Oh my god, I'm alive. And actually updating. I'm a bit shocked myself. Anyway, I'm dedicating this chapter to Soraki-san. So far, her (?) review was the latest, and it really made me think about actually getting on with my story. So here's to you…and the rest of the readers who're possibly still reading…^ ^; …Btw, I'm a Sora cosplayer myself. Ahaha, go figure?;

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            Riku blinked, reaching to his own face as Sora's hand had pulled away. Of course he couldn't touch it…but in a sense, he could feel it.

            His eyes shifted to a nearby mirror in the corner. Wow…he wasn't just red. He was nearly glowing. How'd such an obvious emotion creep up on him without realizing it?

            Sora's head was tilted to the side as the silver haired boy stared at himself in the mirror. His friend had definitely found out what he was showing him. And though at times Sora didn't understand him, when it came to Riku, things just kinda stuck out at him more. And realizing why Riku's face was so bright, he figured it was only fair to hear him out.

            "…I'm sorry…Riku. I'll…listen to you." Sora spoke only above a whisper, setting the cloth aside as Riku's eyes pulled away from the mirror and followed the other's movements.

            Riku simply sighed at first, letting the shade of his cheeks change back to their normal color, under some scratches and dirt that were still there. He was so relieved that Sora agreed to hear him out. Now…only if he could word it right.

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            The two young boys had eventually moved to a long couch with a fleece comforter laying over it. Riku had explained what all had happened - pausing sometimes with hesitation, or from seeing an odd look on Sora's face. The brunette had often interrupted too, explaining what had happened to him at some parts, leading them both to an understanding that it was all Kairi's doing...

            After hearing everything, Sora just leant back and stretched out his hands on his lap, thinking.

            "…Why would Kairi do something like that?" Sora asked, confused as ever. Riku would've smiled, seeing Sora's true self returning…if they weren't necessarily talking about her.

            "Forget it…" The silver haired boy huffed out lightly in a short breath, a fist to his forehead. "But you do understand now…right? Sora…" Riku's eyes trailed to the floor along with his voice, as if searching for words on the floor.

            Sora blinked, watching his eyes. His chin tilted inward. They were really beautiful. "…Huh?" He finally asked, waiting for Riku to finish his sentence.

            "…You're…you're my closest friend, I could never hurt you. I hope you…understand that." Riku leant back, closing his eyes gently. Damn, since when did I suck *this* badly with words? He decided to start again. "Gah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it—" He paused when his eyes met Sora's.

            He must've forgotten; it didn't take paragraphs of amazing words to please Sora. His vocabulary wasn't that big, anyway. The spiky haired boy at the other end of the couch was leaning forward on his palms, with large googly eyes.

            "You don't know how much that means to me!" Sora's voice wobbled, with happy tears in his eyes. It would've been adorable…if his grin weren't stretching from ear to ear, blinding Riku with his glistening smile.

            Riku smiled weakly in return, his heart happily celebrating that Sora had forgiven him behind his stony expression.

            After a moments pause and giving Sora a second to calm down, Riku reached over, his glove pulled off, rubbing away Sora's tears.

            "I don't want to see anymore of those, okay?" He said as if demanding so.

            Sora smiled, and nodded. He rubbed his cheeks quickly with his arm, then glomped Riku unexpectedly.

            "Gah!" Riku fell back into the cushions, caught by surprise. Sora smiled cheerfully above him, as if a cat that had successfully tackled it prey to the ground. He held Riku's hands in his, and nuzzled against his chest. Major attitude switch.

            Riku's eyelids fluttered a few times before stretching widely opened. His heartbeat sped up a notch, watching Sora's spikes move back and forth as he cuddled. He tried to see the actions from the brunette's viewpoint, at first. And knowing Sora, he probably thought it was just a friendly way of saying 'thank-you, I'm happy again!' But thinking along the lines of his friend soon faded. All he could think about was how close their bodies were. And the warmth…and Sora's head smudging back and forth against his chest.

            "S-Sora…" He stuttered slightly, reaching out a hand that was oh so tempted to just hug him closer.

            …Though it didn't; he fought back this odd desire. One that he'd felt a few times in the past, now that he'd stopped to think about it. His hand simply drooped as it hung in mid-air when Sora's head rose, hearing his name.

            "Yes?" He blinked lovingly, cheeks shaded with healthy color & arms now contently wrapped around Riku's upper abdomen.

            The older boy felt himself deflate as his head slightly turned. It was that bright, cute look he loved so much about Sora. His blue eyes stood out more than usual with that expression…they were so gentle, and full with evident feeling. Though he did admire it so much, it was also that look that almost intimidated him.

            "…I think you should know, that…." Riku's palm pressed against his lips, fingers falling against closed eyelids. No good.

            Sora's head gently tilted, giving Riku another nudge with his face. "What is it?"

            Mmmn…I owe him…and that face… Riku sighed.

            "Riku?"

            I think…I'll just show him.

            "Hello in there?" Sora chuckled a bit.

            How much…

            Riku propped up the flummoxed younger boy on his lap, lifting his own self up a bit. His head was tilted as he brushed a few messy bangs away from Sora's face, with the thought that something so precious shouldn't be hidden. Sora could only watch Riku's fingers intently, confused by the cloaked expression on the other's face.

            "H...mmm…?" The brunette nearly squeaked, antsy over the fact Riku was so unreadable.

            But only a second later, Riku had broken the unusual tension with a soft gesture – a light kiss on Sora's lips, eager and gratifying.

            Sora's eyes widened, stiff as a board even after the other had pulled away. Sure, Riku had kissed him before…with his tongue, even. But there was something different about that one. It was so tame…but felt as if it meant even more.

            "…Ai shiteru, Sora."

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Myalalalala…well, hmm. I went over my earlier chapters…and wow…what a crock of crap!; I sucked! But as long as you people enjoy it, I guess that's all that matters. I'm trying to improve for you all! Oh and for those of you who don't know Japanese. 'Ai shiteru' is I love you, 'kay? Eheh…Yeah, so…before continuing further, I'm gonna wait for a few reviews to make sure I'm not writing this for no reason, still. o_o' Hope you enjoyed? ^ ^v;