[So here's the next chapter. This was actually going to be the second-to-last chapter, but thanks to Pandoragirl's awesome input and ideas, I am prolonging it. I hope you guys like it!
Pandoragirl-Thank you so much. After I read your message, I realized that this could not possibly be the end. Thank you!
PrincessPeachandDaisy-Thank you for your wonderful reviews! You have been awesome! I hope you like the rest of the story so far.
Also, something came to my attention. A few of you have wondered about Sora's mom. She was never really explained at all, but Riku mentions it later on, and it's just something that is kind of just a little side comment that doesn't really mean anything too much to the story.
I hope everyone enjoys the next chapter!]
Sora clutched the back of Riku's shirt for reassurance, and to keep Riku from doing anything too hasty.
He saw his fists clenched.
"You get away from my son!"
Riku glared. "No. Whatever prejudice you have against me and Sora has to stop."
His dad advanced. Sora whimpered, clawing at Riku's back. "There's nothing wrong with Sora," he growled.
Riku narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, seeing as we're together, you're going to have to get used to me being over."
"You aren't going to go anywhere near my son!" He moved forward again.
Riku stood from the sofa, matching his dad's intimidating stature.
"You think I'm going to hurt him?" he laughed meanly. "Do you realize what you've done to him? Don't you know why he always stays with me?" Riku questioned him arrogantly. "Sora, show him your back."
Timidly, Sora pulled his shirt over his head. Riku held his shoulders just in case his dad tried to get nearer.
He stood with his back to them, quaking with fear. He heard a sharp intake of breath.
"That's what I thought," Came Riku's taunting voice.
"You're a sick kid," he answered menacingly. "Using his fear and pain to take advantage of him."
Riku shook his head, his teeth bared. "I would never."
His dad yelled. Sora turned to see what was going on, then felt his face slam into the carpeted floor.
He could hear nothing going on between his dad and Riku, just muffled shouts and groans, the sounds of fists connecting. Sora retreated against the wall, tears blurring his vision.
Suddenly, Riku was above him, sporting a bloody lip. "Get out of here!" He grabbed Sora rather roughly by the arm and took off through the living room. Sora turned to see his dad hunched over, his face in his hands. He looked up as Riku dragged Sora away from him.
His eyes looked lost, pained. Sora felt a knot in his stomach.
Riku took him as far as the dock until Sora could no longer keep up. He collapsed in the sand, trembling violently. He pulled his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth.
"Sora?" Riku knelt by him, rubbing his shoulder gently.
"What happened?" he asked between sobs. "D-did he hurt you?"
Riku shook his head, then figured Sora couldn't see through his tear-clouded eyes.
"Not really…I hit him first," he admitted softly.
"Riku…" Sora looked up in astonishment. "Why?"
Riku sat in the sand, gazing at the navy blue sky. "I didn't want him to hurt you. He wasn't going to back down."
"You didn't know that!" Sora yelled.
Riku looked taken aback. He stammered but Sora interrupted him.
"Don't you understand? You…we didn't give him time to even get used to you coming around and he-he comes down stairs to f-find us…" He couldn't finish. His chest started heaving.
Riku frowned. He didn't think Sora would get angry at him. "Why do you care about him?" he asked softly.
"He's my dad, Riku." Sora tore away his gaze, tears streaming down his cheeks. "He wants to change-"
"No one changes that fast, Sora," Riku said seriously.
"But he's trying!" Sora snapped. He folded his arms over his knees and hid his face.
Riku sighed and backed away, giving Sora time to himself. He just couldn't understand why Sora was so chained to his dad. Maybe it was because all Riku had ever known was Destiny Island, Sora, and Kairi.
Sora's mom had been long gone before the boy was old enough to speak, and until Sora had been a teenager, he had spent a lot of time with his father. Until Sora started drifting away and his dad became consumed by alcohol and work.
"Riku?" Sora's voice was shaky.
"Hm?"
"Can we go home now?" he asked, wiping his nose.
"My house?" Riku asked, slightly withdrawn.
Sora nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "At least for now," he added softly.
Riku sighed. "Let's go."
Sora reached out his hand, but instead, Riku hoisted him up under the small of his back and his knees.
Sora shifted closer to Riku, closing his swollen eyes. Riku couldn't bear to look at him, knowing he was the one who had truly caused it.
Before he even reached his house, Sora had succumbed to sleep. Riku glanced down and kissed his forehead.
"I'm sorry, Sora."
[So Riku had become kind of a bad guy here. I know that's not what everyone wants, but it will help to further create the rest of my story. He won't turn bad, I swear on my life. But it gives Sora and Riku some things to consider. I hope you guys liked it. I know it was a little unexpected and a little different. Please Review and tell me what you think!]
