A/N: I was browsing through random writing prompts and came upon one that caught my interest-warmth. Now, Riku x Zexion isn't a pairing that you would think of that would give you WAFF (Warm and Fluffy Feelings), but I adore this pair enough to try and attempt it, while keeping the characters in character. Writing a romance story with Zexion-or any Nobody, with the fact they lack a heart is a challenge in itself, but I wanted to attempt it. Also, this is a story that came about at 5:20am and was completed at 5:50am, with my girlfriend watching me write the whole time on Skype. Any errors that I never spotted can be blamed on 5am writing.
Warning: WAFF, possible OOCness, 5am writing, shounen-ai.
Pairing: Riku x Zexion.
Prompt: Warmth.
Heartbeat
"Your heartbeat is the closest thing to knowing what a heart feels like."
The rain pattered against the window, the skies over the normally sunny Destiny Islands dark. The rain storm had come suddenly, and everyone had barely managed to scramble inside before getting soaked. This held true for a slate haired intellect and a silver haired young man, but the younger of the pair was more annoyed that his Lexicon had been almost ruined by the "deplorable sudden downpour", as he had put it. The older had just laughed before taking a towel and drying off his petite lover, pecking his cheek at the glare he was sending his way. Of course, the older knew that his lover wasn't mad at him—he was more annoyed that his precious book had gotten even one drop of water on it.
The pair, at this current time, was curled up on the older's couch, a blanket wrapped around them. The blue eyed teen had his head resting on his lover's chest, while the silveret had his arms wrapped around his petite lover as a soap opera blared on the television. "Where is the entertainment in seeing actors act out pathetic sob stories in an attempt to make us feel sorry for them?" the teen muttered in distaste, blue eyes narrowing in annoyance.
"The selection of entertainment on Destiny Islands sucks, Zexion." Riku murmured in response, gently ruffling slate blue locks with his fingers. A smile graced his face as his smaller lover cuddled closer to his body, and his aqua eyes looked outside at the rain, a sigh passing through him. "I hate the rain. It makes me depressed, seeing the dark skies and water everywhere."
"I find that the rain pattering against the window is a soothing tune." Zexion retorted, cuddling closer to Riku's warmth. His pale hands gripped onto the older man's blue sweater, and he nuzzled his face into the wool, feeling as content as he could—taking into account that he lacked a heart.
Riku's aqua eyes set themselves on Zexion, feeling rather confused about why he was acting so, affectionate, but he enjoyed it. Instead, he asked, "You enjoy my chest or something?"
"Your heartbeat is soothing," was the smaller man's response, his face still nuzzled into the wool of Riku's sweater.
The older man felt his face heat up, but he shook his head as he rested his cheek against Zexion's head. "It's not that soothing, is it?"
"Yes, since I lack a heart of my own. Listening to your heartbeat is the closest I am getting to knowing what a heart feels like." the intellect whispered in response.
Sadness passed through Riku as he remembered that Zexion, indeed, lacked a heart. Sometimes it was a fact he forgot at how affectionate the cloaked schemer acted at times, but he was always drawn back to reality whenever he fell asleep against the smaller man's chest and never heard a heartbeat. The older man assumed that the little acts of "love" they shared were nothing but memories of what love felt like—the memories were Ienzo's, not Zexion's own. It was a topic that was brought up sometimes, but whenever Zexion sensed Riku was getting upset, he would put a finger against his lips and whisper "Enough."
"I wish Kingdom Hearts would have worked without having to destroy the worlds." Riku murmured, wrapping his arms tighter around the Nobody. Zexion seemed to enjoy it as he leaned closer into the silveret. "That way, you would have a heart of your own, instead of memories of what emotions are."
The intellect sighed quietly—this was a discussion he often had with Riku, and it was one that often ended with the silveret being upset at his lack of a heart. He wrapped his arms around Riku's more muscular frame, gently hugging his boyfriend as if he was reassuring him. "Riku, yes, I lack my own emotions—they are entirely based on Ienzo and the memories of what they felt like. However, in order for me to feel even a memory of love, I must care about the individual themselves. So, yes, the emotions I possess are nothing but memories, but you are the one that bring them out, not anyone else."
Zexion had a way with words, and Riku knew that, but as reassuring as his words were, he still felt himself getting upset—a common occurrence. "I know all of that, but Zex—"
"Shhh." The schemer shushed the older man with a finger to his lips, before closing his eyes. "I love you, Riku. True, they are memories of emotions, but they are enough for me."
Riku heard, as well as felt, Zexion's breathing slow until he is certain that his small lover is asleep. He wrapped the blanket tighter around them as he rests his head on the schemer's own, a small smile on his face. He knew that if it was possible, he would give his own heart to Zexion in a heartbeat (and the irony of the phrase caused him to chuckle quietly), but at the same time, he knew that the slate haired teen would say that his heart belonged to him, and no one else.
The rain continued to pound against the window, but Riku sighed quietly to himself, wrapped his arms tighter around his petite lover, and felt sleep overtake his senses. As the two slept peacefully, the soap opera continued to blare on the television, yet they were oblivious to the fact.
Ending A/N: 5am, slightly angsty fluff for my current favorite pairing. Was it bareable?