pout a little but there isn't much feeling in it.
"I wasn't spacing!" I reply, trying to sound light-hearted, but not sounding as enthusiastic as it should have been. I hope he doesn't notice, but of course he does. I berate myself for worrying Tidus when I should be helping him instead. I want to blame you for coming into my thoughts, but I don't. It's just me.
"Hey…everything alright?" he asks as he stops walking and turns to look out at the ocean with his hands behind his head. He glances at me from the corner of his eyes and I just stare at him. Suddenly I feel like my legs are jelly and my lips aren't locked quite tight enough. I fall back to sit on the sand so Tidus won't notice my shaking legs, and grin up at him in a futile attempt to convince him that nothing is wrong, even though there is. Everything's wrong. Just so wrong.
"Yeah, everything's fine! I should be asking you that," I say, glad there was no tremor in my voice. Tidus smiles.
"Yeah, I guess. I'm feeling better after hanging out with you," he tells me, and I'm glad. I feel relieved because even in my incompetence and letting my mind wander, I've managed to help him somehow. "Still, whatever you were just thinking about…you seemed really bothered by it."
"It's nothing, really," I try to convince him, but of course he doesn't believe me. Because it isn't nothing. It's everything. He gives me a serious look.
"You helped me, so I wanna help you. If you want to talk about it, you know I'd listen, right?" he says seriously. I stare at him, and I can feel the words wanting to come up. They've been piling up and waiting, and now they want to overflow. But I don't want to bother Tidus with this. It isn't his problem. I can deal with this on my own—
"I'm in love with Riku."
And yet the words still vomit up my throat and out my mouth for the world to hear. Tidus is a little startled by this sudden confession, maybe he hadn't expected me to actually say anything, I hadn't been planning to either; and I'm tearing myself apart on the inside for blurting it out.
That wasn't supposed to happen.
He wasn't supposed to know.
No one is supposed to know.
I didn't mean to…
"I didn't mean to say that," I finally say, desperately wanting to take those words back. My eyes are wide and my heartbeat has picked up. I can hear the blood rushing in my ears and feel the blush of shame rise in my cheeks. Tidus can see it on my face. He knows. He knows, and that simple fact makes these feelings so much more real than they were before when they were just being thrown about in my head. Because if someone else knows of these feelings I have for you, then I can never make them forget about it. Because it's already out there and it's become a truth.
"You're…in love with Riku…?" he repeats slowly, taking in what I've so stupidly told him. I fight the urge to bury my head in the sand or drown myself in the ocean right now, if only to end my humiliation and possibly even these feelings. I feel my face heat even more up and Tidus knows the answer is most definitely yes.
"…Somehow…I'm not really surprised…" he says finally. I'm utterly flabbergasted at this, for lack of a better word, although I'm not entirely sure why myself.
"W-why do you say that?" I squeak. I feel my ears begin to burn as I realize the high pitch my voice just took. Tidus laughs at my discomfort, and now I'm seriously considering jumping into the ocean. I pout at him, which just makes him laugh more.
"Same reason I felt like I was coming between you two this morning," he tells me. He looks out at the ocean and a distant smile settles on his lips. I see this, and my humiliation dies away a little. Instead I focus on what Tidus is saying.
"You guys are such good friends; I guess it's bound to happen at some point. You guys have been through a lot together too. I'm not sure what exactly, since none of you ever really told the whole story, but I can tell it was some pretty serious stuff. And who can really blame you for falling in love with your best friend, really? It happens all the time."
He sits down next to me. I'm looking out at the ocean too. The sun is almost gone below the horizon, hiding in order to let the moon rise before it will cycle back up tomorrow. I realize that it's getting pretty late, since the sun sets later during the summer, but I don't care much about time anymore.
A small silence stretches between us, and I feel like I should say something. I know Tidus is inadvertently thinking about Wakka again, and I feel bad for bringing you up. I need to be helping him, not letting you run through my thoughts and around in my mind distracting me.
"So is that the only problem then?" Tidus asks out of the blue.
I don't know what he's talking about, so I ask. He rolls his eyes at me.
"You're worried about whether or not he likes you too, right? Is that the only problem you were thinking about?" he asks again. I don't say anything, so he continues on. "Whenever I see you guys together, I've been noticing some tension between you two. But you know, I wouldn't be surprised if he felt the same about you as you do about him. Maybe that's where all the tension's coming from?"
The words are out before I can do anything again.
"That's not it."
He waits for me to elaborate, and I oblige, figuring that since he already knows how I feel about you, I might as well tell him the rest of my thoughts. After all, misery loves company. I've heard that people with problems like to talk about other people's problems, so what better way to get Tidus' mind off of Wakka than by telling him what's on mine?
"He couldn't like me back. I mean…he's Riku. Why would he like me? All I am to him is a friend, and I'm not even sure I'm that to him anymore. He's been so weird lately..."
I pull my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them. My cheek rests against my knee and I look down at the golden white sand surrounding me. I hear Tidus shift.
"He won't…let me touch him, so I don't really…reach out anymore. Every time I do, I can see him pull back that tiny distance, I can see the hesitation he has in receiving any contact. And I can see he does the same with everyone else, but every time he does it around me it feels like…like…"
"Like he's rejecting you every time he does it?" Tidus asks, finishing my sentence for me.
"Yeah…"
I hate this. I don't want to think about this anymore. I'm so tired of worrying and wondering and wanting and just not being able to touch you. I just want things to resolve themselves. I want things to go back to the way they were before. I want it back.
Suddenly I feel drained. I feel like I could fall asleep right now with the ocean lapping against my toes, the gentle breeze blowing by, and Tidus's warmth beside me. It's a welcome change to the sleepless nights I've had. I lean over and rest my head on his shoulder, surprising him with the contact. I feel even sleepier than before, and I just want to be taken into that sweet oblivion. I feel a little better, leaning against Tidus. I'm so tired, I don't care anymore. I just want to touch someone now, feel their skin and the warmth that radiates from it. I feel comfortable in the heat beside me as I feel arms come around my shoulders, rubbing my arm in a comforting way. I feel a little better.
I just want some contact.
I just want to feel something.
In the absence of you, I guess I have Tidus for the moment.
I drift off, not even caring that we're still outside.
~~~Land~~~
I run away. Away from your house. Away from you. Away from my thoughts, though they follow persistently. I'm jealous. I know I shouldn't be. It's stupid of me to be. You're just hanging out with Tidus. It's not like you've replaced me with him.
I'm just scared. Scared you won't want me by your side soon. And what can I do if you ask that of me, other than oblige? I'm selfish enough as it is just by spending as much of my time with you as I can, or at least I'm trying to. If the time comes that you don't want me anymore, I've resolved to let you go. Because it's what you want, and I only want you to be happy.
I slow down to a stop, ignoring the fact that I'm on one of the busier sidewalks in our little island town. People just go around me, minding their own business. I feel cold despite the warm midday sun beating down mercilessly, and I feel alone. So alone. I've gotten used to this feeling, this isolation that I've put myself in. It's no one's fault but my own, and for a moment I wish you would show up with that bright smile of yours and things would be just like they used to be. No mixed feelings, no awkwardness, no more restraint.
I want you to be happy.
Happy.
I'm not even sure what would make you happy anymore. I feel helpless and lost. You always seem sad in a way beneath that smile you flash at me, and after talking with Kairi yesterday, I feel as if I have a vague knowledge of the reason for it.
I start walking again, not really knowing where I'm going. I have no place to be today. I'm just wandering, and that's okay, because I need to figure this out.
I want you to be happy and I want you to smile like you mean it. Every time you're around me, you don't seem to have that spark you used to. I miss it, but going by what Kairi was suggesting yesterday, I have something to do with that loss. I don't want to be the cause of your misery.
I figure I've done something to upset you. Maybe I've been too intrusive or too clingy. Maybe I've been hovering around you too much. I feel like I never have enough time with you, and I always want to ask if I can stay over after we've spent the day together, even if I know that would be the worst scenario I could put myself in. Ever since the last time we did that…
I remember you inviting me over for the night. It was about two months after we got back and everything was over. Everything was calm and the worlds were at peace.
You pouted because I said we weren't kids anymore. I laughed because you just looked too cute, and I gave in, saying I'd stay. You were happy and grinning, and I was glad to have put that expression on your face. The expression that I miss so much now.
We played games and stayed up late watching a movie. Then we were both exhausted, but neither of us really wanted to go to sleep. We kept talking, sharing your bed like we used to when we were little. Your bed was small, but we didn't mind. I hadn't a clue back then. I was hesitant of contact with everyone then too, but I guess I'm worse now, especially around you. Still, I was willing if you wanted me there. We whispered and laughed quietly, careful not to wake your parents. There was a pause, and then you hugged me suddenly, tightly, as if you were never going to let go. I felt warmth from that, and I hugged you right back, just as tightly. And then you spoke.
"Riku…I'm so glad you're back."
I said you were a little late with that, but you didn't pout like I thought you would. You just pulled yourself closer to me, burying your head under my chin. I felt your chestnut hair brush my face, soft as ever despite the misleading shape.
"I was so afraid, you know?" you went on, "I was so afraid you would disappear again, and then I'd never be able to find you. I was so worried I wouldn't find you after you shut yourself behind the Door to Light with the King. I just wanted to know you were safe."
I could feel you trembling. I felt horrible for having made you worry like that. I couldn't understand why you would be worried about me, though. After what I'd done, you shouldn't have even wanted to find me. But here you were, telling me you were afraid that you never would. I didn't take it for granted.
"I'm safe now. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere," I promised you, wanting to reassure you. I wanted you to stop trembling. I wanted you to stop being so afraid. You're so brave all the time; it's unnerving to know you had been so scared then, that you still held that fear. My words seemed to calm you down, and soon enough you fell asleep in my arms.
As I realized that, I felt a strange feeling of satisfaction in the weight of your body next to mine and in my arms. I basked in the proximity, knowing it was a closeness we never really shared out in the open. Then you shifted, moving closer to me and brushing against me. It had an effect I wasn't really expecting. I went stiff, wondering how the hell that could have happened. I wanted to panic, I wanted to get away, but you were right there, sleeping comfortably in my arms. I looked down at your face, adorable and beautiful with shapes of moonlight dancing over your skin. Your lips were moist and parted, and your cheeks were flushed, probably from holding back the tears (I guessed, since I could see a thin, wet trail leading over your nose). My problem only got bigger as I looked on, and I felt so ashamed.
You had just told me you were afraid I would disappear and that you had been scared you would never find me, and here I was getting hard over looking at your sleeping face.
I indulged in the feeling of having you in my arms until morning, feeling like a dirty old man the whole time and knowing I couldn't—didn't want to stop, and when the sun began to rise…I left. You were still asleep, blissful in ignorance. I didn't get any sleep for the next two nights.
I think about this and I realize this is when it started. This feeling. This monster in my chest that's constantly trying to claw its way out. I'm ashamed all over again. This shouldn't happen. You're my best friend. I love you to death, but I shouldn't love you this much and it's driving me insane that I do.
Maybe I've been acting differently since then. Are you worried because of it? I wonder. Maybe you are, and you're sad I won't tell you about it? I wonder.
I don't want to take chances anymore. I don't want to feel this anymore.
I find resolve as I turn to begin the long walk home, the sun already about to set. I've wasted the entire day, but at least I know what I should do now. I get to the beach and walk along the boardwalk that's set up at the top of it for a while. I feel calmer and my head is starting to clear as the ocean breeze glides over my skin, chilling it and giving it warmth at the same time. Something catches my eye down by the shoreline and I stop. I look closer and there you are.
You're sitting with Tidus. Your head is on his shoulder and his arm is around your back, while the remains of the setting sun bask you both in its light. It looks like every romantic's dream. Sitting on the sand, looking out over the ocean with the setting sun in the distance, and curled up in your lover's arms. I stare on for a few more seconds, like I want the image burned into my eyes, and then tear my gaze away. I continue walking on, pretending as if I hadn't seen you.
I'm not involved. I won't get involved.
I won't throw away my resolve.
Because I've decided I need to stay away from you until I can get rid of these feelings.
So I walk on, hoping to leave it all behind me.
A/N: So that's it. I hope you all liked it just as much as the first, and hopefully I'm staying on track with this. I'd love, love, love, love, loveee! To hear your lover-ly reviews and feedback, so please push this beautiful review button below. Reviews really do make me write faster, so if you don't want to wait for obnoxious amounts of time (like with what happened when writing my last story), you should come on in and yell at me to write the chapter already. Thanks for your time and review please!
