"So...I could have gone out at any time?" I try to work my head around the seemingly forbidden concept but all I get in return is a headache.

"Well, you never asked." This remark earns my dad a slight elbow in the ribs from my mom. He smirks and sighs, rubbing his side. "Alright, it was mainly your mother's idea. You might as well leave now before I change my mind. Oh, and bring your phone."

I blush and bring a hand up to my neck. "Ah...about that. I sort of...broke it?" I didn't even finish before a petite, black object flys through the air. I catch it deftly, examining the payphone with wide eyes. "Whoa!"

"Yeah, it's coming out of your allowance." He smiles bitterly at me and this time I return it, albeit nervously. "Well, don't look at me. Go rekindle your friendship and bring more light to the world...or whatever you kids do with those damn keys..."

Mom shakes her head before giving me a small smile. "Just be here by seven, alright? Not a minute later."

I nod and instantly run, opening the front door with trembling fingers. The rush of sunlight is amazing on my skin and I take it all in, basking in the feeling of it while spinning lightly. Then I take in a deep breath and head towards his house.

Sora...I'm finally coming.

Don't Be a Gentleman: Obligated Distraction

It doesn't take long to reach his house. Surprisingly, my body isn't protesting even though I've been running for a while. It's been so long since I've pushed myself like this, I thought I would at least be panting.

Well, none of that matters. His house is right around the corner. I skid and pause at his doorstop, fighting through the nerves and pound my knuckles against his front door. The wood feels dry on my skin and I ease up. After all, it wouldn't do to get splinters.

I gulp as the seconds turn to minutes and I sneak a peek through Sora's window. The inside looks barren. All the furniture is gone, replaced by cobwebs and floating dust particles. They must have moved, I think. Then my whole mood turns sour as I walk sluggishly over to Riku's place. What? Wherever Riku is, Sora is. That's common sense...

Well, normally that seems to be the case. Riku probably won't tell me anything, but I'll go see him anyway. If he won't help, then I'll...I'll...

I stop in the middle of the street, my face soaking with tears. I sniff and look down, forcing my shaking hands to stay still. Maybe there's a reason for all of this, maybe I really should just leave them both alone right now. Even if they came to check on me at the hospital, it doesn't mean I'm forgiven. I hate how selfish I can be sometimes. I'll just-

"Look out!" A rough hand pulls me out of the street. I'm left wheezing on concrete as a car passes by, wind whipping my hair up into spirals. I glare at the vehicle before looking down. I flinch slightly when the same hand from before rubs my shoulder. "Kairi? Kairi, are you okay?"

I continue to stare at the ground, holding in a sob. "Hey Riku..."

"Come on, you look horrible," He says before pulling me up. "My dad's not home yet, you can crash for a little while if you need to."

I smile sadly at him. "You're too kind, Riku. Really..."

He shrugs in response then walks over to his front porch. He's wearing a light white shirt and casual blue jeans. They fade in comparison to his house, which is a rich copper color against his bleak disposition. "Maybe I am, is that a bad thing?" He turns and stares at me, eyes hidden behind silver bangs. His hair looks longer than the last time I saw it and I vaguely wonder to myself how he sees with all the strands clouding his vision.

I swallow. For some reason, it's even harder to look him in the eyes when I can't even see them. "No. It's not, and I'm very grateful."

He chuckles. "Well...?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" He looks at his wrists and makes a 'tsking' sound.

I laugh then. "No, just...give me a moment." I calmly stretch and wipe my face before going into his house and I laugh again as a memory resurfaces. "To think that last time I came here all gung-ho in pink pajamas."

Riku shakes his head, muttering. "Stubborn, that's what you were." He sits on the couch and I sit next to him. It's strange that Sora hasn't come into the conversation yet, and I couldn't help but think that bringing him up was going to be like activating a mine. So I sit back and really look at Riku, trying to figure him out for once.

"So, how have you been?" I ask.

Riku turns his head in my direction, his mouth open in what I assume to be shock. "I...I'm...fine."

I sigh and lean my head against his shoulder. "You really can't do it, can you?"

"Do what?" I can finally see his eyes from this distance, dark and brooding. Just as bad as before...

I smile. "You can't lie. Not with that face."

He scowls and covers his eyes. "Whatever. It's not like it matters."

"It does matter, Riku. You're my friend, it's time for you to share some of your problems with me." I cross my arms. "You'd probably be sharing them with Sora...but he's not here now."

He chuckles sadly. "What makes you think I haven't told him?"

"I just know from how you're reacting now." I shrug. "You tend to be very inclusive." I bite my bottom lip and stare at the wall in front of us that morphs into the corners that lead to his kitchen. "...you're hiding from him on purpose, aren't you?"

He doesn't answer and the air grows colder in response to the silence. I fidget and continue chewing on my lip, wondering if I crossed the line. As I've said before, Riku is a straightforward person. If he won't tell me, then-

"That's one nasty hicky you got there."

I gasp as he touches my neck, right where the purple bruise lingers. "How did you-I don't know what you're talking about."

He frowns and leans in closer, so close that I can feel his breath rushing against my chest. "Really, Kairi? Don't pretend when it's obvious."

I shiver as his hand moves, rubbing my purple skin softly. Goosebumps spread up my neck and my teeth chatter. "No one else has seen it."

"No one? Your parent's didn't notice?" His face turns grim. "Did Sora notice?"

I close my eyes. It hurts just hearing his name. "No. At least...I don't know." It was a strange question. If Riku had called it a 'hicky' before didn't that mean he already suspected Sora's involvement? Hmmm, especially if Sora already told him... "He said I was marked."

"Marked?" He repeats it like it's a death sentence.

"Well, it wasn't really him," I mumble, trying to backtrack. What am I doing? I'm here to listen to Riku, not talk about this!

"Kairi...?" His tone changes completely and I stare into his face. He's still leaning towards me and I blink. Why is he so close? He must know how this feels, what it looks like. My eyes wander down towards his chest and I see his abs protrude under his white shirt as he moves over me.

I gulp as his hand reaches up to push away a strand of my hair behind my ear. "What are you doing?" I whisper, voice cracking.

He smiles. "You wanted to know what was bothering me? You wanted to try to fix me, is that it?"

"Yes...because I care." Tears fall down my face and I grit my teeth. Why is this happening? Nothing makes sense at all right now.

Riku hugs me to his chest and it's freezing. "...I'm lonely."

"Lonely?" I repeat, bringing up a hand to move his hair away, pull the curtain away from the fountain of truth. His eyes shimmer as tears make his eyelids swell and I drop my hand. He isn't lying, he really means it. "Why? You have us, right?"

He laughs and it sounds painful. I move to sit up straight but his hands push me back into the couch. "Even in the darkness, even with Ansem in my head...I've never felt more alone then I do now."

"Riku...we're here for you. You don't have to hide anymore. You can trust us with your feelings, we're best friends, Riku!" I'm crying hard now, shaking with all the pain, all the guilt, all my failures. We failed you, Riku. But...we can change.

Riku looks away from me, his voice small. "I don't need friends right now, Kairi. What I need...is a distraction."

"Riku, please, I can help you."

He shakes his head. "You can't, no one can. I'm not pushing my problems onto you, Kairi. It's my responsibility, and I accept that. I just want a break, that's all."

"A...distraction?"

"Yes." He brings his face up, angling. "So, distract me."

He kisses me roughly and it takes a second for me to do anything else but stare, eyes wide. My mouth opens in shock and he deepens the kiss, grabbing my hair in what some might call a teasing gesture. I can't find it in me to be angry or fight back, it just doesn't occur to me. He seems so desperate, it's kind of hard for me to push him away when I know I'm part of the problem.

You're betraying Sora. The thought rattles inside me and I moan as the bruise on my neck acts up as well. Riku doesn't seem to notice though, he just continues kissing and pulling and tugging...it's all one-sided, isn't it? This is all for him, he's using me.

But...isn't that what I deserve anyway? Wasn't that what I originally came here to do, to use him to get information about Sora's whereabouts? Wow, I'm pretty sick, aren't I? Well, if that's the case...

I yelp as Riku bites my bottom lip and my hands freeze in place on the couch. He starts sucking then, and I can't help but think how strange it feels. I hide the nausea and kiss him back, trembling as his mouth fits with mine. If I felt guilty before, then that's nothing compared to what will happen later on tonight as I think about this in my bed. Ugh, no, why did I have to think of my bed? Why is the word 'bed' even coming up at all?

I push my hands underneath his shirt and he tenses up, finally pulling back. I stop, looking at him, ready to question him when he pushes me back further and scoots far away from me on the couch. He covers up his chest and sits, staring at the table. The atmosphere turns from confusion to awkward very quickly. I glare at him, fixing my shirt and rubbing my mouth. "Why?"

He smiles. "You've done enough." I see one tear before he brings his hands up, slouching forward and laughing like a madman. I open my mouth to comment, but his laughs only get louder. I stay quiet, gazing at the table and wishing I could just slam my head through its polished wood. He quiets down after a few moments and it's silent.

Then one sentence. "He asked me to do it." Another laugh.

"What?" I ask, flatly.

"A distraction..." He chuckles again. "He wanted me to distract you."

"...he told you to kiss me?" I have a hard time believing that.

"No." He shrugs. Then he smirks wickedly at me. I didn't have to see his eyes to understand the emotions at work here. "I did it just because."

An enraged snarl passes out of my lips. In the next seconds I see red before my fist slams into his smirking face, right in the cheek. His head snaps to the side, mouth still turned up in a smile as I pant rabidly, pointing at him. "I. Hate. You. I hate both of you!"

He just laughs, not even fazed by the red tinge of skin outlining the shape of my knuckles on his cheek. "I'm sorry, Kairi."

"No, you're not." I growl and stand up. "Why do you guys have to be such idiots sometimes? I try to help and you throw it in my face."

Riku gives me a look, laughter gone replaced by seriousness, and speaks, "Like you really came to help me. You have a one track mind, Kairi. Most humans do."

"I didn't peg you for the type to seek revenge," I mumble, crossing my arms.

"Me neither, it's strangely satisfying." He laughs again and I see purple swirls coming off of his back in waves.

I sigh. "Of course."

His body turns in my direction and he scowls, body glowing with power. "Don't even think about it! I won't have you wasting your light on me."

"Ergh, you are so paranoid!" I stomp. "Quit playing the hero and open yourself up a little."

"...not until you save Sora first."

Oh, that does it! Who does he think he is? "Are you freaking kidding me?! You go help Sora, asshole! Stop being such a coward!"

"You think I'm not trying? If you can barely reach him what makes you think I can?" He shouts at me, standing up as well, easily towering over me since he's at least five inches taller.

I stand my ground. "I don't know, you've known him longer! I'm sure you can come up with something!"

He looks down. "So what if I'm scared, better safe than sorry, right?" He sits back into the couch and I feel like passing out right then and there. Yelling takes a lot of energy, apparently. The emptiness in his home doesn't make it better, it's nearly as bad as Sora's place.

Except that's not Sora's place. "You know what, I don't even care." I stomp for emphasis and walk away, hand on the doorknob when his low voice interrupts me.

"3332 Midnight Avenue."

I pause, hesitating at the door and leaning my head against harsh wood. I'm tired, I'm really tired... "...what?"

He pronounces every word slowly, making every letter count. "3-3-3-2 Midnight. Avenue."

I don't say anything for a long time, fingering my bruise, hoping that the pain will provide an escape. I need a place to think, I need to be alone. But my heart would never allow it, and neither would Riku. We both care too much, and we're both horrible liars. Sora would be so ashamed.

I swallow and waste one last glance on Riku. "Meet me at my house at five. We're going to have to explain stuff to Dad."

He simply gives me a half-hearted thumbs up from the couch. "Always happy to help, Kairi."

I force out a chuckle. I should have punched him twice. "Oh no, the pleasure was all mine." Then I leave and slam the door as hard as I can.

Happy Birthday to me and happy update for you guys!