I hope that first chapter was good enough to catch your interest, those of you who have read it so far. =)

So, without a lot of chit-chat, Here is Chapter two!

Chapter Two

Don't forget the apostrophe

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Sora was at odds with himself. For only once before had he seen such a look from someone. That look that just pierces your skin, down into the dark depths that you hardly see yourself. It was this look that he received from the fair silver-haired man that came into his salon that day. He knew that Namine had noticed it as well. Mostly because she kept rather quiet while Sora was tending to the man. But Sora noticed her sly smile, and could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she was bound to be hatching some sort of scheme; worthy of a matchmaker no doubt. Sora had an uneasy feeling the whole while. Up until the point that the man finally left, after pausing to glance back at him from the doorway. That look in the man's eyes.....Sora would not soon forget. It was that of longing. Like one would feel whilst looking up at a soaring eagle, and wishing that they too, had wings that they might fly away. Sora had never been so nervous in his life. After Riku had left, Sora sat down in a chair and placed a slightly shaking hand on his forehead. Trying to decipher just what the hell happened. After sitting there and pondering this for about 10 minutes, Sora finally shook himself of the folly, and stood up as another customer walked in. It was then that Sora put on his best, and brightest smile. Pushing any thoughts of the silver-haired man into the back of his mind. Thinking that after all, he wouldn't be seeing him again. He had to be a one-time customer. Had to be.

Of course, Sora had no way of knowing that he was very much mistaken.

~::::::::::::::::::~

Two days.

It had been a whole two days, and yet, Riku's mind was still swirling with thoughts about that young man. The Angel, Sora.

Ever since he laid eyes on him, Riku had been seeing his at every instant he closed his eyes longer then a second. Sora was like a fever, a sickness to him now. One that he feared could not be cured. He felt a constant pull in the back of his mind. A voice almost; Telling him to go back. To seek Sora out. It was like his heart was gasping for breath after such a beautiful sight. Riku had laid in his bed the first night after, tossing this way and that. His dream filled with flashes of Sora; his face, his voice, his touch.... But mostly, his eyes.
Riku now sat in a daze at his desk, his pen moving over a new sheet of paper almost of its' own accord.

"His eyes....like sapphires, dazzled in the light of the sun.....though they had a depth to them that almost frightened the beholder.....seeming like one might just fall into them, and never return....."

Riku was a bit taken aback as he read what he had wrote. Never had he dabbled as such. Never once had he been so filled with thoughts of someone like this. He couldn't possibly go back to work on his new book now. It seemed so dull, so listless. A thing without any hope of life.

Then it struck him.

He had to go back. He had to see him again.

~::::::::::::~

That morning as he walked to the Salon from his uptown apartment, Sora had an almost uneasy feeling. He couldn't quite place it. It was a lot like that feeling you get when you know someone is looking at you. Once he was opening up, turning on the lights and putting in a load of laundry, Sora felt he could breathe a little easier. It was about an hour later when Namine showed up.

"Good morning, Gorgeous." Sora said with a playful smile, causing Namine to laugh lightly. "Good morning yourself." She said, going to place her purse in the back room.

Sora giggled to himself. Though they shared the same apartment, Namine took night classes at the local college, so Sora always let her come in after he opened in the mornings. Come this summer, however, She would be moving to Twilight Town to live closer to her family. It was on the main land and therefore it took a good hour and a half long ferry ride to get there. Sora didn't like to think on it for to long at a time; it made him feel lonely just thinking of his friend living such a distance away. So he shook those thoughts from his head as the first customer of the day walked in. Thus, Sora lost himself in his work. And was glad of it. Towards mid-afternoon, things finally slowed down enough to let Sora sit for a moment. Namine had run down the street to get them a couple lattés from the local coffee shop, When suddenly Sora stiffened. What on earth was he doing here? Sora thought to himself, as the silver-haired man from the other day walked in. He was dressed far nicer then he had been before. With black clean-pressed slacks, a nice button-up shirt, and a light jacket Sora had to admit the man could clean up pretty well when he wanted to. Riku hadn't the slightest fragment of a plan when he walked down to the Salon. He thought he might ask Sora out for a cup of coffee or perhaps a quick lunch. After all, the worst that could happen was the young man would turn him down. Please, Riku pleaded in his head, Don't say no. Namine had just been heading back to the Salon when she spotted Riku walk inside. Quickly, she tossed Sora's coffee into the trash. What's a $4.00 latte compared to a possible hook up? She had more bounce in her step and a giddy smile on her face as she peeked around the corner of the Salon. Just inside, she could see Riku talking to Sora..... Sora looked rather uncomfortable, but then again so did Riku.

"I really don't know....." Sora was saying as Namine finally walked in. Riku didn't even glance at her, "It's just coffee." He said with a small smile. God, please don't let him say no. Namine gave large grin as she looked at Sora. "Oh poo!" She said, hands on her hips. The way she always did when Sora had no way of getting out of something. "Go have fun! I can handle things here." She said, winking at the now stricken brunette. Sora reached up and rubbed the shell of his right ear the way he always did when he was nervous. "......Alright." He said, finally giving in. "Coffee it is." Riku couldn't help but smile wider, and turned to nod in greeting to Namine, at last. She smiled widely and shook his hand, then proceeded to shoo them out the door like a mother hen.

~::::::::::~

Riku was as nervous as ever. Though he did his best not to let it show. He made a small attempt at small talk, though almost horribly failed. It appeared that Sora was dead set on staying almost completely silent. "So how did you come to open a Salon anyway?" Riku tried again, pretty much desperate at this point. Sora shrugged a bit. "....My dad wanted me to be a doctor...I just did what I wanted instead." Even when the young man was seeming distant, and almost stand-offish, Riku was still caught in the gravity of his every breath. Sora sighed inaudibly but his chest moved heavily during that one swift action. They had just sat down at an outside table, at the very same coffee shop Sora knew Namine had walked to not the long before. It made the brunette wonder if Namine had somehow had a part in this. After all, she never brought him his coffee, did she? No. So either she had known that Riku would be stopping by again, or had some sort of inclination. Either way, it really made no difference now. Once the waitress came out and took out her pad of paper and a pen, Riku looked a little more confident. "I'll have a large plain coffee, no suger....nothing. Just black." The waitress looked a little caught off gaurd, but smiled and nodded never-the-less. She looked at Sora and asked him politely for his order, and almost looked relieved once he started to speak. "I'll have my normal. A medium Latte, none-fat milk, easy on the sugar, and make sure you don't stir it dear, remember the coffee falls through the milk....-" Riku just watched Sora as he spoke. The brunette knew exactly what he wanted, and how. It amazed Riku just how commanding and sure of himself Sora had become in just the passed couple of minutes. Riku feared that the brunette would fall silent once again after the waitress left. However, his worries were for naught. Sora kept that commanding presence, and soon Riku would have rather he hadn't. "So," Sora began, folding his hands into a perch for his dainty chin. His bright blue eyes trained on Riku, the later having difficulty keeping his smile from wavering. "Why so intent to take me out?" Riku, not used to the heavy bomb-like questions, kept silent for a moment. Half afraid he would look like a gaping fish if he attempted to speak too soon. "....You caught my eye." Riku said with a smile. This made Sora frown. And though a lot of people might look rather ugly, or at least dull when they frown, Sora's glow didn't even falter. In fact is merely changed shape to fit this new mood. "So, it was looks that made you take interest?....nothing more?" Sora's voice was a little too calm as he asked this. Though the way he put it, it sounded more or less like a statement. Riku couldn't help but feel offended. "I-it wasn't just that!" He said suddenly as he hit the table with one hand, feeling his cheeks warm as a small blush crept over his slightly pale skin as a few couples around them looked over with startled expressions. For the first time, Riku got to hear Sora laugh. It was beautiful; to him it was the most precious sound he had ever heard. The brunette's eyes closed lightly as his head tilted back. A very honestly amused look coming over his soft features. This only made Riku blush more as the waitress finally brought their coffee. Sora dabbing at his eyes for added effect as he took a stirrer and gently swirled the contents of his drink before looking up at Riku. A smile lit his face playfully as he spoke. "I was only playing with you." He stated, causing Riku to feel slightly foolish.

As it would come to pass, Riku would grow more accustomed to Sora's humor. In fact, they would begin to learn many things about one another. Unfortunately Riku would also have to come to terms with his growing attraction to this man. As Sora would have to come to terms with his conflicting emotions. It was one their third time out, this time for a pleasant stroll through the local park, that Sora told Riku what he thought he wanted. ".....I'm just not looking for a relationship right now." He said as he brushed a small stray hair away from his face. Upon hearing this Riku's step faltered slightly. Sora smiled softly at him as he sighed. Riku sighed along with him, stuffing his hands into his pockets, as he often did whenever he got uncomfortable. "So...." The writer began, "Where does that leave.....us, then?" Sora paused and grinned suddenly as he poked Riku's shoulder lig htly. "Friends..........For now." He added the last part in a slightly softer tone. Riku smiled and nodded. For as much as he wanted to scream, he could attempt to be happy with a friend. At least, for now.

~::::::::::~

"Gah!" Riku cried out, frustrated and confused. It had been 2 whole weeks since he and Sora had become Friends. Yet already it was almost to much for Riku to stand. He had wanted many times to lean in and kiss those gently parted, rosy pink lips...... and had to mentally strangle himself.

In those 2 weeks he had managed to scratch is old project, and start a new one.

Already three and a half chapters into the new book. His Publisher wasn't very happy at first, but she wasn't completely pissed at him either. She had told Riku that it seemed very real. And she was rather intrigued by the growing romantic tension between the two main characters. When she asked Riku how he managed to make his characters so life-like (after all it wasn't quite his forte), Riku just smiled. "I guess I just really feel this one." Was his only comment. After seeing and meeting Sora, Riku finally had his never-ending supply of inspiration. It was like he couldn't run out of words to write; all stemming from the countless fantasies running through his head. It was true. He couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful brunette. Every minute he spent in Sora's glowing presents seem to make his head spin, and his chest ache. So it was as if he was venting onto the paper that lay before him. Writing down every detail of what he wished they could be like. What he wished they were already. You might think he was obsessed. But that wasn't the case, at least not to him. Obsessed to him would be following him home. Watching him sleep. Peeping through his windows. That was clearly not something Riku would ever do. No. He was simply in love. Not that he would tell Sora this. After all, they were just friends. Nothing more. Riku sighed as he thought about this, looking down at the last page of the chapter he had just finished. It was then that he jumped as his phone rang. He got up slowly, the phone almost shaking on the hook as it rang for the second time. Picking it up he answered it quite plainly. ".....Hello?"
"Hey, Riku." Sora's voice was cheery as he spoke from the phones small speaker. Riku's face lit up and his mood did a quick U-turn. "Hi Sora." He tried not to sound to happy that the young man had called. "And why, may I ask, do I have to pleasure of hearing your voice?" Sora's gentle laugh rang out causing Riku's smile to only grow wider. "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeell...." Sora began, "I was wondering what you're doing this fine evening." His voice was sounding a little sly, and Riku couldn't help but chuckle. "Nothing, why?" The silver-haired man's voice bordering on hopeful. ".....Would you like to come over tonight?"

Riku could swear he stopped breathing for a moment before Sora continued. In his head he was yelling at the top of his lungs, "Hell yes!", but he attempted to keep himself under control. "I just rented a new movie and it would be nice to have some company. You know, so I don't have to watch it alone." Riku almost screamed yes, but somehow managed to keep his voice calm. "Sure, that sounds like fun." As the phone call ended soon after that Riku couldn't help but give a out a noise of excitement. He had never been to Sora's house before, let alone have Sora actually invite him to do something for once. He had always been the once to initiate the outings and such. As he grabbed on his jacket and headed out the door, he tried to calm his excitement. Little did he know that Sora was a little excited himself.....Perhaps even nervous.

Well! I hope no one is mad at me. I didn't mean to take so long writing this chapter.

I've been a little busy lately, but at least I've found some time for writing!!

R+R people :3

~Sora