Riku was slow to rise in the morning. Sephiroth had given him one of his sleeping pills, which Riku rarely took for the main reason that he didn't want to sleep. However, Sephiroth had urged him to take it. His uncle had told him he knew how little the amount of sleep he had been acquiring over the past few months and had chalked it up to the stress of a new town. The nightmare Riku obviously had, had caused Sephiroth to reassess such a prognosis and now the prescription that Riku had not been taking along with an appointment with his psychologist had been enforced.

The young man rolled over in his bed, feeling stiff and sore and all together miserable in a way he couldn't describe. All the sleep he had, it wasn't enough for his mind, but it was too much for his body, which was used to only being still for short amounts of time. The sleeping pill he had taken last night had finally knocked him out cold, after wrestling with sleep for an hour, but being unable to occupy his mind with something as Sephiroth had taken vigil by his bedside until he had finally succumbed.

He padded out of his room, knowing that Sephiroth would be waiting in the kitchen—'Like a watchdog,' Mickey said overly cheerfully. Riku ignored the damned voice and continued with dread worming through his system. His uncle would surely be waiting to cart him off to an orphanage. He would be waiting to abandon Riku, or worse…there was always so much worse than being left alone. At least if he was left alone there wasn't any pain. He swallowed painfully as he entered into the kitchen, seeing as he had known he would Sephiroth sitting at the table with a cup of tea and a journal in his hand.

He looked up as soon as his nephew entered the room. In that second, Riku was reassured that nothing bad would happen to him. His uncle wasn't his father. His uncle wouldn't put him in pain and he wouldn't abandon him. His mind knew that. Mickey didn't have a doubt about Sephiroth, but his heart was restless. Riku had a special talent, and that was getting people angry at him. Slowly, he shuffled to the seat opposite the man at the small table. He didn't know what was coming, but he knew his uncle preferred to have conversations while sitting down like civil humans.

Sephiroth's sea-green eyes leveled on him as he settled. He watched as Riku tried to get comfortable and when he stopped moving around he said calmly, "I called Dr. Rosewood. She will be meeting with you this afternoon. I know I said the psychiatrist appointments would lesson with school, but it's obvious to me that perhaps you should keep the same schedule as before." He took a small sip of his tea, still looking at Riku as if he expected protest.

'As if you could!' Mickey said.

Riku rubbed his eyes as if to silence the voice, but nodded to his uncle. Even if he could protest, he wouldn't. After what Sephiroth had seen Riku would be stupid to try and go against his uncle's wishes, even though he hated his psychiatrist. If Sephiroth thought he needed help, Riku would not be one to argue. His uncle was just trying to help; he knew that deep down, even when his mind was trying to deny it.

He looked up when his uncle scooted his chair away from the table. His eyes searched wildly, wondering why the man had so abruptly stood. A part of him wondered if the man had finally come to his senses and realized that Riku wasn't worth the effort, and that made him angry. He knew his uncle would do anything for him, but a part of him still believed that it was all just a joke. For the past three months, he had lived here, for the past six the man had been taking care of him, and he still felt as if all of the reassurances were for naught. He was always just a hairs breadth from running like he would have if it had been his father, but then he would see his uncle's eyes and they weren't cold amber staring him down with malice.

He was tired of being unsure. He was tired of being confused. Just seconds ago he had been convincing himself that Sephiroth was trying to help, but now…the abrupt movement of metal chair-legs against tile wiped that all away.

Sephiroth gave him a calming look, seeming to know what was haunting Riku's thoughts and said, "I'll make you breakfast. You'll dress yourself and be ready to leave after you eat."

Riku nodded stiffly and backtracked into his room, still feeling tired and for the first time in years ready to succumb to his nightmares rather than fight for his sanity. He was ready for anything if it meant he wasn't confused all the time.

Confusion was going to be the end of his life. Confusion had led him to doubting his uncle. Confusion had led him to estrange Sora… Sora!

'Oh, yeah! You're not-attraction,' Mickey said smugly.

Confused, tired, why not add misery to the mix?

Why did he let the brunette leave yesterday? He should have at least made an effort to rein the boy back in. Maybe he should have explained a little bit. He could have made up a lie. He was good at lying, had relied on it back in his hometown. There was no reason he couldn't have stopped Sora from leaving. But it was too late now. Sora probably wouldn't want to talk to a boy who, not only couldn't talk, but apparently couldn't be touched either.

KH

"Sora!" His science teacher's voice startled him just as he passed the office on the way to his locker. He turned around sharply to gaze at the tall man with dull eyes. His teacher held up his phone in his hand, waving it around in the air. "Your brother called me this morning. You can have your phone back but it had better stay off during the remainder of the day."

Sora gazed at him curiously. His brother had called? It had to have been Leon. Every teacher knew Roxas and Sora's voices like the back of their hands and the twins couldn't imitate anyone to save their lives. But Leon had been so pissed off last night. There's no way he would have called for him, even if Aerith had chastised him all night for being an ass. Leon was set in his ways and once he made up his mind there was no going back.

He walked up to his teacher, taking the phone back into his hand and staring at it curiously. He wondered what was going on, what could possibly possess his brother to do such a thing, but he wasn't going to argue. He didn't have the energy to argue. He looked at it sadly, wondering if perhaps Riku had texted. He wanted to turn it on and check but there was no way for him to do that without getting his phone taken away from him yet again.

Remembering what little manners he had, he said, "Thanks," and put the phone in his pocket, before walking away.

Roxas met up with him at his locker, looking worried as he watched his melancholy twin. He still had not been shaken from his mood. He had shed some light to his mood. Something about his phone and Leon had him in a tizzy, but Roxas suspected that there was something more. Something to do with Riku. He opened his mouth to say something, to ask how he was, maybe pull more out of his twin, but Sora cut him off.

"I'm going to class."

He brushed passed his blonde twin and made quickly away from him, making it vividly clear that he didn't want to be stopped. He didn't even stop to say anything to the girls and they both waved at him hesitantly as he flew by. Roxas sighed and leaned against the locker, staring after his twin with worried eyes.

KH

"How are you, Riku?" his psychiatrist, Yuna Rosewood, asked not bothering to look at him, but typing something on her computer. Her prissy glasses sat primly on top of her nose, not that she seemed to need them. They were all the way down her nose, and she looked over them.

He was sure she was a nice person outside of the office she locked them in, but he wasn't so fond of her. He wasn't so fond of anyone in this field of business. His mind was his own haven…

'Some haven,' Mickey scoffed.

…and he didn't want anyone else trying to encroach on its territory.

He shrugged, staring at the overstuffed chair he was seated in. There was nothing wrong with it, but it was something to stare at.

"I heard you've been having nightmares."

He nodded, still staring at his chair. It was ugly, and multicolored, but oddly enough it reminded him of Sora and his atrocious clothing that somehow always matched. He smirked at that and rolled his eyes. He was in the middle of a mental breakdown and he was thinking about Sora, who may or may not ever speak to him again.

'You're glutton for punishment,' Mickey said flippantly.

Riku had to admit, that yes, he was. He was born into a conservative community and luck of luck, he turned up interested in boys more than girls. He couldn't even hide it. He tortured himself with not sleeping and all but cast himself to the wolves if he did sleep. And to top it all off, he was falling for a young man who may never want to even look his way again. He had lost it. Really, there was nothing else to it.

His entire life had been set up for failure. From the second he was born to the second is mother left to the second he wasn't allowed to die thanks to a nosy neighbor who had called the police, life had not meant for him to win. Why should it change its mind just because he got new surroundings?

"Can you tell me what they're about?"

He looked up at her sharply, a glare piercing her.

Mickey all but sighed. 'For a commonly used phrase, it stings like hell when you can't partake in the simplicity of it, now doesn't it?'

Riku shook his hair out of his face as he thought he had been around his uncle too long. Mickey's vocabulary was expanding rapidly, and it was taking more thought process than he wanted to expend to understand him.

From in front of him, Dr. Rosewood apologized, but it wasn't heard above Mickey's offhand comment. "I'm sorry. Can you express to me what they're about?" He didn't move. "Would you like a pen and paper? You could write it down."

He shook his head, 'no' and returned to staring at his seat.

"It's better to let your fears out, Riku. Face them, instead of keeping them hidden. Was your dream about your father…about what he did to you?"

Images of his father flashed in his mind, the smell of bleach, whispers of fists against skin. Cold amber eyes stared at him, haunting him, laughing maliciously at him. His heart picked up speed. He couldn't do this. She wouldn't make him do this. He had been holding out for months, not thinking of his father, not remembering his past. He would be damned if he let her shake his foundation now.

'Think of Sora,' Mickey soothed.

That was so much easier to think of, right up until he got to the part where he had let the boy leave last night! Thinking of his father would be preferable to that self-hatred.

'I, somehow, doubt it.'

"I know what you're going through is rough," Dr. Rosewood continued. "Not being able to communicate with anyone, having to live with a man you barely know and not only that but whose kith and kin to your father. I bet it must anger you to stare at your uncle's face and only see your father."

Riku's panic calmed mildly, lending to anger at the accusation he was sure she was making. His hand twitched at the thought.

Whether or not she sensed the beginnings of his hostility, she changed the subject. "What about your school? Are you making any friends?" She didn't even give him time to respond, and that made his blood boil hotter. "It must be difficult to associate with others your age when your ability to speak has been taken from you. It must be difficult to do anything with the situation you're in. Do they treat you alright there?"

Now he remembered clearly why he hated coming to these people. Not only were they nosy, they were condescending.

"Does anyone try to hurt you there, Riku?" He looked at her daringly. "A boy your age, with your background, suffering the turmoil you're in, not to mention that you can't scream for help, I'm not saying that you're weak by any means, but you would be a viable target. Is that what sparked your nightmare? Did someone try to hurt you?"

Riku shook his head again, his heart hammering and his breathing labored. He felt his self-worth diminishing as his anger grew. Who was she to make him feel like this? Who was she to tear him down further than he already was? He really hated her right now.

"Do you know what did cause your nightmare?"

Riku shook his head vigorously, considering giving her an obscene gesture for even trying to speak with him any further. His hands were clenching in his lap, and at the moment he wasn't sure if it was for that gesture he wanted so badly to give her or for some means of self-mutilation. Only his father had ever made him feel so useless.

"Was it something at home?" She asked, and he nearly bit his tongue. "Was it your uncle?"

He closed his eyes, his conflict ending as soon as she brought his uncle up.

"I can understand if you want to protect him. He did save you from your father, but if he's doing something to harm you mentally or physically, you need to tell me, Riku."

Sephiroth had done nothing to harm him. Sephiroth was working to help him. No matter how many times his past turned up to haunt him, no many how many times he feared that Sephiroth would morph into his father, he was always Sephiroth, and not once had that man done anything to harm him. Okay, so he didn't know everything about Riku and could possibly beat him if he did find out, but that was needless to say when his father had beaten him for the fun of it.

That this woman kept accusing a man who was trying to pull him out of his past was enough to make him walk out.

He stood up and walked over to her desk. Ignoring her questions and confusion when he snatched a pad of paper and a pen off her desk, he flipped to a blank page. He scribbled hastily then threw it back down on her desk before he made a hasty retreat out of her office.

'No offence, but you don't know anything, Ms. Rosewood.'

KH

"Ohmigod! Larxene! Guess what I just heard!" Demyx demanded as he skidded into the young blonde's lap.

He had been missing in the first twenty minutes of the lunch hour, and though it made lunch rather quiet compared to what it had been, it made Larxene a surly woman to be reckoned with. In the lunch line she had nearly made a Senior girl cry when she had accidently brushed up against Larxene.

She looked unenthused by his outburst and sneered up at him. "Do I have to?"

He didn't seem to take notice. He jumped up and down in her lap with a huge smile eating his face. "Saix and Xigbar are about to have an all-out brawl in the courtyard in fifteen minutes. If we hurry we can make it before the crowd gets too wild and have front-row seats!"

Larxene's eyes started glittering dangerously and Demyx stood and pulled her to her feet, knowing what that smile meant. "Let's go, my deranged pet," she said suddenly happy, grabbing his arm and pulling him out of the lunch hall.

Kairi watched them go, her head tilted to the side curiously. "If there were ever two people so twisted and perfect for each other, it would be those two."

Her twin nodded poking at something on her tray that everyone thought was something edible but turned out to be bleached tar. "If Demyx weren't a total flamer and Larxene weren't a complete bitch I'd say they could be happily married." A stunned silence met Namine's calm assessment and she looked up worriedly. "What? Did I say something odd?"

"So, who's having the Halloween party this year?" Kairi asked while throwing her hair out of her face as she diverted the shocked crowd away from her sister.

Roxas looked around to Sora, his twin usually having the scoop on where parties were to be held and when. However, the brunette was looking at his turned-off cell phone as if it were the reason for all the injustice in the world, the biggest injustice today being the cardboard the lunch ladies had tried to pass off as turkey. Roxas looked at him worriedly. Whatever had been bothering Sora yesterday had clearly followed over to today.

Namine saved him. "I heard it was going to be at Tidus' house. Jack and Sally are celebrating their third anniversary so it can't be there. You know, maybe we could have a party at our house."

Kairi scoffed. "Oh, yeah. Dad totally wouldn't kill us over that. Who are you going to go with, Namie?"

"I'm not sure," she said, scooping up some sort of vegetable goo with her spoon and sniffing it. "I was thinking about asking Hayner."

"Hayner?" Kairi obviously didn't agree with that choice. "Why not Roxas?"

She smiled sagely. "Roxas has eyes for one and one alone and those eyes are not for me."

Roxas glared at her, wishing that if looks couldn't kill at the very least they could severely injure. No such luck. Kairi looked between them momentarily, her eyes filled with curiosity that was quickly shrugged off as she turned to Sora.

"You and me going again this year, Sora?" she asked. They didn't go as a couple. Kairi's crush on him had long since passed and Sora had never seemed to have more than an in-depth curiosity about her. But ever since their Freshman Year they had gone together as friends for their lack of lasting love-life.

"No…" he said quietly. "I don't think I'm going to go this year."

Kairi literally looked heartbroken. "But Sora! This will be our last Halloween party as high school-ers. You have to go!"

"I might have to work, Kai." He fingered the screen of his phone absently, as if not really paying attention to the world. Kairi looked ready to snatch it out of his hands and throw it.

"Oh, whatever!" she screeched. "You have that old Scrooge wrapped around your finger so tight you could take the year off and still get full pay! Why aren't you going?"

"Because I don't feel like it, Kairi!" he snapped at her, finally looking up from his phone to glare at her.

"What's wrong with you? I knew you and Riku had become close friends but I didn't expect you to spiral into depression the one day he's not here. Geez, Sora, it's not the end of the world!"

"My mood has nothing to do with Riku," Sora growled. "It has to do with the fact that you're harping on me to do something I just don't feel like doing anymore."

She slammed her hand down on the table. "But we've always gone to the Halloween party. Every year all of us dress up and go together. It's tradition."

"Yeah, well, we've always gone to school together too, but guess what! That's probably going to change too."

"Which is why we need to have as many memories as we can. It's our last Halloween party!"

They were gaining attention quickly as their voices escalated. Roxas and Namine glanced around, then worriedly returned their gaze to their respective twins. Kairi was known for a temper, but Sora was the main attraction; Roxas knew. Sora never had anything ill to say. Some would even go as far as to say that he was the livelihood of the school. No one had ever seen Sora like this. Roxas hadn't seen Sora like this since their parents had died three years ago.

This mood he was in was beginning to more than worry Roxas.

"You're being melodramatic, Kai." Sora continued to yell.

"I am not! You're being sour," she shot back. "Riku's not here and you're mad, sad, and emotionally unavailable. All you've done all day is stare at your stupid phone - which isn't even turned on - as if you're waiting for it to ring. You haven't talked to anyone and when you have you've just been distant. Now I'm sorry your little boyfriend is absent today but try not to act like a lovesick puppy."

Sora stood sharply and when he did Kairi stood to, not one to take anything sitting down. "He is not my boyfriend, Kairi, and I'm not acting like a lovesick puppy! You know, you're just mad because…"

"Axel kissed Roxas!"

The argument between the two brunettes was suddenly halted and all but forgotten as their heads whipped around on their necks to look at Namine. Roxas looked ready for murder as he stared at the blonde girl with wide, shocked eyes.

"What?" both Sora and Kairi shrieked simultaneously, their disbelief evident in their high-pitched voices.

Namine breathed a sigh of relief, glad that they were distracted from each other, before she felt the piercing stare of Roxas. "Oh no," she breathed as she too whipped around to meet his stare.

KH

Riku stormed out of the office with Dr. Rosewood following him. Sephiroth looked up sharply at the sound of the office door colliding with the wall, but kept his face carefully blank. Riku stopped in front of him, breathing heavily, and looking at him pleadingly. His face was flushed and his hands were clenching, not to mention his irregular breathing.

"Riku!" Dr. Rosewood yelled as she came after him, reaching out for him.

Sephiroth came up to his feet slowly, ominously, staring down at the small woman with a glare Riku had never seen at home. In that one moment, Riku saw the family resemblance between his uncle and his father, but the difference was startling even then. His father had used that glare on him often, hatred shining in his eyes every time. Sephiroth used it to protect him. Without looking away from the woman he took his keys out of his coat pocket and handed them Riku. "I'll meet you at the car."

Riku took them and quickly made his exit, shaking his hair out of his eyes to cast one last glare at the psychiatrist as he made his way to the elevator.

"Sephiroth." Her disdain was evident in her tone.

In a quiet voice that demanded nothing but fearful respect he asked, "Is there something with which I can assist you?"

She took her useless glasses off, and tried to meet his glare equally, but it was null and void. Sephiroth had had years of practice glaring at his brother, his classmates, his colleagues. This woman was sadly uneducated on how to be intimidating.

She still tried though as she said arrogantly, "What is the point of bringing Riku to me, if you are going to let him run away from what he needs to talk about."

"I think it is quite clear that he's not running away from his problems. It appeared to me as if he was fleeing…you," he said evenly.

Her lips disappeared instantaneously, and she puffed up as if ready for a fight. Sephiroth merely raised his eyebrow at her. His coworkers gave him more challenge than this woman. If she wanted to throw down the gauntlet, he would gladly pick it up.

She didn't continue as he expected though, something he was oddly disappointed in. She cleared her throat. "I'd like to talk to you about Riku. Now it says in his file that you couldn't enroll him into a school for special needs? Is that correct?"

He inhaled calmingly and took a step back. "It is. By the time custody was relinquished to me, the semester enrollment had ended and I was requested to enroll him for the next year."

"And this school he's in, you feel that it's appropriate. Could you not have kept him at home for the year?"

"We had discussed it briefly. He was very adamant about continuing his education as planned."

"Uh huh," she said snidely. "You didn't think this was a blocking mechanism?"

"I was actually quite thrilled that he was willing to interact with other children at all."

"Does he? Interact with others, I mean?"

"He does. He has a little friend named Sora. I met him briefly. I'm sure he has a few other friends as well, but he can't say much about them." He checked his watched ostentatiously, making sure she got the hint that he didn't want to be there anymore.

She did notice, and continued with a sneer. "How are his teachers? Do they understand his problems?"

"He isn't an invalid, Ms. Rosewood, and I would appreciate it if you didn't treat him as one," Sephiroth said defensively.

"It's a simple question," she huffed.

"I speak with his teachers often. They do as much as they can to help him. They have found ways to communicate with him, and have scheduled time after classes in case he is in need of assistance."

"What about you? Have you found ways of communicating with him?"

He had a feeling he knew where this was going. "I do as much as I can without feeling that I'm smothering him. He's a teenage boy, who needs a normal life and I'm a heart surgeon more often than not on call. If he needs me he knows to approach."

"He's also a boy whose father poured bleach down his throat. He needs comfort and reassurance. His own skin and blood betrayed him; nearly killed him! I don't think in a situation like this he's going to reach out to anyone, especially not the brother of that man."

His hackles rose. "I am not my brother, Ms. Rosewood, and he is very much aware of that."

"Thus the nightmares…" she shot back.

"Are you insinuating that I am the cause of my nephew's discomfort?" he asked in a low tone. He knew this is where she had been heading, but for the life of him, he was still upset by the accusation. He'd had a hard enough time jumping through all the legal hoops to even get custody of Riku. The lawyers, the psychiatrists, the child welfare associates…he would have had an easier time doing heart surgery blindfolded, and with both of his hands tied behind his back.

"I'm just saying that maybe it would be best if you tried reaching out to him a bit more than you are. He is in need of your guiding hand and trying to let someone who's so fresh out of trauma have their own life is not something I would recommend."

"It is the fact that his life is his own that I am trying to instill," Sephiroth insisted vehemently. "It belongs to no one other than himself, not to me, not to his father, and certainly not to you. I will make a larger effort to help him, but I will not tyrannize his life." He brushed invisible dust off of his coat as he calmed himself, and then gave her one last look, taking satisfaction in her flustered appearance. Gladly adding to it, he inclined his head to her and said, "Have a good day, dear lady."

He left her no time to say anything else but swept away towards the elevator to aid his distressed nephew.

KH

Sora walked into his house slowly, clicking the door shut quietly behind him. He had asked Scrooge for the night off, something he was only too happy to give Sora because that meant he didn't have to pay for vacation anytime soon. The brunette was glad for his day off too, feeling as if he didn't have the energy to do much of anything. The last two days had all but drained him.

Riku, Kairi, not to mention Roxas, who was now in the worst mood ever. His secret coming out in the manner that it had sent him into a rage the likes of which only Sora had ever been witness to. He had stomped around the rest of the day, snapping at people, slamming lockers, throwing his books and things around. He had ignored Namine's pleads to forgive her. He had ignored even more fervently Sora trying to talk to him about it. At the end of the day, he had stormed out of the school to go to work.

Sora prayed for anyone who tried to talk to him there. It wouldn't end well. He had half the mind to call Axel, to see if perhaps he could get answers out of him or if he could calm Roxas down. That wouldn't end well though. If he called Axel and the redhead approached his twin, Roxas would kill him and then maim Sora.

He shook his thoughts free as he walked into the kitchen, intent on getting a glass of water and then afterwards holing himself up in his room for the rest of the night. He was shocked when he saw Leon there. Usually his brother wasn't home until nine or later, having become a workaholic since their parents' death. The fact that he had been home yesterday was odd. That he was home today this early must be a sign of the apocalypse.

He kept that thought to himself though, as he went to the cabinet to grab a water glass. He didn't want to further annoy his brother, who kept his hostility for weeks at a time. He was probably still mad at Sora for what happened yesterday. He was probably pissed at Aerith, who had stopped his from calling Sora back after he had walked away. Leon didn't like being ignored.

He downed his water quickly, trying to get out of the kitchen quickly. He set his glass next to the sink and made for the exit, only sparing his brother a glance.

Leon was working on his portion of the bills, which meant his face was pinched. He scribbled checks to the companies he was paying and glancing at the mess he had created around him. The bills were probably too expensive. They usually were, though Aerith and he never mentioned these things. That was the reason why Leon worked from sunup to so late in the night. Regular hours between he and Aerith would keep them scraping by, but Leon liked to have breathing room.

Leon liked them to live in as close to the same conditions as they had before mom and dad died.

"Hey, Leon?" Sora said quietly, having stopped just short of the door to face his brother's back.

"What?" he growled, his concentration shot and his irritation spiked.

Sora felt bad that he could get Leon's dander up so quickly, even though everyone could do that. It wasn't really just him. Roxas had that ability. Aerith had the ability. People who hadn't even met Leon had that ability. Yet sometimes it felt as if Sora pushed his buttons perfectly. Sometimes Sora felt that if it weren't for him, Leon may be able to breathe a little easier, and not just in the sense of finances. Leon would probably growl at him about how that was a ridiculous thought, and that they were brothers, blah, blah, blah.

It didn't change the way the younger one felt though. Leon worked so hard for them, and Sora had his phone taken away, relied on his twin to tell the older siblings where he was, and yelled at Leon, just because he was confused about Riku. That was a good brother, oh yeah, he thought sarcastically.

And Leon still called to get his phone for him.

Sora swallowed shamefully. "Thanks for getting my phone back."

Leon didn't look up from his work. He continued to scribble on checks, completely oblivious to Sora's plight, and unaware as he normally was that his actions were hurting those around him. Sora turned to leave, shaking his head at his own naiveté. Then, Leon said with a sigh, "Its fine, Sora."

It really wasn't, but the fact that Leon would say it meant it wasn't as bad as Sora thought it was. That was a comforting thought as he went upstairs to his room, pulling his phone out to stare at the blank screen. No one would be texting tonight. Well, maybe Namine to see how Roxas was doing, which wasn't well. But Roxas wouldn't be texting when he had nothing to do at work. Kairi would be ignoring him for the next two days and Riku…

He still wished he hadn't touched him.

KH

They had only just returned home when Sephiroth led Riku to the living room to have a seat on the couch, taking his own in his recliner. They were silent for several minutes, which was worse than torture. Riku knew a 'conversation' was coming, and he hated waiting for his uncle to speak. He was used to the silences when they were reading a book in the same vicinity, but this was so different. He could practically see Sephiroth forming the right words in his head.

Finally Sephiroth gathered his thoughts and plowed into his interrogation. "Did you even try to explain your nightmare to her?"

He shook his head, keeping his gaze with the older man. It would not do if he looked at the couch he was seated on. Sephiroth was a man of eye to eye communication.

'That's better than your father's fist to face communication,' Mickey said and it took all of Riku's might not to shake his head. His uncle probably didn't know that he had a voice in his head that talked to him, and it was better to keep it that way.

"She is trying to help you, Riku," Sephiroth scolded. "It would behoove you to actually communicate with her, to express yourself without worrying about hurting anyone's feelings."

He shook his head again. He wasn't normally one to be stubborn, but he didn't want to talk to her anymore. If he had to he would throw a silent fit, hoping that it didn't lead Sephiroth to murder. He would be resolute until it was obvious that wouldn't see that woman again. He didn't like knowing others thought him to be as worthless as his father had. He didn't like people making him feel more useless than he already felt. He didn't like her blaming the only person Riku could rely on for his mental instability.

'I hope you're not referring to me,' Mickey sneered.

He wasn't, but he would make a note not to forget about his deranged voice in the future.

He was startled back to reality when Sephiroth asked sharply, "Then what is the reason behind a psychiatrist?"

Riku merely shrugged.

Sephiroth rubbed his eyes, momentarily. In that second, he looked as tired as Riku felt, and Riku felt bad for him, thinking that perhaps if his father had succeeded in his mission to kill him, his uncle wouldn't have to deal with the headache Riku knew he was. "I don't know how to help you, Riku," he said, returning his eyes to him. "You need to speak to someone who has the qualifications to assist you."

Riku stared at him for a second before searching around for a pen and paper. His uncle's house was a very neat place, so it wasn't lying around freely. Paper was only found in the office, in Riku's room, and in Riku's bag. He held up his hands to make a T for timeout and raced to his room, walking quickly but not running, to grab a paper and writing utensil, stopping at his desk to write a quick sentence.

He came back just as quickly and handed the paper to Sephiroth.

'I don't like her. She doesn't understand.'

Sephiroth raised his brows in comprehension, nodding as it all fell into place for him. He set the paper down on the coffee table in front of the couch, and told Riku firmly, "I will endeavor to find someone better suited to your needs. But next time, if the occasion calls, inform me sooner."

Riku nodded.

The older took a deep breath and hoisted himself out of his recliner. Riku took a step back, not far enough away to show fear, just far enough away to give the tall man room to move about. Sephiroth came up to him slowly, which Riku was learning didn't mean anything bad. Then he raised his hand and rested it one Riku's shoulder.

The need to run was definitely there, as it was he couldn't stop the flinch. This was the first time that Sephiroth had ever really made physical contact with him aside from the days he had come to the hospital and held Riku's hand as he recovered. But once the hand was on his shoulder, even though he was so tense he was about to snap in half, the touch felt fatherly. Instead of just knowing that he was safe, he felt it. For the first time in forever, he felt protected. He felt that Sephiroth would not only fight to keep him out of harm's way, but that he would kill for it.

'It's a nice feeling, isn't it?' Mickey asked without his usual insensitivity.

It was. Riku looked up into his uncle's sea-green eyes, so different from the angry amber of his father's, and he did what he hadn't been able to do since he was five. He relaxed. His shoulder and back muscles loosened up and it almost seemed like he was slouching as the tension left him sagging.

"Would you like Japanese cuisine for tonight's supper?" Sephiroth asked kindly.

Riku nodded, tossing his hair out of his eyes.

KH

Roxas locked the doors to the tiny restaurant Tifa Lockhart owned as he exited. The day still replayed in his head even so late at night when the day had long since passed. He still couldn't believe that Namine had shouted that for the entire world to hear. Seriously, he loved Kairi and Sora both dearly, but Namine could've yelled bubblegum and their fight would have been canceled. She had no right to go off spouting infuriating details about Axel's shining moment of stupidity. There had been a reason he didn't tell anyone other than her.

He turned around to begin his walk home, but was brought up short by Axel, himself, leaning against the building.

He glowered momentarily before he commanded Axel. "Go away."

The redhead visibly slumped against the wall, his face twisting in confusion. "Dude, I haven't spoken to you in twenty-four hours. How the hell did I do something to piss you off if I haven't seen you since we last spoke?"

"You have a special talent," Roxas sneered, trying to make his way passed the redhead. Axel kept moving in front of him. The blonde growled irritably. "Go. Away."

He made another attempt to move passed the freakishly tall man, but was stilled by a hand on his shoulder. Axel looked at him with pleading green eyes. "Will you at least tell me what I did wrong so I can beat myself up for the next three weeks, while you ignore me?"

"You didn't do anything," he snapped with a glare, not at all effected by the green eyes that stared at him painfully. "I just don't want to see you. What is so hard to understand about that?"

The large, spindly hand fell away from his arm and the redhead crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes went blank, a defense-mechanism that Roxas thought helped to keep his emotions from getting to him, making it easier for him to be an ass. "Roxas, tell me what the hell is wrong with you!" he demanded.

"Namine told everyone that you kissed me," Roxas said quietly, afraid that anyone would hear him. He finally brushed passed Axel and began his walk towards home.

"What's wrong with that?" he asked stupidly.

"I didn't want anyone to know. I, myself, was trying to forget it." It was the truth and a lie. He did want to forget the kiss, but the fact that it had been the best damn kiss he had ever received made him a little hesitant to actually do so. That and Axel wasn't too bad on the eyes, and, yeah, he was funny. Hell, given the right circumstances the ass could even be considerate. But he wasn't focusing on that. He was focusing on the fact that he really did want nothing to do with Axel in more than a platonic way. Really…

"Am I really that repulsive?" Axel asked, taking two large steps to catch up with Roxas.

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Don't make this about you."

"I am a Class A egomaniac," he said with a hint of pride in his voice. "I am obsessed with myself, therefore everything is about me."

"Fine, if you must know, yes," Roxas said with false resolution. "I really do find you that repulsive. Now leave before I strangle you!"

"Have you ever thought about going back to anger management?" Axel asked, completely disregarding the fact that Roxas had just insulted him. He was one to do that. What he didn't want to hear, he filtered out and ignored.

Roxas took a deep breath and turned around to face the infuriating man before him. Slowly and carefully he said, "I'm going to go home now. I was going to talk to you tomorrow, but if I don't, don't be surprised. Leave me alone, or I will beat your face in." He whirled around then, walking away quickly. He was genuinely surprised when he didn't hear Axel following him, but didn't dare turn around to look at him.

Axel stood still in his spot, watching the blond walk away from him in a hostile manner he was only too acquainted with. Feeling the need to either infuriate him or…you know, let the blond know he cared he called after the retreating form, "Good night, Roxas."

He got the bird for his efforts.

A/N: There are no excuses. It just was. Please forgive me for whatever you feel like blaming me for, even if you want to blame me for your empty soda can or dirty room.

And because I think it's fun to include my readers and I really have no set preference in pairings, who would you rather see Aerith with? Sephiroth or Cloud?

Please review. I know I'm a terrible author and I don't deserve as much, but…bitte?

InnocentGuilt