*Riku slows blinks* I'm jetlagged and tired. Long vacation and all, but I've returned. Uh I think Hikari said something about squishmallws and something sciencey. I don't remember, too tired. Anyways here is the next chapter.

Chapter 16

Riku returned to the house a bit after the twilight star had faded, and unlocked the front door. Stepping inside, he looked around the empty foyer for a moment before closing the door behind him. Zexion didn't seem to be home yet, either that, or he was somewhere else in the house. Riku shrugged it off, walking further into the house, and checking around, glancing into the kitchen and dining area, before turning towards the hallway. He didn't hear any voices from the basement or any of the rooms he walked past the doors towards the back of the house.

He had to find Saru anyways if he was going to at least try and offer the invite to him.

Headed towards the back of the house, he could hear faint sounds from outside. He pushed on further and reached the back door and opened it. Once opened, he saw several feet away Zack and Saru clashed woodend swords. Both of them seemed deep in concentration as neither acknowledge Riku now standing part way out of the door.

Saruhiko disengaged, and hopped backwards, out of reach from Zack for a brief moment. Zack changed his position slightly as he readily to go at it again. "Come on Saru, try again. You need to learn to know where to direct the strength of your attack."

"Tsk," Saru clicked his tongue in annoyance before lunging at Zack.

Zack held the sword defensively as he shifted his body position again. "It's also about how you position yourself. That and also distributing your weight. For defence at least."

Taking a step backwards, Saruhiko returned to some sort of battle stance before he noticed Riku standing by the door.

"Need something, glitter boy?"

Riku scoffed as he crossed his arms. "Just was wondering where you guys had gone off to. I have something to ask you Saru."

"Since when did you-" Before Saru could finish a wooden sword came down and bonked him on the head. On reflex, Saru threw his training sword, as if it was a knife, at Zack while he stumbled backwards, tripping over the tortoise that had made itself home in their backyard.

Zack quickly jumped to the side to avoid the oncoming sword. Once it flew by him he walked up to Saru and pointed the tip of the sword at Saur's face. "Never let yourself get distracted in a fight. It can cost you."

Riku couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as he watched the scene play out in front of him. He took a few steps forward, out from the doorway, as he approached the two others. Before he could get too close a barrage of knives sudden came directly at him. With a few seconds, he jumped up with all of his strength and landed down on top of the roof. The knives clattered to the ground shortly after.

"Saru!" Zack scolded. "If you keep that up, I'll take away your knives… again!"

"Tsk. If you can find them all this time…" Saruhiko retorted, standing up from the ground while trying to keep the tortoise from eating his shoe.

"I'll help you look," Riku offered to Zack as he stayed up on the time being, knowing full well that Saru most likely had at least a few other knives on him.

"What did you want, Riku, besides to strip search me for knives?"

"Oh," Riku replied as he finally decided to jump down from the roof. "When I talked to Sora… he kind of invited me to hangout again… and asked me to bring you along."

"Will Yata be there?" Saruhiko asked curiously.

Riku nodded. "He didn't want to at first, but Sora managed to convince him."

"Oh!" Zack injerected, his face beaming with excitement. "So it will be like a double date! How adorable! See? What did I say? It was good to go out and meet Sora."

"So Misaki was too much of a blushing virgin to ask me out in person," Saru thought aloud.

Riku gave Saru a brief confused look, nearly surprised that he has even said something like that. "I don't know about that… but I did say I would ask if you would join me. We would be going to the arcade in town this Friday."

"In daylight?"

Riku nodded slowly. "Yeah, it would be around noon."

"I think you guys should go," Zack said instintaly. "It sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Just remember to put on the sunscreen and drink the medicine if you guys are going out in the sunlight at the highest hour.

Saruhiko made a face at the mention of medicine.

"Hey you don't have to take it" Zack replied. "It's either that or the sunscreen. Unless you would prefer to burn yourself."

"Yeah, yeah, learned that the hard way already," Saru waved off his eldest brother before moving to collect his knives.

"So that means you'll come?" Riku asked.

"I get to torment Misaki again, so why not."

As Saru finishing picking up his knives, Zack walked over and clamped a hand on his shoulder. "If you are going, then you are not going to bring any knives."

"You're going to make me go out without any protection?"

"I don't want you to be escorted home by the police because you caused a scene," Zack explained. "Besides you do have your magic at least."

"Half of which I need my knives to even cast." Saru muttered aloud to himself.

"It can be a learning experience then!" Zack chuckled. "Besides, Riku will at least keep you in check. Right Riku?"

Riku rolled his eyes slightly. "Of course, it's practically my part-time job."

"Of which you don't get paid for."

"Yeah… Hey Zack, why don't you start paying me for watching Mr Knife-Happy?" Riku said as he glanced over to Zack.

Saru lazily threw a few knives at Riku for the nickname. Riku jumped quickly to the side, just before the knives could even graze him side. He sent a glare towards Saru once the knives hit the ground. "You just proved my point!"

"You're welcome."

"Hey hey!" Zack said quickly. "No killing each other. You guys gotta stay alive and get ready for your double date Friday."

Riku's cheeks reddened slightly. "Stop calling it that!"

"Aw, is big brother Riku too embarrassed at the thought of going out with another guy?" Saru taunted.

Riku stiffened up as the red did not leave his cheeks. He wrinkled his nose as he tried to think of a response, but he found it a bit hard. After finally meeting with Sora he wasn't sure what to think. He knew Sora was a nice and friendly guy… but Riku just wasn't sure of his own feelings. He never had really felt something like this before. He wanted to be calm about the situation, but every time he thought of Sora, he kept thinking of how sweet his smile was.

With a sigh though he turned his head to the side, and avoided eye contact with Saru. "N-No… I just… I don't know, all right?"

Zack chuckled softly as he walked over to Riku. He placed an arm around Riku's shoulder. "You don't have to be worried or upset if you are embarrassed. You've never been asked out before, so it's okay if you are a bit flustered. But what matters is that you were asked out, and it's a wonderful thing to hear. It's obviously you must feel something for Sora, right?."

Riku scowled as he swatted Zack's arm away. "You're not helping!" Riku then stormed off back into the house without another word.

After Riku had walked off, Sora turned around to face Yata and Vanitas again. He grinned happily before speaking. "I think that went pretty well!"

"Seeing as you are possibly going to have Riku's crazy-ass younger brother join us Friday, I don't know how you can see that as going well," Yata replied as he grumbled in annoyance.

"Aw come on Yata, stop complaining already. This is going to be great! And you will get to talk things out with Saru finally!"

"Like I really want to!" Yata retorted.

"You sure?" Sora replied as a teasing grin came to his face.

"Don't you start again! Just shut up about that," Yata shouted as he looked away.

"Come on Yata, just admit it already. You wanna see Saru again. You actually do wanna talk with him again. And maybe even make things better between the two of you," Sora replied, continuing to grin.

"I said shut up!" Yata shouted even louder, the redness in his cheeks starting to show. "I really have no want to try to be on good terms with that monkey. He left his impression already, and I don't care!"

Vanitas let out a laughed. "Heh, who would have thought it."

Yata turned his head to the side and glanced at Vanitas. "What? Thought what?"

Vanitas grinned, a much snarkier one that Sora's teasing one. "Who would have thought you were a tsundere."

Yata's eyes widened. "What?! Why the hell would you say that!"

"Cause it's true. It's written all over your face," Vanitas replied smugly.

Sora now was the one to laugh. "Hey you're right Vani, I didn't realize it until now."

"Would you guys kindly shut the hell up?! I don't need to deal with this," Yata said angrily, though his expression seemed to waving. He went back and forth between looking angering and then embarrassed. With an angry huff he stood up and started walking away, without another word to either Sora or Vanitas.

"Aw come on Yata, don't be like that," Sora called out to him. "We didn't mean to make you mad. Just like you said to me earlier, it was just a bit of teasing."

"Well you didn't mean it to make him upset at least," Vanitas replied with a chuckle, still amused from Yata's reaction.

Yata stopped walking and turned around, looking back at Sora. "Just please drop it. I really… ugh I don't know, okay?"

Curious about Yata's situation Sora had at least one last question. "But Yata… does that mean you actually might like Saru?"

"I don't know okay?!" Yata snapped quickly. He then stopped himself and took in a few deep breaths. "Ever since I met the guy, I just can't get him out of my head. I don't know if that's because he is f*cking annoying… or if it's… something else."

"Ah, I think I get it," Sora replied with an understanding nod. "I won't try to tease you anymore on it okay?"

Yata breathed out another long breath. "Thanks. But I still don't know how well Friday is going to go. Who knows what the f*cking monkey will say or do."

"We will just have to wait and find out, but I have a feeling it will be fun! Or at least a fun experience!" Sora beamed happily.

So tired... needs sleep. But hope you guys enjoyed. I go to sleeps now. Farewell waking world, hello realm of sleep.