[Here's the next chapter. Kind of something just to tie things together a bit. It does ramble about, but hopefully, you guys will enjoy!]

phantombullets240: Yeahh, I agree. I'm really bad about writing lovey dovey stuff, but it's not the end, far from it actually. Hopefully I can think of a good way to end it (:

BlackKeys: Hahaha, thanks! I try. Thank goodness I haven't gotten a writer's block yet!

Pandoragirl: Wow! Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it so far! There's definitely a lot more coming! Thanks again, You're awesome!

Queerie-me: Thanks again! You've been an awesome fan!

Sora's rapid breathing hitched. Riku had said he loved him. Sora wanted to believe the words; he craved them with every fiber of his body. But now that Riku had expressed his true feelings, he was at a loss.

The words that his father had told him were too engrained in his mind, in his cuts and bruises. He gulped, his eyes suddenly looking distant again.

"Sora?"

Riku planted his lips on him, tempting him out of his stupor.

"Why?"

The question took Riku off guard. He pulled away as if he had been bitten by a snake. "What do you mean why?" He seemed hurt by the words.

"Why do you love me? I'm nobody. I don't mean anything," he mumbled, his eyes downcast.

Shocked, Riku pulled his face up to him again. Sora averted his eyes.

"There doesn't need to be a reason, Sora. You have to stop reverting back to whatever your dad says."

Sora nodded slowly, chewing on his lip. Riku had his the nail on the head. Why did he keep remembering everything his dad said to him. It wasn't like he wished to keep going back to those foul memories.

"You look starved, Sora. Are you hungry?"

Sora snapped back into reality. "I…yeah."

"Stay here," he ordered as Sora started after him. He looked at him, perplexed. "I don't want you passing out across my kitchen floor. Stay in bed and rest. I'll bring something back up to you."

Nodding, Sora watched as Riku left the room. As the door clicked shut, Sora found himself once again submerged with his dad's reckless words. He sniffed, rubbing his red eyes. He had to stop thinking about his dad, or else he would fall into his motionless reverie.

He noticed that the bottom of his shirt was wet from collapsing in the tides.

He smelled like sweat, sand, and saltwater. Crinkling his nose, he removed his shirt, carefully avoiding the gruesome cut across his bruised ribs. How did Riku kiss him without being revolted by his smell?

He was afraid to put on another t-shirt, afraid that the fabric would rub against his wounds. He examined his body with distaste. He was dirty, grime layered over his torso. He hadn't been clean since the day before Riku had followed him home.

Figuring it would take Riku a while to cook some food, he decided to take a shower. He crawled off the bed onto his feet and swayed as he stood. He grasped the bed covers to help hold his weight up. His legs were shaking with the effort. Days without a proper meal had taken a toll on him.

A bath maybe. Sora wasn't sure he would be able to stand long enough to take a shower. Slowly, he made his way across Riku's room to the bathroom. He obtained a towel from the closet, holding onto the bathroom counter as his strength waned. He managed to turn the water on when his legs finally gave out underneath him.

He uttered no sound as he slid to the floor. He closed his eyes, listening to the drumming of the water filling the shower, and leaned his head back. The effort exhausted him.

"Sora? Sora!" The voice entered the bathroom, before chuckling. "What are you doing on the floor?"

Sora opened his eyes, blushing. "I was trying to take a shower, well, a bath," he mumbled, "but I…didn't make it," he admitted.

Riku knelt next to him, his silver hair obscuring his eyes for a moment. "I told you to rest."

Standing, he turned the shower nozzle off, allowing the tub to fill. He checked the water temperature before returning his attention to Sora.

"You think you can get undressed by yourself, or do I have to help you with that too?" he mused.

Sora's lip pouted. "I can do it."

Riku hoisted him to his feet carefully, making certain that Sora would not collapse again.

"I'm all right," he said.

Riku looked at him, uncertainty flashing through his aquamarine eyes.

"Okay, but please don't drown on me," he said. Sora tried to catch a hint of amusement but found none. "I'm not going to have you pass out in the bathtub after already saving you from collapsing in the ocean."

Sora nodded wistfully. "Umm…Riku?"

"Hm?"

"Umm, I'm going to...uhh…" he stuttered, turning bright red.

"Oh, yeah. Umm, just let me know if you need anything," Riku said, flashing Sora a sly smile before closing the door.

Sora blushed. Carefully, he removed his shorts, using the counter to support him. He slipped into the tub, slowly, goose bumps decorating his body at the inviting heat.

The warmth enveloped him as he rested his head back against the tiled wall. His eyes closed heavily. It must have been one or two in the morning. He yawned, then looked down. Grains of sand collected at the bottom of the tub from his body. He reached for his chocolate spikes and felt the gritty strands.

Taking a gulp, Sora completely immersed himself into the water. He shook his fingers through his hair, trying to remove as much of the sand as he could before taking another breath.

After two more minutes of the same process, the water turned a light brown shade. He took Riku's shampoo and slathered it into his hair. It smelled like fresh coconuts. He dived into the bath water a fourth time, ridding his hair of suds.

Then he washed his skin carefully, avoiding the larger gashes. By the time he was done, the water had lost its heat. Sighing, he drained the tub. He tried to stand and couldn't seem to lift his arms. His exhaustion had finally overcome his body.

His cheeks reddened. He didn't have the strength to stand up. "Riku?" he called loudly.

"What's wrong?" Riku's worried voice came from behind the bathroom door.

Sora stuttered, his face heating. "I…c-can't get out b-by myself," he whispered.

"What?"

"I need help getting out!"

"I'm coming in," Riku said, fumbling with the door.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"You can't come in here!"

"Why in the world not?" Riku demanded.

"B-because…I'm…nake…I'm not covered up!" he said urgently.

"Sora, really?" Riku asked in an exasperated tone.

"Just let me…uhh," Sora scrambled to find something to cover himself up; his towel was too far away.

"I'm coming in," Riku warned.

"No, wait!"

Riku ignored him and burst through the door.

"Riku!" If Sora had blushed before, it was nothing compared to how red his face was now. He curled up in a tight ball, attempting to conceal himself.

Riku seemed to take no notice. He stooped down, not worrying that Sora was still wet from his bath, and scooped him up in his arms.

Sora felt like his cheeks were on fire, his face was so red.

Riku dropped him gently on the bed and, ignoring Sora's disbelieving stutters, walked back to the bathroom and grabbed his towel.

"Here," he threw it to Sora, who continued to stare at him in astonishment.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"You-I…I told you not to…I was…"

"Sora, being naked was the least of your worries," Riku said, shrugging. Sora covered himself with the towel, embarrassed.

Riku smirked and sat down next to Sora. He fingered the small scars on Sora's back, feeling his muscles twitching.

"Sora," he said softly.

"Hm?" Sora pulled his knees to his chin.

"I don't want you to go back there."

He felt Sora's muscles tense.

"Riku, what am I supposed to do? I can't just stay here every night."

"Why not?"

Sora turned to look Riku in the eyes. His eyes held a mischievous glint. Be-because," his voice faltered as Riku stole a kiss.

"Because why?" Riku laid him down on the bed, kissing him so he couldn't argue his case.

"Because I-"

Riku leaned down and kissed his bruised ribs ever so slightly. Sora's words failed him again. "Worry about that in the morning, okay?" Riku reached his lips again.

"O-okay," Sora shuddered.

[So, how do you like it. I need some reviews because I don't know whether or not you guys want me to do a yaoi the next chapter. Please review & tell me what you think about that idea. (:]