A/N: If you like angst-riddled, unhappy endings then you don't necessarily need to read part two of this story, because part one stands well enough on its own, in that regard. However, I felt like continuing this, so feel free to read on for the just as dramatic, happy conclusion. Enjoy :D

Poinciana Part Two.

Roxas had never considered himself to be a restless sleeper per se, but once he was awake – that was just it. His brain would hum to life and his mind would sharpen, all vestiges of sleep leaving him, long before his eyelids even began blinking open. He could never just simply roll over and slip back into blissful oblivion; the endless, pervasive thoughts that hounded him in his conscious hours readily returning to him, persistent as ever. This constantly wired trait of his wasn't always something that necessarily bothered him much, but sometimes…it would have been nice, if he could revisit some of his more memorable dreams.

Roxas didn't know what had roused him from his sleep this morning, but there he was, lying on his back just staring up at the smooth, white expanse of his bedroom ceiling. Dim sunlight was streaming through his closed curtains and slowly warming the room. It was a rare day off from the hospital for him, and he hadn't had the need to set an alarm till much later. He mercifully couldn't recall any troubling nightmares, so the reason why he was suddenly wide awake was simply a mystery. Roxas might not have been a person that woke up feeling groggy and clouded, but waking up on his own without any outside interference was still a strange occurrence to say the least.

Rolling his head to the right, Roxas looked over at the glowing numbers of the digital clock resting on his bedside table. It was just after nine on a Saturday morning. He'd set his alarm for ten. Silently, he breathed out a small sigh and looked back up at the ceiling. His arms were both above his covers, his hands resting beside his head. Unconsciously, the fingers of one hand shifted and twisted through a few unruly strands of his hair.

He'd been feeling a lot better lately, to some notable degree.

It had been just over a month since Roxas had travelled north with Xion to attend his grandfather's birthday party, and one of the first things he had done when he'd returned home was to go and find himself a reputable psychologist.

He had very nearly suffered a breakdown after the troubling events of that day, and with nothing else to comfort him but his tumultuous, destructive thoughts, Roxas wouldn't have been able to successfully hold all of his guilt and torment inside without slowly driving himself mad.

He'd been more than a little apprehensive about opening up to a complete stranger; fearing some sort of hostile prejudice on the psychologist's part, but the man Roxas had been seeing had shown him nothing but kindness. Doctor Wise had been genuinely sympathetic to Roxas' emotional state and difficult circumstance; being a self-proclaimed expert on all matters of the heart, he had helped Roxas to see that love was never truly just black and white. Roxas still wasn't ready to face Sora (if ever he could), but simply just having someone who he could candidly talk to, about all of his confusion and guilt, was working wonders. It gave him a fresh new perspective, and for once, after so many years, he really felt like he could put his poisonous fixation for his cousin behind him.

It had been a trying month to say the least. He was five weeks away from completing his Master's in Pharmaceutical Medicine and as his finals drew ever closer he had been inundated with mandatory class lectures, rigorous cramming sessions, and increased shifts at the hospital where he worked.

Between all of his studying and working, and weekly sessions with Doctor Wise, Roxas had still made it a priority to break things off with Xion. He couldn't be honest with her when she'd asked him for a reason why – couldn't even look at her face, when the colour of her eyes so painfully reminded him of Sora's. He should have felt worse for cheating on her, but he never really did; so consumed was he with the realisation that now that he had experienced some semblance of the real thing with the one he truly loved, he couldn't even bear to touch her. Her curves were too soft and rounded in awkward places; her silky, black hair was the wrong texture and her lips too full and pliant beneath his own. He couldn't do it anymore – not when she was gasping his name and he was desperately reminding himself not to breathe Sora's.

It had taken him a few, agonising days to mentally prepare himself to destroy one of the best security blankets he had, but morally, there was no other way. He'd managed to do it, somehow.

Xion had been extremely upset, especially when Roxas admitted to never loving her. That wasn't entirely true, but he felt that that was probably a much easier thing for her to understand than admitting he'd only started dating her because her eyes had reminded him of someone else. He really had been using her from the start, which in hindsight probably did more harm to his precarious mental state than good. She was a beautiful, kind person, that certainly didn't deserve the hurt Roxas had caused her, but in the end, she would only ever be a poor replacement.

Xion had promptly moved out of the apartment they had been sharing together for the last year, and found a new place to live with a mutual friend of theirs. A kind-hearted girl to the end, she still wanted to keep in contact with him, but Roxas just wanted to be alone. He was content for the moment to just wallow in his own personal brand of shame and self-loathing. He felt horrible – felt like the heartless monster he knew himself to be. It would be a long time till he felt he could try again with someone new; he didn't want to mess with anyone else's feelings. But with Doctor Wise' continued guidance, Roxas was confident that one day he would be over his obsession with Sora and then maybe, he could start afresh, and not just as a means to heal his wounded heart.

Scrubbing at his mess of blond hair, Roxas poured himself out of bed and grabbed up an old t-shirt haphazardly left on his bedroom floor and tugged it on over his head. Trudging out into the living area, he made his way straight into the kitchen to procure himself some coffee and maybe entertain the thought of making some sort of breakfast. He wasn't sure if he was hungry and he didn't necessarily feel tired enough for coffee, but it was more force of habit than anything, to start the day off with a boost of caffeine. That, and he just really loved the taste.

As he turned the little coffee machine on and waited for it to heat up, Roxas' eyes shifted over the kitchen bench and out towards the blank screen of the television that was sitting in the living room. He rarely turned it on these days, what with being so busy with his studying and work. He preferred the silence anyway; it was easier for him to make sense of his muddled thoughts. From there, his gaze wandered sharply to the left and he resisted minutely, trying to turn his focus elsewhere, but he knew he couldn't help it when his eyes were instantly drawn over to the little pot plant sitting on one of his windowsills. The early morning sunlight was streaming in, in bright, warm shafts, making the ferny, tiny leaflets of the Poinciana sapling light up in a brilliant, kelly green. Roxas had transferred it into a larger pot than what it had arrived in, fertilized it well, pruned it lightly and made sure to water it every day. It seemed happy and healthy living on his windowsill for the moment, and he was glad to see it had made a full recovery, considering the questionable treatment it had been subjected to, when it had first arrived on his doorstep.

Three weeks earlier, Roxas had come home one evening to find the little sapling sitting pretty and innocent outside his front door. He had instantly recognised it as a Poinciana tree and had not been pleased to see it in the slightest. A large green ribbon had been wrapped around it's pot, but there was no mention anywhere on it as to who had sent it. There was a tiny little greeting card from some generic online gift service, but that was all, which only served to enrage Roxas further. He wasn't an idiot – there was no doubt in his mind about who had sent it to him.

As soon as Roxas had unlocked his apartment door, he'd wasted no time in snatching up the offending pot and bringing it inside, before promptly hurling the entire thing – green bow and all, into the rubbish bin beneath his kitchen sink. He'd been so furious. Why would Sora torture him like this? He was determined to let the tree wither and die in there, and forget its arrival on his doorstep had ever occurred in the first place.

It sat in the bin under the sink for three, whole days until Roxas finally gave in. The little sapling had been eating at his thoughts so much it had started to interfere with his sleep; his dreams full of fluttering, scarlet blossoms and the soft whisper of gently shifting leaves.

After rescuing it from underneath a couple days' worth of stinking food scraps and other odd bits of generic trash, Roxas anxiously realised he'd very nearly succeeded in killing the poor thing, and he might just be too late in saving it. Initially he hadn't felt optimistic about it surviving, but he'd been furiously persistent anyway. Somehow, he had succeeded, and the little sapling was now back to being as happy and healthy as ever.

When the Poinciana had first begun to recover, he was surprised to discover that he actually enjoyed looking after it and often caught himself sliding his fingertips along its tiny, delicate leaves whenever he tended to it. It was kind of…good for him in a sense, reminiscent of some kind of natural therapy. He was fully aware that no one but Sora could have sent it, and it made him angry whenever he wondered about the motivation behind its arrival, but it was still a beautiful tree – one that had always been deeply rooted in the most unforgettable memories of his childhood and adolescence. It would take eight years for it to flower for the first time, and he was adamant in looking after it until that day came. Eventually, when he'd finished his degree and had something more to show for it, he would have a garden large enough to plant it in.

The coffee machine finally ceasing its clicking and whirring in front of him, Roxas pulled his thoughts away from the sapling on the windowsill and shifted his focus back to the task at hand. He deposited a small coffee pod into the necessary compartment and retrieved a mug from one of the cupboards near his knee, placing it ready under the dispenser.

Activating the sequence for a triple shot, Roxas' mind immediately started to wander again. He frowned down at his feet and sighed; one hand idly scratching at his stomach. He'd been trying not to dwell on it so much (knowing it wasn't good for him), but it was still proving difficult not to think about what had taken place at his grandfather's birthday party. He was thoroughly ashamed of his own actions, but his imagination still couldn't help running away with the new memories he had acquired of Sora.

He closed his eyes and vividly remembered the feel of Sora's warm skin underneath his fingertips, saw the curve of his neck, and the rise and fall of his heaving chest. All but lost in his daydream, Roxas felt Sora's hand's hesitantly pull him closer, even as his body trembled within his forceful embrace – Sora's beautiful blue eyes glazed and half-mast, and his parted lips gasping, as he finally shuddered out his release…

Roxas' eyes flew open and he silently berated himself for getting senselessly carried away. It wasn't exactly an ideal way for him to start the day off on a positive note; recalling Sora moaning and writhing against him. The coffee machine finished its program and Roxas quickly pressed another button to have the mug filled the rest of the way with boiling water. His coffee made, Roxas adjusted his pants and stubbornly ignored the semi-erection he was currently sporting, before leaving the clean-up of the coffee machine for later and making his way into the living room. Setting the mug down on the coffee table and waiting for it to cool a bit, Roxas grabbed up the television remote and flumped back into the couch cushions. He stared at the transparent wisps of steam rising from the mug in front of him as his fingers smoothed over the buttons of the remote in his hand. He was determined to switch off for a bit with some overly cheery, morning-time news program, but he didn't move to turn the television on right away. His mind was still preoccupied.

He wondered a lot these days, when he had a rare quiet moment to stop and really think, about how Sora must have felt in the aftermath. Surely he hated him now. He hadn't received a single phone call or text since that day, and except for the bizarre arrival of the Poinciana tree, Roxas was fairly certain he had finally convinced Sora to leave him alone for good. He had spoken to both his cousin, Ventus and to his mother a few times since returning home, but nothing noticeably out of the ordinary had ever been mentioned in their conversations. Having nothing obviously amiss within his family, because of what had transpired that day, was a small blessing in its own right. It seemed Sora really had kept his word and hadn't told anyone…

Roxas…missed Sora. He was resigned to missing him for the rest of his life, but that didn't make it any easier. He often thought back on how happy Sora had looked with Kairi and sometimes caught himself contemplating how extravagant of a wedding they would have, or what their future children might possibly look like. Other days, Roxas couldn't stand thinking about him at all – not for a single second. There was something twisted inside of him, that turned his love for Sora into a dark and unsettling obsession. In the same line of thought that he wished Sora years of untold happiness, he also cursed him for not reciprocating his feelings. In his heart he knew that was a foolish notion, and he really did understand that Sora was completely blameless in this entire mess, but it was just…so exhausting to feel this way for another person, and Roxas was tired of feeling so unbalanced.

Breathing out a frustrated sigh, Roxas finally stabbed at the corresponding button on the remote and turned on the television; some technicolour children's show promptly flashing up on the screen. He forced himself to watch it, emptying his mind.

Ning-nong!

Roxas raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked over towards the front door of his apartment. Someone was ringing the doorbell. Strange…he wasn't expecting anyone, so maybe it was Xion? She had left a few things behind in the aftermath of their sudden breakup, but it was out of character for her to show up without calling first, beforehand.

Ning-nong!

For chrissakes – "I'm coming!" He called out, throwing the remote down on the couch. Retrieving his mug from the table in front of him, Roxas stood and began making his way over towards the front door. He took the chain off first and peered through the peephole at the same time, only to gasp audibly in shock at the person he saw standing outside. The mug of coffee promptly slipped right through his fingers. Realising too late, Roxas cried out and jumped backwards, the scalding coffee just missing his feet as the mug clunked down into the polished wooden floorboards. It sharply bounced once, flecking the hot liquid all up the door and over the floor, before shattering into several large pieces.

"Shit!" Roxas hissed, quickly scrutinising the extent of the mess at his feet.

"Roxas? Are you okay in there? I heard something smash! Let me in!"

Roxas grit his teeth and glared at the closed door; the person standing on the other side thumping against the wood a few times for good measure.

"Roxas, helloo?"

Of all the people Roxas had been expecting to see on the other side of his door, it had not, for a second, been him. Cautiously stepping around the shattered remains of the mug and the mess of spilled coffee, Roxas pressed himself back up against the door and peered out again.

Sora was standing there, looking much the same as the last time Roxas had seen him, except this time he was wearing a dark blue t-shirt with a long pair of patterned board shorts. He had the strap of a large duffel bag slung over one of his shoulders and looked ridiculously casual – as if it was nothing out of the ordinary at all, that he was right here – 1600 kilometres away from his home – standing on Roxas' doorstep.

"Rox, I know you're in there. Open the door already."

Sora leaned in close and tried pointlessly to peer through the peephole; Roxas gifted with a brilliant close up of one of his vivid blue eyes. His eyebrows furrowing, Roxas bit the inside of his cheek and kept silent.

Sora beat his fist against the door again. "Roxas…?"

Still watching, his fingers pressing hard into the lacquered wood of the door, Roxas just waited quietly as Sora kept standing there.

After a few more seconds that felt like days to Roxas, Sora shifted awkwardly and glanced up and down the empty hallway. He adjusted the strap of the heavy looking duffel bag and delved into the back pocket of his board shorts, retrieving a small, crumpled piece of paper. His face one of mild confusion now, Sora smoothed it out between his fingers, his eyes darting over the words written there before shifting back upwards to glance at the door in front of him. Roxas angrily wondered who had given him his address without even consulting him first, which was obviously what was written on the note in Sora's hand.

Predictably coming to the conclusion that he was in fact at the right apartment, Sora's eyes narrowed in realisation. Now looking thoroughly frustrated, he shot one last glower at Roxas' apartment door before turning and walking back down the hall towards the lifts. Still glued to the peephole, Roxas kept watching until Sora was completely out of sight.

Leaning his head against the door and huffing out the breath he didn't realise he was holding, Roxas ground his forehead lightly against the wood and squeezed his eyes shut. Why, the hell, was Sora here? A flurry of different explanations instantly raced their way across the forefront of his mind; his first irrational thought being – if he, himself had been the one who had been coerced into an immoral sexual situation, then he would be seeking the culprit out to determinedly put them in hospital...but, knowing Sora, it was highly unlikely that that was what he was here to do…

Briefly, Roxas wrestled with the near overpowering urge to fling his apartment door wide open and give chase, but swiftly reigned in his rising desperation, recognising it for the truly terrible idea that it was. Honestly, this entire never-ending emotional rollercoaster was just getting ridiculous now. Luckily, Roxas had nowhere to be for the next two days, so unless Sora was going to camp out the front of his apartment and wait for him to come out, he was certain he could easily avoid running into him.

He tried to convince himself he didn't particularly care where Sora had left to, either. It was a big city…so maybe he had actually flown down for something else entirely, and had just spontaneously toyed with the idea of giving Roxas a piece of his mind while he had the chance.

Ultimately, it really didn't matter what his reasons were for being here, because Roxas was not going to see him.

It hadn't even been ten minutes since Sora had stalked off down the hallway when Roxas caught the sound of far off voices coming from outside of his apartment. He was crouching down on the floor by the door, just cleaning up the last of the broken mug and coffee with some paper towel and cleaning spray, when he paused and went still; listening. There were two people talking to each other, and one of the voices was dreadfully familiar…

"…definitely home, and I heard something smash; I'm really worried he's hurt or something."

"Oh my, that's terrible!" A feminine voice answered, the woman's tone laced with honest concern. "Well, I'll just open the door and we can see if he's okay, together."

Roxas' eyes flew wide when he heard them both stop right outside his door.

What the fuck? He went and got the landlady!?

Throwing down the scrunched ball of soiled paper towel and scrambling to his feet, Roxas scrabbled to unlock the door and roughly threw it open. Sure enough, a petite woman with wavy black hair he instantly recognised as the landlady stood there, frozen in shock; one of her hands holding a key card, that was poised, hovering out towards the door handle.

"Oh! Oh, you're alright, thank goodness!" She sighed, retracting the key card and placing a dainty hand against her chest. "Sorry, about the intrusion. Your friend here heard something smash from inside your apartment and he was worried for your safety when you weren't answering." She looked terribly embarrassed, her eyes shifting over to the young man standing beside her, almost at the same time as Roxas'.

Sora didn't take his eyes off Roxas once; his expression noticeably smug. Roxas' eyes narrowed minutely as they coolly stared each other down. The little shit had known he wasn't going to open the door. He'd done this on purpose…

Roxas cleared his throat and shifted his gaze back to the nervous landlady. He smiled, making it appear as genuine as possible. "No, that's okay, I just…dropped my mug of coffee. I was still half asleep – it slipped right through my fingers."

The landlady laughed in relief. "Oh, that's a shame about your mug, but I'm glad you haven't been injured in any way. Once again, I'm very sorry about the intrusion." She turned to smile at Sora, already taking her leave. "It was nice meeting you, Sora. Take care."

Sora beamed and gave her a jaunty wave. "You, too!"

Waving as well, the landlady turned down the hallway and out of sight; Sora and Roxas both returning to silently regarding each other. Roxas made no move to let Sora in, bracing his hands up against the door frame.

"You're pretty good with that phony smile there." Sora quipped, his eyes hard.

"Takes a lifetime of practice," Roxas snapped back. He was so done with this shit – there was no point in putting on an act. He hated being cornered like this.

"What are you doing here, Sora?"

"I…" Sora held his eyes for a second longer before glancing away. He looked troubled, his shoulders drooping dramatically. "I didn't come here to start a fight; I just want to talk to you."

Sora looked back at Roxas and that was all it took. There was that familiar light in his endless blue eyes that Roxas had always been powerless against – Sora's heart laid bare on his sleeve. He looked so hopeful and earnest; Roxas hesitated and Sora saw it. He shifted a small step forward, the air between them tense, before Roxas' arms dropped to his sides and he wordlessly stepped out of Sora's way.

Offering him a small, encouraging smile (which Roxas steadfastly ignored), Sora hefted the strap of his bag more securely onto his shoulder and walked inside the apartment. Roxas still said nothing as he closed the front door and followed; albeit reluctantly.

Sora kept walking until he stood in the middle of the living room, between the coffee table and the television that was still blaring some obnoxious children's program. Without even being asked, he threw his duffel bag onto a nearby armchair and toed off his sneakers. Roxas scowled at Sora's turned back and then down at the other's discarded shoes, his apprehension rising. Why would he take them off? He eyed the large duffel bag next, with no small amount of suspicion. He had no idea of what Sora's intentions were, but there was no way in hell he was staying here…

"Wow, nice place," Sora commented, slowly looking around the open plan apartment. "Do you live here with Xion?"

Rubbing at his neck in agitation, Roxas made his way into the kitchen, making a beeline for the coffee machine. "Used to. We broke up."

"Oh…"

He heard the infectious awkwardness in Sora's voice and quickly busied himself with fiddling around with the coffee machine. He turned it on again and lifted the small lever that would clear the used pod from earlier, trying hard not to let his uneasiness show. Sora was now openly watching him from his position still in the living room.

"Do you want coffee?"

Sora perked up a bit at that, flashing Roxas that infuriatingly kind smile again. "Yeah, that'd be great."

They fell into an uncomfortable silence as Roxas methodically created their coffees – a long black for himself, and a strong flat white with two sugars for Sora. He didn't even have to ask Sora what kind of coffee he wanted…there was no minor detail about him that Roxas didn't remember.

He was trying to remain relatively calm, but it was increasingly difficult when he was so hyper-aware of the other man currently wandering around his living room. Sora picked up a few photographs here and there and silently studied them, before moving over towards the bank of casement windows situated on the opposite side of the apartment. The sunlight streamed in on him, and Roxas couldn't help but look. He paused adding sugar to their coffees as he watched Sora brush his fingertips over some of the delicate leaves of the Poinciana sapling. He nearly brought himself to ask, but decidedly kept his mouth shut. Sora didn't say anything about it either as his hand dropped back to his side and he meandered away towards the nearby dining table. Roxas didn't have an office, so the sturdy wooden table was where he did the majority of his studying. One half of it was completely covered with a multitude of thick textbooks, loose papers and open notebooks; wayward assorted pens, and his laptop and printer.

"You're studying pharmaceutical medicine?" Sora asked, flicking through one of the textbooks.

Roxas quickly averted his gaze and poured the ready-steamed milk into Sora's coffee. "Yeah…for a few years now. I've nearly finished my degree."

Noticing that Roxas was finishing up with their coffees, Sora moved back over towards the couch and sat down on the side closest to the windows. He waited quietly as Roxas grabbed up the two steaming mugs and joined him on the couch, sitting a safe enough distance away from him, but still close enough to touch. He handed the flat white to Sora; their eyes meeting briefly before Roxas quickly looked away.

"Thanks," Sora murmured, settling the mug between his hands. He brought it to his lips and tentatively took a small sip; Roxas taking the opportunity to flick the remote in the television's general direction, effectively switching it off. Silence instantly descended around them. Sora lowered his mug and rested it on his lap. He looked down into it, noticeably deep in thought.

Roxas swallowed at the lump sitting stubbornly in his throat and pulled in a quiet, shaky breath. His fingers clenched hard around his mug. This entire situation…was utterly surreal, and yet, somehow, he felt oddly comfortable. Sora had never been here before, and apart from their altercation a month ago, they had not been alone together like this in years.

Roxas' heart ached. God, but he had missed this…

Even though so much had changed between them, his heart still reached out to the one person who had always made him feel like he was home.

Everything Roxas had ever felt so strongly was now swiftly rising to the surface – years' worth of heartbreak and shame, and his overwhelming, crushing despair. All at once, his defensive anger left him, and his mind was made up. No matter what Sora had come to say to him, he had to, at the very least, try and make things right…

Roxas turned to face Sora, his expression desperate, but determined. "Sora, I…I'm pretty sure I can guess why you're here, and before you want to…get into it all, I just want you to know how sorry I am…for what I did to you." Sora just silently watched him, his blue eyes solemn. Roxas had never seen him look so serious.

He looked down into his mug miserably. "…I'm not asking you to forgive me, just…just know I'm sorry…and I always will be."

The quiet between them seemed to stretch endlessly then, Roxas still staring down into his slowly cooling coffee as he waited anxiously for Sora's answer.

"…That means a lot to me. Thank you. But that's not why I'm here."

Roxas blinked rapidly at Sora's sombre words, and felt both a sudden wave of intense relief and a deep, nervous confusion. He glanced back at Sora, only to find him now staring back down into his own mug, his fingers playing idly along the handle.

Sora took a deep breath and huffed out a tired sigh. "After Grandfather's birthday, I had a lot to think about. A lot of stuff I'd always been confused about suddenly made a lot of sense. When we were still kids I'd always sort of wondered if maybe…you had started thinking of me in a less than platonic way…" He turned to Roxas quickly and raised one of his hands in a supplicating gesture, "– don't worry, it wasn't noticeable – well, except to me, but your eyes…"

They gazed at each other; Roxas falling into Sora's fathomless blues. There were stars shimmering there. Sora's voice lowered to a murmur. "…When you thought I couldn't see you looking at me…they were so sad, but also…full of longing…"

"To be honest, I didn't know what to do about it – thought maybe I was imagining it all," Sora smiled dryly; glanced away. "I just kept on pretending I hadn't noticed anything changing between us – and then when you told me you loved me that day in the Poinciana tree, I – I lied!" Sora leant forward suddenly and smacked his coffee mug down on the table in front of them. He buried both of his hands in his hair. "I was so shocked, I pretended I didn't know what you were talking about, and when you just laughed it off – the pain I saw on your face…"

He lowered his hands and faced Roxas, his expression deeply pained.

"…it broke my heart."

Roxas could only stare, his fingers like claws, clenched so hard around the mug held between his palms. When he finally found his voice, it was barely above a whisper. "…Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was scared," Sora quavered in return, his eyes imbued with emotion. "We were only kids, Roxas – I didn't know what I was supposed to do – what I was supposed to feel. I couldn't get past the fact that we were cousins – and boys." Sora's voice was slowly rising in volume and tempo now, as he all but rushed to get his piece out – to finally have Roxas understand. "I thought if I just kept on like nothing was different, you'd eventually grow out of it, that you'd start to look at girls instead, but all it did was push you away."

"I'm sorry…it took me so long to tell you. I'm sorry for hurting you the way that I did."

Roxas sat there in stunned silence; Sora's heartfelt apology ringing through the quiet apartment as he resolutely held Roxas' gaze. He didn't look away once, the depth of his eyes earnestly trying to convey the sincerity behind his words.

Breaking their eye contact, Roxas shifted slightly and carefully placed his coffee mug down on the table, as well. With trembling fingers, he slid the mug further away from himself, right out of his reach. Of all of the things Sora had just told him…none of it was even remotely close to what Roxas had been expecting to hear.

He felt himself smile, in spite of his tumultuous thoughts. He really was a fool to have thought anything different. This was Sora, after all…

"Sora, this is your problem. You're too nice."

Sora hadn't stopped looking at him, his expression still sombre. Roxas just smiled sadly to himself and continued staring at the coffee table. He hunched forwards and rested his forearms against his legs, his hands hanging loosely between his thighs.

"I'm definitely more than surprised to learn you knew about it for so long, but you honestly don't have anything to apologise for. It's not your fault I harboured unsettling feelings for you. I put you in an uncomfortable situation and I ruined our friendship. Don't ever be sorry for that."

Sora studied Roxas' profile for a moment longer, chewing nervously at the bottom corner of his lip. His shoulders sagged as he turned away to stare over at the windows; the little Poinciana still vibrantly green in the late morning sunlight. Roxas couldn't see Sora's face anymore, but he could tell from the stillness of his posture that something was still significantly troubling him. His reassurance hadn't seemed to alleviate Sora's unfounded guilt at all.

"I wasn't finished. There's something else…"

Roxas instantly felt uneasy. It might have been a long time since they'd spoken one on one like this, but he had rarely ever seen Sora so serious. It was unnerving. He sat up straight and shifted restlessly in his seat, his heart-rate increasing.

"That day…at Grandfathers…" Sora turned back around, only to stare down at his coffee mug again. His eyes seemed far away. "You mightn't know it, cause we haven't kept in touch, but I've been learning Judo these last couple of years; mostly for fitness, or for when the surf is ordinary, but if I wanted to…I could have easily stopped you. But I didn't."

The strangled beating of Roxas' heart immediately intensified, the dull ache in the centre of his chest that had only just started to alleviate, returned, worse than ever before. Sora steeled himself and resolutely turned to face him, and what Roxas saw there struck fear deep within him.

No…

"Yes, I was shocked to begin with, but when you touched me, I…I didn't hate it. In fact, I kind of liked it. A lot…" Sora was whispering now and Roxas couldn't tear his eyes away even if he'd tried. He was hooked on Sora's quiet words, like a dying man gasping for one last breath.

"It felt…right."

"You don't know what you're saying!" Roxas burst out, seriously beginning to panic. Sora barely even flinched at his sudden outburst, still calmly regarding him. He slowly shook his head and shifted closer to Roxas on the couch.

"I know exactly what I'm saying, Roxas. It might've taken me years to realise it, but I…I've probably always felt the same."

"I love you, too."

Roxas just stared at him in shock. Positively mortifying, his eyes started to prickle with the tell-tale sign of oncoming tears.

How many years…had he wanted to hear those exact words escape Sora's lips? He might have been naïve once, but he certainly wasn't now.

This wasn't a blessing.

It was a curse.

Choking briefly, his emotions warring, Roxas blinked away his distress and promptly shot to his feet. Sora actually jumped and stared up at him in surprise; Roxas not faltering once as he wordlessly stalked over towards his front door and wreathed it open. He turned back to Sora still sitting stunned on the couch.

"You need to leave."

It was Sora's turn to look panicked. "Roxas –"

"Now – Leave now!" Roxas was so angry he was starting to shake.

Sora was instantly on his feet as well, his expression like thunder. "I'm not going anywhere! …I don't understand you – isn't this what you wanted?"

Growling in frustration, Roxas threw the door shut, his neighbours be damned and stormed back over towards Sora. Sora just stood there and waited for him; his hands clenched into fists, the light in his eyes' dangerous.

"No, you're the one who isn't getting it here, Sora! What do you expect me to say? That I'm so happy you love me back, after all these years of me wanting you? That we should tell all our friends we're together now – change our relationship status' on Facebook?" He choked out a sardonic laugh. "And what the hell happened to your girlfriend?"

Sora looked agitated; guilty. "I couldn't stay with Kairi…it wasn't fair on her when all I kept thinking about was you!"

Roxas snorted and tossed his head irritably. He didn't want to hear this – any of it. He made to walk away again but Sora grabbed his arm and stopped him from retreating further.

"…Why? Why can't you just accept this?" Anger still brightened Sora's eyes but there was also confusion and hurt there, as well. It was obvious he hadn't expected Roxas to react like this.

Roxas shook his head in disbelief, his eyes wide and incredulous. Were they really having this conversation? Seriously?

"Because it's wrong, Sora! – It's not supposed to feel right! They send people to prison for committing incest! It's – It's disgusting."

Sora released Roxas' arm instantly, as if he'd been burned. "How can you say that…? How can love ever be disgusting?" Roxas couldn't look Sora in the eyes; couldn't bear to see the hurt there.

One look and he knew he'd give in.

All at once, with his mind still whirling, Roxas' anger left him. He was suddenly exhausted, the absolute madness of this entire situation taking its toll. He spoke quietly, his words pleading for Sora to understand. "…What about what our family would say?" Roxas held Sora's gaze, his eyes clearly conveying his sadness and resignation. It was a simple truth they couldn't afford to ignore, so why couldn't Sora comprehend it?

"Realistically…it could never work. We can never be together."

He felt his face tingle unpleasantly and the skin around his eyes grew warm as his tears slowly welled. He wasn't sure if he could stop them this time. He broke their eye contact and tried to keep himself under control. It was like his heart was breaking all over again.

This…was hell. Hadn't he suffered enough?

Without saying another word, Sora didn't hesitate in closing the gap between them and gently pulled Roxas into his arms. Roxas didn't even try to resist; just let Sora hold him close, his arms hanging limp at his sides. They stood like that for a short while, listening to each other's quietening breaths. Roxas felt utterly miserable…and so very lost. "You can't mean it…you don't know what you want," he whispered into Sora's ear, finally giving in to the urge and wrapping his arms loosely around Sora's waist.

Sora shook his head. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. I want to be with you."

His newly found calm dissipating instantly, Roxas' arms tightened around Sora, his frustration clearly evident upon his face. He had no idea of what was going through Sora's head, but reality was no fairy-tale. Did he honestly believe it could be that simple? His naivety was unbelievable.

If he had to play the bad guy, in order for Sora to understand, then so be it.

"Okay."

Sora sharply pulled away from Roxas, trying to meet his eyes. "H-huh? Really?" He looked so relieved, the beginnings of a tentative smile curling his lips.

For all the good it did, Roxas was just infuriated more.

Breaking free of their embrace, Roxas grabbed one of Sora's wrists and bodily dragged him back over towards the couch. Sora started to protest, but he didn't try and pull away – even as Roxas roughly pushed him down against the cushions and straddled his thighs.

"R-Roxas –!?"

Roxas grasped Sora's shoulders and pinned them against the couch. He surged forwards, seizing Sora's mouth in a hard kiss. It was violent – forceful, and Sora couldn't keep up. He gasped into Roxas' mouth and twisted his hands into the front of Roxas' shirt. Roxas felt Sora nervously giving in and ground down hard into his lap. He grabbed a fistful of Sora's hair and harshly yanked his head to the side; Sora crying out quietly as Roxas scraped his teeth along the newly exposed skin of his neck and shoulder.

"What are you doing!?" Sora managed to cry out, his voice high and panicked. Roxas didn't reply, just possessively claimed Sora's lips again and started fumbling with the drawstring of his board shorts. He wasted no time in jerking the ties open, shoving aside the obstructing fabric. His fingers fumbled over the waistband of Sora's boxers as he swiftly thrust his hand inside.

"Stop!" Sora whimpered, and that was all Roxas had been waiting to hear. Panting heavily, Roxas pulled away to study Sora's face, his hand still curled around him, inside of his shorts. Sora was shaking like a leaf, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands still fisted in Roxas' shirt.

Gently removing his hands and sitting back, Roxas lifted himself off of Sora and stood up. He had made his point. He looked down at Sora, just as Sora opened his eyes again to stare warily up at him.

"Look at you…you say you want this, but it's obvious how scared you are." Roxas tore his eyes away from Sora's dejected expression and began walking back towards the kitchen. He wiped at his mouth morosely.

"Just…Just go home, Sora."

Sora stared over at him, his chest still heaving as he pressed his hands into the couch cushions and sat upright. A myriad of emotions stole across his face; blatant humiliation and distress being the most prominent. He made a small noise deep within his throat and hastily pushed himself to his feet.

Roxas turned back around just in time, as Sora stalked over to him and roughly grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He wreathed Roxas forward with all of his strength, their noses nearly touching. Sora's jaw was clenched and his eyes fairly burned; the muscles in his arms held taut.

Roxas' eyes flew wide. The force of Sora's anger took his breath away.

"You don't think I realise the repercussions of us being together?" Sora shook him. "You think just because you've had longer than me to come to terms with it, that I don't understand my own feelings? Of course I'm scared, you idiot – I'm bloody terrified!" Roxas was rendered speechless as Sora's hands relaxed in his shirt; his tone softening.

"But that doesn't change anything…I still want to be with you, I just…I've never been with another guy before, so it's a little different." He offered Roxas a small, apologetic smile, smoothing at the fabric of Roxas' twisted shirt. "…I need you to go easy on me."

When Roxas still said nothing, just continued to stare at him wide-eyed, Sora leant forward and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips. "We can work this out together, so stop pushing me away…I know you want me, just as much as I want you."

Roxas was petrified; Sora sliding a comforting hand along his cheek before leaning in again to determinedly press their lips together. Roxas' eyes fluttered closed of their own volition, a tired groan breathing past his lips as he buried his hands deep into Sora's unruly hair and promptly gave in.

He tried not to think as Sora's tongue flicked its way into his mouth and they both moaned at the slide of their lips fitting perfectly together; Sora's hands now smoothing down Roxas' back. Why did something so wrong…feel so right? Roxas had been longing for this exact moment for so many years, and now, it seemed impossible not to give in to it; Sora warm and eager against him – the only one he had ever loved, for as long as he could remember…

They kissed for long moments, Sora actively participating this time which sent a small thrill of pleasure shivering up Roxas' spine. Sora swirled and rolled his tongue against' Roxas', pressing bodily against him, his hands fisting in the back of Roxas' shirt. Roxas pulled back slightly, his teeth tugging at Sora's bottom lip. He remembered Sora's apprehension and forced himself to slow down.

"Sora…" He breathed, ghosting the fingers of one hand along Sora's jaw line. "Touch me…"

Roxas watched Sora swallow thickly, the vivid blue of his eyes darkening in response to his request. Trembling out a shaky breath, Sora wasted no time in trailing his hands further down Roxas' back, his fingers pressing and dipping between the ridges of Roxas' ribs before slipping under the bottom hem of his shirt. Roxas shivered as Sora slid his warm hands up along the planes of his back, slowly exploring. The skin where they had touched tingled pleasantly in Sora's wake.

Roxas closed his eyes and captured Sora's lips again, pressing his tongue in deep. He briefly tasted the coffee he couldn't ever remember seeing Sora drink.

Roxas wasn't being forceful, but he wasn't necessarily trying to be gentle either. Sora was a man – not some inexperienced boy, and just the thought of him coming undone underneath him, was testing the very limits of his control. He wanted to try and take things slow and savour Sora's intoxicating taste and touch, but it was hard not to get lost in all of the sensation. They had surely both experienced this all before with other people, but this time it was distinctly different. Roxas was barely keeping himself in check, wanting nothing more than to throw Sora down on the hardwood floor and ravish him senseless. His fingers curled into the waistband of Sora's board shorts and he sharply pulled him more firmly against him. He moaned; thrilling at Sora's straining erection pressed enticingly close to his own.

He kept telling himself – take it slow, take it slow, but he couldn't bear to wait a moment longer. He broke their kiss and suddenly pulled away from Sora, clasping one of his hands firmly before leading him over towards his bedroom.

Nearly through the doorway, Sora caught Roxas off guard by abruptly taking the lead, and whirled him into the wall just outside. Roxas gasped on impact and blinked a few times in surprise as Sora gently settled against him. He offered Roxas a sly smile…

"My turn…" He murmured, sliding his hands underneath Roxas' shirt again, his fingers trailing up his sides. He leaned forward, brushing their cheeks together and sucked Roxas' earlobe into his mouth, rolling the soft skin with his tongue. Roxas hooked one of his hands into the waistband of Sora's shorts again and wreathed him flush against him. He rocked his hips, impatient for more of that delicious friction.

Sora's hands were everywhere, his hard knuckles sliding over Roxas' stomach and deft fingers wandering up along his chest. He teased at pert nipples next, causing a quiet gasp to escape Roxas' parted lips. Roxas closed his eyes and moaned long and desperate, Sora's blunt fingernails scratching lightly back down his waist.

He needed more. Sora was the tambourine man and he was enticing Roxas with his song; his lips, and tongue and teeth, kissing and biting all along the soft skin of Roxas' neck. Roxas' hips bucked forwards of their own accord as Sora sucked gently at the sensitive skin behind his ear.

"A-Ahh…! Ungh..."

His eyes flying open, panting for breath, Roxas pushed Sora away from him and slid a hand around one of his forearms, pulling him through into the bedroom.

The room was dimly lit and warm; bright sunlight now filtering through the thin fabric of his bedroom's curtains. The bed was still a rumpled mess of doona and sheets, but Roxas encouraged Sora to lie down on it anyway. Sora fell back against the bed and just lay there for a few moments, Roxas bracing himself over him, his hands on either side of Sora's head.

Nothing but the sound of their breaths filled the silence in the room as they gazed at each other, and Roxas felt himself relax considerably. Now that they were here, he didn't want to rush this. He wanted to feel all of Sora – to show him clearly, just how much he loved and adored him. His heart ached, but it was a beautiful feeling, instead of the raw pain he was so used to.

Roxas brushed a hand along the delicate skin of Sora's temple and gently buried his fingers into his soft, chocolate hair. Sora's grin softened into a small smile as Roxas admired him, his blue eyes alight with his newfound happiness. He really was beautiful, his lips kiss-bruised and slightly parted; his tangle of spikes haloed around him.

Wanting to touch too, Sora lifted his hand and ghosted his fingers down through the fine hairs on Roxas' forearm. He lightly encircled his wrist, pressing the tips of his fingers to Roxas' pulse point.

"…I love you, Rox. I didn't mean to make you wait so long."

Roxas' heart skipped a beat and he smiled, but it was so bittersweet. He shook his head and lowered himself down onto Sora, their hips aligning and his arms wrapping warmly around Sora's shoulders. "I never imagined I would ever get to hold you like this…I can barely believe you feel the same. I love you so much, Sora. So much."

He held Sora close; Sora in turn sliding his own arms around Roxas' neck. They stayed like that, silently enjoying the warmth of each other; Roxas closing his eyes and just revelling in the feel of Sora's constant heartbeat pounding right next to his.

"…Why the Poinciana?" He asked quietly, remembering the little tree that had so recently dominated all of his thoughts.

Sora shrugged against him. "I was still unsure about coming to see you when I sent it…and I didn't know if I'd ever see you again, considering the way that we parted…but I wanted you to have something to remember me by." He shifted and turned his head, his lips pressed to the shell of Roxas' ear. "…I'm happy you've kept it."

Roxas breathed out a laugh and squeezed Sora affectionately.

"I could never forget you."

Sora nudged at his jaw with his nose and Roxas lifted his head to face him. Their eyes locked for a brief second before Roxas wasted no time in capturing Sora's lips in a bruising kiss.

Roxas moaned softly and subtly rocked his hips, his focus drawn to the intimate press of their bodies. He thoroughly immersed himself in everything Sora was offering him – the tentative brush of his warm fingers, his moist panted breaths and the way he unconsciously jerked his hips upwards; Roxas eagerly pressing back down against him.

Sora's hands wandered down Roxas' back and tugged at the bottom hem of his shirt. Wordlessly, Roxas quickly sat up and let Sora pull the loose shirt off, over his head. Not missing the way Sora's eyes slid appreciatively over his bare chest, Roxas straddled Sora's hips and straightened his spine. He wasn't as fit as Sora was but that didn't mean his body wasn't anything to look at. He let himself enjoy the attention; Sora's obvious attraction to him still a little surprising, considering Roxas knew he'd never been with another man before.

Roxas skated his hands up along Sora's sides and pushed his shirt further up his chest, purposely revealing more of that deliciously tanned skin.

"Are you sure about this? We can take it slow…" Roxas murmured, his latent insecurities about what they were about to do, rising to the surface. If what Sora had said before was true, Roxas was determined not to go too fast, too soon and possibly make him too uncomfortable to ever want to try this again. He waited with bated breath for Sora's answer, even as the expression on his face clearly conveyed how much he was having to hold back and restrain himself. There was still a very real seed of doubt in his mind, that this surely couldn't be for real – that Sora was just humouring him, and would be all too happy to just jump back on a plane and never see him again…

Seeing Roxas' inner turmoil laid bare before him, Sora smiled reassuringly up at him and made a small, teasing sound of impatience. "Stop thinking," he whispered, sliding a hand around the back of Roxas' neck and pulling him down for another kiss. Roxas moaned and opened Sora's mouth more with his tongue, hungrily delving inside. He forced his uncertainty out of his mind. Sora wanted to do this – wanted to be with him, so at the very least, he shouldn't be doubting Sora's feelings.

No longer wasting any time, Roxas tugged at Sora's shirt, Sora in kind sitting up slightly to assist in getting the article of clothing off of him. Their lips found each other again without any lingering hesitation. Roxas pushed himself up and leaned over Sora, panting heavily onto Sora's moistened lips while one of his hands slowly worked at sliding his board shorts down and out of the way. Never a man to be coy, Sora lifted his hips and hurriedly shoved the shorts down his thighs and legs, his cotton boxers going along with them.

Roxas swallowed hard, Sora shuffling beneath him and kicking the discarded shorts off of his legs. Seemingly unworried about his nakedness, Sora propped himself up on his elbows, eager to recapture Roxas' lips. Desperate for more contact, Roxas shoved Sora's thighs open and ground down into him; Sora groaning into his mouth and trembling with the added sensation.

"Mm – ah!"

Starting a slow rhythm with his hips, Roxas couldn't help but let his eyes wander over Sora's perfect physique. Only in his fantasies had he imagined Sora flushed and aching for him like this, and none of them had ever come close to how arousing the reality actually was. Roxas licked his lips and lost himself in the intense, raw desire he saw written on Sora's face, who writhed and gasped from underneath him.

His gaze slowly travelling down Sora's heaving chest and abdomen, Roxas reached out and wrapped his fingers lightly around Sora's erection, his heartbeat quickening when he felt the warm, silken flesh jump at his touch. Sora lifted his hips and pressed himself more firmly into Roxas' hand, as Roxas traced the length of him with the very tips of his fingers, committing to memory the way it curved slightly, standing tall and proud amongst a tangle of dark curls.

Roxas pumped slowly, enjoying the way Sora quietly gasped and relaxed further into the sheets. Sora couldn't seem to keep his hips still anymore, as Roxas continued to stroke him, his other hand caressing along Sora's thigh. Roxas leaned down and dipped his tongue into Sora's navel before biting gently at the soft skin he found there. Sora moaned and arched into the sensitive touch, Roxas warm, wet tongue dragging down his abdomen and lower.

Sora's breathing was positively ragged by the time Roxas finally stopped teasing and closed his mouth around him. It was warm and so very wet, Roxas sliding his lips up and down, his tongue flicking and swirling.

"T-That's…good…" Sora breathed, burying both of his hands in Roxas' hair. He rhythmically jerked his hips in quick shallow thrusts, pushing himself in deeper.

His own erection aching within the confines of his pants, Roxas determinedly kept his movements gentle and slow as he gathered some moisture against his fingertips and pressed between Sora's cheeks. Sora trembled as Roxas massaged at his sensitive flesh, his thighs shaking from the unfamiliar, intimate touch.

His tongue laving along Sora, Roxas' released him but still held him firmly around the base with his hand. He watched Sora's expression for any sign of discomfort as he continued to knead softly, his fingers slightly pressing in. Sora whimpered, his hands flying from Roxas' hair, only to fist hard in the sheets beside him.

"Sora, if you want…I can finish you like this…" Roxas whispered, his voice hoarse. How many years… had he wanted Sora looking like this – gasping and moaning just like this? He dipped the tips of his fingers inside further, and slid his other hand up along Sora's length.

"I don't want it to end just yet…" Sora panted in answer, the silver crown pendant resting on his chest rising and falling sharply with every breath. He dazedly opened his eyes in confusion a moment later as Roxas' hands both suddenly left him. He began to sit up but Roxas hurried to reassure him, moving back up his body and kissing him soundly. Sora groaned and relaxed again as Roxas plundered his mouth, his fingernails scraping along Roxas' shoulders and up along the nape of his neck.

Roxas shivered and blindly began searching underneath his pillows for the small tube of lubricant he knew was there somewhere. Sora's lips and tongue were so very distracting as he finally managed to locate it and immediately started fumbling his way out of his pants.

His last of his clothes removed, Roxas returned to worshipping Sora's body, pressing wet, open-mouthed kisses down the well-defined expanse of his chest and the faint outline of his toned abdominal muscles.

Sora's bronzed skin glistened, his body trembling lightly with anticipation as Roxas resettled himself between his legs and slowly slid his hands down the soft inner skin of his thighs. Roxas pooled some of the lubricant in the palm of one hand and smoothly slid it around Sora's waiting arousal. Sora shuddered and moaned in response. He watched, faintly curious with his eyes half-mast as Roxas slicked the fingers of his other hand and promptly quested lower.

"Ahh…!"

Sora gasped and arched his hips right off the bed as Roxas slowly pressed his fingers into him.

"Does that feel okay?" Roxas murmured, gently moving his fingers inside.

Sora's eyes slid closed as he subtly shifted his hips. "It…feels weird…"

Roxas stroked Sora firmly a few times and slid his fingers in deeper, feeling for that place inside that he knew would give Sora a world of pleasure. Sora's hips suddenly jerked, a startled whimper escaping him as his eyes flew wide.

"How about now?" Roxas quietly asked, his fingers now sliding and stroking confidently, having found what he was searching for.

Sora squeezed his eyes shut and whimpered again. "R-really…good…" He arched his spine and moaned feverishly as Roxas moved both of his hands and continued to stimulate him. Sora was so intensely aroused that Roxas groaned aloud just at the mere sight of him.

"Wh…what is that…?" Sora gasped, quivering around Roxas' fingers as he all but surrendered to the strange, new pleasure Roxas was giving him.

Hearing the curiosity in Sora's voice, Roxas could only laugh softly in answer as he set about bringing Sora to his completion.

Sora abruptly opened his eyes and desperately grabbed at Roxas' shoulder, urging him to be still. "Wait, what about you…? I want you to feel good, too…" He breathed, sitting up slightly, Roxas' fingers still buried deep inside him. He started purposely trailing a hand down Roxas' chest, but Roxas instantly recognised that unsure look in his eyes and stopped him.

Sora looked up confused; noticing Roxas' subdued smile.

"…You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. I'm okay with just this. We can always try more next time…" Accepting of the fact that this was all still so new to Sora, Roxas leaned forwards to kiss and reassure him, wanting nothing more than to set his mind at ease. As much as Roxas wanted to have Sora in every way imaginable – right here and right now, he was still more than satisfied with just having the opportunity to hold him in his arms again.

Considering how forceful he had been in their last sexual encounter, Roxas really wanted Sora to understand that he didn't have to do things he wasn't ready for, just to make him happy. Deepening the kiss, Roxas began stroking Sora again and moving his fingers, but Sora wasn't so quick to let it go.

He sat up sharply and pulled himself out of Roxas' hold, shivering as Roxas' fingers slipped out of him. "I'm not uncomfortable, I'm just nervous," Sora frowned, realising why Roxas was hesitating. "…I want to know what it's like…" He murmured simply, steadily holding Roxas' gaze.

Not requiring any further explanation, Roxas' self-control visibly weakened as Sora coaxed him back into an impassioned kiss. Sora confidently reached down between them and touched Roxas' erection, his fingers curling around and stroking. Roxas gasped and jerked his hips, moaning into Sora's mouth.

God, it felt amazing; Sora's sure hand rhythmically sliding up and down him as they continued to kiss and explore each other's bodies. Sora eventually laid back against the sheets, pulling Roxas down with him. One look at the intensity in Sora's brilliant blue eyes, and Roxas was all too quick to give in.

"…If you want me to stop at any time, just tell me, Sor," Roxas murmured in Sora's ear as he reached over him to wreathe the bedside drawer open. Sora nodded and made himself comfortable, Roxas easily finding what he was looking for and moving to kneel between his legs.

Holding Roxas close, Sora panted and moaned against his lips as Roxas massaged lubricant deep inside of him. Nearly coming undone just watching the myriad of emotions on Sora's face, Roxas hurried to open the condom and roll it on himself, his hands trembling.

Leaning into him and pressing Sora back on the bed, Roxas opened his legs wider and nervously sought his lips. Sora wrapped his arms around Roxas' shoulders as Roxas lined himself up and slowly pressed his way in. Sora tensed beneath him almost immediately, whimpering quietly into his mouth. "Relax…" Roxas groaned, even as he sunk deeper inside. "You've got to relax, Sora…"

Sora heaved in a few deep breaths, visibly shaking in Roxas' arms. "…Like that…?"

Roxas shakily nodded, feeling Sora letting him in. "Yeah…just like that."

His chest aching at Sora's pained expression, Roxas slowly started pumping his hips, setting a smooth, steady rhythm. Sora clung to him, gasping with every one of Roxas' thrusts inside of him.

Roxas was barely keeping himself in check, the warm heat and squeeze of Sora's body around him pushing him closer and closer to his release.

"It gets better, I promise," he whispered, Sora barely opening his eyes to look at him, just gasping quietly in answer. Moaning with the building sensation, Roxas angled his hips differently and reached down between them, firmly stroking Sora back to full hardness.

"There…a-ahh!" Sora moaned, Roxas knowing exactly what he was referring to as he focussed solely on turning Sora's discomfort into blinding pleasure.

It wasn't long before the expression on Sora's face changed for the better, his breaths noticeably more relaxed. Roxas slid into him, again and again, the firm movement of his hand bringing Sora ever closer; his lips pressing and sucking gently along his neck.

"I'm…I'm gonna – ungh!"

Roxas forced his eyes open as Sora shuddered and quivered against him. Panting and gasping with his release, Sora arched forward within Roxas' embrace, his arms pulling him in closer. Mesmerised, as Sora lost control, Roxas deliriously realised he would never tire of seeing him like this – his skin flushed and so wonderfully warm – the deep blue of his eyes captivating.

With one simple look, he took Roxas' breath away.

The slow buzz in Roxas' veins peaked and crashed through him, his hips still unconsciously moving as he found Sora's lips and hungrily devoured him.

-0-

"So…where do we go from here?"

Sora hummed quietly in answer and leaned further into him, pressing his back firmly against Roxas' warm chest. He ghosted his fingers along Roxas' forearms that were currently wrapped tight around his waist.

"There's an idea I've been tossing around for the last year or so, that I think might be really good for us."

"Oh?" Roxas murmured, burying his nose in the soft hair behind Sora's ear. He breathed in Sora's familiar scent and blissfully closed his eyes. Never in his life had he felt such peace.

"I think we should move to the west coast," Sora said confidently, lacing their fingers together. "The surf is world famous there and I really want to start competing more. I know it's pretty far away from here, but I think you should come with me…" He squeezed affectionately at Roxas' fingers.

"No one will know us there. We can start afresh."

Roxas shifted closer and subtly pressed his hips into Sora, revelling in his light shiver in response at the intimate contact of their bodies. He smiled and pressed a firm kiss to the nape of Sora's neck.

"What about when you become a famous surfer, then? Or are you planning on getting rid of me before that happens?" Roxas was still smiling and he'd kept his tone of voice light, but in all honesty he was actually being half serious. There was just no way for him to suddenly dispel his lingering doubts about them being together and easily making it work. The relationship they were beginning with each other…was a lot more than just awkward dinner conversation. If any of their family or mutual friends happened to find out, Roxas was more than sure it wasn't something they could ever recover from.

Knowing him far too well, Sora more felt the uncertainty in the stillness of Roxas' body than in his carefully chosen words. He tugged at Roxas' arms to release him and smoothly rolled over so that they were now facing each other. He wriggled one of his arms around Roxas' waist, pulling him into a close embrace. Gazing reassuringly into Roxas' eyes, Sora leant forward and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips.

"Don't get me wrong here – I don't want you to be my dirty little secret, but considering our close ties…we'll have to keep the PDA to an absolute minimum. People can only speculate then…but that's just how it'll have to be."

Not moving to pull away, Roxas shifted his eyes down to stare at Sora's chin and worried his bottom lip in thought. Finally, he smiled, albeit a little sadly.

"…I'm okay with that," he sighed onto Sora's lips. "I'm just happy you want to be with me at all."

Sora smiled and lifted his hand to slide it through Roxas' hair, massaging his fingers into his scalp. "I can't be with anyone else."

Roxas' heart skipped a beat as Sora claimed his lips again and gently rolled his tongue into his mouth. He moaned softly, feeling his body awakening to Sora's addictive taste and touch. He wanted to have him again, but there was still too much on his mind. He knew he was being selfish, but he wanted Sora to put him at ease.

Reluctantly, he broke their kiss. "And we're telling our family we're moving to the west coast together, because…?"

Sora, his pupils already slightly dilated, shrugged casually; traced a finger along the delicate shell of Roxas' ear.

"We're saving on rent by sharing a place together, and coincidentally, you were already planning on moving over there, because you just landed a great job opportunity – fresh out of uni."

Roxas breathed out a quiet laugh and slid his arms around Sora's waist. He tugged him roughly against him, their hips aligning. "It sounds like you've thought of everything." He pressed a fingertip lightly to one of Sora's soft nipples. Sora moaned.

"I told you, I've thought about it a lot. I'm a problem solver." He grinned and smacked a wet kiss to Roxas' cheek, who made a face, but then smiled all the same.

"Okay. Let's do it. Maybe…it'll work out okay."

Sora sighed explosively and promptly rolled on top of him. "No, not maybe it'll work out okay – you mean it'll definitely be okay."

Roxas said nothing in answer, just propped himself up on his elbows and kissed Sora breathless.

Panting softly, Sora kissed the end of Roxas' nose. "Don't worry about it too much. It really will be okay, I promise."

Roxas flumped back against his pillow, looking off to the side. "It's kind of hard not to, when I've worried over it for more than half my life."

"But that's just it, Rox, you care about what other people think too much."

Roxas snorted, his answering remark bitterly derisive. "Oh, so what? When people ask you how we met, you're gonna tell them it was at the family Christmas party?

The mood darkening considerably, Sora flushed and looked sheepish, but he wasn't ready to back down just yet.

"Well, no, but it's not like we have the same last names, and we can't exactly have children." He nudged Roxas' chest. "Come on, Roxas, be happy. We'll move to the west and get a nice place together and we'll make this work. At the end of the day, it's no one's business what we are to each other…"

"…Because we love each other, and that's all that matters."

Hearing the sincerity in Sora's words, Roxas looked back up at him, and smiled softly. He brushed a few wayward spikes out of Sora's eyes. "Okay…I'll just have to trust you."

Realising that he had successfully won this round, Sora grinned happily and sealed their lips together once more. Letting his worries go for the moment, Roxas decided to focus on something else entirely, Sora's burgeoning desire eagerly pressing down against him.

"Hey…" Sora whispered suddenly, his blue eyes shining bright. "Your landlady…do you know who she reminded me of…?"

Realising where Sora was going with this, Roxas grinned and pretended to think. "Hmm…hair black as ebony – skin white as snow?"

Sora nodded and laughed, their eyes meeting in mutual understanding.

He's never forgotten…Roxas thought, and his heart – so used to carrying such a heavy burden, cast off the last of its aching pain and soared like a bird, up into the brilliant blue sky.

-0-

It was morning.

Roxas placed his empty mug down in the kitchen sink and turned on the faucet to rinse it clean. He looked out of the window in front of him, out into his backyard.

Right in the centre of the lawn, stood a young Poinciana tree, only a mere two metres high. It was in full bloom, some of its delicate scarlet flowers already splashing the grass underneath with vivid droplets of colour.

Two strong arms suddenly wrapped themselves firmly around his waist, Sora standing close behind him and giving him a small squeeze.

"It finally flowered…" He murmured, leaning back into Sora's warm embrace.

Sora in kind, rested his chin on Roxas' shoulder, peering out at the Poinciana, too.

"Has it really been that long?"

Roxas shook his head. "It's only been seven years…it flowered a year early."

"…It's flowering for us…" Sora whispered, pressing a soft kiss to Roxas' temple.

Roxas hummed in agreement, the sheer luminescence of his smile near-blinding.