A/N: WOW, look at me go! Three chapters in five days! So, maybe you noticed that there's a tag up there that says lion!Riku, and maybe you noticed the word "Pride" in this fic's title...? Well...

Matters of Pride
Chapter 3: Stalked

Sora was dreaming.

He'd boarded his morning train, bagel in hand for Riku, but when he stepped through the train doors, the car was empty of people. He sat in an aisle seat, anyway, leaving the window one for Riku, and wondered whether he'd forgotten a holiday. The train pulled away from the platform with a clatter and a roar, and Sora slouched in his seat with a sigh. His watched the scenery move past the window, until Riku's reflection sought Sora's eyes with his own.

There was a fierceness in his gaze, but Sora wasn't afraid. At least, he wasn't, until he turned to get a better look at at his friend.

There, where he'd expected Riku's fur-lined parka and silver hair, was another creature entirely. Beautiful, in its own way, but far more frightening than even the worst of Riku's piercing stares.

The lion was huge, bigger than Sora had seen before, his coat a healthy, shining white, with a bushy mane framing his square face. Yellow eyes gleamed with something predatory, its lips curling back in a snarl. Sora stood frozen as it inhaled his scent. Logic tried to remind him that animals didn't attack unprovoked, but primal instinct filled him with dread. He wanted to fight, and, realizing the absurdity of the situation, found his mind clawing its way toward consciousness.

He woke with a gasp, still trembling at the phantom danger, muscles protesting his cramped position in the armchair. He glanced around him, momentarily disoriented, until he caught sight of the shape on the couch.

Aqua eyes caught the faint light of the room, reflecting it back so that they appeared to be glowing. Or perhaps that was a remnant of Sora's dream, because the shape on the couch was much bulkier than Riku ought to be. Sora rubbed his eyes and eased out of the chair, mentally shaking himself.

It had been a night, and he was still exhausted. A glance at the clock showed him that he'd been asleep for an hour, maybe two, tops; no wonder, then. His eyes landed again on the bulk on his couch and he sighed, bending over to check his guest's condition.

Riku's breath was even, his pulse steady, but Sora frowned at the heat radiating from his skin. He pressed the back of his hand to Riku's brow, to double check, and yes, that was definitely warmer than a person ought to be. He turned to retrieve the thermometer from the first aid kit, still sitting on an end table, but Riku's grip on his sleeve stopped him.

Silver eyelashes fluttered open, revealing wide pupils as he focused on Sora. "I'm fine," he rumbled.

Sora's frown deepened into a scowl. "You're not fine. You're feverish." He pulled his sleeve out of Riku's grasp. "Not to mention all the blood you lost ruining your clothes and my towels. Your pupils are dilated," he added.

"It's dark. I'm fine," Riku insisted.

"If you're fine, stand up and walk out of here. You came here for my help, right? So you're going to get it." Riku didn't move. "Uh-huh." Sora picked up the thermometer and poked Riku in the cheek with it. "Open up, I'm taking your temperature." Thermometer secure under Riku's tongue, Sora headed into the kitchen, flicking on a lamp as he passed it, and returned with a glass of water.

Riku looked weary, but less ashen than only a handful of hours ago, and he accepted the water without protest, taking small sips.

"One-oh-one," Sora waved the reading in front of Riku's face. "That's a fever. Now tell me, how do you feel? Really."

"Like I fought a lion," Riku grunted.

Sora raised an eyebrow at his choice of words, but dismissed it. "That's not good, so I'll believe you. But you're sure you don't feel hot? If you start developing an infection, I don't care what you say, you're going to a hospital."

Riku sighed and started to drape an arm over his forehead, but stopped with a hiss.

"Stitches," Sora reminded him.

"Whatever. I don't have a fever. The reading is wrong. I'm hungry."

Sora ran a hand through his hair, patience wearing thin. It was another demand, and regardless of Riku's state—which he still hadn't explained—it was petulant. "I'm going to let that go as a symptom of delirium. But you're right, you probably need something to eat." He glanced at the clock again. "Food, then back to sleep."

The apartment was silent as he flitted about his kitchen. Riku had to have been joking when he said he felt like he'd fought a lion, but…Sora had spent a long time looking at those cuts as he stitched him up, and the pattern had been similar to a swipe from a cat, albeit much larger.

That was crazy though, right?

Riku had already maneuvered himself into a half-sitting position by the time Sora carried the two plates back into the living room, a burger for both of them, and a side of carrots and broccoli (he was sadly out of fries). The eager expression on Riku's face as Sora placed the plate in front of him was one he had never seen before, and he had to admit that the half-open smile and brightened eyes was really cute. It was enough to make up for his unqualified demand for food, at least, he decided.

The rest, well.

"Does this have anything to do with what happened to your face?" Sora ventured.

Riku shrugged and tilted his head. "Where's my parka?"

"In the sink," Sora pointed towards the kitchen. "It might be ruined."

Riku narrowed his eyes, following Sora's finger. He shook his head, face softening when he looked back to Sora. "It's not important."

They finished their burgers in silence, Sora studying his guest, Riku engrossed in his food. Despite the injuries he sported, and his own admission, Riku showed no outward signs of them. Just the thought of it made Sora wince in sympathy, and when he rose to clear their plates he murmured, "You should stay here tonight. You're in no shape to be out."

Riku nodded.

"Why did you come here, of all places? And how did find me? And—"

Riku cut him off. "I'm tired."

Sora sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, fine. Yes. Get some rest. But, Riku, you can't do this kind of thing to a person and not offer anything in return." He frowned. "I just—it's a lot to take in, you know?"

Riku caught his hand, expression open and honest. "You're a good person, Sora."

It wasn't a thanks, not directly, and certainly not an explanation, but Sora caught his tone and offered a soft smile in response. "Good night, Riku. Wake me up if you start feeling worse."

Riku offered a low hum in response as he eased back down onto Sora's couch.

o - o - o

Sora dreamed again, amber lion eyes stalking him, and in his peripheries, Riku's aqua eyes, but in his dreamscape, they took the shape of the lion's eyes.

o - o - o

The sound of his alarm woke Sora as much as the weight that was making his bed dip to one side. He fumbled blindly for his phone to switch the alarm off, and started to roll back over, but a low voice stopped him.

"Sora." Sora cracked an eye open to silvery hair tickling the sides of his face. His dream lingered, the shape of a lion's face superimposing itself on Riku's, before he blinked it away. Still, his guest was very close, his intense eyes only inches away from Sora's own, which was intimidating all on its own.

"Riku?"

"Sora, I'm hungry."

"O-okay. Uhm." Sora tried to form a coherent response, but for that, he needed coffee. He stretched, and when it became apparent that he was getting up, Riku stood up from the bed to let him pass.

Riku followed close behind as he shuffled to the kitchen, expectant.

The smell of coffee grounds brought Sora into the present, and as the machine gurgled and dripped, he turned back to his silvery-haired shadow. "Feeling better?" Riku nodded, watching as Sora retrieved eggs and sausage from the fridge. He frowned, not satisfied with the answer. "After we eat, I should check your wounds again." He fixed Riku with his own piercing stare. "And while I do that, you're going to answer some questions."

Twenty minutes later, and Riku sat complacent as Sora inspected the bandages and stitches, checking for any hints of infection.

"How'd you get these?" Sora lifted the edge of a bandage with a gloved hand.

"I was attacked."

Sora snorted. "That much is obvious. By what, a bear?"

"No." Riku stared at something on the floor. "By my brother. He wasn't himself."

Sora shot him a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry. Is he okay?" A noncommittal shrug from Riku. "But why not just go to an ER, then? Are you in some other kind of trouble?"

"No."

Sora pursed his lips as he finished his appraisal and sat down next to his patiient. "Then why? How did you even find me? You never even called me before."

Riku was silent as he turned his stare to Sora, as if taking his measure. "I stalked you."

Sora froze, gaping. "You what?"

Riku gave a huff of a laugh. "It really isn't that hard to track people, Sora." He inhaled, nostrils flaring. "Your scent is very distinct."

"Uh-huh."

"Don't worry, I won't eat you," Riku chuckled, bumping Sora with his shoulder.

Sora let out an inarticulate grumble, followed by a yelp as he glanced at the clock. "Shit! Work!" He jumped up in a flurry of motion, flitting around the apartment. "Too late to call out, but—are you okay staying here alone? I don't think you should go anywhere yet. And, ah, uh, there's food in the fridge, you can help yourself." Sora cursed again and disappeared into the bathroom for a record-breakingly short shower. When he reemerged, towel slung around his waist, Riku was reclined on the couch with a look of amusement on his face.

"You really are a generous person, aren't you?"

Sora paused mid-step. "My friends are important to me. You're no exception. But I'll tell you right now, I don't make a habit out of stitching people up. And we're not done here, but I really need to get to work."

A few minutes later, Sora was waving goodbye to his charge, but not before leaving Riku with an emergency contact number.

o - o - o

It was hard to focus on his menial job with an injured Riku alone in his apartment, but Sora was able to beg out of the second half of his shift. Still, the four hours crawled by, and afterward, when he stopped at the pharmacy to restock his first aid supplies, he swore the line took forever.

With his mind so occupied, it was a wonder he noticed the man watching him from behind a newspaper while he waited for a bus. His hair was silvery, like Riku's, but shorter, and pulled into a loose queue at his nape. His features were fine and, Sora realized, he could easily be the brother that Riku had mentioned. That alone put him on guard, though they'd never met, and Sora had no reason to believe the man knew him.

It was the man's amber eyes, though, that sent ice through his veins. There was something cold to his gaze that was too familiar, that Sora couldn't shake his unease.

It was a relief when Sora's bus came, and the man didn't step on behind him.

Sora took a deep breath as he reached his apartment building. He was concerned about his friend, but he still felt that Riku was leaving out more than he was sharing. It was no different from the relationship they'd already established, but that was the problem. Things had changed the moment Riku decided to come to him, instead of an ER.

If only Riku would acknowledge that.

"I'm back!" Sora called, pulling the door closed behind him. Not seeing his house guest, he frowned. "Riku?"

Something big and white padded out of his bedroom and Sora choked, pressing back against the door, fumbling for the handle. In his mind was a mantra of nonononoNO! as the lion closed the distance between them. It's a hallucination. Or a dream. He shook his head, trying to bring himself back to reality.

The lion's body, when it hit him, was solid and hot, pressing into Sora's chest, effectively trapping him. Sora closed his eyes in a wince, bracing for the worst.

When the worst didn't happen, he cracked an eye open, and then the other, to find a pair of familiar aqua eyes staring out at him from the lion's face as it rubbed its head against his chest. Riku's words of I won't eat you flitted across his mind as he tried to parse the signals being sent to his brain.

"Ri…ku?" he squeaked after a long moment, hesitant. He earned a headbutt in response, and a deep vibration sounded from the lion's chest. Sora shook his head again, and slid to sit on the floor, heart pounding. The lion—Riku?—snuffled his face and retreated a few steps, studying him.

The white body melted into something else, until Riku stood crouched a small distance away, face filled with concern. "Are you okay? You're scared, what happened? Did Terra do something to you?"

Wide blue eyes stared. "I-I think I'm hallucinating," Sora whispered, voice shaking.