A/N: Happy birthday to key-baes! It's a little late, but here's some sweet LeaKu just for you!

When the Rain Comes

Lea had never been fond of storms.

When he was younger, before everything happened, he would sit at the window looking out into the courtyard, wishing he could go outside and practice, maybe spar with Isa, or go exploring the alleys of Radiant Garden. Then later, as a Nobody, well, it went without saying that rain wasn't his element, and he developed a strong distaste for lightning after a run-in with Larxene.

He was himself again, a little less fiery, perhaps, but he was no longer Axel, so the damp didn't bother him quite as much. But that didn't mean he liked the clammy feeling of humidity, or the clap of thunder on a rainy day.

He liked it less when he looked at Riku.

They were still young, both of them, but when it rained, Riku looked older. Or perhaps younger, Lea thought, though maybe he could somehow look both at the same time. When he looked out into the downpour, and his eyes reflected his past, some good, but a lot of bad, and he looked weary. Or he looked like a child, adrift with no direction, no one to show him what to do. From what Lea had gathered, his parents were distant. And Yen Sid…was only interested in the mission.

He was doing it now, Riku. Staring out at the raindrops pelting the ground, his eyes distant.

Lea let out a small sigh and approached him at an angle, so Riku could see him coming. None of them were keen being surprised, even when they were safe. No, especially when they were safe. He saw the flicker of teal as Riku caught sight of him.

"Hey." Riku's voice was low, barely audible above the sound of the rainfall.

"Hey." Lea didn't hesitate to pull him into a hug from behind, wrapping Riku tight in the warmth of his arms. "You're thinking too much again, aren't you?"

Riku took a breath, exhaled long and slow. "Yeah. I guess I am. There's a lot to think about."

"I know." Lea pressed a kiss to Riku's temple. "I just don't like seeing that look on your face."

Riku turned a little in his arms, mouth turning down in a slight scowl. "So what kind of face should I be making?"

Lea's expression darkened, a playful smile turning his lips up. "I can think of one." The faint blush that spread across Riku's cheeks made him grin.

"Stop." There was a thread of irritation in his voice, and Lea let the teasing tone drop.

"Okay, yeah, we don't have to do anything like that, but. Wouldn't it be nice to just curl up somewhere? Maybe with a cup of hot tea?" He leaned down and pressed his forehead to Riku's.

Riku's face softened, and he relaxed into Axel a fraction. "Actually, that sounds really good."

Lea gave Riku a squeeze, before letting go, grabbing Riku's hand in a loose grip. "Come on, babe." A gentle tug, and Riku was trailing behind him. Lea sat him down on a sofa in the common room—empty, before their entrance—and busied himself heating water and measuring out tea leaves, humming a soft tune.

Riku was staring into space when he returned with two mugs of tea, but he blinked into focus when Lea offered him one of the teas. "Thanks." Lea sat down, and watched Riku inhale the heady scent of the beverage over his own mug.

They were quiet, for a while, sipping tea, side by side, legs touching, listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof. Riku relaxed in stages, his shoulders dropping first, his weight shifting towards Lea, slowly, until they both made an unspoken agreement to put their mugs down so they could stretch out on the sofa together, Riku resting his head on Lea's shoulder.

Lea was humming again, his chest vibrating against Riku's cheek, and he ran his fingers through the silvery hair until Riku relaxed the rest of the way, his breath coming out soft and even. Peaceful.

They had both slipped into sleep, at some point, and a small noise woke Lea, eyes fluttering open. Riku still slumbered, nestled against his chest, and Lea wrapped a protective arm around him, looking for the source of the disturbance.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Kairi's voice was a whisper, her face a mask of chagrin at walking in on such an intimate scene, but when Lea offered her a small smile, her eyes softened. "Thank you. For taking care of him." She gave a smile of her own, shot them one last look, and turned back around, leaving them alone again.

Lea couldn't help a private smile at the thought of taking care of Riku. They took care of each other, really. Because the sleepy face Riku was giving him just now, half dazed, filled his heart with a brightness that felt overflowing. And the little kisses that soon followed, well, those were pretty great, too.