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The Long Weekend Away	By : neonabsinthe Category: Kingdom Hearts > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 3950 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Warnings: AU. Fairly OOC and cliché (with Rich Popular Riku and Shy Sora. But hopefully the actual storyline is less cliché). A lotta swearing and fluff alert; drug use and adult situations in later chapters.
Pairings: Riku x Sora, onesided Riku x Kairi, and other minor pairings – some which may become major in later chapters. Dunno yet.
A/N: Yeah, I sure am getting to the ‘everyone trying to work out Riku’s mystery’ stuff. Just taking my sweet ass time. But we’ll get there…
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The Long Weekend Away
By: neon-absinthe
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-- PART I: Chapter 5 – Look Like the Innocent Flower --
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The hum of vibrations and a persistent blaring of digital sounds.
Shifting and rustling of sheets.
A soft sliding noise, followed by a quiet beep.
“Hello?”
The voice was low and sleep-ridden.
It was barely six o’clock when Sora was abruptly awoken from his much needed slumber to Riku answering his phone. Having spent the entire night nestled safely in Riku’s arms, the sudden shift of position made the absence of that warm body pressed up against his back all the more obvious. Stupid phone. Sora much more preferred to continue snuggling with Riku.
It was a little habit they had developed over the course of the last year, once borne out of pure necessity but now has become a daily routine. Of the times when Sora was forced to spend the night in his own separate bed, away from the soothing steady beating of Riku’s heart, he would toss and turn into the early hours of the morning, unable to get to sleep. And he knew for a fact that Riku’s response to their separation was more or less the same.
So it only felt natural, when they arrived in Radiant Garden but a few weeks ago, to share a bed, if only so they could each get a good night sleep. Riku’s bed was more than big enough. It could probably fit five or six other people if they wanted to. Besides, Riku had set up another room in the same wing of the manor for Sora for when any of them would feel like having a night to themselves. Sora doubted such a case would come up. At least on his part.
Letting out a soft yawn, the brunet sleepily blinked the blurriness out of his eyes. He spied Riku propped up on one elbow facing the other way, his sleek mobile phone pressed to his ear.
“Hey,” he was saying softly, every now and then pausing and answering with agreements. “Yeah, Sure.”
Sora didn’t bother listening anymore. His attention, instead, was completely captured by the scene in front of him.
The soft morning rays streamed through the wall-length glass panes that led out to Riku’s enormous tiled balcony. The gentle light illuminated the elegant dance of every speck of dust it reached, and when it reached Riku, bathed him in a beautiful ethereal glow that outshined all the sharp smooth light reflective surfaces in the room.
Like the mystical silver lining of the storm clouds, the sunlight cast a pale golden halo around Riku’s brilliant silver hair, with each shade and natural highlight playing softly into the light. His smooth planes of his skin seemed all the more pronounced by the gentle shadows the rays cast on the muscular form of his body.
Black sheets pooled by his waist, contrasting sinfully against his silver hair and fine porcelain skin. Riku looked nothing less than an Adonis, gracing the earth with his beauty and majesty.
Damn Riku for being so good-looking. If the older boy wasn’t “with him” with him, Sora might have been extremely jealous.
Scratch that. Sora was jealous. But proud at the same time because Riku picked Sora of all people to go out with. So take that, body image issues!
But those thoughts melted away as the blue eyes travelled up the sleek contours of Riku’s back, hypnotised by the ripples and spasms of pure muscle whenever the silver-haired moved slightly. They continued their journey roving over the strong shoulders and along the sculpted arms.
Sora felt like he couldn’t breathe, heart hammering away against his constricting chest. His fingers itched to reach out and touch – glide along those hard planes he knew was so smooth to the touch, feelings those muscles move so fluidly under his sensitive fingertips.
He didn’t even realise that Riku had finished his phone call and was studying him curiously.
“Did I wake you?” the silver-haired god asked him.
Sora felt his cheeks heating up, and it had nothing to do with the sunlight warming the room. Curse his impromptu blushes.
“No,” he tried to say casually, as if he hadn’t just been ogling and mentally salivating at the thought of the older boy, but it came out little more than a squeak.
Riku saw right through his nonchalant act and smirked wickedly, eyes twinkling with mirth. He was entirely too good-looking, Sora absently thought. “I wonder what did,” he drawled. “It must be something interesting to draw you from your slumber.”
He knows!
Mortified, Sora immediately threw himself back down, pressed up against the bed, pulling mountains of sheets up over himself just to hide his fire engine red face. How embarrassing. The day had begun but barely five minutes ago and he’s already been caught in an embarrassing situation. How much can fate honestly dish out to one little boy?
Riku chuckled. Sora’s vain attempt at hiding after being caught staring was, as always, so melodramatic. Why he would want to hide the fact he was ogling was beyond Riku; he personally liked knowing Sora found him physically attractive. And he liked his blush – it’s always fun to see how far down that blush extended. Though the sheets had just barely covered his face, it did not conceal one smooth tanned shoulder, just begging to be licked.
“What are you doing, Sora? Smothering yourself?”
“No,” came the muffled response.
“Good,” the silver-haired replied, slowly gliding over to the bundle wrapped in black satin sheets, until he was directly on top of him, a leg and hand planted on each side, palms facing down. “It wouldn’t do me any good if you killed yourself,” he patiently waited for Sora to come out.
Sora did love the smooth deep quality of Riku’s voice. It was the type of voice you could spend a whole day listening to and never tire of it; it didn’t really matter what the words spoken were, just the voice. And when Riku said it just right, it sent shivers down his spine. Like just then, those last whispered words, steadily getting nearer and nearer, made him feel just a little bit heady – drunk on something he didn’t understand.
He felt Riku’s body edge closer, gliding over him and trapping Sora effectively beneath him. The brunet dared to sneak a look over the material pressed up to his face, just a quick glance, to see what Riku was doing. When one electric blue eye peeked out, Sora immediately gasped at just how close the other boy was.
Nose to nose, eye to eye, lips almost pressed up against each other and strands of soft silver hair tickling his sensitive cheek. Riku didn’t wait for a response and immediately dove into Sora’s mouth, eliciting an involuntary mewl from him.
“Ah,” Riku chuckled. “And so the blush resurfaces. I didn’t get to see much of it yesterday. I kind of missed it.”
“You just missed teasing me,” Sora caught him out, miffed.
“That too,” the older boy admitted, unabashed. “You can’t blame me. It’s fun.”
Sora’s eyebrows lifted incredulously. “It’s fun to tease me?”
“It’s definitely my favourite pastime,” Riku told him.
“You need to get out more, Riku.”
“I have been out. So far nothing else has struck me as more entertaining. It’s just so easy to get your blush going.”
“What?” Sora was suddenly outraged. “I can control myself.”
“Sure,” the older boy rolled his eyes. “That’s definitely not what you said yesterday.”
“I can,” the brown-haired teen was adamant. “If I really concentrate. I bet you can’t make me blush when I really concentrate.” Riku’s smirk rattled his suspicion, and he felt the beginnings of heat rising to his cheeks. Sora forced it away, definitely proud of himself. “And nothing lewd,” he quickly added. “Because that’s cheating.”
“Fine,” Riku shrugged noncommittally. “Azure.”
“What?” the brunet looked at him questioningly, wondering what that had anything to do with anything. Riku behaved so weirdly sometimes. Sora wondered if he was sick. Fevers tended to do crazy things to your head. Sora should know. He’d been sick plenty of times.
“Azure,” the silver-haired boy repeated. “You know, our colour game. I’m just continuing on from where we left off.”
“Oh,” Sora paused to remember back to the last time they had played this. “Burgundy.”
“Cobalt,” Riku returned without missing a beat.
“Teal.”
“Navy.”
Sora paused. “Uh…Coral,” he finally replied victoriously.
Not letting the brunet bask in his glory, “Sapphire.”
“Fuchsia.”
“Cerulean.”
“Why are you only saying blue colours?” Sora asked, noticing the pattern in his boyfriend’s answers.
Staring deep into his eyes, causing the smaller boy to shiver involuntarily, “Blue is my favourite colour,” Riku informed him in a silky breath.
Huh? He didn’t know tha– Oh.
Sora tried to keep himself from flushing, but it was nearly impossible. And when those tendrils of pink crawled up his cheeks, Riku grinned triumphantly.
“Too easy.”
Even though he had lost, and lost miserably quickly, Sora still couldn’t help smiling back as Riku claimed his lips as his prize.
It was times like these that made Sora question Kairi’s words from yesterday. No, he hadn’t forgotten. He was far from forgetting. But right now, with his mind was in a pleasant delicious haze as a hot tongue explored his mouth, soft lips moving rhythmically against each other, what he felt for Riku was definitely more than just gratitude.
It had to be love. What else would send his heart beating away like that, or the rapid spread of that lovely warm feeling, which swept from his head to the tip of his toes like wild fire?
And how does Kairi know for sure that Riku didn’t feel the same way?
Riku abruptly tensed, reluctantly pulling away just as Sora reluctantly allowed him to, wanting just a little more. “Sora, babe,” he looked at him in soft apology, “I have to go. Just then, the phone call - it was Kairi asking if I wanted to have breakfast with her.”
Kairi? His good mood disappeared as rapidly as it came.
“I’m sorry, but I think I’m going to have to go,” Riku continued, unaware of Sora’s thoughts. “You know how hard it’s been with everyone; maybe this is Kairi extending a truce. I wish I could bring you, but this is just a Kairi and me thing that we need to sort out.”
Or maybe Kairi was right all along.
“I’d like things to go back to the way it was with her particularly.”
Sora’s throat felt a little dry as Riku smiled softly, as if thinking of something else. Or someone else. Didn’t Kairi mention that they once went out?
Who would settle for someone as plain as Sora after a goddess like that?
“Will you be okay by yourself this morning?”
Sora nodded absently.
“Breakfast will be served in the dining hall, unless you prefer it brought up to you?”
“No, it’s okay,” he murmured.
“You remember how to get there, right? It’s in the North wing.”
“Yeah,” he replied, absently studying the lines and contours which made up Riku’s handsome face, as if memorising it one last time.
“Okay, good,” Riku let out a brilliant smile. “Well, I have to go get ready now. I’ll see you for lunch, okay?”
Nod.
“I love you.”
Sora responded in kind, causing Riku’s warm smile to widen, giving him a soft peck on the lips and before turning and leaving.
Sora stared quietly after him.
Do you really?
Or do you just think you do?
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Crystal.
That’s what this fancy breakfast juice glass was made of.
How did Kairi know?
Well, when she lightly traced along the rim of, the hints of a gentle but clear hum filled the air. It wasn’t loud enough to draw attention her way or annoy the other patrons, but just enough to make her smile and conclude how perfectly it wove into the serene surrounding atmosphere.
Mother had once taken her to breakfast at some new high-class restaurant she had heard about from her acquaintances on a whim. Kairi had been reluctant at first. After all, it was the morning for her debut down the catwalk for Radiant Garden Fashion Week – for the highly sought-after RagDoll label by renowned designer Sally Finkelstein – and all the other models had advised it was best not to eat before a show, lest you looked bloated.
She had told this to Mother, but the elegant woman merely laughed and told her daughter she was being silly, that nobody would turn down a Spencer. Anyway, the Kilpatricks had made a passing compliment about the restaurant, which they rarely did, so she had purposely woken up early just to judge that for herself. Besides, Kairi didn’t have to eat per se, just simply join her dear mother for breakfast, as the elder redhead woman simply detested dining alone.
As it turned out, Kairi was far from being disappointed.
There was definitely something about Tigerlilly. Perhaps it was the serenity of the restaurant – the tables spaced so far apart you felt like you were in a room of your own, yet also a part of the rest. Perhaps it was the impeccable service – the neat and orderly waiters were so efficient they came as soon as you needed assistance. Perhaps it was the food, which exceeded what the Kilpatricks had said – fresh and light and magical on the tastebud, even the more simple of dishes. And the view. Tigerlilly was situated on the top floor of a sky scraper, offering a spectacular 360 degree round scenery.
That morning, Kairi had been so impressed that she temporarily forgotten her silent diet promise, despite the RagDoll show being that evening, and finished everything on her plate til it was spot clean. After all, she just threw a most of it a bit later on – nothing a quick trip to the bathroom for a purge couldn’t fix.
Mother hadn’t been as impressed as Kairi had, finding the experience only above ordinary. It was understandable, as Mother’s pervious marriages led her all over the world to all sorts of exotic places and restaurants to be too impressed by what Kairi’s more limited experiences was impressed by.
Even so, Kairi vowed she’d go back. And a few days later, she promptly dragged her best friend Riku there to experience what she had experienced.
That had been three years ago.
Since then, Kairi and Riku formed a special tradition between them. Once a week on Wednesday mornings, they would have breakfast together at Tigerlilly. Just the two of them. It was their special thing.
Looked up from her glass, and frowned, noting that the silver-haired teen still had yet to arrive. But the tranquillity of the atmosphere calmed her. The beautiful gentle hums of the delicate stroking of the harp by her far right soothed her. She looked to her right and out the massive glass wall at the city below. The sun had just barely risen, casting a glorious reddish gold light over the tops of a sleeping metropolis city. It bathed the room flame orange, lighting up the dullest of surfaces to a glowing shine.
Kairi stared down at the vast cityscape that lay out beneath her, spreading out to the horizon, and wondered how small a space their lives occupied in the big wide world. Most of the city’s inhabitants could live here their entire lives and never meet each other.
But ironically, a simple boy called Sora, separated by miles of sea and land, somehow found his way over to this particular metropolis. It simply wasn’t very fair.
Kairi took another sip of her juice.
A flash of silver caught her eye. She turned her head towards the elevator entrance and saw, at last, the athletic form of Riku making his way over there, a soft smile on his face, several awe struck waitresses and the maître d’ following behind him.
Politely waving the women away, Riku sat down fluidly across from her.
“I can’t believe they still remember me,” he stated, softly shaking his head.
Kairi furrowed her brows. “Why wouldn’t they? We’d come here every Wednesday morning. They still remember me.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just…I haven’t been here for a year and a half.”
Kairi smiled wryly. “I haven’t either, you know,” she replied softly. “I stopped coming after you left.”
Riku tensed. He looked at her with an unreadable expression. Slowly, he relaxed his jaw and licked his lips. “About that, Kairi,” he didn’t meet her gaze. “I–”
“Stop,” Kairi cut in before her old flame could go on. “What’s done is done. You’re back now, aren’t you?”
“I wish it were that simple,” he responded.
Kairi smiled humourlessly to herself. “You know, your parents told us you had transferred to a foreign boarding school. In beautiful Atlantica,” the crimson-haired girl recalled. “But no one believed it. You would have told us if it was something as simple like that.”
Riku didn’t say anything. And Kairi knew he just didn’t know what to say.
“So naturally we were worried,” she continued. “The others thought maybe you had been kidnapped or threatened or kicked out by your parents for one more rebellious act you committed. I guess I knew better than that. Everyone, particularly Yuffie with her family connections, pulled strings to try and find you. But obviously,” she gestured to him with an ironic smile, “our efforts to track you down were pretty futile. Only you could disappear without a trace like that, Riku.”
Riku remained silent, mulling over what she had said. Kairi stayed equally quiet while observing him. Part of her was pleased that she made Riku squirm, happy to, in some small way, get back at him for all his done. But another part was just ashamed at herself for doing something as lowly as play on a friend’s guilt like that, especially to her best friend, lover, crush, confidant, everything, after he only just returned.
But overall, Kairi wanted the old Riku back. And if she had to ignore what he did, so be it.
“So…New tie?” the redhead suddenly asked.
Riku looked questioningly at her, glancing down at his tie and back up again. “Hmm?”
“Your tie. Is it new?”
He gave her a funny look. “No,” the silver-haired replied slowly. “The same tie I’ve always had and the same tie that all the male students at school have to wear because it’s part of the school uniform.”
Kairi just laughed at the absurdity of it all. “I know,” she admitted. “Just wanted to change the subject. But you know,” she added. “You look decidedly really good today, Riku.”
It was true anyway.
The young Samuel heir was dressed smartly in his uniform, dark sleek blazer contrasting sharply against the crisp white school shirt with a loosened tie hanging around the unbuttoned collar. Those golden rays, where it might have brought out the imperfections on most people, only illuminated the physical perfection that was Riku. Just looking at him made Kairi’s heart beat just that much faster, her breath just that much shorter.
Riku’s countenance (thankfully) changed almost immediately. “I see your pickup lines haven’t improved,” he teased her. “Are you going to ask me if I come here often next?”
“Why would I ask that?” Kairi smirked. “I already know you do because you can’t get enough of me.”
Riku just chuckled and Kairi was disappointed they flirty banter hadn’t gone on for longer.
Kairi’s gaze drifted back to the scenery beyond the glass panes while Riku quickly looked down, studying his menu with more attention than necessary, seeing as he already knew from memory the items on the list.
“Aren’t you going to look at the menu?” the silver-haired boy asked her, trying to make light conversation.
“I already know what I want,” the crimson-haired girl answered shortly, smartly putting an end to his attempt.
A professional, though slightly flustered, waitress materialised at their table as soon as Riku had decided, awaiting their instruction, but focusing more enthusiastically on Riku. Riku and Kairi took turns in ordering, not looking at each other, and the young woman left as quickly and politely as she came, though not without a flirtatious look back at the young man.
They still had not thought of anything to say yet.
It wasn’t meant to be like this, Kairi reflected on the silence with a slight frown. It wasn’t meant to be this awkward.
“This is ridiculous,” Riku suddenly scoffed, breaking her thoughts. “Since when do we have nothing to say to each other? I haven’t seen you for a year and a half and yet I can’t think of a single thing to say.”
“Perhaps you’re just nervous,” Kairi smiled playfully. She was just thinking the same thing.
“That I know I am,” he agreed. “And for the most stupid reasons.” He chuckled softly, a deep throaty sound that made Kairi’s stomach flutter.
“And what reasons might those be?”
Riku looked up at her. “Silly ones,” he replied, shrugging helplessly in a boyish manner. “It’s just, I didn’t expect to ever sit here with you ever again. I don’t want to…screw things up, you know.”
Kairi lips spread into a wide smile. “Don’t worry,” she said at length. “You won’t.”
“You say that now.”
Kairi laughed a little. “So…” she trailed off after a short pause.
“So,” the silver-haired teen echoed.
“So, I do have questions for you,” Kairi finally admitted, “but I don’t know if I should. Or even am allowed to.”
Riku smirked at her words. “Since when do you ever give thought to consequences?”
“Well you’re not the most stable individual, are you?” she teased back. “I value my life.”
“Sticks and stones, girl. Ask away. Don’t spare me the dirty details.”
It was the perfect opening. Riku all but invited her to probe him with all the questions that filled her mind. It probably wasn’t the best of timing, as their reconciliation was so fresh she could still feel the sting of the old wounds. “Alright,” the redhead took in a deep breath. “Tell me, then. Where were you those last months?”
Riku should have anticipated she’d ask that. After all, what else could Kairi really ask? But for some reason, he failed to foresee it. Abruptly falling silent, Riku looked at her with guarded eyes. “Ask me something else,” he said at length.
The auburn-haired heiress frowned. “I can’t,” she replied. “That was the least intruding of my questions.”
“Oh,” he said. “Then I can’t answer your questions yet.”
“Why?” Kairi felt increasingly frustrated.
“I’m just not ready yet.” Came the simple reply.
“What on earth happened to you, Riku, that you have to be ready just to talk about it?” At his silence, Kairi frowned. Didn’t their history count for anything? “I thought best friends didn’t have any secrets.”
“Sometimes secrets are for the best,” Riku returned immediately. “You should know that.” Kairi looked pained, and Riku quickly apologised. “Sorry.”
Kairi hated remembering those skeletons, especially if Riku was the one to bring it up. If only there was a way to just…blow up the whole fucking closet.
“Does this have anything to do with…” the red head pronounced slowly, studying the contours of golden cutlery to avoid looking at the green-eyed boy, “what I did when we–”
“No!” Riku quickly interrupted, raising his voice in his haste. “Nothing to do with that.” His tone had calmed down again. “This is purely a…personal decision.”
“Oh,” Kairi swallowed. It didn’t exactly ease her suspicions.
And they settled back into tense silence.
“Uh,” this time it was the silver-haired who broke it. “How’s Ariel?”
“Hm?” Kairi was abruptly pulled out of her stupor and raised an elegant brow.
“Your mother, Kairi,” Riku repeated, grinning at her airiness. “How’s things going with her? Unless you actually enjoy sitting the silence.”
“No,” she returned. “I just hate the sound of your voice.”
Riku gave her a look. “Really? You’d be the first. I’ve always been told my voice is quite pleasant to the listen to. Deep and smooth like velvet.”
“It’s called a lie, Riku. My god, listen to yourself. Did you undergo a head expansion surgery and not tell any of us?” Kairi smirked. Bantering with Riku was so much easier to handle. “Anyway, my mother is still the same as always,” Kairi rolled her eyes. “Completely frustrating.”
“Oh I see,” Riku nodded with a smirk. “How utterly frustrating it must be to have expensive gifts and designer clothing constantly thrust onto you. My my, Kairi, your life is so difficult.”
“Hey!” Kairi wrinkled her nose. “It’s frustrating if she keeps getting me dresses in the wrong size.”
“Alright, alright,” Riku placated. “Well what about Jafar? Is he still trying to come onto you?”
Kairi nodded her head with a scowl. “Oh yes. I don’t know what my mother sees in him.” Then she smirked. “I take that back. For the money, she would put up with that old slimy pervert.”
“You should get Yuffie to teach you a self-defence move. Like grab, twist and pull,” he shuddered.
Kairi could remember the last time she felt so content. Being with Riku was like…breathing. It felt so natural to her. After all, they’ve been friends since forever. She still had photos of him in diapers. For the moment, Kairi could almost pretend that Riku was hers again. And this breakfast was not unlike all those breakfasts and dates they went on while still dating. It was a nice feeling.
But all delusions have to be shattered by reality at some point. And the mention of that boy who has taken over Riku’s life can do just that.
“Have you seen your invitation to my mother’s little dinner soirée this Saturday?” she asked lightly, delicately bringing her fork up to her lips.
“I have,” Riku confirmed, taking a sip of his coffee. “I was informed that I’m expected to attend,” he rolled his eyes.
“The parents?” she guessed.
“Who else?” Riku muttered like a sulking two year old. “And my brother’s coming. I can’t imagine any more fun,” he said sarcastically.
“Well I’ll be there.”
“Hm,” Riku gave an intelligible mumble, still focusing on his less-than-happy thoughts.
Kairi frowned. “Riku,” she tried to get his attention, almost waving her hands in front of his face to see if he was listening. “But you will come, right?” the auburn-haired girl pressed. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if Riku had decided to forgo the party just to spite his parents.
Her companion gave her a crooked grin. “Of course,” Riku reassured. “Don’t look so worried, Kairi. It gives you wrinkles.”
“Just making sure I won’t be bored. There’s no way my mother would let me get out of it.”
“I can’t say Ariel’s parties were one of the things I had missed most. I’m not exactly looking forward to it.”
“She has way too many,” Kairi agreed with a roll of her cerulean eyes.
“It’s not just that,” Riku shook his head. “It’s just these…things in general. Don’t you think they’re kind of always the same? Same event, same people, same drama. How boring.” Riku’s glance drifted out the window. “Besides, it’ll be bothersome when everyone starts to interrogate me about the last eighteen months.”
Kairi shot him a guarded look. “Do…you not think they have a right to?”
Riku abruptly turned to her, making her feel slightly taken aback. “No I don’t,” he said firmly. “They don’t even know me. It’s really none of their business. Besides, I don’t think Sora would feel very comfortable with all that attention.”
“Sora?” Kairi looked up sharply.
It was the one topic she hoped they wouldn’t breach. Most of her day yesterday was spent contemplating the strange new boy, sizing him up and trying to figure him out. It was enough material about Sora to last her a lifetime. Besides, this breakfast was about her and Riku, not her and Riku talking about Sora.
“Yeah,” Riku seemed a little surprised at her reaction at first before he uncomfortably realised why. “Surely you’ve heard. Sora is…um…he’s my boyfriend.”
Kairi cleared her throat quietly. Strangely, a bad taste arose in her mouth. “Yeah, I know,” she quickly said. “I’ve heard, I mean.” A headache was coming on too.
“Well…is it surprising that I’m bringing him to the dinner?” It wasn’t a question, but Riku phrased it like one, asking her for permission.
“No, it’s not. Not at all. Do whatever you want,” the redhead replied tersely, not trusting herself to look into those beautiful reproachful jade eyes.
“Kairi,” she heard Riku call her name, trying to get her to look up. But she didn’t.
“What?”
“This…” he paused, “doesn’t upset you, does it?”
As if Riku couldn’t tell. Considering the way in which he left her behind, how could this new relationship he was flaunting in her face possibly not upset her?
She hated this game of pretend they were playing - Riku pretending to be ignorant of her feelings, feelings Kairi was pretending she didn’t have.
“No,” Kairi glanced up and offered him what she hoped was a sunny grin. “Of course it doesn’t.”
Riku looked unconvinced, but, thankfully, he had left it at that.
As they were leaving, having spent the entire morning chatting about nothing and were in danger of being late for class, the maître d’ appeared beside them as they patiently waited for the glass elevators.
“It’s truly a pleasure to have the two of you return to Tigerlilly,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you, Jasmine” Kairi replied amicably and Riku just smiled.
“Perhaps your next visit won’t be after so long?”
“Of course not,” the redhead answered politely. “You can expect to see us every Wednesday morning like before.”
“I look forward to it,” the dark-haired maitre d’ beamed. “I hoped you enjoyed your holiday together. It’s nice to see young love these days.”
Wait, what?
Just what kind of gossip has been circulated in here? And as much as she hated to admit it, “Oh, we’re not a cou-” Kairi started to say.
“Yes, it was lovely; we had a great time,” Riku smoothly interrupted. A soft bell signalled and the elevator doors slid open. “I apologise, but we really must be leaving.”
“Of course,” Jasmine gave a slight bow. “Until next Wednesday, then, Miss. Spencer, Mr. Samuel. I’ll have your table reserved.”
Expressing a thanks, Kairi followed Riku into the elevator. As soon as those glass doors slid shut with a ring, she turned to her silver-haired companion questioningly. Riku was such a confusing character; she didn’t want to get her hopes up by reading too much into his words. But at the same time, the Kairi couldn’t help but feel at least that little bit elated. “Why did you do that just then?”
Riku cast her a sidelong glance, the streaming golden rays stretching through the glass illuminated his pale porcelain skin, bringing out the emerald of his irises.
“I think we should just let them think that,” he told her, facing forward once more. “It would be easier than to quash all the rumours and explain ourselves, which would probably only generate more annoying gossip. And personally, I hope it might also discourage some of the waitresses’ silly flirting.”
Kairi looked away, hating the tang of bitter disappointment.
It was just one step forward and two steps back with them.
Once they exited the building, Kairi turned to make her way over to the limousine waiting for her right outside.
“Kairi.”
She stopped.
“Do you want a lift to school?”
The redhead turned around. The silver-haired boy was waiting by his black convertible, quietly awaiting her reply.
What a familiar scene, she reminisced.
Riku used to spontaneously drive to Kairi’s manor early in the morning and offer her rides to school, a habit which only increased once they started to go out. To the auburn-haired girl’s knowledge, the Riku didn’t give the same offer to any of the other girls he had dated. Only to her. Until now, that is.
Once again, Kairi found herself confused by Riku’s unpredictable actions. She never really knew how to take him. it was as if he and his purposely chose to behave in a way that contradicted any normal social interaction just to confuse her. Even knowing him for so long hadn’t given her the confidence to say she fully understood the mystery that was Riku.
Well, she was just going to take things as they come. One small step at a time. So, Kairi smiled at the offer.
“Mr. Cricket,” Kairi instructed her to waiting driver, “thank you for waiting, but you can head back now if you’d like.” Turning to the handsome silver-haired young man, absently fingering the straps on her designer school bag, “I’d love to,” she accepted.
One step forward again.
But hopefully, there would be no two steps back to follow.
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--
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True to his word, Riku was waiting outside his classroom when he got out. Leaning against the wall, smirking sexily, he somehow stood out more amongst the rivers of staring fellow students more than Snow White amongst the dwarves. Sora swore he chose to looked that good on purpose just to fluster him. And the older boy’s slow assessment of himself, a languid roving eye up and down his body, didn’t exactly refute that.
“I missed you this morning,” he whispered seductively against the brunet’s ear, sending a delighted shiver down the smaller boy’s spine.
“Says the one who left,” Sora retorted, unknowingly pouting slightly, securing Riku’s attention.
The silver-haired boy chuckled in a low husky tone, hand creeping across Sora’s back until it settled comfortably on his hip. No point hiding their relationship from everyone now after Riku’s explosive announcement during lunch on the first day.
But Sora’s mind wasn’t on that. He shuffled from side to side, biting his lip, weighing up whether he should ask or not. It wasn’t really his business, he got that, but didn’t stop the fact that he was dying to know.
“How, um, was your breakfast with Kairi?” he asked, trying to seem casual and appeared to have accomplished it so well that Riku didn’t really notice his uneasiness at all. He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“It was good,” Riku smiled. “Really good. I think we’re going to be okay.”
“That’s good,” Sora nodded absently, nowhere near as elated as Riku.
“Yeah it is.” Riku seemed so happy. And it was Kairi who had made him happy. “By the way, the Cobra-Spencers are hosting a dinner party this Saturday at their manor. I have to attend, but do you want to come with me?”
“Huh?” Sora snapped out of his daze.
Riku cast him an amused look. “I said, come with me to the Cobra-Spencer dinner event.” he repeated, his dazzling smile distracting the brunet.
“Who?”
“Oh, I forgot to explain. That’s Kairi’s family. Cobra is the surname of her stepfather, Jafar Cobra, this tobacco distributor. It’s Ariel’s third marriage after Kairi’s father.”
“What happened to Kairi’s real father,” Sora wondered.
“He died,” Riku said shortly.
“Oh. Well, would I even be invited?” Sora asked. Would Kairi be angry for not putting her advice into action. Was he being selfish?
“Why wouldn’t you be?” Riku waved off his concern. “You’re my boyfriend. Of course you’d be my plus one. Anyway, if you’re really worried, why don’t you just ask Kairi? I don’t think she’d mind.” How very wrong Riku is. “She’ll be at lunch now.”
“Um…okay then.”
He knew he was just being selfish, but Sora kind of wanted spend lunch with Riku alone, like yesterday. Sora couldn’t help feeling a slight twinge of resentment towards the red-haired girl. Riku had already spent the entire morning with Kairi. She didn’t need to take over lunch too.
It’s just, Kairi had so much in common with Riku; much more than Sora does at least. What’s to stop Riku from realising that he had made the wrong choice? Being stuck on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere had distorted his mind with small town cabin fever, and now with a clear head, he will soon realise that Sora simply wasn’t…worth it.
And he couldn’t bear that.
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--
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Yuffie’s lips twisted slightly as she thought back to the previous evening.
They had all gone out for dinner, as usual, at the Land of Dragons (an extremely popular high-class Chinese restaurant situated in the heart of their pulsing city). It started out as a fairly regular night, nothing out of the ordinary; just good friends socialising beyond the confines of school and family.
That was before Kairi announced something none of them had expected.
“I’m meeting up with Riku tomorrow,” she had said conversationally over dessert. “I’m sick of hating him. Being friends was so much easier.”
Needless to say, they were all very shocked with the redhead’s proclamation. No one more so than Yuffie. Who knew Kairi would give up after such a small amount of time.
Then again, Riku always had the strangest effects on the auburn-haired girl.
“But why, Kairi,” she had asked.
The redhead refused to listen to reason, denying the fact that befriending Riku again would be a horrible idea. She simply agreed with Tidus’ earlier statement: “It’ll be better if things just go back to the way they were.”
And strangely, none of the others refuted her poor decision, with some (namely Selphie and Tidus) encouraging it. Even Leon, whom the raven-haired teen knew also to disapprove of Riku’s abrupt return, remained silent in the issue.
Was the world going crazy? Can’t anyone see reason but her?
“Yuffie,” Kairi had pulled her aside later, her eyes completely earnest. “I appreciate you looking out for me. Honestly I do. But this is the choice I’ve made. I have my reasons, and I hope you can accept that.”
“But–” the Wutainese girl had began.
“Please,” Kairi pressed. “I’m not saying you have to be best friends with him again; just…let it go. For me.”
As Yuffie looked into those pleading ocean-blue swirls, she sincerely hoped her friend knew what she was doing.
“Okay,” she had promised.
It was because of that promise that Yuffie was able to sit silently as Riku and his mysterious little boy-toy join them for lunch without a single scathing remark. Kairi, she thought, You had better know what you’re doing.
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--
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“Hey,” Kairi greeted them, namely Riku, when they arrived at their usual spot in the grand cafeteria. She had cast Sora an unreadable look, which was quickly replaced by a dazzling smile. Riku didn’t notice.
Even Leon and Yuffie were significantly less hostile, a vast improvement.
There were only two remaining spots left on the couch, but they were not next to each other. Kairi immediately pulled Riku to the spot beside her before anything further was said. Riku turned to Sora with a brief apologetic look before sliding over. Sora settled on the other side of the coffee table where Selphie enthusiastically patted the empty seat between her and Tidus. When he looked over, Riku and Kairi were already deeply engaged in conversation.
Sora had trouble concentrating on Tidus’ words.
He tried to catch Riku after school, just so they can just spend time together and do nothing, like back on the island. But he had forgotten it was Riku’s first blitzball practice. It was important to Riku and he shouldn’t have to miss it just because Sora wanted him to. So Sora gave up for the day.
The following morning, it didn’t get any better. It seemed every time Sora had gotten Riku by himself, something would interrupt them. And perhaps it was because of his (reluctantly admitted) envy of her, but Sora noted that most of these occasions had something to do with Kairi.
“Riku?” he remembered asking one morning. “Do you want to go to the beach this Saturday night? Just the two of us? I remember you said there was a nice shore a little bit away from here.”
Riku had given him an apologetic smile. “Sora,” he had said. “Have you forgotten that that is the night of that dinner thing at Kairi’s? I have to attend and you promised you’d go with me, remember?”
“Oh, yeah. That thing.”
“Yes, that thing.”
“You know, Riku…I think I like the beach better.”
“I do too, Sora. It’s much more relaxing and fun.”
“I’ve never been to a fancy party before. I don’t think I really want to.”
“Me neither. I hate dressing up.”
“Then why do you have to go?”
“Because I just have to.”
If he told Riku these insecurities he was feeling, however unfounded they may be, would Riku laugh at him?
Sora didn’t want to find out.
The next few days blended into the last, all turning out the exact same way – with Sora lying awake to the early hours of the night, clinging to Riku as the older boy slept peacefully, unmindful and shrouded in his own secure dream world.
Saturday had soon crept up on them without a notice. By Saturday afternoon, Sora had realised, with dismay, that the Cobra-Spencer dinner party was merely hours away.
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A/N: Thanks for all your feedback so far. Keep the reviews coming.
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The Long Weekend Away