This is a story I thought up of while watching Judge Judy.

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Riku was one of those guys that hated everyone. He was one of those kids in the punk-rock band that went and would spread his bands name around by spray painting it on walls and garbage cans. He was one of those kids that wore so many chains and belts that it was a surprise that his pants didn't fall down. He was one of those kids that kept their face clean of all make up, but wore baggy clothing. He wasn't a goth, but he wasn't NOT a goth. He'd actually beat up anyone who called him a goth, but put that person in the hospital if they called him a prep.

Right now, he's standing next to the mayor's house, two spray paint cans in hand. He works alone, and if anyone came with him, he'd set the blame of the whole thing on their shoulders. He was going to paint the thing he usually painted. He would paint the word 'TYME' in giant letters. Giant green melting letters. His band was called, 'The Melting Of Tyme,'. And Riku insisted on spelling time with a Y.

He started, shaking the can and spraying on the blank white wall of the mayor's manor. He really hated the Mayor. They mayor was the person that wouldn't fund the building of a second hospital center. Riku, having had to be in the hospital for three weeks on end, was a proud supporter of the hospital.

He reached back and threw away the empty can, hearing the police sirens. They shouldn't be here yet! Someone must have seen him sneaking in, or starting. He needed to finish, he needed to spread the word of the stupid mayor. He was almost done...almost done.

---

He was wearing baggy black pants with an uncountable number of belts and chains. He had a sleeveless black baggy shirt on, and he had shoulder-length silver hair. He looked like a real punk, and already Officer Roxas was sort of...scared.

"Okay, you're coming with us, punk," Officer Axel said, walking up to Riku and grabbing his arms, "Spread 'em,"

Riku put his hands on the roof of the police car, and he felt the cop pull his hands roughly and handcuff them behind his back. He growled at the smaller Officer, making the blonde one squeak and stand frozen.

Axel caught this and pushed Riku roughly toward the car, "get in there, punk!"

Officer Roxas sighed in relief when the silver-head dude was in the car and secured tight. He saw Axel walking up to him, and he looked away sheepishly.

"That kid was my age!" Roxas said, his eyes widening as he looked at Axel. And Axel didn't look happy.

"I told you, you got to toughen up!" Axel exclaimed, then smacked Roxas on the back of his head, "Stupid, get in the car,"

---

"The case of Riku Nori, he's charged guilty on all charges," the judge said with a sigh, and brought down the javelin with a fierce 'bam!'. He ran a hand through his hair, "He is charged for a month of community service at the Destiny Isles Corps. Court adjourned."

Riku was pulled out of the courtroom by his cuffs by that same red-head cop that booked him, he scowled again at the red-head's partner, the blonde one, and the smaller squeaked again. Riku smirked to himself, and then was pulled harder by that damn cop.

Officer Axel sighed and shoved Riku into the car, walking to the driver's side and opening it. He turned to the tiny computer that the Station had supplied for the vehicle, and tapped in a few things. He then shut it down and turned on the car, waiting for it to heat up while his partner got in the car as well. To tell the truth, Axel thought his partner was a down right wimp! Axel didn't even know why they let this guy on the force. It was Officer Roxas's first day at this Station, but it was his first day at ANY station. He'd just started in the police.

"Officer Roxas, we need you to radio down to station and inform general Solstice that the court has adjourned." Axel said, un-clipping the in-car radio and tossing it to Roxas, who looked at it for a moment, then pressed the button on the side.

"This is Officer Roxas and Officer Axel," Roxas said, in the bravest tone he could muster.

What a wimp. Axel couldn't help but think that at the quiver in Roxas's voice.

Riku sighed and knew that they were taking him to his house. He didn't have abusive parents, nor bad siblings. In fact, his parent's loved him to death and he was an only child, but he didn't like his house. That's why he turned to 'The Melting Of Tyme'. He didn't exactly want to rebel against his parents, he just wanted to get away from it all. His parents...they weren't perfect, and he didn't want them to be. But they...they were just...Riku couldn't explain it.

Before he could mentally explain it to himself more, he was violently grabbed by the cuffs and dragged out of the car. They were at his house, and he knew it.

"My partner and I will be here early tomorrow to pick you up for your community service," Officer Axel stated, and unlocked Riku's cuffs. He pushed the boy toward his house, and he slid back into the car. He saw that Roxas was just sitting there, and Axel sighed.

"Toughen up, Roxas, you've got a lot of hell in front of you," Axel stated, then zoomed off before Roxas could mutter another word.

---

Riku walked into his house and was immediately greeting by a tackling hug by his mother, "Riku! Where were you! I was worried out of my mind! How did the hearing go?"

"You should have been there if you really want to know," Riku pushed her away and walked down the hall, toward the stairs, "I'm going to my room,"

His mother stared after him, and then heard her husband, "That boy...I just don't get him,"

"Don't blame him, Arthur," She answered, then walked back into the living room, hanging her head and sighing, "It isn't his fault, it's those boys, the 'melting time' thing,"

"Of course, those strange boys that Riku doesn't even like," Arthur sighed, then put his forehead in his palm, "If only he would talk to us,"

"We have to wait until he's ready to talk to us," She answered, a bit of guilt evident in her voice.

---

The chains on his hips jingled as he was put in the back of the police car. He didn't even know why he had to go to Community Service in a police car! He grunted and continued to glare at the blonde Officer that had dropped him off last night. Not only did he have to get dropped off in a police vehicle, he had to sit with the same idiot cops.

"How old are you, punk?" Officer Axel asked, staring the car up as long as the computer in the dash. He had a navigation system in there to tell him the way to Destiny Isles Corps.

"Nineteen," Riku mumbled more to himself and crossed his arms, looking as the houses slowly started to disappear into buildings. He saw that slowly the trees were gone, and more and more large offices and skyscrapers were taking their places.

"What in the hell is Destiny Isles Corps., anyway?" Riku asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. It was probably some Animal shelter, or Library or something like that. Riku didn't care for animals, nor books, but at least it didn't include human interaction.

"A humanitarian built homeless shelter," Officer Axel answered, then looked in his rear-view window at the boy. He saw the hint of anger and shock sweep the features, and smirked to himself.

Riku crossed out jumping out of the moving car when he saw the gun holstered in both the cop's belts. He really hated people. All people. At least this stupid ass community service was only for a month. But to Riku that was thirty day's too many.

He felt the car stop and he saw his door open, and the red-head cop pulled him out roughly, shoving him toward the one-story building. It looked...old. It had ivy crawling up all the walls like spider webs, and the door to the inside even had a gunshot in it. Riku growled at the door and Axel pushed him harder, "Growling's getting you nowhere,"

Riku glared at him and moved forward on his own accord, then had the blonde open the door. Axel pushed him in and they were met with a boy. The boy looked like he was supposed to be there, so they talked to him.

"We're here for the Community Service of Riku Nori," Axel said, un-cuffing Riku. The boy looked at him with a sort of scared gaze, then turned to Axel,

"Hi! I'm Demyx, we'll get him straitened out here," the blonde stated proudly, then looked at the clipboard he was holding, "and I understand that you two officers are staying in the perimeter to make sure that Mr. Nori doesn't try and break out of his service?"

Riku was shocked, looking up at Demyx. They were STAYING here? I mean, he was planning on splitting the minute that the cop's left, and now?

"Yes," Axel said, then smiled, "We'll be searching the building, making sure that their's no deadly weapons, nor anything that Mr. Nori could use as a weapon,"

Demyx nodded, then took Riku by the shoulder, leading him down, "I'll show you the short, but nice tour."

They walked down the hall, and Riku wasn't at all interested in this man's babble. But he did listen when he was pointing out where things were.

"The door to the left is the bathrooms," Demyx said, pointing to the door as he explained, "the door to the right is the living quarters. The next left is the leading way to the lounge. The other right is leading exactly to the library. And at the end of the hall is the dining room. Need to know anything else?"

Riku shook his head and spoke a little, "just what I need to do and what I'm doing here,"

"I'm not going to be the one to tell you that," Demyx said, then sighed, giving a bored look, "They don't tell me anything around here. I'm just the greeting guy. But you, Sora'll tell you what to do,"

"Sora?" Riku asked, then sighed, great, another GIRL. He wasn't great with girls. And that might be the reason he's gay, but probably not. Girl's are harder to like than guys. Demyx nodded,

"Yup, Sora's a tough guy," guy "He'll tell you what to do and when to do it,"

Riku sighed in relief. No girls.

Demyx led him into the dining hall, and all he saw was a bar to get food on the far side, a bunch of circular and rectangle tables scattered everywhere (random people sitting in them), and a white ceiling and walls with blue boarders. What a place!

"Sora's over there, serving breakfast," Demyx said, then pushed Riku forward and walked back out the doorway, mumbling something about he didn't get paid enough for this.

Riku strode over, his hands in his pockets. He was fumbling with some loose change in his pockets, wondering mildly if the paint on the mayor's house had worn off yet. The guy probably got a guy to wash it off.

Riku walked forward and saw that a very...how do you say it?...hmmm adorably alert. He wasn't looking at anything other than serving out what looked like slop, and smiling warmly to the people that he was giving it to. Riku walked up and opened his mouth to announce his arrival, but Sora seat him to it,

"Grab a hair-net, a apron, and a spoon," Sora said, not taking his eyes off the work. He smiled toward another person, "Hi, Namine, is Kairi feeling any better?"

Riku looked over and saw that there was a small cardboard box of hairnets, a couple hooks holding aprons, and a sink with clean utensils in it. He did as he was told, because if he didn't, he'd have to have even longer in this place.

He stood next to the Sora person and tied the apron around his stomach, "What now?"

"Grab a stack of plates and help me out!" Sora exclaimed, then moved over so that Riku had some room, "We only have a few more people left, and I'd rather like to introduce before you start talking to people,"

Riku stared at the kid, intimidated by his sheer boldness. He smiled to himself, and grabbed a plate, putting some of the tan slop in it.

"That's too much, we don't want to give them stomach aches," Sora said with a small smile, handing another person a plate, "Ahh! Mickey! How are you?"

Riku scraped some of the food off the plate and then handed it to the person that was waiting. He didn't get a real good look at the person, but the guy stayed, waiting for something.

"Oh," Sora said, then handing the man Riku just gave food to another plate, "You have to give Leon two, he's also getting one for Cloud,"

Riku raised an eyebrow, then chose not to answer. He filled a plate with food, but this time with not so much.

"That's better," Sora said with a laugh, then handed another person food, "Hi, Merlin, your arthritis feeling any better?"

Was it just Riku, or was Sora talking to everyone. He handed another person the slop and Sora started to wipe his hands on his apron, taking off his hairnet. He looked toward Riku and smiled wide, "Thanks, We're done for today,"

Riku nodded, but Riku did NOT smile. He took off his apron and Sora took it from him, putting it in a cardboard box. Riku took off the hair net and Sora took that too, putting it next to the box it came from.

Sora clapped his hands, then looked at Riku, "I assume you're Riku Nori, are you not?"

Riku nodded, putting his hands back in his pockets. Sora smiled at him, and Riku finally got a new look at his...boss.

He was about half a head shorter than Riku, and his hair reminded Riku of chocolate ice-cream. But it was more crazy and spiked than chocolate ice-cream. Riku was just referring to the color. His eyes were wide and had the same shade as a bright sky. He was short, and was wearing a baggy shirt and jeans. Simple enough. But Riku felt oddly...complicated in Sora's presence.

"Shall we meet everyone?" Sora asked, then walked around the counter and to the first table. He smiled and pointed to the first person. A gruffy man with a white shirt and cargo pants, "That's Cid Highwind, He's been staying here ever since he lost everything in a fire,"

Cid didn't seem to be fazed by that blunt statement of Sora's, he just grunted, "Better here than it was there,"

Sora pointed to the other guy. Another gruffy one, with five o' clock shadow and spiked black hair with random streaks of grey, "That's Auron Hiroshi, he's been here even before I started. But he went bankrupt in the oil industry,"

Auron didn't care either, then mumbled, "Better here than it is there,"

Both Cid and Auron laughed at each other and smiled like old buddies. While walking to the next table, Sora whispered to Riku, "Don't worry about them, they actually play chess in the evenings when they think no one's looking,"

Sora laughed to himself and walked to the next table, where a lone man was sitting and eating, he looked like a handsome young man, and he was even smiling while he was eating, "That's Jack Skelington, He just wounded up one day, saying he needed to get away from it all,"

The moved on to the next table, where three girls were sitting. One was a brunette with her hair in a braid with a large bow. She looked nice, and she was wearing an old and worn pink dress. The second was a girl with long black hair and a tough-looking body, she was wearing a baggy white T and black shorts. The last was a younger girl, with blonde hair and stunning eyes, but she was just wearing a worn white dress that reminded Riku of snow.

"The brunette's Aerith Sakura, she lost everything when her mother died and gave all the money to her favorite cat in the will," Sora laughed, "The one with black hair it Tifa Yoshe, she came here a year after I started, and she hasn't told anyone her story yet. The last one is Namine Langley, she has a sister, Kairi. Kairi and her both ran away from home, having abusive parents, and we took them in here,"

Riku nodded and was already bored. Sora walked to the next table and walked up to them, dragging Riku with him. There was two people sitting, and one was the brunette that needed two breakfasts. Sora smiled at Leon and then looked at the other, who was just staring at nothing, eating.

The brunette had nice long hair to his shoulders, and hard as ice rain-blue eyes. That gaze was hard and mean to everyone, but Riku was surprised when Leon would look at the blonde, he would totally soften up., like he was looking at something that just warmed his heart, and he couldn't look rudely at.

He blonde had spiky hair similar to Sora's, and he had bright sea-blue eyes that had a deep gray in them. He had a smile, and his hair flicked as he raised his hand, still looking at nothing. Or the center of the table.

"Sora, Is that you?" Cloud asked, reaching out his hand. Sora put his hand in the blonde's and Cloud smiled warmly, "Hey, Sora,"

Sora smiled then gestured to the man staring at nothing, "This is Cloud Strife, he went blind when he got caught in a huge malfunction at a chemical lab. He used to be a great scientist, but they fired him after he lost his sight. He slowly lost all his money, and his friend," Sora now gestured to Leon, "Squall Leonheart brought him here, and just so happened to stay here himself, not having much money in the first place,"

Cloud laughed, then closed his eyes, "those days were so miserable, I thank Leon everyday for bringing me here,"

Leon laughed.

"But why do you call him Leon?" Riku asked, his first sentence since he came here. He looked at them both.

"Ever since I ran away from my parents at sixteen, I had people call me Leon. I legally changed it at eighteen, but few people know my real name," Leon answered in a hard and cold tone, looking to Riku. He smirked, then turned back to his food.

Sora walked to the last table with people on it and it was completely full of all six seats. Sora stayed a few feet away and introduced them without actually getting their attention. "That's Seifer Samuru, he came here when his dad died while working at a mechanic," He was a blonde with a beanie, "that one's Mickey Mousey next to him, he's real nice, but his wife, Minnie, died in child birth, the baby went too," That man was a rather tall looking guy with shoulder-length hair, "that one's Saix Yukio, he was here from birth, or so I'm told. He never knew his parents," He was a man with silver-blue hair that sort of spiked and went to the middle of his back. He had a large 'X' shape scar right in between his eyes, "That one's Sephiroth Sachi, he's that one's, Ansem Sachi's, half-brother. They had the same mom, but different dad's. The mom was an alcoholic, died in a car accident, and Ansem's dad died of lung cancer and Sephiroth's dad died in the car wreck their mother died in." They both had long silver hair, but Sephiroth was taller than Ansem. And you could tell that they were brother's, but Sephiroth had sharper features than Ansem. "And the last one's Yuffie Michiko, they say that she went from foster home to foster home, when finally they dropped her here." She had short black hair with a bandana. She also looked quite...spunky.

Riku sighed and knew he couldn't remember all those names, then turned to the brunette, even forgetting his name for a moment, "is that all?"

Sora shook his head, "Not yet, but only three people left. There's Demyx Amarante, he goes to the U of D, and he works here. He was the only one that the boss here, Mr. Merlin, hired. Mr. Merlin, founder of the Destiny Isles Corps., has come to live here actually, but still funds it, although he doesn't get payed that much himself. And then theirs me, Sora Chika, I was dropped here when I was three, my parents eloping to Europe. I've lived here all my life since then" He smiled, then looked up at Riku, "care to tell me some stuff about yourself?"

"Riku Nori, that's all you need to know," Riku said, crossing his arms and looking across the hall. He already didn't really like it here. To bland. To many people (although there were only fourteen,) and it looked so...boring. He looked back at Sora, "Just tell me what I need to do and I'll be out of your hair,"

Sora sighed, yet another punk that didn't like people. Couldn't the state send them someone, nice, smart, and actually LIKES people? Guess not. At least Riku wasn't as bad as the last guy. He looked up at Riku with a nervous smile, "First, you'll need to go to the library and help me sort out the books, I swear that place is a disaster. Then, when we think everyone's done with breakfast, we'll go and mop up the floor and start cooking lunch. Then we'll serve lunch. Then we'll go to the lounge and hang with everyone. Then after that...umm, we'll figure it out then, alright with you?"

Riku groaned, then nodded, walking to the door, down the hall, and into the room that Demyx had told him was a library.

---

Right now, Riku was already growing a headache. He was sitting in one of the old couches in the lounge, thinking he didn't like it here. Over and over in his mind. He looked up, his hand cupping his cheek as he rested his mind. The six (spare Yuffie) before at the table (Sephiroth, Ansem, Saix, Mickey, and Seifer) were out playing basket ball. Riku learned earlier that they all were in a range of fifteen to twenty four, so that narrowed it down. They all had jobs too, which surprised him. But it was a Saturday, so...and it was Summer break for Riku, so that was a good thing.

Cloud and Leon (both twenty one and working at the same school down the street. So that meant that they were technically on summer break too) (oh, and Riku learned that Cloud taught kindergarten and Leon was a eighth grade English teacher) (across the hall from each other). Well, anyway, Cloud and Leon were sitting on the far right of the room, Cloud sitting forward in his chair while Leon read a book to him. Riku thought that was weird. Then he remembered that Cloud was blind.

Yuffie (seventeen and working at a supermarket in town), the one left out of the disastrous six, was sitting before the television six feet in front of Riku, playing a video game. Riku recognized it as Resident Evil 4, but didn't say anything about it.

And Jack, the handsome loner, was sitting in the left corner, reading a book to himself while listening to classical music coming from a small and inexpensive radio next to him.

(And the Officers that brought him here were in the dining room, checking things)

Riku felt the weight shift next to him and looked over, seeing Sora sitting next to him.

"What do you think of it?" Sora asked, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Riku learned that Sora went to the school that Cloud and Leon taught at, and loved it there.

"Weird that's for sure," Riku said, then sighed. He really wanted to spray paint these walls, make some color in here! But he didn't need more of a sentence on top of his community service. His lawyer had strained to get him community service instead of jail, and Riku doubted his lawyer would do that again. Riku mumbled to himself, "Need's color,"

Sora laughed and smiled, nodding, "That's what I keep telling Merlin and the others, but Merlin doesn't have enough money to pay for paint. The others think that they need something to lighten their spirits, though! But Leon doesn't really care, he says that since Cloud can't see it, it shouldn't be there. But we need something to liven things up!"

Riku looked over and noted that Sora liked to talk a lot. But not that he minded all that much, as long as he didn't have to talk. But something came to his mind, and he spoke it before he thought his words over, "I could buy the paint for you,"

Sora looked over at Riku in total shock. Riku saw a smile erupt on the brunette's face, and Riku knew that he could never take back what he just said. The pure joy in Sora's face was too much.

"Really!" Sora exclaimed, "that...that would be great! Would you!"

Riku looked over and sighed, trying not to let Sora hear it, "Yeah, I'll get it,"

Heck, he had money, and he needed something to spend it on. His parents would ask question though. His parent's always asked questions, "yeah, I'll get it after they drop me off tonight, so I don't forget,"

Riku didn't know what was happening. At first he was having a blast painting the mayor's house, thinking he'd never get caught. Then he does get caught by a hard ass cop. Then he has to go to trial, and his parents have to 'work', so he has to get a ride by that same hard ass cop. Then he get's dropped off at some lame community service by that hard ass cop. Then he has to do all this work. And now he's getting hugged by Sora! Wha-! Wait? Hugged by Sora?"

Riku looked down and was met with a spiky poof of hair. And something was wrapped tightly around his middle. He didn't think for a minute, then pushed Sora away, growling, "I'm getting paint, for god's sake, you don't have to glomp me!"

Sora blushed and looked away, "I just wanted to say...thanks."

Riku sighed and put his forehead in his palm. This was going to be one LONG month.

---

When Riku was un-cuffed and pushed toward his house, he walked forward without a word and burst through the door, walked into the living room, saw his parents watching TV, and walked forward, "can you guy's drop me off at Home Depot? I'll walk back,"

They both looked up at him in shock, then at each other. This was the first time that Riku had asked them for ANYTHING. And when I say anything, I mean anything! Riku stood there, his hands in his pockets, his head tilted in annoyance.

"Well?" Riku asked them when they were too shocked to answer. His eyebrows quirked down, and he squinted his eyes. This was seriously annoying him.

"S-sure," His mother said, standing and walking over to him, grabbing her purse off the mantle. She looked toward her husband with that look that said 'if-you-don't-come-with-me-you're-a-dead-man' either that or 'time-to-bond-with-our-son!'. Whichever one it was, it got him off the couch and at the door faster than a bullet. Riku sighed and walked past him, walking to their car and getting in it before they could say another word to him. He didn't like asking his parent's for things.

---

Riku was pissed because he thought that bright neon green (the color he used for TYME) was the perfect color for the place, but his mother interjected the minute she heard what it was for. She continued to say that this ugly poop-brown was a good color, but Riku sighed and stated that they wanted something lively. Riku wanted neon green, his mother wanted brown.

They settled on daisy yellow, and a mellow calm purple.

Riku actually didn't mind these colors. His mom didn't either. But he was pissed when his parent's stated that they were driving him home.

---

How do you like the first chapter?