Okay so the last chapter is pretty short. It just tied up some loose ends, and showed how everything ended and such ... Yes, I like this ending a lot. It's very refreshing. Any way, Im glad you took the time to read this story. Im just glad that I finally finished it. Now I can focus on my other two stories. Well any way, leave a review. It's been great guys! Love Thy Brother
Conclusion
"We're going to be late, Ri-ku!" Sora complained as usual.
Riku lagged near his locker. The silver-haired teen had his hand splayed out on the one beside him as he fished through his books on the top shelf. Green eyes darted from the interior over to Sora who was bearing a flustered look, "Chill out. We're not going to be late. Besides, we'll say we got lost." Riku cooed, grabbing his Chemistry book. He shut the locker with a slam and grinned at Sora, "No one's going to know that we're just lazy."
"I don't want to be late on my first day though!" Sora muttered as the warning bell sounded. Blue eyes flickered at Riku, "You know being late makes a bad first impression! What if the kids here think we're … losers."
"…Then we'll be losers." Riku responded nonchalantly. The teen balanced his book in his right hand as he slipped his left arm around Sora's skinny waist. "We'll be a couple of losers." He laughed at his own pun.
"That's not funny, Riku." Sora mumbled as he rolled his eyes. The brunette gazed around at the new and unfamiliar faces. "I'm glad you're here, Riku." Sora whispered softly, letting his hand fall beside Riku to interlace it with his. The brunette preceded to continue tugging Riku towards their Chemistry class.
"I'm glad that I'm here too." Riku responded.
"How verbose of you…" Sora teased, jabbing Riku in the side, "Repeating what I said. Can't you come up with something of your own? Perhaps a … 'I'd die without you, Sora' or possibly a 'Without you, the sun wouldn't shine.' Or maybe! 'You're what makes washing my hair worthwhile! Or-!" Sora continued excitedly but was quieted when Riku leaned to the side to quickly place a kiss to Sora's lips.
"I get the point," He whispered against his boyfriend's before reluctantly pulling away.
"Heh…" Sora blushed and shrugged. "So we're not going to hide this from anyone, right?"
"It's up to you," Riku squeezed their adjoined hands, never once letting the smirk disappear from his lips.
"Well," Sora beamed brightly at him, "We really didn't get that far hiding from our friends … so I say why not! I don't care who knows." He smirked up at Riku.
"What about your dad?" Riku broached the subject lightly. He was uncertain if Sora wanted his father to know that they were /still/ dating and well … were planning to stay together for quite some time. "Do you want me to talk to him?"
"Yeah." Sora answered, reaching out to open the door to the classroom.
Riku paused, letting his palm linger in Sora's, "We've come this far, we'll make it through." And with a reassuring kiss to the forehead, Riku dropped Sora's hand and entered the room brisk fully just as the real bell sounded.
x x x
"So?... How was your first day?"
"Good." Sora entered his home and immediately swung his bag onto the kitchen table. He reached for an apple, all the while smiling at his father. "My teachers seem nice. And they didn't give us homework, which is a plus." He beamed and took a bite before glimpsing over his shoulder to his door, "And Riku was there too…"
"Oh?" Anayo answered, flipping through some bills. At the mention of his son's boyfriend, he glanced up. Eyes met Sora's. The hurt and disgust was obvious in them, but he remained quiet and held his tongue. "Oh." He repeated, fingers lingering on the smooth envelope for no particular reason.
"Yeah…" Sora took another bite of the apple nervously, "…He came over to talk to you, too." Sora managed to get out between bites. He was nervous. Afraid that his father would curse Riku out. That his father would become obscene and demand that they be separated. God, he was so afraid of losing Riku.
"…" Anayo said nothing at first. His eyes then locked onto the entering form of Riku. Lips curled down into an immediate scowl. The elder set down the bills and turned to Sora, "Sora, son… can you leave us to talk for a few moments?" Anayo made a gesture for Sora to leave the room.
"All right…" Sora figured it was for the best. He shot Riku a hopeful look and exited the room, holding his breath all the time.
Riku took a seat on a stool across the table from Sora's father. Piercing aquamarine eyes stared distantly at the man, gauging his reaction. When none came, when no words were spoken from either of them, Riku cleared his throat, setting his laced hands upon the table.
"…." He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. All the anger Riku had felt for the man, all the resentment disappeared as he sat there. The monster he had feared since his confession didn't seem all that terrifying and ugly anymore. Now he just seemed like a cowering ant, ready to be squished and put into its place.
"So you and him are together?..." Anayo finally broke the ice, tapping his fingers on the marble counter.
"Yeah." Riku responded, teeth digging into the soft lip of his bottom lip. He gulped down the small pang of fear he was suffering and dove in, "You do know that I'm treating him right…"
"He's said that." Anayo answered.
"You know that I'll never hurt him." Riku spoke harshly, eyes never faltering their intensity.
"I know." Was the simple answer.
"I'm not my father, sir." Riku stated into the stale air, "I'm nothing like him. I respect Sora and his choices."
"…I understand."
"And you're all right with this?" Riku had to ask. He had to know if Anayo was going to be cooperative or if he was going to deny him of Sora.
"…" Anayo was silent for a long moment. A long and tedious amount of time, "I may not like the idea," He began stubbornly, "and I may /never/ like the idea, but as long as you treat him right," his voice was so bitter. Riku hadn't expected anything more, "I won't interfere." He rose his voice suddenly, "But the moment you hurt him, I'll have you dead."
Riku didn't doubt that.
"Understood…" Riku mumbled. Even if the man never did accept their relationship, he knew it wasn't going to be easy to live with the knowledge. Sora had gone through so much. And here they were, at the end of the road, together, in Traverse Town. Everything seemed to be finally falling into place.
"Now get out of my kitchen," Anayo sighed and gestured for Riku to leave the room.
"All right," He arose to his feet and made his leave, "I've still got a few loose ends to tie up anyhow…"
x x x
"Riku, guess what!"
Sora nearly tackled Riku to the bed as the teenager made his way up to the room. Riku blinked in stun as he was pushed down onto the bed. Blue eyes met with green ones as Sora laughed childishly, nuzzling his face against Riku's chest. His fingers curled against Riku's chest as he exhaled softly. "What?" Riku asked, not really having expected to be tackled and pinned to a bed. Not yet anyways.
"My mom called when you were talking to my dad." Sora informed him, breathing slowly returning to normal.
"How are things there?" Riku asked, lifting Sora's body up. Riku repositioned himself against the backboard so the brunette could lay in his lap and sprawl out. Sora snuggled up close to Riku, resting his head onto Riku's chest once again.
"Oh, they're doing great." Sora beamed up at his boyfriend. "I've never heard mom so happy before. Apparently your dad moved in with my mom. They said that during the summer we can come to the islands and use your house as a summer home." He giggled and smiled widely, "I can't wait to go back home for good though."
"Yeah. Just one year here," Riku ran his fingers through Sora's hair as he spoke.
"Tidus called yesterday… he said he's sorry for being such an ass to us." Sora whispered softly, eyes lidding from fatigue. "He doesn't approve of us, but he says he's still our friends and accepts us." Sora continued in a yawn.
"Well, that's good then." Riku nodded.
"Yeah… I'm just glad that we managed to work everything out…"
"Yeah. Our parents … me and you, our friends." Riku rested his chin onto Sora's head as fingers continued to massage the boy's scalp. "I'm just so glad you don't hate me after everything I put you through."
"Nah, never." Sora shook his head, "I could never hate you … never. Even after you never wrote or called … I didn't hate you."
"That's great." Riku shifted so he could reach into his pocket. His hand rested there for a few moments before he whispered down into Sora's ear, "Remember what I said at the wedding?"
"About you loving me?..." Sora murmured, feeling sleep quickly coming upon him. School and mending broken bridges with his friends wore the poor boy out.
"The other thing," Riku carefully maneuvered his hand up into the air. He held a silver chain with a single charm on it. He said nothing as he slid it around Sora's neck. The brunette snapped his eyes open, glancing down at it curiously. "You still up for it?"
"…" Sora glanced upwards. "Riku?..."
"I figured I never gave you a ring or anything traditional sooo…" He played with the crown on Sora's necklace, "maybe this will take it's spot? Just until we get older. Just until we can fend for ourselves."
Sora grinned and beamed brightly. "Really?" He exclaimed happily.
"Of course." Riku responded, interlacing their hands together.
"You're the best." Sora giggled, happy that everything had amazingly worked out in the end.
"I love you, brother." Riku hummed down into Sora's ear, kissing the boy's uplifted forehead.
"I love you too, fiancé." Sora corrected in a laugh before claiming Riku's lips in his own. Not just fiancé, not just brother, but best friend, but soul mate, and anything else he could possibly think about. Riku was his sarcastic and loving protector. Riku was always going to be there, as long as they both lived. Riku had helped him through this time of crisis and trials and never once betrayed him.
In the end, Riku was really the reason for smiling.
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