Stranger Than Fiction

Chapter Eighteen:

Stranger Than Fiction

Author's Note:

BEING REWRITTEN AS OF 13/11/08!!!!! AND HOPEFULLY FINISHED OFF PROPERLY THIS TIME! When it's rewritten though, it might not resemble the original fic as much. Please check back regularly!

Got over my writer's block, slightly… Anyhow, here's the next chapter. I'm overwhelmed by all this… I've decided what I'm going to do when this fic, and Heartagram too, is finished. I am going to write another Sora/Riku fic (YAY!) and I think that it's fairly original too…

Gomen, this chapter is crap. I've got serious writers block and have completely fallen into an anti-writing stupor. I plan to ease myself back into writing with some one shots however, mostly Gravitation ones but shrugs

RR

Warning for violence

Disclaimer:

I don't own Kingdom Hearts nor any of the characters.

Sora felt the depression sinking in. He wasn't sure what he could do to pull himself out of it. He looked for Selphie, then remembered she'd said something about going to see Yuffie and create a dance routine to some song or other. Most likely 'Hella Good' by No Doubt, as it had been living in Selphie's CD player all week.

He sighed, before picking up his mobile phone and hesitantly highlighting the number listed as 'Bob'. He typed in the masking digits, 141, in front of his cell number to stop 'Bob' knowing it was him and hit the call button.

He had to know…

Riku rolled over from where he was lying down, staring at the ceiling. He picked up the phone absently, hitting the 'answer' button with little thought.

"Riku speaking," He said quietly. He heard a gasp on the other end of the line and it went dead. Frowning, he looked down at his phone in time to see 'Private Number' end the call.

Someone had called his private phone masking their number… Sora…

Panicking, Riku hurriedly picked up his phone, hoping to be able to explain. However all he got was the answer phone.

Sora must be really angry with him…

Sora jumped around the room, laughing giddily. It was so perfect and also so obvious! Riku was Bob, and had been from the beginning. He was the one who Sora had fallen in love with. He was the one who had wanted to know all about Sora…

He chuckled and forced himself to sit on his bed, forcing down the mirth. Him and Riku. Together… It was a fairy tale…

"Hey Sora!" Sakura bounded into the room. She was becoming more and more like Selphie by the day. Sora was quite glad that she had taken to hanging around with Selphie and Yuffie, it meant that he didn't have to entertain her constantly.

"Hiya Sakura!" He replied cheerily, greeting her with his usual kiss on the cheek and a quick hug.

"Whoa, happy today!" She staggered backwards out of Sora's embrace, grinning despite herself.

"Yup, yup, yup!" He grinned and then sat down. Sakura followed him, shaking her head but still smiling.

"May I inquire as to why?" She asked. Sora shook his head, laughter still bubbling from his mouth.

"Guess," He answered. She rolled her eyes and curled up into a ball on Sora's bed, leaning her chin on her knees.

"I'm too tired for guessing games…" She said. Sora frowned, wondering what was wrong with her. Usually Sakura was bright and cheerful, now she was acting as though she was… heartbroken…

"What's the matter?" Sora asked. Sakura blinked, then sat forward, taking Sora's hand.

"I'm sorry Sora," She whispered, before pushing her lips against his own. Sora blinked as Sakura's face blurred in front of him. He was so shocked he just stared at her, before gently but firmly pushing her away.

"What the hell?" Sora fell backwards off his bed, landing with a crash. Sakura blinked at him with tear-filled eyes.

"This wasn't supposed to happen Sora. I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you! You're just so gentle and kind and I'm always happier when I'm around you…" Sakura whispered. Sora couldn't believe he was hearing this. He came down from his happy state with a thud.

Sakura was in love with him. They were going to be married. He was going to break her heart.

"Please don't say anything Sora. I know that you see me as nothing more than a friend. I'm sorry…" She stood up and ran out of the room.

"That was pathetic…" Leon deadpanned, as Cloud's wooden Bo hit his side. The blonde ran his fingers through his hair, sending a tired smile the brunet's way.

"Sorry," He whispered. Leon was beside him instantly, an arm around his waist. They were in the field again, where they had first sparred, but Cloud wasn't doing too good. He seemed ill…

"Let's rest for a while," Leon suggested. Cloud let himself be lead to a fallen tree where they sat against it as back support. The blonde's arms encircled Leon's waist, and he laid his head on the brunet's chest.

"I'm so tired… Even though I had today off school…" Cloud yawned. Leon had gone to his house after Riku had disappeared into his room, only to be told he could find Cloud here.

"I think a seizure's coming on…" Cloud said suddenly. Leon looked down at the blonde, who seemed so reluctant to move.

"Should I walk you home?" He asked. Cloud looked up, his blue eyes were sleepy.

"Stay with me…" The blonde begged. Leon felt his throat tighten, as Cloud's eyes glazed over. How was he supposed to deal with this?

He saw Cloud's body go rigid, his eyes rolled upwards, his limbs twitched, and for twenty seconds, Leon was afraid to breathe. Then Cloud's body went limp, and he whimpered slightly.

When Leon looked down, he saw Cloud's face, he looked completely out of it, as though he were stoned. He mumbled something, idly picking at Leon's clothing then he blinked, and sat up.

"Whoa, my head…" He muttered rubbing it, and turning to Leon, who was just staring. He wasn't sure whether to admit to Cloud how much the blonde's seizures scared him. It was like losing him…

"You alright?" Cloud asked, noting Leon's pale pallor. The brunet chuckled.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?" He replied. Cloud shrugged, before stretching.

"Really sleepy now…" He mumbled. Leon drew his arms around Cloud, guiding the blonde's head to his chest. Cloud snuggled closer, glad for the comfort and handy pillow all at once.

"Then sleep. I'll wake you when we have to go," Leon replied, stroking the Cloud's golden hair.

He's like an angel fallen from heaven… An angel that can't keep up with the demands of mortality… But he's an angel none the less…

Leon smiled. Cloud was his angel…

"Sora, it's about time we sat down and talked about what is going to happen when you leave school," His father began. Sora frowned. He'd already decided what he was going to do.

He wanted to be a doctor, and he was determined to be one… It was either that or he would continue work on Kingdom Hearts (Sephiroth had mentioned a movie, computer game, manga and anime series. Sora couldn't wait to be involved!).

"Of course, your marriage to Sakura is imminent, and I presume you have chosen a date?" His mother asked. Sora shook his head, clenching his fists in his pockets. It was going to be one of those conversations where his parents talked and he listened…

"Well, of course, you will and you'll be married before your eighteenth," His father told him. Sora ground his teeth. He doubted Sakura would ever want to see him again after tonight…

"I hope that you will then produce a male heir to the Hikka legacy. Sakura can then be disposed of as you wish, though it is respectable to keep her and have a mistress," Hikka instructed, as though it were the most obvious thing. Sora felt his anger boil. His father was treating him and Sakura like pawns in a giant chess game.

"When I retire, at fifty, I expect you to step up and run the company for me. You will teach your son to follow in our footsteps from an early age-" Sora stood up, he had heard enough. He made to leave but when he got to the door, he felt his father's hand wrap around his arm.

"We are not finished talking," Hikka said. Sora turned to him.

"I think I have heard enough. I am not going to do as you say. I will not marry Sakura, I will not hurt her. I will not take over the family business and I will not let you arrange my life like I am a mere puppet," He seethed. He pulled his arm out of his father's grip.

"I will not stand by and let you rule over my life, and dictate to me what should make me happy. You can't possibly be my parents, you care nothing for me!" Sora yelled. His father hardened his expression.

"You will do as you are told!" George Hikka snapped. Sora pressed himself against the door, his hand frantically trying to grab the doorknob. He was afraid, that look in his father's eyes…

"I won't! I won't do it anymore! I'm not you! I'm me, Sora Hikka, the guy who is loved by everyone at school for being carefree and happy, and hates to be trapped within these four walls. Don't you see you're destroying me?" Sora demanded, tears overflowing. His father just stared at him for a second.

The door opened behind Sora and it broke the spell in the room. Hikka's rage was no longer contained, and his fists fell upon Sora, pounding him like soft clay. The brunet didn't cry out, but took his beating without a single yelp.

Selphie, Cid, Sephiroth and Aerith stood frozen at the doorway when George Hikka laid the final blow onto Sora, sending the boy onto the ground, blood dribbling from his mouth and nose.

Riku sighed, randomly picking a band from his playlist… He paused over Bad Religion's 'Stranger Than Fiction' album. He and Sora both liked that band, and had both loved the one song, from which the album got it's name.

To lift his depression, and to daydream of Sora, Riku pressed the play button, watching the pretty visualisations on the screen of his Media Player.

A feeble shocking violent smack the

Children are all hoping for a heart attack

Tonight the windows are watching

The streets all conspire

And the lamppost can't stop crying.

If I could fly high above the world

Would I see a bunch of living dots

Spell the word stupidity?

Or would I see hungry lover homicides,

Loving brother suicides

And olly olly oxenfrees, who pickaside and hide?

The world is scratching at my door.

My morning paper's got the scores.

The human interest stories.

And the obituary.

Cockroach napes, rattling traps,

How many devils can you fit upon a match head?

Caringosity killed the Kerouac cat

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

In my alley round the corner

There's a wino with feathered shoulders

And a spirit giving head for crack and he'll

Never want it back.

There's a little kid and his family eating

Crackers like thanksgiving

And a pack of wild desperadoes scornful of living.

The world is scratching at my door.

My morning paper's got the scores.

The human interest stories.

And the obituary.

Cradle for a cat, wolf looks back

How many angels can you fit upon a match?

I wanna know, why Hemingway cracked

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Life is the crummiest book I ever read

There isn't a hook just a lot of cheap shots

Pictures to shock and characters an

Amateur would never dream up.

Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.