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Fuzzy Love - Complete	By : ColdSilence Category: Kingdom Hearts > Slash/Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 10245 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Author: Cold Silence

E-Mail: writer.coldsilence@gmail.com

Pairings: Riku + Kairi + Sora, Sora x BHK. (BHK = Blonde Headed Kid from KH II)

Warnings: AU, Yaoi, Het, Furs. OOC Roxas due to the fandom personality he was given before information on his character was released with KH2.

Special Note: This fic has relationships with things that have tails. Also, this story was started before Roxas's name was revealed, hence why he is named differently in this fic. Don't worry though, this actually fits well with what I have planned for him in the end.

Disclaimer: All characters from Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II is property of Tetsuya Nomura. God bless him.~

Fuzzy Love

-Chapter Eight-

In order to gain Sora's affections, Dyne could not be seen as a flawed individual. He had to be perfect in every way, perhaps even surpass the limits of flawlessness since his competition was none other than Riku of Destiny Islands. By any means necessary, Sora had to become attracted to him.

Therefore, in order to reach perfection, Dyne stood in front of the one obstacle to his goal. Before him, a porcelain sink gleamed with a basin full of water. As he stared into it, he could see his grim and hesitant reflection wavering at him from the liquid's surface. His fear of water was his biggest flaw on this planet, so he chose to face it head on for the sake of his cathood.

Carefully, Dyne lifted one finger and attempted to get it near the bowl. The closer the single digit inched towards its destination, the more it trembled and the lower his cat ears drooped. His eyes squinted as if the sink was the center of a burning sun, charring his retinas until all he could do was avert his gaze. By sheer force of will, the pad of his fingertip touched the cool liquid. The tiny ripples that radiated outwards from the disturbance were like monstrous tsunamis to the poor alien. Dyne immediately snatched his hand away from the sink before it somehow sucked him in and drowned him.

Feverishly, the catboy licked the brave finger as if it needed soothing from the ordeal it had just endured. Getting this far with just a sink of water was a miracle for him, but he had a long way to go if he ever wanted to face the ocean.

"Dyne? What are you doing in there?"

At the sound of Sora's voice, Dyne became shifty eyed. There was no need for the boy to know about his embarrassing training sessions with the bathroom sink. "What do you think I'm doing in here?" To accentuate his words, Dyne flushed the toilet with his tail, which conveniently covered the noise of the sink draining when he unplugged that as well.

"For almost an hour?" Inside the bedroom, an incredulous look washed over Sora's face. Whatever it was that aliens did at the toilet for over an hour, he did not want to know.

With a cringe, Dyne realized that it was true; it had taken him that long just to coax himself to touch a sink full of water. Next time, he had to be more discreet.

When Dyne finally opened the bathroom door, he spied Sora brushing his hair in front of the mirror. The boy was practically glowing with excitement and for good reason: Today was his birthday. Although it was still very early in the morning, Sora had already put on his best clothes as well as his biggest smile for the occasion.

He's already forgotten what Kairi and Riku want to hear after today. Dyne shook his head at Sora's selective memory. Sadly, he had to admit that some of the things Riku had said about his best friend a few nights ago were true; he liked to ignore uncomfortable things too much. "You look good."

"Really?" Pleased by Dyne's compliment, Sora smiled happily to himself. However, the expression vanished when he remembered his pet's attraction to him. A light pout framed his lips upon realizing that the praise was just a disguised flirt. "You're just saying that."

"Maybe." Dyne's tail drifted close to the ground and made the slow, sweeping movements of a kitling trying to shyly entice a mate into noticing him. "I can't help it if that's how you look, in my eyes."

Such sweet crooning made a red flush color Sora's cheeks. To hide his embarrassment, he pretended to be interested in the bristles of his brush.

Although Sora's shy reactions were always amusing, Dyne took pity on his distress and changed the topic. "So, what do you humans do for this birthday thing?"

Grateful that his pet had stopped hitting on him, Sora stopped pretending to be interested in his brush and wheeled to face Dyne with a grin. "Birthdays are the best things ever! You get to have a huge party and all your friends come to see you. There's going to be food, and music, and I get all kinds of presents!"

"Sounds interesting." Indeed, Dyne's tail had begun to lift at the prospect of having fun with Sora and Kairi together. "Where do you get all the presents from?"

"My friends and family. I bet Riku got me something really cool!"

"Your friends?" Suddenly, Dyne's ears tilted off to the sides with chagrin. "Why didn't anybody tell me that we're supposed to bring gifts? I would have gotten something too." Damn, now Riku had even more of an edge on him.

"Don't worry about it, it's not like you can help it." Sora gave his pet a hidden glance. "You came back, and that's enough of a present for me."

Normally, Dyne would have pounced on Sora after hearing such a nice thing come out of his mouth. Instead, he couldn't help but still the movements of his tail due to an impending sadness. "Sora, I can only stay for a little while. Remember what I said about people from Katina not finding me? Well it turns out that they can. I really do have to leave."

Interestingly, this news didn't hit Sora as hard as Dyne would have expected. In truth, the boy had been thinking about his pet's eventual departure ever since he'd callously locked the alien in the tool shed. After much thought, it became evident that staying together like they were was not going to work out. Whether it was because Sora was too frightened of the emotions directed towards him or that dangerous aliens were going to follow Dyne to Destiny Islands, it didn't matter. The outcome was the same: The planet just wasn't ready for the likes of catboys. "I know. You said you were only going to stay for a little while longer." For a moment, Sora looked as if he would be overcome with sadness, but he bravely fought it away and flashed his pet a smile. "But at least we can make the most out of the time we have together. Right?"

Pleased by Sora's show of inner strength, Dyne's tail lifted to a high stance of approval. "Right, though I kind of want to ask you a favor first. I need to get back to the island you found me in. Do you mind being my taxi?"

"No, I'll take you. If nobody sleeps over, we can even do it tonight."

"Good." Sora barely got a chance to smile before he was pounced by Dyne and subjected to a thorough licking.

"ARRGH Dyne!" Thankfully, Sora was able to catch his balance before he ended up flat on the floor. Although he protested against the pink tongue laving his face, he was secretly happy to be back in Dyne's favor again.

A knock at the door disrupted their bonding. One of Dyne's cat ears tilted towards the barrier as Cloud's voice floated through the wood. "Sora, mind stepping out for a minute?"

Annoyed at the mere fact that Cloud was talking to him, Sora stubbornly called out "In a minute!" just to make the surfer wait. Meanwhile, Dyne delivered one last, less than innocent swipe of his tongue beneath the boy's lip before transforming to his feline form.

Reflexively, Sora caught his pet mid-change before he fell to the floor. By this time, Dyne was well used to the boy's fumbling every time he did a surprise body shift while they were in contact, so he continued to paw and nuzzle Sora's chest without missing a beat. Too harried to reflect on whether his pet was being flirty or affectionate, Sora allowed his cat to do as he pleased while he was occupied with the task of opening the bedroom door.

On the other side, Cloud was waiting with his usual air of laid back coolness. Upon finally being allowed to see his girlfriend's son instead of a door in his face, he eyed the kid for clues as to what took him so long to come out. The only evidence he could spy was the nuzzling cat in his arms. "I need help down at the docks. Your mom said that I could ask you."

"What?" As Sora stared at his mom's boyfriend in disbelief, he reached down to pull one of Dyne's claws off his shirt. It had been sneaking suspiciously close to a nipple. "But it's my birthday! My friends will be here any minute."

"It'll only take an hour. 'Ness said that it was ok."

A scowl marched its way over Sora's face. Did his own mother forget his birthday? Figures, she was probably so wrapped up in "Cloudy-wowdie" that the woman completely overlooked what day it was. He wanted to tell Cloud to find someone else, but he could already see his mother yelling at him for turning down the wishes of her precious boyfriend. Life was unbelievably unfair. "Fine. But just an hour."

"Good enough." Unperturbed by Sora's attitude, the man remained maddeningly calm throughout their conversation. "You might want to leave your cat behind."

"Dyne can come," stated Sora, even though he was well aware that Dyne didn't like to go anywhere near water. If it meant getting the chance to contradict Cloud, he would have added that they needed to give his pet a shower and dress him in pink ribbons before leaving too.

"Make sure he doesn't go overboard then. I'll be outside." With that, Cloud left the vicinity of Sora's room for the front porch.

During the course of the conversation, Dyne had stopped pawing at Sora's shirt and huddled down in his arms. Judging by the way his ears tilted to the back of his cranium, he was displeased at the thought of going on a boat.

"Don't make that face! You have to go on a boat sooner or later if you want to get on the other island. Besides, I won't let anything happen to you. Just close your eyes if it really starts to bother you." To add sugar to the agreement, Sora lightly rubbed his pet's flanks.

Sadly, Dyne couldn't say no when Sora was touching him like that. The kid always knew how to stroke him the right way � however innocent the touch was intended to be.

Just in case, Sora stored some clothes for his pet inside his book bag. This was brought with him to Cloud's jeep, which he hopped into as if he didn't feel odd every time he looked outside and saw it parked in front of his house. Cloud started the car, and soon they were driving towards the eastern part of the island.

Although Dyne had a huge phobia of water, he proved to have no problems with sticking his head out of a fast moving vehicle. The headwind was powerful enough to invert his ears and blow his whiskers until they were completely flattened against his face.

"Your mom would kill you if she saw you letting your cat do that." Even so, there was a look of amusement in Cloud's eyes at Dyne's behavior. It was almost like it thought it was a dog.

"Dyne knows how to handle himself. Right kitty?" Sora chuckled when his pet slapped his leg with his tail for calling him "kitty." Then, he stretched a hand outside and spread his fingertips to catch the wind. All the way to the docks, his palm rode the air currents while he imagined that it was himself cutting through the breeze.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Unlike the usual spot where the kids kept their rowboats, the adults had their own harbor on the far end of the island where they stored their more modern motorboats. As soon as they arrived, Sora grabbed his things, tucked Dyne into the crook of his arm and went straight for the pier where Cloud kept his small fleet of research ships and leisure boats.

"Not that way, Sora." Cloud pointed in an entirely different direction than where the boy was heading.

Confusion wrinkled Sora's face as he spied where the man was pointing. "There? But that's a cruise ship."

"Right. Forty four passengers, eighteen crew fit." As Cloud led the way up the gangplank, he rattled off the dimensions of the ship. "Thirty cabins, two dining rooms, a lounge, a reading room, onboard pool, and of course, the gallery. She's called the Lifestream."

Perplexed, Sora walked behind Cloud as he eyed the vessel before them. "But why --"

No sooner had the question begun to be asked when it was answered by a chorus of "SURPRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISE!!!!!!!" Caught off guard by the yell, Dyne jerked and dug his claws into Sora's shirt with a wide eyed look, while Sora simply stopped walking and stared. Within the boat, all of his friends and people he didn't even hang out with were waiting amid festive birthday decorations and bobbing balloons. A cacophony of noise came from all the noisemakers, loud clapping and screams of "Happy Birthday" that resounded off the main deck and the one above.

Sora was completely floored.

"Because," stated Cloud in his usual calm tone, "she makes for a good party." His hand was placed on the boy's shoulder.

Sora didn't know whether to laugh or cry or convulse with joy. In the end, he threw his hands out in a crazed whoop � forgetting that he was supposed to be hanging onto his cat � and rushed to the circle of friends waiting for him. Thankfully, the fact that Dyne's claws were firmly fastened to Sora's shirt prevented him from tumbling to the deck. The cat managed to climb its way over the boy's shoulder and dive into his hoodie moments before Sora crashed into Kairi, Riku, Tidus and Selphie.

"I can't believe you guys did this!!!"

"It was Cloud's idea!" Kairi had to shout over the noise to be heard. Sticking a noisemaker into her mouth, she blew into the object to make it extend and slap Sora's cheek.

"Cloud? Are you serious?" Ducking away from Kairi's noisemaker, Sora took an opportunity to glance over his shoulder to locate Cloud. He spotted the man on the far end of the ship giving instructions to a gaggle of crewmembers.

"Surprised me too." Riku planted one hand on his friend's head and ruffled the spiky hair affectionately. "We thought it was a good idea, so we went along with it. Until we discovered one tiny drawback about five minutes ago."

Before Sora could ask what the drawback was, a familiar voice shouted "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASSHOooOOLE" from somewhere above. His mouth dropped open in horror when he looked up and spied Reno, Rude and Reeve on the upper decks wearing party hats and mocking jeers on their faces.

"There's Turks on my birthday ship?!"

"We didn't know they were going to be here until today. You see, Cloud invited a whoooooooole bunch of people we don't even know." Kairi pressed a hand to her forehead so that she could hide the look of chagrin on her face from Reno. "I think it was because the ship was so expensive that it would be a waste not to fill up all the rooms. Practically the whole school is here."

"This is not as bad as it looks! This is the perfect damage control!" Selphie piped in from beside Kairi. "Do you realize that this is the party of the year? And Rufus wasn't even invited! Cloudie hates his family for some reason so he didn't even get an invitation, HAHAHAHHA! But all the other Turks showed up! We have this election in the bag! Even though Dyne didn't show up for days to school, I can just say that he was planning this big big big party and everyone will believe me and we'll have this election and the homecoming wrapped around our pinky fingers! AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" Pop! In all her enthusiastic, crazed laughter, Selphie popped the balloon she was holding in her hands. "WHERE IS DYNE ANYWAY?!"

Remembering that he was carrying his pet like five minutes ago, Sora panicked when he thought of his cat and the sheer amount of feet on the boat. However, relief came when he felt nails jab into the small of his back, alerting him to the fact that Dyne had relocated himself to a safer place. "I bet he'll be here soon. I just ah, I gotta use the bathroom."

Several of his friends pointed him in the direction of the lavatory, and Sora thanked them as he sprinted away. Upon arrival to his destination, he made sure that the door was shut and locked, then pulled Dyne from his hoodie. Before anything could be done with the dangling cat, the alien morphed back into his humanoid form. The collar of Sora's shirt was immediately grabbed.

"You almost dropped me into the water!!!"

"I did not! I was nowhere near the edge of the boat when I let you go." Ugh, there they go again with this infernal fear of water. Sora didn't feel like dealing with it, not when there was a PARTY OF THE YEAR waiting for him. "Come on Dyne. This is a huge boat. If you're that scared, then just stay in the middle."

At that point, the ground beneath them suddenly lurched. Apparently, the ship was casting off, surprising the both of them but for different reasons. Sora didn't expect them to leave the pier, and Dyne thought the vessel had begun to sink. Frightened beyond belief, the catboy threw his arms around Sora's neck and shivered. "I'm gonna die!"

Desperate to get a handle on this situation so that he could go out and have fun already, Sora attempted a gentle approach instead of trying to wrestle some sense into Dyne like he had in the bathtub. "No you're not. There's no way you're going to fall off this boat. Are you going to be this much of a scaredy cat in front of Reno? You know he'll laugh at you." When his words caused Dyne to look disgruntled, Sora laughed softly and brushed stray hair from his pet's eyes. "Come on. It's my birthday and I want you to be there. Please?"

Dyne marveled at how the right words, the right tone of voice and the right kind of touch of a certain someone could drive a well trained Jumi into committing suicide.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

It was indeed, the party of the year. The passengers of the Lifestream were treated to a pleasure cruise that took them to the far islands of their archipelago. Normally, no one was allowed in these private sectors due to wildlife conservation, but Cloud had the connections that allowed them to use the area for snorkeling. Upon stopping a safe distance from the barrier reefs, the teenagers stripped down to swimming trunks and suits. Someone tossed Sora an extra pair of shorts, Kairi donned a boy-cut bikini with pink and white flower print, and Riku hoisted his silver hair into a high ponytail to fend off bad tan lines.

Unlike everyone else, Dyne did not take off a single item of his clothing. He stubbornly remained dressed from head to toe because he had no intentions of drowning himself in the water; not to mention people might ask questions about his cat ears and tail. While half of the kids departed on small boats to reach the snorkeling spot, Dyne perched himself on the highest deck of the ship and worried his tail off as Kairi and Sora grew smaller with distance. The human who thought of swimming in water with nothing but a rubber pipe to breathe with needed to be incinerated with prismatic missiles. Riku, on the other hand, could drown for all Dyne cared.

Inevitably, people took the opportunity while Dyne was alone to approach him and ask about his recent absence from school. Taking up Selphie's advice, he manufactured a grand story of how he helped Cloud rush all over the islands in search of a cruise ship in time for Sora's birthday, all while he was near death with the flu and delirious with medication. Everyone bought it.

As the rumor traveled that Dyne had been in charge of the party, it fast became evident that they were on the eve of a regime change. The more people talked about it, the more they agreed that they were all going to vote for him. Turks that had never given the blonde headed kid the light of day were suddenly best friends with him in a manner of hours. Elena, who paraded herself on the ship wearing a scandalous, sky blue thong bikini, and took every opportunity to hang all over the future president as if they were an item. Dyne found it unfair that while his real friends were out drowning themselves by the reef, he was stuck catering to this hoopla on the ship.

Thankfully, when the food was unveiled, the crowd relocated to tables filled to the brim with snacks and hors d'oeuvres. As much as the smell was enticing Dyne, he'd rather have Sora bring him a plate once he was safely back on the ship. Now free of interruptions, he resumed his post on the upper deck and kept a sharp lookout for his friends. He hated the fact that every now and then, the kids took long dives beneath the water that hid them from view for extended periods of time.

"Hey Blondie. Aren't you going to swim with the birthday boy?"

Greaaaaat. Reno's ugly mug was the last thing Dyne wanted to see right about now. Out of everyone, Reno was the only person who hadn't changed his stripes concerning his relationship with the supposed new president of the school.

"Get lost. The sight of you in swimming trunks is burning my eyes." Dyne averted his gaze to the left, although this gesture was done because Reno had brought up swimming, not because the redheaded Turk was particularly ugly.

"Is that any way to treat a guest? After all, you helped invite me." Reno stalked closer, causing Dyne to slide sideways against the railing to get away from the troublemaker. Fresh from the swimming pool, water was dribbling liberally from the Turk's drenched body and Dyne was trying his best to avoid any of it getting on his clothes.

"In your drea�" Dyne was just about to deny that he had invited Reno, when he remembered that he had supposedly helped "Cloud" put the whole party together. This included the guest list. Hiding a scowl, the alien sucked up what he really wanted to say and played along with his story instead. "Well I figured I'd give you the chance to kiss my ass now before I become president. I'm sure you'll be good at it since you've had lots of practice."

Anger flashed across Reno's eyes, but that emotion was squelched in favor of an oily smile. He leaned even closer to Dyne, who continued to recoil away with distrust. "I just want to be friends, Dyne. Why don't you come take a swim with me and the boys? Stop being so antisocial."

"No thanks, I'll pass."

"Really, I insist." A sinister smile crossed Reno's lips, and that was all the warning Dyne had. While the redhead kept his full attention, Dyne didn't notice Rude scaling the wall to the upper deck. When he reached the guardrail that Dyne was leaning against, he locked his powerful arms beneath Dyne's armpits and yanked him over it.

"Wha --!" Dyne's stomach fluttered with panic as he and Rude sailed down to the lower deck. They made a jarring landing on their feet, but that barely phased the kidnapper. Rude kept his hold on the struggling blonde as he continued to drag him all the way to the pool. Heads turned at the sound of loud profanities shouted by Dyne, who's eyes were going wider and wider the closer they got to the water.

Just when Rude had made it close enough to toss Dyne into the pool, his captive tossed his head back to crack it against the Turk's jaw. The moment Rude let go to nurse the injury, Dyne grabbed one of his arms, doubled himself over and flipped the oversized brute over his back and into the water. He was sure to dance back a couple of steps to avoid the ensuing splash.

Some of the partygoers thought it was a bit overkill to hit Rude like that, after all, it was a simple dunking. Dyne was practically asking for it by walking around fully dressed while the rest of them were in beach clothes. However, many of them laughed and told the new kid "good going!" for teaching the Turk a lesson.

On the other hand, Reno, with his vast experience of torturing kids, was able to pick up on what had set Dyne off very quickly. "He can't swim." He folded his arms as a sneer gave his lips a wicked curl. "Looks like blondie has a weak spot after all."

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Despite the shenanigans of the Turks, the rest of the cruise went rather smoothly. All of Sora's friends pitched in for the most expensive gift of all: A set of cell phones with web browsing, picture taking and walkie-talkie capability. Sora found it to be a bittersweet gift; with Riku's graduation only a year and a half away, they would soon be parting ways and a phone might be the only way they could talk anymore. However, those thoughts were quickly forgotten when Sora became addicted to taking pictures and chirping.

Long into the night, the festivities continued. Lights lit up the Lifestream like a Christmas tree, and Cloud's crewmates provided ambience with the help of guitars, maracas and well-worn drums. Inevitably, people began to pair up. Couples lingered in secret corners, talking in hushed voices or making out. Others were retiring to their rooms for more illicit acts of romance.

By then mostly everyone had chosen a room to stay in. Sora was bunked with Riku, Kairi was rooming with Selphie, and Dyne was stuck with Tidus. An argument had broke out between Dyne and Riku over whom got to room with Sora, but it was settled with a single coin toss. After losing to the human boy for a second time, Dyne was convinced that there was some kind of voodoo magic that made Riku always win.

Thankfully, the argument and the coin toss had all occurred behind Sora's back. Between all the swimming, socializing, playing and eating he'd done all day, the birthday boy was bushed. Seeking solace from the crowd of people that had surrounded him all day, Sora picked a quiet place on the lower deck to lean against the guardrail and look out into the ocean.

Also enjoying the view, but not of the ocean per se, was Riku. Unbeknownst to Sora, his best friend was watching him watch the ocean from the birds eye view of the upper deck.

"You're being a little obvious," said a playful voice from beside him.

With a smile, Riku glanced over at Kairi who had just joined him at the guardrail. "I got this spot first. You'll have to find somewhere else to stare."

"Don't be stingy." Kairi folded her arms and rested them on the metal guardrail. She could see why Riku chose to look at Sora from a distance rather than join him; he looked so peaceful standing there alone. Maybe he was dreaming of the usual Sora-things, like adventures or flying or aliens. Then she remembered that he was 15 now, so maybe he had let go of some of those fantasies by now. It made her feel sad, yet happy to see her friend growing up. "Are you really going to tell him so soon? I thought you were going to wait until he was at least 16."

"So, I changed my mind." Riku had no intentions of explaining to Kairi the situation between Dyne and Sora. He felt that it would only complicate things more than what they already were. "Besides, if I sit around, you just might take him from me."

Although Riku was speaking playfully, the serious expression on his face made Kairi's smile disappear into a frown. She turned away from the view to face her friend fully. "I'm not trying to take Sora away from anybody. I just want a boyfriend, just like any other ordinary girl. Sora is special to me, to both of us. Even if he did start treating you different, I wouldn't let him."

"I was just kidding Kairi, don't get so serious." Riku waved two fingers idly at the girl to dismiss the discussion. Kairi may have thought that the three of them were too special to have their friendship affected if they paired off, but Riku didn't share such delusions. Nevertheless, he let her believe what she wanted, because he wanted her to keep her carefree smile for a little while longer.

Kairi gave Riku a long, searching look. Then she turned back to the ocean and Sora, quiet and contemplative. They stood together in silence for a long time, until Riku's murmuring disturbed it.

"Kairi, what would you do if Sora didn't pick you?"

"What would I do?" Her hands linked together as she thought on the question. The toe of one of her sandals was tapped softly against the floor as she considered the possibility of losing to Riku. "I guess I would go home and cry. What else could I do?" She gave Riku a curious glance. "What about you?"

"Crying is for girls."

For that, Riku earned a mild glare. "So? I bet Sora would make you cry too. How can you not cry for someone you've liked all your life?"

Something between a snort and a laugh wheezed past Riku's nose. His thoughts kept circling back to the things Dyne said a few nights ago, upsetting him more and more as he thought of his best friend possibly having a relationship with the new kid. He wanted to tell Kairi what he knew so bad; out of everyone in the islands she was the only one who would understand him best, but he refrained. He didn't want her to feel the kind of heart squeezing worry he was currently experiencing. "What if he doesn't pick either of us?"

Apparently, this was something Kairi had never thought of, judging by her wide eyes. Mentally, she cycled through all the people she knew and tried to pick out all the suitors that could possibly hold Sora's interest. In the end, she drew a blank, and therefore found Riku's question irrelevant. "Of course he'll pick one of us, we're his best friends. Who else can there possibly be?"

At that point, a distant "Soooora" made the boy on the lower deck turn around. Sora recognized Dyne's voice, and he tilted his head in that direction to see what the commotion was about. His pet, who didn't dare get as close to the edge of the ship as he did, clung to the walls with a plastic plate in hand. Sora rolled his eyes as he walked to the catboy, remembering how Dyne insisted on not feeding himself due to some weird alien custom.

It's right under your nose and you don't even see it. Kairi and Sora could be too much alike in their naivete sometimes. Since Riku wasn't much of a liar, he simply chose not to answer Kairi's question instead of telling her the truth.

Luckily, his silence didn't phase Kairi at all. The notion of Sora picking someone else was ridiculous. The only other girl he ever paid attention to besides herself was Selphie, and he sometimes complained that she talked too much. However, just to give Riku the benefit of the doubt, Kairi added in a conversational tone, "Anyway. If he doesn't pick either of us, then you're welcome to come to my house so we can cry together."

Surprisingly, that got a real laugh out of Riku.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Eventually, Sora and Riku decided to turn in for the night. After saying goodnight to everyone, they walked to their shared cabin; haggling the entire way over whom got to take the first shower. The moment they entered their room, Sora sprinted to the bathroom and slammed the door, thereby deciding for them who got to take the first bath. Moments later, he opened the door and sheepishly asked Riku for a change of clothes, which were thrown into the cheater's face with a smirk.

Despite his recent worries, Riku couldn't help but feel content. He'd just come from a great party, the entire day had been spent with nonstop fun with his friends, the Turks were too busy with Dyne to bother him, and now he was all alone in a bedroom with his crush. If he remained quiet, he could hear Sora puttering around in the bathroom as he shed his clothes and turned on the faucet.

Did you know that when he's taking a really long shower, it's because he's jacking off furiously?

Unbidden, memory of Dyne's words returned to Riku. He was aghast the first time they were spoken to him, now they caused a strange feeling of titillation in his stomach. Suddenly, Riku was all too aware of the fact that a mere door separated him from a wet, naked Sora. The situation reminded him of the countless locker room stories he'd heard of guys surprising their girlfriends in the shower, which of course led to sexual trysts of porn movie proportions. Of course, Sora would never just bend over and take it, he'd first glare at Riku for intruding on him, then he'd tell him to go away, and if Riku pushed the issue, he'd shake his head with a resolute no, all while his blue eyes blazed with curiosity..

Without sparing a thought on it, Riku edged closer to the door. He felt as if he were about to do something naughty, like sneak out of the house at midnight or steal Sora's eggo when he wasn't looking. However, all he intended to do was take a peek. Just to confirm that what Dyne said wasn't true. Sweet, na�ve Sora touching himself? No way. How could he keep such a dirty little secret? They were best friends, they were supposed to know everything about each other. Obviously, it was time he reminded Sora that he could be trusted with the knowledge of his every hidden fantasy.

Closer to the door, Riku could feel the steam from the hot shower seeping through the cracks. His throat tickled with dryness as he placed his hand on the doorframe and leaned forwards. He tilted his head and pressed an ear to the barrier. From the other side, the sounds of water smacking irregularly against porcelain greeted him, clearly due to the rivulets following the curves of Sora's body.

Listening intently, Riku shuttered his eyes as he placed actions to every noise that he heard. Sora rubbing the shampoo into his hair. Sora working the soap into the flat planes of his stomach. Sora caressing his thighs with foamy hands. Sora rubbing his genitals vigorously to make sure that every fold of skin was clean..

Did you know that when he's taking a really long shower, it's because he's jacking off furiously?

It hasn't been that long. Yet Riku felt as if he'd been standing there for an eternity. It would have been prudent to stop lurking like this, but he couldn't tear himself away from the door. He had to know. Almost feverishly, he listened for a sign that Sora was pleasuring himself. He just had to know if his best friend was truly ready. Riku wanted to hear the confirmation so bad, that he thought he heard the stroking motions and stifled whimpers from beyond the door. The thought of a lonely, needy Sora caused an answering ebb of exquisite longing to echo in his belly.

I want.. His fingers traced light, considering circles against the door. ..to know.. Unable to hold back any longer, his fingers crawled to the doorknob.

Then, the door to the cabin slammed open.

"RIKU!!! Please tell me that you know where Yuna's room is!"

Tidus had never seen Riku jump so high. The utterly frazzled boy wheeled around to fix the intruder with a heated glare. "Don't you know how to knock!"

"Sorry! It's not like I caught you naked or anything. But this is an emergency! This is my only chance to ask Yuna to the dance and I gotta do it now while it's romantic."

Ironically, Tidus's words applied to Riku as well. This truth did not escape the platinum blonde. Withholding a sigh, Riku tried to will away the goosebumps that had erupted all over his body. "She's on the second deck somewhere. Ask Kairi, she probably knows." Talk about having the mood ruined. It would be a while before he could work up the courage to attempt seduction on Sora again.

"Kairi, right! Oh and, whatever you were up to, I swear I didn't see it." With another slam of the door, Tidus left the cabin for the upper deck.

For a few moments, those parting words caused Riku to look stricken. Then, by degrees, he managed to convince himself that Tidus had no clue of what was really going to transpire. Finally letting go of a sigh, he pushed his bangs from his face and tried to relax.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

"Shower's free."

From his place on the bed, Riku peered over at the bathroom doorway. Sora had opened the door, but remained inside the bathroom so that he could finger comb his hair in front of the mirror. Since he'd come to the ship unprepared for a cruise, all of his clothes had to be borrowed from Riku. Although the black tank top he wore was one size too big, he liked it just because of the stylized, circular "Body Glove" written on the back. Surprisingly, the cotton, gray boxers that were lent to him felt a little tight.

"These shorts are too small for me." Sora resisted the urge to pick at a non-existent wedge. Wearing Riku's underwear felt weird in ways he did not want to think about.

"They're not small. Your butt is just big." Riku couldn't resist smirking

"No way, yours is just really small." Finally finishing with his hair, Sora walked into the bedroom, bringing with him the clean smell of soap and dampness. "I left you some hot water."

"Yeah, probably about five minutes worth." Sadly, Riku couldn't help but feel disappointed. He'd hoped that by catching Sora being naughty, he'd have proof that his friend was curious enough to try new things. Now he was back to guessing. In any case, since leaving seaweed in his hair for too long was likely to turn it green, he scooped up his overnight bag and ambled over to the bathroom.

As soon as Riku closed the bathroom door, Sora left the room. He wanted to check on Dyne one last time before going to bed. All day, he had been hearing a rumor about Rude trying to toss his pet into the pool, and he hadn't had a chance to ask his companion about it. First, he checked the room he shared with Tidus, only to find it completely empty. Then he walked along the decks of the ship in hopes of running into him somewhere, but the areas he checked were completely deserted.

Frowning, he wandered to the prow of the ship and leaned against the railing. Where could Dyne have gone? Just when he was starting to worry, he spied a figure traveling in his direction. His pet was inching along the walls near the middle of the ship again, looking just as wary of the water as when they first arrived at the Lifestream.

Honestly, one would think that Dyne got used to the ocean after spending an entire day on a ship. Sora's brows arched with sympathy for his pet. "Is it true that Rude tried to throw you into the pool?"

"Tried is a key word," muttered Dyne bitterly. Next time, he was going to throw that stupid Turk off the ship. When he ran out of wall to creep against, Dyne hesitated in his steps. There was an unsupported walk all the way to the front of the ship, where Sora was standing.

Reading Dyne's body language was easy, however Sora did not take pity. Straightening up from his lean against the railing, he spoke in a matter of fact tone. "Dyne, you have to get over your fear sooner or later. It's the only way you're going to make it on these islands."

"I'm not afraid. I'm just being really really careful."

Riiiiiight. Sora gave his pet a flat look. "Come here." He stretched both hands out to beckon his pet to join him.

Upon seeing what Sora wanted, Dyne seemed to shrink. "No thanks, I feel a little seasick."

"Stop pretending, I know you're scared." Although this was very amusing to him, Sora gave his companion a reassuring smile. "Come on. If you make it, I'll tell you a story."

"That's so lame."

"Then I guess you don't want to sleep in my bed tonight."

Damn! That was exactly why Dyne had left his room to go prowling around the ship: To find Sora and break up the inevitable love fest that Riku had undoubtedly planned for the brunette. Not to mention, riding on the Deathstream would be easier if he got to share his space with Sora. Narrowing his eyes, Dyne steeled his courage, and then took one cautious step out into the open.

As soon as he was clear of the wall, it became evident that the wind was more powerful on that side of the ship. It buffeted against the two boys, tossing their hair and making their shirts whip like banners. Dyne had to take off his hat and hold it to prevent it from going overboard. Ahead of him, Sora waited patiently with hands outstretched as step by agonizing step, Dyne came closer to him and the ocean. By the time he was within two yards of his goal, the poor catboy was shaking like a leaf from head to toe.

"Almost there," coaxed Sora gently. Dyne's last two steps might as well have been on a bed of nails by the way that he was grimacing. However, after an agonizingly long time, he cleared the distance and made it to Sora's hands. Immediately, he was pulled to Sora's chest and wrapped in a tight hug. "See, that wasn't so bad was it?"

"..I think I left my stomach back there," said Dyne in a sickly voice.

"Sssssh, its ok." Figuring that Dyne would feel safer if he was anchored into place, Sora held his pet tightly. One hand, however, crept upwards to stroke the nest of blonde hair and cat ears that were tickling his nose. After a few moments, Dyne finally relaxed and rested his head against one of Sora's shoulders.

Slowly, so as not to disturb this lull in Dyne's fear, Sora began to turn them so that they were sideways to the ocean.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I'm going to tell you that story now." Sora stopped petting to place his hand securely around Dyne's waist, and tilted his gaze to the ocean. "Look at it. Don't you think its pretty?"

Reluctantly, Dyne turned his head away from Sora's shoulder to look outwards. In the distance, the water was pitch black, but closer to the ship it was illuminated by golden color from the lights. However, when he looked directly to the North, a silver path created by moonlight cut through the roiling darkness all the way to the distant shores of Destiny Islands.

"Your moon is pretty, but the water is not."

Sora chuckled at Dyne's stubborn dislike of water. "The natives of Destiny Islands - the real indians that used to live here - would say that the moon was a goddess. She wears a long white dress, and when she walks across the water, you can see it trailing behind her."

For the first time, Dyne was struck by a profound sense of homesickness. Sora's story of the moon goddess echoed the hundreds he'd heard when he was growing up on Katina. He never thought he would ever miss his home planet, not when there were so many bad things he was leaving behind. Yet, he couldn't deny that he missed his childhood friends, even if they were all loyal to their mates now. The catboy found himself yearning for his own sands, his own deities of the moon, and the familiarity of his citadel.

"Whenever sailors get lost out in the ocean, they follow the light of the moon. It always leads back to Destiny Islands. Its saved lots of people that way." Sora turned his gaze back to Dyne to make sure he hadn't fallen asleep or was on the verge of throwing up. Instead, he found the most intense pair of cerulean eyes fixed on him, ringed with moonshine.

"...Dyne...?"

Without warning, the rest of the question was stolen away with a kiss. Utterly surprised, Sora froze in complete shock. Dyne's mouth was so soft; it was like being pressed against a pillow. Maybe it was a pillow. Maybe he was still in bed and this was all one long crazy dream. However, the strong hands kneading his shirt reminded him that this was reality. He was here and he was being kissed, and despite how stiff he'd gone in reaction, a homey feeling, like being wrapped in a warm comforter, oozed beneath the surface.

Although he'd caught Sora with his mouth the slightest bit open, Dyne left the kiss chaste. When he drew his lips away, he regarded his owner with lidded eyes. Obviously, he'd found the experience to be quite engrossing, because he'd forgotten to hide his tail altogether. It swayed behind him in a slow, careless dance.

Unlike Sora, who was as still as a statue. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded a little shrill. "..You kissed me!"

"You didn't really think I wasn't going to do it after telling me something that romantic, did you?" The way Dyne's tail undulated behind him matched the mischief in his voice.

It was all Sora could to do sputter, "I-I wasn't trying to be romantic!"

Dyne cuddled up against the flustered boy with a purr. "Sora Sora Sora, don't be so kittenish. The next time, we'll go all the way to second base, rrrrrr."

"No, you don't understand!" Sora wasn't sure if Dyne was even listening anymore. His pet had taken to wrapping his tail around one of his legs and nuzzling his chin. "That was my first kiss!"

"It was my first kiss too."

"It was?" Dumbfounded, Sora stared down at his pet. "Then why did you do it?" How could Dyne treat it so carelessly? Did people from Katina hold nothing sacred?

"I told you, I've only gone through one Estrus. The one that you were nice enough to turn me down for." That last sentence was dribbling with sarcasm. Dyne tilted his head up to regard Sora. "In Katina, we don't do any of that boyfriend girlfriend crap. Mates are chosen for life."

Suddenly, Sora felt as if someone had just shoved his face into the floor. For life? There he was thinking that Dyne couldn't take anything relating to relationships seriously, or to understand that certain things are meant to be special, only to find that his pet probably had a clear understanding of that all along.

For life. It all made sense now. The way he acted so brashly and constantly tried to coax Sora into becoming intimate with him. For Dyne, this was all or nothing. Claiming him was like, like when a boy's voice drops when they're teenagers. It's something that has to happen, and if it didn't, it would be like they're still children. And it's a permanent change that stays.. For life. Digesting this realization made Sora stand and stare dumbly into space.

"Hey. Can we get away from the scenery of death already? I'm ready to go to bed."

Snapping out of his stupor, Sora finally noticed that they were out in the open with Dyne flashing his extraterrestrial appendages. "Hide your tail!"

Obediently, Dyne fixed the way he looked while Sora scanned the area to make sure that nobody was watching. Then they left for the quarters they would be staying at for the night. Since Riku probably wouldn't appreciate a third guest while there was only two beds, Dyne shifted into his feline form before they entered the room. To make sure that no one got suspicious about the extra clothing Sora was carrying, they were hidden beneath his shirt.

Luckily, Riku was still in the bathroom, although he left the door open. He was too busy combing the kinks out of his hair to spy Sora quickly removing Dyne's clothes from under his shirt and stuffing them into his backpack. "Where did you go?"

"I had to find Dyne."

Frowning, Riku looked back at the room and was relieved to see that Sora meant Dyne the cat and not Dyne the brat. "Oh. I forgot you brought him." Finishing with his hair, he walked out into the bedroom and immediately noted that there was something different about Sora. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was, but he knew in the way that all best friends know that something was up. "Did anything happen?"

Dyne kissed me. Sora wanted to say it, but he knew that Riku wouldn't take that news very well. His hate for Dyne would probably only increase. To avoid that, he gave his best friend a half-truth. "My shoulders hurt after all that swimming."

"Want me to get the kinks out for you?"

"Sure." Sora plopped Dyne on the bed before rolling onto his stomach beside his pet. His furry friend wasted no time in picking the worst spot to sit in, which happened to be directly in front of Sora's face. "Dyne," the boy muttered in annoyance. After turning his face to the opposite side, his cat was free to smother the back of his head instead.

Meanwhile, Riku produced a bottle of lotion from his book bag and squeezed its contents onto his palm. As he rubbed his hands together, he glanced in his friend's direction and found himself staring at the tanned body waiting for him. A poignant feeling overcame him, one that made his throat constrict with bittersweet longing and caring. He wanted to build a fortress around Sora and never let anybody pass the door. It was a sentiment he shared for Kairi as well, but with Sora it was all encompassing.

How could it be anything but love?

With a voice that had gone deep and soothing, Riku told Sora to relax. Obediently, the boy deflated with a noisy sigh and let himself settle into a mood that was receptive to his best friend's touch. Ever since Riku got really serious into sports, he learned lots of interesting skills, such as the athletic massage. When he first became adept at them, Sora and Kairi begged him for sessions so much that eventually Riku got tired of it and began denying every request. Therefore, to be offering this service to Sora now was the rarest of treats, given only because it was his birthday.

However, one had to wonder who exactly was benefiting the most from this interaction. Riku was all too aware of the warmth of Sora's body as he braced his palms against the slope of his best friend's lower back. With a firm press, Sora's spine was straightened with a satisfying crack, earning a pleased "uhn" from the brunette.

Unfortunately, in Katina the sound of bones cracking only occurred on the battlefield or during torture. Dyne's head shot upwards with wide eyes and ears tilted forwards in shock. The cat stared, unable to comprehend this act of rearranging Sora's organs or whatever it was that Riku was trying to accomplish. It looked very painful, especially when he began to karate chop the boy's muscles.

On the other hand, pain seemed to be the last thing Sora was feeling. By the end of the massage, the boy was nothing more than a smiling, boneless lump on the bed, relaxed to the point of sleepiness. Usually, when he got to this point Riku thought he looked pretty goofy. Sora had always been this skinny, gangly kid with long legs, giant feet, big hands and a head of hair that would put any birds nest to shame. Then, over the years, Riku had watched his best friend grow a little proportioned, fill out with the help of a healthy teenage appetite, and develop lean muscles thanks to a highly active lifestyle.

Goofy wasn't a good word for him anymore. Sora was a kinetic person that naturally made everyone around him feel good to be alive. Riku couldn't imagine living without that energy, that presence in it. Just the thought of it made his heart feel as if it had been hollowed out. There weren't enough words, and there weren't any right words to say how much Sora had affected his life.

So, his best friend would have to forgive him, because the only way Riku could ever say things right was by showing Sora.

"Sora, can I try something new?"

A sleepy "nn" was his response.

"It might feel weird."

"..don't care."

You have to care. All the years they spent together, all the things they've done, on some level, Riku was sure that Sora would care for him too. Ever since he realized his own feelings for his best friend, he'd waited patiently for Sora to do the same. However, the years were crawling by, time was dwindling for them, and now there was another person in the picture who made it seem as if he'd made strides with Sora in a manner of weeks while Riku had been waiting his whole life. Patience worn thin, he decided to push the issue and remind Sora that they had a trust that no one could break. A trust that could take them to paradise if they completely gave all of themselves to it.

With uncharacteristic tenderness, Riku placed his thumbs against the nape of Sora's neck and rubbed secret wishes into his damp hair. Immediately, Sora's brows drew together in wonderment at this strange, new touch. Then, Riku leaned down, closer and closer until Sora thought he was going to bury his face into his neck, and pursed his lips to blow warm air over the places he'd touched.

"What are you doing?" Curiosity laced Sora's voice. What Riku did made the hairs behind his neck stand on end. It was a feeling so new and weird that it was starting to wake him from his lethargic state.

"Sssh, relax. Try to sleep."

As always, Sora trusted Riku enough to let go of all doubts and close his eyes. This time, there were no karate chops to his back; instead it was a slow, contoured kneading done with the entirety of Riku's hands. It was the first time Sora had been touched so much and so tenderly by his best friend. He could feel the checked power in those strong arms, pressing firmly yet not bruising. Sora's muscles would clench in anticipation of Riku's roaming palms, only to turn to water with a flutter of his eyelashes upon their arrival.

This is how important you are to me.

To the sides of Sora's body Riku's hands went, the pressure lightening until it had turned into a caress. The masculine curves of his friend's lean waist were mapped as he traveled towards ticklish underarms, surreptitiously hiking up the black tank top until Sora's back was exposed. Then, he leaned down and blew a puff of air at the very bottom of the bare spine. Sora's toes curled.

This is how I need you.

At the touch to his thighs, Sora's eyes opened a sliver. Riku's thumbs dug between his hamstrings and followed the path of the tendons up and up, until his fingers began to disappear beneath the hem of the boxers. A burn of pleasure flushed Sora's cheeks and seared him all the way down to his tailbone. Loud and clear, he finally understood what Riku was saying. The proposition hung in the air like the poignant scent of the ocean. All he had to do to stop this was to shake his head no. He knew Riku like the back of his hand, without words his friend would know to back off, and this would never be mentioned again. Everything would stay the same.

On the other hand, if he allowed it to go on, it would be a onetime thing that would be their secret. It would be a safe way to satisfy their mutual curiosities..

Sora assumed too much.

When Riku bent to blow air up the sensitized skin beneath his boxers, Sora fisted the sheets beneath him.

But he couldn't help it if he wasn't given any time to think.

This is how I want you.

With the rising level of intimacy between them, Riku was tingling all over. He knew that Sora was letting him go on. As long as nothing was said, as long as they didn't look too deep into each other's eyes, they could do this and still be friends. Little did Sora know, Riku had no intentions of leaving things at that when they were done exploring. For now, he was willing to let his friend cling to his assumptions, if only so that he could get his foot in the door and have this moment.

Just to show how serious he was, Riku placed his thumbs along the underside of Sora's bottom, feeling the muscles there tense in response. Yes, he wanted to say. This is how far we'll go. All the way. He'd wanted this for so long. Once more, Riku leaned forwards, electric blue eyes trained on the crease of fabric that lined one of
Sora's most precious areas. His lips pursed as he gravitated towards the perineal space between Sora's legs, but this time, he had no intentions of simply blowing.

This is how I love you.

"HISSSSS." Slash!!!

Then Dyne prudently reminded them that they were far from being alone.

"ARGH!" Riku jerked back and clamped a hand over the bleeding gashes on his cheeks. Although Dyne's knowledge of human customs was far from perfected, he was pretty sure that the meaning behind someone putting their nose close to someone else's ass was universal across species. He would have continued to tolerate Riku's weird torture session if he hadn't caught on to the fact that this was a human ritual for seduction. How dare Riku try to usurp Sora in front of his nose like that! Dyne's blood was boiling with angry jealousy.

Needless to say, the charged mood in the room was broken. Sora bolted upright and was astonished to find his pet poufed and snarling dangerously at Riku. Every claw was extracted, the intent of further attack clear by the way his pet's tail was whipping like a rattlesnake. Before Dyne could make good on that promise, Sora grabbed his cat by the scruff of his neck. "Stop it! This isn't funny Dyne!"

Who was laughing? Dyne was pretty sure there was murder in his eyes right now.

"I don't think your cat likes me," said Riku lamely, his tone frosted over with disappointment. Now that Sora wasn't going with the flow anymore, it would be near impossible to get him that open again. Not to mention, having the opportunity wasted by a cat seriously put him out of the mood. Even the blood on his face was secondary to that fact. Riku was pissed.

"It's because he's stupid." Angrily, Sora rolled off the bed with the frazzled cat hanging from his grip like a rag doll. The door to their bunker was tossed open and he marched outside, barely able to restrain himself from tossing Dyne overboard. When he was out of earshot of the sleeping areas, he gave his pet a hard shake. "What was that about? You want me not to have any friends, is that it? You want me to be alone for the rest of my life and you couldn't care less, right Dyne!"

Instantly, Dyne morphed out of its feline form so quickly that Sora's palm now cupped the back of his neck. Sora's arm was smacked away as soon as the catboy had hands to do it. "Being friends is the last thing Riku wants to be to you. You can't tell me you still believe that after the way he touched you. Stop playing dumb Sora!"

"He was just giving me a massage!"

"Yeah he was going to 'massage' you alright. Right in the balls!"

Infuriated, Sora let loose a punch, but for once Dyne wasn't going to sit there and take it. He ducked the blow and put a couple of feet between himself and the boy by bounding away on all fours. Then he turned to face Sora again, tail completely straight overhead and fuzzed with anger. "How long are you going to keep bullshitting me, Sora?!"

Since attempts at hurting Dyne physically were not forthcoming, Sora tried to do it verbally instead. "So what? Maybe I've always admired Riku. Is that wrong? Don't you have friends like that in Katina?"

Like a distant dream, Dyne remembered Tsuz shaking his head at him in warning while Axel had his way with his body. "Those friends betrayed me."

At that, Sora fell silent. Although he'd been feeling distant from Riku due to his supposed friendship with the Turks, he wouldn't go so far as to call it betrayal. However, just imagining what it could be like made him feel bad for taunting Dyne with what he had with his best friend.

Seeing that the fires were starting to die down, Dyne straightened from his crouch on the floor. As his anger dissipated, his tail lost its aggressive stance and lowered to the floor. His cat ears veered to the sides and drooped low to his scalp in expression of his hurt. "Just.. don't fall in love with him!" With that, he darted away.

"Dyne!" Sora tried to chase him, but was unable to follow when Dyne scaled the wall to the upper deck in a manner of seconds. A sad pout was turned in the direction his pet had disappeared to. Too late, Sora realized that being with someone else could hurt Dyne, although the logistics of it didn't make sense. The catboy had no problems including Kairi as one of his potential "mates", so why was Riku such a taboo? Was it a double standard or was Sora missing something here?

With a confused and heavy heart, Sora returned to the room he shared with Riku. Upon opening the door, he found his best friend sprawled on a bed, holding a wet towel to his cheek.

"Did you throw it into the ocean?" Asked Riku dully.

"No.." Against his better judgement, Sora walked slowly to Riku's bed. Somehow, it felt wrong to be far away from him after what happened. Or at least, what almost happened. He took a seat at the edge of the mattress, quiet and indecisive. After all was said and done, he honestly didn't know what he wanted anymore.

To keep Sora from dwelling on things and feeling weird, Riku prevented silence by changing the topic. "Bet you were surprised that Cloud threw this party for you."

"Yeah." It was beyond surprising. Part of Sora wanted to stubbornly say that Cloud was just trying to win brownie points with his mom, though it had been done in such a skillful manner that he couldn't help but feel touched � which was annoying, because he didn't want to feel friendly with Cloud.

"Is everything alright with him?"

"Mom is happy to be with him."

That didn't answer the question, but for once, Riku didn't let it slide. He was tired of feeling distant and being kept out of Sora's secrets. Tonight, he'd made the choice to take his friend back. "Are you happy with him?"

Sora's eyes dropped down to where his hands were resting placidly on his lap, lightly curled and listless. "I don't want a new dad."

Nothing more needed to be said. The space between them was reduced to nothing when Riku sat up and wrapped Sora in a tight hug. It had been a long time since he had done this. When they were younger and the pain of grief was fresh, there were many nights spent holding his best friend until he cried himself to sleep. Never had he seen Sora so sad and shattered in his life, and echoes of those terrible memories made him cling to the other boy even harder.

I understand.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Sunrise painted the skies above Destiny Islands with a beautiful pink and gold. While the teenagers slept, the Lifestream had been docked on the pier. Despite the early morning hours, Cloud and his crew left the ship to hit the waves while the beach was devoid of life. However, the man didn't stay out too long since leaving the Lifestream unmanned with teenagers on board was just asking for trouble.

Since Cloud wanted to continue watching his friends surf, he placed himself on the gangplank leading off the ship. He hadn't been alone too long when the sound of footsteps made him glance over one tanned shoulder.

"Sora."

Obviously, Sora had endured a rough night. The droopy-eyed boy was unaware of how he looked with his sleep-mussed hair and the way that his boxers were hanging halfway off his hips. The night previous, he made the mistake of sharing a bed with Riku. In the early morning hours, he awoke to find his friend breathing deeply into his neck and storing one hand halfway down his boxers. Needless to say, Sora carefully inched Riku out of his pants and left the room very quickly, only to run into his mom's boyfriend at the gangplank.

Wordlessly, Cloud patted a dry spot next to him for Sora to sit. The boy seemed to hesitate, but ultimately felt too muddled to be rude. So he shuffled over to the indicated spot and dropped to the ground, leaving his legs to dangle over the edge of the gangplank.

For a long time, neither of them spoke. Cloud continued to watch the waves, and Sora was left to think about cats and Rikus and massages and hands that went in places they didn't belong in.

"Some rad waves out there today."

Sora barely acknowledged Cloud with a minute nod of his head.

Although Sora didn't seem to be in the mood for conversation, Cloud continued anyway. "I had a girlfriend that liked to surf in the morning. She would always come out here by herself, until she got caught in a rip tide. Hit her head on a rock. I never saw her again."

Of all the things that Cloud could have said to him, Sora was definitely not expecting that. He couldn't believe that the man had outright told him something that morbid. He stared at Cloud speechlessly.

"It was three years ago." Cloud's voice grew faint with memory. "I never wanted to surf again."

"But weren't you just out there?"

A nostalgic smile stretched Cloud's lips. "When 'Ness found out that I used to surf, she kept bothering me about it until I showed her. I feel in love with it all over again."

In a way, this didn't surprise Sora, because his mother was the type of person who could convince clouds to rain. It was the fact that she got Cloud to surf again that bothered him, because.. "They say my dad drowned too."

"I know." Cloud canted his head to squint at the boy. "But he didn't live afraid. Neither did Aeris. I've learned with Ness that maybe that's the best way to live after all."

It struck Sora then that the relationship between Cloud and his mother was far from superficial. This made him feel a little ill, yet he couldn't begrudge it. Cloud provided something for his mom that he could not: a way of living beyond grief. He wondered if his mom looked for someone like Cloud, or if it was something that just kind of happened. Either way, adults made relationships look so easy. Sora found himself awed by that.

"So.. um. How did you know that my mom was the right one for you?"

For some reason, this question seemed to amuse Cloud. "Does your mom know you're dating?"

A furious blush stole across Sora's cheeks. "I'm not dating!"

"Why not? You're old enough." Cloud then got to his feet and picked up his surfboard. However, before he left to hit the water again, he mussed Sora's hair. "It takes a long time to find the right one. But when you do, you know it." With that sage advice, the man ambled back to the beach.

Even though Cloud's answer had been very unsatisfying, Sora couldn't help but feel a little less animosity towards the man after their conversation. His mother had picked a good guy, if anything, he had to admit that. As much as he hated to say it, if anyone could understand himself and his mother, it was Cloud, because he also knew what it was like to tragically lose somebody.

"Hey Cloud." Sora smiled nicely when man looked back. "Thanks for the party."

For once, Cloud gave a full grin instead of the usual Mona Lisa smile, and then he continued to walk down the beach.

Unwilling to return to his room, Sora spent some time watching the surfers. He considered learning to ride the waves himself, even though a lot of kids thought it was a lame sport. Mostly because it was dominated by 20-somethings like Cloud who were so good at it that it was embarrassing to be seen floundering next to them. Not to mention, the stereotypic Destiny Island surfer was a booze-drinking, womanizing pervert. Although some of Cloud's friends definitely fit the bill, the man didn't change his stripes whenever he hung out with them. He was the same no matter who he was with, and that was an integrity that Sora had to admire.

With the sun climbing higher in the sky, it was inevitable that some of the kids would start waking up. Sora glanced back at the boat to see if anybody was wandering around, but instead of seeing people, he spied a mangy yellow cat watching him from inside a pile of rope. Dyne looked as if he had a rough night, his fur was stringy and tangled. It occurred to Sora that without clothes, his pet probably had to spend the entire night on deck since Tidus probably wouldn't appreciate rooming with a naked catboy.

An apologetic arch lifted Sora's brows as he turned around and stretched out his hands in silence beckoning. The cat seemed to ignore him at first, but after a moment it shook the sea spray from its fur and began to pad towards the brunette. As soon as he was close enough, Sora scooped him into his arms and held him close.

"I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings last night," said Sora in a quiet voice. "It's just that, everything is so new. Meeting you and starting tenth grade and �" a memory of Riku's stroking fingers came to mind. "..Stuff. I'm too stupid to understand anything."

Of course, there was no response from his pet. Since they still had some time before the others woke up, Sora crept back into his room to retrieve Dyne's clothes. Thankfully, Riku was using the bathroom at the time, so he was was able to grab Dyne's things and leave before any questions was asked. Again, he took his pet to the lavatory on deck, where he could shapeshift and put his clothes on.

This time, Sora waited outside until his pet was done dressing. After what felt like eternity, a rather broody Dyne opened the bathroom door and stepped out in human form and clothing. His hair was terribly disheveled, just as his fur had been. Sora turned to face his alien friend with an expectant expression. He was hoping that he would be given forgiveness.

Instead, Dyne strayed completely off the topic. "Do you know what today is?"

Taken aback, Sora wrinkled his brow. "It's Sunday. The day after my birthday."

"Do you remember what you were supposed to do on Sunday?" Dyne received a blank look from Sora. Since the boy seemed to be having trouble remembering, he emphasized things for him. "The day after your birthday."

It took a few more seconds, but then it dawned on Sora that he had a promise to keep today. He gasped with realization. "Kairi and Riku!"

"Good going, genius. It's about time we let this cat out of the bag."

After making that bad pun, Dyne began to walk past Sora. However, the boy wasn't so willing to forget what had happened the night before. Sora caught a corner of Dyne's shirt before he could get too far away. "Wait. Are you still mad?"

The response was swift and unexpected. Sora didn't so much as blink before Dyne rushed forwards and clamped his teeth over his ear. Shocked, Sora's first reaction was to pull his head away, only to find that his pet had no intentions of letting go. So instead of fighting it, he remained very still to prevent this strange experience from escalating into something painful.

In Katina, biting someone's ear could mean many things. Affection, anger, discipline, domination, intimacy; all rolled into a gesture that could only be completely understood in its context. For Dyne, he meant all of those things and more. It was only when Sora went still � ironically, the culturally appropriate thing to do for someone of lower rank � that he finally released the boy. Sora covered his reddened ear with his hand as soon as he was free and stared at his pet.

There was no shame in Dyne's eyes. Instead, they glittered with ominous intent as he spoke. "You can make me angry. You can make me sad. You can hurt me or even make me cry. But don't you ever make me jealous unless you're ready to handle it."

Ready to handle it? That warning made Sora's stomach drop to the floor. He had an idea of what kind of consequence would be waiting for him if he inspired jealousy in his pet again. Something wicked and territorial, an action that would prove that Sora had been chosen by the catboy to be his first. A part of him shied away at the mere thought, another bristled at the fact that he'd been challenged and expected to back down.

And another, deeper part of him was deathly curious.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Sora hoped that his friends would turn out to be as forgetful as he was. Unfortunately, there was no such luck. Around midday they approached him with an air of expectation, and now he was obligated to fulfill his promise.

Although Sora was beyond nervous about this, Dyne was as smooth and confident as any cat. It must have been a luxury for the alien boy not to need anybody the way Sora needed Kairi and Riku. If they decided to never speak to him again or turn Dyne in to the authorities, he didn't know what he would so. At least his pet lost some of his bravado when Sora claimed that they needed to be on another island before he could tell them the secret. This left Dyne to endure a nerve-wrecking ride on a rowboat, which he spent with eyes closed and arms firmly wrapped around Sora's waist. Kairi found it funny, Riku thought it was disgusting.

Taking them to the place where it all began would serve two purposes: 1) Sora had promised to take Dyne there anyway, and 2) If Riku needed to be restrained, at least being away from the mainland would give them time to think of something without attracting any attention. Dyne wanted to kick their boats away as soon as they made landfall, but Sora patiently reminded him that although that would keep them from crossing the ocean again, they would eventually starve to death since the island had no food. Sadly, Dyne had to concur.

After mooring their boats, they traveled through the dense foliage to the place where Sora found Dyne. The smell of charred wood and chemical substance wasn't as strong as the night the spaceship crashed, although the scents still lingered in the air. Kairi and Riku became more and more intrigued as they noted the huge gash on the ground and splintered trees.

However, since Riku was not a fan of suspense, he ended the tour preemptively by standing his ground and speaking. "Well? Are you going to tell us or what?"

Unable to stall any longer, Sora stopped walking. All eyes were on him as he turned to face his friends, who were staring at him expectantly. An anxious hand lifted to push at his spiky hair, but he stopped himself when he realized how nervous it made him look. "Before I tell you guys what's really going on, you have to promise that you won't tell anybody else. It has to be our secret."

"What if your secret will get you in a lot of trouble?" Riku narrowed his eyes at his best friend. Already, he didn't like the circumstances of this promise.

"Then I guess you won't know what it is then." Dyne was all too happy to chime in when Riku was least happy to hear it.

Riku glared at the blonde troublemaker. "Was I talking to you?"

"I felt hot air blowing in my direction, so I figured you must have been speaking to me."

"Will you stop it!" Interjected Kairi with an exasperated look. "I don't know about you, but I came here to help Sora. If he needs us to keep a secret, then we'll do it. Sora, I promise that I won't tell anyone. So please tell me what's happening with you."

That managed to calm the tension on the small island. Riku backed down with arms folded and a dark look; and Dyne beamed with triumph and pride at the way Kairi took charge of the situation. She would have been wonderful with a litter of kittens.

Since being stubborn wasn't getting him anywhere, Riku gritted his answer past clenched teeth. "Fine, I promise to keep the secret. But if it's anything dangerous, you have to accept my help."

Accepting Riku's help usually translated to "Me Being Leader, You Abject Follower." Sora wanted to groan, but he supposed that there were worse things that could happen in this situation. He looked over at his pet, who gave him a "get on with it" type of gesture.

"Alright." Sora squared his shoulders and tried to shake off the sensation of slowly being tugged into a vat of quicksand. "Dyne is not who you guys think he is." Judging by the blank looks he received, it was obvious that they had already figured out that much. "I found him here, on this island, on the day that we were watching the meteor shower. His ship crashed here, on this spot." Sora gestured vaguely to the mangled scenery.

However, Kairi and Riku weren't looking at the scenery. They were staring at Sora as if he'd grown a second head.

"He's an alien. And he's my cat."

"Meow~" Added Dyne with a lascivious smile.

".............................."

For a long time, stunned silence reigned in the clearing. Sora's friends were statues frozen in shock. The one to become reanimated first was Riku, who stalked forwards with a dangerous look in his eyes. "You brought us all the way out here just to give us this bullshit story?"

"Wait a second Riku. Try not to be so close minded." To add icing to his words, Dyne waved his tail in front of Sora before Riku could get any closer. Kairi gasped, and Riku took two surprised steps away from the appendage.

"Please don't be mad," said Sora in a softer voice. "I didn't know if you guys would be scared or take him away, but he's my friend ok? And I want him to be your friend too."

"I think Riku needs a little more convincing." Dyne recognized the look on Riku's face as the same one that Sora had moments before he tried to pull his tail off for veritable proof of his existence. To prevent a repeat of that indignation, Dyne's figure became silhouetted in light, and then he shrank as he changed back to his feline state. It was a wonder that nobody's eyes fell out of their heads when he revealed himself to be the familiar yellow cat they had come to know for the past couple of months. Or at least, that they thought they had come to know.

As ordinary as any cat, Dyne paced to Kairi with his ears tilted forwards and his tail held up eagerly. With a heavy thump, the girl fell to her knees in shock.

Meanwhile, Riku appeared as if he were trying to squish his eyes by pressing his palms into their sockets. When he was sure that he wasn't trapped in some strange nightmare, he stopped trying to torture himself awake and placed firm hands on Sora's shoulders. "You've been living with that.. that thing all this time? Did it occur to you that he might not be here for a good reason? Sora, how could you�"

"He was hurt!" Sora gave Riku a disapproving look. "You were there, you remember how bad it was. We thought he was going to die. I couldn't just leave him like that, whether he's an alien or not."

"How do you know he doesn't have you under some kind of mind control?" Riku couldn't believe he was having this conversation. He felt as if he had stepped into the Twilight Zone. All this time, he thought he was dealing with some miscreant kid. He couldn't help but think back to all the times that he'd encountered Dyne, both human and feline � OH SHIT. Memory of what the catboy had declared to him a few nights ago made him freeze. This was bad. This was really. Really. BAD.

"That stuff only happens in movies!"

Their discussion was interrupted by a girlish squeal. The two boys whipped their heads around to see Kairi, who was ecstatically cuddling a very contented Dyne to her chest. When she looked up, her eyes were bright with the beginnings of tears. "Do you know how long I've wanted this?"

The boys stared.

"Haven't you ever wished that your pet could talk back to you? Oh Dyne! I love you so much!"

Riku's jaw dropped. Somehow, Sora wasn't as surprised; in fact he was relieved that at least one of his friends was accepting of this. "If he can control people's minds, then why isn't he controlling yours?"

"Maybe he can only do two people at the same time!" Riku was very close to tearing at his own hair. A very familiar overprotective feeling welled up inside him as he began to stride in Kairi's direction. "Kairi, put him down. You don't know what he's capable of!"

"No, he's my cat! Right Sora? You said that he would belong to the both of us." Kairi got to her feet and danced out of Riku's reach. If Dyne had been in humanoid form, he would have stuck his tongue out at Riku with relish. As it was, he would just have to content himself with attaching a claw to Kairi's boob and letting her do all the footwork for him.

"Kairi, put him down NOW."

"NO!"

Sora finally let out a groan that he had been holding in. "They've all gone crazy." All too soon, the small island was made chaotic with the presence of three kids and an alien cat.

{{-----------------------------------------------}}

Somewhere in the bushes, a foghorn was left forgotten on the ground. Reno's prank to scare the living daylights out of those brats was completely forgotten when he witnessed that blonde-headed kid shapeshift into a.. a cat.

In the beginning, he had a grand plan. Sora and his friends were practically asking for it by sneaking off so secretively on rowboats in the middle of the morning. With the help of a pair of binoculars, Reno watched them row towards a distant island away from the Lifestream. As soon as they disappeared into the brush, all he needed was one Jet Ski, one foghorn, and the intelligence to cut the engine before he got close enough to the island to be heard. With the help of the waves, he pushed the vehicle to shore, and all too soon he was following the sound of voices with a wicked grin.

All that changed when he discovered the truth. Immediately, he left the area quickly and quietly with stark fear in his eyes. Suddenly, so many little things that he couldn't put his finger on made sense. That was no costume that Dyne had been wearing the first time they met. The ears were real. The tail was real. He was real. Everything was real!!!

He had to tell Rufus.

To be continued.
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