Title: Thirty-three and then some
Author: Kuraii-chan
Word Count: 746
Disclaimer: They're not mine. :sigh:
Warning(s): AU ish, odd, and concocted thanks to the lovely Katraa.
Summary: # 11 33+ He just couldn't get it right…

Attempt 33:

"Sora…" Riku paused, blowing his bangs out of his eyes before considering the brunet before him. "Sora, I love you. Would you please go out with me?"

Sora grunted, and after rubbing his nose with the back of his hand, rolled on his side and continued snoring loudly. Riku sighed.

Now if only I could say it while he's awake…

Attempt 40:

Sora turned towards his best friend, head cocked to the side as wide cerulean eyes questioned the silveret silently. Riku inhaled deeply, trying to calm the butterflies in his stomach.

"SoraIloveyousomuchyoumeantheworldtomeandI--"

Sora's hand rose and for a split second Riku's breath caught – This is it, I've finally done it – before tugging an earbud from his ear. Sora laughed sheepishly.

"Sorry Ri', what'd you say?"

Attempt 45:

Riku tugged on the hem of his shirt and shuffled his feet, unable to look up at his approaching best friend. He'd finally found a foolproof way to tell Sora, one that could not be thwarted.

A simple text message had been sent last night, stating his intentions as plainly as possible and asking for a reply in the morning (and not a second before). Riku's heart skipped at the cheerful "Hiya Riku!" called his way.

"And?" Riku asked quietly.

Sora blinked. "And what?"

"My text. Didn't you get it?"

The younger teen fished his cell phone out of his pocket, and flipping it open squinted at the screen. It snapped shut and Sora shook his head. "Nope."

Disbelief compelled the silver-haired boy to grab his own phone and flip it open. Two words greeted him in bold print and Riku felt a strong urge to bash his head in on a nearby wall.

Send failed.

Attempt 51:

It was decided. Words were lost on Sora (although why it took Riku this long to realize this is quite uncertain). And so he had a plan.

"Uh, Riku?" Sora asked, peering into luminescent aquamarine, "Was there something you wanted?"

"Yeah," Riku murmured, leaning closer to his friend and smirking inwardly as the brunet's back met with solid wall. It was perfect. "Sora…"

His head ducked down, silver hair falling into his eyes in the last shimmering rays of the sunset. But instead of his lips meeting Sora's they connected with something cold, rough, and distinctly not Sora.

Riku turned in disbelief as the brunet yelled 'hang on Riku!' and scampered off to catch up with Kairi before she began her trek home. And as he laughed with the redhead over something Riku couldn't hear the silveret turned back towards the wall and groaned.

"I've gotten farther with a wall than with Sora." He grumbled, and eyeing the brick he had just kissed all but snarled as Sora broke out into new peals of laughter, "Maybe I should just ask you out instead."

Attempt 57:

Algebra class would be perfect. There was no possible way for Sora to escape in the middle of class.

Hastily Riku scrawled three simple words – i like you – before he could lose his nerve, and tearing off the scrap of paper folded it and tossed it onto Sora's desk. It took no more than thirty seconds for the paper to flit back onto his desk.

And there printed neatly below Riku's declaration sat a simplistic sentence that made his heart flutter wildly.

I like you too, Riku.

"Really?!" Riku whispered, to which Sora glanced over and shushed him, and eyeing the teacher nervously snatched the paper back, scribbled something down, and quickly returned it.

Of course. We're best friends! What would make you think that I didn't like you?

Riku allowed his head to fall forward and soundly make its acquaintance with his desk.

Attempt 62:

"Sora, wait!" Riku grabbed Sora's hand and pulled him away from their group of friends. Sora blinked up at Riku, eyes darting to the growing lunch line to Riku and back again.

"Yeah?" He questioned, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

Riku sighed. Now or never…

"Sora, you're my best friend. I know you better than anyone, and I've known you longer than anyone. We've laughed together and cried together, pulled pranks together and studied together. And well, I guess what I'm really trying to say is that Sora, you're my everything and I really really like you."

Sora blinked once, twice. He cocked his head to the side and studied Riku for a moment before smiling.

"I know you do, Riku, and I like you too, but why didn't you say so sooner?"