[Fic] Absolutely Fucked Chapter 7 (KH2, Riku/Leon) Light Set
Title: Absolutely Fucked
Part: 7/14
Author: Kalloway
Fandom: KH2. Post-KH2..
Disclaimer: No implied ownership, no financial gain, only fanwork.
Characters/Pairings: Leon/Riku, Sephiroth/Cloud, Sora/Kairi, Full Cast
Rating: MA
Claim: Riku/Leon
Theme Set: Light
Theme: #7. Hope
Look, a Summary!: Four years have passed. Riku's in Radiant Garden. And Leon's in over his head.
In this Chapter: Edea helps settle Riku into Lyndal, and there is much curiosity about situation. Sharing quarters also leads to some much-needed reconciliation.
Previously: Chapter 1 | Chapter 6
Yes, this finally exists~
•••
"Edea's house is right over there," Leon said a moment later. He gestured to an almost too-grand building as they stepped into what was obviously a central area of the town. "It's roomy, so..."
Riku frowned as he glanced in each direction once. "I don't think this is right at all."
"Do you sense something?" Leon asked as he glanced around.
"No," Riku said quickly. "Nothing like that. I mean... Well, this just looks like a normal town built around some really big trees in the woods. I thought..."
"Wrong kind of faeries," Leon said. "This is a settlement of mostly light faeries, a few dark faeries, some earth faeries and maybe a few metal faeries. You're thinking of wood faeries and there are a couple of those, too. They live up there." He pointed up into the foliage above.
"Leon," Riku said with a chuckle. "I think I'm officially in over my head."
"That's one of perils of working for Cid," Leon said as he started across the open, central area to where Edea's house was. "But he's done worse."
"How worse?" Riku asked as he double-stepped to catch up.
"On the far side of Radiant Garden, on the other side of the far wall where Cid decided to put the last generator," Leon began, already trying not to chuckle, "there were these bushes..."
"Bushes," Riku echoed.
"Poisonous bushes," Leon continued. "About an acre of them and they were truly... unique in their ability to infect anyone within a decent distance of them. We had to rip them all out while dealing with the ridiculous effects of the poison."
"I'm guessing it wasn't standard itchy poison," Riku commented.
Leon chuckled again. "The spores made everyone's voices high-pitched and the leaves turned our skin purple."
Riku stopped dead and burst out laughing. "Okay," he said as he shifted his weight. "You got me - being shrunk and sent to faerie-land has nothing on that."
"That was a very weird two weeks," Leon admitted as they stepped under the entranceway of Edea's house. "I got very good at stealing the film from Yuffie's camera."
Opening the door, Leon gestured for Riku to go on in first.
"Do we just walk in?" Riku asked as he stepped in and glanced around.
"Yeah," Leon replied as he entered as well and closed the door behind himself. "You know how Yuffie always just kinda walks into a place and does whatever?"
Riku nodded.
"She'd fit right in here," Leon explained. "Try not to be too self-conscious about it. The light faeries, especially, don't quite understand the term 'privacy'."
"A whole village of Yuffie?" Riku asked with a joking frown. "I dunno..."
"Well, we can put our bags in a room and wander around," Leon said as he moved past Riku and towards the stairs. "I remember the first time I was here - the first thing I asked was 'if you can fly, why do you have stairs?'
Riku's face was blank. "Okay," he said after a moment of following behind Leon. "Why do they have stairs?"
"It's like the rules of magic," Leon explained as they began ascending. "Fae can't fly until they're a certain age. Otherwise, what would stop someone's baby from flying off and getting eaten by a bird or something. So until then, they need stairs."
Leon winced - that had been a terrible example but certainly enough to illustrate his point. Riku made a slight grunt of understanding from behind him and Leon kept walking. Edea's house was probably the largest in the village though likely not the nicest. Still, everything about it was immaculate.
"This is all wood, right?" Riku asked as he ran his hand along the wall. "So... why not live in trees?"
"Most of the buildings are made from stone or trees that have already died," Leon explained, making a mental note to sit Riku and Zell down together - the hyper blond faerie would be much better at answering the myriad of questions without sounding half as ridiculous as Leon thought he did. "And besides, light faeries don't live in trees."
"Tree faeries do."
If he hadn't made all the same mistakes his first time in Lyndal, Leon would be ready to knock Riku upside the head. But he had- and therefore he really couldn't say anything.
"Wood faeries," Leon corrected. "They're apparently indigenous to the area - the light faeries and all the others kinda moved in on them. As a result, quite a few of the wood fae went to live closer to the Viera village."
Riku shook his head. "No quiz on this later, right?"
Leon smirked and reached for the first door in the upstairs hall. The room beyond was unoccupied by anything other than furniture. Two straw beds were covered in thick quilts and a small set of shelves half-covered in books greeted Leon as he stepped inside.
"You mind sharing?" he asked as he glanced back at Riku.
"No," Riku said as he stepped in and dumped his bag off his shoulder. "Might be better. I feel like I'm about to commit some social faux pas now. And I've been to a lot of worlds with a lot of weird customs and everything, but this..."
"You weren't necessarily being careful back then, were you?" Leon asked as he walked over to the farthest bed and dumped his own bag on it.
"No," Riku admitted. "Not at all. I had a mission then..."
"You have one now," Leon reminded him. "It's just much less exciting. However, you're now the right size to read many very interesting books on faerie magic that Edea has elsewhere in the house. We might find something for you."
"Leon..." Riku paused and glanced down at the floor. "I just keep thinking that..."
"Don't," Leon interrupted as he stepped over to Riku and reached to rest a hand on Riku's shoulder. "What's done is done and the only thing we can do is try to find a cure or anti-curse or... whatever."
Riku nodded and let his gaze wander to Leon's. They stared at one another for a moment before Riku smiled.
"I'm being silly, aren't I?" he asked. "I should try to stay positive."
Before Leon could respond with whatever inspirational drivel he was going to try to absolutely wing as he spoke, Riku pulled their bodies together and kissed him. Leon wasn't exactly sure how to respond, kissing back tentatively at first and then letting his hands wander down to Riku's sides and begin reaching for Riku's shirt hem as Riku deepened the kiss. Need - lust - fear - anger... Leon couldn't pinpoint whatever emotion Riku was operating on. And for a few seconds he didn't really care, but...
Somewhere, as he was debating between exactly how wrong it would be to just go along with whatever Riku wanted no matter why Riku wanted it, a soft giggle invaded their space.
"Don't mind me," Edea said with a smile as stepped into the room. "I just wanted to make sure you had arrived."
Leon and Riku untangled themselves almost immediately, each stepping back a couple of paces and standing stiffly, staring at opposing walls as Edea as looked at them both.
"Yet you're going to mind me, aren't you?" Edea asked. "That's fine as well. The evening meal will be just after sunset. Feel free to eat here or anywhere else that'll have you."
"Thank you," Leon said quickly. "That should be enough time to show Riku around the town."
"And if you would like to get an early start on your tasks, the stone fence at the far side of the village needs work," Edea said firmly before smiling, turning and gliding out of the room.
"That was a hint, wasn't it?" Riku asked with a soft chuckle. "She's not exactly subtle."
"Depends on what you think she said," Leon replied. He wanted to smile. Edea had only spoken a handful of sentences but each one had been rife with meaning. "We should take a walk."
"I guess," Riku said. He glanced around the room again. "This isn't going to be too awkward, is it?"
"Only if you're intent on making as many silly, human mistakes as you can," Leon answered, dodging Riku's real question as best as he could. Honestly, he didn't have an answer. Things were going to be what they were. Leon stepped into the hallway and headed for the stairs. Part of him wanted to leave Riku on his own to see how many silly, human mistakes he would make - because Riku would, after all. Everyone did.
"That's not..." Riku trailed off as he followed Leon into the hallway. "Well... wait up, okay?"
"We're going to take a look at that wall, too," Leon added. "Might be an easy fix."
"You really care about everyone here, don't you?" Riku asked as they headed out the front door.
"The faerie-folk have been quite helpful over the years and have become good friends," Leon answered. "So yes, I suppose I do care about the residents here..."
Riku smiled. "I suppose I can worry about them, then. I need to be a little less selfish..."
"I don't know about that," Leon interrupted, guiding them both off to the left. "You have a lot to worry about."
"But none of it right now," Riku replied. "Not today, not tomorrow."
Leon chuckled. Every time he thought he'd started to figure Riku out, the young man threw him another curve ball. But he remembered what he was like at that age and couldn't say anything. At nineteen, he was in Traverse Town, trying to figure out who he was in the face of losing most everything and needing to protect what little he did have left.
Riku was really doing a good job with what he was going through. And Leon knew he should probably say that - when the time was right.
But the time was not right. Instead he pointed out the general store and motioned that perhaps they should step inside.
More than an hour later, when the sun had dropped beneath the trees and lanterns and firepots had been lit around the town, Leon and Riku headed back towards Edea's house. They had gotten the stone fence back together without any trouble, and Leon thought it was more than enough progress for the first evening.
"So what do faeries eat?" Riku asked as Edea's house came into sight.
"Same stuff we do," Leon replied. "Quite a bit less meat, but otherwise..."
"Oh..."
"Especially now," Leon continued. "With friendly relations with Radiant Garden and other towns, they're incorporating more of our food into their diets."
Riku nodded. "Makes sense," he said. "Yet again, not sure what I was expecting... but it makes sense."
"Don't worry about asking silly questions, either," Leon reminded him. "Nothing could be worse than some of the things I asked about my first time here. And you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll adapt to life here."
"Personal experience again?" Riku questioned.
Leon nodded as he opened the door for Riku. Neither of them was expecting the group that had gathered in the dining area, apparently waiting for their return. They both paused, glancing at one another before looking back at the group.
Aside from Edea, Zack, Paine, Zell and Rikku, another half-dozen fae were waiting with barely-restrained curiosity.
"Welcome back," Edea said as she gestured to the fully spread table. "It seems that everyone wants to spend time with you."
"Just don't overwhelm us with job requests," Leon said. Faeries could certainly be pushy and he was afraid that everyone had an agenda all their own. "We can only do one thing at a time."
"Leon!" Edea exclaimed with a laugh. "They all know that you belong to me." She smiled and Leon couldn't help but laugh as well. Edea had done her best to be a mother figure to him. Though to Riku...
"C'mon, let's eat," Zack said. "There'll be plenty of time for talking."
"With your mouth full," Paine added flatly.
"Sit up with me," Edea said as she pointed to the head of the table.
"Of course, Matron," Leon replied. He stepped to one side and waved Riku to the other side of the table. Hopefully Riku would be okay out of whisper-range. There wasn't any visible emotion on Riku's face. They were both just going to have to wing it.
"Reasonable behavior, please," Edea said to the rest of the group. "Keep your silly questions to yourselves."
"But I wanted to know why he has a curse on him," a young, purple-haired girl said as she pointed at Riku. "I bet it's a really interesting story."
"Hush, Eiko," one of her companions, a brown-haired woman, said quickly before apologizing. "I'm so sorry."
Leon had known her instantly - her name was Rinoa and she's decided to attach herself to him the first time he'd visited. It had been interesting, but troublesome. Still, he considered her in the category of 'friend'. She reminded him very much of a young woman he'd been quite close to in Traverse Town many years before.
"It's... okay," Riku said slowly as he sat. "I... I knew it would come up."
Edea sighed. "Let us fill our stomachs before we fill our minds," she said.
"Sounds good to me," Zell commented. "We might as well get the easy stuff out of the way."
Eiko simply frowned, looking annoyed that her query had been dismissed so quickly, even if it was just temporary. But once Edea gestured that they could all start passing dishes, her expression changed and like Zell, she became far more interested in eating than anything else.
Though from time to time, her gaze did flick over to Riku with an obvious curiosity.
Mostly, Edea steered the conversation as subtly as she could, something Leon was well aware of and appreciated but obviously couldn't comment on until later. She spoke of the Spring and of some of the other faerie villages nearby that would perhaps eventually seek to become allies with Radiant Garden.
Later, when stomachs were filled and dishes were cleared, Edea herself was the one to broach Riku's condition.
"Now, young man, before the curious young minds around us explode from curiosity, please tell the tale of how you got to be so thoroughly cursed." Her tone was even and her expression told even less. Leon couldn't get a read on her and turned his attention instead to Riku.
"I don't know where to begin," Riku admitted. He looked to Leon, obviously lost, and their eyes met for a long second. They had words to speak later.
"The very beginning," Leon suggested. "With your aunt..."
Riku nodded. And then he took a deep breath. Eiko was practically standing on her seat in anticipation, small wings out for balance.
"I was found as an infant," Riku started, "by my Aunt Freya Crescent, a Burmecian..."
~*~
"I don't know if I should feel lighter or better or what," Riku said as he flopped back onto one of the straw beds.
"Mmm?" Leon hadn’t meant to miss part of that statement, but between the crackle of the straw under Riku's weight and the zipper of his duffel jamming up and acting as a perfect distraction, he wasn't quite putting all the words in Riku's sentence together in the proper order.
Instead of repeating, though, Riku seemed to assume that Leon wanted an expansion of his statement, which was fine. It was enough for Leon to fill in the blanks as he gave up on his bag.
"You know... telling them all of that should make me feel better, right? I think I do, but there's just..."
"You don't have to feel twenty pounds lighter just yet," Leon said quickly. "You just have to relax a little while you're here."
"Easier said than done when this is an all-work, no-play 'vacation'," Riku reminded him, rolling onto his side and watching Leon for a long moment. "Though fixing that wall took what, a half-hour? And it's finished and shouldn't need more work..."
"Would have taken someone like Zell five hours, and he's smart and capable," Leon replied. He circled around his bed and sat, surprised that it didn't feel at all like straw beneath him even though he knew that's what it was.
"But... I suppose I can't fly or teleport or any of that stuff," Riku said with the faintest of hand-motions. "Anyway, it's nice to just be somewhere that isn't really anywhere familiar, where I get to do things that I really know are good."
He paused for a moment.
"Because I can trust..."
The word caught them both off guard, and instead of continuing, Riku simply reached.
There was enough space on Riku's straw bed for two, definitely. Leon didn't say a word - he simply went.
"Because I can trust the people I'm with," Riku repeated softly, before Leon kissed him. They hadn't really hesitated to be physical while wandering around town and fixing the stone wall, but that was just lingering touches. Enough to help heal.
The bed crackled under them as they moved, Leon pinning Riku on his back before kissing him again. He touched and tasted, a little surprised with himself because he'd insisted that all of this would be at Riku's own pace.
"Leon?"
He froze, afraid he'd pushed too far.
"Should have done this sooner."
Nevermind.
"Didn't want to push things," Leon said as he pushed up the bottom of Riku's shirt to slide his palm along the warm plain of Riku's stomach.
"Didn't want to make more of a mess," Riku replied as he tangled his fingers in Leon's hair. "Do we have any idea what we're even doing together?"
"Heavy labor, two weeks," Leon replied with a chuckle. He wasn't exactly opposed to having a deep, soul-searching conversation about exactly where their relationship was heading, because it definitely was still heading somewhere, but this just wasn't quite when he planned to have it. Not with a partial-erection pressing against his pants and Riku beneath him in the same state.
"Good enough for now," Riku replied. It was his turn to take over a kiss and do his best to get some of Leon's clothing off, though after another minute it just turned into a mad scramble to get naked and get back onto the bed.
"This is comfortable, for straw," Riku noted as he pulled Leon to him. "If it wasn't so noisy..."
"You won't even notice it after the first day," Leon said. That, he knew from experience.
"Won't be noticing it in the near future," Riku corrected before pausing. "Though..."
Leon immediately thought of his duffel, with the jammed zipper, because of course he had packed lubricant just in case and now it was on the other side of the room and nothing would kill the mood more than fighting with a stuck zipper for five minutes. Though that was thankfully an assumption and not from personal experience.
"Check the night-table," Leon said, both hopeful and not that Edea had taken the care to inform someone in the house that certain accommodations might be necessary.
"Nn?" But Riku reached anyway, finding a half-hidden drawer and tugging it open. "There's..."
"Thought there might be."
"Would be rude not to..." Riku's aqua-green eyes sparkled in the lamp-light and he reached to grab the bottle of oil left for them.
"Would be," Leon concurred, letting Riku guide him onto his stomach and settling. Now it was time to let Riku go at his own speed. His erection was pressed between the thick quilt on the bed and his stomach, but he could wait. He knew it would be good, soon.
Riku settled between his legs a moment later, pushing them farther apart, but not by much. Riku's hands were warm on his skin, though Leon didn't think the room was particularly cold. No, Riku was just hot, which helped negate the coolness of the oil when Riku brushed wet fingers against the small of Leon's back, teasing.
Leon couldn't help a small moan. He didn't think he was desperate, not quite yet, but he'd get there quick if Riku didn't do something.
Riku didn't make him wait. Slick fingers trailed lower, down between his buttocks and pausing at his ring of tight muscle. Leon could feel more oil being splashed about, unconcerned as Riku's fingers pressed inside of him. He gasped, but Riku didn't pause. The motion and pressure was going straight to his cock, though, and he squirmed a bit to try to relieve some of it. "Nn... Riku..."
"Don't want to hurt you," Riku said softly as he pulled his fingers back. "Just..."
"Mmm?"
"Want..." Riku managed, as Leon felt the tip of Riku's erection pressing against him. That said more than words, and Leon moaned as he was penetrated. Riku thrust fully, pausing only a moment.
Unsure if it was an after-effect of Edea's magic or if it was just because it had been so long, but Leon was hyperaware of every move Riku made, every touch of Riku's fingers and also the delicious friction of his cock against the bed, slicked as Riku jammed a hand under to try to help him out.
Riku was not gentle with his movements, which Leon found himself quite enjoying. He was glad they were on a flat, sturdy surface, at least. He grabbed at the top edge of the bed, needing to do something like holding on as Riku's thrusts grew even harder and faster. Leon was pretty sure they came together, but his own orgasm trumped his senses and all he could focus on was his own pleasure.
Lingering only a moment, Riku flopped to the side. As he eased himself onto his side, Leon was surprised with how wet he was. Sweat, oil, come...
Riku was watching him, silent, through wide eyes that seemed almost surprised at what had just happened.
"Riku?"
Riku shook his head quickly. "I'm okay... just... wow." And then he looked away. "I... didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No," Leon replied, reaching. "Gonna need to wash up, though."
"Not yet," Riku replied, looking back and smiling.
Leon thought about reminding Riku that they'd have to be up and to work early the next morning. But the words were lost when Riku kissed him and started exploring his body anew.
Maybe Edea would let them sleep in...
Part: 7/14
Author: Kalloway
Fandom: KH2. Post-KH2..
Disclaimer: No implied ownership, no financial gain, only fanwork.
Characters/Pairings: Leon/Riku, Sephiroth/Cloud, Sora/Kairi, Full Cast
Rating: MA
Claim: Riku/Leon
Theme Set: Light
Theme: #7. Hope
Look, a Summary!: Four years have passed. Riku's in Radiant Garden. And Leon's in over his head.
In this Chapter: Edea helps settle Riku into Lyndal, and there is much curiosity about situation. Sharing quarters also leads to some much-needed reconciliation.
Previously: Chapter 1 | Chapter 6
Yes, this finally exists~
•••
"Edea's house is right over there," Leon said a moment later. He gestured to an almost too-grand building as they stepped into what was obviously a central area of the town. "It's roomy, so..."
Riku frowned as he glanced in each direction once. "I don't think this is right at all."
"Do you sense something?" Leon asked as he glanced around.
"No," Riku said quickly. "Nothing like that. I mean... Well, this just looks like a normal town built around some really big trees in the woods. I thought..."
"Wrong kind of faeries," Leon said. "This is a settlement of mostly light faeries, a few dark faeries, some earth faeries and maybe a few metal faeries. You're thinking of wood faeries and there are a couple of those, too. They live up there." He pointed up into the foliage above.
"Leon," Riku said with a chuckle. "I think I'm officially in over my head."
"That's one of perils of working for Cid," Leon said as he started across the open, central area to where Edea's house was. "But he's done worse."
"How worse?" Riku asked as he double-stepped to catch up.
"On the far side of Radiant Garden, on the other side of the far wall where Cid decided to put the last generator," Leon began, already trying not to chuckle, "there were these bushes..."
"Bushes," Riku echoed.
"Poisonous bushes," Leon continued. "About an acre of them and they were truly... unique in their ability to infect anyone within a decent distance of them. We had to rip them all out while dealing with the ridiculous effects of the poison."
"I'm guessing it wasn't standard itchy poison," Riku commented.
Leon chuckled again. "The spores made everyone's voices high-pitched and the leaves turned our skin purple."
Riku stopped dead and burst out laughing. "Okay," he said as he shifted his weight. "You got me - being shrunk and sent to faerie-land has nothing on that."
"That was a very weird two weeks," Leon admitted as they stepped under the entranceway of Edea's house. "I got very good at stealing the film from Yuffie's camera."
Opening the door, Leon gestured for Riku to go on in first.
"Do we just walk in?" Riku asked as he stepped in and glanced around.
"Yeah," Leon replied as he entered as well and closed the door behind himself. "You know how Yuffie always just kinda walks into a place and does whatever?"
Riku nodded.
"She'd fit right in here," Leon explained. "Try not to be too self-conscious about it. The light faeries, especially, don't quite understand the term 'privacy'."
"A whole village of Yuffie?" Riku asked with a joking frown. "I dunno..."
"Well, we can put our bags in a room and wander around," Leon said as he moved past Riku and towards the stairs. "I remember the first time I was here - the first thing I asked was 'if you can fly, why do you have stairs?'
Riku's face was blank. "Okay," he said after a moment of following behind Leon. "Why do they have stairs?"
"It's like the rules of magic," Leon explained as they began ascending. "Fae can't fly until they're a certain age. Otherwise, what would stop someone's baby from flying off and getting eaten by a bird or something. So until then, they need stairs."
Leon winced - that had been a terrible example but certainly enough to illustrate his point. Riku made a slight grunt of understanding from behind him and Leon kept walking. Edea's house was probably the largest in the village though likely not the nicest. Still, everything about it was immaculate.
"This is all wood, right?" Riku asked as he ran his hand along the wall. "So... why not live in trees?"
"Most of the buildings are made from stone or trees that have already died," Leon explained, making a mental note to sit Riku and Zell down together - the hyper blond faerie would be much better at answering the myriad of questions without sounding half as ridiculous as Leon thought he did. "And besides, light faeries don't live in trees."
"Tree faeries do."
If he hadn't made all the same mistakes his first time in Lyndal, Leon would be ready to knock Riku upside the head. But he had- and therefore he really couldn't say anything.
"Wood faeries," Leon corrected. "They're apparently indigenous to the area - the light faeries and all the others kinda moved in on them. As a result, quite a few of the wood fae went to live closer to the Viera village."
Riku shook his head. "No quiz on this later, right?"
Leon smirked and reached for the first door in the upstairs hall. The room beyond was unoccupied by anything other than furniture. Two straw beds were covered in thick quilts and a small set of shelves half-covered in books greeted Leon as he stepped inside.
"You mind sharing?" he asked as he glanced back at Riku.
"No," Riku said as he stepped in and dumped his bag off his shoulder. "Might be better. I feel like I'm about to commit some social faux pas now. And I've been to a lot of worlds with a lot of weird customs and everything, but this..."
"You weren't necessarily being careful back then, were you?" Leon asked as he walked over to the farthest bed and dumped his own bag on it.
"No," Riku admitted. "Not at all. I had a mission then..."
"You have one now," Leon reminded him. "It's just much less exciting. However, you're now the right size to read many very interesting books on faerie magic that Edea has elsewhere in the house. We might find something for you."
"Leon..." Riku paused and glanced down at the floor. "I just keep thinking that..."
"Don't," Leon interrupted as he stepped over to Riku and reached to rest a hand on Riku's shoulder. "What's done is done and the only thing we can do is try to find a cure or anti-curse or... whatever."
Riku nodded and let his gaze wander to Leon's. They stared at one another for a moment before Riku smiled.
"I'm being silly, aren't I?" he asked. "I should try to stay positive."
Before Leon could respond with whatever inspirational drivel he was going to try to absolutely wing as he spoke, Riku pulled their bodies together and kissed him. Leon wasn't exactly sure how to respond, kissing back tentatively at first and then letting his hands wander down to Riku's sides and begin reaching for Riku's shirt hem as Riku deepened the kiss. Need - lust - fear - anger... Leon couldn't pinpoint whatever emotion Riku was operating on. And for a few seconds he didn't really care, but...
Somewhere, as he was debating between exactly how wrong it would be to just go along with whatever Riku wanted no matter why Riku wanted it, a soft giggle invaded their space.
"Don't mind me," Edea said with a smile as stepped into the room. "I just wanted to make sure you had arrived."
Leon and Riku untangled themselves almost immediately, each stepping back a couple of paces and standing stiffly, staring at opposing walls as Edea as looked at them both.
"Yet you're going to mind me, aren't you?" Edea asked. "That's fine as well. The evening meal will be just after sunset. Feel free to eat here or anywhere else that'll have you."
"Thank you," Leon said quickly. "That should be enough time to show Riku around the town."
"And if you would like to get an early start on your tasks, the stone fence at the far side of the village needs work," Edea said firmly before smiling, turning and gliding out of the room.
"That was a hint, wasn't it?" Riku asked with a soft chuckle. "She's not exactly subtle."
"Depends on what you think she said," Leon replied. He wanted to smile. Edea had only spoken a handful of sentences but each one had been rife with meaning. "We should take a walk."
"I guess," Riku said. He glanced around the room again. "This isn't going to be too awkward, is it?"
"Only if you're intent on making as many silly, human mistakes as you can," Leon answered, dodging Riku's real question as best as he could. Honestly, he didn't have an answer. Things were going to be what they were. Leon stepped into the hallway and headed for the stairs. Part of him wanted to leave Riku on his own to see how many silly, human mistakes he would make - because Riku would, after all. Everyone did.
"That's not..." Riku trailed off as he followed Leon into the hallway. "Well... wait up, okay?"
"We're going to take a look at that wall, too," Leon added. "Might be an easy fix."
"You really care about everyone here, don't you?" Riku asked as they headed out the front door.
"The faerie-folk have been quite helpful over the years and have become good friends," Leon answered. "So yes, I suppose I do care about the residents here..."
Riku smiled. "I suppose I can worry about them, then. I need to be a little less selfish..."
"I don't know about that," Leon interrupted, guiding them both off to the left. "You have a lot to worry about."
"But none of it right now," Riku replied. "Not today, not tomorrow."
Leon chuckled. Every time he thought he'd started to figure Riku out, the young man threw him another curve ball. But he remembered what he was like at that age and couldn't say anything. At nineteen, he was in Traverse Town, trying to figure out who he was in the face of losing most everything and needing to protect what little he did have left.
Riku was really doing a good job with what he was going through. And Leon knew he should probably say that - when the time was right.
But the time was not right. Instead he pointed out the general store and motioned that perhaps they should step inside.
More than an hour later, when the sun had dropped beneath the trees and lanterns and firepots had been lit around the town, Leon and Riku headed back towards Edea's house. They had gotten the stone fence back together without any trouble, and Leon thought it was more than enough progress for the first evening.
"So what do faeries eat?" Riku asked as Edea's house came into sight.
"Same stuff we do," Leon replied. "Quite a bit less meat, but otherwise..."
"Oh..."
"Especially now," Leon continued. "With friendly relations with Radiant Garden and other towns, they're incorporating more of our food into their diets."
Riku nodded. "Makes sense," he said. "Yet again, not sure what I was expecting... but it makes sense."
"Don't worry about asking silly questions, either," Leon reminded him. "Nothing could be worse than some of the things I asked about my first time here. And you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll adapt to life here."
"Personal experience again?" Riku questioned.
Leon nodded as he opened the door for Riku. Neither of them was expecting the group that had gathered in the dining area, apparently waiting for their return. They both paused, glancing at one another before looking back at the group.
Aside from Edea, Zack, Paine, Zell and Rikku, another half-dozen fae were waiting with barely-restrained curiosity.
"Welcome back," Edea said as she gestured to the fully spread table. "It seems that everyone wants to spend time with you."
"Just don't overwhelm us with job requests," Leon said. Faeries could certainly be pushy and he was afraid that everyone had an agenda all their own. "We can only do one thing at a time."
"Leon!" Edea exclaimed with a laugh. "They all know that you belong to me." She smiled and Leon couldn't help but laugh as well. Edea had done her best to be a mother figure to him. Though to Riku...
"C'mon, let's eat," Zack said. "There'll be plenty of time for talking."
"With your mouth full," Paine added flatly.
"Sit up with me," Edea said as she pointed to the head of the table.
"Of course, Matron," Leon replied. He stepped to one side and waved Riku to the other side of the table. Hopefully Riku would be okay out of whisper-range. There wasn't any visible emotion on Riku's face. They were both just going to have to wing it.
"Reasonable behavior, please," Edea said to the rest of the group. "Keep your silly questions to yourselves."
"But I wanted to know why he has a curse on him," a young, purple-haired girl said as she pointed at Riku. "I bet it's a really interesting story."
"Hush, Eiko," one of her companions, a brown-haired woman, said quickly before apologizing. "I'm so sorry."
Leon had known her instantly - her name was Rinoa and she's decided to attach herself to him the first time he'd visited. It had been interesting, but troublesome. Still, he considered her in the category of 'friend'. She reminded him very much of a young woman he'd been quite close to in Traverse Town many years before.
"It's... okay," Riku said slowly as he sat. "I... I knew it would come up."
Edea sighed. "Let us fill our stomachs before we fill our minds," she said.
"Sounds good to me," Zell commented. "We might as well get the easy stuff out of the way."
Eiko simply frowned, looking annoyed that her query had been dismissed so quickly, even if it was just temporary. But once Edea gestured that they could all start passing dishes, her expression changed and like Zell, she became far more interested in eating than anything else.
Though from time to time, her gaze did flick over to Riku with an obvious curiosity.
Mostly, Edea steered the conversation as subtly as she could, something Leon was well aware of and appreciated but obviously couldn't comment on until later. She spoke of the Spring and of some of the other faerie villages nearby that would perhaps eventually seek to become allies with Radiant Garden.
Later, when stomachs were filled and dishes were cleared, Edea herself was the one to broach Riku's condition.
"Now, young man, before the curious young minds around us explode from curiosity, please tell the tale of how you got to be so thoroughly cursed." Her tone was even and her expression told even less. Leon couldn't get a read on her and turned his attention instead to Riku.
"I don't know where to begin," Riku admitted. He looked to Leon, obviously lost, and their eyes met for a long second. They had words to speak later.
"The very beginning," Leon suggested. "With your aunt..."
Riku nodded. And then he took a deep breath. Eiko was practically standing on her seat in anticipation, small wings out for balance.
"I was found as an infant," Riku started, "by my Aunt Freya Crescent, a Burmecian..."
~*~
"I don't know if I should feel lighter or better or what," Riku said as he flopped back onto one of the straw beds.
"Mmm?" Leon hadn’t meant to miss part of that statement, but between the crackle of the straw under Riku's weight and the zipper of his duffel jamming up and acting as a perfect distraction, he wasn't quite putting all the words in Riku's sentence together in the proper order.
Instead of repeating, though, Riku seemed to assume that Leon wanted an expansion of his statement, which was fine. It was enough for Leon to fill in the blanks as he gave up on his bag.
"You know... telling them all of that should make me feel better, right? I think I do, but there's just..."
"You don't have to feel twenty pounds lighter just yet," Leon said quickly. "You just have to relax a little while you're here."
"Easier said than done when this is an all-work, no-play 'vacation'," Riku reminded him, rolling onto his side and watching Leon for a long moment. "Though fixing that wall took what, a half-hour? And it's finished and shouldn't need more work..."
"Would have taken someone like Zell five hours, and he's smart and capable," Leon replied. He circled around his bed and sat, surprised that it didn't feel at all like straw beneath him even though he knew that's what it was.
"But... I suppose I can't fly or teleport or any of that stuff," Riku said with the faintest of hand-motions. "Anyway, it's nice to just be somewhere that isn't really anywhere familiar, where I get to do things that I really know are good."
He paused for a moment.
"Because I can trust..."
The word caught them both off guard, and instead of continuing, Riku simply reached.
There was enough space on Riku's straw bed for two, definitely. Leon didn't say a word - he simply went.
"Because I can trust the people I'm with," Riku repeated softly, before Leon kissed him. They hadn't really hesitated to be physical while wandering around town and fixing the stone wall, but that was just lingering touches. Enough to help heal.
The bed crackled under them as they moved, Leon pinning Riku on his back before kissing him again. He touched and tasted, a little surprised with himself because he'd insisted that all of this would be at Riku's own pace.
"Leon?"
He froze, afraid he'd pushed too far.
"Should have done this sooner."
Nevermind.
"Didn't want to push things," Leon said as he pushed up the bottom of Riku's shirt to slide his palm along the warm plain of Riku's stomach.
"Didn't want to make more of a mess," Riku replied as he tangled his fingers in Leon's hair. "Do we have any idea what we're even doing together?"
"Heavy labor, two weeks," Leon replied with a chuckle. He wasn't exactly opposed to having a deep, soul-searching conversation about exactly where their relationship was heading, because it definitely was still heading somewhere, but this just wasn't quite when he planned to have it. Not with a partial-erection pressing against his pants and Riku beneath him in the same state.
"Good enough for now," Riku replied. It was his turn to take over a kiss and do his best to get some of Leon's clothing off, though after another minute it just turned into a mad scramble to get naked and get back onto the bed.
"This is comfortable, for straw," Riku noted as he pulled Leon to him. "If it wasn't so noisy..."
"You won't even notice it after the first day," Leon said. That, he knew from experience.
"Won't be noticing it in the near future," Riku corrected before pausing. "Though..."
Leon immediately thought of his duffel, with the jammed zipper, because of course he had packed lubricant just in case and now it was on the other side of the room and nothing would kill the mood more than fighting with a stuck zipper for five minutes. Though that was thankfully an assumption and not from personal experience.
"Check the night-table," Leon said, both hopeful and not that Edea had taken the care to inform someone in the house that certain accommodations might be necessary.
"Nn?" But Riku reached anyway, finding a half-hidden drawer and tugging it open. "There's..."
"Thought there might be."
"Would be rude not to..." Riku's aqua-green eyes sparkled in the lamp-light and he reached to grab the bottle of oil left for them.
"Would be," Leon concurred, letting Riku guide him onto his stomach and settling. Now it was time to let Riku go at his own speed. His erection was pressed between the thick quilt on the bed and his stomach, but he could wait. He knew it would be good, soon.
Riku settled between his legs a moment later, pushing them farther apart, but not by much. Riku's hands were warm on his skin, though Leon didn't think the room was particularly cold. No, Riku was just hot, which helped negate the coolness of the oil when Riku brushed wet fingers against the small of Leon's back, teasing.
Leon couldn't help a small moan. He didn't think he was desperate, not quite yet, but he'd get there quick if Riku didn't do something.
Riku didn't make him wait. Slick fingers trailed lower, down between his buttocks and pausing at his ring of tight muscle. Leon could feel more oil being splashed about, unconcerned as Riku's fingers pressed inside of him. He gasped, but Riku didn't pause. The motion and pressure was going straight to his cock, though, and he squirmed a bit to try to relieve some of it. "Nn... Riku..."
"Don't want to hurt you," Riku said softly as he pulled his fingers back. "Just..."
"Mmm?"
"Want..." Riku managed, as Leon felt the tip of Riku's erection pressing against him. That said more than words, and Leon moaned as he was penetrated. Riku thrust fully, pausing only a moment.
Unsure if it was an after-effect of Edea's magic or if it was just because it had been so long, but Leon was hyperaware of every move Riku made, every touch of Riku's fingers and also the delicious friction of his cock against the bed, slicked as Riku jammed a hand under to try to help him out.
Riku was not gentle with his movements, which Leon found himself quite enjoying. He was glad they were on a flat, sturdy surface, at least. He grabbed at the top edge of the bed, needing to do something like holding on as Riku's thrusts grew even harder and faster. Leon was pretty sure they came together, but his own orgasm trumped his senses and all he could focus on was his own pleasure.
Lingering only a moment, Riku flopped to the side. As he eased himself onto his side, Leon was surprised with how wet he was. Sweat, oil, come...
Riku was watching him, silent, through wide eyes that seemed almost surprised at what had just happened.
"Riku?"
Riku shook his head quickly. "I'm okay... just... wow." And then he looked away. "I... didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No," Leon replied, reaching. "Gonna need to wash up, though."
"Not yet," Riku replied, looking back and smiling.
Leon thought about reminding Riku that they'd have to be up and to work early the next morning. But the words were lost when Riku kissed him and started exploring his body anew.
Maybe Edea would let them sleep in...