Disclaimer: This is the freaking fifth chapter and I'm sick of putting a disclaimers, I think you all know who belongs to me and who doesn't. So I'm not putting anything other than this rant.
Warning: There is only bit of a new warning; incest. Just a little bit though.
A/N: Here's the second half of chapter 4, also you'll get a look into two of the character's pasts.
Chapter 5: The Memories
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"Let go of me, Sephiroth." He spat out. Sephiroth did not respond right away, wrapping his free hand around Riku's throat and squeezing. Riku choked, reaching up to try and pry Sephiroth's hands from his neck. "Seph… let… go…" He gasped.
"How dare you make me look like a fool in front of Lord Ansem!" Sephiroth hissed. "Just know, little brother, that despite whatever you may do, I, and only I, will be the Lord's favorite!" He brought his face close to his younger brother's. "You will always be second best. Second born, second place." Riku growled at his brother. The older silver haired male closed the few inches between them by crushing his lips against Riku's. The kiss didn't last long, thanks to Riku's whole-hearted struggling. The younger boy glared at Sephiroth as he pulled away, smirking. He dug his nails into his brother's hand.
"Let go! Now!" The silver haired teen whispered. Sephiroth let go of his throat and Riku slid to the floor, rubbing his neck. "I hate when you do that. It's gross." Sephiroth chuckled.
"I don't see you trying to stop me. One would perceive that you like, Riku. After all, actions speak louder than words." He said.
"I don't stop you because you always catch me off guard! If I had the ability to stop you, believe me, I would. God, Sephiroth. Can't you act like a normal older brother and tease me about something insignificant? This whole incest thing is really creepy." Riku protested.
"Our mother was our father's second cousin. Our family is very… interbred. That's how we've been able to maintain our unique hair and eye color for generations, although your eyes are a little off." Sephiroth stated. Riku scowled at him. He already knew that his eyes were different from his brother's and the rest of the family. He also knew that he, and not his brother, was a illegitimate child. His mother had an affair with a worker in his "father's" office and he was the result. Riku had managed to retain his family's hair and pale skin, but his aquamarine eyes gave him away. He was made an outcast because of it. His mother didn't bother to acknowledge his existence and his "father" always looked at him like he was something dirty, like he had scraped him off the bottom of his shoe. The rest of the family had been worse. Christmases and birthdays flew by without a present or a card. Riku lived through it. He had Sephiroth, the only person who acted like he was real.
Although, Sephiroth's relationship was abusive as well. Riku was considered inferior and was constantly talked down to. On top of that, he was the outlet of all of Sephiroth's pent-up anger and frustration. Whenever Sephiroth had a bad day or was just stressed out, Riku would be put through Hell and back, verbally and physically. But through all that time, Riku couldn't bring himself to hate his older brother. He was the only one who acknowledged him and the pain, physical and emotional, was worth that small trifle. Then one day, when Sephiroth was 18 and he was 14, Sephiroth had come home unbelievably angry. Their parents weren't home, out to some charity ball, Riku couldn't quite remember, they were always out on random activities. He had been in his room, reading on of the newer books that he had bought with the meager allowance that he had to spend on items for himself, Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite, when Sephiroth had stormed into his room. He dropped his book before Sephiroth grabbed him, shoved him against the wall, and brutally smashed his lips against his younger brother's. Riku had been so stunned that he didn't react, couldn't react. Sephiroth didn't go any farther than that, but it was truly frightening nonetheless. His older brother had been doing this ever since. It was just a new way of hurting Riku and taking away his frustration.
"It doesn't matter, Seph. I don't like it. Next time, I'll nail you in your nads." Riku said, standing. "The first day… when you started doing this stuff… why?" Sephiroth looked at his brother, confused. Riku had never asked him why he did it, not even that night. He had just let him and then continued to read his book when he left.
"I was frustrated." Sephiroth replied. Oh yes, he was very frustrated and angry that night. His cousin, Loz, had admitted that he had developed slight feelings for Riku, despite the family's hatred for him. He had told Sephiroth that he planned on telling Riku how he felt at the dinner their grandparents were throwing in honor of Sephiroth's graduation. Sephiroth had gotten angry, very angry. He had left Loz where he was standing and rushed home. It wasn't that felling like Loz did for Riku, it was the fact that Riku was his and his alone. No one, inside the family or outside of it, could have him. He had ensured that. By the time that Loz confessed his feelings, he had Riku so worked up that he ran away from his cousin. Loz had hung himself two weeks after, denying himself food, drink and sleep preceding the incident. Turned out his feelings weren't so "slight" after all. Riku had been racked with guilt for months. Riku clearing his throat to get his attention, pulling Sephiroth from his thoughts.
"I know that! Why?" Riku said, annoyed. He had been trying to get his brother's attention for minutes. It was like Sephiroth to let his mind wander. Sephiroth rolled his eyes.
"Graduation. I was Valedictorian. I had a lot of stress on my shoulders. You were a release, you know that." He waved off the question.
"Why the sudden change of pace? You had another way of releasing your frustration and anger! Why kiss me?! What good did it do you?!"
"So you would've preferred that I hit you, left you bruised or bloody? Possibly dead if my anger got the best of me? I didn't know that you were such as masochist, little brother." Sephiroth tossed his hair of his shoulder. "Well, I've become accustomed to this new routine and I don't feel like changing it now. Get over it." He grabbed Riku's arm and pulled him to him. He bent over to whisper in his ear. "You wouldn't deny me, would you little brother? I know that you wouldn't want another repeat of the Loz incident." Sephiroth loved the way his brother's body stiffened and his already pale skin went even paler.
"You wouldn't do that. Y-you love yourself too much. You h-h-hate me too much to k-kill yourself over me. You don't love me like he did." Riku stammered. Sephiroth laughed softly.
"What I do isn't out of love, Riku. It's about property. All my life I've had to share something with someone else. But then you came along. No one else wanted you, so I didn't have to share you. The only obstacle to that eliminated himself because of you. I guess that you only want to belong to me as well." He explained.
"I'm not a toy or some object, Seph! I can't belong to someone or be shared. I have the right to make my own choices. And I choose not to want to be touched or kissed by you." Riku snarled. He ripped his arm away from his brother. "I'm going to my room to plan. How about you leave me alone and go stalk that blonde guy you're interested in." With that Riku walked away, Sephiroth smirked.
"You know, little brother, that sounds like a good idea." He said, quietly. He turned slightly and walked back into the throne room.
"Damnit!" Riku yelled, slamming his bedroom door shut. He threw himself onto his bed and buried his head in a pillow. He hated how Sephiroth treated him like property, not like family. It was slightly better than how the rest of the family treated him, but not by much. Lord Ansem treated him better and he was almost a total stranger. Still, Ansem had invited him into the family of the Fallen. Riku reached out and grabbed a silver crown on a chain that was lying on his nightstand. It was the only thing his real father had given to him. He had given it to Riku right before disappearing. It was necessary for him to leave. Offending the Iscariot family was a signed death warrant. Riku only wished that he had taken him with him. A life on the run with someone who loved you would have been better than living in one place with an entire family who hated you.
"Why did you abandon me? You knew that I wouldn't be given a good life? Why couldn't you take me too?" Riku whispered. He clenched his fist around the chain. He turned on his side and closed his eyes. Riku promised himself that he would complete his mission and earn the respect that she so longed for, whether Sephiroth would support him or not. Tomorrow, he would approach Sora outside of the church and this time… He. Would. Not. Fail.
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A/N: Okay, fourth chapter is done. Thanks for all of the reviews.