The Shadows of Love

Falling... Literally

Cue the cliche falling and falling in love scene:

Sora grudgingly walked down the hall of his school. It wasn't like he was late or anything, he just couldn't stand hearing his brother talk to himself while studying that morning.

Sora completely missed and walked past a Wet Floor sign and slipped, falling down on the floor and against some of the blue lockers with a loud THUD! and his books slipped out of his bag.

Sora grabbed his brown bag and started sweeping the books towards him until a shoe kicked a couple of farther away ones his way. The brunette looked up and saw a boy with long silver hair, and hiding behind the bangs were blue-green eyes.

Sora was completely entranced by him.

But then.. a girl walked over.

She had her auburn hair draped over her shoulders, which complimented her striking blue eyes. Her face looked sympathetic and welcoming, in contrast to the boy, who looked a tad cold, but still had a hidden welcoming expression.

She offered her hand to help him up.

Sora just sat there quietly, wallowing in the beauty of the people before him. He couldn't form words.

"Get up you lazy bum." The girl scolded lightheartedly, grabbed his wrist and yanked him up.

Sora didn't have time to protest. He reached down at the floor and picked up his books, shoving them in his bag. "Uh-" his hands played with his necklace. A habit he had since he was younger.

"I'm Kairi," the girl introduced herself.

Sora gulped. Her voice was so pretty, like a sweet melody.

"And I'm Riku." The boy gave a slight wave and then put his thumb in his pocket. "You?"

"S-sora." Sora hated the fact that he stuttered. "Thanks. I owe you both."

"No problem. And you can sit with us at lunch, so we're even. How's that sound, Riku?" Kairi turned to the boy, who was sweeping his bangs out of his face.

"Sure. And- Sora, was it? What's your first class? We'll do you the curtousy of walking you there." Riku smiled slightly.

"Uh, English." Sora wish that he hadn't gotten so nervous in front of the two of them.

"Sorry, my class is in a different hall." Kairi winced. "I'd end up late."

"Then I guess I'll walk you." Riku murmured.

Sora didn't want to have to wait to see Kairi until lunch. "I have history after. Do you have that class?" He asked the question with a hint of hesitation.

"Yep! See you there then." Kairi smiled brightly and then turned around, and walked away.

"So.. class?" Riku kept a steady, even stare with Sora.

Sora looked at Riku, but his eyes wandered. The more his gaze fell, the more he swooned.

"I know, I'm handsome, right?" Riku said with a laugh. Sora looked away, and caught sight of someone.

"Can I go and talk with my brother for a moment? You can wait by the classroom door, if you'd like."

"..alright." Riku clicked his tongue and did a finger gun, but after his face went pink. "Ignore that." And he walked down he hall, stopping by a brown door.

Sora bit his lower lip and rushed over to Roxas.

"Yes?" The blonde didn't even look away from his locker as he piled some books in.

"I have a problem."

"Well I know that. Axel says he saw everything. He's our 'eyes in the sky', remember?"

Sora laughed at their old joke, about how Axel knew everyone, and was so tall, he could disguise himself as a tree, he was their eyes in the sky.

"No, I mean I didn't just fall in literal terms." Sora ran his fingers over the crown on his chain again.

"Roxy, I think he means he fell in love," Sora jumped as he heard Axel's voice.

The redhead was leaning against Roxas's locker, towering over him.

Roxas slammed his locker shut. "Okay, first of all, don't call me that. Second," he met Sora's gaze fairly. "Who?"

"That doesn't seem important." Sora tried his hardest to avoid the question.

"Yeah, no. That isn't gonna work. I've known you for.. almost all my life." Roxas crossed his arms.

"Yeah, spill." Axel tried grabbing Roxas's hand, but the smaller boy swatted his hand away, his face dusting with pink. It was no secret they were in love, but Roxas said he wasn't ready for a relationship, but they still loved each other.

"Fiiinnneee." Sora whined. "Riku and Kairi." He murmured.

"What?" Roxas said it in a tone that sounded confused and humorous. "You can't be serious. Riku? As in, the guy who's fangirled by almost every girl in this school? And Kairi, she's every guy's dream. I should know, I used to be that guy, until I found out I was gay. Kairi's definitely your type though."

"Roxas! You know that I'm still trying to figure out myself!"

"Nah buddy. You're a bisexual mess, trust me." Axel clicked his tongue.

"So what if I am?"

The bell rung in that second.

"I'll talk to you at lunch." Roxas slung his bag over his shoulder. "Unless you have somewhere else to be?"

Sora groaned. "I promised Riku and Kairi that I'd sit with them."

"We'll tag along then. And don't worry, we won't say anything." Axel waved and walked down a different hallway.

As Sora headed to meet Riku, he ran into someone, who growled, "watch where you're going."

Sora saw someone behind him that looked like Roxas, but he had a way nicer look in his eyes than Roxas did. This boy's eyes just looked softer, was all.

"Sorry about Vanitas, he just woke up on the wrong side of the bed.. literally." The boy was holding Vanitas's hand, and Sora wondered if they were together or not.

"It's alright, it happens to the best of us." Sora smiled. "I'm Sora."

"Ventus. Call me Ven."

"How do you know Vanitas? Are you his friend?"

"Uh, no, not exactly." Ventus smiled awkwardly.

"A follower of his?"

"Nope."

"His brother?"

Ventus hesitated. "Debatable."

"His boyfriend?" Sora was beginning to be confused about this boy's relationship to his not-related cousin.

"Also debatable."

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Sorry for running into you, Sora. I thought you were Axel or something and I was gonna start yelling."

"You and Axel have the weirdest friendship, honestly." Sora then remembered that class was a thing. "Sorry, gotta go!"

And he rushed to the door. And of course, there was no seats near Riku.

Sora settled for a seat in the same row, but they were on different sides. At least he wouldn't be distracted by Riku.

Sora was wrong. All through class, he couldn't stop staring at Riku. Heck, he was glad to have written down notes, or the entire class would have just been a blank.

History was no help either. Sora just kept writing notes and watching Kairi. With the morning light behind her through the window, she looked like an angel.

And then... lunchtime rolled around.