Thanks for all the reviews! Love ya!

I've changed the title to Fake Fur, 'Meow' just too simple.

beta-read by AshleyPorter & thoroughly revised with the help of Carefreecat on 07/10/08

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Chapter 2 You Don't Remember Me

It was a miracle that Roxas hadn't found out about what (or to be exact, who) Sora had been hiding from him. When the other twin came back in the evening, he'd only asked Sora if he had already dumped the cat. Sora nodded and shifted the issue to Roxas's day and Roxas never questioned further.

Sora had believed that the whole ordeal would be a dream; that when he woke up, the silver-haired boy would turn back to what he was supposed to be.

Right?

Wrong.

2nd Day

Waking up in the morning by a hit or a shove from his brother was like a routine for the twin, but a nudge to his side was not. Sora's waking mind registered sensation of warmth beside him. When his eyes cracked open, they took the sight of another boy curling up against him, looking so content in his sleep. That was anything but ordinary for Sora's Sunday morning.

Being able to gain his right mind, he clamped his mouth shut as soon as he opened it. Swallowing his yell, he scrambled himself out the bed. He fell to the ground, his feet sticking up. Well, didn't history just loved to repeat itself? At least he'd managed not to bawl and wake his brother up this time.

The loud thud and the sudden movement caused another occupant on the bed to stir and shifted to sit up. After a few stretches, he eyed up at Sora who was now standing tall above him, looking very angry.

"Hadn't I told you to sleep on the floor!" the brunet raised his voice, one hand pointed accusingly at the boy on the bed, and another motioned to the floor where a makeshift bed created by several crumples of sheets and clothes were.

The green-eyed boy just smiled.

Okay, this one was no different from all those little kittens that had to climb into his bed at night. Sora recalled every last one of them that he ordered to stay where they were, and none of them obeyed him. He learned from his friend, Selphie, later, that cats often cuddle for human body heat. Sora rolled his eyes. 'Right, body heat, but since he's human now, doesn't he have his own? And how did he get onto the other side of the bed anyway?' Sora pressed one hand against his temple. Out of peculiar things, one most important matter rushed to his mind. "You haven't changed back into a cat!"

The boy who'd been inquired tilted his head to the side.

"A…" Sora formed a word but he was lost for what to say. A series of seconds passed by before he managed something. "What am I gonna do with you?" When Sora swept his eyes over the boy, he spotted a flash of something that was akin to apprehension. He suddenly felt guilty.

Deciding to just go for his morning routines first, and worry later, Sora grabbed some clothes and barged outside the room (after ordering the cat-boy not to wander off).

When Sora came back to his room, with the new set of his father's clothes (one privilege to having a parents busily working for community was that they didn't have time to spot a small changes or missing stuffs in the house), he found the cat-boy running his tongue against his own skin. The movement that one curled hand circled to his silver head and back to the tongue made Sora realized that the cat-boy was cleaning himself.

He plopped himself down in front of the cleaning boy and shook his head. "No, no, no. You don't do that. You're a human now, you gotta take a bath." When the other raised his brow, Sora beckoned him. "Come here."

Roxas had always tended to rise very randomly, due to his occasional stay at Twilight Town where the environment hadn't provided enough to distinguish between days and nights. He could wake at any moment, Sora warned himself to take a very cautious step if he were to take Riku to the bathroom.

He pushed the taller boy in, along with some prepared clothes and a towel, then he stood by the closed bathroom door. After a few minutes of waiting and not hearing a sound of water running, he knocked. "Umm, hey…make it quick. I can't let Roxas find out about you." Then Sora heard a purr, and noticed the doorknob fumbling. He could picture another boy scraped over the doorknob on the other side, trying to open it. Sora pushed the door ajar by inches and peeked a little inside. He jerked back when his vision took in a full view of a green-eyed boy popping up behind it.

Thankfully, Riku was still fully clothed. Sora cast one last glance towards Roxas's bedroom door and slipped himself into the bathroom. Once he was in, he exclaimed, "Take a both already and make it quick!"

The silver-haired boy tilted his head to the side and looked lost.

It took Sora a while to understand the gesture. "Oh, no…no…no." he gawked at the taller in disbelief. "Don't tell me you don't know how to bathe." A further tilting of head confirmed Sora's fear. "Oh…man." He whirled around and let his head thud softly against the wall, his back facing Riku.

Another good minute rolled by as they both stood in silence. Then Sora drew a deep breath and exhaled, addressing back to the other. "Look, it's easy. I'll leave the water running. You just take…uh…take off your clothes…Gaah! Not now, you moron! Wait till I leave!…Umm, where were we, uh…and go in the bathtub, run yourself under the water. Then you get out and dry off with that towel." Sora explained thoroughly as he demonstrated every process, by stepping in and out of the bathtub, pointing to every object that was needed in the process. "And put these new clothes on. Then you come out, okay?"

Fortunately, Sora discovered that the boy was a quick learner; at least he'd learned how to take his clothes off and put them on by himself (Sora's major concern). Then Sora went passed the first level, he didn't know how many more he should be expecting.

"A-choo!"

Back in the safety of his own room, Sora rolled his eyes at the sneeze that emitted from the cat-boy whose hair was still dripping wet. Sora already knew what should be done before the cat-boy get himself sick. He grabbed the towel and ran it through the wet silver-hair. The taller boy seemed to take Sora's contact to his liking. There was a soft purr that started to sound like a hum coming from him while letting the brunet toweling his hair dry.

"Can't you do anything on your own, cat-boy?"

Sora was puzzled when there was a whine from the said cat-boy. The head in his toweling hands gave a sudden jerk side to side, causing Sora to retreat the towel. At fist, he thought the cat-boy was shaking himself dry, but he tilted his head back at Sora and made a sound in his throat again as if to protest.

Sora's eyebrow furrowed. What could he be protesting about? Was he angry due to the accusation of being incompetent of anything? Well, wasn't that the truth? Feeling that it couldn't be the answer, he plopped himself back down (from supporting himself on his knees earlier in order to reach the taller boy's head) and watched the other who started to look around the room in search of something. His oceanic green eyes swept over Sora's open backpack, which contained several books inside. He fished one of it out.

The book fell open in front of confused Sora, and the silver-haired boy settled himself next to the smaller boy. With his hands that still seemed to slightly curl feline-like, began to point a letter one by one on the page. Sora, however, watched with high interest. When the cat-boy was done, his eyes shifted to Sora expectantly, as if he'd been trying to convey something.

Sora offered a sheepish smile. "Umm, what's with R-I-K-U?"

The silver-haired boy stared and addressed his hands to himself.

Then it was dawn to Sora. "Ah! You're Riku!" The excitement in Sora's voice made Riku smile. For the first time they've met, Riku looked very please. He bobbed his head up and down when Sora repeated the name.

"So you've been whining about having been called a cat-boy, right? Okay, I'll quit that," Sora said amid light chuckles. Between the merriment, he caught a glimpse of something inside Riku's eyes. Disappointment? Sora frowned, but when he tried to observe closer, Riku's face already slipped into one void of emotion.

Again, Sora was left wondering. What could cause Riku's long face in that brief moment? He searched for the answer, but found none as he scratched the back of his head and looked out the window where it led the view of the far off ocean. An idea crossed his mind.

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After Roxas had expressed that he was too tired and preferred staying at home and cocoon in the ocean of his blankets all day, Sora fetched the chance of going out. He always went to the remote island if time offered. Today his friends, Wakka and Tidus were wrapped up in Biltzball, Selphie wouldn't go alone there, and that granted him a chance to go alone with Riku. And gone out, they did.

Strolling down the lane of the town, Riku somehow still seemed to be in a moderate uptight mood. Sora only hoped getting the taller boy to the island could cheer him up. Along the way, Sora's neighbors came around, greeting and exchanging words with him. To Sora's greater puzzlement, Riku's mood seemed to descend from bad to worst. Sora marveled if it was the cat's normal behavior that wanted its master's attention all to itself. 'Geh, but I'm not his master, nor that I could ignore my neighbors.'

This was his life, and it didn't mean that he had to change it just because one cat-turned-human boy wasn't satisfied with him. He kept his coolness but maintained some conversation with Riku (or more like he was the only one talking) to eradicate the tension in the air, until he reached the dock. He tilted his head back. "We gonna go to that island by-"

Sora's jaw dropped as he saw no presence of Riku and realized he'd been talking to the empty air for quite a while. Casting his eyes left and right, he spotted nothing silver. He pulled himself off of the shore and ran passed few blocks, scanning the area all the while.

He berated himself. Maybe he hadn't really paid enough attention to the cat? Sora thought Riku seemed to understand him and would follow accordingly to what he was told. Wasn't that what cats and dogs were supposed to do if they want the attention? He could have been wrong. He'd totally forget that Riku was lost and battered inside; this kind of being normally required special caution. Sora had learned from his life that people could be dying inside even if they looked tough on the outer shell.

He reached the corner of the 3rd block he'd passed and spotted the silver in the shadowy alley. To his great relief, Riku was there, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, and looking wistful. His dimmed green eyes were partially closed and he was involved in staring at the pattern of the nondescript wall.

"Riku!"

The silver-haired boy jerked his head to the direction of the voice, his earlier occupied feature slipped into a surprised one. The look on Riku's face transformed Sora's pent up anxiousness into anger. "Just what's with that look of yours! You left without a word…gah! Not that you could say anything but the least you could do was to notice me! And what the heck are you doing here anyway! Gah! Don't give me that look like you know nothing! I was worried!"

Riku turned startled. Shortly after, he broke into a smirk, which made Sora stopped and huffed.

That kind of smirk even provoked Sora further, but before Sora could say anything Riku had closed the distance between them and reached to ruffle Sora's hair. The act drew a growl from the smaller boy. Sora shot his head up, swatting Riku's hand away. When he intended to yell, the look on Riku's face stopped him first.

The taller one bowed his head to Sora's level and looked beyond apologetic. Sora couldn't read Riku's face and kept wondering if Riku was happy? Sad? Or both?

Deciding that the enigma wouldn't get him anywhere, since Riku couldn't communicate his reason with him, he merely brushed the issue aside. Tucking the hem of his shirt towards Riku, he explained in stern tone, "Hold this, and make sure you don't let go of it. Stay close to me, okay? Someone who doesn't know anything like you are likely to get into trouble."

Riku opened his mouth. For a moment there, Sora thought Riku was going to say something. No words came out, not even a purr; the only sound that came out from his throat was only something akin to frustration.

Sora sighed. "Anyway, hold this." He tucked out the hem of his shirt again.

Riku fixed his eyes on the Sora's shirt and reached out, but instead of holding the article of clothes, Riku opted to go for Sora's hand. Before Sora say anything, Riku already pulled him off the alley and headed towards a general direction of the shore. Sora, meanwhile, could only trail behind and wondering what exactly did he miss. The table was turned and things were kinda irrational to him.

He tried not to mind though, since Riku's foul mood seemed gone. The question of 'why' could be answer afterward if ever time was due. Sora himself hadn't always been a person of rationalization, this couldn't bother him long. So he let Riku hold his hand as they headed towards the beach. Given that the beach was visibly clear from afar, Sora didn't think about the oddity of how Riku knew the way.

Another issue struck him instead, he'd never held anyone's hand before, namely boys, let alone anyone held his (well, except Roxas, but that was only when Sora went out of Roxas's ways and the older one demanded him to get back on track or whatnot).

Still, Sora couldn't find it in him to need his hand back.

When they reached the shore, Sora led Riku towards his small boat and they set out to the island.

Sora's high hope was met, for Riku seemed to like the island. After some small introduction to the island, Sora let the taller one wondered about while he settled himself down. It wasn't long that he was left to his peace when something poked him softly on the head. When he looked up, the tip of the wooden sword came into view. Riku was holding one, and extended another one to Sora.

Usually, Sora would know the gesture well, if it was coming from Tidus. He would take up the challenge immediately. This one, coming from Riku (a cat-turned-human)? Sora wasn't sure if Riku knew what he was doing.

"You…" Sora drawled with uncertainty. "-want to spar or what?" Upon Riku's nod, Sora let out a series of chuckle which were returned with Riku's frown. Sensing the changes in another's mood, Sora wished not to upset Riku and decided that he might as well give it a try. He took the sword. "Okay."

They stepped onto the sand and sparred.

The outcome was unexpected to Sora. Neither won nor lost. They had exchanged hits for a while; Sora discovered that Riku sure was good. The only thing that kept him from being real good was his somewhat clumsy movement, which Sora wondered if it was for the reason of Riku's unacquaintedness to human body. However, not likely wishing to admit that Riku could win him should he was familiar in his human limbs; Sora exited the train of thoughts.

Littering on the sandy beach, Sora puffed his breath in and out while Riku sat beside the smaller boy. Sora studied Riku who was doing nothing except whirling the wooden sword in his hands with different movements. It made Sora's speculation seemed plausible. If Riku was human before, he could be very well making the observation of movements with human limbs now.

Deep in thought Sora was. So he turned startle when the other caught him staring and smirked down at him. Shifting his eyes elsewhere, Sora clasped his hands behind his head to cushion it. "You know, except Tidus, I've never really sparred with anyone else," he started, in attempt to strike up some conversation.

To top his puzzlement, Riku looked somewhat disappointed again. Sora had no clue. Was it because he was talking about someone else again? 'Gah, damn the cat for wanting all the attention to himself…wait…and talking about attention—what the!' his mind yelled.

Riku was now bending over him, his hands supporting his weight, with one beside Sora's waist, and another to the brunet's head.

'Gah! What kind of attention does he want exactly!' Before Sora asked anything, Riku had opened his mouth. Sora realized the other was, again, trying to say a word.

It was a while that Sora watched Riku struggle with himself to vocalize. After a few second, the oceanic green eyes slid close, and Riku sighed in dejection. He drew back and pulled Sora to his feet. Sora's surprise yelp was ignored as Riku dragged him along and advanced up the higher level of the island.

"Ri…Riku…what?" Sora asked between trudging after the taller one.

They stopped at the narrow passage between the waterfall and the tree house. Riku motioned to the thicket that covered the small entrance to what seemed to be a cave. The taller boy dipped his head towards it, but Sora didn't understand.

"The cave? Umm, I think I used to play in there when I was young." With that said, Riku nodded and bobbed his head towards Sora as if he'd want the other to continue. Sora didn't know what to continue, he gave off the expression of complete lost.

Riku exhaled and turned sideways. Sora studied the taller boy, witnessing how frustrated and withdrawn Riku's expression had taken. Sora couldn't help but felt bad for him when Riku started to walk off, back to the shore. If Riku considered that he could speak a word but was unable to, it must have been an utter frustration since Sora himself didn't catch the gesture that Riku made. He didn't understand what Riku was trying to tell him.

Sora tried to remain optimistic, the least, they were able to communicate. Riku understood what he was saying, right? He sprinted after the taller boy. "Riku! Look, I don't understand what you said but I'm trying, all right? Don't get mad at me with that!"

Tilting his head back, Riku looked back at Sora, his face wore more of sadness than mad. It made Sora stared back in more confusion. Clueless, Sora scratched the back of his head and looked away from the intense stare. Then he trailed off, "I wish you could talk too, you know." He felt Riku regarded him with full attention, Sora smiled softly but he didn't look back at the other boy. "Sometimes I'm slow to understand something. Maybe I would know what you were trying to say." Then he addressed to Riku. "But that doesn't mean that we can't be friends, right? Even if you can't talk."

It appeared that Sora's words failed to satisfy Riku when Riku offered only silence.

'Does he suffer a bi-polar mood swing or what? Everytime I was sure I'd said something right, it seemed wrong to him.' Sora thought ruefully.

Decided that maybe silence was best, he got along with it. Both boys lazed around till night fell and rowed back to the main island.

"I got school tomorrow; you gotta stay home and behave, okay?" Sora noted. Meanwhile, he still didn't know what to do with the situation.

Riku nodded, his expression still void.

Sora wished he could read Riku's heart.

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X

In the Borough of the Radiant Garden, sat one girl on the low concrete bricks; to her side, stood a boy.

"So you think he'll forget you?" The redhead girl with cheerful violet eyes asked.

"I think. I wish he wouldn't though. Sora's the kind that goes buddy-buddy with everyone and Destiny Island has people come and go. It's been years that we haven't kept in contact. There's a likelihood that he'd forget about me," the silver-haired boy trailed off. "All the time we'd spent sparring on that island and the secret place, maybe Sora would even forget that."

"A secret place? Wow, he's really something special, isn't he?" the girl grinned widely.

"He is."

"Well, you can go visit him again, can't you?" The redhead suggested.

"My parents said they'd spent enough time there, they won't be going there again soon. I wish I could go myself, but I haven't saved enough to afford the ship's ticket." Riku crossed his arms over his chest with a huff.

"Hmm, it would cost a lot more than kids like us could afford," the redhead trailed off as she settled her chin in her hands. "You know, if you don't mind, you could wait until I turn 15. Dad said I could try and drive Gummi Ship when I come of age. He's a closed friend of the owner of the ship. I'd probably ask if I could borrow one and we can go visit this Sora of yours."

"Really? You'll drive the ship, Kairi?" Riku turned at her, interested.

"Heh heh, sure." Kairi giggled at how a usual calm and collected friend of her could turn sparkle with excitement all of the sudden. "But that's years to come. So be patient, okay?"

"Thanks, Kairi."

"You're welcome."

X

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Man, I kinda lack of an idea on the story's middle part. I only have the introduction and ending in mind. At first, I planned to write 3 shots, but I think I gotta need something to link to the introduction to the ending. Would anyone want to suggest anything? If you guys have any interaction you wanna see with RikuxSora or something, lemme know!