Part two of Riku-Rocks' birthday present. This is a bit different than my usual. If it totally sucks, sorry.
Ghost Love Song
Something caught his attention in the distance. Leon turned his head, trying to locate the source of that fleeting glimpse of black hair with caramel streaks he swore he just saw. Consciously, he knew it was not her, she was long ago lost to him, but for the past week he had been catching these odd visions of her out of the corner of his eye.
"Leon?" Riku looked at the man with concern. The older man had spaced out again, staring off in the distance as if looking for someone.
Leon turned to him and after a second of confusion, he simply asked if they were done here. When Riku nodded he repeated the motion and they made their way through the marketplace to return home. As they walked down the main street, steel-colored eyes occasionally flitted about, searching.
Riku kept his attention on Leon, wondering what was going on with the man lately. Throughout the prior week, Leon had been randomly becoming distracted. He would start looking at groups of people as if he saw someone he knew within them. Afterward, he seemed distant.
He wanted to ask Leon what was going on but was hesitant. Leon was as quiet as Riku and played things as close to the chest as he did. Over the past few months Riku had been living with him on Radiant Garden they had grown close, slowly opening up to one another. It was only recently that Riku had begun realizing that he had developed more than friendly feelings for the older man.
Things had changed between them a little over a week ago when the pair had been simply talking about a book Leon had recently read on Riku's recommendation. They had fallen silent and locked gazes in one of those endless moments that you always heard about but never expected to experience. Riku had moved first, turning his body and moving in closer to the older man.
On what could only be described as instinct, he had reached up to trace the scar that ran the bridge of Leon's nose. Steely eyes slipped close in reaction and on impulse, Riku had leaned in and kissed him upon the lips. He had not expected Leon to return it.
…But he had and when they parted, it was still quiet. They had exchanged several more kisses that evening, deciding that the questions could wait. That night, they simply agreed that whatever it was that was happening between them felt right. Instead of analyzing and questioning, they would see where this took them.
Since that night, there had been a few more moments and several kisses, slowly increasing in intensity. Last night, they had shared their first true make-out session. Riku bit his lip in thought. Maybe that was what was causing Leon's recent inattentiveness. That made his heart clench.
Leon knew that Riku was worried about him. He had learned to read the sixteen-year-old fairly easily over the course of his time here. The way he was hanging his head and the fall of his lengthy silver bangs told Leon he was being silently observed. He wanted nothing more than to raise the boy's head and brush those bangs aside to assure Riku that he was fine.
He had never expected to develop the feeling he had for the young man. Despite all the things wrong with it, all the problems he knew it would create, he was falling in love with Riku. Perhaps he already had. Maybe that was why he thought he kept seeing her.
Why did she suddenly seem to appear everywhere he went? Maybe he was not really over her. Maybe he had only formed these emotions toward Riku in an effort to forget… No, that could not be it. She was trying to tell him something.
…But what?
He could not think about this now. Instead, he turned his thoughts to other things. "Merlin is predicting rain again tomorrow."
"That means another delay," frowned Riku, knowing how much Leon hated those.
"Yeah, but that might be a good thing. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on." Leon stated. They had turned onto their street.
Riku gave him a sidelong glance. "If it does rain, maybe you should just stay home."
"You know I can't do that."
The teen gave a near silent sigh. "Of course not."
The apothecary was on the corner and there was a small crowd outside the shop. Most were people picking up medicine on their way home.
The passed the crowd on the opposite side of the street. Leon glanced over and again paused. There she was again, that head of dark, lightly streaked hair. As she began to turn, a man walked past her and she was gone.
Without explanation, Leon continued moving, Riku easily fell in step with him and they finished the walk to the house. Leon went to open the door and noticed that Riku had stopped on the walkway to the house. He turned and frowned. "Riku?"
Aqua eyes gazed at him for a moment through long bangs. The teen blinked once and came up the steps. He kept his head down,
Leon touched his chin and lifted Riku's face up to look at him. He managed a faint smile for the boy which was weakly returned. Riku still did not look directly at him.
With a silent sigh, he guided Riku inside. They removed their shoes and Riku began walking away. Leon gripped his shoulder and told him to wait.
The teen looked at him curiously and let the man led him over to the sofa. He sat down, Leon following suit. A very nervous flutter came to his stomach.
Leon met Riku's eyes and took his hand. "I'm sorry if I've been worrying you."
"You have a lot on your mind." Riku said carefully.
Leon heard the uncertain tone and immediately understood what Riku was thinking. He reached up and brushed the teen's fair skinned cheek. "This past week has been… wonderful. I don't regret any of it."
Riku seemed a little relieved by this but the concern still colored his eyes. "I'm still a factor to your recent stress. I don't want to-"
Leon shushed him by placing a finger to his lips. "You're not. Yes, I have some things going on right now but they are not because of you. I am so grateful to have you here."
The silvered teen smiled a little. To re-enforce his statement, Leon leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It quickly ended up deepening, Leon's hand tangling itself within Riku's hair. Tongues were introduced and Riku ended up moving over to straddle the older man's lap.
Leon's hands gripped the boy's narrow hips. Riku pulled his mouth away from Leon's with a light moan then he angled his head and moved back in to begin lavishing kisses mixed with soft bites along Leon's neck. As he did so, large hands worked their way up beneath the teenager's shirt.
Riku shifted his body closer, both hands resting upon the outsides of Leon's shoulders. This time Leon made a noise in the back of his throat, pushing the teen from his neck. He repositioned Riku so that now he could devour the fair skin of the boy's neck.
Riku's fingers tightened their hold, bunching up the sleeves of Leon's shirt. He quietly sighed with pleasure, shuddering when Leon's tongue traced his earlobe. He subconsciously moved his hips even closer.
That was when Leon drew back. Both were breathing heavily and they gazed into each other's eyes. Lust colored both sets and painted a flush across their cheeks.
"We should stop." Leon whispered though his fingers were still tracing the skin of Riku's waist.
Riku's voice was soft but steady. "I don't want to."
"Neither do I," Admitted the other, placing a few light kisses along the teen's fine jaw. "But I don't want to rush this."
Riku nodded, pressing his chest against Leon's and resting his head on the man's shoulder. Leon's hands stopped wandering and simply slipped behind the teen's back, fingers lacing together. The couple stayed that way for several minutes.
"So who's making dinner?"
--0—0—
The sky the next morning was heavy with gray clouds but the rain itself seemed to be holding off. Leon had headed out as early as he could in an attempt to get as much done as he could outdoors. He knew Riku would catch up.
The ex-Seed greeted Aerith at the park entrance, were she was pulling weeds from the flower beds that lined the gate. Nearly a dozen other people were also present, doing various landscaping projects. He was about to ask her what the status was when he saw her again.
She stood near the tree that marked the beginning of the park, where the path split off in two directions. She turned and this time, he could actually see her face. She simply smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear.
Then a man walked past and she was gone again.
"Leon?" Aerith called for his attention, a note of concern to her voice.
He glanced at her before looking back to the tree. "Can I ask you something?"
Aerith straightened out and looked at him curiously. "Of course."
Leon folded his arms, continuing to study the location of the vision. "Do you believe the dead can come back if they want to tell you something?"
The mage waited a moment before answering. "They have ways of letting us know things. It's different for everyone but I think in some way or another, the ones that loved and cared for us influence us even after they're gone."
Leon let out a slow breath. "For the past several days, I've been seeing Rinoa."
Aerith frowned a touch.
"It started as just small glimpses that I wasn't even sure I was seeing but each time, those glimpses got longer." Leon pointed with his head. "Just now, I saw her beneath the tree. I think she wants to tell me something."
"Well, what's changed in the time since you first saw her?"
"That's what I'm afraid of." Leon whispered. "She began appearing right around the time I realized I had feelings for Riku."
Aerith was one of the few who knew about the developing relationship between Leon and Riku. While she had some severe reservations with it, she was also a firm believer in following one's heart. She knew that neither one of them would enter a relationship unless they truly meant it. Plus, even she had noticed the abnormally strong rapport between them.
Leon continued. "I don't know if it's all in my head or it's really her ghost or what but there's obviously something I need to realize and I'm worried about what that might be."
"Leon," Aerith spoke softly. "All I can tell you is let her tell you whatever it is she needs to, even if you don't like it. Whether she is a ghost or a projection of your own mind, she represents something that your mind isn't quite ready to admit or acknowledge."
"So when I'm ready, the reason for her presence will be revealed." The sable-haired man traced his scar with a finger.
"Exactly."
He sighed and nodded. "Thanks, Aerith."
He moved to leave and the woman lightly gripped his arm. He glanced over at her and she gave him a gentle smile. "If it helps, both you and Riku have been much happier this past week than any of us have seen either of you in a long time."
A corner of Leon's mouth turned up. "It does."
"Am I interrupting anything?" Riku's voice came from behind them. A soft smile tugged at Leon's mouth as he turned to face him. Aerith stifled a giggle.
"Not at all." The older man assured him. "I was wondering how long it would take you to locate me."
"You aren't hard to find." The teen grinned. "Did you want me to keep working with the security team?"
Leon nodded. The couple bid Aerith goodbye and began walking. "I'm going to try to get as much done at the water works as possible before the rain starts."
"What about after?"
"I've got things at Headquarters to get done." Leon just caught Riku's frown. "Why?"
"Just wondering. I don't think it will take too long with Security," Riku shrugged. "Do you want me to go over to Headquarters when I'm done?"
"I'd like that."
They approached the security building. Hesitating a moment, Riku smiled a bit and began heading for the door. Leon stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. There was no one else on the street and he lightly brushed the teen's cheek. He had a sudden urge to kiss Riku. "I'll see you later."
Riku nodded and disappeared through the door. Leon sighed and continued on to the water works alone. He found himself hoping the rain would start sooner rather than later.
--0—0—
The rain ended up holding off until early afternoon. A light drizzle began as Leon made the trek back across town. As he entered the marketplace, he decided to stop at one of the food stands for lunch. Only a few had closed up due to the rain.
There was a small crowd under the awning of the crepe shop. At the front of the line stood Riku. He handed some munny over and took a bag from the counter girl. He turned and caught sight of the older man. A large smile lit his face.
Riku pushed his way past a few people, the last being a petite dark-haired woman. She turned and it was Rinoa who was smiling at Leon, standing beside Riku. She looked at Leon for a moment before turning toward Riku. She held up a hand and her small fingers ran through his silver hair, the smile never leaving her.
Afterward, she nodded once before waving and disappearing into the crowd.
Leon stared into the mass of people, wondering what that had been about. He did not notice that Riku had now come up beside him. Rinoa had smiled and nodded and when she looked at Riku…
Leon glanced over and met worried aqua eyes. That was when it hit him. He knew exactly what Rinoa was trying to say and if was not her, what his heart was telling him.
Suddenly, he took hold of Riku's hand and led him down the street. The teen asked where they were going but Leon did not answer. They passed Headquarters completely and ended up back at the house.
Leon pulled Riku inside and closed the door. He motioned Riku to sit on the sofa. When he did so, the older man ran a hand down his scarred face. He had no idea what he was doing right now.
"What's wrong?" Riku asked quietly, not quite meeting Leon's eyes.
Leon could not keep from smiling. "Nothing."
Now Riku did look him in the eyes, catching the unusual tone of voice. For a moment, he was afraid Leon had gone insane. With all of the odd spacing out and everything, it seemed possible.
The older man walked over and sat beside him. He reached up a hand to thread it through the teen's hair. He studied those aqua depths carefully. "I don't want to scare you."
Riku frowned in confusion. "You could never scare me, Squall. I-"
He cut himself off and glanced away. It was clear he was afraid he almost said too much. "I, uh, I trust you."
"That isn't what you were going to say."
Riku bit his lip. "No, it wasn't."
They fell quiet again, both recognizing that they were on the cusp of something huge. Whatever words were said next would cement the two of them into whatever place they needed to be, whether that was together or separate. There was fear but a strange feeling of certainty.
"I honestly never thought I'd say this to another person again." Leon's voice was just above a whisper. "I love you."
Riku froze for a moment. His eyes desperately searched Leon's for any trace of deceit and when he found none. "You're, you're serious." It was not a question.
"I am." Leon suddenly found himself fumbling. "I know it must seem rushed, we've only known each other a short while but-"
He was cut off when Riku threw himself at him, knocking the breath out of him. The teen's arms wrapped around his waist tightly and he mumbled something into Leon's chest. He seemed to realize this and pulled enough away to look up at the man's face. "I love you."
Leon tried not to sputter. "You do?"
Riku nodded. "I have for some time now. I was afraid that was why you were acting so strange lately. I thought you were trying to find a way to…"
"No," Leon laughed, pulling the boy to his chest again. "I was just struggling with my own emotions. This wasn't an easy revelation for me."
Riku moved a hand to rest it on Leon's chest. "Now that I have you, I can't imagine my life without you."
"I'm going to do my damnest to see that you never find out."
Silver hair fell back as Riku repositioned his body. He pushed Leon against the cushions and climbed on top of him. He draped his arms over the man's shoulder and pressed in. He captured Leon's lips in a long kiss, Leon's hands coming up to rest on Riku's slim hips.
Riku broke off the kiss only to move on to the older one's neck. As he nipped and licked and sucked on the lightly tanned skin, Leon's fingers pushed up beneath the teen's shirt, gently tracing along his spine and sending a shutter through the boy's body. Riku moved his hips closer.
He gasped and released Leon when their lower halves pressed together. Aqua met squarely with steel-blue and they both saw the need and desire revealed there. There was absolutely no sign of hesitation.
In a flurry of movement, both were tugging their shirts off. The moment this was accomplished, rough hands pulled Riku back against a solid chest. Leon pushed sliver hair away and latched on the delicate skin of the younger one's neck. Riku moaned softly and his hands came up to entangle his fingers into sable hair.
Leon shifted Riku over to the side by his hips. He laid the teen back on the sofa, one knee between his legs, the other braced on the floor. Griever jingled as it fell onto Riku's chest as Leon leaned in to recapture his lips. Riku's hands held on to his forearms.
The older one began languidly moving his mouth downward, following along neck, clavicle and chest. The grip on his arms tightened and Riku arched a bit as Leon's tongue licked each nipple. Leon glanced up a moment to find Riku looking at him. He clearly wanted to do something back but did not know what.
Smiling a little, Leon reached up to brush his thumb along the teen's smooth cheek. Instead, Riku turned his head and caught the thumb with his mouth, lightly sucking on it. Leon bit his lip and made a noise in the back of his throat.
He moved his leg up so that the knee was now settled comfortably between Riku's legs. The teen groaned, releasing the thumb and pressed his hips forward. This was enough to tell Leon Riku was ready for what came next.
He sat up, keeping the boy on his back with a hand and a silent command to stay put. Then he began unfastening Riku's pants. He moved enough to work the clothing off, noting in faint amusement how the teen blushed once his body was exposed.
Leon smiled gently, looking over the teen's body. "You're beautiful."
Riku snorted softly but it became a gasp when Leon brushed his lower anatomy with a gentle hand. There were a few more light, teasing touches before Leon adjusted his position again. He then replaced his fingers with his tongue and mouth.
Riku would have moved if he was not being held in place. The fingers of both his hands curled up against the cushions and a steady moan began building. He really had not been expecting how intense this felt.
Leon continued for a few minutes. When he pulled away, Riku whimpered. He only managed a chuckle before Riku was suddenly sitting up and attacking Leon's own chest. The teen traced the very lightly haired expanse with both mouth and hands.
As he did this, Leon began undoing his own pants, somehow working them off without Riku losing contact. Riku's hands trailed down to Leon's bare hips and his eyes flicked down briefly. He licked his lips and pushed Leon back.
The boy was certainly an eager learner. With little hesitation, he ran his fingers down the center of Leon's abdomen, past the bellybutton and further down to experimentally touch between the older man's legs. At Leon's hiss he glanced up, aqua eyes fascinated.
More confident, Riku's actions became stronger and once he decided his hand had done enough, he moved back and brought his own mouth down. He was cautious with his movements, concerned with accidentally hurting Leon. He made a very brief glance up and saw steel eyes staring down at him, shining with intense need.
It was not long before Leon stopped him gently. They gazed at each other, silently deciding what to do next. As much as Leon wanted to take Riku right then and there, the boy was not quite ready for that. He brushed the younger one's face again.
Then he pushed Riku back against the sofa. He licked his lips and dropped back down, mouth again wrapping around the teen's arousal. He did not hold back in his efforts and Riku threw his head back, steadily panting and his movements became increasingly erratic.
Leon reached between his own legs but was suddenly batted away. Riku's hand took it instead and after a moment it found a smooth rhythm that matched the pace of Leon's bobbing mouth. It was an awkward position but neither noticed.
They simply continued in their efforts, climbing higher and higher until Riku nearly screamed out Leon's name. He arched back almost painfully as he came, hold tightening on Leon. This was enough to send Leon tumbling over the edge.
They gasped heavily for several minutes, Leon barely managing to not drop down unto the teen's smaller body. They gazed at one another for an endless moment, not capable of words even if they had wanted to speak them.
Thankfully, they did not need any.
Leon fell back onto the back of the sofa, head leaned back against it. Riku limply moved his legs to give him more room. They clasped hands as they let their heartbeats and breath settle.
Breaking the silence, Riku chuckled. "We're going to have to clean the couch."
Leon grinned. "Yeah."
Riku found the strength to sit up, turning enough to settle in beside Leon who draped his arm around the younger one's shoulders. Their legs tangled up together and Riku sighed into Leon's chest. He placed a light kiss to it and his eyes drifted shut and he fell asleep.
Leon remained awake, finger gently running through Riku's soft locks of silver hair. He made a silent thank you to Rinoa's spirit. Whether it had been her ghost or a figment of his imagination, it was because of her then he had found happiness again.