Author's Note: Yup. I ship it. I absolutely adore the Helia/Riven pairing, actually. Musa and Flora are both incredible girls, and I think they are amazing, but there's something about this pairing that calls to me. And has, since we saw Helia and Riven rooming together in season three. That only grew when we realized that Helia writes poetry for Riven to tell Musa. I don't know. They strike me as an odd pair, but a good one. You know?

Reviews and constructive feedback welcome!

A Question of Identity

"So, what are you, exactly?"

Helia looked up from his sketchbook at the words. He was halfway through redoing some lines on a quick sketch from the day's combat class. A battle between Riven and Sky, both clashing along the blades of their swords and in the looks in their eyes. Hard edges met royal grace, uncontrolled danger met perfect poise. It was a fascinating combination and he had been eager to get back to it.

It was Riven that had spoken, his words soft but sharp all the same. Riven was sprawled on his own bed, tossing a ball into the air only to catch it again. Helia heard the words Riven had said almost perfectly, but it took him a moment to process them.

"I'm sorry?" said Helia, blinking.

Riven sat up and rolled the black and white checkered ball over in his hands. "What are you? In battle class, you've got this coiled snake kind of feel. And, when that dragon went nuts earlier this year, you completely held on to it with one hand," said Riven.

Helia blinked again. Coiled snake feel? He set down his sketchbook. "You think my strength is odd." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," said Riven. "Isn't it? From what I've heard, you and Flora are both Linphea, so why doesn't she have that strength too?"

Helia grimaced and thought hard about his next few words. So he knew that Flora didn't have the strength. Had he gone to her first? Or were his observation skills that good? He wasn't sure.

And, furthermore, what did you say to a man you'd known for only a few months about something that you'd hidden for so long? Riven was far too good at picking out lies. He'd seen the way Riven had rolled his eyes at the last excuse Bloom gave when she'd been looking for Professor Avalon. Heard the way Riven snorted whenever Sky claimed he wasn't jealous.

Granted, he'd also noticed the way Riven clammed up when people asked about Musa. The way he snapped when he said Musa wasn't his girlfriend. It wasn't defensive, it was long suffering. Curious.

"Helia," said Riven. It wasn't a command, more of a plea. Riven watched him – expression as soft as Helia had ever seen it.

"You swear you won't tell anyone?" asked Helia, tightly. Riven nodded. "I mean it. Anyone. This isn't… this isn't something I'm supposed to tell people."

"I swear," said Riven.

Helia took a deep breath. "I'm a berserker."

Riven stared. "Holy shit," he said after a moment.

Helia nodded. He stared at his hands, tried not to think about the way his nails went long and black when he kicked off. He grimaced again.

"You're so… calm, though," said Riven. Helia looked up to see Riven still staring at him. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"I have to be," said Helia, clenching his fists tightly. "Last time I… kicked off, I got kicked out of Red Fountain." He closed his eyes. He could still taste the blood, if he thought hard enough. "It was awful, and I never want to do that again."

When he opened his eyes, Riven was nodding. "Makes sense to me."

"Really? Aren't you all about fighting?" asked Helia. It was closer to a snap than anything else. Helia grimaced and looked away from Riven. There was a long pause, and then his bed was dipping. Riven had sat down next to him.

"Controlled fighting," said Riven, resting a hand on Helia's shoulder. "Not untamed violence and bloodlust."

Helia leaned into Riven's side and rested his head on Riven's shoulder. Riven slipped his arm around Helia's shoulders properly.

"You're very calm about all this," said Helia.

"My father's a berserker. It's part of why my mother left," said Riven, conversationally. He rested his head on Helia's. The warmth – the closeness – was odd, even to Helia. But he felt they both needed it. Besides, Riven was, oddly enough, the most endearing person here at Red Fountain and on Magix. Yes, Flora was lovely, and she obviously cared about him, but Helia found himself not terribly interested beyond their close friendship and his surface attraction. He liked her, but he didn't like her.

Riven, on the other hand, got more and more interesting with every passing day. Every secret told. Every moment shared. Riven, who knew nothing about drawing but would listen to Helia for hours. Riven, who came up with funny rhymes when Helia got too serious. Riven, who had totally stared at Helia when he'd come out of the shower in only a towel last week.

"Riven?" asked Helia.

"Hrm?" asked Riven. It seemed he was as peaceful as Helia.

"You ever think about dating?" asked Helia.

"What, like Musa?" asked Riven. He pulled away from Helia and Helia found himself missing the warmth almost instantly. He covered his disappointment by grabbing his sketchbook and flipping it open to a random page. It was a drawing of Riven, asleep. Helia bent over it to fix some details in Riven's face.

"No, just, in general," said Helia, feigning innocence.

He chanced a glance at Riven through his bangs. Riven was frowning thoughtfully.

"I don't know, I guess," said Riven. Helia flipped to a new page and used his hair to obscure the new drawing. He started sketching out the rough shape of this Riven – the one half hunched over on Helia's bed from his own insecurities. The hands, in particular, needed some special details.

"You?" asked Riven.

"Yes," said Helia, simply. Then, he added, "There's one person in particular, actually." Oh, this could end very badly, but Helia was always one for taking chances. Besides, he was related to the headmaster, he could always get booted into another room with another roommate. Sure, he'd lose some friends, but that didn't mean he'd be gone forever from Red Fountain. Or maybe he would be, but Helia wasn't one to think in negative hypotheticals.

"You and Flora would be a good couple," said Riven. Was it just Helia, or did Riven sound disappointed?

Helia fought back a smile. He worked on Riven's eyes next. "I'm not interested in Flora."

"Really?" The surprise in Riven's tone just barely gave way to hope. Helia bit his lip and glanced up through his bangs again. Riven stared back at him, looking pensive.

"Really," said Helia, purposely drawing out the conversation.

Riven twitched. Helia smirked. Went back to drawing. Waited for the inevitable question.

"So…," Riven finally said. "Do I know her?"

"Quite well," said Helia.

"Is she one of the Winx girls?" asked Riven.

"No," said Helia. He moved to Riven's nose and mouth – one of the most fascinating parts of Riven's anatomy. Then, "Why are you so certain they are a she?"

Helia swore he heard Riven blink.

"Oh."

Helia asked, "Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all," said Riven. Helia traced the lines of Riven's nose again. Shifted to the little dimples in his cheeks. Then slid out to the ears and hair. "Just wasn't expecting it." Helia hummed as he kept working on Riven's hair.

"Is it Sky?" asked Riven, and Helia could hear the disgust in Riven's tone. So thick that it made Helia want to laugh.

"No," said Helia, mimicking Riven's tone. Both of them laughed.

"What about Brandon?" asked Riven.

"Nuh-uh," said Helia, almost sing-song.

"There's no way it's Timmy," said Riven, and there was that disgust again.

Helia looked up. Leaned back to grin at Riven and let his sketchbook be clearly visible. It took Riven a moment to realize Helia was grinning.

"What?" asked Riven, still not noticing the sketchbook.

"You're forgetting one very important member of our team," said Helia.

Riven blinked. Stared. Went as red as his hair. Finally, he looked down at Helia's sketchbook. Confused embarrassment gave way to dawning realization. Helia's grin dimmed into a warm, inviting smile. Riven stared back up at him.

"Oh."

"Is that a good 'oh' or a bad 'oh'?" asked Helia. His heart beat fast in his chest, but Helia didn't falter. He kept his gaze level and inviting in regards to Riven.

Riven scooted across the bed toward Helia, gently set aside the sketchbook, and rested a hand on Helia's cheek.

"A good one," said Riven, his voice soft and his breath brushing Helia's lips. "Definitely a good one."

There was a long pause in which the two simply stared at each other. Then, Helia reached an arm up and pressed a hand to the back of Riven's neck. He used that to guide the two of them together until their lips touched.

And, spirits, this is what he'd been waiting for. The warmth that spread from his lips to the tips of his toes. The sparks that zinged through his brain at light speed. The heat that spread to his cheeks and ears. The smiling curl of Riven's lips against his own.

Helia let out a breathy laugh as he broke the kiss. The two rested their foreheads together.

"Hey," said Helia.

"Hey," said Riven. And they were the good kind of 'hey's. The kind that meant the start of something new and wonderful.

"Really though, Flora?" asked Helia, raising an eyebrow.

"You look good together," said Riven.

Helia grinned. "Obviously, she's absolutely wonderful. But still, I've been hitting on you for weeks."

"Then I guess you need to be more obvious," said Riven.

"I'll show you obvious." And with that, Helia kissed him again.