(Reg X Riko) - Suppressed Feelings
"No, absolutely not!" Reg firmly stated, glancing at Nanachi wistfully reaching out for the leftover cooking utensils they managed to scrap together after the destruction of IIblu. "Riko should only be gone for an hour or so, I still have some type 4 rations left over to hold us off".
Nanachi glanced weakly at the rations, "y'know, maybe starvation is a better alternative than eating this stuff again" she blankly muttered, stuffing the rations back in the bag, and collapsing on the side of the cave wall they were residing in.
"It's nice to finally have a bit of time to relax" Nanachi huffed, crawling towards Reg's backpack. "How are you holding up Reg, it's been a while since we had some time to catch up" she quietly uttered, continuously digging through the travel pack for something else to eat.
"Well, I guess I feel okay" Reg silently stammered, blankly staring at the floor near their campsite, fidgeting with his mechanical arm.
"You know, if you're so worried about Riko, you should simply just watch over her, it's written all over your face" Nanachi teased, gently poking at Reg's flustering cheeks.
"N...no, its just…" Reg shyly stammered, "Well… maybe a little…"
"Na, don't worry toaster boy, this area is devoid of the curse, I guess clinging to the edge was a pretty good idea" Nanachi playfully chimed "The creatures near here also seem to be more docile as well, you got nothing to worry about"
"Well, I guess you're right, it's just…" Reg stammered again, this time catching Nanachi's attention.
Nanachi sat up next to Reg with a playful grin. "Oh, is it something else?" she teased, "I've noticed you've been eyeballing her a lot more recently, Maybe you have some mixed emotions going through you?" Nanachi gleefully teased, nudging Reg's shoulder to try and bait a reaction out of him.
Reg buried his face in his helmet, trying to hide his embarrassment "I...It's not like that Nanachi, I just worry a lot about her, that's all…" Reg quietly muttered
Nanachi sighed, "I guess I can't blame you for that Reg, it's been a pretty bumpy trip so far. I'm surprised you still have enough screws to keep a good outlook on things with what you've been through so far." Nanachi calmly stated, "However, something tells me there's more to it…" She gleefully teased.
"Let me ask you something Reg." she mumbled as she stretched out her legs "What do you plan on doing once, or if, we make it to the bottom of the Abyss?"
"Well, I guess I'm not really sure, I never really thought of it before" Reg stated, relaxing a little "I guess I would stick with Riko since she can't leave…" he trailed off while blankly staring at his feet.
"Na, and what do you think that entails" Nanachi peered on "You are going to have quite a bit of time together, to say the least" she quipped, bumping Reg's shoulder.
"Nanachi, please, just get to the point of all of this. What is it you're trying to say?" Reg exasperated nervously, still fiddling with his mechanical arm, clearly showing more signs of anxiety from where this conversation was leading.
Nanachi playfully scooted towards Reg and leaned into his ear "What I'm saying is you should probably tell her your feelings for her, it wouldn't hurt to try." Nanachi lightheartedly whispered.
Reg immediately blushed again and crossed his leg, trying to hide his eyes from Nanachi's persistent playful gaze. "I..is it really that obvious" he quietly stuttered.
"Na, you're an open book Reg." She remarked, settling down back on the cave wall, "I mean c'mon, even if you weren't, I think your body does more of the talking than you're willing to admit…" she teased.
"Nanachi!" Reg snapped, clearly flustered. After a few seconds, Reg caught his breath. "I get what you're saying, but…what if she doesn't feel that way about me?" he nervously commented.
"Wanna know a secret?" Nanachi chimed
"Hmm, what is it?" Reg curiously responded, perking up a little.
"Riko once told me of a dream she had, one where she arose from the Abyss, her friends all applauding her safe return and being treated as a hero." Nanachi solemnly stated, "You know what she told me about that dream, Reg?"
"What did she say" Reg quickly replied, nervously clutching his mechanical hand.
"She said it didn't feel right, and that something was missing that she could never leave behind." she muttered, staring blankly at the floor, "That 'something' was you, Reg" she softly remarked, slouching on the cave floor.
Reg fumbled around a bit, processing the information, but before Reg could reply, Nanachi chimed "I know Riko is your treasure deep down, but I think it's quite obvious that you are her treasure as well simply because…"
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting!" Riko loudly proclaimed, stumbling into the cave, nearly tripping over Reg trying to find a spot to sit down. "This place is insane! I also found this neat relic near one of the ruined clocktowers, what do you think it is?" Riko blurted, shoving the artifact right next to Reg's face.
"Well…I" Reg stammered before immediately being barraged by the compounding information Riko collected on their environment, from the various relics to the landmarks she discovered on the edge of the sixth layer.
Nanachi suddenly stood up and stretched her arms "y'know, I think I'm going to go see If I can catch us a demonfish, that sounds pretty appetizing right about now." Nanachi playfully stated, grabbing her fishing rod from the side of the cave wall. "Might be awhile though, pretty sure Reg had something important to tell you as well Riko." Nanachi chimed, giving Reg a playful grin on her way out.
'Nanachi, how could you!' Reg screamed in his head, but before he could let out a retort to Nanachi, Riko kneeled uncomfortably close right next to Reg "Hmmm? What did you want to tell me Reg?" Riko gently replied in a soft wispy voice.
'T-too close!' Reg thought to himself while his mind raced for an answer, his face blushing an even deeper red than before.
"Have fun you two!" Nanachi waved as her silhouette disappeared past the cave entrance, leaving the two alone.
"Are you feeling okay Reg? You look like you have a fever with how flushed you look." Riko curiously chimed. bringing Reg's attention back to her. Riko took off her gloves and rested one of her hands on Reg's forehead. "Not that I think you can get a fever..."
"I-I'm okay Riko, I guess it's just a little stuffy in here is all" Reg blurted out, breaking eye contact with Riko as well as trying to conceal his face.
Riko inched closer towards Reg, letting off a relieved sigh and smiling, "Oh that's good! So what did you want to tell me." she gleamed while leaning in towards Reg, her eyes once again making contact with Reg.
"Well, I…I was just talking to Nanachi about you… and, well…" Reg nervously stammered, trying his hardest to push out the words.
"Mmmmhm" Riko quickly replied, her gaze playfully following Reg's eyes.
"And well, I just wanted to let you know... That-uh… I… like you" Reg finally pushed out, his cheeks burning red, visible puffs of smoke fluttering out of his ears from the heat generated in his face.
Riko giggled and rested her forehead against his "Well, of course I know that, why else would you have followed me into the Abyss? I liked you since the beginning too Reg~" Riko playfully replied.
"No…not like that Riko, I mean I... like like you" Reg hesitantly whispered. Reg began nervously fumbling with his mechanical hand and once again broke her gaze. "Y…you know what I'm trying to say…right?"
_(a few seconds pass)_
'Why isn't she responding!' Reg's mind furiously cried out, intensely staring into his lap, 'I knew I shouldn't have, that was… irredeemable!'. Reg's arm was trembling at this point, and he was terrified to lift his head to confront her gaze. Finally, Reg heard Riko scooting towards him.
"...Reg?" Riko softly whispered.
"...Yes?" Reg quietly replied.
Suddenly, Reg felt one of Riko's hands gently rest on his chin, lifting his gaze back to hers. Before Reg could even get a look at Riko, he felt Riko's lips press against his own. Reg's eyes immediately widened as he also felt Riko's arms slink around his back, embracing him fully.
Reg's perception of time blurred in an instant. The sensation of Riko's body pressing against his own, as well as her arms tightly clinging onto his exposed skin, scrambled all of his thoughts. Eventually, Reg instinctively closed his eyes and let his overwhelming emotions take over.
Finally, Riko gently pulled her lips away from Reg, taking a nervous breath and cracking an embarrassed smile. "I feel the same way, Reg…" she whispered, gently releasing her embrace on Reg and letting her eyes calmly drift back towards his.
Reg felt jolts of electricity course through his body from the experience. 'D-did that actually happen?' his mind repeatedly hammered, as he tried to get his bearings together from the tidal wave of emotions flowing through him.
"...Wow" Reg weakly replied, desperately digging through his mind for anything to say.
Riko giggled nervously and propped herself up in Reg's lap. "D…did ya like it? I saw Leader kiss a girl like that before, so I thought maybe you'd like it too…" she anxiously gleamed, looking for approval in Reg's gaze.
"Riko… that… was amazing" Reg finally managed to squeak out, "I've never felt like that before…"
A few seconds passed by without a word being uttered. Riko seemed to relax a little from Reg's compliment, letting her shoulders slack and letting her own torrent of emotions finally take over her.
"Without you Reg, I wouldn't have made it this deep…It's because of you that I can pursue my dream" she quietly chimed, rolling up her sleeve to show Reg the scar that she received from the Orbed Piercer. "Without you…I" she trailed off suddenly, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
Reg wrapped his arm around her waist and embraced her in a hug. Finally mustering some confidence, he whispered "Without you Riko, I would have probably been scrapped back in Orth, or even worse…lost, nowhere to go..." Reg felt tears welling in his eyes as well, tightening his embrace with Riko.
"Reg…you're crushing me" Riko squeaked.
Reg immediately loosened his grip and squeaked, "oh gosh, I'm sorry Riko! Are you okay, I didn't hurt you, did I?" he rambled, desperately trying to hide his embarrassment from losing his emotions like that.
Riko giggled and rested her forehead upon his, "I'm fine now" she quietly gleamed. Riko glanced back into Reg's eyes and smiled, enjoying the silent company of each other, only interrupted by her breaths.
Reg began to notice Riko's heart beating against his own chest, as well as her breathing pattern becoming more shallow and rapid. He noticed a burning feeling within his own chest as well, yet it didn't hurt to his surprise.
"...So Ummm, what is supposed to happen now" Riko questioned Reg curiously.
"What do you mean?" Reg replied, still a little dazed, but confused by Riko's sudden question.
"Well like… isn't there more to this whole relationship thing" she replied puzzled. Keeping her gaze focused on Regs.
"I'm not sure, I don't think I've ever done this before" Reg replied cautiously, letting his curiosity peek through his voice a little.
"Well, you know how Hammerbeaks rapidly reproduce in the first and second layer of the Abyss, I'd imagine it's something like that" she perplexed, rubbing her chin.
Reg froze up immediately 'Hey, hold on! She isn't referring to what I think she is, is she?' "I uh…I'm not too sure what you are talking about" Reg nervously chattered, trying his hardest to not give himself away.
"Well, you know when a male Hammerbeak and a female Hammerbeak go into…"
"Ooh? What are you guys talking about?" Nanachi curiously quipped, stumbling into the cave with a basket of Demonfish she was able to catch from a nearby pond.
"Welcome back Nanachi!" Riko waved with an innocent smile. "We were just chatting about…"
"Nothing!" Reg quickly retorted "Just uh… reading Riko's map is all!" he quickly interrupted, grabbing ahold of Riko's notes and burying his face into them. Reg's face began flushing a deep red as he tried to glance at Nanachi from between the slips of paper.
"Na, I'm guessing those must have been some pretty interesting notes" Nanachi joked gleefully, "Although it didn't really sound like you guys were too preoccupied with them~" she cooed playfully, cracking a grin towards Riko and Reg while puckering her lips mockingly.
Reg and Riko both immediately flustered at the realization, "Nanachi…I" Reg stuttered.
Nanachi let out a quick chuckle "Not that I'm judging or anything, I think it's sweet you two finally got your feelings across." she sweetly remarked, settling down on the opposite side of the cave.
Riko let out an embarrassed smile and rested her head on Reg's shoulder. Reg tensed up from the sudden contact and started nervously fidgeting.
Nanachi immediately took notice of this and glanced over to Reg with a devious smile, "I guess it was a good thing I got back as soon as I did" she teased, playfully tapping Reg's other shoulder. "I mean since you are both still fully clothed and all~" Nanachi cooed.
"Irredeemable!" Reg cried out, on the brink of tears from embarrassment, as well as giving Nanachi a defeated glance.
"What do you mean by that" Riko asked perplexed, tilting her head slightly, "Does that matter at all?"
"Naa?" Nanachi questioned, glancing at Riko, "They seriously didn't teach you that over at that orphanage you guys came from?"
"Teach us what?" Riko quickly responded, shuffling closer toward Nanachi.
"Na, never mind that" she trailed off, a little caught off by Riko's cluelessness. "That's something you and Reg should have plenty of time to discuss later…" she playfully muttered, grabbing a Demonfish from her basket and tossing it towards Riko. "In the meantime, think you could cook us up something, I'd rather not have to eat those rations if possible" she scoffed.
"Oh, yeah…I kinda forgot about that" Riko giggled, hopping up, moving over, and digging through their backpack for the utensils.
Nanachi lifted herself up and walked over towards Reg, plopping down next to him. "Sorry about that" she jokingly replied, leaning towards Reg's ear. "Although now, you really need to protect her, she is your treasure after all," she whispered in a serious tone.
Reg glanced back over at Riko, watching her fumbling through the bag, "Yeah, you're right" He quietly pronounced, "I'll protect her at all costs".