(Untitled)

[tall_dark_and]

There is one Riku, outside the bar, sitting at the lakeside. His shoes are off and his pantslegs are rolled up, his feet in the water. His eyes are closed and he seems to be reflecting on something.

But even if he's thinking a lot about something, he wouldn't be opposed to company. It'd probably be a lot better than his thoughts.

Comments

[keyblade_girl]

A pair of hands covers his eyes from behind.

The perpetrator of this indignity is smiling slightly and making no noise.

Three guesses as to who it might be?

[tall_dark_and]

Riku has an edge on anyone else this trick might be played on - he's been used to the darkness for the past few weeks, and having her hands over his eyes makes no difference. What does make a difference is the fact that his other senses have sharpened, and he's able to quickly pick out her identity because of this.

"Should I act confused?" he asks, quietly, and can't help but smile slightly himself - despite his mood, only a moment ago. "Or pretend like I want to get away?"

That would take a lot of pretending!

[keyblade_girl]

She laughs, slipping her hands from his eyes again.

"You could pretend, if you wanted to -" she says her tone light, conversational, "- but I would prefer there was no pretense between us. And personally, I'm selfish enough to hope you want me stick around."

Still behind him, she briefly wraps her arms around his neck, her head and his touching - for the span of a heartbeat or two - and then lets him go again.

[tall_dark_and]

"You don't need to hope about that," Riku says, and reachs back, trying to catch ahold of her hand so he can pull at it gently. He's trying to get her to sit with him. "I always want you around."

[keyblade_girl]

She doesn't need convincing! She quickly settles herself onto the grass beside him. There's maybe a centimeter of distance between them - just close enough so there can be no doubt she's there.

Thus seated, she looks at him, suddenly very aware that he has yet to look at her. Yet to make eye contact. She can sense that something is wrong - very wrong. She's afraid to ask him about it. Afraid of what he'll say if she does.

So she doesn't. Well, not quite.

"Riku, if I told you I was in trouble, that I needed help - would you help me?"

[tall_dark_and]

Riku is a little startled by this question, his eyes fluttering open a moment before they close once more. "Of course I would," he says, his voice firm. "You don't even have to ask that."

[keyblade_girl]

"Good" she says simply, absentmindedly twisting the bracelet Sora made her around her wrist.

"Then that means you know full well that this level of friendship goes both ways. And you know me well enough to know that I'm stubborn enough to help you, even when you're too stubborn to ask me for it." she says this last bit sweetly.

And she waits for that to sink in.

[tall_dark_and]

Riku may or may not twitch a little at that.

"Stubborn has nothing to do with it," he says, lamely, even though he knows otherwise. "It's just something I've dealt with already."

LIE!

[keyblade_girl]

And they both know it.

"Liar." she says, with a sigh.

"You may think you're sparing me from something - trying not to be a burden or something ridiculous like that - but you're not. By not telling me what's happening Riku, you're only making me worry more, not less."

She reaches over and takes one of his hands.

"Pretending to be strong and being strong aren't the same thing. The strongest people are the ones who acknowledge their weaknesses and let others help them to become stronger. You and Sora taught me that."

[tall_dark_and]

"It's not just sparing you," Riku says. He doesn't pull his hand away, but squeezes hers gently, instead. "I'm embarassed, too. Ashamed of being an idiot."

And he doesn't really want her to know about all his stupid mistakes.

[keyblade_girl]

She giggles.

"So you're telling me this is the first time you've ever been an idiot?" she says archly. "Because I have it on excellent authority that that isn't the case."

[tall_dark_and]

"....." Riku expresses, unable to find any words for a long moment. Finally -

- "I asked for that one, didn't I?"

sheesh.

[keyblade_girl]

"A little bit," she admits.

"But I'm only telling you because I think you need to hear it. I think you forget sometimes, that you don't have to fight all alone. Your friend's trust you, Riku. We trust you to go off and do whatever it is you need to do - and then that you'll come back."

She squeezes his hand tightly.

"Some of us are just more patient that others."

[tall_dark_and]

"And is this an unpatient moment?" Riku inquires.

He is taking her words to heart, really. But he's still not sure how ready he is. But at the same time, it feels inherently wrong for Sora to be aware of things that she isn't.

[keyblade_girl]

"Ma-a-a-ybe," she says grinning. "I'm patient, not a saint."

She pokes him in the arm with her free hand.

"Talk to me, you."

[Please.]

[tall_dark_and]

"It's long," Riku says, "And complicated. How much time do you have?"

He knows her answer already. She'll have just as much time for him as he has for her - as much time as necessary.