Disclaimer : Same as usual.

------

Sora sighed when he realized that, once again, he was waking up in Riku's arms. But this time, the feeling wasn't pleasant at all. It almost made him sick. Not because of Riku, but because of himself. How could he use Riku the way he did with all those insignificant boys? He knew he was going to regret it, but he let it happen in the end. And now, he was paying for it. He turned his head to take a good look at his childhood friend, if he could call him that now. He seemed so peaceful with his lips parted and strands of silver hair falling on his face. The brunette was about to put his hand on this perfect cheek, but he stopped himself. He had no right to do such a thing after what he did to Riku.

" It's high time I leave this place. " the blue-eyed boy thought as he arose to his feet. He grabbed his boxers and slid them on before he went to the bathroom. There, he took a look at himself in the mirror. Traces of love bites were evident on his neck and collarbone, which prevented him from thinking nothing happened. But even without those marks, the dull pain in his back was evident proof. He laughed softly at that. " Thankfully, I'm quite used to that by now. " Riku had been kind of rough. The poor guy had no idea how to do this kind of things with guys. The brunette took a long shower to soothe his painful body and tormented mind. When he wasn't thinking about the silver-haired boy, he was thinking about Roxas' father. His own father. He had to see him again. Sora had acted like a spoiled brat and that wasn't fair at all. The man didn't even know Mai had a child, and he seemed as devastated as the brunette when he learned that. Who wouldn't be? So, as soon as Sora was ready, he left the apartment, leaving a note on the kitchen counter for Riku., just to let him know where he was.

------

The silver-haired teen awoke a few hours after Sora's departure. He wasn't that much surprised when he found the spot next to him empty. That was Sora for you. He couldn't stay put. Never. This time, though, Riku felt like it was his fault when it really wasn't. The brunette did tell him to go on, he clearly remembered that. Then, what was this painful feeling?

" Fuck. " he muttered, realizing he couldn't even find out what he was feeling himself. Dammit, he should know! He headed for the bathroom and decided he'd talk to Squall about the whole ordeal. Maybe that'd help him. Yeah, talking always helped when it came to complicated matters. For him, at least. Once he was done in the bathroom, he grabbed his keys on the counter and froze when he saw a small note on it. For a moment, he was afraid that his 'friend' left for good, but he quickly shrugged it off. Sora's belongings were still in the apartment. He took the small piece of paper, which read :

Riku,

I'm going to Roxas' place. I need to talk with his father once more. I'll also need to talk to you once I'm back, so wait for me, please. See you.

Sora.

" Now, that sounds bad. " Squall muttered after he read the note his silver-haired friend handed him. He lifted his gaze from the paper to Riku, who was biting his bottom lip nervously. " Okay, what did you do this time? " the man asked, sighing. He could already feel a headache coming.

" I kind of, erm... Slept with him. " the teen replied, mumbling the last part. Squall frowned.

" Pretty please, tell me I heard you wrong. You just didn't do that, right? " the man asked, his cold glare still on the other.

" I - I did. And I don't regret it at all! " the teen declared, his eyes eventually meeting the tall brunet's. Now, that was something he regretted...

" Clever, really. " the man commented. " Well, maybe you don't mind, but he will. " Riku shot him a confused look.

" But he told me I could - "

" I don't know why he told you that, but it wasn't out of pity. " Squall coldly replied, making the teen wince at the harsh words. " There's something you're not telling me, and I bet it has something to do with your current problem. Am I right? " The green-eyed boy hung his head low, and that was all Squall needed to know he was right. Okay, he could stay calm and not panic right now. Cloud would come back soon and... Just kill the boy if he ever heard about that. Damn, how did he end up in this kind of situation? In the end, maybe following Rinoa was the best thing to do, but no, he had to listen to his lower half and go for blondie. Life was so complicated...

" Well, Sora told me Roxas' dad was also his. He was so pissed, Squall! I don't even know why he reacted like that. " Riku replied, oblivious to the mental battle the man was slowly losing.

The grey-eyed boy blinked a few times. " Wait a minute, Richie is Sora's father? " he asked, arching an eyebrow. Riku nodded in agreement. " Oh man. "

" What? What's wrong? " the teen asked, feeling really nervous at that point.

" Now, I understand why the prick let you have your ways. I think. " Squall replied. He sat on the couch, motioning Riku to do the same. " Okay, first, let me tell you you won't like what I am going to say, but keep in mind that I'm doing this for your own good. "

Riku gulped nervously. " You're scaring me, I hope you realize that. "

" Sora used you. " the man stated. The green-eyed boy was about to reply, but he simply cut him off. " He felt insecure, and he needed someone to show him affection. And it just happened that you were willing to do that. It could have been anybody else. " the man said, shrugging his shoulders. And without giving any warning, the teen lunged at him and made him fall off the sofa. In a matter of seconds, Squall was on the ground, Riku's hands grabbing him by the collar.

" HE WOULDN'T DO THAT TO ME! " the boy yelled as he glared at the man, who remained cool. " He's not like that! "

" Didn't he tell you about his past? " the brunette asked, now frowning. He tried to help, and look where that led him. " He slept with so many guys he can't remember a single one of them. "

" Why you - " Riku began, swinging an arm back to punch the annoying man in the face. Thankfully, Cloud chose that moment to show up and grab the enraged teen.

" Now, what do you think you're doing, brat? " the blond calmly asked. Squall could tell he was beyond angry, but he thought it would be wise not to mention that. The silver-haired boy said nothing and kept glaring at Squall while he stood up.

" It's a bad habit he can't seem to get rid of, and he despises it. " the grey-eyed man stated as he brushed past the two.

" ... " The teen didn't say a single word and hung his head low. Again. He knew that. He knew it all too well, but lying to himself was so much easier.

------

Sora stood in front of the house, his hand clenching his coat. Really, he didn't know what he could say to that man. But he had to see him again, even if it was just one more time.

" Sora? What are you doing here? "

The brunet turned his head and frowned. Why, of all people, was Roxas here? Maybe because he was, after all, living here.

" Er, I need to see your father. " the blue-eyed teen admitted, avoiding the blond's gaze.

" Oh, alright. Well, come in! " Roxas said, smiling. He grabbed the other teen by the wrist and pulled him inside. He led him to his father's office and knocked on the door. The melody the man was playing on the piano stopped, and they heard him grumble something under his breath as he made his way toward the door.

" Roxas, how many times do I have to - " the man began, but he quickly silenced himself when his gaze met Sora's. " Oh. " he simply said.

" Sora wanted to meet you, dad. " the blond explained as he smiled sheepishly.

" It's okay. You can come in. " Richie told Sora. His son frowned, seeing his father didn't let him follow his friend. " Sorry son, we need to talk in private. I'll see you later. " And with that, the man closed the door, leaving a disturbed Roxas alone. Richie turned around and took a cautious look at the blue-eyed boy. " Why did you come this time? " he asked rather coldly. That was to be expected after their 'nice' encounter the previous day.

" I came to apologize. " Sora stated as he turned around to face Richie. " I... Had no right to talk to you the way I did. I'm sorry. "

Roxas' father heaved a long sigh and sat at the little table, right behind the piano. He motioned Sora to do the same. " Now, there is something I need to ask you. " he began. He only continued once he was sure he had the brunet's attention. " What made you so angry when you learned I was your father? "

" ... " Sora blinked a few times, not knowing what to say. Right, why was he angry? " It was just... Disturbing. " he began as he stared at the table. " I guess I put all the blame on you. Because my parents didn't like me. Because I'm the way I am now. " he admitted, greeting his teeth.

" Well, I can't blame you. But you know, I really did not know your mother and I had a son. " the man explained, shaking his head.

" I believe you. " the spiky-haired teen replied. An awkward silence followed his statement.

" Well, we could learn to know each other better? " Roxas's father offered.

" Yeah, now that I'm almost nineteen and - " Sora began in a cold tone. He coughed lightly. " I mean, why not. "

" Maybe you're not quite comfortable about the whole situation. " the man noticed. Sora lifted his gaze from the table to the man's. He seemed so sorry.

" I don't think I'll come back here any time soon. I'm... Not ready yet. " The teen stared at the man. " To tell you the truth, I don't think I'll ever consider you as my real father. " he stated bluntly. It was mean, but that was how he felt, and Richie had the right to know, even if the words hurt.

" Okay. " the man whispered, now looking at the table. " I heard you're living with a friend. Riku, was it? "

" Yes. But I plan on having my own apartment soon. I just need to find enough money for that. Thanks to Squall, that shouldn't be too hard. " the boy explained, shrugging his shoulders.

" Well, I could help you. " Roxas' father offered. " You could take all the time you need to pay me back. " Sora eyed him suspiciously for a moment, then he sighed.

" I'll think about it. Thanks. "

Their conversation died right there, and Sora thought it was time for him to leave the man. But there was still something on the other's mind, and he just couldn't keep that thought to himself.

" Wait, Sora. " Richie called when the brunette headed towards the door. He stopped in his track and turned around. " Why... Do you think I shouldn't tell a single thing to Roxas? " he asked, biting his bottom lip nervously. The brunet shook his head.

" Just don't. I'm afraid he wouldn't take it well. " Sora explained. " Now, if you'll excuse me. " he added as he grabbed the doorknob and exited the room.

" Bye, son. " Richie whispered before he played the piano again once the brunette left. Sora leant against the door for a moment, listening to the soft melody that was played. After a while, he figured he'd go home. Well, it wasn't his but that was the only place he could return to for now.

" ... " Sora frowned, remembering the note he left. He had to talk with his best friend. He just hoped things would go well...

------

" So, I did the dishes, the whole room's clean and shit, that's Sora's job! " Riku complained as he sat on the couch. The truth is he was so nervous that he had to do something, anything, to keep himself from thinking about what the brunet could have to say and to forget Squall's words. A few minutes later, the front door was opened and a spiky-haired boy made his entrance. Sora lifted his gaze from the floor to his friend's eyes, then he stared at the floor again.

" Hi. " Riku said rather coldly. Sora stood there, unable to form a single word. Then, he shook his head and made his way towards the couch, on which he sat.

" Okay. " Sora began, heaving a sigh. " About, yesterday... I'm sorry. " he said sheepishly, a slight blush on his cheeks.

" Why are you? " asked the other boy, frowning. Anyone could tell he was beyond angry, so his childhood friend noticed and shifted nervously.

" It... Wasn't supposed to happen. At least, not with you. " the younger teen whispered.

" So, you'd rather let some stranger do you? Are you a whore, or what? " the older boy snapped, his fists balling by his sides. The brunette jumped slightly from the harsh words and tried his best to hide the fact that he was greatly hurt by those.

" Riku, don't you realise I just used you? " the other replied softly. The best way to help his best friend was to make him hate him. That way, he'd forget about him quickly and finally be happy. " I - " he began but he couldn't say a single word after Riku pushed him harshly, making him fall to the ground.

" Don't you realize I care about you? Dammit Sora, why don't you just like me back, or at least pretend to? I'm not asking for much, am I? Why did you have to do this to me? " the silver-haired teen said, slowly falling on his knees and crying. The other boy sighed softly and slowly made his way towards his friend to hold him gently.

" I do care about you, Riku. " the younger whispered. " That's why I can't return your feelings. I'm just so... Dirty. " He bit his bottom lip and stared at the floor, missing his friend's gaze on him. The brunet jumped again when the older male's hand came resting on his soft cheek.

" And I told you it didn't matter, didn't I? " the older one replied.

" And I told you I cared about that. "

Riku just pulled on strands of his hair and mumbled something under his breath.

" How can you be so stubborn?! " he exclaimed. To his surprise, that only made Sora laugh. " Okay, look. I'm sorry 'bout yesterday, okay? I should have known you didn't mean to let that happen and I should have stopped, knowing about what you went through in the past. "

" You can't help it if you're always horny. Get yourself a boyfriend, you rabbit. " the younger boy teased.

" But the guy of my dreams won't let me give him my love. " the other played along.

" Just give him some time, then. "

" ... " Riku blinked once. Then twice. " Excuse me? "

" I won't repeat myself. Now, if you'll excuse me. " the blue-eyed boy said as he stood up and went to the bathroom. Once he was inside, he heaved a long sigh and sat on the floor. " Really, he's the one who's truly stubborn. " he muttered. He lifted a hand to his lips and pressed the tips of his fingers on the soft skin. Those kisses they shared the night before were filled with passion, with emotions. Not once did the teen think a kiss could hold so many of them...

------

" Okay guys, that was perfect! " Roxas exclaimed as the band stopped playing. It had been a week since Sora joined them and the rehearsals went better than before. It was like the brunet was unconsciously motivating everyone. As Squall and the others left, Sora called Roxas to have a talk with the blond in private. " What is it? " the blond asked, arching an eyebrow.

" I was just wondering if we could add one more song for tomorrow's concert. I'd like to sing something. " Sora explained as his cheeks turned a slight shade of pink.

" A song? Could it be for someone, by any chance? " Roxas asked, grinning at his friend, who nodded once. " Well then, there's no way I'm not agreeing to that. If you don't mind me asking, who are you going to dedicate this to? "

" I thought it would be obvious. " the brunet replied, heaving a sigh. He didn't say anything else and waited for Roxas to find out by himself. It took some time, but eventually...

" Oh my gosh, it's for Riku?! " the teen exclaimed, not knowing if he should be happy or... Well, in the end he choose to smile like an idiot and hugged Sora. " It's so great! You guys are finally an item, right? Right? "

" Not really. " Sora admitted as he pushed the blond back. " But I'm willing to give it a try. " The brunet then stared at the floor, his brows furrowed as he thought.

" It'll be okay. Riku's a great guy. You should know that better than anyone else. " the blond teased, a huge grin plastered on his face. The other teen slowly nodded. " By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you... " The blond began, his voice barely audible.

" Go ahead. " Sora replied as he stared at his friend. Somehow, he had a bad feeling about this but maybe that was just his imagination...

" It's about dad. "

...Or maybe not.

" He's been acting strangely since you first met him. I was wondering if you had any idea why. " Roxas hopefully asked, his eyes pleading Sora to answer him. The brunet frowned and avoided the blond's gaze. He couldn't hide it any longer, right? And when he thought about it, it was unfair that Roxas was the only one who didn't know about his father's secret.

" First, you need to sit down. " Sora instructed as he pointed a finger towards a nearby chair. The blond slowly nodded and sat down. " Okay, so... " the teen mumbled, not sure how he was going to explain that. " It's because of me that he's strange. You see, we just discovered that... I was his son... "

And then, there was silence. For a long moment. Sora bit his bottom lip nervously, unable to lift his eyes from the floor to look at Roxas. When he finally did, the blond seemed to be in shock. Of course he would be!

" So, that means I'm your... Brother? " Roxas cautiously asked, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

" Half brother, to be precise. " Sora corrected him.

" Whoa, now that's something. " the blond replied as he laughed. But it wasn't all that cheerful, and the brunet could understand that. After all, he himself had a hard time accepting the truth. " No wonder I felt the urge to talk to you that day, in the bus. "

" Listen Roxas, I can understand if you're mad at me or - "

" Why would I be mad at you? " the blond asked, a tinge of amusement in his voice. " You didn't chose to have the same father as me after all. " He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at the other. Sora was kind of impressed.

" How can you take it so well? " he dared asking. " I mean, it was a great shock to me! "

" Maybe that's because he's still my father. You found out a complete stranger was, in fact, your real father. Now, if that happened to me, I'd have a hard time too. " Roxas explained as he stood up. He stretched quickly before he headed for the door. " Come on, they're probably waiting for us. " And all the brunet could do was follow him and stay quiet. Really, people were so weird sometimes. Or maybe he was the weird one?

------

The night of the concert came quickly and the band had to be on stage before they could even think of it. There is not need to say that it was a success and that people cheered for them and asked for more after each song. But they had to stop at some point, and it was time for Sora to sing his song.

" The last song will be performed by our new pianist. Oh, and did I say it's dedicated to someone? " Roxas said in the mike, laughing softly when people aw-ed his comment. The others left the stage, leaving Sora to fend for himself. Sort of. He nervously adjusted the microphone next to him.

" So, yeah, that song is dedicated to a precious friend of mine who'll recognize themselves. I hope you'll like it. " the brunet timidly said, cautiously hiding the fact that his friend was male. He didn't need people to make fun of him. He let his fingertips press the ivory keys, the melody filling his entire being and a strange feeling growing stronger with each key he pressed.

(Monoral : Kiri)

You complete my fate
The world unwinds inside of me
You complete my fate
The halo crawls away
You repeat my fate
Rewinding all we can
You refill my place
You refill my place

Come and save me
Come and save me

You complete my fate
The heavens stroll inside of me
You repeat my fate
Revealing who we are
You refill my place
You refill my place

Come and save me
Come and save me

Believe in me
Drink the wine
Take my hand
Fill me up

Believe in me
Drink the wine
Take my hand
Let me follow

Once the melody ended, a roar of applause exploded through the room and cheers soon followed. The brunette nodded his thanks quickly and left the stage. Riku, who was in the room, was utterly confused. He knew the brunet could play the piano well, but since when was Sora that good at singing? Riku needed to ask him that once they'd be home. He got to his feet and left, deciding it'd be nicer to wait for his friend outside. It was a pretty starry night and the silver-haired boy just loved to look at the stars during nights like this one. So, that's just what he did.

Meanwhile, the boys from Roxas' band were packing, eyeing Sora strangely from time to time. That is, until the brown-haired boy couldn't take it any more.

" Okay, what is it now? " the blue-eyed boy almost snapped, the constant looks getting on his nerves.

" Well, that song was kinda... " Squall began as he scratched the back of his neck.

" Down right cheesy. " Axel finished. The four nodded once at the same time, then kept looking at the smaller brunet, waiting for his answer.

" So what? " Sora eventually replied, arching his eyebrows.

" Let's hope we won't find Riku hanging from a pole when we get out of here. Who knows what one might do to keep their honour safe." Axel said, faking a sudden shudder.

" You idiot, how could that be possible? " Roxas asked, slightly irritated by his friend's bad sense of humour.

" Don't know. You'll have to ask that to Riku, I guess. " the redhead replied, shrugging his shoulders. The blond decided to leave it at that and never think about it again.

" It's time I leave. Riku's probably waiting for me. " Sora suddenly made known, grabbing his jacket. He quickly waved the boys goodbye and left the small room. The cold wind sent shivers down his spine as soon as he stepped outside. He unconsciously hurried up and searched for his silver-haired friend. The brunet froze in his tracks when he saw his gorgeous friend. Riku was standing right under a pole, his head lifted up so that he could look at the sky. It was like in those romance novels. Damn, those were wrong. Never did they describe something as beautiful as what Sora was seeing.

" They finally let you go? " the silver-haired boy asked, a grin plastered on his face.

" Y - Yeah. " the other replied, not meeting his childhood friend's gaze. " Great. Now that I've played that song, I can't seem to look at him. What will he think? " None of them said a single word as they began their walk to the older boy's apartment. It was kind of cold but the boys appreciated their night stroll. It made them more relaxed. Once they closed the door to the silver-haired teen's place and took their coats off, Riku eventually spoke.

" So... About that song... " he began, sitting on the sofa. The brunet followed suit. " I guess it was dedicated to me, right? "

" Since when are you that clever? " asked the other, tilting his head to the side. " Just kidding. " he added when his friend furrowed his eyebrows. " And yes, I was talking about you when I said it was for someone. "

" I see... " the older one replied as he stared at his feet. " It was nice. The song, I mean. " he added soon after, smiling softly but still not looking at Sora in the eyes.

" Thanks. " the blue-eyed boy mumbled, his cheeks turning a light shade of red. Now, that was something unusual. He gulped nervously. " S - So, are you still... You know... " he mumbled. He turned his head to look at Riku, who was still avoiding his gaze. The brunet heaved a small sigh.

" Yeah, I still like you. " the other replied, finally lifting his gaze from the floor to his friend's eyes. " And you? " he asked, his tone hopeful and desperate at the same time.

" Not yet. I mean, not in that way. " the younger boy replied. " But I'd like to give it a try, if you don't mind. "

" Why? " the other asked. Sora sent him a questioning look. " I - I'd love to, but first, I want to make sure you're not doing this because of me. " What would be the point if Sora was only doing this out of pity? What Riku needed was true feelings, not fake ones made up so that he wouldn't feel so miserable. Wait, was he really that desperate?

" Why... " Sora repeated, slightly frowning as he thought. " First, you're a good friend who kept coming after me, even when I kept pushing you back. " he began. He couldn't remember how many times he told mean things to Riku so that he could leave him later and not regret it. But it seemed like the silver-haired teen was really stubborn. Or just determined. " And then, that night we spent together... " Sora continued, his cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. Man was that embarrassing. " It was so different from the other ones. It felt.. Right and nice. " he said, smiling softly as he recalled the events. " And those kisses were soft and warm. "

" Well, that's how people would describe them. " Riku replied, arching an eyebrow as he stared intently at his friend. It was like the old Sora was back. The one who was kind and hurt easily. The one who was human in Riku's opinion.

" Well, I didn't until you kissed me. " the other said, closing his eyes for a moment. " What I'm trying to say is that when I'm with you, I feel all those strange feelings. It never happened before and I think I like that. Being with you, that is. It might take some time for me to completely return your feelings but I know it'll happen someday. If it's you, I know it'll happen. " the smaller boy stated as he stared at Riku, who smiled brightly before he wrapped his arms around the brunet's waist.

" So do I. " the aquamarine-eyed boy replied, his finger tracing small patterns on Sora's back. " We'll just take it slowly. " The blue-eyed teen lifted his hands up and clenched his friend's shirt firmly as he rested his forehead on the taller boy's shoulder.

" I'm so sorry I said all those horrible things... " Sora apologized, trying hard not to cry. He took a deep breath and calmed down quickly. " So sorry... "

" It's okay. I know you did it for my sake, even if it seems strange when I think about it. " the silver-haired boy said, running a hand in brown locks. " Can I ask you something? " The brunet broke the hug and looked at his friend, nodding in agreement. " Do you think Cloud will accept this? " To Riku's surprise, Sora started to laugh good-heartedly.

" We'll have to give him time. He'll come round in the end. "

And he was right. Sure it was hard for the blond man in the beginning, but he quickly accepted the fact that his little Sora was attracted to someone who truly cared for him. As for the others, they were quite happy for their friends and they liked the way Sora changed under Riku's influence. The brunette became less cold and he was much more easy to talk to. But most of all, he smiled more frequently. That was the part Riku liked the most. Things were beginning to get better for his lover. Sora was truly happy, his band was starting to get famous and he was doing what he liked the most. As for Riku, since being an actor wasn't in his best interest, seeing he wasn't getting any role, he decided to become the band's manager, which he did pretty well. And that way, he wasn't separated from Sora.

" When I think about it, things weren't that nice at first. " Riku thought as he watched his sleeping lover, brushing his knuckles against his soft cheek. Sora mumbled something in his sleep and smiled softly. " I love him, and he loves me back. It can't get any better. " And he couldn't be any righter.

------

And that's it. My, I can't find the words to say how sorry I am for that long wait! But the last chapter eventually came. Oh, one more thing : sorry for the lemon-less story, too. I was thinking about writing one but found out that was just out of my reach... I like reading them but writing one is something else. Anyway, I hope you liked the story! Thanks a lot for your reviews, favourites or just reading this. I don't know when I'll add another story (or even if that'll happen), but if I do, I'll try my best not to make you wait for an update that long. Thanks again!