Fan Fiction ❯ Sapphire Chains ❯ To Trust Or Not To Trust? ( Chapter 1 )

AN: smiles Let me just take a minute to say...THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! to everyone who has taken time to read this story and given me positive support and encouragement to continue with this story. I hope you all enjoy the new chapter. [Bows]

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Kingdom Hearts. I have never claimed to own Kingdom Hearts. And if I did own Kingdom Hearts do you really think I would be posting this story on free on-line fan fiction sites rather then incorporating it in to my next video game?

WARNINGS: None really for this chapter. However in future chapters there will be RikuXSora pairings, Yaoi, Shonen ai, Violence, and Sexual Situations between minors.

When the other three returned to the inn they found Sora tucked under the covers of the big bed in the red room with Riku sitting at its foot and Tsuki standing near the door which lead to the balcony. All present were surprised to see that Tsuki was seemingly unworried about both her friend and the stranger who had apparently arrived with him. Yuffie and Cloud were both quick to point out to her that, although he had apparently arrived with the Keyblade master, there was no proof that he hadn't been the one to summon the Heartless in the first place, using the battle to get them to trust him.

Apparently this theory was so absurd that Tsuki didn't even bother to dignify it with a reply instead glaring at them from one half-lidded silver eye until their protests ceased. At that point Leon took over in the arguments.

“He's not staying.” He said in a matter of fact no nonsense voice. Tsuki just gave him a look and then closed her eyes fully as though consciously ignoring him. Leon watched her patiently letting his constant stare bore into her until she finally opened her eyes to regard his steadily. The corner of her lips quirked up slightly before she spoke.

“Something for you?” She asked innocently, her face carefully masked to show only sweet innocence.

“He's not staying.” Leon repeated firmly apparently unmoved by the long perfected façade. Tsuki's lips curved into a sweet, seemingly unconscious, pout at his harsh words. Leon, however, remained unmoved. Tsuki seemed to realize she was quickly losing ground in this battle of wills and decided to pull out the so-called `big guns'. She stepped forward from the wall and clasped her hands gently in front of her and tipped her chin down slightly so she was looking up at him from beneath her long eyelashes. Her lips curved into a slightly more pronounced pout and her chin seemed to tremble just slightly giving her the overall look of an abandoned child who is about to be thrown out into the streets once more.

“Please Leon?” she asked softly, uncertainly. “I'm sure he doesn't mean us any harm and it would be just dreadful if Sora were to wake up only to find we had thrown out his friend because of a silly misunderstanding.” Here she paused letting her chin tip slightly more downwards in the impression that she was crestfallen at the very thought. “I would hate to have Sora mad at me after he offered me friendship so openly.” A soft sniffle added for affect. “If I lost him as a friend...well I don't think I could bare it. Please Leon, please let him stay...for me?” As the finally words left her lips she demurely dropped her head to focus on the ground as though she were expecting to be struck.

Leon looked ready to refuse her once more when he caught a glimpse of his companions' faces out of the corner of his eye. Yuffie looked like she was ready to burst in to tears at the slightest provocation and Cloud was glaring death at him from Mako blue eyes. The message from both was clear `Say no and face wrath unlike any you have ever faced before.' Leon sighed heavily and nodded his assent. Tsuki's head snapped up at this, searching his face to make sure of the assent there. At this confirmation she smirked softly but her internal victory celebration was cut short by the sudden return of Leon's voice.

“But...” Tsuki's face fell and Leon smirked. “But,” he repeated, “You stay here with them, all night, and if anything happens to the Keyblade master I will personally reap revenge for all of the worlds.” The glare he added made sure that the point was sufficiently driven home before he turned abruptly and headed for the door grabbing Cloud's arm to drag him along on his way out. Cloud looked startled for a moment before giving a strange little half shrug and allowing himself to be dragged. Yuffie flashed a quick smile that was part sheepish and part apologetic before following her two companions out and shutting the door behind herself.

Tsuki eyed the door in consideration for a moment before rolling her eyes and moving to make herself comfortable in one of the decidedly uncomfortable straight-backed chairs that were placed near the small table. Quickly she shucked shoes, weapons, and cloak before settling down. While her shoes and weapons were dropped to the floor beside her seat she pulled the cloak around herself as a sort of makeshift blanket.

From his continued position on the end of the bed Riku raised an eyebrow at the girl who didn't seem like she had much intention of staying up during the night to make sure he didn't try to harm the unconscious Keyblade master. She made no acknowledgment of the look even thought he was positive she must have seen it, apparently she was in a mood contrary enough to force him to ask for the answers he wanted. He waited in silence for a moment more but when she closed her eyes and let her body go lax as if she was already drifting off to the land of Nod he forced himself to speak.

“Well?” The question was obviously impatient but Tsuki seemed to be unconcerned by the silver headed boys patience. Slowly she cracked a single eye to regard him before sealing it again with a sigh and shifting slightly in the chair in an attempt to find a more comfortable position.

“Well what?” She asked in return. Her voice tinged with an uncaring attitude that made Riku frown at the fact that his best friends safety had been placed in the hands of someone who apparently cared so little.

“Aren't you going to stand guard to make sure Sora stays safe from me?” He was obviously annoyed now and inside Tsuki smirked, her face however showed no apparent emotion.

“Of course not,” she waved a hand lazily as if dismissing the question as unimportant. She paused then, waiting patiently for the sharply drawn breath and the protestations of bedsprings that would signal Riku's anger before she went on the finish her sentence. “You love him too much to do him any real harm.” She spoke confidently as though it was a well-known fact and Riku sat back sharply. He considered the girl before him for a moment before letting the beginnings of a smile touch his lips faintly.

“And if I did try to hurt him?” He asked. Tsuki turned to him then, eyes coming open and a smile flashing like lightning across her face.

“I'd kill you.” She said sweetly as though it were a common, perfectly acceptable answer. And it appeared that to Riku it was because he stopped fighting down his emotions and let a grin twitch up the corners of his lips, and while it was infinitely better then the almost dead look he had been wearing before it was still tinged with bitterness and pain. Tsuki however ignored this with seasoned grace and settled back into the chair.

“Nice to know at least some of you still follow my orders.” He grumbled as though he were speaking to himself rather then another person. An impudent smirk curved across Tsuki's face.

“Of course...Master.” She drawled the last word with an arrogant tone and a matching smirk twisted Riku's lips. He chuckled low in his throat and turned to curl up against Sora's back, convinced that they were in no danger. Across the room Tsuki watched them for a moment with her smirk still firmly in place before settling down in the chair for the final time.

And as her eyes closed sleepily he pupils seemed to flash yellow for a brief moment before returning to their normal hue and being shuttered by her heavy eyelids. Of course, as anyone who might have seen it would insist, that must have just been a trick of the light.

AN: I apologize profusely for the delay between chapters but I ran into some difficulties regarding my writing schedule shortly after I posted the prologue for this story. The good news, however, is that as you read this chapter three is in the works and, barring unforeseeable problems, I should have it posted sometime within the next two weeks. I thank my faithful reviewers for their patience.

THANK YOU'S:

{EDITED 4-14-2005: Review Responses and Thank-you's will now be kept on the Sapphire Chains live journal site. They can now be found at www.livejournal.com/~himedonos_SC