Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction ❯ Hating Riku Tanaka ❯ I hate him ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts I, II or CoM. Tetsuya Nomura does.

 

Warnings: Shounen-ai, and bad words. Everyone loves bad words.

 

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The heavy pitch of crickets sung through the humid summer air, and Sora was pretty damn sure he was going to melt. He was slumped over his desk, idly flicking his pencil's end in utmost boredom. Next to him, Tidus was snoring lightly, the warm atmosphere too much for the worn-out Blitzball player to stay awake. Up the front of the room Kairi Nakamura and Selphie Tilmitt were playing cards, and Ms Aerith Gainsborough was flicking through a book. Sora sighed. What was the point of coming to class, anyway? It was far too hot to think, let alone actually do work. Thankfully, Aerith had said that they could have free time, as she knew that everyone was pretty much dead.

 

Sora's bright blue eyes flicked over to the window. The sky was clear and sunny, a few white puffy clouds drifting lazily along it. The trees that sat outside were full of birds, and the fountain that sat in the middle of the courtyard was spraying cool water about. A few freshman girls were mucking around, as it was their lunch break. It was so peaceful, yet so dull. Summer holiday was three weeks away, and work had been piling up. Tests and exams had to be taken; yet everyone was too tired to study for them. Well, just about everyone. Sora glanced over to in front of him, eyes falling upon a head of long silver hair tied back in a loose ponytail. A pair of broad shoulders were a little lower, clothed in the school's summer uniform. Sora frowned, and glared half-heartedly at the firm back that was hunched over slightly, the owner of it wrapped up in his studies.

 

`Look at him! Acting like a freakin' know-it-all. I could fucking stab him…Riku Tanaka…god, I hate him!' Sora thought furiously, shooting daggers Riku's way with his eyes. He looked over at the person sitting next to Riku, and suppressed the urge to laugh. He always did. Axel Moriyama looked like a clown, with his too-tall stature and lanky body. His hair was quite long and bushy, coloured a bright fiery red. If one got a look at his face they would see a pair of slim cat-like emerald eyes, and a pair of black upside-down triangles tattooed underneath. Axel was busy poking Riku's shoulder with his pen, muttering to himself. Sora picked up words of, “Why won't he go out with me?” and “I love Roxas so much!”. Sora sighed. So, Roxas was still rejecting Axel's advances. Sora didn't really understand why, heck, anyone could see that Roxas was utterly smitten with the redhead. Except said redhead. Sora was pretty sure it was because Axel, before being transferred to this school, had been known as a playboy, and Roxas was scared of being hurt. After Hayner's betrayal with Seifer, Roxas had become a cold person, only talking to his friends. When Axel started to court him, Roxas had thrown anything within reach at him. That would deter most. But Axel kept coming back, day after day, bringing flowers, chocolates, and poetry. And sometimes, much to Sora's chagrin, Riku. Sora absolutely despised Riku. Riku, who shouldn't even be here. This was a public school, for Christ's sake! Shouldn't the boy be in some sort of private school, laughing with other rich people about polo and art?

 

Suddenly there was something hitting Sora's mop of spiky chocolate locks, falling down onto the desk. The wadded up piece of paper sat there innocently, and Sora picked it up, curious. He unfolded it, and smoothed it out.

 

You okay? You've been staring at Tanaka's back for the last five minutes.

 

-- Dem

 

Sora blinked, and sighed. If Demyx Kazami, who was somewhat of an idiot and completely oblivious to anyone other than Zexion, had noticed, then no doubt everyone else did.

 

Yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking. Any update on the Roxas-Axel front?

 

-- Sora

 

Sora threw the paper over his shoulder, knowing that it would get to Demyx. The blonde mullet-haired boy sat right behind him, after all. Sure enough, the note was soon back on his desk, and Sora was opening it.

 

I talked to Axel. He intends to intercept Roxas on his way home this afternoon. He went and bought Rox a ring! Cost Axel three hundred dollars! If that doesn't scream commitment than I don't know what does. Even Zexy hasn't gotten ME a ring yet. But he DID get me that pretty bracelet with the tag `I own Zexion Shino's ass'. That was cool.

 

-- Dem

 

P.S I heard we have to do an assignment on samurai from the Meiji revolution. It's a partner thing. Let us pray you don't get stuck with Tanaka

 

A shudder ran through Sora's body. Oh yeah. THAT would be absolutely wonderful. Sora snuck a glance at Riku, and blinked. Riku was talking to Axel now, and Sora caught a glimpse of Riku aquamarine eyes. They were so intriguing, Sora thought. Such a unique and odd colour, and so full of emotion. Riku seemed to always have his guard up, his eyes never showing anything. But it was at these moments, when Riku was relaxed and feeling safe, his eyes became a gateway to his soul. It was at times like this that Sora started to hate Riku a little less, and sometimes Sora would feel a weird rush of something flood his gut. But then those eyes glanced over to him, and Sora saw that strange emotion, and he somehow felt imperfect, as if Riku shouldn't even looking at him. The anger came rushing right back. Sora stuck out his tongue, smirking when Riku rolled his eyes and glared. Anyone else would've run screaming had they be on the receiving end of that glare. Sora, though, was quite used to it. He pulled a face, and was about to snap some snarly comment had it not been for Aerith's interruption.

 

“Ok, class! We have ten minutes until school finishes! So could you all please pay attention so I can tell you about your assessment piece?” She said, smiling. Riku turned around, and Sora focused his attention on the teacher. Aerith was standing up in front of the blackboard, scratching away several words. Finally, she stood back. Up on the board she had written several names.

 

“As you all know, we have been studying the Meiji Revolution for the last month. Your assignment will be to choose a historical figure that was a part of the revolution, and both you and your partner are to perform an oral presentation. And no, Mr Onodara, I don't mean that in a sexual fashion. I know how you operate. Now, I will be choosing your partners for you. First, Mr Moriyama and Mr Kazami, you will be both be working together. Then Ms Tilmitt and Ms Nakamura, and next Mr Onodara and Ms Awayuki…Sora, do you think you could wake up Mr Nami?”

 

Sora blinked. He glanced to his side, where Tidus was sprawled out twitching and mumbling something about…flying purple carrots?

 

“Um, sure, Aerith…” Sora replied, before poking Tidus with a pencil. Tidus grumpily swatted at him, and Sora sighed. He then proceeded to push Tidus out of his chair. Tidus let out a yell, before landing with a splat against the carpet, ass sticking up in the air. The girls giggled, and Aerith smiled nervously.

 

“I…didn't mean it like that, Sora” She smiled. Sora shrugged, and said, “Got `im up, didn't it?”

 

“Well, yes, I suppose…anyway, Mr Nami? Please return to your seat. I'm pairing you with Mr Maru” Tidus grumbled lightly to himself, and nodded. Sora continued to list off the pairs, until only four people were left.

 

“Ms Niwa and Ms Chidori you two will be together, which leaves Mr Tanaka and Sora”

 

A strained silence fell upon the class, and countless eyes slid over to where both boys were sitting. Suddenly both were standing up, chairs flying back, and yelling, “WHAT?!”

 

Ms Gainsborough gave them a stern look, and said, “Please sit back down, boys”

 

“NO! I AM NOT GOING TO SPEND MY NEXT THREE WEEKS WITH THAT BASTARD!” Sora yelled, blue eyes ablaze. Riku twitched, and hissed, “Oh, and you're one to talk, Kusunagi. At least I'm civilized. And the creature behind me is completely right. There is no way in hell I'm working with him”

 

“I'll kill you!” Sora shouted, taking a step forward into his desk. Aerith, though, snapped, “Oh, stop being such babies. You're working together; otherwise I'll fail you both. And I'm afraid, Mr. Tanaka, that wouldn't go very well with your father, would it? And that mother will be very disappointed in you, Sora. Now, sit down, shut up, and pick a samurai”

 

Both boys gaped at the woman. Suddenly Riku's eye became very narrow, and seemed to darken. He sat down, though, but his fists were clenched. Sora, on the other hand, didn't stop. “My mother is your mother! Jeez! Just because you're older than me, Aerith, and your dad actually lives with us DOESN'T mean you can boss me around! I KNOW WHERE YOU STASH YOUR CANDY! I'll steal it if you don't change me!”

 

Aerith, whose temper was just like Sora's, replied, “Sora! I understand that you resent the fact that my father lives with us and that yours just abandoned us! But that is NO excuse to threaten my sugar! I KNOW WHERE YOU HIDE YOUR LAPTOP! You know father didn't want one in the house. SIT DOWN and I won't tell him”

 

“I'll get you…just you wait…I'll get Leon to do something...I have power over him…” Sora hissed. Aerith rolled her eyes. “You know as well as I do that Cloud and Leon are FAR too busy breaking couches to do something that means they have to move. Now sit, or expect Yuffie in your wardrobe when you get home”

 

Sora went pale, and hastily took his seat. Aerith smiled, and asked everyone to choose a person. Since Sora was too busy grumbling about evil half-sisters who happened to be his history teacher Riku went ahead and chose Hajime Saito.

 

X-X-X

 

Sora's eye twitched. And twitched again. Someone up there was defiantly out to get him today. Couldn't he go three hours without running into cocky, arrogant, jerky Riku?

 

“What are you doing here?” Sora hissed, glaring at the silver-haired teen who was currently sitting at his booth. Riku blinked, and looked up from his book and iced-coffee. He quirked an eyebrow, and replied, “What does it look like, Kusunagi?”

 

“It looks like you're sitting in MY booth. Piss off, goddamnit. I don't feel like putting up with you today, Tanaka” Sora snapped. Riku let out a bark of laughter, and said, “Oh, right. I'm sure I saw your name here somewhere. Go and play with your little friends, Kusunagi. I shouldn't be seen conversing with creatures like you”

 

“Oh, get off your freakin' high horse, Tanaka. Just because your dad owns a freakin' recording studio doesn't mean you can boss anyone around whenever you want. That's been my booth for over six years. Now fuck off,” Sora answered, and he then proceeded to slip into the opposite seat. Riku frowned, and said, “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

 

“Sitting, jerk” Sora smiled, blue eyes alight with determination. Riku snorted, and went, “If you think that's gonna make me move, than you're sorely mistaken”

 

Sora just grinned, and ordered a chocolate milkshake. Five minutes later, Riku had thrown down his book and was yelling at the brunette boy.

 

“FUCKING STOP MAKING THAT GODAWFUL NOISE!” Riku roared, effectively earning him several strange looks from the other people in the small coffee shop. Sora blinked innocently, slurped his drink again, and replied, “What noise?”

 

Riku's eyes narrowed, and he ground out, “You know what I'm talking about, Kusunagi”

 

“Actually, I don't” Sora answered, trying very hard to hide the grin of sheer satisfaction of getting Riku Tanaka pissed.

 

Ten minutes, both boys were banned from the café for life, due to Riku having tipped his iced-coffee over Sora, and Sora pouring his chocolate milkshake over Riku. And then slamming the next booth overs lunch into Riku's shirt. Riku, in turn, had smashed the table next to their's ice cream in Sora's hair.

 

“I fucking HATE you!” Riku yelled, aquamarine eyes alive and flaring. Sora yelled back, “Well same here, bastard!”

 

They glared at each other for a minute, before Sora turned and stormed away.

 

“That's right! Run away, you freak of nature!” Riku called after him, smirking. Sora resisted the urge to turn around and punch the living daylights out of Riku. “Get bent, Tanaka” He replied, missing the sharp look of longing that slipped across Riku's face.

 

X-X-X

 

“I'm telling you, Rox, Tanaka is such a freaking ass!” Sora whined into the phone. Aerith entered the kitchen, pretending to not be listening in. Sora knew better, but he was too distracted ranting about Riku's supposed evilness. Roxas, Sora's younger twin brother who was sleeping over a friends - Pence's - house that night, was on the other end, having to put up with Sora's ranting.

 

“Why is he such an ass, Sor? I mean, what did you do to him to make him like that? With everyone else he's really nice. Reserved, but nice” Roxas replied. Sora blinked. Roxas was right. Riku was quite nice to everyone else. But, Sora had noticed, he kind of closed up. His eyes would become cold, as if he didn't really care. But when with Sora, his eyes would light up, and he'd become a lot more aggressive. It was like Sora was his way to vent, or something. Sora knew Riku's father, Sephiroth Tanaka, was quite mean, with what he had seen at those nights where the parents came in as a group and participated in a mock class with their children. Since Sora had all the same classes as Riku (Something that never failed to elude him) he had seen Sephiroth a few times. And Sora could tell that with the way he handled Riku, there was no love lost between the two. He remembered two months ago, how Sephiroth had actually slapped Riku across the cheek when the teacher gave him an A-. The tall man had yelled at Riku, demanding to know if an A- was acceptable. Riku, who looked quite calm, even with his bright red cheek, had answered, quietly, “No, father. I'll try harder”. Sephiroth had roared that `harder' wasn't good enough, that `harder' wasn't going to keep the company going, and had slapped Riku again, this time on the other side. Sora had noticed a small trail of blood making its way from Riku's mouth, and had felt the sudden urge to get up and cradle Riku in his arms. Riku, though, had merely said, in a dead monotone voice, “I apologize, father. I'll get an A+ next time”

 

“I think you're the closet person to Riku, actually. What's his favourite colour?” Roxas continued, unfazed by Sora's sudden lack of talk. Sora blinked, and murmured, “His favourite colour is sky blue”

 

“And how did you know that?”

 

“Because he once said that aquamarine was a ugly colour and that sky blue is so much nicer,” Sora replied, twisting the cord around his pinkie. Aerith, who had been sitting near-by, nursing a cup of coffee, raised an eyebrow. Roxas' voice was very loud, so she knew what they were talking about.

 

“And what's his favourite smell?”

 

“Cinnamon and vanilla”

 

“There you go. No one else knows that. I think the only reason you hate him is because dad used to bitch about that family all the time. You got a false impression, hated him for those two years dad lived with us, and then when dad left and Sano moved back in you couldn't break the habit” Roxas informed the brunette. Sora snorted, and said, laughing, “Trust me, Rox, that isn't what happened. Tanaka is just a selfish bastard” `That and hating him is the only way to get rid of this weird feeling that I get when he smiles…' Sora added mentally.

 

Roxas sighed. “Yeah, whatever, Sora. But I think Riku wants to be your friend. You should see the way he looks at you sometimes”

 

The moment Roxas said that, Sora's alarm bells went off. Quickly, he changed the subject to something he knew would enthral his younger, blonder counter-part.

 

“How'd it go with Axel?”

 

Roxas stayed quiet for a few moments, before whispering, “I. Am. Dating. Axel. Moriyama”

 

Sora's bright blue eyes widened, and he let out a whoop.

 

“Really?! Hey, that's great! You know how much he obsesses over you! Oh, wow, Rox! Wait till I tell Demyx! He'll wanna throw a celebration party or something!”

 

Roxas sounded absolutely ecstatic. “I know! It's so great. He walked right up to me, grabbed my arm, and said, “Rox, I know you might not feel the same way, and you think that I'm gonna hurt you, but I'm NEVER gonna give up on you. I love you, with every last fibre in my being”. And he looked really sad, and then I realised he was dead serious, so I go, “Really? You promise?” and you should've seen the way his face lit up. He nodded, and then he gave me the ring - it's silver, with a ruby in the centre! - and then he kissed me! I was SO happy!”

 

Sora smiled at his younger brother's joy. It had been a long time since Roxas had sounded that happy.

 

“That's really great, Roxas. Anyway, I have to go. Aerith looks about ready to maul someone” Sora said, eyeing Aerith's creepy smile. It either meant she was going to give some student a particularly bad grade, or she was thinking of some hair-brained scheme with Yuffie. Sora hoped it was the first. Aerith was a schemer, a malicious, cruel, evil one at that. It was dangerous; some of the things Aerith came up with. And half the time you wouldn't even think it was her!

 

“Oh. Ok. See ya later, Sora. Better go check the closet or something. Yuffie's probably around somewhere,” Roxas laughed, before hanging up. Sora visibly shuddered at the thought. And so, Sora placed the phone back in its cradle, and turning around said to Aerith, “Don't you dare. Don't even think about it. You are not selling pictures of Axel and Rox making out, got it? If you do I'll sick a sugar-loaded Cloud onto you”

 

Aerith blinked innocently, and gently swirled her half-empty mug around. “I have no idea what you mean, So-ra”

 

The fact that she was dragging his name out like that gave Sora the chills.

 

“Okay, look. You've already been enough of scheming bitch today. First you pair with me Tanaka, and I bet Yuffie is around here somewhere. Please don't make me more depressed. Just please. Now, if you don't mind I'm gonna go and wash out that chocolate sauce. Damn Tanaka…” Sora hissed. Aerith sighed, and cocking her head to one side said, “Sora, Roxas is right. Riku does want to be your friend. I mean, for Christ's sake, he knows as much about you as you about him. And he only really talks to you”

 

Sora shrugged, and sighed. “Yeah, but only when he's yelling. I mean, jeez, every time he looks as me it's as if I'm…I dunno…not good enough to be in his company…”

 

Aerith smiled. “Maybe you feel inadequate because you want him to like you?”

 

Sora snorted, and turned around. He trudged over to the fridge and pulling out a packet of cookies, said, “Yeah. Whatever, Aerith. Is Kei coming home for summer?”

 

Aerith frowned, and sighed. Kei Leonhart was Leon's father. Aerith was the oldest out of the four children - at age twenty-three - who lived with her mother, Kumeko Kusunagi. Her father, Sanosuke Gainsborough, had left home when she had been two. He had gotten a job at Black Water - a mining area near Mackay - in Central Queensland, Australia. He had failed to contact them; leading Kumeko to believe that he was dead. She had met Kei when Aerith was four, and the two had gotten married, and then Leon was born. Five months later Kei was filing a divorce so he could marry his secretary. Leon was to live with Kumeko and Aerith. His real name was Squall, but Kumeko had stopped calling him that when Kei divorced her. He had grown up knowing himself as Leon. When Aerith had been seven, and Leon three, Yasuo wormed himself into their lives. He was one of Kumeko's co-workers from work, and had offered to take her out for a drink one night. She hadn't come home till the next morning, with no memory of what had happened the night before. Two weeks later she had missed her period, and five months later discovered she had two twin boys growing inside of her. Yasuo had left for England a week after she had slept with him, so he didn't know of Sora or Roxas until he returned twelve years later, and had stopped by to visit Kumeko. He had rung the doorbell, and a small boy with his girlish frame had opened the door, bright blue eyes looking up at him in confusion.

 

Of course, when he learned he had children, he had tried to live with them. But he wasn't used to their way of life. No, he was too busy trying to get his band started. And he had tried to get a contract at Square Enex Recording Studios, which Sephiroth Tanaka owned and managed. Sephiroth had laughed at Yasuo, and waved him away. By then Riku had started school with Sora, and when Yasuo learned this he told Sora and Roxas all sorts of bad things about the silver haired youth that weren't true.

 

Then Sanosuke showed up on their doorway on the twins' fourteenth birthday. Roxas had let him in, and when Sano walked into the living room, where the family were all gathered around the coffee table cutting the cake, Kumeko had burst into tears upon sight of him. Sano had held her small frame to him, and he had watched, shocked, as Yasuo told the kids to `Get the fuck to bed'. The next morning Yasuo was gone, a note stuck to the fridge, saying that he was free at last. They never heard from him again.

 

Sano had explained that he had been in a mining accident, and he had gotten a particularly bad knock to the head. He had ended up with amnesia of all things, and could only get fleeting images of his old life back. He had spent nineteen years not knowing who he was. Then one day he woke and simply remembered. He had then left Australia, and headed home. That morning, as they all sat around the table discussing things, Sanosuke said that he was staying. And, unlike with Kei or Yasuo, he was good at the whole fathering thing. Aerith soon learned to love her father again, and Leon had a sense of respect for him. Sora and Roxas looked upon him as the father they had never had, and Kumeko fell in love with him all over again. Sano in turn showed interest in Aerith's teaching career, payed for Leon to go to the military school he had wanted to attend, and shown Sora and Roxas what it was like to have someone interested in their lives besides their mother. Life became good again, though the first time Kei, who still stopped to see Leon every holiday, had met him they hadn't really got along. They still didn't, but they put up with each other for Leon's sake. Kei still cared for his first son, even though he had another two. But Leon didn't see Irvine or Zell much anymore. Irvine bugged him, and Zell was never there.

 

“No, Kei isn't coming to visit, I'm afraid. Marianne's baby is due around summer, and he wants to be there for it. But Cloud and Leon's plane is coming in tonight” Aerith replied, taking a sip of her now-cold coffee. She made a face at the taste, and spat it back into the mug. Sora chuckled, and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Aerith to her cold coffee.