Disclaimer: All of the characters that appear in this story are copyright Yukiru Sugisaki.
Sakura-Angel: [Squishing Dark in a hug] You readers are so great! I have really appreciated your supportive reviews and how you bother to keep up with this story at all, considering what a slacker I am at putting these chapters up.
Dark: One more chapter to go after this. [Reads over reviews] Crap, we did leave without paying, didn't we? Wolf Demon, you are right. I do rule. Yes, Me/Riku is quite a rare pairing, isn't it? Sakura-Angel seems to like writing fics starring not-so-canon couples. Will you be writing anymore Me/Riku in the future?
Sakura-Angel: I put out a one-shot, To You.
Dark: I'm just made for the fandom.
"So... you live with a guy."
"Yes."
"A... guyfriend?"
"A guy, a friend, but not a boyfriend, if that's what you trying to say."
"I believe I said it fine, Miss Proper Grammar."
"Hey, it's people like you that'll bring down apostrophes and correct spelling."
A writer and a radio show host were perched rather comfortably on a railing in the park, licking at their ice cream cones [courtesy of Dark] and talking about nothing and everything, as per usual.
"Hmpf. I have excellent spelling, thankyouverymuch."
"Funny, I haven't gathered that from what I've seen. You do, however have a very wide vocabulary, hence, a very wide mouth."
"Hey! Those aren't connected at all!"
She smirked, a habit she kind of hated to admit she was picking up from him, and responded in a smug voice, "That little yelling thing you just did," her index finger pointed in Dark's general direction while making little spirals, "Just proved my point."
Dark opened his mouth to speak, but promptly shut it at the snickering noises Riku started to make. His mouth twisted so it formed a pout and he meekly said "You're mean."
Riku just laughed harder.
Riku returned home with a light heart and a smile on her lips. She hadn't felt this good in a long time. She wasn't fumbling for words or stumbling over her own feet. She wasn't performing for anyone. She was being herself. This sort of feeling was ever-present around Dark and lingered for a good few days after she'd see him, but she couldn't explain it.
They were a pretty weird example of a like/hate relationship. Riku didn't ask Dark about the record because she knew he wouldn't give it to her. He was like that; solid in his ways, his personality, even the way he walked. But strangely enough, she wasn't as burned up over it as she was before. When she was around him, she just forgot about the record, first loves, and everything else that had brought her grief over the years.
She was really rather grateful.
Ring.
"Coming!" She yelled at Daisuke's phone with a strange amount of energy. She sort of half-skipped, half-ran over to the phone and picked up the reciever. "Riku speaking."
"Hey."
Riku's good mood was put on ice. It was... him. "What do you want? How did you get this number?"
Takeshi just laughed. "I'm calling to tell you that you're having dinner with me at Lao's."
Riku narrowed her eyes. She suddenly felt edgy and prepared herself for some verbal sparring. She had gotten quite good at it now, with her hanging out with Dark and all. But back to Takeshi. Who was he to tell her what to do? "Huh." She said into the reciever in a contemplative way. Should she tell him off now or later? She decided later would be more embarassing for him. "Tonight?"
"Eager, are we?"
"No, idiot. When?"
"Ah, just like old times. I was thinking of tonight, yeah. Is it convenient for you?"
"I thought you didn't care if it was convenient for me or not judging by your tone, but I have nothing to do tonight, so let's get it over with."
"I love your enthusiasm. See you soon."
Riku sighed heavily. Now that she was actually meeting the man that had broken her heart years ago, she began to feel nervous. She felt something inside her stir, was it her old feelings? She was all too wary of how they affected her, but lately, they hadn't been lurking. It was probably how well her column was doing. Emiko was really pleased with it and the reception she was getting for it.
Or it could be her new friendship with Satoshi. She had to admit he was an odd one, but she enjoyed how methodical and calculating and weirdly funny he was. Satoshi was definetely a sturdy companion in her life of chaos.
Or maybe it was the fact that Daisuke and Risa had started eyeing each other. They were both lonely and too work-driven at this point in time, they both needed someone else to look after. Riku grinned at the prospect of a date between the two. It was bound to be hilarious. Daisuke was shy and nervous while Risa was upfront and loud. 'Maybe opposites do attract.'
It could even be the weird sort-of truce between Dark and herself. It did make her feel better that they weren't at each other's throats anymore and were actually forming some weird sort of friendship.
She enjoyed his wit, confidence and overall easy-going nature. He was the kind of guy who could laugh at himself if he fell, but would probably laugh at someone else if they fell. He'd offer them a hand of course because he was polite, just not in a Satoshi kind of way. It was extremely hard to talk to him in public though because she'd constantly be distracted by the number of women that turned to stare at him. She knew he wasn't that oblivious because he had scarily sharp instincts [and had proven that a few times] and could sense eyes on his back. Which of course, left the only other option: he was ignoring them. While it would've been a normal thing for anyone else to notice, it was rather disconcerting for Riku. By ignoring tons of women who were glaringly, obviously, neon-sign Attracted To Him, he showed that he'd rather talk to boring, plain, little ol' her then chat up some Victoria's Secret model. Was she really that important to him? Sure, maybe she was attracted to him at first because -- hey, who wouldn't be? -- but he started to make her wonder when she saw that flash of approval in his eyes that first night at the radio station bash.
Of course she was scared. Of course she was worried about falling in love again. After Takeshi, the first breakup, she convinced herself it would be the last breakup as well. She just couldn't afford to love like she'd never been hurt.
Dark lounged on his couch, listening to some jazz over the radio. He sipped a sangria to the sunset and pondered over something rather vital.
Maybe Riku was getting to him. He was becoming a lot less tolerant of those bambinos that smothered him. It was just that, compared to Riku, so refined and friendly and obviously hurting, they seemed... empty. Devoid of a real purpose, other than seducing the nearest animate object. Which was also pretty empty in itself.
So he preffered to speak to a girl that had depth, the kind of girl he could share thoughts with, not just pick-up lines, and that girl happened to be Riku - attractive, athletic somewhat, and bursting full of ideas and insults. Beneath that composed exterior was a fiesty, wounded girl, and he was intrigued. She had layers, and he was slowly peeling them off, one by one, slowly but surely. He was certain she knew this, but she didn't protest, allowing him more time to revel in the feeling of being able to speak to someone real.
She struck a chord deep in him, one that he knew had slept too long. She made him feel. Not to say that Dark was insensitive, she just made him feel in a different way. A way that no set of words could accurately describe.
He had never felt like this before and he welcomed it. Unlike others who would shy away from the prospect of change, Dark thrived on it. He was quick on his feet and he adapted well to anything thrown at him - but not too well. If one allowed themselves to adapt too well, they'd get too comfortable, and then what would happen to them? They'd lose their touch, their edge, the thing that made them them. And as nice as she was, there was risk in getting to know Riku too well, and now he was at a crossroads.
Get closer and risk an essential part of him, a deviation from his usual nature, or drift slowly from her and find another person to share thoughts with. The former was definetely appealing though. He liked risks and Riku, he could tell, was one of a kind, a real gem, as Hikki would say.
Ring-ring.
Dark dug out his cell phone. "Hello?"
"Dark!"
Well, speak of the devil. It was Hikki.
"Yeah?"
"You've got to take an extra shift tomorrow night, our automated playlist is crapping out on me." The stress in her voice apparent.
"Calm down, Hikki. I'll do it."
"Thanks so much. I can't figure the damn thing out. It's getting old, maybe I should talk to Hikari about it."
"Mm-hm," Dark mumbled. It was the only sound he could make, mouth occupied with the sangria.
"Hey! You still owe me a dinner, you ditcher!"
"Sorry. I had to get stains out of my nice shirts."
"Ah, about those stains..." Hikaru sounded a bit sly. "How's that Riku girl?"
Dark licked his lips, savouring the taste of his drink. "She's well."
"Don't give me that, Dark, I saw you two in the park today."
Dark suddenly felt defensive and simply repeated with a firm tone, "She's well."
"You haven't banged her yet?"
Dark sprayed his latest gulp of sangria over his coffee table, very un-Dark of him. "Ono Hikaru!" Dark checked his shirt for stains out of habit. "I never knew you had that kind of a mouth on you! And no, I have not 'banged' her as you so gracefully put. What would make you think that I did that sort of thing?" Dark set his drink down and went to go get a cloth.
Hikaru snickered on the other end of the line and he could almost hear her eyebrows go up. "Oh come on, you've got to have a girl over at your place all the time. You get those seductive looks from every girl you cross paths with, and you act like you know it too."
Dark wiped up the... spray and carried the conversation on. "Hey, I know it, but that doesn't mean I take advantage of it."
"Oh sure," Hikki rolled her eyes and pressed on. "So you're saying you've got no romantic interest in this girl? None, nada, zip, zilch?"
Dark contemplated the thought. Did he? He came to the conclusion that...
"I do."
Riku walked into Lao's extremely guarded. She had mixed feelings about this meeting. One side, the stupidly immature side of her was digustingly happy at the chance to see him again, although it shouldn't have been. And the other side, well, it was the more prominent side, dreading the entire thing. It reasoned that he undoubtedly had something to tell her.
"Ah, my lady," a voice came from behind her.
"I am not," Riku replied with a dangerous edge in her voice, "Your lady."
Takeshi merely chuckled and took her wrist, a little brash, but that was the way he was, and led her to a table.
Lao's was not particularly upscale as, say, Premium was, but it was charming nonetheless. Little table and chairs made out of a material fashioned to resemble bamboo dotted the floor, and little booths were constructed along the walls. The lighting was to the extreme - Riku didn't think there was a dark corner in this place anywhere. The wind was blowing tonight, though subtly, and rustled the bamboo links placed over the open windows.
Riku pulled out her own chair before Takeshi had a chance to get to it. She knew he'd try the whole flattery thing and she wanted to avoid as much awkwardness as possible.
Riku could feel herself slipping around him, and he hadn't even said anything yet. But she wanted to stay strong, so she straightened her back and steeled herself.
About halfway through dessert, Riku couldn't take the small talk and random thoughts of records anymore. "Alright Takeshi, you've obviously invited me to dinner to tell me something, so say it."
"How perceptive of you," he began. He reached across the table to take her hands and she tried pulling away, but he didn't particularly care for her comfort right now with what he had to say. "I'm leaving tomorrow for England. I want you to come with me."
Riku blinked incredulously. "What?"
"Hey, I'm sorry about what happened before, I was such a jerk," he said with... was that sincerity in his eyes? Or a false sincerity? "But I want to make it up to you, 'Ku. Just come to the airport with me tomorrow. Please."
Riku lowered her head. What should she do? She knew he was trying to say that he wanted them to be involved again, but could she revive her love for him? Her feelings were being stirred up again, despite her efforts to douse them. But... those feelings... they felt different this time, more recent, pure... who were they for? 'It can't be... Dark...' she told herself. But she knew deep down, that it was. She denied herself him because he couldn't possibly like her, much less love her. She had more of a chance with Takeshi, didn't she? Didn't she?
"Okay."
Sakura-Angel: Ohohoho, what will happen in the end to our confused newspaper columnist and our sexy radio host? Only my procrastination skills can tell!
Dark: And we all know how good she is at slacking... [rolls eyes]
Sakura-Angel: Poo on you.
Dark: Yeah, whatever.