A/N: This is sort of AU, and is about my all-time favourite ship.
Riven looked at her with the most unusual expression in his eyes.
He couldn't place what he felt for the Nature Fairy, but it was becoming something that he wasn't used to feeling.
He had found a friend, a real friend.
Sure, the specialists were pretty much his best friends, but there was… something about this girl that made his heart leap.
She was caring, faithful, trusting and trustworthy. You didn't find girls like that anymore. You tell them a secret close to your heart, and in a day it was out of your control. Their gossiping mouths just couldn't hold it in. They saw it a game to spread things, whether it be true or just a rumour.
But Flora was different. She just didn't gossip. Or if she did, she understood when a secret needed to stay a secret. And Riven had a lot of secrets; burdens, more like, that he needed to tell someone. Before it was the case of finding the right person. But he found Flora. Now it was a case of finding the right time. He knew that Flora would keep his secrets secret and that's what he lo- liked about her. He wouldn't use the other 'L' word just yet.
Sighing, Riven tore his eyes away from her and back to his mathematics sheet. He had gone to ask Tecna for some help on how answer the questions, since Timmy was… occupied with "other business". The Technology Fairy had just nipped inside to get her calculator, and that was when Flora came outside.
He'd seen her, and immediately his mathematics work was temporarily forgotten. He had watched her talk with Bloom and Stella for ten whole minutes.
"You know, if you like her, just go and tell her. She hasn't got a boyfriend." Tecna appeared by his side and Riven jumped, trying to look like that his focus was on the sheet, failing drastically.
"I like her as a friend," he pointed out. "And she knows that."
Tecna raised an eyebrow. "Whatever you say." She sat beside him on the bench.
"Back to this wretched sheet…" Riven steered the conversation away from his friendship with Flora, so it was forgotten instantly.
xxx
"Finally!" Riven breathed out. "Done!"
His sheet of paper had calculations scribbled all over it, and Tecna had even had to give him three more sheets of lined paper to do the calculations on.
"Look, your girlfriend's coming over. I'll be going now. Wouldn't want to stand in your way." With that and a quick smirk, Tecna stood up and simply walked away.
He glared at her for a second, then Flora came into his view. "Hi, Riven," she and Bloom said in unison.
"Hi, guys." His voice unintentionally came out as a soft mutter.
"Are you OK, Riven?" Flora asked instantly.
"I... I'm fine…" he trailed off.
He was suddenly in his own world, oblivious to everything but the love that had bloomed.
It was only Riven and his flower princess in the wide, grassy field. The sun shone down on them, giving him the chance to see her beautiful face all the more clearly. There was not a cloud in the sky. Her jade green eyes seemed to sparkle with pleasure, and her tan skin looked soft and silky to the touch. But he couldn't distract himself – yet.
He was here for one purpose and one purpose only.
But first, he couldn't help but keep the confession inside. He wanted to spend some time with her, alone. He wasn't sure what her reaction would be. If she didn't like what he had to say, then he would like to get some peace and quiet before he came to know what she thought.
He noticed she seemed relaxed here, much more relaxed than any of the times he'd seen her in the past two months or so.
"It's such a beautiful day today!" she gushed.
He smiled at her. "Yes. Yes it is. And it is an honour to get to spend it with you, Flora." She blushed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
"Riven?" she asked quietly. He turned to face her.
"Yes, Flora?"
"Are you and Musa… still friends?"
Riven's eyes darkened for a second at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. But then he realized that their relationship was over six months ago. He had gotten over her. He didn't need to worry.
But worry he did. He tried not to let it show. "Flora… I… haven't spoken to her in ages. And I honestly have no desire to. So no, I guess you could say that we're not friends."
She nodded, smiling, and the smile had a brighter vibe to it. "Oh."
He guessed it was time. "Flora?"
She looked up at him, her jade eyes twinkling. "Yes, Riven?"
"I…" How to start? "I…" He sighed, and Flora waited patiently for him to reorganize his thoughts into words. "Will you… be my girlfriend?"
She was quiet. She didn't say a word, she never looked at him. She just… breathed.
"Riven-"
"…I think I should go now." Riven shook his head and realized that Flora was starting to walk away and Bloom was glowering at him.
"Riven, you airhead. You just lost your chance," Bloom said, shaking her head.
"What do you mean, Bloom?"
The redhead sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I mean that Flora was just about to- gah!" she stopped abruptly, voicing her annoyance at him. "Never mind! If she decides to start again, you'll find out." Bloom turned away from him, only to turn her head back. "If your ignorance doesn't take you over." The fairy shook her head once again. "How Flora could do something like this I just can't figure out."
Bloom walked away, not listening to any of Riven's protests.
xxx
He was going to try again. He was not going to make the same mistake twice. He was sure of it.
Riven walked with Brandon and Sky back to Alfea. It was a weekend, and he was going to try to talk to Flora and tell her about… everything.
Everything being how he felt towards her. Over the month that had passed, he realized his strong feeling of friendship towards the Nature Fairy had turned to… love.
He, after a lot of persuasion from Sky and Brandon, was not afraid to admit that he was in fact in love with Flora. One could even say he was infatuated with her.
He had talked to her often, trying not to spill his secret just yet. But every second that went passed without her knowing just made him want to scream that he loved her.
They had talked about everything but the friendship that was between them. They became very good friends, and in one month, he realized what that friendship was turning into.
So far, it was one-sided. And Riven wanted to make it two-sided.
But what if she felt differently? What if she doesn't like me, and was being friendly just to be polite?
At this thought, Riven's stomach began to churn. He loved this girl, and it would break his heart to see her reject him.
"Relax, dude." Brandon's voice penetrated his thoughts. "I don't she'll have the heart to reject you."
"And how would you know?" Riven raised an eyebrow at him again. "I won't live if she agrees just to be polite."
Brandon smiled. "That's not what I meant," he said.
"Then what-" Riven's words died on the tip of his tongue as he watched Brandon turn to Sky and smirk. He suddenly became very suspicious. "What do you guys know that I don't?"
Both the other specialists held their hands up in surrender and simultaneously exclaimed, "Nothing, nothing!"
Riven wasn't sure they were being truthful, but he decided not to press the matter. They had reached Alfea.
"Right," Riven mumbled. "Time to give it a shot."
Just then, Musa went past him, glaring at the three of them. She turned back, the burning hatred still evident in her eyes. "If you're looking for Flora," she said through clenched teeth. "She won't be back until next weekend."
Riven raised an eyebrow, and looked to Sky, pleadingly. Sky sighed, and turned to Musa. "Would you mind telling me where she's gone?" he asked.
Musa rolled her eyes. "Her sister's finals are close, and she's asked Flora to help her with revision since her normal tutor is ill."
"Alright. Thank you."
As Musa left, Sky turned to Riven. "Guess we'll have to come back next weekend, bro." He shrugged.
Brandon smirked. "After seven whole months, the music girl still hates you like anything, Riven." He laughed bitterly. "What you said to her must have hurt her like crazy."
Riven hadn't told anyone exactly what he said to Musa on the night of their break-up. All he said to the Specialists was, "I said the wrong thing," and wouldn't elaborate any further.
The magenta haired specialist glared at his brunette friend as they walked back to Red Fountain.
xxx
Flora sighed. She had just finished tutoring Miele for the day. She was staying on Linphea for the week before Miele's finals came up. She really, really wanted her sister to pass with flying colours, and she would help the young girl in any way she could.
She sat in the room in her parents' house. They were letting her stay there for the week. She would go back to Linphea College in the morning.
She was also facing another dilemma. She was beginning to fall for someone. Someone she wouldn't normally fall for. After he and his girlfriend broke-up, she had the slightest glimmer of hope.
Even though the hope would do nothing to help her. Why would Riven, the outgoing Specialist, fall for an introverted fairy? It just didn't seem right.
Flora took out her diary from underneath her pillow. She wrote:
Dear Diary,
Not a day goes by when I don't think of the friendship between Riven and I. I can't shake the feeling that I'm starting to love him. But I know I have no chance with him.
I'll just have to live with my fantasies. I know that he and Musa broke up, and I feel sad that it just didn't work out. We all thought that if they could work around their disagreements… then they had a lot of potential.
But, obviously not. I want to tell him how I feel, but I can't. I was so close to telling him the other week, but he just wasn't listening. Is that a sign that he doesn't like me?
I want to try again, but I am scared. Perhaps when I get back to Alfea, I can ask Stella to give me tips. She is a matchmaker, after all. Or tries to be, anyway.
Well, that's it for now.
Until next time,
Flora.
xxx
This was it. Flora was in Alfea, he knew that. Riven told himself over and over that he would not start daydreaming about her in the middle of their conversation.
He and Brandon, this time, started the walk up to Alfea. They were nearly there.
"Brandon?" he asked as he faced the brunette. "What… what do I do if she rejects me?"
Brandon shook his head. "Stop it," he said. "You're never going to get anywhere if you think like a pessimist."
"Thanks for the advice, Brandon," Riven muttered darkly, looking at the ground.
"Look." Brandon pointed ahead of them. Riven looked up. "She's heading our way."
Sure enough, Flora and Stella were coming over. Riven bit his cheek stop himself from smiling.
"Hi, guys!" Stella said as they neared one another. She gave Brandon a quick hug. She turned to Riven.
"Riven." She grabbed Flora's wrist and pushed her forward. "Our Flora here has something to tell you." With that, she winked at Brandon and they both snuck into the Alfea gates.
"What is it, Flora?" Riven asked softly.
"I… well… I…" She looked to Stella.
"Flora?" he asked, concerned.
'I can't,' she mouthed, looking down straight afterwards. Her cheeks were cherry red.
He smiled gently. "Think about it." He though he heard a giggle but when he turned to the direction of the sound, there was nothing there. He couldn't wait any longer. "Flora, listen."
The brown-haired girl looked up at him. "After Musa and I broke up, I knew I had to distract myself from her to keep myself from falling apart. As time went on, I found myself admiring you: the way you acted, the way you spoke, the way you dealt with things, everything.
"Then… we became good friends, and… I realized I wanted to take it further." He shook his head, finding himself deviating. "The point is… I… love you." He held his breath as she pondered this.
"Oh, Riven," she smiled softly. "I… love you too."
Riven gave her a hug, his heart leaped. To have this was his dream, and in this case, 'third time lucky' was definitely true.