Once Riku escaped without running into Axel, he returned to his office to continue working with Sora on all the last minute tasks. Being the day before the dance, Riku knew he had to wrap up all the loose ends of the dance theme changes before he went to bed, which he already planned for being sometime in the dark hours of early morning. "How's progress?" Riku asked as he and Sora finished up preparations for the rematch soccer game and dance with TTLA.
"Almost done, actually." Sora smiled cheerfully.
"Good. I still want to meet with Marluxia about the garden decorations since we are having our dance Christmas themed and will need specific flowers and colors; and I believe I requested a meeting with Zexion after the dance to see where our finances stand."
"Yes, he emailed me back with a confirmed date, and Demyx emailed his playlist for the dance. We have plenty of Christmas music, as well as regular dancing music." Sora checked off his clipboard.
"Thanks, I'll look over it after we finish revising Luxord's budget." Riku said before Sora nodded.
"Riku?"
"Hm?"
"How are things going with Axel?" Sora asked timidly.
"What do you mean?" Riku didn't put any thought into the question.
"I mean, I don't know, you two are very complicated, and I think you two could get along more if you tried." Sora shrugged.
"Well, things have been busy, and complicated as the campaign runs on, but I assure you that I've nothing against Axel." Riku never wanted to worry Sora, so he never told his vice president about the occurrences between himself and Seifer.
"Good, I'm glad to hear that. Roxy says he cares about you a lot, and well, I believe him, both of them." Sora gave a friendly smile.
"I do too." Riku nodded along.
Things went quiet before Sora cleared his throat.
"Ok, I've got the plans for our rematch game. I have the survey from the last dance, and have constructed a new menu based on the preferences listed which I've already given to. Also, I've been working with Demyx about being the DJ, and Marly has one again agreed to donate flowers from the garden committee as decorations. Oh, and before I forget, Luxord has the revised budget sheets filled out, and I'll pick those up from Zexion after I visit Xaldin first thing in the morning." Sora read off of his clipboard as Riku nodded along.
"Great. Thank you Sora. You really are the best vice president I could have ever wished for." Riku smiled from his desk.
"Aww, Riku! You're too kind. I just hope this dance goes as perfectly as last time. We set the bar high, but I'm sure we'll manage." Sora said optimistically.
"With you running things the way you are now, I know we will. Gosh, I should be more worried about you taking my job than Axel," Riku chuckled jokingly.
"Riku!" Sora gasped. "You know I'd never do such a thing. I like being vice president. It's so much fun, but not nearly as scary."
"Scary?" Riku raised an eyebrow with an amused smile.
"Yeah, like if something bad happens, the person at the top gets blamed. This way, I can help and feel like I'm in charge without any real responsibility." Sora giggled.
Riku shook his head. "Damn, you really are way too smart to be president."
"Riku, I didn't mean it like that." Sora stuck his tongue out, hands and clipboard on hips.
"Uh, huh, sure."
"You really are the best president that this school has seen, ever." Sora said confidently.
"Thanks Sora. Not only are you the best VP, you really are the best friend." Riku stood up to hug his friend.
"Don't worry Riku; we will win this election." Sora held Riku tightly.
"Yeah, we will, wont we?" Riku had a brief moment of certainty.
"Of course! I mean, the last dance was so much fun, and I'm sure this one will be even better, and that'll really look good for your campaign."
"Our campaign," Riku winked.
"Hehe, our campaign." Sora's smile beamed before the two returned to their work.
Once Riku finished working on his campaign with Sora, he returned to his dorm to prepare for a late evening soccer practice. He spent the first two hours working with half the team, training them in endurance drills while Axel took the other half to work on ball handling techniques, and then the captains switched duties with their halves, making it a long yet effective practice.
"So, who are you going with this time?" Roxas asked Axel after most teammates left the field.
"To the dance?" Axel asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"No, to the moon," Roxas rolled his eyes.
"Oh shut up," Axel chuckled.
"Well, who are you going with?" Roxas pressed as Demyx and Hayner joined the conversation.
"I don't know." Axel shrugged.
"You better figure out soon before all the good ones are gone, the dance is tomorrow after all." Hayner warned.
"Thanks for the advice, but I think I'll be just fine." Axel gave a cheap smile as Riku walked by.
"Everything ok?" The school president asked.
"Just talking about the dance. I'm excited for the Christmas decorations, should be festive! Has anyone asked you yet?" Demyx inquired.
"Some of the students from TTLA have hinted at it, but I, I don't plan on having a date again." Riku coughed nervously, secretly hoping that Axel would finally ask him. He didn't know why, but he felt so natural about expecting to be the redhead's date, and he had gone to bed every night for a week disappointed that he hadn't been asked yet.
"Aww, so you're going to leave Axel hanging?" Hayner snickered.
"What?" Riku turned to Axel, his heart slightly picking up.
"Nothing, they're just being dumbasses, as always." Axel chuckled, leaving Riku to look down in discontent.
"Well, I'm taking my Zexy. He's so cute in a tuxedo." Demyx grinned happily.
"Yeah, I think I'm going to ask Selfie, from the girls school. She's pretty cute, and seems adventurous." Hayner thought aloud.
"You going with Xion again?" Roxas asked Axel, wanting to hear the answer just as badly as Riku.
"Don't think so. I don't plan on asking her, and she probably expects me to be the one to ask, so I think I'll go solo." Axel shrugged.
"Uh-huh, yeah, that's believable." Hayner scoffed.
"What?" Axel asked.
"Both you and Riku are going alone? Yeah, real funny." Hayner explained.
"I'm sure they're just saying that, and then they'll surprise us as the best couple there." Demyx smiled.
"That's what Sora thinks." Roxas nodded along.
"It's so obvious." Hayner agreed.
"Riku made it clear he doesn't want a date. I wouldn't consider going with anyone else, so we're both going alone. Simple as that." Axel shrugged before he walked away, leaving Riku to stand there, mouth open in bewilderment.
"Wooow, don't you wish you could take your words back?" Hayner coughed awkwardly as he, Demyx, Roxas, and Riku all watched Axel as his tall, lean body exited the field.
"I almost feel guilty saying this since I have a boyfriend, but he really is like, super hot. And smart. And rich. And funny. I'd think that as President, you'd want to claim him for yourself before letting anyone else steam him." Demyx told Riku.
"You know, you could always ask him yourself," Roxas bit his lip as Riku gulped.
"Nonsense; he seems satisfied going alone. I wouldn't want to ruin that," Riku swallowed his own words, realizing that not even he believed them.
"Riku," Roxas started, but when Riku started walking away, he remained silent.
"Man, those two," Hayner shook his head.
"I almost feel bad for them." Demyx pouted.
"Why? It's all Riku's fault." Hayner crossed his arms.
"Why do you say that?" Demyx tilted his head.
"Hello! He's got this crazy hot guy who can buy the entire Academy and still have munny to burn, who also happens to be super athletic, ridiculously funny, extremely popular, and well liked by everyone. Didn't you see him at the last dance? That black haired girl may have had her arm around him, but he had nearly every girls eyes on his body. And here he is bowing and offering his hand time and time again, and Riku rejects him like there's something wrong with him."
"Yeah well Axel is a bit….bold, which makes Riku hesitant." Roxas added his opinion.
"No, Riku's just timid is all. You can tell that he's a very cautious person who thinks things through, and since Axel is very charismatic, Riku's just trying to balance it all out before he makes a decision." Demyx reasoned.
"I don't know, I think he's being stubborn." Hayner shrugged.
"He's being careful. A guy like Axel is too rare to be so hasty with. And Riku is a keeper himself. His test scores are top notch, he's also a team captain, he's the school president for crying out loud!" Demyx said.
"Well if he's not careful, he may not be president much longer. And if he doesn't hurry up, he may lose Axel too. A guy that good won't wait forever on one person when they can get anyone they want." Hayner said confidently as Roxas shook his head.
"No, you're wrong. Axel will wait. He's just that good a guy."
Riku returned to his office after showering away any remnants of practice, ready to work as hard as he could to distract himself. That plan failed the second that Axel walked through the door, just a couple hours into Riku's work.
"Axel," Riku stood up, swallowing hard for a reason he couldn't explain.
"Hey, I just wanted to drop this off. It's the usual receipts from the housing office." Axel handed Riku a few documents while the silverrete kept his eyes on the emerald pair before his.
"Thanks." Riku smiled. He didn't know why, but he wanted so badly to have that flirty, loud mouthed, crazy redhead, not the shy, quiet, calm teen that was in the room with him.
"Anytime," Axel bowed politely before he aimed for the door.
"You, you're leaving, already?" Riku asked before he could stop himself.
"Afraid you'll miss me?" Axel asked, his cocky grin returning to its usual spot.
"It's just that, usually I have to do a bit of work before you leave." Riku bit his lip, loving the smile that Axel gave in return.
"Is that so?" Axel took a long stride towards Riku, watching as Riku squirmed uneasily.
"Yeah," Riku tried to calm his inner anxiousness.
"Prez, can I ask you something?" Axel asked, his voice serious, forcing Riku's heart to pick up. The silverette tried to hide his smile, certain that he'd finally get his date to the dance.
"Sure," Riku nearly stuttered.
"Well, it's just that, I know that we've been through a lot together this year, and well, I wanted to ask….do..do you think….do you think that we're closer now than we were last year?" Axel asked curiously.
Riku felt his heart drop from his throat to his feet. What kind of a question was that?
"We never talked much outside of soccer back then, so yes, I think we are closer." Riku said, feeling like it was such an obvious answer.
"Yeah, ok, that's what I thought." Axel gave another comforting smile. "I'll catch you round Prez," Axel saluted before he left the office.
Riku sat down in his chair with a sigh, wondering why things had to be so damn complicated.
He felt at fault, knowing that if he came out and confessed to Axel, then the process would speed up tenfold; yet knowing that didn't change his mind about being as reserved and timid as he was. He knew why he had to be cautious. He knew why he had always been so scared, but that didn't make it any less painful.
The next day came and once again, Riku found himself in a similar position.
"So, you ready?" Axel asked, fixing his own tie while Riku tried and failed to put his own on. They were both getting ready in Riku's office, since Riku was too scared to leave the safety of his sanctuary and since Axel needed to help him as he did before.
"As ready as I'll ever be." Riku sighed, frustrated by his tie.
"Here, you need help?" Axel chuckled, reaching over to assist Riku.
"Thanks." Riku gulped, loving how close Axel was to his body. They were nearly touching, and for a reason he couldn't explain, the very idea of contact was exciting him.
"You look so beautiful Prez," Axel took a step back to admire Riku in his tuxedo with his hair up in a ponytail.
"Th-thank you," Riku blushed. "You look stunning yourself." Riku gave a shy smile.
"Prez, no matter what happens, I," Axel looked around before he returned his gaze on the silverrete. "I don't want what happened last time to repeat itself."
"What do you mean?" Riku couldn't be certain he knew what Axel was talking about.
"I don't want you to ever go one second thinking that I don't care about you, more than anyone else."
"Axel," Riku wanted to get over all the fear and worries that he had built up inside of himself. He wanted to push through all barriers and show his true emotions.
"I guess I just wanted to tell you that I," Axel looked away again. "I love you Prez." Axel gave no smile as he looked in Riku's eyes, honest and pure.
"Axel," Riku whispered, his head already swarming with all of the instability that hindered his thinking.
"Riku!" Sora ran into the president's office, his mind running a mile a minute.
"Yes?" Riku hated the timing of Sora's interruption.
"Riku, Kairi is here and you have to give the opening speech and if your late like you were last time," Sora waved a finger.
"I'm sorry. It's my fault," Axel gave a humble bow.
"No, it's mine," Riku defended himself.
"I don't care who's fault it is, you need to go!" Sora shooed Riku outside of his office, grabbed his wrist, and ran down the hall with him, leaving Axel to slowly follow behind.
After a similar welcome speech from the first dance, Riku watched as couples filled the gymnasium floor.
"Doesn't everyone look so amazing?" Sora smiled in admiration as he watched the girls in their cute red, green, or gold dresses and the men in their sleek tuxedos. All the flowers were in holiday theme, as were the banners, balloons, table decorations, and music.
"Not as amazing as you," Roxas tightened his grip around his boyfriends waist.
"Thank you Roxy," Sora kissed his twin.
"You two," Riku shook his head sarcastically.
"Oh, wait, I need to go talk to Demyx!" Sora rushed off as Roxas coughed to himself.
"So," Roxas rubbed his arm.
"So," Riku echoed.
"Where's Axel? Can you go find him for me?" Roxas asked Riku, a bit suspiciously.
"Why?" Riku could sense that something was a bit off.
"Cause, I need to talk to him, but I promised Sora I'd wait right here for him." Roxas said convincingly enough, so with a silent sigh, Riku turned around in search of the redhead.
He wandered through the crowds of couples just as the red and green lights dimmed as low as they could get.
"What the?" Riku twirled around in confusion, wondering who gave the orders without his permission.
"And now ladies and gentlemen, it's time to find that special someone and get nice and cozy," Demyx said over his microphone from the DJ table. The Christmas music stopped as a romantic love song began to play. Riku rolled his eyes, guessing that Sora wanted some extra time with his twin.
Couples left and right circled the school president as he tried to maneuver his way out of the maze, but when he felt a finger poke he shoulder, he stopped.
"May I have this dance," Axel gave a low bow. Riku maintained eye contact as he took a couple deep breathes. It was just one dance, one song; what could happen? Riku couldn't feel his head as it numbed to the soft music that started playing as the colored lights remained low.
"Yes," Riku whispered, his hands timidly extending to Axel's narrow hip and tall shoulder, all while Axel grabbed his waist gently.
"I'm honored." Axel coughed in his nerves. Riku felt his body tense up as they gently swayed from side to side, just as the chorus of the love song picked up. Riku glanced around, hoping to ease some of the tension by acting busy. His plan backfired when he made eye contact with his vice president, who winked with Roxas by his side. Then, it all became clear to him.
"You," Riku looked at Axel as they continued to dance calmly.
"What?" Axel asked curiously.
"You, you planned this? You set it up?" Riku asked and Axel gave a light shrug.
"In all honesty, I may have fantasized about something like this happening while Roxas was listening, but I never asked him to actually set it all up. When I realized what he was doing, I decided to take the opportunity. I must say, he really is a good friend."
Riku looked back at the Kidakama twins, who were kissing passionately.
"Yeah, Sora's the best."
It went quiet again as the two swayed lightly, and before he knew it, Riku cleared his throat.
"I, I'm sorry," Riku didn't know why he was apologizing, but it just felt appropriate.
"For what?" Axel asked.
"All this time I, I've been holding a grudge. But you, you aren't the person I'm angry at." Riku confessed his weakness as Axel held him tighter.
"It's ok Prez. I just want to see you happy." Axel pulled Riku's body closer, allowing the president to rest his head comfortably on his body.
"I, I am happy." Riku wrapped his arms around Axel's back, just as the lyrics hit their sweetest melody and the music powerfully swept over the hearts of everyone in the room.
"I'm in love," Axel confessed, his heartbeat going sporadic as Riku gulped.
"I, I," Riku closed his eyes, his breathing increasing at an alarming rate.
"Let me hold you," Axel whispered into Riku's ear, forcing the silverrete to part his lips anxiously, loving the heat that escaped the redheads warm breath. Axel circled his arms around Riku's waist, hugging his body against his own, resting his head on Riku's all while the president's body gave an emotional shiver.
"Love is in the air, can't you feel it?" Demyx asked sweetly as he and Zexion held hands in the DJ's booth. Red and green lights slowly rotated around the gymnasium floor as Christmas decorations filled the room.
"Don't run away from me, please?" Axel pulled his head back to ask as he gazed into Riku's nervous eyes.
"I won't," Riku swallowed hard. The music was loud yet so soft as he surrendered his mind to it. The song was reaching its pinnacle, the highlight of all love confessions as Riku felt the chorus stir within himself. It was as if his veins were replaced with guitar's strings, and his heart beat with the heavy pound of the drums. All the while, his fingertips were like the bow of a violin, delicately grazing over the strings of red silk that cascaded down upon Axel's shoulders. He didn't know if the music had some sort of curse or spell that caused him to feel so nostalgic, so emotional, so aware of his need for comfort. Riku's eyes closed on their own as his hips and body continued to sway against Axel's, his feet glued where they stood.
"I just want to hold you," Axel's voice once again tickled Riku's ear as the silverrete nodded, looping his arms around the redheads neck.
"I, I lo-," Riku started, but his clenching throat caused him to gulp.
"I love you," Axel's words opened Riku's eyes as both pairs met. "I love you," Axel repeated with certainty, and when Riku nodded, both boys knew.
Axel's hand gradually lifted to Riku's cheek, and his other to his shoulder, and once his eyes closed, Riku knew that his eyes had to do the same.
With closed eyes, both boys puckered their lips and leaned in ever so slowly, too slowly. The lack of patience between the two was mutually staining the air when Riku had enough.
"I love you," Riku huffed before he cupped Axel's face and with two pairs of open eyes, their lips met.
Author's Note: Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! What better way for me to say Merry Christmas than to post a chapter where Riku FINALLY gets his ass in gear! Ok so since Christmas has officially ended in most places, I apologize for the late chapter and will sadly skip the review response portion of the author's note, sorry! I hope you all have a KH and yaoi filled new year! With love,
Living Legacy, Sarabellum