Ugh… sorry everyone. Haven't really had times to update. I haven't even really been living at home lately; my friend's parents are nearly adopting me at how much time I spend at their house. No, I'm not fighting with my family. My friend just wants to hang out everyday… literally. So I haven't really been to the computer in a while. So please forgive me… and if I haven't gotten to you, it's because my PM thing is so messed up right now. If you want to privately talk to me, my e-mail is: reason why I haven't updated is because someone people are posting my story in a few places and I don't like that. Just let me know and give me credit. This is my first actual experience with people taking the story… but just don't. If you post it in a live journal, okay. I think someone did, and then gave me credit. Thank you, but next time please let me know. Just ask. I won't say no, I'd just like to know.
I've missed a lot of you. Amanda, Tihmm, the others… yeah. Please don't hate me…
And I've been working on separate stories. But thank you everyone who have continued to write reviews. 190! Whoot! And we're only on Chapter 7!
As for Zexion and Demyx, they will appear eventually. But it won't be big. Just minor characters.
CHAPTER SEVEN: I'm not jealous
Sora had never, ever seen Cloud this irritated, much less this angry looking. He sat at the table, watching his older brother stab at the sausages he had made. Now, Sora realized Cloud didn't eat much. But for Cloud to just sit and stab pointlessly at his food brought curiosity up inside Sora. Had his date really gone that horrible?
"Cloud?" Sora asked. Those lethal blue eyes seemed to send him a warning glare. Immediately, Sora closed his mouth and went back to eating. There was no point asking about the date.
"I just got a call from Tifa a few hours ago." Sora felt his stomach give out right there and then. Tifa… had called?
Sora liked Tifa. But she was Kairi's older cousin, so to hear that she had called meant Kairi had wanted to talk to him… which didn't make Sora feel much better. He thought that by moving away that he would have been able to get away from the red head. It wasn't that he hated her, she was just… persistent? Was that the right word for her?
"And…?" Sora asked, beginning to swallow a piece of the meat on his plate. Cloud lowered his gaze, not wanting to spot Sora's reaction.
"Kairi took a boat. She's coming over here in a few days." Sora choked on his food. What! Kairi was now chasing him into the city! With a few chugs of milk, Sora managed to just barely swallow the piece of meat.
"What!" Sora demanded, leaping out of his chair. That was too sudden… Had Tifa told her no? Maybe Kairi was brining a papou fruit… that meant trouble… Maybe Sora would be able to get Axel to scare her off. "I'll just say Kairi thinks Roxas is cute. Then Axel will chase her away…"
"Don't screw around with her. Tifa will come to Twilight Town if anything happens to Kairi. You force the burden on me and I swear to god Sora…" Cloud didn't need to finish his sentence. As if an example, he chopped his fork through a piece of meat viciously. He had a good tendency of always letting his victims imagine what would happen to them.
Sora knew Cloud cared for Tifa. They were like brother and sister at the islands. But the whole island knew she had a temper when others messed with her family. Last time Sora had made Kairi cry – he didn't accept her papou fruit- Cloud had to suffer the torture from Tifa. Oh, how Sora tried so hard not to smile at the memory. Tifa had chased Clouds for hours, and then tackled him in the ocean. Being as strong as an Amazon, Tifa had broken Cloud's arm while wrestling with him.
Cloud didn't let anyone sign his cast. He simply wrote in sharpie 'Once I am out of this cast, I will kill Sora'. And every time Sora saw that cast, he flinched.
"Whatever…" Sora didn't notice the time being noon. All he did was begin to storm out of the house. Sometimes he wished he was born in Twilight Town, and not Destiny Island. After all, as much as Kairi was a good friend, he just couldn't be with her like that.
Through his fury, Sora completely stomped outside and past an ever familiar silver haired teen.
"Hey Sora." Riku whispered, walking onto Sora's porch. Sora ignored him. Instead, he smirked to see Axel sitting on Roxas' porch, waiting patiently for Roxas to wake up and come out. What perfect timing! "Sora?" Riku stopped following Sora when he noted Axel sending him a glare. It was that glare that kept Riku more then 50 feet from Roxas' house. Great, Sora was ditching their 'date' to hang out with his over protective friends…
"Axel! I've got a favor for you!" Axel's green eyes twinkled. A favor always came with something return. No, he wasn't a free person. There always had to be something in it for him when favors had to be done. "If I said there was a girl who thought Roxas was cute… what would you do?"
Sora knew the answer before Axel said it. How did he know? Well, Axel's upper lip curved slightly as a growl emitted from his throat. Hayner wasn't that bad because he was a guy. But no girl could have his Roxas.
"I'd kick her ass. No girl gets-"Axel froze when the door slammed open and hit his side so hard that the poor red head rolled right off the porch and into the bushes. Sora's eyes widened to see his new best friend.
Roxas stood, eyes narrowed from lack of sleep. He was still wearing his usual giant white T-shirt and boxers… but he was so angry that he couldn't care. "Go home. I'm tired."
"But Roxas!" The bush cried. Wide eyed, both boys turned to stare at it. Axel's head popped out. All anger that was there for the thought of a girl clinging to the dirty blonde seemed to have vanished visibly because now he was just holding the cutest puppy look had ever seen. "I thought we were going to go to that creepy mansion today and set it on fire-"
"I never said we set it on fire!" Roxas barked, sounding almost as mad as another spiky haired blonde Sora knew. Sighing, Roxas closed the door and took a seat on the porch. "And anyway, Hayner invited me over to the secret spot today…"
Sora could feel the fire burning from the bush from here. No, the bush wasn't really on fire. But Axel looked ready to burn anything. His green eyes suddenly darkened a few shades, his black gloved hands clenching and unclenching at his sides.
"He's… jealous?" Sora thought. A sudden hand gripped his shoulder.
Poor Sora didn't even have time to react. He was lifted onto someone's shoulder, their muscled shoulder cushioning his stomach. And yet, this position was so familiar because he could just picture Leon snatching up Cloud and giving that evil smirk to him.
The ground began rocking under them… and Sora gasped to see whoever was carrying him turns their back to Roxas and Axel. That usual jealous scowl crossed Roxas' face and Axel seemed to take Roxas' side within a second flat. And yet, at the same time a light bulb seemed to spark itself into gear over Axel's head. What a great idea! Kidnap Roxas away from Hayner!
"Put me down, Riku!" Sora begged, digging his hands into Riku's sturdy back. But the silver haired teen was mad enough that Sora had just breezed past him without a word. If he couldn't hang out with Sora, neither could they.
For the first couple of silent minutes – well, excluding Sora's cries for someone to help him down- Riku didn't make a word. But even you wouldn't be able to stand hearing someone yelling for help in your ear for a full 2 minutes…
"Calm down." Riku growled. Of course, Sora did calm down. He had a nasty habit of calming down when someone told him to. Even Kairi had complete control over him. "Our promise… forget it?"
Yes, Sora had forgotten it. But the second he realized the time – the clock seemed to stand over the rest of the buildings, trying to help him remember- and why Riku seemed so upset made him realize. "Oh! Your secret place!"
"Yes. Our secret place soon." Riku whispered. Now Sora just limply hung there, resting his cheek in one hand and the other swaying off Riku's back. What sort of place was this? Maybe it was just a boring little hill in the sunset… or a hidden room at the train station…
Sora's thoughts on the train station were confirmed when Riku stepped into the train station. But what would they do in a private room…?
Riku frowned when Sora's face lit up almost as red as Axel's hair. But the train ticket man's voice decided to ruin his own train of thought. "Two tickets to Sunset Station."
Sora had never ventured anywhere else besides the usual Axel and Roxas places since he had moved to Twilight Town. Whatever came next would be a surprise…
And it was. Sora's eyes widened as he stared at the little part of town, filled with many bare streets and stairways with blue water rushing down them. How odd it was to see blue in the little orange town…
"Whoa…" Sora stepped out of the train, eyes wide with delight as he stared at the many areas to explore. But there were people there, meaning this wasn't just Riku's own little place. And yet, Sora wouldn't have doubted that he was 'king' or the other kids here as well.
"Let's go." Riku commanded, stepping down the orange cobble stone stairway toward the streets. Sora did the same, his grin becoming bigger and bigger with each step. As he leapt off the first stairway, he turned… and frowned. Maybe it was just him, or had the staircases changed? Like, there were more then the ones he had jumped down from? "Don't pull a Rajin. Come on."
"Ah… cheer up Roxas. You can't have control over all your friends." Axel whispered. The two were outside his house, Roxas sitting on the porch while Axel was seated a step in front of him. In his black gloved hand was a sea salt popsicle, Roxas' favorite.
Even now, Roxas was forming a hard line with his lips, refusing to even nibble on his favorite treat. And Axel's patience was becoming thinner and thinner because he couldn't stand holding something so cold for so long.
"He's only doing-"Roxas growled before the popsicle was shoved into his mouth. In an instant, he pulled it out so he wouldn't have bitten into the cold ice cream. Axel chuckled, sipping his hot chocolate like a satisfied devil. Sighing, Roxas shook his head. "Riku's only doing this because he knows he's my friend."
The next few moments were in silence as Roxas began to eat the ice cream. It had been torture to ignore it any longer. Axel was devising everything in his head, wondering if Riku really was aiming for that. It was a strong possibility, since he had taken their last friend. The only reason Hayner and Roxas were best friends was because they both hated Riku and Seifer with a passion stronger then anything else.
Or maybe that was just Axel's wishful thinking.
"Seifer would know. He has a habit of blurting out all of Riku's evil plans…" Axel chuckled. As soon as he finished the last word with a smile, he regretted it. Speaking of dumb friends who blurted out good plans…
"That's a great idea." Roxas suddenly hissed. Axel looked over his shoulder frightfully, knowing he had told Roxas the wrong information. "We find Seifer and taunt him. Then he'll say Riku's plan and we stop it and save Sora before it happens!" Roxas cheered, his blue eyes glowing brighter then the sea salt ice cream.
Looking to the ground in front of him, Axel shook his head with a sigh. Every time Roxas went even near Seifer, it would start a fight. Not that Axel didn't want to be a hero and rescue Roxas, but he didn't want him hurt either…
"It's too dark."
"Just go in."
"No." Sora said sternly. Riku turned to glare at him, standing outside the Tunnel way. "I… don't like dark places…" It was true. Sora wasn't scared of the dark, he just remember that a dog had once gone after him in 'Kairi and his secret place' where it was dark. And though by now he was Riku's friend, he also wasn't completely trustworthy. "If something attacks me, I won't be able to fight back…"
One of Riku's gloved hands shot out and took Sora's hands. "Come on. I'll kill anything that attacks us." Sora didn't doubt that either.
Very few lights were lit up in the daytime down here. But the deeper they went, the bright it seemed to go. And it was… an actual light. Not the orange light that gave Sora irritation. Twilight was pretty, but he missed his island sun and the starry evening.
"No one goes down this tunnel way because it's too dark for them. I do… because it's the only place I can really be alone. So don't go around telling people about this place, because it's the only place I can be alone." Riku whispered. Sora understood what he meant and his selfishness. He had once tried his best to be away from his friends and Kairi. But when he found his secret place, Kairi and Selphie had followed him and had claimed it 'their' secret place.
"I won't. I used to have my own secret place…" Sora compared.
"Did your girlfriend follow you?" Riku chuckled, giving Sora his usual wicked smirk. For some reason, Riku hated saying those words every time. The more he called that girl Sora's girlfriend, the more irritated he got with her. Heck, he didn't even know her and he was all ready hating her.
"Don't bring her up…" Sora groaned. This was his one chance to have fun and enjoy his real friends before Kairi came. He was awkward around girls… and it would be awkward to try and do boy things for once with her calling him to hang out with her.
"Something wrong?" Riku asked. Through the faint light, Sora noted Riku's silver eyebrows furrowing at sensing the tension in Sora's voice.
"She's coming down to visit…" Sora sighed, stopping their walk. Maybe the light was too faint, but Sora could have sworn he saw Riku's jaw line tighten in anger. "And I don't want her to. I really, really don't… because then I'm gonna not be able to hang out with Roxas, who's pissed with me as is, and then-"
"You don't want her to come?" Riku interjected. The faint light showed clear surprise on his face, the ends of his mouth even threatening to tug into a smirk. Sora nodded, closing his eyes tightly to hold back any frustrated sounds. If they had been opened, he would have seen Riku smirking proudly.
He was going to make sure Kairi had one hell of a stay in his Twilight Town.
Seifer had never been so surprised in his life to see Axel and Roxas simply walking into his sandlot, that usual angry pout in place. Though it was his rival, Seifer hated to admit it… but he found Roxas adorable. Maybe that's why he hated him so much…
"Well… if it isn't the lamer and his bodyguard!" Seifer taunted, strolling toward Roxas. Roxas stopped his walk, Axel towering over him menacingly. But Roxas just smirked almost as devious as Riku would have. After all, he was going to play hero and rescue his best friend. "What? Here to steal another one of us, lamer?"
Roxas' face fell instantly. "What?"
"Thief." Fujin growled. Axel grinned at her, resting a single massive black gloved hand on Roxas' right shoulder. The other now had a chakra spinning it, waiting for the order to ruin her beauty.
"It's bad enough you stole Riku from us, ya know?" Rajin sighed. Now Roxas was finally getting it… and he felt horrible. Riku was neglecting them too? Did that mean that Riku actually just wanted to be Sora's friend?
"No… you guys are secretly plotting to have Riku steal Sora way… right?" Roxas asked. After all, it was their usual plan to make Riku steal Roxas' friends.
"No… you lamers are secretly plotting to have Sora steal Riku away… right?" Seifer asked. After all, it was a good plan of revenge to have their own thief be stolen.
For moments, Roxas and Seifer just gaped at each other. Neither of them knew what the plan was! Then what was Sora's plan and Riku's plan?
"No." Roxas hissed, shaking his head. He refused to believe the Riku was actually being nice and trying to be Sora's friend. "We have to stop this." If Riku and Sora became good friends, that would force the Sandlot gang, Roxas and even Axel to be… nice to each other… "We have to stop this now."
"Help." Fujin commanded.
"We could… help each other ya know? Like, we could try to split them up, ya know?" Rajin suggested with a shrug. Only Axel appeared to be thinking. If they got along by trying to split the two boys up, why was it so bad if they had to get along because they were together?
"Um… Roxas, please think straight…" Axel hissed, ducking low to Roxas' ear. But Roxas couldn't think straight. So he would have to get along with Seifer for… what, a couple of hours? Beats having to spend days with him!
"Fine. But do anything to my friend and Axel will kill you." Roxas stated. Axel smacked a glove to his face, making a frustrated groan. Now Roxas was depending on him to help him kick their butts if Sora got hurt? How could he say no…
TO BE CONTINUED...
Sorry for the delay. There will be… a kiss scene between a certain couple in the next chapter along with lots of Riku jealousy and Sora cuteness. It's not the best chapter, I know. But next one will be. And it won't take me forever like it did for this one. At latest, it should be here before November. It's just school is also starting…