~Erased~

Kairi is with him, yet love-struck Sora is unable to tell how long that will last. She doesn't look at him with a yearning or adoring gaze. It's a predatory stare, in the sense that he belongs to her as long as she deems that worth a 'taken' status.

But Sora is so determined to change all of that; he'll give everything up, even himself, to her if that will make her truly his, forever.

But his everything is never enough for her. She abandons him friendless with a bloody knife in his back, piercing right where his hopeful heart used to beat.

"He's just an easy whore." And with this lie soaking his reputation, Kairi erases Sora's existence from her mind.

"I… I don't know, Riku… That kind of thing means forever to me… I can't give myself to you if you aren't giving me all of you."

"Babe… To me, going all the way is a promise. It's promising that through no matter what, I'll be there. I want all of you, forever. Even when you're crying, even when you think you look horrible, even when you're suffering the guy form of PMS- it doesn't matter. I love you no matter what, because you already have me. Completely."

Selphie is the only one there when the violet-eyed demon leaves him stolen of all happiness. Bit by bit, she constructs him back together… Sora even calls them best friends, a title he was so sure he'd never give another person again. It takes time, but soon enough, they're an item. Sora doesn't give her his everything, but it's a safety precaution, a tactic she taught him herself. Still, he hopes that someday he'll be able to. That they'll make it to the end.

However, what Sora doesn't realize is that yet again he's the one who needs her, and not the other way around. In a few short months, the cheery brunette girl is already anxious to move on. She has so many friends to keep up with, and being a year older going into high school, she simply doesn't have time for him anymore. She says good-bye with her face to the future, never once looking back.

They never spoke again.

"Babe, why would I ever leave you? You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Sora…"

"I'm not good enough… You'll find someone else that's better than me. Either that, or you'll just get bored of me and move on. Life will take you to other places."

"No. I can guarantee that'll never happen. If anything, it'll be the other way around. You deserve better than me."

Three years, obsessing over him like he was god. Sora knew he was just the rebound to the flamboyant redhead, but he just couldn't say no to him. Every time, the brunette would hope that maybe this time Axel wouldn't leave. Every time, he would believe (in vain) that Axel saw and cared about who he really was. Yet every time, he knocked on the door of Sora's heart, and then ran before the brunette could answer the door.

Even when Sora becomes determined to get over the player, a space in his heart still aches and yearns for him. What finally kills the emptiness is a heated kiss between the two; or rather, the finality when Axel, unsurprisingly, takes the moment back the very next day. Pretending it never happened. The next week, the pyro finds himself a different boyfriend, Roxas, whom the redhead falls all over himself for. In the end, Sora can't help but wonder deep down what's wrong with him. He'll never understand why he couldn't satisfy Axel's ever-burning flame.

But Sora knows that he will finally never go back to that. He's tired of being used, tired of being the rebound. He may not be perfect, but he still deserves better.

After learning to be alone, it's hard to accept someone else intruding into your life. They might not even mean to be, but it just so happens that they do naturally.

Riku is very much like this; Sora can't stop thinking about him.

The silverette doesn't have a cell phone, can rarely get on the internet, and only sees Sora once a day in school. Not only that, the man is so quiet, it's hard to get anything out of him. Yet the brunette can't help but chase after him, knowing that something within their hearts are drawing them together. It's infuriating because every sensible bone in Sora's body screams that he'll only get hurt. Why can't his heart and mind ever get along?

Ironically, the older silverette seems hesitant to engage in even friendship, and yet is unable to say no as well. What keeps this awkward, disjointed almost-relationship going is when they hang out together. When the two are face to face, Riku is more likely to reveal something about himself, and for once, Sora pays attention. The brunette steers the conversation towards his companion successfully, and gradually he's able to piece together Riku's life and being. And as the silverette turns the tables to learn about Sora, the ice in their hearts slowly melts and breaks. While to others they uphold a false grin, they smile at each other honestly and laugh as if children- a talent they both thought they had lost. Unwilling to lose this new-found happiness, both of them know there's no turning back; their hearts have been stolen.

Still, it's not easy for either of them to trust each other, but it grows as they are forced to rely on each other. As their high school years crawl by, friends cause drama, old wounds reopen, and stress stretches them to the brim. But neither of them will break their promises; they'll always be there for each other, no matter what. Sora has never felt so blessed; for once, he feels as if needing the silverette isn't a bad thing, isn't dangerous, because Riku needs him just as much. And because of this, Sora realizes that the past no longer holds any value to him. He doesn't need to agonize over them anymore, looking for the things he did wrong, or ways he could've changed to make the outcome different.

Instead, now he has them simply

Erased.

A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been way too long. And if this chapter kinda fails, I'm so sorry, I'm having to relearn how to write since it's been so long. School gave me a writers block that I still can't get past most of the time. I'm trying to edit/finish older ones and then finish the series at chapter 70. I still want to write, though I'm not sure what to write for (if that makes sense) so... I at least need to get this resolved so you guys aren't just waiting and waiting :P

Depressing stuff aside, I really wanted to thank you guys. I can't believe how many reviews and views I got, and how much support this series of oneshots received. Simply put, you guys are the best :) You made last summer my best one so far, and so I hope life will take you in the directions you want it to go.

Lots of Love,

Hannahble