Sora threw himself backward, a loud thud echoing in the hall. He scrambled away from Riku, face flushed and stomach ready to heave his embarrassment.
"I-it's not what it looks like, I promise!" Sora stammered. "Y-you wouldn't understand!"
"What was that noise...?" Roxas' voice wondered from inside the room. Shuffling inside alerted Sora that the two were scrambling to clothe themselves to find him here.
"I knew someone was at the door," Axel muttered.
"Sora...were you watching them?" Riku asked.
"N-no!" Sora brought his knees to his chest.
The door swung open, and half-dressed Axel and Roxas stood in the door. "What's all the commotion out here?" Roxas demanded. His eyes flicked from Riku to where Riku's eyes were staring, which was down at Sora.
"Sora?" Axel asked.
"I-I wasn't watching you, I promise! I j-just heard a scream and I thought someone got hurt!" Sora insisted.
"No one said you were watching us...?" Roxas inquired.
"Riku did..." Sora replied.
"Only because he looks as if he's done something wrong." Riku pointed at the miserable boy on the floor.
"Let me handle this," Roxas offered. "Axel, I'll see you downstairs for dinner."
Axel scratched the back of his head, his hand lost in his unruly hair. "Alright then..." He returned to the room to fetch his shirt before following Riku downstairs.
Distraught and disgusted, tears flowed down Sora's face. Roxas knelt in front of him.
"Hey, you can be honest with me. Were you watching us?" Roxas asked.
"I...yes..." Sora whispered.
"Why?"
"K-Kairi told me to." Sora replied. "I mean, she...she didn't tell me 'go watch them', exactly, she said...something about how I should see how loving you and Axel are to each other...but I suppose that didn't mean I had to watch you two..."
"Sora, do you think I'm disgusting for loving Axel?" Roxas asked gently.
"I-I used to, but...not anymore," Sora admitted, "do you...do you think I'm disgusting for watching you?"
"No, not really," Roxas answered, "I can understand why, to a degree...is there another reason you watched?"
Sora's eyes met the floor.
"Sora, look at me." Roxas turned Sora's head to him. "You can tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone."
"I...I think I'm...I think I'm like you..." Sora mumbled.
"Like me how?" Roxas wondered.
"I...I like...I think...I'm attracted to men...or, that's what Kairi thinks, anyway." A sudden urge to cry hit him like a horse carriage. He could hardly hold back the tears and proceeded to break down in the middle of the hallway. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have watched you, I'm so, so sorry..."
"Shh, Sora, it's alright, I understand now." Roxas placed a hand on Sora's shoulder. "I suppose as long as you never do it again..."
"Of course I wouldn't," Sora said, "I just...I guess I was curious..."
"And there's nothing inherently bad about being curious." Roxas assured. "Just as there's nothing wrong with loving who you love."
"But I don't love anybody..." Sora insisted, but his mind flashed to the horrified expression on Riku's face when he had found him in the hallway. More tears befell him, his still-boyish body racked with sobs.
"What is it...?" Roxas asked.
"I...I don't love anybody, but...Riku...his face...he must think I'm a pervert or something...I can't lose the trust I've already gained..." Sora gasped for breath between sobs.
"I'm sure if you explain - " Roxas began, but Sora interrupted.
"No! I can't tell him this! I'll have to come up with some kind of lie..."
Roxas sighed. "I'd rather you not lie to the person you love, but I suppose I'll help you with that."
"I don't love him!" Sora insisted.
"You just said you did," Roxas pointed out.
"No, I said I don't love anybody," Sora restated, "I meant Riku wouldn't want to be my friend anymore because he thinks I'm disgusting."
"Ohh." Roxas nodded, though something told Sora he didn't completely believe the purpose of his syntax.
Sora sniffled, wiping his face on his sleeve. "And if I really do like men...my father will be so upset with me..."
"Why would he be upset?" Roxas asked.
"Because I'm not a man..." Sora replied.
"Sora, do you think I'm any less of a man because I love Axel?" Roxas gestured to himself.
"If you want my honesty, I did just see you take him like a woman..." Sora muttered.
Roxas snorted, then let out a loud laugh. "I suppose you're right!"
Sora laughed weakly in response. "But...I suppose not..."
Roxas sighed again. "Exactly. The only thing that doesn't make you a man is if you don't believe you are one. You can be a man who loves men. There is nothing that says what a man truly is."
"When did you get to be the smart cousin?" Sora teased.
"When you stopped," Roxas retorted.
"Hey!" Sora pushed Roxas gently, but the imbalanced Roxas fell back on his ass immediately.
"Do you feel better?" Roxas asked.
"Yes." Sora offered his cousin a smile.
"Good," Roxas agreed. "Now, let me ask you one more question, and answer honestly: did you get hard while watching us?"
Sora's face flushed again, but he answered honestly, "No, actually. But part of me did want to be in your place, being held by someone strong but gentle like Axel."
"Oh Axel can be rough when he wants to be," Roxas joked.
"No, don't tell me that!" Sora clapped his hands over his ears, and Roxas laughed.
Roxas rose to his feet and offered Sora a hand up.
"Now, let's go join our lovers for dinner." Roxas decided.
"He's not my lover!" Sora insisted.
"Fine! But you should at least apologize to my lover," Roxas said.
"I will," Sora agreed, "but your lover has to promise to lock the door best he can next time!"
Roxas chuckled. "Fair enough."
"I did what you told me," Sora spat at Kairi once they had returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
"What did I tell you?" Kairi asked.
"You said to observe Axel and Roxas." Sora answered.
Kairi dropped the bread loaf on the wooden counter. She snorted, snickered, then burst into laughter.
"Lord, I didn't tell you to actually watch them copulate! I just said 'observe', that was all! You could've just spent a day with them!" Kairi wiped a tear from her eye, and Sora's face burned.
"Oh..."
"You got yourself into that mess on your own," Kairi pointed out.
"Wh-whatever!" Sora muttered, gathering the prepared dishes to take to the boys in the dining area.
"Don't tell me you enjoyed it?" Kairi gasped.
"Absolutely not," Sora replied honestly, "and I hope we never speak of this again."
Kairi held her hands up in surrender. "Alright."
"Good." Sora carried the plates and bowls out to the dining area where Roxas, Axel, Prompto, and Riku sat. He set the tray down at the table and slid everyone's meals to them.
"Hey Axel, could I borrow you in the kitchen for a moment?" Sora asked.
"Sure thing." Axel pushed his chair back and followed Sora to the kitchen.
Upon seeing Axel enter the kitchen, Kairi coincidentally left to serve the boys their bread and drinks.
"Axel, I wanted to apologize for invading your privacy," Sora said.
"So you did sneak a peek, didn't you?" Axel smirked. "Did'ya like what you saw?"
"Not on Roxas' part, that's for sure," Sora answered.
"But on my part? Oh, I'm so flattered!" Axel beamed.
"Th-that's not what I meant!" Sora's face turned the color of Axel's hair.
"You sure blush a lot," Axel laughed, "I might start calling you Tomato Face."
Sora pushed Axel lightly. "Don't make me take my apology back!"
Axel chuckled. "You know, I'm sure Roxas wouldn't mind you borrowing me if you wanted to experiment..."
"N-no way!" Sora stamped his foot on the ground, and Axel laughed.
"Fine, fine, now are we done here? I'm starving, and whatever you cooked up looks good." Axel jabbed his thumb at the dining area.
"Yeah, let's go," Sora agreed, following him back out.
The two sat down, and Riku piped up, "Sora, your face is all red; you're not catching a fever, are you?"
"N-no, I'm fine," Sora assured, "I just blush a lot, like Axel said back there."
"Yeah," Axel agreed, "I said we might have to start calling him Tomato Face."
"Tomato Face is a good name for you," Roxas said, "that way, it's not so close to my name."
"Shut up!" Sora laughed.
"At least I have a unique, Latin name!" Prompto jokingly boasted.
"Oh yeah, what does 'prompto' mean in Latin?" Sora pressed.
"It means 'ready'," Prompto replied proudly.
"Ready for what?" Kairi called out from another part of the dining area.
"Ready for anything, I suppose." Prompto shrugged.
Suddenly, Riku flicked Prompto in the forehead.
"Ow! What was that for?" Prompto protested.
"You said your name meant 'ready', and you said you were ready for anything," Riku answered.
Axel burst into a fit of laughter. "You know, I'm starting to like this guy!" He clapped a hand on Riku's back.
Sora smiled into his mug, glancing at Riku the way Riku had peered over his mug during Sora's birthday party.
Riku caught Sora's eyes, and Sora's cheeks turned pink.
"There goes old Tomato Face again!" Axel shouted.
"Now you shut up!" Sora protested, swatting at Axel.
"You know, perhaps I don't want to get married if all men are as rowdy and annoying as you five!" Kairi shouted from the kitchen.
Before Sora and Kairi departed the tavern, Sora found Riku just before bed.
"Sora, you never answered my question," Riku mentioned.
A shiver ran through Sora. "O-oh, right..."
"Roxas told me you were concerned because you heard him scream, and though I believe him, I only believe him partially." Riku said.
"That's true, I was afraid Roxas had been hurt. I honestly had no idea that's what they were doing..." Sora answered, perhaps too quickly.
"Why were you there for so long...?" Riku wondered.
"I wasn't there longer than you think I was, I had just heard Roxas scream and I opened the door to check on him. It surprised me so much to find them that way that I froze on the spot." Sora finished.
Riku narrowed his eyes at Sora, drilling him for a better answer. Sora stared up at him blankly, a dumb smile on his face to hide the truth.
Riku finally shook his head. "Alright, I suppose I believe you. Goodnight, Sora."
"Goodnight, Riku."
The following day, Sora, Riku, Roxas, Axel, and Reno spent the day at the shipyard.
An eager Sora clung to the ropes, looking past the harbor.
"Isn't it beautiful, Riku?" Sora grinned. "I'd love to be a sailor someday. I want to see what England is like."
"I already told you it's much like the colonies here," Riku dismissed, "besides, you'd grow sick of the sea once you've spent months sailing on it."S
Sora swung down and planted himself directly in front of Riku. "That's what you'd think."
"No, that's what I'd know," Riku insisted.
Sora frowned. "You can be such a bore, you know?"
Riku crossed his arms. "I just have a different perspective than you. I spent months on a ship like this..."
"What was that like?" Sora asked.
Riku's face fell, and he looked to the harbor. "It stormed many times out on the sea, and the waves tossed the ship around like a toy. Many soldiers could not bear the force of the waves, and they became seasick. Some were tossed into the sea during the storms, and...we pressed on..."
"Did you...lose someone...?" Sora whispered.
"A friend...his name was Tidus," Riku replied.
"What was he like?" Sora swallowed his jealousy for Riku's sake and asked genuinely.
"He had blond hair, eyes that sparkled like the sea...sometimes, I look at you and see him. He was energetic like you, always picking silly fights and testing strength..."
"I don't pick silly fights!" Sora protested, punching Riku in the shoulder.
"Ow, hey! See, he was just like you!" Riku pushed Sora back.
Sora shoved Riku, but Riku's response was a harder shove that sent Sora flying back.
"Sora!"
Groaning, Sora peeled himself off the deck.
Riku held out a hand to help Sora up, but something slammed into Riku's back and sent him toppling forward. Sora's eyes widened as Riku fell forward, smashing him to the deck.
"Nice one, Axel!" Reno clapped a hand on his brother's back.
"Axel, don't push people!" Roxas shouted.
"Sora, are you hurt?" Riku asked, carefully drawing back to free the Sora trapped under him.
"I'm fine," Sora assured.
"Thank goodness," Riku sighed, "I can't imagine what it would be like to hurt you..."
"Oh, how sweet is that," Axel purred, "I feel like I'm attending their wedding."
"Though that is sweet, we don't have time to witness a wedding." Reno waved a thin stack of papers under Axel's nose. "We have to get a new copy of these before tomorrow."
Reno strode past them, down the ramp to the docks. The rest of the boys followed after Riku helped Sora up.
Reno carried the papers to a British soldier standing at the dock. Riku suddenly grabbed Sora's sleeve. All five of them came to a halt.
"What, is something wrong?" Sora asked.
Riku pulled them behind a stack of crates. "Don't let him see me," Riku whispered. "That's Captain Sephiroth; he's my superior officer, and I haven't exactly checked in with him since I've arrived."
Sora glared at the soldier: a tall man with flowing silver hair tied back in a ponytail, his uniform clean and crisp. He looked remarkably like Riku if Riku were grown.
"Do you ever stop to think about how much he looks like you?" Sora asked.
"Every day," Riku gritted his teeth, "because that man is my biological father."
Reno and Axel let out a dramatic gasp.
"Seriously, we don't have time to waste." Reno griped. Alone, he strode over to Captain Sephiroth.
"I thought you said you don't have any family besides your mother," Sora mentioned.
"As far as I'm concerned, he isn't my family." Riku stated firmly.
"I understand." Sora placed a hand on Riku's shoulder.
"What?! You're kidding me! You didn't charge me nearly this much last week!" Reno suddenly shouted.
Sora and Axel rushed to Reno's side, finding his anger was turning his face the color of his hair.
"The King orders that a tax must be in place to raise more funds for the government." Captain Sephiroth insisted.
"Never has he taxed so high!" Reno protested.
"Well, after the war, the King has ordered to increase taxes in his colonies," Captain Sephiroth stated.
"I refuse to pay the tax!" Reno declared.
"Then I will have to arrest you," Captain Sephiroth replied.
Reno scratched his red cheek. "Then I suppose I'll have to issue new papers myself," he decided.
"I'm afraid that will be illegal as well," Captain Sephiroth countered, "according to the Stamp Act passed in March, every document issued by the King must have a stamp which signifies the tax has been paid."
"What exactly is the revenue from this tax going to?" Reno narrowed his eyes.
"Most of it pays for our soldiers who are stationed in these colonies." Captain Sephiroth turned his head to the stack of crates, and Sora's blood chilled. Had he seen Riku hiding behind them?
"E-excuse me sir, but - " Sora began, hoping to deter the captain's attention.
"We won't pay the tax." Axel finished.
"Unless you boys want to be escorted to prison, I suggest you let me issue those new stamped papers and you pay the tax." Captain Sephiroth held out his hand.
"No." Reno crossed his arms.
"I'm warning you boys, I can dole a punishment much worse than prison unless you pay the tax. You'll have to receive new papers eventually; you can't avoid me forever. Now, hand over the papers." Captain Sephiroth threatened.
"No!" Axel added defiantly.
Sora shifted behind Axel. "G-guys, I really think..."
"Let me stamp those!" Captain Sephiroth ordered.
"Stamp this, officer!' Axel fiddled with his buckle, revealing just enough of his ass.
"I beg your pardon!" Captain Sephiroth gasped.
Reno tugged on Sora's sleeve, ushering him toward the crates where Riku and Roxas hid. Axel yanked his trousers back up, following Reno clumsily off the docks, laughing.
They caught up to Roxas and Riku, pushing them away from the docks.
"I cannot believe you! You two are going to get hanged if you're not careful!" Sora hissed.
"You don't think they'll remember your fiery hair? And your tattoos? You're not the most inconspicuous, Axel!" Roxas added.
"Ah, they'll never catch us, don't worry!" Axel tousled Roxas' hair. "Reno and I were raised by savage Indians, we can handle some British officers! Besides, I'll just hide in your bed and they'll never find me."
Roxas blushed deeply, pushing Axel's chest.
"Hah! Look who's Tomato Face now!" Sora quipped.
"Sora, do you think he saw me?" Riku asked.
"I'm not entirely sure," Sora answered, "but if you worry he'll punish you, then..."
"He'll have to go through us first!" Axel jabbed a thumb at himself.
"Yeah!" Reno agreed.
"Right; there's no way we'll let him hurt you." Sora nodded. "Because...because you're more than just the soldier he brought to watch us; you're our friend."
Riku looked down at his feet. "Sora...thank you."
"Of course." Sora's hand wavered, almost reaching for Riku's hand.
"Oh come on, take his hand!" Axel jeered.
Sora slapped his hands over his blushing face immediately.
"Don't hide your Tomato Face!" Reno clapped Sora's back.
A gentle hand touched Sora's, peeling them away from his face slowly. "Hello." Riku smiled.
"Look at that!" Axel cackled.
"Come on, give them some privacy!" Roxas demanded, shoving the redhead brothers away.
Sora locked eyes with Riku, and the two became lost in their own little bubble. Riku still held Sora's hands in his own, and he squeezed them gently. Sora's heart fluttered, and he felt like he might burn up from blushing.
"You remind me so much of him," Riku murmured.
"Tidus?" Sora wondered.
"Yes, but...you're very different from him, too." Riku said.
"How?"
"Well...you just are." Riku shrugged.
Sora's gaze flicked away.
"You blush a lot more than Tidus, that's for sure." Riku joked.
Sora giggled, his face reddening accordingly.
"I'm glad you think of me as your friend," Riku said.
"How could I not? It makes me so happy to spend my time with you, whether we're working at the tavern or dodging soldiers at the docks..." Sora confessed.
Riku rubbed his thumbs over Sora's hands.
"Wh-what's this for?" Sora laughed weakly. "I thought you had feelings for Kairi?"
"She's a sweet girl, yes," Riku agreed, "but - "
"Guys, that soldier is coming this way!" Roxas shouted, rushing past the two from another direction.
"Shit!" Riku hissed. "Come on, we can't let him see me!"
Sora nodded, and followed his friends away from the docks.