Kat's KH bits and bats (8)

“Riiiiiikuuuu,” Sora said, bounding over and plopping down on the grass of the playground next to his friend. “It’s my fifth birthday next weekend, and my mommy said I could have a party and invite lots and lots of friends.”

“That sounds like fun,” Riku said. “Who are you going to invite?”

“You, silly!” Sora said. “Who else?”

“But I’m not lots and lots of people,” Riku said, looking confused. “I’m only one person.”

“You’re all the persons I need, Riku,” Sora said, looking proud of himself. Riku did not want to tell Sora that he was still only one person. Instead, he focused on the fact that Sora wanted him at his party at all, when Riku was a whole year older. Sora was always telling Riku that made him old, and that he wasn’t allowed to do some of the younger people stuff. It made Riku sad.

Sora still wanted to be his friend, though, which always made Riku happy.

“I’d love to go to your birthday party,” Riku said, grinning enormously.

“YAY!” Sora said. “There will be lots and lots and lots and lots of cake and ice cream and presents and ice cream and cake and cake…”

Riku laughed. “You already said that one, Sora.”

“It needs to be said lotsa times, because I love cake!”

Riku ruffled Sora’s hair. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“No need to thank me. You’re my best friend, and I always want to be with you.”

“You’re my best friend, too, Sor.”

This is something actually kind of absurd, but ignore that.
________________________________________________________________________________

“RIIIIIIIKUUUUUUUUU!” Riku didn’t even turn to look at the door. He already knew who was there. Sure enough, within a few seconds, he was practically knocked backwards out of his chair by a tiny brunette with spiky hair. “RIIIIIIKUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!”

“Yes, Sora?” Riku knew that the only way to escape this was to humor Sor.

“Guess what tomorrow is!”

“Another day of school?” Riku knew perfectly well that Sora’s birthday was tomorrow.

“Ha ha ha. Guess again guess again guess again!”

“You’re not supposed to remind people that tomorrow is your birthday, Sor. It might ruin any sort of surprise they have in store for you.”

Sora’s ears perked up. “You have a surprise for me? I LOVE surprises! What is it??”

“I can’t tell you, can I? Otherwise, it’s not a surprise.”

After seeming to consider things for a moment, Sora grinned widely. “I know a surprise that I want.”

“What?” Riku asked, slightly amused. He had something in mind for Sor, but he could always work in something if it was what Sora wanted.

“Birthday sex,” Sora said, his face completely innocent.

Riku raised an eyebrow. “Are you being serious?”

“...Maybe”

“Sor... we haven’t been together all that long.”

“But Riiiikuuuu, we’ve known each other for forever. We’ve been friends for forever. We know each other really really well. Pleeeeeeease.”

Riku thought about it for a second. “Do you really want birthday sex?”

“Yes,” Sora said firmly.

“Okay. Tomorrow night, then.”

*cue sexy times*

Zexion stared at Demyx. It was hard not to. Dem was a ball full of energy almost all of the time. Keeping track of him was a full-time job, but it wasn’t one that Zex really minded.

At least, it didn’t used to be one that Zexion minded. He had always been fond of the blonde boy. He had always enjoyed spending time with Demyx, because it was safe.

These days, it wasn’t safe at all.

Zexion had always understood other people. He watched life run by from the sidelines, witnessing people in their best and worst, absorbing information and facts and behaviors. He was used to knowing things about people that no one else did. He was used to knowing what they would do or say long before they themselves even knew it.

On the first day of school, he knew that Roxas would be very important to Axel. He knew that Larxene and Axel’s split was inevitable. He knew that Xion liked him, but didn’t know how to tell him. There was very little that people could do to surprise him.

Demyx seemed to fall outside of that. Zexion could rarely accurately predict what was going to come out of Dem’s mouth. Dem was an inconsistent and odd mix of hyper and serious and overly energetic and scarily calm. Demyx would change his mind halfway through talking, and it was as if the world shifted, and his past thought didn’t merit an explanation anymore, because it wasn’t in the now.

Demyx made Zexion, who was used to being the sharpest person in the room, feel sluggish. Dem made Zexion uncertain. The feeling should’ve driven him nuts, but oddly, it didn’t. It made Demyx more interesting, more alive, more real.

It made Zex nearly positive that he loved Demyx.

He didn’t feel this way about anyone else. He was fond of his friends, but they were predictable. Demyx was not predictable, and it was easy to get lost in trying to puzzle things out.

That wasn’t what made Zexion think he loved Dem, though. Anyone could be a mystery, and that wasn’t indicative of love. There were other things… the way Demyx made his stomach flip-flop and the way Demyx’s smile was so bright it lit up the world. Zexion was hooked.

“Zexion?” Demyx asked, confused. Zexion had told him there was something important he wanted to tell him, but he was having trouble spitting things out. Zexion was the logical one. Zexion was not the one who fell in love with his best friend, and Zexion was definitely not the one to be the first say to so.

So, because his words were failing him, he did the only thing he could think to do. He tilted his head upwards and kissed Demyx.

Roxas was awake, but he didn’t want to be.

He had been having issues sleeping lately. He would wake up the middle of the night for no apparent reason, and it was screwing with his sleep schedule. Roxas refused to open his eyes. He assumed that it was still night, and that the only light he would see if he opened his eyes was the red flashing numbers on his clock.

He attempted to go back to sleep for a half an hour, but he was unsuccessful. He was starting to get frustrated to the point where he was ready to give up on sleep. He could get up and do something until his body was ready to let him rest again.

When Roxas finally lifted his heavy, sleep-ridden eyelids, he was surprised to see the light already starting to filter into the room through the crack in the curtains. He looked across the bed to check his clock, which he put it so far away to force himself to get out of bed to turn it off.

The red numbers on the clock was not the only red he saw.

On the bed next to him, there was a person. On the pillow was a familiar shock of red hair. Roxas’ morning brain struggled to process the presence of another person there, but slowly, the last night started coming back to him.

He understood now why he and the boy next to him did not appear to be wearing any clothing.

Roxas smiled as Axel muttered something to himself in his sleep. When he was sleeping, he actually looked his age, for once. Axel was so tall (and Roxas was so short) that he was often mistaken for being much, much older. It wasn’t really all that surprising. Axel DID look older. He hadn’t had an easy life, and it showed. Sleep made Axel look almost peaceful, though, and it made him look like the senior in high school that he actually was.

Roxas loved Axel. He loved the way he slept and the way he dressed and the way he talked and the way he was. He loved the way he seemed to contradict himself, and how he never knew exactly what Axel was going to do next.

Life needs adventure.

Roxas needed Axel.

The night before, he had had him.

Axel being in Roxas’ bed was oddly reassuring. Roxas carefully shifted his weight to move closer to his sleeping boyfriend, trying hard not to wake him up. Roxas was sleepy and comfortable, and the warmth and proximity of Axel’s body helped him to quickly fall back to sleep.

When he finally woke again, he was met by a warm, green pair of eyes and a bright smile just for him.

Sora was seven years old, and he had just gotten his very first ever hedgehog. His parents had given it to him for his birthday, and he was very proud of it. So, he decided to bring it to school and show his best friend in the entire world, Riku. His mommy and daddy didn’t know that he was going to bring it, though. He had to be super careful and smuggle Sonic into his pocket.

He made it to school without being discovered, and he pulled out his hedgehog. He planned to show it to Riku, but he got distracted by the slide. The slide was fun! Then he realized--if the slide was fun for HIM, imagine how much fun it would be for Sonic! He ran to the top of the slide and sent Sonic down. He watched as Sonic picked up speed. Right as he got to the bottom, Sora watched Riku walk by. Sora quickly ran, picked Sonic up, and practically tackled his friend.

“RIKU, RIKU, RIKUUUUU! I have a hedgehog!” He held Sonic out for Riku to see.

“Are you allowed to have that at school?” the taller boy asked.

“I don’t know. I wanted to surprise you, though! SURPRISE! I have a hedgehog and his name is Sonic!”

“Nice to meet you, Sonic,” Riku said, smiling. He shook Sonic’s tiny little paw.

Sora jumped up and down. “Sonic likes the slide, Riku! Watch!” He ran to the top of the slide and let Sonic slide down again. Riku caught him at the bottom, and Sora’s eyes lit up.

“RIKU! WHAT IF WE HAVE A LITTLE HEDGEHOG OBSTACLE COURSE?!”

“Sora, don’t we have to go into the school soon?”

“Shhhh. HEDGEHOG OBSTACLE COURSE or boring school?”

“Soraaaaa, I don’t want to get into trouble again.”

“Pleeeeeeeease, Riku?” Sora made huge puppy dog eyes, and Riku sighed.

Sora and Riku didn’t go to class. Instead, they sat outside, playing with Sonic until the principal saw them and dragged them into the office.

They both got in trouble, but it didn’t matter. They were covered in dirt with enormous smiles on their faces.

14) She’s a Rebel – Kairi

“Fuck this shit,” Kairi said, storming into her room. Her mom and dad had been fighting. It wasn’t like it was the first time it had happened… it happened practically every day. It usually didn’t get so bad, though. Kairi couldn’t stand the sound of her father hurting her mother. Kairi couldn’t stand the sight of the bruises that didn’t fade for weeks. Kairi knew she should have hardened herself to the abuse, and she knew she should be prepared for the day that he would turn on her. She knew it was only a matter of time before he lost interest in hurting her mother.

Kairi’s mom didn’t fight back. She had long ago quit screaming and crying. Now, she was resigned to it, keeping her head down and letting him hurt her. Kairi knew that her mother was not broken yet—she watched her mom do the little things that she knew annoyed her husband day in and day out. Kairi’s mother was not completely lost.

Kairi couldn’t help but feel that her bravery was wasted. Instead of fighting back, and stopping him from hurting her, she proceeded to annoy him more, so that she would get more abuse that she didn’t even try to stop.

It made Kairi so angry that she had to get out of the house. It wasn’t like her parents cared that she was gone—her dad didn’t give a fuck about her most of the time, and her mom was off in her own little world. She packed her backpack with the necessities, haphazardly stuffing clothes and toiletries into the large bag. She didn’t pick her backpack because it was pretty. She picked it because it could fit everything, and she wanted to be able to cram her life into the small bag and run.

Once she was satisfied with her packing job, she zipped the bag closed and swung it onto her back. This was not a new pattern. She’d pack and go, disappearing whenever she could. She usually ran to a friend’s house, but that wasn’t an option. Most of her friends were out of town or didn’t have the most stable living environments themselves.

Her only option was Roxas’ house. It wouldn’t take much convincing to get him to let her stay for a few days. He had convinced his parents that she was a good person, despite the fact that Kairi knew every fucking house on their fucking rich-ass street knew her family was falling apart.

Kairi walked straight out her front door. She didn’t bother to disguise the bang of the front door as she walked down the street to Roxas’. Rox would probably call her a rebel, but it wasn’t an accurate description. Her parents didn’t care enough for her to have to hide the fact that she left.

Walking up to the front door, Kairi hoped that Roxas’ parents weren’t home. It would be much easier if it was Rox that answered the door. She rang the doorbell and was relieved to see a flash of messy, blonde hair.

“Hey, Kai,” Roxas said, looking at her. “You look like a mess. Want to come in?”

“Fuck you,” she said before kissing him on the cheek. “I wanted to come over here for the sheer purpose of standing on your fucking doorstep.”

Roxas opened the door wide and let her in. “Message received.”

“Thank god. It’s hella hot out there. Stupid Texas heat. I’m not cut out for life down here.”

Roxas led Kairi into the kitchen, setting a glass of water in front of her.

“So… why ARE you here? The backpack on your back says something’s up.”

“Parents,” Kairi said simply. Roxas’ face drooped a little. He hated Kairi’s family problems, because there was legitimately nothing he could do. She didn’t talk about it. She didn’t ever explain herself. She felt like she didn’t need to.

“I need a place to crash, Rox,” Kairi said, seeing the look on his face. “And you were the first person… I love you, you know, and I thought you wouldn’t mind if I spent some time with you, just for a few days.”

“That’s bullshit,” Roxas announced, looking at her. “But it’s sweet bullshit.”

“Please?” Roxas went to get snacks from the cabinet, but Kairi grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer. “For me?”

Roxas had no hope of fighting it. Kairi knew it. Having someone around who was adorable, rich, and easy to manipulate was very convenient.

“Only for you, Kai.”

Smiling, Kairi planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you, Rox.”

She didn’t really love him. Kairi had never really loved him at all. However, the adorable, flushed look on his face when she touched him or kissed his cheek…

Kairi didn’t need to love him. She needed him for her own purposes, and the fact that he was adorable only helped him.

Someday, she’d move on. For now, though, she could deal with manipulating by kisses. When she eventually upped the ante, she knew that he would be gone for her. Someday, he wouldn’t be this innocent. Chaste kisses on the cheek would not set him blushing.

It will have been her that ruined him.

He would never be able to say no to her.

Roxas hated moving. It was the third time he was moving within the last few years, and he hated it. Every time he finally got settled, he was yanked away to somewhere else. His dad's job demanded it.

Rox hated it.

Now they were in Texas, for some unfathomable reason. Why Texas, of all places? From Rox's limited knowledge, all that was there was heat and crazy people with accents.

They moved in on a Tuesday. Roxas has just finished sixth grade, so he was moving onto middle school. Back in the place before (Roxas had long since stopped calling them "home"), the middle school and grade school were lumped together. Here they were apparently separate. Rox knew this was a good thing--a new school for everyone meant there was less chance that everyone would already know each other.

Supposedly, though, there were other kids in the neighborhood. According to Rox's mom, a little girl (and by little, she meant a year older than Rox) lived next door, so Rox could make friends. Roxas was doubtful, though. All of the girls in the palce before were more interested in clothes and stuff to be good for making friends.

At the end of the first week in Texas, there was a knock on the door. Rox answered. There was a girl with red hair standing on his doorstep holding a basket of cookies.

"My parents sent me with this," she said, "Which is bullshit, since they don't actually give a fuck." She held the basket out, handing it out to Roxas. "Enjoy your bullshit cookies."

Roxas made a face. "That sounds gross. Now I'm afraid they're poisoned or something."

The girl smirked. "All I can say is, don't feed them to the dog."

Roxas looked at the cookies. They were chocolate chip. "Dogs shouldn't eat chocolate, anyway, and we don't have one..."

Kairi looked at him. "Don't explain the joke, fuckwad."

Roxas looked at the strange girl. "I'm not sure if you like me or are planning to kill me, but thanks for the cookies..."

"Kairi," the girl supplied. "And who says I can't have both?"

Roxas blushed as the girl looked him over.

"I think I like the both option..."

"Roxas."

"Right. Your name's as fucking bizarre as mine. We should be friends."

"Okay...?" Rox was baffled by the girl's logic. "That works for me."

"Bye, then! See you tomorrow."

With that, Kairi left, skipping down the street to the house next door.

People treat Roxas like a loaded gun without a safety that’s been handed to a group of five year olds. They treat him like he is dangerous, impulsive, wild. Like he is ready to explode.

Maybe they aren’t all that far off the mark. It is true that sometimes, Roxas gets trapped inside his head. Sometimes, he gets so caught up in his own thoughts and ideas that he accepts them as truth, whether they are or not.

Because the truth is, Roxas isn’t as impulsive as people think. Everything with Roxas is about calculated risk, about knowing what he can and cannot do, about understanding what he can get away with.

Sometimes he screws up. He’s only human. Sometimes, he gets angry and he goes too far, says things that should not leave the inside of his head.

He sometimes sets himself up for trouble. Drinking is his weakness; when he’s drunk, his carefully constructed control goes out the window. His walls break down, letting him get closer to people, to touch them and love them and care about them the way he doesn’t allow himself to when he’s sober. He says the things that are stewing in his head instead of keeping them cooped up.

It’s stress release. It’s the only time Roxas can really be reckless and stupid. It’s the only time he can be pure impulse, no inhibitions to muddle and confuse the straight line between thought and action.

Sometimes, it is the only time he truly feels himself.

Recently, though, Roxas has found another way to feel free and open, and it scares him a little. He finds more and more that he actually trusts Axel, and that being around him actually really makes Roxas happy. The redhead allows him to be quirky and sweet and impulsive in a way that no one else has in a long time.

Axel encourages Roxas to touch him and to talk to him and to be open and honest. The more time Roxas spends with Axel, the more he actually starts to believe Axel loves him.

The emotion in his boyfriend’s vivid green eyes could not be anything but love.

It is both terrifying and liberating.

Roxas knows he’s falling for Axel. He can feel it in his gut. His stomach flips just looking at Axel, knowing that the taller boy is his, wondering how another person can be so perfect, so good for him. Axel is understanding and patient and everything Roxas is not, and he knows he’s falling hard.

It bothers him sometimes, because he knows it’s a bad idea. Getting so attached to someone and letting someone into his life… he knows from experience that the only way this can end is with him hurt. Rox knows it’s a mistake letting Axel worm his way into his life and into his heart, but Roxas hasn’t felt this way in so, so long, and the thought of letting it go now that he’s had a taste of it makes Roxas’ heart hurt.

Axel is a risk. Roxas knows that. There are so many ways that things can go wrong, and he would lose the precious control over his life that he has.

But if Roxas is being honest, he knows that the control has been slipping since the first time his lips touched Axel’s.

Roxas is sick of calculated risks. He wants to live up to his reputation for impulsive and emotional behavior, for once.

All he wants is happiness, and Axel gives him that.

There’s no way he can give that up without a fight.