Live and Learn

Chapter 14

"I'm so sorry, Riku. I just can't get out of this," said Sora apologetically, his voice sounding breathless through the phone. He must have been walking.
"I know, I'm sorry too," Riku said miserably, leaning back in his office chair.

They were supposed to go on a date that evening, but Sora had suddenly called during lunch to cancel their plans. Apparently, some bar he worked in before meeting Riku was understaffed and had called Sora to work the evening shift.

"I'll make it up to you," Sora promised, a slight question in his voice.
"How?" Riku asked, feeling sulky. He really wanted to pout until Sora gave in and cancelled the job, but knew he couldn't behave so childishly. He was so tempted to, though.

Sora's breathy chuckle sent shivers down Riku's spine.
"I'm sure you're imaginative enough to figure that out," Sora answered, his voice lowered; he was probably around other people.
"Fuck you," Riku groaned, rubbing a palm over his face. He hadn't been this horny since he was a teenager; only a few well-placed words from Sora and he was ready to go.
"If you want to." Sora's voice was full of mischief.

Riku glanced at the open door of his office room, noting that Ariel wasn't at her desk, situated just outside Riku's office. She was probably out having lunch.

"You sure you can handle it?" Riku asked, the huskiness of his voice hinting about the arousal settling into his body.
"Hmm, I'm pretty sure. I know a few things too, you know," Sora hummed. "I can think of many things I'd do to you."
"What things?" Riku asked, nearly holding his breath. Something changed in the atmosphere on Sora's side of the phone; Riku could hear it in the way Sora's breathing changed and the sound of his voice in his reply: "I don't think I should reveal all my cards yet, right?"

"You're such a tease," Riku said, his grin wide. "I hate you."
"No, you don't," Sora laughed.

"Mr Strife? Is that a personal phone call?" Riku heard a man's voice asking.
"Uh, yeah, Mr Bernard, it is," Sora answered, his voice sounding muffled. He must have covered the phone with a hand or something.
"I don't think that's allowed during working hours," Mr Bernard said.
"Yeah, but, it's allowed during lunch, right?" Sora answered timidly. Riku heard Mr Bernard huff.
"If you'd please refrain from doing it in the future. It's quite unprofessional of you," the man said. The thudding must have been the man walking away, since Sora started talking to him again.

"Riku?"
"I'm here. Was that the headmaster?" Riku asked. Riku had spoken with the man once, when Roxas started in the school, and he had been nothing but kind. This rude tone he had used with Sora didn't fit Riku's image of the man at all.
"Uh, yeah," Sora said, his voice guarded.
"Sounds like a dick," Riku said, noticing the nervousness in Sora's quiet chuckle. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, let's… talk about it later. I think I better go," Sora murmured. Riku furrowed his brows.
"Well, okay. I'll come pick you up in the evening from your place. Have a nice day."
"Yeah, you too."

Riku waited for the click of Sora closing the line, before lowering his phone on the table. What was up with that? Talk about a mood killer. Though, maybe it was better like this; at least now Riku was able to get back to work without any… distractions.

Riku leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

Fucking hell, Sora, the things you do to me.

- Live and Learn -

"Fine, you can stay in the car, but lock the doors, okay?" Riku said. He had just driven into the parking lot in front of the apartment building Sora lived in. It was nearly 10 PM, and Sora had called half an hour ago that he was about to leave work. Roxas hadn't wanted to stay at home alone, so he had come along.

Riku stepped out of the car, hearing the doors lock as soon as he closed the door. Roxas grinned at him from the passenger seat, and Riku lifted a thumb at him.

Riku looked up at the building. It wasn't really new, but not in bad condition. Riku had only been here a few times when dropping Sora off, but only once inside.

The lift of the building was still broken, so Riku took the stairs up to the fifth – and last – floor, frowning at how much his legs burned after the exertion. He really needed to visit the gym more; he had been letting himself slip after meeting Sora, since all his free time was spent with him and Roxas.

Riku's phone dinged.

Just got home, said the text from Sora. Riku grinned.

He was just about to continue towards Sora's door, when he was stopped by a voice.

"Visiting Strife?" Asked a man standing behind Riku, and Riku had no idea when he had gotten there.
"Uh, yeah," Riku said, a little freaked out.
"Give this to him," the man said, shoving a piece of paper into Rikus hands and stalking off. Riku shrugged, glancing at the paper.

Apparently, Sora's rent was late.

The sound of Sora's steps hurrying towards the door could be heard clearly as soon as Riku had rung the bell. Riku would never again be able to live in a place where the walls were so thin. The first apartment Riku had moved into with Kairi had had paper-thin walls, and Riku was absolutely certain at least 10 people had heard when Roxas was conceived.

"Hey," Sora said, grinning despite clearly being tired. "Come in, I just need to change."
"What's this?" Riku asked, holding up the paper the man – apparently the landlord – had entrusted him with. "Why didn't you tell me you were in this much trouble?"

Sora closed the door behind Riku, taking the paper from his hands. Sora's frown deepened as he read.

"Yeah, I'll get enough to pay it soon," Sora said, but Riku could see Sora wasn't very sure about that.
"It says you only have a week."
"I know, okay?" Sora snapped. He then sighed, closing his eyes. "Sorry. I know. That's why I begged my friend, who owns a bar, to give me a few shifts this week, and I'll have to find some other way to get money too…"
"Shouldn't your teacher's salary be enough to support you? You don't even go shopping or spend money in any way," Riku said, frowning in confusion. Sora rubbed a hand over his eyes.
"It should. It isn't. Mr Bernard, he… isn't really my biggest fan. I didn't get paid while on vacation once, even though I should have, and it screwed up everything. Had to take loans and stuff."

That made Riku bristle. He remembered Sora once saying he had trouble at work because he was gay, and even if Riku wasn't a lawyer, he'd know how wrong and against the law that was.

"Why don't you tell someone about him?" Riku asked, his lawyer mind already thinking of all the things Sora could sue him for.
"Mr Bernard and his family are… influential. Even if I won against him, he has the power to make sure I never work as a teacher again, and that's my dream. It's what I've always wanted to do," Sora said.
"I'm good at what I do, Sora. I'd help you," Riku promised.
"I know, and I thank you for offering, but I just don't wanna risk it," Sora said, reaching out his hand to grab Riku's.

Riku sighed. He'd try talking sense into the man later, but he could see how tired Sora was right now. Even though Sora didn't say it, Riku knew that Sora had been spending time with him and Roxas so much he hadn't been able to have a second job. It would be easy to just ask Sora to move in with them, but neither one of them was ready for that.

"I'll give you the money," Riku said. Sora's eyes widened, and he spluttered.
"No, Riku, I can't accept that," Sora said firmly, letting go of his hand.
"You can pay me back later if you want to, just let me do something to help. You'll lose your home in a week!"

Sora bit his lip, looking down at his feet as he thought about it. Riku could practically hear the gears turning inside his head as the brunette tried to find another way to get enough money.

"Fine. But I'm paying you back as soon as I can," Sora said. He stepped closer to embrace the taller man. Riku wrapped his arms around Sora, nuzzling his nose against his hair, immediately scrunching up his nose at the smell of smoke from the bar he'd worked at clinging to Sora's clothes and hair. "Thank you, Riku. Seriously."

"It's nothing," Riku said, pulling back. "Now go change, you stink."