Stranger Than Fiction

Chapter Three:

Flicker of Hope

Author's Note:

Warning: Anti-Kairi vibes in this chapter

This is the chapter that tells you about Riku's parents. I want to create a kind of… well… You know when you're reading some people's writing, and you know what both characters are thinking, and their reasoning and you're willing them to get together, and throughout every conversation you get those kind of… apprehensive butterflies? I want that to happen when people read this fic. Especially towards the end…

I've just checked the reviews. Whoa… blinks Thank you very much bows I'm glad to know that about fifteen people like this fic enough to review.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Kingdom Hearts nor any of the characters.

Riku stood against the wall, throwing a tennis ball up and down, catching and throwing expertly with one hand. Tennis… Such a boring game…

"Mr Leonhart, are you going to join us any time soon?" The teacher demanded. Riku thought about it for a second, looking around and seeing that everyone except Sora was paired off.

"No," He replied. "Have a sickness called exerciseritus, is brought on by exercise." He said shortly after. At this a few of the class members sniggered. The teacher looked at Riku sternly.

"Really? Would you like to see the school nurse?" The Physical Ed. Teacher asked. Riku rolled his eyes, slouching over.

"Go with Hikka," The teacher said sharply. Riku glared at Sora, remaining where he was.

"Where's his boyfriend? Can't they go together?" Riku complained. The teacher's mouth was set in a thin line.

"My son, Cloud, has had to go home," The teacher said icily. Riku blinked and then he heard the class' quiet chuckles turn into laughter. They were laughing at him. Mr Strife just held up a hand, and the boys were silent.

"Look, it's Kairi and the junior cheerleaders!" One boy yelled. Immediately every head turned and cat calls and whistles followed the girls across the field. Riku recognised one of the cheerleaders as Sora's little sister. Kairi giggled as they talked.

"Okay boys, I'm sure that Selphie and Kairi are quite glad that you show them some attention, however, I shouldn't think that they want you to watch them. You want to impress them, then play some decent tennis," Strife then walked away and sat down. Riku and Sora glared at each other.

"I've got a tennis ball. You get the rackets," Riku instructed. To his surprise, Sora did it. He brought back some of the best rackets too. Riku glanced up at the brunet, who was also watching him intently.

"Let's get started then?" Riku suggested. Sora continued staring.

"What's the matter with you, spiky?" Riku demanded, slightly unnerved. Why was Sora staring at him like that? Was he really sick looking? That tooth was still hurting a lot but…

"Did I… Did I hurt you?" Sora asked suddenly. Riku straightened up to his full height.

"You didn't hit me that hard, short stuff. I've been hit much harder," He replied. Sora blushed and walked to the other side of the tennis courts. He then waited for Riku to serve.

Riku sighed, throwing up the ball and hitting it as hard as he could. Serving was the only part of his game that needed improving, more often than not, it went into the net. However, this time he was lucky and it reached Sora, who hit it back with equal force.

Riku tried to catch Sora out quite a few times. In fact, he didn't suceed, for every trick he pulled, Sora would counter it. They ended the PE session without having finished a single rally.

"Well, guys, who do you think will win this? Our champ, Sora, or the cocky newcomer, Riku?" A boy Riku knew as Wakka began to take bets from people. He ignored them, trying to keep up with Sora.

"Aaah!" Sora yelled, hitting the ball as hard as he could. It bounced in front of Riku, who hit it back, letting out a little 'oof' as the motion caused the air to rush from his lungs.

Sora looked like he was going to hit it. But then at the last minute, one of the other boys dropped their tennis ball, and it rolled onto the court. Sora tripped over the ball and fell onto the rubber/tarmac (what is that stuff?) with a small cry of pain.

"Oh, shit! I bet on Sora as well!" The boy yelled, before running forwards. Sora waved him off, staring at Riku with something that could probably only be described as pure hatred.

Now that Riku realised he'd got what he had been setting out to do since their first meeting, he felt empty. What the hell was he thinking? Covering up his insecurity, he smirked. Turning his back on Sora, he rested his racket against the wall and walked away. Behind him, Sora seethed.

Sora sat in the nurse's room, watching as she fussed over his ankle. She already fussed over his face. He told her he'd got into a fight, he'd been mugged, then he'd fallen over a tennis ball, but it all seemed too unbelievable.

Too much happened in a small space of time. Riku wasn't supposed to be so mean… Sora knew that… Somewhere along the line, he knew that Riku and he were meant to be friends. They weren't meant to hate each other. It was just so hard not to when every time Riku opened his mouth it was something ridiculing or vindictive that span out.

"I think you should stay here for a while. Have a nap dear, you look bushed. There's no point returning for the rest of your Physical Ed. Class, there's only half an hour left. I'll wake you at the end of the day," She said kindly. Sora nodded, happy just to be left alone.

His thoughts buzzed around in his head. All of them contained Riku, and it was scaring him.

Riku trudged home, Leon had been held up with something or other, so he was all alone. He was alright, he had his music… Perhaps a little bit of a strange choice for a guy, but he was listening to No Doubt…

♪ Wanted and adored by attractive women, bountiful selection at your discretion, I know I'm diving into my own destruction. ♪

Riku pondered these lyrics for a second, but before he could seriously begin to get stuck into his thoughts, he was home. Riku's house was a cosy little beach house. It was made out of wood, as were most houses in the area, and it had been painted a pale blue by the previous owners. The effect was that of a beautiful little house with an ideal family living inside.

They'd moved there because Riku's mom had wanted to go to sleep to the sound of the sea.

He pushed open the door, dumping his school back on the settee and walking into his mom's room. She was laid on her bed, talking to a woman dressed in a blue nurse's uniform. She was talking quite freely, like mothers quite often do.

"Oh Riku honey! Meet Eva Strife, my new nurse. Her son goes to the same school as you. In fact he'd be about your age!" His mom beamed at him. Riku paled slightly, shuffling into the room. Were Cloud's parents stalking him or something?

"I know Cloud, ma'am," Riku replied politely, before sitting on his mom's bed.

"Mom, let me stay home and look after you. You know that I would rather look after you than spend all day hating it in that school," Riku said gently. His mom chuckled, and took his hand.

"My darling little boy… I wish I could spend more time with you. With both of you," She acknowledged Leon, who had just popped his head through the door. He grinned at her and began to walk across the room.

"My only hope is that I see both you and Leon happy before I finally fall asleep," Amy Leonhart frowned and adjusted her position slightly.

"When is that wheelchair coming, Eva?" She asked. Riku looked up at the nurse who was smiling, even though her eyes were sad. Riku felt slightly angry, he didn't need some mother of a retard dense blonde twat feeling sorry for him.

"Thursday, with any luck, it's coming with the drugs," Eva said quietly. Riku was surprised at her quiet tones and soft voice. When he thought about it though, Cloud's voice, when he spoke, was soft and quiet…

"But Mom, we have loads of drugs. Why do you need more? It hasn't got worse has it?" Leon demanded. Amy laughed and shook her head, cupping her eldest son's cheek.

"No, dear, I'm trying out a new drug. It's a kind of… Wonderdrug… I use that term lightly. There's a sixty-forty percent chance it will work, and it's still in it's trial period so we have to be careful with our hopes. Agreed? No thinking I'm better before I am," She said. Riku watched his mom, admiration printed on his features.

His mom had been suffering from a problem with her nervous system since she was born. However, it had got progressively worse since Leon was born. They said that the stress of a new-born child had counteracted the drugs. Then a messy divorce meant that they had moved to a rough neighbourhood, before Leon's father died, leaving them the money.

It had all been used on their mother's healthcare. They had sold their father's possessions, including cars, houses, antiques, anything to get rid of things that reminded them of their stupid old man, and had put the money towards the best that they could.

Amy had been overwhelmed by her sons' affections, but mostly Riku's. The boy was described to her as cold, callous, vindictive, but it was hard to believe when he was curled up on her bed at three in the morning singing gently to her all her favourite songs.

"It sounds good to me," Leon said, before standing up.

"Oh yeah, apparently Sora ended up in the nurses' office. I heard it had something to do with you?" Leon asked. Riku winced, knowing what was coming…

"Riku! You didn't!" His mother's voice was shrill. This wasn't something she should have heard in her fragile state. What was Leon thinking?

"Are you talking about Sora Hikka?" Eva asked. Leon looked at her, then at Riku, then nodded. Eva smiled.

"Sora is my son's best friend. I know he's not one to be provoked into rash actions. He's the nice boy who doesn't get into any trouble, the one who every mother wants their daughter to go out with," Eva said gently. Riku bristled, Sora was hardly the little angel everyone thought he was.

"Listen, I wasn't the one who hit first, okay? I was trying to talk to his sister about why he was beat up, he went crazy, thinking I was harassing her, and hit me. He knocked my tooth out for God's sake!" Riku retorted. Leon shook his head, smiling, as Amy drew herself up.

"Why would he have any reason to think you were harassing her Riku?" She demanded. Riku looked down and began picking at a bit of loose thread in the quilt.

"We're… rivals… He doesn't like me," Riku said quietly, trying to look pathetic. Eva chuckled.

"Well, I know Sora very well, and he doesn't make enemies easily. In fact he's never had an enemy before, unless you count his parents," Eva said, her hand up to her mouth to hide her smile. Riku clenched his fists.

"Well he hates me so can we leave it there?" Riku asked, before looking to his mom, who was looking grim.

Eva, who was tall and blonde like Cloud, except with green eyes instead of blue, backed off. She held herself like a woman who had been through hell and back and was proud of it. She had dark circles under her eyes, obviously she had been working long hours. Compared to Riku's mother, Eva was an elegant, supermodel like figure. Without being cruel, Riku's mother was fairly plain, with brown hair, brown eyes and no feature that was particularly out of the ordinary. She was short and stout when she was standing, and although she wasn't ugly, she wasn't pretty either.

However, there was something about her, perhaps the general feel of maternal love, that made people adore her. She was funny, a good time girl, who was the life and soul of the party… It was hard to believe that she could have produced a son like Leon, who's looks followed his father. Riku stared at her for a second, then looked away.

He felt guilty for being such a brat. She had always paid more attention to him, doted on him, given him everything he asked for. She had always picked Riku over Leon…

Perhaps because Riku had been abandoned at an orphanage when he was three, with no way of establishing who his parents were he was just put into the state children's homes. He held onto the vague hope of being adopted until he was nine years old…

It was then that he had met Amy, and had immediately wanted to be adopted by her. He remembered, with a vague sense of embarrassment, that he had clutched at her attention every time she had visited the home, and done the most outrageous things to get her to notice him.

Then one time, she had brought Leon along with her. Riku remembered that the first thing Leon had ever done was refusing to shake his hand. Riku hadn't been quite sure what to say after that, but they had ended up making a den out of Riku's bed sheets and playing Pirates.

It was when Amy had walked in on Leon and Riku pay fighting with plastic swords, that she had decided to adopt Riku. Little Riku had grown up since then, and his hair, which had been blonde, had turned slowly silver. The doctor's said it was his genetics, that his hair was just going prematurely grey.

They were a strange lot, perhaps a little of an eccentric family, but they were happy together…

"Riku, you can apologise to this Sora tomorrow morning when you go to school," Amy instructed.

"Yes mom," Riku drawled, knowing that when it came to the morning, he wasn't going to say anything to Sora, but he might have a few words with Leon.

Kairi sat in her house, idly turning the pages of her English homework. They were supposed to read another chapter of Lord of the Flies, but Kairi's mind kept spinning to the events of earlier.

Sora and Riku's rivalry was getting out of hand. She hadn't thought it would end up with an actual fight, but if there was one thing that got Sora riled, it was people prying into his personal life and people messing with his family. Kairi wasn't sure who's side she was on, though. On one side, it seemed that the two just didn't like each other. Riku was a smart-ass, with far more witty remarks than Sora, but Sora looked to be a more deadly adversary than he seemed.

Whatever happened, Kairi would date the winner. She had decided that when Riku had first walked through the door. She would date one of them. Then there was Tidus, in the year above them… He was pretty cool…

"Kairi? Yuffie is here!" Her mom called. Kairi grinned and waited for Yuffie to come up. Sure enough, the girl bounced into the room a few minutes later, followed a little more sheepishly by Selphie. The little brunette looked slightly uncomfortable, seeing as it had been she who had been the thorn of Sora and Kairi's relationship.

"Hey Selphie," Kairi greeted the girl warmly. Selphie grinned back and followed Yuffie to sit down on Kairi's bed.

"So what's up?" Yuffie asked. Kairi folded her arms, looking at the two younger girls with a look that was clearly superior.

"Which one should I choose, Sora, Riku or Tidus?"

"Hey Selphie," Kairi said patronisingly. She was so fake it was cheesy.

"So what's up?" Yuffie asked. Selphie forced the grin onto her face. Just pretend you want to be here. For Yuffie's sake pretend…

"Which one should I choose, Sora, Riku or Tidus?" Kairi asked. Biatch! There's no way that Sora will ever go out with you, you big fat hussy!

"Hm… Riku seems keen," Yuffie replied. Yes, that's right. Riku deserves you. That bastard needs a stupid little sl-

"Hm… But Riku seems a little too keen, if you know what I mean. I think he just sees it as another way to get back at Sora. Make Sora angry, you know? I'm not sure whether I want to hurt Sora that way…" He won't be hurt. If anything, he fancies Mr. Kikuta more than you! If he flirts with you it's because he wants to get at Riku. Dumb cow…

"Tidus," Selphie blurted out. Kairi blinked at her.

"Pardon?" She asked. Selphie grinned, her smile hideously false.

"I said that you should go out with Tidus. That way there isn't any more problems between Sora and Riku," Selphie said brightly. You're just saying this in front of my as payback. Well I'll make sure that you and Sora don't get together, even if it means giving you my darling Riku!

Wait… Is Riku a bastard or a darling? Oh what does it matter? I don't care if you have him. I'll have hunky Cloud… Wait, he's gay… Um… Damnit! That leaves me with someone like Wakka… Ugh… Why do I always get the retards? Maybe Zell...

"She's right!" Yuffie added with a grin.

"Uh… Yeah… Right, Tidus it is then… Are you sure that then I won't just have Sora and Riku against me?" Kairi asked. Stop making excuses bitch.

"Maybe," Selphie replied lamely.

"God, I have to go! C'mon Selph!" Yuffie dragged Selphie downstairs before she burst into an angry fit.

Sora lay on his bed, 'The Lord of the Flies' open before him. It wouldn't hurt to read the book. It gave him something to do, besides treat his swollen lip and play .hack infection…

"Piggy? What kind of name is that anyway?" Sora asked aloud. Then his mobile phone went off. Sora had it on silent constantly, and always on a special belt strapped just under his waistline so he could feel it. To most people that would have been extreme, but Sora knew, if his parents knew he had a mobile phone they'd take it from him. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the '1 Message received' on the screen.

The number was one that was strange to him, definitely not one he'd seen before. It looked more like a landline phone number than a mobile, this threw Sora slightly.

Do you believe in love from personality or looks?

Another thing that threw him slightly. It wasn't in text speak, so it was unlikely to be anyone of his friends. The question was slightly strange too…Intrigued, and wondering if the text was meant to reach him, Sora replied.

Um. My name's Sora Hikka. I think u got the rong no.

Sora placed his phone beside him and had barely read a sentence when the phone vibrated again.

I meant you, Sora. I won't tell you who I am, you'll have to work that out yourself, but I would like to get to know you through text. Answer my question, personality or looks?

Sora blinked. This person was certainly strange. They knew him, they were close enough to him to get his private number…

A mixture I guess. Probably more personality, I'm not sure. I've never been in love.

Sora didn't bother to put the phone down this time, instead he waited for a reply. Sure enough, less than a minute later, the phone buzzed in his hand.

Never? Well… We'll see… I'm sure you'll guess who this is, even if you don't then I'll still text you this time every night. Goodnight Sora, have pleasant dreams.

Sora stared, then, his hands shaking slightly, typed a simple message back.

And you.

Kairi lay on her bed, content with her plans. She had the perfect plan, and the first stage had been executed. She couldn't wait for one of the boys to be hers.

Riku lay on his bed, content with his plans. He had the perfect plan to screw with Sora's head. It would be flawless. He only had to stop himself from liking it too much.

Cloud lay on his bed, laughing down at his phone, and putting it on the bedside table. Selphie was a bundle of laughs, and her text messages always tickled him. However, he had been waiting for a much more important message.

Leon put his phone down, a little nervous. He wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to put in situations like that, so he had put what first came to mind, and then left it at that. He had hardly expected a reply.

What now?

Selphie giggled as she thought up the prank. She and Yuffie sat on the pavement just outside her house, a phone huddled between them. Yuffie's new phone sure was cool.

Sora went to sleep quickly, his phone tucked under his pillow so he would feel it if the anonymous texter replied. He hadn't got his reading done, totally absorbed in trying to puzzle out who the person was.

It was possible to have more than one phone. Perhaps one of his friends had a new phone and was testing it out. Or had used someone else's, that's why there was a set time?

Sora clenched his fists, annoyed at himself. He might as well not bother trying to figure it out, there weren't any clues, and there were never going to be. He might as well just talk to that person…

"G'night," Sora whispered to his room, and to some random person out there who might care.

Riku curled into a ball. There was hope. There hadn't been before.

His mother was dying. Now there was a chance she might not. So far she had been unlucky, but now she might be okay.

There was that small flicker alight in Riku's heart that everything might work out.

Everything would be okay. It had to be.

Ending Notes:

Slightly shorter but with plenty for you to ponder over I think. Of course, the thing you're most interested in is who the texter is. Of course you'll never find out, because I'm not sure if I'm even going to reveal who it is in this fic. Shame on you for being more worried about Sora's love life than Riku's dying mom!

I also hope that you accept Riku and Leon's brotherhood now, seeing as Riku's adopted, they don't have to look like each other.

I just want to leave a message for a reviewer, for a change, lileth darkstorm, I'm glad that you liked the fic. It's always nice to hear that your writing has changed/modified someone's views on a genre. It's also nice to think that my stories are actually being recommended… That's never happened before… Thank you to you and your friend.

Thank you to everyone else too, your support is amazing. 18 reviews for two chapters. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

R&R

Beta'd: 19/09/05