Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. This fan fiction has not been written for profit and no money was made off of it.
Title: Hiding Behind a Mask
Pairing: SoraxRiku
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's been two years since Sora last stepped foot on Destiny Islands and he intends to never go back. But when an invitation to one of Selphie's outrageous parties appears on his doorstep will he accept? YAOI SoraxRiku
It was stifling hot outside while Sora was walking home from school. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and shrugged his heavy backpack higher on his shoulder. He kicked a large pebble and watched it roll out into the street, just barely missing the tire of a car. A warm breeze lifted his heavy brown spikes away from his face giving him brief relief from the heat. Summer had finally come around the bend and final exams were over. Now he could focus on the fun things the vacation had in store for him. A honking horn sounded to his left, he looked up and winced from the glare of the sun. A woman with light brown hair rolled down the window of the car and smiled brightly up at him.
"Hi honey."
He smiled back at her. "Oh, hey mom." He then noticed the many plastic bags piled in the back seat. "Go grocery shopping again?"
"Yup." She looked back at the huge pile. "I had time after work, but I think I over did it this time."
"Yea, it looks like it."
She slowed the car down to match his pace and he noticed that a long line of cars were forming behind them and most of the drivers didn't look too happy.
"So, how was school?"
"Uh, I'll tell you more about it when I get home." He tried to ignore the man who was giving him a nasty glare. "You better get going, I'll see you in a bit."
She patted the empty passenger seat beside her. "You can tell me about it right now."
He paused, not really wanting to but –
HONK!
"All right." He quickly opened the car door and got in. He enjoyed walking home. It was an opportunity he never wanted to miss. It helped him relax and clear his head from the thoughts that clouded his mind during the day. His mother smiled warmly at him as he buckled his seat belt and he suddenly felt bad about feeling so selfish. He would do anything to make her smile and smiling wasn't something she did too often these days. Ever since Dad left she was up to her neck in work.
"So, how was school?" She asked again and returned her gaze to the road.
"It was fine. We basically sat around and chatted."
"Really?"
"Yea. Finals are over so why would the teachers give us more work?"
"I see, well that sounds like fun."
Sora looked out the window. "Yup, it was." The landscape flew by in a whirl of color; everything was so bright, so alive. It was if everything that was green was trying to show their true color before they got dried out in the summer months.
"Oh and before I forget," His mother reached into one of the car doors side compartments. "You got this in the mail today."
She tossed a small white envelope into his lap. He picked it up and looked at it curiously. The front was blank except for his name and address and the back was blank too. Huh, there was no return address.
"Well, go on. See who it's from."
"All right, all right." He gently ripped the top open and pulled out a frilly piece of paper. It was pale yellow with lace outlining its edges. He stared at in horror and suddenly had a bad feeling about whom it was from. Looking as if he were awaiting his death sentence he unfolded it and read it out loud.
Dear Guest,
You are cordially invited to the annual Masquerade Ball this Friday. Please dress in a costume that will completely conceal your identity. Be sure to look forward to a night filled with fun and festivities. We hope you can attend.
ASAP (484) 772-3636
Sincerely,
Selphie
The letter didn't stop though to Sora's growing horror. At the bottom of the page untidy scrawl was written exactly for him.
Sora,
I know you don't want to come but I'm asking you just this once. Everybody will love to see you and I know you'll have a good time. So, stop being a self-centered, bitter, worrywart and come dance the night away like the party animal you are. I won't take no for an answer.
Love,
Kairi
"I am not bitter," he mumbled once he finished and crumbled the letter up in his hand. He had gotten an invitation last year too but he had turned it down. This year would be the same way, he wouldn't go, it would be too hard to face them anyway.
"You'll have to see them eventually, you know," his mother said quietly, reading his thoughts. "It sounds like they really miss you."
"I don't care about them. I'm not going." He discarded the envelope and its contents over his shoulder and into the back seat.
His mother chuckled. "You are bitter! Just listen to yourself!"
"Am not!" He groaned and buried his face in his hands. He knew he was being silly, but in truth he was utterly scared. He hadn't seen them in two whole years and the idea of facing them after ignoring all their letters wasn't something he wanted to deal with. He could easily recall the memory that had made him so upset. It was the day when he was leaving the island. His father had gotten a job on one of the more industrial islands and they had packed immediately and left. He could remember how sad and angry he felt when none of his friends came to see him off and being the stubborn fourteen year old he was he vowed to never speak to them again.
"If you keep your face like that much longer it will stay that way forever," his mother laughed as she turned the car right at an intersection to head down their street.
Sora rolled his eyes and continued to pout. "I'm not going."
"Too bad. You were invited and it would be rude to turn it down."
"But I -
She held up her hand. "I know how you're feeling and I know it's going to be hard, but, you can't feel this way about them forever."
Sora gave a defeated sigh. The car rolled into the driveway of their house and he hopped out of it as soon as it stopped. "Ok, I'll go," he said with one hand on the car door. "But.." He looked at his mother who was smiling again. "If only if it will make you happy."
Her smile widened. "Of course it will."
The brunette collapsed on his bed later that day; the idea of returning to Destiny Islands was making his head spin. He couldn't believe he had agreed to it. He rolled onto his stomach, wishing his headache would go away. What the hell had he gotten himself into? And what in the world was he going to wear? He knew it had to be something to hide his identity, something that would cover most of his face. In a way, the whole costume thing wasn't such a bad idea. Nobody would recognize him if he hid behind a mask the whole time. Feeling considerably better he reached for the phone on his night table. Now he had to deal with finding a costume and luckily he knew somebody that would help him no matter what.
An hour later the doorbell rang and Sora didn't hesitate to answer it. He turned off the TV and jumped from the couch and ran to the door.
"You're late Namine."
The girl gave him a pearly white smile and pushed past him into the house; she didn't even wait for him to invite her in. He smiled at her behavior. He and Namine had been attached at the hip ever since he stepped foot on the island and met her at the local ice cream parlor a few blocks over. Nothing could ever come between them; they treated each other like brother and sister.
"So, when's this big party?" She asked as she made herself comfortable on the couch where Sora had been sitting before.
"Not until Friday night," he replied and closed the door behind him. The couch sagged as he sat down beside her.
"Great, that gives us three days to find you something perfect!"
"Yea, hopefully it will be enough time."
"It will." She ran her fingers through her long blonde hair and eyed him thoughtfully. "Stand up."
"Um, all right." He stood and watched as she got up and circled him; one finger to her lips as if she was in deep thought.
"What're you doing?" He asked, suddenly feeling very unconscious.
She winked. "Just looking."
"Namine!"
"Oh relax! I'm just trying to picture something that would look good on you," she giggled and punched him lightly. "After all, I'm sure you've grown since the last time you saw them. And you want to make a good first impression don't you?"
He rubbed the abused arm. "I guess so."
"Aw, Sora! You're so cute! Those girls are going to fall head over heels for you!" She reached up to ruffle his already messy hair.
"Hey, stop!" He swatted her hand away. "And I am not cute!"
Namine raised her eyebrow and smiled. "You're right, you're not….you're sex on a stick."
He swore he heard that wrong. "Huh?"
"Ugh! Sora you're so clueless!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hallway to the bathroom.
"Just look at yourself." She shoved him in front of the mirror. "You're hot!"
His startled reflection looked back at him. Hot? What did Namine see in him? He wasn't hot.
Sora rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of what he was looking for. Well he knew he was considerably taller than two years ago and the stick thin body he once had was no more. He had filled out nicely thanks to the countless trips to the gym. His hair had gotten lighter but it still stuck out around his head like it had a mind of its own and his eyes were an unusually bright shade of blue that contrasted with his tan skin.
Namine smiled slyly at him. "Have you ever wondered why all those girls in our year had crushes on you?"
"They did?"
She slapped a hand to her forehead. "Boys! Oblivious to everything!"
"What's going on?"
Sora turned to find his mother staring at them with an amused expression on her face.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's just.." he began, but was roughly pushed to the side.
"Sora doesn't know how cute he is!" Namine wailed.
His mother chuckled. "He has grown up hasn't he? Well, he'll realize soon enough."
Sora rolled his eyes and tugged his friend back into the living room.
The next two days flew by in a blur and left him completely and utterly exhausted. Namine had planned a shopping spree that would take him all around town and to the mall. He couldn't even remember all the stores they had gone to because they went to so many. But in the end they did find something for him and it seemed to be a perfect fit because Namine wouldn't stop squealing at the top of her lungs when she saw him draw back the curtain of the dressing room. His ears were still ringing from all the noise. To make things worse the female sales lady wouldn't stop stalking him and any girl he passed would eye him up and down.
"They're checking you out!" Namine giggled. "See, I told you you were hot."
He had wanted to leave the mall then and there and never come back.
When Friday finally arrived he was almost relieved. The stress and anxiety that had built up inside him was beginning to overwhelm him. He rushed down to breakfast and wolfed down the plate of eggs and toast his mother had set out for him.
"Someone's hungry this morning," she said as she sat down across from him. "Eat slowly so you won't choke."
He chugged down a glass of orange juice and wiped his mouth. "The ferry leaves at nine o'clock and I have to pack."
The dishes clinked as she cleared the table. "You have two whole hours, don't worry, you'll have time."
"I know, but I promised Namine I would stop by her house on the way there."
"Ok." She put the empty glass in the sink. "But say goodbye to me now because I have to head off to work."
Sora got up and gave his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you next Monday."
She hugged him tight. "All right, be safe and have a good time."
"I will."
"Hey Sora," Namine said brightly when she found her friend on her front porch.
"Hey," he replied.
"Is that all your bringing?" She pointed to the green backpack he was holding.
"Yup, pretty much," he said shouldering it. "But I'll be back Monday."
"Ok." She looked down at her feet and started tracing a crack in the wood with her sandal. A small silence fell between them.
Not sure of what else to say, Sora started down the steps. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you."
"Have a good time," she said and Sora missed the look that crossed her face. It disappeared as quickly as it came. "Bye!"
"Bye!"
He turned left when he reached the sidewalk; he had just enough time to get to the ferry before it left. He hummed a small tune as he quickly walked towards his destination. It was lucky that his parents had bought a house near the ocean; he knew he could never live being too far from it.
"Sora!"
He whipped his head around.
"Sora, wait!"
Namine came running up before him and settled her hands on her knees to catch her breath. "I just wanted to know…." She paused and looked up at him. "Is that girl Kairi you told me about just your friend?"
"Of course she is," he said, wondering why she would be asking him this.
"Ok, good," she said straightening up and flipping her blonde hair behind her. "I just wanted to know."
He glanced at his watch. Oh crud. "I have to go Namine, the ferry is leaving in fifteen minutes."
"I know." And with that she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I'll miss you."
Sora stiffened slightly at the contact but returned the hug anyway. After all, it was only a friendly hug. "I'll miss you too."
Namine released him and gave him a small push to tell him to get going. He smiled at her and continued on his way.
A/N: Good so far? looks around hopefully I know there wasn't any rikuxsora action yet but just wait, it's gonna get good! Look forward to some fluffy goodness in the upcoming chapters!
Reviews are greatly appreciated! I would also love to know what you guys think Sora's costume will be! I have some few ideas but I want to hear yours! I'll credit if I steal one! grins