photoGRAPHS .

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Scattered pictures, of something much too old

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ONE : SHOT
.. the smiles we left behind.

"Naminé," Came a voice behind the door, while he fastened his tie, ready for the day. Nothing. With a sigh he slipped from the room and out the door for another day of business. It was another gloomy day that had followed up since last week. Naminé hadn't come home last night, their marriage was slipping, and to the mercy of another business day. Riku wished that through the gray clouds even one ray of sunshine would come though, but… nothing.

He was in for another tiring day of meetings, paperwork, and caffeine to keep him awake for the next several hours. During the drives he took everyday to work, depending if he hadn't stayed over night, Riku had too much time to think about the way his marriage was falling out of place with each day. Naminé and he saw less and less of each other, which brought him to the conclusion that maybe the marriage was a great mistake.

Yes, the two lived in a beautiful and large house and were more well to do that they'd ever hoped, but as time passed the marriage was only recognized by business functions the two attended. After a while it had stopped being about the memories and the love.

Before his thoughts had cleared Riku realized he'd already driven past work. He didn't care. He was going somewhere else, somewhere for once, so much more important.

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Naminé walked along the old wooden platform, wondering if it would break under her weight, no matter how light she was. She twirled around in her own little dance, in her own little world for a few moments upon the wooden porch. She then stopped, catching her breath and walked along to the center of the pedestal. She walked forward, clasping the knob to the entrance and slowly twisted it open. When the door opened up completely, dust, cobwebs, and old were all revealed. She smiled sadly whilst stepping in.

Cobwebs hung, tangled with the old furniture and other things. She pulled off her jacket, and began up the creaky old stairs. Naminé continued up the dusty and old structure, hoping it didn't buckle beneath her. Her sad smile eventually tipped into a frown.

"This place sure is old," Naminé sighed and finally reached the ending of the stairs and the first thing she saw was an open door.

She stepped into the musty room, expecting nothing much, but her frown upon entering turned into almost an excited squeal. She rushed to the floor and began dusting off old photographs. She smiled at the first sight of silver hair. It really was an old photo… She looked back at it, and it was simple. It was before her and Riku had gotten married and they were both… smiling. She put the picture aside then was about to lift another, before she was started by,

"…Naminé?" Naminé turned around to catch a glimpse of breath taking silver hair.

"…Riku?"

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"You know, Naminé, it has been forever since we visited our first house, hasn't it?" Naminé nodded, as they both now sat on the floor over looking the photos they'd left behind in their first house. It still belonged to them; neither had the heart to sell it.

"Look at this one!" Riku fell backwards laughing while he held of the picture. Naminé took it from in, and smiled, then laughing along side Riku. It was their first anniversary and they just both looked so happy, it made you smile.

"Riku, what happened?" Was all she asked. Riku sat back up, having wondered the question himself. He rested his head on his hand, avoiding the almost sadly, but it was more out of pure curiosity.

"You know, Naminé, I don't know. We used to be so happy." He sighed tossing a free hand into his silver locks, finally meeting her gaze. For a moment it seemed Naminé was lost on one thought. She nervously looked down, then looked back up into his aquamarine gaze, and met up the courage to ask.

"Riku, is it another woman?" She didn't really think it was, but something inside her had been nagging to ask. Riku blinked several times as to check if she'd really asked.

"Naminé," He laughed placing his hand over his face. His laugh eventually subsided into the warmest look he'd given her in nearly three years; the time the marriage began to slip.

"Of course not, Naminé, I would never." Befuddled, Naminé was surprised as if not expecting to hear that he wasn't with someone else.

She smiled. "Okay."

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"Hey, Riku what do you mean by that?" She asked while folded into his tight embrace several hours before both their arrival, still in the same spot of the scattered photos.

"What did you mean just now when you said:

these photographs will come back to life?"

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"Naminé, we'll smile again."

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m i s c e l l a n e o u s :

for Caitlan's Riku fic cont.
& for birthday fic for my
super-favorite WALNUT,
Catherine! happy birthday!

R e a d & R e v i e w