Since Xion moved to the islands, Riku's world has been turned completely on it's head. He's happy, for once, happy to live here even if it is a small world. It's paradise, when she's there with him. He loves watching her sit by the ocean, just listening to the waves.
She loves the shore, truly. She'd always dreamed of going to the beach with her friends, and to be able to live so close to one now was heaven to her. And when she was happy, that was heaven to him.
It's like she was never gone, Riku thinks, when he sees her sitting there, or swinging in the park, or talking with friends at the school. She goes to school now, too, with Sora, Riku, Kairi, and everyone else. It's so strange, to see her everyday. Already, the other islanders take her for granted.
Riku never will, though. He never can.
He knows all too well how precious she is, how tentative her very life. It makes him treasure the times they do have together so much more.
The way he looks at her doesn't escape his friends, either.
"So, are you gonna share a paupu fruit with her, Riku? Or should I...?"
Riku blushes slightly, punching Sora's shoulder. "Shut up, Sora. You've got Kairi, so you shouldn't say things like that."
Sora laughs, throwing his head back as he claps Riku on the shoulder. "Aw, come on, Riku. You know I was just teasing. You did it often enough to me in the past, after all."
Riku snorted, but he knew it was true enough. "Okay, okay. I get it. No more teasing you about Kairi. Now shut up already."
"Heeeey guys!" Xion called, running down the beach towards them.
Riku blinks, and holds up a hand to wave at her almost shyly with a little smile on his face. Sora smirks, shaking his head. Who would've known? It was funny, how unsure Riku could be around Xion.
Then again, it wasn't his fault. He had never meant to fall for her, it had been so sudden, so unexpected. Of all the people in all the worlds... He'd never thought he'd end up with someone like her. Except, at the same time, she was exactly the kind of girl he'd known he'd come to love.
She's kind and caring, willing to be there to offer comfort as needed... But she can be fierce, too. She is strong, capable of holding her own against powerful foes beside the other Keyblade wielders... But she can be weak, too, sometimes—it's scary, how fragile she can be. She understands Riku on a level even Sora and Kairi can't—she knows what it's like to be on the other side, to be fighting for the wrong people, to want to get away so much... She knows how dangerous the darkness can be, but she is not afraid of it. She's already died once, what more is there to be afraid of?
Sitting on the trunk of the paupu tree by the ocean, he watches the wind brush her raven-dark hair across her pale cheeks. It is just the two of them, for once, all the others have returned to the large island. Riku raises a hand, tempted to touch her, to trail his fingers through her fine, silky hair. He sighs, and lets it fall.
Xion turns to him, a question in her eyes. "What is it?"
Riku smiles shyly at her, then sits up straight. "Nothing, Xion. Just..." He gazes deep into her eyes, then, so dark and deep... And sees in them a reflection of himself. Deep down, she still feels alone, despite all the friends she's made, all the happiness she's found.
Riku smiles then, reaching out to hold her hand. "I was just thinking about you. There's something... Something I wanted to ask you."
Xion smiles at him, waiting silently for the question.
It's now or never, Riku thinks, taking a deep breath.
"Would you share a paupu fruit with me?"
Xion laughs, and her laugh echoes out over the sea. She claps him on the shoulder, laughing even harder when she sees how red his face has turned. "Do you honestly believe in that old superstition, Riku? And you call Sora gullible!"
When he just smiles at her, almost shyly, Xion quiets down, serious again. "I'm sorry, Riku. I didn't mean to laugh—I just wasn't expecting that. If you... If you really want to, then I would gladly share a paupu fruit with you."
The look in her eye was so bright, so warm, so full of wanting. Riku couldn't resist any longer. He leaned in, taking her face in his hands, and kissed her deeply. She kissed him right back, and when she stuck her tongue in his mouth he was surprised. He hadn't expected her to—but, then again, that was Xion. Unexpected.
Ultimately, they wound up sharing a lot more than a paopu fruit, but they did eat one on the way back from the island, the sweet taste lingering on their lips as they walked along the beach, hand in hand.
...
Author: So, I'm not completely sure of the ending, but I like it. It's short and sweet.
Reviews are always appreciated. ;)
Thanks for reading!