Author's Note: This story is actually a request that I got. I really liked the idea of Riff feeling self-conscious about his relationship with Graziella when Tony returned from prison, so I ran with it. Though I wasn't a fan of the unnecessary love triangle they tried to introduce in Spielberg's West Side Story, I do have to say that it created some interesting angles to work with.
Today was the day.
Riff's stomach had been in knots for a week. When he and the Jets had first received word that Tony was being released from prison, he'd naturally been thrilled, along with all the others. It had been a heavy responsibility, leading the Jets on his own, and he was looking forward to his best friend coming home. At first, he had been quick to join in with the others as they'd begun planning ways to welcome Tony home, plotting all the ways they would raise hell and paint the town red. Then he'd looked over at Graziella, giggling and talking with Velma and Tessie and the other Jet girls in one of the booths at Doc's, and his stomach had dropped out from under him.
Graziella. The girl he loved more than life itself. His girl. But she hadn't always been. There had been a time when she had been Tony's girl, when her smiles and kisses had been reserved for him. She had only become his after Tony went away for beating on that Egyptian King. Her sweet smiles and passionate kisses were for him now. But would it stay that way with Tony coming home?
Worry over losing Graziella to Tony had been making Riff sick since that day. Grazi had given no indication that Tony's return affected her in any way, except to be glad that his best friend was coming home, but still he worried. Every time he held her late at night, he wondered if it would be the last time. Every time she kissed him, he tried to memorize the taste of her lips. He never wanted to forget the feel of her silky blonde hair wrapped around his fingers. He loved her, even if he never quite knew how to say the words, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
Riff especially couldn't bear the thought of losing Grazi to Tony. Tony was his best friend, womb to tomb, and he would do anything for him. But he was tired of being second to Tony in everything. When they were kids, it had been Tony that Doc and Valentina thought could do no wrong, while Riff had been the little hoodlum, the "bad influence." When they founded the Jets, it had been Tony that everyone looked up to, Tony who knew how to do the talking and the fighting, while Riff had been accused of running his mouth too much. And when they met Graziella—well, it had been Tony who'd talked to her first, even though Riff was the one who hadn't been able to take his eyes off her.
But now—now, Grazi was his. And, sure, she might have been with Tony first, but she never made him feel like a runner-up. She never made him feel like second best or put him in Tony's shadow. Graziella made Riff feel like he was somebody, like he mattered. She made him feel like he was special. The only other person Riff had ever known who had made him feel that way was his mother, who'd died when he was six. He couldn't lose Grazi. Not now. Not ever.
"It's over between me an' Tony. It's over, Riff," Graziella had told him the night they'd shared their first kiss. Tony had been gone almost a month at that point, but Grazi had actually ended things with him a week before the rumble with the Egyptian Kings. She wanted to be with him, she had assured him, helping Riff put all feelings of guilt for taking his best friend's girl out of his mind.
But that had been then. Now—today—Tony was coming home. Would seeing him again change Grazi's mind? Would she regret having left him, regret having gotten together with Riff, who was always second best compared to Tony? It was Riff's biggest fear.
Rolling over in bed, Riff looked at the beautiful blonde still fast asleep beside him. He loved her so much that it made his chest hurt sometimes. Reaching out, he gently ran his fingers over her soft cheek, reveling in the feel of her warm skin.
Moaning softly, Grazi shifted in bed and slowly opened her eyes. "Mmm, good mornin'," she grinned sleepily, leaning over to press a kiss to his lips.
"Mornin'," Riff replied, running his fingers through her hair as he leaned in for another kiss. He could never get enough of her. "Ya sleep okay?"
"Always, when I'm next ta you," Grazi told him with a wink, sitting up in bed and stretching her arms over her head with a soft sigh. He couldn't help but stare as she did so. She had the most beautiful body. The first time they'd ever been together, he remembered he couldn't stop looking at her and thanking his lucky stars.
"Quit starin'," she teased, swatting his arm with a laugh. Climbing out of bed, she walked across the room and grabbed one of his shirts, slipping it over her slender frame. "I'm gonna make ya somethin' ta eat," she told him, yawning softly as she shook out her blonde curls and started making her way towards the kitchen, or what could be called a kitchen in his little hole-in-the-wall apartment.
Riff winced, knowing Grazi wouldn't find anything when she got there. She was always telling him that he needed to take better care of himself, that he needed to eat more, but there was hardly ever real food in his apartment. He usually just ate whatever he could pool together with the Jets, or whatever he managed to swipe from Doc's. Sighing, he slid out of bed and grabbed a pair of pants before heading into the kitchen. He found Grazi frowning into one of the empty cabinets, so he wrapped his arms around her from behind and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"Riff, there ain't nothin' in here," Grazi huffed, allowing him to press kisses to her neck despite her frustration. "How many times do I gotta tell ya that ya can't survive on cigarettes an' booze?"
"Mmm, I know, I know," Riff murmured, nuzzling her ear tenderly. He didn't want to argue with her. Not now.
Grazi let out a soft sigh, turning in his arms so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Why don't we go grab somethin' ta eat at the diner then? Ya know, before we have ta get ready for the party tonight."
The party. The party at Doc's tonight when they would welcome Tony home. Frowning, Riff took a step back and ran a hand through his tousled hair. "Fine, yeah, whatever."
A confused expression crossed Grazi's face as she looked at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Alright, spill it," she demanded.
"Spill what?" Riff asked, his pulse starting to pound uncomfortably as he made his way over to the small, beat up couch that sat in the middle of the room.
"Don't gimme that," Grazi shot back, immediately following him and standing in front of the couch. "Ya've been actin' weird all week, Riff. What's goin' on?"
She always had known him better than he knew himself. "Nothin'! Nothin's goin' on. We'll go ta the diner an' then we'll help get ready for the damn party tonight, alright?" He felt guilty for snapping at her, knowing she was just worried about him.
"Riff," Grazi said, her voice softer as she knelt down in front of him, resting her hands on his thighs and looking up at him pleadingly. "Baby, what's wrong? Is it the party? I thought ya'd be excited."
God, he loved her. Reaching out, he ran his fingers down her cheek gently. He didn't know how to answer her questions, didn't know how to reveal the wounds he carried deep inside, deeper than he ever allowed anybody to see. "I am excited. A-course I'm excited. I just…"
"What?" Graziella asked, looking at him with wide eyes.
"I just don't want it to be over between us!" Riff burst out, staring down at his girlfriend. Embarrassed, he lifted her hands off his legs and rose from the couch, pacing around the room.
"What?! Over between us? Who said anythin' about that?" Graziella demanded, standing up and following behind him. When he didn't answer her right away, she grabbed his shoulder. "Riff!"
"Now that Tony's comin' back! He's comin' home an' yer gonna regret ever gettin' with a guy like me!" Riff exploded, all of his fear and anxiety from the past week boiling over.
Grazi recoiled as if he had slapped her, shock written across her face. He wanted to hold her, but he remained where he was, staring at her as she seemed to search for the right words.
"How could ya think that? After everythin', how could ya ever think that?" she asked, her voice quiet in the air that crackled between them.
"Because guys like me don't get girls like you, Grazi," Riff replied sadly, dropping back down onto the couch. "I'm nothin'. I'm less than nothin'. Look around ya!"
Graziella made a show of looking around the apartment, crossing her arms over her chest before looking back over at Riff. "An' Tony has so much more?" she asked sarcastically.
Riff sighed, running his hands down his face. "Ya know what I mean, Grazi."
"No, I don't," she said, curling up on the couch beside him and putting a hand on his arm. "So why don't ya explain it ta me?"
"I'm nothin', Grazi," Riff repeated, looking over at her. He'd never opened up like this before, not even to Graziella. "Nothin' good in my life has ever stayed. My old man didn't want me. My ma is dead. Hell, even my neighborhood is disappearin'. Yer the best thing that ever happened ta me, Grazi. I'd be crazy ta think I'm not gonna lose you, too," he admitted, brushing his knuckles down her cheek.
"Riff…" Graziella practically whispered, covering his hand with hers.
"An' now, with Tony comin' back—"
"I broke up with Tony before he even went away!" Grazi interrupted, shaking her head.
"Yeah, but maybe now that he's back, ya'll realize—"
"I don't wanna be with Tony! I wanna be with you!" Graziella exclaimed, running frustrated hands through her blonde hair. "God, I broke up with Tony 'cause I wanna be with you!"
"What?" Riff blinked in shock. She had never told him that that was the reason why she'd ended things with Tony.
"God, Riff, ya really are an idiot sometimes," Grazi said with affection, laughing softly. She leaned closer to him, cupping his face in her hands. "Ya don't have ta worry about losin' me 'cause I ain't goin' anywhere. Yer all I've ever wanted, Riff. It doesn't matter that Tony's comin' home today. I don't want Tony. I want you—only you. Do ya understand?"
Riff nodded his head slowly, looking deeply into her eyes. Grazi's words put all his worries from the past week to rest in just a few moments. Like him, she had never been good at saying "I love you," but he knew she did. He believed her. He trusted her. He loved her.
Wrapping her arms around his neck and straddling his lap, Graziella kissed Riff hungrily. "It's you, baby. It's always been you," she told him in between kisses.
And so, plans for the diner long forgotten, Grazi spent the rest of the morning showing Riff just how much he meant to her. By the time they arrived at Tony's welcome home party that night, Riff had no doubts in his mind about who she had chosen.