Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Depths of memory ❯ A new start ( Chapter 2 )

& nbsp;

New XillionCity, spring 2004

 Monday afternoon, 3.53 pm

 I parked my car on a vacant spot in the underground parking lot of the CQ- Magazine building. My head ache had increased with vigour since I had left the flea market and I was pondering on the idea of asking Cloud for a day off. He would have to do it without me today, I just felt like shit. I sighed and leant over my steering wheel, my forehead rubbing against the knuckles of my fingers and my eyes closed.

As far as I could remember, I had never been really sick, even as a kid I was one of the few ones that rarely injured itself. The only doctors that I regularly saw were my dentist and my parents.

I chuckled at the thought of my parents if they were to find out what I had been dreaming about. My mother would probably say something like; "Dreams are the reflection of what we would like to achieve in real life, but, due to some reason, we can't or won't achieve those goals. So you dreaming about a homosexual intercourse could mean that you have hidden homosexual desires. Riku, honey, do you think there's something you would like to tell your father and me?"

And my father would want to try and rationalise it all and say; "No Mishiko, I think it has to do with the environment he's in. It has to do with the job he has. Environment plays a big role when influencing a person's personality…"

Blablabla… and then they'd end up arguing about it like they always did. God, that's one of the reasons why I almost never told them anything personal or why I almost never stayed home. Don't think that I don't love my parents though, I do; they're great. But I'm telling you, when both your parents are psychologists like mine they make your entire life their study.

 I got out of the car finally, closing the door and enabling the alarm system before heading towards the elevator three-hundred meters further.

Another guy stepped into the large lift with me. He was dressed entirely in black; from his black Sketchers to his black three-quarter pants and black sleeveless shirt. A black business bag hung on his left shoulder and around his neck laid a silver necklace without pendant. On the wrist that was on his side that I could see, his right one, he wore a silver wrist chain with little crowns holding the links together. His hair was one total mess, the brown locks of his hair looking like they'd never seen a decent comb in their live. But in a way it suited him; the hairstyle complementing his tanned face and his childish features. The only thing that broke the childlike looks of his face was the small white diamond embedded in his right nostril. 

I had never seen this guy before and for some reason he was stirring my curiosity.

My examination came to an end though when the elevator stopped on the ground floor. We both stepped out and went into different directions; I went straight for the elevators leading to the office quarters and he stopped at the reception desk.

I stepped inside the first elevator that came and pushed in the button for the 21st floor, leant against the back wall of the small room and waited for the metallic doors to close themselves.

 "Hold the doors!"

I immediately leapt into action and pushed in the 'opening doors'- button. It was the least thing I could do; we all know how it feels to have the elevator you're supposed to have leave right in front of your nose.

To my surprise, and slight enjoyment, that same guy stepped inside the lift. He gave me a thankful smile and went to lean against the back wall.

"Thanks," he breathed, taking his bag off his shoulder and putting it on the floor between his legs. He then ran a hand through his unruly mass of hair and then put his hands on his hips to get his breath to even and checked his watch nervously. He really reminded me of a little boy that was too late for class and who feared his teacher's wrath. In a way it was cute, I think.

"No problem," I smiled and watched the doors slide closed. "Where do you have to be?" I then asked, since I was the closest to the buttons.

"21st floor.Thanks," he spoke, standing up straight.

"I need to be there too," I said, lowering my hand again and lifting my shoulders while giving him a small smile. He nodded and smiled back. And that's when I realised something strange.

I had seen those eyes before or at least they reminded me of something… the deepest kind of blue and yet so light at the same time. They were the kind that let all emotion through, the kind that kept you entranced by their beauty.

Without a doubt the most gorgeous ones I had ever seen. They reminded me of… of…

I frowned and reached into the back pocket of my jeans and held up the blue ring that I had bought earlier that day and stared at it.

His eyes had the same colour as the stone embedded in the ring.

"So you're a model here?"

I put the ring back in my pocket and looked up at his friendly face.

"Yeah," I answered, shifting my eyes up to the blue digits indicating the passing floors. "Part-time."

4… 5… 6…

"Ah," he understandingly said, nodding slightly, "I'll be working here part-time too, at least, if I'm not late…"

"At what time were you supposed to be there?" I then amusedly asked, still looking at the changing digits.

"I don't know. I mean, I think it was at 4, but I'm really not sure," He nervously spoke and then sighed, "I knew I should've got written it down…"

I suppressed a chuckle and looked at his worried face. There was really something about him that just endeared him to me. I couldn't really explain it back then, or maybe I just didn't want to admit that my mind was still too scrambled, but I really felt myself attracted to him. Not in the way you all think, but just…

"Don't worry," I soothingly spoke to him, "You're here for a job interview, right?"

He silently nodded, "Yeah, my uncle runs this place and I don't really want to give him a bad impression of me."

"Oh," I spoke in realisation, "You're Cloud's nephew?"

He nodded again and slightly smiled at me.

"I always thought he was a single child," I commented.

"Heh, no," He chuckled, "He's my mother's younger brother."

"Alright, like that," I nodded, having learned something new about my blonde friend.

8… 9… 10…

"Don't worry, you'll get the job," I assured him, assuming that he was here for a modelling position, though I remember thinking to myself that he was a little on the skinny side and a tad too short for the job. "But I must warn you though," I said with a smile, "Unless you like perverted, older men putting fingers in your pants, you'll want to take your distances from the photographer, Dom."

The brunette chuckled softly at that, "Okay, thanks." He then cocked his head to the side and gave me a confused look, "Can I assume that you're not gay then?"

I chuckled briefly and shook my head, "Disappointed?"

He pursed his lips in a playful manner and rolled his eyes innocently to the ceiling, "I'm sure I'm not the first one."

I laughed, "I'll take that as a compliment?"

Even though he looked quite innocent, that remark of him quickly made me think otherwise.

12… 13… 14…

"My name's Riku by the way," I held out my hand. "If we're going to be colleagues…"

"Sora," he spoke and took my outstretched hand, "I'm not here for a modelling position, though."

I didn't catch the last thing he had said, for I was preoccupied by the way his hand felt against mine. It was like… déjà vu or something… his hand felt so familiar and I know it's weird to feel that way about a simple handshake, but I just did.

He released my hand and I automatically let go too, the feeling I had had now gone.

"Cloud gave me a part-time job as assistant-photographer," Sora said as we approached the 19th floor.

"Assistant-photographer?" I echoed, shaken out of my brief moment of daze. Ah, alright, so he wasn't a model.

"Yeah, I'm a student in art at NXU and photography is one of my majors. I just got transferred today," he meekly said with a small smile.

"Really? Well that might mean that we'll see each other again somewhere else than in the studios, because I'm a student there too."

"I'd like that," he admitted, bending over and picking up his bag from the floor, to put it on his shoulder again as the lift came to a stop. "To see you again, I mean."

I smiled amenably, "Well, I don't think we'll be parting just jet; I'm on my way to Cloud too."

His eyes smiled at me and he nodded, stepping out of the elevator as the doors slid open, "Then I guess I'm either before you or behind you."

I unwillingly snickered at that and shook my head at the ambiguous thoughts that wanted to enter my mind. I know it was childish, but I just couldn't help it at the time.

"You mean 'after' me." I corrected him as we both walked up to Cloud's reception desk.

He gave me an impish smile before shrugging, "Suit yourself, it's whatever you like."

Okay, he definitely wasn't innocent. After all, who is, wanting to work in a place like this?

I cleared my throat and could feel my cheeks redden a little. I wouldn't admit that he was affecting me in a rather pleasant way. I just wouldn't. I didn't even know him.

"I didn't really have an appointment with him," I then said, acting as if nothing happened, "He just told me to come to work at 4, but I just came up here to ask him to grant me the day off."

Sora raised his eyebrows; "But you don't really look sick to me."

"I'm just feeling little tired, that's all. I've been having sleepless nights lately." I just said; there was no need to step into the details.

"I know how you feel, ever since I moved away from my home 2 days ago, I've had trouble sleeping too."

I nodded and we both turned around to look at the secretary, who just hung up the phone.

"Hey, Riku. How have you been? It's been a long time since I've seen you here," The girl cheerfully greeted me.

"Hi, Lenne, I just need to talk to Cloud for a few minutes, is he in?"

"Yeah, he's was searching for you," She then turned her head to Sora, "And you must be his nephew, Sora, right?"

Sora nodded and gave her a nervous smile, "Am I late?"

"He's waiting for the both of you inside," Lenne then shook her head reassuringly, picking up her phone again.

Sora gave me a relieved smile and wiggled his eyebrows before turning his head back to the brunette behind her desk. I chuckled and rolled my eyes.

"I'll just get straight to the point with this. The reason why I'm glad you came up here Riku is because there's something I'd like to request from you, and I hope that Sora will agree with me."

Cloud was standing in front of both Sora and me, leaning against his desk behind him while we were sitting in separate black leathery easy chairs.

I looked up at him expectantly, one eyebrow raised and my right elbow leaning on one of the arms of the chair.

"Can Sora stay at your place for a while?" he asked, the palms of his hands held together and the tip of his index fingers pressed against his pursed lips as in a silent plea.

Sora emitted a small sound near a choked gasp and then turned his head to face me with an expectant look on his features.

No need to say that I felt bombarded with this question and I couldn't help but blink at the blonde before gazing into Sora's excited face.

"I… Well, I don't know, Cloud; it's kind of sudden…" I slowly began, shifting in my seat and not wanting to look at Sora. "I mean, you do know that there's Kairi too…"

The prospective of having Sora living with me kind of excited me, but I needed to talk to Kairi first. She, after all, didn't know who Sora was. And I, come to think of it, didn't either...

Cloud shifted his eyes to Sora and smiled, "I know, but I thought that since he was going to go to NXU, he would be better living with people of his age who go to the same university as he does."

"But it's okay if you don't want to," Sora added, holding his hands defensively against his chest. "I mean, I wouldn't want to intrude into you and your girlfriend's space."

I chuckled briefly at that and bent my head to hold it in my hand, "She's not my girlfriend."

I swear I could almost feel his contentment after I had said that.

"On top of that," Cloud continued diplomatically, "I can be sure that you won't take advantage of him, because you're not gay, so I trust you."

"Hey, why do you make it sound like I can't defend myself?!" Sora objected, but smiling nonetheless. I was starting to think that if there was anyone who was going to need to defend himself, it was going to be me. From him.

I laughed despite the fact that I didn't really feel like being cheerful at that moment, my head started to hurt again. "I can't decide on my own on this. I need to talk to Kairi first."

"I totally understand that," the blonde told me, nodding and closing his eyes in emphasis, "But if it only depended on you, would you do it?"

I sighed, scratching the back of my head, "Why can't he stay at your place again?"

"Leon didn't want it and Sora kind of feels intimidated by him." Cloud chuckled at a memory.

"Does not!" The brunette protested, "I just don't really like him, that's all."

I chuckled with him, remembering my first encounter with Cloud's boyfriend. It was after I had almost broken the photographer's finger. The man had gone and complained about it to Leon, who is co-owner of the magazine. Leon had approached me after my first shoot, his stormy grey eyes had been looking like he had been about to blow me to smithereens with his mere gaze. I had really thought he was going to fire me on the spot, but he had smiled at me and congratulated me on my audacious move and gave me a one year membership to a luxurious gym. You just never knew how the man could react at times, but that's what made his personality and I don't think anyone would've liked him to be different. He's become, just like Cloud, one of my closest friends.

"I can understand that," I chuckled, and pointed with my thumb to Sora, "But he'll learn to put up with him, like you do."

Sora gasped in dismay at that and gave me a hurt look, which I returned with an amused one.

Cloud shook his head, "I really would like it if you talked to Kairi about this. It'll only be temporarily, just until he finds his own place."

I threw my head back in annoyance and defeat, but mostly in annoyance, "Alright, alright! I'll see what I can do."

"Yes!" Sora exclaimed silently to himself and I laughed again. You'd almost think that he was a ten year old that had been granted unlimited access to the cookie jar. Only, the cookie jar had my name on it.

"I'll make it up to you, Riku." Cloud then said, walking towards his seat behind his desk and picking up his phone.

"Well I guess we'll be seeing each other a lot more than expected, huh?" Sora whispered to me, smiling. I gave him a smile back, thinking that this day had just become the strangest one ever. Maybe I really was losing my ability to think rationally.

"Did you have any work for me today, Cloud?" I asked, averting my gaze to him. I still needed to ask him for a day off.

The owner shook his head as he put the horn back down, "No, not really I only called you here today to meet Sora actually. But I'll expect you on Wednesday and on until Sunday. I've re-scheduled the shoots for the Von Aglio's summer collection, so you have today and tomorrow free."

I sighed thankfully and nodded in appreciation, "That's good, thanks."

"Alright," he stood up again, "I'll have Lenne call you for your schedule of this week."

I nodded again and stood up pointing at Sora, "I take him with me now, or what?"

Cloud chuckled, "Yeah, if it isn't too much to ask. Just show him around a little if you want. Leon will pass by tomorrow at your place to bring the rest of his belongings."

"Come on then," I said to Sora, stepping up to the door.

"Riku, wait."

I turned around and saw Sora holding the blue ring in between his fingers. Reflexively I reached for my back pocket to find it empty.

"Where did you find this?" He asked me and I froze. I was going to ask him that question. He uttered the question not with that look of admiration you get when you find something beautiful and want to know where it's from, but with a look of sheer confusion and disbelieve that you get when you've been looking for something and find it back in the most unusual of places.

His sapphire blue eyes then directed themselves at me and my breath hitched in my throat.

I knew that my mind had made the link before without me realising, but now it all fell in place or at least that part did.

Those eyes… I now remembered where I had seen them before and I had a hard time believing it. Dreams were not supposed to have such an impact on every day life, dreams were not true…

The ring in between his fingers suddenly emitted a faint glow and I gasped, realisation striking me full force.

"Riku?!"

No! I was going crazy! It couldn't be… what was wrong with me?

 Hoax, spring/ summer 1253

 His footsteps resounded in the abandoned halls of the prince's quarters, the two guards present to guard the entrance to the royal chambers watching him as he approached them.

"Captain Ryuu," They both greeted him, saluting him.

"At ease, soldier," He responded, watching them take in their initial positions, "Is the prince in his quarters?"

"Yes," One of them answered, "He came in two hours ago, said he needed to rest."

Ryuu nodded, "Good, he has a long day ahead of him tomorrow."

"Sir," The other soldier spoke with a slightly worried undertone.

"What is it?"

"Well, I know that is in no view my business to ask you this, but do you think prince Soryan loves princess Kilana?"

Ryuu shook his head; "I do believe that that is indeed none of your business; that is a matter for his majesty the prince and his wife to be."

The guard cleared his throat and nodded, "Yes sir, I apologise sir."

Ryuu put a hand on the other man's right shoulder and smiled, "I know you're worried for our beloved princess, we all are, but I'm sure that he'll make her happy."

The other man nodded and Ryuu let go of him.

"He is to be our feature king and we owe him respect and our loyalty," the captain spoke, looking at the two soldiers.

"Yessir!"They both exclaimed.

"I will go speak with his majesty before he is asleep," Ryuu then said, walking up to the closed doors they were guarding. Both of the guards opened the large wooden doors and stepped aside.

He entered and turned around to watch the doors close again before he crossed the study and reached the next doors leading to Soryan's bedroom.

  ***********************  

"Ryuu!"< /i>

The young prince exclaimed as he saw his lover step inside his room. He stood up from his bed and walked up to him, letting his richly embroidered, red velvet night robe fall on the floor behind him.

"I thought you wouldn't come!" he then whispered against Ryuu's chest as he was taken into a passionate embrace.

"I almost didn't; I've spent most of my evening reassuring the princess about tomorrow," Ryuu whispered back, kissing the crown of the brunette's head.

"My heart beats with silent doubt for tomorrow too," Soryan admitted, tightening his hold on the other. "I feel like I'll never fall asleep; my head is too crowded with insecure thoughts."

Ryuu ran a hand through his shoulder-length chocolate locks and kissed his forehead, "Remember our last night together?" He then asked him with a small smile on his face.

"How could I forget; I still find myself daydreaming about it when no one is watching…"

Ryuu chuckled softly, "We have to be careful…you are to be a wedded man starting tomorrow."

Soryan nodded and ran a finger the long the v-line opening in Ryuu's tunic, "I know, but you can't blame me for being marvelled by your loving skills…"

"I don't have much time tonight…" The blonde whispered, closing his eyes at the feeling of soft lips sliding the long his jawbone, "And you need to sleep…"

"But I already told you; I can't find sleep…" Soryan throatily whispered, now starting to unbuckle the heavy sword belt Ryuu was wearing on his hips, "Please help me?"

Ryuu bit his lower lip at that and stopped his lover's exploring hands before they started doing some very compromising things and instead took him in his arms and carried him over to the grand and luxurious bed.

 "Tonight I'll make love to you so you can find sleep and tomorrow, you'll make love to Kilana so you can procure your future kingdom of an heir." Ryuu whispered, his free left hand creeping up Soryan's legs and underneath the fabric of his night dress.

"Ryuu…" the prince cooed at the silken touch of his lover on his body.

Pressing a soft kiss on Soryan's slightly parted lips, Ryuu then directed his lips further down the younger one's still clothed body and halted just in front of the evidence of his arousal.

"Please, Ryuu…" Soryan now whined, bucking his hips a little and pulling up his dress so Ryuu could have full access to him.

Ryuu slightly chuckled and caressed his lover's rampant erection with a finger, biting his lower lip at the feverish reaction his light touch had provoked on his ardent lover.

Small, tanned fingers slid through his silver locks, encouraging him to touch, to cherish, to promise him sweet bliss…

Red covers got creased as a hand fisted in them in reaction to the passionate exchange of pleasure.

"Oh…" the young prince throatily moaned, arching up with his eyes tightly shut. "Ryuu…!"

With gentle strokes of his tongue against burning flesh, Ryuu continued his lovemaking to him, opening his aqua depths to cast a lustful gaze now and then on his impudent, royal lover.

"I… love you…" Soryan whispered between moans and gasps, licking his lips while releasing his right hand from the covers and running it trough his own hair in delight.

Ryuu just continued his ministrations, wanting to ignore what Soryan had just said. The heir to the throne of Hoax had admitted to love him after their second time together, exactly a week ago, a month after their first intercourse.

Nothing he had learnt in the military could have got prepared him for this, and he felt insecure for not knowing what to do. No hair on his head doubted about his growing feelings for the prince, but it were his obligations and status that obstructed the way to admitting his sentiments for him.

How could a mere servant and a prince ever be together?

So he hadn't told him those three words the last time, and he wouldn't do so this time.

"Ryuu, p-please…" Soryan almost sobbed now, his body trembling as it was approaching it's peak and his hand fisting in Ryuu's hair almost painfully gripping tighter.

Accelerating his motions of pressure and release on Soryan's throbbing shaft, Ryuu soon felt his essence hit the back of his throat and swallowed it, then licked the remaining juices from the now softening erection.

Head turned into the pillow that had muted his erotic outcry, Soryan now breathed heavily, his forehead and throat slightly damped with sweat and a few of his long brown locks clinging to these body parts in a beguiling manner. 

Ryuu pressed a last kiss on Soryan's manhood, before moving up to lie next to him and run a hand through his damped cinnamon hair.

"Please stay a little longer…" Soryan whispered, sliding one hand over Ryuu's left hip, opening his eyes leisurely to stare into beautiful turquoise orbs.

Scooting a little closer, the blonde took his lover's left hand in his and softly kissed it's fingertips, "You know that I can't…"

Soryan sighed in discontent and closed his eyes, "Will things change once I am Kilana's husband?"

Ryuu brushed a strand of Soryan's hair behind his right ear, "You will officially be the heir to Hoax' throne…"

"No," The younger one looked up at him, "I meant between us…"

The soldier shifted his eyes from his lover's, not responding. The answer to that question was difficult and rather painful. No matter how much he'd want to be with Soryan, he'd be forced to take more distance from him…

"Ryuu…?" Soryan shakily whispered, his eyebrows knitting together in worry.

"It's late, my prince," Ryuu suddenly whispered, moving himself to sit up on the edge of the bed. "And you have an important day ahead of you." No matter how much he loved him, they'd never be together…

"Don't go like this…" The brunette pleaded, sitting up on his bed and arranging his dress. "Ryuu."

And if someone was to find out about their secret relationship, Soryan would be the one to suffer the major consequences and they would extent themselves to his homeland and put the peace treaty in jeopardy.

As a mere captain of the royal guard, he'd probably be sentenced with death, since his action would be seen as treason of trust.

Still, his own fate didn't matter in all of this; it was Soryan who was of importance.

Was it really worth it to endanger his life like this?

"Goodnight, my prince. Sleep well," With a last bow Ryuu then turned and walked towards the doors of the large bedroom. Nothing was worth putting such a great danger upon his Soryan.

"No!" Soryan stepped out of his bed and ran up to him, throwing his arms around his waist to stop him from exiting the room. "Don't you love me?" He then tearfully whispered, pressing himself against the taller one's back.

Love.That word again. It made everything so much more complicated, but yes, he loved him, he loved him so much it hurt every time he'd see him sitting on the royal table at dinner. Or whenever he was around the princess. Every time, it would hurt.

"I…" He almost choked out, fighting the lump in his throat. His decision was now clear in his mind and his heart was on the verge to break, but it needed to be done… for Soryan's sake and for the sake of the kingdom. "I cannot keep putting you in danger like this, my prince… I ask of you to forget about me..."

Soryan's breath hitched in his throat and he took a step back, his face set on utter disbelieve and his eyes filling up with fresh tears.

Never had he felt something like this for anyone, never had he imagined feeling so much for one person.

Never had he thought that it could hurt so much.

"N-no…" he weakly whispered, one lonely tear rolling down his right cheek.

"Forgive me…" Ryuu whispered, closing his eyes, fighting his own tears.

Shaking his head in denial and breathing in short, gasped breaths, the young prince then returned to his bed and laid himself down on his covers, staring at the ceiling. "Get out." He softly whimpered, letting another tear escape from his now pained eyes.