All right. This chapter is more so an 'emotional progression' one. The next will mostly be entirely plot-building, tying in those loose ends that have been dangling about for awhile. I rewrote the ending to this chapter a few times until I figured it was sufficient. Hopefully you will agree that the way I ended it is best for the story. As for how much more this story will be? I'm thinking six chapter? Around there? Perhaps more. Depending on how fast the other parts of the plot get resolved. Trust me, at the end, there will be no loose ends. Now, onto the chapter (sorry that it's a bit short. The next won't be. Promise) also, kudos to my lovely jean ;D she knows why. herherher

By Chance

The blond male rested his fists against the door, breathing in and out rapidly. Eyes lidded carefully, as if to block out the painful site of the closed door. God. Cloud had just broken his brother's trust. How was Cloud to know that Sora was dating /Riku/, of all people? With a perplexed sigh, the blond rapped his hand against the door once more. This was going to be a /long/ day.

"Sora!" he shouted, his voice muffled by the door. "Open up!" Cloud rapped his fist against the door once, twice. Sora mumbled something, but he didn't answer the door. Instead, he just sat in his bed, bundled up in his blanket, staring out the window. "Sora, if you don't come out of there right /now/ and open this door, you'll /really/ regret it once I get in."

Sora mumbled a slurred sentence under his breath as he hugged the blankets tighter. Sure, his conversation with Leon regarding love and Riku had helped, but seeing Riku had just made everything worse. What kind of person did Riku think he was? Gullible? Easily swooned? Sora cringed at the thought as he painfully stared out the window with a blank expression.

"Sora," Cloud groaned, growing irate as he leaned against the door. "At least let me talk to you!" the blond brother demanded, knocking the door for a third time.

"No.. Go away," he murmured, tears forming around the corners of his eyes once more. "I don't want to hear it..."

Cloud sighed, fully aware of his brother's stubborn streak. If he doesn't want to do it, he won't do it. He was slowly getting tired of getting patient with him and was on the verge of lashing out and kicking the door open.

"Sora, just give me one moment, please? I'm /sorry/, okay? I .. was confused," Cloud murmured, a sickening feeling forming in his stomach. How it was possible to piss both Riku and Sora off from a simple kiss was still beyond his understanding.

"So you just go ahead and kiss your best friend?" Sora demanded in a choked sob, anger seeping from his strained voice.

"S-Sora... It's not like that.. I was just overwhelmed, I guess? I didn't know what was going on between you two, I swear! Please come out," he pleaded, his voice trailing off to a hoarse and barely audible whisper near the end. He was about to knock on the door once more, but the doorknob started to rattle. The door was slightly ajar, and only a sliver of Sora's room could be seen from Cloud's side, but it was still open nonetheless. Sora peered out of the miniscule opening, his eyes meeting Cloud's pained gaze.

"So you know?" Sora asked quietly, a tinge of fear appearing in his voice as he spoke. "You know?" he repeated, holding the door barely open as his gaze shot downwards.

"I do," Cloud concurred, chewing on his bottom lip, noting how laconic Sora was. "I didn't know, Sora..." Right now he was trying to avoid the subject.

"So if he was single you wouldn't feel bad?" Sora snapped, eyes narrowing the slightest at his brother. "Didn't you even stop to think how Riku would have felt?..." Sora's fingers nearly dug into the wood of his door, feeling quite irate due to his brother's actions.

"Sora, I didn't mean to hurt you nor Riku. I made a mistake. Please try to understand that," Cloud reasoned from his placement outside the door, staring in with growing determination. "I'm trying to make things better. I talked to Leon. I tried talking to Riku. Please, Sora. I'm trying to fix this."

"You talked to Leon?" Sora repeated, his eyebrows arching. After a moment, a sigh of relief passed through the brunet. However, that feeling was short-lived for his eyes instantly widened. "What did you two talk about?" Sora inquired, chewing his bottom lip with growing anxiety.

"We talked about us," Cloud sighed and leaned his forehead against the threshold, eyes staring at Sora. "We talked through our problems and got back together." His eyes cast themselves directly upon his younger brother, as if to silently suggest something.

"That's good," Sora breathed and offered the smallest of smiles through the crack. "Leon really cares about you. I'm glad you guys worked it out," Sora said and then briefly nodded, his hand barely holding the door.

"It is," Cloud concurred and strummed his fingers against the doorframe. "It's awfully mature for two people to talk through their problems," he explained and vigilantly displayed a meek smile at his younger brother. "So, are you up for doing the same? Right now? Me and you?" he asked, quite hopefully.

Sora exhaled noisily and then shook his head. "Fine," he said before opening the door fully and gesturing his older blond brother into his bedroom.

Cloud graciously did such and entered the desolate bedroom. The taller blond male glanced around the spotless room. Sora had never been one to clean his bedroom and to see the room in such an organized state was a shock. Cloud temporarily ignored this and took a seat at Sora's computer chair as the brunet took up residency on his neatly made bed, at once snagging the tan pillow from the top. Their blue eyes met and silence shrouded the pair.

"I wasn't expecting you and Riku to get together," Cloud divulged, his eyes stating what he could not. "I didn't think that you'd fall for someone like him."

"I didn't either," Sora admitted and shifted uncomfortably on his bed. "It was weird." Sora apprehensively laughed and solemnly looked downward, tears forming in his eyes. "He's such a jerk…"

"I kissed him," Cloud pointed out, a frown forming on his lips. "If I had known that you were together, I wouldn't have."

"He kissed you back!" Sora snapped and shook his head back and forth. "He could have pushed you away! If he cared about me he wouldn't have kissed you back!" Sora looked downward. The brunet's fists clenched tightly in his lap as his body went through several rounds of tremors. "He could have pushed you away," he whimpered in conclusion.

"There's no point in crying over spilt milk," Cloud said as he bit his bottom lip, a bit uncertain as to what he could do to cheer his sullen brother up.

"You're starting to sound like Leon," Sora laughed, despite his anguish.

"I suppose that's what I get for dating him," Cloud answered and perused his brother's expression. "Riku regrets what he did, Sora. I want you to know that he still cares-"

"But he kissed you back, Cloud! How can I possibly forgive him for that?!" Sora demanded, at once turning flustered. Tears bristled in the corner of his eyes, about to spill from the brim. "He doesn't deserve to!—"

"He deserves the chance to explain things to you," Cloud corrected. The blond stared sternly at his younger brother, his eyes boring holes into Sora's body. "Riku deserves the chance to give his side. He nearly murdered me with words yesterday. The least you can do is hear him out before you start deciding upon hate."

Sora shifted. "Last time he tried talking to me I punched him," Sora stated lamely, not an ounce ashamed at what he had done.

Cloud's gaze hardened at this statement. "You punched him?"

"Yep."

"You punched him after he mustered up the guts to come and talk to you?" Cloud asked skeptically, disbelief drenched in his usually stoic voice. "Sora, you know that punching him didn't solve anything, right?"

"I know."

"Then why?"

"It felt good," Sora confessed and averted his gaze from his brother's. The brunet coughed a bit and stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't really shame but more so embarrassment that flickered in the younger's eyes. Cloud had made a promise to him not to resort to physical violence as a way to solve a problem and here they were.

"Sora, you know that isn't the best way to solve your problems with Riku," Cloud reasoned and shook his head in incredulity. "I doubt Riku is going to even want to try and fix things now."

"Then he obviously doesn't care about me," Sora retorted stubbornly, folding his arms to his chest once more. "If he doesn't talk to me than he doesn't care," Sora murmured dogmatically.

"No, Sora. You're the one who obviously doesn't care about what you have with Riku. Listen, I never once said that it wasn't okay for you two to be together. Sure, it's a bit weird and bizarre, and I'm pissed at Riku for not telling me and instead hiding it, but I'm not mad at you."

"Riku kept making a huge deal about not telling you!" Sora complained, refusing to meet his brother's stern gaze.

"Sora… we're brothers. You and Leon are all I have. Sora, I'm not going to disown you for wanting to date my best friend. You should know me better than that," Cloud rationalized.

The blond stood up and made his way over to his brother. Once there, he extended a hand and cautiously brushed it through Sora's brown locks. Sora's gaze lifted slowly, meeting Cloud's softening one. After a moment, a mirrored smile appeared on both their faces.

"I don't know how to fix this," Sora whispered painfully, staring up at his brother hopefully. "I can't forgive him… not this easily. I…"

"I know," Cloud answered in an equally quiet whisper. "I understand why. If you truly want to know if Riku cares about you then make him fight for you back. If he really cares he will," Cloud said softly. "As long as he knows there's still hope, that is…"

"I…" Sora looked down and stared at the floor.

"Is there still hope?" Cloud wondered.

"I…don't know."

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"Whoah. You kissed another guy? Cloud? The Cloudinator? Dude, you just fucked yourself."

Riku visibly cringed and turned to desperately look at the silent blond. "Roxas, please. Give me a little more helpful words than Axel," Riku requested, nearly begging. The silver haired male stared urgently at the blond that sat across the café table, looking a bit displaced. "Roxas? Please. Somebody give me something positive to go on."

"Does this relationship really matter that much? It's clear that you don't love the boy, so why are you trying so hard to fix things? Why don't you just find a rebound and make yourself happy?" Roxas suggested coldly, something different about his disposition.

Riku blanched. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Roxas murmured, ignoring Axel's gape. "I said that it's obvious that Sora doesn't mean that much to you. Subconsciously, you know that he was just there to fill in the gap that Cloud created that you so stupidly clung to. You were using Sora to get over Cloud and now that Cloud got in the middle of things, you have no idea what to do. Now that Cloud kissed you, it ruined your plan entirely."

"That's not!—" Riku's eyes widened in frustration.

"It is," Roxas argued, rolling his eyes. "I'm your friend but this is just sickening to me, Riku. Sora told me that you were vehement about not telling Cloud about your relationship. It's apparent that you didn't want Cloud to catch on to what you were really doing. Replacing him with his younger brother. Sora didn't catch on but you knew Cloud would. Now you lost them both."

"How can you be so fucking inconsiderate?!" Riku demanded. How could his friend be saying such things?

"I'm just pointing things out, Riku. I'm not saying anything that isn't true," Roxas said with a glimmer of irritation in his eyes. Axel reached for Roxas' hand, idly squeezing it in attempts to 'shut him up' before he said too much.

"Uh, Roxas—" Axel began, raising a hand to warn his boyfriend but the warning went unheard.

"How dare you say that Sora was a replacement," Riku seethed, eyes narrowing at the blond. "How dare you insinuate that I was just using him. If I was using him I would have fucked him by now. If I was using Sora I wouldn't have respected him at all," Riku snapped irritably, beyond enraged.

"You're just angry because I'm saying the truth," Roxas sighed. "I can't believe you, Riku. And Sora, of all people… he seemed so—"

Riku, snapping, arose from his seat and threw a punch across the table, at once connecting his fist with Roxas' cheek. The blond doubled backwards, slumping against the back of the booth as his head slammed against it. A snap was heard as his neck cracked out of place for a moment. The blond cringed in pain as his arm flew up to vigorously rub the spot. Cold blue eyes stared at his friend before stating, "That's my proof."

Riku snarled and pushed his way out of the booth, not paying heed to Axel's angry curses being shot his way. All he shouted back was a slew of curses himself. The silveret fumed as he stormed out of the café, shouting something along the lines of, "I quit." And not just the job, but their friendship. If Roxas so eagerly believed that he was using Sora what kind of friend was he?

This week was just going horrible. Why did kissing Cloud all of a sudden turn everyone against him? Argh. Why should he even bother?

Riku continued down the street, hands clenched inside his pockets as he walked. As if by the stroke of god, the silveret stopped a block from his house and glanced off to the small café across the street. It was more of a small Italian restaurant than anything. Regardless of what it served, there sat the two Kayaki brothers, having a pleasant lunch. Apparently Cloud had taken Sora out to have lunch. A rarity, but sweet nonetheless.

"Sora…" Riku murmured under his breath as he pointedly crossed the road, not paying any heed to the red light (there weren't any cars coming anyhow). Silently, Riku stormed over to the brunet and blond, making their way to their outside table.

"Riku?!" Sora squeaked, dropping his fork when his eyes met the aquamarine nearing him.

Cloud spun around on his seat and turned to face Riku who was quickly approaching them. In less than a minute Riku was at their table, breathing heavily as he stared down Sora. The brunet gulped and quickly averted his gaze, glancing off to the side, nervously strumming his fingers against the table.

"Riku," Cloud warned, eying his friend. "I wouldn't—"

Riku paid no heed to Cloud's warning and proceeded to snag Sora by the wrist, yanking the brunet off his seat. Sora yelped and stared in confusion as Riku began to drag him away from the table. "Riku?!" Sora yelled in confusion, trying to wiggle his arm free. No use. Riku's grip was a bit too strong.

"Riku?!" Cloud demanded as he called from his placement at the table.

Riku shot Cloud a look that told that blond to just trust him. Cloud sighed perplexedly and turned back to his meal, appetite diminishing as he allowed his brother to be dragged off by his angry ex. If things were going to get better, they were going to have to get worse first. So, Cloud figured, Riku and Sora confronting one another would be the best thing at this moment.

At least, he supposed.

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Riku slammed his apartment door shut and at last let go of Sora's hand. The silveret sharply turned his gaze away from Sora's, standing frozen with his back to the brunet. All that could be heard was their heavy breathing. Sora fidgeted, feeling his wrist were Riku had been nearly drilling his fingers into his skin. The brunet sighed and ran a hand through his hair, sighing loudly. Riku, after awhile, turned around and looked sternly at Sora, as if wanting nothing more than to start yelling curses. And frankly, he would have loved to do such.

"I was eating," Sora began, chewing his bottom lip uneasily. "Cloud brought me out to lunch… I was enjoying it."

The first matter Riku wanted to discuss now that he had 'kidnapped' Sora was… "You had my notebook."

Sora tensed and shivered when Riku turned around, sharp aquamarine hues staring right through him. Sora gulped and looked downward, shuffling his feet against the floor. "Yeah… I found it. I don't know how I ended up with it…I figured I'd give it back to you since it was yours and all…"

"You read all of it?" Riku demanded.

"Y-yeah," Sora murmured, sheepishly looking off to the side. "Every word… it was good," Sora stated emptily, a nervous look spreading across his features. Unlike their first confrontation, Sora wasn't beyond angry at the moment. Right now, Sora was more so terrified by how angry Riku looked. His own anger seemed irrelevant.

"You punched me," Riku said heatedly.

"You kissed Cloud," Sora murmured, looking away from Riku once again.

"You didn't let me explain."

"You cheated on me."

"You broke up with me."

"You were using me as a replacement!" Sora shouted and then sharply closed his eyes, hot tears about to pour from his eyes. He wasn't blind. He knew that he was just a substitute for Cloud. He knew that deep down Riku still loved Cloud and that he would just be second best to his brother and for him to think that he could win Riku's heart over was childish. Not everyone had a happy ending like Leon and Cloud. Not everyone got together with their first boyfriend. Rarely ever.

Riku tensed and forcefully grabbed onto Sora's shoulders. The silver haired male yanked Sora close, forcing the brunet's eyes up to meet his own. "Don't eversay that you were a replacement for Cloud. Good fucking god, Sora. I don't even care about Cloud anymore. Cloud doesn't love me, I get the fucking point. I get that he's moved on. I get the fact that I'm a moron and I've been living in the past for too long. I fucking get it. But don't you dare start claiming that I was using you. When I was dating you I was happier than I realized. So don't you start saying that I was using you," Riku seethed and lightly shook his boyfriend.

"Why do you expect me to forgive you for kissing another guy?!" Sora hissed, banging his fists against Riku's chest as Riku refused to let him go, tears streaming from the burnet's eyes. "Why, Riku?!"

"Sora. Don't cry," Riku said, his voice halting as it lowered to a whisper. His shaking became more gentle. "Please don't cry," Riku murmured, his arms sliding from Sora's shoulders to around the brunet's waist, holding him gently.

"I'm not crying over you," Sora stated cruelly. The brunet snapped his head to the right, refusing to allow their eyes to meet. Not now. Not when he was in such a pathetic state. "I'm crying because I hate you so much right now!"

"For one mistake? You hate me for kissing Cloud back that one time?" Riku asked, keeping his voice quiet. The tears streaming from Sora's eyes…they tore at Riku's angered heart. "You're going to—"

"I already told you this last time! I don't want to ever be near you ag—" Sora attempted and was silenced when Riku pressed his lips against Sora's once more. Riku froze, allowing their lips to just remain interlocked with one another for a moment, hoping that this would stop the brunet's crying.

"I told you not to hurt me," Sora whispered, his lips a fraction from Riku's as his hands clenched Riku's shirt, tears continuing to fall. "You betrayed me, Riku."

"Sora. My god. What do I have to do to make you forgive me?" Riku whispered.

"Why do you care about me so damned much?" Sora choked out in a sob, eyes tightly clamped shut. "Why do you care?"

"Because I don't want to lose you. I don't know why. I just can't… stop thinking about you, okay? I don't want this to end with you hating me. I don't want to regret not trying to get you back," Riku answered and gently kissed the top of Sora's nose. "One more chance. Please. I saved you… do I at least get a second chance?"

Sora sighed and tensed. "I'm not weak… I can live without you."

"I bet you could," Riku concurred.

"I'm not some hormonal teen that will easily fall back into the arms of their first lover because they're weak and stuff," Sora mumbled.

"Of course you aren't," Riku said quietly, kissing Sora's cheek.

"I'm still mad at you for what you did," Sora whispered, a shiver slipping down his spine.

"Mhm," Riku muttered, kissing Sora's jaw.

"I…Oh- I…" Sora let out a shuddery moan as his arms tightly grabbed Riku's shoulders, his neck arching back a bit. "You're cheating…you!" Sora warned. The brunet let out a boisterous moan when he felt those beautiful lips on his neck, capturing his soul once more.

"I was a horrible boyfriend. I tried to force you to do things you weren't ready for. I kissed Cloud. I hid how I felt. I'm sorry," Riku apologized, leading his lips down Sora's neck. "I don't expect you to forgive, but please, just don't leave."

"I don't know if we should stay together," Sora whispered honestly, his fingers beginning to dig into the soft flesh at the top of Riku's shoulders. Every single time the silveret's lips made contact with his neck the brunet emitted a fluttery gasp, almost sounding akin to a moan. "You should find someone e-else," Sora attempted and whimpered when he felt teeth grazing over his neck.

"What makes you think that I want to find someone else?" Riku retorted. His lips continued to apply themselves onto Sora's tanned neck, sucking and licking at the familiar skin over and over. And god, it never felt better.

"G-give me some time, Riku," Sora requested, his neck arching as far as possible. "Give me some time t-to forgive you and stuff." Sora mewed when Riku's lips led back up to his jaw.

"So we're…what?" Riku asked, kissing Sora's jaw with growing urgency.

"Un…decided," Sora answered airily, releasing a guttural moan when the silveret had kissed a sensitive spot on his jaw. Damn Riku.

Riku sighed and released his hold on Sora, staying at the brunet with apparent desperation. "So…we're just friends for now? We're not dating? I can't kiss you?" Riku asked, his eyes growing wider in stun.

"Y-yeah," Sora concurred, nervously shaking his head as he hand rose to finger his neck, shivering at how it had felt to have Riku's lips on it. "J-just until I figure out what I want and stuff."

"We'll…get back together, right?" Riku questioned. It was almost sad how dependent Riku was appearing. It was almost pathetic how Riku quivered at the thought of losing Sora. "You're not going to decide to just end it, right?" Apprehension; how odd it looked in Riku Karada's eyes.

"We might," Sora said and glanced over his shoulder at Riku's door. "I…should get going. I'm still mad and stuff and Cloud's probably wondering where I am… I'll…see you around, okay Riku?" Sora requested, turning to glance back at the man who had hurt him.

Riku chuckled pathetically to himself, arms folding across his chest. "…Pretty stupid of me to think that you'd just accept my apology, huh?"

Sora cringed a bit, shrugged, and made his way to the door. "I'd say I'm sorry…but I honestly don't know what I'd be sorry for. Bye, Riku…" he whispered in a strained voice before leaving Riku's apartment, things only being a fraction better than what they were.

Weren't things always supposed to work out for the better? Weren't couples always supposed to get back together at one's request? Wasn't love always supposed to conquer? Then again, how could it if what they held for one another wasn't even love?