I AM SO SO SORRY FOR THIS PITIFUL EXCUSE OF AN UPDATE! X-x

I'm not trying to be emo but my life flipped upside down. BUT. I finally found time to work on this, actually to finish it because every few days I would add a few sentences… Dx

BUT, chapter thirteen is here and I sincerely apologize for my update. If it were possible, I would bake you all cookies and buy you yaoi manga and send it as an apology but… I don't have any money T-T

So…the best apology I could do was… adding… SORA x RIKU moment!!!!!!!!! D: it's not long but… it's the only thing I can do. SORRY! T-T

Moving on….

THANK YOU BUNCHES AND BUNCHES AND BUNCHES TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!!!!!!

Sephirorth-For-President

StupefiedNarutard (here's your "action" XD)

YaoiFreak

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chocolate.daiquiri

Sora-Ritsuka-Leader-Sama

Colonel Roxas-chan

AznAnimeChick

Axel's.Little.Sister.Miku.

Undying lover

Tiger guy (no, sorry, it's not her. I just used any name I could think of and Sakura is a popular name. Sorry if I got your hopes up)

Orchedork10

BeautifuLxContradictioN ( GOOD CATCH! You kind-of predicted this chapter's beginning haha ;D major props to you!)

phephe-deathy (thank you so much for your kind words! Xhugs!X you're awesome and I wish the same for you!)

sanseui-kitty

And thank you to my reviewers for being so honest and giving me hints. I really appreciate your criticism—so PLEASE keep criticizing! Good or bad I don't care—as long as it's helpful and not… deathly mean D: … otherwise I might ignore it and take out some yaoi… KIDDING!... (sorry, rough day, trying to lighten up a bit :P)

WARNING (please read): This is a VERY violent chapter (and sorry if this spoils anything). I almost cried writing this, and my best friend was in tears and panic. So, if you're emotional… grab some tissues, maybe a cookie or some chocolate and prepare yourself for an emotional chapter that will (hopefully!) leave you on the edge of your seats.

Fake A Smile

Chapter Thirteen

X X X X X

Blue eyes held a gentle gaze over the round-shaped metal object around his ring finger. His hand, which was so lovingly held in his lover's held a promise which was deeper than any words could say or actions could display. It was a simple ring, glistening ever so slightly from the only source of light in the horribly tiny room. The early rising sun was carefully peaking over the horizon, waking up the world with its soft shades of pinks and oranges dancing on the bottom edge of the sky.

The young male laying on-top of the blue-eyed male stirred slightly in his unusual deep sleep. Their bodies naked, Leon had collapsed after their third go-around, his sweaty figure resting against Cloud's. His head was comfortable against the older male's heavy-breathing torso; it was, indeed, a beautiful evening they had shared.

( Flashback )

"Cloud," the younger male whispered in a tired, but loving, voice.

"Leon," the blonde responded.

"Your eyes," he sat up, pushing himself up with his tired arms. "Close them." The blonde did as he was told, curious as to what would happen next. After all, he was tired and slightly sore. Fingers shaking, Leon reached over for his jeans that were previously tossed on the floor earlier that evening, pulling the small, silver object out o the depths of his pocket. Leon gently pulled Cloud's right hand from his side, carefully sliding the ring onto his ring finger.

Cloud gasped, opening his eyes. "L…Leon!" a blush covered his regularly pale face.

"I promise to love and protect you for as long as my living days are," he pulled is lover's hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on the ring. "And I promise to fill your days with love and joy as you've done with mine." Leon bent down and kissed Cloud's lips with a hungry passion. Not going further, Leon smiled before once again laying his head on his lover's shoulder, letting sleep consume him…

( End of flashback )

Leon stirred more in his sleep, mumbling incoherently. Cloud, who knew Leon frequently talked in his sleep, simply ran his fingers through Leon's soft locks of hair.

Suddenly, the sound of keys being inserted into a lock startled the two lovers; Leon jumped up, now awake, from the sound that put him on high alert.

"Clothes," Leon whispered, jumping off the couch, throwing Cloud his clothes, and then gathering his own. The blonde had gotten his boxers and shirt on, when the front door was opened. Then, the voice that Leon dreaded ever so much, spoke out.

"Bastard, what the fuck's wrong wit-ya?!" he slurred out. Leon frantically looked at Cloud, his heart stopping its beating. The drunken man took the few steps to Leon's closet of a bedroom, leaning his body against the door frame.

"The fuck!?" the man screamed, his voice booming with anger. "You fucking fag!!" he took the step between his son and him, his hand tightly strangled around the boy's thin neck. Leon gasped for air, groaning in pain.

"Worthless shit-fucker!!" In extreme rage, the man threw Leon's head against the wall with incredible force.

"Leon!" Cloud gasped, his eyes wide-open in utter shock at the violence that happened so quickly before him. Leon, his poor Leon, had his forehead so severely hit into the wall that it broke a hole into it.

"I ain't done wit-ya yet, Leon!" the room stunk from the heavy stench of alcohol that Leon's father reeked of. He pulled his son by his hair from where his head was lodged into the wall. Cloud sat, staring in shock, as Leon's father showed the blonde his lover's cut-open forehead.

"It's your fault," the drunk slurred, his frigid eyes burning holes into Cloud's frightened blue ones. "It's all your fault you fag!"

At this, Cloud poured out in tears. His head hurt—he clutched his hands over his ears, screaming as loud as his voice would allow him to.

"Worthless," Leon's father continued, screaming over the young males shaking voice. "Unwanted, pitiful, useless, bastard son." He slammed Leon's body onto the floor, stomping his foot onto the brunette's neck. Leon held in screams of pain, knowing that if he showed fear or pain would only entice his father's dismal abuse. Even though pain was cutting at him from his father's violence, the heart-breaking screams from Cloud tore his heart. He had to do something, before Cloud's horrific memories returned. His eyes were losing focus, and blood was pouring from the gash and cuts on his face. Suddenly, he saw a small bulge in the pocket of Cloud's pants lying on the floor.

"You're a monster, you worthless shit."

Leon grabbed for the pants as quickly and steadily as he could. He was very lucky that his father continuing his verbal assault on his lover to such an extent that he did not see Leon's gallant and daring move.

X X X X X

It was just about seven in the morning when the loud ringing of the phone awoke Maiko from her sleep. She sat up in her bed and hurriedly grabbed the home telephone that rested on the night stand next to her.

"Hello?" she asked the caller in a worried voice. She was answered painful screaming on the other line. "Who is this?" her voice shook with fear.

"You'll enjoy this, you fucking waste of life!"

Maiko gasped—was this a prank? What was going on?

"I'll kill my bastard son while you watch and scream through every moment of it!"

"No! Leon!"

"Cloud!?" Maiko screamed out, recognizing the voice. The next thing she heard was a loud thud, and the same screaming that continued, somehow louder, after the bone-chilling crack that followed.

"Bastard son, running my life!"

Maiko held back her scream, and instead reached for her cell-phone, dialing 911.

"Mommy?" a voice sleepily called from the door, opening it slowly to peek through. "Everything o-kay?" Sora looked in with worried blue eyes.

"911 how may I help you?" the lady on the other line of the cell-phone spoke.

"I have two boys that will be killed, one adopted into my family. Please, stop the man!"

Sora stared wide-eyed as his mom gave the operator Leon's home address and put the home telephone on speaker for the operator to hear. The disturbing screams and noises that Sora heart immediately brought tears to his eyes and made knees tremble with fear.

Maiko hung up both phones, rushing to her son, who collapsed into her arms. She held him against her, as he screamed out in anguish. Her soft voice whispered gently, telling her son to be strong for Leon and Cloud's sake.

X X X X X

"Fucker!"

Leon was kicked hard on his side, but he had lost consciousness minutes before. Pleased with the bloody mess of a body, the man looked around the small living room, where he had dragged his son's beaten up body to damage him even more. "Your turn, blondie," he staggered to the kitchen, grabbing a knife from the drawer. 'I'll cut your pretty-boy face to pieces!"

Cloud looked at the man walking toward him, a knife in one hand and a malicious grin spread across his lips. A lust for violence lit up in his eyes as he roughly dragged the blonde out into the main room. Harshly throwing him onto the floor, the man kicked Leon to roll him onto his side. Bending down, he slashed the knife into the unconscious boy's lower abdomen.

"Leon!" Cloud screamed, his voice choking. The drunken man took a step towards the shaking blonde, picking him up by the back of his neck. Chuckling, the man held the bloody knife to his neck. The younger boy gasped, his scared eyes staring into the other male's fierce, hazed ones.

A bang was heard, and Cloud fell to the ground, the knife at this neck cutting him ever so slightly. Cloud heard a scream from the alcoholic, which quickly faded out, leaving nothing but silence in the room.

"Cl…Cloud," a raspy voice whispered, and the sound of metal hitting the floor was heard. The blonde looked at Leon, who collapsed to his knees, breathing in deeply.

"Leon!" the older male scrambled to his lover's side, holding him gently in his arms.

"I'm…sorry…" Leon's voice choked to speak; his body was tired and sore. His fingertips brushed gently across Cloud's soft, pale cheek. "You remember…don't you?"

Sadly, the blonde nodded his head.

"My mother, she—"

"You're not wor—worthless," Leon tugged on Cloud's hair as to pull his lips down to his own. "Cloud, you—you're p-perfect."

The next few moments were almost a blur to Cloud; Leon had lost consciousness and armed police-men kicked down the front door. Paramedics had carried Leon on a stretcher to the ambulance, Cloud following close behind him in the second car.

It was then that his memories go the best of him, and his world turned black. Everything went numb as he collapsed; the shock was just too much for him.

X X X X X

Sora sat on the front steps of his house, his hands slightly shaking. It had been five days since Cloud and Leon had been hospitalized. The extent of Leon's injuries put his body into shock. Upon his arrival to the hospital, the ambulance workers wheeled his beaten-up body into the emergency room.

Cloud suffered from the cuts, bruises, and other physical injuries, but he was mentally injured beyond repair. Doctors at the hospital had required him to visit one of the hospitals psychiatrist on Mondays and Fridays until he was mentally stable. The horrors of what happened before Sora and Roxas's mother adopted him had re-awakened in his memories.

A white BMW came onto the street, parking in front of the Murakimi house. Sora lifted his head and immediately noticed the male with messy locks of blonde hair. Cloud opened the door to the passenger side where he sat, thanking Kairi for driving him home. He hugged her, tightly and warmly, whispering what a good heart she had deeply hidden. She smiled and hugged him back, kissing him on his cheek, avoiding the fading bruise just above his chin.

Kairi waved at Sora before getting back in her car and driving away. The blonde took his time crossing the lawn to where Sora sat on the porch.

"I'm sorry I couldn't visit at the hospital," Sora solemnly apologized. "I can't handle—"

"Don't worry," Cloud plopped himself down next to Sora, laying his head in the younger male's lap. They rested there, the cool October breeze tugging on their skin. Cloud mumbled something, and Sora lowered his head to his friend's.

"What'd you say?"

"I was so scared," the older male began to tremble. Sora sat there, not sure of what to do as Cloud, for the first time, poured out all his tightly locked-away feelings and thoughts to Sora. "All my memories of my mother, and how she hated my father for leaving her for another man. The nights she would drink her alcohol and take her pills. Everything she did she tried to hide, only doint it after she tucked me in, with-out realizing I'd watch from the stairs. Then, then—" he shook harder, tears streaming down his now very wet cheeks. "The night I told her I fell in love with a boy. She lost her self-control and took out all her anger she had for my father and physically forced it on me." He went silent, sniffling quietly as Sora stroked his head.

"Waking up the next morning to a while room that reeked of medicine and bleach," Sora crunched up at this; he greatly despised and feared the hospital and doctors. "I didn't know if I could live after that. The crushed ribs that left me bed-ridden for two months. All the surgery and the plastic smell of the nurses. Sora… don't make me go back."

"Cloud, you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to," the brunette spoe softly, he clasped his hand with Cloud's. They sat in a momentary silence, Cloud thinking deeply and Sora stroking his thumb across Cloud's soft knuckles.

"Sora?" Cloud spoke in a weak, child-like voice.

"Mmhm?"

"I love you."

Sora smiled at this. "I love you too, Cloud-chan." The blonde sat up and hugged Sora, partially resting against him.

"Only you calm me down. Sora, don't let me become the monster my mother was."

Sora did not know how to respond. Instead he reassuringly rubbed Cloud's back.

X X X X X

"But mom, he hates it there!"

"I'm sorry, Sora," Maiko spoke as she added the diced tofu into the boiling pot of Miso soup. "But there's nothing I can do."

"Can't you do something Mommy!?" Sora begged as he set the table, neatly placing bowls and plates in order. "You're a therapist; can't you take him in as a patient?"

"His doctor has not accepted any of my calls. I'm sorry, honey, I can't do anything with-out the doctor approving it."

"That doesn't make sense, you're a doctor, why can't—"

"Give it up," a voice came from the entrance of the kitchen. "You can't do anything, and Maiko can't do anything. So why stress over something you can't control?"

Sora looked over at Axel, who leaned against the wall, a sad look on his face.

"That's life, Sora. Not everything is fair, you have to just take it as it is and make the best out of it," he walked up to the brunette. "You just have to take it one step at a time."

"Axel-chan," Sora sniffled and jumped into his friend's welcoming arms.

Maiko worriedly looked at her son and his friend, relieved that they had all these caring friends to help them through these tough times. She returned to her cooking, before it burnt, knowing that Axel would support Sora through his momentary break-down.

"There, there you big baby," Axel gently knocked his fist onto Sora's head.

The younger male sniffed away his last tears and looked up at his tall, red-haired friend.

"Things will get better, you'll see," Axel smiled warmly and rested his chin on Sora's forehead. "It'll take a while, but you'll understand. One day."

X X X X X

Cloud sat in the deep bath-tub, his head lowered into the water with his eyes and hair peeking out at the top. The water soothed him, calming his thoughts that were violently rushing a mile a minute. He thought of his mother and her bi-polar disease, alcohol and drug addiction, and the abuse he suffered the last night he would ever see her again.

The blonde lifted his head so that he could take in another breath of air before partially submerging again. The year he was under severe therapy having to be held back a year from school. It was not until that night at Leon's apartment that he remembered why he was taken away from his mother permanently and adopted by Maiko.

"Cloud, dinner's ready!" Roxas called from the hallway.

Pulling his face out of the water, Cloud glanced at the closed door. Slowly he emerged from the bath-tub, his quiet and momentary escape from reality. Reaching for a towel, he dried himself off from head to toe.

"Cloud?" Roxas called out once again.

"Yeah?"

There was a pause from Roxas's end.

"Just making sure you're alive," the younger male finally replied before the loud thuds of him walking down the stairs were heard.

Cloud almost wanted to laugh at this; making sure he was alive? He looked at the mirror at his pale-white body, the blue-cotton towel freely hanging around his hips. His body looked healthy, and most of his cuts and bruises had faded, with the exception of the scar that was still healing on his neck.

He then took a look into his blue eyes that stared back with extreme sadness.

"Just like Sora," he murmured. "Alive and well, surrounded with love but dead on the inside."

Quickly, he looked away and opened the door to change his clothes in the changing room in-front of the washing room. He sighed heavily and counted his blessings for everything and everyone he had in his life.

'I'll get through this,' he thought to himself. 'I did it once; I can damn well do it again.'

X X X X X

"Where's Riku?"

Sora looked up from where he sat. "At his house like he is every Sunday…"

"Again?" Maiko let her spoon rest in her bowl of miso soup.

"He does all his homework a week in advance, so he can work on the collage classes during the week," Sora explained in a sorrowful voice. "You know, the business and math ones that his parents make him take…"

Maiko nodded very slowly, before pushing her chair backwards and standing up. "He can't spend the whole afternoon and evening locked up—"

"He'll be back to-night mom, when he's done studying."

"At what time? Ten o'clock? Eleven o'clock? Or maybe midnight, his most typical time of coming over?"

Everyone at the table lowered their heads as they all worried for their friend who was locked away in his house. Sighing, Maiko walked over to the cabinets, grabbing a bento-box and a small circle-shaped Tup-o-Ware container.

"You all eat," she said, pouring miso soup into the plastic container of Tup-o-Ware. She filled the bento-box up with three kinds of sushi, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and seaweed salad. "I'll be back in ten minutes, don't wait." She packed up the food and walked into the hall to go over and bring Riku some dinner.

Sora, Roxas, Cloud, and Axel all stared as she walked out.

"Has she ever won an award?"

Sora and Roxas looked over at their red-haired friend.

"Seriously, she's like, Super Mom combined with Super Woman," he looked over at Roxas. "How does she do it?"

The twins looked at each other, shrugging slightly.

"Guess we'll never know," Cloud said before taking a bite of his sweet potato tempura.

X X X X X

Riku was tired, from staying up late the night before from a date with Sora, to wake up early from Axel clumsily falling down the stairs. He was on his last homework of the week; honors trigonometry.

His teacher was rather fond of homework in a peculiar way that Riku was not acquainted to. His teacher, a kind yet peculiar man, gave them three problems a night. The first was easy, the second was slightly challenging, and the last was nearly impossible. However, for Riku, they were all pretty simple for him.

Though he had to think it out and double check it, he had so far spent no more than half-an-hour on his math homework, where-as his classmates could spend up to four or five hours just on the first two problems. And, as a bonus, the last problem is extra credit if your work and answer are correct.

However, Riku was slowly working to-night. With everything that was going on, these past two weeks had been lazily taking their time. School seemed to never end, and the rest of the day flew by so fast he would blink and it was gone.

Fortunately, the weekends felt nice and long, spending his time with Sora every moment he could, except when he did all his homework on Sunday afternoons and well into the evenings.

As he was about to start the third and final problem of the last homework assignment for the week, the doorbell rang loudly. It echoed through the large, dark, empty house that Riku resided in. The young male got up from where he sat at his desk and walked to the front door from the study he was working in.

"Coming," he spoke loudly as the doorbell rang a second time. As he unlocked the front door with one hand, he twisted the knob with the other, opening the door to face the smiling woman standing in-front of him.

"Maiko-san?" Riku asked in a startled voice.

"May I come in, Riku-chan?"

The teen stepped back and held the door wide open as Maiko stepped in. She politely took off her shoes and looked around the dark entrance way.

Slightly blushing, Riku turned on the lights. "Sorry, I was in the back room…"

"You didn't eat," she held out the closed bento box and Tup-O-Ware towards the boy. "And what you're doing now is not healthy to you."

"I'm fine, you didn't have to go out of your way—"

"Of course I did. Now, you eat this and enjoy it. Make sure to eat all of it, and return the containers when you come home to-night—"

"Home?"

Maiko stopped and stared at him, realizing what she said. "Sorry, I meant…my house…"

"No," Riku smiled warmly. "I like the sound of that." He greatfully took the food from Maiko and bowed slightly. "Thank you, I'll be home soon."

"Good, that makes me glad."

She put on her shoes, turning toward the young male before leaving. "And, Riku?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't put yourself through this stress. I know your parents are strict but… you have to stand up to them. You're hurting not only yourself, but all your friends, and Sora especially…"

"I…I…"

"Just don't get carried away… I don't know your parents, and I won't judge them before I meet them, but I think you just need to hear that you are a wonderful person and you do so much for those people around you." She smiled warmly at him.

"Riku, you don't know how much we all love you."

With that said, Maiko left the house, leaving Riku to stand in his entranceway biting his lip to hold back the tears. He was a good person in Maiko's eyes, and his heart swelled with a feeling that he never felt before.

"Is this what it's like to feel a mother's love?" he whispered, glancing down at the containers in his hands. "Is this what it's like to be know you're a good son?"

X X X X X

"Goodnight Sora-chan," Cloud said from the door of Sora's room. The brunette jumped out of his bed and ran to the door, hugging Cloud tightly.

"Stay with me for a while?" Sora pouted his lips as he looked up at Cloud with puppy eyes. And Cloud, who had a weak heart for Sora, could not help but pat him on the head and say yes.

Sora returned to where he was sitting on his bed, playing Solitaire on his lap-top. "Come help me win!" he spoke in a childish voice.

Cloud sat down next to Sora, pointing out the cards to put on the other cards. After about two hours and thirty-something games later, Cloud decided it was time for bed when Sora almost fell asleep on the laptop.

"No, Cloud," Sora yawned, rubbing at his eyes. "Five more minutes…"

"Five minutes," he leaned his head on the brunette's .

"To-morrow," Sora's eyes grew with excitement. "Leon will be home, and Kaa-chan will adopt him, too."

"…" Cloud closed his eyes, as Sora talked to him.

"You're so strong, Cloud," Sora whispered. "I…I admire that of you and… you'll get through it. Don't worry, okay? Because… I'm here, and Roxas is here… and everyone else is here and… just… don't forget we want to help you, okay? Okay, Cloud-chan?"

Cloud stood up and ruffled Sora's hair. "Okay," he smiled ever so slightly. "Thanks, for always watching my back. I wish… I could have been your brother by blood."

"You are, you are!"

"Sora—"

"I told you years ago, we are brothers. Got it?"

"Alright, now go to bed before you collapse and hit your head on something."

"Okaaaay," Sora whined. He got under the covers and Cloud said goodnight, turning off the light and gently closing the door.

Before going downstairs he said goodnight to Roxas and Axel , who were busy playing a video game, but Roxas found a second to pause it and say goodnight.

X X X X X

As Cloud walked down the stairs, he heard the front door being closed. When he came to the bottom, he saw Riku at the door-way, carefully taking off his shoes.

"You're late," Cloud spoke in a ticked-off voice, surprising Riku and almost making him fall over.

"Cloud—"

"He's already asleep," the blonde leaned against the wall with his shoulder. His blue eyes coldly leered into Riku's green-glass ones. "If you only intend to hurt him," Cloud continued, "Then leave him now. He's been through enough trouble and heartbreak already. Don't you dare take away the only chance at faking every smile and laughter he has."

With that said, Cloud walked into the living room where he temporarily slept on the couch, leaving Riku to think to himself in silence.

X X X X X

'Warm,' the brunette thought. 'So…warm…'

Opening his eyes, Sora saw Riku, who was straddled on-top of him.

"Ri—!"

The older male gently covered Sora's mouth with his lips, begging for entrance with his tongue. Sora, who turned into mush at the mere touch of Riku's God-like lips against his, happily parted his lips. The older male pushed his tongue into Sora's, licking over the top of his tongue, the side of his cheeks, his teeth; any-where and everywhere that he could get to.

"Sora," Riku whispered after the two finally separated, both breathing deeply. "I love you and… I'm sorry you were lonely." He spoke soft, with a sorrowful voice. "Forgive me for…being selfish…"

A smile spread across Sora's now rosy-pink lips as he gently entangled his fingers in Riku's soft locks of hair.

"But please… please…" he bent his eyes onto Sora's. "Be happy and…smile…"

The two were at it again, as their hands roamed the other's body. They knew to be quiet, with Axel and Roxas next door "playing video-games" (but they never knew with Axel's extreme perverse mind).

Riku traced his fingers over Sora's hip bones which stuck out from his skin. A soft moan escaped from Sora's throat, vibrating into Riku's mouth and, instantly, Riku stopped his kissing and stroked his fingers over his boyfriend's hip-bones once again. Sora, who continued to moan, gave Riku an extremely hard erection, who gasped at the beautiful sound, and erotic feeling from the vibrations of Sora's lips that made him go crazy.

"Take…me…," Sora whispered, biting the edge of Riku's lips, which made him go crazier.

"I… can't…"

"Then I'll take you," Sora said in a coy voice.

"W…what!?"

Sora bent his knees up and twisted himself over, shoving Riku's body underneath his own. He grinded his hips onto Riku's, their hardened members rubbing against each other as he did so.

"Don't…look…" Sora blushed at his cheeks, which grew deeper as Riku stared at him with a half-confused, half-lustful look. This only made Sora blush harder, and make Riku want to penetrate him as soon as possible.

"Look…somewhere else," Sora blushed.

Riku, who was begging for a release with quieted moans and groans, did as he said and lifted his head back on the pillow in which he rested on.

"Uhm…close your eyes…" Sora mumbled, barely audible, but heard, to Riku.

The older male did as he said, wondering and waiting for what Sora would be doing to him. He nearly moaned as loud as he could, biting his lips to hold it back, when Sora pulled his pants off as well as his boxers.

'He isn't…' Riku thought.

And then Sora licked the hardened member from the bottom to the top.

'Oh God, he is!' Riku thought as he forced himself not to moan out loud.

Carefully, Sora wrapped his slim fingers around the base of his shaft, holding it up as he lowered his head and licked at the tip. Riku squirmed in extreme pleasure underneath him, shaking in pure bliss as Sora put his member into his mouth.

Moving up and down, Sora lost himself in the beauty that he found himself in; he was making Riku happy in ways he could never had imagined. He was extremely gentle as to scraping his teeth against the delicate skin, except when he came to the top where he traced his teeth.

Riku, in pure bliss, was about to explode. "So…So…Sor…!!!"

The brunette took his mouth out and bent lower down, licking at the base and all around, his eyes averting to the tip as the pre-ejaculation cum seeped out.

"Riku," he whispered, his hands stroking at the side of the older male's hips and took off his shirt.

He put his mouth over his member again, and continued licking, nibbling, and sucking until Riku gasped out and shook. Sora took his mouth off of it as Riku cummed all over his bare stomach. Slowly, Sora licked the white, sticky substance off of Riku's stomach, making Riku's stomach muscles shake with pleasure.

"Yummy," he licked his lips slowly as his blue eyes lustfully looked into Riku's.

X X X X X

Riku stood in-front of the tall mirror that hung on the back of Sora's bedroom door. He loosened one of his multiple-studded belts and let it hang loose at his hips, only to tighten it and choose which one was better.

Sora hugged his boyfriend from behind, nuzzling his neck into the curves of his shoulder. "Leave it like this…" he put his hands over Riku's and adjusted the belt so that it was slightly loose, yet slightly tight—a perfect fit in his eyes. "Cute!" he lifted Riku's arm and ducked under it before wrapping it around his waist.

"Not as cute as you," Riku bent his head down and softly kissed Sora on the tip of his nose.

Blushing, Sora shook his head. "Naaah, you're lying."

"You're cute," Riku squeezed Sora's behind, getting a squeal out of him. "And sexy."

The brunette blushed deeper, a half-smile, half-pout on his lips.

"Sora!" Roxas called from the room next to him. "Have you seen my new shirt?"

Roxas opened the door and stood in his checkered white-and-black jeans, an upset look on his face. "I just bought it with Cloud-kun yesterday!"

"Which one?" Sora walked over to the twin as they rummaged through their rooms looking for the shirt.

"This one?" Axel walked in, a towel loosely wrapped around his waist.

Roxas looked up at his boyfriend, eying him up and down, before looking at the pink shirt.

"YES!" he grabbed it and hugged his boyfriend. "THANK YOUUUU!"

"Ah—Roxas!"

The towel that was barely staying on Axel's hips fell down, showing off his private parts to Sora and Riku. Sora's eyes seemed to popped out as Riku covered his boyfriend's eyes.

"Axel!"

"What?" Axel just stood there, grinning. "You know you're all jealous of my size and beauty!"

Riku gave him a slight glare as he turned away. "Just… put on your towel and stop being cocky."

"You're just jealous that I can pleasure Roxas in ways that make him moan and groan in ways you wish you could make Sora…"

Sora jumped out and held Riku back before he could go for Axel, who ran into Roxas's room with his towel.

X X X X X

The hospital reeked of medicine and illness with a heavy uneasiness dominating the air. Cloud was shaking with fear of his memories that had recently come back and haunted every moment that passed. He walked up the stairs to the third floor where Leon's room was.

It was a rather quiet hall for a hospital, with few nurses running back-and-forth from patient to patient. This part of the building was for recovering patients of traumas—even though Leon's was more mental and emotional.

As he approached the room, Cloud could hear Leon's voice as he talked to someone else. Quickly, he came into the room to see what was going on.

"I take full responsibility for my actions," Leon spoke to the officer standing next to him.

Cloud stood at the door, staring at Leon, a sad look in his eyes.

"You were aware that he could have killed you?"

Leon paused, his eyes avoiding the officer's.

"Your answer is very important… You are aware that you could have killed him."

"I… I…"

"Yes… or no."

"…Yes."

"So you had intent to kill?"

"No I wanted to protect…" he glanced over at Cloud from where he sat on the hospital bed. "I wanted to protect him…"

The officer looked at the blonde. "So you're Cloud?" The blonde nodded in response. "Good. Now we can have a full investigation. Are you two o-kay with that?"

Cloud and Leon looked at each-other before nodding.

"The hospital's psychiatrist is wants to meet both of you in her office upstairs. I'll take you there."

X X X X X

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, and Leon placed his hand on his knee.

"Don't worry," he smiled warmly at his lover. "Cloud-kun, we're alive and we'll get through this."

"Leon-chan…"

"Just tell the truth, and… everything. This is going to be tough, but… the truth is the truth and we can't deny it. No matter what, we'll be fine."

Cloud leaned his head on Leon's shoulder, reaching for Leon's hand and holding it tightly. They sat there and enjoyed their brief moment of peace to-gether before the psychiatrist came in.

"Hello, Cloud-san, Leon-san."

The two stood up and bowed slightly.

"Please! No need to be polite!" She smiled ever so warmly as she sat down at a chair in-front of her desk. Cloud and Leon did the same, sitting down on the couch across from her.

"I'll be recording this conversation—" she pressed the 'record' button on the player that was on the coffee table.

"Now… let's begin a series of questions, shall we?"

"Cloud…"

"Yes?"

She smiled. "You have quite a file," she grabbed the file that sat next to the player and opened it up on her lap. "And your memories have returned?"

He nodded slowly. "All of them… even the therapy with Maiko…"

"And Maiko is also your adoptive parent?"

"Yes, she took me in after I was hospitalized, right after mother was put in jail."

"And Leon was your friend at the time?"

Cloud was quiet before replying. "Yes…"

"And Cloud…" she looked over at the brunette. "Tell me, how long has your father been the way he is?"

Leon looked down at his knees, as if avoiding the question.

"Leon-chan… you have to talk about it," Cloud whispered.

Taking a deep breath in, Leon looked at the psychiatrist's concerned eyes. "Shortly after my mother died… twelve years ago... He never even touched alcohol until my mother died in the car accident. Then he started drinking and became depressed. Two months later he was fired from coming in every day with a hang-over and violent attitude. He completely gave up on working in an office and…" he breathed in deeply.

Cloud put his hand on Leon's, squeezing it gently and reassuringly.

"He started selling drugs, and alcohol and cigarettes to minors. He would drug me up so I would not remember, but once he realized how much alcohol he could buy with the money he spent drugging me, he abused me and blamed it on me. Everything became my fault, how we had to move four times until we got the latest apartment we have now. But each night got worse…and worse…"

Leon continued with his story, of all the horror and abuse his father did to him as a child and teenager. The psychiatrist wrote down some important notes and the tape-player recorded every breath, noise, and word Leon spoke.

It was something he had kept inside himself for a long, long time. And, finally, someone heard his story. His story of pain and despair, of a world where he lived each night in fear and misery, praying that one day someone would free him of his loneliness and ruin.

He wanted so badly for his story to be told… and now was his chance to rid of all his hidden feelings and story, along with repenting for all the bad.

"I never thought I could kill him…" Leon mumbled. "Is he …dead?"

The psychiatrist sat, quietly thinking to herself before replying. "He was pronounced dead for almost two minutes, but, the doctors saved him."

"I'm almost…glad," Leon smiled ever so slightly. "It's not his fault that… his morbid depression destroyed us but… I couldn't imagine killing the man I used to think of as a hero."

"It's o-kay to have those feelings. You're just confused in what you were thinking and, you defended yourself and saved Cloud's life. You have the possibility of being charged with attempted murder but… with everything you told us, I believe the court will clear you out." She reached over and turned off the tape. "You two are free to go. Only on one condition, though."

The two looked at her, scared of what was coming.

"Be happy and live life as full as you can," she stood up and bent down on her knees, putting her hands over theirs. "You only have this moment, in this day, in this year, in this life. You have to live for to-day and for the sake of your happiness. This will be a nightmare that will repeat in your mind forever but life will go on. Find your will to live, and don't forget to be happy."

She smiled warmly and squeezed their hands.

"You two are such special people; you know what tragedy is, but you have kind hearts. Don't lose that kindness—use it often and live well. I wish you only happiness and a healthy recovery."

X X X X X

"LEON!" Roxas and Sora simultaneously jumped out from Riku's car, as it was still pulling into the driveway, running up to Leon and Cloud who were sitting on the front steps waiting for their friends to return from school.

They tackled him with hugs, both crying and laughing to see their friend in one piece.

"Welcome back, welcome back!"

Roxas wiped away his tears and let go, but Sora held on tightly, tears still pouring down from his eyes. "I'm so glad you're here, Leon-kun!"

He finally let go and smiled at his older friend. "Welcome home…brother!" Sora sat down next to his new addition to his family, catching up with everything that happened in school.

Riku could not help but smile and join the crowd that sat around Leon, who was still covered in bandages on his cheek, arms, and stomach.

"So you'll be going back to school to-morrow!? This quick?"

Leon nodded at Roxas. "I have to catch up with my studies… it's already the middle of November. I've missed a month."

Sora's eyes opened wide. "That means… December's coming…!'

Riku smiled. "Your birthday is Christmas, right?"

Everyone jumped back and moved a few inches away. Obviously, Riku had forgotton what happens when Sora hears the word 'Christmas'…

"SANTAAAAAA!" Sora jumped up and down from where he sat. "SANTA IS COMING!!!!!!!! ON MY BIRTHDAY AAAAAAAAAH!" He tackled his twin, laughing childishly. "ROXAS ROXAS ROXASSSS! SANTA IS COMING AND WE'RE GETTING PRESENTS AND THEN WE GET MORE BECAUSE IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY! AND THEN THE PRESENTS THE PRESENTS AND SANTA AND THE REINDEER AND THE CARROTS! THE CARROTS!!!!!!!"

Riku stared, completely dazed and puzzled, at the little spaz attack that was happening with his boyfriend.

"AND GINGERBREAD! HAHAHAHA! THE GINGERBREAD AND THE CARROTS! THE HAPPINESS! AND THE PRESENTS!! HEEHEEHEE!!!!!!!!"

"Look what you did!" Axel slapped Riku on the knee. "He won' t stop for another two hours at this rate! Good job, stupid!"

Riku glared at Axel, before turned to Sora.

"Sora-chan—"

"YES, RIKU? MY BELOVED BEAUTIFUL RIKU! DO YOU LIKE THE CARROTS!? AND THE DECORATIONS!? AND THE STARS!? AND THE GINGERBREAD! AND AND AND—!"

"If you promise to be a good boy until Christmas and stay calm, I'll give you the best present you could have ever dreamt of."

Silence fell on Sora, as his jaw dropped all the way open. "If…I'm…a….good…boy?"

"Yep," Riku smiled warmly.

"R-Really?"

"Uh-huh."

Sora sat still, a huge grin across his face. "I'm getting a specialy-specialy gift from my boyfweeend! Heehee!"

"…" the whole group angrily stared at Riku and Sora continued on giggling and shaking with joy.

"Now he just looks like a coke addict," Cloud muttered as Sora shook more and more.

"Hell, he looks like he's having a seizure from a weed overdose!"

"…You can't overdose on weed," Riku said, returning the slap to Axel, thus starting a very in-depth conversation between the group.

"Heehee presenttttt!" Sora continued giggling and gleaming with a large smile spread across his face.

X X X X X

ALRIGHT! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Thank you all for reading! And please review!

I promise to make this next update MUCH quicker—if not, I'll make TWO chapters at the same time, 'kay!? n.n

THANKS AGAIN AND MUCH LOVE!!!

Before I sign off, I'd like to leave a dedication to my friend:
Sora … thank you for everything. My life fell apart and you guys picked up my pieces. You supported me and leant me your shoulder. You reminded me that I have to be strong and that shit happens. I'll never forget your kind words that brought me to (happy) tears. Thank you again. You will always be the light to my dark. I love you forever, my dear friend.