A/N: Hi people! -waves- Welcome to FanFic number nine!
This little thing was supposed to be the first in a series, but I lost interest after writing it. Heh... Anyway, yes, the title is a Bible verse. I know this. The other stories in the series were going to be themed (and titled) around that verse and the ones that followed it, but... Well, you know. However, I like this fic, so I'm posting it to share with y'all.
Enjoy!
I don't know how long it's been since I realized it. Years—I know that. Just not how many.
How many years had it been since I'd realized I was in love with him? How long had I waited to see if there was any possibility that he could love me back? How long had he been oblivious? Too long. Far too long…
So one day I decided, heck, what would it hurt to let him know? So I did.
And as realization hit him, and he looked down at his shoes, not sure what to say, I waited.
--
He told me he wasn't ready, that it was too soon. He needed time to think about things, to figure out his attractions.
And so I waited.
--
I had asked him, "Why is it so hard to understand? Either you do like me, or you don't."
He had looked doubtful for a moment, then said, "I do like you, Riku. It's just that…"
"It's just what? Is it Kairi?"
He had only bowed his head, and stared at the sand beneath his feet. But that had been answer enough.
And so I waited.
--
I saw him one day, with her. They were laughing, throwing sand at each other, and generally having a good time. I watched as they made a sandcastle together.
I watched as she leaned in, and he turned away as her lips connected with his cheek.
I smiled, and waited.
--
I found a crumpled up note under his desk one day, while he was out of the room. I opened it up and tried to make out what it said, but down the entire length of the page the words were scribbled out, except for three short words three-fourths of the way down:
Dear Riku, I…
I threw the page away before he came back, and waited.
--
The other day I found him sitting on my front porch as I walked home from the beach. His face was in his hands and he looked to be deep in thought.
As I walked up he glanced up at me. It looked as though he'd been crying: his eyes weren't wet, but they were red and puffy, and every few seconds he would sniffle. His hair was a mess—more so than usual.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
He simply stared at the pavement and mumbled something. I had to really concentrate, but I heard it: "Kairi's mad at me."
I understood; Kairi had been pissed at me before, and when she's angry with someone she punishes them by shunning them.
So he had come to me; not because he wanted to confess his undying love, but because he had no one else.
And I didn't mind. I held him as he sobbed into my shoulder; I told him that everything would be fine, that it was ok that he didn't have an answer for me. Because that was what this was really all about. He felt pressured by both Kairi and me—to give us an answer. He truly didn't know if he loved me or her, or either at all.
And so I waited as the sobs quieted and as the tears stopped. He told me again and again he was sorry. So, so very sorry. I hushed him, telling him that it was alright, and that I hadn't meant to pressure him. He didn't have to make a decision at all, I would be fine.
He hugged me and left, and I waited.
--
Today he was on my porch again, but this time was different. He had not been crying, and there was a smile on his face. His eyes were bright and shining and he leapt up when he saw me.
"Riku!" he yelled, waving, and ran up to me.
"Sora," I acknowledged. I was carrying my surfboard in one arm and shirt and towel in the other, so I couldn't really wave back. He didn't care; he simply ran up and hugged me.
"Well, this is an improvement over Tuesday," I said, surprised. "What's going on?"
He grinned at me. It was that patented grin of his that I loved so much, and that made me smile.
"I've made up my mind," he said, and leaned forward, only and inch away. "I choose you."
And with that he kissed me, and I kissed him back. I dropped my stuff, not caring if my board got scratched, and wrapped my arms around his neck, grabbing fistfuls of his hair.
We both quickly ran out of breath and had to break away. He was smiling now—that ear-to-ear smile I loved even more than the grin.
"Do you want to come inside?" I suggested.
His smile vanished and he looked away.
"I'm… I'm not quite ready for that just yet," he confessed. "Is that ok?"
I grinned at him and ran a hand through his hair. He looked back up at me, reassured.
"That's not quite what I meant," I said, "but yeah, I understand. We don't have to rush anything."
If possible, his smile grew even wider than it had before, and he jumped up and embraced me.
"I love you, Sora."
"I love you too, Riku. Thanks for waiting."
"I would've waited on you forever."
A/N: So, did y'all like it? Cute and fluffy enough?
I know there was something I needed to point out... but... Oh, yeah! I've always thought of Riku as the surfer type. (Anyone else see that?) So here I made him a surfer.
Maybe I'll continue the series, maybe I won't... It depends on if I gain interest again. However, not all the stories were going to be KH, and I'd have to look up those Bible verses again... I only remember the next one, which I believe was "Love is Kind". I'll have to go break out a Bible... -yuck-
Anyway, I hope y'all liked it. Reviews are nice, but not necessarily necessary.