"Are you going to report him?" A cold wind ruffled through Sora's hair, lifting it and trying to carry it away with the wind. It floated above him before settling down on his nape, forming spikes. Riku had worn his silvery hair in a ponytail, his neck bare against the cold winds.

"No." Sora had woken up early for the first time in a while, his body sore. He didn't regret it though, not for a moment. Ansem was no where to be seen, but Sora assumed that Ansem would make plenty of adjustments to his schedule, making sure that he could follow Riku with a reasonable excuse. If that did happen, Sora would be there. It would be tough, trying to wake up early every morning. Especially during the first few days.

But it was worth it.

For his friend, Sora would do anything.

"Why not?" Sora pretended to be inquisitive, instead of showing his burning anger at Ansem.

"Because it doesn't matter." Riku's voice was soft. Sora's fingers twitched, and he glared at the sky.

"Why not?" Sora repeated, gritting his teeth. "After what he did to you... how can you say it doesn't matter? How can you leave it alone? How can you not want to hunt him down while he's sleeping and make him pay for what he did to you? I'd be by your side, even if you wanted to do that." Sora clenched his fist. "If it would make you feel better, I would do it."

"Because, Sora." Riku's eyes glistened. The sun rose behind their backs, casting beautiful colors that reflected through the saltwater in his eyes. "Because it already happened. It happened in the summer, and I was alone, and NOTHING IS EVER GOING TO CHANGE THAT!" Riku's voice rose louder and louder until he was screaming, his words echoing around the houses around them. The empty street seemed to repeat his words. "Nothing is ever going to change that... nothing is ever going to change that... nothing is ever..."

And suddenly Sora was left alone with those words, haunting him as Riku walked past him. As Riku walked without him.

And beyond those words, Sora heard something else.

"And it's all your fault. If you hadn't left Riku that day, if you had come to him instead, if you had remained friends, none of this would have happened. Riku would be fine and you would be laughing right now, Kairi at your side.

But you didn't, did you? You didn't come back for him. You didn't walk with him that day.

And this is all your fault."

Sora trudged forward, Riku already gone. He winced as his shoulder awoke with pain. It was as though his scars were coming alive, throbbing against his skin.

It was all his fault.

...

The winter formal was coming. Kairi had already gone shopping with Yuffie and Aerith, as Sora had found out oh-so-painfully through their jumbled squeals of joy.

Sora groaned at their growing enthusiasm considering dates. His despair attracted their attention and Sora regretted ever making a sound.

"Sooo, Sora." Kairi giggled. "Who's your date?"Now that Kairi was all hopped-up on dating juices, Sora missed the days where dances didn't matter. At their old school, it was just them. Her adventurous, persistent nature called to Sora.

"I- I don't know. I haven't asked anyone yet." Sora muttered. Yuffie watched him silently and intently, unlike her usual cheerful self.

Kairi poked him. "You better ask someone soon!" She winked at him and glanced at Yuffie before returning her gaze to Sora. "Or all the pretty ones will be taken!" The warning bell rung, and lunch was almost over. Sora was grateful for the reprieve from his torture.

Riku slid down next to Sora. "Yeah, right. Like Sora could get a girl." There was an emptiness to his words. It was an unheard echo, Ansem's voice replacing Riku's. As though he were inside Riku's head, pulling strings.

The bell rung again. Kairi yanked Riku and Sora's hands, yanking them out of their seats, and Riku hissed and yanked his arm back. "Riku? We're going to be late."

"Go on, Kairi." Sora stared harshly into Riku's eyes as the girl paused and watched the tension rise between them.

"I'll... see you in art, Sora." The girl gave them an unsure glance and walked away, picking up speed as the last of the students trickled out of the lunch room, hurrying to their next class.

They stood, unmoving, watching eachother. Their breaths sounded louder in the white room, bouncing along the walls.

A slap resounded suddenly through the air. Riku cradled his cheek, his eyes wide.

"You!" Sora pointed his finger at Riku, pacing side to side. "You don't get to decide that it doesn't matter! And no- you CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR FUTURE!" Sora's eyes burned with pent up anger at his best friend. "HOW CAN YOU GIVE UP? How can you give up like this?" His voice faded to a whimper.

He pulled Riku into his arms, refusing to let go. "Didn't I tell you that I was going to be there? I don't care if that fucking bastard follows you around and makes googly-stalker eyes at you. I wasn't there when you needed me but I'll be there now. Always." He pulled Riku's hair out of it's ponytail, stroking Riku's head as the boy muffled his sobs in Sora's shirt. Sora hated Riku's hair constrained like that, forced back against their natural state. He preferred it floating around Riku's face. The silver strands flowed down as they were unleashed. They warmed Sora's face as they brushed against him. He clutched the blue rubber band that had held Riku's hair and decided that he was going to destroy it.

He didn't want anything to be less than perfect for his closest friend.

"It's the funniest thing." Riku whispered. Sora's shirt felt a slight pitter-patter of wetness. "Who knew that this would only bring us together?"

"Awwwwwww. Now isn't that the sweetest scene? I'd like you both to explain that to me in detention after school today. Maybe some alone time will improve your attendance record." Ansem leaned against the door, and Sora stared at him. Ansem blinked back lazily, as though he couldn't care less what Sora thought of him.

It was only Riku he cared about, after all.

Sora stood in front of Riku, blocking him from view. "Yeah, I'd like the pleasure to meet with you one-on-one someday, Ansem. Maybe you could learn a lesson or two from your students."

Ansem straightened himself, stepping from the doorway. He clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Don't bite off more than you can chew, Sora. We both know it wouldn't be very good for Riku if you were the one bitten instead." Ansem stepped toward the door.

"I'll be expecting you both after school. But I'll accept Riku alone if you want." Ansem winked, his bronze eye gleaming. He finally turned and left, and Sora felt Riku's head thump against his back. "It'll be okay, Riku. It'll be okay." Sora promised. He was an oathkeeper, and he would keep his promise. Ansem wasn't going to lay a hand on Riku.

Sora would protect him.

But things don't always go as planned, do they?

His 10th birthday echoed in his mind as he steered Riku to his class, then headed to his own.

We are only echoes of the person we were yesterday, constantly changing and evolving into something lesser because of the things taken away with time.

...

Less disjointed? I write whatever, and I didn't realize that the parts weren't... properly connected :P

I apologize for your suffering. I'll definitely try to improve and go over and repolish things, thanks anon!

I appreciate you reading. I feel like an awful writer, I'm sorry for what I've put you through!