The title is kinda sucky, but like a Rose Bud, I hope this pairing will bloom in a lovely way, as well as the story! ;; Corny I know!

This one just sort of came to me, it's my first shot at a Naminé and Riku fic as well as the first fic I've ever included Sora and Kairi in. R&R Please!

Disclaimer: I don't own or claim these character in anyway, I just love them to bits and like writing about them, that is all, so don't hunt me down Square! I promise I don't take credit for the cuteness of these characters!

Rose Buds

Chapter One:

Of Scarecrows and Pixies

She sat; legs crossed in a corner of the music-filled room, cornflower eyes watching them all enjoying themselves the friends, the strangers, and the lovers. How she wished she could enjoy but one dance with someone close to her. She didn't expect to be asked though, and honestly was too shy to ask anyone she had just transferred there only a few days before after all.

A sigh escaped rouge painted lips. It was a Halloween dance and she'd come to the dance as an autumn pixy. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, spiking out from her head like the pixies in the picture books of childhood memories. Her dress she'd made herself, being an artist, the bottoms tattered and frayed of the silky-sheer material that faded from yellow to orange to blood-red at the frays. On her feet were the leather-strap shoes of a person who did modern dance, she'd ordered them just for this costume and they were really fitting for a pixy. Around those cornflower hues was a fade of red glittery eye makeup out into gold-orange glitter from the inner corners of her eyes out. She really looked like a wild pixy.

The most eye catching part of her costume though, were the earrings she wore, also made by her, her artistic talents really glowed in them. They dangled down by almost invisible thread from the small stud in her ear, hand crafted leaves with intricate veins and creases so that they looked real. The only give away that they weren't was the shimmer of the dew drops that she added, which hung from the rust-colored leaves almost naturally.

They all were seemingly enjoying themselves, she in a corner, her eyes watching them, until her eyes caught a glimmer and her gaze shifted. Who was this now? This picturesque, almost ethereal personage she was viewing? She leaned to the side in her chair, keeping her eyes on him, he was laughing musically with a group of friends, but the girls were starting to crowd around him. He was someone she now wanted to draw, imprint in her mind permanently. What was his name?

He was dressed as a scarecrow, and fittingly so, his wild silver hair was perfect for it. She smiled as she took in the sight of the boy, his nose covered in red paint to give the triangular look of a scarecrow's nose, hay sticking out from random places all over. He wore tweed pants with patches on various parts, and a plaid shirt with patches on it as well. He clearly had some hay shoved into his clothes as well to make himself appear bulkier because there was the obviousness of his muscles even through the bulkiness, not too much, just the right amount. He was picturesque, that's the only way she could put it in her mind. His aquamarine eyes were illuminated as he laughed, but she could see right through to see the hidden pain in them, the thought of him being in pain brought tears to her own eyes. She couldn't break down in the middle of a dance though; they'd think her weak, so she fought them back

She gasped a moment as his eyes met hers, a moment where she understood his pain and he apparently understood hers, it was too much for her to handle, she stood from her place and darted into the full crowd of people dancing, hiding in the coverage as soon as he started towards her.

Why did she run? Was she afraid? Why was she afraid? She'd never met this mystery boy, or at least didn't recognize him in the costume and makeup he was wearing. She wanted to draw that face though, the angles and colors she saw, and she couldn't chase them from her mind. She stood there thinking, people bumping into her as they danced, a sea of unfamiliarity.

She gasped again, jumping, as she felt a hand grasp her shoulder. She turned to face the one who'd grabbed her. It was him; she stared with an open mouth at him for a few moments. She realized she was gaping and closed her mouth, blushing.

"Are…you ok? I saw you run when I was heading over…I just wanted to dance you know, you could've said no if you didn't want to." He gave a kind smile and her heart melted inside. She tried to form a coherent thought when she opened her mouth.

"I…I do want to dance…I just…overreacted?" Overreacted wasn't the word, she flat-out panicked. Despite her apparent nervousness, he just smiled, taking a hold of one of her hands. The strains of a slow song began to interrupt the last lingering notes of the last fast-paced one.

"Well, this lowly scarecrow, would like to ask this beautiful pixy to do the honor of dancing with him." He raised her hand to his lips, giving it a small kiss before smiling that entrancing smile.

"I'd be glad to…" She smiled shyly, eyes gazing up at him as a pink blush crept into her cheeks. With her words, his hands moved to her waist and suddenly she felt as though a thousand knives were piercing her back, she turned her head to find many girls glaring evilly at her and she got a bit nervous. His left hand moved to her cheek and tilted her face back towards him.

"I want to look at your pretty face, ignore those girls; they're just upset that you're so beautiful…" This mystery boy she didn't remember meeting was so charming, he made it feel like she was all that mattered and kept her continually blushing.

"I…I don't even know your name…"

"Riku, it's Riku, yours is Naminé isn't it?" He smiled kindly.

"Yes, it is…how did you? "

"You're in my English Lit class…you're always drawing in your notebook though, I guess you wouldn't notice me while you're working on your lovely artwork. I sit next to you; you're really talented you know?"

"Oh, thank you, I feel really stupid now. I'm doodling that entire class and never noticed you, yet you remember my name and like my art, I'm so foolish."

"No, you're not, you just enjoy what you do, there's no shame in that."

"But, I should at least try to make friends; I haven't made even one yet…"

"Well, now you have, and my friends are bound to like you as well, provided they're not making kissy faces at each other." He rolled his aquamarine hue laughing that musical laugh again.

"Well, you must feel left out sometimes then."

"I do…maybe you can alleviate that though, if you don't mind, I mean, I guess what I'm trying to ask is…do you want to go out or something sometime? I could show you around the islands if you want…" Oh, he was blushing, if only a little and it only added to his cuteness in her mind. She smiled brightly.

"Oh, I would love that! I haven't been anywhere yet really besides home and the road to school." They'd been dancing the whole time now, even though a new faster paced song had started and they were getting some odd stares, she finally realized this and took her arms away from behind his neck.

"So…I um, guess the song is over…" She turned about to walk away, when she felt that hand on her shoulder again and she turned around to see what was the matter when his one hand cupped her cheek and his lips brushed against hers, his other hand still on her shoulder. She let herself relax, returning the kiss, her first, it was perfect and when they parted, she smiled.

"I'll pick you up at your house tomorrow morning then?" He raised a brow gazing into her eyes. She nodded, beaming.

"Oh, um, you need my address, don't you?" A quizzical expression came over her pixy painted face, and she lifted her hand to his face, her thumb rubbing off the rouge lipstick that had gotten on his lips from kissing her. They both blushed this time, laughing nervously.

"Um, I don't think I do…I think you live next door to Sora…that was the only house that was recently for sale on the islands after all." He smiled kindly, oh she adored that smile now, and how it was a bit of a taunt, like something you'd see as a good guy in a movie grins at the bad guy before he knows he's won.

"Oh, that works then!" She grinned. "Ok, Mr. Scarecrow, how does 10 o'clock sound?"

"10 o'clock it is, Miss Autumn Pixy, you're costume is lovely by the way, where'd you get it?"

"I made it…it was fun…really!" She smiled bashfully.

"I kind of figured, it has so much more care to detail than anything else, let me guess…those earrings, you made them too didn't you? You are one talented artist Miss Pixy." He grinned as his fingers graced the edge of one of her leaf earrings. She nodded smiling.

"Thanks…" She wasn't used to so much attention, not even from a group of people, it was a bit embarrassing to her and she couldn't help but blush.

"Ok, so 'til tomorrow, make sure you keep painting the leaves so that autumn will be beautiful, just like you."

Oh, he must have enjoyed making her blush so much. He kept grinning a cat-like grin every time her cheeks began to be tinged with red. He ran a thumb against her cheek.

"You look like a doll every time you blush…it's entrancing." She blushed against as he gave her a peck on the cheek.

"OOOOOKAAAAAY! ALL YOU GHOULS AND BOYS! THIS DANCE IS AT ITS CLOSE! SO GATHER YOUR THINGS AND SKIDADDLE!" The booming voice of the DJ interrupted their little world and both of their heads swiveled to gaze at the clock that hung on the wall.

"Wow, we talked the whole last hour of the dance…" Riku muttered as he looked at the clock.

"Wow…."

They both walked out of the crowd and got their coats and such.

"I'll walk you home, since I live across the street from you, I've lived across from Sora my whole life, and you'll meet him and Kairi on the way home." He said, slipping his coat on, then helping her into hers, his arm snaking around her shoulder as they exited the gymnasium into the brisk autumn night.

Little did they know, Sora and Kairi already knew what had happened, having spied on the two earlier and had been formulating plans the rest of the dance as to how the walk home would go.

Ok, Chapter one END. R&R appreciated please! Feel free to criticize, that's the only way my writing will grow!

Domo!

A Memory Artist