Author's Note: It's here! Huzzah! I know you've all been waiting and now finally here it is!!! WHEE!!! Okay, people I plan to work very hard on this story! And I don't mean that I'm going to update super-fast or anything (I might if I feel like it and get a lot of reviews –hinthint-) I just mean I'm going to really do my best with the writing and the quality and all that. I have a lot of expectations for this multi-chapter.
Disclaimer: Oh look… Cheese…

Song: But It's Better If You Do

Note: Not all of the songs are going to literally or completely match the chapter they represent. They just sort of set the mood I was trying to create… Yeah.

LEMON WARNING!!!

Prologue

"Well this wasn't nearly as much fun as I'd thought it would be."

"Yeah, but it'll be okay Sora, we've still got a week left to make up for this."

"I guess you're right, c'mon let's track down the others and get the hell out of here."

"I'm in, totally, this party sucked."

Kairi and Sora were standing in the living room of their friend from school Quistis Trepe. The blonde senior was fairly popular at their high school and was renowned for both her looks and brains. She had blonde straight hair that was typically seen done up in complex styles and narrow yet soft features. She was good with people because she had an uncanny ability to solve any problem without getting anyone mad at her. Thus she was popular and so when she threw a party people came. Lots of people.

Usually Quistis's parties were fun but this one had been a bit dull, the blasting music only seemed to numb people's personalities and the drinks were too strong and not at all sweet. A lot of people had shown (as was expected) but the large crowd that, in most cases, would lead to one blast of a party only made things more impersonal and awkward. Kairi looked around and quickly spotted Selphie, Wakka and Tidus talking in the quickly thinning crowd. She flagged them over.

"Hey you guys," said Sora as he spotted the oncoming trio, "we're gonna go now okay?"

"Fine with me," said Tidus, "this party really sucked."

"Exactly what I said," agreed Kairi, nodding her head.

That was when Sora noticed who was missing, "Hey… Has anyone seen Riku?"

All of them stopped and looked around. The silver haired teen was not in the living room that was for sure.

Sora and the others were in their junior year of high school while their best friend Riku was in his senior year. And he had graduated that year so that gang had decided to make sure their older friend would never forget his last week hanging out with them like old times since he would soon be leaving for college in just seven days.

Going to one of Quistis's parties had seemed like a good idea to start The Dreaded Last Week off but in the end the party had been one big flop. Selphie sighed and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Well… He might be upstairs, there are people up there too," she offered eyeing the stairway. Quistis's house is huge…

"Maybe he got drunk and is currently preoccupied in one of the closets," said Tidus grinning suggestively, "you never know… It's his senior year. He might've decided to throw away his virginity before he left."

Wakka laughed and even Kairi and Selphie giggled a little bit. Sora just looked disgusted… Or maybe he was surprised they would even consider something like that. Some combination of the two it seemed.

"You guys, that's sick," he exclaimed, "Riku's probably just upstairs talking to the guests."

"Aw, c'mon Sora," said Tidus, "you've got no imagination. You're telling me you can't imagine Riku on top of some innocent, pretty girl right now?"

Sora spluttered various words before finally managing to get out the sentence, "Tidus, that…. God, Tidus you can't be serious. I mean, Riku's just… He's Riku!"

"Oh wow, he's Riku?" asked Kairi, "That's such a great excuse… He's only one of the best looking guys in his class…"

"I know ya?" Wakka added.

"Whatever you guys," muttered Sora shaking his head a little, "but I'm telling you, Riku's probably just hanging out with the guests upstairs."

"Sure thing Sora," said Kairi, wiggling her eyes brows in a complex dance of suggestiveness, "whatever you say…"

She and Selphie burst into another round of giggles while Sora merely rolled his eyes. Honestly, he loved his friends but sometimes they could be so unrealistic. Sure, Sora himself was pretty hyperactive and naïve… But at least he knew where to draw the line. Riku having sex? Nu-uh. No way.

oOoOo

Riku's head was buzzing faintly. He wondered vaguely if he was drunk. Well if he was, then he wasn't that drunk… Not like the people who get seriously drunk on TV and end up in jail or in deathly accidents. Please. He was Riku after all. And Riku was a responsible kid.

That's what all the teachers told his parents anyway. But if those overcritical vultures said it then it must be so. Then again, mused Riku, if they saw him right now they might change their minds.

"So you got a name?" asked the older man while he attempted to tug Riku's shirt off. Riku squirmed a little until he was finally free of the offending garment.

"Riku," came his slightly (only slightly) slurred response. For one triumphant moment, Riku thought that he had just proved how un-drunk he was by answering so well. But then again, he realized, telling someone his name when asked was probably one of those automatic responses that just seemed to leave your mouth and didn't require much thought. So maybe he was drunker than he thought… Oh well…

"That's a nice name," murmured the guy. Riku realized quite suddenly that he didn't know this brunette's name.

"What about you?" he asked, ignoring the mushy quality his words seemed to have. The man seemed to think over his answer for a moment.

"I'm Irvine," he said, "just Irvine please."

"Mm-kay," said Riku quietly, he'd only just realized that the two of them were in a closet. It's kind of cramped in here…

"Riku was it?" asked Irvine with just a hint of playfulness, "mind helping me get your pants off?"

"Oh," Riku looked down and realized that yes indeed his pants were still on, "S- Sure… Okay, um…" With fumbling fingers he undid the zipper to his jeans to reveal plain, solid colored boxers. It was kind of hard to tell what color they were in the dimness of the closet. They were probably black but they could always be a really dark shade of green or red or blue or… Do I have red boxers?

Riku didn't have time to answer his question though because the next instant Irvine was naked too and his hands were roving over Riku's slimmer body. And oh God Irvine was touching him in ways Riku had never been touched before. First time for everything, thought Riku, quoting his friend Kairi's favorite saying.

And though it was his first time, Riku felt like he was doing pretty well. Irvine seemed to be enjoying himself at least. In fact, Riku found he rather enjoyed the feeling of having Irvine's much larger being take him in his mouth.

When Riku released Irvine swallowed and followed up the whole thing by kissing Riku gently on his forehead. And Riku kissed back and pretty soon Irvine had Riku on his stomach with his legs spread wide, invitingly, temptingly.

After that Riku lost track of what happened in what order of events. He remembered the feeling of Irvine thrusting into him. And he remembered more kissing. And he was sure that somewhere along the line there had been an orgasm. But he couldn't recall much else and even those events were slightly foggy and unclear.

oOoOo

"Hm," Selphie bit her lip, "well he's not in here either… Maybe… Should we ask Quistis for help?"

It was about fifteen minutes after Sora had initially noticed Riku's absence. The group of friend had spent the last quarter of an hour searching the large (almost mansion-like) house for their lost friend. So far they'd come to the conclusion that Riku was either in a closet or he'd left.

"Ask me for help with what?" came a polite sounding voice from behind them. Sora and the others spun around to see Quistis stepping into the otherwise vacant room from behind them.

"We were looking for Riku," said Kairi, nervously tucking a few stray strands of hair behind her ear.

"Have you seen him?" asked Sora, Quistis chewed her lip thoughtfully.

"I remember seeing him come up here somewhere," she said, "you can't find him?"

Everyone shook their heads. Quistis tapped her lip.

"Well, almost everyone's left," she said gesturing to her now almost completely empty house, "I can't blame them, this definetly wasn't one of my best parties," she added bitterly, "if you can't find him in this 'crowd' then I can only guess he must've left already… Lulu!"

Lulu, a dark, gothic junior looked up and walked over to the group. She tilted her head inquiringly at Quistis, "Something wrong?"

"You know Riku, right?" asked Quistis, putting her hands together, when Lulu nodded she continued, "Did you happen to see him leave the house?" asked Quistis.

"I think so," said Lulu slowly, "but it's hard to remember exactly. No offense Quistis, but people kind of started leaving quickly."

"Yes, I know," murmured Quistis, hanging her head slightly in defeat, "so you think you saw him leave?"

"Mm-hm," said Lulu, "he was with someone too… They both looked a little drunk."

Tidus who had been watching the conversation with keen interest, turned to Sora and folded his arms smugly, "Told ya so."

Sora still seemed to be absorbing the information, "Whatever," he scoffed stubbornly, "Lulu said she wasn't sure… It could've been someone else."

"No, no, I'm pretty sure it was him," said Lulu reassuringly, "he was with… ah… What was their name…? Something with an 'I'… I can't remember…"

"Well, either way," said Quistis turning back to Selphie, Kairi, Tidus, Wakka, and Sora, "it doesn't look like he's here anymore. You should all head home. It's getting pretty late."

"Yeah, good idea," said Sora wearily as he and the others began heading out the door of the large house. Kairi and Selphie were whispering about all the girls at their school who had names beginning with "I". Tidus and Wakka were going over the blitzball game that had been on TV earlier that day. Sora listened to both conversations with detached interest. He was secretly wondering what exactly Riku was doing right about now.

oOoOo

When Riku woke up the next morning the first thing he noticed was that he had a headache. The second thing he noticed was that he was not in his own bed.

As soon as that fact registered in his splitting head Riku made to sit up quickly. He was stopped by two strong arms that were currently secured around his waist. His naked waist. Riku blinked and looked down, yes indeed not only was he in someone else's bed he was sleeping with someone.

"Ugh," he groaned putting a hand to his forehead and hunching forward a little. These actions must've wakened the sleeping figure next to him.

Irvine blinked groggily before taking in his surroundings. The sun was streaming through the windows and his alarm clock read seven in the morning. He sighed; it was much too early to be awake. That was when Irvine noticed Riku. And stared.

"Um, hey," he said, and though his mind was still absorbing the fact that there was someone in bed with him, his eyes (perverted eyes at that) were roving over Riku's exposed body. Almost as if he could sense the direction Irvine's eyes were headed, Riku subconsciously shifted so that the blankets covered him.

"H- Hello," came Riku's nervous response.

Irvine sighed, "You're the kid I picked up at the party yesterday right?"

"Uh, I guess so," said a thoroughly confused Riku, "I don't remember that much… I think… Yeah, I kind of remember that."

"Ah…" said Irvine, eyeing Riku thoughtfully, "First time?"

"Yeah," said Riku a bit shakily as he put a hand to his head experimentally, "in fact I've never even been drunk before… Does it always hurt this much?"

"Hangovers are a sucker kid and the first one is always a doozy, you're in for a rough day," said Irvine sympathetically he say up and began scouring the room for his clothes. Riku blushed; Irvine didn't seem the least bit modest about being naked in front of him.

"So how many time have you done this?" asked Riku quietly, "I mean… You know, sleeping with someone after a party or… Something like that…"

"I don't know, a few," said Irvine, currently he was attempting to pull his boxers out from under the dresser at the other side of the room, once he'd realized that they were stuck pretty badly he pulled back and smirked at Riku, "It's not like I'm some sort of slut or man-whore… I mean, sorry if you've gotten the wrong impression but… You know, I hope this isn't some sort of bad impression I'm making."

"No, it's okay, I get what you're saying," murmured Riku, taking in his surroundings. It was a pretty simple room. A dresser, a nightstand, the covers on the bed were pretty plain. Slightly dirtied in some places but Riku tried to avoid thinking about that. When he looked out of the window he immediately recognized an outstanding view of the town, so he was in an apartment.

It was a nice apartment though. And looking around Riku spotted many little signs scattered throughout the room that told him quite a bit about who Irvine was. There was a small shelf of books in one corner; which just proved that while Irvine didn't have time for reading, he tried.

Riku smiled softly, Irvine seemed like a nice guy… Maybe this would go somewhere; they could talk a little and see what came out of i-

"Here!"

And Riku's thoughts were promptly cut off when his boxers were thrown at him and fell atop his face. He heard an appreciative laugh from Irvine and pretty soon Riku found himself smirking with the brunette man to the point that in a few minutes the both of them were laughing.

"Sorry about that," joked Irvine, "I couldn't resist… You were spacing out and…"

Riku waved it off airily, "It's okay," he said good-naturedly as he began pulling on his boxers, "So do you have any plans for the rest of the-

"AISH! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?! GET OUT!!!"

oOoOo

Riku kept his gaze fixated on the ground as he stomped up the steps to his home. His feet hit the pavement unnaturally hard, as if he were purposely trying to inflict some sort of injury on the sidewalk. Which, judging from his torn expression, he most likely was.

He didn't even bother to pause as he stomped up the steps to his family's front porch and promptly swung the door to his open violently. When he stepped through the front door he stepped out of his boots and swung off his jacket, sighing heavily.

"Where were you last night?" asked his mom, Mrs. Ishida, glaring at her son much like an X-ray, Riku gulped but quickly lied through his teeth.

"I went to Sora's house after the party and slept over," said Riku, shrugging a little. His mom looked doubtful and less than ready to believe.

"Your eyes are red," she commented accusingly.

Riku shrugged again, trying his best to look uncaring, "We stayed up late. Watched some movies, ate some ice cream… You know normal sleepover stuff. Nothing out of the usual."

"Right," she said, clearly still not believing him. She continued to stare at him with her arms folded and her back rigid. Finally after Riku decided he couldn't take it anymore he headed upstairs to his room, all too aware of her eyes still burning into his back.

When he reached his room the first thing he did was change into pajamas (heck, he'd had a long night) and flopped into his bed, all in one fluid motion. He sighed exhaustedly and flipped his cell phone open, Twenty-two missed calls, he mused in amusement, all from Sora…

Riku frowned a bit guiltily, Sora and the others must've been really worried. Biting his lip nervously, he punched in Sora's number and waited patiently as the phone rang. I'm going to get a hell of a lecture…

"Hello, this is Sora."

"Sora?" Riku sat up in bed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, "Hey it's me Riku, look I was just calling to-

"Riku! Where've you been! We were really worried last night! Lulu said she saw you leaving with some brunette and that the two of you looked drunk! You weren't drunk were you?" Sora blabbered on and on and Riku winced at the volume in his voice.

"Ugh, Sora shut up and listen 'kay?" he grunted irritably, "I've got a killer headache so if you could keep the volume down-

There was an audible gasp at the other end of the line, "So you were drunk! Riku, that's so irresponsible, I can't believe you would-

"Sora!" cried Riku, then he lowered his voice before continueing, "Volume, please. Anyways, yes I was, Lulu was right… I left with a brunette… I… How much do you know Sora? What did Lulu tell you?"

"She just said you left with some brown haired girl whose name probably started with an 'I'," said Sora uncertainly, "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering," muttered Riku absently, "So that's all?"

"Yeah, listen uh… Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I've got a hangover but other than that… I'm fine. No harm done."

"Did… Did you and the girl…? I mean um…" Sora let the statement hang, he coughed a few times. Riku bit his lip, he hated the way Sora sounded so… Disappointed.

"Yes," said Riku in a hoarse whisper, "…yeah, we did."

"Oh… Oh okay…" But it didn't sound like it was okay. It sounded like Sora didn't think it was okay at all.

"…Yeah…" mumbled Riku rolling over on his bed and burying his face in his pillow, "Look, I'm sorry about all this… I know it was stupid of me I guess I just thought… You know, since I'm leaving and all I should-… Yeah. I'm just really sorry Sora. I really am."

"It's okay," Sora breathed, "I just-… I didn't expect it I guess…"

"It's fine, I'm disappointed in myself too," cut in Riku, he sucked in some air tightly as another sharp pang ran through his head. Since when was the light on my ceiling so damn bright?

"Um Sora?" asked Riku tentatively, "Um… I really hate to say this but… If my mom calls could you tell her uh…"

"That you slept over at my place last night? Yeah, I can do that," said Sora, a bit of his cheerfulness coming back as amusement sunk into his statement.

"Thanks," said Riku, not ungrateful in the slightest.

"No prob Riku," said Sora reassuringly, "I'm gonna go now okay?"

"Yeah sure, see ya around," said Riku.

"Bye!"

Riku sighed and pressed his cell phone against his head in an effort to make some of the mental twinges go away. I wish I could tell them… He though sadly, I wish I could just… Come out and say it.

Riku curled up and pulled the covers over his head a little, "I wish I could just tell them I'm gay," he mumbled into his blanket.

Over that past few years, ever since Riku had first come to realization about his sexuality, Riku had been hiding the fact that he was gay from… Well, basically everyone. Friends. Family. Teachers. The little old lady who fed the squirrels in the park. Everyone.

And it wasn't easy either. He'd had to go out with a few girls just to avoid creating suspicions. People said he'd grown "mysterious". Well, Riku reasoned, this was probably because he was hiding a large chunk of himself from them.

Sometimes, Riku would be plagued by his conscience. Yes, there were definetly times when a little angel version of himself would appear on his shoulder and would of course start berating him for hiding his own sexuality from the world. Riku would, however, always silence this part of himself by quickly reminding himself of one important fact:

The population of Destiny Islands consisted of nothing but homophobia and bigotry concerning it's citizens' sexuality.

This of course, was one of the main reasons Riku was so looking forward to leaving it all behind in just a week. He'd recently gotten a big scholarship for a college on the mainland, right in the heart of the city! Personally, Riku had seen this as his chance to finally come out of the closet. So to speak.

After all, from what he'd heard the city, although impersonal and unforgiving, was also a place where almost anything was accepted. Riku figured that in a large urban area filled with loons and rapists among many other widely diverse groups… One little queer wouldn't stand out too much.

After placing his phone on his desk Riku got up and walked over to his calendar. And there it was. Just seven days away from today. A small square circled in red ink and labeled:

"I LEAVE FOR COLLEGE!!!"

Needless to say Riku was looking forward to leaving (as much as he would miss Sora and the others).

So, said Riku crossing off yesterday on his calendar, only seven days left… Let the countdown begin.

Author's Note READ THIS NOW!!!: Okay, people? This is just a prologue. Got it? The next chapter takes place two years after this one. TWO YEARS. I'm just making sure you all understand that. See, this chapter starts off when Riku is starting his freshmen year of college. The next chapter starts off with Demyx transferring to the same college as Riku. So in this chapter, Riku and Demyx are both freshmen. And in the next chapter they'll both be sophomore.

This isn't the most creative of plots, but I hope to make up for that with the writing and… Trust me it won't be boring. Plus, it won't always be this… lemony. Yeah there really aren't going to be that many lemons in this story datcha? Moving on, I'm really looking forward to writing this story. The plot is a bit cliché, but like I said I don't think you'll mind.

If all goes well this story will be… Um, let me put it this way. Macarena is to Demiku as Good Enough is to Axel/Riku. Macarena is to Demiku as It Started With A Car is to Leon/Riku. Macarena is to Demiku as 100 Steps to Somewhere is to Cloud/Riku. And so on and so forth. This dream of mine however, will only come true if you review people!

So leave me a review okay? I do love reading them.

bliss